Book Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Working Less, Earning More

This newest edition to the Complete Idiot's Guide family is perfect for those who want to start their own business, people who work from home or anyone who wants to get the most out of their work. Filled with helpful tips, author Jeff Cohen lays out what you need to do to keep your life from being consumed by work.

Cohen's advice starts with creating a weekly to-do list including everything you do in a week, such as sleeping, working, going to the gym, etc., and recording how many hours you use to complete each task. Looking at what you do per week and how many hours it takes can help you realign and maximize your schedule.

Something helpful, especially from people who own their own bosses or work from home, is Cohen's section on self-motivation. He explains how certain distractions, such as the Internet and the phone, can interrupt your productivity. If you write out a daily to do list and allot a little bit of time for these things, and then completely shut down your Internet so it isn't a distraction, you'll get a lot more work done!

He also acknowledges why some people stay with their jobs even if they are unhappy in them. Cohen shows the reader how they can concur fears standing in the way, such as worrying about not being able to support your family and not making any more than their current salary.

Cohen covers everything, from how to become indispensable in your current work situation before looking for a new one to how to freelance and network. The book is filled with quizzes and exercises that help the readers see how they feel about their work-life balance. The links in the appendix are also especially helpful, especially to freelance writers! This book is paramount for anyone seeking happiness in their overall work life, and more time for their personal life.

Book Review: The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Wedding Etiquette

When I decided to start reviewing books, one of my coworkers (hi again, Tammy!) suggested I hit up the people at The Pocket Idiot's Guide to. The nice people there let me pick from an assortment of their newest books, and I settled on the Wedding Etiquette one.

Although I was never that girl who fantasized about her wedding, I have had a lot of questions lately about the "rules" of planning a wedding. Maybe it's all those wedding shows Gilmore, Ter and I watch, or maybe it's because I know I'll be going to a couple of my friends' weddings next year. I mean, I was already one of the best bridesmaids ever about two years ago (see pic). So I should know some stuff about weddings, right???

I did already know some of the things in the book, but a lot of my questions were answered. A chapter that was very informative (especially for any brides to be!) was the first one, which covered who traditionally pays for what... a tricky subject at times! For example, I didn't know the bride pays for the blood test for the marriage license (I didn't even know you had to get a blood test) and lodging for the bride's out-of-town attendants.

I learned a lot of random facts about the bridal party: for instance, it's appropriate for the father of the groom to be the best man, but not for the mother of the bride to be the matron of honor. Also, according to the book, bridesmaids and groomsmen should be asked to be in the wedding within the first few weeks after you get engaged. In the past, it was discouraged to have an uneven number of attendants, but now it is more accepted.

The book pretty much covers anything you've ever had questions about: food, place, flowers, pictures, music, dresses, invitations, presents, etc. There's also a chapter on pre-wedding events, such as the bridal shower and bachelor/bachelorette parties. Another helpful chapter talks about cultural differences at weddings, same-sex ceremonies and military weddings. Topics that I thought would be especially helpful for those planning a wedding include how to figure out a guest list and who to tip and how much they should get.

This book is helpful and a quick read for anyone planning or participating in a wedding. The information you want is easy to find, and the fun facts inside make it entertaining. For more information about the book, click here.

Book Review: Love Is a Mix Tape

I love music. Who doesn't, right? I like to think I'm openminded and have a vast array of musical tastes. What I like may not be "good" to some people (looking at you, music snobs!), but hey, I like what I like.

My favorite thing about music is how it can take you back to a time or place, a special memory. This happens to me all the time. For example, "I Need To Know" by Marc Anthony (I know, I am not displaying my good music tastes right off the bat with this pick) reminds me of 9th grade, inside jokes, my mom and football players (remember, Tanya?). Every time I hear "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel (my all-time favorite performer), I remember being 5 and listening to it on a record player (!!) in the Gurleys' basement. Adam, Ryan and I would play with the speed on the record player to make Mr. William Joel sound like a chipmunk. Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" brings me right back to my 21st birthday, jamming out and dancing in Ter's car on the way to Applebee's. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey (Steve Perry!!!) gives me a montage of bar memories.

The best way to bring back memories is a mix CD. Mix CDs chronicled pretty much every year of my life from freshman year of high school until today. I can pick up my "Spring 2006" mix CD and remember how I was feeling second semester of my junior year of college.

But long before the mix CD was the mix tape. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield pays homage to the gloriousness of this invention in his book Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time.

Sheffield's book uses mix tape playlists to recreate time periods in his life, and mostly to tell the story of his time with his now deceased wife. Each chapter starts with the songs on the mix tape, which he references throughout the chapter. Filled with late '80s and early '90s pop culture references, this book is a pop culture lover's friend.

But even if you're not down with tunes from the times, you will like this book for Sheffield's writing alone. It's humorous and heartwrenching all at the same time. I laughed at the tales of his unconventional counsleors during his time at Catholic summer camp. My heart broke as he described the dismal days after his wife's passing. I was intrigued by his thoughts on Kurt Cobain's death and how it changed a culture, and entertained by his notion that he pictured himself and all girls he dated as part of a boy-girl synth-pop duo. But most of all, I loved how he describes his late wife Renee. He brings her fun, quirky spirit to life. He does such a good job describing her that I feel like I know her; she's someone who I'm sure everyone reading this book wishes they had a chance to know.

This is beautiful, well-written autobiography from a talented entertainment writer. I finished the book inspired and thinking about all the ways music has influenced me and has been interwoven into my life. I highly suggest picking this one up!

Love is a Mix Tape is a Crown Publishing book.

Book Review: My Husband's Sweethearts

In My Husband's Sweethearts by Bridget Asher, Lucy gets one blow after another: she finds out her husband has cheated on her with three different women during their 4-year marriage, and also Artie, 18 years Lucy's senior, is dying. One drunken night, Lucy decides all her husband's sweethearts should share her pain and come visit Artie before he dies. She takes his little black book and drunk dials some of his old flames... never expecting they may actually show up!

As the book goes on, Lucy learns more things about her husband that she never knew, and she forms almost a makeshift family with some of the sweethearts. A somewhat weird romantic twist happens, but I felt better about it later on in the book.

This was one of the best books I've read in a long time. Asher's characters are unique and lovable despite their flaws. My favorite might be Lucy's mom, who knows a thing or two about husbands (she's had a handful) and makes her dog wear a jock strap (no lie!).

Lucy says early on that her mother sews cliche phrases into pillows and how there are many less obvious lessons that should be displayed instead. Each chapter is named with phrases Lucy thinks should be emblazoned on a pillow, such as "Your Mother is a Woman You Don't Have to Become" and "Forgiveness Doesn't Wear a Rolex Knockoff." I thought this was cute and creative.

It's a quick read and I couldn't put this one down. It made me laugh and cry... and let's face it: I think that makes the perfect book.

For more about the book, check out this Web site.

Book Review: Falling off the Catwalk

One day, a colleague of mine (hi, Tammy!) sent me this press release, marveling at the release's title: "A 'Christian' Alcoholic Comes to Terms With His Gayness by Becoming an International Fashion Model in the Newly Released Memoir 'Falling Off the Catwalk.'" That was all I needed to see to know that I wanted to read this book.

Robert Reincke is in his late twenties, living in Southern California and working at Hewlett-Packard when he has a revelation: he wants to be a model. So he packs up and leaves for Europe, where he hops from Milan to Germany to Tokyo and back to Milan and then to Paris and Madrid and then back to Paris again all within a little over a year. Job after job, Robert learns how hard it is to stay in the modeling industry. While modeling, he also wrestles with drug use and his alcoholism and how it conflicts with his Christian believes, and also deals with his questions about his own sexuality.

Reincke's memoir gives the reader descriptions of tons of models, photographers and the many roommates he had during his time as a model. The reader also gets a taste of every city he's been in. Most importantly, the reader can get a sense of Reincke's personal journey that goes along with his journey through Europe.

For more information, check out Spunky Books.

Taxi Cab Confessions

I really enjoy traveling for my job. It's great to see new cities, I love being in hotels and I'm even getting a little less afraid of flying.

But I think one of my favorite parts of traveling is people watching and meeting some interesting characters. This weekend, I think I met the best one so far: my cab driver.

Some cab drivers don't really like to talk with their passengers, but mine didn't mind sharing personal things with me on our 30-minute drive from the airport to my hotel. For example, she, a grown woman, still sucks her thumb, which is the reason why she has a cleaning lady (?). She also told me about cab etiquette, and how some cabbies really enjoy splashing pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Most importantly, I learned a lot about love from my cab driver. Before picking me up, she just got back from tongue-ring shopping and lunch at Red Lobster with her boyfriend. They were still in the "courting stage" according to her, but he was making quite an effort. She told me that one night he came over to make her dinner, bring her roses and run her bathwater. I told her that was really sweet, and she shared with me that they dated before 15 years ago.

Me: "Oh, that's so cute! It must be fate! If you don't mind my asking, why didn't it work the first time?"

Cab driver: (laughing) "Oh, it was silly... I told him I was pregnant, but I wasn't!"

Me: ..... ??? .... ??? .... ?

Ah, the life of a traveler! :)

Oprah and Sarah Palin

First, I'll say that I don't consider myself an expert in politics at all. I've been trying to keep up with this year's election and have found it very interesting, but I definitely don't claim to know everything. I'll be upfront and say as of now, I'm planning on voting for Obama on Nov. 4.

Second, I'm not a big fan of Oprah. I know she's done some great things for charity, but it bothers me that one woman has so much control over millions of women in the U.S.

Both of those things being said, I am upset that Oprah will not have Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin on her show. I don't necessarily agree with all of Gov. Palin's views, but she is the first woman on a major party ticket since Geraldine Ferraro. If McCain is elected, she will be the first woman VP ever. On a show that targets women, this is a huge deal!

Oprah has had Obama on her show in January 2005 and October 2006. She has been vocal in her support for Obama and even said his Democratic National Convention speech made her "cry her eyelashes off." She also said her show is not a platform for any of the candidates, which is why she won't have Palin (a supposed "MILF"... I don't get that, but that's another blog post) on.

Despite the fact that we share the same candidate, I still think, even though she claims her show isn't a platform for any candidates, Oprah, sans eyelashes, is being biased. Shouldn't a newly publicized female figure in politics be spotlighted on a show for women? Even though Obama was on Oprah before he became a presidential candidate, he was highlighted on the show all the same.

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Jenice Armstrong supports Oprah's decision, saying O would rake Palin over the coals about her supporting abstinence only sex education, when her 17-year-old daughter is preggers. Armstrong also thinks Oprah may probe about allegations that Palin tried to ban certain books from the Wasilla, AK public library when Palin was mayor of the town.

I say, let Oprah probe and prod all she wants! I don't support abstinence only sex ed or banning books, but I still think Oprah's audience should see what Palin's about, good or bad.... just like they've seen (and heard) what Obama's about, whether that was in earlier show appearances or from Oprah's own mouth, on or off her show.