Morning Meanderings – Page 7

Morning Meanderings… The Gatsby Trials

Published on March 15, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Talk about hitting the ground running…

Over this past weekend we completed the Spring Friends of the Library book sale. Yesterday I jumped into full Gatsby mode – picking up the materials we need to make the fascinators, a planning meeting, trivia questions prepped, promoting, props for the photo station, and then last night a few of us met at the library to sew and put together the fascinators.

When I call this the Gatsby trials… I do not mean “a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings”. What I mean is: test (something, especially a new product) to assess its suitability or performance. We are seeing if this event is a good fit for our community and worth our time and efforts as a non profit. Our goal is to reach out beyond our current influence and I think by the names I have seen on the guest list…. we are doing just that!

This week… is all detail work. Finalizing volunteers, talking with all of those involved, and making sure we are ready to roll….or I guess swing, would be the more appropriate word. We need to be ready to swing. 🙂

Morning Meanderings…. Don’t Ever Tell Me That Real Books Are A Thing Of The Past

Published on March 13, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Oh Sunday! It was so nice to get up this morning and not have to run out the door. This past week has been crazy busy with the spring book sale for the library. We moved it to a local mall this time that had a large unrented space that used to be a book store. It was perfect! We get so many book donations that our room at the library just gets too crowded.

On day one I arrived at 6:30 am with lawn chairs, per tradition. The sale opens at 9 am however years a go a friend and I thought it would be funny to show up hours early like book groupies. It became a trend. Now at the sale at the library I need to show up around 4:30 am to be first in line. Its a ~~little~~ lot crazy, but a lot of fun too.

Amy and I took our traditional picture.

By the time the sale opened at 9 am we had an incredible amount of people waiting to get in. I recorded the line on my phone, and spent a lot of time yesterday trying to put that video here on the blog with no luck. It is on Facebook and its only 40 seconds so please check it out if you have not seen it yet. Here it is.

Usually I shop the sale with everyone else but this year I was so emotional seeing all of these book lovers rushing in to pick up second hand books for 50 cents that I started to cry. Instead I took a few pictures and then went right to work helping people check out.

We had a record setting day. Usually our first day sales are around $1700.00. On Thursday, the first day of the sale we made $4200.00. That is a lot of 50 cent books!

Due to my not shopping, by the time I did get a chance to look at books I walked away with my smallest pile ever from the sale:

As for books that made their way into my home this week (not by book sale):

Some pretty exciting titles there!

Today other than a quick commitment to go pick up around the sale area for an hour or so, I am laying low. Listening to a little audio ( The Dorito Effect) and maybe I will read a bit too. Friday is our Gatsby event and it will be a busy week of preparing for that so today – I am slowing it down to a crawl.

Just for today.

Morning Meanderings….. OH! What A Night!

Published on March 9, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments

Good Morning!

I feel tired and energized all at the same time. What is that??? 😛

Yesterday I helped to continue setting up the book sale. It is looking so good. Today will be detail work…. hanging signs, prepping the Friends Of The Library table… I am excited for the sale to start tomorrow morning.

Yesterday evening, we had book club at my house. We had decided to do soups and I was running around straightening the living room, chilling the wine, vacuuming the carpet, mopping the kitchen, and setting up chairs and little tables to set soup bowls on. I made two soups – Chicken wild Rice to go with the book…. ha ha and a Squash soup because it looked YUMMY. Lori in our group brought Chicken Tortilla soup. mmmmmmm

It was a fun night. While the book was not what we expected (more on that later) we always have such a good time together. This next month we are reading A Man Called Ove and I am excited for this one. We used the book in the bag program from the library but I am thinking I may go audio…. I listened to a sample and I liked it! It is also always fun to give an audio report on a book at the discussions.

Speaking of Audio, I signed up for the Audio Book Blogger of The Year which the winner will be able to attend the 2016 Audie Awards Gala in Chicago on May 11th. I will be there for the Book Expo this year so thought I would throw my hat (ear?) into the ring. I think it would be a BLAST!

So today, off to the book sale set up again, but should be home early today which makes me sooooo happy as I work the sale the next 4 days from open to close. I may rent ROOM to watch tonight…. I have been excited to see how it is.

Morning Meanderings…. The beginning of a CrAzY Two Weeks

Published on March 7, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Monday.

And here we go.

Today we start setting up for the spring book sale. Today as in ummmm…. in about an hour. We are excited to be moving it to the local mall which has a large open space for us use for the sale so our books and our patrons will not be crowded. It is exciting but also a lot of work. 🙂 We will continue to set up through Wednesday and official sale dates are Thursday – Saturday…. Sunday we will offer a free day but “shhhhh” we are keeping that under wraps. 😉 I literally laid in bed last night and thought of signs that I need to make, how to set up our Friends Of The Library info board, the best way to move the books…..

Tomorrow is book club, here at my house. We are reading All The Birds In The Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. As yesterday was beautiful here in Central Minnesota, 50 degrees, I switched to audio on this one so I could listen while I cleaned the garage and the back deck. More on that later this week.

Coming out of the book sale will have me running right towards the Gatsby Gala which is a week from this Friday on the 18th. That too is coming together well and I am hopeful that this weeks sale will assist in promoting the Gala. This event is an idea two years in the making and seeing it come to reality really means more than I can say here. Later today I will look at 20’s style costumes for the event.

In other news, I signed up to take part in the Armchair Audies this year and I am super excited about the audio books I will listening to. I will be judging in the Non-Fiction and in the Humor categories. Check out the website and you too can be a judge if you would like!

Is Spring coming your way? Is this a season that you read more or less? Do you turn to audio more during busy times?

Morning Meanderings… A Mix of Grief and A Smile

Published on March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)15 Comments

I have a picture file in my computer named “Justin”. It is all the pictures that I have from friends postings on-line that I have copied and saved in my file. There are over 500 pictures.

I am Gollum.

Everything…. is my precious.

It has been a while since I have added anything to this file. While friends are still posting pictures and talking about him (thank you thank you thank you) they are mostly pictures I already have.

Until yesterday.

The Honduras Team is back in Honduras. This is a trip that Justin would have been on and he would have been so excited to return to Honduras and those kids. He had just returned last March for his 5th time going and we had a long talk on how much this trip had impacted him. He was already talking about this years trip.

Yesterday this was posted on-line:

This is the plaque that is on the building that was dedicated in Justin’s memory. It is so beautiful. He would have loved this connection to the kids.

It is 11 months today. I can hardly believe that. This picture of the plaque somehow seems like wonderful timing.

Today I drive to St Paul. I am on the Minnesota Literary Landmark committee and we are discussing this years placement over lunch. As much as I would love to stay home curled up in my own grief, going is probably the better choice. It is hard to keep going with such a large piece of your life missing, but I continue to do it because I know he would want me to. ♥

Morning Meanderings….. Top Books…. I Wonder How They Are On Audio?

Published on March 2, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Good morning. MMMMMM….. Coffee. Hang on.

Had to get a refill.

That’s better.

I seen a link on Facebook yesterday afternoon about the 20 best books we should be reading this spring. Did you see it?

There are some good looking books in this group! The post was originally made by Redbook. I have to admit however, I instantly wondered how they are on audio. 😛

It is getting to be that time of year for me. Our Spring Library Book Sale is this next week. The week after is our Great Gatsby event. We are putting together a benefit event for my son at the end of April….

life gets BUSY.

I have said it many times, but I will say it again, I probably listen to audio 4 to one over books. At least. I can listen to audio in the morning while I get ready, in my car while I travel, at home while I cook and clean, and while I work on a project like painting or picture albums. I love it and I am always looking for great audio.

Yesterday I finished listening to Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes and narrated by the oh-so-amazing-I-want-him-to-read-the-newspaper-to-me the #isitwrongtoloveakiller #Iamsoamazedbycreepyjoe #Carolinekepnesbooksrockedmyworld #cansantinofortananarratemylife…. basically I am jonesing for more great audio.

Ok you get the drift. I can not be the only person who has actually stocked narrators to find out what else they have narrated so I can listen to them again. IE. Wil Wheaton. *sigh*

Ok… I digress. What I am super interested in is knowing if any of the “Must Read This Spring” list has been listened to on audio. Is there another hot audio book I need to listen to? I need to download an audio for my phone today and I have been spoiled by what I have just listened to. Watch for my review of Hidden Bodies later today.

Off to the library and a coffee date (yes more coffee!).

Morning Meanderings…. From My Very Real and Raw Heart

Published on February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)28 Comments

Yesterday I took a call.

A good friend was asking my opinion on what I would like to do as the one year anniversary approaches.

One year?

My tummy got that sick feeling – you know the one, where you are seized with fear or anxiety. How can it be getting close to one year? It’s not like I don’t know. I do. I know every single day and it amazes me how much today… is a lot like day one. I am trapped. I am at a loss for which way to turn or what I should do doing or how I possibly find a solid way to go on.

My eyes are constantly filled with tears. I have cried more than I have ever thought possible. I look around and think everything has changed.

And it is true. Everything has.

I don’t talk about it so much out loud any more because I know people have no idea what to do with someone who is still at this level of grief all of these months in. I don’t blame them…. I have to wonder what I would do for a friend if I was on the other side of this. I have some ideas, but I had to walk this side of the road to know.

I would say if you know someone going through something like this here are some things to maybe do:

Invite them to something low key to get them out of the house. By low key, I don’t mean a party, or a place with lots of talking happy people – but maybe take a walk together, go to a movie, have lunch in a quiet restaurant, take a little road trip, invite them to help you with a project OR offer to come over and help them with a project (painting a room, planting flowers, etc…) Spend a little time with them.
Call or send the occasional card. One of my big fears is that as time has stopped for me… it hasn’t for the rest of the world and I do not want my son to be forgotten. Let them know you are thinking of them. It is still appropriate and appreciated to ask how the person is doing today. 10+ months in, I still can not answer the how am I doing question but I can say how I am doing today. Knowing that people acknowledge (not ignore) that you still hurt means a lot.
Understand that if that person says no to do something with you do not take it personally. For myself, it is hard to put myself back out there. I prefer things that I can do in a few hours and then return home. I prefer the sanctuary of my home. Meet them where they are at, they will appreciate it.
If you are a praying person, please pray for them. It is indeed the power of prayer and friendship that has brought me this far.

For myself, I guard my heart. I have learned what situations will bring on waves of grief so I need to watch what I take on and what I should at this time avoid. Everyone’s situation is different. 10 months for me is nothing. I am still very raw. No one has to understand this, they don’t have to. I have to.

A sweet package came in the mail yesterday from a girl I know who lives out of state now.

The book is Through The Eyes of A Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power. In the early days and weeks I was sent quite a few grief related books. Most of them I was not ready for and I put them on a shelf to look at later. There were (and are) some steps I just find too hard to take; certain situations I know will overwhelm me with grief so I am careful how much I take on.

This book however, seems like perfect timing. I mentioned above I am in this internal struggle of grief and trying to take a positive step forward. There is something about still being on this earth and he is not that breaks me every day. It is so difficult to try to BE and DO when I still so clearly can see what we had BEEN and what we had DONE together as mother and son. It zaps my energy. A new friend told me a few months ago that I wear an incredible mask. I took offense to that thinking I am about as real as they come… yet in recent weeks I think perhaps she is right. I have to put on a mask to go and be outside of these walls. I have to smile and talk and push ahead so they do not see the underlying depth of grief. And maybe that is how people do it. Maybe as self taught as I am in this new world, I am only repeating what those who have gone on this path before me have already done. Perhaps… it is time to open up a book. This book. Thank you Wanda.

And thank you readers of Book Journey. This space is like an online home to me. I feel safe to speak here. If you came to this site, you came to visit me and for that I am forever grateful.

♥

Morning Meanderings…Book-A-Mania

Published on February 21, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)12 Comments

Sunday.

*sigh*

The weekends go so fast.

I have made my hubby peanut butter french toast, painted my toenails, stacked up the books of the week for this post, and am now sitting at the kitchen table with COFFEE CUP and watching the snow fall gently outside the window. This season always makes me sad. I long for spring.

Books.

SOLAR SYSTEM

WEATHER

The Return Of The Witch

I’m Glad About You

River Road

Hundred Year Walk

The Tree In The Courtyard

MOONHORSE

The Opposite Zoo

BIG book week!

I have been receiving many beautiful children’s books that I need to start being better at reviewing. Perhaps today will be one of those days…. the snow… the warm house. Definitely a book day.

Morning Meanderings…. Training To Be A Hooker

Published on February 20, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Saturday! Have I mentioned before it is my favorite day of the week? Here this morning with COFFEE CUP on the front end of the weekend. So much I like about that.

For this weeks Saturday Snapshot I thought I would share with you my experience this week of taking the steps to be a hooker. Leather knee boots optional.

Oh wait – no no no. Not that kind of hooker.

This kind:

I have girls in my book club that are amazing crocheters, or hookers, as I am learning they are called. Some of the items they have worn to book club (scarves, hats…) things they have made for Wine and Words or for our Christmas exchange (gorgeous blankets, throws…) This hat is what I received at our last Christmas party:

Anyway…. I sooooo wanted to know how to crochet. Last fall, I won a crochet starter kit at the Wine and Words auction. I joked that I would not open that package unless I had a chance to learn, otherwise the gift basket was going back to be auctioned at this year’s event. It was nice that on Thursday of this week I was able to open that basket.

In the basket was a wonderful assortment of yarn in beautiful colors. There was also a book called My First Crochet Book, scissors, a set of crochet hooks with a holder, and some tags to put on my masterpieces (those I will save for later. WAY later).

We gathered at Sharon’s house from our book club and she and Lori taught me the basics. I was the only one in the group this time that was squeaky new to this. I thought for sure I would have Mickey Mouse hands and not be able to do a think but I actually did ok when I made my first chain of 100 stitches. (Note the concentration)

Our trial session was two hours long. The goal was to make a cozy for a coffee cup as my first project but we (I) did not get that far. By the time I left I had this:

A work in progress? Yes. Or…. a completes yarn mustache which I believe are all the rage in Europe. 😉

The verdict: I am willing to keep going. I hope I will learn to at least make scarves, maybe baby blankets. On the bright side… it was a bucket list item I can scratch off – I am doing it.

Huh.

How about that?

My Great Grandmother would be proud.

Linking this up to Saturday Snapshot where we share what is happening in our lives. Check it out – it is kind of cool to see what everyone around the world is taking pictures of this week.

Morning Meanderings….. Ahhhh SHOOT! I Missed It!

Published on February 19, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)34 Comments

Need coffee. Hang on a sec.

Ok back. MMMMM better.

I used to be soooooooo good at going out and visiting my fellow bloggers. I prided myself on visiting twenty blogs a day minimum, reading reviews, checking in…. and now, sadly not so much. I mean to. I want to. And then I write a review. Read a book. Listen to audio while cleaning the house. Work on Library projects. Go on coffee dates. Meet friends for lunch. Connect with my son. Spend time with my hubby. Work on business connections. Write proposals. Create events. Reflect on what I am going to do with my life….

I am the queen of the time suck.

SO… this morning it surprised me as much as it probably surprises you that when browsing my email (pre-coffee…. maybe that is the trick) I spotted a post title from my good blogger friend Care about Book Blogger Appreciation Week. I LOVE that week and I clicked to read when it would be only to find out that this is actually the last day of it.

Wait….

what?

Yes. That really is how out of the loop I am.

I would have loved to participate but because I am now a blogger with my head in the sand I am missing stuff.

Poo.

So this last day of BBAW I am going to quickly catch up on what I have missed and give you my “pretend I have been doing this all week” post. Ready? Here we go.

Day 1: Introduce yourself by telling us about five books that represent you as a person or your interests/lifestyle.

Well ok… hi. My name is Sheila and I have been blogging here at Book Journey since June 2009. CRAZY right? And let me just say…. TOUGH question. Let’s see how far I get.

The Harry Potter series. These books are a household staple around here. My boys grew up on them and my son Justin and I really bounded over these books. We started a tradition of going to Harry Potter world in Florida every November and we were able to do that three years in a row. These books will always be a big connection to my son for me. They are a part of my heart.
The Three Sisters Trilogy by Nora Roberts. Yes Nora Roberts. The book, Dance Upon The Air was the first book my book club read in August of 2001. We all loved the magical aspects of the book and the magic must have worked on us too because that same book club is now 16 members strong and has been meeting every month now for 14+ years.
READY PLAYER ONE. OMG I LOVE this book. I have listened to it on audio three times now and EVERY time I talk about it I want to read/listen again and NOW it’s going to be a movie! SO EXCITED! This book brings out the gamer in me. Yes, I am a girl who loved playing Nintendo, Xbox, Play Station with my kids. AND….. without my kids. I mastered all of the Zelda series and still years later find myself drawn to strategic game play.
Hunger Games Trilogy. Ok not sure if I would say these books define me….. but they are kick a**. I love strong characters. I love survival stories, fiction and non fiction.
The Bible. My faith does define me.

Ok…. I wish I could honestly add an impressive title like “Ulysses changed my life” (In truth I have never read it), or “If I could only take one fiction novel to a deserted island it would have to be Gone With The Wind”, uh…. no. Read it, liked it…but Harry goes to the island with me. HARRY POTTER.

SO basically what I see here in my choices is that I am a faith driven person who LOVES to read about magical worlds, the “what if’s” in life and strong female protagonists. And I also love gaming.

Day 2: IT’S INTERVIEW DAY!

Missed it! Love this part. Ahhh well 🙂

Day 3: Blame a Blogger

Have I ever read a book because of a blogger recommendation? You bet! Do I remember those recommendations? No way. I can recall a couple big genre moves I have made though because of bloggers.

Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness hooked me on non fiction. When we were roommates at BEA in 2010 she told me about the book The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks. That was it. I was sold. Non fiction became a big part of what I read.

Candice at Beth Fish Reads, my BEA roommate for 2014 and hopefully 2016 loves to review foodie books and cook books. Her enthusiasm and great reviews pulled me into finding it hard to resist a good foodie book and I love to make recipes I find in books, especially fiction books.

Day 4: Staying Connected

I used to be so good at this as I mentioned above. When I first started blogging the rule of 20 blogs a day is how I grew this blog. I would make a goal of visiting 20 blogs a day and not just my faves. I would click on bloggers who commented on my favorite blogs. I would always leave a comment and watch to see if they visited me. Most did. I made sure once they got here, I had something interesting up so they would want to come back. It worked. I have a twitter account for Book Journey but I rarely use it. I do not have a Facebook page for Book Journey…. just seems like a one-more-thing. Basically what you see here is what I do. I talk books, life, food, and try to keep it real. I do hope to get back to reading more blogs. I do enjoy it.

Day 5: Blogger Burnout

It is true. Some of the rock star bloggers that were my blogging idols when I started have dropped off. I was sad to see them go but understand that life happens, jobs change, babies are born, interests change… This past year for me I thought there was a good chance I was done. We took a huge hit this past year and it blew my life wide open. It still does. What I found for myself is that once again Book Journey changed a bit. I felt safe here to share my heart and my heart ache. I talked about what was happening. Honestly – I have met many of you through the book expo. Others of you from our talks here and reading your blogs, I feel as though I know you. Book Journey for a while went away from book reviews and instead became a place I could just talk it out. Honestly when I look back at the things that have helped me get this far, this blog would be one of them. I don’t want to let this connection go.

My suggestion to those feeling blogger burnout is if it starts to feel like work you either need to change up what you are doing or walk away until it feels right. It’s your blog. If one day you feel like writing about burned toast instead of the latest hot read – do it. If you no longer find that you can post 4 times a week like you used to, change it to what works for you. It is your corner of the internet. DO what works for you 🙂

In closing, I wanted to be a part of BBAW because you all matter to me. It is hard for me to put into words what this past year and your generous outpouring of love for me and my family has meant. And to think… it all started with a book review and one girls desire to connect beyond her life circles. Thank you all for being a part of my online book friends life circle.

Sheila

PS Thanks Estelle for putting this together. Thank you Care for posting about it so I seen it. I hope to get around to those who participated so I can read their great posts this week.