Join us at Joy’s place and check in later this week for some thoughts on Eli Manning and the upcoming Super Bowl!

Joanna

5:53—the longest men’s singles final ever played at a tennis championship and a stat now owned by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and the 2012 Australian Open.

And what a match it was. A nailbiter, especially well into the fourth set, when Rafa looked as though he was about to hit the Aussie road back to his hotel. Being the champion he is though, he manufactured enough chances to take the fourth and go quite a distance in the fifth.

   Photograph: Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images

A true battle raged and yes, a winner had to emerge. For the seventh time between these two, Djokovic found the way. Even he said, too bad there couldn’t two winners, because these amazing young men both proved their mettle today. (Besides being a major Rafa fan, a win from him today may have set a very different tone for the rest of this tennis year as well as a rivalry that has potential to be that much more fun to witness. We’ll see how the various tennis seasons progress.)

   AP Photo/Aaron Favila

Back to the finalists: Each took his win and his loss in the most gracious manner I’ve seen yet.  A final note: when Djok called for chairs, it was nice to remember how human these guys actually are.

   Image Source : Zimbio’s 2012 Australian Open Rafael Nadal Photo Gallery

On to the rest of the tennis year!

For those who want more detail than I can provide, more on this epic match here!

Looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday (and a break from sports action for a while). The Australian time difference really messes with a sleep schedule, lol!

Have a great day!

Joanna

I’m still so psyched about the NY Giants’ incredible run toward the NFC Championship. Working on a related post for later this week or next!

We were supposed to be talking about discipline vs. control with kids this week, but that dinky little post morphed into two and is now a five-part series. I’ll most likely start running it next week, once I feel each piece is ready to go to (Word)press.

In the meantime, I’ve had a little over a year to consider myself an official user of an e-reader and thought I’d share my thoughts on some of the pros and cons.

As I’m sure you know, this awesome little device–in its many forms–is here to stay. Chances are, many of you recently acquired one right around that last week of December. That’s when my Nook Color sneaked its way into my happy little hands—last year, among hubby’s gifts. (Check out this year’s favorite here, then come right back now, y’hear?)

 bn.com

Yay! You didn’t get sidetracked! Back to e-readers, tablets or whatever device on which you choose to read. And yes, for our purposes, Kindle and Nook apps count. Like others before me, I want to lay out what I find advantageous about reading digital versus holding that print book in my hand. I’ve found disadvantages to the former, and I’ll cover those as well.)

We’ll begin with print books, probably simpler and more straightforward on both the negative and positive sides. The biggest advantage as far as I’m concerned, I can read my story from beginning to end without distractions (to be discussed below). I can mark up my copy any way I want, and use the notes for future reference. (Recently, I bought very colorful post-it notes and used those to mark pages/passages in a suspense to help me construct my own. My plan is to lay out the post-its in a notebook or on posterboard and substitute story ideas of my own. I figure then I can move these around as needed to get a first draft ‘outline’ together.)

Biggest disadvantage to print book: the ones I love are taking up too much space in my house (and gathering dust, unfortunately). At least others have made their way into a donation box.

E-readers/tablets:

Biggest disadvantage (for those of us who are DBD, or Distracted by Dust): distractions!!!! Other books, the internet, email, social media, blogs, shopping for more e-books, games, crossword puzzles, etc. (I believe this is significantly less with Amazon’s original Kindle and Sony’s dedicated device.)

Advantages: Love being able to look up information as I read—these can be word definitions or articles related to background information relative to the plot or time during which the story takes place (i.e., currently reading a romance set against medieval times; words for garments, weapons, tools, etc are unfamiliar. If the built-in dictionary isn’t helpful, Google is one touch away, assuming wi-fi is on).

I can highlight great prose or take notes on the story, note typos to inform the author, etc; these are auto-organized by page and ready to be viewed with another touch.

Virtual storage rocks! Eight gigabytes of space are on the Nook Color; this can expand to up to 32 GB via a memory card. I can also store the files on my computer and Barnes and Noble houses all my purchases in their virtual library. I can’t ever lose any book I bought via their website. (No dust bunnies anywhere, either!)

Viewing my work on a screen other than the laptop’s and not being able to mess with it while reading for flow. I save the file as PDF—just scrolls better for some reason—and just read. (I did, however, take extensive handwritten notes on a last re-read of a current manuscript, then went back into the Word-file and made those changes one at a time. Found a whole ‘nother level of the story that way. Now, the most recent version is in PDF and cooling a little before I upload it to my reading device.

I can share my work with others without having to print two hundred pages or so. Saves me $$ and spares the environment the extra paper, ink cartridges, etc that otherwise might have wound up in landfills. (Even recycling has its disadvantages in the energy needed for the chemical processes involved. I also learned the hard way that refilling ink cartridges at my local drugstore was a recipe for destroying my printer in the long run—which turned out to be less than a year.)

The cost of e-books is often significantly less than the cost of a print book (though not always the case).

E-books have created apparently infinite opportunities for writers and authors to indie- and/or self-publish works that might have otherwise virtually rotted on their hard drives.

So where does your favor lie? On the print pages or with virtual ink?

Have a great day and ttys,

Joanna

Yay! This is post #197—three to go to my 200^th! Next goal: bring the number of followers into the triple digits! (Translation: if you like what you see here, please click one of the share buttons below. And, as always, thanks so much!

Life looks like it’s getting exciting around here; I’ll share more detailed news when the time is right! For today, because the post I had in mind grew a life of its own and won’t be ready until next week, I’m posting a simple and hopefully, fun topic—just in time for bargain hunters, flea market and garage sale junkies everywhere:

Share with us your most ridiculous surprise and/or awesome buy ever.

Mine: Backpacks I picked up for my sons at Five Below when they were about 10 and 8 years old: ful backpacks, with $49.99 price tags still attached. Had never heard of them but they looked sturdy enough—and for $5/piece? Sure, why not try it out?

Had I known then what we were getting, I probably would have bought six or more. My younger guy, now in 7^th grade, still uses his and it’s in awesome shape. The older one wishes he hadn’t let his friends mess with his. He’s had two or three different backpacks since his ful and still misses it.

(BTW, Five Below has great padded cases for almost every kind of portable electronic you can think of: sturdy, colorful and simple enough not to look tacky.)

Just thought I’d share that and looking to have some fun with your responses!

Have a great weekend, everyone! See you next week!

Joanna

Hi everyone, and welcome to a shortened work week for many. The Australian Open Tennis Championships are underway and the NY Giants are looking to claim the NFC championship and secure their place in SuperBowl 46. Yes, I’m psyched and plan on having a lot of fun with sports this week!

Okay, back to what I can do if it’s for someone else. Y’all know me. I get sidetracked.

So I’m horrid about getting somewhere early. (To me, on time and early interchangeable terms.). Case in point: most days, my son gets a ride to school from a neighbor and I’m on standby.

On those few days I drive, I’m usually in the car by 7:10. (The high-schoolers start their day at 7:30 AM. On paper, I’m due in at ~8:20.) I then head to my school-of-the-morning to get in some quality paperwork time. When I don’t drive him in, I’ll dilly-dally at home and mosey in to work at about 8:30, which is a huge improvement for me. (I used to skitter in at 8:55 then scramble to grab materials and kids by 9:00). By 8:30 though, too many people are around and I can’t settle down knowing I’ll be servicing kids within the half hour. I know my behavior is a form of procrastination, but I’ve yet to figure out how to get myself to do for me without needing that external push of doing it for someone else.

Same goes for REALLY cleaning certain areas of my home. How often do I walk by a pile and keep going? Why is it that as soon as I know someone is coming over I suddenly know what to do with the mess (besides stuff it in a bag and hide it, lol)? I was like that with assignments in high school and college too: that Last-Minute-Lucy in me could throw together a great paper with a day or two to go. That month before? Couldn’t look at it.

I now turn to you: what are your thoughts on these topics? What and/or why do you do for someone else and not for you? Why do you think the brain comes up with a solution in those final moments? What is it about pressure that creates a plan?

Thanks for your input! I’m looking forward to being able to take on some of your thoughts for myself!

Have a great day and ttys,

Joanna

Since we talked about Christmas on Tuesday, let’s finish this week’s blog-set with one related to the same holiday. Then, we’ll put Christmas to rest—until after Thanksgiving (or maybe July ).

My 13-year-old son must have revised his 2011 Christmas list six times (and not for editing purposes, I can assure you.) Can’t tell you how many times I told him this particular holiday isn’t “mail order.” Kids, however, will be kids and this one was true to form.

He waxed and waned between a new gaming system (PS-3) and several other pricey game-related items (for X-box 360, which he has). He finally settled on the former as he handed over the final draft of his list.

       https://gustavus.edu/gts/Xbox_360

When hubby and I got to the gaming store and looked over the list, I noticed at least one-third of the PS-3 items he wanted he’d recently acquired for X-box, at the tune of $150-200. Seriously? After I asked the young guy behind the counter some questions why one system would be favorable over another, a judgment call was definitely in order. We picked up games and acc  essories for his X-Box 360 that were on his list as back-up, plus some other goodies Mom thought he could use: a robe, NY Giants’ hoodie—you know, essentials.

   http://us.playstation.com/ps3/

FYI: The big draw for PS-3 is said to be free online gaming, but Sony had been hacked earlier that year and was down for three months. X-box 360 requires X-box Points to play online and must be purchased separately, at the tune of roughly $8/month or $60/year, a significant savings if you’re willing to put the bigger cost up front. (BTW, video games are no longer an individual activity. Kids play online with each other, within the online framework of the gaming system they have. They invite each other to virtual “parties” or play football games against each other, work as teams on other games, etc.)

Most of my son’s friends have X-Box 360; the system, so far, seems to have the staying power of Windows XP. In other words, it’s been around and most likely will remain popular a while longer. (Dang! When did I learn all this stuff? I hated computers when they first arrived on the scene. Hubby bought me my first one, lol. )

Fast-forward to Christmas morning: To say I had a very disappointed child on my hands is an understatement. Folks, we had DRAMA, and all that talk about the real meaning of Christmas, expectations, mail order, etc wasn’t going anywhere. (Thank goodness our visit to church changed his mood, as did having Christmas at our house.)

Of course I questioned the choices hubby and I made as a different aspect of the potential problem hit me: Were we cutting our son off from the social network his games provide by not having gotten the new system? I decided to delve further by asking my son some questions. Turns out, only one friend got PS-3 and plays X-Box along with the other “core crowd” of gaming buddies. (Sounds like I’m not the only parent who thinks this way.)

I’m grateful to report things worked out. (Somehow they always do.) By evening, after the festivities wound down, my son came to me and said, “I feel like a fool about the way I acted this morning.” (And, he was glad he didn’t get the PS-3; the next day, he stood in line for at least thirty minutes and came home with an I-phone, which he bought with his Christmas money. He did need a new communication device). Even as I wrote this, he rethought his behavior and vocalized his feelings on having missed looking forward to opening gifts because of his attitude. I found it especially saddening on Christmas day to know how upset he was. Besides it being every kid’s favorite holiday, this same child pretty much decorated the house and did all the wrapping (save his and his brother’s presents; momma handled those). He brought the festive look to our home and saved me tons of work. But, if he learned something from the experience that will stick with him, then I suppose the rough start to the biggest day of the year was worth it.

One more notice: He recently played on a friend’s PS-3 and decided he didn’t like it after all. Then he started talking about what he wants for Christmas 2012. (That’s when the hand went up—I was, after all, watching the NY Giants’ Wild Card game and was in no position to consider the next holiday season, lol.)

So what are your takes on this subject? Have you ever had to make that call that you know would so disappoint someone? What did you do? How did the situation turn out?

Have a wonderful weekend–it’s an extended one for us–and ttys! Go Giants (and Packers)!

Joanna

Is there a gift you received from which you know you’ll get major mileage? Does it have special significance?

I did:

Hubby got me this incredible necklace–totally my taste.

The crazy part? Read this:

“A heart-shaped locket fell into her lap. Tiny, glittering silver-black marquasite encrusted it, surrounding an oval amethyst on an intricate silver chain.”

My hero gave this to his heroine in No Matter Why. Hubby never read the book yet I end up with this necklace that is so ridiculously close to the one I wrote about it’s scary. AND it’s an estate piece. My heroine’s was an antique–go figure.

Your turn–what was your favorite gift or memory this past holiday season?

See you later this week,

Joanna

Today, I’m having some fun.

Sometimes you realize something ridiculously simple has memories attached to it that you’ll carry always. Hopefully, those make you smile.

That’s what a Reese’s Pieces sundae at Friendly’s does for me. Took my son there last night. Of course I asked for the smallest but the waitress told me it wasn’t worth it over their junior size. I’d just take home what I couldn’t finish, right?

Uh huh. My son and I were both scraping the sides of our cups but that’s neither here nor there. As I dove into my sundae—with extra peanut butter sauce, thank you very much—I realized I have very specific memories associated with that dessert.

The first ties to a friend with whom I am still in touch. Her daughter was two at the time and I was invited to tag along. Mom ordered the Reese’s Pieces sundae for her little girl, who dove under the table shouting, “Pieces!” every time one fell out. (Think they put a lot more candy into the dish then.)

Another time I ordered the junior version (three scoops of cookie dough) but wound up being handed the regular (five scoop) size. The waitress told me they’d charge me for the junior but suggested I keep the large since they’d probably toss it otherwise. I left one spoonful of ice cream in that bowl-on-a-pedestal.

 (www.friendlys.com)–the 5-scoop version . Awesome, isn’t it?

I also recall a time I got one to go. Don’t ask why but I put that container at my feet directly under the heater on my side of the car. At home I pulled a container of cold soup into the freezer—I mean, if it were lousy after it refroze I could toss it then, right? Fast forward a few days: my best sundae ever. All those flavors came together in the most amazing way. (I still lick my lips thinking about it.)

Yes folks, I had to get in a post, lol, and meet that personal, two-blogs-a-week goal. It’s also Saturday and hopefully, a laid back day for many. (I’m blowing off the house and looking to sneak in two dates with hubby.)

Now how about some of you sharing a light and fun memory? Do you have a favorite dessert, or something you think about when engaged in a specific activity? (Like a teacher/coworker who, when I met her, told me, “I know you from the back!” Not my best side, I promise, but turns out she frequently drives past my house and often saw me working a small garden just outside my side gate.)

Did your memories make you smile? I certainly hope so. Take care and ttys next week!

Joanna

Here is my most recent unsolicited and unpaid for ‘review’–something I do if a book strikes my fancy enough. Louise Shaffer’s little gem, Looking for a Love Story, is perfect if you’re looking for some good reading during the upcoming winter doldrums.

Those of you who read my last post on Ms. Shaffer’s books know I was very much looking forward to this one. I’m very happy to report I enjoyed it every bit as much as I’d hoped to based on the title. (Did you expect else from a lover of all things romantic?) As I mentioned in that earlier post, I’d already read The Three Miss Margarets and The Ladies of Garrison Gardens; I enjoyed the former, preferred the latter but both times, had some trouble following all the twists and turns of mysteries as each unfolded.

Looking, on the other hand, was a simple, straight-up character journey and sweet love story set against a Vaudevillian backdrop. (This story also helped me realize why I seem to be having so much trouble getting together a suspense; I like straightforward love stories that much better.) I found it very easy to relate to the protagonist—a blocked published author working at getting her life together after her hottie husband leaves her unexpectedly. Her efforts to find writing work lead her to Chicky, an eighty-something year-old woman who wants her parents’ love story written as a memoir. No mysteries; no murders; an ending that didn’t feel cut short and just a tiny twist that fit the account well. The characters are fun, fresh and real; the story easy to follow and hard to put down. A great book and one that lives up to its title. (For more, you’re on your own .)

Have a great day and will most likely catch up with you later this week,

Joanna

Taking a moment to wish all of my favorite bloggy pals a New Year graced with God’s peace, health and joy. May you all be as blessed as you’ve blessed me.

Love,

Joanna