The End of the Pop Culture League

From this blogpost in October:


About four years ago, I discovered the site Cool and Collected and its feature The League of Extraordinary Bloggers, a team of bloggers who posted on a different topic each week. Participation was optional each week. After a while I stopped posting, and then discovered the League had been discontinued, only to be reborn under a new name, The Pop Culture League. I decided to try posting to the site again when I can.  Click on the links above to see how to participate.

Well, now just today, I learned the new Pop Culture League is no more. I must admit I didn't get all that into it,  but I'd hope to blog occasionally with them as I had done previously. But I think what Brian at the blog says is true:

For most of us, our blogs are a side hobby, not our jobs, and as such, real life tends to take precedence over our online contributions (as it should!)...

That is true for most people, though in my case, a lack of interest in the topic some weeks kept me away (posting was completely voluntary). And I have mainly been blogging about reading and my writing. Nevertheless, it's sad that the feature had to ago away--again!  But it's been fun and I will miss some of the other bloggers' contributions. Life must move on...

No Tree This Year, But Still in the Spirit

No, this doesn't mean I'm against having a tree. I just  needed something to

 illustrate this post.  his is among the images that came up when I

Googled "no tree this year." Read on for more.

Yes, it's only four days till Christmas  and I don't have a tree.  Just didn't find the time to look for one.But that's OK with me. I still feel in the mode. Also, there won't be a white elephant gift exchange, just dinner, with my mom's family. We'd been doing the gift thing for the last  20 or so years, but this year we decided it was a bit silly .Just being together matters, I guess.

But I will not be without a white elephant exchange this year. There will be on this evening at the local karaoke bar's annual Christmas party.  And one at my work party this coming Friday. Since it's a county job, I will be off all next week and on January 2.

No other Christmas decor went up this year either. But I have bought some Christmas-themed candy and our art class at work has been doing Christmas-related crafts for the last two or three weeks. All this makes me still feel in the holiday spirit.

There are different ways to get in the spirit. They don't have to be elaborate.

Quiz: What Holiday Cookie Are You?

You Are a Gingerbread Cookie

You are an organized, responsible person. You value success, and you're likely to get an early start on the day. You are good with both planning and numbers. You have ambitious life goals, and you're well on your way to achieving them.

What Holiday Cookie Are You?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes!

I can agree with mot of this.

Quiz: The Christmas Cupcake Test

You Are Traditional

When it comes to the holidays, you are practically an expert. You know how to flawlessly shop, wrap, gift, and decorate. You are big on holiday traditions, and it pains you to skip any. It just doesn't feel like the holidays without a sparkling tree and cookies for Santa. You enjoy sharing holiday fun with many people, but it's also a private time of year for you. You like quiet nights at home more than wild nights out. This is a good time for nostalgia, reflection, friends, and family. You have a busy holiday but don't get wrapped up in the craziness.

The Christmas Cupcake Test

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes!

2017 WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT READING CHALLENGE

I will be doing this one again and will again try for the first level. 

2017 WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT READING CHALLENGE
Welcome to the 6th Annual Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge!

Welcome to the 6th Annual Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015  & 2016 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenges! I hope you all had as much fun as I did!

RULES

• Low commitment…you can sign up to read just ONE book as an INITIATE!!!
• Participants who choose to link up reviews will be entered for the end of year prize!!

Challenge Rules:

• This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017. Link up a sign-up post (below).
• Reviews: I will be handling this slightly differently than previous years. There will be only one post in January of 2017 to link all the years reviews rather than a monthly link up.  (Note: You do not have to review the books to participate, but only those who link up reviews will be entered for the prize)
• Grab the reading challenge button (code & button below) and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate- you could track your progress and post reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.
• Any full length book that includes a witch as a main character or includes major witchcraft elements counts. They may be fiction or non-fiction. However, they should not be reference books which are not read cover to cover-I will leave this to your discretion.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
• When you sign up in the linky put the direct link to your post about joining the 2017 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge, not just a link to your blog.
• You can move up levels, but no moving down.
• Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2017, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
• Have some Witchy Good Fun !!!

THE LEVELS:

Initiate: Read 1 – 5 Witchy Books
Maiden: Read 6 – 10 Witchy Books
Mother: Read 11 – 15 Witchy Books
Crone: Read 16 – 20 Witchy Books

Here is what I am reading:

1. Night of the Ninth Dragon--Mary Pope Osborne
2. Carry On--Rainbow Rowell
3. Wicked Lovely--Melissa Marr
4. The Trouble With Magic--Madelyn Alt
5. The Spiderwick Chronicles 1-5--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
6. Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: The Nixie's Song--Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
7. Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch--Nancy Atherton
8. Bloodlines--Richelle Mead
9. The Girl With All the Gifts--M.R. Carey
10. Nightlight: A Parody--Harvard Lampoon
11. Witch Buster--Jung-man Cho

Challenge completed on October 21

2017 10th Annual Graphic Novel & Manga Reading Challenge

The Graphic Novel and Manga Reading Challenge is on again for 2017. I will be trying for the first level.

 What counts:  graphic novels, collected trade editions, manga, comic strip collections, comic books or combinations of text and bubbles all in the same book. In print or digital. Anything else you feel is suitable.  My personal criteria is if it has either frames OR speech bubbles it counts.  I'm not going to be the comic police but if you are unsure, ask me in the comments any given month.

You must write a review and link to it for it to count towards the challenge. Reviews may be posted on your blog or goodreads or similar places. Several reviews may be gathered and posted in one link on your blog, but each book must be linked back here in the monthly linkies to count. Come back every month to record your progress.


Here is how the Challenge plays out:


runs from Jan.1 - Dec. 31, 2017

Levels

Modern Age: read and review 12 books during the year (that's only 1 book a month)

Bronze Age: read and review 24 books during the year (Can you handle 2 books a month.)

Silver Age: read and review 52 books during the year (Are you up to a book a week!)

Golden Age: read and review 104 books during the year (Are you addicted? 2 books a week!)

Here is what I am reading:

1. Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy--Rachel Renee Russell
2. Are You My Mother?--Alison Bechtel
3. El Deafo--Cece Bell
4. Let's Dance a Waltz, Vol. 1--Natsumi Ando
5. Smile--Raina Telgemeier
6. Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life--James Patterson
7. Dear Dumb Diary: My Pants Are Haunted--Jim Benton
8. Ghosts--Raina Telgemeier
9. Zombies Calling--Faith Erin Hicks
10. Witch Buster--Jung-man Cho
11. Legend: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
12. Prodigy: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
13. Champion: The Graphic Novel--Leigh Dragoon
14. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish--Mo O'Hara
15. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: The SeaQuel--Mo O'Hara
16. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Fins of Fury--Mo O'Hara
17. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: Any Fin is Possible--Mo O'Hara
18. Page by Paige--Laura Lee Gulledge
19. Drama--Raina Telgemeier

Challenge completed on November 27

Book Challenge by Erin 6.0

I will be doing Erin's Book Challenge that runs from January 1 to April 30, 2017. Click here to sign up and see more.

Book Challenge by Erin 6.0 - Categories

·         5 points:  Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages. Pink-Lili Wilkinson

·         10 points:  Read a book that starts with the letter “W”  Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs--Wallace Stegner

·         10 points:  Read a book with six words in the title. The Cat Who had 14 Tales--Lilian Jackson Braun

·         15 points:  Read a book that has a (mostly) green cover. Black Beauty--Anna Sewell

·         20 points:  Read a book with a homonym in the title (inspired by the book Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin that I read last challenge with a character who is obsessed with homonyms.)  Only one word in the title needs to be a homonym.  Helpful link.
     The Language of Flowers--Vanessa Diffenbaugh

·         20 points:  (Submitted by Linda) Read a book by your favorite author:
First Comes Love--Emily Giffin

·         25 points:  (Submitted by Christina) Read a book set in the city/town/state/territory/county/province where you live.  To help with books set in certain U.S. states, this link should help.   
The Sky is Everywhere--Jandy Nelson (California)

·         30 points:  (Submitted by Peggy) Read a “Rory Gilmore” book.  The character of Rory from the Gilmore Girls was shown reading over 300 different books throughout the series.  Choose one of them from this helpful link.       Bitch--Elizabeth Wurtzel

·         30 points:  (Submitted by Stef)  Read a book from a genre that you’ve never read (or rarely read.) (Western): More Brains Than Bullets/The Road to Casas Piedras/West of Dodge--Louis L'Amour


·         35 points:  (Submitted by Ferne) Read a book with time travel.  Helpful link.   
Slaughterhouse Five--Kurt Vonnegut

Challenge completed on April 16