Not Your Usual New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions are hard.  Really hard. And every year we break them.  So it's time that we throw the usual resolutions out the window and opt for resolutions that are a little more realistic.... or at the very least attainable

1.  Eat what you like when you like especially if it comes in a mug (see yesterday's post Can't Cook Won't Cook for some inspiration)
2.  If you want cereal for lunch then have cereal for lunch... and dinner too.  Because cereal is the ultimate comfort food
3. Try a boozy shake. Go on I dare you

4.  Paint your nails a different colour... every week
5.  Embrace your inner mad cat lady (see post Purr, Purr, Meow, Meow for all the cat books you could possibly want)
6.  Take up a craft.  Whether it's making friendship bracelets or Pride and Prejudice characters or pixel blankets.  Just think of all the gifts you'll be able to give your friends.
7.  Follow Shona Rhimes example and say yes to something at least once a week
8.  Clean out the clutter... you're going to need room for all those gnomes
9. Drink at least one cup of tea day.  Even better try a tea cocktail (see post The Elixir of Life)

And finally...

10. Read all the books mentioned in this blog post and all the others.

Can't Cook Won't Cook

I love food.

Unfortunately for me I am the world's worst cook.  Trust me. You don't want me anywhere near your kitchen or your oven or any kitchen appliance that makes beeping noises.  If it can be burnt, flattened or fall apart I'm your man... well woman really.

So as you can imagine cooking is pretty much off my agenda.  Occasionally though I am filled with the sudden yearning to make something, anything really, as long as it tastes yummy and requires very little cooking.

You can guess then how thrilled I am that there are now a plethora of cookbooks made for someone just like me.  Books that require very little, if any, cooking.  Books that are filled with yummy delicious easy recipes that even a bad cook like me can fail at... *cross fingers*

And don't get me started on mug cookbooks. Because yes there is a God and she's a woman who hates to cook as much as me.  Mug cookbooks are the best.  Seriously.  You just have to try them out. Because once you do you won't want to cook any other way.

Mmm do I smell something burning....

The Elixir of Life

I love a good cup of tea.

Something I entirely blame my parents for, who were and are, tea drinkers and nothing else.  Glass of water?  Nope.  A mug of coffee? No way.   Tea was the elixir of them all.  And in our household it was drunk morning, day and night ... and pretty much everywhere in between.

So it's probably not that surprising that I am a tea drinker myself... even if it did take awhile.  Because yes like the Gemini that I am I flirted with other drinks before hand.  Milo as a kid, then coffee in my 20's, followed by hot chocolate - which I still love - and then finally tea.  And not just tea with milk the way my parents have always drunk it.  But tea in all its forms.  Black tea, milky tea, green tea, herbal tea, fruit tea.... you name it, I drink it.  And like any addiction I've got to have the accessories too which probably explains my ever growing collection of tea cups and mugs.  Because yes you've got to have more than one.

And now I have discovered that there's books about tea and that we have a whole collection of them at our library.

Now that is awesome

Have Feet Will Travel

Travel books are my mojo. 

Particularly weird and quirky travel books about everyday people going off on not so ordinary adventures. The fill me with all sorts of warm-fuzzies and glowy feels and make me want to see the world and isn't that the way it should be. 

Of course the list of places that I want to visit is long and never ending but that's half the fun, as is picking which destination to go to first....

A Very Bookie Christmas

I love books.

Especially books about books.  Because who wouldn't.  And luckily for me and you there are plenty at Auckland Libraries to choose from.  Tales of bookstores and bookclubs and libraries and librarians and so much more and isn't that just the bestest thing.

It just makes you want to dance.

                   
And when you've stopped dancing you can collapse onto a comfy chair with a glass of wine and a large (make that a very large) slice of Christmas cake and start on that huge pile of books that you have surrounded yourself with.

I have a feeling I may be awhile...

Blood and Guts: Or A Very Gory Christmas

I love a good thriller.  Whether it's reading one or watching one.  There is just something about a good crime story with plenty of body count, a headless corpse... or two, and lots of twists and turns that is highly addictive.

And the Holiday Season is a perfect time to catch up on all the gory, mind griping, can't-stop watching/reading-until-you-know-who-did-it crime.  Even better there is a fun of guessing who the real killer is.

Only thing is once you start you can't stop and you find yourself impatiently waiting for the next in the series.  Or at least you do if you're me.

At least I have Luther to get me through this Christmas while I impatiently patiently wait for the next series of Sherlock, Bosch, Broadchurch...

Purr, Purr, Meow, Meow - It's The Cat Post You've Always Wanted

I am the mad cat lady.

Or I would be if I a) lived on my own or b) my lovely partner finally gave in and let me embrace all things catish.

Luckily for me and the world I haven't yet managed to persuade him to let me have free reign and adopt all the cats.  Because if he did we both know our house would soon be a feline paradise.... or hell and that we would quickly succumb to our feline masters and be their slaves for life. Until then I have to settle for reading all the cat books and dreaming of all things catish and Garfield related. Because Garfield is my life role model

Purr, purr, meow, meow.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

As some of you probably know by now I have a thing for Christmas books.  Especially romance Christmas books.  And with covers like these who can blame me.

There is just something about the idea of a roaring fire and snow and mulled wine and snow and gingerbread and snow.... that makes me go all gooey and warm.

And did I mention the snow?  I did?  Oh good.

That I have currently got nearly all of these at home waiting for the holidays to start so that I can curl up on the couch and fall into a Christmasy romance hole will come as no surprise then.

Now someone hand me a glass of that mulled wine...

Cats And Mice And Everything In Between

I just love this time of year because it gives me a chance to catch up on all the wonderful reading lists and to add to my every increasing to-be-read pile.  You the know the one. The one that is so long that it would probably take a whole year of dedicated reading to just get through it.  Still think of all the lovely books I could read...

Books like Firefly Hollow and Crenshaw, featuring both real... and imaginary animals.  And the fact that I am adding both of these to my to-be-read list as I type has nothing to do with my compulsive reading habit - okay it totally does..  I also want a cat name Crenshaw.  Because seriously who wouldn't.  An imaginary cat no-less. Now that is all kinds of awesome.  Just as all these books are. So check them out, share them with your kids, your friends kids and have a summery indulge of all things magical.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Don't you just love books with pictures.  Big, glorious, colourful pictures that tell a story in a way that words often can't.

And with summer upon us there is nothing better than stretching out upon a comfy blanket under a shady tree with a pile of picture books to wile away a hot, sunny afternoon, all while eating strawberries and drinking ice cold lemonade.  Because you have to do these things right.

Personally I want to read them all

Zinio! Zinio! Zinio! Or How To Read All The Magazines

If you're like me you're probably already a Zinio fan but if you've never heard of Zinio before then I highly recommend that you give it a go. Once you do you will never look back.

Because Zinio is THE way to read all and any magazine - or at the very least a large and continually growing collection of magazines.

Missed out on an issue from a few months ago? No problem because it could be on Zinio.

Wanting to keep all the issues of your favourite mag so you can go back to them again and again? Why yes with Zinio you can keep all the issues you download for as long as you like.

Interested in saving money and the planet? With Zinio you no longer have to worry about storing that ever-growing stack of paper magazines or buying an expensive subscription because now all you need to do is go to Auckland Libraries Zinio page, browse through our collection of titles, download the issue of the title you want to your portable device (Android, iPad, iPhone, etc.) and you're good to go.

Going on holiday but not wanting to fill you holiday bag with a pile of magazines? Then Zinio is the answer. Browse, click, download and wham bam you've suddenly got room to carry all that shopping or present giving you're planning on doing.

Now I wonder how many magazines can I fit on my tablet...

An Avalanche of Bookie Gifts

It's that time of year again.  You know the one.  Where you have to go out and face the hoards as you hunt for that exclusive gift.

If you're anything like me, the thought of facing it all has you heading for the hills with a good book and a ice cold frappe and ignoring it all.  This year though I have the absolute perfect solution: Online shopping.  Trust me it's the answer to everything. You can even do your shopping in your pyjamas. How awesome is that?

As always when I am hunting for gifts, I seem to find things that I want for myself and they seem to magically appear in my shopping cart before you know it.  Because of course you have to buy a few things for yourself.  Don't you?  And the wonderful thing is that all of these gifts are available right here in New Zealand.  Which means little to no shipping costs and super fast delivery.

First up is a colouring book.  For adults. Because yes that is a thing. A very big thing. And it seems there are colouring books of all kinds from Game of Thrones to Outlander to Sherlock. So how could you not check them out?

A notebook is always a necessity and this Penguin notebook featuring famous books seems like the perfect gift for any book lover.  Bookmarks are also another necessary thing and something you can never have enough off.  My current two favourites are this Owl paperclip type and this Winnie-The-Pooh one.

For something for the book or word lover who has everything, how about a set of fridge font magnets? Guaranteed to improve your spelling and your language.

Something that I treated myself last year was a Wonder Woman eyeglasses case.  Because how could I not?  And because it is just so perfect and also very handy as a safe place to put your sun glasses.

You can never have too many mugs.  Or at least you don't if you're me.  And these Christopher Vine designer mugs are absolutely beautiful,  Even better, they come in a variety of patterns and colours and there are bowls and plates and jugs too.  I'm very tempted to collect the entire lot.

Tote bags are another thing that I tend to have a lot of.  Mostly because I'm always breaking the handles on the things from overloading them with library books.  Luckily the tote bags I buy are only $2 so really you can easily buy 1 of every design.  I'm currently eyeing up this mosaic one as well as the pineapple one.

I've been in a bit of a Martha Stewart mode lately, trying everything from baking to home decorating, and the next two items are things I have been lusting after for absolutely ages - an ampersand light, perfect for that night time reading, and a chaise lounge chair, which is my idea of heaven.  Only thing is once I get this chair I may never want to leave it.

So that's my Christmas wish list.  What gifts have you been eyeing up?

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas Is Over... Now What?

By now you've unwrapped the presents, eaten the food and are completely ready for the next stage: relaxation.

For me this is chipping away at my endless and every increasing To-Be-Read pile.  And trust me it's a pretty big pile.

I've been waiting for Visions by Kelley Armstrong the supernatural/crime sequel to Omens for what seems like ages.  Luckily I have finally got it and it's taking pride of place on top of my holiday reading pile.

Tucked underneath it is another sequel, this time Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop and yes it's a another supernatural/fantasy book.  Because yes I have a little weakest for them.  Okay maybe a big weakest.  Don't judge me.

And just to continue on with the theme also in the pile is Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne, a teen fantasy book that sounds like a cross between Graceling and Best Served Cold, two of my all-time favourite fantasy books, featuring kick-ass chicks.

Which leads me to Winterkill by Kate Boorman, whose cover reminds me of that movie The Village, which may or may not be a good thing.  It also sounds vaguely apocalyptic and if I have a big thing for supernatural/fantasy I have an even bigger weakest for dystopian/apocalyptic. Because angst and adventure is what it's all about.
 
The Rain by Virginia Bergin fits nicely into this theme and is another book I can't wait to read along with The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth which has been described as the new Giver and which has already begun appearing on Best 2014 lists.

Of course my To-Be-Read pile is not all supernatural or end of the world goings on, I do have some lighter reads such as The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern, a book that I keep putting on the top of the pile then dropping back down because having read all of her previous books it's one I want to save until last... or at least until it's due back date.

There's also I Will Marry George Cloony By Christmas by Tracy Bloom and Unleashed by Rachel Lacey which are light and romantic and utterly perfect to read on sunny day, accompanied by a bowl of cherries to eat your way through as you do so.

And finally for a SyFyGirl like me the absolutely best book to round out a reading feast; one with aliens and the ending of humanity, Firefall by Peter Watts

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas Wishes To You All

To All Our Wonderful Readers We Wish You A Very Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Christmas But Not As You Know It

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without watching a least one Christmas movie.  Of course it helps that that Christmas movie is Die Hard.  Because Die Hard is THE only Christmas movie.

Just ask anyone.

After all it has everything that a person could want in a Christmas movie; witty one-liners, awesome villains in the form of the wickedly wonderful Alan Rickman and explosions.

How awesome is that.

There are of course a few other movies that are worth watching at Christmas time such as Die Hard 2 which manages to be almost as good as the first Die Hard movie.

Though I wouldn't recommend watching it if you're planning on flying anytime soon.

And since we're on a Christmas action kick you might want to follow these movies with The Long Kiss Goodnight which, once again, has explosions.

Then again you might feel like something a little more restful and maybe even romantic like While You Were Sleeping which is probably my second favourite Christmas movie.  And of course you can always follow it up with Serendipity starring John Cusack, who like Johnny Depp, never seems to age and maybe a screening of Bridget Jones's Diary.

And all I need to say about that movie is Colin Firth.

You could also combine romance with a little bit of history and Englishness and watch The Christmas Candle

Of course if action or romance isn't your thing then Home For The Holidays may be what you are looking.

And yes I know isn't exactly a Christmas movie.  Because yes it is set during Thanksgiving.  But watching this or The Family Stone might just make you appreciate how wonderfully normal your family is.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Entertaining The Kids... Small and Big

Kids movies are the best.

And Christmas kids movies are even better.

There's laughter and adventure and cute little animals that make you go oo and ah.  There's old favourites and new favourites and movies just to wile away the hours.

So let your little and not so little kids loose with just a few of these.

The Naughty List

When Snowflake's mis­chief-loving brother Winter goes too far with a prank, they both get stuck on the Naughty List, doing a seemingly never-ending list of chores for Santa. Along with a spunky young reindeer named Sparkle, they try to make up for Winter's misde­ed.,Winter's i­nability to follow the rules put the North Pole in a serious jam. Suddenly Christmas needs to be saved and there's nobody else who's up to the task. It's up to the trio of mischief makers to save the holiday and make Santa proud.


The Christmas Bunny

The Christmas Bunny tells the story of a lonely foster child who finds a lost, injured rabbit in the woods on Christmas Eve. The rabbit is nursed back to health by the Bunny Lady, who runs a rabbit rescue in an old barn behind her farmhouse. The girl begins to help the Bunny Lady around the farm, and through her love for the rabbits, slowly begins to grasp the feeling of being loved.

Arthur Christmas

How CAN Santa deliver billions of presents to the whole world in just one night? With an army of one million combat-style Field Elves and a vast, state-of-the-art control center under the ice of the North Pole! So how could this incredible operation have MISSED one child?! To Santa's young son, Arthur, it threatens to end the magic of Christmas. With retired Grandsanta, a rebellious young elf, an old sleigh and some untrained reindeer, Arthur sets out in a crazy mission to deliver the last present!

Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas
  
When Mandie is thrust into Miss Heathwood's School for Girls at Christmastime, she struggles to grasp the boarding school's new rules and the finer points of high society. As Mandie tries to stay out of hot water with Miss Heathwood, she stumbles upon a mystery in the school's forbidden attic. Will Mandie ignore the warning to flee or try to get to the bottom of the strange noises beyond the boarded-up doors? Uncovering the truth might unlock the memories of of a long-forgotten Christmas .

The Polar Express

Santa Claus does not exist. Or does he? For one doubting boy, an astonishing event occurs. Late on Christmas Eve night, he lies in bed hoping to hear the sound of reindeer bells from Santa's sleigh. When to his surprise, a steam engine's roar and whistle can be heard outside his window. The conductor (voice of Tom Hanks) invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pajama-clad children. There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa can experience.

And some not so Christmasy movies.  Just because.

The House of Magic

When housecat Thunder is abandoned by his owners he fights to stay safe on the strange and lonely streets. Just in time Thunder comes across a big, scary house occupied by an old magician. Making friends with the old man and most of his inventions, Thunder finally feels safe. When the magician is taken ill his nephew sees an opportunity to sell the house and cash in on the fortune. Hearing the news, Thunder and his new friends put their heads together to think of a way to save the old man and his magical house.

Frozen

When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

How To Train Your Dragon 2

It's been five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snotlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. 

Postman Pat: The Movie

Like always, Postman Pat is happily going about his duty delivering letters and parcels around the fictional town of Greendale. One day, auditions for the TV talent show, “You’re the One”, are held in Greendale, which Pat manages to pass. With Pat required to be away from Greendale whilst participating in the contest, various Patbot 3000 robots are deployed to take Pat’s postal duties. This soon turns out to be an evil plot to take over the world, which Pat must now stop.

 
Rio 2

It's a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids after they're hurtled from Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets his father-in-law.

Tinker Bell and The Pirate Fairy

Zarina, a smart and ambitious dust-keeper fairy, flees Pixie Hollow and joins forces with the scheming pirates of Skull Rock, who make her captain of their ship. Tinker Bell and her friends must embark on an epic adventure to find Zarina, and together they go sword-to-sword with the band of pirates led by a cabin boy named James who’ll soon be known as Captain Hook, himself.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas:Snow, Tinsel & Angst, In Other Words TV Christmas Specials

As you can probably tell by now Christmas is my thing.  And as with all things I have a special weakest for Christmas television.

Forgot about watching The Sound of Music for the 100th time or The Queen's Message.  Sappy, sentimental, angst filled is what it's all about.  The angstier the better, though I do enjoy some humour as well.

It will also come as no surprise that some of my favourite Christmas episodes come from some of my favourite TV shows.  How's that for perfection.

Supernatural: A Very Supernatural Christmas

My absolute all time favourite Christmas episode.

EVER.

There's angst and humour and things that go bump in the night and brothers being brothers.

I adore times 1000


Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Amends

Well if Supernatural has angst then this Buffy episode is even angstier.

If that's even possible.

There is also snow.  And that is reason enough to watch it.

It is also completely and utterly beautiful and romantic.


Gilmore Girls: Santa's Secret Stuff

I sense a marathon coming on because it's been ages since I've watched this show.

I love this because there's tinsel and peppermint chocolate and Christmas sweaters.

And of course Lorelai and Rory.  Being... well Lorelai and Rory.


The Mindy Project: Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party

1. It features my favourite Christmas song Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses.   2. It's funny,  And 3.  It's so relatable. Because yeah there's Christmas heartache.

Did I mention I liked angst.

Frasier: Miracle on Third or Fourth Street

Sometimes Christmas is just depressing.

Or at least it is in Frasier's world.

Especially when he works on Christmas Day.

I like the fact that he can turn up to work in his sloppiness clothes.

I wonder if I could do that at my work...

The Big Bang Theory: The Maternal Congruence

I'm a fan of The Big Bang Theory... or at least of the earlier seasons which are so funny..

And their Christmas episodes are even better. 

Because Christmas and Sheldon.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas: Just For Kids... And Maybe Adults Too

I almost wish I had kids just so I could buy all the lovely children's Christmas books that are around.  Because that way I would have an excuse to read them too.

Somehow I don't think my 6ft tall body building step son would appreciate a book called Bear Stays Up For Christmas.  Unless of course he's a secret children's book reader which I somehow doubt.

Luckily for me I work at a Library where I can freely get all the children's books I want.  All in the name of writing blog posts. 

The Angel Tree / Daphne Benedis-Grab.

Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square and people tie wishes to it, but nobody knows where the tree comes from--but this year four children are determined to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree.





The 12 screams of Christmas / R.L. Stine.

When "frenemies" Kate and Courtney need a quiet place to rehearse for their school's Christmas play, their teacher suggests an old house that might just be haunted.

The big fat Christmas book / Terry Deary

The Big Fat Christ Book is full of festive things that go bump in the night - the perfect read on a cold winter's night when you're waiting for Santa to bring a sleigh full of goodies.

Christmas will never be the same again.

   


The sheep that saved Christmas : a eweltide tale / written by Jason Page.

Cynthia LOVES Christmas. So much so that her flockmates send her off to the North Pole to help Father Christmas. But it turns out that there isn't much an enthusiastic sheep can do to help with Christmas - until one crucial moment.

Bear stays up for Christmas / Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman.

Bear's friends are determined that he's awake for Christmas and they get him up from his hibernation on Christmas Eve. Bear is excited to experience the holiday with his friends and tries very hard to stay awake, helping to find the right Christmas tree, making mint tea and singing carols. Finally, though, it's his friends who have fallen asleep - and Bear Stays Up! 

Rudey's windy Christmas / Helen Baugh & Ben Mantle.

Oh, dearie me! said Rudolph. Now I've done a windy pop! This is a bit embarrassing. I'll do my best to stop. Rudolph has eaten too many sprouts and the explosive effect is smelt all around the world as he and Santa delivers presents on Christmas Eve...The other reindeer have laughed so much, they're out of puff. How ever will they get the sleigh back home?