Memes
« Previous Entries Monday, July 7th, 2008July Book Blowout - Mini Challenge #1
We’ve been challenged to Introduce ourselves to everyone doing this challenge. Here’s my introduction:
1. Describe yourself in one sentence: I’m highly motivated, joyous (most of the time), loyal and completely addicted to books.
2. What book will you start the challenge with? I just finished my first book which was People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks (read my review here). I’m now reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver.
3. Where is your favourite place to read? I love curling up on the couch, or sitting on my porch in the rocker. And reading in bed is always a favorite spot.
4. What is your favourite book of all time? I would have to say The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak. Although I also love Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.
5. Remind us all of your challenge target: I hope to read one more than my monthly average which will be 9 books.
Sunday, March 30th, 2008What Kind Of A Flower Are YOU?
With Spring in the air, I couldn’t resist this. I am a Sunflower: “When your friends think smile, they think of you. There is not a day that goes by that you can’t find something good about the world and your fellow human.”
What Punctuation Mark Are You?
| You Are a Comma |
 You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark |
Awards and a Little Catching Up….
Updated at 1:15PM
Trish has honored me with the Mwah! Award - I’m terribly flattered!! Thank you, Trish - and answering your question was my pleasure.
Today is a new day, and I just know I am going to get on the upside of this bug that has knocked me flat on my back. I feel quite remiss in acknowledging some very nice awards over the past week.
Teddy at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time handed me the Make My Day Award. Thank you, Teddy!!
And Bonnie at Bonnie’s Books awarded me the Excellent Blog Award - I’m afraid I am terrible at speeches *fumbles with notes*, but Thank You Bonnie!! I know I am supposed to award this to ten excellent blogs. I hope you’ll forgive my copping out a bit and saying that I read nothing BUT excellent blogs! To find them, simply go to my right side bar on this blog and scroll down.
In other news, I am strongly considering dropping some of my challenges - the problem is figuring out which ones to drop. I’ve quite over extended myself and yesterday looked at my lists and thought ‘How ridiculous, Wendy, you can never read all these books in this time frame!’ I’ll let you know my decision in a few days…
Most of our snow has melted, and the days are getting longer. That can only mean Spring is on its way - I can’t wait until the tulips start poking their pretty heads through the soil! How about you? Ready for some Spring weather?
Saturday, February 9th, 2008Another thank you - Make My Day Award
I am tremendously flattered to have had my blogs acknowledged for the Make My Day Award again!
Alisia from Book Haven recognized this blog earlier in the week and said: “Her book selections are eerily similar to my reading tastes, and her reviews are so well-thought out, they always stimulate that somewhat neglected intellect portion of my brain!“
Thank you, Alisia - I always enjoy reading your reviews as well!!
Then today my blog A Novel Challenge was recognized by Lynne over at Lynne’s Little Corner of the World. Thank you, Lynne!
Thursday, January 31st, 2008Making *MY* Day…
I have been honored to receive this award AGAIN! Thank you to Julie at Thinking… who nominated this blog for the Make My Day Award. Her very kind and thoughtful words gave me a smile.
Another of my blogs was also nominated for this award: Lists - Books for the Obsessive Reader was recognized by Chris at The Reading Nook.
In a week full of one snowstorm after another, along with fighting a head cold and fever - this recognition truly made MY day!
Thank you faithful readers!
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008Feeling Meme-ish?
I’ve been tagged for two memes this week…
Bonnie at Bonnie’s Books hit me up for Loves Meme, Loves Meme Not - a ying and yang sort of thing. Here are my answers:
I love to eat: pasta with a huge, crusty loaf of bread; grilled vegetables; stuffed potatoes; and anything chocolate.
I hate to eat: Olives - they make my mouth all funny.
I love to go: exploring in new places; shopping in unique stores; browsing in bookstores.
I hate to go: to work everyday - I’d rather play!
I love it when: the sun finally comes out after a week of horrible weather; my dogs greet me at the door when I get home.
I hate it when: the computer crashes or does something odd that I don’t understand.
I love to see: my pets play; my husband’s face at the end of the day.
I hate to see: people being mean to each other.
I hate to hear: the vibration of someone’s car radio turned up too high on some irritating rap station.
I love to hear: the sound of the red tail hawks in the trees; the whisper of wind through the pines; classical music.
**This meme actually comes with these cute little heart shaped candy thingies…but I was too lazy to save and upload them here. Go to Bonnie’s blog if you want to get them! If you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged!
AND Callista at SMS Book Reviews tagged me for the Make My Day Award - thank you, Callista!! I am now supposed to choose ten blogs which “Make My Day” - what a dilemma. Have you seen my blogroll? That’s right, the one that trails down the entire right side of my blog? Well those are the blogs I love and read! So, I’m going to pick ten, but if yours doesn’t get picked, please know I still love you!
Michelle at 1MoreChapter, - she is the queen of blog design; I love reading her blogs…and she has some great challenges there too!
Laura at Musings - it is not often that one finds a true bookie soulmate - someone whose tastes run nearly perfectly with your own…and, Laura is that person. I never miss reading her reviews because I know that her favorites will soon be mine!
Dana at So Many Books, So Little Time - Dana’s blog is like her…the perfect mix of spirituality, humor and quirkiness! What’s not to love?
Jill at The Magic Lasso - another blogger whose interests parallel my own. Jill’s blog is full of great reviews - and her photo, with that big smile, always makes me smile too!
Amy at The Sleepy Reader - a big time bookie and challenge-aholic, Amy’s blog is just plain fun.
Wendy at Musings of a Bookish Kitty - not only do we share first AND middle names, and reside in the same State…but we always seem to end up in the same groups too. Full of great writing, I always look forward to reading Wendy’s blog.
Jenna at Jenna’s Library - this is a new blog, and Jenna isn’t letting any moss grow under her feet! Beautifully set up, Jenna’s blog is great to visit.
Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf - I love reading her Sunday Book Coveting feature; and she is the star of book giveaways. This is one of the most active bloggers out there!
Tanabata at In The Spring it is the Dawn - this is a feast for the eyes - beautiful photos fill the pages of this blog.
Kim at Daisy Cottage - Going to Kim’s blog is like paging through my favorite home magazines. Beautifully designed, great decorating ideas - it is a fun blog to visit…and who couldn’t love that little doggie?
Saturday, January 26th, 2008Eva’s Reading Meme
My friend Jill from The Magic Lasso tagged me for this fun meme…I had to put on my thinking cap for this one!
Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
This was easy - The Harry Potter books. Everyone seems to love them, yet I haven’t had any desire to read even one in the series. Maybe some day…
If you could bring 3 characters to life for a social event, who would they be and what would you do?
Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, Selena Peake from So Big, and Liesel from The Book Thief. All of these characters are strong, vibrant females with the gift of communication - and all have a fascinating story to tell. They share a positive and loving philosophy of life. I would have a hearty meal served in front of the wood stove…and I would sit back and soak up the conversation!
(This is borrowed from the Thursday Next series.) You are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realize that it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Hands down … Catch-22. I rarely quit on a book, but I think I made it less than 30 pages into this one before I heaved it aside. Classic or no…this one bored me to tears.
Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
Silas Marner. This was assigned in my senior year of high school and I hated it. I struggled through a few pages, then scanned it, and finally resorted to listening to the class discussion to ascertain the answers to the test. I’ve never actually read the book cover to cover, but when people ask, I usually say I read it!
Has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realize when you read a review or go to “reread” it that you haven’t?
I can’t think of any books like this. Usually it is the other way around - I’m sure I haven’t read it, but once I start, I realize it sounds familiar!
You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (Go ahead and personalize the VIP if it helps.)
The Book Thief - probably the best book I’ve ever read. I blew through the over 500 pages and wept through the last third of it. A tremendously moving book which has some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever had the joy of reading.
A good fairy comes along and grants you one wish: You will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
Russian - I love the sound of this beautiful language, and the Russian novels are some of the best.
A mischievous fairy comes and says you must choose one book you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can reread other books as well). Which book would you pick?
Do I have to pick one? If so, it would be The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak. If I can pick several they would be: Charlotte’s Web, by EB White; The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck; and A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.
I know that the book blogging community and its various challenges have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you discovered from book blogging?
I never used to write book reviews. Book blogging has taught me how to write a review and the importance of doing it so that I can remember the details of what I read. Also, I have expanded my horizons - reading from genres I used to avoid (like science fiction or translated works).
That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now she’s granting you your dream library. Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few authors have inscribed some of the books? Go ahead — let your imagination run free!
Oh, it would have floor to ceiling bookshelves with full collections by some of my favorite authors. There would be a comfy couch and big armchair with wide arms to snuggle into next to the stone fireplace. I’d have perfect lighting and a huge picture window that looked out onto a forested view. And of course there would be a butler who would bring me steaming hot cups of herbal tea whenever I requested them!
Anyone who has not yet participated in the meme, please do give it a try!
Saturday, January 19th, 2008Thank you to my Blogging Friends…
This week my blog celebrated 25,000 visitors since last February. It boggles my mind. I never dreamed so many people would care about what I have to write - and I am very thankful to my blogging friends who have loyally visited and left comments.
Many thanks to Teddy at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time AND Raidergirl at An Adventure in Reading…both of whom honored me with the Mwah Award this month! The purpose of the award is: “…to hand some of that love and kindness back around to those who have been so very, very, very good to me in this bloggy world. My hope is that those who receive this award will pass it on to those who have been very, very, very good to them as well. It’s a big kiss, of the chaste platonic kind, from me to you with the underlying ‘thanks’ message implied. I really do appreciate your support and your friendship and yes, your comments. … Mwah!”
So, I am supposed to choose some bloggers and pass the award on. What a dilemma! I can’t only choose a few of you. I’d like to give it out to ALL my wonderful friends including:
1. Those who have been insane enough to follow me into challenge mania by joining my Yahoo Group - A Novel Challenge.
2. Those whose reviews I trust and use to form my endless TBR wish list.
3. Those who frequently drop by my blog and leave their wonderful and uplifting comments.
4. Those who keep coming up with more Yahoo discussion groups, challenges, and reading related events…completely enabling my book obsession.
You know who you are - I love you all…and I give you a giant MWAH!!!!
Thursday, January 10th, 2008A Little Bit of Both…
| You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained |
 Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you’re left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. |