"Mia" bag from Big Buddha

I had wanted this bag for almost a year, and found it nearly half-price on Amazon from other online stores. I was thrilled when I ordered it, but the next day somebody posted a review about an awful smell that came with the bag. The previous reviewer is right - there is a bad smell when you first open the box, and I was immediately disappointed that I couldn't start carrying it right away. To get rid of the smell, I sprayed it with Downy Wrinkle Releaser (one of my favorite products in the world, and basically just watered-down fabric softener). That didn't quite work, so I put baking soda in a baggie and placed it inside, and kept the baking soda box beside the bag, then put the whole thing into a scented trash bag for 2 days. That worked! The smell isn't entirely gone, but I'm fairly certain that I'm the only one who notices it.

Other than that, the bag is great! It's very large, which I love. The bag is soft and well-made, and I've only carried it for two days and have already received over a dozen compliments on it. The combination of the rose and leather-like material is a perfect blend of styles and textures. A few things to note: the bag does not stand up on its own. I expected it to be stiffer, but it's not. Additionally, even though pictures on other websites show it slung over a shoulder, it's not really a shoulder bag unless you have fairly slim arms. Other than those two points and the smell, I absolutely love this bag.

Thoughts from a Millennial

I don't often use this blog as a space for a personal soapbox, but I have something I have to share. Today, I sat in a room with marketing professionals, who were all discussing how they should go about marketing to the "Millennial Generation," which is the term for anybody born from 1979-2001. I fit squarely into this category, and I was very interested in their description of my generation. The presenter defined us as many different things - tech savvy (true), socially conscious (also fairly true), and entitled (unfortunately, very true in many instances).

What unsettled me, though, was when the discussion turned to our love of anything mobile. I chuckled at the fact that Netflix is one of my most-used apps on my iPhone, and continued to listen attentively to what they said. That's when they started talking about an activity that until 10 years ago, had almost been exclusively done on paper. Then it started slowly migrating to the Internet, and today is just now starting to be offered as a mobile app. In wanting to be discreet as to not offend the presenter, the company, or the group of marketers, I won't get any more specific than that. But they all started talking about how stupid and indulgent this new app would be, and how it was superfluous in every sense of the word. If we couldn't wait until we were sitting in front of a laptop, they said, then are we even the type of people they want to be marketing to?

I timidly put my hand up and replied "As a member of the Millennial Generation, I'd like to speak into this. I'm hearing everyone say 'why would we do this?' But one thing you should realize about my generation is that we always say 'why not?'" And honestly, I think that's one thing that I truly love about my generation. We are fearless. We see solutions to things we didn't even know were problems. Most of us have a can-do mindset, in that whatever we set out to do with our lives, we assume we'll achieve our dreams. People can tell us that we won't achieve our dreams as much as they want, and we'll just smile and think "I'll be the exception."

And is that really a bad way to be? Is it wrong to expect our dreams to come true, to be successful, and to think that our far-flung goals are attainable through hard work? We expect ourselves to be great, and to do great things. We've been told our entire lives that we can do anything we put our minds to - are we now to be faulted for thinking that way? I hope not.

This is my plea to all the other generations, and to our peers: don't box us in. Rejoice in our successes, help us to learn from our failures, and encourage us to dream big. Thank you.

"Where Hearts Are Free," by Golden Keyes Parsons

My Review:

The first few times that I tried to read this book, I ended up bored and put it down after the first 10 pages or so. Finally, I pushed my way through the first chapter, and settled into the story. It's mainly the story of Bridget Barrington and the Clavell family, which the story switches back and forth from frequently. Bridget is in love with Philippe Clavell, who has worked for her for six years as an indentured servant (an event which transpired in previous books). However, because he is "only" a servant, she is forbidden to marry him, and her parents instead insist on a more suitable match - the daunting Edward Moorehead.

As I mentioned previously, it takes a while to get into the story. Once you push through the first chapter, though, it's an enjoyable read. I had not read the two preceding books in the series, and so it was hard to have very little backstory on the characters. Although it was fine as a stand-alone book, I never quite felt emotionally vested in the characters. As much as it pains me to say it, I also found the heroine annoying at times - she is basically a love-struck teenager through most of the book, and although she is meant to be heroic there are certainly times when she comes off as desperate. The story moves along at a good pace, and there are a few moments that are truly engrossing. Where Hearts Are Free is a quick read with a good story, but ultimately I don't think I'll remember much about it.

Book Description Provided By the Publisher:

The odds are stacked against Bridget and Philippe reuniting. But God has a plan for them if they'll only believe.

It’s 1687, in the burgeoning town of Philadelphia, and for seven years, Bridget Barrington has watched with growing affection as Philippe Clavell worked as an indentured servant for her father, a wealthy landowner.

Her father rejects her request for Philippe to be a potential suitor as he has none of the qualities Mr. Barrington hoped for his daughter's future husband, the least of which is a respectable income.

Heartbroken, Bridget accedes to her parents’ wishes and gets engaged to a man she does not love. However, Bridget's husband-to-be does not love her, but only her wealth.

But there's always light in the midst of darkness for those who have faith. This stunning historical romance concludes the gripping Darkness to Light series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Glee: The Complete First Season

Wow! This DVD set is nothing short of spectacular. The DVD set contains all 22 episodes of Season 1 on seven discs. The show speaks for itself - it's positively delightful. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, I turn on an episode of Glee. The music makes me smile, and there's almost always at least three lines that make me laugh incredibly hard. The cast, especially Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, and Cory Monteith, are phenomenally talented, and rejuvenate old classics with brand-new energy and vigor. Plus the guest stars are spectacular - Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, and the list goes on!

The DVD set itself is also great. The menus are easy to navigate, and even include a short synopsis of each episode when you click on that episode. I haven't made it through all of the special features yet, but there are lots of them, including: a Glee "jukebox" (basically a selection of songs from different episodes to listen to), a Glee sing-a-long with four songs, a comprehensive dance instructional, a short feature on the costumes, and more!

I recommend both this set and the show. I know many people bought Volume 1 when it first came out, which contains only the first 13 episodes, but this is a great alternative to buying both volumes separately.

To bring a smile to your face...

This is a re-dub of the Inception trailer (see my review here) and it absolutely made my day, so I thought I'd share. We're talking laughed-til-I-cried, almost fell off the chair made my day. Especially when you get to the part where, in the original trailer, it sounds like a foghorn. Happy weekend to all!

Outlive Your Life, by Max Lucado

I had never read a Max Lucado book, but I'm so glad that I started with Outlive Your Life. This book is a call to get off the couch, to care about someone beyond yourself, and change the world for the Lord. In the first chapter, Lucado hit me square between the eyes with the following paragraph:

A few years back, three questions rocked my world. They came from different people in the span of a month. Question 1: Had you been a German Christian during World War II, would you have taken a stand against Hitler? Question 2: Had you lived in the South during the civil rights conflict, would you have taken a stand against racism? Question 3: When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion people were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response? (pages 6-7)

That last question really got to me - how many of us actually think about what our grandchildren will think of us? The book also centers on the 120 people who helped form the early church in the first 12 chapters of Acts, and helps us to realize that they changed the world for the Lord even though they were ordinary people. Like us. But they had the courage to follow God's call.

I really enjoyed this book, and have found myself pondering its points during my day-to-day life. I appreciate how Lucado has made the early Christians come alive, and be relatable to my life today. I was certainly encouraged by this book, and am so very thankful for it. In particular, I appreciated chapters 9, 10, and 11. Chapter 9 focuses on something that has always been a pet peeve of mine (not putting on a show in worship).

Also included at the back of the book is a lengthy discussion guide, covering each chapter in depth. I believe this will be a great book for small groups to discuss, but is also valuable for personal reflection.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review of "Takers"

I had never heard of "Takers" until I walked into the theatre - I was out with friends, and they chose the movie. I was excited to have no preconceived conceptions or expectations for the movie, but decided about halfway through that it would have helped to at least know the basic premise before going in.

The movie revolves around a crew of "takers," who are essentially bank robbers. They all dress well, have fantastic cars, and have apparently never been caught. However, one former/current member of their crew has been caught, and is now out of jail for good behavior. Right after one large bank job, this member contacts the crew, and tells them of a once-in-a-lifetime heist that is happening in five days. This breaks their rules of always waiting two years in between heists, but they decide to do it anyways.

If you're wondering why there are no character names in that summary, it's because you're never quite sure what their names are. The whole movie feels very generic - an updated version of Ocean's 11 with more brawling and violence, and less charisma. There are some genuinely interesting scenes, however, as well as some great cinematic shots, and LA looks better on film than it does in real life. It's a fine way to spend two hours, but at the end of the day, I could take it or leave it.

Takers is rated PG-13, stars Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Chris Brown, T.I., Zoe Saldana, and Hayden Christensen. Directed by John Luessenhop and distributed by Sony Pictures.

Inception

I admit it - I wanted this movie to be awesome. As a whole, I have been unimpressed with movies lately, and I saw this as almost a last-gasp effort to be truly impressed with cinema again. I was far from disappointed.

As a film major in college, this was the type of movie that we all wanted (and still want) to achieve someday - a truly fascinating movie that is as much a feast for the eyes as much as it is a puzzle for the mind. The story revolves around Cobb (excellently articulated by Leonardo DiCaprio), and his team of unusual characters who make a living by extracting the secrets of high-powered people, which they they are usually tasked to do by a competitor. Until now, they have focused primarily on extracting secrets. But then, a client has a tall order - can they actually plant an idea into another's mind? The story unfolds brilliantly from then on, twisting and turning and throwing in loopholes left and right, forcing you to do mental acrobatics.

Any review of Inception would be incomplete if it didn't also mention the visuals of the film. In short, they are nothing less than breathtaking. For me, I am often drawn out of the moment of a film by wondering "how did they do that?" or thinking "wow, this CGI is horrible." There was little to no moments for me like that in this movie - I was completely engrossed the entire time, and the computer graphics (what there is of them) blend seamlessly into the rest of the film.

While I know that The Dark Knight made a bigger box office draw (thus far), I believe that this will be known as Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. He truly creates a different world for the viewer. Plus, if the last five to ten seconds of the film aren't a conversation starter, then I don't know what is. Highly recommended.

A Confession

I have something to confess. Much like knitting, sewing, and dieting, I have tried blogging before. Only to have it fail – miserably. I get too caught up in the thought of “but what should the genre of my blog be???” and grow weary. And pretty much never come back to a blog again. I’ve started something like 5 blogs, only to have them sit unused in the vast openness of the Internet, taking up a domain name.

So why restart the blog now? Many reasons. I want to have a place to connect with people who I don’t necessarily know, have an outlet for expressing myself that, let’s face it, probably won’t be read by tons of people, and I want a place to be able to share my thoughts on things that interest me, whether it be books, movies, tv (oh my!), or whatever happens to pop into my head at that particular moment.

I want to share myself on this blog, not just review things. I want it to be interesting, helpful, and a place where people can laugh and think “yep, I’ve definitely thought that before!” And I have no idea how this turned into a mission-statement blog, but there we have it. Enjoy, and welcome to my blog!

Panasonic TC-L32X2 32-inch HDTV with iPod Dock

Check out this product at Amazon.

I bought this TV so that I could have a TV and stereo in one, instead of having to purchase both. Honestly, the feature I was most excited about was the iPod dock, and everything else was just gravy. After a few weeks of owning the TV, though, I can so with absolutely no reservations that this is a superb set.

The ipod dock was a very important feature to me, and the reason I chose this set over others. I have not been disappointed in it yet. It has a very easy-to-navigate menu, and the sound quality is excellent, even when played at lower volumes. The fact that it can play the videos that I have stored on the ipod is a bonus, as well. The picture isn't HD-quality when playing video from the ipod, but it's certainly passable enough to sit down and watch a movie that way. Plus, it's great to use a remote to control an ipod - very cool, in my opinion.

The picture quality itself is nothing short of fantastic. Although it is "only" 720p, I would say that it rivals/bests many pricier sets with 1080p. The image has never been anything short of amazing, and I say this with it only hooked up to an antenna! My father, who loves televisions and high definition, couldn't stop staring and exclaiming over the image quality.

My Nintendo Wii games look great on the TV - very bright, bold colors, and never a hint of striping or bleeding, as in some other TVs. The integrated SD card reader has already come in handy a few times, and the pictures look stunning when blown up. The remote, also, is a big plus - it has everything very clearly marked, and makes navigating the TV and menus even easier.

I am incredibly happy with my choice, and have already recommended this set to a number of friends. Especially for the price, this quality can't be beat!

Stunning Children's Bible!

The Action Bible, Illustrated by Sergio Cariello, 752 pages, $24.99, 978-0-7814-4499-6, published by David C Cook

**This is a review of a book provided to me by David C Cook as a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own, and I have received no monetary compensation.**

When I was reading this Bible, my 9-year old cousin came up to me and said “what are you reading?” “The Bible,” I told him. “The Bible’s boring,” he retorted. “Not this one – here, take a look.” He sat down with me, looked at it a bit, and then agreed that this Bible is definitely NOT boring.

The first thing that you notice about The Action Bible is how visually impressive it is – the colors are rich and bold, and makes the characters come alive in a very real way. A few times, I even caught myself saying “wow, I’ve never pictured it that way before!” The illustrations are beautiful, especially in stories like Noah’s Ark, the Garden of Eden, and Jesus walking on the water.

The stories are paced very well, and flow from one into the next easily. I was engrossed in the stories immediately, and they flew by quickly. They’re perfect for kids, but also have some unexpected humor in them, as well. A few times I even found myself laughing out loud, which I rarely do while reading.

I would absolutely recommend this as a great beginner’s Bible for kids, although I think that the “4-8” age range might be a little young. I would say that it’s more suited for ages 6 and up, since there are a few more intense moments (Cain killing Abel, Lot’s escape from Sodom, etc.). Other than that, very highly recommended.

Stuff Christians Like, by Jonathan Acuff

**I have not been compensated for this review, in either money or free product. This is a review of my own free will, just because I want to!**

Ok, my review in one sentence. Ready? Here you go: Funniest book ever!

The audio version of "Stuff Christians Like" was free on www.christianaudio.com during the month of April. I'd never read Acuff's blog, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

I've now listened to the book a few times, as read by the author, and I have to say: I've laughed out loud at this book more than most books. Acuff's observations are spot on, sometimes scarily so. Things like not wanting Jesus to return before your wedding night, his description of modern pastors (I'm trying not to ruin anything for you!), and more will make you giggle and then guffaw.

This book is for Christians who can laugh at themselves, similar to one of my favorites: "A Field Guide to Evangelicals and Their Habitats," by Joel Kirkpatrick (HarperOne, 2002). Pick it up and settle in - it's a fast read (or listen), and well worth it.

Happy reading!

http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Christians-Like-Jonathan-Acuff/dp/0310319943/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275435326&sr=8-1