Saw this fun meme over at Kittling: Books and thought I'd give it a go. Just answer these questions using only the titles of books you've read this year. If you're doing this too, let me know!
In high school I was Invisible (Paul Auster)
People might be surprised I'm Something, Maybe (Elizabeth Scott)
I will never be Untamed (PC and Kristin Cast)
My fantasy job is Guitar Girl (Sarra Manning)
At the end of a long day I need Gingerbread (Rachel Cohn)
I hate it when I Feel Bad About My Neck (Nora Ephron)
Wish I had Everything Beautiful (Simmone Howell)
My family reunions are Beastly (Alex Flinn)
At a party you'd find me with An Abundance of Katherines (John Green)
I've never been to The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Carrie Ryan)
A happy day includes The Unfinished Novel (Valerie Martin)
Motto I live by Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)
On my bucket list is The Thing Around Your Neck (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
In my next life, I want to have Perfect Chemistry (Simone Elkeles)
Fun, right? And a lot harder than I'd originally thought! I challenge YOU to complete this list as well and let me know so I can have a look. How would you answer?
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Friday, September 10, 2010
Monday, September 14, 2009
Am I a writer?
I was tagged to do the following writerly meme by Keris. I probably would have pretended I didn't see the tag, except she said lovely things about my writing, so I couldn't. I don't really consider my little blog to be 'actual writing' and I guess I probably should. But, I'm my worst critic. So, let's begin.
Which words do you use too much in your writing?
In terms of my own blogging world, I do find Meg Cabot to be hilarious, if slightly crazy. I have a bit of a girl-crush on Mama Kat and wish I could be as funny as her. I'd love to be as influential as Nymeth.
In the end though, I'd have to say Keris. She was one of the first blogs I started following and at times when I didn't have access to the internet, I've had N print off her blog at work so I could read it. He still makes fun of me slightly, asking 'so, how is Keris Stainton these days?' And that's OK, even if it's a little embarassing to admit.
Hillary
Shadowfalcon
Kate
Which words do you use too much in your writing?
I tried looking for a simple tag cloud generator thing, so I could easily just see the words that I use again and again, but everything in my blog list (now deleted) pretty much destroyed that idea. But I generally write how I speak, and I think that often comes across in my writing.
Which words do you consider overused in stuff you read?
I really couldn't say. There are certain phrases that I read that drive me up the wall, but nothing springs to mind and those things don't generally madden me for long. Maybe I'm not overly observant?
What's your favourite piece of writing by you?
My favourite post that I've written is probably this one, about my dad. I also 'enjoyed' writing about my mother, but I'll always be distracted by other emotions for it to be a favourite.What blog post do you wish you'd written?
Anything funny. I wish I could be funny, but I will never be funny. I've learnt to accept this about myself, but I do so envy it in other people.
Regrets, do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn't written?
Anything that I have written and regretted on this blog has already been removed. There have been many a deleted post around these parts. Most of the posts that have been deleted were done so for other people rather than for myself. I sometimes overshare and cross lines that affect other people in my life. I toy with the idea of another blog where I hide my identity, but I would miss you all too much for that... (also, too much work!)
How has your writing made a difference? What do you consider your most important piece of writing?
If my writing has made a difference, that it was probably only for myself. I think writing about the complications in my relationship with my mother has made a huge difference in my life, in that's it helped me to move forward within myself. I think writing about some of my other issues, such as poor self-esteem, depression etc has helped in other ways. My most important piece of writing. Tough one. I think this one, about dropping out of high school helped me a great deal. It was good to get this one out of my system. And finally, this post helped me realise a few things, going back to my mom-issues.
Name three favourite words
Is it weird that I don't have favourite words? Because I don't.
...And three words you're not so keen on
Also do not have words I don't like.
Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration?
This is a subject that has been on my mind since Keris tagged me. In answer to this question, she showed a screen-grab on her computer of writerly inspirations/role models. It brought to my attention that growing up, I didn't have any strong female role models. I remember an assignment in high school where I had to stand in front of a class and give a short speech on 'heroes.' I don't have any. And I'd like to. I think my speech back in HS focused on a friend who'd had the courage to seek help in a difficult situation. But aside from that, I want someone to look up to and respect. But I can't think of anyone. Can you lovely people help me out? I'm speaking historically or famously.
In terms of my own blogging world, I do find Meg Cabot to be hilarious, if slightly crazy. I have a bit of a girl-crush on Mama Kat and wish I could be as funny as her. I'd love to be as influential as Nymeth.
In the end though, I'd have to say Keris. She was one of the first blogs I started following and at times when I didn't have access to the internet, I've had N print off her blog at work so I could read it. He still makes fun of me slightly, asking 'so, how is Keris Stainton these days?' And that's OK, even if it's a little embarassing to admit.
What's your writing ambition?
To continue writing on my little blog until I'm no longer happy doing it.Plug alert! List any work you would like to tell your readers about:
Keris's book, Della Says: OMG! WTF? is published 6 May 2010. All good bookshops. £5.99. Although it's already been reduced on Amazon.
My friend, Hillary's book, Plain Jayne is out 15 January 2010. Here's the link at Amazon.
Do the tagging thing:
How about...Hillary
Shadowfalcon
Kate
The rules:
If you have time to do this meme, then please link to my original, then link to three to five other bloggers and pass it on, asking them to answer your questions and link to you. You can add, remove or change one question as you go. You absolutely do not have to be what you may think of as a "published" or "successful" writer to respond to this meme, I hope people can take the time to reflect on what their blogging has brought them and how it has been useful to others.
Monday, September 07, 2009
My life in literature...
"Using only books you have read this year (2009), cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It’s a lot harder than you think!"
Here is my life, according to literature (links to reviews):
Describe Yourself: Born Confused (Tanuja Desai Hidier)
How do you feel: Airhead (Meg Cabot)
Describe where you currently live: Small Island (Andrea Levy)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Dreamland (Sarah Dessen)
Your favorite form of transportation: Howl's Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones)
Your best friend is: Ten Out of Ten (Meg Cabot)
You and your friends are: Irresistable Forces
What’s the weather like: Wicked Lovely (Melissa Marr)
Favorite time of day: Breaking Dawn (Stephenie Meyer)
Your life is: A Mercy (Toni Morrison)
What is life to you: Cracked Up to Be (Courtney Summers)
Your fear: The Savage (David Almond)
What is the best advice you have to give: Stop Pretending (Sonya Sones)
Thought for the Day: After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings and Flew Away (Joyce Carol Oates)
How I would like to die: Dancing in the Moonlight
My soul’s present condition: Fairest (Gail Carson Levine)
Biggest regret: Marshmallows For Breakfast (Dorothy Koomson)
Said most often: Are We There Yet? (David Levithan)
Goal in life: Ways to Live Forever (Sally Nicholls)
Saw this over at Rose City Reader and couldn't resist. If you do it as well, let me know. Dying to read other people's answers! And make up your own questions!
Here is my life, according to literature (links to reviews):
Describe Yourself: Born Confused (Tanuja Desai Hidier)
How do you feel: Airhead (Meg Cabot)
Describe where you currently live: Small Island (Andrea Levy)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Dreamland (Sarah Dessen)
Your favorite form of transportation: Howl's Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones)
Your best friend is: Ten Out of Ten (Meg Cabot)
You and your friends are: Irresistable Forces
What’s the weather like: Wicked Lovely (Melissa Marr)
Favorite time of day: Breaking Dawn (Stephenie Meyer)
Your life is: A Mercy (Toni Morrison)
What is life to you: Cracked Up to Be (Courtney Summers)
Your fear: The Savage (David Almond)
What is the best advice you have to give: Stop Pretending (Sonya Sones)
Thought for the Day: After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings and Flew Away (Joyce Carol Oates)
How I would like to die: Dancing in the Moonlight
My soul’s present condition: Fairest (Gail Carson Levine)
Biggest regret: Marshmallows For Breakfast (Dorothy Koomson)
Said most often: Are We There Yet? (David Levithan)
Goal in life: Ways to Live Forever (Sally Nicholls)
Saw this over at Rose City Reader and couldn't resist. If you do it as well, let me know. Dying to read other people's answers! And make up your own questions!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Random Tuesday Thoughts (my first)
I just got back from toddler group with Littlest. It's a lot easier going to those things with just one kid. I felt a bit left out though. There were people there I knew, people I used to be close with, and now I feel as though we're all strangers drifting around each other. Is this my fault? Was it me that was supposed to keep in touch with them? Is it too late? All because Oldest goes to preschool on the afternoons that we used to have coffee with them all.
I had a great weekend. But it also made me a little sad. My nephew is seriously underweight. In terms of weight, he's actually in the half percentile for his age. .05% which is why he goes to hopsital everytime he has a cold virus and goes off his milk or food. Poor child. Makes me hold my two chubby boys closer.
I have my university tutorial tonight. I'm really proud of myself because I've actually scheduled the next five years of university courses for myself. And I'm really excited. And maybe for the first time I really believe that this can happen, and that I can do it.
I'm reading Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian at the moment. I'm really liking it and it's making me wonder what my reasons were for not reading it when it came out and everyone was talking about it? But even though I'm enjoying it, I also keep glancing at the next book on my pile...
N just bought Merlin annual passes, so now our summer is all sorted out!
I'm eating leftover Chinese for lunch. It's crazy how much I adore Chinese leftovers.
I really should be hanging my new curtains. Or sitting out in the garden reading my book.
Friday, April 10, 2009
I love the word 'intensely'
Your rainbow is intensely shaded red, white, and violet.
What is says about you: You are a passionate person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.
Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.
What is says about you: You are a passionate person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.
Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.
I saw this over at You Can Never Have Too Many Books awhile back and it felt right. What is it about these type of quizzes that fascinates me?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Read Aloud Thursday
Read Aloud Thursday is something I've been meaning to participate in for weeks. I keep leaving the titles of the books we've read aloud in the comments over at Hope Is the Word. This week, no excuses. Here's what we've been reading this week.
Elliot's bedtime routine includes reading four books. This number is flexible but it never goes below four. Last week it was all about the free Thomas the Tank Engine books that came free with the (terrible) paper, but we've been trying to wean him off them.
Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort. Elliot went through a phase of liking dinosaurs. Now he thinks they're scary and says 'I don't like die-shoe-aurs' but this book makes him giggle instead of be afraid, so it's still allowed. This book explains the mystery of how the dinosaurs became instinct. Elliot likes the illustrations as well as the rhyming text.
All Afloat on Noah's Boat by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees. On Noah's ark, the animals are all getting a little testy and impatient with one another, so Noah decides to put on a talent-show, but one pair of animals is feeling a little left out...
No More Eee-orrh! by Lydia Monks. This is possibly my favourite picture book of Elliot's. I'm a fan of donkeys anyway, but in this Lydia Monks has taken real photos of donkey fur (fur?) and used it alongside cartoon illustrations in this tale (tail!) about a noisy donkey and his neighbours.
Tiddler by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Who doesn't love Julia Donaldson? Elliot adores all of her stories. Especially when she teams up with Axel Scheffler. His favourite part of Tiddler? Pointing out the 'Gruffalo fish' and yelling 'Tiddler? Tiddler? Tiddler's LATE!' The rhyming repitition of this book which makes it all a bit sing-songy really appeals to my three year old.
Elliot's bedtime routine includes reading four books. This number is flexible but it never goes below four. Last week it was all about the free Thomas the Tank Engine books that came free with the (terrible) paper, but we've been trying to wean him off them.
Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort. Elliot went through a phase of liking dinosaurs. Now he thinks they're scary and says 'I don't like die-shoe-aurs' but this book makes him giggle instead of be afraid, so it's still allowed. This book explains the mystery of how the dinosaurs became instinct. Elliot likes the illustrations as well as the rhyming text.
All Afloat on Noah's Boat by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees. On Noah's ark, the animals are all getting a little testy and impatient with one another, so Noah decides to put on a talent-show, but one pair of animals is feeling a little left out...
No More Eee-orrh! by Lydia Monks. This is possibly my favourite picture book of Elliot's. I'm a fan of donkeys anyway, but in this Lydia Monks has taken real photos of donkey fur (fur?) and used it alongside cartoon illustrations in this tale (tail!) about a noisy donkey and his neighbours.
Tiddler by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Who doesn't love Julia Donaldson? Elliot adores all of her stories. Especially when she teams up with Axel Scheffler. His favourite part of Tiddler? Pointing out the 'Gruffalo fish' and yelling 'Tiddler? Tiddler? Tiddler's LATE!' The rhyming repitition of this book which makes it all a bit sing-songy really appeals to my three year old.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Brought to you by the letter L
This letter meme has been making the rounds, 10 things you love starting with a particular letter. Chris from book-a-rama was nice enough to send me the letter L. Anyone else want to play along and I'll give you a letter to do on your own blog. Or leave your list in the comments!
Love - Especially with Valentine's Day so near it's good to be appreciative of the love. N and I are going out to a Thai restaurant for dinner. No presents this year. What's everyone else doing?
Laughter - My favourite sound in the whole world is when Elliot starts laughing and then Joshua starts laughing with him and they keep feeding off each other's laughter, so much that *I* start laughing. They're usually laughing at me though.
Lists - Oh, lists of any kind. To-do lists, books read, books wanted, books checked out of the library. Lists, lists, lists. How would I manage without them?
London - what's that quote? If you're bored in London, you're bored with life? We went to London last weekend to meet up with some friends. And we did it with no kids! First time in awhile. I had a great time. I still love being a tourist in London.
Libraries - I can now drive to my local library. I go there once a week at least. Libraries have always been my special place. I used to have panic attacks in America because of changes in my life. I'd start hyperventilating and be panicky and I used to run to the nearest library so I could breathe again. LOVE libraries.
Letters - I love getting hand-written letters. I was going to use this space to suggest the idea of pen-pals. I've seen it done on other blogs I read and I think it's a fantastic idea. But when I thought about it more, I thought I'm hardly keeping up with the friends I have even with email and facebook and this blog. I think if I started a pen-pal thing I'd fail miserably. And that's not fair on anyone. It's a nice idea though, and maybe when I'm blessed with more organisational skills..
Lie-ins - At this point, lie-ins seems like a myth. But it can't be, surely. I'll get out of bed past 7:30 one day. When I'm retired maybe. Elliot's been having nightmares lately, so he wakes up either really early or through the night. And then comes in our bed :(
Legoland - It's coming up to Legoland reopening. Elliot's favourite place on earth. I love to see the excitement in his eyes. He's talked about Legoland all through the winter and he knows that it opens again in March, after Joshua's birthday. We'll be there.
Little children - OK, I really meant MY little children. But I have nothing more to say about them just now.
Lots of comments - So I struggled with 10 L words! But lots of comments is always nice!
Other L words that didn't make the cut? Lazy Sundays, Lemonade, Long-sleeves, Labradors, Long, hot showers, Literary Couples, Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!, Lightning, Left-handed men.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
Interview Questions
Florinda over at 3 R's (one of my favourite bloggers, go check her out if you haven't already) sent me these interview questions. I had a lot of fun answering them! If you want to play along as well, see the rules at the bottom!
What hobby or pastime that you don't seem to have time for anymore would you like to start up again?
I've been thinking about this a bit lately. Especially after a Weekly Geeks task (which I lurk around at but haven't participated in for awhile) was blogging about other hobbies/interests outside of books and blogging. I feel like I need to branch out a bit, but now isn't the right time. With the studying and looking after my children I don't really have the time. But that isn't the question. If I DID have the time what would I like to start up again. Hmm, implies I had some hobby before.
I guess writing would be one. In high school I kept writing stories that I hoped would eventually be published. I haven't written anything in awhile but it certainly would be something I'd like to continue with eventually. I love to take photos but I know I'm not very good at it. I'd love to take a class. If I wasn't starting my psychology degree, I think I'd study for a Modern Languages degree, the focus being on Spanish and English. The OU does this programme and everytime I look at it I think, I'd like to do that. I wish I had more time to read. I wish I had more time to focus on my running and branch out to different sports. I used to be on a swimming team (swimming is in my genes, remind me and I'll tell you about it sometime) and would love to swim again. I'd love to spend more time baking. I so want to be that mom who bakes lovely smelling things and my kids will think back fondly of their mom's baking.
When I thought about it more, it turns out I do have hobbies and interests outside of books and blogging!
If you could only have ONE of the following: music, TV, books, or internet - which would it be, and why?
This one seemed harder than it is, really. Immediately, I would drop both TV and music. I like them both, but they're the two, for me, that are more easily expendable. Then the logical part of my brain thought maybe I'd choose the Internet and that way I could still access TV programmes, books music and still blog and email. But I just couldn't do it. I love my books too much. I like the feeling of reading actual books, turning the pages, curled up somewhere comfortable. I could never give up my books. It'd be hard for me to give up blogging but what can I do?
What's on the menu for your last meal? (The foods can come from anywhere - six different restaurants, your late grandma's kitchen, a taco truck, etc.)
Food. I don't like food that much. I'm always a bit 'meh' when it comes to good food. Give me a delicious slice of cake or some other dessert and I'll be impressed.
Last meal. My all-time favourite meal came from this Indian restaurant that was just around the corner from where we used to live in Hounslow. We went there all the time. I'd always get the same meal. Lamb kofta kebab for starters, a chicken and pineapple curry similar to a chicken korma, very creamy (I can't for the life of me remember what this dish was called!) aloo gobi and a garlic naan. I love Indian food. I'm not a big fan of spicy so wherever we go I always end up with a very mild chicken dish. Our current Indian takeaway does this nice chicken curry with nuts (why can I not find the menu anywhere?!) If I were to choose a meal, I'd probably go with this one. Maybe I'd choose saag aloo instead of the gobi aloo, but the rest stays the same. Don't get me started on desserts. We'd be here all day and wouldn't get anywhere.
What does the title of your blog mean?
You know, I wish the answer to this question was more interesting, but it's not. I had a different blog title when I started, but then I was blog-hopping and someone (not someone whose blog I normally read) mentioned visiting a butterfly house. It got me to thinking that my favourite place in all of England was this butterfly house that was near where I used to live. (The Butterfly House in Syon Park, Isleworth which has since shut down as far as I know) On a whim, I changed my blog title to 'Fluttering Butterflies' because I liked the visual it produced. Then someone lovely came along and cemented the title by designing this butterfly background and header for me for free!
What is your most surprising talent or interest - the one that makes people say "I didn't know you (did/liked/knew)..."?
I don't really know how to answer this one. I guess it would probably be that I cook. All the time and it's not terrible. I cook a lot of things from scratch. That might be surprising because a) I don't like food much and b) N is a much better cook. To be honest, if he's in the house, I sometimes don't even consider cooking dinner. I just figure he'll do it. My mother in law says all the time how impressed she is that I've come so far in my cooking abilities. She likes my food most of the time and she's quite the picky eater so I think that that's saying something.
But Joshua's food (and before Elliot was a year old) is my territory. I didn't like the idea of giving my children baby food from those awful little jars so I've made all my own purees and other baby foods. I love knowing exactly what my kids are eating. I spend a lot of time with it. I try to make different things every week. I feel on top of the world when the kids like what I've made. When Joshua pulls faces like he doesn't like what I've made him, I'm heartbroken.
Feel like playing along?
Leave me a comment saying, "Interview Me." Please include your e-mail address if it is not in your profile.
I've been thinking about this a bit lately. Especially after a Weekly Geeks task (which I lurk around at but haven't participated in for awhile) was blogging about other hobbies/interests outside of books and blogging. I feel like I need to branch out a bit, but now isn't the right time. With the studying and looking after my children I don't really have the time. But that isn't the question. If I DID have the time what would I like to start up again. Hmm, implies I had some hobby before.
I guess writing would be one. In high school I kept writing stories that I hoped would eventually be published. I haven't written anything in awhile but it certainly would be something I'd like to continue with eventually. I love to take photos but I know I'm not very good at it. I'd love to take a class. If I wasn't starting my psychology degree, I think I'd study for a Modern Languages degree, the focus being on Spanish and English. The OU does this programme and everytime I look at it I think, I'd like to do that. I wish I had more time to read. I wish I had more time to focus on my running and branch out to different sports. I used to be on a swimming team (swimming is in my genes, remind me and I'll tell you about it sometime) and would love to swim again. I'd love to spend more time baking. I so want to be that mom who bakes lovely smelling things and my kids will think back fondly of their mom's baking.
When I thought about it more, it turns out I do have hobbies and interests outside of books and blogging!
This one seemed harder than it is, really. Immediately, I would drop both TV and music. I like them both, but they're the two, for me, that are more easily expendable. Then the logical part of my brain thought maybe I'd choose the Internet and that way I could still access TV programmes, books music and still blog and email. But I just couldn't do it. I love my books too much. I like the feeling of reading actual books, turning the pages, curled up somewhere comfortable. I could never give up my books. It'd be hard for me to give up blogging but what can I do?
Food. I don't like food that much. I'm always a bit 'meh' when it comes to good food. Give me a delicious slice of cake or some other dessert and I'll be impressed.
Last meal. My all-time favourite meal came from this Indian restaurant that was just around the corner from where we used to live in Hounslow. We went there all the time. I'd always get the same meal. Lamb kofta kebab for starters, a chicken and pineapple curry similar to a chicken korma, very creamy (I can't for the life of me remember what this dish was called!) aloo gobi and a garlic naan. I love Indian food. I'm not a big fan of spicy so wherever we go I always end up with a very mild chicken dish. Our current Indian takeaway does this nice chicken curry with nuts (why can I not find the menu anywhere?!) If I were to choose a meal, I'd probably go with this one. Maybe I'd choose saag aloo instead of the gobi aloo, but the rest stays the same. Don't get me started on desserts. We'd be here all day and wouldn't get anywhere.
You know, I wish the answer to this question was more interesting, but it's not. I had a different blog title when I started, but then I was blog-hopping and someone (not someone whose blog I normally read) mentioned visiting a butterfly house. It got me to thinking that my favourite place in all of England was this butterfly house that was near where I used to live. (The Butterfly House in Syon Park, Isleworth which has since shut down as far as I know) On a whim, I changed my blog title to 'Fluttering Butterflies' because I liked the visual it produced. Then someone lovely came along and cemented the title by designing this butterfly background and header for me for free!
I don't really know how to answer this one. I guess it would probably be that I cook. All the time and it's not terrible. I cook a lot of things from scratch. That might be surprising because a) I don't like food much and b) N is a much better cook. To be honest, if he's in the house, I sometimes don't even consider cooking dinner. I just figure he'll do it. My mother in law says all the time how impressed she is that I've come so far in my cooking abilities. She likes my food most of the time and she's quite the picky eater so I think that that's saying something.
But Joshua's food (and before Elliot was a year old) is my territory. I didn't like the idea of giving my children baby food from those awful little jars so I've made all my own purees and other baby foods. I love knowing exactly what my kids are eating. I spend a lot of time with it. I try to make different things every week. I feel on top of the world when the kids like what I've made. When Joshua pulls faces like he doesn't like what I've made him, I'm heartbroken.
Feel like playing along?
Leave me a comment saying, "Interview Me." Please include your e-mail address if it is not in your profile.
I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions.)
You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
Monday, February 02, 2009
25 Random Things
Good lord, is this all over the place at the moment. (this is copied directly from my Facebook page)
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. (To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
1. I just downloaded a pdf file for a Harlequin romance, even though they're really not my thing, except I couldn't pass up a free book.
2. Even if it's one I'll probably only skim. Or not read at all.
3. 7 out of the 10 books I read this month were children's books and I've realised that I read about three children's books to every adult book even though if you ask me which are my favourites I'll always say that it's the adult books.
4. I love that it snowed, it's very pretty. But I'm also a little annoyed that everything on my to-do list has been put on hold or pushed until after-snow. (taking Elliot for a haircut, going to the library, visiting the fire station)
5. All this month I've been running. I've loved almost all of it. Especially now that I have my new iPod. It turns out, I like listening to music because it drowns out my inner voice which is constant and neverending. It's overwhelming sometimes.
6. For about a week I really enjoyed not watching as much TV but then Lost and 24 came on, we started catching up on episodes of Ugly Betty we missed, there's a whole season of Friday Night Lights to see, not to mention Brothers and Sisters and ER. I feel like a slave to my sky+ sometimes.
7. I have such a crush on Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights. I'm sad the series isn't continuing.
8. It was such a difficult transition to start my university course. I kept getting confused with the big words that were being used in my textbooks. I had to keep telling myself again and again 'you can do this, you can do this' to get through the first week. A month later, I still find myself confused and a little out of my depth.
9. The tutorials I go to for the course are far away. The thought of driving there most Tuesday nights made me breakdown into a fit of crying over the weekend. Sometimes I can't stand how emotional I am.
10. I'm trying to cut down on my comfort eating. My dad is visiting in March and he asked me if there was anything I wanted from America. I was so tempted to ask for huge bags of all the American sweets that I crave and can't get here. I am so impressed (and horrified) that I only asked for one thing. (mini Tootsie Rolls)
11. I've been feeling nostalgic lately. For holidays we've taken, for high school and the friends I had there, working at Books Etc. If I was honest with myself I'd realise is that what I'm really feeling is lonely.
12. I've been going to toddler groups with Elliot (and now Joshua) for nearly two years and I see mostly the same women there. I know their faces but very few names. I feel like it's too late to introduce myself this late in the game. I thought it'd be different when I started taking Elliot to pre-school. It's worse. Everyone is either stand-offish or clique-ish. It's maddening.
13. We're planning Joshua's first birthday party at the moment. I still think of Joshua as younger than he is. It's a little sad that he's no longer a baby.
14. I love getting packages in the post. I've had two emails this week and a phone call that have made me think that there are possibly three packages coming my way. (weeeeeee) The postman just dropped off a package just this instant. It wasn't for me.
15. I have the doorbell chime set to play 'Oh Susannah' when someone presses the doorbell, but it's rather annoying, so I've switched it to play 'God Save the Queen' because I think it's funny.
16. It's taken me longer than it should to write this list. I feel a little under pressure to make this thing as interesting as some of the other lists I've read. Why do I do this to myself? And how do people just write the first things that come to mind?
17. I'd be farther along on this list if I didn't keep deleting them. So far I've deleted two that are too embarassing and disregarded a few more for being not interesting enough.
18. I'm still deciding whether or not I want to take Elliot to pre-school in this snow. If he goes, I'll be able to sit on the sofa and read my book (Fingersmith by Sarah Waters) but I'll have to change out of my pyjamas.
19. I can't think of a single strong female role model that I've had growing up.
20. I'm glad I didn't have girl children, I'd hate the idea of them having me as a role model. I'd worry every single day about their self-esteem.
21. In over 8 years, my mother in law has never heard me swear. Until last week when I picked her up and was driving her back to my place. I stalled the car and probably said the F word. She told my sister-in-law I've been 'learning four letter words' That makes me laugh. (I swear all the time, people)
22. People think I'm nicer than I am. It's annoyed me a lot over the years but I find sometimes it's easier to go along with people's expectations of me.
23. I doubt I will ever live in the United States again. I feel like me living there was a lifetime ago and I've been living a different, better life since I left.
24. I really want a dog. I've wanted a dog since I moved here, and even though now probably isn't the greatest time to get one with children commitments and my studying, I still want one.
25. I'll be thinking about this list all week thinking of other things I should have added/not written about. I will become obsessed with this list.
I've tagged people on FB but feel free to play along...
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. (To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
1. I just downloaded a pdf file for a Harlequin romance, even though they're really not my thing, except I couldn't pass up a free book.
2. Even if it's one I'll probably only skim. Or not read at all.
3. 7 out of the 10 books I read this month were children's books and I've realised that I read about three children's books to every adult book even though if you ask me which are my favourites I'll always say that it's the adult books.
4. I love that it snowed, it's very pretty. But I'm also a little annoyed that everything on my to-do list has been put on hold or pushed until after-snow. (taking Elliot for a haircut, going to the library, visiting the fire station)
5. All this month I've been running. I've loved almost all of it. Especially now that I have my new iPod. It turns out, I like listening to music because it drowns out my inner voice which is constant and neverending. It's overwhelming sometimes.
6. For about a week I really enjoyed not watching as much TV but then Lost and 24 came on, we started catching up on episodes of Ugly Betty we missed, there's a whole season of Friday Night Lights to see, not to mention Brothers and Sisters and ER. I feel like a slave to my sky+ sometimes.
7. I have such a crush on Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights. I'm sad the series isn't continuing.
8. It was such a difficult transition to start my university course. I kept getting confused with the big words that were being used in my textbooks. I had to keep telling myself again and again 'you can do this, you can do this' to get through the first week. A month later, I still find myself confused and a little out of my depth.
9. The tutorials I go to for the course are far away. The thought of driving there most Tuesday nights made me breakdown into a fit of crying over the weekend. Sometimes I can't stand how emotional I am.
10. I'm trying to cut down on my comfort eating. My dad is visiting in March and he asked me if there was anything I wanted from America. I was so tempted to ask for huge bags of all the American sweets that I crave and can't get here. I am so impressed (and horrified) that I only asked for one thing. (mini Tootsie Rolls)
11. I've been feeling nostalgic lately. For holidays we've taken, for high school and the friends I had there, working at Books Etc. If I was honest with myself I'd realise is that what I'm really feeling is lonely.
12. I've been going to toddler groups with Elliot (and now Joshua) for nearly two years and I see mostly the same women there. I know their faces but very few names. I feel like it's too late to introduce myself this late in the game. I thought it'd be different when I started taking Elliot to pre-school. It's worse. Everyone is either stand-offish or clique-ish. It's maddening.
13. We're planning Joshua's first birthday party at the moment. I still think of Joshua as younger than he is. It's a little sad that he's no longer a baby.
14. I love getting packages in the post. I've had two emails this week and a phone call that have made me think that there are possibly three packages coming my way. (weeeeeee) The postman just dropped off a package just this instant. It wasn't for me.
15. I have the doorbell chime set to play 'Oh Susannah' when someone presses the doorbell, but it's rather annoying, so I've switched it to play 'God Save the Queen' because I think it's funny.
16. It's taken me longer than it should to write this list. I feel a little under pressure to make this thing as interesting as some of the other lists I've read. Why do I do this to myself? And how do people just write the first things that come to mind?
17. I'd be farther along on this list if I didn't keep deleting them. So far I've deleted two that are too embarassing and disregarded a few more for being not interesting enough.
18. I'm still deciding whether or not I want to take Elliot to pre-school in this snow. If he goes, I'll be able to sit on the sofa and read my book (Fingersmith by Sarah Waters) but I'll have to change out of my pyjamas.
19. I can't think of a single strong female role model that I've had growing up.
20. I'm glad I didn't have girl children, I'd hate the idea of them having me as a role model. I'd worry every single day about their self-esteem.
21. In over 8 years, my mother in law has never heard me swear. Until last week when I picked her up and was driving her back to my place. I stalled the car and probably said the F word. She told my sister-in-law I've been 'learning four letter words' That makes me laugh. (I swear all the time, people)
22. People think I'm nicer than I am. It's annoyed me a lot over the years but I find sometimes it's easier to go along with people's expectations of me.
23. I doubt I will ever live in the United States again. I feel like me living there was a lifetime ago and I've been living a different, better life since I left.
24. I really want a dog. I've wanted a dog since I moved here, and even though now probably isn't the greatest time to get one with children commitments and my studying, I still want one.
25. I'll be thinking about this list all week thinking of other things I should have added/not written about. I will become obsessed with this list.
I've tagged people on FB but feel free to play along...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A Bookshelf meme
I've seen this absolutely everywhere and have been meaning to post it for weeks. Eva at A Striped Armchair came up with this meme awhile back and it was fun looking through some of my old books in the loft.
The Rules
1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.
the book that’s been on your shelves the longest:
On the actual bookshelves, I think the oldest books probably came from N. His old annuals from when he was a little boy, some books of his father's that he's kept. I have some books passed on to me from my father as well. The oldest book *I* remember acquiring? The first book I bought myself was Anne's House of Dreams by LM Montgomery. I bought it at a local garage sale for 50 cents. Maybe it was 25. It was the last book I needed to complete the Anne series. Around that same time someone gave me a gift certificate and I bought a hardback copy of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and Little Lord Fauntleroy all in one book. I loved the first two and have never read Little Lord Fauntleroy.
a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.):
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck or A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth both remind me of the period just after moving to England from Oregon in August of 2000. I was a little depressed by the move, I didn't know anyone, I wasn't able to work. Grapes of Wrath had been my favourite book when I was in high school so I wanted to read something familiar and comforting. A Suitable Boy was a book that was lent to me by a friend of N's. I was so swept up in the history and the language and the story that for a time I forgot my own troubles. I had to give that copy of A Suitable Boy back, but another newer copy was given to me for my birthday.
the most recent addition to your shelves:
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro, from ReadItSwapIt, which I've just recently starting using again. I swapped it for my copy of The Great Gatsby, which if I'm honest, I didn't love.
a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.)
I don't think I have any interesting stories to tell here. I buy books from bookstores, online, library sales, used book stores, charity shops. I used to get ARCs when I worked in a bookstore. Before that, at WHSmith, sometimes they'd clear out their shelves and books would be reduced to 1p and I'd pick them up. Oh, I did once recieve The English by Jeremy Paxman as a housewarming gift. It was from a friend of N's who didn't know what to bring. N told him if he HAD to bring something than to give a copy of his favourite book and that I would like it. I liked it better than the plants other people brought which quickly died.
the book whose loss would traumatise you the most
My copy of The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I don't remember who gave me the book or when, but I loved the series. I still do. If I ever lost my copy I would be inconsolable. I love the feel of that book in my hands, I love the simple little story, I love the illustrations. The last one in the book, when the boxcar was transferred to the grandfather's garden is so beautiful to me that I wished that I could live there.
a book that’s been with you to the most places:
Probably my tattered copy of Charlotte's Web by EB White. It was my favourite book for a long time and I used to carry it with me wherever I went. Until one day I had a fight with my brother and he 'accidentally' ripped the front cover. I feel a little weepy everytime I look at it's poor taped cover. I've always been really particular about keeping my books in a certain condition that it breaks my heart to see it like that.
a bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions:
Well, currenly on my bedside table is Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek, which I did won in a giveaway as well as Black Boxes by Caroline Smailes. I've decided that these two books are books I must read as soon as possible.
I can't think who to tag, so if you're reading this and haven't yet participated, do it now! I'd love to read your answers! Let me know.
The Rules
1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.
the book that’s been on your shelves the longest:
On the actual bookshelves, I think the oldest books probably came from N. His old annuals from when he was a little boy, some books of his father's that he's kept. I have some books passed on to me from my father as well. The oldest book *I* remember acquiring? The first book I bought myself was Anne's House of Dreams by LM Montgomery. I bought it at a local garage sale for 50 cents. Maybe it was 25. It was the last book I needed to complete the Anne series. Around that same time someone gave me a gift certificate and I bought a hardback copy of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and Little Lord Fauntleroy all in one book. I loved the first two and have never read Little Lord Fauntleroy.
a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.):
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck or A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth both remind me of the period just after moving to England from Oregon in August of 2000. I was a little depressed by the move, I didn't know anyone, I wasn't able to work. Grapes of Wrath had been my favourite book when I was in high school so I wanted to read something familiar and comforting. A Suitable Boy was a book that was lent to me by a friend of N's. I was so swept up in the history and the language and the story that for a time I forgot my own troubles. I had to give that copy of A Suitable Boy back, but another newer copy was given to me for my birthday.
the most recent addition to your shelves:
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro, from ReadItSwapIt, which I've just recently starting using again. I swapped it for my copy of The Great Gatsby, which if I'm honest, I didn't love.
a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.)
I don't think I have any interesting stories to tell here. I buy books from bookstores, online, library sales, used book stores, charity shops. I used to get ARCs when I worked in a bookstore. Before that, at WHSmith, sometimes they'd clear out their shelves and books would be reduced to 1p and I'd pick them up. Oh, I did once recieve The English by Jeremy Paxman as a housewarming gift. It was from a friend of N's who didn't know what to bring. N told him if he HAD to bring something than to give a copy of his favourite book and that I would like it. I liked it better than the plants other people brought which quickly died.
the book whose loss would traumatise you the most
My copy of The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I don't remember who gave me the book or when, but I loved the series. I still do. If I ever lost my copy I would be inconsolable. I love the feel of that book in my hands, I love the simple little story, I love the illustrations. The last one in the book, when the boxcar was transferred to the grandfather's garden is so beautiful to me that I wished that I could live there.
a book that’s been with you to the most places:
Probably my tattered copy of Charlotte's Web by EB White. It was my favourite book for a long time and I used to carry it with me wherever I went. Until one day I had a fight with my brother and he 'accidentally' ripped the front cover. I feel a little weepy everytime I look at it's poor taped cover. I've always been really particular about keeping my books in a certain condition that it breaks my heart to see it like that.
a bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions:
Well, currenly on my bedside table is Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek, which I did won in a giveaway as well as Black Boxes by Caroline Smailes. I've decided that these two books are books I must read as soon as possible.
I can't think who to tag, so if you're reading this and haven't yet participated, do it now! I'd love to read your answers! Let me know.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Year in Review
I did this last year and it feels like a tradition. I've taken the first sentence of the first post of every month last year and posted them together to hopefully give a general overview of this blog in 2008... I think it gives a fair representation - my kids, books, going back to school. Big themes of this year (and my entire life!) What does yours look like?
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year, and hopefully 2008 brings everyone what they wish for.
If only things were this simple, right?
It's Mothers Day here in England, and I've had a great day.
On the day Littlest was born, it was a Thursday, and as usual, I went to toddler group with Oldest in the morning.
Over at Hidden Side of A Leaf, a new challenge has begun called Weekly Geeks.*
Here is my list of books that I read in May.
Also read half of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, which I've put aside to finish another day (hopefully in July, but we'll see!
Last month I felt chained to the 1001 books list.
It's back to school time, and I've been reading lots of posts about other bloggers going to grad school or taking their kids to their first day at school and I feel all a bit left out.
As most of you are aware, it's Banned Books week in America.
..November is kicking my ass.
We held Oldest's birthday party at our house on Saturday.
*I actually welled up when I realised this would be included. I haven't yet talked about how I've felt in regards to dewey's recent death. I have no words to say that haven't already been said. She was a great blogger, someone who built a great community of book bloggers around her. I didn't know her very well, but I always meant to participate in more Weekly Geeks, the next 24-hour read a thon, sometime soon, I'll do the Carnival... The dewey-shaped hole that is left behind is a huge one. I will miss her.
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year, and hopefully 2008 brings everyone what they wish for.
If only things were this simple, right?
It's Mothers Day here in England, and I've had a great day.
On the day Littlest was born, it was a Thursday, and as usual, I went to toddler group with Oldest in the morning.
Over at Hidden Side of A Leaf, a new challenge has begun called Weekly Geeks.*
Here is my list of books that I read in May.
Also read half of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, which I've put aside to finish another day (hopefully in July, but we'll see!
Last month I felt chained to the 1001 books list.
It's back to school time, and I've been reading lots of posts about other bloggers going to grad school or taking their kids to their first day at school and I feel all a bit left out.
As most of you are aware, it's Banned Books week in America.
..November is kicking my ass.
We held Oldest's birthday party at our house on Saturday.
*I actually welled up when I realised this would be included. I haven't yet talked about how I've felt in regards to dewey's recent death. I have no words to say that haven't already been said. She was a great blogger, someone who built a great community of book bloggers around her. I didn't know her very well, but I always meant to participate in more Weekly Geeks, the next 24-hour read a thon, sometime soon, I'll do the Carnival... The dewey-shaped hole that is left behind is a huge one. I will miss her.
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Christmasy meme
I saw this this morning over at Books. Lists. Life and thought I would steal it for my own whilst I'm working on other entries. It looked like fun. Let me know if you're doing it at your blog so I can have a look!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
You know, I would never consider a gift bag at Christmas. Why is that? It'd be so much easier. I will wrap anything. Actually, I just like wrapping paper better, especially if it's cute paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial?
I would love a real tree, but we have our artificial one. Maybe we can buy some pine scented something and hang it around the house. Also, where does one find mistletoe? I'd love to hang that somewhere!
3. When do you put up the tree?
The first weekend in December, whenever that falls. It's also the first time I'm allowed to play Christmas music.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Whenever N gets tired of seeing it. Around New Years? I don't remember. I hate taking down the tree.
5. Do you like eggnog?
I love eggnog, who doesn't? :)
6. Favourite gift received as a child?
Once, when I was really little, we went to a friend of the family's house for Christmas and they bought me the entire (the ones that had been published anyway) collection of the Boxcar Children. I spent the entire week I was there reading. Best present ever. I'm now waiting for my boys to be old enough to make use of some of my children's books.
7. Hardest person to buy for?
N by a mile. He never wants anything. Except this year I guess. (Santa brought him a Wii)
8. Easiest person to buy for?
Me. Definately. Or Oldest.
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I think we keep meaning to buy one but we're holding out for something really good. Or maybe we have one, but I just can't find it amongst all the other Christmas stuff everywhere. We do have quite a bit of Christmasy things still in a box in the garage. One of these days...
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail them. Except I always forget there's a last posting date to America (like this year) and now my dad will get his Christmas card late. And not for the first time, I'm sure. I think we might email him something as well. Oh. And I guess I do normally email a family photo with a short message to those people I don't know personally. Plus family, which is like everyone. So I guess both.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I can't really remember. There were quite a few where I opened them and thought 'who were you thinking about when you bought this?' but nothing so terrible that it stays in my mind.
12. Favourite Christmas Movie?
Oh, I don't know. We used to always watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas or that episode of Charlie Brown with the Christmas tree. But N and I always try to watch Christmasy films around this time as well. It worked out better before children. Funny how that happened. We also like watching holiday episodes of our favourite TV shows.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
In the Christmas sales sometimes, otherwise, during the year we'll see stuff, pick it up.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not one that was for me personally, but possibly one of the children's presents.
15. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
Dessert. Always dessert. I tried to make a Christmas yule thing last year and it was horrible. I hope I'm not on dessert duty again this year. Oh! And mince pies, god, I love mince pies.
16. Lights on the tree?
Yes. We have fairy lights, coloured lights and blue lights. And they flash and chase each other. This year we debated about whether or not we put too many lights on the tree, but we still put them all up.
17. Favourite Xmas song?
Favourite carol? O Come All Ye Faithful. Song? All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Maybe one of these days we'll end up travelling. As it is, we stay at home and people come to us.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Comet? Vixen? Blixen? ... Rudolph? Dancer? Prancer? How many reindeer are there again? I think that's a no.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We actually have a cute Eeyore dressed up as an angel on the top of our tree. I wouldn't have it any other way!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
I always try to convince N to open one on Christmas Eve, but I can't remember if I succeeded last year. I think he did cave, because we had guests coming around in the morning and there were too many presents for us there for it to be polite opening in front of them. Actually, we ended up halving Oldest's presents last year for that same reason!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Christmas shoppers. I hate going to the shops these days because I can't push my pushchair anywhere without bumping into someone and I always get elbowed or someone steps on my foot. I like my personal space, I can't handle ten million people pushing and shoving. Do your Christmas shopping earlier or online.
23. Favourite ornament theme or colour?
There is no central theme or colour to our Christmas tree. I'd like there to be one, but it will never happen. The biggest theme on our tree used to be the Winnie the Pooh characters, but we had too many of them, so now we only have our Eeyore ornaments up.
24. Favourite memory of Christmas?
I don't have one. I'm hoping this year, watching Oldest and Littlest open their presents will be my favourite one ever. Here's hoping.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
An iPod touch. Tales of Beedle the Bard. The new Enrique Iglesias CD. About four different Robert Sabuda/Matthew Rheinhart pop up books.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
You know, I would never consider a gift bag at Christmas. Why is that? It'd be so much easier. I will wrap anything. Actually, I just like wrapping paper better, especially if it's cute paper.
2. Real tree or Artificial?
I would love a real tree, but we have our artificial one. Maybe we can buy some pine scented something and hang it around the house. Also, where does one find mistletoe? I'd love to hang that somewhere!
3. When do you put up the tree?
The first weekend in December, whenever that falls. It's also the first time I'm allowed to play Christmas music.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Whenever N gets tired of seeing it. Around New Years? I don't remember. I hate taking down the tree.
5. Do you like eggnog?
I love eggnog, who doesn't? :)
6. Favourite gift received as a child?
Once, when I was really little, we went to a friend of the family's house for Christmas and they bought me the entire (the ones that had been published anyway) collection of the Boxcar Children. I spent the entire week I was there reading. Best present ever. I'm now waiting for my boys to be old enough to make use of some of my children's books.
7. Hardest person to buy for?
N by a mile. He never wants anything. Except this year I guess. (Santa brought him a Wii)
8. Easiest person to buy for?
Me. Definately. Or Oldest.
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I think we keep meaning to buy one but we're holding out for something really good. Or maybe we have one, but I just can't find it amongst all the other Christmas stuff everywhere. We do have quite a bit of Christmasy things still in a box in the garage. One of these days...
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail them. Except I always forget there's a last posting date to America (like this year) and now my dad will get his Christmas card late. And not for the first time, I'm sure. I think we might email him something as well. Oh. And I guess I do normally email a family photo with a short message to those people I don't know personally. Plus family, which is like everyone. So I guess both.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I can't really remember. There were quite a few where I opened them and thought 'who were you thinking about when you bought this?' but nothing so terrible that it stays in my mind.
12. Favourite Christmas Movie?
Oh, I don't know. We used to always watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas or that episode of Charlie Brown with the Christmas tree. But N and I always try to watch Christmasy films around this time as well. It worked out better before children. Funny how that happened. We also like watching holiday episodes of our favourite TV shows.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
In the Christmas sales sometimes, otherwise, during the year we'll see stuff, pick it up.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not one that was for me personally, but possibly one of the children's presents.
15. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
Dessert. Always dessert. I tried to make a Christmas yule thing last year and it was horrible. I hope I'm not on dessert duty again this year. Oh! And mince pies, god, I love mince pies.
16. Lights on the tree?
Yes. We have fairy lights, coloured lights and blue lights. And they flash and chase each other. This year we debated about whether or not we put too many lights on the tree, but we still put them all up.
17. Favourite Xmas song?
Favourite carol? O Come All Ye Faithful. Song? All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Maybe one of these days we'll end up travelling. As it is, we stay at home and people come to us.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Comet? Vixen? Blixen? ... Rudolph? Dancer? Prancer? How many reindeer are there again? I think that's a no.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We actually have a cute Eeyore dressed up as an angel on the top of our tree. I wouldn't have it any other way!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
I always try to convince N to open one on Christmas Eve, but I can't remember if I succeeded last year. I think he did cave, because we had guests coming around in the morning and there were too many presents for us there for it to be polite opening in front of them. Actually, we ended up halving Oldest's presents last year for that same reason!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Christmas shoppers. I hate going to the shops these days because I can't push my pushchair anywhere without bumping into someone and I always get elbowed or someone steps on my foot. I like my personal space, I can't handle ten million people pushing and shoving. Do your Christmas shopping earlier or online.
23. Favourite ornament theme or colour?
There is no central theme or colour to our Christmas tree. I'd like there to be one, but it will never happen. The biggest theme on our tree used to be the Winnie the Pooh characters, but we had too many of them, so now we only have our Eeyore ornaments up.
24. Favourite memory of Christmas?
I don't have one. I'm hoping this year, watching Oldest and Littlest open their presents will be my favourite one ever. Here's hoping.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
An iPod touch. Tales of Beedle the Bard. The new Enrique Iglesias CD. About four different Robert Sabuda/Matthew Rheinhart pop up books.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Six (OCD) Things About Me
I was tagged awhile back by Emmie of Emma's Dilemmas and Great Expectations, a blogger that I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know over the last few months. It's meant to be six random things about me, but I decided to theme my answers in the shape of my OCDish behaviour. Reading this list makes me a little uncomfortable because they're all things that go on in my head or things about my family and childhood and I feel a little vulnerable about throwing these things out there. Making them just that little bit less private. Maybe one of the things on this list should be that I'm overly sensitive and paranoid about the things I write on my blog. I'm constantly worried about what others think of me even when so many have you have been really great about the things I write and everyday, with every new comment I feel that much better. You guys are great and so supportive. Here's my list:
1. I like to count things. It started when I was little and was on the swim team. I'd count how many strokes I needed to take to get from one side to the other, I counted the number of laps I was swimming, when the coach told me I needed to focus on my breathing, I counted the number of breaths I was taking. It just carried on from there. I like to count the number of steps up the stairs, the number of pages until the next chapter in my book, I like to count the number of postcards in my collection, the number of donkeys on display, the number of books I've taken out of the library. I don't remember the numbers at the end, I just like counting.
2. I like things to be equal. This is mostly to do with food. When I was growing up, it was all about who ever is fastest or pushiest gets the most food. I liked to sleep in on the weekends and sometimes I'd wake up and someone had made pancakes and the whole family had eaten them all without waiting for me or keeping some aside for me. Now, in my own family, it's all about no more and no less for everyone. Everyone gets equal amounts. When I'm pouring Coke for N and myself, I spend a lot of time making sure there is exactly the same amount in each glass. It makes me feel better.
3. I've mentioned before that I carry on a lot of conversations in my head, my inner voice is always active. This isn't the whole story, really. I also 'type' words and sentences in my head, especially when I'm writing emails or blog entries in my head. Not as much as I used to, but it still happens. I like knowing where the keys are on the keyboard. This is very comforting.
4. I also 'write' some words in the air when someone's speaking to me, but not so anyone can see me or anything. I'm discreet. N knows about it, and sometimes he asks me which words I'm writing. It's not every word and it doesn't happen during every conversation so I guess it is sort of interesting to keep track of which words are written and which aren't. Maybe those are only things that I find interesting?
5. When I was younger, I had an eating disorder. It wasn't exactly anorexia or bulimia but a combination of the two. From that time, I picked up a lot of food habits that have stuck with me. The biggest one is I feel uncomfortable sometimes when different foods are touching. I like clear separation between the meat and the veg and the mash (for instance). I also don't like combining foods. I'll usually eat one (the veg first) and finish it and then the next thing and then the next thing. It happens in other ways as well, we sometimes get the Muller corner yoghurts, and I HATE it when the yoghurt gets into whatever the corner thing is. My rule is that the corner bit goes into the yoghurt but never at any point must the yoghurt get into the corner bit.
6. I like writing lists. I have notebooks full of lists. Writing lists calms me down and relaxes me in some way. It's very anal and N teases me about the number of lists I write, but something about the order of it, the organisation of things into lists is something I can't stop doing. So N brings me home as many notebooks as he can. And I am grateful for every one of them.
1. I like to count things. It started when I was little and was on the swim team. I'd count how many strokes I needed to take to get from one side to the other, I counted the number of laps I was swimming, when the coach told me I needed to focus on my breathing, I counted the number of breaths I was taking. It just carried on from there. I like to count the number of steps up the stairs, the number of pages until the next chapter in my book, I like to count the number of postcards in my collection, the number of donkeys on display, the number of books I've taken out of the library. I don't remember the numbers at the end, I just like counting.
2. I like things to be equal. This is mostly to do with food. When I was growing up, it was all about who ever is fastest or pushiest gets the most food. I liked to sleep in on the weekends and sometimes I'd wake up and someone had made pancakes and the whole family had eaten them all without waiting for me or keeping some aside for me. Now, in my own family, it's all about no more and no less for everyone. Everyone gets equal amounts. When I'm pouring Coke for N and myself, I spend a lot of time making sure there is exactly the same amount in each glass. It makes me feel better.
3. I've mentioned before that I carry on a lot of conversations in my head, my inner voice is always active. This isn't the whole story, really. I also 'type' words and sentences in my head, especially when I'm writing emails or blog entries in my head. Not as much as I used to, but it still happens. I like knowing where the keys are on the keyboard. This is very comforting.
4. I also 'write' some words in the air when someone's speaking to me, but not so anyone can see me or anything. I'm discreet. N knows about it, and sometimes he asks me which words I'm writing. It's not every word and it doesn't happen during every conversation so I guess it is sort of interesting to keep track of which words are written and which aren't. Maybe those are only things that I find interesting?
5. When I was younger, I had an eating disorder. It wasn't exactly anorexia or bulimia but a combination of the two. From that time, I picked up a lot of food habits that have stuck with me. The biggest one is I feel uncomfortable sometimes when different foods are touching. I like clear separation between the meat and the veg and the mash (for instance). I also don't like combining foods. I'll usually eat one (the veg first) and finish it and then the next thing and then the next thing. It happens in other ways as well, we sometimes get the Muller corner yoghurts, and I HATE it when the yoghurt gets into whatever the corner thing is. My rule is that the corner bit goes into the yoghurt but never at any point must the yoghurt get into the corner bit.
6. I like writing lists. I have notebooks full of lists. Writing lists calms me down and relaxes me in some way. It's very anal and N teases me about the number of lists I write, but something about the order of it, the organisation of things into lists is something I can't stop doing. So N brings me home as many notebooks as he can. And I am grateful for every one of them.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Handwriting
All of the typing I do makes my handwriting look like this.
It was written in my notebook that is always laying around somewhere. It's filled mostly with lists. Lists of books read, lists of things to do, blog ideas, phone numbers, books I'd like to read, gift ideas, the rota for my local coffee group. It seems like I have thousands of these type of notebooks lying around. I can't really couldn't live without one.
What does your handwriting look like? Enquiring minds would like to know.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Daily Details: Fridge door
Do you think your fridge door says something about you? What do you think mine says about me?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Daily Details: the bedside table
I like details best of all. Here's today's detail. This is my bedside table. Tomorrow it will look different.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Bookish memes
I saw this one someone else's blog and figured why not throw in my answers as well. There's something about this hot weather that makes me feel like writing proper posts!
Author/s I've always wanted to read but haven't yet:
Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh
Book/s I think I should read but have no interest in:
Moby-Dick, On the Road, Ulysses, To the Lighthouse
Authors I love that I've recently discovered:
Margaret Atwood? Not sure who else, really. And she wasn't THAT recent either.
The genre/s I've wanted to read more of:
If I'm honest, I'd probably say classics. More dystopian literature. I love children's books.
The book/s on my TBR pile I always mean to read next:
On Beauty by Zadie Smith, Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally, Atonement by Ian McEwan, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Book/s I want to try again:
Books by Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens. Anna Karenina. Nineteen Eighty-Four
Books I want to re-read:
I have a plan to reread the books in the Twilight series before Breaking Dawn is released. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier is a favourite reread. Favourite books from childhood like The Outsiders, Island of the Blue Dolphins, True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Books I will never, ever read:
The DaVinci Code, The Secret, anything by John Grisham.
1. Who is your all-time favourite author, and why?
Probably Alice Hoffman. I love the way she writes and I just seem to fall into her stories and get carried away...
2. Who was your first favourite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favourites?
My FIRST favourite author? Wow, I have no idea. Possibly Gertrude Chandler Warner, who wrote The Boxcar Children. Then possibly EB White afer I read and fell in love with Charlotte's Web. I'd probably still list The Boxcar Children and Charlotte's Web amongst my favourite books, but not so much the authors.
3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favourite authors, and why?
Margaret Atwood, after I read The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake.
4. If someone asked you who your favourite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?
Alice Hoffman, Meg Cabot, John Irving, Haruki Murakami.
5. TaggedRules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the Author questions, tag some people in your post, let the tagees know they’ve been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.
Blah, blah, blah. You're tagged if you want to be, you're not if you don't.
Author/s I've always wanted to read but haven't yet:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I don't know why/how I've never finished one of his books. David Mitchell, but I kind of want to read Ghostwritten before anything else and I can never find it in my library (and I'm too cheap to buy it!)! I keep hearing good things about Paul Auster, but again - no luck so far! I've also never finished anything by Louis de Bernieres! Kazuo Ishiguro.
Author/s I'd like to read more of:
Definately Margaret Atwood. I've read The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake, but everything else of hers seems to be very chunky. I'd probably put Ian McEwan on this list as well, though I seem to have a love/hate relationship with him. Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Doris Lessing.
Author/s I think I should read but have no interest in (true confessions):Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh
Book/s I think I should read but have no interest in:
Moby-Dick, On the Road, Ulysses, To the Lighthouse
Authors I love that I've recently discovered:
Margaret Atwood? Not sure who else, really. And she wasn't THAT recent either.
The genre/s I've wanted to read more of:
If I'm honest, I'd probably say classics. More dystopian literature. I love children's books.
The book/s on my TBR pile I always mean to read next:
On Beauty by Zadie Smith, Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally, Atonement by Ian McEwan, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Book/s I want to try again:
Books by Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens. Anna Karenina. Nineteen Eighty-Four
Books I want to re-read:
I have a plan to reread the books in the Twilight series before Breaking Dawn is released. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier is a favourite reread. Favourite books from childhood like The Outsiders, Island of the Blue Dolphins, True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Books I will never, ever read:
The DaVinci Code, The Secret, anything by John Grisham.
And here's another one - I was tagged by Keris absolutely ages ago:
1. Who is your all-time favourite author, and why?
Probably Alice Hoffman. I love the way she writes and I just seem to fall into her stories and get carried away...
2. Who was your first favourite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favourites?
My FIRST favourite author? Wow, I have no idea. Possibly Gertrude Chandler Warner, who wrote The Boxcar Children. Then possibly EB White afer I read and fell in love with Charlotte's Web. I'd probably still list The Boxcar Children and Charlotte's Web amongst my favourite books, but not so much the authors.
3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favourite authors, and why?
Margaret Atwood, after I read The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake.
4. If someone asked you who your favourite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?
Alice Hoffman, Meg Cabot, John Irving, Haruki Murakami.
5. TaggedRules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the Author questions, tag some people in your post, let the tagees know they’ve been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.
Blah, blah, blah. You're tagged if you want to be, you're not if you don't.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Answers Revealed
Thank you to Ms Mac, Kate and Keris for playing my first lines game.. in case you were wondering, here are the answers. I can't say that I'd have been able to guess them all, but certainly a few of the first sentences make me want to read those that I haven't as yet (Anna Karenina and Nineteen Eighty-Four)
1. I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped. The Wasp Factory, Ian Banks
2. Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
3. Amergo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had co cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
4. It was 7 minutes after midnight. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
5. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
6. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
7. At the beginning of July, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather, towards evening, a certain young man came down on to the street from the little room he rented from some tenants in S--- Lane and slowly, almost hesitantly, set off towards K---n Bridge. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
8. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,.... A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
9. The primroses were over. Watership Down, Richard Adams
10. Dr Iannis had enjoyed a satisfactory day in which none of his patients had died or got any worse. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
11. It was a pleasure to burn. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
12. I have just returned from a visit to my landlord--the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. In a village of La Mancha the name of which have no desire to recall, there lived not so long ago one of those gentlemen who always have a lance in the rack, an ancient buckler, a skinny nag, and a greyhound for the chase. Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes
14. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
15. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, CS Lewis
16. On they went, singing 'Eternal Memory', and whenever they stopped, the sound of their feet, the horses and the gusts of wind seemed to carry on their singing. Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
17. It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
18. Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book about the jungle called True Stories. The Little Price, Antoine de Saint-Exupery
19. 'Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents', grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. Little Women, Louise May Alcott
20. All children, except one, grow up. Peter Pan, JM Barrie
21. When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
22. 'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but... The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
23. Call me Ishmael. Moby-Dick, Herman Melville
24. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
25. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
26. 124 was spiteful. Beloved, Toni Morrison
27. In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
28. I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
29. They say when trouble comes close ranks, and so the white people did. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys
30. Last ngiht I dreamt I went to Manderley again. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
1. I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped. The Wasp Factory, Ian Banks
2. Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
3. Amergo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had co cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
4. It was 7 minutes after midnight. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
5. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
6. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
7. At the beginning of July, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather, towards evening, a certain young man came down on to the street from the little room he rented from some tenants in S--- Lane and slowly, almost hesitantly, set off towards K---n Bridge. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
8. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,.... A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
9. The primroses were over. Watership Down, Richard Adams
10. Dr Iannis had enjoyed a satisfactory day in which none of his patients had died or got any worse. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
11. It was a pleasure to burn. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
12. I have just returned from a visit to my landlord--the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. In a village of La Mancha the name of which have no desire to recall, there lived not so long ago one of those gentlemen who always have a lance in the rack, an ancient buckler, a skinny nag, and a greyhound for the chase. Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes
14. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
15. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, CS Lewis
16. On they went, singing 'Eternal Memory', and whenever they stopped, the sound of their feet, the horses and the gusts of wind seemed to carry on their singing. Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternak
17. It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
18. Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book about the jungle called True Stories. The Little Price, Antoine de Saint-Exupery
19. 'Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents', grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. Little Women, Louise May Alcott
20. All children, except one, grow up. Peter Pan, JM Barrie
21. When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
22. 'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but... The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
23. Call me Ishmael. Moby-Dick, Herman Melville
24. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
25. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
26. 124 was spiteful. Beloved, Toni Morrison
27. In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
28. I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
29. They say when trouble comes close ranks, and so the white people did. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys
30. Last ngiht I dreamt I went to Manderley again. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
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