This = My Experience

Fangirl

2013-10-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

For some reason, books just seem to be taking over around here. I can't help it. I mentioned in my previous post that I have read tons of books lately, so I guess that's just what's on my mind.

So, today I'm talking about Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: 2013
ISBN: 9781250030955

This book is the story of Cath's first year in college. She's kind of shy and uncomfortable around other people. So when her twin sister doesn't want to be her roommate, Cath ends up being roomates with a strange girl whose strange friends always seem to be around. Cath is a serious Simon Snow fan and is a very popular writer of Simon Snow fanfiction. She is very involved and, basically, obsessed with the fantasy world of Simon Snow, you she can't seem to fit in in the normal, everyday world. But, over the course of the school year, some things happen that really shake up her world.

Cath is obviously the main character of this book. However, there are several other important characters as well; her twin sister, Wren, her room mate Reagan, and Reagan's friend, Levi. All of these characters become a huge part of Cath's life, even though that is sometimes not at all what she wants.

At times, Cath is a bit frustrating as a character, but she is completely relatable. The awkwardness she feels the first month of college is completely understandable and reminds me of the awkwardness that I experienced myself at this point in my life. Her experiences and reactions to them are so realistic. Levi is my favorite character. I think this is because he reminds me of guys I know in my real life. He is just that all-around good guy. You can't help but like him.

I really enjoyed this book and finished it in two sittings. It reads really quickly and draws you in as well. I particularly enjoyed the snippets of Simon Snow between the chapters. Although it is a bit of a distraction from the main story, it is nice to get a little insight into this world that Cath is completely wrapped up in.

I would definitely recommend this book, specifically to college age girls. It is so completely realistic in describing the experience of the first year of college for a lot of people, especially those people who are just a little awkward and unsure of themselves.

So...how about you? Have you read this book? Anything similar to this book? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Books Book Books, specifically, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

2013-10-17T21:56:00.000-05:00

I know my posting habits have been completely pitiful lately. For a while it seemed like I was really distracted and had lots of other things demanding my time and attention, and then when things began to feel like they were calming down, I started just diving into a ton of books. So, basically, lately my life has been wrapped up with buying and moving into a new house, getting settled in a new town, and reading tons and tons of new books.

And, that leads to the main topic of my post today. Today I really really want to talk about this great book that I just finished reading, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

So, here's the lowdown on this great book...

Title: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

Published: 2000

ISBN: 9780007480371

On the surface, this book is about a couple of young guys running around New York in the 1930's, which happens to be the heyday era of super hero comics. These two young men come up with their own idea for a comic, it gets picked up, and they become very successful.

But, when you dig a little deeper, this book is about so much more. So many other topics are addressed and covered within the story. There are escaped Jews that are in New York to escape the horrible things happening in Europe. There are Houdini references, and lots of information about the skill of escape artistry. One characters even spends spends some time in Antarctica fighting the Germans. So, obviously the scope and breadth of this novel is extensive.

Josef Kavalier and Sammy Clay are the two main characters in this book, but in my opinion, neither of them were very likable. They are both very faulty characters that make questionable, and even terrible decisions without thinking them through. Even though I quite liked this book, I didn't find the characters to be very relatable at all. I did enjoy the "background story" on Josef Kavalier and I wish that part of his life had been fleshed out a little bit more.

Overall, I liked this book very much. I particularly enjoyed the sections of the story that shared the narratives of the comics and the characters created by Kavalier and Clay. They were very detailed and well thought out plots. It was like several small stories within this larger novel. Each had their own characters and plots that were completely developed.

I would definitely recommend this book really to anyone who would want to read it. But, it would probably be particularly enjoyed by anyone who is into comic books, specifically "old school" comics like Superman. I would also suggest this to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction. Although this isn't directly set in WWII, this historical setting and the background information are completely tied into the development of the story.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It is quite lengthy and took me quite some time to get through it, but it was well worth it. I plan to read more by this author in the future.

Have any of your guys read this book? What did you think? I would love to hear other opinions on this book.

Christian eBooks Today

2013-08-09T14:33:00.001-05:00

Today I want to share a great sponsor with you. They are currently being featured in my sidebar.

When I asked Christian eBooks Today to share a little bit about themselves, this is what they said...

"Christian eBooks Today seeks to spread the word of God by connecting readers with eBooks from quality Christian authors. Whether fiction or nonfiction, we believe Christian eBooks can inspire readers in their faith and daily walk,"

So, there ya go! This is a super great site with a great selection, so make sure you stop by and say hello.

You can find Christian eBooks Today at these other places as well...

site // twitter // facebook // google+

Bedding Heaven

2013-07-10T01:46:00.000-05:00

So, a little while back I told you guys about us buying a new house and getting moved in and all that good stuff. Well, when we moved in we bought new bedroom furniture and bedding because that we something we were definitely in need of.

So, this is the bedding set we chose. Except, we went with dark purple sheets instead of the cream sheets in this pic. Guys, this bedding is absolute heaven! I have never slept so wonderfully. We purchased this bedding from Bed Bath & Beyond. Before this, I had never had any bedding from there, so this has been an absolute amazing first experience. I do believe that from now on I will be purchasing all of my sheets from there.

Do you have any favorite bedding brands or stores that you love? Please tell me more!

Been a little MIA ...

2013-07-03T16:46:00.000-05:00

So, I 've been a little MIA around here lately. But, I promise, it has been because of two very good reasons!

1. We finally closed on our new house and moved in!!! Yay! I cannot begin to describe how excited we have been about this. We went through a lot of crap there at the end of the buying process, but everything finally worked itself out and for the past two weeks we have been moving truckloads and carloads of things to the new house. We have moved almost an hour away from our old place, so it hasn't been extremely difficult to make a trip back and forth every day or two. Its been a little inconvenient, but not difficult. But, we finally got all of our things in the new house, and have been spending even more time unpacking everything than we spent packing everything. So, yeah, things have been a little hectic around here, in the best possible way!

2. I cannot quite reading the Song of Ice and Fire series (AKA the Game of Thrones series). I have been watching the Game of Thrones series on HBO since it first came on, and I love it. So, I can't figure out why I waited so long to start reading the books. I finished the first book, A Game of Thrones, a few weeks ago. Now, I am almost finished with the second book, A Clash of Kings. I have seriously been devouring these books. I absolutely cannot get enough of these characters and the world in which they live.

So, as my life is beginning to slow down and get back into a normal routine, I'm hoping my blogging life will get back to normal as well.

How about you guys? Read anything good lately? I'd love to hear your suggestions and recommendations.

Friend Connect Blog Hop

2013-06-17T23:00:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the Friend Connect Blog Hop!

It's the time to meet new friends and find new blogs. You can choose to follow the cohosts in whatever way is best for YOU! Here are some of my favorite ways: GFC, BlogLovin', HelloCotton, RSS, Twitter, Facebook.

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts

The Next 6 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

I have cohost spots available! Email me if you're interested at melissa@thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

Post Sponsor Ad:

Super Blog Saturday Link Up 5

2013-06-14T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope everyone links up and enjoys the fun today.

I also hope everyone will come back and enjoy the fun next week.

This hop is a way to make some new bloggy friends and get some exposure.

So, feel free to grab a button and share or pop it into your side bar.

There are only 3 rules:

1. Follow your host

2. Share a tweet about the link-up

3. Make some new bloggy friends and share the love

<center></p></p></p><p><p><p><a href="http://experienceandenjoy.blogspot.com/" title="This=My Experience"></a></center></p></p></p><p><p><p>

This Week ... Blah

2013-06-13T23:40:00.004-05:00

So, I haven't been around here much this week. Pretty much I've been dealing with one thing after another and somehow, in all the mess, blogging just fell to the wayside for a little bit.

We are currently trying to buy a house. We were supposed to close on it last Friday and be finished with everything. Well...that still hasn't happened. We still haven't close. The loan "people" are still processing paperwork. They called us on Monday afternoon still requesting information and documents from us. Is it just me, or should all of that type of stuff been taken care of weeks ago? I don't know. I just know I don't want to go through this process again anytime soon. It has been so stressful and irritating.

So, that's what I've been dealing with this week. I hope you week has been better. And hopefully, next week will get better for us.

Did you have anything funny or interesting happen to your this week? Tell me a funny or interesting story. I'm sure it will make me feel better.

Monday Mingling

2013-06-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the nineteenth week of Monday Mingling! Please take the time to introduce yourselves to our co-hosts! If you are new to this blog hop, please leave us a comment letting us know you are following and we would be happy to follow you back. Thank you for joining us this week, and don't forget to link back to us by grabbing our button. Happy Mingling!

Sara @ This = My Experience

Blog | Twitter| Bloglovin' | Facebook
I have a lifestyle blog where I blog about books, my pets, movies, and whatever is going on in my life. I love coffee, Dr. Pepper, Dr. Who and Scentsy. I'm aways happy and excited to make new Bloggy friends!
Lindsey @ High Heels and Training Wheels

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest I'm Lindsey, a married mommy to three. After years in the momiform (yoga pants and ponytails), I finally decided no more! I'm evolving my personal style and doing it on a budget. On my blog, you will find some inspiration, tips and tricks to make fabulous work on even the smallest of budgets!

Rules:

1. Follow both of your hosts via GFC or Bloglovin'.

(first 2 links below)

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC or Bloglovin'
(next two links)

3. Link up your main blog URL, not a specific post.

4. Link back to us by grabbing our button.

5. Tweet, Facebook, and Pin this blog hop. The more you spread the word the more people will link up, and the more success you will have!

6. Be sure to visit other blogs! Don't just link up and wait for others to find you.

Let's get this party started!!...

Super Blog Saturday LinkUp 4

2013-06-07T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope everyone links up and enjoys the fun today.

I also hope everyone will come back and enjoy the fun next week.

This hop is a way to make some new bloggy friends and get some exposure.

So, feel free to grab a button and share or pop it into your side bar.

There are only 3 rules:

1. Follow your host

2. Share a tweet about the link-up

3. Make some new bloggy friends and share the love

<center></p></p></p><p><p><p><a href="http://experienceandenjoy.blogspot.com/" title="This=My Experience"></a></center></p></p></p><p><p><p>

Hush, Hush Series Review

2013-06-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

Apparently I am a little late to the party for this series. I guess I missed all the hype for it when it was new. But, I am just now getting around to reading it.

I finished the last book of the series a couple of days ago, and I have been letting my feelings for these books mull around in my mind for a little bit before I decided how I felt about them. And, I've come to the conclusion that I have mixed feelings about this series.

On one hand, there were some aspects of this series that I absolutely loved and couldn't get enough of. But, on the other hand, there was some aspects that I had serious issues with that caused me to question a lot of things about the characters, plot, etc.

So, let's start with some of the issues I had:

First of all, the mythology of fallen angels that Fitzpatrick uses/creates/adapts. I have a lot of questions about this. And I'm not entirely sure I buy into everything she presents.
The parents in this series, specifically Nora's mother, are pretty shoddy parents. Nora's father was murdered a year ago, but her mother has no problems leaving her home alone for days at a time in their isolated home in the country when her daughter is obviously dealing with some major problems through out the series. I have huge issues with the parents in these books.
For Nora to be such a smart girl, she makes some really dumb and questionable choices. Seriously, there are more of these than I can list.
Throughout the course of the series, the bad guys all start to seem the same. By the time I finished the last book, most of the bad guys (except for Hank) seemed to blend together in my mind and I had a hard time remembering and differentiating which bad guy did what.
The policies of the school Nora and Vee attend. Obviously, Fitzpatrick has no experience in a high school setting as an adult. First of all, if a student reports to a teacher that another student is harassing/bothering/bullying them, the teacher must report this to the appropriate people, not assign the reporting student to be the tutor of the harasser. This is only one of many examples of inexcusable behavior of the adults at this school.

Now, to the things about this series that I did like:

PATCH - I absolutely loved this character, seriously made me swoon. I've read a lot of reviews that really hate and despise this character, presenting his as a would-be rapist, stalker, etc. But, I didn't get that feeling at all. I just saw him as a good-looking, cocky, typical guy. Maybe I was just too caught up in the story that this didn't jump out to me. But, for me, he made this entire series. I could not get enough of him.
Marci. Yes, even though she is Nora and Vee's nemesis, I loved her. Let me explain. As a character, I completely hated her. She made my blood boil every time should came into the story, but I think that means that the author is doing something well. I liked the character of Marci because I hated her so much. Does that make sense? Surely you understand what I'm saying here, you know, it's like how you like certain actors because that are so good at playing bad guys.
The cover art on the books. For me, this is one of the first things that draws me to a book. If I find the cover art interesting, more than likely, I'll give the book a shot.
The author wasn't afraid to kill off an important character in the end. For me, this is very important. If an author is willing to off one of the most popular and important characters, this shows a little bit of bravery. And sometimes, as a reader, its good to feel pain and grief in order to better experience the love and happiness.

Overall, I enjoyed this series. It was about on par with other YA series of the same genre. It follows the same story arch as other similar books. In reality, it's almost just like everything else that is out there now in this area. But, there are a few small aspects of the story that make it different and interesting. Would I say that this is one of the best YA series to be published? No, I wouldn't say that. Honestly, it probably isn't even in my top ten. But, I did find it light and enjoyable. It kept my interest and I was happy to keep reading and see how it would all play out.

For more information about this series, you can click here to read more about the series on goodreads.

What about you? Have you read this series? If so what did you think?

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Don't forget to get your name in the raffle for a June Scentsy Warmer of the Month. Click here for more info.

Stop By and See Me at MunchkinLand Designs

2013-06-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last summer my little blog was in desperate need of a makeover. I was so tired of looking at what I had and was no longer feeling inspired at all.

So, I began shopping around different blog designers, reviewing their past work, comparing prices, etc. And I ended up choosing Jenn from Munchkin Land Designs. She had great work, reasonable prices, and the waiting time was extremely long.

Well, after I submitted my order form, she responded very quickly. We spent the next couple of weeks emailing and going over everything she was doing for me. From time to time she would send me some updates and samples of everything as she was working on them. I have to give her a thousand A+'s for communication. She was so great to work with. And, in the end I absolutely loved the work she did. The blog design she created for me is what you see on my blog today. I still love the colors, the header, everything. I still cannot thank her enough for the great job she did. Then, last week, I received and email from Jenn letting me know that I was going to be featured as the Blog of the Week on her site. So, I'm letting you guys know this to ask you to hop on over to see what she has going on in the wonderful space of hers. Also, she has been generous enough to offer a 5% discount to my readers if you are needed any blog design work done. If you choose to take her up on this generous offer, be sure to include the discount code "BOTW SaraB" on your order form. I promise you will not be disappointed in her work.
*******************************Don't forget to get your name in the raffle for a June Scentsy Warmer of the Month. Click here for more info.

Scentsy Warmer June Giveaway

2013-06-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember my post from earlier this year where I discussed becoming a Scentsy Consultant. Well, since then, things have been going great and I am still as excited as ever to be a part of this company. I genuinely love the products and use them all the time myself.

If you have never heard of Scentsy or are unfamiliar with the products, they are a "safe, wickless alternative to scented candles." There are tons of warmers that melt scented wax with the heat of a low-watt light bulb, enhancing your home with fragrances safely, with no flame, smoke, or soot.

Each month, a new warmer and scent is released and available at a special discounted price for the month.

This is the Warmer of the Month for June. It's this cute? I think this would be perfect to display in my living room for the 4th of July!

I'm also super excited about the Scent of the Month for June. This month is BananaBerry. This smells so yummy and the promo video just makes me hungry. I love it. I've had it in my warmer all day today. It is so sweet and yummy.

And, here's the good news. I will be giving away one of these Warmers of the Month for June at the end of the month. Yay!

Everyone that makes a purchase from my website this month, will automatically be entered into a drawing for one of these great warmers! Any purchase puts your name in the hat. There is no minimum purchase required.

So, to get your name in the bucket for this prize, visit my site by clicking here or on the logo below. When you go to the site, please make sure to order from the link on the left side of the page for "June Online Orders."

Thanks so much! And Good Luck!

TastyKake Kandy Bar Kakes

2013-06-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own honest response to the products discussed.

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A few days ago, I made a post about some great products I received in my Spring Fever VoxBox.

One of the products that I received was a TastyKake Kandy Bar Kake. Guys...let me tell you...this was such a yummy little snack. I absolutely loved it. I will just have to exercise a huge amount of self control to not eat five of these a day.

According to their product page on Influenster "Kandy Bar Kakes are the best of both worlds. Light and fluffy chocolate enrobed cakes come in a unique kandy bar shape with a delicious creme filling made with your favorite candy flavors. Available in S'mores, Peppermint, and Peanut Butter flavor."

I had the opportunity to try the Hershey's bar, but I'm sure I will eventually end up trying them all.

Have you been lucky enough to try these little yummies?

Super Blog Saturday Link-Up 3

2013-05-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope everyone links up and enjoys the fun today.

I also hope everyone will come back and enjoy the fun next week.

This hop is a way to make some new bloggy friends and get some exposure.

So, feel free to grab a button and share or pop it into your side bar.

There are only 3 rules:

1. Follow your host

2. Share a tweet about the link-up

3. Make some new bloggy friends and share the love

<center></p></p><p><p><a href="http://experienceandenjoy.blogspot.com/" title="This=My Experience"></a></center></p></p><p><p>

Spring Fever VoxBox

2013-05-31T21:44:00.001-05:00

Disclosure: I received all products mentioned in this post complimentary from Influenster. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own honest response to the products discussed.

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Earlier this week I received my very first Influenster Vox Box. I have been eagerly checking my mail every day for the last couple of weeks, ever since I got the email telling me that I would be getting one.

I was very pleased with the products that were in my box. I received a great lip gloss, some nail products, deodorant, and a super good chocolatey snack cake. However, the product I was most excited to receive was the bottle of Osis Geltastic Hair Gel.

I used to gel my hair a lot, but I kind of got out of the habit for a while. I guess the gel I used to use just wasn't doing the job for me anymore. So, when I opened my Vox Box and saw this, I was immediately thrilled. I decided this was the perfect opportunity for me to try a new gel and see how it would work.

Turns out...I REALLY LOVED THIS PRODUCT!

I will definitely be gelling my hair more this summer. This gel was very thick and held my hair amazingly. Usually my hair is pretty straight, but with just enough wave in it to aggravate me. There just isn't enough natural curl to make it interesting, so usually a straighter is what I use to make my hair presentable. But, this product was so great! It didn't make my hair super curly, but it added just enough tousle to it to make it interesting and a little something different. I don't think I will be using my straightener as often for the next little while.

My only complaint with this product is that it is SUPER SUPER sticky, like sticky enough to make my hands feel a little gross. I had to do more than a simply rinse to get the product off of my hands. But, I suppose that's only a minor complaint.

All in all, I am very happy with this product and will probably continue to use it for a while.

How about you? Did you get a VoxBox? What was your favorite item?

Or, do you have any great hair products you use all the time and absolutely love? Tell me all about them!

Super Blog Saturday Link-Up 2

2013-05-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope everyone links up and enjoys the fun today.

I also hope everyone will come back and enjoy the fun next week.

This hop is a way to make some new bloggy friends and get some exposure.

So, feel free to grab a button and share or pop it into your side bar.

There are only 3 rules:

1. Follow your host

2. Share a tweet about the link-up

3. Make some new bloggy friends and share the love

<center></p><p><a href="http://experienceandenjoy.blogspot.com/" title="This=My Experience"></a></center></p><p>

Currently Loving

2013-05-20T19:50:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I realize that there are some things in my day-to-day life that seem to dominate my life and thoughts.

As of today, these are a few of those things...

Sonic Strawberry Limeade

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My dog, Leo

Our new house that we will be moving into next month

Yoga Pants

Game of Thrones Series

What about you? What's going on in your life right now that you just absolutely love?

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You still have time to get your name in the drawing for a May Scentsy Warmer of the Month.

Click here for more information.

Dead Ever After ... Finally!

2013-05-19T18:32:00.000-05:00

Like so many other people, I was super excited to purchase and read the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. So, on the day it was released I went to the store, brought it home, and jumped in.

I've been reading this series since 2006, way before True Blood. I took a Creative Writing course as an undergrad, and since Charline Harris lives in my town and is a friend of my instructor of the course, she she was invited to come speak to our small class to discuss her writing career. That was an amazing day for me!

But anyway, I was so excited to start reading this book, and in the end, I was satisfied. I wasn't thrilled or surprised, but it ended exactly like I expected it to. Sure, there were a few interesting twists throughout the story, but in the end everything wrapped up fairly nicely.

I was thrilled to see the return of some major characters from the past:

Quinn
Alcide
Mr. Cataliades
Diantha
Ameilia
Bob
Claude
Steve Newlin
Arlene

Each of these (and a few others) tied into the story and played a part in the overall plot.

I know that there have been a lots of complaints and disappointments in the ending of the series, specifically in regard to Sookie's romantic life, but in my opinion, it was all very predictable. If you didn't see the ending coming, then you must not have been paying very close attention to the entire series. I mean, the ending of the previous book clearly set the stage for what would happen in the final book, not to mention the clues and hints to this ending that have been present throughout the entire series.

Overall, this was a nice ending to the series that was long overdue. While I, personally, feel that this series should have ended a few books ago, this book did a satisfactory job of wrapping up the storyline. And while it may not be what lots of fans wanting as an ending, it was still done nicely. So, there are no complaints from me.

Have you read this one yet? If so, what did you think?

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You still have time to get your name in the drawing for a May Scentsy Warmer of the Month.

Click here for more information.

Super Blog Saturday Link-up Week 1

2013-05-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Today, we are starting a brand new link-up party.

I hope everyone links up and enjoys the fun today.

I also hope everyone will come back and enjoy the fun next week.

This hop is a way to make some new bloggy friends and get some exposure.

So, feel free to grab a button and share or pop it into your side bar.

There are only 3 rules:

1. Follow your host

2. Share a tweet about the link-up

3. Make some new bloggy friends and share the love

Farewell to The Office

2013-05-16T23:16:00.000-05:00

So, tonight was the series finale of The Office. Not gonna lie, I got a little choked up, I shed a few tears. But, I don't want this to be a super sad post, but I do want to take the time to say goodbye to one of my most favorite shows EVER!

So, with this post I thought I would make a list and share some my favorite moments from this amazingly funny show!

When Michael Scott burns his foot on the George Foreman

Belsnickel

When Dwight loses his desk.

Threat Level: Midnight

Drug testing at Dunder Mifflin

Dwight has a sensitive side.

When Jim dresses up to act like Dwight. "Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica."

Dwight searches for the Holy Grail.

When Jim puts Dwight's stuff in Jell-O

A Schrute funeral

Jim's best prank on Dwight

I don't know how, but apparently this turned into some of the best Dwight moment's of The Office. But this is completely ok, because I think Dwight is my favorite character on the show. I know my Thursday night's aren't going to be the same anymore.

Please tell me your favorite moments from The Office ... I would love to hear them.

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Also, don't forget to get in the drawing for a free Scentsy warmer. Click here for more info.

As I Lay Dying with James Franco

2013-05-15T17:28:00.001-05:00

I've mentioned before that I am a James Franco fan. Seriously though, I am bordering on obsession. I love everything about him. Like DiCaprio, I have been watching James Franco since his 90's sitcom days on Freaks and Geeks.

And truthfully, I think we have a lot of similarities in our interests. Although, admittedly, he has many more options and connections at his disposal, however, I am convinced there are some aspects of life that can be shared regardless fame, money, and financial resources.

I admire his appreciation and focus on intelligence and education. Did you know that he attended college as an English major, with an emphasis in creative writing? I saw him on an interview some time ago where he discussed his ability to multitask at a level that is beyond normal human ability. He has this diagnosed (word choice???) condition that allows him to dedicate immense focus and drive on multiple tasks at one time.

While he was in school he was granted permission to take 62 credit hours in a quarter! Seriously, 62!

Later, he moved to New York for grad school and enrolled at Columbia, NYU, and Brooklyn Film School, and Warren Wilson College all at the same time! He went on to receive a MFA from Columbia, and later on a PhD in English from Yale. He has also taught classes to film students at NYU. He has done all of this while still maintaining a successful acting career.

He was quoted in the Washington Post as saying "I go to school because I love being around people who are interested in what I’m interested in and I’m having a great experience... I’m studying things that I love so it’s not like it’s a chore." I LOVE this quote because I have always felt the same way. There is something very intimate about sharing and being around people who love what you love.

He has also written a collection of short stories entitled Palo Alto and had them published in 2010.

Needless to say, he has been a very busy guy. But, I love the idea of a famous celebrity that values an education and understands that there are things in life that are more important than fame and celebrity. His appreciation for art and literature tugs at my heart-strings and makes me admire him even more. The fact that we are both English majors with graduate degrees in the field make me (wishfully) think that we could be great friends and have long conversations over coffee about books and authors and all other kinds of nerdy things.

So, when I saw the preview for As I Lay Dying with James Franco, I couldn't help but get a little giddy. I love Faulkner. I haven't read this particular novel of his, but I checked it out from the library today, so it will be coming up on my reading list very soon.

Take a look at this trailer and let me know what you think.

*A lot of this information comes from Wikipedia if you would like to read a little more about this fabulous man!

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Don't forget to get your name in the drawing for my May Scentsy Warmer giveaway. Click here for more information.

Gatsby Love

2013-05-14T17:18:00.000-05:00

The hubs and I went to see The Great Gatsby this weekend, and I absolutely loved it.

I have read the novel, but I have to admit, it has been a while. Honestly, I didn't really remember much about it other than the main plot line.

I've been a Dicaprio fan ever since his Growing Pains days, so the fact that he was in this movie was one reason I had been looking so forward to seeing it.

So, today I thought I would share the main reasons I loved this movie.

I'm a literary book nerd, so any novels that are made into movies automatically draw me in.
As stated, I've been a Dicaprio fan for a while.
As well as a Tobey Maguire fan
The setting and costuming really made me wish I was rich and living in New York during the 20s.
The soundtrack was amazing. I will be purchasing the entire album. The song from the trailer is my new fave.
The plot is well developed and plays out nicely.

Have you seen this one yet? What did you think? Did you love it as much as I did?

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Don't forget to get your name in the drawing for my May Scentsy Warmer giveaway. Click here for more information.

Mother's Day

2013-05-12T16:56:00.002-05:00

via

A Few Interesting Links for Mother's Day

BTW...the hip-hop odes are my favorite!

Happy Mother's Day!

A Few of My Favorite Friday Hops

2013-05-10T15:18:00.000-05:00

Today, I just thought I would share a few of my favorite hops with you.

I always find some great blogs to read around these hops.

So, link-up and have fun.