The Book Carousel

"THE THING WITH KIDS IS, IF THEY WANT TO GRAB FOR THE GOLD RING, YOU HAVE TO LET THEM DO IT, AND NOT SAY ANYTHING. IF THEY FALL OFF, THEY FALL OFF, BUT IT IS BAD TO SAY ANYTHING TO THEM.” ― J.D. SALINGER, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

[thebookcarousel]

Fuuuuudge

When you buy the third book in a series only to realize you've already read it!

[thebookcarousel]

You're Strange. I Respect It: A gratuitous post dedicated to my love of television and The OA.

I have a confession. For all the reading that I do, I LOVE television. I love it. Growing up I watched reruns of Friends on our tiny television after the 10 o'clock news (Can the sports segment BE any longer?). I remember watching the series finale of Full House, falling in love with Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and loving the weekly banter between Lorelei and Rory on the Gilmore Girls.

Now that I'm older, and blessed with the technological advancements of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime (this is not a commercial, I swear), my television bingeing has only gotten more intense. I watched the entire Buffy series again (and may have been #TeamSpike on the second go-round), tried to re-watch Felicity (girlfriend you need to get your shit together and stop whining), completely consumed (and probably definitely cried during) the Gilmore Girls revival, and got flipped into the upsidedown within the first 2 minute of Stranger Things (at the very least you had me at waffles).  Don't get me started on Sherlock.  I'm presently fresh off the Season 4 binge and am still picking up the pieces. (#TeamSherlolly I will fight you.)

But never have I been so ::obsessed:: with a tv show like I am with The OA. I legitimately stayed up until 3:00AM because I could not stop watching. I watched the first 3 episodes multiple times before I even finished the season because I needed to show other people how great this creation actually is.  Then watching the final episode knocked the wind out of me and drew me deeper into the rabbit hole. What does the color purple mean? Who is the real bad guy? How long will it take me to learn violin from scratch? Where do I get that bad ass wolf hoodie? 

If you're a hype aversion snob (like someone I know who does not read my blog but is the biggest hype aversion snob I know) don't watch this show. You're going to hate it.  Move on. When you start watching it in 5 years and people have forgotten about how desperately they wanted to share it with you, and you find yourself rocking back and forth in the dark at 3AM trying to make sense of what just happened to you, we'll be ready. We'll have the answers. Shhhhhh.

I digress.

So in case you have been living in an underground aquarium with 5 other people for the last 7 years, 3 months, and 11 days, The OA is an 8 episode show on Netflix about a girl that suddenly arrives back home after disappearing for.... Let's just say a while.  It hovers between psychological, pathological, and celestial themes, and you're not quite sure which direction is the truth.  It's a feeling that bleeds over into real life and makes you feel like there maybe be something else in the universe besides us. 

If you find yourself looking for your next TV obsession and you feel like you need to have your every waking thought consumed by the mysteries of the universe for the next 3-5 lifetimes, tune into The OA. When you're ready, I'll introduce you to my OA Facebook support group. 

[miss-nielle]

The biggest mistake I made was believing that if I cast a beautiful net, I’d catch only beautiful things.

Prairie Johnson (the OA)

[thebookcarousel]

Resolutions, Rescue, and Reality

Tap tap tap.  Ahem.  Mhhhhh.  Ahem. 

Hi.

Whoa- bright lights. Whew. It’s been a while.  No pressure.

So, you know my New Year’s Resolutions?  Here’s a refresher:

Learn a New Instrument

Write a Novel  

Get into Shape

Read for a Reason

Do Something Good

All of that while continuing to update my blog.  Guess how many I completed successfully?  ::insert sad trombone:: 

Okay I didn’t completely fail.

I attempted a new instrument (hullo bass, ::wolf whistle::).

I did not write a novel, a first draft, or get anywhere new except flesh out an outline. (Did I do that before the new year? Shit. Does that count?).  

I quit yoga for 9 months. (Seriously when that birthday cake rolls around, I just eat it and give up on my diet for the rest of the year. This happens in March.) Round is still a shape though. ;D

If reading for a reason means don’t read at all, I NAILED it! Sort of. I read maybe 10 books this year.  That might be generous.  And they weren’t at all educational. Honestly, they were the equivalent to watching a Lifetime reality TV show. But some of them were so gooooood!

So I have to admit something. I succeeded at one of my resolutions. Well, not succeeded and called it finished, but succeeded at using my time to make a difference.  

I got in contact with HiCaliber Horse Rescue and asked if they had a need for volunteers (they do), and I quickly realized my ability to visit was nil. LUCKILY! They have off-site volunteer opportunities (i.e. I can sit on my phone or computer and contribute!) Go me! 

All in all I feel positive about how I spent my year. I realize it’s not over yet, but I got the blog bug again, and the one thing I wanted to tell you is how resolutions are bullshit. People make these long lists of what they want to accomplish in the coming year, and I get that. It starts the New Year in a forward motion, but don’t get wrapped up in marking every resolution off of your list. I could look at my past year and think I had a complete crap year (I mean, I failblogged 4/5 resolutions), but I am so happy with the one I spent my time on.

Find that thing that you love and spend energy doing it, instead of trying to accomplish a thousand things. Isn’t the reason you make resolutions is just to be a happier person anyway? 

P.S. Love horses? Go search HiCaliber Horse Rescue on Facebook!  They’re Ah-Mazing.

[gingerbbatch]

every night as i fumble to plug my phone into its charger i think of how bbc sherlock holmes would classify me as an alcoholic

[thebookcarousel]

I think about this every. Single. Night. Every night.

[thebookcarousel]

Auction Tuesday, July 26, 2016 Honestly we need all the support we can get today. These are just a few of the many horses at auction today. There is a mare with her foal and they will be separated!!!! Www.hicaliber.org/donate PayPal: [email protected]

[equescued]

Auction Tuesday, May 31, 2016

This week, in tribute to all of our service men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect this country, HiCaliber will be naming each rescue in memorandum. Funds are slow today so if you could spread the word about the amazing work this rescue is doing (over 200 saved this year alone!) you would be making a valuable difference in the lives of these animals.

Www.HiCaliber.org/donate

[equescued]

Auction Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Www.hicaliber.org/donate

[thebookcarousel]

[amalyia]

Aglionby Academy was the number one reason Blue had developed her two rules: One, stay away from boys because they were trouble. And two, stay away from Aglionby boys, because they were bastards.

[thebookcarousel]

Okay just read The Raven Boys and I understand this now. 🙃 yay

[equescued]

Remember Auction Tuesday?

These are the beauties that were rescued by HiCaliber Horse Rescue.

Every Tuesday, HiCaliber kicks ass at auction and makes sure ZERO horses go to the kill buyer. This is only because of their massive follower support from people like you.

Keep up the good work. Let’s keep these animals out of the slaughter houses and into forever homes.

[thebookcarousel]

Meet "Joe"! This 7 year old warmblood type gelding was named in honor of one of our weekly haulers who faithfully show up each Tuesday to help us get everyone back to the ranch safe and sound. Now Joe's instake vet exam wasn't at all promising after his auction last week. For being so young, he he a lot of tendon swelling and he was dead lame - severe enough for us to be using the word "compassion" about his near future. It's one of those shitty aspects of rescue, especially auctions (which are often the bathroom toilet for disposing of animals, like that goldfish you had to hide from your 3 year old). Flush it away, instead of dealing with it. However ... Joe got the last say in what HE wanted. By the time we had the vets back on Monday, he was miraculously sound!! We were shitting ourself with surprise but VERY happy, since he had already proven himself a complete sweetheart to many of our volunteers. Stick with us Joe, we promise we are an awesome place to land and if our latest inflate-the-vet-bills gelding, Benny, is any indication we do NOT give up easily on you either. #HiCaliberJoe #hicaliberhorserescue #rescue #save #strong #letsdothis #horselove #horsetagram #horseofinstagram #adoptdontshop #horselife #auctionrescue

[sillyili320-blog]

Just keep swimming ??

Can I just say that though it’s about to sound like I’m super down(sad), I’m really actually feeling better.

Okay so I have really bad brain fog… For this reason I’ll only go over the how I’ve felt the last couple days. I always like to take one day at a time, so I feel it’s better/easier than attempting to try to pour the whole see of mixed emotions I carry within me. Well, as I was saying the last two days I’ve been surprisingly pretty uppity and not worrying too much. In fact I was telling both my boyfriend & mom how relieving it was to be part of the small group of chronic illness warriors/spoonies. My friend Emma, who I “met” online was nice enough to create & add me to the group.

Mostly everyone on the group has ME/CFS or some sort of Neuropathy, as it is in my case. They also mostly live in Europe, so it’s been interesting to learn about how the public health care system in the UK works or doesn’t work for people with rare illnesses. Just makes me even more grateful to live here.

Anyway, so I had been feeling pretty okay. Some days I get so good at just trying not to acknowledged my life situation that I almost forget! But then there’s the occasional post from someone you know who’s working on, has already attained their degree. Or just people out at a bar or restaurant having drinks with friends. Nothing too embellished or unrealistic… But that’s enough to instantaneously make your body feel like it’s covered on a blanket of fire, and to feel as if all the air had been knocked out of you.

No, this doesn’t happen all the time or I just simply wouldn’t be on social media. But when it does occur it’s terrifying. Because for just meat moments I tell myself that I should just be dead. I start thinking of how much better off people would be without me. How I would stop living waiting for the day to end so I can get started with the next. I recognize my struggles and I realize that some of my feelings of not wanting to be alive are very valid. But I also know myself enough to know that there’s still so much I want to see and learn. However, it’s just become increasingly difficult to be excited about things that not only do you not have the mental & physical energy to do but you don’t have the monetary means & independence to just do.

I really hope I’m making some sense here… I’m okay I just need to let things out.

[thebookcarousel]

Sending good vibes your way!

[thebookcarousel]

All I can say right now is.....

Fuck.

[thebookcarousel]

The pied showing his colors today. #peacock #peacockfeathers

[thebookblr]

OMFG I WAS READING RUIN AND RISING ON THE TRAIN AND I HAD MY HEADPHONES IN AND SOMETHING HAPPENED SO I COVERED MY FACE W THE BOOK AND WAS SCREAMING AND FOR A HORRIFIED SECOND I WAS LIKE “am I screaming out loud ?”

I took one headphone out AND I WAS. it was like this low-key screaming. And the guy sitting next to me, he was just staring and I probably looked fucking crazy TBH I was still going through muted shock I couldn’t even explain I just said “good book” 👍🏽 as I tried to remember how to breathe.

Go read the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. Now. I can’t even explain how bloody amazing it is.

[thebookcarousel]

This is probably the most effective book review I have ever read.

[thebookcarousel]

When people ask me why I'm passionate about horses, I don't have an answer for them. It's something that's in my blood. Every birthday I had I wanted to go trail riding. I was never afraid, always curious, always looking for the extra second that it took to make a connection. I'm horse crazy. When people ask me why I'm so passionate about rescue, pictures do more justice than any words I can ever say. The world is changing. Dog and cat abusers are ostracized on social media every day. Our eyes are being opened to how cruel and thoughtless people can be and we are making a difference. Livestock has been a category that's been largely overlooked, but it's time to change that. This mini has been neglected then dumped at auction. It's hooves were so overgrown that they curled up like fairy boots, so they hacked them off with a saw so it wouldn't be turned away. It's time we give these large animals the respect they deserve. Share, like, donate. www.hicaliber.org/donate [email protected]