Been a bit busy around the past couple days, and I'm willing to bet most of you can say the same. And we're headed out the door in a few hours to spend the next few days with Rich's family, so I won't be around.
But I wanted to sincerely wish all those of you in the U.S. celebrating Thanksgiving a very joyous holiday! Happy, happy, happy Thanksgiving!
And to all of those not celebrating Thanksgiving, may you still have a wonderful weekend full of many things to be grateful for!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Geeking...week 26
Haven't had my act together enough to participate in the last few Weekly Geeks. Still don't have my act together, but at least I managed to join in the fun this week. So, what did Dewey have in store for us this time:
Here's the cool new blogs I happened upon:
Icedreams:
She loves Stephen King. Particularly his short stories. Me, too. Unfortunately she was disappointed in his new collection, Just After Sunset. Oh well, I'm still hoping Santa leaves me a copy under the tree this year.
Ali at Wordcopia:
She's a home schooling mom. Me, too. Well, actually I'm not just like her...she home schools all her kiddos, while I've got kiddos in public school and at home. I also relate to her "religion" which she describes as "Common sense and being open to all humankind." She attends a Unitarian Universalist church, which is something I've very much wanted to do for a long time, but my whole "I'm afraid of having to talk to people" thing holds me back.
Marina at Momma Writes About Books:
She obviously loves lists. Me, too.
Alyssa at The Shady Glade:
She belongs to Paperback Swap. And she loves crafts. Me, too. And me, too. As an aside, I just love the title of her blog.
Louise at Lou's Pages:
She just read Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. Me, too. Well, I didn't just read it, but I read it a couple years ago. Only Jennifer Weiner book I've ever read. Possibly the only chick lit book I've ever read? She also just finished one of John Sandford's "Prey" books. I've read lots of those, but haven't read one in a while. Should remedy that.
It’s been awhile since we’ve done some serious WG bloghopping. So this week, let’s visit five other Weekly Geeks.
How to:
1. Using the WeeklyGeeks category here in my blog, find 5 Weekly Geeks you don’t know. The easiest way is probably to look at the Mr Linkies in my weekly Saturday posts.
2. Visit each of your 5 new blogpals and snoop around their blogs to find at least one thing you have in common.
3. In your blog, write a post, linking to your 5 new blogpals, about what you have in common with them.
4. Come back and sign Mr Linky.
5. As you run across other Weekly Geek posts (or deliberately seek them out) if you see anyone mentioned who has something in common with you, pay them a visit.
Here's the cool new blogs I happened upon:
Icedreams:
She loves Stephen King. Particularly his short stories. Me, too. Unfortunately she was disappointed in his new collection, Just After Sunset. Oh well, I'm still hoping Santa leaves me a copy under the tree this year.
Ali at Wordcopia:
She's a home schooling mom. Me, too. Well, actually I'm not just like her...she home schools all her kiddos, while I've got kiddos in public school and at home. I also relate to her "religion" which she describes as "Common sense and being open to all humankind." She attends a Unitarian Universalist church, which is something I've very much wanted to do for a long time, but my whole "I'm afraid of having to talk to people" thing holds me back.
Marina at Momma Writes About Books:
She obviously loves lists. Me, too.
Alyssa at The Shady Glade:
She belongs to Paperback Swap. And she loves crafts. Me, too. And me, too. As an aside, I just love the title of her blog.
Louise at Lou's Pages:
She just read Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. Me, too. Well, I didn't just read it, but I read it a couple years ago. Only Jennifer Weiner book I've ever read. Possibly the only chick lit book I've ever read? She also just finished one of John Sandford's "Prey" books. I've read lots of those, but haven't read one in a while. Should remedy that.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
inspired
Okay, I know I've gushed on more than one occasion about how much I adore Ali Edwards. About how much she inspires me. Well, I decided to prove it. I totally fell in love with this project of hers, her little "December Daily Album". (Okay, I totally fall in love with nearly everything she does, but that's beside the point.)
So I said to myself, "Okay Debra Anne, just do it!"
To which myself answered, "Yeah right. When the hell am I supposed to find the time for that?!!"
Then I smacked myself upside the head, and said, "Make the time, you idiot. Frozen pizza for supper and little toothpaste left in the sink isn't going to kill anyone."
And guess what, I really did it! Granted, my version isn't nearly as cool as Ali's. But who freakin' cares...I'm totally in love with my little December Daily album. And I'll only love it more as each day of December leading up to Christmas goes by and I add my photos and journaling for the day. And yep, I'll probably subject you to pages as they fill up, but I figure you all know how to hit that "mark as read" button so it'll be okay.
Before I started, I made myself a few "rules" to follow:
1. I was only allowed to use things I already owned...and scraps, leftovers, and "trash" were most preferable.
2. I was not allowed to plan anything ahead; I just had to make the pages without worrying what came before or what would come after. (This was very hard for me...I'm anal to the nth degree!)
3. I was not allowed to stress. This was to be pure fun. Perfection is not only impossible, it's boring.
Anyway, here's a picture of the album I put together:
And a peek at the inside pages:
(The front cover is made from an old piece of chipboard saved from somewhere. It's covered with an old Christmas card and scraps of cardstock. Handy dandy Dymo label maker for the title strips. Back cover is the back of old steno pad, covered in cardstock, with a piece of ribbon from a former Christmas gift woven through the holes.)
So I said to myself, "Okay Debra Anne, just do it!"
To which myself answered, "Yeah right. When the hell am I supposed to find the time for that?!!"
Then I smacked myself upside the head, and said, "Make the time, you idiot. Frozen pizza for supper and little toothpaste left in the sink isn't going to kill anyone."
And guess what, I really did it! Granted, my version isn't nearly as cool as Ali's. But who freakin' cares...I'm totally in love with my little December Daily album. And I'll only love it more as each day of December leading up to Christmas goes by and I add my photos and journaling for the day. And yep, I'll probably subject you to pages as they fill up, but I figure you all know how to hit that "mark as read" button so it'll be okay.
Before I started, I made myself a few "rules" to follow:
1. I was only allowed to use things I already owned...and scraps, leftovers, and "trash" were most preferable.
2. I was not allowed to plan anything ahead; I just had to make the pages without worrying what came before or what would come after. (This was very hard for me...I'm anal to the nth degree!)
3. I was not allowed to stress. This was to be pure fun. Perfection is not only impossible, it's boring.
Anyway, here's a picture of the album I put together:
And a peek at the inside pages:
(The front cover is made from an old piece of chipboard saved from somewhere. It's covered with an old Christmas card and scraps of cardstock. Handy dandy Dymo label maker for the title strips. Back cover is the back of old steno pad, covered in cardstock, with a piece of ribbon from a former Christmas gift woven through the holes.)
Saturday, November 22, 2008
par for the course
Annie just arrived home from a sleepover at her best friend's. They went to see Twilight last night. Annie's take:
"It was really, really good. But not as good as the book."
Isn't that always the way?
"It was really, really good. But not as good as the book."
Isn't that always the way?
this 'n' that
This:
It seems as if it's been a while since I've awarded blame points, but I've got a few to dole out today.
Dewey actually walks away with three this time! I ordered An Age of Extremes and War, Peace, and All That Jazz by Joy Hakim from a series she recommended for home schooling. (Thanks Dewey--they look fabulous!) And while I first added The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett to my wish list after hearing about it on NPR, it was reading Dewey's review that made me finally order it. Really putting the pressure on Nymeth now, aren't you?
Chris earns a point with his review of Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, An Exile's Journey by Joyce Zonana. I never really thought much about reading memoirs before, but I've read a handful this year and found I really enjoy them. This one just arrived on my doorstop and it certainly sounds like a good one!
Finally, Carl earns a point for Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen. I've had this on my wish list taunting me for over a year now ever since reading Carl's review. How did I finally justify buying it? I got it for Annie for Christmas. :)
*****
That:
Just want to remind everyone that if they participated and finished Annie's What's in A Name Challenge this year, they should pop over here and leave a comment to be entered in for the Amazon gift certificate drawing. (Sorry to keep bringing it up, I just don't want anyone to miss out.)
It seems as if it's been a while since I've awarded blame points, but I've got a few to dole out today.
Dewey actually walks away with three this time! I ordered An Age of Extremes and War, Peace, and All That Jazz by Joy Hakim from a series she recommended for home schooling. (Thanks Dewey--they look fabulous!) And while I first added The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett to my wish list after hearing about it on NPR, it was reading Dewey's review that made me finally order it. Really putting the pressure on Nymeth now, aren't you?
Chris earns a point with his review of Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, An Exile's Journey by Joyce Zonana. I never really thought much about reading memoirs before, but I've read a handful this year and found I really enjoy them. This one just arrived on my doorstop and it certainly sounds like a good one!
Finally, Carl earns a point for Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen. I've had this on my wish list taunting me for over a year now ever since reading Carl's review. How did I finally justify buying it? I got it for Annie for Christmas. :)
*****
That:
Just want to remind everyone that if they participated and finished Annie's What's in A Name Challenge this year, they should pop over here and leave a comment to be entered in for the Amazon gift certificate drawing. (Sorry to keep bringing it up, I just don't want anyone to miss out.)
Friday, November 21, 2008
I know how he feels
Max walked into my bedroom last night and said:
"My brain hates me...it never lets me remember stuff I need to remember."
This was his clever way of leading up to telling me that he hadn't done the couple of jobs I'd asked him to do. But I truly could relate. Sometimes it really feels like my brain hates me, too. (Though that's not my excuse for my pathetic performance on yesterday's to-do list.)
"My brain hates me...it never lets me remember stuff I need to remember."
This was his clever way of leading up to telling me that he hadn't done the couple of jobs I'd asked him to do. But I truly could relate. Sometimes it really feels like my brain hates me, too. (Though that's not my excuse for my pathetic performance on yesterday's to-do list.)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
on today's agenda
After an invigorating snowball fight waiting for the school bus (a fight in which the boys showed their poor old mom no mercy, I might add), I guess it's time to get back to work. On slate for today:
household crap:
*the daily
*vacuum
*sweep kitchen
*3 loads laundry
*menu/grocery list
reading:
*This Our Dark Country by Catherine Reef (for school)--read about half of it
*Global Studies: Africa, pp. 234-237 (for school)
*Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader, chaps. 5-10 (for school)
*The Civil War by Geoffrey C. Ward, pp. 356-383 (for school)
*"The Doctor's Case" by Stephen King (for school)
*"Word Processor of the Gods" by Stephen King (for school)
*"The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands" by Stephen King (for school)
*Coping In A Changing World: HIV/AIDS by Paula Johanson (for school)
*In The Land of Invisible Women by Qanta A. Ahmed, chaps. 4-6 (for review)
*finish Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (for pure fun)
*catch up on blogs--almost made it
miscellaneous:
*haul science magazines to library
*wrap Christmas gifts that are going with us at Thanksgiving
*finish Christmas album base
Will I finish all that? Not a chance! But you've got to love a day that so heavy in reading, don't you?!!
household crap:
*
*
*sweep kitchen
*
*
reading:
*This Our Dark Country by Catherine Reef (for school)--read about half of it
*Global Studies: Africa, pp. 234-237 (for school)
*Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader, chaps. 5-10 (for school)
*The Civil War by Geoffrey C. Ward, pp. 356-383 (for school)
*
*"Word Processor of the Gods" by Stephen King (for school)
*"The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands" by Stephen King (for school)
*Coping In A Changing World: HIV/AIDS by Paula Johanson (for school)
*In The Land of Invisible Women by Qanta A. Ahmed, chaps. 4-6 (for review)
*finish Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (for pure fun)
*catch up on blogs--almost made it
miscellaneous:
*
*
*finish Christmas album base
Will I finish all that? Not a chance! But you've got to love a day that so heavy in reading, don't you?!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
one of the many perks of home schooling
Mid-morning hot cocoa breaks:
*****
And on another note, yesterday's pouting paid off. :) My darling husband has come up with a plan to house more books in our library. See, most of his books are already in there, and take up 2+ walls. The boys' books are in there and take up most of the third wall (with Rich taking up a bit of it, as well as a few of Annie's books thrown in the mix). This left the fourth wall (which is probably also the smallest due to the bookcase from the perpendicular wall and the door opening onto it) for the remainder of Rich's books, the majority of Annie's books and for all of my books. This is also the only wall that we didn't already have bookcases for. We found some we really liked that would fit into the space, but we hadn't bought them yet. For which I am now eternally grateful. I don't think there's any way they would have held the rest of Rich's and Annie's, let alone any of mine. But Rich has now volunteered to build some floor-to-ceiling variety bookshelves instead. Pretty sure it was guilt. And not wanting to deal with my moping.
*****
And on another note, yesterday's pouting paid off. :) My darling husband has come up with a plan to house more books in our library. See, most of his books are already in there, and take up 2+ walls. The boys' books are in there and take up most of the third wall (with Rich taking up a bit of it, as well as a few of Annie's books thrown in the mix). This left the fourth wall (which is probably also the smallest due to the bookcase from the perpendicular wall and the door opening onto it) for the remainder of Rich's books, the majority of Annie's books and for all of my books. This is also the only wall that we didn't already have bookcases for. We found some we really liked that would fit into the space, but we hadn't bought them yet. For which I am now eternally grateful. I don't think there's any way they would have held the rest of Rich's and Annie's, let alone any of mine. But Rich has now volunteered to build some floor-to-ceiling variety bookshelves instead. Pretty sure it was guilt. And not wanting to deal with my moping.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
a tiny glimpse of our new library
Though far from done, I just had to snap this quick picture in the library. Lucky just looked so photogenic (unfortunately, I couldn't get a good shot...but he still looks pretty cute up there).
Unfortunately, it's really starting to look like it's going to be everyone's library but mine. The room is fast filling up, and I don't think there's going to be any room left for my books. Figures. :(
Unfortunately, it's really starting to look like it's going to be everyone's library but mine. The room is fast filling up, and I don't think there's going to be any room left for my books. Figures. :(
Sunday, November 16, 2008
a fresh start...
At least that's what I'm hoping for. I have to admit that I have just been in a horrible funk the past week, and despite the fact that I knew I needed to snap out of it, I just couldn't. I've been so unbelievably stressed about school...I was already behind for the quarter, and losing everything on the computer made things exponentially worse. And our go-to computer guy let us know on Friday that he was unable to retrieve anything. He did give us the name of the one place he knew of that probably could...but I don't think we can afford it. Anyway, on top of that, it seems like we're dreading the phone ringing...worrying that it's the call saying that my BIL finally succeeded in his suicide by alcohol.
Okay, all of that sucks. But it's time to stop letting it drain the joy out of daily life. Heck, Annie decided Friday evening that she wasn't going to let loosing her novel keep her down...so with half the month gone, she decided to start NaNoWriMo all over again. You know, maybe she won't reach her 50,000-word goal, but I'm damn proud of her for trying! And with that kind of role model, how can I possibly keep moping around here, right?
So, Happy-Thing-#1:
The Book Bloggers Christmas Swap.
Nymeth is once again hosting the swap, this year with help from Dewey. (Two of my very favorite people!) I know most everyone has already signed up, but if you haven't go check it out. But hurry...the deadline to sign up is November 18th. It really was such fun last year. As much fun as receiving a package in the mail (thanks again, Lynne), was reading everyone's posts as their gifts arrived! So festive!
And Happy-Thing-#2:
Bellezza tagged my with the Kreativ Blogger Award.
Along with the award comes a meme of sorts:
7 Things I Did Before:
1. Made crafts to sell in a craft mall.
2. Hiked a piece of the Appalachian Trail on my honeymoon.
3. Felt as if I had a well-functioning brain.
4. Read almost exclusively thrillers.
5. Kept an immaculate home.
6. Smoked.
7. Worked as an optician.
7 Things I Do Now:
1. Home school my daughter.
2. Read just about anything.
3. Am thankful that I manage to keep the bathroom clean.
4. Wonder a great deal about what has become of my previously well-functioning brain.
5. Spend too much time on the computer.
6. Get up between 4:00 and 5:00 each morning.
7. Count my blessings!
7 Things I Want To Do:
1. Make more time to do the things I love to do, like reading and scrapbooking.
2. Sleep through the night.
3. Lose weight.
4. See my children grow into happy, responsible, caring adults.
5. Continue learning.
6. Remember to find the joy in every day.
7. Grow happily old with Rich, the love of my life.
7 Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex:
1. A genuine smile.
2. A kind heart.
3. A love of learning.
4. A willingness to be goofy.
5. A down-to-earth manner.
6. A supportive nature.
7. A love of all his fellow creatures on Earth.
7 Favorite Foods:
1. Rich's awesome stir fry
2. tortilla chips with queso dip
3. my SIL's chocolate raspberry bars
4. stuffing
5. brownies with vanilla ice cream
6. chicken and dumplings
7. homemade waffles
7 Things I Say Most Often:
1. "I love you."
2. "Thank you."
3. "Enough!" (Baker's command to stop barking...it does little good.)
4. "Sweet dreams."
5. "You're so cool!"
6. "What do you guys want to eat?"
7. "Wash up."
And, now, 7 people to tag for this award:
1. Annie, who is such a talented creative writer...just wish she would share more of her writing on her blog.
2. Nymeth, who writes the most exquisitely beautiful book reviews I've ever read.
3. Carl, who writes more passionately about the creativity of others than anyone I've ever read. You cannot help but be inspired when you read his posts.
4. Jean, who has all kinds of creativity spewing forth from her, but I'm going to focus on her gorgeous quilts as she shares them on her blog.
5. Dewey, who is the most creative community-building guru in the whole of the bloggy universe.
6. Quixotic, who designs and make beautiful cards.
7. Ali Edwards. Okay, her blog is not one I've ever commented on, yet I read it faithfully. She has long been my biggest creative inspiration. And it's more than her amazing life art...it's her whole outlook on life, her personality, her willingness to share her gifts with the world. I absolutely adore this woman!
(By the way, I know some of you don't really "do tags"...and that's just fine...I just wanted to share those blogs that inspire me creatively.)
And finally, Happy-Thing-#3:
We finally started putting our "library" together. We've had the room emptied for the past couple weeks, and we'd been waiting for me to paint it. But I finally had to admit to myself that I just didn't have time to do it now. And I couldn't stand having bookcases and boxes and bags and loose piles of books stacked all over the house waiting to be put in their new home. So we hauled in all the bookcases, and started filling the shelves. Rich is going to put up some more shelves today, so we'll be able to make even more progress. But we need to get a few more bookcases before we'll be able to move everything in. Then we'll need chairs, if we actually want to sit in there to read. :) And we have a rug all picked out, and we want to find some bamboo-type blinds, but those things will probably have to wait a while. Anyway, it's just so very exciting to finally have it coming together! And hopefully, I'll have some pictures to share soon.
Okay, all of that sucks. But it's time to stop letting it drain the joy out of daily life. Heck, Annie decided Friday evening that she wasn't going to let loosing her novel keep her down...so with half the month gone, she decided to start NaNoWriMo all over again. You know, maybe she won't reach her 50,000-word goal, but I'm damn proud of her for trying! And with that kind of role model, how can I possibly keep moping around here, right?
So, Happy-Thing-#1:
The Book Bloggers Christmas Swap.
Nymeth is once again hosting the swap, this year with help from Dewey. (Two of my very favorite people!) I know most everyone has already signed up, but if you haven't go check it out. But hurry...the deadline to sign up is November 18th. It really was such fun last year. As much fun as receiving a package in the mail (thanks again, Lynne), was reading everyone's posts as their gifts arrived! So festive!
And Happy-Thing-#2:
Bellezza tagged my with the Kreativ Blogger Award.
Along with the award comes a meme of sorts:
7 Things I Did Before:
1. Made crafts to sell in a craft mall.
2. Hiked a piece of the Appalachian Trail on my honeymoon.
3. Felt as if I had a well-functioning brain.
4. Read almost exclusively thrillers.
5. Kept an immaculate home.
6. Smoked.
7. Worked as an optician.
7 Things I Do Now:
1. Home school my daughter.
2. Read just about anything.
3. Am thankful that I manage to keep the bathroom clean.
4. Wonder a great deal about what has become of my previously well-functioning brain.
5. Spend too much time on the computer.
6. Get up between 4:00 and 5:00 each morning.
7. Count my blessings!
7 Things I Want To Do:
1. Make more time to do the things I love to do, like reading and scrapbooking.
2. Sleep through the night.
3. Lose weight.
4. See my children grow into happy, responsible, caring adults.
5. Continue learning.
6. Remember to find the joy in every day.
7. Grow happily old with Rich, the love of my life.
7 Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex:
1. A genuine smile.
2. A kind heart.
3. A love of learning.
4. A willingness to be goofy.
5. A down-to-earth manner.
6. A supportive nature.
7. A love of all his fellow creatures on Earth.
7 Favorite Foods:
1. Rich's awesome stir fry
2. tortilla chips with queso dip
3. my SIL's chocolate raspberry bars
4. stuffing
5. brownies with vanilla ice cream
6. chicken and dumplings
7. homemade waffles
7 Things I Say Most Often:
1. "I love you."
2. "Thank you."
3. "Enough!" (Baker's command to stop barking...it does little good.)
4. "Sweet dreams."
5. "You're so cool!"
6. "What do you guys want to eat?"
7. "Wash up."
And, now, 7 people to tag for this award:
1. Annie, who is such a talented creative writer...just wish she would share more of her writing on her blog.
2. Nymeth, who writes the most exquisitely beautiful book reviews I've ever read.
3. Carl, who writes more passionately about the creativity of others than anyone I've ever read. You cannot help but be inspired when you read his posts.
4. Jean, who has all kinds of creativity spewing forth from her, but I'm going to focus on her gorgeous quilts as she shares them on her blog.
5. Dewey, who is the most creative community-building guru in the whole of the bloggy universe.
6. Quixotic, who designs and make beautiful cards.
7. Ali Edwards. Okay, her blog is not one I've ever commented on, yet I read it faithfully. She has long been my biggest creative inspiration. And it's more than her amazing life art...it's her whole outlook on life, her personality, her willingness to share her gifts with the world. I absolutely adore this woman!
(By the way, I know some of you don't really "do tags"...and that's just fine...I just wanted to share those blogs that inspire me creatively.)
And finally, Happy-Thing-#3:
We finally started putting our "library" together. We've had the room emptied for the past couple weeks, and we'd been waiting for me to paint it. But I finally had to admit to myself that I just didn't have time to do it now. And I couldn't stand having bookcases and boxes and bags and loose piles of books stacked all over the house waiting to be put in their new home. So we hauled in all the bookcases, and started filling the shelves. Rich is going to put up some more shelves today, so we'll be able to make even more progress. But we need to get a few more bookcases before we'll be able to move everything in. Then we'll need chairs, if we actually want to sit in there to read. :) And we have a rug all picked out, and we want to find some bamboo-type blinds, but those things will probably have to wait a while. Anyway, it's just so very exciting to finally have it coming together! And hopefully, I'll have some pictures to share soon.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
You all are the best! (and some book stuff)
I have to admit that I've been feeling kind of guilty ever since I wrote that last post, thinking that you all don't need to hear my dumb old problems. Especially when I consider that in the greater scheme of things I'm a very lucky person. But wow...you all went and proved to me how very blessed I indeed am when it comes to the wonderful gifts of friendship. I can't tell you how much all your kind words meant to me! Seriously, I'm in tears again just thinking about it. Thank you, thank you, thank you...from the bottom of my heart!
(And as an update--my BIL checked himself out of the hospital "against medical advice" and went to stay with my MIL for a few days. Who knows what happens from here on out, but the ball's in his court as they say. Our computer is in the shop. Though the fellow there could make no promises, of course, he wasn't totally pessimistic about our chances of recovery.)
*****
Considering how few books I seem to be finishing these days, I can't believe how far behind on book reviews. I decided that instead of stressing about it, I'll just catch up by doing some mini-reviews. I'd love to steal Eva's 12-word version, but I don't think I'm quite that talented.
*The Bat-Poet by Randall Jarrell, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak.
Absolutely delightful. Sweet, innocent charm. The joys of being oneself and following one's dreams, even when that means you'll sometimes be alone. A children's book that will truly resonate with readers of all ages.
Thank you so much Chris, for your lovely review that introduced me to this little treasure!
*Double Cross by James Patterson.
I read this during the read-a-thon...one, because I'd just finished The Graveyard Book and I needed to pick up something that wouldn't be quite so emotional an experience, and two, simply because his books always fly by which makes them perfect for the read-a-thon. As I've said before, for several years, I read almost exclusively thrillers, but my horizons have expanded greatly, thanks for the most part to all you cool people and your incredble reviews. But I do still enjoy a thriller now and then. And I did enjoy this book. Honestly though, I didn't love it. There were twists that were a bit too predictable, and there were actions by some of the characters that I simply didn't find believable. I tend to wonder if Mr. Patterson is just cranking out his books too quickly these days. When it comes to his "Alex Cross" series anyway, I feel that their quality has been going downhill. And still, all that said, they're obviously still doing something for me, because I just can't seem to quit reading them. :)
*50 Reasons to Buy Fair Trade by Miles Litvinoff and John Madeley.
This was quite a different read for me. While I love non-fiction, economics/business has just never interested me in the slightest. But Annie and I are studying "poverty" for school. And I guess it is through this avenue that all of sudden economics became a much more interesting subject. The human side, if you will. Let me say right off the top here that I'm not reviewing this book from the position of an educated economist. I don't want to debate anyone on the topic of fair vs. free trade. This is just my personal opinion as a human being and a consumer who wants to be responsible in her choices. So anyway, before reading this book, I had a very vague idea as to what fair trade was about, and a gut feeling that buying fair trade was the right thing to do. So this book was perfect for me. It explained the nuts and bolts of fair trade from many angles, so for me it was quite educational. Does that mean that someone who already understands fair trade or someone who fully supports fair trade already won't get anything from this book? No. I truly believe this is a book for every consumer. For while I loved gaining a deeper understanding of how fair trade works, my favorite parts of this book were the personal stories. The stories of lives changed and hopes renewed. It truly is an uplifting little book.
(I will probably be having a giveaway for this book in the future, but I think Rich wants to read it first.)
*The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper.
I'd really hoped to write a wonderful review of this book--it certainly deserves it. I'd bookmarked a dozen pages with passages to share or points to comment on. But it turned out that I finished this book only minutes before I had to give it to Rich so he could return it to his school's library. But I'll do my best to share what I loved about this book anyway. Helene Cooper, who is now the diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times, was born in Liberia, into what can only be called the privileged class. The first half of the book tells the story of her childhood at Sugar Beach, a mansion her father had built outside the capital city of Monrovia. When the family moved to Sugar Beach, Helene, then a young girl, was not happy about it. She didn't want to leave the city where her friends and family lived. And living seemingly out in nowhere (though it was really only about 10 miles from the city), brought out Helene's superstitious fears...fears of neegees and heartmen. And it is these fears that bring Helene a new sister. Her parents adopt Eunice, a "country" child to keep Helene company. The story is so sweet, so humorous in only the way that true childhood innocence can be. As a child, Helene doesn't comprehend the situation in her country. Her reality has always had her placed in the elite class, and it has never occurred to her that maybe the system in her country isn't fair.
But her previously privileged world comes crashing to an end when Helene is in 9th grade. She is witness to brutal acts committed against her family. Her mother soon moves Helene and her younger sister Marlene to the U.S. Eunice is left behind to return to her biological mother. So after six years together, Helene is separated from her sister, her friend. The privileged life is behind her. She continues to share her story through high school and college, and then into the world of journalism. And believe me, her life as a journalist has been mighty exciting. But the stories she shares all lead to one point. Everything seems to be bringing her to one decision. Helene covered all kinds of world events as a reporter, including the Iraq war, where she was an embedded journalist. A near death experience in Iraq finally brought her to the realization that she could no longer run from her past. She needed to return to Liberia. She needed to find her sister whom she hadn't seen in fifteen years.
I'm not sure what I loved most about this book. Helene Cooper is a fascinating woman. And I love that she didn't whitewash her story. She freely admitted her frailties as a human. But I also loved all the history included in this book, from the founding of the country up through the brutal modern history of Liberia. The book is humorous, bittersweet, joyous, and heartbreaking. And I thank Helene Cooper for sharing it.
*****
If anyone has reviewed any of these books, please feel free to leave a link in the comments so I can add them here. Thanks.
Emmanuel at Liberia and Friends Journal (The House at Sugar Beach)
Chris at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On (The Bat Poet)
(And as an update--my BIL checked himself out of the hospital "against medical advice" and went to stay with my MIL for a few days. Who knows what happens from here on out, but the ball's in his court as they say. Our computer is in the shop. Though the fellow there could make no promises, of course, he wasn't totally pessimistic about our chances of recovery.)
*****
Considering how few books I seem to be finishing these days, I can't believe how far behind on book reviews. I decided that instead of stressing about it, I'll just catch up by doing some mini-reviews. I'd love to steal Eva's 12-word version, but I don't think I'm quite that talented.
*The Bat-Poet by Randall Jarrell, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak.
Absolutely delightful. Sweet, innocent charm. The joys of being oneself and following one's dreams, even when that means you'll sometimes be alone. A children's book that will truly resonate with readers of all ages.
Thank you so much Chris, for your lovely review that introduced me to this little treasure!
*Double Cross by James Patterson.
I read this during the read-a-thon...one, because I'd just finished The Graveyard Book and I needed to pick up something that wouldn't be quite so emotional an experience, and two, simply because his books always fly by which makes them perfect for the read-a-thon. As I've said before, for several years, I read almost exclusively thrillers, but my horizons have expanded greatly, thanks for the most part to all you cool people and your incredble reviews. But I do still enjoy a thriller now and then. And I did enjoy this book. Honestly though, I didn't love it. There were twists that were a bit too predictable, and there were actions by some of the characters that I simply didn't find believable. I tend to wonder if Mr. Patterson is just cranking out his books too quickly these days. When it comes to his "Alex Cross" series anyway, I feel that their quality has been going downhill. And still, all that said, they're obviously still doing something for me, because I just can't seem to quit reading them. :)
*50 Reasons to Buy Fair Trade by Miles Litvinoff and John Madeley.
This was quite a different read for me. While I love non-fiction, economics/business has just never interested me in the slightest. But Annie and I are studying "poverty" for school. And I guess it is through this avenue that all of sudden economics became a much more interesting subject. The human side, if you will. Let me say right off the top here that I'm not reviewing this book from the position of an educated economist. I don't want to debate anyone on the topic of fair vs. free trade. This is just my personal opinion as a human being and a consumer who wants to be responsible in her choices. So anyway, before reading this book, I had a very vague idea as to what fair trade was about, and a gut feeling that buying fair trade was the right thing to do. So this book was perfect for me. It explained the nuts and bolts of fair trade from many angles, so for me it was quite educational. Does that mean that someone who already understands fair trade or someone who fully supports fair trade already won't get anything from this book? No. I truly believe this is a book for every consumer. For while I loved gaining a deeper understanding of how fair trade works, my favorite parts of this book were the personal stories. The stories of lives changed and hopes renewed. It truly is an uplifting little book.
(I will probably be having a giveaway for this book in the future, but I think Rich wants to read it first.)
*The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper.
I'd really hoped to write a wonderful review of this book--it certainly deserves it. I'd bookmarked a dozen pages with passages to share or points to comment on. But it turned out that I finished this book only minutes before I had to give it to Rich so he could return it to his school's library. But I'll do my best to share what I loved about this book anyway. Helene Cooper, who is now the diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times, was born in Liberia, into what can only be called the privileged class. The first half of the book tells the story of her childhood at Sugar Beach, a mansion her father had built outside the capital city of Monrovia. When the family moved to Sugar Beach, Helene, then a young girl, was not happy about it. She didn't want to leave the city where her friends and family lived. And living seemingly out in nowhere (though it was really only about 10 miles from the city), brought out Helene's superstitious fears...fears of neegees and heartmen. And it is these fears that bring Helene a new sister. Her parents adopt Eunice, a "country" child to keep Helene company. The story is so sweet, so humorous in only the way that true childhood innocence can be. As a child, Helene doesn't comprehend the situation in her country. Her reality has always had her placed in the elite class, and it has never occurred to her that maybe the system in her country isn't fair.
But her previously privileged world comes crashing to an end when Helene is in 9th grade. She is witness to brutal acts committed against her family. Her mother soon moves Helene and her younger sister Marlene to the U.S. Eunice is left behind to return to her biological mother. So after six years together, Helene is separated from her sister, her friend. The privileged life is behind her. She continues to share her story through high school and college, and then into the world of journalism. And believe me, her life as a journalist has been mighty exciting. But the stories she shares all lead to one point. Everything seems to be bringing her to one decision. Helene covered all kinds of world events as a reporter, including the Iraq war, where she was an embedded journalist. A near death experience in Iraq finally brought her to the realization that she could no longer run from her past. She needed to return to Liberia. She needed to find her sister whom she hadn't seen in fifteen years.
I'm not sure what I loved most about this book. Helene Cooper is a fascinating woman. And I love that she didn't whitewash her story. She freely admitted her frailties as a human. But I also loved all the history included in this book, from the founding of the country up through the brutal modern history of Liberia. The book is humorous, bittersweet, joyous, and heartbreaking. And I thank Helene Cooper for sharing it.
*****
If anyone has reviewed any of these books, please feel free to leave a link in the comments so I can add them here. Thanks.
Emmanuel at Liberia and Friends Journal (The House at Sugar Beach)
Chris at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On (The Bat Poet)
Sunday, November 09, 2008
yes, I would like some cheese with my whine
Yes, I apologize up front...truly I do hate complaining. I know I don't always succeed, but I do try to keep it to a minimum. But one would never know after reading my last post, and now this one. I probably shouldn't post this at all, but I did want to explain why I haven't been and won't be as on top of keeping up with all your blogs.
Frankly, this weekend has just totally sucked.
*Crappy Event #1:
One of Rich's brothers is in the hospital. He was admitted from the ER with pancreatitis. Yes, from long-term alcohol abuse. The doctor said that 50% of people who come in in his condition die before they ever get to go home. My BIL is improving, however, and they think he's going to recover. He was told flat-out that if he keeps drinking, he's a dead man. While I fully believe in miracles, I'm just pretty certain that he's a dead man. Geez, I sound callous here. I don't mean to...we're actually a pretty close family, but his drinking has put a strain on everyone for a long time now. The hardest part is thinking about Rich's mom and all she's going through. It's been almost exactly a year since Rich's dad died and she's finally starting to enjoy her life again.
*Crappy Event #2:
Our computer has gone on strike. (I'm borrowing Rich's laptap right now.) It won't turn on at all. I'm just so afraid about what it's taken with it. I don't understand squat about computers, so I just don't know what to think. Rich just tells me he doesn't know what our chances are of recovering what's on there. And of course, the worst part of it all is that we have no one but ourselves to blame for not having more backed up. Like about a year's worth of photos (Rich is in charge of backing those up, but frankly, I've always been so good about sending them off to be printed that we haven't worried that much about it, figuring that not only do we then have the prints but also that Snapfish has our files if we ever want to order more. Of course, I've been lousy about sending them off lately, and we've now got that year's worth at risk.) Then there's all our home schooling stuff. We can't afford to buy fancy curriculums and whatnot, so I pretty much do all the lesson planning by myself. Seriously, I sometimes feel like I have no life outside of all the work I have to do for home schooling. I organize everything I find on-line and all the lectures, handouts, worksheets, etc. that I type up myself in folders on the computer. I add so much each and every day, that it just seemed ridiculous to back it up constantly, so I only backed it up by the school quarter. So now everything I have for this our current quarter, plus odds and ends of things I'd downloaded to save for possible future use are all possibly gone. Truthfully, I'm in near total panic mode now wondering what I'm going to do. And maybe most heart-breaking of all, there's Annie's writing. Including the 15,000+ words she had written of her current NaNoWriMo novel. But also numerous short stories, both finished pieces and works in progress. And I fear her entire novel from last year's NaNoWriMo, which she has continued editing on and off throughout the year. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think she ever printed off a copy. She's never let us read it all, wanting to wait until she had it polished to her satisfaction. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for us, would you?
*Crappy Event #3:
Penn State blew whatever hope they had of the National Championship. Yeah, I know that doesn't seem all that important compared to the other things, but I tell you it just sort felt like adding insult to injury.
So, anyway, that's why I probably won't be around so much in the near future. Hope everyone is having a glorious weekend, and I can't wait to catch up with you!
Frankly, this weekend has just totally sucked.
*Crappy Event #1:
One of Rich's brothers is in the hospital. He was admitted from the ER with pancreatitis. Yes, from long-term alcohol abuse. The doctor said that 50% of people who come in in his condition die before they ever get to go home. My BIL is improving, however, and they think he's going to recover. He was told flat-out that if he keeps drinking, he's a dead man. While I fully believe in miracles, I'm just pretty certain that he's a dead man. Geez, I sound callous here. I don't mean to...we're actually a pretty close family, but his drinking has put a strain on everyone for a long time now. The hardest part is thinking about Rich's mom and all she's going through. It's been almost exactly a year since Rich's dad died and she's finally starting to enjoy her life again.
*Crappy Event #2:
Our computer has gone on strike. (I'm borrowing Rich's laptap right now.) It won't turn on at all. I'm just so afraid about what it's taken with it. I don't understand squat about computers, so I just don't know what to think. Rich just tells me he doesn't know what our chances are of recovering what's on there. And of course, the worst part of it all is that we have no one but ourselves to blame for not having more backed up. Like about a year's worth of photos (Rich is in charge of backing those up, but frankly, I've always been so good about sending them off to be printed that we haven't worried that much about it, figuring that not only do we then have the prints but also that Snapfish has our files if we ever want to order more. Of course, I've been lousy about sending them off lately, and we've now got that year's worth at risk.) Then there's all our home schooling stuff. We can't afford to buy fancy curriculums and whatnot, so I pretty much do all the lesson planning by myself. Seriously, I sometimes feel like I have no life outside of all the work I have to do for home schooling. I organize everything I find on-line and all the lectures, handouts, worksheets, etc. that I type up myself in folders on the computer. I add so much each and every day, that it just seemed ridiculous to back it up constantly, so I only backed it up by the school quarter. So now everything I have for this our current quarter, plus odds and ends of things I'd downloaded to save for possible future use are all possibly gone. Truthfully, I'm in near total panic mode now wondering what I'm going to do. And maybe most heart-breaking of all, there's Annie's writing. Including the 15,000+ words she had written of her current NaNoWriMo novel. But also numerous short stories, both finished pieces and works in progress. And I fear her entire novel from last year's NaNoWriMo, which she has continued editing on and off throughout the year. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think she ever printed off a copy. She's never let us read it all, wanting to wait until she had it polished to her satisfaction. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for us, would you?
*Crappy Event #3:
Penn State blew whatever hope they had of the National Championship. Yeah, I know that doesn't seem all that important compared to the other things, but I tell you it just sort felt like adding insult to injury.
So, anyway, that's why I probably won't be around so much in the near future. Hope everyone is having a glorious weekend, and I can't wait to catch up with you!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
looking for a way to freak a parent out?
If so, I've got an idea for you. Call said parents and leave this message on their voice mail:
Be sure to make the message as cryptic as possible without giving any clue as to what said "concern" might be. Believe me, I speak from personal experience, this will leave the parent in an utterly complete state of panic and worry until they are able to find out what is going on.
Yep, that "utterly complete state of panic and worry" is what Rich and I were experiencing for a few hours last night. The phone rang during supper, but we ignored it because we tend to treat supper as sacred family time. But afterward, when we checked the message, that is what we heard. Of course, we immediately called her back, and of course, she had left for the day. As I'm sure you could imagine, every scary scenario possible was running through our minds. Looking back, I guess we shouldn't have been so upset, for if it had been some sort of real emergency or major problem, the social worker (which I didn't even know the school had up until this point) surely would have called earlier in the day.
Anyway, I immediately sent each of the boys' teachers an e-mail. I didn't really expect that either of them would check their work e-mail until this morning, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try. And I'm glad I did, because I got a call from Max's teacher two hours later. I could just tell how horrible she felt when I told her about the message we got. She couldn't believe that the social worker didn't just tell us what it was about instead of leaving us that extremely vague message.
So, what was it all about? She wanted to tell us that the boys were shy!!! Gee, ya think? We've only had that one figured out for several years now.
O.K., she also wanted to tell us about this program they have that is just for kids who are shy and have trouble speaking up, and offer this program to the boys if we agreed. So, while in the end, all was well, I think in the process she managed to take a few years off our lives.
*****
Totally unrelated:
Dewey has another great giveaway going on...this time boxes of holiday books. Head over here to find out how to win. (I'm not entering because I just won two fabulous boxes of books from Dewey during the read-a-thon, and there's certainly no call for being greedy, is there?)
Hello. This is (fill in name), the social worker from (fill in name of school that their child attends). I'm calling because (fill in children's names) teachers each raised a concern about (again fill in children's names). Please give me a call. Thank you.
Be sure to make the message as cryptic as possible without giving any clue as to what said "concern" might be. Believe me, I speak from personal experience, this will leave the parent in an utterly complete state of panic and worry until they are able to find out what is going on.
Yep, that "utterly complete state of panic and worry" is what Rich and I were experiencing for a few hours last night. The phone rang during supper, but we ignored it because we tend to treat supper as sacred family time. But afterward, when we checked the message, that is what we heard. Of course, we immediately called her back, and of course, she had left for the day. As I'm sure you could imagine, every scary scenario possible was running through our minds. Looking back, I guess we shouldn't have been so upset, for if it had been some sort of real emergency or major problem, the social worker (which I didn't even know the school had up until this point) surely would have called earlier in the day.
Anyway, I immediately sent each of the boys' teachers an e-mail. I didn't really expect that either of them would check their work e-mail until this morning, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try. And I'm glad I did, because I got a call from Max's teacher two hours later. I could just tell how horrible she felt when I told her about the message we got. She couldn't believe that the social worker didn't just tell us what it was about instead of leaving us that extremely vague message.
So, what was it all about? She wanted to tell us that the boys were shy!!! Gee, ya think? We've only had that one figured out for several years now.
O.K., she also wanted to tell us about this program they have that is just for kids who are shy and have trouble speaking up, and offer this program to the boys if we agreed. So, while in the end, all was well, I think in the process she managed to take a few years off our lives.
*****
Totally unrelated:
Dewey has another great giveaway going on...this time boxes of holiday books. Head over here to find out how to win. (I'm not entering because I just won two fabulous boxes of books from Dewey during the read-a-thon, and there's certainly no call for being greedy, is there?)
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
on my mind...
*I'm so glad that the "election season" is over. And while I hate talking politics, I will say that we're one of the very happy households in the country this morning. I have to say though, that I empathize with many people out there...people who are feeling as upset as I am elated. I haven't forgotten how that feels. Eight years ago was particularly painful, so yeah...I get it. But you know, this country is so full of good, honest, caring people. And I think there's so much more that people agree on than they disagree on. I so hope that Obama can prove the doubters wrong, for everyone's sake. I hope that "the right" will give him a chance, and just as strongly, I hope that "the left" doesn't forget that every person's opinions count, not just those who agree with them.
*And one final note on politics...my kiddos surprised the heck out of me last night. Annie was tracking the election results as they came in, coloring in her own little map. It was an assignment for school, but she was really enjoying it. But what was so shocking was how the boys were so into it all. They were just glued to the television with the rest of us. Their bedtime rolled around, and we just didn't have the heart to tuck them into their little nests. After all, some things are more important than a good night's sleep...and how awful it would have felt to stifle their interest in the whole thing. They were so cute, wrapped up in their blankets, lounging on the floor, cheering like crazy when Obama won a state. Not a one of them, not even Annie, managed to stay awake quite long enough, but it was the first question out of each of their mouths this morning. What a great thing it will be if kids across this country--red, blue, purple, green, and tangerine--all stay this interested in what happens in our incredible nation.
*I'm forced to admit that I lack discipline. Exhibit A: This whole blogging schedule plan of mine is not working all that well. I do great with Monday, so-so with Tuesday and Wednesday, and then just totally fall apart for the rest of the week. I may just have to chalk this one up as a failed experiment. Exhibit B: This whole laying off the challenges thing isn't going too well either. While I've stopped "officially" signing up for every challenge that strikes my fancy, I'm beginning to pile up an awful lot of new ones "unofficially". I'm pathetic.
*I've been wondering if there is such a thing as Adult-Onset ADD. And I don't think I'm kidding. The last few months, I feel as if I've been losing my mind. I'm so frazzled, and can't seem to stay focused enough to get anything truly done. Rich tells me that I just need to learn to sleep once in a while and that I need to stop trying to do so much. Maybe he's right, I don't know. I just know that it's quite unsettling to feel as if your brain has been replaced with someone else's.
*I'm craving apple butter.
*And one final note on politics...my kiddos surprised the heck out of me last night. Annie was tracking the election results as they came in, coloring in her own little map. It was an assignment for school, but she was really enjoying it. But what was so shocking was how the boys were so into it all. They were just glued to the television with the rest of us. Their bedtime rolled around, and we just didn't have the heart to tuck them into their little nests. After all, some things are more important than a good night's sleep...and how awful it would have felt to stifle their interest in the whole thing. They were so cute, wrapped up in their blankets, lounging on the floor, cheering like crazy when Obama won a state. Not a one of them, not even Annie, managed to stay awake quite long enough, but it was the first question out of each of their mouths this morning. What a great thing it will be if kids across this country--red, blue, purple, green, and tangerine--all stay this interested in what happens in our incredible nation.
*I'm forced to admit that I lack discipline. Exhibit A: This whole blogging schedule plan of mine is not working all that well. I do great with Monday, so-so with Tuesday and Wednesday, and then just totally fall apart for the rest of the week. I may just have to chalk this one up as a failed experiment. Exhibit B: This whole laying off the challenges thing isn't going too well either. While I've stopped "officially" signing up for every challenge that strikes my fancy, I'm beginning to pile up an awful lot of new ones "unofficially". I'm pathetic.
*I've been wondering if there is such a thing as Adult-Onset ADD. And I don't think I'm kidding. The last few months, I feel as if I've been losing my mind. I'm so frazzled, and can't seem to stay focused enough to get anything truly done. Rich tells me that I just need to learn to sleep once in a while and that I need to stop trying to do so much. Maybe he's right, I don't know. I just know that it's quite unsettling to feel as if your brain has been replaced with someone else's.
*I'm craving apple butter.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
random bookishness
Well, first of all, while this seemingly has nothing to do with books or reading, I just wanted to say how great I feel right now. As it is a crisp, cool, and frankly just perfectly gorgeous morning here, I decided to walk to our polling place this morning. (It's only slightly more than a mile from home.) So I'm now not only feeling invigorated by casting my ballot, but also from a glorious morning stroll. The only disappointment--I didn't have to wait in line. Not for a single second. Walked right in, signed my name, and walked into the booth. I'd taken my book along and was so looking forward to standing in line reading guilt-free while I waited, but it was not to be. Okay, I'm being somewhat facetious here. I am grateful that I didn't have to wait in line for hours on end, but geez, couldn't I have just got a page or two in?
*****
It's Tuesday, Where Are You?
I have just boarded a plane in Monrovia, about to head to the U.S. The date is May 16, 1980, and circumstances are terrifying. (The House at Sugar Beach) I'm also in London in the late 17th century watching Edward Tyson make some fascinating discoveries in comparative anatomy. (The Scientists) And finally, I'm listening to Admiral David Farragut shout, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" as he tries to take the port of Mobile, AL, in the summer of 1864. (The Civil War)
*****
Tuesday Teasers
Tuesday Teasers asks you to:
-Grab your current read.
-Let the book fall open to a random page.
-Share with us two “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
-You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
*****
And finally, while I did get a couple of new books...The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time edited by Leslie Pockell, which I guess is part of my prize from the read-a-thon (?) and In The Land of Invisible Women by Qanta A. Ahmed, MD, which I am so excited to dive into (I heard the author on the Diane Rehm Show on NPR and really wanted her book, so imagine my elation when I was actually offered a review copy)...I have no points to award for the Blame Game. And speaking of the blame game, I originally said it would go until the end of April, but I think I'm going to move it up until the end of January and then start a new round, with each lasting 3 months.
*****
It's Tuesday, Where Are You?
I have just boarded a plane in Monrovia, about to head to the U.S. The date is May 16, 1980, and circumstances are terrifying. (The House at Sugar Beach) I'm also in London in the late 17th century watching Edward Tyson make some fascinating discoveries in comparative anatomy. (The Scientists) And finally, I'm listening to Admiral David Farragut shout, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" as he tries to take the port of Mobile, AL, in the summer of 1864. (The Civil War)
*****
Tuesday Teasers
Tuesday Teasers asks you to:
-Grab your current read.
-Let the book fall open to a random page.
-Share with us two “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
-You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Richard was smiling and shaking his head. It flashed through my mind: How are you supposed to act at school the day after your father is executed by a firing squad?
(from The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper, p. 187)
*****
And finally, while I did get a couple of new books...The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time edited by Leslie Pockell, which I guess is part of my prize from the read-a-thon (?) and In The Land of Invisible Women by Qanta A. Ahmed, MD, which I am so excited to dive into (I heard the author on the Diane Rehm Show on NPR and really wanted her book, so imagine my elation when I was actually offered a review copy)...I have no points to award for the Blame Game. And speaking of the blame game, I originally said it would go until the end of April, but I think I'm going to move it up until the end of January and then start a new round, with each lasting 3 months.
Monday, November 03, 2008
in our neck of the woods...
It was another busy, fun-filled week here as I'm sure it was for many households last week...
*On Monday, my sweet, sensitive soul, Gray, turned 8-years-old! He was thrilled to receive two new games for his Nintendo DS, two new bears, and a huge box of Pokemon cards. And he was thrilled to hit Chuck E. Cheese for supper, where he alone ate 5 pieces of pizza (where does this kid put it all, and how the heck are we going to afford to feed him in another 4 or 5 years?!!). Annie and I were also able to head into his classroom to deliver special birthday treats. And he got cake #2! All in all, he proclaimed it a very good birthday.
*And of course, like for so many, Friday meant trick-or-treating! And though we woke up to snow Wednesday morning, by Friday afternoon the weather was positively glorious, with the temps hitting 60 degrees! Annie went off with her best friend, but the boys hung with us. And while Annie came home with mountains of candy, the boys were perfectly satisfied to just go around our block and call it good. Then we came home and watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Halloween is Grinch Night.
Hope everyone had a wonderful week past, and has a wonderful week coming!
*On Monday, my sweet, sensitive soul, Gray, turned 8-years-old! He was thrilled to receive two new games for his Nintendo DS, two new bears, and a huge box of Pokemon cards. And he was thrilled to hit Chuck E. Cheese for supper, where he alone ate 5 pieces of pizza (where does this kid put it all, and how the heck are we going to afford to feed him in another 4 or 5 years?!!). Annie and I were also able to head into his classroom to deliver special birthday treats. And he got cake #2! All in all, he proclaimed it a very good birthday.
*And of course, like for so many, Friday meant trick-or-treating! And though we woke up to snow Wednesday morning, by Friday afternoon the weather was positively glorious, with the temps hitting 60 degrees! Annie went off with her best friend, but the boys hung with us. And while Annie came home with mountains of candy, the boys were perfectly satisfied to just go around our block and call it good. Then we came home and watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Halloween is Grinch Night.
Hope everyone had a wonderful week past, and has a wonderful week coming!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
over already?!!
I can't believe how fast RIP III went by. I don't think I'm ready to let go just yet. But anyway, many, many thanks to Carl, challenge host extraordinaire, for yet another wonderful experience!
Though I didn't read nearly as many books as some, I did actually manage to meet my stated goals, plus a few extras.
*The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
*We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
*Dracula by Bram Stoker
*Daphne du Maurier's Classics of the Macabre
*The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
*The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson
*The Witches by Roald Dahl
Only one was a disappointment (The Floods)...the rest were all truly wonderful! A few are likely to make my top ten list for the year.
Oh, and as I was linking up some reviews on my challenge blog, I noticed that I actually finished Becky's Initial Challenge as well. I know I changed my status to "unofficial" for most challenges, but it still feels mighty good to have actually finished. Thanks, Becky!
And while I'm talking about reading challenges, let me mention Annie's What's In a Name 2 challenge. (And yes, I'll probably bring it up another half a dozen times before it starts.) Anyway, it's actually a pretty easy challenge to complete, so I hope you'll think about joining in!
By the way, anyone who has completed this year's What's In a Name Challenge should pop over to this post and leave a comment so you can be entered in the final contest (Annie's giving away a $20.00 Amazon gift certificate to one person who completes the challenge and answers the question on the post).
Well, it's going to be tough to get in my computer time during the coming month...Annie started NaNoWriMo this morning, so I imagine she'll be hogging the computer. But I guess I have to forgive her, as her computer usage will be far more productive than mine ever is. :)
She wasn't technically allowed to join as an adult, which means her site won't be open for outsiders to view, so I think she plans to do a post on her blog each day updating her progress. Keep your fingers crossed for her...she set her goal at 50,000 words again. And good luck to any of you other brave, ambitious souls who are participating as well!
Though I didn't read nearly as many books as some, I did actually manage to meet my stated goals, plus a few extras.
*The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
*We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
*Dracula by Bram Stoker
*Daphne du Maurier's Classics of the Macabre
*The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
*The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson
*The Witches by Roald Dahl
Only one was a disappointment (The Floods)...the rest were all truly wonderful! A few are likely to make my top ten list for the year.
Oh, and as I was linking up some reviews on my challenge blog, I noticed that I actually finished Becky's Initial Challenge as well. I know I changed my status to "unofficial" for most challenges, but it still feels mighty good to have actually finished. Thanks, Becky!
And while I'm talking about reading challenges, let me mention Annie's What's In a Name 2 challenge. (And yes, I'll probably bring it up another half a dozen times before it starts.) Anyway, it's actually a pretty easy challenge to complete, so I hope you'll think about joining in!
By the way, anyone who has completed this year's What's In a Name Challenge should pop over to this post and leave a comment so you can be entered in the final contest (Annie's giving away a $20.00 Amazon gift certificate to one person who completes the challenge and answers the question on the post).
Well, it's going to be tough to get in my computer time during the coming month...Annie started NaNoWriMo this morning, so I imagine she'll be hogging the computer. But I guess I have to forgive her, as her computer usage will be far more productive than mine ever is. :)
She wasn't technically allowed to join as an adult, which means her site won't be open for outsiders to view, so I think she plans to do a post on her blog each day updating her progress. Keep your fingers crossed for her...she set her goal at 50,000 words again. And good luck to any of you other brave, ambitious souls who are participating as well!
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