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I Know How Harry Potter Ends…
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Category Archives: books
How Many Books Do You Read?
I don’t mean in the 50 Book Challenge sort of way. I mean, more like the how many books do you read a week? Or how many books do you read at once? You know, how many books are by your bedside? I ask because I’m since it’s summer, I’m once again blowing through 2-4 books a week – there’s just something about summer TV that has me just ignoring it all together and laying on the couch (in front of a fan or three) and reading instead.
I noticed the other night that I have about four books that I’ll usually be reading at once – something new agey, new thoughtish; something business-like; something I’m totally and completely digging (more than likely chick lit); and something that I just can’t seem to get into at the moment. Then I notice that I’ll also head out to the library or bookstore (hello, air conditioning!) and pick up another stack of books to read at some point.
So really, how many books do you read at once? And um…how big is your stack?
Thursday Thirteen – 13 Joys of Summer
While I might not appreciate the heat of summer (and man, it gets HOT in the Valley here – nearly as not as Albuquerque, yet with humidity…gross!), but I do look forward to summer none the less.
1. fresh fruits and veggies straight from the Farmer’s Markets
2. better yet, watermelon – I could eat fresh, summer watermelon all day long
3. swimming outside or visits to the beach
4. concert season – better still, outdoor concerts
5. summer TV – for me, it means tons of reading since there’s nothing on TV and I just love that
6. comfortable evening walks with the hubby & the boy
7. gelato – for some reason, we only make time for gelato during the summer
8. grilling veggies and meats – tastes so good
9. family get-togethers – we seem to find more time to get-together once all the kids get out of school
10. summer clothes – I love not having to wear jackets or sweaters
11. summer sandals and no more socks!
12. flip flops – speaking of, where is that last order I placed for new flip flops?
13. pedicures, pedicures, pedicures!!
Oh the Glorious Universe!
“The Universe is bringing all good things to me, for the good of all involved.”
While I’ll admit I haven’t been focusing a lot on my Challenge (I may have even gone over my 100 Days, to be honest), but I have been spending some time reading. I’ve been double-fisting it, as it were, with The Secret and with The Law of Attraction. And both are giving me quite a lot to think about.
My main mantra lately has been a myriad of variations on the above affirmation. I repeat it to myself over and over while falling asleep. I repeat it to myself while stuck in traffic. I repeat it to myself while washing my hair. I like it. It’s quick, easy to remember and to the point. I’ve found that for affirmations to mean something to me, I have to be able to remember them and repeat them quickly and easily. That makes this one a keeper.
I’m loving how simple it is to co-create with Spirit and the Universe. Let’s face it, it should be easy. And fun. If it’s a chore, it’s going to feel like work and won’t come easily. There are so many things to be grateful for (even my seemingly non-stop, barking dog – he just won’t hush as I’m writing this – guess he’s got a lot to say on this topic as well) to get bogged down in the details.
Thursday Thirteen – Vacation Packing
Here are Thirteen Things I must bring with me wherever I go on vacation…
1. socks to sleep in – my feet are always cold, even in the dead of summer
2. lipbalm – I am addicted and as an addict, I need to know my lip stuff is right near by.
3. and 4. books & magazines – my husband is a bit of a workaholic, so even on vacation, he works, so I make sure I have something to read.
5. and 6. digital camera & USB connector for my smart card – I love to do self-portraits and I love to take pictures of things. What better way to have memories to look back on.
7. sunscreen – I’m one fair skinned kind of gal, so I tend to always make sure I bring along the SPF (even if I don’t wear it on a daily basis).
8. workout clothes – you never know when you’ll get the chance to burn off some of those high point, vacation treats and drinks.
9. travel alarm clock – I’m a little crazy about wanting to know what time it is, wherever I am. This way, if the hotel alarm clock isn’t on my side of the bed, I’m still in the know.
10., 11. and 12. my own soap, shampoo and conditioner – though I will typically take the hotel provided toiletries back home with me (they’re great for guests).
13. snacks – I like to know that if I’m hungry that I have something to snack on. Usually, it’s just a granola bar or two, but still, it helps to keep those vacationing high point days bearable.
And of course, a few other things, but hey, I only needed 13, right? 😉 Now back to that packing…
Who Knew
I was sitting back and reading the LA Times with the hubby and he hands me this one article and tells me that as a blogger (Ha!! Like I’d really call myself a blogger – though I do run another blog site that gets updated regularly), anyway, as a blogger, he said I needed to read it. It was about the viral power that bloggers have today.
Turns out Berkeley Breathed (of Opus and Bloom County fame) was doing a book signing in the midwest with a teen came in and asked him what he thought of Gore Verbinski (of Pirates of the Caribbean fame). Not thinking beyond making a funny, Breathed responded that he’s “sick of pirates.” Within an hour or so, it had spread like wildfire through the blogosphere.
Man, who knew blogging had so much power. Let alone unknown teenage bloggers are wielding this power. All that is reason enough to check out the blog-o-stats more closely! Makes you wonder how you can change the World, huh?
For These Things I Am Grateful…
I just thought that I’d take a moment and focus on some of the many, many things that I am so happy and grateful for…
* we’ll start with the obvious, yet very important…my health, wealth, happiness, joy, work, love, home, family, friends, husband and boys!
* my upcoming haircut, brow wax and pedicure!!
* my current batch of chick-lit – I’m so loving reading the breezy stuff!
* the fact that we’re off on a vacation full of good friends, good food and good wine in just over a week!
* that I’m going on that vacation 20 or so pounds lighter than when we went last year – and it shows!
* my clean car – I should show my gratitude and appreciation for it now since it might rain tomorrow!
* that while today may have been a tad chilly and overcast, the weather as a whole has been just lovely and perfect for our evening walks!
* and so, so much more!
Edited to add: the reason I even started this was to express my gratitude for our new toilet!!! No more wondering if it’s going to flush. No more non-stop running through the night. Ah…the joys of a new toilet!
I’ll Keep This Brief…
I finally got my Secret book! It was on backorder almost any where I looked and it finally arrived yesterday. Of course, I’m in the middle of like three other books right now, so I probably won’t start it for a couple of days now.
Sorry for not being around. I’ve had some challenges over on my site regarding an April 1st joke that seemed to have gone awry. It seemed to have morphed into someone’s personal battle zone and rather than get sucked down to that level, I’d decided to lay low for a while and catch up on some movies!!
Once things die down a bit more I’ll be sure to write it up. Without a doubt, there’s an interesting lesson in everything that went down. The short version…it’s confirmed that life is all about how you react to what comes your way. Lemons or lemonade…the choice is all yours!
Weaknesses…
Have you ever really thought about that things that you compulsively purchase knowing full well that you don’t need? I like to tell myself that I’m practicing the fine art of plenty – meaning, there is no lack, and therefore I spend as part of attracting. You, give and take, ebb and flow, ying and yang. Well today was one of those days – Day 41 .
I like cookbooks and recipes. Thing is, I don’t like to cook using cookbooks. For some reason, I tend to do my cooking off of recipes that the ladies on my website post. I like to think that they’re more tried and true than a random recipe. Yet, I can’t seem to stop myself from buying cookbooks or cooking magazines. I recently signed up for both, Cooks Illustrated and Cooking Light (neither have started up yet). You see, I’m one of those rare breeds that sits down and reads a cookbook.
Today though, today I just have the overwhelming urge to pick up two of the special edition Best of Cooking Light magazine. And you better believe the first thing I did when I got home was sit down and read them both, cover to cover. I have to say though, they did have some very yummy sounding recipes in there that I’m fairly certain I’ll be making as I have decided that we need to eat at home more often.
In defense of my impulse shopping and how it all relates to my 100 Day Challenge and journey, I also picked up Abraham Hicks’ Law of Attraction. It was on my Christmas list this year, but I didn’t get it. So seeing it at Costco, I just had to have it, especially considering I finished their last book about a month ago now. Funny thing about Costco, they had The Secret DVD as well. Who knew? They always say that the teacher will come when the student is ready so good for Oprah and Costco for providing the message to new students.
And speaking of The Secret, I should be getting my copy of Rhonda Byrne’s book. My local bookstores were out of it and Amazon was on a month or so wait, so I picked it up from an independent bookseller on Amazon. Funny thing, it was every where I turned around in Austin – okay, three places, but you get the idea. A little aside here, did you know that Esther Hicks and Abraham were in the original Secret movie? If you haven’t checked out their teachings, I suggest you do. Good stuff and in small digestible chunks (just the way I prefer my spiritual brain food). 😉
Effortless Perfection
As a means to get back my focus on life, I’ve started to actively get back on Weight Watchers. It’s not like I ever really went off, I just got sick and got busy, and well, just got lazy. I went back to my old eating habits and shunned the exercise. Tomorrow will be my first weigh in in about a month. Judging from the way my clothes have been fitting, I’m not expecting good news.
But, since I’m on the one in charge of my life, I’m the one that can decide to hold my head up high and get back on track. So far I’ve been successfully tracking what I’m eating (even if I’m not always making the best choices…damn that Chipotle!) and today I made sure to get in a good workout.
I honestly don’t know why I don’t embrace the whole workout thing more. Whenever I’ve finished my workout and I sit down to log my activity (and munch my apple) I always feel so good. You’d think that alone would be enough to spur me on – not counting how it helps to lose the inches. Hopefully, by writing just that, I’ll remember to use it as my motivation on those days when I just.don’t.fell.like.it (or so it would seem).
I also decided to give meditation another try. I was honestly looking for my food & exercise mediation CD to work on a little subtle reprograming, but I can’t seem to find it. Instead, I pulled out my Getting Into the Gap by Wayne Dyer. And again, I forgot how much I enjoy the whole meditation experience. My favorite part has to be the actual floating experience you feel when you are between the gap. Such a fascinating feeling. And like Dr. Dyer says, it’s basically just effortless perfection.