Wednesday, February 28, 2018

The Librarian Suggests


What I'm Reading: 
The Vegetarian by Han Kang: This South Korean novella reads as if you're in a twisted dream. It's bizarre and all over the place. Yeong-hye is a South Korean women who is struggling mentally and emotionally. After having a bizarre dream herself, she makes the decision to become a vegetarian. Her husband and family do not agree with her decision and decide to have an intervention which leads to a more devastating outcome. Told from the perspecitve of Yeong-hye's husband, brother-in-law and sister, this translated novella leaves you with a lot of feelings. Feminism, independence, relationships and how that plays in culture, there's a lot packed into this short story.

Sita's Ramayana by Samhita Arni: In an effort to read more by Asian Authors and a strong desire to learn about Indian culture (because I've always had a fascination in Indian history), this graphic novel is based on Indian mythology and legends. Samhita Arni presents the beloved stories of Ramayana which was originally written in Sanskrit by Valmiki around 300 B.C. Filled with beautiful and stunning illustrations, if you love learning about Ravana and other Hindu gods, you will love this graphic novel.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov: I don't even know where to begin with this book. It's my first Russian novel, which shame on me, I know! But what an excellent first choice! Combining two very different but interwoven stories, one is set in ancient Jerusalem and the other in contemporary Moscow during Stalin's regime. With vivid scenes describing the murder of Judas and the meeting between Pilate and Yeshua the other story focuses on Satan portraying himself as a professor with his vodka drinking black cat and his comical band of assassins. This book is chilling, satirical and a classic. I can't recommend this book enough!   

What I'm Watching: I recently watched Minority Report for the hundredth time and I still love it just as much from when I saw it in theaters in middle school. A fan of both Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, Minority report is a neo-noir science fiction movie, which I just learned is based on a short story with the same name by Philip K. Dick. I never really considered myself  a sci-fi nerd but I have to say, my dad's love of science fiction was definitely  passed down to me. Based on three psychics that are referred to as "precogs," this is definitely one of Tom Cruise's better movies. 


What I'm Listening Too:
For the past few weeks I have been listening religiously to a somewhat new podcast called Cults. Under the Parcast network, I have been learning about all sorts of cults and their leaders. You may think how can this girl listen to so many true crime and cult like shows? It's not necessarily about the actual crime, I'm more fascinated by the psychology and what makes people become so mentally warped to actively carry out murdering someone and convincing others to participate in a mass suicide. It just goes to show our powerful our psychology is! If you love learning about Cult Leaders, then you should listen to this show. 

Monday, February 26, 2018

Weekend Wrap Up...

 spent most of the weekend outside...
 weekend reading...
treat yourself to flowers. 

(images via instagram)

Friday, February 23, 2018

this week's favorites...



A few weeks ago in my stack of new books, I read this wonderful story with the most beautifully illustrated pictures in The Forever Tree. Little did I know it was based on a real life story, needless to say I want to visit Camp Wandawega (in Wisconsin) and see this tree house for myself. 

(1,2,3

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Leading Ladies

Five Things You Should Know About Lily Tomlin: 

1. Tomlin went to Wayne State University in Detroit with plans to study biology. She auditioned for a play, and soon after switched to a theater major.

2. After college, Tomlin began doing stand-up comedy in nightclubs in Detroit and later in New York City.

3. Her first television appearance was on The Merv Griffin Show in 1965.

4. She is also known as the voice of Ms. Frizzle on the children's series The Magic School Bus

5. Tomlin was the first woman to appear solo in a Broadway show, 1977's Appearing Nitely.  


Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Weekend Wrap Up...

i love my job. 
 feet up friday. 
after shower products...

(images via instagram)

Friday, February 16, 2018

Friday Morning

Hooray for Friday and another three day weekend! How are you? How's your work week been? I've been slammed with assignments and upcoming projects. Last night was the first time in awhile I forced myself to go to sleep before midnight. By the way I'm watching Younger and loving it! Have you heard or at least watching this show? What are your weekend plans?! I don't know what I'm up too except for maybe a little work on project we're trying to launch a yea from now! Cheers to the weekend! 





Thursday, February 15, 2018

Apartment Envy





Are you seeing the size of this personal library?! It's 1000 books in a 900 square feet loft in Los Angeles. Besides the library, this space is seriously life goals! Whoever it is that lives here, when can I move in?! 

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

The Working Girl



So you work in a job that you love but you're feeling burned out because a. your company is seriously understaffed and therefore you are overworked and b. the people you work with you cant stand?! The best option is to leave. But it's never that easy! How do you manage and balance your work life and not let it seep into your personal life? This is constant struggle but these practices make it a little easier until you can find something better.  
   

1. When you clock out at the end of the day, make sure you leave your work at work. I typically go home and get right back on it, whether it's through social media or projects I didn't finish earlier that day. Given that I have access to programs from home, I never really escape work and it affects my time at home. Over the last few weeks, I've been going to work on time (instead of an hour before I'm actually scheduled) and spending my evenings cooking new recipes, catching up with a show, learning meditation, practicing yoga or allowing myself a twenty minute bath.

2. When it comes to work relationships, it's a little trickier. There is most likely one person you just can't work with. You don't agree on anything but because you work in the same department, distancing yourself is hard. In this situation, I try to keep the relationship professional. In the library world it's easy to make friends, you find someone who shares the same book interests, you get each other's pop cultural references and you click. With the coworkers you don't necessarily get along with, I try to keep conversations short and to the point and try not to get too personal. Unfortunately, people will take advantage of you and use personal information as an attack. Women in particular, can be vindictive!

3. How to deal with harassment of any kind. Whether verbal, physical or sexual, report it.  Obviously if it's the latter two - report it immediately! The first one, however,  can be a little harder to deal with. Words are incredibly powerful, they can be inspirational and destructive, they have the ability to completely warp a persons mind. If someone with authority uses their position to put you down, it most certainly is not okay. To hell with interpretation and implications, if someone is verbally demeaning towards you or someone you know, don't wait, act quickly.

Literally within the first month I started working at my current job, a coworker made a racial comment about me. I wasn't even aware of the incident until the person in charge at the time informed me about it, she then proceeded to laugh it off. I tried to let it go but I felt totally ostracized, I didn't have a friend at work for months! I told myself, I'm white so I guess it's okay because I belong to a race who has historically done despicable things to every other ethnicity. It kept happening and I continued to tell myself, I deserved it!  I have been dealing with this problem for four years and I keep telling myself - don't take it personal, you are strong, you know you're good at your job, they have insecurities and they are just taking their issues out on you. This is in no way okay, yet we put up with it all the time. If there's one thing I know to be true it's taking note of everything that seems wrong or out of the ordinary, write it down! Make note of the day and the incident, don't let it slip by.I learned this from my dad, his meticulous note taking even landed him on ESPN, his bravery to speak up and expose an injustice happening at my own high school was one of the craziest things I've ever seen, and I admire him! I wish I had his guts! Don't let it go like I have. Write everything down, talk to others who may be experiencing similar abuse and do something about it!   

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Weekend Wrap Up


 weekend reading...
 egg sandwiches and the best fruit.
excited for another year of silent book club. 

(images via instagram)

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Quote of the Day

"The best thing you can do for yourself is to be well read and travel often."

Friday, February 9, 2018

Friday Morning

I've basically been in work mode 24/7 this week, so even though I've been hitting the sheets a little later than usual, I'm sleeping soundly. So soundly, I didn't hear my sister shower or leave in the middle of the night last night! So, how's your week been? Hopefully not as hectic as mine. What are your weekend plans? Again, I'll be heading into the library for a little bit of work and then laying low for Sunday and Monday. And hey if you're in the Coachella Valley Monday evening, our first evening Silent Book Club meetup will be happening in the lobby bar at the Desert Springs around 7 PM. Hope to see some friendly faces :)





Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The Librarian Suggests

Sarah's Bookshelf: 
Like last year, one of my resolutions (I prefer intentions to resolutions) was to read more. This year, I'm expanding upon that and trying to read more diversely, not just across genres but cultures and authors as well. So let's see how well I do throughout the year. 

Orchids on Your Budget by Majorie HillisMajorie Hillis, the name is somewhat new to me. I discovered her first book, Live Alone and Like It randomly last year. I read it in two evenings and immediately needed to know more about her. An alum of Miss Dana's School for Young Ladies, she went on to pursue a career as an editor at Vogue and became somewhat of a guru to single ladies at the turn of the century. Needless to say even though she passed in 1971, she has become sort of a life coach to me. In the same writing style and the follow up to Live Alone and Like ItOrchids On Your Budget is another how to/guide to living within your budget. Live chicly but cheaply!

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: I don't even know where to begin with this book other than it is a masterpiece. Maybe I feel this way because I grew up with a brother who lived during the eighties and I was heavily influenced by his lifestyle. I'm also addicted to every teen movie (I'm a sucker for John Hughes movies) made in the 80s. Hello Christina Applegate in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead or Robyn Lively in Teen Witch, don't even get me started on Back to the FutureThe Gooniesor Indiana Jones. Books, movies, music and video games, you name it I know more than most kids born in '87 should know about that decade. I am very excited for the movie, but the book - it is pure magic!

3 Strange Tales by Ryunosuke Akutagawa: Considered the father of Japanese Short Stories, Ryunosuke was a prolific and very accomplished writer. Plagued with mental illness, he unfortunately took his own life at just 35 years old. Although his life was cut short, he had written over a hundred short stories before the time of his death making him an important writer in Japanese Literature! A beautiful writer, Three Strange Tales combines elements of religion, history, mysticism and Japanese mythology into this collection. These twisted tales feature a martyr, a thief, a murderer and a witch. If you like Japanese Horror films, this is a great introduction if you are new to reading Japanese Literature.

What I've Been Watching:
Before I started watching Grace and Frankie, it would have been smart to watch 9 to 5, or so my mom says. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are quite the pair in the Netflix original show. Their chemistry is everything. I hope to not only have a friendship like Grace and Frankie, I hope to be Frankie Bergstein. While Lily Tomlin consistently makes me laugh until my stomach hurts, when Jane Fonda is in point she is fire and slightly resembles my own mother. What have you been watching? 

What I've Been Listening Too: 
The Bright Sessions - Just as much as I want to live in the world Ernest Cline created with Ready Player One, I am so consumed by the story line in The Bright Sessions Podcast. A fictional show involving therapy sessions for people with special abilities, like empaths, telepaths, time-travelers, mind controllers and more. It took me a couple years but now I can't get enough of Dr. Bright or her patients. I will most likely feel how I felt when I caught up in real time with Game of Thrones, having to wait when I catch up to the latest season, I won't be able to handle it!  

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Lately


Break out that navy bag for spring.

For Saturdays when you don't want to put on a full face of make-up

On Sundays, I mask


I am completely consumed by The Bright Sessions, a fictional podcast you should be listening to if you're not already. 


When you are in a wanderlust mood.

Weekend attire includes blush slip-ons


Saturday, February 3, 2018

Friday, February 2, 2018

Friday Afternoon

It's kind of been a whirlwind of a week, amirite? It started slow and towards the end of the week, everything just seemed to pile up and somehow I had convinced myself March was next week. I have to remind myself to take breaks at work, I'm so bad when it comes to taking a fifteen break. Now that I'm sitting and I've caught my breath, how was your week? Uneventful or slammed? Given that the past few nights I've been going to sleep past midnight, I'm not exactly in the greatest of moods but here's to a better weekend! 





Leading Ladies

Five Things to Know About Bernadette Marie: 1. Trained and completed two degrees, an AAS in Communication Design and BFA in Textile S...