05/ 25/ 2016
A couple months ago, I watched Aziz Ansari’s Netflix show Master of None. I laughed a lot, and became super intrigued by his exploration of relationships.
Then I remembered he published a book on the subject called Modern Romance. In it, Ansari continues exploring his interest in relationships, explaining how they have reshaped throughout time and vary by culture. I was expecting something hilarious, a sort of clever personal narrative on Ansari’s romantic life. Instead, the book was more of a history of today’s dating culture, presenting compelling research and some of Ansari’s personal exploits.
04/ 17/ 2016
When my friends and I have talked about our favorite books, I’ve heard Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist mentioned many times. It seemed like everyone had read it and thought it was brilliant. When I found a copy in the Little Free Library by my local Starbucks, it seemed like a good omen.
Immediately, I met an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago. He had a dream that he couldn’t forget about finding a treasure near the Pyramids of Egypt. After a gypsy woman and an older man urged him to pursue his vision, he ventured off to Egypt.
After finishing the book, I understand why it’s so popular. Everyone can find something to appreciate about Santiago’s story. I learned a bit more about the importance of listening to signs, or “the omens” as Coelho calls them. Reality can be distracting and disheartening, taking you off the right path. But Coelho reminds us to look for and honor the omens, because they will help guide your way.
Part of the book’s magic is not knowing too much about it, so I’m going to stop here. Instead, I’ll let the text speak for itself and share some of my favorite quotes:
03/ 25/ 2016
My younger brother got married to his high school sweetheart last weekend. As a big sister, it was a really special time! I helped plan the Rehearsal Dinner and decided to make some flower arrangements for the table. The bride likes wild flowers, so I thought simple arrangements in mason jars would look nice.
My mom and I went to the store in the morning and bought a few different mix and match bouquets. When picking flowers for an arrangement you want to:
03/ 17/ 2016
Without realizing it, I’ve become a fan of crime thrillers. I think it all started with the mega-popular Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I’ve always appreciated a good mystery—Clue was my favorite game as a child after all. I love the twists and turns, the guessing and being completely wrong; it’s the unpredictability.
After reading Gone Girl, I picked up another of Flynn’s books, Dark Places. Even before chapter 1, we discover that little Libby Day’s mother and two older sisters were grotesquely murdered in the middle of the night. Libby was home too, but survived with her older brother Ben who was charged as the murderer. Decades have past since that night, and Libby has buried its memory. That all changes when she meets an interesting group of people who raise her curiosity about what actually happened. We then join Libby on her quest to find out the truth.
