Saturday, Jul 18, 2009

The Sunday Salon: BBAW 2009

BBAW Time… Oh, it’s BBAW Time!

As Alyce mentioned in her post about BBAW, we met in the 2008 BBAW activities.  I think we were both about a month old back then.  I remember being a new book blogger and really wanting to understand how the entire “blogging thing” worked and how to meet these cool ladies.  I felt like such a newbie and an outsider.  But, Lisa of Books On The Brain and J. Kaye both gave me boosts up into the group via very generous posts.  I met Alyce, Shana, Serena, and Anna.  It was such an overwhelming experience, but in a good way.  I remember being wow’d by Amy and Natasha and wishing with all my might that one day, my blog may be good enough to get a BBAW.  Maybe… someday… but, for this year, I had a ton of fun nominating you guys.  That was really fun!

Last year, I remember the wrap-up posts over at My Friend Amy and she had a questionairre about whether or not we liked BBAW, how our experience was, etc.  I just remember thinking that what I liked best about BBAW was meeting Amy… because it wasn’t long after that when Amy truly felt like MY FRIEND, AMY. 

So, this year it’s bigger and better.  There are committees and all kinds of cool stuff.  Already, you can register and also you can start to nominate your favorites.  There were a few blog categories that I couldn’t even come up with a nominee.  How bad is that?  But, for the most part, I had a spot to nominate a good amount of my favorites.

If you would like to participate this year… all I can say is that you’ll really like it.  There are usually LOTS of giveaways for the event and there is just so much energy surrounding it.  You’ll discover all kinds of great blogs that you will become addicted to.  Then… you’ll make more friends.  It’s great, I promise!

Also, one last little thing… because others gave me an introduction into the book review blogging world, if there are any new reviewers/bloggers out there who would like to spread the word about their new blog… I’m happy to spotlight your blog during BBAW and extend an introduction.

This Week’s Book Reviews

This week, I reviewed: 

In My Mailbox for Review

I received Learning to Breathe by Alison Wright.

Contests 

The winners of The Hollywood Nights ChickLit Extravaganza have been announced.  There were so many entries that the twins decided to help out.  It was fun doing the winning post with them.  They got a big kick out of whomever submitted multiple entries and had their favorites just based upon the names.  They loved the Randomizer!

This week, we have a MUSIC giveaway!  That’s right… I’ve got the My Sister’s Keeper Soundtrack (along with an autographed movie poster) for one lucky winner.  If you’d like to enter, please visit the contest HERE. 

Reading Challenges 

On J. Kaye’s 100+ Reading Challenge…  I’m at 98 books read.  Therefore, my statistical update for this challenge is that I’m 98% completed with 55.10% of the year completed.  This puts me ahead of schedule by 42.89%.   That’s it… only 2 more books to go!  I cannot wait.

I’ve gotten nothing else done on any of the other reading challenges, but once I finish up J. Kaye’s, I’m planning on focusing on them… especially Book Awards III Challenge.

ANM Got an Award!

From Kristina’s Favorites, I have been awarded the Queen of All Things Awe-summ Award.  How fun is that?   Before I tell you about the award, I want to share a little bit about Kristina’s Favorites.  I’ve been a reader of her blog for, I’m guessing, 6-7 months now.  I got to know her blog a bit better via Midweek Morsels, her great recipe swap meme  that you can find on Wednesdays.  I’ve noticed her meme has caught on and there are always several good recipes to read about on Wednesdays in my Google Reader.  She does a great job balancing excellent book reviews with personal stories and fun goodies!  Her blog is one that has become one of my favorites!

So, I read that once you receive this award, you have to share 7 Awe-Summ things about yourself and then pass it on to 7 others.   So, I recruited the twins to tell you 7 “Awe-Summ” things about me. 

1.  Devoted:  According to Colie, I am “devoted to life, friends, family, animals and blogging.”

2.  Neat Freak: Dee says, “You always make sure the house is clean and always make us clean it for you!” 

3.  I Think Outside the Box:  Then, Colie adds, ”You came up with the idea of the BookCharmers and you always come up with things that the family can do together.” 

4.  Hard Worker:  DeeDee says, “You always work your hardest, no matter what it is.”

5.  Motivator:  Colie jumps in to say, “You motivate us and everyone around you and, umm, what was I going to say?  Umm, don’t write the ‘ummm’.  Oh, I know what I was going to say!  Umm, (*giggle incesantly*) and everyone appreciates you for that.”

6.  Animal Lover:  The D’Ster shares, “You always put animals ahead of yourself.  Erase that.  I have a different one.  MOM!”

7.  I’m the BEST:  After arguing with Dee, Cole says, “You care for everybody.  You motivate them.  You do too much for us and sometimes it doesn’t seem like we appreciate you that much.  But, we do.  You should too.” (In the background, Dee yells, “HOW SWEET, YOU SUCK-UP!!”)

So, that is what the twins believe are 7 Awe-Summ things about me.  Personally, I just wish they’d go to bed.  I made them cookies and I think they’re on a sugar high.  So, here are my seven blogs that I’m passing this onto.

1. Kelly at EnRoute To Life. 
2. Fizzy Thoughts
3. Heather at Age 30+ A Lifetime of Books
4. Jo-Jo at Jo-Jo Loves to Read
5. Nicole at Linus’s Blanket
6. Shelly at Write For A Reader
7. Lisa at Books On The Brain

On TV 

The Bachelorette 

We’re down to the final two guys.  Tomorrow night will be the Men Tell All Episode and I understand that Ried and Wes aren’t going to be there.  Now, I don’t know if that is true… but, that’s what I’m hearing.  All over the internet, there are spoiler alerts that Kiptyn is the next Bachelor.  In any event, if you’ve missed this week’s review, you can check out my wrap-up from this week.

So You Think You Can Dance

They’ve narrowed it down to the top 8 dancers.  There was one dance, in particular with Jeanine and Jason that really was something to see this week. It is about a boy and a girl who have been friends for a long time and now are crossing the bridge into something more.  Please watch…

Other Reviews 

This week was my 3rd edition of my new feature.. The Score… a weekly post about a musical artist and song that I appreciate.  This week was the Soundtrack to My Sister’s Keeper – The Movie.  I featured a song  by Pete Yorn… love him!  You can catch the son in THE SCORE MINI-PLAYER in the green sidebar. 

And, for the movie lovers, this week’s Monday’s Movie was Yes Man with Jim Carrey.    I’ve been so terribly broke that I can’t afford to take all 3 of us to the movies just so that I can get my movie review done.  EEK.  So, I’ve been doing more DVD movies than IN-THE-THEATRE.  Sorry!  But, the people that are participating in the meme have been hitting the theatres, so you can check out their reviews via Mr. Linky if you’re interested.

At Home 

Well, I made cookies this week.  I got all of my homework done, and boy did I have a ton of it!  I made a BAZILLION phone calls that had to be made.  I tried endlessly to find a job.  I dealt with fighting twins and a heat wave.  I called my best friend.  I prayed.  I ate too much.  I made a great salmon dish.  I had nightmares.  I missed someone.  I worried.  I laughed.  I sang.  I wrote A LOT.  I broke a nail.  I read A TON!  (I think I read 4 books this week, alone.)  And, because my desk looked so messy on Cathy’s Scene of the Blog, I cleaned out and totally reorganized my desk.  It’s pretty now! 

As always, my thanks to all of you for reading not only this post, but the others as well.   Your readership means the world to me!  AND, your comments are invaluable to me!

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