Archive for the 'Reading' Category

New Year. New Challenge.

Published Date: January 1st, 2009
Category: Alzheimer's Info, Public Policy Forum, Reading

2009 will bring a new challenge for me as I, yikes, officially re-enter the workforce.   It certainly isn’t that I haven’t been working for the past few years.  I’ve kept myself busy as a mom, freelance writer, marketing specialist, and volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association.  But no, thanks to my Gemini roots, I harbor an [...]

Taking a Ride on the Reading Railroad

Published Date: December 13th, 2008
Category: Made Me Laugh, Parenting, Reading

The holiday classic, The Polar Express, chugged into town last night (well technically Hood River but that doesn’t sound as festive).  At a time when holiday traditions are lost in a sea of big box stores and tech savvy kids who email annotated wish lists to Santa, our bumpy ride over rusted tracks just might [...]

Fruit Luke

Published Date: October 5th, 2008
Category: Parenting, Reading

In an homage to Luke’s favorite book (of the moment) Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears, we spent the afternoon picking pears in Hood River’s organic orchards.  The Fruit Loop tour winds through 36 fruit stands, farms, and orchards.  It’s like a wine tour for kids.  Since this is harvest season the orchards were ripe with peaches, apples, squash and [...]

Back to School Bucks

Published Date: August 8th, 2008
Category: Reading

  I hate to admit it but back to school season is upon us.  Aside from choosing a new Brady Bunch lunch box, my favorite part of back to school preparation as a child was shopping for clothes.  Inevitably my outfit choices lead to battles with my parents over which one was to be worn [...]

Return to reading

Published Date: June 10th, 2008
Category: Book Updates, Reading

Just in time for summer vacation, I’m reading again.  I’ve found that while I’m writing or editing I can’t read, not even pure mind candy.  It’s interesting because I’m sure the cumulative works I’ve read over the past thirty-five years have all shaped and influenced my own writing style.  But while in the midst of crossing out words [...]

Reading Is Fun Week

Published Date: May 9th, 2008
Category: Alzheimer's Info, Reading

 It’s time for a trip to the library, your favorite bookstore, or both this weekend.  Next week, May 12-18th, is Reading Is Fun Week.  The event, founded by RIF in 1979, began as a way to encourage and promote children to read throughout summer vacation.  My entire summer vacation revolved around reading when I was a child.  In my [...]

Reading Green

Published Date: May 3rd, 2008
Category: Reading

I recently discovered a new way to reduce my reading imprint: Eco-Libris.  A genius of an idea, at Eco-Libris they plant a tree for every book you read in a developing nation.  Since I live within ten minutes of Powell’s Books I feel less guilty about my book purchases since they eventually end up back on the [...]

She doesn’t look like Voldemort

Published Date: April 18th, 2008
Category: Reading

Okay so since I’m not yet published, my thoughts on this subject are somewhat hypothetical, but come on J.K. suing your biggest fan–it just doesn’t make sense.  For anyone who isn’t a Potter-head you can can get up to speed on the lawsuit here or here.  I totally understand suing a fan who drives by your house at [...]

All signs point to Ursula

Published Date: April 2nd, 2008
Category: Reading

I watched The Jane Austen Book Club last weekend.  I read the book years ago, and loved it.  Sometimes I worry about movie adaptations of books I really love (with the exception of any BBC version of Austen), but this didn’t disappoint.  Emily Blunt was fantastic as Prudie.  I’d forgotten how many Ursula Le Guin references there are in the book, and subsequently the [...]

Children’s Choice Book Awards

Published Date: March 26th, 2008
Category: Parenting, Reading

  Voting is open for the 2008 Children’s Choice Book Awards.  Kids get to vote for their favorites online.  The only drawback is the nominees are pulled from bestseller lists, which in our family meant that Luke demanded to know why Flat Stanley (his current favorite) wasn’t on the list.