Category Uncategorized

44 Things – Quarter 4

Walkie Talkie Book Club 1 Comment

Yes, Quarter 4.  In a few months I will be having another birthday!  I have been so busy lately that I haven’t had much time for self-reflection, so I haven’t completed this thought yet.  Let’s see what comes of it for now…August 2011 088

44 Things: Q4 – Things to DO or LOOK FORWARD TO! (July, August, September)

  1. Fourth of July!  Always a great time with family – relaxing time at the end of the dock, fireworks, great food and photo ops!
  2. Plan a Book Fest!  First annual?  Bi-annual? Bookish food and treats?  Crafts?  Oh my!  It’s coming right up, but it’s in the planning stages!  
  3. Ferragosto!  I can’t wait for my made up mid-August celebration!  More details to follow!
  4. New York City! Looking forward to planning my annual trip to NYC!  It will make turning a year older more palatable!
  5. Books! Read and listen as much as possible!
  6. Cosmo Girls! Start planning for 2013-2014!
  7. State Fair? Go if I can!
  8. Help Marissa move and get settled!
  9. Ferragosto Ferragosto Ferragosto!  I have a feeling it’ll be the best ever!
  10. Sit down and … play piano or write poems or letters or play accordion… take time.
  11. What do you think I should add to my list?

There were items from past lists that didn’t get done (closets didn’t get cleaned, strangers didn’t get conversations… ) but I am not one to beat myself up over undone lists.  Most of the fun for me is imagining the possibilities and it is just bonus if they happen.  Probably I should add “start thinking about being 45!”  What will that mean?  What fun things will happen?

“Summertime
And the living is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high

Oh, your daddy’s rich
And your mama’s good lookin’
So hush little baby now
don’t you cry

One of these mornin’s
You’re gonna rise up singin’
Then you’ll spread your wings
And take to the sky

But til that mornin’
Ain’t nothin’ can harm you
With your daddy
And your mammy
standin’ by.”
–  George Gershwin and Dubose Heyward, Porgy and Bess  

I Couldn’t Resist Temptation…

Walkie Talkie Book Club 4 Comments

 

I joined Audible.com today!

The last audiobook I reserved at the library turned out to be 30 hours long with 30 discs and a 2 week check-out time.  I brought it back without opening it, as I didn’t want to import all the discs and I knew I wouldn’t have time to get it done.  My TBR list never gets smaller, so I thought I could maybe knock off one book per month this way.  I miss listening to books, so it will now be more intentional!

First book I downloaded was the one I returned to the library – “11.22.63” by Stephen King!  I have heard good things about it, and so far so good!

Yay books!

 

Just read about "11/22/63" in Wired,...

Do you have favorite audiobooks?  It is audiobook month, after all – let’s discuss!

Related articles

Forgot something!

Walkie Talkie Book Club 3 Comments

Promise of Provence Banner

I am going to participate in a “book tour,” which means that on July 7 I will be posting a review of the book ‘The Promise of Provence” by Patricia Sands!  On July 9 I will randomly give away a digital copy of the book (or a $10 amazon gift card).  How cool is that?  I hope that I can get it together enough to do a virtual interview with the author, as well.  I love to find out how writers tick!  

I love books!  Woot!

 

 

What’s Making Me Happy (First of April 2013!)

Walkie Talkie Book Club 2 Comments
1st April 2013, Easter Monday, April Fool's Da...

1st April 2013, Easter Monday, April Fool’s Day P1710412 (Photo credit: tomylees)

Happy April!  Happy April Fool’s Day!

 

 

 

I’ve always loved the 1st of a new month and I feel great affinity with April 1st, as it’s my half birthday!
(Really, who celebrates such a thing? I guess I do! )  
April is kind of the yin to my yang or something.  

 

 

April is also National Poetry Month and Autism Awareness Month, among other wacky holidays (National Welding Month? International Guitar Month?). I’m always looking for a reason to celebrate, so websites like Holiday Insights  are great places to find inspiration.  (e.g. 3rd Thursday in April (4/18) = National High Five Day, April 23 = Take a Chance Day, April 30 = Hairstyle Appreciation Day.)

 

 

It’s been a great start to April, so I’ll start the month with a list of what’s been making me happy lately!

 

 

Movies States

The United States of Movies

  • This is a fun new poster I have added to my walls.  I haven’t seen all the films (haven’t even heard of some of them!  SLC Punks?  Who knew?) but maybe that will be a goal sometime!  If not, it’s fun to look at and think about and a conversation piece.  
vodka stroganoff beets vodka

Anna Karenina celebratory meal

  • Had a few Walkie Talkies over for dinner and a movie!  The movie was the new Anna Karenina and before the movie we had vodka, beef stroganoff, yummy bread and brie, and pickled beets.  After the meal we had vodka and white Russian cupcakes.  The movie was engrossing and fast-moving and fun to watch!  Very cleverly done!  I can’t wait to watch it again!  
Keep Calm Chivery

Keep Calm and…

  • I saw this as I was browsing in B&N and thought it was pretty hilarious!  Love the Keep Calm stuff.  Love this even more.  
Pedis with the girls pedicure pampering spa

Pedis with the girls

  • Any day off is a good day off.  A day off spent with friends and family is the best day off ever!  Lots of times other people have to work on my days off (and vice versa) so I’m happy that it’s spring break this week!  
  • Today I also went to Macy’s because I won a door prize that I signed up for last week!  So I have two full-sized bottles of some perfumes I’ve never heard of before!  Good times!
  • And also today my mom decided we would celebrate opening day of baseball season with hotdogs, potato salad and ice cream while watching the Twins on TV!  Good stuff.  Mom loves a theme, too!
Easter Chicks

Easter Chicks (Photo credit: Flying Pig Party Productions)

  • I worked on Easter weekend but enjoyed the time spent with my fellow “Easter chicks,” as we dubbed ourselves.  We had some cookies, which looked like these above, and lots of jelly beans.
  • I am over HALF WAY DONE with Gone with the Wind!  Yay me!  I am more than 500 pages into this book of about 960 pages.  Ah.  Still enjoying it and can’t wait to have another dinner and a movie night!
  • I’m looking forward to book club tomorrow night – gonna make Mississippi Mud cake to celebrate!  Also bringing little Cokes in glass bottles and someone else is bringing the rum (relevant to the book!).  Always a good time.
  • I’m looking forward to a WEEKEND OFF!  Friday, Saturday AND Sunday!  Woot!  No big plans and a 4 hour meeting for work on Saturday, but excited, nonethless!
  • I’m looking forward to making my list of 44 Things:Q3!  I haven’t started yet, but will work on it this week.

In honor of National Poetry Month, here is my favorite poem about April.  I’ve shared it on my blog in another April post (2011, I believe).  I memorized it in high school and it still comes to mind when I think of springtime and April.  I would LOVE to know your favorite poems!  Send them my way!  

 

 

APRIL by Marcia Masters
It’s lemonade, it’s lemonade, it’s daisy.
It’s a roller-skating, scissor-grinding day;
It’s gingham-waisted, chocolate flavored, lazy,
With the children flower-scattered at their play.

 

It’s the sun like watermelon,
And the sidewalks overlaid
With a glaze of yellow yellow
Like a jar of marmalade.

 

It’s the mower gently mowing,
And the stars like startled glass,
While the mower keeps on going
Through a waterfall of grass.

 

Then the rich magenta evening
Like a sauce upon the walk,
And the porches softly swinging
With a hammockful of talk.

 

It’s the hobo at the corner
With his lilac-sniffing gait,
And the shy departing thunder
Of the fast departing skate.

 

It’s lemonade, it’s lemonade, it’s April!
A water sprinkler, puddle winking time,
When a boy who peddles slowly, with a smile remote and holy,
Sells you April chocolate flavored for a dime.

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

 

Movie Monday!

Walkie Talkie Book Club Leave a comment

I haven’t seen anything in the theatres for a few weeks (not that I haven’t wanted to!) but had good Netflix viewing time…

Movie night

Movie night (Photo credit: Andrei Z)

Blu-Ray DVDs – so fun!

  • Safety Not Guaranteed – The ad: “Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.”   Answered by magazine writers looking for a story.  Mark Duplas was very enjoyable!  Jake Johnson (from New Girl) was unlikable and sad.  Aubrey Plaza was just crazy enough to join in the fun.  Nice little movie!
  • Brave – beautiful in Blu–Ray!  I didn’t fully tune in to the story as I was multi-tasking, but got the gist and enjoyed the Scottish accents, men in kilts, and bears.
  • Liberal Arts – recommended to me as a Josh Radnor fan (How I Met Your Mother, happythankyoumoreplease).  Again, I wasn’t fully attentive.  It was good but not as good as happythankyoumoreplease in my mind.  Thirty-something guy goes back to his alma mater for professor’s retirement party and falls for a student.  Sixteen year age difference may not be the deal-breaker, but roommates and cafeteria lunches may be.  Maybe it’s a guy movie.

Netflix Instant:

  • Sleepwalk With Me – I watched this on PPV and re-watched it on Netflix instant.  I’m tempted to buy the autographed blu-ray from the star, but we’ll see.  Just an enjoyable look at a comedian who is avoiding facing his life.
  • Serious Moonlight – Meg Ryan.  Timothy Hutton.  Married.  He’s planning to leave her.  She’s planning to surprise him by coming home from the city early for the weekend.  She realizes (by the rose petals everywhere) that he is unfaithful and as he is trying to leave she throws a pot, hitting him in the head, rendering him unconscious.  He wakes, duct taped to a chair. Comedy ensues.  🙂  Just kidding. It’s not funny, but it was not a bad movie.  But what is up with Meg Ryan?  Those lips take up 1/3 of her face.  Poor thing…

Coming up:

  • Seeing Silver Linings Playbook with Deadra – yay!  The previews continually to make me happy, so I can’t wait to see it again!
  • Bringing movies to Deadra’s for some girl-time while she is recuperating – Magic Mike, Once, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and the Ides of March.  
  • Still wanting to see The Impossible (if I can hack it – hear the tsunami is difficult to watch).
  • Before Midnight is the third movie by Richard Linklater about the same couple – played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. In Before Sunrise (1995) they meet on a train and after spending the night walking around Vienna they talk about meeting in 6 months, after they tie up loose ends in their lives.  In Before Sunset (2004) they meet again, when she sees that he is speaking at a book signing (or something) in France and neither of them knows if the other showed up at their planned meeting.  And now, almost 20 years after the first, it premieres at Sundance.  Very exciting.  Can’t wait til it comes to a “theatre near me.”
    66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) Ethan Hawke

    66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) Ethan Hawke (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     

What is your movie news?

Related articles

First Monday in 2013!

Walkie Talkie Book Club Leave a comment
2013

2013 Here We Come!

The New Year feel has settled in.  I think I’ve already gotten used to typing 2013 at work!  

So now it’s time to think about my 2nd quarter of 11 fun things to do and look forward to!
(I think it needs a new name! It’s so cumbersome! 44 Things Quarter 2?) 

My FALL list was not completed: I did NOT shop early for Christmas or play accordion weekly.  
But I don’t feel regrets or guilt about not accomplishing things…
it just means that other things popped up and pushed them out of the way!  

So my WINTER list of things to do or look forward to starts here: 

English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For ...

English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For Sir Elliot, baronnet, the hints of Mrs Sheppard, his agent, was very unwelcome. Français : Persuasion, dernier roman de Jane Austen. Sir Elliot n’apprécie pas les conseils d’économie de Mr Sheppard, son notaire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

44 Things – Quarter 2 (Jan-Feb-Mar)

  1. A January mini-vacation at Deadra’s, including many movies and much wine!
  2. Read “Persuasion” by Jane Austen with Wallace’s readalong in January 
  3. START reading “Gone With the Wind” in February – it’s so large I’m not sure I can finish it in two months!  But it’s after “Persuasion”!
  4. “The Book of Mormon” with Deadra and John in February!
  5. Host a baby shower for a work colleague at my house on February 13!
  6. Gaelic Storm in March with Kristine!
  7. Social-ICE in February!
  8. Walk at least twice weekly and do yoga once weekly.
  9.  Spray Tan!  Get the look of a summer glow!
  10.  Pick a closet and clean it out OR
    watch all of the Oscar nominated movies (which would you rather do??)
  11.  Invigorate book club and plan ahead for the year

Well, that wasn’t what I thought it would be, but there you have it!  I am maybe forgetting some of the things that I know that I will be looking forward to!  Yikes… I started writing this down somewhere.  And I’m still kicking around a list of THINGS for 2013, sort of like last year’s list.  It may be an over-arching list, or maybe a theme word or statement for the year… still thinking about it on paper.  

How about you?  How do you feel about resolutions?  Would you rather pick a theme WORD or STATEMENT (ala Let ‘er Rip) than set goals?  Do you avoid these altogether?  

Related articles

In 2012…

Walkie Talkie Book Club 1 Comment

In 2012 –

Life changed pretty drastically for me, with my (wonderful) new job!  Aside from  having a lot to learn about social work in the hospital setting (specifically Emergency Department), the unpredictable and crazy hours have caused the need  for creativity and flexibility in getting in the fun stuff!  But, never fear. I still manage to find time for fun!

In 2012 –

There were milestones –

  • I had a job interview on Jan 4, got a job offer on January 12 and started a new job on January 30 (.8 limited tenure, turned full-time permanent in May)
  • Mom turned 65 in February and celebrated as she loves best – with all her children and grandchildren
  • My 25th Class Reunion was held during Rushford Days at the Hoiland Mill
  • Five years have passed since the Rushford Flood
  • Marissa started her final year of college – majoring in Biology!  What’s next? I can’t wait to see!
  • Twenty-Five years of marriage were celebrated with Ellen and Dallas
  • I got a new car on November 30, putting my old car to rest after 207,000+ miles
Celebrating birthdays in style!

Celebrating birthdays in style!

There were things to do with kids –

  • The St. Paul Winter Carnival with Deadra and Maya, the parade and the ice sculptures
  • Gracie and Trajan playing basketball
  • Ethan and Macy tumbling with their gymnastics
  • Trajan and Gunnar playing football
  • Gracie, Trajan and Gunnar playing softball and baseball
  • Gunnar’s Confirmation of Baptism
  • The Minnesota State Fair with Deadra, Marissa, Maya and Gracie – lots of good food (and drink) on a stick and people-watching
  • Concerts and plays and programs… fun to see as many as I can!
St. Paul Winter Carnival - brr!

St. Paul Winter Carnival – brr!

Minnesota State Fair - the girls and the guys!

Minnesota State Fair – the girls and the guys!

There were concerts –

  • Take Note! performances on Over the Back Fence and Rushford
  • The Dweebs at Rushford Days with Gracie and Marissa
  • Civic Theatre Patio nights on Fridays with Sarah
  • Thursdays on First outdoor concerts
  • Jeremy Messersmith “Supper Club Tour” with Marissa
  • Glen Hansard at First Ave with Marissa and Emily and Andrew
  • Bruce Springsteen at Excel Center with Koni, Kristine, and Teri
  • Trans-Siberian Orchestra Lost Christmas Eve concert with Marissa, Dana and Koni, Trajan and Gracie (a Merry Christmas to me!)
Jeremy Messersmith Supper Club Tour

Jeremy Messersmith Supper Club Tour

Bruce Springsteen, girls' night out, November 2012

These girls are ready to rock!

There were plays –

  • “Gruesome Playground Injuries” at Civic Theatre with Sarah
  • “Chicago” at Rochester Civic Theatre with the Cosmo Girls
  • “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” in NYC
  • “Once” in NYC – TWICE! June and October
  • “Newsies” in NYC
  • “Peter and the Starcatcher” in NYC
  • “Nice Work if you Can Get It” in NYC
  • “Philadelphia Story” at Lanesboro Commonweal with Deadra and Beth
  • “Don’t Hug Me” a Minnesota Musical at Lanesboro Community Theatre
  • “You Can’t Take It With You” at Rushford Days by RASA
  • “Avenue Q” in NYC
  • “Forbidden Broadway” in NYC
  • “Bring It On” in NYC
  • “Our Town” at St. Mary’s University
  • I LOVE THAT THIS LIST IS SO LONG!
Post-Broadway dinner at Sardi's

Post-Broadway dinner at Sardi’s

After Nice Work If You Can Get It

After Nice Work If You Can Get It

There were trips and excursions –

  • The Ice Bar is always fun in February
  • Bagpipes at Binkies , St. Patrick’s Day Silliness
  • Des Moines Derby Dames are still fun to watch, although we know fewer dames
  • The Kentucky Derby / Cinco de Mayo party was a fun event at Sarah’s with Beth
  • NEW YORK CITY – twice!  A Broadway bonanza dream come true!
  • Ferragosto 2012 was a blast – good food, good drink, good friends at the end of the dock!
  • Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery – good times with great girlfriends
  • Door County and a Haunted Hotel (Kewaunee Inn) – not too scary for me!
  • Cosmo Girls monthly night outs are always an adventure –Random Acts of Kindness in December was especially fun!
Mint Juleps and hats!

Mint Juleps and hats!

Bailey's Harbor store - and a great motto!

Bailey’s Harbor store – and a great motto!

There were books –

  • See the new page of Books I Read in 2012
  • Author Paula McCain at the Rochester Public Library discussing “The Paris Wife” – a favorite book from 2011
  • Author Julie Kramer at B&N discussing her new book – a new series to read
  • Maeve Binchy passes away in 2012 – a sad loss!
  • World Book Night was celebrated in 2012 by handing out copies of “The Book Thief”
  • By the skin of my teeth I made my (amended) reading goal of 30 books in 2012
Maeve Binchy 1940-2012

Maeve Binchy 1940-2012

World Book Night - The Book Thief

World Book Night – The Book Thief

Paula McLain, author

Paula McLain, author

There were movies –

  • Another post for them soon!

Happy 2013 to one and all!  More adventures to come!

Related articles

I hope…

Walkie Talkie Book Club 2 Comments
christmas 2007

christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

that the presents I ordered online (some as late as yesterday!) arrive in time for Christmas

christmas 2007

christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

that I get busy and am productive on one of my only days off until Christmas
(1. finish shopping 2. start wrapping 3. make cardamom cookies)


that someone comes and helps me drink all of the wine I’ve purchased lately

that the pink Christmas balls don’t fall off my little tree outside and shatter

pink outside Christmas tree

Enough on my inside tree so some went to the outside tree!

that the few cards and letters that I mailed out arrive in time
(and that the few more that I will send will arrive in one piece!)

Once ornament

A great remembrance of 2012

that I think of a clever way to re-cap 2012 and set goals for 2013

that the Christmas fun continues throughout the next week

Christmas party open house

Sweaters are fun!

that there is time for reflection these few days before the first day of winter
(I have that list, remember… )

that someday soon I can get through a day without shedding sad tears
(so much sadness in the world)

that in 2013 I can get lost in a Jane Austen re-read – so relaxing
“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”
— Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility)

that everyone takes time to have a wonderful holiday season with those that they love and keeps their faith in the goodness of people.

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Related articles
Walkie Talkie Book Club Leave a comment

I think this is pretty funny… two years ago I blogged about The Life of Pi as “a movie I do NOT want to see.” I think that if it hadn’t gotten such grand reviews (from movie and book lovers alike) I wouldn’t have seen it in the theatre. But it was grand. And worth seeing. Any books made into movies you would NEVER want to see?

Walkie Talkie Book Club's avatarWalkie Talkie Book Club

The Life of Pi

On the other hand, I think this is a movie that I would not want to see.  It is so vivid in my mind and I don’t want it adapted to the big screen.  How would they do it???  It boggles my mind.  So, I’m guessing that it does somehow make it into a queue of mine someday – out of curiosity.

View original post

What a Difference…

Walkie Talkie Book Club 1 Comment

Only a few weeks left in 2012.

Tonight I was looking back in my computer to see if I wrote any kind of “end of year wrap up” for 2011 and found nothing but revisions of resumes and cover letters dated 2011.  I guess that’s where my mind was last year at this time!  What a difference a year makes.

It was fun to go back and read my December 2011 and January 2012 blogs – the books and movies that I indulged in during unemployment and my blogs about what I will and won’t miss about unemployment.  Ah.

Pretty good stuff.  I think I was the most creative during that time!  Blogs in early 2012 were pretty ‘meh.”  I guess brain power was going elsewhere for a while… rightly so!

Anyway, found this list again:

US passport

US passport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

12 Things to Get Done in 2012

  1. See Garrison Keillor at the Fitzgerald Theatre
  2. Visit the Four Daughters Vineyard in Spring Valley (maybe more than once!). Doesn’t it look lovely?
  3. Get my passport – so I’m ready!  This was on my list of 40 Things and it didn’t happen.  It will happen – soon.
  4. Write – at least weekly blogs
  5. Write – more letters. It’s so fun to get mail.
  6. Eat healthy and REAL food
  7. Watch for and attend more Table Trivia Nights
  8. Seek out author and book events, especially for authors and books I love!
  9. Go to New York City to see “Once – the Musical” – you see that, Troy
  10. While in NYC maybe go on a Greenwich Village walking tour with Adriana Trigiani (love her!)
  11. Read at least one GOOD book per month.  Easily achievable.
  12. Try new recipes and cook for myself (or invite others!)
Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Still no passport (eeek!) and no Garrison yet, but NYC twice in a year?  A dream come true.

Seeing “Once” twice?  Amazing.

Even on Facebook in January 2011 I was posting links for the musical and dreaming of getting there.

Fun to start my dream list for 2013!  What do I want to come true this coming year???

I have to review my birthday list of 11 Things to do in the Fall, as the Winter Solstice is coming up soon and it’ll be time for a new list!  Yikes!

More later on that!

Related articles