Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Deep



I'm currently reading TRICK OF LIGHT by Louise Penny. This is 7th of 7 in series featuring Armand Gamache, Chief Inspector of the Sûreté du Québec, in the village of Three Pines, in southern Quebec, Canada. Here is a summary:





“Hearts are broken,” Lillian Dyson carefully underlined in a book. “Sweet relationships are dead.”But now Lillian herself is dead. Found among the bleeding hearts and lilacs of Clara Morrow's garden in Three Pines, shattering the celebrations of Clara's solo show at the famed Musée in Montreal. Chief Inspector Gamache, the head of homicide at the Sûreté du Québec, is called to the tiny Quebec village and there he finds the art world gathered, and with it a world of shading and nuance, a world of shadow and light. Where nothing is as it seems. Behind every smile there lurks a sneer. Inside every sweet relationship there hides a broken heart. And even when facts are slowly exposed, it is no longer clear to Gamache and his team if what they've found is the truth, or simply a trick of the light.


It was published today and has 352 pages.


Here is an excerpt:


Oh, no, no, no, thought Clara Morrow as she walked toward the closed doors.
She could see shadows, shapes, like wraiths moving back and forth, back and forth across the frosted glass. Appearing and disappearing. Distorted, but still human. Still the dead one lay moaning.
The words had been going through her head all day, appearing and disappearing. A poem, half remembered. Words floating to the surface, then going under. The body of the poem beyond her grasp. What was the rest of it?
It seemed important.
Oh, no, no, no.
The blurred figures at the far end of the long corridor seemed almost liquid, or smoke. There, but insubstantial. Fleeting. Fleeing.
As she wished she could.
This was it. The end of the journey. Not just that day's journey as she and her husband, Peter, had driven from their little Québec village into the Musée d'Art Contemporain in Montréal, a place they knew well. Intimately. How often had they come to the MAC to marvel at some new exhibition? To support a friend, a fellow artist? Or to just sit quietly in the middle of the sleek gallery, in the middle of a weekday, when the rest of the city was at work? Art was their work. But it was more than that. It had to be. Otherwise, why put up with all those years of solitude? Of failure? Of silence from a baffled and even bemused art world?
She and Peter had worked away, every day, in their small studios in their small village, leading their tiny lives. Happy. But still yearning for more.
Clara took a few more steps down the long, long, white marble hallway.
This was the "more." Through those doors. Finally. The end point of everything she'd worked toward, walked toward, all her life.
Her first dream as a child, her last dream that morning, almost fifty years later, was at the far end of the hard white hallway.
They'd both expected Peter would be the first through those doors. He was by far the more successful artist, with his exquisite studies of life in close-up. So detailed, and so close that a piece of the natural world appeared distorted and abstract. Unrecognizable. Peter took what was natural and made it appear unnatural.
People ate it up. Thank God. It kept food at the table and the wolves, while constantly circling their little home in Three Pines, were kept from the door. Thanks to Peter and his art.
Clara glanced at him walking slightly ahead of her, a smile on his handsome face. She knew most people, on first meeting them, never took her for his wife. Instead they assumed some slim executive with a white wine in her elegant hand was his mate. An example of natural selection. Of like moving to like.
The distinguished artist with the head of graying hair and noble features could not possibly have chosen the woman with the beer in her boxing glove hands. And the pv¢té in her frizzy hair. And the studio full of sculptures made out of old tractor parts and paintings of cabbages with wings.
No. Peter Morrow could not have chosen her. That would have been unnatural.
And yet he had.
And she had chosen him.
Clara would have smiled had she not been fairly certain she was about to throw up.
Oh, no, no, no, she thought again as she watched Peter march purposefully toward the closed door and the art wraiths waiting to pass judgment. On her.
Clara's hands grew cold and numb as she moved slowly forward, propelled by an undeniable force, a rude mix of excitement and terror. She wanted to rush toward the doors, yank them open and yell, "Here I am!"
But mostly she wanted to turn and flee, to hide.
Clara stared from the purse on the gleaming marble floor to the man crouched across from her.
It wasn't Peter.
Instead, she saw her friend and neighbor from Three Pines, Olivier Brulé. He was kneeling beside her, watching, his kind eyes life preservers thrown to a drowning woman. She held them.
"Deep breath in," he whispered. His voice was calm. This was their own private crisis. Their own private rescue.




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

The nearby fire has apparently grown to 2000 acres and still going. What a bother. I had to get groceries after work so Steve is walking the boys. I plan to deal with dinner and clean up and then perhaps to read. It got hot again today. Bah. Yes, it's still August but can we stop with the 90s already?

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, August 29, 2011

Just taking the express....



Monday Monday. What can be said? It's passed. Typical calls, typical co-worker issues.


So tomorrow is release day for the new Louise Penny. I think I'll go pick it up at lunch. Heck, I've got an hour, have to take that hour, so might as well do something useful. Today's lunch hour was gas-Moby-day.

Tonight on TV is American Chopper and I may tape HGTV Design Star. I know, I know, how did I get strung into it again? I skipped the last season and swore never again but I saw an episode and now I'll tune in because I have nothing else going on.

We finally had a thunderstorm come through this afternoon to break up the heat. Now it's in the high 70s but windy. A grass fire got started about 5 miles away from our house, fairly decent size and lots of smoke. I took the boys for a run in the field and I could see the red of the flames in the distance.

Hope y'all have a nice evening....

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Sunday


Sunday morning. The dogs got me up at 7 and are walked. Had some breakfast. Took a shower and now all buffed and puffed. I'm doing a quick peruse of the emails but then I will buckle down on the newsletter. Supposed to be in the lower 90s. Ugh. But maybe a thunderstorm. Yay!

We had pizza last night for dinner from a place called Stawhat Pizza. It was okay but not spectacular. I picked up from their place at Shiloh Crossing. It was freakin' busy. I had to muscle my way through 20 or so people waiting in line for seating to get to the counter. Steve and I watched a little of Cops, a little football.... so then I cleaned up, opened up the windows for cooler and air and read the Enron book some more.


Tonight we have Ice Road Truckers to watch and that's about it. I don't know what to do for dinner, maybe enchiladas. Two more days until the Penny book.


Wow. What a boring blog.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Yeah, hanging out in the pool....


Missed yesterday. Per usual for a Friday, I got off work at 4:30 but I had to stay away from home because Steve didn't want Ryker to go for a walk without trying the new shock collar that he picked up at Cabela's. I looked for some shoes and then hung out at Barnes and Noble. Then I got home, we had dinner, we tested the collar which may seem to work (Ryker has a lot of fur so we had to switch the tips on it) and then we got to watching a movie on TV. No blog.

Today, I walked the dogs in the early morning -- on leash the whole time so no need for the collar and worked on "sit" which Ryker also can resist if there isn't a treat involved -- then went for a haircut. I realized recently that everyone has the A-line cut now so I had to do something different. I looked for a cut this week and found one so voila, I have a new hair style. It is sassy-ish, layered, and easy to style. Supposed to look best somewhat ruffled, to give an idea. It's lighter, as in not so hot and heavy on my head, so that's a plus. Then I stopped by a gym to check out if I wanted to join. I may. We'll see. Got home and vacuumed and started laundry. Working on the newsletter which will be late going out this time. I lost a weekend because of the cellulitis.

It's is still blasted hot, upper 90s. I'm so ready for fall. I don't know what to have for dinner but I'm thinking it may be something from out because I don't want to add any more heat to the house.


Tomorrow, I must devote much time to the newsletter.
It will be late. But can't be helped.

Still plugging away on the Enron book. I picked up THE HUNGER GAMES in book form while at B&N and I asked Steve to read the first one. We'll see how that goes. He was going to go to a gun show today but I don't think that ever happened.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Ohhhhh, wow, that looks so good right now



I won't talk about THOSE books.

I've started CONSPIRACY OF FOOLS by Kurt Eichenwald. The book about the rise and fall of Enron. It has a good narrative flow and I'm learning about how an oil pipe company became the energy monster it was before the end. At least at a point of where it was starting in its first branching out -- it "invented" the gas bank where they were the middle man between natural gas suppliers and buyers and then sold the investments of them like bonds therefore the liabilities could be taken off the books because the company didn't own them anymore. And I'm realizing how much I am just not a sharp person when it comes to things like that and there people out there who have instincts in that area that are scary. This may keep me occupied until the new Louise Penny on Tuesday.


It is still freaking hot. Day after day this week in the 90s and yesterday the compressor of the ac on our side of the building at work broke and the email today from the management says a replacement had to be ordered and may be in next week. And I also learned today what makes my hackles rise without conscious thought. It is being spoken to thusly: "Look, lady....." I didn't not respond negatively but I surely wanted to clobber the guy.


We've decided we need to get Ryker an electric collar. He simply will not listen and runs off ignoring us when we take him off leash for runs. I hate the thought of the things but in this case we feel it is needed for his safety. If we yell stop or come here and he ignores us as he does and he is in danger from being hit by a car or about to have an encounter with a dog we know is unfriendly or someone in their yard is fed up with loose dogs and takes a shotgun out, well, we can't have that. Just like with the electrified wire around the fence line, we gave him many opportunities to behave and limited his options to misbehave but he continues. Coda doesn't do it as much and usually is following Ryker so I don't know if Coda will get one too.


Nothing on TV for me tonight. I picked up some sweet corn for dinner and will have it with round steak. Speaking of which, I need to go husk some corn cobs.


Have a lovely evening....


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

My evil plan is working....




Obsessions. I have had this happen a few times. It is rare: when you read a book that was SO GOOD that you are obsessed with it. After you’ve completed reading it, it will not leave your thoughts. THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy has done that to me. I need to take my focus to something else. The next book I read will suffer in comparison because it WON’T be those books and the emotional ride it gave me. So I’m going absolutely opposite: reading a nonfiction book. I won’t tell you what about. Okay, I’ll tell you: the downfall of Enron. Dry, right? It’s been a long time … in fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever had the urge to immediately re-read a book upon completing it. THE HUNGER GAMES, yes. Perhaps the thrill wouldn’t be the same but I don’t want to leave that world. But it is over because the story is completely over in the trilogy of books. The end. There will be no more books. And I don’t know if I want to see the movie being made of it because I don’t think it will compare. I don’t think they can do it justice because the narration is very internal to Katniss. But I will see it, of course. But for right now the characters are as I see them in my mind and not some actors. You know, I would even try to make Steve-the-Nonreader to read the book. I tried with THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin with him but I think the sheer size of the book turned him away. This will be different: fewer pages and I’ll MAKE him read it. Ha! I will make EVERYONE read it. Bwa hahhahaa!


Took the dogs for a run, had some dinner, and now I'm getting tired. I wish I could accomplish more in the evenings but I just get wrung out from all day on the phones with people. Steve is out shooting and I've given the boys some rawhide bones to keep them occupied. I may read for a little and then call it a night.


Much love,


PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Short bedtime story



I've inhaled all three books by Suzanne Collins in THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy. Amazing. Excellent. Must reads. Incredible world building and issues. Highly recommended.


Was busy at work. Had to run errands after work and Steve walked the boys. I'm rather tired and ready to turn in. I was confused for a moment this morning when I woke up whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday. Sadly, only Tuesday. :)


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, August 22, 2011

No, I think it's more like Rapunzel and Ew! a lizard!



Work was work. And it was damn hot and supposed to be all week.



I'm obsessed with THE HUNGER GAME books



About to watch HGTV's Design Star. Steve is at orientation at gun club.



Will read and read and then sleep and sleep.






Much love,



PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Doh, bacon! (slaps forehead)


Oy, I just want to be well again. And I stayed up way too late last night reading THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins. I read it in one sitting; until . Did not want to leave it until it was done. I understand its hype now and agree the author created an amazing world. An excellent, thrilling young adult novel. And yes I'm continuing on into the next book.

Then the boys got me up at 7, walked, breakfasted, and then working on the newsletter.
I think the only going for tonight is Ice Road Truckers, otherwise, 'twill be early to bed for me. Think I'll see if we'll have Chinese food tonight, if not, then soup would be fine.

Crud, the Cowboys play tonight, but it's only pre-season, but this may be the only time they win...

Steve has an orientation tomorrow evening and I'm behind on my newsletter so I'll try to work some more on that.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, August 20, 2011

They do go on, don't they


I was able to work on the newsletter today and hope to do so again tomorrow. The boys got me up early so we did the walk and then I picked up breakfast for myself and Steve at Hardees. I'm about to start ACCEPTABLE LOSS by Anne Perry. This is 17th of 17 in series featuring William Monk, an amnesiac police inspector, later a private detective and river policeman, in Victorian London. Here is a description:
When the body of a small-time crook named Mickey Parfitt washes up on the tide, no one grieves; far from it. But William Monk, commander of the River Police, is puzzled by the expensive silk cravat used to strangle Parfitt. How did this elegant scarf—whose original owner was obviously a man of substance—end up imbedded in the neck of a wharf rat who richly deserved his sordid end? Dockside informers lead Monk to what may be a partial answer—a floating palace of corruption on the Thames managed by Parfitt, where a captive band of half-starved boys are forced to perform vile acts for men willing to pay a high price for midnight pleasures. Although Monk and his fearless wife, Hester, would prefer to pin a medal on Parfitt’s killer, duty leads them in another direction—to an unresolved crime from the past, to blackmail and more murder, and to a deadly confrontation with some of the empire’s most respected men.


It was published this month and has 320 pages. This is a library book. Perry has gotten a bit preachy with all her books but this series as well but I still like the character of Monk.

Happy Annual Event to my sister, Lisa! 29 for the mumbleth year in a row!

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, August 19, 2011

Or it's a Monday at work...



Well, I may be on the mend. Feeling better on the cold front, I can at least breathe through my nose again but I do have a spot of soreness in my throat. Made it through another full day of work and being short handed. And a burden has been lifted there, someone who I don't get along with and has been in a position to make like unpleasant has turned in notice. Ding dong and all that.



I picked up the Anne Perry book after work. I'm nearly finished with the Gregory so maybe I'll start that by the end of the weekend. Otherwise I must work like the devil on the newsletter. Steve will be working on a neighbor's garage door.



And so it goes. Oh, did I mention that I got a jury summons? Finally, after 25 years or something like that. It is only for the month of September. Not great timing for work but there it is.



I took the boys for a quick run after work. I tell ya, Coda just loves to swim and he practically belly flops into the water he is so happy to leap into it. If we had a pool and water slide, he'd be playing in it all day.



And himself just called saying he's going to be late. Bah.



Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, August 18, 2011

May be better than having minions



I probably shouldn't have gone to work today. And then I had plans to go home at lunch which I should have but we were short handed so I stayed. I did ask Steve to walk the dogs and he is and I picked up dinner at Quiznos. My only plans tonight are to elevate my leg, take a Tylenol, and read until I zonk which probably won't be long. What a bother.

I'm currently reading MYSTERY IN THE MINSTER by Susanna Gregory. This is 17th of 17 in series featuring Matthew Bartholomew, physician, and his colleague Brother Michael, in 14th century Cambridge. Here is a summary:




In 1358 the fledging college of Michaelhouse in Cambridge is in need of extra funds. A legacy from the Archbishop of York of a parish close to that city promises a welcome source of income. However, there has been another claim to its ownership and it seems the only way to settle the dispute is for a deputation from Michaelhouse to travel north. Matthew Bartholomew is among the small party which arrives in the bustling city, where the increasing wealth of the merchants is unsettling the established order, and where a French invasion is an ever-present threat to its port. But soon he and his colleagues learn that several of the Archbishop's executors have died in unexplained circumstances and that the codicil naming Michaelhouse as a beneficiary cannot be found.


It was just published in the UK and will be out in the US in November. It has 400 pages.

I will have to work tomorrow because we will be short handed again. My friend there had a miscarriage, and will finally take a day off tomorrow ... maybe she says. Oy. It will be Friday and I can rest on the weekend though I did absolutely nothing on the newsletter last weekend so I have to work on it no matter what. The cold may be subsiding. I was mucho stuffed up today but I can breathe right now so maybe that part has passed. (good vibes, positive thoughts)

Take it easy, everyone. Take extra good care of yourself.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Or stick a cold nose in your face to see if you're awake yet...



I stayed home from work today. Keeping leg elevated and drowning this cold. I just had lunch and I'm going to take a nap soon. The new Susanna Gregory arrived today so I can visit with Brother Michael and Matthew asap. I hate being caught up in a good series; the waits are longer for a new one now.

Because Ryker didn't come back when called at the end of the walk yesterday -- I took them to the field where they can run loose -- today's walk was short (because of my leg) buy also on the short non-retracting leashes. Time to learn some discipline.


Wednesday night, Steve will be off shooting. Reading for me, what else?


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Oh I have a reason



I went to work today and came back home again. Apparently, someone at work was "uncomfortable". I worked yesterday with my leg elevated, as I'm supposed to, on my desk and then a chair. I have psoriasis and cellulitis, neither of which are contagious but apparently someone spoke to my supervisor that they were "uncomfortable". I was told to elevate my leg under my desk on a box. I felt ... I don't know... like they were treating me as if I had leprosy. I was shocked and hurt. A cold is more contagious than I am. So I left for the day. I had a doctor's appointment around noon to check my creatinine level with the antibiotic I'm on and things are okay. The doctor gave me a note saying I wasn't contagious and I had to elevate my leg for the next three days and it was okay to absent to do so. People's ignorance ... and let's say workplace malice especially with women ... is amazing.


And I've gotten a cold on top of it all. Bah. I ran an errand after the doctor's appointment -- picking up the rest of my prescription and some groceries at Walmart. I tried to nap but I kept sneezing.


I'm just taking it easy, I guess. I'll read and maybe go to bed early. I'm just tired. Nothing on TV.


Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, August 14, 2011

And I mean it



Good news: the antibiotic appears to be working. The heat and redness is retreating out of the leg. Still a bit in the ankle. I'll be keeping it elevated and all the same things.

I took the books for a short walk in the field this morning. They go absolutely bonkers until they get their walk. So I drove to the field and I walked slowly while they ran a bit but there were too many dogs out for some reason that early and we came back. I'm hoping it's enough. They're kind of romping with each other off and on now.


I didn't work at all on the newsletter yesterday; I'm trying to figure out how to do that today and keep my leg elevated. The desk configuration doesn't really allow that for the left leg. If it were the right one it would be no problem.

In GOP news, Pawlenty has dropped out of the race. I'm surprised it's this early but he just wasn't standing out in the crowd. Smart move, really. Now he won't owe as much money. I'm going to be doing some in depth looking at the field, reading their websites and whatever plans they have posted.

I'm still reading the Mamet book, but switched back to the Tremayne I started a while ago.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Nap time



Bad news. All plans put on hold today because I've got cellulitis again in my left leg. I'm catching it early and on antibiotics as of this morning. Damn, I hate this. It's the stress of the new job flaring up my psoriasis and I must have scratched at the wrong time, too much. So I went to the clinic this morning and then to Walmart to get prescription and then came home and took a nap. Didn't sleep well last night churning over this possibility. I'm having lunch now and will probably rest the remainder of the day. I've got laundry going and I had to vacuum the front room because the boys had chewed on bones in there and it was a freakin' mess. I will have to make an appointment early next week to do a blood draw and check how this antibiotic is affecting my kidneys. As a recap, when this happened in 2009, I was hospitalized and given an antibiotic that I was allergic to which damaged my kidneys. The kidneys have never gone back to normal, they have higher normal level so with this bout of medication a close eye will be on them. Yes, I am also drinking lots of water.

I don't know what to have for dinner but I don't feel like cooking and it is supposed to be hot today. While waiting for my prescription to be ready I browsed the DVDs and picked up the first season of Justified. Haven't watched but everybody raves about it, even the person who rung up my purchases.

May take another nap in a bit. I didn't walk the boys this morning but I let them run around the yard and street. It will have to do. Steve is off scrapping, I believe.

Have a lovely.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Friday, August 12, 2011

Dogs wouldn't do that



I watched the Republican debate last night. The whole thing. Yes, I'm a geek. I didn’t watch the previous one because to me it was way too early to be paying attention but now things are getting started. I don't know if the questions posed to the candidates were good ones, in that they probably didn’t give a full picture of the policies and thinking of each. I did glean some impressions and formed opinions from the viewing.

Romney: Still don't like him. Smarmy. Comes across as entitled to the post. Out. I know they say he’s the front runner but I do not want him and I will not vote for him.

Huntington: Crossed off the list. He never gave specifics of how he would do anything, very vague, wobbly voice, kept saying "I stand by my record" but not a whole lot of detail. Sorry, that rhetoric does not cutting it anymore.

Ron Paul: too old. Too dangerous in terms of foreign policy. I'm afraid his avid following will split the vote ultimately. Out and was never in.

Tim Pawlenty: he is just beige to me. Meh. Doesn't come across as any better than any of the other candidates. Almost crossed off. Not Presidential to me.

Bachman: I've liked her but she kind of worried me last night. She's a fighter but I need to see more. Doesn’t have executive experience. (Neither did Obama of course) But hasn’t she helped her husband in a home business?

Santorum: Bears some more looking. He hadn't really been on my radar but he is now. He’s got good values and believes in first principles. He may be a top contender for me.


Herman Cain: Has good business savvy but may need to learn more about government operations. Keeping an eye on him. Being black, sadly, would be a plus. I don’t give a frick about one’s color only the content of their character but the Left always has to play the race card and he would neutralize that.

Newt Gingrich: I had written him off because he's a Progressive, I've read. But he said good things last night. Could he be neutralized in the VP position and still provide ideas and experience to give help to the Pres candidate?

Don’t know yet about Perry who will join the group, probably this weekend. Palin has the knowledge and toughness and executive experience but she’ll split the country in terms of votes. But the Left is so afraid of her she would be effective. Chris Christie may be lovely, we think, but he’s not running. Money would be a tsunami for him though and it’s going to take a lot of money to go up against the opposition.

The debate itself was entertaining and several had very good lines and made good points.

Glad it’s Friday. Working on the newsletter this weekend and the other usual suspects.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster




Thursday, August 11, 2011

You will do my will



Sorry for missing yesterday. The dogs got my attention when I was about to start and then I never did get back to it. The only thing to report from yesterday is that I will be having a letter to the editor in the paper sometime soon.

I'll be watching the Republican debate tonight. Gotta start weeding them out in my mind (some are easy). The biggest issue for me is the economy.

Really not much going on. Same old same old. Still reading the Mamet book. Waiting for the Perry from the library, waiting for the Gregory from Amazon, new releases next week.

Yay, tomorrow is Friday!

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster





Tuesday, August 9, 2011

It's good to have minions



Not much to report today. Work was the same, call after call after call. A storm blew through right when I got home so I tried to take the boys for a run in the field but we didn't get far when a big crack of lightning and thunder made me turn around and Ryker wasn't complaining (he doesn't like thunder). Making dinner now while listening to the Beatles and perhaps will do some reading later of the Mamet book. I'm hoping the new Anne Perry comes free soon from the library; it was released today.



Much love,



PK the Bookeemonster

Monday, August 8, 2011

There is still time ... but not a lot



How do you ignore what is going on the in the country? You don't. Listen, Glenn Beck stated two and a half years ago that the country's credit rating was going to be downgraded and that the blame would be put on others. Understandably the credit rating was downgraded. We are going in the wrong direction and have been for a long time. We have got to stop the spending. We have got to reduce the size of government. In the meantime, they have set in motion things that are now probably too late undo. If you haven't started storing food ... start now, prices are going to go up. Start preparing. Start paying attention and start being vocal about it. Those who are supposed to be leading the country are destroying it but we can stop them from doing it completely.

I'm reading a fantastic book right now by David Mamet, THE SECRET KNOWLEDGE. I highly recommend it.



"Now he goes much deeper, employing his trademark intellectual force and vigor to take on all the key political and cultural issues of our times, from religion to political correctness to global warming. A sample:





The problems facing us, faced by all mankind engaged in Democracy, may seem complex, or indeed insolvable, and we, in despair, may revert to a state of wish fulfillment-a state of "belief" in the power of the various experts presenting themselves as a cure for our indecision. But this is a sort of Stockholm Syndrome. Here, the captives, unable to bear the anxiety occasioned by their powerlessness, suppress it by identifying with their captors. This is the essence of Leftist thought. It is a devolution from reason to "belief," in an effort to stave off a feeling of powerlessness. And if government is Good, it is a logical elaboration that more government power is Better. But the opposite is apparent both to anyone who has ever had to deal with Government and, I think, to any dispassionate observer. It is in sympathy with the first and in the hope of enlarging the second group that I have written this book.


Back to your regularly scheduled program tomorrow.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday, August 7, 2011

NOT zombies


The boys let me sleep until almost 8. I decided we'd just do the run in the field (and jumping in and out of ditches) and then pick up breakfast at Hardee's. I haven't done that for a while. Mostly, I was using the breakfast as a motivator for Steve to go mow the lawn. Hasn't happened yet but I'm still hopeful.

Working on the September issue and getting the new iPod set up. The boys are napping next to my chair so I'm going to do as much as possible before they decide it's time for everyone to romp around again. I still have to do clothes laundry and vacuum downstairs.


While at Border yesterday I picked up four magazines, two archeology and two history. I confess, I've always loved those subjects and in fact while in college I really toyed with the idea of being a biblical or ancient world archeologist. The mags were 50% off, I think, and of course, not new but new enough (July). I picked up a Batman graphic novel for Steve that I think he hasn't read yet. The mysteries were only 25% off so I didn't bother but the political books were 40%. I got the new David Mamet, THE SECRET KNOWLEDGE. He, of course, is a famous playwright associated for decades with liberals but recently had a conversion, so to speak. Within in the first few pages he says this:
We cannot live without trade. A society can neither advance nor improve without excess of disposable income. This excess can only be amassed through the production of goods and services necessary or attractive to the mass. A financial system which allows this leads to inequality; one that does not leads to mass starvation.
I should go back and fill in some blanks in my collection. I ran away from the section because a woman was trying to push a book on me that she was enthusiastic about and saying... never mind what she was saying it was just liberal conspiracy theory mumbo jumbo about having too many military bases throughout the world and what it all means. I have opinions but goodlord I don't push it on people browsing in a bookstore. I also picked up a nonfiction book I've wanted for a long time, Jared Diamond's GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL: THE FATES OF HUMAN SOCIETIES. Yes, I know I'm a nerd AND a geek: I love Star Trek and all that and I love knowing how society works.

I'm munching on grapes and taking a quick break from the newsletter. Gotta get back to it.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Oh, yah, go ahead, you just have to share it with the moose



I didn't get to sleep until after 1 for whatever reason last night and then the boys woke me up at 7 wanting to get going on their walk. We had a very long, nice walk, marred only by Ryker not listening to me toward the end to come get back on the leash.

I had a busy day, unfortunately, not a whole lot of it was spent on the newsletter. I went to Borders, a friend of mine wanted to meet there. I decided I could look at the magazines but I knew the mysteries weren't into the deep discounts yet. I wound up spending a couple hours there, looking and then talking with my friend. My very old iPod died quite awhile ago after many fits and starts so I decided to get a new one so I can have music and audios at work between calls. Also had to get a couple things at Albertsons and picked up calzones for dinner at Papa Murphy's. Got home at 2, had some lunch and then a nap, being so tired. Then started the September issue of Premeditated, prepping the Publisher file and Excel spreadsheet. I have some laundry going and I vacuumed upstairs but not down yet. Steve is feeling under the weather and didn't mow the lawn; if he doesn't do it tomorrow, I'll have to figure out how to run the thing (it's a rider) and do it myself. The back yard is horrible.

Doesn't look like anything is on TV so maybe I'll read.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster



Friday, August 5, 2011

I give up



Today was angry/cranky people on the phone day. And one guy ranted for 10 minutes. Yeah, really glad it was Friday and I could leave a half hour early.


Right before the end of the work day a huge-mongous storm rolled through, flooded streets again. The dogs were WET! And they wanted to tell me all about it. Did a quick walk/run with them in the field.

Steve has to work late again. Thinking either brats/macncheese or grilled cheese and soup for dinner. Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta on tonight.

Reading report: still on my nonfiction kick. No progress made in other books. Bah.


This weekend I have to start the September issue of Premeditated and do the usual weekend chores. Hoping Steve will stay home and mow the lawn. The back yard needs it badly.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Oh, if only it worked over the phone!



Had to run errands after work: got dog food, tennis balls, and bones at Petsmart and then groceries at Walmart. Steve, thank goodness, walked the boys. Coda and Ryker are now busy with said bones. Woot!


Last night, instead of cleaning the spare room, I wound up watching the movie Secretariat that I came across while eating dinner. It was a super good flick and I highly recommend it. It stars Diane Lane who has proved to be a fairly good actress and John Malkovich who is always entertaining to watch. And though you know he won the Triple Crown, it was still suspenseful. What an amazing horse -- the Belmont, the longest of the three races, he won by 31 lengths and each quarter of a mile he was increasing speed.

And last night the boys weren't letting me watch the movie very well. Coda wanted constant petting and getting in my lap. And then they started wrestling with each other around me, on me... Oy.


I just hate being out of touch with what's going on in the world while at work. I had a very small cube of a desk radio that I never liked and actually let my friend Tami use at UI. It couldn't pick up anything at this job being even more of an interior cubicle. I got a new system at lunch today that I think will work well and also has CD and iPod capabilities. Next up, I need a new iPod; mine is dead. In the meantime, I am very content to be able to listen to my talk radio and the news. With 15 months until the elections, things will be heating up and I WILL NOT miss out.


Time to start to unwind. I'll see if I can get some reading in before bed. I'm still in a news/nonfiction mood. It will pass; they always do and then circle around again.

I think I'll have a fudgicle before I head in.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

No! Ding dongs are better. Way!



Not sure what's going on tonight. Steve usually gets home early on Wednesdays to grab something to eat and then head out for shooting. He's not been home yet. Working late? Probably.


It's hot hot hot hot today. Almost 100 degrees. The dogs had a quick run in the field and jumped in the ditches a couple times. Otherwise, we're going to stay inside and keep cool as possible.


Tonight I would like to do some more cleaning in the spare room but also some reading. I'm in my government/non-fiction mood again. Nothing on tv so one would hope/think I could get something accomplished. Fingers crossed.


Not much else going on, really. I could talk about what I think about the whole debt ceiling debacle but I've promised not to make this blog political. Or how bias the media is and how our country is in very very deep trouble. How one should really be prepared for things that are coming and probably sooner than we'd like.


All I can really say -- and what get's me through the day without going into a depression about it all -- is to not be silent anymore. Pay attention and voice your opinion. I was talking to an acquaintance about it all and she said it doesn't do any good we can't change anything. Yes, we can. Just look in the past couple years how people are paying more attention now to what the government is doing and starting to be vocal about it. There is movement. So don't be silent anymore and pay attention and prepare.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

I can't see you



Just not enough time to get things done. Steve didn't get home last night until 8 because a job went late. Tonight he has a board meeting so it was a rush to get the dogs walked and then make dinner before he had to leave.

I ... am just tired. I'll clean up some email and so forth. The boys are bugging me to go out front but they've already been on their walk.



There's a storm coming in and the wind is picking up.


I need to run some shopping errands but now won't be able to get to it until Thursday.


Curently reading IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stephanie Pintoff. It is 1st of 3 in series featuring Simon Ziele, a former New York City police detective starting in 1905 Dobson, Westchester County, New York. Here is a summary:






Dobson, New York, 1905.Detective Simon Ziele lost his fiancée in the General Slocum ferry disaster—a thousand perished on that summer day in 1904 when an onboard fire burned the boat down in the waters of the East River. Still reeling from the tragedy, Ziele transferred to a police department north of New York, to escape the city and all the memories it conjured. But only a few months into his new life in a quiet country town, he’s faced with the most shocking homicide of his career to date: Young Sarah Wingate has been brutally murdered in her own bedroom in the middle of an otherwise calm and quiet winter afternoon. After just one day of investigation, Simon’s contacted by Columbia University’s noted criminologist Alistair Sinclair, who offers a startling claim about one of his patients, Michael Fromley—that the facts of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to Fromley’s deranged mutterings.But what would have led Fromley, with his history of violent behavior and brutal fantasies, to seek out Sarah, a notable mathematics student and a proper young lady who has little in common with his previous targets? Is Fromley really a murderer, or is someone mimicking him?This is what Simon Ziele must find out, with the help of the brilliant but self-interested Alistair Sinclair—before the
killer strikes again.



It was published in 2009, won an Edgar Award and nominated for others, and has 400 pages. This is a library book.


Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster