Pottermore!

Well I got into Pottermore about a week ago. What house did I get sorted into? Ravenclaw of course!

If you got in as well feel free to add me WillowWolf69. (Pottermore gave us a few premade choices in name...I chose WillowWolf cause Wolf=Lupus...the number are just a consequence. )

Miss Stardoll World 2011

I spend a lot of time on this website called Stardoll. I know it's probably what most was consider "childish" but I love putting together outfits and designing rooms. Probably cause I don't really have the nerve, body, or money to dress myself the way I would like to, or dress up my house the way I would like to...yea....pathetic excuse right?

Anyways they have this Miss Stardoll World contest going on and...I'd kinda like to win something. I know I don't have the most fashionable suite, my doll looks like ...well me...not what I WISH I looked like really. (I even gave it a mole exactly where I have one...and glasses.) Anyway what I'm trying to say is....

Dressup games at Stardoll

Please help me win?!?

Review: Saints Preserved: An Encyclopedia of Relics

Saints Preserved: An Encyclopedia of Relics by Thomas J. Craughwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I won this book in a giveaway. I would like to thank Cindy for the chance to read and review this copy.

My first perception is that it is organized very efficiently and the bibliography is sufficient for such a work. I would love to see an index for quick reference and/or an appendix with a list of each Saint's patronage and feast day. I'm sure all Catholics know these details by heart but for a non-catholic it would be beneficial. However this does not detract from the book itself.

*More review to follow*

I finally finished this book. I took my time with it because I was reading other books as well, fiction, and I wanted to take in this book slowly. I thought this book was good for what it intentions were, the treatment of the subject matter was professional.

My general complaints about the book stem from my interest in what the relics themselves look like and more information on the relics/saints themselves. I also had a tiny issue with the bibliography and citation methods.

My first complaint is a minor one and could easily been tossed in the "oh that really doesn't matter" rubbish bin, but I will address it anyways. I would love to see more pictures of the relics throughout the book. I can understand though that finding pictures of the relics may be difficult. Many churches/cathedrals/museums/wherever else keep their relics and valued possessions locked away from prying eyes. That being said the book at times did not inform us what particular relics were listed as the saints. For example: the section on James the Lesser (died c. 62) states only where the relics are enshrined and not what they ARE. I was able to find that one of the relics attributed to James the Lesser is in fact his head. I may be morbid but I would like to know what the relic in question is and not just that there is a relic. I don't mind the lack of pictures/illustrations of the relic, but not knowing what it is could have been alleviated by those pictures when the description was omitted.

My next complaint is that I would love to see an appendix or more than one in the book. I think one or two pages of information at the back of the book would be beneficial to those wishing to use it as a reference. My suggested appendixes would include: A list of Saints by time period; A list of saints by patronage; A list of saints by Feast day; A list of saints by geographical location; and a list of saints by relic type. I understand that the patronage and feast day are listed at the end of each saint's section but a way to quickly look up a saint by these two attributes would be appreciated.

My final complaint is about the author's primary and secondary source citation. I think it would have been very beneficial to have footnotes or at least some manner of citation other than just the bibliography. As a history student I know that when writing historical research your reader can have a hard time cross-referencing your sources if you fail to use footnotes and just type out a bibliography. The reader/researcher would have to look through the list of sources on the bibliography one by one in order to know which one deals with a particular saint. But if the bibliography was organized in a research friendly manner this problem could be easily solved.

This book was a great basic reference for those studying the history of the Catholic Church, a particular saint, and/or those who are wishing to convert to Catholicism. I loved design of the cover, the halo over the "A" was a little cliche but still acceptable. The simplicity of the design gives the book a reference worthy appearance.



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Review: Feed

Feed by Mira Grant

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Feed had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved characterization of Georgia. Admttedly Shaun was a little flat, along with Buffy, but I rationalized that was because Mira Grant wanted to focus mostly on Georgia. What Georgia saw, What Georgia felt, How Georgia reacted.

The world Mira Grant created I felt was plausible, well researched, and very very much like our own. I know everyone says that the zombie theme has been done and done to death, but somehow I think Mira Grant reinvented and dug deep to create a world that could happen.

Overall this was a good zombie novel. Well worth the time spent reading.



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Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When I first began reading this book I enjoyed the pace and how she connected the background of scientific developments involved with HeLa and the story of Henrietta's life. As I read further I felt a little bogged down by the ever decreasing pace. It seemed like I was reading this book forever. However, that is to be expected when reading nonfiction at times. Sometimes the pace drags on.

So I am taking a step back and viewing the book as a whole. Ms. Skloot did a great job covering the scientific aspects. While at times it feels more like a high school student's biology paper, basic facts with no "true" connection to the story at all, I think it was probably difficult to find information regarding HeLa.

I greatly appreciate the fact that she did not change Henrietta's family's dialogue. The truth and modern consequences of a shady past when racism was prevalent is not seen often in books. And when it is, the result is sometimes a lot less REAL. In this book we see how the loss of a mother because doctors did not take time to see that their treatments were making Henrietta's disease worse, greatly changed the childhood and nurturing of her children.

I liked this book and I think it would be a good book to present to young teens who wish to pursue a scientific career. You may ask isn't this book a little difficult for teens. I do not feel it is too difficult. This book is easier to read than many of the nonfiction books I have read on science. And the human side helps the reader to stay connected that this is a story about a human. Not a story about test subjects, a story about how important one individual's life can be to science and research.



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My End of the World/Zombie Apocalypse Playlist

* It's the End of the World as We Know It - REM
* Highway to Hell - AC/DC
* If Today was Your Last Day - Nickelback
* If I Die Young - The Band Perry
* Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit (good for cracking skulls)
* Dead & Bloated - Stone Temple Pilots
* Digging up Bones - Randy Travis (cause the dead sinners caskets will apparently rise out of the ground)
* Thriller - Michael Jackson (couldn't help it)
* Get the Party Started - P!NK
* Heaven - Warrant
* When the Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
* No More Room - Scarring Party
* Stayin' Alive - The BeeGees
* If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks
* Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
* Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
* Bodies - Drowning Pool
* Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley (rickrolling the zombies)
* Comin' Home - Ozzy (prince of darkness since 1979!)

Man Found Not Guilty of Mammoth Murder

Well duh. The weather changes thus reducing the plant life available to feed such massive creatures and boom impeding extinct.

Man Found Not Guilty of Mammoth Murder

Just saw the band Framing Hanley last night at Club Jet in Cookeville, TN. It was amazing. My best friend Janna introduced me to this band's music. I had heard the rock version of Lollipop but I had no idea who sang it. So we went to the concert and it was great. I have never been to a concert before and it was a wonderful experience. I couldn't get the video to You Stupid Girl to embed so I had to simply embed Lollipop. This band is originally from TN and that makes it great.

Mount Toba Eruption – Ancient Humans Unscathed, Study Claims � Anthropology.net

Mount Toba Eruption – Ancient Humans Unscathed, Study Claims � Anthropology.net

There is evidence that this eruption did not cause a bottleneck in human population. Although it is widely believed that the human population may have decreased to 10,000 or even 1,000 breeding pairs, scientists believe that tool making modern humans survived the event 70,000 years ago unscathed.

Twilight the first experience and a second look

When my friend Amanda asked me to go see the movie Twilight, I was ok with it. I had listened to the audiobook and I figured it was worth a shot. Little did I know that this little movie would make my stomach turn over. You see, I've got this black little heart...kinda. I grew up as a tomboyish girl and I've never been one to love romance movies...in fact like most of my guy friends I call them chick flicks. I had no idea...that Twilight...was a chick flick. (Did I mention I'm a little naive and slow on the uptake?) And I was also in a very depressive...excuse I am in a very depressive state of mind lately.

Anywhos so basically I went there expecting a pretty good movie with little romance...cause..I mean thats the impression I got from the audiobook...and reading the book. Well I get there and start watching it....my friend is literally sitting on the edge of her seat with this.....all worshipping grin on her face. Like she wishes SHE could be Bella. (Sorry Amanda but it's true....I glanced over to see if you were as repulsed as me.) Meanwhile, I'm sitting there...not let me rephrase that....laying there....as I had sank down as far in my seat as I could go cause I was sooo uncomfortable with the things that were going on in the movie. I mean I was bundled up cause it was cold, but I had my jacket pulled up cause I was trying desperately to hide the look on my face. If I could have taken a picture of myself at that moment I'm pretty sure it would have looked like this.