Wednesday's Wacky Book of the Week

This is seriously the most wacky I've found yet!

The Barack & Michelle Obama Paper Doll & Cut-Out Book by John Boswell

Published by Penguin, ISBN: 9780143203681, Aust RRP: $12.95

We've been having such a laugh here in the office today about this book. One of my reps went to see a customer and this was one of the books on the table out the front. The second I saw it I burst out laughing and we've spent the day coming up with puns and stupid marketing and tie-in promotions we could do with this book and one we have coming in April, called Journey of Hope: Quilts Inspired by President Barack Obama (another, in my opinion, wacky book!).

Here's a sample of the amazing outfits you can push out and use to decorate your Papobama's -

Are you excited yet? I know I am. If you hurry Booktopia has them on sale for a crazy $10.35! How could you resist at that price?!?!?

And just to top it off, I have to share with you the book's official description -

For the many who can't get enough of this remarkable team, here's a book featuring the Obamas:--on vacation in Hawaii-golfing at Camp David-on election night-at the extraordinary inauguration and inaugural balls-travelling the world on foreign affairs trips-rolling up their sleeves for a day of service-plus much more!

Highlighting Barack's uniquely professional, yet down-to-earth wardrobe that reflects his popular persona and Michelle's outstanding taste in fashion, this book is a must for anyone wanting that special 'yes we can' kind of day, every day.

I just love that final line - "...this book is a must for anyone wanting that special 'yes we can' kind of day, every day.". Classic! What the hell is a 'yes we can' kind of day supposed to be like anyway?

And, as a special bonus, here's a pic of the other book that was found on the table with this one...

A Pic A Day - February 10th

The Pelicans at the fish cleaning table in Stockton, hoping Mr.P will thow them a few scraps!

Taken January 2006 at Stockton, NSW

My Desk.........'s

I've just started following a new blog in the last couple of days, a new member over at Blog This.

Jodi, who blogs over at Missea has a really lovely blog, and I've been enjoying reading through her posts. You should pop over and check it out.

Anyway, Jodi has posted about her cool desk (I really LOVE it) and having just gotten her workspace organized (love that feeling!), and she asked everyone what their desk is like.

Well Jodi, here's my desk's...

This is my Mum's (old) desk which she just gave to me. Haven't put anything on it...yet! Thanks Mum!

This is the desk we used when we first moved in and got this second hand computer (Sept 2007). We got the laptop in 2008 and up unitl a few months ago the only thing I use it for was to transfer pics from my DLSR to thumb drive, as the CF card reader I have only works with XP and the Lappie is Vista. But now my new DSLR takes SD cards it's sweet as the Lappie has an SD slot....

So at the moment, this is my desk...the coffe table in the loungeroom. Not ideal, but it means I can blog and watch tv at the same time and not wake up Mr.P (the first desk is in the room next to our bedroom).

So that's my desk Jodi. What does everyone else's look like? You don't wanna see my desk at work!!!

You or Someone Like You - A Book Review

You or Someone Like You by Chandler Burr, Published by Allen & Unwin, Paperback, ISBN: 9781742370989

I have been meaning to write this review for a while, but things have been a little hectic at work, so I haven't had much of a lunhc break and by the time I get home, I've been feeling pretty lazy. (Needless to say I haven't done much exercise I'm ashamed to admit).

So anyway, You or Someone Like You. This was a pretty good book. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but once I did,  I really started to get caught up in the story.

What B.o.B says -

Anne is the quiet, clever but generally overlooked wife of a powerful Hollywood producer. Inadvertently, and somewhat to her own surprise, Anne starts a book group for a small group of her husband's colleagues in the movie industry. Like a modern day Scheherazade, she tells the book group stories - about books, writers and reading - and talks about how these stories can shape our lives. The movie moguls fall hard for literature, and like topsy, the book group grows and grows, in size and numbers and influence, until somthing unexpected and terrible happens, and Anne finds her life ad her marriage falling apart. Determined to keep her family - her husband, Howard, and their much-loved only son, Sam - together, Anne fights back the only way she knows how, through literature.

This is much more than a story about books. There are plenty of books, and lots of literary references, as you would expect, but it's about much more than that.

What the blurb doesn't mention, is that the book has a steady secondary theme of religion, Judaism to be more precise. Howard, Anne's husband, was born and raised a Jew, and when Anne and Howard first meet and fall in love, Anne's non-conversion is not a problem to Howard (although it is big-time to his family). It is this religious issue that forms the basis for the family's crisis years later though, and Anne uses her books to reach out to her husband when talking doesn't work. The issue of religion fits perfectly with the literature theme, and while Anne teaches her book group about how these works of literature can shape the world, but that are also a reflection of what the world is, she finds herself, and her husband, once again.

I stuggled through the first chapter or two to follow the writing. It kind of bounces around, and segues from one thing to another until getting back to the point, and it was a little confusing until I got used to it and read it the right way. After that, it was a breeze and I realised that it's written, sort of the way I talk, or how a lot of people talk I spose. When I tell a story, I often end up telling so many little side-stories as I go along that I can sometimes forget what I was talking about in the first place. This books was a little like that, but you always got back to the point by the end of chapter and after a while I really enjoyed that.

I found myself warming up to Anne, the more I learnt about her and I was pretty keen to get to the end to see how it would all work out. Which is always a good sign, when you're anticipating what's going to happen so much. If you like books like People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, or your fiction a little more thought-provoking than usual, then you should like this.

Thumbs Up!

A Pic A Day - February 9th

Again, this one is a bit of a cheat, as I didn't actually take it, but I love it so much I had to share.

My Mum took this photo up in QLD somewhere when they went up to visit my Step-Dad's parent's farm.

Taken 19th March 2006 @ 1:15pm

Monday Night Musing - Valentine's Day

I'm not really a fan of Valentine's Day, I've never really bothered with it. Don't much see the point except for wasting some money.

Having said that though, the first Valentine's Day that occurred when Mr.P and I were going out was just over 6 months after we started dating. As I said, I'm not much of a fan of V-Day, but I did want to do something.

Something fun.

And sneaky!

So 2 weeks before V-Day I came up with a plan to send Mr.P a series of gifts from a Secret Admirer. I got my mate AP to write the notes and address the packages. Each gift was a silly little thing, something pointless and cute, with a clue as to who it was. I sent them to arrive every second day until the final one on V-Day with the Big Reveal.

Mr.P was stumped, he had no idea who was sending them. It was so hard to act innocent and pretend I had no idea, and also pretend to be a little 'threatened' by this schmuck sending my boyfriend gifts! His entire family was in on the joke and they though it was hilarious, they did a great job of ribbing him about it.

Needless to say, by the last couple of gifts Mr.P was starting to figure it out, but he didn't know for sure until the final one, as I just denied all knowledge, flat out!

Mr.P and I sometime in 2003

That's the kind of thing I like doing for V-Day.

Although we don't really celebrate it, we tend to do something nice on the 2nd of Feb, which is our half anniversary, and that seems more special.

What's the coolest or funniest or best thing you've ever done for someone for Valentine's Day?

As a Valentine's bonus, anyone who leaves a comment here on this post also gets an entry in the draw to win a copy of Focus:Love, a new book featuring gorgeous photography of 'hearts' from around the world.

Yes, I Know...

...it's another new layout. But I wasn't happy with the old one. I wanted something that would take larger photos for my Pic A Day posts and I think this will be the job as I can make the photos much bigger now and do them a little more jutsice.

Motivation Monday

A Pic A Day - February 8th

The Best Sister-In-Law's a girl could ask for!

And today is N's (on the right) Birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sis!

Taken 29th January 2010, Canon EOS 1000D DSLR

A Pic A Day - February 7th

Taken 22nd December 2009 @ 7:27pm

Canon EOS 1000D DSLR

Quotable Notables

Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.

- Alex Levine

A Pic A Day - February 6th

The lovely bruise Mr.P developed after he flipped a Fork-Lift. Amazingly he came away with only a torn hamstring and badly grazed shoulder. Most people don't survive rolling a Fork-Lift the way he did.

Taken 2005 sometime

Friday Funny - Tiger Shark

I know we're all probably sick of Tiger Woods jokes by now, but when I got this on the email I laughed out loud. I think some of it had to do with the fact the subject line was simply 'Tiger Shark' and the pic was an attachment so I wasn't actually expecting it to be something to do with Tiger Woods. I hope you laughed like I did.

Happy Friday!

A Pic A Day - February 5th

The rush to get dinner ready while camping at Murphy's Glen, Blue Mountains, NSW

Taken Saturday 25th April, ANZAC Day, 2009 @ 6:54pm, Canon EOS 1000D DSLR

f/19, 15sec exposure, ISO-800

Focus: Love - Comp & Giveaway Summary

Just in case the official Giveaway/Comp details were too long and confusing for you, here's a quick summary...

• There are 2 ways to enter
• You can post a heart-themed pic on your blog or email it to me,
• OR, Just comment on any of the posts mentioning the book Focus: Love
• For extra entries - Tweet or Blog about the comp

If you want to read the full details click here.

Don't forget to leave me a link to your blog or leave your Twitter username in the comments so I know you've done either of these.

Thanks Guys!

A Pic A Day - February 4th

Modelling the latest Fire-side Fashion

Circa 2005