How My Mind Works

Riding down the road the other day I see a license plate, "BLONDE".

I immediately turn to my oldest and say, "Geena Davis had twins when she was 48!"

This is how my mind works...

BLONDE reminds me of the song "Cause I'm a Blonde" by Julie Brown in "Earth Girls Are Easy"

Geena Davis starred in this movie.

I just read an online article about celebrities who had babies in their 40's and Geena was 2nd oldest, after Beverly D'Angelo who had twins at 49!

The Time Traveler's Wife

In true fashion, when I found out this was going to be a movie, I borrowed this book from a friend to quickly read before I watch the movie.

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This is a book about Clare and Henry. Clare is visited throughout her life by a man. She is intrigued by him and over time falls in love with him, even though he is in his 30's and 40's and she is in her teens. Henry, the man, has a faulty gene which causes him to time travel. He is unable to control when it happens or where he is going. For Henry, it started at an early age and he has learned to adapt.

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This story is told in first person through Clare and Henry. It is a love story and a story about the human condition. I found it to be a tad confusing at times. Each section tells the time and date and age of both Henry and Clare, and was not always in chronological order. Often I would find myself paging back to see if Henry had traveled or if I was in the present time. The times that Henry and Clare made love read more like a soft porn and really seemed out of place. Also there were times when Henry met himself and I found that hard to reconcile. I guess it was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that time was not linear...and how one could be in the same time both young and old. Also, there was an overwhelming feeling of predestination that seemed, well, depressing.

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I wasn't a big fan, and this is one case where I think the movie may be better than the book. It was a book where I kept reading, knowing how it was going end, yet finding myself hoping that the author would take a different route. It had the feel of a Nicolas Sparks book and I think if you like his books, you would like this one.

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I give this one 2 out of 5 stars.

America's Got Talent

I don't know who I have a harder time listening to....

David Hasselhoff or Lil Mama.

I just tape the shows and fast forward through their ramblings.

Passive Aggressive Notes

I just finished Passive Aggressive Notes and it was a short read and a GREAT read!

This is a book of notes people have taken pictures of and sent in much like PostSecrets. If you have ever had to live with others or worked in a shared space you will appreciate these notes. If you have ever felt wronged, but not sure who did it, or you know who and you don't like fights...you may find some good ideas for notes in this book!

If you can't wait to get the book, stop by www.passiveaggressivenotes.com and view a couple of notes.

I give this book a 5 out of 5!

Gathering Blue

One of my top 5 favorite books is The Giver by Lois Lowry and since I have been desperate for a good book I picked up Gathering Blue.

This is a story about Kira, an orphan girl with a twisted leg, who lives in a village that is self centered. You are only important if you can contribute to the village. Where The Giver centered around a village where there is no pain, no problems and everything is planned out, this village is the opposite. The mothers take food out of their children's mouths, no help is offered and if you can't pull your own weight, you are taken to the field of leaving and left for the beasts.

Kira has a special talent, weaving, and this is the only thing that keeps her alive. The Council that is in charge of the town takes her in to work on the robe for the Singer. Her fear is that she will not have the skills to do a good job. She meets Thomas, a boy who is there to carve the cane for the Singer. Kira is worried that she doesn't have the skills to weave the Robe and doesn't know what will happen if she fails.

I must say I was a little disappointed. The Giver was one of the most original books I have ever read. There wasn't complete closure at the end; it had a feel that things were going to be ok, but perhaps there will be a sequel. With this book, it just abruptly ended. It felt incomplete. I was caught up in the story, but disappointed in the end. I read that this is actually a series, and have read that the characters from Gathering Blue and the Giver meet in the 3rd book, Messenger. I have that one and I am reading it next, so I will hold off my final evaluation until I read it.

To be continued...

Flow

I just finished listening to Flow by John Ortberg. I've been having a hard time lately and thought I could use something uplifting. Based on the verse John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, John tells us that as believers we should be living in the flow. The things that stop us from living this way are "rags" that we need to throw off. R=resentment, A=anxiety, G=greed and S=superiority.



This is an audio book I want to own. John is an entertaining and down to earth pastor and I learned a lot from him. There was a lot of information and I know it would be a great resource to refer back to, over and over.



If you are looking for an uplifting series or are in a lukewarm rut, find this audio book and listen. It is well worth your time, and will give you a laugh or two.



I give this a 5 out of 5

Things I learned from Lost Boys

I made my older kids suffer through another "flash back" of mine by watching "The Lost Boys". I learned a few things watching this classic and I thought I would share them with you.


If someone offers you something to drink to "join them"....just say no! It can't be good.

Jason Patrick was HOT!

Guys with one earring are cool.

Chinese food can look a lot like maggots and worms and I may never eat it again.

Blood is thicker than, well, the need for blood.

Car tires screech and squeal on a dirt road.

Eighties movies were a lot like music videos.

80's music rocked!!

One question...

When did Ted become a vampire? Where's Bill?

BoneMan's Daughters

I hate when I can't find a good book. I've hit a dry spell lately. Ted Dekker is an author that either I love his book or I am unimpressed. I'm afraid this last one fell in to that last category.

The BoneMan's Daughters follows Ryan Evans, who doesn't know how to be a father or husband so he throws himself into his work. He is a military intelligence officer and is serving a term overseas. Ryan and his men are overcome by the enemy, he is captured and is the only survivor. His captor is angry with America for killing innocent women and children and he wants to use Ryan as an example. He wants Ryan to break the bones of seven children that he has found, just like his children's bones were broken when a bomb, set off in the building where they were playing, killed them. Ryan manages to escape, only after the children were killed by his captor. Ryan vows to be the husband and father he should have been, only to come home and find his wife with someone else and his now 16 year old daughter resentful and not in the least interested in him as a father.

Back home there is a serial killer on the loose the press has named the BoneMan. He kidnaps girls and kills them by breaking all of their bones without breaking the skin. As Ryan tries to win his way back into his family, the BoneMan targets his daughter.

Let me say, I am a fan of Dekker. Some of my all time favorite books are Thr3e, Adam, and Blink. Some of my least favorite books are House, Showdown and this one. I felt like there was nothing moving this book along, it just kind of dragged. This was one of those books where I thought, "Any minute now, this book is gonna kick in and be really great!" Nope, never happened.

I give this book a 2 out of 5.

Who is this guy????

This is guy like Keanu in the Matrix...only without the wires!!


Amazing




Show Time, Damien Walters - Click here for more amazing videos

Depression

Sorry I haven't been on lately, I suffer from depression and have found myself struggling for the last month or so. I find it hard pulling myself out of it at times. I used to take antidepressants and they helped, but my family doc will not prescribe them long term. She suggests I go to a psychologist. Thing is I have already talked about my issues. It just seems to me it is more of a chemical imbalance since it has been a life long struggle. Talking about it over and over again doesn't seem like a fix. So long story....I try to manage my depression but at times it becomes overwhelming. I pull into myself and find the things that usually bring my joy are too much effort.

kids...AARRGGG

Parenting tips... Free of charge.
(I saw such excellent parenting today, thought I would pay it forward.)

1) Allow your small child (3-5yrs old) to poke his little fingers and nearly topple over fragile merchandise while you look at things that interest you. When the employee asks the child to be careful, this does not mean you should step in and be a parent. By all means keep looking at stuff.

2) Allow your child to run outside by themselves and keep looking at items in the store. Sure they are only about 4 years old, but they know their home address and can find their own way home when you can't find them...right????

3) Allow you child to climb on counters and lean over the side. A small concussion isn't as bad as it sounds. After all....you have stuff you want to look at!

4) No child really hears you calling their name until you have said it 24 times...keep calling him.
He's not ignoring you. Really.

5) Children are stupid and cannot see through your idol threats, so keep making them, they just can't hear you, as you have not threatened them 24 times yet.

Edgar Sawtelle

I tried reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski at first, but it was hard to get into. Even so, I heard a lot of great things about this book, so I got the cd's so I could listen to it.

This story starts with a mysterious exchange between two men, who exchange antibiotics for a potion that kills with one drop. A life for a life. We then span back two generations, in the life of the Sawtelles. We learn how they acquired their land and build the house and barn on their property. How they started raising a special breed of dogs and trained them. We learned how it was handed down to the next generation, and finally how it came to be Edgar's father's, Gar. Gar and Trudy try desperately to have children and suffer through a miscarriage and a still born child. They finally have Edgar and worry that even though he can hear, he cannot talk. Almondine, their dog, realizes that Edgar is her purpose in life, since she is the one who can talk to him and truly understand him.

Mr. Wroblewski does a decent job of telling a story. I was taken in by the story, for the most part. There were things and scenes that were thrown into the story that lead to nowhere and seemed out of place, though. And sometimes the characters did things that seem out of place for how he developed them.

Overall I would give this book a 2 out of 5.

To learn more about the story, you can read on...but be warned...

**spoilers **

Edgar, Trudy and Gar have it all it seems, until Gar's brother, Claude, comes back to the farm to stay for a while. Claude is a troubled soul and not quite trustworthy. He stays to help until one night the brothers get into a fight and Claude storms off. Soon after, Gar dies unexpectedly and under curious circumstances. Trudy and Edgar suffer greatly and fall into depression. They lean on each other and become very close, until Trudy becomes very sick. Unable to take care of the dogs and the chores, Edgar calls on Claude. Claude worms his way into the family. Edgar is visited by his father's spirit and realized that maybe Claude had something to do with his untimely death. Trudy and Almondine both seem oblivious to Claude's dark side. Edgar has a plan to expose Clause, but it all goes wrong and Edgar is forced to run away with three of the dogs, leaving Almondine behind, feeling she had betrayed him by getting close to Claude. At age 14 Edgar travels through the wilderness where he happens upon a lonely man. Henry invites them into his house and here Edgar is visited by another ghost. At some point Edgar feels he must return home, leaving behind two of the dogs. He returns home, determined to expose the true killer. It all goes wrong and this book ends with the most depressing scene e-v-e-r.

I felt like I wasted 18 hours of my life when I got to the end. I think I should have read the dust cover before I went through this. It is compared to a Shakespeare tragedy. I know all stories do not have happy endings and I hate it when an author forces a "happy" ending when it doesn't ring true to the plot; however, to have a tragic ending just for tragedy's sake sucks! There wasn't any reason, no deep reflection or morals to consider.

I don't understand why David wrote Edgar to be a very intellectual person yet had him come across as crazy when he was trying to tell his mother that Claude was bad. There were a lot of disconnects like this. He also introduced a story line about the dogs they were breeding and a certain special dog they may have been descendants of. He steered the story into a direction where this could have been a driving force as to why Claude may want to get rid of Gar, or that this was a special breed capable of something special, but he completely dropped it. It was like he had so many ideas for this book and put them all in there. I could go on and on about scenes and events that didn't have any place in the story and how I was confused by actions of the characters that were so out of place, only put there to force the story into a direction that seemed too far fetched.

Did anyone read this??? Share your thoughts.

Name That Tune Answer

One guess??? I thought it would be too easy. Next time I'll have to give you a little more time.

Name That Tune

Harvesting the Heart

Man it has been a crazy month. I work in a tourist town and at a tourist driven shop. We just had our yearly festival and worked A LOT of hours. Needless to say I have had no time to read and I miss it and have a stack of books to catch up on. I did listen to Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult while falling asleep.

This is a book about Paige who's mother left when she was 5. Her father was devastated but did his best to raise the daughter he cherished. Paige has a gift for drawing and sometimes her pictures have hidden meanings that only the subject understands. Instead of going to college to pursue art, she gets on a bus and rides until she ends up in Cambridge. Her she gets a job waiting tables and meets Nicolas.

Nicolas was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth and is the golden boy at the hospital where he is interning as a cardiologist. Nicolas falls in love with Paige and despite his parents misgivings and threats to cut his educational funding, he marries her. When Paige discovers she is pregnant her world crashes down. She fears she will follow in her mother's footsteps and be a bad mother.

I always enjoy Mrs. Picoult's books. There were times I wanted to yell at Nicolas not to be so hard headed and times I wanted to yell at Paige to tell her it's ok, ask for help...talk to someone. I didn't feel this was as strong as a story as Nineteen Minutes or My Sister's Keeper; however it was better than The Tenth Circle. I love that, even when the story isn't as strong, that I still get into the book because of her characters. They are "whole" and 3 dimensional and real. You can't say that about many books or authors. Stop by here to read more about this book at Barnes and Noble and look at the video. They have an interview with Jodi and she talk a little about the movie coming out. She also answered my question about how much input authors have when their books are made into movies. Excellent interview!

New movie

My oldest took me out for a late mother's day treat. I had to work mother's day (at my paying job) so she treated me to lunch and a movie today. We saw 17 Again and I have to say it was better than I thought it would be. While waiting for the movie I saw a preview that had me out of my seat. I was so stoked when I saw that "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult was coming out in June.

This was the first book I read by Mrs.Picoult and I really liked it. I have also read and reviewed Nineteen Minutes, The Tenth Circle and I just finished Harvesting the Heart. I really am excited to see this one. I love to see how the books that I have read translate into movies. For the most part I really enjoy Mrs. Picoult's book. I think there is a devotion to her characters that comes through her books. You feel the care and love she has when developing her characters and, for that, I always enjoy the rides her books take me on.

Jobs I'd like to have before I die.

Every once in a while I hear about a job someone has and I think...how do you go about getting such a cool gig???? I thought, for posterity's sake, I would keep a list of cool jobs I hear about and wish I could have.



1) Brendan Fraser's personal assistant. (call me Brendan!)(he he he)

2) Doing anything for google. (Free food?? sleep in?? bring you pets?!?!?)
I sooo want to work here!






3) Work for Pixar. ( playing with toys and the love lounge!!!)

Answer to name that tune

I love the 80's!!!!

Name that tune...

Obscure song lyric:

"See the girls with the dresses so tight.."

Name that tune...bonus points if you know the band.

True Colors

I finished True Colors by Kristin Hannah, the same author who wrote Firefly Lane. This is a story about three sisters, Winona, Aurora and Vivi Ann. Winona is the oldest and seems to be out-shined by Vivi Ann all the time. Vivi Ann, the youngest, is the prettiest and most loved by their father. Aurora is the middle child and the peace maker. This story, much like life, seems to forget about Aurora and centers mainly around Winona and Vivi Ann. Winona is always competing with her youngest sister over boys and her father's attention. Vivi Ann is clueless to the competition.

We follow along through their lives and loves. Vivi Ann is courted by the man Winona loves. Their father is looking for ways to keep his land in the family and Vivi Ann comes up with all the best ideas. But will Viv always be the apple of her father's eye? We see a lot of the father in the beginning, yet in the middle of the story he is awol. I found myself wondering if I had missed the part where he died. Nope, he showed up again at the end. It was a little awkward, like she had forgotten about him.

A lot goes on in this book, yet it didn't hold me like Firefly Lane. I think there was more care in developing the girls in Firefly Lane than there was in this book. Some of the story line seemed quite familiar to her first book too. I was a little disappointed because I was so pleasantly surprised by her first book. I would call this book a chick-lit, story of the lives of sisters.
I would not call it any where near as good as Firefly Lane.

I give this a 3 out of 5

The Lake That Stole Children

I just read The Lake That Stole Children by Douglas Glenn Clark. This is a wonderful story told along the vein of a Grimm's fairy tale. I loved that is was set here in Michigan too!.

It is set in a small fishing town and is centered around a fisherman, his wife, his son and his daughter. His boy wants to be a great fisherman and he longs to use the great lures and the pole his father uses so he can cast out far into the lake. The fisherman is a very stern father and scolds his son when he doesn't listen.

Children from this small town have gone missing. The parent don't know where to turn. One night the fisherman's boy is drawn to the lake, and he cast's out into the middle of the lake. When he gets a bite on the line, it is too strong and he is pulled into the lake and taken hostage by the big glass fish that lives in the lake.

This is a wonderful fable with colorful descriptions. It is a young adult/adult book and I checked out the reviews that it got on Amazon and was a little surprised. Some said they wouldn't read this book to children because of some of the messages. For example, the wife blamed the father for her missing son. I disagree with the reviews. I think this is a book that could bring about some wonderful teaching moments for children. Sometimes parents get upset with each other, it is normal. Relationships take work. Sometimes we think we want something without stepping back and wondering if we are ready for it. Is there something the father could have done different? Maybe the son should have sat down and explained to his father that he wanted to be great like him. The teacher in me found many great conversations that could be had when this book is shared, and I found that when I sat back and thought about the story it was much deeper than I even realized when I was reading it.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

A little story

Once upon a time there was a mom and a wife.
She would talk and breathe and because of that...she sucked.

the end

Maybe

Dear child,

When I say maybe... I mean no,

I just don't have the energy to put up with your attitude if I were to come right out and say no.

Love,
Mom

Bark up the Right Tree

Bark up the Right Tree is written by Jessie, a dog who was abandoned when one of the boys in her family who had emotional problems, started abusing her. She was left at an animal control shelter and from there she went through many changes until she was finally rescued by Ruth, who helped her write this book.


In her book, Jessie shares with us the changes she went through, how she went from a happy go lucky dog, to a very sad and confused one. Along the way, in her book, Jessie shares with us important things to "paws" and consider, such as "Take a chance and step out in faith. A miracle may be brewing", or "Be grateful for challenges. The bumpy road teaches us more and demands more of us than the smooth road does." She tells us of her time in the shelter and when she was adopted by Ruth. She talks about the dreams that Ruth had about finding Jessie and working with her to help animals and children find homes. Jessie shows us the life lessons she has learned and how we may apply them to our lives.


This is a very uplifting book that gives you renewed faith in what we can accomplish when we look to serve others, how even the smallest of us can bring about change and make a difference.
It was a great read too with short chapters that were entertaining. If you are a dog person, this is a definite "must read"! Ten percent of all proceeds from the sale of the book go to help animals and children in need of homes. Stop by Open Doors and check them out. Jessie has a DogFest coming up in August that looks like a lot of fun. Its in Hillsdale New Jersey and promises to be a day of fun. If you are near there, check it out!!


I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

My idea

I was struck by an idea while driving home from work today. I don't know why I thought of this, but I've heard great ideas usually come out of the blue. Do you know how you can support a child in some third world country? While I know they need help, I've always wondered why we as Americans think we have all the answers and have decided we need to be the saviors of the whole world. That is all well and good, but why, when we are so dysfunctional, don't we try to get our crap together at home first? Hence my idea....I will go down to the local homeless shelter and take a picture of a homeless person/family you can adopt. You can then send the money to the shelter, who will in turn, supply the family with the things it needs to get back on their feet. You will receive pictures and updates of all the good your money is doing for someone in your own back yard. I think its genius! Since the economy is taking a tanker and more and more are out of work and loosing their homes, I predict that the shelters wont be able to take them all in without extra help.

The Soul Collector (review and interview)

I just finished The Soul Collectors by Charles Quince.
In a college town there is a couple who offers the answers to any problem you may have.
Hope has been working all her life to get what she wants. Now that she is about to graduate from college, will she get the job she has been striving for? Hope is afraid that all she has done might not be enough, when Kim tells her about the local couple that can look into the future. Hope makes an appointment with the couple, Winston and Mildred, and they offer her a book and stylus that she can use to rewrite the future.
Peter is a single father who has earned a scholarship to a great college and he is trying to better himself so he can provide for his son. He works all the time and between school and his job, he is exhausted. Kim tells him about the couple and how they may be able to help. Peter is offered a wallet that will provide what he needs.
Winston and Mildred offer items to help the people in this town, but there are consequences to choices that are made. Can each one live with those consequences?

I loved the concept of this book. We all wish life could be easier and that we could just have some answers once in a while. We have free-will but would seeing the future influence that? When do our choices and desires affect the lives of others? This book gives us a peek into what might happen if we were given advantages over others. It is a short read, only 78 pages, but its a good one. The book does jump from one character to another with out any indication that it did so, but when you realize that, it is easy enough to follow.

I give it a 4 out of 5


Charles Quince graciously agreed to an interview So here are the questions I had and his answers:

I thought this was a great concept and really enjoyed the book. Is this your first book?

Yes, this is my first novel.

Is there a story behind the concept of this book?

The genesis for this book came from my childhood. When I was a kid my grandfather used to tell these urban legends, which to me were more real than legend. Anyway, at the end of one of his “stories” he told me “remember, whatever you wish for you have to be prepared for the consequences”. For some reason that one statement stood out in my mind for years and came front and center when I decided to write my first novel.

There seem to be an underlying current of part mythology and part religion. Is this intentional?

The theme regarding mythology and religion is intentional. What you have to understand is that mythology figure prominently in most religions, and most mythology is tied to at least one religion. The reason that I selected this theme is the fact that both mythology and religion reveal fundamental truths and insights about human nature often through the use of archetypes.

Each person that went to the reading and received a “gift” to shape their own destiny. What gift would tempt you?

I would likely have been enticed by the “Book of Power”. With this tool, the possibilities are endless.

Are you influenced by any other authors or do you march to the beat of your own drum?

Without a doubt, Stephen King and Poe are the two main authors that have influenced me the most.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

Publishing my novel and receiving my law degree.

If there is one thing you want your readers to come away with, what would it be?

The one thing that my novel really focuses on is desire and consequences. We, as mortal being, have hopes, dreams, and desires. However, when these elements collide with reality the results can be devastating. We all make choices about our lives, the thing is can we live with the consequences that comes with our choices? So, the one thing that my readers should be aware of is be careful what you wish for. Sometimes the price is very high to see your dreams come true.

Are you working on anything now?

At the present moment I am finishing up the course work for my MLS and whenever time permits doing research for my next novel.

Will we see these characters again?

Absolutely, there’s a lot of unfinished business that needs to be taken care of and David is not the sort of person to sit back and allow bad things to happen. It’s not in his emotional make-up.

Anything else you would like to share with the readers (of the blog)?

I would like the readers to know that I enjoyed writing this novel, and I will be entertaining them with another one in the near future

Best Quotable Movies featuring Billy Crystal

I have decided that I should do another "best quotable movies" , the Billy Crystal edition!!

Three of my all time favorite movies star Mr. Crystal. His lines and deliveries are classic. Not all of the quotes are Billy Crysal's though, the other actors in these have some great lines too. Also, I know he has been in many other great movies, but this edition is only about my favorite ones.

Again, as I said in Best Quotable Movies Part 1, these movies have some of the greatest lines that you should commit to memory and whenever possible, you should quote them.


When Harry Met Sally (1989)

This classic is one of the best movies ever! I am sure everyone knows of the orgasm scene.

"Right now everything is great, everyone is happy, everyone is in love and that is wonderful. But you gotta know that sooner or later you're gonna be screaming at each other about who's gonna get this dish. This eight dollar dish will cost you a thousand dollars in phone calls to the legal firm of That's Mine, This Is Yours."

"But I'd like the pie heated and I don't want the ice cream on top, I want it on the side, and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it, if not then no ice cream just whipped cream but only if it's real; if it's out of the can then nothing." !ADVISORY!(do not quote this when you are really ordering food, I have served and bad things will happen to your food before you get it...just saying.)

"But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie."

This should be said whenever anyone says the word "pecan" and it should be said like Billy said it here:








Running Scared (1986)

Great action/comedy a la Bad Boys.
If you have not seen this movie, by all means, get yourself netflix and rent this one!!


"Oh?! Hablo Smith and Wesson? You have the right to remain dead! Anything you do will be used against you. You have the right to a coroner. If you cannot afford one we will appoint a medical examiner for you."

"Listen Snake, here's the situation: I have this gun here. Now I'm gonna take this gun out and I'm gonna shoot a lot of holes in the door. If you are standing in front of the door, what can I say, some of those holes are going to be in you."


"Detective Sigliano? Hi, my name is Pinky, and I used to inform for Hughes and Costanzo but they don' pay me no mo'... Oh, no! You see, I'm watching the new "Jeopardy!" and a man just lost a Bible question because he did not know what Deuteronomy wa-as... Anyway, I want you guys to get Gonzalez and show up Hughes and Costanzo 'cause they don' pay me no mo', 'n I'm ma-ad!"
Again this one should be said like Billy says it here:




The Princess Bride (1987)

Ok, this one didn't "star" Billy. He just had a cameo. Still, one of my top favorite movies and a classic.

"As you wish" You say this when you really mean "I love you"

"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

"INCONCEIVABLE!"

"Have fun storming the castle!"

"You mock my pain!"

"You mocked me once, never do it again! I died that day."

Too Tall Alice

Too Tall Alice, by Barbara Worton, is a children's book about Alice who is 4 inches taller than all the other girls in her class.
.

Her parents have friends over to play cards one night. While trying to go to sleep she hears her parents talking about her. "She's a string bean, a twig...." Alice worries that she will always be too tall but if she doesn't stay a bean pole her parents wont have enough money to keep a roof over her head. She cries herself to sleep where she meets girls who are tall and confident. She learns in her dream that she isn't a string bean, that she is just the right height. She sees that she can be anything she wants and she wakes up knowing she is perfect the way she is.
.

This is a wonderful book. The illustrations, by Dom Rodi, are great and the story touches a subject that many find hard to deal with, our differences and insecurities. What a great story and a fun read!
.

I give this a 5 out of 5.

Not cool.

Dear God,

About that gray eyebrow hair....cute.
Real funny.

The other one, down by you-know-where?

...That was crossin the line.

I am so proud!!

I am at our desktop surfin the net and I can hear my oldest playing music. I just heard Foreigner's "Feels like the First Time". Now I am listening to Def Leppard's "Pyromania". I am so proud. I have raised my kids right! I am always so sad when my kids have friends over and I find out they have never heard of Journey, Styx, or The Scorpions.

Come on parents, it is your duty to pass on the classics. Shame on you.

OMG!! Loverboy is on now. ***tears of happiness***

Communion

We haven't been to church in a long while. Long story, kinda was let down by our previous church, I took it hard and haven't been back. So we went today and they were having communion. While we were sitting there waiting for the "Body" and the "Blood", my oldest turned to me and said:
"Do you have some aspirins I can take with communion?"

It is kosher to wash down aspirin with the "blood of Christ?" I can't take my kids anywhere.

Daemon

What can I say about Daniel Suarez's Daemon. It is a book about war on a completely different level.

Matthew Sobel, the head of CyberStorm entertainment, is the developer of many on-line computer games. The games are warlike, one of which gamers work together to defeat the German army in WWII settings. Sobel has died from a brain tumor, yet hid a daemon (a computer program that runs in the background) to take over the world. The Daemon is autonomous and enlists the help of people who essentially sell their soul to obtain their dreams. One person is a reporter who desperately wants to be one of the top investigative reporters. The Daemon contacts her and uses her to achieve its goal. The Daemon also reaches out to a gamer and a prisoner and uses them to kill people who get in the way. As it takes over businesses the weapons and technology used to take over becomes more and more complex, as gamers walk around with glasses that allow them to see the 3D world in real time and space.

Sounds a little far fetched but not that far off. Certainly plausible that the next war could be fought over the internet, hacking in and taking over. Money makes the world go round and what people will go to, will sometimes make us wonder how trusting we should be of big business.

Some of the scenes in the book were disturbing to say the least. Also, not being tech savvy, some was over my head. It was entertaining though and made me think about how computers can expand and be used to take over. How do we regulate the internet to make sure things do not go to that extreme. The book follows several different story lines and brings us to a climax at the end that is not resolved. Promises of a sequel??? I certainly hope so. I was really upset when I got to the end though. It didn't just leave me thinking "what now?" it let me thinking, "WHAT?!?!" It just stopped, mid-story. So much happened in the book, I wonder if and when the sequel comes out if I will have to go back and reread this one. Far warning would have been nice. It kinda of leaves me perplexed. While it was a thrilling and relatively new ride, how can you end it with not one thing resolved?

I give this a 3 1/2 out of 5, mainly because of the ending.

Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too

I just read the children's book Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too by Laurie Dean. Its about a dog Baron and how he is looking for a best friend. He lives with a family that has a little boy and girl. The boy and girl play with Baron outside and Baron runs for the street. They take him to obedience school. Then the father is called to duty. Then Baron is outside watching the kids playing in the snow. He wishes he has a friend until his little boy is by himself. Baron runs up to him and pulls him on the sled and plays with him. Then Baron has a best friend.

My issue is if the boy was there all along, why weren't they best friends already? Why, out of no where, was the dad called to military service then nothing was said about it? Did he come back? I think there was an issue of coherence and fluidity with this book. The illustrations by Kevin Collier were wonderful but the story was confusing.

Perhaps I am thinking too much for a children's book. If you check on Amazon this book received all 4's and 5's with one 3 star. I just think even though it's a children's book there should be a clear story line that makes sense. This one just didn't deliver for me.

I'd have to give this book a 1 out of 5.

Torn

This never gets old!

Legs Talk

I just finished Legs Talk by D.E. Boone.

This story is a guy meets girl, guy wants one thing, girl gets tired of it and kicks him to the curb. It is told in a very creative way, through black and white photos and one liners.
It is a story I think most women have lived through and is told in a way that helps you see that you are not alone without getting overwhelmed in emotions.

This was a cute book that I enjoyed. Since I love to read and am inspired by photos, this book sparked my feminine side and my creative side. It opened my mind up to the possibilities to tell an adult story with photos.

I thought this was a great find and I give it a 4 out of 5.

The Smartest Way to Save

I just finished The Smartest Way to Save by Samuel K. Freshman and Heidi E. Clingen. This was an easy read. The 23 chapters are broken up into bite size pieces you can take in here and there. There are hundreds of tips on how to save from vacations, gifts, your children to buying cars, credit cards and budgeting.

I must admit I have pretty much heard everything that is in the book. Pay yourself first, use cash not credit, know the difference between "have to" and "need to". I did learn a couple of new things. For example, when buying a car you should pay cash, if you are like me and really find it hard to do that, get the shortest loan possible cause the salesperson makes his/her money off of those large interest payments. If you do plan on paying with cash....do not let the salesman know, they will not knock off much on the price since they will not be making money off of you after you get the car.

If you are relatively new to saving or have not done much homework, this is an excellent book to start with. Since it covers a wide range of subjects you will find a lot of help in here including web sites and tips. If you are like me and have been around the block a few times and have read up on this subject, you may find there is too much repeated info to be an advantage.

The Angry Smile

I just finished The Angry Smile by Jody E Long, Nicholas J Long and Signe Whitson.

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This book defines, identifies and tells how to change passive-agression. "Passive aggression involves a variety of behaviors designed to get back at another person without the other recognizing the underlying anger. ...It is motivated by a person's fear of expressing anger directly." (pg 12)

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Section one is titled "What is Passive Aggression?" This part covers what passive aggression is, how it develops, reasons why people would use it and the five levels of passive aggression.

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In section two, "Identifying Passive Aggressive Behaviors" they show you how to identify passive aggressive behaviors in the home, at school, in families and at the workplace. There is the Covert Defiance is the one we see most often. This is where you might call your child or husband and they reply, "Coming!" but never do. This also involves temporary deafness and blindness among others.

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Section three, "Changing Passive-Aggressive Behaviors", they show you how to deal with yours or others passive aggression. "Passive aggression is not a one-person game but rather a match that is necessarily played out against an adversary." (pg 103)

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No matter where you are in life, this would be a valuable resource. It shows you how to deal with people in the work place that are passive aggressive. If you are passive aggressive yourself it shows you how to change some of your behaviors. It is important to recognize the signs and how to not engage in the passive aggressive cycle.

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This is an excellent reference book.

I give this a 5 out of 5.

I just finished The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver. I actually listened to this while I was trying to fall asleep. Not a good idea. This was the first book by this author I have ever read(listened to).

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As the book begins, a city couple are in a secluded cabin to enjoy a little time away from work and worries. The wife, a lawyer who has been working on some very high profile cases and the husband, a social worker, are getting settled in and enjoying some drinks. The wife hears some noises outside and gets spooked. They look outside and find a face staring back at them. The husband calls 911 and has enough time to utter "this" before 2 men come through the door and end the call. The sheriff's department get the call, but are unsure as to what it means. Since it was from a cell phone it takes a while for them to track down from where the call came.

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When the location is determined, Brynn McKenzie is the deputy called to check it out. Brynn is only to glad to get away from her family for a while, for reasons she's not ready to face quite yet.

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As she nears the cabin, the sheriff calls and reports that the husband called back and said it was a false alarm. Since Brynn is so close, and has to use the bathroom, she pulls up to the cabin and walks into something she is not prepared to see. From here the story moves into a game of cat and mouse between Bynn and a family friend caught in the wrong place and the two professional killers. The family and cops think it was a false alarm and are unaware that two women are deep in the woods in the middle of the night, trying to get to safety, running for their lives.

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First let me say, it was a mistake trying to listen to this while I tries to fall asleep. It was a thriller at its best and one of the betters ones I have read in a while. With twists and action, at one point I was almost asleep, when I gasped and said out loud, "Oh my gosh!!). I was up late that night! If this book is anything like the others Mr Deaver has written I am getting more. It was smart and the characters were amazingly real. I loved this book.

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5 out of 5...you have to read this!

Collision of Angels

I have just finished Collision of Angels by Michael Carver, book one in A Higher Call Series.

Silas Jackson and his group of friends are tired of how this country is being run. We are the promised land, however very few feel that promise anymore. These men believed in the principles that our forefathers had when they established the constitution. Only now, with corrupt government and crooked officials, the men feel that the country is about as far removed from the original ideas and ideals as it could get. They felt God calling to their group to do something about it. Silas felt God was calling them to find a man after God's own heart and support him in a campaign to be the next president of the United States. Silas knows he has the perfect person, his son in law Tony Campbell.

The book shifts between a couple of story lines. Tony is worried about his colleague Pete who has been cheating on his wife and neglecting his family. Tony has bailed Pete's son, Karl, out of trouble and jail on many occasions and he is praying for an opportunity to reach Pete. Tony's son TJ befriends Karl and tries to get him to change his ways. We also watch as Tony tries to process whether he should run for president, with no prior experience in politics and whether this is truly God's will.

Mr. Carver also brings in the spiritual realm and how there is a constant battle between good and evil over our souls. There are conversations between angels and demons.

I had some trouble in the beginning when Tony and many other characters in the book heard the voices of the angels and of God. One character had a dream that told him he would be approached to be a part of the plan. Until I remembered in the bible,
Joel 2:28 says "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions"
and Act 2:17 that says, "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."
I realized he must be setting this series toward the end times.

This book took time to develop the characters and set the scene. There was little action and some of the situations seemed too easily remedied. This is a story about families who put God first and people who are searching. I enjoyed Mr. Carver's take on how thing may look in the spiritual realm and could feel his passion for the Lord and his writing. It did feel at times, though, a little too in your face and borderline "preachy". I would love to see more of these characters with a little more action and situations that don't always seem so easily solved, such as they are in real life.

I give this a 3 1/2 out of 5.

ABDC Conversations

We sat down as a family this evening...me, hubby, A(22) and L(10) and caught up on the last 2 episodes of America's Best Dance Crew. As we were watching I was commenting on Lil Mama's vocabulary (or lack there-of).

Me: You know, we should start a drinking game. If every time Lil Mama says "bring it", "you hear/feel me?", or "um" we were to take a drink, we would be gone by the second commercial.

(Laughter and nods)

***some bad Lil Mama impressions***

A: Wait, did you just suggest to the family that we do a drinking game?

The Last Lecture

I just finished The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and it was one of the best and most uplifting inspirational books I've ever read. What an amazing man. Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon. From time to time professors will give "last lectures" where they consider " If I should die tomorrow, what would I leave behind". They would then give a lecture on what they would want the world to know, parting words if you like. Randy decided he wanted to do his last lecture, only he really was dying of pancreatic cancer. The book is basically the lecture, a legacy for his children and anyone lucky enough to pick it up.





The last lecture was entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" and it was a compilation of Randy's childhood dreams, lessons he had learned and his discoveries about life. This was not a man who was talking just to hear himself talk, he was down to earth, humble and incredibly intuitive.

What did I learn from this book?
---That self esteem can't be give. When we coddle our children we are not giving them self esteem. It has to be built and you do that by giving them something they can't do and have them work hard at it until they get it.
---That when you are doing something and you are screwing it up, if no one says anything to you it means they have given up on you. I want to remember this when my youngest is on a sports team. When you feel the coach is hard on you, that is good because it means he believes in you.
---That brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it bad enough.
---That I tend to be a detail person and have a hard time remembering to step back from time to time to look at the big picture.

I got this book from the library, but I plan on going out to buy it. This is a book I would want to have, to remind myself of what is important in life. I cannot recommend this book enough.

I give this a 5 out of 5.

Personal Mission Statement

Back in December I send out a resume that I had completely forgotten about. I got a call for an interview. I went Tuesday. I'm torn. I have a new job working at a local shop, basically doing grunt work. Their training takes over a year and since the orders are currently behind, I'm really just a facilitator. The owners are wonderful. Every time I finish what they ask of me, the thank me and tell me what a good job I do. It's so nice after working at a restaurant where if you went to the bathroom the owner would call you a dumb-a$$. But I digress....

The interview is for a challenging and rewarding career that would actually use my BA to some degree. I wont hear back for at least 2 weeks, but I'm not sure if I should tell my current employer. It is a bit removed from my BA so I'm a little leery that I will even get the job. So I guess this blog is 2 fold. Should I say something or wait until I get a call back? I know my current employer is hoping I will stay for a while, but I really need more hours and at this time they can't give me more. So discuss amongst yourselves....share what you come up with!

Secondly, at my interview, a question they asked was, "What would be your personal mission statement?" Hmmm. I said...(please don't laugh too hard)...To be the best you can be, no matter where you are in life. You can be a waitress, work in a shop or as a doctor. If you are all you can be, you can help others through some difficult times. Sometimes it's not about doing the job at that moment, but listening to who came into the business and being there for what they may need at that moment." I felt like a commercial for the army. Really?!? Man, I must talk to hear my voice sometimes. Have you ever thought about your personal mission statement?

You know, after that, maybe I wont get a call back. Hhhmmmm.

The Bomb That Followed Me Home

I just read "The Bomb That Followed Me Home" by Cevin Soling and I am at a loss. Let me share with you what information I got.

Children's book: The Bomb that Followed Me Home: By Cevin Soling

NEW YORK, Jan 5, 2009 - Rumpleville Books is pleased to release the third book in Cevin Soling's series of "fairly twisted fairy tales." The Bomb That Followed Me Home is the story of a boy, who is followed home by a stray bomb. The bomb follows him everywhere--by trees and landfills, and even the yard of a cantankerous neighbor who yells at the boy for running on their lawn. This same neighbor planted hedges three feet into the boy's yard. The boy's parents are resistant to keep the bomb, "who will polish it and change its fuse?" But still the young boy wants to keep it, and even has given the bomb a name-Rusty. The boy's father tries to find the bomb's original owner, calling all kinds of authorities like the Department of Defense. He also reaches out to the Weathermen. No one is missing a bomb. Finally the bomb is "given" to the cantankerous neighbors... And then his parents take down the hedges.

The Bomb That Followed Me Home has received its share of acclaim. Midwest Book Reviews cites the book, as "surreal .The whimsical, modern-art style of the illustrations are a perfect fit for the loopy mood of this delightful story." Flash News cites the book as author Cevin Soling's "vengeance" against "people who are mean and psychotic." FOREWORD magazine gave The Bomb high acclaim, writing that Cevin Soling and illustrator Steve Kille "have the power to make readers laugh, and then think. Then scoff at the futility of thinking."

The Rumpleville series are contemporary fables that are replete with social commentary The fairy tale format highlights the perverse morality of contemporary culture and foiled promises of "happily ever after" endings. Like Animal Farm, the simplicity of plot also draws attention to the political intentions of the work.

I thought this sounds like an off beat children's book. So I read it and really I'm flummoxed and perplexed. This is being marketed as a children's book. But as you can see in the book description they give the bomb to the cantankerous neighbors and the next thing you know they are taking down the hated hedge. Not only that, but if you look back at the 2nd paragraph it states: Cevin Soling and illustrator Steve Kille "have the power to make readers laugh, and then think. Then scoff at the futility of thinking." HUH?!? I don't think I ,as an adult, possess the ability to do that. Honestly? I'm not really sure what that means.

The illustrations are really cool; however, the story didn't flow well. We start off with the bomb following the boy home. As the boy gets to his neighbors yard, we digress for a couple of pages and it becomes all about the psycho neighbors. Then back to the bomb and how it has to be looked after... it just felt disjointed. I'm not sure if this was a book that was supposed to be a metaphor of society and how we lack the ability to deal with our neighbors and just bomb them instead of dealing with them, or just a very strange attempt at a children's book that thinks out of the box. Either way, I would not recommend reading this to children, they lack the higher level thinking needed to understand where this book is figuratively going.

I would have to give this a 0 out of 5 for a children's book.

Happy Birthday "H"

Happy Birthday "H"


You are sensitive....
You always know when those around you need
extra love and attention. Your spouse to be ("B")
is so very blessed to have you.


You are determined....
You will go far in life and achieve all you
set out for. The world will be blessed you are in it.


You are caring....
You have always put family needs before your
own and we are blessed to have you.

You are loving.....
You have given me so much love and joy.
I would not be here today if it wasn't for you and "A".
When I didn't think I could go on , I would look at
you and know I was truely blessed and God must
surely think I'm special to have given me
such and awesome child.


You see "H", it is your birthday,
but I'm the one who has been given a gift.

I love you so very much. I thank God for you in more
ways than you could ever know.

Only One other could possible love you more than I do.