This entire month, it seems like everything has just been a little off. If I think it is Tuesday, it is Thursday. If I think its Thursday, well, it is only Wednesday, dear. Its like I'm an old time safe cracker with my ear up to the wall of the safe, listening desperately to hear a tumbler fall in to place. Lots of tumblers did not fall in to place.
Christmas cards sent- nope.
Christmas in a box created and sent to close family members- nope.
Mele Kalikimakas made and sent- nope.
Mele Kalikimakas made for the store and family- nope.
Alas, with tomorrow being New Year's Eve, it is almost over. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a horrible holiday season. We had a fantastic Christmas, as defined by Hoot having a fantastic day, complete with a hippopotamus from Santa. But, when we get this close to a new year, I get impatient for it.
A new year is like a blank piece of paper. A cosmic do over. Oh, the plans and goals and the planning of the goals. In fact, I have my first goal as planning the year and putting up a goal board before January 15th. I gave myself a little extra time because I banged my bum ankle again the other day. While I have three days off in a row (can I get an amen!) this week, I really need to stay off my feet and keep the ankle elevated.
I also intend to spend some really decent Hoot time. Today, we played cars on my bed for two hours, built blocks in his floor for another two hours, and watched Herbie Rides Again. Hoot is really turning into a Herbie fan. He only discovered old 53 when I left the TV on one morning about a week before Christmas. Herbie Fully Loaded had just come on and Hoot had gone into the living room in search of a Hot Wheels car. When he didn't come back, I went to investigate. I fell in love with my son falling in love with Herbie. Yesterday, we watched The Love Bug. Oh, how I wish I had the other Herbie movies. And, you know the best thing about it? Hoot has no idea that in the top 10 things to buy when I win the lotto is an exactly restored Herbie. Yep. Apple, tree.
Christmas at the bookstore:
Hi, my girlfriend sent me in to the get the new vampire book.
Do you know which vampire book?
No, I just know it's the newest one, only in hardcover.
Is it Eclipse or Breaking Dawn?
I don't know.
Okay, let's try this: when your vampires walk out into the sun, do they sparkle or burn?
Burn.
Are they Black Dagger Warrior vampires?
Don't think so.
Are they Southern Vampires?
YES!
Here you go.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Some Christmas Book thoughts... Part Two with interruptions!
I've been trying really hard to get back and post the other half of my Christmas gift thoughts from the book selling trenches. Really. I promise. I just haven't had a day off in a while, and well, it's December. Thursday and Friday of this week will make up two of the three days off I have between now and Christmas. If pity helps at all...
Seriously, I do have a few more recommends.
For your mystery/thriller lover- Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell. Yeah, I know, but hear me out, you know I'll be honest. First of all, I don't really read Patricia Cornwell. I've done a few of her books on audio, and it was entertaining. But, my booksellers are RAVING about Scarpetta. Yeah, they are Cornwell fans and they read everything she writes, but they have been a little disillusioned with the last few books. However, all of them agree that this is the book they have been waiting years for her to write. If you've never tried her, or if you have strayed away from the series, give this one a try. My booksellers are guaranteeing that you will not be disappointed!
Movie trailer sales push- I don't know anyone who has been far enough under a rock to have missed Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, but the movie trailer seems to be finding them. You can watch it here. You know I always want to sell books, but seriously, who doesn't already own, or know someone who already owns this book?
For NEW international and historical trills, Katherine Neville's follow up to The Eight is in stores now! It's called The Fire and I have a dedicated, signed first edition just calling my name. (Yes, somebody loves me!) But, here's a little secret: I almost hate to start it. I've waited so long for this book. It's like a very beautiful cake. You know it's gonna be so good your eyes will roll back into your head, but once you cut it and take that first bite... well, you are on the big fat road to OVER. I'm saving this game for after the holidays.
There are tons of others, and when Christmas is over, there will be a wave of self improvement books just in time for New Years. I promise to do a post on what I call the Fat, Broke, and Disorganized season. There are several good looking titles headed this way.
And now for something completely different.
On the home front:
IT SNOWED! Yes, real snow. From the sky and everything! The boy was beside himself. At first, we got a dusting overnight. Hoot woke me up going on and on about it. He wanted to sled. He wanted to build a snowman. He wanted to make snowballs. When I pointed out that there was not enough snow to do any of these things, he said, "It looks bigger on TV."
Then, this afternoon, it really began to snow. Ab Fab, baby! Sadly, I was at work. But, I called and woke Dad up from his nap and made him take the boy outside. They got a few pics, but this is my favorite.
And this little snowman of love, left on my car outside of the bookstore, really made my night. I was so worried he'd fall off before I could get home to my camera, but he made it! The little guy just latched right on to my sunroof and hung on for dear life!
Since I have the camera out, here's one of Hoot and Luna that we took right after Thanksgiving. (Hoots chin is not dirty, it is a bruise left over from getting tangled up in dog leashes and falling on my mom's coffee table.)
Overheard at the bookstore:
19 or 20 year old girl on her cell phone: But Mom, its snowing. How am I going to get home?
Seriously, I do have a few more recommends.
For your mystery/thriller lover- Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell. Yeah, I know, but hear me out, you know I'll be honest. First of all, I don't really read Patricia Cornwell. I've done a few of her books on audio, and it was entertaining. But, my booksellers are RAVING about Scarpetta. Yeah, they are Cornwell fans and they read everything she writes, but they have been a little disillusioned with the last few books. However, all of them agree that this is the book they have been waiting years for her to write. If you've never tried her, or if you have strayed away from the series, give this one a try. My booksellers are guaranteeing that you will not be disappointed!
Movie trailer sales push- I don't know anyone who has been far enough under a rock to have missed Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, but the movie trailer seems to be finding them. You can watch it here. You know I always want to sell books, but seriously, who doesn't already own, or know someone who already owns this book?
For NEW international and historical trills, Katherine Neville's follow up to The Eight is in stores now! It's called The Fire and I have a dedicated, signed first edition just calling my name. (Yes, somebody loves me!) But, here's a little secret: I almost hate to start it. I've waited so long for this book. It's like a very beautiful cake. You know it's gonna be so good your eyes will roll back into your head, but once you cut it and take that first bite... well, you are on the big fat road to OVER. I'm saving this game for after the holidays.
There are tons of others, and when Christmas is over, there will be a wave of self improvement books just in time for New Years. I promise to do a post on what I call the Fat, Broke, and Disorganized season. There are several good looking titles headed this way.
And now for something completely different.
On the home front:
IT SNOWED! Yes, real snow. From the sky and everything! The boy was beside himself. At first, we got a dusting overnight. Hoot woke me up going on and on about it. He wanted to sled. He wanted to build a snowman. He wanted to make snowballs. When I pointed out that there was not enough snow to do any of these things, he said, "It looks bigger on TV."
Then, this afternoon, it really began to snow. Ab Fab, baby! Sadly, I was at work. But, I called and woke Dad up from his nap and made him take the boy outside. They got a few pics, but this is my favorite.
And this little snowman of love, left on my car outside of the bookstore, really made my night. I was so worried he'd fall off before I could get home to my camera, but he made it! The little guy just latched right on to my sunroof and hung on for dear life!
Since I have the camera out, here's one of Hoot and Luna that we took right after Thanksgiving. (Hoots chin is not dirty, it is a bruise left over from getting tangled up in dog leashes and falling on my mom's coffee table.)
Overheard at the bookstore:
19 or 20 year old girl on her cell phone: But Mom, its snowing. How am I going to get home?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Some Christmas book thoughts.... Part One
In the last two days, I've managed a rough draft of a December budget and a potential last minute December budget buster. Here's the score:
1 suddenly continual running kitchen faucet
+1 four year old boy
+1 eleven month old dog
+3 mismatched wrenches
+1 dead flashlight
+1 semi working duct taped flashlight
+2 aching shoulders
+1 trip to Lowes
+6 hours of continual interruptions
+4 rounds of "how can that still be dripping!"
= day of plans shot to heck
Yet, VICTORY IS MINE! Honestly, I had to win. It is December, Christmas cometh, and I've already paid the plumber enough money this year. Yeah, that whole gas line thing. So, I may have stopped to help wipe the boys bottom, walk the dog, and track down tools that disappeared miraculously into the trunk of a Cozy Coupe, but I did get it done!
Then, tonight, I was going to blog about my budget, but I decided to reward my victory with writing about that which I love... books. So, I've made myself a heaping big mug of cocoa, and waited patiently for all of the rest of Team Stone to commence snoring.
My favorite new Christmas book this year seemed to take me by surprise. I plucked it off the cart in receiving in late September or early October and fell in love with it. It is a picture book by Carol Heyer entitled Humphrey's First Christmas. The link is to the author's website and it will give you a peek at the incredible illustrations. The story is as endearing and beautiful as the art. Who is Humphrey? Well, lets just say the wise men didn't walk... and it gets cold at night when you don't have a blanket.
My favorite book to give to book lovers would have to be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I did a blog about it months ago. You can read it here. I still hand sell it every chance I get.
Newest book I've been waiting for, but haven't put my paws on yet: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. She has fictionalized parts of her life in to books before, but this is the first time she's calling it a memoir. It is based on her one woman show and I'm itching to get to it. OK, confession time, I just added the link from the Simon and Schuster website, and I couldn't help myself. I clicked the "read an excerpt" link. Been gone awhile. Went back to check my spelling of excerpt. Was gone another little bit. Sorry. Didn't mean to leave you hangin'!
I've pawed up quite a few others this season. I picked up Glenn Beck's The Christmas Sweater. I had read several reviews. I gave it a good try. Even though it is based on a true story, it was a little too Lifetime movie for my tastes. I'm kind of over Marley and Me by John Grogan. I guess it was all the movie hype. Sometimes I can stomach it, sometimes I can't. With this one, I can't. However, I am so excited to have a real blockbuster series, I've been calling it my Big Fat Teenage Vampire Christmas! Rock on Twilight!
Here's another bit of brutal honesty. I spent so much time reading parts of Wishful Drinking that I am now up way too late to finish my thoughts! So, I guess I'll make this part one!
1 suddenly continual running kitchen faucet
+1 four year old boy
+1 eleven month old dog
+3 mismatched wrenches
+1 dead flashlight
+1 semi working duct taped flashlight
+2 aching shoulders
+1 trip to Lowes
+6 hours of continual interruptions
+4 rounds of "how can that still be dripping!"
= day of plans shot to heck
Yet, VICTORY IS MINE! Honestly, I had to win. It is December, Christmas cometh, and I've already paid the plumber enough money this year. Yeah, that whole gas line thing. So, I may have stopped to help wipe the boys bottom, walk the dog, and track down tools that disappeared miraculously into the trunk of a Cozy Coupe, but I did get it done!
Then, tonight, I was going to blog about my budget, but I decided to reward my victory with writing about that which I love... books. So, I've made myself a heaping big mug of cocoa, and waited patiently for all of the rest of Team Stone to commence snoring.
My favorite new Christmas book this year seemed to take me by surprise. I plucked it off the cart in receiving in late September or early October and fell in love with it. It is a picture book by Carol Heyer entitled Humphrey's First Christmas. The link is to the author's website and it will give you a peek at the incredible illustrations. The story is as endearing and beautiful as the art. Who is Humphrey? Well, lets just say the wise men didn't walk... and it gets cold at night when you don't have a blanket.
My favorite book to give to book lovers would have to be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I did a blog about it months ago. You can read it here. I still hand sell it every chance I get.
Newest book I've been waiting for, but haven't put my paws on yet: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. She has fictionalized parts of her life in to books before, but this is the first time she's calling it a memoir. It is based on her one woman show and I'm itching to get to it. OK, confession time, I just added the link from the Simon and Schuster website, and I couldn't help myself. I clicked the "read an excerpt" link. Been gone awhile. Went back to check my spelling of excerpt. Was gone another little bit. Sorry. Didn't mean to leave you hangin'!
I've pawed up quite a few others this season. I picked up Glenn Beck's The Christmas Sweater. I had read several reviews. I gave it a good try. Even though it is based on a true story, it was a little too Lifetime movie for my tastes. I'm kind of over Marley and Me by John Grogan. I guess it was all the movie hype. Sometimes I can stomach it, sometimes I can't. With this one, I can't. However, I am so excited to have a real blockbuster series, I've been calling it my Big Fat Teenage Vampire Christmas! Rock on Twilight!
Here's another bit of brutal honesty. I spent so much time reading parts of Wishful Drinking that I am now up way too late to finish my thoughts! So, I guess I'll make this part one!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The December without a plan
Since it just passed midnight here, I am wondering how it got to be December 3rd, and I still don't have a plan for Christmas. I have no budget worked out for December, no set date for my shopping trip with my mom, no hidden presents, and no idea what I'm getting anyone at all for the holidays, not even Hoot.
Crap.
Seriously, I'm in big trouble here. I do have a plan to get a plan. That's going to happen over the next 48 hours, while I'm off, but here's the big kicker. I have exactly five days off from work between now and Santa time. Yep. And the first one started ticking away about 45 minutes ago.
So, the first step is going to be to do the budget for the month, and meal plans for the month. I'll get with my mom to schedule our trip, and that will give me the leg I'm gonna need to stand on for the rest of the month. I didn't have a set budget or meal plan for November, and well, you see what that got me! Well, you didn't see, because you couldn't read the blog that wasn't there. Without the budget and the plan, I get pure chaos, and it has been running amok here for far too long.
The next step will be to utilize the budget to figure out what gifts I need to get and where I need to get them from. I'm lost with Hoot because all he wants is Mickey Motor Racing Speedway. Yep. Asks for it at least five times a day. Oh, and a hippopotamus. (Don't really know where he got this, I only introduced the song after he started asking....) The live hippo probably gets better reviews than the Mickey Motors, if I found a place that reviewed hippos. Poor Mickey, his race track is just overpriced junk.
I was considering a Leapster, or Leappad, or Leaping anything. But, again I am lost. I just don't really know the differences between the systems, but a learning game of some sort would make me most happy. I guess, again, it will all come down to budget. So for now, it's back to square one!
Overheard in the bookstore:
Have you ever heard of some book about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire?
Crap.
Seriously, I'm in big trouble here. I do have a plan to get a plan. That's going to happen over the next 48 hours, while I'm off, but here's the big kicker. I have exactly five days off from work between now and Santa time. Yep. And the first one started ticking away about 45 minutes ago.
So, the first step is going to be to do the budget for the month, and meal plans for the month. I'll get with my mom to schedule our trip, and that will give me the leg I'm gonna need to stand on for the rest of the month. I didn't have a set budget or meal plan for November, and well, you see what that got me! Well, you didn't see, because you couldn't read the blog that wasn't there. Without the budget and the plan, I get pure chaos, and it has been running amok here for far too long.
The next step will be to utilize the budget to figure out what gifts I need to get and where I need to get them from. I'm lost with Hoot because all he wants is Mickey Motor Racing Speedway. Yep. Asks for it at least five times a day. Oh, and a hippopotamus. (Don't really know where he got this, I only introduced the song after he started asking....) The live hippo probably gets better reviews than the Mickey Motors, if I found a place that reviewed hippos. Poor Mickey, his race track is just overpriced junk.
I was considering a Leapster, or Leappad, or Leaping anything. But, again I am lost. I just don't really know the differences between the systems, but a learning game of some sort would make me most happy. I guess, again, it will all come down to budget. So for now, it's back to square one!
Overheard in the bookstore:
Have you ever heard of some book about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire?
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