Reading and Watching List for the Unemployed

Hello all 5 of my readers! Happy 5th! Sorry I didn't get a chance to write yesterday, I was exhausted after spending time with my niece!

So What do I do with all my time? Well I'm in school getting my M.A. so the work for that takes up a lot of my day. But when I'm not I read a LOT and I watch a LOT of TV. So here is what I am reading/watching this summer:

1) "Off the Menu" by Stacy Ballis. I read this in ONE day. Absolutely charming. The writing is clear and easy to read. A definite must read. Also has one of my favorite book doggies in it ever! Read in conjunction with:

2) "Jeneration X" What happens when terminal inner-child Jen Lancaster realizes its time to grow up? Well read to find out! "hilarious!" says Jon!

3) "My Name is Asher Lev" By Chaim Potok. Ok, I admit, this is a "HAVE TO READ" more than a "Want to read". Its required before my first day of insane 12 hour class days week a.k.a. Gratz College Summer Institute. However, the more i read, the more charmed I am by the book and the main character. Its about Asher Lev who grows up in a troubled Hasid family in Brooklyn and becomes an artist. DEF read!!

Watching


I've been eating up British TV lately, here are some of my fans


1) Sherlock: I am utterly, absolutely, totally in love with this show. Benedict Cumberbatch is such a phenomenal actor. The series, is obviously by its title, a reboot of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series. It takes place in the modern era and is just cool!

2) Rosemary and Thyme: This one was a surprise pleasure. 2 women, a former police officer whose husband has cheated on her, and a former college botany professor who got fired for dumping the chancellor of the university, team up to start a landscaping business and solve murders.

3) Marple: This is the newest remake of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series. There are two Miss Marples, one in the first 3 seasons, the second for the last two. I love the first one, she is amazing. Not feeling the second o

What's been going on

Hi there! Sorry it has been awhile since I last posted. So here's what's been going on.

1) My Unemployment was approved. Apparently my company couldn't prove that I did not try my best. YAY!

2) I'm officially back in school. I am attending Gratz College for my Masters' in Holocaust and Gender Studies.

3) My niece Abby turned 2. We had her birthday party last weekend.

4) I won the Stennifer Summer Tour! What the heck is that? Its the chance to have lunch with two of my absolutely fav authors. Jennifer Lancaster and Stacey Ballis. Here are their Blogs: Jennsylvania (Jennifer Lancaster) The Polymath Chronicles (Stacey Ballis). This is super exciting for me. I have been a huge fan of Jennifer Lancaster since her first book "Bitter is the New Black" She is quite possibly one of the funniest writers I have ever read. Not only do I own all her books, I have all the audiobooks too. If ever I have a long ride, and I need something to entertain me, I hop on my iPhone and turn on one of her books. Her latest "Jeneration X" is great. Its also great that she is such a supporter of Pitt Bulls and Shelters. I automatically love anyone who expresses love for Pittys. My close friend Rachel as 3 of them and they are the sweetest doggies one could meet. Here's a pic of 2 of them:

As for Stacey Ballis, I came upon her through the wonder of www.amazon.com. I was looking for new authors and Amazon recommended her book "Room for Improvement" and I was hooked. I quickly read "The Spinster Sisters" and "Good Enough to Eat". Unfortunately her other books are not available on kindle so I have not read them yet. I am eagerly eating up "Off the Menu", the newest which came out TODAY!! Her writing is crisp and clear, and insanely entertaining. Her books make me laugh and smile on a regular basis. Also, she writes about topics I love, cooking, love, and reality TV. Because of this I feel that I understand her writing. The whole contest was in honor of the publication of her newest book "Off the Menu". I know it was selected randomly but I am soooooo happy I won! 

Go off and order their books! I command it!

I want to also take a moment to introduce my sidekick. her name is Diamond, she came to me 2 years ago from a WONDERFUL home, but she needed more one-on-one attention (i.e. she hates other animals with a passion). She's a total sweetheart to people, as I write this she is actively licking my arm to get my attention. She's about 8 years old but acts like a kitten half the time. Here's a pic:

Lest you think i'm a slob, this is my school work surrounding her. I was at the end of the day and every time i read something, I throw it down to the end of the bed. Right now the bed is clear!

So tomorrow i'm gonna post my summer reading/tv watching list, and some basic info about me so those of you who DIDN'T come from my Facebook list know who the hell I am!