Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Books

OK so I have not officially been tagged but have been asked (ahem) to participate by my girl CBN:

What was the last book you bought?
Depends on what you mean "bought" ever since I got the Kindle I download. The last book I downloaded was "The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance". It sounded like something different that I may like. I have been keeping my reading fun lately

Name a book you have read MORE than once.
There are a few actually. I re-read "To Kill a Mockingbird", I read it in HS and then in my 20s and it was totally different for me each time. I love Scout. I also re-read, The little Prince and the Alchemist

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life?
Every book affects me in one way shape or form
These are my top five:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. The Little Prince
3. Gone with the Wind
4. My Life in France : Julia Child
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
(6-The Red Tent)

How do you choose a book? (e.g. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews).
Varies, I rend to look at recommendations. Typically, if I like the author I will read more of their books. Most web sites tend to have the if you like this book then you will like XXXX book. My friends have offered great suggestions as well. But, I go through phases where I want to know about a particular subject and I will read as many books as I can about that subject until I am burned out. I went through this a few years ago when I wanted to find out about Buddism, then the Tutors and then the court life of Louis XIV. I am more on a chick lit kick lately.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
I mostly read fiction but I do dabble in Non Fiction if the subject interests me.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
Well the books there are to hold my lamp up (seriously) but my Kindle I have been reading
The Reading Group. Next is The Knitting Group or the Blind Assassin.

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
The Lost Symbol-total disappointment

Have you ever given up on a book halfway in?
If I really don't like the book. I tend to give it a shot but if it is really bad I give up and on to the next book.

What are the best books you've read this year?
So many...especially since I read a lot during my honeymoon. Lets see:

1. My life in France-Julia Child
2. Mastering the Art of French Cooking
3. ShopGirl
4. The Unlikely Disciple
5. The Shopaholic (followed by Shopaholic takes Manhattan, and Shopaholic gets married)
6. Best Friends
7. Eat, Pray, Love
8. In Her Shoes
9. Love the one you are with
10. Certain Girls
11. How Japan took the JAP out of me.


So what about you?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Risks Vs Benefits

Yesterday, a report came out regarding mammograms.

In a nut shell, it said that healthy women (who do not have a history of breast cancer in their family) can push mammograms until they are 50. Then they should only have them every other year. The long standing age has been 40 with a recommended mammogram every year (unless you have a history of breast cancer).

Part of the reasoning behind the study is that as you age (specifically 50 and up) your are more likely to get breast cancer than most women in their 40s and many women in their 40s experience false positives that forces them to undergo further testing, biopsies and causes them undo stress. They also say that self breast examination is not necessary as they lead to more mamograms and biopsies for non cancerous bumps.

Obviously, one of the opponents of this new recommendation is the American Cancer Society who encourage women to get yearly mammograms after age 40. Especially since early detection increases the treatment options and life span.

My question to you is would you rather have a false positive and be subjected to further testing after age 40 or would you do what the new recommended guidelines are and start at 50?

For me, I would rather start at age 40 and if there is nothing after the first mamogram, then every other year. But I would rather experience a false positive early than risk a later stage cancer at age 50.

What are your thoughts?

Do you self examine?

Monday, November 16, 2009

Random weekend highlights

We had a lovely non-burb weekend. It was great to stay home, run a few errands (Finally dropped my wedding dress off at the dry cleaners), watched a few movies and did the weekend chores. The Hubs mentioned that he felt bad about being lazy but after the running around we did before the wedding it more than makes up for it.

We have our netflix streamed in so the Hubs is in one room watching Lost and I have been able to watch some interesting movies that I recommend:

Arranged
Brick Lane

Confessions of a Superhero
Kramer vs. Kramer

Yesterday, I made some pulled pork for today and as leftovers for the week. I am so relieved that I don't have to cook tonight.

We also spent about a hour and half researching and discussing our health care options now that we are married. While my plan has the extra pharmacy benefits, it will cost an arm and part of a leg. His has great co-pay and cost sharing options but, my monthly costs on prescriptions alone will cost a lot more. It is more than frustrating.

As the hubs said the other day "I wonder if all this health care options in Congress, will get more steam as people try to figure out how much more they will pay one way or another while open enrollment is active."

What are your thoughts?

Monday, November 09, 2009

Huh?

So I got a comment in Russian, my first ever. Ironically it is anon and it was in Cyrillic so, I translated it and it says:

Let us officially by agreement make on the physical persons and colleagues of the enterprises of passage in the metro into the network of the supermarkets of the metros cache and Kerry: passage in the metro with your photograph (it is done with you in the very store OF THE METROS), with the serial number, by the code, by magnetic strip, by the name of the organization, from which you will be by us registered and designed. You can carry out two people with yourselves. The cards of metro take shape: to the citizens of Russia and foreign [grazhdan].[Oformlenie] is produced without [predoplaty], i.e., at first we record you, you obtain the maps of metro to design the cards of the metro, then you pay. Payment is produced during one workday after formulation through [Sberbank] RF, the supermarkets [M]ETRO Of cash and C[a]rry work [kruglosutochno].[Srok] of the action of the map of the client of metro of 3 years, after this period agreement renews through a mutual agreement of [storon].[Dlya] of the rendering of this service we we find organizations, which have vacant places in these shopping centers, and we conclude with them the appropriate agreements, according to which the organizations [obyazuyutsya] to grant to you the right to use their places in these hyper-fogsalmon with period for three years. Formulation and registration are produced in the different German shopping centers [M]ETRO Of cash of & C[a]rry, on the selection of legal persons in accordance with their territorial location. After obtaining passage into [met]r[o] in one of the German stores of the metros [Kesh] and Kerry you can it use in any other stores of this network of the shopping centers [M]ETRO Of cash and C[a]rry in Russia and abroad. [url= http://www.c-c-metro.ru/20-5.php] AS TO USE THE MAP OF THE STORE OF THE METROS CACHE! mordant! [/url] [url= http://www.c-c-metro.ru/29-2.php] dishes for the restaurant the store of the metro! fresh fish! [/url

Anyone venture a guess to what it means?

Friday, November 06, 2009

The pro shots (

So without futher ado... finally some of our pro shots

All images are from Grey Street Photography. We love Brian and Chrissy so much and they were such an amazing team to work with.


Our rings







The bridesmaid's flowers

My shoes





With my mom





My brooch
The back of my dress and the hands that helped!


The best man prep

Counting the minutes



With my dad








The church






My flowers


With my hubs

Our two centerpieces and cake and cupcakes




Andy my favorite


Monday, November 02, 2009

Holding myself accountable

I can't believe that it is November with winter around the corner. I have been mastering the art of hibernation because there have been some days Lately where I don't want to leave the house. I just want to curl up, read, make a few necklaces or watch a movie. On Saturday I did just that. We did not have any plans for Halloween so we just stayed in drank champagne, made some yummy finger foods and watched The Tutors…for hours. That series is addicting and we finally finished the season last night.

My to do list is growing and I have to get on it, but I really have no motivation to do so. I just have to get up and do it….maybe this weekend.

Actually, I have some plans to take care of a few things this week during the week so that I can actually veg out and relax over the weekend. I plan on getting some accomplished!

so what is on my to do list:
-Take the wedding dress to the cleaners
-Clean out my bookshelves and take them to the half price book store
-Mail a package to my Mom
-Print some wedding photos for mom for said package
-Upload my wedding photos
-Finish Name change
-List our gocco for sale
-List our bookshelves for sale

We'll see how much I get done.