day thirty

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior).

Daily in April
I wrote a little ditty
Poetry is fun.

may challenge

I love a challenge and found a Blog Every Day In May Challenge.  Thanks to Love Happy Daily for hosting!

So how will it all work?

1.  You can complete all of the daily prompts, some of them or none of them.  It’s not a competition – it’s just fun!  Pick the ones that excite and inspire you to write and share.

2.  There will be a linkup at the bottom of my post each day, so you’re welcome to leave your link for the day to share it with others.  In addition, you can share your posts on Instagram using the hashtag #blogeverydayinmay  (ETA:  the host's posts)

3.  Below are the topics.  They aren’t set in stone.  You can interpret them in any way you would like.  There is no getting it wrong.  Be creative!

And here are the prompts:

Day 1, Thursday: Goal setting.  What are your plans for today?  (And/or this week?  This month?  This year?)
Day 2, Friday: What’s in your cup?
Day 3, Saturday: Write a Less/More list.  (For example, less watching - more dancing.)
Day 4, Sunday: What’s a compliment you have been given that has stuck with you? Who gave it to you? When? Where?
Day 5, Monday: Write a ‘How to’ post teaching everyone … well, how to do something! Cooking, crafting, or anything else that takes your fancy.
Day 6, Tuesday: A favourite photo of you.
Day 7, Wednesday:  Where are you writing from today?
Day 8, Thursday:  Share a book that you’d like to read, but haven’t yet.  What draws you to it?
Day 9, Friday:  5 things you love on a Friday.
Day 10, Saturday: A fashion, beauty or life tip.
Day 11, Sunday:  Go for a photo walk.  (It’s a walk where you take lots of great photos and share them.)
Day 12, Monday:  Tell us how your blog got its name (and tagline).
Day 13, Tuesday: Write a poem or piece of creative prose.
Day 14, Wednesday: Make us laugh.  Share a funny story or picture.
Day 15, Thursday: Create or share a poster, card or artwork that shares a message that inspires you.
Day 16, Friday: Blogging is about sharing the love.  Tell us about 5 blogs that you love reading regularly.
Day 17, Saturday: A day in the life.  Photo journal your day today.
Day 18, Sunday: 10 things that make you happy.
Day 19, Monday: Dream job?
Day 20, Tuesday: Who inspires you?
Day 21, Wednesday: What’s on your plate?
Day 22, Thursday: Share a video clip that you are loving at the moment.  It could be as simple as a song on YouTube or an inspirational speaker on TED Talks.
Day 23, Friday: Write a post about a particularly good or controversial comment someone left you.
Day 24, Saturday: If you could have 3 people to dinner tonight, who would you invite?
Day 25, Sunday: A list for the week ahead.
Day 26, Monday: Invite someone to guest post for you.
Day 27, Tuesday: Share a project you’ve been working on.
Day 28, Wednesday: Family.  What do you love?  Best traits? What crazy genetics do you have in common?  Fave photo?
Day 29, Thursday: What have you said ‘yes’ to today?
Day 30, Friday: Best advice you’ve received lately.
Day 31, Saturday: Gratitude.

w.w.w. wednesday

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? I'm listening to Rob Lowe's new memoir. And I'm reading Clammed Up by Barbara Ross.

• What did you recently finish reading? This week I finished: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It was awesome!

• What do you think you’ll read next? I need to read The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout for my May book group selection.

day twenty-nine

Lune style: The lune is an American form of poetry similar to the haiku: thirteen syllables are arranged in 5/3/5 format, five syllables in the first line, three syllables in the second, and five in the third.


It's my half-birthday
Keeping track
Of time like the kids.

ten things tuesday

Based on yesterday's musing, I'm making a list of ten books that I consider my favorites:

1) Eureka Street: A Novel of Ireland Like No Other by Robert McLiam Wilson. I read this book when it first came out and it stuck with me, it reminds me of some former co-workers who were kind of get-rich-quick people.

2) Light A Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy. My first Maeve Binchy and it's one I have read several times--it's a book that moves me to tears.

3) The Widow's War by Sally Gunning. Historical fiction from the colonial time period (my specialty). Such a compelling look at the role of women. Or lack thereof.

4) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I read this when I was in high school and again last year. It's my favorite classic. I feel the despair and the internal tumult.

5) Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. A favorite read from last year. It's a love story without being a romance. It blew me away.

6) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. This is one of the books that I like to give to students and former students as a recommendation. There is something irresistible in the friendship.

7) Different Seasons by Stephen King. These short stories and novellas are the basis of three different movies. What I like about King's writing is how accessible it is--a master of language and pop-culture.

8) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This is the first book in a very long time that had characters I thought were despicable. I couldn't relate to them and didn't like them.

9) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A book I read when it first came out and I kept telling everyone to read it. Patchett is one of my favorite storytellers. And I loved how music was a character in this story. And the ending. I loved the ending!

10) The Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett. A family favorite--everyone passed this book around when it first came out in paperback (a gazillion years ago). It's one that we all found our own bits to relate to. And it's one of the few books I've read multiple times. I loved the characters and thought it was rich in atmosphere.

late to the party...

Watched my first episode tonight. I've seen snippets and followed the publicity of the show but never quite got hooked. Until now.

day twenty-eight

Kimo is a post-Haiku poetic form, consisting of three lines of 10, 7, and 6 syllables.


Waiting for spring to show up this April
I'm tired of dreary days
It's called "Sprinter" this year.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

• Question: Do you have a favorite book? What do you say when people ask you? (This question always flummoxes me because how can you pick just one, so I’m eager to hear what you folks have to say.)

And, has your favorite book changed over the years?? {source}

My favorite book has changed over the years. And it changes based on who's asking, genre, and mood. I usually say I have different favorites based on genre--mystery favorites, chic-lit favorites, literature favorites, memoir favorites, etc. Maybe it's because I am constantly reading that my favorites change. Or that I get tired of a particular device or style of writing. And it's no different in choosing a favorite author. Although I am apt to binge read a new-to-me author.

It's fun to think of old favorites. But I'm wondering what makes a book my favorite? Is it something I would read again? Or a story that stuck with me? Or a setting that I want to visit? Hmmm... more to muse about.

day twenty-seven

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior).







Finished a big book
Feeling so proud of myself
It was really great!

finished reading

I'm going to try to capture my thoughts about this book. It's more than 750 pages so I had a lot of thoughts about it. I will also avoid spoilers.

The book starts with Theo and his mother attending a meeting at Theo's school because of his suspension. On the way, they detour, and that detour changes every single thing about Theo's life. Theo as narrator is what I consider somewhat unreliable. I had the feeling that although he's reconstructing the tale, he's self-editing. Although... he tells some unflattering stories about himself. I'm going to stick with my original thought that he's not reliable. The book spans Theo's life from about age 13 until his late twenties, so it's sort of a coming-of-age novel. Theo has a pretty entrenched sense of right and wrong, yet that moral compass doesn't guide his decisions.

The secondary characters are meticulously drawn. I feel as though I know each one of them. Their good and bad. Each character is so different from the next. It's hard to have a favorite character. You can feel how Theo is mesmerized by them, how they compel him to live up to who he thinks they are.

I admit there were a couple of times I was bogged down. I thought I would put the book aside, take a break from it, and read something less literary, more plot driven than character driven. Yet every time I thought that, something would happen and I would get drawn back into the book. I couldn't put it down at times.

You do have to suspend belief. I can't picture it as a movie. Some of the plot devices and twists are a bit contrived but not to the point of cliche. It kept me reading. It kept me entertained.

I love how art, in various forms, is woven through the story.

I understand why this is the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winner in Literature.

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: The TV Meme, part one


1. TV Theme songs. Which is your favorite, and which makes you crazy enough to hit mute on the remote?   I love the theme from "The Greatest American Hero" and another one I loved was instrumental --"The Equalizer". The music from Law & Order gives me the shivers!

2. The Classics. What is your favorite Classic TV show?  "My Three Sons" was a favorite show

3. What character from a Classic TV show would you like to be?  Mary Richards from The Mary Tyler Moore Show

4. Can you remember a line you liked from a Classic TV show?  not really

5. Heroes. What show featuring those who protect your country (fiction or non-fiction) is your favorite?  "The Six Million Dollar Man" was huge when I was a kid, I remember loving both that and "Wonder Woman."

6. TV Cops. Who is your favorite (past or present) TV cop? Which TV cop do you think was the most crooked, or the most inept?  I love Olivia Benson of L&O: SVU, she is such a real person, it's hard to remember she's acting. I can't think of an a crooked or inept, although Columbo comes to mind as a bumbler.

7. You need to hire a bodyguard for yourself. Which TV cop do you choose?   Det. Ed Green from Law & Order (Jesse L. Martin, thankyouverymuch)

8. TV Doctors. Which TV doctor would you choose to remove your appendix? Which TV doctor would you not let touch you with a 10- foot pole?  Doug Ross (duh)... and I can't think of a doctor I wouldn't let touch me...

9. TV Moms. Which TV mom would you have liked to have had for your own? Is there a TV mom you would never want as your own?  Mrs. Cunningham from "Happy Days" was always a favorite TV mom. And I would not want any of the women from "Desperate Housewives" as a mom

10. TV Dads. Which TV Dad would you have most liked to have for your own dad? On the flipside, who was the TV Dad you’d have least liked to have had?  widower Stephen Douglas from "My Three Sons" was a favorite TV dad... and Al Bundy would not be my choice for a dad

11. Comedies. How do you feel about sitcoms? Good, wholesome fun or saccharine inanity?  I generally enjoy sitcoms

12. If your life was a sitcom, what would the title be?  "What if this is as good as it gets?"

13. If you went to a comedy club on amateur night, and they gave you some jokes and a microphone, would you go onstage?  doubtful

14. Reality. Are you a fan of Reality TV? What’s your “can’t miss” reality TV show (or shows), or what reality TV show do you suppose the devil plays on the TV in Hell as punishment?  I enjoy unscripted shows--particularly The Voice, American Idol, and all the Bravo Top Chef shows and punishment would be Teen Mom or Wife Swap

15. If you were given a free ticket to be on any reality show, which one would you choose? to be on as a contestant? uhmmmmm... I can't think of one that I would be on

hello, handsome!

It's been far too long...

day twenty-six

Lune style: The lune is an American form of poetry similar to the haiku: thirteen syllables are arranged in 5/3/5 format, five syllables in the first line, three syllables in the second, and five in the third.



Vacation went fast
Fun was had
One day until school.

where, oh where did vacation go?

It's the end of vacation. I don't know where it went. Although, almost every day was some little thing--lunches, mani/pedi, and other fun stuff. I didn't nap. I watched a bunch of TV. I just can't believe it's over. However, counting weekends, there are 58 days of school left.

saturday 9

Stuck On You

1) This upbeat song is from a CD called The Bright Side. What is brightening your world this fine Saturday? the sun is shining (finally!!!)

2) Our featured artist Meiko sings, "You are the one I can see having fun with ...". When is the last time you laughed hard? Who were you with? I laugh all the time--I'm one of those people--and I laughed with my niece last evening, although I did laugh at Maggie's antics this morning (she's a funny dog)

3) She also sings, "I must confess when I wear this dress I feel like dancing ...". Does your mood have an impact on what you wear? or the other way around, that my dress impacts my mood

4) In this video, she accidentally drops one of her meatballs on the floor. Do you believe in "the five second rule," which states that if food has been on the floor less than five seconds it's still OK to eat? Or, after it hits the floor, is the next stop always the garbage? it depends on where I am. At home: yes; elsewhere: no.

5) Despite her exotic-sounding name, Meiko was born in Atlanta, home of the Braves. Do you plan on going to the ballpark this season? probably not

6) Meiko recently posted a photo of herself in DisneyLand posing with Goofy. Who took the most recent photo of you? What were you doing? I took a selfie with Maggie, she was licking my face

7) Are you stubborn? sometimes

8) Let's visit your bathroom: What color is your toothbrush? green and white

9) Which would we find: bar soap or liquid soap? hand soap is liquid, bathing soap is bar

day twenty-five

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior):




A little bit sore
From this afternoon's massage
Another's scheduled.

friday 5

Zones

1. Those silly TV programs showcasing supposedly funny videos often feature unexpected blows to someone’s Man Zone (you know, crotch shots). How amusing do you find these videos?
Man Zone videos are not really what I consider funny
2. Athletes today often talk about being “in the zone,” attaining that state of mind where everything is both automatic and excellent. When did you last find yourself in the zone?
listening to an audiobook while knitting a simple repeated pattern
3. What time zone do you live in, and is there anything especially good or bad about it?
I am in the Eastern time zone and it's nothing special
4. An erogenous zone is an area of the human body that has heightened sensitivity, the stimulation of which may result in the production of sexual fantasies or sexual arousal (not to mention orgasm). What typically non-sexual part of your body is an erogenous zone?*
I can't even think of something snarky to say about this one
5. Where can you get a really good calzone?*
there's a place in the neighboring town that has a fairly good calzone
6. * Alternate question in case #4 is too personal or #5 is too stupid: In the Star Trek universe, a neutral zone is an area between claimed territories in space where bordering governments agree not to tread (else war is declared). Where in your personal or professional life are the neutral zones?
I like living in the next town over from where I teach--so the kids don't bag my groceries (etc)... they don't need to know what brand of toilet paper I use or that I occasionally have a glass of wine

road trip

Went on a road trip-shopping trip with my teacher friend yesterday. The weather was kind of yuck, it was snowing here but it was mixed precipitation most of the drive south for four hours. Didn't matter--we were heading to the Barnes & Noble store in Augusta and nothing was going to stop us! Stopped at the mall and did some power shopping and then hit Starbucks (which is the closest one to home, believe it or not they aren't on every corner) for the ride home. I had dropped my car off for the million dollar servicing so I got to drive my friend's 2012 Fusion which is fun to drive; I like doing the driving because I get bored as the passenger.

day twenty-four

Cinquain the first form







Refresh
Year's theme
Making it happen
This week of vacation
Holla!

thursday bug

Sometimes it helps to share with others what bugs your mind.

They may have a solution, a kind word, or a smile of encouragement.

This week my thursday bug is:

April 24--significant snowfall. Gah.

day twenty-three

The Japanese tanka is a thirty-one-syllable poem, traditionally written in a single unbroken line. A form of waka, Japanese song or verse, tanka translates as "short song," and is better known in its five-line, 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5793#sthash.zUmJmz1r.dpuf

Visiting my friends / Meeting with them all day long / Laughing and talking / Catching up on all our lives / Vacation is made for this

w.w.w. wednesday

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? I'm listening to Rob Lowe's new memoir. And I'm reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

• What did you recently finish reading? This week I finished: It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I need to read The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout for my May book group selection.

day twenty-two

Free verse is an open form of poetry not concerned with consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern. It tends to mirror natural speech.

First pedicure of the season
with a matching manicure, it was nice
to pamper myself.

Easter leftovers are gone
maybe I ate too much cake,
I've got the sugar shakes.

Plagued by wifi issues,
a new router needed.
I just want to connect!

ten things tuesday

Since it's vacation week, I am spending a lot of time by myself. Here is a list of ten things I like to do by myself:

1) Sleep. This would include napping.

2) Explore the internet. Blogging, emailing, shopping, and chattering on Facebook.

3) Read. I always thought it was somewhat weird to read when there are other people around.

4) Doctor visits. Even as a kid, I wanted to go by myself.

5) Grocery shop. I like to zip through the store, usually, because I don't always make lists. Meandering makes things jump into the cart, I find.

6) Sit on the porch. I'm not much of an outdoorsy fan, so when I want to sit on the porch, I want to enjoy it in my own way.

7) Clean.

8) Arrange my classroom. Although it's helpful to have tall people around for poster hanging.

9) Talk on the phone. On Easter, my sister phoned and everyone was on a different cordless talking and I passed.

10) Go through the drive thru. It's just easier.

disney

Not quite a typical Disney fairy princess movie. Catchy songs. I liked it.

day twenty-one

Lune style: The lune is an American form of poetry similar to the haiku: thirteen syllables are arranged in 5/3/5 format, five syllables in the first line, three syllables in the second, and five in the third.

Not much accomplished
Book finished
Cowl knit for my sis.

finished reading

This is the story of Craig Gilner, a stressed-out student at a prestigious college prep high school, finds himself overwhelmed by life and lands in a psychiatric ward. This is the story of his stay. For a book about such serious issues as depression and suicide, it's a light read. Craig's thoughts are amusing as he figures out how he wants to life his life. The secondary characters are an odd-ball assortment of patients Craig encounters, his family, and his typical high school friends.

What resonated with me is the enormous pressure teens are under. They are expected to be mini-adults as they navigate childhood. I know my students are stressed out because they have jobs to pay for their cars, getting into college, and having a social life. Lots of pressures. Lots of adult situations.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying about it.
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I am on vacation this week and want to get a lot of reading in. It got me thinking about the types of reading I do while on vacation--that I want to read breezy, cozy, lighthearted books. Maybe it's because I want a brain-break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

day twenty

Free verse is an open form of poetry not concerned with consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern. It tends to mirror natural speech.

Easter Day
was a beautiful treat.
Family, food, and fun.
Sun and warmth (finally).

We cooked and laughed,
about our cooking,
even though the meal was yummy.
Talking about everything and nothing.

A relaxed, holy day.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: The Easter Meme

What are your Easter traditions? gather with the family
Do you hard boil and decorate eggs? no
How do you decorate your home for Easter? no
Do you make/buy special outfits for yourself and your kids on Easter? I try to dress "springy"
What is your favorite Easter dish? potatoes
When did you learn the truth about the Easter Bunny? the year after Mum died
Do you spend Easter at home, on vacation, or with family? with family
First one up on Easter morning? by default--I live by myself
Go to mass or church? no
What are your favorite Easter hymns and/or choir arrangements? nothing comes to mind
How many Easter egg hunts does your family usually participate in? none anymore
Do you make deviled eggs out of leftover Easter eggs? my sister did
Are you tired of eggs by the end of the Easter Season? nope
Are Peeps good or gross? gross--I don't like marshmallows
What company makes the best chocolate for Easter time? Reese's
Lots of candy or not? I'm trying to cut back
What is your favorite Easter candy? Reese's
Do you find plastic Easter grass hidden in places for months after Easter is over? no
What’s your favorite color for fake grass? green

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

day nineteen

Cinquain the second form







Vacation
Lazy, sleepy
Chilling, relaxing, dreaming
Life is good
Holiday

saturday 9

Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1950)

1) Which do you prefer: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside? colored eggs with stuff inside

2) What's your favorite color of Peeps (yellow, purple, or pink)? I've only had one Peep in my lifetime because I don't like marshmallows and the texture kind of freaks me out

3) All this talk of sweets is making Sam hungry. What's for lunch? I am going out for lunch at my favorite spot, Cafe Sorpreso and I'm excited to see the menu!

4) This song was introduced by country singer Gene Autry and it's still a favorite. Please share some of the lyrics. (And you're on your own; Sam didn't include a link to the song this week.) Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail, hippety-hoppety Easter's on its way!

5) Gene Autry was so popular that a town in Oklahoma named itself for him. Have you ever been to Oklahoma? no

6) In addition to singing, Mr. Autry made 93 cowboy movies. What's the last movie you saw? Divergent I enjoyed it

7) He and his horse Champion also had a TV show. Can you name another famous horse? Trigger

8) Gene Autry also recorded "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer," and it was, of course, wildly popular, too. Who is your favorite recording artist? U2

9) Back to the holiday celebration at hand -- Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated? a massage or a mani/pedi--both of which I am partaking of during vacation week!

VACATION!

That is all.

friday 5

Attention

1. What were the circumstances surrounding your last reception of unwanted attention from strangers?
at knit night last night, there were people walking up and down the sidewalk outside the windows gawking at us knitting
2. How do you feel about being flirted with?
I'm somewhat oblivious
3. Whose attention would you like a little more of?
my students'
4. How’s your attention span?
when it's something I enjoy, endless!
5. Who in your life seems to crave the most attention?
I have a couple students in mind...

day eighteen

The Japanese tanka is a thirty-one-syllable poem, traditionally written in a single unbroken line. A form of waka, Japanese song or verse, tanka translates as "short song," and is better known in its five-line, 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5793#sthash.zUmJmz1r.dpuf


Before vacation
Students don't want to do work
They think it started
Or that today should be fun
Playing games and hanging out.

thursday bug

Sometimes it helps to share with others what bugs your mind.

They may have a solution, a kind word, or a smile of encouragement.

This week my thursday bug is:

Scheduling car repairs I can't afford--there goes my vacation fund.

day seventeen

Kimo is a post-Haiku poetic form , consisting of three lines of 10, 7, and 6 syllables.


Car repairs cost five hundred and eighty,
I suppose they must be done...
How I wish I was rich!

day sixteen

Free verse is an open form of poetry not concerned with consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern. It tends to mirror natural speech.


Awoke to a white world,
Again a blanket of snow hugs the earth.
Scraping cars, icy roads.

How did drivers already forget what winter driving is like?

A lonely robin sings
such a song of spring.
As Mother Nature tricks us
I thought April Fool's was over.

w.w.w. wednesday

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? I'm listening to It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. And I'm reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.

• What did you recently finish reading? I haven't finished anything in the past week but I'm making good progress on the two I'm reading now.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Next week is spring vacation so I'm hoping to read a lot!!

hope springs

Saw my first robins today! Spring is really coming!!!

Photo from Wikipedia

day fifteen

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior):

Stress is in the air
Affecting everybody
No one is immune.

ten things tuesday

My blog friend Bookmammal recently had a blog post about "junk food for the brain" reads. Sometimes readers need a break from heavy, intense lit. In homage, here are my ten "junk food for the brain" books and authors.

1) The author who kicked off my relationship with rom-com chick-lit is Marian Keyes. Her Welch sister series are riotously funny while being poignant. Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married was my introduction.

2) Maeve Binchy is another go-to favorite of mine. I've read everything she's written, starting with Light A Penny Candle which is one of the books I will re-read when I need some heart and soul. Her books are primarily set in Ireland, which is how I got into her books in the first place. I read an article in the Irish Times by her and was hooked. Plus, let's be honest, it's set in Ireland and I love all things Irish.

3) When I'm in the mood for cozy mysteries, I turn to Maddy Hunter's "Passport to Peril" series. This series has a very funny premise--Emily Andrew works for a senior citizen travel agency, so all the mysteries are set on senior tours. Zany fun.

4) Jill Mansell is an author I discovered a couple of years ago. Her stories involve modern women in unpredictable situations and are always a good read. I've got so many of her novels, I had to create a shelf of them on my Nook!

5) I've recently discovered Milly Johnson, another Brit-Lit writer of rom-coms. I haven't read many but I've got them in my TBR.

6) Sophie Kinsella is another one of my favorites in the "junk food for the brain" category. Her Shopaholic series are so funny.

7) Although I thought the books were sophisticated for "kids books," the Harry Potter series has become a favorite of mine. I'm glad I finally picked them up.

8) Another mystery series I'm enjoying is the Baker Street Letters. Michael Robertson's sleuths are quirky and the mysteries are unusual.

9) Dan Brown's books are usually junk food, too. The kind of thrillers I don't have to pay too much attention to, yet interesting and exciting.

10) And finally, the books that got me into knitting were a charming series by Gil McNeil. This series made me want to join a Stitch-n-Bitch (although my group isn't heavy on the bitch--we're more lighthearted).

day fourteen

Lune style: The lune is an American form of poetry similar to the haiku: thirteen syllables are arranged in 5/3/5 format, five syllables in the first line, three syllables in the second, and five in the third.

Finally sunny but windy
Melting snow
Bright sun feels so warm.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying about it.
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

Plot twists. I read a book recently, The Bookman's Tale, that had several plot twists. It got me thinking about how authors manipulate readers by twisting the story. A skilled storyteller makes the story wend its way through the plot, capturing the reader. An unskilled storyteller gives too much away, making the story obvious or cliche. There is nothing I enjoy more than an unexpected plot twist!

day thirteen

Free verse:

Doing little things
to make others feel better
makes me feel better, too.
I wish there weren't so many people
who need to feel better.

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Bonus Questions Meme

1. What’s your favorite frozen treat on a stick?
fudgesicle
2. What’s your favorite lollipop?
peppermint tootsie pop
3. When you passed notes during class in high school, who was mostly often the recipient?
LeeAnn
4. Who among your high school friends was the first to get his or her own car?
Jon
5. Who’s the black sheep in your family?
there really isn't one
6. Who’s the family historian?
Tammy
7. What was the last thing you sprayed from a spray bottle?
hair gel
8. What was the last thing you sprayed from an aerosol can?
I don't even remember
9. When did you last make reservations for something?
a massage for vacation week
10. What’s your next upcoming appointment?
a library Board meeting
11. What store’s departure from your preferred shopping mall most saddened you?
Fashion Bug
12. What’s good to eat at your preferred shopping mall?
*meh* Ruby Tuesday
13. What services (as opposed to goods) do you pay for at your preferred shopping mall?
none
14. What’s a store you’ve never been inside at your preferred shopping mall?
a rent-to-own center
15. What kind of store would you most welcome in your preferred shopping mall?
Target
16. What did you most recently purchase at an office supply store?
a day planner
17. What did you most recently purchase at a book store?
we don't have a local bookstore (I know!!) so I buy online
18. What did you most recently purchase at a drugstore?
Calcium with Vitamin D
19. What did you most recently purchase at a convenience store?
I think I used the bathroom instead of making a purchase
20. What did you most recently purchase at a thrift shop?
I don't remember

day twelve

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior):

Creepy pervy dude
Watching my laundry tumble
Back off, it's all mine!

saturday 9

I'll Be There For You

1) This song begins with, "So no one told you life was gonna be this way …" What do you wish you knew five years ago about your life now? I wish I knew I would be strong enough to help a student with their mental health struggle

2) This is, of course, the theme from Friends, which is frequently shown back-to-back on TVLand and TBS. Have you ever "binge-watched" a show, catching episode after episode? I frequently binge-watch Friends.

3) On the show, Monica and Rachel shared a beautiful 2BR/2BA Soho apartment with a private balcony. It's estimated that such a pad would cost at least $3500/month in today's real-life New York. Describe your dream home. I really love where I am

4) Of the six main characters, only Chandler was an only child. Do you have any siblings? I have three older sisters

5) Gunther was the barista at Central Perk, the coffee shop where the Friends hung out. He had an ongoing, unrequited love for Rachel. Are you crushing on anyone right now? Does he/she know? George although, I would consider John Stamos

6) Currently Matt ("Joey") LeBlanc stars in the Showtime series Episodes, playing a character named Matt LeBlanc. If there was going to be series based on your life, who would play you? Melissa McCarthy

7) Courtney Cox, who portrayed Monica, has the Twitter handle @CourtneyCox and has 628,000 followers. What was your last tweet?

You don't ask for a lot today; all you want is the connection ... More for Scorpio http://t.co/E2alZzUhpg

— Kwizgiver (@Kwizgiver) April 12, 2014

8) The creators of Friends were massive soap opera fans. They named their characters after recurring characters on All My Children* and had Joey appear on Days of Our Lives. Have you ever been hooked on a daytime drama? I was really hooked on Guiding Light in the 80s (when Kevin Bacon was on)

9) The band who performed this song, The Rembrandts, took their name from the famous Dutch painter. Can you see any artwork from where you're sitting right now? Tell us about it (and yes, a school painting by your 7-year-old nephew counts). I see a grouping of photos I took when vacationing in Spain

*According to IMDB: Ross for Ross Chandler, Joey for Joey Martin, Chandler for the Chandler family, Monica for Monique/Daisy Cortland, Rachel Greene for Janet Green, and Phoebe for Phoebe Tyler Wallingford.

friday 5

No Theme

1. What field trips, one from elementary school and one from high school, do you remember most fondly?
I remember an elementary trip to a working dairy farm--one of the girls in my class lived on it and her parents had us visit. For high school, we went on the annual Biology Field trip to Bar Harbor, Maine, where we did a study of coastal life. For a lot of students, it was their first trip to the coast, their first trip out of the County.
2. How does your handwriting today differ from your handwriting in high school?
I have much clearer handwriting now, compact and easy-to-read.
3. What let’s-pretend game did you most enjoy when you were a child?
I loved my Teddy, we went on all kinds of adventures
4. If you had to take the name of any one-named celebrity, whose would work best?
Gaga
5. A brain, a princess, an athlete, a basket case, and a criminal: Which of these roles will you take, and which friends fill the rest?
hmmmm... this is a tough one. I might be a basket case or a brain, I'm not sure what my friends would say about it... M.P.A. would be the princess. JP would be the jock. I didn't have a friend who was a criminal type. We were too nerdy.

day eleven

Senryu (like a haiku, but about human behavior):

Timely assembly
Dynamic speaker made it
The message received.

thursday bug

Sometimes it helps to share with others what bugs your mind.

They may have a solution, a kind word, or a smile of encouragement.

This week my thursday bug is:

Being left out of the loop about school stuff.

day ten

Cinquain the third form

Reading
Great books hook me
I only want to read
But I must work all the day long
Humbug!