From the Book Blog: The Carrie Diaries

Seriously. I read this book in June, and I just now realized that I hadn't written a review for it.

As a pseudo-fan of Sex and the City, I thought it might be fun to read about Carrie Bradshaw as a teenager in Candace Bushnell's newest novel, The Carrie Diaries. I was intrigued about Carrie's high school days and how it is that she came to be a writer, so I decided to give it a shot.

Disappointed. Revolted. Bored. Unimpressed. The novel was just plain awful.

Turns out, Carrie grew up in the 80s (which , I guess I knew, but just forgot about) and spent most of her high school years smoking, drinking, and chasing after boys (no surprise there). That's about all that happens for 250 pages. There are some glimmering moments of writing when Bushnell is describing Carrie's thoughts and ambitions of becoming a writer, but other than that the book is a relatively empty shell. If you like books about teenage mischief in a small town, maybe this is for you, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother. And, as you hopefully know, I don't say that about many books.

Weekly Meal Plan: 4/29 - 5/5

One of the major changes that needs to happen in my life is organizing they way I spend money and calories on food.  I'm so busy all of the time, that it's really critical that I organize my meals and limit eating out.  So much of my money is spent on groceries, that is then wasted because I end up eating fast food because I'm too busy or tired to cook when I get home.  Here's hoping that starting a personal blog keeps me organized and on point.  This is as much about losing weight as it is about saving money!

This week's menu plan is looking really good...I'm already stoked about having leftovers of all this yumminess for lunch and after our game on Wednesday.  I'm the most excited to attempt the Posole tonight.  I found the recipe at AllRecipies and it had great reviews.

Sunday: Posole & Fish Tacos (AllRecipies)


Monday:  Spicy Basil Chicken  (Cooking Light April 2012 p. 95)

Tuesday:  Pan Grilled Flank Steak with Soy-Mustard Sauce (Cooking Light April 2012 p. 96) with Sauteed Butter-Thyme Mushrooms (p. 138)

Wednesday: (game night) Leftovers

Thursday: Grad School - Eat out at Chipotle!

Friday: Make your own pizza

Saturday:  Open Face Hummus Sandwiches (Cooking Light April 2012 p. 122) with Avocado Butter Lettuce Salad

From the Book Blog: The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost

The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost By Rachel Freidman

I am currently, slowly, and delicately savoring Rachel Freidman's memoir The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost.  I am so enamored by her adventures and nostalgic for my own, that part of me is afraid to finish the book entirely.  This may be my own crisis, but I just don't want the book to be over!  Not to mention, the girls are just about to leave Australia and head for my old home, South America.  The thought of reading about the places where I once lived and haven't returned to is simply heartbreaking.

I emailed Rachel a little while ago to let her know how much I was enjoying her story and to actually say out loud that I've always wanted to write my own.  I believe many teachers develop a certain level of comfort with dishing out great advice that we can't take ourselves.  How many times have I encouraged a creative writing student to JUST DO IT?  Write the story.  Write the poem.  Sit down and do it.  And here I am, not a memory transcribed since living in Argentina in 2006.

Maybe it'll happen this summer, but until then, please go pick up a copy of this incredible memoir.

Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Good-Girls-Guide-Getting-Lost/dp/038534337X