Another Class Act

Taylor Swift was a recent participant of a Facebook petition to attend the prom with a cancer ridden student. 18-year-old Kevin McGuire has been battling Leukemia for most of his life. It had gone into remission but sadly it has returned. A gifted athlete and a well like young man, he has been brooding about who would want to attend prom with him now that he is bald and his body is weak. His sister, Victoria said that she would get him Taylor Swift and a facebook petition was launched.

Taylor was informed of the petition only to decline his offer *grins* don't worry she was not a heartless cow bent on her own ideals and goals.. instead she asked him if he would be her escort at this Spring's ACM Awards. Needless to say once he recovered from the shock he accepted. Let's hope he is healthy enough to go!

Way to go Taylor!!

Nina's Eagles

My friend Nina has had the opportunity to observe a pair of nesting eagles, I am so jealous!! But she did share her pictures with me and I thought you all might enjoy them.

This nest now has 2 eggs (#1 laid 2/17 and #2 just last night) and if history repeats itself she will lay a third within the next couple of days. This pair's nest is 80 ft up in a cottonwood tree in Decorah Iowa. The first egg should hatch in or around the 23rd of March.

Dad

Dad

Dad Close Up

Mom's first Egg

Mom and Dad outside Office

Mom close up

Mom in Penthouse

 Are these gorgeous or what? Thank you so much Nina for sharing with me!!

Just Upset

It seems I see things differently than others.. See when I make a commitment I keep it. I follow through with my promises and even when it hurts and it does hurt I try and put others before myself.

Recently, I have seen this in action... I saw a circumstance where I created something and made sure I put other people ahead of me in the billing. Then when it came down to showcasing our talents, I let others take my favorites.. but when it came time to return the favor, nope it didn't happen. And yet I am the selfish one.. I am the one "in competition".. yeah feed that line...


I guess, I am angry, hurt, upset.. That dropping in the pit of my stomache curl up and cry feeling. I am tired of being the whipping boy.. tired of once again being used and betrayed. I am tired of accepting responsibility for my actions and never hearing others do the same. If someone walked up it would be hey it's obviously all Shauni's fault, you blame her, she says she was wrong.. you must be freakin perfect a total saint to put up with such a flawed person. Maybe I should just shun Shauni and fall at your feet... yeah.. that is what you would be lead to believe. I HATE that.. I hate that I feel remorse yet others don't. I HATE that I am able to believe in the innate goodness of people over and over and over again!! and yet.. if I didn't I would not be me..

That being said.. I will get grief for daring to voice my opinion.. but if I don't voice it.. I crack..

Interview With Amanda J Greene at Tea and Book

Today Tea and Book is hosting an interview with new author Amanda J Greene. Amanda has written Caressed by Moonlight the beginning book in her series Rulers of Darkness. The second book Caressed by Night comes out on Leap Day!! How cool is that?

Amanda is an exciting new author and we are thrilled to have her. Make sure you stop by and check her out!! She will be responding to comments through out the day!

What's in a Name?

With the crazy baby names that are out these days I got to thinking.. Back in the day I had an unusual name.. So did my sister.. Now adays they are considered quite mild..

We were at Hair Boy's HS graduation.. 6 years ago and they were calling off all the names.. some were extrememly lengthy others were so unique and some.. well all vowels or no vowels.. I leaned over to my sister and said.. "Remember when Shaughnessey (me) and Natasha (her) were considered unique?" she giggled..

But it's true, in the ever growing need to have one's child stand out parents are giving their kids ridiculous names. Remember when Zappa was considered odd because of the names he chose for his children? Or Soleil Moon Frye blew our minds? Now a days we would just roll our eyes if even that...

I have four kids and believe it or not their names are not really Hair Boy, PITA Boy, Word Girl and Blond Girl (who is petitioning for a name change to Science Girl).. No three of them have perfectly normal names.. sorta... Their names on paper are normal everyday names although, we call them by abbreviated versions, shortened versions or their middle name.. Blond Girl does have a bit of an unusual name.. no, her name is not apple.. I have a nephew whose name is Miami.. and Word Girl had she been a boy might have been Renegade (yes that is the name we had picked out for her).. I remember laughing at my brother when he named his son and saying "goes to show you what all those years on drugs will do to you" He has lead a troubled life.. but he leaned over to me (who can truly be called a goody goody) and said.. "and what's your excuse 'Renegade' really"

I tease my mother because I look like a Shaughnessey, for the most part I am French and Chickasaw but my natural father's family has a smidgeon of Irish in them and those genes are strong in his family... My sister, Natasha LOOKS like a Natasha.. all gorgeous and mysterious.. sultry.. anyway I tease my mother what would have happened had she named me Natasha and her Shaughnessey? Honestly, we would have gone through life with the wrong names..

Is there a purpose to this blog? nah.. just rambling but there is a blog hop going on that Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy and Tea and Book are participating and it asked what were the most unusual character names that you found in a book? and that got me thinking..

So what unusual names do you know? Who in your family has the most unusual name?

*I am not even going into my last name.. my maiden name had 11 letters in it so my first and last name had 23 letters and my married name is a first name so I have a first name for a last name and a last name for a first name.. oh the joys!!

Exciting New Give Away from Thea Harrison

I can't help but share this with everyone!! I am posting it on Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy as well as Tea and Book.. But I thought some of you might enjoy this as well..

This is such an exciting giveaway I am posting it just about everywhere.. why? Cuz I get more entries.. *grins* Thea Harrison is giving away three free copies of Oracle's Moon and it's an international contest.. Now really, I don't want any of you to rush out and enter it or anything BUT here's the info!!

Oracle's Moon Give Away from Thea's own Mouth!!

I am so excited--today I received my author copies of ORACLE'S MOON, the fourth book in my Elder Races series! To celebrate this with YOU, the readers, I'm giving away three copies here on Goodreads.

The contest runs from the posting today and will end on 12 pm (noon) Mountain Time Zone on Monday February 20th. (That is 2 pm EST, and 11 am PDT.)

Each of the three winners will receive a signed copy of ORACLE'S MOON, which I will promptly put in the mail on Monday so that they receive the story well ahead of the release date, March 6th.

To enter this contest, please answer the following questions: Do you read outside of the romance genre? If so, who is your favorite non-romance author?

Contest rules are as follows:

1. Each contestant can have up seven (7) entries. You do not have to complete all seven steps to play. All you have to do to enter for the giveaway is step #2. Completing any combination of the rest will just give you more chances to win.

2. +1 entry. Leave your comment for me on my Goodreads blog.

***YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment, along with any details from steps #3 and #4.****

You must set up a Goodreads account to leave comments, but this is quick, easy and free.

3. +3 entries (1 entry each) for following me on Goodreads, Twitter (@TheaHarrison) and Facebook ( www.facebook.com/TheaHarrison). (You must include this information in your comment on my blog for contest credit!)

4. +3 entries (1 entry each) for tweeting about this contest, blogging about it, or linking to it from your website, etc. (Please tell me where! You must include information on this in your comment on my blog for credit).

5. Giveaway is open Internationally/No P.O. Boxes. Yes, you read that right: this is international.

7. I will pick the three winners with the help of Random.org, and announce who they are Monday afternoon, February 20th, between 12:00 noon and 12:15 pm, Mountain Time Zone.

I am very happy to share ORACLE'S MOON with you, and I hope you have fun!

Many thanks to my agent, Amy Boggs, at the Donald Maass Literary Agency, for helping to facilitate this contest.

Good luck, everybody!
Love,
Thea

Happy Valentine's Day

For those of you with love in your hearts.. have a wonderful Valentine's Day.. Remember you can enjoy a special day even when you don't have a special Valentine.. don't let lack of romance in your life kill the romance in your soul!!

Shauni

Seriously? What a way to wake up

I love reading about houses on the internet.. it's one of those guilty pleasures.. Most of them I look at and think NO WAY.. but I still love to read about them. Tiny houses, fancy pre fab houses, freaky houses, expensive houses.. the whole lot of them.. Today there was a post on houses w/unique features.. this one was way too cool.. See that slide? It comes straight from the Master Bedroom..

The average person spends more than a third of their time on earth sleeping, so bedrooms tend to factor into real estate purchases more than, say, game rooms and media centers. Still, some homeowners find ways to personalize their private chambers in some out-of-this-world ways, for better or for worse.

These extreme bedrooms pop up when the houses head to market, but might be a hinderance if the buyers aren't into velvet or chintz or Roman replicas.

Then again, if they offer a cool slide to a water wake up, they might help sell the place. Slip a closet door open in this British bedroom, commit to a trip down a dark tube, and, surprise!, find oneself in a stunning indoor swimming pool.

Sign me up!!

Blogadiction

OK I admit it, I am adicted to blogging! There I said it..

I started off three and a half years ago with just a thought.. I was already blogging for a group I was active with but that was different that was for well a group. This was going to be about me.. my thoughts, feelings, family, whatever.. It was fun but I soon realized that all I talked about was my kids.. so I decided to create a second blog and Juggling Teens was created.. I mean sure I still had the other group blog.. and well a second one as well but I figured what was one more. And if I had one just about the kids then I would be able to post different things to this one..

Next I had some bad times happen and I dropped my other two blogs so I was down to two.. np.. of course me being me.. that wasn't enough and I started Shauni's Dreams That Come.. what was supposed to be a poem a day..yeah that one was harder than I thought..

Something happened in my personal life and I sort of walked away from blogging for a while.. but then last October I got together with some friends and created Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy.. oh what a rush.. but again things were happening in the back ground so I created Tea and Book as a supplementary blog to BR.. where I could post additional reviews without flooding BR.. then I thought.. I have been playing around for ages with the thought of having a blog that speaks of my faith.. so I figured why not? and Shauni's Faith was born.. and slowly I have been working on bringing Shauni's Dreams back to what I wanted. Haven't quite mastered a poem a day yet but I am getting better.

So, six blogs.. two require just sit down and type my thoughts for the day.. two require in depth soul searching and time spent in study and devotions and two..require me to read constantly.. in order to keep them up and running and interesting!!

Then when I am not blogging, working on my blogs or *grins* sleeping.. I have this need to go to other blogs.. visit them, comment on their stuff, offer my support.. So yeah blogging is an addicting thing!!

Come on admit it.. you are in a similar place..

Shauni

This is NOT a Hoax!

This Massive 40 foot Whale Shark was found floating in the Arabian Sea.. It's basically the size of a school bus!! Can you imagine if you had seen this leviathon? Would you totally freak or what?

Shauni

Be Mine Blog Hop

Lydia over at Still on the Verge came up with a wonderful idea for a blog hop.. She is calling it the Be Mine Blog Hop.

With Valentine's day approaching what better way to celebrate than to meet new friends and learn something new about old ones..

If you are interested in signing up grab the button and scoot on over to On the Verge and link up.. for some reason I can't get the code..

Make sure when you post it all you answer the questions.. that's part of the fun!!

<cent<a href="http://www.stillontheverge.com/2012/02/be-mine-blog-hop.html?showComment=1328647608540#c1938852746922976355" target="_blank"><img src="http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/Shauni_45/Blog%20Hops/beminehop.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">"</center>Once you grab the button remember to stay around and grab the questions.. leave a comment and let me know what you think!

1. How long have you been blogging?

I have been blogging for just short of four years.. I took a year off due to some personal stuff.. family, friends and internet all went crash and boom!!

2.  What is  your blog about?

 Me!! ok that's not fait it's about Me, Myself and I.. and whatever I feel like posting.. I have rules but their all mine.. 

3.  How long have you and your significant other been together?

I am currently significant otherless.. I spent a lot of years just wanting to raise the kids and get it right.. and honestly wasn't looking.

4.  How did you meet?

*grins* see #3 

5.  What does Valentine's Day mean to you?

Right now, very little.. but it can be a wonderful day when shared with someone you love. Although I have great childhood memories of family Valentine's Day

6.  Do  you have any plans for Valentine's Day?

Nope gonna sit back and chill.. maybe go to a church activity for singles.. old singles like me.. *grins*

7.  What are your favorite things to blog about?

Life.. I really do write whatever strikes my fancy as I sit to blog..  Sometimes it's a new book, A new movie, sports, family, my moods, the weather.. whatever.. literally

8.  What do you do when you get writer's block?

I rant I scream I pull out my hair.. nah.. I either don't post or post a picture or a saved review.. 

9.  What do you want others to take away from reading your blog?

That no matter what is going on in someone's life.. others are going through it as well.. Life is about the living but even sad emotions are ok.. we all have them and it's ok to have them.. that in the end we are who we are

10.  What networks do you belong to (i.e. Blogher, The Motherhood etc.)

I used to be a part of several organizations but I sort of floundered and haven't gotten back into them.. I would like to, though.. blogging is after all another form of community 

11. If you had one question you wanted to ask me, what would it be? 

Remember to hop on over to Still on the Verge and join in on the fun

 Shauni

Queen Elizabeth II marks Accession Day

Today marks Queen Elizabeth II's 60th year in her reign.. WOW!!

Elizabeth is an inspiring woman, one who should be held up to us as girls and told.. look what she has done w/her life. Oh sure she inherited the throne but what she did w/it is pretty darn impressive.

As an American we are supposed to deny all things royal.. yeah who really does that? but it's hard not to respect a woman who has 400 plus engagements a year.. There aren't that many days in a year!! She has devoted herself to serving her country as best she can. With dignity and grace.. who doesn't think integrity when they hear her name?

Oh sure, in the Diana years we saw her flaws.. but seriously.. she was attempting to remain true to her duties, her country and yes her generation. She didn't have the luxury of running around demanding everyone feel sorry for her.. Sorry, all yes Diana had a rough life but lots of us do... we just don't get to whine about it in the international media AND we didn't get to be a Princess.. Back to the Queen.. yes she had some bad years.. but she weathered that. In the end how could her people NOT respect her?

Elizabeth has also been one of the lucky ones as she fell in love early.. and stayed in love.. She has a husband who, shoot gave up his name for her, while remaining a strong arm of support. I have read that they have shared a bed every day of their marriage.. I know tmi.. but it speaks to my romantic self..

Is she perfect? Heck no, she's human.. But there is absolutely no denying that she is a CLASS Act.. Congrats Your Royal Highness.. LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!!

Shauni

Deja Vous All Over Again

Ever feel like Bill Murray? Not like in Ghostbusters or Caddy Shack but like in groundhog's day.. where everything just keeps repeating itself over and over and over again.. yeah, me too..

A couple of years ago I was really active in a site.. I mean totally active.. I had met a bunch of people on another site and we sorta left and created a new one. We stayed involved on the old site but the new one took all of our focus.

I was especially involved in getting people involved and working with them.. teaching them how things worked.. I worked on creating an entire world.. all the while I was also writing, wait for it, SIX blogs.. I was in heaven.. busy, active and respected..

THEN... it all fell apart.. well at least for me.. suddenly I was odd man out and the very people I had taught were pushing me out and replacing me.. it was heartbreaking.. it totally devastated me..

I even got a phone call from one of my friends that totally ripped me a new one.. to this day I am not sure that I had actually done anything wrong.. but it was easier to blame me than to look into themselves.. you know the best defense and all that.. and me being the person I am, accepted it.. took it lying down, rolled over and gave up..

If you will note my blog history you will see a total drop in posts for well over a year.. yeah, that was the worst part.. whatever was said and I won't repeat it here, but what was said destroyed my confidence and ruined my joy in simply blogging.. I kept meaning to go back but never did.. until recently about three months ago when a lot of great things were happening for me..

Then, like all things in my life.. it crashed.. and yes it hurt.. deeply, devestatingly.. I wanted to curl up and cry for days.. I didn't, I found a way to release my anger and resentment and see it for the good it was or could be.. but still that insidious doubt lingers.. I find myself wanting to get away from everything.. to escape..

And that is the gist of this post.. I got hurt..boo hoo.. so I am going to let others dictate how I run my life? How I post my blogs? How I go on? I am going to let something out of my control stop me? I am hoping that this time.. I get it right.. That I act with grace and dignity.. words rarely applied to me.. and see this for all the good things that could come of it..

I have decided to not live in this circular manner anymore and am breaking the cycle.. How? Well, I absolutely refuse to run off and quit blogging.. nope I am going to focus on my blogs and give them the attention they deserve all SIX of them.. *grins* I guess some things really do never change..

Shauni

A Gracious Friend

I spent the day yesterday with a friend. We have been friends for about 12 years now.. well we started out as mom's to friends but she has played a huge part in Blond Girl's life but as often happens over the years she has become a very special person in the lives of my entire family. To the extent that on Christmas we had a blended family Christmas.. It was wonderful..

In day to day life, I often forget what a truly good person she is. Most of the time she is my friend and you know how it is, you take them for granted.. But yesterday I was struck by just how much I admire her.

She takes her 94yr old step father to the Doctor about once every 3 months or so. A while back she asked me to go along and help.. it worked out really well and I now go with her every time. It really helps her as she can drop us off at the building and I can help him to the office while she goes and parks. Since we are talking about Down Town Chicago this was a real challenge for her before.

While we were in the office, grandpa dropped his hat and gloves and Karen, just patiently picked them up, helped him adjust his bag, helped him put on his hat and gloves and get all comfortable. Now this might seem just mundane stuff but while I was watching it brought tears to my eyes.. it was just that poignant.. a simple moment in the life and yet a snapshot that showcased how very special Karen is.

I am so grateful blond girl and 5th child met.. their family has enriched mine beyond measure..

Shauni

Dealing with Change

Do you ever see a train wreck coming and not know how to stop it? Do you ever come up with an awesome idea, bring people together for the idea then suddenly see yourself as odd man out? Yeah, story of my life..

Over the years of my life, I have had this tendency to want things soooo badly I ruin them. I would seriously love to blame just about everyone else in my life but realistically it has to be me. It is a total character flaw I have. I just want soooo badly that I screw things up with my intensity.

My latest endeavor my pride project just imploded.. not the project itself but the partnership that made it great.. I want to rant and rail and say hey they were mean to me.. sadly, it's not true.. I wanted too much was too intense and too controlling.. and once again I am odd man out..

I hurt.. badly... life will go on and things will get better or worse.. depending on how it is supposed to be I just wish I knew how to stop the train wrecks.. before they happen.. or shoot stop the actions which cause the darn things..

In a way this splinter of partners is a good thing.. I just wish it wouldn't have cost me friends.. and worse.. it seems not only did I loose my partner/friends but am the odd man out in the divorce and they got all the other friends..

I hurt.. deeply.. and again.. I am not blaming anyone but myself but I hurt..