It's Monday, What are you Reading?

So this morning I woke up and thought that this would be the week that I participated in things! Let's see how long that lasts, shall we?

I'm starting with "It's Monday, What are you Reading?" because I feel like it's been too long since I talked about my books. I am a book polygamist, and have no problem at all swapping titles midstream, so I typically have 2-4 books in progress at any time. In no particular order:

Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates.  Holy Hot Batman! I'm only about half done but already know I'm happy to have the next installment lined up from NetGalley.

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss. I tried to read this one when it came out, but it expired before I really got into it. Since I just finished the 21 Day Sugar Reset, it feels incredibly relevant. (At least the sugar parts, haven't got to salt and fat yet.)

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham. Katherine insists Graham can do better than The Dead Play On and I had to find out. I really love books set in New Orleans, and this one IS better. So far.

So what are YOU reading this week?

Where in the World Are you Reading? A new monthly meme

With such a diverse and worldly bookish community, wouldn't it be fun to learn about or see pictures from all over the world? Trish, Kailana, and I have come up with a monthly meme to showcase Where in the World Are You Reading. Each month will have a different theme such as a local bookstore, your local library, your favorite reading spot at home, a cafe you frequent to read, etc. To start, Where in the World Are You Reading meme will rotate between our blogs (Kailana, Trish, and myself) each month. If it catches we might increase the frequency of the meme and include additional hosts in the rotation.

Each month there will be a different theme for Where in the World Are You Reading (link to static meme page). On the first Thursday of the month a linky will post and you can link up any (and as many) time during the month. Please feel free to piggyback your post with other memes such as Sunday Salon, Snapshot Saturday, Wordless Wednesday, etc. Just be sure to include the button and a link back to the linky post. At the end of the month we'll create a wrap-up of all of the links for you to enjoy. We're hoping that Where in the World Are You Reading will help you get to know other bloggers as well as travel vicariously all around the world.

Will you join us next Thursday as we kick off with the theme of Local Bookstore (hosted by the lovely Trish)? And follow us on Twitter using hashtag #wwread !

Upcoming themes and their host (don't worry if you can't remember where it'll be hosted. We'll all be reminding you on a regular basis!):
July – Trish – Bookstore
August – Kelly – Library
September – Lisa – Used Bookstore/Thrift Store
October – Trish – Coffee Shop, etc.
November – Kelly – Reading Companion
December – Lisa – Holiday Reading Escape
January – Trish – Unusual
February – Kelly – Comfy Spot
March – Lisa – TBD
April – Trish – TBD
May – Kelly – A Drink (Do you read and drink wine? coffee? Share!)
June – Trish – TBD
July – Lisa – TBD

Armchair BEA Introduction: Lisa @ Books. Lists. Life.

Hi everyone! This is my first year participating in Armchair BEA, I'm pretty excited to see what it's all about. The organizers have asked that we answer five questions, so here we go:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?  I am a wife, a mom, a crafter, a blogger, and a life long reader.  My husband was transferred shortly after the birth of our third child and I've been a stay at home mom ever since.  I have three kids: The Pirate is 7, the Bug is 4, and the Princess is fast approaching 2. I have a small Etsy shop, a twitter acount, a Pinterest account, and blog sporadically over here. We live in a small town in the middle of nowhere- Pierre, SD. We do not have a Starbucks, a chain bookstore, or a Wendy's. I was born and raised in Alabama and graduated from Auburn University but I've been in South Dakota for ten years this summer, so now it feels like home. I started blogging five and a half years ago as a place to talk about books. As time has gone on, I've written fewer and fewer book reviews, but I keep blogging.

2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?  I am currently reading The Stand for Trish's Standalong. I am incapable of reading just one book at a time though, so I'm sure that any minute now I'll start something to go with it. Every Friday I post a bunch of random stuff about my week that ends with a section on what I read that week. Feel free to page through them.

3. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. I am a complete slob about my car. It is disgusting how full of trash and toys and papers and other crap it is. I want to care, but I just don't.

4. Where do you see your blog in five years?  Pretty much right where it is now. I'd love to have the time and energy to make it into something successful, and if I'm honest, I'd like to make a little money on it, but I just don't seem to have that drive.

5. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?  I've done pretty much the opposite of everyone else. I read less literary fiction and "serious" books and more romance and young adult. I find with three small kids I just don't have the attention span for books that make me think. I don't mind this at all, I've always loved romance, and I assume that one day I'll branch out again.

The Standalong

My very favorite insane blogger Trish is hosting a read-a-long of Stephen King's The Stand. It starts on June 1st and we have two months to read the entire behemoth of a book.  I am really still debating if I want to do this at all (I have already read The Stand, but it was literally half a life ago), but I love Trish and she's nothing if not infectious (and as I type this, I have pinkeye, so I KNOW infectious!) so I'm signing up.  I checked out a copy from my library (same copy Trish has) and it clocks in at a massive 1153 pages and 4 lbs (yes, I weighed it.)  Trish asked that we answer a few get-to-know-you questions before we join, so here goes:

1. What makes you want to read The Stand? Trish does!

2. Describe your preconceived notions of The Stand. Well, I've already read it, so I have a vague memory of the plot and a clear memory of how much it scared the pants off me.

3. What was the last scary(ish) book you read or movie you saw? I don't watch scary movies. The last one I saw was The Ring, well before I had kids.  I read A Monster Calls, which some people find scary, and you can see my thoughts here.

4. Which version of the book will you be reading from? My copy is a massive hardcover from the library, the uncut version. The cover is similar to the on in the picture above, but with a big red band marking it as uncut. It looks like it only gets checked out once or twice a year, so with any luck I will make it all the way to the end of July before I have to return it.

5. What are you previous experiences with Stephen King? In high school and college I was a big fan of King. I read quite a few of his books (The Shining, Cujo, Christine, Firestarter, The Stand, It, possibly more) but the last one I read was The Tommyknockers, which I really disliked. I moved on to Dean Koontz after that, and then stopped reading anything scary at all.

6. Anything else you'd like to add (bonus points for being extra random). This is my first readalong, so hopefully I won't bail on it, but I refuse to feel guilty if I don't make it to the end.  Also, I think Trish will owe me a pack of post it notes by the time I finish marking off where I should be (roughly) at any given date.

What's on your desk Wednesday?

A couple of weeks ago Kristen tagged me for the What's on your desk Wednesday meme. It took me a while to remember it before Wednesday was over, but today is the day. Now, I don't really have a desk. I have a cushy chair next to a endtable and a rolling table for my laptop. I took a picture anyway.

Here's the rules:

What's on your desk Wednesday? is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com. Check her blog out each Wednesday for the post titled What's on your desk Wednesday?


You can do one of two things or both!

Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying!
Add this photo to your blog.
Tag at least 5 people!
Come back here and leave a link back to your photo in comments.

OR

List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (I'm thinking your TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...)
List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (I'm thinking some of some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?)
Tag at least 5 people to do the same.
Come back here and leave your link, so we can come and visit your blog. Or add your answers in the comments if you don't have a blog.

This is the full view. In this picture you can see my chair (that badly needs a slipcover since I'm not getting new furniture until my children have manners), my purse, the rolling cart and the endtable. On the floor are the Bug's favorite puzzle and current favorite book (and yes, we should vacuum. Don't tell Mike I posted this!) Underneath the table are a few random books and some more notepads.

In the close up there is a stack of library books on top of a handful of magazines. The magazines have been there for months. There is also a Kim Harrison book that I have read half of, two rolls of ribbon for making the drawstring pouches that I ship shop goodies in, a hair elastic, chapstick, some hair spray stuff (water, epson salt, a squirt of gel. Useful for small boys and adults alike!) and a notepad. And a giant Mountain Dew.

Now I'm supposed to tag 5 of you, which is really hard for me! I always tag the same people every time so let's try these nice folks today:

Lisa at Lit and Life

JoAnn at Lakeside Musing

Melissa at Shhhh I'm Reading..

Amanda at The Zen Leaf

Tina at Tina Says...

Be sure to come back and leave me a link to your desk!

(And don't forget that every comment you leave on my blog gets you an entry into my anniversary giveaway.)

Honest Scrap Award (meme?)

The Infant Bibliophile tagged me for the Honest Scrap meme and since they are among my favorite posts, I decided to make it a post of it's own, instead of including it in a Random Friday. (In general, I put awards in the Friday post, these seem a little different since there are more to it than just "thanks!")

The "Honest Scrap" award requires me to tell my readers 10 true things about me and then pass it on to 10 more blogs.

10 Things:

1. I make myself a cup of coffee every morning and even though I really want it, I often lose track of it in the morning rush.
2. The only part of the Sunday paper that I read are the ads. Some weeks only the Target ad.
3. Some days I take my kids to daycare 20 minutes early so I can sit in my car and read.
4. I vacuumed my bedroom on Sunday for the first time in months.
5. I do not make the Pirate clean his room, nor do I regularly clean it myself.
6. I do not look for missing toys either.
   
7. I can't stand scare movies or "documentaries" about the destruction of earth by natural forces- typhoons, earthquakes, meteors, floods, nothing. (Actual documentaries about things like Hurricane Katrina are fine.)
8. With the exception of Independence Day.
9. My favorite movie is The Matrix, but if you were to offer me another movie with a plot involving spies, guns, fight scenes, and fake governments I'd be totally uninterested.
10. On Saturday someone asked me when my baby was due. I am not pregnant.

Now to tag 10 other bloggers. I am not going back to see who else has been tagged, sorry.

1. TRISH
2. Kailana at The Written World
   
3. Janssen at Everyday Reading
   
4. Miss Remmer
5. Heather at A High and Hidden Place
6. Gwendolyn at A Sea of Books
7. Lori at She Treads Softly
8. Suey at It's All About Books
9. Alyce at At Home with Books
10. Lisa at Git Down Kitty
    

Don't forget to post a picture of your TBR pile for a chance to win my contest. Entries accepted until August 31st.

Another meme

At the risk of this blog turning into a blog about my husband and I, here's my answers to the couple meme that is going around.
What are your middle names?

My middle name is Star (no really!), his is James. The Pirate's middle name is also James.

How long have you been together?
I moved to South Dakota in 2002.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?

We met online in 1999. We didn't become a couple until 2002.

Who asked whom out?
I really don't remember! It was online, so there wasn't a real "asking out" involved.

How old are each of you?
I'm 33 and he is almost 39.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
His. He has a large family who all live in South Dakota. I have two brothers who live in Alabama, so we see them once a year. By the time we go down this summer it'll be 2 years since we didn't go down last summer.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Money, I have real issues with money.

Did you go to the same school?
No

Are you from the same home town?
No, not even the same state.

Who is smarter?
I will not answer that.

Who is the most sensitive?
Also a tough one. We both have ways that we get out feelings hurt. I cry more at movies and books.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Without the boys, we tend to go to Friday's or Outback. There aren't a lot of non-chain things here.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico when I was 5 months pregnant with The Pirate.

Who has the craziest exes?
His, a million times over. His. His. His.

Who has the worst temper?
Me. The Bug seems to have inherited it.

Who does the cooking?
I'd say we both do, with him doing slightly more. He'd say he does 99% of it.

Who is the neat-freak?
HAHAHAHA. I used to be, but now I live with him. (If this is not clear, neither of us is a neat freak. Anymore.)

Who is more stubborn?
Me.

Who hogs the bed?
Him. He also wads up the blankets and lays on top of them.

Who wakes up earlier?
We are both morning people. He gets up earlier during the week, but I tend to be up first on the weekend.

Where was your first date?
Our first fancy, all dressed up, date was at a really lovely restaurant called Canoe.

Who is more jealous?
Me.

How long did it take to get serious?
When knew we'd get married when I moved to SD.

Who eats more?

That's a rude question! He does.

Who does the laundry?
We both do. Sunday is laundry day. He takes everything down to the laundry room (in the basement) and does most of the swapping and running loads up and down. We dump it all on the bed and I put most of it away.

Who’s better with the computer?

Him. I get frustrated when things don't work.

Who drives when you are together?
He does, but I have to deal with the boys.

25 Things About Me

I keep getting tagged for this on Facebook, and why waste an opportunity to post to the blog?

1. I currently work as a loan officer at a small credit union. It is a scary time to be in the banking industry.

2. The worst part of my job is making phone calls. I hate to make phone calls, even ones with good news. I especially hate to make phone calls where I don't know what I'm talking about.

3. My favorite job ever was working at Books-A-Million during college. At times, I really felt like a rock star there. (Did you know, there are people who work at bookstores who DON'T LIKE TO READ??)

4. My least favorite job ever was at a grocery store bakery. I didn't get to bake things, I only got to clean up after the people who did.

5. I have a degree in history. I spent a lot of money to get it, and it's pretty darn useless.

6. Actually, I am STILL paying money for that degree.

7. I have been married twice. The second one is a keeper.

8. I met my husband online, playing EverQuest- a MMORPG. For years we spent more time playing a game than we did at work.

9. EverQuest is the only online game that I really got into playing. I dabbled in Dark Ages of Camelot, but it wasn't the same.

10. The only games I play now are Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Candyland, and Mancala.

11. I will kick your butt in Mancala.

12. I have two children, both boys. I always imagined myself with girl children, but now I can't imagine.

13. I live 1400 miles away from my family. Usually, this is not a bad thing.

14. I have lived in South Dakota for 6.5 years now. I am still occasionally surprised by this. (South Dakota?? REALLY??)

15. I drive a soccer mom car, even though my kids are too young for soccer. (2007 Ford Freestyle)

16. In the last few years, I have rediscovered a love of sewing.

17. I have just launched a new blog about the sewing at http://madebylisah.blogspot.com/

18. It will go nicely with the new Etsy shop, once I have some product made for the shop. http://madebylisah.etsy.com/

19. I have two tattoos. One is a hummingbird that I got when I first moved to South Dakota, and the other is a camellia (state flower of Alabama) that I got when I'd lived here for a year.

20. I'd like at least one more, for the boys.

21. I went to a boarding school in high school- The Alabama School of Math and Science. It was perfect for me, but as a mother I can't imagine letting my kid move away at 16.

22. I am still friends with my best friends from there.

23. I have a stupid number of unread books in my home, all of which I "really want" to read.

24. I am a huge fan of http://www.paperbackswap.com/, because it keeps me from actually buying all of those unread books.

25. I crave a week of doing nothing on the beach in the worst way. Of course, with two small children it would be not the relaxing paradise I imagine, but I still want to go.

In the Facebook rules, I am supposed to tag other people. I'm not going to, but if you'd like to participate feel free!

(Picture has nothing to do with the post, I just wanted to post a picture.)

And then my nostrils froze shut.

<--the exterior temperature on my way to work today (ignore the dust on my dash, please!) That is a minus sign you see there.

It's Monday, so that means The Week Ahead, hosted by SheIsTooFondOfBooks.

This week:

Monday- Finish Giant Secret Project. Mail letters to my representatives about Handmade Toys and the possibility of small time toy makers being put out of business. Click the button over there ---------> (under the ad) for more info.
Tuesday- Photograph Giant Secret Project. Clean house for company.
Wednesday- TBR Day Review. Off work early because someone is actually coming to visit me in SOUTH DAKOTA. (Uh, Jason, better bring a warm coat, ok?)
Thursday-
Friday-
Weekend-
THIS WEEK-Attempt to make slipper shoes for the Bug. Read. Finish a book. Wrap and mail the 3 remaining packages to be mailed. Buy white corduroy. Start wrapping gifts for under our tree. Take the boys to see Santa. Make one last handmade gift. Finish up Christmas cards (just a dozen or so to go.) Review Coraline. Blog about cool art project the Pirate and I made.


How'd I do last week?

Monday- Finish crayon rolls. Make quick gift bag.
Package 5 of the 8 packages that I have to mail.
Tuesday- Mail 5 packages (AL, SC, NC, NC and CT).
Buy a lot of stamps. Singlehandedly support the USPS.
Wednesday- Post holiday meme.
Thursday-
Friday-
Saturday- Christmas party.
The Bug's first sleepover (Eeep!).

THIS WEEK- Finish handsewing
on the Giant Secret Project. Attempt to make slipper shoes for the Bug. Read.
Finish a book. Wrap and mail 2 of the 3 remaining packages to be mailed.
Learn how to make a quilt label and do so. Buy white corduroy. Start wrapping
gifts for under our tree. Attempt to make granola (anyone got a recipe they
love?) Take the boys to see Santa. DO NOT GET SICK.

Well, I started off good anyway. What's on your agenda this week? And, is it cold where you live? Can I come live with you?

A Christmas Meme

I don't remember where I stole this, but it looked like fun! Also, I seem to have stole their formatting and I can't make blogger do what I want. Sorry about that.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper unless it's super hard to wrap.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Real, but I have been tempted by the nice looking artificial ones.

3. When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving, if time allows.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Growing up, it was before New Years. Here it has to be after.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I like eggnog flavor better than actual eggnog. Eggnog latte, mmmmm.

6. Favourite gift received as a child?
Books. I had one aunt who used to fill a giant box with used books for me. She really stretched my limits on what I read and I loved that. Sadly, she stopped doing that when I hit my teens.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
The Bug. We have all the Pirate's baby toys and the Bug doesn't ask for anything.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
The Pirate. In fact, he's having a much better Christmas than we intended.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
yes, in a box.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail, and I wrote them out this weekend.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A huge white muscle tank with a lifeguard symbol on it from my ex's mother. WHA? SO not me.

12. Favourite Christmas Movie?
I don't know that I have a favorite. I am not a huge movie lover. If you made me pick, I'd say How the Grinch Stole Christma.s

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not that I can remember.

15. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
I like to have the same meal as at Thanksgiving- turkey, dressing, etc. My husband's family does prime rib and baked potatoes, which is also good.

16. Lights on the tree?
Yes, colored.

17. Favourite Xmas song?
O Holy Night. Crazy for unreligious me, but there ya go.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We alternate. This year is Christmas with the inlaws (all of them- I think there are 22 of us? We all stay in a cabin together. It's a very big cabin.)

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We have an old fashioned St. Nick on ours.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
One on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Snotty people who are all into the "we don't celebrate big, we are too aware that not everyone can afford to celebrate." I respect people who believe that, and most of them are perfectly nice about it, but there is a small subset who just RUB IT IN and make people who DO love Christmas and giving gifts feel like crap. We aren't having a huge Christmas ourselves, but I'm sure not going to criticize people who are, and who love it.

23. Favourite ornament theme or colour?
I like brightly colored ornaments, and am partial to the snowflakes on our tree this year.

24. Favourite memory of Christmas?
As a child, spending the night at my Grandparents on Christmas Eve and waking up first (waking up? hell, I don't think I went to sleep!) and waiting and waiting for everyone else to get up. As a kid I hated it, but looking back it was great. As an adult, I'm loving sharing it all with the Pirate (and the Bug, not that he knows what's going on. )

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

All I want for Christmas is world peace. HA. No. I love presents. I want it all.

The Week Ahead and Mailbox Monday ?

Wait, isn't it Tuesday?

Doesn't matter, I only got one book in the mailbox this week- a short romance novel about two friends falling in love. That's my most favorite story line.

So, the Week Ahead- I decided to format mine a little differently. I'm not paying any attention to what day I have set up for things. Here's this week:

Monday- Oops. Since Monday is over can I post what I did and cross them all off and feel good? Finish crayon rolls. Make quick gift bag. Package 5 of the 8 packages that I have to mail. Well. That was nice.
Tuesday- Mail 5 packages (AL, SC, NC, NC and CT). Buy a lot of stamps. Singlehandedly support the USPS.
Wednesday- Post holiday meme.
Thursday-
Friday-
Saturday- Christmas party. The Bug's first sleepover (Eeep!).

THIS WEEK- Finish handsewing on the Giant Secret Project. Attempt to make slipper shoes for the Bug. Read. Finish a book. Wrap and mail 2 of the 3 remaining packages to be mailed. Learn how to make a quilt label and do so. Buy white corduroy. Start wrapping gifts for under our tree. Attempt to make granola (anyone got a recipe they love?) Take the boys to see Santa. DO NOT GET SICK (the other adult in our household was very ill overnight.)

And how'd I do last week?

Monday- Make the Bug's stocking. Photograph jewelry bags.
Finish hand sewing on part 2 of The Giant Secret Project.
Tuesday- Photograph Christmas decor so I can blog it. Cut crayon rolls. Read two chapters. Enjoy reading the wishlist of my Bloggy Secret Santa and picking something out for her.
Wednesday- My turn in the Blogger Advent Calendar 2008! Go shopping for little goodies to put in actual advent calendar. Sew at least 3 crayon rolls. Read two chapters.
Thursday- Mumble Mumble for Mumble, who reads this blog. Start handsewing on
part 3 of The Giant Secret Project. Read two chapters.
Friday- Finish handsewing. Finish crayon rolls. Read two chapters.
Saturday- Post office to mail Secret Santa gifts. Birthday party for niece. Read.
Sunday- Finish GIANT SECRET PROJECT. Make crown. Read.

Not so bad! Clearly I need to finish that project so it's OUT OF MY WAY. That will be this week's priority.

What's your priority this week?

.

7 Random Reading things about me

I've seen this one go around and around, and since I can't think of anything else to blog about today, I thought I'd give it a shot.

1. The first "grown-up" book I read was Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. I have no idea why I thought this was different from the other chapter books I'd been reading, but I did. Obviously, it is aimed right at the demographic I was in at the time.
   
2. I used to collect the original yellow covered Nancy Drew books. At one point there was a finate number of them, and I had all but one or two. There were some new ones coming out in paperback, but I was a real snob about them. When my collection was near complete, I found a cardboard box to display them in. I spent an afternoon carefully removing the flaps and spray painting the box white, inside and out. I was too impatient to wait for the paint to dry and I put my books in the box while it was still wet. I bet you can see where this is going...
3. I read a *lot* of romance novels in high school and college. I firmly believe that it does not matter what you read, so long as you read something.
4. The very first book listed in my reading journal, from January of 1993, is called Michael's Wife. I did not meet Mike until 1999.
5. The librarian at the public library in the town where I grew up hated me. She was convinced that I was a horrible kid. She all but chased me out of the building and very strongly suggested that I never go back. I never did. The librarian at my junior high LOVED me. She would order books with me in mind and hold books so that I could read them before they were put out. These things happened the same year.
6. If anything scary or overly tense happens in a book I have to physically put the book down and stop reading. Sometimes this is for minutes, sometimes days. It can be good tense or bad tense, but either way, I stop.
7. There are 214 unread books in my bedroom alone. There are boxes of books in the garage that I've been moving around with me, unread, since high school. There are shelves in the living room, the basement and the Bug's room full of more books. Many of those are unread too. There are a dozen more recent aquisitions right here by my computer. I have read less than 40 books this year.

Anyone else who hasn't done this one? Consider yourself tagged.

Bookworm Award

Trish tagged (awarded? gifted?) me with the Bookworm Award. Thanks Trish!

Here's the Rules:

Rules:
Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following. The closest book to me is Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer. Page 56 only has 6 sentences on it, being the last page of chapter 4.

'Well, don't put yourself into a stew!' recommended Miss Wynchwood. 'If he does come here with any such intention he will find he has me to deal with - and that is an experience which I fancy he won't enjoy!'

Now I'm supposed to tag 5 people, but I think everyone's already done this! If you haven't, and you want to, consider yourself tagged.

Wondering how I did on yesterday's list?

Monday- Run to the store at lunch for red felt and cat litter. (I went, they had no red felt!) Tonight, cut red felt stockings and white trim (see above about red felt.) Read at least two chapters (read one and a half, long chapters!).

And here's what I have on tap today-

Tuesday-Find stockings (real ones) so that I can make a template to make the Bug's. . Read at least two chapters. Cut circles for jewelry bags. Figure out how to put numbers on the stockings (any suggestions, internets? I don't fancy cutting out numbers from felt and sewing them on.)

Added to the list- return overdue library books!

7 Random Things About Me

Sam over at Sam's Book Blog has tagged me for a fun little meme. This one's been going around for a while now, and I've never done it, so I'm kinda excited! Here we go:

1. I hoard candy. I have a lot of willpower, especially when it comes to chocolate. I can make a bag of mini Dove bars last a month, if no one else touches it. Unfortunately, I'm the only one in the family who can do this, so I end up scarfing it down so I get my share.
2. I often say the long version of words. For example: ink pen, television, and refrigerator instead of pen, tv, and fridge. A certain friend of mine likes to make fun of me for it.
3. I don't really like to watch movies. I like having SEEN movies, but I don't like to give up the time it takes to watch them. Even if I'm sitting here in front of the tv anyway, I don't like to watch a movie, in particular, movies I have not seen.
4. I can't stand to have a fan blowing on me for no reason. It's ok if I've been working out, or if it's 98 degrees or something, but I dislike having a fan on me just for the breeze. My husband loves it. I don't like the ceiling fan on high, but I'm learning to like it on low. This is not true if it's 85 in the house and we're trying not to use the air conditioner (see? long version), but otherwise, no fans.
5. I don't like to make phone calls. This makes my job particularly difficult at times. I don't even like calling people with GOOD news. I think this is largely because my first boyfriend LOVED to put other people on the phone and have them pretend to be him so that I never knew who I was talking to. If you call me, identify yourself. I am very bad at identifying voices, don't assume I know who you are.
6. I went to a boarding school for my junior and senior years of high school. I LOVED it.
7. I met my husband online. We both played a MMORPG called EverQuest. After knowing him for 3 years, I moved across the country to live with him. That was the first, and last, online game I ever really played. Sometimes I feel very nostalgic for it.

Now I'm supposed to tag some of you. I pick Gina at Bitty and the Boy, The Shiba, Mo at Un-Mainsteam Mom Reads, and Ti at Book Chatter and other stuff.... I checked, and I don't think any of you have done it.

And a reminder, you still have time to enter to win a $15 gift card, click here and leave a comment!

Booking Through Thursday

Last chance reminder! If you want to be entered to win The Thirteenth Tale, click over here and leave a comment. Winner to be drawn tomorrow.

Yeah, I know, it's Saturday. It's the Saturday of a THREE DAY WEEKEND, in fact. A THREE DAY WEEKEND in which daycare is OPEN on Monday. I don't usually do B.T.T. but this looked like a fun one. This is just the first chance I've had to do it.

What was the last book you bought?
I can't even remember. I get 99% of my books through Paperbackswap now. I haven't bought a book in a long time. I got a Borders giftcard for my birthday in June, and I bought magazines, and a journal.

Name a book you have read MORE than once
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint- Exupery
The Secret by Julie Garwood
Gone with the Wind
Pride and Prejudice

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
I can't think of any.

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
Nowadays, it's by reading other blogs. I admit that a beautiful cover will go a long way towards making me even read the review, and I've ordered a couple questionable book from Paperbackswap based entirely on the cover.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Both. My favorite non-fiction are the memoirs about specific things- brain surgeons, or meth addicts or travel writing. Not so much straight biographies of a person's life.

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?

Plot, but BAD writing will stop me.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
Well, our dog is named Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. And then Scarlet, for all her scheming.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
There are probably 25 books on my nightstand because I use it for storage. None of them are books that I am currently reading, because I don't usually read in bed. The main book that I'm reading now is Cerulean Sins by Laurell K Hamilton.

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs. I finished it this week and loved it, review soon!

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
All the time. I have too many books to plod through something. I'll give up after a chapter or two if the writing or plot doesn't grab me.

Getting to know me

It's pretty early on Sunday but I want to continue my posting streak. Since nothing interesting has happened yet, here's a little meme. I've seen it all over the blog world, most recently at A Girl Walks Into a Bookstore.

What were you doing five years ago? I'd been in South Dakota for almost a year and at my current employer for about 6 months.

Five snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non-weight-gaining world: Ice cream, chocolate, ice cream, chocolate, ice cream.

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire: Pay off my debt (duh), hire a maid, travel all of Europe, buy my mom a house, have more children.

Five (non-academic) jobs that I have had: Waitress, grocery store bakery, bookstore, receptionist/secretary at a museum, loan officer.

Five Habits: Biting my nails, leaving my shoes all over the living room, coffee in the morning, always taking a book everywhere, watching an episode of Friends on my lunch break.

Five places I have lived: Sheffield, AL, Mobile, AL (for high school), Auburn, AL (for college), Hunstville, AL, and Rapid City, SD. (pretty boring, huh?)

Five people I want to get to know better (and who should consider themselves tagged!): I'm too lazy to see who hasn't been tagged, but I KNOW Bitty and the Boy hasn't done it.

July Book Blowout meme

Today is the first day of the Book Blowout! In celebration the host has given us a short meme.

1. Describe yourself in one sentence. Tired mommy who wishes she could quit her job to stay home to read and sew.

2. What book will you start the challenge with? I will be finishing up The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby, then on to The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn.

3. Where is your favourite place to read? In my home I like to read in my cushy living room chair or on the back porch in a really ugly lounge chair thing. In my dreams I'd be on the balcony of a house overlooking the ocean.

4. What is your favourite book of all time? I don't know that I've thought in terms of favorites in a long time. I love Gone with the Wind. I loved The Book Thief. A Thousand Splendid Suns. The Secret by Julie Garwood (not the Secret the self-help book.) The Little Prince.

5. Remind us all of your challenge target. 8 books.

Pop on over to the Blue Archipelago to see everyone else's answers!

Eva's Reading Meme

I saw this over at A Striped Armchair and thought it would be a fun meme to think about.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Everyone loved it except one reviewer who was scandalized by something "immoral" on the first page (perhaps the first chapter? I don't remember.) My best friend and her husband loved it. I have it in my 2008 TBR list, hopefully I'll get to it this year.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be? Ranger from Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. Babe. Eric from Charlaine Harris's Dead to the World. And Roarke from J.D. Robb's In Death series. Oh come on, tell me you wouldn't want to be in the room with any ONE of them!

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I think this is the only book I've ever gone to the teacher/ professor and said I just couldn't read, could I please be assigned something else.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it? I don't know that I've ever outright lied about having read something. I may have said I'd read Faulkner based on reading part of Go Down, Moses in 11th grade English. We weren't required to read the whole thing, so I didn't.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book? I really can't think of anything that fits this one.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP) This is hard because recent books spring to mind so much more readily. If I didn't know the VIP, I'd probably recommend Harry Potter since it's one of the few books that seems to span all reading interests. Maybe Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock since I love seeing the reaction to that one. And I did just love The Time Traveler's Wife, but I can't see it appealing to many men.


A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? Is it cheating to say Italian because I am dying to be able to speak Italian? I don't actually know of any Italian literature.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick? The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. For a while there I was reading it every year anyway. I think it will be the first real book I try to read along to the Monkey, even though I know he won't get it.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)? I've discovered that I don't ever complete a challenge. I've also (like Eva) discovered YA fiction. So much of it is very similar to adult fiction, except for the age of the characters.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free. It would have to be huge with lots of shelves, but not necessarily the old wooden shelves with the ladder. I'd want a squishy couch and couple different style chairs, and little tables on each side of each of them. Plus a coffee table. And a coffee maker and a mini-fridge. A couple of cats. The books would be a little bit of everything, but would be organized by subject and author. There would be a magic spell on it that made everyone who entered instantly talk in a quiet tone, and NO ONE would be forced to be a pirate. In fact, even the smallest of children would discover a need to sit down and read and there would be a corner of the room filled with the best picture books (the ones that mom is just too cheap to buy) and bean bag chairs of lounging.

And now, let’s say everyone has to tag four people (more than that becomes a hassle, imho)
I'm going to tag the other bloggers at my other blog- We'd Rather Read, plus Trish, NOLADawn and Jill.

And just to prove it, I’m (Eva's) going to bribe you…if you leave a comment letting me know you’ve done the meme with a link to the post, I’ll give you some link love via a big list on this post of who’s participated. If in that post, you link back to this one, I’ll also enter you in a drawing to win my ARC of The House at Riverton (see my review below). If you’re an American, this is especially exciting since it isn’t going to published until April. To be in the drawing, you must have posted the meme (and commented here) by February 5th, which is when I’m holding the drawing (it’s also my niece’s second birthday!).

Reading meme

I've seen this at least a dozen times now, so thought I'd play along.

What are you reading right now? I am reading about 8 different things. You can see a complete list on the sidebar. The primary ones are Looking for Alaska (in my pants) by John Green, and Glass House by Rachel Caine.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that? One of the others on that long long list. Or Twilight by Stephenie Myers. Or something for a challenge.

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now? No magazines at the moment. Anne of Green Gables is in there though. I'm reading it for a challenge, and not loving it, so it's best taken in small doses.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read? I can't really remember hating anything I was forced to read. I have a vague memory of hating a book in high school, but sure can't remember what is was (Gina, do you remember?)

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone? It was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for a while, and now I think The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Before those it was The Little Prince.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they? No, because we have self-checkout.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all? I've gotten a mixed response to Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I LOVED it.

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you’re on the computer? While you’re having sex? While you’re driving? I read while I eat, while I'm surfing online, while I watch tv. I do not read while driving or having sex. I WOULD read while bathing, except my bathtub sucks. I read while The Monkey bathes.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits? Not that I recall, except one incident where I didn't want to stop reading to participate in a birthday party I was attending. My own birthday party, that is.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down? I rarely stay up that late any more, but The Book Thief was one, and I woulda stayed up for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows if I hadn't finished in the daytime.

Blogging Tips Meme

Bonnie at Bonnie's Books has tagged me with the Blogging Tips Meme. I love being tagged for things, but have such a hard time thinking of people to tag back.

I also have to admit, I don't really "get" this one. Do I just add my tip to the end? Delete my least favorite? Every list I've seen has had ten on it.

Anyway, here we go!

-Start Copy-

It’s very simple. When this is passed on to you, copy the whole thing, skim the list and put a * star beside those that you like. (Check out especially the * starred ones.)

Add the next number (1. 2. 3. 4. 5., etc.) and write your own blogging tip for other bloggers. Try to make your tip general.

After that, tag 10 other people. Link love some friends!

Just think - if 10 people start this and the 10 people pass it on to another 10 people, you have 100 links already!

1. Look, read, and learn. *** http://www.neonscent.com/

2. Be EXCELLENT to each other. ** http://www.bushmackel.com/

3. Don’t let money change ya! * http://www.therandomforest.info/

4. Always reply to your comments. ***** http://chattiekat.com/

5. Link liberally — it keeps you and your friends afloat in the Sea of Technorati. ** http://chipsquips.com/

6. Don’t give up - persistence is fertile. * http://www.velcro-city.co.uk/

7. Give link credit where credit is due. *** http://www.sfsignal.com/

8. Pictures say a thousand words and can usually add to any post. ** http://scifichick.com/

9. Visit all the bloggers that leave comments for you - it's nice to know who is reading! ** http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/

10. Thrown in something humorous occasionally, to keep things fun. http://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/

11. When picking the URL for your blog, think short and easy. You'll be typing it a million times. http://bookslistslife.blogspot.com/

-End Copy-

And my tags (I am NOT visiting to see if you've already been tagged, so if you get it twice just think of how loved you must be!)

1. B at A journey of 1000 stitches
2. Bibliolatrist at Bibliolatry
3. Neila at Blog That Mommy!
4. Leila Roy at Bookshelves of Doom
5. Janssen at Everyday Reading
6. Jill at The Magic Lasso
7. Trish at Trish's Reading Nook
8. Susan (or whoever is talking today :) ) at West of Mars
9. Amanda at A Patchwork of Books
10. Maggie at Maggie Reads

Whew. There's ten! Have at 'er!