New Year's Eve Plans?

What's everyone's plan for tonight?

We go out for New Year's Eve every year. My husband would die before he admitted to staying home on NYE. He's a party kind of guy :) But one thing we're noticing about our friends...they're getting old! Sometimes they want to go home before midnight.

For the last couple years we've gone out alone, to join thousands at the legendary Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa to listen to bands. That's always a pretty good time. My husband takes pics on his camera phone and sends it to all the kids, who end up being jealous that their parents are having more fun than they are!

We went through the years of parties at friends' houses. Then through the years of hotels with lots of things for kids to do, as all our friends brought their families, too. These days it's just us and whatever friends we can talk into staying up past midnight.

Mostly I just look forward to spending the evening with friends and catching up. Oh, and we're old so there's always dinner out first!

So what's your perfect New Year's Eve date? Do you enjoy a quiet evening at home or are you looking for the wildest party around?

2008: The Year In Movies

I have a shelf full of journals. I don't write in any of them. Hey, how can I possibly spoil that lovely blank page? Okay, so I do write in one, a pretty hardcover journal that I've had for years. It's my movie journal, and I write down every movie or TV series I see during the year, including rented and DVD sets. Thought I'd go through some of my favs and not-so-favs for you all. Chime in with your own favs!

JUNO - Erm, I wasn't loving this one. I don't care what the arguers say, it did glamourize teen pregnancy. The acting was awesome though.

THE WATER HORSE - starring that cute kid from Millions. A delightful fantasy tale for the family, not overly cutesy either.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD - Does Daniel Day Lewis ever not act his heart out? Amazing, though the ending still bothers me.

FOOL'S GOLD - For light romance this one rocked. I do love Matthew M. in the breezy, sexy hero roles.  All-time fav Matthew movie is Sahara.

JUMPER - One of my fav sci/fi shows. A little simple with the plotting, but the idea of being able to jump from one place to the other at will? Cool.

THE BANK JOB - Jason Statham. Need I say more? Okay, this was a nice tightly-plotted heist flick that appealed to my love for the genre.

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY - Not a bad actress on the screen. A sweet, fun flick!

DEATH AT A FUNERAL - saw this on rental. Hilarious. Love the Brit sense of humor.

IRON MAN - How many ways to love this damaged hero? Many! Robert Downey Junior was the perfect choice to play Tony Stark.

TO KILL A KING - Rental. DO NOT rent this. It is bad. I waited four years for this to be put out on video. Stars Dougray Scott. I see why it took so long to get it out there. Bad, so bad.

IN THE NAME OF THE THE KING - another warning not to rent. Jason Statham, how can you go wrong? Oh, so many ways. Only got through the first ten minutes before I had to turn it off.

THE JANE AUSTIN BOOK CLUB - This one was neat; I liked it.

MUSIC WITHIN - rental. Set in the 70s after the war, follows a man (Ron Livingston) who fights for veteran's rights. Michael Sheen plays a man with (can't remember his dysfunction) he's in wheelchair and has speech difficulties. So good. So, so good.

SEX AND THE CITY - Perfection.

SAAWARIA - a Bollywood movie I anticipated eagerly. Not bad, but the plot lost itself halfway through. But the vivid colors and scenery! Bollywood always does make gorgeous films.

THE HAPPENING - M. Night has lost me with this one. Just can't get into his movies anymore.

WANTED - Best action flick of the year. Curving bullets? Oh yeah. The Loom of Fate? Erm, not so much.

IN BRUGES - After all the hype I was looking forward to this one. What the heck? This was just a disaster. Not funny, no, not by any means.

THE DARK KNIGHT - Perfection. Heath Ledger, I will really miss you.

MAMMA MIA - Fun! Fun! Fun!

TORCHWOOD: SEASON ONE - This BBC series features a paranormal crime team that also chases aliens. Goofy, odd, strange, but Captain Jack Harkness (Mr. Omnisexual at his finest) I do love him!  (Pic on left)

DEATH RACE - Jason Statham. Need I say more? Okay, this was awesome. I was a little worried it would go over the edge into major corniness, but it held it's own. Joan Allen surprised me with her movie choice, but it worked.

BURN NOTICE: SEASON ONE - My latest favorite TV series. Love this show. Love it. Sexy cool spies and a little touch of McGyver. New shows start in January!

TROPIC THUNDER - I don't normally pay money to see stupid comedy shows in the theater, but something compelled me to see this one. I was glad I did. Not rocket science, by any means, in fact, really stupid, and yet, kinda smart stupid. I liked it.

BURN AFTER READING - Brad owned that role.

IGOR - Not talked about all that much, but a very cute little show. Jon Cusack voicing Igor. Loved it.

THE DUCHESS - Costume orgasm!

MAX PAYNE - Very disappointed after the trailers led me to believe this would be a paranormal flick. It was not.

EASTERN PROMISES - rental. Finally saw this after getting over my fear it would be too violent (it wasn't), and after many friends recommended it. Viggo is a master. Very good.

ROCKNROLLA - Gerard and Thandy. 'Nuf said.

DIRTY FILTHY LOVE - rental. Another Brit release starring Michael Sheen (he's my fav Brit actor). Love story about a man with Tourrettes and OCD (seriously). Sheen plays it well, but it was a little slow.

DEATH DEFYING ACTS - rental. This one slipped under the radar. Guy Pearce as Houdini and Catherine Zeta Jones as a gypsy charlatan. Very slow and dull. Sigh... I do love Guy Pearce.

THE TRANSPORTER III - Yes! Usually Part 3s suck. This one did not.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - This was something to see. Literally. Just to watch Brad Pitt age backward was fascinating. It was a little long, but the story was awesome. Lots to think about after the show about life and death.

Whew! That was most of my movies, but I left out a handful. Hey, I like movies! So what about you? What were your hits and misses for the year?

Michele

Winner of Kylie's book....

....is Minna! Please send your snail mail addy to kyliebrant@hotmail.com
Congrats! Hope you enjoy Jack and Lindsay's story!

Kylie's new release

Buried beneath the exhaustion of an emotional Christmas hangover is a teensy bit of excitement. Hey, I have another book out in January :)

Actually it's the second in the ALPHA SQUAD trilogy, TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT. Here's the back cover blurb:

Everything about her was a lie...except her desire for one man. Her role in defusing a hostage crisis had blown her cover and "Lindsay Bradford" knew she had to flee again. But there was one obstacle. Jack Langley. Whoever she really was, Jack knew that Lindsay couldn't run forever. And she couldn't fight a vengeful killer all alone. Wherever she went, the SWAT cop would be there to protect her. Nothing would stop him--not even the desire that blindsided them, making them vulnerable to a bullet that now had both their names on it.

Plenty of action and romance in this one. But I sort of have a soft spot for the hero, too. Jack Langley is a tactical officer on a SWAT squad. He's also irreverent, charming and sexy. The first time the heroine meets him he's at a cop Christmas party wearing half a Santa outfit, inviting the naughty women to come up and sit on his lap. Needless to say, the heroine's doesn't form a particularly positive first impression.

But of course she's pretending to be someone she's not, so the first impression she gives is purposefully misleading. She's dressed, as a matter of fact, like a constipated librarian. Certainly not like a woman who's been on the run from a killer for three years. So, yeah. Neither of them is exactly what they seem.

And that's often the case in real life, isn't it? I've been guilty of making hasty/wrong impressions a time or two. I actually had a negative opinion of the man who's now my boss, when he was in charge of another school; all based on what those teachers had to say about him. And since working with him I've come to believe he's one of the most outstanding principals in the state. Boy, was I wrong!

And then there's the first impression I had upon meeting my dh:) Let's just say, that one took years to shake! (In my defense, I was in ninth grade and very naive, LOL!)

What about you? Have you ever formed a mistaken first impression about someone or something? Has it ever come back to haunt you? Or did you manage to re-form your impression with aplomb? I'm giving away a signed copy of TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT to one lucky commenter today so go ahead and spill!

Guest Blogger: Ann Garrity

Helen here. Since we've been talking green a lot here, did you know ...

"The average woman uses 9 personal care products daily exposing herself to 168 chemicals each and every day."

Ann Garrity made a personal commitment to get rid of all those chemicals by using healthier products. This personal choice led to the development of Organic Diva, a company that promises to deliver non-toxic products.

I met Ann (she's the pres and on the right in the photo below) this past summer through a cousin. We were doing a walk for ALS and since I didn't get as much of a chance to talk with her as I'd like, I thought it'd be fun to have her guest here at Riders.

Ann will be stopping by later to answer questions, so go for it. Ask away. Please welcome the Organic Diva ...

Oh, darling, we’ve all been there…some lout to whom you’ve pledged eternal devotion deceives you and runs off with a lesser woman, like say, your sister. Unfortunately that cad isn’t the only one playing fast and loose with the truth these days. That’s right. As consumers demand more full disclosure about the ingredients in their personal care products, cosmetic companies are “spinning” stories faster than mommy spun the beads during your spring break in Daytona.

Trying to get the truth out of some of the companies selling “natural, organic, green, clean, and pure” products is like trying to get a straight answer about where your “funny Valentine” spent last night. But dry your eyes. The following will help you avoid toxic cads and toxic cosmetic companies…many of whom have striking similarities.

They Can’t Commit…
Toxic cads leave their options open. Toxic cosmetic companies do to too. As a result, they won’t sign “The Compact for Safe Cosmetics,” the pledge to not use cancer-causing or hormone disrupting ingredients in their products. Cosmetic companies across the globe have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Your favorite company can too.

They’re Full of Excuses…
Toxic cads have an excuse for everything. So do toxic companies. They'll explain away unfavorable ratings from the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep Report” (a report that rates the toxicity of cosmetic products) with something like this, “That product review is for an old formulation. We have a new formulation.” Right...Right…Right…

It’s Not What They Say, It’s What They Don’t Say…
A cad frequently leaves out crucial parts of information. Similarly, cad cosmetic companies frequently don’t list all product ingredients (for instance, they don't list phalates, a toxin linked to reproductive problems in baby boys, instead using the catch-all term “fragrance.”) If your lover or your make-up company isn’t into full disclosure, do yourself a favor and say buh-bye.

It’s your lot in life, Darling. You’re no average dolly. As a result, you must demand what you deserve. Teaching your paramour how to treat you is as important as teaching your cosmetic company how to treat you. The bottom line: get a commitment from anyone who plans to move into your medicine cabinet. Here’s wishing you better men and better make-up ahead, darling.

(2008's top seller, Suki's Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, $29.95)

Ann Garrity is the president of Organic Diva, an online retailer of non-toxic personal care products. Garrity founded the site after a health issue led her to an East Coast physician who insisted she “get rid of every lotion, every soap, every cosmetic you put on your body.” After investing her “life-savings” in new cosmetics from companies offering “natural, organic, pure, green and clean” cosmetics, Garrity was “mad as hell” to find that many of these new products were in fact ANYTHING BUT “natural, organic, pure, green and clean.” Some even contained petrochemicals. As a result, she developed stringent criteria for the products she puts on her bod. After having her sisters pilfer through her make-up bag one too many times, she decided to launch www.organicdivas.com, a retailer that only carries products that meet her non-toxic criteria. She encourages you and anyone with sisters who are known to “lift items” from their make-up to check the site out.

(Jane Iredale Puregloss lipgloss, $19 and 19 shades. And they also carry many Zum soap products.)

(To check if the companies in your make-up bag have signed "The Compact" visit www.safecosmetics.org. Also review The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Report by visiting www.ewg.org.)

And check out the Organic Diva website at: http://organicdivas.com/

Cindy's Blogging at Babes in Bookland

hey everyone
I'm blogging at www.Babesinbookland.com all week starting today, December 28th.
Please stop by and see me and the fabo authors who host the site. It's a several part interview and I'm answering questions all week to celebrate the release of book 3 of my Black Ops inc series, WHISPER NO LIES.
Can't wait to see you there :o)
Hugs
Cindy

Winner of a Greener New Year!!

ChristaCarol, you're the winner of the homemade reusable bag. Please email me at lgreiman@earthlink.net.

Thanks everyone for your comments, and sorry this post is so late. Christmas kind of got away from me.

Kathleen's Christmas Story--A Major Award!

I finally got my gallon pin!

For somebody who's not big on blood sucking, letting or shedding, this is a big milestone, and I'm here to tell you, it hardly hurt at all.

My daughter and her husband got our Christmas Eve family blood donation tradition going several years ago. Clyde and I had been donating off and on long before--for me, it's been a private way to honor each of my parents' birthdays in December and June--but Elizabeth and John now rally the troops and make it a family event in honor of John's grandmother on December 24, which is also my parents' wedding anniversary. Elizabeth had to work this year, so she "gave at the office." (She actually went to the Memorial Blood downtown branch on over her lunch hour.) We usually have about a dozen people donating, followed by brunch at John's mom's home. It's nice to have company. You get to calm a little, tease a little, pat each other on the back, and celebrate family--past, present, and future--and do it all through blood. You know me--I love the symbolism!

Mind you, I don't like needles. Years back I did extended hospital, surgical, touch-and-go time with every vein in my arms, wrists and hands used for IVs until I was black and blue from shoulders to fingertips. A few years later Elizabeth burst into the world like a shrieking cannon ball, and I needed a blood transfusion. She loves to tell this story on blood-letting day. "And this is why Mom and I like to give back." Like she remembers.

Every once in a while over the years I've failed to make the cut for lack of iron, and last year I got a trainee who failed to strike red until the third try. I was quite pleasant about it, if I do say so. After all, I'm remembering Mama. "That's all right, honey, you've almost got it." This time out I didn't feel a thing until I got out of the chair, and then I regretted ignoring the drink plenty of water beforehand reminder. Especially when we have less than zero moisture in the air around here now. So I had a little case of the dizzies, but nothing a couple of bottles of juice and a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting couldn't cure. Memorial Blood Center usually feeds well. And did you know that one pint of blood can save three lives?

So that's one of our cool holiday giving traditions. I love Lois's new tradition of recycled and homemade gifts. I love the role that traditions and memories play in our holidays. And stories. And storytellers. How about you?

Oh, and we followed brunch with a movie. Australia is the same as my blood type--A+

My thanks to Mint Kunkel for this fresh-from-the-camera photo.

Christmas...According to Plan?

Merry Christmas!

Hope yours is going well and without any major surprises. I'm up early (with the cat) while everyone else is still asleep here in my household in SoCal.

Yesterday started the same. We like to watch movies on Christmas Eve, but since I was the only one awake I watched The Jane Austen Book Club in the early hours. Perfect girl movie to go with my coffee.

All my work was done except for making pies and manicotti, which I did mid-day, and then helped the males in my house do some last-minute (of course) wrapping. Evening arrived, the manicotti was delish (make-ahead and you don't have to boil the pasta), and the sons opened their Christmas Eve gift, traditionally something I give to "all" my "boys." This year it is Guitar Hero World Band Tour for the Wii. Maybe it wasn't according to plan, but it was no surprise that Son 2 broke one of the drumsticks after (fact) ten hits on the drum machine. Oh, and we think the guitar is a lemon. But we were able to borrow the neighbor's guitar and so that contingent of males arrived and I had six boys banging and "singing" in my family room.

Surfer Guy and I escaped to the living room and enjoyed the tree and my new friends, the penguins. Here's another shot of them. Aren't they cute? They caught my eye in a glitzy holiday store and even Surfer Guy (no shopper) said we had to have them.

Today is breakfast and presents and then ham and turkey and trimmings for dinner. The only other holiday glitch we know about (so far) is that we had to change our post-Christmas plans to meet relatives at the in-laws in the SoCal mountains because these next few days are supposed to be stormy (raining here right now). But I wouldn't be surprised if something surprising happens still. Maybe it will be a run to the store for a grocery item or batteries...

I hope your holiday is going well! If you want to share a hiccup in your Christmas plans, feel free, or just take a silent moment to enjoy the day and know that I'm wishing you the very best.

Stuff Be Gone

I don't usually make New Years Resolutions.  I find I'm in the majority when the survey says that most people break their resolutions within the first two weeks of the year.  I have no desire to announce to friends, family—why, the world—I intend to lose weight, only to fail fourteen days into the endeavor.  Instead, I set goals.  Or rather, goal.  One thing I'd like to change, improve upon, or try, during the next year.  It's saner.  I like sanity.

My goal for 2009 has been creeping up on me for months, maybe even years.  I've tried mini-versions of this goal that last a month or more, then slowly I fall out of it.  What is that goal?

To reduce my stuff.

You know what I'm talking about.  We all have stuff.  We love our stuff.  The act of acquiring stuff seems to grant highs and win appreciation.  Stuff gets old, we buy new stuff.  Friends visit our homes and say 'My, what nice stuff.'  You beam.  You gather more stuff.  Why?  Because it's there.  Because it was on sale.  Because you thought you needed six instead of just one.  Because you may need it someday, so why not buy it while it's on sale?

Stuff.  Ugg.  I'm so over my stuff.

[Note of clarification: Books are not stuff.  Books are treasures.]

I want to simplify my life.  I don't want to worry about the stuff on the walls, and that it needs dusting or arranging.  (I grew up in a home where my mother was a master at the wall 'arrangement'; one picture, one shelf, one statue thingie for the shelf, one cluster of silk floral something or other, all artfully arranged.)  Sure, I have things on my walls, but only things that please me.  No silk flowers in this house.  It's just stuff to me.  (No offense against those who like silk flowers; they're just not my style.)

Stuff multiplies.  It manages to get shifted into corners of rooms, back of closets, top shelves of cupboards, so we forget about it.  If we haven't touched something for six months do we really need it?  If I find something in the closet I didn't even know I owned—that leather coat in the hall closet that no one claims to own—does that mean I have to keep it?  I don't think so.

Time to get rid of the stuff.  And I'm going to be firm.  Every day I will try to locate an item of 'stuff' and do something with it.  Toss, recycle, give away, reuse in a new form.  I did this for a month last year, it worked swell.  I've actually started!  I cleaned out my hall closet a few days ago.  Ah!  That felt great!  I'm giving myself a whole year this time around.  I am determined.  I need only what I use.  I think I'm going to print that out and stick it on the fridge, my computer and the bathroom mirror.

I need only what I use.

What about you?  Tired of stuff?  Willing to undergo the de-stuffication process with me?  Any helpful suggestions to begin my quest?  Have you tried to destuff your life?  Tell me about your process and let's make 2009 a lot less stuffy!

Happy Holiday!

Michele

Holiday Food Traditions

A lot of families seem to have hard and fast holiday food traditions. Mess with them and you're in trouble.

Growing up (Helen here), the don't remember any particular special holiday meal traditions. My mom loves to cook (there's another thing that seemed to have skipped a generation), so she used to mix things up a bit with new recipes. I remember her making an entire Chinese meal once for our big Christmas dinner. It was kind of a flop, and in hindsight I can't imagine the disappointment she must have felt given how much work it must have been.

The only holiday food traditions I do remember are the sweets. (Says something about me, doesn't it?) My two favorites were what we called French Fudge cookies made with dark cocoa, coconut and a ton of butter and a no-bake cookie made with melted marshmallows and butter, green food coloring and corn flakes with little red hots for the holly berries.

Today, those recipes make me cringe. All that butter. All that food coloring. Yikes!

Interestingly enough, I married into a family that has all kinds of food traditions. I'm going to step out on a limb here and guess it's because my dh's parents were first generation Scandinavians. My husband is half Danish and half Norwegian. I, however, am a mutt, and my ancestors have been in the U.S. for forever, it seems.

Every single Christmas meal with my husband's family since I first met him has included a pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, lefse, lingonberries, fried apples and butter spritz cookies. Lutefisk comes and goes. And the veggies or salad changes, but all the rest is standard stuff.

I've always threatened to shake things up and fix something like, gasp, a standing rib roast, but every year I chicken out. What we've done instead is developed a couple of family traditions within my immediate family of four. It wouldn't be Christmas for my kids without homemade egg rolls. In the past, I've prepared all the ingredients, then we each make, roll, and fry our own. It's been fun and I have no idea how it all started.

This year, though, a few things are changing. My MIL is in poor health and my SIL who has older married children and grandchildren has decided to do a separate meal. So now, for the first time in twenty five years, we won't be having pork roast.

I have to admit, a part of me is a little sad at the loss of a tradition. But there's another part of me excited to move on and try something different. The kids, instead of making just egg rolls, want to do an entire Chinese meal. They've picked out the recipes and we're all going shopping together for the ingredients. It feels like the making of a new, wonderful tradition where we spend time together planning and preparing a meal, not just eating it.

While I'm hoping this Chinese meal is absolutely perfect, I won't be holding my breath! I have a feeling holiday food traditions have more to do with the people and memories than the food itself.

Do you have holiday food traditions? Are they all related to your family heritage? Have they evolved through the years?

And HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all!!
Helen

QuiltingReader wins a prize!

Sometimes we just aren't able to make the "hook up" with our announced winner. When that happens some lucky blog bunny gets a second chance to win. (Do we like blog bunny? Sounds either funny or rude. I can't decide. Plus we do have men around and they'd have to be blog hares, I guess.)

Quilting Reader - You are the lucky "second chance" winner from our giveaway of Cynthia Eden's Midnight Sins, a paranormal romance from Kensington Brava.

Send a note to: BelleBooks @ BelleBooks.com (no spaces) and we'll hook you up.

Have Yourself A Greener Little Christmas

I live in Minnesota where the weather is ummm... brisk. We have six inches of fresh powder and heavily dressed Santas on every street corner. The perfect Christmas location, right? And yet I'm dreaming of a tropical paradise.

I, like many people, though, am worried that paradise is slipping through our fingers.

Still, I get odd looks every time I insist on using clothe bags for my purchases or ask for my beverage in a ceramic cup, but I believe it’s worth the effort. Especially since I learned that approximately 250 billion pounds of raw plastic pellets are produced every year.

In view of that astounding figure I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that marine biologists have recently discovered “a heap of debris floating in the Pacific that's twice the size of Texas. The enormous stew of trash, which consists of 80 percent plastics and weighs some 3.5 million tons, floats where few people ever travel, in a no-man's land between San Francisco and Hawaii.”

According to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, most of this debris has blown in from land and is killing more than a million seabirds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles each year.

So, in a hopeful gesture of Yuletide good will, I’d like to suggest some tips for making all our holidays greener.

Green Shopping:
Avoid disposable or cheaply made products.
Bring your own shopping bag.
Coordinate your shopping trips to save time and gas.
Avoid gifts with excessive packaging.
Purchase handcrafted goods from local artisans.

Green Gifts:
Give an experience:
Dinner at a restaurant
Memberships to an establishment of interest
Classes or lessons

Make a charity donation in the receivers’ name.
Volunteer to babysit, do chores, or make dinner.
Give gifts that “go away”--wine, candles, food, etc.
Agree to go giftless.

Green Cards and Wrap:
Reuse gift wrap.
Use newspaper, old posters, maps, or sheet music
Use a cloth bag, bandana, or leftover fabric.
Send your holiday e-cards.
Recycle holiday cards.

Green Decorating:
Buy LED lights.
Buy a potted pine to use year round.
Use trimmed branches for decorating and making wreaths.
String popcorn and cranberries.
Recycle your tree.

Green Parties:
Send e-vites for your holiday parties.
Use reusable tableware.
Buy party clothes from consignment shops.
Recycle evvvvvverything you can.
Compost your food scraps.
Turn down the heat before the guests come.
Serve organic local foods.

There are also a number of grand ideas for making your own health and beauty products. Here are a few that intrigue me:

Body Scrub Recipe from Cosmo Magazine

Mix the juice of half a lime, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and a shot of rum. Dip the other half of the lime into the scrub and massage your skin with it in a circular motion. Rinse and voila! Your skin will be totally smooth and silky.

Tooth Powder Recommended By a Dentist

Hydrogen peroxide (a few drops)
Baking soda
Directions: Make a paste by combining the two ingredients. Use this paste on your teeth and also gently rub along your gums two times a week.

Banana Wrinkle Fighter Recipe

Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Gently pat dry.

Grape Cleanser Recipe

Grape juice makes an excellent cleanser for any skin type. Simply split one or two large grapes, remove pips and rub the flesh over face and neck. Rinse off with cool water.

Hair Egg Conditioner Recipe

1 teaspoon baby oil
1 egg yolk
1 cup water
Beat the egg yolk until its frothy, add the oil then beat again. Add to the water. Massage into the scalp and throughout your hair. Rinse well.

Shampoo Recipe

In a blender, combine 1 ounce olive oil, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Use as regular shampoo.


So how about you? Got any fabulous recipes or clever ideas that will help us avoid those millions of plastic bottles and tubes that are clogging our waterways and killing our wildlife? I’d love to hear them.

And because I was so inspired by Kathy’s post a couple of days ago, I’ve decided to try my hand at making cloth grocery bags. I’ll be giving one of them away to some kindly commenter (when they’re finished:) who agrees to try to reduce their plastic bag consumption and make this it a greener, cleaner 2009.

Merry Christmas everyone. May the upcoming holidays be your best yet. And thanks for being part of the Riding community.

www.loisgreiman.com

Winners of Loreth's prizes are....

Gundiva has won the copy of DEEP SURVIVAL, and Maureen has won a copy of Manhunter (which you'll love, by the way!) Congrats to you both! Please send your snail mail addys to Loreth at loreth@telus.net.

Deep Survival -- Which Story Lives, Which Dies, and Why

Loreth gets dirt time learning to mantrack.

Please join us in welcoming Loreth Anne White, author of ten novels for Silhouette. For readers who haven't checked out her latest book, you're in for a treat! Her newest series, WILD COUNTRY all take place north of 60, in the last frontier of the very harshest terrain and weather. What would it take for the characters to survive in such a setting? This Canadian author is going to give you a little peek into how she develop heroes/heroines strong enough to thrive, while human enough to fall in love. . . .

Thank you so much RWTD for inviting me here! It’s a pleasure to cruise with you all, top down.

I’ve decided to float my new writing tool here today, and would love to know what you think. If you stick with me, I’ll be giving it away, too.

In setting out to write MANHUNTER, my November ’08 release for Silhouette Romantic Suspense, I found myself once again turning to an all-time favorite book I discovered while researching an earlier project – DEEP SURVIVAL, WHO LIVES, WHO DIES, AND WHY, by Laurence Gonzales – and it struck me that while this book is about the universal stages a human needs to work through in order to survive against impossible odds, those stages also mirror the journey faced by our fictional heroes and heroines as they battle though the increasing conflict in a novel towards their own happy end, their own resolution, their own survival. Against impossible odds and villains.


firing a .3.3 as a mountie watches


Turns out my best writing book is not a writing book at all, but one about why people die. Or don’t. Because to survive in situations where most others will fail, our protagonists must essentially reach those same emotional benchmarks that Gonzales outlines in his book. And our protagonists must possess those same qualities inherent in a true survivor. They are what makes a hero.

For over three decades Gonzales, a journalist, had reporting on accidents, outdoor recreation accidents in particular. And in an effort to understand why some people lived, while others died, he found “an eerie uniformity” in the way people survive against seemingly impossible circumstances.

In his words, from his website: “Decades and sometimes centuries apart, separated by culture, geography, race, language, and tradition, the most successful survivors – those who practice what I call “deep survival” – go through the same patterns of thought and behavior, the same transformation and spiritual discovery, in the course of keeping themselves alive. Not only that but it doesn't seem to matter whether they are surviving being lost in the wilderness or battling cancer, whether they're struggling through divorce or facing a business catastrophe – the strategies remain the same.”

He goes on to say that: “Survival should be thought of as a journey, a vision quest of the sort that native Americans have had as a rite of passage for thousands of years. Once you're past the precipitating event – you're cast away at sea, or told you have cancer – you have been enrolled in one of the oldest schools in history. Here are a few things I've learned that can help you pass the final exam …”

Each incredible tale of survival that follows in Gonzales’ book is a story worth reading in itself, because whether lost at sea, or battling cancer, or trying to descend 12-thousand feet cliffs of ice in a wrap-around skirt with no underwear and a broken arm, they’re the stories of heroes and heroines who start out reluctant participants in their own adventure, but they must leave their ordinary worlds behind them, and answer that call to action (a la Joseph Campbell in his HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES) if they are to live. And find a happy resolution.


learning how to snug up to a shotgun


I’m not going to bog the blog down by working through the survival phases here, but suffice to say the book is worth reading, and the writing superb. However, for a quickie crash course in what it takes to live while others die, Gonzales does offer 12 tips here. He notes that no matter the disaster a survivor will need to work quickly through a range of initial emotions from denial of the situation, to anger, to bargaining, depression, and acceptance (very much like the stages described by Elizabeth Kubler Ross in her book ON DEATH AND DYING). And once a survivor/hero, has accepted that no deus ex machina is going to pluck him (or her) to safety, he must devise a strategy to get himself out. And so, we have story. A hero’s journey. A lesson in survival, and hope.

Qualities needed to survive might be surprising to some. They include the ability to use fear, and not be ruled by it. And to manage pain. A survivor will also need to tap into humor, and see spiritual beauty around him in spite of the life-and-death stakes. Interestingly, humility is also a survival quality. Because too much confidence (or too little fear) can get one killed – see what Gonzales says about “Rambo types” – the Navy Seals and Army Rangers who don’t always make good survival material. A survivor must also be prepared to do whatever is necessary, and to never, ever, give up while there is still life.

Most interesting to me is Gonzales’ find that usually someone lives because they are doing it for someone else. For love. For that family member waiting for them to come home.

But more than anything his work drives home to me that a good story – a story worth hearing and re-telling -- is essentially the rhythm of survival. And a good hero or heroine must journey through those phases to get to the happy end.

I suspect it’s why story has always resonated with us, whether told by a wild-eyed sangoma around dancing flame, or on the pages of a book, or stage, or silver screen. And as author Toni McGee Causey pointed out in her moving post here, its why we read. It’s why we write. Because it offers hope.

What do you think? Is this how you see story? Or not? And, just for fun, and because romantic suspense/adventure is my first love, what is that you love most about a good romantic suspense read? And, is there anything you’d like to see in a romantic suspense/adventure novel that you are just not finding at the moment? Please post a comment for a chance to win a singed copy of MANHUNTER. And because I love Gonzales’ book so much and find his lessons so valuable – both in writing and in life – and because I want to do my bit to save the publishing industry this season, I will also be giving away a shiny new copy of DEEP SURVIVAL – WHO LIVES, WHO DIES, AND WHY.

Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season all!

And My Winner Is...

Liza!

Congrats, Liza. E-mail me at christie@christieridgway.com and give me your snail mail addy so I can send you Must Love Mistletoe and Not Another New Year's!

Christie's Annual Confession...and Your Chance to Win!

I confess, I have the shopping gene. Blame my mom, who must have baptized me in the scent of the air of Macy’s and its scintillating counterpart, that lovely oxygen of Nordstrom. It’s lucky (for my bank balance) that we don’t live closer, but when we get together, it’s all about checking the racks and seeing what’s out there.

It’s a tradition that I share with my niece and sister-in-law and we (of course) took ourselves out on Black Friday to start the season right. And starting it right, and continuing it…um, right, means that I not only buy for those on my list, but I also buy for myself. (Sue me! I’m surrounded by guys who wouldn’t know a cute sweater if I wrapped their heads in it!)

So, just like I did last year (I did, didn’t I?), I’m going to be honest about what purchases for Christie have gone into my Christmas bags. I do this for you, so that you don’t have to feel as if you’re the only one thinking, “Hey! This would be perfect…for me.”

First off, if it’s something you can wear to a holiday party, it doesn’t count. (But I will tell you anyway: Black sequined tunic, holiday-red dress.)

Black, angle-length stiletto boots. Yes, I will wear these to a holiday party, but since I have some other, knee-length black boots, feel I must list them. (However, GREAT sale.)

Two long-sleeved T-shirts and two short-sleeved T-shirts. Again, a sale. And let me add that my niece and s-i-l don’t like to buy alone, okay?

A pair of skinny jeans. Black. I’m thinking of taking these back, though they go so great with the black tunic and the awesome boots. Still, pre-Christmas is just not the time to buy "skinny" jeans, y’know?

Eight holiday plates, eight holiday mugs, eight holiday bowls. They are so cute. At my grocery store, of all places, and 75 percent off before Christmas! They’ll be perfect for Christmas morning, and yes, there’s only four of us, but Christmas Eve another family is coming over so I’ll use them for my traditional casual pasta dinner too.

Now, it’s your turn to confess (even if it's how saintly you've been and that you haven't bought a thing for yourself). Did you bring home a gift or two for you? One lucky commenter will win my holiday books, Must Love Mistletoe and Not Another New Year’s as part of our Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway!

We have another Winner!!

Raven99 is the winner of the drawing from Cindy's 12 days of Christmas post. Congratulations Raven. Please contact cindy at: cgerard@iowatelecom.net with the title of the book you'd like her to send and your address.
Merry Christmas!!!

When you least expect it ....

I received a lovely gift in the mail last week. My agent sent me a book – a little stocking stuffer, her note said – that she thought I might enjoy. It’s a book about a cat. You might have heard of it: DEWEY THE LIBRARY CAT.

Well, how nice, I thought. A book about a cat. I have cats, so I’m sure it will be amusing.
Here’s the thing. I’ve been feeling a little down lately. A very dear friend was recently diagnosed with cancer and I’ve been spending time with her at the hospital and worrying about her recovery. On a much less critical note, I have a book that’s due much too soon and it’s giving me fits, so I’ve been a little stressed about that. But then, like I said, I received this lovely gift with the story of Dewey the cat. I didn't know how much I needed to hear his message until I started reading it.

Dewey was eight weeks old when someone stuffed him in the night depository at the Spencer, Iowa, public library on the coldest night of the year. When the staff found him the next morning, he was a pitiful, half frozen, starving little ball of fluff with frost bitten feet. They saved him and in turn, over the following years, Dewey repaid them and the people of Spencer by touching their lives in myriad ways. As it turns out, Dewey and his story touched my life, too.

I fell in love with Iowa all over again when I read the introduction describing the Iowa plains. Got all warm and fuzzy readying about Dewey’s encounters during the lovely era of the small Iowa farm. And I took his message of hope to heart and – I know this sounds silly – but I felt his gentle little spirit renewing me.

Is it a great book? No. It’s just a good book with a great message. Dewey’s sweet, stalwart message of hope is an incredible gift for anyone who reads it, so if you’re still struggling with those hard to buy for names on your list, you might give Dewey a try. Or buy it for yourself – you deserve a treat.

Just ‘fur’ fun, here’s a photo my fuzz balls who love to rock around the Christmas tree.


















So, has anyone read any books lately – or ever – that have had an impact on your state of mind? Books that have stayed with you and made you smile? How about a movie or a song that has stayed with you over the years?

Anyone commenting will be in the running for my 12 days of Christmas giveaway contribution of a Bodyguard or Black Ops Inc book of your choice and a really cool set of 3 reed diffusers in heavenly scents of Warm Sugar Cookies, Baked Apple Pie and Gingerbread.


Oh yeah - speaking of books, I have a new one coming out the end of this month. Not in time for Christmas but just in time for the New Year. WHISPER NO LIES, book 3 of my Black Ops, Inc. series will hit the shelves on December 30th. So yay!!


Merry Christmas everyone!!

Non-Follower Winner!

Does that make you a Non-Winner? :-) Just kidding. Thanks to everyone who commented yesterday! JoAnna is the winner! JoAnna please email Michele at toastfaery @ gmail.com with your snail mail address!

Winners . . .

Hmm, I swear I did this already, but it doesn't show up for me.

Mary-Francis Makichen! Email me at susan@susankaylaw.com and we'll make arrangements for a little Christmas present to wend its way to you . . .

Susie

(BTW, our (real) Christmas tree fell over almost as soon as we put it up! My husband wanted to take it down immediately - we're not HAVING tree this year!!! (though what he actually said was more profane.) Took my sons and I several hours and some McGuyver-y engineering with wedges of cardboard and two 50 pounds dumbbells to get it stay up thus far . . .

Susie

Yay Susie!!

'Cause I know our sweet little Susie won't, Helen here to tell y'all that Susan Kay Law's book, The Paper Marriage, has been listed as one of the top romance books of 2008 by the Library Journal (Scroll down to the genre fiction section to check it out).

Yay Susie!

Winner From Friday!

The winner of Friday's 12 Days of Christmas prize is Marilyn, our Playground Monitor! I wish I could send her 12 Lords a Leaping, but I missed the Riders' Chippendales excursion last month. So she'll have to settle for THE LAST GOOD MAN, along with a hankie from my collection.

This just in! Marilyn was inspired to use "The Green Bag Lady" pattern we talked about on Friday to whip up this cool bag over the weekend. And she says she's making more for gifts. Now I'm inspired to maybe borrow dear daughter's sewing machine and see if I remember where the thread goes.

Marilyn, your MAN is in the mail. (Or will be soon.) Don't forget to enter today's contest, all you non-followers. Enjoy!

Contest for non-Followers

It's been fun this past month recruiting Followers and seeing our list grow in the righthand column with little blocks of avatars.  But heck, those that don't have the time or the desire to Follow can still have fun with the Riders!  Today is all about them.  Followers are not allowed to enter, only nons.  :-)

And let's make it easy, please post in the comments what brought you to the Blog in the first place.  A link from another web site?  Are you a fan of one of the Riders?  Or did your Google search for 'convertibles with writers' bring you here?  Tell us how you found us!

One winner will be drawn to receive a Holiday package of Xmas music, an Xmas ornament and a couple bars of nummy chocolate.  Mmm, it just isn't the holidays without chocolate.  :-)

Psst...hey, non-Followers!  You know who you are.  You don't want to click on that button to the right?  That's cool.  It's so not a requirement.  And to prove it, we're giving away a prize just for the 'Nons' who stop by.  It's happening Sunday, so come back and check us out.

Meanwhile, everyone still has a chance to win Kathleen's giveaway.  Read the post below and enter!

ps - hey Followers don't un-follow!  We've got fun stuff planned for you in 2009!

Making a Difference

'Tis the Season I've always loved, but since I seem to live my life trying to catch up, it's a season of madness as well as joy. I'm looking for ways to minimize the former and accentuate the latter. Our holiday season began--as it has more than a few times over the years--with a time to mourn, which is why I've been AWOL from the convertible. The deaths of two dear family members within two days of each other rocked our world in so many ways. But one of the amazing things about sadness is the clarity that comes with it. What's really important, and how can I tune out the noise and tune into what matters right here, right now, in this dizzying season?

First, I resisted the temptation to minimize the decorating. I was so tempted, but the faces of my grandchildren nipped that temptation in the bud. We unpacked all the boxes and turned the "common rooms" into an uncommon fairy land, much the way Susie described the house she grew up in. It's a project that takes some time, so I tried to stick with cheerful music in the background. But the season just past--election season--turned me into a serious news junkie, and while cold turkey wasn't an option (the world will surely end if I don't keep track of what's happening) I'm finding that by tuning in and out, I can take heart in the nobility of the human spirit--the people who do things simply because they want to make the world a better place. Two to share, but more are there.

I happened on the broadcast of CNN heroes during a channel flipping. All 10 "ordinary" people were inspiring, but Anne Mahlum particularly impressed me. She started running in her hometown (and one of mine) of Bismarck. She moved to Philadelphia, where she regularly ran past the homeless people on the streets. One day she stopped at the door of a homeless shelter, went inside and said, "I want to take some people running." It was an odd offer, but one man took her up on it. Right then and there, simply by sharing something she loved with someone who needed someone who cared to show him a way, she started a program called "Back On My Feet." What an idea! I get chills when I think about it, and I wonder what I could do. I doubt that Anne started out with a big plan. I suspect that it started with one act, one day, one person.

I stopped hanging the greens long enough to write down the web addy for Teresa, the Green Bag Lady when I heard her story on some otherwise forgotten broadcast. She's trying to save the earth one cloth bag at a time. Before the broadcast she was sewing and sending out free cloth shopping bags to anyone who asked. Now she's "sewed out." Publicity and the word free brought a flood of requests, but her web site features patterns for the bags, ideas reusable for holiday wrapping (shown at the top), and plenty of good cheer for all of us. Check it out.

One last earth friendly site gleaned from my background "music" offers a way to stop getting catalogs you don't want and save some trees. All you do is fill out a form and opt in or out.

Have you run into any good news lately? 'Tis the season to spread the good news.

My gift for our seasonal celebration will be an autographed book from my stash (I'll give the winner some choices) and a vintage handkerchief from my collection. (I'm a collection junkie, too!) We'll choose a winner from those who comment between December 12 and midnight on the 13th.

Debra- Audible titles are up !

Hey, guys!

I thought I'd run in here very quickly before Kathleen Eagle pops her post up and let you know...

:: drum roll please ::

Our first digital audio titles are up on iTunes, Audible.com and Amazon! Yay. And the prices are stupidly cheap. Like, I'm emailing with Audible to figure out why the prices are so cheap because we think there is an error. So, if you like audio, run get them now!

iTunes has the lowest price.

Not a bad start. There will be more titles going up over time. ALICE AT HEART is unabridged full length. IN MY DREAMS by Sarah Addison Allen is a novella length collection of short stories. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN is a fabulous and poignant short story from the Mossy Creek series.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program...