Posted on

The Watcher

I’m a people watcher. I always have been, since I was yoing and I would give my mother fits when we went out in public. Because not only did I watch people back then, but I also gave them names and loudly called them by their “names.” Before you think that I took pleasure in … Continue reading The Watcher

Posted on

I Wanted to Be Harry Potter

Book 5

I remember when I first discovered the wizarding world created by JK Rowling, sometime after the release of The Goblet of Fire and before The Order of the Phoenix, and I wondered what all the fuss was about. There had been series before, and there would be series after, so I didn’t pay much attention to the one stirring up such a hornet’s nest (that one’s part of a favorite series too) at that time. I knew it had been banned, and I knew it had to do with witchcraft, but I had no idea how important it would come to be in my life. Not then.

You see, at the time I was going through an enormous move, a life-altering event that involved trust, faith, and maybe even a little bit of fear. Okay, definitely a lot of fear. For the first time in my life I was going out on a limb for what I felt deep down in my soul was love, something worth believing in so much that I was willing to uproot myself for it, and looking back on it, I’m oh so glad I did. But at the time it was all I could do to stop from getting hives (I got them anyway) during the process. The last thing on my mind was getting into a new series. Continue reading “I Wanted to Be Harry Potter”

Posted on

Road Tripping

I’m going on a picnic, and I’m taking asparagus, broccoli, carrots…

Yeah, right.

You know I’m really taking angel food cake, Bacardi, candy…

But usually I’m playing the game with my kids, and I want to make sure I’m leaving a good impression about vegetables instead of candy and other things I would ordinarily bring on an adult-type picnic. These are the types of games we play in the car on road trips, or at least they were until technology interfered. Or, I should say, until I let technology interfere. That’s the glory of road trips. We can go old school if we want, just to remind ourselves of how the days of yore went by. Continue reading “Road Tripping”

Posted on

A Time to Read

You know, finding time to read has gotten so much harder lately. When I really want to just sit, relax, and unwind, my mind is all over the map, though, and I can’t focus. Instead, I’ve been using mindless television shows that don’t challenge my poor brain like a book does. And it’s sad, too, because there are so many books I have here that are potential good reads. In fact, I have two books I am currently in the process of reading that are essentially on pause while I finish doing this two-jobs-at-one-time experiment that has driven me quite mad over the course of the past six weeks.

Here are the two books that are currently on hold:

Pure, by Julianna Baggott, is yet another one of those post-apocalyptic tour de forces that have become quite popular lately, along the lines of The Hunger Games, The Selection, Prodigy, and Delirium, but for some reason it lacks the push, the impetus that made me inhale those other books like they were the sweetest smelling roses. I’m not saying that Pure is bad, but maybe I’ve just gotten to my limit in the genre and I need to come back to it at a later date.

Deeply Odd is the umpteenth book in Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas series that is just as quirky as the first one. It’s this book that makes me realize there must be something with how my brain is wired with these two jobs that is messing with me, because this is a good book (don’t get me started on the less than stellar 55 Shadow Street that I have yet to finish, and for the first time with a Dean Koontz book, I don’t think I will finish) and a return to form for the master of the supernatural. Continue reading “A Time to Read”

Posted on

Nocturnal

The man in the moon is just like me With an argyle sweater sewn to fit And an excuse on opposite Thursdays For why he never seems happy He looks into a crystal ball To see his future But it reflects only his past One we shared oh so long ago He sees his lack … Continue reading Nocturnal

Posted on

7 Albums from 2013 You Must Have in Your Collection

This year is more than halfway over now, and there have been numerous albums released since the start of it. I did a bit of a retrospective at the end of 2012 that celebrated those albums, but I have yet to give homage to the amazing records that have come out during this year. A small reminder: these are albums I fully endorse and appreciate, but they aren’t necessarily my favorite albums. There are some albums I think everyone already has, so I’m not going to put The 20/20 Experience here, even though it’s a dynamic record, and I’m also not going to talk about Magna Carta Holy Grail because, well you know. So, without further ado, here are seven albums from 2013 that you must have in your collection:

Product Details1. Dido – Girl Who Got Away

This is the first album from Dido since her debut album that I feel is truly her from start to finish. There was way too much outside influence on the previous two, and I think it showed in her live shows as well. Something was missing. But she’s found it again with Girl Who Got Away. Like Alicia Keys’ return with Girl on Fire, this album showcases the voice of an angel in rare form. Every single time I listen to it, I hear something new and profound, and I hope Dido never forgets her voice again. Standout song: Let Us Move On. Continue reading “7 Albums from 2013 You Must Have in Your Collection”