Quiz: What Kind of Christmas Card Are You?

You Are a Cute Christmas Card

You love the holidays, and it's hard for you to feel any sort of seasonal burnout. You're the person who thinks the holidays don't start soon enough. You have your Christmas cards picked out months in advance. The holidays make you feel happy and content. You're tickled by every gift you receive and every old friend you reconnect with. You are a thoughtful gift giver, and you take the time to make each object you give unique and special. You like to see someone's eyes light up when they open your present.

What Kind of Christmas Card Are You?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

2013 Audio Book Challenge

Photo credit: Jeff Golden

Welcome to the Original Audio Book Challenge. This challenge is for Audio Book lovers as well as those who are brand new to them.

There are five levels to the challenge

• Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
• Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
• Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
• Married-Listen to more than 25 Audio Books
• You Define the Relationship- Create your own challenge (choose your own name and level starting as low or going as high as you’d like)

This is a fairly laid back challenge and I want it to be as enjoyable as possible.

• Audio Books can be any genre
• You can cross challenges
• You don’t have to be a blogger to participate. You can tell us about what you are listening to in the comments of the monthly link up.

There will be a monthly link up so that we can share what we’ve listened to and make suggestions to each other.

I hope I’ve enticed you to join in the 2013 Audio Book Challenge. I’m really looking forward to reading your reviews and experiences over the next year.

Official Challenge dates: 1/1/2013-12/31/2013

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Last year, after Googling something, I discovered several reading challenges on several blogs. I then decided to look for some to try for 2013.  Last year I started getting into the idea of audio books. Until last year or so, I'd slacked on reading printed books (and am still not into the idea of e-readers). IN years past, I'd ever even considered audiobooks, until I started reading the "Stephanie Plum" books last year. I got most of then form the library, and one of them was not available as a printed book, but as an audiobook, so in order to read this one, I had to get the audiobook.  It was quite fun.  I've only listened to four other audiobook this year so far, but want to try more next year.  I came across a book on CD at my library last year called "The Monsters of Templeton." It's quite good, and if you like historical fiction, ghost stories, and/or contemporary romance, this story combines all of those, and is worth reading (or listening to, if you prefer).  

To join this challenge, sign up here.

Quiz: The Wrapping Paper Test

You are Lively and Inspiring

You approach the holidays with lots of energy and enthusiasm. It's definitely your favorite time of the year. You are quite social during the holidays. You go to lots of events and get in touch with everyone you know. While so much activity would make most people exhausted, it only energizes you more. Of all the types, you are the most likely to treat your friends and family to expensive gifts. You're also the most likely to wrap your gifts elegantly and simply.

The Wrapping Paper Test

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

Quiz: What Christmas Tree Are You?

You Are a Bright Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays are all about fun and seasonal favorites. You are into all things Christmas, even if they're a little tacky.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

2013 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

As I mentioned last year, I am a bookaholic.  I can't let a bookstore (used or new, it doesn't matter) go by without stopping in ("just to look") and walking out with at least something--if not an armload. I wait all year for the Red Cross Book Sale in October so I can cart them out by the bagful. And, well, that means that I wind up with gigantic piles of TBR books stacked up around my backroom. I don't have a TBR shelf. Oh, no. I have "Mount TBR"...actually a whole mountain range.  And it doesn't matter that I've just spent the last year working on my mountain range with the Mount TBR Reading Challenge.  They just keep on sprouting up.
 
So, once again, I plan to concentrate on reading primarily from my own books this year. And you're invited to join me in knocking out some of those books that have been waiting in the wings for weeks....months...even years.

Challenge Levels (I've adjusted the levels just slightly this year):

Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Vancouver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR piles/s
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s
El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s

And the rules:
*Once you choose your challenge level, you are locked in for at least that many books. If you find that you're on a mountain-climbing roll and want to tackle a taller mountain, then you are certainly welcome to upgrade.

*Challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2013.

*You may sign up anytime from now until November 30th, 2013.

*Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2013. No ARCs (none), no library books. No rereads. [To clarify--based on a question raised last year--the intention is to reduce the stack of books that you have bought for yourself or received as presents {birthday, Christmas, "just because," etc.}. Audiobooks and E-books may count if they are yours and they are one of your primary sources of backlogged books.]


*You may count any "currently reading" book that you begin prior to January 1--provided that you had 50% or more of the book left to finish in 2013.  I will trust you all on that.

*Books may be used to count for other challenges as well.

*Feel free to submit your list in advance (as incentive to really get those books taken care of) or to tally them as you climb.

*A blog and reviews are not necessary to participate. If you have a blog, then please post a challenge sign up and link THAT post (not your home page) into the linky below. Non-bloggers, please leave a comment declaring your challenge level--OR, if you are a member of Goodreads, I will once again put together a group for the challenge there. Feel free to sign up HERE.  And, finally, I am contemplating a review tracker for this year.  I will post a link if that works out.

I decided to sign up for this reading challenge at the Mount Blanc Level.  I havev at least 26 books at home I have yet to read.  

To sign up, visit this link.  The challenge runs from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.

Quiz: What Holiday Cookie Are You?

You Are Biscotti

You are a very direct, honest person. You don't have time for dramatics or emotional pleas. You feel most comfortable in the intellectual realm, especially with science and technology. You are good at understanding difficult subjects. Understanding people? Not so much.

What Holiday Cookie Are You?

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

Netflix Christmas Envelopes

The Netflix envelopes have been using the Christmas envelopes since just before Thanksgiving.  These two designs are what I've seen as of yet. That first one reminds me of a knitted Christmas sweater.