GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLFRIEND GATHERINGS

Learning from YOU to empower ME !

NaBloPoMo #16 – In Choosing a Book to Read, a Book Cover Will………

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NaBloPoMo November 2013Women Having Coffee

Now, I know there is an old saying that states, “don’t judge a book by its cover” but book covers are very important to me in making my book choices.   This is especially true for books that I randomly select.   If it is a book from one of my favorite authors or a book that a friend has recommended, then the book cover has less importance and will probably warrant just a glance.   However, that randomly selected book will get a thorough review starting with the book cover.    The book cover is the first impression.

I think my preference for book covers can be traced back to childhood before I started school.   When my older brother started school he would come home and read to me always pointing at the pictures in his book.    I was jealous.   I wanted to go to school and I wanted to read, too.   So, I would get our children’s bible stories book, turn to all of the glossy pictures and make up stories in my mind about what was happening in those pictures.   Now, when I select books to read, I do the same thing with the covers and anticipate discovering if the actual story is similar to the one I imagined.

Upcoming Author Interview – Call for Participants

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On October 30th, I posted a book review for “Comfort of Fences” by Stacy Overman Morrison.

http://www.stacyomorrison.com

Women Having Coffee

I am planning an author interview with Stacy for January 2014 and I would like to invite my blog readers to participate.

After all, this is the place for the girlfriend gatherings!

Please consider reading Stacy’s book.    You can find it here:

Amazon:    http://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Overman-Morrison/e/B00FYW7OUS

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/368064

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/comfort-of-fences-stacy-overman-morrison/1117244427?ean=9781939927569

Once you have read the book, please submit your questions to me by January 3, 2014 at: info@writerelainegray.com

I will compile them and submit to our author, Stacy Overman Morrison, and will post her answers on the blog.    Also, Stacy will give a prize to the person who submits the most interesting question so be sure to include your name and contact information on your submission.

Please join in as we explore the backstory of Stacy’s debut novel.

NaBloPoMo #11 – One Bad Habit I Wish I Could Quit Instantly Without Difficulty Is…….

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NaBloPoMo November 2013Women Having Coffee

The one bad habit I wish I could quit instantly without difficulty is eating that movie-going meal at the theatre.    For me, that meal is a small bag of popcorn, a hot dog loaded with mustard/relish and a large coca-cola or root beer.   I know most would say that is a normal combo for the movies and acceptable for the occasional theatre outing but I go to the theatre almost every weekend.   This habit is wrecking my eating management plan and my attempt to transition to better healthier choices is falling short.

Now, there is a history surrounding eating this meal at the movies.   In an earlier post, I mentioned how my mother was an avid movie buff when I was growing up.   Within one mile of my childhood home was a drive-in movie.   During the school year we would go on the weekends and in the summer we would go on Mondays for the $1 a carload special.   My Mom would make us homemade hot dogs, pop our popcorn by the old-fashioned on-the-stove method in butter, and have cans of our favorite soft drinks iced down in a cooler.   It really didn’t matter what was showing at the drive-in because we went every time they changed the movie.    I have fond memories of those times and I think that is associated with my current theatre experiences.  It makes it hard to give up.  Today, my Mom and I still watch movies together.

So, on my quest to substitute and still enjoy my at-the-movies meal, I have tried many variations.   The best healthy substitute was iced herbal raspberry tea and falafel chips but I had to sneak the food inside the movie in my large tote.   Of course, there is no substitute for a hot dog.   However, this only works when I plan to go to the theatre so that I can have the items on hand in my pantry.   There are times like this past weekend when I decided at the spur of the moment to go the theatre to see the new Thor movie and I ended up eating my usual meal.   I felt guilty so I skipped dinner that night.

NaBloPoMo #7 If I Had To Be Trapped In A Movie for 5 Days, I Would Choose…….

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NaBloPoMo November 2013Women Having Coffee

Ok.  This is an easy one.   All of my friends have heard me lament over and over again in the past that I wish I could have a job on the bridge of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC 1701-D).   So, if I had to be trapped in a movie for 5 days, it would be in any of the movies/episodes of Star Trek-Next Generation with Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

I actually like all of the Star Trek series (Original, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise) but my favorite captain is Jean-Luc Picard.    His personality and leadership capabilities are suited to my personality and this is important for a job that could cost me my life!   Also, I am fascinated with the android Lieutenant Commander Data – a walking/talking database.  I admire the way Captain Picard always refer to him for relevant information and analysis before making those harrowing, life or death decisions.

The time period, earth’s governments, and the motivations of mankind is better suited for me in the 24th century which is the setting of Star Trek – Next Generation because I have always felt I was born before my time.  The thought of traveling faster than the speed of light to different worlds and meeting different beings is appealing to me because in my life now I travel nationally and internationally, work/communicate daily with a global community of co-workers, and have a multi-cultural group of great friends.

It would be an adventure and my delight to be trapped in a Star Trek – Next Generation movie and to go where no man has gone before.   My only regret is that it would only be for five days.     Energize!

H-Town Happenings – Houston Ballet Guild Nutcracker Market

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On this past Saturday, I was able to mark “Done” on my H-Town bucket list next to the entry about attending the annual Houston Ballet Guild Nutcracker Market.     Since 1981, the Nutcracker Market has raised money for the academy and scholarship programs of the Houston Ballet Foundation.   As a native Houstonian, I had been a subscriber of the Houston Ballet and attended the performance of the Nutcracker several times as a Christmas tradition but I had never attended the Nutcracker Market.   So, I called up a few girlfriends and we decided to have a field trip.

The venue for the Nutcracker Market is the Reliant Center which is on the same complex as Reliant Stadium – home of the Houston Texans football team.   As usual, there was adequate parking and a shuttle service to/from the Reliant Center.   We arrived early, a few minutes after the opening for the day, and there were already a considerable amount of shoppers in the booths.   I was expecting handmade beautiful Christmas decorations and merchandise for sale but there were all sorts of other merchandise from jewelry to furniture to back massagers and even cowgirl boots  ( I guess the latter should not have been a surprise in Texas!)   There were approximately 300 national and international merchants.

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My girlfriend and I were not interested in jewelry so we focused on the non-jewelry booths.    The booths with Christmas decorations were wonderful and the most amazing to me was the “Linda Jeanes Original Santas, L.L.C” booth with beautifully detailed Santas of all sizes.   The designer is Linda Jeanes at http://www.lindajdesigns.com.   There were many other booths with Christmas decorations and here are some of the pictures.

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Another booth that caught my eye was one that had elaborate handmade birdcages and the prices were just as high as they stood.

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We traveled up and down the aisles tasting some of the culinary fare from cherry salsa to toffee to rum cake (that would have made me drunk had I eaten an entire slice!).   We had only planned to peruse the market with no intent to shop but I succumbed to the test drive of the back massager by Casada.   Every person that sat in that massage chair did not want to leave it.   It is a wonderful item in that I can put it on any chair and even use it in my car.    My girlfriend succumbed to the call of the Old Gringo booth and ended the day by buying two pairs of beautiful cowgirl boots.

Overall, we enjoyed our visit to the Nutcracker Market.   It was very well-attended and I now understand how the Nutcracker Market has contributed $22 million to Houston Ballet Foundation since 1981.  If you are a jewelry lover, you could attend all three days and not visit every booth but, for everything else, a one-day visit should suffice.