I knew this would be a phenomenal book just by reading the description, and not just because I'm an introvert. But especially because I'm an introvert.

One of the best things about being on vacation (other than not having to go to work) is that I actually have time for writing. It's time I cherish because I get it so rarely, and I confess it's hard not to be ridiculously jealous of people who get to write full time.

I've just spent the weekend with a large portion of my extended family. My grandparents have lived in the same house for 43 years, and small-town Oregon still serves as the meeting place for our holiday gatherings.

This is the first year since working at my company that I've been in the sales department. It's been an immensely satisfying year, as I've loved building relationships with my customers. And I've been looking forward to the holiday season in particular, as I knew it would involve the company springing for some holiday goodies I could send my customers' way

My dad was the one who recommended this book to me. I was expressing my sadness over having published a great book but being a virtual nobody, and he said he'd heard of a book that was all about increasing your following.

I was alarmed when I saw a "help save an indie bookstore!" message regarding a darling bookstore in Northeast Ohio. Alarmed because I love all indie bookstores, but my heart goes out to Cleveland-area bookstores in particular. Because I know them. And I can't bear to see them in trouble. So I clicked on the link.

I knew before I went into this whole thing that my choice of title was not exactly original. Ooodles of Schooled books exist, but it never really deterred me, as I knew from the get go that as a title, it perfectly encapsulated what I wanted to say.

It's hard to call her a newcomer when she's got a few albums out there already, yet I doubt most people have heard of her until now. I only heard about her (earlier this year) because someone introduced me to her music.

My street has been under construction for the past six months. I'm not just talking flaggers and orange cones. I'm talking mountains of gravel, the entire road gutted, cranes and other various machines (and a port-a-potty) lining the street 24-7.

I'm in the process of studying for a final. (No, there isn't an education-related addendum being written to Schooled. Although I can confirm that these hobby-esque classes will be tied into the subject of currently half-done book two.)

All this Kindle talk has made me think about Kindles. And how I don't have one. It seems like a must-have for any reader, but here are the reasons why I have not yet jumped on the bandwagon …

Well, it's that time of year again: The time of year when Starbucks brings out their festive red cups. I'm not a coffee drinker myself, but I love those red cups (I suggest a Hazelnut Steamer if you don't care for coffee).

I've been traveling this week, and it's the first time in probably years that I didn't bring a computer with me.

I began my Christmas shopping this weekend. So far I'm spending way too much per gift (as well as spending way too much time in each store), but that's neither here nor there.

I was in Pittsburgh this past weekend, a city I visit fairly often. I love the donut shop in the strip district, I love that Pittsburgh houses both the closest IKEA to me and also the closest Tiffany & Co., and I love that it has the same industrial blue collar feel as Cleveland but is infinitely more lovely with all those rivers and bridges. I might live there if they had an NBA team. Yet, I digress.

I was in the fifth grade when Bill Clinton beat out George Bush for the presidency. I remember because I found out at school. On the playground. Not that any ten-year-old has anything resembling political allegiances, but my parents were Republicans, and all the election-related comments I'd overheard from them had strongly favored Bush.

When I think of New York, I think of it as a very bookish city. From the Barnes & Noble on Fifth (yes, I looked myself up on their computer) to the little indies like this one I photographed in the West Village, people there love to read.

There are worse places to be, surely, although it's somewhat torturous to be in a city as fabulous as this one and have there be absolutely nothing to do. And I really do mean nothing. Everything is closed, all transportation at a standstill.