sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Unusual Things Meme

1. Who was the last person of the opposite sex you laid in a bed with? I think it was my dad when he was in the hospital
2. Where was the last place you went out to eat? Pizza Hut
3. What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed? a glass of Barefoot White Zinfandel
4. Which do you prefer - eyes or lips? eyes
5. Medicine, fine arts, or law? fine arts
6. Best kind of pizza? I love almost every kind
7. Is your bedroom window open? no
8. What is in store for your future? I'm not thinking too far in the future
9. Who was the last band you saw live? Elvis Costello
10. Do you take care of your friends while they are sick? I offer
11. Any historical figures that you envy? not envy, no
12. How many songs are on your iTunes? 350 or so
13. What brand of digital camera do you own? Cannon
14. When was the last time you got a good workout? it's been awhile
15. Are you experienced? in some things
16. If you need a new pair of jeans, what store do you go to first? either CJ Banks, Catherine's, or Land's End
17. Are you a quitter? not often
18. What are two bands or singers that you will always love? U2 and Annie Lennox
19. What of the seven deadly sins are you guilty of? gluttony
20. Did you just have to google the seven deadly sins to see what they were? no

sunday salon

Joining in Sunday Salon.

Time: 2:07 pm

Scene: living room, in the recliner

Today's plan: I did laundry

Listening to: The Heat

Drinking: Polar orange dry

Blogging about: memes--I've discovered this one and a Wednesday meme

Reading: Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge

Giving thanks for: the wonderful visit with my Virginia sister's family and the great time I had at the Whoopie Pie festival yesterday

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.

exciting show

I may have a new favorite guilty pleasure show!

whoopie

With the Whoopie Pie Festival mascot.

It was a gorgeous day for the Whoopie Pie festival. A beautiful drive and lots of fun.

saturday 9

I Miss You

1) In this song, Bjork knows what she's looking for in a mate, she just hasn't met him yet. If you are/were still looking for The One, what two qualities would you hope he/she possessed? patience and a sense of humor

2) The lyrics ask if you believe "that a dream can come true." Do you believe that dreams come true if you wish hard enough? well... not really

3) Bjork turns 50 this year. Do you treat "milestone" birthdays differently? Or to you, is your age just a number? milestones are major

4) Bjork was always highly musical. At the tender age of 6 she began studying classical piano and flute. Sam is impressed because at the age of 6, she was still trying to master tying her shoes. Do you consider yourself musical? I am musical but I don't enjoy performing

5) She was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland. While the city is known for its bar scene, beer was banned there until 1995. How often do drink beer? maybe once a year

6) 66ºNORTH is one of Iceland's biggest employers. This clothier makes quality outdoor wear and this time of year they sell a lot of durable rainwear. Do you have a raincoat? I have two awesome raincoats

7) In 1997, when this song was popular in clubs, Titanic was popular in theaters. Sam saw it and yes, she cried. How about you? Have you seen the saga of Jack and Rose? Did you enjoy it? saw it, was really quite "meh" about it

8) Also in 1997, singer John Denver died. Name a John Denver song. "Sunshine On My Shoulders"

9) Random question: If you had the opportunity to sky dive, would you take it? absolutely

time flies

The week has flown by! I planned special days for both of my Virginia nieces and they were fantastic, memorable days! One day, I took the older girl to lunch and then we poked around at little Main Street shops and talked non-stop. That's the best part, the talking. We have so much in common and the conversation flows. The next day, I had made arrangements for my younger girl to go to a colleague's family farm. My niece is really interested in farming and 4H and she got a chance to talk with a student of mine who shows his steers and has earned quite a bit of money with his successes. The farm visit was a huge hit! We went to a country-themed restaurant for lunch and then went to Tractor Supply store (which I felt very out of place at). We finished the day with a trip to the local dairy bar and a visit to the John Deere store.

My sister and I didn't even get a chance to play our years-long grudge match of Spite and Malice, but I did get to play cards with my nieces. Lots of laughter. Lots of laughter!!! But I just can't believe the week is over.

Seriously, though, the older I get the more my sisters are my best friends.

friday 5

So Rank

1. What memories do you have of an old-fashioned general store?
summers I spent at camp at Silver Lake were highlighted by our trips to town--when we would always hit the general store for penny candy. I remember the rows upon rows of gleaming glass jars full of goodies and treats
2. What’s something people think incorrectly of your home state (or country) but still contains a kernal of truth?
people think we don't have electricity or that we don't have paved roads
3. What are the major differences between you and your best (non-romantic) friend?
she has children and a much busier life than I have
4. What’s something you were the captain of?
I'm drawing a blank on this one
5. What’s the story of your first private moment with a high-school romantic interest?
I've got nothing out of the ordinary--we were playing pool and had a kiss

love is love

booking through thursday

click the icon to play along
What do non-reader friends think about your reading habits? Do they understand? Are they sympathetic? Or are they always trying to get you to “get your nose out of that book?”

I don't have many non-reader friends. They generally think I'm crazy for reading as much as I do. Especially when I tell them that I set yearly reading goals and usually hit the magic number or surpass it! They don't relate to it although they do tend to encourage me.

more family fun

Lobster feed!

ten things tuesday

Because my Virginia sister and her family are visiting here this week, I'm going to write about ten things I'm doing or have done this week:

1) I'm taking both of my nieces out for one-on-one time. Lunch, some special activity, and good old-fashioned quality time!

2) Lunch at Cafe Sorpreso, my favorite place for lunch!

3) Playing Spite & Malice. Our favorite card game! My sister and I have had an epic grudge match going since 1986!

4) Hanging out with my parents and local sister and her kids, too!

5) Today, my sister made whoopie pies! We gobbled them up.

6) Catching up on family gossip.

7) Making plans for my fabulous birthday!

8) Road trips around the County looking for moose.

9) Trying to stay warm--this vacation isn't off to the nicest of starts, it's been windy, rainy, and cold!

10) Laughing. We laughed so hard my sides hurt.

gobbled

My sister's famous Whoopie Pies!  And yes, they're gone.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

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

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Is there a bookshop you absolutely adore? Or, perhaps one you’ve always wanted to visit? What is the name of it, and where is it located?

I'm ashamed to say that my community does not have a local bookstore. My book-loving friends and I usually make the 3.5 hour south to the state capital to shop at the big Barnes & Noble there. We make a day of it, with shopping and lunch. I used to frequent local book stores, and could be found hanging out there regularly.

I should be using my local library as such.

brrr

The first day of summer and we've got the stove going to take the chill off. It's rainy, windy, and yucky. My poor Virginia sister is freezing. Don't mind her foolish expression.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Get It All Down Meme

• Are you a good dancer?
maybe not good but certainly enthusiastic
• Are you a good singer?
I can carry a tune
• Are you a good cook?
I used to be but I don't cook much anymore
• Are you a good artist?
not especially
• Are you a good listener?
very good
• What's your favorite clean word?
hope
• What's your favorite swear word?
fuckety
• What's your least favorite word?
ointment
• What was the last film you saw?
Forgetting Sarah Marshall because it was on when I turned the tv on
• What football team do you support?
New England Patriots
• Have you ever been bobbing for apples?
I have
• What's your most expensive piece of clothing?
I have a sweater that cost a lot
• What's the last thing you took a picture of?
lupine on a leisurely drive I took
• What's the last thing you drew a picture of?
I don't even remember, I know it was something at school
• Have you ever bought anything from eBay?
oh, yes
• Have you ever invented a fairly unique meal or drink?
I used to cook asparagus in beer and honey, it was delish
• Do you have any secret family recipes?
I do but I'm not sharing!

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.

love this view

Taken on a leisurely afternoon drive.

saturday 9

Daddy's Little Man

1) This song is about an afternoon visit between a father and son. What are your plans for Saturday afternoon? I spent my afternoon with my visiting Virginia family

2) The lyrics talks about enjoying an ice cream cone. Do you have any ice cream in your freezer right now? I have 2/3 of a pint of Ben & Jerry's Hazed & Confused

3) Sam's father hates it when she swears. When is the last time you cursed? today

4) In a recent ranking of movie dads, Mufasa (Lion King) and Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird) got very high marks. Who is your favorite movie or TV father? Captain von Trapp from The Sound Of Music

5) Sam's own father often traveled for business, and always remembered to bring her the little complimentary soaps, shampoos or body lotion he got from the hotel. When you take a trip, do you bring back souvenirs? not usually

6) Back when Sam was in high school, it was her father who gave her driving lessons. Who taught you how to drive? I took high school driver's ed

7) Sam's own father is easy to buy for: every year he wants a new pair of loafers, so every year for Father's Day she gives him a DSW gift card. Would you rather receive a gift that someone chose, even though it might not be just right, or do you prefer a gift card or cash so you can get exactly what you want? either is fine

8) For family barbecues, Sam's dad dons his "Kiss the Chef" apron and mans the Weber. What's the last thing you cooked on the grill? hamburgers

9) Sam's father satisfies his afternoon sugar craving with an almost endless stream of Butter Rum Lifesavers. When you crave a snack, do you usually want something sweet or salty? hmmm... I usually want something crunchy

friday 5

Scattergories, part five

This week’s 5 is inspired by the party game Scattergories, in which players have to think of items, all beginning with the same letter, in several categories. For example, if the die is rolled and shows the letter T, players might have to name a soft drink, a farm animal, a river, and a U.S. President, all beginning with T. Valid answers might be Tab, turkey, Tennessee, and Tyler.


What random letter was generated by the online random-letter generator (this doesn’t really count as one of your five questions)? I got M

1. What’s a refreshing beverage whose name begins with the letter?
Mojito
2. What ailment whose name begins with the letter have you suffered from?
Mono
3. What horrible creature whose name begins with the letter do you resemble in your foulest mood?
Medusa
4. What emotion whose name begins with the letter have you experienced in the past week?
moody (up and down and up and down)
5. What’s an item in your purse, wallet, or backpack whose name begins with the letter?
money

they called me a show off

Grammarly has a neat Father's Day quiz: they called me a show off for knowing my grammar!

booking through thursday

click the icon to play along
When you travel, do you bring one book with you? Or a pile of them?

And, is that pile still a load of paper to lug around? Or do you use an e-book reader like a Kindle or your iPad to help carry the load? (Because, even if you prefer paper, it can get heavy when you’re traveling!)

Travel is one of the reasons I bought a Nook to begin with. I love being able to carry numerous books with me when I am out and about around town, running errands. I love having "vacation" reads at my fingertips. Sometimes I've traveled with both my Nook and iPad because I listen to audio books and have magazines on my iPad.

When I was a kid, I always had one duffel filled with books when heading to camp for the summer. I was afraid I'd run out (and some summers I did run out).

finished reading

This was definitely a summer read--light, interesting, predictable, and well-written.

From the publisher:

After years covering murders, disasters, and tragedy for Los Angeles TV news, Kate Bradley knows that violence and cruelty are everywhere and that good is hard to find. When she is assigned to cover a story about ten people who have each found $100,000 in cash on their front porch, Kate is intrigued by the anonymous Good Samaritan, dubbed Good Sam, who is behind it all.

As interest in the extraordinary gifts sweeps across the country, Kate finds the elusive Good Sam and her exclusive interview with him thrusts her into the national spotlight. Even as his message captivates viewers and wins ratings, Kate suspects he may not be all he claims to be and that the real Good Sam is still out there.

Searching for answers, Kate unravels the powerful and unexpected reason behind the mysterious cash gifts and the true identity of Good Sam becomes the biggest surprise story of her career, turning her personal and professional life upside down.

yarn along

Join in every Wednesday to share a single photo of what you are knitting and reading too!

w.w.w. wednesday

MizB at A Daily Rhythm has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Good Sam by Dete Meserve and finally started The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo. and I'm listening to As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes.

• What did you recently finish reading? Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews which was irreverently funny.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm not sure!

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Things On Your Summer 2015 Bucket List.

1) Have a great visit with my Virginia Sister and her family. I'd like to do something special and one-on-one with both of the girls.

2) Go to the Whoopie Pie Festival for the third year.

3) Spend quality time with Maggie. Dog kisses make me happy.

4) Knit 8 hats. I'd like to have at least a dozen hats done for Planet Head Day 2016.

5) Plan my Christmas knitting so I have plenty of time to get yarn and complete projects.

6) Read.

7) Reconnect with my friends--we've all been so busy!

8) Help my niece get her license. She needs 5 night driving hours and 20 day driving hours.

9) Nap. That helps me rejuvenate. And I'm going to need all the rejuvenation I can get heading into next school year.

10) Epic road trip adventures to nowhere! I'm going to pack a travel bag and stow it in the car so I can go when the whim hits.

finished reading

Because I'm around teenagers all day, I could totally relate to this book. It's not quite what I expected a teen novel about cancer to be like. Which is part of its quirky charm. But it's irreverent and laugh out loud funny. I think I enjoyed the creative swearing as much as the story.

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Me: My name is Greg Gaines. I am seventeen. I am the one who wrote this book. My physical appearance is unsatisfactory, and there is probably a fungus eating my brain. I'm not even sure I'm a human. Earl: Earl Jackson is the only person is even sort of my friend. We make mediocre films together. Werner Herzog is our biggest influence. Earl is generally filled with violent rage. Dying Girl: During my senior year, my mom forced me to become friends with a girl who had cancer. This brought about the destruction of my entire life.

And it's been made into a movie!

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

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

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Do you have a favorite book from childhood? What is it?

This week I'm going way out of the topics to talk about reading groups. Over the years, I've belonged to five different reading groups (one of which is still going strong). I'm a joiner. I like being part of a group. Especially a low-pressure, low-stakes group that is intended for pure entertainment. Each of the groups has had regularly scheduled monthly meetings. What I like about reading groups is diversity--reading books that I wouldn't necessarily have picked up on my own. Talking about those books can be an interesting event, especially if not everyone enjoyed the book. There have been some instances that I did not finish the book (looking at you, One Hundred Years of Solitude). And I've heard about all kinds of different authors and have even tried some genres outside of my favorites.

More than anything, though, I love being surrounded by other people who love reading as much as I do. Exploring the world of imagination through words.

Currently, I belong to a reading group at school, we call ourselves The Lunch Bunch. At any meeting there might be up to fifteen of us, but regularly there are 8 of us.

And I'm joining the local library's Next Chapter book group. The first meeting is this Thursday and we'll be discussing The Girl On The Train. I hope lots of people attend, I would be bummed if it's just me.

sunday salon

Joining in Sunday Salon.

Time: 7:09 pm

Scene: living room, in the recliner

Today's plan: today was graduation day at school

Listening to: 60 Minutes

Drinking: water

Blogging about: memes--I've discovered this one and a Wednesday meme

Reading: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Giving thanks for: the beautiful weather today--it was low 70s, sunny, not humid, light breeze

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Would You Rather Meme, part two

1. Would you rather go to a movie or to dinner alone?
I would rather go to dinner alone
2. Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?
I would rather never speak again
3. Would you rather make a phone call or send a text?
I would rather send a text, although I am a terribly slow texter
4. Would you rather read an awesome book or watch a good movie?
I would rather read an awesome book
5. Would you rather be the most popular person at work or school or the smartest?
I would rather be the smartest
6. Would you rather put a stop to war or end world hunger?
I would rather put a stop to war
7. Would you rather spend the night in a luxury hotel room or camping surrounded by beautiful scenery?
I would rather spend the night at a luxury hotel
8. Would you rather explore space or the ocean?
I am not interested in either.... but forced to choose, I would go to space
9. Would you rather go deep sea diving or bungee jumping?
I would rather bungee jump
10. Would you rather be a kid your whole life or an adult your whole life?
I would rather be an adult
11. Would you rather go on a cruise with friends or with your spouse?
I don't have a spouse, so I would rather go with friends
12. Would you rather lose your keys or your cell phone?
I would rather lose my cell phone
13. Would you rather eat a meal of cow tongue or octopus?
I would rather eat octopus
14. Would you rather have x-ray vision or magnified hearing?
I would rather have x-ray vision
15. Would you rather work in a group or work alone?
I would rather work in a group

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.

saturday 9

American Pie

1) In the lyrics, Don McLean refers to having once been a paper boy. When you were a kid, what job or household chores did you do for spending money? as kids, we had a rotating chore chart: vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, laundry, etc

2) Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye. What's the last drink you ordered? a white zin spritzer

3) He drove to the levee but it was dry. When is the last time it rained where you are? it has rained four of the past five days

4) When McLean was working on the song, he wrote the lyrics out in long hand. It took him 16 pages of lined notebook paper. Today it's a laptop/smartphone/tablet world, and Sam can't remember the last time she hand wrote anything longer than a sign on her front door that read, "Bell broken. Plz knock." What about you? What's the last thing you wrote with pen or pencil? I corrected a student paper using pencil

5) McLean's most recent CD is called "Addicted to Black," in reference to Olivia in The Twelfth Night. Quick! Without looking it up, name another character from Shakespeare. Ophelia

6) Don was born in New Rochelle, New York, which was named one of The Best Walking Cities in America by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). What about your neighborhood? Is it easily walkable? yes, it is

7) In 1971, the year this song was popular, Walt Disney World officially opened. Have you ever been to DisneyLand or Disney World? my original plan for my Fifty & Fabulous birthday was to go to Disney World, but alas $$$$

8) Also in 1971, Mattel introduced Malibu Barbie. This doll was a "sun-loving California girl" and had a distinct tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed? yes, before I went to Aruba--since it's equatorial, I didn't want to sizzle my winter skin

9) American Pie is also the name of a 1999 movie. Have you seen it? I have not seen it

friday 5

Alt

1. A sandwich is usually some kind of ingredients between slices of bread, but what’s a great sandwich that has no bread at all?
an Oreo, especially double-stuffed
2. A salad is generally thought of as a mixture of fresh greens, but what’s a great salad whose main ingredients are not veggies?
Chicken salad... mmmmm, my favorite
3. Juice is usually the liquid squeezed from a fruit or vegetable. What’s a juice you enjoy that isn’t?
when I was in college the fraternity brothers would make Jungle Juice, I'm pretty sure it was pure alcohol. I don't think I would enjoy it now, but then it did the trick!
4. Milk is usually the food that a mammal produces for its young. How do you feel about milk alternatives that aren’t animal-produced?
I prefer them
5. A staple is usually some food that forms the basic constituent of a cultural diet. What’s a staple in your diet that doesn’t exactly fit that definition?
Ben & Jerry's

the end is near...

Things seniors do that annoy me at the end of the year...

• sign yearbooks during class

• refuse to do things "because I'm a senior"

• do weird things "because I'm a senior"

• gossip about parties (even after I've told them I have to report it)

• break the dress code to see if they can get away with it

• whine because we're still doing class work

• whine because we're working on study guides for the final exams

• eat smelly foods in class

booking through thursday

click the icon to play along
What magazines do you subscribe to? Personal ones? Professional ones?

Or do you only/mostly pick up your periodicals at the newsstand?

How do you feel about digital editions versus print?

Do you save the old copies after you read them? Or promptly recycle them?

I subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, and Dr. Oz The Good Life and occasionally I'll pick up People at the newsstand. Sometimes my parents will pass along Entertainment Weekly or Echoes (a local publication). I prefer print copies but two of my three subscriptions are digital. And I'll add that the digital Oprah is really cool because it includes recordings and such. Usually I save magazines for students to use for collages they have to make. Otherwise, I recycle them.

I have always been a huge magazine fan!

w.w.w. wednesdays

MizB at A Daily Rhythm has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and finally started The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo. and I'm listening to As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes.

• What did you recently finish reading? Bound by Sally Cabot Gunning and Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman. Two completely different novels but both quite good!

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm not sure!

finished reading

From the publisher:

Two little girls banished from a neighborhood birthday party take a wrong turn down an unfamiliar Baltimore street--and encounter an abandoned stroller with an infant inside. What happens next is shocking and terrible, and three families are irreparably destroyed.

Seven years later, Alice Manning and Ronnie Fuller, now eighteen, are released from "kid prison" to begin their lives over again. But the secrets swirling around the original crime continue to haunt the parents, the lawyers, the police--all the adults in Alice and Ronnie's lives. And now another child has disappeared, under freakishly similar circumstances ...

I didn't care for many of the characters, the most interesting one was Helen Manning, Alice's mother. There were a lot of shifting perspectives which helped move the plot along. It was a quick read.

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Words You Use As Substitutes for Swear Words for those times when it's not appropriate to swear.

Since I started teaching, I've curbed my use of cuss words--basically retraining myself. I don't think I have ten but here goes:

1) Shoot!

2) Oh no!

3) Poop!

4) Booger!

5) Booger-picker (if I am name-calling)

6) Goober or Goob (if I am name-calling)

7) Crap!

8) I catch myself getting angry or frustrated and bring myself back to center by saying, "Peace."

And that's really all that comes to mind. I say # 1 and 2 the most.

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

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

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: What book would you currently recommend to someone? Why?

Depending on who's asking for the recommendation, I would probably recommend a recently read Anna Quindlen book, Still Life with Breadcrumbs.

scenery

Went to a graduation party today and this was the scenery. I take it for granted.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Would You Rather Meme, part one

1. Would you rather go into the past and meet your ancestors or go into the future and meet your great-great grandchildren? I would go into the past

2. Would you rather have more time or more money? money

3. Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button on your life? a pause button

4. Would you rather be able to talk with the animals or speak all foreign languages? all foreign languages

5. Would you rather win the lottery or live twice as long? lottery

6. Would you feel worse if no one showed up to your wedding or to your funeral? neither

7. Would you rather be without internet for a week, or without your phone? without my phone

8. Would you rather meet George Washington, or the current President? Revolutionary era is my favorite time of American history, so I'll go with George Washington although I would love to meet President Obama

9. Would you rather lose your vision or your hearing? hearing

10. Would you rather work more hours per day, but fewer days or work fewer hours per day, but more days? more hours

11. Would you rather listen to music from the 70’s or music from today? I think I'll go with music from today

12. Would you rather become someone else or just stay you? stay me

13. Would you rather be Batman or Spiderman? uh, I think I'll go with Batman

14. Would you rather be stuck on a broken ski lift or in a broken elevator? elevator, I would get too cold on a ski lift

15. For your birthday, would you rather receive cash or gifts? either, I'm just excited to get a gift

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.

This week, Frank has a Q&A from Facebook and Twitter. The first question brought me to tears.

finished reading

I love historical fiction that fleshes out the time period in question. I admit I haven't studied much about indentured servants other than the basics--that it was slavery with a time limit, time was relative--so I was interested in this novel. I didn't realize it is part of a trilogy with the first being The Widow's War. The only plot thread I didn't enjoy was the Sam Adams influence.

From the publisher:

Brought to New England and bound into servitude to pay her father's debts, Alice Cole, at fifteen, can barely remember the time when she was not a servant to John Morton. His daughter, Nabby—only three years older than Alice—begins as Alice's childhood companion, but when Nabby weds, she becomes Alice's mistress. But the marriage is not what it appears, and Alice, endangered by its storm, defies her new master and the law, and escapes to Boston. Impulsively stowing away on a ship to Satucket on Cape Cod, Alice believes that she has left her old life and her secrets behind. Yet in a time of unrest and uncertainty, as political and personal stakes rise and intertwine, she discovers that freedom, friendship, trust, and love each have a price far greater than she ever imagined.

saturday 9

You're No Good

1) This week's featured artist, Linda Ronstadt, turns 69 next month. Will you be celebrating any family/friend birthdays this summer? I believe there are two such family gatherings this summer

2) Linda sings that she's learned her lesson and it's left a scar. Tell us how you got one of your scars. I had a suspicious mole removed from my left lower thigh and there is a small scar from it

3) This song is about a lover who is, obviously, no good. Let's be more positive. Who is the nicest person you know? my bestie

4) Linda says that she grew up on Mexican music, which was sung by her entire family. Do you speak any Spanish? no habla

5) She toured often throughout her career and is quoted as saying, "they haven't invented a word for that loneliness that everybody goes through on the road." Are you missing someone right now? yes

6) Ms. Ronstadt was once involved with George Lucas of Star Wars fame. Who is your favorite Star Wars character? I was a major R2D2 fan

7) In 1974, when this song was a hit, The Magic 8 Ball was still a top-seller at toy stores. It retailed for just $1.99, and promised that all you had to do was gaze at it, concentrate, and wait to learn your fate ... "if you dare!" If you could get an answer to one question about the future, what would you ask? "Will the weather be hot this summer?"

8) 1974 is the year when Mikhail Baryshnikov defected to the United States. Have you ever been to the ballet? I have been to one semi-professional ballet (there were some professionals and some advanced dancers) when I lived in Ireland

9) Random question: What's your shoe size? I have Fred Flintstone feet: 10w

hello handsome!

I just want to sit and look at pictures of George Clooney. Is that so bad?

friday 5

Blithering Idiom

1. On what topic did you last offer your uninvited two cents?
to my homeroom students when they were talking about graduation parties
2. What situation this past week most resembled a three-ring circus?
the major cluster f*ck that was morning announcements--the administration told the teachers one thing but announced something completely different
3. When did you recently give someone the four-one-one?
I have defined several words today, most recently sexton
4. What were you in the middle of the last time you took five, and how did you spend the time?
I took a moment during a particularly chatty class yesterday
5. To what did you last give the deep six?
the foolish sophomores who insist on petting my hands or arms because my skin is so soft (they're absolutely fascinated by my soft skin)

booking through thursday

click the icon to play along
May and June … graduation season.

If you were to give a book as a graduation present to some eager person ready to launch themselves into the world … what would it be?

Generally I give journals and maybe a Wreck This Journal and some funky pens. I have in the past given the graduation gift of my favorite CD and book from the graduation year. I haven't even thought about gifts for this year's graduates! Oh my, I better get going.

bookish would you rather...?

AS seen on Bingeing On Books:

Would you rather . . .

1. Read just one book for the rest of your life or read every book only one time? I would rather read every book only one time

2. Have someone spoil the ending for every single book you read or never be able to read the ending of a book? This one is painful!!!! I would rather have someone spoil the ending for every single book.

3. Read only print books or read only ebooks for the rest of your life? I would rather read only ebooks

4. Read your favorite genre for the rest of your life or read everything except your favorite genre? I would rather read my favorite genre

5. Would you rather live in the world from Divergent or the one from Hunger Games? Hmmm... I would rather live in the world from the Hunger Games because I probably would not be chosen to participate in the games

6. Would you rather read a poorly written book with a great story or a beautifully written book with poor content? This is another tough one... I would rather read a poorly written book with a great story

7. Have to buy every single book you read online or borrow every single book you read from the library? I would rather have to borrow every single book from the library

8. Would you rather burn your favorite book or burn your favorite library? Oh, my! This is easy--burn my favorite book!

9. Would you rather take only one shower a year or read only one book a year? I would rather... read only one book a year, I just couldn't give up showers

10. Okay, so this one isn't a traditional would you rather question. Brewing Up Books gave me this idea in an award they tagged me in. Okay, you have Edward from Twilight, Park from Eleanor and Park and Gatsby from The Great Gatsby: who do you kill, whom do you marry, and with whom do you have a one night stand? I would have a one night stand with Gatsby, kill Edward, and marry Park (let's say Park is legal age, shall we?)

w.w.w. wednesday

MizB at A Daily Rhythm has made some changes to her weekly meme line up and W.W.W. Wednesdays is no longer a weekly meme. But I love this meme and am going to continue it on my own.

• What are you currently reading? I'm reading Bound by Sally Cabot Gunning and finally started The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo. and I'm listening to As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes.

• What did you recently finish reading? Still Life With Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlen and Spinning by Michael Baron. Loved Still Life, liked ok Spinning.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm not sure!

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is List the first 10 Songs that play on your favorite Pandora station.

From my Adele station:

1) This Love by Taylor Swift

2) All of Me by John Legend

3) Valerie by Amy Winehouse

4) Human by Christina Perri

5) Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson

6) Cold Front by Laura Welsh

7) Someone Like You by Adele

8) Just a Fool by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton

9) Say by John Mayer

10) Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

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

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Do you have different genres for different seasons? For example, do you choose lighter reading material for the summer, and chunkier books in the winter?

Initially, I thought I did have different genres for different seasons. I thought it would be a slam-dunk answer this week. Then I got thinking about what I do read over the summer, which is traditionally vacation time for me, and realized I read more thrillers in the summer months, when I don't have school. I tend to read series books during late summer and into fall. And this time of year: April/May/June, when school is getting extra hectic, I tend to read lighter books or historical fiction.

We'll see what this summer brings for my summertime vacation reading. Maybe even some professional tomes.

finished reading...

This confection of a novel is somewhat predictable. Although I knew what was going to happen, how it all happened was charming.

Dylan is a playboy shallow jerk and his transformation is predictable but cute. Spring, the sweet three-year-old girl who invades his life is a delightful character. Some of the secondary characters did not behave as the reader would expect, which was convenient for the plot and somewhat unrealistic, but again, they were fun folks.

From the publisher:

Dylan Hunter has it made. At 29, he has great friends, a huge job, all the women he can handle, and no commitments. A public relations executive, Dylan has dashed up the ladder of success by mastering the art of the spin - bending the truth to his and his clients' needs. But when a former lover steps back into his life with a three-year-old girl by her side (no, she's not his), Dylan suddenly finds himself in a place he can't spin himself out of. And when Dylan unexpectedly becomes the child's sole guardian, he finds himself to be like a circus performer trying to keep all of his spinning plates from crashing to the ground. In what seems like a blink of the eye, Dylan Hunter's life has changed completely...whether he's ready for it or not.