I recently watched a Tedtalk with my English class about a woman who decided to read books in pairs. Sometimes they were very similar, either about the same person, or about different ppl in the same event, but they could also be very different, like te roles they had in those events.

I think this is a great idea, and allows you to make connections, and also compare and contrast ideas that are mentioned. It gives you two outlooks on similar ideas, because you wouldnt read two random books that have no relevance to eachother. It requires out of box thinking, but so do books in general, haha.

I recently read this book called 'Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz about a boy (started as a boy) who survives the holocaust, going through 10 different concentration camps, sometimes hiding or helping others, always playing the Nazi's 'games', but lost his family. He ha a strong mentality, most times, that he WOULD survive the war, and that hes been through too much to die suddenly. He was a strong boy, and it was based on a true story.

I thought this would be interesting to read along with Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler that he wrote in the 1920's about himself when he was imprisoned, about his political ideas and the plans he hopes to do in the future. It was titled 'my struggles' in German, so its kind of self explainitory.

These would be so interesting to read together, to get the ideas and thoughts from one mans perspective, but to also get the perspective of someone experiencing Hitlers thoughts and ideas, and how unfair it was to the Jews, and Yanek,, but also how good of an idea it seemed like to be done. Both would make me sympathetic and angry at moments, but they're moments easily connected between stories.

If you ever get the chance, try this! Maybe not these two novels if they'ren't your genre, but its an eye opening experience.

This morning I am sitting with my Uncle watching some cooking shows, and every now and again he starts explaining to me why the cook is doing what hes doing, and i thought these tips might be useful to other people as well, because they took me by surprise.

First off, you should buy your fresh fish whole, not filleted, in order to tell how old it is. Apparently the fishes eyes will go and turn almost white when it gets old, and that the markets will usually fillet the fish at this time, because people don't buy them, and you can't tell. Some fish will taste fine even after their eyes turn, but will always taste better the fresher it is.

Another thing i learned if you wanted to skip the step of determining on whether it's fresh or not, buy it while its swimming! But be sure you watch WHERE it comes from. I was told if you buy farm catfish, it will often taste muddy because they're all kept in a pool type habbitat. Rather than a river or a lake, where it has a natural open environment. I was also told that the same thing could happen in a pond, so beware.

You know how all fruits and vegetables come either overdone or way to early picked? Well canned tomatoes will often stay fresh, being put in it at the time its riped, instead of looking in the market where you can get from green to mushy tomatoes. Because they come from so far away, they're picked early and will go bad fast, but canned tomatoes will stay good until you need them.

I learned another thing,not from my uncle, but to watch how much salt Rachel Ray uses in her meals! You want good cholesteral, dont follow ALL her measurements, haha.

Also, things wrapped in bacon will ALWAYS taste good. You can never go wrong with Bacon!!