The PearLady presents her weekend report

In the spirit of Zazu from The Lion King
[cue music: “The Morning Report” from the above movie title]

What I accomplished this week:

I found another great site, namely the Christian Bookshelf Reviews, which led me to even more book challenges (God help me – LOL). It also led me to post here again to the world.

What I’m reading:

What I finished reading:

  

Reviews, what I have of them, are at GoodReads. Unfortunately, my words cannot catch up with my feelings at the moment. Nevertheless. I have enjoyed reading another Cindy Woodsmall book, although not quite as much as her Sisters of the Quilt series. I’m excited that I can finally continue with the Potluck Club series. This second book picks up right where the first one left things, so despite the length of the whole series, the best experience is to read them all. So, onward I continue! I found Beauty and the Beast via Kobo e-books. It’s a cute little read; not as glamorous as the Disney movie version (story is slightly different, too), but it’s cute just the same. That’s one checked off for the e-book challenge.

The biggest news in my library is joining a few more challenges (Outdo yourself  / challenge addict challenge). These new challenges kind of overlap with what I’m doing, so I don’t think it’ll be too much an inconvenience. We shall see.

What have you accomplished this week? If the answer makes you cringe, you always have tomorrow (and if tomorrow never comes, it doesn’t matter anyway, eh). Anyway, see ya in cyberspace.

Book Challenges in 2012

It’s the third day into the new year and I’m finally getting around to updating my book lists. I finished updating my 2011 list and made my list for 2012 with some new challenges! I’ve also updated my bookshelves page to show the changes. Whew. I think it’s time for a drink and a game while my blogging software updates.

Until later, blogosphere.

 

A birthday on the world wide web

My blogging friend Jenny has a birthday today
She’s hocking silly stuff in her shop, hooray
She cusses on her blog and people comment back with praise
What in Heaven is this world coming to these days?!
I’m not really upset at the sentence above,
I tease and I write purely with sisterly love.

~~
I wake up this morning, and what do I see on my Facebook? A friend is having a birthday. For some reason I do not know, my creativity switch turned on, and this poem is the result. (Actually, I knew before fb told me, but then, along with the masses, read her blog. I’m not sure why it almost took a mean turn, just looking for words to rhyme on the fly. She’s a dear and fun woman, especially in person. Hehe I can be so silly sometimes. Gotta love me (or not..whatever).

Judging books by their covers

What could bring me back to blogging? Why, to talk about books, of course! Yeah, I know, I’m a bookworm that would like nothing better than to crawl into a good book sometimes. But, with so many books out there, how do you find the one to read? At times, I’ve had to pick and choose by the cover (not something to be done with people, of course. ). The chosen books can all be found at my local library. As learned from the movie version of the book Silence of the Lambs, “We covet what we see, everyday”.

For instance, I found the following YA book:

What a great find it was!

Here’s what else I’ve found throughout the year…

Non-fiction Books:
* *
Fiction Books:
*

Children’s Books:

The starred books really intrigued me for an immediate move to the TBR. The children’s books chosen remind me of my own childhood. I wonder what 2012 will bring?

What the heck were they thinking?

“Where the heck have I been lately?” you my wonder. In addition to the usual stuff (reading, eating, working, exercising), I’ve been doing a daily challenge to help my well-being. Today, it’s about doing something creative. My creative mojo has come often when I’m not near a computer (to blog or draw it), or when I’m too tired to do anything about it. Talk about a bummer of timing my mojo has! Anyway, today I’m channel-surfing and wondering what the heck people were thinking looking at some of the tv show titles.

Blog Cabin – a DIY show but it either sounds like syrup or a journal by a 5 year old (probably because I’m reading a book called Room)

Wind At My Back – a movie about a women keeping her family together; sounds like it’d be a family enduring a hurricane (okay, maybe not really, but it’d be funnier that way. hehe)

World’s Fattest Man – that’s just sick and sad. Poor guy…and yet courageous to tell the story and get help.

Magnum TV – what a tease as I liked Magnum PI…This one’s a hunting show. Well, maybe not too different considering the trouble Magnum sometimes encountered. LOL

Big Time Rush – could be a bunch of women at a bridal show, a jocks fraternity, perhaps people getting stoned; but, no, it’s a show about kids in high school. (wtf?!)

On that note, that’s enough weird television for one day, at least for me. Maybe next time we’ll discuss weird channels, like what is up with an entire channel just for fishing? I’d rather eat the fish, thank you very much. ;D Anyway, until next time…

View a Random Slice
PS. If you’d like to do the daily challenge as well, you can sign up at http://www.dailychallenge.com

All about young love

Young love–what an enticing suggestion. Although, sometimes I wish for any love at all, even if is just from my dog. Other times…well, we won’t go there, for as a blog friend once reminded me, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. (unless you’re like our mutual blog friend, Jenny…hehe) So, time for counting blessings again (*takes 10 deep breaths*). Okay, let’s continue….

I have received a wonderful opportunity this past week from One2One — to listen to the new Mat Kearney album! Woo-hoo, me. And, woo-hoo to you…for you get an advance heads-up from yours truly, so you can run out and get the cd, too.

The album starts off with a comfortable top favorite of his music, Hey Mama. This song gets you up and dancing (well, at least it does for me). What a great song for working out! Hello, Mr. Kearney! Once introduced, we go into the courting stage with Ships in the Night. This song is sort of a mix between hip-hop and soft rock (okay, maybe favoring the latter), one to dance in the evening with your soul mate. Next up is Count On Me, which is something I wouldn’t mind my honey singing to me.~swoon~ Sooner or later sounds like either someone cannot make up one’s mind, or it’s inevitable that we’ll get there [hopefully sooner]; an upbeat song despite the indecisive topic. The song Chasing The Light is one that would fit nicely into my walking routine; a nice, steady song that makes me want to clap along to the drum beats. Then, the album slows down a bit with Learning to Love Again, almost as if it knows we need a breather; and we slow dance across the floor. Then, the next songs have my foot tapping and my fingers snapping. I’m sure I look sort of silly to the casual observer being so active during these songs, but I can’t help myself (*tap*tap*tap*…*snap*snap*snap*).

The only thing missing is seeing Mat sing. But, I can turn up the speakers, close your eyes, and let the imagination take it from there. This album has been an enjoyable ride that’s destined to be included on the iPod for the daily exercises or at least playing in the background while I work. Thanks to Patch Culbertson and the One2One women for giving me the opportunity to do so!

Don’t forget, you can also get another taste of Matt’s Young Love album through his awesome little widget. Click his picture to see it. Enjoy, then buy your own so you can dance along with me and give the observers a really good show.

View a Random Slice

National Book Week – Find that book and let’s learn!

If anything could get me back into blogging, it is blogging about books! How could I almost forget such an auspicious occasion? Thankfully, I popped into fb today, and a school friend reminded me. So here we go…

National Book Week (Aug. 20th through Aug. 26)
The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status (or blog).

“While the watch was being changed on the ramparts above, the sentry stamped once or twice and slapped his gloved hands on his upper arms for warmth, for it was the coldest hour of the night, and a little naphtha flare in the bracket beside him gave no heat.”
-Pg. 56, 5th sentence of The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman

(the length of this sentence alone probably explains why it is taking so much time for me to finish this book — LOL)

Now, it’s your turn. Feel free to guide me in the comments to your quote. And, happy reading!

View a Random Slice
Dates given by NBW Facebook group

Starting another writing exercise – 1 word

I haven’t abandoned anything yet, but I think I may be having a lazy moment. Good thing is my creativity is coming back again. Bad thing is it’s not connecting to other parts…yet. Anyone have some mental glue to make this process faster? IDK either. In the meantime, at NaBloPo, this month’s theme is “in one word”. Sounds intriguing. So, trying it for 30 days…or until boredom or something else sets into my brain.

According to OneWord.com, today’s word is: basic

1 minute response: The simplest needs of a person. What do we really need? It’s usually less than what we initially think, and may include things that produce a "duh" reaction.

 

Conclusion(s) from exercise – I need to learn how to type faster. I also thought of the basic computer language. ~shrugs~

View a Random Slice

Weekly 100 Words – Accentuate the Positive

It’s no secret that I work out…although, I’m unsure if the results are real imagined as of yet.  Anyway, one of my new passions is for Zumba, the Latin-style exercise/dance. So, that’s our focus this week. It’s time for another addition of Weekly 100 Words!
~*~*~
Weekly 100 Words
 

As before, this blog-hopping meme is courteous of RuthiReads, click the WoW picture to contribute/see more. Here’s a contribution from my currently read:

Empower Yourself
Affirmations are positive messages you tell yourself. These messages act like a pair of eyeglasses that improve vision. They help you make perpetual changes in the ways you view your body, food, eating, health, and life. …
Choose affirmations that are believable and make sense to you. …Here are some suggestions…

I deserve to be happy, healthy, and successful.
My body is a beautiful gift that deserves to be respected and nurtured.
I have the power to make the healthiest choices for myself.
I see myself looking fit and feeling strong and healthy.
Good choices are gifts to myself.
- page 281 Zumba®: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program

I think I may snag those affirmations for my mirror as a daily reminder.  After all, we can all use a bit more positivity in this world, eh. But, don’t just take my word for it, check it out for yourself and join the Zumba craze. You’ll look and feel great. That’s my hope, anyway.

As for the title of this post. I appear to have jazz on my brain, and yet I’m doing Latin hip-hop dance lately. “Patso!” (My Italian word of the day) I might as well take you to crazy-land with me, so enjoy the ride with Ms. Aretha Franklin’s version of that song:

As always, happy reading…and dancing…and this crazy ride of life.

View a Random Slice

Weekly 100 Words – Oh my, Christian Porn

Yes….I’ve found a good one this week to show you. He-he. First, let me preface this entry by saying I’ve enjoyed reading this author’s works many times, and particularly like how much faith her characters seem to have. With that said, I’m amazed to find this “gem”—a real play on words. Sexual? Perhaps. ~wink~ It’s time for another addition of Weekly 100 Words!
~*~*~
Weekly 100 Words
 

As before, this blog-hopping meme is courteous of RuthiReads, click the WoW picture to contribute/see more. here’s a contribution from my currently read:

"Jeremy directed me where to stand, and I took my small, small place as compactly as I could. He put one hand on the controls that regulated the on-and-off switch for the blaze and made an adjustment.
The flame kicked up again with a mighty roar.
‘Next.’ Jeremy held his hand out to Kellie. She took the first step up, grasped his forearm, and managed to climb over the wicker rampart without too much trouble. I’m not going to say it was a pretty entrance, but it was controlled, swift, and much more elegant than mine.
‘Show-off,’ I muttered playfully."
- pages 126-127 from Sisterchicks Go Brit! (Sisterchicks Series #7) by Robin Jones Gunn

Oh my, Ms. Gunn, is it getting hot in here, or is your book on fire?  But, don’t just take my word for it, check it out for yourself. Happy reading.

View a Random Slice