January 2007

Live Blogging PJs?

1 Comment / Coffee & Tea /

I’m sitting in PJ’s coffee shop not to be confused with sitting in pajamas which I would totally be doing if TW’s car wasn’t unhappy.  But TW’s car IS unhappy and so it’s at the car doctor – not the dealer doctor because I refuse to step foot in that dealership ever again.  Instead, it’s at a repair shop a little way from PJ’s.

TW and I first went to PJ’s shortly after they opened last summer.  We were not overly impressed.  Today, I’m liking it better.  Besides it being incredibly convenient to the car doctor, it has not been crowded (though it is getting busier), it was not expensive, the spinach and feta croissant was excellent.  Also, the barristas wandering around in jester hats for Mardi Gras are amusing.  Also, eavesdropping on all of the women who have entered the shop for the first time, that is interesting.

One woman asked the chicks behind the register if they had to clean up after themselves.  One woman was having an orgasm over some caramel pastry that the manager convincer her to try.  There’s another woman speaking what sounds like Italian to another woman who is speaking only English.  The Italian woman will occasionally say something in Italian and the other woman will say NO I prefer English.  It’s a little weird.

Anyway, PJ’s has been nice.  There are worse places to hang out during car doctor visits.  I should know, I’ve experienced quite a few of them.

Live Blogging PJs? Read More »

Why? Why NOT?

4 Comments / Health and Wellness, News and Politics, Religion /

So there’s a theme for this year’s Blog For Choice Day.  The theme is "why are you pro-choice"?  I think the simple answer to that would be another question – "why would I be anti-choice"?

I wouldn’t be.  I couldn’t be.  It’s wrong for me to decide what’s right for YOUR body, what’s right for YOU.  I get to choose what’s right for me, you get to choose what’s right for you.  That’s it, end of story.  No shades of grey.  Not one.

A few months ago, I was laying in bed with the laptop – probably reading blogs or writing a blog post – when I heard a knock at the door and a voice saying "Can I talk to you?"  I hate it when the big kids do that.  It’s never good news they want to share.  It always means something’s gone wrong, or there’s some drama they need to talk out.  I sighed.  I grumbled about hating it when they do that.  I got an apology but when I opened the door I saw the 1/2 child standing there looking like he’d lost his best friend.

Someone he cares a lot about was pregnant.  He was sad and angry and confused and he wanted to make everything right.  He wanted to know if she could have an abortion – she’s under age and we live in the horrid "parental consent state" (I hate parentel consent laws.).  We discussed this young woman’s options and before I knew it – he was planning what she was going to do. 

Hoooooooooold on a minute dude.  This is not your choice.  This is not your body.  This is not your life.  You did not even impregnate this girl and you’re thinking you have the right to make these decisions for her?  I am glad you want to HELP her.  I am glad you’ll do whatever it takes to make these things happen for her.  But dude, do you even know what she wants to do?  Because she has three options.  And SHE is the one who gets to choose.  Until you know what she chooses, you can’t be sitting here making plans. 

It’s easy for even the most well-meaning, kind-hearted of people to take control – to take choice away – to think they know what’s best.  It’s far too easy.

Yes, I’m pro-choice.  How could I be anything else?

Blog for Choice Day - January 22, 2007

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Lullaby

1 Comment / 2007, Favorites, Fiction /

I’m sooo glad I put Lullaby back on my library reserve list. I had checked it out last summer but never got around to reading it. I put it back on the reserve list because Michelle wanted to read it. She still hasn’t had a chance, but I made time for it and I’m very glad.


Much better than Fight Club or Diary. Great idea for a story. Just imagine a culling song and what you might do with it. Because you KNOW you would do something with it.

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The Thirteenth Tale

2 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Mystery /

There are some books that just should not end. The Thirteen Tale is that kind of book.


For some reason I had it in my head that this was a young adult book. When I picked it up to actually read it and saw that it wasn’t, I was surprised. While I think Michelle would like it, this is definitely not a young adult book. Sort of Flowers in the Attic meets Poppy Z Brite meets someone else who escapes me at the moment, lol.


Really terrific book. One I’d be happy to read again someday.

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A to Z Challenge

6 Comments / 2007, A to Z Challenge, Books in Bed /

I’m thinking about giving the A to Z Challenge a go in the New Year. But before I commit, I want a list of possible reads to start with. So far, the only thing on the list is the letter “V”. Heh. I’m going to start creating the list now and we’ll see what it looks like on January 1. Any letter “X” suggestions? *Updated 2/8/7*

A – A Town Like Alice – completed 1/27/8
B – Breadfruit completed 3/24/7
C – Choke – completed 2/8/7
D – Dark Angels – completed 1/14/07
E – Endymion Spring – completed 12/11/7
F – Forever in Blue completed 2/22/07
G – Garbage Land completed 2/03/07
H – Holy Cow completed 3/8/07
I – I Have a Bed of Buttermilk Pancakes completed 12/8/07
J – Just in Case Completed 11/22/7
K – King Dork (thanks sassymonkey) Completed 1/10/8
L – Lisey’s Story Completed 3/3/7
M – Miss Garnet’s Angel Completed 2/24/7
N – Nature Girl – Completed 12/23/7
O – On Becoming Fearless – completed 12/9/7
P – Pink Ribbons Inc – completed 1/7/7
Q – The Queen of Cool – completed 11/23/7
R – Rejuvenile – Completed 11/27/7
S – Sweet Swan of Avon – completed 12/13/7
T – The Thirteenth Tale – completed 1/19/7
U – Upstate – completed 12/16/7
V – Vilette (Bronte) – completed 12/2/7
W – Water for Elephants – completed 3/17/07
X – X stands for Unknown (Thanks toFramed and Booked!) – completed 12/31/7
Y – The Year the Gypsies Came – completed 10/31/7
Z – Zoia’s Gold -completed 5/2/7

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She Made Me Sniff Coke

3 Comments / Friends & Family /

And no I wouldn’t jump off of a bridge if all of the other kids were doing it.  Yes, I do have free will.  Even when TW is involved, I have been known to say no… occasionally.

But she really did make me sniff coke last night.  It was one of the odder moments in bed with her, I can tell you that. 

I was happily reading my book, The Thirteenth Tale, and I was on page 13.  She had already interrupted me on page 6 and page 10 so it shouldn’t have been any surprise when I arrived on page 13 and she put her book down – a sure sign that she’s going to interrupt me with some odd topic of discussion.  I tried to ignore her, it’s The Thirteenth Tale after all.  But, of course, I can’t ignore her.  It’s impossible to do so.

I looked at her and she began to explain the revelation she has just had.  About coke.  About coke and the place we purchase our coke.  And about many experiences with coke purchases in her life. 

She handed me her open can of coke and told me that first, I needed to sniff it.  So I would understand what she meant by the way coke sometimes smells like gasoline.  (Uhhh errr, that is really what she said. I know, it’s weird.)  So, I sniff.  I took a really deep sniff. 

Apparently, to TW, it smelled like gas and a can of coke.  And this has been happening to her off and on for quite some time.  Because we are now buying all of our coke at Daily’s Shell Station (which I have previously said I would not shop at any more due to the ICEE fiasco but have since changed my mind) because it’s the cheapest place in town – and it’s conveniently located on the way home from work. 

Also, TW has experienced this gasoline scented coke at other times in her life.  Like on family vacations when she would stop and get a coke (in a real bottle and before that whole high fructose corn syrup fiasco) from the machine in a gas station. 

I gave her coke another sniff.  And smiled in support of her revelation.  But just between the two of us… I’ve never smelled gasoline scented coke before.  I think it’s just another one of those TW and her imagination things.   The next time you get a coke from a gas station, could you give it a sniff and tell me what you smell?

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Fly By Night

1 Comment / 2007, Children's Literature, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

Fly By Night feels a lot like an Edge Chronicle book but it’s a little too rambling in places. I found myself falling asleep or skimming in far too many areas and I’m betting kids are going to lose interest even more quickly than I did – unless they are patient with books or good at skimming in order to get to the good stuff.


I liked the characters. I liked the premise. I just wish it wasn’t quite so rambling, particularly at the end when the author was trying to tie it all up.


Not great but not bad either.

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I do not heart chocolate

2 Comments / Foodie /

I don’t really HEART anything, as you may or may not remember. But chocolate is high on my list of things I don’t heart – or even really like all that much. That does not mean I do not eat chocolate, because I do. Like last night. I made a pan of brownies and I ate two brownies. And I did not dislike them.


On Saturday, I ate chocolate – twice! Cocoa Via chocolate to be exact. You know, that “heart healthy” chocolate. Once again, food products sent to us by a friend, purchased at Trader Joe’s. (though you can get some Cocoa Via chocolate at our Publix, so this is not a really rare only at TJs product)


First, the Chocolate Almond Snack bars. Not great for this non-chocolate non-almond lover. There’s a lot of texture happening in those little bars. And for once, I can say I understand people who say they don’t like something because of the texture. Way too busy for me to even come close to enjoying.


Next, the Milk Chocolate Covered Raisins. Now you’re talking! Chocolate I actually like, quite a bit. I’m a chocolate covered raisin fan and these I liked. I did share them with TW but I was pretty pleased when she only took a couple and left me the rest. Heh.


If you were wondering about chocolate with “natural plant extracts” and all sorts of interesting “heart health” claims, then I can tell you it totally does taste like chocolate. Which is either good, or bad, depending on your point of view.

I do not heart chocolate Read More »