- Random Thoughts About Everything & Nothing -
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Books I Did Not Finish - 2024
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I was a bit harsh on a few of my DNF books this year. A couple I gave another chance and one I have now quit multiple times. I quit or didn’t finish 20 books in 2024. -
The Books I Read - January 2025
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Here are the 15 books I read in January. It was a good month of reading. I had a lot of books that had been on my list for a while and it was nice to get some of them crossed off this month. -
The Books I Read - December 2024
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Here are the 17 books I read in December. I had to power read a short story at the end because I was at 129 books and I couldn’t allow myself to end on that. So I made it to 130 and I’m quite happy with that for the year. -
Happy Holidays
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Happy holidays from our family to yours! -
The Books I Read - November 2024
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Here are the 13 books I read in November. I won’t get to the 151 books I read last year, but I am happy with my progress so far. -
The Books I Read - October 2024
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Here are the 13 books I read in October. What a perfect number for October! And I hit 100 books for the year this month, too. -
The Books I Read - September 2024
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Here are the 17 books I read in September. Yes. You read that number correctly. 17! -
The Books I Read - August 2024
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Here are the 6 books I read in August. One of them will be added to my favorites list, some I really liked and others were just ok. -
The Books I Read - July 2024
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Here are the 9 books I read in July. One of them will be added to my favorites list, some I really liked and others were just ok. -
The Books I Read - June 2024
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Here are the 8 books I read in June. A few notes on the books this month: -
The Books I Read - May 2024
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Here are the 10 books I read in May. A few notes on the books this month: -
The Books I Read - April 2024
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Here are the 6 books I read in April. I really enjoyed every book I read this month! I was also happy to fit in a couple poetry books for poetry month. -
The Books I Read - March 2024
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Here are the 8 books I read in March. I made one other change, I decided to start puttiing ⭐️ ratings back on my books on my Goodreads page. -
The Books I Read - February 2024
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Here are the 14 books I read in February. What do you think of this year’s blog post layout? I decided it was time to change it up. -
The Books I Read - January 2024
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Here are the 9 books I read in January. I decided I’m not going to post each of my books on instagram anymore. Maybe when I have a favorite or maybe not. But I am still making the collages of my monthly reads because they make me happy. -
Books I Did Not Finish - 2023
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This year may have been a record year for books I didn’t finish. I quit 24 books in 2023. -
The Books I Read - December 2023
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Here are the 9 books I read in December. I had a couple books I was hoping to get done before the end of the year, and I just didn’t have the time. But that means I will quickly have two books to add to my list for January! -
The Books I Read - November 2023
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Here are the 11 books I read in November. Nothing overly exciting to report this month….just slowly working toward hitting my 150 book goal. -
Happy Birthday (and Anniversary) To Me
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Happy Birthday to me! My 43rd bday and our 19th wedding anniversary was today. -
The Books I Read - October 2023
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Here are the 9 books I read in October. Aside from the first book of the month that was a poetry book, the rest of the month was filled with YA and middle grade books. That was about all the mental capacity I had this month. -
The Books I Read - September 2023
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Here are the 13 books I read in September. Toward the end of the month, I quit quite a few books and was having a hard time getting started or interested in the ones I have on hold. I’m thinking October might turn out to be a slower month. -
The Books I Read - August 2023
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Here are the 15 books I read in August. I read some really good books this month and had quite a few I really enjoyed. -
The Books I Read - July 2023
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Here are the 11 books I read in July. I’m really having fun making these pretty matching backgrounds for the books. I also love the way they look as a little collage. -
The Books I Read - June 2023
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Here are the 7 books I read in June. My reading always slows down a bit when school ends and the kids are home for the summer. There are new schedules and lots of summer activities. -
The Books I Read - May 2023
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Here are the 13 books I read in May. I’m really having fun making these pretty matching backgrounds for the books. I also love the way they look as a little collage. -
The Books I Read - April 2023
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Here are the 18 books I read in April. There were, again, a handful that were by repeat authors. Sometimes I find someone I enjoy and then try to read more of their books if they are available. -
The Books I Read - March 2023
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Here are the 14 books I read in March. There were a couple that were repeat authors (3 by one author and 2 by another). -
The Books I Read - February 2023
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Here are the books I read in February. There are 16 of them again this month. Fairly impressive considering February is short. -
Books I Did Not Finish - 2022
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I never find it easy to decide to stop reading a book. When I first think that I’m not into it, I usually give it just a little longer. Then I either continue or realize I’m just not feeling it. -
The Books I Read - January 2023
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Here are the books I read in January. I decided I wasn’t going to do (1/100) on instagram this year and just keep track of the total number. I am still working on how I might want to display them and I may change this to a bullet list instead of a numbered one. It could be one way or the other depending on when you look at this and what mood I am in. :) -
Happy New Year
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I hope you had a wonderful start to your new year! -
The Books I Read - December 2022
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I read 14 books in December. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Happy Holidays
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The Books I Read - November 2022
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I read 15 books in November. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - October 2022
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I read 12 books in October, same as last month. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - September 2022
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I read 12 books in September. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - August 2022
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I read 10 books in August. This is double what I read in July. I am glad to have finished a few more this month. The kids go back to school soon, so who knows how many I’ll finish next month! If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - July 2022
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I read 5 books in July. I had high hopes of completing a couple more this month, but it didn’t happen. I am guessing August will be a little light as well. Then I expect things to pick back up in September. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - June 2022
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I read 6 books in June. Summer tends to be really busy, so I don’t have nearly as much time for books as I do during the school year. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - May 2022
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I read 8 books in May. I was having a hard time really getting into books this month. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
What Is Wrong With People?
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I have some feelings on the events that have happened recently. I had this written but hadn’t posted it yet. -
The Books I Read - April 2022
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I read 10 books in April. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Adult Friends
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When we moved to Rosemount, we knew we wanted kids. So we found a neighborhood with parks, sidewalks and the hope of lots of young families. And that was definitely what we got. -
The Books I Read - March 2022
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I read 8 books in March. This was a pretty slow month. I actually had a lot of books ready at the library, but I skipped over a number of them this month. I just wasn’t in the mood for some of them at the time. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - February 2022
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I read 15 books in February. This was fewer than January, but I have a feeling March is going to be even fewer. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Minnesota March
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Oh, how we Minnesotans love March. It’s the first glimpse of spring that we get after our long winter. When it snows in March we aren’t thrilled, but we also know better than to assume that a couple warm days means winter is over. -
The Books I Read - January 2022
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Somehow I completed 21 books in January. I think that might be a record for me. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - December 2021
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These are the 18(!!) books I completed in December. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. I think next month/year (which is actually this month because I am still trying to get caught up) I will just post links to each of the books instead of the descriptions for each. Then if there are any you are interested in, you can go and read a blurb about them. -
The Books I Read - November 2021
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These are the 13 books I completed in November. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Books I Did Not Finish - 2021
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It has taken me a very long time to accept the idea of not finishing a book. Or just allowing myself to realize I am not enjoying it and to quit reading. But, it has been a very freeing feeling and these are the books that haven’t made the cut for me this year. -
Happy New Year!
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Well, 2021 was kind of a doozy. -
Merry Everything
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The Books I Read - October 2021
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These are the 10 books I completed in October. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
The Books I Read - September 2021
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These are the 8 books I completed in September. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Justify It All
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Recently, I have been finding that I have a huge desire to justify the things I am doing or have done. But why? -
The Books I Read - August 2021
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These are the 8 books I completed in August. If you want a little more on my thoughts for each of the books, check out my bookstagram page - @minihaysreads. -
Miss You All The Time
This is my most favorite song right now. I have it set as my ring tone for 6:59pm every day which is the time my dad died.
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The Books I Read - July 2021
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I am quite behind (like I was for last month), getting this posted. There’s been a lot going on and this was not taking priority. -
Dad
Richard (Rick) Norling * 4/19/53 - 8/11/21 - Read more - -
Blog Birthday
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My little corner of the interwebs turns -1- today! I can hardly believe I’ve been playing around here for a year already. -
The Books I Read - June 2021
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Yes, I am fully aware that it is the middle of July and I am just now posting my June books. But better late than never, right?! -
Work & Life Update
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Things have been going going going all summer long so far. I have been been taking pictures, but not posting as much. I will catch up at some point…maybe. But things are starting to transition back into a new normal and it’s been challenging at times. -
The Books I Read - May 2021
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Here are all the books I listened to in May. I didn’t finish any Kindle or actual books this month. They were all audio books. -
Being Seen
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Years ago when we lived in Seattle, I remember vividly one of the things I didn’t like about it there. The people never felt warm or welcoming. They seemed cold and I appreciated (and missed) “Minnesota Nice” when we were there. -
The Books I Read - April 2021
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Here are all the books I read/listened to in April. This was a record month for me with 19 books! -
Back At Work
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I’ve recently been going into the office for work now that the kids have been back at school. It has been so wonderful! -
Back At School
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The kids have been back at school for about a month now. And they are loving it! -
No More Book Ranking
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I have decided that rating books (with 5 stars or whatever other arbitrary numbering system you choose) is no longer for me. There are a few reasons for this and if you are interested in my why…keep reading. -
The Books I Read - March 2021
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I was shocked last month when I read 16 books. And here I am again, sharing 16 more books this month. -
Empty
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I struggled figuring out what to call this post. I almost just called it “Untitled”. But that didn’t feel right. No words felt exactly right. I was empty and out of ideas. -
COVID Books
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Oh COVID. You have been with us for about a year now. Our lives have changed and been uprooted. But there are some things you haven’t taken from us. Books. People are still writing and providing us with new works related to this pandemic. Here are some of them. -
International Women's Day 2021
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Today is International Women’s Day. Today is a day to celebrate women and all they do, can do and are going to do in the future. -
The Books I Read - February 2021
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I can’t believe I read 16 books in February. This blows my mind and makes me so excited. -
Intentions
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I came across a post on Instragram recently that laid out some intentions for 2021. I am not one to do a word or theme or set resolutions for the year, but these “intentions” seemed like something I wanted more of in my life. Especially as we are upon the year mark of this pandemic. -
The Books I Read - January 2021
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I joined a book group on Facebook and it has been so wonderful. After many of those people made a collage of their books read by month, I decided to give it a try. -
Books for Black History Month
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February is Black History Month. I am hoping to share just a small sampling of book suggestions for you to consider reading this month. -
Inauguration Day
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Today was such an historical day. Everything from the transfer of power, to the ceremonies, to those who were sworn in and those who spoke. History was made today. -
Yoga Challenge
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Yesterday, while talking with a friend, we decided to start a yoga challenge together. We called in another yoga friend and started a little group. -
2020 Reading Challenge
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Every year I add a reading goal. This particular one counts the number of books you read. I have done this for almost 10 years now and I love keeping track of what I have read this way. -
Happy 2021
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To say that 2020 was quite the year might be an understatement. I don’t know anyone that hasn’t been looking forward to 2020 ending and the beginning of 2021. -
Peace, Love + Hugs
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It has been MANY years since we have sent out a holiday card. But it seemed like the right time to send one after moving into our new house. -
Changed
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Things are different these days. Things have been different for a while. So much staying at home has taken its toll on so many people and I am finally starting to realize some of these changes in myself. -
The Ebb & Flow of Friendships
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I recently talked about the wide range of emotions I have been feeling. But I’ve also been struggling with friendships and how they have changed. -
Protein Balls
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We love these protein balls. I haven’t made them in a while, but everyone was happy when they appeared in the fridge. -
Emotions
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Lately, I have been feeling a lot of emotions as I am sure many of you have been as well. It’s quite a wide range of emotions and for a wide range of reasons. -
So Much Concrete
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After the house was torn down, the excavator came in to dig out the basement of the house. Then there will be lots more concrete to be poured…so much conrete! -
Kid Book List - Halloween
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Just in time for Halloween, here are a collection of kids books that are filled with monsters, witches and ghouls and sure to get your kids into the spooky spirit. -
Feeling Small
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I am feeling small. My voice is small. I’m only one person. But I want to shout from the rooftops that we are all people, that we are all equal. Why is that not enough? -
Notorious RBG
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This women was a hero. Ruth Bader Ginsberg was one of the most amazing women who walked this planet. She worked tirelessly for equality for everyone. She fought for so many things that should be important to every human. -
Writer Friends
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If you know me at all, you know I am a lover of books and reading. One thing that has made me so happy over the years is meeting authors. And even better, when those authors become my friends. -
Tearing Down The House
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Having the house knocked down was probably the most exciting part of our house building process. This felt like the real start to making our dream of living at the lake happen. -
Progression of a Puzzle
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This was a puzzle I got because I was feeling down and in a rut and I wanted something to brighten my day. Rainbows always brighten my day and I love puzzles, so this was the perfect activity. -
What I've Read So Far This Year
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I wanted to do a little recap of the books I have completed so far this year to get me caught up to start doing some book reviews here. I didn’t want to do a post for all of them, but figured I shouldn’t leave out everything I’ve read so far in 2020, either. So here’s a little summary. -
First Week of School - 2020
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We survived the first week of distance learning (DL) in a new school, a new district and living in a temporary house. It’s been a whirlwind week with a few struggles here and there. Overall, things are going really well. -
Maximizer vs. Satisficer
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Are you more of a maximizer or a satisficer? -
Distance Learning
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We have had a lot of decisions that have needed to be made recently as we are getting closer to being done building our house. But one decision that was really weighing on me was what we were going to do in the fall when school started. I was constantly thinking about it and was so relieved when we finally chose. -
Down Come The Trees
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We had heard that sometimes the fire department would be willing to burn the property down and use it for training purposes. We had them come out and take a look, but ultimately, we didn’t have the right set up to make it work. The plan was to have it torn down. But to make it safe to tear down, we first had to get some tree issues taken care of. -
The Fun Begins
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I mentioned briefly about how we came to start our journey on the lake. The process of buying a lot, tearing a house down and building a new one has been quite the experience. And we aren’t finished yet! Here is what the house looked like when we started. -
Little Library Love
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I have always loved seeing a Little Free Library while I am wandering around. I always take pictures of them and love to see what book treasures are inside. Some days I find lots of good books and other days, nothing is appealing to me. -
Welcome
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Welcome to my new web playground!