An "Awesome" Book

I have an awesome book suggestion for those of you who are too busy, too tired, and too stressed making all that holiday cheer. I know what you're thinking: "Perch Librarian, I have no time to sleep let alone read a book now of all times!" Well, the book I have in mind can be easily read in short snippets (even during a bathroom break) and put you in the spirit of the season now and year-round--The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha.

The genesis of the book is a blog Pasricha started in 2008 during a dark time in his life when his marriage fell apart and his best friend took his own life. "1000 Awesome Things" began as a form of therapy for the author in which he looked for an awesome thing to write about every weekday for a thousand weekdays. The blog went viral and, as they say, the rest is history.

I love this book, especially around holiday time, because it makes you stop and think about all the wonderful little things in life, the everyday things we often take for granted. Think of the smell and sound of a campfire, your favorite comfy T-shirt, hearing someone's smile over the phone, or popping bubble wrap (I love doing that!). Pasricha reminds us that many things we consider ordinary are actually extraordinary and make life worth living.

You can read this book from front to back like any other book or you can just open it to a random page and start reading. Some of the entries are several pages long while others are several lines, so no matter how much time you have, there's always room to squeeze in a few minutes of Awesome reading.

If you ask me, there just aren't enough books for adults that make you smile. Give yourself the gift of reading The Book of Awesome and find all the awesome that's around you.

Wishing you a holiday season full of awesome from the perch.

Lovely Love Actually

The movie, Love Actually, which surprisingly over the years has become a modern holiday classic, is celebrating its 20th anniversary (even though it was released 19 years ago in November 2003). I remember seeing it for the first time in a Beavercreek, Ohio cinema and loved it from the start.

Firstly, you have a dream cast of British actors. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, just to name a few. And if you've seen these actors before in classic or serious roles, you're in for a shock. In Love Actually, they all let their hair down, so-to-speak, and dish up great comedy either with a stiff upper lip or in uncharacteristic ways. You'll see Hugh Grant doing a happy dance as the Prime Minister to "Jump," sung by The Pointer Sisters, and Colin Firth jumping up and down in frustration after gallantly offering his cab to an elderly woman at an airport.

Secondly, the characters of Love Actually are in different stages of love. Liam Neeson is grieving the loss of his wife, while his young stepson is experiencing his first big school crush. Martin Freeman is going through the awkwardness of new love; Emma Thompson is facing the heartbreak of love's betrayal. There's also unrequited love, love that transcends language, love between friends, love between siblings, and love (or is it lust?) on demand. Practically everyone can relate to one type of love or another.

Most of all, Love Actually is a comedy that actually is a comedy, not a comedy that resembles a drama. You'll laugh, you'll have fun, and you'll feel good at the end. Happily, you can borrow the DVD and other holiday movies from our library to enjoy at your leisure. Just one caveat--Love Actually is R-rated as there are some mature scenes and language. 

Wishing you happy holiday viewing from the perch.