This post was going to be my epic rant of TRANSFORMERS 2 hate, but sometimes when you write an angry letter, it's best to get it out of your system, sleep on it before you send it, and then the next day you realize that you feel better. I don't need to say all of the bad things I was going to say about TRANSFORMERS 2. It's all right now.

<<<deep, soul-cleansing sigh>>>

Well, okay, one thing: "Let's roll!" Really? "Let's roll!" in a mindless summer blockbuster action movie? YOU DUMB PRICKS, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU--

<<<deep, soul-cleansing sigh>>>

Did you notice that despite gazillions of dollars in CGI, the robot transformations are so blurry and incoherent that they might as well just have been filmed like an old werewolf movie, where the guy walks behind a pillar and--boom--he's a werewolf.

Also, G.I. JOE and the new M. Night Shamalayan movie look so bad that I legitimately believed that both trailers were going to reveal themselves as parodies, maybe with Kevin James showing up or something. 

But I'm over it now. THE HANGOVER was pretty good, right?

In carbonated beverage news, Mountain Dew has 100% redeemed itself for the "Mtn Dew" travesty by introducing Mountain Dew: Throwback, with natural sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. (They will un-redeem themselves if this is a limited-time product, because it's pretty much ruined regular Mountain Dew for me.) 

Shorty doing Babygirl's hair.


Have I mentioned Babygirl doesn't enjoy having pics taken? I wonder where she gets that from? ;)


Shorty annoyed with her little sister. :) Babygirl appears pleased with that fact, doesn't she?

We're heading to Delphi so the peeps can watch fireworks. We lost a toddler cousin to cancer this morning. ;( The holiday has lost it's spark for me.

Until later~
Mel

Happy 4th!

Until later~
Mel

FREEDOM

Freedom in 2009 no longer means the same as it meant in 1776 or even earlier when the first Puritans and immigrants left England for a New World. Today freedom appears to be the opposite of freedom in the 17th century. In the early 1600's when people first began to populate the eastern seaboard, they desired freedom from a monarch, freedom to worship God in their own way, and freedom to make their own future.

They desired to worship GOD. Religion meant the God of the Bible. There was no distortion then. There were different ways to worship God and there were those who DIDN'T worship God, but at that time the lines were clear. Worship God in this way or that way or DON'T worship God at all.

Yesterday as I drove to work and passed the fireworks stand at the corner, I thought of the many historical fiction and non-fiction books I've read where Independence Day was a big celebration and people celebrated independence from slavery, dominance by a king, and freedom to worship God. Today, the celebrations I'm aware of consist of parties, food, and fireworks. I don't remember ever listening to the Declaration of Independence at a 4th of July party. To my shame, I'm not even sure I've read the whole Declaration of Independence. As I drove, I thought that so many years have passed since we won independence from England and slavery, people don't even understand what freedom means anymore. Freedom is taken for granted--and exploited.

Today freedom is all about choice. Freedom is about tolerance. Freedom is gray. There is no black and white. How sad. What can one hold dear when all one has is tolerance? We rebel against authority, but when all the rules have been removed, where is security?

According to "today's" rules, any choice I make is the right one because I made it. Now, if the choice I make isn't tolerant, it's not the right one and I should just stay quiet and understand that while I have the right to make my own choices, I do not have the right to force them on others. Therefore, in deference to others' choices, I should be quiet about my choices. If my choices are based on tolerance, I should not be quiet. I should proudly proclaim all my choices of belief and let others know as often as possible that I am a tolerant person.

Freedom today means homosexual and lesbian lifestyles. And homosexual and lesbian marriage.
Freedom today means God is in me, is me, is everywhere, is a tree, is air, is not, is the same in every religion, is love, and definitely isn't the God of the Bible.
Freedom today means the Bible is a story of myths because no true God would judge others since judging equals intolerance.
Freedom today means that anything remotely religious (specifically Judeo-Christian) has no part in any government or public school activities.
Freedom today means abortion is a choice and euthanasia is showing mercy.

It just doesn't sound like freedom to me.

I prefer Godly freedom. Freedom to "stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1
Jesus said "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2

"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:21-24

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." I Corinthians 2:12

Here is a beautiful definition of freedom as written by the apostle Paul. I am nowhere near to living out this definition, but I desire it. I Corinthians 9:19-27:

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you."

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."

Freedom to live for God and die to self. Not very tolerant and not too tolerant of "making my own choices" either. ;-) It does provide bountiful security. That's my choice.

Happy Independence Day!

http://laurenbarnholdt.com/

Catching Fire ARC Giveaway!
June 30, 2009
It is TIME for the CATCHING FIRE contest!!!

I am giving away a signed ARC of CATCHING FIRE, the sequel to THE HUNGER GAMES. AND you will also get an audio sampler of the book as a SPECIAL BONUS.




I thought I was going to do something fancy, but in the end, decided to just keep it simple J

To enter, just link back to this post, and then comment and tell me where you did so. If you link in multiple places, you will get multiple entries, but please leave separate comments so that I can keep track.Also, for even MORE entries, follow me on twitter, because if you retweet when I say, you will be entered again. You can find me at www.twitter.com/laurenbarnholdt

Contest will run through Wednesday July 8th . Good luck!

Meet my brother-in-law Zach: when he's not saving the world through acoustical engineering (please note, actually saving the actual world), or playing with his band and doing his Latin-jazz-style percussion thing that makes all the women in the audience get up and shake their hips, he's home being one of the best dads in the world with my sister and their two very young daughters.

Or at least, that's his usual set of projects. Right now, he's waiting for biopsy results.

His doctors say, hope it's lymphoma, at least they know how to treat lymphoma. Man, you know the other possible diagnoses suck when lymphoma is your best option. My sister says, hope it's all just a big mistake, hope it's a gallstone like they thought before the MRI showed the mass on his liver, hope the whole problem just goes away. I'm hoping for a complete recovery. I'm not picky about what Zach's malady turns out to be, I'm not picky about how the universe orchestrates his complete recovery, I just want it to happen.

I hate cancer. I want to beat cancer up with a brickbat. I would like a year to go by without anybody giving me yet another occasion to write the Please Quit Smoking Because I Love You All blog post. (And, by the way, quit smoking, you. Zach thought just a couple of cigarettes on nights the band played couldn't be that big a deal, since they didn't have gigs all that often--he had mostly quit smoking. Take care of yourself. Live a long time.)

Zach could use some prayers. Has invited them, the more the merrier, in any form and to any being. Always does better in a tight spot when he knows he's being prayed for. He may be a nice Catholic boy from a Nebraska ranching family, but he asked his wacky tattooed Wiccan priestess of a sister-in-law to be godmother to both of his kids, so he means it when he says all prayers are welcome. He's probably never been in a tighter spot than this one, so I'm asking you, if you are the praying kind, and including a stranger in your devotions is a thing you're comfortable with, think of Zach.

May the best possible thing happen, whatever that is.

And the Winner Is . . .

The votes have been tallied, the results are in, and we have a winner (two, actually). Congratulations to the newly elected user representatives to the LJ Advisory Board: from lj_election_en, it's kylecassidy, and from lj_election_ru, it's nekbke! You can see the full breakdown of results for lj_election_en here and for lj_election_ru here. Thanks to everyone for your participation.

• 00:28 Next trip to the UK, guess where Greg and I will be playing...bit.ly/89p18 #

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Let's think back to our first paycheck... Did it come from babysitting the neighbors peeps? Did you have an afterschool or summer job? Lol...we won't even talk hourly rates back in the day...

Oh, how about now? Did that first job influence what you do for a living today? Did you follow a similar path or decide that just wasn't "you"?

Hmm...my first job? I detasseled corn when I was 13-15.

That summer job had no influence at all on what I do for a living today. Well, I suppose my muse has spun a farmer or two...

I never thought I had it in me to do what I do. I'm still amazed every single day. I'm a very lucky girl to have followed my dreams...

Until later~
Mel

Taking Chances.
http://espan-rwa.com:80/

It's hard to knock life for us.
http://www.jackiebarbosa.com:80/2009/06/20/hard-knock-life/

RWA vs digital publishing article...
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/06/21/digital-publishing-and-the-alternative-economic-model/#more-12892

Should E-books be cheap?
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com:80/2009/06/should-e-books-be-cheap.html

Treva Harte and Loose Id
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/26/AR2009062602163.html?wprss=rss_print/style

Until later~
Mel

Last week, my friend Ellen Byerrum (center) celebrated the broadcast of Killer Hair, the first of two Crime of Fashion movies on the Lifetime Movie Network. Ellen’s written six mysteries featuring vintage design-loving fashion sleuth Lacey Smithsonian and several plays, not to mention a career full of articles for daily newspapers, magazines and industry journals. Even so, there’s something very special about seeing a movie made of something you wrote.

To mark the occasion, Ellen held a party June 21 at Generous George’s Positive Pizza, a funky Alexandria VA landmark which features the kind of retro chic Lacey revels in. My photos don’t do either the event or the place justice, but at least I captured the big smile on Ellen’s face as the credits faded to black following Killer Hair. The movie and its sequel, Hostile Makeover, are very good introductions to the books. They’re bright, funny and feature lots of great clothes—three of my favorite things. Here’s hoping Lifetime feels the same and picks up Crime of Fashion as a weekly series.




Yesterday it was my turn—well, mine and three good buds from the DC Area Storytellers. Here you see Anthony Stevens (left), me, D. Renee Bagby and Stephanie Burke (right) at our book signing the Parkside in Baltimore MD. The venue and its art were stellar and the company couldn’t be beat. Aren’t Renee and Stephanie gorgeous? Anthony and I…well, we’re good writers too. :)
 
Cheers and smiles,

http://enchantingreviews.com/09/ya_Contest

contest #1:

To celebrate the release of THE PSYCH MAJOR SYNDROME by Alicia Thompson, Alicia is
generously donating two galleys of her release AND the winners will also receive a
signed FINAL copy of the book when it is available:

The winners may write a review of the book that may be posted on Alicia's website.
to enter: send an email with your mailing address with the subject PSYCH MAJOR CONTEST
Contest closes July 14th, 2009

lisa.enchanting@gmail.com




In her debut novel, Psych Major Syndrome (Disney-Hyperion; ISBN: 978-1-4231-1457-4; $16.99; August 2009), Alicia Thompson introduces us to Leigh Nolan, a freshman at Stiles College majoring in psychology, much against the wishes of her very earthy-crunchy parents who would rather see her perfect the art of shamanic dance. Psychology seems perfectly suited to her personality. She is, after all, the go-to girl when any of her friends have a dilemma that needs clever and insightful solutions. The only problem is that she has a BIG blind spot when it comes to solving her own quandaries.

In her life, she analyzes everything to death, and then analyzes it again until none of it makes any sense. This problem is significantly intensified when it comes to her dealings with the opposite sex. She can’t figure out why Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year from high school, hasn’t invited her to spend the night with him to take their physical relationship to the next level She can’t figure out if she’s ready for this, but it sure bothers her that he hasn’t even tried. Then there is Nathan, her boyfriend’s roommate who treats her like she has the plague. Why is he creeping into her VERY private dreams all of the sudden?

Complicating her life even further are her uber-competitive classmates who seem to think getting a degree is a competitive sport, her Psychology professor who seems to have no business teaching the course, since she seems mentally imbalanced and in need of therapy herself, and a precocious teenage girl whom she’s supposed to be mentoring, yet who thinks Leigh is totally clueless.

Alicia Thompson’s breezy style brings humor to a hard, transitional time in life. Psych Major Syndrome is a coming-of-age story that everyone who ever went to college will identify with, and everyone who is planning their academic career will take comfort, in giggling and laughing with the turn of every page.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alicia Thompson graduated from the New College of Florida in 2006 with a degree in psychology, and wrote this debut novel in between pulling all-nighters on her senior thesis. Her short stories, “Abby Greene for President” and “Stealing Mark Twain,” have appeared in Girls’ Life magazine. She is currently working on an MFA in fiction writing at the University of South Florida, where she still pulls the occasional all-nighter.

• 15:11 @grosscolt_124 Thanks {{{{Cath}}}}. Nobody showed, but we had a great time anyway. Hope to post a pic later today. #
• 16:08 Rough week in CelebrityLand--Billy Mays is dead. Only death this week that's been a true shock. Sympathy to his family and all the others'. #
• 16:18 4 tentative DragonCon panels so far: Tarot, U Say Religion, Gender in SF, Sex in SF/Fantasy (mwahaha!) Plus an RFR. W00t! #
• 23:31 Posted some new photos on the blog, jeanmarieward.com/blog/. #

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Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Three generations of girls, all tied together into one novel.



Madeline's the fat girl at school and has to deal with a drunk mother. No one pays any attention to her until that one day at McDonalds. Tad seems to like her regardless of her weight.



Desiree's mother is always nagging on her about how slutty she looks. Larry, her mother's boyfriend, seems to be the only one who 'gets' her until one day his interest goes too far.



Ariel's father is in prison and her mother works all the time. Her boyfriend Shane seems to be everything--hot, interesting, and making her feel special. Ariel's mother warns her about Shane.



Then one day all their lives come together with some unexpected results.



I really enjoyed this story. I especially loved how effortlessly the author wove the different POVs throughout the story. All these teens not only are related but learn to deal with the harshness life throws their ways. Heart touching and revealing, this tale's emotional punch will stay with the reader long after they finish reading the last page.



This is the first YA book from Chronicle Books. I can't wait to read more.


View all my reviews.

• 02:59 Quick correction: Saturday's signing at the Parkside runs from 1-5 p.m. The original time was wrong. So see you at 1! #

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I'd forgotten what HOT felt like. It is still 98º outside and it's 8:24 p.m. It was up to 107º at one point today, John said. I only saw Weatherbug when it told me it was 101º. Driving in this weather without air-conditioning is something else. I walk outside and it feels like the heat just SLAPS you in the face. Sometimes it makes me breathless. Driving home tonight, my lips got chapped just from the heat!

Things we want to do this summer and need to get moving on:
(1) Enroll Paul in Driver's Ed
(2) Enroll Tom in the Defensive Driving class (which is already paid for)

Tom has taken his ACT, Lynne is looking for an additional job (applied at a novelty jewelry, etc. store in the same strip mall she's already working in and it's looking positive), Sarah is planning to go to a Bible camp in Missouri with her "boyfriend's" family (we'll drive her to Tulsa, they'll drive the rest of the way), and we're beginning to gear up for VBS.

I took a half day of vacation last Friday (it was supposed to be a full day, but a meeting was called for the afternoon that I needed to attend), a half day Monday afternoon, and I'm taking a half day tomorrow afternoon. I like taking the afternoon off. That way I have to get up and get going and I can get my desk all cleared and caught up before leaving for the rest of the day. ;-)

Tom is leaving for a very short football "camp" early in the morning. He'll be home Sunday; it's also in Missouri.

I received 14 books from Bookcloseouts.com this week. ;-) It was a great deal since my affiliate status with them meant that I had enough dollars "earned" from others using my link to purchase their books that I only had to pay $11--and more than half of that was the shipping! I'm slowly accumulating some christian fiction series that I'm really liking--specifically Lauraine Snelling's "Blessing" series. I also received a brand new, unopened, extended version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers from SwapaDVD.com this week. That was cool! ;-)

At church, several of us memorized verses using Scripture Memory Fellowship books and that finished last week (for everyone who stayed on task). I plan to start it up again in the fall. It was good. I memorized verses from Colossians. I'm starting the book over now and reviewing all 15 assignments until I get the next book. I forget too easily.

I'm still struggling to lose any more significant weight, but I just keep telling myself that the slower I lose, the more likely I'll keep it off. I just wish I didn't still look so fat. *sigh* I definitely feel better and my clothes fit better; they just don't look better. :-( I still hate any pictures of me.

Today Hampel Oil Distributors was named one of the five finalists/winners of the Best Company (I've already forgotten what they called it!) in Wichita. It was based on financial health, community involvement, and marketing strategies. Quite an honor and a little bit exciting. We have a plaque that will be shared among all the locations--to hang and show off. The president of the company came by the office today and we all gathered in the conference room so he could tell us about it. We actually already knew because his brother works in our office and came back from the luncheon and showed us the Wichita Business Journal's insert that lists all the winners and has the pictures and interviews. Interesting article.

1. I was saddened to hear Farrah Fawcett passed away. I hate cancer...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/ap_en_tv/us_obit_fawcett
I'm sure I'm not the only one among us to have "played" as one of Charlie's Angels in our youth.
2. My wildboy is 10! *Sniffle* My baby is growing up so fast!
3. I'm hoping to see Nickleback in concert in July.
4. I read Prison Break has been canceled. Humph!
5. Indiana is going through a heatwave! We're talking Florida Keys summertime hot!
6. I need to get highlights put in my hair.
7.I'm looking forward to the 4th. The 4th and New Years are my favorite holidays.
8. I'll be attending Kokomo's Haynes Apperson Festival
http://www.haynesappersonfestival.org/
9. I love to take the peeps swimming although I don't always like to get in the water.
10. J calls Megs Lil' Mama. It's so cute to hear him call her it. :) I'm guessing he'll be taller than her by the time he's 5. :D
11. I saw The Proposal. It's a enjoyable way to pass the time.
12. I finally got my bookcases moved into my office.
13. Mom just called to tell my Michael Jackson (age 50) has also died today. I can remember...I'd worn my copy of Thriller out and had to get a replacement copy... Very sad to see the passing of another icon.
http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljackson?blend=1&ob=4

Until later ~
Mel

• 00:54 Greg and I are safe and sound, but our hearts go out to those affected by today's Red Line tragedy and their families. #

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If you happen to be in the Baltimore area this Saturday, you might want to drop in at the Parkside Restaurant anytime from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. DC Area Storytellers D. Renee Bagby (also a Samhain author), Stephanie Burke, Anthony Stevens and I will be reading from published stories and upcoming works, and signing and selling our books. Knowing this group, we'll probably manage to get into a fair amount of trouble too. I mean, they serve drinks and food at this place, and I saw Animal House at a very impressionable age. Don't say you weren't warned...