I remember when The Bourne Identity movie came out. My dad and I agreed that it was SO GOOD. My mom, on the other hand, was appalled. She had read the book first and claimed that the film depicted a wildly different story line. I ignored her and continued blissfully enjoying the entire Bourne film…
Book review: Into the Wild
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer (1996), was a bummer of a book. Describing the ultimately fatal journey of a disillusioned, middle-class young man into the Alaskan wilderness, the book seeks to explain how and why Chris McCandless died. Through interviews with the family members he abandoned on the East Coast and the friends he…
Checking the motives of lifelong learning
I love learning. I’m an Enneagram 5, which if you know anything about the Enneagram, you know that means I’m a hoarder of knowledge, resources and energy. Fortunately, I’m a fairly healthy 5, so I stay relatively engaged in the world and I don’t cling to too many worldly possessions. I do, however, have piles…
Nashville + Franklin |2019
After what seems like years of not leaving my home state of Illinois (except for family gatherings in Michigan, Arkansas, Missouri and Wisconsin), I finally took a road trip to a completely new location: Nashville/Franklin, Tennessee! The university that my best friend and I work for gave us the entire week of the fourth of…
Book Review: The Boys in the Boat
My cousin did crew in college after competing in gymnastics for years. I always knew she was tough and that her chosen sports were no joke, but reading The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown confirmed to me that not only is rowing one of the most sophisticated athletic contests, but also one…
Book Review: The Reign of the Kingfisher
Before actually reading his debut novel, I had the pleasure of sitting down with TJ Martinson to chat about The Reign of the Kingfisher (2019). Although a life-long fan of comic books, Martinson recognized that current culture is already inundated with superhero stories. Hoping to add something new, Martinson decided to deviate from the predictable…
Book Review: Setting the Table
When a book written in 2006 makes you want to book a table at a restaurant in 2019, you know it has successfully captured the essence of enduring timeliness – something that restaurateur and author, Danny Meyer should be proud of in his career. I first heard of Danny Meyer last summer when I attended…
Book Review: Frankenstein
In response to a challenge by the poet Lord Byron, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Started in 1816 and published anonymously in 1818, the story chronicles the exploits of Victor Frankenstein. Well bred for a life of academic success, the young scholar submerses himself in the challenge of creating new life…
Own your talents
A few years ago, I created a really cool piece of art that is installed in the local Starbucks store. It is pretty awesome to see my handiwork on display every time I grab coffee (which is rather often). However, I think that the lesson behind the art is more important than the piece itself….
Book Review: Hidden Figures
I’m a huge proponent of reading books before watching corresponding movies. Unfortunately in this case, the movie came before the book. Tiny tangent before I actually review the book, watching movies first is the worst because humans are able to hold images in their minds much easier than words (for the most part). Since I…
L.M.Beatty 