Books with Feeling

As most everyone who has met me knows, I love my books. My family just helped me move and of the trailer load, 5 boxes were dedicated just to my books. These were not little boxes mind you. Having said that, I am always on the look out for more books. I don't really have a preference other than it needs to be fiction or really REALLY interesting nonfiction. My cousin, who was in 8th grade at the time, told me about a trilogy that she read in school. She couldn't stop gushing about how good it was so like any self-respecting bibliophile I picked up the first book.

The first book is called 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins.
Have you read a book and immediately wanted to read it again for the first time? Or have you ever finished a book and wanted to make all your friends read it so you could discuss it with them? This book was both of those.

It took me a while to actually find time to read a book, let alone this book, but I managed to set aside some time during my lunch break Tuesday. I started reading. Next thing I know, my lunch is cold and my calendar is chiming that I have to prepare for lab. I was stunned. It was riveting. You immediately get sucked into Katniss's life. Needless to say it was a LONG three hours in lab. I was mad at myself for starting it at lunch time. Should have known not to start a book with a set time limit, silly me. Well, as soon as I walked in the door that evening, I picked up the book and finished it. This book was awesome. The emotion Suzanne Collins evokes is amazing. I'm almost positive my heart rate sped up when they were in the arena and I cried at other parts. Its probably one of the best books I have read in a while. I have made myself not buy the other two books. Work must come first. However, the weekend approaches and I have time to kill.

I just hope they do the book justice in the movie.

What books have touched you lately?

Oh...

And since I have a job with a computer again, I will try to post more often. I am trying to journal with daily readings...but I hate to write. We'll see how this goes...

Church choice #1

Sunday Morning

8:30 – Ok what do I wear? I don’t know if this church is more traditional (aka a dress) or contemporary (jeans). Better go with a skirt. It’s a nice in between compromise

9:30 – Church service starts at 10:45. I have time, what’s on TV?

9:31 – I hate politics

9:35 – Wow PBS is showing an episode of Signing Time, must text Jess

10:35 – Probably should leave and make sure I’m there on time.

10:41 – There are a lot of old people here…I mean elderly people

10:45 – I love singing. Yeah it’s a praise song! Hmm, why aren’t those people standing?? O_O Its an orchestra…in a church…wow!

10:50ish (hey I not checking my clock…I’m in church) – I know this song too!!

10:51ish – O_o This is the slow version of this song

10:55ish – Fellowship…there are a lot of elderly people here.

11:00ish – That man reading the scripture passage looks familiar…note to self ask parents if Don Baker is someone we know

11:12ish – WOW, the choir special was amazing. So far so good.

11:50ish – Ok, a message was presented…I don’t know what to think about that…

11:55 (alright I finally looked at my clock) – A man comes up to me and gives me a really nice compliment about my singing.

12:00 – Back to my place.

I don’t know. I went to a church and worshiped but I felt disconnected. I know it takes time to become a part of any given church family, but I just hope God points me in the right place. I did find out I went to the “old people” service. How was I to know? All they have posted on the website and sign outside is times not the places for each service. I’m going to try another church this Sunday so I will try to post my comments here about that one as well. And don’t get me wrong, I liked this service. I just don’t know, something wasn’t fitting together. More prayer and time will tell me where I need to be. I just hope I have my listening ears on when He does reveal the answer.

addiction

According to the merriam-webster dictionary the definition of addiction is the following: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal ; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

With that being said, I think I am on my way to having an addiction. I definitely have a compulsive need for it. The fact that it is habit-forming is a fact, but I (as of today) haven't found any symptoms upon withdrawal. That might be because I don't think I have ever went through withdrawal but that is besides the point. But, probably the main reason I don't think I have an addiction is, well, because my 'addiction' isn't harmful. Well at least not yet.

I bet you all are wondering what my 'addiction' is, hmm? Well its books.

Now most of you are probably thinking that's not an addiction that's a hobby. Well when does a hobby become an addiction, and why am I not classifying it as an obsession? Well simply put an obsession is compelling motivation or persistent disturbing preoccupation with someone or thing. Books are not disturbing, at least they aren't to the majority of people.

I guess the real reason why I am calling it an addiction is because someone recently has called me a drug dealer or more aptly put a drug pusher and drugs usually are something you are addicted to. Now please wait to hear the explanation before jumping to conclusions.

I have in my possession a lot of books. I have to plastic containers full of them and then multiple dresser drawers and three shelves on a bookcase worth of books. (and this is just the ones in the house) A friend who we will call C, was talking to me one day about how she needed to get some new books because she just kept on rereading the ones she had. (The series she kept rereading was the twilight books and the host) I being the person that I am, came in the next day with a bag full of books. This was a few months ago. She has since started 5 or 6 more series. I have demands for 2 more series she wants to read and a couple 'singles' that I am gonna give to see if she likes the author. The is not the first time I have gotten someone hooked on a particular series or author. A fellow group member got addicted to Janet Evanovich when I made her read the first Stephanie Plum book. I have friends and siblings that are nothing but enablers that I exchange books or authors with. I got my aunt addicted to some different authors, who then has pushed some of the better books on to my uncle. I have even corrupted my own mother and am trying to get her to read some of the newer books. So all of this and probably some that I just can't think of at this moment has me lovingly called a drug dealer. T, another member of my group just laughs and shakes her head whenever C comes in and demands her next fix. Heck, C called me the other day and asked if I could bring the next set of four books in the Charlaine Harris series because she had just finished the fourth and needed to know what happens next.

So maybe you can call books a drug and myself a drug pusher...I just noticed that if you tweak the wording of the above paragraph, it does sound bad. However, I wouldn't say I am at a harmful stage yet. I do budget books in to my finances. Every paycheck I have a certain amount that I set aside for books. This amount changes depending on how many books are being released in that month that I want. And yes, I have a list that tells me when the books I want are going to be released. For you information June is a huge month with 2-3 books being released every week that I want. I might have to give up July's budgeted money to June. Who knows? The main point is, I have this under control. I haven't started giving up food for books. (well I have spent the whole day in bed reading before...on a couple of occasions, but that is beside the point) Its not to the harmful stage yet, which is why I am not qualifying it as an addiction yet.

But com'on, really, its not a bad addiction to have.
I don't know about you but I like my addiction.
I mean if you could be addicted to anything in the world what would it be?
And I would like to know, do you think I have addiction or just a healthy habit?

stumble upon

I just discovered the most marvelous thing.  Its called stumble upon.  If you don't know what I am talking about, google the term, click on a page of interest and then use the little task bar that appears on the top of your page.  I have spent more time than I should using this little thing.  Its great!!  I just had to share one website.  (*just for anyones information, I don't condone this, but think it is pretty art)

Another funny

Okie, I found another one, that I just had to share.

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana.

6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.

7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'.

9. Sing Along At The Opera.

10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

11. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'

13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity

14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

A funny to get you through the day

I realized that I needed a pick-me-up and thought I would share what I found. These are cute sayings that I just had to laugh at. Some are soooo true!


1 . My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he
was God and I didn't.

2. I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

3. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
(agree)

4. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke. (I never had a handle
on life...)

5. Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

6. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.(They are called undergrads...and don't be jealous)

7. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

8. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.

9. I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.

10. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

11. NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck- is-the-room- spinning
medicine.

12. God must love stupid people; He made so many.

13. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

14. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps. (Amen, preach on!!)

15. Ever stop to think, and forget to start again? (Frequently)

16. Being 'over the hill' is much better than being under it!

17. Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

18. Procrastinate Now!

19. I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts; Do You Want Fries With That? (A friend gave me this one)

20. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

21. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

22. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

23. They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

24 . He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless DEAD. (Sad but true kiddies)

25. A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand
times the memory.

26 . Ham and eggs...A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment
for a pig. (I seem to recall a vball quote about this one, but I could be wrong)

27. The trouble with life is there's no background music. (I just hum my own)

28. The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.

29. I smile because I don't know what the heck is going on.

That was a good one to end on right? Just fake it, but remember to smile!