Anythink blog
Review: 'Rumple Buttercup' by Matthew Gray Gubler
Sep 20 2019
Sometimes it's necessary to depart from your normal and branch out into something fun and youthful. Being a fan of Matthew Gray Gubler's work in the show Criminal Minds, I have been waiting for his children's book...
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Book review: 'The Stranger in the Woods' by Michael Finkel
Aug 20 2019
I was slightly intrigued by The Stranger in the Woods when I sat in on...
Boarding school reads for back to school
Aug 20 2019
The summer is winding down (thank goodness), and it’s that time where parents and kids alike are ready to head back to school. Like many of you, I grew up reading boarding school books, and would wistfully imagine returning to ivy-laden dorms tucked under stone walkways, where teachers wore robes...
Year of the Rocket Man
Aug 16 2019
As a child Reginald Dwight was shy and lonely, but possessed of an astonishing natural gift for the piano. Flash forward to Aug. 25, 1970, when the then 23-year-old would give a mind-blowing performance at the ...
In praise of Pixar
Aug 16 2019
It happens to every adult: that moment – after years of loving Pixar movies as hilarious, exciting yarns about anthropomorphic toys and fish and, well, Cars – when you...
Dungeons and Dragons, Understood
Aug 16 2019
Stranger Things doesn’t hold back when it comes to its blatant love of Dungeons and Dragons (commonly called D&D); in fact, some would argue that the hit show is its own version of D&D – it certainly seems to play out that way. At the end of the last season, one character leaves a small...
Book Review: 'The World According to Mister Rogers" by Fred Rogers
Aug 8 2019
I have such fond memories of watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood. I didn't wholly appreciate the essense of what Fred Rogers did through his program until I recently watched the documentary,...
The fabulous films of Quentin Tarantino
Jul 27 2019
One of the things I’m most excited for this summer is the release of Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood. Fellow Anythinker Nicole Falcone and I are big fans of Tarantino’s work, so in honor of Hollywood’s release on July 26, we’ve decided to share some thoughts on our...
Potty train like a pro
Jul 26 2019
After what feels like two years, but has just been a little over one, I can proudly tell you that my child is potty trained. I went into the process feeling prepared and optimistic. I had all of the relevant tools and resources to guide me on the journey. I had backup plans for my backup plans in...
Elevated Reading: 'Sand' and the history of the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado
Jul 26 2019
"We live across the thousand dunes with grit in our teeth and sand in our homes. No one will come for us. No one will save us."
Thus begins the description for...
Every body is a swimsuit body: Exploring body positive YA novels
Jul 26 2019
Four years ago, author Julie Murphy released the powerful YA novel, Dumplin’. The heartfelt story of Willow Dean Dixon – a...
Book review: 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' by Shirley Jackson
Jul 18 2019
Shirley Jackson was truly a master of weaving suspense and humor in her work. Known for her iconic short story, "The Lottery,"...
Camping time in Colorado
Jul 18 2019
Camping is a great way to connect with nature, especially in our beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There is excellent camping nearly everywhere in Colorado, with some of the best campsites to be seen. Colorado has a good mix of paid developed campgrounds and also underdeveloped primitive sites...
'First Man' deserves a second look
Jul 17 2019
The Apollo Program is the subject of numerous documentaries (I wrote about two of my favorites, For All Mankind and...
Slow down with 'The Slowest Book Ever'
Jul 17 2019
If I’m still reading a book after two weeks, I get antsy. Don’t get me wrong, I like to take my time with a book, appreciating its intricate plotting or dazzling prose or mind-expanding insights. But time is also a limited resource. A book that monopolizes my time makes me feel like I’ve been...
Book review: 'Homeschooled' by Rachel Papo
Jul 3 2019
"As homeschooling nears mainstream recognition and technology interweaves itself into our daily lives at breakneck pace, Papo provides us a timely glimpse into the lives of those who are carving an alternative path towards preparing for the future and finding a deeper way to be connected. Through...
Traffic lights: the changing world of color blindness
Jun 25 2019
Almost one year ago, I bought my husband the most expensive anniversary gift in our 15-year history: a single pair of sunglasses. He couldn’t understand why I had made him drive to a park, hike in and stand under a bunch of trees just to open his present. Then he opened the box, one marked ...
Six books for word friends
Jun 24 2019
I’m a word person. I like meeting words, listening to them, and learning their stories. It’s no surprise, then, that I quite enjoyed the following books, as they allowed me to get to know some interesting words. Happily, these particular materials are not dull or didactic. Rather, like a dinner...
The question of Keanu
Jun 21 2019
Recently, I’ve noticed social media lighting up with a lot of love for Keanu Reeves. Whether it’s due to the recent release of the third chapter in the...
A night owl takes on Denver
Jun 21 2019
Whenever I visit New York, I’m always struck with starry-eyed wonder around 10 pm at night. As a local Denver native, I’m used to being in bed around 10 pm, snuggled up with a comforter and a good book. That’s not the case in New York –10 pm in New York is when this bustling city wakes. As...