For Christmas I got a $50 gift certificate from my Grandma from Barnes and Noble.  I was trying to think of what to get with it.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get a book (since I now have the kindle and still have so many ‘actual’ books to read also, or if I wanted to get something else from their site.  Maybe a book on Photography or Photoshop?  I also considered “This is not a book” by Keri Smith or a memory book for Grandparents/Parents to fill out.

I had gotten a memory book in the past for my Mom.  I thought it would be neat for her to fill out about herself and maybe I could pass it to one of her grandkids when they were older…but she glanced and it and was like, “Eh” and wouldn’t even take it with her.  SO – I was looking at one for Grandparents and someone had written a review and was talking about the neat questions it had in it.  I knew that if I got it and asked my two living Grandma’s the questions, I’d be the one who would have to fill it out, because one has almost unreadable handwriting (ha ha – sorry Grandma Joan) and the other is legally blind.  Then I was thinking…..well, I’d need to get a tape recorder so I could make sure and not miss any of their answers.  Then I got to thinking….why don’t I just get a video recorder and make a list of questions and just record them answering them?  That would be a nice thing to pass down.  SO – that is my new plan. Tommie agreed with me.  I sure wish I had it for my Grandpa’s too, but it’s too late for that.

I know in the past my Dad had taped my Great Grandma answering questions, but I’m not sure if that was one of the tapes my brother taped over.  (when he was young, he taped his shows over a lot of our home videos)  I know i have an interview with my Grandpa Hornaday somewhere on mini cassette.  So, I started researching online some good questions to ask and have a whole list.  I mentioned it to my Grandma Joan and she was OK with doing it.  Now I’m looking forward to it.  I think it’d be a nice thing to pass on.  I’d even love to do it with my parents, but I’m not sure if they’d be up for it or not.

Does anyone have suggestions for a nice video camera?  I don’t need anything fancy, just simple, but a good quality picture/sound.

….one of my favorite past times.  I’ve always loved to read.  Guess it began young.  My mom used to take us to the library when we were young and she even passed down a few books of her own to us.  I had saved several books from my teen years, but during one of my move’s they got misplaced in my aunt’s basement and I never saw them again. 🙁  I think a lot of my sister’s books though will be going to her daughters.  My sister recently posted a picture of my niece after she had fallen asleep while reading her book.  It was so cute and makes me feel good that my niece is turning out to love reading at an early age also.

It is also one of the things I love about my husband, that he’s a big reader.  ((He reads a LOT faster then me – can sometimes read a whole book in a weekend))  I enjoy times where we can both just sit around and read our books together in silence.

How do you choose what books you read?  The cover is usually a big thing for me.  Cover and/or title.  That is what usually gets me to pick up the book in the first place to read the back to see if it sounds like something I’d be interested in.  I also used to get book club ad’s in the mail and would read through them and make lists of what I wanted to read.  I still have lists of books sitting around the house.  If I see articles about books I usually stop and skim through them also to see if there is anything to add to my list.

I’ve been told by a lady at work that I always have the most strange and wide variety of books that I read.  Yeah, I like strange.  I guess a lot of the books I read have a bit of a dark element too.  I like crime and history based novels.  I also like the vampire one’s….yes, my husband gawks at me for that, but it started early with Anne Rice.  I have always liked Horror and the Supernatural, but when I discovered Anne Rice books in my teen years, I fell in love with them!

Recently the “book readers” have become popular.  I’ve resisted getting one, because I do NOT like to read large amounts of stuff on a computer screen.  BUT recently I caved and I had enough points with my Discover card to get a free Kindle.  I got it last month and have already finished two books on it and am starting on my third.  I LOVE it!  It’s so easy to download books, and my husband has even found free books for me to download and read.  I can also check out library books on it for free from my local library. The thing with the screen on the Kindles (except for the Fire) is that it doesn’t have the gloss of a computer screen, it’s like you are really reading the print on a book!  So easy on the eyes.

I wonder how much this will hurt the printed book sales. I like the idea of having books I love and being able to pass them down to the younger generation of the family or to loan out to friends to read.  In the past with my printed books, if I really loved a book or had a series of books I’d keep them in hopes of sharing them with other book lovers in my life and the one’s I just thought were OK I’d donate to my local library.  So the e-readers sort of take away from that aspect of it.

What are some of your favorite books?  What should I add to my list of “Must Read”???

Well – It’s a new year.  I’m not big on making resolutions at the New Year.

I remember when I was in school – around New Years I would ALWAYS look forward to the big countdown’s on the radio…..best songs of the year.  I would make it my day to spend listening to the radio all day.  I don’t listen to as much music as I used to.  My husband and I have a few similar tastes in music, but overall, we love totally different types of music.  I find whenever I listen to music at home, he usually puts on his headphones to drown it out.  He’s a musician himself, so he likes to create his own music.  I’m a big “lyrics” person.  I’ve always been drawn in by the words of a song.  Again, when I was younger I used to love to call and dedicate songs and always wish that someone would dedicate a song to me. 🙂

I guess if there was a resolution for me to make for the new year it would be to not let things bother me as much.  I tend to absorb things and hold them in until they eat away at me.  It’s really tearing me up.  I’m feeling sad all the time lately and I know it’s affecting the people around me.  I find myself more and more just drawing in and not wanting to reach out to people.  Keeping a lot inside…..that causes me to just break down a lot.  I’ve really been stressing myself out lately and letting different things get to me that I really haven’t (or wanted to) share with anyone.  I’ve become a bit of a downer.  When people DO try to reach out to me, I get a bit snappy, especially the one’s closest to me.  I have a hard time expressing myself.  My mind is constantly going, but to put what is going on in there into words is really difficult for me.  I always feel like I come off as unintelligent and emotional., stumbling over my words.  It can be really frustrating.  I’ve been dealing with a lot of feelings of inadequacy lately.  When it comes to work, relationships and self worth.

OK – Enough of being down on myself.

For the New Year.  I have an old friend who has been wanting to work out with me.  I think it’ll be a great time to just get some girl time in and also work on myself.  We were doing pretty good when the weather was warmer in meeting and walking.  I could tell my stamina was getting better and it was nice to have a little talk as we walked, and someone that would go at whatever pace I needed and not judge, but be encouraging.  The past few months I have been really stressed with work and putting in some long hours, so our get togethers had slacked off.  I’m not sure how long it’ll be before things get back to normal at work (I hope they do – because I don’t want to feel bad about my job after working there for over 10 years, which I have been lately), but I’d like to get to a point where I can clock out without worry after my 8 hours and go have our workout time.  She was saying that she wanted to join the community center where I have a membership (that I haven’t used in a LONG time – but still pay for) and meet up there to continue our workouts in the cold weather.

So much, my “friend time” and my “spouse time” is centered around food.  It seems like the only thing I “go out” to do anymore is to eat.  It’d sure be nice to find some things to do other than “go out to eat”.  Don’t get me wrong – I really ENJOY going out to eat and it’s an opportunity to eat and talk….just looking for more of a variety.  Tomorrow I’m planning on going to a movie with a friend.  That is something I don’t do much of anymore that used to be one of my favorite things as a young person!  Movies have just gotten so expensive!  We’re going to go see the “Twilight” movie that I haven’t seen.  ((Which I have to say – I loved the books, but the movies sure do leave more to be desired))  I also get together with this same friend from time to time and we watch a TV show together.  I TIVO it and just save it on there until we are able to get together and watch it together, a lot of times it’ll be weeks before we get together, so we have a bit of a marathon. 🙂

Another thing that I’d like to be better about going forward is my photography.  I feel like I haven’t had the passion for it as I have in the past.  It really shows in my photos.  When I look at some of my photos from the past I see some really great work ,but the one’s lately I guess reflect my feelings – depressing, no depth.  I really need to find my inspiration there!

Well, guess that is it for my first post.  Hopefully as the year progresses, they will be less depressing!  🙂

I hope everyone had a HAPPY NEW YEAR!