2025 Reading Challenge discussion

ABC's of Me
30K Party: April 1 - May 31, 2024

While some of the 30,000 readers in this group have participated in activities together for a long while, making friends around the world, others are relatively new. Let's all share a little about ourselves in this virtual icebreaker game in order to get to know each other better!

There are two ways to play this game. For the first approach, simply answer the ABC prompts below. For the second, write a sentence (or more, if you wish), using one or more words for each letter of the alphabet.

Example - Method 1:
Author I love - Kristin Hannah
Book I love - The Nightingale
Country (birth or residence) - Born and live in southeastern USA

Example - Method 2:
A - I have three adult daughters, love avocados and am an alumnus of Clemson University in South Carolina.
B - I enjoy books on audio due to eyesight changes. My birthday is in December. I also worked as a bartender when I was in college.
C - I start every morning with coffee and sometimes my daughter's cat, if she decides to bless me with her company.

Author I love
Book I love
Country (birth or residence)
Dream job
Every day habit of mine
Fur babies
Gross food I'll always avoid
Hobbies
Instrument(s) I play
Just finished reading
Kids
Language(s) I speak/read
Movie favorite
New thing I recently tried
One food I would eat for the rest of my life
Phobia(s)
Quote I love
Reading now
Spirit animal
Time period I'd visit in a time machine
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn
Vacation spot
Wish
X-cited to read this year
Year I joined this group
Zodiac sign

Author I love - David Mitchell
Book I love - Cloud Atlas
Country (birth or residence) - Canadian by birth
Dream job - Book store owner
Every day habit of mine - Not wearing socks whenever possible
Fur babies - 3 cats
Gross food I'll always avoid - Raw garlic
Hobbies - Painting, other arts & crafts
Instrument(s) I play - I learned piano for 10 years but never picked it up again
Just finished reading - Bad Austen by Jennifer Lawler
Kids - None
Language(s) I speak/read - I can read an adult book in English or French and a kids' book in Dutch
Movie favorite - Cocaine Bear
New thing I recently tried - Buddy reads
One food I would eat for the rest of my life - Seafood
Phobia(s) - Not as such, but I'm not a huge fan of the usuals: death, enclosed spaces, etc.
Quote I love - For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn? - Mr Bennet, Pride and Prejudice
Reading now - You, Caroline Kepnes
Spirit animal - According to a quiz I just took, a tiger
Time period I'd visit in a time machine - the 1896 Olympics
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn - Playing the bass viol
Vacation spot - Canary Islands
Wish - Broader social life
X-cited to read this year - Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
Year I joined this group - 2023?
Zodiac sign - Leo, and I hate that I know that

This sounds fun! I just recently got into reading again - so I am not sure if I´ve got a good answer for everything but here we go!

Author I love - currently I don´t really have a favourite author but I used to read a lot of Colleen Hoover

Book I love - The one I´m still thinking about and actually want to read again is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Country (birth or residence) - born and raised in germany

Dream job - social worker

Every day habit of mine - skin care and snacks

Fur babies - my cat Gilbert! (named after Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables)

Gross food I'll always avoid - brussels sprout

Hobbies - reading, anything popculture related, cooking

Instrument(s) I play - I used to play the accordion

Just finished reading - The Engineer's Wife

Kids - none (except for my fur baby)

Language(s) I speak/read - German, english, the tiniest bit of french and I started learning german sign language

Movie favorite - Coyote Ugly

New thing I recently tried - diving! - I loved it and hopefully be doing a diving certificate soonish ( like next year at the latest)

One food I would eat for the rest of my life - Tapas!

Phobia(s) - insects - got better over the last few years

Quote I love - “They’re our future. Our future doctors, lawyers, mothers, presidents, they kind of keep the world going.” - Harry Styles on Young Girls

Reading now - Yellowface

Spirit animal - cats I guess

Time period I'd visit in a time machine - honestly just like the 80s to 90s

Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn - I´d like to learn spanish

Vacation spot - I don´t care, I want to see as much as possible but it´s best when it´s warm, sunny and has a beach - canary Islands are great, boyfriend and I just made a joke about visiting all of them for the next few years and then decide on our favourite

Wish - I thought about this for a while but I´m quite happy at the moment. I don´t wish for my life to stay the same but for it to stay as exciting and full of things to do

X-cited to read this year - not really hooked on anything so far but I guess I´ll be reading Holly Jackson´s new story The Reappearance of Rachel Price

Year I joined this group - 2023

Zodiac sign - capricorn

Jen wrote: "Author I love - David Mitchell
Book I love - Cloud Atlas
Country (birth or residence) - Canadian by birth
Dream job - Book store owner
Every day habit of mine - Not wearing socks whenever possible
..."

I just watched cocaine bear a few weeks back - it was a fever dream haha - but I loved it - boyfriend and I are still making jokes about this one

Cocaine Bear is my absolute gold standard for movies: it's 87 minutes long and the whole plot is in the title. Killers of the Flower Moon, I'm sure you're great, but you're 3 hours and 26 minutes, and with 20+ minutes of ads and previews, I'm only going to come out of the theatre feeling hungry, thirsty and cranky.

Author I love: Stephen Graham Jones
Book I love: The Stand
Country (birth or residence): Sweden
Dream job: Teacher (Love my job!)
Every day habit of mine: Drinking hot spicy tea and reading to wind down in the evenings.
Fur babies: None, but our daughter has a bunny named Cookie.
Gross food I'll always avoid: Meat in general, but any kind of sausage is the WURST! (Hardyhar!)
Hobbies: Reading, making art, bullet journaling, music, politics, seeing friends.
Instrument(s) I play: Piano, recorder, guitar. None very well though.
Just finished reading: The Complete Persepolis
Kids: Son 16, daughter 14.
Language(s) I speak/read: I speak Swedish, English and a tiny bit of German. I could read books in Norwegian or Danish though. They're very similar to Swedish.
Movie favorite: Lord of the Rings trilogy
New thing I recently tried: Probably a new recipe.
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: I love salads. Veggies FTW!
Phobia(s): Worms. I also dislike huge things and big spaces.
Quote I love: "Getting old is not so bad, considering the alternative." by Maurice Chavalier
Reading now: Her Body and Other Parties: Stories
Spirit animal: I’m just a human.
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: Just back to when my grandma and father was alive. Like the 70s or 80s.
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: How to use a drawing program on an ipad.
Vacation spot: I’m open for anything as long as it doesn’t involve sports.
Wish: For my kids to have happy lives.
X-cited to read this year: Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Wandering Stars , Rummet i jorden , You Like It Darker , The Angel of Indian Lake
Year I joined this group: Probably 2019.
Zodiac sign: Libra (Born on October 5th 1972.)

Author I love Jennifer L. Armentrout
Book I love I have a few The Afterlife of Holly Chase, A Shadow in the Ember and From Blood and Ash
Country (birth or residence) Denmark
Dream job children occupational therapist
Every day habit of mine looking at my phone as the first ting in the morning
Fur babies don't have any but really want a cat
Gross food I'll always avoid to many to write
Hobbies reading and hoping to start to dance again later this year
Instrument(s) I play can't play anything so it sounds pleasant for the ears
Just finished reading A Fire in the Flesh
Kids none
Language(s) I speak/read danish, english and a little german
Movie favorite it's between redeeming love and the miracle season
New thing I recently tried book journaling
One food I would eat for the rest of my life tomato soup
Phobia(s) blood, birds, spiders, snakes properly more things I don't remember
Quote I love “I thought the morning would bring change. But I should have known that it doesn't take that long for change to happen - it takes a second. A moment. In a single breath, reality as you know it can simply fall away.” by Ally Carter
Reading now haven't decide what to read next
Spirit animal don't know
Time period I'd visit in a time machine before 2017
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn baking
Vacation spot want to see as many places as possible
Wish that I could talk with my granddad again or getting a better social life
X-cited to read this year Born of Blood and Ash, The Bite, The Hunt
Year I joined this group this year
Zodiac sign born October 5 1997 so a libra

Author I love: Mariana Zapata
Book I love: Fourth Wing, Harry Potter series and The Sweetest Oblivion
Country (birth or residence): Cuba & Spain
Dream job: Panda hugger (that's real)
Every day habit of mine: Clean my eyeglasses several times
Fur babies: Nope :(
Gross food I'll always avoid: cinnamon and olives
Hobbies: Reading obviously, watching anime and sitcoms
Instrument(s) I play: none :(
Just finished reading: In a Jam (hated it)
Kids: I'm a kid (I'm 22, not a kid, but ssshhh)
Language(s) I speak/read: Spanish (native), English (almost everything I read)
Movie favorite: Inglourious Bastards
New thing I recently tried: Oatmeal Porridge (I made it and didn't hate it)
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Pizza and chocolate
Phobia(s): I'm scared of the dark
Quote I love: "I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars", by Stephenie Meyer in Midnight Sun
Reading now: Nothing, I'm in between books
Spirit animal: sloth
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: the future
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: Piano and advanced math
Vacation spot: Right where I live (haven't gone anywhere else)
Wish: to be immortal (really realistic wish btw haha)
X-cited to read this year: Funny Story and Play Along
Year I joined this group: 2021
Zodiac : Capricorn

A I have three adult children, like anchovies and when I was a teen I visited my cousins in Anchorage, Alaska.
B I have relatives named Björn, Brynja and Baldrun (see I for why).
C I have lived in Canada, dislike coffee and used to do crewel embroidery.
D I enjoy driving but not road trips andsee deer in our yard.
E I have visited relatives in Edmonton, been to Egmont and used to educate my kids at home until secondary school when they opted for brick and mortar school.
FWe had a cat named Farah who was named after the one year old daughter of a hippie my family picked up hitchhiking on our way home with 2 kittens (yes it was the 1970s), her brother was named Ferdinand after the bull in the story and have been a passenger in float planes.
G I used to keep a vegetable garden, have eating goose and used to speak German when I was small.
H I used to have a hula hoop as a child, lived near a place where hippies "retired" in BC and my parents met in Hay River, NWT.
I I am half Icelandic on my mother's side, grew up next to a town centred on the isthmus of a peninsula and have a niece named Ingrid.
J I had a boyfriend named Jan, have been to Jervis Inlet and one of my daughters did judo for a few years.
K My name is Karin, I have lived in Kansas and married a man whose first name begins with a K.
L When I was small we lived for a year in Ludwigshaven am Rhine, I have a daughter named Lydia and when I was a teen and in my twenties I was a prolific letter writer.
M I named one of my brothers Mark, studied method acting and one of my daughters majored in math.
N One of my ancestors is the one who recorded Norse mythology so it wouldn't be lost (Iceland has kept genealogies since the 9th century and he shows up many times), I enjoy nature and lived on a street that had three boys named Nathan.
O When I was aged 12-15 I played the oboe, I have lived in Ottawa and I've been to the Okanagan (that's how it's spelled in Canada :) where there is a legend of the Ogopogo.
P My son is going to grad school in Pennsylvania, I've eaten the egg of a peahen (mates with a peacock) and used to play the piano,
Q One of my brothers got his MSc at Queens in Ontario, I've been to Quincy and when I was 6 I planned to marry one of the late queen's younger son and become Queen because all I knew about royalty came from fairy tales.
R My sister used to play women's rugby, I once did reader's theatre and my dad's parents were refugees.
S I have lived in San Francisco, my Amma (grandma in Icelandic) made >b>skyr long before it was sold in stores, and and sing soprano (just for fun.)
T My son plays the trumpet, I have always hated tomatoes and have two antique thimbles.
U One of my childhood friends' surname was Underhill, have a nephew who is a world class ultimate frisbee/disc athlete and have read Utopia by Thomas More
V I have lived in Vallejo and Vancouver, BC and have eaten veraniki many times.
W I have seen whales from our window when I was growing up (orcas, but we called them whales back then), first saw cows being milked in Wisconsin when I was 4 and have been to North America's largest mall, the West Edmonton Mall which is Canada's oil state. At that time it was the largest mall in the world, but that changed in 2004 when larger ones started opening in Asia.
X I have had x-rays, have used Xerox machines and have baked with xanthan gum.
Y I have been to the Yukon, made my own yogurt when I was in university and enjoyed reading The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles .
Z I have read Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter , baked with zucchini and have a step-niece named Zya

Author I love: Oscar Wilde
Book I love: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Country (birth or residence): Germany
Dream job: Bookseller (best decision of my life tbh)
Every day habit of mine: Honestly? Reading. I really can't think of anything else.
Fur babies: None. I'm not really a pet person. (I like the idea of having a snake though.)
Gross food I'll always avoid: Raspberries and cabbage of any kind.
Hobbies: Reading (of course) and I really love puzzles.
Instrument(s) I play: None
Just finished reading: Der Donnerstagsmordclub
Kids: Two nieces and I consider my bestie's son a nephew.
Language(s) I speak/read: German and English and I am hoping to reach this level with my Japanese tbh.
Movie favorite: Nell, Lord of the Rings, Silence of the Lambs
New thing I recently tried: Clean it Out-Challenges and they really work well for me.
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Jjajangmyeon
Phobia(s): At some point heights make me queasy but other than that my only real phobia is any attempt of book burnings.
Quote I love: "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." Oscar Wilde (There are honestly too many of him which I love)
Reading now: I have a few running, tbh, but Franny und Zooey is the one I just started.
Spirit animal: I have no idea about this stuff but I feel very connected to sloths.
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: Victorian England for once, and pre-2014.
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: I can't think of anything else but percentage calculation which, when you missed it in school completely for several reasons, is very hard to grasp.
Vacation spot: Seoul and I'm so dying to finally get to Tokyo.
Wish: I'd give anything to see my dad again and hear his voice and have the chance to just tell him how much I love him.
X-cited to read this year: I'm a mood reader, but I'm looking forward to pick up All the Colours of the Dark.
Year I joined this group: 2020
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

Author I love: Naomi Novik
Book I love: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Country: UK
Dream job: Librarian but I've accepted it won't happen
Every day habit of mine: scrolling on Tumblr
Fur babies: None but I think I would like a cat
Gross food I'll always avoid: Baked Beans
Hobbies: Reading, cross stitching
Instrument(s) I play: I used to play the flute
Just finished reading: Bream Gives Me Hiccups by Jesse Eisenberg
Kids: none yet. Undecided if I want them in the future
Language(s) I speak/read: English, French, a tiny bit of German
Movie favorite: Matilda (1996)
New thing I recently tried: Tea with sweetener by mistake. Not nice
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Cheese
Phobia(s): Bees
Quote I love:Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise - Victor Hugo
Reading now: Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Spirit animal: A sheep
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: The Tudors 1485-1603
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: Sign Language
Vacation spot: I really want to go to one of the Disney parks
Wish: That everyone is happy enough to keep on living
X-cited to read this year: Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
Year I joined this group: 2016 I think
Zodiac sign: Aquarius

Author I love - Gillian Flynn
Book I love - The Snow Child
Country (birth or residence) - USA
Dream job - movie critic
Every day habit of mine - wordle and coffee
Fur babies - 1 cat and 1 dog
Gross food I'll always avoid - kimchi
Hobbies - crocheting
Instrument(s) I play - none
Just finished reading - Judgment Prey
Kids - 3 boys, all grown
Language(s) I speak/read - English
Movie favorite - The Princess Bride
New thing I recently tried - playing "Hogwarts Legacy"
One food I would eat for the rest of my life - quesadillas
Phobia(s) - vast open spaces like space or the ocean
Quote I love - "Always remember, you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know"
Reading now - The Moonday Letters
Spirit animal - Fox
Time period I'd visit in a time machine - 1960s so I could hang out with my grandparents
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn - website design
Vacation spot - I want to go to Fiji
Wish - I could visit with my kids more often
X-cited to read this year - re-read the Harry Potter series
Year I joined this group - 2017
Zodiac sign - Pisces

Author I love: Naomi Novik
Book I love: The Lord of the Rings
Country (birth or residence): USA
Dream job: Working with elephants
Every day habit of mine: Wordle
Fur babies: 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 tortoise
Gross food I'll always avoid:Almost all seafood
Hobbies: Reading, playing World of Warcraft occasionally
Instrument(s) I play: Cello, piano
Just finished reading: Hairpin Bridge. It was disappointing.
Kids: Jr. High boy and Preschool girl
Language(s) I speak/read: English
Movie favorite: Lord of the Rings
New thing I recently tried: AI Art generator and gift-finding. It's sometimes a bit horrifying.
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Crackers or apples with peanut butter. Or just Fritos and shredded cheese.
Phobia(s): Driving on bridges over large bodies of water
Quote I love: His grief he will not forget but it will not darken his heart; it will teach him wisdom.
Reading now: He Leadeth Me, The Last House on the Street, Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Spirit animal: I want to say elephant but I'm probably just a house cat
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: Probably just the early 1900's. Like 30's through 50's.
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: I'd like to know more of stuff I already know like psychology, or playing the piano really well. Perhaps a foreign language. Like actually becoming fluent, not just high school French.
Vacation spot: Would love to visit New Zealand
Wish: Mostly just me and my family be healthy and safe. We are currently so not sure how much of a wish...
X-cited to read this year: From Blood and Ash
Year I joined this group: 2016 I think? That's when I was active anyway. I may have been here before that doing nothing.
Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Author I love: Jane Austen
Book I love: Anne of Green Gables
Country (birth or residence): USA
Dream job: fiction writer
Every day habit of mine: check my email
Fur babies: 2 adopted senior cats. They're High-maintenance but adorable. lol
Gross food I'll always avoid: Brussel sprouts
Hobbies: reading, writing, watching old sitcoms
Instrument(s) I play: n/a
Just finished reading: Captivated by the Cowgirl (it was mediocre)
Kids: n/a
Language(s) I speak/read: English
Movie favorite: I love movies so this is difficult but let's go with Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast
New thing I recently tried: Wordle (I'm always late to the game! lol)
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Nilla Wafers
Phobia(s): where do I start...?
Quote I love: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt
Reading now: Northanger Abbey
Spirit animal: Cat
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: 1980's.
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: Sewing
Vacation spot: Alaska, so I can see the Northern Lights (I'd love take a cruise up there)
Wish: World peace. Seriously.
X-cited to read this year: You Know What You Did
Year I joined this group: 2017 maybe??
Zodiac sign: on the cusp of Scorpio/Sagittarius

Alina wrote: "This sounds fun! I just recently got into reading again - so I am not sure if I´ve got a good answer for everything but here we go!

Author I love - currently I don´t really have a favourite author..."

Aww a cat named Gilbert. That's cute. Anne of Green Gables is my favorite book ever.

Jen wrote: "Author I love - David Mitchell
Book I love - Cloud Atlas
Country (birth or residence) - Canadian by birth
Dream job - Book store owner
Every day habit of mine - Not wearing socks whenever possible
..."

I am with you on the socks thing lol

Magdalena wrote: "Author I love: Stephen Graham Jones
Book I love: The Stand
Country (birth or residence): Sweden
Dream job: Teacher (Love my job!)
Every day habit of mine: Drinking ho..."

The WURST lol My mom is the queen of puns. I shared that with her and she said it was pretty good.

Author I love: Christina Henry
Book I love: Project Hail Mary
Country (birth or residence): Germany
Dream job: Game Developer
Every day habit of mine: I don't know, reading, I guess.
Fur babies: A dog
Gross food I'll always avoid: Spinach
Hobbies: Reading and playing video games
Instrument(s) I play: Nothing
Just finished reading: Matched
Kids: No
Language(s) I speak/read: German, English (I learn Greek)
Movie favorite: Ghibli movies and Inception
New thing I recently tried: I was on a short ride on a monster truck.
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Nothing, I need variety.
Phobia(s): Crowds of people
Quote I love: "The ending of one story is just the beginning of another." (The Fifth Season)
Reading now: Bird Box + 8 other books
Spirit animal: Owl
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: 90's
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: Only programming things
Vacation spot: Ireland and Japan
Wish: Live a good, healthy life | I want to see the northern lights!
X-cited to read this year: The Ghost Tree and The Hod King
Year I joined this group: 2023
Zodiac sign: Taurus

Jen wrote: "Cocaine Bear is my absolute gold standard for movies: it's 87 minutes long and the whole plot is in the title. Killers of the Flower Moon, I'm sure you're great, but you're 3 hours and 26 minutes, ..."

This is hilarious. I haven't seen it but I've seen the preview. My husband and son really want to watch it.

Author I love - Ruta Sepetys, Lisa Genova, William Kent Krueger, Chris Bohjalian, Lisa See... I could go on, seriously, but I won't.
Book I love - The Nightingale, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, The Island of Sea Women and so many more!
Country (birth or residence) - USA (Always in the southeast. Born in South Carolina; moved to Georgia after college.)
Dream job - Mobile book, tea, and coffee shop, like a food truck for book nerds. If that didn't pan out, I would love to be a volunteer baby rocker, especially preemies. Not a job, I guess, but something I would greatly enjoy.
Every day habit of mine - Reading, coffee, and Connections (a sister game to Wordle).
Fur babies - I live with a Maltipoo named Major, and my grandcat, Freyja.
Gross food I'll always avoid - Mashed turnips. When I was a little kid at a home daycare (called nursery back in the old days), I took a big bite of what I thought was mashed potatoes, which turned out to be turnips. 🤢 I don't care for raspberries or raw onions either, but would choose those all day before eating the turnips.
Hobbies - I enjoy birdwatching, crochet, cross-stitch, Scrabble, and, of course, reading.
Instrument(s) I play - None, unless we count the Kazoo. 😂
Just finished reading - The Year of Magical Thinking
Kids - I have three adult daughters who were homeschooled all the way through high school graduation. All are in college now. The middle one married last year and just bought her first home this week.
Language(s) I speak/read - English is my only language, sadly.
Movie favorite - Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Steel Magnolias, Rocky Horror Picture Show
New thing I recently tried - I became Birdy to my first grandson just six months ago.
One food I would eat for the rest of my life - Lasagna
Phobia(s) - I may have a touch of claustrophobia, or maybe there's a different name. I'm fine with elevators and upright walking tours in a cave/cavern, but just thinking about belly-crawling through a tight cave passage makes my chest ache.
Quote I love - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." -- Margaret Mead
Reading now -- My previous book was heavy and sad. I'm starting a cozy now, Leave No Scone Unturned.
Spirit animal -- Eh, I tried 11 quizzes to find out, and got 11 different answers. Otter and dolphin sound like the best matches, but who knows?
Time period I'd visit in a time machine - Maybe the 1950's, when my parents were teens.
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn - Knitting.
Vacation spot - A mountain cabin with a waterfall within walking distance.
Wish - I wish my late father had lived to see his granddaughters grow up.
X-cited to read this year - I'm looking forward to the June release of the Maisie Dobbs mystery series finale, The Comfort of Ghosts.
Year I joined this group - 2016
Zodiac sign - Capricorn

ABC - You know me


Author I love - Jim Butcher
Book I love - Lord of Chaos
Country (birth or residence) United States
Dream job - Baseball Player
Every day habit of mine - Reading and watching anything sort of competition with a ball.
Fur babies - Italian Greyhound "Shelly"
Gross food I'll always avoid - Broccoli
Hobbies - Reading, Sports, Puzzles
Instrument(s) I play - I can't carry a tune.
Just finished reading - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Kids - None
Language(s) I speak/read English and some Spanish
Movie favorite - Shawshank Redemption
New thing I recently tried
One food I would eat for the rest of my life - Pizza
Phobia(s) - Rats
Quote I love -
Reading now - Picnic at Hanging Rock
Spirit animal
Time period I'd visit in a time machine - The future
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn -
Vacation spot - Mountains
Wish
X-cited to read this year -
Year I joined this group - I have badges from 2017
Zodiac sign - Gemini

ABC's of Me


Author I love: Agatha Christie
Book I love: Persuasion
Country (birth or residence): Spain
Dream job: Notions dealer/Haberdasher, however, I have to resign myself to my job as a industrial organization technician in a shipyard.
Every day habit of mine: Reading
Fur babies: Coco, my adorable Frenchie
Gross food I'll always avoid: Tripe, kidneys, snails
Hobbies: Crocheting, knitting, cross stitching, beading, puzzles (the bigger the better)
Instrument(s) I play: Tambourine
Just finished reading: Black Widow
Kids: 3 sons (30, 27, and 26)
Language(s) I speak/read: Spanish, Galician, English, Portuguese, a bit of Italian
Movie favorite: Life is beautiful
New thing I recently tried: Logic puzzles
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Spanish tortilla
Phobia(s): Ophidiophobia
Quote I love:

“¿Qué es la vida? Una ilusión,
una sombra, una ficción,
y el mayor bien es pequeño:
que toda la vida es sueño,
y los sueños, sueños son.”
― Pedro Calderón de la Barca, La vida es sueño
(“What is life? An illusion,
a shadow, a fiction,
and the greatest good's small:
that the whole life is a dream,
and dreams, are only dreams.”)

Reading now: Panacea
Spirit animal: Turtle (according to a test I've just took)
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: I'd love to meet Leonardo da Vinci
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: I'm always open to new things
Vacation spot: anywhere in Spain, Italy or Portugal
Wish: Peace on Earth
X-cited to read this year: The Sevenwaters Trilogy
Year I joined this group: 2018
Zodiac sign: Cancer (June 29, 1967)

Author I love: Jane Austen, Bill Bryson, Joan Didion and many more
Book I love: Pride ands Prejudice, No Land to Light On, We Need New Names
Country (birth or residence): USA (SoCal)
Dream job: Professional student. But since that doesn't exist I became a teacher so I sort of get paid to go to school every day
Every day habit of mine: tea, wordle, and no shoes unless absolutely necessary like work
Fur babies: Ashley, Jane, Quinn, and Robin (my cats)
Gross food I'll always avoid: MUSTARD!
Hobbies: reading, hiking, beading, watching baseball and sewing
Instrument(s) I play: ha ha
Just finished reading: There There by Tommy Orange
Kids: 1 girl (26) and her girl (almost 5)
Language(s) I speak/read: English; I can get by pretty well in Spanish; I can read easy French books
Movie favorite: Bull Durham comes to mind since baseball season just started
New thing I recently tried: A new restaurant
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: macaroni and cheese
Phobia(s): Dogs and snakes
Quote I love: I talk about this quote a lot with the teenagers I see every day:

When you’re 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you’re 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you’re 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place.

Reading now: London, the Age of Innocence and The Sun Also Rises
Spirit animal: Cat
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: I love teaching the 1920's and I enjoy Lost Generation literature so why visit then?
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: not sure. I feel like I do a pretty good job of learning whatever I want to learn
Vacation spot: The beach. And Disneyland
Wish: My school would get new admins next year
X-cited to read this year: Erasure, Forgottenness, and Wandering Stars
Year I joined this group: 2024
Zodiac sign : sagittarius (Dec. 7)

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SarahKat wrote: "Jen wrote: "Cocaine Bear is my absolute gold standard for movies: it's 87 minutes long and the whole plot is in the title. Killers of the Flower Moon, I'm sure you're great, but you're 3 hours and ..."

Truly it is a masterpiece. And even if you don't agree with me, you only wasted 87 minutes of your life! Killers of the Flower Moon is an entire half day! If your movie is that long, make it a miniseries!

Jen wrote: "SarahKat wrote: "Jen wrote: "Cocaine Bear is my absolute gold standard for movies: it's 87 minutes long and the whole plot is in the title. Killers of the Flower Moon, I'm sure you're great, but yo..."

I agree with this sentiment but I can't really talk because my favorite "movie" is the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and that's 11.5 hours long...

D.L. wrote: "The WURST lol My mom is the queen of puns. I shared that with her and she said it was pretty good.."

Interesting about your mother, since around here I'm the queen of puns ;)! However, there can be more than one...

D.L. wrote: "The WURST lol My mom is the queen of puns. I shared that with her and she said it was pretty good.."

Interesting about your mother, since I'm a mother and around here I'm the queen of puns ;)! However, there can be more than one...

Karin, me too! Got my sense of humor from my Dad. I'll settle for being Duchess of Puns here in north Georgia

Author I love - Louise Penny
Book I love - Bury Your Dead
Country (birth or residence) - USA
Dream job - Pianist
Every day habit of mine - Reading
Fur babies - a cat named Bingo
Gross food I'll always avoid - pickles
Hobbies - visiting breweries, reading, movies,
Instrument(s) I play - piano, at first-grade level
Just finished reading - The A.B.C. Murders
Kids - yep, 2 boys
Language(s) I speak/read - only English fluently
Movie favorite - O Brother, Where Art Thou
New thing I recently tried - Louise Penny's Armand Gamache sereis, which is my new favorite thing!
One food I would eat for the rest of my life - pizza
Phobia(s) - snakes, heights
Quote I love - "The only thing you can do about awful people is not be one."
Reading now - Horrorstör
Spirit animal - this isn't part of my culture
Time period I'd visit in a time machine - back to when my kids were babies
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn - I'd love to be a much better pianist
Vacation spot - beach
Wish - that the world was a kinder place
X-cited to read this year - as many books as possible from my TBR!
Year I joined this group - 2023
Zodiac sign - the twins

GET TO KNOW ME :)


Author I love: Patricia Cornwell, Jodi Picoult, Mary Kay Andrew and so many more :)
Book I love: Jane Eyre, Pachinko, Cane River and so many more :)
Country (birth or residence): USA
Dream job: Registered Nurse
Every day habit of mine: Call all 3 of my sisters and mom
Fur babies: 3 grand dogs (Pitbill, pit/husky & pit/boxer)
Gross food I'll always avoid: hummus
Hobbies: reading, puzzles, coloring, thrift shopping
Instrument(s) I play: NONE
Just finished reading: When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
Kids: 4 girls (31, 26, 25.....lost my second daughter at 15 days)
Language(s) I speak/read: NONE
Movie favorite: anything with Audrey Hepburn
New thing I recently tried: Zip lining
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Pasta
Phobia(s): heights, drowning
Quote I love: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything"
Reading now: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Spirit animal: Sea Turtle
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: Victorian Era
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: Foreign language
Vacation spot: Greece
Wish: For my children and grandchildren to have more than I had
X-cited to read this year: Uncle Eli by Kristi Copeland
Year I joined this group: 2021
Zodiac sign: Libra

Author I love: Charles Dickens
Book I love: Les Miserables
Country (birth or residence): Born in South Carolina, live in New Mexico
Dream job: I had my dream job, Health Statistician
Every day habit of mine: journaling what I'm reading
Fur babies: Argos my dog and faithful companion
Gross food I'll always avoid:slimy okra
Hobbies: reading
Instrument(s) I play: piano, clarinet, harmonica, mouth harp, ukelele
Just finished reading: Swann's Way
Kids: 3 adult
Language(s) I speak/read: English, Hebrew
Movie favorite: The Godfather
New thing I recently tried: writing Haiku
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: Bananas
Phobia(s): heights
Quote I love: IT humor in the Bible, "And Elijah said...'fear not...and make for me a small cookie." I Kings 17:1
Reading now: Pride and Prejudice
Spirit animal: Elephant
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: Colonial America
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: painting still life
Vacation spot: any National park with mountains
Wish: to know the ending of The Mystery of Edwin Drood
X-cited to read this year: Infinite Jest
Year I joined this group: Dec. 2022
Zodiac: Scorpio

I can imagine I'll need to keep returning to complete more of these, but at least I'll have it started!

Author I love
So many! Here are a few...
Erica Bauermeister
Garth Stein
Alexander McCall Smith

Book I love
Again...SO MANY! 😁 *sigh* Here are a few...
The School of Essential Ingredients
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The Sunday Philosophy Club

Country (birth or residence)
Born, raised and still reside in the U.S.

Dream job
Working as a bookseller, which I did part-time for Borders!
Adored the work, but couldn't live on the wages as a full-time employee!

Every day habit of mine
Read! Even if only for 10-15 minutes!

Fur babies
I have had canines, but for the last 15 years I have had only felines!
I have loved them all!

Gross food I'll always avoid
LIVER!

Hobbies
Reading!
I am physically limited in my ability to carry on with hobbies I enjoyed in the past, including sewing, knitting, embroidery, basket-making, macrame, gardening, and now even to some degree cooking. Just grateful for my eyesight and ability to old books! 🤗

Instrument(s) I play
The flute. I don't play often any more, but every once in awhile I get it out and toot away! I did play the piano when younger.

Just finished reading
The Friend
The Thief Lord
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
The Pull of the Stars
Salt Houses

Kids
Three sons. Eleven grandchildren. One great-grandchild.

Language(s) I speak/read
As is (unfortunately) typical for U.S.-born and bred folks--ONLY English! Ugh.

Movie favorite
Tie between The Matrix and Avatar

New thing I recently tried
Marinating meat for about one hour in Worcestershire sauce, then slathering with BBQ sauce while grilling!

One food I would eat for the rest of my life
Shrimp

Phobia(s)
Spiders. Rats. Ugh.

Quote I love
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
~Maya Angelou

Reading now
1984 A reread after 55 years!
I Have Some Questions for You
...And Ladies of the Club

Spirit animal
Supposedly the falcon...

Time period I'd visit in a time machine
Oooff!! That's a toughie! I'd rather know about the future than the past, so 2050.

Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn
Always thought I would quilt when I retired. Though the osteoarthritis in my hands and fingers prevent that...

Vacation spot
With our friends Bob and Sherrill at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee!

Wish
PEACE! As a result of each and every human respecting each other!!

X-cited to read this year
Again...so many! Here are a few...
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice
The Diamond of London
The Women
End of Story
The Hunter (Though I intend to read The Searcher first!)

Year I joined this group
2020? Maybe? 🤔

Zodiac sign
Aries

Let's play!
Author I love: Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, Stuart Turton...
Book I love: Pride& Prejudice, the bluest eye
Country (birth or residence): Canada (residence), Born in France
Dream job; herbalist
Every day habit of mine: drink tea
Fur babies: none
Gross food I'll always avoid: bacon, not a fan but acceptable in small bits mixed in something else
Hobbies: gardening ,qigong, reading (of course!), travelling; cooking fro, scratch
Instrument(s) I play: piano ( along time ago)
Just finished reading: Flowers for Algenon de Daniel Reyes
Kids: none
Language(s) I speak/read: French, English, Spanish, Mandarin intermediate level
Movie favorite: Breakfast at tiffany's, the godfather
New thing I recently tried: cook char six
One food I would eat for the rest of my life: pizza but I am wheat intolerant so not often
Phobia(s): riding a motorbike
Quote I love
Reading now: Ninth house by Leigh Bardugo ( I am very late in the monthly challenge!)
Spirit animal: owl
Time period I'd visit in a time machine: prehistory
Unknown subject or skill I'd like to learn: playing drums
Vacation spot : Spain
Wish: play music
X-cited to read this year: next book by Stuart Turton
Year I joined this group: 2024
Zodiac sign: aries