it does take some work to be cheap.

Manfriend and I have been pinching our pennies for the past six months, saving for a house. We've been Grouponing our dinners and letting our mommy's feed us on a regular basis. Brad Wilson's Do More, Spend Less: The New Secrets of Living the Good Life for Less was an instant attraction to my current lifestyle.

Mr. Wilson is pretty fantastic at doing pretty much everything, for dirt cheap. The good news is that he shares his tips on travel, shopping and personal finance, with us po' folks. Wilson gives us all the dirty details on which airline credit cards get the best airline miles. He can get you to Paris and back for practically nothing, including entrance into the fancy airport lounges. Wilson is a bonafide credit card rewards program connoisseur, let me tell you. AND he will save you thousands when buying a car with cash incentives and discounts that I have never even heard of. I am still impressed.

pre-teen worthy reads.

Technically I am a high school English teacher, but I do get the occasional seventh and eighth grader assigned to my study halls, which is why I keep series' like The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow on hand for those little nuggets who straggle in. The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang which is Book 5 of the series, is the perfect middle school read.

In this installment, Lydia and Julie are back from their summer road trip, gearing up for the seventh grade, and continuing their quest for popularity. Well, more Lydia's quest after she decides to start a band and reinvent herself as a rock star. For those of you who don't know, The Popularity Papers reads like a journal with multiple colors, fonts, blurbs, and pictures, including descriptions of teachers, friends, and family members. The series is very cute and very with the times. Highly recommended by this (sometimes) thirteen-year-old at heart.

spin the bottle.

Ahhhh, kissing games. I liked them so much during my adolescent days I would make new ones up and share them with any boy I had my eye on. Or sometimes I would just grab their faces and kiss them. I like to kiss. Still. Anyways...

Aidan Chambers has created a collection of sixteen short stories involving young people on the verge of adulthood titled The Kissing Game. I love myself some short fiction ALMOST as much as I love myself some kissing. This collection is not as romantic as the title suggests. These short works (I say works because some are more scenes than stories) describe the multiple sides of relationships. From the rush of meeting someone new to the struggle of living in your siblings shadow, each story brings a unique voice, both male and female. This collection is short and sweet, just like this review. Enjoy :)

duct tape sure has changed since i was a kid.

Dazzling Duct Tape Designs by Tamara Boykins is the new favorite book in my room come study hall time. After I've checked that all of my students have finished their homework, of course. This is such a creative crafty find. You only need seven things to complete close to all of the easy to follow crafts inside: duct tape rolls, scissors, cutting mat, hard, flat surface, craft knife, ruler, and a pen. Just make sure you get some flashy duct tape because you'd be surprised what kind of bitchin' stuff you can make.

Duct tape is the most multifaceted art supply I have seen since rhinestones were created. Boykins includes step-by-step instructions on how to make bracelets, headbands, party decorations, flower pens, belts, purses, school accessories, even canvas art. A great resource for the creative middle-high school kids in your life.

 

 

Duct tape is speaking as loud as it can.

 

 

 

***For a chance to win a FREE copy, follow this blog then email your name, address, and this book title to: jenileerose@yahoo.com!

who says?

I am a certifiable feminist, born and raised. I am totally woman here me roar, and all that. I was really excited to dive into Emily Bennington's Who Says It's a Man's World: The Girls' Guide to Corporate Domination, even though being a teacher isn't exactly the corporate world. Being a teacher isn't exactly a career that is dominated by men, either. However, I did find my own connections to Bennington's words.

The world we live in makes being a chick kind of tough in a lot of ways. Women have made significant gains in the workforce during the last century and we keep continuing to do so everyday. Bennington has created this guide on how to gain respect and credibility so that you can go the distance in your career. Reputation is key in any job. Bennington includes the measurable steps that you can take to enhance your reputation in five key areas including, self-awareness, social skills, personal effectiveness, team building and leadership, which I would consider the core of this book.

Bennington hits these five key areas throughout the various chapters, while also including other useful information, I only have time to cover a few bases. There is a section in the book that touches on women preferring men as bosses. In my experiences, I have had women bosses that I've hated and men bosses that I've hated, because I pretty much hate everyone, BUT I've never really cared for any woman with a boss or leadership role over me. Bennington doesn't enjoy this response, but I can't help it! Not enough women have read this book to change my skewed views.

As a first-year teacher, I don't have much of a leadership role in my workplace when it comes to my colleagues in the English department, however, I really wish our department head would have read Chapter 13 - which is designated for team leaders. I found Chapter 14: Solve the Freakin' Problem! to be the most relatable for every job. Bennington discusses workplace problems with co-workers, and how to really handle other people's crazy. Who Says It's a Man's World is the perfect guide for the current and aspiring professional woman.


***For a chance to win a copy of this book all you have to do follow my (hilarious) blog, and then email your name, address and this book title to: jenileerosr@yahoo.com!

south park spoofed it best.

Society has been mocking Scientology for a while now. I am not here to mock anything, just review books, and be mildly inappropriate, but not mock. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill shows this religion for what it really is, no mocking necessary.

 

Jenna was born into Scientology being the niece of the Church of Scientology's leader, David Miscavige. Her parents were high school drop outs who revolved their entire lives around this religion. Jenna lived through a childhood of isolation and neglect, preparing her for a life of conformity, that leaves little room for error. Keep in mind that this book details the lives of people who are extremely involved with the organization, not outside people who simply pay (a lot) and practice. Jenna goes into detail (A LOT of detail) about the oppressive environment she lived in growing up until her escape when she was twenty-one. Jenna is now married and has two beautiful children. Such an inspiration considering one would  have to be pretty psychologically damaged after spending early childhood to adulthood in this alienating culture.

why manage diabetes when you can simply get rid of it?

I don't have a lot of experience with diabetes. No one in my family has had to deal with it, minus my uncle who quickly got his shit together and maintains a healthy lifestyle so now he doesn't have to worry much about it, as diabetes is reversible. If only one night stands were as well.

Anyways. Dr. Joel Fuhrman has developed an eat to live plan that can help prevent and reverse diabetes in his book, The End of Diabetes. Chapter 1 involves really understanding the causes of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. There is more background information on the disease but I dove right into the types of foods I should be eating to prevent diabetes, as a healthy twenty-something, I would much rather prevent it than have to reverse it later. Dr. Fuhrman makes it all very simple. What to eat, what not to eat, he even includes real life cases involving real life people to help readers like me truly understand the disease, and to give readers who have diabetes someone to relate to.

 

It's a good thing that I already like beans because you'll need to learn to love 'em, folks.