Saving the World

One grain of rice at a time.

My friend Cassidy shared this highly addictive website with me: www.freerice.com

For every correct synonym that you identify for a variety of words, 20 grains of rice are donated by the United Nations to help end world hunger. So - go out there and practice for the GED while doing good.

Good challenge, LA. I'm a little too nervous to do it ... Let's make our resident writer, TF, participate first!

Romance Novel Excerpt

In honor of our postponed One Night Stand Book Club, here is an excerpt from a book I found online. It is nowhere NEAR as steamy as the pages I had flagged in the book, but at least this one is slightly humorous.

So Chase settled for reaching for Nicole's water glass instead of her lips. In some primitive way that was stronger than logic or experience, he needed to touch something that had touched her. The knowledge that she had held the cool, smooth glass, that her mouth had touched it, that the water had slid caressingly over her tongue, made this one glass irresistible to him.
"May I?" he asked, picking up her glass without taking his eyes from hers.

Wordlessly she nodded.

The delicate sounds of golden bells pierced the blur of surrounding conversation. The sweet music sank into Chase like tiny, sensual claws, pricking him into full physical awareness. He poured a clear stream of water into the glass, set his lips on the rim where hers had so recently lingered, and drank.

He knew that she was watching him as intently as he had watched her. The certainty caused a sudden rush of blood in his veins, the heavy beat of sexuality swelling.

Wow, that was beautiful.
My challenge: write your own romance novel excerpt and post it. Make it GOOD.

New Favorites

1) Create your own Jackson Pollock: http://www.stumbleupon.com/demo/?friend=5403695&msg=Express+yourself%21%21#url=http://www.jacksonpollock.org/ (Don't be fooled that it looks like it hasn't loaded.)

2) Dried apricots. Mmm!

Also - CONGRATS to LA for successfully completing her first 10K race today! The IC doesn't get much better.

Good - question mark?

A week and a half ago I was reunited with a past boyfriend - the first love. So great to see him. So great to maintain contact and FINALLY (four years later) have the "relationship reenactment." The RR is absolutely necessary for me in most break-ups (what can I say? I like closure.) yet with this one I moved on (relatively quickly).

We talked about why we broke up. Although mutual, it was still a bit of a mystery. First Love talked about how hard it was when we broke up and how he's been measuring every other girl against me and no one's quite measured up. Wow. Naturally all sorts of memories came up which made us wonder if this newfound whatever should turn into a refound love.

After our initial hour-long convo I was torn as to what to do. I asked him to give me a week to think and pray about things. And then reality set in that there were a lot of reasons to be cautious.

We chatted today and he said we should be friends (real friends - not fake ones, he's willing to make effort). He seemed really hung up on the fact that he didn't know what brought this on. And you think I do?! It's not as if I liked the possiblity of dating yet ANOTHER boyfriend for a second time. I feel good. I'm just so glad someone else made a decision.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't WMF him though ...

Happy Earth Day!

In honor of Earth Day I did a little google searching for tips on how to save the world, one tree at a time. http://www.treehuggerz.com/ has a list of "Small Things You Can Do Everyday." Out of 98 (couldn't think of the last two, folks?), the number one suggestion is breastfeed your children. Really? I mean, really? Let's just hope these aren't organized by most important.

Working on my Backwards Walk

www.dailytuneage.com

Shared by my great friend Aaron, I've fallen in love with this site. Yesterday's post is quickly becoming my most recent addiction.

Had to share...

This link will take you to the cutest blog ever...

http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/

To Paris and Beyond

I never knew what words of wisdom I was missing before we hosted "The One Night Book Club." Thursday we had a ladies get together and charged the invitees with bringing the most horribly awesome biography they could find.

Inspiration came from singers, actors, models, businesswomen, and even puppets. The personalities adopted made the night a success.

My book choice was "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose" (clever, right?). Paris Hilton will never cease to amaze me. She has just, like, such great advice? And she's so smart? Here's one of my favorite tidbits: "Some people say I'm a hypocrite because I eat burgers but won't wear fur. My response to that is heiresses don't need to be consistent."

Thank the Lord for my newfound realization that my attempts at packing frugally, having intelligent conversations with guys, and believing that I can have true friends who aren't just jealous of me are completely WRONG. And thanks for Celine Dion's story of intimacy with Rene. And the name Narvel.

Editor's Note: Getting Started

This page is the brainchild of three friends - three good friends who have lived and worked together for four years. They've lived also partied, traveled, painted, swam, read, eaten, danced, and run together, among other things. They leave no stone unturned and make their mark wherever they go - they are the Tripod.

And, they're splitting up - geographically, at least. The time has come for all sorts of graduations, so while they began living a few feet from each other, then a few floors and then blocks, they will now be a few states away (and maybe countries). Determined to stay abreast of their adventures, creative musings and mishaps, they will utilize this blog as a fun way to share and stay in touch (as well as inspire, challenge and laugh, of course).

Let the fun begin.