Category Archives: Bookish Talk

Bookish Talk

Why do you read?

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Lately, I have been picking some really good books. I can’t say that every book has been overwhelmingly liked by others, but for whatever reason, they’ve worked for me.  I’ve either enjoyed them because reading them was such an enjoyable experience, or they’ve stretched me a bit as a reader. This got me thinking… why do most people read?

I read to escape, but I also read to confront my fears. I don’t shy away from the dark, depressing stories like some readers do.  But, I just finished a wonderfully atmospheric book (can you guess which one?) and then picked up a really heavy read and I just about cried. It physically pained me to read it, yet I forced myself to finish it. Normally this type of book wouldn’t bother me at all, but jumping on that horse after just returning to the stable with the other one really shook me up.

If you only read one type of book, you would miss that feeling of being jarred right out of your senses. Wouldn’t you? Although the feeling wasn’t pleasant, I felt as if it was almost necessary for me to appreciate the writing of that heavier book. Had I read that book after finishing a book like it, I think I would have missed a lot of the raw, bitterness that was contained within those pages.

So my question to you is, why do you read? Is it for pure entertainment? To feel good? To challenge yourself in some way? And if you’ve ever found yourself in a reading funk, have you ever gone back to see what books you read during that time to see if you could have shaken it up a bit?

Bookish Talk, Life

I Was a Cooking Fool

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I never got around to posting my Sunday Salon. I spent the entire day cooking. I was a cooking fool! I did not plan to spend the entire day chopping and sautéing, but after finishing The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister, I made a quick run to the market and that was all she wrote.

I picked up some white wine, garlic, italian parsley and clams. I haven’t made white clam sauce in I don’t know how long. I also picked up chicken and an array of vegetables along with some great italian sausage and the most beautiful green peppers you’ve ever seen. I also picked up this little gem:

Curry Packet

 Just ignore my very dry cuticle. I was doing a lot of washing.

Anyway, finding pre-mixed spices is a challenge for those with gluten-sensitivities. Nearly every packet has wheat flour as a binder or filler. Those that don’t, typically lose something in taste. At least, that’s been my experience. However, I’ve been experimenting with different brands and Sukhi’s is really very good. I’ve tried two curries so far and they are delicious. All you do is add water, meat (if you want to), veggies and sometimes whipping cream (Mmmmm cream). You can find these products at Sprout’s markets and a bunch of other places. It makes for a simple, easy dinner that tastes just like takeout.

So I was cooking, and reading and sipping and ended up with meals for the entire week. I am so happy about this because with both kids in the show and auditioning this week for various parts, it helps to have wholesome, gluten-free food that I can eat in between activities.

On that note, I visited the doctor last Friday. This was my first visit since going gluten-free and I had not told him about my choice to do so. Sometimes, you just have to do what you know is right. So I was curious to see how my numbers were.

Get this:

My lupus tests were negative, well the markers that they use to measure lupus were negative. There is no lupus test really.

My inflammation numbers were cut by 50%

My iron levels, which if they had been a 5 again would have required a tranfusion…were 8.

My conclusion? Gluten is definitely my problem. I will probably post about the symptoms I had, because they are not typical or textbook, which is why the doctors tested me for everything but that.

On the reading front…

As I was sipping and eating all day yesterday, I had my Kindle glued to my hands. I could not put The Night Strangers down. It starts off with a bang and never stops, at least not yet! I even took it into the bath with me last night. Water and electronics just do not mix, but I couldn’t help it.

Hope you are all well. Off to get me some coffee and maybe,  just maybe I will write-up some reviews.