What was begun as an online journal of the books I read evolved...or maybe it devolved...to also feature behind the scenes goings-on at All About Romance from my perspective (mostly based on my personal feelings - okay, it's a personal pity party); topics I've gone over ad nauseum in commentary at AAR, including the nature of reviews and online behavior; and my non-cyber life (including family and items in pop culture that capture my interest, which is just about everything).

Please do not violate my trust. I restricted certain AAR-related and personal entries for a reason...to keep them as private as possible. Now that my blog is read-only, to access restricted entries you must already have a password; if you do, hold onto it so that you can continue to read restricted entries.

This blog is not part of All About Romance. I ask that you keep comments or questions regarding restricted blog content off of AAR.

Below you'll find the blogs I visit, broken out in my own odd little system of categories.

September 2008


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2008 Reading

Tuesday, 30 September 2008 4:41 P GMT-05
I close out September, three quarters of the way through 2008, with more than 100 books under my belt. So far it's been a truly wonderful reading year. And the perfect way to close out my postings to this blog. In about three weeks my current subscri
Category: Reading Personal/Political Blogging
Comments/Trackback (16-0)

Books Bought Quick Poll

Monday, 29 September 2008 2:03 P GMT-05
Results from the most recent quick poll are in. The vast majority of us have not been able to restrain themselves from buying a book for more than a week, and none of us has abstained from book buying for more than a month. As for me, given all the n
Category: Reading Quick Polls

The Great Schlep

Saturday, 27 September 2008 9:35 P GMT-05
Two Funny Jews on The Great Schlep...Joel Stein and Sarah Silverman Off on the Great Schlep by Joel Stein FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- If you need proof that this is the most important election in a generation, get this: Jewish grandkids are flying to F
Category: Entertainment Personal/Political

Please Consider...

Friday, 26 September 2008 4:05 P GMT-05
Both here and on the Potpourri Forum I've posted a linked image and sample letter from AAR users to the founders of the DIK Ladies blog. They've had ample opportunity to respond to my email of nearly two weeks ago, and since a couple of them Twitter
Category: AAR Internet

Historical Ownership

Thursday, 25 September 2008 12:00 A GMT-05
Earlier this month I "tweeted" about something that had bothered me for about a month. Some days later, I received an email from Sybil Cook (The Good, the Bad, & the Unread) asking if I would write in more detail about it for a blog entry she planned
Category: AAR Personal/Political Internet
Comments/Trackback (7-0)

Today's Recommended Reading

Wednesday, 24 September 2008 5:23 P GMT-05
In Defense of Elitism
Category: Personal/Political

Sleep Quick Poll

Wednesday, 24 September 2008 2:31 P GMT-05
Not many surprises here, and it's good to know that none of us are as sleep-deprived as Martha Stewart, who I understand sleeps four hours a night. TTFN, Laurie Likes Books
Category: Quick Polls

Cash for Trash, et al

Tuesday, 23 September 2008 10:40 A GMT-05
I was getting ready to blog about the lack of oversight built into the Paulson plan when I stopped by my husband's blog. That's about the only thing he didn't cover today. He really didn't need to, though, given that Paul Krugman and Bob Herbert have
Category: Personal/Political

Woven Dreams

Saturday, 20 September 2008 1:46 P GMT-05
My most recent review just went online today at All About Romance. Woven Dreams N.J. Walters Grade: B Sensuality: Burning It was not available through Amazon, but I still read it on my Kindle. I simply downloaded it from the Ellora's Cave site as a
Category: Reading AAR
Comments/Trackback (2-0)

McCain on Spain

Friday, 19 September 2008 8:13 P GMT-05
The rain in Spain falls mainly on...Europe. TTFN, Laurie Likes Books
Comments/Trackback (3-0)

Burn Notice...Season Finale

Thursday, 18 September 2008 11:57 A GMT-05
Tonight is the season finale for Burn Notice, one of my favorite summer shows of the last two years. Here's a teaser video, if you're interested. TTFN, Laurie Likes Books
Category: Entertainment

Presidential Quick Poll

Wednesday, 17 September 2008 4:44 P GMT-05
Wow! What a difference a day makes. For the first six days of this poll, Obama/Biden stood out far in front of McCain/Palin, but as of today, this is a dead heat. Very interesting. As for me, I continue to rely on my husband for anger and my TV news
Category: Quick Polls
Comments/Trackback (2-0)

Wildwood, The Deed...& More Charts

Tuesday, 16 September 2008 3:26 P GMT-05
As promised, two new reviews from me went online at AAR this morning. According to Cheryl, who edited them, the first needed no work. As for the second, well, she asked me for additional detail in a couple of areas and as a result, the review is now
Category: Reading AAR
Comments/Trackback (3-0)

Books Read

Monday, 15 September 2008 7:27 P GMT-05
I have two reviews going online tomorrow at AAR - one of them, as noted in today's AAR newsletter, an F review - and today I turned in my latest Publishers Weekly review. As of right now I've read 94 books in 2008. While I've slowed down, I attribut
Category: Reading

From SNL Last Night (try again)

Sunday, 14 September 2008 4:43 P GMT-05
Category: Entertainment
Comments/Trackback (5-0)

Smut Lady

Saturday, 13 September 2008 12:50 P GMT-05
Last night MaryK commented on a blog entry I'd posted in late August about what I'd been reading lately, and a good deal of it was erotic romance. Her comment that my writing about erotic romance was helpful to her was, in turn, helpful to me. Just y
Category: Reading AAR Personal/Political
Comments/Trackback (3-0)

Tea

Friday, 12 September 2008 12:53 P GMT-05
I've always loved hot tea, but for some reason never liked the taste of iced tea. On the flip side, until a year and a half ago, I adored the smell of coffee but couldn't stand the taste of it. Given my love of Starbucks over the past year, I probabl
Category: Personal/Political
Comments/Trackback (8-0)

The Pleasure of His Bed

Wednesday, 10 September 2008 2:58 P GMT-05
My latest AAR review went online this morning. A more sucky book is hard to imagine. The Pleasure of His Bed Melissa MacNeal, Donna Grant,and Annalise Russell Grade: D- Sensuality: Burning
Category: Reading AAR

Project Runway Quick Poll

Wednesday, 10 September 2008 2:57 P GMT-05
I know Leanne has won the last two challenges in a row - and deservedly so - but I'm surprised my choice, Kenley, didn't fare better. That she tied with Blayne really shocked me; I'm not sure why the boy-man with a tan continues to survive each week.
Category: Entertainment

Last Night's TV

Monday, 8 September 2008 8:16 P GMT-05
Trueblood - I wish I could be as enthusiastic about it as Sandy. I am loving Anna Paquin, but the explicit sex, which is so not what these books are about, is a problem for me. On the other hand, the ending was so terrific for this first episode that
Category: Entertainment
Comments/Trackback (2-0)

Not Tooting His Horn...Really

Monday, 8 September 2008 1:13 P GMT-05
My husband, who blogs sporadically, is fired up these days, and writing some really terrific stuff on the upcoming presidential election. Since I don't want to turn my own blog into the constant rantings of an angry woman, I'm going to share his link
Category: Personal/Political Blogging

Maverick Reformer...Reformed Maverick

Saturday, 6 September 2008 12:38 P GMT-05
One of my facebook friends alerted me to this "bio" of John McCain from last night's Daily Show (I watched Bill Maher instead): Thanks, Shayera! TTFN, Laurie Likes Books
Category: Entertainment Personal/Political
Comments/Trackback (1-0)

Speaking of Alpha Heroes

Friday, 5 September 2008 5:26 P GMT-05
Speaking of alpha heroes...Andy Hillstrand, The Deadliest Catch
Category: Entertainment
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For Once, the Right Choice

Wednesday, 3 September 2008 5:48 P GMT-05
Shelfari, which has had an affiliation with Amazon for some time, today announced that they were acquired in full by the massive online bookseller yesterday. When it came time for AAR to join a book-related social network, I wasn't sure which would b
Category: Reading AAR Internet
Comments/Trackback (2-0)

"Unleash Your Stories"

Wednesday, 3 September 2008 5:31 P GMT-05
A benefit of no longer being tied to the almightly dollar at AAR is that it allows me to participate in more charities; instead of saving most of our ad spots for paying customers, at this point any charity that looks promising for our readership is

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