reading | BulgingButtons

October 12, 2014
by BulgingButtons 5 Comments

I Just Don’t Want To

All those good intentions I have? Screw ’em.

The still packed boxes from my move two and a half months ago? Forget about them.

The laundry that needs to be washed? The dishes that need to be put away? The groceries that need to be purchased? Nope, nope, and nope. I don’t want to deal with it. Any of it.

I also don’t want to deal with the fact that I’ve been doing a crappy job of caring for my physical well-being. There, I said it, but I’m just not in the mood to deal with it. Stupid, I know. But true.

My mental well-being, on the other hand, has been pretty good, thanks in large part to the fact that I’m just finishing a week off of work, part of which I spent with my son exploring our beautiful state. Still, there is a little too much chaos around me in my home for me to really feel settled. I don’t like having lots of stuff around, which is ironic, because I have lots of stuff.

Here’s what I SHOULD do.

1. Wash and put away all laundry.

2. Empty the dishwasher.

3. Fill at least two boxes with donations (clothes that don’t get worn, those curtains I’m never going to hang from two houses ago, that set of knives I’ve never opened, those ugly picture frames I’ve somehow accumulated, they all need to go).

4. Get that additional storage cube thingie and build it so I can fit my stuff into my studio appropriately.

5. Unpack the last few boxes.

6. Take the dog for a nice long walk.

7. Work on revising my manuscript.

I know that if I did those things I would feel more settled and accomplished, and less at odds with my environment. I have no desire to do any of it, though. Here’s what I really feel like doing instead.

1. Spending the day in my pajamas.

2. Playing Candy Crush and Pet Rescue Saga.

3. Reading ( This week I read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Butter by Erin Jade Lange. Now I’m reading Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Yes, they are all Young Adult novels. I don’t care.).

4. Creating a menu of delicious meals that a) someone else should cook, and b) are sinfully unhealthful.

5. Baking (and then eating) something extraordinarily decadent.

6. Pinning all sorts of cool stuff on Pinterest.

7. Sewing with some of the great new fabric I added to my stash during my road trip.

8. Hanging out with my sweetheart, maybe catching a movie on tv (pajamas, remember?).

9. Loving on my doggy.

10. Stalking all my facebook friends. Nah, not really. I comment on their stuff a lot.

The reality of the situation is that I’ll more than likely do things from both lists. After all, it is the last day of my vacation, so I want to enjoy it, but stuff needs to get done, so I might as well suck it up and do it. I still have all day stretched in front of me, so why not?

August 31, 2014
by BulgingButtons 6 Comments

Ten Books and Then Ten More

The ten book challenge has been going around Facebook. I already gave my ten books answer there, but a quick little list didn’t seem to do those books justice. If you’ve missed it, the idea is to write down the titles of ten books that have stayed with you in some way. They don’t necessarily have to be the ten best books you’ve ever read, or your ten favorite books. You’re supposed to list ten that come to mind quickly.

I’ve really enjoyed reading the lists that have been generated as a result of this challenge, and I’m taking note of titles that keep popping up. My original list (done quickly, as the challenge requested) is as follows:

1. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger

I wrote my first huge term paper on this book, and spent a lot of time thinking about Holden Caulfied and his life.

2. My Brother Sam is Dead, James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

I read this book in the sixth grade, and it was the first book that I literally couldn’t put down. I read until the middle of the night to finish it.

3. The Notebook (not the movie!!!) , Nicholas Sparks

I sat down on the couch one rainy Saturday afternoon and cried my eyes out.

4. Little Women, Lousia May Alcott

I read this at summer camp when I was about 12 during the daily enforced 30 minute silent “rest” time after lunch.

5. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, Jan-Phillipp Sendker

This is possibly the most beautifully written and haunting book I’ve read.

6. The Time Traveler’s Wife , Audrey Niffenegger

The time travel and the fully dimensional characters have intrigued and stayed with me.

7. The Hunger Games Trilogy, Suzanne Collins

I was right there with Katniss every step of the way. A glorious, exhilarating read.

8. The Little House on the Prairie series, Laura Ingalls Wilder

My second grade teacher read us the first book, and I was hooked. I saved my money and bought the whole series, which still has a place of honor on my bookshelf.

9. My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George

I read this one in fifth grade and was completely taken into Sam’s world. The setting description is phenomenal.

10. The Deep End of the Ocean, Jacquelyn Mitchard

A mystery, a family story, and an all around wonderful book. A book that makes you question what you would do.

As I’ve read other lists, I keep thinking about more books that have stayed with me, and I’d like to add an additional ten. I hope you’ll indulge me.

11. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne

A Holocaust story that is incredibly personal and different from so many others. Impossible not to be moved.

12. My Orange Duffel Bag, Sam Bracken

A memoir of struggle and triumph done is a graphic, almost scrapbook style.

13. The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein

So many lessons in this one, and a beautiful dog too.

14. People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks

This is a huge story, done so carefully and beautifully as it takes you though history to a modern mystery. Stunning writing.

15. Chains, Laurie Halse Anderson

Slavery in New York City at the dawn of the American Revolution. Laurie Halse Anderson is an incredible writer, and her historical fiction, in particular, is genius.

16. Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire, Rafe Esquith

An inspiring book about doing much with little for kids who have almost nothing.

17. The Accidental Tourist, Anne Tyler

A quirky love story with characters who you feel like you know.

18. Saving Dinner, Leanne Ely

Ok, I don’t know if cookbooks count, but this one has so many great recipes in it, I had to include it. It’s my go-to cookbook.

19. The Official Preppy Handbook, Lisa Birnbach

Sure, it’s silly. But what a terrific little book, full of humor and wit and prep lore and wisdom.

20. The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom

Lessons to learn in a beautifully written story. Stunning.

Please share your list with me in the comments. Writers are readers, after all, so let’s share the book love.

January 20, 2014
by BulgingButtons 15 Comments

Blog Bombing B and N

On days when the number of visits to BulgingButtons seems to stagnate, in spite of the sparkling gem of a post I have just shared with the world, I start to get a little peevish.

“Is anybody out there?” I wonder. “Am I irrelevant?”

I wonder if I’ve missed something. Some way of reaching out to people who might learn from or at least enjoy reading something I’ve written. In my heart I know they’re out there. People who want to make positive changes in their lives, but feel stuck for some reason. People who are not severely damaged, but may have a few dings and dents. People whose overall outlook on life is positive, but who still need a boost now and then. People like me.

I want those people to join the 500 or so others who have already discovered my little corner of the internet. I want them to read my words and shake their heads, and post their own thoughts and experiences. I want to draw them into the conversation. We’ve got a pretty cool little community over here, and I would love to see it grow.

With that outreach in mind, my brain started thinking about ways to share the blog, short of walking up to strangers on the street and handing them this web address. That would be weird, right? Yes, it would, in case you weren’t sure. My brain went back to the days of my life as a candle lady. Back in the day I wanted to expand my client base and grow my business so I read a few books and learned a few things. One thing that stuck was to go where the clients are.

So, where do people like me go? Well, everywhere, but one of my favorite places is the bookstore. You know, the giant one with the comfy chairs and the Starbucks inside? I love that place, and lots of other people do too. What if I printed up a few cards with a catchy phrase and my web addy and placed them strategically inside selected books? You know, kind of like what people do with their secrets in the PostSecret books? By the way, I look for those secrets. Haven’t found one yet.

I could put them in cookbooks, in Yoga for Dummies, in “Yes, You’re a Good Enough Mom” books, in “Get Creative” books, and in so many others. I think it would be fun to spend some time at the bookstore, slipping in “bookmarks” with the BulgingButtons addy on it. But honestly, I don’t know that I would get a single hit from the effort. Perhaps if I had something to gain from the exercise, aside from a couple of curiosity clicks, I might run with the idea. It does tickle me to think of putting my mark all over the bookstore, though. Maybe some lonely day when there are crickets chirping on my stats page I will actually follow through on this guerilla marketing plan. In the meantime, I would love to hear any crazy schemes you have for getting your content out there.