I'm a "Curly Girl"

Get this book here.

This book changed my life.  No really, it did.  I know that they say its an old wives tale that pregnancy causes changes in hair texture.  But I am living proof that this is no wives tale!

I had wavy hair growing up.  Wavy, but soft and "swingy."  In fact, I used to get perms back in the 80s when it was "cool."  Spiral perms even!  Remember those?  I used to get them to "even out" my curl since I had curlier hair underneath.  Plus I needed that big hair WOW factor.  You know, the teased out bangs and the hair-sprayed-out sides.  Yes, my hair always performed well.

But then the 90s hit, and straight, stringy hair was the desirable style.  So I purchased a straightener and life was livable again.

But then... I got pregnant with twins back in 1999...and life got complicated.  My hair started curling in crazy masses of spirals.  Then I got pregnant again in 2001.  More spirals, more tangles, more frizz.  I pulled out and broke off most of my hair just trying to brush through it! 

Simple fix, you say?  Straightening iron, you say?  Yeah, it lasted about 4 hours...even with the highly acclaimed "products" that were recommended by my stylist.  And, it resulted in more damage than I ever had...even with the perms of my youth.

Speaking of "stylists,"  I had stylists "thinning" my hair, and layering my hair as if it were straight, and I'd go home to more of a frizzy mess than ever!

Then, I met this book.  Curly Girl: The Handbook by Lorraine Massey, and my life changed.

I came across it at the library, just by chance, as I was glancing through the "New Books" section and the word "Curly" caught my eye.  So I pulled it off the shelf, and because I wanted my hair to look like the girl on the front, I checked it out with plans to take it to my stylist saying, "I want this style."

But instead, I read it cover to cover that afternoon...and watched the video about three times.

And the lights went on, and a choir started singing...(not really.)

And I went to the shower and did what she said.  I washed my hair with conditioner, rinsed it, and then doused my hair with conditioner again combing it through with my fingers, and DIDN'T RINSE! And a hairbrush has not touched my hair since that day.  I followed the book to the letter.

Never in my life have I gotten so many compliments  No really, I have...almost every day...especially on the days that I wash it.  (Sorry, not trying to blow my own horn here, just trying to convey the dramatic change.)

The routines recommended by Ms. Massey are unprecedented and some would say even strange, but it has changed my life.  Now I look like the girl on the cover...only heavier...and with longer hair.  I guess now I have to work on the "heavier" part.  (Shoot! I guess it didn't take THAT away.)

Seeing Myself in Julie

Tonight I had a very rare and wonderful opportunity to go to a movie on my own and see whatever I wanted. I had no one with me to influence my decision of what I would fill my mind with over the next couple of hours...it was my choice entirely. I chose to see the very inspirational "Julie and Julia," a film about two true stories. Story #1: The early days of Julia Child and how she went to a French cooking school in Paris when she could barely boil an egg, and learned to be a French Cuisine master; and later use her knowlege to publish a classic cookbook. She grew to be the authority on cooking to every American cook. Story #2: Julia Powell who, having a love of cooking, decided to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking (the said classic cookbook of Julia Child) and write about it on a blog. Her blog and inspiration from Julia Child became the catalysts of her finding purpose in her own life and this project catapolted her writing career.

I loved the movie. Meryl Streep played Julia Child, and her performance was absolutely Oscar-worthy. But the film effected me more than what I was anticipating. I saw parallels to my own endevors that were spooky...they were so similar. Julie was looking for something important to do. She wanted more than anything to be a writer. So do I. She had written a novel. I have started two. She was a blogger. Well, I'm working on that... She not only loved to cook, but she found it comforting, a way of taking stuff off her mind. Me? The same. Its what I do to feel like I know about something...like I can do something. I, like Julie, have a sense of satisfaction in knowing that I can put some chicken in some flour and then into hot oil and it turns golden brown and delicious. I take absolute joy in serving a perfect peach cobbler or spectacular chocolate cake. It's something that I can do that not everybody can. (Or at least I think I can...)

So, this Julie decided one day to write about her cooking and her life changed. Well, I'm not really expecting that, but I found it reassuring to know that someone besides me feels this way about the craft and art of food; and that big spectacular things come from very simple ideas, and simple people. That's how God works.

I think I'm going to go out tomorrow and buy Julia Child's cookbook. Maybe I'll be famous too.

Website for Readers

I had a friend on Facebook recommend this site to me a few weeks ago and I have had a wonderful time messing around with it. It is the same website that I get my widgets that display my favorite books on the right side of this blog. If you're a reader you may like to check it out.

http://www.shelfari.com/

I like it because you can list all the books that you've read including details down to the very edition and specific cover. It then presents all your books in a colorful, fun display of every book cover in your collection that you can tweak and make it look just the way you like. By clicking each book, you can access all sorts of information as well as log when you read it and what you thought of it, rate it, etc. You can ask for recommendations for books to read, read reviews, write reviews (I like to pretend my opinion counts for something), and join groups that enjoy the same things you enjoy. Like other social networking sites, you accumulate friends with whom you can compare, look at their "shelves," read what they thought of their books, etc. It goes on and on.

I'm becoming more and more of a book freak, even though I remain somewhat of a slow reader. Its a good outlet for me. I tell my kids that reading makes you smart, and I believe that with all my heart. I'd like to think that they are all three high readers because of my own enthusiasm about reading. I've read with them since they were babies and it has become an everyday activity for all of us. Its important for kids to see their parents reading for enjoyment, too. (Thanks, Mom for doing this for me.)

Anyway, go and visit the website. It's addicting.

If you'd like, go directly to my "shelf."
www.shelfari.com/janettel/shelf

My Review of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

(Caution: possible spoilers to follow!)

I think that it was on a random morning news program that I heard that anything Oprah Winfrey touches turns to gold. For some reason, this came to mind as I was strolling through the book section of Target and I came across a copy of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. It wasn't the title or the author that caught my eye, I had never heard of either, but the emblem on the bottom of the front cover that said "Oprah's Book Club Choice for 2008." This intrigued me so I bought a copy. I didn't get around to reading it for a few weeks, but I had come across several mentions of it in Amazon ads, and other random book celebrations and knew it was supposed to be good. I even recommended it to my father in law, who read it soon after, and gave a high opinion of it stating that the ending was not what he could have predicted. Wow, that was an understatement!

I found the book rather "intellectual" which isn't a bad thing, but it certainly isn't a "quick read." I don't begin to claim that I'm a particularly academic reader--I read mostly for enjoyment. So it came that I found the first half or more a bit slow, a bit hard to get into. In fact, I started to read other books as a "break" from this more or less dry, lengthy prose. Dry, but nevertheless beautiful...as writing can be in the mind. The language and images produced were exquisite. The characters were vivid. I have never imagined a friendship between an animal and human to be so complex and deeply experienced. This relationship between Edgar and his dogs was truely a new and wonderful concept for me...myself who is not a dog-lover I'm sorry to say. But it didn't seem to matter as I was taken through this story. The dogs were every bit as complex of characters as any human in the book. And the ending was so fantastically tragic. The author, however, uses the ending to just quit the plot and burn everything down. The End. It will effect me for days, I'm sure. It's like Shakespeare in a lot of ways.

This book is satisfying, but long and stagnant. I recommend it to any serious reader, one who has time to sit and contemplate and who enjoys the beauty of words. I can't recommend it to anyone who likes entertaining, quick-moving plot lines.

So, I don't know if it was Oprah who made this book "turn to gold." I'm suprised by all the positive hype it has gotten. It's not for everybody.

My Review of "And the Shofar Blew"

My mother gave me this book to read by Francine Rivers. I have enjoyed some of her books before. (Redeeming Love, Mark of the Lion Series) But when I read the cover of the book, honestly, I wasn't thrilled about reading it. But, out of respect for my Mother and the fact that she loved the book, I trusted her and forged through it. Wow! This book rocked my world! By the end, I was sobbing as I sat reading on my bed. If someone saw me they would think I was out of my mind. Every theme in this book hit a personal chord for me; from the elderly characters that were wise members of the church, to the intimate details of the feelings and thoughts of the preacher's wife. I was completely absorbed. It is very well written. When I was finished, I found that even my own relationship with God had been changed. I would recommend this book a thousand times over! However, I don't know if everyone would experience it as I did. I can see why some people wouldn't understand it if they weren't familiar with the behind-the-scenes details of a church. Excellent read! Thanks Mom!