We all have "second thoughts." Some examples of second thoughts for me are thinking that I might dig in and get some real spring cleaning done, and when I get close to starting that project, I have second thoughts and decide to have a cup of coffee and a doughnut instead. Other times I second guess my first decision are mainly when I go to a restaurant. Because there are so many choices on the menu, I have a decision making dilemma on my hands when it comes time to order. Would I like to have that double decker hamburger for lunch, or should I stick to something healthy and nutritious, like maybe a soup or salad? Then there is always the possibility of just skipping the main dish and going straight for the desserts, which poses yet another dilemma, and that is, would it be wise to opt for the cherry cheesecake or should I splurge and have a nice slice of that chocolate cake that looks so awesome? My "gut" tells me to go for the chocolate, but my more sensible side opts for the cheesecake, because, after all, it's sure to be healthier, since it contains so many of the necessary components of the food pyramid.
If you're like me, and find yourself sweating every decision you make, "On Second Thought: Outsmarting Your Mind's Hard-Wired Habits" by Wray Herbert is for you! Because our lives are literally full of millions of choices, some trivial and some life-altering important, our brains help us to differentiate between the right and wrong choices we make every day. Things get a little dicey, however, when we rely on our "gut" reactions, which may sway us into making poor decisions, and some that can be downright perilous. This book explores the workings of the mind and how to know when to trust the instant response that may come naturally and when to question it and alter our perceptions to make more sensible and rational decisions. For more great, new, non-fiction choices at JCPL, read on!
Leaving their families behind in Ohio and Wisconsin, Bobbi Montgomery and Alice Honeywell set out on a cross country journey 3600 miles long powered by their bicycles and their sense of adventure. Defying the aches and pains, these two friends saw the countryside in all its glory, discovering challenges and a deeper bond of friendship along the way. "Across America by Bicycle" by Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery offers a glimpse of America through the encounters of these two retirees.
Artfully separating fact from fiction, "Wicked River: The Mississippi When it Last Ran Wild" by Lee Sandlin is action packed with history, people, and their fates as they live along the banks of the Mississippi River. This elegant story includes the days of the river before manmade concrete lined the banks, and comes complete with topographical maps and temperature charts that give the true picture of the mighty, majestic Mississippi.
How we see and how our eyes see are two different things. Our perception of what is before our eyes is enhanced by our brain, our experiences, and our memories. What our eyes see are details of what is before us. In "The Mind's Eye" by Oliver W. Sacks, the author shares his knowledge of neurological issues that affect the eyes by presenting case histories as experienced by patients in his neurological practice at Columbia University Medical Center. This exploration of the human condition when devastating events hinder normal vision is told from the compassionate viewpoint of a physician who has not only seen the results of vision loss in his patients, but has also experienced a devastating loss of vision himself.
In my mind's eye I see cherry cheesecake on the food pyramid, and lots and lots of books to choose from at my local branch of the Jasper County Public Library. Put the two together, and it's one of the easiest and best decisions I've ever made!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Yippee Skippy; New Fiction at JCPL!
Raccoons are smart animals. They can scout out a meal or a snack with very little effort. A recent news story in the Post Tribune recounted the tale of one raccoon that came pretty close to living his life out in the dark recesses of a peanut butter jar. The peanut butter must have been good to the last drop; in an effort ot get every last scrap of peanut butter, the raccoon put his head in the jar and promptly got it stuck. Resourceful to the very end, the raccoon sat on a post with the jar on his head until some kindhearted passerby stopped and relieved him of his temporary head-gear. He has been affectionately nick-named "Skippy" by the locals, and is presumably living happily ever after. Not to be outdone by a raccoon, in "Skippy Dies" by Paul Murray, Daniel "Skippy" Juster falls in love with Frisbee-playing siren, Lori, a girl who is just about as unattainable for Skippy as the hope of getting an empty jar of peanut butter off of the head of a hungry raccoon. Lots of crazy things have been done in the name of love, and Skippy Juster's situation is no exception. He's heading for a showdown; a fatal doughnut race which will leave only one man standing, and that one man will be the lone survivor. "Skippy Dies" is just one in a long line of new fiction titles available at the Jasper County Public Library. Read on!
In the days just prior to the Civil War, two women from very different backgrounds embark on a journey, risking everything for the sake of freedom. Hannelore Blessing is a plantation mistress who befriends Livie, a slave girl. The two women learn the meaning of trust, love, and friendship as, aided by Hannah's suitor, Colt, they move ever closer to the secret of the Underground Railroad and the freedom, but also the unimaginable danger, that lurks along the way in "Promise Bridge" by Eileen Clymer Schwab.
Former homicide detective, Mike Wire, has had enough of the violence of the big city and finds refuge on a Montana ranch. Trouble seems to follow him, however, and peace is hard to find in the badlands, where, beneath the calm surface, lie the bones of a dinosaur family; bones that are very valuable and much sought after in "The Dinosaur Hunter" by Homer Hickam.
After serving five years in prison for shooting, but not killing, her husband, Sunny has been released. Jackson is an anthropology professor who only wants to return to Africa, but meets Sunny and is mesmerized by her instantly. As the two begin a relationship, Jackson finds himself entranced by Sunny's past involvement with a snake-handling church, and follows her to the Church of the Burning Bush with Signs Following to do fieldwork. "Snakewoman of Little Egypt" by Robert Hellenga is the vivid portrait of intimacy between Sunny and Jackson as they dance between the "safe harbor" of their lives and the "wider sea of courage, risk, and adventure," that is the inspiration for this melancholy but uplifting story.
Little Guadalajara is a trailer park inhabited by illegal laborers. The park manager has been hired by a financial syndicate with intentions of developing the property, but a teenage girl living in Little Guadalajara stands in the way of their plans. The residents there believe that she has a gift, and when she is the only witness to a murder, she runs for her life, and the only person who can possibly save her from certain death is Doc Ford in "Night Vision" by Randy Wayne White.
That raccoon with a jar of peanut butter stuck on his head inspired some good Samaritan to stop and do the good deed of saving him. To that and to the great, new fiction titles on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library, I say, "Yippee Skippy!"
In the days just prior to the Civil War, two women from very different backgrounds embark on a journey, risking everything for the sake of freedom. Hannelore Blessing is a plantation mistress who befriends Livie, a slave girl. The two women learn the meaning of trust, love, and friendship as, aided by Hannah's suitor, Colt, they move ever closer to the secret of the Underground Railroad and the freedom, but also the unimaginable danger, that lurks along the way in "Promise Bridge" by Eileen Clymer Schwab.
Former homicide detective, Mike Wire, has had enough of the violence of the big city and finds refuge on a Montana ranch. Trouble seems to follow him, however, and peace is hard to find in the badlands, where, beneath the calm surface, lie the bones of a dinosaur family; bones that are very valuable and much sought after in "The Dinosaur Hunter" by Homer Hickam.
After serving five years in prison for shooting, but not killing, her husband, Sunny has been released. Jackson is an anthropology professor who only wants to return to Africa, but meets Sunny and is mesmerized by her instantly. As the two begin a relationship, Jackson finds himself entranced by Sunny's past involvement with a snake-handling church, and follows her to the Church of the Burning Bush with Signs Following to do fieldwork. "Snakewoman of Little Egypt" by Robert Hellenga is the vivid portrait of intimacy between Sunny and Jackson as they dance between the "safe harbor" of their lives and the "wider sea of courage, risk, and adventure," that is the inspiration for this melancholy but uplifting story.
Little Guadalajara is a trailer park inhabited by illegal laborers. The park manager has been hired by a financial syndicate with intentions of developing the property, but a teenage girl living in Little Guadalajara stands in the way of their plans. The residents there believe that she has a gift, and when she is the only witness to a murder, she runs for her life, and the only person who can possibly save her from certain death is Doc Ford in "Night Vision" by Randy Wayne White.
That raccoon with a jar of peanut butter stuck on his head inspired some good Samaritan to stop and do the good deed of saving him. To that and to the great, new fiction titles on the shelves of the Jasper County Public Library, I say, "Yippee Skippy!"
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