Tuesday

No post, back tomorrow.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Of Mondays

Oy I had a Monday. The afternoon was just filled with yuckiness in talking to people. A Worker's Comp person who wouldn't verify information regarding a claimant's WC claim because she didn't know who I was ... she had called me back *after I left a message for her and I answered as Unemployment Insurance*... who did she think I was? And a claimant who was supposed to respond by a certain date, didn't, and is now disqualified until he answers. I explained it to him, again and again. And then his wife called me ... to whom I can't talk because she's not the claimant nor set up as an agent for him. And just all kinds of calls while in the middle of trying to finish up the previous call and paperwork. So I was ready to be done for the day.

Well, we got 10 inches of snow yesterday -- on top of the seven or so that was already there from the previous weekend. The main roads were plowed which was nice but the side roads weren't. For TODAY ONLY, I was glad to have Moby. My job is in one of those side road areas and we had much to look at out the windows throughout the day as people in cars just couldn't make it through the muck. My lovely neighbor has plowed our street and our driveway on his 4-wheeler with a snow blade on it. We love him; each year we give him a gift to say thank you and to encourage him to keep doing it.

I think I've made a choice in my reading. I think the winner is .... THE BONES OF AVALON by Phil Rickman. This is a UK book; it will be released in the US next Spring. It is a stand alone novel (so far). Here is a description:

It is 1560, and Elizabeth Tudor has been on the throne for a year. Dr John Dee, at 32 already acclaimed throughout Europe, is her astrologer and consultant in the hidden arts...a controversial appointment in these days of superstition and religious strife. Now the mild, bookish Dee has been sent to Glastonbury to find the missing bones of King Arthur, whose legacy was always so important to the Tudor line. With him - hardly the safest companion - is his friend and former student, Robert Dudley, a risk-taker, a wild card...and possibly the Queen's secret lover. The famously mystical town is still mourning the gruesome execution of its Abbot, Richard Whiting. But why was the Abbot really killed? What is the secret held by the monks since the Abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea, uncle of Christ and guardian of the Holy Grail? The mission takes Dee to the tangled roots of English magic, into unexpected violence, necromantic darkness, the breathless stirring of first love...and the cold heart of a complex plot against Elizabeth.

It was published in October and has 480 pages. You can see why it's a PK book, eh?

But I'm also drawn to some nonfiction as well. I'm reading a sample on the Kindle for a book about the history of money and another about an overlooked Founding Father who was the money man of the Revolution (not Hamilton). I love stuff like that.

On TV, I have, perhaps, Lie To Me (Tim Roth!). If I watch. With the travel conditions I'm leaving for work that much earlier so the alarm in the morning is that much earlier. I'm thinking this may be the last week of serious overtime for me for a while. I just can't find time to work out and I must make that a priority so something had to give.

Steve is going to be late coming home from work tonight. He's stopping off at a gun buddy's house so I may not see him for a looooonnnnng time but at least he called to let me know this time. :) He may bring home dinner (as his punishment) so who knows when that will be?

In the meantime, it is CyberMonday and I won't be making purchases (payday Wednesday) but I could do some window shopping, looking online for some ideas.

Thanks for visiting....

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday Seconds

Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.

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PERSUASION by Jane Austen

This one I have re-read more than once and I'm sure I'll re-read it again and again.

The storyline in general:

More than seven years prior to the events in the novel, Anne Elliot falls in love with a handsome young naval officer named Frederick Wentworth, who is intelligent and ambitious, but poor. Sir Walter, Anne's father and lord of the family estate of Kellynch, and her older sister Elizabeth are dissatisfied with her choice, maintaining that he is not distinguished enough for their family. Her older friend and mentor, Lady Russell, acting in place of Anne's deceased mother, persuades her to break off the match.
Now, aged 27 and still unmarried, Anne re-encounters her former fiancé when his sister and brother-in-law, the Crofts, take out a lease on Kellynch. Wentworth, now a captain, is wealthy from wartime victories in the Royal Navy and from prize-money for capturing enemy ships. However, he has not forgiven Anne for her rejection of him.
The self-interested machinations of Anne's father, her older sister Elizabeth, Elizabeth's friend Mrs. Clay, and William Elliot (Anne's cousin and her father's heir) constitute important subplots.

The novel has been described as a great "Cinderella" story. All the similarities between the fairy story and this story are there; a heroine who is generally unappreciated by those around her; a handsome prince who arrives but seems more interested in the "more obvious" charms of the Musgrove girls than the more steady charms offered by Anne; a moment of realisation and the final happy ending when those who did not appreciate have time to realise what they have lost. It has been said that it is not that Anne is unloved, more that those around her no longer see her, she is such a fixed part of life that her likes and dislikes, wishes and dreams are no longer considered, even by those who claim to appreciate her, like Lady Russell.

I prefer to view it more as a second chance at love story which is truly more appealing. At 19, who are we, really? With maturity comes more interest, I think. Both Anne at 19 and Wentworth before his career success were unformed, hadn't tasted life or been tested by it either. At 27, Anne's inner character is formed, her own personal identity. That is when, knowing who you are, who you'll spend the rest of your life with should be determined.

BTW, there are a handful of movies made of this book. The only one of worth stars Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.

I love PRIDE AND PREJUDICE as a "first love" story; PERSUASION has a "love worth waiting for" story therefore sometimes more satisfying.

[side note: in looking for a cover, I see that they've "TWILIGHT-ized" the cover for new, young readers. ugh I really like the cover I found; I think it's gorgeous. ]

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The project of the day is the closet, no more procrastinating. Clothes laundry is also a must. It's currently snowing and I'll have to walk Tug in it but it can't be helped. Bah.

I've finished DANGEROUS TO KNOW by Tasha Alexander. Sadly, this one will probably fall under the "Disappointed" category at the end of the year. As I mentioned, the first book of the series was so good; this one was a mess. Emily is a whiny, weepy, irritating woman when she wasn't before (and yes, she had trauma in her life from the previous book but I'm sorry this stuff should happen off stage. Readers don't have time for nor enjoy such a wimpy woman character /end rant). I hope the author gets back to form or I'll probably have to let this series go. In the meantime, I'm back to the list of deciding what to read next. Only 19 from which to choose.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Polar bear!

In the past couple days I was trying to figure out what to read next after finishing THE BRUTAL TELLING by Louise Penny. Being a sometimes organized person, I made of list of the possibles that I had **immediately on hand and off the top of my head while at work** (yeah, I was mostly productive but it was a Friday with a lot of people gone, ferheaven'ssake). There were 20. Indeed, my reading options overfloweth. I did not list, of course, EVERYTHING I have on hand, but the ones that were next in series for me in a some of the historical mystery series I'm reading and the ones I have on Kindle and some recent purchases otherwise. But not everything. These were just the stronger contenders.

1. THE SUBTLE SERPENT by Peter Tremayne


2. THE ABBOT'S GIBBET by Michael Jecks


3. DEATH IN THE VALLEY OF SHADOWS by Deryn lake


4. THE ELIXER OF DEATH by Bernard Knight


5. BAD BOY by Peter Robinson


6. FALCONER'S JUDGMENT by Ian Morson


7. THE MORE DECEIVED by David Roberts


8. TERRA INCOGNITA by Ruth Downie


9. SACRED TREASON by James Forrester


10. THE BONES OF AVALON by Phil Rickman


11. DANGEROUS TO KNOW by Tasha Alexander (the winner)


12. SHROUD OF DISHONOUR by Maureen Ash


13. THE MARKED MAN by Barbara Hamilton


14. ON THE LINE by SJ Rozan


15. THE WICKED WINTER by Kate Sedley


16. THINK OF A NUMBER by John Verdon


17. A NAIL THROUGH THE HEART by Timothy Hallinen


18. A SMALL DEATH IN THE GREAT GLEN by A.D. Scott


19. THE FIFTH SERVANT by Kenneth Wishnia


20. MOONLIGHT MILE by Dennis Lehane

and I could easily list 20 more and not count a handful of nonfiction books. If the publishing industry collapses, I'm set for a while.

And last night I did browse a bit through the second half of the alphabet in the Second Purge and have added more books to the box of things to go. Now, I need to figure out which ones to go on www.paperbackswap.com and which ones to lend to a friend who has a friend who is desperate for books because she is laid up or something.

I did a post a while back listing ten covers that I thought were beautiful. I came across these two yesterday ... aren't they gorgeous?

Much to do today and all this book talk is getting me sidetracked so off you go...

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Oh my, I had to share this ... loved every one of these

Not partaking in Black Friday

Well I'm just a doofus. This rarely happens, but I got my books confused. For some reason I kept thinking Tasha Alexander's DANGEROUS TO KNOW was one I had already read in ARC but it was Deanna Raybourn's DARK ROAD TO DARJEELING I had read. Doh!

So now I'm reading DANGEROUS TO KNOW by Tasha Alexander. This is 5th of 5 in series featuring Lady Emily Ashton, a young widow in Victorian London. The first book was fabulous and the rest have been okay. Here's a description:

Set in the lush countryside of Normandy, France, this new novel of suspense featuring Lady Emily Hargreaves is filled with intrigue, romance, mysterious deaths, and madness. Returning from her honeymoon with Colin Hargreaves and a near brush with death in Constantinople, Lady Emily convalesces at her mother-in-law's beautiful estate in Normandy. But the calm she so desperately seeks is shattered when, out riding a horse, she comes upon the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. The girl's wounds are identical to those inflicted on the victims of Jack the Ripper, who has wreaked havoc across the channel in London. Emily feels a connection to the young woman and is determined to bring the killer to justice. Pursuing a trail of clues and victims to the beautiful medieval city of Rouen and a crumbling chateau in the country, Emily begins to worry about her own sanity: she hears the cries of a little girl she cannot find and discovers blue ribbons left in the child's wake. As Emily is forced to match wits with a brilliant and manipulative killer, only her courage, keen instincts and formidable will to win can help her escape becoming his next victim.

It was published in October 2010 and has 320 pages. I'm reading it on the Kindle. Here is an excerpt:

Although a stranger to the Norman countryside, even I knew a dark pool of blood under a tree was not something a tourist should expect to see during an afternoon ride. Sliding down from the saddle, I put a calming hand on my horse’s neck, then bent to investigate more closely. Had I been able to convince myself the congealing liquid was something less nefarious, the sight of a pale hand, blue fingertips extended, would have changed my mind at once. Without stopping to think, I rubbed my abdomen, the remnants of dull pain still present after my own encounter with violence, and took a step towards the body.
Only a few months ago, during what was meant to be a blissful honeymoon, I’d been trapped in a cavernous cistern deep below the city of Constantinople with the villain who shot me in an attempt to keep quiet my discovery that he was guilty of murder. His efforts were, of course, in vain. But although I succeeded in exposing the odious man and saving the life of the sultan’s concubine whom he’d held as a hostage, I’d lost something more dear. I did not know when I stepped into the gloomy bowels of the city that I was with child. Now, instead of preparing for an heir, my husband and I were no longer sure we could ever have one.
Colin Hargreaves was not a man to be daunted, even in the face of such tragedy. He insisted that nothing mattered but my recovery and packed me off to France the moment I was well enough to travel. His intentions were the best. His choice of location, however, fell something short of perfection. Not Normandy itself—the lush countryside was stunning, the rich, cream-laden food magnificent—but our lodgings at his mother’s house left something to be desired. Although that, too, is not entirely precise. There was nothing wrong with the manor, a sprawling, comfortable building constructed primarily in the seventeenth century by an aristocrat whose descendents did not fare well during the revolution. Rather, it was I who was the problem. At least so far as my new mother-in-law was concerned.
I’d heard nothing but complimentary words about Mrs. Hargreaves, who had fled England after the death of her husband some ten years before. Her own father had been left a widower early, and encouraged his daughter to remain at home—not to take care of him, but because he, not much fond of society, felt she should be allowed to lead whatever sort of life she liked. His fortune ensured she would never need a husband for support. Free from the restraints of matrimony, Anne Howard passed nearly twenty years traveling the world while her girlhood friends married and had children. It was only when she reached her thirty-sixth year that, halfway up the Great Pyramid at Giza, she met Nicholas Hargreaves. By the time they were standing again on terra firma, the couple were engaged. Three days later they married, and afterwards, never spent a single night apart.

I had hoped Mrs. Hargreaves would shower me with the warmth she showed her son—that she would rejoice to see him so happily matched. But after a fortnight of her cool detachment, I determined to spend as much time as possible away from the prickling discomfort of her disapproving stare, and it was this decision that led me to the unhappy resting place of the girl sprawled beneath a tree, her blood soaking the ground.

Yay, it's Friday! And we don't have to be in the Christmas Parade tonight! It has been warmer today, in the 30s, but the wind has been nasty. I would not want to be out there this evening.

I don't think there's anything on tv for me tonight so I may cuddle with Steve-the-Nonreader for a bit and then do some reading. Tomorrow, I'm finishing the December issue -- it is basically done except to check for details but I'm waiting on two excerpts from Severn House which won't be sent until Monday. Then I'm tackling the big closet downstairs, cleaning out junk, moving in supplies as best I can until I can make some shelves. I'm also going to go through the downstairs bookcases and continue the Second Purge -- J through Z are down there. I also need to find the first book in Nora Roberts' bridal quartet because I'm going to hook a young co-worker back onto reading. Yes, I'm an enabler but it makes me sad to hear that some people don't read because their parents never did and school turned them off. I'm on the case.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hate that people call it Turkey Day when it is to be a day of recognizing that we have much for which to be thankful. And for the real history of the event follow this link: http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1423.

Much to do today. We're not having dinner at my house this year (I've only hosted a couple times) but we have to be at my parents by about 12 which gives me about 3-4 hours. Between now and then, I need to make a corn bread/pudding thingy, walk Tug, and I should go to the grocery store (yes, sadly but conveniently, one is open).

I haven't chosen a book to read yet. Perhaps I am overwhelmed by the possibilities. What am I in the mood for? What will satisfy? I kind of run the options over in my brain, poking at them to see if something in my mood-ometer has an aha! moment. So far the systems seem to be in a state of scramble-ment and I can't make a choice.

I did go through a couple of my bookcases and pulled out a boxful of books that I've decided I won't be reading, ever. Time to clean things out again I'm thinking. The second Great Purge. The first one was in early 2009 when I was unemployed and decided to alphabetize all hundreds of my books (THAT was a project). It's funny how one's tastes in books change over time. In the First Purge I was brutal, I thought, in deciding what stayed and what goes and got rid of a couple hundred books. I looked at each book and asked myself: would I really ever read that book? The ones that stayed, I truly thought I would. Now, in the Second Purge, the same question is asked and what made the first cut is sometimes not making the second. True, in the almost two years, I've added more books and I still have hundreds of books that I haven't read yet but I mean to. I guess I'm just refining what I would make time for and what I wouldn't. Some so-so PIs and legal eagle stuff is now going. The books that stay are my beloved historical mysteries and what I'm calling "new classic" crime fiction authors like Block, Dexter, Grafton, Hill, Fyfield, Lathem, James, Rendell, Robinson, Robb, etc. and the classics like Rex Stout, the Perry Masons, Christie, Marsh, Tey, Sayers, etc.

Later this afternoon, more football on tv when my Cowboys will lose to the Saints. Since we won't have the leftovers, I'm not sure what to do for dinner except snackage but I don't have much on hand right now hence the need to go to the grocery store.

It is still absolutely cold out today though the high is supposed to get to the teens but the wind is nasty so windchill temps are in the negatives. I think I'll take Tug out the field again: shorter walk but more bang for the buck.

Thanksgiving: I am thankful for so much -- my friends/family, home, employment, health and faculties, freedoms, and the chance to pursue my happiness.

Okay, better get cracking....

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Probably a good thing we don't know what they're thinking

Apparently my dog is part death lizard with acid saliva. I was playing with him last night, down on his level, we were barking and aroo-ing, and he shook his head at one point. The minute-est drop of saliva flew into my eye. Gross but no big deal, right? Within five minutes my eye was red and swelling. I flushed it, I took a benedryl for whatever allergy attack I was undergoing. I tried to read but it was burning so I just gave up and crossed my fingers all would be well in the morning. It was, aside from the benedryl hangover. I so could have slept in today.

So work was interesting. I had taken a statement from a fellow a couple weeks ago that a co-worker had refused to call because of his "crazy" emails he had been sending in to unemployment. He was fine, polite, etc. I sent a form to the employer to get their statement and legally had to wait eight days. So I look in the guy's claim today and the day after our conversation he had sent in ten more emails of craziness. Not that they were relevent to the decision regarding his separation from employment, it didn't help him either. Uff da.

I finished THE BRUTAL TELLING by Louise Penny. I like this series a lot and this one had an ending that was .... truly sad. I'm not sure yet what to read next; I really should do one from any of the gabillion series that I'm reading. The prospect of choosing something new is exciting after so long.

Steve is shooting. I have America's Next Top Model to watch (because I like to see skinny beautiful girls being criticized (c) ). I was in the mood for eggnog so I got a little bottle so that is adding to the holiday feeling now.

Tomorrow is truly a day of thanks and to be treasured. With Russia and China dropping the US dollar in trade, this is going to be another stake in the rush toward inflation. By this time next year, we may not be able to afford such luxuries.

We'll be having dinner at my Mom and Dad's. We'll be able to sleep in and I'll be able to walk Tug before we head over. Football as always.

Everyone, have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family, whereever you may be.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

A Two-fer on Tuesday

My favorite of the day: claimant said "no" to the question "did you seek work this week". In the reason it said : "I'm job attached to unemployment." Yes, I believe some of them are.

Very cold. Brain tired. Dinner. Going to read. Bed.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

This blanket better be electric, people

I try to read my book at work but there is always someone who ignores the signs that you'd rather read than conduct a conversation. So not much read today in my attempt to get moving in my reading.

It was freaking cold today. The high was supposed to be six degrees but I don't even think it got there. And poor Steve had to be out in it doing service calls. Driving to work, I was getting up to 30 mph in a 35 zone on the straightaways but vehicles were zooming by me. It was ice, people! Crazy. Driving home I didn't get above 25 and usually less and I give a good margin of cushion from the car in front of me. I don't care if it pisses people off, I'm getting to my destinations safely, thankyouverymuch.

I've thought Dancing with the Stars to be silly but I think even worse is starting tonight: Skating with the Stars. Looks like nothing too enticing on tv tonight except perhaps Lie to Me. I just feel like soaking in the shower and then huddling under the covers. Uff da. And keep reading the Louise Penny. They just kind of figured out where the victim was murdered but not yet who he was. No Cabot Cove syndrome yet in this series, for me anyway.

There's going to be a lot of people gone from work on Friday, making it a four-day weekend. Not me. I'll be there. I don't need to buy things that badly no matter what the deals. Truly. Having worked that day in a mall setting, I do not want to be a part of it. Luckily, my to/from work route isn't in the high shopping traffic zone and I shouldn't be affected. And, being a low-staffed day, maybe it will be quiet enough to really get some work done without interruptions or "fire-putting-out" must-be-done-now things that happen every day.

I truly don't mind working that day. No. What scares me is if we have to do the damn Christmas parade downtown that evening. Steve's dad always does his horse and surry for First Interstate Bank and it is always fricking freezing and Steve always has to help and sometimes I get roped in. Oh boy. I hate it. When oh when will it come a time that it is not to be? (beseeching heaven).

In the meantime, if you live in Hawaii or the southern hemisphere where it's summer I have only one thing to say: :PPPPPpppppp

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sooo, I don't know what happened yesterday in which I didn't do a post. Around the time that I was going to do it in late afternoon/early evening, Steve was wanting share his day and then somehow time got away.

I got the foundation of December's issue done yesterday so today is going back and filling in blanks. This month has fewer releases, around 50, than previous months. Probably because of the holiday (?). I know there's only one new release that I myself am interested in (Margaret Frazer's A PLAY OF PIETY).

The Steelers play at 11 this morning so I'm sure Steve will be watching. I'll be walking Tug here pretty quick even though it's only negative two degrees out. It has stopped snowing after 7 inches but now the clouds have moved out and cold has moved in. I didn't even go get a newspaper this morning per our usual Sunday morning habit. I really don't want to go out there today so I'm trying to think of how to make his walk short but still count. Brrrr.

I've been reading BROKE in spare moments, and it has been interesting to read about the how the concept of "thrift" has changed from 200 years ago until right after WWII. It used to be a virtue to be thrifty (frugal) and now the concept has been converted to mean stingy. The virtue of thriftiness meant that you had enough money to be independent -- to do what you wanted and to be free of other pressures due to owing someone/thing else. Also interesting is the parallel to previous civilizations that have collapsed basically due to an oversized bureaucracy and the supporting of it through taxes bigger than the population who pays those taxes. (Rome, Spain, Greece). The book has a lot of meaningful things to say.

So. There it is. Laundry, walk Tug, December issue, football, reading, get caught up on news/blogs/emails, something for dinner, Psychic Kids, and then face another Monday. :)

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Expresses Tug's happiness with the fluffy white stuff

Of COURSE a book that I put on hold at the library four or five months ago is available now. LIVE TO TELL by Lisa Gardner. Our library's catalogue system changed last year around this time of the year and it completely sucks. It is not a useful or user-friendly system. I hate it hate it hate it. If I had to rely on it solely for my reading materials -- which I have in the past -- I would be in a world of annoyance beyond anything. Luckily, around the same time I got the Kindle. I'm buying more books but the convenience and accessibility to me is worth it. om

So winter finally came. Not a whole lot of snow but the roads were icy. I believe it is not supposed to stop snowing now until Sunday so it may accumulate now. And it is cold -- in the teens. This is the kind of weather to hunker down from but tomorrow I have to get my haircut. It is long over due and I'm pleased to get it cut but I didn't really want to venture out but there it is.

Otherwise this weekend, I have to get as close to done with Premediated as I possibly can so I can free-ish the rest of the month to work on some home projects like converting the downstairs closet into better storage for food.

I'm not sure what else will be going on for the next couple days. Computering, cleaning, accompanying Tug on his walks.

TGIF, everyone! Woot!

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Yeah, why not?

So. Thursday. I went to Walmart after work. Steve actually walked Tug for me. Now there's a friend of Steve's over and it was a surprise to me (and I think Steve knew about it because he didn't act surprised himself) and I know it's going to go on forever because they're talking guns. Sigh. And my house is a mess but I suppose I don't really care because they're guys. Another sigh. But I do. And now dinner will have to wait until after these guys leave. Bother.

I have so much to do on weekends and I need to get around to deep cleaning and in particular a large closet we don't use but I'd like to turn into a pantry thingy. Maybe the following weekend I can take on that project if I'm able to finish the December issue this weekend.

So I'm splitting my reading time between multiple books now. I know I know, that's no way to get anything done but I've got Short Attention Span Theatre in my brain. The Louise Penny, a silly Christmas-themed romance (no I'm not telling you what it is), and a couple non-fiction books I'm dabbling in. No wonder I'm disorganized in real life -- look at my dang leisure. Sheesh.

So in honor of the new Harry Potter movie opening this weekend, I've found this photo. I'd like to see the movie sooner rather than later but I think we'll wait until at least next weekend.

Nuttin' on tv tonight for me so I'll read what I can.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Couldn't pass this one up (shudder)

I have "ooo shiny!" syndrome when it comes to books. I think it's why I have to read fast. Scenario: I'm enjoying a book but I read a sample or hear about another book and suddenly I want to be reading THAT book too. I not only need more time for reading but I need parallel lives in order to read everything at once.

Cold but not windy today. No snow. Steve has shooting tonight; I have America's Next Top Model to watch (because I like to see skinny beautiful girls being critisized (c) ) and because I missed last week's episode due to going out for dinner for my Annual Event. Otherwise I feel like soaking in the shower right now because work was blech. Tug is licking his can of wet dog food (appetizer) and I have dinner in the oven so perhaps now-ish is the time.

At 8 I will probably read in bed (doesn't that sound just lovely?). I may even make it until 9:00 before caving in. Must. finish.chapter.before.sleeeee.......

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Not today

Oy, the wind is just howling out there... and so cold! No snow yet but it is expected probably for tomorrow morning. I don't mind winter really, I just hate windchill. I took Tug outside and said forget the walk it's too blasted yucky but we'll roam around the yard a bit. He's being calm right now because I gave him treats. I hate not giving him a full walk but, dayum! And I would very much like Steve to be home but I know he was super busy today so it may be another late one.

Off book topic but a woot! William and Kate are FINALLY engaged. The world will be in all a tizzy until the wedding. I hope they don't do to Kate what was done to Diana. But truly I think the world is even more insatiable now and have/demand more instant access. She is a commoner, I think she's gorgeous and has the stick-to-it-iveness to make things work ... she waited him out for eight years, didn't she. What did I read -- she'll be the sixth Queen Catherine of that name.

Tonight on tv we have Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock to watch. Otherwise, I think I'll be hunkering down and staying warm. I've been plugging away at the Louise Penny although I have been sampling from Kindle samples in the past couple days that have gotten interested in other stuff. I wish I had more time to read so I could get to everything.

Stay warm out there, people.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

All the time

Oops, sorry for not posting yesterday. I totally meant to but time got away from me -- I had even thought of something to write about but I'll save it for next Sunday now. Yesterday I got groceries, worked on Premeditated for most of the afternoon, made some apple crisp, and then the evening was there and then gone. Uff da.

Can you believe the Cowboys won yesterday!!?? Wassup wit dat?

I'm currently reading THE BRUTAL TELLING by Louise Penny. This is 5th of 6 in series featuring Armand Gamache, Chief Inspector of the Sûreté du Québec, in the village of Three Pines, in southern Quebec. Here is a description:

Chaos is coming, old son. With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered. As families prepare to head back to the city and children say goodbye to summer, a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro and antiques store. Once again, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers of lies, exposing both treasures and rancid secrets buried in the wilderness. No one admits to knowing the murdered man, but as secrets are revealed, chaos begins to close in on the beloved bistro owner, Olivier. How did he make such a spectacular success of his business? What past did he leave behind and why has he buried himself in this tiny village? And why does every lead in the investigation find its way back to him? As Olivier grows more frantic, a trail of clues and treasures— from first editions of Charlotte’s Web and Jane Eyre to a spider web with the word “WOE” woven in it—lead the Chief Inspector deep into the woods and across the continent in search of the truth, and finally back to Three Pines as the little village braces for the truth and the final, brutal telling.

This was published in 2009 and has 384 pages. I'm reading it on the Kindle. I liked this series even before seeing Penny at Bcon, but she really impressed me in person. And her writing is very evocative.

I'm not sure what's going on: my digestive symptoms of this virus seems to be perhaps abating but yesterday and today the dizziness is back. Now, it could be some other illness entirely causing that -- people have been sick at work and one of the ladies sitting closest to me was out sick today. Drinking fluids and I'll go to bed early.

I don't know why but I'm completely in the mood for dumplings for dinner. It must be the colder weather. Steve doesn't particularly care for them but that's okay because he can have the leftover sausage/hashbrown casserole that he likes and I'll make what I want. I could watch Lie To Me on tv tonight but I'll play it by ear. I love me some Tim Roth but maybe I'll read and then sleep and start all over again tomorrow.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

New kitty launcher works

I finished reading CHRISTMAS MOURNING by Margaret Maron last night. Enjoyable visit per usual. I'm not sure what I'll read next, perhaps a historical mystery which I'm always in the mood for or maybe the next in series for me of Louise Penny's series which is sounding good right now and has been waiting for me. So much to choose from right now, it's nearly embarrassing. But as a book addict, I'm merely content.

I worked on the December issue today and got up to the Ds. I hope to get to mid-alphabet by the end of tomorrow when I can put more time to it. I plan to finish up the basics by next weekend and have it good to to before the end of the month. I had a terrific conversation on the phone with author Milton T. Burton today. Very cool man.

Not much on tv for me tonight. I do see that Masterpiece Theatre has full episodes online of their re-visioning of Sherlock Holmes. People have been talking about it and maybe I'll check it out even though I have a problem with watching crime things on tv: sooo slooooowww. So I may wind up reading. Yay!

I've got two credits to use on audible.com and then I think I'm going to cancel it. I just don't have time right now for it so why waste the time/funds.

I have no idea what to post about tomorrow for Sunday Seconds. I'll have to think about it quite a lot or just pause it altogether for a while.

Have a lovely evening and see y'all on Sunday! Steve and I have to run to Walmart and figure out what's for dinner.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

So you're telling me I have to put up with it.

Friday at last. How lovely. Really.

So, this weekend I'll be doing the usual: newsletter, laundry, walking Tug etc. Steve will be doing the usual: teaching a gun class. Still no snow but it may try just a little this weekend. It will probably be more like moisture that will turn to ice for a little while.

I read the sample of a book called JULIET by Anne Fortier. I had listed the cover of that book as one I thought as pretty. The book itself I wasn't interested in but the sample has me a tad intrigued. Here's the description:

Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy. This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forever—a journey into the troubled past of her ancestor Giulietta Tolomei. In 1340, still reeling from the slaughter of her parents, Giulietta was smuggled into Siena, where she met a young man named Romeo. Their ill-fated love turned medieval Siena upside-down and went on to inspire generations of poets and artists, the story reaching its pinnacle in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. But six centuries have a way of catching up to the present, and Julie gradually begins to discover that here, in this ancient city, the past and present are hard to tell apart. The deeper she delves into the history of Romeo and Giulietta, and the closer she gets to the treasure they allegedly left behind, the greater the danger surrounding her—superstitions, ancient hostilities, and personal vendettas. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families involved in the unforgettable blood feud, she begins to fear that the notorious curse—“A plague on both your houses!”—is still at work, and that she is destined to be its next target. Only someone like Romeo, it seems, could save her from this dreaded fate, but his story ended long ago. Or did it?

It reads a little more interesting than the description, I think. I don't like authors using well-known stories for their own works. And it is beginning to be overused the device of present day to segue into a historical story. I can't read the book someday but I can't right now. It was published in August of this year.

It would be nice to read this evening but we'll see how it goes.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Conspiracy Theory? I don't think so.

So I worked for eight hours today at holiday pay plus time and half for working it so it was productive in many ways. Got home and walked Tug. I'll make a casserole in a little bit that is a little time consuming to put together but will reap many left overs. There's football on tv tonight but also Steve's shooting shows and I'm not really interested in either so I may get to read before bed. There is so much that I want to read right now that I'm thinking that I'm going to have to put more effort into it in the evenings since weekends are reserved for the newsletter.

And wouldn't you know that I finally find a show that's intelligent and worthy of my attention and they go and cancel it after one season. AMC cancelled Rubicon. Bah on them. Not a happy camper here.

It's been a while since I've done a reading meme, and I don't really remember doing this one so here we go:

What are you reading right now?

DECISION POINTS by George W. Bush and CHRISTMAS MOURNING by Margaret Maron

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you’re done with that?

Finish ON THE LINE by SJ Rozan and oh so many others

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now?

RT Reviews and Fusion

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

Well the only time I was forced to read anything was school (junior high, high school and college)... the worst thing wasn't fiction -- though I h.a.t.e.d. CATCHER IN THE RYE in high school -- was for my master of nonprofit management was the text book for the social justice class -- it just pissed me off on so many levels.

What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

Depends on who and when. For a while last year I kept recommending THE BOOK OF UNHOLY MISCHIEF by Elle Newmark as one of the best I'd read that year. The year before that it was THE THIRTEEN TALE by Diane Setterfield or THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton. I always recommend Alan Gordon's Jester series. But you really have to ask the recommendee what their tastes are before offering ideas.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?

Just one because she's a friend. And in the past year I haven't really used my library because they switched to a new completely sucky catalogue system and I got the Kindle.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all?

Oh, gosh, just look at my list of Sunday Seconds. DUNE by Frank Herbert is too SF, A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN by Virginia Woolf is a book by Virginia Woolf and a really long essay, anything current events or politics....

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you’re on the computer? While you're having sex? While you’re driving?

Eat: yes. Bathe: no, no tub worthy of a bathe. Movies or tv: yes while watching tv. Music: yes it creates good ambiance. Computer: no but very rarely while waiting for a download or something like that. Sex: you're apparently not doing it right if you're reading. Driving: as an audiobook yes.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits?

No but they do now as an adult. But then I make fun of them for not reading so it's even.

What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't put it down?

I don't stay up half the night anymore because I value my sleep more now but I devote hours to reading when I know I should be doing something else. So in the vein: HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts and INDULGENCE IN DEATH by JD Robb.

Gotta go start dinner. Off you go.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Annual Event

Sorry I missed Wednesday... it was my birthday yesterday and it got kinda busy. My cubicle was decorated with balloons at work; Steve delivered a gorgeous bouquet. I went for a drink after work with some co-workers and then Steve took me out for dinner at Jakes (nice restaurant). Got home at 9. Was very tired.

I'll be back later today. It's actually a day off for me (federal holiday for Veteran's Day) but I'm going in to work it because we can get really good overtime pay which will help me out a bit. And I need to go pop some balloons in my cubicle.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Teaser Tuesday

....Like Grant, I decided not to write an exhaustive account of my life or presidency. Instead I have told the story of my time in the White House by focusing on the most important part of the job: making decisions. Each chapter is based on a major decision or a series of related decisions. As a result, the book flows thematically, not in a day-by-day chronology. I do not cover all the important issues that crossed my desk. Many devoted members of my Cabinet and staff are mentioned briefly or not at all. I value their service, and I will always be grateful for their contributions.

My goals in writing this book are twofold. First, I hope to paint a picture of what it was like to serve as president for eight consequential years. I believe it will be impossible to reach definitive conclusions about my presidency -- or any recent presidency, for that matter -- for several decades. The passage of time allows passions to cool, results to clarify, and scholars to compare different approaches. My hope is that this book will serve as a resource for anyone studying this period in American history.

Second, I write to give readers a perspective on decision making in a complex environment. Many of the decisions that reach the president's desk are tough calls, with strong arguments on both sides. Throughout the book, I describe the options I weighed and the principles I followed. I hope this will give you a better sense of why I made the decisions I did. Perhaps it will even prove useful as you make choices in your own life.

DECISION POINTS is based primarily on my recollections. With help from researchers, I have confirmed my account with government documents contemporaneous notes, personal interviews, news reports, and other sources, some of which remain classified. There were instances in which I had to rely on my memory alone. If there are inaccuracies in this book, the responsbility is mine.

In the pages that follow, I have done my best to write about the decisions I got right, those I got wrong, and what I would do differently if given the chance. Of course, in the presidency, there are no do-overs. You have to do what you believe is right and accept the consequences. I tried to do that every day of my eight years in office. Serving as president was the honor of a lifetime, and I appreciate your giving me an opportunity to share my story.

from the Introduction of DECISION POINTS by George W. Bush

I am enjoying this autobiography a lot. It is written in a storytelling style that flows and brings the reader along.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Nope, no trouble at all

I'll have to make this quick. I have to figure out how to set the VCR to tape something. I knew at one time but have forgotten now. Doh!

The weather has turned. Not snow but dark and now rainy. I believe it's supposed to this way for a while. And it's dark now when I get home to walk Tug. Yuck.

Tomorrow a handful of us are going to lunch at a mexican place as a pre-birthday lunch thing for me. Wednesday, on my b-day, the workplace is doing its quarterly potluck so the timing has been off.

I finished INDULGENCE IN DEATH by JD Robb. Just simply love that series. I'm currently reading CHRISTMAS MOURNING by Margaret Maron. This is 16th of 16 in series featuring Deborah Knott, district judge in North Carolina. Here is a description:

It's Christmas in rural North Carolina's Colleton County and Judge Deborah Knott is looking forward to a family celebration when a tragedy clouds the holiday season. A beautiful young cheerleader dies in a car crash and the community is devastated by her death. Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant soon learns that her death was not a simple accident, and more lives may be lost unless he and Deborah can discover why she died.

It was published November 5th and has 304 pages. I'm reading it on the Kindle. I very much enjoy visiting Deborah and her southern world.

The Steelers are playing tonight. For peace in the house, I hope they win by a long shot. Unlike my Cowboys who fired their coach. Understandably, but man, he wasn't the one on the field screwing up for 7 games.

Gotta go play with the VCR before making dinner. See y'all tomorrow.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.

**********************************

A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN by Virginia Woolf

It is an extended essay. First published in 24 October 1929, the essay was based on a series of lectures she delivered at Newnham College and Girton College, two women's colleges at Cambridge University in October 1928. While this extended essay in fact employs a fictional narrator and narrative to explore women both as writers of and characters in fiction, the manuscript for the delivery of the series of lectures, titled "Women and Fiction", and hence the essay, are considered non-fiction. The title of the essay comes from Woolf's conception that, 'a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction'. Woolf notes that women have been kept from writing because of their relative poverty, and financial freedom will bring women the freedom to write; "In the first place, to have a room of her own..was out of the question, unless her parents were exceptionally rich or very noble". The title also refers to any author's need for poetic license and the personal liberty to create art. The essay examines whether women were capable of producing, and in fact free to produce work of the quality of William Shakespeare, addressing the limitations that past and present women writers face.

I've read some but not all of Woolf's fiction. I much prefer her nonfiction and letters. Though she was not allowed an education (she was in the era still where only boys were educated), she is a very intelligent woman. This essay in particular is gorgeous in laying out her thoughts. It is a strong statement regarding woman and education and independence. Some day I would like to own all of Woolf's nonfiction and take the time read them.

As a society, for the most part we've gotten away from reading in general, yes, but also reading or understanding material that is, say, denser, than the norm. Language in both speech and that which is written down have become fast, easy, lazy, uneducated. A part of me wishes for the past in that way. There was a time when people memorized and knew poetry and used it in everyday conversation. Our brains have become lazy. We cater to the lowest common denominator and it's sinking lower every day. I've been plugging away at Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond series, and ohmygosh, sometimes I don't know what the heck she is saying. Me! And I read a lot. Dunnett's thought process was amazing as was Woolf's. Cultures evolve and sometimes not for the better. I'm not dissing the way we live now but sometimes .... I just feel inadequate. And I've been lucky in that regard and put forth some effort. Others? I feel real concern for the future not only in terms of economics and the republic, but also for the sustainability of our civilization. Some people have difficulty understanding Shakespeare but within one generation we have a society that probably can't understand the syntax of just 50 years ago.

In 6th grade, thoughout the entire year, Mrs. Forseth made us memorize poetry such as "Under the spreading chestnut tree, the village smithy stands..." And even "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...." which would totally be the subject of a lawsuit today.

Off my soapbox. It is denser than what you're probably used to but give it a shot and maybe if it helps, slow down word by word and imagine this as a woman speaking: this is the first paragraph of A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN:

But, you may say, we asked you to speak about women and fiction — what, has that got to do with a room of one’s own? I will try to explain. When you asked me to speak about women and fiction I sat down on the banks of a river and began to wonder what the words meant. They might mean simply a few remarks about Fanny Burney; a few more about Jane Austen; a tribute to the Brontës and a sketch of Haworth Parsonage under snow; some witticisms if possible about Miss Mitford; a respectful allusion to George Eliot; a reference to Mrs Gaskell and one would have done. But at second sight the words seemed not so simple. The title women and fiction might mean, and you may have meant it to mean, women and what they are like, or it might mean women and the fiction that they write; or it might mean women and the fiction that is written about them, or it might mean that somehow all three are inextricably mixed together and you want me to consider them in that light. But when I began to consider the subject in this last way, which seemed the most interesting, I soon saw that it had one fatal drawback. I should never be able to come to a conclusion. I should never be able to fulfil what is, I understand, the first duty of a lecturer to hand you after an hour’s discourse a nugget of pure truth to wrap up between the pages of your notebooks and keep on the mantelpiece for ever. All I could do was to offer you an opinion upon one minor point — a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction; and that, as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of woman and the true nature of fiction unsolved. I have shirked the duty of coming to a conclusion upon these two questions — women and fiction remain, so far as I am concerned, unsolved problems. But in order to make some amends I am going to do what I can to show you how I arrived at this opinion about the room and the money. I am going to develop in your presence as fully and freely as I can the train of thought which led me to think this. Perhaps if I lay bare the ideas, the prejudices, that lie behind this statement you will find that they have some bearing upon women and some upon fiction. At any rate, when a subject is highly controversial — and any question about sex is that — one cannot hope to tell the truth. One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. One can only give one’s audience the chance of drawing their own conclusions as they observe the limitations, the prejudices, the idiosyncrasies of the speaker. Fiction here is likely to contain more truth than fact. Therefore I propose, making use of all the liberties and licences of a novelist, to tell you the story of the two days that preceded my coming here — how, bowed down by the weight of the subject which you have laid upon my shoulders, I pondered it, and made it work in and out of my daily life. I need not say that what I am about to describe has no existence; Oxbridge is an invention; so is Fernham; ‘I’ is only a convenient term for somebody who has no real being. Lies will flow from my lips, but there may perhaps be some truth mixed up with them; it is for you to seek out this truth and to decide whether any part of it is worth keeping. If not, you will of course throw the whole of it into the waste-paper basket and forget all about it.

I have a flash of a memory of seeing A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN performed as a one woman show. It must have been on PBS or something similar. That would be fantastic to see again.

*************************************************

Today, I'll do clothes laundry and walk Tug then start December's issue of Premeditated. Tonight, Dallas plays Green Bay but I probably won't watch it -- we're having a horrible season. I will watch Psychic Kids. After my little tirade up there I should watch something educational and high handed or read the dictionary but there it is.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thank goodness dogs don't care ... or don't do anything about it

Got the November issue done and emailed to the PDF subscribers. The print version should be done on Monday for me to mail. Woot! I'm going to relax tonight and then start December's issue tomorrow.

Really not much else happening. I'm a little ways into the new JD Robb and the murders are getting started for Eve to kick ass about. Not much on tv tonight so I may read.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Whoa.

I finished HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts last night. It WAS a happily ever after ending though we only got to see one of the quartet get married. Sad that the series is over now.

I'm currently reading INDULGENCE IN DEATH by JD Robb. This is 32nd of 32 in series featuring Eve Dallas, a homicide lieutenant and Rourke in futuristic New York City. Here is a description:

First it was a limo driver shot through the neck with a crossbow. Then it was a high-priced escort found stabbed through the heart with a bayonet. Random hits, thrill kills, murderers with a taste for the finer things in life-and death-are making NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas angry. And an angry Eve can be just as an efficient and dangerous predator as the killer. As time runs out on another innocent victim's life, Eve's investigation will take her into the rarefied circle that her husband, Roarke, travels in-and into the perverted heart of madness...

It was published on November 2, 2010, and has 382 pages.

I'm glad the day is over; it was a tough week. Today was all about putting out fires. This morning, work on your work flow, i.e., the unresolved old issues. After lunch it was more email call backs, no wait, here' s JAVA issue that has to be done by the end of the day, no wait, we need you to jump on the appointment queue and do those call backs.

As previously mentioned, I'll be finishing the November issue this weekend and getting it out to subscribers. In the spare time I'll be doing laundry and other sundry cleaning walking Tug and maybe squeak in some reading time.

Tonight, not much.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Heaven forbid if they tweeted

The plan is for me to complete November's issue of Premeditated on Saturday and email the PDFs that night or on Sunday and do the printeds on Sunday/Monday and mail on Tuesday. I hate being behind but there it is. I need to call Kinkos tomorrow. I I could mail the ones on Monday, that would be even better.

Tonight I hope to read for a little bit before going to bed. My brain is just going obbity obbity obbity. I did call backs all day. It is helpful, yes, but it is also soul sucking and I just need some me time and sleep. Short of staring at the wall and drooling, I think reading a little is do-able.

Nothing on tv for me tonight; Steve has his gun shows. I'm on page 232 of 333 in the Nora Roberts. There seems to be sort of less of the coupling so to speak of the last couple and more interaction of all four couples. I'm not complaining but that is my perception. The Maron should show up on my Kindle tomorrow but the Robb is next up.

I have next Thursday off from work for Veterans Day, but I think I'm going to work it and get the really good overtime. Christmas is coming.

I've agreed to go out for a drink with some of the ladies at work on my birthday next Wednesday but it probably won't be for very long. I'm not sure yet what Steve and I will be doing but he's got first shot.

Okay, off you go.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Or reading....

Yesterday -- a day off for me as a state employee for election day -- was great and productive. I got in a lot of time on Premeditated. I was hoping to finish it but it looks like it will be this weekend. Mom and I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up the new Nora Roberts and JD Robb and she also got STILL LIFE by Louise Penny. (I've read most of the series and really liked them but she hadn't read them yet). And we had lunch at Olive Garden (soup and salad). I also watched Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock and the elections returns. Just a nice day.

I'm currently reading HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts. This is 4th (and sadly the final book ) of the Bride Quartet. Here is a description:

As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed. Mechanic Malcomb Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart...

It was published yesterday and has 368 pages. I'm about half way through. I would have finished it in one day if I hadn't had to work on the newsletter.

I would like to do some more on the newsletter this evening it is Steve's shooting night and not here to run interferencd with Tug. And I have America's Next Top Model to watch because "I like to watch skinny beautiful girls being criticized" (c). And I will just have to read, I guess. It will be a hardship, I know, but... :)

Next up: INDULGENCE IN DEATH byJD Robb and then CHRISTMAS MOURNING by Margaret Maron.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster