Divergent

I just a read a book called Divergent written by Veronica Roth. It's a dystopian novel. It has been compared to The Hunger Games quite a bit, which is the reason I read it. However, in my opinion, it didn't even come close to as good. I did still enjoy reading the book. I mean, I started it yesterday and finished it earlier today. Obviously, if I finished it in under 24 hours, I must have enjoyed it.

This is the first book in a trilogy, I believe the second one, called Insurgent, is coming out in May (2012). There is also talk of a movie being made. Summit Entertainment has bought the rights to it. (They created Twilight) According to IMDB, it's coming out in 2015. I could see that getting pushed back though.

The book is set in the future, when the world, well actually I think it's Chicago because she mentions a building that used to be called the Sears Tower. Anyways, the city is divided into five factions, think of them as almost religions/cultures/mini societies within the city. The first is Abnegation, where the main idea is to be selfless, so thinking of others before yourself. The second is Erudite, where they strive for knowledge. The third; Candor, in this factions honesty is valued above all else. Dauntless is the fourth, where bravery and fearlessness are of most importance. And finally, the peaceful faction; Amity.

Once a year all of the 16 year olds have to be tested to see which faction they belong to. The next day, you decide which faction you will belong to for the rest of your life. Generally, people stay in the faction they were born into, but not always.  From there you start initiation, which lasts 30 days, if you can endure it.

This story is about Beatrice, a 16 year old born into Abnegation. She must choose to stay with her family or being who she really is. During her initiation Beatrice fights to survive and become of a member of her faction, all the while keeping a secret about herself that will put her in serious danger if the wrong person finds out.

Meanwhile the factions are not all getting along very well and Beatrice discovers there is something off about how things are being run. She knows that she has to do something about it. But what? And how?

I must add that there is also some romance in this book. Not a ton, but enough to satisfy me. Not going to lie, it was my favourite thing about the book, as usual. I'm a sucker for that stuff.
I would definitely recommend this book, but maybe to a bit of a younger audience. I'm 21 and I enjoyed it, but I did kind of feel like I was a little too old for it.

"One choice can transform you."

The Hunger Games Movie Full Length Trailer

They finally came out with the full length trailer for The Hunger Games!! Looks pretty good! Take a look.

Yummy Protein Pancakes

As you know, I've been trying to lose weight, so I've been looking for good protein pancake recipes and came across this one. Thought I would share it.

4 or 5  - egg whites
1/2 cup - oats
1/2 cup - Cottage Cheese (Preferably fat free.)
1 scoop - Protein Powder (I use vanilla, but flavor is up to you.)


Also good if you sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon! And, if you want added flavor you can blend in a banana, or mix in 1/2 cup of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc... 


I've found a lot of recipes that call for sweeteners, but I am really against those. They are so artificial, and I think they are really unhealthy. I think that they are only going to cause more problems in the long run. (But that's just my non professional opinion, so if you like sweeteners and want to add them be my guest.) 


These pancakes are really quick and easy to make. You could even make them ahead of time. They are really good for breakfast or for a daytime snack.  Enjoy! 

Bored? 100 Things to do...

I love making lists. It helps me destress sometimes. I also find it helps me open up my mind and creativity.

For those of you looking for something to do... Here is a list of 100 things to do when you're bored! I'm determined to think only of things that do not involve a television or computer!

1. Read
2. Go for a walk. (Wear a pedometer to see how many steps you take each day. Aim for 10 000 per day.)
3. Call up a friend
4. Bake
5. Go shopping
6. Teach yourself something new
7. Do some gardening
8. Go for a run
   
9. Go to the gym or join a gym
10. Draw
    
    
11. Paint
12. Go somewhere new and explore
13. Take pictures
14. Take a class
15. Go swimming
16. Find a new recipe and try it (your local library should have cook books)
17. Listen to music
18. Play cards
19. Play a board game
20. Write (anything from a journal entry or poem to a whole book!) 
21. Walk your dog, if you don't have a dog call up a friend and ask if they want to walk their dog, or offer to walk a neighbour's
22. Make a mini movie! Get some friends together and make a script. It sounds juvenile, but it is actually a lot of fun! When you watch it again some time later you won't be able to stop laughing! 
23. Do a puzzle
24. People watch at the park
25. Clean!
26. Make a scavenger/treasure hunt. Give it to some friends to try. Give the winner a prize.
27. Learn crochet
28. Learn to knit
29. Prepare a picnic. Share it with a friend!
30. Hot out? Water fight!!
31. Write yourself a letter, put it away and read it again in a year, 5 years, or even 10 years from now!
32. Make a fruit smoothie
33. Is it snowing? Have a snowball fight, go sledding.
34. Design your dream home
35. Challenge yourself, write for 5 minutes straight. Don't stop, and don't erase or correct anything you write.  
36. Play sudoku
37. Play kakuro
38. Do some push ups or sit ups. 
39. Call, text, or write a letter to someone you've lost touch with. They'll be happy to hear from you!
40. Do some laundry
41. Sing at the top of your lungs and dance like a crazy person! You'll feel so much better after.
42. Clean your fridge
43. Try a new restaurant
44. Go grocery shopping. Buy a food that you don't normally try. 
45. Volunteer
46. Make a shopping list
47. Give yourself a makeover
48. Make a collage
49. Meditate. It'll clear your mind. 
50. Do Yoga, you can find poses on the internet and on youtube
51. Do a crossword
52. Make some tea and relax
53. Make your own pizza! 
54. Fill a box of things to give away or to sell at a garage sale
55. Plan your next vacation
56. Make a to do list for the next week
57. Go for a bike ride
58. Make a bucket list
59. Play a prank on someone 
60. Join a club or new acitivity
61. Make a scrapbook
62. Go to a museum
63. Go camping!
64. Learn to sew. Make a blanket or something!
65. Prepare this weeks meals in advance
66. Get some friends, have a paper airplane contest. Bet on it. 
67. Start composting
68. Learn a new language
69. Toss a frisbee with a friend. Or football. 
70. Make a list of things to get people for Christmas
71. Make a wish list for Christmas
72. Learn to play an instrument
73. Plan a road trip with your friends
74. Read the newspaper. Get up to date on current events.
75. Join a book club
76. Buy a new magazine
77. Build a fort!
78. Stargaze
79. Go to your local theater and watch a play
80. Go skating or rollerblading
81. Go to a pool hall and play some pool
82. Go kayaking
83. Help someone out
84. Make your own puzzle
85. Put pictures in frames and decorate your place
86. Go play laser tag!
87. Jump rope! It's really good exercise, and really good for a healthy heart!
88. Pamper yourself, give yourself a manicure and facial or, even better, go get it done!
89. Study! If you're a student , study for school. If you aren't you should then study something new. 
90. Go to the used book store, pick up a bunch of books. You can find some real jems there, for really cheap.
91. Sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. If it's cold up, bundle up and make a cup of hot chocolate!
92. Say hi and start talking to someone new.
93. Try fencing! It's fun!
94. Start a business plan
95. Try martial arts
96. Do Qi Gong or Tai Chi. You can find videos on youtube. 
97. Listen to an audio book (You can do this while you do a number of other thing,eg. cleaning, going for a walk, pampering yourself...)
98. Make a recipe book full of your favourite recipes
99. Bob-It! Best game ever! You can play it alone, or with someone. Warning: It's very
    addicting. 
100. Write your own list of 100!

HDR - Photography

Sometimes I just love going on Flickr and finding random pictures. I've come across a bunch of really cool HDR ones and I just thought I'd share a couple of my favourite. (I saved the best for last)

Construction

Cates

The above two are by a user name penguin_bisque. I really like them. They just look really amazing to me.

Motorcycle

From a user named Smithers360.

Daily Record

I really really like this one. It's by mapgoblin.

Tree

This one is really beautiful. It's by -yury-.

Truck in Snow

This is a great one. By mtbkanata

Sunflower

I think this one is probably my favourite. It is by jillbeninato. A lot of this person's recent posts (August 18th 2010 - guess they haven't been active in a while) are really cool! I would definitely recommend checking them out.

I had a really hard time only picking the seven that I did. I could post these for days. But I knew I needed to limit myself. I just love HDR! It's so cool! I am in no way a photographer, I honestly don't know the first thing about photography. Apart from click the button to take the picture. But I am a fan of photography. I know that everyone has different tastes. Hopefully you share mine and like these too!

New Blogger Application!

I made a delicious breakfast this morning. And I just downloaded this new mobile Blogger app for my phone. Which is an Android and I love it.
Anyways, I wanted to give my new app a try. So this is the lovely breakfast that I made for myself.
It's 2 eggs with spinach, celery, and onion. Very healthy! And super delicious! I love eggs. I always put onion in them too, sometimes I add some cayenne pepper which makes it extra a delicious and adds a nice kick to it too.



Seems like an okay application. Easy for blogging on the run. But you can't really write anything substantial. It would take way too long. So I think that this app will be good for the base idea of the post and they you will have to come back to it and fix it up/add to it when you are at an actual computer. Unfortunately the picture quality is pretty bad! So this app is definitely going to need some work.

Mobina Galore

A friend of mine introduced me to this lovely band the other day. They are called Mobina Galore and they are awesome.

The band is made up of two young women. They have a similar sounds to Tegan and Sara mixed with the Distillers. I seriously think that everyone should check them out! And demand that they come to Vancouver!

Here is there myspace so that you can check them out. Unfortunately they don't seem to have a lot on youtube, but I did find this accoustic song. It's called City Lights, it's got a really nice sound to it. Hope you like it!. Just a head up the quality isn't the greatest.

View all Mobina Galore tour dates

Click ^^ to demand that they come to Vancouver!! I really want them to come! I think that they are a great up and coming band and really have a chance to make it! Let's show them some support!

(For some reasons I just can't get that bottom of the demand it box to line up properly. I'm no html genius, so I did the best with the code they gave me!)

The Tribe

For those of you who were lovers of the UK TV series The Tribe I have a question for you. Have you heard any news of them making the american version of the show?

I read one article about it quite a while ago, almost a year ago now. So I'm going to assume it's not happening. Although, it did take them years to get the One for the Money movie going, they had rights for the first book since before I first read the books, which was in 2005.

Here's a link to the article I read.

I really hope that they make an American version of The Tribe. That show was awesome! It was just so cheesy, how could anyone not love it?

My favourite characters were Lex, KC, Ryan, Selene (although, I don't know why) Ellie, Ved, and Jack! Bray and Amber were just too goody for me.

Keep the dream alive! 

One for the Money Trailer

I found the trailer for the new One for the Money movie! Starring Katherine Heigl!
Based on the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich

You're probably going to need to full screen it. 

Skinny Bitch

Normally I wouldn't read a book like this, but a friend recommended it to me and insisted I read it. So I did. I was quite surprised at what I found. This book is a big smack in the face. It really opens your eyes to everything going wrong in the food industry.

The book is called Skinny Bitch and it's written by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. Not only is this book kind of hilarious - just because they tell it to you straight - but it's also very informative.  Let me clarify that I didn't read this for weight loss purposes. I read it because I wanted to find out what all of the hype was about.

Some of the things written in this book are absolutely shocking, and some are down right disgusting. They talk about aspartame and how technically it shouldn't even be legal, and they managed to get in FDA approved by paying people off. They talk about being vegan and how it's the only way to be; which for me is a bit extreme. I am a carnivore after all. They also talk about how animals are treated in slaughter houses and they take quite a few quotes from a book I that I think is called slaughter house. The quotes are quotes from people that have worked in slaughter houses admitting to things that they have done to the animals. And let me tell you, this is not for people that don't have a strong stomach, it is absolutely disgusting and extremely disturbing.

Another point that they discuss is organic foods. Let me first point out that this book was written by american authors, and I know that Canada has much stricter laws about these sorts of things. But, in the US foods have to have a label that says organic on them. However, some companies cheat, and somehow work into into the name or for eggs they say "free range" which, apparently, means absolutely nothing.

This book is definitely an eye opener. Though it is supposed to be a diet book, of sorts, I think that it is an important book for everyone to read. Just so that you realize where your food is coming from, and how food companies can trick you into thinking their product is more natural or healthier then it really is.

One for the Money

A few years ago I read a book called One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. It's probably my favourite book of all time. It's actually a series. I've read the first 15 books I think there are like 16 or 17 out now. She comes out with a new one every year. 


The series is about a woman named Stephanie Plum. She is around 30 years old. It starts off with Stephanie losing her job as a lingerie sales woman. After months of jut barely scarping by, off her savings, and selling her appliances and what not to make rent, she finally decides to take a job at her cousin Vinny's bail bonds agency. She becomes a bounty hunter. 


In the first book of the series she is after a man named Joe Morelli. She used to go to high school with him and has a bit of a history with him. The book is really funny and suspenseful. It has everything a good book should have. Action, adventure, suspense, and just enough romance.

This book is so good, and I highly recommend it! It is so good, that they are even making a movie! It's coming out at the end of January of 2012.  Which is the whole reason I'm writing this post. The movie is going to star Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum, Jason O'Mara as Joe Morelli, Daniel Sunjata as ranger (a love interest), and Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur (the comic relief)

I can't wait for this movie it's going to be great! 

Stardust

Cover of Stardust by Neil Gaiman

So I have come to the conclusion that I am just never going to finish reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I tried so hard. The sad part is, I only have approximately 30-40 pages left. I just cannot get myself to read it. Especially with school starting up again, I haven't really found the time. But, any time that I find that I have a few extra minutes, or on the weekend when I'm not crazy busy, I have no interest in reading it. I look at it on my bedside table and just grimace, and I always say to myself "maybe next time." I think that it's time that I just admit that it's not going to happen. I haven't even picked it up in over two weeks!

I guess that means that I can't really give it a good review. To be fair, when I am/was reading it I enjoyed it. It just wasn't really a page turning, however, I still found it interesting.

There just wasn't enough suspense for me. I give this book a 2 out of 5.
The movie was a lot better.

I feel really bad when I start a book and don't finish it. Like I've failed, not only myself, but others, like the author or something. Like I owe it to the author. By choosing his/her book to read and not finishing it, I feel like I'm insulting them.

Well, I am very sorry Mr. Gaiman, I tried, and failed. In fact, I failed us both. But don't lose faith in me! I have a bunch of your other books sitting on my bedside table, collecting dust/waiting for Christmas break, to be read. And I will not only start them, but I will finish them. Or at least some of them, I doubt I can get through all of them in the short 2 weeks we get as break.

Up in Smoke

Tonight's episode of 90210 was, in my opinion, a great start for season 4. I was especially thankful for the "previously on" because I couldn't remember a thing about what had happened at the end of last season. Basically what happened was Naomi thought she was pregnant, Liam left to go on a fishing excursion, Ivy and Raj got married, and nothing too significant happened to the rest of the gang. I think that Dixon went on tour or something?? I wasn't too clear on that.

The way the episode kicked off was great. At the doctor's office. I was really disappointed in Max's reaction when the doctor gave them the news. But, to be fair, what can you expect from a 18 year old. It really got good after the opening credits, a couple of minutes in, when Liam came into the picture. Like, Really Liam? That's how you ask the girl you love to marry you? "Okay, I'm ready, let's do this!" Did you really think that that would work? If Annie truly was the love of your life then you would know that that is not the way that she would want to be proposed to.

Poor Naomi, trying so hard to forget about Max. Every one just keeps bringing him up. Naomi, let's be honest here, you have major boy ADD and I think that in a few months you would have been over Max anyways.

I'm so proud of Teddy! He finally came out to his dad. Even though it was over the phone. Sometimes it's just to hard to tell someone face to face. I think that its just important that he did it. I hope his dad understands.

Finally the Adrianna drama! That's the best part of the show! I was so happy when she was the one that walked out of the washroom. I can't decide if she is truly genuine. At first I thought maybe, and then she came out of Dixon's roommate's room and that just doesn't seem like something that someone who has changed would do. So I'm going to go with no, Adrianna is still a backstabbing whore. Just the way we like her.

Things were just not going well for Naomi this episode. First the everything with Max, then getting shut down at the beach, and then her party bombed. Especially with all the weed, oh man, that's going to me a disaster. I can't believe Navid's sister though, how did she not learn her lesson the first time? Idiot.

So, I always wondered how these kids got their alcohol. And now we know! They pay the bartender copious amounts of dollars for copious amounts of liquor! Finally the mystery is solved.

All in all, this episode was a great way to kick off the new season. And a great started for all the upcoming shows. Vampire Diaries starts Thursday! Woot woot!

When I Die

To those of you who really loved the latest season of True Blood all I can say is this: Please, stop reading now, or you may be severely disappointed. To those who were as disappointed as me, or at least think they were, read on my friends! I'll be honest, I liked how the season started off, they stayed fairly true to the book. Oh wait, no they didn't. The only thing they kept from the book was that there were witched and Eric lost his memory. But, only for a fraction of the time he did in the book. This season was just an all around disappointment.

Maybe, the reason I was so unimpressed was because between season 3 and 4 I was feeling a little True Blood withdrawal and decided to read all of the books (well, 1-9.) I really enjoyed the first 3 seasons and really enjoyed Eric in them *wink*wink*. However this season just did not live up to its full potential. 

First of all, there was not enough Sookie drama for me, by that I mean the love stuff. Whether it be Eric, Bill, or Alcede - personally I prefer Eric - they gave us practically nothing! Let's just all be honest here, at least all of the women out there, half the reason we watch this show is to see that! Maybe I'm wrong, maybe its just because I'm still young and love all of the love triangle crap. But I love the way HBO puts an adult spin on it. 

Second, the whole witch thing was done way differently then in the book. Which I understand they are obviously going to change stuff - and they have in past seasons, and it has worked well for them - and although Fiona Shaw did an amazing job as Marnie, I really just didn't dig the way they spun it. There were supposed to be evil twins, a brother and a sister, but instead reincarnation? That's just going to far for me. 

Third, and most importantly I might add. Eric. I loved the third book the most because of Eric. They just butchered it. I probably wouldn't have even minded so much if they had just taken away his memory of what happened during the period he lost his memory. Wait, does that make sense? Well, in the book, when he finally gets his memory back, he doesn't remember anything from when he lost his memory. It drives him absolutely crazy not knowing what happened between him and Sookie, and he knows that something happened. I feel like that would have made great TV.

That is most of what really bothered me about season 4. One thing that I am happy about, and I feel kind of bad about this, is that Tara is dead! Or at least, that's how they made it seem. Who knows. Maybe Eric or Bill, or both will have heard her screaming, and felt Sookie's pain and come running and feed Tara their blood. We shall see. 

One thing that I really liked was Pam. I love Pam. She's awesome. I really appreciated how they let us in a little more. We saw her softer side in the end. I thing it was much needed.

I must say, I absolutely loved Arlene's daughter's Halloween costume! Two thumbs way up! 

One other note, Sookie was looking really good this season. I feel weird saying it, but in almost every episode I remember noting how pretty she looked. So good job to the make up people! And of course to Anna Paquin, as she is a beautiful person. 

Studying

In celebration of school starting up again, I thought I would post some study tips.

1. Always study in the same place. Find a quiet place, with no distractions. Try not to have a computer nearby, if you are anything like me you will be tempting to procrastinate!
   
2. Make sure your study place is available to you whenever you will need it.
   
3. Study at the same time. When you have a set time to study everyday you will find it easier to concentrate.
   
4. Get rid of all distractions! Turn off that phone, or at least put it in another room. Don't listen to music, even if you think it helps, you are really just kidding yourself. And definitely do not watch TV! Again, if you don't need the computer, the put it in another room.
   
5.  Do the more difficult tasks first, while you are still fresh.
   
6. Take responsibility for yourself! It's important to realise that no one is responsible for a bad or good grade but yourself. Stop blaming others for distracting you! If it was that bad you should have left and gone to the library!
   
7. Put it in your own words. If you are taking notes from a textbook it is important to write down what you learn from the textbook in your own words. You will remember it better that way.
   
8. Take breaks. If you have a long night of studying in front of you, set aside some time for breaks. Just short ones 5-15 minutes. On your break do something different then you have been doing. My suggestion; go for a walk and get some fresh air.
   
9. Get the blood pumping. I've found that before I start studying if I do 50 jumping jacks first I focus a lot better. You can do anything, just get the heart rate up for a minute or so to get the blood pumping through your body and your brain. You will be able to focus longer, and take in more information.
   
10. Review your notes after class. I've found that I remember things a lot better if I go straight home (or to the library) and rewrite all of my notes from the lecture. Everything is still fresh in your brain, so if you wrote something illegibly then you will most likely be able to figure out what you were trying to write the sooner you get to it.
    
11. Use colours! It take longer, but it really works.
    
12. Attend all of your classes. You may be able to get all of the information you need for the exams from your textbook, but you professor will go over it in clearer English (sometimes I have a hard time uderstanding the textbooks), and you will be able to figure out what is going to be on the exam if they discuss certain things more thoroughly then others.
    
13. Once you've read a chapter, or just attended a lecture, go tell someone about what you just learned. That way you will realise what exactly you understand as well as the areas that you need to brush up on.
    
14. Use flash cards when studying for an exam.
    
15. Form a study group. Assign each person a section of the textbook, and get them to write up questions, anywhere from 10-20 per person. Next, have a game of jeopardy! Each person gets to be Alex Trebek while they ask everyone the questions that they created. Have some kind of reward for the winner, maybe take them to a movie? 

I hope that these study tips help! Personally, my favourite is to play jeopardy! You have fun and learn! 

Heading Back to the Books, the Textbooks.

University is just around the corner and I am sad to say that I won't have as much time for reading (and writing) as I did before. I will still try to get a few good books in, but I am starting at a new school, in a pretty intense program, and really just don't think that I will have any time. I have already started reading one of my textbooks!

I am currently reading Stardust - and have been for the past 2 weeks, I just can't seem to get through it - I will try to get a review of that up. And possibly compare it to the movie? We shall see!

Thanks to all my readers! I really appreciate the support!

More Hunger Games

I'm hungry for The Hunger Games!
I just found these photos online of Peeta and Gale! I think that they look fantastic! Only 7 more months until we get to see them on the screen!

Woweee they sure look good!
I think that they did a really amazing job on Peeta, with the hair. To be honest I pictured Gale being a little more 'rough around the edges' looking. Not so... pretty. But Liam is a pretty, pretty man, they did the best with what he had to offer.

Girl in the Arena

I was looking online for some more books to add to my already huge list of books to read when I came across a book called Girl in the Arena. The book is by Lisa Haines.

From what I've read the book is about a girl who's father is a gladiator and dies in the arena. His opponent captures some kind of bracelet, when he kills her father, which means that the girl must marry him. It's supposed to be a good read and similar to The Hunger Games. So I wouldn't mind giving it a try.

The reason I am posting this... and the reason that I want to read it now, is this. I was looking on YouTube, as I was recently told that you can find "practically every" book in audio book format on there. (FYI: You can't.) Anyways, I came across this video.

Here it is:

How can you not want to read it after watching that?

My Horizontal Life

Cover of My Horizontal Life
by Chelsea Handler

I recently read a book called My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler. This book is supposedly non-fiction, but I think a lot of it is exaggerated. The book is a recollection of a bunch of relationships/one-night stands that the author has gone through. Some of the stories are absolutely laugh out loud funny. While some of the stories are just plain disturbing!

This book is definitely a good read for anyone looking to have a little fun, and maybe even die a little bit from embarrassment. You don't need to think at all during this read. So if you're looking to just turn off your brain and enjoy one big TMI of a book then this is for you!

The Hunger Games Movie

So last night on the MTV VMAs they aired the first sneak peak of The Hunger Games. Which is coming out March 23, 2012. Here is the movie link.

Here is the teaser trailer/preview:

It's sure not much to go on, but from what I can see I like it.

Firelight

Cover of Firelight by Sophie Jordan

I Just read a book called Firelight by Sophie Jordan. I found this book to be a little bit repetitive and definitely for a younger (highschool age) audience. But I still had a lot of fun with it.

The story is about a girl named Jacinda, she is a draki. A descendant of dragons, though their true form is dragon they live their lives in human for and only shift into dragon form under the cover of the night sky. All of the draki live together in the mountain, hidden from the hunters. One day, when Jacinda takes a risk she is almost caught and killed by hunters. In order to protect her from the punishment of the pride she must flee. While trying to fit in with a school of normal kids, she feels her draki slipping away, and will do anything to hold on to it. The one person who brings it out in her is the one person who could also kill her. Will. Jacinda can't help but get close to him for fear that is she doesn't her draki will die and she will be human forever.

All in all, this book is a fun read. But i found that it was very repetitive with the whole 'I can't be with Will, but I need to be with him.' Every chapter she would change her mind. Although, the book ended with quite a cliffhanger, therefore I cannot wait until the second one comes out!

If you have some free time, and don't want a tough read, then I recommend this book. It was a really quick read.

Catching Fire

Cover of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

So I finished the second book from The Hunger Games series, by Suzanne Collins almost a week ago. It took me a while to finally write a post about it. The second book is called Catching Fire. And in my opinion, it is even better then the first. I think the reason I liked it so much more is that you already know most of the characters, so you don't have to spend time learning about them and you can get right into the good stuff. 


If you haven't read the first one, and are planning to I wouldn't read any further.


The second book takes place a few months after the first one ends. Right before Peeta and Katniss have to go on their victors tour. In the aftermath of the hunger games things pretty much go back to the way they were. Except that Katniss and Peeta are set for life. With riches beyond their needs. And with Gale now working at the mines six days a week, Katniss hunts alone. Without their even knowing they have become the leaders of sorts to a rebellion going on all throughout Panem. This years hunger games will be it's 75th one, therefore it is a quarter quell. Every 25 years the game makers put a twist on the game, just to emphasize that the districts are powerless. In past years they have doubled the amounts of tribute, and had the districts vote who should go in. 


Any guesses on what the twist to this years quarter quell will be?


I really loved this book. I really recommend reading the first book and continuing on to read the second. I lose myself in these books. I stayed up two nights in a row until 5 am just reading! I literally could not put it down! 


Unfortunately I have to wait for my friend to finish reading the 3rd book before she is going to lend it to me. She is even going to lend it to me on her E-reader! So I'm pretty excited to give that a try, to see how I like it. 

Great Piano Medleys

So I have recently gotten really interseting in learning to play the piano. I often lose inspiration, or motivation, when I start new things, so in order to keep me practicing, I watch videos on youtube. Some of the videos of people playing are truly amazing, and I decided to share a few of my favourites with you.

These pianists aren't perfect though, they do make a few mistakes, but they do awesome jobs!

I am a huge nerd, and love soundtracks from video games. Which will become clear from my selection.

Without further a dew, here they are:

Zelda:

Super Mario: (This one is insanely cool)

Pokemon!:

Knagdom Hearts 1&2:

 Hope you guys love it as much as I do!

The Choice

Cover of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

It took me almost two full weeks to finish it, but some how I managed. I just finished The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I'm going to be brutally honest and say that I thought that this book was painfully boring. I decided to give it a try after a saw a lot of recommendations on a bunch of different websites and blogs and what not. And I can now say that I really don't like this genre of books. I need something with a bit more adventure!

The book is about a woman, Gabby, who moves to a small town in order to be closer to her boyfriend. When she thinks that her neighbours dog has gotten hers pregnant she storms over there to give him a piece of her mind. While he tries to win her over, she is torn between her new neighbour and her current boyfriend. She must make a choice. The story then skips 11 years or so and Travis, the neighbour, now has to make an important choice. (I don't want to tell you what it is about though, it'll give too much away.)

I can see how others enjoy these sorts of books. It is an enjoyable read, I just found that when I wasn't reading it I had no desire to pick it up to find out what will happen next. I would be just as happy to just let it sit on my bedside table for the next three years without ever wondering what will happen. I literally had to force myself to read it, but then, when I actually was reading it, I would want to keep reading. But not in the way where I'll stay up 2 hours later than I intended to just to find out what happens next, like I often do with other books.

Well I just got the second book in The Hunger Games series. So I should be staring and finishing that rather quickly.

Delicious Healthy Cookies!

My mom gave me this recipe and as soon as I tried them I knew I had to share them!
The great thing about these cookies is that there is no butter! And, instead of white all purpose flour, there's whole wheat flour. So you don't have to feel so guilty after you eat a plate of them to yourself!

Another awesome thing about these cookies is that they are different every time you make them. You can alter the recipe a bit to suit your tastes.


Here it goes...

T's Healthy Cookies!

1 Cup - Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup - White Sugar
3 - Eggs
3/4 Cup - Olive Oil

1 Cup - Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tsp - Baking Soda
1 Tsp - Baking Powder

3/4 Cup - Coconut
1 Cup - Wheat Germ
3/4 Cup - Granola
3/4 Cup - Oatmeal
1 Cup - Dried Fruit (Craisins, Raisins, Dates, etc...)
1 Cup - Chocolate Chips (I usually put in 3/4 cup, and add a few more nuts instead)
1 1/2 Cup - Nuts/Seeds (Sesame seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Pecans, Slivered Almonds, Sunflower seeds, etc..)

Bake at 350 for 10-12 min
Makes approx. 30-40 depending on size.
Make sure you spray the pan before hand! These guys really stick!

1) Start by mixing the wet stuff: (Sugars, Eggs, and Olive Oil)

2) In a seperate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir.

3) Add all of the other ingredients to the flour mixture.

I used sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and chopped pecans (I usually add slivered almonds, but didn't have any)  For dried fruit I used dates and craisins (usually add raisins, but also didn't have any.)

4) Add all of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir.

5) Next put  them on a tray, and stick them in the oven! Almost done!

10-12 minutes later, they are all done!

They may be a little bit crumbly at first, don't worry. Just let them cool off on a cooling rack for 10 minutes or so and they will hold together. Now comes for the most important step...

6) ENJOY!!!

Degrassi - New Season

Only one more week until the new season of Degrassi starts! This is by far my all time favourite show, so naturally, I am very excited. For those of you who haven't seen a premiere of the coming season yet here it is...

And here's another with a little bit more information. It's not the best quality, but it still looks great!

The best part of this season is that they are airing a new episode every week night, Monday-Fridays! I can't wait to see what will happen with Drew, and the gun. As well as Clare and that new boy. Looks like there are going to be some new cast members as well.

Monkey Man!

This guy is insane! I wish I had this kind of skill. It`s the most intense version of parcour I have ever seen!

Now don`t you wish you could do that? I know I do!

The Art of Flight

My sister showed me this snowboard video the other day. I can`t wait for the full movie to come out in the fall. It`s going to be amazing. See for yourself...

How amazing would it be to be one of those people? They get to do what they love everyday. They are truly living the dream!

The Hunger Games

Cover of The Hunger Games by
Suzanne Collins

I just finished reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins the other day and I really enjoyed it.
I must admit, it was a pretty intense book. I'll do my best not to give anything away here.

The book is set in the future, when the States is now known as Panem. It is ruled by a city called the Capitol and there are 12 districts within Panem (used to be 13). Each year two tributes are taken from each district, one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 (Might be 19, can't remember). These tributes are taken and put into a massive arena to fight to the death.

The book is split up into 3 parts. In the first part we are introduced to Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl who hunts in order to keep her family fed. She has a younger sister, Primrose (Prim for short) and a mother to take care of. Ever since her father died in a mining explosion she has been the breadwinner for her family. Katniss ends up being the female tribute for District 12.

In the second part, Katniss finds herself being prepared for the games, along with all of the other tributes. They must go through interviews, and they have 3 days of training. And then they are thrown into the arena, where it's every man/woman for themselves.

In the third part the hunger games are over... now I don't want to give anything away so I'm not going to say any more than that. You'll just have to read it for yourself to find out what happens!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good easy read. It's a real page turner. I've even been so nice as to lend my copy of the book to my sister and her boyfriend... And I never lend out my books!

I am also very pleased to announce that they are making a movie. The movie is set to come out in late March next year (2012). Jennifer Lawrence is going to play Katniss and Josh Hutcherson will be playing Peeta. Check it all out here.

Head Tilt

I stumbled upon this video and thought it was too cute not to share! 

And here`s one with 4 pugs!

Hope you enjoy these!

Torment

So I read the book Torment by Lauren Kate last week. It is the second book in her Fallen series. If you haven't read the first book in the series, Fallen, yet then I suggest reading that before this. You can also look at my blog post about the first novel too.  I'll try my best not to spoil anything from the first book in my summary, but no promises. You have been warned!

So in the second book Luce is put into yet another boarding school called Shoreline. Daniel puts her there in order to keep her safe from the Outcasts, a group of immortals that want to kill Luce. While she is being hidden at the school she is determined to learn more about her past lives. Since Daniel refuses to tell her anything she must do it on her own. With the help of her new Nephilim friends she searches for answers about who she was in her past lives. She ends up getting in a lot of trouble and risks her life in the process. There are also some appearances by her old fallen angel friends from Sword & Cross.

I thought this book was alright, I think that maybe I'm just not a fan of the whole fallen angel thing. I only read it because i read the first one, but to be honest I didn't enjoy it all that much. I found that it was a little slow. If you read the first one and liked it then definitely read the second one. However, if you read the first one and didn't like it, I'd say save yourself some time, and go on to the next book!

-T

Hot Yoga

I just recently started going to hot yoga. I found a groupon for $30 for a month of unlimited classes at Bikrams. I'll be honest, and even though I hear so many good things from so many people, I really wasn't expecting to enjoy it that much. Boy, was I wrong!

I absolutely love it. The first class was very difficult, and i had to sit down and take a break a few times. But I went the very next day and was able to do the whole 90 minutes without taking a break.

The room is extremely hot, and you sweat like crazy. So it's really important to stay hydrated throughout the day and drink lot and lots of water.

If you've never done yoga before than you don't know that it is in a class room that looks like a dance class room, with mirrors all over the walls. While you are doing the poses you are supposed to look yourself in the eyes in the mirror. At first I found this very difficult, but now, I love it. It's so peaceful and so grounding. Looking at yourself in the eyes, and forgetting about all of the other people in the room is the greatest thing. Although, what makes it even better, is that when you are not sure if you are doing something right, you can just look at the person next to you or in front of you to see what you are doing wrong.

Even after doing this for about two weeks, and only going to a handful of classes, I feel amazing. I feel so much better about myself, and I have so much more confidence. I have also found that I am a lot more calm.

I am really excited to keep going and getting even more and better results!

I recommend that everyone try hot yoga! But, even though its tough, don't give up after one class. Give it at least 3 or 4 classes to really give yourself a chance to decide if its for you or not.

Sex and the City

The women of Sex and the City
Charlotte York, Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, and
 Miranda Hobbes

I've been watching the HBO TV series Sex and the City. I love it. I am already halfway done the last season. I watched the movie when it came out and halfway through i was bored out of my mind. I thought it was the longest most dull movie ever, I couldn't wait for it to end!

The series on the other hand is great. It's smart, sexy, clever, and at times it's hilarious. You really grow to love the characters. Although, I thought that the acting in the first season was pretty bad, but it gets so much better. I love all four women  and feel like I know them as if they were real life friends.

I also feel like I've learned things from this series. I feel like sex shouldn't be taken so seriously (not to say I should sleep around.) Another thing; it's important to be yourself. There's no point in acting like anyone other than yourself, you're wasting no ones time but your own.

I am almost tempted to watch the movies again just to see if I would like them better once I have seen the series, and know the characters better.

EPIC - My new goodies!

I had a great time at The Epic today. George Stromboloupolous was there! Although, I had to leave before he did his presentation. But I did get a few goodies!

I got some wheat grass seeds! Which I am really excited about, since my last attempt to grow wheat grass failed. So I put about 3 tablespoons of the seeds in some water today and we shall see how it goes! I hope it works, I really want to start adding wheat grass to my green smoothies! Yum! Well... actually, I heard that it tastes pretty bad, but you can mask the taste with fruit and other flavors.

The other thing I got was an acupressure mat. You can lay on it on your back, you stomach, or step on it. It's supposed to be really good to energize you and to help your sleep. I excited for that! Here is the website, I'm sure they will be able to explain it better.

Also, since I mentioned my green smoothies I just wanted to say that I am really loving them! I am feeling healthier, and I have noticed that I don't have as many cravings for unhealthy foods anymore. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to be a little more healthy in their lives. I have been having 1 or 2 a day, probably equivalent to 10-25 oz. per day.

EPIC - Green Over Grey

I am going to The Epic tomorrow, which is a 3 day sustainable living expo. I wanted to know what exactly I should be expecting. I went to the website and looked at the list of exhibitors. Some of the exhibitors post their website and I found one called Green Over Grey. The name caught my attention. I wanted to know what this company was all about. I read the description and was a little put off: 


"Green over Grey™ is a leading design firm that focuses on the creation of spectacular and eye-catching green walls also known asliving walls or vertical gardens.
From the largest vertical garden in North America to small boutique projects, the goal at Green over Grey™ is to create living works of art that purify the air we breathe, make life more sustainable and add some green to the grey of our cities.

We pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of design trends and providing our customers with state of the art installations and services.

Our unique soil free technology makes it possible to transform any vertical surface into a lush and strikingly beautiful garden, either inside or out.

At 3 to 4 lbs per square foot, Green over Grey offers the lightest green wall system available on the market. It also allows us to use hundreds of plants species including shrubs and small trees!" 

To me, that sounded a little weird. A brilliant idea, but I just couldn't picture how this would be possible without it looking very strange. So I went to the website and looked through the gallery. I fell in love. 

Green Over Grey is awesome! I think the whole idea is just brilliant. Just imagine the cool designs you could make, with the different type of plants and the different colour. It's the green artists heaven! 

Although, it definitely would be a little strange in a regular old room. But there is a picture of it in a pool room which, I think, looks great. It could also look good in some kind of office building. I'm not sure exactly, but I think that this company has so much potential. Check it out for yourself here! 

Did you know?

1) Coconuts kill over 150 people every year. That's more than sharks!

2) The bones of a pigeon weigh less than it's feathers.

3) Caterpillars have more muscles than humans.

4) Most lipstick has fish scales in it.

5) Tennis was originally played with bare hands.

Healthy Living

I am on a new health kick. A little info about me: I`ve always been a little over weight. Not a lot though, but realistically I could stand to lose 20-30 pounds.

Over the past month I have been doing a Liver Cleanse. It`s nothing drastic. Every morning before I eat anything, I get a mug out, and put a drop of peppermint oil, a drop of lemon oil, and I squeeze some fresh lemon juice in (anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 a lemon). I then add a little bit of cold water and then some boiled water. You could add just the boiled water, the cold water just makes it cooler faster.

At first it is really strong, but after a couple of days you get used to it and start to really enjoy the drink. And that's it! I drink that special potion first thing in the morning and then I eat my breakfast and get on with my day.

I have already lost 6 pounds in one month! The crazy thing is that I haven't done anything any differently. Now imagine if I had. If I had gone for a couple of runs or done a couple more workouts. That number could easily have been 10! Oh well, no need to beat myself up over it. I believe that the slower it comes off the longer it will stay off.

The only down side is that the cleanse is getting all of the toxins out of my liver and some of them I have noticed are coming out through my skin. And  I have 2 little eczema spots on each arm. The funny thing about it is that the two spots on my arms are liver points for accupressure. I would think that that means it's working!

I just started having green smoothies yesterday. I am really enjoying them too. So far I have only used spinach in them. I've read that it's important to switch up the greens you put in them though, so I think that I am going to try to grow wheatgrass. It is supposed to be full of nutrition. If I manage to do it, on my first try, I will definitely post pictures when I start my second crop of wheatgrass!

I have also put the book Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko on hold at the library. So I can't wait to read it and get a couple of tips.

Fallen

Cover image of Fallen by Lauren Kate

I finished reading Fallen by Lauren Kate.

I had about 30 pages left to read in this book for so long, yet I just couldn`t seem to get it read. Not because I didn`t like it, but because I just could not find the time! I like to read before I go to bed, and every night I was getting to bed late and had to get up for work in the morning. Even though 30 pages isn`t a lot to read, I still have to commit a good 45 minutes or so. I just could not deprive myself of almost an hour of sleep. I`m already enough of a grump in the morning as it is! 

Even though it took me so long to finish it, I really did enjoy reading it. It was a little slow at times though, and I did find it to be very predictable.

The novel follows a young girl named Luce, she has recently been a part of a fire where the boy she was with died. She was neither proved guilty or innocent, therefore she is sent to a reform school. At this school she meets two boys, one who obviously likes her and seems like a really good guy, and the other who at times shows interest and other is outright rude to her. With her new friend Penn she looks into the latter`s past and tries to find out more about him. All the while she is seeing these shadow creatures, who she thinks started the fire that killed the boy.

I can`t really say much more without giving it away. Although, when my sister saw the title she guessed exactly what was going on. So I guess it`s not that hard to figure out.

Hopefully my description was helpful. I would recommend this book, but as usual; I would recommend it to a younger audience. Probably around the age of 14-18 would be good. 

Matched

Cover of Matched by Ally Condie

I just finished a book the other day called Matched by Ally Condie. I was satisfied with this book, but it wasn't fantastic, in my opinion.

It is about a 17 year old girl who grew up in a place where their government called "The Society" dictates everything; From what they eat to who they will marry and have children with to what their career will be and when they will die. It starts off with the main character, Cassie, on her way to her Match banquet. Where she will find out who she is going to spend the rest of her life with. When her name is called her match ends up being her best friend Xander. It is extremely uncommon for your match to be someone you know, or even someone from the same city/region as you. Later when she inserts the chip with Xander's information, that everyone receives to inform them about their match, another boy's face shows up. She knows this boy too. Throughout the book she tries to figure out why this other boy's face showed up. And discovers that she has feelings for him as well.  She has to decide whether to fight for him and go against The Society or to stay with Xander.

This book reminded me a lot of The Giver, which I read in grade 8 for my English class. It definitely makes you really appreciate all the free will that we have. And even though it may seem daunting at times, the big choices that we all have to make in life are our own to make and that is the way it should be.

I didn't really enjoy the ending, I thought it was kind of inconclusive. I'm not sure if the author is making a sequel or not, I hope so though. It feels very unfinished. I think it came out fairly recently, within the past year or so, therefore a second book probably won't be out for another year or so if one is planned.

The next book I'm reading is called Fallen by Lauren Kate. I'm actually almost done it. So hopefully I'll have time to post my thoughts about it tomorrow or the next day!

Hype Machine

I'm very hot and cold with the Hype Machine website. Sometimes I get really obsessed and that's all I will listen to for days and then I'll get bored and listen to my own music for a while. Then I'll jump back to the Hype Machine. And the cycle continues.

I am really into it right now though, so I decided to let you know what I'm listening to and what I'm loving. So I added a music box to the left.
 <-----
 Now you can listen to what I'm listening to.

Hope you enjoy!

13 Reasons Why

Cover of Thirteen Reasons Why by
Jay Asher

I finished reading 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher the other day. This book wasn't really my style, but it was still a good read. I think that if I had read it 5 years ago I would have really enjoyed it. I definitely thought it was an original idea and appreciate the moral of the story though.

The book is told from the point of view of a teenage boy, Clay. He comes home from school one day to find a box of cassette tapes on his front step addressed to him. There is no return address. As he plays the first tape he realizes it is a girl from his grade, Hannah, who killed herself just a few weeks earlier. She goes on to explain that the tapes explain why she killed herself, the 13 reasons why. Well more like the 13 people that ultimately caused her to do it.

You follow Clay as he listens to the tapes, and visits the places that Hannah mentions in the tapes. You see how Clay is affected by her suicide, even though he did not know her that well. He did have a crush on her.

This book really shows that how you treat others can really have an impact on their lives. Whether you may realize it or not. You don't know what that person is going through or how they will react to the situation. Or what kind of a snowball effect your actions will have.

I wanted to give you the official link to the website (here). And, as I was looking for the link I discovered that they are turning this book into a movie. Selena Gomez is to start as Hannah. I have looked and I can't find any news of a release date though. Here's the IMDB link.