The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris

I have to admit that I first became curious about these books after catching the television series "True Blood" on HBO. Since becoming a mother and because I am working full time, I rarely have time to sit down and read for pleasure anymore. I decided to get these books on CD. I was very pleased with the narrator and the fact that they are unabridged versions of the books. I have to say that there are characters in the books that I am enthralled with. The same characters in the "True Blood" television series version haven't held much interest for me at all. Maybe this will change in future seasons of the television series as characters are developed more.
If you are thinking that the television series follows the book closely enough that you really aren't missing anything by not reading (or listening) to the books...you are wrong, dead wrong in fact. The character development for one is so much more in depth in the books and some of the characters are so much more compelling in the books (Eric for one). I found myself not really liking Bill in the books and that really surprised me. But then I like Tara in the television series and feel she isn't really fleshed out in the books. Honestly, if you like supernatural love stories, then these are certainly not to be missed. But be forewarned, these are not the Twilight books filled with teen longing and restraint. Sookie, the heroine, although a late sexual bloomer, explores and lives her fantasies in some detail with more than one supernatural being. I am not saying that she is promiscuous, just that she is a happy, healthy 20 something with normal desires that she acts on with unconventional partners.
As I mentioned before, the narrator that voices Sookie in the recorded books is very good. She draws you in and makes the story come alive. I often find myself smiling in remembrance of my time in Louisiana and the accents the narrator so effortlessly affects.
You can order you copies of the recorded books HERE!

What Sex and the City character are you?

Miranda
Smart, successful, practical, no-nonsense. You're a great friend.

Funny before Lilith and marriage, I took this same quiz and I was Charlotte. What does that say about responsibility and maturity? That's okay I guess as husbands favorite character always was Miranda anyway.

Oh! how I love the politically incorrect nerds!

Mr. Boston is just the kind of guy I would have been head over heels about in high school and college and he would have been lusting after some Vogue reading, sorority girl club member, standing weekly mani pedi with bleach appointment, size 2, with bulimia. I would have been his "good friend". He is crass, disgusting at times, and says horrible things about larger women. But I am still attracted to his blog and if I am honest, him. Husband knows this and thinks it is funny as he is a politically incorrect nerd himself, he just never got a chance to become a reality television star. I must warn you if you go to check out his blog, you will be offended, especially if you allow yourself to take some of his remarks personally. I have to wonder if some of what he writes isn't written a little tongue in cheek with the whole idea behind it to shock and offend. Then of course there is the possibility that he is just that self absorbed these days and that prejudiced against larger women. I hope not but unfortunately it is a possibility. Read at your own risk.
see his home page on vh1 here

more on carnie wilson's new reality show

I posted this on the message board after my post about Carnie turned into a huge flame war about post op regain. I too am not sure how I feel about her being the chef on this new show. I am very curious to see if her recipes will be weight loss surgery friendly. I am considering buying her cookbook although I have been told that the recipes AREN'T weight loss surgery friendly. I am hopeful that the recipes on the show will be however. This could be a great opportunity for her to showcase some healthy recipes that still taste great to people that are not post op weight loss surgery!
She was being made fun of on Chelsey Lately for being the new queen of reality television, that is how I first heard of the new show. I agree she has to work and if reality television is paying the bills, then who are we to judge. Obviously people are watching it, I know I will, or she wouldn't keep getting offers to do more.

Post Date: 6/18/08 12:32 pm
gee, I had no idea when I posted this that I would open such a can of worms. I must thank Carnie Wilson for my current situation, post op weight loss surgery, down over 100 pounds, married to a man who also post op weight loss surgery is CURED of type 2 diabetes (his fasting pro op blood sugars were over 300 on Metformin, his triglyceride's were 1500, the highest I had ever seen, this is also while he was on medication) now his cholest. is healthy and he is off all meds. I live in Alaska after taking a drastic leap of faith and leaving everyone and everything we knew to drive here in a VW bug with our infant daughter and 3 cats. (I would have never had the courage to do that pre op) I am in the process of making a drastic career change and going back to school. I always swore I wouldn't be one of those women that let my weight issues keep me from living a normal life and following my dreams but now I realize it was. I read both of Carnies books pre op and post op. I also reviewed one for my blog. She struggled with addiction and weight issues her whole life, she was very honest about this in both of her books. She even titled her second book (written after her weight loss surgery) "Still Hungry". She is very clear in that book that weight loss surgery isn't a magic cure, that you still have to work with your food issues everyday. She talks about this and the high rate of transfer addictions post weight loss surgery. She was on Oprah talking about it also. I really thank those two books for informing me about the honest realities of weight loss surgery. Most of the books I have read about it are either so technical and written with impossible medical language (I am a nurse and I found some very hard to read), or are so super positive that they don't even hint at a possibility of failure. I have tried to include the more realistic and down to earth books about weight loss surgery on my blog, including hers. Just think of it this way, she could have easily went into hiding after she started to regain. Lots of celebs do. She could have blamed the surgery and said it failed her, she didn't. she said it was her own issues and not paying attention to her eating that made her regain. She is accepting responsibility and being honest. You have to respect that a little don't you? I hope that you will read at least her second book, Still Hungry. It will help you once you are over a year out. This surgery doesn't fix your mind. What ever issues, insecurities, coping mechanisms, you had before surgery are still going to be with you after surgery. We had a woman that came to speak to our pre op surgery group that was considered a "failure". She said she had been over weight all her life. She said that when she was over 400 pounds (she was 5'2" I think) and the guy didn't like her, she couldn't make friends, she didn't get the job, or she didn't fit in, she always blamed her weight. Then she had the surgery and lost over 200 pounds and the guy still didn't like her, she still couldn't make friends, still didn't fit in, and still didn't get the job. She said she couldn't blame her weight anymore and realized it must be "her" that was the problem and the surgery had taken away the one thing that gave her pleasure, eating. She dumped on dairy post op so she sat on the toilet and ate ice cream. Is that an extreme example? yes but it also proves a point. Her coping mechanism had always been eating and she never did the work to change it so when she started to have stress post op, she went right back to it. It also shows that this surgery isn't the magic cure for all that ails you in your life. I hope you understand that many of us have this surgery after a lifetime of weight issues and all of the emotional baggage that goes with it, Carnie and myself included. If this isn't you also, then you are very lucky and hopefully you won't deal with having to find a new coping mechanism, transfer addiction, or regain as statistically most post op patients do.

Carnie Wilson on another reality televison series?!?

Let's see, she has been on Celebrity Fit Club, Gone County, VH1's I married,CelebraCadabra, had her own low impact workout video titled, "Great Changes", published 3 books including a cookbook, made several music albums, alone and with the group Wilson Phillip's, and now she is going to star in another reality show on CMT called, Outsider's Inn. I have a video of an interview that she and McCormick gave to Ross on his "Ross Blog" about it, it is at the end of his rant about the airlines. Brown is sleeping so he doesn't participate, much like most of his time on Gone Country.
McCormick, Brown and Wilson Star in New CMT Reality Series
June 9, 2008
Maureen McCormick, who played Marsha Brady on The Brady Bunch, will star in a new CMT reality series titled Outsider's Inn, about managing a Southern bed-and-breakfast. McCormick returns to the network after appearing in the first season of Gone Country. Two other Gone Country cast members will also star in the new series. Assisting McCormick at the inn are Bobby Brown, who becomes the entertainment director, and Carnie Wilson, who works as the master chef. The first episode will air on Aug. 15. Production is currently underway in Newport, Tenn.



The series decription of VH1's, "I married"
It takes lots of work to make a celebrity marriage work. VH1's I Married offers an intimate look at the courage and power it takes to be the strong spouse behind a successful star.





Carnie on celebrity fit club here!