I make lists.
I read books.
I like clothes, food, music, my fur babies, travel, and loads of other stuff too.
I may write about any or all of these things.
Once again, here's some things to know to help with any confusion or questions you may have:
Challenge is June 1st, 2016 - June 30, 2016
Link-up to report how you did in the challenge is the second Thursday of July the 14th
Your link-up post can be anything related to the challenge (i.e. the books you read, why you "collect" so many books that go unread, a book that surprised you once you read it for the challenge, where you get all those books, ebooks, audio books that end up stacking up and neglected, show us pictures of your bookshelves, etc.)
The objective is to finally read some of those books that you own that have been feeling neglected
ONLY read books (audio books, ebooks included) that you currently own already (or have downloaded already; yes, NetGalley can be included)
You are not required to read ALL the books you own
I repeat (because this has been the biggest concern/confusion) that you are not required to read ALL the books you currently own
Just whatever you read in the month of June should be ones that you already have
No library books (although I love myself some library), no buying new books, no downloading or borrowing new books
Two Amazon gift cards will be given to randomly selected lucky winners
A raffle for the Amazon $ will be posted in the link-up
This isn't a competition for how many books you read; it's just encouragement to read your books; if you have ONE book on your shelf that has been begging to be read, read that book, and you are a challenge participant!
This guy. I dish up the dog food, and he starts eating. He thinks he's a dog. Or, he just does whatever he wants. Yea, I'm going with the latter.
Go to the juice bar for breakfast, tryin' to be somewhat healthy, leave with blueberry banana bread. I'm weak.
I took this picture and sent it to the husband entitled "current mood".
I've got one more library book to finish before I start tackling my own bookshelf for the Read My Books challenge that begins in a few days.
We introduced the 8 year old stepkid to Independence Day. He saw the trailer for Independence Day: Resurgence and was interested. This is one of those blockbuster movies that I'm guilty of watching over and over again. Stepkid loved it and claimed he "can't wait" for the new one.
No, I do not live in America anymore, but I will always proudly keep my American citizenship. I am appreciative of all who served and continue to do so. I am humbled by those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Not only do I think of the service men and women we've lost, but I am grateful to their families and loved ones as well.
It's that time again, the last Thursday of the month, the time that Jana and Erin bring you a playlist that usually has a theme with a twist. With the realization that we've been losing a lot of musical icons in recent times, we were inspired to bring you this post: favorite songs by (now) dead people.
*This is a long one. We make no apologies. We culled. We swear we did.
The plane crashes: Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue) - It's been called "Rock's First Tragedy" and "The Day That Music Died" when a plane crashed in snowy Iowa February 1959. It carried Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper, and one of Jana's faves, Buddy Holly.
Stevie Ray Vaughan (Pride & Joy) - A bronze statue overlooks Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas to honor the loss of this guitar virtuoso and Texas son, another plane crash casualty (this one happening in 1990).
Lynyrd Skynyrd (Free Bird) - In 1977, three members perished in a plane crash carrying band members of this Southern Rock band. Most everyone knows "Sweet Home Alabama" and possibly have heard someone from a crowd yell "Free Bird!"...but when I listen to the opening lyrics "If I leave here tomorrow, will you still remember me?"...well, damn, considering how the man singing those lyrics died, it gives me chills every time.
The drink:
AC/DC - original lead singer, Bon Scott (T.N.T.) - I, Erin, have a personal story. My 8 year old stepson's favorite band is AC/DC. He can identify a song when it comes on the radio within a few notes. My husband and I had our first conversation about the dangers of too much alcohol with this 8 year old kid by telling him the history and untimely death of Bon Scott. In honor of my stepkid, here's his favorite AC/DC song.
Def Leppard - original lead guitarist and songwriter, Steve Clark (Armageddon It) - You could not be our age and not have some memory associated with a Def Leppard song. They were "that" big for a time period. In 1991, the height of their fame and popularity (#1 albums, sold out stadium tours), Steve Clark died of alcohol poisoning. The last album that he played fully on was their highest selling album of all time (25 million+), and Armageddon It is Jana's favorite song. (He's the one with the most bleached-blonde hair playing guitar.)
Warrant - lead singer, songwriter, Jani Lane (I Saw Red) - From Erin: this one hurt. I loved Warrant. I saw Warrant's last performance together with Jani singing in 2008. It was a trainwreck due to Jani's addiction. Some various documentary footage of Jani makes me almost cry. He is bloated and red-faced. His depression is palpable. He died alone in a hotel room from years of alcohol abuse. This is one of the all-time best power ballads. (Jani, I promise I won't remember you just as "the Cherry Pie guy".)
The drugs, oh, the drugs:
Janis Joplin (Piece of My Heart because we think we've already used Me & My Bobby McGee on a previous post) - One of the members of the infamous "27" club, musicians that died at the young age of 27. She could sing like she had balls and party as hard as the guys, but suffered because of it. Her cause of death was listed as heroin and alcohol.
The Doors - lead singer, songwriter, wearer of leather pants like no one's business, Jim Morrison (although other members have passed too)...(Break on Through) - Another 27 club member; some aren't fans of the psychedelic rock that The Doors produced. We are. Pretty sure we'd been crazy dancing groupies at the Whisky-a-go-go if we were in our late teens/early 20s in the late '60s.
Blind Melon - lead vocals and songwriter, Shannon Hoon (No Rain) - This band didn't have much time to reach a lot of success, but if you were alive pre-1995, listened to music, and/or watched MTV...you knew this song. Hoon, like several others on this list, died on his tour bus due to a drug overdose.
Sublime - lead vocals and guitar, Bradley Nowell (Santeria) - Ska punk? From us? Sure. We have eclectic tastes. Sadly, Bradley didn't get to experience the height of his recognition (due to his heroin overdose in 1996) as most of Sublime's biggest hits came posthumously.
Drowning Pool - lead singer, Dave Williams (Bodies) - Another tour bus tragedy. Officially, cause of death is due to an "undiagnosed heart condition"; unofficially, all that cocaine didn't help that unhealthy heart keep pumping.
Alice in Chains - lead vocalist, Layne Staley and bassist, Mike Starr (Rooster) - Not one, but two deaths by drug overdose. So many songs to choose. Jana had to choose. Erin just couldn't. They are all too good. Their songs, although labeled "grunge", are timeless rock music.
Stone Temple Pilots (and Velvet Revolver) - lead vocals and songwriter, Scott Weiland (Sex Type Thing) - From Erin: Out of all the artists listed, this is the one that has taken my money again and again. I've seen him live more times that I can count with STP, VR, and solo. I own his book. His ex-wife's too. I own many albums. STP "Core" still ranks as one of my all-time favorite albums ever. Scott's addiction was often in the media and in his lyrics. It was no surprise that he was found dead on a tour bus after a recent relapse. Terribly sad, but no surprise.
Violence:
Run DMC - dj, cut creator, mixer Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell(It's Tricky) - From Erin: In the world of hip hop and untimely deaths, Biggie Smalls and Tupac are the most mentioned. Run DMC was the first rap album (cassette, although my brother did own the vinyl record) that I owned. The fact that a southern suburban white girl knew every word to many of their songs is testament to the musical influence they had. When he was murdered, I was sad. Still am.
Pantera/Damageplan - lead guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott - No song attached; we had one in last month's post, but we still thought we'd share that time that Erin visited his grave outside Dallas, Texas. Shot dead by a Pantera "fan" at a concert with his new group Damageplan while his brother watched from the drum kit.
Mental illness, drugs, and violence: INXS - lead singer and lyricist, Michael Hutchence (Never Tear Us Apart) - He was dreamy to look at and to listen to, but he was battling some heavy demons. They caught up with Michael in 1997. His death was ruled by an Australian coroner as a "suicide while depressed under the influence of drugs and alcohol". His loss is still strongly felt in Australia. INXS Greatest Hits still regularly spends time in the top 10 of Australian sales charts.
Nirvana- lead singer and songwriter, Kurt Cobain (In Bloom) - A death that will be examined until music stops playing. A sufferer from reportedly various diagnoses of mental illness (severe ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder), Kurt Cobain self-medicated by abusing hardcore drugs. Ultimately, this combination took his life which was ruled a suicide.
Complications from AIDS:
RATT - guitarist Robbin Crosby (Round and Round) - Predictably, a hair band musician is on a list of ours. Robbin's story is just heartbreaking about the perils of living the glamourized rock 'n' roll lifestyle. He was friends with his bandmates. Friends with other band members on the scene. (Nikki Sixx has frequently talked about their friendship.) Groupies don't have a bad word to say about him. Until the drugs took over. He was a heroin addict. He had a lot of unprotected sex. He was HIV positive and ultimately died from a heroin overdose while battling pneumonia as a complication of AIDS. (He's the super big blonde guy playing guitar.)
N.W.A. and solo rapper - Eric "Eazy E" Wright (Boyz in the Hood) - We have our East Coast representation from Jam Master Jay, and now West Coast legend, Eazy E. He was diagnosed and publicly announced in 1995. One month later he died from complications of AIDS.
Of course.........
Queen - singer, songwriter, genius, Freddie Mercury (Somebody to Love) - One of the greatest vocalists to ever perform rock 'n' roll. There are not enough words to describe this guy. The music he left behind does all the talking needed.
Cancer sucks:
Beastie Boys - vocals, songwriter, keyboard, and bass, Adam "MCA" Yauch (You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party) - After his diagnosis, he announced his cancer was "very treatable". That cancer, she's a bitch. Sadly, she's been known to take down some of the best, like this hip hop legend and humanitarian.
Cause of death unknown (so far):
Prince - musician of a thousand instruments, singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, snazzy dresser, His Purple Highness, and more - He wasn't one that supported sharing his videos on youtube, but take a look at this display of talent right here playing a purple acoustic guitar.
And the list could go on for days...so, tell us who we missed. We know we left many on the edit floor. What is your favorite song by a (now) dead person?
If you recognized George Strait as inspiration for my title of this post, well...you are even more special to me. Thank you.
Admittedly, I fall into the category of "you can take the girl outta Texas, but not Texas outta the girl". I love Texas. I love that Texas has its own cultures and identity. Recently, a customer of mine, here in Australia, was planning a road trip across the southeast of the U.S. She asked if I could give her some input about where to go and what to see in Texas. I had to share some recommendations from one of my favorite Texas cities...Fort Worth.
The metropolitan area of Dallas/Fort Worth is somewhat massive. "DFW" is the international airport that is quite efficient, clean, and easy to navigate. I fly a direct flight Sydney to Dallas almost once a year for the last 7 years. I've gotten to know this airport. Internationally, Dallas seems to be the more "well known" city, but personally, I think Fort Worth is the city with all the charm.
Fort Worth Stock Yards - You want to visit Texas, and you want to see working cowboys, well...look no further. In the heart of the city is working stock yards, a cowboy AND cowgirl museum, and every Saturday night, you can attend a rodeo. This district is full of shops, restaurants, and bars as well.
I highly recommend the Stockyard Hotel in Fort Worth. It's located in a heritage listed building, western-themed, kitsch (but not overly silly), great location, reasonable rates, and just lovely. The hotel's location is in walking distance of the Fort Worth Stockyards, plus restaurants, shopping, and more.
Speaking of shopping... If you ever thought you'd want to buy good cowboy boots, Fort Worth is your place. You can find handmade pairs in almost any leather imaginable. On one particular trip, I bought my young Aussie niece a pair. I wished I'd bought myself the same pair in adult sizes.
My personal photos
When asked what I miss most about Texas, high on that list is the food! So, let's talk food...
My #1 recommendation: The Reata. The food is amazing with an authentic Texas cuisine flair. Every time I'm visiting home, I stay with my girlfriend that lives in Fort Worth, and we always have dinner here. Indoor dining or patio dining overlooking downtown Fort Worth, both are superb experiences. I could eat here just for the jalapeño & cilantro soup plus wedge salad alone. But, who am I kidding? It's Texas. We eat big in Texas.
You also want to try tenderloin tamales to start plus Reata's chicken fried steak with black pepper gravy. Or the rib eye. Or bacon wrapped lamb. You can't go wrong with any of these sides: jalapeño and cheese grits, bacon wrapped asparagus, bourbon creamed corn, jalapeño and bacon macaroni and cheese. Oh...and save room for dessert. They have Texas specialties homemade banana pudding, Texas pecan pie, a chocolate bread pudding tamale, and dessert tacos.
Tex Mex (the best food on the planet) can not be missed. For fantastic fajitas and margaritas, visit Joe T. Garcia's, a Fort Worth institution. There isn't much choice of the menu, but you don't need it. What's there is excellent.
My personal photo
Other Tex Mex recommendations: Mi Cocina at Sundance Square - if you've never had brisket tacos, introduce yourself to them here; and Cantina Laredo which is a little clean and upmarket compared to some Tex Mex dives that I enjoy, but it's still yummy goodness.
Insider scoop: Truly unique to Texas cuisine, if chile con queso is on the menu, then I order it. The first thing that I want to do when I visit home is faceplant into a bowl of it.
Also, for another true Texas experience - Billy Bob's(the world's largest honky tonk).Superb people watching! If you like beer, try Shiner Bock or Lone Star...they are two Texas brewed beers. You'll fit right in. Billy Bob's has country dancing every night and hold special events like concerts and bull-riding.
Have a group? Then you must book a night with the Cowtown Cycle Party. A unique way to ride around Fort Worth and get a little exercise too. Oh, and you can drink.
personal photo - a birthday celebration for me!
Fort Worth also has a fantastic zoo, a beautiful performance hall, water gardens, a comedy club, Japanese botanic gardens and more. All of these listed above, I've personally visited, eaten the food, and drank the drink.
Bass Performance Hall - my personal photo
If I haven't shared enough Fort Worth ideas, take a look at the city's website. Or, you can venture over to Arlington (about a 20 minute drive) and visit Six Flags over Texas, catch a Texas Rangers baseball game at The Ballpark or a Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium...or venture a little further to Dallas for even more sites, food, and fun.
If there aren't enough recommendations here for you, Texans are typically extremely hospitable people. Most often, they will be happy to recommend (and show off) what their city and state has to offer. Do not hesitate to ask.
Have you ever visited Fort Worth? Have I piqued your interest?
Linking up with the NEW Wanderful Wednesday ladies. I'd just gotten my act together and started organizing some travel posts. If you are a regular reader, you know that my blog features a little bit of everything! The Wanderlust Wednesday group is coming to an end, so when Isabel of The Sunny Side of This announced this new link-up, I thought "perfect timing!" Plus, the hosts are ladies living all over the world. I predict some super travel sites coming at us.
This book wasn't an original pick for the challenge, but I'd seen many recommendations for it (plus the two books that follow it in the series), I decided I needed to move it up my "to read" list.
Hades by Candice Fox - Impossible for me to "rate". Sometimes, it is a 2 star, other times a 4, even 5 star. Or it could be ZERO stars for taking a well-known literary and television character and re-writing it.
Is this fan fiction?
The parallels to Dexter Morgan are painfully obvious. Child witnesses brutally violent death of parent. Subsequently, the father figure role model that steps in to raise child(ren) recognizes violent tendencies. Child (then teen) is abnormally intelligent. Father figure develops a plan and way for kid(s) to function undetected and contribute to society ultimately working in homicide police department. Brother and sister work in homicide together.
Yes, the parallels are that close, but enough things have been changed that the story is possible to enjoy, I suppose. I couldn't get past it. I couldn't stop thinking "how did this win an award for Australian debut author in crime fiction in 2014?" Shouldn't a winner of such an award be a little more creative than take the outline of the Dexter series and change it up enough for it not to be plagiarism?
I can't be the only person to notice this, am I right?? After reading the book, I scanned some goodreads reviews. Yes, others have noticed the Dexter parallels as well.
If you can get past the Dexter similarities (or you never read/watched Dexter previously), you will probably enjoy this book. If not, give it a pass.
It's the 7th year for the Aussie Author Challenge, and my 2nd year participating (click on the picture/link to take you directly to the site for more information). My working book list is as follows:
You may have seen this announcement on instagram; I finally watched Beauty & the Beast. Yes, it was as wonderful as you all said it would be.
It doesn't happen often, but I finally meal-prepped this week.
Snapchat (username "texerin") allowed me to be a koala. It brought me more happiness than it should.
He's always like my smelly shoes; the ones I take off after standing on my feet at work for 9-10 hours straight.
I actually have three blog posts scheduled. Who is this organized person?
Saturday night, we watched The Revenant. (Kitties included.) I'm going to state an unpopular opinion: I thought Tom Hardy's acting was even more outstanding than Leo's. Where's Tom's Oscar?
These are the faces I get when I say "who wants a treat?"
It's been a while, and I am usually much better at collecting blog posts that I want to share. But, not this time. Typically, I have a "blogger love" post in draft at all times. Most often, I'll read a fantastic blog post, and if I'm still thinking about it for days, I'll add a link to that drafted post. I fumbled big time. Need to be better because I like sharing the love!
But, here are a few well-deserved, worthy posts that I think you should read (if you haven't already):
Kerri shares advice that is real and doable for her "H.(healthy)E.(eating)T.(train)" series: Getting Back on the Wagon
I'm pretty sure Mattie was featured my last Blogger Love, but dang, I couldn't pass up sharing this post about Playing the Woman Card.
Unfortunately, the focus on law enforcement doesn't always show the sacrifice and commitment that the good, decent people who choose a job most of us don't want to do, and a job that puts their lives in danger on a daily basis. Sadly, Kimmi has lost someone dear to her that was just that...a good cop, and a loving husband and father. Let's all say a prayer and send positivity to her family.
Something new to my "blogger love" posts: I'm going to share a post of mine that didn't get much attention, and I think it is worth sharing again...(I had a couple years of blogging that didn't have many readers; not that I have a "ton" of readers now, but I'm happy now with my faithful blogger buddies.) This one is about my Battle with My Body.
Any posts that you've read lately that you think I should read?
Hey there! Here I am, linking up with some totally random confessions (because my head is regularly filled with totally random thoughts.)
I confess that I say "heighth" instead of "height". I add a random "h" sound at the end. My husband pointed this out a few years ago, and in all my 30+ years of speaking, I'd never noticed. #maybeitsatexasthang
I confess that I love Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing, but I don't like Jennifer Grey as Baby. #sorrynotsorry
I confess that I don't like coffee, so sometimes, I get bored by all the coffee pics, Starbucks mentions, memes about coffee, and so on. #coffeecoffeecoffee #blahblahblah
Amendment: If your coffee pic consists of showing off a cute mug, the fur baby next to it, what book you're reading, or a pretty view in the distance...then I'm A-Okay with that. #carryon
I'm aware that not everyone is a book nerd like I am, so they probably get bored with all my book posts. #toeachtheirown #thatwasntaconfession #ohwell
I confess that I enjoy this meme far more than I should. #needmorepiñatas
I confess that I've studied enough Spanish in my life that it bothers me that the meme doesn't have an "eñe" in "pinatas".
I confess that I have no interest in Harry Potter. Not the books. Not the movies. #dontbothertryingtochangemymind
I confess that I cry wayyyyy more than I should over a stupid reality singing competition show. #thevoiceau #everyonehasastory Like this brave woman who suffers from PTSD after a deployment in Afghanistan. She sang a beloved song by an Aussie band, and the coach that turned for her is a beloved Aussie songstress. It is really a lovely moment that you should see.
I confess that I think some customers are so freaking self-absorbed that they don't deserve my excellent customer service. #argumentativecustomersaremyfave
Let me give an example: a woman came in on Tuesday, speaking rather loudly and aggressively about an issue that she had Monday. She kept saying "remember, I spoke to you yesterday" and "I tried to explain to you yesterday". Well, it wasn't me that she spoke to (or tried to explain something to)because I don't work on Mondays. I wasn't here. The other female that works in our shop is an Eurasian Australian; she was born in Australia to a Chinese mother and a British father. She has dark hair and dark eyes. She speaks with an Aussie accent. I have pinkish hair, blue eyes, and freckles. I speak with an American accent. We are easily discernible if this woman had paid any attention to who she was speaking to. (or is it to whom? do I care? no.) Yet, I tried to help her with her issue, but she said she "didn't have time" to explain to someone else. Could she speak to someone who was here on Monday. I was fucking happy to pass her off.
With that happy little vent session, I'll leave you be to have a happy humpday! What are you confessing?
I shall not tell a lie: It's a little weird for me calling this challenge a "Summer Book Challenge" as I enter winter in the southern hemisphere. But, whatevs.
The challenge begins in June. Dani and I are hosting a challenge (Read My Books) that begins in June too. So, my real challenge was selecting books for these categories, based on the books sitting in my bookshelf at home. I'm off to a good start...
June reading plan
Here's the categories, and here's my preliminary list:
5 points: Freebie! Read any book that is at least 150 pages long. -
10 points: Read a collection of short stories or essays. - Beneath the Bonfire: Stories by Nickolas Butler 10 points: Read an adult fiction book written by an author who normally writes books for children. Examples: J. K. Rowling, Judy Blume, Suzanne Collins, Rick Riordan, etc. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Kelly E. - I gave up on Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) after The Silkworm; still open to suggestions for this category.
Tentatively selected:Summer Sisters by Judy Blume 15 points: Read a book set in Appalachia. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Ericka B. (Try this list or this one for inspiration. And here’s a map if you have a book in mind and want to know if it fits the setting.) - The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows 15 points: Don’t judge a book by its cover! Read a book with a cover you personally find unappealing. - Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
The book I own ~ this is the cover ~ unappealing enough that I've avoided reading it
20 points: Read a book that you have previously only seen the film (movie) of. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Bevchen. - This was one of the more difficult categories for me to select. Often, I choose to read a book before the movie. Or, if I've seen the movie without reading the book, I rarely go back to the book...because the images of the movie are strong in my mind:
25 points: Read a book with a punny title. The title can be a play on another book title, movie title or a common expression. Examples of such titles include Southern Discomfort, We'll Always Have Parrots or Bonefire of the Vanities. - Submitted by SCWBC15 finisher Jamie G. - The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan 30 points: Read a microhistory. (Try this list or this one for ideas.) - Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas by Dale Carpenter 30 points: Read one book with a good word in the title, and one with a bad word. Note: This category is reeeeeeeally open-ended! Maybe you like turtles, so The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a title with a "good" word. Similarly, the "bad" word could be a swear word or a literally negative word like “not” or “none,” or it could just be something you don’t like. Have fun with it! (Remember, you must read both books to get 30 points; this category is not worth 15 points per book.) LOVE/HATE Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I've had many unsuccessful intentions to read this author; this book has been sitting on my shelf for over a year; now's a good time to finally open it...and Hate List by Jennifer Brown 40 points: Read two books that contain the same word in the title, but once in the singular and once in the plural. For example: Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter and The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer, or Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. (Remember, you must read both books to get 40 points; this category is not worth 20 points per book.) Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed by Those They Trusted by Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, and Juliana Buhring and The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
What do you think of my list? Are you participating in this challenge?
I received my first ever Mother's Day cards this week from the stepkid & fur babies :)
How cute is this ironworks chair outside the library?
When the grocery store actually offers a whole display of peppers and chilies, this Texas girl gets excited and makes........
.........Fajitas for dinner!
My obsession continues with Australis velourlips matte lip cream ~ this one is San-fran-disco!
We went to a hot rod show and the boy found Hulk in the airbrush alley.
Drive-in movies to see Captain America: Civil War (my quick summary: Falcon was my fave, AntMan my least. RDJ is still fantastic, and Black Widow is still a badass. I miss Thor.)
