Grimm is a television show that has been running on NBC since the 2011 fall season. Part procedural cop show, part fantasy, the series follows Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt, who is descended from a long line of hunter/protectors known as Grimms. After his Aunt Marie is killed, Nick inherits the family business, from her extensive weapon collection to some super-human abilities. Grimms have the ability to see Wesen, creatures with animal characteristics that live among humans. Many Wesen are dangerous to humans and prey upon […]
Cameron Diaz loves her body (and yours, and yours, and yours …)
“Oh great,” you might think, “Another celebrity diet book.” But Cameron Diaz has taken a different spin with The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body. Yes, it will most likely garner interest because of its celebrity association. But Diaz is not interested in anyone who might pick up this book to not eat or eat less or grab it as a quick guide to losing weight. She wants to celebrate bodies — hers, yours, […]
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes with Feng Shui
I am definitely on a quest this year, to improve my health, my life, my surroundings. I have been making some changes around the house, trying to eliminate clutter and make our environment more eco-friendly as well as aesthetically pleasing. Our home life is still in a bit of disarray — this is a months-long project — but I am hopeful that by mid-Spring I will finally get my home as I want it, which will have all sorts of great effects on our lives. […]
Good Food Can Be Fast
As an addendum to an earlier post, I picked up a cookbook, Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food, by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay from our local library. Like Ramsay himself, it is bold and basic in nature. His recipes, from dishes featured on his television seriesThe F Word, range far over various cuisines, but all seem pretty possible to accomplish, as long as one has the right ingredients. Each recipe can be completed in less than an hour, too. The recipes are all designed to be easy peasy (once […]
I Love Barbara Stanwyck, but this book was looonnnggg …
Victoria Wilson’s new biography, A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True 1907-1940 is impressive, if just for its length and heft. It is just the first half of a two-part exhaustive look into the life and career of one of Hollywood’s most enduring, yet shyest stars. Stanwyck, born Ruby Stevens, started life in Brooklyn as a quasi-orphan. Her mother died when she was quite young and her father disappeared soon after, leaving young Ruby and her brother Byron to be raised by friends and family. Her three older […]
How to Quiet Your Mind
I have been working so hard on getting my bodily health in shape that I may have overlooked my mental and emotional health, too. Everything is connected, and pretty much everyone I talk to has suggested meditation for a way to relieve stress and improve my outlook on life. But where does a neophyte start? I found this book at the library, Quiet Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation, which was compiled and edited by Susan Piver. It includes seven different meditation exercises, explained and introduced […]