Monday Mug Shot

I love this mug.  It holds about three times as much as a normal  mug does so I haven't used it for drinking.  Usually it holds emergency chocolate for those times the plot bunnies need to be fed.

This mug is a souviener from our first trip to San Marcos Texas for son and his piano playing.  My son taught himself to play piano so after two years of him working at it alone, we found a teacher for him and he qualifed to go to "All State" and compete with kids from all over Texas. 

While he didn't make "All State" that year, he was rated "Outstanding" which is the next best thing.  Especially since he had only a year of lessons under his belt and was competing with kids who had taken lessons for 5-6 years.  Naturally we were/are very proud of him.

And speaking of the son, Saturday he competed in the East Texas Hymn Festival.  He played two hymns, was rated "Superior" on both and brought home another blue ribbon. 

Mug Shot Monday

I thought about it long and hard then decided to steal the idea and join the party.  Well, not really a party but fun anyway.

This is one of my favorite mugs. It's not fancy  and at the  moment it has hot cocoa in it.  A special friend gave this to me over 20 years ago.  We had started going to a gym and working out together.  She said the VIP stood for Very Impressive Partner.  She and I are still good friends even though we don't get together as often as we used to but every time I use this mug, I'm reminded of her and how much friendship means.

Now, click on over to Coffee and a Keyboard and check out some more mug shots.  And, if you are blogging, join us with your mug shots.  :-)

Reading...

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that."

Stephen King

I love this quote.  Not only is it very true but it gives us the perfect reason to pull out a book and read.  

When we read, we get a chance to see how other writer's weave words, both good and bad.  We get inspired by the good and encouraged by the bad.   I mean, if they can get published writing such dreck, we who write better surely can with some persistence. :-)

I've been on a reading binge this past month.  I've read the entire Harry Potter series,  (I'd never read them before though the kids had.) a western, two thrillers and started another fantasy novel.

There's a historical romance waiting for its turn too.

I want to encourage each of you to read, and read widely.  Read outside the genres you write in.  Expand your reading horizons.

So, what are your reading ?