Morning Meanderings… Bloggiesta Day Three

Good Morning! Hello to my little friend – COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE  😎

Yesterday was a pretty good day as well as I continued work on the Bloggiesta.  Between house cleaning, a little reading, and an afternoon movie – I managed to put in 6 hours for a total of 16 hours in the past two days.

Today being the big finale what I most want to do is visit other participants.  I love visiting new blogs.  I have a little more sidebar work to do and a couple of post ideas to finalize but I feel good about what has been accomplished.  I will post my wrap up tonight before I put up the Monday, What Are You Reading meme.

I hope everyone who has participated this time is having a lot of fun!  I think this time around is the first time I didn’t have a lot of internal work to do…. mainly, I have spent this Bloggiesta working on updating and future posts.  Two things I have wanted to be working on for a while now but did not have the time.

Now here is my early morning funny happening.  At 6:03 a, my cell phone rings.  It is in the kitchen on the counter but I can hear it from my bedroom.  I drag myself out of bed and fumble my way to the phone .  I check to see whose call I missed and it was my Pastor.  I dial back thinking something must be going on, first service starts at 8:15, maybe something is needed, there was an accident (my imagination is vivid!).  He answers the phone and I ask him what’s up.

He says, “Did I call you?”

“You did.”  I say.

“That’s weird,” he says, “this phone rarely does that, did I wake you?”

“Yes, but that’s ok, I thought maybe something happened.”

He laughs, “Nope…. sorry about that.”

I laugh and in a strained high-pitched voice I say, “Are you calling everyone?”

“Yes,” he responds.  “Just trying to drum up some first service attendees.”

LOL.  I LOVE my church.

Have a great morning everyone.  I am up now and going to make the most of it 😀

 

 

Morning Meanderings… Day Two… Bloggiesta Update

Good morning!  Day two!  I had a great Bloggiesta day yesterday.  I managed 10 hours of updates and maintenance… I had on my workman overalls and I was right down in the midst of the blog engine…. tinkering, cleaning, a fresh oil change, tweaking the carburetor and I think I actually accomplished a lot.

Sure, when I was all done putting it back together I had a few parts left over… but I don’t think they are really needed… I am pretty sure in fact they are extra pieces…

which I just put under the rug.

 

Today I will continue on catching up on post writing and a few planned posts that I have been thinking about for awhile….I am hoping by the end of the weekend I will have Wordshakers up and running again too.

Game on!  😀

Morning Meanderings: BLOGGIESTA STYLE!

Good morning!  25 below zero this morning in Brainerd Minnesota …. a perfect day to BLOGGIESTA!!!!

This morning kicks off the 4th Bloggiesta weekend and I have participated every time Natasha at Maw Books has hosted this.  I have said this before but I feel it is worth repeating…  Bloggiesta is probably why I am still blogging today and loving it so much.

Here is the short version of that story:

When I first started book blogging on June 9th, 2009, my blog looked nothing like what it does today.  I knew how to basically put up a post.  That’s it.  I knew nothing about changing the background color of my blog, linking, copyright,drafting new posts for the future, RSS… basically – if it had to do with blogging, I probably didn’t know it.  😀

The first Bloggiesta (my post here)was 10 days after I became a blogger and I embraced it fully.  I wanted to know how to do the things I had seen on the other blogs.  I literally spent every free hour I had that weekend working on my blog, doing the mini challenges and learning as much as I could.  I came out of that weekend a better blogger and I know that has to do with everyone who participated in Bloggiesta and really helped me with all my questions.

Every Bloggiesta since I have participated and I have learned something new.  If you have not already signed up to participate – pop on over to Natasha’s and learn more about this.  You will not regret it.

My goals going into this challenge will be posted here and I will cross them off as I achieve them.  I am sure I will add to this list as I think of more:

Clean up my sidebars – I have some thoughts on this – just have not taken to time to do it

Participate in all the mini challenges

Go through and update my blog tags

prep posts to books I have started or plan to be reading soon with book cover, basic synopsis and notes to make things quicker when I do write the review

Clean up posts I need to write for book completed

Prep 3 – 5 “rainy day” posts for the days I literally…. got nothing.

Visit all participants – I love seeing the other blogs!

Possible color tweak… it is kind of a Bloggiesta tradition that my blog background changes but I am not sure about that yet. Changed my mind…. I like it the way it is.

On a side note, I was just thinking how I met Natasha at BEA this past May,  She was with Amy from My Friend Amy’s and it was great to meet them both because of what I see them do throughout the year to contribute to my favorite part of all of this:  The Book Blogging Community.  Both of these bloggers invest a ton of time into events like this Bloggiesta, and Amy hosts the BBAW (Book Blogger Appreciation Award).

Amy (My Friend Amy), me, and Natasha (Maw Books) BEA in May 2010

I will still be doing my regular reviews this weekend as well, I will just start each morning updating you on what is happening with the Bloggiesta!  😀

Ready?  Set?  Bloggiesta!!!!

Morning Meanderings…

Good Morning!  Thursday already?  And even scarier…. it is the 20th of January…..

where did the first month of 2011 go???

I am up early today so I can get into work and get started before  I have to leave for  a quick 8:30 appointment and I want to get to that and get back as quickly as possible.

Seems like I am always juggling time.

Tonight I am going to go out and chat with my cousins and I am pretty excited about that!  I have 4 female cousins that all live in the area, all pretty close to my age and we just never get together.  I think that is like most families right?  We all have our own “stuff” going on and we just don’t take the time.

I ran into (not literally) my cousin Cheryl at Ski Gull last Saturday and this was her suggestion.  She said it was a lot of work when we try to put on the big family gatherings and what if we tried something smaller – like a monthly connection with just us girls?  I liked the idea and she text me yesterday to say it is a go for tonight!

I am pretty excited mainly because I really appreciate family and we do really not get a lot of time together.  I hope to catch up with all of them – a couple I have not really seen in over a year.

Quick bookish news – and please do not harm me for sharing this link…. BOOKCLOSEOUTS.COM sends out a sale email a few times a year and the January one arrived yesterday.  This link is for books that are no more that $3.00.  I purchased from them for the first time almost a year ago… I bought around 15 books off a sale like this – some of the titles fairly new, and I received a box of books for an amazing price and they were in excellent condition – no stickers or anything.

On that note… got to fly and start my day!

Morning Meanderings… kidliocandesto

Good Morning!

My Snookie (NOOK) tales continue…. (trust me … when I am learning how to use anything electronic it is always interesting!) .  Last night I wanted to download the first of my two books I received from Netgalley.  I finished up all my things around the house and finally (FINALLY!) in the evening I was able to sit down and but the books on my NOOK.

However…

Apparently I did not know how.  I downloaded one and it was on my computer but I had no idea how to get it to my NOOK.  I went on Twitter for advice and this is something I LOVE about book bloggers… to my rescue came 4 incredible people who twittered me through the steps to get it done.  Ending with a link that took me step by step through the Netgalley to Nook process.

They were even supportive when they told me I had to plug my NOOK into the computer to complete the download.  I could not recall getting a cord for that so I ran around the house looking for the NOOK box to see if there was a cord in it.  All it came with was one that plugged into the wall…. no Nook to computer cord.  I looked around the house for a half hour for the Nook box.. found it… no cord.  Then I started looking at my other cords to see if I had one that fit…. nope.  Frustrated I went back to Twitter and said I must not have received the cord with mine.

The response:

whatsheread

@bookjourney The cord you use to plug it in the wall comes apart to become a cord to computer connection. via TweetDeck in reply to bookjourney

 
Oh good grief.

I rushed up stairs and sure enough the plug-in word came apart to reveal the cord I needed.

Mission accomplished.  😀

Oh and if you are wondering why I named the post “kidliocandesto” here is my short version of what happened at the YMCA while I was on the tread mill with my friend Heidi.

 

Me:  …”And then I encountered Netgalley and I was really excited to sign up”.

Heidi:  “So that allows you to receive books to read and review through your NOOK”?

Me:  “Yes!  Oh and when I clicked on the catalog and seen all the books they were offering I was like a kid in a candy store!”

Heidi:  “You were what?”

Me:  “I was like a kid in a candy store.”

Heidi:  “Oh, I heard kidliocandesto.”

Me:  “LOL, that is awesome…. that is how I am going to refer to this saying from now on!”

 

What things in your life make you feel like kidliocandedto?

 

 

 

Morning Meanderings… Note To Self…

Good morning.

This morning came pretty early.  Do you ever have days like that?  I felt like I just went to bed.

I did stay up way too late…. after the midnight hour… I was still online.  I was possessed….

Note to self:

 

Self,

When you get all excited about joining something errr….. let’s say like NETGALLEY, do not make said decision at 11:30 pm and think anything good is going to come out of said decision.  Since when has having the opportunity to look at books being offered for review (PAGES AND PAGES of delicious looking tempting reads) ever been something I can whip through?

The truth?

I can’t.

I have to look at each book.  What is is about?  What genre?

With the addition on SNOOKIE (my NOOK) into the family this Christmas it has since sat close to my reading chair with a couple of books on it I purchased off Amazon but other than that… that is really all I have done with it.  I wanted it mainly for road trips and travel…

I had forgotten about NETGALLEY.

Yesterday when i seen many book lovers reading and enjoying books from NetGalley I decided to check it out and…

it looks amazing.

So pages and pages of books were looked at, a few requests made… well into the morning hours.

Timing…. is everything.  😀

So Self,

Plan better next time…. a Sunday afternoon would be a perfect time to browse books.

I am just saying…

Sheila

 

Ok then… that was a bit awkward.

I am off to work…. running out the door quite literally with COFFEE Cup in hand.

I will leave you with this “Question On The Blog” that came in this morning:

 

 

Sheila, how far do you get in your audio listening per day if you are listening to three different audio?

 

Answer:

Great questions Patricia!  The one in my IPOD I listen to while I get up and prep for my day – so while I am in the bedroom bathroom are it is on – about 30 minutes a day average.

The one in the kitchen I will switch on while I make the coffee in the morning and prep all my things to leave for work – ten minutes maybe, but I will listen tot hat one again when I come home, clean up around house and make dinner – so probably another 30 minutes.

The final one is in my car and that is what I listen to as I go to work and back, run any errands…
that one gets about 20 minutes a day.

 

Have a great morning everyone!  This afternoon I am posting my thoughts on Cybils Award winner:  Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers.

Morning Meanderings… Polar Bear Plunge In Prom Dresses and Tiaras… ok

Good Morning!

Happy Sunday ya all!  😀

Coming in pretty late this morning but I made it.

I had a busy morning and was not organized enough to get a post out before I took off.  Home now though with a new book (SSSSQQQUUUEEEE!!!) which I will reveal tonight when I post the It’s Monday!  What Are You reading post.

Yes I went snow tubing yesterday and yes it was cold but it was fun too.   There were 21 of us…. one injury that involved a trip to the emergency room, I was not the victim, but I was the driver to the hospital.  Turned out to be not too bad, a sprang ankle.

Came home and covered myself in blankets and a good book and then promptly fell asleep.  What is it about being out in the cold and wind that wipes a person out?

In other exciting news… this morning I signed on with some friends to do the March 12th Polar Bear Plunge for The Special Olympics.   I have always wanted to try the plunge and I guess this is my chance to do so.  The group I am doing this with has an additional stipulation…. our team will wear prom dresses and tiaras.

Well…. ok then.  😀

I am all about the memories and living life to the fullest so here we go…..

(And I thought I was cold yesterday)

So today I am off to read for the afternoon while washing clothes and doing a little book room straightening for breaks.


What are you doing this Sunday?

Morning Meanderings…Teens, Snow, and A Bundled Up Version Of Me

It’s Saturday.  I am sitting at my kitchen table still in pj’s…. having my coffee and sulking…

just a little bit.

This morning I will be helping to take a group of teenagers to Ski Gull to go tubing.  Ski Gull is our local ski resort and somehow, at some point, my mouth formed the words, “if you need any help…”

Yup.  I only have myself to blame.

First know this – I don’t really do snow.  This time of year, I am really an inside girl.

Snow is cold, unpredictable, slippery, wet, soft and hard at the same time….. did I mention it is cold?

I need to find my mittens.  DO I own mittens?

And does this make me a tuber?  AND isn’t a tuber a potato????

Hmmm.... maybe being a tuber isn't so bad...

Ok – I whine but it may be a good time and it may be good for me to do this.  Tubing is fun, I did it once a couple of years ago with some friends and I admit I did have a blast.  SO we shall see – and there will probably be pictures.  And in a week I promised to go with a couple friends and learn to ski… so you know…

snow happens.

I guess I have to deal with it.

Example of a happy tuber. Tuber?

Later though, you can trust I will be here curled up with a blanket and my nose stuck in a book.  Certainly – this will be my reward.  😀

Morning Meanderings…. When Reading Habits Just Get….. Embarrassing

Good morning. 😀

Let’s just cut to the chase.

I blame you.

Yes you!  Sitting there all innocent like staring into your computer screen with those innocent eyes.

Pah…. lease.

First let me get this blame game started at the beginning…. you, the bookish people who told me, “Oh!  How can you live without a library card!”

Yes, even taking it a step further last year when there was a Library Challenge…. “read you library books” it said!   It’s fun, it’s easy, and you could save a library.

I went for it.  Yup.  Gullible me went down to my local library last year and came out with a…

with a….

library card.

Of course…. if that was it, there would be no story here.

Oh no….. then there were the book recommendations……everyone is reading all over the place, my book club, my friends, and all of you here on-line offering up book choices and covers I can not resist… like book pushers really…

I am weak I tell you….

but you did not care.

No – instead I was bombarded with books, books, books….

and then it happened.

Yup.  the “A’ word.

Audio books.

*gulp*

*sweat beads*

I was drawn to the convenience…. no longer was I bound to a book where I had to hold still and find a quiet corner to read in.  Oh no….. new doors were opened when I discovered I could read…

ANYWHERE and ANYTIME.

I mowed the lawn while listening to Farenheit 451, I baked cookies while listening to House Rules by Jodi Piccoult, every morning getting ready to the sound of a book being narrated while I showered, dressed, did make up and hair and only (ONLY) shut it off as I headed out the door each morning.

I was in my bookish dream world.

SO…..

to get to the point…

(get to the point…. get to the point… get to the point… get to the point…)

Ahh yes!  The point!

For the past couple days since I asked for your help with great audio books…. I have been popping these titles into my library reserve like they were candy.  I currently am at the point where two of my current audio are going to end yet this weekend and I did not want an audio dry spell…..

yes friends…. I do think it can be too quiet.

AND then after work yesterday I went to pick up a reserve audio that had come in.  I went to the reserve shelf and pulled out two rubber banded together with my name on them.  AWESOME I thought!

Then I looked a little further on the shelf to a much longer bundle of 2 books and 4 audio…. also under my name.

*gulp*

Yet I held me head high and went to the automatic check out scanner and started scanning my treasures.  I was right at the end…. so close I could smell freedom!  …And then it happened.

The little computer scanner thingy told me I had too many audio out and would have to go to the front desk.

Oh the humiliation…..

So I took the one audio I was denied up to the desk and spoke to Mr. Library Man.  I told him my dilemma and asked if I could return the one to the reserved shelf and come back tomorrow with one to turn in.  I told him I had one on my kitchen table that I just forgot to bring back…. this is true…. Dean Koontz’ Frankenstein was waiting for return after I decided this audio was not for me….

He smiled.  It may have been condescending, it may have been pity, it might have been fear of the crazy woman in front of him white knuckling an audio book she did not want to let go of….

whatever it was.  He said “sure.”

Yes I have had coffee this morning… why do you ask?

😛

Morning Meanderings… Bookies, Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

Good morning!

I posted over the weekend that I was scraping in at the last second on our HUGE book club read that was due for review on Tuesday.  Did I make the deadline?

Uhhh…. no

Pretty much an epic fail.

I did however hold my head up high and showed up as the moderator that I am for our book club and confessed that I was not done… I had procrastinated on starting it and I was not finished.

And how did this great group of women respond?

With love and kindness as we have all been there.  I love that about my book club.  Read it, we hope you can, but we also get that life happens… and that’s ok too.  Above all else we hope you show up – book read or not.

Our review was awesome and as I have now completed the book I am ready to post my review later today as well as share their thoughts on this incredible read.  Stay tuned….

I went into book club on Tuesday evening feeling  S T R E T C H E D…. tired out, over booked (no pun intended but there it is anyway), and really had nothing else to give.

And you know what?  When it was all said and done in that two hours I was there,  this is what I left my book club thinking:

 

 

Oh yeah… also… our newest Bookie (born in December):