Do You See What I See?: Double Take by Kevin Michael Connolly

Hello again to all my fellow insatiable readers!  Cross one more day off you holiday countdown as Christmas is almost here!  Decorations done?  Check.  Tree up?  Check (or at least it will be later tonight).  Presents bought?  Check.  Presents wrapped?  Hmmm, I KNEW I forgot something!  Luckily we still have about nine days left to ...WHOA!  Nine days?  Okay, so I've got a little time. **jots note to self...MUST WRAP PRESENTS** Anyone else feeling the days fly by?  Anyone?

One thing about the holiday season is true to one and all....it goes too quickly!  We plan and plan, shop til we drop, and hustle and bustle to the tune of frenzied jingle bells, all to be able to spend five minutes with the ones we hold near and dear (okay a little exagerrated, true...but you get my meaning).  It can be exhausting, but we happily go along just to make those new precious memories.  This holiday season, I challenge each of you to SLOW DOWN for at least a few minutes and try to appreciate the magic all around you.  It's like taking a deep breath of Christmas-ey air straight from the North Pole.  (Hmmm, now I'm in the mood to watch The Polar Express again....)

Anywho, the book for today's review is an inspiring story indeed.  It tells the tale of one man's journey through life in a not-so-typical way.  (Vague enough for you?  Not to worry, the good stuff is coming up...)  Today's book of choice is....

Double Take:

A Memoir

by

Kevin Michael Connolly

Imagine going through life always feeling like you are being judged before you get to say or do anything.  (Wait a second....that's how a lot of people feel anyway...hmmm)  The moment you are spotted, a judgement is made about who you are and how you came to be.  Whether real or perceived, these knee-jerk reactions from strangers can affect even the hardiest of souls.  When you combine these everyday obstacles with the not-so-everyday aspect of being born without legs, those moments take on an even bigger significance.

This is the story of Kevin Michael Connolly.  Kevin as it turns out was born without legs.  To his family and himself, the initial shock was handled and life moved on as average as possible.  Sure there were times that hurdles needed mounting, but with the help of his family and friends and a little ingenuity, nothing seemed impossible. He went through his early year by the seat of his pants....no literally.  His grandfather developed a sort of boot he could wear on his lower half to protect his body.  You see, Kevin was content to go through life in his own way.  He found his prosthetic legs of no greater use than making him "appear" as everyone else, and his wheelchair slipping him into another class of handicapped individuals, neither of which was an appealing option.  At least on his own two hands, he could take a bit more control of his own destiny.

It was this iron will and drive that took him to the great places he was destined to go.  From schooling to dances to skiing to....yes, I did say skiing.  Can you imagine?  He became such a great a skiier that he was in a special race of the X-Games!  (I'm sorry, but that's amazing in my book....heck, if I got out there, I'd probably come back in a body cast whether I skied on one leg or two.)  Upon reaching his later school years, he began to travel abroad with the aid of a foreign exchange program.  He college years fortified the travel bug within him, but also brought to light the very real subject of how he was perceived.  After one particularly tough day, he snaps a candid photo of a "watcher".  When he views it, it's an unexpected look at how the world first interrupts him.  He begins to gather more and more of these photos and soon discovers that the looks of curiousity and wondering are similiar no matter the country or culture....thus he develops a plan to showcase this side of human nature to the world.  Does the story end there?  Not in the least...but to expose it further would ruin the experience for you, potential readers.

Let me start out by saying that I do not generally make a habit of reading memoirs and biographies.  I like my fictious worlds and the escapes they bring, what can I say?  I get enough reality every day.  However, once in a while a book in this genre will catch my eye and this happened to be one of those times.  I am certainly glad it did!  Thoroughly engrossing, you will find yourself sharing the emotions spelled out on the page before you.  That's not to say that its a sappy story you'll be crying to at each turn, but you'll laugh through the jokes, smile through the determination shown, and share in the losses as well as the wins....all with the zeal of a close friend.  Kevin Connolly may not have thought he should write a memoir at such a young age (he's only about 25), but the story he shares is a part of us all....a search for acceptance, belonging and feeling good about oneself no matter what we are facing.

Special thanks to Kathryn at Harper Collins Publishers for the ARC for review!

Until next time...happy holidays and happy reading!

WINNER: The Brain Finds a Leg by Martin Chatterton

It's that time!  What time you ask?  Well, for those of you that entered....it's time to announce the winner of the Brain Finds a Leg by Martin Chatterton!  (Whoo-HOO!)  This contest was hosted as a part of the Book Blog Tour with author Martin Chatterton thanks to Erin (the fabulous) with Peachtree Publishers. (THANK YOU!)  Why did I add "the fabulous"?  No, I don't personally know her, or feel the need to flatter her greatly due to simply being on the tour (although I REALLY do appreciate it!)....it's for a special reason indeed.  Due to the low (*sniff*) number of entries (guys, it was more like 2 people.....those who didn't enter SO missed out), I didn't really have much to go on.  I mean it was more of an eenie-meany-minie-moe situation.  With all things considered, I emailed Erin to see if there was any way we could get 2 copies and...TADA!  Mission accomplished!  (see why I said fabulous?)

And now....on to the winnerS (yep, I capitalized the "s" to emphasize multiple...not a typo)!

Alexia561 @ Alexia's Books and Such

AND

Melanie @ Melanie's Musings

Congratulations, guys and thanks for the Twitterific help!  More great contests to come as well as book reviews and random thoughts!

Until next time....happy reading!

In My Shopping Bag (7)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag".  (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)

Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag from the past week....

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Purchased

Christmas Bedtime Stories by Claudia Vurnakes

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Won

Wake by Lisa McMann (SIGNED)

(via drawing from author Lisa McMann)

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For Review

Angel and Apostle by Deborah Noyes

(courtesy of Unbridled Books)

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From Friends

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett (ARC)

(from fellow blogger ColleenFL @ Colleen's Reads)

The Lost Files of Nancy Drew by Grosset and Dunlap

(impromptu holiday present from Mom...THANKS MOM!)

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Off on another adventure!
Until next time....happy reading!

"Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus": Random Acts of Holiday Kindness

Happy holidays to each of you, fellow insatiable readers! As I write this post, I am contemplating the many random acts of kindness I have witnessed in the last 24 hours. But really, are there truly any “random” acts? I mean, they appear random in consistency it’s true, but they were all the ends that the act-or intended to reach. (Confusing? Let me clear that up…) In short, these random acts merely appear random because we try to connect their occurrences when we should really just appreciate them on their own. What prompted this post? Ah, curious one…..your answers are forth-coming…

Originally this post was going to be titled “Where ARE you Christmas?”, for it seemed that something was lacking, almost unattainable this season whereas in past years, it flowed abundantly. What was this missing element? Don’t know really…can’t seem to put a label on it still, and yet there is was. Isn’t strange sometimes how you can feel something is off, but you are unable to figure out how to change it?

Anywho…for the most part, today’s events have erased that shadow of doubt and replaced it with the wonder and magic that is Christmas. To start the day off right, work started at a bright and early 7:30 AM….yes, you read that right. One the of the many hats I wear (figuratively, not really a hat person) a few times a week is at our local bookstore. It was crazy busy with the big event being only days away and all, so for most of the day we were on our toes. During a short lull, one of the customers was telling us about something they witnessed at the nearby toy store. Apparently, it was the annual Toys for Tots toy drive today and many shoppers were donating a toy or two during the course of their shopping trip. One lady in particular caught this persons eyes and ears. Her story told of a family on small means, saving what little they could throughout the year in order to buy the two carts of Christmas toys she was currently pushing. No big deal, right? The catch to the story….the toys were not for her family or friends. The savings went to buy toys to donate specifically to the toy drive. Christmas-ey miracle number one.

For Christmas-ey miracle number two, we hit a little closer to home, mine in particular. Today’s economy is affecting everyone in some shape or form. From cut backs, to pay cuts, to lower savings, things happen that can not necessarily be fixed. I think that’s part of the issue this year…it’s hard to really get into the spirit of the season when you are too tired to remember how close it really is. If you are a reader of this site, you’ve probably seen my ongoing saga of trying to get a Christmas tree. Between tight funds and Mother Nature reeking havoc with our plans, it seemed that attaining one was beyond out reach. Enter a mysterious Santy Claus that just so happens to have delivered our inspiring event number two. My step dad works at a store that sells Christmas trees at this time of year (among other things) and was going to purchase one today come heck or high water (Mother Nature, we love you but COME ON already….). Just before it was time for the last purchases to be made, he goes to buy a tree only to discover that someone else had purchased a tree on his behalf anonymously! That’s right….we now have a 6’ - 7’ Christmas tree drying in the garage (yeah, Mother Nature still had her say on the way home with more rain), just waiting for lights and a topper. To whomever the kind soul was that made this Christmas wish come true, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! (Mom was SO excited….she can’t wait to see it set up with LOADS of white lights.)

So I again will quote the famous line heard round the world with a full heart, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”. Whether your persuasion is to believe in a jolly man in a red suit and white beard, or simply in the spirit of the season to which the red suit is inhabited by one and all, I send you the fondest of wishes for you and your family this holiday season. Whichever holiday you celebrate, make it special in your own way and remember to share your good fortune and spirit with those around you. You never know how much your reaching out to them might truly mean…

Until next time….happy holidays and happy reading.


(OH, I almost forgot! To check out the original article that this quote comes from, just click here.  ALSO, the contest winner for The Brain Finds a Leg by Martin Chatterton is being contact today…will post an update once I’ve heard back from the winner. Lastly, I updated the music player bear on the bottom right hand sidebar with some holiday tunes, feel free to enjoy!)

The Roving Reader

Busy busy busy...traffic and shoppers everywhere! Check out this new find though...
The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger

Dessert: Your One Stop Fun Break Shop! (4)

Hi there!  I hope that you've had a great week...me, I'm more than ready for the weekend.  It's been a long 5 days and yet they flew by in the wink of any eye....crazy, huh?  Anywho....for some reason this year's Christmas season is a little nuttier than usual for my family.  Still don't have that elusive Christmas tree and the prospects don't look good for getting one until early next week.  *SIGH*  Then you have the weather that can't decide if it wants to drown us in rain, or freeze us out.  Did I mention that our lovely outside display was truly magical?  Operative word was....Mother Nature is playing havic with two of the spiral trees and one of the animated deer.  Every time we come home the first thing I do is....see what has to be picked up and reset again. *DOUBLE SIGH*  Oh well, what are you going to do? 

Today's post is a blast from the past....or at least the past that is on my blog.  Yes, my friends...it is the long awaited return of the 'dessert' post!  Yaaaayy!  Whoo-HOO!  The picture for today's edition is SO perfect!  There are no copyright infringements to worry about as the sign was personally bought by me and is hanging on my wall as we speak.  Check it out and see if you don't at the very least smile....

See?  Now don't you feel better?

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Until next time...happy holidays and happy reading!

Blundering in Bugtown: The Misadventures of Maybelle

Happy holidays, everyone!  It's official...we are about 2 weeks...14 days...336 hours....20,160 seconds away from Christmas!  Two more of the presents I ordered came yesterday....discreetly added them to my TBW pile (that's To Be Wrapped, just in case you were wondering).  Now I just have to find the time to actually wrap them.  It's not that I mind wrapping....heck, it's even fun!  The pretty paper, the gorgeous bows, curling ribbon....all go together to add up to a fabulous presentation.  The only thing I seriously lack is time this year (really need to work on that formula that will create more time...*jots note to self*). 

With all the hustle and bustle, so much of our traditions can get lost in the rush of it all.  For example, we've had our light display up and on since Thanksgiving night, BUT we still don't have a tree up!  (For those that don't know, that's a first for us....we ALWAYS have a tree up the same night as the lights...)  For whatever reason, every time we try to go buy one...it decides to rain.  Grant it the rain won't melt the tree or anything, but you can't very well bring a wet tree in and string it up with a zillion lights...unless it's really the fourth of July and you are trying to make your own fireworks.  (NOT RECOMMENDED folks!)  I do however aim to rectify the tree situation tonight.....just don't tell Mother Nature.

To add a little more holiday spirit to the mix, I DID manage to find some time late yesterday (okay, so technically it was about 3 AM this morning, but we'll go with yesterday for the sake of the post) to make some Christmas cookies.  Not a big revelation, right?  Except when you add in the fact that they were made from scratch!  (Thank you, THANK YOU...*bows to the crowd and fanfare*...you are too kind!)  I'm usually more the break and bake kind of girl (mom makes the REALLY awesome stuff), but they actually came out really good!  Nestle Toll House milk chocolate chip with chopped walnuts and raisins.  (Hungry yet?) Anywho...

Today's choice is a FLIP ME book.  What does that mean?  To put it simply, it give you two books in one....you just have to FLIP the book upside down to read the second story.  Saves money for both the consumer and the publisher while providing the reader with more reading pleasure.  The book of the day is...

Maybelle in the Soup

(FLIP)

Maybelle Goes to Tea

by

Katie Speck

Now introducing, Maybelle!  Woo-HOO! (and the crowd goes wild...then the crowd goes silent)  Alas, where is Maybelle?  Does anyone see her?  Oh, wait...no wonder.  You are looking for a girl, aren't you?  Well, you are right, she is a girl in gender....not so much in form.  Hmmm, let's see if you can guess what she really is.  (Clues, clues...we need some clues....I know!)  Maybelle lives at Number 10 Grand Street with the Peabody's where everything is "JUST SO".  Her best friend is Henry...he is her voice of reason (for the most part).  Her arch nemesis on most days is Ramona, the light of day (or a lightbulb), and.....shoes!  Oh yes, and last but not least, she lives in the kitchen of her current home, more out of necessity than desire.  So, any guesses?  Oh come on...you must have at least one?  No?  Alright, time for the big reveal..... Ladies and gentlemen, our main character Maybelle is.....a cockroach!  (EEEEEWWWW....I know, but keep reading...)

Yes, my friends, Maybelle is a cockroach, Henry is a flea, Ramona is a cat and well, as for her living quarters in the kitchen, it's more or less under the fridge.  If you haven't been grossed out yet, congratulations!  You just might have the stomach to appreciate this fun little children's tale.  There are three rules that Maybelle must live by....when it's light, stay out of sight; if you're spied, better hide; and never meet with human feet.  You can probably see why these are more than merely mottos for this spunky gal....her very life depends upon them....and yet time and again she finds a reason to break them all. 

(WARNING....THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACHS OR IMAGINATIONS WITHOUT A PAUSE BUTTON, AVOID THE NEXT PARAGRAPH)

Both tales in this book really boil down to one thing causing her such trouble....food.  She is tired of scraps on the floor; she wants to try human food straight from the source.  In Maybelle in the Soup, she has the want and desire to sample the wondrously aromatic soup that Myrtle Peabody is making for the company arriving at any moment.  This just does not work with the "JUST SO" enviroment the couple chooses to keep.  I'll let you imagine the "fun" that insues from finding a Maybelle at your dining table....or in the food!  Our second adventure in food land is Maybelle Goes to Tea.  This story deals with Maybelle's curiousity regarding the Chocolate Surprise Cookies and what exactly the surprise inside is.  (Yeah, let's just say that in the case of one cookie, it's NOT a nougat-ity center.) 

(OKAY EVERYONE....RESUME READING...)

When I received this book in the mail I thought, oh how cute!  When I read about the characters, I was slightly more skepticle.  I mean, I'm not the type of person who handle bugs well.  I totally claim all girly rights to scream, run, and ask someone else to get rid of the little pest.  Thankfully, I was happily surprised by these two stories and despite a less than stellar choice for the cast (for my preferences, not yours), it was really quite enjoyable!  Put aside your normal cringes towards their kind and experience the world from a bugs eye view.  It's amazing what you'll discover when you are less than an inch tall.....

Special thanks to Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan for the review copy!  For more information on the title, just follow the links in this post!  Also, check out the author's website (via the link near the top of this post) as well....it's really rather fun! 

COMMENT CREATOR
Since we've discovered Maybelle's weaknesses (aka food in general), it seems only appropriate to pose a similar question to you?  What one food is your most favorite?  (I know you probably have loads of them, and they rank depending on your mood, but just pick one or two for your answer if you please....)

Until next time....happy holidays and happy reading!

**Please note the additional pictures of Maybelle and her friends are from the author's site.  No copyright infringement intended.  Check out her site for more fun!

A Heart of Gold: Christian the Lion by Anthony Burke and John Rendall

Hello again, everyone!  It's Wednesday...midway point through another week....and that much closer to Christmas...EEP!  Hope everyone has their holiday shopping well under way for whichever holiday you celebrate!  It can get a little crazy out there as the big day approaches....anywho, on with the show.  Today's book of choice is....

Christian the Lion

Based on the best-selling true story!

By Anthony (Ace) Bourke and John Rendall

This is a delightful tale based on the true story of a young lion cub, the two men that took him in and the loving bond that built between them all. If you wanted to buy a lion cub, where do you suppose you’d go? Africa….Asia…how about a giant store in the heart of London by the name of Harrods? Yup…after being born in a zoo, young Christian was shipped off to a department store of all places.  Luckily for him, two great people came into his life that were more than ready to accept him into there lives....little did they know the challenges that would present themselves through the coming years.  You see, as cute and little as Christian started out....he stayed cute, but not so little.  Grant it he was raised around people and loved greatly so he didn't present any discipline issues, but John and Ace had to admit that one day, their home may not be the best place for him any longer.  Tag along on this interesting journey and discover that friendship comes in all shapes and sizes.

The edition of the book that I received for review is the children's version.  It presents as a picture book but is displayed as if if it were a scrapbook of memories.  Perhaps the later is actually more accurate as Christian narrates the story himself through the captions and pictures....it's really quite endearing.  You get to watch him change and grow, experience new places and people.  The ending was rather a surprise as well...SMALL SPOILER....as he is released into the wilds of Kenya....SPOILER OVER.  The final entry is a letter from John and Ace about their latest visit with Christian....which I will say nothing more about because it will spoil the story!  (Trust me, it's really sweet...)

Special thanks to Henry Holt and Company for the review copy!

Until next time....happy holidays and happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays (5)

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays!

Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week is a sample of two books I'm currently reading.  The first is a thus far a rather awe-inspiring memoir.  The second promises to be a great chick-lit pick.  Let's take a sample, shall we?

I heaved myself off out of the gate with a massive push, unaware of what the competitors on either side of me were doing.  I got the lead early, and for the entire first quarter, was surprised by the empty course ahead of me. -- pg 116, Double Take:  A Memoir by Kevin Michael Connolly (ARC)

A few minutes later she ceremoniously placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of me, proped her hands on her hips, and smiled.  "I made a special surprise for my sweet little honey-bunny. 
Happy birthday." -- pg 60, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (ARC)

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read

*Open to a random page

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Until next time....happy reading!

Do You Remember the Time...No, Really, Do You?

Hello, hello!  Welcome to another post here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  The days seem to be speeding by in their quest to greet the coming year...hopefully all of you already have your holiday shopping well underway (or finished if you're REALLY lucky!).  Today's post is a slight variation from the norm presented here.  What's that?  No, I'm not going to post something risque (mind out of the gutter people), nor will I be talking about something totally unrelated in any way to books....so how is it different?  Well, in this case, I have not actually read the book!  (Shocking isn't it?)  How can I review it then?  I'm not really, more like giving a sneak peek at the treasures it holds AND giving YOU the opportunity to win a copy of your very own (thanks to Caitlin at FSB Associates)!

First things first though....tell me you haven't ever experienced a "I know that" moment only to have it turn into a "I use to know that" one?  Yeah...that's what I thought.  Everyone's done it before....I mean no one can remember every single thing they learn, or read (okay, well there is at least one person....she actually remembers every single moment of her life and can recall it when asked, but aside from this lady....), it's just impossible.  Looking to brush up on some of these random facts and skills?  Check out the following article from Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That:  Stuff You Forgot from School, courtesy of FSB Associates for 12 jewels of wisdom ready for your next holiday party....

12 Days and 12 Facts for This Holiday Season
By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

Ever catch yourself saying I Used to Know That?
Each holiday season brings another round of cocktail parties, family get-togethers, and corporate gatherings -- and invariably, lots of small talk. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when discussing politics, literature, and other intellectual "stuff," especially when what is thought to be general knowledge is often long-forgotten. Enter I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School. From English and Literature to Math and Science, from History and Geography to Religion and Other-Worldly Topics, this book leaves you equipped to handle any topic of conversation.
Here we've cherry-picked twelve fun facts for the holiday season -- one for every day of Christmas (or whatever holiday you prefer!) Quiz yourself to see how much "stuff" you need to brush up on before hobnobbing with the boss or office crush.

1. On building sentences: Just what is a "clause"? (Not to be confused with Santa Claus.)
Answer: A clause contains a subject and a verb and may stand alone as a sentence or as part of a sentence (when it is often called asubordinate clause): Santa Claus loves cookies but can't eat them without milk.

2. How many bones is the spine made up of?
Answer: 26 small bones called vertebrae (Be careful lifting all those heavy holiday boxes.)

3. Acclaimed author Charles Dickens (1812-70) wrote which Christmas classic?
Answer: A Christmas Carol. The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge tries to ignore Christmas and is haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Marley, and by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, who show him the error of his ways.

4. The first chapter of this famous book opens with "Call me Ishmael." Name the book and author. (Hint: it makes a whale of a gift!)
Answer: Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Melville is also the author of Pierre and the unfinished Billy Budd.

5. There's a name for the process of watering your Christmas tree? Who knew?
Answer: Grab the kids and give them this science factoid as they nurture the family tree: Osmosis is a form of diffusion that is specific to the movement of water. Water moves through a selectively permeable membrane (that is, one that lets some types of molecules through but not others) from a place where there is a higher concentration of water to one where it is lower.

6. Can you name all 6 wives of Henry VIII, father of the Church of England?
Answer: (Listed in order) Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine, Catherine. They are often remembered as divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. Sure makes you think twice when complaining about bad relatives.

7. Who was the 16th President of the United States?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln (R, 1861-65) and yes -- he really was born in a log cabin on a winter's day. Notably famous for many reasons including his Gettysburg Address: "Four Score and Seven Years ago our fathers brought fourth upon this continent a new nation conceived in Liberty . . . "

8. 'Tis the season to be jolly giving! Don’t forget to tip well this season -- etiquette coaches will tell you that means no less than 18%. So just how much should you tip on a bill of $50?
Answer: Percent means by a hundred, so anything expressed as a percentage is a fraction (or part, if you prefer) of 100. So 18% is 18 parts of 100, or 18/100 or .18. If your bill is $50, multiply 50 by .18 to get your tip total of $9. If you're feeling generous, a 20% tip would require you to multiply 50 by .20, for a total of $10.00
50.00 x .18 = 9.00
50.00 x .20 = 10.00
Percentages can also be holiday-relevant when it comes to figuring out in-store sales. In this case, you want to multiply by the inverse of the percentage listed. So if you have a $50 sweater that's on sale for 25% off, multiply 50 by .75 for your total of $37.50. That same $50 sweater on sale for 40% off would equate to $30, or $50 multiplied by .60.
50.00 x .75 = 37.50
50.00 x .60 = 30.00

9. Brr, it's cold outside. But just how cold does it have to be to get some snow around here?
Answer: Did you know that the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit? Keep an eye on the temperature and watch your footing for ice on the ground. (See previous fact about those treasured vertebrae!)

10. Everyone knows Santa and his elves live in the North Pole. But what about the South Pole (aka Antarctica)?
Answer: The South Pole was discovered by Roald Amundsen (1872-1928, Norwegian), who was also the first to sail though the Northwest passage, the sea route from Pacific to Atlantic along the north coast of North America. Antarctica is the only continent that contains no countries -- instead, it is a stateless territory protected from exploitation by an international treaty. A good place for the elves to protest low wages?

11. Which Ocean is bigger: the Pacific or the Atlantic?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean is larger at 69,374 square miles -- that's almost double the Atlantic, which comes in at 35,665 square miles. Making it even more astonishing that St. Nick can cross the globe in just one night.

12. Remember the reason for the Season! Can you name a few things that both Judaism and Christianity have in common?
Answer: Both are monotheistic religions that share the first five books of the Christian Old Testament. Both religions view Jerusalem as a sacred site, the former for the Wailing Wall (contains the remains of the temple that was thought to be the place where God resides on earth) and the latter for Christ's burial and resurrection site.

Happy Holidays to all!

©2009 Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

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Author Bio
Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School, has been an editor of non-fiction books for nearly 30 years and has covered nearly every subject from natural history and business to gardening and astronomy. She has written several books and was the editor of Writer's Market UK 2009.

For more information please visit Amazon.

Interesting, right?  That's what I thought too!  Would you like to get your hands on a copy of your very own?  No problem!  As previously mentioned, Caitlin over at FSB Associates is graciously letting us hold a contest to win ONE copy of this title!

How to enter:

Read over the post and try to guess the answers to the questions as they come.  (No Googling for the answers!)  Leave a comment with the number of questions you got right BEFORE reading the answers along with your email address (sorry, but if I can't contact you, you can't win...so leave your email in some fashion for me...).

(Simple, huh?)

Extra entries:

+4 - if you are a follower of my blog (old or new, both get the points!)

+2 - posting the contest on your blog (sidebar, actual post, either one is A OK)

+2 - sending a tweet about the contest Be sure to leave the link!  No linky, no count-y)

+2 - if you ALREADY entered my other contest (I'll double check, but list it just in case)

+1 - for entering my other contest now

(it ends 12/11/09 so you only get this extra point if you enter prior to its end!)

Rules:

*THIS CONTEST IS ONLY OPEN TO US/CANADA RESIDENTS!

(Sorry guys, but it's not up to me this time...)

No P.O. Boxes please.
All entries must be received by midnight CST on Friday, December 18th, 2009.
The winner will be drawn no later than Monday, December 21st, 2009 and contacted via email.  Winner will be chosen using random.org.
On that note, please include your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win!  To avoid spammers, feel free to "code" such as me(at)somewhere(dot)com.
Once the winner has been emailed, you will have 72 hours to respond back.  If a response is not received within this time frame, another name will be drawn. 
Mailing information will be forwarded to the Caitlin at FSB Associates for shipment ONLY and then discarded.

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Happy holidays and as always....happy reading!

In My Shopping Bag (6)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag".  (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)

Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag from the past week....

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Purchased

Raven by Allison Van Diepen

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Won

 

Surviving Paradise by Peter Rudiak-Gould

(via drawing from Union Square Press and Sterling Publishing)

 

"Sucks to Be Me" fun-age!

(via request on Twitter from author Kimberly R Pauley...THANKS!)

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For Review

7th Heaven by James Patterson

(via BookBlogs and FSB Associates)

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Off on another adventure!
Until next time....happy reading!

Spreading Holiday Cheer: Book Blogger Holiday Swap

Happy holidays, everyone!  Yes, it's that time of year and you know what that means....time is harder and harder to come by!  With the decorating, shopping, presents....the list goes on and on and alas, your online life seems to suffer.  (Sorry!)  Well, we'll just have to make each and every post count that much more!  Anywho, speaking of presents....(hehehe, gotta love this time of year...)...guess what I received on Friday?  Give up?  Let me give you a hint....you have to sign up to participate by mid November and you get to play Santa Claus to someone else as well as be a recipient of some holiday cheer! (Got it?  I knew you would...)  Yes indeed...I received my gift from by book blog buddy as assigned by......

...the Book Blogger Holiday Swap!

While the person I was assigned shall remain a mystery (for now at least....gonna make sure they received their gift and liked it too....), I will happily share my spoils.  On Friday, I received a fun little email....from Borders....with a $20 e-gift card!  (Yippeee!)  My fabulous holiday swap Santa revealed is....Book Crazy Jenn!  (Book Crazy is the name of her blog, not something I just added there.)  Thanks, Jenn!  Stop by and check out her blog when you get a chance (say, after reading my post...)...not only is the layout really something with the vivid colors and pictures, but there is some great stuff over there too!

Have you been part of the official Book Blogger Holiday Swap or perhaps participated in one of your own?  Feel free to share your tales of spreading the cheer of the holiday season in the comments! 

May all of your wishes this season come true and until next time....happy reading!

Jacob, Is That You?: A Christmas Carol Special Edition, Review

Got your attention didn't I?  Admit it.  You thought that this was going to be about New Moon with the Jacob mention and all....tsk tsk.  Twilight-a-holics...(just kidding...you know I'm guilty of that myself..)  In the spirit of the holiday season, I felt it only appropriate that the very first book review of December goes to a Christmas-ey title!  (Of course the fact that I was reading it already fit perfectly with that thought...and the thought really did come first...no really, it did!)

Today's title is a new take on an old favorite.  Well, not really, it's actually the original take on the original classic, but with special features added in. (You'll see what I mean in a moment.....keep reading....)  For anyone looking to add to their list of holiday books to read, you'll definitely want to keep a spot open for this one.  Today's book of choice is....

A Christmas Carol Special Edition:

The Charles Dickens Classic with Christian Insights

and Discussion Questions for Groups and Families

by

Charles Dickens

edited by

Stephen Skelton

(I'll just go ahead and say what you're thinking right now....whew!  That was a looooonnnnggggg title!)This is the original classic as written by the classic author of yesterday and today...master Charles Dickens.  His 1843 original novel (WOW!  That is not a typo by the way....that makes the book....166 years old!  I think even old Scrooge would be impressed!) is represented in its full text, allowing readers the rare chance to read it was it was intended.  For those that have read this story in the past (guilty!), you may be surprised to find out just what was changed, or removed completely in the version you currently hold dear!  What pray tell would be the incentive then for those of you that HAVE in fact read the original text?  Well, this book adds tidbits of information along the way.  From historical facts to biblical references, there is something for every taste and it does not detract in any way from the book!  BONUS for those with book clubs or study groups...between each Stave (or section, chapter, whatever you'd prefer to call it) there are discussion guides with questions to spark conversation.  Pretty cool, huh?

So....let me start out by saying that I generally don't read the books classified as Christian "insert genre here".  Now before you light the fire in the pit to roast me over (gulp), it's not that I have anything against them or those that do read them....I also don't have anything against the ideas religious and otherwise that they speak to....I mean for crying out loud, most of my schooling was in private schools with religious affliations!  I have found though (and this was found out in one of the schools I attended) that sometimes (not always), the story is filtered leaving you with a mere shell of what really occured.  It's not always the bad scenes and things that are taken out...sometimes its stuff that you wouldn't have even blinked twice at.  Case in point....in one of my schools (and it was only one in particular) that used this type of novel, had us read their version of the classic, The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne.  Now, I had read the original at least twice in my previous school years, so the changes were very apparent to me...it's so much the story that changed, I mean things still played out the way they were written, but the messages weren't as strong...no, that's not right, maybe broad or wide-reaching?  They were customized for what they wanted to relay to you despite the author's original intentions.  Sorry but that's not really fair to the author in my book....

Now that I'm done ranting as to why I don't usually read...well, you know....here is the good news...I really liked this version of the book!  Wanna know why? (in case you haven't guessed) The ORIGINAL text is there...you could actually read it straight through without any interruptions if you wanted to.  The add-in's of note are listed in the sidebars on each page and matched to the corresponding text with number notations.  Yes, some of them are Christian oriented and pointing to the fact that Dickens was a spiritual (no pun intended) man after all...however, there are just as many (if not more) factoids listed that were quite interesting.  Such as why he always made the schoolmasters such tyrannts....or what the heck "negus" really is?  (bet you can't guess!)  It's really quite a read, if I do say so myself (and this is my blog, so I guess I am!). 

On a side note, for those of you that have not yet had the chance to see the newest version of A Christmas Carol brought to "life" by silver screen mavens and Jim Carrey...I highly recommend it!  (Although, I do have to give a little warning to those with small children....there are some rather creepy almost scary scenes...) I actually saw the movie (in 3-D no less) prior to reading this book and I must say that of the many versions I've seen, it stayed pretty darn close to the original events....a miracle in this age of adaptations.

Special thanks to Julie as FSB Associates for the review copy!  (THANK YOU!) (Oh, and as you know the fact I received a copy does not not taint my reviews....just makes some of them possible since without reading it I can't really review it....)  This great group can be found online as well as on Twitter (but of course).

COMMENT CREATOR
In celebration of this particular story.....just a simple question will be asked.  Have you ever read the original text that you are aware of?  If so, what did you think?  If not....which version of this holiday classic on TV or the silver screen has been your favorite thus far?

Until next time....happy holidays....and happy reading!

WINNER: Jake the Snake COMBO Pack!

It's that time!  What time you ask?  Well, for those of you that entered....it's time to announce the winner of the Jake the Snake contest!  (Whoo-HOO!)  This contest was hosted as a part of the Jake the Snake Book Blog Tour with author Shelly Nicholson. (THANK YOU!)  Due to the low (*sniff*) number of entries, I selected the winner in a most top secret formulated way that could be imagined....okay, okay..so I put everyone's entries on slips of paper, crumbled, stirred, and had a third party with no interest in the contest pull one out of a cup (geesh, you guys are rough...demanding the truth and all). 

PRESTO CHANGO, I had my totally randomly selected winner!  So without further ado...the winner is...

Michelle @ Red Headed Book Child

Congratulations, Michelle and thanks to everyone that entered!  More great contests to come as well as book reviews and random thoughts!

Until next time....happy reading!