Third Base

I love books, and I'll read just about anything.  I'm pretty fair in my ratings of what I read, though I'll admit, I might get carried away with certain strories and rate them a tad higher than I should.  Very rarely do I leave a review.

I can always come here to rant about what I didn't like in a book without hurting someones feelings with what I found wrong with their book.  No one is reading this thing anyway...lol

So here it goes.  I just finished Thrid Base  by Heidi MacLaughlin. Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

Ethan Davenport is already Boston’s most eligible bachelor. In his second season with the Boston Renegades he has set his eyes on the girl behind the visitors’ dugout.

That girl is Daisy Robinson, a journalism student at the University of Boston and a die-hard Renegades fan.

But with new found love comes challenges and Ethan and Daisy have to deal with his crazy schedule, school finals and his presence on her campus for some much needed media training. 

For Ethan nothing can come between him and Daisy, until a secret that she’s been keeping threatens to destroy them both. (less)

The story itself was a decent read.  There wasn't too much that didn't make me not to finish reading.
It had a good working knowledge of baseball, and I enjoyed how she included the blogger posts in her chapters.

That being said, I felt like there was not as much chemistry between the two lead characters as there should have been.  It was almost as if she wanted there to be more than there was and figured the reader would just assume the relationship.  I didn't.  I would have liked to have seen more character develeopment from Daisy.

My main issue with the book is really all in the last two chapters.  

Their declaration of feelings for each other seemed very awkward and rushed.  You know it's coming, but it's just stated.  "I love you".  "I love you too"  It starts to rain.  Lets have I love you sex in the back of my SUV.  No.

This quote about his ex girlfriend Sarah, who he's kept in touch with, and whos a booty call when he goes home.

"by all accounts she should be angry that I've chosen another woman over her"  

Why?  The realtionship between him and Sarah had already been established as nothing more than being his first girlfriend and booty call.  She already knows about Daisy and Ethans feelings for her. Why would she be angry about him falling in love w/ somwone else.  It was even said that when either one of them started dating someone else, their arragngment would be over.

Moving on to when Daisy's grandfather John passes away.

"Sarah used her connections at the hosipital to find out which funeral home was in charge of John's service"  

Sarah was still a Med student and doing her residency in Seattle, so unless she had a professor who was now at a Boston hospital, this just doesn't make sense. Not to mention, most funeral infomation can be found in obituaries.  It's mentioned that when Sarah comes to see Ethan that she is there to "possibly look for a job"  While she's still in school?  This makes no sense at all.

Sarah goes with Ethan and several members of his team go to John's funeral.  As they arrive, Ethan doesn't allow Sarah to hold his hand when then exit the car because he doesn't want Daisy to see him with Sarah and get the wrong impression.  Instead, he allows Sarah to take his arm as they walk toward the service.  What's the difference?

Worst. Eulogy. Ever.  Ethan was only in Johns company a handful of times.  There were so many different ways the eulogy could have gone.  He could have spoken about Johns love of the game, his devotion to his granddaughter, her devotion to him, etc.  Nope. Instead he makes it about himself and closes with how he'll take with him everything John taught him "life, love, and baseball".   Those must have been some serious lessons.

Since Daisy was living in an assisted facility with her grandfather, and now that he's gone, she doesn't have a place to live.  While Ethan is on the road for games, he leaves the front door of his home unlocked in the hopes that Daisy will just move herself in and be livng there when he returns home.  WTH?

Moving on to the propsal.  Not a fan.  Long, drawn out, and what's with the insta naked and sex after? It's like she needed one more lemon so this is where she stuck it.  It doesn't work in my opinion.  It would have been better if they had morning after sex.  Ethan could wake up to see Daisy admiring her ring, maybe talk about wedding plans as he kisses her shoulder, runs his fingers over her stomach, each motion getting more intense the more they talk until the talking stops and the sexy times happen.  Just a suggestion.

In the end, I liked the book okay, but as I said, it's the last few chapters that just dont have the same caliber of writing as the earlier chapters.

3 star rating.

Fifty Shades of Midnight Sun

Reading up on some Stephenie Meyer news from NYCC and all I can think is what a whiner!

Meyer talked about Midnight Sun while she was promoting Life and Death - Twilight Re Imaged for the 10 year anniversay of the Twilght book.  She mentioned how after writing Life and Death and how much fun it was, that she went back to Midnight Sun and really enjoyed it.  She enjoyed it so much that she wrote a whopping TWO paragraphs!  Where did she find the time?  And then of course shot it all to hell because of Grey.

The first break in writing the book that all Twilight fans want finished is because the first chapter leaked online.  If I remember correctly, after that first chapter leaked online didn't she then publish the following 11 chapters on her website?  She couldn't have been THAT upset about the leak.

Here's my take on it.  She, or her people, leaked chapter 1 from Midnight Sun as a test to see how it would be recieved.  Fans loved it, others not so much to hear her tell the tale.  So she says "fuck it", or whatever the Mormon equivelent is, and releases the remaining 11 chapters.  The five or so people who didn't like it got under her soft skin so much that she halted the "writing exercise" indefinitly.

Now enter EL James and her success with Fifty Shades of Grey.  Obviously not for everyone, but has a large fanbase all it's own.  The book was insanely successful, the movie made it's money back and then some.  And then James publishes Grey, Fifty Shades from Christians point of view. And now Meyer can't possibly go back to writing Midnight Sun because of Grey.

Hate to break this news, but Meyer is not the first author to write a new book from a different character perspective.   She's just pissed that James beat her to it.  Sorry Meyer, but you had an 8 year jump to write 12 chapters and blew it.

Meyer seems to talk out of both sides of her mouth.  She's all to happy to blame this latest hiatus of finishing Midnight Sun on Grey, but then goes on to tell people "just write what you want regardless of what others think".  Maybe Meyer should take her own advice and finsh Midnight Sun for the fans.

We could do better...

This isn't a new article on school lunches around the world from the Huffington Post, but it's one that I keep thinking about, especially now that school is about to start back up here in the States.

For the most part, my kids either buy the school lunch or take their own.  Calanders are printed out and hung on the side of the fridge that lets my kids know what will be served on what given day and that is how they decide whether or not they are eating at school or taking from home.

The lunches are reasonably priced and from the menu, not terrible sounding.  However, if they looked anything like the choice below, I can't blame them for wanting to bring lunch from home.

Here are some examples of school lunches around the world.

Just looking at the lunch from the States made me cringe.  Talk about unappitizing.

Okay, so the peas and cookie look good, but those chicken nuggets, is that even chicken, look under cooked and I'm not even going to start on what I think are supposed to be mashed potatos.

And then when you compare it to the following countries lunches, there really is no comparison.

Pork wtih mixed vegitables, black beans and rice, salad, bread and baked plantains. 

This lunch looks delicious.  The variety of vegitalbes, and protiens! 

Local fish on a bed of arugula, pasta with tomato sauce, caprese salad, baguette and grapes. 

I would eat the hell of this lunch and be satisfied until dinner.  Everything on this tray looks delicious. 

Fish soup, tofu over rice, kimchi and fresh vegitable. 

While I've not had most of the items on this tray, everything looks tempting and I'd have to try it. 

Steak, carrots, green beans, cheese and fresh fruit.

Along with Italy, I could definitely make this a lunch, even a dinner option.  Looks fantastic. And again, multiple vegitable options. 

You can see the rest of the lunches at the Huffington Post

Yes, I know it's would be near impossible to get most children to eat fish soup, tofu over rice, most of the vegitables and other items that are unfamiliar to them, and there are the food allergies to take into consideration.  However, how great would it be to have the multiple vegitable selections and fresh fruit options, as well as the protiens.  Real protiens, not processed.   Even the fruit on the American tray is processed.  

The choices on the other trays, particularly the Eurpean countries, are precisely why I'm looking at making a huge life style choice in my diet. 

Bon Appétit 

UGHly love

Finally!  The Ugly Love campaign has come to an end.  Sixty days of watching the Indiegogo campaign to raise money for a possible film of the same name.  The goal was to raise $1,000,000 toward production of the film.  It ended last night with a total of $29,086.  In the last three days of the campaign $16,000 was raised. This amount was more than what was raised in the first 57 days of the campaign.

I don't understand how you see a goal that is no where near close to being meet and just donate dollar amount after dollar amount.  Three $500 donations were made for Dinner with Nick Bateman, the only actor to be cast in this "movie", over the last three days of the campaign.  One donator parted with $3500 for a "Special Thanks Combo" which included all of the previous gifts like posters, personal greetings, signed merchandise, t-shirts, set visit, etc., but also included a special thanks in the films credits and a shout-out on the films Facebook page.  $3,500 for all this.

Now, I have my doubts that anyone actually donated this amount.  My theory is more likely the author and or the producer donated their own money to get the ball rolling on the larger prizes.  I could be wrong, I could just be jaded on this entire process.  However, now that I've said it, you all are thinking it too.

There were nineteen "Perks" you could donate to and came with prizes ranging from a thank you for a $5 donation to Nick Bateman fathering your child for a $1,000,000.  Yes, you read that right.  On the campaign it states that Nick Bateman will father your child.

Now for the fine print which really wasn't fine print at all.  Directly under the ping "Contribute Now" button reads:  Flexible Funding:  This campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach it's goal.  Translation:  If you give this campaign your money, even if we don't reach $1,000,000, we still keep your money.  I tweeted the producer associated with the film, Cody Hackman, asking him if those who donated would receive the prize perks associated with their donation amount.  Not surprisingly, I didn't get a response.  The least they can do is give those who funding, I'm assuming Cody's pockets, some fake swag.

I don't have any hard feelings on this process, I just think the way it's been handled has been shady as hell. And this isn't the first time.  This happened to Sempre author J.M. Darhower as well.  She had been in contact with Giovanni Agnelli who promised her that her book would be made into a movie. Agnelli posted Tweets about it even going as far as showing his office with his staff hard at work turning her beloved book into a screenplay.

All of that turned out to be a big fat lie. Agnelli, who touted himself as a member of the famed Fiat family, was a producer on three films, including Kristen Stewart's "Welcome to the Riley's".  He was a big defender of the star during her Rupert Sanders scandal.  Soon after is when he optioned Darhower's book for a film.

Later he was found out to be a fraud.  If you follow Darhower on Twitter, she expressed her disappointment at being lied to by someone she counted as a friend as well as her need to protect her story.  It was soon after this that he changed his Twitter profile to deleted the association with the Fiat family and to brag about taking care of his nephew.  Now he rarely tweets and "Welcome to the Riley's" was the last film he produced.

After people saw the amazing success of E.L. James and "Fifty Shades of Grey" everyone wanted a piece of the pie.  In a time where Hollywood seems to just be remaking movies and not having an original thought, the book to movie market was hot again.  Even hotter if your book had sold well and right now books that were pulled as fan fiction and published are selling well.

I have not read Ugly Love by Hoover, and have no plans to. Hoover is a good author. "Someday Maybe" and "Hopeless" are fantastic reads.  I have my own issues for not reading anymore of her work and they are personal.  Perhaps I'm wrong and don't have all the facts, but as of right now, I'm not reading her.  I think this campaign was a shame and full of shade from the start.  The producer, while having a decent filmography under his belt, hasn't done anything A list.  They throw together a make shift trailer that seemed very closely related to Fifty Shades.  Cast a handsome lead male for the role.  And voila, a fandom is baited.

Being Thankful

This year has not been one of my best.  There was a lot going on that was out of my hands.  Yet this Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for.  Things that, when I feel my plate is too full, I take for granted.

My children.
Their health.
My health.
Being able to provide for myself and my children.

I look back on this year and where I am now compared to where I was in January.  The year started off with my husband telling me that he wanted a divorce.  There wasn't any hesitation to my response. "Okay", I said.  There were tears shed, but no dramatic sobbing.  No begging or pleading with him to work it out.  Truth is my marriage died long before he got the courage to end it.

Being a single mother is never anything I thought I'd be doing, but here I am.  Doing it. I'm the head of my household and it's been rather nice.  My children and I make some decisions together.  What to have for dinner, where to go on vacation, what color should we paint the kitchen.  It's a very relaxed atmosphere in our home.

It hasn't always been easy this year. My children heard the word 'No' a lot this year, and that's okay. They are older now and understand a bit more as to why they had to hear it.  I am blessed with a good paying job that as afforded me to be able to take care of things on my own.

When I explained to my boss what was happening in my life, she said, "You never know the burden you're carrying until that burden is gone" How true that statement is.  I never realized how much of me had been lost in the last eight or so years of our thirteen year marriage.  I felt less of a wife and mother and more like a nanny.  I would say this often and it was always received on deaf ears making me feel as if my feelings weren't valid.

No more.

My husband and I get along much better now that we are not under the same roof any longer.  He has moved on in his personal life, and while I'm not thrilled with the manner in which he did it, I wish him and her both luck.  She's going to need it.  Not that I'm perfect, but a relationship is the last thing on my mind.  I don't need one right now.  My focus is myself and my children, and it's been rather nice.

My home has has been a much happier home.  More laughter and less yelling.  There is still structure but it's more relaxed.  The children are learning a lot more responsibility and I don't have to be a drill sargent about it.  I've explained to them that what is going on between their father and I has never been their fault.  We talk, openly and candidly, about everything.  It's nice feeling like a mom again.

So, while this year has not been what I though it was going to be, it's turned out to be much more, and for that, I am truly thankful.

Fangirling. Manhattan Love Story Style

I am a Fangirl.  There, I said it.  Fangirling has it's ups and downs, but mostly, it's a lot of innocent fun.  It can get carried away at times.  I've seen it.  I've seen it go very bad.  That's not the kind of fangirl I am.

My latest addition to my Fangirling is the new Fall show "Manhattan Love Story"on Tuesdays at 8:30 pm EST, on ABC.

I love the storyline, the humor, the characters, but most of all, I love the inner dialogue of the two leads Jake McDorman and Analiegh Tipton.

Recently Jake and Analeigh, who are a couple in real life, asked on Twitter for fans of the show to send in their suggestions of places they should visit in Manhattan.  This resulted in a few, okay a lot, of fans sending in their suggetions.  A LOT of suggestions.

Check out that last on the right side, bottom.  Yup. That's my suggestion.  In case you can't read Jake's handwriting, my suggetion is the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.  Not only did they take fans suggestions on where to go, but then started to visit them, calling out the fans who suggest the spot as well.

         

Adding the screen names of those who suggested the loaction is a nice touch.   A fantastic way to make the fans feel included on their adventure as well as a great use of social media to promote their new show.  Well done! 

This fangirl is just waiting for her #ManhattanLoveStory moment to be tweeted.  

                                     

Victoria's Secret does what?

I am just now hearing of the story of Austin Texas mom, Ashley Clawson, and her ban from Victoria's Secret to breastfeed her infant son.  Upon first hearing of the story, I had to wonder if it was a hoax.  Of course Google showed me it wasn't.

This story has stayed with me for the last few days because I still cannot wrap my head around anyone telling a breastfeeding mother that they cannot use a dressing room to take care of one of the most natural things a mother can do for her child.   It's not bad enough that she was told by this Victoria's employee, whom Mrs. Clawson was not even interacting with, that she couldn't use an empty dressing room, but was told she could use "the alley outside the store" to feed her child and that "the alley was so long that if she walked to the end no one would see her"

I'm sorry, WHAT?!!

Does this employee realize where she is working?  What the company that signs her pay check sells? Perhaps she needs to walk out of her store and look at the store windows, maybe catch one of their televised fashion shows, pick up one of the catalogs.  Something to reacquaint herself with the brand.

I'm willing to bet on an average shift at any Victoria's Secret most of the employees are women.  I have to wonder how a breastfeeding woman was so offensive to this one employee.  It wasn't as if Clawson was stripping down and feeding her child in the middle of the store.  She was asking for privacy...to feed her hungry child.

You can read about Clawson's experience here and see what the suits at Victoria's Secret handled their response.  Here's a clue...it was canned.  I tell you who should have been canned. The employee who told her to feed her child in an alley.  Okay, so maybe not canned, but how about a good reprimand, a look at their "policy" (and if what the suits said isn't really policy, it should be), and some sensitivity training.

No woman should have to resort to feeding their child in a bathroom.   There are tons of malls around the country that have family rest rooms and some even include a feeding area.  One Mall I was in had a nice area for not only breastfeeding moms, but an area that allowed moms to heat up bottles, wash them out, recycle baby food jars, etc.  This should be mandatory.  It doesn't take too much to make room for it.