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Morphy Moseys through 2013 - Year 4
This is a continuation of the topic Morphy Moseys through 2013 - Year 3.
This topic was continued by Morphy Moseys through 2013 - Year 5.
75 Books Challenge for 2013
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Morphy in the Sunshine (Age four years)
This is my third 75 Books Challenge. I read about 250 books a year, so I'm not worried about meeting the challenge!
I mostly read fantasy, preferably urban, but also enjoy general and genre fiction, historical romance, classics, popular non-fiction, and will honestly try any genre at least once.
I prefer story over language and my favorite books are the ones I just want to hug after I'm done.
I don't so much review books as leave some sparse comments.
I have more challenges and lists than I know what to do with and am not going to list them here except as notes to the books I've completed.
Books Read in 2013: 162
My best books of 2013 are:
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
My best book of 2012 was:
The Fault in Our Stars by Green, John
My best books of 2011 were:
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by McKillip, Patricia
Bridge of Birds by Hughart, Barry
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells, Rebecca
Garden Spells by Allen, Sarah Addison
Soulless by Carriger, Gail
What I Eat by Menzel, Peter and D'Aluisio, Faith
Ready Player One by Cline, Ernest
My favorite books from the last five years are:
Essential Spirituality by Roger Walsh
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
The Stand by Stephen King
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Katherine by Anya Seton
Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Morphy's Mighty Monthly Reads for 2013 (Green Dragon Group Reads)
January (1001 Fantasy) - The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
February (111 Science Fiction) - The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
March (50 Mystery) - The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
April (111 Nonfiction) - The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
May (1001 Fantasy) - Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis
June (111 Science Fiction) - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
July (50 Mystery) - Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith
August (111 Nonfiction) - The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
September (1001 Fantasy) - Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny
October (111 Science Fiction) - The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
November (50 Mystery) - The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
December (111 Nonfiction) - Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
Group Read Links: http://www.librarything.com/topic/146136
The LT Green Dragon Book Club's next meeting is at the Ridgedale Barnes & Noble on Saturday, June 15th at 2pm. We are reading Angel's Ink by Jocelyn Drake.
Meh. Missed a post. La la la. Move along. Nothing to see here.
13 in 13 Challenge (34/91)
1. New to Me Minnesota Author (1/1) DONE
2. Complete Lois McMaster Bujold Bibliography (1/2)
3. Graphic Novels (3/3) DONE
4. Second Book in Series (4/4) DONE
5. Book to Movie (1/5)
6. Around the World (1/6)
7. 2011 TBR Code List (2/7)
8. Cover Color (3/8)
9. LT Recommended (5/9)
10. If You Like... (1/10)
11. Paranormal Creatures (8/11)
12. Green Dragon Lists (4/12)
13. LTers Choose from the Ultimate Reading List
Thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/147584
I stole this from someone else at LT and tweaked the last few ratings. I can't give credit because I don't remember who I copied it from! Since I started using this I've noticed I've been handing out more 6's and less 7's.
My rating system:
10 stars - The book completely enthralled me. Could not put it down. Got something more out of it than just entertainment -- it enlightened or educated me in some way. Can definitely see myself reading it again. Will keep forever and never loan it out.
9 stars - Not quite perfect but almost so. I will actively push this book on my friends and family.
8 stars - A really great book in all respects with perhaps some minor flaws. Highly recommended.
7 stars - Better than average but with some flaws. Recommended.
6 stars - Average. An entertaining read but probably forgettable. Will not reread. Recommended for entertainment value to readers with similar interest.
5 stars - Slightly lower than average. Some aspects of the story, characters or writing troubled me. Probably will not recommend.
4 stars - Finished but did not like. Would not recommend.
3 stars - Had some redeeming qualities or else I couldn't have finished it. Nothing to recommend it though.
2 star - I can't believe I finished this book. What am I? A masochist?
1 star - No book ever gets this rating. If it's a 1, I can't finish it.
Places I've read through May 2013:
visited 16 states (7.11%)
Create your own visited map of The World
visited 32 states (64%)
Create your own visited map of The United States
I'm not thrilled with this thread's picture but for some reason at this age near all the pictures of me I am nude or near nude. I'm in the tub or posed naked on a towel or in a bikini at the beach. I'm not sure what was going on with my mom's head but I was showing far too much skin. LOL.
From previous thread:
>269 Nora, glad you enjoyed them!
>270 Sylvia, the worst part of getting older for me is my failing eyesight. Dear lord.
>271-272 Ha, humouress, Es! Glad you enjoyed the punnies!
>274 MD, I've never even heard of any of those games! I'll have to check out Jaipur for my husband and I.
>281 Jim, too bad you couldn't have the probe ready this year with all the solar flares. Or would that be a bad thing?
Tunes Thursday
This is a fabulous mashup with the Beach Boys and the Fat Boys! Warning the video is really awful and cheezy.
Wipe Out by the Fat Boys and The Beach Boys
The sun went down and the night began
We was rapping for the people cold chillin' boppin'
We was partying hard making lots of noise
When around the corner came the real Beach Boys
So we all jumped up and started to shout
"Let's all sing the song called the 'Wipeout'"
Nice new digs, Morphy! I think you're adorable in the picture. It just screams summer sunshine!
I know what you mean about the revealing pictures because I seem to have done that to my own kid. 3-4 is that golden age where a kid can run around the backyard and play in the sprinkler without much on and it's still okay, lol. Of course, me being the youngest of all us kids my mom stopped taking pictures at all. There might be only 3 or 4 pictures of me in existence until age 12 or so and the advent of cheap 35mm cameras.
And as for getting older... I'm not even all that old but it feels terrible when I can't do what I used to. I was a competitive gymnast for 12 years and have perfect muscle memory. Unfortunately my muscles can remember but not perform. I usually end up pulling something just daydreaming about it!
Hope your Thursday treats you well my friend!
Happy new thread! *glitter*
If you get a chance, come on over to my thread and join the six-word memoir party. We're all making them now!
When Charlie was born, Tomm and I agreed that there would be no certainly-to-be-embarrassing-to-him-later photos of Charlie in the bath or otherwise lacking clothing. And we've stuck to that.
I think your top photo is lovely - and I'd love to have the fabric that your jumper is made from!
Lovely new thread, Morphy! Grabbing a seat early for all the fun I know is sure to follow!
Playing catch-up, Morphy. I too love that jumper you're wearing in the photo up top. :)
New thread! Actually, we'll be flying during the next solar maximum period and are *hoping* to fly through coronal mass ejections and solar flares!
Re: the fundraiser
Thank you to AMQS, avatiakh, bell7, Bookmarque, catarina1, cbl_tn, ChelleBearrs, Claire, Clam, cmbohn, coppers, Crazymamie, Darryl Morris, Deborah, DeltaQueen, drachenbraut23, drneutron, EBT1002, Ennas, gennyt, hobbitprincess, j_ipsen, jennieg, jnwelch, JodyReads, JPB, Karen Morgan, Kaysee, Kazevedo, Kek55, lindapanzo, LunaticDruid, Lyz, majkia, Marissa Doyle, Mark & Susan Freeburg, MerryMary, MrsLee, Old Sarge, rastaphrong, reconditereader, Rozax, Sandragon, SqueakyChu, Storeetllr, streamsong, Sylvia, Tane, tardis, and Zoe (and other anonymous donors.)
Your generosity is overwhelming (MrMorphy's word) and humbling (my word.) I don't know what else to say. You've taken what has been a very stressful time and made it much less so. I was speaking with a friend about LT the other night. He was reluctant to continue with LT because it cost money. I told him about the fund-raiser and that LT was my online heart. It truly is. Thank you again. *hugs*
>9 UnrulySun: Kathy, it does look summery, doesn't it! And considering we are moving into summer here, is oh-so-appropriate.
>10 Kassilem: Thanks, Melissa!
>11 Esquiress: Es, I did!
>12 scaifea: Amber, I wish my Mom had done the same. I swear there are a half dozen pictures of me in various stages of undress at that age.
>13 Crazymamie: Mamie, especially now that you have joined us!
>14 MickyFine: Micky, I hardly noticed it until everyone mentioned, but it is rather fun isn't it? Very 60s.
>15 Berly: Thanks, Berly, good to see you around again. Hope you are feeling better.
>16 drneutron: Jim, wow, talk about advanced planning!
Film Friday
Yes. I know a lot of my favorite movies are aimed at kids. So? I like movies that make me feel good and happy. And I'm just a kid at heart. *raspberries*
Giselle: Now if only I can find a place to rest my head for the night.
Robert Philip: What kind of place?
Giselle: I don't know. Maybe a nearby meadow or a hollow tree.
Robert Philip: A hollow tree?
Giselle: Or a house full of dwarves. I hear they're very hospitable.
I''m listening to music on shuffle and the current song is Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag) from Mary Poppins. It just takes my breath away.
Oh, I LOVE that song!
Hey Morphy!
I love your thread topper photo - you are so cute!
"Enchanted' is a fun movie - I really like Amy Adams. And now I have "Feed the Birds" in my head.....
>19 jnwelch: Joe, the only problem with doing Film Fridays is that I want to go back to rewatch all these movies and I don't have time enough to watch new movies as it is!
>21 Crazymamie: Mamie, I love Disney songs. They are so moving. Either joyful or tender.
>22 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, my work here is done!
154. Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #5 (should have - personal challenge)
Summary: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures
Opinion: There is a lot of information here but I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea or it was too dry or something. I did find the theory about those of us in countries that have gotten rid of parasites having high levels of allergies because of the internal mechanism that fights parasites going haywire since it has no parasites to fight very interesting.
Rating: 5
155. Imitation in Death by J. D. Robb
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #8 (life or death), next in series
Summary: Killer imitates historic serial killers
Opinion: Seventeenth book in the series. Come on. Like I have something different to say at this point. LOL! I did find it a little annoying that Eve said she "knew" who it was yet never really said clearly why other than it was a gut feeling. That lost it a star.
Rating: 7
>18 Morphidae: I'm a big fan of Enchanted as well, Morphy. Not just because I'm a sucker for a good happy ending but because it's Disney riffing on its own tropes, which is so funny. :)
>26 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen.
>27 MickyFine: Micky, we are in good company.
Today I'm off to a friend's 75th birthday party. I can't remember the last time I was invited to a party so should be fun. This morning I'll spend a bit of time over at my craft table and make her a card.
Morning Morphy! Congrats on the new thread, which I am sure will be filled with good books, music and movies. Yah! Enjoy your day at the birthday party!
>29 msf59: Mark, I was nervous about going - afraid that I would know nobody. But it ended up I sat with a table full of ladies from the senior center!
Music Monday
Some fun dance music with a touch of reggae to start off a summer month.
Pon de Replay by Rihanna
It goes one by one even two by two
Everybody in the club gon be rockin' when I'm through
Let the bass from the speakers run through ya sneakers
Move both ya feet and run to the beat
Today I meet a new therapist to kick off the binge eating program I'm starting. I'm slowly losing the weight I regained. I've lost 12 of 30 pounds so far and have had 18 binge free days.
That's wonderful news, Morphy - woohoo!
We've had some very bad news. My 40- year-old SIL's lymphoma has returned and it's very aggressive. It's in all her lymph nodes, stomach and spine. She's in pain, has lost 20 pounds in the last month and has no appetite. We don't know if it's going to be treatable as she has been through many treatments already in the last seven years and this is the first time it's been this aggressive. Four months ago there was no cancer. My niece and nephew are 13 and 14 years old. My brother is beside himself.
Oh no, Morphy. I'm so so sorry. My second biggest fear, right after something bad happening to Charlie, is something bad happening to Tomm or I, for Charlie's sake, so my heart hurts for your niece and nephew especially. Making lots of room in my thoughts for you and yours right now.
I'm so sorry, Morphy. I wish you strength to get through these difficult times.
Sorry to hear this, Morphy. It is sad news.
Morphy. I am so sorry regarding the sad, sad news.
I know you have a lot on your plate right now. I send gentle hugs and prayers.
Morphy, I'm sending as many sparkle and rainbow good vibes as I can spare right now. You carry many heavy burdens. We are here for you.
Sorry to hear such very bad news. Sometimes life is just horribly unfair.
Thank you for the cheers, Sylvia, Roni, Es, and Dejah,
And thank you for the sympathies, Amber, Dejah, Lori, Linda, Es, Sylvia, and Roni.
Talk to Me Tuesday
I met with my therapist for the first time yesterday and we connected well. We talked about my constant anxiety and how it most likely came from unacknowledged emotions. So I started talking about my emotions more with MrMorphy. What came up almost immediately was a toxic amount of shame. I apologize for things that I have no responsibility for - things like traffic. I apologize for just existing. It's an incredibly painful experience. So, being who I am, I immediately went looking for books on the subject. I've read Healing the Shame that Binds You and wasn't impressed though Letting Go of Shame is good and I Thought it Was Just Me is fabulous and I'll be rereading the last two.
So do you have any book/website/video recommendations? Any experiences to share?
156. The Last Llanelli Train by Robert Lewis
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #12 (same letter), Around the World in 80 Sleuths (12 in 12)
Summary: A down on his luck private detective is hired to entrap a man with a prostitute
Opinion: This is the worst bit of dreck I've read in years. There was no mystery, there was barely a plot. The protagonist went so far past unlikable, I don't have words though scum of the earth could work. Even the cover had nothing to do with the book. The only excuse I can give for finishing it is that I kept hoping it would get better. Plus it was short.
Rating: 2
Morphy, I haven't even introduced myself, I'm mostly a lurker, but I AM a big one for hugs.
I am so very sorry to hear about your SIL - to have such bad news after all those years of treatment and being given to all clear is devastating. And my heart aches for you, Mr. Morphy, your brother and especially your niece and nephew. We want so much to protect the children who are dear to us, it is very difficult when we cannot.
* did I mention that I'm a hugger :-) ? *
I just finished Imitation of Death too, Morphy. Agree with your comments; the "gut feeling" translated as less work put into the story. That meant, among other things, that the confrontation near the end had less zing for me than in other series entries.
Morphy, the books that have impacted me the most are Harriet Goldhor Lerner's books. I read The Dance of Anger when it came out, and I should remember to put that on my list of life-changing books when people ask. I'd recommend strongly to you one of her more recent ones, The Dance of Intimacy, as most particularly relevant to you right now, as The Dance of Deception and The Dance of Connection aren't as on topic. I have double copies of the first two books on my shelves, because I recommend them so strongly, and would be glad to send you The Dance of Intimacy if you can't find it in a local library. Some chapter headings:
Anxiety Revisited: Naming the Problem
Distance and More Distance
Dealing with Differences
Understanding Overfunctioning
I'm so sorry about the bad news. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I'm also sorry that the lymphoma has come back. My prayers are with you and your family!
Shame & Guilt: Masters of Disguise by Jane Middleton-Moz. Jane Middleton-Moz uses myths and fairy tales to illustrate concepts, I find it very effective. She writes very compassionately.
You are Good Enough!: Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy by Robert J. Furey devotes more time to the healing process. I have found them both to be very helpful.
Morphy, I'm so sorry to hear about your SIL's lymphoma. That is devastating news but I hold out hope that it can be treated successfully.
>46 MDGentleReader: MD, did I mention I adore hugs?
>47 jnwelch: Joe, it was just sort of a bleh ending.
>48 ronincats: Roni, it was long ago, but I remember The Dance of Anger really pissing me off. I don't think I liked the author's ideas. I appreciate the thought though.
>49 Kassilem:/50 Melissa & Jim, thank you.
>51 MDGentleReader: MD, I'll check those out. Thanks.
>52 UnrulySun: Kathy, they certainly aren't done fighting yet.
Wacky Wednesday
A new monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to help the
other monks in copying the old texts by hand. He notices, however,
that they are copying copies, and not the original books. So, the new
monk goes to the head monk to ask him about this.
He points out that if there was an error in the first copy, that
error would be continued in all of the other copies. The head monk
says "We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make
a good point, my son."
So, he goes down into the cellar with one of the copies to check it
against the original. Hours later, nobody has seen him. So, one of
the monks goes downstairs to look for him. He hears sobbing coming
from the back of the cellar and finds the old monk leaning over one of
the original books crying.
He asks, "What's wrong?"
"The word is 'Celebrate.' Celebrate!'" says the old monk.
157. Angel's Ink by Jocelyn Drake
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #2 (no face), Paranormal Creatures (13 in 13 - warlock)
Summary: A rogue warlock runs a tattoo shop and has a slew of issues to deal with
Opinion: While I started off really liking the book, I got to the point of plot exhaustion. Just how many problems can one person have and resolve in one book? It was a bit too much and after the fifth or sixth issue got thrown in, I was like, "Really?" I'll give the author another shot though because I did like the characters and world-building.
Rating: 6
>53 Morphidae: I admit it took me a few seconds, but LOL!
158. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Genre: Chick Lit
Notes: TIOLI #16 (DON), Ultimate (13 in 13)
Summary: The diary of a 30-something Londoner
Opinion: She complains all the time, smokes, drinks, and I'm sorry, someone who weighs only 130 pounds can't complain about being fat. I really didn't see anything endearing about her and don't see the appeal of this book. Enjoyed the movie though.
Rating: 4
Went to the doctor today just to get a form filled out so my disability insurance payments continue. Oh fun, oh joy. Got home to no electricity in the house. More fun, more joy. Especially since there is nothing in the house to eat that can be eaten cold! Must get that fixed. Thankfully, as I was calling someone that might be able to bring me something for lunch, the electric came back on. Whew. With any luck, the rest of the day with be less eventful.
It's good to hear that the power is back on! Power outages, especially extended ones, are miserable. I'm sorry that Bridget Jones's Diary was a dud for you. Have you seen the film?
*chair dances, wriggling her butt, while listening to Rich Girl by Gwen Stefani & Eve*
If I were a rich girl...
>58 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, yep. Enjoyed it with Rene's bad accent and all.
>60 scaifea: Amber, lol. Yep!
Tunes Thursday
One of my favorite Beatles' tunes. The lyrics make no sense whatsoever though.
He roller-coaster he got early warning
He got muddy water he one mojo filter
He say "one and one and one is three"
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me
From wiki:
The song's history began when Lennon was inspired by Timothy Leary's campaign for governor of California titled "Come together, join the party" against Ronald Reagan, which promptly ended when Leary was sent to prison for possession of marijuana. It has been speculated that each verse refers cryptically to each of the Beatles (e.g. "he's one holy roller" allegedly refers to the spiritually inclined George Harrison; "he got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola" to Ringo Starr, the funny Beatle; "he got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker" to Lennon himself; and "got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see" to Paul McCartney); however, it has also been suggested that the song has only a single "pariah-like protagonist" and Lennon was "painting another sardonic self-portrait".
Oh, that kooky Lennon. I saw an interview with Paul once, in which he talked about writing Hey, Jude. He said that, early on in the process, he sang a draft to John and when he was finished he told John that the line, "the movement you need is on your shoulder" made no sense and that he'd change it, since he'd only stuck it in there to fit the melody until he could think of a better line. John, typically, responded, "No! Leave it! That's the best line in the song!" *snork!*
ETA: My favorite Beatles tune is either Eleanor Rigby or Blackbird.
I'll be off to the senior center in a bit for more knitting lessons, soup and grilled cheese for lunch, and chatting with the ladies.
Meanwhile, I'm so tired of the rain. Our lawn is more like a jungle and I'm sure we'll be hearing from the city soon. But we can't mow the lawn if it's soaking wet. I wonder if they take that in consideration or not.
Amber, my absolute favorite Beatles' tunes are Twist & Shout, Help! and When I'm Sixty Four though Come Together with a bunch of others come in second (Let It Be, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Love Me Do, Something, Get Back, All You Need is Love).
It's hard to narrow it down with the Beatles, I think. I have all of their albums and have loved them since I was in high school.
We're fed up with rain here, too. The grass in the back yard has gone to seed. Sigh.
My favorite Beatles song (at the moment) is While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Tied for second place is all other Beatles songs.
However, according to my iPod my most-played Beatles songs are Hey Jude and Back in the USSR (tied). Helter Skelter is my cell phone ringtone, and Rubber Soul was the first CD I ever owned. So any of those could also be my favorites.
I'm not certain I can pick a favorite Beatles song - I think it varies with my mood!
We're having grass cutting issues here in GA, too, but I don't particularly mind. The grass was supposed to be cut yesterday, then today and now it's been put off until Monday (rain). I'm allergic to freshly cut grass, so I'd put it off until July if I could! I have to admit that the section we mow looks beautiful - mostly the under the pecans in the front yard and around the house.
It's wonderful that the drought has broken here (nothing like 13 inches of rain in February to kickstart the recovery), so I can live with a little damp.
Morphy, thanks for incorporating some of your favorite tunes to your thread. I love visiting and getting a little music buzz going while I read through the thread.
I think my favorite Beatles song has to be Penny Lane. I like most of their songs but this one always sends me to my happy place.
The first album I ever bought and owned was Rubber Soul. One of my favorite Beatle songs is Julia, off of the White Album.
Favourite Beatles songs:
1 Don't Let Me Down
2 In My Life
3 For No One
Wow! Lot's of favorite Beatles songs, some of my favs too but I'll go with Dear Prudence! John at his absolute best!
"The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you...."
Chills every time!
Oh I see, we're doing favorite Beatles songs! Hrmmm, it's so hard to pick just one. I really love these two though:
Here Comes the Sun
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Oooh, I'd forgotten about In My Life! Lovely.
I'm pretty sure that it's been scientifically proven that Rubber Soul is the most awesome album ever made. Seriously.
>62 scaifea:- 73 Amber, Nora, Dejah, Caro, Roni, Paul, Mark, Kathy, ha! I had no idea what I was starting with the Beatles' tune but I'm enjoying all the Beatles' love!
Film Friday
Love the reboot of Batman. They finally got it right. And this second entry is amazing. Ledger was phenomenal. But I've been avoiding the final of the trilogy as I've heard it's REALLY dark. I'll get to it... eventually.
James Gordon Jr.: Why's he running, Dad?
Lt. James Gordon: Because we have to chase him.
James Gordon Jr.: He didn't do anything wrong.
Lt. James Gordon: Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.
I love the newer Batman movies. But I liked Keaton's Batman, too. :)
The last one is Dark Knight Rises, right? I don't see how it's any darker, unless you're sensitive to "could almost really happen in real life" scenarios. I really liked it, especially because of JG-L. Did you see the newest Iron Man? I thought that one had some dark moments in the beginning, but then they sort of gaffed it up with the explanation so the dread it engendered didn't linger.
I haven't seen *any* of the newer Batman movies. Just haven't made it round to it. But I agree with Kathy - Keaton was an amazing Batman. Caught the inherent neuroses of the character really well.
ETA: Plus, you just can't beat an entire soundtrack done by Prince. I mean, really. And the Elfman stuff is always great.
Favourite Beatles song is definitely Here Comes the Sun. It always makes me happy. Although Octopus's Garden can also do that (won't mention that I was first exposed to the latter on Sesame Street). They have hand-written Beatles lyrics on display at the British Library. John Lennon wrote Hard Day's Night on the back of one of his son's birthday cards. :)
As for the third Batman film, I finally watched it while I was on the plane coming back from England and I have to say, I was underwhelmed. It's longer than it should be and that makes what suspense there could have been, sort of disappear.
>75 UnrulySun: Kathy, no, haven't seen the newest Iron Man. We don't go to see movies in theaters usually. We wait until they are out on DVD and get them from Netflix. I'm looking forward to it though!
>76 scaifea: Amber, they are very well done, I think. Gritty. Don't have the same sense of humor but good in their own way.
>77 MickyFine: Micky, well, at least I can watch it at home where I can take bathroom breaks!
Today is a quiet rainy day at home. I'll be stuffing envelopes for the WeCAB monthly billing, putzing around on the computer and such. We'll have chicken & saffron (yellow) rice for supper. We start it about 2:30. Yum.
159. Kosher Chinese by Michael Levy
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #17 (his or her), LT Recommended (13 in 13), Off the Shelf (12 in 12)
Summary: Living, Teaching, and Eating with China's Other Billion
Opinion: I thought it would be less about eating, drinking and pooping and more about the differences in culture. Oh, there was some culture, but it was mostly teenaged girls fascination with Western pop culture. Interesting enough, but not exactly what I was looking for.
Rating: 6
160. How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #11 (read or write)
Summary: Short book (long essay?) on the love of reading
Opinion: I wanted to like this more than I did. The first essay on the love of reading was a delight, but the last essay rambled all over the place and had no cohesion. Here and there were some real gems but overall was just meh.
Rating: 6
161. These, High Green Hills by Jan Karon
Genre: Inspirational
Notes: TIOLI #9 (comfort read tag), next in series
Summary: Father Tim and Cynthia settle in after getting married
Opinion: If you want something episodic with little to no plot, very light, and a bit inspirational without being preachy this will fit the bill. There isn't much substance here but it's a pleasant palate cleanser.
Rating: 6
162. The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #8 (SF/F by woman), reread
Rating: 6
Currently Reading:
Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh (pg 142)
The Great Influenza by John Barry
Alta by Mercedes Lackey
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
On Deck:
Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Embroidered Truths by Monica Ferris
I've read the Help section of Help, Thanks, Wow and enjoyed it enough that I am seriously considering purchasing it (it is a library book). I'll wait until I finish it and then re-read it before I actually take the plunge, though. So little space, so many other things to spend money on...
>84 Esquiress: Es, while I do love her works, I don't think she's that diverse. I think she tends to write the same book - poor pitiful youngster/female/outcast makes good - Talia, Vanyel, Darian, Skif, Lavan, Mags, Elena. I just happen to like that type of book.
>85 MDGentleReader: MD, I read the first few pages of Help, Thanks, Wow as a library book and immediately went out and bought it. I think it was my first purchase this year. It touched my heart. I can't wait to really get into it.
Music Monday
Okay, this is a guilty pleasure. It's totally sexist and just wrong. But I think it's funnier than hell. And it has a great beat.
Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Tracy Adkins
Here she comes, Lord help us all
Ol' T.W.'s girlfriend done slapped him outta his chair
Poor ole boy, it ain't his fault
It's so hard not to stare
At that honky tonk badonkadonk
Keepin' perfect rhythm
Make ya wanna swing along
Got it goin' on
Like Donkey Kong
And whoo-wee
Shut my mouth, slap your grandma
There outta be a law
Get the Sheriff on the phone
Lord have mercy, how's she even get them britches on
Hey, Morph.
Hmm... maybe I'm just seeing different books. My first introduction to her was through Magic's Pawn and the books that follow it. I felt like those were different from the books I just got, The Fairy Godmother and One Good Knight. My friend has a ton of her collaborative books too... maybe that's where I got my idea of diversity from...
PS: My parents are line-dancers, and they dance to that song.
>87 Esquiress: Es, perhaps it's because I'm reading all of Lackey's books back to back right now that they are seeming so similar!
Talk to Me Tuesday
The first library I remember going to was in Pompano Beach, FL. I was eight or nine when we first started going there. My mom would allow me to check out as many books as I could carry. Therefore, I would toddle out to the car with a stack of books from finger tips to chin. I would be absorbed for hours going through the shelves. Sometimes I would read a book right there!
What do you remember about your first library?
Sorry that you didn't enjoy Parasite Rex more, I really liked that book.
My first library was a tiny one in our village. It was very difficult to pin down the opening times. I can still clearly remember Dr Seuss CITH books from there and a book about people that survived various disasters. The Dr Seuss- please bear in mind that I was in the UK so they were actually a little bit exotic! The disasters book I loved the gore- people with maggots in their shoulders after plane crashes having to walk out of the jungle, that kind of thing.
My first library is one that I ended up working in while I went to library school (although it moved locations several times during the intervening 20 years). My strongest memories of it from when I was quite young were the yellow metal shelving units and the massive dragon that lived on top of a unit (fabric, not real). :)
The Fred Landon branch library in London, Ontario. I can clearly recall the layout, and can picture my favourite books on the shelves. It was about five blocks from home, and I built up some muscles carrying plastic shopping bags of books back and forth.
Hiya Morphy! Hope Tuesday is treating you well. :)
We had a huge wall of bookshelves at home, which housed the complete Encyclopedia Britannica, a nearly-complete set of Walt Disney Fun-to-Learn books (you know, the ones you collected at the grocery store as a reward for every so much $$ spent) , and various novels belonging to my mother and sisters. I devoured every bit of it. But my first "real" library was a local university library, where I spent many an afternoon and evening after school, waiting for my mom to come out of her classes. I liked rooting through microfiche, browsing the art books and magazines, and peeping at human sexuality textbooks. I ate vending-machine crackers for dinner and when I got tired I could nap on a couch in the newspaper lounge. It was quite fun. Thankfully this was before the internet era, or I probably wouldn't have ventured much past the bank of computers.
Hi Morphy! I am a big fan of The Dark Knight. Heath ledger rocked in that film. I also liked Batman Begins but I completely disliked the last one. What a slog!
>89 C4RO: Caroline, it might have been the subject matter. It seems like you like gross stuff more than me!
>90 MickyFine: Micky, yay for dragons! I don't remember much about the inside of my first library. Just the number of books I'd get!
>91 SylviaC: Sylvia, you are so lucky! My mom wouldn't allow me bags. I could only take what I could carry in my arms.
>92 UnrulySun: Kathy, we didn't have a lot of books at home - I don't think we could afford them - but mom did encourage reading and was always bringing me to the library.
>93 msf59: Mark, I've heard that about the third movie from a couple people now. I'll keep it in mind once we've ordered it.
Wacky Wednesday
A girl asks her boyfriend to come over Friday night and have dinner with her parents. Since this is such a big event, the girl announces to her boyfriend that after dinner, she would like to go out and make love for the first time.
Well, the boy is ecstatic, but he has never had sex before, so he takes a trip to the pharmacist to get some condoms. He tells the pharmacist it's his first time and the pharmacist helps the boy for about an hour. He tells the boy everything there is to know about condoms and sex.
At the register, the pharmacist asks the boy how many condoms he'd like to buy, a 3-pack, 10-pack, or family pack. The boy insists on the family pack because he thinks he will be rather busy, it being his first time and all.
That night, the boy shows up at the girl's parents house and meets his girlfriend at the door. "Oh, I'm so excited for you to meet my parents, come on in!"
The boy goes inside and is taken to the dinner table where the girl's parents are seated. The boy quickly offers to say grace and bows his head.
A minute passes, and the boy is still deep in prayer, with his head down. Ten minutes pass, and still no movement from the boy. Finally, after twenty minutes with his head down, the girlfriend leans over and whispers to the boyfriend, "I had no idea you were this religious."
The boy turns, and whispers back, "I had no idea your father was a pharmacist."
163. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #15 (Virago), Book Bingo (book/movie)
Summary: Series of letters between a crotchety writer in New York and a bookseller in London
Opinion: This was a reread and I was so afraid that the suck fairy would have hit. But she didn't! This is still a delight. I wish this short book was longer but perhaps if it was it would grow tedious. As it is, I love the cranky yet generous Helene and the genial Frank.
Rating: 9
164. The Witches by Roald Dahl
Genre: Children's
Notes: TIOLI #18 (English not native), Code List (13 in 13 - CHAL)
Summary: A young boy and his grandmother find out witches are planning to kill all of England's children
Opinion: Probably my favorite Dahl. Fun and fast moving. I think it's because I particularly liked the tenderness of the relationship between the boy and his grandmother.
Rating: 7
I love that joke!
I liked The Witches too, but I think my favourite that I can remember is The BFG.
81> A palate cleanser indeed. I am (re-)reading it right now. I needed a palate cleanser because I was foolish enough to pick up a biography merely based on the subject. It was on the new shelf at the library and I've had such good luck with the books I've picked up from the children's display at this particular library that I went for it. Big mistake. The author seems to have done a lot of research, but the writing was very poor when whe started foaming at the mouth, whcih was often. It was mean spirited, full of unfounded, or weakly founded innuedo and just plain nasty.
re: first library. I can't remember my first public library, there were several we went to reguarly. I went to one of them recently. It has been extensively remodelled and reorganized, so I don't remember the library, but part of the drive home was quite familiar and brought back memories. Another person's post reminded me how much I read what we had at home. We had a better reference library than the school library or the public library for many school projects. Lots of Time Life series and National Geographic going back to the 1930s, with the index. My brother and I both belonged to the book of the month club as children and books were the gift of choice in our family. We also got children's magazines like National Geographic World and Cricket. I was very, very fortunate. Access to reading material of all kinds is one of the things I wrote about when we did an appreciation book for my father for his 75th birthday recently.
95: I don't think the suck fairy could ever ruin that book for me. It's just so damn lovely.
Indeed. I want so very much to see the movie. Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins. I would've loved to have seen Judi Dench in the part, too.
>99 MDGentleReader: MD, well now, you just have to tell me what the book is. You can't tell wonderful nastiness like that and not share!
>100 RosyLibrarian: Marie, agreed!
>101 MDGentleReader: MD, the movie is on its way from Netflix. I'll let you know what I think of it.
Tunes Thursday
The audio is awful but the video is very funny. MrMorphy and I were in stitches. MrMorphy wondered how long they had to practice to keep from falling on their butts.
Originally done by the Andrews Sisters who are from Mound, MN - where we've lived for the last 25+ years.
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by Bette Middler
A root, a toot, a toodlie-a-da-toot.
He blows it eight to the bar in boogie rhythm.
He can't blow a note unless a bass and guitar
is playin' with him.
And the company jumps when he plays reveille.
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of company B.
101, 102> Queen Mother. I almost PMed you to avoid giving any more exposure to this dreadful book. I hope the 84, Charing Cross Road movie is as good as I've heard it is.
Ooh, I did Boogie Woogie with two other gals in show choir. I love tight harmonies!
Our smooth jazz station always played Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy at 5:00 on Fridays to start off the weekend, the Andrews Sisters version.
105> Very nice.
104> I love tight harmonies, too.
>103 MDGentleReader: Well, at least now I know what to stay away from!
>104 Esquiress: - 106 Es, Roni, MD, my grandmother and I would jitterbug to BWBB!
Today we are running errands - Target, Costco, etc. and might be having friends stay over for a few days. It was planned but I haven't heard from them to finalize. They tend to be the type to change plans at the last minute so who knows. Tomorrow we are picking up picnic food and heading over to Minnehaha Falls for an anniversary outing. Our 23rd anniversary is on the 23rd!
I have another "occasion" coming up next week. And I'm sure I'll be getting a lot of lovely messages. I'm going to ask my LT friends to please be kind and not post any sparkly or moving graphics else I'll have to beat you.
Sorry we had no access to the interwebs to tell you ;)
Hi Morphy- Shoot! I had a nice sparkly gif, picked out just for you! It's okay, I'll just give it to someone else.
>107 Morphidae: Hmm, so does that make it a champagne anniversary like your champagne birthday? (i.e. when your age and the date of your birthday are the same number).
Hmmmm, it isn't your thingaversary, so it must be your birthday next week?
>108 admiralsequoia: Forgiven!
>109 Esquiress: Es, which anniversary?
>110 msf59: Mark, yay! I'm sure the "winner" of the sparky *^@#$&*%* gif will be most appreciative.
>111 MickyFine: Micky, I'm sure it will!
>112 EBT1002: Ellen, thank you!
>113 ronincats: Roni, it is. The 48th. Ugh.
>114 Esquiress: Es, I like the idea, for sure.
In honor of my birthday and as a "present" for my graduation, I'm having a "staycation" this week. No responsibilities. No volunteer work. No appointments. And I'm not making any of my special posts this week. Just taking it easy. Reading. Watching movies.
Well, unfortunately, I do have ONE appointment but it's unavoidable. My binge eating group starts tomorrow. No choice in the matter. But other than that, I have no obligations. This week. I won't know what to do with myself!
Today I'm going to finish up reading The Great Influenza and get started on Bayou Moon. I already completed Three Bedrooms, One Corpse this morning.
Staycation - my idea of heaven for a weekend.
Going back to your first library question, mine was a mobile that used to visit the village once a week. Spent many happy hours inside that van. Read T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom having borrowed it in spiffing hardback from the mobile at only 9 years old. Loved it though my juvenile sensibilities found parts of it heavy going. Fell asleep in the garden reading it and woke up in the rain from which I scurried forgetfully. I recovered the book sodden the following morning and mother had to purchase the book. I was not allowed to borrow hardbacks by her for the then forseeable future.
>115 Morphidae: Staycations are awesome. Hope you enjoy yours, Morphy! :)
OK, won't post any bubbly, but maybe a congratulatory message? Enjoy that staycation - great way to reward yourself.
>116 Esquiress: Es, eight years is past the seven year itch. You have it made now!
>117 PaulCranswick: Paul, I can't imagine you being that forgetful now!
>118 MickyFine: Micky, I am! Thank you.
>119 jnwelch: Joe, congratulatory messages are just fine. It's sparkly, moving gifs that make me want to create bodily harm. This morning my mom sent me an American Greeting yodeling birthday ecard that cracked me up. I got an Olive Garden gift card from her in the mail last week. And MrMorphy gave me a card that started "Ways My Wife is Like Coffee." Laughter is a fabulous way to start the day! I got a lovely bookmark from maggie1944 earlier in the week.
I get to "celebrate" my birthday today by starting my binge eating program - 4pm to 7pm. Whoo hoo. Ah well.
My birthday dinner will actually be next week with four friends at Benihana's. I'm looking forward to that so much!
No sparkles, but lots of cheers!
Happy Birthday Morphy!
Happy Birthday, young lady. I probably do not have to remind you that The Whole Universe Danced on the Very Day YOU were Born! And we all are so glad it did, too.
Happy birthday, girlfriend! I wish you all the best with your program today.
Happy Birthday!
There was a lady from Minnesota USA,
Who completed a book most every day
Saying age is just a number
To make a rhyme without a fumbler
For wishing Morphy a Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday!
I can understand being apprehensive starting your new program. I hope that it ultimately helps you with quest for better health. I so admire what you have accomplished on your own. You are an inspiration.
{{{{Morphy}}}} - birthday & new experience courage giving hugs!
ETC: spelling of health to correct one...
Happy Birthday, Morphy! We celebrate your presence on this earth and especially in our LT 75 challenge group. May you have a most excellent day.
Happy Birthday, Morphy!! Hope you're having a terrific day.
Hippo Birdie, Morphy!!
No glitter as per request, but here's some static kittehs instead:
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
Thank you for the birthday wishes, Sylvia, Nora, Mark, Karen, Es, Marie, Paul, Kerry, MD, Roni, Rhian, Linda, Micky, Amber, Jim and Kathy!
Yesterday's binge eating class was good but it was the worst MetroMobility ride ever. They picked me up ONE HOUR late so I didn't get home until 9pm. It was awful. As much as I wanted to avoid bothering MrMorphy, he's going to need to pick me up. I can't go through that again.
Sorry that I missed your actual birthday, Morphy. Happy Birthday a little late from all of us at the Pecan Paradisio! There are certainly a lot of us with June birthdays in the 75 group! I hope that your staycation is full of fabulous and loaded with laughter.
*We got married in the same year! Craig and I will celebrate our 23rd anniversary in October!
A belated Happy Birthday, Morphy! Those cards sound great - I agree, laughter is a fab way to start the day. Enjoy that staycation and the dinner with your pals.
Thanks for the additional birthday wishes, Mamie, Joe & Melis!
Our visitors have left and it will be a quiet day today. I can't seem to stick to one book and I'm dipping into several - A Fire Upon the Deep, Battle Circle, Cursor's Fury, A Brief History of Time, and Master and Commander. I was nervous about Master and Commander. I heard it wasn't an easy read and I was reluctant to get started but while it's true it's not a "breezy" read, it is interesting.
First an anniversary and now a birthday! Cool beans!
Happy Birthday, Morphy!
>142 EBT1002: Ellen, it's my favorite week of the year!
Happy 23rd anniversary on the 23rd!
>144 tymfos: Terri, thanks for the birthday wishes!
>145 MDGentleReader: MD & Sylvia, thanks for the anniversary wishes!
Music Monday
This is just one of those fun rockin' in your chair, sing-a-long songs.
Hey, Soul Sister by Train
Hey soul sister
Ain't that mister mister
On the radio, stereo
The way you move ain't fair, you know
Hey soul sister
I don't wanna miss
A single thing you do
Tonight we are going to Benihana's with Philip & Ray and Mike & Rose for my 48th birthday. Should be fun! MrMorphy and I have gone to this restaurant for over 24 years. It was our first "fancy" date. Back then it was called The Samurai though.
My version of the Most Hated Book List. Stars give are out of 10 possible.
1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (102 votes) - 6 stars - won't read any more in the series
2. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (90) - 7 stars - don't know what all the fuss is about
3. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (90) - 7 stars - read entire series, enjoyable fluff, read hotter romances
4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (53) - 4 stars - Yuck, Ptooey!
5. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (41) - Will get to one day. I imagine I will struggle with it.
6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (41) - Quit. Horrible people. Yuck, Ptooey!
7. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (35) - 5 stars - Meh.
8. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (33) - Read before did stars. But have Illustrated version. Love!
9. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (31) - 3 stars - YUCK PTOOEY!
10. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (30) - Read loooong ago. Don't remember.
11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (28) - Quit. Was bored, didn't like characters.
12. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (26) - 8 stars, enjoyed very much
13. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (26) - Got tortured with this in 6th grade, may try again as an adult
14. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (25) - 7 stars - only Hemingway I like so far
15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (24) - 9 stars - delightful
16. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (23) - Never read. Will one day.
17. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (21) - Read years ago. Remember I liked it but not how much.
18. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (18) - 7 stars - okay read
19. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (17) - On read one day list
20. On the Road by Jack Kerouac (14) - One read one day list
21. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (14) - 5 stars - meh
22. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (14) - 8 stars - read a few times now, good read each time
23. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (14) - 9 stars - must read something else by this author
24. The Pearl by John Steinbeck (14) - haven't read, not sure if will
25. Ulysses by James Joyce (14) - will never read, not on any to be read list. Yuck.
Well, I'm late to both the birthday and anniversary parties. No wait! There is a birthday dinner tonight. Happy Belated Birthday, Morphy. Your birthday is my brother and SIL's anniversary - which I forgot for the first time this year. I've got to get my nose out of the books and pay more attention to real life.
I'm only one day late for your anniversary. 23 years on the 23rd is awesome. I have missed both of my "champagne" occasions because I had never heard of such a thing. LT is so educational!
*Like* your version of the Most Hated Book List.
Happy Anniversary Morphy!
Benihana's is a treat, I hope it was wonderful for you! And I also hope your staycation is proving relaxing and re-energizing.
Where did you snag that "most hated" list from?
Hi, Morphy! I see around the threads you're contemplating dipping a toe in the Trollope pond. :) Heidi (cobscook) was looking for some help a little while ago, and after we talked about it she decided to try The Warden. Perhaps you should ask her advice?
Best wishes for your birthday and anniversary!
I don't know how it happened, but I lost your thread, so just skimming through. Belated Happy Anniversary, and Happy Birthday!
Ah, sing it sister with those Withering Hives and Heart of Crapness reviews! I knew there was some reason I felt a kindred with you...beyond the list-lusting...
Morphy- Just a quick check-in! Hope all is well. Grapes an "okay read"? WHAT?
>149 Morphidae:: I've read a grand total of 4 books from that list.
Re Wuthering Heights, I never did work out why Earnshaw(?) snr. brought Heathcliff home when he appeared to neglect his own children. The obvious answer, that Heathcliff was his natural child, was (if I remember correctly) gainsaid by the author at the beginning of the book. It's been a long, long time (school) since I read it, so I've forgotten the details.
ETA: had a quick look at the reviews, trying to remember details, and one suggests Heathcliff was a 'person of colour', which had never occurred to me.
>150 Donna828: Donna, it's never too late! Thank you.
>151 UnrulySun: Kathy, I stole it from Amber (scaifea).
>152 lyzard: Liz, is there going to be a tutored read?
>153 humouress: Thanks, humouress!
>154 scaifea: Amber, sing it sister! I love "list-lusting." Guess what my latest ER was? Super Pop: Pop Culture Top Ten Lists to Helo You Win at Trivia, Survive in the Wild and Make it Through the Holidays.
>155 msf59: Mark, sorry! I'm sorry! But there are some other classics there I really love!
>156 ronincats: Roni, it was a birthday celebration, and I did! I don't know if you follow me on Facebook, but there are pictures! Maybe I'll copy them over here.
>157 humouress: Of that list, humouress, there are six I haven't attempted and only one I have no desire to touch. But then I'm a book-reading freak. :D
Talk to Me Tuesday
Yesterday, MrMorphy and I went to a restaurant we've been going to for over 24 years - Benihana's (used to be The Samurai). It was our first "fancy" date and our second date. I love the cheesy patter and having the food prepared right in front of you. Over the years, I've collected many of the white drink jugs. We go twice year for our birthdays since we are part of the birthday club ($30 off!) We used to go alone but I've found that it's more fun to invite a bunch of friends and last night we went with two other couples.
Do you have a favorite restaurant that you've gone to for many years? Or is there a restaurant that you used to go that has a personal history?
Is that a teppanyaki restaurant, where they do acrobatics with the food? Those are fun. My husband gets to go to a suspiciously large number of nice restaurants for business meetings, and he'll try and take me for a night out to the best or more unusual ones (not for the meetings). Very occasionally, we'll leave the kids with a sitter and it'll just be the two of us; but not too often, because it still feels a bit weird to me. But for favourite places - there seems to be a large turnover of eateries these days, and they don't always manage to stick around.
We did have a tradition, growing up, of buying Chinese take-away every Friday night (not always the same restaurant, though). Prawn crackers - yum! We still fight over those.
Your restaurant sounds lovely, Morphy. We don't really have anywhere that is special for us. Part of that is because of the kids—we tend to frequent places where the food comes wrapped in grease proof paper. Also, like humouress, we find that places don't last long enough for us to develop relationships with them.
For the last several years, my comfort food has been a double chicken kebab plate from Mimi's Kebab, just short bit from work. For a special night out, we have several faves, but the latest one is called Xitomate, a Mexican place that does more native dishes beyond the standard Americanized fare. Or fish and chips with beer at the local gastropub. :)
Morphy, there have already been tutored reads for The Warden (thread here) and Barchester Towers (thread here). People are now using these threads as a resource for their own reading. Both of these novels are predominantly character studies, but because they are based around issues of church politics that were meant for contemporary (mid-1850s) readers they can be a bit intimidating at first.
I should stress that anyone using the threads as a resource is very welcome to open them up again, if they find that they have questions that have not been answered, or if there is anything they don't understand.
>159 humouress: Yes, humouress, and have silly banter like calling the soy sauce "coca cola" and make volcanoes out of onions. I haven't heard of prawn crackers, but I do love Chinese food.
>160 SylviaC: Sylvia, we have a favorite one of those, too - Culver's has "butter burgers" which are divine.
>161 drneutron: Jim, the kebabs sound delicious! I'm sure there is something like that downtown but here in the suburbs the restaurants aren't as adventurous. It's all "American" food.
>162 lyzard: Liz, hmm, I wonder if there might be an "easier" book to start Trollope with.
Wacky Wednesday
Zen-type thoughts for the day
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead.
Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow.
Do not walk beside me either.
Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a leaky tire.
3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbors' newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Sex is like air. It's not important unless you aren't getting any.
5. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
6. No one is listening until you fart. But then again its a good attention getter.
7. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.
8. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
9. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
10. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his or her shoes. That way, when you criticize them you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
11. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
12. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in your boat and drink beer all day.
13. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
14. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
15. Some days you are the bug; some days you are the windshield.
16. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.
17. Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
18. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
19. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
20. Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
21. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
22. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
23. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
24. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
25. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our ass...then things get worse.
26. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
27. There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
28. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.
29. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday...
around age 11.
30. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
I'll take #22, #28, and #30, with a side order of #20. (My son has a black Darth Vader t-shirt that says: come to the Dark side—We have cookies.)
I hold by #14 and #19. #27 ... hmmm, thinking about it. #29 NOOOOOOoooooooo......
I forgot to mention that the kids will try to persuade their grandma to take them to McD's for Saturday pancake breakfast. I have issues with them, and they don't have the best burgers, anyway (though I'll take the apple pie occasionally), so my eldest will always claim that he doesn't like them, either. But guess who's the first to ask my mum?
YOU DON'T KNOW PRAWN CRACKERS??!? *faints*
*recovers momentarily* These things. Unless they're known by a different name over there?
My local Chinese restaurant gives large bags of those things away at the slightest provocation...sigh. :)
In spite of the subject matter I think the consensus is that The Warden is a good place to start with Trollope. It's about his shortest novel, for one thing. :)
As for your list...#27. Definitely.
"Grapes an "okay read"? WHAT?" Yes, it was worth repeating. Talk about Wacky Wednesday. LOL.
Your Zen Thoughts for Wednesday made me laugh out loud and read all of them out loud to my husband! Thanks, needed that today!
>164 SylviaC: & 168 Sylvia & Diane, glad you enjoyed them!
>165 humouress: Sorry, humouress! They look awfully bland.
>166 lyzard: Liz, okay. I'll add The Warden to Mount TBR.
>167 msf59: Mark, all I can say is, "To each their own!"
Tunes Thursday
An oldie but goodie! I dare you to play the first Rock song to top the charts and not shake your booty!
When the clock strikes two, three and four
If the band slows down we'll yell for more
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight
I'm off to the senior center today. I haven't been in a couple of weeks due to medical appointments and my "staycation" so I'm looking forward to chatting with the ladies, improving my knitting, and eating spaghetti and meatballs for lunch.
We've had an update on my SIL which is very grave news. The results from the biopsy are confusing and the doctors don't know what type of cancer it is. I don't understand this at all. The doctors want to go in with surgery but my SIL says no. She is done fighting and it just enjoying each day. The cancer just in the last few weeks has grown all around her lungs, too. So now it's in all her lymph nodes, stomach, spine and around lungs. It's very fast growing and aggressive. My mom thinks she isn't going to last to Christmas.
I can't imagine what my brother is going through. He has a high stress job where he travels a lot. They have two young teen kids (12 and 13, I think.) She's a great, super-involved mom. He's going to be a widower and they are going to lose their mom. This is just unimaginable. It sucks sh**.
>165 humouress:, 166, 169: The thing is, prawn crackers are deep fried and crispy, which makes them irresistible to my family, unfortunately.
>169 Morphidae:: I lost the dare.
So sorry to hear about your SIL, especially sad for the kids.
So very sorry to hear about your SIL, Morphy. That is devastating news.
I loved your Zen-type thoughts. My favorite? "7. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else."
I liked those Zen thoughts, too, Morphy. My favorite: Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his or her shoes. That way, when you criticize them you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
I believe prawn crackers are called shrimp chips or shrimp crackers in the USA.
P.S. Sorry, I missed the news about your SIL the first time around. Very sorry to hear it. It sounds very much like what happened three years ago with my mom, who was gone rather quickly (6 months) after we got the news. I hope it goes better for your SIL.
You have my condolences. I'm terribly sorry for her family and yours.
Hugs aplenty to both your Brother and SIL and to their kids of course. You're right life sucks on occasions like that and I pray that her remaining time is both full of love and devoid (as much as possible) of discomfort.
Restaurants - One of the things I love about KL is the sheer variety of food and places available here. I probably have a favourite per type of cuisine.
Tattoo is one restaurant that I like very much serving delicious italian food.
La Vie en Rose would be my favourite French restaurant.
Tamarind Springs my favourite IndoChinese (I took Caro there last time we met up)
Hani's place - my favourite for Malay food (my house that is).
>171 humouress: So they are rather like our potato chips?
>172 Crazymamie: Mamie, there is a story about me as a young girl. My mom told me I was unique. I got very upset and yelled, "I am not a nique!"
>173 jnwelch: Joe, my SIL's mood seems to be improving and she might be more in a fighting spirit. She's at least willing to have surgery now to see what, if any, next steps will be. So that's good news.
>174 SandDune:-177 Rhian, Es, Roni, & Melis, thank you for your sympathies.
>178 PaulCranswick: Paul, one thing I love about your thread is all the good eats! You should post pics of all the food!
>179 Morphidae:: Well, at least now we know how to catch a Morphy...
So sorry to do this to you, but I have a ton of books to post. I promise to do better next time.
Really! Really, I mean it this time! A thousand lashes with a wet noodle if I don't keep up!
>179 Morphidae:: Kind of like crisps, but not exactly. They're a lot lighter, with a lot of air bubbles, and therefore a bit thicker. Hard to explain. They're kind of hard meringue-y in texture, but savoury
Before they're cooked, they're hard and translucent. Once they've been deep fried, they puff up a bit.
167. Menagerie Manor by Gerald Durrell
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #3 (house style), Book Bingo (written before born), Nonfiction (12 in 12)
Summary: Author sets up a zoo on the isle of Jersey in the 1950s
Opinion: Amusing essays on the trials and triumphs of setting up a zoo. Sometimes a little tedious when he lists off animals and their characteristics rather than tell stories about them but in general a pleasant read.
Rating: 6
168. Embroidered Truths by Monica Ferris
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #4 (personal connection - Excelsior), Book Bingo (Minnesota), next in series
Summary: Betsy's friend and store manager, Goodwin, is accused of murdering his boyfriend
Opinion: Closer to home, this story was more enjoyable than the last few as Betsy is more emotionally engaged in the outcome and, therefore, so was I. I was on tenderhooks as Betsy had to make some hard decisions. Good job, Monica!
Rating: 7
169. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #7 (female sleuth), Book Bingo (mystery), next in series
Summary: Realtors are being killed off
Opinion: I don't like how Roe is jumping from relationship to relationship and Harris didn't handle the transition well. Also, Roe has very little, if anything, to do with resolving the murders until the very last pages and then she pulls the Too Stupid To Live card. Meh.
Rating: 5
170. The Great Influenza by John Barry
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #6 (starts with B, D, G, J, P, R, U), Book Bingo (nonfiction), GD Lists (13 in 13), Nonfiction (12 in 12), Ultimate
Summary: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History (1918 Spanish Influenza)
Opinion: First, the first third of the book was mostly about the history of medicine in America. Second, this book was almost too dry to read. Not quite enough to be unreadable, but not as easy as my usual pop science books. Lastly, I feel like everything was left unresolved. The author would build up the suspense, and then just drop everything. He'd set you up to think a doctor was about to find something or help was on the way. Then drop it and go to another doctor or another subject. Over and over. There never was a climax. It was very annoying. Not recommended.
Rating: 5
Front cover that I have is not available. Green hardcover with author's signature.
171. The Spell Sword by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Genre: Science Fiction
Notes: TIOLI #19 (no picture or graphics - solid green with MZB's signature), Book Bingo (not Earth), to complete bibliography
Summary: A Terran heeds the call of a telepath and aids in her rescue from the cat-men that kidnapped her
Opinion: Average adventure story. Read it because it's a transition novel to the much better book, The Forbidden Tower.
Rating: 6
172. Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #6 (starts with B, D, G, J, P, R, U), Book Bingo (series), next in series
Summary: An outcast werewolf and the head of a magical swamp-living family against a kidnapping baddie.
Opinion: I like the Andrews team's world-building and the couples they create. Not as good as the Kate Daniels series but still fun.
Rating: 7
173. Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #20 (Greek/Roman Mythology), Book Bingo (>300 pages), next in series
Summary: Tavi comes into his own as he joins a new type of Legion just as rebellion and invasion brews
Opinion: Solid epic fantasy but lacks the humor of the Dresden series. Lots of action and political intrigue. Don't read if you don't like shifting POV though.
Rating: 7
174. Velvet Song by Jude Deveraux
Genre: Romance
Notes: TIOLI #2 (no face), Book Bingo (set in past), to complete bibliography
Summary: Alyx flees into to woods disguised as a boy to squire the outlaw Raine
Opinion: Meh. Alyx is weak and Raine is angry. Neither is all that likable and there was no emotional pull to their story. I just wanted to smack them upside their heads. I was more interested in some of the secondary characters. By the time they got their HEA, I was like "whatever."
Rating: 5
175. One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #8 (SF/F by woman), next in series
Summary: Cat and Bones have to stop a ghostly witch hunter before he kills again
Opinion: Cat and Bones are settling into their relationship and their powers and they work well together. The focus is on the case rather than relationship angst. The story is fast-paced and interesting. Very fun.
Rating: 8
176. Until Proven Guilty by J. A. Jance
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #6 (starts with B, D, G, J, P, R, U), to complete bibliography
Summary: J.P Beaumont investigates the murder of a 5-year-old girl from a religious cult
Opinion: SPOILER: While I enjoy Jance's writing, cranky, angsty detectives are getting old for me. Also, the solving of the case felt like it came from out of the blue. It was no one they were looking at but rather something off to the side. I know why she did it that way but it still felt like a cheat.
Rating: 6
177. Ravished by Amanda Quick
Genre: Romance
Notes: TIOLI #6 (starts with B, D, G, J, P, R, U), next in series
Summary: Miss Pomeroy calls in the Viscount to aid her in getting rid of thieves using "her" caves
Opinion: Quick romances are always a light, comfort read. While overall decent people, Harriet can be Too Stupid To Live and Gideon can be in turn overbearing or condescendingly indulgent.
Rating: 6
178. The Pillars of the World
179. Shadows and Light
180. The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #1 (page 23 flower - moon), Book Bingo (farm, ranch, garden), to complete bibliography; TIOLI #8 (SF/F by woman), next in series; TIOLI #20 (Greek/Roman mythology), next in series
Summary: A world where witches, Fae and humans must work together against the Inquisitor who wants to destroy all magic
Opinion: While not as fabulous as the Black Jewel series, this trilogy gave me a good dose of Bishop while I wait for her next book to come out. Good story, interesting characters, just missing the intensity, humor and emotional complexity of her other books.
Rating: 7, 7, 6
181. Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #1 (page 23 flower), Book Bingo (new book), to complete bibliography
Summary: An acrobat-dancer runs away from her abusive husband and becomes an assistant to a magician
Opinion: As others have said, far too similar in plot to Reserved for the Cat. What was nice was that this is about just average people with average powers rather than the sparkly special people. I'm just glad I can get Lackey from the library now. She's past her prime and I'm not expecting any more 8 or 9 stars out of her anymore. Pity.
Rating: 6
182. Battle Circle by Piers Anthony
Genre: Science Fiction
Notes: TIOLI #4 (personal connection - correspondence), Book Bingo (set in future), to complete bibliography
Summary: Three short stories about a post-apocalyptic earth where humans are separated into warrior and intellectual ("crazies") groups
Opinion: Didn't age well (1978) and rather sexist (and that's saying something, I don't typically comment on this subject since I let a book be a product of its time), but Anthony does tell a good story.
Rating: 7
183. Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein
Genre: Science Fiction
Notes: TIOLI #5 (adventure), to complete bibliography
Summary: Teen goes with his father and new step-family to Ganymede to escape food rationing on Earth
Opinion: Too ah-geez boyish adventure for my tastes but that is what book was aiming for and it *was* written in the 50s after all.
Rating: 6
184. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #10 (household object - pillow, bed, curtains), Book Bingo (meaning to get around to), Ultimate, LT Recommended (13 in 13)
Summary: A New York recluse and his snazzy assistant are introduced in the first of the series
Opinion: I understand this isn't the best of the series and I understand why. The pacing is uneven and I think it has the failing of the Sherlock Holmes stories in that there is no way for the reader to solve the mystery. It's all given to you by the "vastly superior" detective. But I can see how the characters can grow on you. They are eccentric and amusing. I'll give the next in the series a shot.
Rating: 6
185. Remember When by Nora Roberts
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #7 (female sleuth), next in series
Summary: Two thrillers - one modern, one Eve Dallas - about a diamond heist
Opinion: The first romance was a little too pat and nice for me but the story was interesting. The second story was classic Eve Dallas.
Rating: 7
188. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Genre: Fiction
Notes: TIOLI #14 (gift), Color Cover (13 in 13 - red)
Summary: A gothic tale of a doctor in the 50s who cares for a troubled manor household
Opinion: Sorry, Paul, this one wasn't for me. I found the story tedious and the characters unlikable. I wanted to strangle the doctor at times - he was so bull-headed - and the Hundreds household was weak and passive. It wasn't scary or spooky. I found I just didn't care if it was a ghost or one of the household or something else. Not that you ever found out. I was only able to finish because it was for a challenge else I would have quit halfway through.
Rating: 4
189. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
Genre: Children's
Notes: TIOLI #21 (Children's Laureate)
Summary: Teenaged girl, one of twins, lives on the Chesapeake around WWII.
Opinion: What is it with the unlikable characters? Neither of the twins has much in the way of redeeming qualities and even the secondary characters made me look askance. One takes advantage of an ailing older woman and another is a fundamentalist crank. It's only in the last chapter or so that the main character seems to become a decent human being. Uck.
Rating: 5
190. Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott
Genre: Nonfiction
Notes: TIOLI #13 (The End of Your Life Book Club - author), Book Bingo (How to)
Summary: The Three Essential Prayers
Opinion: I've been struggling with wanting to pray and not knowing who to pray to or how to pray or even why I should. This is a nice essay-type book that addresses those questions in a non-denominational manner that this doubting, sorta-pagan, deist-something, spiritual-ish person found inspiring and helpful.
Rating: 7
191. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovitch
Genre: Mystery
Notes: TIOLI #6 (starts with B, D, G, J, P, R, U), next in series
Summary: In between Stephanie Plum mystery
Opinion: I found this book particularly tedious. I'm not sure why. I think it's partially because I'm so frustrated with the Ranger/Morelli indecision, I hardly think she needs to add Diesel into the mix. I'm going to give this series a break for a year or two. Not like I don't have plenty else to read. I did however enjoy the middle-finger-flinging monkey and the fire farter.
Rating: 5
Currently Reading:
Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh (pg 142)
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
The Man Who Sold the Moon by Robert Heinlein
Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood
Desperation by Stephen King
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien
On Deck:
Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh
Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Sorry you didn't like The Little Stranger but I didn't pick it out on purpose - I thought you had a chance with it and I, ahem, liked it.
Very impressed with your reading mind 191 at half-way - is that the highest total you've posted by June?
The Great Influenza - That bugged me, too. The author would build up the background story of a doctor so much, then that doctor would only have minimal connection to the epidemic.
Piers Anthony - I read a whole bunch of his books when I was in my teens and early twenties, but then I reached a point when I just couldn't take any more of his misogyny. Eventually I disposed of my collection.
Jacob Have I Loved - Dismal book, unpleasant characters.
The Grand Sophy - I hope you like it. It's one of my favourites. Very funny.
>180 scaifea: Amber, pictures of food or books? Both?
>182 humouress: Love the colors (or is that colours?), humouress.
>205 Esquiress: Es, I don't actually like posting so many reviews at once. I wouldn't like to read so many in a row on someone's thread. But I procrastinate. This time I'm going to work very hard to post them as I finish.
>207 ronincats: Roni, more like it's a few weeks worth of both.
>208 PaulCranswick: Paul, you got 50%. I liked the Atwood. Yes, this is the most by far that I've read by June.
2006 - 90
2007 - 113
2008 - 105
2009 - 136
2010 - 146
2011 - 155
2012 - 154
2013 - 192 (snuck another in last night!)
>209 SylviaC: Sylvia,
The Great Influenza - Exactly, I was wondering what was the point of even bringing up a person half the time.
Piers Anthony - Well, my favorite series by him is the Incarnations of Immortality which has several strong female leads, so I have a different take on him, I guess.
The Grand Sophy - I've heard lots of good things about Heyer. Looking forward to this one.
Music Monday
Emotionally touching song. Often I need to just breathe.
Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
192. The Man Who Sold the Moon by Robert Heinlein
Genre: Science Fiction
Notes: TIOLI #16 (D O N), to complete bibliography
Summary: A collection of Heinlein's first short stories
Opinion: Heinlein has some of the only short stories I enjoy but these are obviously his first ones. They lack some of the charm of his later ones but were still relatively enjoyable.
Rating: 6
>210 Morphidae:: Nope. Unique up on her. *ahem*
>212 scaifea: Oh, ow.
>212 scaifea:: I know exactly where that comes from .... er, vaguely.
>210 Morphidae:: Yup; that would indeed be colours :0)
Wow! You're doing well with the reviews. I have to review books pretty much as I read them, or I forget the details. But I'd really rather read the next book :0/
Those prawn crisps look like Munchos. In texture, at least. Munchos are made from potatoes and are saltier than the ocean. Yum.
Munchos are The Best. Just, well, The BEST.
ETA: Seriously, like Pavlov's friends, my mouth is watering right now thinking of those little beauties. Sigh.
Morphy- Great job with the burst of mini-reviews! I need to follow your lead. I am behind, at least 5 or 6. I was underwhelmed with The Little Strangers too! I loved Fingersmith.
Good luck with the Master and Commander books. I loved the 4 or 5 that I have read but sadly, stalled out reading them. I'll blame LT.
I am so sorry about your sister in law and the rapid spread of her cancer. I lost a very dear friend (53) to ovarian cancer. From time of diagnosis till the end, she fought valiantly for six years.
Sitting by her bedside at hospice was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I was glad to be there though, glad to have been part of her life and her death...If that makes sense...
I miss her greatly. I can close my eyes and still hear her laughter.
I send all the best to you and your family.
>214 humouress: I do better at the reviews if I write them as I go along, humouress. But I'm a pro-procrastinator.
>215 UnrulySun: & 216 Kathy & Amber, I'm not much into salty snacks. I'm more into savory. Cheese, please.
>217 msf59: Mark, I stalled out on Master and Commander but I'll get back to it soon.
>218 Whisper1: Linda, I'm not even going to be able to do that much. My SIL is in Florida and I'm up in Minnesota. The best I can do is be long distance moral support.
Talk to Me Tuesday
What do you like to do for relaxation or hobbies *other* than reading?
I cross-stitch ATCs (artist trading cards - 2.5" x 3.5" pieces of art) that I either trade or give away. I crochet afghans and scarves for gifts or charity. I watch movies and TV shows with about the same compulsiveness in list-making that I do books but don't watch near as many. MrMorphy and I are watching Stargate SG-1 (Season 10), Eureka (Season 2), Big Bang Theory (Season 2) and CSI (Season 12). Once we get to the end of one of those shows we are going to start watching every single Star Trek episode ever, starting with the original show. I'm slowly but surely working on a scarf as I learn to knit. I'll ask the ladies at church once I'm done if it's good enough for one of the charities.
What about you?
193. Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh
Genre: Romance
Notes: Next in series
Summary: A foreseer and a were-jaquar must overcome her conditioning to have a future together
Opinion: I like Singh's world-building and story-telling but her character's lack emotional depth. When I read her books, there is no tears or laughter. She needs to write with a bit more oomph.
Rating: 6
We like to bike on local (ok, local-ish) trails, mostly the C&O Canal towpath that goes some 180 miles from DC all the way to Cumberland, Maryland. Also the Central Maryland Rail Trail that goes from Baltimore to York, Pennsylvania. Of course we don't do the whole thing... usually a 15 or 20 mile segment. Then go find some good food!
By the way, while mrsdrneutron was away recently, I started watching ST:TOS episodes in order. I'm up to City on the Edge of Forever in the first season.
Hobbies: Well, there's LT, of course. I usually do a couple of large jigsaw puzzles a year. Every now and then I have a little spurt of cross stitch. I watch very little TV, and seldom by choice, but I do sometimes play video games. My husband and I like to go down to the harbour to watch ships, and we often drive around the countryside looking other people's farms.
Watching Star Trek from the beginning is on my list, too! Currently I'm watching Supernatural (season 1) and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (season 1) along with whatever in my (very long) queue is expiring soon.
I also knit small things that I give away to people (hats, scarves, dischcloths, etc), and play some casual computer games (The Sims is my big weakness). Most of all I just like to be out and about, at the zoo or a museum, and I go to a decent number of movies. I tend to go to random movies rather than big blockbusters, because I occasionally get free tickets to press screenings.
Good morning, Morphy!
You know, I used to do all sorts of crafty stuff. I loved hardanger and unusual types of cross stitch, and jigsaw puzzles and crostics and sudoku and board games, MMOs and RPGs... I used to have stores on ebay and esty and sold things I made. Now? Um, I watch tv, browse innerweb forums, and read. Not much time or patience for anything else!
So, do we get to see some of your ATCs??
>221 drneutron: Jim, one of the things I'm looking forward to once I lose enough weight is biking again. I haven't done so in 30 years!
>222 SylviaC: Sylvia, I'd love to do puzzles but we simply don't have the space. The one table I could do them on is my craft table!
>223 norabelle414: Nora, I had to stop playing Facebook games because they were sucking up hours of my day. We watch movies via Netflix DVDs. Neither of us like going to theaters but we'll occasionally go to Cinema Cafe where you can eat a meal and watch a movie.
>224 UnrulySun: Kathy, there are some ATCs in my gallery!
Wacky Wednesday
A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything.
They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.
For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.
In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.
When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.
He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll."
The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.
"Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?" Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling the dolls."
Hi Morphy! I'm so sorry to read about your SIL. I can't even begin to imagine how your family feels right now. You are in my thoughts!
Thank god MrMorphy knows plumbing or we would have had a financial disaster on our hands today as the tub wasn't draining and by the end of my shower I was ankle deep in water. He needed to remove the clean out plug in the basement, drain the line and run a plumber's snake to clear the clog. Yay, MrMorphy, for saving us hundreds of dollars for a holiday emergency plumber call!
>226 Esquiress: Glad you enjoyed a second time, Es.
>227 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle.
>229 Kassilem: :D
>230 ronincats: He did and does, Roni!
>231 drneutron: Jim, the engineer hates plumbing?
My wife loved >225 Morphidae:. I'm not sure why.
All caught up here, Morphy, and what a great time I had doing it! I liked all the mini-reviews in a row because your reviews always crack me up. I especially liked "There never was a climax. It was very annoying... " Let's see, what else? I LOVE salty snacks - they are my weakness. I also love that Anna Nalick song. And what do I do for relaxation besides reading and LT? Um...watch old movies or old tv series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Firefly, and cook. I like to try new recipes and love if there is a lot of slicing and dicing because I find that relaxing. I know, totally weird, right?! I laughed at your Wacky Wednesday story - I hadn't heard that one before. And hooray for MrMorphy's wicked plumbing skills!! Hoping that the rest of your weekend is full of fabulous!
Yup. And our spacecraft has not one, but two plumbing systems. A cooling loop with water and a propulsion system with hydrazine. :)
For relaxation, I watch Downton Abbey and various netflix movies.
Last year I got hooked on a series called The Killing of Rosie Larsen. It was great! Just when you thought you knew who did it, whalla, there was another possible suspect.
>233 jnwelch: Joe, have you checked the closets?
>234 Crazymamie: Mamie, speaking of old movies, I've got Funny Girl to watch today. It got mentioned so many times on Glee, I just had to rewatch. I haven't seen it in years (decades).
>235 drneutron: Jim, are they giving you particular trouble, maybe?
>236 Whisper1: Linda, ooooh, I love Downtown Abbey, though I was particularly put out by the last season's ending. Did they *really* have to be so... graphic? Ish.
MrMorphy and I watched The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey last night and were surprisingly unimpressed. I mean, we liked it - but it wasn't as awesome as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. We were bored the first half hour and the goblin battle scene dragged on far too long. Radagast and Galadriel were VERY cool though.
Lovely pictures, happy 23rd to you and Mr. Morphy!
Morphy NEEDS to win the lottery! Morphy NEEDS to win the lottery! Come on, Morphy!
And happy anniversary! We had our 24th in May!
Lovely pictures, lovely anniversary. I'm glad you got to get out and enjoy the sunshine.
Rewatching Funny Girl sounds like a good idea. Summer TV is definitely unimpressive. I've been looking for series on DVD to watch this summer. I just watched the three seasons of Downton Abbey for the first time. Yup, love it. Yup, hated the ending of season 3.
>233 jnwelch: Ha! The problem is I suspect she may have more than one box filled with money, Morphy.
>237 Morphidae: Wonderful anniversary pic of you and the mister! And what a beautiful location.
Funny Girl! I haven't seen that one in ages! And what a lovely picture of you and the Mr. Thanks for sharing, Morphy!
194. Divided in Death by J. D. Robb
Genre: Mystery
Notes: Next in series
Summary: An employee in her husband's business is a murder suspect and Roarke asks Eve to help
Opinion: Another solid entry. Blah blah blah.
Rating: 7
195. Desperation by Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Notes: Book to Movie (13 in 13), to complete bibliography
Summary: People traveling past a small town are captured by a cop who has been taken over by an evil force
Opinion: Too brutal right off the bat and, therefore, there was no build up. I felt this one lacked the usual characterization of other books by King and only when there was flashback to characterization was the story interesting to me. This is the first King I almost put aside. The brutality in the first third of the book was almost too much.
Rating: 5
196. Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Notes: TIOLI #4 (last book in series), Cover Color (13 in 13 - indigo), next in series
Summary: Micah's father has been bitten by something that is causing him to rot away and Anita needs to find the cause
Opinion: Like with Lackey, I'm glad I can get these from the library. While these books are nice to while away a few hours, Hamilton is past her prime. Recycled plot, recycled sex, recycled lovers, recycled villain. Heck, recycled dialogue. Thankfully, I like to reread books because this was very similar to that. The problem is that after 22 books she had nowhere to go. It's done. She Mary-Sued Anita long ago.
Rating: 6
Currently Reading:
Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh (pg 142)
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien
On Deck:
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb
Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
Hi Morphy! You guys are so cute together in that picture! And you look so happy. The waterfall is gorgeous but I can't tell-- is that a manmade rock shelf, or natural?
>238 Morphidae: *Sigh* such lovely pictures. It's a beautiful park! I'm still put out that there was NO WATER going over the falls when I was there :-(
I just started Hamilton's series and wasn't impressed. I'm listening to the second right now and I can say the recycled dialouge is really getting to me. I'm not liking it. But you're right that sometimes it works to while away the hours. I don't know if I'll continue the series yet or not. Maybe if I can get them all on audio. Anyways, happy belated anniversary!
>239 RosyLibrarian: Thank you, Marie!
>240 msf59: Mark, happy anniversary. And I suppose I should buy a ticket...
>241 streamsong: It really was the most perfect day, streamsong. Funny Girl was enjoyable up until the last few minutes when it was just sad. I don't like unhappy endings. :(
>242 SylviaC: Sylvia, the whole day made me smile.
>243 jnwelch: Joe, you that much trouble or does she have that much of a temper? LOL.
>244 Crazymamie: Mamie, thank you. I've had to nudge him for awhile now to get them transfered to the computer. There are many more but those are the best three I think.
>249 UnrulySun: That's natural, Kathy. And I was a very happy lady that day. I grinned all the way home, too.
>250 norabelle414: Nora, unfortunately that happens when the water is low. This year it's so high and running so fast there are warnings not to canoe or kayak on the creek.
>251 ronincats: Thanks, Roni!
>253 Morphidae: Melis, if you don't like the second, don't continue. If you aren't hooked by now, you won't be. Many of us who enjoy the Hamilton books even 22 books in when they aren't as good as they used to be, compare them to the first four or five books. We consider them some of the best. So if you don't like them...
Music Monday
Love this song. Fun beat, fun lyrics. There are even some fun covers including one on Glee and a spoof by Justin Timberlake.
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyonce
Justin Timberlake
Even the Chipettes!
Cuz if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
Don't be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
Love Beyonce. Love her. And Justin Timberlake - he's a really funny guy and I love it when he shows up on SNL.
Wonderful anniversary pics, Morphy!
Hoping the lottery win comes through for you... :-)
>255 scaifea: Amber, I like that Justin has a great sense of humor. And glad you got the book so fast!
>256 EBT1002: Ellen, I get a lot of entertainment out of imagining winning the lottery I have to admit.
This topic was continued by Morphy Moseys through 2013 - Year 5.
Group: 75 Books Challenge for 2013
767 members
209,460 messages
This topic is not marked as primarily about any work, author or other topic.


text:
Every year Audi and Volkswagen tuning house APR holds a conference for its ever-growing group of worldwide distributors, distributors like Black Forest Industries (BFI). APR uses the time to show off their latest offerings and to reveal new projects to their distribution chain. On hand for the event, BFI has filed a report detailing highlights of what they saw. We think you'll find any number of these most interesting.
Full Story

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Opened 6 years ago
Closed 6 years ago
#8422 closed Bug (worksforme)
Anchor name is uri escaped
|Reported by:
|Owned by:
The anchor name is uri escaped when making it with non-alphabetical characters.
- create document with anchor in non-alphabetical characters.
- save the document.
- edit the document and open anchor properties.
- anchor name is uri escaped.
Attachments (1)
Change History (4)
Changed 6 years ago by usami
comment:1 Changed 6 years ago by j.swiderski
- Status changed from new to pending
- save the document.
- edit the document and open anchor properties.
Could you check and give me feedback what do you receive (net tab in Firebug) when you load back the document. It looks more like an encoding problem on your side.
comment:2 Changed 6 years ago by usami
The response of the request
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN">

is this what you asked for?
Also I checked the HTML of the anchor by Firebug html tab.

comment:3 Changed 6 years ago by j.swiderski
- Resolution set to worksforme
- Status changed from pending to closed
If this is what you get in your response than this is what comes from your server.

This is not CKEditor fault. Please try to look for the cause on your side.
You could start with seeing what gets written into DB or what how does your request look like. Perhaps you are not decoding your data?


text:
Location: Mellow Mushroom at The Island in Pigeon Forge
Date Posted: 4/18/2013
Desired Start Date: 5/25/2013
Hours: full-time
Pay: DOE
Are you the fastest crew member at your current job? Do you constantly outrun everyone around you? Do you love to stay moving and busy? Sounds like you need to come on down to Mellow Mushroom! We need fast-paced individuals geared to help get the guest a clean seat and bring them their food! Fill out an application!


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Bars, Clubs & Lounges
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Sports & Fitness
- Fitness Center: an intimate work out room with varied equipment
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Parties and Theme Nights
- Captain's Dinner
Music and Dance
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Other Features
- Sun Deck
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Traveling with Children
Due to the nature of the cruise itineraries, AmaWaterways does not maintain facilities or services for children aboard river cruise vessels.
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Reset My Password
This will send a password reset to your email address on file. A reminder that your email address on your account must be valid and working to receive the reset request.
We would love to hear your feedback and any suggestions you may have for our new VWVortex store.
Let us know if there is a color option you would like added or a particular merchandise item you would like to see in the store. Have you had a chance to buy an item from our store? Then we want to hear what you think about the merchandise you bought.
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Audi brand design chief Stefan Sielaff outlined future plans for Audi's design language recently at an evening event held at a London Audi dealership. The push for a change is more than just the natural evolution that occurs over time. The brand is pushing a massive growth strategy that will result in a significant proliferation of models. The move will further differentiate
As mentioned, Audi UK hosted journalists at the track with both the new R8 GT and an example of the R8 LMS driven by Marino Franchitti. We've added a gallery of UK Audi R8 GT photos (some including the LMS) and have also uploaded several high-res and edited shots as wallpapers. View them below after the jumps.
Audi R8 GT (UK Spec) Photo Gallery
Wallpaper #1
Audi UK recently held a press event around the UK-spec Audi R8 GT and took their own stab at pushing stories that it spawned over the edge by including the presence of an R8 LMS GT3-spec racecar giving thrill rides with professional race car driver Marino Franchitti. First to surface from the event is this video from the guys at EVO Magazine. Watch it below.
<iframe width="640"
Speaking of comprehensive guides for Le Mans, you'll want to check out this latest guide from Audi UK. In 2010, Audi's British arm paired with EVO Magazine to bring a guide for those headed to Le Mans or for those who wanted to make sure they could follow along. Now, for 2011, the app's been improved on several
UK graphic designer Peter Saville may be best known for his work in posters and record sleeves created during the 70s and 80s in the UK alternative music scene for bands like OMD, Joy Division and New Order. Recently Audi UK contracted Saville to create a work of art inspired by the A5 coupe and retells the story through video on the Audi Channel. The final works were also published by the Telegraph.co.uk.