Monday

So I didn't get much reading done last night. Yes, I caved in and watched the Academy Awards. What a bother. Why do I do it? NEXT year I'm not going to watch.....

Impressions of the show last night? Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law just have the best chemistry. Sandra Bullock is comfortable and funny in any situation. Anne Hathaway look good in all the dresses she wore but there were too many -- it should either have been a running schtick or she should have raised money for charity by having people vote on them or something. The song from 127 Hours was haunting. Zach G from the show Chuck can sing very well. Colin Firth looks good in a wet shirt... I mean, I'm very glad he won.

So maybe I'll finish the Robb tonight but I will watch Fashion Police on E. Joan Rivers drives me nuts but dang she is nasty/funny on this show and the Oscars are ripe for her nails.

I get to splurge on one book this month and I got notified that it's on it's way: the new CS Harris. Woot!

Today is my friend at work Tami's birthday. We took her out to lunch to the Burger Dive which has awesome burgers and garlic/parmesan fries. I didn't eat much ahead of time, knowing I would be stuffed. Num!

Kinda a busy evenings (when are they not?) getting off at 5, walking Tug (slowly) and now getting dinner ready. I think I'll throw the cover to Tug's bed in the wash since it got pretty out there today with the snow melting. It's time. Past time.

Have a lovely evening and get enough sleep tonight.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

I'll use any excuse to show this photo...

It is the day of the Academy Awards. I usually watch the event and I usually do this alone because a) Steve doesn't care and b) I change the channel whenever I want to if it gets too boring or stupid like during acceptance speeches. I am one who would enjoy a shorter program; that is, cut out all the "banter" and live music. I say, have the announcements of who's up for whichever award, show a clip demonstrating why they were nominated -- yes, even the technical ones -- and then announce the winner who doesn't get to come on the stage and then move on. THAT would be ideal.

I have not seen very many if any at all of the movies that are contention here but I will make my predictions anyway based on my own personal criteria: if I like them, what buzz I've picked up, etc. So.....

Best Actor, the nominees are:

Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
Colin Firth in “The King's Speech”
James Franco in “127 Hours”

I choose Colin Firth because he played Darcy in Pride and Prejudice on A&E and if you saw it you will never forget the "wet shirt" scene. (see picture above) I'm thrilled he's finally about to get this award, he's actually a very good actor (he's a Brit and they just train them better there) and he has done very good work over the past years. He was nominated last year I believe and just missed.

Best Supporing Actor, the nominees are:

Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter's Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King's Speech”

I WANT Geoffrey Rush to win because I think he's also an extremely talented actor. But I think Christian Bale is going to sweep the award year in this category. I've not seen the movie, The Fighter, nor will I because I don't like boxing movies. It's funny and I'll say here, once you've been nominated for an Academy Award, you're suddenly on their radar and you start getting nominated more often. Jeremy Renner was on nobody's radar until last year with great movie, The Hurt Locker (last year's Best Picture winner, deservedly so). It's like the Academy has those blinders on like horses do and can only see within a narrow view. Look how many times Meryl Streep has been nominated. She's not this year only because she didn't have a movie. End rant.

Best Actress, here are nominees:

Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter's Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

I've been watching Natalie Portman's performances since her first movie, The Professional, in 1994 when she was 12. She was fantastic. Forget the Star Wars stint, she got exposure from them and probably good money. She will win this category because she's been sweeping pretty much all the awards this year. There is minor buzz about Annette Bening but I think that is just to try to generate some excitement in a given.

Best Supporting Actress, the nominees are:

Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King's Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

I was going to say Melissa Leo because she's been winning them all year for this performance but I read an article today that said she took out an ad to promote herself and there may be backlash. But she's paid her dues on tv (anyone remember The Young Riders?) (also respectably on Homicide) and in independent films. I still think she's going to get it. The upset would be Hailee Steinfeld, the young actress from True Grit, the Academy loves to give to young girls every so often.

Animated Film, the nominees are:

“How to Train Your Dragon” Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
“The Illusionist” Sylvain Chomet
“Toy Story 3” Lee Unkrich

Yeah, you think anything is going to beat Toy Story, even a part 3?

Best Director, the nominees are:

“Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter” David O. Russell
“The King's Speech” Tom Hooper
“The Social Network” David Fincher
“True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

This one is a tough a call. Usually the winner of the DGA Award (Director's Guild) wins, in that case it would The King's Speech. But they may want to throw a bone to The Social Network here instead of the big Best Picture award. I'll say The Social Network.

Best Picture, the nominees are:

“Black Swan” Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
“The Fighter” David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
“Inception” Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
“The Kids Are All Right” Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
“The King's Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
“127 Hours” Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
“The Social Network” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
“Toy Story 3” Darla K. Anderson, Producer
“True Grit” Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
“Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

They expanded this category to 10 recently for purely marketing purposes. If you think the Awards are about "art" or "the craft" you're mistaken. It's all marketing, baby. It's down to The King's Speech and The Social Network. Inception was a great, intricate film but people loved it and it made money so it won't get anything other than some technical awards and maybe a writing award. The King's Speech is an old school, older generation movie and The Social Network is the younger audience. The Academy always plays it safe (look at the showdown between Crash and Brokeback Mountain) and doesn't like upstarts (look at The Hurt Locker versus James Cameron's Avatar last year). I pick The King's Speech to take Best Picture.

The other awards don't really matter. Sorry. Not even best animated which I included here.

I didn't work on my newsletter yesterday so I will be doing so today. I'll finish laundry, walk Tug a couple times today I think, and do a little reading when I can.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Don't wake up...don't wake up...

Oh, having a hard time getting motivated. I have walked Tug and vacuumed upstairs, took out garbage, and on my third laundry load but I don't feel productive. Maybe because I've also already taken a nap. :)

The finale of Spartacus last night was GOOD. And surprisingly, a happy ending for Gannicus. The things that needed to happen -- this series was a prequel so we knew things had to turn out a certain way -- did happen. And the very end scene was a flash back (flash forward?) to the slaughter that ended the first season in the Spartacus slave revolt. Now.... we wait until 2012 for the next series of Spartacus in which they should be continuing the story of Spartacus with the re-cast actor.

And Starz was very clever to show right after the finale the first episode of their next miniseries, Camelot, which won't really continue until April. It looks good too, but I'm more interested, I think, in the supporting characters which are played by very good actors. The Arthur is a young, skinny blond guy. Meh. But the fabulous actor who played Marc Antony in the miniseries Rome plays Lot and the actress who played Vesper in blond Bond's Casino Royale is Morgan. I'm not so thrilled either with Joseph Fiennes playing Merlin. Actually, to me, the only good Arthur on film is Excalibur. But I'll give this a chance.

I took some Benedryl last night because my eyes were bothering me and today I have a Benedryl hangover. Blah.

So Steve had his gun class this morning and now is at the shop to unload a door destined for the Metra. It's supposed to be warmer today, up in the 20s but the wind is nasty.

Nothing on tv tonight for me I'm thinking so unless we pop in a DVD to watch I'll end up reading. JD Robb/Nora Roberts is simply magic at writing. Of course, she's written 190 books thus far in her career so she's had a lot of practice. :)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Look, another beagle!

About to start TREACHERY IN DEATH by JD Robb. This is the 33rd of 33 (I think) in series featuring Eve Dallas, a homicide lieutenant in futuristic New York City. Here is a description:

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master. But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

It was published February 2011 and has 384 pages.

I am glad it is Friday. TGIF. It has been a long stressful week that is not over yet. I am also mostly glad to be not working this weekend. I will miss the extra OT but we can't work due to network maintenance. I have a lot to do and actually work this week has been interfering but there it is.

I have a lot going on right now so I appreciate your patience with me. Thank you M&D. It is said that one needs to turn one's problems over to God and I try but it is also a difficult thing to truly do, I find.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Missed a couple

Sorry, life is interfering... back later... in the meantime: a beagle!

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Monday Monday

I'm currently reading A MARKED MAN by Barbara Hamilton. This is 2nd of 2 in series featuring Abigail Adams, the future first lady, married to a rebellious lawyer (John Adams), in mid-1770s Massachusetts Colony. Here is a description:

Lucy Fluckner comes to Abigail for help. A good friend of Lucy's, 24-year-old bookseller Harry Knox, who prints pamphlets for the Sons of Liberty, has been arrested for the murder of Sir Joseph Cottrell, the King's Special Commissioner and, according to Lucy's Tory chaperone, Mrs. Sandhayes, Lucy's fiancé. Lucy insists that the victim, a notorious womanizer, was not her fiancé, her heart all too clearly belonging to the accused. Abigail and her lawyer husband, John, resolve to prove Harry innocent. The disappearance of a Negro servant woman from the house of Lucy's Loyalist parents adds to the intrigue.

This was published in October 2010 and has 336 pages.

I worked about 6 hours today, came home, walked Tug, watched the Glenn Beck show which I rarely get to do, and now reading the news and blogs. Nothing on tv for me tonight so I think I may read.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Remember when we were younger and we wore dorky hats? Um, this was just yesterday, dude.

Yesterday's work on the newsletter brought me closer to completion -- I moved from the Hs to the Ns, I believe. I hope to get the initial form of it done today and be able to do detail work next weekend and get it out on the 28th.

The closet project didn't get nearly as done. I'm crossing fingers that Steve does so today.

It's snowing out. The winter weather advisory said possibly 2 to 4 inches. Still cold out -- in the single digits.

After walking Tug yesterday, I went to the french door to let out for a drink of water. His water dish has become robin central. There were 8 of them there. Big round ones. I'm seeing a handful now as I type this swooping in for a drink.

I finished ROMAN BLOOD last night. I liked it and I will read more. I'm not sure what to pick up next in crime fiction. It may be the Susanna Gregory or the next in series by David Dickinson .... I may opt for a nonfiction. So I'll have to play around with it today.

Stay warm and cosy...

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday

I slept in until 8 this morning. It felt good. I've been reading some news while having breakfast. Pretty soon I'll talk Tug for his walk around the block -- still on light activity because he starts out pretty okay but limping starts before we're done. The short walk today is welcome because it is COLD outside.

Today's activitities include moving things out of the food storage closet so Steve can put in shelves (FINALLY!). I'll do the usual laundry and vacuuming. The other big priority of the day is get a lot done on the newsletter.

Spartacus was good last night. We know certain things have to happen in the story because this is a prequel. Last night, two more main characters were killed off. Sadly, next week is the finale for this go round.

I'm still reading ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor. I've got about a third left. Don't forget to check out my other blog if you're interested in current events: www.americanagaia.blogspot.com.

Thanks for tuning in. Sorry it hasn't been as entertaining lately. Sometimes life interferes.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

So was the week

Glad it's Friday. I have Say Yes to the Dress and Spartacus to watch tonight. I'm not working tomorrow but going in on Monday -- federal holiday so will add to the OT.

Gotta get going, sorry so short.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Not quite Friday? Oh yes.

Oh boy

Busy after work. Had to get groceries. I haven't talked to Steve yet in person yet since he was off to shooting when I got home, but he informed me by text that his diabetic health care provider person says he needs to count carbs. I'm taking this to mean altering our lifestyle to mostly low carbs in our eating. So I'm doing research on this. The obvious of course is cutting bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, hidden sugars ... everything that makes life worth living. :) Proteins, vegies and fats in a harmonious balance. Think Greek or Asian rather than Italian. Problem is that Steve is a ... shall we say ... choosy eater. This will be a challenge but if it means we live better and longer then we do it. And I say we because there's no way Steve will be doing this alone, no-sir-ee-bob. It will be better for me too. Sigh. I love rice.

I've got a whiny dog on my hands because we didn't walk tonight and he needs attention.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Well of course. What else would it be?

I'm halfway into ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor. I like it but it's not gripping me in that OMG I must not sleep until I finish this book feeling. Enjoyable and I'll probably read the series.

Yesterday at work the day went quickly; today it was slooooww. Just didn't feel like being there. I know people were feeling the same but attributing it to the good weather. I just felt like there were other things, more interesting things I could be doing. :)

I've started another blog. This one will be political/current events in nature. I didn't want to mix the two topics -- personal and political/current events -- so the other one will serve in that capacity if anyone is interested. It has a conservative POV and features links to news and opinions and occasional commentary. If you wanna, it's at www.americanaglaia.blogspot.com. Aglaia (uh glay uh) was the Greek goddess of spendour. American Splendour. So there it is then.

I don't think there's anything on tv tonight for me. My time is getting shorter and shorter because of worker more hours. So I have less time to read the news and get dinner ready and so forth and read before bed. Ah well.

I didn't tell you that I darkened my hair for Steve for Valentine's Day. He likes black. This is very dark brown and somehow it is making my hair look even sleeker with my angled hair style. Almost asian in it's silkiness. I'm liking it though the dark of it -- which I do every so often -- is strange for me to look at sometimes. I'm used to my medium mud brown.

Have a good evening....

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Happiness is rolling in the snow

Happy Valentine's Day! Per my request, no flowers for me today.

Work went okay and I just got done walking Tug. All the way around the block for the second day in a row and I think his leg is doing okay with it. A little limp but not the major one of weeks past.

Tonight we're having dinner in and perhaps some snuggling while watching tv. Early to bed for me and early to rise in the morning.

On Saturday we watched on Starz I think it was, The Prince of Persia. It was all right. Jake Gblah blah blah was not bad after a while. I found it strange though that the American lead playing a Persian spoke in an English accent. They all spoke in English accents.

I don't think they're anything to watch on tv but who cares? :)

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Growing Up

Growing Up
By Chuck Rogér

Believing what's always felt good comes easily. But growing up requires accepting truths that our younger selves denied. Toys don't arrive via air-sled from the North Pole. I am not major league pitcher material. And there indeed are people determined to do nothing positive with their lives.

Growing up is hard work.

Because the path to maturity has no end, it's wise to focus on journeying well. Along the way, emotionally healthy adults achieve the profound awareness that they do not know far more than they do know. The realization serves as an indispensable ally. Maturing requires seeing easy street as a dead end. Rather than obsess with making love in the green grass behind the stadium, grown-ups make love last. Grown-ups find balance. Effective parents view the shaping of youngsters' attitudes as a moral imperative. Effective people understand that trying to control other people's thoughts is morally loathsome.

Many milestones mark the way to adulthood. A major inflection point is reached with the recognition that "helping" people by supplying answers breeds dependency on supplied answers. No skill is transferred, no accountability engendered, no lasting help provided. True grown-ups counsel without scolding, lead without showing off, and teach without preaching.

Reason, emotion, fact, and fallacy, the human brain processes all four. Decisions emerge. With each decision, people grow-or not. The willingness to learn how to blend emotion with reason and make good decisions is a prerequisite for growth. To grow is to replace fallacy with fact and resist too-good-to-be-true illusions in order to prevent too-horrible-to-endure consequences.

Grown-ups understand that some choices can feel wonderful at first, yet carry staggeringly bad long-term consequences. Surrendering to certain urges may bring short-term pleasure, but divorce, heartbroken children, and financial ruin are high prices to pay for marital infidelity.

Weak thinkers may feel warm and fuzzy about paying a single mother of five to remain unemployed and working on number six, but grown-ups see a half-dozen more Welfare cases in the making.

Acknowledging the likelihood of awful consequences is a mature trait. Almost cruelly, good judgment requires growing up even as growing up requires good judgment. Some "adults" are remarkably incapable of fathoming this Catch-22.

Judgment and maturity play central roles in deciding when and how to help fellow human beings. Using taxpayers' money to rescue lenders that made irresponsible loans to irresponsible people illustrates one brand of help. Taxpayers freely donating money to improve the lives of the mentally ill or cognitively deficient illustrates another. Grown-ups understand the difference. Childish idealists don't see a difference.

On the spectrum of human motivation lives a continuum of possibilities. At one end, the digital logic of yes or no, agree or dissent, do something or do nothing. At the other, impulses born of delightful, horrific, heartwarming, heart-chilling emotion. Grown-ups carefully navigate the spectrum, embracing blacks, whites, and passionate reds in the combinations needed for life's decisions. Even the most ideologically-tainted cynics catch fleeting glimpses of a fundamental truth: neither the left nor right end of the spectrum holds all answers.

Choosing between left and right lies at the core of an age-old societal challenge. Kind-hearted clear thinkers acknowledge the challenge, as defined by two questions.

1) Should "society" try to improve the lives of its witless, unskilled, and mentally unstable members? Society's achievers generally want to help, but without coercion from government busybodies too willfully blind to comprehend the power of the free market to channel the help.

2) How does society decide whom to help? Grown-ups acknowledge that given access to opportunity, capable people must make their own way. Negligent slackers must live with the pitiful results that crummy decisions and laziness invite.

Even should exploring such questions produce methods for helping society's most exposed members, a more fundamental question will remain. Is our species clever enough to achieve the balance between logic and emotion vital to averting economic and cultural messes? America's most recent hundred years suggest an answer. Social engineers from John Dewey and Teddy Roosevelt to John Goodlad and John McCain, from Woodrow Wilson and Margaret Sanger to LBJ and Hillary Clinton, and from FDR to George W. Bush, Nancy Pelosi, and Barack Obama have placed fallacy ahead of fact, feeling ahead of logic. As a result, Americans have suffered educational degradation, natural economic downturns unnaturally intensified by government intervention, moral decay rivaling the decadence that collapsed past civilizations, and an accountability-destroying nanny state. Human history's message is transparent. Wisdom is not the norm.

Two simple truths live at the heart of the struggle to grow up. First, used wisely, both logic and emotion play key roles in good decision making. Second, schemes based on pie-in-the-sky hypotheses are hatched by minds that fail to grasp the first truth. To be sure, fools in powerful positions have abused feel-good illogic to drive entire societies into decline. For "intellectuals," growing up is especially hard to do.

Self-anointed intellectuals don the costumes of politicians, professors, and preachers, cling to the notion of the perfectibility of the human animal, and promise to save us from ourselves. Our rescuers are consumed by a desire to use our wealth to bring their pipe-dreams to life. Some people never grow up.

A writer, physicist, and former high tech executive, Chuck Rogér invites you to visit his website, www.chuckroger.com. Email Chuck at swampcactus@chuckroger.com. Page from: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/02/growing_up.html

Little Task Master

I worked until noon today. Then took Tug for a walk and then a little nap. Now I'm working on the March issue. I've been listening to a very good speech given by Mitch Daniels at CPAC. This guy I think would be a good candidate.

http://cspan.org/Events/Top-Republicans-Headline-Todays-CPAC/10737419537-2/

Practical, good core values. Keep an eye on this one.

I think I'll be reading next ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor. This is 1st of 12 in series featuring Gordianus the Finder, a private investigator in the 1st century BCE in Rome. Here is a description:

Elena asks that you come to the House of Swans at once . . . Compelled by this message, the wealthy, sybaritic Sextus Roscius goes not to his harlot, but to his doom—savagely murdered by unknown assassins. In the unseasonable heat of a spring morning in 80 B.C., Gordianus the Finder is summoned to the house of Cicero, a young advocate staking his reputation on this case. The charge is patricide; the motive, a son's greed. The punishment, rooted deep in Roman tradition, is horrific beyond imagining. Gordianus's investigation takes him through the city's raucous, pungent streets and deep into urban Umbria, unraveling layers of deceit, twisted passions, and murderous desperation. From pompous, rouged nobles to wily slaves to citizens of seemingly simple virtue, the case becomes a political nightmare. As the defense proceeds toward a devastating confrontation in the Forum, one man's fate may be threaten the very leaders of Rome itself.

It was published in 1991 and has 401 pages. I think I'm going to attempt to add a few new series to my repertoire. I know, I know, I don't have time to read them all as it is. But sometimes you have to freshen things up a bit. I've been meaning to get to the Roman authors for years -- I have read one or two Lindsey Davis's -- and I was in the mood for this I think. Last month I added David Dickinson; this month, it looks to be Saylor. I saw both Saylor and Davis at Bcon in October. I can hear Saylor's voice when I'm reading this. He's an intelligent, quick-speaking, slight man and hearing him intrigued me even more to his works. So there it is.

Cops isn't on TV tonight so I'm not sure what we'll do. We do have a DVD to watch. Or, we've both been working today, we may just end up doing our own things with which to unwind.


Okay, back to work. Off you go.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Why do I watch Spartacus on Starz?

Yes, because of the history. Sheesh. What else? You know how I love reading historical mysteries and historical novels. This just adds another element.

Say Yes to the Dress and Spartacus are on tonight. A great reward for a busy week. I'm working extra hours in the morning and then cranking on the newsletter.

News in Egypt bears watching. What will happen next is the big question. So far it's too similar to Iran in the 70s. Not good.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

It IS the rabbit!

ohdababy -- and tell me a story?

I not only put together a newsletter of upcoming releases in crime fiction each month, I'm a reader of that newsletter. And in February, there was really only one book for which I'm going to plunk down money. That book is JD Robb's newest. I absolutely love that she puts out a new book every six months. I would hate to have to wait an entire year to feed my addiction to Eve, Rourke, Peabody and the gang of characters. This one is called TREACHERY IN DEATH and comes out on the 22nd. Most excellent.

Otherwise I'll be plugging along in the books I have on hand. I'm about halfway I think on the Peter Tremayne. I still have the new Susanna Gregory. And so many more that require my attention. It's just sad that when I do have to time to read in the evenings, after a few pages my eyelids are dropping. But 4:30 comes early in the morning. Yes, I go in to work super duper early so I have to get up that oh dark thirty early in the morning. Hence I also go to bed early or start to fall asleep by 8:30 whichever comes first.

I had lunch today with my friend Sara. I hadn't seen her for a few months so it was nice to get caught up on news. My computer functioned properly today so I was able to get a lot done and not feel like I needed to throw the machine out the window unlike yesterday.

So, Steve is off shooting. I'm going to have some chili, I may warm up in the shower, and then read while I can or at least make the attempt.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

That's what I wanted to do to the IT guys

What a yucky day at work. My computer... the program I work in primarily was so slow. It took 30 seconds to change between screens and I'm not exaggerating. I had the State IT guy on the phone this morning and he remoted in but couldn't figure it out. So I worked all day in a state of frustratration. Finally after 4:00 this afternoon a manager comes over with another guy on the phone and it's a cable between my computer and the new phone. The network connection was at 100mb instead of 1gb. A cable. At 4:30 this afternoon. At least I don't have to suffer through it tomorrow.

But my good mood was shattered and I'm tired. I'm checking on emails and news, will fix dinner, maybe snuggle with Steve, and then read. Good riddance to the day.

Tomorrow I'm having lunch with a friend so it's gotta be better.

Good night and sleep tight.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Ouch! See, that's why I have a dog.

Not a whole lotta readin' goin' on. But I will just have to do what I can. I'm just getting into the Peter Tremayne.


Big snow today. Six or so inches. I keep telling people it's only February and it's still winter when they moan. It's definitely not fun to deal with but you gotta expect it. Unlike the Spanish Inquisition. NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python).


I think Steve will be watching the season finale of American Chopper tonight. I'm not sure what I'll do. There's a premiere of a new cop series starting but I don't know if I want to commit. We'll see. I may just read ... or sleep...


Yesterday I watched The Runaways, a biopic from last year about the all-girl 70's band started by Joan Jett. Their hit was "Cherry Bomb". Of course, back then I was in grade school and not into that kind of music. The movie stars Kristen Stewart as Jett and Dakota Fanning (all grown up) as Cherie Curry. As much as I don't like Stewart she did a good job. The movie was all right and definitely captured the look and feel of the era.


I'm late coming home because I had to pick up some groceries. I've got to spend some time with Tug since he didn't even get his short walk this evening.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Don't forget Puppy Bowl VII on Animal Planet Channel

OK, I've just seen a preview of some of the ads that will be shown at the Superbowl. I gotta tell you, I laughed out loud at the Volkswagen Darth Vader one. Audi is stepping in with long commercials and being snarky with their "Startled Smart" series. There will be a new eTrade baby ad but the excerpt on the website I saw has "outtakes" worth checking out. The Doritos commercial makes you go ewwww. Go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/super-bowl-commercials-super-bowl-xlv-2011-2?slop=1 if you want to see some. Otherwise, watch the Superbowl.

At our house, we are, of course, cheering on the Steelers as they are Steve's team. He has said, however, that he wouldn't mind if the Packers won because he is completely anti-Favre. I will have to be consoled that at least Dallas's ARENA made it the Superbowl. Sigh.

I've got to get cranking on the newsletter. At first glance, there are over 100 books being released. That will whittle down (I hope) as the newsletter comes together because some the release dates will have changed. Either way, I've got to make use the time I've got. :)

I've switched horses in my reading agenda. Apparently it just wasn't the time for the Gregory, and now I'm reading SPIDER'S WEB by Peter Tremayne. This is 5th of 21 in series featuring Sister Fidelma, a 7th century Celtic sister and legal advocate in Kildare, Ireland. Here is a description:

In the spring of 666 A.D., Sister Fidelma is summoned to the small Irish village of Araglin. An advocate of the Brehon law courts as well as a religieuse, she is to investigate the murder of the local chieftain. While traveling there with her friend Brother Eadulf, a band of brigands attacks the roadside hostel in which they are staying and attempts to burn them out. While Fidelma and Eadulf manage to beat back their attackers, this incident is only the first in a series that troubles them. When they arrive at Araglin, they find out that the chieftain was murdered in the middle of the night, and next to his body, a local deaf-mute man was found holding the bloody knife that killed him. While everyone else seems convinced that the man's guilt is obvious, sister Fidelma is not so sure. As she investigates, she's convinced that there is something happening in the seemingly quiet town--something that everyone is trying very hard to keep from her. In what may be the most challenging and confusing situation that she has yet faced, Fidelma must somehow uncover the truth behind the chieftain's murderer and find out what is really going on beneath the quiet surface of this rural town.

It was published in 1997 and has 352 pages.

Have a terrific Sunday.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Doh!

Productive morning: put in six hours at work, took Tug for his short walk, I've got laundry going and will get going on the March issue of the newsletter. I had hoped to drop off our taxes info but they were not open to the public. Dash it all!

So while I'm on a roll I'll keep going and then later perhaps take a nap. Not much for me on tv tonight, I believe, so maybe I'll get some reading in.

Still don't know what to do for dinner for the Super Bowl. We're watching at home -- I'll also be tuning in to the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet channel. I'll just have to wing it -- I was going to say punt but that would be pushing it.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

The Friday that is and was

Ah Friday. Tonight on TV is Say Yes to the Dress and Spartacus. I'll be going to bed after that because I'm heading in to work tomorrow for some extra OT bright and early.


The stuff going on in the Middle East is ... well we're watching history being made and we will remember a before and after I think.


My baby doggy is whining upstairs so I'm going to allay his alone-ness.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Blonde

Yes, the world does revolve around me

I've just started THE BODY IN THE THAMES by Susanna Gregory. This is 6th of 6 in series featuring Thomas Chaloner, a reluctant spy for the Secretary in Restoration London. Here is a description:

In the dilapidated surroundings of the Savoy, a delegation from the government in the Netherlands is gathered in a last ditch attempt to secure peace between the two countries. Thomas Chaloner, active in Holland during Cromwell's time, is horrified at the violent aggression and hatred shown to the Dutch by ordinary Londoners, but is more worried by the dismissive attitude with which they are greeted by the King's ministers and officials. He has experienced the futilities of war at first hand and has no wish to witness another. Then the body of his former brother-in-law is found in the Thames, and Chaloner discovers the dead man has left enigmatic clues to a motivation for his murder. These may be linked to a plot to steal the crown jewels, or perhaps to a conspiracy to ensure that no peace is secured between the two nations. Whichever it proves to be, Chaloner knows he has very little time to decipher the pointers left to him...

It was published this month in the UK and has 352 pages. I like this series for the time period, the detail in the story telling, and the character of Chaloner is not perfect and definitely not a nobleman though he is a rare man of values in this time. You get a feel for the dirtiness, the scrabbling to make a living, the wealth of the upper class, the intrigue and the political maneuvering.

It's been bitterly cold for the past three days but supposed to get in the high 20s tomorrow. Steve is shooting tonight. I'm going to work on getting info together for taxes and then read for a bit.

Tug is getting better. We didn't walk tonight but I let him romp in the front yard for a bit. I think with time and the pills he'll be getting back to new soon. This will always be an issue for him -- his legs. It already has been for the past couple years this was just the worst of the incidents. He's got arthritis in all legs and being a big dog with not much bend in his long legs this is going to happen.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday

Sorry for not posting yesterday. Tug had a rough day. I dropped him off yesterday morning for sedation and x-rays and picked him up after work. The good news is that that hips are good shape. The not so good news is that he probably ruptured a ligament in his knee. Yesterday evening when I got him home he was obviously in a lot of pain, he was whimpering all evening, he didn't want to be touched but he didn't want to be alone, he was fighting falling asleep, etc. It took all my time to help get him settled. Today he is much, much better. So he continues on the pain/inflammation pills and very light exercise. We won't be doing surgery.

I'm keeping busy at work as always. I'll be working on Saturdays to get some extra overtime. I'll be starting soon the new (in the UK) Susanna Gregory, from the Thomas Chaloner series, THE BODY IN THE THAMES, set during Restoration England. I'm finishing a historical romantic suspense. Steve has a board meeting tonight. I hope to read a bit.

On Sunday, I watched the final episode of Downton Abbey. It is good to know that they're in production for a second session because the ending doesn't conclude very much of the stories' threads. The difficult part will be the waiting.

I'm watching the news of happenings in the Middle East. I plan to do a bit more studying on the subject in the next couple days.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster