ARE YOU TREATED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE YOU READ A LOT?

My mom read to me all the time when I was a kid, which started my obsession with books. Because I enjoyed reading so much, it only made sense that I enjoyed studying in school. No matter where I went, a book traveled with me. I read just about anything I could get my hands on including Harlequin romances, The Godfather, Sidney Sheldon and more.  I really wanted to learn, learn, learn, or escape into other worlds. 

But I was also a serious tomboy heavily into sports and hanging out with the guys. Better at extreme sports than a lot of the boys, no one seemed to think that was unusual. But being a reader - that was a different story.  I didn't really understand it at the time, but often I was the butt of jokes and considered a nerd because I always carried a novel. I wouldn't say that I was bullied necessarily, but there were definitely occasions that I felt ...different or as if I didn't belong. 

Even now, there are certain situations when people see me carrying a book versus a phone that causes a few double takes.

Most people have rigid ideas about nerds, but here are 3 definitions on what that word really means.

1. A person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which ... Wikipedia
2. A person who behaves awkwardly around other people and usually has unstylish clothes, hair, etc. — nerd in a sentence.    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerd
3. A person who could be one of the most dangerous people in the entire world. Nerds have invented machine guns, assault rifles, armor piercing ammunition, high explosives, etc. www.urbandictionary.com

I'm not sure if those definitions are truly accurate these days.(if they ever were) Just because we spend a lot of time in bookstores or in libraries doesn't make us socially awkward.  It just means we just love to read. Now, I'm the person that everyone gives their unwanted books to when they're doing Spring cleaning. I get the  magazines that no one wants anymore.  I even have random novels left at my door!

There are a zillion blogs specifically dedicated to books/authors and we're ranting or raving about books all the time! We're the cool kids now! Being a reader is almost like being a rock star because we get tons of attention. Yay!

MANGO LOVE - I totally adore the tart/sweet taste of a mango, so coming across this recipe from Bon - Appetit was perfect.  This particular recipe comes from the Pub Royal in Chicago and is a big hit with patrons.  Mangos can be addictive, so Joy from joyousreads.net/ and I really need to watch ourselves. (lol)

FROZEN RUM-MANGO LASSI

INGREDIENTS

11/4 Cups Peeled Fresh or Frozen, Thawed Mango Pieces

1/2 Cup Gold Rum

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Golden Syrup or Honey

2 Tbsp Plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt

Pinch of Kosher Salt

1/2 Tsp Ancho Chile Powder

Mint Sprigs - this is the one plant I can actually grow

INSTRUCTIONS

Puree mango, rum, lemon juice, golden syrup, yogurt, salt, and ½ tsp. ancho chile powder in a blender until syrup is dissolved. Add 4 cups ice, and puree until mixture is smooth. Divide the Lassi among glasses. Garnish each with a mint sprig and lightly sprinkle with more Ancho Chile powder.  This drink works well without alcohol or the extra heat.

NEED MORE FREE BOOKS?

www.freebooksifter.com

www.bookcrossing.com/

www.bookmooch.com

https://openlibrary.org/

PET SMARTS

According to a recent survey, pets want us to get our rest while sleeping, so statistically 56% will never wake us up. 

But there are those few who could care less, and will stop by for a visit at least once 30% of the time.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A BLIND DATE?

I don't watch shows like The Bachelor, because that's just too many people to keep up with. Something about 80 people or more vying for the heart of one person at one time just seems creepy. It also takes too dang long to get to the end of the story.  However, something about watching someone go on a blind date intrigues me, so I set my trusty DVR. I get to find out right away if things will work out. Maybe it's my love of romance and wanting to see a Happily Ever After actually play out LIVE on television.

I believed in true love when I saw the very first Love Connection back in 1983 with Chuck Woolery, as well as reading all those romance novels.

Things sure have changed when it comes to blind dates.  Millions of people can watch that whole date right in the comfort of their own living rooms.

LOVE CONNECTION:REMIX
www.fox.com/love-connection
If you're looking for love, but have a thin skin, this may be a pass because you're each rated from 1-10 on initial physical impressions.  I've seen a 1, and a lot of 3's. Also, there's $10,000 to be won if you choose the date the audience picked. I adore Andy Cohen, but I came away from this feeling almost like I was watching a variety show with a really funny host.  I didn't feel any real romance though.  But at least you don't have to spend money for the date, and you find out what happens with the relationship at the end of the show.

FIRST-DATES
www.nbc.com/first-datesYou're gonna eat and pay your own way in a swanky restaurant with only couples, and the bartender and host may get up in your business BEFORE the actual date.  Also, there sure seemed like there was a lot of drinking going on, which made some of those dates even more entertaining.  One guy actually flirted with the waitress in front of his date. Say what?

DATE-NIGHT-LIVE
www.mylifetime.com/shows/date-night-live
If you're a bartender with an English accent, good sense of humor and a size 31 jean, I'll date you.  At least that's what happened with one of the couples, and you already knew this was leading up to a sexual fling. For some reason she seemed to think her date could fit her clothes. Words of wisdom, if you're in an open relationship, you may want to add that to your profile AND lead with that on the date, so she can still have time to go out on a real date.  Also, I'm not sure that to circumcise or not is high on my date night topic list.

After the one blind date I've ever been on waaaaay back in the day, I wish I could tell you an emphatic "no", but I can't.  A really close friend fixed me up with this guy she worked with.  

He arrived with a dirty gray t-shirt and shorts, uncombed hair and tried to hug me as his greeting. Yes people, I still went on the date, but I already knew I was going to curse my friend out later that night.

We got up to the window at the movie theater, and he started patting his butt for his wallet.  You already know he didn't have it, and asked me to pay.  Embarrassed, I paid because I really wanted to see that movie.  During the movie he attempted to hug me twice, which was a NO.  Despite my excitement of watching the movie, it seemed like it would never end.   At one point, I wanted to go to sleep to speed up the time, but who knows what this madman would have done once I closed my eyes. Once it was over, we pretty much rode back to my place in silence, and I rushed to get the door open and practically leaped out of that car.  After all that, he had the nerve to ask if he could see me again.  Ugh!!!!!  No more blind dates!  

TREATS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

I was almost ready to rent an igloo due to this sweltering NC heat, until I came across this really cool idea for Ice Pops. Even better, it takes just moments to prepare.  The hard part is just waiting for it to set.

PAPAYA-RASPBERRY-LIME POPS - Real Simple

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Large Papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
Pinch of Kosher Salt
4 Tbsp Sugar, Divided
12 Oz. Raspberries

DIRECTIONS
Combine papaya, lime juice, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher or liquid measuring cup.  Place raspberries and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar into a blender, and puree until smooth.  Divide about half of the papaya mixture among 10 3-ounce ice pop molds  Top evenly with the raspberry mixture, then the remaining papaya mixture.

Insert wooden sticks and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 1 week.  To unmold, dip your molds in cold water to soften very slightly, and remove the pops.  Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and keep it in the freezer until just before serving.

COOKIES + ICE CREAM = CREAMYCOOKIEICECREAM
It's been a hot summer, so no one is probably in the mood to do a lot of baking, but that doesn't mean we don't still love our cookies. It's easy to grab a package of Keebler, Chips Ahoy, your store brand, or Pepperidge Farms to snack on, but why not make it even more decadent by sprucing them up with ice cream?  

Grab your fave cherry ice cream, smooth it out then sandwich it between two vanilla wafers for your own special treat. Or use two peanut butter cookies and add double chocolate chunk for the filling. 

Decorate the ice cream with sprinkles, or m&m's or butterscotch chips. Play around with different flavors and ask the kids or guests for other unique ideas.

DISNEY
Disneyland in California opened in 1955 for the first time.  The park's 40th anniversary was celebrated in an unusual way.  Artifacts from 40 years were placed in a time capsule and buried in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle in 1995.  It will be opened for all to see in July 2035.

MOVIE NEWS
Mary Poppins was originally released in 1964, and viewers fell in love with Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews in their roles.  

Mary Poppins Returns on Christmas Day 2018, and Emily Blunt takes over this classic fantasy.  The buzz is already positive, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the updated version.

AUGUST ROCKS
Not only do I celebrate my birthday next month, (yay to the 12th!) but there's a lot of other fantastic things going on too.

AUGUST 20 - National Lemonade Day. This is perfect because I mix lemons or lemonade in almost all my drinks.

AUGUST 21 - Total Eclipse of the Sun to cross the contiguous US since 1918.  Find out where you can see it by visiting eclipse2017.nasa.gov

AUGUST 26 - National Dog Day, where we celebrate with our four-legged furry friends.

Most of have to work for a living, and some of us may hate our jobs.  But what if you worked at a place that not only paid you a salary, but gave you other unique stuff, as employee appreciation.?

THE ZEBRA, a car insurance comparison company in Texas offers maid service each month, and money to make you happy for things like specialty classes or manicures.  In addition, employees have a company gym, and get unlimited PAID time off!

BASECAMP, a project management software maker in Chicago that offers up $1000 reimbursement for any type of lessons.  So if you're thinking about learning to cook or becoming a yoga instructor, this is the place to be.  If you need to find yourself every 3 years, the company provides a 30 day PAID sabbatical and vacation expenses.  To beat the heat in the summer, there is a 4 day work week and FREE massages. Well ok!

Is getting cut off enough to cause a person to follow someone else to get into an altercation?  I just don't get all that anger.

If I think about driving behind a slow driver a year from now, I'll probably be laughing and talking about it on this blog.  If I murder someone that does 20 miles per hour in a 65 per hour zone, I'll have the rest of my life to regret it in a tiny, tiny cell and no computer.

NOPE, STOP ASKING ME TO GET RID OF MY BOOKS...

You probably already know where I'm going with this based on the title, right? (lol) Regularly, a friend or family member will suggest that I donate or sell my books. Huh?

When I was a kid, I amassed such a huge volume of books that it was pretty amazing.  Then over the years, as I traveled from state to state, all those books and more just kept accumulating.  I usually pissed off either the movers or my friends because no one wanted to pack up all those novels.  It can also be expensive.  In fact, the majority of the weight on the moving trucks was almost always due to books more than actual furniture. (lol)

For some strange reason, people think we either shouldn't read so much or that we don't want the pile of books we have over in that corner.

Book readers have a ton of books because we love to read. We enjoy looking at them.  We like to talk about them, and we need to hang on to them.  Nope, we don't really want to sell them.

Has someone ever insisted that you sell, or get rid of your books?

MEET SOME NEW FRIENDS
Have you ever wanted to try fun new recipes, but actually cook them yourself?  Are you really social?  Get the hookup with Feastly ( https://eatfeastly.com )as new chefs prepare yummy food in their homes or pop up restaurants.  Italian delights, Indian treats or French cuisine -the sky's the limit for what you'd like to eat as these chefs offer Italian delights, Indian treats, French cuisine and more to please your palate.  Even better, you get to meet other foodies who share your passion.

THESE TWO COMMERCIALS JUST NEED TO GO AWAY

I thought once the Super Bowl was over, that this creepy commercial of a puppy mixed with a human baby and a monkey would go away, but it's been back all through July with a vengeance.  Some people think it's catchy, but this ad just reminds me to pass by Mountain Dew on the soda aisle of the grocery store.

Mtn Dew Kickstart: Puppymonkeybaby | Super Bowl Spot - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql7uY36-LwA

The other commercial that has me scratching my head is from Pepto Bismol.  Rubbing your butt and singing to let us know you have bathroom problems is just weird. (lol)

Search Results

Country Fried Dancin' - Pepto-Bismol 5 Symptom Commercial - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJZB8SCkGkE