What I've Been Reading Lately...

So I go on random tangents a lot of the time.  Like, some months, I'll be REALLY into Netflix - so much so that I dedicate every free moment to some sort of show or series that I want to watch all the way through.  My most recent addiction?  I watched all eight seasons of Charmed and all six seasons of Drop Dead Diva.

And in case you're wondering - why Drop Dead Diva, just look at this:

Look on the very right.  Holy Dermot Mulroney, amiright?  Okay, I realize it's not really him, but seriously, they could be very hot brothers separated at birth.  And in case you're like, who the heck is Dermot Mulroney - just look at THIS:

Or you can go rent "The Wedding Date" or "My Best Friend's Wedding" and watch it RIGHT NOW.  Seriously, I'll wait...

Anyway, back to what I was saying.  After my most recent binge, I decided to take a break from Netflix, and my addiction turned into this APP called "Episodes."  Basically, it's like if the game SIMS married a Choose Your Own Adventure Book and had a little girl who was a lot like "Cher" from Clueless.  Does that paint a mental picture?  So I was spending all this time with this APP, and then, all of a sudden, I just lost interest.  Boom, onto the next thing!

I tried going back to writing - currently I'm working on "Harkness" (the sequel to "Ravensboro") and a Choose Your Own Adventure story called "Senior Year."  Well, both of those have come to a shrieking halt, because this past Saturday, I went to Books-a-Million with my mom and found FOUR BOOKS in a series that were on sale for less than $8 - SCORE!  So I bought them.  And read the first two books in a day.  Don't judge me.

The series is called The Lux Novels by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  At the risk of turning this post into an episode of Reading Rainbow, I will go ahead and give you a brief rundown.

There's this guy named Daemon (gee, I wonder where she got that name from - Vampire Diaries, anyone?) who has a twin sister, Dee.  They live in some minuscule town in West Virginia, and this girl named Katy moves in next door.  Well, to be fair, the books are all from Katy's perspective, not Daemon's, so I probably should have mentioned her first ... ANYWAY - so Katy meets Dee and they become fast friends, but her and Daemon don't get along from the get-go.  Oh, and she finds out Dee and Daemon are ACTUALLY triplets, and their other brother, Dawson, had gone missing (assumed to be dead) a year earlier.  Plus, most of the town stays away from Daemon, Dee, and this other set of triplets, Ash, Adam and Andrew (who all came to town at the same time and hang out together all the time - coincidence?  I think not).  Then Katy finds out who - or should I say what - they really are, and all hail breaks loose from there.  I'm kind of addicted.

So I read the first two books in the series, and then realized I didn't have the 3rd and 4th books, so I ordered them off Amazon.  As I was ordering them, I ran across ANOTHER series (by the same author) about descendants of Greek gods and goddesses.  Well, anyone who knows me knows that is RIGHT up my fantasy-reading alley, so I'm currently also reading that series on my Kindle.  lol

Needless to say, I am face-deep in Sci-Fi book mode.  What about you?  What's your current tangent or addiction?

5 Things That...

Make me Happy
1. When I see my niece and nephew and they're like "AUNT CHRISSY!"  Then I am full :D
2. Christmas.  Always and forever.
3. Spontaneous road trips.  It could be to another state, or just a late night run to Taco Bell.  But I love them.
4. Laying in bed ALL DAY Netflixin'.  It's the best.
5. Ben & Jerry's with my bestie :)

Make me Sad
1. Those SPCA commercials with that Sarah McLaughlin song playing. You know the one.
2. Widows and widowers who are all alone :'(
3. Orphans who wonder if they will ever be able to be part of a family.
4. War.
5. Disease and unnecessary death/murder.

Make me Angry
1. Prideful people.
2. People who mistreat or take advantage of those who are weaker or smaller than they are.
3. When I can't open a jar or bottle.  Soooo frustrating.
4. Bills.  They make me angry.  I know they're a part of life, but I just HATE THEM.
5. Sin.

Make me Hungry
1. When I'm thirsty.  Weirdly enough.
2. When you walk into a room or a house and that yummy food smell hits you.
3. Hanging out with friends and looking for something to do. lol
4. When I'm stressed.
5. When I'm bored. #confessiontime #iamafatty

Make me Sleepy
1. Staring at a computer screen for too long. #storyofmylife
2. Watching a movie and getting into that PERFECTLY comfy spot on the couch. Zzzzz....
3. Rainy days.  But I love them.  Only if I'm inside though.
4. Watching my cats.  Because they're ALWAYS on the verge of falling asleep. lol
5. Stress.  When I get stressed I either eat or sleep.  Those are my two automatic reactions.

Make me Wistful
1. Choral music.
2. Camp movies/books/tv shows.
3. Driving down 98 by my old high school.
4. Facebook.
5. The diaries/journals I kept growing up.

Make me Wonder
1. The beautiful sounds of nature
2. Walking down a trail by myself
3. Worship music + devotions + nature = magical
4. The wee hours of the morning when God wakes me up to talk to me
5. Babies. How tiny and perfect they are!

Make me Laugh
1. My husband, but usually when he's not trying to be funny.
2. Tim Hawkins. He is hilarious, y'all.
3. Cat videos.  Don't hate.
4. Jon Krasinski's face.
5. Jimmy Fallon's show.  It's the best.

What are your five things?

I'm an Aunt...Again!

Yes, that's right, ladies and gents!  My brother-in-law and sister, Paul & Sara, are proud parents of a beautiful baby girl born today.  Her name is Lauren Priya, and she arrived at 4:03 this morning weighing 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 1/2 inches long.  She's a beauty :)  I want to hold her all the time.  Below are some pictures of the proud aunt, uncle, grandma and father!

When Songs Bring Tears

Guys,

I don't know if you know this, but I was a big choral nerd in high school.  I kinda still am, I just don't really have an outlet for it any more.  Ever since high school, I've been a huge fan of acapella music, especially when Eric Whitacre is the composer.

Favorite Eric Whitacre song here:

This song is taken from 2 Samuel 18 when David learns of his son Absalom's death.

32 And the king said unto him, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" And he answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."
33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

This song makes me WEEP.  It is so good.  And, of course, I selected the version with sheet music showing because I told you - I'M A NERD LIKE THAT!

Anyway, so Eric Whitacre - I'm a huge fan of his.  And I've never really been able to find another choral composer that can touch his awesomeness.  Until today.

Dan Forrest, y'all.  Just listen to this song.  #Goosebumps

This song is from Ruth 1, when Naomi tells Ruth & Orpah to return to their families after the deaths of Naomi's sons & the women's husbands.  Ruth says:

16 But Ruth said:
“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”

I love it so much, I've always loved this story, but this song just brings the emotion in these verses TO LIFE.  I just bought it on Amazon - but this version in the video is waaaaay better than the version on Amazon.

I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do.  What music moves you?  Please share!

International Holiday Mistake

Okay, there are 365 days in a year - PLENTY of days to choose from when selecting a national OR international holiday.  And this year, there's going to be an incredibly dichotomous day on May 5, when part of the world will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo like wild, crazy animals - YAY, PARTY!  And the other part of the world will be "celebrating" Holocaust Remembrance Day.  #Awkward

I can't even imagine what that's going to be like.  Guess we'll find out on Thursday.