Daily Dose of Bloghers – Newsy Stuff

1 Comment / Daily Dose /

Lots of good stuff has been happening on Blogher and I have been far too busy to even think about nudging you over for a peek. I’m making time today because this is important stuff and most of you are important people who should know about these things.


First, Sassymonkey, who you all visit everyday when she gets in trouble, talks about food or talks about books, is the brand new CE for the brand new BOOKS category. About darn time we have a CE covering books, isn’t it? And how smart of the Blogher Three to realize sassymonkey is the woman for the job. Her first review is awesome – I’ve attempted an interlibrary loan request for it but if that doesn’t come through… mom, you can send it for my birthday, ok?


Next, Kim Pearson is amazing and if you do not read her blog then you are obviously not one of the important people I mentioned in the first paragraph. Or maybe you are and you were just waiting for me to tell you to go over there and read her blog… anyway, Kim’s post on Blogher was linked in the WSJ.


One last awesome thing, Jan Kabili has started podcasting. What pray tell is she podcasting about? Something I know very little about and prefer to continue knowing very little about…. Photoshop! (I’m a diehard Paintshop Pro fan – sorry Jan!) I know there are a lot of Photoshop addicts out there so get thee to Jan’s blog and check out her podcasts. Give her a good review or two, please.

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Daily Dose of Television – Survivor

3 Comments / Sights & Sounds /

I am a Survivor fan.  Blame TW.  Until she came along, actually until we moved in together, I was not a Survivor fan.  I didn’t get the big deal.  I had enjoyed reality TV, in the form of Real World in the early days, but Survivor – bah. Whatever.  Then, I got hooked.  I think I enjoy it more than TW now.

The upcoming season, I was looking forward to it.  Now.  I’m not.  I’m considering reducing my television watching to only one hour a week and simply skipping Survior – The Races Divided.  I really really dislike the idea of four tribes divided by race.  For the record, I wasn’t fond of the age/gender split last year either.  And that whole male/female thing several seasons ago in the Amazon (I think it was the Amazon), I wasn’t a regular watcher of the show so I never formed an opinion but today, I don’t think I like the idea.

It’s brilliant, I do believe that.  The buzz alone about it is worth its weight in ratings.  The possiblities… when tribes are merged, will members vote along tribal lines because it makes sense or because they are exhibiting racism.  The chores around camp – who is going to do them? And if a person of color avoids the hard work does that indicate the entire race is "lazy"?  Brilliant, definitely.

Unnecessary, also definitely.   Racial and cultural issues and barriers come up in every issue of Survivor.  It’s obvious, whether it’s clearly stated or not.  Racial and cultural alliances are also formed, whether it is clearly stated and obvious or not.  We are a tribal people. Why force the issue unnecessarily from the start.  Isn’t it more interesting to watch people join together on their own or separate from each other on their own?  Don’t we learn more about ourselves and each other by watching a more natural interaction between races and cultures and genders? 

Bah!  I’d rather see another dumb all-stars grouping.

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Daily Dose of Stuff – Monday

2 Comments / Kid Talk, Monday Meme /

P1010003_1This is a Dr Pepper can.  Well it isn’t anymore.  Now it is a mangled and destroyed piece of trash that was at one time a Dr Pepper can.  It was photographed today, on the floor of a child’s bedroom.  This is the second or maybe third such can that has been found on this child’s floor in this type of condition. 

At first, I found it amusing.  Teens of a certain age do this sort of thing.  Now, I’m not finding it quite as amusing.  The last thing we need is a torn up Dr Pepper can on the floor.  Not to mention the messyness, what about the safety issues involved in the destroying of the can and the leaving it on the floor for anyone brave enough to walk in barefeet in that particular bedroom to step on.  Not that I think anyone except child in question is umm brave enough to walk in barefeet in that particular bedroom.   

What IS this doing in my house and why does THIS type of thing keep appearing? And, would anyone care to lay odds on when it will happen again?

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Louise Welsh

2006, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Mystery /

The Bullet Trick has clinched it. Louise Welsh is awesome. I’ve now read all of her books and loved every single one of them.

This one is about a magician or a conjurer, if you prefer. How about an illusionist, I like that better. He’s also got a way of landing himself into difficult situations.

The Bullet Trick had a wee bit less sex but the book was still sexy. Rather than primary gay characters there were secondary gay characters and some gay jokes.

Loved the book. Love Louise Welsh.

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Daily Dose of Coffee – Subscription

3 Comments / Coffee & Tea /

Can I just say I’m not impressed with the Starbucks Coffee Subscription? Yes, I can definitely say it because I am sooo not impressed. 

You don’t get a discount on the price of the beans.  Shipping isn’t free until you hit $49 and they aren’t offering any cute freebies the way Gevalia does and the way Boca Java does.  What’s the point?  The only benefit I could see, for me, would be the ability to order my "seasonal favorite", Gazebo, all year long.  But Gazebo isn’t even on the list today, while it is in season.  So no benefit.

I suppose if you live a zillion miles away from a Starbucks and you really like their beans but don’t want to be stuck with the one or maybe two types offered by your grocery store, then this would work for you.  But for the masses – I don’t think so.

Starbucks should do better.

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A Pony For Linda

1 Comment / Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Favorites /

When Michelle was little, little, little she fell in love with a book at the school library. The book was called A Pony For Linda and it looked just like this.

She would check it out from the library and pretend to “lose it” so she wouldn’t have to take it back to the library. When that didn’t work because I would always “find it”, she started just renewing it every week.

At the end of the school year, the librarian called me upstairs and asked me if Michelle would like to keep A Pony For Linda and just bring us a brand new book to take its place on the shelf. Michelle was thrilled. The librarian was also thrilled since she was getting a brand new book and Michelle always had that old book checked out so nobody could read it if they wanted to. I can’t remember which book Michelle picked out to exchange for her much loved green covered pony book.

We still have A Pony for Linda. And it still makes Michelle smile.

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The Stolen Child

2006, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

I really thought I had reserved The Stolen Child on audio but apparently not. I wonder what it is like on audio. Has anyone listened to this one, rather than read it?

Not that I didn’t enjoy reading it. I did enjoy it. I had heard so many good reviews about it, I was worried. Particularly in the first few chapters when I found it just a little slow and it wasn’t holding my attention very well. I think by the 4th chapter (which really isn’t very far into the book) I was hooked.

Changelings. Hobgoblins. Faeries. Humans. I think I prefer the changelings, how about you?

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Daily Dose of Life

4 Comments / Day to Day /

Ack! I’m tired! Ack! I’m busy!  Ack! My ankle hurts.

I’m tired of being tired.  I’m tired of waking up an hour before the alarm goes off.  I’m tired of knowing if I didn’t get up an hour before the alarm goes off, I’d never get everything done that needs to be done.  I’m tired of getting up an hour before the alarm goes off and still never getting everything done that needs to be done.

Work is busy.  And not the normal busy.  It’s all of the unusual things that have to be done that are kicking my rear.  I prefer the humdrum normal everyday busyness, not this special busyness.

I’m tired of hobbling around on an ankle that still hurts, even though it is definitely "better" it is not well.  And the hobbling to baby the ankle causes the bad knee to yell at me for treating it unkindly.  I can’t win with the left leg and that is annoying.

And Michelle, she goes to college today.  And she is nervous.  More than nervous.  Which makes me very very nervous.  (Updates regarding Michelle will appear at Fast Times if you’re interested.)

There you go, today’s update.  I’m tired.  I’m busy. My ankle hurts.  My kid, she’s nervous.

Life.

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The Sculptress!

4 Comments / 2006, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Mystery /

I love book blogs. Without book blogs I would not have been introduced to tons of great books. Books like The Sculptress! Awesome. If only I could remember, or easy find, the book blog where I heard about The Sculptress. But it’s hard and I’m tired so I have given up for awhile. Whoever you are, if you are reading this and you blogged about Minette Walters sometime in the last six months – THANK YOU.

Did Olive do it or didn’t she? Does it matter?

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