Sprucing, Spiffing and Gussying

I have embarked on a couple projects to spruce, spiff and gussy up our house.  Project #1:  The continued mission to declutter and simplify the house. I have gotten rid of a lot of "stuff" and neatly arranged what is left. "A place for everything and everything in it's place."  

Were you to walk into our home, I don't believe you would call it "cluttered" (except maybe that stack of stuff on the end of the kitchen table that just never seems to find a home).  However, I find that my organizing doesn't stay that way for long - usually because an item's "place" may be in bin #5 of a stack of bins - so the item gets temporarily laid on top  ("I'll put that away correctly in a minute").  Then it's in the way when I need to get an item out of bin #2, so it gets moved (temporarily) to a nearby counter. Uh-oh, company is coming and I'm in a hurry, so it gets shoved into a drawer to get it out of sight . . .  According to Ms. Kondo, this phenomenon happens because I still have too much stuff, I just now have it in bins.  Once I finish reading the book, I'll report back on my progress.

Project #2:  It's time for our furniture and decor to get an update.  Not possessing the winning Lotto ticket, I'm working on it in stages.  We have a friend who has a design business in Colorado, so I have been consulting with her about changing color schemes and working with what I have in the mean time.  When we started, I knew that I want Mid-Century Modern and/or Craftsman styles -  and aqua.  Not much for a designer to go on, is it!  Connie (the designer) suggested an orange/red, and shades of yellow to compliment the aqua.  I wasn't sold at first.  Those aren't my usual colors!  But isn't that the whole point?  

The light dawned the next time I was browsing my basket of favorite fabric purchases. Take a look at some of the fabrics that have followed me home recently:

These were all purchased before I started thinking about redecorating. Maybe I like Connie's color combinations more than I realized!

So far, my revamp has consisted of purchasing two vases and a small side table that was multi-clearanced to $9, making a table runner, and a whole lot of window-shopping.  Some items we already have are getting repainted or recovered, but the first major purchase will be a replacement for hubs' old-faithful recliner.  Warning newlyweds: Do not try this at home.  This is a shopping trip that should only be undertaken with a minimum 25-year foundation for your marriage's stability.

Vacation Reading List

"Vacation reading list" usually refers to the books I pack to read in the car, on the plane,in a motel room or on the beach.  But this time, I came home from vacation with a list of "must reads".

I took a cruise with Amelia River Cruises on the rivers surrounding Amelia Island, Florida.  If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend it. The Captain of our sight-seeing boat told a string of fascinating stories about each sight that we passed.  I was so curious about the mysterious Cumberland Island, that I ordered this book as soon as I returned to our hotel room:

Cumberland Island: Strong Women, Wild Horses by Charles Seabrook.

For centuries, Cumberland Island, which is located off the southeastern Georgia coast, has captured the imagination of visitors and inhabitants. In this book, Charles Seabrook uses circling narratives about generations of strong women who have called Cumberland Island their home to explain why this island seems to invoke strong emotions in all who come here.

From the days of Caty Greene, the widow of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Green, to Zabette, the slave mistress of Cumberland's largest landholder before the Civil War, to Lucy Carnegie, the widow of Thomas Carnegie (Andrew's younger brother), to Carol Ruckdeschel, a naturalist once profiled in the New Yorker, and Janet "Gogo" Ferguson, who played an integral role in the planning of Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s secret wedding on the island, we watch as these women strive to protect the island they love.

Our cruise was delayed due to foggy weather and then delayed a second time due to a mechanical problem.  While we waited, a slightly eccentric employee of the cruise entertained us with stories - some believable and some not.  One of the more believable (and fascinating) was about the people of his homeland - Newfoundland.  That led to book number 2 on my Barnes and Noble order:  The Day the World Came to Town

When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.

For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."

The Day the World Came to Town is a positively heartwarming account of the citizens of Gander and its surrounding communities and the unexpected guests who were welcomed with exemplary kindness.

While visiting Fernandina Beach, the town near our resort, I stopped in a book store to look for a book on the history of Amelia Island.  The clerk said that Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach by Roger Moore and Ron Kurtz, is their best seller.  So, I picked up an autographed copy.

I struck up a conversation with a lady browsing the table of new best sellers.  She recommended "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins - "Once you start it you won't put it down until you're done."  Of course I had to buy it after that endorsement. 

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

 And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?  Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

I also picked up a copy of Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell, for Dave.  

This richly detailed and meticulously researched historical novel continues the story she began in Doc, following Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday to Tombstone, Arizona, and to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Now all I need is another vacation so I have time to  read them all.

My Literary Genealogy

I have my mother's hair and skin, my grandmother's figure, my father's affinity for doing my own thing.  On the other hand, I do no not have my mother's organization, my grandmother's gentleness or my father's singing voice.

I am a combination of my ancestors, with bits I have picked up from friends, teachers, pastors, co-workers, famous personalities and even . . . book characters?  

Surely I am not influenced by made-up stories or words written in a book  - fiction or non-.  Yet, in Audrey Niffenegger's graphic novel "The Night Bookmobile", the young lady wandering through the stacks realizes they are filled with the collection of books she has read throughout her life.  

"These shelves of books were a distillation of my life"

If there is such a connection between my life and what I read, there must also be a connection to the people who led me to those books.  They become ancestors, of sorts, who contribute to the DNA of my reading life.

My cousin, Arlene, introduced me to Agatha Christie and started a life-long love of mysteries.  My high school friend, Maureen, convinced me to try science fiction.  That idea didn't stick, but at least I have a general view of the genre.  Another high school friend, Ann, got me to read The Hobbit - which I loved at 17, but not when I reread it at 53.

As an adult, Nora widened my view of Christian fiction.  A lovely group of ladies in Sutherland, Nebraska taught me the joy of reading and sharing with a book club.  Mary taught me that friends can disagree on what to read, but still share a love of books.  Becoming a librarian (a title I wanted since grade school) pushed me into exploring authors and genres I had never considered - thanks to Joyce for hiring me and becoming a dear friend.  My sister, Teri, continues to challenge my reading through our personal book club.

Mrs. Jones not only taught me high school English, she also taught me that I didn't have to limit my reading to what was popular.  Dave's Aunt Ginger inspired a very young me to have a home filled with books.  Thirty five years later, she still inspires me.  My husband persuaded me to read and, I confess, enjoy Louis L'Amour's westerns.  Part of the reason my BFF, Wanda, became my BFF was that she shared my love of the "Cat Who..." series and the occasional "guilty pleasure" romance novel.

In more recent years, I have discovered the on-line reading community through blogs, Twitter and the semi-annual "Dewey's 24-hour Readathon" - two of my favorite days of the year.

Most importantly, 20+ years ago, a pastor's wife named Marilyn overheard a conversation that brought us together, and she taught me to really read my Bible.

Who has influenced what and how you read?  

“I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bookish Fun, Fun, Fun . . .

"Disgusted with life, she withdrew
 to the  society of books"
 -- Rosina Emmett Sherwood

 I have spent my adult life arranging my schedule around my family - What will they want to eat?  When will they want to eat it?  Do they have clean underwear?  Do they have homework?  What time will they be home?  As selfish as it sounds, I'm ready to take advantage of the freedom of the "second half" and keep my own schedule.  

One of the advantages of this new chapter of life is that I have more leisure time.  Other than a full-time job, my time is pretty much my own.  There are household chores, lawn and garden chores, and a few other responsibilities, but a lot fewer than there used to be.   More time for "fun".

A few days ago I posted about the various creative methods I'm trying and how much I'm enjoying the freedom to explore and experiment.  However, this new love of creativity is pulling me away from an old love - books.  I have been an avid reader since I learned the ABC's.  Reading has always been my first choice of leisure activities - until recently.  I have read fewer books in 2014 than in any year since 1966.  

Besides curling up in a comfy chair to "withdraw to the society of books", there are several bookish activities that add to my reading enjoyment:

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon - This amazing event is held every April and October and I look forward to it and plan for it way in advance. There are hourly prize drawings, challenges, Twitter conversations and lots of blogs to visit. It can be a challenge to actually get any reading done, but the social aspect is at least half the fun.  Next Readathon is Oct. 18 - go here to sign up.

Goodreads - I love Goodreads!  For those who aren't familiar, Goodreads is a web site where you can fill virtual bookshelves with the books you have read, are currently reading or hope to read.  Especially for women in their "second half", It's a great way to remember what you've already read and even what you thought of it.  The mobile version is an easy way to keep your TBR (to be read) list handy when going to the library or book store, and you can find out what your friends are reading, read their reviews, see what's trending and visit with authors.  If you are on Goodreads, look me up and become my friend.

T and T Book Club - The book club my sister and I started more than 15 years ago has come and gone and been resurrected in new form several times.  We alternate months to pick a book for both of us to read and create an "assignment" to go along with the book - like write a review on your blog, make a recipe inspired by the book, do a craft project or visit a site referred to in the book.  Teri and I have vastly different reading interests, so it can be a challenge to select a book, but it's good for both of us to stretch ourselves.

There are also bookish ideas that haven't been as successful:

Challenges - I flunk challenges!  I have tried several in the past and pledged to never sign up again.  But then I cave in and try again . . . and still don't finish them.  This year I signed up to fill out a Bingo card by reading various categories of mysteries.  So far I have one square filled.  The idea sound fun in theory, but the reality is not for disorganized, scattered women like me.  Renewed vow to never sign up for one again.

Blog Reviews - Five years ago, this was strictly a book blog and I tried to write lengthy, witty summations of everything I read.  But I got over myself.  No on really cares about my opinion - no matter how witty - on every book I read.  So now I only write full reviews for books I love.  It's the blog equivalent of calling a friend and saying "You HAVE to read this!"  All other books get a 2-line "mini review" or no mention at all.  I think we're all happier. :) 

Looking for more time to read brings me back to this post about "wise use of time" , in which I said I was going to put the phone down, get away from Pinterest and Facebook . . . uh, yeah - not doing so well there.  But I'm making a renewed commitment - put down the phone and pick up a book.

Bookish Thinking . . .

As part of a mini-readathon last weekend, Teri @ Henningsen Happenings posed five bookish questions:

1.  What is the best book you've ever read?
2.  What is your favorite spot to read?
3.  What person(s) inspired you to be a reader?
4.  What book do you wish you had never read?
5.  What book(s) are you most excited to read next?

My answers:

1.  Best book:   I can't possibly pick just one.  I have favorites from different genres, different times in my life, different moods . . . but here are ten that pop to mind.

Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmeyer
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Mrs. Aaris Goes To Paris by Paul Gallico
The Wednesday Witch by Ruth Chew
The entire Cat Who.... series by Lilian Jackson Braun
The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marsha Moyer
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

No matter how many I list, I always think, "I should have added . . ."

Wait, I should have added The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown . . .  and The Night Circus . . . and . . .

2.  My Favorite Spot to Read:  Slouch on the couch!  With a bowl of popcorn, apple slices and Diet Coke.  However, as the years tick by, I'm finding that slouching makes my back hurt, and if I get too comfy I fall asleep, so I'm doing more of my reading from an armchair that requires better posture and has better lighting.  I still want the popcorn and apples.

3.  Who Inspired Me:  The overall answer is "I have no idea".  I have been an avid reader since I learned to read.  I give big props to my mother, who is definitely not a reader, for buying me books from every Scholastic book order at school, and driving me to the library.  

I can identify four other people (or groups of people) who have influenced my reading at various points in my life -- my high school English teacher, Dave's Aunt Ginger, the library where I used to work, and the book blogging community.  Each has lead me to books I wouldn't have read otherwise.

4.  A Book I Wish I Hadn't Read:  There are always books that get great reviews, or even win prizes (The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes) that I think are just awful and I regret having wasted me reading time. 

The current trend of self-publishing has produced a flood of low-quality gibberish posing as novels.  The ones I agreed to read for review left me with more regrets of wasted hours, and led to my vow to never read another.

And The Amityville Horror!  I was a horror story nut in my younger days, so I checked it out (totally clueless) from the public library.  To this day I will not sleep on my stomach if my husband is also sleeping on his stomach.  If you've read the book, you'll understand why.  If not, you don't want to know.  That book seriously messed me up for life.

5.  What I Can't Wait to Read:  That's another endless list, but here's a sampling of what I want to get to soon --

The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd
The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey
Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield
Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

Care to share your answers?  Feel free to leave them in the comments or if, like me, your answers are lengthy, add them to your own blog and leave a link. 

How to Shop a Library Sale, or You Can't Judge a Book By It's Cover

Dave and I stopped by the library during our lunch hour today and stumbled on a used book sale - $2/bag.  My eyes glazed over as I grabbed a bag and began digging.  Dave sifted through a couple tables and deemed them all "fuel for a giant book burning".   I'll agree, there were a lot of  less-than-bestsellers there, but there were also gems among the dross, if you dug deep enough.  Here's what I discovered on the Mystery table:

It's a mystery-lovers bonanza:  Gilman, Christie, Rinehart, Gardner, Stout - and that plain brown book underneath is Westlake.  Throw in a copy of A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines and a collection of Christmas stories and it's a pretty good haul.  

C.S. Lewis once said, "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between."  I intend to try to follow that rule in the coming year.

Summer Reading

Ahhh.... such willpower, such self-control!  Or not!  Every summer  I say I'm not going to do it, but then the weather warms and I get bit by the "bug".  The pretty covers bloom like summer flowers and I find myself making a Summer Reading wish list.  Warm, sunny days always lure me to the swing with a cold drink and a book.  With the purchase of our "vacation home" (a.k.a. pop-up camper), I'm envisioning even more quiet hours for reading.  So here's my 2013 Summer Reading Wish List

Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg - because I like everything she writes.

Cecilia Ross is looking for a change. She has decided to take time off from her job as a motivational speaker and sell her home. She moves into a beautiful old house in St. Paul, Minnesota, complete with a big front porch, a wild garden and three roommates.   The four women are different ages, but all are feeling restless, and want to take a road trip to find again the people and things they miss. One woman wants to connect with a daughter she gave away at birth; another wants to visit her long-absent ex-husband; a third woman, a professional chef, is seeking new inspiration from the restaurants along the way. And Cecilia is looking for Dennis Halsinger, the man she never got over, who recently sent her a postcard out of the blue.

Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews - ditto.  And don't you love the colors in that cover? (release date 6/13)

There’s the “Grace Stanton” who alluringly chronicles her glamorous Florida life on Gracenotes, her popular blog. And then there’s the Grace Stanton who had to slink back to mom’s with the clothes on her back after she drove her philandering hubby’s car into the pool. Things look up when she persuades the divorced women in her therapy group to move their Wednesday night sessions to the Sandbox, her mom’s ramshackle beach bar. Grace, Camryn, Suzanne and Ashleigh were all done wrong, and they’ve bonded together to heal each other’s hearts—and get even with their exes.

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman.  This is a new author for me, but the story sounds intriguing and no way could I pass up  a book featuring a beach and a lighthouse on the cover.

1901, unhappily married Isabella Winterbourne is the lone survivor of a shipwreck off the Australian coast. But in her possession is a priceless gift that could give her the means to start anew in the seaside town of Lighthouse Bay. The year 2011 hasn’t been good to Libby Slater. After a failed love affair in Paris, she’s returned to her family home in Lighthouse Bay knowing that her sister Juliet may still, after 20 years, not forgive the egregious act that fostered their estrangement.  The century that spans these love stories is filled with breathtaking drama.

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman.  Another new author.  The setting hooked me on this one and - surprise - the pretty cover art.  (release date 5/13)

Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair left on the side of the road in rural Kentucky. Breathing new life into these discarded objects gives Teddi purpose, but has never alleviated the haunting uncertainty she’s felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to find him. It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and to find herself at last.

Miss Julia Stirs Up Trouble by Ann B. Ross.  Newest installment in a long-time favorite series.  And did you notice the pretty cover?

Upon feeling a nip in the air, Miss Julia decides to cozy up in front of her new fireplace—until she discovers autumn leaves aren’t the only things falling down in Abbotsville. James, Hazel Marie’s housekeeper, has had a bad tumble down the stairs, leaving the already harried young mother, who can’t boil water, having to feed and care for everyone! Naturally Miss Julia jumps in to help. And what better way than to have the town’s most accomplished cooks share recipes? But the last thing they need are too many cooks in the kitchen. When Hazel Marie’s no-good Uncle Vern Puckett shows up, madcap antics are added to the mix

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan.  Her book, Maine, was one of my top reads last summer.  (release date 6/13)

A diamond lasts forever, wrote a young advertising wordsmith in 1947, and today the glittering gem is inseparably associated with marriage. J. Courtney Sullivan's The Engagements is a resplendent novel illuminating every facet of marriage—the shine, the strength, and the flaws.  Evelyn married for companionship, and her union has lasted four decades. Delphine lives for passion—its ecstatic beginning and its bitter end. Kate and Dan have been together ten blissful years, but Kate is loath to tie the knot. James is painfully aware that his in-laws feel his wife could have chosen better. And linking these four stories is that of the aforementioned ad writer, Mary Frances Gerety, who aimed to put a diamond ring on every bride’s finger.

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg.  I enjoy Janet Evanovich's writing and I'm hopeful that Mr. Goldberg's contribution to this book will be to keep her from reverting to writing the same characters and story once again.  (release date 6/13)

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare has a rep for tenacity second to none. She always gets her man. Except one—Nicolas Fox, a suave, charming schemer who scams the world’s movers and shakers just for the thrill.  Nick’s not running from Kate because he’s scared she’ll catch him—he just enjoys being pursued by a smart, sexy woman. But when O’Hare finally nabs Fox, he pulls his biggest con yet: He persuades the FBI to hire him...and partner him with Kate!  Now, Kate and Nick are after a crooked banker holed up on his private island. And if high-speed chases, pirates and hired guns don’t kill these two, they just may kill each other!

I know I can get a couple of these at my library - either in their collection or through interlibrary loan.  I am on a self-imposed book buying ban, but I may have to declare an exception in the case of birthday money and new releases.

These summer reading posts are more for my benefit - to keep track of what I had planned - than yours, although I hope you'll see something here that you may want to add to your own list.  If, for some reason, you're interested in previous Summer Reading posts, you can find them here:

http://tdreads.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-reading.html
http://tdreads.blogspot.com/2011/08/summer-reading.html
http://tdreads.blogspot.com/2012/05/summer-reading.html

UFO's: The Books

A couple days ago I posted about my crafting UFO's (UnFinished Objects).  It was an embarrassingly long list of things I've planned, started and never finished.  Occurred to me that I have a similar, if not larger, issue with UFB's (UnFinished Books).  Not technically unfinished, most are un-begun.  Yes, I know we all have our TBR (to be read) piles and lists of books we want from the library and wish lists for future purchases and gifts.  But, like all the in-progress crafts, having unread books stacked around the house and continually acquiring more is poor stewardship.  

I got rid of boxes and boxes of books when we moved two years ago, so was down to a minimum of unread books - just the few that I really wanted to read.  As I purchased new books, I sat them on the dresser.  Soon they overtook that space and climbed the shelves along one side of the mirror.  Then up the other side.  I finally had to move them to the top of the dresser.

The paperbacks remain on a side shelf:

And then there's the original shelf that moved with us: 

That's more than fifty "real" books acquired in the last two years, plus about 20 more on the Nook - and not read!  The books purchased and actually read is a whole other thing

Once again - you all are my witnesses - no more stockpiling books.  Yes, there are exceptions - there are certain authors that I really must read as soon as they're published.  I'm not going cold turkey here.  But I will find as many as possible at the library and I am hereby avoiding bookstores and book sites until I've read a large portion of these.

This is the part where, as you did at the end of the craft post on Tuesday, you all nod your heads and pretend to believe that will happen.  Thank you.

Where in the World Are You Reading?

Last month, the ladies who host Where in the World Are You Reading? asked about my "unusual" reading spots.  For February, they want to know where I get comfy to read.  That's an easy one.  Ninety percent of my reading gets done right here:

It has everything I need - good lighting, a pillow for my aching back, a place to rest my feet, a spot to sit my coffee, and a cord to charge the Nook, and it isn't TOO comfy.  It doesn't recline and it's not conducive to slouching, so I'm less likely to doze instead of read.  Not to say that never happens, but less than when I try to read in bed or on the couch.

The chair and it's mate belonged to my grandparents in the 1960's and early 70's, and to my in-laws from then till 2012, when they came to live with us, so it has a sentimental, nostalgic comfort that makes it my favorite spot in the world for reading.

A Puzzling Post: The Totally Random Book Puzzle

Hadn't made a puzzle in ages and just felt the urge - but couldn't come up with an appropriate theme that I haven't used before.  So, here you have a puzzle containing 24 random books I've liked in my lifetime.  How's that for vague?  Some are pretty obvious - a couple are more obscure.  How many can you name? Title and author, please - and it's acceptable to use Google.

This time there's a prize - a handmade journal cover and matching bookmark - lovingly crafted by yours truly.  The cover fits a standard 9x7 composition book (included).  When the journal is full, just slip off the cover and insert a fresh notebook.  Winner will be selected by random drawing of all participants that identify all the books - or the one who comes closest.  Entries accepted until Monday, November 19th when I get to work and have time to determine the winner - a vague deadline to go with a vague puzzle.  Comment moderation will be turned on temporarily so there's no peeking.  Good luck!

Click to enlarge

Beating a Dead Horse . . .

Following the outcry that arose after it came to light that an author(s?) has been pseudonymously* posting Amazon reviews praising their own books and panning fellow authors' work , (read story here) I heard many readers say "I'm no longer trusting reviews by strangers.  I'm relying on the opinions of book bloggers I know."

But Cynical Me can't get past wondering how well we really know the bloggers we're trusting.  Are we always getting an honest opinion?  The reason I question is because I know I've done it myself.  Forgive me bloggers, for I have sinned!  I confess - I have written reviews that may have (slightly) exaggerated the pros and (slightly) underplayed the cons of a book.  In the name of good manners, I have glossed over slothful plots and gluttonous verbosity.  Brothers and Sisters, I have prostituted my blog out of greed for a measly free book. None of this is news - I've discussed this topic before - repeatedly (*see post title) - most recently when I had a little "Come to Random House meeting" with myself, changed my book review policy (the vague one in my head since I've never actually written one down), cancelled my affiliation with the two blog-tour sponsors I have used, stopped entering contests for giveaways that come with real or implied agreements to write a review, renewed my commitment to finding my reading joy, and vowed to leave it alone.  

But here I am, flailing at this poor horse again because of a Twitter conversation and/or experience this morning.  I was scrolling through tweets, stopping to click on links to book blogs, book news, book reviews, book magazines . . .  When I had finished, I tweeted: 

• Is anyone else overwhelmed by the volume of book genres, sub-genres, discussions, analyses, explanations and reviews available?
• I used to just go to the library and pick a book. Now I have to research a Master's Thesis in Literature to decide what to read next.

That observation led to a conversation with a Twitter friend (who shall remain anonymous so she's not accused of sharing any views or sentiments expressed here) about how difficult it can be to sift through all that information, glean what is useful and toss the chaff; to not let the perceived "prestige" of reading what's trendy encourage or discourage me from reading what gives me joy.  Let's face it, the person on the train or in the doctor's office reading 1Q84 appears smarter than the person reading Wicked Business, but it doesn't mean they're having more fun.

I'm not pointing fingers or implying that any specific bloggers are deceitful in their reviews, or biased in their reading choices in order to promote their blog, gain prestige or carve out a bigger piece of the blog world for themselves.  The point to this rejuvenated attack on a defenseless deceased equine is to remind myself that the friends who visit here trust me to say what I really enjoy reading and my honest opinion of those books; to reiterate my determination to stop letting my reading choices be swayed by hype, media and book tours, and trust the book blogger I know best - me.  And now, honestly, I will let dead horses lie.

*That's really a word - I looked it up!

Odds and Ends

Changes to blog:  For quite a while I've been feeling that I need to make a few changes on the blog for three reasons:

1.  I signed up with a couple of promoters to be part of virtual book tours.  I have tried to be selective about the books I chose to review, but sometimes I can't tell from a short blurb if it's something I'll be interested in.  I have ended up reading some books I did not enjoy - that I had to force myself to finish because I accepted a free copy.   I have received two self-published books that were so poorly written that I had to back out of reviewing them.   I could not give an honest review that said anything positive, yet couldn't publish something hurtful to the authors.  

2.  Since I began working at the library in 2005, I began feeling increasing pressure (self-imposed) to be up on the new trends, authors, etc.  so that I could make recommendations to patrons.  With the addition of the blog in 2009, the pressure increased (again self-imposed) to keep up with the other bloggers - read faster, read pre-release, read more "literary".  

3.  Over the 2 1/2 years of blogging I have occasionally, and with increased frequency, written about our family, our life, the comical - and sometimes the serious - happenings.  Those are the posts that get the most comments and hits.  I also find that when I'm reading other blogs I am a lot more likely to skim book reviews, but read posts that have to do with life.  

In light of these three factors, I am shifting focus.  Reading has been my favorite activity since I learned how, so of course books will continue to be part of the blog since they are a part of my life.  But no more book tours or reviews on request.  I love read-a-thons and other book-related events, so I'll still be joining them - but no challenges or other things that dictate what/how I read.

I wrote a post once before about how I felt I was losing the joy of reading - replacing it with the responsibility of reading.  I tried at that time to make some changes, but evidently not enough.  I want reading to be fun again.  I want it to be something I do because I can't think of anything I would rather do - like I used to feel.  I also don't want the guilt that comes when other responsibilities keep me from reading at the necessary pace.  So there will be fewer book reviews here - only when I'm excited about a book and really want to share.  And there will be more content about life.  Hope you'll hang around to get to know us better.

Book Buying Ban:  After just saying that I would not be joining any more challenges, I am accepting one - but not the usual type.  Instead, I'm joining Rikki at Rikki's Teleidoscope in instituting a temporary book buying ban.  The stack of unread books on my dresser and bookshelf is just plain silly - and most of them are books I purchased because I really want to read them.  Rikki threw out the challenge to refrain from any new book purchases until I have read twenty from my own shelves.  I gave myself an exclusion for a couple books that were already pre-ordered, and of course library books don't count as purchases, but they also don't count towards to goal of twenty books.  So far I've read four.

Movies:  I'm having so much fun watching old movies this summer, that I've added a few more to the original ten.
I've added:

• Mary, Mary - starring Debbie Reynolds
• The Three Musketeers - starring Gene Kelly and Lana Turner
• Dream Wife - starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
• Going My Way - with Bing Crosby
• On the Town - starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra
• Christmas in July - Dick Powell and Ellen Drew
• Send Me No Flowers - Rock Hudson, Doris Day 

Summer Reading . . .

image from shelf-awareness.com

My reality TV obsessions are finished for the season and the Revolution ends July 6, so my DVR is down to General Hospital and Jeopardy.  That means it's time to hit the summer books.  I've been reading a lot of blog posts and magazine articles about "beach reads".  Some categorize summer books as "lighter", some see it as a chance to delve into re-reads of old favorites, some poo-poo the idea entirely, saying their reading choices are not affected by changing seasons.  I fall into the first group - the light reader.  Not that these books are fluff - but subject matter, writing style, and setting make them less strenuous reads.  Hot weather puts me off of anything too weighty or difficult - I don't want to work that hard. 

For summer, I tend towards cozy mysteries, humorous stories, books that feature women's friendships, and anything set on the beach.  Pretty, cheery covers also play a part in my summer selections more than other seasons.  Here's what's on my Summer Reading List:

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank - out June 12th

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen 

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook - pub. date June 5th

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich - due out June 19th

Stardust by Carla Stewart

                                

So far, I only own three of these books, but I've got an inkling that some birthday gifts may add to the collection, and a few will be available at the library.  There are several books waiting in my TBR that may get substituted in, so the lineup is open to change.  But this is the general direction I'm headed.  What are you reading this summer?

Quotes and Questions

Button courtesy of The Broke and The Bookish
with alteration by me.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by the folks at The Broke and the Bookish just because they like making lists.  I frequently see participant's posts on blogs I read, but I've never taken part.  And I'm not actually taking part now, because it's not Tuesday.  You're supposed to look at next week's topic in advance and prepare your list to post on the assigned day.  Yeah, and you're "supposed to" get a Nebraska driver's license within thirty days of moving here, but we know how that goes.  It goes to the tune of $73 when the patrolman discovers you've lived here 14 months and still haven't done it, that's how it goes! So, in keeping with my rebel spirit, I'm posting my Top Ten Tuesday on Friday.  Viva la Revolucion...or whatever!

This week's topic was Top 10 favorite quotes from books.  I can't honestly say these are THE best lines, I can't even limit myself to ten, but these are SOME of the best of the ones I remembered to write down somewhere so I would remember them later when an appropriate occasion arose - but that's too long to write in the title space.

And while we're on the topic of writing them down, does anyone have a good system for keeping track of quotes you like?  I've tried writing them in a notebook but I forget to do it and sometimes the passages are too long to write out long-hand.  The ones that I have mentioned on the blog I have just printed, cut and physically pasted into the notebook.  I could make a separate blog page solely for quotes or I could create a Pinterest board.  Anyone have experience with these ideas, or have better ones?  I would love to hear some ideas.

1. "Love what you love without apology." - The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth 

2. "Probably she was sitting propped up in bed reading and heard the brush of wings and smelled the cold clean air and the angel appeared like a deer in the bedroom and Evelyn said 'Not yet, I have to finish this book.'" - Pontoon by Garrison Keillor

3. "He talked of the future so easily...But she couldn't start this because then it would end.  Stories like this always ended.  She couldn't take this pleasure, because she would spend the rest of her life missing it, hurting from it." - Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

4. "Our mother shook her head...'You girls are all the same like that.  I don't know what we did to give you the idea that you had to be some master in your field by the time you were thirty'...'I don't really want to be a master in my field,' Bean said, 'but I'd like not to be a complete and total f***-up.'  Here we expected our mother to rebuke Bean for her language, but she didn't.  She just smiled indulgently and said, 'Oh, Honey, we're all f***-ups in our own special way.'" - The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

5. "industrial-strength not happy" - If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster

6. "Being met by the sharp scent of chocolate mingling with the moist scent of brewing coffee had a dark, secretive feel to it, like Willa had finally found the perfect place to hide." - The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

7. The Captain attempts to explain Heaven:  "It's all the beauty and serenity and nobility you have ever experienced on earth.  It's all your grandest and most generous feelings, and the finest sunsets and greatest music - and then you're only on the fringe of understanding." - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick

8. "I'm sorry that we worried the children, but I've spent most of my adult life worrying about them, so I'm gonna call it even." - The Leisure Seekers by Michael Zadoorian

9.  "I wanted more than anything to be that girl, to be a child again and carry crocus or hawthorn or larkspur instead of buckets of thistle...I wanted to start my life over, on a course that would not lead to this moment...Every decision I'd ever made had led me here, and I wanted to take it all back, the hatred and the blame and the violence.  I wanted to have lunch with my angry ten-year-old self, to warn her of this morning and give her the flowers to point her in a different direction." - The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

10.  "This the kind of story we learn over and over again about everything in the world: your life starts out as a wild open frontier that you explore until the forces of time or history or civilization or nature intervene, and then suddenly it's all gone, it all weathers and falls down and gets built over; everyone dies or moves away or becomes a grainy photograph, and yes, at some point you just get fat and fall off a streetcar.  Progress - it dumps you on your aging and gigantic ass!" - The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure

11.  "He had been smart enough not to have children, so he could never know the peculiar sensation of caring terribly, insanely for a person over whom you had no control; a person who was your responsibility, yet no longer had to answer to you." - Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.

12.  "'I have everything I've ever wanted right here and now.  My house, my friends, Luc.'  She gave me a stubborn look.  'I'm not going to have any of that taken away from me,' she declared mutinously. . .'Don't look like that, girl.'  Armande gave me a rallying nudge.  'After a five-course banquet, you'd want coffee and liqueurs, wouldn't you? You wouldn't suddenly decide to ruin it all of with a bowl of pap, would you?  Just so you could have an extra course? . . . I'm saying you need to know when to stop, Vianne.  You need to know when to push away your plate and call for those liqueurs.'" -  Chocolat by Joanne Harris