Friday Reads

Goooooood Morning!  Are you surviving the heat?  I for one can't stand it, but thank God for AC and working in an ice rink. 

When I finished After You by Julie Buxbaum, I had that mini-depression when you're done with a book and it just sits with you for a while.  I was sad it was over, and I didn't have anything around here to get me out of that rut.  I loved that book, and her writing, and her characters, and the fact that she didn't take the easy way out with any of the plot.  L. O. V. E. D.  Read it if you can.

Also, a book like After You reminds me that yes, indeed, I want to be writing again.  While I love my little blogs, and having more people read them is something completely new (and fun) to me, in my heart, I want to start (and finish) another book.  I have about 3 starts to books in the last year, but never got out of the introduction stage.  So when I came across Sarah Pekkanen's post on Wednesday about process, I knew what my Friday reads would be.  She mentions two books that have helped her with her writing, and I'm happy to announce that one is being held at the library, and I purchased the other on for the low, low, price of $1.99!

The first one, the one I found on Amazon is Plot and Structure, by James Scott Bell.  I started it this morning and can already see what has been missing and why I have three starts but no finish!  Good stuff.

The second one is Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass, and waiting patiently for me at the library, and I can't wait to study, I mean read it. 

I know, I know, this might be the biggest letdown of a Friday reads choice.  It's summer, you're thinking, we should be reading something fun, something light!  Not homework for a new book.  So if you're not a writer enthusiast like myself, I will recommend two other choices this week.  Based on the fact that Sarah has helped me with my choices this week, I think it's only fair to give her books the attention and praise they deserve. 

If you haven't read The Opposite of Me or Skipping a Beat, you are missing out.  Clearly, she has studied the art of writing and her process isn't failing her.  Skipping a Beat literally changed how I think about my marriage.  They go fast, so get them both if you can.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Happy reading...

Recipe for a happy life

Before I spend one more minute on the I Hate Summer Campaign (I am the campaign manager after all) I woke up this morning and had different thought:

What if I spent less time on bitching and more time on how to fix the damn problem?

Hmmm, sometimes we actually have to be smarter than politicians in order to get things done. Reason # 879 I won't ever be in politics.

Well, the summer drama of yesterday that plays out every year is over, and today I pick myself up, put on a little make up, and move forward. It always feels good to let it go. Every. Single. Year. Maybe that is her gift to me. Maybe it could come earlier next year?

So, I'm not sleeping again, but seriously having great thoughts in the middle of the night. Writing thoughts. Cooking thoughts. How can I lose this f@#$*%! weight thoughts, when it dawns on me. I need a recipe for life! I know, I know, it sounds cliche and maybe like a song, but what if we figured out everything (EVERYTHING) we loved and needed in our lives to be happy, and simply went by the recipe every day? Maybe there are somethings we only need once a week or month, and we knew to include those things as well.

Not everyone will have the same recipe, in fact that would be just weird. The beauty of this is you have to make up your own recipe and tweak it till it's perfect. The perfect recipe won't happen over night either, and given the Seasons and our work schedules, it might need a seasonal adjustment now and again. The trick will be noticing when and why it's not working at times.

I will go first and put it out there, and hopefully, you can start yours after you read this. For instance, right now in my life I am seriously lacking any free time at all. You could sum up my mood on any given day as resentful. I know, not pretty, but I am so tired of work and parenting (yes, I said it) and as I write this, Blake keeps interrupting. It's hard to go through summer on a budget without much left for fun stuff or vacations. Wah-wah, I know, most of us are in the same boat. That's why I'm doing this.

My first ingredient? Sleep. If I don't get it, I'm a crabby mess, or a hot mess these days. Either way, not pretty. I must get sleep so I can get up before Blake and actually remember what it's like to sit by myself for a moment with a cup of coffee.

My second ingredient? Equal parts reading and writing. I simply shouldn't even try to get through a day without them. It's silly to try, really.

Third? Cooking. Real recipes using real food... simple as that. I don't know if I can do this every day, but at least 5 out of 7 should include some culinary chances. I'm tired of tacos, eggs and pizza. In fact, if I see a Little Ceasars pizza anytime soon, I may throw it across the back yard like a frisbee.

Fourth? Walking 3-4 times a week. I've already talked about the benefits of this lovely one. However, in this heat, I'm "tweaking" the recipe this week.

Right now, that's it. If I can get these things done I'm going to be happier. It really isn't rocket science, and I'm tired of making it so. As for losing this weight? I don't have that answer... if you have one for me send it along!

Now go figure out what you need in your day, and have a great one at that!

A new day

My mantra for today...

I hope you will do the same!

the comfort list

I hate this day. It's the day before, and no matter how many times I try to "forget", life has a way of remembering and seeps into my thoughts. I remember the stupidest of things.

Like I hadn't seen her this day before, 8 years ago. I had worked, gotten a bad haircut, and gone out to eat with friends, but I didn't take the time to go over there.

I had talked to her and she sounded pretty much the same. A certain level of hopelessness had creeped into her voice, but I had tried to ignore it.

We were gearing up for chemo and the long haul. She wanted to get to Florida again.

Sigh...

So tonight I try my hardest to cling to a comfort list. Something that will make everything okay, even if it is reruns of Criminal Minds. Scary, I know. Something that is so ordinary in it's request, that it couldn't possibly make everything okay... only it does.

I think it's the things we completely take for granted every day that make our lives easier.

Going out to dinner.
The Young and the Restless.
Reading.
Ice cream.
hugs.

It won't take the pain away, but it will comfort me tonight, and I will spend tomorrow smiling and pretending the day away, forcing it to pass quickly. It always does.

And in my usual fashion, I will give you homework on this day: Call your mom or visit her if you can. Don't take for granted that she is still here...

And always remember to laugh when you can. 

Friday Reads

Without sounding like the annoying youtube girl, I must say "It's Friday!"  I have been waiting for this day all week long.  With Blake being gone this week I cranked out some extra hours at work, and believe I have work hangover (when you're too exhausted to think straight) this morning.  I'm fuzzy, and the coffee doesn't seem to be working.  Huh.

But it's Friday!  And it's Harry Potter day for me.  Last week I re-read the last half of The Deathly Hallows in anticipation of the movie today.  And I have to tell you, I learned something new again.  The whole wand thing confused me the first time, or I might have been rushing through to see what happened in the end.  Not sure, but I think I finally understand it now, and this time there was something I read that made me stop, read again, and think BRILLIANT! 

"Tell me one last thing, " said Harry.  "Is this real?  Or has this been happening inside my head?"

Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry's ears even though the bright mist was descending again, obscuring his figure. 

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

I simply adore J.K. Rowling. 

I also had the pleasure of reading Dee's cookbook (yes, I read the entire thing in one sitting).  I loved it so much I finally splurged and bought my own copy, and I'm going to try and make at least one recipe every week. 

My Friday Reads pick for today is going to be After You by Julie Buxbaum.  I cannot figure out why I haven't read any of her stuff yet, but seriously looking forward to settling in with this one.  I will let you know how it goes!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and thank you for stopping by! 

(Oh, and if you haven't yet seen the annoying "Friday!" girl, here's her video.)

Potter Love

It's no secret that I love Harry Potter with a capital L.  I have read and reread the books so many times I've lost track.  So today, on the eve of the last movie ever, I have some Potter facts for you.  Any time you can find out some behind the scene information I think makes it even more interesting.  And thank you to Random Facts for all this information!

62 Magical Facts About . . .

Harry Potter

As of 2008, Harry Potter books have sold over 400 million copies and have been translated into 67 languages. A picture of Gandalf the Grey (from The Lord of the Rings) can be seen in the collection of great wizards in Professor Dumbledore’s study in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Author J. K. Rowling recently revealed that Dumbledore is gay and he had a crush on the wizard Grindelwald, whom he later defeated in a wizard duel. As every Potter fan knows, Dementors are deadly, magical, wraith-like creatures. Rowling revealed that they represent depression and that they were based on her own experience with the disease. The remedy to lighten the effects of a Dementor is chocolate. Rowling is the first author billionaire Rowling is the first person to become a billionaire (U.S. dollars) by writing books. In 2007, Rowling was runner up for Time magazine’s Person of the Year. The death of Rowling’s mother from multiple sclerosis significantly influenced her writing, and death is a major theme throughout the Potter series. The actress who played Moaning Myrtle is actually 37 years old and is the oldest actress to portray a Hogwarts student. Rowling discovered “witchy” sounding names such as toadflax, goutwort, grommel, and others in Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, a famous book of herbal lore from the 1600s. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released on July 21, 2007, and sold 11 million copies on the first day of its release, breaking Rowling's earlier records for the fastest selling book of all time. Rowling said that if she were to be a teacher at Hogwarts, she would teach Charms. If she had a job in the wizarding world, she would write spell books. Harry Potter’s pet snowy owl, Hedwig, shares her name with two famous saints. One is Saint Hedwig of Andechs (1174-1243), a former duchess noted for her benevolence and compassionate nature. The other is Saint Hedwig, Queen of Poland (1373-1399). The death of Hedwig in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows represents Harry’s loss of innocence and coming of age. Wizards in Harry’s world primarily use owls to communicate Owls are the primary means of communication between wizards in Harry’s world. However, in many parts of the word, owls are considered bad luck and harbingers of death. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, dragon blood is revealed to be an effective oven cleaner. Rowling’s books were the first children’s books included on the New York Bestseller list since E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web in 1952. When Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released in Great Britain, the publisher asked stores not to sell the book until schools were closed for the day to prevent truancy. Several publishers rejected the first Harry Potter manuscript saying it was too long and literary, but Bloomsbury Publisher finally accepted it in 1996. The book’s publisher suggested Rowling use the name “J. K.” rather than her real name “Joanne Rowling” to appeal to male readers. She took the “K” from her grandmother's name Kathleen, but neither "Kathleen" nor "K" is part of her legal name. Rowling’s series has stimulated children to read and has concomitantly boosted the sale of other children’s literature such C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia series and Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron series. A few scholars have suggested that the Harry Potter series is sexist because the three most powerful figures are male, females use their power in ways that make them less appealing than the males, and Hermione is less powerful and less poised than the boys. Other scholars say those claims are unfounded. Colors play an important role in the Harry Potter novels. For example, shades of red represent goodness, such as Gryffindor’s scarlet robes, Harry’s red ink, and the crimson Hogwarts Express train. The Weasleys have red hair and a red roof. Green is largely associated with negative events, such as when Harry sees a flash of green when his parents die and the green-colored curse that made Ron vomit. Numbers are symbolic in the series, especially 2, 3, 4, and 7. For example, the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione suggest the power of three and the spiritual trinity. Harry fatally wounds the basilisk on its third strike, and Hagrid knocks on the front door of Hogwarts three times. Students attend Hogwarts for seven years and there are seven players on each Quidditch. Sirius is also imprisoned on the seventh floor of Hogwarts. Rowling said her favorite beast in the series is the phoenix, a mythical sacred bird who ignites into flames when it reaches 500 or 1,000 years old only to emerge from the flames as a new and young phoenix. Harry’s birthday is July 31, 1980. Rowling’s birthday is also July 31—but in 1966. The name Voldemort comes from the French words meaning “fly from death,” and his entire goal is to conquer death. In the second Harry Potter novel, Rowling shows us that “I am Lord Voldemort” is an anagram of “Tom Marvolo Riddle,” which is his actual full name. Harry Potter’s name may refer to a “potter’s field,” which is a cemetery in which people of unknown identity or the very poor are buried. This would be fitting because Harry Potter serves as a type of “everyman,” a powerful mythological archetype. Rubeus Hagrid, one of Harry’s closest friends, is part wizard and part giant. Rubeus is Latin for something produced from a bramble or a thicket, which fits Rowling’s description of him as “wild.” Hagrid most likely comes from the term “haggard” which also means “wild” or “unruly.” Cedric Diggory is one of four students to die in Rowling’s novels. Cedric is a common Welsh name, and Diggory is the name of the professor in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe who traveled to Narnia where he picked an apple to save his mother. The seeds from the apple grew into a tree from which the wardrobe was made. Rowling said she may have inadvertently taken the name of Harry’s school, “Hogwarts,” from a hogwort plant she saw in the Kew Gardens in New York City. So many fans visit King’s Cross station to take pictures of platforms 9 and 10 that the station management erected a sign that says “Platform 9 ¾” which, in the Potter books, is invisible to Muggles but acts as a gateway for witches and wizards. Voldemort’s wand is made of yew. Yew is seen by some as having immense supernatural power and being a symbol of death and rebirth, the same immortality that Voldemort seeks. Historically, nearly all wizards have used a magical wand of some sort that channels a wizard’s power and acts a symbol of authority (such as a shepherd’s staff). Golgomath (one of the largest giants in the Potter universe) may be a play on the word “googol,” a math term for a one with a hundred zeros after it—in other words, one of the largest numbers known. Rowling said that when she took an online Sorting Hat quiz, it sorted her into Hufflepuff, one of the four houses of Hogwarts. Rowling said if she could take Polyjuice Potion for an hour, she would become Prime Minister Tony Blair. She also said that she would be dreadful at playing Quidditch as she is “not sporty,” “not great with heights,” and is “clumsy.” Quidditch is also known as Ikarosfairke or “Ikarus ball,” which refers to the Greek myth of Icarus who flew too close to the sun. His wings melted and he fell into the sea and drowned. Rowling said that she would like to transform herself into her favorite animal: an otter. That is the Animagus shape of Hermione Patronus—which is not surprising, since Rowling has said Hermione is a lot like she is. The curse used to kill Harry’s parents, “Avada Kedavra,” derives from a phrase in Aramaic Abhadda kedhabhra, which means to “disappear like this word.” It was used to make illness disappear, but there’s no proof it was meant to kill anyone. It is also likely the origin of abracadabra, which was used by doctors to cure fevers. Harry’s godfather’s name, Sirius Black, comes from the name of one of the brightest stars in the sky, the “Dog Star” or Sirius (from the Greek word seirios, meaning “burning”). The star is a symbol of the goddess Isis and was central to the religion and philosophy of Egypt. Sirius Black’s tattoos are borrowed from Russian prison gangs. The markings identify the person as someone to be feared and respected. Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore is Dumbledore’s full name. Dumbledore is an Old English word meaning “bumblebee.” Albus is Latin for “white,” and Wulfric was the name of a twelfth-century saint who became a deeply holy man after seeing a homeless man in the street. Percival was a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table and may also mean “pierce the veil,” suggesting an ability to return from the dead. Brian is a Celtic name, meaning “strong.” The original title of the first book was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and appeared on books in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other territories. It was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by the American publisher because “Sorcerer’s” seemed more exciting. Rowling later said she would have fought this decision had she been in a better position. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone refers to a mythical object called a “philosopher’s stone.” In the ancient practice of alchemy (from the Arabic word al-kimia, or the transformation of metals, and related to the word algebra), alchemists searched for a magical substance called the “philosopher’s stone” that would turn ordinary metals into gold. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the “philosopher’s stone” is described as “blood-red.” Hogwarts wizards use cauldrons (from the Latin calere meaning “to be warm” or hot, and which is related to “calorie”) to create potions. Mundungus (from archaic Spanish for “stinky tobacco”) Fletcher was known to peddle stolen pots. Cauldrons are one of the oldest and most widely known symbols of magic—older, for example, than broomsticks. In fact, people once believed that witches flew in cauldrons. “Morsmorde” is the command that makes the Dark Mark (the mark of Voldemort) appear and means “take a bite out of death” in French, making it an appropriate call for Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were originally known as the Knights of Walpurgis, which is a reversal of “Walpurgis Night,” the name of an old witch’s holiday on April 30th celebrating springtime—exactly six months from Halloween. One holiday ushered in the growing season; one marked its passing. On both nights, demons and witches were free to roam. Saint Walpuriga was actually the name of a nun who lived between A.D. 710-779. The divination textbook used at Hogwarts was written by “Cassandra Vablatsky.” Her last name refers to a real woman, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky who founded the Theosophical Society. Cassandra was the daughter of the rulers of Troy (Priam and Hecuba) who was cursed by Apollo to prophecy the truth but never to be believed. The Hogwarts school motto is Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus which is Latin for “Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.” In the novels, the school is located somewhere in Scotland and has various charms to make it appear as an old ruin to muggle eyes. Hogwarts was founded 1,000 years ago by Godric Gryffindor (fire/lion), Salazar Slytherin (water/serpent), Helga Hufflepuff (earth/badger), and Rowena Ravenclaw (air/raven). Its crest includes each of the animal representations of the four founders. In the Hogwarts school, grades include Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, and Acceptable. The failing grades include Poor, Dreadful, and Troll. Early in the series' history, the Harry Potter books received positive reviews; however, later books were criticized as bland and cliché. Rowling says the idea of Harry Potter just “strolled into her head” during a four-hour train delay. According to Rowling, her favorite book as a child was The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. An outbreak of lice among the children cast members occurred while filming Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. When Coca-Cola won the rights to tie in its product with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Rowling insisted the company donate $18 million to the U.S. Reading Is Fundamental campaign to encourage children to read. Natalie McDonald, who appeared in Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire, was based on a real girl Rowling knew who was dying of leukemia. The driver and conductor of the Knight Bus, Ernie and Stanley, are named after Rowling’s grandfathers. In 2003, members of the Jesus Non-Denominational Church in Greenville, Michigan, publicly demonstrated their concern over what they perceived to be evil in the Harry Potter books by gathering around a bonfire and burning Rowling’s books. In the Middle Ages, when books were rare, burning them was a radical statement. Rowling claims that her wizard-ing world is purely imaginary and she doesn’t believe in the kind of magic found in her books. A theme park called the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open in 2010 at Universal Islands of Adventure in Florida. The park will include a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Forbidden Forest, and Hogsmeade Village. Harry Potter books made the American Library Association (ALA) list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books for five consecutive years. A challenge is a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. Most parent protests against the books include arguments that the books glorify witchcraft, encourage children to break rules and defy authority, and dwell on dark themes and death. But other parents argue in favor of the books, saying they serve as a mirror for finding a young child’s full potential. When asked about the Harry Potter series, Pope John Paul II said the stories helped children see the difference between good and evil. However, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) said the books “erode Christianity in the soul” of young people and are “inconsistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church.” Ratzinger said the books were a “subtle seduction.” Nancy Stouffer, the author of The Legend of Rah and the Muggles and Harry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly. sued Rowling because she said Rowling’s books were based on her ideas. Stouffer lost her case in 2002 and was fined for making her claim with forged documents. No other author has claimed that Rowling stole an idea. Genius... Have a magical day!

Obsessed with detail

Set your timer:  For the next fifteen minutes, choose a still life and write about it in great detail.

Okay, this is one of those moments where my writing life and my organizing life are going to collide in a train wreck of a mess.  Last week I found a website called A Bowl Full of Lemons and thought I had died and went to Organizing Website Heaven. 

Just go with me here.

So, I found this website that actually had a 21 day challenge and weekly projects, and while scrolling through the 21 days, I saw one that caught my eye:  The Pantry.  The challenge was to empty out completely the pantry, clean it, and then reorganize it with a system that works for your family.  Oh, and you're supposed to take before and after pictures.  At this point, I am hoping you signed the No Judgement Clause at the bottom of the page :)

Pantry: Before

I know... it's like one of those horrible Eye Spy books.  I love the balancing act we have going on with the two bottom shelves.  It's as if there was an earthquake and we never got around to putting things right.  Oh well, I do believe it was Oprah who always said, "When you know better, you do better."  So I took a couple hours to empty most of it out.  I didn't really touch the upper part other than to put a few things in their rightful place.  There were several expired items and cookware we just don't use anymore (Goodwill is a beautiful thing), so I made myself only replace the items we have used within the past year.  And the food?  Well, with the help of some containers, I was able to put most of it back and still have a sense of order. 

See what you think.

Pantry:  After

Will it grace the pages of Better Homes and Garden?  Most likely not, but it was a huge improvement for us.  I like knowing what's in the pantry and being able to find it readily.  I like being able to find the cookie sheet (shocking, I know) and not have three other pans fall out on me.  I like that I can make a grocery list and "see" what we need (Evan would shout "more food!"). 

So I want to see if you're paying attention.  There is one cookware item that I have two of right now.  One is my dad's and I had brought it home after our last cookout.  See if you can find it.

Eye Spy cookware of which there are two...

Homework for the day?  Go declutter something.  You'll thank me later.