Month: February 2009

Plans and catching up on books

/ Meg / 6 Comments

img_53472I was getting nervous before — and that was nothing compared to the growing insanity that is my TBR pile! I’m actually getting nervous now. And a little frightened. How am I going to get caught up? Less working, photography, crocheting, hanging out with friends, family and boyfriend and . . . more reading! Seriously. How am I going to read all these books?

Most of them I acquired through BookMooch. Some I bought at Borders; others at a library sale. I definitely want to read most of them, but I don’t know how I’m going to have any space for anything new pretty soon! Those stacks above are just the ones in my room. There’s still a whole bookcase downstairs filled with TBR books, too!

I feel a bunch of giveaways coming on!

But this weekend, I will finish The Anglophile. And I will start a new book, work my way quickly through that one and hit the next title. I will be unstoppable — a reading tornado. I’ll have that TBR stack halved in no time!

But I really do want to finish the first scarf that’ll be part of my new spring collection. And I think we’re finally going to see “Slumdog Millionaire” tomorrow night! I’ll be dancing in the aisles to “Jai Ho,” which hasn’t gotten out of my head since watching the Oscars last Sunday. And I have to complete an assignment for my photography class, and I’m really at a loss for a cool backdrop with which to photograph Kate, my sister/model. And I really want to crochet more flowers, now that I actually know how! The photo I wanted for yesterday’s post is just above.

Looking forward to a busy weekend! Hope everyone enjoys the last few days of February and gets ready for March. I can’t wait for spring! And I’ll be randomly choosing the winner of my keep warm while reading giveaway Sunday afternoon — you can still enter here through noon, Feb. 28! Then I’ll be announcing my next prize in conjunction with the Book Giveaway Carnival, sponsored by Bookroom Reviews. The fun starts Monday, March 2. Can’t wait!

Everything’s coming up roses… in stitches

/ Meg / 1 Comment

So I’m incredibly proud of myself! After thinking about how for all I talk about loving to crochet things, I really only know one stitch — the afghan stitch — that is now patently untrue! Mom sat down with me last night, just like she did when I was little, to show me how to crochet. And I can now make flowers! Yes, real crocheted flowers — using two new stitches! I’m so impressed with myself (and with Mom’s patience and clear direction). I made two purple and two pink, and they’re adorable. I’m already thinking of ideas for my “spring collection” — and all of those will be posted on my Etsy shop when they’re done. If I decide I can actually part with them!

Flowers by AnnieDesign I took photos of the flowers, of course, but then I fell asleep before I could upload them. So I’ll leave you with the beautiful handiwork of Annie Design at right while I ruminate over the new patterns I’m going to create! Mine look very much like these… but I’m going to use all spring colors! I started making a white scarf last night to accompany the flowers. I’m so excited. Learning something new is really inspiring — especially since I’ve been afraid to try a new stitch for years. Fear of failure was once a palpable thing! But now that I’m older and have learned and/or taught myself so many skills, I’m not afraid of anything anymore. In fact, I can say very honestly that I don’t think there’s anything in the world I couldn’t do if I dedicated myself to it. And now that I’ve pumped myself way up, I’m off to keep working and get ready for photography class tonight! Yay!

Booking Through Thursday: Collectibles

/ Meg / 5 Comments

booking_through_thursLet’s go Booking Through Thursday! This week we’re discussing collectible books:

• Hardcover? Or paperback?
• Illustrations? Or just text?
• First editions? Or you don’t care?
• Signed by the author? Or not?

I don’t really “collect” books, persay — my novels are well-read, shared and well-loved. I treat them with as much care as possible, but I don’t cradle them with the tips of my fingers to avoid getting any sort of smudge on them. Unless they’re signed, or otherwise crucially important to me! And then I’ll just buy a second copy to actually read, as I did with Marisa de los Santos’s Belong To Me. The copy with the signed book plate doesn’t move from my shelf! I’m not picky about conditions, or about the format of the book — though I prefer paperbacks over hardcovers any day. For one, they’re just lighter and easier to read! And they’re more comfortable to carry in a bag.

The only books I can see I’ve really “collected” would be the series I’ve read and loved: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Twilight and New Moon are in paperback; Eclipse and Breaking Dawn are, of course, hardcovers. I’m not picky. I also have a mixture of paperbacks in the Harry Potter series, though my sister has her original books in hardcover. When I decided to finally read the series, many of the early novels were in paperback — and hey, I save money where I can! So they’re a mish-mash of reading fun.

John Mayer scares puppies

/ Meg / 3 Comments

There I was on Saturday afternoon, innocently standing in line at Target with my mom. We’re carrying heavy baskets full of stuff, chattering away light-heartedly, talking about dinner and possibly seeing a movie. Everything is fine. Not a care in the world. I could smell vanilla — and maybe a hint of lavender. I was buying delicious snacks. Birds were chirping; a rainbow may have possibly appeared along the wall, draped over a pack of fluffy golden retriever puppies tumbling along in the aisles.

And then — then I saw THIS . . .

aniston_mayer_kiss

. . . on the cover of a random magazine, dropped unceremoniously near the counter by another customer. Discarded. Just happened to be sitting there, ready to rip my world to shreds.

And the birds flew off, flapping their wings angrily; the rainbow evaporated, leaving a gray streak in its wake. The puppies all started barking, then scampered away, too. And it was just Me and The Magazine.

Did I buy it? No. I mean, why torture myself? Sure, John Mayer is on the cover of it making out with his girlfriend (and alleged fiancee, if you listen to some sources), Jennifer Freaking Aniston, but why should I pry even more into their every day lives? So what if they were returning from a romantical island getaway over Valentine’s Day, where they no doubt recreated the above scene for four days straight? And they were boarding separate planes, and couldn’t bear to be separated from one another for a few hours? And had to keep their arms wrapped around each other, afraid of ever letting go? I mean, WHO CARES. Geez, STOP BRINGING IT UP ALREADY.

And now I’ll get back to work. After I decompress, take a long walk, finish up my Diet Coke and see if anyone has a spot where I can do a bit of yoga. For a half hour or so.

Musing Mondays: Library time

/ Meg / 7 Comments

musing_mondays Last Monday of February! Here’s this week’s question:

How often do you visit the library? Do you have a scheduled library day/time, or do you go whenever? Do you go alone, or take people with you?

You’ll hardly ever find me in a library — for a variety of reasons! But first let me state firmly that I have absolutely nothing against libraries. Libraries are great. They’re an excellent resource for students and readers of all ages, and it’s awesome we have an organized system in place to spread knowledge and entertainment to the masses. For free!

But libraries aren’t for me. Our local library in my hometown really doesn’t have much to look at, and it’s old and I just . . . don’t like it. It’s not inviting. I do like the library in another part of the county, but I don’t usually feel like driving all the way over there to check out some books. Plus, I just like to own my books — I like knowing they’re mine. Even if I’ve Mooched them or gotten them as ARCs, they’re still here in my hot little hands — and all mine! I don’t have to worry about how long I have to read them, and when they’re due back. Although, when I think about it, having deadlines like that might help me sift through some of the books I keep in stacks for far too long, continuously picking up the newest books I bring into the house to read . . .

I have gone to the library recently, though — and that was to buy books! The library in a neighboring town sponsors a Saturday book sale, and I got four quality paperbacks and a mass market paperback for $2.36! My boyfriend and I are both avid readers, so we went together to look for some different and maybe hard-to-find titles. I was crazy excited with what I got! So the library does come through for me in the end!

My order is in

/ Meg / 4 Comments

Five tractor-trailers delivered more than 100,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Southern Maryland this past week. So, that’s my order . . . didn’t y’all want any?

samoa_cookietrefoil_cookieAh, Samoas . . . and Trefoils, and Tagalongs! All the mouth-watering chocolate deliciousness . . . It’s easy enough to politely decline to order a few boxes from friends and coworkers in advance, but when the Girl Scout cookies are actually right there in front of you, all lined up on tableclothes and being sold by intrepid, dewy-faced children, you have to be made of stone to refuse any. My dad and I share similar thoughts on this matter, and we’ve both resolved to eat better, drink less (or no) soda and try to cut out the sweets. But we might just be living in a fantasy world . . . I say save the lectures and pass the box, already.