In the days leading up to and immediately preceding the New Year, everyone talks about making resolutions, choosing words of the year, or setting goals. For the past three days, I feel I’ve been bombard with questions like “What are your resolutions?” “What’s your word of the year?” “What are your goals for 2020?”
ENOUGH!
Continue readingCan you believe another year is almost over? And what a year it has been.
Last Christmas saw the beginning of the longest federal government furlough. I sat at home all through January wondering when the stalemate would end and I could go back to work. And stressed wondering whether we’d be paid for the time.
February saw me packing and planning my third cross-country move. I narrowly missed a winter storm system as I drove and arrived in Washington to a couple feet of snow.
March blurred into April and then May as I traveled for conferences and tried to learn my new job.
Summer arrived in the Pacific Northwest and I explored the beauty of nature and all the hiking.
Before I knew it, fall arrived and the days stayed sunny and warm. But slowly the nights got longer and the days shorter. I failed at NaNoWriMo and a short story writing competition, but had a blast with new friends.
And now the Christmas holiday season is here again. A full turn around the sun. And I’m looking forward to a birthday vacation with some dear friends in January and some amazing new adventures in twenty-twenty.
But on this Christmas Eve, I stop to be in the moment. I pause to be grateful for all that I have, thankful for the love of family and friends, and blessed by it all.
Merry Christmas to you. May your days be merry and bright. And may your holidays be filled with love and laughter.
peace & joy,
Spring has come, April is right around the corner, and 6 weeks have passed since my last post.
It’s been a bit of a whirlwind. So let me catch you up.
Continue readingThis was a Litsy game and I had fun reading everyone’s answers. I thought it would be fun to share some things about me here.
The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi 
A friend of mine recommended Scalzi’s Redshirts, and since reading Redshirts, I’ve been hooked on all things Scalzi. I love Scalzi’s writing, his creativity, and his sense of humor. And this book did not disappoint.
First, I love the obvious reference to Philip K. Dick. Second, Scalzi is brilliant at character development and world building. Third, the irrelevant humor and clever characterization of government, religion, business, and politics. Finally, although the story starts off with a juvenile (albeit intriguing) line, the action takes off from the beginning and doesn’t stop.
I recommend this book to those of you who like The Fifth Element, Terry Pratchett, and irrelevant humor, and don’t take yourself too seriously.
This is a tough one. But off the top of my head: Kate Daniels, Gin Blanco, Sherlock Holmes, Ford Prefect, Belgarath, Eve Dallas, and Hermione Granger
Urban Fantasy
John Scalzi, David & Leigh Eddings, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Ilona Andrews, J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts), Patricia Briggs, Jane Austen, Charlaine Harris, Douglas Adams, Sarah Addison Allen, Robin Hobb, Fredrick Backman, Rachel Joyce, Mary Shelley, Darynda Jones . . . so many wonderful authors.
I try not to, but some covers just do not do the book justice. But I try to focus on the synopsis. If it’s a book I’m buying to keep, I will consider the cover if the book has multiple editions.
I like it because it’s short, simple, and works in most situations.
Yes! I have quite a few. I love my signed books.
Yes.
Usually paperbacks because they’re easier to tote around. But I like hardbacks for the books I want to keep.
All of the above. Mostly used and library. I buy new when I really, really want the book, it’s newly published (and therefore hard to find used), and I’m going to keep it.
Physical
I really don’t have a preference. But my fave genre, urban fantasy, is typically set in a parallel world of the present.
NO DOG EARRING! NEVER NEVER NEVER! It’s a horrible abomination to dog ear books.
I typically highlight/mark reference books. Otherwise, I try to keep them in good condition. I won’t say perfect, because a good book will look used.
YES! And again and again. I have reread most of my favorites multiple times.
Professor Moriarty
It depends on the book. But this year, I’m trying to make an effort to do it for every book I read.
Yes.
In the comments below, feel free to leave me a book recommendation.
And if you’d like to answer these questions and be featured in a Questions post, contact me here.
After a relatively long hiatus, I’ve started dating again. And I’ve been having so.much.fun.
The last time I actively dated was in my early/mid-30s. I went out with some great guys (one in particular who was fantastic), but we were in different places in life with different priorities. And life happened. I got busy focusing on my new career, I moved a couple times (which wasn’t conducive to building a relationship), and several years passed. Continue reading
This week we began another new year—2018.
Two thousand eighteen. Twenty-eighteen.
Can you believe we are 18 years into the new millennium? I swear 1999 was just a couple years ago. Continue reading
Wow. Has this year flown by or what?! Here we are already a week into December and since I was writing furiously last month, I’ve been lax on posting. So let’s catch up on what’s been happening. Continue reading
My friend Alexigraph did this “Snapshot” post. I thought it was a fantastic idea, so I decided to appropriate the idea (with her permission and with some slight tweaks).
And go check out Alexigraph as she has a lot of thoughtful and helpful posts. Continue reading
In July/August, I participated in a Whole30 challenge (read about it here and here). I had good success (numbers went down) and I definitely felt better. So when Composition ID announced Whole30 Round 2, I immediately signed up.
Round 2 will commence this Sunday, October 22 and go through Monday, November 20. 30 days of focused eating. Like last time, you get a before and after DEXA scan. So I went this past Saturday for my Round 2 “before” DEXA scan.
My before scan showed that since the end of Round 1, I have gained a few pounds. But . . . the pounds I gained were all lean muscle mass.
Let me back up a bit. Continue reading
