silhouette's blog

What's the best thing about your mom?

There are a lot of great things about my mom. But, one of the most distinct things that always gets me to smile is her laughter. No matter what mood I am in, how far away she is in the house, her laughter travels, and makes gets me smiling, sometimes I find myself laughing without knowing why. Her laughter is beautifully infectious. 

How many pair of shoes do you have? Out of those pairs, how many do you wear more than a few times a year?
Submitted by fightinggale.

I probably have between 20-25 pairs of shoes. I wear about 3-5 pairs on a consistent basis throughout the year. I save my heels for nights on the town. Somehow, the rest just ended up in my closet! ;-)

What's your favorite appetizer to order at a restaurant?

In general, I love ordering fried mozzarella sticks, potato skins, or calamari depending on which restaurant is offering the menu items.

Did you go to summer camp?  Which one?  What did you enjoy doing? 
Submitted by Something Else.

No. I never went to summer camp. I used to think I was missing out on something great. Now that I am older, I realize that is really okay that I didn't go. I probably would not have had such a great time. I am too much of a city girl. Even back then...Nature is beautiful, just from a distance. :>

 

 

What are five things that most people don't know about you? 
Submitted by mika.

Hmm...1) I love to do needlepoint, 2) collect beautiful prints of cities I've visited, 3) stay up all night watching classic films while sipping on ginger ale, 4) and that I once wanted to be a ballerina (I danced for nine years). The, 5th, remains, a secret because every woman must have at least 1 secret. :>

How many email addresses do you have?  What are they for? 
Submitted by clippedwings.

I'm certain I have one for personal use. I also use that one for work. But, I think somewhere in cyberspace I have yahoo mail and gmail email addresses.

What other names did your parents consider for you?

Well, my parents weren't really thinking of names for me ahead of time. They had a suspicision I would be a girl, athough they weren't certain. My mother wanted me to be pretty, healthy and smart. My father was just being a typical man, worrying about how he was going to provide for his new girl. So, names came when I entered into this crazy world. My father liked Monica. My mother liked Roxanna. Thank God my aunt was around to steer them away from both names ( and my apologies to all the Monicas and Roxannas out there) but I'm just not either. She liked the name Mona. My parents both thought it sounded nice and it means "the only one," so it stayed.  

The biography of The Quander Quality: The True Story of a Black Trailblazing Diabetic is co-aut

hored by the father and son team of James W. Quander and Rohulamin Quander. The significant story engages the reader in late life of James W. Quander (1918-2004) who was diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes shortly before his sixth birthday. He was also told by his physicians that he would live past ten.

His story is an inspiring tale of a human being put to the test on many levels. Medically, emotionally, physically, politically, and spiritually Quander met all challenges. With each new restriction or limitation he became more resourceful and more confident.
       
At his time, insulin was new as were other forms of treatments for diabetes. Upon his parents’ advice, he kept his illness under wraps and called it the “big secret” for the next six decades. He lived a life of strict discipline, medical regiment, exercise, and mental determination. Even when he faced severe adversity such as racial discrimination, he persevered. The biography depicts Quander’s journey through life both personally and professionally.

He earned his doctorate degree in Economics and Statistics, worked for the Federal Government, and spent the lateral part of his life as a Catholic Deacon. Quander always needed to keep active. 

James waited his 86th year to write his story with good reason. Some stories require time to flourish. Or seasons that need to pass before they can be remembered to their fullest. James W. Quander’s story is such a life.

I look forward to Rohulamin Quander’s next work documenting his distinguished family history from 1684. 

 

In her first novel, Hot Water, Kathryn Jordan depicts a woman who wants to

escape her abusive marriage for a weekend and retreats to a luxury spa. So, she hires a gorgeous man through the Internet as her escort, buys sexy lingerie, and leases a red Lamborghini Murcielago to complete her fantasy. While at the resort, she goes by the name Julia Reeves and names her escort William.

The Hidden Springs Spa is a place of privacy and intimacy for its guests. For Julia and William, Hidden Springs opens and heals old wounds. Their intended encounter was supposed to be only sexual. However, their sexual, emotional and intellectual interaction leaves them questioning the possibilities of the future.

Kathryn Jordan is a talented writer. One of her strongest points is her descriptive ability. Readers are transformed into the moment. Throughout Hot Water, Jordan gives amazing descriptive images of Hidden Springs. Readers are easily taken on a beautiful journey into a world of waves, sand, water, trees, and plush living. While the backdrop is glorious, the characters needed a little more highlighting. Jordan’s sporadic philosophic conversations between Julia and William begin to highlight their mental strengths. I was hoping for more conversational characterization development. Overall, her novel is provocative, intriguing, and a worthwhile read. I hope to see more novels by Kathryn Jordan in the future.