Happy New Year's: Positive Resolve

Composed by Cat

Happy New Year's! Good bye 2011...Hello 2012! Another year to make resolutions. To make promises that we swear we'll keep... lose weight...write more..blog more... stay within our budgets more... read more... visit Aunt Sally more... etc...etc...etc... Why do we do that to ourselves? We put so much focus on our short comings and failures. We plan way more than anyone could possibly do in one year then beat ourselves for not accomplishing the impossible. We forget that life gets in the way most of the time. (What good does it do having goals to better our lives if THEY get in the way of living our lives?) 

More importantly we focus on the wrong things...the negative...our shortcomings. We should be focusing on the positives of the year not what we failed at. What was good this past year? What did we do right? What were the moments that made us smile? Laugh? Feel accomplished? Proud? Satisfied? What were the moments...the milestones...even the thoughts that warmed our hearts and souls? 

I say if you can't be positive, toss out that worthless list of goals or resolutions...doesn't matter what you call them, they're the same...a list to remind us next year of our big hopes and where our short comings are. Now this isn't to say that I don't have things (goals/resolutions) that I want to do or that I even don't believe in lists. I love lists. I just think at this time of the year when we reflect on the passing of the year, we focus too much on the negative...on the failures we think we've made. The world reminds us that enough, why should we beat ourselves even more with it? Did you really lose out by not writing a 100 pages everyday? What were you doing on those days you didn't write one single word? I bet I know...you were living!! 'Could have been bowling with friends or walking with nature. It could have been holding someone's hand in their last hours or holding a baby during its first. The point I'm trying to make is that just because we didn't accomplish these things on our lists doesn't mean we didn't accomplish anything. We may just have accomplished more than could ever be put into words much less be put on a list. 

I have a proposition for you this year. Go on...set your goals or resolutions. But for every one you make, reflect on (even write it down) an accomplishment from this passing year. A moment you smiled or made someone smile. A moment something warmed your heart or something you said or did that warmed someone else's heart. Even a moment when someone recognized you for something positive. Or a moment someone noticed your good deed but you remained anonymous. So I say, yes, write your list, plan your goals, but reflect on not just your short comings...heck, I say forget your short comings all together, focus on the positive things of this year. The world is cold and negative enough without us adding to it. Let's add some positivity and hope into the world starting with ourselves.  

Need some help focusing on the positives? Check out marcandangel.com It's a great site that gives you practical tips for living a more positive life. (I am in no way affiliated with them. I  just really like the site and it motivates me to live a more positive life).

Whatever your plans for the coming year, I wish you all a safe and happy New Year and the very best 2012 you could possibly have!


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Teaser Tuesdays (Sept 6th)

Composed by Cat

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
"The man's face, if one could call it that, was grotesquely deformed. The skin was a mass of twisted gray tissue, with no discernible nose, eyebrows, or ears, and his mouth, partially open to reveal pointed white teeth, was no more than a slit. But it was the eyes that froze Phil in place."~Hybrid by Brian O'Grady

Now it your turn. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your two ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

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MIA: Illness and blogging

Composed by Cat

I've been MIA for a straight month now. While I'm sure I've not been missed I hate that I let the blog itself down. So why the silence for so long? For the month of July, I struggled with steep and tiredness and a sinus infection and just a basic sense of getting old and being mentally whiny. At the end of July I couldn't shake the complete exhaustion and sickness. A final trip to the doctor, a ton of blood work, and a week later I found out I had mono. I experienced body pains, digestive issues, and the total and complete exhaustion of every cell in my body.

You would think with a month off of nothing but bed rest I would have gotten tons of things done but mono aka The Kissing Disease, has a life of it's own. I found myself having to take a nap after a shower. I ate many of my meals from a straw and I couldn't concentrate on anything that wasn't on mt Netflix queque.

I'm happy to say I'm recovering. Coming back to the land of the living. I even dug out a stack of books from my TBR list and starting in on them. I've taken something from all this as far as this blog is concerned. We all need to have back up content. Something for those few who are loyal readers to have to read and reflect on. In the coming weeks I'll be working on such a back plan. Something to fill the voids of unplanned absences. I'll also be working on regular content. Something worth reading. I love my blogging world and the friends within it. I love being able to express myself, my views, and sharing books and thoughts.

Thank you to those who have checked up on me. For everyone else I wish happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

HAPPY READING!!!

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Sunday Sayings (Aug 1st)

Composed by Cat
When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there. 

~Cecil Selig


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Sunday Sayings (July 31st)

Composed by Cat



"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." 
                               Oscar Wilde 
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Musing Monday (July 25th)

Composed by Cat


Musing Mondays is a bookish meme hosted by MizB on Should be reading.
This week’s musing asks…
Do you need to have your owned books out where you can see them, or are you okay with them being stored away?

I can't stand to pack books away. That's evident by the mounds of books around my room. My bedroom, aka the Brain Cave, has a book shelf and then stacks throughout the room. Not the best places for books. I am an odd reader though. I don't hold on to books unless they really, really leave a mark on me. Then I have an uncontrollable urge to push them on to the people I love so they don't stay very long. Now that I have a Kindle I've kind of cut down on the book storage issue. (For those of you who say I love to hold a book, I was right there with you but have quickly grown to love my Kindle. Oh and if you just have to hold a book check out The Click Heard Round the World for an awesome cover project). 

I tend to trade out my books for other books at my favorite little used book store, Book and CD Hut, to support my own book habit and to support the local economy (small town USA needs your help). I've also thought about participating in a BookCrossing which is a way to connect others with books. The idea of leaving a book in a coffee shop, a laundromat, public bathroom, or even on top of a car for someone else to get the joy of reading really gets me excited. Yes, I know I'm a geek and I'm loving it. 

As for the original question? I never pack books up. It's like stifling a person in a box to me. I have my beloved keepers and I have my beloved "who's going to read this next" stacks. All in all I'm a happy with my arrangement and my relationship with my books. 

What about you? Do you display your make believe worlds proudly for all to see? or Do you keep them safe in a climate controlled box? Either way, happy reading everyone! 

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 

PS: CMASH has a great book giveaway for MY RUBY SLIPPERS
THE ROAD BACK TO KANSAS over at CMASH Loves to Read  Go check it out. She's got some great book reviews as well! 
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Social Media Googled (Google Invite anyone?)

Composed by Cat
Social media has transformed our lives. For the better and for the worse. With great power comes great responsibility. It is what we make of it. I never was a big Myspace person. Other than getting to play music and changing my code weekly I never really got the point of it as a social media. (Yes, I got to know many lonely people who wanted to make friends from a far away land if only I'd send money). I remember getting my Facebook invite, going to it and scratching my head. I didn't get it. It was so much different than Myspace. I mean all I could do was list what I was doing or thinking at that moment...and get some little flower kid. Over time more and more of my "people" got on Facebook and it got to be fun. I don't participate in all the app requests, questions, or any kind of  -Ville whatsoever. But I've enjoyed it. I Twitter as well but only for my blog, books, and geek interests. Facebook...personal; Twitter...geek/book/work related. Now Google comes along with some to make up for the Buzz fiasco. Google+

I've never kept it a big secret that I am a Google worshiper. I love Google applications. Yes I know all the cons to Google and the evils of their ways but I have to say the good outweighs the bad. I'm a busy woman...most of the time...ok I'm a woman who can't always get all her ducks in a row when leaving the house. Google let's me store all my documents I'm working on in the clouds and I can even share it with others to work on when I'm not with them. For someone who likes to do interviews, polls, writing works and needs collaboration from a state away, Google's got my back. So while I was not apart of the Buzz incident I have been given the opportunity to give Google+ a whirl. It's different in many ways. I'm still trying to find my way around. You have more control over finding people. This could be good or bad. It's in the testing stages so this could change or not. At this point, who knows. I do like that you can have little Huddles and chat with a group of friends or coworkers. Great for collaborative work or just catching up with everyone. You have Circles which you drag and drop contacts to so that you can keep up with everyone. I'm only hours into it and have a lot to learn. I think I'm going to approach this one as a networking platform....much like I did with Twitter.

What is it about social media that we all think we need to be in on it? For me, I live in the sticks...well, on top of the sticks in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. It's beautiful. Having lived on the East Coast my entire youth, I love the fresh air, green fields, mountains, and overall atmosphere. But there is very little networking and even smaller amounts of fellow book bloggers or writers. I've been learning a lot from fellow bloggers and Tweeters about the business. I found many contacts and tons of information  I wouldn't have found if I hadn't been "out there". As for Facebook, I use it for my personal contacts. Having lived somewhere else for my school years, I use it to keep up with my friends and family that live so far away. I have a relationship with my nephew only because of Facebook who attends school in New York and lives in Pa when he's forced to go back to my brothers. I use my social media for good and not evil. I've been protective with who I let in and what information I give out. It's all in how you use it. I do spring cleaning occasionally on my friends list. I think we all need to do that with out contact lists in every aspect from time to time.



So what is that you use social media for? What have you found to be the pros and cons? If you could change anything about it, what would it be? What are your pet peeves? Which is the best social media in your opinion & why?


To reward you for answering (or punish you depending on how you want to look at it) I'm giving out 5 invites to Google+ . Here's how it works. Get an entry for each of the following.


Answer the questions above.
Follow this blog.
Follow on Twitter. (the little buttons over there on the side)
Reblog this. (Leave a link in the comments)
Tweet this with #catgoogles included


That's a possible 5 entries! So get busy and come Google+ with me.


I'll pick a winner using randomizer.com on Monday, July 20th and post winners here.


So get busy and let's get our Google on people! 
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Musing Mondays (July 11)

Composed by Cat

Musing Mondays is a bookish meme hosted by MizB on Should be reading.
This week’s musing asks…
Do you think it makes you NOT (or less) “well-read” if there are certain genres that you won’t read because you KNOW you won’t enjoy them? Why?
I work at an institution of higher learning (aka a community college) and most people that wander the halls around here read a lot of academic pursuits and intellectual fonder. Others read from the book group's reading list. Other's Oprah's book list. A few are die hard genre specific readers. What is the measure of "well-read". Like MizB suggests there's so many genres out there to read and most of us pick a genre and read everything we can get our hands on in that genre. I personally go through reading spurts. For a period of time I'll read nothing but that genre. A couple of summers ago I read nothing but PR. In high school, I only read dark mysteries. Now I read psychological thrillers. Once I only read non-fiction self-help books. To be considered well-read, I think you'd have to look at what you were considering. Are you well read in all genres or in a particular genre? I have friends who are well-read in PR, others who are well-read in cozy mysteries, yet others are well-read in the classics. To be well-read all around I think you'd have to read ALL types of genres but you can be well-read in a particular genre or field. As for me, I think I'm on the way to be well-read. I take spurts, as I've said, and when I come to the end years of my life I'm pretty sure I'll be well-read. As for now, I'm a novice. I won't read something I KNOW I won't like (i.e. shapeshifting stories or the ilidad) just because it'll make me well-read. I read for my enjoyment and only my enjoyment. Years of college courses and required reading has left me reading only want I want not what would make me look good...make me look educated. I have more education than I'll ever use. Maybe that makes me less "well-read" but life is short and there are way too many books in the world for me to worry about being well-read. I read well and that's all that I'm concerned about now. Perhaps, sometime in the future I'll worry about my intellectual pursuits of well-readness but for now, I'm happy with having a book no matter how silly or uneducated it may seem to enjoy and get lost in. 

What about you? What do you think about it all? 

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 

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Sunday Sayings

Composed by Cat




Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale 
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Sunday Sayings (July 3rd)

Composed by Cat


"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better" 
~ Albert Camus



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Out of office...on vacation

Composed by Cat
Sorry for the lack of activity. I haven't given up on blotting...I'm on vacation. I just was so wrapped up in having everything ready for us to leave I didn't plan for the blog. *face of shame* Rest assured! I'll be back in a few days and I'll make up for the lack of boring material on the blog. I have one good vacation every other year (read Summer Vacation from h-e-double hockey sticks for a recap of last years) but this is my good year and I'm loving it.
We've been camping on the shores of the Green River Lake and loving it. Although our many hikes planned got cut short after just one 4.5 mile hike resulted in hours (no two days) of tick searching. Still debating about throwing out a rather expensive part of Rebbock ztecks. However, the weather is awesome. The people aregreat. They lake water is perfect and today is nothing but lake time and a round of minature golf.
The picture was taken by my son of our first evening at camp. That's how every evening looks from here. Needless to say...I'm in heaven.
Until later...have a great week!

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Musing Mondays (June 20th)

Composed by Cat
Musing Mondays is a bookish meme hosted by MizB on Should be reading.
This week’s musing asks…
Do you like movies made from books? Which ones do you think have been done well — kept mostly to the plot of the book, etc?
As a general rule, no. There are exceptions but for the most part I think it's impossible to reach the level of detail a book has in the time constraints of a motion picture. Also when I read a book that is really well written (even some not so well written) I become emotionally invested in the characters. One of the things I truly love about reading is that it takes my mind to another place and into others' lives. I develop a kind of relationship with these characters that even the author may not have intended. I hear their voices, understand their mannerisms, even see their physical appearance.

When someone makes a movie out of a book...even a favorite read of mine...the people placed in the movie are based on someone else's interpretation of the characters. While it may be a perfect match for what the author had intended, in my mind it's hard to match up and it turns me off to them and the story before it ever gets a chance to prove itself to me. I know that's not fair but that's how my mind works. Then, as I mentioned before, time constraints force the movie makers to cut and paste story lines and plot and even minor things that make the books so great to me. Perfect example is the Twilight series. There was so much in the book and I understand that they had to make adjustments to get it on screen but one of my favorite parts of the series which really summed up to me some of the obstacles Bella had was her aversion to blood. It was left out of the movie series and to me this killed some of the poeticness of the story. 

I'm a little leary about The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It was a great, no awesome, book that had crying, laughing, and rooting for the characters every inch of the way. No the movies coming out and I'm so hoping I don't let myself get distracted by the fact that Emma Stone (who I love) is playing the main character. I had a different image and voice in my head when I read it. I love Emma Stone's distinctive voice and I hope that I don't let it distract me from a good film. From the previews it looks as if they're staying true to the story...from what I can tell. 

As a general rule, I try to watch the movie before I read the book so that I can enjoy the medium but that's hard to do sometimes. I've said it before and I'll keep reminding myself that they are two distinctly different things. Sometimes it's hard when you so dearly love the written word. But I'll keep working on that. 

So how about you? What you think? Do you like movies made from books? Let me know. 

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 


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Sunday Sayings (June 12)

Composed by Cat

A day will never be anymore than what you make of it. ~Josh S. Hinds

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EXPRESS YOURSELF!!!

Composed by Cat
Here's a quickie to start the weekend off right. 
Just remember to Express Yourself! 


Just do it however you see fit today! And if you run into me today, I may not be sporting a sign but I give free hugs anytime! 

Have a great weekend!!!
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Musing Mondays (June 6th)

Composed by Cat
The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play. ~Arnold Toynbee 

Musing Mondays is a bookish meme hosted by MizB on Should be reading.
This week’s musing asks…
Where is your favorite place to read?

My first response? Anywhere there's a book. ha! ha! Seriously though I love to read sitting on my front porch. Living in the country has its ups and downs (pros and cons) whatever you want to call them but a definite plus is that I can sit on the front porch, listen to the birds sing and jabber with one another, the sounds of cows yaking it up, and feel the breeze (cool or warm), and sometimes listen to the rain as it drizzles on the metal roof and get lost in whatever book I'm into at the moment. I love to sit out there and read. 

Other times I like to sit up in my bed and read. I live with all boys. Yes, I still believe in cooties! So hiding in my "Brain Cave" is nice sanctuary from time to time. 

So where do you like to read? 
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 

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Sunday Sayings (June 5th)

Composed by Cat
They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.
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Genres Defined

Composed by Cat
I love reading books. Ok. I love reading nearly anything. I read blogs, books, magazines, textbooks, heck I even read cereal boxes. (You know you do too) I was at a bookstore with a friend who is a non-reader (yes, they need love too) and he asked what kind of books I like to read. Simple enough question, right? Apparently not. When I started listing what I like I noticed a bewildered look upon his face. Those of us who read regularly, you know? Those of us who must feel the books on the shelves at the local bookshop or click our way through Amazon or B &N? Well we’ve created our own language. Books are just simply books. They don’t always fit into neat little categories. There isn’t just fiction and nonfiction. There’s Thrillers and mysteries. But not JUST thrillers and mysteries.  There’s Conspiracy thrillers, crime thrillers, disaster thrillers, legal thrillers, medical thrillers, political thrillers, psychological thrillers, revenge thrillers, supernatural thrillers, and more I can’t even think of. You get my point though. You just can’t slap a neat and pretty label onto books we like to read. Most of us usually just tell a lay person we love all kinds of books. This may be the short and sweet answer but don’t get upset at Christmas if someone gives you a book called The Anthology of Pickles…you did say  you liked all kinds of books.

I’ve decided to start a weekly posting discussing genres, one by one, until we can clear up the whole “What kind of books do you like?” situation. More than likely it won’t help us answer that question to the lay person but it will help us to communicate to our peers (our fellow book snobs) what we love and even what we distain.

So let’s get started; shall we?

First, let’s go over the basic genre formats. Then we can break them down as we go. Genre, which is derived from French meaning “kind, sort, style” or basically “independent style”, is defined by  Dictionary.com means a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like: the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music. For our purposes, let’s look at the kinds of artistic endeavors we like to read. There are of course the basics: Fiction and Non-fiction. That’s a little too simplistic for my taste, your’s too I’m sure. So let’s look at Fiction since most of us love getting lost in the unreal to escape the reality that we’re trapped in (ok maybe not trapped. Personally I love my life but it is nice to sail the Seven Seas with a shirtless shipmate named Hahns from time to time.)

Fiction can consist of anything that is made up. It can be realistic and it can be completely off the wall. Fiction consists of the fantasies, fears, and failures we love to read about. You can have a strong female heroine and you can have the helpless heroine who is swept off her feet by an handsome but unlikely hero. Anything is possible. So let’s see…
Historical fiction – A fictional story with real and invented characters that take place as some point in historical time and around historical events.
Mystery – A suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the book.

  • Fantasy – (This will have it’s on posting…it’s that huge) A story including elements that are impossible such as talking animals, magical powers, creatures of the night, and anything that can be made up out of the unbelievable.
  • Folktale – A story, often written with a hidden message, that was originally passed on by word of mouth.
  • Poetry -  A verse written to inspire the reader or reveal a deeper emotion of the writer. (I was once told that writing poetry was like running down the street naked lol)
  • Realistic Fiction – A story using made up characters that takes place in modern times.
  • Science Fiction – A story that blends futuristic technology and scientific facts with a made up story.
  • Chic Lit – Fictional writing about modern womanhood with a bit of humor and lighthearted whimsy.
  • Romantic Fiction – Do I need to define this? Ok in case you’ve been living in a cave…romance is a story about love and relationships…usually involves clothes falling off at some point.
  • Comedy – A story with funny themes and whimsical story lines. Simply put : Ha! Ha! Funny stuff!
  • Drama – A story involving conflict, action crisis, and overall atmosphere designed pull at your emotional strings and heart making you think about what is right and wrong.
  • YA (Young Adult)- A story that is geared towards younger readers (ages 14 to 21)...there's been a surge in Adults reading YA of all kinds in the last few years. (Which explains the Twilight Epidemic)


There’s a ton more but this is a good start, don’t you think? Next week we’ll go over one of these in more depth. Can you think of more? Is there a category I missed? What are your favorites? What is the hardest genre for you to get through? 


Leave a comment on your thoughts about genres .  
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Musing Mondays (May 30)

Composed by Cat
I've been a little silent with the MEMEs lately so I thought I'd jump back on the bandwagon. I've really missed them. Musing Mondays is a bookish meme hosted by MizB on Should be reading.
This week’s musing asks…
Describe the last time you were stumped for something to read, and you took measures to remedy that — either by going to the bookstore, the library, or shopping elsewhere. What book did you choose? Did it get you out of your slump?
Since I have several stacks of TBR books screaming for me to get to them I can say that I haven't ran into this problem lately. I did, however, have this problem or shall I say a several year period that was my reading slump a while back when all I ever did was read textbooks. One night, after several in a row battling insomnia, I decided to go looking for a book and couldn't find any that either didn't have textual content or pictures of Star Wars storm troopers in them. My oldest, who was at the time freshly graduated from high school, came to my rescue with a little series he had read in high school English. Now don't judge me. lol It was the Twilight series. I am usually an anti-crazy book fiend. I steer clear of all the "IT" books of the time. Let me just add this was several years after the books initially  were released. The first movie had been released (which I had to take my son and his little girlfriend to see). So I feel confident that I did not sell out. I read all 4 books in less than a week and half. After all, I had finals, kids to raise, work to work, and a household to run. I could have read them all in a few days but as usual life gets in the way. All I'll say about the books is that at the time I was mesmerized by them. Blame the insomnia or the lack of entertainment reading for an extended period of time because now, although I like the stories, I doubt that I could read them again. My tastes have matured.  

Now a days as I said before there's always a book within reach. I will say that I can not avoid bookstores, book racks, online book places, or even the little spinner thing at the Dollar General store. I must always touch a book when I go to a store. It's not an illness, it's a way of life. Right now I'm working to finish a book I flew through for a review but want to really get the whole picture and then I'll tackle that TBR list. The physical one and the Kindle one. You just gotta love a good book!

So what about you? Been in a slump? What got you out of it? Or what do you think it will take to get you out of it? 

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your answer in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! 

P.S. 
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