3.28.2013

A Passion, An Obsession

If you had told me two years ago that I would eventually accrue and obsess over hundreds of nail polishes, I wouldn’t have believed you.
I only painted my toenails, mostly in the summer. I hated painting my nails for a few reasons, but the main one was laziness. I knew I’d goof it up, become impatient, mess my nails…I wasn’t good with shaping (I’m still not) or cuticle upkeep (I’m still not).

017

But now, it’s 2013.
Last Wednesday, I laid all of my nail polishes out on the living room floor, color-categorizing them and marking them down in a notebook for kicks and giggles. After counting, I realized (minus base and top coats) I had 101 polishes. By this past Monday, I’d have 106.
There are two more coming in the mail for me, and plenty more on my lust list. I don’t know how this happened, but I’m kind of glad it did.
Nail polish is one of the little things that helps save my mind. Maybe that sounds crazy, but it all comes down to the little things.
It’s the way I treat myself, express myself…it’s exciting and fun and pretty. It’s my hobby, my obsession, my passion.

So I thought, “Shame on you for not blogging about this more.” My various manicures, nail polishes I’d like to get, the new brands I’m trying, various techniques I’m doing or I’m curious about…this is a huge part of my life at the moment and I’m not even sharing it.

Of course, if you follow me on Instagram (@mikeylynn), you will see my latest purchases and NOTD.
But I want to share them on here more. Expect to see more posts like this in the near future.

3.27.2013

Recent Reads: Your Voice in My Head (Book #11 of 2013)

your-voice-in-my-head-book-image

I don’t know what prompted me to add Your Voice in My Head, Emma Forrest’s memoir, to my To-Read list. Usually, my interests are piqued by reviews in Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, or Amazon recommendations. I don’t remember what led me to read it, but I’m glad I did.

Your Voice in My Head is Emma Forrest’s account of her battle with bipolar disorder, which she has dealt with her entire life. That is enough to be intriguing for me to read. As someone who deals with anxiety and depression, I admire when people are honest about their mental illnesses, and I appreciate when they showcase every high and low point of it all.

When I started reading this, I had a sort of “Why?” moment. Why do people write memoirs, why do people read them, why is your story more important than someone else’s, enough to write a book? But I’m still very thankful for them, at times, because they show you a glimpse at real life, real pain, real love…what’s not to love?

This book is short, only about 210 pages. I probably would’ve finished it sooner but last week was crazy, and then I forgot it at home for a good 36 hours or so. I would recommend this, especially for those that suffer any form of depression or anxiety.

3.26.2013

Etsy Lust List: Fun With Words

It’s been quite some time since I’ve done an Etsy list (last post here). Not that I’m not still looking at Etsy…I just haven’t compiled a list.
The following several items all have to do with words in some way. So there’s a theme, and I like that.

etsy1

This shirt is basically my life. I first saw it on Elsie’s (of A Beautiful Mess) Instagram. I have been, and probably always will be, perpetually late to almost everything. I just don’t know how to get to places on time…or I do, I just…don’t do it. When Elsie posted about it, there was a joke made about being pregnant, which is also a funny spin (she isn’t and neither am I haha).
I love the simplicity of the printed words and the truth they hold for me. You can find it on the shop Print Liberation (straight outta Philly!), where they have plenty of other neat shirts as well.

etsy2

If you’re a fan of GIRLS like I am, you may recognize Katie Kutthroat’s designs. Her “You’re a Hooker” cross-stitch held a spot in Hannah and Marnie’s apartment the first season, and if you use the app GetGlue, you probably got all ten of her wonderful episode inspired designs.
I would love any of the Girls cross-stitches, but I especially love this “Beer Me” magnet. If you’re a fan of The Office, this is probably important to you. I think it would be excellent on a refrigerator. Especially filled with beer. Can someone beer this for me?

etsy3

If I had this Alphabet Number Rolling Decoration Stamp, I can guarantee that everything I own would end up stamped. I think it would be especially lovely for my books, to personalize the inside cover. You can find it at the Glassnam shop.

etsy4

If you read the blog, you know my love of John Green’s novels. Looking for Alaska is one of my favorite books ever, so you understand why I want this necklace, which showcases one of my most favorite lines (of a zillion good lines) in the book. You can find, and many awesome pieces of jewelry like it, on Authored Adornments.

And that’s all for now!

3.25.2013

Weekend

What a quick and crazy weekend. It had a rough start, and sorta stayed that way throughout. I was stuck with a bad mood that would just not go away. However, there were still some great moments of the weekend, and I’m very thankful for that.

078077040079068076
Though this picture isn’t actually from Friday, it’s from the same place. I pigged out on Tommy’s Pizza and it was perfect.
Maria and I went to see Spring Breakers, which was so crazy and shocking and weird and colorful and fun to watch. I’m really glad we saw it and I’m just the teensiest bit obsessed with it. I don’t like James Franco, but he blew my mind in this movie.
Brad was asked to dog/housesit for his aunt on Saturday, so we spent the night there watching TV, drinking beer, and snuggling with Sophie. I swaddled her in my sweater, and how sweet is the photo of Brad and Sophie sleeping? I die.
Also, Samuel Adams already released their summer variety pack…I had the Porch Rocker last year and it’s better than I remembered. Is it summer yet???
Finally, this is the nail polish haul. Brad surprised me with two bottles of Leather Effect polish, which was the sweetest thing. It definitely helped put a smile on my face after an extremely long and emotionally exhausting Friday. I went ahead and treated myself to two of the Selena Gomez Nicole by OPI polishes (the collection is full of pretty things) because I was still high on the movie…the hot pink is actually called Spring Break!! I get excited.

So, I’m hoping for a better week. Hoping to stay positive no matter what.
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Let’s make this a good one, eh?

3.21.2013

A Recap: Season 2 of GIRLS

This past Sunday, the season finale of the second season of GIRLS aired. It’s hard to believe, considering I remember watching the first season clear as day, and we now have 20 episodes of the show to discuss, praise, and tear apart.
To say the season has been a roller coaster would be an understatement…I think this season really lost a lot of fans. I’ve stayed with the show, and I’m glad I did, but I definitely had moments of doubt. Even though I heard a lot more complaints than raves, I think the show, whether the episode is good, bad, believable or not, I know people are still watching. I don’t know if it’s because they hope the show will get better (which I was doing) or just to “hate-watch” but whatever.

I thought I’d look back at some of my favorite moments from this season…

girls11girls12

In the first episode of season 2, Hannah and her new roomie Elijah hold a party. I loved seeing Hannah in her cute dress, all excited about throwing her first soiree. More importantly, I loved Shoshanna’s spacy, post-virginity loss behavior…the strange mini hat, the air DJing, and, of course, the Karaoke version of “Beautiful Girls” by Sean Kingston…amazing.

girls9

I know I wasn’t the only one excited about Booth and Marnie’s hookup…especially after the huge tease from season 1.
I was a bit disappointed with the payoff, but I was still very happy that it happened.

girls10

Also in episode 3, Hannah and Elijah do a whole lotta coke. I don’t condone drug use (and cocaine happens to be my “scary drug”), but watching them lip sing to “I Love It” by Icona Pop was the most fun I had all season.

girls6girls7

Episode 4 was classic GIRLS. After episodes that felt very Hannah/Marnie-centric, we got to look into the lives of Shoshanna (and her relationship with Ray) and Jessa (and her flailing marriage with Thomas John). We found out that Charlie still very much cares for Marnie (yay! except for she’s not having it), Ray has been living with Shoshanna without her even realizing it but it’s okay because she loves him and vice versa, and Jessa meets Thomas John’s parents, acts like her crazy self, they get into a massive fight, and that’s basically the end of that.

girls14

It also led to this awesome moment of Hannah singing “Wonderwall” in the bathtub, Jessa sneaking up on her, getting in the tub, and crying.
Beautiful, upsetting, funny…all the things I love about this show.

Episode 5, One Man’s Trash, was probably my least favorite. I don’t have any favorite moments…it was an unbelievable episode for me. And not because, like some people, Patrick Wilson wouldn’t wanna be with someone like Lena Dunham…bullshit. It was because it’s very rare that a random girl would meet a random guy and spend two whole nights with him…or maybe that’s just not something that’s ever happened to me or anyone I know or anyone they know pretty much ever.

girls5

Episode 6 held a lot of big moments for Hannah and Marnie. Hannah was presented with the opportunity to write and e-book and is thrilled, but mostly anxious. Marnie thinks she’s living the good life with the famous Booth Jonathan. Both realize they are in way over their heads and have one of the most heart-breaking conversations at the end, in which they both lie about their lives, proving that friends usually have a competition of who is happier or more successful.

girls3
In 7, we got to meet Jessa’s father. Jessa, who is ever the carefree spirit, is finally unable to be careless. She is feeling the ache of never being properly raised and of her inability to make good choices and keep in one place. It was the most honest we’ve ever seen her, which was beautiful. It is also when she chose to run away again, leaving a gaping hole in her wake for Hannah.

girls4

In 8, we learn about Hannah’s past with OCD as it has come back. That might have been the most important part of the episode, but it was Adam’s confession at an AA meeting that took my breath away. Adam Driver has continued to prove himself an amazing actor throughout the 20 episodes of this show (though he wasn’t on every single one). This in particular blew me away. He finally speaks up about his feelings towards Hannah and their break up…not that anyone in the room particularly cared…but the audience sure did.

girls2

9…Hannah has officially lost her mind. She injures herself with a Q-Tip, puncturing her eardrum and ending up in the ER. As she wanders the streets of New York in an oversized tee and not much else, she sees Adam, who looks clean and put together as he enjoys a night out with his beautiful new girlfriend. This is the first time they’ve seen each other since episode 2…when he was escorted out of her building by cops. It is awkward and endearing all at once.

AND FINALLY…

girls1

Charlie and Marnie!!! Yay, please work. But more importantly…

girls13

Hannah cries for help in a big way by chopping off her hair in a very unattractive bob and calls Adam in a moment of weakness. Through Facetime, he sees how low she is and runs from his place to her place, breaks down the door, and embraces her in a beautiful and happy ending that couldn’t have made me love this show anymore.

3.19.2013

Recent Reads: Paper Towns (#10 of 2013)

PaperTowns2009_6A

Happy Double Digits!

I’ve made it through 10 books this year. According to my Goodreads profile, I’m right on schedule.
I’ve been ahead, I’ve been behind…who knows where I will be after the next 10 books.

My 10th book is Paper Towns by one of my personal favorite authors, John Green.

For Christmas, I received the box set of John Green’s books. I was extremely excited about this present, as A) I hadn’t read one of the books yet and B) I love his books and I only have them on my Kindle (save for Paper Towns) and was happy to add it to my physical bookshelf.
I don’t know why I put off reading Paper Towns…I guess I was sort of scared to close the John Green door until his next book (who knows when…and I don’t 100% count Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which he co-wrote with David Levithan who wrote this book, and I definitely want to read!).

I didn’t expect to love John Green.
My first Green was The Fault in Our Stars, his most recent book that received both critical and reader acclaim. As an avid follower of whatever Entertainment Weekly recommends, I figured it was time to grab a copy. It was one of the first books I purchased on my Kindle last March. I very much enjoyed it, and was ready to embrace another of his books. As I read the descriptions of his 3 other books (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and, of course, Paper Towns), I found myself…un-amused. Nothing hit me. I settled on
Looking for Alaska, which actually ended up being one of the best books I’ve ever read in my 25 years of life. So, my point is, descriptions don’t do the entire books justice. There’s always so much more to the general idea of the story given in one paragraph. I guess that’s the case for most books, but for me, this really applies to Green. No one can actually go ahead and explain how many emotions will be stirred. I laugh, I cry, I get surprised…and man, does this guy have a way with words. I had to keep myself from basically highlighting every page.

Onto the actual book:

Paper Towns is about Quentin Jacobsen, our narrator, and his attempt at solving the mystery of the disappearance of his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. As a young boy, he spent tons of time playing with Margo and they happened upon the body of a man who killed himself. They were too young to truly understand what happened, but it had a strong impact on their young lives. Despite this, they grow apart in a comfortable, common way. Margo is the ultra-cool girl who does what she wants (and has disappeared in the past on random adventures) while Quentin spends time with his band member friends, Ben and Radar.
One random night, Margo shows up at Quentin window, begging to use his parents’ car and to complete a mission. Quentin, being his uptight self, is skeptical, but ultimately his attraction to Margo wins him over. They end of having a crazy night filled with mischief and mayhem.
Quentin believes it will be the start of something great…but then Margo doesn’t show up to school the next day…or the next…

What follows is a mixture of mystery and self-discovery and Quentin and his friends try to find Margo, or at the very least find out where she went and why, and learn some pretty great lessons about themselves and how each person sees every person differently.

I don’t even know if I really scratched the surface, but I’ll say this:
Read John Green’s books. I don’t care where you start, but I guarantee you will enjoy them.

3.18.2013

This Weekend, in Photos

017018021033048049050

My first ever Pickleback shot (whiskey with a shot of pickle juice). I love pickles, but obviously…weird.
The Outlet Army and Navy store outside of Bart & Urby’s on Friday night.
A half-finished, half-destroyed game of Chess played by a father and son waiting for a table at Canteen 900.
Little treats, all on sale. A Martha Stewart notebook (1$!), Butter London “Toff” polish, and Nails Inc. Sprinkles polish.
A special St. Patty’s day message from Brad and Lou.
Cali is alert as people take their dogs for walks.
Reading in bed with coffee…a very important Sunday tradition.

I had a great weekend. I am so sad to see it go, especially since I spend pretty much the entire week waiting for those two special days. I wish I wouldn’t do that to myself, but it’s where I am in my life. All I can do now is hope for a good week, with the least amount of stress possible, good nights of sleep, and a lack of setbacks. I wish you all the same as well!

(Sidenote: I edited these photos using the app Afterlight, which used to be Afterglow. It’s still the same amazing app, just a new name!)

3.15.2013

Friday!

037

Happy Friday, friends! Are you ready for the weekend? I most certainly am! No work or plans makes Michal Lynn a happy girl.

Is it me or are the days and weeks going by way too freaking fast? There is an obviously plus side to the weekend arriving quickly, but the days are a blur. It’s scary when you feel like time is slipping through your hands, but I intend to enjoy the couple days of freedom ahead of me.

It was actually a pretty good week.
I did some dance DVDs that made me feel healthy and strong…I always forget the power of exercise on the mind as well as the body.
Maria’s birthday was excellent...we had tacos and Blood Orange margaritas and laughed a whole lot.
I got to meet some cute puppies.

There have been worse weeks.
But now I’m ready to cuddle with Brad, shut the alarms off, and go to Canteen 900 (always a good idea).

 

Have a good weekend!

3.14.2013

A Place for Everything

003

Over the weekend, Brad got into a cleaning/organization frenzy and he created this little drink station.
It’s so cute, and it has so much more potential. Lou was talking about getting hooks for the back part of the shelving, so that they can hang a few mugs. There are so many mugs in the house (we have a bit of an obsession, and I don’t plan on stopping it anytime soon), most of them worthy of display. The collection of K-Cups, beans, grounds, and teabags also continues to grow.

I can’t wait to have something like this in my own little space. Until then, I’ll enjoy this.

I edited this photo using Afterlight (which is the new name for Afterglow) and Overgram, which is a fun app that helps you add words to your photos!

3.13.2013

My Sister, My Friend

Today is my beautiful, talented, and hilarious younger sister’s 24th birthday!
I cannot express just how happy I am to have Maria in my life and, even better, to have a sister I can talk to about anything, who I can call one of my best friends…if not my best friend.

044

We’ve had our distant moments, but the best part about having a sister friend is that we can argue, knock-down drag-out fight, and pick right back up. It’s hard to find someone you can do that with, and lucky enough for me…she’s my family.

Happy birthday, sis! I love you!

Here’s a collage of some of the photos on my sister’s Instagram (follow her: @mialushis)…

mariatile

Maria is extremely talented…crochet, painting, baking…her Instagram is a great display of her talents!

Enjoy your day, Mavis.

3.12.2013

Recent Reads: Eleanor and Park (Book #9 of 2013)

eleanorandpark

I’ve been looking forward to reading Eleanor and Park (Book #9 of 52) since I finished Rainbow Rowell’s first novel, Attachments back in 2011. I didn’t know what her second book would be about, just that I knew I’d be reading it. E&P has been out for a while now, released in the UK spring of last year (I die over this beautiful cover, though I do believe the US cover is a tad more accurate). It finally came out in the US at the end of February, and I already had it preordered so it would arrive the day it came out.  

The book takes place over a school year starting in 1986. Eleanor and Park meet on the school bus, and it is Eleanor’s first day. With her wild red hair, bigger physique, and mismatched thrift store clothes, she’s an instant target for ridicule by the “cool” kids. No one will let her sit on the bus…except for Park. He is immediately embarrassed by her, worried of what people will think and say. Park is a Korean Irish punk who reads comics and is often wearing headphones. Though he refuses to talk to Eleanor, and she isn’t very privy to speak with him either, there is an instant and undeniable connection. What unfolds is a story about first, young love, the confusing emotions, and the fear and frenzy that accompanies these new feelings.

The book is written in third-person, alternating from Eleanor’s life to Park’s life with great ease.
This is important, because the two live very different lives.

At first, I didn’t understand why she made it take place in the 1986…why not keep it modern? Even Attachments took place in 1999…I was worried she’s stuck in the past. But there’s something about the past that makes that young love that much purer. No cell phones or Facebook to distract. Bullying happened in your face, not all over the internet for the world to see. I think that’s why I loved Perks of Being a Wallflower (the movie, as well as the book) so much…but I am digressing and I should share that another day.

I didn’t know much about the book going in. I seriously bought it simply because I enjoyed Rainbow Rowell’s first book (and I will probably enjoy the next). I’m glad I was slightly clueless, because it made it that much more enjoyable. I so easily felt the embarrassment, shyness, and heart-skipping beats of young love…she conveys it so well. I really enjoyed this book, it’s a sweet and entertaining read.

If you’re interested, check out this review of the book by John Green, one of my favorite authors EVER. He’s a man you can trust.

3.11.2013

The Shortest Weekend (Literally)

IMG_0405

Daylight Savings Time definitely has it’s perks. It is going to be so nice to drive home with the sun still shining, longer days, warmer weather ahead. But losing that hour, even though it is just 1 hour, is kinda sucky. Sunday kept slipping through my fingers, and because of the sunshine, it felt earlier than it was. I worked on Saturday, so that was a good chunk of my day, but I had a lovely evening. Maria and I went to dinner (I love sisterly bonding) and then met Brad at a local bar where he was taking photos for a couple of the bands that were playing there. It’s been months since I went to an actual bar. It was fun, but I realized I left with a lot less money than I came…this is why I don’t really like going to bars to drink. I’d rather do a MYO 6 pack or get a bottle of wine and stay in with friends. You don’t have to yell over loud music, you’ll save a ton of money, and you’ll actually get a drink when you want one! It’s also safer…but anyway. I still had a great time!

087070089088

I’m totally cranky, but work has been sort of busy (stressful, too) but it makes the time go faster.
And, no work this coming weekend! Just gotta keep my chin up. Here’s to a great week for everyone!

(The first photo was taken by Brad with his camera. The others are iPhoners, obviously.)

3.07.2013

My Tech Drive

005

I know I just read Feed, and that that could be why I’ve been thinking an awful lot about my dependence upon the technological devices I own.  But, to be honest, it’s something that has been on my mind since I got my first iPhone back in 2010.

A little backstory…

My first cell phone was a Nokia. My family, all 4 of us, got the same phone and had a family plan and it was part of a Christmas present in the year 2003. It was really exciting! At that point for me, cell phones were basically used to keep in touch with your parents if you needed a ride home from the movies or to see when your friends were going to meet you. Texts were not the norm, but they happened.
After a perfect storm of cell phone usage issues involving every person in my family, my father decided to stop the plan and I went cell-free for my Freshman and Sophomore years of college. Fun fact: My dad still doesn’t use a cell phone, save for a Tracfone that is never on and is only used for emergencies. My mom doesn’t have one at all.

I took it upon myself, once I started working at Blockbuster in 2007, to get a Virgin Mobile phone. It was cheap and basic. I had a small minute plan and a small text plan. It did me fine, but I always seemed to go over in minutes and need to update my month…it got really annoying and I was spending more than saving. That’s when, in the beginning of my senior year of college, I decided to join AT&T and get a real phone. I picked a super cute, white and red Samsung QWERTY keyboard phone that would make it easier to text, which was definitely a popular form of communication in 2008/2009. I got a small minute plan and unlimited texts and I felt pretty cool.
The phone did me well for a while, but my clumsy self dropped it multiple times and it suffered some water damage. I was patient and dealt with it’s fickle ways until it was upgrade time in 2010. At that point, iPhones had been around for about 3 years. I knew 3 people who owned one. My sister, her Apple-obsessed boyfriend, and my friend Dana. I never really thought about getting one, and even debated an Android phone (Brad had one at the time), but I saw the video Apple released about the iPhone 4, with it’s Retina Display and it’s HD video and it’s sleek new design and suddenly…I NEEDED IT. There were no other options…I was getting an iPhone.

I vowed to myself that, despite what I saw with other people, I wouldn’t let myself get too involved with my phone. I was silly. It’s not just that everything I could ever possibly imagine is at my fingertips (I probably buy more things through Amazon Mobile than through the actual website). It’s opened a whole new world to me, a world of social media, of sharing photos on Instagram and tiny videos on Vine and all of my thoughts on Twitter and communicating with people in a whole new way. iPhones, Androids, tablets like iPads and Kindles have done wonders for the world. They are amazing devices, and I believe they do a lot of good.

Cut to now…

When Brad and I first started spending nights together, we would wake up in the morning and talk and cuddle and laugh and slowly wake up and ease into the day. It was fun. Granted, I think a lot of relationships have those amazing moments in the beginning. Do you want to know what happens now? Do you want to know what happens even when I am at home, without Brad? I check my phone. I say “Good morning” or I turn off my alarm and then I immediately check Instagram notifications and make sure I’m up to date on the Twitter world. It’s like I don’t even know how to actually look around at my life, the world, without first checking a tiny device first.
(Let it be known that Brad does this too, I’m not a total jerkface!)

My phone is always on the table, the couch, the chair no matter where I go. If I’m having a good time it’s like “PHOTO OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, MUST INSTAGRAM AND TWEET IMMEDIATELY.” If I’m bored, I have to play Candy Crush Saga. If I hear a song I like, I have to Soundtrack it and share it. If my coffee or my sandwich looks cool, it has to go on Instagram. If I’m at a store and I see something cool, I have to check Amazon to see if I can find it at a better price.

The sad truth is, sometimes a weekend with Brad ends and I worry I’ve spent more time looking at the iPhone screen than I have at his handsome face. I feel like I’m missing out on life, despite the fact that I feel like putting everything on social media and on my iPhone means I’m living it more. It scares me, it does. I want to be able to step away. I want to be able to unplug, but the thought scares me.

There is no doubt that technology rules the world in so many ways. I’m so thankful for the doors that have opened to me because of it, and those are just a few. Think of all the ways it’s helped the WORLD. Still, I don’t want to be a girl with a phone for a hand. I don’t want to keep having conversations in which I only hear half of what you said and respond with a lot of “hmms” and “yeahs” that don’t correspond.
I DON’T WANT A CHIP IN MY HEAD, YOU CAN’T CONTROL ME.

I know I’m going to try and take more measures to step away from the phone. And the computer, I guess, but trust me, I can walk away from the laptop. It’s leaving the room without my iPhone that’s the hard part. I don’t know if I can do it…if WE can do it. I love how I’ve been able to document my life in teeny tiny ways. But I don’t want to miss my life documenting it. I still want to LIVE.

3.06.2013

Recently…

059

Eating:
Girl Scout Cookies! My favorites are the Peanut Butter Tagalongs. Yum.
Drinking:
Shamrock Shakes, of course! Okay, so I usually just mooch Brad’s. But I will get my own someday soon. So yum.
Reading:
I’m in love with nail blogs.  The Nailsaurus and Chalkboard Nails are two of my favorites right now.
Watching:
Spaced for the second time on Netflix. I love Simon Pegg. And Nick Frost. And Edgar Wright (director). And everyone in the cast. SO FUNNY. Netflix it.
Listening:
Toro Y Moi’s new album Anything in Return is the perfect chill-out album.
Lusting:
A Bodum 8-Cup French Press in a funky color, preferably lime or orange. But really, preferably lime.

3.05.2013

Recent Reads: Feed (Book #8 of 2013)

feed-new-cover

Feed by M.T. Anderson served as book 8/52 this year, and what a strange addition to my list it was.
I hadn’t heard of it until I was perusing the 3.99 and under section of my Kindle. It had some pretty good reviews both on Amazon and Goodreads, so I decided to go ahead and purchase it for 2.99. I’m glad I did!

Our narrator is Titus, a teenage boy who decides to go to spring break on the moon with his friends. Yes, the moon. The story takes place sometime in the future. The reader never finds out just how far ahead in the future. It appears that anything is possible. The most important part of the story is that people have chips in their brains that serve as their computer/internet/cell phones. There is no need for these devices when everything can happen inside the human brain. Things get interesting when Titus and his friends meet Violet, a girl who is alone on the moon, and they go to a nightclub, only to have their feeds hacked by an older man, and all it takes is a simple touch on the shoulder.
This causes them to be hospitalized, their feeds temporarily disconnected.
Okay, I can’t even explain this anymore.

There are so many themes in this book. It messed with my head a lot because I read it on my Kindle, and I had just gotten my iPhone 5. It really drove the point home how involved I am in my technological devices. It just seemed very realistic, and it was frightening. This book isn’t funny. The characters have only really known a life with a chip literally feeding their minds with what they should buy and watch and how they should be. On top of it all, the brain is so dependent on this chip and this feed that it doesn’t know how to survive without it. So, yeah. It’s intense. A great commentary on a possibility in our futures and how involved with consumerism and technology our lives have become and could become. I would definitely recommend this book. It’s not long, but it really gives you something to think about.

For more help in understanding the themes and slang of the book, I referred to this Wikipedia page.

3.04.2013

February Photo a Day Challenge Completed

February-photo-a-day_zps4b4d2cdcAnd March is here! I could say I’m surprised, but February is the shortest month after all. I’m welcoming March with open arms. It’s time for spring, time for longer days, time for warmer weather and sunshine and getting rid of the Cabin Fever!
As always, the end of the month brings the end of another Fat Mum Slim month challenge.
Here’s the finished product for February 2013.

februaryphotoadaychallenge

1. A fork in my salad on a tasty dinner date with Brad.
2. A cute Dalmatian pattern on a skirt at Target.
3. This stuff elephant, a gift from Brad from a couple of years ago, is something that begins with E.
4. “Him vacated of hope.”
5. Crisp and fresh winter air was something I smelled.
6. Soft candlelight and a glass of wine left me nice and cozy.
7. My name tag at work.
8. The mug I keep at work is something orange.
9. The Twilight movies are a big guilty pleasure of mine. Just bought the final one this weekend. I’m not ashamed.
10. A Sunday afternoon at 3 o’ clock and I’m still in pajama pants. Totally acceptable.
11. Sometimes a beer is the entrance to unwinding after a long, rough day.
12. I ate lunch in the break room at work. Isn’t it lovely (sarcasm)?
13. Walking around the block on my 10 minute break.
14. Love is sharing food and stories with my family and Brad, spending that quality time.
15. A big turkey defrosting in the fridge.
16. Revlon’s Just Bitten Balm Stain is the perfect lip color for me. They aren’t drying and they give a great amount of color.
17. The iPhone is always in my hand, but there’s also a coffee here as well. Brad took this photo for me. :)
18. Waking up earlier than necessary on my day off is something I don’t like.
19. I am enjoying a peaceful walk in the snow.
20. I stood by a bunch of dirty, gross snow.
21. A full beer after a long day.
22. After a hard day of work, putting on a favorite shirt, pretty lip color, and some winged eyeliner to make me smile.
23. A word in Spanish.
24. The whole sky was a cloud that day.
25. I have a mess on my bedside table. Water, lip balm, and lotion are necessities.
26. More books to add to my to-read pile for quiet time.
27. Playing with a cute doggie visitor at work.
28. Clothes hanging upside down on the drying rack.

And there we go! Can’t wait to share this month’s with you! Not too fast, though.