Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 02-28-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I'm a fixer-upper, but some people would argue that it's not one of my better traits. Tell me what's bothering you and I'm a good listener, but then I might want to make it all better, even if you didn't ask for my help.

My mind starts sifting through possible solutions, unfortunately it comes naturally to me, (I'm good at thinking on my feet,) and immediately I move from telling you how sorry I am, to offering solutions about how we could fix this problem. The singular becomes plural and "your" problem is now "our" problem.

"What can 'we' do to fix this?"

Don't get me wrong, my intentions are good. I don't mean to be pushy, but sometimes I am. Especially if it's a problem I've experienced myself. The pain is too familiar and I don't want to see anyone else suffer, so stepping in and fixing-it-up, seems like the logical thing to do. But I've noticed that sometimes when I offer to fix problems, people get annoyed--even a little testy. So lately I've been doing some serious contemplating about whether or not I should get rid of the fixer-upper side of my personality. And after much consideration, I've concluded--that maybe it's not such a bad trait to have after all.

Listening to people's problems and offering immediate solutions, even volunteering to step in and fix their problems myself, why, some people get paid to be a "fixer-upper" and we thank them for doing it. Therapists, doctors, even my plumber is a paid fixer-upper but he insists on skipping the listening, consoling--"I'm sorry" part, all together: "Look lady, cut to the chase. Do you want me to come out and fix your backed up toilet, or do you just want to stay on the phone for a couple of hours telling me how it happened?"

I do, and I don't, and I paid him a whole lot of money--and I even thanked my fixer-upper. Maybe I'm just in the wrong profession.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Congratulations to the February Chocolate Chip Cookie winners, Joan Dulberg and Kathy Herfurth, Director of the Alger Public Library.

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-27-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 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 a book isn't a good match for you, simply hit the delete key. I feature a new book every Monday. Keep the book club guilt-free reading.

And thanks for taking the time to write, I know you're busy.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I really enjoyed your column today about the great one-liners we stumble across in our reading. I have a collection of one liners I have read that strike some forgotten chord. [This one] I ran across in today's book club read: "If you're going to have serious emotional baggage, you might as well carry it around in designer luggage." I don't know why that strikes me as interesting, maybe it is because everyone talks about how emotionally messed up the rich and famous are. But, really, aren't we all carrying around emotional baggage? They just get to use better luggage, which causes the rest of us to be a little envious. It's great to read with a friend like you!"--Susan Higgins, Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

If you missed the column about words of wisdom go to:

http://dearreader.typepad.com/dear/2007/02/join_my_email_b.html

"Hi Suzanne--I just feel compelled to write you and let you know that your column speaks volumes to me. Everyday when you have a new 'revelation' in your life, it seems to parallel mine. It's strange. Just when you figure something out about yourself, it's the exact thing I need to figure out about myself. Love it and look forward to it everyday."--Dana

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

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-26-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Rudy, my cat, was born and raised in Wisconsin, but he's definitely become a Florida cat. When we lived in Madison, Rudy wouldn't think twice about going outside in freezing temperatures and high-stepping over a mound of snow. But now, unless the sun is shining and the thermometer reads at least 65 degrees, he's an indoor kitty.

When it's Florida cold outside, morning, noon and night you'll find Rudy napping on top of the hottest seat in our house--the copier machine. The copier machine gives off heat and Rudy's an old guy, a little over 15 years old, who likes to keep the lower part of his anatomy toasty warm--the part where his tail attaches to his body, (my editor insisted I couldn't use the word butt.) He, Rudy, (not my editor) used to sit on top of our big, bulky, computer monitor and warm up his you-know-what, but then the new technology came along and no matter how hard he tried, Rudy couldn't straddle the thin, flat screens and he'd end up on the floor every time.

And now, the other day, Rudy's new favorite "chair" let him down, too. The copier died and I had to buy a new one, but the design wasn't compatible for sitting. So Rudy was out of a place to nap, and akin to Goldilocks and The Three Bears, "this one's too big, this one's too small, this one's too cold," Rudy kept walking around the house looking for the seat that was "just right."

I felt sorry for the old guy, because I didn't think he was going to find another "hot" seat, so I did what any doting cat owner would do, I bought a heating pad, put it on top of the old copy machine and created Rudy's own little personal, temperature controlled, butt warmer, (whoops there's that word again.)

*Rudy wanted to share his new hot seat with readers. To see Rudy and enter his drawing go to:

http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/fax.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win amazing signed books and read notes written just for you from these wonderful writers: Maggie Leffler, The Diagnosis of Love; Barbara Bretton, Just Like Heaven; Cassandra King, Queen of Broken Hearts; and Liam Callanan, All Saints. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-23-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It's a strange feeling when you realize you're lost. And things feel even more bizarre when you realize you're lost in the middle of a gated community. I was out for a stroll with Paul, my new grandson. Actually it was more like a speed-stroll. Paul likes a bumpy ride, the bumpier the better. So I was giving it my all, walking as fast as I could. We were flying over the sidewalks, Paul was loving it, I was starting to sweat (it was an 85 degree Florida day) and when I looked down the long street in front of me, thinking we'd been walking for quite a while and maybe we should head back, I realized all of the houses looked the same.

Of course I understand that's one of the concepts behind a gated community, neat little houses one after another, all alike, even the mailboxes and the posts (you're required to buy your mailbox post from one source and the charge for the post--just the post--is $275, and it's not even painted, as if that would make it more reasonable.) But I'm digressing; let me get back to my story.

Yes, I wasn't surprised that every street looked like the one next to it, but I'd never been on foot in the trenches of a gated community before. My only experience in maneuvering the look-a-like streets had been in my car. Make a right turn into the housing development, stop at the guard gate, recite the low-down on who I am and who I want to see, the arm of the gate goes up, make another right turn, drive around a curve and there is my son's house. I don't have to recognize his house, which looks like all the other houses, because his car is always parked in the driveway.

We'd been walking for at least an hour and Paul was going to be hungry soon. No baby formula, no bottle, no water, no diaper and no idea how to get back to my son's house. So I stopped and asked a man, who was watering his lawn, for help.

"No problem," he said. "It's easy to get confused if you don't live here. What street does your son live on?"

Okay, so the dumb just got dumber. No baby bottle, no water, no diaper, and no idea what street my son lived on. "This sounds kind of bizarre," I told him, "but I don't know the name of the street. I never send him mail"--it didn't sound all that cute when I said it out loud either. "But I do know that I take the first right hand turn after I go through the security gate."

"Well, there are four security gates in this community."

"I see."

I could never live with all the sameness, but the man watering his lawn sure was a friendly guy and he didn't make me feel stupid, which I appreciated, though I certainly provided him with a lot of material.

Not to worry, Paul and I finally found our way back home and he promised that getting lost would be our little secret. That's my boy.

* The lost-gated-vagabonds (photo) is at:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/carriage.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-22-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

"I may wake up tomorrow and realize this is all a big mistake."

I read that line in a book, can't remember when, but I know it was important to me when I read it, because I dog-eared the page. Sometimes when I'm reading a book it's the plot that draws me in, but other times it's the essence of the writing that keeps me mesmerized. Great writing inspires me to do great things in my own life and so when I come across a word, or a sentence that makes me pause, I turn over the corner of the page, so some day I can spend time with those words again. When I finish the book, it goes on my shelf and the next time I'm looking for inspiration or direction, the pages are waiting for me.

It's a little game I play with myself. Every marked page holds a clue to the mystery of "why"? What was so important to me? Was it an idea I wanted to use in a column? "I found patience and fortitude that I didn't know I had." Now that would make a great opening line. Or was it simply the way a sentence made me feel; "There is no point in hurrying because you're not actually going anywhere." Or then there was the time I read, "Fear tends to dampen the imagination." It hit way too close to home, so I marked the page and left it behind for another day.

But sometimes when I return to the page, searching for the words that meant so much to me, I can't find them. The mystery remains unsolved. I guess at the time it was something I needed to hear, but since then I've moved on; "You can reinvent yourself regularly," and so that becomes part of the mystery, too.

"Inspiration is everywhere", on every dog-eared page, or then again, "I may wake up tomorrow and realize this is all a big mistake."

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. I have 15 copies to give away to readers. Tell me which book club you're reading at and what you think of this week's book. Send your email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com and you're automatically entered in the drawing.

AUTHORBUZZ: Read about exciting new books by these wonderful writers who all have signed copies for you to win: Lisa Gardner, Hide; Debra Condren, Ph.D, amBITCHous; Robert Alexander, Rasputin's Daughter; China Mieville, Un Lun Dun; and Margo Rabb, Cures for Heartbreak. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-21-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

The creative stuff in my life, especially writing, usually comes after a little bit of torture. If I actually described to you what most days are like when I'm writing, you'd wonder, 'why does she do this for a living?' But the torture always leads up to the good stuff--I swear it does.

It takes a lot of digging to recognize the good stuff and I never find it until I've waded through a mess of emotions. I don't always like what I find, because I might be in the middle of a column about my father or how I really feel about something and suddenly there it is--the truth that's been hiding all these years. But after a good laugh or a wailing cry, I'm always glad I went there, even if it's not a happy ending. For me it's better to know the truth.

I grew up with an "elephant in the room," people pretending because they didn't want to admit the truth. So it took me a long time to trust my own feelings and to recognize that the really good stuff in life--is always worth the dig.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. I have 15 copies to give away to readers. Tell me which book club you're reading at and what you think of this week's book. Send your email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com and you're automatically entered in the drawing.

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of last week's giveaway for a retro apron: Jacqueline Stanley, Sarah Vlnka, Rosanne Genovese, Richard N Bartels, Laureli Becker, John M. Durgin, Jo Ann T. Johnson, Corie Walston, Betsy Cherry and Amy Matzke.

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-20-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

We sit alone in front of our computers every day and read the daily book club email, but we belong to one of the biggest book clubs in the world.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, am so glad, that I read with you everyday. You've changed my life in more ways than one. The book club has become a place of 'refuge' for me when the world seems so small. Am a 29 year old mother to 2 year old boy. Am reading with you from South Africa, my sister introduced me to your book club. I think it's the best thing, she ever did for me. Priscilla's story [about making recipe boxes for her children] helped me walk down the memory lane.

When I was pregnant with my son a lot of bad things happened to me, but now I count them as blessings. During the pregnancy I almost lost the baby twice. The second time around was serious that I stayed in the hospital for over 2 weeks. My son was born at 34 weeks, healthy and strong. We named him Gabor--God is my strength. When all this was happening I decided to write a journal for him. Another contributing factor was that my dad died when I was pregnant.

I wanted to write something about his grandpa in my own words not just show photos of him. The writing started, but somehow I lost track when my son was born, but Priscilla's letter and your response made me realize that memories are priceless. They are the best gifts you can ever leave behind for your children.

So this week am gonna get started with the writing again. I can't afford a scrap book, but will sure make him a nice photo album full of memories, for in case I might not be there to walk him the walk of life. Thank you."--Ruth Msiya

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

Warm regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. I have 15 copies to give away to readers. Tell me which book club you're reading at and what you think of this week's book. Send your email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com and you're automatically entered in the drawing.

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-19-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I went to a neighborhood bake off the other night. The woman down the street is one of those wonderful people who is always planning something fun. I mean that with all sincerity. I'd probably be a social recluse if it weren't for her invitations.

Her only instructions: bake off time 6:30 and whatever I baked had to be made with chocolate or berries. But was there really going to be a judge, or a first prize? Knowing my neighbor like I do, calling it a "bake off" could simply be her clever ruse for getting people to bake for her. She's not a baker.

Chocolate Lava Cakes are best right out of the oven when the warm, gooey, chocolate is running out of the center. It was a risky choice, but they are impressive. So my plan was to put them in the oven at 6:10, bake for 13 minutes, and then head to the party. (My neighbor's house is only a three-minute walk away.)

I was thinking I should probably be feeling a little nervous, after all baking something at the last minute--there'd be no second chances. I might have to show up empty handed, but surprisingly it didn't bother me and that was a wonderful realization.

It's not that I don't usually lean toward risky choices, I do. In fact some people would say that's part of my trademark. But in the past, whether I acknowledged it or not, there was always a backup plan--a second chance, waiting in the wings. All the details worked out in advance, checking and double checking, even for something as trivial as baking Lava Cakes. But, this new easygoing feeling, I like it. I think I could get used to feeling like this.

There was a judge and there was a first prize, but I didn't win. I came in an easygoing second--and it was quite all right with me.

If you'd like to make the Chocolate Lava Cakes, you'll find the recipe at:

http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path2-3.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Read about exciting new books by these wonderful writers who all have signed copies for you to win: Lisa Gardner, Hide; Debra Condren, Ph.D, amBITCHous; Robert Alexander, Rasputin's Daughter; China Mieville, Un Lun Dun; and Margo Rabb, Cures for Heartbreak. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/path_go.cfm?x=815&site=14

Dear Reader Column 02-16-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I don't like it when I get excited and really want something. I prefer the "take-it-or-leave-it" attitude or telling myself "if-it's-meant-to-be" fairy tales. Those are comfortable places, safe places. But eventually it always happens; I want something so much that I cross over the line.

It's scary crossing over the line--it sneaks up on me, building more and more every time I wish, I hope. I can clearly see it coming true, but then I quickly look around to make sure no one is watching. This wish, this dream of mine--oh, wouldn't it be wonderful? Yes, it's starting to feel like a perfect match and that's when it happens. I gently step over the line, just to test the water, but then I catch myself, 'Oh no Suzanne, don't do that, don't go there,' but it's too late. I'm drowning on the other side.

Gotta have it, hope it happens, nudge, nudge, are you sleeping Suzanne? If you are, you really should be up feeling excited about the possibility. I'm doomed, can't think about anything else.

But I suppose it's inevitable--crossing over the line. If I never crossed over, always walking down the middle of the road, when would I celebrate, when would I cry.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. If you've never sampled my famous chocolate chip cookies be sure to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. To enter this month's drawing for two dozen of my chocolate chip cookies, go to: http://emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie7.html

Dear Reader Column 02-15-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I couldn't have any caffeine for 24 hours the other day because of a medical test. There are a lot of pressing problems in the world other than having to go without my morning coffee, but I'm glad I didn't have to negotiate solutions, because I wasn't feeling very humanitarian. The warm and fuzzy feelings that normally flow through my body--no, none, zip, nada. Frankly, I might have traded my home state of Florida for a tall, black, cup of Gold Coast.

It's strange when you realize that one or two little cups of coffee control how you feel and how productive your day will be. A friend of mine suggested that since I'd discovered how much my body relied on caffeine, maybe it would be the perfect time to rid myself of the habit. And I agreed.

Maybe it would be the perfect time. "Yes," I told her, "I'll seriously think about that tomorrow when I am having my morning cup of coffee."

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. If you've never sampled my famous chocolate chip cookies be sure to enter this month's Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. To enter this month's drawing for two dozen of my chocolate chip cookies, go to: http://emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie7.html

AUTHORBUZZ: Read about terrific new books by these wonderful writers who have signed copies for you to win: Carolyn Haines, Fever Moon; Virginia Vitzthum, I Love You, Let's Meet: Adventures in Online Dating; Jack Getze, Big Numbers; Christine Conrad, Mademoiselle Benoir; and Jacquelin Thomas, Divine Confidential. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader