SUGGESTION SUNDAY (A.K.A. - SISTER SUNDAY)
In the spirit of Suggestion Sunday my sister suggested that I change the layout of the blog to make it look fresh and Spring-like. Since I'm computer illiterate I left the changes almost entirely up to her, and I think she did a great job.
Alissa also suggested today's book, Delta Style. If you're thinking that the title sounds familiar, it's because it is. It was one of the books that I let everyone vote on last month. Delta Style was the book my sister voted for, and sadly it did not win. But she has decided to circumvent the rules (she's crafty that way) by suggesting that I read it for Suggestion Sunday. Mike Brady was so right when he told his kids during a particularly moving episode of The Brady Bunch, "Sometimes when you lose, you win. " Okay, so maybe he was talking about being a good sport and not about pulling rank on your sister's blog. The point is that his words were still true.
Today is my two month blogiversary (I still haven't settled on the best way to spell that, but I'm open to suggestions) - and I'm very excited that after two months of solid reading I'm still finding it really fun. In fact, I think it's getting more fun as it goes. I no longer have any concerns about being able to get the book read every day, and only occasional moments of panic about whether I'm going to have anything interesting to say each day. I'm reaching a point where reading a book every day feels like the most normal thing in the world - and I think it's going to feel really weird when the year is up.
Today's book is a cross between an autobiography and a self-help book (not the "Fix your life in 10 easy steps kind, but the "What's the best kind of make-up brushes to use" kind). I enjoyed the autobiography part the best, but I did pick up a few interesting tips at the end of the book.
Useful (or not so useful, depending on who you are) tips:
- It's best to switch shampoos once a month, otherwise they lose their effectiveness. (I had no idea)
- A mashed tomato can help combat large pores, oily or problem skin. (Wow, tomatoes are such multi-taskers)
- Mashed cucumbers mixed with buttermilk helps to relieve the pain of a sunburn. (Here at A Book a Day we strive to educate and entertain. - I don't know why I said we. . . I guess things just sound more official when we is used)
I also learned from this book that there are worse things than being named after my mother's childhood doll. Delta was named after the family cat. I guess when my mother reads this she will feel vindicated. I can already hear her now, "Well, at least I didn't name you after the family pet."
My favorite part of the book was when Delta discussed her time on the TV show Designing Women. I love that show (and I'm counting the days until it's released on DVD - Only 86 days). What I love about it the most is the relationship between Suzanne and her sister Julia. The Julia/Suzanne relationship always reminds me of my relationship with my sister. I don't think we act a lot like those characters when we're apart - but when we're together we fall into that same dynamic. I'll leave it up to those of you who know us both to guess which one is which.
Here are my favorite episodes of Designing Women:
- Pearls of Wisdom (Mary Jo switches her fake pearls with Suzanne's real ones to see if she'll notice, and then loses them)
- Blame It On New Orleans (there were several New Orleans episodes, but my favorite one is the one where Julia goes out on the hotel balcony and says, "Hey hey, New Orleans . . . )
- Miss Trial (Julia gets sequestered on a jury, while Suzanne and Charlene are competing in a 90-second record grab contest)
- The Mistress (the women are hired to decorate houses for a man's wife and his mistress - Best line of the show: "I knew he had a mistress, I kneeeeeew.")
- The Wilderness Experience (the women go on a wilderness retreat designed to build leadership).
- There She Is (Charlene's baby shower/ Suzanne finds out she was never Miss Georgia and must give up her crown)
- Manhunt (Suzanne tries to help Mary Jo find a man by using a book that offers tips)
- This is Art? (Julia has an exhibit featuring some paintings she did in college, and in the process someone mistakes her handbag for modern art and tries to buy it, and Suzanne accidentally glues her lips shut)
