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We *do* have a USB wall charger but it's currently busy charging something else.

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The Cost of Fame

5/24/12 7:31pm by sassymonkey
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One of the things Adam Wilde struggles with in Gayle Forman's Where She Went is the isolation that results from his rise to fame. Adam is already struggling with loss and grief when the band makes it big. It can even be said Adam's loss and grief is what drives the band's material. Grief can be isolating by itself but now that Adam's famous, everyone wants a piece of him.  Read more >

You Don't Want To Be On Helen's List

5/24/12 3:49pm by sassymonkey
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I really, really liked Helen Williams. Helen is the mother of actress Vanessa Williams, co-author of You Have No Idea and a woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. As Vanessa's mother she's seen her child exposed to ridicule and just plain mean comments in the media. That's not an easy thing for any mother to deal with so how does she cope? She has her list. And you don't want to be on it.  Read more >

"The Great Gatsby" as You've Never Seen it Before (Trailer)

5/23/12 5:34am by sassymonkey in BlogHer Book Chat Comments (4)
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The internet is buzzing this morning after the trailer for Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. From the moment the trailer starts rolling you know this isn't any Gatsby you've seen before. Who else but Luhrmann would pair Gatsby with Jay-Z and Kanye?  Read more >

The I Suck at Meal Planning Edition

5/22/12 11:16am by sassymonkey in Loving food and sharing recipes! Comments (2)
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I don't know why we didn't make a meal plan last week. Maybe because last Monday was my birthday and I don't do things like meal plan on my birthday. I'm kidding. I *totally* plan my meals on my birthday. For a long time it was a "must have Mexican food on my birthday" plan, which was partly superstition (this rule did not get followed on my 25th birthday and well, it was just a horrid birthday), partly tradition (it started when I was 18) and partly a really good excuse to drink margaritas.  Read more >

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Sassymonkey

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Information

Full Name
Karen Ballum
Member Since
January 2006
About Me: 

Hi, I'm Karen Ballum, but I'm better know around the web as Sassymonkey.

I live in Ottawa, Ontario -- Canada's national capital. (No, I do not like politics or work for the government.) Keeping me company are my husband and cat, commonly known on the internet as the Fake Husband and the Fake Cat. Last I checked they were both still very real to most people but according to Denise, it's not real unless she can see it.

I have been blogging since 2004 on my personal blog, Sassymonkey.ca, and started my book blog, Sassymonkey Reads, in August of 2005. I read a lot and found I was starting to forget which books I had read and what I had thought of it. So I started my book blog as way of helping me track the books I had read.

I may have a slight addition to the overuse of parentheses. (Maybe.) (Sometimes.) (It's a sickness but one I am not seeking help for.)

I am the Section Editor for Books here on BlogHer as well as the BlogHer Book Club Host.

Location: 
Ottawa, Canada
 

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