Sometimes...

When sadness wraps around you like a blanket, your favorite music can feel like your best friend.

Not Scared

Swestie could melt into a puddle, but you'll never hear her complain!

Bad Hair Day

Coffee Zombie

Swestie wonders how ANYONE can wait until they get to the coffee shop before they have their first cup of the day...

Kindle... no, no...

Swestie's Office Rule #1

A girl should always keep an extra vase at her desk for "those special occasions."

Spiderweblog?

You know Swestie has been busy at work when her weblog looks more like a spiderweblog!

Swestie's Take on Exercise

"The best thing about a good workout is washing it off afterward."

Sometimes, Swestie Doesn't Even Bother With Makeup

Sometimes, Swestie doesn't even bother with makeup.

Wanted: Warm Weather

Sometimes "spring break" feels more like "winter break."

Your Fashion Questions Answered

Swestie answers your fashion questions... What is the purpose of a winter sandal? To show off a winter pedi, of course?

Cappuccino? Khaki chino? Wah?

Grandma Swestie obviously likes plain, old Maxwell House.

Now really...

How can it be all about YOU when it is REALLY all about ME?

Fashion Tip from Swestie

Fashion tip from Swestie: If you are going to wear dark nail polish, you need to have short nails, lest you look like Mortitia Adams!

Enything, enytime...

Friends, this was too sweet not to share. I found this drawing that my daughter made, and I asked her if I could post it. She agreed.

She is a freckle-faced, curly girl who has been known to struggle with shyness... I love how she pumps herself up here with this drawing. She's using her creative powers of visualization to create a desirable reality for herself. We all need to do that every now and again.

So when you're feeling anything less than wonderful, just remember, "You can do enything, enytime."

Out of the mouths of babes...

In case it is too small for you to read, her writing (spelling errors and all) says:

"I say just be yourself at school

don't be someone different

because you will always find a friend

that is what happend to me

and don't be shy

just speake

remember you can do enything enytime

Um, thanks?

When certain people compliment your clothing, it can make you feel like your "Do" was really a "Don't"!

Some Days Are Just Much Too Much

Some days are just much too much.

Mixology Challenge

Last week, I told you about Babbette's Book Blog and about her Mixology 2010 Challenge. Well, in the spirit of participation, I've made my choices.

In 2010, it is my goal to read 15 books. I know, this is not a lofty challenge... but at least it's a goal.

The categories and numbers I would like to read are:

• classics - 2
• non-fiction - 3
• books about other cultures, fiction or non-fiction - 2
• book club choices (this is like a random field because we don't limit our selections to any certain category or genre) - 12

Now, I realize if I meet these goals, it will give me more than fifteen books. But I already know some of the ones I plan to read cross categories, so I'm going to stick with the plan.

In addition, I am adding my own component of the challenge which is to give you a short review of each of the books I've read. I've already read two this year (I was on a trip...) and I'll start getting those reviews together soon.

If you are taking the Mixology Challenge with me, post a comment and let me know!

Swestie Loves a Good Book

I went to a small private elementary school that embraced several "alternative" learning styles. When other kids were learning math facts, we were learning sophisticated ways to count on our fingers. When other kids were using stilted reading primers we were (forced to be) reading real books... fifty of them each year.

Yes, fifty. Now, if a kid already appreciated the escape of reading, this was great news. But I was not one of those kids. I, who was generally a cheerful and diligent student, slugged through my way through fifty books for three years, with all of the joy of a pig in a bath. As a matter of fact, the one time I remember being sent to my room as a kids was one weekend when I had until Monday to read 5 books... my mom brought my meals to my room on a tray so I wouldn't be distracted. After the third year of forced indenture to books, I equated reading with torture... and luckily changed schools too.

I would willingly pick up about one book per year after that, but encountered a change when I heard some friends in high school talking about a novel they were reading for English class... it wasn't at classic! (Gasp!) It wasn't a text book! (Oh my!) It was a current bestseller at the time! (Almost cool!) I read that book, and it was the first piece of fiction that spoke to my adolescent heart in a way that made me want to read more and more and more.

As an adult, I have loved vacation for the chance to put the feet up and read non-stop, but I've always been a little disappointed that I haven't made time to read more. Recently I became a part of a reading group that has been so much fun and gotten me regularly reading again! Yea! Thank you book club! I love reading suggestions that I wouldn't have necessarily found myself and going on the journey of a book with friends around me.

Well, along these lines, I've reconnected with an old friend and she has a wonderful book blog called Babbette's Book Blog. And for 2010, she's posed a reading challenge which I hereby accept. Read about it here.

I'm going to devise my plan for the challenge and let you know... we'll have to see how it goes! Happy reading!

Sometimes Swestie Feels a Bit "Status-less"

Thanks to Susan Booker!