Fall into Reading 2008

Yahoo! It's another Callapidder Days reading challenge! I didn't get to finish the last one since I had Baby right in the middle of it. Here is my tentative reading list:

1. STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE

2. GARDEN OF LAST DAYS

3. GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

4. HOME by Marilynne Robinson

I have a few others to add to the list that I will do later. I used to average four books a month but I have slowed down since the baby. We'll see how much I get done!!!

High Anxiety

WARNING: Political blather ahead

A long time ago, I told myself that I would not make this blog political or religious. It was supposed to be about my life and my interests. Specifically books. But I have to admit that I am feeling a lot of anxiety right now. I guess I never believed that many of my fellow women would be gullible enough to fall for McCain's Palin card. Do I support women running for higher political office? Of course I do! But not THIS woman. I would even have preferred Kay Bailey Hutchison who I can't stand. And I have been dismayed by how many people are falling for McCain in general. Is he a good decent experiences man who served his country well? Of course he is! But we have the opportunity to get a true visionary in office. Someone we can actually believe in!!!

I ran across this article today and thought I would share it with you. It is called "This is Your Nation on White Privilege" by Tim Wise and it is really thought-provoking. Check it out here:

LINK

It expresses some of my frustrations about this election. This is such an important time in American history. The next President will choose three Supreme Court justices which will affect us all. We cannot sit idly by on this one and let other people choose for us. It's time to take action...

Virtual Sample Sales

I love to shop. For other people. If I could be a professional shopper and help people to buy gifts for their friends and loved ones, I would. I especially enjoy sample sales but the closest ones are usually forty miles away. That can be tough. So...I have become very interested in the new trend of online sample sales. Most of them are invitation only, however. I am a member of three and I've found some great deals. But you have to be quick!!!

1. Ideeli usually lists one item per day. You can pay to be one of the first people to access the item but I usually wait for the free opening.

2. Ruelala gives you sneak previews and I try to be on time when I see something I want because they sell out fast!

3. The new kid on the block is the Mini Social. This one has items for kids. I found Baby some really cute clothes at the latest offering.

4. A reader recommended HauteLook which has great stuff!

5. I just found Gilt Group which has lots of high-end designers.


If you would like an invite to any of these sample sales, just e-mail me at
bibanon1[at]gmail.com and I'll send you one.

Watch out, though. It can be addictive!!!!

Viva el Amor

Our friends Larry and Joseph got married last Saturday and it was just lovely. They have been a couple for 20 years and now that they can legally marry, they decided to tie the knot. They will finally get the same rights and privileges that heterosexual couples who have been married for much less time have already been getting. When will we start recognizing that love is a wonderful thing wherever we find it and that we should always support loving COMMITTED relationships? Here is a video of another couple that just legalized their union. It made me cry...

LBC Freebie of the Day

Free "green" cat litter! I did this and it works. The coupon comes in the mail in an envelope that looks like junk mail so be sure and don't throw it away! I found the litter at Target.

LINK

I Love a Good Freebie!

As many of you know, I love a good freebie. And I have been trying to pass on some of the good ones to you. Unfortunately, I have fallen down on the job lately. So, I have decided to share some of my favorite freebie and product testing sites with you so you can find your own freebies.

Freebie Message Boards--Check these often as they are constantly updated with freebies

1. DealTaker

2. SlickDeals

3. Deal Seeking Mom

Product Testing Sites

1. BzzAgent--On this site, you are offered the chance to test products and then spread the word about the product to other people. The more "bzz" you generate, the more points you receive. You can redeem points for rewards but I like testing the products the best. (by the way--my agent name is bibanon1 in case they ask who referred you)

2. House Party--Here you can apply for product parties where you host a party to share free products and information with your friends. I've done some great stuff with them although it's getting harder to get chosen.

3. She Speaks--A product testing site for women.

I will try to update this post with more sites as I find them. Enjoy!!!

Remembering...

Today is 9/11. Every year, I think about where I was and what I was doing on this day. I think about how I was working at the public library and we stayed open so that people could have access to the internet. I think about how my co-worker went home and got a little television set so we could watch it in the back room. I think about the families and friends of all those people that we lost.

It is not appropriate for me to get on a soap box today but I want to say that I also remember all of those people who have died SINCE 9/11---all the U.S. servicepeople and Iraqi civilians who have died overseas as a result of our President's decision to go after a phantom threat rather than pursue the real perpetrators of our tragedy. The death toll from 9/11 is still mounting. So, I take this day as moment to pause and reflect on what we have lost and what we continue to lose...

My Cutie Patootie

Here is my little guy at his first Junior League meeting....he wasn't impressed.

Tell the Truth...

Have you ever heard the expression "Tell the truth and shame the devil?"

I was thinking about that expression this weekend. I saw an ad in a magazine that said, "When a child is born, so is a mother." But there are many other new relationships as well. A father is born. As are a grandmother, aunts and uncles, godparents, siblings etc. Just about everyone gets a new title/identity. So, it's a big change. And that change isn't always easy.

I watched the first season of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES when it came out and I loved the episode where Lynette has a breakdown and her friends go to comfort her. She says that some of them, like Bree, make everything look so easy. Her friends then reveal that they have struggled with parenthood as well. It makes me think. Why do we all feel the need to pretend that everything is perfect? I guess some people are just private and don't feel comfortable about talking about their problems and challenges. But it seemed to me that none of my friends with children told me of any of their difficulties until AFTER I had the baby. And even then, I had to share first. Maybe they didn't want to scare me. But it would have been nice to have friends share their challenges so I wouldn't have felt so alone. Postpartum depression is hard enough. Sometimes, it's nice to know that other people have been where you are. They too have struggled with new family dynamics and going crazy when you child cries nonstop for hours. They too feel a strain on their marriage and worry that they are terrible parents. Why don't people talk about these things?!

So, tell the truth and shame the devil. You just might help someone.

For What It's Worth

WARNING: Political Blather Ahead

It's no secret that I am a Democrat. And boy do I have election fever!!! I really enjoyed the Democratic convention. It got me fired up. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have a candidate I can believe in. I wasn't crazy about Kerry but I think Obama could be really great.

Now, I am watching the Republican convention because it is important to be informed. I was looking to Palin's speech because I wanted to get a sense of who she is and what her plans and vision for the nation are. Well, I didn't get that. She is attractive and articulate but her speech was more of a pep rally speech. It got everyone fired up without having any substance. I have no idea where she really stands on issues or what her platform is. All I learned was that she is for drilling in Alaska which CONTINUES our dependence on oil. I also learned about her sweet Down's Syndrome baby and I hope she WOULD have a greater influence on funding for families of special needs children because Republicans don't have a good track record there. They tend to CUT funding for services like that. And then, she flat out lied. She was a PROPONENT of the infamous "bridge to nowhere." The woman is no more qualified to be VP of the United States than Bush was qualified to be President.

I understand that not everyone likes Obama. Okay, that's fine. But how can you be for McCain-Palin? If you have enjoyed the last eight years, then by all means vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. Because you'll be getting more of the same.

End of rant.