Fun Holiday Weekend With Bestie & Her Son

Over the Labor Day weekend, K (my best friend since middle school came to viist from Alalabama and  along with her A, (her seven year of son) for his first cross country flight. They arrived at LAX on Fraiday and stayed with hubby and I over the weekend they left on Labor Day afternoon.

Me, Friend K, and her son A

The first stop once K and A arrived was In-N-Out Bruger for their famous burgers and french fries.

K enjoying an In-N-Out burger and fries

A enjoying an In-N-Out burger

Since me and K are avid readers, out next stop after In-N-Out was "The Last Bookstore" which is a used bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. We all enjoyed checking browsing the store, taking photos and buying books to read later.

K and A in front of The Last Bookstore

The second day, we took K and A to Mission Beach in San Diego so they can enjoy playing in the waves follwed by going to the nearby Belmont Park for them to ride amusement park rides. 

Me, K and A at Mission Beach

Hubby with A at Mission Beach

K and A at Mission Beach

K and A sitting in big chair at Belmont Park

The third day of K and A 's visit to California, hubby and I decided to give them the Disneyland experience without actually going to Disneyland or California Adventure by taking them to a character breakfast at the Disneyland Grand Californian Hotel. 

Mickey Mouse, K, and A

After a delicious breakfast and plenty of photo opportunities for K and A, we took them to Downtown Disney since A loves Legos. While in Downtown Disney, K and A enjoyed churros for the first time then K bought A a Lego kit to take home with him back to Alabama.

K and A in front of Downtown Disney sign

A and K enjoying a churro

A in front of the Downtown Disney Lego Store

The evening of the third day, hubby and I took K and A to Knotts Berry Farm since A loves Snoopy and we had fun seeing "Ghosts Town Alive" and riding rides at Campy Snoopy

Me, A, and K in big chair at Knotts Berry Farm

Following four days of fun with K and A, it was time for them to return back to Alabama. As we dropped K and A off at the airport, K promised to return to California with A next year since she feels there's a lot more places she and A wanted to explore.

Me and K saying goodbye at airport

Reunited (And It Feels So Good)

 I recently had an opportunity to visit my old library system, the Kings County Library system in Hanford, CA after having left in April 2021and I was able to catch up with my old co-workers. First, I visited my old job headquarters was suprised to see Chris, a former co-worker I used to supervise and had retired before I left the library for another job back working in the library. After seening Chris, it was also fun to catch up with co-workers as well as a former library graduate student whose work I supervised and is now worrking as the digital services librarian for the library system. 

Kings County Library - Hanford Branch

Me and employee Chris 

Me and co-worker Brian

Me and co-worker Sherman

Me and work BFF Farrah

Me and co-worker Ashley

Following visitng the Hanford Branch library, I stopped by the Lemoore Branch library to see my favorite co-worker Barbara. Me and Barbara worked closely together on various work projects so I was happy to see that she was promoted to Lemoore branch lead after I left Kings County to work at the Beaumont Library.

 

Kings County Library - Lemoore Branch

Me and former co-worker Barbara

After visiting with Barbara in Lemoore, I stopped by another library branch that I used to supervise which was the Stratford branch library and see Viviana, a favorite employee I supervised.

Kings County Library - Stratford Branch 

Me and former employee Viviana

After visiting eveyone at the various library locations, I ended my visit to Kings County by visiting Jodi, a former library patron who later become a wonderful friend.

Me and former library patron/friend Jodi

Having finished my visit to my old library and seeing old co-workers, I was happy to see that everyone is finding ways to adapt to changes in the library system such as having a new library director.

Overall, I left Kings County feeling glad that despite being gone for years, everyone was still happy to see me and was transparent about how things hae been since I left as well as life outside of the library.   

The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge

Each year, I take on different reading challenges as a way to get outside of my reading comfort zone. For 2024, I plan to read a total of 104 books by completing the 52 Book Club's 2024 reading challenge (consisting of 52 books) and the Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge (also consisting of 52 books.) 

If you'd like to participate in this 2024 reading challenge, visit www.the52bookclub.com/2024-reading-challenge.

Below is the list of reading prompts for the 2024 reading challenge which I'll start on January 1, 2024. After I finish each reading prompt, I'll update this list. If you want to see more of the books I've read this year and previous years, check out my Goodreads profile at: https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/15431036.

The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge:

1. Locked-room mystery: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
2. Bibliosmia: A smelly book: Scent of the Missing: Love & Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog by Susannah Charleson 
3. More than 40 chapters: Dark Visions by Jonas Saul
4. Lowercase letters on the spine: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott
5. Magical Realism: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
6. Women in STEM:Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History by Sam Maggs
7. At least four different POV: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
8. Features the ocean: Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World Under the Sea by Julia Rothman
9. A character-driven novel: Horseman, Pass By by Larry McMurty
10. Told in non-chronological order:
11. Title starting with the letter "K:" Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
12. Title starting with the letter "L:" Last Dance by Hanna Schroy
13. An acdemic thriller:
14. A grieving character: Forget Prayers, Bring Cake: A Sinlge Woman's Guide to Grieving by Merissa Nathan Gerson
15. Part of a duology: Ravaged by Naima Simone
16. An omniscient narrator: Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
17.Nominated for The Booker Prize:
18. An apostrophe in the title: Your Heart's Desire by Melody Carlson
19. A buddy read: Last Christmasin Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
20. A revenge story: The Lost Girls: A Vampire Revenge Story by Sonia Hartl
21. Written by a ghostwriter: The Answer Is... by Alex Trebek
22.A plot similar to another book: Vanessa Jared's Got a Man by LaQuette
23. The other book with the similar plot: The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
24. A cover without people on it: Recitatif by Toni Morrison
25. An author "everyone" had read except you: What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey
26. Hybrid genre: The Book of Denial by Ricardo Chavez Castaneda
27. By a neurodivergent author: Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew
28. A yellow spine: Rizzio by Denise Mina
29. Published in a Year of the Dragon: Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan (published in 2012)
30. Picked without reading the blurb: Black People Breathe: A Mindfulness Guide to Racial Healing by Zee Clarke
31. Includes a personal phobia: The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
32. Timeframe spans a week or less: This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
33. An abrupt ending: Stuart Little by E.B. White
34. Set in a landlocked country:
35. Title matches lyrics from a song: A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert
36. Has futuristic technology:
37. Palindrome on the cover: I Don't Want to Be a Mom by Irene Olmo
38. Published by Hachette: Freaks, Gleeks, & Dawson's Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Televison by Thea Glassman
39. Non-fiction recommended by a friend: Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life by Betty Reid Soskin
40. Set during a holiday you don't celebrate: Archie Celebrates Diwali by Mitali Banerjee Ruths 
41. A sticker on the cover: Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
42. Author debut in second half of 2024:
43. About finding identity: That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert
44.Includes a wedding: My Wandering Warrior Existence by Nagata Kabi
45. Chapter headings have dates:
46. Featuring indigenous culture: Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America by Matika Wilbur
47. Self-insert by an author: The Fate of the Artist & The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell by Eddie Campbell
48. The word "secret" in the title: The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel 
49. Set in a city starting with "M:" The Boy with a Snake in His Schoolbag: A Memoir from Manila (or Something Like That) by Bob Ong
50. Musical instrument of the cover: Ada's Vilin: the story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, Illustrated Sally Wern Comport 
51. Related to the word "Wild:" A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back by Kevin Hazzard
52. Published in 2024: All You Need is Rhythm & Grit: How to Run Now - For Health, Joy, and a Body That Loves You Back by Cory Wharton-Malcolm

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

Each year, I take on different reading challenges as a way to get outside of my reading comfort zone. For 2024, I plan to read a total of 104 books by completing the 52 Book Club's 2024 reading challenge (consisting of 52 books) and the Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge (also consisting of 52 books.) 

Although I am usually able to accomplish my reading goald for the year, for this year's challenge Booklist Queen has added the following details to those particpating in the 2024 reading challenge:

If you feel overwhelmed by 52 categories, don’t worry. It’s okay if you don’t finish the challenge. I want this Reading Challenge for 2024 to be aspirational. I want to push you to read more – whether that’s 12 books a year or 52. I want you to get out of your reading rut and try new genres. 

Don’t like one of the categories in the 2024 Reading Challenge? Change it or skip it. Double count a book for multiple prompts. Interpret the prompts any way you like. 

If you'd like to participate in this 2024 reading challenge, visit www.booklistqueen.com/reading-challenge-2024.

Below is the list of reading prompts for the 2024 reading challenge which I'll start on January 1, 2024. After I finish each reading prompt, I'll update this list. If you want to see more of the books I've read this year and previous years, check out my Goodreads profile at: https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/15431036.

The Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge:

1. You Meant to Read Last Year: The Guncle by Steven Rowley
2. Goodreads Winner in 2023: Happy Place by Emily Henry
3. About Mental Health: Self-Care for Black Men by Jor-El Caraballo
4. Five-Star Read: James by Percival Everett
5. An Audiobook: Into the Thinnest of Air by Simon R. Green
6. Set in the 1950s: Tyler Cross: Black Rock by Fabien Nury 
7. Unreliable Narrator: The Devil You Know by K.J. Parker
8. Book Becoming a Movie in 2024: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
9. With an Epilogue: How To Break Up With Your Phone: THe 30 Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price
10. About Starting Over: Single Mother by Anna Härmälä 
11. Author You Love: Untouchable by Talia Hibbert
12. Flowers on the Cover: The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
13. Title Starts withb "B:" But Have You Read the Book: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Movies by Kristen Lopez 
14. Published in 2014: What If: Serious Scientific Questions to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
15. Purple Cover: Bloom by Helen Hardt
16. Historical Mystery:
17. With Multiple Points of View: The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli
18. A Book You Couldn't Put Down: Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto
19. One Word Title: Blossom by Helen Hardt
20. Debut Author: Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes 
21. 2023 Bestseller: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
22. Intriguing Premise: Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
23. A Friend's Favorite Book: American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera
24. Author from Southern Hemisphere:
25. About Secrets:
26. Bottom of Your To-Read List: A Walk in the Park by Rebekah Weatherspoon
27. Your Favorite Genre: (Romance) The Write Escape by Charish Reid 
28. Character Who is an Actor: Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
29. Recommended on a Podcast: 60 Songs That Explain the 90s by Rob Harvilla
30. Set in Paris: The Pigeon by Patrick Suskind
31. Ugly Cover: The Jump-Off Creek by Molly Gloss
32. Set in a Small Town: Apex Hides the Hurt by Colson Whitehead
33. Three Books by the Same Author (1:) Heart and Hand by Rebel Carter 
34. Three Books by the Same Author (2:) Hearth and Home by Rebel Carter
35. Three Books by the Same Author (3:) Honor and Desire by Rebel Carter
36. A Quick Read: So Now You Know: A Compendium onf Completely Useless Information by Harry Bright and Harlan Briscoe
37. Set During Autumn:
38. Classic by a Female Author: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
39. Memoir by a Person You Admire: Haben: The Deathblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
40. About a Historical Event: I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis
41. Written Under a Pseudonym:
42. Legal Thriller: Take It Back by Kia Abdullah
43. Fantasy Book: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
44. Popular Book You've Never Read: You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
45. Inspiring Nonfiction: Pack Light: A Journey to Find Myself by Shilletha Curtis
46. 2024 New Release: Prez: Setting a Dangerous President by Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell
47. Genre You Don't Normally Read: Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys: The World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West
48. You Own But Haven't Read: Your Pace or Mine:What Running Taught Me About Life, Laughter, and Coming Last by Lisa Jackson
49. Book about Books: The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time by Keith Houston
50. Book Everyone is Talking About: Melania by Melania Trump
51. With a Place in the Title: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun
52. Reread a Favorite: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

Selected as July 2023 Slow AF Run Club Runner of the Month!

 I am so exited to have been recently selected at the Slow AF Run Club "Runner of the Month!" As a member of the run club since it first began in 2019 and have been proud to see it grow from a few members to thousands of members around the world.See the photos below for my profile and if you want to learn more about the virtual running club, visit https://slowafrunclub.com.

Celebrating Hubby's Birthday & Vegan Offerings at 2023 Disney's California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

Hubby recently celebrated his 46th birthday over the weekend and requested that we spend a day at the Disney's California Adventure Food & Wine Festival which occured from March 3rd-April 25th. In addition to me and hubby, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew also hung out with us at the theme park.

 Prior to going to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, I went online to the website of one of my favorite vegan Dinsey social media accounts "The Happiest Vegan on Earth" to find our what vegan items were available at the festival. 

Welcome to Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival sign

Upon arriving at Disney California Adventure, I got a tasting passport which is a booklet containing a lsit of all the food offerings available during the festival. In the tasting passort book, vegan options are referred to as plant-based and eating optiions were either a small tasting sie portion of a meal or for extra, one could pay for a full entree/ size.

The first place we stopped at was Avocado Time who had a Al Pastor Taco with Impossible Pork, grilled pineapple, and avocado-tomatillo sauce.

The restaurant at the Food & Wine Festival with the most vegan options (a full vegan menu!) was Paradise Garden Grill. The first item we sampled at Paradise Grill was Gyro Fries with Impossible ground beef, cauliflower cheese sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, tzatzki, and pita bread.

The second item we sampled at Paradise Grill was Bulgogi Fried Rice with Impossible beef, kimchi,vegan egg, pickled cucumber, green onions, and seasame seeds.

The third item we sampled at Paradise Grill was vegan mac and cheese.

The last item we sampled at Paradise Grill was a peach-blueberry cobbler with a oatmeal crust.

 After enjoing all of the vegan food options at the Food & Wine Festival, I was a little sad that these dishes would are only available until April 25th. Hopefully, some of the dishes I highlighted above will become permanent additions at Calfornia Adventure restaurants in which case I'd definitely return again to get a bigger entree' size of my favorite items which were the Bulgogi Fried Rice and the Impossible Gyro Fries.

Highlighted on The NoBibsBurpsBottles podcast!

In August of last year, I recorded a podcast interview for The NoBibsBurpsBottles podcast! The podcast is free to listen through the Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on her website https://nobibsburpsbottles.com. 

If you want to watch the video version of the podcast interview you can find it on YouTube at: https://youtube.com/watch?v=AJw0u3uybRs&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

As a longtime listener of this podcast, I was excited to be interviewed since the podcast is a childfree black woman who is highlighting the stories of childfree African American women. 

The podcast is now live so check it out if you'd like to hear about my experience being a married, childfree black woman as well as navigating being childfree with friends and family.