Friday, July 4, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: July 4th - 10th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

If you want schedule next week's post, click here to find the next prompt question. To submit a question, fill out this form.

What to do:

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

  This week's question is submitted by RAnn!

Do you cull your list often or do people stay on once they get on?

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in removal of your link).


3. Visit other blogs in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new follower.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
  

My Answer: 

No, I don't ever cull my blog followers.


Linky List:

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

5 Sites That Will Help You Improve Your Grammar Skills


Let’s talk about grammar for a bit.

I know it is one of the most-hated subjects in all the world, but to me, grammar is the foundation for clear written communication. Grammar is the body language of the written word (Tweet this).

You may hate grammar now, but grammar doesn’t have to be boring and dry. Grammar can be fun!

Just consider the myriad of grammar jokes floating around out there. Here are some of my favorites:

The Past, the Preset, and the Future walked into a bar. It was tense.

Why did the comma break up with the apostrophe?

Because it was too possessive.

American Quilter's Society 2015 Wall Calendar Review


American Quilter's Society 2015 Wall Calendar
by AQS Editors
Publisher: American Quilter's Society
Pub. Date: June 25, 2014
Retail: $12.95
ISBN: 978-1604601589
Pages: 26

Buy Links: Amazon, AQS

Review:

You know that 2014 is going by fast when 2015 calenders are coming out in stores. While you can easily wait until the end of the year to grab a free calender at a bank, many of us like unique calenders, like of our favorite television series, favorite sports team or favorite hobby. Whatever your likes are, there are plenty of calenders to choose from.

Back Cover, Showcasing Each Quilt!
I have many quilters in my family, including my mother, though I don't quilt myself (but I do know how to cross stitch), I have a fondness for the hobby. Since I grew up with quilters, I was dragged to quilt shops and hobby stores during my childhood, so I'm educated well about quilting. That being said, I took and interest in reviewing a quilting themed calendar. There are many quilting calendars on the market from different publishers. After reading good things about last year's wall calender from the American Quilter's Society, I nicely requested to review the 2015 calender and they generously sent me a complementary calender to review.

The calender features thirteen beautiful quilts that were selected from the winners of the 2014 AQA QuiltWeek at Paducah, Kentucky.

The quilt titles and creators are:

Review - Pimsleur Approach French I



A few my readers may remember my review for the Pimsleur Approach Spanish 1 that I posted in. The only foreign language class that I took in high school back in the late 90s, was French. Lets just say that my gradse weren't that impressive and beside for pronouncing a few numbers, I don't remember a bit of what I learned.

It is difficult to learn a new language out of a text book and that is one of the reasons why I was interested in reviewing the Pimsleur Approach programs in the first place.

Unlike other programs, you don't have to download a program to your computer to use the Pimsleur Approach French I. The program is an audio only program, featuring 30 units on 16 CDs with each course being 30-minutes in length, meaning anyone can find time during the day to learn a new language. It is recommend that you play each course in order with no more than one course a day. If you don't think you have grasped a course, just repeat it the next day.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

DVD Review - Bewitched: Seasons 3 & 4


Bewitched: Seasons 3 & 4
Starring: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Agnes Moorehead
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00JPQ1HXO
Running Time: 27 hours 52 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD last week is the Bewitched: Seasons 3 & 4 Combo Pack from Mill Creek Entertainment, featuring 66 hilarious episodes on 6 discs. That's nearly 28 hours our magical entertainment for less than $15!

I believe almost every adult has heard or has seen Bewitched, the longest-running supernatural sitcom, airing from 1964-1972 on ABC and later entering into syndication heaven (currently airing on Antenna TV). The basic plot was simple, Darrin Stephens (played by Dick York) bumps into Samantha (played by Elizabeth Montgomery), they fall in love and quickly tie-the-knot. It is on the wedding night that he learns that she is in fact a witch!

Season 3 starts with a bang (plus, the fact that it is the first episode of the series to be aired in color), as Samantha learns that her daughter, Tabitha, (despite being half-human) has magic abilities; something she would like to keep from Darrin, who later finds out by the second episode of the season. With frequent visits from her mother, Endora (played by Sandra Gould), Aunt Clara and Uncle Arthur, Samantha has more to worry about than just Tabitha's magic activities.

The series added a twist during the 4th season when Samantha takes over the duties of the Queen of the Witches. Meanwhile, Endora tries to babysit, but Tabitha's magic runs amok.

The 66 episodes on the six-disc set are:

Monday, June 30, 2014

DVD Review - The Legend of Korra - Book Two: Spirits


The Legend of Korra: Book Two: Spirits
Voice Cast: Janet Varney, J. K. Simmons, David Faustino, P. J. Byrne, Mindy Sterling, Seychelle Gabriel, Steven Blum, Dee Bradley Baker, Jeff Bennett, Adrian LaTourelle, John Michael Higgins, Aaron Himelstein, Aubrey Plaza, James Remar, Richard Riehle, Lisa Edelstein
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Retail: $19.99
ASIN: B00F8PTBLQ
Running Time: 330 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Links: DVD, Blu-ray

Review:

Arriving on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow is Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra - Book Two: Spirits, featuring all fourteen-episodes of the second season on a two-disc set. Bonus Features includes Feuding Spirits: Korra's Family, 4 audio commentaries by the creators and crew and 2 scene bendings.

Set seventy-years after Avatar: The Last Airbender, the spinoff series focuses on the seventeen-year-old Avatar Korra, the successor of Aang, who is living in a world that is separated into four nations, the Northern & Southern Water Tribes, the Air Nomads, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation.

Book Two: Spirits picks up six-months after the first season concluded with Korra searching for a way to defeat the Dark Spirits. Meanwhile, a civil war breaks out between the Northern and Southern tribes, resulting in Korra's parents being arrested.

In order to save the world from total chaos, Korra must learn the true origins of the first Avatar and how to restore order between the physical and spiritual worlds.

Episodes on the 2-disc set are:

Monday Morning Madness # 45: Summer Revolt!

It may look like a nice summer morning, but it is dreadful outside. The humidity is so bad, that I can barely breathe, so setting on the deck and drinking a cup of coffee is out of the question. Instead I'm typing this post, halfway watching Too Close For Comfort on Antenna TV and listening to an Evanescence album, so I'm multitasking.

My original intent was to exercise the first thing this morning (which is something I have been lacking and my body is feeling it), but it seems I can't get anything done without a load of coffee in my system. Plus, I have several review posts that I want to get written up and then I want to finish reading a book, so I can write a review for it tomorrow.

I finally broke down and ordered the upcoming blu-ray release of Halloween: The Complete Collection. I've been wanting to replace my DVDs with Blu-rays and this seems to be the cheapiest route. Plus, I want to see the official Halloween 6 Producers Cut! Yes, the price is a little steep, but I have some money put back for it. My birthday is in early September and the Blu-ray set comes out in late September, so I'm buying a late birthday present for myself.