Stick it to me Tuesday

I also want to thank Cassie for this BAD ASS award:

and Blue and White Life for the Who's Awesome and Sunshine Awards:

and Maddy for this Over the Top award:
It requires me to name ten things that make me happy. So I'll use my super stickies for that:

THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS!!!!

I pass these awards on to all of my newest followers (you know who you are). Thank you for visiting my corner of the blogosphere!

Make you own stickies: HERE!

Embracing Winter

I've begun to enjoy the winter season.

I used to just tolerate it.

It might have something to do with a certain five-year-old I live with, who gets mighty excited about walking and playing in the snow.


What's not to love about the view after a good snowfall:
And that first walk when the streets and sidewalks are a giant blank white canvas (this picture is missing a dog, though) : Then there's sledding:
Building a snowman:
Making a snow angel:

Checking out all the cool icicle formations:

And finally, coming in from the cold to enjoy hot chocolate with marshmallows!
What's that you say?

I've been brainwashed by a five-year-old? Maybe!

*****P.S. the winner of The Secret Year book is passion4fashion! Email me with your address!

***P.P.S. Yeah, New Orlean Saints!

(photo credit: tetongravity.com farm1.static.flickr.com, irtc.com, lodging4vacations.com blog.beliefnet.com, i129.photobucket.com, and upload.wikimedia.org)

The Secret Year

I just finished reading this young adult book and really enjoyed it.
I loved Colt's voice and wanted to live with him for a little while longer, just to see how his life turns out. Great job with your debut novel, Jennifer R. Hubbard!


Here's the blurb, from Amazon:

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered.


Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her.

But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite "journal entries" in the book:

Dear C.M.

I didn't even notice you much last year,when you were in Calvert's class. You sat in the back and kept your mouth shut. But tonight it felt like you could see right into me. That never happens with Austin. What I have with him doesn't go far enough.

I have to break up with him now. All I want is to be back with you, standing thigh-deep in the river, feeding you my tongue.


Racy, right?


I'd like to send this "gently read " :D copy to one lucky reader (U.S. resident only)!

Email me: christinalee04@gmail.com with Secret Year in the subject line (or leave it in the comments) if you want to be included in the contest.

I'll choose a winner on Monday!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

An Open Letter to: My Child's Favorite Cartoon Characters

This is a take on Kat's writing prompt this week, from Mama's Losing' It.

Dear Spongebob Square Pants: Despite being over the age of ten, I admit to laughing uncontrollably at some of your antics and stupid potty humor. And sometimes, I'm the only one cracking up in the room.


Dear Max and Ruby (or Ruby and Max, which is it?):

Where are your parents? Or any other flippin' adults for that matter? Yeah, I know there are no parents in Charlie Brown either, but the Peanuts gang just don't annoy me as much as you do. Call it nostalgia or whatever you like. Just go get a damn parent before I put you over my knee myself!


Dear Bakugans:

First, what the heck are you? Second, what kind of horrible directions do you have that make it so flippin' hard to figure out the whole Bakugan game thing my son is trying to play? So you throw the card down and say "ability card activate" or some stupid stuff, and then what?

And why'd you have to go and get McDonald's and their Happy Meals involved? And then create books with tiny boring writing that drones on and on about your stupid New Vestroia planet? HUH?

Dear Scooby Doo and the Gang:


I love that you live on and are adored by so many different generations. Except that my son goes around saying things like, "yeah, man" and "groovy". Plus, he knows way too much about vampires, zombies and werewolves now. Pretty soon he'll be reading paranormal romance novels with me. Not sooo bad, I guess. If only he could walk to the bathroom by himself, without needing me to check behind the shower curtain for demons. He's worse than me!


Dear Tom and Jerry:
You were my favorite cartoon growing up. Who knew you were so violent? You're right up there with Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote!


(photos: pollssb.com, conexaotoonami.blogspot.com, pictures-of-cartoons.blogspot.com, and sharetv.org)

Slip 'em On!

House Shoes aka Slippers: Do you wear them?

I am wearing them right now and hate to go without. As soon as my foot steps inside the house, I search for them.

We have hard-wood floors, and it's drafty in our older home.

In the winter months I have a fuzzy and warm pair. In the summer they're a lighter material and a thong style.

Habit? Foot sensitivity? Freeze baby?

Maybe all of the above.

Since I wear them daily, they wear out more quickly. So I'm considering investing in a sturdier pair, like the Halflingers, below. Hmm...

slippers by real style real people featuring UGG Australia shoes

Items in this set:
UGG Australia Women's Coquette Slipper in Chestnut, $100
John Lewis Hand Knitted Pompom Slippers, Purple, L, 18 GBP
Rocket Dog Snow Flake - Natural cable knit, $20
Grey jersey mules with cute button detail, 5 GBP
Haflinger 'Doggy' Slipper - - Nordstrom, $70

Robert + Jacket + Dead = Search me

I get a kick looking at my Google keyword search stats (telling me how people get to my site).


There are TWO that stand out because I've seen them frequently for the last year.


One is "PICTURES OF REAL DEAD PEOPLE". I will assume this is because of my former blog name,"Real Style Real People", but it has me wondering about sickos out there. Maybe they are Necrophiliacs?


The second one is always, "ROBERT PATTINSON GREY JACKET". I know that he wore a grey jacket in the original Twilight movie and I even had a reader question about it last year. He also has been photographed in other grey jackets. So those photos must be popular.


So I've decided to COMBINE my two popular searches to help both the necro's and the Twi's out.


I give you: ONE DEAD PERSON (AKA vampire Edward Cullen) in several GREY JACKETS!

Look at the different grey hues. Impressive! :D


Plus, it was just fun looking at R Patz photos *sigh*.

Choose or Die: Birds of a Feather

It's been so long, so let's play Choose or Die, shall we?

If you had to choose one of these outfits to wear all day long, in public, which one would you choose?

Bjork's swan dive:

Or Lady GaGa's peacock number:

If you choose neither, you must walk the plank, matey! ARGHHH!!

(photo credit: starpulse.com and glamourvanity.com)

p.s. Did anyone see Lady GaGa's "wire" dress on the red carpet at the Grammy's last night?

The Weight of the Matter

I've never held back talking about my expanding waistline over the course of almost two years. Since I quit teaching and began writing/jewelry making.


My hubby always "weighs in" (of course, only after I've whined about it again and again). He thinks it's because as a teacher I was always up and moving around (and putting kids in basket holds-but that's a whole 'nother story), and as a writer I am always in a sitting position.


It used to be (sigh) I gained five pounds, starved for two days, and the pounds came off. But nothing like that works anymore-- not even cutting out sweets and not eating after 7 pm.

Despite walking my dog for two miles every single day, the weight doesn't come off. Probably b/c my body has become accustomed to it. And now I've gone up a pants size (*crying*). I had an easier time losing the baby weight--GEEZ.


SO: I finally decided I needed to kick it into gear and do something NEW for my body. A new exercise routine.

I used to take exercise classes before *kid* but I probably could only make time for one day a week now.

(can you believe this picture from failblog.org?)

And since my friends have threatened (:D) to invite us to an indoor waterpark in two weeks and we're going to Florida in March, I've decided I've complained enough already.

About ten years ago I used to do the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds tapes and loved them.

In the exercise section at Target the other day, I saw her newer DVD's and decided to take the plunge again. Oh and I also bought a set of free weights too!

This is the one I chose, and have vowed to do it three times a week:


You know why I like Leslie so much?

First, because the moves are so basic (marching in place, leg kicks, side to side, knee lifts) anyone can keep up.

Second, because she makes you feel comfortable and tells you it's okay to just march in place if you feel tired during a new move. As long as you keep moving.

Thank you for giving me that permission, Leslie!

Wish me luck as I walk away my belly fat--LOL!!!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

I'm a Buxom Babe

I've mentioned before that I love Buxom Lips by Bare Escentuals. It's a lip gloss/lip plumper.

But in the winter, I need something more substantial on my lips. I'm a chapstick whore as it is.
So enter the new Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Stick ($18 at Sephora):
It's slim so it acts as a liner too.

I tend to gravitate towards pinky chocolate shades:
So the Brooklyn shade (above) was perfect for me.

Now, I use the Brooklyn Lip Stick and then the Brooklyn Lip Gloss on top!

Plus, I love all the names they use for the different Buxom shades: There's Lacey and Betty and Ginger and Celeste. Looking for a good protagonist name? Go there :D

You know who else has great names? Pottery Barn, for their furniture sets.

Have You Ever Had One of Those Days....

When you put the cereal box in the refrigerator?

Or, you get on the freeway when you're destination is only three blocks away from your house?

Or, you search endlessly for your sunglasses only to find them on top of your head?

Yeah, I'm having one of those...

It's like my brain is taking a vacation.

Make me feel better and share some of your DUH! moments :D

(photo bucket-eyecandymandy)

Stick it to me Tuesday

I keep seeing these on other blogs. So I thought I thought I'd join in the fun.

Make you own:HERE!

What would yours say today?

How it all Begins...

Since I've begun writing my second and third YA novels (for the record, it would be my fourth and fifth "attempts" but these I've actually followed through with and have a passion for), I've been reading a lot about opening lines and paragraphs.

And now I'm obsessing over them because I really want to have a great "hook".
I don't think I had one with my alien/zombie DON'T TELL A SOUL novel, and I don't think you absolutely have to have one. But I think it definitely helps to hook a reader in.
So it got me thinking about novels I've read and whether the beginnings hooked me in.



Here's the beginning of Cracked Up To Be (By Courtney Summers). I am currently reading this and loving it.

Imagine four years.
Four years, two suicides, one death, one rape, two pregnancies (one abortion), three overdoses, countless drunken antics, pantsings, spilled food, theft, fights, broken limbs, turf wars, with six months until graduation and no one gets a medal when they get out.

*****
The beginning of Shiver (By Maggie Stiefvater) :

I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm growing cold, surrounded by wolves. They were licking me, biting me, worrying at my body, pressing in.

*****
The beginning of The Book Thief (by Markus Zukas):

First the colors. Then the humans. That's usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.
Here is a small fact. You are going to die.

*****
From The Hunger Games (By Suzanne Collins):

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.
*****

And how about the beginning of a classic, Like Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen):

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

All of these books definitely hooked me in. Was it because of those beginning lines? Good question.


What are your thoughts as a reader/writer?