Theme Thursday

Kavyen at Reading Between Pages hosts Theme Thursday. Anyone can participate. The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word).

This week's theme is JULY 4th (Celebrations, Independence, Freedom, Flag, Fireworks etc).


"Everything looked wretched and desolate, but out of the sordid taverns came the thunder of riotous music, the godless drunken celebration of Pentecost by the poor."
~p.12, "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week's BTT asks . . . What’s the largest your personal library has ever been? What’s the greatest number of books you’ve ever owned at one time? (Estimates are fine.) Is your collection NOW the biggest it’s ever been? Or have you down-sized? What’s the fewest number of books you’ve ever owned (not counting your pre-reading years)?

I think since I joined Paperbackswap, my bookshelf is the largest it's ever been. I've probably owned over 100 books at one time, and then I try to swap some of them out to make more room. I'm desperately trying to read more quickly through my bookshelf these days in an effort to downsize, but somehow there's always another novel I just HAVE to have. The fewest number I've owned at one time is probably around 10 when I first moved into my own apartment and had a small space to keep my books. Now I've got 3 over-stuffed bookshelves to house them.

WWW Wednesdays

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts WWW Wednesdays. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? I just started Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

• What did you recently finish reading? I recently finished The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian.

• What do you think you’ll read next? If it gets here soon enough, I'll read The Debut by Anita Brookner next.

Broadway, Baby!

I don't know about you, but I love going to the Theater. And I'm not talking movies.

A few weeks ago the Tony Awards were on, bestowing honors to those wonderful, tireless performers in Theater. Every year I watch the Tony Awards, and I promise myself to get to the City to see a show. Never happens.

We do have some great local theater, in particular Two River Theater Company in Red Bank. I am a season subscriber, and I catch about 5 or 6 shows every year. But somehow it's not quite the same.

I am in no way, shape or form a theater-buff. I can actually count on one hand the number of times I've seen a show in New York City. But I am determined. There are so many fantastic shows that I'm missing and there's really no excuse I have not to go see a matinee on a Saturday afternoon. So I think I'm going.

I've arranged to have hubs stay with the boys while a friend and I trek into the City to see a Saturday matinee. We haven't picked the show yet, but you can get fantastic discount tickets online. I'm pretty excited. Now if only I didn't have to drive in, I'd be raring to go. I'm not a huge tunnel or bridge fan. But I digress. Broadway, here I come!

Anita Brookner Challenge

I came across this challenge and decided to participate, especially since I've never read Anita Brookner and think I will enjoy her work immensely. My Porch is co-hosting International Anita Brookner Day. On July 16, Anita Brookner will turn 83 years old. By then, she will have published 24 novels in 30 years. For this challenge, read any one of Anita Brookner's novels by July 16, and then go back to My Porch to link up your review of the book or comment on what you thought of it.

I have so many unfulfilled challenges at this point, but I'm going to read The Debut for this one.

Monday Must Haves - Lanterns

Welcome to Monday Must Haves, my place for cataloguing all those things I see in my day-to-day existence that I just gotta have. This week is all about lanterns. I'm in outdoor mode, so I'm focusing on those pretty, and practical, outdoor accessories. While I love to be outside in the summer, I can't stand those mosquitos. I came across a couple of great ideas to help solve that problem.

First up is the ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellant Patio Lantern. Apparently, this lantern does what those smelly sprays and lotions would do to protect you from those pesky mosquitos. Each lantern repels flying insects for up to 12 hours within a 15 foot radius, and refills can be purchased so you don't run out in the middle of a party. The lantern is a classic wrought-iron look, measures 11" high, and would be lovely in the yard or on the porch. It's silent, portable and odor-free. It also produces light so it adds a wonderful glow to your outdoor event. It's cordless and runs on batteries, but the price is right at about $25.

This might not be a mosquito lantern, but you can put a citronella candle in it so it works double duty. This standing black hanging lantern is also wrought-iron and measures 42" tall - perfect next to a bench or a patio table and chairs. It's weather-resistant and the removable glass is wind and waterproof so it can withstand those crazy summer storms we've been experiencing. It's a little pricier at $60 but it's just so pretty.

Musing Mondays

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Musing Mondays. This week's musing asks . . . Have you ever read a book that inspired you to take up a cause? What book was it, and what is/was the cause?


I wouldn't go so far as to say I've "taken up a cause" but I am more passionate about it. Domestic violence has always hit a nerve with me, and I've read several novels wherein women or mothers and children take up and leave abusive relationships. "White Oleander" and "Black and Blue" are just two novels that come to mind that have resonated with me. There is a wonderful organization in my area, 180 Turning Lives Around, that addresses domestic violence and even houses those who are fleeing abusive relationships.

Quote It Saturday

Freda's Voice hosts Quote It Saturday. To play along, post a quote or a lyric and its author, even if it's anonymous.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."

~William Shakespeare

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

Congrats New York. Let love reign.



Would You Lie to Protect Your Child?

I've somehow gotten wrapped up in the Casey Anthony trial. It's been interesting viewing as it goes along, but yesterday got downright controversial.

Apparently Casey Anthony's mom, Cindy, is covering up for her daughter who is accused of murdering her own 2 year old child. Found on the computer in the Anthony home were searches for chloroform and how to make it. Cindy claims she attempted to do a search on the computer for chlorophyll, mistakenly spelling it chloroform, because her dogs may have eaten bamboo in the yard. Never mind Cindy was working on the day and time of the search, and no one really believes she misspelled the word, the point is she's trying to cover for her daughter.

I've always said from the beginning of this trial that the people I feel most sorry for are Casey Anthony's parents. They must be scratching their heads trying to figure out where they went wrong in raising their daughter that she would go so far as to kill her own child. As a mother myself, I can only imagine the pain. Add on top of that the realization that if your daughter did, in fact, commit this hideous crime against an innocent child, she could be put to death. What do you do?

I can understand wanting to protect your child at all costs. I can understand taking the bullet to save your child. I can understand pointing the finger at yourself saying you did it, not your child. But what about that little girl? Shouldn't there be justice served for taking away her life? Wouldn't that be the right lesson? No more lies. No more cover-ups. Let the truth be spoken and the punishment fit the crime.

I would hate to be in Cindy Anthony's shoes and pray to God that I never am. I'll say it again - I feel for the parents of Casey Anthony. They are truly living a nightmare.

No Filter Friday

Oh my word. There's so much nonsense going on, I don't even know where to start.

1. I've seen all over the news that some 51 year old actor married a 16 year old girl. Really? And this is okay because . . . the girl's parents gave their consent? Really? Aren't we simply saying it's okay for some horny 50 year old guy to marry a teenager? Chalk another one up for the over-sexed male population. Pathetic.
2. One of the stars of Jackass crashed his car while drunk driving and died. Here's a prime teaching moment: Don't be a jackass and drive drunk.
3. Now that summer is full-throttle upon us in the Northeast, we have serious mosquito issues. Apparently, these little suckers prefer women to men and blondes to brunettes. Is it safe to say mosquitos are middle-aged and male?
4. Bristol Palin wrote a memoir. She's 20. How much of a memoir can that be? She's barely had a life yet!
5. Hey, Tracy Morgan - not funny!
6. This Southwest airlines pilot airing his derogatory comments on an open mic is another example of the lack of respect people have for one another. What ever happened to the saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?"
7. What is the deal with the car commercial that ends with saying "you're s.o.l.", meaning you're shit out of luck? This rubs me wrong on 2 levels. This increased use of acronyms in every day life is annoying. Pretty soon we'll all just speak in code. Secondly, when did it became acceptable to use the word "shit" on primetime television? I've got children watching this stuff!

Aloha Friday

Kailani at An Island Life started Aloha Friday. Want to play along? I ask a question, you answer the question in the comments. You can also ask your own question on your blog and link up on Kailani's site. Here's my question:

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

Friday Finds

MizB from Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

A Small Hotel by Robert Olen Butler

Untold Story by Monica Ali

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai

Torn by Samantha Parent Walravens

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Theme Thursday

Kavyen at Reading Between Pages hosts Theme Thursday. Anyone can participate. The rules are simple:


•A theme will be posted each week
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word).

This week's theme is Male Person (father, grandfather, brother, etc.)

"Soon after the picture was taken, her brother and her father fought. Again. By the time Robert was twelve, they were fighting often. This one was particularly nasty because it marked the first time that her brother had physically tried to intervene in one of their parents' venomous little spats."
~p. 120, "The Double Bind" by Chris Bohjalian

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week's BTT asks . . . What, if any, kind of music do you listen to when you’re reading? (Given a choice, of course!)

I don't listen to any music when I'm reading. I used to put on some classical music and get cozy with a good book before I had kids. Now I'm just grateful for the silence :)

5 Things I Wish I Had (In My Yard)

I have a decent-size yard with quite a few things in it, but there are some things I wish I had that I don't. I have an inground pool and a deck and pretty ample space (though hubby would love more), but I am yearning for a few other goodies:

1. A vegetable garden Sounds easy enough to fix, I know, but we have little critters who eat anything and everything they get their grubby little paws on. I would love to grow our own fruit and veggies in the yard. I'm just afraid we'll be feeding the entire outdoor animal population instead.
2. A gazebo I don't want anything big and overbearing. I want a simple small gazebo to sit and relax in the shade. Maybe bring a glass of iced tea and a good book to unwind for an hour while the kids play in the yard.
3. A hammock We have two trees that are perfectly aligned to house our hammock - an absolutely beautiful spot to lounge under the trees for a good read or an afternoon nap. Unfortunately, we stored our hammock in the shed this brutal winter and it got chewed up by said critters above who would eat my vegetable garden. We need to invest in a new hammock.
4. An outdoor pizza oven Again, I don't need anything big and fancy. Some simple sturdy brick structure that's pleasing to the eye and can cook up my pizzas for outdoor entertaining.
5. Wicker outdoor patio furniture We have 2 patio tables and chairs sets, but they're metal with glass tables. I'd love some white outdoor patio furniture with the cushy seat cushions. The mesh metal is practical and convenient, but the wicker is more pleasing and comfortable - in my opinion.

Monmouth County Cupcake Manhunt - Chocolate Carousel

I've sampled a third location in my hunt for a cupcake bakery in Monmouth County. I don't want to count my cupcakes before they're baked, but I think I found a slice of heaven.

Location #3 - Chocolate Carousel, Wall

I've heard of this bakery before and actually had chocolate covered pretzels from here at a party once. They recently relocated so this is the first time I've been to the new location. As soon as you enter this bakery, there are beautifully created cupcakes on display. Oh, what to choose? Here are the 4 that the boys and I decided upon this day:

From top left going clockwise, there is a cannoli cupcake, a carrot cupcake, a chocolate cookie cupcake, and a vanilla buttercream cupcake. I have nothing bad to say about any of these cupcakes. They were all delicious, moist and left me wanting more. My #1 choice out of these 4 is definitely the cannoli cupcake. This was a chocolate cake with cannoli filling and and cream on top. Heaven. Just absolute perfection.

The total cost for 4 cupcakes was $12. The Chocolate Carousel bakery is, so far, the go-to location for delicious cupcakes in Monmouth County.

Monday Must Haves - Feet

Welcome to Monday Must Haves, my place for cataloguing all those things I see in my day-to-day existence that I just gotta have. This week I'm focusing on feet. I'm not a big foot fan, but I'm always interested in whatever I see that may bring comfort to my tootsies. Heels can really do a number on the feet, so this week I've come across 2 products that will help relax those aching soles.

FootzyRolls are a cute, fashion-forward rollable ballet shoe that can hide in your bag until your feet just can't take it anymore. They come in stylish colors that go with any outfit, and they're even waterproof. Comfort and practicality all in one cute rollable shoe. These are great for travel, for the office, for a night out on the town. They roll and fold to fit in your smallest bag as your spare pair.

YogaToes do the work while you relax. Just put them on at the end of the day, and let YogaToes relax your muscles and increase circulation. These little wonders spread, stretch and exercise your toes. Relieves foot pain caused by tight shoes and high heels and being on your feet all day. Walk away feeling relaxed and refreshed - just like you've had a foot massage.

Musing Mondays

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Musing Mondays. This week’s musing asks . . . Do you like movies made from books? Which ones do you think have been done well — kept mostly to the plot of the book, etc?

I typically find myself saying the book was better than the movie, but there have been a few that I actually enjoyed. The Bridges of Madison County was well-done as was The Devil Wears Prada. The Reader, The Lovely Bones, and Revolutionary Road were also very good. Of course, I still enjoy the books more. I like the version in my mind better than the one on screen.

Quote It Saturday

Freda's Voice hosts Quote It Saturday. You can post any quote, even lyrics to a song. Include who said, even if it's anonymous.

"When a woman makes the choice to marry, to have children, in one way her life begins but in another way it stops."
~Robert James Waller

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

Oh allergies, how I hate thee!

No Filter Friday

Ok, so I forgot to "No Filter" yesterday. No worries, I still have plenty to bitch about today.

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger's baby momma should just collect her child support and keep her mouth shut. Much too soon to hear your side of the story, Mildred Baena. And, please, stop calling him "Arnie!"
2. Once I learned that Headline News was broadcasting the Casey Anthony trial live every day, I knew I was in trouble. I'm hooked and it pisses me off. I should be doing so many more productive things than watching that sorry excuse for a mother on trial for her life.
3. I hate allergies. It's terrible when you have to deal with them yourself, but to see your child suffering is torture. We were up at 2am with the nebulizer because the 5 year old couldn't stop coughing. Damn you, allergy-infested world.
4. When 81 year old Buzz Aldrin files for divorce from his wife, you know something's gotta give by way of marriage. This institution just doesn't seem to be working anymore. People throw in the towel way too easily and don't take those vows very seriously. How bad must it be if you're 81 and you want out?!?

Friday 56

Freda's Voice hosts The Friday 56. Want to play along? Grab a book, turn to page 56, choose a sentence that grabs you and post it.

"Laurel had told her about Bobbie Crocker and the photographs he had left behind, and they were both worried about the attendance at the cemetery because the man hadn't any family that they were aware of."
~"The Double Bind" by Chris Bohjalian

Book Beginnings on Friday

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted on Friday by A Few More Pages. Want to play along? Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence.

"Pamela Buchanan Marshfield saw the ad the homeless shelter in Vermont had placed in the newspaper before her attorney did. She realized right away it was about her brother and her brother's work."
~The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian

I'm not crazy about these first couple of lines. It does open up a few questions like why does this woman have an attorney and is her brother homeless? Other than that, I'm not very intrigued. I like to be pulled in right away and this didn't do that for me. Now that I'm cruising through the book, I can say it is a good read. Better than what I thought based on those first 2 sentences.

Aloha Friday

Kailani at An Island Life started Aloha Friday. Want to play along? I ask a question, you answer the question in the comments. You can also ask your own question on your blog. Here's my question:

Do you like to read on the beach?

Friday Finds

MizB from Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I'm Kind of a Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank

One Summer by David Baldacci

Three Wishes by Carey Goldberg, Beth Jones and Pamela Ferdinand

A Round-Heeled Woman by Jane Juska

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

Monmouth County Cupcake Manhunt - Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe

I'm making my way through Monmouth County searching for that cupcake bakery that I so desperately want to find. Plus, it's a fun activity to keep me and the kids busy during the summer.

Location #2 - Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe

By the looks of their logo, I thought I'd found the place I've been hunting for. Not quite. Ocean Grove is a quaint little town along the Jersey Shore. Lots of cute little shops and eateries along Main Street. This is a tiny little bakery with few choices by way of cupcake. Here were our selections:

Starting at top left going clockwise, a cookie crumb cupcake, then a black and white cupcake and finally a carrot cupcake. In a nutshell, this bakery is 1 for 3. The cookie crumb was the best out of them all. It was sweet frosting with delish cookie crumbs around the edges and moist-enough yellow cake. The other two were very, very dry and uninspiring. I would go so far as to say the carrot cupcake was stale. The black and white was simply yellow cake with chocolate frosting with a white stripe. This, too, was very stale-tasting. Needless to say I was disappointed again. Strike 2 in my quest.

Total cost for 3 cupcakes was $7. At least I didn't pay a fortune for day-old cupcakes. Sorry Ocean Grove, I won't be frequenting your cute little bakery again.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week's BTT . . . With the advent (and growing popularity) of eBooks, I’m seeing more and more articles about how much “better” they can be, because they have the option to be interactive … videos, music, glossaries … all sorts of little extra goodies to help “enhance” your reading experience, rather like listening to the Director’s commentary on a DVD of your favorite movie. How do you feel about that possibility? Does it excite you in a cutting-edge kind of way? Or does it chill you to the bone because that’s not what reading is ABOUT?

I don't get it - literally and figuratively. I don't Nook or Kindle or eBook in any way, shape or form. I love my books. I don't need bells and whistles to distract me from my reading experience. The words trigger the imagination, and that enhances my reading experience. Music and video . . . that's the antithesis of reading!