Last year I read SO MANY BOOKS. And it was lovely. I went through books like crazy some weeks and other weeks (like when I had morning sickness or was trying to crochet for fall/winter sales) I rarely read.
Some of the best books - I started a new Scottish mystery series, currently on book 7 or 8; read some crazy young adult fiction about nuns that were hit men (or hit ladies...); tried some new sci-fi (which I've decided it's not my favorite but I'll read if I have to); joined a book club (I'll be hosting in October); and amazingly enough read a few more Outlander books in the series even though they are SO LONG.
SO onto the Popsugar Challenge link. Click here to be taken to the link for the Popsugar Challenge. Download their list of books to read. I'm thinking this year's books will be much easier than last year - plus the list is shorter too.
Now, with a newborn and a 4 year old this summer I may have some problems reading as much as I want to (or gardening or doing laundry or just vacuuming the living room), so I'm going to try and tackle what I can before May (much like how I'm still crocheting like a crazy lady so I don't have to worry as much about my items for next fall/winter sales!).
I'll try to update what I'm reading on a somewhat regular basis - though not all of the books that I read will fit into the categories.
Currently I'm still working my way through The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins when I bring The Monkey to her dance class. I'm about halfway through (but reading only 20-30 minutes per week on my phone at dance class, so hopefully I'll be finished by May).
I'm loving the library because in general I only read books once - except for the books that I REALLY love and don't mind re-reading and "wasting" my reading time over and over again. Otherwise I buy a book and try to pawn it off on people or donate it.
My current library book is Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK. Not only is it disturbing and sad and disgusting but it really opens your eyes to the problems in America. Just a fact - 90% of people who commit a rape get away with it. Does that make you mad? Because that makes me mad. Another fact - police stations still quote papers from the 70's and 80's about women who lie about rapes trying to discredit victims AND officers try to discredit victims by asking about significant others. How fucking sexist is that? THIS BOOK MAKES ME SO ANGRY FOR AMERICA. And women. And my daughter.
Moving on from my small rant about rape culture, I'm excited for this year's challenge because I think what I normally read will fit into categories - plus I want to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird and my sister gives me some awesome books that have been translated into English (from Swedish - Swedish mystery authors are really good!).
Happy reading!!!
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
1.04.2016
7.14.2015
Tuesday's Frugal Mission
Mer.
Frugality.
Frugal.
CHEAP.
Frugal doesn't necessarily mean cheap. Frugal means thinking about where you're spending your money, what you're spending your money on, and actively making a choice on how you're spending money.
Some days I'm great at being frugal. Others... not so much. OY. I think it's like that for a lot of people.
In any case, today I had a BRILLIANT idea. I saw these awesome curtain rod strings at Ikea and thought - I NEED THOSE FOR MY BACK PORCH.
And then I remembered that I bought the same curtain rod strings - in fact I bought them to string up in the dining room to hold The Monkey's art work but I never got around to it (and I've determined I really like the painting we have in the dining room anyway so I bought magnet clips for the fridge). I thought I might have donated the string or maybe sold it in the last yard sale that we had but no, I didn't do anything with it. Instead the curtain rod string thingy was just hanging out in a basket in the closet.
I even have leftover home decor fabric from when I made curtains for The Monkey's room when I was pregnant. SCORE.
All I need are 4 extra corner holder thingys from Ikea and some type of hanger clips and I'm all set to hang up some curtains - instead of using the tension rods which keep falling on The Monkey when she's playing back there (it's sort of funny. I mean you suddenly hear something snap and then a 3 year old screaming "GHOST! IT'S A GHOST! I CAN'T SEE!!!").
So the total cost for these curtains AFTER finding what I already have in my house will be under $10. WOO HOO!!!
My NEXT frugal mission after Ikea and the curtain rod string thingy is to go to the library.
I reserved 5 books - two are urban homesteading books which are all about turning your yard into a vegetable garden and basically making the most out of a 1/4 acre of land. Here in the city we have like an 1/8 of an acre - but with the tree coming down in the back, I can start to take advantage of all the sunlight we're going to get next year and plan out more vegetables and determine how to PRESERVE what I grow. That's the tough part - you can only eat so much while it's fresh so knowing how to preserve homegrown food is really a good thing to know. I'd like to do lasagna gardening in our front flower beds for vegetables and move all the flowers into the actual yard - but make some sort of patio for chairs and a table (yes, we hang out in the front yard here in Minnesota, sometimes even in the garage!). First I need to read HOW to do some of this shit and determine how much sun the front gets to know if I can actually move some flowers and how bad chicken wire will look from the street. Maybe I should start looking at what grows best for vines... Meh, whatever... I have lots of months to think about gardening and to write down which flowers did the best this year.
Three books are just for funzies - one stupid Nora Roberts book (the last in a trilogy which will take me two or three days to read); another last-of-a-trilogy book in the Grave Mercy series which won't take me long at all; and the 4th book in the Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride (if you can't tell it's a book set in Scotland by a Scottish author).
And the last frugal thing that I do today:
Make lunch with leftovers from dinner - some type of veggie wrap or quesadilla with the grilled veggies from last night.
Cook dinner with the last of our CSA veggies from last Thursday. Tonight = roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, beets, turnips) with rice pilaf.
If you notice, there's no meat listed above. Basically we get enough veggies where I don't really need to cook meat with a meal. There's no way we can eat everything if I include meat. We become partial vegetarians in the summer with the amount of vegetables we receive with our CSA and with what I supplement from the co-op or Cub or Target or Byerly's. That doesn't mean we don't have meat - in the freezer there's pork chops, chicken, ground beef, fish, and shrimp. I have meat so when we do need some protein I can just pull it out of the freezer instead of running to the grocery store or wherever to get meat. It's a cheap way to eat meat - I buy when it's all on sale (and I don't buy the cheap stuff, I buy organic free range chicken, organic grass fed beef, organic fed pork, etc...) and then I toss it into bags with marinade in portions for 1 or 2 people.
So.. I think that's all we're up to today.
Happy Tuesday!!!
Frugality.
Frugal.
CHEAP.
Frugal doesn't necessarily mean cheap. Frugal means thinking about where you're spending your money, what you're spending your money on, and actively making a choice on how you're spending money.
Some days I'm great at being frugal. Others... not so much. OY. I think it's like that for a lot of people.
In any case, today I had a BRILLIANT idea. I saw these awesome curtain rod strings at Ikea and thought - I NEED THOSE FOR MY BACK PORCH.
And then I remembered that I bought the same curtain rod strings - in fact I bought them to string up in the dining room to hold The Monkey's art work but I never got around to it (and I've determined I really like the painting we have in the dining room anyway so I bought magnet clips for the fridge). I thought I might have donated the string or maybe sold it in the last yard sale that we had but no, I didn't do anything with it. Instead the curtain rod string thingy was just hanging out in a basket in the closet.
I even have leftover home decor fabric from when I made curtains for The Monkey's room when I was pregnant. SCORE.
All I need are 4 extra corner holder thingys from Ikea and some type of hanger clips and I'm all set to hang up some curtains - instead of using the tension rods which keep falling on The Monkey when she's playing back there (it's sort of funny. I mean you suddenly hear something snap and then a 3 year old screaming "GHOST! IT'S A GHOST! I CAN'T SEE!!!").
So the total cost for these curtains AFTER finding what I already have in my house will be under $10. WOO HOO!!!
My NEXT frugal mission after Ikea and the curtain rod string thingy is to go to the library.
I reserved 5 books - two are urban homesteading books which are all about turning your yard into a vegetable garden and basically making the most out of a 1/4 acre of land. Here in the city we have like an 1/8 of an acre - but with the tree coming down in the back, I can start to take advantage of all the sunlight we're going to get next year and plan out more vegetables and determine how to PRESERVE what I grow. That's the tough part - you can only eat so much while it's fresh so knowing how to preserve homegrown food is really a good thing to know. I'd like to do lasagna gardening in our front flower beds for vegetables and move all the flowers into the actual yard - but make some sort of patio for chairs and a table (yes, we hang out in the front yard here in Minnesota, sometimes even in the garage!). First I need to read HOW to do some of this shit and determine how much sun the front gets to know if I can actually move some flowers and how bad chicken wire will look from the street. Maybe I should start looking at what grows best for vines... Meh, whatever... I have lots of months to think about gardening and to write down which flowers did the best this year.
Three books are just for funzies - one stupid Nora Roberts book (the last in a trilogy which will take me two or three days to read); another last-of-a-trilogy book in the Grave Mercy series which won't take me long at all; and the 4th book in the Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride (if you can't tell it's a book set in Scotland by a Scottish author).
And the last frugal thing that I do today:
Make lunch with leftovers from dinner - some type of veggie wrap or quesadilla with the grilled veggies from last night.
Cook dinner with the last of our CSA veggies from last Thursday. Tonight = roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, beets, turnips) with rice pilaf.
If you notice, there's no meat listed above. Basically we get enough veggies where I don't really need to cook meat with a meal. There's no way we can eat everything if I include meat. We become partial vegetarians in the summer with the amount of vegetables we receive with our CSA and with what I supplement from the co-op or Cub or Target or Byerly's. That doesn't mean we don't have meat - in the freezer there's pork chops, chicken, ground beef, fish, and shrimp. I have meat so when we do need some protein I can just pull it out of the freezer instead of running to the grocery store or wherever to get meat. It's a cheap way to eat meat - I buy when it's all on sale (and I don't buy the cheap stuff, I buy organic free range chicken, organic grass fed beef, organic fed pork, etc...) and then I toss it into bags with marinade in portions for 1 or 2 people.
So.. I think that's all we're up to today.
Happy Tuesday!!!
9.29.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 12
Something I am OCD about:
Um, I'm not... No, actually I don't really know. I'm messy and I like my piles. I do like having a clean bathroom sink but I'm not OCD about it.
Hmm... it's the garden beds in the front. I want them to look good all the time and I'm known for picking sticks out of it when I leave for work in the morning, when I get home and when we leave for some other event or whatnot.
Or maybe it's always having cheese in the house.
Um, I'm not... No, actually I don't really know. I'm messy and I like my piles. I do like having a clean bathroom sink but I'm not OCD about it.
Hmm... it's the garden beds in the front. I want them to look good all the time and I'm known for picking sticks out of it when I leave for work in the morning, when I get home and when we leave for some other event or whatnot.
Or maybe it's always having cheese in the house.
9.28.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 11
A recent photo of me:
And yes, I've finally figured out how to style my hair! Wear a hat! HAHA. I am in the flowered dress, with the beads and the black hat.
Thank you, weddings for having photo booths and friends that love to get pictures taken in them.
Thank you, weddings for having photo booths and friends that love to get pictures taken in them.
9.27.2010
30 Day Challege - Day 10
A photo of me more than 10 years ago -
I hope this counts. It's from seventh grade English class (I think). I am in the middle with the black shirt with the horizontal stripes.
Thank you, genetics, for blessing me with the worst frizzy and fluffy hair ever.
I hope this counts. It's from seventh grade English class (I think). I am in the middle with the black shirt with the horizontal stripes.
Thank you, genetics, for blessing me with the worst frizzy and fluffy hair ever.
30 Day Challenge - Day 9
A photo I took:
Ahh... I used to take photos for a living (I still do in my spare time!) so I have a ton. Here's a favorite from this summer.
9.23.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 8
A photo that makes me angry or sad: WARNING - GRAPHIC PHOTOS
Animal cruelty.
This is the reason why I work with the Minnesota Federated Humane Societies. We work with the authorities to help prosecute people who do things like this.
And yes, those are dead buffalo just lying in a field.
And yes, I've seen worse than this.
It's heartbreaking, heart wrenching and brings tears to my eyes knowing that people do things like this intentionally.
Ok, I'm off my soapbox now.
This is the reason why I work with the Minnesota Federated Humane Societies. We work with the authorities to help prosecute people who do things like this.
And yes, those are dead buffalo just lying in a field.
And yes, I've seen worse than this.
It's heartbreaking, heart wrenching and brings tears to my eyes knowing that people do things like this intentionally.
Ok, I'm off my soapbox now.
9.22.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 7
A photo that makes me happy:
Meh, I can't decide. Frankly, any photo of Rusty makes me super happy. Poor dog, he'll wear anything for me too. He kept those ears on for a good 20 minutes (he was the only dog to keep his graduation cap on for the whole class too in obedience!).
9.21.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 6
20 of my favorite things:
1. Diet Mountain Dew
2. Quaker Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip granola bars
3. Zyrtec
4. Irish Setter puppies (also, I refuse to post an image of them because I don't want anyone buying from a BYB, there are a few available in rescue, try petfinder.com or saveoursetters.org)
5. Flowers and gardening. Love it! I love growing my own, so relaxing and easy.
6. Flip flops.
7. Donkey Beach in Kauai
8. A car that runs. Bimmer, get your car fixed.
9. The new Gopher Stadium
10. The Gophers actually winning a game.
11. A great pair of jeans (from Banana Republic, please)
12. The moment when I'm finished with a long run and I realize that I could've gone another mile or two.
13. When Bimmer Man gets home before 7 pm
14. The smell of lavendar
15. Cooking. Just the process of chopping veggies and the immediate scent of garlic when you throw it into the pan. Smells like home.
16. Apple Crisp with vanilla bean ice cream
17. Bed. I love sleep.
18. A down comforter
19. Freshly Swiffered floors
20. A really good book
1. Diet Mountain Dew
2. Quaker Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip granola bars
5. Flowers and gardening. Love it! I love growing my own, so relaxing and easy.
6. Flip flops.
7. Donkey Beach in Kauai
9. The new Gopher Stadium
11. A great pair of jeans (from Banana Republic, please)
12. The moment when I'm finished with a long run and I realize that I could've gone another mile or two.
13. When Bimmer Man gets home before 7 pm
14. The smell of lavendar
15. Cooking. Just the process of chopping veggies and the immediate scent of garlic when you throw it into the pan. Smells like home.
16. Apple Crisp with vanilla bean ice cream
17. Bed. I love sleep.
18. A down comforter
19. Freshly Swiffered floors
20. A really good book
9.20.2010
9.19.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 4
Favorite Book:
Hands down, I have to say it's:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle)
It is a super fast read, cute, a bit of historical fiction and it's read like a bunch of letters (that part is hard to get used to, but by the end you don't even notice). The setting is on the island of Guernsey off the coast of England. Think post world war II era with the descriptions so fantastic that it makes you want to visit.
Actually if you google the book with the map of places, you'll find something. I remember that someone in our book club did that. It was great!
So, definitely a book to recommend, but if you like mystery novels, or horror novels, you probably won't. Oh, well, at least you feel a bit more literary after reading it!
Hands down, I have to say it's:
It is a super fast read, cute, a bit of historical fiction and it's read like a bunch of letters (that part is hard to get used to, but by the end you don't even notice). The setting is on the island of Guernsey off the coast of England. Think post world war II era with the descriptions so fantastic that it makes you want to visit.
Actually if you google the book with the map of places, you'll find something. I remember that someone in our book club did that. It was great!
So, definitely a book to recommend, but if you like mystery novels, or horror novels, you probably won't. Oh, well, at least you feel a bit more literary after reading it!
9.18.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 3 - Stop The Presses
Favorite Television Show
Wait, does a soap opera count?
Now, does seeing the men of my soap opera entice you to watch it? Find all their bios here.
Ok, so if soap operas count, now after seeing all the hotties on cast, then The Young & Restless gets my new vote for favorite television show. It all starts in Genoa City with the Newmans and the Abbotts. There's sex, there's violence (um, Chance just died, however it was closed casket so he might be back), there's intrigue and mostly, it's better entertainment than Dr. Phil.
So, yep, Y & R gets my vote!!
Wait, does a soap opera count?
Now, does seeing the men of my soap opera entice you to watch it? Find all their bios here.
Ok, so if soap operas count, now after seeing all the hotties on cast, then The Young & Restless gets my new vote for favorite television show. It all starts in Genoa City with the Newmans and the Abbotts. There's sex, there's violence (um, Chance just died, however it was closed casket so he might be back), there's intrigue and mostly, it's better entertainment than Dr. Phil.
So, yep, Y & R gets my vote!!
30 Day Challenge - Day 3
Favorite Television Show.
This one is tough too. I think for right now, it's True Blood. However, in the middle of winter then I really like Weeds or Grey's Anatomy. But I'm going with True Blood for sure!
When Bimmer mentioned getting rid of cable, I sort of had a small heart attack, what in the world would I do without Vampire Eric and Vampire Bill?
Oh, and I also found Jessica's blog too. Crazy, right? It's sort of like the baby blog and wedding website from The Office.
But I definitely have to leave y'all with a picture of Alexander Skarsgard.
If you'd like to see the complete list of days, click here.
This one is tough too. I think for right now, it's True Blood. However, in the middle of winter then I really like Weeds or Grey's Anatomy. But I'm going with True Blood for sure!
When Bimmer mentioned getting rid of cable, I sort of had a small heart attack, what in the world would I do without Vampire Eric and Vampire Bill?
Oh, and I also found Jessica's blog too. Crazy, right? It's sort of like the baby blog and wedding website from The Office.
But I definitely have to leave y'all with a picture of Alexander Skarsgard.
If you'd like to see the complete list of days, click here.
9.17.2010
30 Day Challenge - Day 2
Favorite movie.
Meh, I'm not really a movie person. I mean, I like movies and I like to watch them and I like to see people's ideas and thoughts and interpretations of books, characters, etc... However, when asked what my favorite movie is, well, I clam up and stammer because I don't really have one.
But if you tell me that I might only have one movie to watch for the rest of my life, well, give me Google and an hour and I might be able to tell you.
So I think I'd have to pick:
Gone With The Wind
Big Fish
Mystic River
Juno
Little Miss Sunshine
Or maybe some other random. Eh, I don't know. It has to be funny and sad and have a great cast of characters and good writing. Maybe even based on a book. But even then I can't pick just one. Oh, well, you 30 Day Blogging Challenge! You've challenged me and it's only the second day!!
Meh, I'm not really a movie person. I mean, I like movies and I like to watch them and I like to see people's ideas and thoughts and interpretations of books, characters, etc... However, when asked what my favorite movie is, well, I clam up and stammer because I don't really have one.
But if you tell me that I might only have one movie to watch for the rest of my life, well, give me Google and an hour and I might be able to tell you.
So I think I'd have to pick:
Gone With The Wind
Big Fish
Mystic River
Juno
Little Miss Sunshine
Or maybe some other random. Eh, I don't know. It has to be funny and sad and have a great cast of characters and good writing. Maybe even based on a book. But even then I can't pick just one. Oh, well, you 30 Day Blogging Challenge! You've challenged me and it's only the second day!!
9.16.2010
9.15.2010
30 Day Blogging Challenge
Can I do it? Um... maybe... Here's the list:
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where I live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - my worst habit
Day 28 - whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes,dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future
So I think my plan is to start tomorrow. But first I need to find the charger for the battery for my camera.
Wish me luck because I have NO IDEA where to even start looking for it!
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of my favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where I live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - my worst habit
Day 28 - whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes,dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future
So I think my plan is to start tomorrow. But first I need to find the charger for the battery for my camera.
Wish me luck because I have NO IDEA where to even start looking for it!
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