Travel Blog Sample

Attraction review
Haleiwa, HI, North Shore

Matsumoto’s shave ice
http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com

Ask the locals in Haleiwa, Hawaii and they will tell you that a visit there is wasted if you don’t try Matsumoto’s Shave Ice. This local shop, on the North Shore of Oahu, has been a favorite since the Matsumoto’s added their famous shave ice to their grocery store which opened in 1951.

Imagine a day on one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The sun is strong and the winds are high, bringing the perfect waves. Nothing would be better than mouth watering shave ice, just a short walk away.

And this is no ordinary snow cone. The ice is shaved right in front of the customer and topped with their own homemade syrups. The store boasts 36 mouth watering regular flavors which include such unique tastes as pineapple, lemon, coconut, banana, vanilla, root beer, lilikoi (passion fruit), orange, honeydew, bubblegum, lihing mui, lychee, cherry, green apple, guava, tangerine, green tea, creamsicle, strawberry cream, and coconut cream, to name a few. Customers can also choose from 3 sugar free syrups, special combinations and try some interesting additions such as condensed milk, vanilla ice cream and azuki beans.

The grocery store has been converted into a souvenir shop by the original owners’ son and his wife, but the shave ice remains the same. There are dozens of Matsumoto’s Shave Ice souvenirs to choose from. Once you have had a taste you will want to boast that you have been one of the lucky ones to make the trip to the small town of Haleiwa for a shave ice. Delicious.

Book Review Blog Entry 4

The Kite Runner

By Kaled Hosseini

The author grew up in Kabul and emigrated with him family to the United States after the Communists took over, and before the Taliban came along. He drew on his own experiences and heritage to weave an amazingly beautiful tail about the life of a man raised in Afghanstan before the wars came, and how he dealt with his own personal wars.

What I loved about this story is that it is told in a culture that we Westerners know very little about. We know only about Afghanistan from the news stories. I was fascinated with the descriptions of Kabul before the wars, with the customs and beliefs of the Afghans, and with the view of the wars from the Afghan point of view. In this time it is very important to understand this culture better and for that reason alone this story is worth the read.

Book Review Blog Entry 3

Three Girls and Their Brother

By Theresa Rebeck

As the title suggests, this book is about 3 girls and their brother. In fact, they each have a turn telling the story. The siblings are grandchildren of a man who is quite famous in the literary world, though not so much with the majority of Americans. On top of that minor notoriety, they girls are incredibly gorgeous and all have magnificent red hair. These two factors land the girls a photo spread in The New Yorker, a dream come true to the older two Heller girls.

The youngest girls and her brother/best friend are not interested but go along for a lark. Little do they know that fame, and all the unexpected and unwanted things that come with it are around the corner. Fourteen year old Amelia, becomes an object of desire to a 40-something famous actor and when he gets too touchy feely, she bites him. When it gets in the tabloids, it opens up a new future, and a living hell, for all the family.

This is a fascinating story about the underworld of fame. It is definitely for older teens and adults. Although the characters are teens, they are put in many adult situations and there is adult language as well.

Book Review Blog Entry 2

The Plague of Doves

By Louise Erdrich

You may have heard of this author, she wrote a book that is fairly well know to children's librarians called The Birchbark House. She is an Ojibwe Native American and sets her books in the northern plains and as far east as Michigan. This is the first adult book I have read by her and I was very moved. I bought it for my YA section, though it definitely has more adult appeal, but I am keeping it since I think it was a beautifully written piece of literature and hope that a few teens will try it out.

First of all a little summary of the book. It spans the first three quarters of the 20th century, and even a bit of the 19th, but it is not chronological. We see into the families and lives of a group of people in North Dakota who are all connected through blood, romance, or politics. Some of the connections are almost mystical and hard to even describe. Each story is so different, yet they all shape the other stories. They are told from that person's point of view, so you hear part of a story from one, part from another, and in the end you see the circles that connect the lives of the small, dying town of Pluto, ND and the neighboring reservation.

I can't help but to be in awe of Erdrich's skill at tying these people together with the smallest of threads, yet keeping them so individual and real. Her skill alone is reason enough to read this. In fact her skill will character, plot, imagery, and symbolism makes me jealous of her skill and longing to read more of her.

Book Review Blog Entry

Daddy Long Legs

By Jean Webster

This is an old book, a classic that is now often categorized as YA or even children's literature.. We do not have a copy of this book in the library, but I think I am going to buy one. It was truly an entertaining read and could well be adapted to modern times. Maybe I will do that in fact. But for now I will just review it for you.

It's a story about Jerusha Abbott who was brought up in an orphanage. Jerusha is a bit to imaginative for a proper girl in the earliest part of the 1900s. When she turns 18 she really has no where to go and is kept on in the employ of the orphanage until one of the trustees offers to pay her way through college and give a monthly allowance because, known only as John Smith, believes she has great potential as a writer. She is required to write to him monthly and told not to expect correspondence from him.

The story is told through the letters she writes to him. First off she renames herself, Judy at college and nicknames her benefactor 'Daddy Long Legs.' Many of her letters are preoccupied with imagining who he is and what he looks like and asking for an occasional response. She gets one of two responses over the many years she writes, but never any information about him.

The letters are very funny and sometimes silly, nothing like you would imagine from a young woman of that time. Except for the language you would expect the same letters from a young woman today. I could imagine Audrey Hepburn as the character of Judy. In my mind she is one of those silly, slightly awkard, and very unconventional girls that Hepburn so often played in films. I was completely amused by her imaginings and descriptions of college life. And there is of course, a little vein of a love story with in the book and the mystery of who her John Smith truly is.

The book is not long and is a very simple and quick read. I definitely recommend it to just about anyone who wants a light, funny story to pass the time.

There were many film adaptations of this book as well, including on with Fred Astaire, that apparently was very far off from the original story. I have requested a copy of the movie and will review it as well.

Groupon Sample

I recently wrote an ad copy sample for Groupon.com. This website is known for its offbeat humor in their ads. Following their guidelines I submitted this:

"If you are like me, the thought of water sports in Georgia calls to mind two things: banjo music and squealing like a pig. So when you get the hankering to hop into a small watercraft, skip the canoe on the river and go sea kayaking instead. This deal of $25 for a half day tour ($55 value) at Sea Kayak Georgia is a great way to get your feet wet with the sea kayak experience.

Sea Kayak Georgia is located on Tybee Island, GA. They have bragging rights to the largest selection of kayaks in the southeast; a kayak for everyone, even if you are built a manatee, which you may be lucky enough to encounter on your outing. Owned by local residents, Sea Kayak Georgia has a variety of tours a trips designed to fit your time and desires. Full day trips (call for pricing and reservations), half day trips ($55 for adults, $45 for children 17 and under), camping, and their own School of Coastal Kayaking are among the many services offered. Sea Kayak Georgia also offers custom trips for individuals or groups. Overnight camping trips are offered in a variety of coastal locations, none of which include a dueling banjoes lullaby.

Imaging slicing through the waters, taking in the beautiful wildlife, the calm of the sea, the history of each small island, all without the fear of capture. Pure bliss."

Library Grant

In 2008 I submitted a grant to the State Library system asking for $15,000 to start a video gaming club. At this time video gaming was not looked on as a legitimate library experience, and it is still meeting some resistance. After extensive research I wrote, and consequently received, this grant. My research showed that video games are shown to increase literacy in children and teens.

One of the grant judges told me, and shared with many other YA Librarians, that it was the best grant she has read. My grant administrator commented many times on the quality of my writing.

I have requested a copy of this grant from The Booth & Dimock Memorial Library. If it is received I will post it here.