My Extra Credit

Some Holiday Cheer and Wisdom for All

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.  People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!'  or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'  ~Dave Barry, "Christmas Shopping:  A Survivor's Guide"


It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.   - W.T. Ellis

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.   - Burton Hillis

Holiday song recommendations

First one will be by the Dixie Chicks - it's great - it will really make everyone feel good about their own holiday family gatherings....!!! (see link).

The next one is just a nice, sweet sentimental one, enjoyable listening - we all need that.  It is also a Tribute to the late, great Dan Fogelberg-classic classic song  (see link).

For all those lucky enough to be going away...

Wow, what an influx of people coming into the library, stocking up on books because they are going away - going away to somewhere warm, sunny, possibly tropical...right about now, jealous is an understatement!!!  Alright, I've got to be bigger than this -I've got to rise above - I've got to be grateful for the chaos I call my life!!

I will recommend to all of you fortunate folks a nice book to read while you are whiling away the hours on some sunny beach - it's called Barefoot and is written by Elin Hilderbrand.

It takes place in 'Sconset, a quaint part of Nantucket that still is preserved, untouched and remains charming!!  We went this summer and I made my children bike ride to 'Sconset (they complained the entire way) - and when we finally got there their attitude was - "you made us bike ride all that way for this!!!" - really, the level of ingratitude sometimes amazes me.

I tried to point out to them how cool it was that the library of 'Sconset was actually a wine store, where with every purchase you were allowed to borrow a book as long as you gave them one in exchange.  It was a very unique, fun concept...I'm going to try to search for the website to order their own wine and add it as a link!!  Also, see link to learn more about the book!!

Bibliogirl  

Great holiday song!

Love the song The Elf's Lament by the Barenaked Ladies - their holiday CD is pretty good, too!  This song is just so cute and funny and has such a contagious tune!  (see link)

Festive listening!

Bibliogirl

Children's Literature can be very appealing too!!

I saw what looked like a really funny holiday book for juveniles and/or young adults.  I even want to read it. (see link)

I'm listening to a very funny, kind of strange book on CD that has to do with the darker side of Christmas.  (see link)

Happy Holiday Reading and listening!

Bibliogirl

Who thinks Jeff Foxworthy is a funny, likeable character?

Just this morning I saw Jeff Foxworthy on a talk show and he is really hysterical - all his "redneck references" are priceless!!  I also think I am going to have to add Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader to my repertoire of shows...in the past I've been to frightened to watch it for fear I might not be!!  However, after having seen him on this show I have to try it!  He was also advertising his latest book - he wholeheartedly admits that his books are probably only used as bathroom readers but what does he care - people are reading them!  (see link)

Happy bathroom reading!!

Bibliogirl

Planning for Christmas Dinner

O.K., the pressure is on - it is the 10th and our lights are still not hung outside!! We haven't gotten our Christmas tree yet - it was supposed to happen on Saturday - but, no-o-o-o...!!!  "There's always tomorrow" famous words of the husband - but there is work, then there is school, then the weather doesn't cooperate...I sayCARPE DIEM - (seize the day;seize the moment)...you have to do things when you are thinking of them and when you can, otherwise the moment is lost and then you start to feel the pressure that I am under!!!  Never mind gifts for the relatives - aaahhhh!!!!  Oh, did I mention that I still don't have a Christmas picture of my kids to send out - when am I going to get all this done?!!!!  The good news is, however, that i have started shopping for the "Christmas Dinner" - this will consist of wine and beer for the grownups, sodas for the children, cheese and crackers, chips and dips, pretzels and dips, nachos and salsa dips for appetizers, then a heavenly "Honeybaked Ham", green bean casserole (which I make once a year), cranberry sauce, stuffing, and au gratin potatoes for the main course, pumpkin pie, cookies and cupcakes for dessert!  Alright, I admit it, my favorite part of the holiday season is the eating and drinking!!!  Is that so wrong?

  Happy Holidays

Bibliogirl

Words of wisdom most mothers could appreciate

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.
-- Phyllis Diller

My mother's menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.
-- Buddy Hackett

'Tis the holiday season upon us...

Love that actor Ryan Gosling

Calling all Desperate Housewives fans!!!!

O.K. Come on, admit it, who watches Desperate Housewives  and just loves it!!  I'm still a huge fan of it!  I know a lot of people gave up on it after the first season but I just couldn't abandon my friends on Wisteria Lane.  They're all too nutty, funny and unique!!  I love the antics and the situations they all seem to manage to get themselves into...but last nights tornado episode was great!  The destruction, the human life taken away, speared by a picket of a fence, and who wonders whatever became of the cat?, and who thinks Lynette's family was killed...???(I don't)!  The funniest thing was when that stalker woman got sucked out of the doorway and into the tornado - hysterical!!  Anyway, can't wait to see what happens next week and throughout the holiday season!

Bibliogirl

Sunday nights...

Wow, weekends are hectic!  Throw in anything out of the ordinary and you can't help but feel behind the eight ball!!  Anyway, how about that snow!!!???  All I can say is that my youngest woke me up at the crack of dawn to look out the window so that I could possibly share her enthusiasm over the first sighting...it's so sad, I just begged for another half hour of sleep before I had to actually get up and face the day.  She's such a great child, she was so accommodating - then, her friend rang the doorbell shortly after the crack of dawn, stating that her family was still sleeping, but with one eye open, they apparently told her she could come over here.  Well, if that wasn't a Kicker!!  So, I was forced to put on the coffee, give these two excited rugrats breakfast, then dress them in snowsuits, boots, hats and gloves so they wouldn't freeze!!  They played outside, along with our two dogs who appeared equally as excited about the snow as the kids - one dog even stole the neighborchild's hat - it was hysterical!!

All the while, I'm watching them from the back door, drinking my coffee, thinking about a Jimmy Buffett song I've only recently heard and fell in love with-reminding me of my youth, a business trip I'd gone  to in Gulfport, Mississippi and going to his concerts eons ago!!!  You can't help but think of warm weather when you listen to his music and it was just what I needed to get me through this a.m. (see link)

Bibliogirl - Happy Holiday season and first snow of season!!

Feeling melancholy

It's so unnatural for a child to die before a parent!!

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.     - Gilda Radner

I knew that already from having witnessed my father's horrendous battle with cancer!!  However, I just had a horrible reminder!!  I just received horrific news that my cousin's son, a 19 year old sophomore, was killed in a car accident, a head on collision, on Sunday night, after having spent the weekend with his aunt and neices for the Thanksgiving break.   I can't begin to describe the pain and grief I have for my cousin.  I can't even begin to conceptualize how a parent goes on after such a tragic, unexpected loss - I don't even know what to say to her when I see her...my God, you just never know what fate awaits you and it's a true reminder not to sweat the small stuff, take nothing for granted and appreciate every moment - even the bad ones!!

Bibliogirl 

For all those who love to read

I have a great website to offer all, announcing new and upcoming book releases.  It covers almost every genre and gives a description of every book and suggests read-alikes.  See link for EARLY INK.

Bibliogirl

The future of books

I just read a wild article on the future of books...apparently the publishing industry is struggling due to all of the new technologies and the cmpetition of the Web and the Internet.  Now, to make matters worse, the head of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has come out with an e-book called Kindle.  Supposedly, it sells for $399.00, and the owner can purchase any bestsellers, hardcovers, "New releases" for only $9.99.  It is supposed to be good for those who travel because it is wireless and when charged for two hours, it gives you up to 30 hours of reading time.

I don't know, I guess I am 'old school" - I love the feel of books, the paper pages, the way new books eventually turn old and get a worn, weathered look, the thought of passing on a good read to a friend...call me a traditionalist!  But from what this article stated, the younger generation, the "digital born", are going to eat this up!  This is their world; they are used to reading everything on a screen!!  For the first time, I have to admit, I fear for the future of books as I've always known and loved them!!

Bibliogirl

It's amazing how differently people perceive things...

I'm listening to Alice Sebold's new audiobook, The Half Moon, read by actress Joan Allen whose voice is great, in terms of audiobooks, sort of calming, soothing, especially while reading such "dark" material....  Well, I happen to be loving it, am finding it riveting, and don't want to stop listening!!  It's funny how it got such terrible customer reviews, maybe three that were positive out of 21 and such entirely different spins on the book from two respected reviewews, one Publishers Weekly (hated it), and one from the Library Journal Review (raved about it).  It just shows you how we all go into something with our own expectations and come out with such incredibly varied experiences.  All I can say is don't expect it to be The Lovely Bones, it's a different book!!  I would hope that most people would want a different experience from the author...but then again, people never seem to be satisfied; if it had resembled her previous novel they would have complained about that too!!  All I'm saying is go into it with an open mind - it takes the critical mother/daughter relationship to a whole new level!

Bibliogirl

People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.

- Logan Pearsall Smith, Myself.

I couldn't have said it better myself!!

Bibliogirl

Now that Thanksgiving is over...