Friday Five : Five Things You SHOULD Be Doing at the Library

Some of you may know that I have a Master’s Degree in Library Science. Although my priority right now is to stay at home with my children, I hope to one day work as a librarian (or at the very least use my degree in some other manner).
So naturally I am an ardent supporter of the library – I love it and I am there at least once a week (if not more). Where else can you go and take away 10-15 books at a time and NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING???? But I realize that not everybody loves the library as I do and you might not realize what the library has to offer…..so here is my list of five things that the library offers that you may not know about! (I live in Indianapolis and all of these things are available through IMCPL. Obviously some libraries may not offer these things depending on their size but I encourage you to ask….they may have other things available).

1) Putting items on hold –

Gone are the days of going to the library, spending twenty or thirty minutes desperately browsing the shelves and hoping something catches your eye, then getting it home and discovering you hate it. Now you can put items on hold and they send you an email letting you know it is at your home library branch waiting for you. Possibly even things that you read about on a delightful witty review blog 😉  If you are busy, it is so convenient because you just pop in and pick up your stuff. If you are like me and want to read about a million things, you will always get surprises – I’m always forgetting stuff I put on hold. Love.

2) DVDs –

Libraries have DVDs and BlueRays (some of them) on everything including popular movies, TV shows, exercise, crafts, etc…anything that is on DVD they have. I have Netflix so I don’t usually use this service but I am able to get exercise videos this way without having to waste my money when I inevitably don’t use it.

3) E-books and audiobooks –

Yep, you can now download both ebooks and audiobooks directly from the library website to your device or into iTunes. Our library supports both EPUB and Kindle ebook formats. You can have them for 21 days and then it will expire on your device. I always check the library before I purchase a book I want to read – this has saved me a ton of money since I got my Kindle.

4) Programs –

I know, I know – sounds boring hanging out at the library… but they have SO many programs for every age and interest. Our library system is hosting : storytimes, dog communication classes, a celebration of Ray Bradbury, a workshop on diabetes, preschool yoga, book discussion clubs, sensory play discussion, how to pay for college, how to build a nonprofit organization, balloon twisting workshop, face painting workshop…..and that is just in the next couple of months. ALL FREE!

5) Downloading Music –

This one I’m really excited about because I just discovered it but IMCPL has a new service called Freegal. It allows you to download three songs a week DIRECTLY to iTunes (and other music managers as well.) The list of what they have available changes every week but here is what I downloaded this week : Justin Timberlake “Suit and Tie”, Adele “Skyfall” and Adele “Chasing Pavements”. Amazing right???

Friday Five : Easy Makeup Tips, Books and Blogs

As a stay at home mom, some things do not get done every day. When I first had my babies, those things would usually be showers, dressing, makeup, general cleanliness etc…Now as my kiddies get older, I still need to do things quickly but as a fashionista I definitely still want to look good!

Of course I love my fashion and my shoes especially but another of my favorite things in the world is makeup. Some of you right now are groaning I know. I am a firm believer, however, that if you look good you feel good. So after years and years of looking at magazines, reading makeup books, checking out makeup blogs and trying it all out on myself. I thought I would share some easy tips on making yourself look presentable in the makeup department.

1) ALWAYS curl your lashes! Even if you don’t want to wear mascara (although I always wear mascara) please curl your lashes. Invest in a good eyelash curler (we are talking $20-25 at most). My favorite used to be the Shu Uemera but I switched to the Tarte one and have been happy with that as well. This is something you will use every day and it makes your eyes look about a million times bigger.

2) Groom, fill in and brush your eyebrows. Everybody looks better with groomed eyebrows. If you don’t know how to pluck your own eyebrows, I suggest finding somebody to wax or better yet to thread your eyebrows (which is what I do). Threading is this method where they use a piece of thread to pluck the hairs from your brow into shape. It allows you a little more flexibility than waxing. If you live in Indianapolis, I go to this amazing cheap place called Eyes by India (brows are $8!!). If you want to attempt to get your own eyebrows into shape, here is a great tutorial from one of my favorite makeup blogs, Maskcara.

3) When you are putting on makeup, put your blush on first. Most people do their eyes first and then move to blush, and can end up with heavily made up eyes and lots of blush to compensate. If you put your blush on first, you look prettier already and notice that you don’t need as much makeup. I love cream blush and my newest method for putting it on is to stipple it on the apple of my cheek and then up the cheek bone followed by a dusting of matching powder blush to lock it in place.

4) Put a light highlighting shadow in a v shape on your tear duct. I love gold shadow for this. It makes your eyes look wider and more awake. It just makes you look fresher and prettier.

5) Put on gloss or lip balm. I don’t always feel like wearing lipstick (in fact most of the time I don’t) but you still need to put something on your lips. I like gloss for the high shine factor in either a peachy or pink tone. Tinted lip balm is fantastic for those who don’t like a lot of color on their lips.

PLUS one not so easy tip:

6) HAC’ing! This is what my new favorite online makeup guru (Maskcara) calls highlighting and contouring (HAC). It’s takes some getting used to but I think it looks AH-Mazing. Ever since I started HACing, several people have asked me if I’ve lost weight (which I can assure you I have not….the holidays were not kind). Here is her video tutorial which explains it much better than I can…try it I assure you it is worth it.

 

Some Blogs and Books about makeup:

1) www.maskcara.com : I love her video tutorials on makeup. I like it because they are both simple and pretty.

2) www.makeupgeek.com : Not for the novice! These makeup looks

tend to be on the intricate side but they are very beautiful. She does a lot of basic tutorials as well.

3) Making Faces & Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin – The first makeup books I ever bought. These are step by step tutorials on makeup looks from every era and every look. This is probably more makeup than I want to wear on a daily basis but so much to look at and more fun to try for a night out.

4) Makeup Makovers in 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes by Robert Jones – I just recently got this from the library. I especially love the 5 and 10 minute looks he has, they have become some of my go to every day looks. These are step by step tutorials.  Pretty and simple.

5) Makeup Master Class by Jemma Kidd – Another one I picked up on a whim at the library. Again, she has beautiful and simple step by step tutorials. Many of them for daytime easy looks.

6) The 5-Minute Face: The Quick & Easy Makeup Guide for Every Woman by Carmindy – You probably know Carmindy from What Not To Wear (I’m sorry TLC’s WNTW) and she always manages to make every woman on there look incredible. She is not kidding – this is a tutorial on the 5 minute face. Very pretty and wearable.

These are just a few of the books and blogs that I use! I’m planning on posting some more of my looks based on these sources but that I’ve made my own. Let me know if you have any questions!

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Happy New Year Five : My Favorite Books EVER!

Happy New Year! My resolution for this year is to be better about this blog (posting, interesting material, better website) and I’m working on all of those things. Hopefully you will see and appreciate new improvements. In looking at other blogs that I admire I noticed that my About Me section could probably use some work. Specifically, I mostly review books and you have ZERO idea what my notion of a good book is. So….what better way than to post what my favorite books of ALL TIME (insert booming voice) are. These are the books that when I don’t know what to read I think about rereading because every time I do I find something new or I enjoy it even more or I just pretty much love every moment of being in that book’s world.
So without further ado ….. Trina’s Top Five Books :

5) Dangerous Liaisons (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) by Choderlos de Laclos

Yes this is the book that horrible movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Philippe was based on (don’t judge based on that). It is also the book that the wonderful movie with Michelle Pfeiffer, Glenn Close and John Malkovich was based on (DO judge it based on that). This book was written in 1782 and was considered the most scandalous and diabolical book ever written (if you are anything like me then that will make you run out and read the book right away). The bonus part is that this book is fantastic. It is in the epistolary form (you know I love the back and forth letter writing). The main characters are the Vicomte de Valmont, a deliciously sinister and charming man and the Marquise de Merteuil, a woman way beyond her time who is both intelligent, seductive. Both of them are utterly without conscience in their game of seductions. This is full of intrigue, romance, witty satire, not to mention insight into the nature of love and relationships. This makes me want to dress in a ball gown, sip a delicious cocktail by the fire and plot intrigue (on somebody I’m not sure who). Read this book!

4) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

So cliche but so true. I love the boy wizard…as a fan of high fantasy, I’m basically forced to. I won’t bother to go into summary and such. I love the world that Rowling has created and occasionally I wish I lived there too.

3) The Belgariad by David Eddings

The Belgariad is actually a series of five books starting with Pawn of Prophecy. It follows Garion, a young scullery boy who is being raised on a farm by his Aunt Pol. One day, the storyteller Old Wolf appears and urges Garion and his aunt to leave the farm immediately. This is just the beginning of an epic quest that spans the five books in which Garion will encounter magicians (both good and evil), snake queens, mad gods as well as confront his own true destiny. Another high fantasy gem,  the world that Eddings has created is populated by the most interesting characters who have flaws and quirks but hearts of gold underneath. The adventures are interesting and the books move along at a break neck speed. The series is followed by a second follow up series called The Malloreon that is just as good.

2) Beloved by Toni Morrison

I’ll be honest with you. I haven’t read this book in a LONG time. Mostly because it is so disturbing to me that I couldn’t bear to do it again. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love this book or felt profoundly affected by it. It follows Sethe, who was born a slave but escaped eighteen years ago. She can’t really be free because she is haunted by her former life in slavery. Especially the baby that she lost, whose tombstone only has one word on it : Beloved. Partly ghost story, partly literary fiction, partly historical fiction, it has got a lot going on. What I loved most about it was the way it was written. It is honestly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read.

1) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

My favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite book of all time. I was one of those nerds in English class who actually loved the books we were assigned to read (well some of them). I have probably read this book at least 10-15 times. This is the story of Jane : plain but intelligent, shy but filled with inner passion. Jane suffers a hard life at the hands of her aunt, then on to an orphanage finally ending up as a governess at Mr. Rochester’s house (for his ward, not his child). Although she is developing a sort of strange relationship with Mr. Rochester, there are even stranger goings-on at the house including mysterious laughter, random fires, and creepy servants living upstairs for no discernible reason. I love many things about this book : Jane is a feminist before her time – she refuses to compromise herself for anybody or anything. Rochester and Jane have a real romance, based on friendship not on being the two most pretty people in the room. There is a creepy mystery to be solved as well which drives the plot forward. It appeals to me on so many levels. I want you to read this book! Go! Do it now!

It took me a bit to come up with this list because it is hard to narrow this down. Two books almost made the cut so I will call them bonus favorites : Gone With The Wind and Wuthering Heights. This has just solidly outed me as an incurable romantic, my favorite variety being obsessive/tortured love.

So, what about you? What would make your top five list? Have you read any of these books? What did  you think?

Trina

 

 

 

Friday Five …. a Day late ;)

So I’m a little late on the whole Friday thing….

I was inspired by this amazing list from one of my favorite book review blogs The Book Smugglers. I love a good, unsettling story ( a la Gone Girl) so I thought I would put together a list of more classic novels that are still a great horror read.

Here is my own list of classic Halloween reads :

1) The Shining by Stephen King

This book has scared the bejeezus out of me ever since I read it one cold and rainy night in the basement of my soon-to-be MIL’s house. I was all alone and it was dark and creepy. There was a lot of me laying in the dark freaking out much later but I could NOT put the book down! King manages to infuse the empty Overlook Hotel with as much malice and evil that a house can have. Between alcoholic unstable Jack Torrance, strange, telepathic little Danny and other crazy shenanigans you will absolutely be hooked. Trust me when I say that you should probably not be alone in the house when you pick this one up. Love!

2) Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Ok, bear with me on this one…it is obviously not the standard horror fare but still has plenty of creepiness to spare. One of the most famous first lines ” Last night I dreamt I was at Manderley again ” starts out the classic romantic suspenseful novel. It starts out with the heroine (we never actually learn her name)meeting Max de Winter on vacation. After a whirlwind romance, they marry and she returns with him to his ancestral home, Manderley. But all is not well at Manderley, where the presence of Max’s first wife – Rebecca – is felt everywhere. The creepy housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, makes our poor heroine’s life hell while slowly messing with her mind. Soon she begins to doubt everything. Is Max still in love with Rebecca? What happened on the night that she drowned? So good…this is a classic – also if you like old movies then this is a great one. One of Hitchcock’s with Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier.

3) Dracula by Bram Stoker

As you all know, I love the vampires…..sparkly or not, I cannot get enough of the undead. This is the book that started it all and there is a reason that it is a classic. This vampire is no romantic figure, he is cold, cruel, and purely evil. Written in epistolary form (one of my faves!!), it follows Jonathon Harker to Dracula’s castle where he is abducted and fed on. Eventually he escapes but he has some serious PTSD issues. Dracula follows him back to England and craziness ensues. Can it get a little bogged down in old-timey wordiness? Yes but the story is absolutely riveting and I just feel like occassionally you should start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. (I’m not sure how Sound of Music crept in there…)

4) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

This is one that I have not read but I keep reading about and I want to try it. Stephen King named it one of the greatest horror novels of the 20th century so it has to be pretty good right? The story follows four people who are staying in the house. The house has a reputation for the paranormal – some are there to debunk this theory, others are there to prove it. Obviously, lots of paranormal stuff starts to happen and more creepiness settles in. Lots of you, I know, have read Shirley Jackson (remember “The Lottery” from high school?) and I always liked that short story but found it very disturbing so I’m looking forward to checking this one out.

5) The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons

Another one I haven’t read but again heard lots of good things about. Here is how Fantastic Fiction describes it :

Their love would never be the same.
Colquitt and Walter Kennedy enjoyed a life of lazy weekends, gathering with the neighbors on their quiet, manicured street and sipping drinks on their patios. But when construction of a beautiful new home begins in the empty lot next door, their easy friendship and relaxed get-togethers are marred by strange accidents and inexplicable happenings.
Though Colquitt’s rational mind balks at the idea of a “haunted” house, she cannot ignore the tragedies associated with it. It is as if the house preys on its inhabitants’ weaknesses and slowly destroys the goodness in them — ultimately driving them to disgrace, madness and even death.

Sounds interesting, right?

Have you read any of these books? How did you like them?

Trina

Friday Five List – Vampire Edition

Since I’m adding new things to the blog, I’ve decided to make Friday my list day. These lists will be mostly book related but really could be anything….. This week, I decided to do a Vampire Porn list in honor of Halloween for those times when you are feeling sexy and fang-y (but definitely not sparkly).

taken from http://www.vitamin-ha.com

1) The Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlaine Harris

Starting with Dead Until Dark (and continuing for now 12 books) you can read the books that inspired the True Blood series. These books are filled with sly humor, mystery and of course lots of erotic moments. Sookie is a fun heroine who is brave, kind and hopelessly attracted to vampires (not to mention she is supposed to be a curvy girl – which I love!).

2) Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

I know, I know – totally cliche but sometimes you just gotta go back to the original. Rice writes a totally engrossing memoir of a vampire’s life. Not just any vampire, but one who has a conscience and is torn up by his very nature. Along the way, we get to delve into the vampire world and meet the irrepressible Lestat – both villain and friend. There’s plenty of vampire porn in this book and the subsequent followups written by Rice. This book was made into a horrible movie although I always thought that Tom Cruise was an excellent Lestat (yeah I totally just said that…)

3) The Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I was turned onto this series by my good friend Sara ( thanks!). It has all the earmarks of excellent vampire porn – immortal with sexy good looks and dark disturbing past is handcuffed to a  young beautiful woman who just happens to be an accountant (yep…). They fight, they feel passion, they seethe, they fight their passion….sexy times ensue. Throw in some dangerous evil that they must battle. Start with Night Pleasures…there are about a million more.

4) The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R Ward

I haven’t read this one personally but I know many people who are quite into it. Taken from Fantastic Fiction :

“In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.”

There are 11 of these books so far with plans for even more.

5) Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton

There are 21 books in this series following the petite vampire hunter. She lives in a parallel world of supernatural beings including vampires, werewolves, and other were animals where vampires are given equal protections under the law. Anita is a bad ass who doesn’t trust any supernatural folk but is strangely attracted to both the head vampire of the city and the head of the werewolf troop. LOTS of sexy times.

These are just a few of the more popular series. There are many, many more….Obviously, none of these books is what I would call child appropriate (unless you want to have frank conversations about the birds and the bees). I know I can’t be the only one. What is YOUR favorite vampire porn?

Trina