wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Ten random things:

1) Dad is home from the hospital and feeling well, if tired.

2) Maggie is overjoyed to have her Daddy home where he belongs.

3) My biopsy results are benign. Hooray!

4) I love today's outfit and have gotten several compliments on it. It's nothing out of the ordinary--shorts and a blouse.

5) Today is Harry Potter's birthday! In honor of his 20th birthday, I bought some Funko Pop figures for school.

6) There are 13 days until I go back to school. I'm not dreading it.

7) Students are starting to work on their summer assignments--I keep getting emails from them because they forgot to read the syllabus.

8) My new glasses are taking me a while to adjust to. I've had progressive lenses forever but this time they are freaking me out.

9) I LOVE my bed. Wow, do I love it. I want to sleep all the time now.

10) So far this Big Brother season, I'm not excited about the gamesmanship. Too many floaters.

happy challenge

It is time, once again, for the August Happiness Challenge! Thanks to The Gal Herself!


Here's a brief explanation of the Challenge:

"Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world."

hooray!

Spent the majority of the day at the hospital with my dad. The diagnosis is Atrial fibrillation (A-Fib). Today the cardiology team created a plan--so today he had a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and then electrical cardioversion. And it was successful! The team is keeping him overnight for observation and will consult again tomorrow morning to create a long-term plan. But what a relief that a relatively non-invasive, non-surgical procedure did the trick!

just finished reading

I really liked this book. It's kind of a coming of age story within a love story. It's got some poignant moments and some laugh out loud funny moments. It's clever and well-written.

From the publisher:

At twenty-one, Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Natty, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced Catholic mother and Jewish father. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up in a gas station mini-mart and falling in love with a great wall of a man named William Ashe, who willingly steps between the armed robber and her son.

Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his universe. But William doesn’t define destiny the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.

Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, in a funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness,; about a virgin birth, a sacrifice, and a resurrection; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be. It’s a novel about discovering what we want and ultimately finding what we need.

currently

I am...

Reading: Someone Else's Love Story.

Listening to: the fan

Loving: a patient hospital staff who makes sure the whole family understands what is going on

Thinking: about Dad's upcoming procedure

Feeling: jittery

Celebrating: strong family bonds

Grateful for: a competent medical team

Weather: it's 81 degrees and sunny

Enjoying: coffee

A quote I want to share:

sunday stealing

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Things You Can't Possibly Know

30. What color is your watch? I do not wear a watch

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia? lots of trivial things

32. Ever ridden on a roller coaster? yes! I loved it

33. Birthstone? opal

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through? I don't eat fast food often, usually I'm traveling so I'll go in

35. Do you have any friends on facebook that you actually hate? I don't hate anyone--so no

36. Do you have a dog? I pretend my parents' dog, Maggie, is mine

37. Last person you talked to on the phone? my Pennsylvania sister

38. Have you met anyone famous? I went to a Halloween party at Stephen King's house--he was gracious

39. Any plans today? I'm meeting a former student for coffee in a few minutes

40. Where are you right now? in the living room

41. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? itch from a biopsy site

42. Last song listened to? "Love Is All Around"

43. Last movie you saw? Won't You Be My Neighbor

44. Are you allergic to anything? sulfa drugs and whining

45. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? I rotate shoes so I don't really have a favorite

46. What time is it? 10:44 am

47. Do any of your friends have children? almost all of them do

48. Do you eat healthy? sort of

49. What do you usually do during the day? during the school year, I am busy teaching and prepping and correcting

50. Do you hate anyone right now? I don't hate anyone

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

Love Is All Around

1) This week's song is the theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a sitcom that originally aired from 1970 to 1977. Were you a fan? oh, how I loved this show!!!!

2) The song tells us that Mary Richards can turn the world on with her smile. Yet the real-life Mary Tyler Moore said she was uncomfortable with her "wide mouth." If you could improve on one of your facial features, which would you choose? I would reduce my double chin(s)

3) We also hear that Mary can "take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile." What do you think makes a day "a nothing day?" A day with no plans or particular purpose

4) Mary works in the newsroom at WJM. Her desk is neat as a pin. Are you neat? Or do you lean to the sloppy side? my desk is relatively neat--there is usually one pile on the left (papers to correct or return)

5) Mary's best friend, Rhoda, worked as a window dresser at Hempel's department store. What department store did you most recently shop at? What did you buy? I was at Target and I shopped at the Dollar Spot and I spent $10!

6) Mary Richards lived in Minneapolis. What city is nearest to where you are right now? probably Bangor

7) Originally the part of Mary Richards was written as a divorcee, but in 1970, there were no TV shows that centered around a divorced woman. Think about the women in your life. Are most of them married, divorced, single or widowed? hmmm--a couple divorced

8) The MTM production company logo featured a mewing kitten. The cat was found in a Minneapolis shelter, and, after her sequence was shot, she was adopted by a crew member who named her Mimsie. What's the name of the last cat -- or dog or hamster or rabbit -- that you petted? Maggie! She's been really sad since Dad has been in the hospital for a couple of nights--he is her person and she is desperate for him.

9) Random question -- Would you rather have a job that kept you seated on your fanny or standing on your feet? at this point in my life--seated

long and anxious day

Today was a roller coaster day.

At 8 o'clock this morning, the moving company was here to deliver my new bed. I have a LOT of anxiety about people coming into my apartment. And this is my second piece of brand new furniture. Luckily, they did remove my old mattress and box spring. The new bed is squishy!

I might need a ladder to climb aboard.

At 9 o'clock, I said my goodbyes to my Virginia sister and her family after a fantastic visit. Sad.

At 10 o'clock, I picked up my new glasses. LOVE them!

At 10:30 I had a surgical procedure to remove some suspicious patches for biopsy.

At 11 o'clock, I did some marketing.

At 11:30 my bestie invited me to lunch.

At 1 o'clock, I napped.

At 6 o'clock, I went to the hospital to visit my Dad. *sigh* I'm trying not to worry too much. And I don't have a lot of the details because he was really sleepy when I was visiting. It was not a heart attack, that much they have said.

So there--the good and the bad. It all seemed to hit at once and I had a ton of anxiety and now I am completely exhausted.

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading Without a Trace (Rock Harbor #1).

From page 112:

A jolt of joy quickened her pulse. Sam would be her own boy. She would finally have a real family. Did she date do it? She squeezed her eyes shut. One month, that's all she had money for. By Thanksgiving they would have to get out. She turned and shuffled over to the scarred pine table at the other end of the kitchen.

three on thursday

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Three patterns I want to knit:

1) Easy Goes It.

2) Krissy's Shawl.

3) Close To You.

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Make a playlist to someone.

1) Tell Her This by Del Amitri
2) Fallingforyou by the 1975
3) All if the Stars by Ed Sheerhan
4) Love Song For A Vampire by Annie Lennox
5) Count On Me by Bruno Mars
6) Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley
7) Jealous Guy by John Lennon
8) If Not For You by George Harrison
9) Say by John Mayer
10) Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson

currently

I am...

Reading: Without a Trace.

Listening to: the fan

Loving: vacation

Thinking: about the health of my mentor

Feeling: excited and happy--my Virginia sister and her family will be here in a few minutes

Celebrating: family bonding time

Grateful for: independence--I can take care of myself (related to what I'm thinking about)

Weather: it's 79 degrees, cloudy, and wicked humid

Enjoying: vacation

A quote I want to share:
“Men were as plentiful as salmon, but a best friend was a freshwater pearl.” from Without a Trace by Colleen Coble

sunday stealing

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Food, Glorious Food

1. Do you like pie? yes
2. Italian or Mexican? depends on the meal
3. Can you bake? If so, what are your favorite things to bake? I used to love to bake, I have a wonderful coffee cake recipe
4. Do you use cook books or do you try to find recipes online? both
5. Do you own a kitchen aid mixer? no
6. Ever cooked a meal for more than 15 people at one time? yes
7. Do you like hospital food? depends on the meal--the hospital here has a great breakfast sandwich
8. Favorite fast food restaurant? I don't really have one
9. Any picky eaters in your family? not really
10. Soda or Tea? tea (actually, water)
11. Hot chocolate? what is the question?
12. Favorite holiday dish? mashed potatoes
13. What is the most tasteful strangest looking thing you have ever tasted? squid
14. Fries or tater tots? fries
15. Do you like cheese? If so what kind? I have never met a cheese I didn't like
16. Home made or can soup? home made
17. Do you like to eat out? yes
18. What kind of food is popular where you are? (Like in Alaska it is seafood) Maine = lobster
19. Do you like cotton candy? occasionally
20. Turkey or Chicken? I've been called both!
21. Hamburger or tuna helper? neither
22. Raw or cooked veggies? mostly raw
23. Do you like salad? If so, what is your favorite kind of salad? I love salad--my favorite is strawberry spinach
24. Favorite pizza topping? pepperoni and pineapple
25. Do you like meat loaf? if it's home made

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.

check this off the bucket list

One of my Summer Bucket List items is to unplug for 24 hours.

I'm heading to the Coast to meet up with my Virginia sister and her family so this is the perfect opportunity to unplug for 24 hours.

saturday 9

Gidget

1) Gidget was a sitcom that ran only one season. Have you ever seen it? I've seen an episode or two

2) Gidget is a high school student who is more interested in surfing and boys than in the books. When you were Gidget's age, was your top priority getting good grades? Or were you more involved in the social side of student life? definitely the social side

3) Gidget's father was nearly always unflappable when it came to his daughter's high-spirited shenanigans. Who is the coolest, calmest person you know? my mentor and "work husband"

4) Gidget spends as much time as she can at the beach, hanging out with her best friend Larue. Fair-skinned Larue doesn't share Gidget's passion for surfing and prefers to stay on the beach blanket, wearing a floppy hat that protects her from the sun. Are you a sun worshipper? Or, like Larue, are you careful about your exposure to the sun? I am very careful about my exposure to the sun

5) Gidget, the quintessential California girl, was created by Freidrich Kohner, an Austrian-born screenwriter. Can you think of another Austrian import? Arnold Schwarzenegger

6) Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller wrote this week's Gidget theme. They also wrote the 1960 hit song, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool." When is the last time you felt foolish? last night

7) This is the show that introduced Sally Field. She went on to win two Oscars and four Emmy Awards. When you think of Sally, what role comes to mind? Norma Rae, Sybil, Brothers & Sisters, Lincoln, Steel Magnolias, The Flying Nun

8) Today Gidget is a grandmother. Sally reports that her grandchildren especially enjoy "sleepovers at Granny's." Where were you the last time you spent the night away from home? it was last week

9) Random question -- Describe your perfect lazy afternoon. reading or knitting

trying to forget my feelings of love

I saw an ex today. I realized I'm still hung up on him. How can I possibly still have feelings? So complex. I'm a cliché.

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading Without a Trace (Rock Harbor #1).

Bree looked around for a place to slink away. Being in the middle of someone else's argument felt awkward. Unfortunately, Lawrence blocked her path to escape.

three on thursday

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Three objects that represent me:

1) Nook/Books. My lifelong passion is reading and sharing my love of reading.

2) Knitting needles. A relatively new hobby that I feel as though I've done forever!

3) Laptop. My ability to be effective in the classroom, as well as my outlet to my family and friends!

just finished reading

What an epic tale! This was not what I expected. I loved that the author wove mythology's greatest hits into this tale of a lesser-known goddess.

From the publisher:

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Ten things I'm excited about now:

1) The current book I'm reading: Circe by Madeline Miller is awesome! Olympians, gods, demigods, and humans abound! I didn't expect to get so invested in the story.

2) My bed is on its way! I'm hoping to get delivery on the 23 but it might even be the 20th! I think the bed will get here before the new sheets, but that's ok.

3) Today's trip to the dentist was pleasant. My phobia was rather tame once I got in the chair and found out I didn't have to have my teeth polished. Polishing is the part I dread.

4) I was invited to join some ladies for a special lunch gathering on Friday. Women I admire and have fun talking to are gathering to talk books, crafts, and maybe politics. I'm so bummed that I might not be able to make it, though. I hope I get invited again.

5) Tomorrow is my eye appointment. I want to get new glasses if my insurance will cover them.

6) Saturday, I'm heading down to the coast to meet up with my Virginia sister and her family. Over the moon excited! We'll spend a couple of days together on the coast and then head back here for the rest of the week.

7) A couple of former students have been in contact with me this week to set up coffee dates. I'm excited they still want me to be part of their lives.

8) Maggie is mine for the next few days! Me and my favorite doggo for the snuggles! Parents are out of town, meeting up with my uncle and his wife for their vacation in Maine.

9) My Pennsylvania sister is coming in September! Should be here the first week.

10) I'm going back to NYC to see my friend in his Broadway play. I'm so excited to be making the plans to go! Fingers crossed we can go Labor Day weekend.

currently

I am...

Reading: I'm actually between books! I need to make a choice. Too many great books are out there.

Listening to: the whir of the fan

Loving: vacation

Thinking: about an upcoming trip to NYC to see my friend's Broadway play

Feeling: relaxed and happy

Celebrating: wasting the day by doing nothing

Grateful for: time to recharge

Weather:

Enjoying: making plans

A quote I want to share: I realized I do say this often

finished reading

This is the third in the series--starting with Me Before You and continuing with After You. Louisa is freshly moved to New York and delights in everything about the City That Never Sleeps. I enjoyed this book more than second book. Although there were a couple of predictable parts, I was still cheering for Louisa. I loved how technology was used.

From the publisher:

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She steps into the world of the superrich, working for Leonard Gopnik and his much younger second wife, Agnes. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her new job and New York life.

As she begins to mix in New York high society, Lou meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. Before long, Lou finds herself torn between Fifth Avenue where she works and the treasure-filled vintage clothing store where she actually feels at home. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself: Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

sunday stealing

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So what do YOU do?

What excites you right now? metacognition

What are you looking forward to? there are lots of exciting things happening before school starts

What’s the best thing that happened to you this year? lots of laughter

Where did you grow up? here

What do you do for fun? read, knit, noodle around on the internet

Who is your favorite superhero? Mighty Mouse

Is there a charitable cause you support? several

What’s the most important thing I should know about you? I am an ambivert

Tell us of something that relaxes you and always makes you happy. knitting and touching yarn

If you could take the train from anywhere to anywhere, where would 'anywhere' be? I would take a train from Portland to Washington, DC

What will you always pack in your suitcase? tissues

What will you never pack in your suitcase? Nutella--I had a jar in my suitcase and it got cracked and let's just say it went all through EVERYTHING

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

I Love Lucy

1) Before today, did you know that the "I Love Lucy" theme had lyrics? I had no idea

2) Since its premiere in 1951, I Love Lucy has never been off the air. Are you a fan? yes!

3) On the show, Ricky Riccardo supports his family by performing in a nightclub. Do you know anyone in show business? a dear high school friend of mine is starring in The Band's Visit on Broadway--I'm going to see the play (and him) in August

4) Lucy and Ricky's best friends are Fred and Ethel, their landlord and his wife. Are you friendly with your neighbors? yes, I'm so lucky to have wonderful neighbors now

5) One of the most popular episodes has Lucy and Ethel working on the conveyor belt at a chocolate factory. When did you last have chocolate? uh...yesterday? I'll have some later, though

6) Another famous episode has Lucy promoting Vitametavegimin. This tonic is made with vitamins, meat, vegetables -- and 23% alcohol. Do you read the ingredients statement before you take an over-the-counter medication? Or do you trust that it's safe because it's on the store shelf? I do read the labels--or, even better, I ask my pharmacist

7) I Love Lucy was filmed before a live audience. Desi Arnaz (Ricky) always maintained he could identify the chuckle of his mother-in-law, who attended every taping. Do you know anyone who has a distinctive laugh? people always tell me I do

8) The show ended when the Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz marriage ended. Have you ever had to choose sides when a couple broke up? no, thankfully

9) Random question -- You must eat the same dinner, every day, between now and Labor Day. An identical menu, no deviation. What will you be having? salad--variations on chef salad

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading Still Me.

We walked slowly through the tables to the ladies, me trying not to scan the room for Josh. All eyes were on Agnes as she went, not just because of the vivid color of her dress, but because she had magnetisim, an unconscious way of drawing the eye. She walked with her chin up, her shoulders back, a queen.

The moment we got into the ladies' lounge, she slumped onto the chaise in the corner and gestured to me to give her a cigarette. "My God. This evening. I may die if we don't leave soon."

just finished reading

This was a sweet confection of a novel--lots of small town shenanigans leading to great miracles. I liked that the characters all transform through their love of and concern for the town's aging priest, Father Elio. Tuscany is beautifully described as is this remote, isolated, coastal village. And for a book about miracles, it's not a religous book. It was delightful.

three on thursday

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Three things that are making me happier than usual:

1) The necklace I got in honor of Louise Penny's Three Pines series:

2) The Harry Potter phone case I got:

3) Today's temperature is in the 70s with low humidity!

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Ten things:

1) There's something fun about staying in a hotel. Especially when it's wicked hot and humid!

2) And hotel stays are even better when the tab is being picked up by the State!

3) I got to spend time at my favorite Barnes & Noble. They had a bogo on Nook covers so I picked up a couple of fun covers for $20.

4) I touched some books--especially the audio I'm listening to now, Stephen King's The Outsider--I was curious to see what it looks like on the page. There are some police interviews and police reports.

5) Yesterday, I got a passionfruit iced tea lemonade on the recommendation of the barista at the Starbucks cafe in the Barnes & Noble, and today she recognized me and was excited I was getting another one. Now, that's customer service!

6) Speaking of customer service, yesterday I stopped at the BEST yarn store in Maine and spent a boodle! They talked me into all kinds of yarn. I have started my Christmas knitting!

7) Go ahead and make fun of me, but I wanted comfort food for supper so I went to IHOP for pancakes for supper. I got a half-stack and it was exactly what I wanted.

8) Did I mention the hotel is air conditioned? It's upper 80s/lower 90s again.

9) I had the air conditioning cranked in the car so blasty but I had to wear a sweater.

10) I can mosey my way home tomorrow. No rushing required. I only have book group at 6.

11) The workshop was really good, I should add that...

currently

I am...

Reading: The Miracles of Santo Fico.

Listening to: the hotel air conditioner

Loving: a road trip

Thinking: about what to wear to the workshop tomorrow

Feeling: relaxed and happy

Celebrating: shopping

Grateful for: a bonus stipend that allowed me to buy some yarn today

Weather: at 8:15 pm it is still 76 degrees and humid

Enjoying: the restraint I showed in shopping for everything except yarn

A quote I want to share:  "Do you drink? Smoke? Do drugs? Then go ahead and spend your money on yarn!"

on the road again

Can't wait to hit the road again. This time, I'm heading to central Maine for a workshop. It's kind of a hoity-toity opportunity to re-write the state's standards for social studies. I decided to stay an extra night because I'm not in a hurry to get home, so why drive at night?

Can't wait to do some shopping--I want to get some new sheets for my new bed!

sunday stealing

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1.Where were you 3 hours ago? I was just getting out of bed and ready for the day

2.Have you ever eaten a crayon? no, but my sisters and I used to pretend they were cigarettes and smoke them

3.Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? yes

4.When is the last time you went to the mall? it's been awhile--I really can't remember

5.Are you wearing socks right now? no

6.When was the last time you drove out of town? yesterday

7.Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? yes! The Incredibles 2 and Oceans 8

8.What was the last thing you had to drink? I'm drinking iced coffee

9.What are you wearing right now? jeans and a t-shirt

10.Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it? depends on how much time I have

11.Last food that you ate? I think it was a granola bar

12.Where were you last week at this time? I was coming home from a funeral

13.Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? yes

14.When is the last time you ran? on purpose? it has been a long time

15.What's the last sporting event you watched? a high school basketball game

postsecret

For 600 weeks (11.5 years), I have posted a secret or two that jumps out at me. It never gets old.

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.

finished reading

This is a hoot of a summer read. Auntie Poldi is someone I would love to know! The descriptions of Sicily and the environs are lovely.

From the publisher:

Recently widowed Auntie Poldi moves to Sicily in order to drink herself comfortably to death with a sea view. But fate intervenes when she finds the corpse of a young man on the beach, and becomes a potential murder suspect. Poldi falls for the gorgeous Commissario Montana and they soon form an investigative - and romantic - partnership.

saturday 9

Chains

1) The song is about a woman who is in love with her boyfriend, but still attracted to someone else. Do you believe a woman can be in love with more than one person at a time? yes

2) What about the male of the species? Do you believe a man can be in love with more than one person at a time? yes

3) This lyrics were by Gerry Goffin and the music by Carole King. Carole was a favorite guest of David Letterman's. When she appeared on his show, he often commented on how impressed he was by her firm handshake. She credited her memorable grip to time spent milking goats on her Idaho farm. Have you poured goat milk on your cereal? Eaten goat milk yogurt or cheese? No to milk on cereal, and yes to goat milk yogurt and cheese!

4) When it first came out, "Chains" was a favorite of 18-year-old George Harrison. It was at his recommendation that the Beatles added it to their early stage shows and even recorded it on their first album. When you were in high school, what was one of your favorite songs? "Two Hearts Beat As One" by U2 and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by the Police

5) In 1962, when this song was released, epic movies were popular on the big screen. The Longest Day was three hours long, and Lawrence of Arabia ran more than three hours and a half hours. Today's most popular movies are nowhere near that long. Do you think the average American has a shorter attention span today than he did in 1962? I think there's more competition for our attention now--plus a wider variety of venues for watching

6) In 1962, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy went on a two-week goodwill tour of India and Pakistan. She received a ceremonial "welcome necklace" in India. Made without jewels or precious metals -- just beads, sequins and paper -- it was valued by the First Lady for its delicate appearance and craftsmanship, and today it's on display at the John F. Kennedy Library. Tell us about a piece of jewelry that means a great deal to you, and why. I don't really have anything

7) In Pakistan, Mrs. Kennedy made headlines by riding a camel. Have you ever ridden a horse, donkey, camel or elephant? I've been horseback riding--in Aruba!

8) Also in 1962, the New York Newspaper Guild went on strike, so the nation's largest city went 114 days without a single daily paper. In 2018, how do you get your news? online and social media

9) Random question -- Complete this sentence: Before I go to sleep, I always listen to a sleep meditation

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.

I'm reading Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions. This book is a hoot.

Death looked puzzled for a moment and re-examined his to-do-list, then tapped his clipboard pedantically. "In the first place, my dear Poldi, there's nothing here about any agreement, and secondly--"
That was as far as he got, because Poldi booted him hard in the backside. Then, in order to get the suspension of her contractual relationship with Death endorsed by higher authority, she did something she very seldom did: she prayed.

so fun

Absolutely fantastic way to spend a hot, humid day! A movie, air conditioning, and popcorn! So fun--I hope there are more to come.

three on thursday

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In honor of today being humid and 90+ degrees, here are three things I did/will do today--to try to be cool:

1) Drove in my air-conditioned car. I had some errands to do that took me out of town.

2) Parked myself in front of the fan.

3) Matinee! The movie theater will be significantly cooler than my 2nd floor apartment. Plus, I want to see Oceans 8!

incredible

Because it's so darn hot--94 degrees--and humid, I went to the matinee and saw The Incredibles 2. The sequel lived up to the hype. So fun!

today

unraveled wednesday

Join Kat @ AsKatKnits for some fun!

Still knitting a blanket for myself but I had to break it up with a hat called Painted Ridges. And I'm listening to Two Girls Down.

just finished reading

This sequel picks up where the first book left off. The author weaves the narrative of the original scandal into this novel. There are a few new characters in this story and as before, the characters are rich--no one is all good or all bad. And hockey takes a back seat to small town politics this time.

From the publisher:

After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.

ten things tuesday

5 things I did:

1) Ordered a new mattress and boxspring. Online. To be delivered in a few weeks.

2) Finally had my car repaired. There was a cracked bearing and last week when I dropped it off they had to order the part. Today was the day. I'm not complaining because it was completely covered by the extended warranty! I didn't pay anything out of pocket.

3) Spent time reading Us Against You.

4) Sweat. It's uncomfortably hot and humid for Northern Maine. Temps in the low 90s and humid. Blah. The air feels thick.

5) Paid off my credit card balance.

5 things I didn't do:

1) Eat lunch, when I finally slept I slept in late in the morning so I didn't bother to have lunch.

2) I turned down an offer to collaborate with a teacher from the neighboring district to create a workshop. It's not how I want to spend my summer vacation--stressing about preparing.

3) Go anywhere. It was too hot to walk around downtown and my favorite cafe destination is closed this week.

4) Nap.

5) Make noise--I didn't play any music or have the TV on at all today. I just realized how quiet it is.

currently

I am...

Reading: Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Watching: Yellowstone Kevin Costner has aged well

Listening to: the tv

Loving: my lack of schedule

Thinking: nothing particular

Feeling: relaxed

Celebrating: vacation

Grateful for: enough

Weather:

Enjoying: the spirit of friendship

A quote I want to share:
“Everyone is a hundred different things, but in other people’s eyes we usually get the chance to be only one of them.”
― Fredrik Backman, Us Against You

just finished reading

A memoir of hope. This is going to stay with me for a very long time. It's heartbreaking yet uplifting. And it confirms my position on the death penalty--that the government does not have the right to take a life. And I understand that might be an unpopular stance, but it's mine.

From the publisher:

In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only twenty-nine years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free.

But with no money and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. He spent his first three years on Death Row at Holman State Prison in agonizing silence—full of despair and anger toward all those who had sent an innocent man to his death. But as Hinton realized and accepted his fate, he resolved not only to survive, but find a way to live on Death Row. For the next twenty-seven years he was a beacon—transforming not only his own spirit, but those of his fellow inmates, fifty-four of whom were executed mere feet from his cell. With the help of civil rights attorney and bestselling author of Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson, Hinton won his release in 2015.

With a foreword by Stevenson, The Sun Does Shine is an extraordinary testament to the power of hope sustained through the darkest times. Destined to be a classic memoir of wrongful imprisonment and freedom won, Hinton’s memoir tells his dramatic thirty-year journey and shows how you can take away a man’s freedom, but you can’t take away his imagination, humor, or joy.

sunday stealing

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I love a parade

1. Do you like parades? not particularly

2. Rate the following parade attractions in order of affection:

4 *. horses;

1   *. marching bands

2  *. floats;

3 *. anything that gives away candy:

7 *. politicians ride in cars?

6 *. antique cars/tractors;

5 *. fire trucks;

3. Have you ever been in a parade?  yes

4. Do you bring lawn chairs to parades? no

5. Does it bother you to have to park a long way from the parade, and then walk back to the car afterwards? not particularly

6. Do you wave at people you know? yes

7. At people you don't know? yes

8. Do you take pets -dogs particularly - to parades? no

9 Have you ever been to a big parade in person (Rose Bowl, Macy's, etc)? no--I would enjoy that type of parade

10. Do you attend more warm weather or cold weather parades? no, as in I don't go

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.