Tag Archives: Sharing

10.01.17
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Getting Personal #88: October Goals

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Image Credit: Pinterest

Hooray – October is finally here!

There are so many exciting things happening this month!!

Here are my goals for the month of October:

  1. Donate blood.
  2. Celebrate several birthdays!
  3. Celebrate Mary Lauren & Jeremy’s wedding!
  4. Celebrate Nick & Savy’s wedding!!
  5. Write at least 400 new words for my 2012 NaNoWriMo attempt.
  6. Write at least two blog posts on home improvements.
  7. Make / purchase photo canvases.
  8. Attend Hampton Comicon!
  9. Finally start moving items from my parents’ house to ours.
  10. Keep our kitchen table clean!
  11. Update my TBR.
  12. Be a successful co-hostess for the October PEO meeting.
  13. Write some snail mail!
  14. Celebrate Halloween!
  15. Enjoy Little (Lane) when she visits for a week!
  16. Order the Desert Mist Diffuser, and more Savvy Minerals makeup!

Here’s the breakdown:

Donate blood.

  • Our next blood drive is Saturday, October 7th!

Celebrate several birthdays!

  • My mom’s birthday is this week, as well my good friend Ashley’s.
  • Mia’s birthday is in the middle of October. She’ll become our niece in two weeks!!

Celebrate Mary Lauren & Jeremy’s wedding!

  • Their wedding is October 7th – It’s gonna be a blast!

Celebrate Nick & Savy’s wedding!!

  • October 14th!!
  • I’m so excited for Savy to become my sister-in-law!
  • Mia will be my niece!
  • We get to trek to the farm, eat, drink, bounce in the bounce house, and celebrate!!

Write at least 400 new words for my 2012 NaNoWriMo attempt.

  • I’m chugging along. It’s felt really good to sit down and pour out my thoughts. I’ll reach 50,000 words yet!

Write at least two blog posts on home improvements.

  • I’m determined! It’s been over a year worth of work!

Make / purchase photo canvases.

  • I’m excited to pick several engagement photos and wedding photos with Al, and then hang them up!

Attend Hampton Comicon! 

  • We’ll head to Hampton for the day on Saturday, October 21st.

Finally start moving items from my parents’ house to ours.

  • The weather’s finally cool enough, and I’m beyond ready to make my office what it’s supposed to be! My dolls deserve to be in one place!

Keep our kitchen table clean!

  • Our kitchen table has been a perpetual mess for a long time. I’m determined to clean it up, and keep it clean!

Update my TBR.

  • It’s that time again! My final TBR update of 2017 is coming soon!

Be a successful co-hostess for the October PEO meeting.

  • I’m excited to co-hostess the meeting next week at Susan’s house. I’ve already bought Reese’s pieces cookie dough, and I’ll buy some veggies, crackers, and pretzels at the end of this week.

Write some snail mail!

  • I’m long overdue to write letters to several special people in my life.

Celebrate Halloween!

  • Al’s co-worker, Kathryn, and husband Tim, open their house every year for a Halloween bash! This year, the theme is Stranger Things. So exciting!
  • We’re excited to hand out candy to our neighborhood again – The kids’ costumes are awesome!

Enjoy Little (Lane) when she visits for a week!

  • My Little is coming home to visit toward the end of the month. I can’t wait!
  • We’re participating in a fun wood door hanger paint class!
  • She gets to see our house for the first time!

Order the Desert Mist Diffuser, and more Savvy Minerals makeup!

  • I updated my monthly order late last week, and it usually processes around the middle of the month. The plan is to put the Desert Mist Diffuser in the living room, and move the Dewdrop Diffuser to my office!
  • I’m starting to experiment with the Savvy Minerals eyeshadow, but I’m excited to get my hands on the eyeliner, blush, and misting spray!

Do you have any goals for the month of October?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.30.17
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Getting Personal #87: September Goals Recap

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Image Credit: Kara Cozier

September was a mix of busy and relaxed! It’s finally starting to feel like fall!!

Here’s the link to my September Goals post:

Ready?

Here we go!

  1. Celebrate seven years together with Al! — Accomplished!
  2. Enjoy Savy’s bachelorette weekend! — Accomplished!
  3. Make / purchase several photo canvases. — Did not accomplish.
  4. Make a series of home improvement blog posts. — Semi-Achieved.
  5. Write at least 300 new words for my 2012 NaNoWriMo attempt. — Accomplished!
  6. Move my bookcase from my parents’ house to ours. — Did not accomplish.
  7. Inventory my entire personal library. — Did not accomplish.
  8. Make and start using homemade deodorant. — Accomplished!
  9. Start using my Savvy Minerals makeup. — Accomplished!

Here’s the breakdown:

Celebrate seven years together with Al! — Accomplished!

Enjoy Savy’s bachelorette weekend! — Accomplished!

Make / purchase several photo canvases. — Did not accomplish.

  • I spent way too much money on other things this month.

Make a series of home improvement blog posts. — Semi-Achieved.

Write at least 300 new words for my 2012 NaNoWriMo attempt. — Accomplished!

  • With the journal I wrote about in my recent Writing Prompt post, it was an excellent motivator!
  • I wrote approximately 554 words!
  • Current word count: 11,216 words.

Move my bookcase from my parents’ house to ours. — Did not accomplish.

  • Argh. A few missed opportunities to make this happen. Soon!

Inventory my entire personal library. — Did not accomplish.

  • This goes hand-in-hand with my bookcase. Soon!

Make and start using homemade deodorant. — Accomplished!

Start using my Savvy Minerals makeup. — Accomplished!

  • See the Getting Personal post, above, for more information!

Final Thoughts:

  • I was able to put Accomplished next to five out of nine goals! Woohoo!
  • The one goal that was Semi-Achieved: I’m happy with this one. More to come!
  • The three goals that I did not accomplish: Like last month, most of these involve time. I’ll keep chipping away at them until they happen!

What about you? Did you have any goals for the month of September?

Come back tomorrow to see my October Goals!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.27.17
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Writing Prompt #77: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 39)

52-weeks-of-gratitude-challenge

First found on Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table.

Week #39: Your Heritage.

This post took some thought, and some research. On the outside, I’m an ordinary white woman.

But, my history / ancestry lays throughout Europe. My maiden name, Stricker, is descended from the German language. I’m fairly certain my dad’s family came from Europe. Grandpa Stricker was in the Navy for several years, and my dad was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shortly thereafter, his family – Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie Marn, Aunt Nancy, and Dad – moved to St. Petersburg, Florida.

My mom’s paternal grandparents emigrated from the Ukraine, and my grandfather was raised Jewish in New York City. After starting college in Ohio and meeting my Grandma Grace, Grandpa Madan was in the Army during World War II. After the war ended, he got out of the Army, and they also settled in Florida, near Miami. My grandpa’s sister, Aunt Marilyn, lives in Boca Raton. Her daughter, Sherri, lives in Manhattan.

Besides the evident European ancestry, religion is a big part of my family history. My Grandpa Madan was raised Jewish. My mom was raised in the United Church of Christ. My Uncle Richard considered going into seminary. My dad’s family includes Methodists and Lutherans. I was raised in the United Methodist Church. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to attend services among several denominations – Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, Russian Orthodox, Congregational, Presbyterian, and United Methodist, to name a few.

Writing this post has inspired me to learn even more about my family, their experiences, and their history. I want to learn as much as I can, and document everything along the way.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.26.17
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Commentary #59: “Once Teased For Her Love Of Bugs, 8-Year-Old Co-Authors Scientific Paper”

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Sophia Spencer and Morgan Jackson co-wrote a scientific paper on Twitter, entomology and women in science, after a tweet about Sophia’s love for bugs went viral. Image Credit: Nicole Spencer

I stumbled upon this NPR piece last week, and thought it was awesome!

Here’s the link to the original article:

It’s such a shame that bullying is still so prevalent in our society. However, this story shows that something good can come out of it!

I’m in awe of Sophia Spencer. At 8-years-old, she already doing amazing things! She loves bugs, and she’s a co-author of a scientific paper. Wow!!

I felt tears in my eyes as I read this quote from her:

“‘Before … I really thought loving bugs wasn’t the best hobby,” Sophia told NPR. “But after I realized bugs are for girls I thought to myself, ‘Well, I think I should start loving bugs again, because just because people say they’re weird and gross doesn’t mean I shouldn’t like them.’ ”

How many kids — How many adults — can say that?

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I’ll admit, I wasn’t a big fan of math or science as a kid. I was a bit more interested in science, mainly because of The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye The Science Guy.

Sophia’s passion will carry her far in life. She’s already changed the world of Morgan Jackson, and all the entomologists who responded to her mother’s pleas for support and encouragement!

As I was reading the article, I couldn’t help but think of two of my friends – Melissa and Brittany – who are both passionate about science, physics, STEM, etc., and how they’re changing the world in their own ways. Brittany has two adorable girls, and I love how she is teaching them about science (among other things) every single day!

Thank you, Sophia, for inspiring me! You’re gonna be a great entomologist someday!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.25.17
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Tag #30: Burn, Rewrite, or Re-Read Book Tag

Ann posts some of the most interesting book tags! Here’s another!

Here’s the link to the original post:

The Rules:

  1. Randomly choose 3 books — I liked Ann’s idea of writing them down and placing them in a cup to randomly draw, so I totally did that. Great idea, Ann!
  2. For each group, decide which book to burn, which one to rewrite, and which to re-read.
  3. Repeat until you complete three rounds. (You can do more than three!)

Round 1

Image Credit: Goodreads
Image Credit: American Girl
Image Credit: Complex
  • Burn: Jake Riley: Irreparably Damaged. I read this book several times in middle school and high school, but I don’t think I’ll read it again. Jake’s character gave me the creeps!
  • Rewrite: The Runaway: A Maryellen Mystery. This was a tough choice. It’s a really good book, but I think I would be a tad more sensitive, given its target audience. Seeing animals in distress is never good, or fun!
  • Re-Read: The Great Gatsby. This is one of my all-time favorite books. I re-read it every year.

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Round 2

Image Credit: Wikipedia
Image Credit: Amazon
Image Credit: The Hollywood Reporter
  • Burn: Ender’s Game. Given the choices, I would reluctantly burn this one. This is one of the few science fiction books that I actually liked!
  • Rewrite: Fire From The Rock. This was a good book (I’m currently researching Sharon M. Draper for an upcoming “Awesome Authors” post), so I wouldn’t change much of the story. Maybe make it a little shorter, but that’s it. I really liked the characters and the structure.
  • Re-Read: To Kill A Mockingbird. Like The Great Gatsby, this is another book that I re-read every year.

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Round 3

Image Credit: John Green
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Image Credit: Amazon
  • Burn: Paper Towns. Again, this is a reluctant burn. I have enjoyed all of John Green’s books thus far.
  • Rewrite: The Notebook. This was a hard choice. I would make a few edits, but this is one of my all-time favorite books from Nicholas Sparks.
  • Re-Read: Story of a Girl. I read and analyzed this book for my Young Adult Literature class back in 2011, so I would love to read it again.

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Round 4

Image Credit: Goodreads
Image Credit: Veronica Roth
Image Credit: Goodreads
  • Burn: This Is Where It Ends. I would actually be okay with burning this one. I understood the author’s intent, but books about school shootings will always been unsettling to me.
  • Rewrite: Divergent. Out of the entire trilogy, I wouldn’t make a ton of changes. I would be okay with extending Divergent a little longer, and ending with Insurgent. No need for Allegiant!
  • Re-Read: The Pelican Brief. This is one of my favorite John Grisham books. I don’t re-read it every year, but it’s one that will always be on my bookshelf.

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I Tag

  • Anyone!

Have you read any of these books?

Would you change any of them?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.24.17
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Book Review #46: “The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins, a World War II Soldier” 

The Journal of Scott Pendelton Collins

Image Credit: Amazon

Scholastic has published three particular series that I have loved since the sixth grade.

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It all started with finding Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic, 1912 in the Western Branch Middle School library. I had never heard of it, or that it was part of a series, but my best friend Melissa immediately recognized it, and recommended I read it. I did, and an obsession was born!

I have a good number of the “Dear America” books in my personal library, and my goal is to eventually own all books in all three series.

When Al and I visited 2nd & Charles in Newport News recently, I found this book on the shelf. I couldn’t pass it up for $3.45, since most of these books retail for at least $10.95, or more.

I don’t remember reading this one as a kid and young adult, but I’m glad I did now.

Summary: A seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.

Written by Walter Dean Myers, this is a impressive, fictionalized account of what hundreds of thousands of men went through during World War II.

It was also really interesting to realize this character was raised in Roanoke, Virginia, and talked about life in Roanoke and Winchester. It made the story even more real for me, and sobering. It also makes me want to re-read several books by Myers, who has written books about African-American life, as well as the Vietnam War, among other topics.

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Reading this book inspired me to re-read the Dear America books that I already have, as well as seek out other My Name is America and The Royal Diaries books that I haven’t read yet.

Although these three series are designed for younger readers, the authors work hard to accurately portray history. Plus, I usually learn something new every time I read or re-read one.

Look for more Book Reviews on these series, coming soon!

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth

09.22.17
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Book Review #45: “The Girl on the Train”

The Girl on the Train

Image Credit: Barnes & Noble

This was another 49-cent birthday purchase from Best Thrift. I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while!

I’ll try to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, if you haven’t read the book yet.

I’d heard mostly good things about this book, so I wanted to give it a shot.

Let’s just say that Hawkins does not disappoint!

I love that this book is set around London. It gave me a different perspective of how people in Britain work, live, and struggle.

I immediately noticed that each chapter was a different POV. Given my inherent struggle to read and finish books with multiple POVs, I was crossing my fingers, hoping and praying this was different.

—

It was. This book was a breath of fresh air!

Hawkins enveloped me into the train, the houses, and the characters. It was an amazing look into a group of people’s lives, and how dramatic things can be and become.

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The book starts with Rachel, literally “the girl on the train.” Pardon my French, but this woman is fucked up from the get-go. She takes the train from the house she shares with Cathy, into London, every day. She’s an alcoholic, and we quickly learn that she was fired from her job, she single-handedly demolished her marriage, and she’s incredibly jealous of the woman that is now married to her ex-husband.

Along the way, we meet Tom, Anna, Cathy, and the man and woman Rachel refers to as “Jess” and “Jason.” She gives them these names because she sees them, and their house, from the train every day.

Little does Rachel know – Her life is about to be turned upside down. As her drinking increases, she struggles with multiple emotions and feelings. When one of the women suddenly disappears without a trace, Rachel believes she saw something, and inserts herself into the investigation.

What did Rachel supposedly see on the night this woman vanished?

Will her daily observations of “Jess” and “Jason” from the train be significant?

By inserting herself into the investigation, is she doing more harm than good?

Will her drinking help or hurt?

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Hawkins crafts each chapter like a diary, where each character experiences something different. There are flashbacks, but Hawkins tries hard to keep the characters in the present, especially as they start to intertwine and get caught in different webs.

I actually appreciated the flashbacks, since it was made obvious with the headings, and I didn’t have to flip pages back and forth. Much better than other books (I’m looking at you, Allegiant)! Hawkins masterfully built the worlds around these characters, and was able to tell multiple stories in a clear, consistent way.

This book being classified as a “psychological thriller” was almost an understatement. The characters were quickly embedded in my brain, and I found myself thinking about the story during the work day, and on my way home from work.

I flew through this book, repeating, “One more chapter, one more chapter.” I looked forward to reading this book nearly every night. I stayed up way too late earlier this week, but I couldn’t put this down!

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I’m definitely looking for more psychological thrillers to spice up my reading life, so any recommendations are appreciated!

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.20.17
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Writing Prompt #76: “52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge” (Week 38)

Week #38: Music You Love.

In addition to the songs I mentioned in my recent Getting Personal post, here’s a few more insights into my musical tastes.

Contemporary Christian Music

Country Music

Glee

  • I loved Glee from Day 1!
  • I have almost every CD that’s been released.
  • If I need a pick-me-up, one of these CDs usually does the trick.
  • There are waaaaay too many songs that I love from this show to list! I should make a separate post.

Soundtracks

  • A Chorus Line (1985)
  • Back to the Future (1985)
  • Batman (1989)
  • Chicago (2002)
  • Dirty Dancing (1987)
  • Enchanted (2007)
  • Flashdance (1983)
  • Footloose (1984)
  • Footloose (2011)
  • Forrest Gump (1994)
  • Ghost (1990)
  • Grease (1978)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 & 2 (2014, 2017)
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
  • Interstellar (2014)
  • Jurassic Park (1993)
  • Mamma Mia! (2008)
  • Night at the Museum (2006)
  • Purple Rain (1984)
  • Saturday Night Fever (1977)
  • Shaft (1971)
  • Space Jam (1996)
  • The Bodyguard (1992)
  • The Guardian (2006)
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  • Top Gun (1986)
  • Tron: Legacy (2010)
  • Wicked (2003)

Here are links to other blog posts I’ve written about music:

What about you? What are your tastes in music?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.18.17
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Getting Personal #85: 500 Followers!

Thank You - Pinterest

Image Credit: Pinterest

I learned early this morning that I now have 500 followers!

Thank you, everyone!

I’m so tickled that this little blog of mine continues to grow. I can’t believe I’ve gained 300 more followers in a little over a year (I wrote a similar post in mid-August 2016, when I reached 200 followers).

I’m astounded at how many people around the world follow my blog, as well as read, like and comment on my posts.

I appreciate every single one of you!

Cheers!

Here’s to more writing and blogging!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.17.17
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Tag #29: “20 Questions Book Tag”

The lovely ladies at Thrice Read did another awesome book tag! It was created by someone on Goodreads.

Here’s the link to Thrice Read’s original post:

How many books is too many books in a book series?
Ooooh, good question. I love Harry Potter, so I’ve always thought that seven is enough.

How do you feel about cliffhangers?
Cliffhangers are decent, but a writer shouldn’t rely on them all the time.

Hard copy or paperback?
I hate it when the paperback spines crack, so I like hard copy.

Favorite book?
My all-time favorite is The Great Gatsby.

Least favorite book?
The Scarlet Letter.

Love triangles, yes or no?
Yes. It makes a book interesting.

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

A book you’re currently reading?
The Girl on the Train.

Last book you recommended to someone?
I recommended The Unknown and the Impossible: How a research facility in Virginia mastered the air and conquered space.

Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
Little Women.

Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
The Whistler.

Favorite author?
John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, Jeanette Walls, John Green, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Buying books or borrowing books?
Can I say both? I’m trying to use my local library to borrow more, rather than buy.

A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?
I can’t put my finger on a single book.

Bookmarks or dog-ears?
Bookmarks, all the way.

A book you can always re-read?
Any of the American Girl books. Childhood nostalgia for the win!

Can you read while hearing music?
Not really.

One POV or multiple POVs? (POVs = Points of view)
I’ll stick with one POV. I hated the way Veronica Roth attempted to write Allegiant, and that’s left a sour taste in my mouth ever since.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
It would be so nice to read a book in one sitting. But, since my reading time is mostly limited to vacations, or before going to sleep, it usually takes me several days to finish a book.

Who do you tag? (You can invite them to the group to do the tag)
Anyone!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂