21, 22 & 23 Books

Just before leaving on vacation I read "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. Molly had read it first and passed her borrowed copy on to me. Everyone kept saying how slowly it started out and I can sort of see what they mean but I didn't feel at all disappointed. I plowed through it in no time. When I was done all I wanted to do was read the second one, which I carried around Target with me for about an hour before putting it back on the shelf. Spending $15 on a book is just not in the budget at the moment. So I started the last book sitting on my bedside table, only to not be able to concentrate on it. I think there is a child about to die in it and I'm not sure I can handle that. Even so, I packed that book with me for my trip along with "Pride and Prejudice" which is always a great read.

Then I got to the airport with nearly 2 hours to kill. What do they sell in abundance at the airport? Books. Glorious books. There is was on the shelf taunting me with it's glorious red-orange cover, "The Girl Who Played with Fire". I wanted it SO much! Again my hand reached out and pulled the trade paperback version from the shelf. Again I walked around a store wanting it and trying to justify the expense when low and behold my eyes caught sight of the mass market paperback version. Tentatively I turned it over to check the price.... $8. WAHOO! Now that I could much more easily swallow into my tiny budget.

The flight and the first days of the trip were filled with reading "...Played with Fire" and I liked it just as much as the first one. All too soon it was done and again I wanted. Oh how I wanted the third book "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". Each time I saw it I would give it's silver papered hardcover goodness a caress and sigh a sad little sigh. An $8 paperback is one thing but a $27 hardcover!!! That was out of the question. I had a book I'd borrowed from Liz and it would have to do. But oh how it just didn't cut it.

Then a miracle occurred. My dad and Liz went to the Mall of America to grab some glorious tax free clothing and when they returned I was surprised with my dearest wish "...Hornet's Nest"! They said it was a belated birthday present and I nearly cried. I'm such a dork but I don't care. Last night I stayed up late until I was finished and now I am sad once again. So so sad. But oh so thankful that I got to read the three books in quick succession and all for only $8 out of my pocket! Not too shabby.

Thanks Stieg for writing these books. I'm very sad that I will not get to read another book from you. May you rest in peace.

And then there were 20

Finished reading book 20 a few days ago, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Very easy, quick read. The author is based in Seattle and so is the book. Really fun to read all of the local references. Oh and did I mention that it is told from the point of view of a dog? Did you know that I really like dogs?

It wasn't great but it was a bit of fun.

Book 19 of 2010

Finished another book two nights ago, "Emotionally weird" by Kate Atkinson. I'd read her other book and thought it was OK. This one was OK too. No reason to recommend it but not horrible. High praise, huh? It was only $1 in the clearance area at Half Price Books so that makes it worth it.

Started reading book 20 last night, borrowed from Molly. It will be a quick read. Super large font and the narrator is a dog.

Delay in programming; 18 books and counting

Sorry for the lack of posting. I've been here. Reading the writing of the other blogs I love. I've been writing posts in my head even but never putting them to "paper". And since right now I should be studying I think I'll get you up to speed instead.

First of all I've definitely been reading. There was "Size 14 isn't fat either" by Meg Cabot which is #2 of 3 in the Heather Wells series. I'd already read #3 previously not realizing I was doing it out of order, YIKES! Hate that. So after reading this one I read the third again, "Big Boned". They are all good easy reads. I hadn't realized until picking up this book how prolific Meg Cabot is. Have I been under a rock? And then there was "Grave Goods" by Ariana Franklin. I really love her style. I pay full price for her books when ever I find them and I'm not generally a fan of historical fiction. Then there was "Sammy's House" by Kristin Gore. I'd read "Sammy's Hill" a while back and when I saw this one I had to have it. Again Sammy was a wonderfully flawed character that I kept rooting for. And only in reading this book did I realize that Kristin is Al & Tipper's daughter.

After that I had run out of book so I started a re-read of "Pride and Prejudice". I don't even know at this point how many times I've read it. Then on my birthday (Sunday 27th I turned 36!!) I realized I had a bag of books that needed to go back to Half Price Books for reselling. So as a present to myself I took them in and walked away with $6.50 for the bag and used it to buy two more books for only $3.00! Love it when my wallet comes out ahead and so does my nightstand.

So does all of that reading count as 4 more books for the year even though one was a re-read? I think so. And since I'm the one doing the counting who's going to argue? I think that brings me to a total of 18 so far for the year.

And in other news I've decided to take the classes for becoming a real estate agent. So far I've only made it through the first four chapters and I'm not making any head way while typing here but oh well. I'll get it done. I promise. My goal is to have the course(s) and the state exam done by the end of July. Hope that's not too lofty a goal since it's 90 credit hours of studying to do. I'm just not back into the study groove yet. I'm out of practice. Yeah, that's it. I'm not a procrastinator I'm just out of practice. HA!

There are other things occurring but I'm not sure if I'm ready to write about them here yet. So I shall let them be written in my head for a bit longer. Posting more than once a month seems like a good idea so I'll see if I can get back into practice doing this too. Hasta luego.

Two forgettable tales

Thankfully they were each only a dollar. So only two of my hard earned buckaroo's went towards these two books. Finished the first a week or so ago and the second a few days ago.

$1 book the first: "The Perfect Elizabeth" by Libby Schmais. I'm sure she really tried to make the sisters memorable but alas it was not to be.

$1 book the second: "Project Jennifer" by Jill Amy Rosenblatt. Almost gave up on this one several times but I pushed through because, well, honestly what else do I have going on these days.

Now I'm reading two books at the same time which is very unlike me. One is a novel and the other a self help book suggested by my newly hired coach. Yes, I hired someone to help me figure out me. At this very moment I should be working on a questionnaire that is part of the book she assigned but I'm here telling this space about books I hardly remember even though I just finished reading them. I'm an world class procrastinator! Is that something that I should add to my resume? Perhaps not.

Oh Monica you write so well

Yesterday my massage was cancelled so I decided to see if the nearest library was a place that I might be able to spend some "working" time instead of the nearest Starbucks. Turns out it's rather small so I'm not sure it's quite the right place for me. So to really apply some balm to my twice disappointed soul, I headed for Half Price Books.

I always start with the clearance section because there the books are usually only one little dollar. I picked out 7 books there and then went perusing the regular stacks for a few of my favorite authors. I found 3 that I just had to have. In the end I left 5 of the clearance books behind and only took 5.

The first one I read was by Monica McInerney whom I love to pieces. I started it last night and since it was only a scant 151 pages I finished it today. It's called "Odd One Out".

There is something about the characters that Monica creates. I can always relate to them. Her main character is always someone looking for a life change and they always get it in the best of ways. This one was no exception. I've got to read everything Moncia's written because I do love them so.

Wrinkle re-read; What's my line?

I read "A Wrinkle in Time" more than a few times as a kid. A few years ago I bought it and the next two in the series and re-read them again. After I finished "The Fool's Journey" I had nothing else left from my last trip to Half Price Books, so I went rummaging through my bookshelves and picked up "A Wrinkle...".

Here's the thing, I don't remember much of it at all. Why is that? Why do I hardly remember a story that I've read at least a handful of times? What's wrong with my reading comprehension skills? Or is it my memory that's not intact?

The other day I started a career self-help book called "The Pathfinder". I bought it back before I decided to leave the job two jobs ago. I thought at the time that I would really try to figure out what it is what I want to do as a career or aka "what I want to be when I grow up". I didn't make it very far through it at the time and fell into another job and then fell into this last one.

The very first chapter of the book asks you to remember what as a kid you dreamed about as a career when you grew up and how you felt during those dreams. Here's the problem with these questions, I have no idea. I can't remember ever wanting to really be anything. I don't remember ever sitting around dreaming about being an astronaut or a fireman or a slayer. (Sorry watching a Buffy rerun and just had to throw that in there.)

The only thing that stands out for me is that I used to spend my spare money buying magazines full of house plans. I'd spend hours critiquing their layouts and imagining ways to improve it. What it would be like for a family to live in those walls? How would I make it better? Is that a job? Cause if it is, sign me up! But I'm thinking not so much. Right?

How am I supposed to start me journey of finding my ideal future career if I can't remember what I dreamt of as a kid? I can't even remember reading a book I've read several times before. I really hope that "The Pathfinder" gives me some other assistance in this process or another starting point because otherwise I might throw it out the nearest window.

Two more for the bookshelf

The morning before the fortunate incident that led to my being unemployed, I finished a book that I had borrowed from a co-worker, "Sophie's World". Fortuitous timing, huh? The co-worker had suggested it because I had been talking at lunch about "The End of Mr. Y". They are a bit similar. In "Sophie's World", the intersection between real life and the life on the page is blurred. It wasn't as good as "Mr. Y" and mostly focused on the history of philosophy, not really my subject of choice.

The morning of the fortunate incident I started a book called "The Fool's Journey". In the very beginning of the book, the part I read that very morning, the main character realized that she'd been stagnating in her career when she was passed over for promotion to full professor, so she resigned. Strange coincidence that I should read that very thing the very same morning my working life was going to change. The book didn't stay as strong through out but it sure was nice to have that woman in the same place as me at the same time. She found her voice in the end and I really hope that I do too.

Seven and Eight

About two weeks ago I finished book seven of 2010, The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas. I'd read another book by Scarlett during my beach vacation in August and enjoyed it. So I was excited to see what she could come up with this time. She has an interesting thought process and point of view. This one is about a cursed book same name as the title. The main character Ariel finds a copy of the book, perhaps the only in existence, and reads it only to find a seemingly vitally important page has been torn out. After a series of odd events the missing page is found and Ariel's world is plunged into chaos.

The book brought up an interesting view on what is thought and consciousness. Does a persons thought exist as another plane of existence? In this book the answer is a resounding yes. There are people who can experience this plane, people who can alter this plane. Alter the thoughts and actions of others. Those people are able to explain the existence of things, how the world functions. Until those people think about the nature of something and create its definition that thing does not. Anyway I'm not explaining it properly but needless to say I liked this book just as much as I liked her other. I'm about to pass it on to my brother.

Number eight was just the end of last week, What was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn. Another great read even if too short. Is was thinking as I reached the end that I kept wanting more from the story. Over way too quickly. Could have been much more fleshed out. But still I liked it.

I've only one left from my last Half Price Books outing but I'll be putting that off for a little bit until I finish one I borrowed from a co-worker called Sophie's World.

Sixer

Finished Book #6 of 2010 on the bus home tonight.,"Sammy's Hill" by Kristin Gore. The main character Samantha Joyce is mid-20's and working for a Senator in D.C. She's a bit quirky, fairly intense and very lovable. Her internal monolog is delightful and frenzied. She prays to the god of every conceivable cause. She tries desperately to keep her fighting fish alive and when they don't make it she has a lovely funeral with for each one. Oh and she loves talking to telemarketers.

Sammy is a great character. Flawed but perfect. The book ends on a glorious note with just enough wrapped up to feel closed but not trite. Really fun and I'm glad that made it into my shopping bag that day.

And yet another

Finished book #5 of 2010 on Friday night. This one was a bit of a miss. I just never felt as though it really got going. It's called The Birthdays and was written by Heidi Pitlor. The story of a family gathering for the father's 75 birthday.

Two brothers each married and a youngest single sister, all of the women are pregnant. I wish that I would have connected with the characters more but I didn't.

Still have a pile to pick from by the bed side. Not sure which one I'll start tonight.

And then there were four

Finished reading the fourth book of the year last night, "Roommates Wanted" by Lisa Jewell. A great story about an odd group of single people living together in London. So far I'm awesome at picking based on title and back cover blurb. British chick lit is oh so good.

There are several other books by the same author. I think I'll add Lisa Jewell to my list of authors to read more from.

Another closed cover

I've been a reading fiend so far in 2010. Can hardly get enough. Up late. Turning off the TV to read. Read on the bus. Read during lunch. Read, read and then read some more.

So far I'm three for three in my choices. I've liked them all and they've each been different. Took a bit to get into this book because the author was very wordy. Her sentences going on and on for several long lines. But then I got accustomed to it and couldn't read it enough or learn enough about the characters.

This one was The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marsha Moyer. The story of, well obviously, Lucy Hatch a recently widowed woman and her journey back to life from a stable but emotionless marriage. She moves back to her hometown and falls deeply amazingly passionately in love with a man, Ash, who feels entirely the same way. Well written love scenes. A wrenching depiction of Lucy's grief.

There is a second installment in the story of Lucy and Ash that I hope to read as well, called The Last of the Honky Tonk Angels.

And a Two

Stayed up late last night and finished my second book of 2010, The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski. From the moment I started reading it I just had to finish it. It's the story of a mid-30's woman (June) who gives a new acquaintance (Marissa) a ride home and they end up in a car accident which kills Marissa. The whole story surrounds June trying to complete a To Do list that Marissa had written before her death.

The style reminded me a lot of Monica McInerney who's books I really love. The people are well written and the story progresses with a great flow. Really recommend it.

Back again; 2010 book reading begins

Went away again didn't I? Not even sure what I wrote here last. So let's just start again, shall we?

Had a pretty good holiday. Dad came to visit for Thanksgiving. We painted my bedroom ceiling and walls. Took a while for me to get used to the wall color. It's an apple green. Still trying to find a duvet cover that works with the wall color and the new drapes I chose. The drapes are a dark gray. Also need to get myself an actual dresser. Haven't found anything that I like quite yet. Christmas was good too. I was a PMS crazed lunatic right before New Year's so I was asleep by 10:30. Oh well to that one.

Tally's doing really well. Still a sweetie and staying healthy. Yeah!

On January 3rd I hit Half Price Books and walked away with 9 books for less than $40. Made me so stupidly happy to have that many books waiting to be read next to my bed. Just finished the first one of the pile on the bus ride home tonight. It was The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King. It is the first of a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next ones. The story involves a young woman and her friendship and partnership with Sherlock Holmes. Really well done and worth reading. I'm glad that Peter suggested it. And that I finally found it at HPB.

Not sure which book I'll start next. I'll have to see what interests me on the pile before bed tonight. I shall try to keep up and not stay away so long again.

Since I've been gone & Tally's FINAL CHEMO

So much has happened since my last post. Was it really a week and a half ago? Time has flown by.

First off grandpa is still hanging on. He's such a trooper. He started talking a bit on Friday, the 19th and talked to us all day long on Saturday. Most of it was not in the current time period but oh well. He started the day in the near time frame only going back about 25 or 30 years and thinking that he had to get to the firehouse for work. Then at one point he thought he was on the USS Boise which is where he spent all of his time in WWII. Then at the end of the day he was a slick teenager hitting on me and my cousin. Some quotes were amazingly funny. Like the one where he said to my Uncle's girlfriend that she had tied him up really well last night and that he was glad there weren't any fires. We all nearly peed ourselves laughing. Saturday was his best day. Sunday when we got to the hospital he was really agitated and asked for ice water and said yes to the question about pain medication. Little did we know that the ice water request would be the last intelligible words we would get from him. After getting his pain medicine he was out for the day. Everyone else left on Sunday and dad went to work on Monday so I went to the hospital by myself. I was not prepared for what I was about to witness.

I just happened to arrive at the same time his orthopedic surgeon did to perform a post-op check. Overnight grandpa had deteriorated and his sugar level had sky rocketed. Apparently the overnight nurse wrote in his chart the the insulin was refused at midnight. Let me tell you that grandpa most certainly was not in any position to refuse any medication. The day nurse and the surgeon went spinning into action saying that they needed to get the primary physician on the phone now and that maybe grandpa needed to go to ICU. It was a really overwhelming way to end my visit with grandpa.

He pulled through that craziness and has since been moved back to the care facility where he's been living for nearly a year. He's in his apartment there with round the clock care. No tubes, or wires or needles. Just grandpa. They have figured out how to manage his discomfort and he seems to be settled in for as long as he can hold out. I'm so glad that he's not in the hospital and around all of that insanity. He's home and peaceful. You can hear the calm in my dad's voice when he talks about grandpa now. Whereas before it was TENSION!!! I'm so glad that I got to see him one last time. It was well worth the emotional turmoil.

Came home late Monday night the 22nd. Britten brought Tally with her to pick me up at the airport. It was SO great to see my little puppy girl again and I was looking forward to a night's sleep in my bed and a calm week. On Tuesday during our evening walk Tally started limping but kept on moving and I didn't think much of it. I gave her paw a thorough once over when we got home and then went off to my hair appointment. When I got home she was limping even more and really freaking me out. I sat right down in the middle of the living room and kept asking her if she was really going to make us run to the ER. Really? Come on Tally. Just for mama can't you shake it off? No. Damn. In the car we went.

The ER Vet shares a space with her Cancer Vet so that made me feel really good. They were all very sweet with her and in the end the Vet thought she must have just sprained her elbow. We left with some anti-inflamatories and orders to rest for a week. Gave her one of the pills when we got home and another in the morning. During our morning walk you would have thought I'd made up Tuesday entirely. She was FINE! Nary a limp or hitch to be seen. So I figured she was just getting back at me for leaving her for the weekend.

Then comes the final Chemo appointment on Friday June 26th. What a great experience that was. The awesome Cancer Vet and I had a great conversation trying to determine the follow-up process and then proceeded to talk about my vacation plans. Then it was time for the actual Chemo treatment. I was up in front paying, as usual, and when Tally was done she did her normal full force run from the back of the office straight to me. This time though she was wearing a little red bandanna with the words "I'm a Cancer Survivor" on it. I nearly started crying. It was just about the most adorable and most inspiring thing that has happened since all of this cancer craziness first started.

Here's a picture of her in all her post-chemo bandanna clad glory!


The next day was my 25th oh wait my 35th birthday! Although with the way I tore it up you may have thought I was turning 25. Started the day by meeting Heather for breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe in South Lake Union. Jess had hoped to join us but she was hit full force with something evil that was causing her to lose all of her insides out both major orifices since 1AM that morning. So needless to say my very pregnant friend thought it best to stay home. Heather and I missed her dearly but forged on as best we could. Since neither of us are preggers we decided to have a bit of the bubbly, so mimosa's it was. Then we went to REI were I got some new sandal's, had a hilarious exchange with the REI shoe department employee and tried on some swimsuits. Wait scratch that last thing. Nope no swimsuits were tried on. Really it was just the shoe department. That's all. (See Heather I told you I wouldn't mention it ever again.)

Then home for a bit for some Tally time and then off to Mani's and Pedi's. This time it was Molly, Ali, Amy and Jessica. There was more champagne, cookies, fruit and a lot of laughs. Back home for Tally's evening constitutional and then on to dinner. Our group grew to 12 at dinner. Amy had made reservations at La Carta de Oxaca and man was it amazing. Margarita's, amazing Mexican food, little puzzles, stickers, and a lot of laughing. For dessert we headed over to Cupcake Royale where the entire store sang "Happy Birthday to me!" I reveled in every moment of my day and enjoyed it ALL!! Thank you to Brooke, Cliff, Brent, Amy (mama), Peter, Dave Peck, James and girlies for so much fun! What a day. Even the hangover on Sunday couldn't diminish my smile.

Sunday was my first book club meeting and that went great too. I had a lot of fun talking about the two books, "The Alienist" and "Judas Child". I felt smart, funny and interesting. Yeah me!

So I have to say if this is 35, I'll take it.

What is new-ish

Things have been tough at work. 6 people laid off on Thursday. Much more work landing on my desk. Makes me nervous that I won't be able to keep up but I still have a job. Thank goodness for that.

Tally has a vet appointment tomorrow. She'll need to stay all day. They are going to put her under to do several tests. I'm very nervous about it. I hate leaving her there. I hate the thought that something is wrong and we don't yet know what. More symptoms and fewer answers. Stressful for me. Hopefully not so for her in the long run. First time I've had to have her anesthetized and that alone makes me nervous. I'm going to say a million pleases between now and when I pick her up at the end of the day tomorrow. Please let her be OK. Please let this be easy to cure and solve. Please. Do you hear me? Please.

Taking tomorrow and Tuesday off of work. Was hoping to get somethings done around the house. So far I've not accomplished anything, well except finally posting here again. Hoping to get a bit of painting and organizing done but seems unlikely the more time that passes.

Been reading a lot. Always on the bus and before bed. Love reading on the bus. Makes the commute pass so easily and quickly. Except for during the Christmas snow craziness. That was a bus nightmare. Part of the reason I've taken Monday off. My usual bus isn't running and I just cannot stand the thought of having to take another. What a snob I am. But there it is. And I wanted to take Tuesday off in order to watch the inauguration. I've never seen one but this one seems too important not to.

Back to the books. There's been "The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier and Clay" which I had tried to get into a few times before but was never able to. Made it through quickly this time. A really great book. Then there was "Outlander" which I'd also tried to read several times previously. Made it through this time and enjoyed it. Not enough to read any of the following books but a good read nonetheless. A few weeks ago I went to Half Price books and bought several new ones. Right now I'm reading "The Alphabet Sisters". I enjoy the author and have read two of her others. There are four more books next to my bed as well. Lots of reading for me.

Not sure what I want to accomplish today. Nothing or lot of things... Nothing is so much easier but lots of things to do. Have to see how it goes. Go with the flow or something like that.

Another book for the shelves

I finished "Children of God go bowling" by Shannon Olson last night. Her style is very easy and funny. The book centered around her relationship with a guy friend from college. It was a nice quick read and very well worth it. I hope she keeps putting out novels because she's really got a great writing style and I'd read anything she writes.

Not sure which one I'll pick up next but I'll let you know as soon as I do.

First finish of the new year

I got an idea from another blog about keeping track of the books I read this year. Brilliant idea. And since this is my own living little piece of cyberspace I'm going to keep that list right here.

This weekend I FINALLY slogged my way through to the end of "Special Topics in Calamity Physics". I started reading it months ago. Some time this fall or so. The author's style was interesting but most definitely not my cup of tea. I had nearly given up on it several times through out the last few months but decided to keep on trying. On Saturday, or perhaps it was Sunday, I finally made it to the final page. I'm so glad that I can put it on the bookshelf now and not have to open it again. I apologize wholeheartedly if you loved this book. Again, just not my cup of tea.

Since I was so near the end of "Calamity" I went to Half Price Books on Sunday to stock up on some new material. I bought four books. Two by authors whom I had read previous titles, one I had heard of about a million times and another that I'd read the synopsis of a million times.

Already started "Children of God Go Bowling" by Shannon Olson. I'd read her last book "Welcome to My Planet" and had really enjoyed it. She's a Minnesotan who grew up very near where I did. Her writing style is great. I've already laughed out loud.

So one book so far for 2008.