Pride by Rachel Vincent -- I love Rachel Vincent's voice and her unique and well detailed world. This is the third book in her Werecat series and I believe a fourth book is coming out this summer. I sense a reread in my near future!
The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal -- Also writing as Barbara Samuel and Ruth Wind, Barbara O'Neal writes a wonderful story about family and forgiveness and love in the most unexepected of places.
Healing Waters by Nancy Rue -- This is the second book in Nancy's adult fiction series. Inspirational but not in-your-face religious or overly sentimental. I enjoyed the conflicts of the characters and the real world in which the story was portrayed enough that I'm seeking out the first book from the library.
Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann -- The latest book in SB's Troubleshooter series, this was full of action, wonderful characters and even though there is some controversy regarding some of the h/h pairings, I found this to be a solid and enjoyable read.
Where Serpents Sleep by C.S. Harris -- Book four of the Sebastian St.Cyr series. These books just get better and better! I hope the author is going to continue the series and that I don't need to wait too long before I can read more!
The Villa by Nora Roberts -- This was a reread for me. When I can't figure out what to read, I reach for a Nora. And while I have read this particular book many times since it came out in 2001, I always enjoy this story. Maybe it's the wine, maybe it's the foray to Italy. Or maybe it's the reluctant hero. Either way, I'm glad I reread this book in February.
Northern Lights by Nora Roberts -- This book has been optioned and is being made into a movie that will be aired later this spring on Lifetime. It's been a while since I read it I decided to refresh my memory. It's a good book! I had forgotten some of the complexities and, as always, La Nora delivers the description with finese!
True Colors by Kristin Hannah -- Kristin's stories have always been laced with emotion and make the characters work for their happy ending. True Colors is no different. Three sisters struggle to find love and acceptance and coming to terms with the past. Heart wrenching and you will need tissues. In a good way.
Her Sexiest Mistake by Jill Shalvis -- I knew I had read this book previously but I couldn't remember the plot. Since I was doing a book purge, I decided to reread this story before determining if it was a keeper or not. Loved it! Again! Jill has this wonderful way of tugging at your heart while making you laugh. The story is sexy and poignant and touching, often at the same time.
Stand By Your Hitman by Leslie Langtry -- The third book in her Greatest Hits series, this book is about Missy (Mississippi) Bombay. My only irritation with the book was the stereotypical way Canadian media was portayed. An easy and fun read.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Soundtrack Friday
I've been working all week and while trying to adapt back to the work of 9-to-5, I didn't get today's post written ahead of time. And because I shouldn't be taking time away from working, I am going to give you this, a happy song for a sunny Friday!
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I'm Tired
How did I manage to balance everything I have going on back when I worked full time before? I've only been out of work for 3 months and I started a job today. 32-40 hours/week. Today I worked 7 hours. And I feel as if I worked 7 days. But there's no rest for me. I need to finish the projected household budget for March, write at least a page in my current work-in-progress, do dishes, make lunch for tomorrow, put away laundry, and spend some quality time with the husband.
Man, I'm pooped just thinking about it! It really does make me wonder how I managed juggling all this before. And reminds me just how tired I was all the time before as well. Since I've been out of work, I've been alert and awake. The fibromyalgia hasn't been horrible and I've been enjoying the lower levels of fatigue and pain. I need to be consciously aware of my body's signals to avoid the pitfalls I ran into headlong before. Since this is a short term contract, I'm treating this like training for a full time job.
Consciousness. I guess that's a theme for this week. To be more conscious of my actions, reactions and choices. To be more intentional. Not that I haven't been, but with this drastic change in my schedule I could opt to let life happen and the chips can fall where they may. Or I can be intentional and aware. Conscious.
And on that note, my body is telling me it's very tired so I'm going to head to bed now before very tired becomes exhausted and I lose all this wonderful momentum. How's that for conscious and intentional? *grin*
Man, I'm pooped just thinking about it! It really does make me wonder how I managed juggling all this before. And reminds me just how tired I was all the time before as well. Since I've been out of work, I've been alert and awake. The fibromyalgia hasn't been horrible and I've been enjoying the lower levels of fatigue and pain. I need to be consciously aware of my body's signals to avoid the pitfalls I ran into headlong before. Since this is a short term contract, I'm treating this like training for a full time job.
Consciousness. I guess that's a theme for this week. To be more conscious of my actions, reactions and choices. To be more intentional. Not that I haven't been, but with this drastic change in my schedule I could opt to let life happen and the chips can fall where they may. Or I can be intentional and aware. Conscious.
And on that note, my body is telling me it's very tired so I'm going to head to bed now before very tired becomes exhausted and I lose all this wonderful momentum. How's that for conscious and intentional? *grin*
Monday, February 23, 2009
I Don't Like Change
You know, I thought I would be all excited to be starting this new job. Oh, you didn't know? Yes, I'm going to be working on a short term contract for one of my previous bosses. I enjoy working with her. She has huge vision and is a lot of fun. And I always end up learning something new from her.
I set the alarm early Friday, Saturday, Sunday, today to try to get myself acclimated to getting up early so I can be at work by 7am. I do this because then I can leave around 4. And get home before the husband which means getting some alone time before we spend time together. It works for me.
However, over the last three and a half months I've gotten used to getting up at 8am. And doing the job search in my comfy clothes. And leisurely taking care of business. Starting tomorrow, I'll have to compress the time I spend doing "home" stuff into my evenings again. And weekends. I'll have to be a better manager of my time. And be more focused. This isn't a bad thing. It's just a change. And I'm okay with changing how I manage my evenings and such. But I'm really not loving the early mornings. The change from sleeping until I felt like waking up to getting up on demand isn't going so well. I may have to rethink my strategy. Perhaps I could start work at 8am instead of 7am. Perhaps I don't need to have Friday afternoons off. That would mean I could just work 8 hour days instead of four 9 hour days and one 4 hour day. Hmmm. Perhaps I don't have to change things as radically as I once thought. Perhaps I won't even be allowed to. I'm just assuming I can work the system. :)
Anyway, as much as I say I like to change things up, I'm finding I have some sacred cows. Things I don't want to change for either internal or external reasons. Things I want total control over. Things that I may have to let go. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.
How do you deal with your sacred cows? Do you make peace with them? Do you kick them to the curb? Do you sacrifice them for the greater good? How tightly do you hold on to them before they start to control you?
My sacred cows have to be looked at closely and I need to decide what I'm willing to give on and what I intend to hold on to fiercely. I figure at least I'll be conscious about these things. And in being conscious I can be aware of when the cows are no longer useful and I can course correct. Thinning the herd is a good thing. Right? *grin*
I set the alarm early Friday, Saturday, Sunday, today to try to get myself acclimated to getting up early so I can be at work by 7am. I do this because then I can leave around 4. And get home before the husband which means getting some alone time before we spend time together. It works for me.
However, over the last three and a half months I've gotten used to getting up at 8am. And doing the job search in my comfy clothes. And leisurely taking care of business. Starting tomorrow, I'll have to compress the time I spend doing "home" stuff into my evenings again. And weekends. I'll have to be a better manager of my time. And be more focused. This isn't a bad thing. It's just a change. And I'm okay with changing how I manage my evenings and such. But I'm really not loving the early mornings. The change from sleeping until I felt like waking up to getting up on demand isn't going so well. I may have to rethink my strategy. Perhaps I could start work at 8am instead of 7am. Perhaps I don't need to have Friday afternoons off. That would mean I could just work 8 hour days instead of four 9 hour days and one 4 hour day. Hmmm. Perhaps I don't have to change things as radically as I once thought. Perhaps I won't even be allowed to. I'm just assuming I can work the system. :)
Anyway, as much as I say I like to change things up, I'm finding I have some sacred cows. Things I don't want to change for either internal or external reasons. Things I want total control over. Things that I may have to let go. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.
How do you deal with your sacred cows? Do you make peace with them? Do you kick them to the curb? Do you sacrifice them for the greater good? How tightly do you hold on to them before they start to control you?
My sacred cows have to be looked at closely and I need to decide what I'm willing to give on and what I intend to hold on to fiercely. I figure at least I'll be conscious about these things. And in being conscious I can be aware of when the cows are no longer useful and I can course correct. Thinning the herd is a good thing. Right? *grin*
Friday, February 20, 2009
Soundtrack Friday
There are some songs that are anthems. Others that are iconic. And then there are those songs that make us smile with fond remembrances, even if the songs themselves were mediocre at best.
Bryan Adams is one of those artists. I don't know if he is considered super talented. But when I hear one of his songs on the radio, I stop and smile, remember the days of my youth when Summer of 69 was the hot song in Canada and the guy I had a crush on that year and...well, you get the picture.
One of the songs that has burned itself into my brain and no matter how overplayed on the radio brings a smile to my face is Everything I Do, I Do It For You. Yes, the theme of Kevin Costner's interesting take on the Robin Hood mythology is a song that forever brings a smile to my heart and a shiver to my soul. Why? Because beneath the pop-for-hire lyrics is a song of yearning and commitment and devotion. Sure, it's creepy in that the devotion is sort of obsessive and stalkerish if you listen too carefully. But it touches a cord in me and reminds me of a simpler time in my life when I didn't realize that true love is more than devotion. It's work and compromise and messy. But oh so worth it.
When I long for the simple devotion I listen to this song. Yes, I'm a sap. Sue me.
I give you Every Thing I Do... The Stewie Griffin version.
And as a flash from the past, I give you the original Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves version...
Bryan Adams is one of those artists. I don't know if he is considered super talented. But when I hear one of his songs on the radio, I stop and smile, remember the days of my youth when Summer of 69 was the hot song in Canada and the guy I had a crush on that year and...well, you get the picture.
One of the songs that has burned itself into my brain and no matter how overplayed on the radio brings a smile to my face is Everything I Do, I Do It For You. Yes, the theme of Kevin Costner's interesting take on the Robin Hood mythology is a song that forever brings a smile to my heart and a shiver to my soul. Why? Because beneath the pop-for-hire lyrics is a song of yearning and commitment and devotion. Sure, it's creepy in that the devotion is sort of obsessive and stalkerish if you listen too carefully. But it touches a cord in me and reminds me of a simpler time in my life when I didn't realize that true love is more than devotion. It's work and compromise and messy. But oh so worth it.
When I long for the simple devotion I listen to this song. Yes, I'm a sap. Sue me.
I give you Every Thing I Do... The Stewie Griffin version.
And as a flash from the past, I give you the original Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves version...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Evolution of a Dream
When I was first married, I used to dream of being a housewife just like my mom. Those of you who know me might find that amusing, and improbable. But I did. I had a part-time job working evenings and spent all day doing wifely things like dishes, laundry, cleaning, managing the budget, shopping. I was organized and on top of the world. Sure, we didn't have much money, but life was good and I was having fun being the queen of my home.
Then I got a full time job so we could pay for my graduate school. I liked working full time and going to school. Because I was so busy, I got a lot done. I was still organized, but I was busy. And the job wasn't a super hard job so I didn't mind going in to work every day and socializing while getting my tasks done.
I've been working full time ever since, with the exception of a year where I worked 3/4 time and two years where I worked full time during the school year but had summers off. Up until the last two years, it was fun. There was travel associated with one job that made everything worth while. And I was able to coach and present and that was a lot of fun! But the last year was not fun and it was hard to remain engaged.
I think having this time off right now feels like therapy. I'm renewing and refocusing after the big layoff. I know I need a job soon to help with expenses but I'm starting to get my feet back under me and get myself organized at home. Things that have slid due to time pressures are finally getting done. And I'm enjoying being able to stay in the house during the icky cold of winter. I miss being around other people and there are days I don't feel productive at all. But over all, I'm enjoying being home with no deadlines and no boss.
You would think I would be writing more during this time, and I did at first. But January came and I had a bit of a freak out. Sort of like, once I was given the gift of time the pressure to perform became way too great. So I've backed off on my expectations and am doing things to make the writing fun again. And I'm trying to figure out what I want to do next, knowing full well that in this economy the job I take may not be what I want to do but may be that intermediate step toward getting back into the employment game.
But in the back of my head I'm wondering if it will be that bad if I don't work and stay home to take care of things. Perhaps I can start a business I can run from home or find a part time job that pays at least what I'm getting on UI but gives me the time to be home. What I'm learning is that at heart, if I'm not out traveling, I'm really a home body. And wouldn't it be nice to be that housewife I used to dream about being after all...
Then I got a full time job so we could pay for my graduate school. I liked working full time and going to school. Because I was so busy, I got a lot done. I was still organized, but I was busy. And the job wasn't a super hard job so I didn't mind going in to work every day and socializing while getting my tasks done.
I've been working full time ever since, with the exception of a year where I worked 3/4 time and two years where I worked full time during the school year but had summers off. Up until the last two years, it was fun. There was travel associated with one job that made everything worth while. And I was able to coach and present and that was a lot of fun! But the last year was not fun and it was hard to remain engaged.
I think having this time off right now feels like therapy. I'm renewing and refocusing after the big layoff. I know I need a job soon to help with expenses but I'm starting to get my feet back under me and get myself organized at home. Things that have slid due to time pressures are finally getting done. And I'm enjoying being able to stay in the house during the icky cold of winter. I miss being around other people and there are days I don't feel productive at all. But over all, I'm enjoying being home with no deadlines and no boss.
You would think I would be writing more during this time, and I did at first. But January came and I had a bit of a freak out. Sort of like, once I was given the gift of time the pressure to perform became way too great. So I've backed off on my expectations and am doing things to make the writing fun again. And I'm trying to figure out what I want to do next, knowing full well that in this economy the job I take may not be what I want to do but may be that intermediate step toward getting back into the employment game.
But in the back of my head I'm wondering if it will be that bad if I don't work and stay home to take care of things. Perhaps I can start a business I can run from home or find a part time job that pays at least what I'm getting on UI but gives me the time to be home. What I'm learning is that at heart, if I'm not out traveling, I'm really a home body. And wouldn't it be nice to be that housewife I used to dream about being after all...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Soundtrack Friday
I love blues. There is something earthy and primal about the sleek riffs and gutsy all out vocals that makes me believe this white girl has rhythm. It's a soul to soul connection that grabs me. Strips me bare and once it's through putting my soul through the wringer, it smooths me out and stands me up again.
Yeah, I guess you could say I love the blues.
And for today's Soundtrack Friday, I have Marc Cohn's perennial hit Walking in Memphis. I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard this song play on the radio. It was 1991 and I was driving a parts truck at a pulp and paper mill in my home town as a summer job. I was getting paid union wages, which at the time seemed like a fortune. I had the radio on and blasting as I drove between mills on a road that overlooked the river. And the opening chords to Walking In Memphis sang through the speakers. Yeah, I had to stop the truck and close my eyes and listen.
Walking In Memphis is on the soundtrack I'm using for Mallory's story. The lyrics themselves don't literally translate to her story, but the emotion evoked both by the music and the lyrics translate to part of her journey. And there is something about Marc Cohn's voice that inspires me to write. I have had one of his songs on every work-in-progress soundtrack I've created. I have saved Walking In Memphis for a special story. Who knew it would be Mallory's?
I give you Walking In Memphis, and since I couldn't find the video for Mark, I have a video compelation of Marc and Cher. There's a pairing I wouldn't have thought of in a million years. *grin*
Yeah, I guess you could say I love the blues.
And for today's Soundtrack Friday, I have Marc Cohn's perennial hit Walking in Memphis. I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard this song play on the radio. It was 1991 and I was driving a parts truck at a pulp and paper mill in my home town as a summer job. I was getting paid union wages, which at the time seemed like a fortune. I had the radio on and blasting as I drove between mills on a road that overlooked the river. And the opening chords to Walking In Memphis sang through the speakers. Yeah, I had to stop the truck and close my eyes and listen.
Walking In Memphis is on the soundtrack I'm using for Mallory's story. The lyrics themselves don't literally translate to her story, but the emotion evoked both by the music and the lyrics translate to part of her journey. And there is something about Marc Cohn's voice that inspires me to write. I have had one of his songs on every work-in-progress soundtrack I've created. I have saved Walking In Memphis for a special story. Who knew it would be Mallory's?
I give you Walking In Memphis, and since I couldn't find the video for Mark, I have a video compelation of Marc and Cher. There's a pairing I wouldn't have thought of in a million years. *grin*
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