Smead Office Supplies

Great for organizing home or office, these roomy pockets come in assorted colors, which is great if you like color coding your notes or papers. They slip right into a standard 3 ring binder. The slash jacket makes it easy to slide papers in and out. Each double sided pocket is reinforced at the front and bottom of the seam.

They are translucent enough to read through and strong enough to easily hold 50 pages per side. Now that I see how sturdy they are, I’m thinking of even more uses for them.

Tomboy :Painful

I had high hopes as I began reading Tomboy by Thomas Meinecke. I'd set the book aside, waiting to wrap up  projects for which I would reward myself with an enjoyable read. I prepared myself for a novel, light banter, light reading, and an adventure of some sort, presumably about four Tomboys.

What I read for the first 21 pages was difficult, due to continuous breaks in thought with interjections and sentences that were more often than not, far too long.  At page 24, I thought “When does this start getting interesting?” About the time I thought I was in the flow, I wasn't. To many interjections. 
Although I'm an avid reader, this book reads more like a telephone monologue, inside someone one else’s head, namely Vivian Atkinson. 
It takes place in Germany, which would be important for some readers to know at the outset. I have no problem with regional books, but the teaser mentions nothing about time frame or location. It's a big deal if you aren't into German literature, or translations of same. I quite honestly felt that I had been kidnapped and held hostage. The book is slightly dated, again, not a real issue for me usually, except that the American icons referenced, are not as “hip” as they once were, which made me wonder how relevant the author’s German references were as well.

On the whole, I was disappointed with the book, although it may well be considered brilliant by some, if you were expecting a punk rock band and discovered you were actually going to classical opera...
I didn’t find it engaging enough, and without one shred of actual dialog, this book appeared to be more of a text book aspiring to be a novel. It’s was like plowing through cement.
I will not recommend it as it stands. I’ll wait for the movie.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine 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

Long on Performance, Short on Taste

I placed a heaping scoop of Muscletech Neurocore, Fruit Punch flavor, in cold water in a bottle and shook the bottle but I noticed it didn’t readily dissolve. Also the flavor reminded me of orange flavored baby aspirin with a bitter aftertaste. Even premixing it didn’t seem to prevent that grittiness in the last few gulps.

The pale mauve color didn’t bother me, I prefer less dye in my drinks anyway. I’m looking at mixing it with something else to mask it.

It delivered the focus and energy boost I was looking for in my work out routine, I had been struggling to stay up with a dance work out that I like and this helped me get through the entire thing. I liked the slow fade of the drink as opposed to the cliff drop of some when they wear off. I would recommend this product on performance but not on taste. 

Amy Kathleen Ryan: GLOW

I listened to Glow, by author Amy Kathleen Ryan and was slowly pulled into the story enough to listen to the book for a period of time. I enjoy stories that take place out in space but found the book easy to set aside and sometimes forget about it for a while. I was able to pick up the story easily enough but, did not easily connect to the characters. However, by the time the main female character Waverly had decided to act, I was totally behind her.

I think if I had been on a trip and listened to the book more intentionally,  I would have been through it sooner, as the idea of a shipful of young people populating a planet is an fascinating premise. Since this is the first installment, these could each be more interesting as they become available.

Ryan’s style of writing was clear and concise and well-paced, the narration by Ilyana Kadushin and Matthew Brown made the book easy to follow. Although I am not fond of men reading the lead female (or vice versa) this didn’t hinder the story in anyway.  I think this story line would appeal to young adults interested in fantasy fiction or sci-fi. Even though generally it isn’t my strongest interest, I would like to see where Ryan takes this series.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine 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 

Laughing With Ali in Wonderland

Ali in Wonderland is a refreshing vat of humor. Ali Wentworth's unconventional memoir filled with witty insights had me cracking up at her self-deprecating tales. She is not shy with the details whether telling about child birth (There’s No Uterus Like My Uterus) or childhood illness (I Don’t Get Vacation). I couldn’t stop smiling as I read this, and remembered well some of my own awkward teen moments (Happy and Preppy and Bursting with Love). Ali takes the mundane and turns it into amusement.
If you want to while away the evening reading a book with lots of laughs, you’re in for a treat.

MiO Mango Peach

I am pretty much in denial that summer is over, if the sun shines and it feels the least bit balmy. I can over look the naked trees and on a really good day, even the snow. Even though I got this when the trees were completely exfoliated, the Mango Peach  flavor is a flashback to hot summer days.

MiO liquid water enhancer tastes clean, sweet and delicious with no calories and no aftertaste. To use, just flip it, tip it then sip it. When you have the taste where you want it, two clicks closes the handy little container no bigger that would fit easily in a pocket, purse or lunch box.  You make it as strong or as light as you like. Using  ½ a teaspoon  to eight ounces of water, as a rule of thumb, this little bottle packs in 24 servings of yummy goodness. The color is a pleasing rich orange and, if you happen to be observant,  is Kosher. This product doesn’t need refrigeration after opening which means you can take it with you anywhere, or leave in your desk at work when you need a splash of something tasty.

Soon we’ll be into the slimming season, and if you’re one who likes fruit flavored sports drinks, you will definitely enjoy this blend.

Explosions in the Sky

My awesome kid turned me on to this group while we on our road trip in the late summer of last year. I love music without words, mainly because the tunes evoke a feeling that I can write to. there's none of that distracting thought that comes with listening to words, when I'm trying to come up with my own.

Oddly enough, I had heard of this group at a former job, when I simultaneously joined Pandora. They've scored the music for television shows and films. I really started getting into them after our vacation because they were so easy to listen to while writing.

If you haven't heard of them, check them out here: Explosions in the Sky or here: Explosions in the Sky on Amazon.

This Song Speaks to Me of Unrequited Love

The Boring Puppy Diaries

If it’s true that diaries are supposed to be some interesting reading, then you may be disappointed with The Puppy Diaries by best-selling and award-winning author Jill Abramson.  I like dogs, I’ve had dogs as pets. But never did I think their daily life was worth filling an entire book. It was all I could do to get through to the end, so much of it was bogged down in the well-told but tedious detail that seemed to just be filling space between semi interesting events. Interestingly the narrator sounds a bit like a very bored Sigourney Weaver.

I could relate to the stress of having pets that are ill, not feeling well and pass from our lives. But what I could not relate to was the tone of the book. It could be a good read if you are totally immersed in dog culture, live breathe and pursue all things dog. I have never had a Golden Retriever (or a Westie for that matter) nor will I after listening to this tale, nor did I moon over those who breed them or who whisper to dogs.

 In her defense, Jill writes from personal perspective, having invested her heart and pocket book in her own pets. She has clearly done her homework and a great deal of research. This book might be considered a friendly sort of instruction manual. But for me, it sounds all too much like one long winded book report that was, at times, dull as the finish on a chalkboard. I will not recommend this book to anyone.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine 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

Escape into SLAMMER

When I got my copy of Slammer by Allan Guthrie, I couldn’t wait to begin reading it just before going off to bed one evening. I got comfy  and figured on reading one chapter to whet my appetite, then suddenly found myself on page 85 and up way past my bedtime.

Nick Glass is a new young prison guard that finds himself cooperating with the inmates in ways he never imagined. What it gives him in exchange for what it costs him will keep you guessing every step of the way. Slammer is a first class ticket to heart pounding entertainment.

The slight differences in language, due to Guthrie being a UK writer, were interesting and easily explained, so that the reader always felt connected to the action. His masterful ability to draw me into the world of Nick Glass captured my imagination so completely, that I could barely put the book down to get rest. Once I began it, I made time to keep reading until I found out what happened.  Although a bit gruesome in parts, he wasted no words in gratuitous descriptions.

Although Guthrie might be new to American readers, he has quite a few titles to his credit and I for one, intend to read more of them. If you like psychological thrillers, this is absolutely a must read.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine 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

Your Back Up Plan

You're out on the freeway in the middle of traffic that has barely crawled forward three feet in the last thirty minutes, you're running late as it and you want to call ahead. You go to make a call and discover your power sucking phone with all the cool touch features is as dead as an unplugged television set.

Now what are you going to do?

Or, you're stuck at an airport and discover there will be an unscheduled extension of your layover and your digital reader just flatlined. There isn't an electrical outlet available to recharge. What's your back up plan?

One possibility is the Aluratek Portable Battery Charger.

The charger comes with a cable and five universal charging tips, for Ipad/Ipad2 Apple iPhone 4, 4G 3Gs 3G (AT&T and Verizon), iPod Touch (1G 2G 3G 4G), Motorola Droid, HTC Android EVO, Blackberry, Kindle DX, Samsung EPIC, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Samsung Galaxy S.
It also has an auto shut off feature, is light, portable and a high capacity Lithium Ion battery.

Also a plus: if your phone or sound device uses a USB cable to charge up, you can plug it into the Aluratek and it charges beautifully.The flat, compact design slips easily into a purse, pocket or backpack. While it does come with adapters, it does not come with any kind of case in which to hold them. It charged a completely dead cell phone and still had juice to spare.

Three blue LED lights let you get a read on how much power is left. I liked that this could be charged from a USB port, like say, your work computer, so you never have to be left power-less when you need it most. As the saying goes: don't leave home with out it.

Bodum 15 oz. Pavina Glasses

The Bodum 15 oz. Pavina glasses come in a box set of two.. The vibrant red silicone sleeve doesn't insulate what's in your glass, but gives a nice firm grip despite condensation. The shape of the glass fits pleasantly in the hand even when full. I'm not crazy about the silicone banding, because I like seeing what I'm drinking in a glass and this blocks quite a lot of the view. Because of the silicone sleeve, I can make hot drinks in it, like chai, and don't burn my hand. From an aesthetic point of view, also come in different colors and are lovely to look at.

Gourmantra Meals

I love Indian food, the flavors are as complex as a good Russian novel, but it’s proven time consuming to make from scratch. It was thrilling to find kits for making authentic Indian food in under an hour.

I made some Friday night--as a sort of relaxation therapy after a brutal week--while having a glass of wine. The directions were easy to read and follow (as long as someone isn’t using your belly button for a wine glass; I saw that in a movie once).

The kits contain everything I need and list the necessary additional ingredients After I tried the first box, I was glad I bought two kits. Now I want to hunt up that movie…

But, that got me all fired up about cooking this weekend too.

So, I will show you how to simultaneously make Southwestern, Asian and Mediterranean food beginning with…

To see more about cooking click here:  http://theradicalwrite.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-cook.html

The Clifton Chronicles: Only Time Will Tell.

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer was difficult for me to get into. It took me a long time to feel a connection any of the characters but eventually warmed up to Harry Clifton and Old Jack. Although this was not a straight up historical novel, there were historically significant events. Being largely unfamiliar with England's rich history, though not some of its iconographic leadership, I found it insightful.
By disc two, the story became more interesting, (the whole novel is ten discs) and because I am used to faster paced novels, I found it was too easy for me to stop reading and forget that I was in the middle of this one.
I enjoyed the mix of characters and the stories of their lives. It added to the story that was read by male and female narrators who deepened character personalities with the use of various voices and inflections, and even the telling of the same events from different perspectives.
The closer I came to the conclusion, the more thrilling it became to see how it all turned out. The ending does not really conclude the story which easily leads into a series called the Clifton Chronicles (mentioned by the author in the interview on the last disc). If you enjoy well written stories about England, this would be right up your alley. I do not particularly favor them, but this one was extremely well done.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine 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