It's my Birthday

It is my Birthday, I am celebrating ME.  Happy Birthday to Me..... I'm 36 years old :-)

I wanted to celebrate with you and decided I will do 36 facts about me, some book related, some not.

I am a girly girl, love the glam of life but I choose books over makeup.  I love a beautiful garden to look at but in my books they need to have a dead body included to really intrigue me, lol

Hope you enjoy, I know 36 is a lot, I kept them short.

Also, my blogoversary was Aug 29 and I chose to create the event Thrill Week to celebrate. This will be an annual event now.  I had a blast and thank those that participated and commented.  Blogging is such a bonus in my life, I appreciate all of you.

On to 36, facts, favourites etc about me.



1. My favourite childhood book is Corduroy  



2. I was born and raised in Bermuda



3. I studied dance education in Philadelphia, Univ of the Arts as a dance instructor for 10 years



4. I currently teach a fusion class, Pilates, Yoga and strength stretch combined



5. My favourite movie is Silence of the Lambs, love the book also



6. My favourite Adult Fiction book is Still Alice



7. My favourite inspiration fiction book is Dibs, In Search of Self



8. My favourite psychological thriller book is Manufactured Identity 



9. My favourite long term author is Mary Higgins Clark



10. Verse Novels are my simple pleasure



11. I have a 4 year old daughter named Paige



12. I got her name from the show Charmed, I call her daddy my Charmed One



13. I have 2 brothers



14. One of my brothers had a massive stroke and the book My Stroke of Insight helped me lots





15. My favourite place visited was Capri, Italy



16. One of my favourite hotels is Hotel Giraffe in New York



17. I have been blogging for 2 years



18. My favourite genres are Thrillers, Suspense and Mystery



19. My favourite concert was Madonna in 2006


20. I love being a Libra 



21. I work at Hospital



22. I love being a career mommy, I have been a professional human resource specialist for 11 years



23. My worst grammar mistake for years was writing 'alot, instead of a lot’ 







24. I used to think I was pretty techy but blogging has shown me that I’m a little clueless actually



25. My favourite colour is purple



26. My Bermudian accent sounds like a mix of British and Island like



27. I have 4 tattoos  - this is one 



28. I am staying at Newstead, Belmont Hills hotel for my birthday, my favourite getaway at home



29. I am a divorcee



30. I have been with Paige’s dad on and off for 13 years



31. My favourite poem is Reason, Season, Lifetime



32. My favourite quote is The Serenity Prayer 



33. My favourite thing about blogging is interacting with bloggers,especially with same interest



34. I love going to the spa, my favourite treatment is a hot stone massage.



35. I would choose being a stay at home mom and blogging all day over work right now (really only the stressful days, lol, I love working)



36. I love birthdays, it is like your very own special holiday to celebrate your life.


Would you like to ask me a question?  I'll respond in the comments.

Please click on title to comment - New commenting system



Incorrect spelling from Teacher - What would you do?

I would appreciate your opinion........

I have a 4 year old daughter who loves to go to school, doing flashcards, reading books, etc. Paige has been going to this school for over a year but will be going to Preschool in September.

Note, this is not to come down on the school because for me, it is more important for Paige to be happy at school then for some of the things I think they could do better, like SPELL.

This is the issue.  Each week they send a Weekly Schedule home of what the children will be doing and Swimming is spelled like this.....

SWIMING

The first week I notice but i'm ok with a mistake, once, twice, ugggh but every week. By 5, I have had it.

I nicely write a note on top of page "I have noticed that Swimming has been misspelled often.  Just a friendly reminder swimming has 2 m's."

I go in and the teacher I assumed made the errors was not there so I tell the teacher that is in charge of Finances.  She laughed :-0  and says, oh that's Teacher P's way of spelling.

ME - It is every week though.

TEACHER - We notice it.

ME - I don't want to see this every week and not tell her how to correct it. We learn every day, it is ok.

I start to walk away and she then says, do you want this.  HELLO, I wrote a note and the correction on it, give it to the other teacher!!!!!!!

I take it and throw it in the trash, i'm totally baffled.  Is she laughing at her boss behind her back or just fed up because she has said it and no change, sigh.

What would you do?  Try again directly to the teacher that made the mistake or just be happy that its only another month before Paige goes to real school - teacher's with a teaching degree or certification?

Networking/Commenting with Bloggers

Friends,

I have been blogging for almost 2 years now and think I have found the 'style' that works for me, which is:

• Participate in Memes and comment - I try to respond to all those that I already follow during memes and when a meme has 50 or less participants I will respond to all most times.
• Visiting and Commenting on blogs, my favourites and others I have followed at some point
• Those that comment that are new to me, I will go visit their blog and most times comment

Does this style work for you?  Do you feel I show appreciation or recognition for you as a blogger?

I am always looking at ways to improve so would like to know: (Please participate in Poll - sidebar)

• Do you go back to blogs to see if they commented back to you?
• If you ask a question, do you come back for the answer or prefer a response on your blog or an email?
• Do you like email responses to comments?  (BTW - I love this from my favourite bloggers because it helps to build relationships but I find it odd from bloggers I don't really know, unless they are responding to a query)

How do you think I can improve more with networking?  I am up for suggestions.

Thank you for the comments and feedback.  I appreciate you.  Bloggers have really changed my life and added in many ways, like my unbelievable TBR and Wishlist :-)

Reading overall is my escapism.

NOTE:  For new bloggers.  If you want genuine followers, comment, I am amazed by how many followers I have had for almost the whole time of blogging that still comment.  I am happy with my approx 300 followers and getting approx 7 - 12 comments on each post, I find that rewarding but know it is only because I have also tried to be a good networking blogger.



Blog Names - Blog Hop

Welcome to Tea Time with Marce

It is Book Blogger Hop Time.  Thank you Jennifer for Hosting such a fun networking meme.  Go over to join this week at Crazy For Books

This week's question comes from Jen B. who blogs at I Read Banned Books

"Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"

I love my blog name, I love tea, love to entertain, if I lived near blogging friends I would totally have book tea parties.  What is funny to me though is that I love the gritty, scary, murder, drama, thrilling, keep me on the edge of my seat books, not really a 'tea' feel right, lol.  It suits my personality though, I am totally girly, love the purple, pinks, shoes, jewelry etc but I like to take risk (bungee jumping), watch horrors and thrillers (favourite all time - Silence of the Lambs and my job is employee relations at a hospital (enough drama here, the good, bad and ugly)

When you stop in on my blog I want you to feel comfortable have tea with me - Tea Time with Marce

I also like that it has my name included, so you don't have to remember my blog name and my name it is all wrapped nicely together.

My favourite cup of tea is Earl Grey, what is yours?

Thanks for stopping in, I look forward to networking with my blogging friends and finding new blog(ger)s.

 

 

 

What are you Reading - Personal Update

It's Monday, What are You Reading.  Sheila over at One Persons Journey has an incentive for networking so go over and have fun while adding to your 2011 Wishlist.


I just completed

My 1st Agatha Christie, review here




Currently Reading 2 books due to personal events, see below.

  and  

So friends, I am dealing with a very scary situation, first in my life.  My 45 year old brother had a massive stroke and we were told he may not survive.  This was on Tues.  Due to the pressure in his head he was unable to fly.  He was air ambulanced to Boston on Friday night and I flew out on Saturday to be with my nephew and niece with him.  It is a day to day scary situation.  He is breathing on his own but unresponsive to us.  He doesn't have feeling in his left side.  If we say something and tell him wiggle his toes he will.  Please send best wishes and prayers.

This is why I haven't been blogging all week.  And sharing a computer with an 18 and 24 year old, well i'm sure you can imagine.

I love to read one book at a time but I am so unfocused but these 2 seem to be working so far.

HUGS

I was Tagged......now Tag You're It

I haven't seen this one before, thanks Cheryl (CMash) for letting me in on the fun.  Here is a little about me and then see who I have tagged to learn more about.

 4 Things in my Handbag

Vaseline (I'm addicted, nothing else will do on my lips)
My work blackberry
My personal cell
Purple Coach wallet (I love Coach and purple is my favourite colour)

4 Things in/on my Desk

My computer with a picture of my daughter and boyfriend on it
Employee Files
My Priority To Do List
A Live, Love, Laugh notepad

4 Favourite Things in my Bedroom

My brown walls, I love the soothing feel it gives me.
A large painting of a dancer
My pregnancy belly sculpture
My AC during summer months and my comforter during winter

4 Things I Always wanted to Do (but haven't yet)

Go skydiving
Visit Rome, Monte Carlo, Sweden and Dubai (my top 4)
Go to a strip club with my man ;-)
Go to a yoga retreat

4 Things I Enjoy very Much at the Moment

Reading
Blogging and Networking
The quiet, even for an hour, no toddler, boyfriend, parents, work, friends, cellphones etc
Making Love

4 Songs I Can't Get Out of My Head

I'm listening to music so nothing, I will give my top 4 artists at the moment.

Alicia Keys
Lady Gaga
always Chante Moore
always Madonna

4 Things you Don't Know About Me

I went to University of the Arts in Philadelphia, studied Dance Education
I have 4 tattoos
I got married at 23, divorced at 26, i'm 34 now going 35 on Sunday, Oct 3, yaaaay
I used to spend all my Internet time on iVillage.com as a Community Leader and member, but blogging has taken over, oops

Hope you enjoyed getting to know me more, thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

All my fellow blogging friends that comment, please answer Tea Time with Marce 4 Things in the comments.

4 Tea Time Things

What kind of tea do you drink if any?
How often do you have afternoon tea?
Do you have a favourite tea cup, describe?
What is your favourite tea time snack?



CMash tagged me and Julie from Reading Without Restraint, so I can't tag them, which I would have.  Julie tagged Paula at Tomes Devotee another I love and look forward to reading her answers.

So blogging friends - Tag You're It, can't wait to see your responses.

Christa from Mental Foodie

 Michelle from Red headed book child

Jennifer at Crazy-for-books

 

Juju from Tales of Whimsy



Hurrican Igor, Bermuda - Loss of Electricity, no blogging - planned reading

See below for What You Reading on Monday post.

Friends I wrote this on Saturday at 2pm and scheduled it to post at 3pm Sunday in case I lost electricity but guess what, it just went, lol, so I am shutting down, will check once a day for 30 minutes if I am able to get online.

Hurricane Igor is approaching Bermuda and it is expected to be a direct hit so we are in major preparation mode and will most likely lose electricity.  I am hoping that will be the worst of it. 

These are all from the Southamton Princess lower restaurants porch

OMG this almost touched us and the storm is not here yet.

Here are a few pictures from the internet of past affects during Hurricanes.

I am the emergency contact for my HR team so when we do have contact again that will be my focus but I will definitely let you know that I am ok.  Your prayers and best wishes for all those in Bermuda are appreciated.

If electricity and Internet are down for a week or so this is what I think I may read, remember I'm a mood reader so you never know:

Using same post for my It's Monday, What are You Reading.  Sheila over at One Persons Journey has an incentive for networking.

I read Still Missing last week, my review

I will have a Discussion/Vent starting on Wednesday, please join in.

I'm currently reading Godmother for book club read over at Tome's Devotee (Paula's blog)

MIA - Mini Vent

Friends I apologise for not being around and networking.  I love to visit and build relationships in this great blogging community BUT real life has taken over:

Crisis at work - I manage Employee Relations and 'fight' the union, sigh

Recovering - some may remember I had a MRI and have protruding disks in spine, well I today is day 27 and I am tired of the discomfort, but at least the pain is almost completelyn gone, right.  This week is my first full days back to work and because of the crisis I haven't been able to catch up only deal with it, leaving at 6:30 nights, coming home to my 3 year old and i'm just DONE

Tired - yup i'm just fed up and tired

Personal Life - my dad has Dementia and this week has been stressful with dealing with that (Book Note - this is why Still Alice by Lisa Genova is one of my favourite books of all time, even if you are not dealing with Alzheimer's or Dementia in your life this book will touch you, highly recommend)

Lack of a sex life :-0 - ok ok I know that is probably TMI for some, but 26 days without is torture in my life but it truly wasn't possible in a neck brace with back issues BUT we made it possible last night, super yaaaay, lol

Achy and Headachy - At the end of day I have just hurt to much to try to sit at computer and read and respond

& BOOK RELATED

I'm reading Still Missing and guys I am not impressed so far.  I started reading expecting this to be a possible favourite  of the year.  So look out for that review, may finish this weekend, I am going to do a discussion on it also, great book for book clubs.  If you read it, leave that as a comment so I can email you about the discussion and then I can come back and read your reviews when i'm done.

Ok so those are my excuses.  I will put a hour in now because I do miss you so, but right now i'm thinking sleep but daughter is sleep, boyfriend on night shift, so this usually would be a huge treat.

I appreciate you, thanks for listening (reading).

Book triggers real life memory

I work in Human Resources and about 6 months ago I met a young men that looked familiar but I couldn't figure it out.

Well I am reading Remains by Vincent Zandri and reading this bought back the memory.

Just because no visible evidence of a break-in existed didn't mean that it hadn't happened.  I remember him as a small man.  Maybe even small enough to fit through that open window.

Guess what........ I was the head juror approx 3 years ago and I (the jurors) sent this man to jail for 2-3 years on a drug related crime and trying to flee out the window was a part of the case.

OMG

I can't believe it, the hairs on my arms rose when I figured it out.  I never thought I will see them ( it was 3 men) again, I mean how crazy is that.  During our 30 minute meeting I didn't remember, I wonder if he does.

Thanks for reading I just wanted to share that. 

Marce