Friday Favorites Five vol. 5

Friday, Friday, FRIDAY... and another installment of Friday Favorites Five

1. Favorite FUNNY video online this week: That DJ Cialis rocks hard! -  Watch Jimmy Kimmel trick people into lying about fake bands at SXSW

2. Favorite reminder about friends that I saw this week:

 3.  Favorite funny cat meme I saw all week:

4. Favorite from Buzzfeed that I saw this week (although it was posted last week): 23 Struggles Only Book Nerds Will Understand

5. Favorite video about a favorite musician featuring a favorite actor: Watch Johnny Depp, Ryan Adams Help Butch Walker Record New LP

Photo of Butch Walker by Jeff Fasano

Check out more Friday Favorites here:

List # 24 - St. Patrick's Day Randomness

jenn (she likes lower case), my friend over at quirky pickings has a feature that she calls "random quarter" that includes a list of 25 random thoughts floating around in her mind at the time.  I'm feeling pretty random today, so here I go with my own St.Patrick's Day edition:

1. It's St. Patrick's Day, and I forgot to wear green.  
2. I'm wearing OPI's 'Green on The Runway' on my nails.  That counts for wearing green today.

   

   Photo source

3. If you look up "Erin" (my name) in Webster's dictionary, it's definition is "ireland - a poetic name".
4. When I was a kid, I thought it was pretty cool that may name was in the dictionary.
5. My birth certificate says that I was born with red hair and blue eyes.  
6. I have a lot of freckles.
7. I like my freckles and don't try to cover them up with make-up.
8. I like make-up, and I'm not scared to wear green eyeshadow when I feel like it.
9. With those bits of information, you'd assume my heritage is Irish...but both grandmothers did genealogy research and both sides are from England.  
10.  To my recollection, my grandmothers mostly studied their own families' genealogies, so maybe there's some Irish from my grandfathers?
11. I've been to Dublin and drank a Guinness at the Guinness factory.
12. I also visited an Irish castle - Malahide Castle.
    
13. I recommend visiting the Kilmainham Gaol for anyone who visits Dublin.
14. My favorite Irish actor is Jonathan Rhys Myers.   
    

    

    Photo source

    13. My favorite Irish author is Declan Hughes.  He writes a detective series of books based in Dublin.
15. Mint chocolate chip was once my favorite flavor of ice cream.
16. U2's "With or Without You" is a brilliant song that has stood the test of time.
17. U2's The Joshua Tree was released in 1987.  That makes it 28 years old.  That is a difficult fact to swallow. 
18. I've flown Ryanair (Ireland's airline) once - from Dublin to Nice.
19. Smithwick's is my favorite Irish beer.
20. I miss Kenneally's - I'd happily go for some Irish nachos, a pizza, and a beer from Kenneally's right now.  
21. I participated in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Houston for a few years as a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish float.
22. I need to watch The Commitments again.  I remember watching it a long time ago and thinking it was fantastic.  I think I'd enjoy it even more now.
23. Speaking of fantastic, I saw Glen Hansard perform at the Sydney Opera House...and that was beyond fantastic.  I got goosebumps more times than I could count.
24. I've seen the Republic of Ireland National Football (Soccer) team play a friendly against Colombia.
25. I won't be drinking green beer today.  Have one for me!

Sunday's Seven Snapshots #16

This week, I had to get a required physical for my residency visa which included a chest x-Ray and bloodwork. The obligatory mirror selfie was taken. 

I'm not sure why I felt the need to take Sally's picture while she was eating, and she's not sure either. 

I made dinner! - honey mustard chicken, cauliflower casserole, and a salad. It may not look tasty, but it was pretty yummy. 

We bought this tray to help with beadwork and stringing - you can use it for a bracelet or "neckrace". 

Speaking of typos, I started reading "The Martian" this week. On page 29, it says "So what's what I'll have to do."  It should've said "that's", not "what's". I'm really not overly concerned about typos, but a published book goes through how many edits before publication?  And, this happens more often than you think. I will not feel bad about my personal typos when they happen. 

Fun story. I've known Kim since I was 12. We lived 3 streets away from each other in Texas all during junior high and high school. Kim visited Australia one year ago. Kim moved to Sydney 8 months ago. Kim's birthday is in a few days, so we decided to celebrate with a picnic. 

The view for the picnic was not too shabby. Spectacular Sydney. 

Friday's Favorites Five vol. 4

It's that time of the week again - Friday!  In honor of St. Patrick's Day that is right around the corner, and in honor of the first favorite, here's a picture of me during a past St. Paddy's celebration...

1.  Favorite article ever posted on e! online:  40 Lies You Tell Yourself When Drunk - Hilarious!  Do yourself a favor, hit that link, and have a laugh.

2.  Speaking of drunk, I hope that's the excuse for my next favorite.  Favorite bad tattoo of the week:

from reddit.com

3.  Favorite post by a fellow blogger this week:  I Don't Believe in Guilty Pleasures by Kati Rose

4. Favorite comment I left for a blogger this week:  Regarding the above blog entry, I said:

"It's like you crawled into my brain and pulled out my thoughts (as I'm currently listening to Ricky Martin's 'She's All I Ever Need' and singing along). I love Ricky Martin. I own albums from Creed and Nickelback. I know almost every word to Air Supply's greatest hits. The love of my life is Jon Bon Jovi, and I have a tattoo of 'Livin' on a prayer' on my foot. Whatever gives someone pleasure (as long as it is not hurting or harming another living thing), then I say go for it. Do it. Embrace it!"

5.  Favorite t-shirt I saw online this week:  Someone can buy this for me if they want :)

Want to see more Friday Favorites?  Take a look at this link-up:

Aussie Author Challenge - Book 2

Stolen - by Lucy Christopher
I finished this book on a commuter train, closed it, and thought to myself "f*ck". 

The premise of the book: Gemma is a sixteen year old girl from London who is kidnapped from the Bangkok airport while she is on holiday with her parents.  She is taken to one of the remotest places on Earth - the Australian Outback - the part where no one lives, no one goes to, barely anyone even knows about the expansiveness of some regions of Australia.  Ty, the kidnapper, is young, fit, good-looking, and resourceful...and he's a kidnapper, so he's also disturbed and delusional.  The characters are very well-written...so well-written that at times I felt like I was reading a work of non-fiction. 

Gemma is sixteen, and like any sixteen year old, her emotions run wild.  Plus, she's a sixteen year old in a frightening situation, so her emotions are even more unbalanced.  She ranges from terrified to courageous, conflicted to determined, confused to idiotic, gullible to irrational, simplistic to complex, numb to over-emotional.

Ty is a little more unrealistic...but again, he's a kidnapper so he's not exactly "normal".  He is convinced that if he takes care of Gemma, she will fall in love with him and want to stay with him.  So, the book deals with the Stockholm Syndrome, where a victim begins to warm to their perpetrator.

I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to give away any spoilers, and I think it's a book best read in a way where a reader is allowed to draw their own conclusions and opinions.  It's a thought-provoking book, a quick read (I read it in 2 or 3 days), and I highly recommend it. 

I read this book as part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2015:

Since moving to Australia, I've discovered bands and music that I love as well as books and authors that I knew nothing about before moving here.  Why not join a challenge that promotes those discoveries?  (Because I'm already in three other challenges, and I host one of them)  I can do it!

I'm diving in to this challenge with the hopes of reaching "Kangaroo" status.  I'm really liking my list, so I'm happy to find yet another the challenge.

KANGAROO
– Read and review 12 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 4 of those authors are female, at least 4 of those authors are male, and at least 4 of those authors are new to you;
– At least 6 fiction and at least 2 non-fiction, and at least 2 titles first published in 2014 or 2015.

Female authors:
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Frantic by Katherine Howell
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (published 2014)
Girl, Defective by Simonne Howell

Male authors:
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (published 2014)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley (non-fiction) - Completed 10 Feb 2015

Authors new to me:
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Strange Places by Will Elliott (non-fiction)
All That I Am by Anna Funder
Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher - Completed 11 March 2015

Have you read any of these?  What did you think??

Thoughts #26 - Niece

I have one brother (along with two sisters-in-laws, a brother-in-law, two step-brothers and one step-sister.)  The one that I grew up with, that I looked up to, that came from my mother and my father, that is one of the most ethical and genuine people I know, well, that is my brother.  He has a wife; they have 3 kids and one dog.  Their family is kinda close to perfect.  I know, I know.  No family is perfect.  But, there's is close.  But, this blog entry is not about them.  It is about my #1 niece, Jacy.

Jacy is eighteen.  Jacy is a Senior in high school.  An American tradition for high school seniors is to get senior pictures taken.  A group of photos that personify you at that time of your life...leaving high school...facing your future all wrapped up in a collage of several outfit changes.

Oh, you want to see a sample of my Senior Pics?  Why, sure.....

Enough of me...this blog entry is about Jacy.  Well, it's about me, and it's about Jacy.  There are times that I'm reminded of how far away I live from home.  Yes, I've made a home here.  I'm very happy with my guy, our partnership, our family, and our home.  But, I miss my loved ones a lot too.  Today was one of those days that I was reminded of that.  Jacy's photographer posted a sample of Jacy's pictures on her blog. I was filled with emotion as I looked at the pictures.

Canon Creek Photography

Jacy was twelve when I moved to Australia.  She's eighteen now.  Jacy looked like a little girl with pretty curls when I left.  She now looks like a young woman.  (The pretty curls are still there.)  I've missed some really important, life-changing years for Jacy.  I used to be around them a lot.  If I had lived in Texas the last six years, I would have been there for Homecomings and Proms, birthdays and holidays.  I have made a point to make my visits count.  We shared a family vacation to Florida.  I was there for a Sadie Hawkins dance and her 18th birthday.  We even shared a really special conversation where she (the teenager) consoled me (the adult) reinforcing the fact that it is okay that I never had children of my own.

Jacy is a strong girl whose beauty radiates.  Physically, she is beautiful.  Internally, she is even more beautiful.  She is carrying on the family legacy and attending Texas A&M University in the fall (3rd generation Aggie).  And, I am so excited that I get to be there when she walks across the stage to accept her high school diploma.  I am proud of the young woman that she has become.  I can't take credit for that - her parents and her relationship with God deserve all that credit.  But, I hope she holds a special place for me in her heart the way I do her.  I love her.  She is one special girl, and I am honored to be her aunt.  OK...I'm crying again!

List #23 - I'll show you my books; you show me yours... vol.2

Steph and Jana host a monthly link-up - a place for bloggers & readers to share what books they've read the previous month.  I blog.  I read.  I've talked about the multiple book challenges I'm tackling.  So, this link-up is a great way to share my thoughts on books I've read, keep track of my book challenges, and find (even more!) books to read that are shared by others.

Link-up here

Books I've read since the last link-up:

 Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach - There was a time that I dreamed of getting an American muscle car...a '60s Corvette Stingray or Mustang or Camaro. Now, that I've read the chapter about car crash experiments with human cadavers, I don't think I could ever drive it without worrying about the steering wheel impaling me straight through the heart. Prior to reading this, I was completely supportive and open to donating my organs and/or body to science. I still am. In fact, as much as I watch crime dramas and documentaries, I kind of think it would be cool if my body was used to determine various degrees of decomposition...and if what they learned could catch a killer. That would be awesome. Some of the science-y stuff got a little technical. I skimmed those parts. Overall, I enjoyed this book and Mary Roach's voice.

 Deadline by John Sandford - I have read John Sandford books since the early '90s with his first in a series featuring Lucas Davenport. In recent years, he's written a spin-off series as well featuring a cop who works primarily in rural areas in Minnesota named Virgil Flowers. I can not say enough how this author never disappoints me. The characters are fantastic, the stories twist and turn, and as it rolls into the end at a fast-pace, I can't put the books down. This was my favorite in the Flowers books. This laid back cop finds himself in the midst of dog-nappers, meth-cookers, embezzlers, and murderers. The stories intertwine perfectly. If you read thrillers/mystery/cops vs bad guys books, give John Sandford a try.  Even though he writes series, they are written well enough that you could pick up this book and not need to have read any of the others.

 

 Dead Famous by Ben Elton -  Great concept. In a house being filmed around the clock for a reality show (think Big Brother), one of the contestants/housemates is murdered. The story bounces around from days in the house before and after the murder from housemates' points of view to the detectives studying film to the film crew and producer. All this bouncing around got a little tiresome. Plus, the lead detective wasn't a particularly endearing fellow.  Great concept, but just an okay book.

 Hope to Die by James Patterson - Dang, I never tire of these Alex Cross books (there's been 22 of them). They do have a formula, and I know the good guy always wins, but I enjoy the ride of getting there.  Unlike the Sandford book above, I think you'd have to read at least this one's predecessor to truly get into it.

My Booky Wook by Russell Brand - I was somewhat disappointed by this book. He doesn't gloss over the fact that he was kicked out or fired from jobs and schools (deservedly so) for being an all-around ass; I respect him for the honesty. I just felt like he could be more insightful rather than just re-telling a story. The chapter about his show RE:Brand was great.  This was published in 2007, so a lot has happened in his career and personal life since publication. (No, Katy Perry is not in this book).  He leaves it open for more books to come, and he has had more published.  I'd read another, but I wouldn't rush to do so.

Have you read any of these?  Are there any MUST read books that you recommend?