Books Read in 2012

In 2011, my goal had been to read 75 books and I made it to 82. This year, I didn't want to pressure myself so I set my goal at 50 books... which ended up being met by July. Well, I wasn't about to just stop reading because my goal was met so I kept increasing the goal by 5. 

My end of the year count was 90. Which, I'm really excited about but at the same time highly disappointed that I didn't make it to 100. If I hadn't slacked off for most of October/November, it would have easily happened. 

So here it is, my list of books read in 2012:

1. Grave Sight (Charlaine Harris)
2. Girl, Interrupted (Susanna Kaysen)
3. Grave Surprise (Charlaine Harris)
4. Dragon's Oath (P.C. Cast)
5. An Ice Cold Grave (Charlaine Harris)
6. A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)
7. Grave Secret (Charlaine Harris)
8. The Sisters Grimm: A Very Grimm Guide (Michael Buckley)
9. Erec Rex: The Three Furies (Kaza Kingley)*
10. Crossed (Ally Condie)
11. Lenobia's Vow (P.C. Cast)
12. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)*
13. The Warm & Witty Side of Attila the Hun
14. Vampire Crush (A. M. Robinson)
15. Just Listen (Sarah Dessen)
16. Keeping the Moon (Sarah Dessen)
17. Along for the Ride (Sarah Dessen)
18. The Truth About Forever  (Sarah Dessen)
19. Lock & Key (Sarah Dessen)
20. Dreamland (Sarah Dessen)
21. What Happened to Goodbye (Sarah Dessen)
22. Erec Rex: The Secret of Ashona (Kaza Kingsley)
23. Hex Hall (Rachel Hawkins)
24. Demon Glass (Rachel Hawkins)
25. That Summer (Sarah Dessen)
26. Divergent (Veronica Roth)*
27. Insurgent (Veronica Roth)
28. The Ash-Born Boy (Victoria Schwab)
29. Deadlocked (Charlaine Harris)
30. Across the Universe (Beth Revis)
31. The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)
32. Will Grayson, will grayson (Green & Levithan)
33. Spellbound (Rachel Hawkins)
34. Purity (Jackson Pearce)
35. The Sisters Grimm: The Council of Mirrors (Michael Buckley)
36. Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song
37. The Enchantress (Michael Scott)
38. Fifty Shades of Grey (E.L. James)
39. Fifty Shades Darker (E.L. James)
40. Nikolas & Company: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten 
41. Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver)
42. Nikolas & Co: When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak
43. The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Companion
44. Second Variety (Philip K. Dick)
45. Delirium (Lauren Oliver)
46. Billy the Kid & The Vampyres of Vegas (Michael Scott)
47. What Type Am I? (Renee Baron)
48. Pandemonium (Lauren Oliver)
49. Hana (Lauren Oliver)
50. F For Effort (Richard Benson)
51. Post Secret: Life, Death & God
52. Legend (Marie Lu)
53. F in Exams (Richard Benson)
54. Fifty Shades Freed (E.L. James)
55. Fathomless (Jackson Pearce)
56. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell (Chris Colfer)
57. Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente)
58. Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox (Raffaele Sollecito)
59. Girl of Nightmares (Kendare Blake)
60. Cinder (Marissa Meyer)
61. The Red Fairy Book (Andrew Lang)
62. An Apple for the Creature, anthology
63. Saving Halloween (Lisa Ard)
64. Turn Here (Jackson Pearce)
65. Glitches (Marissa Meyer)
66. Real  Murders (Charlaine Harris)
67. Lamia (John Keats)
68. A Bone to Pick (Charlaine Harris)
69. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Charlaine Harris)
70. The Julius House (Charlaine Harris)
71. Lips Touch, Three Times (Laini Taylor)
72. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion (Charlaine Harris)
73. Dead Over Heels (Charlaine Harris)
74. If I Had A Hammer (Charlaine Harris)
75. A Fool and His Honey (Charlaine Harris)
76. Last Scene Alive (Charlaine Harris)
77. Poppy Done to Death (Charlaine Harris)
78. A Tale Dark and Grimm (Adam Gidwitz)
79. The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Palace of the Damned (Darren Shan)
80. Doctor Who: Aliens and Enemies
81. The Saga of Larten  Crepsley: Brothers to the Death (Darren Shan)
82. Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses (Ron Koertge)
83. In A Glass Grimmly (Adam Gidwitz)
84. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Laini Taylor)*
85. Hidden  (P.C. Cast)
86. Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor)
87. The Archived - ARC (Victoria Schwab)
88. The Queen's Army (Marissa Meyer)
89. Annabel (Lauren Oliver)
90. School Spirits - NetGalley (Rachel Hawkins)

*denotes re-read

2012 Movies & TV in Review

Since I already did my post on my favorite books read this year, all I have left are movies and television. 

Television

This year, I made it a point not to get addicted to any "new" shows. Meaning all the shows that premiered this year... I haven't seem any. I did, however, discover two shows that have been around for a while but are new to me!

1. Doctor Who: Either you love it or you just don't get it.  Not that there's really anything to "get" but I've had a few people watch it and all I get from them are head shakes. No matter, I love it dearly and look forward to continuing on the journey (since I'm only on series five).

Favorite Episodes:

-The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (s. 1)

-The Girl in the Fireplace (s. 2)

-Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (s. 2)

-The Shakespeare Code (s. 3)

-Blink (s. 3)

-Human Nature/The Family of Blood (s. 3)

-Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (s. 3)

-Partners in Crime (s. 4)

-Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (s. 4)

-Stolen Earth/Journey's End (s. 4)

-The End of Time (special)

2. The Big Bang Theory: I think this is the most brilliant and hysterically funny show I've ever seen. Every episode brings laughter into my life and I think Sheldon Cooper is one of the best characters. I love his quirks.

Favorite Episodes:

-The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis (s. 2)

-The Adhesive Duck Deficiency (s. 3)

-The Zazzy Substitution (s. 4)

-The Shiny Trinket Maneuver (s. 5)

-The 43 Peculiarity (s. 6)

Movies

As usual, there was an abundance of movies released this year. Some great, some ok, some bad.

Favorites:

1) The Hobbit: Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy before this first installment, An Unexpected Journey is beautifully done. Peter Jackson continued to create a world in which I would love to get lost, Orcs and all. The only problem is that I can't decide if I like Bilbo, Thorin or Gandalf the most...

2) The Hunger Games: While the book was vastly more enjoyable, the film was still very well made. I left the theater fully satisfied that they hadn't mucked it up, as had happened with Twilight.

3) The Dark Knight Rises: I love Bane. Very, very much. He's just awesome. And, the end of this movie, at the cafe... Alfred... Bruce and Selina... I was very content.

4) The Avengers: For the most part, I'm a big fan of movies based on Comic Books. Well, at least these comic books (I'm not into Spider Man). All of my favorites in one movie... it was fun!

5) Prometheus: I actually just watched this on DVD today and I loved it more than I thought I would. I was gripped with suspense throughout the entire movie and even shrieked once or twice.

Honorable Mention: The Cabin in the Woods. Such twists, such enjoyment!

Worst of the Year:

1)Rock of Ages: I really, really wanted to like it. However, from the first five minutes I was very much doubting that I would... and I didn't. A musical at it's worst.

2)Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: It had some decent moments but for the most part, I lost interest and had to fight to pay attention.

3) Magic Mike: There were some very enjoyable parts (the dance numbers) but then there was the unfortunate aspect of the actual story line. Too much movie, not enough taking off their clothes.

2012 in Review

2012 is nearly over, which means that the next few weeks will be spent trying to cram in as many books and movies as possible. Even so, I thought I would post a list of my 2012 favorites. While other lists focus on books/etc. that came out during the year, I'm going to focus on the books/movies/TV that I personally read/experienced during the 2012. This post will deal with, drum roll please...

Books

Favorite:

5. Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver) Well, to be honest, the reason this book made my list is because it stuck with me. The scenario is interesting: living the day you died over and over, making changes along the way, all the while learning more about yourself and the people in your life. I enjoyed the book and went on to read more of Lauren Oliver's work.

4. Cinder (Marissa Meyer) & Days of Blood and Starlight (Laini Taylor) Obviously, it's a tie. Cinder made my list for a number of reasons: It's based on a fairy tale, it features cyborgs, and the end isn't what you'd really expect. The next book in the series, Scarlet, comes out in a few months and I look forward to continuing the adventure. Days of Blood and Starlight, well... I haven't actually finished it as of this moment. I'm about half way through and am loving it. Laini Taylor is a brilliant writer and I love her world and characters. 

3. Hex Hall (Rachel Hawkins) Basically, the number three spot goes to all three books: Hex Hall, Spellbound, and Demon Glass. Especially the second half of Spellbound and Demon Glass in it's entirety. The series was fun and had some great characters. And now there's going to be a spin-off featuring Izzy Brannick. Fall 2013 cannot come fast enough.

2. The Enchantress (Michael Scott) This was the final book in the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series and it was spectacular. It was a wonderful end to one of my favorite series.

1. The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) This book moved me. Simple as that. I hoped with the characters, I loved with the characters, and I cried. A lot. I believe that this book should be required reading for everyone. John Green does an amazing job at making cancer realistic. Of course cancer is real, but it's the Big Scary. Typically, forms of fictional media tend to focus on the people in the story who do not have cancer. We view it from outside looking in. We see the physical toll it can take, but hardly ever get a glimpse of what that person is internally experiencing. With Hazel and Augustus, we see all of the damage caused. We see the glimmers of hope, as well as the moments when nothing seems worth it...

Honorable mention to every book by Sarah Dessen. I read/reread them all this year and adore every single one of them. They manage to make me wish I could go back to high school because, hey, maybe my life could be like anyone from her books.

Most Disappointing:

1. Crossed (Ally Condie) I had enjoyed the first book in the series, but found this one to be incredibly lacking. Ugh. The only reason I'm going to read Reached in the next couple weeks is because I need to know how it ends, even if I officially no longer care.

2. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell (Chris Colfer) Good concept, average execution. Nothing new or exciting. It had some good moments but was mostly just, eh.

Crushes:

1. Cal from the Hex Hall series. Forget Archer, I was Team Cal. He seemed genuinely Good, and handsome, and useful.

2. Akiva from Days of Blood and Starlight/Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Any man/seraphim that falls in love with you twice/in two different forms, is a keeper. Well, then again... he did do a horrendous act. Oh, screw it. Put him on probation and just make some Seraphim/Chimaera peace/babies.

3. Eli/Dave/Nate/Owen/Wes from the works of Sarah Dessen. Swoon.

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

I decided to participate in this Blog Hop because I love the Holiday season. The weeks leading up to Christmas are something I look forward to every year.

For this giveaway, it will be winner's choice of prize. The only requirements are that:

1)It has to be $11 or under

2)It has to be from Amazon and eligible for Amazon Prime Shipping.

That's it. Anything you want, because it's the holidays!

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Here's the link back to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

December

I can't believe it's December already. It doesn't feel like it. We haven't had any snow (well, it's snowed but it was just a slight dusting) and today feels like Spring. It's fantastic.  Perhaps Mother Nature listened when I suggested that it only snow between December 22 and January 2.  I only want snow for the holidays.

Anyway, not much has been happening. I did finally decide to begin watching Doctor Who, so I got series one from the library. Well... the first episode was rather... corny. Mannequins come to life because they're being controlled by an alien thing hiding beneath the Millennium Wheel? Like I said, corny. But I kept watching and then "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" happened and I was hooked. I must say, I enjoyed Christopher as the Ninth Doctor very much, though I was looking forward to David Tennant (as I had heard SO much about how amazing he is). And, everyone was right. David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor is phenomenal. I finished series four 2 weeks ago and have been putting off series five. I'm sure Matt Smith is great, but David Tennant is my Doctor. Just as Rose is my companion (I felt that Martha was just eh, though Donna is a close second to Rose). Doomsday broke my heart.

Other than becoming a Whovian, I've been reading. Not as much as I'd like to, but oh well! I'm up to 85 books read for the year and 2 weeks ago I received an ARC of The Archived by Victoria Schwab that I'd dying to read. The only problem is that I just haven't felt much like reading. Plus, the library finally got in "Days of Blood and Starlight" for me and I keeping telling myself that I must. read. it. soon.

Also, I've been working on my autograph collection. I received a couple signed book plates (Marissa Meyer, George W. Bush) and signed photos (Joan Fontaine & Mary Costa, aka the voice of Sleeping Beauty). I have a few more letters out, waiting for a response. I just love doing this :)

I'll be participating in a Blog Hop in a couple days, so check back!

Stuck In A Good Book Giveaway!

I Am A Reader Not A Writer

Giveaway

So, I've been contemplating which book to give away this time. The premise is to pick a book that you couldn't put down, and for me there are many... The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and on and on and on.

While I do love love love all of the aforementioned books, there is a series that I consider to be one of the best I've read. Unfortunately, I don't feel it gets as much love as it deserves. It has really good reviews but I think that it's not as popular as it deserves to be. Therefore, I will be giving away a paperback copy of book one:

He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

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Giveaway!

I Am a Reader Not a Writer

I'm very excited to announce that I am participating in my first ever Blog Hop giveaway! Since my birthday and the release of Fathomless by Jackson Pearce (who writes pretty awesome books!) fall on the same day during this Hop, I decided that I'll give away a copy.

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

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Olympics, surgery and more...

The Olympics:

Pretty awesome, huh? I've always loved watching them and was particularly excited for these games since they were in London (which I've considered home ever since I spent my first semester of college there).

Lots of awesome things happened... Michael Phelps is officially the most-decorated Olympian, the US Women's Gymnastics Team won the Gold, the flag flew away during the anthem when Serena Williams won her Gold Medal ("And the flag was still there"...except it wasn't), Usain Bolt, and many more.

I also have to say, in terms of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies... The Opening was a wee bit disappointing, though it did have some amazing moments (Queen Elizabeth and James Bond). Now, the Closing Ceremony... I LOVED it. I mean, The Spice Girls performed!!! I was so excited about that that I spent a lot of time squealing in anticipation. I also loved Russell Brand's performances. Very entertaining. And... Eric Idle. I think I must have watched the Indian dance portion of his performance dozens of times and laughed every time...

Overall, I had a fantastic couple of weeks watching the activities and am saddened that I have to wait 18 months for more.

Surgery:

Last week my mother had her rotator cuff repaired and she's finally in better spirits. The first week was incredibly stressful for both of us and I am incredibly thankful that things are more under control at the moment.

Blog Hops:

Starting in September I will be participating in Blog Hop giveaways sponsored by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and I am very excited to do so!

Well, that's all for now :)

The Ash-Born Boy is here!

It's May 15th! 

Not only does THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab come out in paperback TODAY, but, to celebrate its release, "The Ash-Born Boy" is finally up over at  Disney Hyperion's website!

So, what IS "The Ash-Born Boy"? 

It's a free story Victoria wrote as a thank-you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer ONE question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"

Now, if you've already read THE NEAR WITCH, "The Ash-Born Boy" is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven't read THE NEAR WITCH yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should go read Cole's story ;) 

And if you want to wait and read THE NEAR WITCH first, don't worry! Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free. 

And! 

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, THE ARCHIVED, which doesn't come out until January!

So what are you waiting for? 

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of THE NEAR WITCH!

It's been a while...

And nothing much is new. Figures. Mayville isn't really the most happening city...


Anyways, I just read an AMAZING book. It's called "The Fault in Our Stars" and is by John Green. It's a New York Times #1 Bestseller that Time Magazine called "damn near genius"...and it is. 


Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


The book was real, it was gripping and it made me sob uncontrollably for at least 20 minutes.

In other news, I will be in Madison this coming weekend for an EPIC weekend. Well, if your definition of epic involves best friends, Wii dancing and some alcohol... then yes, definitely epic. Perhaps more to come on that...

Tomorrow there will be an exciting post for fans of "The Near Witch" by Victoria Schwab!

Sinusitis Sucks

This past week has been exhausting. I had to go to Urgent Care on Wednesday evening so I could get a prescription for antibiotics. The R.N. at Fast Care at the pharmacy told me she wouldn't give me anything for another week (really? By that time my sinus infection would have healed itself), so we drove to the hospital. I got my prescription and feel loads better already! It's hard to work with kids and keep a non-irritable disposition when your face/neck/ears/head are that sore...

On the same note, my mother came home ill on Friday and finally let me take her to the E.R. this morning. 4 hours and one massive sinus infection diagnosis later, I finally got home and could chill out for the first time this weekend. It's stressful being stressed about the health of a loved one!

Well, in other news, I read 2 books this week. I read Crossed by Ally Condie. It's the second book in a trilogy. I did enjoy the story but I find that her books just lack something. Parts of the book are intriguing while other aspects (i.e. the ending) just don't seem worth my time. Still, I'd recommend it for an easy read. The other book, or should I say novella, that I read was Lenobia's Vow by P.C. & Kristin Cast. I enjoyed it up until the end. The last 15 pages or so were just disappointing. They draw things out throughout the book and then all of a sudden they just resolve everything quickly (Build up/climax/destruction/hope, with the climax/destruction/hope happening in those last few pages). I just can't stand that in a book. If I invest my time reading something, I expect a little more...

And that's it for now...

The 84th Annual Academy Awards

Last night was my favorite night of the year! Overall, I thought the show was great. Billy Crystal is always an enjoyable host. His opening film montage was amusing and I appreciate that he's not an overly insulting host. As for the winners, I didn't think there were any big surprises. While I had hoped Viola Davis would win, Meryl Streep is always a deserving contender and I found myself incredibly happy for her 3rd win. I thought that the best three acceptance speeches of the night belonged to Octavia Spencer, Christopher Plummer and Meryl.

Now to the fashion! There were many wonderful fashion choices seen on the red carpet last night.

disHonorable mentions for Worst Dressed:

Rooney Mara in Givenchy. The top of the dress just seems off to me and it seems that I may one of the few people who didn't appreciate the dress. I'm not a fan of her style...
Stacy Keibler in Marchesa. It seemed too '80s to me with the big flower on her hip. Perhaps in a different color it might have worked for me..
Kristin Wiig  in J Mendel. She seems to pick this nude color a lot and it just does nothing for her.

Worst Dressed:

3.) Berenice Bejo in Elie Saab. It looks very messy.

2.)Melissa Leo in Reem Accra. It's just so blah.

1.) Shailene Woodley in Valentino Couture. Very matronly and outdated.

Honorable Mentions for Best Dressed:

Sandra Bullock in Marchesa. I love the black and white of the dress with the touches of sparkle. I think she tried something a little different and it worked.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford. I love it's simplicity.
Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab Couture. I love the color. I love the sparkle. Beautiful!

Best Dressed:


3.) Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Honestly, I hated this dress at first, with the exception of the color. It's grown on me and I really love it. The color is superb on her and the dress shows her personality.

2.) Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen. The dress is different and it works on her. I love the gold pattern on the black. It fits well and looks beautiful.

Octavia Spencer

1.) Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji. She really works her shape. The dress is stunning and flattering. She's stepped it up with every award show this season and this was a great final dress!

Michelle Williams

Jessica Chastain

                                                                                                  

My Favorite Night of the Year, plus other things I'm looking forward to!

It's finally here! Yes, I'm talking about the Academy Awards. It's long been my favorite night of the year and I'm always looking forward to it. Who's going to win? What will everyone be wearing? Those are the questions that will finally be answered tonight. Two nights ago I actually found myself so nervous about the Oscars that my mother laughed and reminded me that "it's just an honor to be nominated"... not that I'm nominated. I just love movies and take the Oscars very seriously. I have my list of who I want to win and sometimes find myself disappointed if it doesn't happen (For the record: The Artist, Viola Davis, Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer, Christopher Plummer).

Anyways, after the Oscars are over later tonight, I'll have to find other things to look forward to. In fact, I already have a small list:

1.) March 23. I'm actually very, very excited for March 23 to come around. Why? THE HUNGER GAMES is in theaters that day and that was/is one of my favorite books. All you Twilight fans should just forget about being Team Edward or Jacob because the more important question is whether you're Team Peeta or Gale. What's so great about The Hunger Games is that it's appealing to both sexes. I mean, it's about 24 kids under the age of 18 fighting to kill while the rest of the country watches.... and there's a love triangle. Totally Unisex!

2.) This summer I will (hopefully) be accompanying my Aunt Nancy, Kyen and Soren on a road trip. Where to? Well, it happens to be some place I have ALWAYS wanted to go... Mount Rushmore. As of now the plan is to visit the Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, MN and then work our way through to visit Sturgis, Deadwood and then finally see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. On the way home there might even be a stop at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. Who knows what else we could see and what other adventures we could get up to...

3.) The Summer Olympics in London. Yes, back when I lived in London in 2004 and they were competing to get the Olympics there (and then won their bid), I was convinced that I would be able to make it back to London for the games. Unfortunately, that won't happen but at least I will be able to watch them on the telly.

I'm going to leave my list at those three events for now, and i'll be back tomorrow with my thoughts on the Oscars!

The Artist & The Screen Actors Guild Awards

This past weekend, I finally got to see "The Artist" and it was amazing! It will make you laugh one minute and the next you're trying not to cry because you just feel for George Valentin. I was incredibly thrilled last night when Jean Dujardin won the Best Actor at the SAG Awards (nothing against George Clooney, but I just did NOT want him to win). It was a well deserved win and I wish him the best of luck at the Oscars in a few weeks.


As I mentioned, last night the SAG Awards were on. I didn't think there were any big shockers during the broadcast. People seemed surprised that The Help won best ensemble, but that had actually been my pick to win. However, I think it's a wonderful movie though I actually wouldn't consider it the best of the year. What's most important for this award is that I do consider it to have the best overall cast of the year. Every single actor in that film rocked it.


Speaking of rocking it, some actresses rocked their dresses last night, while others.... just eeesh. I actually made notes during the red carpet of my initial thoughts on the fashion, and here they are:

Octavia Spencer: Not the best color, but the dress was amazing on her. She dresses really well for her shape.
Rose Byrne: I don't appreciate jumpsuits. The top was lovely, but pants?
Kristin Wiig: Dress = boring. And the CHOKER! Horrible choice. Looks like biker/bondage.
Julie Bowen: Nice color, great back.
Viola Davis: Stunning, beautiful flow. Marchesa is one of my favorite labels.
Kaley Cuoco: Pretty but regularly featured (in white) on Say Yes To The Dress.
Ariel Winter: Very age appropriate and I love it!
Michelle Williams: Not normally one of my favorites but I like it! I don't like the ankle strap shoes though...
Emilia Clarke: Love her but hate the dress. Pity.
Amber Riley: I'm not a big fan. I think the bow is too big and the dress length looks semi-awkward on her.
Lea Michele: Pretty with a touch of sexy. Boring color. I think she tries way too hard.
Naya Rivera: She's got it and she flaunts it. Looks great.
Sofia Vergara: I want her earrings! Nice dress, though it looks like every other dress she's worn.
Stacy Keibler: I love lace! I think it's a gorgeous dress.
Gretchen Mol: No.
Emily Blunt: Love dress, pretty color but may be a little too bright of green.
Jane Lynch: Great color on her!
Jessica Chastain: Simple, nice color.
Amber Heard: Different and I think I love it
Emma Stone: Love it. Pretty, girly, short and quirky.
Tilda Swinton: I hate her fashion choices, tonight included.
Angelina Jolie: Simple and elegant. She can't do wrong.
Dianna Agron: Worst hair of the night. Forgettable dress.
Zoe Saldana: Not my thing but white looks great on her.
Shailane Woodley: Kind of tacky and yet it grows on me to the point that I don't loathe it.
Meryl Streep: Wonderful for her age.
Jayma Mays: Sparkly and beautiful!


My 3 Worst dressed of the night (click on links to see pictures):


3. Rose Byrne in Elie Saab
2. Emilia Clarke in Chanel
1. It may not be the worst dress, but the choker puts her as my pick for Worst Dressed at the SAG Awards: Kristin Wiig in Balenciaga.

Best Dressed: 


3. Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen
2. Viola Davis in Marchesa
1. Jayma Mays!  in Reem Acra

Award Season!

The Packer's lost to the Giants. That totally bummed me out. Thankfully the Golden Globes were on that night to distract me from my devastation... Plus, no more getting to stare at Aaron Rodgers every week. Such a loss!


So... the Golden Globes. Lots of beautiful dresses! After the Christmas season, Awards season is my favorite time of the year. I love the buildup to the Oscars. I didn't think there were any big surprises in terms of winners at the Globes, though I did figure that Viola Davis would win Best Actress. Here's my list of the best and worst dressed:


Best:
1. Claire Danes
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Charlize Theron

Worst:
1. Julianne Moore
2. Lea Michelle
3. Elle MacPherson


Next up for my viewing pleasure will be the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the end of the month. I'm quite looking forward to that.


Currently:


Reading: Well, I just finished Dragon's Oath by P.C. Cast. It was an enjoyable excursion from the House of Night series. Up next is An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris. It's the third book in the Harper Connelly series and I'm looking forward to reading it!


Watching: I'm 2 episodes behind in Switched At Birth, which I think is a wonderful show! It's a shame more people don't watch it! So, I'm hoping to get caught up with that most soonliest!

We All Fall Down

Last week was sure something. It was shaping up to be an average, uneventful week filled with work, babysitting and reading.  Then my mother and I went to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (very good!) and as we were walking back to our car, I wiped out. My leg and rear end were soaked and we had a birthday get together to attend. Therefore, we had to run to Walmart so I could buy a pair of sweats to wear. 3 days later at 7:00am, I was walking home from babysitting and what happens? That's right. I slip and fall down. Again. Only this time it made my neck jerked. So, not only was my entire right side sore, but I ended up in so much pain the next morning that I had to go to Urgent Care. I have WHIPLASH from falling. Luckily, medication helps... And that was my eventful week. 


This week, my mother is having surgery on her right hand for carpal tunnel and trigger thumb. Hopefully that will all work out well, I don't see why it wouldn't but I tend to be a worrier.


Currently:


Reading: Well, I decided to take a break from Inheritance as I just didn't feel like reading it. So, yesterday I finished reading Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris. I love her Sookie Stackhouse books so I figured I should give the Harper Connelly series a go. Overall, it was enjoyable, even it was predictable. This morning I started to read Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kayson. I love the movie more than I'm loving the book, but it's still interesting. I have about 40 pages left and will probably finish it later today :)


Watching: The Glee Concert dvd. I got it from the library. To be honest, I LOVE Glee but this is a waste of my time. I thought it'd be a bit more enjoyable but they cut the songs and are spending too much time following the Glee lovers.

Starting the Year Off Right!

Well, it's 2012!!


Hopefully this will be the year where things happen.


Resolutions: To draw more. To write more. To be healthier. To make things happen.




Currently:


Reading: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. I received a signed copy for Christmas and just began to read it today. I'm so glad it began with a recap of the previous 3 books, as I'd basically forgotten it all.


Watching: Today I watched West Side Story for the first time. Now I'm left humming all the wonderful songs from the film. Now whenever I see a movie with two rival "gangs", I'm going to expect the fighting to be choreographed with dancing and singing.


On a side note: the Green Bay Packers won their game today, making them 15-1 for the season. Go Pack Go!!!