Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Letter from a fan

Dear Kate Gosselin,
Hi, I am a big fan!  I totally support you in what you're doing *errrrrrr!* back up, start over.  I'm not that kind of fan.  Here's the real fan letter.
Dear Kate,
Um, hi.  Could we please be best friends?  You and I are totally one of a kind in our parenting.  You are so sarcastic and fab with your children, although you know them deeply and love them even deeper.  I think that you say the exact same words that I've said to my children, and we are bosom buddies even though you don't know it.  I think you're sassy and a little to the left of rude, and I can tell you right now that I love it.  All those peeps out there who think you're a beehotch are just softies who can't take the truth.  I talk to my husband like you used to talk to Jon.  Difference there is, that my husband isn't a spineless EdHardy clothed d-bag.  He can take it.  And he dishes it back, which we all know is what we sassy sarcastic girls want.  You're going to raise kids who can mess around with you and joke and tease and laugh and take it!  And they'll give it back to you!  Some might say it'll create an un-loving environment to be in.  I laugh in their faces.  We girls need to show the world that we can be brats, but we love fiercely too, and that's what matters.  Family comes first, but they get our love shown differently than is conventional.  Our sugary sweetness is reserved for those fools we have to deal with at Starbucks who can't figure out how to make a Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate (ummmm, add hazelnut flavoring, hi).  Little do they know they are being belittled voraciously in our minds.  Our family though?  They make us insane, so let's tell 'em!  Let's tell them they're being little trolls!  It'll toughen their hide and make them much cooler to be around later in life.  Now on one, two, three.... lets roll our eyes together at the critics!  Stay sassy Kate!  You know I will, and I will silently watch your show and wish we were besties, because we would have so much fun. 
Love,
Abbey
PS I love your hair and if I didn't have a long horse face, I would totally have short hair too. 

Monday, October 26, 2009

U2- Glendale- Last Tuesday

I meant to post this after I got back but laziness and the search for a camera cord delayed me.

Opening for U2 in Glendale was Black Eyed Peas and while they tried their best to pump up the crowd it did not happen. Typical AZ fans (I spent 6 years there going to concerts and still go back for them) are usually too drunk, not even there yet because they are late, or too cool for it all. Which the last one is the worst like why did you come dude! They were good and here is a pic of Fergie because all the guys were in all black and we had awful seats so you cannot see them at all. They sang all their high energy songs and continued to talk about how U2 was the best ever for about an hour. This was my first Rock God Stadium concert where there were literally 90,000 people there. At least that is what they said, and just for reference here apparently about 60K people live in Santa Fe so all of Santa Fe and their neighboring Los Alamos were in the stadium. This tour was called the 360 tour because they wanted to make sure all the fans could see them and really hear them which is where this stage comes in to me it looks like an alien making sense since the stadium we were in looks like a spaceship. The person with me thought it looked like a crab.
Everyone came out and really all of U2 was fantastic and you can tell that this band gets along and they were all very talented and played the entire 2.5 hours, which considering they are not the youngest was pretty amazing. They started out with some of their new songs off their most recent album which while I understand their concept and get there are trying to stay fresh it just does not sound like U2 to me. There are some songs I dig but most I could take or leave. Then they hit the classics and I don’t use this word lightly, and then everyone was excited. Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, Sunday Bloody Sunday- everyone sang alone which are the moments I love. And there was also a point where he pulled three sisters on the stage and danced the waltz with each one- come on he is an Irish man. Then let the sisters sit up there for the next song. OK so here are pics I will explain.


Mr. Bono with his trademark sunglasses, sounded great the whole 2.5 hours.
The shot above was a screen shot, and this is the screen which was tiles all stretched out- yes awesome.
And there were also all these amazing lights etc. that was completely new and original looking. Overall even though Bono had his political moment I found him to be really cool, and well he is a straight up showmen with lots of talent who cares about his fans. I mean look at this stage they designed it takes 3 days to take down but everyone could see them and got a great experience. And all the members of the band are also very good at what they do. You can definitely see why they have been around so long and have so many hits.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Reruns

I have a good memory for movie/tv dialogue and also get bored easily. It is for this reason that I do not particularly enjoy seeing shows more than once, even shows that I adore and can not miss weekly. The same goes for movies. I can't really explain it but I just don't do reruns or buying tv seasons or anything, even for ones I love. So this weeks question is one that I pose while not knowing how I'm going to answer it yet.

What tv show would you buy all the seasons of (if they weren't hideously overpriced) and watch over and over again?

Abbey-FRIENDS
Pssssshhhhhh. This one is so easy and I'm glad I'm going first. Duh! Friends! I love Friends, I have since it came out. I bought their compilations of each of the 5 best episodes long before the concept of All-Season DVDs came out and they were......tapes. I bought them in college and watched them probably every single day while I ate lunch after class. Over and over and over and never got tired of them. I can quote every single episode, I love them all. FRIENDS people, Friends. I have all seasons on DVD now and I still love them!
Runner-Up of course is the Office. No explanation needed here. Funniest show ever.

Heidi-The Office
Okay I decided. And while I agree with Abbey I can mostly watch Friends over and over, there's still too much of a story line there. And all the shows I love where you solve puzzles (House, CSI NY, Lie to Me, etc) I def can't pick them because I already know how it ends! But the first two seasons of the Office are priceless. I absolutely love Dwight and everything that Jim does to him. It's fantastic. I think it's gotten a little bit less funny as the seasons have gone on but I still love it and can watch it any time any episode. Basically I just love watching Dwight and everything he manages to make way more serious that it needs to be.
Favorite ep: the one where there's a bat in the office and Jim pretends he's been bitten and has become a vampire.

Kara
Okay, here's what's sad- I apparently don't mind paying exorbitant prices because for TV series because I own a complete set of a ridiculous number of shows. In my defense though, we all know I'm a bargain shopper so I'm pretty sure most of these were purchased for less than $20 when they go on sale at Target and Best Buy (check the weekly ads, they have great sales at Best Buy). Or they were gifts. But anyway, I just checked our entertainment cabinet and we (and by "we" I of course mean "me" because I guarantee Shiloh hasn't watched a single disc of any of these shows) already own "Friends," "Gilmore Girls," "24," and "The Office." I even have last season of "The Office," because I purchased that little present for myself as a celebration after my first OB appointment with baby #3! (This justifies paying the $27.99 for it, FYI.) I am only missing two seasons of "Scrubs" as well. Shiloh is apparently not quite as avid a collector as I am although he watches way more TV, but we have a few seasons of "House," "Family Guy," and "The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr." because of his tastes. And for the both of us, we have both seasons of "Burn Notice" and will absolutely be purchasing the 3rd season as soon as its out. But they do that crazy split season thing where the first half of the season airs in the summer and then the second half airs in January, so it'll be awhile before we can add that to the collection. Gives us time to save!
Cory- So many
I am like Kara pretty much if I am in Target it is on sale and I want to see it again I will buy. There are definitely shows I rewatch all the time. Alias- always get something new. Buffy, McLeod's Daughters, Veronica Mars and Felicity I have every season of and will rewatch if the mood hits me. I also have random one off seasons of The Office, One Tree Hill, Lost & some other shows that never finished airing Keen Eddie, Kitchen Confidential, The Black Donnellys. I have Gilmore Girls tape habitually on my DVR as a backup too. I only watch the eps I like and most of the time it is background noise. These shows were on when I was too young to get them or before the lovely invention of the DVR/Tivo which means a lot of it is new to me. But I will admit if I come across an ep of The Office or That 70's Show I always stop and get sucked in.

The Invention of Lying/Law Abiding Citizen

Two very different movies but that only adds to the fun.

First The Invention of Lying. Honestly I think that Ricky Gervais is one of the funniest human beings and this is such a funny concept for a movie. The human race has not evolved enough to lie, so everyone just says the truth. And apparently people just say everything they're thinking as well because there are no filters. Honestly the truth is a very funny thing, as long as it's not directed at you : ). So Ricky is a 'loser' because he's fat and not very talented, and no one in this world get's to know people, they only judge on what's on the outside. But he develops the ability to lie. This movie is funny because the truth is funny, and him learning how to lie is funny. Jennifer Garner plays his love interest in the film and she is perfect for the role. She is a nieve girl next door who perfectly buys into the lies and tells her truth awesomely. It's not a heavy movie in any way but still has a good message and is so funny. I could say some lines but they would not be as funny in words, so really I just recommend you seeing the movie.

Next movie is drastically different. Law Abiding Citizen has Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. Butler lost his family to a robbery and Foxx is the DA who makes a deal with the guy who murdered Butler's fam. Butler gets profoundly upset by this and makes it his mission to bring down the flawed justice system. The movie is pretty violent but the message I find really interesting. The way that it makes you think about the justice system, you side with Gerard Butler even though he's doing these horrible things. Butler's character is also fascinating, he's a super smart guy who figures out how to bring the entire justice system down, from the mayor down to the prison guards. Butler plays the character totally believably, he is the grieving father but also the ruthless brilliant man who planned so many killings. I also recommend this movie, it definitely makes you think about things and keeps you interested while you're trying to figure out what's going on just like Foxx is.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Live, With Regis & Kelly!

I stay at home with the kids, and that means the majority of my TV watching occurs during the day (naptime).  I don't watch daytime TV though, I watch last nights DVR'd shows.  Except for Regis & Kelly.  I tape it and then watch it during naptime, every day.  I.  Love.  Regis.  And.  Kelly.  Mainly because I have a serious wish to be Kelly Ripa.  She is so cute, super funny, super in shape, always wears fabulous clothes, always has fabulous SHOES.  I love her sense of humor, she's totally unashamed and makes fun of herself, makes fun of everyone else in a kind way, and I think she is a great physical comedian as well.  So I have the female equivalent of a bromance on Kelly Ripa.  The rest of the show is great too, they always have good segments and since Kelly is so funny, they always get pulled off well.  Their guests I think (for the most part) like being there and interacting with them, so the interviews are always good too.  The conundrum here though, and what I am focusing on here is Regis Philbin.  I can't figure out how I feel about him.  Here is a list of my general feelings, and yes they conflict:
*He has a great sense of humor too
*He knows literally everyone in the tv/movie/music biz.  Everyone.
*He has a ton of knowledge of basically everything in the entire universe
*He's kind of an asshole
And here's why.  Do you ever get the feeling that famous people are just humoring the fans?  That they think us normal people are pathetic and useless and aren't worth their time?  But they have to act as though they're grateful for us because we make their paychecks nice and fat?  Well, that's how I truly believe Regis feels about everyone else but him and those he knows (which is a lot of people, granted, but).  Every day they make a surprise phone call to a viewer to see if they can answer trivia questions and then they get a nice vacation.  Regis' words are kind, but I consider myself a fairly good people-reader, and I see very clearly that underneath the kind words are "Good Lord, these people are pathetic.  Plain, boring, not rich, just normal.  How awful would that be to be normal?  I can't even imagine.  Oh the horror!  How long is this segment, how much longer do we have to talk to this fool.  I'm so much better than they are".  I honestly feel that he doesn't think anyone but those included in his circle are useful, have worth or contribute anything good to the world.  This might sound harsh, but I think he's a huge jerk!  And yes, he is a great entertainer and really makes Regis & Kelly great, and I won't stop watching the show.  But, like I said, I read people very well, and Regis is an ass. 

Friday, October 16, 2009

Bootmen / Vampire Diaries /Celebration- Madonna

So here it is all at once… because I am too lazy to post 3 times.

Bootmen is this Australian movie I got from Netflix, completely worth it. It has 2 very nice looking brothers in it who work at a steel mill in a small coastal town and they are looking for a way out. One brother wants to a buy a rig, the other wants to get out by dancing. Along the way a girl, some local thugs and a dad against it all crosses their path.
There is a tragic event in this movie which I feel I should warn people about and it is R. But the way they industrialize tap dancing is really interesting to watch. And Sam Worthington as in the latest Terminator is in it, it was really shocking in a good way to see him be funny and adorable. Definitely worth adding to your Netflix queue.
There are also just 2 things in general I love about Australian movies/shows: 1. The girls look real and 2. Being a great Dancer and a manly man are not exclusive parties, you can be both. Just look at another Aussie Hugh Jackman.

Vampire Diaries so me and Heidi have already talked last night’s ep to death. But since we are both enjoying it so much I would feel remiss if I did not mention. Ok here are some of my thoughts about last night’s ep: Although I covet Elena’s jacket and hair I really need her to stop asking dumb questions, looking confused in general and keep up with the story here. Old school suits are not flattering even on a boy as hot as that. Umm Katherine you are not that nice and not that cool either. The whole dancing away the day part really was hilarious and Ian Somerhalder pulled off perfectly. Really you are going to send the TV reporter after the vampire not the cop? Really that is your plan here? Hmm well good luck buddy!

Madonna Celebration CD- A greatest hit compilation. All the hits you forgot she had, mixed well with new at the beginning and the end. I literally forgot all these songs and this fun little CD reminded me of them.

New Addition!

I've very pleased to announce that we have a new addition to our HACKiness, in the form of Abbey's and my sister Megan. Alas she won't be added to the name (because I can think of nothing that we spell now...), unless we go with HACK'M like those Rock 'em Sock 'em punching dolls.... I'll leave that decision for another day.

But we don't just let people into our exclusive golden club!! First we have a trial period ;). Enjoy and Welcome!

**Disclaimer** Since we seem to be accumulating Zipperian's this is the part where Kara and Cory have to keep us in check! I know they both have siblings as well so I'm sure they're more than up to the task of dealing with the three of us : ).

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Tear Stained Pages…

This sounds like a Taylor Swift song. No just me? Cool good to know.

So here is this week’s question a little early but I pretty much was bored. What was the first book you ever cried over?- actual tears where you were literally so involved that you didn’t notice the crying until the dark stains showed up on the pages. I am really not a crier (I do and am not a robot) but hardly ever do I really cry, which is why a book that makes me do so is so special.

And here is my answer Little Women. Me and a group of friends read this in fourth grade back when we would have awesome read-ins. Oh I miss them. No I have HW-ins and clean house- ins, it is simply not the same. But not to wreck anything for anyone but I pretty much balled like a toddler when Beth dies and literally did not finish the book because of it. It still sits on my shelf and I need to read it all, but like a boyfriend who hit me I will not go back. The whole book just sliced my heart out and put it in front of me, to the Laurie and Jo drama and then him moving on with another sister (not cool dude ever!), burning Jo’s manuscript and so on and on. I have a feeling if I read it today I would not find it as melancholy but in those pre-teen years it was very sad for me.

Honorable Mention: The River King By Alice Hoffman I read this in HS and love her books, there is also a semi-funny story that goes along with this book. But it was another that just broke my heart with its sadness. I want to read it again but can never get my courage back up for the emotional wreck it makes me.


Heidi:
When I was small my mother used to read books to us. We read books like Little Women, Little Men, Adventures of Tom Sawyer, all kinds of things. First off let me say I only cry because of animals. Movies, books, whatever, when there are animals concerned, especially dogs... I cry. When I was 8 or 9 we read a book called Rascal. Wonderful book about a boy who finds a baby raccoon and raises it and finds in Rascal a fantastic friend. I also cannot finish this because I will start crying. I don't remember the entire story but I remember the book and I remember crying over my puppy mischief for a good hour. It was a pivotal moment in my life.
*Runner Up (This was added after Kara's because she reminded me of something) Of Mice and Men. I have spoken on my other blog of my love for Gary Sinese. In 9th grade we read, watched, AND listened to this book. It was narrated by Gary Sinese and when it gets to the end, and Lenny has to be dealt with I was totally crying. In my 9th grade-tryingtobecoolerthanyou-tryingtofitin class. Luckily I was not the only one crying.


Kara:
Like Heidi, my crying books (and movies) all revolve around frakkin' dog stories (or animal stories in general I guess, I've been known to cry over movies with horses in them as well.) Because inevitably, the purpose of an animal in a story is for said animal to die, so that the boy/girl can learn some valuable life lesson. Around age 13, I declared a new rule in my life that has served me very well since then: I Don't Watch Dog Movies. This goes for reading books too. I have not, and will not, see or read "Marley & Me," especially since my family also owns a totally hyper and crazy yellow lab. While I was at my in-laws for Christmas last year, the rest of my family went to see "Marley & Me" and when they came back home, Shiloh and I started laughing because every single one of them was red-eyed, tear-stained and had a headache from crying so much. As far as I'm concerned, there is just no reason to do this to yourself, particularly when my own life often provides ample crying opportunities. I instituted this rule after I had to read "Where the Red Fern Grows" in my 7th grade Enriched Language Arts class. To make matters worse, we had to read that book in class, which meant that I cried in front of the rest of the class (although I don't think I was the only one.) Since then, I've stuck by my rule steadfastly. I love animals, but I don't need to read about their heartbreaking deaths.

Abbey:
Ditto Kara.  Ditto Heidi.  Ditto Cory.  So unexciting, I know, but it's true!  Mostly my problem is this:  I have a horrible memory.  I rememer how I felt and things like that, but not specifics, it's awful!  So all I can think of when Cory asks what book first made us bawl unabashedly, is that the first time I ever really did that was for the movie Powder.  It's not a book, I know, but since Where the Red Fern Grows and Rascal were already taken, it's all I can really come up with, given my awful memory!  So, I'll buck the trend of actually answering the question properly, and go with the movie Powder.  (Memory problem strikes again) I don't even really remember what the movie was about, but I just know I sat on the couch and I had to bring the box of Kleenex over next to me because I was sobbing.  Hiccuping, sobbing, mass amounts of tears, running nose, all of it.  I will think on this question though, and if at some point I remember a better answer, well then I'll change it!

Megan:
I have to go with Abbey on this one. Ditto everybody. Ok, so I have to admit I am a crier. You catch me in the wrong mood and I will cry at a TV commercial, but the first book that I remember crying over was The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. You know the scene. Aslan is calmly walking to his death with Lucy and Susan watching. The White Witch gloats for a while and then they kill him. I also have cried over just about any book, movie or TV show where someone, person or animal, dies. So I can't really judge what makes a book worth crying over, but I certainly remember the parts that tugged on my heartstrings better than any other part of the book.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

High School Songs

Driving down Barstow today and turning onto Wilshire to visit one of my childhood friends took me right past my high school, good ole La Cueva High, home of the Bears. It reminded me of thousands of early, early mornings when I'd drive down the same streets for zero hour band rehearsal. Adding to the sense of nostalgia was the fact that blaring on the radio at that moment was Smashing Pumpkin's "1979," and for a second I could literally have been a sophomore in high school again, being driven to school in the back of Bethany's old lady car (I can't remember the make right now) or Rachel's brown Volvo. Thus, I post this week's question: What are your iconic high school songs, the ones that when you hear them you could close your eyes and literally be back to those tumultuous years?

Cory
---Red Wine by I have no idea who this is. Back when I had my black Blazer that was so old I couldn’t wash it because the paint would chip off- but it ran fine. No AC and would drive home in the middle of hot AZ nights with the windows down for some reason this song always came on.
---Hot in Herre- Nelly Yup they always played during our HS lunches at Highland High.
---Pop- NSYNC’ Same reason and I remember there was a girl who knew all the choreography verbatim.
---Alive-P.O.D. Everywhere and anywhere but I loved this song so I did not care.


And these entire CDs remind me of HS:
---Gavin Degraw Chariot- One of the first CDs where I knew all of it by heart. I played it in my car my first day as a senior at my new HS in NM. Yeah I literally can remember what I wore and that feeling of let’s get this over with.
---Jimmy Eat World Bleed American- My friend BMWer copied this CD for me and I loved the whole thing. I can sit here and remember the first time I heard The Middle and saw the music video for it. I can remember sitting in my third car the VW bug and driving into Moriarty for school and there is this line that says “I Don’t care what they say I am getting out. Nothing here can change me.” At that time I especially felt that. 


Heidi:
* Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory -- I realize that this cd makes me sound a lot more hard core than I really am. But I truly loved this cd in HS. I always skipped to the next song when they started screaming but I listened to the cd all the time. I especially listened to this cd while training for soccer and when I was mad at my bf (translate to often). Abbey bought me the cd because I was obsessed with In The End.

*My second year of  HS I received a fun mix cd from Abbey away at college. Most of the cd was Kelly Clarkson and All American Rejects. Songs like Swing Swing, My Paper Heart, Beautiful Disaster, and Miss Independent were worn out in my cd player.
*Weezer - Beverly Hills -- I can't remember any specific moments around this song but I do remember it quite often and jammin out on the way to soccer practice.
*Good Charlotte - The Anthem -- So I was not the person in this song, I knew I was going to college, etc. But I belted the song out anyway because it relieved frustration. Loved it. 
*Lil' Jon - Get Low -- We used to listen to this song (and others but I don't remember them) while warming up for games for HS soccer. I hear it and thing of passing drills, stretching, and sizing up the other team.



Kara:
- As I previously mentioned, for some reason "1979" plays into a ton of my high school memories, mostly involving band events and activities.  We used to have dances and parties in the band room at Halloween and such times (hmm, why did everyone think we were so nerdy? Hmm . . .) and I'm pretty sure that song was played every time.
- Jewel, "You Were Meant for Me," "Near You Always"- and basically that whole "Pieces of You" album remind me of my years as a ballerina in high school, when a few of my friends and I choreographed dances in one of our classes to a bunch of Jewel songs.  Tracy Chapman's "The Promise" from her album "New Beginnings" also falls into this category.  Our whole class choreographed 32 counts and put it together to this song, and I can still do the entire dance today.  (Well, maybe not DO technically, but if I were still in shape I could make a decent attempt!)
- I didn't have a car until my senior year, so I was chauffered around by friends, primarily Rachel and Bethany.  We all had (probably still have) pretty divergent tastes in music, so we would make mixed tapes to listen to while driving together that had a mix of songs we each liked.  Because of this I can't hear Keith Sweat's "Twisted" (not that I have recently, I guess) or anything by The Cranberries without immediately being transported back to high school.


Also, pretty sure my music selections demonstrate how much older I am than Heidi and Cory.  And probably Abbey too.  :)

Abbey
Ok, I'm so late doing this.  Terribly sorry. I loved music in HS, but it wasn't really the music that everyone else did... 
*My first is Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta.  This song is just plain fun.  "Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding...."  It's like driving a jalopy but through song.  All bouncy and crazy and happy.  My friends and I loved to turn it up, roll down the windows and yell the entire song.  SO fun!!  It didn't come on the radio very often, so it made it even better when it did. 
*Next is the entirity of the Police CD Every Breath You Take:  The Classics.  I think I was the only one of my friends that enjoyed this album, and they all looked at me like..... ?  We're really listening to this?  But yes.  We are really listening to this.  Roxanne, Every Breath You Take, Don't Stand So Close To Me... all of it.  I listen to it, and I'm back to driving in my dad's big blue truck, popping it into the new deck he got just for me while I drove it to school and back.  I can smell the truck, I can hear the songs, I can mentally do the shifting again, oh my gosh.  I can taste it.  And this memory through song is a good one, because it was solely mine.  I alone loved the Police, I alone had a passion for them.  So these were my songs I yellunged (yelled and sung at the same time) while I was on the way back and forth from dates, on the way to Heather or Traci's house, anywhere.  Love it. 
*Anything Third Eye Blind:  Semi-Charmed Life, Jumper, oh gosh they were so good.  I love them.  They are good to sing to, a little bit rock and roll, very entertaining. 

I feel as though I should have a longer list for this question, but these are the songs that transport me straight back to high school, not necessarily my very most favorite songs (although I do love them all).  Remember, that list is coming someday... 

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Still Alice

Alright let's hack this book apart a little bit.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Admittedly I am a book lover. In the worst way. I have on my shelf about 25 books (just the ones that came with me to Michigan) that I have not yet read. And I have amazing friends like Cory, Lauren, Abbey, and my mom who are either sending me books or recommending books I should comandeer from the library. And then there are books I find all on my own. If I could I would read all the time. But I have this thing called school that seriously cuts into my reading time. It is only my ability to read certain books in one sitting that allows me to know what a non-textbook is during the semester. This is one of those books. I think in all I read it over two nights and probably 6 hours in all. It's easy to get into.

A brief summary: Alice is a world reknowned psychologist who has taught at Harvard for 25+ years, has traveled the world, written a book with her biologist husband (about the connection between psychology and biology in your body) and has three kids. The book is told from her perspective which is perhaps the most heartbreaking part because Alice has early-onset Alzheimers. You're in Alice's life for about two years and you follow her from just a few symptoms to when she doesn't recognize her family.

The author does an amazing job of presenting the actual facts of Alzheimers and presenting it from the view of someone who was, by all standards, brilliant, she had a fantastic mind, and you watch from inside her head as it all slips away. Did I cry reading this book. Yes. Partly because I felt for this woman, and partly because it terrifies me that this could happen to me. This book is not exactly 'happy'. But it is fantastic. The empathy you feel not only for Alice but for her family is a product not only of the subject but of the writing. And it definitely gives a completely new perspective on people you may know with Alzheimers or just dementia. I totally recommend it, but be prepared for some sadness.