A bit of a slump...

So... I've been in a bit of a creative slump lately.

Life has been busy...

baseball, school, amazing vacation (more on that later)

But, I HATE the "life has been busy" excuse more than anything.

EVERYONE has a busy life!

Everyone makes priorities to accomplish what they need

or want to accomplish.

Anyway... I was shopping in the Costco book section for ideas.

I am a kindle reader so I don't buy "books" anymore.

I came upon a few little gems written by Patti Digh and was

mostly intrigued by the darling covers.

I usually don't read self-help because I am

so whacked that I wouldn't know where to start!

I made an exception and WOW! I am glad I did!

AMAZING!

This is a fabulous read!

There are several exercises to do while reading each chapter.

A writing assignment, an action assignment, and something to think about for the next 37 days.

I have done a few of these assignments.

Loved them!

I am excited to start her second book...

Creative is a verb: If you're alive, You're creative!

I can't wait to read it...

I have been thinking about SPARK.

There is going to be a blogging panel.

I really believe that blogging is a way to be creative.

I need to blog more...

actually prioritize a time to blog.

I think it will help me get my creative groove on.

Summer is almost here...

School is almost out...

I am ready for the next 37 days!

Books!

Every January 1 try to make a silly little personal goal...

not necessarily a resolution, but something I can try to do for the year.

In 2009 I did a project 365.

I took a picture every day of the year and journaled about my day.

It was a pain... but I actually did it!

In January 2010 I decided I was going to try to read 52 books...or a book a week.

I am a reader, so this wasn't really moving Heaven and Earth to get it done...

just a little more effort and counting had to be done.

I did it!

Actually, I read 54 books.

A total of 21,221 pages.

This is something that is just little, and quite silly.

But I accomplished it!

My favorite book you ask?

Well... I read a lot of books and found some real gems!

But, Without a doubt... my favorite book of the year would have to be

GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell.

I had never read the book and only seen parts of the movie.

It was an amazing book and an okay movie.

I loved the characters!

If I were crazy enough to have another baby and it was a girl... Scarlett would be her name.

Rhett? What a man's man! Loved him too!

I especially loved the whole Southern Cultural Experience.

The history was amazing!

This is one book that everyone should read in their lifetime!

I logged all the books I read on Goodreads and have my 2010 book shelf on my sidebar.

I don't know if I will read as many books this year... it's not my 2011 goal.

I will still read quite a bit, but I'm just not worried about a number.

Do you like to read... What is the best book you read in 2010 ( or ever...)?

Do Share!

I want to be a Twenties Girl...

Yeah! I just finished it... Sophie Kinsella's newest novel

Twenties Girl

I love, love, love Sophie Kinsella... author of the FABULOUS Confessions of a Shopaholic series.
If you are a Sophie fan then you are in for a treat! Twenties Girl is true to form... a delightful heroine, a wacky love twist, and a wild British adventure. This time there is a crazy flapper- girl ghost named, Sadie. This is the cutest book ever! It is a light read... won't solve the problems of the world, but will make you forget about your problems and loads of laundry for a minute or two GO get it... enjoy the read! You will be so glad you did!
(p.s.- It is 400+ pages and I read it in a day...oops...sorry responsibilities)

HANGOVER!

I am hung over!

I stayed up reading last night and now I am hungover!

When I was little this picture was in my grandma's house and I think it seriously affected me!

I go through phases in my life when I just can't seem to put books down.

I am in one right now...

I finished a hard read on Tuesday night, read most of another book yesterday... and then started another one about 9:00 and read until 2:00 am.

Why can't I get on a laundry binge... or an exercise binge... or something that is going to help the status of my house and butt?

I know I sound like such a slug to say that I think reading is my favorite sport- I am not a real athletic kind of girl.

I love the book To Kill A Mockingbird, and I totally relate to the statement Scout makes about reading... She couldn't remember not knowing how to read, it was like breathing.

I learned to read the month before I turned 4... I had a funny old great aunt that was a reading teacher at a middle school and she LOVED to teach kids to read.

I was a total NERD in Kindergarten, because I took the Children's Friend to read at recess.

I taught English for 10 years and loved it... nothing better than being constantly enrolled in a literature class!

But... don't think for a minute that I am a classics reader OR a self-help reader... NO WAY. I don't really like science fiction either. I am not quite a Harlequin Romance reader, but give me some stupid Chick Lit and I am all over it. Historical Lit is by far my favorite... remember I am a history nerd too!

Is this something that I could say is a disease and blame for my messy house and full hampers?

Do you think the Relief Society would come in and help me deal with the problems associated with my disease... ( ya know, clean my house while I read)

Today I am going to do 4 batches of laundry and whip through my house before I pick up the book I started last night... well maybe 2 batches of laundry!

Is there anyone else that is a book worm? If so, what have you read.
( I am almost out of books)

Fabulous Fall...

There is nothing better than sitting out in the cooling afternoon reading a book and early Fall is the perfect time to get some reading in before the craziness of the holidays. I have listed a few of my favorite reads... things I have recently read ( #3- I've read twice)
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a great read. It is a book that hooked me early and I couldn't put down. A great read. I listened to it on CD and it was AMAZING! The person that read it was great and the plot is really great! LOVE THIS BOOK!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- LOVED THIS BOOK. It is about a little girl in Nazi Germany that uses books to make sense of the world around her. She steals books as mementos of her life. The strange thing about this book is that "Death" is the narrator- it took me a minute or two to figure this out...but it is a heartbreakingly great book!

This is my favorite book! It isn't a deep read...not something that is going to help you solve the world's mysteries or problems- but a great way to spend a fall afternoon! Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella is the first book in a whole series about the hysterical life of Becky Bloomwood. This is a little bit of British humor that will just crack you up. I am sad that I have already read the entire series...for I would love to be just meeting Becky for the first time. This is laugh out loud goodness!

I hope you really do sit down, enjoy the cooling weather, and open a good book!

Have a great weekend!