Book Review: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Yesterday, I finished listening to Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach and narrated by Shelly Fraiser. This high-interest work of non-fiction has been a part of my life for the most ridiculously long time. I'm glad that I finally read it, and sad that I didn't read it sooner.

I was first introduced to Stiff back in my library days as a circu-lady, about six years ago (sheesh, that number makes me feel old...). When you work in the circulation department of a library, you have a finger on the pulse of a community's reading heartbeat. This book was constantly being checked out, and every time I came across it during check-in it would catch my attention anew. What a morbid, but fascinating concept for a book!

Fast forward to a road trip to a wedding in 2010. Mike and I briefly opened an audible account, and purchased only: Stiff and everything ever written by James Herriot. Of course, we were ensnared by Herriot's charming biographies about his life as a veterinarian, and never even got to Stiff.

Eventually, an error in the library's computer system left me audiobook-less, which is not a state I enjoy much. Finally, my cadaverous questions would all be answered.

Roach, a journalist, begins her book with two crucial points. First, that death can, and probably should, be seen as a journey like any other. Second, that a cadaver is very separate from a person. A person lives, and then dies, leaving behind an empty shell. A person never is a cadaver. The way she explains all of this from the beginning makes what follows much easier to stomach, and, in many cases, appreciate.

Most of the book focuses on the roles cadaver have in several fields of science including: motor vehicle testing, crime scene investigation, weapons testing, cosmetic surgery practice, anatomy labs, and organ transplants. This is blended with horror film worthy, yet, very accurate, descriptions of the historical aspects of each field. Back when I used to go to Mike's anatomy class and take notes for him so that he could take tests for his other classes, I learned a bit about the gruesome stories of body snatching and grave robbing, but... there was much more to learn. And, although it sounds creepy, these were some of the most engaging parts of the book.

As I read, I found myself increasingly grateful for the role that these cadavers have played, especially in helping to advance safety features in airplanes and motor vehicles. Of course, it makes sense, the best way to test safety features are with actual people. Not many people would volunteer for that job, but these corpses fill the role and have directly lead to many industry improvements.

Death, decay, and the dead are disturbing topics to many. However, Roach does an incredible job of presenting things factually and scientifically, with just the right amount of humor to keep things from getting overwhelming. Here, I would like to note that Shelly Fraiser, the narrator of the audiobook, is spot on in her delivery. The most difficult chapter to listen to was about Roach's visit to a decay study facility. So, if you're squeamish, that's the one to skip.

Along those same lines... I would not recommend eating while learning more about the curious lives of human cadavers. The one really rough spot I had came when Roach described the decapitated heads that cosmetic surgeons use to practice new techniques. I suppose it wasn't her fault that they place the heads, like chickens, in large roasting pans for the procedure. Nor can I blame her for my lunch choice of a (usually) delicious chicken club toaster from Sonic. That meal + chapter combo is my only regret. But, happy hour prices on large Vanilla Coke's during the middle of my prep period ensure that it will not be a lasting one.

Overall, I would give this book 5 stars. It was engaging and educational, and definitely thought-provoking. What more can you ask for in non-fiction?

A Pleasant, but Ineffective, Adventure

Many men enjoy watching sports. While Mike enjoys an occasional football game, e-Sports is his favorite way to indulge the stereo-type of the man glued to the screen watching the "big game." Luckily for me, tournaments are a little more spaced out. It's a great indicator of how much he likes me that he was convinced to leave the coverage of MLGDallas to search the valley for a reasonably priced used microwave.

We came into the market for a microwave last weekend, when ours exploded. This interim time has made me realize just how much I use the microwave. I'm not nearly organized enough to have meat defrosted the night before, so the defrost function is necessary to a large percentage of meals. And, of course, after finally finishing the unnecessarily intensive grading process of some school-wide essays, I came home with a migraine. All I wanted in the whole world before I locked myself in a dark room to sleep it off was a bowl of chicken noodle soup. And, if you think I was going to wait for it to heat up on the stove... pshhhh. (I didn't. I compromised the electrical integrity of our home by using the microwave again. It didn't blow anything up this time, so... meh.)

When I began to look into replacing the microwave, which we bought when we were first married at DI for $25, I thought I could just buy something online. I knew we'd gotten the other one, practically brand new, for a steal, but, I had no idea how lucky we'd been. Did you know microwaves are a $100+ type item? I didn't. And I didn't want to pay that much for one. So, we decided to try DI again.

Mike gallantly shut off the Starcraft stream and accompanied me on my quest. ... Two DIs later, we were not yet in possession of a microwave. But, we definitely found out that the one in Sugarhouse is way less stinky and gross than the one Downtown. So, that was valuable. And, although we didn't find a microwave, we did find a gorgeous copy of The Best of James Herriot for a dollar. Mike was overjoyed and declared that it would be a family heirloom, which, I'm sure is a title the microwave never would have attained.

Additionally, after a few hours of scouring thrift stores, we were pretty hungry. We decided to try this quaint, classy place we'd seen on 5th South called Cannella's. It was incredible!

Mike got a beef brisket sandwich with brie, tomato, and garlic aioli on ciabatta.

I got a turkey cran-pesto sandwich on whole wheat sourdough bread.

On our way back to our car, we took a detour to stroll through the gardens on the roof of the Salt Lake City Library to enjoy the panoramic city view.

So, we still need a microwave, but we had a really, really nice day.

On NaNoWriMo and Other Ambitious Projects

I'm having this huge life struggle lately. It has a lot to do with being brave and setting big goals that are more fulfilling than having all my copies made and my dishes done. The problem I'm facing is that I have no time whatsoever to hope to do those things. In fact, the copies and dishes are seldom up to date. Teaching is a great privilege and responsibility, but also kind of a time suck. 

Last year, some friends/colleagues convinced me to participate in NaNoWriMo a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month. The goal is simple: during the month of November, write a 50,000 word novel.

I did start a novel last year. Current word count: 2,713. So... not great. 

BUT.

But.

But, I want to try again. Not just to complete the NaNoWriMo goal, which seems pretty unrealistic since I'm working like 12-14 hours a day right now. (For the children, people, for the children.) I want to really start writing. That's why I'm cheating at NaNoWriMo this year.

My goal is to take the manuscript that I have (one might also say the several paragraphs I have written) and add to it. My goal is to have 10,000 words by the end of November. That's really not such a huge goal, but, the real goal is. I want to write. And I'm going to do it. I'm going to put down the red pen, close the Pinterest tab, and let the dishes sit. It might take me years and years and years at this rate, but I am going to write a novel. 

And it might suck. But at least I'll know that I can do it. So then, I'll write a better one.

New York

Whenever I get bored with work, or Mike being in school, or cleaning the house, or whatever else occupies my time, I like to plan vacations. I check prices on flights, hotels, cruises, and tourist attractions. Then, I present them to Mike who lovingly reminds me that we've just got to keep on keepin' on until the weekend/Christmas/summer/graduation.

Except, the last time I did this, he just said, "Let's do it. Let's go." So, we're headed to New York City for our anniversary.

And, as luck would have it, we just happen to be going during Restaurant Week wherein fancy schmancy restaurants have 3 course prix fixe menus. I know a few of you who live and die for this sort of thing, so here are the details on the food.

Our first Restaurant Week stop will be dinner at Opia, a restaurant with a "modern French focus." Here are our options:

Opia, NYC

Appetizers:
Creamy Potato & Leek Soup- Chives, Crème Fraiche, White Truffle Oil
Chicken Liver Pate- Caramelized Shallots Chutney, Quince Compote, French Baguette
Escargots with Herbed Gnocchi- Garlic Sausage & Pearl Onions, White Wine & Parsley Beurre
Entrees:
Savory Stuffed Muscovy Duck-French Green Lentils, Honey-Ginger Glazed Baby Carrots
Coq au Vin-Pomme Puree, Winter Baby Root Vegetables
Pan Roasted Wild Striped Bass-Curry Butternut Squash, Broccolini & Morels, Champagne Meyer Lemon Emulsion 
Desserts:
Blueberry Linzer Tart
Walnut Cognac Chocolate Brownie with Coffee ice cream
Apple Cinnamon Strudel with Caramel ice cream

The Palm, NYC

Our second dinner will be at The Palm, a famous steakhouse. There, we will be deciding between:
Appetizers:

Classic Caesar Salad- Garlic Focaccia Croutons and Parmigianino Reggiano
Crispy Calamari Fritti- Point Judith Calamari, Cornmeal Dusted and Tossed with
Lemon and Marinated Peppers
Winter Salad-Arugula, Endive and Radicchio with Red Wine Poached Pears,
Toasted Walnuts and Gorgonzola


Entrees:
Delmonico Steak Au Poivre- Topped with Garlic and Parmesan Shoestring Potatoes
Chicken Parmigiana- Linguine Marinara
Filet Mignon 9 ounce- Crab and Boursin Cheese Sauce over Goat Cheese Whipped Potatoes
Double Cut Lamb Porterhouse Chops- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Fresh Mint Sauce
Atlantic Salmon Filet- Maple Ginger Glaze served with Basmati Rice and Snow Peas
Dessert:
New York Style Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Crème Anglaise, Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream
Key Lime Pie with Blueberry Compote


What would you pick? I'm still trying to decide on dessert at Opia, so feel free to weigh in on that.

Fantastic 50 Reading Challenge

This year, my school is participating in a reading challenge. The challenge, which was started by some of my very smart English teacher friends and is based on concepts from The Book Whisperer, is to read 50 books in a year. It's been a really great experience for all of us.

Professionally speaking, it has helped us to build a culture of reading and I have seen kids really blossom. For example, last year, a 9th grade boy showed me some poetry he wrote because he was reading a poetry book and thought it might be fun to try to do his own. Um... wow, right?

Personally speaking, it's been a great opportunity for me to stretch myself as a reader because part of the challenge is to include a variety of genres, I've discovered books that I probably wouldn't have tried before. It's pretty cool actually, to figure out where your preferences lie and then purposefully try something new. Anyway, this is getting really long. If you're curious about more details like the genre breakdown, you can check out my friend Daniel's prezi or email me. (I'd link to my prezi, but it's not that great.)

Our time frame, of course, is from the end of last school year to the end of this school year. I've had 4 students finish already, and 2 have even done 100 books. My progress isn't quite so impressive, but I am a little bit ahead of schedule, and I've exceeded my personal goal of reading 50 books in 2011. Here are some of my favorites from the year.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- This book is simply charming. It's a historical fiction book that follows the correspondence of an author with the citizens of Guernsey just after WWII. The history and characters are interesting and unique.

The Wednesday Wars- This is another historical fiction, but this one is set in the 60s. The book is about a boy named Holling who has to spend Wednesday afternoons with the English teacher that "hates" him while everyone else has religious education. The teacher, who is actually awesome, has Holling study the works of Shakespeare (which he believes at first to be a form of torture). What I really loved about this book was how the other events each echo the action of a work of Shakespeare. That, and it's hilarious.

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes- I think I'll write a whole post about this book and meeting the author (Brandon Mull). This book was incredible. I'll admit, I didn't like the beginning at all, but about 40 pages in, things get good. The story is about a boy named Jason who is transported to another world, a world which is ruled by the evil wizard Maldor. The really cool thing about this book is the concept of a world without heroes. It isn't that Maldor is going around killing all of the heroes, it's that the heroes get sidetracked and corrupted. He breaks heroes by giving them power, wealth, and anything else they want which makes them abandon their purpose. And, that's what Jason (and the awesome Blind Prince) has to face. So good!

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Happy and How They Can Change the World- Mike was so excited when he brought this home to me; he really, really wanted me to read it with him. It was too cute to ignore, so I did. There are two aspects to this book. Firstly, games (board, dice, word, video, whatever) have value in our lives; this book is specifically about the value of video games, and it makes some convincing arguments. Some incredible games have been designed that can make real world contributions: they can help map proteins in hopes of finding a cure for cancer; they can also allow citizens (of England) to check the expenditures of the members of parliament and alert authorities to suspicious spending. It's awesome. Secondly, I was able to pull a lot of concepts from this book to use in my classroom because it's all about motivation. It's definitely a good read for teachers.

The Help- If you haven't read this yet, you should. This book is about a very small corner of the Civil Rights movement and how it affects the lives of several women. It's engrossing and touching. I also really enjoyed the movie.

The Poisonwood Bible- Mike brings so many good things into my life, and this is one of them. This book is elegant and insightful in a lot of ways. The story follows a Christian missionary and his family to the Congo; the narration switches between the missionary's wife and four daughters and describes their experience living in the African jungle and learning to live and work with the Africans. If you really want the full experience with this book you should read Things Fall Apart first. Together, they give you an incredible picture of the time period and clash of cultures.

Yay reading!

Still Alive, Which is Pretty Impressive

Hey guys. I'm writing this post with great anticipation. I am sincerely excited for 2011 to come to an end. It's been kind of the worst.

2012 is looking like it has some potential, though. Here are some things that seem to indicate that it will be a significant improvement upon the current year:

• Mike and I seem to have finally figured out a more or less bearable schedule wherein we will get to spend some actual real time together on a regular basis.
• As a result of us spending real time together regularly, we might even start spending time with other people on occasion. Social life! We're back!
• I get to have my same class schedule in the upcoming school year. Yay!
• We're going to New York City in January! The joy from that will probably hold me over for quite some time.
• I have promised myself to quit working on school things at home (except for essays).
• I am going to have hobbies. Hobbies, people. Probably ones most people think are lame, but hobbies, nonetheless.
• We will both be turning 25, which seems like a cool age.

So, life is looking up. Maybe I'll even post on my blog more that 10 times a year... We'll see.

Best Parts

Here are my very favorite things about teaching.

• Talking about reading and writing all the time.
• Being consulted by boys about their plans for the big dances. It's cute how much it means to them to impress their dates.
• Getting little thank you notes in journals and emails and Digimon cards and yearbook pages.
• Having opportunities to help people every single day.
• Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids who have been struggling but who finally get it.
• Doing service projects with my National Honors Society kids.
• Hearing about how students apply what I teach them (semi-colons in text messages, research papers about family vacation destinations that win them parental pride and money for the trip, etc.).
  
• Going to pep rallies and assemblies.
• Seeing someone I recommended a book to read it and love it as much as I did.
  
• Working with other English teachers; they are kindred spirits.
• Watching my seniors walk at graduation.
  
• Knowing that, if I do it right, I can make a difference in the world.

Sometimes it's hard. But mostly it's great. I love what I do, and I'm glad that I get to do it.