August 2006

Summer Reading Challenge

14 Comments / Books in Bed, Meme, Reading Lists /

Src4Amanda is running a Summer Reading Challenge and it’s interesting. I’m not sure what such a challenge would be, for me. 28 books is not all that many, probably about what I’d read when it wasn’t summer, ya know? The other problem is that while some people have more time to read in the summer, I tend to have less. Maybe what I should do is create a list of a certain type of book? That doesn’t seem like it would work well either though because of how I choose books in general – and because almost all of my books come from the library so my reading is based on the speed at which others return books that I’ve reserved.

Updated on May 23rd: I’ve decided what my challenge is – only 20 19 books but these will definitely be a challenge for me since I’ll also be trying to keep up with the “normal” reading we’ll be doing aka keeping up with TW’s normal reading:

Updated June 26: Only 2 down, I’ll never make it!

Updated July 2: Cloud Atlas, Crucible and the Mark Twain – done!

Updated July 15: Kindred, The Ancient Child – 7 finished, just 7! Ack!

Updated: July 21: Vanity Fair – DONE! Taking a break for something GOOD! Heh.

Updated July 23: The Shadow of the Wind – Done! From the “meme section”. 10 down and starting the scarey stuff now…

Updated August 2: Kristin Lavransdatter – finished. 10 down, more scarey stuff on tap!

Updated August 6: 2 more finished, 175 pages of Gravity’s Rainbow but I’ve given up, for now. I might make it after all… maybe… 12 0f 19 finished.

Updated August 13: 16 of 19 finished (plus 1/3 of Gravity’s Rainbow, which I’ve given up on in favor of another Pynchon novel…)

Updated August 19: 17 down, finished The Crying of Lot 49 which I substituted for Gravity’s Rainbow. I have Possession on audio and am ordering Odd Women now, hopefully it will arrive quickly and I can finish before the end of the month. I’m almost impressed with myself!

Updated August 31: Yea! I’m done, I did it! Well, sort of. I am listening to the last book right now, on audio. I’m on cassette 5 (there are 16 cassettes). So I won’t really finish by midnight tonight but I will finish it in a week or so. I’m pretty pleased that I managed to complete this challenge. It was much harder than I thought it would be, too.

Read 1 book I own but haven’t read – 5 (thanks Sassymonkey) Here are the 5: The Girls, The Land of Women, Midwives, Mrs Shakespeare, The Effect of Living Backwards Done 8/13/6

Read The doggone Moonstone – Done 6/6/6

Read The doggone Dragonriders of Pern – Done 6/20/6


Read a classic that I haven’t read before 5. Here are the 5 I’m going to read (thanks to Jules and Sassymonkey for assisting in the creation of this list!) : Odd Women, Vanity Fair, The Diaries of Adam & Eve, The Crucible, Kindred –Done 8/30/6


Read the books on this meme that I haven’t read (3) (2) (1)- problem, it appears I have read all three of the books in His Dark Materials. I reserved the one I don’t own/thought I hadn’t read and it turns out, I have read it after all!

Read books from the Teachers First’s Lifetime Reading List that I have not read 5 (the list: Possession, The Woman Warrior, The Ancient Child, Gravity’s Rainbow (substituted The Crying of Lot 49, Kristin Lavrandsdatter)

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Daily Dose of Life – 101 Update

101 Things /

It’s that time again, time for the 101 things in 1001 days update. Not so hot, really. Lots of books were read, classics and non-fiction (thank goodness for the Summer Reading Challenge). The freezer was defrosted and cleaned, accidentally really. Chris somehow unplugged the thing so the little bit of food that was in there got defrosted, which led to total cleaning. I guess I should thank him, shouldn’t I?


Onto September…

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The Odd Women

2 Comments / 2006, Books in Bed, Classics, Feminism /

I did it! I finished The Odd Women! For awhile, I thought life was going to conspire against me and prevent me from finishing before the month ended. I’m so glad I read it.

I was afraid I was going to hate it and end my Summer Reading Challenge on a sour note. Gissing, well he’s an odd duck and I can’t decide how I feel about him in general. But I didn’t. It drove me nuts in places, silly women making silly choices and all of those ridiculous men reigning over the women, or expecting to be able to reign over women. Bah. Down with the patriarchy! Heh.

I wasn’t thrilled with how Monica’s story ended. I was very pleasantly surprised by what happened with Rhoda and Everaud, I think that worked well – from the feminist perspective.

The only question I’m left with is why was it so hard to acquire this book? It isn’t available at my library or at the SFCC library (I never had time to check at UF). I checked two used bookstores in town and it wasn’t there. I called Barnes & Noble and it wasn’t in stock. Weird. I don’t understand it.

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Daily Dose of Bloghers – Newsy Stuff

1 Comment / Daily Dose /

Lots of good stuff has been happening on Blogher and I have been far too busy to even think about nudging you over for a peek. I’m making time today because this is important stuff and most of you are important people who should know about these things.


First, Sassymonkey, who you all visit everyday when she gets in trouble, talks about food or talks about books, is the brand new CE for the brand new BOOKS category. About darn time we have a CE covering books, isn’t it? And how smart of the Blogher Three to realize sassymonkey is the woman for the job. Her first review is awesome – I’ve attempted an interlibrary loan request for it but if that doesn’t come through… mom, you can send it for my birthday, ok?


Next, Kim Pearson is amazing and if you do not read her blog then you are obviously not one of the important people I mentioned in the first paragraph. Or maybe you are and you were just waiting for me to tell you to go over there and read her blog… anyway, Kim’s post on Blogher was linked in the WSJ.


One last awesome thing, Jan Kabili has started podcasting. What pray tell is she podcasting about? Something I know very little about and prefer to continue knowing very little about…. Photoshop! (I’m a diehard Paintshop Pro fan – sorry Jan!) I know there are a lot of Photoshop addicts out there so get thee to Jan’s blog and check out her podcasts. Give her a good review or two, please.

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Daily Dose of Television – Survivor

3 Comments / Sights & Sounds /

I am a Survivor fan.  Blame TW.  Until she came along, actually until we moved in together, I was not a Survivor fan.  I didn’t get the big deal.  I had enjoyed reality TV, in the form of Real World in the early days, but Survivor – bah. Whatever.  Then, I got hooked.  I think I enjoy it more than TW now.

The upcoming season, I was looking forward to it.  Now.  I’m not.  I’m considering reducing my television watching to only one hour a week and simply skipping Survior – The Races Divided.  I really really dislike the idea of four tribes divided by race.  For the record, I wasn’t fond of the age/gender split last year either.  And that whole male/female thing several seasons ago in the Amazon (I think it was the Amazon), I wasn’t a regular watcher of the show so I never formed an opinion but today, I don’t think I like the idea.

It’s brilliant, I do believe that.  The buzz alone about it is worth its weight in ratings.  The possiblities… when tribes are merged, will members vote along tribal lines because it makes sense or because they are exhibiting racism.  The chores around camp – who is going to do them? And if a person of color avoids the hard work does that indicate the entire race is "lazy"?  Brilliant, definitely.

Unnecessary, also definitely.   Racial and cultural issues and barriers come up in every issue of Survivor.  It’s obvious, whether it’s clearly stated or not.  Racial and cultural alliances are also formed, whether it is clearly stated and obvious or not.  We are a tribal people. Why force the issue unnecessarily from the start.  Isn’t it more interesting to watch people join together on their own or separate from each other on their own?  Don’t we learn more about ourselves and each other by watching a more natural interaction between races and cultures and genders? 

Bah!  I’d rather see another dumb all-stars grouping.

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Daily Dose of Stuff – Monday

2 Comments / Kid Talk, Monday Meme /

P1010003_1This is a Dr Pepper can.  Well it isn’t anymore.  Now it is a mangled and destroyed piece of trash that was at one time a Dr Pepper can.  It was photographed today, on the floor of a child’s bedroom.  This is the second or maybe third such can that has been found on this child’s floor in this type of condition. 

At first, I found it amusing.  Teens of a certain age do this sort of thing.  Now, I’m not finding it quite as amusing.  The last thing we need is a torn up Dr Pepper can on the floor.  Not to mention the messyness, what about the safety issues involved in the destroying of the can and the leaving it on the floor for anyone brave enough to walk in barefeet in that particular bedroom to step on.  Not that I think anyone except child in question is umm brave enough to walk in barefeet in that particular bedroom.   

What IS this doing in my house and why does THIS type of thing keep appearing? And, would anyone care to lay odds on when it will happen again?

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Louise Welsh

2006, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Mystery /

The Bullet Trick has clinched it. Louise Welsh is awesome. I’ve now read all of her books and loved every single one of them.

This one is about a magician or a conjurer, if you prefer. How about an illusionist, I like that better. He’s also got a way of landing himself into difficult situations.

The Bullet Trick had a wee bit less sex but the book was still sexy. Rather than primary gay characters there were secondary gay characters and some gay jokes.

Loved the book. Love Louise Welsh.

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Daily Dose of Coffee – Subscription

3 Comments / Coffee & Tea /

Can I just say I’m not impressed with the Starbucks Coffee Subscription? Yes, I can definitely say it because I am sooo not impressed. 

You don’t get a discount on the price of the beans.  Shipping isn’t free until you hit $49 and they aren’t offering any cute freebies the way Gevalia does and the way Boca Java does.  What’s the point?  The only benefit I could see, for me, would be the ability to order my "seasonal favorite", Gazebo, all year long.  But Gazebo isn’t even on the list today, while it is in season.  So no benefit.

I suppose if you live a zillion miles away from a Starbucks and you really like their beans but don’t want to be stuck with the one or maybe two types offered by your grocery store, then this would work for you.  But for the masses – I don’t think so.

Starbucks should do better.

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A Pony For Linda

1 Comment / Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Favorites /

When Michelle was little, little, little she fell in love with a book at the school library. The book was called A Pony For Linda and it looked just like this.

She would check it out from the library and pretend to “lose it” so she wouldn’t have to take it back to the library. When that didn’t work because I would always “find it”, she started just renewing it every week.

At the end of the school year, the librarian called me upstairs and asked me if Michelle would like to keep A Pony For Linda and just bring us a brand new book to take its place on the shelf. Michelle was thrilled. The librarian was also thrilled since she was getting a brand new book and Michelle always had that old book checked out so nobody could read it if they wanted to. I can’t remember which book Michelle picked out to exchange for her much loved green covered pony book.

We still have A Pony for Linda. And it still makes Michelle smile.

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