Olympic Book Tag

Shannon started it...

Then, Kristen and Kristen joined the fun...

And Rose...

And Bev...

And Jenn...

(and if there are others I'm missing, share them with me because I'd LOVE to read them!)

How could I pass up a post like this?

A Book I Loved from the First Page:  This is the first paragraph of the Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys:  "My mother's a prostitute. Not the filthy, streetwalking kind. She's actually quite pretty, fairly well spoken, and has lovely clothes. But she sleeps with men for money or gifts, and according to the dictionary, that makes her a prostitute."  I was immediately invested in the story.

Favorite Road Trip Book:  Violet and Finch explore their home state of Indiana through some adventures similar to a scavenger hunt in All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, but this book is about so.much.more than that.

A Book with a Good Love Triangle:  The love triangle of Ridge, Sydney, and Maggie is heart-breaking and well-written.  It's YA, and yes, there's some cheesiness, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover. 

A Book I Really Didn't "Get":  Sorry, not sorry.  To me, there is nothing sexy, attractive, or appealing about Christian Grey.  The believability factor was completely off the map for me with 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James.  I quit it with only 50 pages to go because I just did not care what happened.

A Book Set in the Summer:  Released under two different names, Vanessa Lafaye's Summertime (or Under a Dark Summer Sky) is set in the Florida Keys during 1935 Hurricane Season.  A book about relationships, duty, racism, love, small town dynamics, crime, life after war, death, a hurricane, and loss, there are just so many reasons why I loved this book.

A Book with a lot of Fighting/Bloodshed:  Don Winslow's epic saga portrayed in The Power of the Dog and it's follow-up, The Cartel is a realistic account of Mexican drug cartels and the "war on drugs".  Guess what.  There's A LOT of violence, fighting, death, and bloodshed in that world.  A lot.  Not for the faint at heart, but so, so good.

A Book with a lot of Plot Twists:  After reading I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh, this is what I had to say:  "You know when you're reading and think you've got it figured out...then you change your mind... then think 'well, maybe'... then you are completely wrong...then you are kinda correct, but there's a twist...then you've figured part of it out but it doesn't matter because the book is still so good? That was this book for me. I stayed up past my bedtime because I couldn't put it down."

A Book that Made Me Sob:  Others have listed this one as well, but I posted photographic proof that Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale did indeed make me sob black mascara streaks down my face.

A Slow Paced Book:  I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid is so slow that I almost quit it, and I don't quit books often.  Then, the last third of it (or quarter of it), it changed, picked up the pace, and I felt like I was watching a horror movie.

A Childhood Favorite:  The Poky Little Puppy is the book that I remember begging anyone and everyone to read it to me.  I loved it so much, I wanted to learn to read just so I could read this book.

A Book Featuring Animal(s):  The love I feel for The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale is all about the cast of characters: a teenager who is chasing after a group of men who kidnapped his sister, Jack Parker, a charismatic "bounty-hunting dwarf named Shorty, a grave-digging son of an ex-slave named Eustace, and a street-smart woman-for-hire named Jimmie Sue" plus a wild hog that truly is a character all himself.

A Book I Struggled to Finish:  Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs - ** SPOILER ALERT ** This book and I didn't click. Sure, I could find the hilarity in the absurdity. But some of the severity of the dysfunction (particularly the graphic sexual abuse of a young teen boy by an adult, and the acceptance and encouragement by other adults for this "relationship" to take place) was so disturbing that I couldn't take the hiding behind humor and shock value as the only view presented.

A Book with a Great Friendship:  There is so much beauty to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak including both of Liesel's significant friendships: with Rudy and with Max.  A very close runner-up that is also WWII based is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne and the friendship of Bruno and Shmuel. 

A Book that Actually Features Olympic Sports:  When I first created this list, I thought of The Book Thief for this category because Rudy idolized the great Olympian Jesse Owens.  But, the story of the friendships was much more important, so it went to the category above.  Then, I realized I had no rock bio in my list, and I read many rock bios.  In It's So Easy by Duff McKagan (bass player and founding member of Guns N Roses and other bands), he discusses at length the many tools he learned to fight addiction and excess.  One of the disciplines he practices is cycling. 

I've discussed almost all of these books in the past, but this was such a fun way to compile them in this post.  Won't you join in the Olympic Book Tag fun?  If you don't create your own post, then at least tell me at least one book for one category that you'd select.

Take a look...

Do y'all know the lovely Kaity at (Bee)autiful Blessings?  She's about to have her second bambino any day now (in fact from the time I type this to the post going live, she may have), so she's asked for a few guest posts to entertain her blogger buddies while she's a *little* busy with other important things. 

Kaity is another book lovin' book challenge fan, so, you know, she asked me to talk about one of my favorite subjects ~ BOOKS!  Go take a look..............

Confessions of a lame blogger

I'm not a big blogger.  I won't ever be.  I don't intend to be.  And, I'm totally fine with that.  Seriously.

But, every now and then, something pops up as I'm in this world of the blogosphere that makes me realize how lame of a blogger I truly am.  Here's a few examples:

• I have no bucket list...or 101 in 1001, or 30 before 30, or 40 before 40 (because those have come and gone), and I sure as hell ain't about to make a 50 before 50 because we're not talking about turning 50 yet.
  
• I have no cute planner.  I should use one, but I don't.
  
• I have no sponsors, nor have I sponsored another blog.
  
•  I use words like "nor" when I'm not sure I should.  I use a helluva lot of the ellipsis.  I make grammatical errors that I'm not sure I make, yet I'm not sure that I should correct, and I'm too lazy to figure it out.  
  
• I loaded Google Analytics (I think) but I've never used it.  I track nothing.
  
• I infrequently use bloglovin'.  I'm on there.  I follow people.  I save posts sometimes.  But, what I use on a daily basis is blogger reading list feed.  
  
• There are many bloggers who feel that blogger is sub-par.  I don't know what those reasons are and have been too lazy to look into it.
  

In spite of all my shortcomings, I still have some of you that read and interact with me.  For that, I am most grateful.

Blogger Love vol. 1

In this here land of the blogosphere, one of the things that I enjoy most is the support and encouragement many bloggers give others.  From time to time, I see a post or link-up that is spreading blogger love.  I decided to jump on that wagon with Megan's link-up.

I took this picture with an iphone.  How good is that?

Kristen and I share a love of books and an overabundance use of gifs.  That's why when I read this post: Why books should be one of the 7 deadly sins, my comment to her was "Perfect post. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. I have nothing to add because it is perfect."

Cristin and I have something in common, we're both Americans living in Sydney, Australia.  She's been here for 5ish years, and I've been here for close to seven.  This post about being an expat in unfamiliar territory was great.  It's not all glamour and frolicking and excitement.  Sometimes, it is crying and frustration in the supermarket.  The Post I Wish I'd Written Five Years Ago  Also, she has a series about being an expat living in Sydney, and she shared her 3rd post of that series (Your First Day in Sydney) this week.  I contributed to the first two in the series, not this one, but it's a fun series nonetheless.

Nonetheless.  I never know if I use that word correctly.  Oh well.

Kat shared 5 Ways I Boost My Self-Confidence, simple reminders of things we can do to give ourselves a little surge of self-love.

If you don't know Lindsay, you should.  She's Awesome! (Yes, with a capital "A")  She posts and has started a link-up every Friday called 10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week.  I tell her repeatedly that her little reminders of happiness is such a positive message.  This week, I'm spreading blogger love.  Next week, I'm going to join Lindsay's link-up.  Care to join me?

I mention Jana quite a bit around here because we kinda share a brain sometimes, like when she wrote this post: To the gentlemen who wrote that UD banner (except I was concerned with her use of "gentlemen", but she explains that.) 

Any blogger love that you want to share with me?

Seven Facts

 The lovely Priscilla at An Inkling of Panache nominated me to tell you seven facts about myself.  And........here I go:

#1 - I'm not really a movie repeater.  There are very few movies that I've seen...let's say...over 10 times.  I definitely have some, but not a lot.  Which takes me to my first fact about me...I can re-watch Tombstone whenever I see that it is on (and I did this Friday night).  I think Val Kilmer's portrayal of Doc Holliday is one of my favorite movie characters ever.

 

#2 - I wear a lot of leopard print. 

#3 - I was on an organized drill/dance team in junior high, high school, and college. 

#4 - Early 2009, I'd only lived in Sydney for a short time. I spent an entire day walking around the city, watching street performers, and listening to buskers. I saw a busker today in Hyde Park, and it reminded me of that day...which reminded me of this fact: I used to always give street performers and buskers tips.  Why did I stop?  Not sure, but I started that habit again today when I saw this guy.

#5 - The only poem that I can recite is by Robert Frost.  The only reason that I have this poem memorized is due to the fact that I've watched The Outsiders more times than I can count (another one of the few movies that I can watch repeatedly).

**Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower
But only so an hour
Then leaf subsides to leaf
And Eden sank to grief
As dawn goes down today
Nothing gold can stay.
 **I did not use any aids to remember this...you're just going to have to trust me on that...but I have no idea what the correct punctuation should be, so I didn't even try.

#6 - I've never had a cavity.

#7 - Nikki Sixx (of Motley Crue) sucked my finger.  Have I told that fact here on my blog before?  Well, he did, and it's something I will cherish forever.  That blonde is me; the raven-haired guy is Nikki...this was taken before camera phones, so I consider this a real gem that my friend snapped this picture on his disposable camera.

I'd enjoy it if you rattled a quick seven facts about yourself in my comments.  Or take the idea and post your own.

Don't mean to get all bitchy up in here, but.........

I try not to be negative on my blog.  I try to keep the focus, the posts, the highlights all positive.

But.....

I found myself venting this week about a few "bloggy" topics.  I want to share and vent here too.  If you want to avoid my mini-tantrums, feel free to stop reading now.

Photo Source

Blogging Pet Peeves:

Not replying to my comments:  Most people are busy.  If you find time to blog; find time to show appreciation to those who enjoy your blog.  If I've taken the time to read your blog and comment, then a reply would be nice.  It doesn't need to happen all the time.  It really doesn't.  But, if I read and comment on your blog more than five times, and I've received no response from you ever...this is what I'll do:

• I'll check to make sure I'm not a no-reply blogger (I know I'm not); I have no-reply bloggers comment on my stuff, and I feel TERRIBLE if I can't respond to them.  Sometimes, I'll go to their blog and try to find their email, just so I can respond, so they don't think I'm rude or don't appreciate them.
• I'll check to see if I missed an emailed response in my trash files (or gmails "Social" or "Promotional" files).
• I'll re-visit your blog to see if I missed something that you responded to directly on your blog.
• I'll check to see how many comments you received; There are several bloggers who receive 50+ comments, but still find the time to respond to me, but I get it...if you've received 150 comments, you may not have time for little ol' me.
• If there seems to be no good reason that you haven't replied to me, I'll question if I want to continue reading your blog.  

Okay, so I don't do those things every time.  Obviously.  But, I have done everything listed.  I try to give the blogger the benefit of my doubts that there is a reason that I'm not hearing back from them.

This is especially bad if I read/follow your blog, follow your instagram and/or twitter, if I've liked, commented, or retweeted your tweets/pics.  If I am supporting you like that, I think you've got some great content.  But, if I feel you aren't really appreciating me...it's difficult to keep that support going.

So, like, talk to me, okay?

Participation in link-ups or blog hops, but not showing love to the others that are linking-up:  Everyone has their reasons for participating in a link-up.  Mostly, you're sharing yourself, your thoughts, and/or common interests.  Plus, you're trying to gain some exposure.  Link-ups are great for this.  So, support and show love for the other link-up participants.  Of course, not everyone is going to have the time to do it every time (look at the other linkers), but if you participate regularly in a link-up, then I think it is absolutely rude not to support the others.  By support, I mean: go read what they linked, comment if you are inspired to do so, even take a look at other blog posts or their "about me" if you really, really like what you see.  It's kinda like breaking the golden rule.  Treat others the way you want to be treated.  Well, if you want others to read and interact with your blog, then you should read and interact with theirs.

Amanda at Meet @ the Barre hosts a super popular Friday Favorites link-up.  As I type this, there are 96 links on one of her FF posts.  That's a lot of links. Again, it takes time...and you're not going to have enough time to read every single link for every single link-up that you participate in (that is, if your participate frequently).  I try to tell myself to at least read 5 other links.  Five.  That's not too much to ask is it?  And, if I am having a crazy busy week, well...I forgive myself and just make sure I read 5 next time.

I'm not encouraging you to write a bunch of comments filled with insincere crap.  But if you're picking up somethin' that I'm laying down, then let me know.

(This has nothing to do with this post except it's probably breaking a blogger rule for using it when it doesn't pertain to the post...but I was searching for another usuable gif, saw this, and had to use it immediately.)

And, I thought the whole point in a blog hop is to "hop" around other blogs and find some new blogs to read and interact with.   Well, I participated in my first blog hop, I linked back to the host, I read ALL the posts on the link-up and commented when I was inspired to do so, I even shared more in the blog hop post that I had to (I think), and I was supposed to link a "content" filled post - I linked this post about equality.  I have not received ONE comment from any of the blog hop participants on this post.  #bloghopfail  (The comments I did receive were from people who already read my blog - thanks girls!)

If you participate in a link-up, mention and link back to the host:  I don't think I even need to explain myself on this one, I just think it's the right thing to do.   

Blogger shaming:  I don't follow very many blogger rules.  I'm okay with that because my goals with having a blog are not necessarily the same as others.  They don't have to be.  So, don't shame me if I don't follow all your blogger rules.  (It's happened.  Once.  I got an email "encouraging" me to change some things about how I blog in order to follow that person's blogger rules.)  I admit that I don't have many followers, I don't have much structure or focus, so I don't have to follow the rules.  Damnit.

I blog to maintain another line of communication with friends, family, and loved ones who live far away from me.  I blog to share some of my personal interests with others who have the same interests.  I blog to let myself have an outlet to write, or converse, or let go of a stream of consciousness rolling around in my brain.  Also, I enjoy the almost entirely positive and supportive blogger community.  I have immensely enjoyed the interaction that I've shared with some other bloggers.

You're not going to connect, be inspired, laugh, or be motivated by every post or every blogger.  No way.  But, you may just find something inspiring, or funny, or motivating, or a new blogger connection, that is a positive addition to your life.   That can be a wonderful thing.  I'm all about wonderful things.  And kindness.

Rant over.

Now...tell me...do you agree?  Disagree?  Do you have any blogging pet peeves?