not just opinionated

An off the wall one (for me -  cause why not) I picked up reading Lone Survivor.

As I said, I'm not the biggest fan of military stories. The leads are just so stringent -  it's hard to see the depth outside of what's trained into them.

This one carries across pretty well though. It further solidifies my thought process that politicians (instead of assuming or pontificating) should ask those that are in the forefront in war what's actually going on.

Same goes for immigration and women's issues. If you want to know the reality ask someone who is , surrounded by it and/or living it instead of speaking/having an opinion of something you know nothing about.

Or as my favorite saying goes:

 Aside from that, I read Ilona Andrew's story in the Night Shift anthology. She's not my style. Next!

....I get bored by those kinds of girls.

Found a new pretty good author in Melanie Harlow - Frenched (free no less! SCORE), Yanked and Forked were all good fun reads.

Frenched almost lost me at the beginning, she was a little too whiny, but I told myself to hang on - she was jilted after all.

Also bought Night Shift, specifically for the Nalini Singh Psy/Changeling story.

Bastien's story was just ok - not a fan of his gal choice.

Whiny/needy....I get bored by those kinds of girls and they're unfortunately in so many romance novels.

Still -  I loved the cameos (yay Mercy!) and since there's been a lot of Psy stories lately I liked the return to the changeling.

Couldn't finish the next two stories in this anthology. They lost me quickly. 

Was able to finish the last story - forget what it was called - the author was Milla Vane. 

It's fantasy. Which doesn't usually hold my interest, the female lead was totally kick ass though so kudo's to the author. 

'bout sums it up

seriously one of the most drama-filled family holidays ever.

One side of the family in a "good, chaotic, people everywhere!" way.

The other side of the family in a "this is miserable, lets pretend everything is ok" way.

This is BB on our way up from Houston.
It about sums it up.....

I did squeeze in reading The Bees; interesting concept telling a story from the point of view of a bee. It went on a little long but I liked the different.

Taking BB to the vet (she got speared by a miniature palm tree?! - ugh Houston!).

Then i'm cuddling in all day with a new book for a little therapy.

i'm a (slightly morbid) delicate flower

Just saw that The Handmaid's Tale is on sale for $1.99 on Amazon. I hope that gets people to read it.

It's a disturbing, thought-provoking story. You've gotta be in the "deep thoughts" mood though, otherwise it's just depressing and oddly written.

While I admit I have slight morbid obsession with cemeteries/graveyards (look how beautiful this one was in Kenmare, Ireland! I could've been here all day.)

I, for the most part, don't scout out darkly themed genres like horror, mystery or anything else that's meant to bring me down.

 Well... anymore anyway.... I was consumed with Stephen King and Dean Koontz when I was a teenager. "IT" was so traumatizing I think I read it several times and  I still have a lingering fear of clowns.

This especially sucks when you sit at a bar on Halloween and your bartender is a clown (the stupidly scary one from the new umm... what is that tv show called?... American Asylum Story...or somesuch) 

So give me trying for HEA or humor or adventure any day over scaring/depressing myself. Thank you very much!

"your selfish disdain for the feelings of others..."

Wasn't expecting much from reading Duchess By Night,  the girl getting away with dressing/acting like a man trope (I just learned what that word means!) is just kinda "eh".

Not my favorite of the series but it was entertaining enough for me to want to read through. That's good enough I guess.

I also watched The Dutchess movie, a true story of the Dutchess of Devonshire, oy... what women had to suffer through.

On a side note, I got Jamie to watch a little of Pride and Prejudice with me. Me narrating of course since he said he didn't "understand what the fuck they are saying".  ha!

 He only hung on for a while before passing out, but he did inform me that he liked Darcy better than Wickham (me too Jamie, me too).

I call that progress!!!

walk out now

Heading to see this awesome band tonight!

This is one of my favorite Reckless Kelly songs.

It's like Tohr and No'One's story in Lover Reborn! oh the conflict. oh the misery. LOVED that book....

It's too aggressive. It's like....

Is it terrible that when I saw this picture this morning 

All I see is this?

Yep I'm in a mood today.

I've started re-reading Endless Knight as a refresher for the next-in-the-series release of Dead of Winter here in a couple weeks. Can't freakin wait!! This series is DEFINITELY on my favorites books list!

Oh and for the Olympics I say #Boston2024!

out of control

My Christmas shopping is getting out of control.

Really though...I think I'm all finished and then I find I forgot something/someone ugh. This is exhausting.

Finished the awaited L. Ione's Revenant though - while not my least favorite of the Demonica series, Blaspheme didn't do much for me. She was, then she wasn't. She is, then she isn't. It's kinda "eh".

Guess it's the theme this week...

Victoria Dahl's lead in Good Girls Don't is similar. It's looking like I'm not a fan of her style.I'm skimming through this one - I don't skim through Larissa Ione books.

I think I'll just go back and re-read Runa and Shade's story. I wonder what she'll do with Tracker? He seems like a stretch.

ask an Aussie

Saw about the siege in Australia. Such a shame...

I do love this #IllRideWithYou message. Good on y'all. With all the things about racism lately it's nice to see.

In the traveling we've done, the Aussie's are the most well-traveled (and some of the nicest, most laid back people) we've met.

Apparently it's normal for them to travel for months at a time - I guess you kind of have to when it takes up to 24+ hours by plane to get places - still it blows my "two weeks vacation is a long time" American mentality.

I was talking to an Aussie gal on an Amsterdam bike tour about how chaotic I thought Amsterdam and Madrid were and she told me that they are cake compared to Paris in her opinion.

Oy...less and less I'm interested in going to Paris.

I would go back to the southern Basque region of France though!  I brought it up to Jamie that maybe we should move to San Sebastian when we retire. We loved that place....

I think the thought appealed - watch out Donostia we've got our eye on you.

Finished  Sarah MacLean's - No Good Duke Goes Unpunished and Maya Rodale's - The Wicked Wallflower. In the middle of reading paranormal Frozen (it was free on Amazon why not). Also read a YA one...Never Forget.

Of these four, Sarah MacLean is still the favorite. The search continues to find something amazing.

why must these authors tease me so

Jacquelyn Frank's Adam - I'd forgotten how much I liked this book and this series.

She shocked me on where she went at the beginning of this book, especially cause you're already so character involved from the previous books of the series.  I got emotional.... or in other words:

I need to look into her again - I thought this was the last of the series but she introduced a character at the end that leads you to believe otherwise. *why must these authors tease me so*

TGIF! Dinner with the Wylies, Reckless Kelly or Old 97's?, charity cocktail event...it'll be Monday again before I know it. Ugh.

i'm found out

Jamie caught on to my book diary blog - ugh he finds out about everything! I swear he was a Mexican mother in his past life. Can't a girl keep anything to herself? *as I write/post on the internet*

....I wonder how many wives have husbands like mine?

 Oh well whatever...read away Jamie, it's not like it's a secret. You are a jerk face every once in a while and I tell you to your face. Welcome to my book diary - as with every other time I start talking about my books your eyes will glaze over and you'll lose interest soon enough.

So to that end!....

On my favorites - Just One of the Guys, sucks you right in (pun intended as it starts with Chastity - the lead- choking on a mushroom as she's being broken up with) hilarity and heart ache ensues for this more than childhood friends story with life/doubts getting in the way.

HUGE, huge fan.

i lucked out in the in-law lottery

Jamie's parents asked us to mark our calendar to celebrate their birthdays in Hawaii next year. I'm not all that excited about Hawaii (it just looks so touristy!) but I do love his parents.

Apparently I've lucked out in the in-law lottery. I've heard/read/seen some terrible stories - (like recently in Lisa Kleypas' Dreaming of You.)

I'm really just thankful that they raised their son to be who he is. Call me archaic but I appreciate that he's a gentleman, a provider and a handy man. Helps too that I've got him locked down...he's totally in love with me (and why wouldn't he be right? ;0) )

 In that sense I can see an advantage to having a child - raising a son to be like him.
Time is running out to make that kind of decision though.....it's just.... neither he nor I have a burning need to join those ranks. That's a good enough reason not to, right?

Then on another side I'm seeing some of the single women I know say generally disparaging things about men -  in my experience it's women (myself included) that play the major role in complicating relationships...

Kristan Higgins is really great at showing complicated. Like in My One and Only  -  "I'll tell you something, Harpy," he said, his voice almost a whisper now. "It never even occurred to me that we wouldn't make it. And it never occurred to you that we would. You were just waiting for us to go down in flames..."

She has great, so relateable (and other times freaking hilariously funny) lines  in all her books! Love them. 

talked myself into it

So the RT convention (apparently a mega convention for romance authors/readers) is here in Dallas in May.

I'm debating going...I did drive 45 minutes to see Kresley Cole when she came into town a while back. She was promoting Lothaire and the cover model was there. They were both really nice.

I love that she's decided (not anytime soon I hope) to end the IAD series with Nix's story. She said that's going to be really hard since Nix is so messed up.

What I liked most though was being able to talk to the people in line about her books and them actually know what I'm talking about! It boggles my mind how hard it is to find people that like to read!

Ugh ok I guess I talked myself into it. I'd regret it if I didn't go to the convention where a lot of my favorite authors will be. 

Also, read The Duke and I, it read a little disjointed veering toward the manipulative at the end.

There was one scene where I was like "what?! that's just wrong" but overall I liked the instant/easy chemistry between Daphne and Simon.

I'll likely finish this series eventually.

Lastly, saw Mockingjay #1. I think it could've been made into one movie.  My sister thinks that they're not setting Gale up to follow through in his major role for how it ends in the book.

I hope they don't change it. That was an epic ending.

Zoom Zoom Zoom!

I'm on a Sunday morning coffee high!

and I've got 18 things i want to say which means I've sat here for the last 2 minutes just staring at the computer doing nothing.

I've just recently started liking coffee.
Weird how your (my? maybe just me) palate changes as you get older.

Had a great weekend so far, went Christmas shopping, ate at our most favorite restaurant - Neighborhood Services, had friends over for an impromptu game night.

Finished reading When Beauty Tamed the Beast - very "House"ish, historical romance which I liked.

 I've read several of her books, I like her style, I think I've almost read them all.

Not going to finish them today though...I'm finally going to see Mockingjay #1.

 Later!

don't think I'm just his little wife

So he got home at midnight, loud and obnoxious, and then cautiously tries to judge how mad I am at him this morning *roll my eyes* heaven help me.

Husband, forget love, it's a good thing you're my best friend cause I don't like you very much when I have to put up with this shenanigans.

It's a little strange, I mean we 've been together a long while now and there's still some instances that I think he forgets who he's dealing with.

His past girlfriends allowed him to steamroll over them and even now it seems he's surprised when I call him out on things.


Oh well - on a side note I've got an Eloisa James book in queue but I've gotten into the science fiction/futuristic/fantasy mood and I don't feel like testing another (yet another) book out right now.
 
I'm re-reading Johanna Lindsay's Warrior's Woman.

I think it's one of my favorites? It's certainly not "deep thoughts" reading but for a little exaggerated adventure supported with the clash of two totally different characters - this one will do.

the truth about forever

I almost didn't read The Truth About Forever - this YA book description turned me off a little.

Regardless, I gave the first few pages a go and it drew me in. I liked that it showed different ways and stages of grief.

The mother/daughter relationship was interesting too, I found myself relating.

That's a good thing about reading YA for me...it reminds me a little on how I felt when I was that age.

I think a lot of us "adults" forget what it was like to be a teenager, and although I'm not very fond of my teenage "roller coaster chaos of colors" years, I remember feeling that I could do anything/be anyone etc.

I like to hope that I've carried some of that over even now into my 30's. Being the conventional adult all the time is so dreary.

I also read Lisa Kleypas Dreaming of You. Another historical romance. Not bad but she used the word "factotum" too many times.

It's like she told herself  "Look I found a word, I must use this word at least 20 times in the book!" before writing it.

It's stupid but it bothered me and so it sullied the book overall for me....First world problems I know.

Speaking of - looks like we're going to a Fantasy Bar Draft in Dallas?  I'm not quite sure what it is but Jamie told me we drink cocktails (Ok!-in!) for a kids charity. ...only thing is it's on a Sunday...ugh.

just Give (because)

IT'S UNSELFIE / GIVING TUESDAY!

I’m supporting:
Death with Dignity – for those with a terminal illness to have the freedom to make end-of-life decisions on their own terms.

AND

End the Backlog – for greater transparency and accountability around rape kit testing practices nationwide.

‪#‎deathwithdignity‬ ‪#‎endthebacklog‬ ‪#‎unselfie‬ ‪#‎givingtuesday‬

For every ‪#‎GiveAMemory‬ social media post made today, $1 goes to BabyBuggy (child protective services) : My memory today is of my grandma (Alicia Marin) teaching me how to peel a cucumber with a knife. To this day cucumbers taste better if peeled with a knife…

Les bons temps rouler! - and then we try to recover

Thanks again New Orleans -   I'm in recovery mode -  *shaking my head*

We've added to the ever growing list of wonderful places in NOLA - Fair Grounds racecourse, Booty's street food, Apolline, Kingfish and Domilise's.

 This post I made on Friday about sums it up.

It just has such character!

Kresley Cole has a good way of capturing the New Orleans feel in a few of her IAD series.

Of course Anne Rice did also.

Aside from that - finished the last book of Rules of Scoundrels.

A historical romance that read well, I was sad to finish it.

In my opinion, reading women of that era can often get annoying with their simpering and gossiping but Sarah MacLean has a great way of portraying that time with interesting leads.

 In other words, I don't get bored!

 I'll keep tabs on Sarah MacLean to see what she's doing next.

giving thanks! (to book hangovers etc)

The Darkest Touch - Torin's story - yay! He's always been a favorite and GS didn't disappoint with his story.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE when that happens!

Next in line is Sarah MacLean's last of the Rules of Scoundrels series but for now I'm in a GS book hangover -

The fam's coming over tonight, then we're leaving for New Orleans in the morning.

(I'll have to be extra careful not to get a hangover of another kind).

Last time we went I way over indulged...oy.

But it was so worth it at the time!

I love that town. Arnaud's, horse races, Peche, French market... can't wait!!

I'm full of thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!

A grand ol' time!

We uber'd it all over Dallas Friday night (first time to uber - I now see the appeal).

We went to Blind Butcher (Poutine with pork belly and a fried egg on top? yum!) Rambled over to the Truck Yard (fun Austin-ish laid back feel).

Then sang along to some of the best in country music Jason Boland and Chris Knight at the House of Blues. We had a grand ol' time!

But yep for the rest of the weekend I mostly cuddled in (to recover) and read. 

I finished the last of the Cousins O'Dwyer series - Blood Magick, it followed true Nora Roberts fashion for me - entertaining but nothing amazing.

I love how she does Ireland justice in her books though. Now that I've been (heck I think she might be a big reason why I wanted to go?) I see why she loves it. 

Aside from that, I caught on to Sarah MacLean again - I forgot how much I liked her style!

This time I read #1 and #2 of the Rules of Scoundrels series. I really liked the #2, there were a few things left unanswered that would usually bother me more but I'll tell ya what - I loved how wonderfully odd Pippa was and whew the sexy times between these two were just wow.

OH and we found Irish bacon! - a local Irishman told us we'd find some at Trinity Hall (ahh the big plus of being in a big city - if you ask/search enough you'll find most any type of food you want! -

overall ...a wonderful weekend!

A tear in my beer...

(ok I don't really drink beer but for a Lonestar or a Mexican beer every once in a while) BUT the sadness remains!!!!...I just heard Charlie left  the Windmill Lounge. NOoOOOOooo!

Look, everyone knows that with the flood of people moving here over the years Dallas has lost its identity. If it has any character it would be pretentiousness.  But there are pockets here and there of what I think is the "real" Dallas -  that bar (with him in it) was one of them. I am dejected.

First world problems i know....but in the words of Chris Knight (that I'll be seeing tonight at the HOB!!) It ain't easy being me...

Picky Picky Picky

Tried reading a couple books in the last week or so that've failed to keep my interest....ugh. I didn't think it was hard to get my attention but lately I guess I'm a little more picky about my time. If they can't get me in the first few pages I'm done.

These are the last few that have lost my interest:
- The Goldfinch (don't feel sorry for you. sorry.)
- Lux YA series (Not reading past book #3, it seems like she's just adding fluff with a cliffhanger each time)
- Splintered YA series (Alice in Wonderlandish eh. Finished it, liked the imagination and that the lead wasn't a pushover but have no interest in the next of the series. It should've ended there.)
- Amythyst - (historical romance blah blah)

I used to be one of those (many) people picky about trying different types of food too. So glad I'm not like that anymore.

If I was, I never would've eaten Cuban food in Miami and I never would've had a wonderful lunch at the Cuban restaurant near me today - pan con lechon, arroz/frijoles negros, yuca frita con mojo mmm just so YUMMY! Hopefully one day we can go to Cuba with no restrictions. UPDATE!: Today 12/17/14 it was announced that the US will formalize relations with Cuba. I sure hope they don't Americanize, especially before I get there). 

cathartic

I noticed country music has been in the media a lot lately talking on how bad it is.
It's true. I can't even stand to listen to more than couple of songs played on mainstream radio.

BUT the new Dirty River Boys, Wade Bowen and Stoney stuff is sounding great.

I'm loving this new Stoney song - guarantee it won't be played on mainstream Country radio....but it should be.  This is what country music is!!!

We're going to the Jason Boland and Chris Knight concert at House of Blues on Friday.

Insane...I still recall being in a crowd of less than 50 for both.

Can't wait  (like books) these bands/this music is therapy for me.

Speaking of books, finished reading Furious Fire. I didn't realize that it's the second to last book in the Grimm series!!
It was good, but it did feel a little rushed trying to get the multiple stories merged in this book.
I hope the last one gets its due diligence.
Don't let me down Shiloh. Don't let me down....

Losing It

For a somewhat relatable (and at times hysterically funny) college girl story Losing It by Cora Carmack was a good read.

New Adult books (I think they're called?) don't do a lot for me. I can't really relate as I pretty much worked all through college.  I had my moments though, I think I had as much fun as I could. Also, my best friend at the time went to A&M and I'd go visit there to get my "college cult fix". That's what A&M is, a cult. It was fun though!

Plus, I went to high school in El Paso. If you wanted to be involved in drinkfests and debauchery all you had to do is head out to the desert or get a quarter and walk across the bridge to Juarez. So basically by the time college came around most people I know from El Paso never went crazy like normal college students do...we'd all gotten the crazy out of our of our systems by then.

Amsterdam's kinda like that too -  we did a thing called Dine with the Dutch (native Dutch folks invite us to their house and made dinner for us) - really what you're paying for is the conversation (so glad we did that; it was fun and so insightful.)

But it's the same for them too... - 10 minutes down the street "that way" was the Red Light district, 2 minutes down "that way" was a coffee shop but natives themselves (as they informed us) don't find it necessary to partake in any of the seedier sides of things. They don't shun it either...yes Exstasy is illegal but if you insist on taking it they have a drug tester at certain rave sites to make sure what you're taking won't kill you....
Interesting yeah?

on my Wurst behavior...

Bought the new Shiloh Walker, will read it on the way to New Braunfels/Austin tomorrow.
It's Wurstfest time - I think it's Jamie's 18th year and my 8th or 9th?

I can only handle one night of that kind of  revelry these days - I'll be staying in Austin tomorrow then putting my dirndl on to freeze my butt in New Braunfels on Saturday. Yay!

A Beautiful Lie

Here's a pic of my dad - drafted the month of his 18th birthday for Vietnam.

All those drafted were put in a long line and pointed to - Marines. Navy. Army. Airforce.

He was lucky #3 in line chosen for front line Army. He still has trouble sleeping and he may have gotten Agent Orange. It's all still tied up at the VA. Don't even get me started...

I'm not the biggest fan of stories that skew military...but I liked A Beautiful Lie

Thanks for your service and sacrifice Vets!

Wives and husbands of vets...you should also be recognized....

Cheater

This "Mate Poaching" article just makes me shake my head.
What THE HECKFIRE?
Who are you!

Here's the thing - signs are always there before cheating even has the chance - so if it happens I think it's kinda both your fault for letting it.

 "Discuss - never ignore!" I read that in a first and only self-help relationship book, drowning in my misery at a B&N one Saturday night after Jamie and I decided to "take a break".

I wish i could remember which book it was... I know it was written by psychologists.

From the start, I let Jamie know that he can't get anyone better than me ;0) but more,  if he decides to cheat then I'm out the door and not looking back. No talking. No drama. Done. Simple as that. (I don't say this lightly...I'm a child of 3 divorces on my mom's side and 4 divorces on my dad's side. (Two of those where from each other).) 

If I had any advice to give for people starting relationships it would be the above. A hard line must be drawn. Especially for the girl - (in my opinion) no matter how much you think you've got him locked in, men need clear spoken direction -  cause they're always going to push to see how far they can go.

Men on the other hand are a little more forgiving I think.
Overall though, I feel very strongly that you can't go back from that betrayal....you just can't.

Sidenote:  I re-read  The Summerhouse ( I'd say a favorite). Three friends have the choice to go back in time and may or may not choose to change their own story. It's good read!

Also finished the "True Love" book of J.Devereaux's - besides making want to visit Nantucket it didn't "get" me like others of hers have. Next...

jumping worlds

Dropped out of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changling world and went into the nostalgic realness of Jude Devereaux's True Love (first of the Nantucket series).

Such different stories (and storytelling) - it took me a few pages to switch gears.
How she describes Nantucket...now I want to go! ugh these books I read make me want to visit everywhere!

Going to the lake house this weekend, some friends are joining us out there. Can't wait to get away from the craziness/chaos of the city for a little peace and friends and laughter out in East Texas.

Later!

so I'm a little manipulative...

I just posted this to facebook:

Ha! And so yes I'm a little manipulative but he lets me! so we're going - fun times!

Which gal in a book was a fun tricksy girl? I say Anya in The Darkest Kiss or of course Nix (and several others) of the Immortals After Dark series.

In Texas and I still vote

Whether I vote Republican or not, it's a given that it'll go "R" because I live in Texas.
It bothers me yes -  (I don't vote straight ticket - I like to see who I'm voting for, research what their opinions are and vote accordingly).

Aside from voting party, there are local issues also addressed in ballot that I like to think I have sway on.

But really...most important reason why I vote? ... it would really piss me off if I didn't have the right to vote at all. So that's why I do it. Cause I can.

When people start getting on their high-horse, pontificating about their issues but they don't vote, this is me:

#rockthevote #exerciseyourright #elections2014

dignity and courage

Read Winning Miss Wakefield, pretty sure I've read this scenario before: rejected regency girl gets the courage to kiss the rake, he offers to help her get her rejector (is that word?) back but ends up falling for her instead. 
It's been done better. This one wasn't bad though. Not very believable, but it was entertaining for what it was.

Now, I'm re-reading some of my favorite Psy-Changeling books by Nalini Singh (just cause i can). Clay and Talin's story and all they went through...
The one that really just sucker punched me was Tangle of Need though. Seriously, my heart hurt, I don't think I was ever more involved in characters as I was with Adria and Riaz.  Nalini Singh is in my top 5 of all time for sure.

And so...back to reality (and speaking of heart hurt) - I saw the news about Brittany Maynard. Such courage. Hope she went peacefully as she wished. I am a death with dignity advocate and will make my yearly donation on Giving Tuesday (December 2).

Again the Magic....Happy Hallowe'en!

Oh the magic of Halloween! I'm rockin' the sugar skull face with the pretty flowers in my hair.

Apparently I'm the only adult in my vicinity that's gotten in the spirit.
Fuddy Duddy's everywhere. Including my husband....I got him a bacon costume.- it's freakin hilarious...and does look pretty yummy. Maybe he'll wear it when we go out tonight . If he does wear it, this'll be me:

 I love bacon! Mmm...Irish bacon (wish i could find it here....)

Right now (speaking of magic) I'm reading Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas. I've read all the Wallflowers historical romance books. This one is an angst-ridden childhood friends to lovers one. After reading some of the "way over the top" books of late. I'm really enjoying the restraint of this opposite end of the spectrum.

woo *fans face*

Meant to start another book but got stuck on Backstage Pass (Book 1) of the Sinners Series.

And so...this is a hot hot hot series. If you grew up in the 80's this series will fulfill any fantasies you've ever had about rock stars.

With that said, this author pushes close to making me want to stop reading. It's almost too much sexy times.

I have to read other stuff while reading these books (or in yesterday's case put the book down to watch football) just so i can clear my mind. Yep it's like that....:0)

I wasn't bored though....the Fifty Shades books bored me after it's first initial shocks.

The story lines, character personalities and back stories of this series could maybe be improved upon but I think they are written well and fun(ny) too.

how i met my husband

Jamie and I have differing recollections on how exactly we met. we were both a little tipsy on a ladies night at a country dancehall a long time ago.

Here's  my version (THE TRUE ONE)... i think? -

I'd told the guy I had just started dating that I'd meet up with him at the dancehall after work. 
He's there but he didn't want to dance, he said he wanted to talk to his friend instead. 

So I said "ok, see ya in a while. I'm going to look around to see if I can find a guy to dance with." Not bitch-like...but he didn't expect me to just stand around right? 
(oy...now that I think about it...did he? I'm sooo bad at the game playing thing.)

I couldn't find any older guys (they're seriously the best dancers!!! ...the gals and I always called dibs on the older 50+ guys when we wanted to dance. They're country dancing gold.) 

BUT I see a couple of guys close by and I ask one if he'd like to dance. 
He says "no". 
I say "fine" and walk away. 
I guess he liked how i walked away ? cause he changed his mind and caught up to me. 

The fact that he actually could dance was a nice - yeah he was cute but so am I *yep not very humble right now I know* 
so what else ya got right? 
Well... I found out he liked my kind of music AND he was funny. I liked him. 

Later on that night, he finds me, we dance again, then he pulls me aside and asks for my number. 

Well... I didn't realize it at the time but he had pulled me right next to the guy I was dating. I mean, he and his friend were right behind me and saw me give my number to Jamie. 
UGH... it wasn't like I was "exclusive" with the guy, we'd been on three dates...but still, that was a Bitch move on my part. I own that. 

Regardless, Jamie and I set a time to meet somewhere a couple of days later. 
I show up 20 minutes early (cause honestly... I was tipsy...I don't really remember what he looked like two days ago). 

Well... I see a guy pull up in his truck at the exact same time I do. 
I see him. He sees me ....we kinda walk towards each other with the "is it you" question mark on our faces. 

Sure enough. It was us. And we go on from there. 

Yep...that's it...

Jamie will agree with all of the above except he says he thinks I had asked his friend to dance first. 

That his friend had said no and so I had turned to him and asked him as "sloppy seconds." 
So he said no based on the insult, but then changed his mind.

oh welll... we'll never know
...but I'm pretty sure I"m right. 

So back to present day ....we tried the new-ish restaurant/concert venue - The Rustic in Dallas over the weekend, co-owned by Pat Green - I've liked his music about 15+ years now - it's gotta be good right?

Oy... bad start when the bartender tells us he doesn't like alcohol and he's "just here for the money" as he's making me a terrible drink. Not only that, Kenny Chesney and friends is playing in the background the whole time. We are in Texas yes? Where's my music? What the heck? All this place was, was yet another "Dallas" kitcsh tourist place. Jamie and I just rolled our eyes and left. I wish Hank's in McKinney was closer...

Speaking of hot and cold - read Obsidian (YA paranormal girl next door meets "not so ordinary" neighbors -  Lux series). I liked Daemon, the male lead, he definitely runs hot and cold. J. Armentrout has written him/them well though so I'll try to hang on to finish the series. Also read Still the One (what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, childhood romance re-united story). Not bad either.

Next up is The Husband's Secret.  I know nothing about it and have no idea why I had it in my queue. We'll see!!

Why I read romance novels

Lori Foster just posted on her FB that she hates it when people call romance novels trashy or smut books. While I  have read a few that had too many sex scenes (even for me), it wasn't because of what they were doing, I didn't like them because there was no real story line. I like a story.

I've always been intrigued by human emotion - I read an article called What Books Do for the Human Soul. Every point makes sense but the point that really hits for me was

"It looks like it’s wasting time, but literature is actually the ultimate time-saver — because it gives us access to a range of emotions and events that it would take you years, decades, millennia to try to experience directly."

I think romance novels are especially great for showing range of emotion...cause really there's not a more volatile emotion than amorous love (the falling in, the making of, the loss of, etc.)  That's why I read romance novels - the emotion is fascinating.

So when a writer takes the love out - or any emotion but lust out - and it's just a sex book (it just gets boring for me personally) then I think it's apropos to refer to that as a smut book (and perhaps that's why romances get a bad rap)? But hey - sometimes people just want to read that - so why not...

My favorite Lori Foster book? I'm torn between Wild and Too Much Temptation

why you don't really need that many friends

I'm one of the few still holding out on getting a smart phone. Though convenient yes... I'm not the biggest fan of what cell phones (especially smart phones) have done to society and people's ability to have a basic conversation and/or relationships.

Hypocrite I am though,  I borrow Jamie's work phone for checking/in and posting pics on Facebook.Ha! Can't help it!!

Regardless - I read this article a while back that makes the argument that you don't really need that many friends. I agree with the logic (it's worked for me all these years). So as far as FB went, I continued that rationality and recently "unfriended" a lot of people.

I felt like a big "B" - but really... besides maybe being slightly insulted (which isn't at all my intention!) I'm 90% sure those people wouldn't care that they were unfriended by me.

So, while yes I have a general curiosity about people and their thoughts...if interest isn't mutual and reciprocated there's really no point in maintaining that sort of uncertain online relationship right?

That article also said that in 2004, 25% of Americans stated they didn't have anybody to talk to. Wow! I wonder how many of those people are actually ok with that?

Makes me think of Shiloh Walker's Locked in Silence... which reminds me, I need to check back on that series...I wonder if it was cancelled? Noooooo!

Re-reader escalation

I'm a re-reader - in fact often times (if the book is that good) when I go back I actually like the book better after I've read it the second, third time etc. So I re-read a favorite, Lothaire over the weekend (cause Kresley Cole's my favorite author of all time - and I felt like it).

Also re-read Larissa Ione's first Moonbound book to re-fresh my memory before starting the second book in this series Chained by Night . I'm about half way through. Native American legends, tests, sacrifice, a virgin heroine etc. eh.

The second book is better than the first - still this series hasn't drawn me in like the first of the Demonica books did. I loved those books so much i fashioned my halloween costume (below) last year after Gem in that series. I love halloween! Back to work - Monday ugh.

Rule Breaker(s)

11 years together and he still has an amazing ability to grate on my nerves like no one else.
I never thought I'd be married (much less be with one person for this long). You'd think that after all this time he'd steer away from setting me off but does he? No.

I'm not turning into one of "those" nagging/woe is me wives. He and I are gonna have a little chat later. Fucking fucker.  

So now that that's out of the way -
What's a good "I'm not ok with you acting this way and I'm going to do something about it" book - what comes to mind is Lora Leigh's Coyote's Mate. Super sexy yes (as most Lora Leigh Breeds books are) but also good conflict story with great chemistry between the leads. Anya (the lead) is introduced as a girl and through the story you see her evolve (with lots of obstacles) to hold her own with intense Del-Ray and everyone else.

About Lora Leigh's Breeds books - she's slightly redeemed herself in my eyes with this last one Rule Breaker  ...those last few books before that one were not good- so not good I was close to stopping her altogether (especially with her missing the mark with Jonas Wyatt's story. I still feel robbed.)

Regardless - overall, the Breeds books -  I'm a fan.

hit or miss?...we'll see.

so this morning, jamie pounces on me, slobbers all over my face and says "if you have ebola then I'll have ebola too so we can be together". 

I'm reading now on FB posts that people are already making the decision to not allow their children to trick-or-treat for Halloween.

I just shake my head. whaddya do....I've never been one for overreaction but being that we are in Dallas (and 10 minute drive from Presby)...yikes... it is a little more concerning. Only because I assume these nurses are wearing top of the line hazmat suits, going in there informed and well aware of the disease they're treating...and they're still getting it? How is that possible?... 

On a different note - finished the last Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. Not amazing but one of those that if done well (i.e. by the Pan's Labyrinth people) would be a fun movie to watch. 

Next in line is Splintered ...amazon suggested as a "customers also bought" from the DS&B page.

That's what mostly works  for me - when trying to find a book, i go to the amazon page of a book i liked, go down to the "customers also bought" and scroll.  I've found I tend to agree more with amazon reviewers than goodreads reviewers (Goodreads reviewers are kinda mean too!). Or maybe passionate...it's so hard to find someone who actually likes books as much as i do I might be getting it confused. 

Either way...as always, when trying a new book it's hit or miss (mostly miss)...we'll see.   

YA reads

I'm on the third book of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. This YA series has tremendous use of imagination (which I love). Very Pan's Labyrinth movie-esqe. Apocalyptic, sacrifice/redemption, star-crossed love story.

One thing I'm finding I don't like (that this author uses a little too much) is starting a chapter where it's clear something has happened and then the author backs into explaining what happened. It's equivalent to a stutter for me...it stops the story from flowing. Regardless, I like this series. It's a good story. I hope it ends well.

Other decent YA series: Legend , Maze Runner , The Uglies, Trylle, Enders Game (although that last book lost my interest) of course Hunger Games and Divergent (not Allegiant). Most favorite is Kresley Cole's Arcana Chronicles though! I'm obsessed!

Smoke (Dallas) and Bone

Finished reading Manhunting - it was ok. I like stories where the leads don't really realize they're attracted to each other until well into the story. I've read better with that scenario though...what comes to mind is Enchanted. I loved that whole Medieval series really. I really wish E.Lowell would write about Erik....I'd buy to read his story on release day!

Right now I'm reading Shadowy Horses , I should've read this before reading The Firebird. They tie together - it's not bad but I am able to put it down if that says anything. 

Next up, my sister has been on me to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone....I refused until the series was finished. Waiting for Allegiant made me bonkers (and then reading it and how it ended caused an epic bitchfest on my part).  So anyway , she said it's finished -  I'll give it a go here soon. 

Speaking of Smoke (and Bone)- We ate at Smoke Dallas the first year it opened. It wasn't enough to make me crave it but we tried again on a Sunday Sangria/Bloody barhop adventure and they've changed my mind. Want a super delicious Sangria or Bloody Mary? Go to Smoke Dallas. Really tempted to try this event too https://kiosk.eztix.co/kiosk/37536

Travel love and my top 5 meals ever (so far)

5 books in queue and I can't decide which one to start, so I'm on a book hold for now. I'm gonna talk another love of mine - travel.

This year alone we blew out our travel budget with going to Jackson Hole, New Orleans, Phoenix, Ireland, Amsterdam, BCS Mexico, Destin and then going back to New Orleans next month for Thanksgiving.

Yes NOLA is our favorite city...I think Thanksgiving will be our 6th time? It's so worth it though and I know I'm truly blessed to be able to experience these places.

We tend to avoid touristy places - some of them you just have to see though (like Sagrada Familia in Barcelona) - but mostly I plan our trips around food. Local food. It's a lot of work/time/money and I'm a little obsessive - I start researching, planning and making itineraries about a year in advance.

Where have been my top 5 meals outside of Dallas (so far)?
New Orleans, LA
Basque Region, Spain
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Kenmare, Ireland 
Todos Santos/El Pescadero, BCS, Mexico

I'm in the planning stage for next year. Close to locking in St. Martin, apparently they have amazing food -so back to the Caribbean in May!? Likely Hawaii in the Summer on a family trip? Maybe Calgary, Seattle, Hope Town/Bahamas, Mystic/Connecticut as contenders. Just thinking about it is exciting.

yay for adventure but I'll pass on the audio book

So freakin' glad it's Friday! Definitely going to find me a cocktail somewhere after work.

I finished the Firebird , it's one of those perfect cuddle up and read books. No roller coaster here, but there is an adventure and the dual story lines carried well. Susanna Kearsley does a great job of painting a story and now I seriously want to go to North Eastern Scotland and maybe St. Petersburg too. I loved Ireland (especially Connemara and Co. Galway), I have a feeling Scotland might be just as amazing.

Next up is Shadow Spell, Nora Roberts (second in the Cousin's O'Dwyer trilogy). She doesn't grab my attention like other authors but I like Nora Roberts. My favorite of hers is probably the Circle trilogy. I liked it so much I tried the audio book. That was officially my first and last time to try an audio book. I hated it.  Plus it's kinda embarrassing when he gets to the sexy parts (and lets face it Nora Roberts comparatively speaking is not all that graphic). I don't know how people like it?

Lots going on in Dallas this weekend! State Fair, BBQ Festival, Cottonwood Arts Festival, Texans are in town for the Cowboy game and it's going to be gorgeous...I love this time of year.

i'm a pariah!...on to The Firebird

I just posted the below to my facebook. This ebola stuff is crazy. I think the local news has done a pretty good job of reassuring people though. 

On to more positive news - I finished In Your Dreams - again K. Higgins didn't let me down. Laugh out loud shenanigans with slight serious twist re: PTSD and a mostly believable love story. I think Connor's next? Fun. Can't wait!

Next up The Firebird (Slains #2) - I really liked Susanna Kearsley's The Winter Sea - (Slains #1) Dual time romance with Scottish history in the mix. So I'm reading more of hers.

if i stay and finish...or not

Finished If I Stay, ok yes I cried. It was a quick read, thought-provoking and characters (even tertiary ones) were fleshed out well.  What I really liked is that Mia (the lead) wasn't your typical conformist teenager -she didn't get on my nerves as some YA character leads tend to. I'm in queue at the library to get the next one - Where She Went (I think it's called). 

J. Crusie's Charlie All Night - funny characters, good dialogue - fast and easy (pun intended ;0). 
I skipped over the one before in this JCrusie book bundle though...couldn't finish it, don't remember what it's called but about hiring a PI and a diary, and winning a bet and mafia family?...whatever...couldn't finish it. 

Another book I couldn't finish - Outlander you'd think I'd love it (like seemingly everyone else). It's right up my alley! I just couldn't do it. Maybe I'll try once again to join the bandwagon? ...for the 3rd time... one day. Not today though, cause it's release day for Larissa Ione's MoonBound Vampire book and Kristan Higgins new one!

 I love both authors (they're both "pay for release day" worthy for me) but oy... I almost couldn't finish the first of Larissa Ione Moonbound series book - I'm holding off on buying/reading the second.  

We'll see how Kristan Higgins goes...she's not disappointed me yet!

a little Tipsy/Remembrance

I'm still on my Jennifer Crusie book marathon but I've hit a lull. Some books of hers are definitely better than others.  So I also picked up reading If I Stay (Nothing amazing but not bad so far).

I did snag the tv away from Jamie's Football madness to catch Pride and Prejudice on HBO too the other day. Yep I'm a Mr. Darcy fan girl (especially this Keira Knightly version one)...it's just one of those movies I have to stop and watch again when I see it.

I have several " must read again" favorite books. One of them is Jude Deveraux's Remembrance. Seriously, from beginning to end - I just love this book. It's truly an engaging time travel story. The lead is made all the better in that (similar to Pride and Prejudice) she's not written as a stunning beauty - what carries her story is that she's smart and captivating and stubborn (to a fault). It's one of those that you're sad when it's finished and just stare at the wall for a bit in mourning. Ha!

On a side note - Jamie and I did an impromptu bar hopping sangria/bloody mary adventure yesterday morning through Dallas! It's so fun to do things that aren't planned! Might've not been the best idea to show up a little tipsy at a 2pm baby shower on a Sunday ....but hey whatever...we had a grand ol' time!

in a bubble....or a peach!

So I'm going to my neighbor's baby shower this weekend. I won't know anyone, really I hardly know her, but I'm going cause  I am eternally curious to see how other people's worlds work.

Nobody tells you that as an adult you'll easily get locked in your little bubble of work and home. Or how time goes so fast in this bubble. That's why I like traveling and why I like sitting at a bar. You'll ALWAYS find someone to talk to that has a story to tell and lets you see different perspectives on things. I guess books do that too don't they...

So, about the shower - instead of a card with the gift, they asked us to bring a book to help build the baby's library. I find this brilliant! ...but also very difficult for someone like me. Which book to choose. WHICH BOOK TO CHOOSE?!!

I went with Roald Dahl's James and The Giant Peach . Ok not a baby's book I know. But I'm pretty sure Roald Dahl was the author that got me started on my love of books. I never realized how twisted and really kind of morbid his books are. All I knew is they fascinated me...the imagination was amazing. Seriously, who thinks of an adventure about a boy living with bugs in a giant peach? Or a candy land that tests temptations. Or bald witches (who wear painfully cute shoes) that turn kids into things that humans kill.

Speaking of cute shoes - what shall I wear? I'll have to dig up something to "represent". I think these girls are fashion-centric so maybe I'll learn something.  At least I still got my tan from going to Destin a couple weeks ago. My legs look great!

The Cinderella Deal attempt

My chocolate craving reached critical stage and Jamie, on his way back from his board meeting stopped over to get my favorite chocolate cake from Lucky's Cafe last night. Seriously I got a catch in that man...11 years together and (though he tests my limits) I'm a lucky gal.

I deviate - about last night - around 8:45 I attempted to break the mold by trying to only read a few pages/chapters of Jennifer Crusie's - The Cinderella Deal. I couldn't do it. I read the first page and knew it's either stay up for 4ish more hours or stop right there. So I stopped. Don't judge - I'm 33 and love my sleep. I can't hang like I used to.

She first caught my interest on Monday when I read Anyone But You - I really liked how Nina (the lead) wasn't the typical perfect 20-something female lead. She's 40 and had a life. She'd let herself become someone not herself and she broke out. The interaction with Fred (the stinky dog) was adorable and hilarious. I like that she and Alex became friends before anything else. Overall - good story. And I love good stories!!  So....since the book was entertaining now I'm reading all of Jennifer Crusie.

It's fun finding a new author!

First post...cause why not

I recently dug up a diary and a box of notes I kept through middle school/high school -Yikes (the angst of a teenager!) -  and well - there's something to be said about writing your personal thoughts down and reading the you 20+ years ago.

So here I go - and in 20+ years, we'll see how I've changed.

In an attempt to streamline I'm making a mental note to write mostly about books (to help me keep track- cause I love to read), some about travel...and maybe about Jamie's shenanigans (cause he's diary-worthy). Or blog worthy. whatever. I'll try not to ramble. It gets boring.

So! Books! I'm a romance book reader for the most part. I can't help it! I love them. This time though I'm steered toward talking about Gone Girl,  mostly because it's about to come out in theater and all of the sudden it's all the rage. (Seriously! I read that book a long time ago. Yes, I liked it. It was messed up - but don't start talking like you're a book connoisseur cause you read one book a year! It drives me bonkers.)

Anyway back to Gone Girl - it was twisted, it played well in my head,  and I absolutely loved that I couldn't quite figure out how it would end. So much anger and resentment and with a twist of mental instability. Yep. Good.

Gotta get home to feed my BB girl dog - and so I'm out.... or Gone - Girl. Ha!