Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 6-30-05

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Dear Reader,

I've been out of town, working a trade show for the last few days. I got home late last night and when I sat down at my computer this morning I immediately realized, "It's going to be one of those days."

Nothing about my normal routine seems appealing. I can't for the life of me figure out why, because usually I'm excited about doing my job.

This isn't the first time I've had "one of those days". I've definitely been here before--overwhelmed by familiar, simple, tasks--can't stay focused, and every couple of minutes my mind goes blank. . .

What was I talking about?

Yep, it's just gonna be--"one of those days."

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-29-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Remember, if you get behind in your reading, just hit that delete key. We start a new book every Monday. Be sure to keep the book club, a guilt-free treat.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I have to tell you that I just love your stories and anecdotes. They paint a very pleasant picture & sometimes bring back some dusty memories stored in some back closet of my mind.

An example is your experience with the bubble machine and your story about knowing about the lives of small shop owners and how much they care about your life. They brought a smile to my face as I remembered visiting my grandmother for a week many years ago during the summer. We used to walk to the park and church & stop in at various shops just to chat for a few.

Then, the bubble machine column reminded me how much she LOVED watching Lawrence Welk on TV. Wouldn't it be nice to go back to the happier, more secure times of our childhood?

So anyway...thanks for dusting off some memories for me & starting my day so pleasantly...Just thought that you'd like to know how much your readers appreciate you."--Jim Kurack

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-28-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Underwear, nail polish, and lipstick--I always stock up--because I know from past experience that the next time I try to replenish my dwindling supply, my brand will be discontinued. It never fails.

What should be a quick run into the store experience--grab my size and color--turns into a "new opportunity for discovery," as the sales clerk explained it to me, when I asked her why they weren't selling my brand of underwear anymore. I don't need new opportunities for discovery. It took me hours to "discover" the underwear I have on. Six months ago I searched ten stores and spent and entire day to find something that fit just right, and now she's telling me that it's discontinued?

I'm convinced that the phrase, "they don't make your brand anymore," is why people walk around wearing tattered looking underwear. If comfortable underwear weren't so difficult to come by, mothers wouldn't have to spend so much time worrying and reminding their kids: "Be sure to wear your good underwear--just in case you're in an accident."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-27-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Remember the old joke..."What's black and white and read all over?" And of course the answer is: the newspaper.

Well, after the other day, my version of that riddle is, "What's black and white and read all over my neighborhood?" The answer is: my column.

I was sitting on my porch, working on some columns--writing them out long hand--when the phone rang. I went inside to answer it, got involved in a conversation, and completely forgot about the papers I'd left outside. By the time I remembered, it was too late. My papers had blown all over the neighborhood.

I found a few of them, but I was furious with myself, because a lot of the material was going to be tough to rewrite. Things are "not" always easier the second time around.

The more I got to thinking about my "works-in-progress" roaming around the neighborhood, the more awkward and uncomfortable I felt. Because most of the stuff I'd written was in the first draft stage, and my first drafts--well, they're usually pretty crappy.

And I guess my neighbor agreed, because when he returned some of my papers to me later that evening he commented, "I'm pretty sure these are yours. I couldn't help but read them. This one is really good, but the rest of them, personally I think they need a little work."

Everyone's a critic!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-24-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

If you missed receiving one of your daily reads, go to:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/miss and you can get another copy of the read immediately. This link is in every day's email at the end of my column. Or, you can simply email me and I'll send it right out to you. I always love to hear from you.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I have misplaced your recipe for bran muffins. It's the one where you can make the batter in advance and bake what you want on a daily basis. Thanks for everything that you and your staff do on a daily basis--you make me want to devour books!! (and muffins!)" --Leslie

(Suzanne responds:) Leslie, here is the recipe. Sometimes I add fresh blueberries, when they're in season.

Dolly Madison Muffins

Mix all ingredients together in very large bowl:

4 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
5 teaspoons baking soda

5 cups flour
1 quart buttermilk (Add the flour and buttermilk alternately)
6 cups raisin bran cereal (the cheapest is okay)

Let the batter stand in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before baking. The batter keeps for 4 weeks. Bake 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-23-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I've always wanted to plant a vegetable garden. In fact, one summer when I lived in Wisconsin, I hired a man to come and dig a 14' x 12' garden in my backyard. I had big plans. He did a nice job. Rich, black, freshly tilled soil, was ready and waiting for me to plant some seeds. But I never got around to it. Oh, I think I put in a row of carrots, but then I got busy, and the weeds in the garden got busy doing their thing--and their thing won out over my good intentions.

A friend of mine loves his vegetable garden and so do the rabbits. Frustrated, and refusing to put up a wire mesh fence around his garden--he says it ruins the visual ambiance--he's trying something new this year.

He decided that if you "do unto rabbits..." they'll do unto you too, fairly. So this year, a few feet away from his garden, he planted a vegetable smorgasboard for the bunnies. And apparently he thinks they can read too, because he pounded a sign in the ground: "Rabbits, welcome. Help yourself to these vegetables."

The rabbits are quite pleased. They've been enjoying the main course in the "rabbit" garden and then after dinner, they just hop on over to his other garden for dessert.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-22-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Confession is good for the soul and it's even easier if you don't know the people you're talking to.

"Never talk to strangers" may be the advice these days, but when I need to get it out of my system, give me a stranger any day.

Friends, they want to help--and I'm appreciative--but strangers, they simply listen to be polite, never interrupting once, until I've finished my little tirade.

"Oh, my that's too bad," or "You poor dear," they console. I realize that's not really what they're thinking. It's no secret that when I'm out of earshot, they look at each other and announce, "She's a really weird one. Perhaps we should avoid walking down that street in the future?"

No doubt that's what the unsuspecting strangers, out for a leisurely walk, thought about me a few years ago. It was Christmas time and I had a house full of relatives. One was on a special tofu only diet, another was recalling the not-so-good days, 30 years ago, when her sister got a bike for Christmas and she didn't. My aunt seemed to be coming down with a nasty case of the flu, and our always-in-the-mood-to-party relative (every family has one) decided to check out the Sarasota night life, ended up in jail, and called wanting to know if I could raise bail money.

Don't get the wrong idea, I love having relatives at my house for the holidays, but I needed a break, so I was out in the yard wandering around reciting the, "Blessed thou art thankful" prayer, when a nice looking couple came walking down the sidewalk.

"Hello, how are you today?" they innocently asked.

Instead of answering with the usual, "Fine, thank you," I barricaded the sidewalk with my body and held them hostage for 20 minutes, giving them my own personal version of the Chevy Chase movie, "Christmas Vacation."

Afterwards, I felt much better. Yes, this talking to strangers thing worked great, until I asked my "strangers" where they lived. "Oh, we're new in the neighborhood. We just moved in two houses down from yours. Nice to meet you."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-21-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

When I was a kid, I used to love to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Hale's house in the summertime. It kind of felt like I was going to summer camp at an orchard: red raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, grapes, apples, pears, strawberries and popcorn--they all grew in their back yard. My grandparents lived in the city, but nothing was built up behind their home yet, so their backyard was more like the back forty.

Every morning it was the same routine. I'd stumble down the stairs, still half asleep, walk into the kitchen, stick my head out the side screen door and yell, "Good morning Grandma". And she'd set aside her berry boxes, and come in and make me scrambled eggs and toast. (Was I spoiled, or what?)

Grandma had already been up for a couple of hours picking raspberries--she had to--because at around 9 o'clock, neighborhood customers would start stopping by. She had a great word-of-mouth berry business. "Pocket money"--Grandma called it--"shoe money", I called it. Because every time I visited, she'd dip into her berry money, and I'd never go home without at least one, sometimes two, new pairs of shoes.

There was a shoe store off the downtown square, and when we walked by it, we both knew what was going to happen. We'd walk right by, and then I'd back up a bit, and stand in front of the store window looking at the shoes on display. Grandma would walk back, stand next to me and ask, "Do you need a new pair of shoes?"

"Well, I kind of like those shoes in the corner there, maybe I should try them on? Yea, I could probably use a new pair of shoes."

About that time, the shoe man would recognize us, and wave us in. Because from past experience, he knew for sure he was going to sell a couple of pairs of shoes, real soon.

I dug out some photos of Grandma Hale and me. If you'd like to see them, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/berry.html

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-20-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

And the winners are....

Last week there were two giveaways at the book clubs: ten copies of the book, "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name," by Heather Lende. And of course, an automatic bubble machine--just like the one that I wrote about in last Wednesday's column.

If you missed it, go to:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/bubble.html

Congratulations to the book winners: Joel Drazner, Christine Layne, Tanya Jackson, Kate Gossfeld, Christi Hnat, Bill Gardner, Kathy Bretschneider, Kristine Thielen, Hedda Boon and Deborah McKenzie.

And the bubble machine winner(s)--I decided to give two machines away--are Jonathan Chaney and Jessica Bates.

Jonathan wrote:

"Suzanne, your column really made me smirk, because two nights ago I was sitting at home...when a sudden urge came over me that I hadn't felt since I was 12. I wanted to color!! I don't know why, but I was tempted to go out then and there to get a nice, fat coloring book and a box of Crayolas. Because it was late, I decided to wait until tomorrow. But it slipped my mind again. This morning, here at work, I wrote it down on a sticky note to remind me. Then, I read your column about the bubble machine. Perfect timing! Take good care."

Jessica said, "dancing with my husband in the basement would be more romantic with a bubble machine going. And my mom would never let me run a bubble machine in the house. I love doing things I know Mom wouldn't approve of. It's the rebel in me. (I also jump on my bed, eat ice cream for dinner and stand on the counter tops)."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-17-05

Join my email book club. Over 280,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

One of the secrets of Chef Emeril's success is to "kick it up a notch." But lately, one of my secrets is that I've been kicking things "down" a notch. And surprisingly, it hasn't hurt me, or my work, one little bit.

When my mother died a few weeks ago, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to sustain my usual energy level, so I made some conscious changes in my schedule. I continued to meet my deadlines, and I had the same enthusiasm for work that I've always had, except for one thing...now it was easier to kick the stress level down a notch at the end of the day, in the middle of the day, or whenever I felt that I needed to take a break.

The first time I knocked off early in the afternoon, I kept looking over my shoulder for the work police to come and haul me back to my desk. But not to worry, because later that evening, I cheerfully sat down and finished my work.

I'm hoping this "kicking it down a notch" thing isn't just a phase, because, you know, I rather like it.

I stopped and smelled the roses the other day and I didn't even have to get out of my car. To see what I'm talking about, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/rose.html

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.DearReader.com

P.S. Sample an extra title this week. If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name, by Heather Lende. It also has a printable format, so you could print it t and take it with you on your summer activities. I have 10 copies of the book to giveaway to readers. Send me an email, tell me what you think of the book, and you're entered in the drawing. And when you go to the link below you can enter to win a free trip to Alaska.

Enjoy the read. To start reading, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/alt/alaska/index.html