But Wait - Didn't I Mention I'm Lazy?

I volunteered a while back to help with All About Romance's re-polling for Favorite Books by Favorite Authors (Good God, I can't tell you how hard it is to type favorite repeatedly for months without the frickin' U!!) which has really been a blast. Okay, there was that one week ...

Anyways, we're in our last week of polling now - click here to go to the author's poll page - but, a few weeks ago LLB mentioned that maybe we (LinnieGayl, Lee and I) could write an ATBF column for the poll. *Trumpets blare* and LinnieGayl and Lee are off!! I mean, these women have been running circles around me since we started so I knew we were going to be writing a column ;)

Here's the thing. Now, we all know that I'm lazy but I've been kinda hiding it from the team.

Yes, successfully! *hmpfff*

At least, I think so ... crap.

Wait! Before I end up staring into the ether while twirling my hair I was just going to let you all know that I haven't been blogging because I have been trying to analyze eleven weeks of polls. I'm also trying to put sentences together in such a way as to not make people who have the 'grammatically correct gene' want to bludgeon themselves to death while reading my section.

Yeah, I'm thinking I need to invest in a magical wand.

In my brain I keep thinking - clear, concise and to the point. Then I write something down and edit like I'm a machete wielding mad woman. Last night I spent 2-3 hours analyzing and researching the results (hey, I need publishing dates and possible reviews by AAR) but the time flew by! (If you have the 'grammatically correct gene' your head will have exploded for the word 'by' at the end of a sentence) I realized I needed a break when I wrote a sentence that I knew in no way resembled English. Oh yeah, and the pounding in my brain.

Oh, okay, the pounding in my *head* but you're going to feel really bad when I die and they discover I *do* have a brain!!

So for Meljean and Megan (the only two authors who visit), I bow before you, humbled that you try to write something everyday. I now know why Megan likes her wine ;) For my friends in blogland - thanks for sitting at the computer and trying to figure out why exactly you loved or hated a book and then putting it into words, but mostly, thanks for sharing those moments in life that have you going WTF!?

Because, dude, WTF!? Didn't I mention I'm lazy?

Questions for Kristie

We've got a live one!!

I knew you all would be too cowardly to step up but, not our Kristie!

I didn't ask about how blogging had changed her life because at her one year anniversary she posted the most wonderful message to all her friends out in blogland. Since her and I are sisters in not getting too mushy online *sob*, I figured I would give her a break.

So! To the business at hand!

1. Is there any other country you would trade your Canadian citizenship for? If yes, which and why. If no, what's so great about Canada?

2. When you go to sleep at night (or day) do you dream? Are they vivid and life-like or happy go lucky places.

3. When did you start reading romance books? Have you always been a reader or did it come later in life?

4. Pick your poison. You have to spend one day alone with one of these people and they have to leave still breathing ;)

Damn, I don't know about you but I just threw up a little.

These pictures will only remain up until you have answered the questions because the Hasselhoff picture is too creepy for words!! Me thinks the man has a dog fetish. Do you think he is sending out a secret message with all the dogs? As in he don't like uh, kitties? Or am I so out of the loop it's a well known fact?

5. Alright, now that *that* day is over you get to spend the next with whoever you want. So post some pics - who's the antidote? And yeah, you can list a few because the antidote needs to be at full potency!

For those wondering what is going on, this was a meme and youyou failed to sign up! Bad Readers.

Brings a tear to my eye.

Whoops, that's blood. The things I do to entertain ;)

Uh, What?

There is a part of me that feels evil for posting this.

Luckily, it's a small part.

Go see this.

Is it work safe? I don't know. Depends on if you can't stop laughing or if your involuntary gag reflex kicks in. Oh and there is music so maybe plug in the earphones.

Yeah.

Earphones.

That'll make it all better.

On another note, and c'mon, when haven't I played with a 12 note scale, the heat is rising at DearAuthor (follow this link to take you to the relevant post) with the 'I write HEAs!!!' and the 'do you really need HEAs?' I figure someone's going to lose their job for letting that particular cat (the one striped with the 'we don't need no stinkin' HEA) out of the bag.

Here's how it works for us lazy readers (yes, I'm the queen, shut up) if I get even a whiff of a line of romance books that doesn't necessarily have to have a HEA to be published, then I will not buy any book from that line. Cause I'm lazy. Oh, and I read romance. I can read other stuff like chick lit and mystery but guess what, I know that is what I am reading so if I get a romance on top of it all? Cherry. A romance book where all I get is a bunch of people meandering about and then going their separate ways? Sloppy poop.

I told hubby about this and he said 'if they don't get together at the end of the book then it's not a romance!'. All I'm saying is that if a man can figure out what constitutes a romance book without having ever read one, then I think it would only be 'elementary my dear' for a publisher to know.

Just saying.

Have you recovered from the video yet?

Good, me neither.

The Five Question Meme

I volunteered over at Jay's and I now have five questions to answer.

Here we go.

1. What's the one thing about you that you are the most proud of?

Do over! Foul ball! *glances around with hope* Leg cramp?

Uh, okay, I'm proud that I accept my lazy, panic attack ridden self for who I am. Hey, it was a long road and that panic monkey was a bitch! Lazy just hitched a ride. Bob has defined me as 'motivationally challenged'. Yep, I own it.

2. High school - would you do it over again. What about university and stuff?

Hell. No.

Course, I'm the poster child for 'educated bum'. I should have been born near a beach. On that note, anyone seen my porsche?

3. What's your absolute favorite dinner?

Turkey and all the trimmings. Real gravy, real stuffing. Damn, now I'm hungry.

4. Showers or baths? Tea or Coffee? PJs with underwear or commando?

Showers. Coke (I don't drink anything hot). Undies always, otherwise my body thinks it needs to pee. TMI? Too bad. Bob and I get in our jammies the minute we know we are not going out of the house again which means, yes, 3pm might have us in jammas. Cozy cotton bottoms with oversize Tees.

5. What keeps you up at night (or day)?

Not taking my sleeping pill. *Ba-dum-tish* Awww, c'mon, that was a gimme ;)

Seriously though, wait, I need a minute to get serious .... 'kay. Anything can keep me up. My best friend's shit can keep me up (Lord have mercy how I can worry about her crap!). Worrying about my brother can keep me up. Wondering if everyone really does have a purpose or if some of us are just place holders. I prefer the not to think too hard on the last one so I will obsess about stuff I have no control over.

Imagine what kind of crazy mess I would be with kids! I've tried to teach myself that I can't live other people's lives and people generally don't take my advice. Why? I don't know because as you know, I'm always right. It's just I have that runaway brain that will pick at something whether I want it to or not.

Stupid brain.

Your turn!! *rubs hands together with glee*

Here’s the instructions from Jay's blog: Leave me a comment saying “interview me.” The first five commenters will be the participants. I will respond by asking you five questions. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Now after my wonderful success at giving away free frickin' books *ahem*, I know there will be a race to see who can sign up first. Not only that, I will ask as many people who volunteer a bunch of question because I'm nice like that.

Oh, C'MON!!!

I got my dander up.

I probably shouldn't be writing when I get all uppity but, since this is close to every romance reader's heart I figured what the hell.

Define a romance. Does it need at HEA? (you better bet your booties it does!! - ooops, Bad Cindy)

Sure it means different things for everyone but over at Ja(y)nes, they are talking about false advertising which, has brought up the question of HEA.

Go over to Ja(y)nes if you haven't been there yet and read over everything. I can wait.

*sits back, plays some spider solitaire*

Oh, you came back! Terrific!

False advertising blows but then, marketing teams have managed to massage the legal ins and outs for years and we're not going to be able to change it. (oh crap, I was just at their site and they have already blogged about this *shakes fist in their general direction*)

My comment is in the thread over there and I didn't want to steal someone elses response and posting my comment without the relevant information makes me sound like a looney-toon so you really do have to go over there.

Apparently there are publishers out there that don't think the heroine needs to end up with a love at the end of a story. They also think that everything is A-okay if they put 'romance' on the spine of such a book.

Now you should know that I don't need marriage and kids and a poodle but dammit, it's a romance and there needs to be a love story where the two people involved end up together.

Hey, I'm all evolved, I read Anne Stuart and you know I consider her books as HEA(s)!!

I managed to comment twice in this thread and will now sum up:

First, you can burn me once and then you're pretty much dead to me and

2) quit fucking around with my romance books!!

*ahem*

I pretty much see this as a bunch of money grubbers making a grab at the romance market which is the money maker of publishing.

Course, I could be wrong.

*thinks*

Nah, I'm always right.

Now I'm going back to Dear Author to read their response to the HEA and the comment section. Here's hoping I don't do something stupid like cause a flame war. Oh wait, that happened already this month, I should be good.

A Hunger Like No Other

Keeper, Keeper, Keeper, Keeper!!!!

Not only that, but there will be another book about these creatures called No Rest for the Wicked so I'm off to find out all I can about her books.

Kresley Cole you have a fangirl in me!

Edited: Ohhhh, the next book comes out in October but I'm a summer lover so I'm not wishing it was October. Hell, no. That goes against everything I believe in and yet ... NO! I will not even think it! A fangirl squee review to come later when I'm not so sleepy from staying up late to read.

Some Fun

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. I have been using the bathroom for years--canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture .)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours, and does not speak clearly.Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they: eat less, don't ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink, don't worry about having to buy the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes , don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant, you can sell their children.


On another note, anyone have some good ideas on how to help my dogs and cats with the move to their new home? It's only 3 minutes from where we are now so Bob's worried the dogs might scent this house and take off. Dogs always seem fine with change, it's the cats I'm worried about. The good news is there are only a few carpets in the new place (all hardwood floors, squeeee) so their attitude won't put too much of a dent in the decor ;)

I couldn't post a picture of my cats with our dogs because they all dart when they see the camera. Okay, the cats run like hell while the dogs sniff it like it's food so I get a lot of weird close ups thus, the need to borrow someone else's cute picture.

Haven't finished A Hunger Like No Other but it's been a busy weekend. I'm still lovin' it!!

Kresley Cole - Whoopie!!

I am just popping in to let you all know that I decided that life was too short to continue reading Fangs for the Memories and now all I have to do is *never* buy another Kathy Love book.

Remind me, 'kay?

In short, I have found her heroines too innocent and childlike and then, I was bored. I prefer stronger heroines which is funny because the book I picked up next is fan-tab and the heroine is a bit of a wimp but, in a good way.

So I decided to just grab books until one grabbed hold of me. Luckily the book I grabbed was A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole which I think I first heard about at Keishon's (I can't find the post - maybe it was someone else?)

I'm only half way through the book and I am loving it in a JR Ward/Anne Stuart kind of way and I can't wait to get back to it so this post is gonna be short! Except to note that Kresley has at least 5 books in her backlist and the hunt will begin ASAP! I have another of her books - I think it is If You Dare but I have no clue what it is about or if the book I am reading is part of a series or not. I'm just loving the reading part ;)

I have packed up all books but have created a small box with books that should appeal to me over the next few weeks. Moon Called is in there and Keishon (this link takes you to Keishon's post about the book) also mentioned this book as being terrific.

Me happy.

I'm also thinking of writing a rant about TV series finales. Not season finales but series finales.

I know, you're on the edge of your seat.

You Better Believe It!

You know a woman has PMS when.....

She stops reading Glamour and starts reading Guns and Ammo.

She considers chocolate a major FDA food group.

She puts on one of those pads with "wings," then flies off the roof laughing hysterically while riding a broom.

She's developed a new talent for spinning her head around in 360 degree circles.

She retains more water than Lake Superior.

She denies she's in a bad mood as she pops a clip into her semiautomatic and "chambers one."

She buys you a new T-shirt -with a bulls-eye on the front.

You ask her to please pass the salt at the dinner table and she says,"All I ever do is give, give, give! AM I SUPPOSED TO DO EVERYTHING?"

She enrolls in the Lizzie Borden School of Charm.

She orders 3 Big Macs, 4 large fries, a bucket of Chicken McNuggets,and then mauls the manager because they're out of Diet Coke.

I've sent an e-mail to hubby with the pertinent information in bold, you know, just to give the poor guy a head's up.

I'm sweet that way.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to make up my own list. Home Depot will show prominently. I'll have to blog about *that* story although I'm pretty sure I'll come out looking very bad.

The Fit Hitting the Shan

Well, if you haven't been blog surfing then you have been missing some serious upsets. Also there was some action over at AAR and quite frankly, I'm wondering if we're all off our meds ;)

I'm PMS-ing in spades so I was ready to let loose with a real humdinger of a rant with lots of swearing to make a point but then I realized that the point may then get lost. I mean, I'm PMS-ing man. There is no sense to be made when I'm in this mode. Makes me wonder if other people are also PMS-ing and posting like there will be no tomorrow. *cough* MJD *cough*

So if you just want to avoid the whole meltdown then ... well, I'm not sure because for some reason I keep spewing out opinions myself. Bad Cindy. I think I need a new hobby.

You ready for my reading rant. I mean, I feel really bad that I'm wanting to throttle Kathy Love because it really isn't her fault that I keep going into her books expecting one thing only to be blindsided by something completely different.

I am *trying* to read Fangs for the Memories but the need to bang my head against a wall becomes overwhelming at times so, we're on a break. I'll pick it up again over the next day or so but, man, I think I must have a hate on for this poor author!

To back track it started with her last book in a trilogy where the reader got to meet the asshole hero during the two previous books and I was excited to see how Love would redeem him.

Head injury.

Can you say pissed? Let's just say I was an unhappy camper. Made me worry about what would happen if this guy got knocked in the head with a baseball.

So I heard about FFTM from Maili's blog and then from Jay. I went and read the excerpt and woohoo, an angsty vampire story! Just what I need to get the bad taste out of my mouth!

I start reading and savouring the dark dreary vampire and then WHAM!, where in the hell did that brick wall come from!? I'm ready for a dark meaty contemporary and the stupid vampire gets amnesia and he thinks he is who he was when he was changed. 200 years ago. Suddenly he's talking all historical and crap and I'm ready to throw the book against the wall.

If I can take a moment off my meds I'd just like to say that I hate the word 'quim'. Not sure why but I read this and saw red. Again, could be because I was expecting a contemporary and I'm getting some historical stuff. Or it could be the lack of proper meds. I'm just saying.

It really is a great concept. A vampire with amnesia? That should make me happy but instead I want to run screaming into the sunset.

This is definitely a situation where it is me and not the book. I know there are bigger issues in the world but, it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to.

You're welcome.

Walk it off!!

Please, May I ?

Okay, the ARC thing wasn't really the issue over at Smartbitches. It really was the feeling of readers being attacked by a writer. I get the same feeling whenever I read an author's opinion on buying books used. It makes me wonder why they feel the need to talk directly to me about it when it isn't really my problem. I certainly don't like to be 'taken to task' for it!

All that said, I think what got lost in the bedlam of the comments was something that I found more shocking than anger over ARCs. I mean, I have talked about what I thought over on other people's blogs but that was before this was posted.

Part of a comment by PC Cast:

And, yes, my original rant was cut and pasted from a private email from me to Sarah. I'm cool with Sarah posting it, but had I known she was going to I can tell you I would have cleaned it up and made the focus of my anger more easily identifiable - the people who callously profit from an author's work without even bothering to review said work.

Sarah's comment:

Hey y'all - so no one thinks that any email to me or to Candy is public fodder the minute you hit 'send', I want to apologize to PC. I thought she was fine with my posting her email as written, so while this debate has been most curious and certainly strong, it was based on an error on my part. I want to alleviate any suspicions that I handle email thinking primarily of site content and flammability - I assure you I do not.
So, PC, mea culpa. I'm going to toast myself in penance over a pile of burning eBay ARCs. K?

Uh, wow. Am I the only one who finds this a bit shocking. Yeah, I get that people could use your private e-mails but doesn't this feel a little bit like getting a knife in the back? I think Sarah probably thought that readers would have jumped onto the 'down with selling ARCs' bandwagon but instead readers were shocked and appalled at the venom that flew out of the rant. At this point, do you look at the person intent rather than the result?

In the end, I'm wondering if it was a break down in communication that led to something being posted without clear consent or ipeddlingdalling is the order of the day now that things have become messy.

So what do you think? I have a writer friend named Megan but I know for a fact that if she sent me an e-mail about something that was bothering her about the publishing world I wouldn't post it to a public forum. If it was something that I felt strongly about and that I felt needed to be brought to people's attention I would ask permission and even then I think that most writers would like the chance to re-write because a casual e-mail has a different voice than an actual statement.

So once again, I have wandered off the path of what was actually being discussed and ended up somewhere else.

What a frickin' surprise.

But I cannot leave without wishing all the mother's out there a Happy Mother's Day! Hope you have a wonderful day.

Whenever Bob gives me a bouquet of flowers I will get my digital camera out and take close-ups of the flowers. This picture is from the bouquet I received on our anniversary. One of these days I hope to put some of them in frames so I can hang them in one of our bedrooms.

Until then, I hope you enjoy.

Squirrel Crazy

Things are going along at a snail's pace over here and now that I'm up during the day I'm just not myself. Super grumpy but, I think it's PMS.

I was over at my best friends house and she kept saying, 'I'm sorry, I don't think I'm making you any better.' Which in turn, made me feel worse because I must not be fit for company. I wouldn't even be saying anything and she would suddenly apologize hoping that she wasn't making it worse. In all honesty, she was making me feel fine - I needed to get away from my house just for a mental break! I told her I was fine but my face is set in an angry pose which is weird because I have never seen it do that.

I can tell you I don't like it.

I look old. And grumpy. And I'm not all that old.

So I keep trying to relax the muscles in my face because I think they are in spasm.

Don't you just love coming here ;)

I was over at Jay's and she had up some interesting stuff such as Iowa wanting to make it illegal to feed stray cats. Not sure what that is about but then, I remembered *one* of my squirrel stories and yes, I do think it is odd that I have more than one.

So here you have a story.

Ahem.

My family has the best friend family who we've all heard about here. Anyways this family is very concerned about animals. They are almost useless in emergency situations with animals because they begin to wail and pull their hair and well, they're not helping. I'm one of those who is more about seeing to the animal first and then crying.

I'm just saying.

So these lovers of all things animal are in a rental home which was very beautiful and picturesque. I think they lived there for about 6 years. During this time the Mrs. in the family began to feed the squirrels and on no, they didn't just get some peanuts, they had to have specially bought peanut butter that was then put in a nice sandwich.

It was cute.

There was the whole, I don't trust you phase where the squirrels would slink over to the bread, grab it and then scram. Then there was the 'oh, look, food' stage where they would happily come over for their dinner. At this point I think there were about 5 squirrels and I remember my family laughing about how fat these guys were. F-at.

Then came the other cute stage where you would be doing dishes at the kitchen sink only to look up and see a squirrel pawing at the glass like little Oliver 'please, sir, I want some more?'

Then they started scratching at the side door. Now for me, creepy but the family laughed at the little gremlins and tossed them their sandwiches.

All of a sudden the family gets an eviction notice because the daughter of the people who own the house wants to move back home and they want the house for their daughter. The family grumbles but are able to find a new home. I'm the only one who seems a bit concerned about the fact that there are going to be a bunch of squirrels who won't be fed daily anymore. It just never seems to come up.

A year later I said something to my Mom about how I felt it was irresponsible to feed wild animals for as long as they did and then leave them to their own devices. My mom started to laugh.

Get this, the squirrels kept begging at the door but obviously the new person had no clue what was going on. A month later she had to call the SPCA to come and get the squirrels because they were jumping on the screen door and hanging there squawking at here. She couldn't get out of the house! I believe by the time the SPCA got there there were twelve very angry squirrels attached to certain areas of the house.

Can you imagine?

It actually makes me laugh, which I probably shouldn't but I keep getting these mental images of these fat squirrels haranguing the new owner of the house. Another take on the movie The Birds.

The good news is that this family no longer feeds squirrels.

Mini Boo-Hoo Post

So. Have I mentioned the move?

Yeah? Uh, huh. 'kay.

*whistles softly to self, rocks back and forth*

Let's see if I can do this.

In the house I have lived for the past eleven years my husband Bob has built me beautiful bookcases. I believe I have posted pics of these modern wonders.

*glances around, whistling becomes a little soggy*

Did I mention they are all built-ins?

*cries*

We don't own one free-standing bookcase! I am about to move into a home that has no bookcases!! I am about to leave behind these beautiful pieces of furniture that *my* husband built for *me*!!

Can you tell I'm having a bad time with this? No? Too subtle?

I started in my library this evening packing up my books which, heeeello-oo, are going to be in boxes for the next 4 months at the very least! Now, there I am carefully picking out books that I am hoping I will get to read over the summer months and packing away books that have been in the TBR pile for quite a while. I am also removing all of Anne Stuart's books and they are now in a box marked with her name and the area of the new home they are to be placed, by loving hands, into. Yeah, the master bedroom.

So I am doing this and I'm not feeling too badly although the idea of hiding books from my sight freaks me out, I seem to be holding up because I have planned out the packing. No, I'm not an alpha nut so books are hitting the boxes willy-nilly but I am setting aside books that will be marked with some significant symbol to let me know about the books that, in a bad moment, I *may* tear an entire room apart trying to find.

Not saying I am Godzilla but I have been known to crack a time or dozen. I definitely don't want to end up with a room of paperbacks on the floor without the protection of a box!

So planning. Good.

I didn't anticipate the sudden onslaught of tears. Now, I may be able to blame the dust and what the hell, that's going to be part of it because, Good Lord, when was the last time I dusted!?

I'm upset because I have to leave a piece of Bob and I behind in this house. Who am I kidding? We're leaving 2 gorgeous bookcases in the living room (which I stained and varathaned thank you very much), a wall to wall unit in the back room (again, stained and varathaned) and an entertainment unit downstairs that is frickin' huge - 10 feet. In reality, Bob and I have next to no furniture!! Holy Crap!! Where are we going to put the TV!? We're going to be living with boxes for furniture!! I can't believe I am just realizing this as I am typing!

This whole moving thing is becoming too real and I should know better because as a child we moved 3 times that I remember and then I moved here into Bob's house. I love moving because there is a feeling of starting on a new adventure and it was long past time Bob and I moved on from this house.

It's just ...

Holy Shit!! My stove!! I can't take my stove!! Or my dishwasher! It's going to be weird cooking and cleaning with someone elses appliances.

*snort*

Cooking.

Okay, now I'm laughing.

MJD's Drop Dead, Gorgeous

I finally found time to read a book although it probably doesn't count because it is a 200 page story by MaryJanice Davidson.

Also, I don't think anyone else who visits here reads her but, just in case, I'll dish.

The good news - The book has a plot *and the crowd goes wild*. Seriously this is a bonus because I remember trying to recap her last Betsy book and I didn't have a clue.

The bad news - There is an author's note that gets you kinda up to speed on the book before it although there is a claim that this book is a stand-alone. Yep. It's a stand alone if you enjoy being dumped in the middle of nowhere and being greeted by characters and situations that are weird to say it best. *I've* read the book before it, the author's note and was still forced to read the first 10 pages of the book again to figure out where the hell I was.

Okay, my brain hasn't been all that cooperative about relaxation time lately but still, some description of a setting might be a good way to make it clear that the voices you are reading are not being suspended in some deep void.

Cindy Blurb: Jenny, the beautiful blonde, blue-eyed heroine of the book is the best friend of the people who have a life - hey, at that point her name could be Cindy but that would be my own issues. Yeah, so Jenny is bright and funny and life is passing her by at the ripe old age of 22. *cough* bitch *cough* She's at her friend's wedding when the groom gets shot but, it's okay because he wears a bullet proof vest (do you know why? No? That's too bad, because this book should be able to stand on it's own - ooops, bitchy Cindy has come out to play). Jenny catches the bad guy and by this I mean, the bad guy is the hero Kevin Stone and he let's her capture him. Afterall, he was in deep cover and everyone forgot about him. Hmm, things sounding familiar?

To sum up, Jenny and Kevin go back into his deep cover to put monkeys in a few wrenches and well, they fell in love the minute they met. Perfect. I love these kind of books. Can you tell?

And there is a happily ever after. Good.

I did like reading this book. No really. It is definitely one of her better ones but if *I* notice editing issues then it's gotta be bad because for the most part, I'm a dope. Timeline issues. Don't have you're heroine thinking about how at least she isn't still wearing her bridesmaids dress at the firing range because, DUDE, the wedding was yesterday and shit has happened since them.

You know, just silly stuff that would probably only make my head implode. I'm sure no one else even noticed. Oh, wait, I'm a dope soooo, yeah, someone else might see it.

Still. I enjoyed the story and it's better than Derik's Bane which I couldn't stand so if you loved DB, which many people did, then take what I say with a boat of salt.

Okay. That's all I got.

Oh and you all know I'm still going to buy her next Betsy book because I am a slut for MJD.

Man, I suck. She must love fans like me.

No Leg Pulling Here!!

Well this morning I had a nice little shock.

I couldn't sleep.

Stop laughing.

This is a serious problem!!

Edited: I had no pictures or links or songs to put up so I put this picture up. I just think it's pretty. Now I need to know why a naked woman is riding through a town on a gorgeous horse. It's labelled Lady Godiva?

I had taken my normal sleep aid and a bonus and was all prepared for my voyage into the deep when the next thing I know I have been laying awake for an hour! My mind kept on racing through the things that needed to be done. I wanted to get up and paint but I knew that would be bad news.

Words of wisdom from Cindy - Never do anything that is supposed to be done 'well' when sleepy. Things start to go wonky.

Then I was packing in my mind - which I admit I have been doing since the day I realized we were moving.

Oh and the best part? There is this commercial for some diet soda that I can't remember the name of (dang, I can't find a clip and I have been looking for an hour. Funny how I know the song and everything that happens but I have no clue what soda it is!) where the guy holds the can to his mouth the entire time, even while swimming and there is a song with the words 'You've gotta hold it, just a little bit longer and a hold it'. Because I think the commercial is funny and I like the beat of the song, the damn song has been playing in my brain for the last 24 hours!!

So I got up and took another bonus pill which should have done the trick but no. I was up until noon yesterday! Ah, bonus pills are anxiety pills which apparently can be taken to help with sleeping also. Since my mind wouldn't shut down I knew it was alright because that is the sign of an anxious brain. All the same, I figure I will be having natural anxiety for the next few months and just need to get over myself. Looks like sleep will be considered non-essential.

Damn.

Ahhhh, what the hell, let's find the silver lining.

Today is our anniversary and I will be up for most of the daylight hours sooooo, that's good. We'll go to breakfast which is really my favourite meal of the day soooo, that's good. I finished the painting in the back room, sooooo, that's good.

That's all I got. Oh, I will now empty my system of all sleepy drugs sooooo, that's good. I mean, if they aren't working then you have to stop taking them so they'll work again.

Let's just hope C-Rex doesn't find her way to the surface today.

That, would not be silver in the lining.

Stupid Painting

It took me hours to tape off all the wood in the room and then to put one coat of primer on the walls. I had forgotten how bad the walls were and now remember why we papered because I normally hate paper. Ah well, I'm in the thick of it now.

Hopefully I'll have it all wrapped up by Saturday because that is mine and Bob's anniversary. Eleven years - egads!! I have to get out and get a sappy card but I'm in night mode. May have to get Bob to stay home tomorrow night while I run out.

I think we are going to go see Mission Impossible 3 because, hellooo, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, as the bad guy!! Also, I do love action movies and since those are the kind I like to see on the big screen then we'll be going ;) Anyone know if there would be any reason to see the Da Vinci Code on the big screen? I want to see the movie because I'm not going to read the book and well, two hours of movie I can take.

This is the first year in a long time that I don't have a list the length of my arm of movies I want to see on the big screen. Looks like I need to go do some internet sleuthing.

As to reading? Just can't sit with a book. My mind is buzzing lately but it is easier to drown it out with a TV show than a book. Must be the noise along with the visual that keeps me in place for a certain length of time. I think I'll feel better once the back room is done and I start packing some stuff up.

Okay, off to play Spider solitaire because my cat is eyeing my lap. She has evolved to the point where she will sit on the keyboard that I have on my lap (I sit with my feet up on the desk and have my *wired* board balanced on my lap). Last night I actually had the keyboard on her because I wasn't done. She didn't care for that but tolerated it so I better get this done now.

Hope you all are reading wonderful books that you can tell me about. I think it'll be August before I can read again and I have so many books I want to read!!

Oh wait, there's that damn reno house.

Crap, no photos or links because Amber is now meowing at me to pick her up so she can sit on my lap. Gotta Go!!

Uh, Can I Have A Do Over?

I'm not sure about other people but I tend to visualize tasks that I have to do.

For example, *I* believe I have to strip the wallpaper off the backroom and paint the walls in a neutral colour. Bob, however, has decided that our taste is the be all and end all and therefore, the room is spectacular as is.

*starts to mumble* How this man ever sold a flipper house is beyond me. Ahem.

Guess what? Builder beige is your best friend when selling a house. That's why it's called builder beige ;)

So, you have me in one corner telling Bob we have to strip the paper and Bob saying, no, you don't. In my mind, I am able to strip the wallpaper and have the room painted before Bob has to get up in the morning. That gives me about 7 hours and yeah, I am a fast painter.

I'd now like to enter this photo into evidence marked as 'Dumbass, thy name is Cindy'

I was probably at is for 40 minutes and you see how the wallpaper looks like pointed fingers? Well, those parts came off in teeny-tiny pieces that rivaled the tip of a pinhead.

Yep, I knew I was in trouble when I pulled on the first sheet and a swatch of wallpaper the size of a mini post-it came off. Problem is, it's too late then!!

By the way, this room is maybe 8x10 and half the wall is cover by wood paneling. One wall has built in bookcases - thank God.

It took me two hours to get two walls done and I was wondering if I could get away with leaving the last wall as a feature wall ;) But then, I'm nothing if not doggedly determined so I took a TV break (OMG!!! Did you see LOST last night!! I'll be at Kristie's) and then came back. It is now 4:15am and I have finished stripping wallpaper and there is not a snowballs chance in hell that I'm going to break out the paint.

Entering photo 2 into evidence marked as 'Bob was right, the bastard'

You know what though? The room will show bigger now that the heavy coloured paper has been taken down.

Will too!

Just so you know, I have removed wallpaper before but it usually comes down in panels and then you wet the paperback that is left and scrape until your hands bleed. Instead, I was scraping the wallpaper off then having to wet the paperback only to have to scrape that with hands that were already bleeding!!

Okay, in all honesty I'm more worried about Bob waking up and yelling 'WTF!'. If it was already done he'd just say something about how silly I am while now, I'm waiting for him to wake up and tell me how I wasted perfectly good time that could have been used to pack.

*My* brain, however, wouldn't let me pack until I had this room checked in my mental to do list as done because this room is where our packing will go since the only furniture in there is a desk. If it wasn't done I would just worry about how the house would sell.

So, fuck it. I'm right.

Okey-Smoke

Things have been a bit hectic so, not so much on the posting.

I volunteered to help with the balloting of Favorite Books by Favorite Authors poll over at AAR and even though last week was light for me, I still had taxes and arguments to get through.

This week the ballots have picked up and I don't want to get behind so I have been plotting them when I get some spare time.

And now, for something completely different.

Lately, I feel like Bob is on top of me and not in a good way. It's probably because we had to have the roof re-shingled and it was supposed to happen on Saturday therefore, I had to get up and leave the house. Talk about exhausted. I was a bit muggy headed on Saturday but when we got home at 4pm the roofers hadn't been so I crawled into bed for a 4 hour nap.

Sunday I am figuring I can sleep like normal and I told Bob he could wake me at noon.

This is how weird I am.

Ready?

I crawled into bed at 3am and I think I fell asleep pretty fast. The next thing I know I am semi-awake and in the conscious part of my brain I am thinking about how it's probably 5 to twelve and Bob would be in any minute with his perky self to wake me. Usually my sense of time is dead on but, Sweet Mercy I opened my eyes and it was only 8am. Four more hours of sleep!!

I snuggled back into my pillow with a sigh of relief only to hear a knock at the door.

*please let it be someone collecting for something, PLLLLLEASE!*

Roofers.

On a Sunday.

Couldn't bloody well believe it. Bob comes in and coos an apology but I say I will see if I can sleep through it.

Uh, no.

I think one of the guys was actually jogging on the roof. I crawled my groggy ass out of bed, showered and once again, left the house while the sun was blazing.

Bob, meanwhile, has been having 'train of thought' issues which is not like him at all.

I know. What does that mean? Here we go:

We are in the van after breakfast heading out of town - sorta. Mark and Sue live 5 minutes from us and Bob has been doing a reno on the basement since the beginning of time, Oakville is a 30 minute drive and Lynn and Greg are 1 1/2 hours from us.

Bob: 'So, do you want to go to Mark and Sue's?'

Me: 'Kay.'

Bob: 'We have to go to Home Depot first to get some stuff.'

Me: 'No problem, I have a book and can stay in the car.'

A minute or two passes.

Bob: 'You want to go to Oakville to shop?'

Me: figuring Bob is evading some work (which he never does because he loves remodeling and stuff but since Sue is his ex-wife (and my best bud) he sometimes needs to not be around her) 'Okay, sure.'

A minute or two passes.

Bob: 'What about Lynn and Greg's - you want to drive out London way and go and see them?'

Me: 'Bob! You have to give them some notice. You know Lynn hates the drop in.' (also I normally need a week to prepare to go that far - you know anxiety and tummy stuff)

Bob: 'I'll call so they know we are coming.' (in that voice that says, 'well, duh')

Me: 'Call then, get your cell phone out and let's figure out where we are going.'

Still in Ancaster where we live but we are getting close to the crossroads where a decision has to be made.

Bob: 'Nah, we'll go next week maybe.'

Me: 'What is wrong with you!? You can't keep your mind on one thing for more than a minute and that is so not like you.'

Bob: 'I know. I'm excited about moving.'

I'm thinking 'Great, I get another 6 weeks of this!!!'

Me: 'Yeah, I know! Knock it off, you're freaking me out and you can't do that!'

A few minutes pass.

Bob: 'So you want to go to Mark and Sue's?'

Me: 'You've got Rainman issues'

It's been like this for about a week now and I'm too muzzy headed to put up with it. When I don't sleep like my normal self my brain feels like it is wrapped in cotton and any question can have me wondering why I don't just pound the asker into the dust.

PMS only exponentialized.

We ended up going to Oakville because it was a beautiful day and I love this one shop called Write Impressions. Okay, there's a bakery or five there also. Then we went to Mark and Sue's where Bob put in their sink for their downstairs bathroom so not only can they go to the washroom down there, they can wash their hands too!

(Okay, upon reading this I see that others may not understand why this would seem like a big thing. We sold Mark and Sue the townhouse they are living in April 1st of last year and we arranged for a bunch of financial stuff for them and Bob promised to finish their basement for them. Anyways, Bob would say that he would have it (the basement) done in time for Christmas. It's not done. Yes, we had a reno house and yes, Bob needed a break but his Godson turned to him the other day and said 'I thought our basement was supposed to be done by Christmas' to which Uncle Bob replied 'I never said which Christmas'. I'm horrified by the whole thing but it just doesn't seem to phase Bob. Now, we are about to move to a new house AND get a reno house and Sue said, 'I'm screwed on June 8th because I won't see Bob work here again for months! He has to finish before you get your new house!' I agree. Bob? Not so much and the toilet was in for two months before he put the sink in - soooo not like him)

By 4pm I was nauseated from being up for so long and Bob finally wrapped everything up and took me home. Thank God, the roofers were completely done so I crawled into bed.

Tonight I hope to be in bed by a decent hour and up in time to cook a nice healthy dinner.

I know. My goals in life are quite tame.

Wait till I bore you with my painting and packing details. Shit, I'm already bored and I haven't started!

I Stole It From Jay

Feeling completely uninspired after finally finishing our taxes (trumpets blare my triumph) and discovering that my husband has decided to dump all of his filing on top of the desk I work at, I decided that *ahem* lifting some creativity from Jay was in order. Thing is I couldn't copy Jay's blog so I googled and found someone elses to copy and as I went through I realized some of the questions are different.

Edited: I decided to post a picture of my desktop so you would all know that I'm not kidding around about the crap on my desk right now. I would do something about it but, uh, I'm lazy.

So here we have it.

The ABC's Of Me:

A is for - Age: 35

B is for - Boyfriend/Girlfriend: Well, first I have to say that B cannot possibly stand for girlfriend but, whatever. I'm married to a man. Chained for life I tell you!

C is for - Career in Future: I'm not sure becoming royalty is a career choice, apparently you have to be born to it. Or at least, that's what Bob keeps telling me when I tell him to refer to me as 'your Highness'.

D is for - Dead person you would like to meet: Nuh-uh, I don't want to meet any dead people. Nope, not interested. If I have to talk to some dead person (and please don't let them be a ghost!) then I'll take the Twin Princes who disappeared from the tower one night. I would so love to crack that case.

E is for - Essential item: A book or two and money - if this means leaving the house. Oh, and some anxiety pills just in case.

I'm beginning to think I'm filling this in all wrong!

F is for - Favorite song at the moment: Uhhhmmmmm, I know the songs if I hear them but I don't know off hand because I don't have a reno house right now so I don't play the radio. Day-ahm, there were a lot of 'don't's in that sentence!

G is for - Guy/Girls you've kissed: The number is truly pathetic. Good God, I can't believe I am going to write this - 4 and I taught 2 of them something.

H is for - Hometown: Born in Burlington, Ontario.

I is for - Instruments you play: I played the piano for 10 years and never became a prodigy and made composers all over the world cry when I played the clarinet for 3 years.

J is for - Job title: Yeah, hi, not paying attention? Highness.

K is for - Killed anyone? Yeah, see, this wasn't on Jay's and I'm wondering if this list came from the internal prison system or something because really, do you need to ask someone this question? My answer? Not yet ;)

L is for - Living places: Ahhh, I'm beginning to see a pattern here. This must be a file the police have set up to trace individuals because who cares where I have lived. I mean, I've never *not* lived outside of Canada so I am a true bore.

M is for - Memory of the day: My five year old Godson Josh curling his 50 lb body up on my lap to cuddle while watching Uncle Bob install plumbing. What a cuddle bunny! I told him today that he had to stop growing up because one day he wouldn't want to cuddle with me. This being an adult and watching children grow up blows!!

N is for - Number of people you've slept with: 7324. Exactly.

O is for - Overnight hospital stays: Yep, when I fell down the stairs and fainted - everybody else said I was unconscious so had to stay in the hospital so they could wake me every hour and ask me my name. 'My name is Beelzeebub and if you wake me one more time...' Just so you know, the hospital frowns on this kind of funnin'.

P is for - Phobias: *hears 5 o'clock bongs* Yeah, we so don't have time for this question.

R is for - Relationship that lasted the longest: Huh. Romantically, my husband of almost 11 years - anniversary is May 6th. Friendship - my one time best bud 24 years

S is for - Sexuality: straight, crooked, upsidedown - I'll take it ;) Ooops, wait, just in case, I am hetero and I was playing on the word sex but then I realized that some of my blog buds might think I have a crush on them so rest easy. Unless you are Joaquin Pheonix - you, I want ;)

T is for - Time you wake up everyday: Y'all get up EVERYDAY!! My internal clock is so fucked up I don't have a wake up time right now.

U is for - Unique trait(s): Oooooh, here's one for ya. You know the hand sign for trying to hitch a ride? So point your thumb straight up and then fold it at the upper joint towards your palm. My thumb does a perfect 90 degrees. Totally freaks my husband out. Oh wait, that might be considered stupid human tricks. Uhhhhmmm, I'm really loud and I laugh really loud and uh, yeah, I'm loud.

V is for - Vegetable you love: Potato - is to a vegetable!

W is for - Worst habit: Being loud? Nahhhh, I'm perfect ;)

X is for - X-rays you've had: dental, chest, knee, tummy.

Y is for - Yummy food you make: If I have taken the time to cook then it's damn good cause if it's not, we'll go get take out. I rock breakfast - pancakes, waffles, french toast, home fried potatoes.

Z is for - Zodiac sign: Virgo. Blech.