Book Review // The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was turned on to this book by a blog I read about a year ago, but I didn't actually get around to reading it until it was the Quarterly Read for my book club. I really wish I had read it sooner. I finished it over the course of three days, two of which were work days for me!

I typically wouldn't pick up a book about cancer patients, but I was taken in by this book immediately. While it is about two young individuals with cancer, it was never the story I thought it would be. Yes, there is death and sadness. Yes, there is a lot about treatments, doctors, and hospitals. And yes, there is a lot of anger. It is an amazing story though that depicts these individuals as real individuals, not just the perfect teenagers fighting cancer fearlessly.

John Green has a way of putting things that is very blunt, but very true and it makes the story seem so much more real! There were so many things I took away from this story and so many phrases that I found to be quite genius, and that can apply to so many different people in different situations. I don't have cancer, and I'm not sixteen, but this book definitely impacted me, and it was very thought-provoking.

I definitely recommend checking this one out. I will be reading it again in the future!



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My Twenty-Five in Twenty-Five

So last year I started a little late, but I did a "Twenty-Four in Twenty-Four." It was twenty-four things I wanted to do in my twenty-fourth year. I decided that while I wasn't all that successful, I really enjoyed it. It's a little silly I guess, but it gives me something to do throughout the year. I haven't been twenty-five for even a month yet, so while I've completed my list a little bit late, it's not even by a month. Some of these I have already started on since I've been working on the list since my birthday. I'll be keeping it updated here, and you can find the links to my Twenty-Four list there too.

Stand on a mountain

I am so scared of heights, but I need to, and really want to, stand on a mountain. It doesn't have to be a tall one!

See the Continental Divide

Maybe it's not a super big deal, but I'd really love to see it. I don't know for sure, but I think it's about three to fours away, which could be a really fun road trip! Not to mention the photos I could get...wow!

Go camping

I haven't been camping in probably ten years and I would love to go again. I'm typically not one to want to be stuck outside and not have a toilet and shower, but I actually would really love to spend a night in the woods, or mountains, or just anywhere away.

Go horseback riding

I've wanted to do this for so long! I remember begging to do this on my honeymoon, but it was so expensive we weren't able to afford it. Since then, four and half years ago, I still haven't been. This was on my Twenty-Four list, but let's be honest, it's been a rough year...I just didn't make it to this one. So we'll try again!

See a show at Red Rocks

I have heard that it's amazing. I want to go to another concert PERIOD, but to see one at Red Rocks would be super awesome. It's really expensive, but something I could definitely try to save up for. I wanted to go to a concert for my Twenty-Four list, but I didn't get around to it. So I'm stepping it up a bit for a concert at Red Rocks.

Lose fifty pounds

I am quite overweight! And I don't mind disclosing. At my last weigh-in (when I WON a DietBet about a month ago) I was 214 pounds. Now, I'd ideally like to reach 115 to 130 (it depends on how I would look). I've had a lot trouble determining what my actual weight should be. The internet is wonderful, but there is so much information out there that it's just really hard to determine what your ideal weight should be. There really are so many factors involved.... Either way, I have approximately a year, so that's roughly a pound a week and I think that's totally doable and not overly ambitious.

Go Paleo

Totally going to do it this time. Josh and I have actually been discussing it for a while. Exchanging articles, shopping lists, etc. He's started it with me, and we actually started it on May 5th. Of course we don't have all the logistics worked out yet and there will definitely be some transitioning, but we're in the process! I know we're still eating some non-Paleo foods, but I can't let myself throw out or give away groceries, so I'm eating my non-Paleo a little at a time.

Cook something new every other weekend

Cooking is something I truly enjoy and I really want to learn some new techniques and new flavors! Especially with going on the Paleo diet, some things are going to be different for my cooking. Also, since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease there have been a lot of things I have just avoided cooking and trying to substitute. I want to finally learn these substitutes and how to cook things a new way.

Host a get-together

I'm not really sure if this will work out, depending on my living situation, but I would really like to have a gathering at my home. I guess I've had a couple, when I was married, but it wasn't anything official. I'd really like to have something though where I can make a good meal, some interesting side dishes, and just do something fun.

Read the Shannara series

I have long been a fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series. Unfortunately, I have never completed the series, but I've read ones here and there. What got me so inspired on completing this was that I found out he is going to be visiting Denver! He's doing a book signing at a book store that is conveniently located approximately one minute from my workplace! Josh is a big fan of the series and we're planning on going and on starting the series from the beginning and reading it through. I doubt we will read them all by the time Mr. Brooks visits, but it's something I've wanted to do anyways.

Get involved with a book club and stick to every month's readings

So I used to a book club with some other bloggers, but it just kind of stopped... I really want to get involved in one though and keep up with it. Since my birthday, I have joined one on called All Sorts on Goodreads. I also joined a group on MeetUp, but they seem to do a book every two weeks. I'll try to do some, but I'm not confident I can keep up with that, depending on the length of the book.

Complete my French book and activities

I was minoring in French when I was at LaGrange College and I really loved it and was actually doing really well! I still have my textbooks and activity books with all the audio and I'd like to go back through the book and continue past what I've already done. I know it won't help me be fluent, or even close, but it will get me going again.

Learn how to swim

I know, it's a little ridiculous, but I don't know how to swim. I can dog paddle...a little. But not swim. I've never been fond of the water, but it's something I kind of want to learn, and something I feel like maybe I should learn. So Josh is going to teach me this summer. He'll probably be teaching Joey too. He's so young it will do him good to learn now.

Go swimming in a natural body of water (not a pool)

I'd love to learn how to swim in a lake or something, but there doesn't seem to be many places to do that here in Denver... Once I learn how to swim, I want to go swimming outside somewhere in a lake, or go to the beach or something. I don't really see myself making it to the beach...and I'd much prefer a little lake somewhere anyways. Perhaps a really nice one somewhere in the mountains.

Get a photoshoot

Wait....for real? I know, I hate photos of myself, but it has come to my attention that I need some. And some really nice pretty ones. Josh is really wanting more into his photography and I'm trying to use this as an excuse too for him to be able to play and experiment. He knows my style well enough that I know he will get me some good ones. I have no idea when we'll do it, we may just do random shoots over the year, but I need some regardless.

Write, play, and sing (at least) one song on my guitar

So remember how I was supposed to take those guitar lessons? Yeah, I couldn't. Too much came up and I simply couldn't afford it. So I'm back to teaching myself but I'm doing pretty well. I'm also finding playing by ear isn't as difficult as I had originally thought it was. You just just have play around with it more than you do a piano.

Get a color tattoo

I have two tattoos, and I want to get more. Unfortunately, they cost money, so it really requires me saving up some money and doing a bit of planning for it. The two I have are all black and I really want to get something with some color, or even just add color to one that I already have.

Pay off all my medical bills

This is a huge goal, huh? It's something I've been working really hard on and I think it's become realistic to think I could have it done in about a year. I would love to know this is all taken care of and be able to focus on just monthly expenses and my car payment (which won't take me much longer either!).

Do four photography shows (at least)

So I had this on my twenty-four list, but I was only wanting to do one show. Now that I've been in Denver a few months, I've seen so many more opportunities and I feel like one a season is totally reasonable. I'm already looking around and hopefully I can get in one pretty soon. I've neglected my photography too much and I think this will help me out a lot.

Do professional design work

What I mean by this, is that I would like to do some design work for a professional. There are so many opportunities at school, I just don't feel I'm quite up to completing something too professional right now. So, I want to work on that more and complete something in the next year.

Do (at least) one DIY project per month and blog about it

That's right, twleve DIY projects that get put up on the blog! I have several ideas, just not the resources right now. I'm not going to hold myself to one a month in a literal sense (to an extent), but I should at least have twelve in the end.

Write a snail mail letter to someone different every month (not the same person twice!)

I love getting mail, well, personal mail. I don't like bills (which is all I seem to get). I know we can text and e-mail these days, but I love handwritten letters. It seems like handwritten things are becoming something of the past, which is awfully sad. So, each month I am going to write a letter to someone. Honestly, I might have a hard time thinking of twelve people to write to, but I sure will do my best.

Get my store back up and running

It never really did much, but I really miss it. It was something I really enjoyed doing and I want to start it back up. It was just too much to keep up with moving 1500 miles away and I wasn't able to bring any of my items in the store with me! I've changed the name and changed the direction a little, and I want to start it back up soon.

Beat a video game

I'm not a gamer, and I've never beat a video game. I came really close to beating Final Fantasy XII a few times, but both times I lost my game due to dead PlayStations. And now I don't have a PS3 that will play older games, so I can't continue on with it. I have a few PS3 games though, and a couple on the Wii. I think I want to play Super Mario Bros until I'm done.

Secret

This one is really personal, so I'm just going to leave it at that.

Hopefully I can get through it all this time around, but I know I may fail on a few (especially the ones that require money!). Nevertheless, this is my list for my twenty-fifth year.

It's A Year Later

It's been about a year since I got out of the hospital. If you've read back on my blog, or been a long-time follower, then you may remember that I spent about a week in a psychiatric hospital. While laying in bed Friday night I thought about what a long year it's been. How much has happened. I thought about where I was in life and where I am in life now. Am I happy with these changes? Am I where I want to be? Are these changes for the better? Kind of, no, and yes.

Last year I was married, but unhappy. This year I'm single, and happy for the most part. I miss having someone I guess. That decision was for the best though, and I'm more confident about that now than I've ever been.

I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but will I ever be? Probably not... I'm sure I'll never be exactly where I want to be. I think I am a lot closer then I was a year or so ago though.

All the changes are for the better. Of that I am certain.

But, I'm in a new place now. Its a new city, there are new people, new things to get into. While I miss my family and friends back home, I think moving and putting myself in a new environment and new situations is good for me. It's forcing me too make a lot of decisions on my own. Will I always make the right ones? Definitely not. But that's part of life, is making a decision and standing behind it, then learning from it.

The Snow Is My Fault? I'm Okay With That!

Since I moved to Denver each time it snows I hear, "It's all your fault!" I absolutely love it though. I took the opportunity last week to get up early and shoot some photos before work. It always seems to snow in the middle of the week and by the weekend, when I have plenty of time to get some photos, it's always gone! These are just a couple of up-close photos I took. Nothing much.

Nikon D80, f/6.7, 1/180 sec, ISO-100, edited with CS6 Camera Raw

Nikon D80, f/6.7, 1/180 sec, ISO-100, edited with CS6 Camera Raw

Happy snow days!

A Little Exploring

A couple of weekends ago I finally took some time out to drive around and take photos. I didn't take many, but it was nice to just get in the car and drive and see what I could find. I didn't have a clue where to go, so I just said, "That way looks nice" and that's where I went.

South Denver | Nikon D80, f/9.5, 1/250 sec, ISO-200, edited with CS6 Camera Raw

Train in South Denver | Nikon D80, f/9.5, 1/250 sec, ISO-200, edited with CS6 Camera Raw

I came across some familiar things! Barbed wire fences and railroad tracks. I was totally psyched that right after I parked and got out of my car the train came through.

South Denver Mountains | Nikon D80, f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO-110, edited with CS6 Camera Raw

Of course, I took some photos of the mountains. I must say, the power lines in this photo is driving me insane and I may work on removing them...

South Denver Mountains | Nikon D80, f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO-100, edited with Camera Raw

Don't you love the snowy mountain in the background? I tried to get some more of these, but I just couldn't find the right spot. I couldn't get high enough, or close enough, or get it without something in the way. The best spots I could find were in the middle of the road, and I didn't think it would be the best idea to stop my car in the road or stand in the road, so I'll keep looking for more places I can get photos safely. If I can't find anywhere though...there's always the middle of the road.

I absolutely love the mountains here. Whatever mood I'm in, I take a glance at the mountains and everything goes away for just a moment. They're so beautiful and sometimes I want to stop on the side of the road and just stare. It's not the same as the Alabama country roads with rolling hills, but it's something altogether different that really can't be compared. Pretty much wherever I go in Denver I can see them unless it's really hazy. I enjoy the mountains here so much.

I plan on taking more weekend trips around because I won't have to go far to get good photos.