Microgame Collection Update

My microgame collection is coming along quite nicely. I recently added a couple of titles, including Artifact, Goblin and Hitler's War. I'm missing most of the Dwarfstar Games, but I never collected those when they were first released, so they must be purchased from the resale market, meaning they are out of my price range (at least what i'm willing to pay).

Microgame Collection Update

My microgame collection is coming along quite nicely. I recently added a couple of titles, including Artifact, Goblin and Hitler's War. I'm missing most of the Dwarfstar Games, but I never collected those when they were first released, so they must be purchased from the resale market, meaning they are out of my price range (at least what i'm willing to pay).

Motherhood Mondays: How to talk to little girls

This Saturday, Toby and I were riding the bus downtown, when a six-year-old girl sat down next to us. She was wearing a white dress and sparkly red flats, and her blonde hair was twisted into a braid. My first instinct was to compliment her hairstyle, but I stopped myself...

I had just read the GREAT article How to Talk to Little Girls by Lisa Bloom, which encourages adults to ask little girls about ideas and books, instead of complimenting their looks. "Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything," says Bloom. "I always bite my tongue when I meet little girls, restraining myself from my first impulse, which is to tell them how darn cute/ pretty/ beautiful/ well-dressed/ well-manicured/ well-coiffed they are...It's our culture's standard talking-to-little-girls icebreaker, isn't it?"

(It's true! It's really easy and almost instinctive to compliment a little girl's appearance, don't you think?)

"Clothes or hair or bodies...it's surprising how hard it is to stay away from those topics with little girls, but I'm stubborn," Bloom writes. "Try this the next time you meet a little girl [ask her what she's reading]. She may be surprised and unsure at first, because few ask her about her mind, but be patient and stick with it...Model for her what a thinking woman says and does."

So, instead of telling the girl on the bus how much I liked her hair, I went ahead and asked her what books she liked. She told me that her mom was reading The Little House in the Prairie to her at night, and that they read one chapter per night, unless it was a long chapter, in which case they read half. We talked about books for five bus stops (that's a long time in midtown traffic!) and then I asked her what she had for breakfast. "Pancakes," she said. I told her that I loved pancakes with lemon and sugar, and her mom looked up and said, "That's how I ate them growing up in Germany." And then the little girl told me how she had gone on an airplane (!) to Germany earlier that summer and how she had seen a fox during her trip and how her grandparents took to her swimming and to the movies, where you could eat pizza in your seats.

I was thrilled by our conversation! (Although Toby fell asleep:) It was so much more interesting than braids.

Lisa Bloom's advice to have real conversations with little girls (and boys!) is wonderful. (Think: "Have you been swimming this summer?" "Do you like animals?" "Do you know any jokes?") Changing the conversation topic is such a seemingly small thing, but it can make a profound difference, don't you think?

What's your take? Do you instinctively compliment little girls' looks, too? What else do you talk about with little girls? Do you remember having smart conversations with adults when you were little? Do you have any young girls in your life to at the moment, or do you have a daughter? Will you take Lisa Bloom's pledge, too? (Think how amazing it would be if we all did this from now on!) Do you think it's important or not that big of a deal? I'm curious to hear your thoughts... xoxo
P.S. This book looks fascinating, too. Plus, more Motherhood Monday posts...
P.P.S. I've been starting to use an "after-the-jump" on extra long posts, so that the posts don't take over the blog. Is that ok with you guys? I know some people hate page breaks. :) Lemme know your thoughts.

(Photos by Darcy Hemley, Deborah Donenfeld and Charles Gullung, via Momfilter)

Motherhood Mondays: The best book...

My lovelies, have you read the book Operating Instructions? I'm reading it right now, and it's quickly soaring to the top of my list of favorite books.

The brilliant Anne Lamott tells the story of her first year as a mother to a sweet chubby baby boy; she was single, 35 and a recovering alcoholic. Her honest, smart and up-roaringly hilarious descriptions of new motherhood--including both meltdowns and sacred moments--made me laugh out loud and tear up. I LOVED this book!

Have you read it? What did you think? (I just ordered her book Bird by Bird, too.) What other books are you reading? I'd love to hear!

P.S. One more Motherhood Monday post coming up...

Motherhood Mondays: Baby artwork

Whoa! Have you seen the work of Andrew Miller? He makes children's portraits out of hundreds of tiny family photos of them. How incredible is that? (It must take him approximately 1,000 years.)

P.S. More amazing baby photos...

(Via Daily Candy Kids)

Lughnasadh

The Wheel of the Year turns once more. Today is Lughnasadh. Lughnasadh is a traditional Gaelic holiday celebrated on August 1 that originated as harvest festival. In honor of this day of celebration, you will hear a mix of Early Music and Celtic Folk in today's program.

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gullar sahir produces this program in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the program now at http://main.radioriel.org. Today's music originates from the music library of Gabrielle Riel.

August Coming Attractions

by Beth

August is going to be a GREAT month in the lair. We have guests and launch parties and, as always, good times galore *g*


Tomorrow, August 2, starts things off with the launch party for Donna's REDEEMING THE ROGUE, which we'll celebrate with a cruise from England to America.


On Wednesday, 3rd August, Anna Campbell brings some starlight into the lair when she hosts historical romance author Jenny Brown who will be talking about STAR CROSSED SEDUCTION, the second installment in her Lords of the Seventh House series.


JD Tyler will be here on August 4th to tell us all about PRIMAL LAW, the first book in her paranormal shape-shifter special op series, The Alpha Pack.
J.D. Tyler will be here August 4 to tell us all about PRIMAL LAW, the first book in her paranormal shape-shifter special ops series, The Alpha Pack.


On Friday, 5th August, Anna Campbell is hosting one of her favorite authors, Helen Brenna. Clearly the world agrees with Anna because Helen won a RITA at the recent Romance Writers of America conference. Helen will be talking about her August SuperRomance HER SURE THING.





Harlequin Superromance author Karina Bliss is here on August 6 to discuss her new release, STAND-IN WIFE.


On August 7th, lair favorite Denise Rosetti returns to launch the powerfully sexy GUILTY AS SIN from Ellora's Cave.


August 12, USA Today Bestselling author Sue-Ellen Welfonder stops by to talk about THE TEMPTATION OF A HIGHLAND SCOUNDREL in which a roguish chieftain's world is upended when a dangerous enemy shatters the peace of a sacred glen just as a determined lady proves true love can conquer the most unwilling heart.



USA Today Bestselling author Karen Ranney will be with us on August 16. MY BELOVED is the medieval story of a woman summoned from a convent to finally be the wife of a mysterious man who dresses in a monk's robe and tells her they must never touch.


August 19 we'll welcome Harlequin Superromance author Sarah Mayberry and get to hear all about her newest release, ONE GOOD REASON.

I'm throwing a party for the launch of FEELS LIKE HOME, the final book in my Diamond Dust trilogy for Harlequin Superromance, on August 20 :-)

On August 25 we'll have our third launch party with Kate's latest release for Harlequin Desire, HOW TO SEDUCE A BILLIONAIRE!





August 31 we'll close out the month by celebrating the launch for Jeanne's DEADLY LITTLE LIES!! Jeanne promises to make it a fun day with prizes and some smokin' hot fun to kick off her latest TOP PICK and 4 1/2 Star winning sequel to DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS! Romantic Times called this one "Unputdownable!" How's that for closing out August with a BANG!

Anna Campbell is running a Mammoth and Midnight contest in July and August. Anna’s giving away THREE signed copies of THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF REGENCY ROMANCE which includes her mini-novella “Upon a Midnight Clear”. Winners will also receive a bonus signed copy of MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. All you need to do to be in the draw is email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info and tell her the names of the two characters who appear in the excerpt from “The Chinese Bed” on her website. You’ll find the answer here: http://www.annacampbell.info/chinesebed.html The contest closes 31^st August, 2011. For more information, please visit Anna’s contest page: http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html

Check out Donna's website http://www.donnamacmeans.com/ for details on how you can have a chance to win a Kindle!