Reading Reviews- September 2013

     I tried to focus more on quality than quantity this month.  I was getting a little competitive about how many books I could read each month. So this month I tried to get back to actually enjoying reading again.

The Cooked Seed by Anhee Min

     I don't know what to think of this autobiography?  There were times I was routing for the author and other times I felt she was really dumb. I guess it takes courage to write about your life- good, bad and ugly. The thing is sometimes I felt she was lying or at least embellishing.  I read this story and tried to practice not judging others. But there was something about it that just didn't feel right?
Verdict:  It is unlikely I will ever read anything by the author again.

The Bed of Procrustes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

     People really love this author. I have tried to read all of his books, but I don't enjoy them at all.  This latest book is a compilation of his philosophies- so it is a bunch of quotes. They seemed preachy and arrogant????
Verdict: I tried, I don't like his stuff.

19 Lesson on Tea by 27Press

     Tea is the new wine?  I wanted to learn more about tea and this book was exactly what I was looking for. It provides an overview on the different types of and how to brew them.  It did so in a concise yet interesting way.
Verdict: I got it for free through Amazon Prime, but would have paid the $2.99.

Then They Came for Me by Maziar Bahari

     This author did an amazing job of intertwining the 118 days he spent in an Iranian prison with the political, religious and social backdrop of the country.  The American political system has many problems, but this book made me appreciate how good we have it!  After reading this, I truly understood the importance of separation of church and state.
Verdict:  Read it or if reading is not your thing, a movie is coming out soon (directed by Jon Stewart).

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

     It sounded like an interesting take on the Robin Hood tale. Will Scarlet, Robin Hood's sidekick, was actually a girl named Scarlet.  I didn't realize this was a Young Adult's book, so my expectations were much to high.  It reminded me of Twilight.
Verdict: Such a good idea, but disappointing execution.
   

Announcing a Facebook Page and Twitter

     I want to thank everyone, who has been reading the blog via the Internet or as an email subscriber.  I finally realized I could make it even easier by creating a Facebook page and Twitter account for Rice Kracker Girl.  So you can now get the blog updates by "liking" the Facebook page or following on Twitter.

For those of you new to Rice Kracker Girl, here are the types of posts you can expect:

• Reflections:  This is the heart of the blog. My thoughts, hopes and goals, which I try to arrange in a reflective and hopefully amusing narrative.  

• Recreation: All the activities I do for fun!  CrossFit, yoga, running, hiking, snowshoeing and I am sure there are more to come!

• Made It & Ate It:  I love food and I like to share deliciousness!   I grew up in a culture where food is more about love and connection than nourishment and sometimes that trumps nutritional logic. 

• Reading:  I read a lot- books, eBooks, blogs and of course the interweb.  I will attempt to help sort out all those words and recommend some good stuff.

• Out & About: Spoiler alert I am not out partying every night, I am rather a homebody. But if I go somewhere cool, I promise to tell you about it.

• Favorite Things:  Sometimes I want to give a shout out to things that are awesome!

    I think that the addition of Facebook and Twitter with also make Rice Kracker Girl a more interactive platform.  I would love to hear from you- suggestions, comments or just say hi!  Thank you all for connecting with me.

Fried Ravioli

     Fried ravioli is and amazing!  Ravioli is breaded, deep fried and then served with a marinara sauce for dipping.  I do not make them for myself though. I tell myself they are difficult and messy to make, no matter how many times my sister tells me they are easy.  It is better that way, so I can enjoy it as a treat.  If I did start making them myself, I might enjoy them a little too often. So thank you to my wonderful sister for making some this week :)

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Tea Time

     It all started with this article on doing a tea meditation.  Taking 10 minutes out of your day to just focus on making a cup of tea.  Doing nothing else but watching water boil, smelling tea leaves seep and enjoying a cup of tea.  This is harder than it sounds. I haven't made it through a whole tea brewing without multi-tasking yet. Even as I write this blog, I am sipping on my first cup of Yerba Mate tea- which is fabulous by the way!

     I got a book on tea 19 Lessons on Tea by 27 Press to learn some basics. I learned that tea, like wine, is picked and processed to create distinct flavors. There are separate chapters covering White tea, Green tea, Yellow tea, Oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, Black tea, Iced tea and Herbal tea.  Loose leaf tea is high quality and can be used for multiple seepings. Tea bags contain "dust" and "fannings"- basically the left over pieces from the whole leaf harvest.  The chapter on tea accessories made me chuckle- kettle, strainer, Thermometer, timer, infuser, storage containers, and special glasses.  So many things to make a cup of tea?

     I was tempted to go out and buy all that stuff, but decided to start my journey slow and light.  My sister had bought me a Kati Cup for Christmas, which I have been using for my juicer juice.  It is actually made for tea and comes with a stainless steal infuser.  So that took care of the cup and infuser. For a timer, I just use my iPhone.  I did buy a digital thermometer to make sure the water is the perfect temperature.

     The next mission was to find loose leaf tea.  Lots of stores only sell tea bags. Whole Foods, not only had loose leaf tea,  but they also had bins that you could scoop your own tea from. This meant you could actually smell the blends.  Since I am not tea expert, I went with what smelled good.  I got three to start off- Mint Medley (black tea), Yerba Mate (herbal tea) and Cardamon Cinnamon (herbal tea).  Whole leaf tea really does have more flavor. In fact, it has an after flavor, it lingers and I can actually feel the caffeine.  Very different from tea bags.

     So it looks like tea is going to be my cold weather month interest.  There are so many varieties and brands to try!  Maybe I'll even be successful at doing nothing but tea for 10 minutes.

The Last Days of Summer

     Happy Labor Day!  This long weekend serves as the last call for summer, though it is officially summer through September 22.   Already the days are shorter and the temperatures have been cooling off a little.  Somehow, I am missing summer before it is actually over?

     I’ve had a long and lazy August, but today kicks off a busy 3 months of 5k races and a CrossFit competition.   Then the holidays will be here!  Plus I plan on moving early next year. So I just want to hold on to this feeling of ease and unbusiness for a moment longer.  Pinkberry answered my prayers and brought back their peanut butter flavor.   

     Sweet and smooth- it feels like the perfect summer day.  They don’t even have to pay me to promote this product. I can’t believe they found a way to make peanut butter even better!  It is a seasonal, so have some and celebrate the last days of summer with me. Roxy agrees too :)

http://www.pinkberry.com/

My Salsa

     I love tomatoes and so I love salsa. My favorite is pico de gallo.  This year I tried to grow my own cilantro and was finally successful on the third try. May I present to you My Salsa with home grown cilantro:

     The recipe is pretty simple. Cut up tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Salt and pepper and add the juice of one lime. If you like it a little spicier, you can add a jalapeno.  This is summer flavors sweet and simple.

Reading Reviews- August 2013

     I beginning to feel like I read too much?   This month had one of the best books of the year and one of worst...

The Dinner by Herman Koch

     This book was described as the European version of Gone Girl. It wasn't even close. It had  twisted characters and a dark plot, but it wasn't clever.  The first half of the book drones on with useless details to keep you in suspense, but that didn't work either.
Verdict: Really bad read.

My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

     Her memoir was done in a fair and balanced narration, just like a judge :)  Honestly, I didn't like it.  I found this retrospective narration of her childhood forced. Obviously, her story does have a silver lining, but there is no way she knew this while going through the bad times.
Verdict: I like her as a person. I did not like her memoir.

The Power of the Pussy by Kara King

     Every month I get a free book from my Amazon Prime membership, so I try to pick something I wouldn't normally read. This is waaay outside the box.  Despite its explicit content and writing style, the author has a lot of valid points.  Woman stop being doormats and make men treat you right.  She is also very funny.
Verdict:  This is a naughtier version of "He's Just Not Into You."  It was fabulous!

Mind/Set by John Kim

     Written specifically for CrossFittters, the author discussed the mental game needed to improve performance and overcome mental blocks. He gives very specific advice, you can implement immediately.
Verdict: CrossFitters it is $2.99 for the Kindle version- buy it!

Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum

     One of the best books I've read all year!  The author tells a moving story of abuse, despair and hope through multiple character's perspectives. Some may find some of the content disturbing, as children are mistreated physically and emotionally, but in the end good prevails in a realistic and uplifting way.
Verdict: Loved it!  Could barely put it down once I started reading it.

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

     Book 4 of Game of Thrones and it was a let down. It was terrible actually. All of the characters the author familiarized with in books 1-3 were missing.  Apparently, book 4 and 5 were meant to be one, but it was too long. Were is this guy's editor?
Verdict: Pretty much all of book 4 could be edited out.  Save yourself hours of reading and wiki it.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R.Martin

     Book 5 of Game of Thrones. It was better than book 4, but not as good as book 1-3.  This series was meant to be a trilogy and so far there are SEVEN books planned but the author says there may also be an eighth. I am really begin to fear this series might be lost?
Verdict: Not giving up hope yet. Book 6 release date is 2014. Fingers crossed!