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Six months remain until the world’s end,
Which means there is no time to play games here.
There are feelings to eat and rules to bend
While people run out to buy Pop-Tarts and beer.
I’d head to the beach to enjoy the sun.
Pants would be banned ‘cause my ass would be tanned
And sitting next to a certain someone
While our entwined fingers graze the sand.
Before our incendiary ending,
I’d sing every song that played in my heart,
Without doubt, fear or judgment ascending
In my throat to stifle the shaky start.
I’d stop making jokes to mask how I feel
Because regret shouldn’t be my last meal.

—

Erica Nardello is a writer and marketing professional living in Philadelphia. Follow her on Twitter (@ericanardello) and visit her online at www.ericanardello.com. 

Another entry in the “new twists on old favorites” category is the Banana Split Pop.

These pops have everything: 3 different ice cream flavors, two fruity toppings, chocolate fudge, and even a banana surprise in the center. Add some whipped cream and a cherry on top, and you’ve got a complete, no-holds-barred sundae on a stick!

Photo by In Sappho We Trust

Sometimes a book will be read so many times that its cover starts to tatter and the pages fall out.

Instead of throwing it away, you can transform it into something else! Here you’ll learn some crafty ways to take apart an unwanted book and make it into something useful.

1. Make a Wreath: By rolling, cutting, folding or crumbling the pages of books, you can arrange them into a wreath that’s good for any occasion. Then you can add any personal touches you want, such as ribbon, berries, or a photograph. Check out this awesome tutotial on The Shabby Creek Cottage.

2. Paint or Print: Mediums like watercolor or printmaking can be a unique alternative to blank paper. Here’s a great how to on Instructables.

We’re halfway through Summer. And for those of you prepping to head off to college… well, take it from me, you might need this advice.

The first day of school may have been a little scary when you were younger, but you can handle anything now, right? Bad news: if you just graduated from high school, you’re not out of the woods yet. Your freshman year in college is one of the biggest transitions of all, and one of the first challenges you’ll be facing is getting along with your roommate.

Good thing The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College has some hints, tips, and tricks in case it’s not working out between you two.

Photo by Nadia Hatoum

Summers at the movies evoke images of action flicks with lots of explosions.  But bookworms like me won’t feel left out as they retreat to the cool air conditioning of the theater.  Here are four summer blockbusters you won’t want to miss.  And I won’t even make you read the book first.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Now Playing) Seth Grahame-Smith adapted his novel of the same name for this movie that imagines our 16th President’s secret vampire hunter identity.  The majority of the film takes place in the Civil War era, where another war wages – this one against the race of vampires.

Both the film and the novel seek to explain the early death of William Wallace Lincoln as an attack from the undead.  The film’s star Benjamin Walker seems to be making a career of portraying presidents.  Walker played Andrew Jackson in the Broadway musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” last season.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Now Playing) Based on the popular pregnancy book of the same name, What to Expect When You’re Expecting follows five couples at various stages in their pregnancies.  This comedy offers a lighthearted take on the joys and pains of pregnancy, using acquaintances and associations to weave together the various story lines of these five couples.

Screenwriter Heather Hach is no stranger to adaptations.  Hach wrote the script for the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday and the book for the Broadway musical “Legally Blonde.”

There are hundreds of podcasts out in the ether these days, with a range of audio quality from one guy in a basement with a computer microphone to company-sponsored full-cast performances. Finding programs to listen to while you’re in the car, going for a jog, or just hanging out at home is largely about trial and error, starting with a topic that interests you and downloading the usually free shows until you find the voices that suit your tastes.

One of the great things about the growth of podcasts as a means of expression is that modern technology can connect people from across the country for a chat, and the content is one hundred percent up to the creators.

Here we’ve compiled a list of some great podcasts that tackle books, authors, publishing, and everything in between.