Twitter

Good afternoon, friends! :)

I know many of you use Twitter and I am trying to bulk up my list of followers and people I am following. I keep my tweets locked for personal reasons but know that this probably hinders my chances at creating a bigger following.

Do any of you keep your tweets locked? What suggestions do you have for finding more followers? Do you reply to people that don't follow you, but you follow them? I have several that I comment on, on a regular basis but they must not check their replies and follow those people.

If someone requests to follow me I almost always approve (unless it's a spammer) and then turn around and follow them. I obviously don't expect this to happen with the celebrities, but it's cool when they do! Like Britney Spears turned around and followed me! How cool! I'm sure it's not actually HER but still, pretty neat and made me grin! :)

If you are interested in following me here is the link to my page! Amber's Twitter page! I've been checking it and tweeting a lot more than Facebook lately and am becoming quickly addicted! :)

On my weekend, more books and winning a giveaway!

Happy weekend everyone!

What? It's not your weekend? Well, it's mine! :)

I am off today and tomorrow and let me tell ya... it could not have come at a better time. The past five days at work have been exhausting. Partially due to this "bug" I have caught that is just hanging on enough to ride my last nerve! I truly miss breathing through my nose.

Well, earlier this week I wrote about my mountain of TBR books and since then I have added to it! Someone stop me. (No, don't. I'm just kidding) I know I will not make it through all of them before they are due back to the library but that's okay, I will just put them back on hold some other time.

So yesterday I picked up the first two books in the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The YA blogosphere raves about this book and it's sequel, Catching Fire so I just had to look into it and see what the hype was all about.

I also checked my mail and had this little puppy in there waiting for me!

It is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver! I won a giveaway from Sharon at Sharon Loves Books and Cats. So, thanks Sharon! If you're a fan of YA you will like her blog. She is honest in her reviews and has a hilarious voice.

From the back cover:

Samantha Kingston has it all - looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it's her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she relives the last day of her life several times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

I'm really excited to have won this because it sounds awesome and just look at that cover! I am such a sucker for a good cover...

It's also an ARC, which is an advanced reader copy and has not been released yet. I have never had an ARC before, how exciting! The book will not be out until sometime in 2010. So, this will definitely be going to the TOP of the TBR pile, can't wait to dig into it! After I am done with it my assistant (a fellow YA book lover) is really interested in reading it and then after that I will be happy to pass it on to anyone else that wants to read it! Just let me know! :)

Hope you're all having a great week, happy hump day!

My TBR is out of control!

Seriously, I should have taken the weekend off and participated in the 24 hour-read-a-thon!

Here is a picture of my stack of books that are next up...

In this list is:

Retail Hell by Freeman Hall borrowed from Lesli! Thanks Lesli, you're so sweet! :)

Last Christmas by Kate Brian (library)

Wicked by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (purchased)

Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty (library)

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott (library)

Mommywood by Tori Spelling (library)

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (library)

Beautiful Disaster by Kate Brian (library)

Paradise Lost by Kate Brian (library)

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (purchased)

Shadow Kiss and Frostbite by Richelle Mead (library)

I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass (library)

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (purchased)

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (purchased)

Theeeeeeen I have several on hold at the library. Many of those books on hold are books I need to read BEFORE I can read the books on this list! Such as Revelation and Ambition by Kate Brian (which I just got the email notice that they are in). Oh, and I heard about the books by P.C. Cast (House of Night series) and I just had to put them ALL on hold at the library. Of course, I am number 1 for them all so they will all come in at the same time, I'm sure. Am I getting out of hand? Yes? I am officially obsessed. It's all fun though! I am achieving my goal of reading more and watching less tv so it's a good cause, right? :)

As you can see, I really utilize the library. Many times I am at the top of the list for books and it doesn't take long at all for them to come in. I do buy a lot of books, but I don't really see the point if I can get it for free at the library. Although for my favorite authors, I do buy their books because I want to!

Here is a bigger picture of my bookshelf.

Besides my favorite authors' books I tend to give away/swap lots of books so if you're wondering if there's anything I have that you're wanting I would be happy to send it your way!

GREAT Book giveaways!!

So many book bloggers are doing the 24 hour Read-a-thon!! As much as I would like to participate, I just couldn't this week!! :(I don't know if I would make it though! I love to read, but I have a hard time sitting still for thaaat long. :)

Lots of bloggers are doing some great giveaways and Princess Bookie is NO EXCEPTION! She is hosting TONS of great giveaways! Most of them are YA books, but they looks fabulous! Check it out!

I'm really hoping to win this lot of 4 ARC (Advance reader copies)

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Voices Of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

They look SO good! I'm hoping to win these b/c I'm quickly becoming addicted to YA novels and the library doesn't have a very good selection of them! :( Luckily, they are a little bit cheaper at the bookstores, usually under $10.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!!!

Thankful Thursday

I'm following Katie's lead over at Loves of Life and doing a Thankful Thursday post! After feeling so down in the dumps yesterday I really need to remember how I blessed I actually I am.

I am thankful for... my Mom coming over to my apartment on Monday night and helping me kill the five wasps (still shaking my head at that one... I think it was the fireplace, I accidentally left the flue open) and ladybugs that were taking up residence. Love you Mom!

I am thankful for... feeling a little bit better today, just a little sore throat left. I think I can remedy that on my own! :)

I am thankful for... a job that makes me feel comfortable and secure. That allows me to live alone and make a few splurges on myself every once in awhile.

I am thankful for... the leftovers my mom always brings over to me from their house. Keeps me out of the grocery store spending money! ;)

I am thankful for... amazing pets that are always excited to see me when I get home.

I am thankful for... great benefits that are cheap, yet still have great coverage.

I am thankful for... having the opportunity to get lots of sleep the past few days and sleep off whatever it is that decided to make me feel like I was hit by a truck.

I am thankful for... a great staff that I know really cares about my store and is extremely protective over it.

I am thankful for.... Facebook and keeping everyone connected. In the midst of planning my 10-year HS reunion, I have no idea what we would do without it.

I am thankful for... Dunkin Donuts coffee. Seriously, it's amazing.

I am thankful for... friends that I know I can depend on, even though we're getting older and seem to be growing apart I know in my heart our love is unconditional for each other.

I am thankful for... the blogosphere and all my blogging friends. Your never-ending support and enthusiasm continues to inspire me daily.

What are you thankful for on this lovely Thursday?

Little ladybug killer

Today was quite the day... let me tell ya!

I was actually excited to head into work, back from my little vacation! When I got there I was so surprised and impressed with how great the store looked! They were out to impress and they sure did! I'm SO proud! I am not easy to please either. I'm not saying I'm a bad or mean boss, I'm just very picky and often called "anal" but my standards are just high and I want my store to look its best at all times.

Everything in the morning went well, but then after lunch I had my weekly conference call with my boss and she had some bad news. We got a customer complaint sent into home office on my store from Saturday. Apparently, one of my girls was really rude to a customer on the phone and the woman was preeeeetty ticked off. I do not know exactly which girl it is but I have it narrowed down to two. Unfortunately, since I cannot pinpoint who it was I have to lay down the law with everyone. It's probably better that way though, because we are a team and I believe you are only as strong as your weakest player.

Then when I got home I came home to... creepy crawlies in my apartment. On Facebook I only mentioned the ladybugs, but it was more than that! There were FIVE wasps INSIDE my apartment.

I. was. fah-reak-ing. out.

I called my mom practically hyperventilating because I was sure if I smashed one another would fly at me and sting me, Libby or Zeke. Luckily, she came right over and we got them taken care of.

Seriously, though? Wtf? Then the ladybugs. Oh my, the ladybugs.

I am still getting them. Apparently, I am not the only one with the problem because I posted a status on FB about them and I got comments almost immediately from other people with the same problem.

I may be going to hell but I had to kill them. There was no way I could have shooed that many out the door. I have smashed so many ladybugs I have officially lost count.

Does anyone know why this happens? We had an unseasonably warm day today so I'm figuring it is definitely weather related, but still strikes me as very strange. I may have to Google it and figure out what is up with all the ladybugs because I am very curious now.

Talk about a strange night!

How did your week start off??

Weekly Weekend Review!

Oh Sunday. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday... How I love to hate you. Monday is just right around the corner and taunting us with it's reports that are due, emails overflowing and projects to get done. Yuck.

Buuuut, I have been on vacation this week and it has be wonderful! Did you guys know I was on vacay? I can't remember if I brought it up. Well, anyway, I was! Except for Tuesday and Wednesday I have been off work since last Sunday. I didn't have anything planned besides some R & R and it was fabulous! Just what the doctor ordered Amber needed! Sometimes it's nice to just have a week to do nothing. Ya, know?

Here is what I did do though! I read lots of books! Not as many as I wanted to get finished, but enough! I read the second, third and fourth books in the Private series by Kate Brian. They are so good! They're quick easy reads (very YA, so if you're not interested in YA, you probably won't like it) but entertaining and I love that I can finish them in about one sitting being that they're only 200-250 pages. I also finished Just Listen by Sarah Dessen and am about 3/4th the way through Lock and Key by her as well.

Friday I had plans for lunch that fell through, but ended up getting my nails manicured instead which is kind of an every other Friday ritual for me. I go the same girl every time and we just chit chat and gossip the entire time! It's really great, because I have been getting my nails done for years (literally, almost ten years now. It's ridiculous how addicted I am) and I have not found anyone as great as she is! She is Asian, but she does not make me feel uncomfortable like most do. She treats you like an old friend.

Then that evening I met up with the girls for happy hour/dinner at TGIFridays then met Cy* for a late movie. We saw The Informant and neither of us were too impressed. I think he felt like he had struck out with me twice now, but it has actually been quite the opposite. So far, the chemistry has been fabulous!

Saturday I slept in, then did nothing all day (tried not to think about work) and then met up with a big group of friends at PF Changs for dinner. Luckily, one of us was thinkin' (no, it wasn't me) and called in a reservation assuming it would be busy (it was) and that still wasn't enough! When we got there it was a 1 1/2 hour wait to get a table for the six of us! We were all starving so we walked next door to On The Border where there wasn't a wait at all. I was disappointed, because I was craving PF Changs (it was my suggestion to go there) but On The Border wasn't too bad either. I will have to get PF Changs to go some night this week. Have any of you had their lettuce wraps to go? Those are what I'm really wanting but I get the feeling they just won't be the same wrapped up and sent home!

The entire evening at dinner Cy was texting me little updates on the ISU Homecoming game which was really sweet because it wasn't televised! We won! 24-10! Our season hasn't been too great so it feels to at least win our Homecoming game! :)

Sunday I got up around 9:30, threw on a KU (my other fav team after ISU) sweatshirt because I wasn't allowed to wear ISU gear and headed out to do one of my favorite activities on Sunday! The infamous Sunday Funday! Can that be called an activity? If not, oh well. I am now calling it an activity! Ha! My old roommate and I headed out to Front Row for bloody marys, omelettes, football and gossip. Ok, so not so much football and lots of gossip, but you get the idea. Front Row is a famous Iowa Hawkeyes bar, which is ISU's biggest rival so that is why I am not allowed to wear ISU gear in there. I have before and I was not a very well liked person, so usually I just wear it underneath my KU apparel. Muwahahahaaaa! :) At Front Row, I ended up having two bloody mary's instead of just my usual one (the bloody mary bar is to die for, they have everything you could ever want to put in it. Its awesome!) and then a couple of beers. I was feelin' preeeeettty good by the time I left. Let's just say I'm suffering from a mid-day hangover right about now. The nap I took once I got home was probably not the best idea. I had fun though!

Tomorrow it's back to the daily grind but I'm actually a little excited! I can't wait to get in there and see how my team did without me this week!

So, that is what my weekend consisted of! How was yours? What did you guys do?

*Cy is the nickname I have come up with for the new guy I am seeing! He seems to be making regular appearances here at ALPITC so it was time I came up with a name for him! Like me, he also went to ISU and is a huge Cyclone fan so what name could be more perfect than Cy? :)