The Random Musings of a Sporadic Mind

How to Write an Essay - Basic 5 Paragraph Format        Writing an essay can have you yanking out your hair while curled in a corner crying at 2 am. Even for experienced writers, the process of thinking about what to write and figuring out the format to put it in can be frustrating. Also, because there are many different types of essays (persuasive, expository, argumentative, etc.), how you approach the topic will vary. In high school, these papers will usually be about a page or two in length. In college, they can be several pages in length and typically require research. With so many variables, it’s no wonder that writing an essay can feel like you are being asked to climb Mount Everest with no equipment. One good thing is that most academic papers follow the same basic format.  Academic papers follow the same structural format with only little differences depending on how long the paper needs to be and what type of paper you are writing. The format tha...

  “Dragon Blood: Omnibus” by. Lindsay Buroker A Book Review with SPOILERS I loathe washing dishes. Every day sometimes two or three times a day, it is never-ending. It’s not so much the act of washing dishes I hate, but the time it takes to stand there, washing my life away with soapy bubbles. So, as a way to distract myself from the time ticking away, I enjoy listening to a good audiobook. I happened upon this book when I was in between Audible credits. My audible subscription includes the first three books, and I like dragons so, I gave it a shot. It was a good choice. First Impressions:  Immediately, I was a little confused about Jaxi because she just started talking to Sardelle. Initially, the image of someone trapped under a building popped into my head until it was clarified later. Then their conversation style took some getting used to because Jaxi, the talking sword, jumps into thoughts and conversations, sometimes without warning.  Quick Review:  The book st...

  “Mexican Gothic” by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia A Book Review with SPOILERS First Impressions:  The story opens up with a party and a couple that is quickly leaving it. From the beginning, it is clear that Noemi Taboada is the main character. Initially, the opening scene didn’t make too much of an impression on me until after I finished the story. Looking back, I think the author did an excellent job setting up Noemi’s character and letting the reader know right off that she was a strong-willed woman. She proves this multiple times throughout the story when she sets Noemi up to challenge authority and work her way around the obstacles that keep her from escaping.  Quick Review:  Noemi leaves the party when her father summons her home. Upon arrival, she is thinking that she’s in trouble, but really there is a family issue. Her cousin Catalina had married Virgil Doyle quickly and against her uncle’s wishes. Now she has sent an ominous letter that has her uncle and cousin q...

  6 White Oil Paint Brands and How They Compare  Since I began my oil painting adventure many years ago, I have always used the brand of oil paint called Georgian by Daler Rowney. I used to stockpile these paints when I could. Unfortunately, when I had what I thought to be enough, I stopped buying it. Fast forward several years, and this year I started to run out. But when I went back to the store, I discovered they no longer carried that brand of paint. Forced to buy another brand, I decided to experiment and see which brand I enjoyed the most. At the time, I bought Master's Touch because that's all that was available at my local store. After some browsing, I found several other brands through Blick Art Supply online.  All of the paints are titanium white. The Brands we are going to look at today are:  Master’s Touch (mixed with refined flax oil) Georgian by Daler Rowney (Unknown) Winsor & Newton - Winton Oil Colour (safflower oil) Blick Studio Oil Color (safflo...

  Diaper Cake - How to Make a DIY Diaper Cake I’m going to be a grandma! With this new title comes many new tasks including helping get my daughter’s baby shower prepared. So, when she said “Mom, I want a Paris-themed baby shower” and sent me a dozen pictures of Paris-themed diaper cakes, I couldn’t say no. I found colors I liked and went my own way with it. I have made several diaper cakes over the years for family and friends, so making one for my daughter is exciting.  Supplies: Here is a list of supplies that I used, but you will want to choose your theme and collect the supplies you would like to use. Stuffed French Poodle Tartan Pattern Pink and Grey Ribbon Cute Dog Paw Prints  Pink Eiffel Tower Hot Glue Gun Diapers sized 1-2 Rubber bands Baby Shampoo Baby Lavender Shampoo Baby lotion A&D diaper rash cream Various girl baby shower decorations from Dollar Tree. Circular cut cardboard or cake cardboard base.  How to Assemble the Base Layer:  Once you hav...