Today, I’d like you to welcome our guest blogger…
Actually, a guest vlogger, as she’s prepared a video blog for all of you to enjoy.
So, please welcome…
Monkey Girl!
(Don’t forget to download an excerpt of my book, on Amazon and leave me a review!)
March 27, 2010
Play Ball!
I.
Hate.
Baseball.
I know, I know… how completely un-American of me.
However, I do.
I hate it.
Perhaps it is leftover from my childhood.
My Dad LOVES the Cleveland Indians, having grown up in northern Ohio, and also just loves baseball, in general.
In my home, we had one telvision, and Dad got to choose what was on.
In the Spring and Summer, it was usually baseball.
People who grew up in the tri-State area, I’m sure, can relate to the sounds of Channel 11 baseball.
That particular song, “Da daaaa, da da da dum, da da da, da daaaaa, da da da dum, da da da…”
I fell asleep on the couch to the sounds of many a televised Yankees game.
It’s just slow and boring, to me.
Of all sports, it’s the one that I just don’t care about in the least bit.
Too much waiting.
I’m an action girl.
However, while I hate baseball, I love Monkey in the Middle.
So, when he says he wants to play ball, I watch baseball.
Yesterday was his first practice.
No surprise at all, he was great!
Yes, he insisted on the fluorescent mitt.
It was adorable.
Baby Monkey and Monkey Girl seem to feel the same way about baseball as I do.
They spent their time climbing on the bleachers.
But, not me.
I watched and gave thumbs up and clapped and for the first time, didn’t hate baseball quite so much.
Of course, it’s early in the season.
(Just a reminder…please go to my book excerpt on Amazon, dowload (for free), read, and leave a review! Thanks!)
March 24, 2010
We Interrupt our Regularly Scheduled Programming…
I lied.
I’ll tell you about Bloomie’s and Rosa Mexicano’s tomorrow.
For now, though, I’ve got some other news!
As you may remember, a few months ago, I submitted my novel to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. They originally took 5,000 entries, and in the second round, narrowed it to 1,000. I was thrilled to have made that cut. As of yesterday, they have narrowed the field again, to the 250 quarterfinalists. I’m in!
In this next round, our excerpts have been posted on Amazon.com and are awaiting customer reviews. So, if you are so inclined, I would love if you could help me out!
If you go to Amazon.com, in the Search All Departments box, type in “Amy Bozza.” (Tee-hee…I’m on Amazon!) You will get a list and my excerpt will be first. There will be a tan box to the left that says “Thriller and Suspense” and then to the right of that is my name and the title, which is “The Follow Through.” If you click on the title, it will take you to the page for my excerpt. Here’s the direct link to my page.
You have to download the excerpt, but there is a catch. They only allow downloads to Kindle’s or to Kindle for PC. Imagine my dismay, as I don’t own a Kindle, however, I was able to quickly and freely download Kindle for PC. Again, it’s FREE. Took about two minutes. Once you download the program, you can go back and download the excerpt. If you have a Kindle, you can download directly to your Kindle.
This is the important part: After you have read the excerpt, please go back to Amazon and leave a customer review. I’m happy to take high-fives on the blog in the comments, but please keep the reviews “business-like.”
I warn you ahead of time…you may be surprised that it came from me, as the story can be a little violent at times, but, it’s fiction, folks. Pretend it isn’t me who wrote it, if you need to.
Thank you for your support!
March 23, 2010
Tea and Sympathy
After Erin and I got off the train at Penn Station, we headed the apartment that Michaela shares with her husband, Michael.
Once there, we hugged and said our hello’s to Michael, then the three ladies headed to meet up with Kim at a little place called Tea and Sympathy.
This place was tiny.
Like, there are only 7 tables in the joint tiny.
But SO cute and full of ambience.
We met Kimmie outside and eventually they called us in.
First of all, we all ordered tea, and when you order tea, it comes in your own, cutie-pie teapot, shaped like utter coolness.
I made a village with our teapots to show you.
Can you stand it?
Mine was the Queen Elizabeth I teapot.
I’m cool with that.
I like to think I’d be a total badass queen, just like she was.
Then, it was time to order.
I got a delicious scrambled eggs with cheese and 7 grain toast.
The toast was…was…
Well, there really are no words for how good this toast was.
Michaela ordered spaghetti on toast.
It gave me pause to hear her order.
It gave me giggles when her order arrived.
It was actually spaghettios on toast.
Tee-hee.
Halfway through, Kim’s carefully attuned eye caught an actress who used to be on Guiding Light come in the door.
Fiona.
Anyone used to watch Guiding Light?
Fiona was British (how appropos) and was dating Buzz.
This is going WAY back.
Anyway, it was my brush with fame for the day.
It was a great time, and a delicious brunch with three remarkable women.
I’ll tell you about the High Line tomorrow.
I know you can hardly wait!
March 22, 2010
Brow Bar
Where to start with this past weekend?
It was an absolutely wonderful weekend spent with wonderful friends.
We laughed and laughed and just enjoyed each other.
I can’t even describe how lucky I am to have friends like these women.
So, I’ve decided to start in the middle.
Mid-day, we hit the Bloomingdale’s on Lexington Avenue.
Erin had some shopping to do, and Kim is a good shopping companion.
Michaela and I enjoy going with them, because we love them, but in terms of shopping, we’re more like the “husbands” of the trip.
We sit on the benches outside the dressing room, or in the shoe department, and talk.
Not sports or anything like that, but our girl version of husband talk.
So, we were up in Fine Jewelry and Kim and Erin were talking designers like Judith Ripka and some guy, whose name I can’t remember, and it was all pretty much Greek to me.
So, earlier, we had passed “The Brow Bar” in Bloomie’s, where they will pluck or wax your eyebrows.
It intrigued me.
I’m a fairly low maintenance girl.
I don’t even dry my hair in the morning before work, and I’ve got two pieces of makeup that I own, and that’s it.
I do, however, try to look human and pluck my eyebrows into some sort of shape.
As a blonde, it isn’t a necessity, as they are light enough to not draw attention to themselves, but I know.
After my surgery, I was told to take a plucking hiatus, because it makes me sneeze, and, well, sneezing ain’t joyful after sinus surgery and a broken nose, folks.
But, I’m back, and have been procrastinating taking care of those brows for awhile.
So, I leaned over to my fellow husband…er…I mean, Michaela, and said, “Wanna blow this joint and come with me to get my eyebrows waxed?”
Michaela, the photographer, said, “Sure! I’ll take pictures for your blog!”
She knows me so well.
We filled in the ladies and off we went.
Here I am signing my life away, saying that I don’t use products on my skin that could cause it to rip off with the wax.
Huh?
I was happy and excited.
At first.
Then, it began.
And, in the end, I was a whole lot redder (sensitive skin) but a whole lot neater, and the redness only lasted for an hour or so.
More good times to come!
March 21, 2010
Thought for the Day
First of all, my deepest apologies for my absence this past week.
It was a week of working late and crashing early.
However, I’m back, and better than ever.
I’m totally refreshed after my weekend with the girls, and have SO much to share.
However, as I’m on my way out the door to perform in a concert, I will leave you with this thought for the day, and will let the updating begin tomorrow.
Enjoy your beautiful Sunday!
March 15, 2010
I Love the Nightlife
So, my Eddie Rabbitt reference, last night, made me nostalgic for the music of the 70’s.
I was singing 70’s music in my head all day.
Then, while in the drive-thru at the bank, one of my all-time favorite 70’s songs came on.
“I Love the Nightlife” by Alicia Bridges.
I had the 45.
I practically wore that sucker out.
Oh, I love the nightlife…I got to boogie…on the disco ahhhhhhh, oooh yeah….
I used to sing the heck outta that song.
Ask Erin.
She’ll tell you.
I even had the whole weird, Alicia Bridges accent, strange speech pattern thingy going on.
Good Lord, I loved that song.
So, tonight, while I was making dinner/playing Winnie-the-Pooh CandyLand with Baby Monkey…
…I spontaneously burst into my full-blown, Alicia Bridges impersonation.
Which caused Baby Monkey to put down his game pieces, look at me, and make this face:
He makes that face at me a lot.
Apparently, I do much that is not to be believed.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my music from the 80’s.
Yet…
As a girl who was born in 1972, I’ve got a love for the 70’s.
And goodness…do I love the nightlife.
What about you? Any guilty pleasure 70’s songs you can’t help but belt out when the urge hits?
Share it with us in the comments!
March 14, 2010
Stormy Night
Last night was a stormy night.
I love a stormy night.
I realize that it would have been a lot more catchy to quote Eddie Rabbit here, but it wasn’t just a rainy night.
It was a stormy night.
Raise your hand if you got the Eddie Rabbit reference.
Anyone?
Anyone?
If not, go look it up on YouTube and listen to the song.
An all time favorite.
The name?
Uh, duh!
“I Love a Rainy Night.”
But, I digress.
So, it was a stormy night.
Howling wind.
Rain pelting the house.
Having to go out and rescue the recycling bin and garbage cans twice before we thought to put them in the garage where they wouldn’t blow away.
Here are a few shots of our little stream which is usually low enough for us to step across on the stones that lay at the bottom.
We all snuggled up, warm and safe, inside and listened to the storm rage outside and just enjoyed each other.
This morning, we drove around and surveyed the damage and were grateful that we didn’t have trees that fell on our homes or cars as many did.
That we have a house where the basement stays dry and doesn’t fill with water.
That we didn’t lose power.
Ah, forget it…
Here ya go…
I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT
Eddie Rabbitt – 1980
Well I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning
When it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good
Well I love a rainy night
It’s such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain
On my face
To taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadow
Showers wash
All my cares away
I wake up to a sunny day
‘Cause I love a rainy night
Yes I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning
When it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good
Puts a song
In this heart of mine
Puts a smile on my face every time
‘Cause I love a rainy night
Yes I love a rainy night
Ooh I love a rainy night
Yeah I love a rainy night
Showers wash
All my cares away
I wake up to a sunny day
‘Cause I love a rainy night
Yes I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
Well I love a rainy night
March 13, 2010
Rainy Weekend
Sure, there are downsides to rainy weekends.
The St. Patrick’s Day parade was cancelled.
Our stream is about to overlflow and flood the yard and the street.
However, we’re all still in our jammies.
I got to make egg and cheese sandwiches for everyone’s breakfast.
I get to look at this, all day.
There are impromptu naps.
Lots of games are being played.
Love the sun, but sometimes, the rain does more than help the flowers grow.
