"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult

I just finished another book! I can't believe how much I have been reading.

I had been hearing about this book for a while and when at the movies recently, I saw the preview. It was so sad I decided that I had to read the book. Surprisingly the book was not as sad as I thought it would be. I really liked how the format of the book was set to help you identify with the characters... I am not sure how it could translate to the movie. This is a great book.

My next book this summer - "Tribes" by Seth Godin

Tribes is a book that after hearing about it for the 4th or 5th time at TLA ( Texas Library Assoication, which is a conference I attend regularly) I decided I must read it.

This book is about leadership but from an unique perspective, the underdog. I have always related to the underdog, probably because I identify myself as a underdog and wear that proudly. Tribes is a call to leadership, and then tells the reader that anyone can lead now as we all have new (Web 2.0) tools that we can use to lead our tribes. You just have to be willing to lead.

Some great quotes from the book "Tribes" are:

"If your goal is to make change, it's foolish to try to change the worldview of the majority if the majority is focused on maintaining the status quo. The opportunity is to carve out a new tribe, to find the rabble-rousers and change lovers who are seeking new leadership and run with then instead." page 110

"By the time you realize that your corner of the world is ready for an innovation, it's almost certainly too late. It's definitely not to early." page 120

Weather Alert! 2 hot 2 sit

OK, so I go out to my car yesterday and sit in the seat and BAM! My legs are burning! It is so hot that I cannot even sit to drive much less touch the steering wheel. Well somehow, I manage to get the car turn on, which is a feat in itself. Picture it - I drive a stick! While not trying to put my bottom in the seat, I contort myself into a position where I can get my left foot on the clutch, my right foot on the brake, my right hand at the ignition, it occurs to me now that my shoulder blades are touch the back of my seat and while it is hot it is not the intensity of the spot where my bottom should be. When I realize that somehow my left hand has mysteriously, on its own, thrown itself in the air as if I was riding a bull! I guess this is where my years of playing Twister pay off.

Suddenly, I am thrown back to the summer of 1980. If you were in Texas that summer, you remember it. I was in Fort Worth that summer. All I know really is that you didn't live through that summer you melted through it. And I remember my Mom would keep a towel in the car so I could sit on it.

I look at the dash, in the stifling car, and the temperature reads 111. Yikes! I hope that this week is a fluke and the rest of summer is not bearing down on us with century marks throughout August. Then I get in the trunk and get out the trusty towel, like Mom did, put it in my seat and drive home.

Summer Reading - "The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian"

Let me start by saying that I have always been an avid reader but somehow I have always treasured summer reading the best. Maybe it is still ingrained in me from summer vacations, 3 months of lying around in the sun and reading! Therefore, I always seem to read more in the summer.

I started this summer by reading the book “The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian” by Sherman Alexie. It is a charming story where you are privilege to get a glimpse of how it might be growing up on a reservation. Junior, the main character, uses humor as a tool to survive his life. Just when you think for sure this kid is beat, he comes up swinging. I truly enjoyed the visual comedy this book uses throughout the story.

Thing 23 Summary WHEW I made it!

My favorite discovery I would still have to say is Flock the new browser I ran across while playing in the 23 Things - I think it was Thing 13 exploring when I discovered Flock. I also liked the variety of what I learned/explored.

I have always believed in being a life long learner. So while I continue to read, explore and learn at least one new thing each day this program as renewed that yearning in me to actively learn.

I think I would like to see the next 23 Things that I could learn. I really like this format.

I would choose to participate in another discovery program such as this.

I would describe 23 Things as Dynamic!

Thing 22 Ning

I looked at all the Ning items that were listed in Thing 21 and I can see that you could develope a social network for people with like interest. One cool thing I thought Ning did was allow you to use several tools to communicate to one spot, so that in a social network someone might be really use to posting in a forum while others can still load video if they want. Until we had these customizable social networks we had to chat in one spot post pictures in another. This allows for one stop shopping. As for an idea of how I might use this I am not were sure yet, will have to think on this for awhile.