Tuesday Thinger: Spotlight on LT Technology - the CueCat

Welcome to another week of Tuesday Thingers! We always love to hear from regular participants as well as new people.

This week, we are going to take a peek into the LT CueCat. No sales pitches here - I'm really curious to see if anyone is using one!


What is a CueCat?? I'm glad you asked! According to Library Thing:

The CueCat scanner is a cheap but effective barcode scanner that plugs into your computer's USB port. LibraryThing reads data from unmodified CueCats. They cost $15 each.

Help! How do I use my CueCat?
CueCats ship with a short instruction sheet, and you can find more information in the FAQ.
LibraryThing user GreyHead has also written a very helpful guide.
There are also numerous sites that explain how to "declaw" the CueCat, for use with other scanning applications. For more about this, and about the wacky history of the CueCat, see Wikipedia.

Compatibility
We know it works with Win ME, XP, Vista and Mac OS X. We're not sure about other versions of Windows, although they were developed when 98 was the dominant version of Windows.

Other uses I found online for the CueCat (some of these are q&a type sites, so I scrolled down to see some suggestions):
~ Scan your wine collection
~ Cataloguing books, cd's, dvds
~ Creating a shopping list as you run out of grocery items (simply scan them)

I don't think LT is the only place you can get a CueCat ~ I was able to find a bunch of them on Ebay starting around $7.00ish including shipping.

Questions: Do you have a CueCat? Have you thought of getting one? If you had it, would you explore the other uses such as creating a shopping list? Can you think of any helpful uses for the CueCat other than scanning your books into LT? Any questions or suggestions for next week?

My Answer: I don't have one yet. I have thought about getting one as I want to get better (quicker) at uploading my books into Library Thing.

I'd LOVE to use it to catalog our dvd collection! We've got a ton of dvd's and don't even know what we have. . . hmmmm - I could keep track of who has borrowed what. . . this could come in handy. :)

Now that I think of it, I would probably use it to scan books and dvd's into PaperbackSwap and SwapaDVD as they are ISBN/UPC driven.

As far as some of the creative uses I found online while I was researching for this post, I would have to say I also LOVE the idea of creating a shopping list by scanning items as they are used (train the hubby to scan the milk container when it gets low).

Looking forward to reading everyone's answers!!

~ Wendi

If you are new to Tuesday Thingers: Welcome! The meme was originally created as a way to network with other bloggers and to learn about Library Thing! I'd like to encourage you to join us. If you don't know what Library Thing is - you are in a great place to learn about new things, and if you are an old pro, stick around and share your wealth of information! Visit Library Thing here. To join in, copy the picture and question into your post and link back here so people can read other responses. Make sure you leave a comment here with a link to your post so we can stop by! If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave a comment here!

Teaser Tuesday: Petite Sweets by Beatrice Ojakangas

TEASER TUESDAYS : hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading ~

Teaser :

**I'm doing a slightly different Teaser this week, and the picture comes directly from the publisher's site! I am absolutely in love with this book right now, and simply had to find a way to spotlight it as a teaser. :) **

~ Chocolate Truffle Tarts, pages 50-51 “Petite Sweets: Bite-Size Desserts to Satisfy Every Sweet Tooth" by Beatrice Ojakangas

About the Book (from the publisher):

A shot glass of velvety chocolate mousse. Itty-bitty key lime pie. Two-bite whoopie pies. Mini-desserts are one of the hottest food trends around, according to the National Restaurant Association. In Petite Sweets, renowned cookbook author and James Beard 2009 Cookbook Award Nominee Beatrice Ojakangas serves up more than 50 recipes for bite-size desserts that will satisfy every sweet tooth.

I always look forward to reading everyone's teasers! ~ Wendi

Mailbox Monday

Many thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week!

It is so much fun to see what everyone is getting in the mail.

Thanks for taking the time to visit ~ I just love hearing from you! Please let me know if you have read any of these books - I'd love to hear how you liked them!! :)

Better late than never. Just as I was getting ready to get my Mailbox Monday post ready for this week, we had to make a run to the emergency room for our son, who is 2 1/2 and was having a LOT of trouble breathing. Turns out it was a good thing we went - he has a really bad case of Croup that came on so quickly it left our heads spinning! So. . . after a very long night, I'm up and ready to catch up on my mailbox! :)

Here are the books that came into my house last week:

Angels: A Pop-Up Book by Chuck Fischer ~ Arts & Photography ~ Review copy received courtesy of Little Brown Publishing

Whether you consider angels to be divine messengers, spiritual guides, or the stuff of legend, you will find something to marvel at in Chuck Fischer's beautifully illustrated Angels: A Pop-Up Book. Fischer's original art, inspired by classic images from art history, is crafted into astoundingly intricate three-dimensional pop-ups with fold-outs and moveable parts. Angels brings to life the most captivating stories of these celestial beings, from the angels of the zodiac to Biblical angels to angels in the arts and popular culture. Much like its subject, Angels: A Pop-Up Book inspires awe and wonder and is a unique gift book for all ages.

Fit to be Tied (The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs, Book 2) by Robin Lee Hatcher ~ Fiction / Historical / Christian ~ Review copy received from the publisher (Zondervan) for an upcoming CFBA tour Nov. 9th-11th

From the publisher: It’s 1916, and Idaho rancher Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. So when charged with transforming English aristocrat Sherwood Statham from playboy into cowboy, she’s totally disconcerted. So is Statham, who’s never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.” Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.

I Run to the Hills: Reflections on the Christian Journey by C. Maggie Woychik ~ Non-Fiction / Christian Inspiration ~ Review copy received courtesy of the author for an upcoming FIRST WildCard Tour on Dec. 9th

From the publisher: I Run to the Hills: Reflections on the Christian Journey, by C. Maggie Woychik, is a collection of 39 thought-provoking musings aimed at enhancing your relationship with God.

Through essay, poem, and allegory, Woychik leads the reader one ridge higher, closer home, where mountain climbers will meet the Mountain Maker face to face, in rest and goodness.

This book is both a journey and a resting place, a collection of faith-musings loosely draped in traveling garb.

Leah's Choice ARC (Pleasant Valley, Book 1) by Marta Perry ~ Fiction / Inspirational / Amish Themed ~ Won a signed ARC from the author while attending the Facebook launch party for her new book Amish Peace (the party was really great!)

The first of three Amish-set novels in which a woman's faith must guide her through challenging times.

All of Pleasant Valley seems to think the newcomer from Lancaster County is the perfect match for Teacher Leah. After all, so few new families come to their separate Amish community, and fewer still unmarried men. Daniel Glick is a widower with three young children to look after-clearly he's in need of a wife.

Daniel's past haunts him. Though he cannot miss the beauty in Leah's bright eyes and patient ways, he also sees a reminder of his pain-filled marriage. Leah, too, has a burden to bear. Years ago, she was engaged to Johnny Kile, and she was heartbroken when he decided to leave the Amish community. Since then she has immersed herself in teaching, forgetting any hopes of having her own family. When Johnny returns, seeking reconciliation, Leah must decide between two pathways, either of which will completely change her life.

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera by Ron Schick ~ Non-Fiction / Arts & Photography ~ Review copy received courtesy of Little Brown Publishing

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera is the first book to explore the meticulously composed and richly detailed photographs that Norman Rockwell used to create his famous artworks. Working alongside skilled photographers, Rockwell acted as director, carefully orchestrating models, selecting props, and choosing locations for the photographs--works of art in their own right--that served as the basis of his iconic images. Readers will be surprised to find that many of his most memorable characters-the girl at the mirror, the young couple on prom night, the family on vacation-were friends and neighbors who served as his amateur models. In this groundbreaking book, author and historian Ron Schick delves into the archive of nearly 20,000 photographs housed at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Featuring reproductions of Rockwell's black-and-white photographs and related full-color artworks, along with an incisive narrative and quotes from Rockwell models and family members, this book will intrigue anyone interested in photography, art, and Americana.

A Novel Idea: Best Advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction by ChiLibris ~ Non-Fiction / Reference / Writing Skills ~ Review copy received courtesy of Tyndale House Publishing for an upcoming FIRST WildCard Tour Nov. 25th

From the publisher: Best-selling Christian fiction writers have teamed together to contribute articles on the craft of writing. A Novel Idea contains tips on brainstorming ideas and crafting and marketing a novel. It explains what makes a Christian novel “Christian” and offers tips on how to approach tough topics. Contributors include Jerry B. Jenkins, Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, and many other beloved authors. All proceeds will benefit MAI, an organization that teaches writing internationally to help provide literature that is culturally relevant.

Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money from the Inventors of the Ultimate Do-Ahead Dinnertime Method by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg ~ Non-Fiction / Cooking ~ Signed Review and Giveaway copies received courtesy of Mary Beth Lagerborg

From the back cover: Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg are back with a brand new book that features their Once-A-Month Cooking ™ technique guaranteed to save time and money. Filled with all-new cycles - two one-month cycles, two two-week cycles, and three specialty cycles: gourmet, summer, and gluten-free – their trademark method remains the same: You shop for an entire cycle all at once, buying in bulk and saving money. You do all the food prep for the cycle the next day, freezing and refrigerating what needs to be kept cold, stocking the pantry when appropriate. Then, as the family assembles for mealtime, you do some quick finishing and it’s ready - fast and delicious! Once-a-Month Cooking™ Family Favorites has something for every kind of eater and includes such soon-to-be favorites as:

-Adobe Chicken
-Baked Mediterranean Cod
-Chicken Wild Rice Soup
-County-Style Ribs
-Texas-Style Lasagna

With the perfect plan in hand and bulk shopping at economically-friendly prices, the Once-A-Month Cooking ™ technique is a surefire way to get a delicious dinner on the table fast so that you can spend more time with your family!

Over the Holidays: It's all Relatives... A Novel by Sandra Harper ~ Fiction ~ Review copy received courtesy of Simon and Schuster Publishing for a book tour on Oct. 23rd

The best holiday traditions are meant to be broken.

It's only December 1, and Vanessa Clayton has been dreading Christmas since she spotted tinseled trees at her local mall in September. Thankfully, she and her husband, JT, can't afford to drag their twin boys across the country to New England for the annual celebration at her stuffy sister-in-law Patience's home. Not that Vanessa has prepared a proper Christmas for her family in years, and she has less time than ever since she agreed to consult on the script of a local play. Her older sister, Thea, is no help -- she'd rather make art and flirt with surfers than babysit her nine-year-old nephews. Then Patience drops a holiday stress bomb: Her family will come to California instead.

In between "baking" cinnamon rolls for the school potluck and overbearing Patience testing her patience, Vanessa can't stop thinking about the difficult but charming playwright at work. Meanwhile, Patience's teenage daughter, Libby, obsesses over a college boy she has met by the pool, and Thea searches desperately for the meaning of Christmas -- for her latest installation, of course. As their holiday plans go comically awry, these four women discover the true spirit of the season is hidden in every festive surprise.

What was in your mailbox last week??

If you would like to participate in Mailbox Monday, head over to The Printed Page and grab the logo. Make sure to visit other blogs hosting Mailbox Monday and comment/leave your link!

Review: Mrs. O by Mary Tomer

Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy
by Mary Tomer
Center Street (October 28, 2009) ~ 248 pages
Non-Fiction / Fashion

Edition: Hardback - Received courtesy of Center Street Publishing (Hachette) for review


Perfect for : Personal Use, Coffee Table Book

My Thoughts: Once talk of Michelle Obama's fashion style started during the Presidential Campaign, I found myself watching for glimpses of what she was wearing via different media sources (the news, online, magazine articles, etc), and I always enjoyed seeing her personal style. In Mrs. O, Mary Tomer has brought together a time-line of events, full-color photographs and illustrations, and details all pertaining to the outfits Michelle Obama has worn, starting in February of 2007 and going through April of 2009. The details I like the best are the glimpses into the designers of the outfits, and the fact that she wore so many different names/brands, in varied price ranges. I also love that she seems to have brought an updated look to the White House while still maintaining a sophisticated presence. In addition to including the fashion details of Michelle Obama's stylish outfits, the author also included information on the events Michelle Obama wore them to.

The book is really all about the fashion and styles worn by Michelle Obama, and the designers who created the pieces she has worn, but Mary Tomer has dedicated the first chapter of the book to giving readers a glimpse of Michelle Obama's life prior to the spotlight of the Presidential Campaign. I especially found this chapter fun as I find that I often enjoy learning about the early lives of public figures (it makes them seem more like everyday people).

Content: Fun, inspiring and informative
Format: Written in a time-line format
Readability: Fun and easy to read
Overall: An informative look into the style and events Michelle Obama has participated in from the Presidential Campaign through April of 2009.

From the Back Cover:

Celebrated for her style and substance, Michelle Obama has transformed the role of first lady and become a 21st century icon, attracting attention from all over the world. The qualities so admired in her - intelligence, strength and charisma - radiate through her personal style, which has united accessibility with high-wattage glamour. The clothes, like the woman, feel both familiar and inspirational. Readily mixing high-end labels with more affordable brands, with a focus on craftsmanship and artistry, Mrs. O has elevated the notion of real value and ushered in a new era of "fashion democracy".

Building on the success of Mrs-O.org - the Web site that chronicles Michelle Obama's style - MRS. O: THE FACE OF FASHION DEMOCRACYtakes a closer look at America's modern style icon, featuring more than 120 photographs of the first lady and delving into the back story of her clothes and accessories. It also goes behind the scenes with interviews from her favorite designers, including Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Maria Pinto and Isaac Mizrahi.

Opening with a brief overview of Michelle Obama's early years, the book goes on to provide rarely seen photos from behind-the-scenes on the presidential primary trail through the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the monumental events of election night, the inauguration and early chapters of life in the White House. The final chapter hears the opinions of Mrs. O's adoring fans - giving the last word to the people.

Original photographs of Michelle Obama's most iconic looks, along with commentary from fashion experts, top off this tactile visual feast. Woven together with sketches and illustration inspired by the first lady, the book reveals the story of a new era of American fashion.

Excerpt (provided by the publisher):

About the Author: (From the publisher's press release)

Mary Tomer is the founder and contributing editor of Mrs-O.org. In the summer of 2008, captivated by Michelle Obama's arrival on the national stage, Mary realized the future first lady had the makings of a style icon - the genesis of Mrs-O.org. The site launched in September 2008, and has quickly grown to attract more than 2 million site visits, with traffic from 221 countries and territories. Mary has appeared on the Today Show, MSNBC, Access Hollywood and BBC Radio, speaking as an authority on the first lady's style.

If you have reviewed this book and would like me to add a link to your review, please include a link in your comment!

Music Review: Your Songs by Harry Connick Jr

Your Songs
by Harry Connick Jr.
Sony Music Distribution (September 22, 2009) ~ 14 tracks
Music / Jazz / Easy Listening

Edition Reviewed: CD ~ Review copy received courtesy of One2One Network

Perfect For: Background music for dinner party, party, drinks, etc. Background music at coffee shop, restaurant, business party/dinner. Great overall easy listening cd for relaxing, cooking, driving, etc.

My Thoughts: When I unwrapped Your Songs by Harry Connick Jr. and popped it into the cd player in my kitchen while I was making some scrumptious cream puffs for my husbands birthday, I don't know what I was expecting. . . but what I got was a wonderfully relaxing afternoon full of great and jazzy oldies. To fully understand what I'm talking about, you've got to see the track list:

Album Tracklisting (Originally performed by):
All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho
The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening
And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

While I didn't grow up listening to many (if any) of these songs, I was exposed to them via the wonderful movies on AMC, and a few favorite records I got from Golden Oldies Records here in the Seattle area (one of my favorites was a collection of favorite oldies by James Darren, which I used to listen to for hours at a time in my room). Listening to this cd really reminded me of those hours spent listening to the collection of favorites by James Darren, and I had a great afternoon (and many since then).

Your Songs would be great in many settings: listening to for relaxation/enjoyment, background music for MANY occasions (in both home and professional settings), and would be great for background music at a cocktail party or dinner party. Overall, this is not a ground-breaking cd with new sounds or twists on the classics ~ instead, it is a very safe, very nice mood/easy listening cd for background music or relaxing.

About the Artist: (from the One2One Network newsletter)

Singer, actor, composer, pianist, philanthropist, husband, father – Harry Connick, Jr. is all those things wrapped up in one (handsome!) package.

Harry's been indulging his musical passion since the age of 3, and played publicly for the first time at the age of 6! His career has been studded with awards and recognition, including several multi-platinum and gold albums, 25 million albums sold worldwide, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Awards; Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and so much more.

Married since 1994 to model Jill Goodacre, they have three daughters ranging in ages from 7-13. And for Harry – family comes first – we love that!

About the Album: (from the One2One Network Newsletter)

On his new album entitled Your Songs, Harry performs classic songs by some of the greatest musicians of all time, with a full jazz big band and string orchestra! He collaborated with the legendary Clive Davis, who has managed & guided the careers of so many fantastic musicians (Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson). These songs are the tunes that you always find yourself humming along to when you hear them!

Tuesday Thinger: To Shelve, Or Not To Shelve

Welcome to another week of Tuesday Thingers! We always love to hear from regular participants as well as new people.

With the popularity of ebooks increasing (at least I'm seeing them more and more in reviews and Mailbox Monday posts), especially with easy-to-use eReaders like the Sony ebook reader, the Kindle, etc, it made me think about whether a reader would include ebook versions of books in their shelves on Library Thing.

I did a search of tags and found that the tag "ebook" (including: ebook, !ebook, Digital Book, E Book, e-book, e-books, ebooks) was used used 118,241 times by 1,557 users. This means that at least a few people are using the site to document their ebooks as well as their physical books. I also thought it was interesting that 6 out of the 20 books shown to have these tags were written by David Weber.

Questions: Do you read ebooks? Have you used Library Thing to record ebooks in your book shelves? Whether you do or don't currently read ebooks, if you read one, will you be including it in your book shelves, and will you tag it as an ebook?

My Answer: I have and do periodically read ebooks, although I find real books easier and quicker to read for review purposes. Until today, I had never even considered including an ebook in my shelves, although I guess it should be fair-game, as it is simply another format of the same book, like a standard paperback or hardback. So. . . no ebooks currently in my LT book shelves, although I guess I will consider adding them in the future. I will certainly include the term ebook in my tags when appropriate.

Looking forward to reading everyone's answers!!

~ Wendi

If you are new to Tuesday Thingers: Welcome! The meme was originally created as a way to network with other bloggers and to learn about Library Thing! I'd like to encourage you to join us. If you don't know what Library Thing is - you are in a great place to learn about new things, and if you are an old pro, stick around and share your wealth of information! Visit Library Thing here. To join in, copy the picture and question into your post and link back here so people can read other responses. Make sure you leave a comment here with a link to your post so we can stop by! If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave a comment here!