TWAS The Night Before Christmas

I didn't want to use that caption but something stronger than myself compelled me to.

Every month it used to be a treat, and a sort of running joke between us prepping the family newsletter, wondering what my father would come up with next for the cartoon Flex~tyme we printed in the newsletter. In a way it was like opening a present at Christmas time. My heart always fluttering wondering what was it this time. What would be beneath the wrapper?

Well, in that caption above was one such time when I opened the envelope, and knowing how (let's say) not very jolly he became around this time of year, that I had to sigh, "Oh Dad, no you didn't," and then cried laughing when I saw what he created. Oh my goodness, it was for the family newsletter! And if that wasn't enough, I looked down at the bottom, beneath the sketch where he wrote: How to cut down on Christmas.

Alrighty, so now that I'm all good and flexed, let me get right on with what Tops My Lists this Year!

At the top of my list I thought to write All I Want for Christmas, but after peeping back on last year's list and seeing how I maxed out my wants, I decided to drop the want list. I am very blessed to say I have enough. If anything, this year I want to do a little more giving. Other notes: Look over to the right to check out the blogs I visit, because below are lists I painstakingly, though lovingly pulled together. Enjoy.

READING Tops My List this Year! I may have not passed the challenge I set, but I hardly felt the draw from the quality of reading I've experienced.

The Top Ten Books that did it for me... (in no particular order, it was challenging enough pulling together the list).

Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black by Gregory Howard Williams
The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on the Nation's Worst School District by Richard Whitmire
Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind
Painted Picture by Sheila Peele-Miller
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club by Marcus Thompson
Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice
The Gifted Ones by Lisa Vaughn
Lord Vishnu's Love Handles: A Spy Novel by Will Clarke

Favorite Articles that resonated with me this year... (Hopefully the links still work).

NOOKIE
8 Habits of Highly Productive People
Wanted: Fewer science nerds, more 'culturally competent' doctors
When a Tire Goes Flat in Front of the Audience, Stop Driving
Potty-Mouthed Parrots In Proximity
True Beauty: Embracing the REAL you. *BEAUTIFUL*
What is hypocrisy? And what are the signs of hypocrites?
Top 10 Worse Alternatives to Plane Travel
People Have Sex Within The Limits of Their Development
19 Ways Laziness is Costing You Money

According to iTunes here's my Top Ten Favored Mood Music this year!

I Get Lifted by KC & the Sunshine Band
So In Love by Jill Scott
Love Changes by Mother’s Finest
If I Were Your Woman by Gladys Knight
Got to Be There by the Jackson5
Piece of My Love by Guy
Make Yours a Happy Home by Gladys Knight
Sparkle by Cameo
Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt
Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson

TEN Things I Did (this year) I've Never Done Before.

(Have Not) Turned on my TV (at home)
(Have Not) Cooked ONE Meal (except for Thanksgiving Dinner)
Sent Christmas Cards out (First)…like before the 1st of the year…
Worked on ONE Novel (primarily)
Correction... Worked on ONE Novel that has over 10 Versions!!!
Or, Wrote As Many Blog Posts
Won A Gift Cheque on a Social Media Site
Visited BEA
Hosted a Book Club

I honestly have never spread myself so thin, and had as much fun doing so... reading, writing, reviewing, interviewing, and just involving myself in as diverse an array as in all things literature and books.

Ten Bits of Small Talk I ***Really*** Sized Down

Wonderful
WoW!
Lovely…
Great.
(wink;-)
Okay…
Really?
Interesting
…umm…

Next Up...My New Year's Resolutions!