Monday, February 17, 2014

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Friday, February 14, 2014

If We Were Having Coffee... - 01/31/14

By    8:00 AM // No comments


If we were having coffee . . .
I would admit that I really do not like coffee... Or tea, actually.  I'd opt for a nice cup of hot cocoa (or more likely a Diet Dr. Pepper).

If we were having coffee . . . 
I would mention how much I love being a part of Purely Vocals and performing with my singing-sisters, but how much I dislike that most of our shows are on the other side of Boston rush-hour traffic! January was a busy one, with rehearsals and shows. And traffic never eases!

If we were having coffee . . .
I would also admit how worried all of these recent shootings (school, mall, etc.) are making me. Working at a college, and a fairly high pressure one, makes one worry a bit more than the norm. I can only continue to hope that our students and staff take advantage of the school's wealth of support options.

If we were having coffee . . . 
I'd tell you that hubby and I aren't much for celebrating Valentine Day. We usually share cards and then do dinner a different night, no use fighting the crowds! We likely will hit a local Mexican place as we have several gift certificates from family. 

If we were having coffee . . . 
I would admit I love Mexican food!

If we were having coffee . . .
I'd wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day. I hope it's filled with love and affection.

If we were having coffee . . . 
I'd tell you not to forget to stop by and share a cup with Jamie, Ashley and Andrea!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

January 2014 Recap...

By    7:30 AM // No comments


JANUARY 2014

...started off really strong, but tapered as the last week of the month was a busy PV week with rehearsals and shows every night. Sadly, February is starting off slow as well...


This month I read: 
Total Read: 3
YTD: 3
Adult: 2
YA/children's: 1
Abandoned: 0

Including:
The Truth About Cruise Ships (Jay Herring)
Opehelia and the Marvelous Boy (Karen Foxlee)
Coreyography (Corey Feldman)


Abandoned: 
None 

Favorite Book(s) of the Month:
Coreyography (Corey Feldman)

Challenges Update: 
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge = 3 of 58
A-Z Book Challenge = 3 of 26
Library Reading Challenge = 0 of 36
E-Book Reading Challenge = 1 of 25
What's in a Name 6 Challenge =  1 of 6

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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Early Decision - Crawford

By    1:00 PM // No comments
Throughout the stress and pressure involved with the college admissions process, even the most educated and intelligent students often need every trick in the book to succeed. Anne is a private college admissions consultant who offers her services to promising high-school students, and their pushy, well-off parents, to prepare the required Common Application and various essays required for consideration.

Anne is good at what she does. She has a long history of success getting her students offers from their top-pick colleges, Tufts, Yale, Princeton, even Harvard.  If you want in, you contact Anne.

Much like her students, Anne needs guidance through what is potentially the most stressful time in her life. Anne is not, however, wading through college applications but her mid-twenties and adult issues like career decisions, marriage, children. She is dating an actor, living below an unfriendly and difficult neighbor, and having never finished her PhD realizes that her job is just that, a job, not a career choice or path.

Early Decision: Based on a True Frenzy is an entertaining look at Anne's struggles as well as the college admission process of five of her students and the growth and maturity that is gained by all.  Lacy Crawford draws on her own wealth of experience as a private college counselor and presents a enjoyable and fun read. Though written as a novel, the book actually provides some valuable college admissions writing skills, and a few life lessons too.

3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Tuesday Tunes - 02/11/14

By    10:36 AM // No comments
A good lyric is like a great book...

With Valentine's Day upon us, a treat for all the lovers out there! A true classic!


Always and Forever
Heatwave, Artist
Rod Temperton, Writer




Always and forever
Each moment with you
It's just like a dream to me
That somehow came true

And I know tomorrow
Will still be the same
Cause we got a life of love
That won't ever change

Every day love me your own special way
Melt all my heart away with a smile
Take time to tell me
You really care
And we'll share tomorrow together

I'll always Love You...Forever

There'll always be sunshine
when I look at you
Something I just can't explain
Just the things that you do

If you get lonely
Call me and take
A second to give to me
That magic you make

Every day love me your own special way
Melt all my heart away with a smile
Take time to tell me
You really care
And we'll share tomorrow together

I'll always Love You...Forever

Every day lend me your own special way
Melt all my heart away with a smile
Take time to tell me, You really care
And we'll share tomorrow together

Baby, Baby, Baby
I'll Love You Forever
I'll always Love You Forever
Together
Forever

Monday, February 10, 2014

Thursday, February 06, 2014

Breathing For A Living - Rothenberg (Throwback Thursday Review)

By    7:30 AM // 1 comment
When Laura Rothenberg was born, in 1981, the average life for expectancy for a patient with cystic fibrosis was 18 years old. Now, thanks to advancements in diagnosis and treatment, the average life expectancy is 35 to 40 years. And while this is a significant difference, it is still a very, very poor prognosis.

Rothenberg spent her entire life fighting the disease and facing the knowledge that she would die young. She even admits to having spent her childhood planning out her funeral and trying to figure out how to ensure that she is not forgotten after her death.

Effectively, Rothenberg published a memorable memoir (which supposedly originated from a class assignment) entitled Breathing For A Living. She also presented an NPR "radio diary" in 2002 called "My So-Called Lungs" (a play on the teen popular television show "My So Called Life), which featured recordings from two years of her struggle. 


Breathing for a LivingIn her memoir, The Brown University student shares the good times, when she is healthy and able to return to school and her friends, as well as the bad times, when she is hospitalized for weeks struggling with illness. She offers a brutally honest and open look at what life looks like for a young women who is marked for an early death and how one goes about living life to the fullest before it passes you by.  She discusses her loss, guilt and fear at having lived longer than many fellow CF sufferers/friends and points out how time presents additional struggle, rather than relief.

She even falls in love.

Eventually, the disease took its toll and Rothenberg and her family decided to move forward with a double-lung replacement, a surgery which sadly bought her only about a year and a half.  Sadly, the new lungs eventually failed her and she passed away at the age of 22. But she lived as full a life as she could and her writing speaks to what a mature, insightful young woman she was, a fighter to the end.


Living in the Boston area, I used to travel into the Longwood Medical area every day for work. I often sat on the subway system with those who were headed to one of the many hospitals in the area: Brigham and Women's, Boston's Children's, Dana-Farber, Josline Diabetes, among others. I have a distinct memory of sitting near a young woman and her beau (husband, boyfriend) one day and being, I'm embarrassed to say, annoyed at her constant coughing. I recall thinking that I did not want to catch whatever cold or flu she was carrying.

It was only a year to two after that I found and read this memoir. It dawned on me that it is not at all beyond the possibility that that young woman was, in fact, Laura Rothenberg herself (I think I recall her talking about traveling to Boston for medical care). Even if it was not, it is entirely possible that the woman, whoever she was, was a CF patient and not just sick, as I had assumed. A learning moment.

Only partly due to this chance encounter, I enjoyed this read quite a bit. The writing is strong.  The story is moving, while being educational and interesting. Anyone who has an interest in such memoirs would most definitely enjoy this read.


 3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.


Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Tuesday Tunes - 02/4/14

By    8:00 AM // No comments
A good lyric is like a great book...
In celebration of the recent Gammy Awards:


Royals
Lourde, Artist
Ella Yelich O'Connor (Lourde), Joel Little, Writers
 


I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address
In the torn up town, no post code envy.
But every song's like...
Gold teeth
Grey Goose
Tripping in the bathroom
Bloodstains
Ball gowns
Trashing the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.
 
But everybody's like...
Crystal
Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes
Islands
Tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair.
And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy.

My friends and I we've cracked the code
We count our dollars on the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows
That we're fine with this, we didn't come from money.
But every song's like:
Gold teeth
Grey Goose
Tripping in the bathroom
Bloodstains
Ball gowns
Trashing the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.
But everybody's like:
Crystal
Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes
Islands
Tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair.
And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy.

ooh ooh oh ooh
We're better than we've every dreamed
And I'm in love with being queen
ooh ooh oh ooh
Life is great without a care
We aren't caught up in your love affair

And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us, we crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy

Monday, February 03, 2014

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