It's very interesting, about introverts and extroverts and their different approaches to live and work. We learn about work place psychology and the need for private space, the myth of the value of brainstorming, high-reactive and low-reactive children and a whole lot more. She is able to make this psychology subject both interesting and highly accessible to the lay reader. The blurb on the back of the book reads "For too long, those who are naturally quiet have boon overlooked. The loudest have taken over-even if they have nothing to say". Cain is a writer specialising in psychology non-fiction and shealso has a blog on www.psychologytoday.com .
Monday, October 1, 2012
QUIET!!!
Today I'm telling you about a very interesting book I'm reading called 'Quiet.The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain.
It's very interesting, about introverts and extroverts and their different approaches to live and work. We learn about work place psychology and the need for private space, the myth of the value of brainstorming, high-reactive and low-reactive children and a whole lot more. She is able to make this psychology subject both interesting and highly accessible to the lay reader. The blurb on the back of the book reads "For too long, those who are naturally quiet have boon overlooked. The loudest have taken over-even if they have nothing to say". Cain is a writer specialising in psychology non-fiction and shealso has a blog on www.psychologytoday.com .
It's very interesting, about introverts and extroverts and their different approaches to live and work. We learn about work place psychology and the need for private space, the myth of the value of brainstorming, high-reactive and low-reactive children and a whole lot more. She is able to make this psychology subject both interesting and highly accessible to the lay reader. The blurb on the back of the book reads "For too long, those who are naturally quiet have boon overlooked. The loudest have taken over-even if they have nothing to say". Cain is a writer specialising in psychology non-fiction and shealso has a blog on www.psychologytoday.com .
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Family Menus
So, today I'm planning the usual Sunday family meal and I'm also thinking about how hard it is toplan the most basic requirement-meals that the whole family likes. I have one vegetarian, one "just chips & no pizza", one "no wet sauces" and one "not too fussy" in my four kids. It's a challenge and thank God for Quorn. But I tend to plan a weeks menu in advance so as not to get caughton the hop at tea time with the panic of "what shall I cook?". This weeks menu looked like this;
Sausages/Quorn sausages& chips
Chinese chicken with rice/Bean & potato veg stew (V)
Friday night pizza/plain pasta
Pasta & sundried tomato pesto with pinenuts & bacon (separate to add)
Sunday roast chicken/Quorn fillet(v)
(to come)
mince hotpot topped with glazed potatoes/cheesy root gratin(v)
beef casserole & potatoes/ root gratin reheated (v)+fresh veg
It's a pain, but I find if I take the five minutes to think it through I spend much less on impulse in the supermarket and have all I need in the house.
A few recipes;
Chinese-style lemon chicken with rice
Mix 1 egg, a crushed garlic clove and grated rind 1 lemon together and add 500g cubed chicken breast. Marinade 15 mins then stir in 2 tbsps cornflour to dissolve and coat the chicken. get your rice on. Heat tblsp oil in frying pan, add half the chicken pieces a piece at a time, cook 5 mins then turn over for another 5 mins. Remove and add other batch. Return all chicken to pan, cook 2-3 mins more till cooked .Squeeze over juice 2 lemons and 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce. Heat through and serve with rice.
Veg and bean casserole
I adapted this from a weight watchers recipe that included quorn sausages so you could add sausage to this if wanted.
Tip a 400g can butterbeans into saucepan, add a veg stock cube. Chop an onion and some mushrooms and fry lightly, add to saucepan. Peel and large dice 3 medium potatoes and a carrot. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and half the can again of water. Bring to boil then simmer gently till potatoes are cooked. You can add any root veg to this and change the veg depending on what you have available. I have thinned this the next day and added small pasta to make a hearty soup.
Sausages/Quorn sausages& chips
Chinese chicken with rice/Bean & potato veg stew (V)
Friday night pizza/plain pasta
Pasta & sundried tomato pesto with pinenuts & bacon (separate to add)
Sunday roast chicken/Quorn fillet(v)
(to come)
mince hotpot topped with glazed potatoes/cheesy root gratin(v)
beef casserole & potatoes/ root gratin reheated (v)+fresh veg
It's a pain, but I find if I take the five minutes to think it through I spend much less on impulse in the supermarket and have all I need in the house.
A few recipes;
Chinese-style lemon chicken with rice
Mix 1 egg, a crushed garlic clove and grated rind 1 lemon together and add 500g cubed chicken breast. Marinade 15 mins then stir in 2 tbsps cornflour to dissolve and coat the chicken. get your rice on. Heat tblsp oil in frying pan, add half the chicken pieces a piece at a time, cook 5 mins then turn over for another 5 mins. Remove and add other batch. Return all chicken to pan, cook 2-3 mins more till cooked .Squeeze over juice 2 lemons and 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce. Heat through and serve with rice.
Veg and bean casserole
I adapted this from a weight watchers recipe that included quorn sausages so you could add sausage to this if wanted.
Tip a 400g can butterbeans into saucepan, add a veg stock cube. Chop an onion and some mushrooms and fry lightly, add to saucepan. Peel and large dice 3 medium potatoes and a carrot. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and half the can again of water. Bring to boil then simmer gently till potatoes are cooked. You can add any root veg to this and change the veg depending on what you have available. I have thinned this the next day and added small pasta to make a hearty soup.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Books read in September
The Land of Decoration-Grace McCleen.
I spoke about this book when it won the Desmond Elliot prize but I've only just got round to reading it. It was just a great, very unsettling read. Narrated by a ten year old girl whose father is a member of a religious group who believe in the coming Armagedon, she tells of her isolation and bullying at school and her belief in her own power to perform miracles. Odd and well recommended.
![(LAND OF DECORATION) BY MCCLEEN, GRACE[ AUTHOR ]Paperback 03-2012](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41FtKoZspPL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Dream of Ding Village-Yan Lianke
The first thing about this extraordinary book is that the author is one of China's most controversial novels and had his previous novel banned. This novel too was banned and all this one of their most established writers who has won many prizes. The controversy here is the 'factional' basis of the story, villagers in China infected with Aids and dying after selling their blood. All the more difficult to read after googling it and reading the news stories in The Guardian etc. Another interesting and recommended book.
![(WHISPERS OF NEMESIS) BY ZOUROUDI, ANNE[ AUTHOR ]Paperback 07-2011](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41RUJsi%2BWhL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
I spoke about this book when it won the Desmond Elliot prize but I've only just got round to reading it. It was just a great, very unsettling read. Narrated by a ten year old girl whose father is a member of a religious group who believe in the coming Armagedon, she tells of her isolation and bullying at school and her belief in her own power to perform miracles. Odd and well recommended.
Dream of Ding Village-Yan Lianke
The first thing about this extraordinary book is that the author is one of China's most controversial novels and had his previous novel banned. This novel too was banned and all this one of their most established writers who has won many prizes. The controversy here is the 'factional' basis of the story, villagers in China infected with Aids and dying after selling their blood. All the more difficult to read after googling it and reading the news stories in The Guardian etc. Another interesting and recommended book.
Limassol-Yishai Sarid
I haven't finished this yet but it's a very unusual story. The main protagonist is an Israeli Secret Service Agent who gains information through torture. Sounds grim eh? We are witness to the disintegration of his marriage and the parallel story of his official befriending an artist friend to get to the father of a wanted terrorist leader. Quite spare in its language it quickly draws you in, bringing you closer to the complications of modern day Israeli society. It was on the shortlist for the IMPAC prize this year.
Whisper of Nemesis-Anne Zouroudi
I've only just discovered this novel series with the Greek detective Hermes Diaktoros , but this is the fifth one. It's set on a small Greek island where the remains of a body are being dug up in line with Greek Orthodox belief to see if the bones are white sybolising a pure life. But the bones have been transformed to those of a pig and from here the mystery builds. Gentle, entertaining and satisfying.
Postal geography at Instituto Cervantes
I don't mind recommending this great website http://www.dublineventguide.com. I regularly check it out for free things to do in Dublin and plan my week around it.
During Culture Night I went to this exhibition "Postal Geography" which is on in Instituto Cervantes in Lincoln Place, Dublin 2 until 17th November. In the first half of the 20th Century the family of Spanish poet Federico García Lorca and the De los Ríos family sent each other postcards almost daily. Some of them are very beautiful, others are just very interesting to see the historical pictures of the places visited. It's free so go see it.
During Culture Night I went to this exhibition "Postal Geography" which is on in Instituto Cervantes in Lincoln Place, Dublin 2 until 17th November. In the first half of the 20th Century the family of Spanish poet Federico García Lorca and the De los Ríos family sent each other postcards almost daily. Some of them are very beautiful, others are just very interesting to see the historical pictures of the places visited. It's free so go see it.
This is why we love Paris so...
Story recently read on www.mylittleparis.com
"Clothes sold by the kilo
September 27th, 2012
"Clothes sold by the kilo
September 27th, 2012
"I would like 1 kilo of retro skirts, 500 grams of vintage scarves and 2 kilos of printed blouses". In this market, they don't sell apples, they sell second-hand clothes. Welcome to Kiloshop, the new fashion addicts' haunt that just bloomed in the Marais.
The concept of this titanic loft ? Vintage clothing... sold by the kilo. You smell and appreciate the material, feel the weight, and come across a lovely top or a designer dress. All the clothes are gathered according to the colors or prints. Leather pouch : 12,50 € / kg. Jeans and shorts : 20 € /kg. Here's a strategic plan : choose a silk shirt that will weigh a lot less than a big wool sweater. At such a price, why deprive ourselves ?
Kiloshop
60-71 rue de la Verrerie, 75004
Tél : 09 67 13 79 54"
The concept of this titanic loft ? Vintage clothing... sold by the kilo. You smell and appreciate the material, feel the weight, and come across a lovely top or a designer dress. All the clothes are gathered according to the colors or prints. Leather pouch : 12,50 € / kg. Jeans and shorts : 20 € /kg. Here's a strategic plan : choose a silk shirt that will weigh a lot less than a big wool sweater. At such a price, why deprive ourselves ?
Kiloshop
60-71 rue de la Verrerie, 75004
Tél : 09 67 13 79 54"
Now, that's the way to do it!!
Edna O'Brien's memoir
I can't wait to read this; Country Girl: A Memoir By Edna O’Brien.
I went over to hear the marvelous lady speak last year in Dun Laoghaire as part of the writers festival. She was no disappointment, telling us in her theatrical velvet brogue that she "had to write or else I'd die". Wonderful! The theatre was packed with adoring fans and she was a pleasure to listen to.
Mary Robinson has reviewed the book in today's Irish Times saying how she was "seduced again by her exquisite use of language and wonderful capacity to write a beautiful paragraph". Definitely going to the top of my not-yet-made-cos-it's-too early christmas list.
I went over to hear the marvelous lady speak last year in Dun Laoghaire as part of the writers festival. She was no disappointment, telling us in her theatrical velvet brogue that she "had to write or else I'd die". Wonderful! The theatre was packed with adoring fans and she was a pleasure to listen to.
Mary Robinson has reviewed the book in today's Irish Times saying how she was "seduced again by her exquisite use of language and wonderful capacity to write a beautiful paragraph". Definitely going to the top of my not-yet-made-cos-it's-too early christmas list.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Positive Ageing Photo exhibition
This looks good, in The European Commission building on Dawson Street.
"Drop into us next week for the Positive Ageing Photography Exhibition on display from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd Oct.
The exhibition is made of 30 photos which are a selection of entries from 4 Positive Ageing Photo Competitions 2007-2010 which is run by Age Action. The images are about older people getting out and enjoying life. Some are still working, while others are continuing to enjoy hobbies perfected over a lifetime and some are captured passing on their skills to another generation."
"Drop into us next week for the Positive Ageing Photography Exhibition on display from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd Oct.
The exhibition is made of 30 photos which are a selection of entries from 4 Positive Ageing Photo Competitions 2007-2010 which is run by Age Action. The images are about older people getting out and enjoying life. Some are still working, while others are continuing to enjoy hobbies perfected over a lifetime and some are captured passing on their skills to another generation."
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