Day Off: House Hunters Edition

 

Hello ladies and germs!

Today is a lazy day off that has quickly morphed into an all out HGTV marathon.

I don't know what it is, but the trials and tribulations wealthy Americans face when looking for their dream homes in the Caribbean or New Zealand just thrill me.

I mean, will they find a home with the perfect combination of an open floor plan that harbors a cozy atmosphere and modern Westernized amenities within a traditional, cultural home all under their laughably low budget of $1.5 million? I just don't know.

Only the last five minutes will tell.

 

Check Out that Girl with All the Hobbies

"Portrait of Young Woman Knitting" courtesy of Australian National Maritime Museum

That's right dear readers, faced with glaring truth that my friends abandoned me for colder climes
I realized I had to get myself some hobbies. Oh and got them I have! (Sidenote: I know they didn't actually abandon me, but it creates the drama I'm looking for so I took some liberties).

Fashion Cues from Fictional Teens

 The teens in question are the four uber stylish high schoolers from Pretty Little Liars. (If you don't know of the show I'm referencing, what have you been doing with your life?!) Girls who can focus on putting together the perfect statement outfit for English class even while there is a maniacal person/s out there trying to ruin their lives. 

Puts some things into perspective, huh?

Introducing the Intelligent Worms Book Club!

Welcome to the inauguration of the Intelligent Worms Book Club!

The Worms were formed a few weeks ago with the expressed purpose of keeping my friends and I connected over a great distance as well as upping our intelligence quotient.

Now, we have always had a bit of a loose interpretation of book clubs in the past.

Generally, one of us will read one and if we like it, we will pass it on to the others. I will also fully admit that the books I pass on are usually of the chick-lit variety.

The Intelligent Worms is new for us because it will work more like a typical book club where we all read the book at the same time and, I assume, discuss. (We haven't worked out all the specifics yet.)

Also, all the books on our list are a bit in the classics realm with the likes of The Giver, and Ender's Game and whatnot.

To ease ourselves into the whole process we started out with a collection of letters for our first read. Plus, Love Letters from Great Men is perfect for adding some more love to the air for Valentine's Day. And the world can always use a little more love.

 

Ideally, I will be keeping the new sidebar image up to date with our latest book or "nerdish delight" as I've taken to calling them. So, if ya'll are interested in jumping along the worm wagon with us or intrigued by one of our picks, you can check it out.

So, I guess all that is left to say is welcome aboard!

Happy reading!

xoxoxo

The Book That Ruined Me for All Future Reads

As my elaborately-worded title suggests, my future reading endeavors have been foiled.

I read this great book in which I fell in love with the characters and became thoroughly attached to them and what happened?

It ended.

Just like that.

And you know what, I can't move on.

I'm ruined.
(Warning: Plot spoiler included)

A Few Bits of Introspection

Miss Maisie MacMaster doing some introspection via Flickr

So there is nothing like starting a new year to get you thinking about personal goals and weaknesses.

The past few days I have had ample opportunity to do some introspection. 

This, of course, is code for my friends have moved out of state and I have a lot free time on my hands.
Here is what I have come up with so far:
(none of it is Pulitzer Prize winning stuff)

I'm Sorry, Mother Nature

I can only imagine that this recent frigid weather and single digit temperatures is due to the fact that I called for the end of winter.

Mother nature is doing this to spite me.

While I am happy to know that she is a Sunshiny Beat reader, I wish she would have just told me that my weather tirade upset her.
Instead, I have subjected all of Southern California to a Canadian air pressure and for that, I apologize.

Whether it's too late, I just don't know.
I mean, she froze our fountain.
She must be pretty steamed.

Warning: Sweeping Declaration to Follow

I am done with Winter.

I want Summer to come back already.

Now, who's with me?!

We can start a petition.

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

I'm not sure why, but this delightfully upbeat tune was running through my head as I was putting this post together.

It seems like a good outlook for 2013.

This year my days will all be sunshine, lollipops and rainbows dang it.

I won't take no for an answer.