Under the Skin

A little more than a month ago, I wrote a book review about a book called I'd Tell You I Love You, But then I'd Have to Kill You.  After reading its sequels, I have something to add. After reading the other in the Gallagher Girls series, it is not as fluffy.  It's not worse because of it.  In fact, I like them even more. But as the series continues, our intrepid heroine, Cameron Morgan, begins to realize that spy-work isn't just about cool gadgets and great disguises. In spy-work, people get hurt. The people you love get hurt.  You do things that you're not proud of.  And you hope that the ends justify the means.  Her life isn't about snaring the Apple-Pie American Boy anymore. It's about survival, and creating a world where Apple-Pie American Boys can exist, even if you can never live that life yourself.  It gets way better. It also gets darker, but it keeps its sweet and sarcastic charm throughout. There's the update.

“Once upon a time... a long time ago... things that happened once perhaps but have been talked about for so long that nobody really knows. And underneath all the bits that people have added the magic swords and lamps they're all about one thing - the good hero fighting the giant or the witch or the wicked uncle. Good against bad. Good against evil.”    A lot of people like Fridays because they mean the end of the week.  I like Fridays because they're my hump-day.  It's the fourth night of my seven nights, so after tonight, we're on the home stretch.  However, I will say that I also just enjoy my job a lot.  So, even though I love seven off more, I don't hate my seven on. Last night was a very slow night at work.  That means that I got to finish a book! Over Sea, Under Stone is about three children who find a map that has some shocking connections to King Arthur and King Mark.  It is, in fact, a map to the grail!  What follows ...

I like to read obituaries.  I know.  That is weird.  But I find it inspiring, so back off.  Anyways, while reading these obituaries, I had a few thoughts about when I die, which I shall share with you all: 1) There will not be a viewing.  I think that viewings are morbid.  After I die, I am to go in the coffin and then it doesn't open up again.You can all see me again when we're all resurrected together, and that's that. 2) You may not refer to me as an "Elect Lady."  Obits in Utah do this a lot.  Don't. It's cliche. 3) Include how I died.  Especially if I die tomorrow, a lot of people's insatiable curiosity will want to know what killed an otherwise-healthy 23-year-old.  Everyone wants to know.  At least I do. 4) Do not make my death sound dramatic or heroic, unless it was, and then include details.  If I died saving small children in a bus crash, or if I take a bullet for someone, by all means, let everyone know that....

“You know how you let yourself think that everything will be all right if you can only get to a certain place or do a certain thing. But when you get there you find it's not that simple.” " My Chief Rabbit has told me to stay and defend this run, and until he says otherwise, I shall stay here."    Isn't it exciting the happiness that a good book can create? And don't you just love to hate the sorrow that comes with a book ending?  Watership Down was one of those books that I kept hearing was wonderful, but I kept thinking, "But it's about rabbits!" It was always hard to get myself to move it from the "to-read" list to getting the book and actually reading it. I don't regret doing it though. Watership Down follows the lives of some rabbits who leave their warren because Fiver, who is prone to visions and premonitions, tells that something terrible will happen to it.  What follows are their adventures and trials as ...

So, in my ward, the music director just knows who plays what and just assigns you a week for special musical number.  It's probably more effective than the normal way, but I've never seen that before.  So, I was informed that on June 8th, I am the special musical number.  I was told that I could play violin or piano.  I thought about it, and have decided to play violin.  But there aren't lots of good LDS arrangements for just violins, and I didn't want to have to ask someone to accompany, so I made my own.  Violins can be pretty by themselves.  I chose "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," both because it kind of feels pioneery and Western, and because it's a hymn that heavily touches on feeling very alone.  I thought a lone violin would be very appropriate.  But this is a great opportunity for falling with style.  This is the first time I played the whole thing after finishing arranging.  So, this is the ultimate falling with style....

I was cooking dinner tonight.  I know.  Surprising.  But I cook every night, so it's not super new.  Anyways, I had thawed out the pork yesterday, but after seeing today's all-day downpour, I decided it was a soup-like day.  So, I shelved the pork idea for tomorrow, and commenced the making of my much-beloved chickpea and tomato soup.  This soup consists of chickpeas, onion, garlic, chicken broth, cilantro, tomatoes, cumin, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes.  It was a plus that I got to use some of cilantro plant, which is getting a little out of hand. So, I was cooking along and then it was time to add the spices.  I started putting in the cumin, and my first thought was, "That's really dark cumin."  Then, I got a whiff of it and then I thought, "That is not cumin."  Apparently, when I reached into the c section of the spices for the cumin, I pulled out cinnamon instead.  My first thought was that the soup was ruined and would n...

"There's Christian, and then there's Christian." Another big break between posts.  I am still trying to get into the groove of my new life. I have decided that I need activities and things outside of the home. So, that is my current effort. As such, the smaller things have been falling by the wayside.  However, I think I am starting to establish my new groove. So, it shouldn't be much longer before I am back to my normal self.  I also got a new computer, and I am getting used to this keyboard.  Particularly because the space bar is a little bit different in sensitivity than I am used to. You have to hit it much harder than any other one I've ever had, and you have to hit it closer to the middle than I am used to.  At times, I wonder if it's because typing isn't something people do as much.  We spend so much time just writing things in 140 characters or less.  We don't even know how to write in more than that.  But, I finished another book....