Tuesday, August 30, 2011

And This Is What I Saw Today (photography)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: N/A

WEB ADDRESS: http://andthisiswhatisawtoday.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: I like to go outside with my camera to see what I can see.

MY REVIEW: If you like photos of nature, or of cats, you'll love this blog. The blogger posts one photo a day (which is a pity, because I know, via a message board were she posts, that she takes dozens of photos a day!)

So take a look, bookmark it, and visit it every other day for a smile-generating photo.

RECENT POSTS:
-Shades
-Sasha, the cat who has lived on my sofa since 1999...
-Morning Glory
-Succulent
-Friend's backyard stream
-Queen Caterpillar
-Grrrrrrrr
-Queen Butterfly will emerge today
-Queen Anne's Lace
-Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar
-Canelo
-Arizona milkweed
-American Snout
-Foster kitten
-Tabby Tom (a feral cat who has lived in my yard fo...
-Gulf fritillary laying an egg
-Rufous hummingbird
-My backyard pond
-Great blue heron
-Chocolate Flower
-Sacred Datura


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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Monday, August 29, 2011

Good Brew Hunting (fine living)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: N/A

BLOG NAME HERE Good Brew Hunting

WEB ADDRESS: goodbrewhunting.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: You should be here if you like beer. It's that simple! Here, I'll be tasting beers on a frequent basis and posting my thoughts. A note on the thoughts I'll be posting on beers; these will be from the words of an amateur beer taster. Hopefully we'll all learn some things along the way about the wonders of beer. This is for the person who wants to get an honest idea of the flavor they'll experience if they decide to try one of these beers.

Hopefully, after becoming a more experienced taster, I'll impart some knowledge about beer in this blog. I'll be focusing on the American craft brewery rise in particular. Welcome to Good Brew Hunting!

MY REVIEW: I like the concept of this blog - the author tries out different micro-breweries' products and writes about them on his blog, and he's certainly knowledgeable on the subject.

If you're in to finding the next best brew, check out this blog.

RECENT POSTS:
--120 Pulls a 1080
--Stung by Uinta
--Hippo Over the River Saison
--Going Several Rounds With Brawler

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Thursday, August 25, 2011

World Baby Report (parenting)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: World Baby Report

WEB ADDRESS: http://worldbabyreport.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: A world of news and information for your pregnancy and parenting journey. Receive the latest pregnancy and infant health and wellness news. Plus- parenting tips, product news, and baby/toddler centered stories of interest.

MY REVIEW: This is an excellent blog for parents of newborns and toddlers. It has all sorts of news - from how to care for baby properly to the prejudice against parents these days. (For example, one story recently in the news: "Swedish Family Ousted From Residence Due To Crying Baby", and of course we all know how vicious folks get if a baby on an airplane dares to start crying!

The website itself has links to half-a-dozen news articles each day. The blog entries that go to the Kindle have a couple of news articles, plus links to the internet.

Sample post:
Mothers of Premature Infants Pump 75% More Milk Using New Product

A joint study between Rush University Medical Center and Medela, manufacturer of breast pumps and accessories, has revealed incredible results with lifesaving implications for premature babies. Preemies are susceptible to many serious health problems related to their immature systems. Such fragile infants gain tremendous benefit when nourished with sufficient quantities of breast milk. Too weak to suckle, their mothers resort to pumping. However, such honorable efforts do not routinely yield adequate quantities. The problem as described by lead researcher Paula P. Meier, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN was that “Previous breast pumps were not designed to mimic the unique sucking pattern of full-term infants when they feed at breast before the milk comes in.” Medela has solved this deficiency by developing a new cycle feature for it’s standard 2.0 Hospital grade pump. The Symphony Preemie+ cycle is modeled after the special suckling pattern of a full term newborn, which is significantly different than babies a few weeks older. When mothers of premature infants pumped using the the new preemie cycle in concert with the the standard cycle, they achieved milk volume commensurate to that of a full term breast fed infant in just six days—a 75% increase.

Family-Work-Life -Balance Support Waning
A major setback for working families occurred last week when a federal judge delivered a ruling favorable to Bloomberg, LP, casting aside discrimination complaints filed by pregnant and working mothers who had alleged improper treatment after maternity leaves. The judge, essentially cited that companies are not required to institute or abide by work-life-balance policies. She wrote that the law “does not require companies to ignore employees’ work-family trade-offs — and they are trade-offs — when deciding about employee pay and promotions.” In a tight economy, the playing field is getting ugly. Childless workers view family-work arrangements as unfair exceptions to company rules and often devalue the contributions of working mothers. Fearing a backlash from co-workers, loss of position or even a paycheck some women are choosing work over family. In the end entire families suffer and systemically society is hurt, when long work hours rob parents of their most valuable task of raising the next generation. Ironically, study after study has demonstrated that flexible work relationships create loyal and highly dedicated employees that impact overall company success. ABC news explores the Bloomberg ruling and the working mom dynamic in a series of videos .

RECENT POSTS:
--The World Baby Signal
--The World Baby Bonanza
--World Breastfeeding Week August 1st – 7th
--The World Baby Bugle
--The World Baby Herald

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Dave Lucas (news, views and interviews)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Dave Lucas, by Dave Lucas

WEB ADDRESS: dave-lucas.blogspot.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: News, views and interviews from Dave Lucas (born October 29) , an American broadcast journalist, news anchor and talk show host. Dave is best known for the 1999 series of worldwide internet radio broadcasts surrounding the Jon Benet Ramsey murder case.

MY REVIEW: The author of this blog is currently Capital District Bureau Chief at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, a non-commercial listern supported public radio network (http://www.wamc.org/).

With all his experience, you know Lucas knows what he's talking about and all his posts are informed by his decades in the business. He talks about the news, with an emphasis on social media.

He's got some pretty interesting and informative things to say. Check it out!

Sample post:
Blogs, Blog Contests and BS
It seems I've "stirred the pot" a bit around the blogosphere with my stance on blog contests (and on guest-posting): someone even called me a "...blog monster, stuck on the ridiculous blogger platform."

Bloggers: Strive for COMMUNITY!

I recall signing up for something I think was called Tribe that was supposed to bring bloggers together… guess it petered out!

I loved MyBlogLog for its community spirit – of course, yahoo pulled the plug on it…

Bloggers have to be careful to build a real COMMUNITY – and not a CLIQUE – I know of a few blogs where you see 30-50 comments on very post but on closer inspection, those comments are divided among 3 other bloggers and the host blogger… and way at the bottom the site counter says ‘you are the third visitor today” – and it’s an hour until midnight!

I did everything I could think of (but never succeeded) to try to build a blog like the one LaShawn Barber published in the mid-2000′s when she was mostly a “political blogger.” I envied her “comments” area, which was more like an interactive forum: 30 to 200 comments on each post – every one from a UNIQUE visitor!

Lastly, SOCIAL MEDIA is NOT the best way to build a blog community, although it is a useful tool. There are a lot of bloggers who shun social media – a lot of “A-list” bloggers whose digital friendship is far more valuable than a "follow" on twitter or a "friendship" on facebook!

The Blog "Contests" that measure a successful guest-post by "mentions on social media" are just plain WRONG! the system is way too easy to game!

RECENT POSTS:
--La Oreja de Van Gogh
--Guest Blogging (what you should know)
--How to Identify B.S. Blog Articles
--Blog Contests Missing The Mark
--How To Make A Sticky Post
--Android Virus ANDROIDOS_NICKISPY.C Google++
--Twitter This and Tweet That
--Verizon: Strike Over (For Now)
--NetActive 21 August 2011
--Climate Feeds Conflict?

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Friday, August 19, 2011

Retro Review: Pin Stripe Alley


REVIEWED BY: Ms Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES if you're a Yankee fan. Boo hiss if you're not!

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: Pinstripe Alley

WEB ADDRESS: www.pinstripealley.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Pinstripe Alley is your source for the latest Yankees news and game recaps. This blog provides a forum for passionate fans all year round.

MY REVIEW: Okay, I really, really dislike the Yankees (boo, hiss!) but there’s no denying that they’re a great team and they’ve got tons of fans. And those tons of fans will want to subscribe to this blog, just to get all the news about the team in one place. I personally don’t care for bloggers who use words like “suckitude”, but that’s the current generation for ya!

This is another blog hosted on Sportsblog Nation.

Unlike FishStripes (which I also reviewed today), which had only one author, Craig (at least at this time in the year); Pinstripe Alley appears to have several – Travis G., jscape2000, CrazyYankeeChick, and so on.

Some of these blog entries are the kind where you have to click on a link to go to a webpage to see the full story, but so many of them are the full article, so I’ll give that a pass.

THE GOOD: Lots of fans giving their own perspective of the Yankees. Well written, informative. These fans know their stuff.

THE BAD: Well, it is a Yankees blog!

RECENT ARTICLES:
  • Enjoy this, Yankee fans. It is diehard Red Sox fans Ben Affleck and Matt Damon portraying Yankee … (pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich in ‘The Trade’, a movie about the wife swap between the two former Yankees (Feb 20, 2010)
  • Saturday News: the tools of ignorance – a series of paras with links to more info on the web (Feb 20, 2010)
  • AJ Burnett’s face when he found out Jose Molina had signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (with accompanying photo) (Feb 19, 2010)
  • On Escaping the Demonic Nether Regions of the Off-season – a fun post by Crazy YankeeChick. (well, she calls the Red Sox the Sux, and I really disike when fans disrespect other clubs that way…but Yankees fans will love it….(Feb 19, 2010)
  • How will the schedule affect the 5th starter?(Feb 19, 2010)

Retro Review: Gun Nuts Media


REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: Gun Nuts Media

WEB ADDRESS:  www.gunnuts.net

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Gun Nuts Media is one of the premier online sources for information on the shooting sports, new guns, gear, events. We also provide up to date coverage of political issues surrounding the right to keep and bear arms.

MY REVIEW: Gun Nuts Media is a blog that is newly available for subscription by Kindle, but has been around on the web since 2006 (at http://gunnuts.net). It’s found in the Sports section (where I found it) and also in News, Politics and Opinion.

The blog is for gun enthusiasts who like to target shoot, in various events, and secondarily about protecting people’s rights to bear arms. They also have a radio program.

The blog entries talk about everything gun related, from the laws about gun ownership to the individuals involved in the sport.

PERSONAL NOTE: I would love to take up target shooting as a hobby... if only ammunition weren’t so expensive! In any event, for those are in to target shooting and collecting guns and so on, this is an excellent blog.

RECENT ARTICLES:
  • Glock Sponsores USPSA Area 6. (2010 pistol shooting championship season, sponsored by the US Practical Shooting Association). Area 6 region includes states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee...
  • Indiana Residents: Contact Your State Senators: news of interest to gun owners who don’t want conceal laws messed with, nor give the government the right to confiscate their guns in the case of a national emergency...
  • FBI purchases AR-15s in .40 S&W (Smith & Wesson). From my buddy at the Firearm Blog; apparently the FBI has decided that hey, pistol caliber carbines are kind of a neat idea.  According to the procurement document, the FBI wants these carbines for training and as option to the 5.56 AR15 rifles that they currently issue.  The caliber makes sense as well, as the FBI’s standard issue firearms for Special Agents is usually a Glock 22 in .40 S&W.  The FBI document actually mentions “easily sourced ammo” as a reason for going with the .40 S&W AR...
  • Revolver Boot Camp: Shooter Julia Golob has sent her S&W 627 V-Comp off to revolver boot camp at Apex Tactical to get slimmed and trimmed down for the upcoming ICORE season...

Retro Review: Tales of an Amputee Mommy


REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

OUR RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: Tales of an Amputee Mommy

WEB ADDRESS: amputeemommy.blogspot.com

BLOG'S DESCRIPTION: I am a 35 year old below the knee amputee. I am also the Mommy to an extremely active 3 year old little boy. I have learned volumes since my amputation five years ago. Being a parent with a disability can be isolating for both parent and child. I am hoping to share my experiences through humor so that other disabled parents know that they are not alone.

OUR REVIEW: Tales of an Amputee Mommy is a very good blog, and an inspirational one as well. Its author, Peggy, is 35 years old. Eight years ago, she was involved in an accident that crushed her left foot. After a year or so of constant and excruciating pain, she decided to have her foot amputated. She is now fitted with a prosthetic device, and she and her husband have a three year old son.

Here’s some info from her website about the trauma of amputation:
I don't want to simplify the work necessary to recover emotionally from an amputation. It was not an easy journey. My surgeon recognized the depression and body issues and set up counseling sessions with a specialist in the field. Unfortunately, the insurance company denied the request stating that the amputation was "elective" and that I, therefore, shouldn't have emotional issues.

I was forced to maneuver through the transformation without expert guidance. I struggled with my identity as an amputee, and as an amputee woman. It took years before I could look in a full length mirror and not tear up. Although I believe I have worked through the pain and the issues, I still have bouts of "the amputation blues."

Peggy speaks of her life with a prosthetic leg, of her joy in taking care of her son, and the joy she and her husband have together, and the joy of family. Her stories will warm your heart every day (much more so than a “joke a day” would ever do.)

RECENT ARTICLES:

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Sleeping Kitties (photos, cats)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: N/A

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.sleepingkitties.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: A collection of sleeping kitty photos from around the world!

MY REVIEW: This is a fun little blog. The title is self explanatory - lots of photos of cats asleep.

The author encourages other cat owners (or should I say, the pets of other cats) to send in their photos of sleeping kitties.

Also, lots of cats (as well as other animals) need to be adopted from shelters. So give that a thought as you peruse this fun site.

RECENT POSTS:
--48-Hour Adoption Drive
--Did sombody order sushi?
--Warm and Cozy
--Sleepcicle
--They Will Never Find me in Here!..What was that flash?

_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Monday, August 15, 2011

Drink of the Week (lifestyle and culture)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Drink of the Week, by Drink of the Week

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.drinkoftheweek.com/category/blog/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Drink of the Week is an enjoyable bar blog that offers delicious drink recipes on a weekly basis, in addition to advice and information about bar supplies.

MY REVIEW: I've never liked the taste of alcohol, so I can't really give an informed opinion of the recipes offered from this blog. However, it's clear the author(s) know what they're talking about, and they talk about a great variety of things.

So if you're in to fine food and fine liquors, give this blog a chance.

Sample post:
Pau Hana Friday Original Cocktails: The Kilauea from Maui – Not Pink, Not White(Here's our regular Friday tropical cocktail from Hawaii from our friends at Hawaiirama)

It's a pretty neat trick to bring a volcano to your bar. But no, a pink-and-white lava flow cocktail is definitely not evocative of a volcano. Ask anyone who has walked next to the glowing molten rock. So Allan Labayo, bartender at the posh Grand Wailea Resort in Wailea, Maui decided to right this wrong by making a volcanic cocktail with a proper color palate that packed even more punch. He came up with the drink as part of an in-house bartending competition and it was a flaming hit with visitors to the bar. Here's the tale of the recipe tape

3oz Sweet & Sour
3oz Mango Puree
1oz Strawberry Puree
¼ slice of banana
1.5 oz Absolut Wild Tea Vodka

Blend sweet & sour, banana, and mango puree with Absolut Wild Tea Vodka. In a tropical glass, place strawberry puree at the bottom. Pour blended ingredients into the glass to obtain a swirl affect. Drink slowly to avoid simultaneous excessive libation pleasure inducement.

Grand Wailea Resort, Maui
3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, Maui, HI 96753
808-875-1234

RECENT POSTS:
--Martin Miller's DIY Gift Pack Giveaway
--Manhattans: Stired Not Shaken
--Pau Hana Firday Original
--Cocktails: The Kilauea from Maui - Not Pink, Not White
--Taming of the Shrew
--FIrefly Sweet Tea Vodka Review

_______________

Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Friday, August 12, 2011

Retro Review: The Hermitage


REVIEWED BY: Ms Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: The Hermitage

WEB ADDRESS: www.hermitblog.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: This website chronicles the building of my home, The Hermitage. There’s tons of information here, including:
•resources for those who are interested in building their own homes.
•weather at The Hermitage and surrounding area
•lots of photos
•my milestones in construction of this wonderful place
•and the day by day ramblings in my blog.

MY REVIEW: The Hermit lives completely off the grid – his home is solar powered, and the resources include solar powered ones. (Once the concrete slab for his home was poured, all electricity to power tools has been generated by the sun). For anyone interested in solar power or alternative energy and how it can apply to your lives, you’ll enjoy this blog.

RECENT ARTICLES:
•Fort Garland for Sweethearts: Fort Garland is a popular pizza place in the area, having a Valentine’s Day special
•Foggy Morning: A photo and commentary on a foggy day
•Local food: a discussion of San Luis Valley – the “breadbasket of Colorado” – and how stores in the area ship produce from other locations.
•Building materials: He gives a plug to Jim’s Post Commissary, where he purchases all the basics for building his home and the La Jara Trading Post – a huge hardware store.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Parenting With a Dash of Inspiration (parenting)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Parenting With a Dash of Inspiration, by K.D. Rausin

WEB ADDRESS: http://kdrausin.wordpress.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: KD Rausin's blog has been described as Chicken Soup for the Soul on a more personal level. She blogs about her family and life in a way that inspires readers to make a positive difference in their world one day at a time.

MY REVIEW: This blog will be of interest to every parent, but particularly to those parents with kids with disabilities - the author is the mother of a daughter who is in a wheelchair thanks to a car accident many years ago.

She also spends a lot of time talking about food!

Check it out.

Sample post:
My husband has a saying he likes to repeat to me, “You must fail to succeed.” He said he learned this from going to the gym. The only way he can improve his strength is by choosing a weight so heavy he is only able to do four to six reps instead of the normal eight to twelve. In failing to lift the weight the full amount he succeeds in building his muscles. Eventually the weight he could only lift six times is lifted twelve and more weight is added. The process begins again.

This saying of his has been on my mind lately. Is it true? Is it in failing that I succeed?

Two years ago I met the most amazing group of women. Seven of us traveled to Honesdale Pennsylvania to attend a two-part writing workshop called, “The Heart of the Novel.” Our teacher was the well known editor Patti Gauch. She was the reason we were all there. On our first visit we listened carefully to Patti’s every word, ate incredible food and then retreated to our individual cabins to write. Our goal was to have a completed novel in six months and send it to Patti to edit before our next gathering.

When we all returned to Honesdale it was like a family reunion. We had kept in touch through email discussing what we had learned and supported one another in our writing. We were all anxious to see Patti’s notes on our novels.

This was my first children’s novel and at the time I was still figuring out the differences between an editor and an agent responsibilities. I had two drafts written of MYSTIC and in my mind, I was done. It was ready.

I’ll never forget the rainy afternoon that I received my notes from Patti. I sat on the bed listening to the ping of rain on the tin roof of the cabin reading through her pages and feeling as though I was the worst writer in the world. I wondered why I even tried in the first place. I felt foolish and embarrassed.

I got out my cell phone and climbed to the top of a hill, umbrella in hand, trying to get more than one bar on my cell in order to call my husband. He would comfort my failure and probably even lie to me and tell me I was a great writer. Because that’s what husband’s do.

When it was time for my meeting with Patti, I asked her if she thought I should take a creative writing class. Here I was at a writing workshop with women who had already been published. Women who had graduated from prestigious colleges and I was just a teacher who liked to write. I was feeling very sorry for myself. Patti said no to the writing class and then said something I’ll never forget. “You’re closer than you think.”

Saying those words to me made me see her notes in a different light. I realized that everything she was telling me about my story was necessary in order to make the story better. My expectations of what I wanted to read in her notes were unrealistic. An editor is a teacher and a guide. A talented soul who helps writers hone their craft.

We focused on the first chapter. She showed me my mistakes and challenged me to try again. Still feeling vulnerable I went back to my cabin and forced myself to sit down with my laptop. I rewrote the first chapter. The next morning the sun shone bright. The dark clouds had disappeared taking with them much of my insecurity. I was not going to give up. Patti read my chapter and smiled. I learned and improved. The process of storytelling was finally sinking in.

If Patti had told me that my story was brilliant, which is what I wanted to hear, I never would have grown as a writer or as a person. I had to fail in order to gain the strength to persevere.

Isn’t that what life is all about? Perseverance – through the perceived good and perceived bad. If I don’t falter in following my path, I know all my failures are just stepping stones to success.

This morning I typed J into Google. I wanted to research the teachings of J. Krishnamurti. But when I typed J – pictures of J. K. Rowling appeared. I had to look because last night I watched the Lifetime movie of her life. And a few days ago I wrote about Daniel Radcliffe. That’s when I found the following in Wikipedia.

Seven years after graduating from university, Rowling saw herself as “the biggest failure I knew.”[42] Her marriage had failed, she was jobless with a dependent child, but she described her failure as liberating:

Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy to finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one area where I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter, and a big idea.
And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. – J.
K. Rowling, Harvard commencement address, 2008.[42]

Bonus, it tied right in with today’s title.

Thanks for reading and here’s to failure!

RECENT POSTS:
--Yummy Desserts
--Peachy Entrees
--Celebrity Iron Chef II – So Much Food!
--Healthy Dinner For Tomorrow
--Fail to Succeed

_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Notepad (stationary and party etiquette)


REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The Note Pad

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.americanstationery.com/blog/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Personalized Stationery and Party Etiquette

MY REVIEW: This is the blog to a commercial website, American Stationery, that sells everything related to the literary life - correspondence cards, embossed notes, business stationary, envelopes, address labels, business cards, unique personalized gifts, etc.

If you want to add a little distinctiveness to your literary endeavors - throwing parties, announcing good news, or just annoucning yourself, this blog makes for interesting and educational reading.

Sample post:
Back to School: Grade School Students and Teens
3 August 2011

Grade School Age
Children are typically excited about their first school year experiences. Many kids have gone home and played school with their stuffed animals or imitated their favorite teacher. Here are a few items that will personalize their play and imagination.

Your Child's Fun Penmanship Stationery
Allow your child to practice what they learn at school at home.

Kid's Travel Desk
A desk of their own... just like teacher, complete with pencil cup. This desk is travel appropriate, but will also contain all their teaching goodies: pens, pencils, crayons, scissors, stickers, and more.
Pre-Teen & Teens

The pre-teen and teen alike see school as an opportunity for learning, but also for socializing with friends. The school year is filled with all kinds of things to do with friends. Here are some ideas for your pre-teen and teen this school year.

Kid's Pillowcases and Door Hangers
Slumber parties and sleepovers are a lot of fun for both boys and girls. Children of this age are searching for their personal space and belongings. Why not show your child that their personal space is important to you too. Our pillowcases give a place to reflect their personality and our door hangers clearly state where their space begins.

Pizza Party Invitations, Bar / Bat Mitzvah Invitations and Sweet Sixteen Invitations
Nothing is more social for a kid than a party. Your pre-teen or teen may have a variety of reasons to have a celebration. Perhaps you want to throw your child their first boy/girl party, or maybe your son or daughter is starting a new chapter in their lives, or your daughter is celebrating her once in a life time, sweet sixteen. What ever the occasion, celebrate it with a little personalized style.

RECENT POSTS:
--Disposable Placemats
--Back to School: Grade School Students and Teens
--Back to School: For the Students - Pre-School Aged
--Back to School: For the Teachers
--Back to School: For the Parents
--Needing Some Time To Yourself?
--Creating a Photographic Memory
--Writing a Love Letter - Part 3
--Writing a Love Letter - Part 2
--Writing a Love Letter - Part 1


_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
___________________________
Check out my kindle BOOKS!:
Whose Body, by Dorothy Sayers (the Annotated Edition)
The Coldest Equations (science fiction)
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Retro Review: Crooks and Liars


REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Crooks and Liars

WEB ADDRESS: http://crooksandliars.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: This "Coulter-free Zone" blog is founded by John Amato and features political and other current events commentary by liberals and progressives for liberals and progressives. It frequently references The Daily Show, Hardball, and Countdown with Keith Olbermann

MY REVIEW: The blog may be intended for liberals and progressives but I as a Republican find it interesting as well. Indeed, anyone who is at all interested in the political process (and we all need to be, these days) will find it instructive to read blogs on both sides of the aisle – those from liberals and progressives aka Democrats, and those from Republicans, whom Amato apparently considers to be “crooks and liars.” (Truth be told, all politicians of either party are “crooks and liars” – that’s what’s so depressing about what should be the greatest government in the world… - but we as people are to blame for allowing these crooks and liars to remain in power.)

So, regardless of your political affiliation, this is a good blog to read. It cost $1.99 a month rather than 99 cents of most blogs.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Sen. Kyl: Unemployment Benefits A 'Job Disencentive'
-Utah legislator who wants to criminalize miscarriages is a Glenn Beck '912er' and Tea Party fan
-Dana Bash: It Could Take a Couple of Weeks for Democrats to Work Around Bunning's Obstruction
-McCain: I'll Cut Deficits Like Reagan!
-Jim Bunning's hold is also killing "flood insurance"

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Retro Review: The Comics Curmudgeon


REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The Comics Curmudgeon

WEB ADDRESS: http://joshreads.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Do like the comics? Do you like making fun of the comics? Of course you do! Read the Comics Curmudgeon for all this and more.

MY REVIEW: I heartily recommend The Comics Curmudgeon, if you like to read the daily comics (for whatever reason. I read some of them because they’re so bad they’re good, for example, and that seems to be the reason the Comics Curmudgeon reads them, as well.

Rather than the Comics Cavern, which is – I guess – focused on independent comic books, The Comics Curmudgeon is strictly concentrated with the newspaper comic strip page (strips that you can read online at such locations as http://news.yahoo.com/comics

(My own favorites (favorites because they are good, not because they are "so bad they are good!") are Brewster Rockit and Rip Haywire. I wish my own strip, The Lady and the Tiger (about a woman pilot), was represented. Well…perhaps one day.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Metapost: Attitude adjusting comments of the week! (Mary Worth)
-He’s got legs, and he knows he should hide them (Beetle Bailey and others)
-The Miller Party — and, oh, what a party it will be (Beetle Bailey and others including Judge Parker)
-Frolicmania: Day two (Archie, Mary Worth, Gil Thorp)
-PULL THE TRIGGER MARY (Mary Worth)

Monday, August 1, 2011

Retro Review: Hawaii Vacation Blog


REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: Hawaii Vacation Blog

WEB ADDRESS: www.blogcatalog.com/blog/explore-hawaii

BLOG DESCRIPTION: An adventure blog to guide you to all the hotspots on the islands of Hawaii. Hop onboard and follow the tracks of the Trailblazer Travel Book authors.

OUR REVIEW: Ah, how I’d love to be in Hawaii right now. It’s not in the cards however, so the Hawaii Vacation Blog is a nice substitute. It’s written by people who actually live in and have traveled throughout all the Hawaiian islands. (Just as a point of interest, the Big Island of Hawaii is not actually the one people think about when they think of Hawaii, that’d be Oahu, on which is located Honolulu. Just in case you don't know that!)

RECENT ARTICLES:
  • Staying on Oahu
  • Guide Me (uninformative title for an entry about the Big Island
  • The Once and Present Place to Be – Mauna Lani Resort
  • Lyon Arboretum – it’s grrreeat!
  • Some enchanted evening article on the Fairmont Orchid Hotel