Caturday ~ cool cat

Yesterday evening, I discovered our air conditioner doesn't seem to be working.  This morning, our apartment complex will be having a community yard sale, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Yesterday, the folks in the office sent around notes to all residents that it will be held "in front of the playground, dog park, picnic area, and maintenance shed," all of which are beyond the farthest building from our building.  That means we'll have to hike a block to get there, going back and forth several times to haul stuff from our apartment.  It's supposed to be hot.  Are you beginning to get the picture?  I hope looking at this cool cat will help this afternoon, because I'm sure I'll be sweaty — or else I'll forego hauling the heavier stuff over there.  Oh, and did I mention there's a chance of rain?

Full disclosure:  Yes, I'm still working on the Mindful Monday thing about trying not to be negative.  It isn't working today.

That link to the first Mindfulness Monday reminds me, the folks in the office still can't spell — or don't use spellcheck.  The two most recent notes to residents include these lines:

"Reserve a table before it's to late."  (too)
"If you have any questions_ please concact the office" (comma, contact)

Yes, it bothers me that people can't spell or punctuate correctly — or maybe they don't bother to glance over their writing for typos.  Yes, it's okay if you point out any typos or errors I make, even though I don't plan to tell whoever sent out these notes.

ArmchairBEA ~ nonfiction

We can choose ethics or nonfiction or both for today’s Armchair BEA topic.  I'd rather discuss nonfiction.  I read fiction (adult, YA, and children's), and I also read a lots theology, memoirs, history, science, politics, art, writing, and — here lately — the psychology of de-cluttering my home.  (I also read the Facebook feed from my friends who post status updates and such, but I don't know whether to classify that as fiction or nonfiction.)

Bloggers are linking up on today's ArmchairBEA nonfiction post.

BTT (#36) ~ my ideal reading experience

Today's prompt from Booking Through Thursday:

"I want you to think about your ideal reading experience.  Think about the location.  (Your bed?  Favorite chair?  The beach?  Indoors or outdoors?).  Think about the sounds.  (Is there music playing?  Happy children playing in the background?  Utter silence?)  Is there a snack or beverage nearby?  Are you alone or with friends/family (presumably being quiet enough for you to read in peace)?  What kind of lighting is there?  Are you dressed in something ultra-comfy?  What’s your position?  Curled up?  Stretched out?  Now … describe it so that we can all feel exactly how perfect it is … and why."

Not in a hammock...

Not on the ice...

Not on a beach...

Not on a bench...

Not on a Kindle...

Not on a beast...

I read in bed...

...and like my books well done.

(Best of all, of course, is reading to a child.)

Bonnie and Raegan

Armchair BEA ~ developing as a blogger

This is the day we are supposed to talk about how we develop ourselves as bloggers.  Have you branched out into your community?  Do you partner with other bloggers?  Have you gone "pro" or begun supplementing your income through your blog?  Are you a long-term blogger, and how has your online personality developed over the years?  These are simply ideas.  Think development and tell us what comes to mind.

Sheila wrote:  "If you read this blog you probably have a pretty good idea of what I look like.  Why?  Because my picture is on the right sidebar and used as part of my morning meandering post.  Why do that?   By putting my face on the blog, people who read me feel as though they know me.  For me, I think it increases a comfort with the writer, a feeling you know them, and that is why I do it.  It also helps when you go to bookish events such as the expo [BEA in New York] for people to know you.  When people approach me, they know me by my face."  She also takes business cards, like the one above, when she goes to BEA.  I see her photo on it, but not her name.  Maybe it's on the back?

I've been blogging six and a half years, since January 2007.  I used that header above, showing Yella Cat reading a book, in 2008 when my blog was over-run with cats looking for treats.  I got my cat Kiki involved in reviewing some of the books, and I tried a variety of features like this one:  You may be a bookaholic...

... if you ever stayed up so late reading that you overslept the next morning and were late to work.

And I never finished writing this post.  Yep, maybe I read too late, overslept, and wasn't thinking.  Anyway, I had it set to post at 12:01 a.m.  One minute after midnight.  Only now have I discovered I never finished it and never clicked the Publish button.  Summary:  Over the years, I've tried a variety of things on this blog, but mostly I now write about what interests me day by day.  I don't worry about what you, my readers, think of me.  Maybe I could get a bigger following — why, exactly, DO you "follow" me, anyhow? — but I'm more interested in pleasing me and enjoying my blog.  When I'm too busy, I don't post anything.  When I have several things to say, I post more than once a day.  If you like the same things, I figure you'll read it.  If not, that's okay.  I'm still having fun.

Becoming a better blogger ~ bloggers are linking up on today's ArmchairBEA post.

ArmchairBEA ~ introducing myself

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:  Who are you?  How long have you been blogging?  Why did you get into blogging?

This photo shows me with my brother Billy in front of our family's 1940 Plymouth.  Even though I've loved books since long before this picture was taken around 1944, I've changed a bit, as you can see by glancing at the more recent photo on the right sidebar.  I've been blogging since January 2007, mostly to talk about books with interesting people.

Where in the world are you blogging from?  Tell a random fact or something special about your current location.

I live north of the river in Chattanooga, Tennessee — famous for the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" song and known as "The Scenic City of the South."  Looking north, my home is left of center in the distance.

What are you currently reading?

Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer (2009) is helping me see that these piles of books are so heavy with negative vibes that I'm not living the free and joyous life I could be living.  As I read, I'm making headway at cleaning out my clutter.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I got acquainted with my best friend Donna, when she and I volunteered to summarize and ask questions about Charles Frazier's 1997 novel Cold Mountain for our online book group.  We called ourselves the Book Buddies, as part of Oprah's first book club in the late 1990s.  When Donna and I later opened a bookstore together, we named it for our online club.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

Rita Nakashima Brock writes about women's issues in relation to theology.  She and Rebecca Ann Parker wrote Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and the Search for What Saves Us, which I rated 9 of 10.  One of my friends heard her in Phoenix recently, and I'd like to talk with her — or both of these authors.

ArmchairBEA is having participants do introductions today.  Or we could blog about classic literature.

Monday Mindfulness ~ book addiction

This is where I am at the moment.

"Anytime you undertake any idea or project, the first step is to read a lot of books about it."

Yesterday I read a short article entitled "25 signs you're addicted to books," discovered what happens to book addicts who start new projects, and saw myself behind that book.  Only, my titles were Clutter Busting, Voluntary Simplicity, New Day Revolution, 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need, and Simplify Your Life.  The last three are all by Sam Davidson, and (confession time) I ordered them yesterday.

I didn't need these extra books to help with my project to rid my home of clutter, since I haven't finished Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer (2009), which I got from the library, liked, and ordered.  My own copy arrived a week ago and is energizing me as I read it and do some uncluttering every day.  In the meantime, I found a copy of Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin (1981), which I've had for awhile but never read.  It was among the boxes of books I'm sorting and tossing.  So why would I order three more books about revolutionizing my life, getting rid of stuff, and simplifying?  Here's the surprisingly simple answer.  Because I think like this:

So today's "uncluttering" needs to begin with my way of thinking.  I really really really don't need to keep getting more books.

Sunday Salon ~ read and release

Have you ever heard of BookCrossing?  The idea behind BookCrossing is simple — label, share, follow.  In other words, read a book and pass it on.  When we register the book, BookCrossing provides it with a special tracking number and a note explaining the concept. We can print out labels with that information or buy packages of labels, if we prefer.  With the information provided, the next person will know what to do, if so inclined.  We can then release our little book traveler for a stranger to find in some public place, like a park bench, a bus seat, or a waiting room.  And you can track the book as it travels from person to person.  Books are out there, traveling all over the world using their very own BCID (BookCrossing ID) passports.

I joined a decade ago, but only released one book "into the wild" before I got busy with other things.  In a conversation with my friend Emily, I mentioned BookCrossing and she immediately got online and joined.  I've been thinking about putting books outside my apartment for neighbors to take (for free) as I try to reduce the clutter, so it was a light bulb moment for me, too.  I've already started setting aside books to register and put on my patio for neighbors.  I wonder how many readers live in the apartments around me.

One of the things I like is the "journaling" about books that have been released.  It's especially fun if you find a traveling book.  Here's the story of that first book I set free in 2003.  Years later, I wrote about that book here on my blog — Three Women by Madge Piercy.

ArmchairBEA

Tomorrow is the kickoff for Armchair BEA.  While others are attending Book Expo America and the Book Blogger Convention in New York, we'll be doing our own book thing with each other, right from the comfort of our own armchairs.  Details from the organizers:

"On Monday, we will have a quick kick-off post with a brief summary of what to expect throughout the week.  On Tuesday, we break the ice and open up the excitement to all of you with our annual introductions.  In New York City, bloggers, authors, and publishers will be networking throughout the week, and it is during this time of Armchair BEA that you get to do a bit of networking from the comfort of your own home."

We book bloggers who are participating in ArmchairBEA (sign up here) are to choose five of these questions for our Tuesday introductory posts:

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself:  Who are you?  How long have you been blogging?  Why did you get into blogging?
2. Where in the world are you blogging from?  Tell a random fact or something special about your current location.  Feel free to share pictures.
3. Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA?  What brought you back for another year?  If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event?
4. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?
5. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
6. Name your favorite blog(s), and explain why they are your favorite(s).
7. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
8. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
9. What literary location would you most like to visit?  Why?
10. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community?
11. Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

Are you signed up?  Let me know if I should visit your blog this week.

The Sunday Salon's Facebook page has links to other blogs.