tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37625142024-02-19T04:34:45.581-05:00Marybeth WhalenWife, mom, novelist, and a lot of other things!Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.comBlogger1723125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-24514556704263105832020-01-01T10:29:00.000-05:002020-06-14T12:45:24.719-04:00Oh, Hello There! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so glad you stopped by to visit me today. Please take a moment to look around. You can use the tabs at the top of my site, or I have provided the links here:<br />
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If you'd like to know more about me, go<b> <a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/2007/06/about-me.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>. My speaking,<b> <a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/p/need.html" target="_blank">go here</a></b>. My books, <a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/p/about-my-novels.html" target="_blank"><b>go here</b></a>. If you need to contact me, that information is <b><a href="http://www.marybethwhalen.com/2007/06/contact-me.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </b><span style="text-align: center;">You can also find me on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/marybethwhalen" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a><span style="text-align: center;">, </span><a href="http://www.instagram.com/marybethwhalen" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>Instagram</b></a><span style="text-align: center;">, </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/marybethwhalen" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>Twitter</b></a><span style="text-align: center;">, and </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/marybeth6" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>Pinterest</b></a><span style="text-align: center;">. Many blessings and happy reading! </span><br />
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-13767197415574997802015-06-22T20:36:00.000-04:002015-06-22T20:36:18.125-04:00A Summer Gathering Of Thoughts<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I got this post idea from one of my favorite bloggers-- <a href="http://www.elizabethfoss.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Foss</a>. This summer, I am planning to blog once a week using this format, giving myself a bit of a summer break at the same time. I'll see you here each Monday from now until Labor Day. </i><br />
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Loving... that our weekend was crazy busy but surprisingly fun. I thought this weekend would be all work and no fun for me, but it turned out to be, as I said before, surprisingly fun. Today was about recovering from all that fun-- and cleaning a house that didn't get as attended to as it might've had we not been in and out so much. </div>
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Listening to... David Gray in preparation for his concert this week!! </div>
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Clothing myself in... I am finally braving skirts and dresses, even though my legs aren't near as tan as I would like. I cooked Curt and his dad a nice Father's Day feast and threw on a cute cotton sundress minutes before it was time for lunch. When I did I suddenly remembered the loveliness that is throwing on a dress and hearing how nice you look when actually you were totally cheating because 1) it's so comfortable (it's like being complimented on wearing a nightgown) and 2) you don't even have to think of components for an outfit because the dress <i>is</i> the outfit. I forgot all about this particular brand of summer miracle. </div>
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Reading... I tore through Elin Hilderbrand's new one, THE RUMOR, which was out last Tuesday. Perfect summer reading! I loved it! I also finished IN THE WOODS by Tana French, the first book in one of<b> <a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/2015/06/quick-lit-my-perhaps-overly-ambitious.html" target="_blank">the series I wrote about last week</a></b>. I am sad to say I didn't love the book like I'd hoped I would, which means I am not going to go through that series like I'd planned (too many other great books to get to!). </div>
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This week I'm working my way through a <a href="http://www.shereads.org/" target="_blank"><b>She Reads</b> </a>book that we're not going to be able to choose (we have our reasons but suffice it to say this one won't appeal to a broad enough cross section of readers) but I am intrigued enough with where the author is going with it that I am determined to finish it. </div>
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Bingeing on... <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3877200/" target="_blank">The Missing</a></i></b>, yet another BBC mystery show that I loved. It took me a few episodes to get into it-- figuring out who the characters are and the time jumps-- but once I started tracking with it, I was sucked in for sure. Great acting, layered characters, and so many twists and turns. (I streamed it off Amazon on Demand.)</div>
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Pondering... Whether I want to attempt to make <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/perfect-iced-coffee/" target="_blank"><b>Pioneer Woman's iced coffee</b></a>, based on <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015/06/favorite-things/" target="_blank"><b>Modern Mrs Darcy's recent recommendation</b></a>. It looks like an involved process and yet, I think it might be worth it. </div>
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Cultivating a rhythm... We've got some travels coming up for various family members, which means all attempts at rhythm are futile. That's ok. It's summer. </div>
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Creating... As I said before, I created a feast for Father's Day, which we are still enjoying (read: leftovers). I made <b><a href="http://celebrationsathomeblog.com/slow-cooker-bbq-beef/" target="_blank">this excellent barbecue beef</a> </b>and served it on sliders, served with slow cooked green beans, baked beans, pasta salad, and watermelon. We had oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip or white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for dessert (store bought so don't be too impressed). Curt loved having a nice lunch at home (more relaxing than going out) and since I had done most of the prep work on Saturday, I didn't have to stress out getting it all ready on Sunday. Today I created a loaf of banana bread out of some browning bananas. I added chocolate chips because that just makes it better. </div>
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Giving thanks... for this season. I love every minute of it-- even the really hot minutes. Even the pop up thunderstorm minutes. Even the "I'm bored" minutes. Even "The dishwasher is full again?" minutes. Even the no bedtime minutes. It's all good. Because it's summer. </div>
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Planning... trips. </div>
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Looking forward to... trips. </div>
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-59293633972976766522015-06-15T06:00:00.000-04:002015-06-15T20:35:13.288-04:00Quick Lit: My (Perhaps Overly Ambitious) Summer Reading PlanLast week I mentioned my "summer reading plan" which involves reading my way through several literary mystery series. This week, in honor of <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015/06/what-ive-been-reading-lately-the-new-and-the-notable/" target="_blank"><b>Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit roundup</b></a>, I thought I'd expand on that plan. I am currently reading the first book, Tana French's <b><i>In The Woods,</i></b> and was a bit chagrined to see that it is 592 pages!!!! This made me immediately wonder if my summer reading plan is a bit, um, ambitious. Alas, I am moving forward with it and we will see how it works out. I will sprinkle in some <a href="http://www.shereads.org/" target="_blank"><b>She Reads books</b> </a>and some contemporary favorites for variety so it's not all murder all the time. It's summer after all-- time for poolside and lazy afternoons spent reading the days away. At least, that's how it goes in my fantasy.<br />
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(Note: Click on each series to get to a list of the titles in order.)<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/51639-dublin-murder-squad" target="_blank"><b>The Dublin Murder series</b></a> by Tana French</div>
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<a href="http://www.fictiondb.com/author/sophie-hannah~series~ds-charlie-zailer-and-dc-simon-waterhouse~15628.htm" target="_blank"><b>Zailer and Waterhouse series</b></a> by Sophie Hannah<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/jackson_brodie.php" target="_blank">The Jackson Brodie series</a> </b>by Kate Atkinson</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't find a photo of all the titles together so I settled on the latest title in the series to serve as a representative image. </td></tr>
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<a href="http://lauralippman.net/all-books-in-order/" target="_blank"><b>The Tess Monaghan series</b> </a>by Laura Lippman<br />
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And finally, to the commenter who asked how I find book recommendations-- what blogs I read-- definitely click on this month's Quick Lit roundup for more recommendations than you can possibly get to. I read every single link every single month. (It's true. I do.) Also be sure and check out the <a href="http://www.shereads.org/she-reads-blog-network/" target="_blank"><b>She Reads blog network page </b></a>for a plethora of blogs about reading and books! </div>
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-84052219167565661752015-06-08T14:04:00.000-04:002015-06-08T14:04:08.246-04:00A Summer Gathering of Thoughts<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I got this post idea from one of my favorite bloggers-- <a href="http://www.elizabethfoss.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Foss</a>. This summer, I am planning to blog once a week using this format, giving myself a bit of a summer break at the same time. I'll see you here each Monday from now until Labor Day. </i><br />
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(Addendum: This post is up late today because I wrote the whole thing and then lost it. So then I had to go around and rant for a bit before I could get the gumption up to write it all over again. Must be a Monday...) </div>
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Loving... Summer. School's out and my favorite season is finally here. </div>
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Listening to... Chris Botti-- the concert was awesome and I'm trying to recapture it via listening to his music. (Not. The. Same.)<br />
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I will share this amazing clip from the concert. Hang in there and you will be glad you did. (It was much better live, as you can imagine.)<br />
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Clothing myself in... slouchy tees from Marshalls I bought with a birthday gift card-- at 7.99 and 12.99 respectively, these versatile tops with light colored boyfriend jeans are <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015/06/my-summer-uniform/" target="_blank"><b>my uniform </b></a>of late</div>
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Reading... Attempting to go through several series this summer-- all murder mysteries: Tana French's Dublin Murder series, Sophie Hannah's Zailer and Waterhouse series, Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series, and Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan series. These have all been well-reviewed on the various book blogs I follow, and I do love a good mystery in the summer. All of these should keep me very busy. I have declared this to be my "summer of reading."<br />
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And for the kids, I really loved<a href="http://www.readbrightly.com/the-ultimate-summer-reading-list-for-9-12-year-olds-2015/" target="_blank"> <b>this list of titles</b>-</a>- definitely just blew up my library holds list! </div>
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Pondering... <a href="http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/no-screen-time-until-free-printable/" target="_blank"><b>this article</b></a>. While I don't reach for my phone first thing in the am because it's usually on a charger in another room, this did get me to thinking about what I do reach for-- and how it reflects my priorities and my day.<br />
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Cultivating a rhythm... Can creativity be scheduled? <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/2015/06/06/scheduling-creativity/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WriterUnboxed+%28Writer+Unboxed%29" target="_blank"><b>This post</b></a> has me thinking of how I can schedule my writing in the midst of a houseful this summer. </div>
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Creating... How about wanting to create? <a href="http://www.naptimedecorator.net/diy/easy-5-minute-diy-flag-banner/" target="_blank"><b>This flag banner</b></a> that looks easy and perfect for the Fourth.<br />
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I will also be creating banana muffins in the very near future because... old bananas are on my counter, which is a sign.<br />
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Giving thanks... for this, my favorite season, for a surprise working out (more on that later), for my husband, for time with my kids this summer. </div>
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Planning... amending <b><a href="http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/no-screen-time-until-free-printable/" target="_blank">this list</a> </b>to reflect our family's needs, but definitely wanting to have some sort of screen time moratorium this summer. I don't want my kids' faces in their respective screens all the livelong day. This, by the way, was not something my mother had to worry about. Ah, simpler times.<br />
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Watching... (Speaking of screens, grin) Binged on <b><i>Five Days</i></b>, a BBC/HBO miniseries concerning a mother and her two children who go missing. The uniqueness of this show is that it is five episodes concerning five pivotal days in the investigation. Though it started slow for me, I found myself hooked and watched it all in one big (long) gulp. Also watching <b><i>Wayward Pines</i></b> and <i><b>Aquarius</b></i>. <i><b>Aquarius</b></i> is good, <i><b>Wayward Pines</b></i> is... strange. But I'm hopeful. </div>
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Looking forward to... the Michael McDonald concert with my oldest for his birthday this week. He and I have a long running thing about Michael McDonald-- most recently inspired by this skit:<br />
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Can't wait to see the man himself!<br />
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More Links (Just For Fun)...<br />
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Love <a href="http://clan-donaldson.com/2015/06/summer-of-psalms-with-kristen-foss-and-vine-of-plenty/" target="_blank"><b>this printable</b></a>-- I emailed it to my local UPS store, they printed it on card stock and I cut it to fit an existing frame. This isn't a great picture but it looks nice on a table in my living room-- and adds some inspiration as well! </div>
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<a href="http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/articles/how-to-get-rid-of-sour-towels/" target="_blank"><b>How to get rid of sour towels</b>.</a> I'm trying this as we speak. We have an, um, problem shall we say with laundry getting left in the wash a bit too long. There is nothing worse (ok there is but go with it) than getting all clean in the shower and then drying yourself with a stinky towel.<br />
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Because I am not a decorator, <a href="http://www.naptimedecorator.net/uncategorized/lets-talk-throws-my-favorite-tips-when-buying-pillows-and-blankets/" target="_blank"><b>this post</b> </a>was a wow for me-- just look at how changing the pillows and throws changes a room! (I told you I was not a decorator.)<br />
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And finally,<b> <a href="http://d3v11bbb5obkq8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SouthernDoins.pdf" target="_blank">this bucket list for summer</a></b> has some fun items to cross off. Let's all try to hit as many of them as we can!<br />
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-43264949200489243132015-06-01T05:31:00.000-04:002015-06-01T05:31:00.312-04:00A Gathering of Thoughts<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I got this post idea from one of my favorite bloggers-- <a href="http://www.elizabethfoss.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Foss</a>. This summer, I am planning to blog once a week using this format, giving myself a bit of a summer break at the same time. I'll see you here each Monday from now until Labor Day. </i></div>
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Loving: my summer walks. I am trying to build up the time I spend walking to at least an hour a day. It is both restorative and exerting at the same time.<br />
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Listening to: Brandon Flowers' new album pretty much nonstop. I didn't love this song until I saw the video-- it makes me smile. It's a good testimony to a marriage that lasts.<br />
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Clothing myself in: New skinny jeans I got at Loft for a mere $17 (gotta love half off clearance!). Pairing them with a couple of tunic-style shirts I got at Marshalls using a birthday gift card from my in-laws and wedge sandals. My legs are still just a bit too day-glo white to do shorts or skirts in public. Soon though, very soon. Many days at the pool are on my horizon.<br />
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Reading: Jen Hatmaker's new book, <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Fighting-Grace-Impossible-Standards-ebook/dp/B00QL9LFCG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433107816&sr=1-1&keywords=for+the+love" target="_blank">For The Love</a></i></b>. I scored an advance copy and have read it and loved it. This is the first book of hers I've read. I found her funny, real, and right about a lot of things. I highlighted many, many lines. Go ahead and put it on your TBR list for next fall! I've also been listening to Jenna Blum's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Scholar-Author-Writing-Fiction/dp/B00HNEODPO/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433108048&sr=1-11&keywords=jenna+blum" target="_blank"><i><b>The Art of Fiction</b></i></a> and recommend it for anyone who wants to write novels.<br />
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Pondering: Just what I can realistically expect out of our summer. Writing my 1000 words every day? Reading aloud to my youngest every day? Making light and easy meals consistently? Getting in a few trips? I want to relax and enjoy the summer but I also don't want to fritter it away. So I'm thinking about striking that balance.<br />
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Cultivating a rhythm: This week is about getting through our last week of school-- which includes field day, my last lunch duty rotation, and a last day of school musical production-- and then the rhythm of our lives is about to change big time. No more daily routine, no more morning school runs, no more afternoon carpools. Two of mine have already finished so my days alone are gone for a few months, but it's a welcome change that we are all looking forward to. I, for one, am looking forward to not packing lunches!!<br />
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Creating: Peppermint Brownies thanks to the recipe in the back of a book my daughter read, which she has now declared one of her most favorite books ever. If you have a daughter around the age of 10, you might want to check out <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Me-Not-Summer-Leila-Howland-ebook/dp/B00MMFCESC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433108592&sr=1-1&keywords=forget+me+not+summer" target="_blank">The Forget Me Not Summer</a></b></i>.<br />
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Giving thanks: for six healthy and (mostly) happy kids. I can take that for granted so easy and I shouldn't. Each one of them adds so much to my life. My word for this year is ABUNDANCE and one thing I've learned is this<i> abundance </i>of children has enriched my life in so many ways.<br />
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Planning: all the books I am going to read this summer. This shall be the summer of reading. For me at least. I have so, so many books to get to. It's a bit embarrassing. Talk about <i>abundance</i>.<br />
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Looking forward to: a summer of concerts-- Chris Botti is this coming weekend, Michael McDonald is the week after that, then David Gray later in June, with plans to also see Toad the Wet Sprocket and Brandon Flowers before the summer ends as well! Can. Not. Wait.<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-1308691070235422782015-05-29T07:22:00.000-04:002015-06-01T20:21:49.324-04:00What I Learned This Month<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I am linking to Emily Freeman's monthly "<a href="http://emilypfreeman.com/what-i-learned-in-may/" target="_blank">What I Learned This Month</a>" roundup. </i></div>
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<b>Walking is good for the soul. It's even better if you take your camera along. </b>It's not just that I capture great photos of nature-type stuff, it's that with my camera in my hand I'm more likely to look for it.<br />
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<b>You should listen to your husband. He knows you better than you know yourself sometimes.</b> There was an event about an hour and a half from our home that I mentioned wanting to go to. But as the event neared I rationalized that it would be better if I stayed home. There was lots to do, we hadn't had a lot of family time of late, yada yada. My husband gave me that knowing look and said, "You need to do that." And right then and there he got on his phone and made the hotel reservation. The next morning, before I really could register what was happening, I went. I ended up having the best time, met some great people and was so completely happy I went that I had to thank him for pushing me to go.<br />
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<b>Just because you feel a certain way a certain day, you probably won't feel that way forever.</b> On low energy, bad mood, edgy, no motivation, listless days it's ok to listen to your body and ease up on yourself. Chances are if you rest and take stuff off your to-do list without beating yourself up for being a loser, you'll more than make up for it the following day. (Ask me how I know.)<br />
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<b>Listening to <i>Disappearing World</i> by David Gray (my favorite) in a rare moment home alone is a restorative thing.</b> Also finding out that Annie Lennox covered <b><i>Downtown Lights</i></b> by The Blue Nile (my other favorite) is a gift you can give to yourself again and again.<br />
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Speaking of musicians...<br />
<b>Dan Rather's series of interviews with musicians called <i>The Big Interview </i>is fascinating no matter who the musician is.</b> I was as riveted by the interview with Kenny Rogers as I was by the one with Josh Groban. Musicians are creative people and hearing their journeys, wisdom, and inspiration is good tv. (I find these interviews on my AXS cable channel. But if you don't have cable, many of them can be found on the good ole You Tube.)<br />
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Speaking of tv...<br />
<b>I really, really like shows by the BBC (<i>Broadchurch</i>, <i>Grantchester</i>, <i>Luther</i>, <i>The Fall</i>, <i>Call The Midwife</i> etc.) </b>This is both wonderful and awful. Wonderful because they're so good and awful because I remember my father watching shows on PBS done by the BBC and thinking he was 1) old and 2) weird. Who wants to listen to a bunch of Brits talking? Come to find out, I do! Apparently I've now reached the "old and weird" phase of life.<br />
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<b>Finally, life is short. </b>Of course we all know this. We don't need to "learn" it. But sometimes we need to be reminded. When <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article21171597.html" target="_blank">this happened in my home church</a>, though I didn't know the woman it happened to, a dear friend was supposed to be meeting her for dinner that very night. Her last text to her was "happy hiking." As you can imagine, my friend was pretty wrecked and the tragedy felt that much closer to home. My friend and I went out to lunch after the funeral and talked about the many things we want to do differently, more urgently, than ever before.<br />
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Life <i>is </i>short. What do you need to do that you're putting off or too scared to do or keep forgetting to make happen? Maybe today we could all honor this woman's legacy and go do whatever it is. In that way this tragedy will feel just a little less tragic. Though I don't know her, I've heard a lot about her from our mutual friend. And I get the feeling that's exactly what she would want.<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-20662537446445175662015-05-20T07:31:00.000-04:002015-05-20T07:31:00.114-04:00What Worked For Me This Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes it's good to take stock of what worked this week instead of dwelling on what didn't. </div>
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Here's what worked for me this week... </div>
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The newly bloomed magnolias-- they aren't just gorgeous, they smell so good. There is one part along my walk where the scent just floats on the air. That makes the walking worth it! </div>
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And speaking of walking... Walking worked for me this week. It's funny how some weeks I'm more in the mood to do one form of exercise over the other. This week was all about walking and listening to audiobooks. I finished up <i><b>Garden Spells</b></i> by Sarah Addison Allen and moved right onto<b><i> Dollbaby </i></b>by Laura Lane McNeal. Another thing that worked for me this week? My Audible membership! </div>
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I read this quote in Annie Dillard's book <i><b>The Writing Life</b></i> and promptly created this image for sharing. I sent it directly to a few writing friends, who all politely thanked me but I could tell they weren't feeling it the way I did. Then the next day I just got this urge to send it to an acquaintance, so I did. Minutes later I got the most heartfelt thank you-- saying it was exactly what she needed to hear at that moment. </div>
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Maybe you need to hear it too, whoever you are... </div>
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And speaking of writing, I am really enjoying the new book I am writing. I like the story, the characters. That is a good feeling. I sincerely hope one of these days this story makes it into your hands. </div>
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A day that is filled with one child's prom and the other child's test for her driving permit is a busy day indeed. The kind of day you both celebrate and dread as a parent. These are my middle kids... but no one has told them they are middle children yet, it would seem. Trust me when I say no one's going to overlook them! </div>
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When you intend to make a recipe that was on the back of a bag but then accidentally throw the bag away, you can always go to the store and snap a photo of the bag with the recipe so all is not lost. (And if you would like to try this recipe, it was very good and quick and easy to throw together. Just a warning: it's spicy. So either ease up on the chili garlic sauce or, if your people love spicy, heap it on.) </div>
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And speaking of recipes... Sometimes the best thing you can do on a Monday is spend the hours it takes to plan meals and make a grocery list, then spend the time to get all the items. My week has gone so nicely because all the items for these meals are present and accounted for. </div>
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What worked for you this week? </div>
<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-87207517881448234412015-05-15T07:00:00.000-04:002015-05-15T07:00:07.858-04:00Quick Lit: Read Alouds For KidsFor this month's quick lit I thought I would share some titles I found in an old notebook that I had jotted down to read aloud to my kids. Since I haven't read any of these I am not vouching for them, just saying to put them on your radar and see if they would be a fit for your child. I thought perhaps some of you could put them on hold at your local library or independent bookstore!<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett </span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When the Germans attack their Romany encampment during World War II, Andrej and his younger brother, Tomas, flee through a ravaged countryside under cover of darkness, guarding a secret bundle. Their journey leads to a bombed-out town, where the boys discover a hidden wonder: a zoo filled with creatures in need of hope. Like Andrej and Tomas, the animals—wolf and eagle, monkey and bear, lioness and seal, kangaroo and llama— have stories to share and a mission to reclaim their lives.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ten-year-old Persimmony Smudge lives a boring life on the Island in the Middle of Everything, but she longs for adventure. And she soon gets it when she overhears a life-altering secret and suddenly finds herself in the middle of an amazing journey. It turns out that Mount Majestic, the rising and falling mountain in the center of the island, is not really a mountain - it's the belly of a sleeping giant! It's up to Persimmony and her friend Worvil to convince the island's quarreling inhabitants that a giant is sleeping in their midst and must not be awakened. The question is, will she be able to do it?</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bigger Than A Breadbox by Laurel Snyder</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A magical breadbox that delivers whatever you wish for—as long as it fits inside? It's too good to be true! Twelve-year-old Rebecca is struggling with her parents' separation, as well as a sudden move to her Gran's house in another state. For a while, the magic bread box, discovered in the attic, makes life away from home a little easier. Then suddenly it starts to make things much, much more difficult, and Rebecca is forced to decide not just where, but who she really wants to be. Laurel Snyder's most thought-provoking book yet.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When Jack is sent to Hazelwood, Iowa, to live with his crazy aunt and uncle, he expects a summer of boredom. Little does he know that the people of Hazelwood have been waiting for him for a long time. . . .</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When he arrives, three astonishing things happen: First, he makes friends-not imaginary friends but actual friends. Second, he is beaten up by the town bully; the bullies at home always ignored him. Third, the richest man in town begins to plot Jack's imminent, and hopefully painful, demise. It's up to Jack to figure out why suddenly everyone cares so much about him. Back home he was practically, well, invisible.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><em style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mostly True Story of Jack </em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">is a tale of magic, friendship, and sacrifice. It's about things broken and things put back together. Above all, it's about finding a place to belong.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfW2PfHciWhyphenhyphenPzN1boDzKaYSPKn-VQgAlngNmuyKAgKCYg2Bnb2YsoLUiwBiuol2z0KZaTPqPDTzSHrNSaCeYTUq0NEDtjIYfkVsQ8cCnHN1L3VkPS0LB0Q-gt3vZtclLG9qybw/s1600/51gNghE+NvL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfW2PfHciWhyphenhyphenPzN1boDzKaYSPKn-VQgAlngNmuyKAgKCYg2Bnb2YsoLUiwBiuol2z0KZaTPqPDTzSHrNSaCeYTUq0NEDtjIYfkVsQ8cCnHN1L3VkPS0LB0Q-gt3vZtclLG9qybw/s1600/51gNghE+NvL.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd</span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff </span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Told in multiple viewpoints, </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A Tangle of Knots </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">All The Answers by Kate Messner </span></b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What if your pencil had all the answers? Would you ace every test? Would you know what your teachers were thinking? When Ava Anderson finds a scratched up pencil she doodles like she would with any other pencil. But when she writes a question in the margin of her math quiz, she hears a clear answer in a voice no one else seems to hear. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With the help of her friend Sophie, Ava figures out that the pencil will answer factual questions only – those with definite right or wrong answers – but won't predict the future. Ava and Sophie discover all kinds of uses for the pencil, and Ava's confidence grows with each answer. But it's getting shorter with every sharpening, and when the pencil reveals a scary truth about Ava's family, she realizes that sometimes the bravest people are the ones who live without all the answers...</span><br />
<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-91141399426944014622015-05-13T07:00:00.000-04:002015-05-13T07:00:06.319-04:00What Worked For Me This Week<i>Every Wednesday I try to post a few things that worked for me in the past week. It's fun to recall what worked-- no matter how small-- instead of dwell on what didn't. Here's my list for this week:</i><br />
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<a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/2015/04/could-vs-had-post-for-moms-everywhere.html" target="_blank"><b>This post I wrote</b></a>, then had to go back and re-read for myself after a particularly bad mothering day. This is called preaching to oneself, something I have to do more than I'd like to admit. I am the worst about forgetting the things I should remember. (See <b><a href="http://marybethwhalen.blogspot.com/2015/05/sherlock-brain.html" target="_blank">Sherlock Brain post</a> </b>from Monday.) </div>
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Stopping to inhale this just-bloomed honeysuckle. No candle or fabric softener or perfume can replicate this smell. </div>
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This shot of a street I walk down almost every day. I love the arching trees and all the green. Looking for and capturing this kind of beauty on film helps me keep things in perspective. It's also good to look up at towering trees and remember just how small you really are. </div>
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Going on a little photo scavenger hunt while I was walking. This time I kept my eye out for purple flowers, which I found in abundance! </div>
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Snapping this photo of our dog and then sending it to my college daughter in the middle of her exam week with a note that the dog misses her. She was like, "Mom, you're crazy." But I know it made her laugh and took her mind off her stress for a moment. </div>
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This lake (glorified pond) is in our neighborhood and I've been making more of an effort to route my walk to at least go see it. Being near water always makes me feel more peaceful-- like all is right with the world. This particular view of the bench by the water is one of my favorites. It's ridiculous to live near something this lovely and not partake in it with some degree of regularity. </div>
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So what about you? What worked for you this week? </div>
<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-56622200007907096242015-05-11T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-11T08:00:03.701-04:00Sherlock Brain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is a phenomena my best friend and I discuss often. We call it "Sherlock Brain," (derived from the clip at the bottom of this post):<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sherlock brain- the brain's tendency to discard the things it doesn't need in order to retain the things it does. This includes all kinds of info that, for some people, seem paramount but to others, extraneous. It varies according to your profession, your stage in life, your personality, etc. </span></blockquote>
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For instance, I know lots and lots about women's fiction-- authors, new titles, backlist titles, upcoming release dates, themes and premises and lots of other things that other people do not know or care about. This is important to me because I am a women's fiction writer and because of the coverage we provide on She Reads. I need to know these things.<br />
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But.<br />
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This means that there's not room in my brain for other things-- things like the political climate in our nation, headlines, the latest gossip at my kids' school, and yes, the solar system. (That will make more sense once you watch the clip.) My brain sloughs off anything not pertinent to my work or family. It is on a "need to know" basis. If I don't absolutely need to know it, it's gone.<br />
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This is also why I love lists-- because once I make a note of it, my brain doesn't have to hold onto whatever it is any longer, leaving more room for the things it does. Things like writing ideas, children's schedules, family needs, etc.<br />
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So the next time you feel addled, confused, overwhelmed, etc. don't beat yourself up about it. Just remember the Sherlock Brain concept. <i><b>You're not being forgetful, you're choosing to remember the things that are most important to you. </b></i>Sherlock is brilliant-- and I think what makes him most brilliant is that he knows what to let go of, what to hold onto, and most importantly, not to apologize for it.<br />
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(Here's the clip that brought about the terminology. The part you're looking for occurs at about minute 1:32. But watch the beginning because... well... it's Sherlock.)<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-72944840292498321752015-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-06T08:00:09.464-04:00What Worked For Me This Week<br />
This week a lot of things worked... It was a good week.<br />
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This <a href="http://southernweddings.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/May-Doins.pdf?utm_source=The+Southern+Weddings+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5c0e39df8d-May_Newsletter4_29_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_555d0afc50-5c0e39df8d-82969809&ct=t(May_Newsletter4_29_2015)&mc_cid=5c0e39df8d&mc_eid=ca43410ee1" target="_blank">fun printable list </a>to kick off May. I am challenging myself to do at least some of them. (It's an easy challenge, considering all of them are good things to do.)<br />
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My best friend, She Reads partner and official other half of my writer brain, Ariel Lawhon and my <a href="http://www.shereads.org/what-were-into-april-edition/" target="_blank">list of what we were into in April</a>, which is always so fun to pull together.<br />
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<a href="http://styleblueprint.com/southern-edition/everyday/surviving-may-the-end-of-the-school-year/?utm_source=StyleBlueprint&utm_campaign=cc1de9ad54-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b14f54998d-cc1de9ad54-198194713&goal=0_b14f54998d-cc1de9ad54-198194713" target="_blank">This humorous look </a>at how hard May can be-- and some good tips for surviving it.<br />
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Saying yes to time with a friend on a Saturday. Most of my ordinary Saturdays are spent at home putzing around with home and family stuff. I rarely leave the house on Saturday unless it's to run errands or take a walk. So when my friend Tracy invited me to a benefit event for the afternoon I nearly said no, reasoning that I need my Saturdays. In the end we had a lovely, memorable day and I was so glad I varied my (boring) Saturday routine! We even squeezed in a trip to our local indie bookstore and a glass of wine at a nearby pub with outdoor seating on a gorgeous spring day! </div>
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After that lovely Saturday, followed by a very full Sunday with church, lunch, and then a friend's daughter's play at her school, the house was showing my neglect big time. So I got out my trusty wipes and went to town. It took most of my Monday morning but when I was done the house felt so much better. When my house is disorganized and unclean, I am completely at odds until I get it back in order. </div>
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Playing tooth fairy. This is my youngest showing off the loss of the tooth that seemed like it was never going to come out. She's nearly ten and my time of playing tooth fairy isn't going to last forever. In light of that, let's just say the tooth fairy has gotten increasingly more generous. (Sorry older kids.) </div>
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Taking my phone with me when I walk. Now when I pass gorgeous flowers like this one I can capture them to enjoy later. </div>
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I have used the same kind of lotion (Suave or Vaseline Aloe) since I was 15 years old. Let it never be said that I am not a creature of habit. So when I saw this new Suave Sea Mineral lotion I broke out of my own mold and gave it a try. It smells really good, in my opinion-- fresh and clean without being too floral or cloyingly sweet. I have enjoyed the nice new scent this week and it feels good to try something different. And also, since it's Suave brand, this little splurge didn't break the bank. </div>
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How about you? What worked for you this week?Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-40634932355060354342015-05-04T05:30:00.000-04:002015-05-04T05:30:03.036-04:00Ten Tips For Writers I stumbled across these notes from an old workshop I gave on writing and thought that, instead of letting them molder in my files, I would share them here. (And even if you're not a writer, there's still some good tips in here.)<br />
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1. Notice. Pay attention. To smells, colors, sounds, tastes. Compare them to other things-- similar and different.<br />
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2. Listen out for interesting words. Look for alternative verbs and other ways to say things. Get an old thesaurus and thumb through it. Words are your friends; make some new ones.<br />
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3. Keep a list of first lines as you think of them. Even if you don't have a use for them yet. The best first lines immediately draw the reader into the story question-- inviting them in by intriguing them so much they simply must read on. When you're reading, notice first lines that do that for you. Why?<br />
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4. Watch people. Potential characters-- and character traits-- are all around you. The young. The old. The beautiful. The undesirable. Soldiers. Teachers. Librarians. Cooks. Artists. Service people. How do they carry themselves? What do their faces tell you? What tics or idiosyncrasies do they have that you can <strike>steal</strike> borrow?<br />
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5. Keep a journal. Write down quotes that capture you for their poignancy or spot-on observation about life, God, writing, story, etc. Use the journal to capture your life<i> as it is right now</i>. There is no right way to journal. Pick a journal that doesn't feel too formal, too big, too official, etc. Make it work for you. And find a good pen that writes well so you will actually want to write.<br />
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6. Read widely. Fiction. Nonfiction. Memoirs. Cookbooks. Biographies. Newspapers. Magazines. Let the reading inform you on everything from what other people are concerned with to story ideas to what good writing looks like, as well as what bad writing feels like.<br />
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7. Ask yourself "what if?" often. The <i>what if</i> is a muscle and it gets stronger as it is worked out. Ask yourself "What if?" after you read a newspaper story, a Facebook status, a blog post, a story a friend tells you, a tv show you watch, etc. This two sentence question can generate more ideas than you can ever write.<br />
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8. Go to live writer events. Pay attention to who's coming to your local indie bookstore for a signing, what literary events might be going on in your town or a nearby one. Subscribe to stores' newsletters so you can stay informed or subscribe to your favorite writers' blogs or follow them on Twitter or Facebook so you can stay up to date. Other writers can encourage, inspire and inform you, injecting that shot of enthusiasm at the perfect time.<br />
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9. Eavesdrop. Listening to the flow-- or lack of-- of real conversations can help your dialogue read better. Most every writer I know admits to eavesdropping.<br />
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10. Pay attention to good grammar. Good writers know the mechanics of language. And if you didn't pay much (any?) attention in English class back in the day, well then get some books like <b><i>The Forest For The Trees</i></b> or <i><b>The Elements of Style</b></i> and teach yourself. It's never too late.<br />
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I hope these tips encouraged and inspired some of you.Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-79702074804751019782015-05-01T06:30:00.000-04:002015-05-01T06:30:02.671-04:00A Friday SongToday I thought I'd post a song (and fun video to go with it) to kick off your weekend. If you're on Facebook you might've seen this pop up on your feed a time or twenty thousand. For good reason.<br />
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Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I hope your weekend is excellent. See you back here on Monday!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kVJu9AMJJr4" width="560"></iframe>Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-62316800310888348092015-04-29T04:00:00.000-04:002015-05-01T09:46:21.034-04:00What I've Learned This Month (April) <i>I believe in always learning, always seeking to grow and change, always looking for ways to improve. For these reasons, <a href="http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2015/04/30/lets-share-what-we-learned-in-april/" target="_blank">Emily Freeman's linkup each month </a>is right up my alley. Here's what I've learned in the month of April:</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOIoth-hnj5PX0vnaMflGNu8BvYAt-Lk5UuroMx9THGt9eQEtLUKRU55ZclY2cWzyYxMgiYuetRIA8Yxln858-pUxzu1kvDin_BtwIvjnomHK516dixRvIDxCe9mGVWwiS6tvrQ/s1600/IMG_1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOIoth-hnj5PX0vnaMflGNu8BvYAt-Lk5UuroMx9THGt9eQEtLUKRU55ZclY2cWzyYxMgiYuetRIA8Yxln858-pUxzu1kvDin_BtwIvjnomHK516dixRvIDxCe9mGVWwiS6tvrQ/s1600/IMG_1221.JPG" height="317" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>As I'm starting over with the publishing process this quote is something I need to remember. All the time. Learned? Published authors are to be admired for their sheer tenacity and thickness of skin. I think it's nearly impossible to be an author and not face rejection in some form. </li>
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<li>I value the books I pay for more than the ones I get for free. If I've paid for something, I will be more likely to move it to the top of the list, and actually read it. Learned? We place value in what we pay for. Having some skin in the game, in whatever form, really does make a difference.</li>
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<li>Taking a break is not always easy. You might find yourself wanting to go back. But you should stick with the time you set and lean into whatever the break will reveal. See it through. And in the process, see whatever you need to see. Learned? The built in break times of the year (lent, Christmas, summer, etc.) provide us with a good excuse. We should take advantage of these excuses.</li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROIj9UKfWXOjMOkItorhhJDAlohWqZS1cGZ6iEnv-s2-O19F3sNGmgBLtddm8eaFOOa-ESUzVsu9Xh0EfprRlAj8IlUFu_KktQTOCE1S0eD2asZFTeR2MV9YMnmM6W7NXeb1JRg/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROIj9UKfWXOjMOkItorhhJDAlohWqZS1cGZ6iEnv-s2-O19F3sNGmgBLtddm8eaFOOa-ESUzVsu9Xh0EfprRlAj8IlUFu_KktQTOCE1S0eD2asZFTeR2MV9YMnmM6W7NXeb1JRg/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, learned this too. I learn this one a lot. </td></tr>
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<li>Sometimes we take things out of God's hands. When we realize we've done that, it's good to give it back. Learned? Pray. </li>
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<li>Beauty really does invigorate the soul. Spring is a time of renewal not just for nature, but for us too. Breathing in the floral scented air, seeing the trees outfitted with their new green leaves, hearing the birdsong has been so good for me this month. On the bad days my husband quickly learned to say, "Go for a walk. Get outside." The treadmill can't live up to that experience. Learned? When it doubt, or in pain, or in flux, or in blah mode... get outside. </li>
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-56456294854250314532015-04-27T07:00:00.000-04:002015-04-27T07:00:11.864-04:00Could Vs. Had: A Post For Moms Everywhere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFWrKnFIJRU_7Vo8MPeE4uR0ou_UYqkCCYhnXsBuKQSpEt-KVGc9OUEeYU8jC-_W4m0EQVYg7Poe6e-vOeLAoIdR2nplxqFdH9PRNmCCxeqWXaNTagfotdsJza_J8ckADoyvUHw/s1600/IMG_1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFWrKnFIJRU_7Vo8MPeE4uR0ou_UYqkCCYhnXsBuKQSpEt-KVGc9OUEeYU8jC-_W4m0EQVYg7Poe6e-vOeLAoIdR2nplxqFdH9PRNmCCxeqWXaNTagfotdsJza_J8ckADoyvUHw/s1600/IMG_1212.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The other night I had the occasion to spend some time with a devoted mother. She was clearly very aware of every nuance of her child's life. As she asked me questions about my son, who is the same age as hers, it was clear that I... wasn't quite as aware. And I have to admit, there were a few minutes there that I felt like the bad mother, that little voice inside my head saying, "See? She knows these things. Why don't you?"<br />
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And so, though hopefully no one would realize, I had a little debate in my head between me and myself. And in the end, I realized that I wasn't being fair to myself. Yes this mother-- who has one child-- was far more in tune with her child's life than I-- who have six children-- was. That is a fact. But I was also having this conversation with this mother in order to help my child with something that was important to him. I took time to arrange a meeting and go to it; through my actions I said to my child <i>You Matter</i>. And while I haven't done everything there is to do for this child, I have done what I could.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGVasTQ8rWpIJ5Ad4jHQqbjqJ3V0m76hc-queP6G90rrOHMBHjaYtG3u1z9ps0Ue-oo2-M6zuBNETt8AO6tjJuqZGJlZ95MK30BsjLa6CFJoIMUz8ExNot0OLVNjHq1WgV776eA/s1600/IMG_1189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGVasTQ8rWpIJ5Ad4jHQqbjqJ3V0m76hc-queP6G90rrOHMBHjaYtG3u1z9ps0Ue-oo2-M6zuBNETt8AO6tjJuqZGJlZ95MK30BsjLa6CFJoIMUz8ExNot0OLVNjHq1WgV776eA/s1600/IMG_1189.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This got me to thinking. When my children are all grown up and their raising is "in the books" so to speak (though I know that point never really gets reached) what do I want to be able to say to them? What can I say with confidence and certainty? And here's what I arrived at: I want to be able to say I gave all I <i>could</i>. But there's a flip side to that statement. I don't want to say I gave all I <i>had.</i><br />
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To me one of those statements is reasonable. The other is exhausting. One is restorative. The other is depleting. One breeds goodwill. The other breeds resentment. I gave all I <i>could</i> means as a mother I took in my own personality, my own limits, my own interests, my own desires. I kept my marriage above my kids. I remembered I was a person before these little people came into my life and I will be a person after they wing their way into the future God has for them. I made sacrifices, yes. But I kept some things that were still just mine, just for me. <br />
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I gave all I <i>had</i> means as a mother I spent and spent and spent, sowing into my kids with no regard for me, leading to exhaustion, depletion and resentment. Giving all you have means you've somehow equated performance with worth, forgotten your own happiness in the name of theirs. And the danger there is that eventually all this martyr stuff will catch up with you. If not now, then later when they turn to teens who no longer think you hung the moon, or even later when they, according to plan, leave.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqmX5rtK7voH6DFC3p1FVaDj23k5Dcf2YegbaX_NqBQfREwdK_y-OkDXQ3jQtEodUy3tEp4eC0EETtwRpecQcYwUCpMqZWrAKxT-9lp0hIF7uCHU6WZLEF8NPcxAWqbLr6-UU_Q/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqmX5rtK7voH6DFC3p1FVaDj23k5Dcf2YegbaX_NqBQfREwdK_y-OkDXQ3jQtEodUy3tEp4eC0EETtwRpecQcYwUCpMqZWrAKxT-9lp0hIF7uCHU6WZLEF8NPcxAWqbLr6-UU_Q/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course there will be times-- seasons-- when you by necessity give all you have. Illness, newborns, special needs situations and other issues come to mind. That is not what I am talking about here. I am talking about the daily flux of motherhood. And the way that these people (kids) will take whatever we give them. And we get to decide just how much that is.<br />
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Here are some examples:<br />
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<li>Giving over control of the car radio to them. Listening to music you don't want to listen to in order to make them happy. Who's driving? Shouldn't the driver enjoy the ride more than anyone? </li>
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<li>Not going on dates because they don't want you to leave them. </li>
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<li>Participating in sports leagues and sacrificing entire weekends for the whole family in order to attend game after game. (If your child is a prodigy and this is a sincere investment in their future, go for it. But if they're mediocre and you're just out there because it's what everyone else does well...)</li>
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<li>Functioning as a short order cook in order to provide food everyone at the table likes. </li>
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<li>Scrambling around to provide something they need because they forgot to give you adequate warning. </li>
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<li>Forgetting that they won't remember every detail of their childhood, and that includes all those sacrifices and efforts you made. And making decisions accordingly. Sometimes good enough is just that. </li>
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<li>Not taking time to do the things we love(d) to do, invest in friendships, or just be alone for a bit. Without feeling guilty about it. </li>
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I'm not saying any one of these things from time to time is bad (Lord knows I've done them), but to ask yourself just how often you are doing these things and, more important, how you <i>feel </i>when you do? If you feel blessed and rewarded and called and validated, then keep doing what you're doing. But if you feel stressed and strung out and your blood is reaching a slow simmer, maybe rethink your approach. You might be giving all you have instead of all you can. (And if you need permission to stop the madness, consider this just that.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKR_JYEEDFwvTF0kwGtncGe4y8XLEsekDOwsV4l-5IqCz2PKgE621arfscl9Y03gyO-95MuyaGKBjBuXwSBFifdtlLKHKbKjmSVEtnk5qrdhbGFvZM9ollapFCb3URR01zZBL5g/s1600/IMG_1219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKR_JYEEDFwvTF0kwGtncGe4y8XLEsekDOwsV4l-5IqCz2PKgE621arfscl9Y03gyO-95MuyaGKBjBuXwSBFifdtlLKHKbKjmSVEtnk5qrdhbGFvZM9ollapFCb3URR01zZBL5g/s1600/IMG_1219.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And I'm also not writing this as an excuse to be neglectful and call it "taking care of you." Your kids need you. You. Not a sitter, not a chauffeur, not a cook. They need your eyes on them. They need your voice speaking to them. They need your arms around them. They need your applause, your affirmation, your validation. They need to hear <i>You Matter </i>from <i>you</i>. Your role is important and the balance must be struck. You still have to show up, put the time in, make the effort. You can't outsource parenting and you shouldn't.<br />
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But you can create boundaries that allow for both you and them.<br />
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Giving all you can is, to me, the healthy way to mother. Giving all you have is dangerous. Because the point of motherhood is to work your way out of a job. And if you've given all you have then that will mean there is no you left. Giving all you could means you preserved some bit of yourself, even if it's just the smallest fraction that you can build on as you have the space and time to do so. Recognize your limits. Regard your feelings. And go from there, in freedom. Give all you can. But beware of giving all you have. It's a subtle distinction, but an important one.<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-54937955880418450842015-04-24T06:00:00.000-04:002015-04-24T06:00:03.491-04:00The Age Of Adaline (review) I will admit that I hadn't heard anything about this movie when I got invited to attend a preview. I almost said no because of that, but then I decided to watch the trailer. (Below) And it drew me in and made me decide to go see it. I was astonished when my husband said he thought it looked good and he wanted to go. What? But ok. A date night it was.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/clbSd2JzAqc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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First we went to Dean and Deluca near the movie theater and had salads. My salad was laden with all the things I love-- artichoke hearts and grilled chicken and kalamata olives and tomatoes and carrots and cucumbers and-- oh yeah-- lettuce, topped off with a delicious sesame vinaigrette dressing. It was one of the best salads I've ever had. If you've never had a make your own Dean and Deluca salad and you have one near you, what are you waiting for?? Treat yourself to one asap! But I digress. This is not a post about salads. It's about this new movie that is out today.<br />
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After we ate, we went to the movie, which was... not the best date movie we've ever been to. It was just a bit too girly for my husband. I'm not sure what he thought it was going to be but... it wasn't whatever that was. I think he thought there'd be more history involved? More science fiction uncovery of why this woman never ages? More chase scenes? It was none of that. So I kept looking over to make sure he was awake. And to his credit he stayed awake for all of it.<br />
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Here are a couple of random thoughts on the movie if you're considering seeing it:<br />
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It is a love story of several things-- yes love of course-- but also of dogs, and the city of San Francisco, and aging. In a youth-obsessed culture it was refreshing to see aging approached as something to be desired. <i>If we stay young forever how will we ever experience the full scope of life</i> seemed to be the story's throughline. And it was a point well-made. I liked that. And it did make me think.<br />
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But...<br />
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I did not find the love interest attractive and I think that affected my ability to get swept into the love story. Blake Lively was, to me, far more lovely than he was handsome. This is me, showing my age. But that's ok <i>because I learned from the movie that age is a good thing.</i><br />
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Also?<br />
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Some of the plot lines seemed contrived.<br />
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And?<br />
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Blake Lively's breathy voice got on my nerves.<br />
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But-- but!-- I do not think I am the target market for this film. I think the two twentysomething girls sitting next to me with their salads on their laps and their big hoodie sweatshirts-- who <i>bawled their eyes out through the last twenty minutes of the movie</i>-- are the target market. And judging from their reaction, the movie should do pretty well.<br />
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So if you fall in the target market-- or know someone who does-- send them to this movie this weekend. But if you don't then proceed with caution. And you probably shouldn't take your husband if he likes a lot of action-- and the occasional gun-- in his cinema experience.<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-35670981481064545252015-04-22T04:30:00.000-04:002015-04-22T04:30:00.850-04:00What Worked For Me This Week <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
On Wednesdays I try to share things that made life easier or better. Here's the list this week: </div>
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These shoes. They are by Sperry and I have no idea what they are called but they're kind of like espadrilles or Tom's. So easy to slip on and go. And that's what I've been doing nearly every day. The neutral color means they go with pretty much everything and they definitely match my usual "jeans and tee shirt" errand uniform. They were a little pricier than my usual flip flop but I can definitely say I'm getting my money's worth I wear them so much. They're kinda boring mom shoes but I love them. Because let's face it, I am a boring mom. </div>
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Finding and appreciating the beauty of spring. Whether it's on my long walks or right beside my back door (like this azalea), I've been trying to really soak in and savor the gorgeousness of spring. </div>
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Refrigerating some leftover homemade cake frosting (because why would I let that go to waste?), then later buying some plain sugar cookies at the grocery store and letting my 9yo go to town with decorating them. She had a blast and the family enjoyed partaking in her handiwork afterwards. </div>
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Taking my oldest to a Women's National Book Association event at our local indie bookstore. That's not how it started out-- he just said he'd meet me beforehand so we could have dinner around the corner from the event. After we finished eating I told him to at least come up and meet a few of my friends who had never met him. And he totally surprised me and ended up staying. That's him on the right with authors David Joy (<b><i>Where All Light Tends To Go</i></b>) and Leigh Ann Henion (<i><b>Phenomenal</b></i>). And yes, he did talk me into buying him David's book. And what mom can resist a kid-- no matter how old-- who wants to read?</div>
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I am a teensy weensy bit hooked on these right now. I am sure they are bad for me (don't tell me!) but you would not believe the amount of water I am willing to drink if these things are involved! So. Good. And only 5 calories a packet! </div>
<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-24504636202041546942015-04-20T08:29:00.000-04:002015-04-20T08:29:00.047-04:00Why I Don't Have My Favorite Songs on my iPod (Or, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder)<i><b>Into The Mystic</b> </i>by Van Morrison is one of my all-time favorite songs. And, for a time, I had it on my iPod. Because, you know, iPods are the receptacles of all your favorite songs, right?<br />
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Except. Turns out, for me, they're not.<br />
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Sometimes the songs we love the best aren't the ones we should have accessible at all times. Sometimes the songs we love should be the things we happen upon, the things that are precious because of how rare they are. Sometimes happening upon our favorite song on the radio or hearing it piped through the speakers in the grocery store can feel like magic. In the midst of our ordinary, the right song at the right time can feel downright holy.<br />
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I took <i><b>Into The Mystic</b></i> off my iPod and decided for it to wait to come to me when I needed to hear it most.<br />
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And so I am sharing the video today, because it's Monday. And it rained all weekend in my neck of the woods. And it's a new week full of possibility, and also, responsibility. And we could all use a bit of magic, courtesy of Van Morrison:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RHTb-WE4zo" width="420"></iframe>Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-17987118285608798732015-04-17T15:03:00.002-04:002015-04-17T15:03:25.363-04:00What I've Been ReadingI am linking up to<b><a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015/04/reading-lately-new-notable-quick-lit/" target="_blank"> Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit roundup</a> </b>today.<br />
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First of all my apologies for being gone so much longer than I planned. When I set the date of my return to blogging, I wasn't thinking about spring break following the end of Lent. We went on a quick trip to the beach while the kids were out of school and, upon returning from that and getting back into the swing of school again, life has been crazy.<br />
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But I'm back now, and plan to return more consistently next week.<br />
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For my return post, here's what I've been reading lately. I've got some good books to share!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Gods In Alabama </i></b>by Joshilyn Jackson: Anyone who knows me knows I love Joshilyn's writing. This was the only book I hadn't read by her and I think I was kind of hanging onto it because I didn't want to be done with her books. (At least until the next one's out.) But one day I decided to read it, and 24 hours later, I was done. This one was every bit as good as the others and I highly recommend it. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist)Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend. Reluctantly, Arlene bows to the pressure, and she and Burr embark on the long-avoided road trip back home. As Arlene digs through guilt and deception, her patched-together alibi begins to unravel, and she discovers how far she will go for love and a chance at redemption.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>My Sunshine Away</b></i> by MO Walsh: I listened to this one on audio and, while I didn't love the narrator, I loved the story. It will definitely make my top ten list for this year. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText10938377703063406507" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"My Sunshine Away" unfolds in a Baton Rouge neighborhood best known for cookouts on sweltering summer afternoons, cauldrons of spicy crawfish, and passionate football fandom. But in the summer of 1989, when fifteen-year-old Lindy Simpson--free spirit, track star, and belle of the block--experiences a horrible crime late one evening near her home, it becomes apparent that this idyllic stretch of Southern suburbia has a dark side, too.<br />In "My Sunshine Away," M.O. Walsh brilliantly juxtaposes the enchantment of a charmed childhood with the gripping story of a violent crime, unraveling families, and consuming adolescent love. Acutely wise and deeply honest, it is an astonishing and page-turning debut about the meaning of family, the power of memory, and our ability to forgive.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Home Is Where My People Are </i></b>by Sophie Hudson: This memoir about what home means, what it's like to grow up southern, and the power of friendship. Oh, and it's really funny. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">All roads lead to home. It's easy to go through life believing that we can satisfy our longing for home with a three-bedroom, two-bath slice of the American dream that we mortgage at 4 percent and pay for over the course of thirty years. But ultimately, in our deepest places, we're really looking to belong and to be known. And what we sometimes miss in our search for the perfect spot to set up camp is that wherever we are on the long and winding road of life, God is at work in the journey, teaching us, shaping us, and refining us--sometimes through the most unlikely people and circumstances. In "Home Is Where My People Are," Sophie Hudson takes readers on a delightfully quirky journey through the South, introducing them to an unforgettable cast of characters, places, and experiences. Along the way, she reflects on how God has used each of the stops along the road to impart timeless spiritual wisdom and truth. Nobody embodies the South like Sophie Hudson, and this nostalgic celebration of home is sure to make even those north of the Mason-Dixon line long to settle in on the front porch with a glass of sweet tea and reflect on all of the people in our lives who--related or not--have come to represent home. Because at the end of the day, it's not the address on the front door or even the name on the mailbox that says home, but the people who live and laugh and love there, wherever "there" might happen to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Those Girls </i></b>by Chevy Stevens: this one is an advance reader copy of a book coming out this summer. It's gripping and gritty. Chevy Stevens' female characters are so much tougher than me! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKgNbbidNiZKlKH5LuqW2IhXzZdGdXhxCcLEBwFv6ByD4_jcgBU92rIdMNv8_TA7S5tb9wM1N7cj8dKsAYDjO0ZK12tX8uIiZPTn7ANJaZ9GIj3b5NKovhcQEH2TJR1066YyUjQ/s1600/91-NkbdMqnL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKgNbbidNiZKlKH5LuqW2IhXzZdGdXhxCcLEBwFv6ByD4_jcgBU92rIdMNv8_TA7S5tb9wM1N7cj8dKsAYDjO0ZK12tX8uIiZPTn7ANJaZ9GIj3b5NKovhcQEH2TJR1066YyUjQ/s1600/91-NkbdMqnL.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">This time there’s nowhere left to run. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Where They Found Her</i></b> by Kimberly McCreight: I just started this one-- but I've been waiting for it to come out for months. Can't wait to really dig in. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">From the author of the New York Times bestseller and 2014 Edgar and Anthony nominee Reconstructing Amelia comes another harrowing, gripping novel that marries psychological suspense with an emotionally powerful story about a community struggling with the consequences of a devastating discovery.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">When freelance journalist, and recent Ridgedale transplant, Molly Anderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the story for the Ridegdale Reader, it’s a risk, given the severe depression that followed the loss of her own baby. But the bigger threat comes when Molly unearths some of Ridgedale’s darkest secrets, including a string of unreported sexual assaults that goes back twenty years. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Meanwhile, Sandy, a high school dropout, searches for her volatile and now missing mother, and PTA president Barbara struggles to help her young son, who’s suddenly having disturbing outbursts. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Told from the perspectives of Molly, Barbara, and Sandy, Kimberly McCreight’s taut and profoundly moving novel unwinds the tangled truth about the baby’s death revealing that these three women have far more in common than they realized. And that their lives are more intertwined with what happened to the baby than they ever could have imagined.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-88687782253576173982015-02-19T15:14:00.000-05:002015-02-19T15:14:41.345-05:00A Break For Lent<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO6qkb54PWreYuQF5SppkyjDCS1pkLyAJts8oK1Xd5st6A5XJ3CFPcThThh1jtZlMpAn3T_ZulBVaPbdYSP01tunx-5OxI6kFmIBW9D_K0CTHuYbIcGB-nRffs_NkeUawz-unPw/s1600/2009-02-lent-big.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO6qkb54PWreYuQF5SppkyjDCS1pkLyAJts8oK1Xd5st6A5XJ3CFPcThThh1jtZlMpAn3T_ZulBVaPbdYSP01tunx-5OxI6kFmIBW9D_K0CTHuYbIcGB-nRffs_NkeUawz-unPw/s1600/2009-02-lent-big.png" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: www.openbible.info</td></tr>
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I am taking a blogging break over Lent. If you're stopping by between February 18 and April 5, you will find no new posts. I plan to return with new material on April 6th. I hope you'll join me then!<br />
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In the meantime, please scroll back through my past posts, check out my most popular posts (in sidebar), and my "About Me" tab to learn more. </div>
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And if you're looking for a speaker for your women's event, check out my "Need A Speaker?" tab at the top of the site. I'd love to come to your neck of the woods and share the "More To Your Story" message. </div>
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I hope you enjoy this time of preparation for Easter. If you're giving up something, what is it?<br />
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-23616723689912117962015-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:002015-02-13T08:00:03.334-05:00In Praise of Productivity (A Book Roundup) With the new year, my thoughts turned to becoming more productive. I am almost certain this happens to everyone around this time, but the difference was, for me, the thought stuck around past January 1. I've continued to read up on and seek out ways to become more productive, motivated, and effective in the areas of parenting, time management, organization, clutter, writing, exercise, etc. It wasn't that I wasn't doing these things before, I am just trying to do them <i>better</i>. As with all things in life, I turned to books to discover new ways I could do that. Here's a list (with descriptions) of the ones I've read or aim to read very soon:<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast </span></b></i>by Laura Vanderkam<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mornings are a madcap time for many of us. We wake up in a haze—often after hitting snooze a few times. Then we rush around to get ready and out the door so we can officially start the day. Before we know it, hours have slipped by without us accomplishing anything beyond downing a cup of coffee, dashing off a few emails, and dishing with our coworkers around the water cooler. By the time the workday wraps up, we’re so exhausted and defeated that any motivation to accomplish something in the evening has vanished.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But according to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, mornings hold the key to taking control of our schedules. If we use them wisely, we can build habits that will allow us to lead happier, more productive lives.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research that shows why the early hours of the day are so important, Vanderkam reveals how successful people use mornings to help them accomplish things that are often impossible to take care of later in the day. While many of us are still in bed, these folks are scoring daily victories to improve their health, careers, and personal lives without sacrificing their sanity. For instance, former PepsiCo chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund would rise at 5:00 a.m., run four miles, pray, and eat breakfast with his family before heading to work to run a Fortune 500 company.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your morning routine and jump-start your life before the day has even begun. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">What The Most Successful People Do On The Weekends</span> </i></b>by Laura Vanderkam<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Many of us breathe a grateful TGIF when Friday rolls around, envisioning a weekend full of both productivity and refreshment. Yet too often our precious weekends seem to disappear, eaten up by unproductive work or leisure that fails to energize us. Monday morning comes too fast, finding us still unrested, with too much still undone.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Time management expert Laura Vanderkam, continuing her series on </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What the Most Successful People Do</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, shows how we can take control of our weekends to get necessary R&R, while also using our downtime as a springboard to a productive week. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research, Vanderkam explains why doing nothing can be more exhausting than doing something and why happy people make weekend plans in advance. She shares weekend tips gleaned from busy people such as politician and talk show host Mike Huckabee, former CEO Frank Baxter, and TV producer Aliza Rosen. She reveals the kind of weekend activities that make people happiest, explains why it’s important to unplug at least for a little while, and shares the secret of why Sunday night may be the most important part of any weekend. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekend</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your weekends and start your workweek refreshed, renewed, and on track. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">How She Does It: An Everywoman's Guide to Breaking Old Rules, Getting Creative, and Making Time For Work in Your Actual Everyday Life</span> </i></b>by Anne Bogel<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Today’s working woman looks a lot like you. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">She’s a: </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• stay-at-home mom, working on her passion at naptime </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• a part-time professional sharing childcare with her husband </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• a full-time creative planning a future on her own schedule </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">She’s a woman – like you – with the opportunity to find fulfilling and profitable work without the mother guilt of previous generations. The possibilities are endless for today’s woman in this shifting work place – but the roadmap for getting there hasn’t quite been written. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Until now. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In How She Does It, author Anne Bogel unpacks these trends in family & work culture, and gets to the core of HOW you can make your work goals fit into your unique family situation. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Inside, you’ll find the personal success stories of 30 women who found – by playing to their unique strengths– solutions that really work for their families. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Better Than Before: Mastering The Habits of Our Everyday Lives</span></i></b> by Gretchen Rubin<br />
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<b style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The author of the blockbuster <i>New York Times</i> bestsellers, <i>The Happiness Project</i> and <i>Happier at Home,</i> tackles the critical question: How do we change? </b><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gretchen Rubin's answer: through </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">habits</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">How do we change our habits</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">?</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Better than Before</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Better than Before</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation. </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers’ most pressing questions—oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore: </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">love</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> to do? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can’t change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• How quickly can I change a habit? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• How can I help someone else change a habit? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">• Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can’t make habits that are just for me? </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Better Than Before</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> will make readers eager to start work on their own habits—even before they’ve finished the book.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Listful Thinking: Using Lists To Be More Productive, Highly Successful, and Less Stressed</span></i></b> by Paula Rizzo<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.933333396911621px;">What do Madonna, Martha Stewart, John Lennon, Ellen DeGeneres, Ben Franklin, Ronald Reagan, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Johnny Cash have in common? Each is (or was) a list maker. These successful people, along with CEOs and successful entrepreneurs, all use lists to keep track of their ideas, thoughts, and tasks. Finding enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished and allow for some downtime can be a struggle. It's no wonder so many of us are stressed, overextended, andexhausted. More than half of all American employees feel overwhelmed, according to a study by the nonprofit Family and Work Institute. For the 54 percent of us who feel like we're chasing our own tails, Listful Thinking is here to prove that it doesn't have to be that way. You can still find time to relax, read a good book, and do the things you love. Listful Thinking is the book that will give readers their lives back with indispensible tips on saving time, getting organized, improving productivity, saving money, and reducing stress</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Manage Your Day To Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus and Sharpen Your Creative Mind</span> </i></b>by Jocelyn Glei<br />
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<b><i>Making Ideas Happen </i></b>by Scott Belsky<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">According to productivity expert Scott Belsky, no one is born with the ability to drive creative projects to completion. Execution is a skill that must be developed by building your organizational habits and harnessing the support of your colleagues.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As the founder and CEO of Behance, a company on a mission to empower and organize the creative world, Belsky has studied the habits of especially productive individuals and teams across industries. Now he has compiled the principles and techniques they share, and presents a systematic approach to creative organization and productivity.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While many of us focus on generating and searching for great ideas, Belsky shows why it's better to develop the capacity to make ideas happen-a capacity that endures over time.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Daily Rituals: How Artists Work</span> </i></b>by Mason Currey<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Franz Kafka, frustrated with his living quarters and day job, wrote in a letter to Felice Bauer in 1912, “time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.”</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kafka is one of 161 inspired—and inspiring—minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks. Thomas Wolfe wrote standing up in the kitchen, the top of the refrigerator as his desk, dreamily fondling his “male configurations”. . . Jean-Paul Sartre chewed on Corydrane tablets (a mix of amphetamine and aspirin), ingesting ten times the recommended dose each day . . . Descartes liked to linger in bed, his mind wandering in sleep through woods, gardens, and enchanted palaces where he experienced “every pleasure imaginable.”</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here are: Anthony Trollope, who demanded of himself that each morning he write three thousand words (250 words every fifteen minutes for three hours) before going off to his job at the postal service, which he kept for thirty-three years during the writing of more than two dozen books . . . Karl Marx . . . Woody Allen . . . Agatha Christie . . . George Balanchine, who did most of his work while ironing . . . Leo Tolstoy . . . Charles Dickens . . . Pablo Picasso . . . George Gershwin, who, said his brother Ira, worked for twelve hours a day from late morning to midnight, composing at the piano in pajamas, bathrobe, and slippers . . .</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here also are the daily rituals of Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, John Updike, Twyla Tharp, Benjamin Franklin, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, Anne Rice, and Igor Stravinsky (he was never able to compose unless he was sure no one could hear him and, when blocked, stood on his head to “clear the brain”).</span><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Brilliantly compiled and edited, and filled with detail and anecdote, </span><i style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Daily Rituals </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">is irresistible, addictive, magically inspiring.</span><br />
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(I am linking this post to <b><a href="http://www.modernmrsdarcy.com/" target="_blank">Modern Mrs. Darcy's</a> </b>monthly book roundup.)Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-56903509890517523162015-02-11T07:30:00.000-05:002015-02-11T07:30:00.701-05:00What's Working This Week (The Valentine's Day Edition) A long time ago, I stopped trying to make Valentine's Day uber romantic and decided to make it a fun family evening instead, eliminating the desperate search for a sitter, the crowded, expensive restaurants and the pressure on couples to up the ante. (Really, who needs that?) Instead I make spaghetti (it's red) and something chocolate for dessert, then we try to find a "love" movie that we can all watch together.<br />
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But you've probably guessed that's not so easy.<br />
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So here are 5 movies we've deemed appropriate and not cringe worthy. As always, do your due diligence and look the movie up on IMDB to see why it garnered the rating it did, and if there are things in it that you would not think appropriate for your kids, or yourself for that matter. Movies are so subjective and everyone's threshold of what's appropriate is so vastly different.<br />
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But as romantic movies go, these are about as innocuous (without being vapid) as you can get. However you celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope it's wonderful!<br />
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Sleepless in Seattle: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star in Nora Ephron's wonderfully romantic comedy about two people drawn together by destiny. Hanks stars as Sam Baldwin, a widowed father who, thanks to the wiles of his worried son, becomes a reluctant guest on a radio call-in show. He's an instant hit with thousands of female listeners who deluge his Seattle home with letters of comfort. Meanwhile, inspired in equal parts by Sam's story and by classic Hollywood romance, writer Annie Reed (Ryan) becomes convinced that it's her destiny to meet Sam. There are just two problems: Annie's engaged to someone else and Sam doesn't know yet that they're made for each other. Co-starring Rosie O'Donnell, Rita Wilson and Rob Riener.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Return To Me: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">Who knew that when he ordered the special, he d get the dish of his life? David Duchovny ('the X-Files ) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) ignite sparks in this warm-hearted winner (JeffCraig, 'sixty Second Preview ) about a widower and a waitress who meet and fall in love. Featuring an incredible all-star cast, this hilarious romantic comedy delivers a lot of laughs, tears and joysthat will make your spirits soar. It took a lot of cajoling to get Bob (Duchovny), a recently widowed architect, to go on a blind date at a quirky Irish-Italian eatery. Once there, he's smitten instantly not with his date but with the sharp-witted waitress, Grace (Driver). With unsolicitedhelp from Grace's matchmaking grandfather (Carroll O Connor), Bob asks her out. And as their relationship blossoms, everything seems to be going great, until an unbelievable truth is revealed one that could easily break both of their hearts for good.</span><br />
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You've Got Mail: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The stars (Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan) and director (Nora Ephron) of </span><em style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Sleepless in Seattle</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> reteamed for this charming audience favorite. Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton and more great co-stars add note-perfect support to this cinematic love letter in which superstore book chain magnate Hanks and cozy children’s bookshop owner Ryan are anonymous e-mail cyberpals who fall head-over-laptops in love, unaware they are combative business rivals. You’ve got rare Hollywood magic when</span><em style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> You’ve Got Mail. </em><br />
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My Big Fat Greek Wedding: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Toula is 30. And unmarried. Which means as a nice Greek girl -- she's a failure. All her cousins did the right thing -- married Greek boys and made Greek babies. So everyone worries: what will become of Toula? Then one day she sees the ultimate unattainable guy and realizes the only way her life will get better is if he gets away from her big, fat Greek family. Toula escapes from the family restaurant. She exchanges her seating hostess jacket for a college diploma, convinces her aunt to give her a new job, and trades in her coke-bottle glasses for contact lenses, just in time for "him" to walk back into her life. Ian Miller is tall, handsome but defnitely not Greek. Their courtship is an Olympian culture clash. Can Ian handle Toula, her parents, her aunts, uncles, cousins and several centuries of Greek heritage? Will Toula discover the love she's been missing right in the heart of her big, fat family? One thing is for sure, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, with Ian's proposal Toula is headed for her big, fat Greek wedding.</span><br />
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While You Were Sleeping: <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You'll fall in love with WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, the hit romantic comedy that woke everyone up to adorable Sandra Bullock (SPEED, A TIME TO KILL). As Lucy, a lonely subway worker, she becomes smitten with a handsome stranger (Peter Gallagher -- MALICE). But when she saves his life after he's been mugged and fallen into a coma, his hilariously offbeat family mistakes her for his fiancee! Soon, the mix-ups escalate as Lucy fabricates a life between herself and a man she's never met! And when Lucy falls for his charming brother (Bill Pullman -- INDEPENDENCE DAY) the situation really gets uproarious as she's forced to make a choice between the two!</span><br />
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-61285053758799609442015-02-06T07:00:00.000-05:002015-02-06T07:00:09.146-05:00On Social Media As A Time Suck: The One Question To Ask Yourself <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever found yourself falling down the rabbit hole of social media? You know, the one where you start out on one thing, then find yourself 30 minutes later viewing photos of your college roommate's sister's child's wedding and think... what am I doing???</div>
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Here's a question I've started asking myself whenever I look up and realize that I am in danger of this being the case. Before I click any further I ask myself one question-- </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Will this change your life? </span></div>
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Nine times out of ten, the answer is no. A resounding no. </div>
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Does this mean that all social media is unnecessary? No. There is useful stuff out there. A post about a marriage issue you're struggling with. A link to a workout video that might be just the ticket to get you exercising again. A recipe on Pinterest that inspires you to make dinner for your family for the first time in a week. These things could potentially change your life, or at the very least your perspective.</div>
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But will another cat video do that? No. Where will your time be best spent? On the things that will change your life. At least for me, this has been a help... and a way to stop the madness.</div>
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Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-79584650157207467042015-02-04T05:00:00.000-05:002015-02-04T05:00:09.038-05:00What's Working For Me This Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's time to share what's been working for me this week. I spent far too much time yesterday going through <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015/02/whats-saving-life-right-now/" target="_blank"><b>Modern Mrs. Darcy's linkup</b></a>, reading about what has been saving other women's lives during these long, dark days of winter. Reading about what saved their lives saved mine, at least in a small way. So along those lines, here's what's worked for me this week. It might not be saving my life, but it made life nicer, which is no small thing...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the light on the water, and the lone seagull keeping vigil</td></tr>
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<b>A beach trip with a friend. </b>We got away to her mother's condo to write, talk about writing, take nice long walks on the beach, and just retreat. It was just what the doctor ordered.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40FFJWcnQPD4s-LYksMLAPgybiGbZ7brXU7AXYJn2Edme0GzfYdy81s2c7pkSNQ9pwuLcsSYegbgVEZh8eCpVCFCKtnYKTE15AzgaDX9jxV6gvnohyhfQmRiOzgU8T6I05jL_SA/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40FFJWcnQPD4s-LYksMLAPgybiGbZ7brXU7AXYJn2Edme0GzfYdy81s2c7pkSNQ9pwuLcsSYegbgVEZh8eCpVCFCKtnYKTE15AzgaDX9jxV6gvnohyhfQmRiOzgU8T6I05jL_SA/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might not can tell but those are frosted pinecones in the hurricane. The runner is kinda burlap /kinda golden with pretty beaded snowflakes on each end. Very understated and the table looks so nice with all the candles lit. </td></tr>
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<b>New tablescapes for everyday.</b> After our fall and Christmas centerpieces, I decided to go with something that can be for everyday use and I am enjoying them so much. They are a nice change of pace and I find the less colorful schemes soothing after so much color at Christmas and fall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKMvtMLEYhLAanS_83yHQZ22h-52MDJxvVpaCplq081d0jZPcUNq3HyOwPP5RBEYt78Je8L45YX2xd60KZStiywz7lzBBZ1EHCF9Jofgai8NsD4msaCrBbtxXf-dVRe_neiGlfw/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKMvtMLEYhLAanS_83yHQZ22h-52MDJxvVpaCplq081d0jZPcUNq3HyOwPP5RBEYt78Je8L45YX2xd60KZStiywz7lzBBZ1EHCF9Jofgai8NsD4msaCrBbtxXf-dVRe_neiGlfw/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this black and white runner I picked up at a local favorite store. <br />And my black iron centerpiece filled with white candles makes it perfect. </td></tr>
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<b>A handpainted wine glass </b>from a friend, featuring all the words I've chosen as my one word for the past five years. You can't tell in this picture but the blocks look exactly like scrabble tiles. I will treasure it for sure!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtVxHhif_71doGmr_OZrUGcF4WnfBw7yrhwMsWZFJvpkTtND4tjx2UDA1cuPVLG42wAaVky4lolzNfsNy4Az6dCQIbH7ZEBAvT0bOVj6KjydOQzf9MOkpQtV6TQg8Br0RnyFx1w/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtVxHhif_71doGmr_OZrUGcF4WnfBw7yrhwMsWZFJvpkTtND4tjx2UDA1cuPVLG42wAaVky4lolzNfsNy4Az6dCQIbH7ZEBAvT0bOVj6KjydOQzf9MOkpQtV6TQg8Br0RnyFx1w/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Grapes</b>: an easy snack to grab on the go, and for some reason they're super sweet right now. Since I'm trying not to eat sweets, I get my fix through fruit. I'm no expert but I'm guessing either grapes are in season or my grocery store just got a really good batch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDzXyg6DuFuHKNm1sHWsM-cycIu0mu7BVt6DNjHRDx7p63-Lbz0wz4hqzn0ZmDhaCuYdVsbFenPCICUkEXLabxbubU1wQkqpbdMLvC3gcfVjtfNAIbWRJ_hy0Qsf2aDFJ_dIUXw/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDzXyg6DuFuHKNm1sHWsM-cycIu0mu7BVt6DNjHRDx7p63-Lbz0wz4hqzn0ZmDhaCuYdVsbFenPCICUkEXLabxbubU1wQkqpbdMLvC3gcfVjtfNAIbWRJ_hy0Qsf2aDFJ_dIUXw/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture makes me smile. I love the purple grapes and the pattern from the colander. Chances are you will be seeing this photo again. </td></tr>
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<b>A coat for the dog</b>: After having her groomed I realized that she was going to be a bit more prone to the bitter cold we've been having off and on, so I bought her this spiffy little coat in fun colors. I love seeing her in it and she seems to like having it on. I group texted my older kids this photo after I got it and said, "We are now a family that dresses our dog." Their responses were hilarious.<br />
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What's saving your life/working for you lately? Share here, or at Modern Mrs Darcy's linkup! I'll be sharing this post.<br />
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<br />Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3762514.post-88524168762791439082015-02-02T05:00:00.000-05:002015-02-02T05:00:03.230-05:00Fun February HolidaysIt's a new month and, after you guys seemed to get a kick out of the quirky holidays I published in December, I thought I'd share some this month as well.<br />
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I'm thinking some nice loud music blasting in the kitchen is in order tomorrow. Which ones will you celebrate??<br />
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1 National Freedom Day<br />
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2 Ground Hog Day<br />
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3 The Day the Music Died (Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959)<br />
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4 Thank a Mailman Day (I bet some chocolate with a nice note would do the trick!)<br />
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5 National Weatherman's Day<br />
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7 Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (my kids could totally get behind this)<br />
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7 Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day (mine might think I'm crazy)<br />
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9 Clean out Your Computer Day (or at least your inbox???)<br />
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9 Toothache Day (let's hope not)<br />
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10 Umbrella Day<br />
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11 Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day<br />
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11 White T-Shirt Day<br />
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13 Blame Someone Else Day (My kids celebrate this every day.)<br />
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14 National Organ Donor Day<br />
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14 Valentine's Day<br />
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15 Singles Awareness Day (and all the single ladies say amen)<br />
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16 Do a Grouch a Favor Day (if someone comes to mind, it's probably best not to say)<br />
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17 Random Acts of Kindness Day<br />
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18 National Battery Day<br />
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22 Be Humble Day (I'm thinking that should be everyday.)<br />
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22 Walking the Dog Day<br />
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24 National Tortilla Chip Day (Chips and Queso anyone?)<br />
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26 Tell a Fairy Tale Day (A good day to watch <i><b>Ever After </b></i>on Netflix-- a personal fave of mine)<br />
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27 No Brainer Day (I'm thinking a no brainer dinner is in order.)<br />
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28 Public Sleeping Day (just go to the airport to witness this)<br />
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( Thanks to Sandra Beckwith at www.buildbookbuzz.com for this list. <a href="http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/february.htm.">Go here to see the original source</a>.)Marybeth Whalenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04138498344723215611noreply@blogger.com0