A new book find

Certain current food fads (all organic- though I realize there can be legitimate health reasons in some few cases- and locavorism) are among my biggest pet peeves. In fact, I have to be careful whom I talk to about them.  I get frustrated because people who should know better seem to think these are the best ideas ever thought of, and they don't think of the bigger picture problems that could result.  

Ever since I watched Food, Inc. I have been hoping someone would write more to refute it.  Even internet searches for articles with sound economics arguing against these dangerous ideas didn't yield much.  If I could have I would have written more myself, but all I could manage were a couple blog posts.

But recently I came across The Locavore's Dilemma.  I haven't read it yet (I placed a library hold immediately), but based on this review I'm hopeful it includes some good, sound economics on why current fads in food thought are unsound and even dangerous, and the real path to success in truly free markets.

Useless and not so useless information

I am continually being fooled by frozen broccoli.  I buy chopped- too small and more stems.  I buy spears- way too big.  What's correct?  Is it florets?

I refuse to pass bicyclists on or just before hills.  I don't care if you honk at me.  And I will say out loud (not yelling, mind you, just a normal voice) what an idiot you are when you honk (though I do not use poor language to do this).  Sorry folks, the opinion of random motorists is not worth a head-on collision.  Take a chill pill and enjoy the scenery for a minute.     

I think it's hilarious and a little awful when one of my friends answers a Facebook poll about "Yes, I want to remain on your friends list."  Um, did you look at who wrote that poll question?  Are you friends with them?  What about the 13, 456 other people who also answered the poll question?  Do you think they all know the original author?  Why are these polls still floating around?

I recently finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  I picked it up before we went on vacation based on a recommendation on Ungrind.  It is set shortly after World War II in Europe.  It is a light novel, but it touches on heavier subjects.  The story is told in the form of letters, which could bother some readers.  It didn't take me long to get into the story so that this didn't matter, and I was reading as I would read any other novel.  I enjoyed the characters and the way the authors formed them through what could be a difficult medium (letters).  The book is certainly a product of the 21st century in a few cultural aspects, but I do feel I can recommend it.  A discerning reader can enjoy it for what it is: an enjoyable, historical fiction (but not too heavy) novel.

Italics

"Like the exclamation mark, however, italics should be used sparingly for the purpose of emphasis - partly because they are a confession of stylistic failure, and partly because readers glancing at a page of type might unconsciously clock the italicised [British spelling] bit before starting their proper work of beginning in the top left-hand corner."
~Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss


I have been greatly enjoying this book.  Hopefully it will help me become a better writer.  Aside from that, it's just plain hilarious.  However, if I ensured I followed every single punctuation rule 100% in all my informal (blog, Facebook, informal e-mails) it would probably paralyze me.  I think I'll focus on getting it right in my more formal e-mails and writing.

Focus

...or the lack thereof.

I have attempted two posts this afternoon, and deleted both. We'll see how far this one gets. Today is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, and tomorrow is the March for Life. Appropriately, but coincidentally, I just finished a novel by Karen Kingsbury, called Shades of Blue. It was typical Christian fiction in some ways, but not typical in others. It is a story about abortion and its aftermath, about grief and forgiveness. The author's original inspiration was the sad song from a few years back by Tim McGraw, "Red Ragtop." It wasn't a book that I "couldn't put down" and I found it very heavy. But it was powerful. I thought some of the characters were more believable than others, and maybe the story was slightly sugar-coated (what Christian fiction isn't?). I thought overall, however, that it was a good fictional treatment of a very difficult issue.

My mom sent me the link to the website for an upcoming documentary about another side of the abortion issue. I encourage you to watch the trailer. It is absolutely heartbreaking.


I have studying to do. We have youth group tonight. The Ravens are playing on TV. Both of us here are supporting them- me because I always do, N because they're playing the Patriots. As I said, focus isn't my strongpoint today. But at least I finished a post!