Jennifer of Some Like It Paranormal does such an excellent job of keeping me up to date on all the latest books that go bump in the night, along with sharing about the swoon worth boys in said books, that I just had to know more about her.
Thanks so much Missie for having me on your blog! Like everyone else I just love your Book Boyfriend Meme! One of my favorite parts of reading is discussing all the great swoon worthy boys.
What do I do when I’m not reading?
I love animals! In my life I have had a million pets. Everything from cats, dogs, mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs. Cats seem to flock to me. I’ve always had a cat and always will. Right now I have three. I love spending time with them.
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| Devil |
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| Scruffy |
| Simba – He just turned 17 |
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I love to hang out with my friends and go out to clubs or bars. I love dancing. I especially love going to Dive Bar in Sacramento because they have mermaids swim in the fish tank above the bar. They finally have mermen for the ladies too! It is really neat to watch.
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| http://divebarsacramento.com |
I live close to San Francisco and also love going out there to eat and drink. Smuggler’s Cove has a pirate theme and really cool drinks served on fire. Anything on fire is cool! lol
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| http://smugglerscovesf.com/trapdoor |
Although I live in California sadly I don’t go to the beach much. I wish I did! I live hours away from the beach and the ones by me are really cold. When I get a chance to travel south I do love visiting the beaches in Santa Barbara and Malibu. I’m not good with cold so I usually just dip my feet.
I don’t live near the beach but I do live by the river. I love to go rafting on the American River in Sacramento. We usually go out there every weekend and just float down the river with some drinks. Really relaxing and fun. Also once a year I try to go white water rafting on Cache Creek. More rapids and excitement. We go rafting down the river, camp, then raft again the next day.
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| http://www.gotwhitewater.com |
I also love to zip line! I went for the first time in Puerto Rico and now I try to find lots of different local places to do it. I found a cool place that also has cave tours. Now I really want to go on a cave tour soon too. It’s a great compromise for my friends since they are not quite as good with heights as me. I went skydiving once and really want to go again but I haven’t been able to talk anyone into going with me.
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| http://caveandmineadventures.com |
Usually before summer I try to cut off 10 inches of my hair to donate to http://www.locksoflove.org. I cut it a bit late last year so I’ll need to wait a few more months this year. I have a ton of hair so I love giving it away to a good cause.
That’s a little bit about me when I’m not reading! I try to find a few adventurous things to do each year since I do spend most of my time reading, especially in the winter. I really love snuggling up with my cat and reading when it’s cold outside. As a California girl you won’t catch me outside when it is below 60 lol
Thanks again Missie!
Jennifer! I love your adventurous life. I’ve always wanted to try rafting and zip lining, though I don’t think I’d ever be brave enough to try either. I know there is no way I’d ever go skydiving. I once tried bungee jumping and discovered, while I was 120 stories above ground, that I’m deathly afraid of heights. Next time, please take a picture of that merman. I need to see what a catch he is. LOL
When I’m Not Reading is a feature used to spotlight book bloggers I follow. Missed a featured book blogger? No worries, check out past guest posts here: Featured on When I’m Not Reading.
Though I’ve admired her blog for a long time now, I’ve only recently started chatting with Amanda of Letter Inside Out. In my move from Blogger to WP, Amanda was so wonderful in helping me understand more about what exactly RSS is and how to best use it with her informative post: RSS – What is it and how do I use it? She also runs an online book club called Geeks Who Read Book Club that sounds super fun. Intrigued by her smarts and appreciative for her help, I knew I just had to get her over here to share about her life away from reading.
Big thanks to Missie for asking me to take part in her When I’m Not Reading post, I’m excited to get to share a bit of insight into my craziness.
Is there ANY time I spend not reading? Not really. I’m the one who is always within reach of a book. If I’m watching TV, I’m probably reading. On the computer? Book in hand. I’ve jokingly said I’ve read at the movie theater, but it’s not so much a joke. It’s happened.
The number one place to look for me when I’m not reading is to see if I’m at the computer. I’m definitely a computer nerd. Blogging aside most of my “work” is done at the computer. But we don’t want work, we want fun. So, I’m pretty much on Skype during my waking hours taking to my blogging friends. We do discuss books and blog-related things, but we also come up with the CRAZIEST conversations. (Sometimes they also move to Twitter, if you’ve ever seen me tweet something really random, that’s why!) I often make them little presents – like the day I made April of My Shelf Confessions into a cannibalistic pony.
Another of my computer-related time sucks – Second Life. If you’ve never heard of it, think “The Sims” only real. If you have heard of it, I promise I’m not as crazy as some of the players! Basically, you can be anything and do anything. My avatar, Alice, has RPed as a vampire Queen, run from zombies, visited places like Forks and Hogwarts, shot at things, and made tons of friends. It’s a book lover’s dream! People create entire “worlds” for different books and movies and you can EXPLORE!
When I’m not on the computer, I’m typically not home. I live in a very small town in Western Kentucky, we are known for having lakes, “taters” aka potatoes, a national quilt show, and the fact we have a Wal-Mart. (I kid you not, the Wal-Mart thing was listed in an Bloomsberg report about our town. We don’t even have a book store!) I sometimes drive a few towns over and go shopping (30-45 minutes) and spend time with friends. When the weather is nice, I’ll venture to the lakes and tourist attractions. I mostly explore when I can drag my friends or family along, but there is always something new to see! This picture is from an area not far from my house that I sometimes go to sit and read/write, have a picnic, or just walk around and watch the animals.
In the past few months I’ve also added guitar playing as a hobby. My brother was self-taught and really good, he always would try to teach me how to play but I’d get frustrated. He passed away earlier this year, so now I want to learn to play. I’ve only been trying for the past couple of months, I’m getting better but no where near “good”. Also on that same vein, I’m a writer! I’ve written since I was a child – I have published poetry over the years and attempted several novels, but I am just now getting started on a new project. That is taking up a lot of my time.
Last, but not least…I have a knack for finding “lost” animals. Most of which end up coming home with me. Nearest and dearest to my heart is Summer, she was found by a cute elderly lady who didn’t want a pets. I brought her home with me and she takes up A LOT of my time, mostly because she likes to “talk” to alert me of ANYTHING that happens outside and she won’t stop until I come see. Usually it’s a fallen leaf, a bug, or a bird in a tree.
Thanks again, Missie, for asking me to join you this week!
-Amanda
Letters Inside Out
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Amanda, please accept my condolences for your brother. I bet he is pretty darn proud of the fact that you’ve taken up guitar playing in his honor.
Funny about the Wal-mart thing. I’m from a small town too, so I know what it’s like to not have a bookstore nearby. How is your local library? Oh, I remember when I was addicted to the Sims, and everyone kept tell me to try SL, but I never did. You’ve now got me curious. It must be loads of fun to explore those other worlds. Good luck with your writing and your new project. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
When I’m Not Reading is a feature used to spotlight book bloggers I follow. Missed a featured book blogger? No worries, check out past guest posts here: Featured on When I’m Not Reading.
Nea of My Life Is A Fairytale That Will Never End has quickly become one of my favorite book bloggers because she totally supports my addiction to fictional boys. She also inspires me with the lovely quotes she finds for her blogspiration posts! And because of that, I just had to invite her over here to share about her life away from books.
When I’m not reading?
Hmm.. it always surprised me with bloggers, because they say they always read. Or they work/study or they read. Ok, then I can completely understand why their Read list of 2012 is already more the 50 books 
I love to read! I do. But I love my social life too. I love spending time with my friends.
So the first thing.. I love to take long coffees with my friends! I could spend the whole day while drinking coffee with my friends. My high school was like that Now at the university.. I do spend a lot of time on coffees but not the entire day (sometimes still happens and I love it!)
If you’re asking where is the coffee on this one.. I couldn’t find any nice pick with the actually coffee. But then again, it’s just a phrase »Lets go to take a coffe«, then you drink what you want And oh, here I actually had chocolate brown hair.. long story
I love to party. I love to dance. In Slovenia we have students party every Thursday (well, actually everyday, but Tuesday is well known to be). I love going out and have fun and meet new funny people! And I love to drink. Slovenian culture is basically based on alcohol, and nonetheless, we are proud of it! Ha! Well, so, I love beer. I also love Cubalibre. And Long Island. And Mojito. And Tequila. And, probably I could go on forever. But we aren’t here to discuss my taste in alcohol, or how much I drink (In case you were thinging about it, no, my alcohol level is ok ) haha.
I love to travel. My favourite place in the world is Rome. Aww I love Rome. It’s so so beautiful <3 <3 And the Fontana di Trevi is the most beautiful place on the earth. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should. It’s pure magic <3
I’ve lived in London for 3 months last year and I loved it!! I needed a change in my life and I booked the ticked and I went. The plan was : One way ticket and no plan. Lol. I know. But it was fun and amazing and I wouldn’t regret it for anything. It was an awesome experience!
I study psychology. And I am totally obsessed with Sigmund Freud. Seriously, this man was a genius! I’m a senior and I have one exam left and the degree to write. Hopefully, I will graduate this Summer. I’m pretty frightened about it, because seriously, who wants to grow up and become an adult? I know, I don’t. I want to stay in college forever <3
I’ve also did my Erasmus (Student exchange network) experience. I’ve lived in Sicily for 9 months. It wasn’t the best experience ever, but I survived. The last 2 months were the best. I met a friend (finally a friend!) and he understood how awful I felt there. I felt it, too. So we had fun together and laughed together at the weirdness of the people who lived there.
So this is my favourite, hmm, I can’t say person, obviously.. but hell, she is important to me like a person! Ok, you get my point. This is Muri. And she means the world to me. I’ve always wanted a cat. We had two when I was little. Both black, both Muri. And after the second died my dad said we won’t be having any cat anymore. My world collapsed. I wanted a cat so badly. And then almost 3 years ago, my parents went to holidays and I stayed home. I wanted to go for a drink, so I sat in the car and head for the drink. And then I saw her. A little black cloddy. I stopped the car (it was like 50 meters from my home) I jumed out and called »Muriiii« and she looked at me and said »miauuu« and I was the happiest person on the planet <3 I took her and I said »you’ll be mine forever sweety«. She is still with us <3 And even thought she isn’t the most sociable cat ever, she is completely adorable.
Hmm.. what else to say? I saw Kristen Stewart!! I did! Lol. I’ve seen Taylor Lautner too. But Kristen is far more important to me It happended while I was in Rome and it was amazing 
I’m the one in back with the red dress.
Uh huh, so that’s it I guess Thank you so much Missie for having me today with you! I really like your blog and your My Book Boyfriend is the BEST meme EVER <3 <3
Wow, Nea. I think to say that you live a very charmed life is an understatement. I really admire your bravery to go off and live somewhere new. I’ve been to London and I loved the city, but I got home sick very quickly. Oh, and I think I’ve figured out a way to stay in school forever… work there after you graduate. That’s what I did. LOL! Okay, so it’s not quite the same, but at least I get to pretend like I’m just a student walking across campus instead going to my office. Muri is adorable. I’m glad you found her. Thanks for sharing about your wonderful adventures!
When I’m Not Reading is a feature used to spotlight book bloggers I follow. Missed a featured book blogger? No worries, check out past guest posts here: Featured on When I’m Not Reading.
I might be a bit biased, but Texas book bloggers hold a special place in my heart, and that is especially true when it comes to Amy of bookgoonie! Not only do I constantly find myself thoroughly entertained with her Book & A Movie feature, the girl is super creative at making unlikely connections between films and novels, but she also has two Blue Heelers, just like me, except I only have the one. hehe. Anyhoo, I’ve been dying to get her over here to share about her life away from books, and now that day has finally come.
I blushed a little when Missie contacted me for “When I’m Not Reading…” She is the bestest. It amazes me that anyone would care what I’m reading much less what I do when I’m not reading.
Family. I am a lucky woman. I’m celebrating 20 years with my husband, Dana, in May. I love to hear him sing, especially when he plays at D’Vine Wine. I have one beautiful 13 year-old daughter. I spend most of my time playing taxi for her. Even though her activities consume a lot of our lives, I can’t think of a more awesome way to spend it. I am the yin to their talented yang. Without me, they couldn’t be nearly as awesome as they are.
Work. I am completing my 15th year of teaching history. I love this profession. I love working with kids. I currently work for the alternative high school in my home town. It is so worth working with these kids that need a little extra love and encouragement. As you can tell, I’m the measure stick of normal. Sometimes I do have to bring down the hammer J Speaking of work…I have to work hard to keep this beautiful figure. I do the occasional 5K. My old bones hate it, but my mental health usually needs it.
Hobbies/Leisure. I dabble. I make goofy shirts for whatever occasion. Give me an exacto-knife, foam and some fabric paint and I can figure something out. I recently got my Art Certification, so I am the resident art teacher at my school. I’ve found that I’m not too shabby. I don’t really watch a lot of TV anymore, because books complete me. But you will find Survivor, Castle, Big Bang Theory, Soccer and The League DVR-ed on my TV. I am addicted to good food and spirits, requiring me to do more running. Urgh…
What I’m Not Doing. I don’t clean the files off my desktop at work or at home. *gasp* I actually hate to be on the computer PERIOD. Crazy, huh? I do as much from my phone as possible. I am a sucky domestic goddess. Ask my husband. I don’t look when I back out of my garage, so DON’T PARK BEHIND ME.
Haha, Amy! You are so right about that. Your family wouldn’t be awesome without you. And please tell me where I can get one of those Yoda Texas shirts. I need one now. You are a super talented artist, gf! I’m new to 5Ks, but I’ve made it a goal to do one every month. So far, so good, though I’m not sure how much longer my old bones can hold up either.
When I’m Not Reading is a feature used to spotlight book bloggers I follow. Missed a featured book blogger? No worries, check out past guest posts here: Featured on When I’m Not Reading.
Really smart chicks usually intimidate me, but the trio from The Readventurer crack me up! I always find myself choking on a snort when I visit their blog because they not only do they post highly entertaining book reviews, complete with illustrations, they also have a series of posts entitled Three Heads are Better than One (or Two), were they weigh in on everything from fictional hotties to the latest and greatest of books turned to movies. And since their posts are just so fun, I had to wrangle them over here to spill about their lives away from reading.
Hi from Seattle! When I’m not reading, I’m forlornly staring at the windows of my house, watching the buckets of rain fall and wishing for summertime. Or if I’m not doing that, I’m probably outside getting wet from said rain. I love living here because there is so much to do and so many places to go exploring. I have a book of tons of hikes within 100 miles of the city and I’ve been trying to complete them all, one by one. This will take me a long while, especially considering a few of them are not hike in/hike out so they involve camping. I like to look at the notes I take to remind me what I thought of each hike–they say things like, “Avalanche still around in August; Casey tripped over a log.” Really helpful, past me. NOT. Also, when I’m not reading I’m thinking about how cool it would be to time travel. I’d go back in time to tell myself to take better notes while hiking. I recently went hiking and for a day trip with some of my book club friends over to the Olympic Peninsula. Here’s a picture of the Dungeness Spit. It is a tiny strip of land that juts off the mainland for over two miles!
I’ve moved around a lot in the past few years so I’ve been trying to cross every state and national park off my lists. (I keep lists for a lot of things:))I only have Hawaii left but I’ve got loads of national parks to go. My favorites so far have been Denali and Kenai Fjords in Alaska, Chiracahua National Monument in southern Arizona, and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, though really every single one of them is so amazing to me. I bet once I finish my list of parks, I’ll just start it over again. Two of my favorite travel partners are my sisters. (we also have a brother) Here we are in La Push, WA. (*sigh* Yes, that is where they go to the beach in Twilight. I’m the one in the middle):
Other than that, I spend a lot of time in movie and TV marathons (Some of my favorites are Alias, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Arrested Development, The Killing, and Parks & Rec. I just finished The Walking Dead per the recommendation of Lyndsey over at Strangemore. Loved it!), doing any sort of puzzle I can get my paws on, playing video games, and hanging out with friends. But really, let’s be honest, I do spend a huge amount of time reading, blogging, and dreaming about book-related things.
My life outside of the reading world is one crazy balancing act. Online I am Catie, semi-intelligent book addict and blogger, but at home I am Mommy: chauffeur, hair-dresser, chef, teacher, seamstress, and therapist as the need arises. I have two beautiful, smart little girls who constantly surprise me and have transformed my life into something extraordinary (and also into something extraordinarily exhausting). And I guess my husband isn’t so bad either.
We are very lucky to live close to Washington D.C. and now that my youngest is almost four and we can get out without having to pack several rolling suitcases worth of supplies, we’ve started exploring our surroundings more. Downtown D.C. has some of the country’s best free museums and events and we try to take advantage of that as much as we can. The girls love riding the metro and we’ve still only seen about half of the Smithsonian Natural History museum. We also love the National Zoo (which is also free).
As some of you already know, I am not just a reading fanatic. I’m a huge music lover as well! Northern Virginia has some great small venues and I try to get out to see live shows as much as I can. My favorites are Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA and The 9:30 Club in downtown D.C.
Some other random hobbies that I have: speed-walking for long distances, bread-baking, and thrift store shopping.
What do I do when I am not reading? You should ask me if there is a time when I am not plugged into my iPod (while running errands, cleaning, driving) or Nook, holding a book in my hands or volunteering at my local public library. Basically, that time is very limited.
So, when I am not reading,
1) I am trying to learn French, for that time when I am in Paris and need to know how to order all the delicious food that they claim to have and not be like Anna in Anna and the French Kiss.
2) Doing yoga, because this is the only workout that requires me to do nothing but lie down, stand and sometimes bend.
3) Watching TV shows marathons with my husband, preferably gory and bloody, because those are the only things that can hold his attention (besides the pawn shop/storage units) .
Flannery, Have you tried any Texas trails? We have some really breathtaking hill country. JS. And, is there a particular reason you’re stalking the Twilight crew?
Catie, I bet the therapist hat you wear is one of the most used. And a FREE zoo?! That’s amazing. I love going to local shows too, but lately, I’ve been feeling like I stick out too much for being too old. LOL
Tatiana, I just started doing yoga this semester, and it made me so giddy when my yoga teacher called me a ‘regular’! I still suck at maintaining all those stretchy positions *shakes fist at pigeon pose* but I love trying.
Thanks for dropping by today ladies! Can’t wait to see where your readventure takes you next. 
When I’m Not Reading is a feature used to spotlight book bloggers I follow. Missed a featured book blogger? No worries, check out past guest posts here: Featured on When I’m Not Reading.
