Thursday, May 5, 2016

Currently ... linking-up vol.4


Reading.....  Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes - just started this morning.  I was one of the few that didn't love You, but I liked it enough to want to read this.

Watching......  The Voice Australia.  It's the blind auditions time.  We have different coaches, and this season, we've lost my favorite coach, Ricky Martin...and I'm not gonna lie...I'm sadder about this than I should be over a silly singing competition show.

Listening..... to The Armchair Librarians podcast; right now; as I type this; I'm listening to Steph and Jana talk books.  They are on iTunes now, and I was overjoyed the were on Australia iTunes too.

Noticing..... that the "unfollow" option on facebook sure does come in handy during an election year.

Juggling.....  book challenges; I've repeatedly admitted my love of the book challenge; I've quietly snuck in another one to the mix, and you can read about it under the page tab: USA Reading Roadtrip

Feeling.....  slightly terrified; I wrote a "letter to the editor" (first time for that) divulging some personal details with it to my area newspaper back home; they want to ask me a few questions before "going public" with it, and I'm supposed to speak to the editor in the next day or two.  Honestly, I'm worried about getting trolls and being slut-shamed.  I'm mentally preparing for it.

Appreciating...... that my young cousin can be sitting in a piano bar in Vegas, hears the beginning of "Livin' on a Prayer", and sends it to me in snapchat telling me she loves and misses me.  I'm not going to lie.  I like that there is a song and band that causes people that I love to think of me.

Sharing.....  this story: Mourning Minnesota's Prince; Kati Rose gives us a personal view from a blogger, a music fan, and a Minnesota native what it has been like celebrating and honoring their purple son.

Losing my mind.....  over this news story.  A mentally-challenged teenage girl had reported to her school that her step-father impregnated her.  That is terrible enough.  The most vile aspect is yet to come.  Days later, she was found dead in her partially burned home with her throat slit and uterus removed.  I can't stop thinking about this girl.  There is a special place in hell for those people that did this to her.  (I can't even call them parents.)  Her mother and step-father are both in custody.  My mind has been racing with many cruel and unusual punishments that I hope they face.  Humans are capable of inhumane things.  This is one of the worst stories I've ever heard, and my heart is crushed for the teenager that I never knew (and her sister that allegedly was subject to repeated sexual abuse as well.)

Planning..... on my Monday (USA Sunday) to have a virtual viewing party with an old friend of mine from junior high and high school.  We've never done this before, but we're going to try to watch Grease 2 simultaneously and chat (and sing) our way through it.  She lost her mother only a couple of months ago, and Mother's Day is sad for me when I'm living so far away from my mom.  So, this friend and I planned to cheer ourselves up with this silly (and fantastic) idea.  In case you are wondering why we choose Grease 2 over the original, just read this.


Reflecting..... I don't even know how to write this without it being too incredibly depressing, but cancer sucks, and childhood cancer sucks more, and it is depressing.  I have a friend from college...we lived together for a year and were on our college dance team together.  She is a beautiful person inside and out.  She and her husband have a young son and daughter.  Her son, after being cancer-free for several months, has two brain tumors that have recently been detected.  They were advised to contact hospice and devise a plan with them.  Instead, they are traveling to another state this week to enroll in a treatment trial.
I can't imagine.  Their story has served as another reminder to me that we all have battles and struggles, and some are much, much tougher than others.  I am reminded to share my love and appreciation with those that matter to me most.  Life is a gift.  I should never forget that.  I've had this family in my constant thoughts and prayers for the last week.  If you are a praying kind, say a silent one for "Sawyer".

Leaving..... you with a few memes that I've enjoyed lately, since I've hit you with some heavy stuff in this post:


For my Def Leppard blogger buddies:


Linking..... with Kristen and Gretchen:


What's New With You

25 comments:

  1. Way to go with being brave and going ahead with your letter to the editor!

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  2. i didn't 'love' you either, i didn't hate it. i didn't love hidden bodies at all lol.
    oh my gosh, that poor girl. those horrible people. and sawyer.. i am so sorry erin. thinking of your friend and her family. and you, with that letter. if trolls wanna be trolls, they can go fuck themselves. i know whatever you are doing is more meaningful than their wrong opinions and views.. so just ignore them. i'm going to check out the roadtrip challenge, and i keep meaning to tell you there is a bon jovi song in my pump class, so every monday and wednesday i think of you :) thanks for linking up with us doll xxxxx

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  3. oh my god that story about the step father and daughter. i heard about that. i just can't really fathom these horrible things sometimes. all too much. sending good vibes for the newspaper story! you a super brave girl. glad you're having that virtual viewing party with your gf on mothers day. what a nice thing to do :) doesn't matter where you are - near or far, sometimes!

    xoxo cheshire kat

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  4. I hope your editor's letter does get published and if trolls and slut-shamers show up you should just give them a big eff you and move on. Everyone has the right to tell their story and be heard without judgement.

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  5. What book challenges are you doing? I have an obsession with them too... although I tend to not finish them.

    Sarah
    The Midwest Darling

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    1. I recently posted about my love of book challenges: http://texerin-in-sydneyland.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/confessions-from-book-challenge-junkie.html In it, I list the ones that I'm in and host. Also, I added another, and it's linked in this post and has its own tab at the top of my blog.

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  6. Oh my gosh - childhood cancer - I cant even imagine. That poor family.
    & that young lady who was found dead? I am just sick ... so much crazy in this world.

    Can I say how much I LOVVVEEEEEE you're doing a virtual move watch with Grease 2... my FAVVVV :) I'd totally sing Girl for all Seasons loudly with you.

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  7. that is a HORRIBLE story; wtf is wrong with some humans :( :(

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  8. Oh my goodness, that story...I can't even. What is wrong with the world? So much bad some weeks it seems. And I'm so sorry for your friend and her son. So, so sad.

    On a happier note :) I love that you and your friend are going to do a virtual movie date! What a great idea!!

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  9. I am so proud of you for sharing your story with your hometown. And yes, you are sadly right that there will be trolls and what not because those people just thrive on attacking people. More importantly, mixed in, there will also be support and women and girls you will help, whether or not they say a word, so never forget that! I've really limited my facebook time because it's just too heartbreaking to see people you kinda like be such douches.

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  10. I love that you have that viewing of Grease 2 planned with your friend - that's gonna be awesome! What a great idea. :)

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  11. Love the unfollow button during election years! I really don't think that Facebook is the right platform for discussing politics, especially since people typically don't want to bother to listen to the other side, but the unfollow button defintely helps! Your virtual party with your friend on Monday/Sunday sounds like such a blast! That'll be a great way to help y'all get through a tough Mother's Day!

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  12. I can't even wrap my head around that dead girl's story.

    I never unfollow people...I like to keep abreast of what's in the mind of the enemy. LOL

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  13. I want to respond to everything but I feel like this post was such an emotional rollercoaster. My heart breaks for that poor girl and your friends's family. How tragic and unfair.
    Will you share your letter to the editor when it publishes? I'd like to read—and show some support just in case things go the wrong way.
    Those memes, I so agree. Also, I had a thought this morning: Maybe if this country's politicians spent time concerning themselves with actual issues of public safety (dealing with, ya know, guns, the mental health treatment options in the US, and a terrorist militant group) rather than making up fake problems to be outraged about because they think some people are icky, we would have been able to have a primary election season that wasn't a complete circus and a joke and the republican candidate wouldn't be a man who has no concept of how to handle the economy or foreign policy. Just an idea.

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  14. I didn't like "You" as much as other people did either. Haven't decided if I should give the next book a chance. Let me know what you think...

    LOL @ Steph's comment about keeping abreast of the mind of the enemy! Election year is a time I feel really solid about living a life without facebook.

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  15. I love all your memes so much.
    Such sad stories on your blog today :( I'll definitely be adding Sawyer to my prayers. I hope good things come from your letter to the editor- not nasty trolls!

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  16. Good luck with your local newspaper!!! I love that you are going to watch Grease 2 together, that is so awesome!

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  17. I'm not quite sure how to respond because there's so much in here that breaks my heart. Cancer is never a picnic but in childhood it seems particularly cruel. I'll be praying for Sawyer and his family.

    However, I LOVE the simultaneous movie watching date. I'm definitely going to try that with some of my friends who are flung far and wide, and especially on days we find hard. That's a great idea, thanks for that! And the Def Leppard meme made me properly laugh out loud. So thanks for ending on a high!

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  18. Girl if you get trolls harassing your ass, sic em to me. I'll go to town on them. I got you sister.

    I hadn't heard of the mentally challenged girl but my goodness.... Found dead, throat slit, uterus removed??? Holy shit man that's so dark, sick sick shit. That poor girl must've been so tormented and terrified of that pathetic excuse of a "man". And what the hell is up with her mother? Turned a blind eye?!

    P.S. I totally think of you when I hear Bon Jovi. ;/)

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  19. Wow, there are so many things I want to say about this post ... I don't even know where to start! Here goes:

    I've pretty much given up on Facebook lately. I'll check it occasionally, but I just find myself feeling deflated every time someone I actually like posts something that's super shitty (whether it's regarding the upcoming election or something else). I can't look at them in the same way again, and I honestly don't like that. The last time I posted something on Facebook was last November. I'm clearly not an "active" member in any sense of the word. Haha.

    The USA Reading Roadtrip challenge sounds really fun, but I'm not sure if I'm up for adding another one right now. I might revisit this in the future, though, especially if the group on Goodreads does it each calendar year. I like the idea of it. (I also read your pick for Michigan, Broken Monsters, last year and I feel like that's a great choice for that state. There was a lot of focus on the broken nature of the city of Detroit, though there's definitely a lot more to the story than that!)

    I'm glad they got back to you on your letter to the editor! I understand your fears (a lot actually ... Those would be the exact fears I would have), but I still think it's incredible that you're opening up about a very personal (and very important) subject. I hope people aren't assholes about it.

    Back in college, one of my best friends (who went to another school) texted me one afternoon to tell me they were learning about junk bonds in one of her accounting classes and it made her think of me. (My all-time favorite song is "Junk Bond Trader" by Elliott Smith.) Other people have mentioned to me random Elliott Smith related things that have reminded them of me as well, and it always makes me feel good. :-)

    On a more serious note, I hadn't heard that news story you shared but holy fucking shit that is fucked up. It sounds like a book I would read, but ... In real life? No. No no no. What the hell is wrong with those people? That's horrifying and so sad.

    Also serious ... Cancer. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's son. :-( I will keep him in my thoughts!

    On a lighter note: I love the idea of a movie watching party with a far away friend (I totally need to do this!).

    And, finally, also on a (mostly) lighter note: I loved your memes at the end of this post! :-)

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  20. Variety of topics in this post, that's for sure.

    Let me know how Hidden Bodies is. I didn't love You, but would be *willing* to read a sequel.

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  21. OMG, that poor girl. What a sick world we live in :-(

    I think I've seen Grease 2 once (with my cousins aged about 9) and I barely remember it. My brother was obsessed with the original for about a year and refused to go to bed until he'd watched it, so I could quote it practically word for word for a while!

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  22. I still haven't read You or Hidden Bodies. I'd like to read both and I think I'm on the waiting list for library's digital copy. I read about some vice governor or something of Texas boycotting Target because he thought it was disgusting and it made me laugh. I'm sure they think he is equally disgusting and don't miss his business at all.

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  23. that story about those vile, VILE people... i am reminded a little of joy preble's book finding paris. you should read that if you've not done so already. it was pretty good, actually.

    kudos to you for writing the letter, lady.

    last friday, while at the montgomery county youth services ladies night out, a woman i'd befriended was bashing bon jovi, and I STOOD UP FOR THEM. because i'm just that kind of a gal. :]

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  24. I heard about the poor pregnant murdered girl. That story makes me so angry, I just can't even handle it.

    Also, good luck with the letter to the editor. I know it's scary and you might have to deal with some garbage, but I'm SURE something good will come of it for someone.

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