I’ve been tagged back. Is that even legal in this state?! Who knows?
Just in case you’ve forgotten, here’s da rules…
(1) Turn on your MP3 player/iPod.
(2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
(3) Write down the first TEN songs that come up--song title and artist--NO editing/cheating, please (even if letting the world know you listen to crap like "Weekend in New England" will humiliate you).
(4) Choose FIVE people to be tagged. It is generally considered to be in good taste to tag the person who tagged you, since there should be new songs appearing with Shuffle every time.
1. “Year 3000” by the Jonas Brothers
2. “Hello, Goodbye” by the GLEE cast
3. “Talk Tonight” by Oasis
4. “Matters” by The Maxfield Rabbit
5. "A Design For Life” by Manic Street Preachers
6. "Call My Name” by Charlotte Church
7. "Jersey Girl” by the Bacon Brothers
8. "Symphony” by Kathleen Wilhoite
9. "Romeo & Jane” by Tonio K
10. "Shower Your Love On Me” by Kula Shaker
11. "So Close” by Jeannette McCurdy
12. "Michael Brennan” by the Barenaked Ladies
13. "I Hate The Homecoming Queen” by Emily Osment
14. "Tremble For My Beloved” by Collective Soul
15. "Je Suis le Meme” by Garou
16. “Venus In Overdrive” by Rick Springfield
17. “Cry Me A River” by Glen Hansard
18. “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” by Famous Last Words
19 “Liar, Liar” by Alexz Johnson
20. “Angel Eyes” by The Jeff Healey Band
And just because it will irk Cleggy that I did more than him…
21. “Potential Breakup Song” by Aly & AJ
22. “The Origin of Love” from the Hedwig & The Angry Inch soundtrack
23. “Somehow” by Drake Bell
24. “Lick” by Joi
25. “She’s Probably With Him” by The Andersons
I will be skipping #4 in an attempt to avoid getting tagged back again. Just until I check on the legality of it. Wouldn’t want to get arrested or anything like that. :P
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
five & ten
Instructions...
(1) Turn on your MP3 player/iPod.
(2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
(3) Write down the first TEN songs that come up--song title and artist--NO editing/cheating, please (even if letting the world know you listen to crap "Weekend in New England" will humiliate you).
(4) Choose FIVE people to be tagged. It is generally considered to be in good taste to tag the person who tagged you, since there should be new songs appearing with Shuffle every time.
1. "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie
2. "Right Where You Want Me" by Jesse McCartney
3. "Rose's Turn" from GLEE
4. "Behind Enemy Lines" by Demi Lovato
5. "Got Me Goin' Crazy" by the Jonas Brothers
6. "I Caught Myself" by Paramore
7. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" by Darius Rucker
8. "Shout It" by Mitchel Musso
9. "Everybody Knows (But You)" by The Divine Comedy
10. "Fallen For You" by Drake Bell
11. "New Vibration" by Collective Soul
12. "Get Back" by The Beatles
13. "Stickes & Stones" by Aly & AJ
14. "Girlfriend" by Marie Digby
15. "All Around the World" by Oasis
Okay, I did more than 10 because I was curious where it was going to go next. I actually had to make myself stop. :P
My five friends:
Kwizgiver
Wendy Darling
Cleggy
Cormac Brown
Margo
(1) Turn on your MP3 player/iPod.
(2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
(3) Write down the first TEN songs that come up--song title and artist--NO editing/cheating, please (even if letting the world know you listen to crap "Weekend in New England" will humiliate you).
(4) Choose FIVE people to be tagged. It is generally considered to be in good taste to tag the person who tagged you, since there should be new songs appearing with Shuffle every time.
1. "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie
2. "Right Where You Want Me" by Jesse McCartney
3. "Rose's Turn" from GLEE
4. "Behind Enemy Lines" by Demi Lovato
5. "Got Me Goin' Crazy" by the Jonas Brothers
6. "I Caught Myself" by Paramore
7. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" by Darius Rucker
8. "Shout It" by Mitchel Musso
9. "Everybody Knows (But You)" by The Divine Comedy
10. "Fallen For You" by Drake Bell
11. "New Vibration" by Collective Soul
12. "Get Back" by The Beatles
13. "Stickes & Stones" by Aly & AJ
14. "Girlfriend" by Marie Digby
15. "All Around the World" by Oasis
Okay, I did more than 10 because I was curious where it was going to go next. I actually had to make myself stop. :P
My five friends:
Kwizgiver
Wendy Darling
Cleggy
Cormac Brown
Margo
Monday, July 12, 2010
Guilty Secret...
Years ago, I signed up & made an avatar on IMVU. We are talking about 2006 which isn't that long after it started. I didn't stay around long. I began to wonder why there were so many guys hitting on a cartoon character with a bobble head & didn't see the point.
Fast foward a couple of years. My sister asks me one day if I've ever heard of IMVU. So I pull out the scary cartoon avi and go hang out with my sister online. Things have changed. A lot. I'm the only bobble head in the room. My two default outfits weren't going to cut it.
Since then I've signed on when I could & enjoyed spending time with my sister. Makes the distance between us feel a lot less than it really is. I also get to talk to some nice people from time to time. Even made a few friends.
Recently, I haven't been able to update my IMVU for the last few months. It keeps telling me that my download failed. I wouldn't really mind much, but all the pictures for my inventory are blank. It's like getting dressed in the damn dark. Or like playing outfit roulette. Yeah it's all fun & games until you end up wearing some freaky club hair a clueless guy gave you, a fairy princess gown, & the default IMVU sneakers.
Next thing you know the fashion police are busting down the door to your default IMVU penthouse with the cheap Japanese water fountain & bridge and they've entered you into the Outfit Challenge. You're 594th out of 535 entries. I'm still in therapy. I might sue.
I should probably take some time away from IMVU. Like maybe starting right now since it’s nearly midnight & I have to work tomorrow. :P
Fast foward a couple of years. My sister asks me one day if I've ever heard of IMVU. So I pull out the scary cartoon avi and go hang out with my sister online. Things have changed. A lot. I'm the only bobble head in the room. My two default outfits weren't going to cut it.
Since then I've signed on when I could & enjoyed spending time with my sister. Makes the distance between us feel a lot less than it really is. I also get to talk to some nice people from time to time. Even made a few friends.
Recently, I haven't been able to update my IMVU for the last few months. It keeps telling me that my download failed. I wouldn't really mind much, but all the pictures for my inventory are blank. It's like getting dressed in the damn dark. Or like playing outfit roulette. Yeah it's all fun & games until you end up wearing some freaky club hair a clueless guy gave you, a fairy princess gown, & the default IMVU sneakers.
Next thing you know the fashion police are busting down the door to your default IMVU penthouse with the cheap Japanese water fountain & bridge and they've entered you into the Outfit Challenge. You're 594th out of 535 entries. I'm still in therapy. I might sue.
I should probably take some time away from IMVU. Like maybe starting right now since it’s nearly midnight & I have to work tomorrow. :P
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Grief Is Funny
Funny weird, not funny ha ha. Trust me, I'm not laughing. It's been a rough couple of months.
On Tuesday, 5/18 my parents dog passed away peacefully in his sleep. He would have been 14 on June 1st. He was a border collie with quite a personality.
In the summer of 1996, I was living with my parents. Not exactly cool at the age of 28, but necessary. It had been 5 years since getting diagnosed with diabetes and we still hadn't made any headway towards getting it under control. So living alone wasn't an option. Not to mention having Type 1 Diabetes without insurance made money pretty tight.
My parents came home from running errands one Saturday afternoon in July, demanding that I close my eyes & hold out my hands. So I did. When I opened my eyes & looked into my hands, I was greeted by the second sweetest face I'd ever seen. The first sweetest belonging to my puppy girl, Sasha. There sat little Zander. Well technically it was Alexander Sebastian, but I thought that name was just too big for him so I called him Zander. What a great little guy he was. With a personality as big as his name.
Within a few days of bringing him home, my parents went on a two-week vacation to visit my Pop's family in Maryland. That left big sister babysitting. And let me tell you it was not an easy task.
Zander wouldn't sleep through the night. After several nights in a row of neither of us getting any sleep, I called the vet in a panic. He told me to try putting a radio near Zander's sleeping crate. Not a lot of success with that one. I think Zander objected to the type of music I made him listen too. Either that or he just hated DJ's because he literally reached through the crate & knocked the radio over.
After the vet stopped laughing, he suggested I get one of those wind-up alarm clocks that tick. I didn't even know these things still existed, but a trip to Walmart provided proof. Best of all, Zander slept through the night for the first time the very day I bought it. Well almost. He did manage to wake both of us up at about 4am by managing to turn on the alarm. A situation not repeated after I took a screwdriver to the alarm mechanism.
The alarm clock became his new favorite toy. He carried it around by the handle or scooted in along the floor for hours every day. It went nearly everywhere he did. Unless of course I was carrying him, in which case he paid the alarm clock no attention at all. My Mom still claims that his paws didn't hit the floor when I was home until he got too big for me to carry. I think she exaggerates. To prove her claim, she will tell you stories of a slightly larger Zander following me around the house & whining because I wouldn't pick him up. I say that I never carried him unless it was entirely necessary. I mean seriously, I let him walk on his own a lot. Mostly when I wasn't home, but that counts.
During this period there were a few more calls to the vet, though thankfully not in panic. Zander had started climbing up on my head & trying to prove his dominance in our little pack. And thanks to our not knowing to have his duclaw removed, he was starting to hurt me. After yet another laughing fit, the vet told me I'd have to show Zander that I was packleader. Um, okay.
It's easier than it sounds though. All I had to do was turn him on his back & growl in his face until he stopped struggling. The trick was to do it without laughing. Once I managed that it would last a month or so & then I'd have to do it again. Once he passed his puppy stage I could stop. Although he stopped climbing on my head, he never stopped thinking I was his litter mate. I truly didn't mind and it had it's upside.
Zander was a great companion. Too smart for his own good, but a sweet little guy. My favorite part was how he'd "talk" to me whenever I got home from work or just being away from the house. And after my parents moved in 2004, he even "talked" to me on the phone too. Being a good sister, I always talked back to him. Trust me, this amused our neighbors to no end. They must have thought I was more than a little nuts. Here is this border collie doing this sort of howling & yipping thing and a human answering him back. Probably grounds for being committed I'm sure.
After my parents moved to Maryland in August 2004, Zander was my Mommy's constant & almost only companion. My Pops drives a truck for a living & he can be gone for long stretches of time. So it was just Zander & Mommy a lot. Needless to say his death has hit her very hard. So in addition to my own grief, I worry about the depth of her pain & loneliness. Recently, they've gotten another dog but to be honest I'm not sure it's helping her. Kind of a long story there that is best told at another time.
There's more to my own story of grief, but that too is best told in another post. Right now I've got to find some tissues, again. My best advice right now is to not take any of your loved ones for granted, including the four-legged ones. And give them a little extra love from me. I've got plenty to spare at the moment. :(
On Tuesday, 5/18 my parents dog passed away peacefully in his sleep. He would have been 14 on June 1st. He was a border collie with quite a personality.
In the summer of 1996, I was living with my parents. Not exactly cool at the age of 28, but necessary. It had been 5 years since getting diagnosed with diabetes and we still hadn't made any headway towards getting it under control. So living alone wasn't an option. Not to mention having Type 1 Diabetes without insurance made money pretty tight.
My parents came home from running errands one Saturday afternoon in July, demanding that I close my eyes & hold out my hands. So I did. When I opened my eyes & looked into my hands, I was greeted by the second sweetest face I'd ever seen. The first sweetest belonging to my puppy girl, Sasha. There sat little Zander. Well technically it was Alexander Sebastian, but I thought that name was just too big for him so I called him Zander. What a great little guy he was. With a personality as big as his name.
Within a few days of bringing him home, my parents went on a two-week vacation to visit my Pop's family in Maryland. That left big sister babysitting. And let me tell you it was not an easy task.
Zander wouldn't sleep through the night. After several nights in a row of neither of us getting any sleep, I called the vet in a panic. He told me to try putting a radio near Zander's sleeping crate. Not a lot of success with that one. I think Zander objected to the type of music I made him listen too. Either that or he just hated DJ's because he literally reached through the crate & knocked the radio over.
After the vet stopped laughing, he suggested I get one of those wind-up alarm clocks that tick. I didn't even know these things still existed, but a trip to Walmart provided proof. Best of all, Zander slept through the night for the first time the very day I bought it. Well almost. He did manage to wake both of us up at about 4am by managing to turn on the alarm. A situation not repeated after I took a screwdriver to the alarm mechanism.
The alarm clock became his new favorite toy. He carried it around by the handle or scooted in along the floor for hours every day. It went nearly everywhere he did. Unless of course I was carrying him, in which case he paid the alarm clock no attention at all. My Mom still claims that his paws didn't hit the floor when I was home until he got too big for me to carry. I think she exaggerates. To prove her claim, she will tell you stories of a slightly larger Zander following me around the house & whining because I wouldn't pick him up. I say that I never carried him unless it was entirely necessary. I mean seriously, I let him walk on his own a lot. Mostly when I wasn't home, but that counts.
During this period there were a few more calls to the vet, though thankfully not in panic. Zander had started climbing up on my head & trying to prove his dominance in our little pack. And thanks to our not knowing to have his duclaw removed, he was starting to hurt me. After yet another laughing fit, the vet told me I'd have to show Zander that I was packleader. Um, okay.
It's easier than it sounds though. All I had to do was turn him on his back & growl in his face until he stopped struggling. The trick was to do it without laughing. Once I managed that it would last a month or so & then I'd have to do it again. Once he passed his puppy stage I could stop. Although he stopped climbing on my head, he never stopped thinking I was his litter mate. I truly didn't mind and it had it's upside.
Zander was a great companion. Too smart for his own good, but a sweet little guy. My favorite part was how he'd "talk" to me whenever I got home from work or just being away from the house. And after my parents moved in 2004, he even "talked" to me on the phone too. Being a good sister, I always talked back to him. Trust me, this amused our neighbors to no end. They must have thought I was more than a little nuts. Here is this border collie doing this sort of howling & yipping thing and a human answering him back. Probably grounds for being committed I'm sure.
After my parents moved to Maryland in August 2004, Zander was my Mommy's constant & almost only companion. My Pops drives a truck for a living & he can be gone for long stretches of time. So it was just Zander & Mommy a lot. Needless to say his death has hit her very hard. So in addition to my own grief, I worry about the depth of her pain & loneliness. Recently, they've gotten another dog but to be honest I'm not sure it's helping her. Kind of a long story there that is best told at another time.
There's more to my own story of grief, but that too is best told in another post. Right now I've got to find some tissues, again. My best advice right now is to not take any of your loved ones for granted, including the four-legged ones. And give them a little extra love from me. I've got plenty to spare at the moment. :(
Sunday, May 16, 2010
PostSecret
The secrets that jumped out at me this week...
I don't bathe in the dark since without my glasses I can't see a thing, but I do avoid looking in mirrors at all costs.
These two are the front & back of the same secret.
I often feel like there are dozens of different stories inside me just begging to see the light of day. I alternate between feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of them and bewildered at my lack of how to get them out. The fear makes it impossible for me to get any of those words out and I'm quite positive that my brain contains a finite amount of space that will eventually fill up to the point of exploding. It's a race to see which one drives me crazy first.
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
PostSecret
Just a few secrets that jumped out at me. They won't officially post until tomorrow, so be sure to check it out. :)
I really do love to cook and I don't do it often enough. Especially with someone special. And with the right someone, it is an incredible turn on.
I'm glad to say that I've gotten flowers more than once in my life and I've never not appreciated them. Each time it is always a delight and never fails to touch me no matter what the occasion. I LOVE getting flowers. :)
Like my friend (and very talented singer), Eric Dodge says, "Never Make Love Wait." A great song and even better advice. None of us knows just how long we have on the Earth and we shouldn't put off saying what we need to say. Love out loud. Always. You can never say, "I Love You" too often. :)
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
PostSecret
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Books, Books, & More Books!
Okay, I've been asked by a few friends about books and what I read. So here are several of my favorite authors and books.
I get some ideas for new authors at http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ and Cleggy (my bestest friend) lets me know when he comes across a book he thinks I might like. Plus he'll go to the Friends of the Library book sale and stock up on vamp books for me and let me weed through them. At 25 or 50 cents a book he can grab a lot. That's how I found 5, 6, 7, & 12 below. He also suggested 19 & 20.
1. My very favorite author is Laurell K. Hamilton. She's got a vampire hunter series (Anita Blake) and a faery series (Merry Gentry). I read both. One of the few authors that I buy her books as they come out instead of waiting to get them used or just reading them through the library. Keep in mind her stuff is pretty racy. http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/
2. Stephenie Meyer - I'm a fan of all her books. I've read her TWILIGHT series (and seen both of the movies) and THE HOST. I live in hope that she'll go forward with publishing MIDNIGHT SUN. And I just don't care that the TWILIGHT series is considered Young Adult Fiction. THE HOST is not, but not because it's racy. http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
3. Kim Harrison - Witches, vamps, weres, & even pixies and elves. A different take on things and I like that. I own a few in this series, but not all of them. http://www.kimharrison.net/
4. Charlaine Harris - She has two series that I love although she writes a couple others. There is a vamp series with Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood on HBO is based on this series) & another series with Harper Connelly. I only own a few in the vamp series, but thanks to Cleggy I have all the Harper Connelly series. And just so you know, the HBO series has WAY more sex than the books do. http://www.charlaineharris.com/
5. Vicki Pettersson - Hers is an interesting series about heroes & villains. The fourth one just came out in July, but I haven't gotten my hands on it yet. http://www.vickipettersson.com/
6. Jennifer Armintrout - Her Blood Ties series is another different take on vamps. Keeps with some of the standard stuff like sunlight & staking, but adds a few ideas of her own. I haven't delved into her other series yet, but I'm planning to. http://www.jenniferarmintrout.com/
7. Lilith Saintcrow - So far I've only read her Dante Valentine series, but I liked it. She's got a wicked sense of humor. No vamps, but there are demons & she's a necromancer. http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/
8. Patricia Briggs - She has several series out. The Mercedes Thompson and the Alpha & Omega series have been pretty good and they take place now. I've also read her Hurog & Raven series (only two books each), but they were hard to find. Got them through Interlibrary Loan eventually. They take place in a made up distant past kind of place. http://www.patriciabriggs.com/
9. Shanna Swendson - Her books are a bit of fluff, but I like her attitude. Plus her heroine is from Texas. :) http://www.shannaswendson.com/
10. Christopher Moore - He doesn't really do series, but some of his characters will pop up in other books. They are very quirky and kind of out there, but damn funny. http://www.chrismoore.com/
11. Annette Curtis-Klause - More Young Adult Fiction here. I've read THE SILVER KISS and BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE. I enjoyed both. They made a movie out of the second one, but it wasn't much like the book and it was a bit confusing. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/annette-curtis-klause/
12. Kelley Armstrong - Cleggy got me hooked on her Women of the Otherworld series when he bought the first two books for me. I read most of the books through the library but I've started buying them as they come out. I like that the books are about different women. The first couple are about a werewolf and then it moves to a witch, I think. And the characters crossover to other books in the series. She also does a young adult series called Darkest Powers. I like that series too. http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/
13. Ellen Schreiber - I had read the first two in the Vampire Kisses series and meant to read more, but got sidetracked by moving and then forgot. I've now caught up and I'm glad I did. This is more Young Adult Fiction. http://www.ellenschreiber.com/
14. Tonya Hurley - Her Ghostgirl books are funny. Yup, more Young Adult Fiction. http://www.ghostgirl.com/
15. Andre Norton - I am in the middle of her Halfblood Chronicles trilogy (literally since I'm halfway through the second book). She wrote them with Mercedes Lackey. I've read a few of the books she wrote alone too. http://www.andre-norton.org/
16. Orson Scott Card - I've read the Ender Wiggin series and plan to read more of his stuff as I can get my hands on them. http://www.hatrack.com/
17. Audrey Niffenegger - THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE is always on my re-read list. I finally bought a copy after realizing that I had checked it out from the library more than 5 times. I've also read HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY. It was good, but I'm not a fan of the ending. http://audreyniffenegger.com/
18. Sheri Holman - THE DRESS LODGER is also one on my re-read list. Look it up before you read it. It's not for everyone. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/sheri-holman/
19. Carlos Ruiz Zafon - At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, THE SHADOW OF THE WIND & THE ANGEL'S GAME changed my life. These books moved me in ways I cannot even begin to express. http://www.carlosruizzafon.co.uk/
20. Arturo Pérez-Reverte - THE DUMAS CLUB is a mystery about books. What could be better? http://www.perez-reverte.com/
21. P.C. Cast - Her House of Night series that she writes with her daughter, Kristin Cast, is pretty good. It's more Young Adult Fiction, but each book is a fast read because they are full of action. And apparently quite popular because the series has it's own website. I haven't read any of her other series yet, but they are on my infamous "To Read" list. http://www.pccast.net/ & http://www.houseofnightseries.com/
22. George R. R. Martin - His A Song of Fire and Ice series is quite good. Book five - A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is due out in May and I can't wait. The last book came out in 2005 so it's been quite a long wait. But worth it I'll wager. http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
Okay, that should keep you reading for a couple of days. :P
I'm sure I've missed more than a few authors and books. I read a lot. So much so that my Mommy says there should be a crease on the end of my nose because it's always stuck in a book. She's probably right. If you need even more suggestions, the Fantastic Fiction website posts suggestions at the bottom of each author's page.
Let me know what you read. You know I LOVE talking books. :D
I get some ideas for new authors at http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ and Cleggy (my bestest friend) lets me know when he comes across a book he thinks I might like. Plus he'll go to the Friends of the Library book sale and stock up on vamp books for me and let me weed through them. At 25 or 50 cents a book he can grab a lot. That's how I found 5, 6, 7, & 12 below. He also suggested 19 & 20.
1. My very favorite author is Laurell K. Hamilton. She's got a vampire hunter series (Anita Blake) and a faery series (Merry Gentry). I read both. One of the few authors that I buy her books as they come out instead of waiting to get them used or just reading them through the library. Keep in mind her stuff is pretty racy. http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/
2. Stephenie Meyer - I'm a fan of all her books. I've read her TWILIGHT series (and seen both of the movies) and THE HOST. I live in hope that she'll go forward with publishing MIDNIGHT SUN. And I just don't care that the TWILIGHT series is considered Young Adult Fiction. THE HOST is not, but not because it's racy. http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
3. Kim Harrison - Witches, vamps, weres, & even pixies and elves. A different take on things and I like that. I own a few in this series, but not all of them. http://www.kimharrison.net/
4. Charlaine Harris - She has two series that I love although she writes a couple others. There is a vamp series with Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood on HBO is based on this series) & another series with Harper Connelly. I only own a few in the vamp series, but thanks to Cleggy I have all the Harper Connelly series. And just so you know, the HBO series has WAY more sex than the books do. http://www.charlaineharris.com/
5. Vicki Pettersson - Hers is an interesting series about heroes & villains. The fourth one just came out in July, but I haven't gotten my hands on it yet. http://www.vickipettersson.com/
6. Jennifer Armintrout - Her Blood Ties series is another different take on vamps. Keeps with some of the standard stuff like sunlight & staking, but adds a few ideas of her own. I haven't delved into her other series yet, but I'm planning to. http://www.jenniferarmintrout.com/
7. Lilith Saintcrow - So far I've only read her Dante Valentine series, but I liked it. She's got a wicked sense of humor. No vamps, but there are demons & she's a necromancer. http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/
8. Patricia Briggs - She has several series out. The Mercedes Thompson and the Alpha & Omega series have been pretty good and they take place now. I've also read her Hurog & Raven series (only two books each), but they were hard to find. Got them through Interlibrary Loan eventually. They take place in a made up distant past kind of place. http://www.patriciabriggs.com/
9. Shanna Swendson - Her books are a bit of fluff, but I like her attitude. Plus her heroine is from Texas. :) http://www.shannaswendson.com/
10. Christopher Moore - He doesn't really do series, but some of his characters will pop up in other books. They are very quirky and kind of out there, but damn funny. http://www.chrismoore.com/
11. Annette Curtis-Klause - More Young Adult Fiction here. I've read THE SILVER KISS and BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE. I enjoyed both. They made a movie out of the second one, but it wasn't much like the book and it was a bit confusing. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/annette-curtis-klause/
12. Kelley Armstrong - Cleggy got me hooked on her Women of the Otherworld series when he bought the first two books for me. I read most of the books through the library but I've started buying them as they come out. I like that the books are about different women. The first couple are about a werewolf and then it moves to a witch, I think. And the characters crossover to other books in the series. She also does a young adult series called Darkest Powers. I like that series too. http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/
13. Ellen Schreiber - I had read the first two in the Vampire Kisses series and meant to read more, but got sidetracked by moving and then forgot. I've now caught up and I'm glad I did. This is more Young Adult Fiction. http://www.ellenschreiber.com/
14. Tonya Hurley - Her Ghostgirl books are funny. Yup, more Young Adult Fiction. http://www.ghostgirl.com/
15. Andre Norton - I am in the middle of her Halfblood Chronicles trilogy (literally since I'm halfway through the second book). She wrote them with Mercedes Lackey. I've read a few of the books she wrote alone too. http://www.andre-norton.org/
16. Orson Scott Card - I've read the Ender Wiggin series and plan to read more of his stuff as I can get my hands on them. http://www.hatrack.com/
17. Audrey Niffenegger - THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE is always on my re-read list. I finally bought a copy after realizing that I had checked it out from the library more than 5 times. I've also read HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY. It was good, but I'm not a fan of the ending. http://audreyniffenegger.com/
18. Sheri Holman - THE DRESS LODGER is also one on my re-read list. Look it up before you read it. It's not for everyone. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/sheri-holman/
19. Carlos Ruiz Zafon - At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, THE SHADOW OF THE WIND & THE ANGEL'S GAME changed my life. These books moved me in ways I cannot even begin to express. http://www.carlosruizzafon.co.uk/
20. Arturo Pérez-Reverte - THE DUMAS CLUB is a mystery about books. What could be better? http://www.perez-reverte.com/
21. P.C. Cast - Her House of Night series that she writes with her daughter, Kristin Cast, is pretty good. It's more Young Adult Fiction, but each book is a fast read because they are full of action. And apparently quite popular because the series has it's own website. I haven't read any of her other series yet, but they are on my infamous "To Read" list. http://www.pccast.net/ & http://www.houseofnightseries.com/
22. George R. R. Martin - His A Song of Fire and Ice series is quite good. Book five - A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is due out in May and I can't wait. The last book came out in 2005 so it's been quite a long wait. But worth it I'll wager. http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
Okay, that should keep you reading for a couple of days. :P
I'm sure I've missed more than a few authors and books. I read a lot. So much so that my Mommy says there should be a crease on the end of my nose because it's always stuck in a book. She's probably right. If you need even more suggestions, the Fantastic Fiction website posts suggestions at the bottom of each author's page.
Let me know what you read. You know I LOVE talking books. :D
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran's Day
Thank you just doesn't seem to say enough. I can only hope any Veteran's that see this can read between the lines and see the gratitude, love, admiration, awe, and pride that is behind those two simple words.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Post Secret
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Post Secret
I don't think I need to elaborate on this one. It really does speak for itself. And for me.PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Post Secret
Maybe I'm not now, but my fear is that one day I will be and because I'm single that burden will fall to my younger siblings. I'm also pretty sure it's one of the reasons I'm still single. I can't stand the thought of being a burden, an inconvenience, or a bother to anyone, especially a future husband.
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Mix It Up For MDA!
On Thursday, July 30, Carrabba’s Italian Grill invites consumers to “Mix It Up for MDA” at a special event combining exclusive cocktails from award-winning mixologist Charlotte Voisey with new Carrabba’s food items to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
Admission to “Mix It Up for MDA” is $15 per person from 5 pm to close at Carrabba’s. The ticket price includes a sampling of four food items from the new Mr. C’s Bar Menu and, for guests 21 years and older, one of Voisey’s signature cocktails created for the event. The food tasting includes a delicious array of appetizers from the new Mr. C’s Menu, designed for snacking and sharing, including: Antipasti Misto; Meatballs with Ricotta Cheese; Patatinas with Blue Cheese; and Chicken Parmesan Piccolinos
In addition to monies raised from “Mix It Up for MDA” event admission, Carrabba’s also will donate $1 to MDA for each of Voisey’s drinks sold from July 30 – August 6. During that week, consumers are encouraged to visit www.carrabbas.com and cast their vote for their favorite cocktail and the winner will make it on the menu!
There are two Dallas area locations...
North Dallas
(972)732-7752
17548 Dallas Parkway
Dallas, TX 75287
E. Plano
(972) 516-9900
3400 N. Central Expressway
Plano, TX 75074
Or go to Carrabba's website for a location near you. http://www.carrabbas.com/index.aspx
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Father's Day PostSecret Style!
It's a day late, but so was my phone call. He didn't mind at all and was just thrilled that I called. It was my weekly call to my Mommy, but I spent most of the time on the phone with him. She didn't mind either.
He came into our lives on my 15th birthday. While my friends were decorating our house for my surprise birthday party, he took my Mom & me to the mall and out to lunch. He even bought me a hot fudge sundae for dessert. I've been fat since I was 5. Not a lot of people in my life would have even offered that.
While he has sometimes been stubborn, unyielding, and even angry, he has more often been supportive, kind, and loving. He came into the relationship with our Mom saying that he wouldn't be our dad. He just never saw himself as a dad at all. At first, we agreed because we'd gotten use to it being just the three of us (our Mom, my brother, & me). But that didn't last long.
Now, nearly 21 years to the day, he's our Pops. Our father came back into our lives (after a 10 year absence) about 18 months after we found Pops. I do love my Dad, but if I got married tomorrow it would be my Pops I would want to walk me down the aisle.
I do tell my Pops that I love him, every time I talk to him. But I don't think I've ever told him how much he really means to me. He DOES mean the world to me. Most days I'm proud of the person I've become and I know he played a big part in that. I hope he knows that too. :)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Rock the Space
My friend & budding music star, Eric Dodge, has a chance to win a recording contract. So please give this very talented man a listen and then spread the word by getting your own widget & posting it on Facebook, MySpace, your blog, or even your website. Thanks! And you won't be sorry!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
PostSecret
This is the one that jumped out at me this week......
I am guilty more often that I'd like of not letting people get close enough to really love me. Even when they do, I still sometimes put up walls that they don't even know about.
But when I do let them in completely, I discover all over again why God created love. It truly is beyond words.
I am guilty more often that I'd like of not letting people get close enough to really love me. Even when they do, I still sometimes put up walls that they don't even know about.
But when I do let them in completely, I discover all over again why God created love. It truly is beyond words.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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Sunday, March 01, 2009
PostSecret
There were two this week that jumped out at me. :)
This is true for just about everyone that reads my blog. And you all know who you are. :)
The thought of the Rainbow Bridge has always made me happy. Those who know me well know how much I love my puppies. Past & present. :)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Dichotomy of This Writer...
For some strange reason I get really excited when something I wrote gets posted online, but I hate showing my writing to almost everyone. And those of you who have read my writing should know how special you are to me. You also know that I'm full of contradictions like that. :D
Today's excitement is due to being in the new 6S Newsletter.
http://sixsentences.blogspot.com/2009/02/newsletter-sixes.html
My piece is the "Bonus Six" at the end called "Happiness".
This 6S was inspired by an email conversation I had one day with my friend, Maria. Something she said got me to thinking and then got me to writing. Thanks for the inspiration, Mia! (Love you & miss you bunches!)
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and be sure to let me know what you think. :)
Today's excitement is due to being in the new 6S Newsletter.
http://sixsentences.blogspot.com/2009/02/newsletter-sixes.html
My piece is the "Bonus Six" at the end called "Happiness".
This 6S was inspired by an email conversation I had one day with my friend, Maria. Something she said got me to thinking and then got me to writing. Thanks for the inspiration, Mia! (Love you & miss you bunches!)
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and be sure to let me know what you think. :)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
PostSecret
I'm not sure what made this secret stand out for me. Is it the sentiment or is it the gorgeous plus-sized girl? Maybe it's both.
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
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