As you may remember my design for the Team Adam button contest won! Yesterday my prizes arrived in the mail!
I really hadn't expected to win, so all the fun little perks have just been such pleasant surprises. Emailing back and forth with Gayle has been really fun, she also changed her Twitter photo to the design & did a post explaining what Team Adam is all about. It is just so fun to think that there are so many girls/women out there who are in love with Adam and we are united under something I made, it is pretty sweet! I am loaded with a bag full of Team Adam Badges and want to give them to everyone I see. If you want one send me an email with your address and I will get one to you. Or just next time you see me ask.
How awesome is it that they are square? When Gayle said she wanted to keep them square I didn't think it mattered circle or square, but I love that they are square!
Today is a great day to be a reader! Today Laini Taylor'sDaughter of Smoke & Bone is released into the world (or at least the US). I am so excited for everyone, because I loved this book and I think all my book friends will love it too!
I did not always know I liked to read, it wasn't till I found "my books" around the age of 14 that I became a reader. Like a love sick bibliophile I wander online sites like Goodreads, visit my local library and bookshops looking for those books hoping that the next one is going to be "my book". While reading The Daughter of Smoke & Bone I kept thinking "this is the book I have been waiting for." I would read a passage that reminded me of other books that I really loved but were lacking in other areas. Reading Laini's book was such a relief, it never let me down or disappointed, it was reading Magic! (no not like reading magic it was reading magic)
Make sure you go and check out the Daughter of Smoke & Bone site, you can meet the characters & even listen to the first chapter.
Some of you may have noticed on my side bar I added a link under My Faith called I'm A Mormon.
For my google readers who can't see my sidebar.
The link takes you to my profile for a site called Mormon dot org, it is by my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. With the church getting more and more exposure in the media (The Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, Presidential Candidates and just references on TV (just heard it mentioned on Zooey Deschanel's new show New Girl, we are like the new Vampires) it is a easy way for people curious about Mormons to see who we are and ask questions.
My profile explains a little about me (what I like), why I am a Mormon & how I live my faith. If you are curious go check it out, I kept it short and to the point so if you still have questions please feel free to ask. If you don't want to ask in the comments email me, don't worry I have yet to be offended by honest curiosity. If you are looking to argue I am not one to bash so if that is what you want I wouldn't bother. You can see others profiles as well and watch videos of different members around the world telling about themselves and why they are Mormon.
I love my church, the more I study and search for answers the more my convictions are strengthened. I know that I would not be the person I am today with out it. It has made me a better person and blessed my life in every way.
My friend Jenny B (made my birthday cake) does this thing at the end of her blog where she lists what she has been; Listening to, Anticipating, Reading, Snacking on & Wearing. I have been liking some new jams so I decided I would steal Jenny's list and maybe tweak it, we will see what happens.
Listening to:
Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten
These guys are coming to Tucson, who goes to Tucson?
Slow Club - Two Cousins
I don't think I have listened to Slow Club before but I really liked the song & music video.
Theophilus London featuring Sara Quin - Why Even Try remix
I know what you are thinking I only listened to him only because his name is Theophilus London you may be right.
For television shows to start up again. Project Runway started and has got me excited for my other shows. The two shows I never miss are Fringe & Community. I went to go see what movies are coming out in the next month or so & there wasn't much that caught my attention. It makes me really sad.
Reading:
I have been working on the books I got for my birthday (thanks again) and LOVED Divergent by Veronica Roth. It took me a good 50 pages to get into the story but once I got there I was hooked. The story was fresh and kept me on my toes, it is a series but the book did not leave you hanging like other trilogies.
FYI Scott Westerfeld (I really am loving the Leviathan series) & James Dashner (Maze Runner series) are both coming to Arizona next month if you are interested in going, I would go. Both are very entertaining & very nice, if you want to go with me just let me know.
Snacking:
I am so boring when it comes to food, um grapes, does that count?
Wearing:
I wear a cardigan almost everyday to work, year round.
Today I started my day off reading accounts of those who experienced 9/11 first hand in New York. Tears fell from my eyes as I read stories of last goodbyes, courage, fear and kindness. My heart was heavy as I thought of all those mourning loved ones and whose lives were forever changed ten years ago today. I prayed that those mourning could feel the love that was in so many of our hearts this day.
The different accounts from different perspectives moved me, made me want to do something more. I decided to drive to Tempe Town Lake and visit Healing Field.
Most flags had a name attached and their story, one of the flags I read was for a woman named Suzanne Geraty she was 30, the age I am now. Sadly because the sun was so bright I could not see that the picture was cut off when I took it.
Thankfully I was able to get the info from the New York Times...
Suzanne Geraty: The Kiss Monster
Published: September 21, 2001
Her four nephews christened Suzanne Geraty the Kiss Monster for obvious reasons: when she wasn't chasing them around the park, she was smooching them. Or tickling them. ''She was the best aunt,'' said her sister, Erin Durkin. But Suzanne, 30, had numerous outlets for her playful nature. She always scooped up any extra concert tickets at the Cantor Fitzgerald office, where she worked in system support, and regretted missing Madonna at the Garden. She couldn't hold a tune, but she danced with abandon. She loved dining out and drinking red wine, and she was a devoted shopper for accessories: she filled her closet with shoes, hats, pocketbooks. Her collection of potions and lotions was encyclopedic.
Suzanne's flag was just one of almost 3,000 but it was very easy for me to imagine what her life had been kissing her nephews & going to concerts. I thought of her nephews and what they are doing today.
I am glad I went and got to read about a few of the many people who lost their life. I am also glad because although I didn't speak to anyone, I felt connected to those there also mourning. While walking by a family with two young children I heard the son telling his father about Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter. It was nice to find a reason to smile and in the words of Albus Dumbledore "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light."
After my friends and I had crossed Abbey Road and got a look at Abbey Road Studios
we headed to The Beatles gift shop.
While in the shop I saw some buttons or badges as the British say for St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
(my library bag I mentioned in another post)
Which made me think of this lovely passage from The Lonely Hearts Club...
I bought badges not only for some friends and I, but one to send to Elizabeth as well. Then Elizabeth wrote Prom & Prejudice, which also went so well with my trip to Bath, and the I Heart Darcy badge I bought.
While in Paris I had a book I had never read on my mind. I was so excited to read Stephanie Perkins debut novel Anna and the French Kiss and thought how awesome it would be to visit places then read about them. Can I just say what a genius I am, because it was not only awesome it was like making dreams come true before you even dream the dream. I am so lucky Stephanie is so nice and took the time to send us a list of places we should see, because it made Paris all the more special.
For example I would have never gone to Shakespeare & Company book shop. But after going to Paris & reading Anna I often see pictures of Shakespeare & Co and see the picture above on the left and see people commenting on how they dream about going there. And look there I am in the chair in the famous book shop fulfilling a future dream.
Both Elizabeth & Stephanie are on twitter and if you didn't already know I adore these woman. When I found out that there were going to be an a panel together I was wishing I could be in Georgia. But because these woman are awesome they fulfilled another wish for me and took a picture of them together.
While in Europe I didn't buy a lot of things for myself but I saw the Lonely Hearts Club key chain and thought it would be a great way to remember my London trip and remember that "this lonely hearts club was the opposite of depressing. It was alive." After I got the beautiful "I left my heart in San Francisco" key chain from Stephanie I put it on my key chain and sent her this picture along with my thanks.
When things come around again in full circle, it just makes me feel a peace like good things do happen in the world and I am lucky to be apart of them.
