Nicole's Blogger Blog

Book List 2009

2010-09-14T13:49:00.000-04:00

My list is starting on Dec. 25, 2008 and ending on Dec. 25, 2009.

1. The Torchwood Archives- Gary Russell (Warren Martyn) 192 pages
2. The Doctor Who Offical Annual 2009- Various Authors 92 pages
3. Are Lobsters Ambidextrous?- David Feldman 297 pages
4. Family Guy: Peter Griffin's Guide to the Holiday's - Danny Smith 151 pages
5. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 343 pages
6. Welcome to the USA! Pennsylvania by Ann Heinrichs 40 pages
7. England: Enchantment of the World by Jean F. Blashfield 143 pages
8. Wales: Enchantment of the World by Dorothy Sutherland 128 pages
9. Mummies in the Morning (Magic Tree House #3) by Mary Pope Osborne 64 pages
10. A Strong Hand by Catt Ford 240 pages
11. Anything Goes by John and Carole Barrowman (re-read) 256 pages
12. Incredibly Absurd Adverts by Various 86 pages
13. Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) by Mary Pope Osborne 68 pages
14. Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25) by Mary Pope Osborne 74 pages
15. Eve of the Emperor Penguin (Magic Tree House #40) by Mary Pope Osborne 111 pages
16. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems 36 pages
17. Moonlight of the Magic Flute (Magic Tree House #41) by Mary Pope Osborne 106 pages
18. Cornerstones of Freedom: Valley Forge by R. Conrad Stein 32 pages
19. Doctor Who: The Story of Martha by Dan Abnett 256 pages
20. Really Rosie by Maurice Sendak 64 pages
21. Cities of the World, L.A. by R Conrad Stein 64 pages
22. Afternoon on the Amazon (Magic Tree House #6) by Mary Pope Osborne 67 pages
23. Polar Bears Past Bedtime (Magic Tree House #12) by Mary Pope Osborne 73 pages
24. Vacation Under the Volcano (Magic Tree House #13) by Mary Pope Osborne 76 pages
25. Tonight on the Titanic (Magic Tree House #17) by Mary Pope Osborne 74 pages
26. Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Magic Tree House #22) by Mary Pope Osborne 72 pages
27. The Show: Pilot Episode by Jordan Cooke 217 pages
28. The Show: Loose Lips by Jordan Cooke 198 pages
29. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett 30 pages
30. I am a Dalek by Gareth Roberts 105 pages
31. Stupid History by Leland Gregory 267 pages
32. The World According to Twitter by David Pogue & follwers 288 pages
33. I am What I am by John & Carole Barrowman 256 pages
34. Doctor Who: Autopia (Comic) 22 pages
35. Dogs Letters to Santa editor Bill Adler 90 pages
36. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 498 pages
37. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer 563 pages
38. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer 629 pages

Total pages read in 2009 6364

Book List 2010

2010-09-14T13:40:00.001-04:00

My list for books I've finished from December 25th, 2009 to December 25th 2010.

1. If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss 64 pages (read b/c it was at Kohl's and it was $5 and it was a Seuss book I never read.)

2. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman 117 pages (read b/c it was on Carole Barrowmans Perfect Pairings Blog entry.)

3. Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 116 pages (read b/c it was at the checkout in the grocery store. Opinion, I think that Lewis Carroll was quite a bit screwed up in the head, and possibly a pedo, as some of the research about him claims. But overall, the book was cute, and I can see why people call it a classic but it most definitely wasn't a favorite of mine.)

4. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey 202 pages (read because it was the optional book in the wriye readers choice. Good book, so engrossing and I just had to keep reading. I am no contemplating reading all the Dragon books by her and her son. I guess it just bothered me a bit to have the female forbidden to play music, as a person who LOVES music, it just grated me the wrong way.)

5. Magic Tree House #33 Carnival at Candlelight by Mary Pop Osborne 109 pages I may be 27, but this kiddie series, I enjoy just because I love seeing how the author writes the children's excitement for exploring new places, and also they technically time travel through a tree house, what's not to like about that?

6. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding 271 pages I read it because I was working on a Torchwood fan fic that I never finished.

7. An Unearthly Child, A Doctor Who Novel by Terrance Dicks 89 pages I've accumulated a ton of DW PDFs, so my goal is to read them all. Someday. Starting with the first doctor and moving my way on up.

8. Magic Tree House #38 Monday with a Mad Genius by Mary Pope Osborne 110 pages

9. The Dragon of Lonley Island by Rebecca Rupp 160 pages It was OK. Yes most things in the kids, YA section still make me want to go read the entire section of the library. I liked it, there was a good story there, but the first few chapters were rather painful to read, you can tell the author has a technical writing background, and the need to explain everything was very clear. Later on it got better the less explaining she did and focused more on the dragon and the siblings that find it, and the stories the dragon tells to the siblings.

10. Magic Tree House #29 Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne 115 pages

11. Magic Tree House #9 Dolphins at Daybreak by Mary Pope Osborne 67 pages

12. Magic Tree House #10 Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne 75 pages

13. Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy 360 pages told me about this one, and I borrowed it from her and read the whole thing in about 9 hours if that. I immediately went and bought my own copy.

14. Two Steps Up by Sean Kennedy 23 pages This was one of the little novella thingies he wrote, and it was completely adorable.

15. Tigers and Devils: Chicken Soup for the Soul and All that Crap by Sean Kennedy 9 pages This was a little additional chapter thing on Sean's website. Again completely adorable in relation to Tigers and Devils.

16. When Work is Pleasure by Alix Bekins 132 pages This one had been on my Dreamspinner Press wishlist for a while, so I just bought it. I thought it was cute, and entertaining.

17. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 216 pages Still undecided about it. I liked it. Just didn't live up to all the hype that's been spewed about it over the years. Don't get me wrong, I'll probably still read the rest of the series just because. But yeah, didn't do it for me.

18. Australian Christmas by Sean Kennedy 26 pages He's quickly becoming my fav m/m author.

19. Bookstore Lore: The Stupidest Questions ever asked in a book store by Various 66 pages (iBooks on my iPod). Thought it would be humorous. It was, the questions that some people asked, wow.

20. The Hottie Next Door by Various Authors 199 pages Ok, so I was looking for some smut and got it, quite interesting, how one of the stories ends up with a murder though, not expecting that, and I really thought that all 3 of the stories in there could have been a lot longer to satisfy everything (smut and plot).

21. Heidi by Johanna Spyri 352 pages So on Carole Barrowman's Facebook page there's a What are you reading discussion. This classic came up a few times. I really liked it, and am wondering why I never got to read this as a kid.

22. Gerald McBoingBoing by Dr. Seuss 27 pages in my quest to read some of the Dr. Seuss books I've never read. I think I've seen this one as a series before. It had talked about it being a TV show or a little movie or something, and I kind of remember seeing something like that when I was a kid.

23. Magic Tree House #23 Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pop Osborne 73 pages Cute and I just really like this kids series. You can read them in any order and not worry about it.

24. Magic Tree House #42 A Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne 112 pages I liked this one because it was about Louis Armstrong. I mean hello music, and me yeah. I was going to read it no matter.

25. Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales by Various Authors 200 pages Fairy Tales from the villains point of view. Honestly I wish there were more of these. And in a form with the traditional tale first and then the other POV.

26. How to Train your Dragon Book 1 by Cressida Cowell 214 pages I've heard people talk about these so I bought it. I thought it was absolutely adorable.

27. Shutterbug Follies: A Graphic Novel by Jason Little 153 pages Like the title, it's a graphic novel (ie like a comic book type stuff for people who don't know what a graphic novel is). I thought it was pretty decent. Well written, could do without the random drawn tit shots, but it's a man writing it so I'm not surprised. It ended up being a murder mystery novel and I was really intrigued by the end.

28. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 377 pages Had heard this series was good. Caved and bought it. I'm hooked.

29. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech 86 pages Nice book with poetry by a boy who is afraid to write poetry. Bawled my freaking eyes out because he writes a poem about his dog who passed away. So not the book I need to read after the crappy month of August I had.

30. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan 279 pages Book 2 in the Percy Jackson series. A lot shorter than book 1, so it was a quick read, but still just as action packed as the first.

31. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne 364 pages on iBooks on iPod Touch Basically read it because it was free on iBooks. And I'm all about the free eBooks, since I'd rather pay the same price to have a physical copy of a book instead of some computer file. But book wise it's just one of those good children's books that you don't mind re-reading or reading, and in it you can see where they got the basis of some of the children's shows like The House at Pooh Corner.

32. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger 141 pages Yes the only reason I bought the book is because it had Yoda on the cover, albeit in origami form. It was a cute story, geared towards kids, but I do look forward to the sequel.

33. Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon 153 pages Yes I judge a book by it's cover. I thought the drawings on the cover were cute. Then when I get the book, I enjoy the fact that its a combination story and comic-y feel.

34. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs by Ursula Vernon 206 pages Sequel to Dragonbreath, just as cute, and come on, it's got Ninja frogs in it.

35. Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner by Ursula Vernon 204 pages Ok, so this title was probably the reason I got all 3 books out.

36. Magic Tree House #28 High Tide in Hawaii by Mary Pope Osborne 76 pages I'm trying to read through this whole series, one thing I like about it, even though it's for kids, is that it's a series, but you don't have to read it in order. They each stand alone.

37. Magic Tree House #6 Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pop Osborne 75 pages

38. Ask Graham by Graham Norton 250 pages So Graham Norton Writes and advice column. Kind of cool, and honestly it makes sense. He doesn't beat around the bush and says it like it is. Some of it is brutally honest, but I think those people needed to hear that.

39. Magic Tree House #34 Season of the Sandstorms by Mary Pope Osborne 109 pages

Campout for Hunger- The Hooters

2009-12-01T12:15:00.001-05:00

Self Pimping my stuff

2009-05-07T12:00:00.004-04:00

I know they aren't the best writing out there, but I do rather enjoy coming up with articles for Helium and Associated Content.

So on that note. I'm self promoting my links.

Top 10 Songs by John Barrowman
Review of Backstreet Boys Millennium
Photo Slideshow of Le Mont Saint Michel
Audio Review of the Book Are Lobsters Ambidexterous

My Helium Profile

As I continue to add stuff, I will post the Associated Content links individually, and you can access all my articles on Helium from my profile. (so I've been told let me know if that's not true).

Epic!Fail on Updating

2009-03-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

I use Livejournal for everything.

I have this because I needed one for class 3 years ago.

I should use this for "professional" stuff and entries, but there are many more people out there who make better professional posts than I do, so I will not tread on their territory.

I also use Twitter. Be warned, I vent, fan-girl, and do other stuff on there.

Lacking in Updates, I make up for in Pictures?

2009-02-18T09:29:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I primarily use my LiveJournal for day to day life and rambling about my favorite TV shows: Doctor Who and Torchwood.

I signed up for Netflix so I can watch a lot of the classic episodes of Doctor Who. I'm excited about that.

But I said pictures in the subject so I come bearing pictures, I went to New York Comic Con on Feb. 7th to meet director Euros Lyn and actress Eve Myles (both are on Torchwood).

It was a fabulous day and here are some pictures.

All Pictures on my Webshots Album

New Year, New Post

2009-01-06T20:07:00.002-05:00

Yep, New Year New Post. I really don't keep this baby updated, I use my Livejournal for that. Though there's major uproar in the LJ community right now that since they are having layoffs the company is doomed.

Gee let me think since almost every company has had lay offs recently, that doesn't mean they are doomed.

People annoy me sometimes.

If you see my profile I've added a couple other blogs. Not that they are important at all, I just want to have a save my ass thing if LJ is doomed like "everyone" is saying.

Nicole

Um yeah, no updatey for a while.

2008-09-22T15:50:00.003-04:00

Sorry about that. If you have my LiveJournal name, I'm alive and well over there.

But I am gearing up for another NaNoWriMo. I had 30k words last year. Can I make it to 50k? We shall see.

I'm doing a Fanfic challenge now. I've got 1200 words or so to start. I've outlined the rest and now I've got to write it.

I've also got a little mini plot bunny for 2008 Nano. I think I may run with it and see where it gets me.

I've still got a lot of crocheting to do, and reading that honking pile of magazines.

I will update myself Big Fun Scary list a little later.

Nicole

The Vacation Cross Post

2008-05-08T09:37:00.001-04:00

As I am getting ready to leave for the UK I just want to remind people if they have my cell phone # to please not call me from May 9th to the 19th. I will have a cell phone with me while I'm over there, but I really don't want to pay the international roaming fees to talk. I'm really only using it to call my parents to say I got there safe and sound and then call TyLean. That's it.

Also note that is going to be cross-posted like woah, so if you have my other blogs and whatnot Sorry.

Nicole

Latest Ramblings

2008-04-03T15:09:00.004-04:00

So I finished one baby blanket for a co-worker, and started the second one. Going well. Hope to be done soon.

Need to crochet the baby blanket for a friend as they are inducing her tomorrow.

I'm obsessed with Torchwood and John Barrowman. The man has a fantastic voice. I'm sitting here listening at work. Must resist the urge to sing along :o)

It's baseball season :o) Go Phillies.

Goals Update:

1. Complete Script Frenzy
1a. Gather Idea for SF and plan ahead
-Writing a Spec for Torchwood, haven’t started though it’s the third day of April. Too much other stuff to sit around and write.
2. Start playing the Flute again
2a. If I get good at the flute again, join the Montgomery County Band
-Played once or twice, not anything significant
3. Read the Pile of magazines that has accumulated in my apartment
-baby steps there. I always seem to get more magazines though so the pile never really dwindles.
4. Read the pile of books that magically keeps getting bigger and bigger
-same with the books but they are now neatly on my bookshelf.
5. Finish the crocheting projects I have started. (1 blanket for my friend who is pregnant, and 2 blankets for a co-workers wife who is having twins)
-finished one baby blanket for one of the twins started the second. Need to start Ambers
6. Travel to a place I have never been before
-like that will ever happen this year.
7. Finish writing my NaNo 2007 Novel "Out with a Bang"
-possibly if I get inspired to do so.
8. Plan for NaNo 2008 by having some ideas and outlining them, outline in detail, and come up with characters and some backstory before Nov. 1
-Have an idea maybe need to think about that after SF ends
9. Become better at my job by getting more work done and getting more work done
-Improvement always happens.
10. Look into some kind of continuing education class or a class I can take for fun. I miss learning a lot and I never want to stop.
-hasn’t happened yet, but I’m reading and that is a good start.
11. Find clothes that fit me, and if need be spend the money on clothes
11a. Accept my body for what it is. Be glad I have curves. Accept that I am short though I did grow last year.
-I can find tops, pants forget it. I’ve got a muffin top and it sucks. I accept I am short and don’t look my age.
12. Start exercising, I have Comcast and On Demand use the exercise TV to it's advantage. In the summer I will walk around my complex again.
12a. Sign up for a 5k later in the summer if there is one near me and walk it, and see how I do.
-yeah haven’t done that. Right now my living room is too messy to do any exercising.
13. Pay off my credit cards so I can do 6, though, I think I'll be doing 6 before they are paid off.
-Paid off the credit cards, won’t travelling anytime soon. It sucks. God damn economy.
14. Keep my apartment CLEAN
-Started it :) Slow progress but I can see my bedroom floor. Living room is a whole different story.
15. Make sure I can walk into my closet and not have to worry about what the hell I am stepping on.
-yeah not worried about this want the apartment clean first.
16. Take full advantage of my Six Flags Great Adventure Season Pass, and possibly get the parking thing as well, cause $15 a pop for parking will be more than the season pass after 4 trips.
-treating my self to opening weekend if I clean.
17. Attempt to keep in contact with friends
-going OK, it’s a two way street though.
18. Write for Helium.com
-have a knoebels title started.
19. Make sure I donate more canned goods to the 6abc/Boy Scouts food drive in the fall
20. Maybe start learning Spanish again?
-instead I buy myself a book on Latin, go figure, way to be dorky.
21. Try not to get sick
so far so good, but the right side of my throat where that tonsil used to be is starting to produce the mucus and act like a tonsil (apparently there is some tonsil tissue that wasn’t completely removed.)
22. Use the apartment complex's swimming pool in the summer
-possibly since they are digging up things at the pool now who knows if it will be open.
23. Scrapbook my New Orleans trip from 2005, when I volunteered there
-hopefully will get to that.
24. Upload and back up pictures to CD and put my pics on MySpace/Webshots.
-Work in progress
25. Write more in general, fun, journal entries. I am doing NaNoWriYe (National Novel Writing Year). This gives me reason and motivation to write every day.
-Started to write one piece of Fan Fiction. I know a shock, but hey it’s writing. I can’t complain.

Getting back to work now.

nicole

New Month New Blog

2008-03-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

I went to the Philly Flower Show yesterday. If you have MySpace and know my name on there you can check out all 174 pictures.

I'll have to get my pictures uploaded to webshots and share a few for you non-MySpacers.

I'm still obsessed with Torchwood and Doctor Who.

I loving the "new" laptop. It starts up so much faster now :-D

I'm in a lull with work. Waiting for feedback from one client, need a co-worker to come and talk to stuff, but she's busy running errands for other people, and I haven't been given a third project yet. It will happen after my boss gets out of a meeting.

I'm chilling, wasting time.

Nicole

The Little Things that Excite Me

2008-02-20T15:02:00.002-05:00

-Getting a "new" laptop at work. My old one was almost 5 years old. Ancient in Laptop talk. I got a newer one. Put a lot of my stuff back on there. It's so much faster and happier. And I have space.

-Two TV shows that let out my inner geek. Doctor Who and Torchwood. I'm borderline obsessed with them like I was obsessed with Buffy and Angel back in the day. It's great to have another couple Sci-Fi series to love <3

-Bookstores, If I go in one I come out with something. Bad habit to have.

-Panera Breads Cinnomin Crunch bagel. went there for lunch on Monday. It was great, a late night snack was the bagel.

-Did I mention the laptop already?

-Goals for 2008 coming slowly, and it looks like I'll not be making one of those goals. Not traveling anywhere this March :-(

That's all for now.

Nicole

Meme

2008-02-10T18:17:00.000-05:00

Part 1

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages.) Torchwood, Another Life

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.
-Next to each bed were either fitted cupboards or cheap but sturdy chests of drawers.

4. Post the next three sentences.
There were bedside lamps small family photos, sometimes of parents sitting on sofas or in gardens, while others showed young women grinning at the camera, their complexions bleached and flattened by flash photography. Shower rooms contained single cubicles in a row, and a separate room housed washing machines and dryers. " didn't think the facilities would be like this,' she told their escort. 'It's less... well regimented than I'd expected."

5. Be sure to answer Part 2.
6. Link back to the person who tagged you. Got this from Carla in an email.
7. Tag five people.
5 people who read this blog.

Part 2 Answer these questions:

1. If you could do anything you want to, what would it be?
I'd travel the world, ride lots of rollercoasters, and work on the sets of some of my favorite TV shows.

2. If you could paint the whole world 1 (one) colour - what would it be?
that would make the world ugly. The world needs to be multicolored like it is now.

3. Would you rather be an animal or a person?
Both

4. If you said animal - which one?
I'd like to be a dog in my family, just to see what they would think.

5. Do flowers talk?
not that I know of.

6. Have you ever known that a spirit from another realm was nearby?
Not really, though I've felt some spirits before in haunted places.

7. Add your own question here.
What is your favorite book, author, movie or TV series?
-Catcher in the Rye
-No favorite author
-Movie: LOTR, POTC, Disney Animated
-TV: Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, Torchwood

Pottstown

2008-01-27T20:54:00.000-05:00

Pottstown Mercury

Check out the video to see the fire that happened in downtown Pottstown on Saturday. Amazingly no one was injured, lots of damage done.

I really hope that this will be rebuilt. As crappy as parts of Pottstown are they really were trying to revitalize the downtown area. This is a major blow. I just worry that it will sit there boarded up for decades just the the Slack Shack lot. The Slack Shack was a fire that happened in the same area of Pottstown, just on the other side of High St. at least 15 years ago. It is still a boarded up lot.

BTW, I went there to take pictures of it today. I'll have stuff up tomorrow night. As I was getting ready to go, I got interviewed by a reporter of the Reading Eagle Newspaper.

Well that is all for now.

Jeff Dunham

2008-01-15T20:31:00.001-05:00

Reading Level

2008-01-13T22:52:00.000-05:00

Fast Payday Loans

The Hooters

2008-01-08T18:22:00.000-05:00

These guys are my most favorite band ever.

The Hooters - I'm Alive Unplugged

Add to My Profile | More Videos

January 7, 2008 Progress Report

2008-01-07T15:05:00.000-05:00

1a. Gather Idea for SF and plan ahead
- Using two characters who are friends, and move away, keep in contact via IM, use flashbacks and current ways to make a story interwoven.

2. Start playing the Flute again
-Took flute out of my closet, played for 5 minutes yesterday, my mouth cramped up. I need to build up my muscles and hands again. Must go and order that Pirates of the Caribbean flute solo book.

3. Read the Pile of magazines that has accumulated in my apartment
-Started to do this over Christmas and New Years. Haven't done any reading since then. But I will organize them into a nice pile.

5. Finish the crocheting projects I have started. (1 blanket for my friend who is pregnant, and 2 blankets for a co-workers wife who is having twins)
-Baby blanket 1 for one of the co-workers twins is almost halfway done. The blanket for the other twin is started. The blanket for my friend's baby is also started. So All projects are started.

9. Become better at my job by getting more work done and getting more work done
-Work in progress. I'm procrastinating now by typing this update, but I'm working at the same time because I am searching for old emails I will need.

10. Look into some kind of continuing education class or a class I can take for fun. I miss learning a lot and I never want to stop.
-For now I bought myself a Latin book. To re-teach myself items and to enhance my vocabulary. I feel that I am in a profession where sounding intelligent is a must.

11. Find clothes that fit me, and if need be spend the money on clothes
-Starting to find clothes, took some pants to the tailor today. She laughed at how long they were.

13. Pay off my credit cards so I can do 6, though, I think I'll be doing 6 before they are paid off.
-Started to pay them off. I can put a little more on my card this week since last week was a pay day

14. Keep my apartment CLEAN
-My friend Kate is coming over this weekend. I haven't seen her since Homecoming. This week is a great week to hang out with her because of what we all went though last year.

15. Make sure I can walk into my closet and not have to worry about what the hell I am stepping on.
-Went to Walmart today, bought a little shoe rack to get some of my shoes off the floor. Bought cloth bins to get my craft projects in some sort of storage.

17. Attempt to keep in contact with friends
-Hanging out with Kate is a start

20. Maybe start learning Spanish again?
-Not Spanish right now, but diving into Latin.

21. Try not to get sick
-Hell of a lot harder then it looks.

25. Write more in general, fun, journal entries. I am doing NaNoWriYe (National Novel Writing Year). This gives me reason and motivation to write every day.
-NaNoWriYe, NaNoCoMo, and Wannabee Writers are helping me with this.

What's your Name Mean?

2008-01-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

I had seen this quiz on someones LiveJournal. I figured I'd see what it's about, I generally don't believe stuff like this but it really seems to describe who I am.

But in other news This next week is going suck ass. I will probably be one big emotional wreck. I'm pretty sure on Friday I will be working from home as I don't need to be an emotional wreck at work. I miss Nikki, and I miss her a lot. It got slightly easier, but the holidays sucked and now sucks as well.

Ok, happy stuff. I saw my friend Eddie's piano recital today. I haven't seen him perform since he was a freshmen in High School. He's now almost graduating college. The kids got talent, and made me realize how much I miss being involved with music.

I may add onto to my music playing goals and say I want to relearn items of music history and get me some new classical music CD's. Music is my passion. I can't live without it.

What Nicole Means

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.

You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.

At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

BFS Year Updates

2008-01-04T21:21:00.000-05:00

I wrote 250 words today. A Yahoo Writing group I joined out of NaNo, a member gave me a prompt and 10 minutes to write. It may have been only 8 minutes though, because I was packin to go home but I still wrote something and just wrote and didn't think about it.

I've updated my picture blog, http://nlforst-pics.blogspot.com every day for the new year. Hopefully there will be 366 pictures on there.

Crocheting is going well. I'm going off to work on my crocheting now.

Nicole

Music Blogger

2008-01-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.themusicblogger.com/woodwind-sheet-music-giveaway/

Any of you musicians out there, check this out. It's a fairly decent blog with music giveaways.

Progress Chart

2008-01-03T15:03:00.000-05:00

I am only going to post what I have started

3. Read the Pile of magazines that has accumulated in my apartment
-I have started to read the pile of magazines. Over Christmas

4. Read the pile of books that magically keeps getting bigger and bigger
-Books are started but not finished yet.

5. Finish the crocheting projects I have started. (1 blanket for my friend who is pregnant, and 2 blankets for a co-workers wife who is having twins)
-All current crocheting projects for babies are started. Nowhere near finished but they are all started.

11. Find clothes that fit me, and if need be spend the money on clothes
-Found a pair of pants at Old Navy. This is a slow process. But I think as the seasons change I might be able to find some deals.

13. Pay off my credit cards so I can do 6, though, I think I'll be doing 6 before they are paid off.
-I paid off $400 on my credit card, still have a little more to go

25. Write more in general, fun, journal entries. I am doing NaNoWriYe (National Novel Writing Year). This gives me reason and motivation to write every day.
-started writing, wrote one little story, not much, haven't done much else cause my main focus right now is crocheting.

Welcoming in 2008

2008-01-01T22:26:00.000-05:00

Alrighty I am participating in The Year of Doing Big, Fun, Scary Things Together on the NaNoWriMo site. I had posted my goals on their forum and my MySpace, but I figure the more places I post them the more accountable I can be to accomplish these items on my list. So without further adieu here is my Big, Fun, Scary, Things list for 2008.

These are in no particular order :)

1. Complete Script Frenzy
1a. Gather Idea for SF and plan ahead
2. Start playing the Flute again
2a. If I get good at the flute again, join the Montgomery County Band
3. Read the Pile of magazines that has accumulated in my apartment
4. Read the pile of books that magically keeps getting bigger and bigger
5. Finish the crocheting projects I have started. (1 blanket for my friend who is pregnant, and 2 blankets for a co-workers wife who is having twins)
6. Travel to a place I have never been before
7. Finish writing my NaNo 2007 Novel "Out with a Bang"
8. Plan for NaNo 2008 by having some ideas and outlining them, outline in detail, and come up with characters and some backstory before Nov. 1
9. Become better at my job by getting more work done and getting more work done
10. Look into some kind of continuing education class or a class I can take for fun. I miss learning a lot and I never want to stop.
11. Find clothes that fit me, and if need be spend the money on clothes
11a. Accept my body for what it is. Be glad I have curves. Accept that I am short though I did grow last year.
12. Start exercising, I have Comcast and On Demand use the exercise TV to it's advantage. In the summer I will walk around my complex again.
12a. Sign up for a 5k later in the summer if there is one near me and walk it, and see how I do.
13. Pay off my credit cards so I can do 6, though, I think I'll be doing 6 before they are paid off.
14. Keep my apartment CLEAN
15. Make sure I can walk into my closet and not have to worry about what the hell I am stepping on.
16. Take full advantage of my Six Flags Great Adventure Season Pass, and possibly get the parking thing as well, cause $15 a pop for parking will be more than the season pass after 4 trips.
17. Attempt to keep in contact with friends
18. Write for Helium.com
19. Make sure I donate more canned goods to the 6abc/Boy Scouts food drive in the fall
20. Maybe start learning Spanish again?
21. Try not to get sick
22. Use the apartment complex's swimming pool in the summer
23. Scrapbook my New Orleans trip from 2005, when I volunteered there
24. Upload and back up pictures to CD and put my pics on MySpace/Webshots.
25. Write more in general, fun, journal entries. I am doing NaNoWriYe (National Novel Writing Year). This gives me reason and motivation to write every day.

1 / 60000 words. 0% done!

This is my NaNoWriYe progress Bar. This will be updated in different posts throughout the year, also my final total goal might increase if I find I am successful :-)

Well here's to a kick ass 2008. It can't be any worse than 2007 was so here's to new beginnings and living life to the fullest.

Nicole

End of Year

2007-12-29T22:55:00.000-05:00

Where did 2007 go?

January
-One of my best friends Nikki, passed away
-Two of my best friends from high school got married (mind you two days after my college friend passed away)

April
-Knoebels, opening weekend to see the band and ride the Phoenix till my heart was content

May
-1 yr. anniversary of employment

Summer
-Sick most of the summer, never totally figured out what was wrong with me. But I did find out I have anxiety and now that is being treated.
-Also did get to go to Great Adventure and meet up with some cool people from the RollerCoasterCentral.net message board
-Got to go to some Phillies games

September
-I turned 25

October
-Phoenix Phall Phunfest (Yep riding the Phoenix at night. Even better then in the day time)
-Toronto

November
-The Hooters concerts
-Fall Out Boy concert (My cousin is in Gym Class Heroes, so I went to see them perform.
-National Novel Writing Month (50K in 30 days, not so much this year, only 30K, but I can do it next year)

December
-Holidays
-New Phone, new Digital camera

If you have MySpace, you can see some of my goals for next year. I am participating in Big, Fun, Scary things over on the National Novel Writing Month, (NaNoWriMo) site. My goal is to get to accomplish most of that list. If I do I think 2008 will be one hell of a year.

On that note good bye 2007, it's been real.

Nicole

Long Time No Post

2007-10-23T14:28:00.000-04:00

Really not much to update.

Still working, got to go to Toronto for some fun, a couple weeks ago. If you know me on MySpace you can check out the pics.

I was just at Homecoming this weekend. I must say the BU campus is gorgeous. I kind of wish I was still there.

But that's a small update on me.

Nicole

Time

2007-08-22T13:02:00.001-04:00

Where does it go?

No I'm not trying to ponder that, but I mean here it is pretty close to September and Summer has passed me by.

I didn't get to do anything too exciting except for Great Adventure. (Go ride the tallest and fastest coaster if you haven't done so yet. It's awesome!)

I also find myself wanting to learn more about many different things, but yet the feasibility to take a class, just isn't possible.

Ah well, time goes on, and I basically wanted to post just to say "I haven't fallen off the face of the earth."

Hope everyone has a great last bit of their summer and a good Labor Day Holiday.

Nicole

Webspeak

2007-06-21T12:51:00.000-04:00

Article on Webspeak

I found it very interesting that I had never heard of half of those terms in the article, and yet I work in a technology related field.

Ah well the interesting things you find when you are at work waiting for clients to get back to you.

Nicole

Knoebels

2007-05-01T15:29:00.000-04:00

So this year was my first year in years to not be playing with the band during opening weekend of Knoebels. So I went up anyway just to see all my friends and ride on the Phoenix.

I'm pretty sure the few who read this know I love roller coasters, and know that the Phoenix is my all time favorite wooden coaster. (Remember how many times I rode it during summer 05??)

Good food and hanging out with friends made this day really fun. I'm being lazy and making a repost but here is my Trip Report I posted in the Yahoo! Group Roller Coaster Talk.

I arrived right around noon, and met up with my two friends and we
went straight to the ticket booth/handstamp line. It was a little
crowded but a 2 for 1 deal couldn't be beat as the weather was
wonderful out. So we are now all equipped with our wrist braclets
and hand stamps so we go to Cesari's for our pizza.

Our first ride was on the haunted house and I must admit, haunted
houses creep me out but my favorite part is the skull room. Next
ride was my personal favorite, The Phoenix. I was a little
disappointed in the fact that they had the Yellow train running
instead of the orange train (because at least for me I get more air
time riding on the orange train). I must say The Phoenix gets better
every year. After The Phoenix we went to Gasoline Alley (The Antique
Cars) my one friend had never gone on them so we let her be
the "driver" and drive the rest of us around the track. It was a
nice relaxing ride, and I wish I could have gotten a picture of the
Phoenix going while on the Antique cars.

Next we walked past the construction of The Flying Turns. They look
like its going to be an interesting ride to say the least, but there
is a lot more work to be done then I thought there was. (I mean from
all I had heard from friends up there was there wasn't that much to
do, but from what I saw there is still a lot to be done.) Hopefully
they will be open later this summer and I can take another trip up
to Knoebels.

Then came The Twister. Again they only had one train running and
for the length of the ride I would have thought they would have had
two trains running. At some points the line for The Twister was
ridiculously long, but we waited and it was a half decent ride. I
got more air time then I had in previous years, and at some spots it
was rougher than usual. Hopefully it will get better as the season
progresses.

After The Twister we got in line to ride the Grand Carousel. I love
that ride. I love trying to grab the rings and feeling like I'm
going to fall off the horse. My friends and I decided to see who
could grab more rings, we ended in a tie.

Next was a little refreshing ride on the Pioneer Train. I like this
just for the simplicity of the ride and it's a break from doing all
the other bigger rides.

My friends and I parted ways after the train so I headed back to The
Phoenix for my second ride on the coaster. I sat in the front as I
try to sit in the front at least once. I got a little more air time
this time around but still not as much as I would have gotten if I
were on the Orange train.

I then walked over to visit Hattie and Henry the Bald Eagles, and
one was sitting on a makeshift nest and the other was splashing
around in the water.

I then went over to get my funnel cake, as I always get funnel cake
before watching the Jazz Band performance. I caught up with some
friends and we had a good time. While the Jazz Band was still
getting ready I snuck over to the Phoenix one last time to get a
final ride in before the end of the day. It was the shortest wait I
had for The Phoenix but it was still busier then I had seen around
that time of day in recent years on opening weekend.

After that I went back to watch the rest of the Jazz Band
performance and visit the rest of my friends who I didn't get to see
before the Jazz Band took the stage.

All in all it was a good day at Knoebels.

Now to leave you with some pics of Knoebels:

The under construction of The Flying Turns

Henry the Bald Eagle

The Phoenix

Signs around the Phoenix that I hadn't noticed before or they were just put up or redid...

BU Jazz Band

CAC Spring 2007

2007-04-20T09:19:00.000-04:00

This was my first opportunity to be apart of CAC since graduating from the IIT program in May 2006. I admit I was a little nervous to be going back and being on the other side of those presentations.

All of the presentations were really well done and I was impressed with their solutions. Second Life or any 3D environment seems like a learning wave of the future. I think if something done with time and effort a two phased solution like those that were provided could greatly benefit a learner, and a transfer of knowledge would increase because they are getting to see how things would happen "first hand" in a 3D environment.

It was also great to see so many people at CAC. I've forgotten how many people I know, and how good it was to be back in Bloom.

I'm also giving a shout out to Dr. Kapp, because now I know there is at least one person who reads my blog here. :-)

My only wish is that I could have been at CAC for all three days but seeing the presentations is well worth the trip.

A non CAC highlight was showing my boss around campus. He didn't recognize it at all. Heck, a lot has changed since I was there and that was only last year...

Well that about sums up this entry

Nicole

PS- I will try and update this blog more often, but I'm not making any promises. If you're really that interested about my life find me on MySpace :-P

First Post of 2007

2007-04-12T11:07:00.000-04:00

For a while I forgot I had this Blog. I do need to update gnomette's travels as well. I've just been busy.

2007 has been an interesting year.

Janurary started off, kind of crappy. I lost one of my best friends from school.
February was Ok. I got to go on my first big business trip. Yay for Tampa, Florida. It was all nice and warm and I missed the snowstorm in Pa :-)
March I don't think anything too interesting happened.
Which brings me to April. Not much has happened in these first 12 days.

I'll post more of an update later.

Check out my other blog on here to...

Nicole

1 Year Ago

2006-12-27T10:21:00.000-05:00

One year ago today I was in New Orleans, we probably had been out working on gutting houses for about 2 hours at that point. I can't believe it's been a year since I was down there helping out.

It was an amazing experience to help these people that couldn't gut their houses because of medical condtions. These people were so greatful for the help.

By the way the picture is of Tammy Ann Winn and I.

Nicole

PS: Check out Tammy Ann Winn's music at http://www.tammyannwinn.com

5 years ago where were you?

2006-09-11T21:27:00.000-04:00

They say you remember where you were exactly when something major happens. Well I happened to be in Music Listening with Dr. Baker when most of 9/11 happened. I remember getting out of class early, and while walking the short distance between Haas and Columbia I heard the whispers of "can you believe what happened?" and "are we sure it's real?"

I got back to my room and decided to go to billboard.com because being involved with music that's what I checked. The website said it would not be updated b/c of the tragedy in NYC.

It was then about the only time my roommate for that year talked to me, and we put on the TV and saw the second tower come down.

It still feels like yesterday that this happened, and it's amazing how I can still so vividly remember what I was doing when it happened.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost someone during these attacks.

Kiwibox Messing around

2006-09-11T21:22:00.000-04:00

Sooo it didn't save it as a .gif like it was supposed to when I uploaded it. Ah well. At least I'm messing with code so it doesn't matter.

Nicole

One Year Later

2006-08-29T13:26:00.000-04:00

One year ago the Gulf Coast was changed forever. Hurricane Katrina shattered lives and the way people live around the Gulf Coast for many years to come. I don't think there will ever be the "old normal" there is now a "new normal" for the many down there.

I thought I'd share a couple photos of what I saw when I volunteered back in December. Seeing pictures from a year later and some that were taken back in December it's really shocking to see not much has changed.

Just remember these people still need thoughts/prayers, just them knowing that people still think about them helps them get through the day.

Phanatic

2006-08-20T20:30:00.000-04:00

Click to Play

Small clip of the phanatic up to his antics inbetween innings.

It's kind of blurry but my digital camera wouldn't focus zoomed in that far.

Formats available: Windows Media (.wmv)

Sarah Kelly @ PassionFest '06

2006-08-19T14:15:00.000-04:00

Click to Play

A clip of one of Sarah Kelly's songs from PassionFest.

Formats available: Windows Media (.wmv)

Vlog Possibly?

2006-08-19T11:49:00.000-04:00

Watch the Video

So sorry it has the watermark on it. I refuse to buy new software until I get a new computer which will be soon I think.

So enjoy my dog having fun after a bath.

One more reflection

2005-08-15T01:55:00.000-04:00

The development phase, which I actually touched on in the other reflection, oops was really exciting and fun. Being able to create this flashy document with all these clip art and pictures in it was really cool. Never really realized how cool a word document can look.

Coming up with the instructional materials was a lot of work yet it was so much fun. I finally got to see how my knowledge of amusement parks would be put to the test. I never realized how much I knew, and how I can make documents look pretty neat and something that in the end I can be very proud of.

Seeing all of the materials completed and put into their little binders was really nice. Knowing that I have created something that will be teaching people is pretty cool. It's like being a teacher but yet not.

I was also surprised with how much of the information just came from me. I've always had a passion for roller coasters and amusement parks but I never really realized how much I knew just from watching all those Roller Coaster specials on the Discovery Channel. I also have become more interested in amusement parks, and found that to be true when I bought a book about Pennsylvania Amusement Parks.

With the Instructional Materials I thought that this was the only time that group work didn't help. We were all at that point where our own projects were more important helping each other really didn't happen. But also when working on your own materials it's hard to work in a group just because your project is your baby and you want it to come out a certain way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The evaluation phase is something that will both be extremely beneficial yet hard, because you are basically giving something that you have worked on for the past 6 weeks to three learners that can either love what you did or tear it to shreads. The formative evaluation report will not be too bad because writing it will be very similar to the learner analysis. I think making the rationale of why or why you didn't change something will be tough, because your IM is like your baby and you don't want anyone to hurt your baby. But this will be a learning process and in the end it will make a stronger product, that you can be prouder of. (wrote this on 8-11-05 before my first learner does the training.) After my three learners completed the training, I was surprised to find that they all had enjoyed the manual and saw that it took a lot of time and effort. My first learner TyLean noticed somethings that I knew I had changed but just forgot to print out a new copy of that page (I accidentally printed out the page before it). Also TyLean noticed that I was missing an answer in one of my answer keys. That was quickly changed, although my other two learners did not notice the mistake. The second learner was my mother. She had a little trouble with it just because she was over analyzing things, and thinking about other situations, she was having trouble realizing that it was a hypothetical situation. Also she was the one that pointed out all my grammar mistakes which I went in and fixed. The third learner was Adam, and he enjoyed the fact that it was a way for him to take a break from him moving. It allowed for him to relax, which I know wasn't the purpose of the training, but if it makes someone feel better, then so be it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My expectations of this class seemed to have been met, but I have learned so much more. Looking back I really had no expectations except to survive without a mental breakdown. Well it's safe to say that I didn't have a mental breakdown (came close a couple of times though) and I survived and I have a product that I will hopefully be able to be very proud of. Right now, I'm kind of nervous because you will be grading my materials, and even though everyone else loved them it's the grade that matters.

One thing I must complain about is the fact that this was taught as a 6 week class. I definitely think that if this is going to be taught over the summer again, it needs to be during session 8 that way it is the 12 weeks which is a lot closer to the 16 weeks of a fall/spring semester. I felt so rushed during the time here, and if I was confused or just a little slow in grasping a concept I felt like I was completely blown away and left behind. Eventually I caught up and did get ahead at some point, but there was always this doubt that I was forgetting or missing something huge.

Well this is my last entry for ID

Over and out,

Nicole

Reflection 3

2005-08-09T23:28:00.000-04:00

So this is my third reflection on the design phase of ID. I think that the design phase is a lot more work because you have to work out all the details.

The performance objectives are a lot of work, but once you got the hang of how to write them, it went by a lot easier. I also found that writing assessment items that didn't have a yes or no answer to be difficult.

Starting the Instructional Strategy seemed very intimidating just because, this is basically a blueprint for what your materials will include. It started off a little rough but got better as I worked on each cluster.

Also the more you work with what you will be doing, the information just seems to come more naturally.

Working on the Instructional Materials has been a lot of fun, yet hard work. I've never used so many tables and clip art before, but I must admit the project looks pretty cool with everything in it. Working on the marterials is also frustrating because, I seem to be complusively saving everything b/c if there was a chance to loose something, that's usually a lot of work lost.

I think having a new outlook on this class has helped me get through, even though I'm still not sure if I love ID, I have found an appreciation for it.

Still working on my materials. It's almost done. It's very exciting to see this almost completed.

This summer has been so many ups and down, and I've learned so much in so little time, and a cool thing that I have learned was how to use different items in Microsoft Word.

For the formative evaluation we have to ask the learners about what they honestly thought of the materials. I think this is going to be tough because two of my learners are my friends and the other learner is my mom. I am hoping that the learners will be brutally honest. Honesty makes this project so much better.

All the criticism received this semester has only made my project better.

Another thing I have realized, is not all people have the same fonts on their computer, which to me is very odd because if we all have the same version of Microsoft Word why are the fonts different. I need to make some changes to my manual because of this, but it's a small thing to fix. I also have to fix the spacings on some of my pictures. Looking at them on the screen it doesn't look too bad but actually seeing it printed out it looks different. I actually can't wait to see my products printed out in color, black and white doesn't do them justice.

Peace, Love, Happiness, and Music,

Nicole

Reflection 2

2005-07-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

So I'm starting this relfection a little early because I am going away to Atlantic City for the weekend.

So I'm supposed to be reflecting on the analysis phase of the Instructional design process. Where to begin:

I started off with what I thought to be a very good idea and had lots of information, but it turns out, I didn't :( After shedding a lot of tears and having help from my group. A new topic was decided upon and I kind of took off with it. I think the things that have helped me the most is being able to see examples of what we are supposed to have done in Blackboard. Seeing what a finished product looks like enables me to have a goal of what my finished product should look like. I then try to complete my project to the best of my ability. Usually this ends up with me crying because I am such a perfectionist, and doing something Instructional Design is completely overwhelming. Slowly I'm surviving and hopefully by the end of the 6 weeks I'll be thriving. (As I am writing this it is halfway through the second summer session, time flies doesn't it?)

Another thing that seems to help me is the fact that we all post our stuff on Blackboard, and then we have the ability to see each others work. I think that it really helps cause we can all gauge where we stand as a class. Also seeing someone else's work might give you an idea for a question that you might not have thought of but would be very beneficial to your project.

The whole working in groups can be a little frustrating at times just because I really don't like working in groups, sitting in a corner all by myself and working on something till I get it right, is more my style. But being in the groups has helped me though. Having other people check my grammar and sentence structure is a big help because there are a lot of times where in my mind it sounds perfectly fine but it's not or I might be thinking it's coming across a certain way and it's not.

After I had completed Design Document 1, it is kind of neat to see how far I've come in such a short amount of time. I actually have a topic that I am very interested in, and I think it shows. (Yes I am a huge roller coaster junkie, just ask me about a coaster and I could ramble forever).

I guess seeing this whole process is kind of cool, but it also seems a little backwards for this class. To start we already know what the outcome is going to be, but in the real world we really wouldn't know too much about what we are training about.

Well, I guess this sums up reflection 2

Peace, love, happiness, and music:

Nicole

Testing 1,2,3

2005-07-07T16:02:00.000-04:00

Testing 1,2,3...

First Reflection...

Looking at the syllabus, I feel extremely overwhelmed. Part of me just wants to cry. But in the end I know everything will be OK.

Haven't done any reading yet, still trying to learn Blackboard, I never had to use it until now not quite sure how to use it.

Edit @ 5:00 PM

Expectations for Instructional Design
- Well I'm not all exactly sure what to expect. I know there will be a lot of work, hopefully I will be learning a lot from this class.
-I think one thing I am looking forward to is understanding more of what was shown to us when I went on the CAC trip to Pittsburgh and visited PNC bank. There was a lot of talk about pretty much everything that goes on in Instructional Design. At times I felt like "why am I here?" I have no idea what they are talking about. But hopefully by August 19 I will understand everything in great detail.
-Still don't know what I want to do for my project, hopefully an idea will come to me, and hopefully I'll be able to produce something that is really good.
-As stated earlier I really don't know what to expect, but I already know that I am overwhelmed with what is to come

I actually did figure out a little bit more with blackboard. It's a lot of pressing buttons and what not but I think I got everything accomplished that I needed to get done.

Peace, Love, Happiness, and Music,

Nicole