This Christmas, my brother and I participated in a very 21st century version of the ritualistic exchanging of Christmas lists by sharing our Amazon shopping lists. Correction, I exchanged with him a modified Amazon shopping list because my actual wish list includes the shampoo I regularly reorder and at least 16 things I’m saving for…
Tag: What we’re reading
5 things for the start of the new year
Happy New Year!! It’s 2019!! How does it feel? Some of us sprinted to the finish line of 2018, grateful to have made it in one piece. Some of us dragged our feet, reluctant to leave behind what was, perhaps, the best year ever. Maybe you’re unsure of where you stand on the whole prospect…
Winter reading list: 4 books to warm your heart when the weather turns cold
Put yourself in this scene. Snow is coming down; candles glow on the coffee table; you’re wrapped up in a cozy blanket with a glass of tea, wine, or eggnog close at hand. Now, what book sits open in your lap? For me, cold winter nights lend themselves just as easily to diving into an…
Revisiting a “pre-marriage” book three and a half years “post-wedding”
It was almost five years ago that my now husband’s picture popped up on my daily match.com list. He was handsome, dressed in a suit for his friend’s wedding with a big boutonniere pinned slightly haphazardly to his lapel. He had kind eyes, a shy smile, and the perfect amount of scruffy facial hair. If…
Five movies based on books…that are better than the originals
This past weekend, my high school theater program completed their run of The Giver, a dramatic stage play based on the young adult novel of the same title. The Giver is my favorite book of all time, and when the movie was announced in 2014, I was going to be first in line to see the story…
Four books for those fall Saturdays when you just want a blanket and a good read
I generally find my schedule affords me two excellent times of the year to read: summer vacation and unscheduled winter weekends. This summer, I devoured books on our trip to Europe. I read on the plane, on the train, on the cruise ship, in the hotels. I went through all the reading material I brought…
Six things for the start of September
This month ink. is kicking off a new recurring post in which we kick off the month with a collection of stories, reflections, blogs, thoughts, etc. to get you thinking, make you smarter, and give those of you, like me, who hate trying to make small talk something to bring to the conversation should you…
Books that shake you, Friday kudos, wine for you weekend
At our first back to school inservice day this week, a colleague approached me in a flurry of excitement. “I have a question for you! Wait here!” she exclaimed, as she rushed over to her school bag. Curious as to her inquiry, I did wait there, and she quickly returned with the name of a…
Read it before you see it – Crazy Rich Asians
A few weeks ago, we went to see Oceans 8 in the theater. Oceans 11 is one of my husband’s favorite movies, so he was excited to see another installment in the franchise, and I was excited to see a movie with a whole host of strong female protagonists. Before the movie started there were the usual…
Great wine pairings for classic literature
It’s the first day of summer, not that you’d ever recognize it here in southeastern Minnesota where it’s 60 degrees and raining. It’s been a strange year with snow lasting well into April, then the temperature ramping up immediately to 90 degrees, and then summer officially arriving on a day that looks and feels a…
