Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?
It is that combination of traits and experiences of that particular person that makes them unique.
Month: March 2024
Waking Lions Book Review
Guilt is a powerful emotion. It holds a certain power over us that other emotions cannot.
Waking Lions, by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, was published in 2018. Dr. Eitan Green has nothing to complain about. He has a successful career as a neurosurgeon, is happily married to a police officer, and has two healthy children.
After a long shift, Eitan is driving home when he hits an African migrant, killing him. Instead of waiting for the authorities to come, he pretends like he was never there.
The next morning, the man’s widow comes calling. She knows that Eitan killed her husband. Instead of asking for a financial bribe, she threatens to reveal secrets that could destroy everything he has built.
The premise of the novel is promising. The problem is that this promise is surface-level. I tried to get into it, but I couldn’t.
Do I recommend it? No.
Waking Lions is available wherever books are sold.
Why Did It Take Chuck Todd Calling Out His Superiors on Live TV For Ronna McDaniel to be Fired?
In any democratic country, the job of the press is to remind the politicians to whom they must answer to.
Last weekend, former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel (who pushed aside her maiden name and association with her uncle Mitt Romney for the sake of the former guy) was a guest on Meet the Press. Later in the broadcast, former host Chuck Todd called out his superiors for hiring McDaniel in the first place and defended current host Kristen Welker. McDaniel was promptly fired after other employees in the organization followed suit.
The purpose of Meet the Press and other shows of its ilk is to give the public a pseudo-one-on-one opportunity with those in the halls of power. It is supposed to provide a balanced perspective. The problem is that she is too far to the right. If NBC wants to show both sides of the aisle, they should perhaps choose a more moderate mouthpiece.
Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America Book Review
When chaos reigns, destruction does not always come from outside. The attack that is often unseen and devastating comes from inside.
Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, by Barbara McQuade, was published last month. In most democratic societies, disagreements are normal. But there is a vast gulf between differing opinions and using disinformation to threaten the very foundations of the United States.
Some of the topics include authoritarianism (citing Ruth Ben-Ghiat), how lies and half-truths are disseminated, and how we can prevent it from creating irrevocable damage.
This book is a must-read for anyone who truly believes in the power of true democracy and protecting it. Given how precarious our current political position is, this title is if nothing else, a reminder of what we are fighting for.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America is available wherever books are sold.
Saved by the Bell Reboot Character Review: Gil Vatooley
The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).
*I apologize for the less-than-regular posting as of late. I can only do so much in a day.
*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show Saved by the Bell. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the program. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.
Treachery can take many forms. When Gil Vatooley (Matthew Sato) enters Bayside High School, his determination to succeed within student government is only matched by the zeal of Daisy Jiminez (Haskiri Velasquez). This mutual drive turns into a romantic relationship.
Working together on both the student hotline and the talent show, Gil and Daisy seem to be made for each other. But he is not what seems to be. His real name is Jake Takamura and he is from Bayside’s longtime rival, Valley High School. Gil/Jake has gone undercover to make sure that Bayside loses the annual spirit competition.
He also seems to know how to get under the skin of Mac Morris (Mitchell Hoog). Whether it is using Mac’s insecurities or perhaps an unstated attraction to Daisy, Gil knows how to push his buttons.
After revealing his real name, Gil/Jake tells Daisy that he loves her. But her allegiance is with her school and her friends. She tells him (in her own way), where he can go.
To sum it up: it takes a smart person to pretend to be someone else and undermine the enemy. But it also shows their true colors, both good and bad. This person is loyal to their people, but they also know how to manipulate the other side.
Which is why he is a memorable character.
This will be my last Saved by the Bell character review post. The next group of characters I will be reviewing are…you will have to come back and find out.
I Would Name a Library
Daily writing prompt
If you could have something named after you, what would it be?
A library is more than a building or a room with books. It is a temple of learning that allows anyone to see beyond the confines of their corner of the world.
The Reason I Stopped Watching the News: The One-Sided Perspective of the Current Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
I usually consider myself to be an optimistic person. As Anne Frank wrote in her journal nearly a century ago:
“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
But I also live in the real world. Antisemitism is on the rise and has risen tenfold since October 7th. Earlier this week, the Associated Press awarded team picture of the year to an image of the body of Shani Louk being taken to Gaza.
It’s as if she was not a human being who was killed because of her faith and nationality. The taking of her corpse is akin to bringing a prize kill home from an African safari.
I want to believe that the press is there mainly to report the facts and let the public make up its own mind. But I know better. It is this knowledge that both scares me and increases my pride as a Jew.
I know that this will have to end sometime. But I don’t know when and how many will be killed (on both ends) and how much will be lost to hate.
Forever Your Earl Book Review
Cross-class differences always make for a great story. Within the romance genre, this tale has been a staple for a millennium.
Forever Your Earl, by Eva Leigh, is the first book in the Wicked Quills of London series.
Eleanor Hawke is a self-made woman. While most of her gender are financially reliant on the men in their lives, she is proud to have built up her newspaper from nothing. Her life revolves around her work and her friends. The last thing she is expecting is to see Daniel Balfour, the Earl of Ashford walk into her office.
Ashford’s reputation is that of a rake. His exploits are legendary. But he is also on a secret mission that is of the utmost importance. The only way to hide his real mission is to offer her an opportunity to experience his world firsthand and then report back to her readers. Ashford has no idea that their relationship will become more than a professional one.
Their romance is an unlikely one. Eleanor had to raise herself. Though she is not a fresh out of the schoolroom virgin, marriage is far from her list of priorities. Especially to a member of the aristocracy.
Underneath the image of a man who has done it all and seen it all, Ashford is a man with conviction and heart. When he loves, he loves completely. Like Eleanor, he is not looking for a spouse. But fate has other plans.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely.
Forever Your Earl is available wherever books are sold.
A Favorite TV Comedy Always Makes Me Laugh
At the end of a long and hard week, there is nothing better than a TV that I’ve seen a million times but still makes me laugh. I know the joke is coming, but that doesn’t matter. I still feel the release and the temporary break from reality.
Flashback Friday: 1989: The Year That Made Us (2019)
In the moment, the changes that are in front of us are not always easy to see. In some circumstances, it takes years or decades to acknowledge the alteration.
The Hulu miniseries, 1989: The Year That Made Us, was released in 2019. Throughout the six episodes, the program explores the changes in politics, technology, world news, and culture that shaped the world to come.
I enjoyed this series. Through my now adult eyes, I can see the full arc of time and metamorphosis. I also remember that time through childhood eyes, providing a complete image of that year.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
All episodes of 1989: The Year That Made Us are available for streaming on Hulu.
Writergurlny 
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