Revisiting an old...

...blog posting. I have often thought about this posting and although the commercials are not on TV anymore there should be someone out there who still remembers them and if you didn't catch this one the first time, here is my holiday wishes to all.

What I've learned from TV
If you watch very much TV you have probably caught those AT&T commercials for their cell phone network that works where you live even in Hollyorkazonasouthameriland! I like funny commercials that stick in my mind. Even if I never buy the product or service advertised I will remember the company.
The reason this commercial has played on my mind is the dilemma we face every December. What holiday greeting do you use? While the majority of Americans Celebrate Christmas it seems to receive the largest amount of censorship. I usually fall back on just wishing people a Happy Holiday and then they can apply it to what ever holiday they celebrate.
I often feel this is a cop-out as I strongly believe that Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth and therefore it should be Christmas not Holiday. At the same time I don’t want to disrespect people who also celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa but wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah & Kwanzaa is too much to say as a casual greeting so this year I have the perfect solution…

From me to all of you Merappy Christanukzaa

I'm Thankful for...

1. A Savior: God isn't just God, He's my Father, Savior and Friend.
2. Family: I know that's number 1 on most peoples list but there are some families out there that I'm really happy to not be a part of.
3. Facebook: Without it I wouldn't know how many friends I really have.
4. A Job: I don't love my job everyday but since I don't hate it everyday I know I'm fortunate.
5. My Health: It is a constant struggle to get healthier but for now I have do illness, disease, or dismemberment so I believe I'm blessed.
6. Authors: without them I would have nothing to read and there for nothing to do!
7. My Church: I realize that a church can't be all things to all people but Brockway meets my needs and I love the people there.
8. Our Soldiers: The sacrifice of these men and women along with their families should be acknowledged everyday not just when bad news or political mumblings arise.
9. Freedom: While it is being attacked and suppressed more than ever before I'm glad to live in a country that still allow religious freedom.
10. The #10: It's always a good place to stop.

It's been a while...

... so I'll keep it short.
The best things about living alone:
1. You can leave your bathroom door open when showering and prevent the sauna effect.
2. You don't have to fight with anyone for the remote.
3. If you want ice cream for breakfast, you don't have to share.
4. You don't have to wait for the bathroom in the morning.
5. You can pretend your not home when the phone rings.

The worst thing about living alone:
1. There's no one else to blame things on!

Is life what you make it...

...or what God gives you? I've often lamented about having a boring life or no life at all. We fight for the "Right to Life" but what do we do with the life we were given? A frequently used adage is "God helps those who help themselves" and in some areas that is true and in others there is no help at all but that that comes from GOD!

Anyway today I want to share my bogus thoughts about life. Is life more than breathing and having a heartbeat? Does there have to be brain activity to have life? (If so I've been dead a lot of times!) Do all parts of a body have to be functioning for life or just enough to say you're breathing? I know some wonderful people who have hardly any mobility functions but just a smile from them can improve my day and change my attitude. I call that life!

I know that when I say I don't have a life I'm thinking more along the social and exciting aspects that make life look more enjoyable. God is reminding me though that life is a precious gift he has given to all of us and to dismiss it just because I don't have friends that I hang out with every weekend, or have an adventurous spirit that always tries something new is not right. I thank God for the life I have and it is my hope that how I live this life is pleasing to him and not just fun.

The Blahhhs....

.........

A great vacation...

...leads to more wishes. I wish vacations were longer. I wish Hazel & Darren lived closer. I wish work would stand still while I'm gone so that I don't have to play catch-up. I wish I was adventurous and did something unforgettable on my vacation. I wish I knew what was happening at home even when I'm not at home. I wish I didn't cry at my audio books, it make driving dangerous. I wish there was an expressway from Ionia to Lakeview. I wish I had another vacation!

When you OD on...

...vacations. Okay here is my pondering thoughts. I have gone 3 years now without using all my vacation time in the year that I was suppose to use it. I came the closest last year with multiple long weekends and days off in the last 3 months of the fiscal year. Now I'm getting ready to take my first vacation of the new year (began in July) and I can't wait to go. I've probably had more time of in the last 6 months than any other 6 month period of my employment yet I still can't wait to get out of here and forget about work. Is this a sign? Am I getting burned out? Do I hate my job? Am I falling in love with vacation? I don't know but come 1:00 tomorrow I'm going to be on the road heading to Union City!!!!

Ode to my many...

...faults. I'm not intentionally on a journey to self discovery but as I fight with myself to discover why I'm an emotional eater and self improvement saboteur I've discovered a few things. I'm a lazy, judgmental, fearful individual.

1. Lazy. I've always looked at it as being creative but really I look for the shortest and easiest way to get things done. Sure it doesn't take as long to do things my way but I'm not putting as much effort into doing it either. Are the end results as good as they could be? Sometimes efficiency in necessary but when it is easier to sit down with the whole bag of pretzels than to go measure out a serving and put it in a bowl, it doesn't always end the way it should. Besides using a bowl makes another dish to be washed! (See I'm lazy because I don't even wash my dishes, that's what my sister is for! LOL)

2. Judgmental. I've always believed that what I believe to be right should be right for everyone. I still believe that sin is sin but is everything that is a sin for me a sin for you? Are there gray areas that aren't addressed as a "Thou shalt..." or Thou shalt not..." that are left to personal convictions? I guess the issues that bother me the most are drinking and smoking. The Bible definitely speaks about being a drunkard but what about those who enjoy a social drink or antisocial drink yet never have become addicted to alcohol? Is it still a sin? Smoking is only mentioned once in the Bible when 'Rachel lit off her camel' yet because it is harmful to the 'temple' some consider it a sin. Gluttony is frequently mentioned in the Bible as a sin & I've been guilty of that my whole life yet never felt spiritually condemned by it as some people do drinking and smoking.

3. Fearful. I am afraid to try things where I'm not assured of success or acceptance. With weight loss this has been a big one because what happens if I lose weight yet the things I think will change don't? My motto is, "It is better to have never tried, than to try and fail". I don't like to change hairstyles or clothing styles because, "what if it looks worse than I already do" is never far from my mind. Going alone is also something I don't like doing. I'm fine with living single but when it comes to going places or new experiences, I still want someone to hold my hand and handle all the tasks where I could say or do something wrong. Which leads to another thing I fear. I don't like being wrong. I believe that is why I never voluntarily answered questions in college.

I guess if I know what my faults are, I then am obligated to work on them. I realize I can't do that on my own so I've started praying more and being aware of when I tend to fall into these ruts. But I'm afraid that if God helps me correct these faults, He will then bring others to light and I'll have to start all over again. So do you agree, is it better to never have tried than to have tried and failed?

When reading isn't a joy

Yes I know that doesn't seem possible, as much as I love reading you'd think it always brings me joy, but it doesn't. Textbooks are one example. Here I am with a Masters Degree and I don't believe I ever read on complete textbook. There were some that got more open book time than others, but it was usually just what I had to read for an assignment or test. It is probably a good thing my short term memory was sharp back then or I would never have passed those classes.

Now that I'm a librarian sometimes I have to read things that I do not enjoy. First let me expound on more time on why I love to read. Reading to me is a major escape. I love meeting new characters and experience things through them that I will never experience in my own life. But here is a major issue, I WANT HAPPY ENDINGS!!!!!!! Yes even though the book may have death, terror, illness and struggles the good guys are suppose to triumph and the bad guys get what they deserve. Love always prevails and relationships don't end in divorce, death or betrayal. I don't look for books that are going to disturb me or make me dwell on issues that can depress or divide. That is why I don't enjoy reading those types of books that make good book discussion choices. I now have 3 of those types sitting on my to be read pile. They are all nonfiction and cover topics of Sudanese refugees, a daughters experience with an Alzheimer father, and a history and search for rural Michigan. I don't believe I will enjoy reading these but I know they are books that will impact me in ways that I will never forget them and that is probably a good thing.

My favorite question...

...when I'm at work is. "Do you have any good books?". Now I know everyone has their definition of 'good' but really, if your in a library don't you think there would be at least 1 good book in the building? Reader's Advisory is one of my favorite parts of my job even though my reading tastes are limited to genre fiction and not literary works.
I even try to read new teen and junior books to keep up with what is available. As 'Queen of Romances' I always have recommendations from that genre and I also do pretty well with mysteries and suspense but don't ask me for a SciFi recommendation unless you are looking for paranormal or supernatural. (I know lot of vamp authors but they tend to be more romantic than horror)
So if anyone actually reads this blog and is looking for a 'good book' let me suggest a few authors. Tear Jerker/Jodi Picoult, Laugh-a-minutes/Janet Evanovich, Edge-of-your-seat Suspense/Sallie Bissell, Suspense with a touch of romance/Iris Johansen, Christian Suspense/Dee Henderson, Supernatural-Historical/Amanda Quick, Vampromance/Lindsay Sands, Supernatural-Suspense/Jayne Ann Krentz, Alpha-male Romances/Lori Foster, Historical-Romance/Johanna Lindsey, and all time favorite author Julie Garwood.
As you can tell I tend to skew towards female authors but I also like some James Patterson, Greg Ilse, Harlan Coben and James Grippando.

And my bogus thoughts for the ...

...whenever. In SS we talked a bit about how things change and yet stay the same. It got me thinking about how generations change but often return to the same. Anyone over 30 already knows that fashions repeat all the time but what about other things? So here is my convoluted, bogus thoughts. (disclaimer: These thoughts are not historically researched or proven, just impressions)
The 1920's were known as the Roaring 20's. They were known for bootlegging, music, movies and automobiles.
1940's were a more demure time when fashion was more conservative and families were traditional.
1960-70's was the age of love and freedom when responsibilities seemed to go out the window. Everything was about getting back to the natural element without any authority or "The Man" telling you what to do.
1980-1990's thing went "Preppy" and it became all about success, money and status. It was popular to be "The Man" so you could make the bucks and control the world.
2000-? the media has control over the direction the nation goes. From global warming to the support or nonsupport of the war what we here in the TV, Internet or in print has more sway than what you decide for yourself. Media and government seem to be actively moving our country away from the traditional foundation it was built on to a more sociological law. From the earliest grades of preschool to the halls of the Ivy League Universities, authority has moved from the teachers and administrators to the students and parents who don't understand why their kids fail when they don't do their assignments. We care more for what the celebrity on People magazine has to say than what our grandparents know about life. The government is bailing everyone out while at the same time taking control and limiting more of our freedoms. Soon the prisons will be filled with Christian leaders who refuse to silence their beliefs and the murder's will be free to attend therapy.

Okay after that rant here is my final bogus thought. Where will the next generation lead us? Will they see the error of the current generations ways or will we continue to descend into darkness, sin, and corruption?

Finger Lickin...

...book! I'm speeding my way through Janet's newest book "Finger Lickin' Fifteen". So far so good. Sometimes I get bogged down in the impossibility of the story but most of the time it's just a laugh a minute. I think I may have missed something as I didn't read her "Plum Spooky" yet but it's okay things still make sense.

Life is feeling good lately. I've started working out with a personal trainer, who won't give me a family discount, and my WW journey is making slow but steady progress. I still think it is really unfair that gaining weight is fast and easy while losing it is a long and difficult process.

Work is going well. I'm practicing my leadership skills and expanding my horizons. Summer Reading is going really well and I'm planning two High School only events. The first one is next week. I hope to have a good turn out, maybe even teens who haven't signed up for SRC.

Nothing else to say for now. More good books coming later!

Have I joined the league of...

...Evil Librarians? Just finished this awesome Jr/Teen 'fantasy' book called "Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. It was a riot with the mixture of story and lecture to the reader. It's really hard to explain but one part talks about how information can either free or control a country (or in this case a kingdom). As information specialists, Librarians have been able to deceive and control the Hushlands and it is up to the Smedry family to defeat the Librarians and let the truth be known. Each Smedry has a unique and valuable talent and are named after Prisons, or as they tell it the Librarians name prisons after the Smedrys. Alcatraz has the talent to break things, his Grandfather, Leavenworth, has the talent of always arriving late, his cousin, Sing, has the talent of tripping, and his other cousin, Quentin has the talent of speaking gibberish. Throw in a knight named Bastille and you have a group of heroes ready to free us from the control of the Evil Librarians.
I would recommend this one to all you families out there who are looking for a great read aloud with you 5-8th grade boys but girls would love it too. Just don't believe everything you read about librarians. After all I will let you read the book!

They vant to suck your blood...

...but they end up making you laugh. I don't know how long the paranormal romance fad is going to last but after 5+ years it is still going strong. I don't really enjoy the blood and guts of vampire novels but the vamp romances I read are usually more funny than bloody.
It intrigues me the way different author's tackle the origin and need to feed of vampires. Lyndsay Sands creates her vamps as the natives of Atlantis, where technology was so advanced that they created microbots that are injected into the bloodstream and repair damage to the body. Well they may have been advanced in technology but evidently they didn't know biology. The body is always dying and weakening so their little bots were constantly working to repair the body and keep it in peak condition. Since they use blood to repair the body they then needed to replace the blood or those little bots would end up killing the body they were trying to preserve. Sound confusing? Sands definitely describes it better and one of my favorites by her is "The Accidental Vampire".
Other author's I enjoy don't have as unique origin stories but the almost all feed from blood banks or, as Kerrilyn Sparks Vamps do, synthetic blood. I just read a new author who is starting a Vamp series about a childrens librarian turned Vamp after being shot by a drunk hunter. Her series starts with "Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs", and reminds me of MaryJanice Davidson's "Undead..." series. Very humorous but doesn't tell the story in one book.
Okay that's enough of for the undead right now, I'm heading back to Iris Johansen and some breathtaking suspense!

TC in one piece...

...with only a minor detour. Here I am in Traverse City enjoying the 2009 Rural Library Conference and I am thankful for the safe journey. Even though I took the scenic route. My MapQuest directions were right, I was wrong. Evidently Fife Lake is not on Fife Lake Road. But needless to say I arrived, only had to ask directions once, and even traveled along the lakeshore for a while.

It is almost dinner time so this will be short.
Bye!

Can 4 good days...

...erase 2 really bad days? I'll find out tonight as I go to my WW meeting and weigh-in on the topic of "What happens when you eat your way through the weekend"? One of the bad things was that I ordered Girl Scout Cookies before signing up for WW, and they came in on Saturday. I LOVE those thin mints and what started as "I'll just eat a serving" ended up as "I can't believe I just ate the whole box". (And then I had an instant replay on Sunday) But they are all gone now so I shouldn't have to battle that particular temptation for a while.

Tomorrow I head off to beautiful, cold Traverse City for Rural Library Conference. I plan on learning and getting new ideas to implement in the library. Conference food will probably be good and bad. (Taste good/nutritionally bad) I'll have to take the stairs at least once a day to keep my exercise up. If I get wireless up there I'll let you know how it goes. (Not that anyone realizes I've started to post to my blog again)

What do you do when...

...those uncontrollable urges hit you? I'll find myself sitting on the couch probably watching TV while reading a book,(My version of multitasking)when the urge hits. I start feeling antsy, and the urge is all I can think about.
I try to distract myself but my TV show has gone to commercial, I can't remember where I left of in my book, and I can't think about anything but this overwhelming urge...to EAT! I know I should jump on the bike and pedal away from the urge but my stationary bike doesn't take me very far from the kitchen. I've also heard people say that if you don't satisfy that urge or craving you will end up eating more later. What they don't tell you is how to satisfy the urge that just wants to eat everything!
Are there really people out there who's first response to an eating urge is to eat veggies? Probably those Vegan and Vegetarian people but as a normal carnivore I can honestly say that veggies will never be my first choice. Even on those days that I force myself to be good and eat the veggies instead of the cookies, chips, ice cream, pretzels, cheese, crackers, chocolate, etc... I know that isn't going to satisfy the URGE.
I guess I'll have to find other answers to my urges because in all honesty they don't hit because I'm hungry but because of some other reason or emotion. My WW leader said that if hunger isn't the problem and food isn't the answer. I guess I better get better at discovering the real problem before I run to may favorite answers.

I haven't died...

...yet! It's been been over 9 months since I've updated this blog. I could have had a baby in that amount of time but that would have required that S & M thing. (s*x and a man) Needless to say I'm still a happy single gal trying to make her mark on the world. It probably won't be through creative blog posts but you never know. Maybe some publisher out there will come across my blog and decide I have an amazing talent for the written word and they want to publish everything I can write. (LOL)
After waking up from that nightmare I'll remember why I'd much rather read than write. Getting to the books part of my blog I'm in the middle of a hysterical historical romance right now. I'd rather be reading it that writing actually. It is a first novel by Lisa Cooke, "Texas Hold Him" and has made me laugh out loud so much that people are giving me funny looks. (I probably should wait until I'm alone to finish it.)I don't often write about my current reading choices because even though I know I shouldn't care it still embarrasses me to say I read romances. I don't know why it does because romances are the epitome of the happy ending story. With everything going on around us, depressions, recessions and dodo's in office, happy endings are essential.
I often like my romances with a heart stopping amount of suspense thrown in, or maybe even a vampire or two, but most often it's going to be a humorous love story where the perfect or more often than not 'less than perfect' couple works through their problems and find happiness together. There are even a lot of romances that make me cry through the whole book. Robyn Carr is such an author with her Virgin River series, but for today I choose to laugh!