eleven

Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, Lani Diane Rich. I was interested to read this not because of the subject matter (which is riduculous) but because Jennifer Crusie's books make me laugh out loud and her collaborations with Bob Mayer are superfun. I was concerned that with three authors the distinct voices would be jarring but it seems that they confined their voices to the three main characters and had a fantastic editor. The premise is ridiculous and the action moves along very quickly and not a thought is given to credibility. I liked it and will probably read another if they collaborate again.

dieci

Blood Ties Book One: The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout (audiobook from audible), this was enjoyable. I'm not sure how much patience I would have had if I had been reading a hardcopy. I'm sure I would have skipped significant portions. The characters were likeable, if some of their actions were ridiculous, and I found the motivations behind the conflicts credible.

I am of course now stuck because I will have to read the rest of the books. I cannot leave a series unfinished. February might have a decidedly otherworldly bent, since Eclipse is sitting on my shelf taunting me.

neuf

Card Sharks by Liz Maverick. I think there was a reason I got it from the 4 books for $10 table. Not great writing, not great characters but I really like poker and I really like fiction. It took about 2 hours to read. I did not read every page and do not feel like I missed anything. I did like the ending.

two years ago today

She was 6 days old and I had to leave her in the hospital all alone. It's hard to remember but I never want to forget.

eight and counting...

Number eight is Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex. I have a decided preference for historical fiction, especially historical fiction that involves art and artists. Tracey Chevalier and Susan Vreeland are two of my favourite authors, probably because of this. I am immediately attracted to any cover that displays an actual work of art. Leonardo's Swans depicts events surrounding Ludovico Sforza's attempts to wrest the Duchy of Milan for himself from his ward from the point of view of his sister-in-law. The writing is good, and I can't speak for the research but it seemed thorough. My only issue was that there were several points in the book where I had to stop reading in order to do my own research to keep the personages straight and place them in context. The short biographies provided at the end of the book were insufficient. I will recommend this book, but only if you have google access.

#7

OK, so when I started this i had two rules for myself - first that I cold only include books I had not read before. I am very loyal to books I love and will read them over and over and over again. Second, that I had to include all the books I read. I love a cheesy romance, and while not ashamed, I do tend to keep my favourites in the one bookshelf I have that has doors. The Bride of Black Douglas is not a book I would keep with my favourites but it killed a couple of hours quite enjoyably.

# 6

6. Imperium by Robert Harris. I really liked this book. It is told from a slave's point of view and really captures the intrigues and maneouvering of Roman Republic politics. I found it especially interesting considering the political upheavals both we and our neighbours to the south have undergone in the last 6 months. I am hopeful that a sequel is in the works as this book ends with Cicero's election as consul in 64 BCE. I think there is a lot of literary potential in the later battles fought between Cicero and Marcus Antonius.

52 in 52

So I recently signed up to Ravelry.com which is a knitting themed social networking site. I was turned onto the site by a friend who is also not working at the moment and a much MUCH better knitter than me.

I was browsing their groups and there was one with a challenge to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Now if you know me at all, you know that this is a very easy challenge as I like to average 2 books per week. However, I have decided that I can only count books I have never read before.

So since the 1st of January I have finished reading:

1. Roma* by Steven Saylor.
I really liked this book. It follows two families from the founding of Rome through to the beginning of the Empire. Epic, well researched and well written.

2. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
If you like teenage vampire novels you've probably already read New Moon, it's prequel and sequels. I will say nothing more. Probably only good if you're a girl.

3. Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer **
Screwball, ridiculous modern romance with baking, a wedding, the mob and the CIA. Probably only good if you're a girl.

4. Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Forgettable way to spend a couple of mindless hours. Probably only good if you're a girl.

5. Vintage Furniture by Fay Sweet
I had to buy this because it has a picture of my beloved Nelson Marshmallow Sofa on the back cover. The book is really interesting, well illustrated and inspiring enough to make my husband nervous.

currently in progress:
Vintage Shoes by Caroline Cox (again, making my husband nervous)

Imperium by Robert Harris (I am really enjoying this book but worry it is making me sympathetic to Cicero.)

* I am including this book but I think I started reading it before January 1 2009 but since it is only the 13th of the month I don't think it will skew my 1 book per week goal too much.

** Audiobook

Christmas and other stuff

If you have a large beard, like, say, Santa Claus, do you use shampoo when you wash it? And if you shampoo, would you also use conditioner?

Why is the idea of a gingerbread house so much more fun than actually decorating one? Granted a 20 mo. old perhaps was not the best decorating partner as she was much more interested in eating candy than putting it on the house.

There is such a thing as too much Sesame Street.

I want a George Foreman Lean Mean Spin Frying Machine. Mainly so I can say it over and over again.

some favourite things

Joe Fresh. T-shirts for the price of lunch. Sweater dresses for less than $50. What's not to love?

NYC. I love New York. Yes, it's a cliche, but it's true. The noise, the chaos, the people, the variety, the energy, the shopping, the museums, the park.

Audio books. I am completely addicted and now walk around with my earphones in all the time. New books, old favourites, dramatizations, it doesn't matter. There are few things better than someone reading you a story.

St. Lawrence Market. Perhaps because I love food, perhaps because I love chaos, but mostly because it's fun, fresh and a little bit like NYC.

YSL. A tad more upmarket than Joe but I honestly believe that I would be ecstatic to have only YSL handbags for the rest of my life. After a Chanel Suit, a YSL suit is next on the list. (for when I win the lottery or become a famous author)

OK. back to job searching, I wonder if YSL is hiring?

so ...

I saw a mention of this and had to check it out.

big mistake.

I am actually torn. I thought nothing was uglier than the original.

ladies and gentlemen, may I present, the high heel croc.

I am stuck

in the windowless room BEHIND the photocopying room with no internet access and a man who cannot make normal conversation.

no wonder people go nuts.

oh Colin, how I love you

I just watched Valmont and am not a little torn.

While I have an strong affinity for Colin as Mr. Darcy, he is quite delicious being bad.

Guess I'll just have to pop in P&P for a little comparative research.

and we're back

I realized that I am using my facebook status updates as mini-blog posts and have decided that it might be better to simply start writing the blog again.

Here are the things that I have noticed lately:

Someone (not me) bought Palmolive dish soap and our kitchen now smells like the MSH 7th floor pump room.

I really missed having LEGO in my life and didn't even know it. There's something really therapeutic about just sitting and making something.

I can very easily fill my days not working.

I hate working with people who aren't competent. (Obviously this falls under my whole life philosophy that people, in general, are stupid but you'd think you would have to be mildly able to get the job in the first place.)

Bottled flavoured water is kind of creepy. Why not just drink juice?

The YSL Majorelle in Sahara and the Chanel 'sac rigide' in petite matelasse are some of the most gorgeous handbags I've seen for a while and I am lamenting that I can think of no reason to justify their homecoming.

Grocery shopping is more fun with the child in the cart looking and pointing at everything.

I think ROME was the best thing ever and I am very very sad that it was cancelled.

Our neighbours have gardeners, their back yard is 30 by 30. No wonder we can't afford to buy a house in this neighbourhood.

aaargh.

Yes, it's been a million years. What's new. Had a baby. She's the most awesome thing ever. Back to work today.

I have now spent 9 hours. yes, that's correct 9 hours trying to configure my remote access and am basically no closer than I was 9 1/2 hours ago.

Just needed a vent.

thanks.

Hurrah!

I hate Crocs.

If for some reason your brain has told you that this is a viable form of footwear to be worn in public, please stop reading this blog.

broken glasses

the saga continues...

The other arm broke off!!! explain to me how two months of regular wear can cause both arms to snap off a pair of $300 frames???

Apparently (according to the optometrist) I take off my glasses incorrectly and it is my fault. How do you take off your glasses incorrectly?

GRRR

the vacation thus far

Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

1. church service with a hatemongering minister
2. bamboozled (through no fault of the people who invited us to a "concert") into a second church service on the same day - which contravenes my no more than one service a week rule
3. arm of glasses snapped off immediately upon arrival at second destination - had to convince nice lady at my optometrist to FedEx a replacement arm which cannot be adjusted as they took it right off the pair on display, so the glasses sit very crooked on my face
4. emergency contact lens fell out of right eye while driving on the highway, and I was the one driving!

Other than that the weather has been lovely, excepting the torrential down pours on our visit to Louibourg (weather forecaster obviously on crack), saw some whales, played some golf, did some canoeing and am about to go play tennis for the first time.

taking a stand

No longer will I be the only one to move to the side when approached on a sidewalk by two or more people who have not got the manners to move into a single file for 5 seconds so that we can pass each other without my ending up in the street.

I always move to the side. No more. You're not better than me and entitled to the whole sidewalk while brushing past me without a moment's thought to something other than your LV monogram hand bag. It's tacky and you're tacky and I refuse to step aside.

Superman vs. Jack Sparrow

I know, it's not a fair contest, Superman is SUPER and Jack Sparrow is a sexually ambiguous, drunken, brain addled Sea Captain, but I don't think either one is going to contest the fact that they are fighting for the same audience.

I really enjoyed Superman. I was skeptical. I don't have the same kind of memories about seeing the original Superman that I do about Star Wars or Indiana Jones. I never felt nostalgia for the series but this film gave me a fresh start from which to enjoy the story. All in all I found it an enjoyable film, if a tad too long. Kevin Spacey was so much fun to watch, Parker Posey was slightly under-utilized but great when given a little space to manoeuvre. Brandon Routh was inoffensive and Kate Bosworth was one dimensional. My main thought after watching the film was that both Brandon and Kate were far too young to be playing the characters. Unofficially this movie picks up after Superman II and they looked like they were juniors in college, not a "Pulitzer prize winning journalist" and guy who'd been gone for 5 years.
The movie worked in a couple of interesting twists and I'm interested to see what they'll do next. I'm really hoping that for the next they will have figured out how to make the flying actually look like flying.

Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest, was almost an homage to Curse of the Black Pearl instead of a sequel. Admittedly it would be near to impossible to capture the magic of the Black Pearl. All in all the movie was enjoyable except for a couple things that are still bothering me in a narrative sense (which I will not spoil but if you really need to know, ask me and I'll put it in the comments section); the unrelenting use of CGI, one character would have been much more effective without all the over-the-top special effects; and the editing. Why is every movie these days 1/2 an hour longer than it needs to be???

My final verdict, see Superman on the big screen, save the Pirates for a rainy Sunday afternoon.