Seize the Tuesday: MS Book Bloggers are REAL!

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Today was a pretty great day – other than the ice on the roads this morning, that is. Why was it so great? I met another Mississippi book blogger today! We met up at our local library and then headed to Cups, a local coffee shop, for coffee and a chat. We ended up staying for TWO hours!

Her name is Lauren and she blogs over at Between the Pages. She is seriously cool, you guys. We connected in a lot of different ways and had many things in common. It was so much fun getting to know Lauren, and I’m looking forward to even more fun in the future. We’re hoping to plan a MS book blogger meet up soon! (So if you live in MS and just haven’t told me, LET ME KNOW!)

I don’t want to go on and on about it and make it weird (even though she totally told me I’m weird – haha!), but I’m so excited to be finding several other MS book bloggers, especially one that lives so close to me! It’s so great to be able to meet someone who understands when you get excited about books and who appreciates that in you. I’m looking forward to hanging out with Lauren again and to meeting even more book bloggers in person!

And of course, we wouldn’t have even met if it wasn’t for the super awesome Kelly at Live, Love, Read who introduced us through a tweet!

Tuesday met seized

Seize the Tuesday – To Be or Not to Be…a Cat

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

This post might be kind of the opposite of what a Seize the Tuesday post is supposed to be about. Do you ever have one of those days that you wish you could forget? How about two in a row? That’s me this week so far, which as I’m sure you can imagine was an absolutely wonderful start to the week. So instead of talking about them (because I already have with two close friends who I appreciate more than they know), let’s talk about what I’m reading.

I’ve been slowly making my way through Sarah J. Maas’s collection of Throne of Glass novellas The Assassin’s Blade, which I’m really enjoying. It’s cool to learn more about Celaena before Throne of Glass and toactually get to know Sam a bit. I haven’t made much progress the last two days but I hope to get back to it soon.

I suppose I did Seize the Tuesday a bit last night when I decided to start a new book that I knew would make me smile – To Be a Cat by Matt Haig. It’s a middle grade book about a kid who thinks being a cat would be better than what he’s currently going through but when his wish comes true, he realizes being a cat isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s funny and adorable so far and written in Matt Haig’s wonderful writing style that I absolutely adore. I ended up staying awake and reading a lot more than I’d originally planned, so you know what?

I’m going to consider this Tuesday seized.     

Seize the Tuesday – American Beauty / American Psycho

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Yesterday was all about new music. Yesterday, one of my favorite bands for more than ten years, Fall Out Boy, released a new album titled “American Beauty / American Psycho”. So obviously, I bought it. I listened to it on the way to dinner last night, on the way home, and several times from beginning to end once I got home. It’s such a great album. This is a really, really short post. I just wanted to tell you guys to check it out, and that there is really nothing better than sitting in your room and listening to a new album. Okay, FINALLY buying a book you’ve been looking forward to for several months is even better, but new music is a close second. Losing yourself in music is a beautiful way to spend an evening. Try it.

Favorite tracks from the album from my first few listens:

• Uma Thurman (Listen to it on YouTube)
• Centuries (Listen to it on YouTube)
• Favorite Record (Listen to it on YouTube)
• I really don’t think there’s a song I don’t like, which is the mark of a true favorite band.

Tuesday seized jammed

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Yessssss. Currently obsessed with Uma Thurman. #falloutboy #americanbeautyamericanpsycho #fob

A post shared by Stefani (@stefanisloma) on Jan 20, 2015 at 4:04pm PST

Seize the Tuesday – Rereading Forever

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Since starting my blog, I haven’t reread a single book. I didn’t typically reread before starting my blog either, but I would reread a favorite every once in a while. Recently I decided to reread the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater before I read the latest book in the series, Sinner, a companion novel. I enjoyed Shiver, but the flaws in the story (INSTALOVE!!!) were more apparent to me. Linger was wonderful and heartbreaking and lovely. Right now I’m rereading Forever, and I love being able to see how Maggie’s writing developed as she wrote this series. The story and the werewolf mythology are fascinating to me, and the development of all the characters (and introduction of new ones) gets better and better with each story.

I didn’t really do anything that fun or interesting today, so I thought today’s post could be on how wonderful it can be to reread a great book. I’m making my way through Forever and taking my time so that I can appreciate Maggie’s beautiful prose and brilliant storytelling.

Alright, I’m going to go read now. Have a wonderful night (or morning or afternoon; you guys live everywhere!).

Seize Read the Tuesday!

Seize the Tuesday – Better late than never

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by myself and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Today started off kind of crappy – I spilled coffee on a couple of books and my phone. Yay! But the day was okay overall. Note that I didn’t say it got better or it was great. Because it wasn’t, but that’s okay sometimes. It was an okay day. I did some work for my online job, wrote a post for my blog, finalized my Bout of Books 12 challenge post (make sure you come check that out on Monday – and sign up for Bout of Books!!), and wrote a review for WatchPlayRead. I spent most of the day in my room but I also got out with my family for a bit for some shopping. Nothing that exciting happened but nothing super bad happened either (except that dang coffee). It was okay.

But I’m going to make it better now. I’m going to spend at least the next hour reading. I’ve been wanting to read Throne of Glass for a while now and I just got it for Christmas. Of course, that’s the book my coffee spilled on, but whatever. Moving on. I’m going to start Throne of Glass and read until I am too tired to keep reading – whether that’s in an hour or five. Let’s do this.

Seizing the Tuesday…night.

Seize the Tuesday [7] – But first, coffee

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by myself and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

I’m obviously not very good at doing posts on the day they were meant to be, but whatever. I was out seizing the day. 🙂 I have an online job for a publisher, and I do most of my work on Mondays and Tuesdays for them, but I have found, recently, that it is getting harder and harder to concentrate on work when I am at home. So yesterday, I took my laptop and notebook to a local coffee shop and sat for a few hours doing work. I ended up doing work for my online job, my blog, and wrote an article and started another for WatchPlayRead. I’ve always enjoyed working in coffee shops: there’s coffee (duh) and you get to people watch when you can’t think of what you want to write.

I only stayed for a couple hours (don’t worry, I bought two coffees and left a tip) then headed home for a Skype session. But I got more done in those short hours at the coffee shop than I probably would’ve all day at home. Looks like I’m going to have to have at least one day each week at the coffee shop.

After I got home, I Skyped and worked some more. But then I read. I’m currently reading Michel Faber’s The Book of Strange New Things. It is, indeed, strange, but very good, and I’m really enjoying it so far. I’m glad I had some down time last night to read some. Every day is better when you can read.

Coffee Tuesday seized. (she writes as she takes a sip of her morning coffee on Wednesday and not Tuesday)

Seize the Tuesday [4] – Getting crafty

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag:#LetsAllGetLost.The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your reading.

You ever have one of those days when you have a lot you should be doing but you don’t want to do any of it so you don’t? Yeah, I had one of those days. Instead of doing some things I probably should have done, I got crafty. I haven’t really done any artsy stuff recently and that’s what I needed to do today. So I made a scarf, decorated a mug for a friend, and drew on a bowl for myself. Want to see?

      

The scarf and bowl are for me, but the mug is for a friend of mine. I am not a fan of whiskey. What do you think of what I made?

I had a lot of fun! It was a nice, relaxing day. I kind of regret it now because I might be stressed for the rest of the week trying to do stuff I should’ve done today before and after work, but you know what? I seized the Tuesday and it was wonderful.

Hope you had a great Tuesday too!

Seize the Tuesday [3] – Caaaaaake

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost.The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your reading.

I know I’m several hours late for a Tuesday post, but that’s okay. Let me tell you how I seized the day yesterday. 🙂

I did several things yesterday, but I think my favorite part was the cake. Who doesn’t like cake? My brother’s sort-of girlfriend and I spent the day out shopping, going to a check-up appointment for me and my wisdom teeth, and getting things we needed, but we stopped at a new store near us called “Nothing Bundt Cake” (first of all, isn’t that the cutest name??!) to get a little bundt cupcake. I, of course, got red velvet (if red velvet is an option, I will always choose it). She got Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Chocolate Chip, as she was going to eat half of each and share the other half with my mom. When we got home from shopping, we sat on the couch, put on some of The Walking Dead and ate our cakes. It was delicious. Soft, moist, and so. freaking. delicious.

It wasn’t anything big or spectacular (okay, the cake was pretty spectacular), but it was nice. A fun day out and about and a quiet moment at home with a good show, a good friend, and freaking good cupcake.

How was your Tuesday?

Seize the Tuesday [2] – Thank goodness for Skype

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by Adi Alsaid and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your reading.

Today I got to Skype with one of my favorite people. We have pretty much the same personality, recommend books to each other all the time (more on this soon), and just happen to live on different continents. Her name is Jo, and she blogs over at Drifting Pages. I met her when I lived in Scotland during late 2012-late 2013 while I was pursuing my Master’s degree. She’s one of the people that I always enjoy talking to and make time during my week to do so.

Jo and I have the wonderful ability to make each other laugh even when we don’t want to. We always have hilarious conversations and end up talking a lot longer than we intended to do so. It had been a little longer between Skype conversations than usual this time, but it never feels like it for us. I think our trick is that we don’t talk every day. We don’t need to. We hate the boring “Hey. How are you? I’m good. Good.” conversations. Do you know what I mean? When you message someone every day and nothing has changed, you’re still the same, there’s no news, you’re still good. Those conversations can be boring, and our conversations are never like that. Plus, we live on different continents, so we couldn’t really talk every day anyway with our schedules.

Another reason I appreciate Jo is that we both love books. LOVE books. And being passionate-about-the-things-we-love people, we really enjoy telling each other about books we’ve read and loved. Jo recommended The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (my current read) to me with a passion that I had felt when I recommended Matt Haig’s The Humans to her, which she read. One of the best things about our friendship is that even if the other person doesn’t feel the same passion about something as the recommender, it isn’t an issue. We just appreciate that the other person will listen to us fangirl and will try the thing we enjoyed.

So basically this whole post is about how much I appreciate having Jo in my life and being able to talk to her even though we are an ocean apart. I believe in showing people how much I love them, and I hope this shows Jo.

Miss you, Jo.