Category: Uncategorized

I’m Famous!

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Okay, well I’m not really famous (at least not yet), but I’m playing famous in a new book that came out last week!  In 2003 a friend of mine, let’s call her Julie, asked me if I’d read a book she had written.  Of course, I said yes, and she gave me and several others her book.  After we read it she wanted our opinion and even had us all get together to talk about it.  A mere 10 years later and she’s a published author – with the book I read those many years ago.  When I received my book last week I was honored to be mentioned in the dedication.  It was so sweet of her.

IMG_12580The original (can you believe I still have it?!) and it’s official published version.

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I haven’t read the book yet (I have a few commitments first) so I’ll tell you a little about Julie.  We met through the social group New Clevelanders and played Couples Euchre once a month.  Julie and her husband Ed were favorites of Jason and mine and we were lucky to call them friends.  Julie and Ed are such a fun couple, always challenging themselves and enjoying life.  I loved being around their spark.  They moved to Texas several years ago and we miss our competitive euchre games and fun evenings together.

You can follow Julie’s blog or follow her on Facebook.  You might see me around there too 🙂

We bought a new computer and nothing is working right 😦  Sorry about the photo quality and cropping.  I’ll come back and fix it when I can get around on this new computer better.  And I started Bloglovin at the same time and am having all kinds of trouble.  I hate change when it makes more work for me!

Read-a-thon Cover Me mini-challenge – RESULTS AND WINNER POSTED

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Are you all still awake?  You can do it!  Take a break and have some fun. I think all of these colorful covers will perk up those tired eyes!

At Oscar time I asked my readers to vote on their own Bookish Ballots for 2012. I thought I’d let you do the same for 2013 so far.

There are two ways to participate-1 Vote for your favorite in each category by leaving a comment (when challenge is over come back and I’ll have them tallied up)  2. Post your own winners in said categories and leave a link in the comment section.  I encourage you to do both!  If you do you’ll be entered twice for the prize 🙂  Wanna know what you’re playing for?  Fun! Oh, and a $10 B&N gift card plus some cute paper and pens.  You’ll be entered by voting and/or by doing your own post.

Cast your votes and I’ll tally the votes and randomly choose a winner when the challenge is over.

The Results Are In!  I’ve listed them in the order they placed after 43 votes were tallied and the actual numbers are listed after. 

And the randomly chosen winner is Alison Doherty (Hardcovers & Heroines)!  Congratulations 🙂

1. Best Title

Let's Explore Diabetes with OwlsBlue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society JubileeYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your AssThe Proper Words for SinHow to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia: A Novel(23,9,6,3,0)

2. Best Dressed

The EliteHattie Ever AfterNameless: A Tale of Beauty and MadnessThe Aviator's WifeThe Smart One(19,12,6,3,1)

3. Cutest Couple

Jane Austen, Game TheoristWithout a SummerMy Mother's WarsThe Homicide Hustle (Ballroom Dance Mystery Series #3)Star Crossed(10,9,8,7,7)

4. Most Delicious Cover

Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's KitchenBake It Like You Mean It: Gorgeous Cakes from Inside OutCooking with Flowers: Sweet and Savory Recipes with Rose Petals, Lilacs, Lavender, and Other Edible FlowersSuperfood Smoothies: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Nutrient-dense RecipesNo Bake Makery: More Than 80 Two-Bite Treats Made with Lovin', Not an Oven(15,14,4,4,4)

5. Cutest Animal

A Little Book of SlothThe Secret of Happy Ever AfterLove Saves the DayThe Patron Saint of Lost Dogs: A NovelObjects of My Affection: A Novel(23,9,4,4,1)

6. Cutest Kid

I'll Take What She Has: A NovelFrom the Kitchen of Half TruthGarden of StonesScenes from Early Life: A NovelThe Real Mother(18,11,7,3,2)

7. Best to Avoid in a Dark Alley

In Search of Goliathus HerculesA Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady TrentDark TriumphCrisis Diplomacy (Super Bolan Series #157)Firebrand(19,10,10,1,0)

8. Best Tattoo

Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo, Third EditionWalking Disaster: A NovelMaya's Notebook: A NovelPrince of PowerImmortal Craving(16,11,8,3,3)

9. Best Cover

Fly AwayHysteriaThe DinnerThe Last CamelliaThe House at the End of Hope Street: A Novel

AngelopolisThe Mermaid of Brooklyn: A NovelEvidence of LifeThe Carriage House: A NovelGulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal(9,8,5,4,4,4,3,3,1,0)

W is for World Book Night

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Blogging from A-Z

April 23 is the UNESCO International Day of the Book, as well as Shakespeare’s birthday. It was also chosen in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, who died on April 23, 1616 (the same day as Shakespeare). In the Catalan region of Spain, the day is celebrated by giving a book and a flower to a loved one.

World Book Night was the product of a round table discussion at London’s Book Industry Conference in May 2010, the purpose of which was to imagine a way to encourage more adults to read. What better way to spread a love for reading than to inspire passionate readers to go out into their communities and share copies of their favorite books with those who don’t regularly read? Giving is an incredibly powerful part of our culture—and culture, art, and a writers’ talent are all themselves ‘gifts’.

World Book Night was first celebrated in the UK and Ireland in 2011; in 2012, it was also celebrated in the USA and Germany.

 On April 23,  25,000 passionate volunteers across America gave a total of half a million books within their communities to those who don’t regularly read. In 2012, World Book Night was celebrated in the U.S., the UK, Ireland, and Germany and saw over 80,000 people gift more than 2.5 million books.

from World Book Night

I was honored and excited to participate for the second year in a row.  Last year I was able to pass out one of my favorite books, The Glass Castle, but this year was tougher for me since there wasn’t a favorite being offered.  I’d read 5 of the choices but wasn’t wowed by any of them.  I settled on the Tina Fey memoir, Bossypants.  My pick-up location was my old stomping grounds, the Bainbridge Library.  They asked the 3 of us Givers to come at the same time and gave us a nice bag of goodies-Panera cookies, chocolate, and a cute Yankee candle.  Needless to say, the treats did not last til April 23 🙂  One of the other women wanted to trade some books and I did.  It’s a good idea, BUT I hadn’t read her book and that made it hard for me to pass out.  It looked like a very nice book, Population:485,  but I won’t trade again unless I’ve read it.

On Tuesday, a friend who considers herself a light reader got a book, as did the dog walker we see when Gage and I take afternoon walks.  She was not a Tina fan so she chose the other one.  Then I went to the Cleveland Clinic Health Center in our city and passed out the rest, mostly to people who worked there, but I did give to the expectant moms waiting to see the doctor, telling them to read while they had the chance 🙂  I also got to meet a 3 day old baby.  Seriously, you forget how small they are.  I thought for sure he was a preemie and tiny, but no, he was a healthy 7.8 pounds and the sweetest thing.

If you didn’t participate, there is always next year!

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V is for Victors

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Blogging from A-Z

I know I said I was going to draw winners on the 26th, but I think the entries have stopped coming in and I want to talk about World Book Night tomorrow.  Jen, who won my contest this month, chose to receive Coming to Terms by William Safire from my stacks.  Here are the other Victors…023I’ll be in touch 🙂

M is for Mailing taxes

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Blogging from A-Z

001Is anyone, like us, still mailing their taxes?  A decade ago, when I had my own Mary Kay business Jason, our household tax man, decided he didn’t want to mess with more complicated paperwork, so I found a CPA who was familiar with the Mary Kay business and we turned over our finances to him.  Once a year he comes to our house to meet with us and collect all the necessary paperwork, he brings it back when he’s done, and, the best part, he only charges $95.  Sounds too good to be true right?  The downside is some years, like this one, I’m pulling my hair out because it’s the 14th and he isn’t returning my calls or emails.  He’s always come through in the end, but last night’s 7:30 pm tax delivery was late even for him.

So, this morning I made the trip to the post office with the other silly folk just mailing their taxes today and waited for about 20 minutes to send them (along with a big chunk of change) off into abyss.  So, what about you?  Still mailing it old school on the last day like us?  Does your tax guy give you gray hairs too?  Did you pause before writing your check to think of all of the wonderfully bookish things you could do with your tax money or are you lucky enough to get money back to spend on bookish pursuits?

With love on Valentine’s Day, Grandma

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We all have grandmothers.  Some were gone before we came and some we never saw, and others, if you are lucky, show you the deep love of age and wisdom.  I am one of the lucky ones.  My grandma died today at the age of 90.  While not a surprise, it is still hard to know she is no longer here, that Gage will probably not remember her.

She was the second oldest of 9 and mother of 6 (all of which she had in a 10 year pear period).  She married my grandfather when she was 19 and he built her a house up the street from his family (he was the oldest of 12) where they lived their lives together.  And when I say he built her a house that’s what I mean, handmade with love, no contractors or shortcuts.  My grandfather died in 1992 and my grandmother never considered another man.  Her life was full of family and church.

She was a strong woman full of unshakeable faith in God and was generous to a fault.  Her door was always open (and if it wasn’t everyone in the world knew where to find the key) to anyone who wanted to talk or was in need.  She was a formidable woman and the older I got the more I appreciated the authentic and full life she lived.  It was and is inspiring.  Family came first, but she never met a stranger and she kept her mind sharp over the years with crossword puzzles and chronicling her life for her kids and grandkids.  And she received all of the love she gave out ten-fold at the end of her life.  In hospice care for a year and a half, three meals a day were fed to her by her children or grandchildren and she was not ever alone in the days before her death, with the family holding vigil for her.

She instilled a love of family and God in her children that will be seen for many, many generations to come.  She was a rock.  She was love and faith.  She was my grandmother and I will miss her.

151I love photo of Gage meeting his great-grandma for the first time.

Heart Week Quiz – again

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I know that yesterday’s heart covers were challenging (I didn’t know how challenging til you all started leaving your answers yesterday!) and I wanted to remind you that if you come across any of these covers this week you can come back and leave your answers even if you’ve already submitted titles.  Just make sure you leave the answers on the original post here. 

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It’s Friday so let’s talk about reality tv

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I usually try to keep Friday posts to movie topics but I was wondering if I was the only one who watches reality tv?  There are 4 reality shows that I have watched every show of every season.  There are others I’ve tried in the past and maybe lasted a season or two but these are the ones I just can’t give up.

Survivor: Season One - The Greatest and Most Outrageous MomentsSurvivor.  You had me at hello, Jeff Probst.  Watching you skillfully and respectfully navigate through these crazy characters makes me happy.  Some seasons have been better than others but even after 25 seasons I have no intention of giving it up.  Although watching Russell Hantz for three seasons almost made me throw in the towel.

Project Runway: Season OneProject Runway.  I watch this show for the sheer talent of these designers not for any fashion sense I have.  I am always amazed at what they can whip up in a day and then be able to be creative enough to do it day after day.  Tim Gunn such a perfect mentor and I wish he made housecalls!  Season 11 started last night.

Top Chef: New York - Complete Season 5Top Chef.  Just as I am not a fashionista but still love Project Runway, I am not an accomplished chef in any way and I still love this cooking show.  I love Tom Colicchio, the head judge.  This show is addictive and it may even turn you into a bit of a foodie.  We’re in season 9 now and I feel much more confident eating at fine restaurants and even cooking with new ingredients.  It’s inspirational and instructional!

The Voice has only had 3 seasons but I’ve loved them all.  I love the idea of choosing a singer blind and how each of the coaches really mentors their singers.  I think I made it through 3 seasons of American Idol too, but I can see myself sticking with this show.  I’m not a country music fan, but Blake Shelton is so darn nice and Adam Levine isn’t so hard to look at either.

So, admit it, what ‘reality’ shows have you hooked?

My 2013 reading list

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001I knew that January would be a laid back blogging month so I didn’t stress out about goals for the blog when the year started.  As I read my way through my Google Reader I pulled books from my shelves that I saw on 2012 favorites lists and decided to make every attempt to read those this year.  A 2013 reading list with 9 books.  I think even I can manage that 🙂  I really hope to read more from my shelves this year, while at the same time buying fewer books.

I’m not sure what it says about the upcoming year that I am only now, on January 24th, coming up with a goal.