Yes, dear readers, I’m doing a meme voluntarily. I found this one via random web meandering, and I don’t think I’ve done it. My version is modified from the original, which was long and boring.
Here’s the fun part. Instead of tagging people to do it on their blogs, I want you to do it with me in comments. So tag — you’re all it! Throughout the day, I’ll give out random prizes like books and gift certificates. You never know who will win or why. (Or what, for that matter.) It all hinges on my mercurial nature. Mwahahaha!
Why am I doing this? Well, I’m so excited about Grimspace’s release (and the fan mail I’ve been receiving from folks who won ARCS) that I can’t think of anything else, but I don’t want to spend ten paragraphs blathering about that. What’s squee-worthy to me might be tiresome for others, and I don’t want to bore y’all. So we’ll do this meme. Prizes awarded. Fun had by all!
Last Book Read: Chill Factor by Rachel Caine
Last CD Purchased: James Blunt, All the Lost Souls
Last Song Listened to: James Blunt, Same Mistake
Last Thing Cooked: Thai peanut noodles.
Last Thing Eaten: A nectarine.
Last Thing Bought: Marzipan for my husband.
Last Game Played: Neverwinter Nights 2
Last Delightful Surprise: The title / theme for my Corine Solomon books.
Last Embarrassing Experience: Being so nervous about having my author picture taken that the photographer asked me if I needed to take a walk to relax. It only got better when my husband examined the first shot and said, “Honey, you look like you’re about to cry in this one!” Sigh.
Last Achievement: Figuring out how to fix the end of BLUE DIABLO (formerly Corine Solomon, book 1)
Now it’s your turn. (Last means most recent, of course.) Feel free to ask about any of my answers as you do your memes, if you want more info. Let the games begin!
February 12th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Hi Ann, I’ll look at this later as well, of course but for now…
Last Book Read: Dawn’s Awakening by Lora Leigh
Last CD Purchased: Um, I don’t buy cds much, so the last one I actually bought would be Wong Lee Hom - and I don’t know which one. It was 6+ years ago in Taiwan.
Last Song Listened to: Missing You - Imogen Heap
Last Thing Cooked: steamed baby carrots (ok, so I nuked them - but I didn’t cool yesterday)
Last Thing Eaten: aforementioned carrots
Last Thing Bought: gas for my car
Last Game Played: … maybe bookworm adventures a few weeks ago [Oh no I'm so boring!]
Last Delightful Surprise: NO EARLY CLASS WEDNESDAY!!!
Last Embarrassing Experience: Getting called on in class yesterday - I give a whole new meaning to deer in headlights
Last Achievement: Finally getting all those law review articles so I can start reading them and write my thesis
February 12th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Oh, sweet! My friend likes Imogen Heap too. I don’t buy as many CDs as I used to either. I like the convenience of just buying / downloading single songs since I tend not to fall in love with whole albums.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Last Book Read: Shadow Dancer by Julie Garwood
Last CD Purchased: Colbie Caillat, Coco
Last Song Listened to: Colbie Caillat, Oxygen
Last Thing Cooked: crab cakes
Last Thing Eaten: Peanut butter cup
Last Thing Bought: New jeans
Last Game Played: Some stupid Star Wars game my husband talked me into playing…I gave up after 5 minutes
Last Delightful Surprise: Winning $50 on a $2 lottery ticket.
Last Embarrassing Experience: Slipping on ice and falling in front of my neighbors while checking the mail.
Last Achievement: Paying off our debt YAY!!!
February 12th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Last Book Read: The Hearts Forgiveness by Merrilee Whren
Last CD Purchased: Daughtry
Last Song Listened to: hmm cant remember i have a short attention span..lol
Last Thing Cooked: ham, fried potatos, and mixed veggies
Last Thing Eaten: chocolate covered granola bar..
Last Thing Bought: gas and a diet dr pepper after work yesterday
Last Game Played: probably monopoly with the kids
Last Delightful Surprise: roses
Last Embarrassing Experience: been a while… cant think of anything..
Last Achievement:
bathing 11 puppys.. ps.. if anyones interested they need it again..lol
February 12th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Last Book Read: The Lamplighter by Maria Susanna Cummins
Last CD Purchased: One of Diamond Rio’s CD’s
Last Song Listened to: Our Song
Last Thing Cooked: Baked potato in the microwave
Last Thing Eaten: An apple
Last Thing Bought: Yarn to make a crochet Darth Vader hat for my boyfriend for valentines day.
Last Game Played: Portal
Last Delightful Surprise: My boyfriend got my laundry from the laundromat for me so when I came back from class it was lined up on my bed (which had been made!)
Last Embarrassing Experience: Walking into work-study thinking it was 3:45 (and thinking I was only 15 minutes late) and having my boss pull me over and inform me that work was closing in fifteen minutes, to which I exclaimed, “but it’s only 3:45!” and him informing me it was 4:45. (Damn new watch that doesn’t have the numbers on it!)
Last Achievement: getting all the holes punched in the panels of the darth vader hat so I can start piecing it together.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Last Book Read: Nicholas (Lords of Satyr) By: Amber Elizabeth
Last CD Purchased: Radiohead The Bends
Last Song Listened to: The Way I Am By: Ingrid Michaelson
Last Thing Cooked: Spareribs.
Last Thing Eaten: A bagel
Last Thing Bought: Groceries
Last Game Played: Sims
Last Delightful Surprise: Realizing that I had actually lost 20 Ibs instead of just 10.
Last Embarrassing Experience: Putting my foot in my mouth with an ex boyfriend who is now married.
Last Achievement: Working hard and losing weight that I’ve carried around for five years now. (Since my daughter was born)
February 12th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I tend to like songs/singles rather than albums also. Imogen Heap is amazing e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSIbfzK2spg
I also really like Ingrid Michaelson - last semester I was all about “chill” music I could study to.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:24 am
This is really cool. I’m especially interested in the first one, last book people read.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Last Book Read: Into the Mist by Maya Banks
Last CD Purchased: Eagles new one
Last song lisistened to: had to be a classic rock song on the way home from work yesterday. Can’t remember cold medicine and memory don’t mis lol
Last Thing Cooked: Potatoe salad.
Last Thing Eaten: sausage biscuit
Last Thing Bought: valentines gifts for my kiddos
Last Game Played: spider solitaire
Last Delightful Surprise: When I won a 25 gc to amazon
Last Embarrassing Experience I got my foot hooked in my pocketbook and fell out of my van. My name should have been grace lol
Last Achievement: getting the ebookwise librarian to work on my laptop with vista shudder vista does what vista wants too. lol
Pamk
February 12th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Pam, you sound like me! Except I bump into things more than fall down.
And now it’s time for our first surprise winner! Nicole Price, email me! You’ve won something.
But don’t worry; the contest isn’t over by a long shot. There will be four more random winners before we’re through.
EDIT: Nicole is getting a copy of LOVER ETERNAL for Valentine’s Day. You could be next!
February 12th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Last Book Read: Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke (just finished in fact)
Last CD Purchased: Rhianna’s last one
Last song lisistened to: whatever the radio plays
Last Thing Cooked: French toast
Last Thing Eaten: salad
Last Thing Bought: DVD’s
Last Game Played: can’t remember
Last Delightful Surprise: book I received in the mail.
Last Embarrassing Experience: sigh….having the dropsies
Last Achievement: getting things organized
February 12th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Last Book Read: Like A Charm by Candace Havens
Last CD Purchased: Not sure, I buy too many books to put a CD in the budget, I love yahoo music though
Last Song Listened to: Like You’ll Never See Me Again,Alicia Keyes
Last Thing Cooked: Frozen pizza
Last Thing Eaten: A Cream puff
Last Thing Bought: Spam Musubi’s for the girls snack last night
Last Game Played: Pirate Go Fish
Last Delightful Surprise: I had a brain fart last night and figured out I was doing my Lab wrong, I was getting frustrated all weekend wwith it,a simple mistake and now I can relax
Last Embarrassing Experience: I was ordering lunch one tie and the lady asks me what I’d like to drink, I tell her 7-11, she looks a t me and says did you mean 7up(Ooops,didn’t know where my mind was at the time)
Last Achievement: I’m working on steadily going to the gym.
February 12th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Last Book Read: Demon Night, Meljean Brook (Omg teh good. I’m practically having a bookgasm this week w/ three really good ones in a row.)
Last CD Purchased: Don’t do CDs anymore. So last song downloaded: Shadow of the Day, Linkin Park
Last Song Listened to: Same
Last Thing Cooked: Spaghetti w/ meat sauce
Last Thing Eaten: Chocolate cake.
Last Thing Bought: Formula.
Last Game Played: Cubis2
Last Delightful Surprise: My copy of Grimspace in my mail last week.
Last Embarrassing Experience: The blissful thing about a shitty memory is that you don’t remember these things long. So I have no idea.
Last Achievement: Finally coming up with a blurb for my story for a website, I guess. It ain’t the best blurb in the world but dude was it surprisingly tough.
February 12th, 2008 at 11:46 am
What’s a Spam Musubi?
February 12th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I was wondering that too, Lorelie. Wikipedia to the rescue!
(And if you’re wondering about the drawings, I’m doing one every ten comments, up to five winners. So at 50 comments, we’ll have our last one.)
February 12th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Wait, what? Sushi rice is vinegared?
February 12th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I’d like to update my “last delightful surprise” - the University (which thankfully includes the law school) canceled classes as of 12:30 pm. Unfortunately I have no classes today. *However* in the afternoons I work at the County Common Pleas Court- and all County employees were sent home early
I’m crossing my fingers that everything’ll be closed tomorrow 
February 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
JSL-Getting off work is a great surprise.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Last Book Read: Pride and the Pregnancy Secre by Tessa Radley
Last CD Purchased: Sugarland, Enjoy the Ride
Last Song Listened to: Sugarland, Stay
Last Thing Cooked: Grilled ham/cheese sandwiches and fries
Last Thing Eaten: banana
Last Thing Bought: gasoline
Last Game Played: Scrabble
Last Delightful Surprise: Found out married neice was pregnant
Last Embarrassing Experience: Husband told family members about me walking naked by a motion sensor camera he was testing.
Last Achievement: Getting some deep cleaning done.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I am enjoying reading everyone’s meme.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Last Book Read: Savor Me Slowly by Gena Showalter
Last CD Purchased: Saturday Night Fever (hey I was in a mood)
Last Song Listened to: Summer of 69
Last Thing Cooked: oatmeal for breakfast
Last Thing Eaten: a banana
Last Thing Bought: the new JD Robb book, Stranger’s in Death
Last Game Played: Crazy Eights with my nephew
Last Delightful Surprise: hubby brought me home a mocha frapp
Last Embarrassing Experience: Totally zoned out and forgot my sister’s birthday.
Last Achievement: Made up a “just because” box for my neice who is dealing with the possibility of hip replacement surgery.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Oooh, time to announce a new winner! JSL, come on down!
February 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
“Last Song Listened to: Sugarland, Stay”
Have you seen the video for that? It’s just her but it breaks my heart every time.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Congratulations to Nicole Price and JSL.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Oh god, I had to listen to that song and watch that video. Dude, it’s a tearjerker!
And I’m already all teary because my first copy of GRIMSPACE arrived via FedEx. My book.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Yes, I love that video. It is a heartbreaker.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Lol. Thanks Ann for the Spam def. My kids love rice wrapped in dried seaweed, I don’t salt my sushi though.
Hawaiians put Spam in everything.
Congrats JSL!
Hugs, Danette
February 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Last Book Read: “Dark Room” by Andrea Kane
Last CD Purchased: “Pirates of The Caribbean” Soundtrack
Last Song Listened to: Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park
Last Thing Cooked: Fried dumplings
Last Thing Eaten: Cheeseburger
Last Thing Bought: Chili sauce
Last Game Played: Trivial Pursuit
Last Delightful Surprise: No work on Friday.
Last Embarrassing Experience: Almost getting caught between the closing subway doors.
Last Achievement: Getting all my receipts together so I can do my taxes.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
“Dude, it’s a tearjerker!”
Ok, now picture this - My husband just left last monday for Iraq, right? So my friend takes me out to the country bar to cheer me up . . . and they play “Stay”. Sniff, sniff. I was about thisclose to sticking my fingers in my ears and going la la la.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Last Book Read: No Safe Place by JoAnn Ross
Last CD Purchased: Michael Buble
Last Song Listened to: Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
Last Thing Cooked: Baked Ham
Last Thing Eaten: Yogurt
Last Thing Bought: My daughter’s wedding dress!!!!!!!!
Last Game Played: Wii Tennis
Last Delightful Surprise: Finding out my daughter decided on a date for her wedding and her and her financee coming in for the weekend to get things started.
Last Embarrassing Experience: Crying when my daughter tried on a veil with the dress she finally picked out.
Last Achievement: Finishing 5 books for review
February 12th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Mmmm, fried dumplings.
Oh god, Lorelie, I’m so sorry. I bet you almost lost it. (I probably would have.)
But I have good news! You’re the third winner. Go Lorelie!
February 12th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Congrats Lorelie.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Hey look, there’s an upside to my emotional pain!
(Oh, and my lack of delight w/ my job, enabling me to spend waaaay too long on the intertubes.)
February 12th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
congrats to the winners.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
You know, I don’t think I’ve had Spam in years. My latest thing is peanut noodles. Can’t get enough of ‘em.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
boy i go to work and im missing all the fun.. congrats to all the winners.. its fun to see what everyone is reading..
February 12th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I have never had peanut noodles. Sounds good.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
This is a good recipe. I didn’t invent it, but it’s delish. Comes from here.
Noodles
12 ounces linguine
4 tablespoons sesame oil
Sauce
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrots
2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
2. Drain and return to pot.
3. Add 2 TBSP sesame oil and toss to coat.
4. Set aside.
5. Heat remaining 2 TBSP sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat.
6. Add green onions, carrots, stir-fry veggies, garlic and ginger.
7. Saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
8. Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce and mix well.
9. Simmer sauce 2 minutes.
10. Pour sauce over pasta and toss well.
11. Transfer to platter and serve warm.
12. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired.
13. Yields 8 side dish servings or 4 main dish servings.
14. **Chili-Garlicsauce can be increased or decreased depending on how spicy you like your dish.
15. As written, this recipe has some heat, but is still edible for my toddler son.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
yummm thanks for sharing..
February 12th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
just reading the list of what everyones reading.. looks like i need to do some book shopping.. lots of good titles..
February 12th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Thanks a bunch for the recipe. I think I could do that.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
You can also add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal. Adding tofu makes it a full vegetarian meal.
And it’s time for another drawing. CrystalGB! You’re our fourth lucky winner!
February 12th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
congrats Crystal. The recipe sounds good.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I’m heading out for lunch now and to run some errands. When I come back, I hope there are 50 comments, so I can draw for the last winner.
Today has been really fun. Talking about food and books? What could be better!
February 12th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Those noodles sound really good- have you ever had it with different types of noodles? [I know they're often substituted, but I think other non Italian/pastas are used for those dishes as well?] That vaguely reminds me of … oh I can’t remember - do people add bean sprouts to it?
February 12th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Thanks so much.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Do you mean rice noodles, JSL?
February 12th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Last Book Read: GRISMPACE! Woooo!!! *g*
Last CD Purchased: The Pierces.
Last Song Listened to: Umbrella - Rhianna.
Last Thing Cooked: Does toast count?
Last Thing Eaten: Chicken Ceasar salad.
Last Thing Bought: Chocolate bar.
Last Game Played: Solitaire! lol
Last Delightful Surprise: Getting a 98 on my care plan.
Last Embarrassing Experience: A classmate of mine trying to fix me up with a guy who just started working where we’re doing Clinicals. Ohmygod!
Last Achievement: Changing an ostomy bag - I know, I know but it was great!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I would think you could use about any kind of noodle..
February 12th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I think ramen chicken noodles is the food of broke college students. Believe me, I’m eaten it enough to last me a lifetime! lol.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
congrats to all the winners today.. what fun.. the books all sound wonderful.. cant wait to read Grimspace ..
February 12th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I was so excited I mispelled the title, heh. Ooops! I meant Grimspace, of course. I want to read it again!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!
Last Book Read: Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards
Last CD Purchased: Nickleback (although it’s still in the wrapper)
Last Song Listened to: Maroon 5, Wake Up Call
Last Thing Cooked: Honey Barbeque boneless wings (from a package, but that still counts right if I put them IN the oven?)
Last Thing Eaten: popcorn
Last Thing Bought: books (several!
Border’s is having a sale 
)
Last Game Played: Probably Cash Cow 2 on my daughter’s Webkinz.
Last Delightful Surprise: If FedEx ever gets here it will be my eReader from my hubby.
Last Embarrassing Experience: ugh, can’t remember (really, I’ll have to try and think, cuz I try to quickly forget anything I did that was embarrassing.)
Last Achievement: putting together about 60 roses (made with hersey kisses—they are so cute) for my son and daughter’s classes at school for valentine’s day.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Wendy–changing an ostomy bag is an achievement. My second son had one for 2 1/2 years and the first time I had to change his the nurse had to take care of my because I almost pasted out. It took me a few days, but I finally got the hang of it and went from it taking a half hour to 2 minutes. I should mention he was a squirmy little baby at the time, so I was very proud to finally get that achievement!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I love Maroon 5’s Wake Up Call.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Laura, thank you! I was a bit embarrassed I mentioned it as my achievement but it really was great and a lot easier than I thought it would be! And believe me it’s a lot easier to do on an alert patient than a squirming baby! I was lucky that his ostomy area look great, no weird drainage or anything so it was great.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Last Book Read: Like A Thief in the Night by Bettie Sharpe (Do novellas count?)
Last CD Purchased: Almost Amy by Almost Amy
Last Song Listened to: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald)
Last Thing Cooked: Gravy (homemade tomato sauce) and Macaroni (rigatoni)
Last Thing Eaten: Ham sandwich
Last Thing Bought: Groceries!
Last Game Played: Candy Land with my toddler
Last Delightful Surprise: My 5 month old gave me a little ‘hug’ by leaning into me and cuddling
Last Embarrassing Experience: Walking down the street, I was explaining to my daughter what the crossing signs mean. When we came to the next block, we waited with a crowd of people to cross. When the signal changed, she said loudly, “The orange hand means ‘Stop!’, Mommy. The WHITE MAN tells me to go!”
Last Achievement: I was able to hold the ‘plank’ position for more than 30 seconds!
February 12th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Wendy, there are times I actually miss the darn thing. We still have some issues with his control (he’s 11) but he is such a good sport. His need was because of birth defects. I always thought if I went back to school to be a nurse I would want to be an ostomy nurse. Who knows it could still happen!
Larena–I LOVE everything Maroon 5 does. I have both of their cds and they are both equally awesome! There are only a couple of bands that I like every or most every song on the cd and they are one of them. The other is Little Big Town (country).
February 12th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I agree anything Maroon 5 does is great.
We have both cd’s also.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Laura, I think being an ostomy nurse would be awesome, if you have the stomach for it. I honestly don’t think I do. Today, for example, my patient pooped on those small thingies that you put under them - can’t remember the damn name - but anyway, I went to take it away and go flush it down the toilet and clean it and I gagged SO MUCH. Yucckkkkky. I know, not very nusrse-y of me but ewww. And in my defense, I was wearing N-95 mask (she had MRSA) and those things are stuffling and only made it worse. Eek!
February 12th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Wow, this thing really took off when I went to lunch! How fun. I love Maroon 5 too.
Our final winner is…
*drum roll*
Jolene! This was such a blast, ladies. I love hanging out with y’all.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Lorelie - it might be rice noodles- but not the thin ones. Or vermicelli - but the ones made from mung bean. [Also not the thin ones...] oh food. - Congrats to all the winners!
February 12th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
To recap:
Nicole got LOVER ETERNAL
Lorelie asked for HOT SPELL
Crystal wanted MINE TO POSSESS
I still have not received book choices from Jolene or JSL. Fun contest!
February 12th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Okay, I know I’m too late, but it looks like fun anyway
Last Book Read: Witch Fire by Anya Bast
Last CD Purchased: Technically it was Hogfather (the movie)
Last Song Listened to: Studder by Ben’s Brother
Last Thing Cooked: cheeseburgers (which was the perfect meal for a snow day
Last Thing Eaten: a square of chocolate. Yes, a square.
Last Thing Bought: food. Last fun thing bought a signed ARC of Monkey Love by John Paul Allen from the author.
Last Game Played: AdventureQuest (www.battleon.com)Fun, free, online. It’s pretty repetitive so I sometimes read and just click the “attack” button when it comes up so I can get lots of easy XP.
Last Delightful Surprise: Rachel Vincent asking me to review Rogue for her!! Squeee!!!
Last Embarrassing Experience: Telling the cab to let us out on the curb so he didn’t have to pay to get into the expo center and being told, as if I was an absolute idiot and not just someone who has not taken a cab to the circus before “I don’t pay nothing!”
Last Achievement: Finishing a short story about robot pirates raiding Disneyland rides. Oddly, it turned out to be much more serious than I thought it would be.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
February 13th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I’d never discourage anyone from meme-ing, Michele! It was pretty fun, actually.
Final recap:
Jolene went for A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
JSL requested SOMEWHERE I’LL FIND YOU
So I’ve given five people books they’d been hankering after, and we had a good time doing it. Sounds like a win to me.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I know my wish list has increased a lot