Monday musings

I try to post something every Monday and I have gotten out of the habit.  Which is not good.  This is suppose to be where I flex my mental muscles.  They apparently are limp...just kidding I just have not been terribly motivated to type up anything or really do anything.  Which is bad, I know.  So it is the return of Monday Musing (this time with a title).

This week  I am looking forward to the Zoo Staff party.  We will have a nice meal and get to see the Zoo Lights a few days before the public.  It was nice last year but I was there by myself as Jason was at school.  This year Jason is going with me!  Also there will be loads of prize drawings.  I am hoping to get something but the odds are not in my favor.  Still looking forward to it.  I will be snapping pictures all night and will post them next week.  There is a neat TV spot here.

I am trying to motivate myself to sink into an exercise plan.  I love to walk but not really anyplace near by that I feel safe walking.  My apartment complex closed the gym area...very disappointed in that.  So I am looking back into on line yoga and alternating with hooping.  I hope that getting back into exercise will help me get other things into gear.

I found a new sewing project that I am enjoying.  Neko Hats!  They are beanies with cat ears similar to this:

I made 2 this weekend and they went together really quickly.  My machine does not like the ears but I muscle them through.

Ok I am now just rambling.  Thanks for reading!

-Meg

*edited 12/10 to add link to TV spot.

Lessons not Learned

Last month was the 50th year since the JFK assassination.  One day that week while I still had the newspapers on my counter and one of the older gentlemen I work with was reading JFK articles  He looked at me and asked a simple question that embarrassed me.  "What did they teach you in school about this?"  I had to tell him that my school never made it to the JFK era of American History.  I was embarrassed to say that!  It is not my fault that the school systems I grew up did not offer modern American History.  I am sure that everything I learned about JFK (which sadly is not much), I learned from the History channel.  Even in college I did not take a history course that centered on this era of history. 

I can only hope that the curriculum for history has been changed in my old school system.  I now know way too much about the fight for independence but nothing that happened after WW2.   It was embarrassing to admit I did not know something and had not done my own research to understand something that is important to our American History.

9 Things Every Happy Person Should Have

 

I have stolen this from one of my favorite author's blogs.  It looked just too cute and I could not resist doing it on my own blog.

 

1. A go-to drink.

 

For alcohol: Amaretto Sour or an Old Fashion (depends highly on the bartender)

Non Alcohol: Shirley Temple

 

2. A go-to Karaoke song.

 

I do not sing and life is much better that way.

 

3. A uniform.

 

Flow-y black pants and nice style knit shirt.

 

4. A hair stylist they love.

 

I had an awesome guy at Hair a go go in Chattanooga but I have not found one here.

 

5. An exercise routine.

 

Sadly, I am lazy.  I will start one and not stick to it.  My favorites are yoga and hooping.

 

6. A hobby.

 

Now this I have in spades.  Fortune telling, photography, sewing, and leather working are what tops the list.

 

7. A best friend.

 

Yes and several at that.

8. A healthy sense of self.

I am working on this one.

9. A guilt free indulgence.

A good cuppa and a book to get lost in. 

 

 



November Reading

I have been reading a lot the past few months.  So this seems to be my slow month.  Just reading slowly and listening to books on tape.  But still very enjoyable.

No Shoes, No Shirt No Spells

 

This was a free download book that I got on a whim a few weeks back.  I have been reading so much from the library that I had not even looked at it until now.  I am glad that I did download it.  It is turning out to be a cute and quirky story.  The characters and the story are a bit simple but still enjoyable and somewhat believable.  I just enjoyed the story and really enjoyed the character development.

Timeless (Parasol Book 5)

 

Book 5 of the parasol protectorate.  This book has Alexia getting into her usual trouble but this time in one of my favorite literary backdrops of Egypt.  But I am getting ahead of myself.  This book takes place 2 years after the last book and the "infant inconvenience" is now Prudence and just as much of handful as her mother.  This was the first time that I have listened to one of the books in this series.  After  the first few chapters I became a fan of the reading. (audiobook)

The Killing Dance (Anita Blake #5)

 

 

This series is defiantly my guilty book pleasure.  Actually, I think anything by Laurell K Hamilton falls under guilty pleasure.  This one goes back to the love triangle arc between Anita, Jean Claude and Richard. Then  throw in a hitman, zombies and the werewolf power struggle and I am in heaven.   I was not loving the end of the book, but man was this a steamy book.  I already have the next book checked out and looking forward to reading that one as well. (audiobook)

 

Burnt Offerings (Anita Blake #6)

 

 

This was in simplest terms a bridge book.  But that is not to imply was bad, boring or anything else negative.  I enjoyed this character building book and that is really what it was.  A chance for characters to react to their new status and relationships.  It is a good stepping stone book that even ties up some old loose ends from a few books ago.  I am not sure why I ever resisted this series so much.  I am enjoying it far more than the Sookie series.


And this month's book art:

 

Convention fun in Tallahssee

Jason and I went to a Steampunk convention in Tallahassee this weekend.  Ok, I went for fun and Jason went for work (he is part timing at Tandy Leather).  This was the first year for the GLI Expo and it showed, sadly.  It was a convention that consisted of only a vendor room.  They did have to panel "rooms" curtained off but still felt too vendor-ie.

Likes:

1. Good city with loads of places to explore.
2. Super friendly vendors.
3. The film room played Castle in the Sky, but I missed Steamboy :(
4. Costume contest with great entries.
5. The crafters and artists!  Mostly local people to Tallahassee but some good talent there.
6. The cake-pop truck!!
7. Panel on a Steampunk Christmas

Dislikes:

1. The venue.  I am so use to having cons attached to Hotels that allows for more socializing.
2. Lack of food and beverages.  Aside from the cake pops there was nothing.
3. More creative and prepared panels.  The panels were nice but most felt too last minute.
4. Lack of costuming vendors.  This seemed lack of forethought.  A costume vendor would have made a killing.  There were some vintage vendors there but they were missing key elements or had too much non-steamy goodness.

The turn out was small, as expected for a first year, but it felt smaller due to the venue size.  This is a sub-set con and I think would have been much nicer and felt bigger in a smaller space.  I felt very underwhelmed by the panels, it was all good information but just too casual.  I would have loved to have seen more and experience more but there just was not much.  I am use to the Con community in Chattanooga which is very strong and pulls in people and help from other areas.  I would love  to see this Con get some advice on panels, extra vendors and venues from Convention groups in Atl.

All in all it was a valiant first year con that was fun to see and priced very well for what it was.

Linkage: http://www.gli-expo.com/

Will be adding a picture post later this week :)

Oct reading recap

So I have decided to keep a record as I go of my readings.  Will make things a little easier, plus reading!

Just right for the end of Oct.

So I reread this month.  I love this book and it is just as magical as I remember it.  I love the 2 main ladies.  I find myself relating to them on so many problems be it self-confidence issues or fears of losing one self.  S.A.A did an amazing job at really relating things to her readers.  I find this a recurring theme in her books of conveying issues that everyone experiences in their lifetime.  This is a wonderful tale of 2 women who truly find themselves and the men that love them.

Book 5 in the Anita Blake series does not disappoint.  I actually listened to this book (over the course of 2 days).  I was happy to see  more of Larry in this book.  His learning character is a great tool to explain what is going on without disturbing the scene.  I was sad not to see Richard in this book, but Jean Claude was as smooth as ever.  This book is defiantly a break in the series as it does not even happen in St Louis and has very few of the recurring characters.


Heartless is another reread for me.  What it is getting close to the holidays and I am saving up.  But, I am so enchanted with this world I do not mind going back there.  I am still loving Biffy and that fact that he is becoming a regular character.  Lord Akeldama is as frivolous as ever, I just want to hug him.  It would be like hugging a rainbow.  All that aside the book is another wonderful installment to Alexia's story. 




So I have been wanting to read the Girl in the Steel Corset for sometime now.  It has come up on many of my "we recommend" lists and liked the prequel The Strange Case of Finley Jayne.  This is a steam punk novel with no vamps or werewolves!  See I am branching.  The story was fun and fast pace, I read this over the course of a weekend.  The whole group of characters make me want to pick up the next one.  I am going to be looking forward to read more with Finley. 

This is the first book in the new Gail Carrieger world.  I found the story to be a little slow.  It was a nice read but it does not normally take me so long to read one of her books. I think I will wait a bit before reading book.  I did enjoy learning more of past for characters in Parasol Protectorate.  I am also going to look for to what the main characters will be getting into.

I forgot to post pics!

Yep that is how out of it I have been.  I forgot to post any pictures from the September visit home.  GAH!  SO, this is pic heavy.

 



Reading is fun

I have not done a reading update in so long!  wow.

Highlights from the "I have read shelf":

 



I finished GOT Dance with Dragons.  I love the book but I am going crazy trying to keep all the story lines straight and this book made it more difficult.  Martin wrote this in a manner where the stories from the last book do not line up.  Made it very hard to follow a time line that is divided between the books. Overall I was very pleased with the book but not looking forward to the next due to time line issues.

Aurora Teagarden -- I love this series and I have just devoured the entire thing this summer.  There was only one book where I was not totally enchanted with story but that was also the emotional bridge book in the series.  Overall I love Aurora!  She gets into the oddest situations.

Ok my father got me addicted to Issac Bell when we drove support for Kelley.  I have read/listen to almost all of the books and the series.  To be honest I am not thinking of a bad thing to say about the lot or the books themselves.  Bell is a great detective story set in the US around the 1910s and I love them.

I started the Hannah Swenson novels recently.  The storyline and character development for me was a bit slow and predictable.  Not to say it was not a good story because it was a nice story with a good ending.  The best part are the recipes.  Since the main character, Hannah, is a baker the book was peppered with recipes for the cookies she was baking or handing out.  Very enjoyable and I will be looking for the next book at the Library.

I decided that after rereading the 2 Sarah Addison books I have on my Kindle that I should read the first 2.  I remember now why I love her so much.  All her books make me feel like dancing on a cloud of magic.  Keep in mind these books are not about magic.  But we all have those people that seem to have a certain effect on others.  If you have not read anything by her I strongly suggest you try her books, any of her books!

I have also been reading the Anita Blake series this year.  I was totally against constantly reading Vampire/Werewolf stories but I am so glad that I caved.  I am not very far into the series since at first I was listening to the audio books but now I am reading them and I like it so much more.  Anita is just downright spunky, short and kick ass.  She reminds me a lot of one of my friends.  I am looking forward to getting my hands on the next one.

Now to the "Currently Reading":

As I said I am rereading the Sarah Addison Allen books.  Sugar Queen is one of my favorite books.  I so feel a strong connection to the main character Josey.  I am not at all ever in the same situations as her but I just feel she is a kindred spirit.  I am looking forward to this book!

Over the past month or so I have been rereading the Parasol Protectorate.  Also another series with werewolves and vampires  ( I should just cave totally) but this series is also steampunk so there is a little of a branch out.  I love rereading and picking up on the story faster and faster.  Yay!


Images are linked from Goodreads.com.  Find me on Goodreads.com

30 Days of Yoga

I have been going little bit crazy.  So I decided to find something to calm me.  I was looking for easy on Yoga YouTube videos.  I stumbled on this series by DoYouYoga.  I have done the first few days and I am really enjoying the experience.  Since my body is not use to the stress of this exercise everyday I have had to take the past few days off to let some muscles relax.  I am planning on jumping right back in this afternoon. 

*update: I did not restart my yoga when I said I would.  Therefore tonight I shall start over at Day1 and try again.

The answer to life's question

I was too curious about my post yesterday so I pop on to see the view count.  It was the answer to life's question, 42!  This made me giggle and smile.  If you do not get this reference I will take pity on you and ask the you read everything by Douglas Adams.  Better yet if you can find the original radio drama listen to that.

Proof:

Pageviews today

1

Pageviews yesterday

42

Pageviews last month

135

Pageviews all time history

886

So...

This past weekend was our birthdays.  We don't actually do much for our birthdays.  I am not complaining.  This year I got the apartment to myself to read, watch anime (campy anime) and play video games.  Jason chilled on his b-day too, not doing much of anything but working on some crafting projects and playing video games.  I did manage to almost finish the sling for baby Sadie, all I have left is the embroidery and I am debating what I want to do.

This is normally the time of year that I think out what I want to do/purchase  before my next birthday.  I know most people do this at New Years but where is the fun in that.  This year I think I will keep the list short.

1. Camping trip!  At least one for just the hubby and I.  Requires purchase of one may be two sleeping bags.
2. Learn more digital photography tricks.  Requires purchase of photo editing software.
3. Photo hike.  Go on a long hike to take more nature photos.  No purchase required.  May include park fees.
4. Increase activity level.  No purchase required.
5. Have more fun!

 

Yes, number 5 is a wuss out but it also needs to be there.  I have been blue since moving to Florida and thus need the reminder to be happier.

 

Random photo for the week. :)

 



Happy Birthday husband



David J and Jason
 

My husband has turned another year.  And wow this one was a rough one.  I hope that this next year will turn into more of a cake walk for my hubby.  He deserves a good year and I will be doing my best to see that happens.  Happy Birthday sweetheart!

OH!  Yesterday was my birthday.  Happy birthday me!


Our life currently

It appears that it has been ages since I have done a "slice of life" post.  There is a good and honest reason for that.  The reason is simple, our life is a little on the boring side.

We moved into a new apartment last month.  That was a trial and I completely hate having to move.  We did it alone again this time, which just made it worse.  By the end of the move Jason and I were at wits end.  Thus not everything is unpacked or sort yet.  I am going to get the rest of my reading space finished this weekend and try to finish the bedroom (which requires moving the bed). Jason has the task of finishing the kitchen and hanging things in the living room.  May be after all that I will post some pictures.

I am still working at the Zoo and I do enjoy my work there.  I do wish I could do more but that has not been in the cards for me.  So for right now I am going to be happy with what I have and not complain.

Reading is one of my favorite past times right now.  I still sew and in fact working on several projects for next month.  I am also learning to work in leather.  Leather presents a whole new challenge for me and I find I really enjoy it.

See I told you our lives have been fairly boring and mundane of late.  Not that I am complaining but it makes for a boring blog at times. 

Zoo Animal!

African Spoonbills:

Spoonbills use their open bill to catch foods by swinging it from side-to-side in the water, which catches foods in its mouth.

Scientific name: Platalea Alba from the family Threskiothidae of the order Ciconiiformes. (1)

The African Spoonbill is white bird with long red legs that they use to wade into the water.  With it's distinctive coloring and lack of a crest, unlike the common spoonbill, it is easy to distinguish them from other species. (2)

Their natural habitats are marshy wetlands with some open shallow water like river banks, lake shores, marshes, plains, savannas, swamps and water-meadows. They feed on fish and aquatic invertebrates. The inside of the spatula-shaped beak reacts to touch.  When it touches something in the water, it snaps shut quickly. (1)

They will nest from winter to spring in trees above the water.  Eggs are generally laid between April and May.  Both parents will tend the eggs for 29 days during incubation and continue caring for the young for another month. (2) At birth, the African spoonbill’s beak does not resemble a spoon. It is born with a short beak that gradually develops into a spoon-like shape. It usually resembles a spoon right before it is time to leave its nest.(1)


Spoonbills can live up to 30 years in captivity.  They are classified as least concern since their population is stable and they cover a vast range of area.(1)

1. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: African Spoonbill
2. African Spoonbill Wikipedia

Sadie Ellen has arrived

My dear sweet sister Kat had her first little girl last night at 7pm.  I am so happy the Miss Sadie Ellen has arrived.  I will not be able to visit until the Christening in Sept and I cannot wait.  I know that all of my is so excited for the new bundle of joy.

Sadie in Uncle David's arms

David, Kat and Daddy admiring Sadie

Kat all dolled up for a mom and daughter shot. (I made her fancy pillowcase)

Title change explained

As many will see the title of the Blog changed today.  There is a simple reason.  Jason is taking a year off.  We knew going in what the stress would be like for Law School, but something was not meshing for us and law school.  So we are taking a year to step back to reevaluate what are plans are going to include.  Jason has asked several times for me to change the title, so I did.  I will give more information on what we decide when we get to that point.

Things you learn on a bad day

Yesterday was a tough day.  I am still not sleeping well in the new apartment.  That means I am having many cranky mornings.  Usually I would mess on the internet and be in a better mood but Comcast is having issues getting our service on.  That aside yesterday was just a plain bad day. 

Well all day was not bad but the morning was horrid enough to almost cancel out the normal stuff.  I woke feeling rough, I think I have an allergy headache type thing.  So I was sluggish all morning, thus we did not get out to the car until 10 min before work.  Normally that is not an issue since I work 5 min away.  The car would not crank.  Not in the least.  We did try getting a jump from a neighbor and still no crank.  So, I run back in the apartment to change tops to walk to work.  By my calculations my zoo is about 2 miles from the apartment.  So I walk it.  I am out of shape so 20 min into the walk I was ecstatic to have James (Security James) stop on his motorcycle and cart me the rest of the way in.

Now to what I learned:

1. I am out of shape.
2. The walk to work is a nice one.
3. I like motorcycles.
4. Friends are wonderful when you need them!
5. Exercise really does make you feel good.

#4 is also because our car was fixed yesterday by a friend's little brother.  He replaced the starter and was going to only ask for 20 bucks.  So he got 30 and the trade in money for the old starter. 

Self potrait 1

This will not fall under the "emotion" portrait series.  I am still working on that list and coming up with ideas.  It will mostly like start in September after the crazy has died down in my life.

The portrait was done spontaneously this week at work.

7/30/13

Moving is the downside to everything

Jason and I have moved to the side of town where I work.  Which is a great thing.  It will save us on rent, gas and sanity.  We moved into some pretty decent apartments.  But the move means we are still without internet access and has just taken a lot out of us.  I do not have a post ready this week due to the move.  I will work on it for next week.  Thanks!

Kelley's Birthday!

The first born of the Wilhoite group is celebrating another grand year with us.  Just like all of us she has gained another calendar year but is staying young in her heart and active in her mind.  She is braving a new adventure this year with her new school library!  Yay!  I am very proud of her and look forward to see what she will do next. 

Happy Birthday Kelley!

Just before the Scooter Cannonball.

Civility and kindness

I drive Jason and I to work every morning  and am amazed that people on the roads can be so rude.  Is it really so hard to believe that not blocking an intersection would be an act of kindness to those needing to turn in to the road?  Yet every few days I will have someone right on my bumper honking at me to close the gap.  We are all stopped at the same res light, closing the gap will not change that.  So there I sit and I see the people turning in smiling and waving.  I feel good about my decision to make the person behind me accrue bad karma.

When I went to college at Tusculum we had a competency program and I LOVED IT.  The competency office was not in charge of your grades, your placements, or anything academic really.  They were there to make sure you measured up to the overall standards of the school in a variety of areas i.e. math, writing and humanities.  I cannot remember what all was under humanities but I remember civility was there foremost.  I was worried for my first semester about how civility would be measured.  But I really did not need to worry for there were many opportunities to be polite or courteous or kind to people.  I should have been more worried about the writing.

I should not have worried because I was raised to always be polite and courteous to everyone.  Even the silly manic man honking behind me.  I will smile and wave if ever I shall leave a gap for him to use to get to work/home/play.

 I decided long ago that one act of simple kindness to anyone will be worth my time.

 

ci·vil·i·ty  

Noun Formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech. Polite remarks used in formal conversation.

Synonyms courtesy - politeness - comity - urbanity - complaisance kind·ness   Noun The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. A kind act. Synonyms kindliness - goodness - favor - favour - affability

Portriat challenge?

So I was looking at my online face.  I mean that just how it sounds.  I was looking at my profile pictures and decided that I need to update my look.  That got me thinking.  I really never enjoy having the camera turned on me.  For some reason I have a very low self image.  I actually think I am not pretty enough to have my picture taken.  How crazy is that?  Me the shutterbug is terrified to have her picture taken. 

So I have devised a plan to help me think more creatively and have more pictures of me.  I am going to create a challenge for me.  I am going to make a list of adjectives and create a self portrait for each one.  This will be to flex all my creative and self image barriers.  One word that I really want to put on the list is naughty.  That one will really be an endeavor for me.  I am actually getting excited (oh another word) to start this.  I was originally thinking of doing 30 words, but that seems a little too much to handle.  I am now thinking of going with the nice round number of 15.

List thus far:

• professional
• excited
• friendly
• relaxed
• productive
• artsy
• naughty
• sleepy
• thoughtful
• carefree

My photography does not include the use of Photoshop so that just makes it even more challenging.

I think this is one of the most recent pictures of me and it 3 yrs old!

Reading is Fun!

     
Yay  I have found a way to link them!  Below you will see a list of books I have read recently.  I just finished another Aroura Teagarden book and just cannot wait to get to the next one.      

Meg's bookshelf: read

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse

by Charlaine Harris

I am really loving this character. She has a mind like my own and the curiosity to go with it.

Goddess of the Moon

by Polly Iyer

A Dance With Dragons

by George R.R. Martin

The Chase

by Clive Cussler

Deadly Business

by Susette Williams

I did not finish this book. Now here is why. One the storyline is not plausible and thus not believable. Two the men she writes are on a twisted scale. Three, the main character is a tease who hides behind her supposed faith (Christian ...