Happy New Year 2017

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Christmas 2016

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Happy Christmas Book Flood!!

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Chanukah

 

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Thanksgiving

Hello all!

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday (or just a great Thursday, if you are a non-American).

 

I wish I could say mine was awesome, but after weeks of prep and cleaning and planning, it ended up being pretty crappy. It actually went really well for everyone else.  Delicious turkey, yummy side dishes, lots family and love and such.

I don't (thankfully) have a lot of health issues, but I do have one health...we'll call it an anomaly...that can rear up and cause issues at the most inopportune times. What I am thankful for this year is that I have family that are willing to give up their holidays to sit in a crappy local ER with me. All. Day. On Thanksgiving. Without turkey or stuffing or other yummy stuff.

 

But I am home now, feeling better (though not 100%). All tests showed nothing unexpected wrong. And I have the rest of the weekend to rest.

 

So, while I'm not officially taking part, I am reading away with you all this weekend.

 

Hope it's a joyful and relaxing one for all, as we move into the typically crazy, busy holiday season.

 

Blessings!

 

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Mondays - 10/31/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

A good scary one for Halloween!

    Currently Reading • Brother (Ania Alhborn)     Finished Reading • Where Am I Now? (Mara Wilson)

 

  

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Mondays - 10/24/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

Currently Reading • Where Am I Now? (Mara Wilson) Finished Reading • Where The Light Gets In: Losing My Mother... (Kimberly Williams Paisley)

  

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Sunday Salon - 2nd try

1. I put together a great post yesterday using a new  blogging app. The eblooger app keeps failing due to the recent Apple updates (and it was never great anyway, barely enabling you to add pictures, no html access, etc.). The new app is pretty impressive, or it was until my post was all set to go, I hit publish and …it went “away”. No clue where it went, but it is not live, not saved, just gone. Grrr!!!! But I’m trying this ONE more time. [Looks like it was my fault…the save button I’ve been hitting is, obviously, NOT the save button. But I do think I found the right one now.] 2. It was a busy, busy summer. My summer program were overwhelming and exhausting, but I survived (as did most of the students, haha, just kidding everyone had an awesome time!). I was glad when it was over and I went on vacation, but I do feel I learned a lot about the process and expect that next summer will be smoother 3. I am pretty much done with this whole election thing. Seriously. And more than a little terrified. I have never been shy about sharing my political points of view, sorry Facebook friends, but will spare you all. You’re welcome. But let’s just do this thing and get it over already.  

4. A few months ago, I had written a wonderful long post with lots of updates and just needed to add pictures (see note about eblogger above). I then walked into the kitchen for something and managed to break a toe on the way back. Yeah, I know. Hubby says I could stub my toe in a round room, and he is not wrong! I know a broken toe shouldn’t stop me from blogging, but…well, you know. 5. I had the opportunity this summer to take some photos. My “little” brother played a performance with his band, The Miller Street Barn Band. I took the ole camera along for fun. And, I actually got some pretty good pics, if I do say so myself! More importantly, I had a great time. 6. So Boston Conservatory has officially merged wth Berklee School of Music. My paycheck now comes from Berklee. The actual process, merging efforts, will take years, but we have begun. And, more importantly, I still have a job…and that is good news! 7. The Purely Vocals girls and I performed out last gig of the season last night. With Vicki enjoying her retirement and traveling the world during the winter months, we only get to sing and perform together during the summer. But it was good one, with several performances and another girls’ weekend away in Conneticut. See attached photos. 8. Way back in the day, I was able to get a little blogging done at work…during extreme down times (I spent a lot of time waiting for others to get back to me). Now a days, not only am I very busy much of the time (which is good, I prefer being busy), but we use Google products (email, drive, etc.). That means that I am not able to log into the blog, without logging out of work email, etc. and logging into my own. That is very inconvenient. Come on Google, figure this out! 9. The kitties are doing really well. They are fully grown now, at two years old. L is still a little tiny peanut and A is a big, big girl, but everyone is healthy. They still play like little babies, jumping on one another, chasing mice toys, and cuddling as much as they can. A has recently started coming to me for cuddle times, that is new! And its awesome!  

10. Well, I’ve managed to pick up some nasty bug…runny nose, sore throat, and I do believe a fever. Time for me to go to bed, despite it being only 7:30. Night, night.

P.S. If this upload works, I am all into this new blogging app!

Update: hmmm, not perfect. Needed a bit too much nit-picking.

   

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Mondays - 09/26/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

Currently Reading

• A Sudden Light (Garth Stein)

Just Finished 
• Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town (John Krakauer)
• If I Stay (Gayle Forman)
• The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives (Theresa Brown)

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Mondays - 07/10/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

A hellish work week ending in a shortened weekend as my summer program students arrive tomorrow. Still exhausted, despite spending her day chilling, and not at all looking forward to more work. But, am excited for the kids to arrive. Hoping and praying all goes smoothly!  Also, wondering if my sore throat is a harbinger of illness to come....ugh!


Current 

• Man Bites Log: The Unlikely Adventures of a City Guy in the Woods - Max Alexander
• The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic

• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

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Sunday Salon - 07/09/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

Goodness what a hellish week it's been!!

After months of "nah, I got this", "no problem, all is under control", and "nope, I don't need to hire more help.", this week hit like a brick...or a ton of bricks...or a ton of ton of bricks! Last week, it truly and honestly was all under control, I swear!

Wiith over 100 students arriving tomorrow for summer programs, this week has been a non-stop, early arrival leave late, go in extra days week. We, uh I, got the list of parents who didn't bother sending the appropriate paperwork on time down from over 30 to just 3 or so, and the unpaid (how do you sign you kid up for a summer program and not think to PAY for it!?!) down to just one.  We also managed to get ID cards for all despite the machine constantly breaking down. And I am exhausted!!! 

But I am pretty sure we are ready...I hope...I really, really hope we are ready!!

Sadly, that is all life has been this last couple of weeks, work....

Blogging:

...and nothing more. Sorry guys.

Have a great week everyone.

Shannon
 

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Taking Great Photos - Mikle

Title: The Absolute Beginners Guide to Taking Great Pictures

Author: Jim Miotke

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating: 2/5- Just okay.  Choose with extreme prejudice.

Book Source: Purchased
Recommended if you like: Photography, How to reading, Non-fiction

 
What Its About: 
Basic how of photography.

The Bottom Line:
Basic info good for real beginners.  Very, very dated...lots of conversation about film and how to develop it. Anyone with a little experience (and YouTube) will be bored.

There are better options out there.

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Tuesday Tunes - 7/5/16

A good lyric is like a great book...

Summer in the Streets
Menudo, Artist
Unknown, Writer

Summer in the street
dancing in the heat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

Summer in the street
dancing to the beat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

Running from me
it's gets you nowhere
You are running with me
we're going somewhere
we are gonna take a ride then

Summer in the street
dancing in the heat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

Summer in the street
dancing to the beat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

The sun at our backs
and time at our feet
direct to the pass
I'm into the heat
It's gonna last forever

Summer in the street
dancing in the heat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

Summer in the street
dancing to the beat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

We are gonna take a drive
down the coast
walk the boardwalk in ocean city and new jersey
maybe we'll go on the rides in the wild
kick back relax in the sun together
we'll have time, we'll have fun
we'll have each other
we won't ever have to come back home
we'll stay forever

Summer in the street
dancing in the heat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be

Summer in the street
dancing to the beat
you'll be here with me
the way it used to be.

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So That Happened - Jon Cryer

Title: So That Happened: A Memoir

Author: Jon Cryer 

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

Book Source: Library
Recommended if you like: Memoirs, Humor and Comedy, Celebrity Memoirs, Television Memoirs

 
What Its About: 
Jon Cryer has had, in his life, multiple personas... Too Gen Xers, he is best known as "Duckie", Molly Ringwald's lovable and love-stricken buddy in Pretty in Pink. Too the younger set, he is better known as Alan Harper, Charlie Sheen's silly brother on the popular sitcom Two and A Half Men. And, at one time, he was even known as Matthew Broderick, who clearly he is not. But, as a common understudy choice on Broadway, it was easy for Cryer to be mistaken for his fellow actor and performer.

Cryer recounts his life so far and his rise to fame in this hysterical memoir, sharing entertaining anecdotes and, somewhat, random (but really interesting) information - such as the real story behind a very popular 1970's song which, frankly, was written with false information.

The Bottom Line:
A great read!

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Tuesday Tunes - 06/28/16

A good lyric is like a great book...

Paint Me A Birmingham
Tracy Lawrence, Artist
Buck Moore and Gary Duffy, Writer




He was sitting' there, his brush in hand
Painting' waves as they danced, upon the sand
With every stroke, he brought to life
The deep blue of the ocean, against the morning' sky
I asked him if he only painted ocean scenes
He said for twenty dollars, I'll paint you anything


Could you Paint Me A Birmingham
Make it look just the way I planned
A little house on the edge of town
Porch going' all the way around
Put her there in the front yard swing
Cotton dress make it, early spring
For a while she'll be, mine again
If you can Paint Me A Birmingham


He looked at me, with knowing eyes
Then took a canvas from a bag there by his side
Picked up a brush, and said to me
Son just where in this picture would you like to be
And I said if there's any way you can
Could you paint me back into her arms again?


Could you Paint Me A Birmingham
Make it look just the way I planned
A little house on the edge of town
Porch going' all the way around
Put her there in the front yard swing
Cotton dress make it, early spring
For a while she'll be, mine again
If you can Paint Me A Birmingham


Paint Me A Birmingham
Make it look just the way I planned
A little house on the edge of town
Porch going' all the way around
Put her there in the front yard swing
Cotton dress make it, early spring
For a while she'll be, mine again
If you can Paint Me A Birmingham


Oh paint me a Birmingham

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Mondays - 06/27/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

A busy, crazy week preparing for this weekend's arrival of students for my first summer program. And I have to work on Sunday, which is not typical. Enjoyed an early release on Friday and wandering around Boston practicing photography.



Current reads:
• A Little History of the World - E. H. Gombrich
• The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

Finished reads:

• Last Days of California - Mary Miller
• The Absolute Beginners Guide to Taking Great Photos - Jim Miotke
• So That Happened - Jon Cryer
• Wildflower - Drew Barrymore

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A Walk to Beautiful - Wayne

Title:  Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way

Author: Jimmy Wayne

Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4/5- Great. Push it on your friends and family.

Book Source: Purchased - e-book
 
Recommended if you like: Memoirs, county music, children's success stories

 
What Its About:  
Country artist Jimmy Wayne was not born into the business, not by a long shot. Wayne grew up with an absent father, a mother who barely cared for his sister and him, and more often than not found himself with neither, sleeping on the streets or with friends or random family. At a key turning point in his life, the age of just thirteen, Wayne's mother left him at a bus station hundreds of miles from home to continue traveling with her boyfriend, who was in trouble with the law. Wayne found his way to the home of Russell and Bea Costner, an older, God-fearing couple, who took Wayne in and set him on the right path: school, work, a future.

Wayne found himself drawn to music to help himself deal with the chaos and sadness that is his childhood. He learned how to play guitar. He started writing songs.  Eventually, he found his way into the Nashville music scene, leading eventually to hits and success. This memoir chronicles these years of his life...and more.

At the height of his career and success, Wayne made a life-changing decision. During a slow summer, between gigs traveling with the likes of Brad Paisley, Wayne up and decided to walk 1,700 miles across America (from Nashville to Pheonix) to bring attention to the plight of homeless and foster children and how even one person could make a difference.

The Bottom Line: 
A really great read. Wayne is an amazing person and has experienced an amazing story.

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Tuesday Tunes - 06/21/16

A good lyric is like a great book...

Taylor the Latte Boy 
Kristen Chenowith, Artist
Marcy Heisler, Writer







There's a boy who works at Starbucks
Who is very inspirational
He is very inspirational because of many things


I come in at 8:11, and he smiles and says, "How are you?"
When he smiles and says, "How are you?"
I could swear my heart grows wings


So today at 8:11, I decided I should meet him
I decided I should meet him in a proper, formal way


So today at 8:11, when he smiled and said, "How are you?"
I said, "Fine and my name's Kristin"
And he softly answered, "Hey"
And I said, "My name's Kristin, and thank you for the extra foam"


And he said his name was Taylor
Which provides the inspiration for this poem


Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy
Oh Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him


So I'd like to get my nerve up to recite my poem musical
He would like the fact it's musical because he plays guitar
So today at 8:11, Taylor told me he was playing
In a band down in the village in the basement of a bar


As he smoothly flipped the lever, to prepare my double latte
But for me he made it triple, and he didn't think I knew
But I saw him flip the lever and for me he made it triple
And I knew that triple latte meant that Taylor loved me too


I said, "What time are you playing? And thank you for the extra skim"
He said keep the 3.55, because this triple latte was on him


Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy
Oh Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him


I used to be the kind of girl
Who'd run when love rushed toward her
But finally a voice whispered, "Love can be yours
If you step up to the counter and order"


Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy
Oh Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him


So many years my heart has waited
Who'd have thought that love could be so caffeinated?


Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him
I love him, I love him, I love him

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Wildflower - Barrymore

Title: Wildflower

Author: Drew Barrymore

Genre: Celebrity memoir

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

Book Source: Library

Recommended if you like: Memoirs, Celebrity memoirs, stories about maturing

 
What Its About: 
This collection of essays offers a different view of Barrymore's life than 1991's Little Girl Lost. Barrymore has grow up and focused her life and talents on much bigger goals than partying, daily sobriety and growing up.

Offering stories that vary from childhood foolishness, like rescuing her jeep from an impound lot by driving it through the gate, to holding her father's hand while he died and learning to forgive, Barrymore has had one crazy, interesting and ever-evolving life.

The Bottom Line:
Entertaining.

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Tuesday Tunes - 06/14/16

A good lyric is like a great book...

June Is Bustin' Out All Over
Carousel Cast, Various, Artist
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Writers

Nettie

March went out like a lion

Awakin' up the water in the bay;

Then April cried and stepped aside,

And along came pretty little May!

May was full of promises

But she didn't keep 'em quickly enough for some

And the crowd of doubtin' Thomases

Was predictin' that the summer'd never come

Men

But it's comin' by dawn,

We can feel it come,

You can feel it in your heart

You can see it in the ground

Girls

You can see it in the trees

You can smell it in the breeze

All

Look around! Look around! Look around!

Nettie

June is bustin' out all over

All over the meadow and the hill!

Buds're bustin' outa bushes

And the rompin' river pushes

Ev'ry little wheel that wheels beside the mill!

June is bustin' out all over

The feelin' is gettin' so intense,

That the young Virginia creepers

Hev been huggin' the bejeepers

Outa all the mornin' glories on the fence!

Because it's June...

All

June, June, June

Just because it's June, June, June!

Nettie

Fresh and alive and gay and young

June is a love song, sweetly song

All

June is bustin' out all over!

The saplin's are bustin' out with sap!

Love hes found my brother, Junior,

And my sister's even loonier!

And my Ma is gettin' kittenish with Pap!

June in bustin' out all over

Nettie

To ladies and men are payin' court.

Lotsa ships are kept at anchor

Jest because the captains hanker

Fer the comfort they ken only get in port!

All

Because it's June... June, June, June

Just because it's June, June, June!

Nettie

June makes the bay look bright and new

Sails gleamin' bright on sunlit blue

All

June is bustin' out all over

The ocean is full of Jacks and Jills,

With the little tail a-swishing'

Ev'ry lady fish is wishin'

That a male would come

And grab 'er by the gills!

Nettie

June is bustin' out all over!

The sheep aren't sleepin' anymore!

All the rams that chase ewe-sheep

All determined there'll be new sheep

and the ewe-sheep aren't even keepin' score!

All

On acounta it's June! June, June, June

Just because it's June, June, June!

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Monday Mailbox - 06/13/16

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

What better to do while on vacation than buy books?!

My awesome vacation week started with the annual town library's book sale last Saturday. But this year I was smart! I finally updated my Goodreads.com account to show which books l own, so I didn't bring home any doubles...as I have for several years now.

The sale was fabulous, as always!

A couple of these are books I started but need to finish.

So many great choices!

Sometimes its OK to buy a couple you already read, right?

More for my growing collection...

Now I just have to get these updated on Goodreads too!

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Mondays - 06/13/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

A restful, though productive week of vacation! Got a lot of things accomplished this week and even got to enjoy a day of traipsing through the New Hampshire wilderness, which was actually fun.






Current reads:
• The Bucolic Plague - Josh Kilmer-Purcell
• The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

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Sunday Salon - 06/12/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

A wonderful vacation week of rest and relaxation, much overdue...after jumping from one job to another in August of last year without time off and having no time to breathe since then.

It was a VERY productive week around the house. I was able to get a bunch of home/life related things done that I have been putting off for months. As well, hubby was off so we went yard-saling, book buying (more about this later this week), and even took a trip up to New Hampshire to enjoy the wilderness. We visited the Flume in Franconia Notch/White Mountains (about a two hour ride). I'm not much of an outdoors woman, but hubby loves it.  The weather was perfect, cool and windy (read: few bugs), and it was a really, really nice day.

I even took my camera along to try, again, to get some decent shots (I am a TERRIBLE photographer - I DO NOT have "the eye")...oh, you think I'm over (or under) estimating:

I FORGOT MY CAMERA BATTERY!

I had taken it out to charge it. I put it back in my bag (with my extra battery) when we left...but never put it back in the camera. It sat in the car the whole time, while I lugged my useless camera around.  I am a seriously BAD photographer! Ha, ha!!

But thankfully, I did have my phone with me, so all was not lost:

It was seriously gorgeous out there!

I tried to get some pictures of the surprisingly tame chipmunks (I kid you not, I almost stepped directly on one), but they were all blurry (the pictures, not the chipmunks - HA). Oh well, still learning I guess.



Blogging:

Along with my valiant efforts at home (we cleaned the basement, well half the basement...again), I was also able to get a fair amount of blog work done as well. I finally updated my blog template, as the one I was using was giving me trouble. I had changed it briefly, but the color scheme messed things up worse. So I finally sat down and found something new that cleaned this mess up. Then, I updated pages, prepared posts, etc., etc.

Hopefully it is more enjoyable for everyone. It was certainly about time!!

Have a great week everyone.

Shannon
 

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