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When you are LOST in a book | Weekly Snapshot

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I have just spent a bulk of my past 24 waking hours racing through the book Big Little Lies. Gosh, it feels amazing to be so consumed by a book that all you want to do is read it at every small or big opportunity. It was hard putting the book down or not thinking about Madeline, Jane, Celeste, or their terribly convoluted lives when I was supposed to be doing something else.


Last Week We drove back from Nashville on Monday morning after two full fun days at the Gaylord resort and one morning at the Hermitage, President Jackson's house. The house itself was glorious (and huge!) - we all enjoyed a good amount of history that day. The resort was a feast for the eyes - all those trees and gardens inside the massive building!

On our drive back home, we had couple of hours to kill so we took the kids to the Dinosaur World in Kentucky. That turned out to be a good decision as the kids had a blast and the adults also had fun learning something new.

Currently This weekend is so far turning…
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The Sunday Salon (The Late Evening Edition - road trips and Indie Lit Awards)

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The Sunday Salon.com

Honestly, I didn't feel like blogging for two days. I almost didn't write this post, but I guess after a couple of days, my brain cells are itching to send some signals to my fingers. I just got back from a visit to my university with my family. This was the first time I went there after 7 months! I can't tell you how excited even I was as we approached the place that was my home for two years. My dad agrees with me that Virginia Tech is one of the most beautiful campuses in this country. (Ok, he has seen only two other campuses, I have seen only one other campus. Plus neither of us have seen Univ of Colorado-Boulder, which I've heard is even more beautiful. But let's not count that against this, okay?). My ever-neutral mom doesn't want to choose between mine and my brother's universities, but I think she secretly likes mine.

Next weekend, we're all piling up into a car with my friend and his wife (or my friend and her husband) and heading up to DC to check our some sights AND celebrate the Cherry Blossoms festival! Have you started seeing the white/pink flowers sprouting up anywhere in your place? We have a few cherry trees beginning to bloom here, but I imagine it's going to be even more beautiful next week! Yay spring for the colors! Boo spring ..mumble.. for the hot weather ..mumble..

Indie Lit Awards

Last week, Indie Lit Awards announced the panels and categories for the 2011 awards. I loved tracking this Award last year - they did such an awesome job! This year, I'm a Voting Member for the Literary Fiction category. I'm really excited about this, and can't wait to see the books that are going to be nominated. 2011 has so far been an exciting year for books!

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bermudaonion (Kathy) said…
Tech does have a gorgeous campus! One of the greatest things about it is how well it's organized - with an academic side and a residential side. The Cherry Blossom Festival should be lots of fun!
March 20, 2011 at 6:40 PM
Vasilly said…
Make sure to take some pictures of the Cherry Blossoms festival! I'm excited about the Indie Lit Awards too. Have a great week!
March 20, 2011 at 7:22 PM
Suitejuju said…
Oooo I have always wanted to see DC in the Spring. Pictures please!
March 20, 2011 at 7:35 PM
ashbrux said…
I love Cherry Blossoms! I've been to five college campuses I think. I have to say I like University of Iowa's best, but I also ended up going there so I'm biased haha.
March 20, 2011 at 7:40 PM
hcmurdoch said…
I have never seen Virginia Tech, but think Connecticut College is pretty cool looking, too. I am really looking forward to seeing UVA in a week or so, I've heard it is gorgeous
March 20, 2011 at 7:51 PM
Bellezza said…
I haven't seen the cherry blossoms in either DC or Japan, but they were in full bloom the Spring I visited my college of choice in Ohio, in 1979. So, so beautiful...

You'll do a wonderful job of judging the literary fiction. Can't wait to see the results!
March 20, 2011 at 8:35 PM
Athira / Aths said…
I was just telling my family that today - about the academic side and the residential side. It's really a good thing because it takes a long time to get from one end to the other - which I had to do a lot initially.
March 20, 2011 at 9:22 PM
Athira / Aths said…
I will! I can't wait to see the Cherry Blossoms! I just love those sights!
March 20, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Athira / Aths said…
You should! I'll definitely share pictures! :)
March 20, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Athira / Aths said…
Haha! I expected that! :) I really want to visit more campuses, so if I ever come to Iowa, I'll visit yours! :)
March 20, 2011 at 9:31 PM
Athira / Aths said…
UVA's another university that I want to visit some time! I hope I can make it next week, if not some time definitely!
March 20, 2011 at 9:36 PM
Athira / Aths said…
Thanks so much, Bellezza! :)

I really can't wait to check out the Cherry Blossoms. That's one of the sights I wait for in Spring!
March 20, 2011 at 9:39 PM
Misha said…
I'm excited about the Indie Lit Awards. I didn't know about it before! I am looking forward to seeing which books are nominated.
March 21, 2011 at 12:06 PM
nomadreader said…
I'm looking forward to joining you as a literary fiction voting member! I loved the awards this year too and hope for some excellent books!
March 21, 2011 at 1:33 PM
Athira / Aths said…
Me too! I loved the books that made it to last year's list, so i'm really excited about this year's!
March 21, 2011 at 1:39 PM
Athira / Aths said…
I can't wait to see what we have in store for this year!
March 21, 2011 at 1:40 PM
Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness) said…
Sounds like a fun weekend! And congrats on being part of the Indie Lit Awards. I'm in charge of the nonfiction panel again and very excited -- it was a cool process last year, and I think this year will be even better.
March 21, 2011 at 10:09 PM
Meg @ write meg! said…
Yay for the cherry blossoms AND the Indie Lit Awards! :) I'm headed downtown to see the blooms next Friday and am very excited. I live in Southern Maryland and get downtown often, but it's always best during cherry blossom season. My mom and I have taken a day off work to see the trees the past few years, and this year my boyfriend is coming, too! Should be really fun!
March 22, 2011 at 3:29 PM
Athira / Aths said…
I was really excited about the awards last year, so I'm really thrilled about being a part of it this year! Can't wait for the nom season!
March 22, 2011 at 9:46 PM
Athira / Aths said…
How awesome it is that you live so close! I hope you have fun too! I'm glad your boyfriend is also joining you! :)
March 22, 2011 at 9:47 PM
Kalpana Palaniswamy said…
I like my friend and her husband better :)
March 23, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Athira / Aths said…
Haha! I thought you might like it! :)
March 23, 2011 at 3:12 PM
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