April 1st - Something for Everyone

I'm not published yet, nor am I an active reviewer (it's just something I'm not good at) so I'm probably not the best person to discuss all the ramification of this latest development but I've got to admit it makes me very uneasy. Can I get your thoughts on Amazon taking over Goodreads? Good or bad for writers? For readers?

I know in my circle of blog friends there is much excitement over the start of the A to Z Challenge on April 1.  I'm not participating in the challenge but I try to visit as many A to Z bloggers as I can. Best of luck to all you brave participants.

For me, April 1 is exciting for a couple other reasons. First, it's opening day for my beloved Boston Red Sox.  I'm really hoping I can make a prigrimage to Boston this summer and see a game at Fenway Park...or as we call it in my family, Mecca.

The other reason I'm excited about April 1 is I'm hosting author Carol Kilgore.  Carol is coming by to share all her most intimate secrets. You won't want to miss this.
 
 I can't do a post this morning without mentioning the significance of this day to me as a Christian. This is the day my Lord endured the torment of Crucifixion so that I might have eternal life. If you are a Christian, take time today to stop and remember.

Okay, don't forget to leave your thoughts on the Amazon/Goodreads news.

Have a very joyous and blessed Easter.

Joke of the Day:

Paddy opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Sean.

"Did you see the paper?" asked Paddy. "They say I died!!"

"Yes, I saw it!" replied Sean. "Where are ye callin' from?"

(Should I have called that one a groaner?)

Award Winning Metaphors...(well, sort of)

Happy Hump Day

I was searching through my 'hump day funnies' folder and found these gems in an e-mail I received early last year.  According to the e-mail, the following are winners of the

Annual English Teachers Award

for the best metaphors/analogies from student papers.

His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. 

The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. 

He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it. 

She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.

 

The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30. 

Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. 

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.

 

The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law George. But unlike George, this plan just might work. 

He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. 

The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. 

It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. 

Wait a second. Do I hear the sound of writers running to check their manuscripts for lines like these?  Nope, I didn't think so.

And, no, I didn't forget your weekly "aw".

I dare you not to say it over this one.

 

You know you did. 

Okay, that's it. Did I get any chuckles? Giggles? LOLs? Most importantly, did I get you over the mid-week hump? I hope so.

Any favorites this week?

Thought for the Day:

I went to San Francisco.  I found someone's heart.  Now what?

Monday Morning Ramblings

I'd love to say I have all my blog posts written or at least planned well in advance.  But it just ain't so.

Sometimes I do. Like when I'm all excited about my guest blogger for next Monday, author Carol Kilgore.

But sometimes I'm planning Monday morning's post on Sunday night.  And nothing happens. No ideas. Brain totally empty.  Well, lots of random thoughts but nothing to build a post around.

So I decided to finished the mystery I was reading instead,  AMONG THE DEPARTED by Vicki Delany.  Now, I'm a little embarrassed to admit this because I won this book in a blog contest back in September 2011.  I added it to my TBR pile and it somehow got buried there. Definitely my loss. I really enjoyed it. One thing I especially liked was the way Vicki used multiple POVs.  I do that myself so it was interesting to see how she led me from one character's mind to another. How about you? Do you enjoy reading stories written in multiple POVs? Do you enjoy writing them?

I stayed up reading after my husband went to bed. It was snowing and I left the outside light on so I could watch it fall and mark the depth on the deck railing.  Somewhere around midnight, Sophie wanted to go outside (for my new followers, Sophie is a very adorable, very neurotic Jack Russell terrier we rescued last year).  As I stood there in the open door, watching the snow fall, I was struck by the incredibly quiet. No sound at all. Have you ever noticed that? Does falling snow actually muffle sound or does it just seem that way?

Here's the view from my bedroom window this morning.

Pretty, isn't it?  But I'll be very happy if this is the last snow of the year.

Quick note. I've signed up to attend the Writers Police Academy next September. Registration opened, filled, and closed in less than a week. This will be my second time going to the WPA and I can't wait. The only downside is it's just two weeks after Killer Nashville, which I also want to do this year.  I have to decide if I'm going to missed Nashville or splurge and do both.  Are you going to any conferences this year?  What's your favorite or which would you like to attend? Anyone going to WPA or Killer Nashville?

That's it for today. See you on Wednesday.

Thought for Today:

I planted some bird seed. A bird came up.
Now I don't know what to feed it.

Hump Day Funnies from Across the Pond

Happy Hump Day

First I want to say thanks again to the Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh for hosting the Top Ten Favorite Movies blogfest on Monday.  It was the most fun I've had on a blogfest, not to mention getting some great tips on movies I haven't seen yet. 

I was determined to visit all 180+ participants which I completed just after 3:00 this morning (which explains the late hour of this post).  I will admit I skipped commenting on a couple toward the end if the movies listed where so foreign to me I couldn't come up with anything to say, but I commented on most. And I received comments from close to sixty bloggers - a new high for me.

If you were kind enough to "Follow" my blog (thank you!) and I haven't returned the favor yet, I'll be getting back to you soon.

Oh, if you missed my top ten movie picks, you can see them here.

So on to our hump day funnies.

Last week I let the lovely church ladies get us over the mid-week hump. This week I'm letting my family and friends across the pond do the trick.

Little snippets from British Newspapers

Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house." (The Daily Telegraph)

Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like. (The Guardian)

A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common". (The Times)  

[This one cracked me up.  LD]

At the height of the gale, the harbour master radioed a coastguard and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff. (Aberdeen Evening Express)

Now for your hump day "aw"..

.

Did that do it?

Any favorites today?

Okay, hopefully I've got you over the mid week hump and coasting to Friday.

Speaking of Friday...I sort of overspent my allotted blogging time checking out everyone's favorite movies so I'm going to take Friday off. See you all on Monday.

Groaner for Today:

Two men walked into a bar.

You’d think the second one would have seen it.

Top Ten Movie Blogfest

Just for fun this morning, I'm joining in on Alex Cavanaugh's Top Ten Movie Blogfest.

Check out my favorites then go here to find all the other blogs giving you their top ten pick today.

Thanks to Ninja Captain Alex's for creating this fun event.

I'm sure as I read everyone's lists today, I'm going to see lots of movies I didn't think of that belong on my list but here are ten of my all time favorites. I couldn't possibly rank them so I'm listing them in chronological order.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant

No, I wasn't around when this was released, but I first saw it on the late show (does anyone remember the late show?) and have loved it ever since. One of the great screwball comedies from the 30's.

Philadelphia Story (1940) 

Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart

Another great comedy from before my time. 


African Queen (1951) 

Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart

What can I say? It's a classic.

Desk Set (1957)

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy

Okay, you got me. I love pretty much anything starring the Great Kate. This is my favorite of the Hepburn-Tracy films.
  

  Long Hot Summer (1958)

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

One of the great Hollywood couples, Newman and Woodward only made a few films together. This was the first and it's my favorite. 


Some Like It Hot (1959) 

Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon

The American Film Institute chose this movie as the greatest American comedy of all time and I'm certainly not going to argue.

The Music Man (1962)

Robert Preston and Shirley Jones

I enjoy musicals in general but there's no topping Robert Preston's Professor Harold Hill.

The Americanization of Emily (1964)

James Gardner and Julie Andrews

A World War II comedy-drama that just happens to star a couple of my favorite actors.

High Road to China (1983)

Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong

I'm really not sure why this is one of my favorites but I never get tired of watching it.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008) 

Francis McDormand, Amy Adams, and Ciarán Hinds

I enjoyed this movie so much, the following Christmas I gave the DVD to a half dozen friends. Francis McDormand is fabulous.

Okay, that's my ten.  Are any of your favorites on my list? Care to add a title or two?

Quotes for the Day: (I couldn't decide so you're getting two.) 

You know what your problem is, it's that you haven't seen enough movies - all of life's riddles are answered in the movies. ~ Steve Martin 

The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder. ~ Alfred Hitchcock

Blog Awards - Yes or No

On Monday, I posted about having received the Liebster blog award and I mentioned being slightly overwhelmed at the list of rules for accepting this award. Eleven questions to answer and eleven new questions to create. Eleven random facts to come up with. And, not only eleven other blogs to pass the award along to, but eleven blogs with less than 200 followers.

My first thought was to politely decline. But since the purpose of this particular award was to attract readers to less followed blogs (like mine), I decided to take the plunge. It took the better part of a day, mostly spent checking through the blogs I follow, searching for ones with less than 200 followers. In keeping with the spirit of the award, I visited my fellow recipients and I discovered less than half had "accepted" the award. Of the eleven I gave the award to, fewer than half responded and most of those said it would be difficult for them to accept, i.e. abide by the rules for accepting.

When I first started blogging, as Linda Leszczuk, I was delighted to receive my first Blog Award. The requirements were easy to fulfill and I proudly posted the award on my blog and awarded it to one or more others bloggers. Time passed and I received several more. It still tickled me to get them and I dutifully did whatever was required, posted the awards on my blog, and passed them on. But some of the bloggers I passed awards onto said thanks but no thanks. Accepting an award, with its usual list of questions or facts to be given and selection of new recipients didn't fit the blogger's schedule or simply took too much time. And the time needed to accept an award was growing. From "answer five questions", they'd gone to "answer ten questions."  From "give this award to three other blogs", it was now ten or more. 

When, at the prompting of several professionals, I opted not to write under my own name but to use my maiden name, I started this blog. I was successful in carrying over some items from my old blog but I left the awards I'd received behind. When someone is gracious enough to give me award for this blog, I am pleased to accept it and do whatever is required but I've become uncomfortable giving the award to others because it feels as though I'm actually placing a burden on them they may not want. Several of my blog friends have asked me not to give them a blog award.

So, let me ask you, how do you feel about blog awards. Do you enjoy getting them or are they just one more thing to do? Have the rules for accepting an award gotten too time consuming or cumbersome?  Does giving or receiving blog awards generate blog traffic? If you could change anything about blog awards, what would it be?

Thanks for your input and have a great weekend.

Quote for Today:

Hump Day Funnies from the Church Ladies

Happy Hump Day

Okay, I'll admit it. Some weeks my Hump Day funnies just magically appear in my e-mail inbox. 

That's what happened yesterday.  

For your Hump Day pleasure, I give you...church ladies with typewriters. 

Also known as:

 Church Bulletin Bloopers.

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' 

The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'  

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. 

 Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. 

 A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

 At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice. 

  Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

 Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.  

 Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow. 

 The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. 

 This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.


Now for your "aw". Take a look at that face.

Contentment

Are we good? Did you find enough chuckles in there to carry you over the hump and onto the downward slope to Friday. Yes? Then my work here is done. 

Any favorites today? 

Thought for Today:

How important does a person have to be before they're considered assassinated instead of just murdered?