Val's Reading Meme

Val tagged me yesterday to post seven book related things. Based on her seven, it seems fairly painless, so here goes.

1. I won an award in 3rd grade for a short story I wrote. All I remember is that the title was, "The Little Kitten," and that I got to go to some special party. They also typed the story and made a cloth cover for it, but I have no idea what happened to it.

2. I didn't read well until I was about eight, but by twelve or so, I was reading Stephen King.

3. My kids took after me--slow in coming to reading, but once they started there was no holding them back.

4. I went through a Nancy Drew phase, during which my mom bought me some 1930's and 1940's editions at a yard sale. I still have them. I also have a 1920's copy of Tom Sawyer. I didn't intend to start collecting antique books, but I've ended up with my grandmother's books.

5. Speaking of Grandma, she was a teacher, so we always got at least one book for Christmas. Her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, James Herriot, and Catherine Marshall. I don't think she would have liked my fantasy writing much, but the Christian fiction I'm getting into would appeal to her.

6. Between Eric and his dad, I think we have everything ever written by Piers Anthony, Mercedes Lackey, and Anne McCaffrey.

7. If I won the lotto (won't happen since I don't play), I'd buy the building across the street from The Day Job. The bottom floor would be a bookstore, and the top would be office space and my writing loft. I'd hire someone to work mornings so I could write, and the afternoons I'd handle the store. Eric would split his time between the store and our website. We wouldn't even need to have a coffee shop in our store--I'd just send them across the street!

I'm supposed to tag people, but I think I'll just tag everyone. Leave me a comment if you decide to play!

Happy National Goof Off Day!

No, I'm not making it up. It's right here.

It doesn't take much

Recently we did the cell phone shuffle. Alex and I were due upgrades, but they didn't have the phone I wanted, so I got the phone Eric wanted and traded with him. His old phone/my new phone is my preferred brand, and the only thing I didn't like was the selection of ring tones.

Yesterday, I found myself in the car (parked, thank you) with a few minutes to kill, so I was messing with my phone and discovered the option to download ring tones. I know, everyone is thinking I've been living under a rock. No, I had never downloaded a ring tone; I've never needed to. My old phones had enough options the I was able to pick something without the added expense. Until yesterday. I scrolled through pages of options, settled on Raiders of the Lost Ark, and voila! I'm cool!

This morning I went to the website to see what else they have. :-) I found VeggieTales.

I wonder if downloading ring tones is addictive...

Need a laugh?

Click here. Eric sent me this link today, and I've been giggling all afternoon. Enjoy!

2006 Holiday Edition of Getting To Know Your Friends

I got this from Jean, who also tagged Tambo:

Your Name: Elizabeth

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, although I do have an egg nog or two during the season. I like it, but I just can't get past the bazillion calories with no chocolate, and since no one else in my house drinks it, I don't buy it.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? We don't do Santa anymore, and when we did, he was too busy to wrap. Santa brought the stuff that was too cumbersome to wrap.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I prefer white, but we have mostly colored. I'm phasing them out gradually.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No. I'd forget to take it down before July 4th.

5. When do you put your decorations up? After Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Ooh. That's hard. Does Peppermint Mocha count?

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: I was a wise man in a living creche on Christmas Eve when I was, oh, maybe 12 or 13 (we got there late--I wanted to be Mary). It started to snow big fat flakes. It was worth the freezing toes and scratchy fake beard to watch it fall in front of the street lights.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was about nine or ten, and a kid at school was teasing me because I hadn't figured it out earlier.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Oh, yeah, although I usually steer the kids toward their new jammies. :-) I learned long ago to wrap them in a big box to increase the odds that they'd pick it themselves.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have a pre-lit fake tree, so there is usually some degree of angst getting it set up. We do lots of lights and, as with everything else, our decorations are eclectic. We have the usual home-made decorations that the kids made in day care, and some crystal we bought in Italy, a couple Eric's parents bought during their tour in Germany--you get the picture. If you don't, leave me a comment and I'll post a picture.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it

12. Can you ice skate? Um, no. They don't call me Gracie for nothing.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A few years ago my mom sent me the nightlight that had been in my grandparents' study when I was a kid. My great-grandmother bought it as a political statement in the '30's, I think. I has an elephant, and she turned it on in her front window every night.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Time with family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I'm equal opportunity with desserts. We've done pumpkin or pecan or key lime pies, cookies, fudge, grasshopper ice cream cake--we just pick something that sounds good.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Turning on Christmas music and watching the lights on the tree, preferably with a warm beverage and my man to snuggle with.

17. What tops your tree? An angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving, but I will confess I like to receive, too.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen from the traditional genre; the modern favorite goes to Trans Siberian Orchestra's Wizards in Winter.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Leave them, unless they're crushed and mixed into warm chocolate pudding. They have WAY too much sugar for me these days.

I’m tagging…anybody that wants to play.