Friday Fill-In

1. Pickles remind me of my sister, Diane, and skating in junior high at the roller rink in Dodge City.
2. My heart is at home.
3. The snow is not in the air today, thank goodness.
4. Healing is found in nature.
5. It's 5:16 PM; that means hubby will soon be home.
6. The key to the shed is hard to find (everything in the shed has been off limits since we realized we lost it almost 3 weeks ago).
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to no more aching back as I am off to visit the chiropractor today, tomorrow my plans include a trip to Lawrence and Sunday, I want to start some tomato seeds for spring!

Friday Fill-In

1. Wouldn't it be easy to simply complete "Friday Fill-ins" prompts today rather than dwell on what's really inside my head?
2. Life with my kiddos is simply better than ever!
3. I love the taste of garden tomatoes, bleu cheese dressing, warm oatmeal scotchies, homemade pizza piled high with garden veggies, hot rhubarb crisp over vanilla ice cream, crisp pastured pork bacon, Cyp's Mexican rice, coffee with hazelnut cream, my sinful mocha chocolate chip cheesecake, my mother's biscuits and gravy, popcorn with fresh grated parmesan cheese, whole milk with chocolate, fresh strawberries and cream on angel food cake, fresh out of the oven bread with a little bit of butter on it... gosh I am so hungry now.
4. It's a little crowded in there; the computers, the book shelves, the filing cabinets, the couches, and the gaming systems all reside in the living room.
5. The first thing we're going to do is appreciate all that is good in our lives.
6. Looking forward to the sounds of drip, drip, drip which will mean the sun is shining and this most recent round of snow is melting away.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to maybe a movie at home with the family, tomorrow my plans include making soup and playing pinochle and Sunday, I want to figure out when it gets here. 

Friday Fill-In

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

1. You have a chance to make a difference.
2. Why not start right now!
3. There is a Polar Bear in our Frigidaire. (I tried, but I can't get past Shel Silverstein for this one.)
4. It's rarely a good idea to buy now and pay later.
5. It's time to just be yourself. 
6. It might be cloudy up in the air but there's no good reason not to live like the sun is still shining.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a date with hubby (grocery shopping), tomorrow my plans include catching up on the work I did not finish today and Sunday, I want to figure out when Sunday gets here!

Friday Fill-In

1. The lesson I learned yesterday was even an old trivia game from the 90s can be a blast when played with my kids.


2. I still long to have a home where friends and family meet.


3. All these years and I still haven't learned when to keep my mouth shut.


4. It was a dark and stormy night when I arrived. (Actually, it must have been a clear night because the story is that the whole family spent the evening prior at the drive-in theater.)


5. The truth is I typically do leave my mouth shut and generally that works for me. Then sometimes I get the bright idea to open it and end up sorry.


6. How relieved I was to no longer be the center of attention when it was over with is what I remember most from that day.


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging with the family, tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping and a card game at my house and Sunday, I want to dive into a writing project that I've been looking forward to wrapping up!

Grown Up Meme

This is one I came across ages ago. I believe I first saw it at Ronnie's and/or Frank's. Just found it in my "edits" folder and decided it was high time I finish it.

Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids? Here's a list of questions for the people who are a little older. Copy and paste into your own note, then answer the questions. Finally, tag your friends (including me, please!). The usual thing, in other words.


If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.


1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

The loan from when hubby was in law school -- it's a reminder of how much more frugal I should have been when I wasn't and I keep thinking how much easier life would be now if I had been.


2. Do you miss being a child?

Some days I'm not altogether convinced that I'm done growing up.


3. Chore you hate the most?

Cleaning out the cat box -- but I chose to have a cat, so I don't really feel that I should complain about it.


4. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?

The sad thing is that I can't remember the last time I had a romantic dinner (and neither can the hubby... I just asked). I'm thinking it was probably at home. (This was my answer in October, but...)

Last night we went out to eat for our anniversary! Oh... but romantic... we took the kids last night, but we did do a movie alone (Sherlock Holmes) the night before.


5. If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be?

I would be more appreciative/less critical of my mom.


6. Name of your first grade teacher?

Mrs. York.


7. What do you really want to be doing right now?

This is pretty much it. My expectations are pretty low for the moment.


8. What did you want to be when you grew up?

What age am I when you are asking?

5 - Writer
7 - Pig Farmer and President
8 - Teacher
9 - Writer
11 - Psychologist (I just liked the word and was proud of myself for knowing how to spell it)
14 - Writer
16 - Psychologist/Brain & Behavior Scientist
17 - Writer
19 - Doctor/Neurologist
21 - Writer

9. How many colleges did you attend?

Two - Pittsburg State University (1 year) and The University of Kansas (3 years). Three if you count the class I took at Dodge City Community College while I was still in high school.


10. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?

It was the closest thing available when I decided the t-shirt I was wearing was not enough for warmth.


11. What are your thoughts on gas prices?

I try not to think too hard about it and encourage myself to ride my bike as often as possible (which is unfortunately not much these days... from lack of encouragment rather than possibility).


12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?

Already?

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?

I was so tired, I think sleep precluded any thoughts I might have been capable of having.


14. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?

Judy Blume


15. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?

Nope. I backed my grandmother's vehicle into a trash dumpster once. I also once backed my dad's car into another car (also belonging to my dad). Oh, and one time I ran the car I was driving into the back of the car hubby was driving at a stop light in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I don't know what was going through my head. We were caravaning and I was just really focused on staying on his bumper, I guess. But no major car crashes in my universe -- thank goodness!


16. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?

Wait a minute... are you saying that if I work I shouldn't be volunteering? Or if I volunteer, I shouldn't have to work? I've apparently got this one all screwed up. I think I've had some sort of volunteer job/community involvement for most of my life... alongside whatever else I was doing.


17. Get up early or sleep in?

Get up early in my productive phases; sleep in when I'm on break.


18. What is your favorite cartoon character?

Shaggy and Scooby Doo.


19. Favorite thing to do at night?

Stargaze or sleep. (Sleep usually wins, but I like the idea of stargazing.)


20. When did you first start feeling old?

The year we moved to Emporia and I fell down the stairs.


21. Favorite lunch meat?

Virginia Brand Ham.


22. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart?

Tough one... I'm thinking a big hunk of cheese most often tops the list.


23. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?

No. In fact, it's something I'd like to see people take a little more seriously these days.


24. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?

It should be kind of obvious by now that I'm pretty much an open book when it comes to stuff like this ... I'm having a hard time thinking what might qualify. I'm a big fan of Peter Pan movies... pretty much all of them that I have seen... anything with a pan-like theme.


25. What's your favorite drink?

Alcoholic? Frozen margarita, don't forget the salt.

Otherwise, I've become rather fond of green tea with a bit of sugar and lemon in it... so that it's almost more lemonade than tea.


26. Who from high school would you like to run into?

I keep in touch with everyone from high school that I would like to keep in touch with. Sure would be nice to see Bill Evans (and family) in person, but he's pretty good about posting photos online and he does send notes when harrassed enough, so I won't complain too loudly.


27. What radio station is your car radio tuned into right now?

I have no idea. My daughter takes care of those details for me these days.


28. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives?

Never seen Sopranos. Frequently watched Housewives up until this year.


29. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?

By now, it feels as if it was a huge stepping stone toward making us the rock we are today... so I no longer spend time dwelling there. In short, I don't want to talk about it. (Yep, even after all that open book stuff above.)


30. Do you like the person that sits directly across from you at work?

Not applicable.


31. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?

I have a vague memory of using our fire extinguisher, but I can't remember the specifics of a fire. It seems like it was the kitchen in the house we lived at in Dodge City.


32. Last book you finished reading?

Traveling with Pomegranates, a Mother-Daughter Story, by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor. (That was my answer back in October when I started this thing.)

Today, Psych Major Syndrome, by Alicia Thompson. This was a book I lifted from my daughter's library pile. The title was simply too intriguing. It was cute. A love story with a bit of humor. The writer was definately a psych major, of that I could relate.


33. Do you have a teddy bear?

Yes. The crazy quilt bear my mom made, a KU bear my mom made, and the hubby, of course.


34. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?

At the kitchen sink? I live such a strange, strange life.


35. Do you go to church?

Nope.


36. How old are you?

39.5 years

20 Questions Meme

I saw this at Sandra's, and now at Frank's (who I just "met" through a new comment), too. So why not?

The rules:
A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs & replace any question that they dislike with a new question.
B) Tag 8 people to answer the questions. Only I'm not going to tag people. If you need fodder for you blog, go for it and leave me a comment.

1. How many songs are on your iPod?
I refuse to spend my money on an iPod, but I do have an inexpensive MP3 player which I enjoy way more than I ever imagined. I would guess that I have about 50 songs on it, but I don't know for sure because I think my daughter was adding new stuff for me last night and it is not sitting in its usual spot.

2. What music would you want played at your funeral?
Since I would like my funeral to be something of a party celebrating my life, I would just ask that folks play music that makes them think of me and other stuff they like. My friends could probably tell you better, but I imagine there would be a lot of stuff by the Beatles and Prince, of course. And there needs to be at least one sappy moment when they play The Rainbow Connection, as sung by Kermit the Frog and maybe Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul & Mary.

3. What magazines do you have subscriptions to?
Archaeology
Time
Science Illustrated

Natural Solutions (which I'm going to dump because they aren't nearly as good as they were when they were Alternative Medicine)

For some reason I get Better Homes and Gardens even though I send the bill back every year telling them I am not going to pay.

And my dad usually passes on his copies of Smithsonian.

4. What is your favorite scent?
Lavender.

5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
I'd knock this house to the ground and build another right here in the same spot -- or maybe a few miles out in the country -- depending on how my kids and hubby felt about it. I'd also get me a sparkly new minivan. It's true, even with a million dollars I would have no qualms about driving a minivan.

6. What is your theme song?
Gotta Be by Des'ree

7. Do you trust easily?
Hmm... I generally have a pretty strong gut reaction for trusting and not trusting and it rarely leads me wrong. So yes, I guess I trust easily, but not necessarily broadly. Some folks have to earn my trust, and some folks will never get it, but that won't necessarily stop me from being friendly with them and getting along.

8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
I think before I act. And then generally think and think again. Perhaps I think to much. It's quite possible that thinking prevents me from acting more often than it should.

9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Sure, but just general stuff that everybody deals with -- wishing I had more time for stuff, budget woes. I'm generally pretty pro-active and try not to spend a lot of time thinking about what brings me unhappiness. Instead, I focus on how I can get back to happy when unhappiness visits.

10. Do you have a good body-image?
For the most part, yes. Though I'd be lying if I did not admit to longing for that fitter, flatter, stronger me of my youth.

11. Is being tagged fun?
Yeah. It's nice to be pointed out in a crowd.

12. How do you spend your social networking (Facebook, etc.) time?
I guess I try not to. I have Facebook, MySpace, Xanga accounts... but I guess general blogs (and email) are still my favorite forums. All that extra stuff starts to feel like just a little too much time on the computer, so I mostly ignore them except to communicate with the folks I want to communicate with who only use those forums.

13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Maybe list making? I'm not sure. I'm pretty fond of butterscotch chewies, as well, but that's a long-term affliction, not something that would qualify as "lately."

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is? Original question.
I'll answer Frank's question: Why do people still believe in the supernatural? (lights just went on... Sandra must have come from the Frank branch of this meme because this was her question, too.)

Because there's just so much that will never be understood and believing in something is easier than believing in nothing for most people.

15. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
Why are there so many songs about rainbows, and what's on the other side? (in Kermit's voice, too.)

16. What’s your favorite item of clothing?
My oversized, long sleeved, white KU shirt... but it's getting dingy enough I may have to start just wearing it around the house.

17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
When mixed with a bunch of marshmallows and butter in a pan, you bet! But only if they are still chewy. There's nothing worse than grabbing a big old rice krispie bar to find it rock hard and barely chewable.

18. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
I'd stick it in my pocket and spend it on groceries.

19. What items could you not go without during the day?
Some sort of device for writing - either computer or pen and paper.

20. What should you be doing right now?
Finishing the last article that I have due this week so that I can work on cleaning the house and start cooking. Company arrives tonight!

Friday Fill-Ins

#78

1. Birthdays are another good excuse to celebrate the people you love.



2. Spring and Fall is are my favorite seasons because change is invigorating.



3. I feel my best when I’ve exercised my mind and my body.



4. Variety is my favorite food! I can’t stand eating the same thing over and over again.



5. First impressions are not enough to understand a person or know a person well, but often the truth to which you eventually return.



6. The best piece of advice I ever received was kids are striving for independence from day one, the job of a parent is to let them (Pat Jones, my first midwife).



7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to catching up on Smallville reruns, tomorrow my plans include cleaning out the shed and Sunday, I want to dedicate a day to just being wherever my mind takes me!

If I Was ...

A meme by Zenmomma.
First viewed at Sandra’s.


If I was a punctuation mark, I'd be ... an ellipsis… most definitely denoting the omission of… but deliberately so…

If I was a form of currency, I'd be ... a million dollar bill, of course. I’ve always been a Million.

If I was a hallucinogen, I'd be ... nutmeg, subtle and dreamlike in quality.

If I was a best-selling book, I'd be ... exactly where I dream to be.

If I was a philosophy, I'd be ... more heartfelt than academic, like the stuff you learned in grandmother’s kitchen or on fishing trips with Grandpa…

If I was a thought, I'd be ... one you couldn't get out of your head.

If I was a way to understand love, I'd be ... that feeling you get when you take the time to watch your children without distraction.

If I was a boot, I'd be ... plain looking and comfortable.

If I was a hue, I'd be ... sky blue.

If I was a soup, I'd be ... creamy baked potato. I might look plain, but there’s a little bit of bacon and cheese in there, too.

If I was time, I just might ... add another hour per day for reading, another couple of hours for playing, and another for a mid-day nap.

If I was a drink, I'd be ... available blended or on the rocks.

If I was a play I'd be written by... ME!!

If I was a long distance carrier I'd be ... more muscular and thin, cause I'd do it all on foot or bike.

If I was this song I'd be ... sung only in the shower and on long car trips with your favorite people.

And if there is anyone still reading this blog... I invite you to play along (or at least answer one or two ifs in the comment section).

Random Question Meme

I saw this at Ron's blog. He probably doesn't even know I am a regular reader, but I left a comment anyway. It works like this:

1. Leave me a comment saying anything random, like [the food you hate most in all the world]. Something random. Whatever you like.
   
2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
   
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
   
4. You will include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.
   
5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five questions.
   

Now for my questions from Ron.

1- Have you started writing/planning any books?

Yes. In fact, I excel at starting/planning books. It's the long-term follow through that gets me. I seem to be improving with age, however. I am currently on the third draft of my third novel attempt.

2- Do you consider yourself to be a homeschooling activist?

I might qualify as a low-key activist. I'm not out there trying to convert anyone, but I enjoy providing support for those new to homeschooling and I'm happy to share resources and encouragement with anyone looking for alternatives. I started KSHomeschool.net a few years ago. Kansas is a very friendly state to homeschool in, but also rather conservative and traditional. The idea behind KSHomeschool.net was to create a community for homeschoolers with more eclectic approaches. It's been quite fun, and I've met people from across the state both online and in person. Our annual social gathering has grown from a small group of 15 the first year to more than 140 last year (our third year). I look for it to grow even more in 2008.

3- Firefox or Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer.

4- Have you started planning your next vacation?

The planning for the next one almost always starts with the current one. In fact, we are planning to attend a Dog Party in Illinois in October. The kids and I are travelling with the pooch. Poor kitty will have to stay at home.

5- What is the most memorable homeschooling book you’ve read?

Tough question. I suppose the books by John Holt (specifically How Children Learn and Learning All the Time) that I read early on were key reads for getting me to the place I am today. I still recommend Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense, by David Guterson to parents who ask questions about homeschooling.

I honestly don't read that many homeschooling books these days. I enjoy the interactions on a few email lists and get to enjoy regular get-togethers with members of our area homeschool networks. Most recent as far as books, I have enjoyed Rue Kream's Parenting a Free Child: An Unschooled Life. I knew of Rue through an email list I was on years ago when I was trying to figure out where homeschooling was going to take me. It was fun to pick up her book and see where her journey had taken her.


Don't forget to leave your random thought and I'll ask you some questions!

It's not my habit to moan...

but here it is, the Moaning Meme, via Lory (who had answers I was tempted to ditto).

4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth.

• high fructose corn syrup
  
• CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)
  
• professional (lifetime) politicians
  
• high-heeled shoes (or any shoes, for that matter, that aren't entirely practical)
  

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently.

• make broad statements about general groups of people (i.e lawyers, catholics, homeschoolers) as if they can paint them all with the same brush
  
• claim dozens of reasons for why something can't be done without once considering how whatever it is they want to do CAN be done
  
• speak poorly or negatively about their children/spouses... especially when it's done in front of said children/spouses
  

2 things you find yourself moaning about.

• my aching back (or tailbone)
  
• home improvement projects I've not yet managed to get to
  

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself.

• I ought to start thinking about when I'm going to do my stint in office...
  

RULES

• Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so people know what it's all about!
  
• Be as honest as possible, This is about letting people get to know the real you!
  
• Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly!
  
• Post these rules at the end of every meme!
  

Me? A Superhero?

Your Superpower Should Be Invisibility

You are stealth, complex, and creative. You never face problems head on. Instead, you rely on your craftiness to get your way. A mystery to others, you thrive on being a little misunderstood. You happily work behind the scenes... because there's nothing better than a sneak attack! Why you would be a good superhero: You're so sly, no one would notice... not even your best friends Your biggest problem as a superhero: Missing out on all of the glory that visible superheroes get

What Should Your Superpower Be?

Are You White & Nerdy?

How White and Nerdy Are You?


Have you seen the video? We've been singing this one in our house for months. Watch for Donny Osmond's dance moves.

Hubby says I have too much time on my hands...

I say I'm just waiting for my turn in the bathroom...

You Are Paper

Crafty and creative, you are able to adapt freely to almost any situation. People tend to underestimate you, unless they've truly seen what you are capable of. Deep down, you're always scheming and thinking up new plans. Your mind is constantly active. You are quite capable of anything you dream of. You can always figure out a way to get what you want. You can wrap a rock person up in your sheet of trickery. A scissor person can sneak up and cut you to pieces. When you fight: No one can anticipate your next move If someone makes you mad: You'll attack them mercilessly when they're unprepared

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

You Are More Yin

Feminine Devoted Forgiving Fall Winter Afternoon Moon Time Passive Metal Honey

Are You More Yin or Yang?

You Are 50% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

This blog is rated...

This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words: hurt (1x)

Funny, I've been thinking perhaps I need to spice things up a little.

Get your blog rating here.

Book Quiz

Thinking about what to blog about today and found this link at HeyMom's place.

Not sure what to think of this one. Only six questions and I had to really think about a couple of them. Do I feel old? Yes or No just isn't enough to answer that question. None-the-less, this is what it came to, a book that has been on my too-read list for ages... but I've not gotten to it.

You're A People's History of the United States!

by Howard Zinn

After years of listening to other peoples' lies, you decided you've had enough. Now you're out to tell it like it is, with all the gory details and nothing left out. Instead of respecting leaders, you want to know what the common people have to offer. But this revolution still has a long way to go, and you're not against making a little profit while you wait. Honesty is your best policy.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

How to Get Along with Me

• Give me plenty of compliments. They mean a lot to me.
  
• Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me to learn to love and value myself.
  
• Respect me for my special gifts of intuition and vision.
  
• Though I don't always want to be cheered up when I'm feeling melancholy, I sometimes like to have someone lighten me up a little.
  
• Don't tell me I'm too sensitive or that I'm overreacting!
  

I can't say that I necessarily like the way it sums me up, but I have to admit that it's probably fairly accurate. I am a four according to The New Enneagram test... a person who is sensitive, warm and perceptive.

What I Like About Being a Four

• my ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level
  
• my ability to establish warm connections with people
  
• admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life
  
• my creativity, intuition, and sense of humor
  
• being unique and being seen as unique by others
  
• having aesthetic sensibilities
  
• being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me
  

What's Hard About Being a Four

• experiencing dark moods of emptiness and despair
  
• feelings of self-hatred and shame; believing I don't deserve to be loved
  
• feeling guilty when I disappoint people
  
• feeling hurt or attacked when someone misundertands me
  
• expecting too much from myself and life
  
• fearing being abandoned
  
• obsessing over resentments
  
• longing for what I don't have
  

Fours as Children Often

• have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games
  
• are very sensitive
  
• feel that they don't fit in
  
• believe they are missing something that other people have
  
• attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, etc.
  
• become antiauthoritarian or rebellious when criticized or not understood
  
• feel lonely or abandoned (perhaps as a result of a death or their parents' divorce)
  

Fours as Parents

• help their children become who they really are
  
• support their children's creativity and originality
  
• are good at helping their children get in touch with their feelings
  
• are sometimes overly critical or overly protective
  
• are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed
  

I scored equally high as a three (achiever), five (observer), and eight (asserter). Those were my second highest scores, though not nearly as high as my score as a four.

What is an Enneagram?

So just out of curiosity, what are you?

The Crazy Eight

I tagged myself at Monica’s.

This is not a repeat of 6 weird things, but 8 random facts/habits. There is a difference, no?

Here are the rules.

1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves


2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules


3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names


4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I can’t stand wearing loose socks or socks with thick seams at the toes. I also can’t stand wearing shoes without socks. There are too many funky little things in a shoe that touch your feet. Have to have a good tight sock with no seams to protect yourself.

2. I never put my glasses back on after my evening shower even though I can’t see a thing without them and I often get on the computer or read. I’d rather sit with my face two inches from the screen/book. I have this weird idea that I am letting my eyes “rest” by not wearing my glasses for a while.

3. I hate talking on the phone. Don’t mind talking to people in real life at all, but I so dislike talking on the phone that I won’t even call to order a pizza.

4. I feel guilty for staying in the house when the weather is nice. Usually, if I don’t already have plans to be outside on a nice day, I will take a book and sit outside and read for just a little while just to say that I’ve been out.

5. My eyes are blue. I was once interviewing a girl for a job at my office when I lived in Houston and right in the middle of the interview, she stopped talking and told me how beautifully blue my eyes were. It was weird. I wondered if she thought I’d be more likely to give her the job. I didn’t.

6. Blue cheese dressing has become one of my favorite things to eat. I hated it when I was a kid – now I almost crave it. I’d eat it every day if it didn’t have so much bad stuff in it.

7. I can’t sleep without the dog at my feet. I count on her to wake me up if anything bad happens in the night. That’s why I wake up every night whenever the cat enters the room. The dog thinks the cat is bad.

8. The books on my desk at this moment include Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss; The Chicago Manual of Style; a 1978 edition of The New Roget’s Thesaurus; Kansas Authors Club 2007 yearbook; The Writer’s Book of Hope, by Ralph Keyes; and Big Stone Gap, by Adriana Trigiani.

I tag:
1. Bubba Hubby
2. Samantha
3. Magoo
4. Marshall Dillon
5. HeyMom
6. LoryKC
7. kiddo #1
8. kiddo #2

Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Tracy Needs...

Found at Angela's... This one is good for an evening of mindless entertainment.

“To do it, you go to www.google.com (or your favorite search engine) and enter your name + the word needs in quotation marks.” So, here we go!

• Tracy needs wins to get back in title battle



• Tracy needs to rethink the stock car thing



• Tracy needs this!



• Tracy needs a sanctuary, periodic retreat from the world



• "We met monthly and identified and clarified Tracy's needs." ... but does it really matter what tracy needs when "Hollywood needs a new Tracy;"



• Tracy needs to find the right balance between emotions and logic



• Tracy needs her eyebrows plucked, but they are still very nice



• Tracy needs a self-image as much as she needs the kicks that accompany it



• Tracy needs to move forward with the project



• TRACY NEEDS TO BE GIVEN A DRUG TEST SHE IS A HEAVY WEED SMOKER

Hmmm... I guess that's about enough of that.

Night folks... Tracy NEEDS to go to bed.

A Book Meme

I haven't given up on the Sunday Book Reviews, I've just been indulging in authors that don't really need my two cents (Anne Tyler, John Irving). So this is my Sunday share instead, even though I am late.

Picked up at Pattie's Place.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback? I can't say that I'm that picky. I love a hardback book, but I hate to pay for one. A good book is a good book, however it is presented.

Amazon or brick and mortar? Amazon when I'm looking for something specific and I just want to get it in my hands ASAP... but nothing beats a brick and mortar bookstore for a relaxing day out. I can happily browse a bookstore for hours and hours.

Barnes & Noble or Borders? See above answer. If I am on vacation and both are available, I will likely spend some quality time at each one.

Bookmark or dogear? I have been known to dogear, but my daughter is breaking me of that habit (she hates it when I dogear her books). I have tons of bookmarks. I guess I sort of collect them, but I'm more likely to actually mark my place in books with a scrap of paper, a receipt, a library check-out slip or whatever else is immediately handy. My bookmarks are collecting dust on a shelf in my desk.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? I tend group my books by subject, but I've never taken the time to alphabetize.

Keep, throw away, or sell? I'm trying to reform myself as a keeper. The goal these days is to not collect them in the first place. Or, at least, not to just collect them randomly and without specific purpose. I often resell my bookclub reads on Amazon if I don't manage to acquire them at the library. I currently only buy and collect books from Kansas authors (I prefer signed copies.)

Keep dustjacket or toss it? Keep.

Read with dustjacket or remove it? If it is a book I own I will remove the dustcover while reading and store it where it won't get bent or messed up.

Short story or novel? Both. Probably more novels than short stories, but I like to read both.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? I probably lean toward short story collections by the same author.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Harry Potter. I still haven't managed the entire Lemony Snicket series. Made it through books 1-4 and then skipped to 13 (daughter summed up the middle books for me).

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? Chapter breaks... except I have a bad habit of falling asleep while reading at night and then I usually have to just start the chapter over again.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”? Once upon a time it was a dark and story night... it all works for me.

Buy or Borrow? I typically convince myself to use and abuse my library, but if there is anything I'm a sucker for, it's a book.

New or used? I have nothing against used books, but I love to be the first to crack the binding.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? Probably reviews and recommendations. My list of to-reads is always longer than I will ever manage.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger? Hmmm.... doesn't everyone like a tidy ending? But when the cliffhangers are done well, I am satisfied.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Yes.

Stand-alone or series? Generally stand-alone, but I tend to read many books by one author in a row.

Favorite series? Harry Potter is the only series that comes to mind that I have read recently.

Favorite children's book? I'd probably have to throw most of the Judy Blume books here. I don't think I would have managed growing up without them. I'm a huge fan of many Dr. Seuss books. What's more fun that to read aloud The Lorax, Yertle the Turtle, or The Sneetches? I enjoy Shel Silverstein poems for the same reason.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Depends on how you define nobody... I refuse to say that Kansans are nobodies and I believe Max Yoho is probably fairly well recognized by many Kansas readers. Outside of Kansas, however, it might be that few people have heard of The Moon Butter Route or The Revival. If you fall into that category, you should look him up. He writes some very entertaining stuff.

Favorite books read last year? Fiction: Between, Georgia, by Joshilyn Jackson; Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd; The Mercy of Thin Air, by Ronlyn Domingue. Nonfiction: Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss; Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States, by Bill Bryson.

Favorite books of all time? The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley; The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan; We Were the Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates; The Center of Everything, by Lora Moriarty... gosh... the list is endless!

Least favorite book you finished last year? Gap Creek, by Robert Morgan

What are you reading right now? Back When We Were Grownups, by Anne Tyler and the guy not taken, short stories by Jennifer Weiner.

What are you reading next? Probably another Anne Tyler book.