yes, I finished reading all those short classics that I challenged myself to read in February! in fact, I am almost finished with an additional book......that I am enjoying much more than I did some of THESE books!
The Stranger by Albert Camus - this guy was so detached from his own life it was depressing.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka - while everyone sees this as a deep look into how society treats people who are different.......I kept wondering how the heck the dude was so accepting about being turned in to a bug and why he thought everyone was going to be so okay with it.
Silar Marner by George Eliot - this was a shocker! I truly didn't expect the story to be anything like it was and I LOVED IT!!! I wish I had saved it and read it last so I could end on an high note.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - it must have been a writing gimmic of the times, but I didn't like the manner in which the story was written. it was very confusing. the story was at least 20 pages in before the title character was introduced.
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johan Wolfgang von Goethe - Werther was an idiot. many people talk about what a great love story this was. no, it wasn't. it was the story of a spoiled brat who couldn't handle not getting what he wanted.
so now that is over and I can head back to my ever-increasing stack of books. I am almost finished with Hollow City (the follow up to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children). it is an equally mesmerizing and enjoyable book as the original! Ransom Riggs is one darn creative man!
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Friday, February 28, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
moving right along.....short story by short story
I really kinda question whether these are true "short stories." perhaps Huffington just meant they were on the short side?!?!? a couple have been over 200 pages. that is a lot to read in one day.
anyway........this long weekend went a long way in reading short stories!
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - might be my favorite. a wonderful story of family, hope, and love.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - what a great writer! and what a twisted story! Stephen King has nothing on this guy!
War of the Worlds by HG Wells - totally ahead of his time. truly inventive thinking.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck - with him as the author, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy ending......and it wasn't.
as a random group, I think these four have been the best. each story was well written. none of them got crazy with alliteration. and all of them (with perhaps War of the Worlds as the exception) did a great job of developing the individual characters and making you care about them. I think WotW failed in that area, but I don't think that was his intent anyway.
that leaves me with 5 to go. of those, I am still waiting on 2 of them from the library. I am first on the hold list but feel like I am running out of time for them to be turned in, sent to my library, with enough time for me to read them. I know I can purchase both of them for my Nook, but wouldn't it be a triumph if I could get through the month without having to purchase any of the books? keep your fingers crossed for me!
anyway........this long weekend went a long way in reading short stories!
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - might be my favorite. a wonderful story of family, hope, and love.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - what a great writer! and what a twisted story! Stephen King has nothing on this guy!
War of the Worlds by HG Wells - totally ahead of his time. truly inventive thinking.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck - with him as the author, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy ending......and it wasn't.
as a random group, I think these four have been the best. each story was well written. none of them got crazy with alliteration. and all of them (with perhaps War of the Worlds as the exception) did a great job of developing the individual characters and making you care about them. I think WotW failed in that area, but I don't think that was his intent anyway.
that leaves me with 5 to go. of those, I am still waiting on 2 of them from the library. I am first on the hold list but feel like I am running out of time for them to be turned in, sent to my library, with enough time for me to read them. I know I can purchase both of them for my Nook, but wouldn't it be a triumph if I could get through the month without having to purchase any of the books? keep your fingers crossed for me!
Saturday, February 15, 2014
and the shortness continues! (short books.....quit saying I'm short!)
February.....the month of short jokes! since there is so little time to do anything this month, I am reading short books. now we are 15 days in to the month and I have read 12 books! good progress I think!
The Awakening by Kate Chopin - was slow, a little vague, but with a surprising ending. well, maybe not surprising. just odd for assumptions made about the time period it was written in?
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - this book would make a great comic opera! I think if people had spoken plain english to each other and used common sense, the whole thing book could have been avoided!
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - other than bringing up Udolpho for the second book in a row (I went and looked it up finally), this book could have used some plain, direct language. I seem to have a completely different idea about the ending.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton - wow! dude has some crummy luck. that's all I am saying. you know how someone posts a "Downton Abbey if played out on Facebook"? I would love to see someone do that with this book!
have you tackled any of the books on the list?
The Awakening by Kate Chopin - was slow, a little vague, but with a surprising ending. well, maybe not surprising. just odd for assumptions made about the time period it was written in?
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - this book would make a great comic opera! I think if people had spoken plain english to each other and used common sense, the whole thing book could have been avoided!
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - other than bringing up Udolpho for the second book in a row (I went and looked it up finally), this book could have used some plain, direct language. I seem to have a completely different idea about the ending.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton - wow! dude has some crummy luck. that's all I am saying. you know how someone posts a "Downton Abbey if played out on Facebook"? I would love to see someone do that with this book!
have you tackled any of the books on the list?
Monday, February 10, 2014
more shorties & a BONUS read! lol!
yes, February is the month I am reading a bunch of Classic Short Books, courtesy of Huffington Post. well, let's start by saying some of these are a bit longer than I had anticipated. but I am still making good progress.
and like I previously did, here are my short reviews:
Passing by Nella Larsen - you know how things start popping up once you have been introduced to them? the concept of "passing" came up multiple times just after reading this book......which was well written, interesting, educational, and a tad bit startling.
Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville - if nothing else, this books shows me what a blessed educational career I had. I never had to read this is in school! no wonder the other kids hated English class! dear me! this was wretched reading!
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - sometimes it is difficult to read a story that you have read/seen so many different interpretations of. I spent most of my time trying to exclude those stories from my brain while I enjoyed the original. Shelley's version is so much better than all the souped up versions!
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I didn't find anything particularly different about this story than the other Sherlock stories I have read. it was odd to read it while hubby was watching the PBS show!
so now I am 10 days into the month with 8 stories down. I think that is a pretty good pace.......especially since I had to finish reading Unbroken in the middle there. THAT book was much more than I thought it would be. more about running (Huh.......I didn't know, really I didn't!), less about the war, and more about humanity than I expected. I wonder how they will frame the movie......there are a lot of options. I expect they will take the view I would least like them to take so I am glad I read the book!
13 books to go (since I have recently read A Christmas Carol and The Great Gatsby) and 18 days left in the month! how is your reading coming?
and like I previously did, here are my short reviews:
Passing by Nella Larsen - you know how things start popping up once you have been introduced to them? the concept of "passing" came up multiple times just after reading this book......which was well written, interesting, educational, and a tad bit startling.
Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville - if nothing else, this books shows me what a blessed educational career I had. I never had to read this is in school! no wonder the other kids hated English class! dear me! this was wretched reading!
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - sometimes it is difficult to read a story that you have read/seen so many different interpretations of. I spent most of my time trying to exclude those stories from my brain while I enjoyed the original. Shelley's version is so much better than all the souped up versions!
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I didn't find anything particularly different about this story than the other Sherlock stories I have read. it was odd to read it while hubby was watching the PBS show!
so now I am 10 days into the month with 8 stories down. I think that is a pretty good pace.......especially since I had to finish reading Unbroken in the middle there. THAT book was much more than I thought it would be. more about running (Huh.......I didn't know, really I didn't!), less about the war, and more about humanity than I expected. I wonder how they will frame the movie......there are a lot of options. I expect they will take the view I would least like them to take so I am glad I read the book!
13 books to go (since I have recently read A Christmas Carol and The Great Gatsby) and 18 days left in the month! how is your reading coming?
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
short month update!
last week I told you I was going to spend February reading short stories. I figured I might as well give you some short updates of my progress along with some short reviews!
today is the 4th (or it was last night when I wrote this) and I have read 4 books! pretty good progress considering I spent most of Sunday either running or being Super Bowl involved.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - dear me! this one almost ended the entire thing. I got so under water with all the alliteration that I am not sure what the story was really about.
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - nothing short about this. it was a full length book! the period slang cracked me up. I could see becoming a Phillip Marlowe fan.
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote - very much like the movie. I could hear Audrey Hepburn the whole time I was reading it. (not that that is a bad thing!)
Animal Farm by George Orwell - what is there to say about this book? so on point and so well written!
I believe Passing is next. the edition of The Metamorphosis I requested from the library showed up as a graphic novel. no thank you!
today is the 4th (or it was last night when I wrote this) and I have read 4 books! pretty good progress considering I spent most of Sunday either running or being Super Bowl involved.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - dear me! this one almost ended the entire thing. I got so under water with all the alliteration that I am not sure what the story was really about.
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - nothing short about this. it was a full length book! the period slang cracked me up. I could see becoming a Phillip Marlowe fan.
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote - very much like the movie. I could hear Audrey Hepburn the whole time I was reading it. (not that that is a bad thing!)
Animal Farm by George Orwell - what is there to say about this book? so on point and so well written!
I believe Passing is next. the edition of The Metamorphosis I requested from the library showed up as a graphic novel. no thank you!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2013 - the Year of 24!
no resolutions this year but a few goals.......or perhaps focusing points.
24 - the number of scrapbook layouts I would like to complete in 2013. that is 2 per month. I should be able to do that in a day, right?
- I don't know how to quantify it........but I would like to buy fewer scrapbook supplies than I use. like on a 2:4 ratio?!?!? that fits with the whole "24" theme, right?!?!? I can keep track of that on my scrapbook blog. I have done something similar to that in the past and it is SUCH a wake up call to realize how much more I was buying than using!
- I will qualify this in that adhesive and albums do not count..............I need albums and the world revolves around adhesive. I would include cardstock in this list of exceptions, but seriously.......have you seen how much cardstock I have?!?!
- additionally.........as part of the "fewer scrapbook supplies" I will not be including items that are given to me. I can't help it if Arlyn finds an awesome stash of "vintage" Scenic Route and graciously bestows it upon me. who am I to decline such a glorious present?!?!? likewise, I will not count as "used" anything I find a loving home for.
- perhaps as a subset of this, I would also like to make Truth Cards for the Brave Girl Truth Card Exchange. no number assigned as I don't know how often they will put out calls for cards. I just think this would be an awesomely positive thing to do with my time, energy, and pathetically overly large amount of supplies.
24 - the number of walks I want to take Dolly on every month. (see how I changed from year to month there?!?!??) really the number should be how many days there are in any given month........but gotta give myself a couple days that it just doesn't happen!
one more...........
24 - the number of BLOG POSTS I want to write in 2013!!! hey! what a concept! have a blog - POST ON IT!!!! alright.......I know, I know. but really now.....I did 32 in 2012. so I can do 24, right?
then the question of whether to add a reading point here. it would be easy to say "24 - the number of books I want to read in 2013." but seriously........I read more than 50 books at over 16,000 pages in 2012. that isn't really stretching myself now is it?!?! but perhaps it is (please excuse me while I ramble)........the time to scrapbook, card make, exercise, etc has to come from somewhere, right?!?!? perhaps it needs to come from reading? (aaack! gag! gasp! blech!) this is something to think about.......not commit to.......when I am done hyperventilating........and reading the 5 library books I currently have that are due back at various times between now and the 21st of January.
do you have any "goals", "focus points", or........."resolutions" for 2013? no matter......I wish you a happy and healthy 2013.
btw, if you want a quick way to check up on my progress, I plan to use the label "my 24" for any posts related to these goals.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Buy some books - help an animal!
THIS WEEKEND!!!! is the SPCA Winter Book Sale!!!
January 12th through 15th (oh, wait, I guess that starts TODAY) at the Citrus Town Center at Greenback and Sunrise. (it used to be called Sunrise Festival......and you probably remember it better as the place that used to have a Krispy Kreme on the corner, which is now a Panera Bread....and an Old Navy, which is soon to be a Sprouts Market). ANYWAY, that is where it is.....next door to Marshalls (so either where Linen Outlet used to be or maybe where Filco used to be......maybe I'll drive by and get a more definitive answer for you....and buy a couple books myself!)
okay, so about the books: gently used books of ALL kinds! there are also games and puzzles.
hours are from 10am to 7pm Thursday through Saturday and then 11am to 6pm on Sunday.
if I confused you too much.......check the SPCA website for more info!
January 12th through 15th (oh, wait, I guess that starts TODAY) at the Citrus Town Center at Greenback and Sunrise. (it used to be called Sunrise Festival......and you probably remember it better as the place that used to have a Krispy Kreme on the corner, which is now a Panera Bread....and an Old Navy, which is soon to be a Sprouts Market). ANYWAY, that is where it is.....next door to Marshalls (so either where Linen Outlet used to be or maybe where Filco used to be......maybe I'll drive by and get a more definitive answer for you....and buy a couple books myself!)
okay, so about the books: gently used books of ALL kinds! there are also games and puzzles.
hours are from 10am to 7pm Thursday through Saturday and then 11am to 6pm on Sunday.
if I confused you too much.......check the SPCA website for more info!
Friday, July 29, 2011
but why??
so, one of the reasons I haven't posted very often is because I was debating my blog's focus. at first I think it started as an online diary of sorts, but I did as good a job with that as I did with my pencil & paper diaries as a teen!
a while ago I changed the tag line of the blog to represent the focus I intended for myself. pretty much a cool way of saying "who, what, where" thinking I would talk about the things I do (like read books), the places I go (like movie reviews), and people......a catch-all for everything else.
I started by doing my famous amateur restaurant review and then thought I would do a full scale "The Help" review. that last part hasn't happened (yet!). the most recent post was about an event happening this weekend that is just quirky and fun! hopefully if you live locally you have already visited the Sacramento Zoo, and who can complain about a cute van and cheese? overall, I would love to let people know about things they might like but might miss if I someone doesn't tell them about it!
anyway, these are some of the things I would like to include in this blog......along with my overall general randomness that is always a favorite of mine! lol!!
a while ago I changed the tag line of the blog to represent the focus I intended for myself. pretty much a cool way of saying "who, what, where" thinking I would talk about the things I do (like read books), the places I go (like movie reviews), and people......a catch-all for everything else.
I started by doing my famous amateur restaurant review and then thought I would do a full scale "The Help" review. that last part hasn't happened (yet!). the most recent post was about an event happening this weekend that is just quirky and fun! hopefully if you live locally you have already visited the Sacramento Zoo, and who can complain about a cute van and cheese? overall, I would love to let people know about things they might like but might miss if I someone doesn't tell them about it!
anyway, these are some of the things I would like to include in this blog......along with my overall general randomness that is always a favorite of mine! lol!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
of mice and men.....and boys and books.....
so as a "good mom" I try to keep up with what is happening in school so I can help the boys out with their homework. J is a great dad and very helpful, but R passed him in math skills in 5th grade or so. I will even admit to having R call Auntie Misty earlier this year. we can still handle D's math, thank goodness! science is completely beyond me. I won't tell you what I did to pass science in high school.
but when it comes to english and history, I am spot on! and as R has started reading what I would consider "classics" I have read along with, or ahead of, him so that we can discuss the points of the stories. I have read most, if not all, of them before, but it has been a couple of years (ha!) and some of the more minor details have escaped me. I am sure I will have to read them again in 2 years to go through the same thing with D. I like talking about books with the boys, especially books like "Of Mice and Men" and this year's earlier assignment "To Kill A Mockingbird."
so my purpose for blogging about this: I am glad that the schools haven't been so beaten by political correctness that they don't teach our kids the mistakes of the past so that they can grow up to not repeat them. I realize these books are fiction, but within them are the kernels of society. I want the boys to know that things weren't always fair and that people don't all live and feel like we do. I hope it will make them grow up to be open minded, thoughtful, and appreciative. all the things we want from an education!
but when it comes to english and history, I am spot on! and as R has started reading what I would consider "classics" I have read along with, or ahead of, him so that we can discuss the points of the stories. I have read most, if not all, of them before, but it has been a couple of years (ha!) and some of the more minor details have escaped me. I am sure I will have to read them again in 2 years to go through the same thing with D. I like talking about books with the boys, especially books like "Of Mice and Men" and this year's earlier assignment "To Kill A Mockingbird."
so my purpose for blogging about this: I am glad that the schools haven't been so beaten by political correctness that they don't teach our kids the mistakes of the past so that they can grow up to not repeat them. I realize these books are fiction, but within them are the kernels of society. I want the boys to know that things weren't always fair and that people don't all live and feel like we do. I hope it will make them grow up to be open minded, thoughtful, and appreciative. all the things we want from an education!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
12 of 12 - the unemployed edition
can't say this is very exciting! in fact, I had to find a few things to do so I would have some photos to take. hopefully by April 12th I will have a job so I won't have to work so hard to take pictures! lol!!
the first is my traditional odometer shot. we are in those fine spring days where it is cold in the morning and beautiful in the afternoon. except it never quite got beautiful yesterday. I guess a storm is coming in. but look how dark this photo is. that is because it is PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE courtesy of ridiculous daylight savings.
the first is my traditional odometer shot. we are in those fine spring days where it is cold in the morning and beautiful in the afternoon. except it never quite got beautiful yesterday. I guess a storm is coming in. but look how dark this photo is. that is because it is PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE courtesy of ridiculous daylight savings.
I missed my normal gas price shot. actually I took one but because it was SO FREAKIN' DARK you couldn't see anything. but.....J filled up both cars Tuesday night and paid $3.41/gallon at 6am and $3.44/gallon at 6pm.....at the same station!
breakfast. remember those wonderful days of Strawberry Frosted Mini-Wheats? well those days are over.....kinda. I had a physical a couple weeks ago and it was determined that my cholesterol is a bit high. (not shocking considering what I eat, huh?!?!?) no heart attack yet.....but I need to work on it. thus....oatmeal! I have compromised with myself.....I alternate off and on between the oatmeal and the mini wheats! today was an oatmeal day.
blech! don't so much like the oatmeal days! one of the reasons is because I get hungry really quickly again. trying to be a little healthy I had cottage cheese and carrots. I really like this as a snack but don't frequently have cottage cheese around. this was leftover from the lasagnas I made last week.
while eating my snack I decided I needed to do something so you all wouldn't end up with a day of food shots. I called and made appointments for oil changes on the cars. mine was for 1pm this afternoon! on the way out to run a few errands beforehand I saw this lovely sight......nothing better than packages........especially when one of them is from LM!
J changed the antennea topper on the car a couple weekends ago so I took a shot of it. with Easter so early it really won't be there for long. sad, huh?!?!?
before getting to the car dealership I ran a few errands.....one being going to Bath & Body works. I am getting near the end of my shower gel (currently cucumber melon) and the boys were out of their all-in-one stinky shower stuff! I got myself sweet pea this time and them frozen daquiri and banana split. there was one other flavor, frosting, but it smelled gross! I don't think I could handle the boys smelling like that for the 15 minutes before their stinky boy smell took over! lol!!
after dropping off the car I walked over to Frys. I had seen a cafe inside the last time I was there and thought it HAD to be a better lunch than Sonic. on the way I passed a guy getting on his motorcycle with this cool denim jacket. I knew I could always use a few more photos and since it was really nifty (the mouse......not so much the machine gun) I asked if I could take a picture. he said his girlfriend free-hand drew the picture and did the jacket for me. how cool!!
I got a pastrami sandwich (YUM!!!!) and some loaded potato soup (not as lovingly loaded as Black Angus but decent potato soup) for lunch and sat reading my newest mystery series. I found this one because I needed a name for my new black cat Webkinz. I am naming them all after fictional mystery characters and wanted someone Halloween or witchcraft related. so great what search engines at bookstore sites can find for you!! I am almost halfway through the book now and it is holding my interest. kinda slow starting but I think she is trying to build the foundation for the characters. I ordered the rest of the series from the library. (you can see my lunch a little in the background.)
picked up my car. you can see that I drove about 25 miles from the start of the day until the time the oil change was done......courtesy of the morning school carpool.
Wednesday is bowling day/night for R. since I am not working I take him over early so he can get a little practice in before league. tonight their team shirts came in. the shirts are a little thin (good because R sweats like his dad) and oversized. the boys want them to last the next 2 years. I think they will! R might be able to wear this through high school! lol!!
dinner was leftover/fendforyourself night courtesy of all the cooking I have been doing so there is no cute shot of my dinner: a couple mouthfulls of lasagna, some green beans, and pasta alfredo. wow! how nutritious!! I had a dessert of leftover Baskin Robbins from Tuesday $1 scoop night for dessert. probably totally counteracted that healthy oatmeal, huh?!?!?
with R we watched the most recent episode of New Amsterdam. not a bad show! I am trying to figure out how long they can keep the whole "love of a lifetime" thing going. after R went to bed dh and I enjoyed the sanitized version of Dexter. we don't get HBO so hadn't seen it yet. I can't say they did a decent job of cleaning up the language. it is rather obvious and most of the time you can tell what the guy originally said. but if the FCC doesn't mind then neither do I!
finally........like almost always......I am at the end of the day and have no photo of myself. so here I am with my newest Webkinz, Ophelia. isn't that a great name for a black cat?? I really need to remember to take my self-portraits earlier in the day so I don't look like crap!
what? no photos of me submitting resumes or surfing Monster.com to find a great new job?!?! yeah.....well.....I have applied for the TWO jobs in my field that were out there already. one I was already turned down for. I am trying to think about what nifty new field to enter. I need to think quickly!!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Wreck this Journal....
this is the a new book/journal/whatever from Keri Smith. I heard about it on someone's blog somewhere. I tried to track it down this morning to not only confirm the name of the book/journal/whatever but also to confirm how to spell Keri Smith's name. yes.....I know.....but sometimes I remember things wrong....mush them together.......mix them up. I couldn't find it. but if YOU are the person who wrote about this in your blog recently, kindly leave me a comment and I will be happy to edit this post and give you the credit you so handsomely deserve!
I received a gift card (actually 2 of them) to bookstores for Christmas. R mentioned that he needed to find a Shel Silverstein book so I decided we should go to the bookstore while running our errands today. I decided that I needed Keri's Wreck This Journal book. I kinda think I have been in a creative rut and am hoping this might kick me out of it......or atleast make me laugh while I am in this pit of creative despair. so off we went. R asked what book I was getting and I told him. he thought I was crazy.....but by the time we found said book/journal/whatever he wanted one too! but they only had one. as a funny side note, the cashier at the bookstore offered me a 10% discount on the book because the cover was bent a little. when I showed him the title and that this was the nicest the book would ever look EVER he got a confused look on his face and cleared out the discount! either no discount for crazy people or no discount for people who are going to ruin perfectly good books.....I'm not sure.
so obviously we bought their only copy......along with a library of Naruto books for R and the instigating copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends. on our way to the car I started thumbing through my brand new book to find kitty and puppy stickers on the cover page. never having purchased a book meant to be destroyed I thought perhaps this was Keri's way of making SURE that you weren't stressed about damaging a perfect book. thumbing more through the book I found an errant kitty sticker on another page. okay....whatever!
during the remainder of our errands we passed by another bookstore and went in to see if they had a copy of the book for R. they did.......but without the stickers! so now the joke is whether somehow the cosmic karma peeps knew I would have problems breaking into the book or whether mine is some special deluxe edition! lol!!
I received a gift card (actually 2 of them) to bookstores for Christmas. R mentioned that he needed to find a Shel Silverstein book so I decided we should go to the bookstore while running our errands today. I decided that I needed Keri's Wreck This Journal book. I kinda think I have been in a creative rut and am hoping this might kick me out of it......or atleast make me laugh while I am in this pit of creative despair. so off we went. R asked what book I was getting and I told him. he thought I was crazy.....but by the time we found said book/journal/whatever he wanted one too! but they only had one. as a funny side note, the cashier at the bookstore offered me a 10% discount on the book because the cover was bent a little. when I showed him the title and that this was the nicest the book would ever look EVER he got a confused look on his face and cleared out the discount! either no discount for crazy people or no discount for people who are going to ruin perfectly good books.....I'm not sure.
so obviously we bought their only copy......along with a library of Naruto books for R and the instigating copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends. on our way to the car I started thumbing through my brand new book to find kitty and puppy stickers on the cover page. never having purchased a book meant to be destroyed I thought perhaps this was Keri's way of making SURE that you weren't stressed about damaging a perfect book. thumbing more through the book I found an errant kitty sticker on another page. okay....whatever!
during the remainder of our errands we passed by another bookstore and went in to see if they had a copy of the book for R. they did.......but without the stickers! so now the joke is whether somehow the cosmic karma peeps knew I would have problems breaking into the book or whether mine is some special deluxe edition! lol!!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
parties, lights, and hopefully pictures
last night was dh's company's Christmas party. it isn't actually very Christmas-y as they have a Monte Carlo night and none of the food is very holiday-ish. but....it was a nice night out until it was cut short by R getting scared at bedtime. so we came home.
other than that, yesterday was filled with running errands and buying the most cutest of scarves at The Gap. I would give you a link to them but when the website runs out of them they just delete the info from the site. anyway......hopefully we will all be wearing our matching scarves in our Christmas picture.......which we will hopefully be taking shortly.
this morning J and R put up the house lights. it has been super windy today so the large inflatable penguin didn't go up yet. but atleast our lights are up!! I finished reading The Golden Compass. honestly, I don't see how there can be so much controversy over the book. I really must have missed something in there. I saw where they talk about the church's power, but it is such a minor point in the book. perhaps it is more central to the other books in the series? I plan to read those as well.
oh yes.....and I find this part rather funny. I have been wondering about getting the boys Webkinz. they do still like stuffed animals but I keep thinking that is going to end soon. and I wasn't sure how they (well atleast R) would feel about the online games since he has been so caught up in Runescape. so a friend let me borrow her ds' sign on to check it out. course the boys caught me playing and are all now excited about this new place. I tell them that we can't be there when the actual owner might be trying to sign on, so that has fired them up to want Webkinz of their own. (tee hee hee!) needless to say R starting tracking down where they sell them locally.......even asked if one of the stores wasn't one of the places we went yesterday. I lied and said no. how could I not? I had bought one each for he and D for the Santa breakfast next weekend! lol!!
well.....day 2 down for me! off to go do some scrappy stuff while dh watches football.
other than that, yesterday was filled with running errands and buying the most cutest of scarves at The Gap. I would give you a link to them but when the website runs out of them they just delete the info from the site. anyway......hopefully we will all be wearing our matching scarves in our Christmas picture.......which we will hopefully be taking shortly.
this morning J and R put up the house lights. it has been super windy today so the large inflatable penguin didn't go up yet. but atleast our lights are up!! I finished reading The Golden Compass. honestly, I don't see how there can be so much controversy over the book. I really must have missed something in there. I saw where they talk about the church's power, but it is such a minor point in the book. perhaps it is more central to the other books in the series? I plan to read those as well.
oh yes.....and I find this part rather funny. I have been wondering about getting the boys Webkinz. they do still like stuffed animals but I keep thinking that is going to end soon. and I wasn't sure how they (well atleast R) would feel about the online games since he has been so caught up in Runescape. so a friend let me borrow her ds' sign on to check it out. course the boys caught me playing and are all now excited about this new place. I tell them that we can't be there when the actual owner might be trying to sign on, so that has fired them up to want Webkinz of their own. (tee hee hee!) needless to say R starting tracking down where they sell them locally.......even asked if one of the stores wasn't one of the places we went yesterday. I lied and said no. how could I not? I had bought one each for he and D for the Santa breakfast next weekend! lol!!
well.....day 2 down for me! off to go do some scrappy stuff while dh watches football.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
and isn't it ironic?
over the weekend R discovered a series of books called Choose Your Own Adventure books. his excitement was funny because a few years ago I had found one of these books in my boxes from childhood. he hadn't been interested in them at all. I had debated giving the book away but had kept it because I had enjoyed it so much.
last night I told R that I had still had it and he asked me to find it, which I did. incidentally, it is the first one published. (The Cave of Time.....with the same cover you can see on the Wikipedia link above) the other two that R has are in the #50s! lol!!
R was all excited about the book and took it with him to school this morning. in the car he opened it up to find an inscription: "to Trevor on his birthday 1979. I hope you live to the end of this book." that last line was paraphrased as R has the book with him. it was a reference to the fact that there is the possibility of perishing during the course of the adventure.
Trevor turned 11 in 1979. that is how old R is right now. today Trevor would have turned 39. always a hard day for me, after hearing the note in the book this morning I quietly cried while driving the boys to school. Happy Birthday Trevor..... you are missed!
last night I told R that I had still had it and he asked me to find it, which I did. incidentally, it is the first one published. (The Cave of Time.....with the same cover you can see on the Wikipedia link above) the other two that R has are in the #50s! lol!!
R was all excited about the book and took it with him to school this morning. in the car he opened it up to find an inscription: "to Trevor on his birthday 1979. I hope you live to the end of this book." that last line was paraphrased as R has the book with him. it was a reference to the fact that there is the possibility of perishing during the course of the adventure.
Trevor turned 11 in 1979. that is how old R is right now. today Trevor would have turned 39. always a hard day for me, after hearing the note in the book this morning I quietly cried while driving the boys to school. Happy Birthday Trevor..... you are missed!
Monday, July 23, 2007
back in detox.....
so........this weekend threw me back into my fully caffeinated state. between trying to stay awake to buy the new Harry Potter book at midnight.....to staying awake to read the new Harry Potter book......and then to be coherent during the day after getting little sleep because I had stayed up reading. ah yes! how fun! lol!!
and of course R had first priority on the book during his normally awake hours so that meant that I didn't get to finish the book until late Saturday night. and on top of all of this, LifetimeMoments had an Extreme Crop this weekend!!! my friend S planned a terrific tour of India. so when I wasn't reading or napping I was trying to scrapbook!!
needless to say.......I had several Cokes and even resorted to coffee at one point.
this morning was a horrible awakening. I slept soundly last night but I am still short several hours of sleep and my schedule is a tad thrown off! (just a tad.....lol!) not only was the gut reaction to reach for a Starbucks.....but I was also severely tempted to have a Coke with lunch. but instead....I start my fight back to an uncaffeinated state! lol!!
and of course R had first priority on the book during his normally awake hours so that meant that I didn't get to finish the book until late Saturday night. and on top of all of this, LifetimeMoments had an Extreme Crop this weekend!!! my friend S planned a terrific tour of India. so when I wasn't reading or napping I was trying to scrapbook!!
needless to say.......I had several Cokes and even resorted to coffee at one point.
this morning was a horrible awakening. I slept soundly last night but I am still short several hours of sleep and my schedule is a tad thrown off! (just a tad.....lol!) not only was the gut reaction to reach for a Starbucks.....but I was also severely tempted to have a Coke with lunch. but instead....I start my fight back to an uncaffeinated state! lol!!
Monday, July 16, 2007
a blog about a book....
but first......Chad Darnell posted a comment about my 12of12 for this month!!! how COOL is that?!?!? and R came back from camp with his camera and we need to get his 12of12 posted as well. not tonight though.....maybe tomorrow?!?!?
okay, so this post is about a book. you know the one.....Harry Potter....the SEVENTH AND FINAL BOOK!!! it comes out Friday and the household is already in preparation mode! I have been asked no fewer than 4 times if I have reserved our book (yes.......day it was announced). this morning I was asked (again) if we are going to the party on Friday. yes....yes......YES!!! what time does it start?!?! 7pm........okay so we need to go eat at 5 so we can be there at 7. uuuugh!!! do these kids really think we can spend 5 hours waiting for a book?!?!? I am thinking show up at the store at 7, get our book tickets and THEN head out to dinner. get back at 9ish and start doing all the games and stuff.
this is our 4th HP book release party. one of the boys had asked about changing locations this year. he figured he could get a free copy of the book through a school contest. I told him we could consider it but that we had a darn good track record at the one store....did he want to chance it on the last and final book?? no.....no he didn't! lol!!
but anyway............. I LOVE that my boys are this excited about a BOOK!! not a movie. not a toy. A BOOK!!! so yes.....my boys will be up on Friday until after midnight to wait for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book. because what could be better than encouraging reading?!?!
okay, so this post is about a book. you know the one.....Harry Potter....the SEVENTH AND FINAL BOOK!!! it comes out Friday and the household is already in preparation mode! I have been asked no fewer than 4 times if I have reserved our book (yes.......day it was announced). this morning I was asked (again) if we are going to the party on Friday. yes....yes......YES!!! what time does it start?!?! 7pm........okay so we need to go eat at 5 so we can be there at 7. uuuugh!!! do these kids really think we can spend 5 hours waiting for a book?!?!? I am thinking show up at the store at 7, get our book tickets and THEN head out to dinner. get back at 9ish and start doing all the games and stuff.
this is our 4th HP book release party. one of the boys had asked about changing locations this year. he figured he could get a free copy of the book through a school contest. I told him we could consider it but that we had a darn good track record at the one store....did he want to chance it on the last and final book?? no.....no he didn't! lol!!
but anyway............. I LOVE that my boys are this excited about a BOOK!! not a movie. not a toy. A BOOK!!! so yes.....my boys will be up on Friday until after midnight to wait for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book. because what could be better than encouraging reading?!?!
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