H.P. Mallory

Dear all 2 people who follow my blog, I want to let you know of my love of H.P. Mallory. I discovered her books after downloading the nook for PC application to my computer. 

My mom was away in the middle East and she is usually the one that buys a lot of books which I then read after she is done with them (I was the one that got her hooked on Paranormal Fiction/Urban Fantasy genre). So she took her nook with her to the middle East and I was unable to snag it to read it at ungodly hours of the day (1-4AM my usual in bed reading time). So anywhooo, I started downloading books to my nook for PC, but I was using my own measly earnings as a pizza delivery girl to buy these books. I came across H.P. Mallory's books which were very inexpensive, had many positive reviews, and had very cute covers (yeah the cover matters to me). So I decided to buy her first book Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble and give it a whirl.

look how cute that is?!!? AND she designs them herself from stock photos (the image is not mine property of H.P. Mallory)

I GOT WHIRLED HARDCORE. I LOVED IT.

PLUS the title is catchy, quirky, and clever (a take on A Tale of Two Cities). What I discovered was a fresh take on the Paranormal Fiction genre. I'm not that old (21 yrs) but I have been reading Fantasy since I was in the 3rd grade (Redwall) and voraciously reading Paranormal Fiction and Urban Fantasies since I was in the 7th grade. So I have read A LOT of these books. After awhile a lot of the characters and story lines especially of the same author start to blur together and become the same story but with different character names. HOWEVER after reading Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble I was hooked, the characters were amazing, they were like actual people, with ACTUAL feelings, thoughts, and humor. H.P. Mallory fleshed out her characters in a way that many Paranormal authors had been failing to do. I then continued on with Jolie's second story Toil and Trouble, and I can't wait for the much awaited Be Witched the third novel of the Jolie Wilkins series.

If you think that my review of the Jolie Wilkin's series is stellar, I have to say that the Dulcie O'Neil series is actually my favorite because Dulcie is a bit more humorous (a plus+), she's a fairy (+), she herself is an author (+), KNIGHT IS AS HOT AS HADES (+), she uses rare supernatural beings (Loki +), and she has not only 2 suitors as in Jolie's case but she has 3 (Knight, Bram and Quillan ++)

The main point of this post is to tell you that she is hosting a contest where you can be a character in her next Jolie book Be Witched will be coming out Spring 2012 from Bantam. This is where you can enter: http://urbanfantasyauthor.blogspot.com/2011/05/become-character-in-my-next-jolie-book.html

I hope I win!!!

Don't Buy Pet Store Animals

There are many reasons not to buy an animal from a petstore, the main reason is that most of the animals come from places where people breed them for profit, also known as "puppy mills"

Most animals that come from puppy mills have horrible genetics because the breeders don't care about the health of the puppy they just want maximum output of animals. Because they have horrible genetics they then have horrible health problems. 

These animals have known no compassion or love while growing up and are treated as a product. The lack of care, attention and training also causes them to have behavioral issues such as being afraid of people and aggression. 

I would be afraid of people too if this is all that I knew.

People unknowingly purchase these animals and expect them to be perfect, but in fact they will most likely run into a myriad of issues with their pet's health. Many people who adopt a puppy from a puppy mill then have to put their pet to sleep because the animal was in such horrible health.

Most of these dogs are bred until they cannot breed anymore and then the breeder will kill them, or sell them to people saying they are completely healthy when in fact they are most likely dying.

The state that is the most lax with puppy mills and runs abundant with them is Missouri. Recently a law which provided more protection for the animals was rolled back, so now the breeders and puppy mills will just go even more unchecked. The ASPCA published an article about the law:

http://www.aspca.org/News/National/National-News-Detail.aspx?NDate=20110415&NType=National#News1

If you do want a specific breed of dog, search Petfinder which has many adoptable animals that need homes, even puppies. They aren't mass produced and stuck in pretty boxes for people to window shop them like a pair of shoes. Check your local humane society, and if you still cannot find what you are looking for, find a reputable breeder that will allow you to come to their home and see the parents of the dog/puppy, see the conditions the dog has been living in, plus get their records of their current vaccines and vet visits. 

These poor creatures can't stop the people doing this to them, so if there is no demand for their product the breeder will have to find another job that doesn't involve torturing animals. Dogs aren't the only animal being extorted, cats, rabbits etc.  

Adopt a pet, they are overall better animals and will make better pets. Adopting an animal who needs a home is better than picking out an animal like it is some item to be purchased to complete your outfit. 

Adopt Buy

Hello Maneki Neko

One of the popular Japanese icons, that has become a cultural world phenomena is the cartoon character Hello Kitty. Who is said to have been based off of the traditional Lucky Cat the Maneki Neko. As you can see Hello Kitty does look very similar to the Maneki Neko

They have even made a Hello Kitty Lucky Cat

Hello Kitty is the ultimate representation of cute. People have become so obsessed with her cuteness they have made a large array of products, and institutions dedicated to her. There is even a Hello Kitty themed amusement park "Sanrio Puroland" in Japan, an airline "Eva Air Hello Kitty" which is all Hello Kitty themed, and a restaurant "Hello Kitty Sweets" in Taipei Taiwan. The restaurant serves Hello Kitty themed food, the waitresses are dressed as cats, and the entire inside is PINK. 

There is nothing out there that you couldn't find Hello Kitty themed. Maybe a few things, like maybe condoms. But I actually just looked for some and found some...of course they are really cute and look like lollipops 

I'm assuming they aren't official "Hello Kitty"

Maybe you want to emasculate your boyfriend some more and offer him some Hello Kitty boxer briefs.

Oh and they also have toilet paper

Oh and vibrators

Oh and in case you want to kill someone while putting a smile on their face.

 While driving in your Hello Kitty car.

My favorite by far is the Hello Kitty jewelry and the Hello Kitty toaster.

Whatever your Hello Kitty poison that little kitty face and cute bow will always tickle your Hello Kitty bone/boner.

OBEY HELLO KITTY

Portrait With My Sister Kate

For my Mom's 51st Birthday, which is coming up soon my sister and I were thinking of getting professional portraits done together and sending them to her in Afghanistan. Since our mom's favorite color is green we were thinking either we could wear green, or have them do black and white photographs with touches of green. Since the photography place we are going to iSmile doesn't have any examples of sisters posing together, I had to search google for ideas. 

For the touches of green, I was thinking green accessories:

Whatever we do decide, so long as its green, my mom will love it. 

Here is a really good program where you can buy a cup of coffee for a soldier in the middle east.

Cup Of Joe For A Joe

My mom and her friend Rita

Can't wait for her to be home

PEACOCK

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When I first heard "Peacock" by Katy Perry I thought wowww, I will never like this song, it's dumb. But after I listened to it a few times, I found it very amusing to listen to. I seem to have become a little Katy Perry obsessed, since I recently bought her new album. My favorite songs so far off of the album "Teenage Dream" (besides E.T.) are: T.G.I.F., Peacock, Hummingbird Heartbeat, and Circle the Drain. The other songs are pretty good as well, per usual there is always a few sad songs on her albums, from "One of the Boys"  she had "Thinking of You" which is a beautiful but sad song. This album has "The One That Got Away",  "Pearl" and "Not Like the Movies". The album also features 2 remixes, one of  "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls" . I have been a fan of her since she "(I) Kissed a Girl" and hope she keeps coming out with more.

And if they do make a video for the song, I think the choreography that the choreographer Sheryl Murakami has already come up with would be perfect for the song.

Rolling Stone gave Teenage Dream 3 out of 5 stars, USA Today gave it 3 out of 4 stars. Whatever the star rating, she is my new girl crush, and will be blaring from my car speakers well into the summer months. Her music may be saccharine sweet, but what the hell, zero calories.

Guilty Pleasures

There are several things that I enjoy that I don't really tell people about:

Musicals. e.g. The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, CATS, The King & I, Easter Parade

Can I say that video makes me want a spandex suit.

Popping the seed pods of the Jewelweed. They explode, it's fun.

 Pulling pieces of fur off of my rabbit (don't worry only fur that is coming out anyway). I call it "pulling" I know how creative

Ripping off my cuticles when I'm stressed or bored

I'm not that intense

Gardening, like an old lady

Feeding birds, I have 9 bird feeders (5 seed, 2 suet, 2 hummingbird), and 2 squirrel feeders. I have contemplated making my own suet, which only the truly crazy bird people do. Haven't crossed the line into bird feeding madness...yet.

My chair is green

 Singing in the car. HARDCORE. there is usually steering wheel drumming involved.

I wish I looked that good while doing it, and Asian

Taking found objects. One time I took a persons bumper/headlight. After I watched them drunkenly hit a fire hydrant and drive away, but then they came back looking for their bumper, and I had already taken it and was laughing my ass off watching them trying to find it.

Reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Fantasy. I can only read/enjoy books with a female protagonist. 

Mercy Thompson, one of the best female paranormal characters. Plus she's a VW mechanic.

 Rubbing my feet when I'm sleeping

Anime. Gasp. I'm not a crazy animaniac though, only good/weird ones.

FLCL

 Ugly Colors. Chartreuse and Orange.

Horrible 80's movies. Legend, Labyrinth, Conan, Interview with the Vampire, Lost Boys, The NeverEnding Story, The Page Master, Return to Oz etc.

Yeah that's Tom Cruise with a Unicorn