Books, Brownies, Boho and Beats

I'm in at my Dad's for the next couple of days visiting him and running around in town. While I was out I decided to hit up the book store looking for a Father's day present. However, let us describe my outfit because today, I look beach bum meets boho beautiful! Oh yeah, alliterations are just coming out everywhere!

I have on the following -
- Pretty Top
- Uber cute shorts!
and the cutest pair of brown strapy roxy wedges that the industry ever produced. All combined with my H&M man bag that is my constant companion, I look pretty fly. No jokes.

So while I'm out enjoying the beauty of the sunshine city, I go into the book store looking for stuff for Poppie. Being the big nerd that I am, I can't walk past the nature/science/ecology section and not look. I mean what kind of scientist would that make me?? I saw this book discussing evolution and creationism that I'm pretty sure I'm destined to buy since it mocks me each time I see it, however, on the shelf it stayed. Should I ever bring a book like that home, my mother may murder me instantaneously.

I'm looking and looking through all the cool science books and what do I find? Two other books I've been wanting to read! Oh look, Manticore is having a sale? Destiny? I believe so. I picked up one called "The Green Blue Book" which is a simple guide to reducing the amount of water you use. It goes farther than just the kitchen and the bathroom. It discusses the types of materials to buy, the proper writing instruments to use, types of food to eat. Ultimately, it's a limnologists guide to water consumption reduction.

The second book I picked up is called Sea Sick. After watching the TED talk last week on the state of the Oceans (oh shiz, I should download new talks since I have internet right now!), I've been hungry for more information about their condition outside of what public knowledge and my own research has provided. The book is not a textbook reporting facts and figures but it recounts the authors experience as she traveled to hotspots of the ocean with a team of leading scientists. After reading through a few pages, not only do I expect it to be a good read, but also an educating one that is easy to read. There was limited technical jargon in the pages I flipped through. Not that I have an issue with that, but I mean, I'm reading for pleasure. The last thing I want to do is have to look up what I'm reading about.

I got one more book. It's for Dad for Father's Day. If you've not heard of Justin Halpern you no doubt have heard of his Father. I grabbed the book Shit my Dad says for my Dad. The story is something like this. Justin and his longtime girlfriend broke up resulting in his move back in with his 73 year old father. Once the things his dad said to him started getting ridiculous, he decided to write them down. I started following Justin on twitter long before I knew he had a book out. So when I saw it at the store, I figured my Dad may enjoy the laugh as well as the satisfaction of knowing that he is not only normal, but considerate compared to some people in the world.

On my way back from the book store I stopped in at Mariposa before heading upstairs to grab a brownie which is in fact the best thing I've had all day. It also has all the fat I should have in one day, but when your meals have consisted of fruit, yogurt, and vegetables I think it's more than fine if I have a brownie. I wish there were more chocolate chips and less nuts inside it though. Oooh, imagine it warmed up? Why have I not done this before?! Ah well. Too late.

New beats, new beats! Unfortunately I cannot link to somethings again... not because I'm using Mama's computer, but because youtube has few of these songs. itunes does however, so if you're interested you can always look them up on there!

I recently downloaded a mixed album put out by American Laundromat Records called Sing Me to Sleep - Indie Lullabies. Which has inspired me to do a lullaby version of new beats. I'm always looking for new music to have as my bedtime tunes. Since it's the beginning of the month, I'll be making a new sleeptime playlist before I nod off tonight and fully expect to use some of these songs. They're beautiful, cute and indeed mellow. Sampler from there, yeah yeah!?

Jenny Owen Youngs - Have you forgotten

She's so cute. Seriously. Her voice... imagine Sarah Harmer meets Joni Mitchell. She did a cover of Hot in Here by Nelly so I'll link to that song. This song is kind of sad. None the less nice for napping or just sitting and reading. Both of which I will be doing shortly. Who knew!

The Leisure Society - Inchworm

If you've never heard this song, well, you didn't have much of a childhood filled with lullabies now did you. My first encounter with this song was when I approximately 7 and my Mama bought me the cd Anne Murray Sings for Kids. Yes, I'm slightly embarrassed but at the same time, I'm diverse in my lullaby knowledge and this makes up for the fact that I was a 7 year old listening to the same artists as my 80 year old Nana. Here is the Sesame Street version. The Leisure Society took this melody and sped it up slightly adding a bit more of a beachy feel to the song. Oh yeah, it can totally be sung in a round. You know you want to do it.

The Rest - Pure Imagination

I was worried when I saw this song on the album. I love this song, even at 22. I had an album called Return to Pooh Corner by Kenny Loggins when I was younger. I listened to that album almost every night until I was 11. I was very innocent and wholesome as a child. I'd say I still am but that's debatable. Anywho, this song is on that album and while it is a song originally from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I like both of the non-movie versions I've heard. I like the Kenny Loggins one much more. Here's the movie version of the song.

Trespassers William - Rainbow Connection

Another song from my Kenny Loggins song and originally from the Muppet movie, this song hits deep with me. The original version couldn't have a cover done that would give it enough justice. However, Trespassers William would definitely be the ones to do the best job of it. I couldn't think of a lullaby cd that would be complete without a band that got their name from the sign above Piglet's house in the Winnie the Pooh stories. All of their music, not just this song is so dream like and beautiful. Another great lullaby/bedtime song is one called One of Me.

Okay... one more

Laura Gibson - Edelweiss

Yes, this song is from the Sound of Music, and yes, no one can sing it better than Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer but she does a damn good job trying. I like her voice. It's soft yet not sugary. See here. Most of her music sounds like that and I like it very much. Nice for doing homework to.

Water Saving Tip #1 - Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth! If you brush your teeth three times a day and leave the tap running, you'll use about 5 gallons ( about 11.4 litres ) of water. In just one day! That's enough drinking water to last you a week. If every one in American (which can pretty well be extrapolated to Canada) did this, the savings after a day would be as much as all the residents of an average sized state would use in about 2.5 days. Just how many people that is, I'm not quite sure but it's sure a lot.