Stop-gap Goodness, but not enough for long term commitment.
592805
Decent shower mats look, feel and absorb very well. All things considered its a good shower mat for the price. My gripe is that there is not any padding or backing that would help keep them in place or from becoming squished and wrinkled constantly. I would have given it 4 stars if it had ANYTHING on the back to keep it from losing its shape and position each time its stepped on.

I will be heading to a department store, I think I'm definitely going to spend the extra on something elegant and properly designed.
2539170
My feelings about Ryan and Pippas story were mixed. I liked the way Pippa had a man in her past that made her wary of dating, and her attitude to life; she worked hard to be independent. Ryan, football star, playboy, party animal is believable, but the speed of the change in him isnt. Pippa would make a great motivation to stop behaving badly, but Ryan doesnt only sleep around and drink to excess: he drinks to the point where his parents see the only way to recovery as him joining a detox programme. If hes that far down the alcoholism road simply deciding to drink in moderation would be impossible.

This book is technically well-written, with frequent, clear, changes of point-of-view, which provide both sides of Pippa and Ryans relationship without ever being repetitive. The basic idea is a winner, the sexual tension builds, and the sex scene, when it comes, a delight to read compared to many that rely purely on physical reactions and obscene language. The constant niggle at the back of my mind that a drunk couldn't recover so fast spoilt my enjoyment and reduced a five star rating to three.
3579990
I would describe the book as spotty: parts are well written and profound, other parts are written to a much lower standard.

The author erroneously conflates many traits into one dualistic distinction.  For example, "essentialists" say no to their bosses and plan; "non-essentialists" say yes to everything and cannot plan.  But millions of middle level managers keep their jobs because they are good at taking orders, and planning (not to mention delivering on) multiple projects.  The author presents a choice between the essentialism and non-essentialism.  The author offers a story of taking phone calls from the hospital while his wife holds their newborn daughter as an illustration of the vice of non-essentialism.  Mahatma Gandhi is offered as a paragon of essentialism yet for all of the monumental good he did for the world, they say his family fared no better than the author's wife and new-born daughter.  I think the author would do well to consider Aristotle's concept of the golden mean: every virtue is a "golden mean" between two opposite vices.  Stephen Covey is offered as another role model for essentialism -- but the vignette is about Covey putting a priority on his family while juggling multiple carefully chosen roles. The definition of an essentialist seems to include anyone who is successful, well known and able to say no to distractions.

But the book does have some real value and that should not be ignored either.  The observation that the world pulls us in too many directions is valid --as is the observation that many of us get committed to too many things through an inability to say no (including bosses who will not take no for an answer).  I have recommended friends who are looking for jobs buy and read the book for the section on "Hell yes...or no" in Chapter 9 (i.e., unless a job is a great fit, you should not move--although the author presents it from the company's standpoint).  The first two sections helped me to look at my own life and how commitments have snuck in that I really should have said not to -- and am now limiting.  "Hell yes..or no" should apply to volunteer work too.  Should you read parts of the book? Hell yes.  Should the author and editor be more conscientious at insisting on a uniform standard of writing?  Hell yes to that too!
335333
It was an ok story.  The premise is good, checking off a bucket list of things you've been afraid to do.  I must admit that the bit about neither one admitting their feelings for the other got annoying after a while.  No one is that obtuse.  I finally gave up and didn't finish most of the last few chapters, skipping to the end.  Imagine my annoyance to find that there was still no resolution, that it was continued into the next book.
2333904
Ok but the linear fashion in which we experience time is problematic. Cuz 3 months goes by faster than one year.
3798062
looks promising but they generally don't last long,  we''ll see
1704418
The storyline is good, but it could be better than it is, if the story was fleshed out a little more.  And the ending was  unexpected, which  isn't bad in itself.  But it was so abrupt and came across as if it was suddenly time to stop, so with a thinly written ending, it just wrapped up in  a couple of pages and quit.

Had it suddenly reached some magic number of words and it was time to quit? Was it hurriedly brought to  a close to  meet a deadline?  It started out very interesting and the end failed to meet the good beginning.
743027
I give RHCP credit for constantly pushing the boundaries and willing to go outside its comfort zone. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. RHCP has gone for a mellower sound on "The Getaway" and unfortunately, it doesn't always work. There's definitely a cool 70s retro element to the production that is refreshing, but I miss some of the more rocking tunes. A few songs with more energy would've provided a nice counterbalance to the more laid-back songs.

The title track and "Dark Necessities" are the standouts on "The Getaway." The former features dance-y staccato riffs and chiming from Klinghoffer. The latter features signature slap and pop bass from Flea plus piano and some subtle wah-wah guitar, giving the song a little funk and groove before transitioning into a chorus that is easily the catchiest on the album.

However, the quality starts to slide after "Dark Necessities." After the big beat leading of "We Turn Red," a nimble guitar that fails to match the intensity of the drums results in a mixed effort. Similarly, the crescendo in "Goodbye Angels" doesn't quite hit the climax that it should while the guitar in the otherwise upbeat "Detroit" sounds a bit thin, needing a little more distortion to add bite in the vein of "This Ticonderoga." Perhaps these tracks will translate better in a live setting and come more to life. One pleasant surprise is "Go Robot," which juxtaposes funky bass and guitar against dreamy keyboards bolstered by a steady backbeat. However, moments like these are too infrequent.

The album certainly requires a few extra listens to grow on you. RHCP continues to push the envelope, but hopefully it can strike a stronger balance between mellow and more energetic, rocking tunes the next go around.
4156346
This story is like a soft chocolate that melts in your mouth. Once it's gone, you wish it had lasted a little longer. Not entirely a bad thing.

The events of the story feel a bit smooshed together and realizations happen quickly, one after another. However, the conditions of the island are chronic and have led to an uneasiness in the adult characters, so what we are witnessing is an eruption after a sustained build up. The characters are forced to make life changing decisions for survival through the emotional confusion and are likewise impacted by a moral dilemma. Ultimately, it's about keeping faith, trusting in the unseen, and listening with the heart.

A nice little story that could have been more, but still has some power.

Please note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
1632902
The book begins with wonderful promise, identifying the four key elements of the new economy: business arrays, lattice organizations, global mindsets and speed.  These are indeed the key elements, but Mills does not push hard or deep enought to really mine the context he has well described.  For example, how do arrays relate to electronic marketplaces and portals? What are the values really needed for the new culture? And with speed, this means our firm needs to connect electronically with other firms to seize the opportunity, what of XML for example in helping this to happen.  Then the book throws in a couple of unrelated chapters with no tie into the rest, and it finished with a weak ending.  We certainly expect more and Mills is more than able to give us more depth and wisdom.  Keep at it!
4387364
I liked this book, though for probably different reasons that it was intended.  I really liked the anecdotes throughout the book, and I liked the way it conveyed its message in a casual, level-headed way.  I found it very easy to connect with the author and his advice. However, I thought the book was more beneficial as a way to connect with a fellow law student, rather than as a guide.  I also found it kind of depressing that the "slacker" had such a hard time with the job search at the end of law school.  Maybe I felt this way because of the current job market and the underlying uncertainty of a job after school.  That said, I thought it was very good and well written.
61563
Many good things here.  I particularly liked the whole concept of "abstraction" and how the further people get away from actual interaction and become more of a number, it's easier to make "number" decisions instead of people decisions.

A little disappointed in what felt like a weak ending.
3922423
For men who had almost pledged not to fall completely in love with promises of marriage, they had to realize that their future was already decided, much to their satisfaction.
349003
Does a pretty good job of getting to the heart of the matter of retaining and elevating good employees.  Tried to order the Audible version, but many Kindles won't play it, and the Audible site offers very limited help if it doesn't work in your Kindle version or model.  They must have hired some ad copy writers to do their FAQs.  Useless.  And they don't have any refund mechanism even if they screw it up.  But the book itself is a worthwhile read.  As a consultant and trainer of medical personnel, I've found that people who choose to work in that field don't work for the money, they are inspired by the opportunity to contribute to others.  And if they're not inspired by that, they are often not great employees.  The problem we encounter ant that this book addresses is that doctors must learn to elevate all conversations about change and services to the level of fulfilling an ideal, the mission, rather than efficiency or other mundane points.  This is really a very practical look at leadership by inspiration.
2097710
Day number window too small, the rest is good.
3485707
This is the first book I read from the Dalai Lama (I also purchased -- Ethics for the New Millennium which I will begin shortly).  The Art of Happiness was a good book, but I have to be honest -- there are some slow moving points.  Many times throughout the book I found my mind drifting -- trying to pay attention.  Perhaps the book went into too much detail.  As I was reading, I noticed some good points mentioned, and then it would drop into the minutiae of repetitive phrases and sentences which forced me to lose my concentration.  Possibly, this book might be a tad better if there was a shortened version (maybe we just need to trim the fat)...

On the other hand, there were some very good points in this hardcover that I would like to mention:

1. Sometimes we add to our own suffering (and we don't even know it).
Maybe we overreact or perhaps we're too sensitive about a certain topic.  Many times we're unaware of our own actions, and we blow things out of proportion; meanwhile we lose sight of the more important issues at hand.  Moving forward, we must all learn how to respond to situations better.

2. Change is not necessarily a bad thing, and we seem to forget that.
If we look at change in a positive way - our present hardship could turn out to be just a natural part of life and actually benefit us in the process.  We must look at life's hardships as an opportunity to grow, and mature.  Do not try to rid yourself of these obstacles, rather embrace them and learn from them.

3. The enemy is a challenge of our patience.
Nobody tests us like an enemy, not our friends, no one.  We can look at our enemy as a great teacher of tolerance.  We have very few friends and even less enemies (most of us anyway).  So, in that light, an enemy is a rare gift, a useful tool to take advantage of and educate oneself.

4. Pain: who would have thought, but pain actually has a purpose.
Pain is here to safeguard us from further damage.  It is almost like an alarm system constantly on the lookout.  Even though pain is truly unpleasant, at the same time - it calls our body into action to respond.  It also serves as a reminder so we don't forget such a painful experience.  Be thankful we have pain so that we can be united with our own body.  In closing, pain is one way that we certainly discern that we're alive.
2767
A prophetic line from the beginning of the book that applies to the author in a most satisfactory way: When you wait a few span or month to hear a finished song, the anticipation adds savor. But after a year excitement begins to sour. By now, a year and a half had passed and folk were almost mad with curiosity. This occasionally led to hard words..