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Rebound relationships are best avoided, but I think Destiny steered me into this one. It was springtime 2011, New York City. I'd left the convention floor of Book Expo America to lug a bunch more free prepublication books down to the mailing center...
I was that close--nearly made it out the back door before Elaine spotted me and inquired where I was headed. "The retirement system/457 plan seminar over at the McConico Building," I admitted, hastening to add, "but I'm only going to...
Is it right that I appreciate bad book reviews more than good ones? By "bad", I mean uncomplimentary assessments, not poorly written texts. Book selectors aren't glass-half-empty folks, but we need to be pragmatists, given that library budgets...
Well, if the rest of us hadn't already known who the Favored Employee around here is, we'd figure it out this week. One of our group has been lavished with attention--photos and videos online, a front page article in the Round Rock Leader , and...
You'd think it was Valentine's Day already. I can practically see the little cartoon hearts and Cupids floating around. The reason: two Christmas-gift Kindles and their newly smitten recipients in my family. With these devices on site (neither...
For all I know, the Twilight Zone marathon (original 1950s-60s iteration) on Syfy Channel could still be broadcasting. It certainly underscored many of our household activities on New Year's weekend. As I stirred blackeyed peas, unhooked tree ornaments...
The second day after Christmas--time for two annual post-Yule pursuits: eating cookies and confronting my holiday hypocrisy. I have no qualms about scooping up epic post-season markdowns mere hours after The Day, yet I choose to be deeply offended by...
Our family's new holiday ritual: If the Christmas lights are on when you pull into the driveway, proceed to the row of aging candle lights outlining the flower bed. Twist the bulb on the fifth candle from the end. It will come back on, which means...
At our house, It's a Wonderful Life is only the third most popular Christmas movie, after the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol and Love Actually . It's a very solid #3, though, and we happily anticipate the 2011 viewing. My husband...
I have elected not to heed the holiday gift suggestions from major advertisers (i.e., buy everyone on your shopping list a car, big-screen TV, or smartphone.) But here's a prime reading tip for you or for a guest who arrives at your house having already...
Should I go with the classic "You like me, you really like me!" or the even more classic "Thank you, thank you very much"? Of course, my novel will deservedly never see the light of day, so my National Book Award acceptance speech...
Both sound tempting and address issues other than the one you intended. Of course, snake oil only answers the question of what to do with a portion of your money. The right book club can update you as efficiently as the internet (but with no ads and no...
And wh at's worse, the most popular and compelling ones have been matched up numerous times with others who are more glamorous and successful, so what hope is there for me? I'm referring to fiction plots, naturally. You've probably heard the...
At the library, we're accustomed to folks looking less confused after we provide an answer. Last Wednesday, however, our response seemed to generate more questions. We'd publicized our annual City employees' lunch in the usual ways, but a...
I awoke today in a state of terror, which, given that it's October 31, sounds appropriate. Potential visitation by hordes of zombies, ghouls, and sparkly princesses doesn't frighten me. (Running of out treats would be ghastly, but I always overstock...
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