Winter can be a trying time for many of us, especially if we aren’t lucky enough to be able to hop on an airplane and head to sunny, southern climes for a respite warm and bright.
If you are “Missouri-bound” for the winter, then you might as well take advantage of the season. It can be a mood-lifter to spend time outdoors, even if the weather doesn’t seem conducive to it. In Norway, where it can be quite cold and snowy during the winter season, they have a saying which goes something like this: “There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” Continue reading “Embracing Winter”
I lived for a very brief time in Italy. I guess that it should come as no surprise that Italians do Christmas very differently than we do here in the United States, but I was stunned. I loved seeing the presepi (nativity scenes) everywhere. They were so intricate and HUGE! They showed entire villages in miniature, including bakers with a pizza ovens and oxen with carts. Many were built on the side of the road or into cliffs. They were beautiful! And while the Italians have Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) who might bring a small gift, it was Befana (a kind, but ugly, witch who rides on a broomstick) that brought most of the presents on the Epiphany (also known as Three Kings’ Day, January 6). Continue reading “Happy Holidays: A Look at Different Winter Holidays”
I’ve never been very good about keeping New Year’s resolutions. Life gets in the way, and promises that I’ve made to myself can no longer be kept for a variety of reasons. So, this year I’ve made “End of the Year Intentions” (leaving out the word “resolution”), with the vague starting point of around mid-December. This way, I can hit January 1, 2017 running. Why not make this holiday season the healthiest and happiest ever? The library has some good resources to help you along that path.
In my extended family, we have at least one vegan, two vegetarians, two pesco-pollo vegetarians and many red meat eaters of various degrees. My saint-like parents, both in their early 70s and still incredibly vigorous, host a phalanx of in-laws, kids, grandchildren and others during Christmastime, and they cook as best they can to suit all their guests’ needs. This holiday, keep the cooking simple, healthy and easy, and follow some of the fantastic recipes in Isa Moskowitz’s “Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook.” I’ve suggested this delicious cookbook as a resource for the common family denominator and to support healthy eating habits. Continue reading “Healthy Holidays: Start Your New Year Early”
One of my favorite things is pairing someone up with a great book. Sure, I do it while working at the library, but I do it a lot when I hang out with friends and family, too. Because everyone is different, it can sometimes be a challenge. Some folks stick to one genre, while others are into the overall tone of stories — or other factors entirely. At the risk of no one needing me anymore, I thought I’d share some of the websites I use to make book matches (and find my own next read).
Don’t you hate it when you learn about a book only to find out it’s incredibly popular so there is a wait list to get it from the library? One of the great things about NoveList Plus (a book database you have access to with your library card) is that it provides read-alikes. You could look up that really popular book you placed on hold and see some similar books to read while you wait. Another cool thing about these read-alikes is that they are often hand-picked, and a real, living person explains why a particular book is recommended — no algorithms here! The read-alikes are located on the right side of the page when you’re looking at the detailed view of the book. Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: Book Recommendation Resources”
Last night, our monthly book club met, and once again, it was full of fun, energy, discussion and lots of laughter. Each month I come away with such a sense of gratitude for being a part of this group, and I wish everyone could have this experience. You see, our book club is completely made up of individuals that live in our neighborhood, and that unique element takes the connection between us to a whole different level. Before our meeting begins, women can be seen walking through the neighborhood on their way to the home of whomever is hosting the current month’s discussion, with their dish to share. As we arrive, there is fun discussion of neighborhood happenings, family news and updates on remodeling projects. (And yes, we even discuss the book.) I like to think this is what neighborhoods used to be like, before the onslaught of technology, transience and shifting school boundaries. Or maybe what it was like when women got together to work on a quilt or to do the canning for the winter. It is more than a book club; it provides a sense of community that was certainly missing for me. Continue reading “Book Clubs: The Community They Create and Resources to Start Your Own”
For the first time in the United States’ 240-year history, a woman had a real chance at the presidency and put a significant crack in the highest glass ceiling. Hillary Clinton was the first female presidential candidate nominated by a major party. But she didn’t rise, a lone woman, out of the void. Other women paved the way, and eventually a woman will follow who makes it into the Oval Office. Wouldn’t now be a good time to read about some of the trailblazers?
The following titles are by or about women who broke (or at least chipped away at) a glass ceiling in politics:
“The Highest Glass Ceiling” by Ellen Fitzpatrick covers three American women who pursued the highest office in the country. Victoria Woodhull ran for president on the National Radical Reformers ticket in 1871, decades before women gained the vote. Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman elected on her own to the U.S. Senate, made an unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination in 1964. Eight years later, Shirley Chisholm would become the first African-American woman to run in the Democratic primary. Continue reading “Glass Ceilings in Politics”
Here we are at the start of November — where does the time go?! For those folks intending to host a Thanksgiving meal, or for those who want to pitch in and bring a dish to someone else’s gathering, you know what time it is — it’s time to plan your menu! Never fear–there are plenty of resources here at DBRL to help you conjure and organize the preparation of this revered feast. Continue reading “Planning Your Thanksgiving Meal”
“Your baby will arrive at 7 tomorrow morning…” and thus, our first day of being parents was about to begin. Of course, the process started much earlier with the adoption application, home study visits, being cleared through immigration and basically being evaluated by what felt like a gazillion people. Although our process was relatively easy to negotiate, it did involve many steps, lots of preparation and extensive research. Decisions have to be made regarding the type of adoption (domestic, international, private, special needs, etc.) and choosing an adoption agency, as well as financing the adoption.
Additionally, preparing and educating yourself, your friends and family about adoption and how best to navigate the transition for yourself and your child is extremely important. Working with an excellent adoption caseworker and speaking with other adoptive parents is invaluable (and we did), but equally as helpful were the many books that we read. Besides, reading gives you something meaningful to do while you are waiting (patience wasn’t my strong suit), and let’s face it – you won’t have much time to read once your child arrives. Continue reading “November Is National Adoption Month”
October 10, 2016 is World Mental Health Day, a day designated to raise awareness of and organize support for mental health issues. Millions of Americans (let alone the rest of the world’s population) are affected by mental illness; it is so prevalent that either we are affected ourselves, or we know family members and/or friends who struggle with mental health issues.
This year’s theme is psychological first aid. What is psychological first aid (PFA), you ask? PFA is an approach used by mental health care providers and emergency/disaster response workers to help people function and cope in the immediate aftermath of natural or man-made disasters (for example, devastation from hurricanes, tornadoes, fires or mass shootings). Interventions are designed to offer support and practical assistance to those who are affected and can come in the form of providing food, water, shelter and counseling, among other things. These interventions help reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events, addressing the physical, psychological, behavioral and spiritual effects suffered. Continue reading “World Mental Health Day”
I have a great story about this blog post. The same day I started work on it, I began de-cluttering at home, organizing the piles of books my family tends to amass. As I picked up an old paperback Star Trek novel, bought used, a newspaper clipping fell out. The headline read “Roddenberry Fills Heroic Void.” The article discussed a talk given in Jesse Auditorium by Gene Roddenberry, creator of the Star Trek television series. I could find no mention of the date or even the name of the newspaper, but with a bit of sleuthing through the library’s collection of University of Missouri yearbooks, I confirmed the event happened on February 17, 1976.
Among quotes from the talk, this one stood out: “Roddenberry predicted giant and efficient telecommunications systems will be available within 12 years that will make TV look primitive.” He was off by only three years, as the World Wide Web went public in 1991. Quite a visionary. His mid-sixties TV series featured communications devices that looked a lot like cell phones, information storage devices that looked a lot like iPads and a starship crew that looked a lot like the entire human race had learned to work together cooperatively. Continue reading “Star Trek, Boldly Going for 50 Years”
once again, it was full of fun, energy, discussion and lots of laughter. Each month I come away with such a sense of gratitude for being a part of this group, and I wish everyone could have this experience. You see, our book club is completely made up of individuals that live in our neighborhood, and that unique element takes the connection between us to a whole different level. Before our meeting begins, women can be seen walking through the neighborhood on their way to the home of whomever is hosting the current month’s discussion, with their dish to share. As we arrive, there is fun discussion of neighborhood happenings, family news and updates on remodeling projects. (And yes, we even discuss the book.) I like to think this is what neighborhoods used to be like, before the onslaught of technology, transience and shifting school boundaries. Or maybe what it was like when women got together to work on a quilt or to do the canning for the winter. It is more than a book club; it provides a sense of community that was certainly missing for me. 
