Challenge to Self

Blog everyday in March. Yeah, I need more to do. LOL The thing is though, I really want to take on this challenge. And, to make it even more interesting, I'm going to post entries in both this and my private family blog. I need the writing challenge. Plus, I want to be a better blogger in regard to keeping up with writing about my family. They are so special to me and I used to write journals for my daughters regularly. Anyway, the challenge; 62 entries in 31 days. I can do this and am excited to see the outcome a month from now.

Home Based Business

I am seriously considering starting a home based business. Actually, this is something I have been thinking about for quite some time but I finally have an idea I think would work. Jewelry making. Yes, I know there are a lot of choices for jewelry and a LOT of people who make jewelry but I'm thinking mommy jewelry. I have been trying to find something I like for nearly six years now and I am frustrated. The stuff I find is either cheap looking, too expensive or BOTH. This evening, after looking at more high-priced junk, I sighed and thought, "I should just make my own."

I laughed at myself but immediately thought of what I'd like and how I might make it. I told my husband about it and he said I should try and make it. Now I can't stop thinking about it and think the jewelry would really turn out the way I want it to. Naturally, that led me to think other moms (or dads) might be after similar jewelry but unwilling to pay high prices. And this led me to my home based business idea. Now I can't stop thinking about this. And wondering if people really would be interested in this sort of product. I think I need to do some serious research now.

T.G.I.F.

I am so happy that it is Friday. Even though we have definite family plans for the weekend that will keep us entertained and busy - it's still the weekend. Which means that I can sleep somewhat later than six tomorrow morning. It also means that my darling husband will cook a yummy breakfast - probably on Sunday. It also means that I can get in some extra reading. YAY! I've already finished Gone by Lisa McMann tonight. Next up is Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb. This is the tirtieth book in this series and I am looking forward to starting this one. In fact, I'm off to do that right now.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is hosted at http://btt2.wordpress.com

This weeks topic: Why You Read

I’ve seen this quotation in several places lately. It’s from Sven Birkerts' The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age’:

"To read, when one does so of one’s own free will, is to make a volitional statement, to cast a vote; it is to posit an elsewhere and set off toward it. And like any traveling, reading is at once a movement and a comment of sorts about the place one has left. To open a book voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency either of one’s life or one’s orientation toward it."

To what extent does this describe you?

I have to admit that when I first read this quote this morning I was really insulted. In fact, I didn't think I was going to reply this week because I was so annoyed. I read because it is, quite simply, something that I love to do. I love all differnet genres and find something redeeming in each. I read fiction and nonfiction. I like to read about places other than where I live and cultures differnet from my own.

There are also times I read to escape. And thinking about this fact alone is what made me decide to reply today. When I was a child I read to escape an often abusive environment - definitely 'an insuffiecient life' at times. I read and thought about the possibility of my future. Now, my life is quite a bit like what I wanted when I was young - in terms of the family I've created with my husband and children. There are days though, that are just so stressful, that I do want to escape into the pages of a great book at the end of it. I love my life though, and I'm not trying to escape it any longer; but rather relax into it.

Reading is a pleasure and a privilege that I find ultimately satisfying.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read -
Open to a random page -
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron (releasing May 11, 2010) is the inaugural title for Barnes and Noble's Mystery First Look. It is a mystery and a father/son tale. It is quite intriguing so far.

Teaser form page 26:

"Maybe in the meantime you should give your old man a ring. Just a suggestion, but if it were my dad and I hadn't heard from him in years, I'd be a little curious about the timing."

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page.

Today, Rebecca asks:

Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?

I used to keep every book I purchased. I could not part with a book to save my life. I had books every where and started keeping them in boxes in the garage when I ran out of room inside. Then I got married, had a child and moved. My husband helped me go through my many, many books. He asked me to think about our growing family and decide if I really wanted ALL of the books I had. He never asked me to get rid of a single book (no wonder I love and married the guy) he simply wanted me to consider the situation. And I realized that I really wasn't going to re-read quite a lot of the books I had kept. So, I went through them carefully and only kept the books that I knew I'd read again, wanted for my child(ren) or were by my favorite authors. I was astounded by the amount of books I ended up giving to family, friends or the library. I did have a good cry about letting go of so many books. Afterward, it felt really good to have done this, though.

Now that my family has indeed grown, I purchase my books much more carefully. I use the same guidelines I origianlly purged with: keep for children, read again, favorite authors. Most of the books I read now come from the library. However, there are times there is a book I really want to read that isn't at my library and doesn't fit the guidelines and I will buy it. Then I read the book and either give it to a family member or friend or donate it to my library.

I still want a home library someday. When I get it - it will be filled with favorite books with personal history rather than just any random book ever to come into my possession. :)

Grey's Anatomy: ep. 6.15: The Time Warp

I used to blog about Grey's Anatomy every week after the show aired. This season I've barely written a word - if anything at all - about it. I've had very mixed opinions and emotions about this entire season. While there have been a few episode that stood out as fairly decent - I haven't really been bowed over by any of them. Until last night. The Time Warp had my undivided attention from beginning to end. The moment I heard the Chief doing what I thought was the intro voice over (it was really a speech at an AA meeting) I knew it was going to be a great episode. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of the history. It was amazing to see a young Richard Webber working diligently and closely with a young, pre Alzheimer's Ellis Grey. By the way, I thought Sarah Paulson as Ellis was an amazing casting choice. And whoever the little girl playing little Meredith was - she was a great choice, as well. I cheered at the speech Ellis gave to Richard about being a woman who had a child but still being a doctor as well. I wish I could remember word for word because it was so great. And so interesting because twenty plus years later Webber tries to Mommy track Bailey and that doesn't go over so well, either. Won't men, and people in general, just have it a lot easier when they accept that women are amazing? We can have children, careers, families, friends, interests and be amazing at all of it. Sorry, mini tangent there. :)

I have a lot more to say but have to go and do some Mommy stuff - back later.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is hosted at http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s topic, The Winter Olympics:

You may have noticed–the Winter Olympics are going on. Is that affecting your reading time? Have you read any Olympics-themed books? What do you think about the Olympics in general? Here’s your chance to discuss!

The Winter Olympics have not affected my reading at all. My favorite part of the Winter Olympics is the figure skating; mainly the women's and the pairs. I'll become a little more distracted as that begins, but not overly so. The only things that really distract the bookaholic in me are my family and my writing. :)

As for Olympic themed books - I don't recall ever reading an entire book on the topic. I've certainly read articles and followed a lot of the controversies on the news, Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding, for example. Oh, and I was riveted to the whole sad mess in Salt Lake in 2002 with the Canadian, Japanese and Russian ice skaters. That was so sad and yet thoroughly interesting to me. My husband (who was my fiance' at the time) kept laughing at me but he was just as intrigued.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read -
Open to a random page -
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue is an intriguing and beautiful book. I am a third of the way through it and can't wait to get back to it.

Teaser from page 188: "Didn't you want some time to yourself? You two had been together for three years. Didn't you look forward to living alone, just to try it?"

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page.

Today, Rebecca asks:

Do you keep reference books on your shelves at home? What’s your first port of call when you need information – the internet or a book?

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your opinion in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks.

I do have reference books on my shelves. Most of them are related to writing but there are other random selections, as well. Like my reference book for PhotoShop. And my husbands books for graphic design.

More often than not, both my husband and I go to the internet for information. Specifically, we go to Google. I remember life before Google and finding information is so much simpler now. :)

No Nook For Me

I've been trying to decide whether or not I want the new e-reader put out by Barnes and Noble - Nook. I kept reading about it online and admit that I was lusting after it. Until yesterday, that is. My husband and I went to B&N to check out the Nook in person. And to say that we were not impressed is an understatement. I can't believe they are charging $249 for that thing! The more I think about it - the more annoyed I get by the whole thing! I just can not wrap my mind around spending so much money on a gadget that doesn't really have all that much to offer. If I'm spending a lot of money on something - I want it to be amazing right off the bat. $249 is simply for the e-reader and a few free books that are already on there. I'd rather have $249 worth of REAL books than that thing. Also, I find it enormously annoying that B&N isn't allowing its members (who already pay an annual fee for that membership) to use their discount when buying the Nook, any accessories for it or even the e-books themselves! How ridiculous is that? Quite frankly, I find it insulting, as well. I've had my membership for years and use it regularly. Why the hell aren't they allowing it to be used on the Nook?

I like my actual, real paper books. I like the way they feel in my hands, the way they smell, the experience of reading them. I like looking at the ones sitting prettily on my shelves. I like knowing I can pick one off the bookcase and read it again at any time. Yes, I know I can read books again on an e-reader but it's not the same for me. I was holding the Nook yesterday and it felt so awkward and cold in my hands. I didn't like it at all. I'll take my real books any day. So I won't be saving the world in this regard - and I'm all right with my choice. I'll continue to recycle, do the laundry in cold water and read my real paper books. In my opinion (and my husband's - a self proclaimed gadget freak) the Nook falls way short of a pleasurable reading experience.

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. This week, Rebecca asks: I’ve seen several bloggers mention reading multiple books this week. Do you frequently read more than one book at a time? Do you try to limit this to a certain number? Do you have different books for different purposes/topics?

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your opinion in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks.

Oh, this is a funny question. I used to read multiple books at once - before I had children. I could read three and four books at a time with varied topics. Now, I am so very busy with all of the activities of a school age child and running around after a toddler. There is NO WAY I can read more than one book at a time now. I wouldn't be able to keep up with the plot of the book. LOL.

Who Dat?

Dat would be the Superbowl Champions - The New Orleans Saints! :) Oh my gosh - that was one incredible game! My husband and I were glued to the entire game and every minute of it was an emotional ride. I'm so happy with the outcome but I do always feel a little sad for the losing team. I'm super glad The Saints won and feel it was a well-deserved win. God knows it took long enough to get the franchise to this point but now they've done it! Congratulations to The Saints, their fans, the city of New Orleans and even the State of Louisiana! Well done guys, well done!

Writing So Far in 2010

Well, my writing goal for 2010 is 500,000 words. LOL I laugh because I am not doing well at all in regard to meeting this goal. I should have roughly 50,000 words by now and I absolutely do not. I know it's been a rough start to the year around here. Illness has prevailed in my family since the beginning of the year and has brought my serious writing to a screeching halt. I only have 10,000 words written for 2010. I'm not beating myself up over it, though. My family comes first. Always. I know that once we're all feeling well and back to our normal routine I will pick up my writing again. It's just a given as I need to write in the same way some people need to breath. I am a total grouchy b*t*h when I'm not writing. So, as I said, not beating myself up; just wondering if the 500,000 words will really happen. Time will tell, I suppose. :)

So Sick of Being Sick

With the way this year has started - I am praying the rest of 2010 goes a LOT better! Everyone in my family has been sick as well as many of our relatives. My little girl has an appointment with the Dr. this afternoon because we just aren't getting her well. I went to urgent care yesterday and have a severe ear infection and Bronchitis on the verge of Pneumonia. It's awful and I am just over the illnessess all around. Bring on the drugs - let's get well! )

On a much cuter note - my oldest lost one of her two front teeth yesterday! She's hysterical; making silly faces and sticking her tongue through it. Also, she got $2 from the tooth fairy since it was one of her front teeth. She said, "I thought it would be three dollars for one of those." Oh my gosh - the things these little kids come up with! :) I love it.