Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb

The seasoned historian and the newcomer to American history are bound to find this book both interesting and useful. The American Patriot's Almanac has a unique layout. Each day of the year, except February 29, is chronicled by a historical event. These entries are brief, seldom more than a few paragraphs. Then a timeline with 4-7 bullet points follows with just a sentence on more events that occurred on the same day. The format reminds me of a “history lesson a day” calendar, only more thorough and interesting.

The author reveals details uncommon to popular knowledge like the words President Lincoln spoke before signing the Emancipation Proclamation, the connection between Candlemas Day and Groundhog Day, or the original honor of the Purple Heart medal. In addition, each month is separated with more lengthy historical information that is not tied to a specific date, such as flag etiquette, poems, the lyrics to patriotic songs, and the Constitution of the United States.

The writing is clear and to the point. The historical topics are more than just battles and presidents. Indeed music, population censuses, and inventions are included. Females and minorities are not left out of America’s history in this book either. Occasionally, an entry includes a sketch or picture.

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595552677

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Hot Dogs Made Easy

The other day while shopping in the grocery store my husband and I stumbled upon the epitome of meal laziness. Now, keep in mind that we can be pressed for time just as much as the next family. We have Morning Star Grillers at the ready and have been known to rely a little too much on nachos as a dinner option. However, Oscar Mayer Fast Franks go one step further by eliminating one of the overwhelming two steps involved in making a hot dog. These hot dogs come packaged individually nestled in their own bun. That's right, you can now save yourself 20 seconds of time by eliminating that pesky task of opening a package of hot dog buns. Whew! A time saver indeed.

On a serious note, this highlights a concept that I was reading about regarding the food industry's ability to make profits. The main point was that food companies make more money by providing a service than by actually selling foods. For example, cut lettuce or onions cost more than a head of lettuce or an individual onion. Likewise, when you buy Fast Franks, you are not just paying for a hot dog and bun, you are also paying for the service of having the hot dog already placed inside the bun. I'm impressed that Oscar Mayer could actually come up with a way to insert service into a meal that requires such little effort and, thus, has little room for service. Perhaps next they will be offering us individually wrapped slices of toast.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Review: My Little Girl by Tim McGraw and Tom Douglas

In this story. a father and daughter enjoy activities together which are refreshing for two reasons. First, they are not stereotypical “little girl” activities, like tea parties or playing with dolls. Instead the pair head off to see animals at the local co-op, play on a swing, watch clouds, and more. The activities could easily have been a part of a book entitled “My Little Boy.” Secondly, the activities are not based on expensive outings. Instead, the premise is to just spend time together. The daughter says it best when she tells her father that her favorite part of the day was, “Being with you!” While the storyline is choppy in places, the message is clear. The story would be excellent for bedtime as it ends with a bedtime routine: brushing teeth, story, prayers, and goodnight kiss.

The illustrations resemble water-color art and proponents of marriage will be pleased to see that the father wears a wedding ring in several pictures. The book also has a spot on the last page for a father to write down a special shared moment with his daughter. Having that special moment in writing will likely be a treasure to the daughter when she is no longer a little girl.

Publisher's Link:
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/custom/top20/My_Little_Girl_Tim_McGraw_Tom_Douglas.asp

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Smiley

When we discovered I was pregnant for the first time, we nicknamed our growing baby Roswell. Later, of course, we named him Charlie. When we found out I was pregnant again we felt it only fair that the new baby would have a fun nickname, too. We chose Smiley. Perhaps it was because I liked to think of our baby being happy as he/she grew and hoped that upon being born, he/she would smile as much as baby Charlie does. Or, maybe Smiley felt right because of the smiles this new pregnancy brought to our faces. In any case, the name stuck.

We buried the remains of Smiley today. We decided upon a spot beneath a birch tree. I've always liked birth trees in part because they are unique with their white bark and in part because of Robert Frost's poem, Birches. I read this poem before we placed our Smiley into the ground and marked the spot with a large white quartz rock.

While I had no say in the loss of this pregnancy, I feel fortunate to have had a say in how we handled our lost baby's remains. I know many people who suffer miscarriages have procedures in hospitals where they never see the remains of their developing baby. Many times the embryo and surrounding tissue is compiled with other medical waste and incinerated. Something doesn't feel quite right about that to me. Of course, nothing seems quite right about a miscarriage. But, I like that we could decide to place Smiley under the birch and say a few words that give us comfort as well as closure.