Screaming Meme

Ok, So I got Meme tagged again, not once but twice. So instead of doing two separate posts I shall combine them into one.

First off:
Amy, Here you go:

Total Number Of Books I Own: Well over 200. I have BOXES of books. I'm not about to count them all, but I will say at least 200-300 if not more.

Last Book I Bought: I can't remember b/c I haven't bought a book in at least 4 months.

Last Book I Read: Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword. It is the prequel/sequel to The Hero and The Crown that I referenced a couple of days ago. It continues to be a favorite from my earlier reading experience.

When Harry Crewe's father dies, she leaves her Homeland to travel east, to Istan, the last outpost of the Homelander empire, where her elder brother is stationed.
Harry is drawn to the bleak landscape of the northeast frontier, so unlike the green hills of her Homeland. The desert she stares across was once a part of the great kingdom of Damar, before the Homelanders came from over the seas. Harry wishes she might cross the sands and climb the dark mountains where no Homelander has ever set foot, where the last of the old Damarians, the Free Hillfolk, still live. She hears stories that the Free Hillfolk possess strange powers -- that they work magic -- that it is because of this that they remain free of the Homelander sway.

When the king of the Free Hillfolk comes to Istan to ask that the Homelanders and the Hillfolk set their enmity aside to fight a common foe, the Homelanders are reluctant to trust his word, and even more reluctant to believe his tales of the Northerners: that they are demonkind, not human.

Harry's destiny lies in the far mountains that she once wished to climb, and she will ride to the battle with the North in the Hill-king's army, bearing the Blue Sword, Gonturan, the chiefest treasure of the Hill-king's house and the subject of many legends of magic and mystery.

Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

The Bible - for obvious reasons. And then the not so obvious. Whenever I have a question or a problem that I can't answer, usually an emotionally based one, I pick up my Bible and let it fall open and I have always gotten an answer to what I was dealing with. God's way of showing me what I should do in those situations. It also is a great source of comfort for me. There are books on Wisdom and books on Praises and books about Sorrow. And, if you really read it, it lets you know how everything started and how it's going to end. It has something for everyone in it.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. These were my first self-reading memories at probably age 4. I have been entranced and enthralled by these books ever since. I re-read all 7 every single year and the love, magic and wonder of Narnia continues to be just as strong as ever. I LOVE these books. If I had to be stuck on an island with 2 books, they would be the Bible and The CON - 50th anniversary edition which has color illustrations and contains all 7 books in one hardcover compendium. Yes, I use the .50 cent college words even though I never finished college.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: This book always touched me deep in my heart. I thought the story was a beautiful one of unconditional love and giving to someone else whatever was needed, regardless of the personal cost. I got this story even at a young age. Philisophically, emotionally, psychologically, spritually...you get the idea. It struck a chord deep within me that carries over to this day. Shel Silverstein, God rest his soul, was wierd, strange and a little "out there" in his other collected works for kids (and one book for adults). He really connected on a different level with this book. He connected in the heart of a child to show what love, real, true love, AGAPE love should be like - even if he didn't use that word. He made the definition of it understandable to a young child and made her yearn to find that same love in her life.

We Americans by the National Geographic Society. It's more like a picture book of famous photographs of American life throughout the first 7 or so decades of the 20th century than a story book or anything else. This one book was a book of my dad's that I used to love to look at with him when he was having one of his good days. The most memorable picture in there to me was the famous picture when end of WWII was announced and a photographer captured the famous shot of a sailor grabbing a nurse in the middle of the street and bending her backwards and planting a huge kiss on her. This is one of the books of my father's that I kept after he died. It is on my bookshelf and I can see it right now as I look up. It is a book that I will never get rid of.

Two books that were stories of being adopted that my mom always used to read to me. it was a two book set and it talked about how very special it was to be adopted and what it meant. It meant that my mom and dad chose me, out of every other child in the whole world, to be their. They were books that made me feel special, even at an early age. I always knew I was adopted. My parents never hid that from me. These books made me feel extra good and kept me focused on having been chosen, rather than having been given up.

Ok, I know that this is #6, but this is one that is important to me too and I couldn't leave it out.

Shanna by Kathleen Woodiweiss. This was a hardcover romance novel that I borrowed from my high school boyfriend's mom and she said I could keep it. It is the first romance novel that I "experienced". I had read others prior to it, but this was the one that drew me in and made me enamoured of that genre. After reading that book, I couldn't get enough and wanted to read more. I will be forever greatful for that book b/c it created a deep-seated love of the romance genre and showed me what a "good" romance should be. Thank you Kathleen for writing this book that created a love that eventually led me on the path I am today.

Secondly: Three Things from Susie.

Three names you go by:
Nic
Nicole
Mrs. Boedeker

Three screen names you have had:
Nic
njboedeker
melloyello73

Three physical things you like about yourself:
Eyes
Smile
Laugh

Three parts of your heritage:
Heinz 57 so no answer

Three things that scare you:
The thought of anything bad happening to my daughter
Depths
The fear that Matt and I may not work things out even though we both want to. (Things keep getting in the way more than they should)

Three things you're wearing now:
Do-rag (sp?) on my head
Glasses
Wedding ring

Three of your favorite bands or musical artist:
Toby Keith
Van Morrison
Mercy Me

Three of your favorite songs:
Fields of Gold
Amazing Grace
The Dance

Three things you want in a relationship:
Trust
Commitment/Faithfulness
Laughter

Two truths and a lie (which one is a lie?)
Gosh I've said so many things in my 15 things about me, ummmm, let me think:
I've dated a professional football player
I've been skydiving
I was a witch
(Which two of these are true, which one is a lie?)

Three physical things about the preferred sex that appeal to you:
Eyes
Smile
Chest Hair (not like a bear, but a nice bit on the chest that leads to a "happy trail")

Three of your favorite hobbies:
Reading
Blogging
Making Jewelry

Three things you want to do badly right now:
Have a 100% clean house
Have a tequila shot or 10
Have an extended full body massage that gets the knots out of my back and shoulder blade area that never seem to leave, no matter how long the massage is. A massage that makes my fingers tingle as I melt into the table.

Three careers you've considered:
Interior designer
Teacher
Writer

Three places you want to go on vacation:
Scotland/Ireland
Israel
Greece/Italy

Three kids' names you like:
Emily
Hannah
Matthew

Three things you want to do before you die:
See my daughter grown, happy and healthy with healthy grandchildren
Be published in the romantic fiction genre
Go to Ireland/Scotland on an extended vacation

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
I love decorating houses
I have my nails and toes done professionally
I'm ga-ga for babies, kids and cute animals

Three celebrity crushes:
David Boreanez of the 90's (not so much today)(Shout Out to the BUFFYPHILES!)
Hugh Jackman
Colin Farrell

K, so I tag Amy back (She gets to do the Three Things one - payback dearie). Everyone else gets to do their choice of the two: Dawn, Master Yoda, fellow Texan JG - even though he's in a cranky pants mood, Cindy and RealLady - my blogfriend Bill's wife.

Have at it y'all!