Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent is the second dystopian book I've read this year. That's a lot for me because this is a genre I don't normally reach for, but I kept hearing people talk about it and then I saw that there was a movie coming out so of course I had to read it and then watch the movie. I didn't board the Hunger Games bandwagon back when the books first came out you see and I have yet to read them or watch the movies so this time I thought I'd jump on the Divergent bandwagon. God I'm such a follower. Anyway, the book is good. I liked it.

The main character, Beatrice, lives in what was once the city of Chicago and society has split up into five groups called factions: Candor who are the honest, Amity who are the peaceful, Erudite who are the intelligent, Dauntless who are the fearless, and Abnegation who are the selfless. At the age of 16 everyone undergoes a personality test of sorts to help them figure out which personality trait they most possess and help them determine which faction they should join because they are born into one faction, but have the choice to switch to another. Once they select their faction at the yearly choosing ceremony (wether it'd be the one they were born into or a new one) they can never switch factions. The problem is that Beatrice's test results, or Tris as she is later called, are inconclusive because she falls equally into three different factions, Abnegation (the one she was born into), Erudite, and Dauntless. This makes her divergent which makes it very dangerous for her because as she will find out, the government is threatened by her incapability to "fit in" to a single group and be easily controlled.

Like I said before, I liked the book. The movie was good too, but I don't think I will ever get used to the fact that the movies are never going to be exactly the same as the books, still good overall though. The story has action, suspense, and yes, even love. The book does have some violence that made me cringe a bit, the movie not as much. I was left with a lot questions about this society and how it came to be and about a few of the factions that were not talked about as much. These questions will probably be answered in the next book, Insurgent, but I guess that is how trilogy books work, the first book leaves you wanting more so that then you have to go out and get the other books. That's convenient isn't it? By the way, I took the book's personality test and I'm divergent. I suspect most people would be, at least I would hope so. 

Until next time!

-Liz

P.S. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

My Easter Eggs

My last two Easter eggs

Just when I thought I had eaten the last of them I find two more. Don't worry, I'm thinking about freezing my Easter eggs juuuuust in case I wanna eat one some day.

Happy belated Easter!

-Liz

Who Was Cesar Chavez?

I saw the new Cesar Chavez movie last weekend and I am so glad the world is finally being introduced to him through this medium. If you've never heard of Cesar Chavez you are not alone. I believe most Americans don't know who he was. Hopefully you have heard the name before as there are schools, parks, buildings, and streets across the country named after him. Even here in Salt Lake City we have our very own Cesar Chavez Boulevard which is the part of 500 South that runs from about 500 West to 700 East. It goes without saying that our public education system has many holes and flaws in it. We keep hearing time and time again how the U.S. lags behind many other developed countries in education, even though more is spent per student here than elsewhere. Kids graduate from high school without proper reading, math, and science skills. It is a real shame that even history lessons are lacking, especially when we could use more minority historical figures and role models, but I am getting off topic here. I know about Cesar Chavez because I'm from the part of the world where his fight began, Central California, but it was not until college that I had a real lecture about him and what he did.  

Cesar Chavez was an American civil rights activist. For decades the agricultural growers of Central California exploited the workers that did (and continue to do) the back breaking work of picking the fruits and vegetables that we (and the rest of the world) consume. The working conditions were awful. There were no toilets in the fields, no potable water, no breaks, and the pay was meager. Cesar Chavez along with Dolores Huerta started the United Farm Workers of America Union in 1962. In 1965 Cesar Chavez organized and led a strike against the grape growers of the region which lasted about five years before working conditions and pay began to improve. This was the beginning of the Chicano Movement and though there is still much more room for improvement in the fields, because even in this day and age mistreatment, child labor, and low wages still exist, Cesar Chavez helped promote awareness of the working and living conditions of the people that help feed Americans and the world.
 
I have included part two of a four part PBS documentary named Chicano that talks about this very topic. It is one of my favorite documentaries and I never get tired of watching it.

Until next time!

-Liz

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I first read The Giver back when I was in high school. I believe I was in 11th grade and I remember thinking what a bizarre story it was. It was unlike anything I had ever read before. Re-reading recently it has made me feel no different.

Jonas lives in a community of the future that is "perfect" in that it lacks all pain and suffering. There is no hunger, disease, or fears, no crime or war, but there is also the lack of any real joys or pleasures of life. The community strives for equality or "sameness" as they call it, but that means that people don't have the freedom to choose a job, a home, or a spouse. Everything is decided for them, thus there is no such thing as feelings, or passion or any real human connections.

At the age of 12 everyone begins training for the job that was assigned to them, but when Jonas turns 12 he doesn't receive just any job, he gets assigned to be The Receiver of all memories, good and bad, from the past. The current Giver is the person who trains Jonas and teaches him about the pains of war and joys of love. As Jonas learns of the old way of life he has to decide whether he wants to continue living in the community he was born into or if he wants to seek out a life of feelings and emotions elsewhere.

This story is definitely thought provoking. It is meant to make you question your life and relationships and the social issues around the world. We often speak of hopes of a better world without pain and suffering, but what things would we have to give up for such a world? And how would we recognize joy without pain?

I found some parts of this book difficult to read. The practice of euthanasia and infanticide are part of the story and I was horrified by them. There is also mention of suicide. It is a little shocking that this is children's book and I can't imagine having read it at a younger age than 16 or 17 so it is not surprising that this book has been banned in some schools across the country. At the same time, I really like the book because it does make you question things that you've never thought of before. At just 179 pages you would not think this book would have that much of an impact, but it does. I highly recommend it. Plus I hear there's a movie coming out soon.

Until next time!

-Liz

Back in SLC!

View of Trolley Square Tower (kind of) from my apartment

After almost two years of living in suburbia I'm back in Salt Lake and I am soooooo glad because my whole life is here. My boyfriend, my job, my friends, and my GYM are all here! Also, I am happy to be contributing a lot less to the smog. My commute to work is just three minutes long!!! I could walk there if I wanted to, yea, that's right, IF I wanted to, but let's not get carried away. Same thing with yoga on Sundays, I could walk there if I wanted to, but I like keeping my options open which includes driving.

Until next time!

-Liz

The Gear: Craving Routine (and Workouts!)

I found my new awesome Nike gym bag at Ross for $24.99 and it took everything I had not to jump for joy in the store. It's true what they say, at Ross you dress for less (and workout for less).

The other thing I hate about the holidays is that they screw up my schedule. While I appreciate having some extra days off, I love having a routine, my I-go-to-work-on-weekdays-then-to-Zumba-and/or-yoga routine. Today is exactly two weeks since I have set foot at the gym (yikes!) and I am so ready to go back. Last night I got so excited just packing my brand new gym bag for today's Zumba and Yoga classes and I can't wait to shake it then stretch it.

Until next time!

-Liz

2014 New Year Resolutions

Look at me looking all giddy at the gateway to 2014!

I don't always like the holidays, each year varies, but this year I am definitely glad they are over. I was a scrooge all the way up until Christmas eve, but boy am I excited about the new year! I always like the feeling of having a fresh start. Reflecting on my life at the start of the year and deciding what I wanna get right this time (by way of resolutions) is way more exciting to me than Christmas is. This year I have six things that I want to accomplish:

          1. Lose (an additional) 20 pounds (plus the 6 I gained in the last month or so);

          2. Pay off those 3 debts that have been hanging over my head (you know who you are!);

          3. Blog more often (about random, silly things. Why not? It's my blog after all.);

          4. Start jogging (again);

          5. Take a trip somewhere I've never been; and

          6. Be a better friend (I can be such an a-hole sometimes).

So that's it, that's my 2014 to-do list! What are you new year's resolutions?

Until next time!

-Liz