Only By Grace Reviews: Reference
Showing posts with label Reference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reference. Show all posts
Daniel: Everyday Bible Commentary
Christian,
Non-Fiction,
Reference,
Religious Studies & Reference
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Zen Camera
Non-Fiction,
Photography,
Reference
Friday, March 23, 2018
Photography is a medium that has only been around for about 175 years and is an amazing aspect of our culture that is easily taken for granted. With digital cameras and smart phones we can all be amateur photographers and can document anything and everything we want. It's pretty incredible that we get to catch a glimpse of the world through someones eyes in each photo taken.
For me, and the journey that I am currently on, documentation and preservation is immensely important, which is why I have been looking into taking my photography skills to the next level, digging deeper into the consciousness behind my photos and hopefully spark creativity and self-discovery.
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For me, and the journey that I am currently on, documentation and preservation is immensely important, which is why I have been looking into taking my photography skills to the next level, digging deeper into the consciousness behind my photos and hopefully spark creativity and self-discovery.
Zen Camera by David Ulrich is just what I needed to explore this medium. There are six lessons that revolve around observation, awareness, identity, practice, mastery, and presence in photography. There is also basic methods and principles section which includes the fact that you do not need any fancy equipment to practice photography. Zen Camera is more about the mindfulness and finding creativity in the art rather than equipment, which I appreciated.
David Ulrich has been teaching photography for over forty years and really pulls from his experience. It is incredibly well written and the photos included are imaginative and beautiful. Zen Camera is a workbook that is meant to be worked through in several months time but the way you want to work through it is completely up to you. You can read it straight through but I found that skimming and choosing what I wanted to focus on worked better for me.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to go deeper and become more mindful and aware in their photography and to awaken creativity within.
"No experience is complete, no meal finished, no friendship consummated until we have taken a picture. The photograph replies, I was here. I witnessed this event, met this person, or relished this experience."
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Watson-Guptill and Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
Write Smart, Write Happy
Non-Fiction,
Reference
Friday, February 9, 2018
Growing up my mom always told me I had the heart of a writer. Before I could even write I would make up stories and poems and recite them to my family. As I got older I would fill notebooks with all sorts of stories, never really thinking they would amount to anything. I just loved to write.
I won a few writing contests throughout elementary school and in junior high my creative writing teacher submitted one of my stories, without my knowledge, into a contest for a national magazine and I won! In high school my focus was more on the performing arts, but all of my English teachers encouraged me to pursue writing. I didn't take their advice and my writing professionally stopped there. I have, however, maintained a detailed journal throughout the years in hopes that one day I could tell my story. For me, writing isn't about being famous, or having the most followers on social media, it's for the love of writing.
In the back of my mind I do dream about getting serious and one day getting published. To see my name on the cover of a book would be a dream come true, but how do I get serious? Where do I start? There's so much to being published besides the writing itself, and it can be daunting and overwhelming for someone who is just starting out, which is why I was so happy to receive a copy of Write Smart, Write Happy by Cheryl St. John.
Talk about an incredible resource! This book is a wealth of information for those that want to get serious about their writing and being published. Ms. St. John goes into great detail about every aspect of writing imaginable, from the importance of continuing to have a social life and tips on getting organized, to the importance of self-discipline, making your writing time a priority, and even tips on creating a writing space. The author's honesty about her own personal journey as a writer is refreshing and is beautifully intermingled with practical tips that you can put into practice immediately.
So many believe that a writer's life is glamorous but Ms. St. John sets the record straight, outlining the many steps it takes to be published, as well as dealing with bad reviews, ugly rejections, and the personal sacrifices that you have to make to see your dream realized. The author does not sugar coat anything, but lays everything out there in black and white, leaving you with no questions about what it takes to be a successful writer.
I tried to read this book straight through but I kept stopping to jot down notes and highlight, so I finally gave up and just skimmed it. This will be a resource that I will be coming back to more and more as I get more serious about my writing. After skimming this book I actually pulled out a manuscript that I've been working on for a few years and started working on it again. I am now more motivated than ever to one day be published, and with Write Smart, Write Happy I have an incredible tool to help me get focused, and do it the right way.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
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I won a few writing contests throughout elementary school and in junior high my creative writing teacher submitted one of my stories, without my knowledge, into a contest for a national magazine and I won! In high school my focus was more on the performing arts, but all of my English teachers encouraged me to pursue writing. I didn't take their advice and my writing professionally stopped there. I have, however, maintained a detailed journal throughout the years in hopes that one day I could tell my story. For me, writing isn't about being famous, or having the most followers on social media, it's for the love of writing.
In the back of my mind I do dream about getting serious and one day getting published. To see my name on the cover of a book would be a dream come true, but how do I get serious? Where do I start? There's so much to being published besides the writing itself, and it can be daunting and overwhelming for someone who is just starting out, which is why I was so happy to receive a copy of Write Smart, Write Happy by Cheryl St. John.
Talk about an incredible resource! This book is a wealth of information for those that want to get serious about their writing and being published. Ms. St. John goes into great detail about every aspect of writing imaginable, from the importance of continuing to have a social life and tips on getting organized, to the importance of self-discipline, making your writing time a priority, and even tips on creating a writing space. The author's honesty about her own personal journey as a writer is refreshing and is beautifully intermingled with practical tips that you can put into practice immediately.
So many believe that a writer's life is glamorous but Ms. St. John sets the record straight, outlining the many steps it takes to be published, as well as dealing with bad reviews, ugly rejections, and the personal sacrifices that you have to make to see your dream realized. The author does not sugar coat anything, but lays everything out there in black and white, leaving you with no questions about what it takes to be a successful writer.
I tried to read this book straight through but I kept stopping to jot down notes and highlight, so I finally gave up and just skimmed it. This will be a resource that I will be coming back to more and more as I get more serious about my writing. After skimming this book I actually pulled out a manuscript that I've been working on for a few years and started working on it again. I am now more motivated than ever to one day be published, and with Write Smart, Write Happy I have an incredible tool to help me get focused, and do it the right way.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
Pokémon Cards: The Unofficial Ultimate Collector's Guide
Crafts & Hobbies,
Reference
Friday, January 12, 2018
I truly feel like my generation was the best. Being a child of the 80's meant you got to play with the coolest toys (He-Man and She-Ra, Rainbow Brite, and Cabbage Patch Kids, not to mention Nintendo and the birth of gaming as we know it today.
In 1995, I was a freshman in high school, so when Pokémon came out I wasn't that interested. I had enough on my plate with school and extracurricular activities. One of my friends, however, was obsessed so I would watch her and another friend of ours battle during lunch and after school. I never did get what the big deal was. The only thing I did that was Pokémon related was watching a few episodes of the cartoon, which wasn't too bad. I fell in love with Pikachu, but I was not a fanatic by any means.
When my boys were in third and fourth grade a Pokémon craze hit the elementary school and it was huge. Every birthday and Christmas for a good three years all my boys wanted was Pokémon cards. They now have a pretty impressive set that is collecting dust on a shelf in their closet, which seems like a waste to me, but I've heard that some Pokémon cards go for a lot of money, so I decided to do a little detective work. That's when I stumbled on Pokémon Cards: The Unofficial Ultimate Collector's Guide by Ryan Majeske.
Since my boys were the Pokémon fanatics in the family, I thought it would be fun to include them in this review. They are now in seventh and eighth grade, so getting them to sit down with a book was a struggle, but once they did, I heard a lot of "Wow! That's crazy!" or "Oh! I have that card!"
What we all loved about this book was all the pictures of the most valuable cards out there. I doubt any of us will ever see any of these cards in our lifetime, so being able to see what they looked like, as well as how much they are valued at, was really fascinating.
My boys loved reading about the history behind Pokémon at the beginning of the book, and were shocked that one card could be worth so much money! They also loved how it describes in detail how to read the cards (even though they already knew how) and all the tips for collectors.
I too loved the part about how to read the cards because it's always baffled me. I can't say that it made me want to "battle" anyone, but I still think it's neat how the cards are set up, and I love the history of pretty much anything.
Now that my boys are older they have contemplated getting rid of their collection, but after seeing how much a card can gain value in the future they've decided to keep them all and, instead of playing with them, become collector's themselves thanks to this book.
I thought I would be bored out of my mind flipping through this book but it ended up being really fun and a good family bonding time, which I am always grateful for at this age. I highly recommend this resource for anyone who has Pokémon cards or is interested in collecting them. This book is highly informative and will not disappoint.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Krause Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
0
In 1995, I was a freshman in high school, so when Pokémon came out I wasn't that interested. I had enough on my plate with school and extracurricular activities. One of my friends, however, was obsessed so I would watch her and another friend of ours battle during lunch and after school. I never did get what the big deal was. The only thing I did that was Pokémon related was watching a few episodes of the cartoon, which wasn't too bad. I fell in love with Pikachu, but I was not a fanatic by any means.
When my boys were in third and fourth grade a Pokémon craze hit the elementary school and it was huge. Every birthday and Christmas for a good three years all my boys wanted was Pokémon cards. They now have a pretty impressive set that is collecting dust on a shelf in their closet, which seems like a waste to me, but I've heard that some Pokémon cards go for a lot of money, so I decided to do a little detective work. That's when I stumbled on Pokémon Cards: The Unofficial Ultimate Collector's Guide by Ryan Majeske.
What we all loved about this book was all the pictures of the most valuable cards out there. I doubt any of us will ever see any of these cards in our lifetime, so being able to see what they looked like, as well as how much they are valued at, was really fascinating.
My boys loved reading about the history behind Pokémon at the beginning of the book, and were shocked that one card could be worth so much money! They also loved how it describes in detail how to read the cards (even though they already knew how) and all the tips for collectors.
I too loved the part about how to read the cards because it's always baffled me. I can't say that it made me want to "battle" anyone, but I still think it's neat how the cards are set up, and I love the history of pretty much anything.
Now that my boys are older they have contemplated getting rid of their collection, but after seeing how much a card can gain value in the future they've decided to keep them all and, instead of playing with them, become collector's themselves thanks to this book.
I thought I would be bored out of my mind flipping through this book but it ended up being really fun and a good family bonding time, which I am always grateful for at this age. I highly recommend this resource for anyone who has Pokémon cards or is interested in collecting them. This book is highly informative and will not disappoint.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Krause Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
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