The 2009 Traverse City Film Festival opens today at the historic State Theatre. Originally opened in 1918 the theatre has been the main venue of the festival since it began in 2005. This year's offerings include The Answer Man starring  Michigan's own Jeff Daniels, and Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. The festival ends on August 2.

I always enjoy movie adaptations of favorite books. Even when I don't agree with the director's interpretation of the work (the end of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince had me downright angry!) there is a special magic in seeing beloved characters come to life on screen. If you also enjoy books and their film adapations, here's a list for you.

Atonement: Book / DVD

  Do you like to travel?  My husband and I have enjoyed travelling over the last ten years.

     Two of our favorite spots are Ireland and the state of Hawaii.

      We went to Ireland with Kelly Tours in 2006.  We joined the second tour that visited three spots in

Northern Ireland.  This was of particular interest to me because my father was born in Belfast and lived

there until he was eighteen.  My husband and I watched 3 tapes which highlighted many interesting locations in Northern Ireland and Ireland.  The titles of these medias are

Growing Your Own Vegetables: An Encyclopedia of Country Living Guide by Carla Emery and Lorene Edwards Forkner covers the gamut of the home veg garden, from planning and layout to specific info on onions, legumes, herbs, and more. Handy tips and solid instruction.

In support of Cow Appreciation Day, celebrated on July 25th, break out your creative juices...let the milk of inspiration flow. In honor of our bovine friends, create a mosaic, paint a picture, write a narrative poem, or make up an interpretive dance! If you need some artistic reference, check out this handy website all about cow art! After all, how can you not love a cow?

The new International Language books are coming in almost too fast to blog! Fiction, cookbooks, biographies and so much more can be found on the shelf, or by searching online.

Do you crave every detail of a celebrity's life? Or obsess over a Hollywood A-Lister and whom he or she is dating or divorcing? If so, The Cult of Celebrity might pique your interest as well. Written by an entertainment expert, Cooper Lawrence, explains the phenom known as fame; why we as a society put stars on pedestals and become fascinated when they fall.

Baby Beanies: Happy Hats to Knit for Little Heads by Amanda Keeys includes instructions for knitting a variety of adorable hats for newborns, babies, and toddlers. The patterns vary from very basic beginner level to more advanced, and all of them are mega cute.

The man once known as "the most trusted man in America" passed away Friday at the age of  92. Walter Cronkite, the legendary journalist and TV news anchor for CBS, retired in 1981 after a long and distinguished career. Recruited by Edward R. Murrow,  Cronkite joined the network in the early 1950s after proving himself with his excellent coverage from Moscow during World War II.

This Sunday, July 19th, is the birth anniversary of the artist Edgar Degas.  He lived from 1834-1917.  During his life, he became famous for painting and sculpting many subjects including a lengthy series having to do with dancers and dancing, most notably in the field of ballet.

That curse word that you blurt out when you hurt yourself may be more than just using bad language.  A recent English study suggests that swearing after an injury actually helps you handle the pain.  That just might explain why swearing has survived so long.  For an in-depth look at cursing, read

It's hard to believe but this Monday, July 20 celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first manned moon landing.

Nominations for the 2009 Emmy Awards were announced earlier today. The winners will be announced on September 20 during a live broadcast on CBS to be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

A.J. Baime's Go Like Hell is a remarkable story of Henry Ford II's quest to beat Ferrari at Le Mans, racing's most glamourous and dangerous event. Ford, with the help of a young visionary Lee Iacocca and a former racing champion turned car builder, Carroll Shelby, entered the high stakes world of European racing in order to reinvent the company. Buckle your seat belt and go!

Garden Anywhere: How to Grow Gorgeous Container Gardens, Herb Gardens, Kitchen Gardens, and More--Without Spending a Fortune by Alys Fowler

The title really says it all - don't miss this beautifully photographed guide to making gardens wherever it suits you.

An April, 2009 paper by the National Resources Defense Council found that certain flea and tick pet collars have such a high concentration of toxins that they may cause cancer and other health disorders. These chemicals are especially dangerous to young children who are more likely to ingest them than adults.
For natural alternatives to pet care, read Pets and the Planet by Carol Frischmann.

Do you often find yourself with more month left than money? Does your budget look good on paper but frequently doesn't work in reality? In these uncertain economic times it is more important than ever to know how to budget your money and to keep track of expenses. Money tracking software programs have been available for many years but now there are websites that perform the same functions at no cost. Sites such as www.feedthepig.com and www.networthiq.com can help you keep track of your expenses and stay on budget.

"Determining What You Want From Your Career" is one of the many job resources available in the LearningExpress Library database. With completion of the questionnaire, you will learn more about yourself and the work environment you want. Once you know this information, you will be able to focus your job-search efforts better. As a result, you will save considerable time and energy because you will apply only for jobs that you are qualified to fill, that you are interested in, that you will be happy pursuing, and that will help you achieve your goals.

It is remarkable that 40 years ago - prior to cell phones, Blackberry's, and laptops - the mission to send men to the moon was accomplished with astronauts who carried sliderules.   Astronaut Buzz Aldrin writes about his journey as the second man to step foot on the moon in his book, Magnificent Desolation.  It begins with his trip to the moon in 196