my books are here!!!

Did I mention I have way too much to do and not enough time to do it? Yes, I know your first thought is, "Well, get your tukus off the computer and stop whining." And of course you are right, but here I am anyway.

My books came in the mail this week! The books I get to read and review. All six of them. That I need to read and review by October 31. No problem, right? Of course I have 91 (yes, it is true) books from the library also sitting around the house. You know you only get them for 21 days. (Ok, a bunch of them are the girls', but still, I have a lot to read.) So, I think I am in the middle of about six books, have four movies I checked out and haven't seen, and oh, did I mention I have a job, and kids to spend at least a little time raising, and a house that really needs cleaning, and a desk that is always buried in stuff to do/read/pay? No wonder I love to read so much - it is what it has always been: escape.

ALL that being said, I am wicked excited about my new books, am already almost done with the first one (which was great timing because it is 4th in a series and I just read #3 like two weeks ago), and everything will get done in time, or it really didn't need done that bad. Right?

Centenarian

Did I mention I have read 100 books since I started tracking them on a Shelfari page in late June of last year? Yay, me!

Crazy thing is I used to go in the library and didn't know what book to get - couldn't decide on an author, was afraid to "judge a book by its cover" and choose one just because I like the font or graphics on the cover. But it seemed like once I found one or two, things went crazy after that. Especially as I discovered authors I liked and devoured a whole series one book at a time. (which is actually a kind of nice way to do it because you don't have to wait a year or more to find out what happens next!)

So, even though I have read 100, my to be read stack remains stuck around 70. And I don't even think it is near to containing all the books I would actually like to read. And the stack on the floor by my bed (too tall for the bedside table) never seems to get any shorter!

I would like to say they are all really deep, thought provoking books, but they are not. I discovered some good "chicklit" authors and have read quite a bit of that. They are good reads when I just have a little time or when I have a headache and can't handle something meatier. I have also found that some of the good Christian chick-lit authors still make you think, even if they aren't doing a verse by verse analysis of Colossians or something.

Most the books have been good. There are a few books that I kept reading even though I didn't like them very much just to be able to check them off the list. (I am a big list-maker and will write something down I already did just to mark it off the list, so it is always exciting when I have another one complete! Part of why I have been loving Shelfari.) There were also some that had great potential, but 3 pages in I could tell they were just not going to be worth the effort. Always disappointing, but nice because I can return it to the library right away and my pile gets smaller! (unless I grab 2 more books while I am there!)

So, what am I reading right now? I am doing something Kaylie drives me crazy doing. I am in the middle of three books: Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible, by Liz Curtis Higgs (who I LOVE), I Could Have Sung All Night by Marni Nixon (she was the singing voice for a number of Hollywood actresses back in the day), and When the Stars Went to War by Roy Hoopes (a look at Hollywood's involvement in WWII). And of course, I am in the middle of my bible - which right now is a chronological version which has been really interesting, but challenging when I take it to church and have to look up something in Psalms - they are all over the place!! And, finally, I just started a book called Murder is Binding - one of those mysteries that is as much about the people as the mystery. Main character's name is Tricia, so it has got to be great, eh??

Even though it feels like I will never get to the bottom of the pile, I am always looking for good books or great authors to try - so bring on the recommendations! :)

Four squared (or actually to the sixth)

Ripped this off of one of my fave author's blogs (Camy Tang - http://www.camys-loft.blogspot.com/). Thought it was fun but not horrendously long.

A) Four places that I go to over and over: work, church, Target, insane

B) Four people who e-mail me regularly: my grandfather, my old nanny pal Debi, a ton of marketers, Hannah & Kaylie (ok, actually > 4)

C) Four favorite smells: yummy things baking, Macintosh Yankee Candles, COFFEE, and um coffee

D) Four places I would rather be right now: vacation, Nantucket, Lake Leelanau MI, Hawaii

E) Four people I think will respond: ????

F) Four TV shows that I watch: Gilmore Girls, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol (I have "reality" issues)

Your turn!

The Body

So, I have always wondered what part of the Body I am. What did God make me to be? We can't all be ears or hands or feet, so what am I?

I think I have officially decided I am an appendix.

If you were to categorize yourself, what would it be?

Techno Idiot/Operation K2K

So I would like to think that I am not a total techno idiot and do not commit many ID-10-T errors, but I am totally befuddled. Have been trying very unsuccessfully to paste some content into my blog and cannot get it to work. So I am giving up.

Here is the gist. There is this cool movement called Operation Kid to Kid that has kids here create these cute "Comfort Critters" that go to other children in difficult or disastrous situations. Check it out at www.ok2k.org. Cool.

Thanks for taking the time to look at this and forgiving my ignorance.

Peace!

Been a long time

Wow. Been quite an extended blogging break. So much to say now, and so little time. Lots of fun to report to you. Can't get into it all now, but here are some morsels:

A long awaited update: Some of you may remember my story about Patrick and Kaylie earlier this year. Well, at the before school Ice Cream Social, we met Patrick's family!!!! Had a good conversation with his mom, who was very kind and easy going. Good people. Of course, Patrick and Kaylie aren't on the same bus this year...so that kind of decides that, now doesn't it? Well, they will still be hallway buddies.

A new development: I am going to start book reviews on the blog! I am very excited, as I will have an opportunity to preview some great books and give y'all my two cents. I know, you are thrilled, but it is cool for me! :)

A quick Kaylie story: A few Sundays ago, we were at church early because Jim had to be there early. The girls and I were sitting in the Gathering (a lounge outside the sanctuary) and Kaylie was hungry. (she is her mother's daughter) But she wasn't just hungry, she was starving. I told her (very sympathetically of course) that she would be fine and not starve, because her body stores excess to use in case of "emergency" and she could live for quite some time on the excess her body had stored up. Hannah chimed in with a much better, scientific explanation of just how long a person can go without food and water. Then Kaylie says, "Well, Dad would last for a real long time because he has lots of excess!!!"

More to come. Stay tuned.

Evidence I REALLY need this vacation

I am currently up in northern Michigan, visiting my mom and stepdad. First vacation I have had in sometime and I really needed it. Case in point:

The other day, I was driving back to work after a doctor's appointment and talking to Hannah on my cell phone. This you must remember or nothing that follows will be as hilarious.

So I am talking to Hannah, get to work, park and get out of the car. Am walking towards the building when I looked in my purse to make sure I had my cell phone. (you remember what I said, right?) So, I go back to the car, unlock it and look inside - no phone. I go to the passenger side and look on the seat, on the floor, between the seats..and no cell phone. Now, I had already had to go back to the doctor's office because I left my book and my prescription and I was starting to get concerned I left my phone behind, too - either at the doctor's or the lab.

So, I say to Hannah (because she was still ON THE PHONE): I have to go, I can't find my phone.

I pull the (never really missing) phone down from my ear to hit the end call button and THEN it hits me what I have just said!!! Sometimes I think I might be a blonde in disguise.

Hope I find my brain up here...