Good morning. Yes my voice is scratchy and yes I am waking up tired even though I slept 10 hours. Such is the life of a crazy person – however… book club last night. Was worth it. The books that bring out different opinions are always great discussions and this book – was loved…. AND this book was hated. Do you remember what book we were reading?
Moving on – I mentioned yesterday that I had my Ted Dekker review going up yesterday as well and believe me I was thrilled when I discovered my tour date was today – not yesterday, thus saving all of you from the over kill of posts yesterday. I love BBAW…. I have to participate. 😀
*pause for drink of coffee*
Ok…. so I mentioned a turnip. You read that right. My dear friend Becky brought me a turnip to work yesterday. Yes. A turnip. You may wonder what I would do with one turnip. Apparently… I would feed a family:
I know right? We had a good laugh about this. I am not sure what I am going to do with it yet but I think it calls for a special recipe.
SO what is with my t-shirt? Am I all “DEKKERed” out? Hmmmm… I think there is a chance you can win it! Well, not the one I am wearing – but one for yourself. Your own. 😛 Really. Watch for my book review later today for Immanuel’s Veins by Ted Dekker. Oops! Did I give too much away? 😳
Last thing before my coffee cup runs dry…. yesterday’s BBAW Random.org winner from the Morning Meandering was:
Michelle recommended Pillars Of The Earth, which actually several of you recommended so I guess that is a must read. LOTS of wonderful choices from all of you that I need to take a day to look into. Thank you.
Today’s giveaway is:
OOH!
SO to enter today – (and anyone who has access to Amazon can enter this one as I can email you the gift card), share with me one fictional character you would like to be friends with and why.
That’s it – have fun! Cant wait to see what you come up with! 😀
My interview swap partner this years for BBAW is Nat from In Spring It Is The Dawn. What a lovely blog she has and for my readers that love books on different cultures, Nat is a Canadian who is living in Japan.
Whoa…. wait a minute. I get to go to Japan to do an interview? 😛
EXCELLENT!
Yup, that’s right! Nat is blogging from Japan about books I am drooling over as I nosed around her blog. Well…. I have to know more about Nat and I hope you do too. Please welcome to Book Journey this morning, Nat from In Spring It Is The Dawn.
Nat from In Spring It Is The Dawn
So of course my first question has to be, Nat how did you wind up in Japan from Canada?
Nat: Well, just after high school I spent a year in France on a student exchange, and this experience gave me my wanderlust, my desire to travel to different places. When I came back to Canada for university I decided to major in Applied Linguisitics (Teaching English as a Second Language) since it seemed the easiest way for a non-scientific, non-mathematical person like myself to be able to live and work overseas. Then when I graduated, I looked into a few different countries but Japan made the most sense at the time. While I was teaching English in Tokyo, I met the man who is now my husband, and I guess the rest is history. I never expected to be here in Japan this long (it’s been about 9 years all together now!) and I do hope to move back to Canada or thereabouts in the next few years.
9 years! That is amazing! How long have you been blogging?
Nat: I started my blog, In Spring it is the Dawn, on January 30th, 2006, so it’ll be 5 years come next January. How time flies! Many of those early posts are quite embarrassing now though!
Nat loves to take photos! This is a lotus flower from this summer. Click on this picture to go to her photo blog
I hear you there Nat – I laugh about some of my early posts…. and almost 5 years! How did you start your blogging process? Inquiring minds want to know!
Nat: Before blogging I used to belong to several Yahoo book groups. They were pretty much my only way then to chat about books, as most of my friends in real life don’t read much. Some of the friends I made in those groups started book blogs, and after a while I decided to try it out for myself. (Andi, of Estella’s Revenge (http://estellasrevenge.blogspot.com/) is one of the first people I met online all those years ago, and her blog is one that inspired me to start my own.) And here I still am. Book blogging long ago replaced those online book groups as my main source of all things bookish.
I know Andi and her blog, I love that we all seem to remember those early connections. What do you like to blog about?
Nat: When I first started my blog I didn’t think I’d have enough to post about regularly on just books (I’m a slow reader) so I originally thought it would be part books, part photo blog, and I used to post photos more regularly. Nowadays you can find more of my photos on my dedicated photo blog, watashi no shashin, which in Japanese literally means “my photos”, and is a replacement for my older photo blog which had been on hiatus. I do still post photos occasionally on In Spring it is the Dawn, of places we visit here in Japan, or anything from daily life that somehow seems to warrant a photo. I’ve found though that there is no shortage of bookish things to talk about, so it’s now primarily a book blog, with a bit of everyday randomness thrown in.
I try to talk about all the books I read (although I’m woefully behind on reviews right now) which often ends up being a mix of various genres, but inspired by my circumstances of living in Japan, my blog has evolved into having more of a focus on Japan and Japanese literature over the last couple of years. To that end, I host a Japanese Literature Book Group, as well as some read-alongs of Japanese lit. Plus, I also host the Hello Japan! monthly mini-challenge, with topics and tasks (and prizes!) related to some aspect of Japanese culture. I’m enjoying discovering some great Japanese books and authors myself, and am happy to hopefully bring a little taste of Japan to the blogging community.
You are very community oriented! I love that! Are there certain genres you prefer?
Double stacked book shelf of Japanese books
Nat: I like to think I’m willing to at least try most genres but I definitely have a fondness for literature in translation. Whenever I hear about a book that’s been translated into English from another language, my ears always perk up! I think it goes back to my original travel bug, as I love experiencing different places and cultures through books. Otherwise, if you look at my shelves you’ll mostly see literary fiction, classics, my bookshelf dedicated to Japanese and Japan-related literature, and with some YA/kids lit, and non-fiction mixed in.
Ok…. let’s have some fun. You have been given a 30 minute notice that your boss is sending you to a remote island for a little weekend R and R. There will be no electricity just plenty of sun and beach time. The limo (I like to think big) will be picking you up in mere minutes – what book do you grab off your shelf and why?
Nat: Just one book? Something thick then, to last the weekend, and which promises to be entertaining. In other words, a book to get lost in. Perhaps The Passage by Justin Cronin, which I got at BEA but still haven’t read yet. Or maybe it would be a good time to finally read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Or maybe a big classic like The Count of Monte Cristo, which I started earlier this year but has been languishing on my nightstand. Or maybe The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, since I haven’t read any of those yet. Ultimately, it would probably end up being whichever one caught my eye as I madly dashed around throwing a few things into a bag to take with me.
LOL… that would be my first reaction too Nat, “just one book?”What is one thing you wish you would have known from day one of blogging that you would like to share with those considering or starting out?
Nat: I often wonder if I would have ever started blogging if I’d known how much time it would take, and how much my To Be Read stack would explode from all the book recommendations. But now, even when I play with the idea of giving it all up, I can’t really imagine my life without it.
Great answer! I always like to know how other bloggers pre for a book review. How do you do yours?
Nat: While I’m reading I’ll add little sticky notes to any passages that stand out, or that I want to refer back to later. Then when I’m finished reading the book, I’ll try to put down some of my thoughts about it. I usually let a review sit for a day or so after I’ve written the draft as I invariably seem to change it up as the story continues to rattle around in my head. I used to be quite good about writing reviews just after reading the book, but this year I’ve gotten so behind that I sometimes write reviews quite some time after I’ve finished the books. This can make it hard to have enough to say though, and I certainly don’t recommend it.
One of Nat's favorite books, The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki, that she is currently rereading.
If you could hang out with any fictional character who would it be and why?
Nat: Hmmm… one of the first that comes to mind is Thursday Next, from Jasper Fforde’s series. It would probably be a lot of fun hanging out with her, meeting all those characters, and visiting inside their stories. It sounds like a book geek’s fantasy come true! But then again, Thursday does seem to find herself in trouble quite a lot…
Please share a little known fact about yourself.
Nat: I used to play the piano, and took lessons for years. One year at the local music festival, my friend and I even won a medal for our piano duet. (I wonder where that medal is?) Sadly it’s been years since I’ve even touched a piano. It’s not something that would fit in our typically small Japanese apartment, that’s for sure. Besides, I’d rather save that precious space for books!
Thanks Nat, this was so much fun getting to know you! Readers, please take time to stop in and see Nat’s gorgeous blog and leave her a comment or two or three…. 😀 She will also be interviewing me today!
Good morning! I am still wiping the sleep from my eyes as I write this. Today is not only a busy life day (work, work out, pick up my IHN guests and get them to place they are staying, BOOKIES book Club, and my hubby’s birthday), it is also a busy blog day (morning meandering, Immanuel’s Veins tour stop date, and my BBAW Interview Swap).
I feel like I should be popping Fred Flintstone vitamins and Red Bull. 😛
So it is early – but I need to get this party started. I love BBAW! This week holds within it everything I love about this book blogging hobby.
Recognizing other book bloggers
giveaways and celebrating
Wonderful bookish topics
Community! Community! Community!
What I wanted to do this week was to ask a question each morning of BBAW along with my morning chat and Coffee Cup. AND I am going to make the giveaways something that I really enjoy.
Today’s giveaway is for one of my guilty pleasures – really good chocolate and a great cup of tea. Both are wonderful accomplices to a good book on a cool Fall evening.
To enter – please let me know in a comment what that one book is that you recommend time and again and you feel is a must read. This giveaway is open for today only and the winner will be announced at tomorrow mornings meanderings. USA or Canada addresses please.
Have fun – oh, and don’t forget to check out my week-long BBAW Giveaway too, your comment here also gives you an entry there. 😀
what’s a great new book blog you’ve discovered since last year’s BBAW?
I had a crazy week and didn’t even know about this question until this morning when I seen it popping up on blogs. I had an answer in mind all day but with the Monday meme I was going to skip it…. plus my answer breaks a rule right away.
Ooh…. but I kind of like that….
The blog I would like to mention actually no longer exists, but it is still one that is dear to my heart, as is the blogger.
J Kaye from J Kaye’s blog is one of the first book blogs I remember in my early bloggy days. She always had interesting posts, reviews, and giveaways. She would post how to do things and was more than happy to help a new blogger (errr…. me).
When J Kaye’s blog was up and going I stopped in daily. She was a chatty blogger and you could always pop in later in the day and she would have a response to your comment. I liked that. It was like having a conversation. In fact I learned much from her skills as a book blogger and implement some of her style in my own blog.
In February of 2010, as J Kaye was closing down her blog to spend more time on her writing, she passed on to me The It’s Monday! What Are You Reading meme. When she asked me if I would continue on with this weekly meme I was so honored. I still am and try hard to hold it to the wonderful standards she had set.
I can still peak in at J Kaye at her new spot on the web, 365 Days Of Novel Writing, at least for a little while. And once in a while she will still pop in with a comment or two which always makes me smile. It is like a visit from an old friend.
Thank you J Kaye for everything you taught me about blogging. 🙂
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.
I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment. You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.
Congratulations! Please choose an item out of the PRIZE BOX and email me your choice with your mailing address as well! journeythroughbooks@gmail.com
For the first time since I took over this meme in February for J Kaye, I did not get the post up the night before. My weekend was so busy I still feel like I could just sleep another 4 or 5 hours to catch up. Usually I prep this post Sunday afternoon and try to have it post around 8 pm Central time on Saturday night which I know really helps the Monday Meme bloggers who live in other countries. Last night I just did not have the brain power to write this up so instead I played around a bit with the Blogfest blogs and wish I could have had more time this weekend even doing that.
I got up early this morning to get this post written and active.
So what happened this past week in the reading world for me?
That was last week. I have no great reading successes to report. If anything my reading time has been minimal and I have to report that while ROOM was ob my list to read last week, I did not even have time to pick it up. My week was so busy with the last days for my assistant, planning the office moving forward, prepping for the feed the children event, the Honduras kids in town, tailgate party planning and participating, set up for the homeless serving week and then last nights orientation…..GAH!
So here is what I currently have going and what I plan to start this week:
Finishing this one up today. This is my book club read and we meet tomorrow evening! YIPES!
I had big plans for this one last week and I never even picked it up. Too many other commitments…. try, try again this week. 😀
What is Dekker up to now? I am about to find out. This one came with a t-shirt which I think is also part of a giveaway I will have to check. 😀
I am also working on The Handmaid’s Tale and Bleak House as read-a-longs.
Today is also the kick off the BBAW – Book Blogger Appreciation Week so please take time to read my sticky post at the top part of my blog about what I have planned for this week of celebration!
I am taking today off from work as I am just so behind on everything. My lawn needs me, my house needs me… and I just need a day to breathe and catch up. I also want to see what you are all reading to please connect your Monday What Are You Reading post to the space below where it says “click here”. I will be stopping by throughout the day with Coffee Cup to see what you have planned for this week.
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Morning. I had no idea it was possible to wake up this tired. Coffee Cup is trying to be supportive but you know…. it’s a cup. How much can it do?
Yesterday was a whirlwind of events from the feed The Children event for Haiti which was a big success – our goal was 80,000 meals to be shipped and we reached that and went beyond it. It was fun to see friends, family, and the community get together and make this happen. My hubby Al, boxed up meals all day long. So proud of him. ♥
This is 2 of the 4 ingredients that go in each bag. The left is a soy mix, the right is rice. The other two ingredients are a dried veggie mix, and a seasoning part. All four ingredients are put in a bag and sealed. Each bag feeds 6 people.
We started set up for the Homeless who will arrive this afternoon and then went to church to hear and see the girls that were here from Honduras. They were also at the food bagging event which was so emotional to see these kids who once lived on the streets of Honduras, now bagging food for kids in Haiti. I tear up as I type this.
The highlight of my day: Left: Ava, me, Rita, and Sayda (three girls from Honduras who I met in 2004 and have seen every year since when I go to Honduras. They have never been to the states before)
I arrived back home around 8:30 at night. I read – nothing. I went through a few of the Blogfest blogs which was fun, and then talked to my college son on the phone for about an hour. That was it – bed.
Today I am off to finish setting up for the Homeless and then a tailgate party at noon, then groceries and home for a couple of hours I hope before I have to get moving again. By 6:30 tonight my duties should be all done and I can just come on home and relax….
until Monday morning….. but that…. is another meandering. 😉
This is my cook book. I am not kidding. This is it and I knew it as soon as I read it. This cook book was written for me and I am that person they describe in the book, the one that has oodles of cook books big and small and still doesn’t get it or if you are like me not even sure if you want to.
With a busy lifestyle – both my husband and I, we do usually do not see each other until supper time. By that time I have probably just walked in the door maybe 30 minutes before him, tired from work, working out, running errands and now I need to think about supper. Honestly – I don’t want to. I have told Al (hubby) before that if it were not for him, I probably wouldn’t cook at all. A stove top is fine for me and I do love my microwave too.
When the kids were growing up I would bake during the holidays. Ten types of cookies, bars, Divinity, fudge, almond bark…. I would bake like this for two days – covering my kitchen counters with sweet treats and a layer of flour. The I would not bake again for months because I burned myself out. Cooking and baking was never something I have enjoyed – it has always been a must do.
My mom was an incredible cook. She could open the refrigerator and mix things together that was delicious. I open the refrigerator and see things I need to throw out. And soon. My mom made her own croutons and her own cranberry stuffing. She made a cheesy broccoli soup that I am sure could not be good for anyone as rich as it was but it did not stop us all from eating it and wanting more.
I am that person that no matter what recipe I am doing, I have to go to the store. I have to search out spices, or buy an ingredient or two. I never have these things at home. Shoot, sometimes I have never heard of what they are asking for.
And I would say the kitchen is the room I spend the least amount of time in. I am not someone who can stand over anything to watch it simmer….. time and again (yesterday in fact) I will boil something over or burn a pan dry because I do not have the patience to keep an eye on things. I will no doubt start a pot of boiling water and then decide I should go fold laundry and will forget all about the water. My husband is a saint and always has a kind word to say when I ask, “is that a little burnt?” or “I wasn’t sure about the spices – is it too much?”
The original cover 50 years ago
The I Hate To Cook book is filled with recipes with items I actually have. Spices I have actually heard of and own! And the best part is the recipes sound wonderful. They are not recipes that you have to babysit. You can make them and go. AND the book is funny! The new forward by Pegs daughter Jo is hilarious – and reading some of the recipes, you will see that Jo has inherited her mom’s sense of humor as Peg will put information in like in her recipe for Skid Road Stroganoff:
Add the flour, salt, paprika, and mushrooms, stir and let it cook five minutes while you light a cigarette and stare sullenly at the sink.
page 11, The I Hate To Cook Book
I drooled over the recipe for Sweep Steak. I can make this and my husband will love it. Stayabedstew? YUM! And I am probably making that this weekend as I have an overflowing schedule and meals haven’t even hit my radar. Recipe after recipe I was overjoyed with the simplicity of it and the fact that it sounded so good.
I recommend this book to all people – men and women, who do not have a lot of time for the kitchen part of their home (seriously, I would rather have a three season porch there….) or the patience to create the dishes that are no doubt delicious and lovely and take hours of preparation. I know you wonderful cooks are out there and I envy your skill, but after all these years I know I will never be there. 😀
I will be purchasing a few of these books for gifts this year.
A fun read – great recipes – so much so that I think I will be giving away a copy of this book for BBAW (starting next week!) So watch for that! 🙂
I received my copy of this book for review from Hachette Books
Its early and quiet around here. And dark. Another sign of Fall. I am typing at the kitchen table Coffee Cup by my side and looking out the window I see a cloudy gloomy gray sky and very little light. Good day to be inside that is for sure.
Yesterday was the last day at work for my Administrative Assistant Sandi. She and I both knew it would be a tough day, we get along so well and have a lot of fun. Right away when we were talking in the morning I teared up, she said stop that, and she teared up – and I laughed and said I would stay on my side of the office to avoid tears. 😛
We had a surprise going away party for her at 1:30 yesterday – that I could not mention here as she reads my blog. 😀 It went off pretty well and we did surprise her. She will be missed in the office and it has been awesome getting to know her for the past two years. We agreed to get together for lunch occasionally to catch up.
Sandi and I
Today, in about an hour Chance, Al, and I are heading out to help with the Feed The Children event for Haiti. I mentioned this in yesterday mornings crazy weekend post. We will be helping people get to bagging stations and showing them how to put together the mix of soy, seasoning, dried veggies and rice. We will then weigh, seal, and box the bags to go to Haiti. Its kind of exciting to be part of this. We have done it three times before for Honduras.
And speaking of Honduras I get to see some of the kids from Honduras this afternoon. Three of them are in the states and in my home town. Crazy – but true!
Hopefully some reading time later tonight. A little at least. I tried last night and I lasted about 10 minutes. Have a super day everyone! 😀
All women have concerns about their body that they are just too embarrassed to mention to their doctor. In “What The Yuck?!””Health Magazine” Medical Editor Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa (Dr. Raj) answers them all – ‘Could this mole be skin cancer?’ to the offbeat like ‘Can too many venti lattes (Green Tea latte made with Soy) give you a heart attack?’ and ‘Why do I get a headache when I eat chocolate cupcakes?’ Dr. Raj sheds light on even the most confusing symptoms, telling readers when not to worry, and when to see their doctor. The book also shares insider tips from Dr. Raj, fascinating factoids – such as ‘Most women have one breast that’s larger than the other’ – as well as poll results, so readers can see at a glance how many seemingly-weird body issues are actually healthy and normal. All 205 questions come from real women; they cover everyday health concerns and thoroughly modern conundrums, such as H1N1 (Swine Flu), celebrity diets, and mobile phone dangers. The book is organized by themes such as ‘That time of the month’ and ‘Between the sheets’, making it easy to navigate and irresistible to flip through. Sure to be a classic, “What The Yuck?!” is a book women of all ages will want to own.
I grabbed this book at BEA in New York earlier this year and finally just opened it up this week. While some of the content was a bit “WHOA” for my blood… much of the book was very informative and I learned a few interesting things. I liked that the questions were answered by a woman doctor in detail.
Dr. Raj answers your questions about caffeine, spider veins, and germs on public toilets.
Q: I drink four or five cups of coffee every day, then a cappuccino at night. Is that too much caffeine?
A: Yes and no. For most people, 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine a day—about two or three cups of coffee—is fine. But more than that may cause anxiety, sleep difficulties, or irritability, as well as stomach ulcers, esophagitis (inflammation of the esophageal lining), a temporary rise in blood pressure, and reflux—all signature signs of an overdose.
Of course I had to put the coffee one in my review. 😛 Overall this book is filled with good advice of what to bring to your doctor appointments that will save you time and money, as well as answers to questions you may have that are not always the easiest to ask. Any woman who read this book would take away something of use or interest to them.
Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, Health Magazine Medical Editor and Today Show contributor is an attending physician at NYU Medical Center/Tisch Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. A Harvard graduate, she holds a medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and is board certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine.
I received my copy of this book from BEA in New York from the author
OOH!
Book Journey 