Vote For Change

Sweet gay couple in Us Magazine's Dream Wedding Contest!

Vote for change! Imagine how refreshing and wonderful it would be to have a gay couple win a dream wedding contest. Get out there and (click out there, I should say) and show your support for equality. Show the world the U.S. isn't all Sarah Palins and stuffed up old white conservatives. Just two clicks is all it takes, about 30 seconds of your time:

http://www.usmagazine.com/dream-wedding-2009-couple-6

Do it up!

Liz

Hey, Sarah Palin, You Obsequious Bitch...

I find it funny that you don't find it funny that comedians are cracking jokes about your children. You, mother of five, dragged them into the limelight so you could have your moment in the sun. You pandered them out to the right wing. There's no limit to how low you'll go to get what you want. Now you're surprised they're fodder for late night? Give me a fucking break.

Also, Sarah Palin, you poor excuse for mother and insult to thinking women everywhere, kinda late to worry about Brillow Pad's (or was it Comet? Ajax? Oh, yeah, Bristol)...excuse me...Bristol's virtue, don'tcha think? That ship's done sailed, Mamma.

Liz

Recommended Reading

Hi all,

(*Added Later* Hey - I just realized this is my 7th or 8th post in a row without a political rant , I've been giving you all a break! I'll have to cook up a serious bitch-fest about the right-wingers to lay on you this weekend...muah ha ha hahahahaha!)

If you haven't checked out Smashwords, please do! It's a site for independent authors to publish their ebooks. Full of fantastic resources for authors and great bargains for readers. Many titles and all genres are available. Most, if not all, titles offer very generous samples before purchase, so you can read several chapters before deciding to cough up the small price (most are just a few to five dollars) to read the full title and support the author.

* An Aside * Being the responsible person that I am *yeah, right*, I feel it necessary to offer a word of caution to fellow readers: Many, probably most, of the books on Ebook sites are written by talented authors and have been through rounds and rounds of personal editing as well as rounds of critiques by other authors. These authors are innovative, resourceful, have an eye on the blooming ebook market, and have made the decision to forego the agent/publisher scenerio for their own reasons. Their books stand out among the slush. Other books offered on ebook sites are offered "newbies," or authors who wrote a book, had their husband, mother, best friend, etc...read, praise, and scan for typos. These books have not had the benefit of honest, harsh critique necessary to bring a good story idea to fruition. It is your responsibity as a reader to read the samples offered by the authors to decide for yourselves into which category the book of your interest falls. Shop smart, readers.

Now, back to the original thought thread...

Once you purchase a book on Smashwords, you gain access to all available styles of download for that title, so you can read it online right from your computer, download it in .pdf or .rtf (and others) and read it straight from your own word processor, print it and read it, or download it to your digital readers like Sony and Kindle. Highly user friendly and you can't beat the prices. So support authors that think outside the box and check out the new wave in publishing at Smashwords.com.

Recommended title:

To Inherit a Murderer, by E.J.Ruek.

I found this novel to be well, even better written, than any title offered by traditional publishing houses. To Inherit A Muderer is, at turns, a heartwarming, heartwrenching, often chilling tale of a woman who has trouble trusting others bonding with a boy who can't be trusted. I'd describe it as a paranormal thriller with a great twist that both surprises and rewards the reader. I laughed and cried, cheered and shouted at the characters, and you can't give a better recommendation than that.

I loved this book. Below you'll find the link, so check it and other titles at Smashwords.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2270

Liz

Jesus, Material Possessions, and Neighbors

It's been a week or so since my last rant, so I'm about due again. Here goes:

Y'all know I'm an atheist, but I'm not one of "those" atheists. I don't try to push it on people the same way I don't want people pushing their religion on me. But, having been raised Catholic, I've read the bible through several times. And...

I recently had a long conversation with a friend, a woman who's a devout Christian (extreme willpower exercised there not putting quotation marks around Christian...and let me tell you why) and she's actually a lovely lady. We get along well, we've had lunch and whatnot. (Although every other word out of her mouth is pray, prayer, Jesus, the Lord, Savior, etc...) Anyway, we got to talking about healthcare. She's rah rah Bush ultraconservative Republican and I'm a far left liberal Democrat atheist. Probably shouldn't talk about politics, but we're always careful to be respectful of each others' views.  Anway, she's against universal health care. I'm for it.

Her argument: why should she have to pay for healthcare for people who don't have it? Why can't they just go out and GET JOBS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE? Why should my money go to pay for other people's health care, and let me tell you another thing, it really makes me angry that my money's going to pay for medicare for people that retire at 62. They need to work into their 70's and even 80's! I plan to. Why can't they? I shouldn't have to pay for homeless people's healthcare. I shouldn't have to pay for poor peoples' health care. They can get jobs and better themselves...blah blah blah.  This went on for quite some time. I just smiled and listened, you know? 

And, when she finished, I thought...Um...didn't Jesus say to give away all your earthly possessions because they mean nothing? Didn't Jesus say to give away your money to the poor? I thought it, but I didn't say it. Exercise in futility, it would have been. '

I got no beef with Jesus. I think he was a really cool dude. He tried hard to get everyone off their crappy, downer, hateful ideas and spread the love. I would go so far as to call him saintly. If I met Jesus, I'd give him a great big hug and tell him thank you and that I'm sorry the human race has so misconstrued his teachings over the years and used his name for so much nastiness. The human race owes this dude a big apology, IMO.

Anyway, my question: how do these people reconcile their...to put it lightly...uncharitable notions with being "Christians?"  How can they use the bible to justify putting others down, stripping others of their constitutional rights, lamblast others for being poor, bitch about the possibility of parting with a couple of their coins to help someone else, etc...and in the same breath talk about prayer, prayer, prayer, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Lord, Lord, Lord, church, church, church?

I just don't get it.

Prizes!

I'm happy to announce I've won TWO prizes! This week, I win the worst blog updater in the whole wide world award, and last week I received a wonderful, wonderful! prize from Rebecca over at baby sloth! I'm so excited because I never, ever win anything! My prize, which you see below, is an amazing magazine from the early 1950's. It sure brings back some wonderful memories. The hair styles, the language (once upon a time it used to be "the commies" not "the terrorists" everyone was afraid of), the pictures...and best of all...wait for it...wait for it...a fantastic article - with pictures! on Ernest Hemingway!  Wow, was I excited to read that. It was the first article I read in the magazine. After that, I read it cover to cover. It's a lovely memento from a simpler time, and I'll cherish it.  Have a look:

Above is the article about Ernest Hemingway. Somewhat of a recluse, it's not often one gets to read such personable articles about him. The photograpy is beautiful, and I had a great time reading this. Ernest Hemingway said, "All my life, I've looked at words as though I were seeing them for the first time."  I can relate to that!

Remember back when models had curves (you know, boobs, hips) instead of bones poking out everywhere? They looked like women, not dish-racks!  Great models in the magazine. All so fun to read about. What different perspectives women had on life, but still strong and closer to today's women than you could ever guess. Wonderful articles and, again, great photography.

The magazine came complete with little tissue paper hearts (which my kids promptly ran off with as soon as I took my eyes off them! and...

...a lovely note from Rebecca (which I've blurred here - it was a wonderfully nice note, but since I didn't write it, I didn't feel comfortable "publishing" it.) 

All in all, it was an exciting find in the mailbox!

To top it off, a few days later we got cookies in the mail from 4uwithlove. Marionberry cookies, yum! We devoured them as soon as I got the package open. I plan to hit the site and buy the old fashioned ice cream bowls next Friday. Today is mortgage payment (those creeps want money EVERY MONTH! Can you believe that?), so we have to wait until next week.

That's all I have for now, folks. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to stopping by your blogs soon!

Liz

Hobos and Hotcakes

Way ubercool news, fellow bloggers. Remember a while back when I mentioned the website The Deepening (also in my links at bottom of my blog)? Excellent site for everyone who loves books. Writers, readers, and now listeners! 

Anyway, The Deepening is featuring my short story, "Hobos and Hotcakes," as an audio on their story list this month. You can listen to it at:

http://www.thedeepening.com/world-of-fiction/2009/05/26/hobos-and-hotcakes-audio-short-story/

It's read by the lovely and talented DLKeur.  Sounds fantastic!

So check it out and let me know what you think. While you're at it, check out the whole website. Full of resources for everyone who loves books.

Liz

New Guy In Town

Hi Everybody!

The sexiest man in the world, aka buyer of wonderful bass guitars and other great Mother's Day gifts, soother of aches, giver of sound counsel, supporter of huge family, possessor of a fantastic sense of humor, wonderful cook, tinkerer of vehicles, fixer of most things broken, putter upper with/of all of my animal friends, and husband extraordinaire has started a new blog. He hasn't posted on it just yet, but will soon. Perhaps even by the time you check it out. Here's a link:

http://hellboundliberal.blogspot.com/

Check him out and sign up to follow! (for the most part, he'll only have time to blog on weekends, so posts may be a week or more apart)

Liz

Friday Top Five

Haven't done this in a few weeks!

Hm. What shall we top five today?  How about top five movies?  Here are mine:

1. Scarface

2. The Godfather (I & II - III sucked)

3. Princess Bride

4. Dog Day Afternoon

5. Friday

Honorable Mention: Terms of Endearment

This is a tough one because there are so many I want on my top five.  These are all time favorites. I'm sure throughout the day I'll slap my forehead and say, "Ack! Why didn't I put --------- on there?"  

Three of my top five have Al Pacino. Go figure.

All right bloggers and blog readers. Give me your top five.  Go!

Liz