E-Mail

You know all of those annoying e-mails that your friends forward to you? The ones that make you cry, the ones that make you laugh, and the ones that make you take stock of your situation in life and realize it's not so bad after all? You know the ones?

I received an e-mail today that put things back into perspective for me. I've been struggling with getting older. I'm not OLD, I know it, you know it. I'm only 37 years old, but I've been struggling none the less. My daughter is only 3 years away from heading off to college and my son is getting older and doesn't have a whole lot of uses for me unless he's hurt or hungry. So I've been wallowing a little bit. My friend Donna sent me this e-mail, I don't know who originally wrote it (duh) but it put things back into perspective for me and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Happy Reading...

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.


I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore..
I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,
but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it).

LSM Monday

The family and I went and saw The A-Team yesterday. I liked it. I was never a Bradley Cooper fan until I saw him in The Hangover. I have a whole new respect for this hottie.

Audio Books

The way my summer has been going I'm working a ton of hours, hence the lack of blogging and LSM Mondays, so my reading time for hold it in your hand books has seriously diminished. I've been getting my book fix by listening to audio books and have discovered a lot of new to me authors thanks to my neighbor at work who also listens to audio books. I've enjoyed books by Lisa Kleypas (Blue Eyed Devil) who I have included all her titles in my TBR pile, Greg Iles (24 Hours) whose suspense is just amazing, and Mark Gimenez (The Abduction) who I am currently enjoying.

Here's the problem that I'm running into, not every author gets audio books. There are a lot of authors who have been recommended to me by all of you and other readers that are not available as audio books. Elisabeth Naughton, Tara Janzen, Lori Handeland, Anne Stuart (can you believe it?), Sarah Mayberry, Lori Foster, the list goes on and on of authors who are not available as audio books. What's a reader to do? Who do you think is in charge of making these decisions? I'd write to my congressman but I don't think he gets a say and I don't think he'd care.

I know a lot of you don't listen to audio books, but those of you who do, any recommendations of authors? I could always use a few more authors to read, er, listen to.

Happy Friday Eve my friends.

Complete Change of Subject

My friends, I am in need of help. I know this blog is typically about hot men, writing, reading and general fun book stuff, but I need to change the subject. I need help.

I am working for an old employer and he has transferred everything over to Mac. UGH. It wouldn't be a big deal except that I'm a PC. Mac Office uses Entourage. I'm updating his contacts in Entourage 2008 and need to know if there is any way possible to sort the contacts by two different items. For instance sort by Company than by last name.

Do any of my friends out there use Entourage and if so can you help me???? I would really appreciate it. I'd even be willing to give a $15 gift certificate to Amazon or Barnes & Noble .com for the person who comes up with an answer that works. I'm desperate. Pathetic and sad and desperate.

Thanks everybody!

LSM Monday and such

Hello my friends! This week is going to be a crazy one for me. I have so much going on I'm not sure how much time I'll have to visit with everyone. I will miss you and try to catch up on my blog hopping as quickly as possible.

On that note, Happy LSM Monday!

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