Happy All Hallow's Eve

Only 9 trick-or-treaters tonight. I think going door to door may be becoming a thing of the past like May Day.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

The problem with 14-day books is that they are set free from the library on their schedule and not on yours. They are books that in some way or other you want to read but they show up not necessarily when you want to read them. I'm very much a mood reader. I want to read what I want to read when I feel like reading it, not when someone else tells me I can read it only at that time. It's like having to eat something that you normally like quite a bit like lasagna but you can only have it right now when really all you want is a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich because anything else will make you sick. Bah.

I went through a couple boxes of books in the closet downstairs and found a bunch more of the Robbs (a good news-bad news kind of thing). I don't know what happened to my Katherine Kurtz books. I may have a solution to my not enough room problem, I mean, really, I have another bookcase in the garage waiting for me but it's a matter where to put the darn thing and then getting Steve to help move it. I've asked him to mow the back yard for two months now and it hasn't happened yet.

We watched Captain America last night. The man is just pretty to look at, especially in that first shirtless scene when he's been changed from 98-pound weakling to muscleman. It is actually a good film and I look forward to The Avengers movie next summer that combines all of them, including Robert Downey Jr as Ironman.

The Cowboys play against the Eagles tonight; Steve will watch his yucky zombie show. I haven't actually done much reading this weekend. Why is that?

Tomorrow at work I'll be dressing up somewhat as a Pink Lady from the movie Grease. One of the ladies there REALLY wanted this to happen so I made it happen. Sigh. I don't know if I'll get a chance to stop by here tomorrow night with the rush to walk the dogs and get dinner done before the potential trick-or-treaters show up. It takes two people at our house: one to answer the door and one to hold the dogs. I'm a door answerer.

Happy All Hallows Eve Eve

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Spooooooky

I have not really set the world on fire today in terms of accomplishing things. Time is just slipping by. The boys got me up while it was still dark at 7:15. I took them to the field but in their own ways they each were bad: Coda took off like a rocket -- I guess after a rabbit -- and wouldn't come back. Ryker set on another dog we encountered but he came to me pretty quickly. Grr.

I got notice for my first Kindle book from the library so I had to figure out how to get that onto the device. I clicked things and managed to do it but I couldn't tell you how to do it smoothly at this point. I've got it for 14 days; it's a nonfiction book you wouldn't be interested in. It's called AFTER AMERICA: Get Ready for Armageddon by Mark Steyn.

I've been doing the usual laundry and vacuuming. I took a stab at working on my bookshelves but I've gotten stuck in the Rs (working backward from Z). Too many "R" authors and I'm not making more room at this point. Right now I have to consider whether to keep the Rendells or not -- will I really read them some day? Maybe, but maybe not, I don't know. And I'm not sure where all my JD Robbs are. But I have created another raft of books to be gotten rid of in the near future.

Tonight, Cops isn't on and we've completed the Strike Back series available but we have Captain America DVD to watch. We saw it in the theatre but Steve lurved it so much we're watching it again now that it's released. I'm making nachos again for dinner since they turned out so well last weekend. This time, though, the dogs will not be partaking of any hamburger.

Say Yes to the Dress was interesting last night: a bride bought a $34k dress. Holy cow. And her mom had said she'd spend unlimited, even $100k if she had to. Whoa. Crazy. I imagine the sales people work partially on commission -- that would be a good one to go home with, eh.

It has been blasted windy today, nasty windy. Blowing the leaves off but shaking the house too. Blech. No snow though.

I got the Halloween candy out, separating them into two bowls: the not-so-liked-stuff-that-can-be-given-out-first (like Baby Ruths) and keeping the good stuff for us (Reeses, Butterfingers, etc). We just don't know what kind of night it will be. Two holidays ago we ran out of candy; last year we only about 8 kids.

All right, off you go. My dryer is done; I have to go make the bed now.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

TGIF

Man, I started out cranky today and I don’t know why. I finally got out of it in the afternoon by listening to music on Pandora: The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, Electric Light Orchestra, Wings, etc.

I have Say Yes to the Dress to watch tonight. I’m not sure what I’m in the mood to read; I feel a little aimless at sea in my mind though I have more than plenty from which to choose, including four from the library.

This weekend, I’m not sure; there are no set plans. I have projects I could do for sure like finishing going through the bookshelves to weed them out. I only completed A thru H last weekend.

I wrote another letter to the editor that will be in the paper sometime in the next month. Here's a preview:

Thomas Jefferson wrote: “If a monarchist be in office, anywhere, and it be known to the President, the oath he has taken to support the Constitution imperiously requires the instantaneous dismission of such officer; and I hold the President criminal if he permitted such to remain. To appoint a monarchist to conduct the affairs of a republic, is like appointing an atheist to the priesthood.”

Earlier this year, Obama indicated that he would bypass Congress when he felt it necessary in order to achieve his goals. In July, the President admitted that it is “very tempting” to do things his own way. He later made similar assertions before the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, “There are times where — until Nancy Pelosi is Speaker again — I’d like to work my way around Congress.” The New York Times reported that the Obama administration was considering the extensive use of executive orders to advance his environmental, fiscal, energy, and domestic policy agendas, even though it is not the constitutional role of the executive branch to create laws. Most recently Mr. Obama’s jobs proposal was the subject of his frustration after Senate blocked it (including some Democrats) and has made plans to circumvent those messy legalities.

The Constitution created a system of checks and balances for an express purpose: it balances the US in the center between monarchy (tyranny) and anarchy, never to go too far one way or the other. You made an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, President Obama, you must abide by it.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Blehhh, it's not Friday yet

I decided I wasn't in the mood for another terrorist book yet so I returned THE TEHRAN INITIATIVE by Joel C Rosenberg to read at another time. I just finished one and I read the first book of Rosenberg's last month. Need to get back to historical mysteries perhaps. I picked up two books from the library. I'll make a decision which is the next tonight maybe.

It is certainly getting darker earlier. It's 6:30 and practically there. The following Sunday is Daylight Savings so it will be even darker even earlier.

Nothing on TV for me tonight. I'll make taco salad for dinner and then read the newspapers.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Yeah, my dogs since they ate the hamburger on Saturday

Not much going on today. Work, walked the dogs, about to have dinner and then read after that. I may head to bed early as I'm feeling a bit tired. :)

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Nor is it a dishwasher I can use

A book has jumped my reading queue. I'm currently reading A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness. Here is a description:

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

It was published in February and has 592 pages. I don't like vampires. I didn't know there was a vampire in this -- no, I guess I didn't read the description. I read the first page and it caught me and then this damn vampire showed up. But I'm liking the book so I'm putting up with it. And I'm reading it all the time. I guess I needed a break from terrorism as I just finished A PORTRAIT OF A SPY and the then THE TEHRAN INITIATIVE shook loose.

I have a working dishwasher as of last night but it's leaking something badly into the downstairs area so I don't have a working dishwasher again until that is fixed. Grrrrrr.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Yes. Indeed.

I dropped of four boxes of books to the library as a donation. Feels good to get rid of stuff. I have too many books. Yes, as an addict, I can say that. I would perhaps go into more detail and elaborate that I have too many of the wrong books and not enough of the right ones. :)

The boys were very bad last night. I had browned hamburger to make nachos when I realized I didn't have any taco seasoning. I pushed the pan to the back of the stove and covered it with tin foil. Steve was outside with the guy blowing out the sprinklers. Yes, you're right, when I got home the dogs had eaten the hamburger, all one pound of it. Bad. Very bad.

Micah came and mowed the front and side yards. The back is still a jungle. Can't get any movement there.

It was actually almost hot today but I'm seeing we have weather moving in especially on Tuesday.

Steve has his zombie show to watch tonight and I think I'll read.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Ok, that's just wrong

I'm currently reading THE TEHRAN INITIATIVE by Joel C Rosenberg. This continues the story started in THE TWELFTH IMAM. Here is a summary:

The world is on the brink of disaster. Iran has just conducted its first atomic weapons test. Millions of Muslims around the world are convinced their messiah—known as the Twelfth Imam—has arrived on earth. Israeli leaders fear Tehran, under the Twelfth Imam’s spell, will soon launch a nuclear attack that could bring about a second Holocaust and the annihilation of Israel. The White House fears Jerusalem will strike first, launching a massive preemptive attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities that could cause the entire Middle East to go up in flames, oil prices to skyrocket, and the global economy to collapse. With the stakes high and few viable options left, the president of the United States orders CIA operative David Shirazi and his team to track down and sabotage Iran’s nuclear warheads before Iran or Israel can launch a devastating first strike. But will they be too late?

It was just published this week and has 480 pages. I describe this as continuing a story rather than sequel or second in series because the first book really seemed to stop and this one goes on.

Pretty productive day: I cleaned out a ton of books from my shelves (and that was only A through H of the alphabet!) and I have another 10 books to ship out this week via paperbackswap.com. Those two bookshelves now look much better now and makes me happy to look at them.

The boys got me up before dark was done (sigh). But I took them for a walk this morning and again this afternoon. Last night I got the urge to sing along with Jesus Christ Superstar and did the dishes, got the microwave cleaned, as well as the front of the fridge and the dogs' waterdish. Today I've done the usual laundry of bedding and towels, vacuumed upstairs and the stairs.

Cops isn't on tonight and Strike Back will only have one of the two episode cycle available so I'm not sure what we'll watch tonight. For dinner, I am going to try making homemade nachos like we get from CJ's.

A rather nice day, actually.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Hmmmm?

I had a day today where in order to get through it, I listened to music. Which brought me to list my top 5 favorite albums:

• Abbey Road – The Beatles (really all of them)
• Tommy – The Who
• Jesus Christ Superstar (original cast recording only)
• The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
• Who’s Next – The Who

Why? Excellent music, I love to sing along with them, and they each tell a story. These albums just make my heart happy.

So tonight, dinner, Say Yes to the Dress, reading WSJ and books. I had two more books shake loose from the library (Rozan and Rosenberg) and I have so much to read otherwise. I've got to do something about this.

No plans this weekend other than usual cleaning and projects which is probably to keep tackling the cleaning of the office.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Are we getting closer to the weekend yet?

It's already after 8:30; I gotta get moving. Went to Walmart after work and didn't get done putting groceries away until 7. Dinner then dishes (yeah, the dishwasher still isn't working). Now a quick catch up on the news and then I'll read the WSJ and the Silva book. I still have way too many emails to catch up on to deal with it tonight; that will probably be something for the weekend.

Just checking in and glad tomorrow is Friday.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Some days are like that

Last night was a last minute change of plans and then a rush to get stuff done. I was supposed to join some friends for dinner last night but it got cancelled at the last minute. So I had to rush home and get the dogs walked before the debate started at 6. Phew!

The debate was good; it seemed the gloves were coming off as the candidates are getting more comfortable with each other. Or more like familiarity through so many debates is allowing them to get looser with each other. I wish there was a perfect candidate. Each one has some pluses but definitely also some minuses that make me go hmmmm, wait.

The debate was 2 hours. After that, I did dishes and then read the WSJ before lights out.

I may have a working dishwasher when I get home this evening. That would be nice.

I’m still reading the Silva, maybe about half way through. Nuttin’ much else going on. Steve has shooting tonight. I’ll do the usual.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

"None of this is being done in secret. It's all out in the open. We just choose to look the other way.
America has to wake up to this new reality: the Cold War battle between communism and capitalism is back, only this time it's on our front porch. It went underground in the 70s, got an education, put on a suit, bought a house and had a couple of kids. Then it used the schools to educate new foot soldiers and manipulated the pop culture to indoctrinate the next generation of fellow travelers who seek to create a new world order in the image of old world Marxism."

More nuthin'

Really doing a whole lot of nothing today. Some laundry, walked the dogs, but otherwise reading emails and trying to read the newspapers.

We've been watching sports on TV throughout the day. Tonight Steve has his zombie show on AMC starting up again. I hate zombies so I won't be joining him with it.

So another week starts. Here we go.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

My game plan for the weekend

I totally caved. I went to the Friends of the Library sale today. (sigh) The good news is I spent less than $40 -- in the past, I have done much more. And I didn't even look at everything. The majority of my purchases were nonfiction, actually. Lots of books on American history, current events, political theory -- some from our side and some from theirs to better understand them.

It's been a rainy off and on day. I meant to take a nap but it didn't really happen so I'm a little tired. Steve did some scrapping then got the boys new dog beds and some stuff for himself at Cabellas. He may partake in "game night" with his gamer buddies tonight which will go until 2 or 3.

I finished THE BLOOD RED INDIAN SUMMER by Handler this morning. It was a quick, not thick, with big font read and hey, the first book I completed this month and it's only the 15th. Bah, that's terrible. Next will be PORTRAIT OF A SPY by Daniel Silva. This is 11th of 11 in series featuring Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and Israeli secret agent. Here is a summary:

For Gabriel and his wife, Chiara, it was supposed to be the start of a pleasant weekend in London—a visit to a gallery in St. James’s to authenticate a newly discovered painting by Titian, followed by a quiet lunch. But a pair of deadly bombings in Paris and Copenhagen has already marred this autumn day. And while walking toward Covent Garden, Gabriel notices a man he believes is about to carry out a third attack. Before Gabriel can draw his weapon, he is knocked to the pavement and can only watch as the nightmare unfolds. Haunted by his failure to stop the massacre of innocents, Gabriel returns to his isolated cottage on the cliffs of Cornwall, until a summons brings him to Washington and he is drawn into a confrontation with the new face of global terror. At the center of the threat is an American-born cleric in Yemen to whom Allah has granted “a beautiful and seductive tongue.” A gifted deceiver, who was once a paid CIA asset, the mastermind is plotting a new wave of attacks. Gabriel and his team devise a daring plan to destroy the network of death from the inside, a gambit fraught with risk, both personal and professional. To succeed, Gabriel must reach into his violent past. A woman waits there—a reclusive heiress and art collector who can traverse the murky divide between Islam and the West. She is the daughter of an old enemy, a woman joined to Gabriel by a trail of blood. . . .

It was published in July and has 464 pages.

I don't believe there is anything on TV for me but I do have several WSJs to catch up with and of course to read the Silva.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

A good use of one's time

I’m currently reading THE BLOOD RED INDIAN SUMMER by David Handler. This is 8^th of 8 in series featuring Mitch Berger, a New York film critic, and Desiree “Des” Mitry, a black police detective, in Dorset, Connecticut. Here is a summary:

Tyrone “Da Beast” Grantham, the famously volatile NFL superstar linebacker, has just been suspended for “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the league.” When Tyrone and his entourage decide to spend his season in exile in bucolic Dorset---much to the dismay of his early-to-bed, ultra-white neighbors---Des is put on the spot. And when Tyrone’s eighteen-year-old sister-in-law, Kinitra, washes up on Mitch’s beach one morning, bloodied and barely alive, Des is on the case. Especially when it turns out that Kinitra is eight weeks pregnant. Good thing there’s nothing else serious going on in our heroes’ lives right now. Like, say, Mitch’s parents arriving from Florida at long last to meet the new woman of color in their nice Jewish boy’s life.

This was just published and has 256 pages.

I have Say Yes to the Dress to watch tonight. Otherwise, newspapers to catch up on and reading.

I was thinking about something the other day and it’s not a new thought to me but it strikes me every once in a while. While I enjoy ensemble movies such as The Big Chill and Gosford Park, I am very much a loner personality. I have friends but I don’t collect super-close friends. There are people who I’ve known for decades and I still consider to be my friends and I usually have at least one good friend at a time through work, but I enjoy being by myself; I enjoy my own company and often prefer it. I am comfortable with my own thoughts. That is often company enough for me. I think I was this way growing up, too, though I had two close friends through junior and high school. But I’m just not the personality type to be in a group of girlfriends like you see on TV or in movies. I’m just not Sex in the City or Friends or How I Met Your Mother in a group like that.

And it’s not that I prefer books to being with people. When I am around people, I’m usually rather outgoing. And I really like stories and reading but I also really like just contemplating things with myself. And I don’t feel lonely or like I’m missing anything. An astrologer friend of mine described me as “swimming in really deep, deep waters.” Maybe that best describes it. As a famous “philosopher” once said, “I yam what I yam.”

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Or maybe I'm just tired....

I’ve decided to probably not go to the Friends of the Library sale this year. If I go at all, it will be on Saturday and perhaps I would limit my search to just history/current events books.

I won’t be going to the pre-sale tonight because I took Steve to the ER until 2AM last night and I am frankly so tired it hurts. Tomorrow, the sale is only open during business hours and I missed yesterday’s work and can’t take time off now. Plus, I actually have way more to read than I really have time for and shouldn’t be adding anything more. Books, at this point, should be going out of the house and not in.

Also, I picked up two 14-day books from the library today so now I have to put down the Hamilton and Suskind and read these: PORTRAIT OF A SPY by Daniel Silva and David Handler’s new one, THE BLOOD RED INDIAN SUMMER. Maybe I will just clean house and read this weekend. That would be a better use of my time.

Tonight, I have to go to Walmart after work, possibly walk the dogs, do dinner/clean up, blog and then I would really like to go to bed after maybe reading a little something. That could be a big maybe.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Feeling blah

Stayed home from work today. Feeling yucky. People are going to be gone on Thursday and Friday so this was my only chance this week to try to nip it in the bud. It's the same thing that was trying to take hold last week: something in my chest and feeling dizzy and headachy. I had plans to some things today but wound up sleeping most of the day and to be honest I could sleep some more.

Steve has shooting tonight. He says he feels yucky too but can't not go. Bah. I hope to maybe do some reading, we'll see how that turns out.

That's about it.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Can't pass up a Monty Python reference

A quick note tonight. I’m actually writing this from work (oh bad!). I’ve got another debate to watch at 6 tonight so it will be rushed: get home from work, walk dogs, throw dinner on some plates. J

The debate will probably take until 8 and then some commentary to view. I’ll have to do dishes and then a WSJ to read, maybe two if there is one from yesterday (no mail yesterday so no paper). I’ll probably not accomplish much else.

Busy at work, but the good news is evil person #2 has turned in notice to join evil person #1 where she went to work a month or so ago. They are best friends and will be happy to be together again. But, yay, she’ll be gone in two weeks! Evil #2 was back to being overtly snippy today now that her end is in sight. Getting better all the time, to quote the Beatles.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Post debate note: I liked this format a lot better, they were all sitting around a round table so it seemed more discussion like than speechifying from a podium. I'm afraid it's going to be Romney. I wish Santorum had some executive experience; he's got great conservative values.

See, that's why I have dogs

I dropped off four boxes of books at the used book store at noon. I had planned on donating to the library but I forgot they were closed today for the holiday. I forgot there was a holiday. So, I am building up some credit there again and I told them that whatever they didn't want to keep, they could dispose of as they'd like. Of course, you can't really tell that four boxes of books came out of my office. Ugh.

Glad the day got over with at work. I got home and Ryker, who is always so glad to you see you he jumps up at you, got me with two of his claws on the side of my face/chin area. That hurt but went away eventually. Then, while walking in the field, I found one of the few patches of mud and managed to slip as I was trying to avoid it/work my out of it and totally creamed the side of my pants. Really ugh.

Dinner was okay, no mishaps, did the dishes, no catastrophes. Printed some paperbackswap.com mailing thingys after finding the driver for the printer for the computer. I'll have to mail them at lunch tomorrow.

I think I'll be going to the Friends of the Library preview night on Thursday. You just have to renew your membership for like $10, listen to a boring meeting, then you get first shot at the books for two hours. May be worth it, especially if I'm not able to get away from work on Friday morning. It's always a madhouse both the preview night and the Friday morning but also fun and hot. I never really really find what I'm looking for -- more historical mysteries for my collection -- but I manage to find some things.

It's after 8 now. With no mail today -- damn government holiday -- I don't have a WSJ to read but I do have plenty of other things. In between calls today, I made an impromptu list of just the fiction I have to read in my next in series and upcoming new releases. At the rate I'm reading (about 5 per month and probably slower now), I'm set for the rest of the year and then some without even trying and have the majority on hand already. And in nonfiction? If I say one per month, I've got a half a year or so. And that's just the immediate, closer of the Mount TBRs. I could say I really don't need any more books but then I wouldn't be a book addict, let alone a monster, now would I?

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Sunday

I don't think I've accomplished very much today. I think I'll choose not to care about that very much.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

Just happy

I have had an enjoyable day. Really nice. Without the newsletter hanging over me, I went to Barnes and Noble and had coffee with my friend Tami and then we browsed in the clearance bins. I found some fun things there, for instance, a wire little basket thing that is supposed to be used for lockers for high school I guess but I got one for the fridge and I think I may go back and get more. I picked up a few magazines and I splurged on a copy ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand. I read that 20 years ago and really, really liked it. I would like to see how it holds up for me now. When I'll read it....I'm not sure yet. Much on the TBR. Tami and I said we'll maybe make a habit of doing that every couple weeks -- after pay day.

I'm currently reading the nonfiction by Ron Suskind, as I mentioned, CONFIDENCE MEN and I'm maybe getting halfway through it now but I'm also reading SUP WITH THE DEVIL by Barbara Hamilton. This is 3rd of 3 in series featuring Abigail Adams, the future first lady, married to a rebellious lawyer, in mid-1770s Massachusetts Colony. Here is a summary:

After an attempt on the life of her young nephew Horace, Abigail Adams, wife of attorney John Adams, travels to Harvard to investigate. A mysterious woman hired Horace to translate some Arabic, then left him at the mercy of her henchmen. He survived-with a tale of pirate treasure... Meanwhile one of Horace's fellow students-loyal to the King-is murdered. The Sons of Liberty are desperate to find the rumored gold, but Abigail wants the truth. For the Devil's treasure comes with a curse that could bring down anyone, regardless of where their allegiance lies.

It was published last week and 336 pages.

I've also been working on cleaning out my office this afternoon. That is a huge endeavor. Papers, CDs, books and books and books and computer parts. I'll continue that tomorrow.

Next weekend is the Friends of the Library sale. I don't know yet if I'll figure out a way to take some time off from work like I did last year. I'm also going to be very picky in what I get.

Steve has been gone all day coaching a gun class at the gun club. I don't know yet what's for dinner and don't think anything is on tv for me.

It was dark and rainy and lovely again until this afternoon when the sun came out. Bah.

Much love,

PK the Bookeemonster

This is not how I am on the phone. Really.

Friday, it is here at last. And it was a dark and rainy day and completely wasted at work. Bah. Got the boys a second igloo for outside. Ryker not participating in it at this time.

Took the boys for a wet walk after work, now I've got taco soup cooking on the stove. Will have Fritos and shredded cheese with it while watching The Factor and Say Yes to the Dress.

Tomorrow, I don't have to work on the newsletter so I'm hoping to do some cleaning of the office and I may be going for coffee with my friend Tami. It's supposed to be dark and rainy again so that will be lovely.

Much to read. Last night I pretty much only got two days of WSJ read. Not making much progress in other places.

Stay warm and cozy....

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Well I didn't see that one coming

So this morning, the dishwasher repair guy was supposed to come. Their window was between 9 and 1. Oh boy. I requested the morning off to be here. They call at 11 to say they have the wrong part -- it shipped in the box with the right part number but the part inside the box is wrong. It took us calling and calling after they were here three weeks ago after saying it would only take a week to 10 days to get the part and now they have to order it again. Not a happy camper.

Been busy at work and feeling yucky the last couple days. But maybe it's passed now. We'll see. It's finally dark and rainy! I'm thinking chili or soup or something tonight.

I also got my new computer -- but it keeps turning itself off so somehow it is overheating. It's a refurbish but should be better than this. :)

Lots and lots of reading to do tonight. I went to bed early -- earlier than usual -- last night due to ill feeling but must read newspapers, books, mags, websites, etc. No time to waste, since I still have to make dinner AND STILL DO THE FREAKIN' DISHES! I DON'T LIKE BROKEN MACHINES ANY MORE!

Much love, PK the Bookeemonster

there are days like that

Rough day at work, short a couple of people.

I got groceries after work, went to Albertsons, and between coupons and store specials, I saved $67. I made a couple mistakes with the coupons but it was my first time doing it and I'm learning. :)

Steve has a board meeting tonight. I've been catching up on emails. I think Steve got a couple new computers for work and got me a new one as well to replace the office box. I'm not big on fancy graphics, I just want blazing fast internet processing. :)

I picked up the new Barbara Hamilton book today, SUP WITH THE DEVIL. Her protagonist is Abigail Adams. I don't usually like real life people to be sleuths but I love the American Revolution time period so I like the series. I don't know if I'll start it tonight. I'm hoping to keep going with the Suskind book. I also have Kindle arcs via Netgalley of the new Laurie R King and Margaret Maron to read. Uff da. I won't really mention all the nonfiction books I have, either. I need to really really read the WSJ. I didn't last night so I have two to read tonight and it's already after 8:00.

Chris Christie announced (again) that he's not running for Pres. Yay! The more I learn about him the more I don't like. He believes in global warming and would like to shut down coal production. Yikes. Christie was beginning to sound like Favre to me -- he's in, no he's out, wait he's in, no really he's out.... There's plenty of candidates who DO want the job. Cain is the guy for me, I've decided. I'm a little nervous about 9-9-9 but at least it's a flat tax.

Gotta go.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

That is totally my dogs

Oh the phones were ringing off the hook today. Uff da.

I posted the last printed Premeditated issues today. Time to move on to other things. What I'd like to do is figure how to get by with less sleep. I have things I'd like to do in the evenings but I conk out by 9-ish. If I could stay awake until 11 that would be terrific. I don't think there is anything on TV tonight so maybe I can read the newspaper and wouldn't it be great to finally watch an episode of GBTB?

I read a big chunk of the Suskind book yesterday evening. This is a book about the failing economy of 2008 and the "education of a president" -- Obama with no management experience taking over the governing of the US -- and failing. So it goes very heavily into the financial bubble and so forth and it must have been in my brain as I as slept. Also in my brain, is the rule that we have to note accounts whenever we take a call -- all accounts. So I woke up from a dream last night in which I was trying to make a note in an account because I'd just gotten off the phone with someone so I make a note (in my dream) "spoke with Tim Geithner regarding $24 billion." So what in the heck was my brain working on, eh?

I don't know if I'll get a chance to read that tonight if I work on the WSJ but I'll try. It is very interesting, sometimes over my head, but I'm learning a lot. The book I was reading last month was about the rise and fall of Enron. Sadly, the EXACT SAME THING caused the financial bubble of 2008 and of course they've made it worse by believing everything is too big to fail. The bad thing is, when things fail, people learn a lesson from it. They haven't.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Bartender, I'll have a marguerita, rocks, no salt

They do this to me all the time!! The Cowboys were frickin' ahead by 20 points and then they lose!! Why do they do this??? Why can't I choose a different team??? Romo was actually looking in fairly good form from being injured so how did the defense let it go? I just don't get it.

I finished the last issue of my newsletter today. It just never got off the ground to become the side business I envisioned it to be and I had no marketing money after the big blowout to launch it. I'm feeling ... mostly relieved. There is so much I want and need to do on weekends but the newsletter took all my time. More time to read, at the very least, will be nice.

Last night we watched four episodes of a series on Cinemax called Strike Back. One after the other. It is about a strike force out of the UK that no one really knows about. Each storyline is about two episodes in length. It has the cable TV requirements: graphic sex and graphic violence. I think right now there are two more episodes available for us to see but according to IMDB, the first season is 10 in length. The first two eps were around a Mumbai-type terrorist hostage situation in India but the overall goal is to get big time bad guy Latif. Actually, looking at IMDB, we're watching their second season though it's the first for Cinemax. Hunh. And the 3rd/4th eps were in Cape Town.

So, I've got a load of clothes in the wash and dinner is in the crockpot. Not much else happening.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster

Ok, that's big

Up early with the dogs, per usual. Then had to rush to get to my haircut appointment at 8. Got some cleaning done and worked on the newsletter for most of the day.

Now, this evening, Steve is going to pick up some dinner -- we haven't figured out what yet but maybe Quizno's -- and with nothing on TV tonight (Cops has been preempted by a repeat of a new show they've been hyping up the wazoo), we may watch something from On Demand. I'm pushing for The Lincoln Lawyer or Xmen: First Class but we may watch episodes of First Strike from Cinemax that has an actor from Camelot in it.

I need to do some serious reading this weekend though I don't know if I'll get much of an opportunity. I need to put some more time on the newsletter tomorrow to finish it. I still haven't watched any episodes of GBTV. But I have books, newspaper, magazines... It doesn't help that when I do have time I somehow wind up watching something on TV, like I think Thursday evening I wound up watching Ocean's Eleven which I've seen a gabillion times but I think it's a brilliantly done film. Just now, I spent too much time watching a doc on Turner Classic Movies about epic films before walking away to write this blog.

Tomorrow both the Steelers' and the Cowboys' games are on tv at 11. We don't have Ice Road Truckers to watch in the evenings anymore so maybe I'll be free. :)

It was blazing hot today, I think I heard 91 or 92 which is crazy for the first day of October. I think we broke a record. Hello, Fall, I'm waiting...

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster