Writers Workshop: February 12, 2009

Greetings, Kittens!

It's Thursday and time for another installment of Writers Workshop, courtesy of Mama Kat.

This week's prompt:

What was the first CD (or record or cassette) you ever purchased? Write about the way that particular album made you feel then. Write about how it makes you feel now.

The first cassette I ever purchased was Debbie Gibson's first album, Out of the Blue. I think it was back in 1987, but I do remember that I was fifth grade, and I was with my BFF Beth at the time I bought it. (Come to think of it, it WAS 1987. But I digress).

I bought it at Ames. Ames is a Connecticut-based department store--if you could call it that--that no longer exists. The merchandise at Ames was wicked cheap, and the quality was wicked horrible. Still, to a fifth grader with little to no money, Ames was good for buying cheap stuff.

The cassettes were among the cheap stuff we got at Ames.

The first time we listened to the tape, we listened to it on Beth's pink--or was it blue?--boom box. We were in her bedroom. I was introducing her to Ms. Gibson's tunes. "Only in My Dreams" was out for a while, and "Shake Your Love" was playing on the radio too. I loved both songs. Beth, at first, wasn't too crazy about it, and I, thinking that I was such a connoisseur of good music, thought she was nuts.

Then "Foolish Beat" came out, and that changed everything, not just for Beth, but for many of my female fifth grade classmates. A bunch of us bought the tape and sang her songs, and watched her videos on MTV, back when MTV was Music Television, merci beaucoup. I have memories of me and my girlfriends at a middle school dance in sixth grade, dancing to "Red Hot."

And I was a charter member of her fan club!

I never saw her in concert; Mama and Papa Cat didn't have the money to go to concerts; nor did any of us have the brilliant idea to actually go to a Debbie Gibson concert.

Then the Electric Youth album came out, and we all got it at Ames. I liked it better than the first album. I thought the songs were better, and more...well, for lack of a better word, "emo." She wrote a lot about love and heartbreak on that album, and as a lovestruck middle schooler, that spoke to me.

By the time her third album came out, I think it was Anything is Possible, I had moved on to other artists. I still kept my cassettes, but by that time CDs were starting to be sold. When I got to high school I never admitted that I was a Debbie Gibson fan. I did not want to be ostricized for my musical tastes.

College came and went, and I had a few good friends who liked some of Debbie's songs, but not necessarily her. Too goody-goody, they said. So I kept myself a closeted Debbie Gibson fan.

Years pass, and one day, I found all of my old mix tapes. Lo and behold, I found Out of the Blue and Electric Youth.

I put 'em in the tape player (I still have one in my stereo), and took a trip in the Wayback Machine.

Suddenly, I found myself back in Beth's bedroom, listening to "Out of the Blue" come out of her boom box. I was back in the middle school gym, dancing to "Red Hot". I was back at the Jersey Shore, listening to "Electric Youth" on the beach.

I'm surprised I didn't wear either of those tapes out. They were still in good condition.

Then iTunes came out and I put Deb on the ol' iPod shuffle.

As an adult, I'm no longer embarrassed to admit I'm a Debbie Gibson fan. Most people will correct me and say she goes by "Deborah" now, but to me, she'll always be Debbie. Her music will always bring back the good times I had as a carefree preteen, before I became your stereotypical emo adolescent girl.

But that's another post for another time.

Meanwhile, enjoy this:

"Street Gang" follow-up

Two weeks ago, I reviewed the book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. It generated a lot of buzz in the comments section, and for that, I thank you all! I'm glad y'all had interest in it.

I wanted to follow-up on this review. First of all, Michael Davis, the author, has a website devoted to the book: streetgangthebook.com. Click here if you wanna take a look at it. It includes a bonus chapter that's only available online; it's all about the origins of Gordon, as well as the actors who portrayed him.

Also, CNN.com posted an awesome review of Street Gang. Click here if you wanna read it.

This has been a busy week in the life o' Kitten, and I haven't had much time for reading (yet plentiful time for blogging--go fig!) I'll post a book review soon; the one I'm reading right now is going by pretty quickly!

TTFN! Ta-ta for now!

In need of some dream interpretation...

Kittens, I need some advice.

Lately I've been having some really weird dreams...not necessarily bad ones, and no nightmares that have led me to suddenly awaken, gasping for air. But these dreams are strange, nonetheless, and many of them have recurring themes. Allow me to explain:

1. I often dream about bridges.
The bridges are very long, and a lot of times I have trouble crossing them. Oftentimes they're really steep suspension bridges that cross choppy waters. These bridges also have steel plates on the roads as opposed to pavements. If any of you live in Connecticut and remember the old Sikorsky Bridge that linked the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Sometimes I cross the bridge successfully, sometimes I don't. Most of the time I just keep driving...and driving...and driving.

2. I dream about driving through the mountains--big, tall, snow-capped mountains--where clean creeks and rivers gently roll by. There's nobody there but a few signs of wildlife.
This scene occurs often in my dreams. When I drive by I think to myself, "Oh my God! This is such an awesome place! I have to drive back here again!" And when the time comes for me to drive back again, I can never find it.

3. I dream about road trips...always the start, but rarely the finish.
I'm starting to get a little worried here...

4. I dream about a shuttle--a very dingy subway-type train--that only goes from my town to the town across the river.
The shuttle, if you can call it that, looks like a beat-up Metro North train that only has two cars. It's really gross inside, and only makes one trip--a trip from Middletown, where I live, across the river to Portland, which is right across the river. The trip originates and ends in really nasty neighborhoods. Last night I dreamt that it went to Hartford--first time I've ever dreamt that. Or was it New York? I can't remember.

Now what happens, Kittens, when all four of these recurring themes occur in the same dream? That's what happened last night. I also dreamt about a family that used to live next door to mine when I was growing up. I know why I had that dream; I had listened to Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" on my iPod last night after I had completed Jenners' meme, and "Glory Days" reminded me of that family.

In the summer of 1993, I took a weeklong summer nanny job for the family next door. My family and theirs were extremely close. I went to the Jersey Shore with them, Ocean City, to be exact, and "Glory Days" was the first song that came on the radio as we crossed the drawbridge into Ocean City proper.

The Boss and the Jersey Shore. Does life get any better?

Anyhoo, it was an eerie moment, and it was a time in my life I'll always hold dear. I think of them from time to time, particularly Christmas, when Mama and Papa Cat receive the annual photo Christmas card from their four kids. I personally don't have any contact with this family, but they talk to my parents often.

They moved from Connecticut to Las Vegas five or six years ago, and I haven't seen them since.

And last night, I dreamt that I went to Vegas to visit them.

I had a lovely time.

And I woke up, and found myself missing them more than I ever had.

The kids are grown now, for the most part. The oldest one's getting married in May. I never thought I'd see the day when one of the kids I used to babysit for would be old enough to marry. (I can't imagine what my reaction would be if she had a kid!)

So those are my dreams. If you have any thoughts or comments or suggestions, please let me know. Now that I've put my dreams in the blogosphere I'm kinda worried about myself!

The iPod Shuffle Meme: courtesy of Jenners

Jenners posted this meme in response to "Make Your Own Meme Monday", hosted by The Secret Life of a Tattooed Minivan Mom.


Here are the rules, taken directly from Jenners' blog:

• Using the shuffle feature on your iPod (or other MP3 player), write down the first 5 or 10 songs that play.
• Justify, defend or explain why those songs are on your iPod.
• Tag someone else to complete the meme.
• Include these rules--and the phrase "The iPod Shuffle Meme was created by Jenners at Life with A Little One and More -- the greatest blog on the Planet Earth and perhaps the Universe" when you post your meme answers. ***

Before I start, let me just say that I have a verrrrrry wide range of musical tastes. (If you've seen any of my iPod playlists, you're already aware of that). I love Bruce Springsteen, but I also love Broadway. I love Amy Grant, and I love ABBA too. And you may also find a few surprises that may make you go, "Why'd she choose that?"

For me, music can evoke a memory in a way that no smell, photograph, or story can. One tune can take me back to the exact place I was where I heard that song. I hope you enjoy my stories.

And awaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy we go!!!

1. "It's My Life," No Doubt: I just love the chorus to this song. It came out at a time when I was experiencing a huge period of self-confidence: I had just bought my first condo, I was up for tenure in my job, and I just felt like I was rockin' the world. I love the beat to this song, too; it reminds me of the 80s, the decade when I started coming of age. I especially love how No Doubt took this song--which was originally done in the 80s, but I don't remember who the original artist was--and totally made it into their own.

2. "Montage: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," Original Broadway Cast of A Chorus Line: I told you there'd be Broadway on this meme! I discovered the soundtrack of A Chorus Line when I was a freshman in college. I borrowed the CD from a girl who lived on my floor, dubbed it onto a tape (this was pre iPod, Kittens), and listened to it over and over again. This was what started my love of Broadway musicals. I love the lyrics; they're so campy, but describe adolescence so well.

3. "No More Rhyme," Debbie Gibson: I was a huge--I mean, huge--Debbie Gibson fan when I was in middle school. I was a charter member of her fan club! Electric Youth was one of my favorite tapes. I played it on my pink walkman till it almost wore out. This just brings back memories of middle school--only the good ones, thank God! Even as an adult, I still like this music! I don't think "Ewww, bubblegum" like I do with so many teenybopper artists of today. To her credit, Debbie did write and produce her own music!

4. "Tell Me On a Sunday," Bernadette Peters: A girl who was in Glee Club with me sang this song during her last Pops Concert her senior year. It helped contribute to my love of Broadway, and was what helped me discover Andrew Lloyd Webber. When Bernadette sings this song, you can really hear the pain in her voice as she sings about a lover who is giving her grief. A lovely performance by a lovely lady. P.S. This is the song that officially introduced me to Bernadette Peters as a Broadway performer; I had previously known her through her acting. (Pink Cadillac, anyone?)

5. "Poor Wayfaring Stranger," Kristin Chenowith: I adore Kristin Chenowith. She was absolutely amazing in Wicked. She released an album of inspirational songs a few years back, and this was one of the tracks on it. This is such a powerful song, and I love the way that Kristin sings it. There are no high sopranos in it, as is her signature, but in this case, less is definitely more. This is an excellent arrangement; it is one of my favorite tracks in my iTunes library.

6. "Hawaiiannette," Annette Funicello: This is one of those tracks that's making you go, "Huh?" When I was a kid, when the Disney Channel used to run decent programming, the original version of the Mickey Mouse Club aired before school, and I used to watch it while I got ready for school. Annette became my favorite; she was a fellow Italian girl with curly hair, how could I not dislike her? So when I found this on iTunes several months back, I downloaded it. Yeah, I know this probably could be classified as "bubblegum", but you know what--I DON'T CARE! Bubblegum of the 1960s and 1980s is far superior to 21st century bubblegum!!

7. "The Boy in the Bubble," Paul Simon: This is a track off of the Graceland album. I don't remember hearing this song on the radio as much as I remember the video for it. It was one of the first computer-animated videos, if I recall. I just remember hearing this when Graceland came out, back when I was in 5th grade, and feeling all important because it seemed like such a serious song. It is a powerful song, and with Paul Simon, you really can't go wrong. (Which reminds me, did I ever download "You Can Call Me Al?")

8. "Voulez-Vous," ABBA: Ha! Told you there'd be ABBA here! I didn't learn about ABBA till I was in college and I first heard their music. One of my friends freshman year had the "ABBA Gold" CD and loaned it to me. I then dubbed it onto tape, and my musical tastes haven't been the same since. Now if you think I grew up never listening to music, you're wrong. I listened to whatever was on the radio either in my parents' car or when I was getting ready for school. It wasn't till college when I discovered a lot of the classic acts that I now adore, such as ABBA.

9. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," the Righteous Brothers: How could you not like this song? This played on WDRC all the time when I was growing up. Mama Cat and Sister Kitten loved listening to this station. Me, not so much when I was younger, but I like to listen to it now. At my last middle school dance, when I was in 8th grade, this song played, and I remember my history teacher and her husband slow dancing to this song. My friends and I just kept staring at them going, "I can't believe they're dancing like that--at a middle school dance!"

10. "Welcome Back," John Sebastian: I loved watching Welcome Back, Kotter as a kid. It was one of my favorite TV shows, and it's one of the all-time great TV themes. I kept thinking of this song when I first started teaching. Whenever I stepped into my classroom that first year, there were times that I couldn't believe that I was standing in front of the room as opposed to sitting in one of those little desks. There was a Welcome Back, Kotter marathon on TV Land when I got cable in my first apartment, two weeks after I moved in. I took it as a sign.

Well, that's my iPod meme! Jenners, thanks for such a clever meme! I liked it so much, I have decided to add a bonus track:

11. "One," Original Broadway Cast of A Chorus Line: This popped up on the shuffle just as I was concluding this meme. I felt it was appropriate to end with this; see #2 for why. After all, it's the finale to the musical, as well as this meme!

Kitten's first original meme

The very funny blog The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom is sponsoring a "Make Your Own Meme Monday." I love memes, and I thought, how could I not participate?

I don't know how original this one is; I would not be surprised if Crazy Sam wrote something like this, or if Judd stole it one Sunday. But here we go...play along if you'd like...

THE FIRST CAR MEME

1. What was your first car?

My first car was a 1994 Ford Tempo. White. Four doors. My friends christened it "The Cop Car."

2. How did you acquire said car?

It was a 21st birthday present from my parents.

3. Were you involved in choosing the car?

No, but I was pretty damn grateful that I had a vehicle.

4. Did you go on any road trips?

I drove out to Cleveland with a friend of mine for another friend's graduation party. We split the driving. On the way out we drove five hours, bunked at a Travelodge, then drove the rest of the way the next day. On the way back we drove all 10 hours the same day, with pit stops for meals.

5. Did you ever get into an accident in the car?

No accidents, although the fuel pump went after I had it for a month.

6. Did you use the car for any--ahem--"romantic activities"?

Uhhh...no. I drove a Tempo, remember? We all know that Ford Tempos were real guy magnets. :P

7. How many miles were you able to put on the car before its demise?

I had 120,000 miles on it, or thereabouts. And then it started falling apart on me. First it wouldn't start, and then the tranny started going...that's when I got the car I have today.

8. How did the car meet its demise?

See #7.

9. Do you miss your first car?

Yes, because it was my first car. No, because it gave me a lot of problems toward the end.

10. Fondest memories of the car?

Just having the feeling of independence that comes with having your first vehicle. I'd roll the windows down in the summer, turn the radio all the way up, and sing along. I'd take the long way home just so I could drive a little while longer. Add a few friends in the back, singing along with you, and you've got some good times.

***UPDATED TO ADD: If you would like to use this meme, make sure you link your post back to this one! Thanks!***

Video posts now fixed

Let me know if there are any problems! Nighty-nite Kittens!

More post mix-ups...

I've received some comments that the Brian Williams Sesame Street videos aren't able to play due to embedding restrictions. Well...just went on YouTube and learned that the embedding's disabled. I wrote the posts directly off YouTube's site, thinking I could avoid that problem, but...oh well.

I'll fix the links sometime this week. But not tonight. I'm pooped! I just got back from a Grammys party. I left early because it's a school night, and what am I doing? Blogging! I can't fall asleep just yet...

Anyhoo, I will let you know when I've fixed everything up...

And that reminds me...I promised y'all a post about why I adore Brian Williams. That will come soon; I've already got a long list of posts I have to write for you.

But now, it's time for bed.

Goodnight, Kittens!

Sorry about the post mix-up, Kittens...

If you follow me, you would have seen you had a ton of Brian Williams posts in your Google reader, and half of those were deleted, then replaced. I messed up the sequencing as I posted, so I had to delete and repost.

Sorry about the confusion, Kittens. I mean, it's not like I'm in love with Brian Williams...or his baby blues...or his purple ties...<3 <3 <3...

Which reminds me, I promised a post about the esteemed anchor of the Nightly News...

Brian Williams on Sesame Street, Part Five

Final part, with link to YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLbQb21RStY

Brian Williams on Sesame Street, Part Four

Updated with link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditiORdPKY0

Brian Williams on Sesame Street, Part Three

Now with link update:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ovTUHGses

Brian Williams on Sesame Street, Part Two

Now with updated link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqerSBKuxFI

Brian Williams on Sesame Street, Part One

Here's the link to the first part of the Brian Williams series. This is an update from a post I wrote earlier. Let me know if you're able to see the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCRCG7gCJXs

Clip of the Week, Part Two: Anderson Cooper Reports for GNN

Here's an updated link to the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmuvPr0BlxE

It's nice to know that some of our most famous television journalists don't take themselves too seriously. Witness this Anderson Cooper appearance on Sesame Street a year ago.

I wonder how many kids learned the definition of gastroenteritis from this clip.

Clip of the Week, Part One: Gitmo's World

There's been a lot of talk about Sesame Street around here lately. Here's a parody of one of the show's most popular segments, courtesy of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.

I wonder if Jon Stewart's been on Sesame Street?

Part Two coming up. I have to do a YouTube search.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Gitmo's World - Death to America

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Sunday Stealing: February 8, 2009

Time for another round of Sunday Stealing, Kittens!

1. What is your occupation right now?
I'm a teacher.

2. What color are your socks right now?
My feet are naked.

3. What are you listening to right now?
The cars driving by my condo.

4. Last person you spoke to on the phone.
Mama Cat

5. How old are you today?
I'm 32 years old.

6. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
It's a toss-up among gymnastics, college basketball, and ice hockey.

7. What is your favorite drink?
Alcoholic: wine; non-alcoholic: iced tea

8. Have you ever dyed your hair?
I dyed it all the time in my early 20s.

9. Favorite food?
Any cheese-filled pasta.

10. What is the last movie you watched?
I honestly don't know! I'm not a big movie watching person.

11. Favorite day of the year?
March 20: first day of spring.

12. How do you vent anger?
I internalize and let my anger brew for a long time...and when the volcano erupts, watch out! I rant and rave and rave and rant!

13. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Barbie dolls.

14. Living arrangements?
I live in a two-bedroom condo with my two furbabies, Maggie and Gabby.

15. What was the last thing that you cried about?
Getting over-stressed.

16. Who is the friend you have had the longest?
My friend Kara from kindergarten.

17. What did you do last night?
Blogged, graded papers, listened to the Grand Ole Opry, then fell asleep on the couch between 10:30 and 11 PM watching D.L. Hughley Breaks the News.

18. What are you most afraid of?
Unemployment and living below the poverty line.

19. In how many areas of your country have you lived?
I've been stuck in the northeast my whole life. My first four years were spent in Westchester County, New York, then we made the move to Connecticut on my fourth birthday.

20. What is your favorite flower?
It's a toss-up between gardenias and sunflowers.

Jenners interviews Kitten

My bloggy friend Jenners recently posted an interview meme on her blog. Anyone who wanted to participate had to leave an interview request in the comments section. Part of the fun of this meme is that the interviewer E-mails you five questions, which you have to answer and post in your blog.

I thought it would be fun to participate, so here it is!

1. What book do you remember fondly from childhood? Why was it important to you?

Well, like most of my memories, I tend to remember things in threes (probably because I was born on the third day of the third month). There are three books from my childhood that stand out: Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. These were the first chapter books I ever read. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Werner, read it to my class. She always read books in such a calm, loving way; she never gave the characters funny voices, but let us use our imaginations as to how the characters would sound. She'd stop at various places and ask us questions about the story.

Mrs. Werner encouraged us to get our own copies of the books she read so we could follow along. Sometimes, she'd stop reading and let one of us read aloud. We always fought over that.

Mrs. Werner is the one of the reasons why I'm such an avid reader today. She helped me develop a passion for reading, and always had such wonderful books on her shelves.

2. What do you think are the five most beautiful words in the English language? (you can pick from meaning or from pure sound or both).

This is a tough one! I can easily pick out my favorite words in either French or Spanish, but I take my native tongue for granted! Let's see...

• serendipity: I like the sound and its definition. They're both romantic.
• cacophony: I like the sound and definition. It's a neat-sounding word that describes something that doesn't sound neat at all!
• gardenia: It's one of my favorite flowers.
• paradise: I love this word because it means so many things to so many different people. Paradise can range anywhere, or be anything, from a tropical island, to a room full of books, to being in a field of sunflowers in Tuscany.
• sunflower: Another one of my favorite flowers! I love this word because it describes exactly what a sunflower is.

3. What author/s do you particularly enjoy reading? Why?

I love Bill Bryson. He has such a great sense of humor, and I love the way he tells stories. He's got so many interesting tales to tell about his travels.

Lucy Maud Montgomery has been a favorite since I was a child. She wrote such wonderful, beautiful stories about what it was like to be a child. She really understood how kids acted and conveyed it well on the written page. She also wrote in a way that made you feel as if you were a part of the community, as if you were catching up on the latest bit of gossip.

And of course, Anne of Green Gables and the entire Anne series remain some of my favorite books to this very day.

Laura Ingalls Wilder is an author I knew about as a kid, but I didn't get to fully appreciate her books until two summers ago, when I bought all of the Little House books at a used book store. I devoured each and every one. They are very sweet, tender books.

I also love Barbara Kingsolver. I got hooked on her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and very quickly purchased most of her novels right after I finished. The Poisonwood Bible is on my Chunkster Challenge list. I can't wait to read it!

4. What was one of the weirdest dreams you ever had?

The weirdest dreams I've ever had have usually been under the influence of some illness or medication, or a combination of both. The one that really stands out occurred in 1996, shortly after I began my semester abroad in Paris. I came down with a cold and had to go to the pharmacy to buy medication. I went back to the apartment, took the medicine, and went to bed. I fell asleep very quickly, and slept very deeply for three hours.

I don't remember all of the details of my dream, but I do remember that it involved Carol Burnett, Kermit the Frog, and a lot of psychedelic colors and funky music. I do blame it on the medication! There must be a few ingredients in European meds that are different than their American counterparts.

By the way, when I woke up, my cold was gone.

5. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging shortly after the school year ended in June of 2007. I had originally started this blog to post all of my book reviews, since that summer, I was reading a lot more than I had in previous summers of my adult life. I wrote five posts in 2007. Later that summer, a personal and financial crisis began in my life, and I stepped away from blogging for a while.

In May of 2008, I joined a book club, and decided to revive my efforts. I started blogging about books again, but as I kept writing, I realized I had a lot more to say. I drifted away from the books for a while as I discovered my voice, and as I tried to find some direction for my blog.

I discovered memes last December and started participating in those. As a result, I started to get a following. I also discovered a lot more blogs that I otherwise would never have found. I also started paying attention to the "Blogs of Note" to see what else was out there. Through this feature, I found the blog Reading Adventures, and through that, I found J.Kaye's blog.

J.Kaye's blog had a lot of reading challenges, and I decided to sign up for them, since I wandered so far from my blog's original focus.

Now I feel as if I've got a good balance between book reviews and personal stuff. I enjoy working on the blog; writing has become a great form of therapy, and I've met a lot of great people whom I would not have met otherwise. I love to write as much as I love to read.

*******************

And now that this interview is finished, it's YOUR turn! I'd like the opportunity to interview some of you!!! Here are the directions, copied from Jenners' blog:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Thanks for this opportunity, Jenners! I hope you guys get a chance to play along!

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York, by Paul Gallico

This is the second installment of the Mrs. 'Arris series. If you would like to read my review of the first installment, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, click here.

The story opens in the London flat that belongs to Mrs. 'Arris. She is having tea with her best friend and fellow charwoman, Mrs. Violet Butterfield. They are enjoying their beverages when they hear loud cries and wails at the Gussets' flat next door. The Gussets took in a seven year old boy named Henry Brown, shortly after the lad was abandoned by his mother. They abuse the boy, physically and emotionally.

Both Mrs. 'Arris and Mrs. Butterfield know that the mother abandoned Henry shortly after she remarried. Henry's father is a GI in the American Air Force, who, as far as Mrs. 'Arris knows, is still in America, having moved there shortly after Henry was born. (Henry's mom did not want to make the trip across the pond).

Mrs. 'Arris and Mrs. Butterfield are horrified of Henry's living conditions and the treatment that the Gussets bestow on him. Mrs. 'Arris wishes fervently that there was some way that she could bring Henry to America with her, track his father down, and reunite the duo. She believes that Henry's father is noble, respectable, and responsible, and will be delighted to be reunited with his son. After all, Mrs. 'Arris reasoned, he was a member of the Air Force!

Alas, Mrs. 'Arris knows down deep that she won't be able to save so much money in order to go on a trip to America and back.

But fate intervenes. The Schneiders, Joel and Henrietta, are Americans living in London. Joel works for a motion picture company, and Mrs. 'Arris is their char. Joel gets promoted to the company's presidency, and needs to move back to America. Henrietta is uncomfortable with the idea of having brand new servants in her new apartment on Park Avenue in New York, so she offers Mrs. 'Arris a job as her New York housekeeper. Mrs. 'Arris agrees, but only if Mrs. Butterfield is hired as the Schneiders' cook. Mrs. Schneider hires both women, and so our journey begins.

When Mrs. 'Arris accepts the job, she decides to come up with a plan to get Henry out of the Gussets' house. She decides to kidnap him and sneak him on the ship to America. Mrs. Butterfield is against the idea, and is so nervous that something is going to go wrong. Henry does sneak on the ship, but does so in a way that would be impossible to accomplish in this day and age. (Keep in mind that this novel was published in 1960. There are various references to President Eisenhower throughout the book).

Problems start to arise shortly before they come to America. Henry was able to get on the ship successfully, but how will he be able to get past American immigration? You will find out when you read this book; all I will say is that it's a fanciful, and unlikely way that he got across the border, but it's an idea that only Mrs. 'Arris could create.

Once in America, Mrs. 'Arris gets settled, then starts on her search for George Brown, Henry's father. She meets many George Browns. Wait until you come to the moment when she learns the identity of the George Brown in question. You can almost predict it.

This sequel dealt with a lot more serious matters than its predecessor: kidnapping, family, the differences between fantasy and reality, just to name a few. It's still a very sweet, touching book. As far-fetched as some of the plot elements are, you'll still find yourself rooting for the characters to pull through.

***This is the latest installment in my 100+ Reading Challenge, My 2nds Challenge, and my Support Your Local Library Challenge. Click on the buttons in the sidebars for reviews of the other books I've read in my challenges!***

Kitten's 2009 Dewey Decimal Challenge

Just when I thought I couldn't sign up for more reading challenges...I find this one over at A Striped Armchair:The rules are simple: You read one book from each of the Dewey Decimal categories by October 31st. So that's ten books.

I have always loved nonfiction, so this is not a problem for me to complete. And, as a bonus, without realizing it, I've already got the 700 category done!

Here are the categories of the Dewey Decimal System, as well as my list, updated as of April 14, 2009:

000: Generalities:

• A Year of Reading, by Elisabeth Ellington & Jane Freimiller, Ph.D. (Dewey decimal no. 011.73)
• 1001 Books for Every Mood, by Hallie Ephron, Ph.D. (Dewey decimal no. 011.73)
• Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books, by Maureen Corrigan (Dewey decimal no. 028.9)
• The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World, by A.J. Jacobs (Dewey decimal no. 031)

100: Philosophy and psychology:

• Note to Self: 30 Women on Hardship, Heartbreak and Overcoming It All: Edited and With An Introduction by Andrea Buchanan (Dewey decimal no. 158.12)

200: Religion

• When in Doubt, Sing: Prayer in Daily Life, by Jane Redmont (Dewey decimal no. 248.3)

300: Social sciences:

• The Middle Place, by Kelly Corrigan (Dewey decimal no. 362.1969)
• Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Dewey decimal no. 371.822)

400: Languages:

• The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, by Bill Bryson (Dewey decimal no. 420.9)

500: Natural sciences and math

600: Technology

• Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell (Dewey decimal no. 650.1)

700: The arts:

• Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, by Michael Davis (Dewey decimal no. 791.4372)

800: Literature

900: Geography and history:

• The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, by Barack Obama (Dewey decimal no. 973.0496)

Click on the button in the sidebar for all of the latest updates!

I can haz an award! Thanks Vickie!

Here's an award that was just bestowed upon me by my lovely new bloggy friend Vickie, whom I met over at Yaya's. Merci beaucoup, ma cherie!

I will bestow this award on more fellow bloggers, but I can no longer ignore the rumbly in my tummy. Where's breakfast?

Paranoid Monster Syndrome and other random shiznit

Good morning Kittens,

First of all, thanks to everyone who left warm comments here on the blog after my "Writer's Workshop" post the other day. I needed to rant, and I didn't realize how much until I really got into writing. It was a long week at work, and I had a lot mulling about. Since I've started reading steadily again, I've been staying up till midnight or slightly later just to finish one more chapter. I've paid a price in my sleep habits. Today I slept till 8:30, and I feel MUCH better.

I also was experiencing some wicked bad PMS. Now to some of you that may come off as an excuse, but for me, it's NO excuse. Two days before and the first day of my period, I become a totally different person. I turn into someone I don't like, someone who acts like a volcano who's about to erupt. This is no joke. I start to sweat the small stuff, I snap at anyone who rubs me the wrong way, and I let little details bother me. A lot. I say things that I will regret saying much later.

I regret saying a lot of what I did in the Writer's Workshop post, but not enough to delete it. After all, I was being honest with myself, and the factors listed above made me engage in a huge bout of self-pity.

Physically I don't feel too hot, either. I feel like I've got two sandbags on my chest, and I get really painful cramps. To the men who read this: If you're rolling your eyes over my description, trust me, this is mild and discreet. It could be a lot worse.

Today, I'm feeling better, both physically and emotionally. I got to sleep in, something I love to do. I went bowling last night (I bowled a 97! Yay me!), then I went scrapbooking. I didn't get many layouts done because I forgot my photo splits, but I did a lot of cropping. It turns out I wasn't alone; one of my girlfriends brought her old middle school yearbook from the 1989-1990 school year, and we spent much of the night laughing and reminicing over bad 80s fashion, our adolescence, and our teachers.

This is going to be a busy weekend for me, so you may not hear from me much. I've got a lot of papers to grade, am having lunch with a friend today, and I'm attending a Grammys party tomorrow night. But I've got another book review to write, an interview with Jenners that I need to post, and various other posts I've promised to write for readers who have asked questions about various things. Those will come, but if not within the next week, then the week of the 15th, when I am off on February vacation.

So that's today's installment of Life With Kitten. Now I've got to go scrounge up some breakfast. Happy Saturday, Kittens!

Saturday 9: Time Has Come Today

It's all about time this week on the Saturday 9!!!

1. What time of day do you usually play Saturday 9?
It depends. Usually a little past midnight on Saturday, after I've returned home from my Friday night debauchery. ;)

2. At 9AM on a weekday, what are you doing?
Teaching kids. I'm at work!

3. At 9PM on any given night, what would you most like to be doing?
Either I watch The Rachel Maddow Show, get ready for bed, or am in bed, sleeping (as was the case last night).

4. What is your most frequent activity online?
It would be a tie between blogging and Facebooking.

5. Is there one day of the week that seems to fly by? If yes, why?
Saturday! It's the one day I have completely to myself, where I can sleep in and go about my day at my own pace. I rarely schedule anything for a Saturday unless I want to do anything. If I want to be a lazy schmuck all day, I can.

6. Do you agree that the older you get, the faster time seems to go by?
Absolutely! I can't believe it's already February.

7. What is your favorite thing to do with free time?
I love to read, obviously, but I also love to scrapbook, cross stitch, and exercise. I also love spending time with friends and family.

8. How much time do you spend alone? Would you like it to be more? Less?
I'm single, so I spend a lot of time alone! I'm OK with it for the most part. There are days when I wouldn't mind having someone in my life, but with 11 friends having gone through either divorces or breakups in the past two years, it gives me pause.

9. If you could spend one hour doing something what would it be?
SLEEP. I love naps!

Friday Fill-Ins: February 6, 2009

1. Please don't tell mom the babysitter's dead (reference to an old movie starring Christina Applegate.

2. Can you leave me alone and not talk to me first thing in the morning?

3. The color Pepto Bismal pink makes me want to puke!

4. I have a craving for an extra-large Diet Coke.

5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it during my childhood, when my grandparents were alive, and I still had my innocence, and I didn't have to worry about anything.

6. Eyes are the windows of the soul. Corny and cliched, but true.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to scrapbooking with the gals, tomorrow my plans include lunch with a few friends and Sunday, I want to go to my friend Brian's Grammys party!

Writer's Workshop: 10 Things on My Mind This Week

My bloggy pal Jenners introduced me to MamaKat's blog and her neat Writer's Workshop posts. For each Writer's Workshop, we're given a choice of prompts, and here is the prompt that I chose for this week:

Write a list of ten things on your mind this week.

1. I am sick of politics. I never thought I'd say this, but I could just vomit at all the bitter bipartisanship that's going on in Washington. It's become an "everyone's out for himself" show now, and it seems like there are quite a few politicians who don't care about the future of this country right now. That having been said, I can't resist going onto CNN.com several times a day. It's a hard habit to break.

2. I need to save some money, more than I have been saving. I've made tremendous progress financially over the past year and I'm really proud of myself for that. However, I just learned that my car needs new rear struts, and that's not a cheap bill. It seems like every time I make headway, there's always a setback. I'm trying not to get discouraged.

3. I need a haircut. I haven't had a haircut since Election Day, and it's getting to be time for a trim. I always know when it's time for a trim when I wear a ponytail to work at least twice a week. I haven't been for two reasons: one, laziness, and two, lack of funds.

4. I've got a lot of grading to complete. This is how I'm spending my weekend--grading quizzes and projects.

5. I feel like I have no leadership skills, either in my job or my extracurricular conquests. I want to lead a committee or a project, or even a church service, but don't know where to start. I don't have a personality that's assertive enough to get people to get on a bandwagon.

6. Lately I've been feeling a lot of guilt. I have a job, where millions of others don't. I have good friends and a supportive family. I should be happy. But I still feel a lot of guilt.

7. Lately I've been feeling way too selfish. I should be doing a volunteer project or advising a club or something like that, because everything I've been doing lately has been purely for myself. I've been working out, eating healthy, and reading a lot. But I feel like something's missing.

8. I feel like this blog has lacked a lot of substance. I like posting my book reviews and all, as well as my day to day stuff, but when I compare it to what other bloggers are writing about, I feel like I've got a shriveled-up, wasted corner of the blogosphere sometimes. There are those who blog about causes, and those who blog about serious issues going on in their lives, and I feel like my place is just a little piece of fluff. At least that's how I feel right now. But I keep up with this because it's a huge release for me, creatively and emotionally. (I hope I don't lose a lot of followers because I just wrote that!)

9. I'm really looking forward to vacation the week after next. I'm housesitting for a good friend of mine. I'm looking forward to starting my first chunkster, The Pillars of the Earth.

10. I really need to have a five-year plan. I feel like I've become stagnant and lazy in my career and my life. I need to examine: Where do I want to be in five years? All I know is that I'm not sure I want to stay in Connecticut. I'm ready for a change...but I don't want anything too drastic, too soon.

I guess I've had a lot more on my mind than I thought! This was not an easy post to write, and I was on the verge of tears for a lot of it. I hope the weekend brings some perspective, like last weekend did for me.

Thursday Thunk: February 5, 2009

Welcome to another edition of Thursday Thunks, Kittens!

1. What is one of your favorite blogs to read? Why is it your favorite?
I love all the blogs I read, but Yaya Stuff is so compelling, so honest, and so real. Yaya doesn't pull any punches about her struggle with infertility, and she writes as if she's talking directly to you. I really, really, hope that she and her husband become parents soon. They would make an awesome mom and dad.

Not only that, but Yaya is a very loving person and always leaves comment love where she goes. She was one of my first followers, and through her blog, I've discovered other blogs that have become faves.

2. Have you ever been hunting?
No. I can't stand to see to see an animal die.

3. Do you live near any active volcanos?
Uhhh...I live in Connecticut. Does that answer your question?

4. If VH1 came out with a new reality show called Celebrity Anger Management, who would you most like to see on the show?
Christian Bale immediately pops to mind...and Gary Coleman...and Gary Busey...

5. Would you drink horse's milk if offered?
I'll stick to cow and soy milk, thank you very much.

6. Do you buy pickles? If so, what do you do with the juice after all the pickles are gone?
I don't like pickles. Do you think I would buy pickles if I did not like them?

7. Do you have a myspace or Facebook account?
I have one under my real name, not my blog pseudonym.

8. Facial hair on men, yea or nay?
Depends on the guy. Some men look really good with it, others should stay clean shaven. For example, President Obama and a beard? Nay. (Come to think of it, how many of our 21st century congressmen have facial hair?)

9. Do you know anyone personally who is stockpiling stuff for WWIII or a date they think will be the end of the world (i.e. 12/2012)?
No.

10. Have you downloaded Skype and use it?
No. I have no one to use it with.

11. Have you ever been stuck by cacti?
Yes. I was stuck by an aloe plant with sharp spikes. I recently learned that aloe is a form of cactus.

12. Do you still have packed boxes from your last move you have yet to unpack? If so, how long have they been there?
I have been in my condo for almost six years. I would hope that I've unpacked everything!

13. Ever have a toxic friend you had to break ties with to save your sanity?
Oh God, yeah...several...quite a few, actually. There were a group of girls that I was friends with during my first three years of college, and when we were seniors, things fell apart. We tried to reconnect after graduation, but it wasn't meant to be.

An afternoon rendez-vous a la poste

I hate the post office.

I have nothing against the United States Postal Service, but the post office where I live is just plain awful. I will avoid going there unless I absolutely have to.

Today was one of those absolutely have to days.

After work I drove in the cramped parking lot to find all of the spaces taken. You have to drive down a small hill to get into the lot, and if you wait for someone to back out to get a space (which happens a lot), then you're risking getting rear-ended because people tend to coast down that hill.

So I found a parking space after someone takes his/her sweet time backing out. I pull in. The clock on the dash says 4:17.

I enter. I walked over to the counter to address my large envelope. I was mailing my W-2 forms to Papa Cat, who then would forward them to his accountant in White Plains, who has been doing all of our taxes for the past 30-something years. Mama and Papa Cat may live two-plus hours away from White Plains now, but they respect this guy so much that they still have him do their taxes. (Why I can't mail my W-2s directly to the accountant, no comprendo porque.)

So I addressed the envelope, inserted its contents, sealed it, and assumed my place in line. There were four people in line when I arrive, and as is wont to happen whenever I make a trip to la poste, the line quadruples in length whenever I get on. There's always some elderly person arguing with the employee over God knows what, and that holds up the line tremendously. Today, there was a woman who didn't speak English, only Spanish, and her daughter was there, translating for her. That transaction took a while.

Fortunately the line was fully staffed. I can't say that always happens; usually there's only one person handling the post-work crowd.

As I get closer to getting my services taken care of, a young couple knocks on the door that led to the room where people have their passport photos taken. They keep knocking, and knocking, and knocking.

It was 4:35. The sign hanging on the door of the passport office clearly states that it closes at 4:30.

You mean you couldn't read the damn sign?!?!

It's moments like those where I seriously question Darwin's theory of evolution.

So I finally get to the counter. The employee weighs my envelope and charges me $1.17. I know I could have used stamps for this, but because I do almost everything online now, I rarely need them. If I do need to purchase stamps, I either go to the A and Piss Off or to CVS. It saves me time, and I get to avoid the monstrosity that I was experiencing.

I gave the guy a five. He then informed me that he didn't have any singles. So we waited for his supervisor to finish with his transaction with another customer.

And waited.

And waited.

Finally, he asked me if I wanted my change in quarters. This would have been a perfect option if I had to use a laundromat, but I have my own washer/dryer, merci beaucoup.

But I really wanted to get outta there.

I took the quarters.

I got back in the car and started the engine.

4:44.

Nearly half an hour to get a task done that really should have taken five minutes or less.

The one time I didn't wait in line at the post office was the day I mailed my Christmas cards last year. The entire city was digging out of a snowstorm that occurred the day before, so no one was out. It took me twenty minutes to actually get there, and less than five minutes to get my cards stamped and mailed.

Then again, when you total the amount of time it took me to run that particular errand, it was the same amount of time that I normally would spend at the post office on a regular day.

Go figure.

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, by Paul Gallico

I found this, and its three sequels, in the January book reviews section over at J.Kaye's. I recognized the title of the first book, for it was a made for TV movie starring Angela Lansbury. I love Angela Lansbury, and I loved the movie when I first saw it back in high school (and haven't seen it since, since there's no DVD).

This book was published in 1958, and a lot of the language used is very much 1950s England. Some of the customs I did not fully understand, such as the reference to the football lottery. However, as the novel progressed, I was able to overlook details such as this.

Ada Harris is a widow who makes her living as a charwoman, or as Gallico puts it, a "char." She cleans the flats in a wealthy section of London known as Belgravia. She lives very modestly, in a basement flat. Her best friend, Violet Butterfield, lives next door and is a fellow char.

Mrs. 'Arris (Gallico is very good at spelling out the Cockney accents) is cleaning the flat of the Lady Gant one morning when she starts to tidy up her wardrobe. She opens it up, and sets her eyes on the most exquisite creation she's ever seen: a red Christian Dior dress. She is so enchanted by the beauty of the dress that she resolves, that day, to own a Dior gown of her very own.

And so begins the period of scrimping, saving, and sacrificing. Mrs. 'Arris goes without her fresh cut flowers, she goes without her weekly pub visits, and even goes without her tea. (Well, she does keep some, but not as much as in the past). After nearly three years, she has enough money to buy her Dior gown.

So Mrs. 'Arris goes to Paris, thinking that the House of Dior is another department store like Marks and Spencer, or, in our country, Macy's. When her taxi cab drops her off at the famed style center, Mrs. 'Arris is a little bewildered. Where are all the racks of dresses?

At first, the employees of Dior don't know what to do with this London char who is not the typical figure to come and purchase a Dior dress. But as Ada 'Arris spends more time in Paris, they start to grow fond of her.

The relationships that Mrs. 'Arris forms with the employees is such an important part of the book, a part that transcends the original storyline. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris is about much more than the simple act of buying a couture gown. The determination of a poor London charwoman to buy something so luxurious, something that she never thought she'd possess, is really touching. But I was more moved by the compassion that the Dior employees showed this woman. This was human nature at its best.

All in all, it's a very charming book, a very quick read, but one that will stay with you for a long time afterward.

**This is the latest entry in my 100+ Reading Challenge, my 1st in a Series Challenge, and my Support Your Local Library Challenge. Get a look at my lists of books by clicking on the buttons in the sidebar!**

And now...haiku time...with exclusive extras!

Tiffany over at Poetry and Hums hosts a weekly haiku prompt. Since I've recently been hit by the haiku bug, I thought I'd become a regular participant.

This week, the prompt is about butterflies. Here is my attempt:

"La mariposa"
Is Spanish for butterfly.
Es muy bonita.

I like haiku because it's quick and easy to create.

My bloggy friend Jenners over at Life With a Little One and More recently wrote a post on something called "found poems" and posted some examples of her own "found poems". According to poets.org, a found poem takes "take existing texts and refashion them, reorder them, and present them as poems. The literary equivalent of a collage, found poetry is often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, or even other poems." Read more about found poems here.

Jenners wrote her found poems based on random words she looked up in the dictionary. I decided to try this exercise, opened up my tres old Webster's American College Dictionary, and found this:

parquet: n., v.: N: 1. a floor composed of short strips or blocks of wood forming a pattern, sometimes with inlays of other woods or other materials. 2. the front part of the main floor of a theater, opera house, etc., between the musicians' area and the parterre or, esp. in the U.S., the entire main-floor space for spectators. VT: 3. to construct (a floor) of parquetry.

Okaaaaaaayyyyyyyy...my first found poem is all about flooring! Whoo!

Here we go...it's my first attempt and not very good. I'm going to need practice!

From high above courtside,
I watch the men in green and white
Skip over the criss-cross pattern of the wooden floor.

But is it all really genuine blocks of wood,
Or are there other substances forming its short strips?

Yeah...I know it sucked. I need practice.

More attempts to come. They're not all gonna be good...but then again, even the best authors have received criticism for their works!

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, by Michael Davis

I found this book at Borders the night I bought New Moon. Since I only had enough cash to buy the paperback, I wrote down the title, went to my library's website, and immediately put the book on reserve.

I got it the other day; it was such a new book that it was a 14-day loan. Still, when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it.

I grew up during the Golden Age of Sesame Street. I loved the show so much, my childhood teddy bear is named Radar, after Big Bird's. I had a little Ernie doll that went everywhere with me, including Sister Kitten's baptism (I was three at the time). I also had Bert and Ernie finger puppets, as well as a plastic, full-size Bert puppet.

I loved the human actors as much as the Muppets. I grew up with Bob, Gordon, Susan, Maria, Luis, David, Olivia, and Buffy. My 3rd grade class got to see Bob perform live at the Bushnell. It was a sold-out performance, and the way all of those grade-schoolers acted, you would think that Springsteen was there. (BTW, yesterday's halftime show? AWESOME!)

Anyhoo, with that spot of childhood nostalgia in my heart, I picked up the book late Saturday night. When the author says that it's a complete history, he really means it. Years of research went into this book; Michael Davis not only poured over various magazine articles, he studied an extensive oral history of the Children's Television Workshop (CTW). He conducted many detailed interviews with many of the actors who have starred on Sesame Street through the years, and they were all very happy to give the project their blessing.

More importantly, Street Gang received the blessing of who many consider to be the mother of not only Sesame Street, but children's educational television as we know it today: Joan Ganz Cooney, co-founder of CTW.

The first few chapters provide not only a fascinating history of Sesame Street's origins, but also a very interesting tome about the fledgling first years of public television. So much was involved: government funding, endowments, private donations, and research, just to name a few of the factors that went into even getting a pilot approved for the program. The parts about PBS, funding, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are a little dry, but are absolutely essential in understanding how revolutionary an idea Sesame Street was back in the mid-1960s, when Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, who worked with the Carnegie Corporation, came up with the following question at a dinner party:

"Could television be used to teach?"

From there, Davis tells the story of how the Sesame crew came together, and the way it did was almost serendipitous. A few original producers once worked for Captain Kangaroo, and as I read their recollections of working with Bob Keeshan, the Captain himself, another part of my childhood died. I won't reveal too many details, but let's just say that Keeshan was not the easiest man to work with (as was another childhood icon, Buffalo Bob Smith, who also merits some recollections in this tome).

This book is very thorough in dissecting Sesame Street's history up until the 1990s, when various other children's programs started to air. (Barney? Blue's Clues? Dora the Explorer, anyone?) Davis almost glosses over the tumultuous period that CTW faced once counterprogramming to Sesame Street became popular. Still, at 379 pages, and with 40 years of history, this period may best be explored in another volume.

At various times this book brought a smile to my face, as Davis wrote about the events leading up to the episode where Luis and Maria were married. Yet there were also times when I found myself biting my lip. I remember, very clearly, the episode when Big Bird learns about Mr. Hooper's death. I was seven years old, and sobbed throughout the whole show. It aired on Thanksgiving day, and I also cried at various points during the turkey dinner.

Davis devotes a lot of this book, and rightfully so, to Jim Henson's role in the production of Sesame Street. I got the most emotional during the chapters that recalled Henson's death and subsequent funeral.

This was a very, very interesting book, and one that was written in very thorough, caring detail. Davis makes it very clear that everyone who ever worked on Sesame Street was passionate about the show and its role in educating children. I was left with a much greater appreciation about the hard work, research and development that goes into this show. I didn't realize as a kid that I was learning the ABCs, or even another language. I just viewed this show, as well as The Magic Garden, as a time to be among my favorite playmates.

And to me, Big Bird will always be the prominent symbol of Sesame Street. Elmo?!?! Elmo who?

***This book is the latest installment in two of my challenges: My 100+ Book Challenge, as well as my Support Your Local Library Challenge. Click on the buttons at the sidebar for all of the latest updates!!!***

Grocery tips for hard times: flavored water

I got this tip off of PeaceBang's blog. It's really easy, and it has helped me drink a lot more water!

You will need:

• your favorite fruity tea (like Celestial Seasonings's zinger teas, or anything berry-flavored)
• a big pitcher
• water
• sweetener to taste (I prefer Splenda, but PB says she uses stevia)

It's easy:

1. Fill your pitcher with water.
2. Put about 3-4 teabags in the water.
3. Close the pitcher. Put it in the fridge to steep for a couple of hours.
4. Take pitcher out of the fridge and pour yourself a glass.
5. Sweeten your glass of water to taste. I personally add two packets of Splenda to my glasses; to me, it tastes a little like Kool Aid!

Let me know how you like it!

TAG--I'm it!!!!

The fabulous drollgirl tagged me for this one! Merci, mon amie!!

1) What are the 3 things you would save out of your burning house?
My two cats, my purse, and my cell phone.

2) What was the last thing you read/are currently reading?
Street Gang: The Complete Sesame Street, by Michael Davis

3) Do you nap a lot?
Not as often as I used to.

4) Who was the last person you hugged?
A friend of mine at church.

5) Where would you like to be at this very moment?
Someplace warm and sunny.

6) What is the last thing you said out loud?
"Hi guys!" Greeting to the cats upon coming home this evening.

7) What websites do you always visit when you go online?
CNN, Facebook, and Blogger.

8) What was the last item you bought?
An oil change and a tire rotation. OK, I know...a refill for my Advair.

9) What is your most challenging goal?
To lose weight.

10) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Tuscany...beautiful, beautiful Tuscany...

11) Favorite Vacation spot?
I adore the Mexican Riviera...Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo...take me back!

12) Say something to the person who tagged you:
Drollgirl, I heart your blog! You are open, honest, and funny!

13) Name one thing you just can't resist no matter how bad it is for you:
Cheez Its.

14) What is your favorite item of clothing?
My Lees.

15) Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is over flowing with a zillion others?!
I have a pair of comfy fleece sliders that I wear nearly everywhere. They are soooo warm during the winter!

16) Name one thing you can not live with out:
Humor.

17) What do you envy?
I try not to spend too much time envying things. That having been said...people who get to travel to exotic places at the drop of a hat.

18) If you could only have one 3 course meal for eternity,what would it be?
My favorite meal made by my mom: pork chops with mustard, homemade mac n' cheese, and homemade applesauce. My mouth's watering just thinking about it.

19) If you could have one superhuman power, what would it be?
The ability to read minds.

20) If you could contribute to any charitable organization, what would it be, and why?
I'd like to join the cause for pancreatic cancer research. It doesn't get that much attention, and it's what killed my maternal grandmother. She was 60.

And now...I tag thee:

NurseExec
Hula
Jenners

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Perspective

I wasn't planning on a detailed blog post today, but this morning's church service moved me so much, and I had to share my experiences with everyone.

I belong to a Unitarian Universalist church. It's hard for me to explain what Unitarian Universalism is in a few sentences, and I plan to devote a blog post to it in greater detail in the future. That having been said, if you want to find out more right now, click here to go to the website of the UUA.

Anyhoo, we have a different service every week, with a different topic, different presenters, and a different format. Our minister usually presides over services twice a month. Today, our service was led by our Covenant of UU Pagans. It was a service devoted to the coming of the end of winter, and the approach of the spring.

When I entered the sanctuary, all of the seats were arranged in the circle. At the beginning of the service, we sang the hymn "In the Bleak Midwinter," which is one of my all-time favorites. When we finished the hymn, the leader of the service asked all of the children to come up and parade around the sanctuary. He asked the kids to walk around and pretend as if they were sweeping; in doing so, they were sweeping out winter and the cold so that the sanctuary would be ready to welcome spring. Then the children left for Sunday school.

After the kids left, we had a brief meditation, and then four of the members of the Covenant performed a ritual known as "casting the circle." I'm not a pagan, and I don't know enough about paganism to explain very well what it means, but casting the circle is essentually the formal beginning of the ceremony. Throughout the service, the same members of the Covenant came up to the pulpit to share their thoughts on winter, and what it means to them as they progress through "the wheel of the year."

At one point during the service, we wrote our sorrows and fears down on little slips of paper. These slips were collected before the offering and then were placed in a metal bowl. The service leader struck a match and burned our sorrows and fears until they were a pile of ashes. At another point during the service, we were asked to write about our images of hope. We wrote them on another slip of paper; this time, however, they were collected and redistributed to members of the congregation. The leader of the service asked us to remember those images of hope throughout the next six months, to concentrate on them as the world begins anew.

Our service ended with a performance of "The Rising," at which point, a few members of the congregation, myself included, got up and started dancing.

After our services, we always have a discussion period, which usually lasts anywhere between a half hour and an hour. This discussion was what helped me gain some perspective on things. During this period, various members of the congregation shared their thoughts on winter. One member said that winter was a period of introspection for her, where she could reflect on things as the spring months approached. Another member, who grew up on a farm, said that winter was the time where her father sharpened the tools, made sure the bridles were still strong, and made other necessary repairs in order to prepare for the planting of the crops.

Now, those of you who follow this blog know that I'm not too fond of winter. I said that during the discussion. During the winter, I see a world devoid of color. Our church faces the Metacomet Range, and I look out, and all I see is brown, brown, brown. I see naked, dull, depressing trees.

Two thoughts from this discussion particularly stayed with me after I made this observation.

One member, a good friend of mine, sees winter as full of life. He enjoys looking through the bareness of the trees and being able to see images that he normally doesn't see: mountains. Winter birds. Cars going by. (Our church also faces the Wilbur Cross Parkway where it intersects with I-91).

Another member, who is starting to become a friend, spoke of a photography class where she had to take "no color" images that "weren't in black and white." In other words, they had to take pictures full of brown, grey, and other dull colors. She said that the images were so beautiful, that there was actually more color in the "no color" images than there were in some images that are full of color.

I was really moved by these two different perspectives on winter.

I drove home with those two thoughts on my mind. I'm still not a huge fan of winter, but I'm going to try not to hate it so much from now on. With the Super Bowl in mind, I'm trying to think of winter now as spring's "pre-game show." Yeah, I know that sounds like a stupid simile, but maybe I'll start coming around.

It will take a while for me to reflect on my feelings about this season, but it was very nice to get other perspectives, which will help get me through this bleak midwinter of ours.

Clip of the Week: Peyton Manning for the United Way

I don't follow actively follow football, but I happen to love Peyton Manning's sense of humor. I love his ads for Mastercard (Priceless Pep Talks) and Oreo cookies. This clip is from an SNL he hosted a while back. I'm so glad to see a pro athlete who doesn't take himself so seriously.

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Sunday Stealing: Super Sunday Stealing

And now, for the February 1, 2009 edition of Sunday Stealing.

1) What was your dream growing up?
I wanted to be an actress.

2) What talent do you wish you had?
I'd love to walk and chew gum at the same time!

3) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
A mudslilde.

4) What was the last book you read?
Tarzan's Tonsillitis. Read the review here.

5) Worst Habit?
I'm the worst housekeeper ever.

6) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
Send me your pic. I'll make a decision once I see it. And no, don't send me a photo of George Clooney unless you really ARE George Clooney. :)

7) What is your favorite sport?
I love college basketball! College players don't seem to have the ego that the pros do.

8) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
See #6. And it all depends, as well, if you've got good hygiene and fresh breath.

9) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
Being on the edge of bankruptcy. Long story, I'm going to tell it on the blog someday, but I'm not quite ready to tell it yet.

10) Tell me one weird fact about you.
Parts of my back molars don't have any tooth enamel...and amazingly enough, only one of these molars has a cavity.

11) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
As long as you're not trying to sell me something, and as long as you weren't trying to get me to join a cult, I'd invite you in. Also see #6 and #8.

12) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
I'd love to lose a few pounds, but just as much for health reasons as for aesthetics.

13) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
I'd be your conscience...in real life, I'm a freakin' goody two-shoes.

14) Ever been arrested?
Nope.

15) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
Put it in the bank! Save up some dough!

16) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
I don't really have one favorite thing...I like to read, blog, cook, travel, spend time with friends and family, and go to parties.

17) Biggest pet peeve?
Oooohhhh, where do I start? Probably people who have very bad grammar and spelling. I have two friends who are like me in the sense that, whenever we text each other, we use complete sentences and correct spelling. Meanwhile, I have another friend who graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard degree, and she does all of the abbreviations and poor grammar in her texts. Go figure.

18) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
Loyal.

19) Do you believe in/appreciate romance?
Sigh...I said in a previous post that I've got a PhD in Unrequited Love from the School of Hard Knocks. If it happens, it happens; I'm in no rush. Still, I've been unlucky so many times I wonder if I'm destined for eternal singlehood.

20) Who wins today: Arizona or Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh. Read my theory about it here.