***** Are you a book blogger living in California AND a member of the Book Blogs Ning group? I just discovered there’s a California Book Lovers sub-group over there (thanks to Natasha at Maw Books Blog for the tip-off; she actually mentioned another state’s book group, but that made me decide to go looking for my own) – why don’t you go ahead and join, too? And help spread the word! *****

***** Nominations are open until next Monday (January 12) for the 2009 “Bloggies” – the 9th Annual Weblog Awards. Any blog reader can nominate up to three blogs in each, or any, of the listed categories. Note that there is no category for book blogs, and they are specifically not mentioned in the “entertainment” category, so those nominations would go in the “Best Topical Weblog” category (that is, “(w)eblogs with a distinct topic other than the ones in the categories (already listed)”), if you have any you’d want to submit. Please read the nominating rules and the guidelines for each category.

Wendi’s Book Corner (new home of Tuesday Thingers)

We’ve made it through one more holiday season: Why it’s good to be “the X-mas Jew“, and why you’re lucky to be at work during Christmas week (I was there, and “lucky” really hadn’t crossed my mind…); also, my reaction to a far-from-happy Christmas story, posted at the LA Moms Blog (if you have any thoughts about this one, please leave your comments over there!)

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions – and considered your real motivations for them? A few of my LA Moms Blog friends shared theirs; others went the anti-resolution route. Or do you still need some ideas? Did you know that the government can help you(!) keep your resolutions? (That link was PopWatch‘s “Site of the Day” on January 1st.) On a possibly related note, some advice about living in the moment

Fix health care, fix the economy; looking toward 2009 politics; also, 10 changes you should hope NOT to see at your workplace

Blogenstein (a/k/a Tall Paul, a/k/a my husband) has suggested he may blog less infrequently in 2009; this pleases the Bride of Blogenstein (a/k/a me). He started the year with two photo-heavy posts looking back at 2008 events: our road trip to Yellowstone, and his visit to New York City last spring, chaperoning his daughter’s drama class (while I was home alone) – stop by and say hello! And that reminds me…I’d like to say that a variation on this conversation has never happened in my house, but I would be lying.

As far as this bride’s concerned, the wedding’s NOT all about her

The coach’s approach to dealing with adversity; a day in the life of the “Hot Sub”

Love college football, but hate the BCS? The Left Field Bluffs guys have simulated the five BCS bowl games, so you don’t have to watch them (or wouldn’t have had to, if you’d read these first)! (Sports aren’t really my thing, but the founding blogger at LFB is my son Chris, so of course I subscribe, despite the profanity; he did NOT learn that language from his mother!)

Retire to read…or are there jobs where you can read on company time? Also, does it ever strike you that reading felt different when you were a kid? Sometimes I feel that way, and I thought this article really captured that.

Got a chocolate craving? Cake in a coffee mug might hit the spot (the recipe looks very easy, and MaryP says it’s delicious!)

Looking for someone to blame…for anything and everything? Here’s your scapegoat! Also: Is the Wii Fit politically incorrect?

Random question of the week: “Who’s Your Role Model?”

BlogHer‘s contributing editor for books, Sassymonkey, has posted an excellent roundup listing dozens of year-long reading challenges for 2009! You can also find several challenges hosted at J. Kaye’s Book Blog, and an ongoing catalog of reading challenges from all over at A Novel Challenge.

> I can no longer say that I don’t do reading challenges, but I’d think about this one because it wouldn’t be much of a challenge for me. However, I’ve heard that some people don’t read many books (huh? what’s that like?), so this is perfect for them – all that’s required is to read ONE book for your own enjoyment. This challenge calls to heavy-reading book bloggers too, though, since many of us get much of our review fodder via ARCs and new books we receive directly from publishers and authors: the 2009 Buy One Book and Read It Challenge encourages us to give back and support the publishing industry, and has a variation for high-volume readers (no pun intended!). Follow that link to My Friend Amy for more details. (And if you need more incentive, here’s a personal-finance blogger’s defense of buying books.)

> Here’s another one I’d think about doing, since I’ve already partially completed the “neophyte” level (I’ve seen the movie version of Stardust); Jessi of Casual Dread is organizing the year-long Dream King Challenge around the works of Neil Gaiman.

> I should join one of the annual TBR Challenges (Original or Lite), but what holds me back is the fact I have to commit to a list of books (although alternates are allowed) before the year begins, and I just don’t want to plan my reading that far in advance! In any case, the deadline for 2009 sign-up was December 31 since the challenge started on January 1, so it’s already too late for this year.

*Since most of the book bloggers I know have been doing year-end wrap-ups this week, the wish list will return next time, with new finds I want to add to “my own” books.

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