Listening to the Quite Voice Within

Every so often you find a book that reminds you that every person you meet in life can impact your future. There is sometimes a quite still voice reminding you to smile or wave or even just listen. Small acts or in Ron Halls and Denver's case large actions cause amazing, unforeseeable actions to occur.

Yesterday, I finished the true account of Ron Hall and Denver recount the unlikely meeting in a mission home for the homeless in Fort Worth, Texas in Same Kind of Different as Me.  With great character development, immense attention to historical detail, and an overall feel good story, I was left with a smile on my face and a reminder that God does amazing things everyday.

While this book as a whole has a happy ending, there are hard parts as Denver lives a rough life from almost Day 1. Deborah Hall, who brings these men together dies, but brings great good to the city.

In my youth and college days, Iwas involved with work in justice and homelessness and poverty. This book spurred me to look into the justice movements to ensure I was spending enough time supporting causes I truly cared about each day. I hope you all do the same.


Happy Easter and Happy Reading!

(Finishing Maus tonight and then onto April Books!)

April Books

The month of March flew by. I already finished 9 books, and there are still more 4 more days to finished my last two books. I'll be right on track at 25% done with the year and 25 books done!

With nearly 1000 page views, many Facebook conversations, and positive feedback, I think I will keep up the blog and share my adventure with you all. I am working throughout the end of this month to make a few updates and clean up some pieces. All in all this have been fabulous. Thank you for your support, recommendations, and kind words!

March ended up pulling together many books of purpose and heart. All in all they were character building books. Overall, it was a great set of books.

Onto April. These are a little all over, and I may put the last 1-2 into May. Enjoy.
(The Full list of most of the 100 books can always be found here.)

Casual Vacancy: JK Rowling
Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows: JK Rowling
Half the Sky: Women Turn Oppression into Opportunity
Catch 22: Joseph Heller
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream: Barack Obama
The Guy Not Taken: Jennifer Weiner
Treasure Island: Robert Louis Stephenson
Lean In: Sheryl Sandberg


Happy Reading!

It is never to late..

.. to mend a quarrel, start a relationship, forgive yourself, or say I love you.

I first read Tuesday with Morrie I was 14 years old. I am not sure I was old enough to really understand and appreciate everything this book was teaching about life. Now 10.5 years later, I have lived some life, lost, loved, made some mistakes, and this book still makes me smile and reminds me of the true goodness in  people.

Mitch is one of Morrie's favorite sociology students in college. After graduation, they lost touch for many years until Mitch sees him on the Nightline interview suffering with ALS. Then Mitch begins meeting with Morrie as they delve into the meaning of life and accepting death.

If you are not into multiple life sayings scatter throughout the book or reading a feel good book. I get it, but this book reminds us of the power of compassion, the need to listen, and the power of others in our lives. Morrie wanted to share his values with others and teach until the end of his days. This book and others went on to impact millions. Teachers (and mentors) at all levels tend to have this impact. I could not even begin to list the teachers who lead me to where I am today. Along the way, they taught to pay it forward, respect others, read, and love learning. I will be forever grateful and now forever teaching in my own way.

My two sentence synopsis is Go Read This Book. Even more, Read this book every 10 years as life changes. In order to give you a taste of this book, I encourage you to see the Nightline Interview that is often reference in the book.

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” 
― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays With Morrie

For more Morrie aphorism try Morrie :In His Own Words

That is all for this amazing book!

Happy Reading! On to Same Kind of Different as Me and Maus

(P.S. Mitch Albom is one of my authors. I considered adding all of his book to my list. Check out his website or Goodreads site for more titles. All are fabulous)

Learning That Your Reading List Grows As Well..

This week has been a great week for reading. Not only did I make great progress with my reading adventure, but I was able to find a great sale at a local book store and buy 11 books.

This weekend I read two books from my freshman year of high school reading list: A Separate Peace and Tuesday with Morrie. 10 years ago, I realized one of my many great English teachers pushed me to take all of the meaning and symbolism in these great stories. For the longest time, A Separate Peace was one of my favorite books because of the lessons I learned about life, friendship, competition, and coming of age. Looking back at this book, I realize that it truly is a greatly written book on the false peace at home during WWII. 

In the story, Gene and Phineas attended the all boy school, Devon. Through tragedy  triumph and coming of age they watch the war from afar as they work to find their own Peace in their safe bubble at Devon. After reading this book 10 years later in my 20s, I realize the world is a cruel place. The peace created in the book is all idealized. All of the characters have serious flaws which make the book better and each boy more realistic.

All in all everyone should read this book at least once in their life.

Happy Reading!

Solving One of Life Mysteries... What Color is Your Parachute?

I admit that after years of hearing about the book What Color is Your Parachute? I was a little skeptical of this book. How can one book truly answer all of these great questions that we go over with our students day after day?

After reading just 2 or 3 chapters into the book, I quickly realized that all of my career services mentors and peers have read this book and use its advice weekly. (Ok, ok I get it, I should have read this book my first year of grad school)

I come from a university career services background. While career services have their place and should be used to their fullest potential, I highly, strongly (insert any other word) would recommend this book for anyone who is even thinking am I in the right field, can I find a better job, do I need to go back to school?

This book is updated every year with relevant job searching news and information. I read the 2013 edition in its 41st year. All in all, it is an amazing resource for the casual job seeker, to the person looking to jump into the hidden job market or even the social media world of job hunting.  I think I am going to break my mold and right an additional blog post about my top 10 takeaways from this book over the next day or two. 

All in all this was a fabulous book. I am so glad I read it and was able to reaffirm so much of what I tell my students everyday. You have to know yourself to be able to show your best self to potential employers. Everyone has strengths. It takes time to articulate them.

I hope to post many more thoughts on this book soon, but I encourage you all to read this book soon.

(PS: No I am not done with the Flower exercise, but I am starting it. I have no plans to leave my current job or even look around. I love where I work. I am read this book and am completing the homework as professional development for my career. )

Happy Reading!

Onto A Separate Peace (Tuesday with Morrie is slightly postponed)

The Beginning of the End. .. of the HP magic

Are you liking my blog yet? Where else would you find Harry Potter, Tuesday with Morrie,  Sophia Kinsella, and What Color is Your Parachute all in the same week?  I know all random, all different parts of my life,  but all great avenues to venture down.

Today, I finished one of the harder Harry Potter books in HP and the Half Blood Prince. First and foremost, this may be the most crucial book in bringing together the entire series. Both Voldemort and Harry Potter's past, present,  and future are explained in detail in Dumbledore's lessons with Harry.
We learn that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are no longer youth but teenagers facing love triangles, fights,  and oh yeah someone is trying to kill Harry.

War has started. Muggles have noticed. Harry's moral fiber shines through despite external pressure.
While this is not my favorite book in the series, it may be the most informative. I will not give it all away but read away. (Side note: remember many people consider book 6 and 7 as 1 unit. Be ready to jump to book 7 soon after.)

Happy Reading!
Onto What Color is Your Parachute? and Tuesday with Morrie 

Another Chick Lit Beach Read

The beach is my special place. I can escape and relax and read forever.Hence, I finished two books already on the trip. This post however is devoted to I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella.

On the whole, it was pretty good and  easy beach read. About 60% of the book was fairly predictable with guy is with girl, girl meets other guy, oh wait someone is cheating. To bring in a true 21st century twist, much of the connections occur over email and text.

 I would save this book for a rainy day or beach day. I much prefer Can You Keep A Secret?  or Remember Me by Kinsella.


Happy Reading!
(HP 6 post is around the corner)

Read, Recharge, Reflect, and Relax

Lucky me. I still work at a university that takes a partial spring break. After an interesting and busy few weeks in Baltimore, I jumped on a plane and headed to the warm weather of sunny Clearwater Beach, Fl.
Now, I am going to meet up with a few friends and spend the next few days reading and relaxing right on the beach. I love the beach; it is where I find my peace.
I left my computer at home. So all blog post are coming from my phone.
At the beach, I plan to read:
I've Got Your Number- Sophie Kinsella
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince-  JK Rowling
Tuesday with Morrie-  Mitch Albom
What Color is Your Parachute? -Richard Bolles
Excited for the beach!
Happy Reading!

Finding Your Purpose...According to ...

Rick Warren. The Purpose Driven Life. The Purpose Driven Church. The Purpose Driven Journal  About 10 years ago, an entire industry came about because people (mainly Christians) were asking this simple life question: What is my purpose in life?

After reading a few chapters a day or reading sections a day, I finally finished this boo with highly mixed reviews. First it has some great content, points, and ideas for anyone struggling with faith, doubts, and how purpose fits into everyday life. However, Rick wrote a broad come to Jesus book that also contradicts its self while telling all Christians you need to do more.

I am not saying any one of these approaches is bad, You can just impact how people feel about Christianity by aligning these same views in a book.

On the positive side, takeaways I saw (or where remembered about from my awesome days as a Youth)

-Give up 1 20-30min TV program a day to study the bible. You could read the entire bible in a year.
- Reflect on your life lessons, trials, and memories. Your faith will grow stronger
- Learn more bible verses. It helps exercise your brain
-Find and utilize your strengths and spiritual gifts
-Serve and make more time to serve. (not only when it is convenient for you)

There were some conservative mainstream ideas. This book does not address the emerging church. Young adults. Politics, media, and culture on the edge of faith. All of these issues shape a persons faith, purpose and beliefs. As a whole, I would say read this book with caution, and/or get the big picture. It had many repeating parts.

ok Book in the end..

Happy Reading All!

(Heading to the Beach- Harry Potter 6, I've Got Your Number, and Tuesday with Morrie)

Snow, Blackberries, Summer, Seattle

Do you know what Blackberry Winter is? What about Indian Summer or Dogwood Winter? Well, if you grew up in my home or with older grandparents, you may recall that a warm spell in late April or early May is an Indian Summer. A cool spell in April is Dogwood Winter. A cool spell in May is Blackberry Winter.  ( I even wrote a online article about this in college)

Now how does this all tie back to Sarah Jio's Blackberry Winter? Two Snow storms in Seattle 80 years apart link lives together forever. They both occur in May through a Blackberry Winter. Claire leads the story as she tries to solve Vera mystery in the 1930s. Pain, heartbreak, loss, love, and all around good characters make this book a quick read.

While this book was not originally on my list, my book club was reading it this month. It was a great book. I read it in 24 hours. After reading some bigger, deeper books this was an enjoyable book to read while still taking time to reflect on deeper issues.


Definitely a great read for all!

Happy Reading!

Secret Societies, Young Love, Mysteries!

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 10 years since I made my dad take me to Wal-Mart and buy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at midnight (In my small town TN home this was the only place that sold books)

I literally grew up with Harry Potter. I was 15 almost 16 when this book came out. Harry Potter is synonymous with my generation. When I think back to my high school days, no we did not have Quiddich or Defense Against the Dark Arts, but we did have arguments with friends, late night study sessions over magic (aka this thing we now call technology), and truly great relationships and support from friends, family and teachers.

JK Rowling ability to integrate human emotions into this magical world while still creating everyday situations is what made Harry Potter such a classic. Looking closer at book 5, pieces of this great quest begin to unravel as Hermione, Harry, and Ron dig deeper into the Order of the Phoenix past, present and future while  learning more about the great prophecy of the past. 

In my mind, books 1-4 were test of moral character for Harry and the gang. Dumbledore is too worried about protecting Harry to let life take it's course. Book 5 takes a deep dive into the dark world of the war of Good versus Evil that starts to ensue. All characters fight and lose there innocence by the end of the book. The stage is set  for the final two books and the great battles of Harry Potter versus Lord Voldemort. 

While I know Harry Potter is not for everyone, there is truly mysteries, murder, love triangles, magic, laughter, heartbreak, adventure, and much more in all of the books... Everyone should read the series as least once or twice (or 10 times)

Happy Reading!

(Onto Blackberry Winter)

A Modern Take on Hardship

After owning Cormac McCarthy's The Road for the greater part of four years, I finally took a few days to read this book. This book was weird, great, sad, dystopian, science fiction, and all together hard to put down.

While I am still debating if I actually enjoyed the book, it is must read for any literary lover. For those of us that read The Grapes of Wrath in high school, I would highly recommend this shorter book to still understand the love, suffering, desperation, and heartbreak characters can face in a novel. After the states as we know them are burnt, Papa and son find all in their survival in each other as they journey down the road to the coast.

I am not sure if it is proper to compare this novel to The  Grapes of Wrath, but as a young high school student, Steinbeck's plot and characters were hard to reach and grasp. McCarthy leads us to care about the man and his boy while they suffer intolerable conditions. The side references to modern America and even Tennessee made me smile.  

While this is not my favorite book I have read, I think it safely has a place as a new classic. Go out and explore this great book!

On to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (AKA my favorite besides the last) 

Happy Reading!

March Books- Challenge Accepted!

I am beyond excited it is March! February, I do believe, was my least favorite month in Baltimore. I moved and had other life hiccups. Reading is officially behind. March is a time to catch up. In short here are the next TEN books I hope to read. Hopefully, I will even read them in the 28 days. (That is 2.8 days a book)

There are some of my favorite books this month and a few new ones! Here is to hoping this month goes much smoother.


(About 50% done with The Purpose Driven Life- Target Date March 14/15)
Cormac McCarthy- The Road
J K Rowling- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Sarah Jio- Blackberry Winter
Mitch Albom- Tuesday's with Morrie
Sophia Kinsella-I've Got Your Number
John Knowles-A Separate Peace
What Color is Your Parachute?
J K Rowling- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
R. Hall, D. Moore- Same Kind of Different as Me
Art Spigelman-Maus


Happy Reading! (PS I get to read on the beach and on a plane this month! PUMPED!)

A Not So Adventure Book- Swift Critique on the English Life

Swift's most famous work as a satire to human nature can be seen in Gulliver's Travels. In this account of Gulliver's travels to far off strange lands of giant humans, tiny people, talking horses, floating islands, and magic spirits, Swift takes a hard look and critique and some of human nature's biggest faults, prides, and questions.

These life questions of pride, family, power, government, and more were apparent in the early eighteenth century when this book was first written. Today, almost 300 years later, many of these issues are still a vital part of our culture.

This book is a work of fiction, that is satirically enhanced due to eighteenth century political climate. However, the far-out thoughts, crazy ideas and political undertone. Make this a one time read for me.

I am glad I read this book. I think any person interested in history, literature, or politics would also like this book. However, I do not think it is for everyone.

(Still reflecting on this book. I may add more later)

Happy Reading! March  Books coming this afternoon!

When Life Becomes an Adventure

It seems fitting that I should read Gulliver's Travels when my life takes on one craziest adventures I've been on since Baltimore. The last few weeks have truly been an adventure in almost every sense of the word. All I can say is I have some truly amazing people in my life who are constantly there to support me and see me through.

With that being said, February Reading did not go as planned. I moved to a new apartment in Baltimore. It is fabulous, and yes you should come visit! I am still about 1/2 done with The Purpose Driven Life, I did finish Gulliver's Travels, but I am two books short for February. March and Summer will be great catch-up months (note Summer Reading and Spring Break here).

With that being said, you can plan, read and reflect, but sometimes life just throws you a curve ball. You have to take it one day at a time and re-evaluate.

Thanks for everyone being so patient. Today I am posting my review of Gulliver's Travels and March Books. 

Happy Reading!