Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[bigskygirl]

I believe it. In general, I think it's a really poor move for any organization to hire relatives. No matter what. While it certainly CAN work out in some instances, the perception of nepotism is always there. Even if there actually was no favoritism being shown, others never quite believe that. It makes for a tough time for the new hire in most cases - and he/she never really realizes why. But existing staffers do not fully accept people hired under those circumstances. In my office a few years back, "we" hired our receptionist's niece who was already a student at our school. For some reason that no one else could EVER understand, our director just thought this kid was some kind of marvel. Was always praising her or thanking her at staff meetings - and for the lamest reasons. My best friend in the office leaned over one day before the meeting got started and whispered "I wonder if Alice is going to be commended for tying her own shoes again today?" 

My husband and I worked at the same developmentally disabled client group home. He worked the graveyard shift and I was working the 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. shift. We were not allowed to work the same shift because they were worried we would slack off because of previously problems with family or staff in relationships working the same shift in the same group home. When we were at work, we did our job. In fact, our fellow coworkers were glad to see us because they knew we would show up on time and did not spend time watching television or talk all shift on the phone. We did get teased a little about being married and gave each other a hard time once in a while especially during staff meetings or training classes.

[Barb23]

Does anyone have any exciting Super Bowl plans? Or foods they like to eat or make?

I was gifted some great looking shrimp from my MIL & am going to search for some new recipes to use them. I love, love bacon wrapped shrimp so I may try that.

[allonsyalice]

I want us to have a book club. Recommendations for us to read and comment on. Not that reading takes over our other lovely discussions - just a pile of books for recommendation. Ones you've read for your recommends, and what others think that have read them. I love a good book. I looooooove a good read. I love books that stick with me for years after. Kaye Gibbons, Chris Bojalian, Barbara Kingsolver. Honestly, I'm all over the map. I especially adore books (usually family sagas) written from the child's perspective. I just love books. I love to read. If I don't have a book, I read cereal boxes, and do crosswords. I just know there are some readers bursting at the seams to share a gook they gobbled up. Is this breaking a rule somewhere?

I'm currently reading a biography of Alexander Hamilton and it is the best book ever, honestly. He was such an interesting guy, I find myself wanting to know more and more. and his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler's, family was pretty cool. (The only drawback is that when I have it at school, everyone is asking me what class I'm taking that is having me read a 700 page biography)

 

I'm also kinda in the middle of the This Side of Paradise by Fitzgerald. I bought a giant book of his collected works, so I'm gonna properly start it after I finish Hamilton.

 

And also, I'm listening to The Raven Boys, which is a YA novel. So good. it's all so good.  

 

Also, The Island of Doctor Moreau, but that's for class so I don't really count it. As you can probably tell, I'm trying to read more hahaha. Do you have a particular favourite?

[Readalot]

HFC I'm in. But since I hardly have reading time anymore I will only do it when the book interests me, sorry! (Live Chris B by the way. Read all his old stuff not his new )

[emma675]

I was an early reader as a kid and a natural speed reader, so I was reading adult books when I was still in elementary school (I read Gone With the Wind in the 4th grade). Now that I'm an adult, I'm reading all of the young adult books I should have been reading as a kid. I'm backwards.

[Wellfleet]

My husband and I worked at the same developmentally disabled client group home. He worked the graveyard shift and I was working the 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. shift. We were not allowed to work the same shift because they were worried we would slack off because of previously problems with family or staff in relationships working the same shift in the same group home. When we were at work, we did our job. In fact, our fellow coworkers were glad to see us because they knew we would show up on time and did not spend time watching television or talk all shift on the phone. We did get teased a little about being married and gave each other a hard time once in a while especially during staff meetings or training classes.

 

You and your hubby did it right, big - kudos! 

[lookeyloo]

Does anyone have any exciting Super Bowl plans? Or foods they like to eat or make?

I was gifted some great looking shrimp from my MIL & am going to search for some new recipes to use them. I love, love bacon wrapped shrimp so I may try that.

That sounds yummy.  We used to go to a super bowl party when we lived in the other state.  And that party will be going on without us this year.  (Insert sad face here).  So right now we don't have any plans.  I'm not even sure we will watch the game.  The party didn't require game watching, mostly eating and drinking.  We will of course eat and drink.

[frenchtoast]

Normally we have a small little thing, because it's usually the weekend closest to my birthday. Not so much this year, and we don't have any plans this year. We'll probably watch the game and have some snicks snacks but no big shebang.

[Almost 3000]

My husband and I worked at the same developmentally disabled client group home. He worked the graveyard shift and I was working the 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. shift. We were not allowed to work the same shift because they were worried we would slack off because of previously problems with family or staff in relationships working the same shift in the same group home. When we were at work, we did our job. In fact, our fellow coworkers were glad to see us because they knew we would show up on time and did not spend time watching television or talk all shift on the phone. We did get teased a little about being married and gave each other a hard time once in a while especially during staff meetings or training classes.

Thank you for being valued employees. Its such a blessing and yes, I really mean it is a blessing to trust those who help with the care of our dependents. I was just coming here to post a nice story about my mom's caregiver. I had just called a handyguy who's also a family friend and a contractor to fix 3 things at her home so at least I trusted who was going over there. Well the caregiver called today to say everything was fixed and to call handyguy and cancel. He had been looking at YouTube videos and tried the homeowners fixes to each of the 3 items. The YouTube fixes worked. Yep, he's a blessing...

 

I hope you all have lots of blessings this weekend too!

 

Oh and I'm reading Sue Grafton's "X." I'm glad she's getting to the end of the alphabet because I'm just sticking it out at this point. I started the series because while its fake town, its based on Santa Barbara and sort of local so that's what hooked me back on A.

I just finished "Dewey."  A true story about a small Midwest library adopting a kitten they found half frozen one winter and how Dewey enriched the lives of the community.

[Happyfatchick]

I so love books. I LOOOOOOVE books. I truly am all over the map, so I'm not much for recommending books. I can (happily!) tell you my favorites, but I can't tell you why. And on more than one occasion, someone else read the same book (or tried) and hated it. Sometimes I am disappointed. I really get irritated when someone splits my heart with a book and can't do it again. (I "get" how that happens - I figure if I ever mustered courage to write a book, I would be a one book girl). But I get irritated with myself because of my never-ending loyalty - I buy everything they write until they die, hoping to be swept off my feet again.

Bojalian made my heart stop with Midwives and has never come close (for me) again. I loved Anita Shreve's thread early on, but haven't felt that same thrill for a long time. I have parts of Cold Sassy Tree and great chunks of To Kill A Mockingbird memorized (and I still refer to people as Boo Radley and quote Scout regularly). There was a little known book (as far as I know) called The History of Love by Nicole Krauss that is a total classic. I love, love, love Ellen Foster and A Virtuous Woman (but I've read some Kaye Gibbons that I didn't love at all). I adore books that suck me in and pin me down with the first line (and then deliver). I love it when I'm done with a book and I miss it, like a friend. By the same token, I hate books in series. (Hey, don't be hatin', I'm ADD). I love and admire a great writer SO much. I've read Gone With the Wind so many times, I feel related. (Plus I live not far from the roots of that story; there is that). The Art of Dancing in the Rain (my brother, the writer, hated that one). I loved Billie Letts and wish she still wrote. John Grisham's best book (only IMO) is A Painted House and has nothing lawyerish about it.

When we moved to my moms basement to care for her several years ago, I had TONS of books. I love the tactile sensation of turning pages. The SMELL of a book. The fact that I had to box many of them up and donate them nearly put me into cardiac failure. After that move, I surrendered to Kindle so I didn't have to suffer that particular heartbreak again. But I miss my paper books. I kept the ones I couldn't part with, but it's not the same as being surrounded. Sadly, in the mancave of our house is a whole entire wall of bookshelves that I can't touch. (I have to stand at the doorway, clear my throat and ask permission to enter). I tell him every now and then that if he accidentally kicks off before me, I'm filling that puppy up from floor to ceiling and throwing his GOLF tourney pics in a BOX before the funeral!!! (Watch it buddy, got my eye on those shelves).

So...on to the recommends! Tell us what you love! Doesn't have to be "my" cuppa - I don't have to BUY it. But I have to go look it up and see what's there. [speaking of a "cuppa", The THORNBIRDS was untouchable in its woven story, and I feel McCullough has never been close since then).

Very judgmental, for a person who's never even tried to be published. At least they DID IT!!!

A couple Friday's ago, my best peep announced at dinner that he hadn't done a damn thing all day. He amended it to say he'd unloaded the dishwasher, but hadn't accomplished one single other thing. I stared at him with open-mouthed amazement. WHO DOES THAT??? The very next day, I slept in. I made it to my couch and curled up with my fur baby all day long. I read almost 3 books that day, back to back. ME!!!! THAT'S who does that. I texted him around 10:30 that night and told him to come unload my dishwasher. I never planned to roll over and play dead (wasn't feeling poorly), it just happened. Can't even remember the last time (ever?) I did that. It was beautiful.

[Happyfatchick]

In case you were interested, here is the Book forum from PTV. 

Well...I feel sheepish!!! (Said the genie from Aladin...). I did go check out the book forum. Had no idea. But still...I wish we'd do some recommends here, as YOU guys are my peeps. After reading thru some of the "what are you reading?" thread, I'm pitching a defense for Liane Moriarty. (I probably butchered that). When my heart is heavy and I need a quick pick-me-up, I ALWAYS look to see if she has something new. She's not writing statements of worldwide authoritarianism, she means for it to be a quick, funny read.

[frenchtoast]

Of course we can talk books here! Just wanted to point other areas of this pretty terrific site. Even as a mod, I don't see all the forums. But I was pretty sure there was a Book area.

I was reading the Last Kingdom series. I was borrowing from the library and got the ebooks for Christmas. As much as I like real books I don't have the room for books right now. So, library and ebooks for me. All of which is to say I've enjoyed the Last Kingdom series. Not great literature but a fun read nonetheless.

[Readalot]

HFC I feel the same about Anita Shreve. My fav was The Pilot's Wife. Chris B- Midwives and the one about the homeopathy. I used to buy Jodi Picolt hardback as a birthday gift for myself every March but stopped about 3? years ago? Love Anna Quindlin except her last book. Sue Miller. Jacqueline Mitchard, I need to read her last book. And of course Rosamunde Pilcher and Mauve Binchy. Used to read thrillers on the daily - detective and lawyers and Stephen King like books but it was affecting my health, my dreams were too vivid and I couldn't sleep. I bough a book to read about a month ago but have not started it yet.edit to add- I feel your pain. Had to give up 100's of books and my bookcases in the last few years. I have about 100 in boxes but I miss being around them!

Edited February 6, 2016 by Readalot

[Happyfatchick]

Readalot: (what a wonderful meme - wish I'd thought of that instead of my own, but HFC is relatively descriptive...), we read much the same things! I like a good "dark" read sometimes (We Need To Talk About Kevin and Defending Jacob come to mind - both really good, but dark and moody books). I still like A. Quindlen, I've been hooked on her since Black and Blue. I had to give up on Jodi Picoult after following her like a faithful puppy for years. I kept hoping she would break out of her predictable habit of being so predictable. My brother, after seeing all her books lined up on my shelf said, "you must be a big fan". Ummm, no. I really can't stand her writing so much any more, but I keep hoping she's going to surprise me. (She does have good hair). Who wrote Every Last One, was that Quindlen? It's dark, but it captured my eyes and kept them there.

ETA: I recently read Tara Road (Binchy) because of a recommend (don't remember who) on this very thread awhile back. It was delicious!!! I got the book Lookey gave the link to (cheapness, I love it!). And now I have to go look around some more at other authors mentioned that I haven't read (yet). Wonderful feedback!

Edited February 6, 2016 by Happyfatchick

[Obsidian]

 

Oh and I'm reading Sue Grafton's "X."

So am I!

 

For a little light reading, I like the Chet and Bernie series (Spencer Quinn). It's narrated by a dog, which I initially scoffed at, but since it was suggested by someone whose opinion I value, I read one and enjoyed it. Space them out (maybe one a year) because they get somewhat repetitive. The last book I finished was 'Kill your Boss', aka 'The Intern's Handbook', which was not my usual style at all but was a good dose of gratuitous, overdone violence without being too gory or unpleasantly realistic.

[lookeyloo]

I've read all of sue grafton, all of Maeve binchey, all of Rosamond Pilcher, most of Anita Shreve, some

Amish books, the ones by Janette oke, but if you want to laugh read anything by Jill Conner Browne- the Sweet Potato Queen. Better yet, listen to her read them. Even Mr lookeyloo was howling and he listened under duress in the car on a trip between old state and new state.

[Barb23]

Add me to the Sue Grafton "X" list-its in my to read pile. I like mysteries & medical mysteries are among my favorites. I got hooked on mysteries by reading Mary Higgins Clark. I'm reading The Devil's Bridge by Linda Fairstein now. All her books are mysteries set in NY City, involving the inner workings of places like Grand Central Station, Ellis Island, etc which I find interesting. I also have some James Patterson in my pile also. I've read most of Patricia Cornwall's Kay Scarpetta series & most of books by Elin Hilderbrand. Her books are light reads set in Nantucket, which can mentally take you away to the beach for a while. My BIL brings the Readers Digest Condensed Books to me & have read some stories I otherwise probably wouldn't have. I do like my trashy romance novels too. There have been a lot of Nora Roberts trilogies where I wish she would have continued on.

Happy - I'm with you about there is nothing better than a "real" book vs Kindle. I go back & forth, mainly still read the real books. I went to the library when I was able but now get my books on line from Thriftbooks.com, a used book site. They are cheaper than Kindle/Amazon. For "Devil's Bridge" Amazon Kindle is 13.99, hardback is $19 & I paid $5 on Thriftbooks.com for a barely used hard copy.

I really don't get attached to my books & used to sell them at our yearly yard sales. It made me smile when I overhead a group of ladies comment one time "oh, this is the good house with the books."

I think I mentioned before that luckily the Neighbor Mom I grew up with got me into reading at a young age. My friend, her daughter, & I collected Nancy Drew books & saved up to buy them at Yard sales & flea markets. Mrs. D would take us to the library weekly, which was great esp in the hot summer when this was one of the few air conditioned buildings in town in the late 60's & early 70's. Lol. My mother was never into reading. She said it because my aunt, her older sister, loved to read & every time my mom wanted to play, Aunt had her head in a book & would tell her No. Even now she'll call & ask what I'm doing & I'll tell her I'm reading, I just started a new book. She'll reply "oh" like it's been torture for me. (Just the opposite.) Now my MIL is total opposite - she's another (go Happy) that can read 3 books in a day.

Two more stories & I promise I'll end my own novella here. When I was in physical therapy rehab last spring, I had a wonderful roommate who was also an avid reader. The staff called our room The Library cuz our heads were always in a book. Room mate's daughter passed a book along to me & when I gave it back, she told me to pass it on to another reader, which I did to my sister. I thought that was a nice gesture. I thought this was funny- at MIL's house at Xmas, after getting my dreaded body lotion set, my MIL handed a bag of gifts to her sister. She pulled out two current hardback books on top & said "these aren't part of your presents, I'm just passing them on." I was thinking how I would have loved to have gotten those "used" books rather my new lotion set.

I know this thread isn't for the Duggars, but I can't not mention what an injustice JB & MEchelle have done by limiting their kid's reading. It's hard to believe there are parents out there that DON'T encourage their children to read.

[theredhead77]

I worked in retail for nine years, and I remembered parents calling the store to see if their son or daughter were at work. Some parents who already work in the store had their son or daughter apply for jobs. The majority of the kids were lazy and had the job skills of a dirty dishrag sitting in dirty soapy water for a few days.

In college I was a shift lead/manager at an ice cream store. Most of the employees were in high school and were really good kids and super hard workers. They came in as scheduled, stayed later if needed, worked their butts off and wanted extra shifts for $$.  There was one girl who was the complete opposite. She had her friends come in, socialized all shift, fucked around and called in all the time. My hands were pretty tied for disciplinary action (I did tell her friends they needed to buy something or leave) and the owner wouldn't do much beyond schedule her one shift a week and hope she'd quit.

 

The final straw was when she came in an hour before her shift, with all her friends, trying to find coverage so she could go to Mammoth. No one would. So she left and said she was sick and wasn't coming in. A couple hours later I called her house to "check on her" since she said she was super sick and as a concerned human I wanted to make sure her friends got her home OK. Mom was super surprised she wasn't at work because she wasn't at home! Oops, my bad.

 

A couple days later she came in, called me a bitch for ratting her out and quit. Don't let the door hit ya sweetie.

Edited February 6, 2016 by theredhead77

[Joe Jitsu913]

Joe -Wow! Maybe you can write a new work manual for your office. Sounds like they desperately need one.

I work for a major corporation with locations all over the world. It is an international company. We have a casual attire dress code which people abuse. This one particular lady refuses to wear a bra and walks around with her arms folded in front of her to hold the girls up. As if no will notice she's not wearing a bra. She's HUGE and she wears see through, Jersey knit shirts.

Another girl wears boots that are reminiscent of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Thigh high leather boots. Same girl will wear open toe suede stilleto heels with mermaid sequins in January!!

Another older woman who I refer to as Cruella DeVille, will wear big fur coats with pastel colored spiked hair, big stripper heels and tight pants.

HR let's them get away with it for fear of getting sued.

[zoomama]

for you kindle  or e-reader sorts, have you looked at 'book bub' onlne. it is free to sign up, then you choose your book interests and then everyday you get an email with 6-7 books to buy and load. there are always at least two free books and those are what i load. have never spent a penny there.

 

as to favorites, i have also read the amish stuff, janette oke, but my favorite right now is karen kingsbury.  i read fiction, mostly but have read most anything except sci-fi and scary stuff.  i love to read.    love love love to read!!!!

[Jynnan tonnix]

I love to read as well, bt since I'm one who can read and re-read the same things over and over until they literally fall apart, I don't tend to keep up with as much current literature as I might. I generally prefer something which will make me laugh over anything else, and really enjoy memoirs or biographies, so if something hits both those marks I'll generally give it a try. For years, one of my favorite authors was Bill Bryson, but while I've still been right there in line every time a new book of his comes out (my cousin in England was sweet enough to send me a copy of his latest back in October when I lamented not being able to get it in the USA until late January), I do have to admit that his last three or four efforts have left me slightly lukewarm - I'm still trying to analyze just what happened in his writing, but it seems that there's not quite the apparent joy in his craft, and he is writing more to inform than to entertain.

 

I'll read pretty much anything as long as it exhibits a joy in wordplay, though. From PG Wodehouse to Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett...I need some new LIVING favorites, dammit!

 

I'm also waiting (...and waiting) for the promised final volume in Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy. The first two books, "The Name of the Wind" and "The Wise Man's Fear" were amazingly written and unique. I loved the way he made a world of alternate reality and magic so internally consistent and almost scientifically logical. Then gain, my grasp of logic is not my strongest feature, so others may disagree on that point.

[queenanne]

OMG, Emma...how did you manage to go to work every day??? The closest I've been to that kind of zoo was once I was involved in a startup operation. Handily (bleh!!!) there was an open reception type area between the owner's offices - a married couple. Her desk faced mine, he was to my left. They were both bellowers and would yell back and forth all day long in what they thought were normal speaking voices. People would ask me on the phone "are you having a party???" Nnnnnnnope. Normal day at the nut farm.

 

That sounds like my current job, only I can't wear headphones.  They of course, and apparently management also, think they're wonderful.  I have auditory processing issues and 98% of days after an hour sitting there, I'm ready to poke holes in my eardrums.

[Happyfatchick]

I need to look into Rosamund Pilcher. I don't know this writer. As for Janet Oke: being one generation removed from the Amish (missed it by a hair!) I can't read her books. There's an unspoken rule about it within the family. I did try, once. I hated that book so much, I threw it across the yard. And into the trash later. I think her characters are garbage. The fictional premise is unrealistic, and the storyline completely not-doable. But again, this is from a closeup amish perspective and it infuriates me personally when it can't be done. This isn't going to happen, or this wouldn't ever happen, or flat out are you kidding me? - just does not make me want to finish a book. Besides, if she's pumping them out at the alarming rate she publishes, how much thought is in there? But that's mean, and some of my perspective comes from Oke being a competitor to my brother. My brother made his maiden voyage into writing with Christian fiction. He's not preachy, but the heroes always end up hearing a message somehow. No bible verses or in-your-face. He wrote a book based on my father's real life journey from Amish to "English", and won the Christie Award (Christian Book Assoc highest honor). Also, his latest book has stepped out of the CBA and is clearly his best work. It features (brace yourself) a talking chicken. No joke, very good book. I can't even recall the actual name of the book - we all refer to it as the chicken book.

I'm sorry I trashed Oke. She actually wrote a forward in my bro's Amish book.

About working with unsavory characters: if they were marginal but ultimately hurt work flow, they were going downnnnn in my book. I don't like to let people go (said Donald Trump NEVER). Least favorite thing. But sometimes, people need to move along. The marginal ones are tricky, but if you make them miserable enough and wear your poker face long enough, they eventually leave. People who don't care to dress properly for work (or how to act once there) just aren't dedicated enough to the job to be there. The tripping and replacement process for them was one I was particularly suited for.

[Love2dance]

My brother made his maiden voyage into writing with Christian fiction. He's not preachy, but the heroes always end up hearing a message somehow. No bible verses or in-your-face. He wrote a book based on my father's real life journey from Amish to "English", and won the Christie Award (Christian Book Assoc highest honor). Also, his latest book has stepped out of the CBA and is clearly his best work. It features (brace yourself) a talking chicken. No joke, very good book. I can't even recall the actual name of the book - we all refer to it as the chicken book.

.

Ahhhh, so the writing talent runs in your family. I would like to read your brother's books. And, as I have said before, yours, when you are ready. (Yeah, I know.....nag, nag, nag.) Edited February 7, 2016 by Love2dance

[Henri205]

Very pretty kitty. What do they call that color in a cat? Cream? English tea with milk? Whatever, that is a very pretty kitty. Congrats on having a new member of the family!

Beautiful kitty and don't think she doesn't know. We have two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Lab mix, and then of course the cat. They all get along well, although the cat was SUCH a little bitch at first that now when he wants to be friends, the dogs are all 'fuck you', you had your chance years ago. It is fun to watch the interactions. Best of luck with the new one.

[Henri205]

Of course we can talk books here! Just wanted to point other areas of this pretty terrific site. Even as a mod, I don't see all the forums. But I was pretty sure there was a Book area.

I was reading the Last Kingdom series. I was borrowing from the library and got the ebooks for Christmas. As much as I like real books I don't have the room for books right now. So, library and ebooks for me. All of which is to say I've enjoyed the Last Kingdom series. Not great literature but a fun read nonetheless.

I'm still working my way through Ruth Rendell and Inspector Wexford. Excellent novels. And still a huge fan of Arthur Clarke.

[magpye29]

OOOHHH!!  Books!  I'm so happy!  I love to read, read a lot.  This forum has stolen a lot of my physical book-reading time (well, this and gin rummy on facebook).  Just before I came on here, I finished reading A Different Kind of Normal by Cathy Lamb.  I had tears rolling down my cheeks for the last 30 pages.  Loved it.  It was my first Cathy Lamb, but won't be my last.  She writes somewhat like Sarah Addison Allen, who is one of my favorite authors.  Last week I read a biography of Helen Keller by Dorothy Herrmann.  I liked that she tackled the real nitty-gritty of Helen's life and didn't make Annie Sullivan into a plaster saint.

 

I read all over the map, everything except hard-core science fiction and spy technothrillers.  I belong to a book club that just read Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf (I thought it was way overrated) and is currently reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.  We have a very forceful member who is half Jewish, so we tend to read a lot of Holocaust stuff--a recent selection was The Paris Architect, which I actually enjoyed quite a bit.  I read a lot of YA and am especially fond of dystopian fiction.  I've read Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It series several times, read The Hunger Games series a few times, The Maze Runner books, the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness (the first book is a special favorite), Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series (I think it's cool that he's married to Justine Larbalestier, author of another trilogy I liked), The City of Ember series (the movie was a tragedy in some ways), Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne, and tons more.

 

My all-time favorite book is Jane Eyre, which I first read when I was 10 and have read at least a dozen times since then.  I learned to read when I was 5 and was reading Huckleberry Finn when I was in second grade.  A friend of mine assures me I could not possibly have understood what I was reading, but I remember it otherwise.  I loved Men of Iron by Howard Pyle, and all the expected classics.  I generally prefer A Little Princess to The Secret Garden but don't see why I have to choose one over the other.  I adore variations on the Beauty and the Beast theme.

 

Some favorite authors are Sarah Addison Allen, Robin D, Owens, Jodi Thomas, Sandra Dallas, Donna VanLiere, Kelley Armstrong,   Things I like to read about include the Scott expedition, the Titanic, disasters, biographies, the orphan trains, dystopian societies, teachers' stories (like Torey Hayden and Cathy Glass), true crime, the Great Depression, frontier life, Salem, and lots more.  I feel like I've forgotten more books than most people (not you guys, obviously) have ever read.  

 

Agree with whoever said A Painted House was Grisham's best.  I loved that book!

 

I love to write, too.  I will talk about any book you guys want, and can't wait!  Thanks for this idea!

[CherryMalotte]

Mostly non fiction reader here, though I do like the occasional foray into fiction, with the GoT books, Anya Seton, and Nevil Shute.  Right now I'm reading a bio on director William Wellman written by his son which is really good, and before that a bio on director John Ford called Print The Legend by Scott Eyman who has authored some other really good books on classic Hollywood.  

[Jynnan tonnix]

Beautiful kitty and don't think she doesn't know. We have two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Lab mix, and then of course the cat. They all get along well, although the cat was SUCH a little bitch at first that now when he wants to be friends, the dogs are all 'fuck you', you had your chance years ago. It is fun to watch the interactions. Best of luck with the new one.

Thanks...she is starting to come around a bit, though still hides pretty much all day then comes out around bedtime. The first day we had her, I had to go help out my parents so I left fairly early and my husband had already been looking for her for a while. When I came home, close to 2:00 in the afternoon, he had only JUST tracked her down...in the basement, on a shelf, inside a closed (with the top flaps tucked in) box with about a 2" clearance at the top which she had somehow weaseled her way into. The only reason he even finally looked in that box (having bypassed it a couple of times) was that my son's keen eyes spotted a little bit of fluff which had caught on the box top as she pushed her way inside. Honestly, you'd have to see the box with your own eyes to understand how impossible it seemed that she could have wedged herself in there.

 

She really is quite a petite little thing under all that fur. And besides which, now that we've seen her walking around a bit, she appears to be one of those Munchkin cats with the short legs. Between the fact that we had only really seen her either crouched down or curled up and her fur being halfway down to the floor it wasn't really apparent before. She still walks in that slightly nervous crouch in case she decides to run, so it's hard to tell whether her legs are as short as a true Munchkin, but they are certainly not average length. Ah, well...she is a very pretty girl anyway.

[Micks Picks]

Thank you for the kitty update.  I'd be wondering.  Be sure and give us a couple of more updates over the next few days so we know how she is adjusting.   Sounds like it's coming slowly along.

[Wellfleet]

Thank you for being valued employees. Its such a blessing and yes, I really mean it is a blessing to trust those who help with the care of our dependents. I was just coming here to post a nice story about my mom's caregiver. I had just called a handyguy who's also a family friend and a contractor to fix 3 things at her home so at least I trusted who was going over there. Well the caregiver called today to say everything was fixed and to call handyguy and cancel. He had been looking at YouTube videos and tried the homeowners fixes to each of the 3 items. The YouTube fixes worked. Yep, he's a blessing...

 

I hope you all have lots of blessings this weekend too!

 

Oh and I'm reading Sue Grafton's "X." I'm glad she's getting to the end of the alphabet because I'm just sticking it out at this point. I started the series because while its fake town, its based on Santa Barbara and sort of local so that's what hooked me back on A.

I just finished "Dewey."  A true story about a small Midwest library adopting a kitten they found half frozen one winter and how Dewey enriched the lives of the community.

 

I was never a cat person in my younger days. My family and all my relatives had always had dogs - and we do love dogs still. But all our minds were changed, or expanded really - to include cats too about 20 years ago. A little stray 6-month old tiger kitten with giant pea-green eyes wandered up onto my mother's kitchen porch one chilly but sunny March day, and she heard the mewing outside and went to investigate. My dad had died about 9 months earlier. My middle brother had just moved home to take a new job and was staying with Mom until he could find an apartment with his cat, a black long-haired Persian type. He talked my Mom into taking on the little kitten. I still remember the excitement in her voice when she called me at work to tell me about it. I told her it will be great for the kitten to have my brother's cat as a surrogate mother for a while - and for Mom to have another heartbeat around the house when he finally moved out again. Mom took "Tess" to the vet the next day to be checked, spayed, all necessary shots, an ear mite treatment etc. They became best friends until my Mom died, and today Tess is 17 and lives with my youngest sister and a big goofy Golden Retriever brother [the two get along very well].

[Happyfatchick]

I'm a dog girl. My oldest was a rescue (neighbor found him at the dump). He's a biggish dog, 75 lbs give or take, boxer pit mix. We refer to him as a pit boxer. Parts of him are absolutely pit while other features are absolutely boxer. He has all the teeth baring, snarling, spitting protectiveness of a pit, but the gentle loyalty of a boxer. LOVES children. Loves, loves, loves. Wants to smell them. Wants to smell the diaper. Wants to lick them and tell them he loves them (gets his feelings hurt when we wont let the tongue do its part). When visitors (or even family) come in, he'll bypass the adults every single time and follow whoever is holding the baby. He's a con man, too. He trembles all over when there's a kid around. (Makes him look less menacing, I guess, or it's just the excitement). Such a peoplized dog. Most of my communication with him is completely non verbal. "That's enough, Rock, get out of the baby's face" is a click and a point away from the baby. He'll give a sad look to the baby but he walks away and gives them space. (Lays close enough that he can supervise the person caring for the baby.). Bunch of kids playing together: he's all in their space. He likes to sit on the weakest one (not to bully, but to protect). If I call him in so they can play, I get the one longing look back to the kids as if he's saying, "(sigh) my mom says I gotta go..." Three steps toward the porch, pause, another longing look back and a searching look at my face "is there a compromise? No??? (Sigh). Ok, but if they get hurt, it's all on you." I like cats just fine, but don't relate to them like I do my dogs.

My best peep has a Jack Russell that almost died last week. His eyes were clouding over, he would have to be lifted to the couch, carried out to pee. Just obviously minutes left alloted to him. He just was not going to make it. The vet said he was in acute renal failure, and that he had a significant heart murmur due to the kidney failure. He wanted to keep the dog and put him down. Peep refused and said unless he was in obvious agony, he would prefer to let him die at home. (It's just him and the little dog in his home). Doc said, it won't be long. We all cried (the dog is part of our circle). Last Thursday night (thursday a week ago), my peep had resigned himself to the dog was going to die that very night. He was just SURE the dog was checking out. He went on to bed and left the dog on the couch. Next morning, peep peeks around the corner, dreading the sight, and the dog is sitting up waiting to be let out. It took about 3-4 days to top out, but the dog has survived and is back to his bossy hyper self. We know he ate something (not sure what) that nearly killed him, we know he got into some trash he shouldn't have been in. (It's gone now). I was watching that goofball last night, thinking how close he was to DEAD (and a doc offering to take him there). Crazy how that worked out. I'm making him a cape. The amazing wonderdog gets a superhero cape!

[lookeyloo]

All this furry friends talk leaves me misty eyed for all the ones we have had. Mr looleyloo and I have had many cats. All of whom adopted us and we cared for and loved. The only one we went looking for after we got a house with a big enough yard and had it fenced was our German Shepherd dog, Rick. He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces when we brought him home. Turns out his only flaw was he didn't like children so once a year when the grands visited he went to the spa which he loved. Other than that and his no stop shedding he was a great dog. Loved all the cats. Loved strangers as long as they were adults. Loved delivery men in uniforms carrying packages. Really a rewarding pet. We had him for more than 13 years when spinal stenosis finally made it impossible for him to walk and he lost control of the bottom half. He was too big to carry around. The top half was perfect. Mr Lookeyloo still can't talk about it without crying and it's been about 5 years. The son and husband now near us have sibling boxer Bassett mixes. Talk about interesting looking dogs. The male quivers when something good or potentially bad is going to happen (nothing bad has ever happened to him- they were adopted from a rescue group as babies). We call it being "fear-cited". They are about 8. They rarely make noise, are very loving once they are familiar. They get really excited to see us which kind of satisfies our fur longing. Mr lookeyloo does not want to go through the loss again so doesn't want to get another anything but the fish we have now. I am hoping in this new house some needy cat or dog parks on our doorstep and I know he will be smitten.

[crazycatlady58]

I love to read also, most are cozy mysterys. Earlean Fowler, Julirt Blackwell, Donna Andrews plus many more others. I have had a nook for years and have over 800 books on it.I like to " binge read " when a new title comes out, start with # 1 read read till I get to the newest one. I have enjoyes P.G. Wodehouse fot years and am sad I cannot get more on the nook. As I have gotten older my hands cramp when I hold a "true" book for a long time.I will cheak out some of the authors talked about here.It is always fun to find new things to read.

I love to read also, most are cozy mysterys. Earlean Fowler, Julirt Blackwell, Donna Andrews plus many more others. I have had a nook for years and have over 800 books on it.I like to " binge read " when a new title comes out, start with # 1 read read till I get to the newest one. I have enjoyes P.G. Wodehouse fot years and am sad I cannot get more on the nook. As I have gotten older my hands cramp when I hold a "true" book for a long time.I will cheak out some of the authors talked about here.It is always fun to find new things to read.

Etd, sorry about the misspelling in this, I guess my fingers and eyes have not woken up.

Edited February 7, 2016 by crazycatlady58

[Barb23]

If anyone is interested, the Hallmark channel is doing a Kitten Bowl starting at noon today. It looks like it's running all day.

After reading about Joe's & others fellow worker's clothing issues, I'm glad I worked at Drs. Offices for most of my working career & wore scrubs. My SIL (early 50's) retired from a major corporation & works part time at a small company. She was shocked at how her mostly younger coworkers dress vs the business attire she was used to at previous job. She said it looks like they just roll out of bed & head to work. One Friday she decided to go with the flow & wore some type of yoga pants (clean with no holes. Lol) She said she felt scandalous all day.

Has anyone heard of an author(s) that write about Amish nurses? I'm sure there are plenty. My MIL gives each of the 3 grands a book at Christmas which is nice. My son gets an architecture book, my nephew something sports related & my niece, a nurse, seems to end up with an Amish nurse book. Niece's books have become a joke among grands (early to mid-twenties). When MIL first started giving her the Amish books, it was because they were wholesome. As is with most nurses, Niece has already seen or heard mostly everything in her short career & is way past the wholesome theme. I think some of the books have revolved around a nurse midwife, which doesn't interest Niece at all. There was also the book she got about medicinal concoctions made on Indian reservations. Poor Niece, at least Son & Nephew get books that interest them & MIL does mean well.

[Barb23]

for you kindle  or e-reader sorts, have you looked at 'book bub' onlne. it is free to sign up, then you choose your book interests and then everyday you get an email with 6-7 books to buy and load. there are always at least two free books and those are what i load. have never spent a penny there.

 

as to favorites, i have also read the amish stuff, janette oke, but my favorite right now is karen kingsbury.  i read fiction, mostly but have read most anything except sci-fi and scary stuff.  i love to read.    love love love to read!!!!

Thanks for the link, I'll have to check it out. When Mr Barb & Son gave me my Kindle years ago for my birthday, Son informed me that Amazon has plenty of Free books, which I was to choose from rather than buying a book. I felt like I was the kid & he the parent giving me a warning. The only thing I don't like with the Free books is that they entice you by giving you the first book in a series for Free but have to pay for future ones. I know their reasoning but don't like it.

Magpye - it's the same with me, that this forum (& others) have taken away from my physical book reading time but in a good way. Checking this forum is one of the first things I do each morning, starting with this thread. Kind of like reading the newspaper but much better topics. I like to check out what is going on in my cyber friends lives.

I'd also like to recommend a site called Bas Bleu. They sell books along with book themed items. I did a lot of my Xmas shopping on that site & got some unique gifts that everyone loved.

[Jynnan tonnix]

That looks like a great site, Barb...found three or four perfect gifts for my daughter in the first couple of pages alone. She's currently working on her Master's degree in library sciences, so obviously a good candidate! Plus, she's a crazy cat lady in the making, and there were definitely a few things along those lines as well. I just wish that my husband, my sons, and my parents were as easy to buy for!

[Tabbygirl521]

I work for a major corporation with locations all over the world. It is an international company. We have a casual attire dress code which people abuse. This one particular lady refuses to wear a bra and walks around with her arms folded in front of her to hold the girls up. As if no will notice she's not wearing a bra. She's HUGE and she wears see through, Jersey knit shirts.

Another girl wears boots that are reminiscent of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Thigh high leather boots. Same girl will wear open toe suede stilleto heels with mermaid sequins in January!!

Another older woman who I refer to as Cruella DeVille, will wear big fur coats with pastel colored spiked hair, big stripper heels and tight pants.

HR let's them get away with it for fear of getting sued.

I also work for a corporate behemoth you would all recognize. Years ago I worked with a manager whose style sense must have been inspired by SCTV's Edith Prickley. I was impressed and sort of repelled at the same time. I saw her recently and was saddened to see that she has toned things down. Don't know if it was voluntary.

[Happyfatchick]

I was impressed and sort of repelled at the same time. I saw her recently and was saddened to see that she has toned things down. Don't know if it was voluntary.

i love people who dress with flare. The big matching jewelry and sass. I love it. Even if NOT matching is their style, but they do it consistently and to THEIR look, I love it. I'm (surprisingly, with my personality) a toned down girl. I guess I believe my presence alone is statement enough? I do love me some red and black, but don't have the energy or the want to to do "costumes". I'd love to be that, it's just not a passion. But I so admire it in other people. Sold a house once to a couple who were goth. They almost didn't buy the house because there was limited closet space and they had to have ample space to store their clothes for when they "dressed". Also, years ago I had a friend who was a media specialist (librarian, whatever) who was a PRESENCE all the way around. Flashy clothes, big clothes, colorful bright clothing, ridiculous big matching jewelry and shoes. Oh my gosh, she was a stoplight when she walked in. Big polka dots, wild stripes. She was a SCREAM. Kids ADORED her, just flocked to her wherever we went. (I adored her!!!) She was like a walking fairy tale. I wish I had the guts to be all flamboyant and peacock like that. Oddly, her husband was gay (no really, he was!) and HE picked most of her clothes.

[bigskygirl]

A PTV website rule: No political discussions. Please take any political talk to another website or forum. Political talk can turn unpleasant at a drop of a hat. Political posts will be hidden or deleted without warning. Thank you.

[GeeGolly]

Sound bites & phrases. What is one that you guys say over & over? One that your friends and family know you're going to say before you say it?

[allonsyalice]

"Fight me." 

For record, I am 21 years old, 5'1/2, and I weight 100 pounds wet. I cannot fight you. I am too small. But, like I say it so much I'm afraid someone is just gonna straight up deck me one day and that is how I die. 

 

also.

 

"F*** me gently with a chainsaw."

a quote from my favourite movie, and I say it when I am particularly stressed out about something or something's made me angry. my friends have come to anticipate and say it with me. 

[frenchtoast]

I'm sure I have a few but I can't think of them right now. Hubby says (and it drives me crazy) "Useless as an empty wallet." Which...an empty wallet is useful, it can hold stuff. There is room for stuff. He thinks useless because it doesn't have anything in it. But...there is space for you to put stuff in it. Just about every time he says it, I counter with that because he thinks it's a great saying that should catch on. He also thought the expression was, "Smoke like a fish." Because fish is smoked. Ooookaaay. He still isn't quite sure I'm right when I explain it's drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney. So I don't think I'll make much headway with his useless as an empty wallet.

[Micks Picks]

"If I had your car (house, necklace…) and you had a feather up your butt, we'd both be tickled."

[Happyfatchick]

I pick up almost all my "isms" from someone else.  I used to work with a girl who prefaced all her stories with "What had happened was...here go what happened".  When someone gets stuck on something like that, it worms its gnarly way right into my conversation.  My hubs says "check THIS out" (when he's making a joke, or someone else does).  He also says "you know" 10 times in every sentence.  It's hard to get a catch phrase out of your system once it grows roots. 

 

My DIL, whom I love time a million, repeats the last 3 words everyone says.  (Like Brick from the Middle), only I don't think she knows it.

[pippity j]

It is sort of on topic.When I get really angry I get very quiet except I either hum or sing very quietly, I got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart ect...I didn't even realise it until it was pointed out to me.One time at work I heard someone say oh oh and sure enough I was humming.Now I will sometimes say to a co worker I think I am going to sing now.

 

Around here the men all say the very best.Its the standard answer for everything and I detest the sound of it.How are you?The very best.Thank you for cutting my grass.The very best.How do you like your new truck?Can anyone guess the answer?Gag me.

[zoomama]

what goes around comes around....i say it a lot. also i say ' freakin' a lot too. i almost feel like calling my daughter and asking her because i can't think of anything. 

 

BTW -- i have been sort of absent for a few days. been dealing with cellulitis in my....lip!  i look like the loser in a fist fight and i gotta tell ya, it hurts bigtime.  going back to the dr again today; 3rd day in a row. strong antibiotics that should be making my tummy sick about any time now...its miserable.

Edited February 11, 2016 by zoomama

[Love2dance]

Sorry, ZOOMAMA, Hope the Dr. visit helps you feel better SOON!

[Happyfatchick]

My sons are both story tellers (I know: imagine that). The older one is a pro - does dead on imitations of people that make us laugh till we cry. The younger one is much more sarcastic in his stories (I know: imagine that) and needs some work. He talks loud (always did, and OMG, Marine boot camp kicked it up several notches). THAT kid has the most irritating habit of saying "but ummm" (or but ahhhh, interchangeably). MAKES ME CRAZY! He's funny, but he needs to learn to bring the train into the station. He works with youth, and asked me to come hear him one night. I started making tic marks of the but um (or but ah). We got in the car to go home, and I was mommy-gushing over how well he was doing, and how he'd improved since the last time I heard him. After I got done with my mommy-speak, he says, "so how many?" Huh? How many what? "I saw you counting off my 'but ums. So how many?" Well, baby, I quit counting when you went over 100...

Zoomama, I didn't see your post before I posted. Eek!!!! That has to be MISERABLE!!! I'm so sorry you have to deal with that.

I thought of friends of mine that has quirks in their speech patterns. One says at the end of every stinking sentence: ...and all. I went to Walmart yesterday....and all. [what does this MEAN??? How the heck did she pick up that crazy thought ender???]. The other, who is my guuuurl, I love her almost as good as chocolate. [shes that friend who is going to follow me on a charge into hell with nothing but spit and ask me later "what was THAT all about?" I looooove her.]. She's from Mississippi (missipi) originally, but also did some childhood time in Louisiana (Looziana). SHE says "what I meant" (whudimeant) in the most RANDOM places. She's not clarifying something she just said, she's just dropping off a whudimeant. "Why'd she go OVER there!?!? Whudimeant, didn't she KNOW she was gone get in trouble???" I love her so much, I love to hear her tawk, I love to hear her giggle, I LOVE to hear her burst out laughing (laifin'). I wish I could bottle up her telling some silly story and to save for a crappy day to uncork and bring in some sunshine.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Happyfatchick

[lookeyloo]

what goes around comes around....i say it a lot. also i say ' freakin' a lot too. i almost feel like calling my daughter and asking her because i can't think of anything.

BTW -- i have been sort of absent for a few days. been dealing with cellulitis in my....lip! i look like the loser in a fist fight and i gotta tell ya, it hurts bigtime. going back to the dr again today; 3rd day in a row. strong antibiotics that should be making my tummy sick about any time now...its miserable.

Gosh that is not fun. Mr lookeyloo had cellulitis twice recently. On each of his big toes! At different times! Big time antibiotics each time. Has always worn clean socks - can't figure it out. Hope yours heals soon.