tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41703006917103001052024-03-05T17:22:59.835-06:00rejoyceJoycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08295314410595336565noreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-47643681938107546282016-11-01T18:19:00.003-05:002016-11-15T18:25:13.750-06:00Foodies Rejoice: Bright Cellars Cheese Boxes ReviewNow that it's officially November, I figure it's time for me to start thinking about holiday travel, and, more specifically, what Wisconsin goodies I'll be bringing to my family (all across the country!) on my Thanksgiving and Christmas trips. Lucky for me, <a href="http://cheese.brightcellars.com/?n_id=blg&a_id=joy1&d=5" target="_blank">Bright Cellars</a>, an awesome Wisconsin-based company known for their subscription wine experience, is launching something new: Bright Cellars cheese boxes to go with their wine! (Get started with <a href="http://cheese.brightcellars.com/?n_id=blg&a_id=joy1&d=5">the quiz here.</a>)<br />
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Is there anything better to get in the mail?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfdu-j8UnvohP_Y9Bio4wSXyq385HuBF0lYMIjlc5_jhjKHiHgXq-TmLNnSXWq0lC60Xp6YSs_xiPhxGLcNgS7C0HpUdSeBuhwCE6n3V5i45FJCR8HrYuL4Fx4JMQKy5m7I6xB3wGy7nM/s1600/cheese1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfdu-j8UnvohP_Y9Bio4wSXyq385HuBF0lYMIjlc5_jhjKHiHgXq-TmLNnSXWq0lC60Xp6YSs_xiPhxGLcNgS7C0HpUdSeBuhwCE6n3V5i45FJCR8HrYuL4Fx4JMQKy5m7I6xB3wGy7nM/s640/cheese1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, this company is no stranger to matching people with their preferences. It was founded by two MIT grads with a passion for wine, so moving on to cheese was a natural expansion. They already had a bright points algorithm, which they used to match people with wine. They've now expanded it to include cheese preferences!<br />
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Here's how it works: You can <a href="http://cheese.brightcellars.com/?n_id=blg&a_id=joy1&d=5">take an online quiz</a> (click link to start the cheese quiz yourself!) detailing your preferences, and then the team at Bright Cellars works with their network of Wisconsin cheese makers to hand-select cheeses that are perfect for you.<br />
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I must admit, living in Wisconsin for over five years (crazy!) has made me a bit of a cheese snob, so when I opened the box, I was a tad skeptical. I felt the snobby foodie side of me—that I really try to suppress—surfacing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG54HHyxdtcoGxjDFNgMnfjHHsGAygVb0gy1TGgI1kK_sYF_m3sAsH0HexmUaGP4tAGJjAdvuHGl8A8mQem6NPVUD864tDkTv5Hqojp8nCDk88H426XBQDgJ1WYm9JPHJjcZ57oTbeKI7N/s1600/cheese2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG54HHyxdtcoGxjDFNgMnfjHHsGAygVb0gy1TGgI1kK_sYF_m3sAsH0HexmUaGP4tAGJjAdvuHGl8A8mQem6NPVUD864tDkTv5Hqojp8nCDk88H426XBQDgJ1WYm9JPHJjcZ57oTbeKI7N/s640/cheese2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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But, I had nothing to worry about. The box contained four absolutely delicious cheeses: A tomato basil yellow cheddar, a hickory smoked gouda, a grand cru, and a blueberry white cheddar. (And fun informational cards about each type to satisfy my inner food nerd.) My favorite was probably the tomato basil cheddar --and the best thing about that is it's something I'd never buy on my own. All four were top-notch cheeses; the quality of cheese you'd expect to find on a fancy charcuterie board at a restaurant.<br />
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(Also: Note my Madison glass cutting board :) </div>
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And now the cool part: I can rate and review my cheeses on their website (kinda like giving a song a thumbs up on Pandora), and then, based on this feedback, the algorithm gets even more accurate to match me with hand-picked cheeses for next month's box.</div>
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Because the only thing cooler than a box of cheese in the mail is a box of cheese that comes in the mail every month!</div>
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If you want to give it a try, they're offering rejoyce readers 50% off their first order <a href="http://cheese.brightcellars.com/?n_id=blg&a_id=joy1&d=5">here.</a> Check out the <a href="http://cheese.brightcellars.com/?n_id=blg&a_id=joy1&d=5">cheese quiz</a> and let me know if you discover any awesome new cheeses! :)<br />
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<i>*Thanks for supporting brands that support rejoyce (follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joycenovacek/">Instagram</a> for regular updates!), and thanks, Bright Cellars, for the complimentary box of cheese! </i>Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08295314410595336565noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-31233385041879080532016-06-09T16:14:00.001-05:002016-06-09T20:58:25.880-05:00Exploring OregonWe had a few requirements for our honeymoon:<br />
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1. Go immediately after our wedding</div>
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2. Somewhere easy + relaxed, where we wouldn't feel pressured to see a million art museums </div>
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3. Somewhere neither of us have ever been</div>
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and, because of #1, we added:</div>
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4. Go somewhere that is at its peak in June</div>
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Madison is beautiful in June, so something pained me about hopping on a plane to the Caribbean (which is beautiful in February, when Madison is NOT). Still, Stephen <i>loves </i>the beach, so we landed on checking out Portland, Oregon briefly and spending a bulk of our time exploring the Oregon Coastline.</div>
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Now: let me preface this by saying we got unbelievably lucky with the weather. If you think gray skies and heavy rain when you think Oregon, you're probably right, but that was not our experience. It was sunny and vibrant and beautiful! </div>
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Our first stop was Portland, a city that is somewhat reminiscent of my home city Pittsburgh with the rivers and bridges. We walked around and checked out the city, including hitting up the massive <a href="http://www.powells.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwp-S6BRDj4Z7z2IWUhG8SJAAbqbF318zBDmORyrzXmZm92eKNAsqvg9TJb3o8pxlodNPylBoCUeLw_wcB" target="_blank">Powell's City of Books</a> and grabbing ice cream at <a href="http://saltandstraw.com/" target="_blank">Salt + Straw</a> that I'm still daydreaming about. So. Delicious.<br />
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The next morning, we took a run by the river:<br />
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And then went on a Willamette Valley wine tour via the <a href="http://backcountrywine.tours/" target="_blank">Back Country Wine Tour company</a>, which was my wedding gift to Stephen. (Pro tip: buy gifts that require you to drink wine—the things I do for love ;)</div>
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We stopped at four wineries: Brooks Wines, <a href="http://www.maysara.com/" target="_blank">Maysara</a> (run by 3 Persian sisters, it's name means "House of wine" in Farsi), <a href="https://www.depontecellars.com/" target="_blank">De Ponte Cellars</a> (home of Missy the cat!), and <a href="http://www.whiteroseestate.com/" target="_blank">White Rose</a>.</div>
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This region is famous for Pinot Noir...and, it turns out, Pinot Noir may just be my favorite red wine! It was really fascinating how the weather impacts the vintage. Just tasting a 2011 (cool year) and 2013 (hot year) made a really big difference. Not that I'm capable of explaining what the difference was. But I could <i>discern </i>that a difference existed. Especially when I was told about the existence of said difference ;) </div>
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The next day...we headed west! The coast felt like Big Sur but WAY less people. We stayed in Cannon Beach, Oregon at <a href="http://www.theoceanlodge.com/" target="_blank">The Ocean Lodge</a> and I paid a little more (worth it) for the ocean views—including a view of Haystack Rock that never got old. (It seemed to magically transform with every hour of the day.)</div>
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A walk on the beach our first afternoon in Cannon Beach:</div>
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Views from Ecola State Park:</div>
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Van in Ecola State Park that just screamed "Oregon"<br />
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Views from Astoria (where the Goonies was set!)<br />
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Views from <a href="http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=139" target="_blank">Oswald West State Park</a> where we hiked the Cape Falcon trail...it was 2.5 miles out, but totally worth it! To me, it felt like walking the Pacific Coast Highway. So cool!:<br />
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And I'll end things with some sunset pictures:<br />
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If you're contemplating an Oregon trip, do it! We miss it already.</div>
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But the good news is Stephen + I have been to 15 states together...35 to go :)</div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-33224671116453040972016-05-17T17:16:00.000-05:002016-05-17T17:16:19.819-05:00Read This: When Breath Becomes AirSorry for the impromptu hiatus on the blog. The good news is, I've been doing a lot of reading and writing (for my book), just not on here! (And, of course, prepping for the wedding which is somehow < 2 weeks away. Eeeek!)<br />
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But I just read a book I couldn't help but gush about here. It's been near the top of the nonfiction NYT Bestseller list for a while now, so maybe you've already heard about the poignant story of Paul Kalanithi, the author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Breath-Becomes-Paul-Kalanithi/dp/081298840X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463520989&sr=1-1&keywords=when+breath+becomes+air+by+paul+kalanithi" target="_blank">When Breath Becomes Air.</a></em><br />
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In short, Kalanithi was about to finish his intense residency as a neurosurgeon, when he was suddenly facing his own diagnosis: stage four lung cancer. (He had never smoked.) It is after this world-shattering diagnosis that Paul began his work on this book, that chronicles his winding path to become a doctor (he got a Masters in Literature first before med school!), his life's search to find meaning, and his ultimate transition from doctor to patient. <br />
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His experiences as a brain surgeon inform a lot of deep philosophical questions he poses throughout the book. Is the purpose to life really happiness? (He doesn't think so.) What does it mean to really be alive? (Is an intubated person in a coma <em>alive</em>?) How can you lead a meaningful life? The whole text is interspersed with literary quotes and poems, which (as an English major), I, of course, adored.<br />
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I will say I was surprised by some of the technical medical jargon in the book, but really my only other "critique" is that I could have easily read 100 more pages. The ending felt a bit rushed, and this is because, as his wife explains in the Epilogue, Paul sadly passed away before he could fully finish it. Oh, this book made me cry, but that's not surprising. <br />
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Still! Paul accomplished so much in his much too-short life, and now is inspiring thousands post-death. It's impossible to read this book and not feel inspired to take advantage of your time one earth.<br />
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I'd recommend this book to anyone who is mortal—that is to say, everyone.<br />
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p.s. Quick fact For blog readers: Paul is Joanna Goddard's (of Cup of Jo fame) twin sister's late husband, so I'd been following his story before the book was published. He wrote some moving pieces for the New York Times, including this piece called <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/25/opinion/sunday/how-long-have-i-got-left.html?_r=0" target="_blank">How Long Have I Got Left?</a>Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-69942741807356461092016-04-21T16:17:00.001-05:002016-04-21T16:17:11.443-05:002 Mind Blowing DocumentariesLet me start by saying I, too, have come to hate the term "mind blowing" that seems to be plastered all over the internet in a desperate attempt to get clicks. "What Kylie Jenner wore to the After Party Will Blow Your Mind." No, I promise you, it won't. How little esteem do you ascribe to the synapses of my brain? That being said, I recently watched two Netflix documentaries that took 2 basic needs—clothes and food—and totally changed the way I view them. The messages of these documentaries have stuck with me and completely changed my perspective, so I feel justified in my post title. I'm even contemplating serious life style changes because of the intriguing (and heart wrenching) information they shared, so, I wanted to share them with you!<br />
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1. <a href="http://truecostmovie.com/" target="_blank">The True Cost</a><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2OweB6Nx8GkYCmQII9NArw-ilY66jttUvKuSgY4AH7MhIki6yRL6a0eI8X0sI_6-2ZXpiqYMvKYROwIWFcfqpv93PCC7Z-WHhsiTkVYMu_gBPknxhQC-j6aLY_P3ymvbGLk66lJgskr2/s1600/blazer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2OweB6Nx8GkYCmQII9NArw-ilY66jttUvKuSgY4AH7MhIki6yRL6a0eI8X0sI_6-2ZXpiqYMvKYROwIWFcfqpv93PCC7Z-WHhsiTkVYMu_gBPknxhQC-j6aLY_P3ymvbGLk66lJgskr2/s640/blazer.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>image via True Cost documentary</i></td></tr>
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I have never been much of a shopper, but also have never come close to fully grasped the HORRENDOUS impact the fast-fashion industry is having on our environment (and on people in third-world countries!). All Caps HORRENDOUS totally justified. Even though the $4.50 tee-shirt from Forever 21 might seem cheap, the true cost is far reaching. From the genetically modified cotton farms (in Texas and India) where farmers are dying to dangerous factories in Bangladesh in Cambodia (where workers are dying), this eye-opening documentary will make you reconsider if you really need to buy a new shirt every week. The breadth of this documentary—and the breadth of the impact on fast-fashion on the world—is staggering.<br />
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Personally, I've always thought the Black Friday shopping frenzy was mildly stupid, but now I find it morally deplorable. There is a life beyond searching for meaning in stuff, and I think the more people can realize that, the better off our planet will be.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.cowspiracy.com/" target="_blank">Cowspiracy</a><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrsF9M-T6sKUNkBcPNsnp68Bwl1AFGhPrztGezhPoZegJDz2ybAe22_dBzBlCUEYyVZb_RFcI4AaR1QwAddl1kbRROauem2MMMWaSCmuJ4mDHpyCn6J9cOtvYx83WUeKnYE1xSXzipKzn/s1600/cow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrsF9M-T6sKUNkBcPNsnp68Bwl1AFGhPrztGezhPoZegJDz2ybAe22_dBzBlCUEYyVZb_RFcI4AaR1QwAddl1kbRROauem2MMMWaSCmuJ4mDHpyCn6J9cOtvYx83WUeKnYE1xSXzipKzn/s640/cow.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">image via cowspiracy.com</td></tr>
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This one was much more difficult for me to watch. Because, though I've always found shopping for clothes kind of boring (I'm known to wear the same striped tee shirt until there are holes in the sleeve...then wear it about 30 more times before getting rid of it), I've always loved eating. And I've loved eating in a no-restrictions kind of way. I've always been very much a carnivore—for my whole life!—and was nervous about watching a documentary that might make me think more closely about what I ate. Well, at my sister's urging, I watched it. And, even though it was shocking—livestock agriculture is literally unsustainable (even grass fed) and polluting the planet and ocean and impacting global warming more than you could imagine—I'm glad I did. Ever since adopting Tywin, I've been leaning into more plant-based meals, and this now has me toying with the idea of going full blown vegetarian here pretty soon. If you're thinking <i>How bad could animal agriculture actually be??? </i>I encourage you to check out this <a href="http://www.cowspiracy.com/infographic" target="_blank">infographic</a> (and then watch it)!<br />
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**<br />
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Both of these are available on Netflix and really worth your time (in my opinion). Have you already seen them? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, send all other documentary recs my way :)Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-9937812765947391102016-03-25T08:40:00.000-05:002016-03-25T09:13:10.731-05:00My Wedding Anti-DietColor me clueless, but I lived nearly two decades of my life not even realizing dieting for one's wedding was a <i>thing</i>. I distinctly remember when I realized wedding diets existed in the world at large and how terrible this discovery felt. It felt like the time I realized "sophomore" was not spelled "sophmore"—an error I made consistently for countless years (including "sophmore" year of high school). (To this day, I take spelling much more seriously than dieting, you should too.)<br />
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I was in college, and the T.V. blared Royal Wedding coverage (but of course). The news people were discussing....wait for it...Kate Middleton's waistline. What else?<br />
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They were showing beautiful pictures of Kate six months ago and beautiful pictures of present day Kate and comparing her waist size in the pictures. Because really? This woman is about to officially become <i>royalty </i>so let's discuss her body at length, shall we? What else could we possibly cover about her? Oh yes, her clothes. Well, we'll cover her wardrobe extensively in the next segment and the next segment and the next segment, don't you worry.</div>
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So, one woman says: "I must say, she just looks <i>so</i> much thinner. I'm worried she's starving herself for the wedding."</div>
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Second woman responds: "Well, I say, let her do what she wants with her body. It's the most important day of her life. Of course she'd want to be in the best shape possible!"</div>
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And this is when I had my miserable epiphany. I can't remember my exact position but it's safe to assume I was sprawled out on the couch inhaling Sour Patch Kids. And I thought, eloquently:</div>
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<i>Wait, what? People diet for weddings? Shit.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLtAUbpbuuyWL1ZhrPGGLf96aR46kDqWMpiIbdkIdwtlE_8CahttPjiNc61RL3-UX_tE7Fkr0XouPGWVWN5yICADyuROgHyy-Cse7QWQK715-NGtgeV2JXxN8ec7Yeupci5sXTEmaIYOy/s1600/valentinesmandms.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLtAUbpbuuyWL1ZhrPGGLf96aR46kDqWMpiIbdkIdwtlE_8CahttPjiNc61RL3-UX_tE7Fkr0XouPGWVWN5yICADyuROgHyy-Cse7QWQK715-NGtgeV2JXxN8ec7Yeupci5sXTEmaIYOy/s640/valentinesmandms.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because, as an athlete, when I asked myself the question: When should one be in the best shape of one's life? The following answers came to the forefront of my mind:</div>
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*When one's playing in the NCAA Tournament</div>
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*<a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/09/monday-inspiration-ironman-wisconsin.html" target="_blank">When one's doing an Iron Man</a></div>
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*When one's climbing Mount Everest</div>
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*When one's swimming the English Channel</div>
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*When one's competing in the Olympics</div>
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These, to me, make sense. You should probably (at least attempt) to be in (somewhere near) the best shape of your life when you're participating in a vigorous athletic event. <i>But when one's getting married? </i>When you've found a person who wants to share the rest of your life with you, until death due you part? Why? Had the stars ever been more misaligned?</div>
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I suppose (I admit this is likely an uncommon perspective), for the first 20 years of life I never associated being in shape with appearance. I mean you either can or can't run a mile in under 6 minutes and 30 seconds and it didn't matter how thin you are, if you didn't make your mile time you were benched until you did (this actually happened for my college basketball team, some of the thinnest girls on the team didn't pass the test).<br />
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Of course, flash forward seven years, and now I'm actually planning a wedding and less blissfully naive about society's body standards, and I totally get it. You're going to have to wear a dress in front of tons of people, some of which you haven't seen in years. You're going to be professionally photographed for hours on end. Those photos will be broadcast all over social media, so even friends and friends of friends you purposefully didn't invite will be able to judge how you look and say passive aggressive comments like, "Well she looks nice but that dress just isn't <i>for me, </i>you know?<i>"</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdShaOktX6kC06QDc0FO1aTCMZFxy42ZdxHy2gXpxZzoa1-X7b4tZ_IzUjeVJsolGNB2nTI6kcMAVG_nL-UCdHRb7sJsBpJQOfwBkFTAX4Pe0d6XAqhawNkIy4MrnvfJbdCaxBcl3EaILf/s1600/weddingdresses.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdShaOktX6kC06QDc0FO1aTCMZFxy42ZdxHy2gXpxZzoa1-X7b4tZ_IzUjeVJsolGNB2nTI6kcMAVG_nL-UCdHRb7sJsBpJQOfwBkFTAX4Pe0d6XAqhawNkIy4MrnvfJbdCaxBcl3EaILf/s640/weddingdresses.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, when we were dress shopping, I had another epiphany to counteract my miserable epiphany of yore: I'm going to buy a dress that fits me. (Note: <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-to-plan-wedding-in-48-hours.html" target="_blank">with my really short guest list</a>, I already had not invited any passive-aggressive dress judgers to my wedding.) Furthermore, being what Cosmo calls "pear-shaped"—I tried on a few tight-all-the-way-down numbers, thought "nope," and told the dress attendant that I'm going to need to buy a dress that "goes out." And, then, the whole dress shopping experience became much easier and more enjoyable.<br />
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And therefore, my friends, I present to you the ultimate wedding (anti)diet: BUY A DRESS THAT FITS. THE END.<br />
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:)</div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-25129418813795589662016-03-14T09:37:00.004-05:002016-03-20T17:49:45.987-05:00Read This: My New Author Girl Crush, Liane MoriartySo every once in a while after I read a book I think, "I need to read every book by this author." It happened right away with Emily Giffin from the moment I finished <em>Something Borrowed</em> and I've loved reading all of her books and staying up to date as her new titles come out ever since (I look forward to her new book <a href="http://www.emilygiffin.com/first-comes-love" target="_blank">First Comes Love</a>, out in June). <br />
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Well, I'm excited to report I have another official author girl crush: Liane Moriarty. This Australian writer was highly recommended to me, and as luck would have it my sister Becky bought me <em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBWOFkVoFwf/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">"The Husband's Secret"</a> </em>for Christmas, even though I hadn't mentioned the recommendations to her. Becky is an awesome gift giver!<br />
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Well, after flying through the <em>Husband's Secret </em>I knew I had to read them all :) My mom found <em>The Hypnotist's Love Story </em>for me half-priced, and I bought <em>Big Little Lies </em>used and read that in under a week, too! So I've read one Liane Moriarty book a month in 2016--not bad! She has 6 novels so these are the ones I've read:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KNjddK7GZR1EkohxuGkAwz0kemXOF2plvFMGxiENPbWyWgKMY-OjZUdsS7RjtZZeVVOKgMdi1k-cxQD3DR0G-woX9dADysjN1gqz8ChCSWFDDF9lGP1zrx6b_7hMAMS6xjQLgCiDgmuA/s1600/lianemoriartymorebooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KNjddK7GZR1EkohxuGkAwz0kemXOF2plvFMGxiENPbWyWgKMY-OjZUdsS7RjtZZeVVOKgMdi1k-cxQD3DR0G-woX9dADysjN1gqz8ChCSWFDDF9lGP1zrx6b_7hMAMS6xjQLgCiDgmuA/s640/lianemoriartymorebooks.png" width="640" /></a></div>
And these are the ones I need to read: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQpZUc179xMaQaAtv4W-O0pSkbWhqHJJ05Bj5iOzrpe5-eB9Es2m7l47Z9GNqs2kttmT3HcDIQFS7-rFKJ3azTwPGw70BjQTf86qpNZsgQKx3IaPSP5ECzOILXTNwcFLjhsNgYHathnJu/s1600/lianemoriartybooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQpZUc179xMaQaAtv4W-O0pSkbWhqHJJ05Bj5iOzrpe5-eB9Es2m7l47Z9GNqs2kttmT3HcDIQFS7-rFKJ3azTwPGw70BjQTf86qpNZsgQKx3IaPSP5ECzOILXTNwcFLjhsNgYHathnJu/s640/lianemoriartybooks.png" width="640" /></a></div>
She also writes children's books which I'm totally tempted to read as well. <br />
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But what are her books like?, you ask. Glad you asked! To keep the Emily Giffin comparison alive, I'd say she's a darker Emily Giffin. Similarly, her books center around women, but whereas most of Emily's center around, say the 25-30 year-old woman who's struggling to find love (speaking in generalities, of course), most of Moriarty's protagonists are slightly older than that, and most are moms. Or, should I say, since Moriarty is an Australian author, "mums." (Aside: I love the Australian elements thrown into these books. It's fun reading about people on the other side of the world! Who, of course, have a lot in common with us.)<br />
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I enjoy love stories, and there are certainly romantic elements weaved in throughout Moriarty's books, but it's not all love. In fact, two of the three books I've read of hers involve a murder--but don't think it's a murder mystery in the traditional sense of a crime-story genre. It's not!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtU6Rfk28z0haYawR09Ci1HMzQDmGF07gvPDzC-jd3Sr18Xose_DDnnKNU6gpEksR736FE7JI6c5Zy_HiAZuuliP1jggTpDcsFkwTgUR2Y6sJe_vOYznanx3cWPfcqOa4iScQKgIvf6_tf/s1600/lianemoriartybiglittlelies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtU6Rfk28z0haYawR09Ci1HMzQDmGF07gvPDzC-jd3Sr18Xose_DDnnKNU6gpEksR736FE7JI6c5Zy_HiAZuuliP1jggTpDcsFkwTgUR2Y6sJe_vOYznanx3cWPfcqOa4iScQKgIvf6_tf/s640/lianemoriartybiglittlelies.png" width="635" /></a></div>
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In regards to the writing itself: All of her books (that I've read) are written in third person tight with alternating points of view. I do think a challenge here is, in each book, I did start to care about one point of view more than all of the rest. (I'd love to know, if you read them, which protagonists you preferred.) Regardless of POV, she's great at incorporating humor as she writes, and adept at drilling down to little insights about life that ring so true.<br />
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Overall, I find her writing incredible relatable, fun, and full of great tension. The girl will make you want to turn the page! I'd say <em>The Hypnotist's Love Story </em>was my least favorite of the three (not as complex/layered, felt a bit too simple), so I'd recommend starting with <em>The Husband's Secret </em>or <em>Big Little Lies. </em>If you check out the books (or have read them already) I'd love to know what you think! Next up on my Moriarty book list for April: <em>What Alice Forgot </em>which is apparently a tear-jerker<em>. </em>Happy Monday, friends! xx<br />
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(First two images of books from the <a href="http://lianemoriarty.com.au/Novelspage.php" target="_blank">author's website.</a>)Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-43118623282234700432016-03-10T17:23:00.001-06:002016-03-10T17:23:25.021-06:00Honeymoon Suggestions: What Should We Do in Oregon?Of all the <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-to-plan-wedding-in-48-hours.html" target="_blank">wedding decisions</a> (venue! <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/_co2U_IF9s/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">dress</a>! flowers!), the honeymoon location was one of the most exciting for me. Stephen and I love traveling, but, since we dated for long distance for so long (when traveling = going to see the other person), we've only been on 2 big trips by ourselves during our 6+ years of dating. <br />
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Two years ago we went to <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/california-trip-advice-part-1.html" target="_blank">the California coast</a> and then, of course, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/12/hell-is-other-tourists-one-problem-with.html" target="_blank">Spain this past November</a>! Both were wonderful and, well, kind of busy. In California we went from San Fran > Carmel > <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/10/mariposa-grove-in-yosemite-and-prom.html" target="_blank">Yosemite</a> > San Fran, and in Spain we did Madrid > Barcelona > <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-4IJ0loFy2/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">Seville</a> > Madrid.<br />
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So, for our honeymoon we had a new criteria: more relaxing. Less <em>doing</em>. This is hard for me as I am, at my core, a do-er. But, our first step of picking a place is complete! We picked a domestic place as I feel the pressures of "oh-my-gosh-we-have-to-do-everything-because-we-are-in-a-different-country-and-may-never-come-back" are relieved. Plus, less guilt for skipping art museums ;) <br />
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<img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9EZaSmTqr3KLK-KMsahnZvipbqRu3uv_3JCYGtOoubQ9ZogClq09dbaKy0MrAj0QHsEGEG5UaAh6fF7sf9wGUxli7UdxKisBQIWlgjX6Hls84JZt0b5bvy0T7-My676XQumYmuNx-Iz0/s640/OregonCoastfree.png" width="640" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.photographoregon.com/Oregon-Coast.html" target="_blank">Image via here</a></div>
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We booked our tickets last night from Madison to Portland, Oregon. Our loose plan is to explore Portland some, eat delicious food, and then hit a small town on the Oregon Coast (Manzanita? Cannon Beach?) to relax. But I would LOVE to hear all of your Oregon recommendations! From restaurants to activities to just cool places to hang out!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzguxYdgpfQEXXNF5B0I8h3ovK0XqByijxvYbD8hMLdI8Nqb6FoJogJb5bxqzbdNWnUKluIDQu63qlZgCp38zyIQ9caPiBvNuXJYBFZn7m_teH1vKsWIMxbpVxQLq8InPIrDg71XAhf6c/s1600/oregoncoast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzguxYdgpfQEXXNF5B0I8h3ovK0XqByijxvYbD8hMLdI8Nqb6FoJogJb5bxqzbdNWnUKluIDQu63qlZgCp38zyIQ9caPiBvNuXJYBFZn7m_teH1vKsWIMxbpVxQLq8InPIrDg71XAhf6c/s640/oregoncoast.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.photographoregon.com/Oregon-Coast.html" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">Image via here</a></td></tr>
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Also, would love your opinion on this burning philosophical question: Does honeymooning in Oregon make us the most hipster/granola couple ever? I don't really identify as a hipster because I don't have hipster style (never wore chunky glasses in my life!). But, of course, I don't really have <i>style</i> per se all unless "I actually woke up like this" counts as a style. (Trust me, I'm not putting that sh*t on Instagram.) (Working from home most of the time does NOT improve my wardrobe, for the record).<br />
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And when a friend recently asked where we were honeymooning and I said "We're choosing between the Oregon Coast and Arcadia Park in Maine" I'm pretty sure she gave me a "OMG-you're-a-hipster" look So I'm dying to know how I should appropriately categorize myself here. :)<br />
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Thanks in advance for all your Portland and Oregon recommendations!! xxJoyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-10066192093191368802016-03-08T14:23:00.001-06:002016-03-08T14:28:07.799-06:00Warby Parker Spring CollectionCan you believe that I'm writing the word "spring" in a post title? Me neither, but it feels great. Today I took a walk outside without a hat or gloves which feels like a massive accomplishment here in Wisconsin. Before we know it, it will be time for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/70IYnwoFzX/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">fresh flowers at the Madison farmer's market</a> and the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/9Q7dihoF4K/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">lakes will un-freeze</a>.<br />
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With a new season comes new styles, and Warby Parker's spring collection has a flashy array of new <a href="https://www.warbyparker.com/eyeglasses" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">glasses styles</span></a> I wanted to share with you. :) <br />
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Aren't the colors fun? I love companies like Warby Parker, because of their strong moral conscience. For each <a href="https://www.warbyparker.com/buy-a-pair-give-a-pair" target="_blank">pair or glasses you buy, they distribute a pair to someone in need</a>. Because--get this--almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses. This (obviously) hinders their ability to learn and work. <br />
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So, if you're on the lookout for a new pair of eyewear, swing over to their site and check out their collection.<br />
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I'm working on some book review blog posts to bring to you soon, but in the mean time, enjoy the beginning of March and congrats for making it through February! xxJoyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-75329549095290940602016-02-21T18:54:00.001-06:002016-02-22T08:44:09.964-06:00An Ode to Coffee Table BooksEven posing the question: <em>What's on your coffee table?</em> seems like a weirdly in-authentic thing for me to do. As the honest answer (for years) would probably be: I don't know, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2012/12/signed-sealed-delivered.html" target="_blank">mail I got 3 months ago I can't bring myself to open</a>?<br />
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However, I am trying to turn over this new leaf in life where I stop random papers from conquering my apartment. I know! What a novel idea! Between this post and <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/decorating-rainbow-bookshelf-books.html" target="_blank">color-coding my bookshelf</a> I'm on pace to turn this blog into a full-blown interior design resource. Move over, <a href="http://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/" target="_blank">Emily Henderson</a>.<br />
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Hahaha. Haha. Ha.<br />
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Anyway, I've been thinking lately that I do appreciate my current stack of coffee table books, for a multitude of previously unrealized reasons:<br />
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a.) They are fun to open when you have a few quick minutes to read, but don't have the time to get absorbed in a novel, and are sick of looking at screens.<br />
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b.) They are perfect to flip through during commercials or particularly boring sporting events. (I know, I can be such a bad former athlete. The truth is after playing sports competitively <i>for years </i>they lose some of their luster. Like how I once heard Lauren Graham never watches herself on T.V. she acts, and that's that. (I like this incredibly flawed analogy because I'm Lauren Graham in it.))<br />
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c.) The perfect stack makes me <i>feel </i>organized. (This is a lie, but I can ignore the heap of unfolded laundry on the couch, and focus on the perfectly constructed book stack.)<br />
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Here's my current stack! As you can see, I go for more word-driven versus picture-driven books, though obviously picture-focused coffee table books are pretty too.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781101911761">WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS</a> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A TED talk in a book form? Sign me up! This insightful essay inspired by her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc">TEDx</a> talk is worth reading all the way through, but makes for a pretty coffee table book due it's lovely cover and small size. The perfect stack-topper!<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781101946909">BRAVE ENOUGH</a> by Cheryl Strayed. This (signed!) book is full of quotes from <i>Tiny, Beautiful Things. </i>I really do love it (and it's gorgeous green cover), but it's hard for me to tell if I'd appreciate it as much if I hadn't read <i>Tiny Beautiful Things. </i>Either way, I do think <b>books of quotes</b> make for great coffee table books!<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781607747307">THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP</a> by Marie Kondo. So I've read this book cover to cover (and recommend it!) but the fun part about the format of this book to make it a good coffee table number is the way she bolds/italicizes key phrases.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780156685689">OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS</a> by T.S. Eliot. Much like #2, this is representative of a successful type of book that excel on the any given coffee table: poetry! I've been reading these fun, whimsical cat poems (on which the CATS musical was based) since childhood, and they never get old. Obviously, you might not want to put a thick tome of poems on your coffee table, but shorter, quick reads with mixed in illustrations are perfect, like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BB-IrQ5IF7x/?taken-by=joycenovacek">this</a> one by Amber Tamblyn or <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/01/12-things-ive-found-to-be-true.html">this</a> one by Brian Andreas.<br />
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At the risk of sounding like Jennifer Garner in a Capitol One commercial: What's on your coffee table? :)Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-48844331058268125672016-01-27T16:37:00.000-06:002016-01-27T16:37:03.765-06:005 Favorite Books I Read in 2015It's a new year! A perfect time to reflect on all the ups and downs and trials and tribulations of the past year, and reset my focus for the forthcoming year. But that sounds simultaneously exhausting and boring—let's talk about books instead. ;)<br />
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2015 was a good reading year for me, so I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorites. And to keep things quick and easy (it is Wednesday and nearly February, after all) I'm doing three-sentence reviews.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316126675/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316126675&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=D6TKSZJMEBMWCEWV" rel="nofollow"><em><strong>The Art of Fielding</strong></em></a><em><strong><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316126675" height="1" style="border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></strong></em>
by Chad Harbach<br />
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You don't have to like baseball to love this emotional journey of a star shortstop and his friends. Just be forewarned: if you're like me, you might cry in a coffee shop while reading it. As a bonus, it takes place in Wisconsin, a truly wonderful place.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345806875/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0345806875&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=2WWIQGUFUFD2744L" rel="nofollow"><em><strong>Dept. of Speculation</strong></em></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0345806875" height="1" style="border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
by Jenny Offill<br />
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I flew through this book, full of very quick scenes and intriguing facts. Ultimately, it painted a beautiful, poignant picture of a family at their near-breaking point. When I finished the last page, I wanted to experience it all over again.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618871713/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618871713&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=JOYVDLH3D4QYZLYQ" rel="nofollow"><em><strong>Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic</strong></em></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0618871713" height="1" style="border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
by Alison Bechdel<br />
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An autobiographical graphic novel that's as surprising as it is powerful. I am now dying to see the Tony-award winning musical! If you've never read a graphic novel before, start with this one!<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385480016/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385480016&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=2GHRR4CZ636WICOF" rel="nofollow"><em><strong>Bird by Bird</strong></em></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0385480016" height="1" style="border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
by Anne Lamott<br />
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This one is a must-read for aspiring authors, but her metaphors are inspirational for anyone. I felt significantly better about my writing--and my life--by reading this. My only regret is I didn't read it sooner.<br />
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5.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307476073/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307476073&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=4PAJZDFNYBSGB5LO" rel="nofollow"><strong><em>Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail</em></strong></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307476073" height="1" style="border-image: none; border: currentColor; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
by Cheryl Strayed<br />
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One of my favorite memoirs of all time (and I am a serial memoir-reader). Cheryl Strayed's powerful personal journey feels not only incredible, but also incredibly relatable. I now also obsessively listen to her podcast, <a href="http://www.wbur.org/series/dear-sugar" target="_blank">Dear Sugar Radio</a>. <br />
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Hope you enjoyed my recommendations!! Would love to hear your fave 2015 reads! xx<br />
<br />Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-34005142271576712412016-01-05T17:39:00.002-06:002016-01-05T17:39:38.221-06:00Simple Green Smoothies RecipesI have never been on a diet. This is solely because I am self-aware enough to realize that I do not possess the necessary willpower to diet successfully. I do not possess a quarter of the necessary willpower. Any time someone says they're gluten free or vegan or, say, don't eat cheese every single meal I don't ask why? I ask HOW?<br />
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I should mention that once I did decide to give up meat for lent. I was really, really focused on this. But then, on the bus ride after our basketball game, I accidentally ate a piece of pepperoni pizza ...on Ash Wednesday. (Sorry, God.) (Thankfully, as a Presbyterian, I always considered lent deprivations as bonus points, so to speak.)<br />
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Anyway, all that to say-- I started making Simple Green Smoothies in honor of the New Year! If you haven't heard of Simple Green Smoothies, check out <a href="http://simplegreensmoothies.com/" target="_blank">their website</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/simplegreensmoothies/" target="_blank">gorgeous Instagram account</a>. You'll see (right away) that (thankfully) it's not a diet. Simply put, it's just a fun way to eat more dark, leafy greens, something I never seem to get enough of! <br />
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I've tried 3 recipes so far as part of their 30 day challenge and wanted to share them with you! (All recipes from my <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623366410/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1623366410&linkCode=as2&tag=simplegreensmoothies-20&linkId=HWEJZYEJNVARZDCG" target="_blank">Simple Green Smoothies Book</a>)</em><br />
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<strong>Very Berry Citrus</strong><br />
2 cups spinach<br />
2 oranges, peeled<br />
3/4 cup water<br />
3/4 cup strawberries (I used frozen)<br />
3/4 cup blueberries (I used frozen)<br />
1 banana<br />
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1. Blend spinach, oranges + water until smooth<br />
2. Add strawberries, blueberries + banana and blend again!<br />
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<strong>Banana Berry Blast</strong><br />
2 cups spinach<br />
2 cups unsweetened almond milk<br />
1 cup berries (I used frozen blueberries and a few frozen blackberries)<br />
2 bananas<br />
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1. Blend spinach + milk until smooth<br />
2. Add berries + banana, blend again!<br />
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<strong>Simple Monkey</strong><br />
2 cups spinach<br />
2 cups unsweetened almond milk<br />
3 bananas<br />
4 tablespoons cacao powder & 2 tbsps. almond butter {I replaced both of these things with 2 spoons peanut butter because that's what I had!}<br />
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1. Blend spinach + almond milk until smooth<br />
2. Add bananas + Peanut butter and blend again!<br />
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I have enjoyed each recipe, but I loved the Simple Monkey (I admit probably because I added PB, but as I said, not a diet :). They also have many recipes that start with kale instead of spinach...that I'm working toward trying. What do you think? Do you drink green smoothies? Would you give it a try? If you have any great green smoothie recipes...send them my way!Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-51186589199550168542015-12-15T14:45:00.002-06:002016-03-24T08:55:56.382-05:00Hell is Other Tourists: The One Problem with Seeing The World's WondersThere are many times that I'm thankful I read Jean-Paul Sartre's play "No Exit" in college. Haven't read it? Here's the theme: Hell is other people.<br />
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I know, I know, 'tis the season for more cheery sentiments about mankind, but...once you embrace this theme it is so utterly flexible and applicable that I promise you, too, will come to love it. Take, for example, Cheryl Strayed's spectacular advice column entitled "<a href="http://therumpus.net/2010/03/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-28/" target="_blank">Hell is other people's boyfriends</a>." And, on our wonderful trip through Spain, I drew the profound conclusion: Hell is other tourists.<br />
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Spain is a fabulous country—we went to Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville. While in those cities, in addition to eating <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-zGs2jIF7k/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">todos las tapas</a>, we wanted to see the sites. But here's the thing about seeing the wonders of the world—spoiler alert!—you won't be the only one there. Actually, there will inevitably be <em>so </em>many people there.<br />
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Also? Selfie sticks. So. Many. Selfie sticks.<br />
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I highly advocate going to the Sagrada Familia, the massive church in Barcelona which was Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece. It's beautiful. It's moving. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.<br />
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But, while you're walking beneath the church toward Gaudi's grave, brace yourself for someone's cell phone ring tone to loudly echo through the chambers.<br />
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"Thank God we have service down here," I whispered to Stephen.<br />
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Another place with superb service? The top of the Giralda, the tower connected to the Cathedral in Seville. After climbing the 34 ramps and few steps to the top, you <em>could </em>take in the panoramic views of the city, or you could block those views from other people and angrily yap into your cell phone. The choice is yours.<br />
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I should note that these tourists were not exclusively American. Although it's tempting to deem those we live nearest as the most exasperating of all people, my trip to Europe proves annoying tendencies know no geographical boundaries.<br />
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And of course, pictures. So. Many. Pictures. Pictures will be taken at all costs. Even, let's say, if you're sitting in a dark Flamenco theater in Seville and they explicitly said 900 times not to take pictures. The tourist in front of you will not listen.<br />
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The issue, of course, is that while you're witnessing all these irritating tourists you are hit with the cringe-worthy realization: You, too, are a tourist. You are forever bonded to these people by this unshakeable commonality. And to some say, the locals, you <em>are </em>these people. It's like the conundrum with catching someone kissing with their eyes open—the only way you can catch them is by opening your eyes. Thus, you are the victim and the culprit. You become the very thing that annoys you.<br />
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But, I digress. Thankfully, I am not a philosopher.<br />
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I write this not to deter you from witnessing popular sites, but to appropriately readjust your expectations. You likely won't have a <i>Sleepless in Seattle </i>moment at any of these places. But they are still, undoubtedly, worth going to. So, please, go to Barcelona. Walk through the Sagrada Familia and bask in the glory of Gaudi's creation. See a Flamenco show in Seville. Go to the top of the Giralda. But, for the love of the holy family, silence your cell phone.<br />
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<br />Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-60023386260448519072015-11-10T21:10:00.004-06:002015-11-11T07:24:39.457-06:00How to Plan a Wedding in 48 Hours<a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/10/our-engagement-stories.html" target="_blank">Stephen and I got engaged </a>a few weeks ago, and right after it happened I was <i>so </i>excited to be married to Stephen, but I was feeling this palpable sense of dread around planning the actual <i>wedding. </i>I was thinking I'd rather have a <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2012/08/nomadic.html" target="_blank">plane delayed by maintenance forty times</a> than make a guest list. And I'd rather miss my connection by four minutes after sprinting through the airport than take nauseating engagement photos. And I'd choose getting a flat tire and being stuck on the side of the road in the freezing cold in the middle of Illinois over anything to do with centerpieces. Do you know what you should worry about instead of centerpieces? LITERALLY ANYTHING.<br />
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Yes, I was equating my wedding planning with a series of terrible business trips of my past, and thinking those would be preferable. Because at least when you get a food voucher from the Delta lady at midnight in DTW she doesn't ask you <i>what your wedding colors are. </i><br />
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And here I must profusely apologize to every woman who has ever had a wedding or will have a wedding with a perfectly curated guest list, adorable engagement photos, lovely centerpieces, and the perfect colors. Your engagement, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and wedding was or will be amazing. Seriously. I have attended these perfect weddings and enjoyed them immensely.<br />
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And I mean this with complete sincerity: Good for you, not for me.<br />
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So....right in the midst of a few weeks of "Let's elope" thought processes where whenever anyone asked me about my impending wedding I wanted to a.) punch them in the face b.) apparate to another time zone. and c.) eat an entire tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. (To be clear, I perpetually want to do c. regardless of the topic of conversation.) Right in the midst of this brain hurricane of wedding-induced panic, Stephen helped me have this life-altering epiphany:<br />
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It doesn't matter.<br />
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Wait.<br />
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Let me say that again.<br />
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<b>IT DOESN'T MATTER.</b><br />
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I love that sentence. Yes, in some instances it has a depressing ring to it but in others—take, this one—it can be incredibly freeing.<br />
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So, in this post-revelatory happiness haze void of meaning, Stephen and I, basically, did it all in 48 hours. Chose a city (Madison), chose ceremony space, and chose a venue for a reception.<br />
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And, I surmised there are two key things you need if you want to plan your wedding in 48 hours:<br />
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<b>1. A very restricted/limited guest list. </b>People will understand. They should be cool enough to get it. If they're not cool enough to get it—do you even care about them?<br />
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<b>2. A healthy dose of apathy. </b>(See above mantra)<br />
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:)<br />
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So whatever your "wedding" of the moment is—the thing churning around, unsettling your skull, rattling your peace of mind—ask yourself: how much does it matter? Five years from now, how will you feel about this very thing that's bothering you so much right now it's eating away at your sanity? Free yourself, yo.<br />
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And never forget: There are infinite things more important than center pieces. Take cats sprawling out next to toilets, for example:<br />
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Hope you're all having good weeks! xxJoyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-79222779426584182562015-10-28T09:24:00.000-05:002015-10-28T09:24:09.750-05:00Read This: Fun Home by Alison BechdelHave you ever read a graphic novel? If not, now is a good time to start with Alison Bechdel's <i>Fun</i> <i>Home</i>. It's an autobiography called a "tragicomic" and it left me completely awestruck.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618871713/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618871713&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=6PFPVZGC3JV7GOCW" rel="nofollow">Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0618871713" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Alison Bechdel</i></b></div>
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An incredible part of this book is it's full of surprises, so I am not willing to give away any plot details (unless you've read it, then call me and let's talk forever!) but I'll discuss other elements I loved.</div>
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<i>Fun Home</i> is an autobiography about a small-town Pennsylvania family, yes, but it's <i>full</i> of literary allusions—an English major's dream come true. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Camus, James Joyce, Proust, some Greek mythology...to just name a few. I felt smarter as I read each page. </div>
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The emotional journey of the protagonist is so relatable, and really causes you to reflect on your own upbringing, however different it may have been from Bechdel's. She uses a lot of her childhood journals to piece things together, and, as I was a "journaling child" that made me smile.</div>
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Another thing I've never appreciated about graphic novels until reading this book is how very few words they get to tell a story. Her word choice is on-point, with almost a poetic quality.</div>
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Do you want to buy a copy yet? Well, I feel like a <i>should </i>mention a couple things regarding content. I think this book would be an amazing read, both for males and females, as it explores issues both sexes face, but it does not restrain itself on the female side. If you are a grown, mature man who literally can't look at a box of tampons without squirming....maybe get over it, first, then read this book. If you can't get over it, I hope with every fiber of my being that you are blessed with five beautiful daughters.</div>
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Also, if you are a grown, mature adult who has no problem in the world with heterosexual sex scenes, but just can't handle homosexual sex scenes, you should reconsider the "grown" and "mature" adjectives, read some James Baldwin, and then this book. ;)</div>
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Disclaimers aside: Everyone should read this, for their own sake. But also, because I want to talk about it with everyone.</div>
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And now, I need to know: Any other graphic novels I've been missing out on? I feel like <i>Fun Home</i> is my gateway into graphic novels, and I couldn't be more excited to explore a new genre.</div>
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p.s. Does Alison Bechdel's name sound familiar to you? You're probably thinking of <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-bechdel-test-fun-feminist-way-to.html" target="_blank">the famous Bechdel test</a> and, yep, same person.</div>
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p.p.s. Although I struggle to imagine how this story could translate into a Broadway musical—others did not. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-tony-awards-live-updates-20150607-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">It won a Tony in 2015</a>. So now, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-get-same-day-broadway-tickets.html" target="_blank">given my love for Broadway</a>, I must see it.</div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-89901602477163836682015-10-19T09:07:00.000-05:002015-10-19T17:53:34.702-05:00Our Engagement StoriesThese days, there's a lot of pressure put on a single moment—the wedding proposal.<br />
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With so many meticulously planned and filmed proposals destined to go viral, it raises a lot of questions. Does he really love her if there isn't a flashmob? Did the moment actually happen if it wasn't captured on video? Or <i>at least </i>photographed? Does the number of "likes" on a Facebook engagement announcement increase their chances at everlasting love?<br />
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All this to say...Stephen and I got engaged yesterday! And, surprisingly, no flashmobs were involved. I want to tell you the wedding proposal story—I do—but reducing our five and a half year relationship to one moment seems impossible, like <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/03/qualities-that-cant-be-measured.html" target="_blank">reducing your life to a single piece of paper</a>. I couldn't pick just one. Here are a few of our engagement stories:<br />
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When I was a junior in college, in the middle of the worst basketball season of my life, Stephen and I started dating. We're talking a single-digit win season. Stephen came to every home game. Even if you're one of the few who considers women's basketball extraordinarily exciting, these games were not that. They were often downright painful. But Stephen came, cheered, waited (and waited) (and waited) after the game for me to be done in the locker room. Stephen was my fan, from day one. His enthusiasm has never wavered, all these years later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first picture taken of us together. Photo by Cosi!</td></tr>
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Only a month or so into my relationship, my aunt died unexpectedly. I got the terrible news, then went to basketball practice. After practice, I knew Stephen had been looking forward to playing poker with a group of guys. Instead, he was at my apartment holding my favorite Dairy Queen blizzard, and refused to leave.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen's graduation weekend. Before the wine and cheese thing at Bucknell.</td></tr>
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I started this blog one year into our relationship. I was terrified to let anyone read it. Stephen would patiently proof every post, reassuring me it was good. His belief in me has caused me to more deeply believe in myself, and for that I am eternally grateful.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere on some trail in Arkansas.</td></tr>
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Stephen and I dated long distance for over two years. Most of that time, he was in Little Rock, Arkansas, and I was in Madison, Wisconsin. Nearly every time I flew down, he'd text me after I landed something like: "Got held up at work. Can you take a cab to my place?" or "Sorry, not there yet." He was always there. He was always waiting. (And often hiding behind something so I had to look extra hard for him.) Despite all the miserable things about long distance dating, I'll never forget the joy of reuniting in airports.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Getting in touch with our artistic sides in Arkansas.</td></tr>
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Since I had a job in Wisconsin, Stephen moved here. A little over a year after he moved here, I decided to quit that job. He was unquestionably supportive. Even though I wouldn't have an income. Even though we now lived in Wisconsin, away from all of our families, because of me and now I was quitting the job that brought me here. Stephen never stopped supporting me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Stephen's first weekend living in Madison! (At the terrace)</td></tr>
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Over the weekend, we flew to my home in Pittsburgh for my friend, Nicole's, beautiful wedding on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, Stephen asked if I wanted to go for a walk and, since we go for walks all the time, I agreed without thinking anything of it. We walked down to Hopewell Park and started going on a trail through the woods. The air was crisp, but not cold. The leaves on the trees shimmered in the sunlight—all shades of yellow, red, and orange—and the leaves on the ground crunched beneath our feet.</div>
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Once we neared the top of a hill, he suggested we sit on a bench for a bit, and that's when he got on one knee and asked me to marry him! Upon our return home, my entire family was there along with cake, flowers, champagne, and cute decorations. We had a big family brunch together. I couldn't stop smiling.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture snapped by Grace after showers were taken post-walk :)</td></tr>
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If I had one wish, it would be that every person in the world has someone who loves them the way Stephen loves me. I look forward to making many more stories with him for years to come. </div>
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I love you, Stephen!</div>
Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-48328678784726792072015-10-14T23:14:00.000-05:002015-10-14T23:14:53.456-05:00Favorite Madison Brunch SpotsIt's almost a travesty I haven't written this blog post yet because there are few things I do better than brunch. And one of them is hang out my cat—no shortage of <a href="https://instagram.com/p/8RhHswoF7v/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">photographic evidence of that</a>! Yet, brunching has been something I have never fully vetted on the blog: Accept my most sincere apologies. Madison has tons of great brunch spots (in my opinion), but over the last four years I've narrowed it down to my top two places to grab brunch in Madison, Wisconsin, and here they are:<br />
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<b>1. Lazy Jane's </b><br />
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I have three key things to say about cozy Willy Street house-turned-breakfast spot: scones, scones, scones.<br />
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Perhaps you're one of those people who says "I don't really like scones" and first off—I hear you. I used to live in your sad state of existence, thinking scones were dry and hard tasteless things only edible perhaps when drenched in coffee/tea or if you're England and have no other options like the all mighty muffin.<br />
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BUT THEN. I had a Lazy Jane's scone. And listen up: <b>Not all scones are created equal. </b><br />
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These scones are, to incorporate some underutilized eighth grade vernacular, the bomb.<br />
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I <i>always </i>get a scone as a pre-brunch appetizer, eat my brunch, and then occasionally (real talk) stop at the Lazy Jane's annex bakery and get another scone for the afternoon. #notashamed<br />
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But let's say you, perhaps, like eating things for breakfast that aren't just heaps of butter and sugar. I will suppress myself from asking the obvious question (what's wrong with you?) and say that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lazy-Janes-Cafe-58012837020/" target="_blank">Lazy Jane's</a> also offers delicious savory breakfast options. My boyfriend <i>loves </i>their frittata, they always have great scrambler specials, and I'm a BIG fan of their granola, yogurt, and fruit (okay, that's not savory but it is delicious).<br />
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Lazy Jane's is cash only (but there's an ATM on site) and totally worth it!<br />
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<b>2. Marigold Kitchen</b><br />
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Located right off the square, <a href="http://marigoldkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Marigold</a> has been my go-to brunch spot for years. They offer the most delicious classic breakfast classics, and amazing specials. I always check out their pancake specials, have ordered them many times, and never been disappointed. If I want pancakes, I go to Marigold's.<br />
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The only problem is their side of breakfast potatoes are <i>so </i>good, and those don't come with pancakes. So, just you're average #firstworldproblem of too many good brunch choices. They also serve up killer omelets and—if you want something more lunchy than breakfasty—high quality soups and salads too.<br />
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Their location couldn't be more perfect for Farmers' Market Saturdays, but, if you do go then, be prepared to wait a little bit for a table. The place is well-managed though, with friendly wait staff, so you shouldn't have to wait too long.<br />
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The way I look at it is going to an empty brunch spot is like going to a movie and being the only one in the theater—it's probably not very good. Marigold's is always buzzing, but always delivers. And, if you're a fancy-coffee fan, like me, you can't miss <a href="https://instagram.com/p/xuVU1HoFyQ/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">their maple latté</a>.<br />
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What are your go-to brunch places in Madison? </div>
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p.s. My <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/04/madison-coffee-shops-madison-coffee-houses-best-madison-coffee.html" target="_blank">Five Favorite Madison Coffee Shops!</a></div>
Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-66077252990742343982015-10-07T17:08:00.004-05:002015-10-07T17:08:50.877-05:00Read This: Truth and Beauty by Ann PatchettIt's hard for me to recommend <i>Truth & Beauty </i>because I can think of two words to succinctly describe it, and one of them is sad. The other word, of course, is powerful. I suppose I am advocating that you read it for the second word, if you can handle the burden of the inherent sadness. However, if you're in a state where you don't want to read a "downer" book, maybe this isn't for you. At the same time, I think we are in a culture addicted to being happy—and maybe fully recognizing and exposing ourselves to a wider range of emotions can help us, as a society, develop a sense of empathy that seems to have gone missing from the world.<br />
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In short, I recommend this book. But if you find it moderately depressing, don't say I didn't warn you.<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060572159/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060572159&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=ZEW65YIHPXPL3YHD">Truth & Beauty: A Friendship</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060572159" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Ann Patchett</i></b></div>
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Ann Patchett wrote <i>Truth & Beauty</i> shortly after her dear friend and fellow writer, Lucy Grealy, died at 39. Lucy had cancer as a child that left her face and jaw disfigured, and had over 30 surgeries in her lifetime. In <i>Truth & Beauty, </i>Ann chronicles their friendship, which blossomed while rooming together at the Iowa Writer's Workshop in Iowa City, continued long distance (predominately pen-pal style) while Lucy was in Scotland for surgery, and persisted while Ann settled in Nashville and Lucy "settled" in New York.</div>
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I must put settled in quotations for Lucy, as she never seems settled—she seems boundless. Through reading <i>Truth & Beauty</i>, I feel like I got to know Lucy on an almost intimate level. Ann includes letters from Lucy that capture her spirit, her struggles with self-worth and depression, and her desperate desire to find true love.<br />
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There's definitely some darker adult content in this book—sex, drugs, abortion, suicide attempts. Yet still, to me, the book feels sweet. I think that's due to the current of deep friendship underlying it all.</div>
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Ann also shares their collective struggles of to break into the writing world, something they both successfully did during their friendship, which I enjoyed from an aspiring writer's perspective.</div>
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Not only did this book make me want to read Ann Patchett's other works, but I also put myself on the library wait list for Lucy Grealy's memoir, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060569662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060569662&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=DEH52XCRTWSAUYAE"><i><b>Autobiography of a Face</b></i></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0060569662" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Have you read any Patchett or Grealy? Would love to know your thoughts!</div>
Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-5676349207360084652015-10-01T10:00:00.000-05:002015-10-01T10:00:04.791-05:00Watch This: The InternIf you're looking for a feel good movie to see this weekend—or just looking for an excuse to eat an exorbitant amount of butter-soaked popcorn—I recommend The Intern where Robert De Niro plays Ben Whittaker, a 70 year-old retired widower who wants to shake things up so starts interning at an e-commerce company run by Jules Ostin, played by Anne Hathaway. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/movies/review-the-intern-proves-experience-doesnt-have-to-start-at-the-top.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur" target="_blank">Photo by Francois Duhamel/Warner Bros. Pictures</a></td></tr>
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I saw it on opening day last weekend with Becky and it exceeded my expectations.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/movies/review-the-intern-proves-experience-doesnt-have-to-start-at-the-top.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur" target="_blank"><i>The New York Times </i>review</a><i> </i>has some criticisms about what director Nancy Meyers is suggesting with her Jules character, but they also say Robert De Niro steals the show, and I agree. He is absolutely captivating.<br />
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For me, it was refreshing to see a movie that didn't center around a love story. Yes, there's a bit of romance—and some marriage struggles—but the main conflicts are more work/life balance for Jules, and finding meaning in life post-retirement for Ben. During a few scenes, I laughed out loud. During a few, I teared up. And, overall, I enjoyed the movie and would recommend it! Have you seen it? I'd love to hear your thoughts!<br />
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p.s. I also just caught <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXaff0PpszM" target="_blank">the trailer for the Burnt movie</a> with Bradley Cooper, a redemption story of a two-Michelin star chef. What do you think? I definitely think I'd see it! It comes out October 23!<br />
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p.p.s. Joanna Goddard interviewed <a href="http://cupofjo.com/2015/09/nancy-meyers-interview-intern/" target="_blank">Nancy Meyers</a> and I enjoyed it!Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-63801837709046291632015-09-28T15:59:00.000-05:002015-09-28T15:59:28.994-05:00Read This: Shotgun LovesongsI rarely (never?) read books that take place in Wisconsin, so when I heard that local author and Eau Claire native Nickolas Butler's first book was not only a national best seller, but also set in small town Wisconsin, I had to grab a copy.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250039827/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1250039827&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=PDPNS3N2PSIJNP6W">Shotgun Lovesongs</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1250039827" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Nickolas Butler</i></div>
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I was incentivized to read this book, fast, because BRAVA magazine was hosting a book signing/Q&A with Nick. So I set down <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7lxo5lIF8v/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">Steinbeck</a> for a bit and gobbled this up. It was a very emotional character-driven book, and I really enjoyed my binge read.<br />
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Farmer Hank, his wife Beth, super star musician Lee, former rodeo stud Ronny, and big-time commodities trader Kip don't seem to have much in common, but they're all childhood friends who grew up together in the fictitious Little Wing, Wisconsin. But the realities of adulthood—marriages, divorces, kids, money, and a particularly incriminating secret from their pasts—threaten to get in the way of their childhood bonds.<br />
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Butler beautifully flows between five different perspectives—four male, one female—on an emotional ride through Little Wing. I was really impressed by his five distinct voices!<br />
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There's also one (minor) character named Joyce, but I was so excited about it so I thanked him for including a Joyce character when he signed my book, and he wrote this nice note:<br />
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If you're looking for a sincere story of friendship and forgiveness with Wisconsin flair (mentions of Packers and cheese curds and Leinenkugels always got me excited!), I recommend this book. Have you read it? I'd love to know what you think!</div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-79085284753888488652015-09-25T07:57:00.003-05:002015-09-25T07:57:41.237-05:00Vamos a Espana!When I put together my <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/p/101-in-1001-days.html" target="_blank">101 in 1001</a> list a little over a year ago, I added one ambitious item in my "Wanderlust" section: 34. Go to Europe! If I'm being honest, I didn't think it would happen.<br />
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Although I'm pretty well traveled within the U.S. (including Hawaii, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/california-trip-advice-part-1.html" target="_blank">California</a> a few times, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/02/wanderlust-3-spots-to-see-in-puerto-rico.html" target="_blank">Puerto Rico </a>twice, terrible places for work infinite number of times), I've never been to Europe. To me, it feels kind of like the farm with the rabbits in <i>Of Mice and Men. </i>Some far off magical dream that's never going to happen anywhere but my imagination.<br />
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But then....we booked our plane tickets to Spain! (!!!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls4pRspkm9Ha28Wq3ckQ4_2Or-St1PQXnxaq6SlmJ4ZaqWHrDvMHQqWRH3NIhhDlotqBpylXm0NZ6uBkefMwZqQNwP4DqGZOQ22EC2BTAzFRCsyxM2OIrwUEYctDJj7e1AbXe9Q6Zeepg/s1600/barcelona.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls4pRspkm9Ha28Wq3ckQ4_2Or-St1PQXnxaq6SlmJ4ZaqWHrDvMHQqWRH3NIhhDlotqBpylXm0NZ6uBkefMwZqQNwP4DqGZOQ22EC2BTAzFRCsyxM2OIrwUEYctDJj7e1AbXe9Q6Zeepg/s640/barcelona.png" width="564" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/186125397076827966/" target="_blank">*Barcelona image here</a></i></td></tr>
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Even though I traveled constantly for my last job, I never redeemed a single Delta frequent flyer mile (I'd been hoarding them for a "big trip"), so we used all miles. We are flying from Madison to Madrid in late November, and I'm <i>so </i>excited.<br />
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We are staying for 11 days and planning on staying in 3 cities: Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, with perhaps some day trips to other nearby cities. Lots of people asked me: Why Spain? Well, first off, we wanted to go somewhere neither of us have been (Stephen has seen England + Italy). Secondly, we wanted to see ONE country. We didn't want to see 9 countries in 11 days, or whatever. I know some people do that and love it, but it's not us. Also, the food :)<br />
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And now is where I need your help: Have you been to Spain? Do you have any tips? Any must sees? Restaurant recommendations?<br />
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Oh, and does anyone know how to learn Spanish in a couple months? I am listening to CD's I got from the library in my car..so that's at least a start.<br />
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I would love to hear any and all Spain advice!Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-86785049357376414522015-09-23T16:26:00.002-05:002015-09-23T16:26:25.879-05:00Field Trip: Devil's Lake<div>
I've been to <a href="http://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/" target="_blank">Devil's Lake State Park</a> a number of times over my 4+ years in Wisconsin, but we just went for the first time this year this past weekend! I can't believe the whole summer slipped away and didn't make it up there until the <i>very last </i>summer weekend. At the risk of sounding like everyone else in the world (or at least on the internet): <i>Where did this summer go?</i></div>
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I'm so glad we went, even though <span id="goog_680666674"></span><span id="goog_680666675"></span><a href="https://instagram.com/p/6lZkezIF_E/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">our cat</a> gets antsy when we leave him all day on Saturday. If you have a Wisconsin license plate, it's $7 for the day. Although you can do a number of things in Devil's Lake itself—kayak, canoe, fish, swim if it's warm enough—Stephen and I usually go for the hiking. There are many trails, but this is our favorite way is to hike around the whole lake. We park at the visitor's center on the North Shore then do the West Bluff trail, which is 1.4 miles with lots of pretty overlooks, as shown:</div>
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We actually saw some rock climbers, which both impressed and terrified me.</div>
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Then, once we made it down to the South shore, we read for a while, looking out at the lake and snacking. (Stephen's reading <i>The Fountainhead </i>which is really making me want to read it—anyone else recommend Ayn Rand? I read <i>Shotgun Lovesongs </i>by local author Nickolas Butler and enjoyed it, book review to come!)</div>
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Then, to continue our loop around the lake, we like to take the Balanced Rock Trail up to the East Bluff trail. For me, the Balanced Rock Trail is physically challenging! (Stephen hiked a trail like it all the time when he used to live in Arkansas, so it's NBD for him and I'm falling behind and trying not to slip.) It is pretty though! And you have a sense of accomplishment when you make it to the top. In my opinion, only go <i>up </i>the Balanced Rock Trail, not down. Yes, it's challenging going up it, but when I went down it on a previous trip, I just felt like I was going to fall the entire time! (You can scope out all the trails <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/devilslake/pdfs/dlparkmap04.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.) <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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Overall, it's such a pretty park (sorry for the onslaught of photos), and not a bad drive to get there at all (only about an hour from Madison). I'd love to go again when the leaves start changing, as it is officially fall now, believe it or not. Hope everyone's having a good week! xx</div>
Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-71785523440385631792015-09-14T14:24:00.004-05:002015-09-14T14:31:01.300-05:00Advice on Writing, Vol. 5: Grammar Girl PodcastAs Stephen King emphasized in <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/09/read-this-on-writing-by-stephen-king.html" target="_blank">his amazing book</a>, if you want to be a writer, you need to read a lot and write a lot. But, sometimes, one must do other things. Take laundry, for example. Or dishes. It's nearly impossible to read or write while washing dishes! That's where listening comes in. And, although my go-to is <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/09/road-tripping-audio-book-recs.html" target="_blank">audio books</a> I've recently been exploring the world of podcasts, and found one I'm really excited about and wanted to share with fellow writers: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2" target="_blank">Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing</a>!<br />
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I highly recommend this podcast. Her episodes vary in length, but are relatively short—usually between 10 and 15 minutes, which I really enjoy. Even in such a short time, I always feel like I learn a lot!<br />
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She generally begins her episodes with "Quick and Dirty tips" where she answers sent-in grammar questions. For example, is it band together or ban together? When you're using and/or as a subject, should the verb be singular or plural? And so on. I enjoy this part because I feel it helps me improve both my writing and speaking. Sure, if you're writing a book an editor will likely catch grammatical errors—but isn't it nice to feel you know as much as an editor? And to feel more confident when speaking?<br />
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Often, episodes continue with "meaty middles" which generally delve into ways to improve your writing, like understanding parallelism or story structure. I particularly liked Episode 473 from July 9, "How Understanding Toy Story Can Help You Get Into College" which went into how most Disney/Pixar movies follow the same story structure. She used great examples!<br />
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Then, she generally ends with a fun language tidbit, usually about the origin of an idiom. For example, did you know the term "following suit" stems from card games?<br />
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Her podcasts are incredibly well-researched—she'll often read excerpts from books or speeches, and gather advice from linguists if she needs to. Overall, I love this podcast because it makes me feel smarter. If you are one of those lucky people who avoids doing laundry and dishes at all costs, it would be a fun thing to listen to while driving :) <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2" target="_blank">Check it out on iTunes</a> or on the Podcast app on your iPhone!<br />
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Any other podcasts I should check out?<br />
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p.s. Advice on Writing Volumes <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/04/advice-on-writing-vol-1.html" target="_blank">one</a>, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/04/advice-on-writing-vol-2.html" target="_blank">two</a>, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/05/advice-on-writing-chuck-sambuchino.html" target="_blank">three</a>, and <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/07/advice-on-writing-volume-4.html" target="_blank">four</a>.Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-53916017522132107992015-09-07T06:00:00.000-05:002015-09-07T06:00:00.773-05:00Read This: On Writing by Stephen KingThe joys of reading an author writing about writing were revealed to me when I read <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/06/bird-by-bird-anne-lamott-review.html" target="_blank">Anne Lamott's <i>Bird by Bird </i>and loved it</a>. So, I was itching to get my hand on a copy of Stephen King's book, which so many other authors had recommended reading in the FAQ section of their websites. I've never read any King, because I am SUCH a scaredy cat when it comes to all things horror. (Embarrassing, yes. But I'll have nightmares for weeks that are no joke!) So, I was a tad hesitant to even read this book but I thought...how scary can writing be? :)<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439156816/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1439156816&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=ADB5Y4APQ2JRHIO5">On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1439156816" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </i>by Stephen King</b></div>
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Stephen King approached this book in a completely different way than Lamott approached hers. Whereas Lamott's mixed writing advice and life advice all at once (and contained <i>beautiful </i>metaphors), King split things up. The first chunk of the book (labeled C.V.) reads like a memoir (which I loved! See <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/09/what-to-read-3-memoirs-to-add-to-your.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/10/3-more-memoirs-to-add-to-your-bookshelf.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/02/memoir-monday-orange-is-new-black-by.html" target="_blank">here</a> for proof of my memoir obsession).</div>
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King had a fascinating childhood and is (duh) a very good storyteller so his childhood/early writer and recovering alcoholic stories flew by. The origin story of <i>Carrie</i>, his first successful book, is incredible. (Hint: his wife is a pivotal player in getting him to write the book that ultimately launched his career.)</div>
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Then comes a section entitled "Toolbox" where he talks about assembling your writer's tool box filled with things like vocabulary ("the bread of all writing") and grammar, and elements of style (for which he highly recommends <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/020530902X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=020530902X&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=5VAINOO3USEMXG7M">this book</a> by Strunk and White).<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=020530902X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Grammar tips from King range from relatively basic "<i>avoid the passive tense" </i>to hilarious "<b>I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs" </b>(especially adverbs that attribute dialogue.)<br />
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Once he's covered the necessary tools, King moves onto the most lengthy part of his book: <b>On Writing. </b>He delves into things from dialogue to plot to character to theme to writing method. One of my favorite parts of the book is King pulls examples from all different kinds of books, so you can dissect different writer's choices.<br />
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A few favorite parts:</div>
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<b>"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut."</b></div>
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King says he writes <b>2000 words a day</b>, and <b>recommends new writers start with at least 1000 words a day, and can take one day off a week. </b></div>
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King <b>compares writing fiction to extracting a fossil from the earth. The story is <i>there </i>you just need to patiently find it.</b> He very much prefers <i>character-driven </i>not <i>plot-driven </i>stories. He says using plot to get your story is like using a jackhammer to get your fossil. Sure, you'll get it, but it won't be pretty. Personally, I love this analogy. He is very anti-outline, thinking you should listen to your characters above all else, and I am finding this to be true for me in my writing as well. (And consistent with what Anne Lamott said in <i>Bird by Bird.</i>)</div>
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Overall, I felt like I learned SO much from reading this book, and this review (obviously) just grazed the surface. If you are an aspiring writer: read this book! And let me know what you think :)</div>
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<a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/search?q=advice+on+writing" target="_blank">p.s. Some more Advice on Writing, if you're interested.</a></div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-90692642917468596792015-09-03T17:18:00.001-05:002015-09-03T17:23:50.690-05:00California Trip Advice: Part 2I can't believe this Saturday I am heading back to the Golden State! So, I figure it was high time to share some more photos from last September :) See <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/california-trip-advice-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> for the first bunch.<br />
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After we explored San Francisco, we rented a car and headed down the Pacific Coast Highway. Let's just say for miles on end I wanted to stop every 15 minutes to take pictures.</div>
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It was a breathtaking, leisurely drive down to our <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/c/jnovacek?s=8" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> in Carmel-by-the-Sea. If you couldn't tell by the charming hyphenated addition to its name, Carmel by-the-Sea is a city overflowing with charm. The city is on a hill that spills into the Pacific Ocean. The beach overlooks the famous last hole in the Pebble Beach Golf Course. Since Carmel is not a cheap place (there were people visiting from all over the world!), we stopped a farm stand on the side of the road on the way down and stocked up on incredibly delicious and cheap avocados and almonds. So, pro tip: <b>buy fresh avocados and almonds!</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcJXgCChv37M5Oj3aPwhBXbZnGYsMQ7Lkf0B_zOmn77QbQ75mxwUn0zpstAdI0sVrHxwHMWvRGBsQClD6GTKMjtAndbZhIxfs3rO3REEe2UmIZ6V7kmUlvEEUay1hV3Qb8kg-td_1WiqR/s1600/carmelbythesea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcJXgCChv37M5Oj3aPwhBXbZnGYsMQ7Lkf0B_zOmn77QbQ75mxwUn0zpstAdI0sVrHxwHMWvRGBsQClD6GTKMjtAndbZhIxfs3rO3REEe2UmIZ6V7kmUlvEEUay1hV3Qb8kg-td_1WiqR/s640/carmelbythesea.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If time were no factor, I would have spent an entire day marveling at the cottage-style Carmel houses. Most have adorable names like Robin's Nest, Sanctuary, and Pear Tree Cottage. Of course, we opted to spend out days driving along the Pacific instead. Our airbnb was only a few minutes from the start of the 17 Mile-Drive, a drive through a gated community of famous views. For only $10, you can take your time driving through a well-marked route and stopping for the sites. The highlight of the drive is the <b>famous Lone Cyprus standing triumphantly above the Pacific. </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjM2Tc7HjTAF9COStiXFzC9CAYunEHWLIMWB9fUdjeNM9LwyN9keMpauhRMttA1SHdhYNS-UKaiAtadrnbn6aBn1Icc5AABNy42giV0Ob9TYi1wyAIoiljU2tGSrGEP64uGkECaxFhEGR/s1600/thelonecyprus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjM2Tc7HjTAF9COStiXFzC9CAYunEHWLIMWB9fUdjeNM9LwyN9keMpauhRMttA1SHdhYNS-UKaiAtadrnbn6aBn1Icc5AABNy42giV0Ob9TYi1wyAIoiljU2tGSrGEP64uGkECaxFhEGR/s640/thelonecyprus.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lone Cyprus</td></tr>
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Although you won't see the Lone Cyprus anywhere but the 17 Mile Drive, you don't have to pay for incredible views in California. <b>Driving on the PCH south of Carmel leads to the Bixby Bridge—a must-stop spot!</b> The beautiful arched bridge connecting the winding highway cutting through the mountains is a site to add to your bucket list, stat.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1AWmkGdTHbDIMEKTIE0ZvBTcCd-Z2pC4UCVbSWhFAhf4wExvLKbq9BHYs4Qf90SAZiZyoYg5og_0UyXvUtky5gCtjLaVl2MI-BlosA2qlWmCVxqTHCiclNY7ksI2Tabk4jaGvsi6zOm9/s1600/TheBixbyBridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1AWmkGdTHbDIMEKTIE0ZvBTcCd-Z2pC4UCVbSWhFAhf4wExvLKbq9BHYs4Qf90SAZiZyoYg5og_0UyXvUtky5gCtjLaVl2MI-BlosA2qlWmCVxqTHCiclNY7ksI2Tabk4jaGvsi6zOm9/s640/TheBixbyBridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bixby Bridge</td></tr>
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It's difficult to leave the Bixby Bridge, but Big Sur beckoned. The road winds on and on, and right when you think there couldn't possibly be another magnificent view, there was one. We veered off the PCH to make stop at the secluded <b>Pfeiffer Beach. This also had a $10 entrance fee but was worth every penny.</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m7-iEio0RCFTTe5HbYEiw4jW04vOe3k_yQ2UL-YFyauitLNA_msIR3DZcLEsVlICWQ0zNj06R3OxcdFWtTT2SjD5gVXS1nhlPwoLQInegiXbAnhxWHR_-p5NOfysOO12k-nWjYgBozbx/s1600/PfiefferBeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m7-iEio0RCFTTe5HbYEiw4jW04vOe3k_yQ2UL-YFyauitLNA_msIR3DZcLEsVlICWQ0zNj06R3OxcdFWtTT2SjD5gVXS1nhlPwoLQInegiXbAnhxWHR_-p5NOfysOO12k-nWjYgBozbx/s640/PfiefferBeach.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pfeiffer Beach</td></tr>
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Although the wonders of the PCH continued, we spent our evenings in Carmel, watching the sun set over the beach and eating at places like <a href="http://www.labicycletterestaurant.com/" target="_blank">La Bicyclette</a> and <a href="http://dametracafe.com/" target="_blank">Dametra Cafe</a>.</div>
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Our final stop was Yosemite. Actually staying inside Yosemite National Park is astronomically expensive, and also must be planned as far as a year in advance. However, I can't stress this enough: stay as close as you can to an entrance. You're going to inevitably be doing a lot of driving to get to Yosemite, so don't add more car time onto your trip. Also, there was actually lots of traffic in the park, so just be ready and wake up early! We stayed in an <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/c/jnovacek?s=8" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> in a one-room private apartment about seven minutes fromt he south gate which was perfect. <b>Pro tip: Go old school and print your directions! Cell service cannot be relied upon in most parts of the park, so don't trust in your GPS to get you where you need to go! </b>There's no point in splurging on a large room in Yosemite, as you'll want to spend as much time as possible outside, as shown:</div>
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Here's the breathtaking Glacier Point that looks like a painting:</div>
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We also spent a morning wandering around the vibrantly red otherwordly <a href="http://rejoycetoday.blogspot.com/2014/10/mariposa-grove-in-yosemite-and-prom.html" target="_blank">Mariposa Grove</a>, the only pictures I shared in a reasonable amount of time :) Based on our Airbnb host's recommendation, we ended up dining at <a href="http://www.narrowgaugeinn.com/dining/restaurant-bar.htm" target="_blank">The Narrow Gauge Inn</a>, a rustic steak house near where we stayed, and really enjoyed the food. </div>
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And that leads me to the biggest problem about California: There are so many beautiful sites to see, you'll never want to go home. I'm very excited to go back this weekend, though this time <a href="https://instagram.com/p/6lZkezIF_E/?taken-by=joycenovacek" target="_blank">I'll miss little TT</a>. :) Hope everyone is having a great week! </div>
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Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170300691710300105.post-68203582918284262542015-09-01T17:16:00.003-05:002015-09-01T17:16:59.989-05:00Read This: A Separate PeaceThere are quite a few classics which I a.) own and b.) have always meant to read but somehow c.) haven't gotten around to. I mentioned quite a few in my summer reading list (made entirely of books I already have), and I'm happy to report I just finished one. Checking off one of these books always feels gratifying, and, as is the case with most classics, my only wish is that I read it sooner:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7oRJR9UpZhMKazhKAeyiN1BF_G90ydMyGVwaPJE6wwN9Pu1OW0lGDFnH3V15MFGd2cxlrJw85qC0LGmufojbxwaLl7RH9vKQ1JvBZf9dBse_Qrym7IG2RLbJ15mDpHtLSFI_PGNBxh7M/s1600/aseparatepeacejohnknowles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7oRJR9UpZhMKazhKAeyiN1BF_G90ydMyGVwaPJE6wwN9Pu1OW0lGDFnH3V15MFGd2cxlrJw85qC0LGmufojbxwaLl7RH9vKQ1JvBZf9dBse_Qrym7IG2RLbJ15mDpHtLSFI_PGNBxh7M/s640/aseparatepeacejohnknowles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743253973/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743253973&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=7D6OG2NI7J6HNNLQ">A Separate Peace</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743253973" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</i> by John Knowles</b></div>
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Most people I've chatted with read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743253973/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743253973&linkCode=as2&tag=rejoyce02-20&linkId=7D6OG2NI7J6HNNLQ">A Separate Peace</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rejoyce02-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0743253973" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> i</i>n high school, but somehow my school skipped right over it. It's the story of two boys at a New Hampshire boarding school called Devon. Devon is fictitious but is based on the author's high school alma mater, Phillips Exeter Academy.<br />
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(Many boys at Bucknell went to similar schools; I frequently parked beside a car at Bucknell with a "Phillips Exeter" bumper sticker, which further made me want to read this book!)<br />
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Though Knowles accurately paints the place of the story, the time seems to be an even more powerful force of the setting: during World War II.<br />
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The two Devon boys, introverted, academically-driven Gene and sporty, extroverted Phineas (or Finny), are attending school at an intriguing time in history—when the march to high school graduation is nearly synonymous with the march to the battlegrounds.<br />
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The progressing war courses throughout the background of the story—but the tumultuous relationship between Gene and Phineas takes the forefront. They are best friends and roommates with polar opposite personalities, but still, each seems to see the other as an extension of himself.<br />
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At the beginning of the book, it seems that Gene (the narrator), rather envies Phineas and looks up to him in kind of a hero-worshipping way, he says:<br />
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<i>"He could also shine at many other things, with people for instance, the others in our dormitory, the faculty; in fact, if you stopped to think about it, Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met. I was glad of that too. Naturally. He was my roommate and my best friend." </i></div>
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However, when a terrible accident occurs and both Phineas and Gene are involved, it prompts Gene to deeply and darkly explore their friendship, and learn about himself.<br />
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I really enjoyed reading a book that focused on a complex, but deep, platonic friendship. So many books are saturated with romantic love, but friendship can be just as big of a force in someone's life, especially someone in high school.<br />
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As a warning, I wouldn't call this an <i>uplifting </i>book by any means, but, for me, it was thought-provoking, beautifully written (I <i>loved </i>his metaphors and how they often related to nature), and definitely worth reading.Joyce Novacekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05837877707195302516noreply@blogger.com0