Taking after their mother, both of my kids are already bibliophiles. Regardless of the fact they can not yet read themselves, they sure do have specific requests for story time, and then there’s the constant negotiation for more books. No matter how many we read, it’s never enough. Listed below are my four-year-old’s current favorites. Bravo to these authors, who sure knew [...]
Entries from January 2008
January 28, 2008
Damian
When you Google “Damian”, not surprisingly, all sorts of wacky stuff comes up. Here are a few examples:
Of course, we all know about Damien, the son of the devil from the movie The Omen. Like I didn’t get teased about that growing up (and still do).
Damian was also the name of the priest from The Exorcist.
There’s Saint [...]
January 26, 2008
Ten of My Favorite Books
It is hard to commit to a list of all-time favorite books. As soon as I think of one, another pops into my head, and no doubt as soon as I publish this post, I’ll recall books that I forgot. Since this is a somewhat stream-of-consciousness blog, I’ll simply jot down the first ten that come to mind in no particular [...]
January 25, 2008
Under the Sea
Do any of you out there enjoy scuba diving or snorkeling, or have you ever wondered what life is like below the water that comprises the majority of our planet’s surface?
I love escaping into the salt water world where fish, invertebrates, coral, and other sea life abound. Ironically, when I first enrolled in a scuba diving certification course (too many [...]
January 23, 2008
Movie Review: Sweeney Todd
Nothing like a light hearted Sondheim musical to lift your spirits!
First, let me state for the record my horrific fear and squeamishness related to blades and other sharp metal objects, blood, and well, slit throats in general. Admittedly, I watched the film via glimpses between fingers as I hid behind my hands and also my knees which were up in my seat [...]
January 22, 2008
Book Review: Lottery by Patricia Wood
In her debut novel, Patricia Wood writes about a man with an IQ of 76 who has had more than his fair share of hard knocks. At a point when he is truly grieving, fate grants him the boon implied from the title of this uplifting novel – He wins $12 million in the lottery. He attempts to forge his own path as he navigates through relationships [...]
January 15, 2008
15 Things to Do if I Won the Lottery
Being the OCD-like organized person that I am, I am all about lists. I am currently reading Patricia Wood’s Lottery, and it inspired me to create this latest list. (Disclaimer: This list is a whim of fancy that is subject to change at any time at the author’s discretion and is by no means intended as a promissory note [...]
January 13, 2008
Writers’ Groups
Whether you are a professional writer or someone who writes for the sheer pleasure of it as a personal creative outlet, be it for the pursuit of publication or simply to commit to paper your memoirs, I encourage you to find a community of fellow writers. If there is not a critique group that meets regularly in your area, then consider coordinating with [...]
January 11, 2008
Libraries
I write this post from the Johnsburg, IL library. I have spent the past few days visiting libraries throughout McHenry County, IL in preparation for an article that I am writing.
The library is one of my “happy places.” Being surrounded by all of these books, movies, and CDs in a quiet place to work with [...]
January 9, 2008
20 Things to Do Before I Die
No New Year’s resolutions for me, but I do like to set goals. As a young woman, I once went on a retreat with my friend Kelle during a time in which she and I were desperate for some major changes to be made in our lives. We spent a weekend in Calistoga, CA, and with our spirits buoyed [...]
