Diary of a Word Nerd

Five Books to Give for Mother’s Day

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 12 Comments

A beloved mom deserves something special for Mother’s Day. Give her a gift that will stimulate her brain and make her smile: a book, of course! But which one? I’ve invited some of my favorite blogging buddies to share micro-reviews of perfect books to give for Mother’s Day.

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

Review by Amy Makechnie of Maisymak

Have you heard? We’re not supposed to call girls “bossy” anymore. This idea comes from Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandburg. Examining women’s progress in leadership, Lean In has great ideas like “sit at the table,” and “ask!” Sheryl is the COO for Facebook, a mother of two, and writes about her leaning in to education and careers instead backing away out of fear or the unknown future regarding children and marriage.

Strangely enough, I enjoyed this book immensely even though I am a stay-at-home mom and believe the best work women will ever do is within the walls of our own home. Lean In doesn’t exactly champion full-time motherhood, yet I felt more empowered to LEAN IN to my job as a full-time mother AND take opportunities to impact the greater world. Told in a personal, warm style, I found myself relating to, and greatly admiring the brilliant Sandberg.

P.S. Sometimes I still need to tell my girls to stop being bossy. Bossy is a gift 🙂

Deliberate Motherhood and Motherhood Realized from Power of Moms

Review by Amy Makechnie of Maisymak.

Power of Moms was created as a gathering place for deliberate mothers, and it’s not a site featuring the most amazing crafts you’ll never be able to make. Rather, the entire focus is on our potential as women doing “the hardest job we’ll ever love.” The first published book, Deliberate Motherhood, is authored by over 60 mothers who write about 12 core values such as joy, peace, and love. The follow-up book, Motherhood Realized is another fantastic compilation and features one of my favorite motherhood writers, Katrina Kenison. Great gifts for any woman, Motherhood Realized just hit #1 in Motherhood and #1 in Parenthood on Amazon. The best thing about reading both of these books? Peace and empowerment.

Suburban Haiku: Poetic Dispatches from Behind the Picket Fence by Peyton Price

Review by Dana Hemelt of Kiss My List

Suburban Haiku is Peyton Price’s take on suburban parenthood. On the outside, this book is adorable – perfect for an ottoman or coffee table. On the inside, the humor and wit had me giggling and nodding as I read it in one sitting. I could have written many of these haikus (because I can relate, not because I have poetic talent), but they will amuse any reader regardless of age, gender, or suburban-ness.

I interviewed Peyton about her book, completely in the form of haikus. Here’s a snippet:

Me:
What inspires you
To write these little ditties
And why choose haikus?

Peyton:
People talk too much
about ridiculous things.
This is my revenge.

And one of my favorites from the book:

I do feel better
after those thirty crunches.
Chips are delicious.
-Suburban Haiku, page 25

The Mother of All Meltdowns by A Bunch of Hot Mamas Losing Their Cool

Review by Nicole Goodman of Work In Sweats Mama

Hey mama. Are you carrying around a suitcase of mommy guilt in excess of the carry-on limit?

It’s time to lighten your load with hilarious, heartwarming, and heroic tales of motherhood from 30 mama bloggers and writers in The Mother of All Meltdowns. You’ll laugh until you cry. And maybe pee yourself a little bit.

But, more importantly, you’ll realize no mother is perfect, and pinterest-perfect moments pale in comparison to the silver linings found in every inevitable meltdown.

So, mamas, grandmamas, mamas-to-be, and everyone who knows a fabulous mama, grab a glass of wine, a bar of chocolate, or the biggest Fountain Coke on the planet and indulge in a little motherly mayhem.

Also, the Kindle version is only $0.99 through Mother’s Day!

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Review by The Word Nerd (me!)

When I read the first page of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, I burst out laughing, but Semple offers more than humor in this clever novel. Years ago, Bernadette Fox earned respect and admiration in world of architecture. But somewhere in the midst of marriage and motherhood, Bernadette has disappeared- literally and figuratively.

Her loving daughter Bee sets out to find her, collecting emails and letters as clues. (And making a large chunk of the book epistolary- or written in letters- a refreshing format.) Bernadette’s agoraphobia and wit give her the most unique and compelling voice I’ve read in awhile, and I missed her when she disappeared. A must read!

[Word Nerd Note: agoraphobia = abnormal fear of being helpless in an embarrassing or unescapable situation that leads to the avoidance of open or public places]

I hope this helps you find a great book to give (maybe even to yourself!)

Have you read any of these and do you have any books to add to my recommendations?

Thanks!

Julia

Tweetable: Mother’s Day gift ideas from the word nerd, @juliatomiak. Five great books to give!

Improving vocabulary

Vocabulary from Frozen: Fractals

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 28 Comments

Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, a great way to learn new vocabulary. Visit Kathy at Bermuda Onion for links to more interesting words from books and life.

My word today comes from the movie Frozen. Perhaps you’ve heard of it, even if you don’t have children who watch it five times a week? My daughter and I didn’t see it until a month ago. (Shocking, I know!) We were put off by the princesses, but now, Frozen is my favorite Disney movie ever, because it shatters all the typical stereotypes:

The apparent “Prince Charming” turns out to be a jerk.
The apparent “Prince Charming” gets punched by one of the princesses. (My daughter’s favorite part.)
The act of true love involves one sister sacrificing for the other- not a broad chested knight on a powerful steed.

The most popular song from Frozen, called “Let It Go”, has a word that perplexes me and my children: fractals.

My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around.

My daughter thinks it means particles, but I decided to look it up. Good thing I did.

fractal \’frak-təl\ noun; from French fractale and Latin fractus meaning broken; any of various extremely irregular curves or shapes for which any suitably chosen part is similar in shape to a given larger or smaller part

Whew. That’s a mouthful. Here’s another more succinct definition from the Fractal Foundation website:

A fractal is a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales.

Fractals have to do with math and patterns, and we can find them readily in nature. My guess is that the “frozen fractals” from the song are the repeating patterns in snow flakes. (Note the clever use of “flurries” as a verb in the preceding line.) I love the idea that nature has mathematically predictable patterns- it reinforces my belief that a higher power created our world with a plan in mind.

Word Nerd Workout

Think of where you have seen, or might see, fractals. Turn to nature to help you. Where are there repeating patterns that look similar in different sizes? Share them in the comments.

Also, thinking ahead to summer, check out the Fractal Foundation website for some cool math fractivities.

If patterns interest you, check out my post on tessellations.

For some words to make you smile, visit Eli at Coach Daddy; today is Honest Day, but he’s collected some six word lies (about chocolate, bacon, exploding diapers and housework) that will have you chuckling!

Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!

Julia

Tweet: What are the frozen fractals Elsa sings about in “Let It Go”? @juliatomiak, word nerd, explains. #Frozen http://ctt.ec/GatRZ+

Book reviews/How to encourage reading/Recommended kid lit

Why You Should Read The Eighth Day

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 11 Comments

I’ve always had a thing for stories about King Arthur. The cute guy who sat next to me in my Arthurian Legends class at UVA definitely encouraged my interest. But the old language of the classic tales has kept my kids from sharing my excitement about King Arthur and his knights – until now.

The Eighth Day, by Dianne K. Salerni, brings the mythology and magic of King Arthur to 21^st century kid lit. If inquisitors, honor blades, and sorcerers grab your attention, this book is for you.

The Premise

The Eighth Day is often compared to Rick Riordian’s The Lightening Thief series. It has a similar blend of modern and magical, except the mythology is Arthurian in The Eighth Day, instead of Greek.

The main character, Jax Aubry, lives with his seemingly irresponsible guardian, 18-year-old Riley Pendare. Jax is lonely and miserable, until his thirteenth birthday. Then he discovers a mysterious eighth day wedged between Wednesday and Thursday when everyone seems to disappear, except for a strange girl in the house next door.

Jax also learns that he has the magical ability to make people answer his questions, whether they want to or not! (A power I wish I could have. Who broke the piano bench?) His guardian Riley can force people to do his bidding with the magical ability to command. (Again, why can’t I have this power? Put away your laundry. That would be handy with four kids!)

With Jax’s new found power comes knowledge of a secret magical world, where the descendants of Merlin, Arthur, and the Lady of the Lake battle against greedy and powerful enemies. And it turns out that Riley is much more than just a sloppy teen who forgets to pay the electric bill. Jax must quickly figure out who to trust if he – and the “normal” world – is going to survive.

What the Kids Say

I enjoyed the blend of action and mythology in The Eighth Day, and I’m glad Dianne included some visual aids to explain lineage! But don’t take my word for it; my three oldest kids read it too and shared their thoughts. (Note: The Eighth Day is labeled “middle grade”, which means it’s targeted to kids aged 8-12.)

My 13-year-old son thought it was good because it used a new idea that he hadn’t seen in other books. (And he’s read A LOT of books.)
My 12-year-old daughter liked that the plot wasn’t all action but included character building scenes. She also liked Evangeline, another main character, because she was smart and strong and wasn’t afraid to stand up to the evil guys.
My 10-year-old son liked the action at the end but wished it had “more stuff going on” in the beginning and middle. Early in the book, Jax spends a lot of time learning about the magical world and the history behind it.

I agree with my daughter’s assessment, as I prefer a balance of action and story development like you find in the Harry Potter series. I only read the first book in The Lightening Thief series because there was too much action and not enough meat. The Eighth Day feels more like Harry Potter, and I’m looking forward to following Jax and his friends in the rest of the series. I’m hoping that in later books, Dianne includes even more mythology about Arthur.

You can find out more about The Eighth Day and Dianne Salerni by visiting these links:

Do you like stories with magic and mythology? Do you think you’ll give The Eighth Day a try?

Julia

Tweet: The Eighth Day brings Arthurian myth and magic to modern #kidlit! A must read from @diannesalerni #amreading http://ctt.ec/f4485+

Improving vocabulary

What Does Modicum Mean?

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 14 Comments

Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, the weekly meme hosted by Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Stop by Kathy’s blog to join the word nerd party!

My word today comes from the fantastic (in more ways than one) world of Artemis Fowl. I’m now listening to book number eight, the last one in the series. Sniff. I’m sad that it’s almost over. If you have kids who like adventure stories, and you’re looking for good audio books for long car rides, Artemis is the evil genius turned hero that you need!

Since I was listening to an audio book, I can’t quote an exact sentence. But here’s a close approximation:

Artemis couldn’t find a modicum of comfort in the cramped fairy shuttle.

modicum \’mä-di-kəm; also mō-\ noun; from Latin modicus moderate and modus measure; a small amount.

I think it implies disappointingly small amount, like My kids share only a modicum of their Easter candy stash with me.

Word Nerd Workout

Webster’s Online Dictionary lists several humorous synonyms for modicum. Can you think of one? My example: iota.

My son only put an iota of asparagus in his mouth and immediately started gagging.

Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!

Julia

Tweet: Word Nerd Word: modicum = disappointingly small amount; my kids shared only a modicum of candy via @juliatomiak http://ctt.ec/KmuIH+

Appreciating Poetry

What is Jazz Poetry?

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 1 Comment

There has always been a strong musical component in poetry. In some cases, like Jazz Poetry, music plays a huge role. Please welcome my guest, poet and fellow Wordsmith Studio Member Michelle Pond, as she introduces us to Jazz Poetry.

Swinging is not a word that most people associate with poetry. Those of us who enjoy jazz poetry do.

As noted in “A Brief Guide to Jazz Poetry“, this genre is poetry that is informed by jazz. The poet may be inspired by the history of the music, the lives of musicians or elements of the music itself.

Jazz and jazz poetry grew up together in the early 20th century. During the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes began to incorporate elements of the music such as rhythm, syncopation and improvisation into his work. In the link above, you may read an excerpt from his piece, “The Weary Blues”, which is the title poem of his collection published in 1926.

The Beat poets of the mid-20th century also were influenced by the jazz musicians of their time. In fact, Jack Kerouac recorded an album entitled “Poetry for the Beat Generation”. Kerouac read his poetry and was accompanied by Steve Allen on piano. Allen was the first host of the Tonight Show.

Jazz poetry also had a strong presence in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960’s and ’70’s. This link includes audio of Gwendolyn Brooks reading and discussing her poem “We Real Cool”.

My interest in jazz poetry began when I attended a workshop facilitated by Glenn North, the poet in residence at the American Jazz Museum. I attended out of curiosity more than anything else, but I became a fan of both the music and the poetry.

Certainly, the fact that I live in Kansas City, which has a rich jazz history and is home to the museum, is a factor. I am only minutes away from the great programming at the museum and music in the Blue Room.

Although I did not consider myself a fan of jazz when I took the workshop, I had seen many of the jazz greats on television during my childhood. Most were near the end of their careers. My new-found interest in jazz has allowed me to meet these people when they were young and understand the role they played in the evolution of the music.

Jazz poetry has been a springboard to learning about other art forms that are influenced by the music. I have been introduced to painters, photographers and textile artists who have created work inspired by jazz. I have even written some poetry inspired by their work.

I’ll close with a quote from Langston Hughes:

Jazz is a heartbeat-it’s heartbeat is yours. You will tell me about its perspectives when you get ready.

Are you familiar with jazz music and/or jazz poetry? How have you seen jazz reflected in various art forms? Thanks Michelle!

Michelle Pond is a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. She also volunteers with a bereavement support group. Her poetry has appeared in Thorny Locust, rusty Truck ezine and Salon, an anthology from Kansas City’s longest running open mic. You can read her work at http://www.mapoetpoems.blogspot.com.

Improving vocabulary

Vocabulary for the Exhausted: Logy

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 2 Comments

Welcome to another round of Wondrous Words Wednesday! Visit Kathy at Bermudaonion to learn more fun words.

As you are reading this, I am traveling across the state of Virginia with 120 fourth graders to visit Richmond, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and (my favorite!) Monticello. All in less than 48 hours. We start at 4:30 am Tuesday and get home by midnight Wednesday.

I think by Wednesday evening I’ll be feeling logy.

logy \LOH-ghee\ adj, from the Dutch word log, meaning heavy; marked by sluggishness and lack of vitality

Word Nerd Workout

Think of a synonym for logy and share it here. If you can make it comical, all the better. I’ll need something to make me smile. 🙂

Thanks for getting nerdy with me!

Julia