17 minutes.

We have failed an entire generation of kids from Columbine on April 20, 1999 to Parkland on February 14, 2018. Now they are taking matters into their own hands. I don't blame them.

But man, all the adults bitching and saying awful things about these kids for 17 fucking minutes out of the classroom to remember 17 lives cut short - some of the dead are younger than the kids who will participate today.

I bet the parents of those 17 kids wish their kids were alive today to argue with over 17 missed minutes of class.

17 kids at the end of a long line of gunned down school children but we want to tell kids not to dare leave class to say anything about it because they don't know what they're talking about and probably just want to get out of class and don't make it political. How dare they have an interest in staying alive in an environment that should focus solely on learning and growing rather than the now required active shooter drills? #neveragain

Civil disobedience requires no permission. You know the possible consequences when you engage in it but your cause is important enough for the risk. Staying alive is pretty fucking important. So is standing up for what you believe in.

It's hypocritical to have kids pledging allegiance to the flag every morning in school from age six up, way before they know what they're pledging allegiance to and why; to tell them they can enlist to serve and possibly die for their country and vote for its leaders at age 18; but expect them to keep their mouths shut in between because they don't know what they're talking about.

You can't want civic engagement and knowledgeable voters and community members at 18 without encouraging them in civic engagement before they reach that age. You can't teach kids that participation in community, government, politics, etc. is fundamental to the American way then ask them not to participate when you don't like their stance.

I support every kid that participates in the walkout today in support of common sense gun laws and in remembrance of the 17 kids gunned down at school in Parkland, FL, a month ago today.

This is your future. Don't let anyone tell you you don't have a say in it.

Show Us Your Books - Birthday Month Reading Report

I'm only working three days this week. It's two days until my birthday and I can't think of a better way to spend the Tuesday before it than talking about books with all of you. 

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is April 10, 2018. 
Please: 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me
2. Display the button and/or link back to us on your blog post
2. Visit other blogs who've linked up and talk books as booknerds are wont to do

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus - I read this in a few hours and most of them were from 11 pm - 2 am on a school night so you freaking now I couldn't put it down. I loved this book. Technically YA, I guess? It hit so many of my reading hotspots. Philly library hardback.

After Nightfall by A.J. Banner - I tore through this one and probably pinned the tail on every character at some point. Lots of suspension of belief for a series of events but an enjoyable read nonetheless. Not a lot of character development and a wishy washy lead character but both of those things actually benefited the story. What it lacked in those areas it made up for in drama. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out in August.

American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land - A nonfiction book in engrossing reads, who am I? You know why I loved this? It read like fiction. This is a wild fucking story. Check it out. Philly library hardback

Passed the Time Just Fine

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris - I devoured this book while alternately thinking this is so good/this is going nowhere. It was a weird read. Read it when it comes out and tell me what you think.
Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out in June.

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll - I hated her first novel so I was apprehensive about this one and I think sort of determined not to like it? I ended up liking it. The subject matter - sort of a behind the scenes of a reality TV show - was not thrilling to me, but there was a large backdrop of women's issues and feminism and how women will fucking eat each other alive to be who the world wants them to be and, well, you can see what that brings as this comes to a conclusion. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out in May

Pretty Girls Dancing by Kylie Brant - I freaking love creep novels. This is one. It could have gone in the engrossing reads category too. e-book, Kindle store

The Visitor by K.L. Slater - Half of me really enjoyed this and half of me was disappointed with the lack of depth in quite a few areas. Overall though, I enjoy things are not what they seem books. E-copy from Netgalley  in exchange for an honest review, book is out now.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks - I had no interest in reading this, then all of the sudden I did. It was a different book than I thought it was going in and I ended up liking it. Did I love it? No. But it passed the time just fine. This is why I am in favor of picking a book and just trying it for a while with no requirements to finish anything. If I didn't do that, I would miss out on a lot of books I've ended up liking or loving that I resisted reading initially. Philly library hardback

Silent Victim by Caroline Mitchell - If this book was a conversation I was observing, my head would have been swiveling back and forth the whole time give or take a few boring spots. E-copy from Netgalley  in exchange for an honest review, book is out now

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser - A solid neighbor read - how well do you know your neighbors? I liked most of the characters and was surprised by the ending. Free ARC from Netgalley  in exchange for an honest review, book comes out at the end of this month

Not Worth It
Providence by Caroline Kepnes - I love her writing, so this pains me to put it here, but I just didn't click with the story. I know many people will so I urge you all to try it. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book comes out in June

The Bad Daughter by Joy Fielding - I've read a few things by her, and like in those books I hated pretty much everyone in this book. I figured out what was going on early on, but still enjoyed the what is happening dance. Still I wouldn't be like rush to read this. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, book is out now

Did Not Finish

What have you been reading? 

An InLinkz Link-up

TWTW - the one before my birthday

Friday night I saged my house and every being in it in an effort to banish negativity from the hit piece on MFD that appeared in the paper and online Friday. A state rep race out of the gate is not news in our district...unless someone makes it news. Do you have to give up your soul and humanity to do that to other people? I think you might. I heard MFD's side of the conversation and that wasn't exactly how it went. A good reminder that many things in the paper are some version of the truth but not all of it LOL. Thankful more than ever for the mighty village of the people in our lives. This hangs in our basement and it is 100% truth. When you're honest with yourself and the people in your life, you take the hit and stand right back up because you know who you are and what you're about. What he's not about is a whitewashed, perfect Stepford past, present, or future. We have all fucked up and will continue to, and if you think and act like you haven't or won't, that's a problem that's going to come back on you.

Saturday I finished a book, put laundry away, purged some stuff (including some of MFD's stuff, which never, ever happens), texted voters on behalf of Conor Lamb for the special election coming up this week, ate a MFD-made dinner, and watched some Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. I fell asleep contorted around three dogs on the couch and woke up feeling every single bit of nearly 41. My aching back for real.

Sunday was tough to get up and go with the aching back and the time change. I kill it every Sunday of fall back and walk through sludge of every Sunday of spring forward. I visited Pop for his 87th birthday and got to hang with my mom and Lori there and at Stephen & Aubrey's after, where we visited the best niece and nephew ever and had lunch from Jay's. The pugs were happy I saw Treat Lady because they enjoyed the bones she brought for them. I got this awesome mug for my birthday from Emily and put new pug canvases up on the gallery wall that I didn't add the other week. MFD changed the sheets and I did some picking up and ran the dishwasher and started a new book and suddenly it was 8 pm.

Weekly food prep: Birthday week and only three days at work so nah. I did make a pork loin and buternut squash Sunday night but after I wrote this up so no pics. Breakfast is breakfast burritos though, I always have those in the freezer. I'm going to have to get creative for lunch using whatever's in the fridge and pantry.

Show Us Your Books with me and Jana tomorrow! See you back here for that. 

That's enough todaying for today.

I have laughed at that picture a million times since Monday, and I needed the laughs this week. Was it bad in an apocalyptic sense? Certainly not. Just filled with little annoyances and setbacks and problems that when piled up feel bigger than they are and hello it is my birthday month and rude for this to happen now. Not every week is going to be a good week because that's not how life works.

I'm still sage cleansing my house this weekend to increase my odds for better next week, trust.

Anyway, I hope the pic makes you laugh too.

Cheers to a good weekend and a fabulous birthday week next week - for me and for you even if it's not your birthday next week.

Thursday Thoughts - say what you wanna say and let the words fall out

1. Every day is International Women's Day in my house, but today is the official day. Press for progress, women.

2. What a feminist is/is not.

3. What a feminist is definitely fucking not.

And sorry, I can't resist. But I'm with you Amy Siskind. Remember when people when nuts because Obama wore a tan suit? This guy’s got dick pics about to be released, attempted to pay off a stripper, likely violated election law in the process, and then neglected to sign the contract so it’s all coming out anyway.

4. Birthday sneakers. Blue? Gray? Neither? The blue are a more me color but I think I like the execution of the gray better. ONE WEEK OUT, people. Birthday. One week.

5. Thanks so much for the supportive words on yesterday's post. It's very freeing to put it out there, warts and all, and own your fuckups and still feel supported. Especially when reporters call wanting to talk to your husband specifically about everything he’s ever done wrong. What a world we live in. Truly, from both me and MFD...thank you. And try it, living your full truth. You'll always have support from me.

6. Me: let me open the shore house this weekend! March: Sit down. Yesterday's scene. Another storm forecasted for Monday. MFD was out for hours shoveling us and neighbors out. I was working and if we’re speaking freely which we always are here, avoiding the shoveling.

7. Some days I just fucking can't. This is happening, and it's not happening only to the criminals everyone loves to wave around when they say they don’t like immigrants. This is happening to human beings doing everything right. Read the whole thing here on janefultonalt instagram. I couldn't even go back and screenshot it again. I ask the same, Jane. Can this be my country? I mean, it clearly is. How can this be my country? Clean DREAM Act now. And stop the demonization, torturing, and harassment of immigrants. Is ICE the SS? What in the fuck is happening while we sit in our houses and bitch about stupid shit? Get on the phone or the ResistBot. Make the calls. You know what to do. 

8. Show Us Your Books on Tuesday - sneak peak: I stayed up until 2 am to finish this book. That's a sure recommendation. Bruce apparently likes to read too. He prefers kindles.

9. Reminder.

10. E-card of the week. Chill, nor'easters. 

Today is my Mom Mom's birthday - I grew up at that fierce knee. She has more to do with who I am and how I am than even my parents. I've missed her every day for over 20 years now, but I've always felt her when I needed her. They do not leave us, only their bodies do.