Updates! Updates! Updates!

UPDATES!

As many of you can see, I've been a pretty terrible blogger lately! What can I say...Life.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Work AND Work Out!

Yeah, I actually looked this up! But, did you know that sitting too much can decrease your life span! More so in women than men. I didn't find too many ideas online except for stuff like running in place for 30 seconds at a time or doing jumping jacks.

One thing that seemed interesting was peddles you can stick under your desk so it's like you are riding a bike while working. Has anyone tried this?

Also, lifting your feet at all times while sitting in your chair. It's harder than you think!

Can anyone suggest anything else?

I obviously don't want to be running around the place like a maniac or doing lunges in the hallway. I mean, we can all be a bit crazy, but in general it's pretty quiet around here.

There is one guy in the basement that has a really tall desk that he placed his treadmill in front off. Awesome, but a bit extreme for my situation.

There was this whole study done online about filling your whole day with extra movement. I can't remember what it is called, but it had some ridiculous name. But it made sense. Something as simple as swinging your legs while sitting, tapping your feet while waiting, pacing when you have room, etc just burns more calories.

Well, any ideas for me?

Thursday, February 9, 2012

"Mission Impossible (4): Ghost Protocol" Movie Review

Entertainment Weekly is calling it the best action movie of 2011! It's hard to recall all the action movies from 2011 at this time, but I wouldn't hesitate for very long to put it in the top 5 of my list for 2011.

Mission Impossible and I have had a pretty solid love hate relationship. I've seen the first one multiply times, but really can't tell you anything about it because it was that forgettable. I LOVED the second one and can tell you almost everything that happened in order! Number 3 was just another repeat experience of the first movie. I've only seen it once and had the common sense not to re-watch it. Now, onto 4, it rivals the 2nd one for sure!

In this edition to the franchise, Ethan Hunt's (Cruise) team is blamed for the bombing of the Russian Kremlin. The entire division is disavowed, and it is up to Hunt and his other agents to prove their innocence by finding the real bomber, all while playing in the dark with no way of contacting any of their inside connections

This film was full of impressive stunts that leave you hanging half off your seat and holding your breath, from scaling the tallest building in the world, to a high speed chase in the midst of a sand storm.

I will also note that this film was funnier than the others, a pleasant change in the franchise.

Go on and check out one of the best, if not the best, action films of 2011 and let me know what you think!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Must Reads #5: "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Edition: 1st edition Hardcover: September 14, 2008
Back Cover Summary: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Katniss' sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

*******

When I finished reading Twilight, I was really starved for another book that would capture my interest. I had a long summer ahead on me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I like to fill it with lots of reading! Harry Potter had ended, I was waiting for Breaking Dawn, I had finally finished The Host, and none of my other favorite authors seemed to be producing anything. So, when Stephanie Meyer suggested The Hunger Games, saying she couldn't even put it down, I jumped. I wanted the book in my hands now!
High Notes: Absolutely, one of the most interesting and well thought out dystopian novels I have ever read. Believable too! I loved all the characters. Everyone from Katnis, to Gale and Peeta, to Prim and Rue, to Haymitch, and all the funky people from the capitol. I loved the creation of this new world that had new rules, yet was dealing with the same timeless ordeals that any human must face, like love, sacrifice, pain, survival, etc.

The book truly dived into what you have to do when you feel helpless, when your entire family is depending on you, when you are forced to do things you don't want to do, and finding a way to stay true to yourself, to act both selfishly and selflessly at the same time.

Also, a major contributing factor to the novel's, and it's 2 sequels', success is its appeal to a wide audience. After discovering the book for myself and wanting to discuss the book with others, I found people as young as 12 or 13 reading it, and people as old as 60 reading it. I not only could chat with my friends, but my cousins, aunt, uncle, grandma, etc. It was very exciting.

Low Notes: The only low note for me was that I did not get to see enough of Gale!! Luckily, he is a continuing character that you get to see much more of, especially in Mockingjay, the 3rd installment.

Now, before this is over, for all of those who have read it and are girls! Peeta or Gale? I'm obviously partial to Gale. lol.
Ratings:
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Believability: 5/5
Style and Grammar: 5/5
Entertainment Value: 5/5
Overall Rating: 100% Yes, that's right! 100%


You can find the next two installments of The Hunger Games just about anywhere! In stores and online! Go and get them!













  



 And don't forget about the movie that comes to theaters in March!!!
Who else is excited for that!??!

 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

More Books to add to the Dusty Shelf!

More, more, more, and more books! My favorite thing on the planet and the one thing I really don't need right now. Alas, I can't stop myself from thumbing through the bookstore! I know every time I walk in, it's impossible to just walk out! But does that mean I will stop going? Of course NOT!!!

Author_____ Title
Maria V. Snyder- Touch of Power
Eva Ebbotson- A Coutness Below Stairs
Bram Stoker- Dracula
Janet Evanovich- Two for the Dough

Speaking of new books, Maria V. Snyder's book is relatively new. It only cam out last November and it already has 3 covers!!! I have the cover at the top left. Can anyone explain to me why so many covers so soon? I suppose if she were trying to appeal to many different audiences. The bottom left reads YA to me all the way, and the right makes me think more sophisticated, perhaps even for someone that does not usually pick up a fantasy novel, and the top left that I got reads pure fantasy all the way. Let me know what you think!

Now, it is also your time to share! What books have you bought recently to add to the shelves? Read any of the books I got? What do you think? Remember to try and not spoil anythign for me. I have yet to read any of the above!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Let's All Have Some Fun With SPAM!!

So, I got this brilliant idea in my head about posting my Freelance Editing Information on Cr****list! (I won't even give it the satisfaction of advertising for them on my blog!) And so I went with it. What would it hurt? Well, apparantly it's just a feeding trough for spammers! wanting everything from nannies, babysitters, and housekeepers, to secret shoppers, personal assistants, and travelling salesmen. And, it even goes as far as people asking for your bank account so they can wire you money, in which you keep a certain amount of the sum and wire the rest to another bank account! (Never ever do this by the way! It's ILLEGAL!) RIDICULOUS!!!

Suffice to say, everything has gone to the spam box, but not before I had a bit of fun!

Here's some of the replies I gave.

Two spammers said I won a free iphone and ipad. I promptly responded, Thank you, but I'm not interested. I don't like Apple products, and below it read, Sent from my iphone because I had replied through my phone. Then, on another one, I said, No thank you. I don't like products that have been named after fruit. It freaks me out.

Another spamer asked me to travel around and sell ads about a drink called X Angrey. I replied, Sorry, but I do not believe in drinking anything but water.

A spammer also asked me to watch his children for 2 months out of the year while him and his wife were on business in Europe. I said, Thank you for the offer, but taking care of other peoples' children goes against my religious beliefs.

Often, spammers won't offer you a lot of money to work for them either. Maybe $400 to $300 a week. I like to reply to those that I am very rich and I do not need your money.

Finally, my personal favorite, most spammers cannot spell worth a dang. So, I offer my services as a Freelance Editor!

So, next time you are spammed, have some fun with it. Can't hurt!
Note, some do reply, but mostly they're like "Happy to hear back from you so soon! Here's more about my offer!" Just spam them again!

:)

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Freelance Editor's Ink!

Some of you may have already noticed, but I recently built a new page for my blog called Freelance Editor's Ink! That is actually my new freelance editing business that I am running on the side of everything else!

I've been thinking about doing this for a really long time and now is my best chance! So, if you know anyone that needs a great editor or proofreader for both fiction and nonfiction, send them my way! My business cards are in the mail!!!

Here's the deal...

Freelance Editor:

Aubrie Parth

About Me:

I am a Freelance Editor and a Production Assistant/Proofreader for Knorr Marketing in Traverse City, Michigan. I graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in English with concentrated studies in both creative writing and grammar and two minors in art and history. I enjoy writing myself, but I truly love helping other writer’s words look their best.

For years, I have been a writer/editor for online writing communities, volunteering my efforts for young aspiring novelist and poets. I have also turned toward aiding student published works, such as the 1098 fiction collective magazine at Central Michigan University.

Now, I am currently aiding in editing for Malcolm J. Croan, an independent publisher and writer of Right Hand Up To God. The current piece will be Malcolm’s second novel, and it is children’s literature. I have also done ghost writing and proofreading for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce and currently proofread for Knorr Marketing.

I enjoy working from home, all while contributing to maintaining the English language and molding better writers!

Services:*

* I suggest changes using “Track Changes” in Microsoft Word.

· Proofreading:

o Your document is reviewed for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and typographical errors.

· Copy Editing:

o Your document is reviewed for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and typographical errors. It is edited for style and structure, which includes suggestions for word choice, verb tense, sentence and paragraph structure, and sentence clarity.

Rates:

· Fiction: (Novels/ Books/ Short stories/ Poetry/ Et Cetera)

o Proofreading

§ 100 words or less- $5

§ Every additional word (after 100 words) is an extra .01 cent

o Editing

§ 100 words or less- $7

§ Every additional word (after 100 words) is an extra .015 cent

· Non-Fiction: (Magazine Articles/ Newspaper Articles/ Textbooks/ Memoirs/ Biographies/ Autobiographies/ Research papers/ School papers/ Et Cetera)

o Proofreading

§ 100 words or less- $7

§ Every additional word (after 100 words) is an extra .01 cent

o Editing

§ 100 words or less- $10

§ Every additional word (after 100 words) is an extra .015 cent

Contacting Me:



Submission Guidelines:

Manuscript MUST meet the following guidelines!

· Typed

· Saved as a Word .docx file

· Emailed as an attachment


Others:

By using Freelance Editor’s Ink’s services, you (the customer) are agreeing that you understand and are bound to the following terms of service:

The customer is responsible for the content of any submitted document. Freelance Editor’s Ink is not liable for copyright infringements or the intellectual property rights of any document submitted by the customer.

The customer is responsible for either accepting or rejecting the suggested changes to the document, and making those changes in his or her original document. The customer is also responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the proofread or edited document. Freelance Editor’s Ink does not include fact-checking.
Freelance Editor’s Ink does not guarantee the results of any proofread or edited document. The customer agrees to refrain from any legal action against Freelance Editor’s Ink due to any loss or damages, financial or otherwise, resulting from the customer’s use of Freelance Editor’s Ink.
Freelance Editor’s Ink is not obligated to refund the price of any service performed. If the customer is not satisfied upon receipt of the proofread or copy edited document, he or she must let Freelance Editor’s Ink know within seven (7) days, and every effort will be made to correct the situation. If Freelance Editor’s Ink does not receive notice of such dissatisfaction within this period of time, the project will be considered completed in a manner acceptable to the customer.
The customer is responsible for adding the Freelance Editor’s Ink email address to his or her address book. Proofread and copy edited documents are returned to the customer via email, and the customer is responsible for checking his or her email for correspondence concerning an order. Freelance Editor’s Ink is not responsible for any difficulties due to disruption of the Internet or email services.

Freelance Editor’s Ink reserves the right to refuse service at its discretion and/or terminate services at any time.

These terms of service may be amended at any time without notice.

Privacy Policy: Protecting your privacy is very important, and Freelance Editor’s Ink will make every effort to ensure that your work remains completely private and confidential.*
*Similar policies have been used by other reputable editing services.
I'm really looking forward to getting started with this!
See ya!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Must Reads #4: "Hood," "Scarlet," and "Tuck" by Stephen R. Lawhead

Title: The Raven King Series (Hood, Scarlet, and Tuck)
Author: Stephen R. Lawhead
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Edition: Hardcover: April 8, 2008
Back Cover Summary: The Legend Begins Anew

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.
*******
With my love of all things Robin Hood in full bloom, picking up this book was a real no-brainer! What? More Robin Hood stories to fuel my obsession? Yes, please! What? It's a trilogy? Heck-to-the-yes!

Hood is a brand new take on the Robin Hood Legend. Where most tellings base the story around the 13th or 14th century, Lawhead decides to base it more around 1066 when the Normans (French) decide to invade England and take of the little Welsh kingdoms.
High Notes: The history is fabulous! I first started reading the series when I was taking Medieval Civilization and England to 1600 back to back in college. I was able to keep right up with the book and all the politics that were going on between the Welsh people and their new Norman conquerors. Might be a little more difficult to keep track of for someone who was not previously taught the history, but as long as you care to understand it, there really shouldn't be a problem.

Each book has a different narrator, Hood is narrated by Hood, or Bran, as he is called, Scarlet is narrated by Will Scarlet, my personal favorite, he was very funny, and Tuck is narrated by Friar Tuck.

This is also an origin story, which is always fun. Bran starts out as a bit spoiled, really only thinking of himself, fooling around with Marian from time to time, until his land is stolen from him and he is wounded and forced into the woods where he is thought to die, only to be reborn, after months of stubbornness, as a powerful leader.

There are many characters you will recognize and others that steal your love just as easily as the old ones!
Low Notes: Some slow parts, like in Hood when Bran is wounded, it takes a long time for him to heal and become stronger, but you do get to see him grow and morph into the legend that he is, which is very interesting.

If you're looking for romance, you might not get all that you want. There is a love story between Bran and Marian as you would expect, but it takes a long time to develope and is really on the back burner for almost all the books. There are other little relationshipd that help fill in, but it really is all about Bran's transformation and his and the Welsh peoples' impact on this particular period in history.
Ratings:
Character Development: 5/5
Dialogue: 4/5 Not a ton of dialogue.
Prose: 4/5 Bit confusing at times.
Believability: 5/5 More believable then almost an Robin Hood I have read or seen!
Style and Grammar: 5/5
Entertainment Value: 4/5 You have got to be into it or else it could seem a bit tedious.
Overall Rating: 90% Best Robin Hood book I have read thus far!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Bookmark Break Challenge 2012 (1 Month Update!)

Ready for the 1 Month Update? Here we go!

This year is starting off better than ever, and we have way more competitors now to show for it! Welcome all you newbies! I am thrilled to have you!!! This is really turning into a great challenge that I am proud to continue it for another year!

REMEMBER: Anyone and everyone that would like to be a part of this year's Bookmark Break Challenge is more than welcome to still join! Just read more about it here, leave me a comment somewhere saying you would like to join, and create your booklist somewhere where I can keep track of your progress! :)

Now, let's see the break down of the challenge so far!

There are currently 22 competitors that have read a total of 94 books in January! Way to go!

Competitor's List:

Nice job everyone! Let me just say that I am more excited about this year than the last. nI feel like we've had more exposure, there are people participating for the second year in a row, definately a lot of enthusiasm going on! Also, I have stuck with my goal thus far, which is one book a week! I was so excited that I decided to update the list early about 2 weeks ago, thinking I was kicking butt! Then, I checked on Poe, Susan, Ruthie, Sierra, Julie, Corina, Kyria, and Shah! I must say I was knocked down a peg, but never discourage. You girls are rocking this competition so far. Keep it up!

Here's what I've been up to!

My Book List:
  1. Haiku for the Single Girl (Poetry/Comedy)
  2. The Web of Titan (YA/Sci-Fi/Space/Post-Apocalyptic)
  3. The Hunger Games (YA/Dystopian) (2nd Read) Getting ready for the movie! I can't wait!
  4. One for the Money (Fiction/Comedy) Also, getting ready for the movie! It came out last Friday!
  5. Catching Fire (YA/Dystopian) (2nd Read)
I noticed that A LOT of people have been reading or rereading The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins! I saw it on quite a few of your lists. The first two are on mine too! What was your reasoning. I'm getting ready for the movie! Plus, I let a friend borrow all of them and she was so into them and wanted to talk to be about them so I had to get all caught up again so we could chat away!

Currently Reading:
  • Outside In (YA/Dystopian) By one of my favorite authors right now! Her name is Maria V. Snyder!
On Deck: