A book

That's a favorite.

Hmmmm....

I'm one of those people who love to read, but forget that I do.

And even when I remember, I'm much too lazy to do much about it.  I seem to find other things to do that require even less effort....watching TV, reading blogs (hey...that's reading!).

I love to peruse book stores...all the hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered.  I end up buying so many books from the bargain area that they cannot truly be considered a bargain.  (Ok, each book is a bargain, but when you buy $70 of books, I think it teeters closer to spendy).  I have filled my bookcase to overflowing (which is color coordinated and fun).  But, alas, I have read a mere fraction of the books.

I haven't quite mastered the art of librarying.  When I was seven and lived in Arkansas, I remember going on monthly, maybe weekly, trips to the library with my family.  The library cards were cardstock that had a little piece of metal attached.  Somehow that combination of paper and metal worked together so the library could keep track of the books you checked out.  We were limited to ten books per card, so we stocked up.  We lived far enough away (which wasn't so far, but when you are seven, it seemed FAR), that by the time we got home, I had read nearly each book already.  College sort of scared me away from libraries.  I never quite mastered the Dewey Decimal System and when I saw that there was a semester-long class devoted to learning how to find books at the library, I was done.  I recently got a new library card and look forward to using it.

I'm a member of a very prestigious book club.  I've read maybe a dozen and a half of the books since joining nearly three years ago.  Not very good stats.  We always have lively conversation, so even if I haven't read the book, there is something exciting to discuss.  Since our discussions don't revolve solely around the book but sometimes go on until the wee hours of the morning, Darrell thinks we should just read a magazine article and discuss that.  I think he thinks I will get home much sooner if that is the case.

So, unfortunately, I don't have a trove of books upon which to base this posting.

I guess that could be viewed as a good thing, though.  Because, after all, I wouldn't want to think too hard!

One of my faves is "The Persian Pickle Club."  It's a book my mom recommended after her book club read it.  My grandmama read it, also, and we all talked about favorite parts.  It is a book that really can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. 

After my mother-in-law passed away, we were going through her belongings and I came across a copy of the book.  I don't know if she read it, but it would have been right up her alley. 

I'm glad that some of the most influential women in my life could all share a book that meant so much to me.  Especially since there are so few books that I have loved as much.

20 Faves

peanut butter and chocolate
green
sleeping in
hawaii
freshly laundered linens (especially if laundered by someone else)
gel roller pens
ruffles
the day after a good haircut
red geraniums with dark purple pansies
maps of any sort

halfway done.....

1985
starbucks hot chocolate and pumpkin scone
my new bedding, complete with twelve (yes 12!) pillows
lipstick
a relaxing evening in with Darrell

only five more...

creating something beautiful or funky
a clean house
visiting my extended family
masterpiece on pbs
lots of comments on my blog (hint)

So totally on a roll

So Post Number 2 on "The List" is a favorite movie.

That's such an easy one.

Because I.Love.The Princess Bride!

What's not to love?

fencing

"You are using Bonetti's Defense against me, ah?"

fighting

"You mean, you'll put down your rock and I'll put down my sword, and we'll try and kill each other like civilized people?"

torture

"Your ears you keep and I'll tell you why. So that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out, "Dear God! What is that thing," will echo in your perfect ears. That is what to the pain means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever. "

And (because apparently I'm a HUGE fan of torture)...

"As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Really that's all this is except that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I've just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don't know what that would do to you. So, let's just start with what we have. What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity so be honest. How do you feel?"

revenge

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

giants

"It's not my fault being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise."

And (because giants are fantastic poets)...

"That Vizzini, he can *fuss*."
"Fuss, fuss... I think he like to scream at *us*."
"Probably he means no *harm*."
"He's really very short on *charm*."
"You have a great gift for rhyme."
"Yes, yes, some of the time."
"Enough of that."
"Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?"
"If there are, we all be dead."
"No more rhymes now, I mean it."
"Anybody want a peanut?"
"DYEEAAHHHHHH"

monsters

"Rodents Of Unusual Size? I don't think they exist."

chases

"He's right on top of us. I wonder if he is using the same wind we are using."

escapes

"No, no. We have already succeeded. I mean, what are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? One, the flame spurt - no problem. There's a popping sound preceding each; we can avoid that. Two, the lightning sand, which you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future we can avoid that too."

true love

"As....you....wish!"

miracles

"Have fun storming the castle!"

I so need to watch this again!

Let me know what your favorite movie is.

Finally...I'm posting to this here blog!

I lost a bit of my mojo and couldn't figure out for the life of me what to post.

and so I didn't.

Then, I saw a great list of topics and decided that at least I would know what to post about.

The problem then became that the first topic was "A favorite song."

I have too many.  How could I choose?  It was like asking my mom which of her kids is her favorite.  (Ok, probably not, since she would say, "Stephanie," without any hesitation!)  (Just kidding)  (Sort of).

So I've tossed and turned at nights, trying desperately to decide on which favorite to post.

And then it happened.  When I stopped fretting, it came to me.



You may wonder, "How in the world can this be Stephanie's favorite song?  It's the theme song from the not-so-popular 1970's TV show "S.W.A.T." It's not from the 80's.  There are no words.  It's not that easy to dance to.  And who even knows who...performs it?"

I admit.  I don't think I ever saw the TV show.  I didn't even know the name of the song until 2003 when the movie version was released.  But I knew the song since the TV show debuted.  

Ok...I DO like songs other than 80's songs, although 80's is probably my favorite decade for music.  I heard about a study somewhere that whatever music you enjoy when you are about 15 is the music that stays with you and forms your taste for life.  Seems reasonable to me.

You are absolutely right.  There are no words.  But, when I was about 5, my sister and I would sing this song, using "Duh" for each syllable.  We would only sing it when we were cleaning our room.  Here is what would happen.  We would be sent to our room to clean it.  We would dawdle and end up playing with our toys instead of cleaning.  My mom would come in and remind us to clean.  We probably rolled our eyes.  Or at least I did.  I had "sass."  My mom would call to us that we had five minutes to clean our room before (1) we ate dinner, (2) had to go to bed, (3) were going somewhere, or (4) would get spanked.  Suddenly, Jennilyn and I needed something to help us clean like mad women.  I think we tried wiggling our noses a couple of times, but we were no Samanthas.  So, we would "sing" the "Pick Up Song."  The faster and louder we sang, the faster we cleaned.  I'm sure it looked something like a tornado.  I remember running in circles, chucking stuff as I went.  I'm sure the room did not get clean, but my stuff was hidden from immediate sight.  And so, there are, in fact, words to the song.

I would have to disagree that it's not easy to dance to.  As you can see in the preceding paragraph, Jennilyn and I danced like fiends as we were trashing, I mean cleaning, our room while singing the song.

And come on...who doesn't know that American funk group, Rhythm Heritage, performed the song?  Ok.  Me.  But wikipedia knew.  And Barry De Vorzon wrote the song.  Doi!  Ok...I got that from imdb.com.  But he was a theme song composer extraordinaire.

And not just because he wrote one of my favorite songs.

Sneak preview

Here's a list of posts to come: 

post 01 — A favorite song
post 02 — A favorite movie
post 03 — 20 favorite things
post 04 — A favorite book
post 05 — A favorite quote
post 06 — A fun fact about me
post 07 — A piece of art
post 08 — Something I crave
post 09 — Pet peeves
post 10 — A photo of me taken over ten years ago
post 11 — A photo of me taken recently
post 12 — Something I bought recently
post 13 — A talent of mine
post 14 — Some place I want to go
post 15 — My celebrity crush
post 16 — A favorite food
post 17 — My worst habit
post 18 — Dream house
post 19 — Dream job (if money was no object)
post 20 — A hobby of mine
post 21 — A favorite recipe
post 22 — A favorite joke
post 23 — A video
post 24 — My day in great detail
post 25 — A favorite photo
post 26 — A funny (true) story
post 27 — A child I love
post 28 — A place I love
post 29 — A person I love
post 30 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

I'm excited.  I've been in a funk and haven't had a clue of what to post.

Now I do!

My brudder is famous!

He even has a movie about him.



I hope he'll give me an autograph!