Hey Guys, I Read a Book for Pleasure!

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It feels like while at school, there is very little time to do simple things like reading for pleasure. If I"m going to read something, it usually is for a class and is not something that I always enjoy. This past week however, I actually spent an entire Saturday afternoon starting and finishing a book. It was so enjoyable and really nice just to be fully absorbed in a story.

In case you couldn't tell, I read the much talked about novel Room by Emma Donoghue. If you know what novels are out there right now, I"m sure you've heard about this. My English-major friend Austin (who is now in Scotland studying abroad so I'm going to pass her book around to my friends until she gets back) gave this to me to reading just by saying, "Carly, you have to read this. I read it in like four hours and it was amazing." We sort of like to think of ourselves as book-loving folk so I tend to listen to her suggestions. This. Book. Is. A. Ma. Zing!!!

I'm not going to spoil anything, but I'll give you the premise. The entire novel is told from the perspective of a five year-old boy, Jack, who lives with his mother in a single locked room. It's the only home he's ever known, but as his curiosity grows (and his mother grows less sane) he starts to wonder about the rest of the world. This book is such a quick read and sucks you in immediately. Jack's innocence and the world he creates around him pulls at your heart. This is probably the best book that I've read in a while. So go get your hands on a copy, snuggle under covers, grab a cup of tea, and enjoy.

Does anyone else have the same problem with having time to read? What are you reading now? I'm always very interested in suggestions from the real people out there.

Let's Get Inspired: Cool Weather

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I'm thinking about starting this new segment on  Framed Personality. If we open our eyes to the world around us, we'll find a whole host of things that inspire us. To me Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. I could be inspired to bake a pie, hem some jeans, read, a book. That's the beauty of it.

This week's inspirational theme is Cool Weather (and yes I'm going to capitalize it). It is now officially October which means Fall should be in full swing. These past couple of weeks in New England have been pretty warm and very humid. I'm so looking forward to the cool breeze outside and what I like to call Sweater Weather. I recently bought a bunch of cardigans on sale at my J. Crew outlet so I've been itching to wear them out, but it's been too stinking hot to do so! Bring on the cool.

Cool Weather inspires a lot of things in me. I'm not really into Spring Cleaning, instead I wait until this time of year to get my room/life in order. This weekend, the temperature dropped and I actually vacuumed my dorm room much to the surprise of my mother. I also don't really like coffee during the warmer months, but once the mercury goes down, I start my little Keurig and get the coffee brewing. The Fall also inspires a sort of polarity in me. I love taking brisk walks outside, and then coming into the warm and curling up under my duvet with a good book. I like the idea of both outside and inside within a small time span.

I also really just love looking out of m window onto the quad while the leaves change colors and start to fall. I just hope that the transition into Fall in Worcester is smooth. It's been really rainy and grey here. Bring on the clear blue skies and the subtle breeze and let's wear those cardis!

So what does the Cool Weather inspire you to do? Any other inspirations out there this week?

I'm Obsessed!: Parks and Recreation

I've been having an exceptionally productive weekend so I decided to reward myself with continuing this momentum and putting up another post. This week, my obsession is really just a continuation of a love I've had for the past couple of years. Parks and Recreation is a fantastic show that's been around for the last four fall television seasons. Initially I didn't get on the Parks and Rec bandwagon because I unfortunately thought it was going to be a less-funny outdoors The Office. Oh my honky-dory goodness, I was sooooo mistaken. Two years ago, I was surfing on Netflix like I usually do and thought I would give this show a try (each episode's only like 25 minutes so what was it going to hurt?). For awhile they only had the first two seasons up, but they recently put the third up and it's awesome! The fourth season also started back up on NBC like two weeks ago so I'm actually able to be up to date on the happenings of Pawnee, Indiana. So who makes this show one of the best out there today?

#1 Ron F*****' Swanson!

I absolutely love this god-like man (You see that mustache right?). He is the director of the Parks and Recreation department of the Pawnee Government and could care less what anyone wants/thinks/fears. He is a rock that has very strong libertarian values and wants the entire government to crumble around him. All of his opinions aside, he is a truly caring person with the heart of a lion. He loves meat even more than I do. Was shaped by his two ex-wives and mother, all three named Tammy. That it's necessary that I, and now you, love this man.

#2 Leslie Knope

Amy Poehler is a genius here. That's all that really needs to be said. I personally find Leslie Knope's optimism inspiring. I wish I could be as goal-driven as her. She really has all of her ducks in a row (don't worry, I'm like  70 years old so I can use phrases like that) and that's all I really want with my life.

#3 Andy Dwyer/Bert Macklin

His childlike innocence is just so endearing. He's such a simple person with simple needs. Anytime he says anything I swoon. He's a real life shoe-shiner for God's sake! I didn't know they still had those! He loves often and hard. He's the lead singer/guitarist of a band that is usually called MouseRat, but has gone through such band names like Scarecrow Boat, Just the Shaft, and Threeskin (formerly Fourskin). He is introduced to us in the first season as a man who fell into a large pit and broke both of his legs. He is the man.

#4 Tom Haverford

Tom Haverford! This pint-sized man uses the government to his advantage to promote both his club and his own business Entertainment 720. His partner in crime's name is Jean-Ralphio. That might be the best name in the history of names. He gets this smile and look on his face when something goes his way that just kills me. He is also the inventor of the magical machine DJ Rumba which is half Rumba vacuum half iPod. He's very insecure about the way he looks and just wants to live the millionaire's dream

#5 April Ludgate

This is probably just because she reminds me so much of my younger sister Katie. She has a dry sense of humor and has a very difficult time expressing her feelings. She speaks fluent Spanish and has lived with a boyfriend in Venezuela. She loves Andy with all her heart but doesn't like to show it. She's also Ron Swanson personal assistant because she doesn't answer phones or let anyone borrow Ron. She likes people, places, and things!

So what are you waiting for? Go to Netflix/find a person you know with Netflix and watch every episode of this gem. I promise you will not be dis appointed. Just to give you a clue, when I need something funny but well-known on in the background I either choose Arrested Development or Parks and Rec.

P.S.~ I was really hoping that Pawnee was a real place that I could visit, but when I googled it, this is what came up: http://www.pawneeindiana.com/

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