Little Earthquakes

Little Earthquakes, by Jennifer Weiner

The final installment in my summer of chick lit, this one definitely wasn't as airy as the Shopaholic series. This story line actually had some substance to it.
This book is about the interactions between four ladies who have recently been pregnant for the first time. The book takes place aver a span of a couple months, and tells each woman's story from their point of view. Each woman has a very different life and is going through varying degrees of adversity and their friendship helps each of the women to deal with their challenges and move ahead with their lives.
It took me awhile to read this book, not because it was difficult to read (my interest was held throughout), but because I read it in little snippets. I didn't really have a big chunk of time recently to sit down and just plow through a substantial amount at a time. Unlike other books I've read in the past, this wasn't a problem, because I could quickly get back into the book without dwelling on the fact that I didn't completely remember what has previously happened. The story flowed pretty easily so when you continued it would be pretty obvious what had just happened.
Anyway, I enjoyed the book. It was light (but not fluffy) and easy to read. The intertwining of the characters stories was interesting too.

-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca

Broken Flowers

On Tuesday night I went to see Broken Flowers.
I'd seen the trailer and thought that it would be interesting. I figured it'd be the type of movie that I'd probably enjoy, although maybe I should have been tipped off on the fact that it was very "Lost in Translation"-esque, and I wasn't sure what I thought about that one.
Anyway, I guess there were some funny moments in the movie, however I left with the feeling that I had missed something. That I didn't "get it" or something. I think it was because I felt that it was unfinished. I didn't like the ending. Although the way that it ended (I don't mean in the story line, but how the very very end - before the credits started rolling - was shot) was dfinetely a groaner. As soon as it happened...just...ugh. I also felt like the plot line or "funny factors" faded as the movie went on. The beginning was much more interesting than the end. There was a moment that I actually wanted to check watch to see how much more of the movie there was left to go (to give me an idea of how much more of the plot needed to be developed), but I didn't get the nerve to do it, and surprisingly (because I started to feel that it was dragging) it ended soon after.
I don't know. It was okay I guess, but I wouldn't add it to my list of favorite movies of all time, that's for sure, but I think I'd recommend it. Just because it's not your typical Hollywood flick.

-picture courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

So You Think You Can Dance

Last night I watched So You Think You Can Dance one last time before going back to European TV.

All I can say is: DA-AMN!!!

Kensington Market

Tonight, I was in the Kensington Market area and walked by all the stores (they were closed by this time) and by the area sectioned off for Pedestrian Sundays.
There was music playing and a crowd had gathered, and it really looked like a lot of fun, but I didn't have time to hang around to check it out in great detail.
Anyway, the point of this post is to say that Kensington actually creeps me out. I actually feel really gross and uncomfortable walking in the area. I really don't like the vibe.
I've heard many many great things about the area and all that it has to offer, but no matter how hard I try, walking through Kensington still makes me cringe.
It really is too bad. I'm sure I'm missing out on some interesting stuff.

Music selection #4

Warsaw Concerto, by Richard Addinsell

Immortal music

I predict that incidental and theme music from movies will be today's version of classical music. Music that will live on forever.

Preparing for my return to European life

...by going to Hollywood Gelato.

Up until today, Greg's on Bloor Street has been my favorite "cold treat" place to go to by a long shot, however tonight proved Hollywood Gelato worthy enough to creep closer to that coveted pole position. It wasn't my first trip to Hollywood Gelato, but I think that I've finally realised that although chocolate/fudge/caramel/nut/marshmallow/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink gelato sounds cool and excting, fruit flavoured gelato really is the way to go. Hollywood Gelato isn't quite as tacky as it used to be. They've changed the design of the logo and updated the faded pinks, blues and greens with brownish-orange colours. Of course they still have the bicycling chicken/duck thingy outside the store. I like the addition of coloured names and photos of "Today's Flavours" on the wall to prevent crowding near the counters (because the store's crowded enough already) and you've got to be impressed at how efficient the counter staff are at getting the customers paid and happily eating their gelato.
Tonight I happily ate Key Lime Pie, Forest Berry and Mango. I would highly recommend all three options.

-picture courtesy of www.yummybaguette.com

Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight

The Royal Ontario Museum currently has a special exhibit entitled Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight.

This afternoon, I popped by to wander through the exhibit.

Going to museums makes me feel very, well, not-smart. I just feel like there's so much about the world that I don't know about that I wish I did. I wish I could go to school for the rest of my life and sit in comfy chairs and have someone tell me stories about everything in life. If they have visuals and manipulatives, it would only make storytime better.

I'm not sure if it was because the information was over my head, or because I was feeling a little tired this afternoon, but I really struggled with reading the graphics. You know how I've always said I've had problems reading and retaining? Or that I find it really hard to learn from reading textbooks? Well, I felt that again today. It was really really hard to focus and learn from the graphics. My knowledge about looking at the fossils, prints and replicas only took me so far. I needed explanations to go along with them, and the graphics that they had just didn't seem to be working for me...until..."The Bird Connection".

This part of the exhibit definitely had families and children in mind. They had lots of pictures, and simple graphics (along with the normal ones) which I really got a lot out of, because I could read the children's graphics and then move on to the "adult" versions and learn more about the basic things mentioned in the "kiddie" ones. I think having a more basic explanation could be a way to make exhibits less intimidating and more accessible to the average visitor. Not all visitors know much about what they are seeing, but they're there to get as much as possible. The kiddie graphics were a really casual way of introducing the visitor to the topic and I felt that they really explained the main points of the exhibit quite well. One of the main things I enjoyed about this section, was that each graphic had a little icon, and beside each replica/cast was an arrow (with the corresponding icon on it) that pointed directly to the spot on the replica/cast that the graphic was describing. Often I see these impressive specimens, but don't really know what the main features are, and what's so significant about them. Or for example (using feathered dinosaurs to prove my point), archaeologists and curators know exactly what to look for in fossils, but to an untrained eye, a couple little ridges in the rock really doesn't have you clue in that is a cluster of feathers. Having someone blatantly pointing it out really helps and makes me better understand the significance of what I'm looking at.

I know that if you take a tour, the guide (and there are some incredible ones at the ROM, I must say) would point out such things, but I don't think most visitors take tours. I just have to reiterate that I really enjoyed the fact that this specific part of the exhibit was so accessible and I hope that museums consider making more of there collections just as accessible as this one. It will cater to so many more types of visitors.

I also decided that I need a latin name. Sure, I'm homo sapiens, but that's my genus and species name. I need a me name. Something cool. Any suggestions?

The exhibit runs until September 5th, so go visit soon!

Music selection #3

Rhapsody on a Theme By Paganini Opus 43, by Sergei Rachmaninoff

- Genius how inversion and putting it into the minor makes one of the most beautiful pieces ever created...(18th variation)

Music selection #2

Bolero, by Maurice Ravel

-What a difference a crescendo and brass make...