Category Archives: books

books, Cats

Can’t you surprise him in some other way? For example, I’m sure he’d be delightfully taken aback if you cleaned your apartment.

Corner of my desk.

I think I’m spring cleaning. Maybe. The last four days I have spent several consecutive minutes cleaning something, usually to completion. Four days in a row I’ve done this. Would that be considered spring cleaning, and, if not, how many days in a row must I do it before it qualifies. Tomorrow, I’m planning on cleaning out and straightening up the linen closet. I KNOW, RIGHT?

I hope I have not jinxed it by speaking openly about it. I’ve been trying to get rid of things. I’m not going all KonMari here. To be honest, way too many of my possessions “spark joy” in me. Or maybe I’m not quite getting the concept of sparky joy. I think I could brutally clean out my closet. But books, dvd’s, action figures, pens and colored pencils, coloring books, sketch books, fountain pens, tarot decks, bottles of nail polish, board games and cat toys give me way too much joy to get rid of. Isn’t it nice that my music no longer takes up physical space?

I did warn the cats that they had better start sparking joy in me. Ok, no I didn’t. They already do. Now I am going to go look up how to add a black frame around my images to this theme because that’s how much I’ve forgotten. It’s early days.

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books

Would you, could you?

I read a post on Nerdist.com about hotels that are now offering special discounts to people who surrender their electronics at check-in, for a digital detox. Marketing this like it’s a good thing.

I think it is. Could you do it? I could. My only problem might be my iPad because I read on it. How about I surrender everything but my iPad, and I don’t have wireless access. Then it is nothing more than an expensive book. And Pocket Frogs. I shall promise to play no games. Only books. Or… maybe, I could just read books. You know… on paper?

What about you? Could you go for three days with no cell, internet, PS3, ect?

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books

The Best Thing I’ve Figured Out, So Far, in 2011

So far, and it’s only the 11th, this is the best thing I’ve figured out about 2011: How to read library books on my iPad.

When I first bout the iPad, I could not find a way to read library books on it. I had a feeling that would change eventually. In an attempt to live up to my “living like I’m broke because I am” resolution I decided to look into this again. And voila! There it is. How to do it. I don’t have to write it all out again, do I? You can just follow the link if you are interested. It’s easy peasy.

The best thing about the library is, I’ll take more chances with books if they are free. Yes, I might read an entire series of moderately crappy books, but as long as I am entertained, who cares? They are free. I am not reading a moderately crappy series right now, I’m reading “Gone, Baby, Gone” by Denmis Lehane, Book #4 in a series of books with detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angie Genaroo.

Speaking of reading, I’ve decided to try to read 150 books in 2011. I’ve joined a Goodreads group that lets you set your own goals, if I make it to 150 before the end of the year, I’ll just move myself into the 200 books group. I think I’ve finished 14 so far. Click on the link in the side bar if you want to see the books I am reading.

Ok, that’s it. I had not posted since the 4th, and since I am trying to strengthen my blogging musckels, I decided I had better check in. Now I shall go back to playing WoW and watching it snow outside while my Fireplace blu-ray dvd crackles on the tv. Cozy!

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books, Satan's Bookclub, Wellness Wheel: Intellectual

First review for Satan’s Bookclub is up!

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My first book review is up at Satan’s Bookclub. I’ve reviewed Frank Portman’s YA novel Andromeda Klein, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. But that’s not what Satan’s Bookclub is about, is it? It’s more important to recognize how potentially evil a book is, rather than the quality of story and writing. You becha!

Bit rusty at the reviews. I only published two the first time SBC was up. But I attempted a few more. I’m looking forward to honing my skills.

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books, Satan's Bookclub, Wellness Wheel, Wellness Wheel: Intellectual

Do you like books? Satan does. Pssst… this is my Monday Announcement


Wellness-Wheel-Intellecutal.png I love to read and I do it a lot. I also like to go to readings and book signings, something I used to do more often when I lived in the states.I used to read a lot of book blogs as well. And all of these activities led to creating Satan’s Bookclub with Louise. I created it, did a couple of reviews, but I let it slide. I don’t remember why. Probably met a boy online or something. wink wink.

In the last few months, I’ve been thinking about bringing it back. Suddenly, it was a week before Banned Book Week (the original inspiration for the site) and I jumped in and redesigned it.
With the exception of reading books, I feel that I have ignored the intellectual pie piece of my umm… life pie. I’m not learning anything, or using my brain overly much. That is evidenced by my lackluster blogging, for one. Satan’s Bookclub will, I hope, renew my deeper interest in books and book news, as well as force me to to think and articulate my opinions on the books I read.
In other words, I am going to exercise my brain. If you are unfamiliar with Satan’s Bookclub, you can read it’s history and manifesto here. Please stop on by.

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books

Don’t talk about the books again. You get all… And sometimes there’s drool.

Today marks the beginning of the ALA Banned Book Week. In honor of this, I will have a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT on Monday.

Ok, maybe it’s not that BIG, I don’t know. It could take off and be cool. Or it could whither and die, you never know with me. I don’t want to set you up only to see you disappointed. And, frankly, I don’t need the pressure. It would suck if you were expecting AMAZING and what you got was PRETTY COOL, you know?
Let’s just say there will be a FAIR SIZED ANNOUNCEMENT on Monday and see how it goes from there, ok?
Good. 

 
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blogging, books, movies and tv

Business Matters

I apologize, I’ve been more interested in working on my new blog design, then actually blogging. And I wish I could say that I’ve been working on it diligently. I was. But then I decided I needed to watch all three seasons of Veronica Mars again. It happens. At least we’ve had a run through all seasons of Buffy and Angel in the last year. And House. And BSG.

The fact is, I’ve changed my design three times since I’ve started. And while I’ve been spending most of my time on content and layout within MT4, I at least have to have a banner done, to keep in mind while I work. So I am now working on my third banner with built in roll over buttons. It’s so sad how much I have forgotten about Photoshop and Illustrator and such since I left my job. I used to be able to make a roll over button in my sleep. Well, just before I went to sleep maybe. Now I have to LOOK IT UP!.

Guh.

I am updating my reading list over on the new design, I used to be really good at keeping track of my books. So I am working towards that again. I have also joined Good Reads, just haven’t bothered to add a button or link in the old design. Because I’m all about moving forward, baby. Anyhoo, be my book buddy if you are on Good Reads, won’t you please?

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books, Canada, Immigration, movies and tv, Wedding, William

It’s not a toy. It makes real cupcakes, with a 40 watt bulb, and there’s icing packets. But the secret ingredient is love. Damn it.

The other day I left a comment, on a blog, in which I referred to Wil as my fiancé. Such a highfalutin word. I don’t use it often, but the differentiation between boyfriend and someone you are going to marry soon was relevant to the blog entry, I felt. Besides, I only have a few more days to use it. Then I will have to refer to him as My Husband. As in “When driving to the mall, my husband likes to point out the hookers on street corners to me.”*

Or I could just call him Wil.

So, I think I am more stressed than I expected to be, considering how simple and small the ceremony is. I haven’t been sleeping well, and while the things my mind is worrying about seem to be about immigration stuff, there is a new feeling of stress in my tummy I can only attribute to the fact that soon I am going to have to get dressed up and get married in front of people. It’s getting married itself. I think it’s just that being a bride is nerve racking.

I’ve been watching some bridal shows on the television lately. (My favorite is Wedding SOS on Slice, a Canadian cable channel that is so full of crap shows it’s slogan is “My vice is Slice..” It’s delightful. I took a quiz, on Slice, to find out what type of wedding I should have. See below.**) It would appear that being a bride gives me license for just about any kind of behavior. Serious. If you are a bride, you can freak out, make demands, tell people what to do, tell people what to wear, drink to excess, scream, cry, punch… anything. And it’s all ok because YOU ARE THE BRIDE. As a groom, Wil has a lesser power. It may work on other people, but it won’t work against THE BRIDE. She trumps everything. Only one person would dare challenge THE BRIDE. And that is the the less sympathetic character of mother-in-law. But that’s not an issue for me.

So, I should make some demands. I’ve put a lot of thought into it, and the only thing I can think of: I don’t have enough cake in my life. There won’t be a wedding cake. And since I am a bride, I should be eating cake. Therefore, my demand is – cupcakes. I want some freakin’ cupcakes and I want them NOW! Where are my MOTHER FUCKING CUPCAKES?? WHY DON’T I HAVE ANY CUPCAKES???

How’s that?

*It’s true. I always miss the hookers unless Wil points them out. The route to the mall passes a few popular corners.

**Viva Las Vegas! Eloping ain?t so bad and it might be an option for you. If you’re not into big parties, being the centre of attention, or planning and organizing things, eloping might be a blessing for you. Just remember to tell people that you’re planning on going to Vegas , maybe they’d like to come along and put money on how long you and hubby’ll last.

EDITED TO ADD ANOTHER DEMAND: As THE BRIDE, I would like my new Harry Potter book NOW, rather than Saturday. I think that’s doable, yes?

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