Christmas Present

That one sanctuary? For me, it's books. Look over there to the left. I'm a librarian by profession and I love it. I think one reason I love it so, is that I know the wonder of books. When I'm reading, I can be completely transported to somewhere else.

When I started writing that last entry, I was feeling down about losing a child-like aspect of myself. I never really thought I'd grow up, and I guess it snuck up on me. I think what I still miss is being so easily pleased. The feeling of utter joy in those $1 surprise bags that really held some junk and a yo-yo.

I think that much of this IS in fact something that's it's appropriate to let go of. I don't need those things to make me happy anymore, I have more important things, like my husband, that make me even happier.

And those books, well, they'll never let me down.

The Bachman Books

I just finished reading a collection of books that Stephen King wrote under the name "Richard Bachman". I found them all to be depressing, and not exciting like I have found other books of his to be. For me, Stephen King doesn't match up to Dean Koontz for a just plain good book. That's not to say that I don't enjoy his writing, because I do, I read "Duma Key" a few weeks ago and it was great!

The three books included in this compilation were:

The Long Walk
Roadwork
The Running Man

My favorite of the three was The Long Walk. It dealt with an alternate reality (I think it was intended to be the future when it was written, as was The Running Man) in which contestants competed in a contest that was no more than "let's see how long you can walk without stopping" except if you slow down or stop, you get shot. I think if the stories had been in a different order, I wouldn't have read the rest. All of these boys are walking, knowing that they will all die, except for one, whoever wins, and they talk and get to know each other etc. They drop off one by one. It was grisly, but not so much that I put down the book. I felt there were quite a few loose ends that were never tied up, but not so much that It made me angry.

Next up was Roadwork, a story that showed me how we have learned nothing. It took place during the gas/energy crisis of the 1970's. But, that was only the setting. The protagonist was a man whose house was scheduled for demolition in order to build a highway. Bypasses have to be built, that's how it is. It drove him insane. It was pretty good too, but made me angry about the gas stuff. Which, by the way, if oil is at $96, why are the stations here in Indiana still charging over $4 a gallon. I think it's gouging. But since it's everybody, I don't know what to do.

Last was The Running Man. In this future, a large part of the population has been relegated to ghettoes, and life is bad. The only way out seems to be to risk your life in the reality show like games that air on the free vee. So, the protagonist goes down, registers himself and find himself in the biggest and most dangerous game, one where he runs for his life, and is paid for every hour he survives. This one got to me the worst, because it seems too much like real life sometimes. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle class disappears. All anyone ever does is watch television shows in which people risk their lives for less reward than you'd expect. Thinking about it gets me back down in the dumps. HEy, people out there! Tell me it's not that bad!!

HA HA Wednesday!

Hello, it's Wednesday, and I'm posting! I just finished a really great book. It's called Fact of Life #31 and is by Denise Vega. It's a teen angst story, about a girl whose mother is a midwife. She is an outcast in High School, but has the predictable crush on one of the popular guys. What was unpredictable about this this book was, it was great! It took that same story told a million times (you know the one, my parents don't understand me, school is painful, unrequited love) and really made me feel it. Katima, the protagonist was great at expressing how we have all felt at one point in our lives. I loved it, and I want to recommend it, buy her new books for the library, and tell all 3 of you reading to check this one out.

Day One Indianapolis to Miami OR The Longest Drive Ever. Part one!?!

On Thursday, I had the day off, so I got us all packed up, got the house clean and everything packed in the car. We had:

One big suitcase full of clothes
One smaller suitcase filled with shampoo, razors, etc and books. Too many books
One garment bag with the hubby's nice clothes
One large pink bag full of shoes
Our laptop bag with computer and cables for every electronic device in the world My racing bag of doom with scanner etc
Jason's camera bag with camera and stuff
A cooler filled with drinks and sandwiches
Bags of chips and snacks for the car

I just hoped that we weren't over our 200 pounds per person limit. I like to have options of what to wear when traveling and so does Jason. I had prepared for the trip's reading opportunities by checking out waaay too many books for each of us. I had also selected 2 audiobooks for the trip. Brother Odd by Dean Koontz and Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Those being in their own bag, I had a solid 50 lbs worth of books in the one suitcase. I'd saved one out for the car, Poltergeist by Kat Richardson. I really promise this whole thing won't be about books, but I really love sitting on the beach and reading, or just sitting anywhere and reading. I really get time to read for fun on a vacation.

So, all of the books (and everything else) were packed and I'd managed to heft the suitcases into the car. Jason got home and we were on our way.

We didn't even make it out of Indiana before we were hungry. Okay, so we left around 6 after not eating all day, so we had every right to be hungry. We stopped a a cracker barrel, because everything's better at the barrel. Well fed, we were on our real way. We made it through Indiana, and part of Kentucky when it became my turn to drive. I put in Gregor the Overlander.

The book is about 2 kids, a boy and his baby sister, that fall through a chute in their laundry room to the underland, a place inhabited by giant roaches, rats and bats, as well as a humanoid species that Gregor and Boots fall in with. We soon learn that Gregor's arrival has been foretold in a prophecy and that he has a mission. Much adventure follows and it was a good book. I think Jason liked it even more than I did. The narration was entertaining and the length was right for that part of the trip. It ended just as we needed to pay attention again. That being after we crossed Tennessee, and Georgia, and were in Florida, looking for our first stop...

Dance your fines away.

New overdue fine payment system!

It's a brilliant new kind of amnesty day. Making fun of patrons and getting to play video games at work. I love it.

Dean Koontz shouldn't write for kids

So, I just picked up a copy of Dean Koontz's children's book "Robot Santa" from the shelf. It's creepy. There's a gorilla who wants his teeth flossed, an evil Santa with toad snot, and cat poop, and evil Santa's creation, robot Santa. Robot Santa is just wrong. He's got scary android hands, and I just got to a part where, in response to mistletoe, he takes of his lips and nibbles his own ear. I think this proves that Dean Koontz is so creepy that he can't write NOT creepy. Yeah. Check this out:
" Good manners require a sweet Christmas kiss
a loving smooch in situations like this,
a tender moment of holiday bliss

He unplugs his lips and kisses his cheek,
then nibbles his ear. Oh, dear, what a geek!
Forget robot Santa, call him Santa Freak!"

Yeah. You know I LOVE Dean Koontz. Just not for kids. Or really, his kids books aren't for me either.

Life? Yes , I have one still. This past week, I've been busy-ish getting more Christmas stuff and wedding stuff done. I got an email from Sallie Mae the other day, but I couldn't get in to the attachment. When I called them, they swore the email wasn't from them, but it was the same address and everything as before. It worried me that it was phishing, and I had given the attachment my ssn, but I downloaded it first, so I hope it's okay. No new news on the other things, I am just going to sit back, because stressing and calling people has gotten me no-where.

Let's see, what else this week... OH YEAH!! WE GOT A Wii!!!! The wonderful Steve and Rachel got us a wii for our wedding!! It's really awesome. We already bought 2 games and rented 2 more. We bought paper mario and a wii blaster that came with Link's archery. We also have the sports one, which is fun, but more fun with two wiimotes. Then, Jason rented Medal of Honor (I think) and I rented Cooking Mama. It's fun and strange all at the same time. I've made lots of things. I am pretty good at cracking pretend eggs now. The one I want now is Warioware Smooth Moves. It is so much fun and so strange. We also got the genesis working now, and I've been playing and remembering how HARD Ecco is, and getting stuck at the same places Amanda and I used to in Jr High.

I had my bridal shower this Saturday. It started snowing hard that morning, and I was really worried that I was going to have no-one show up, but I was wrong! Quite a few people showed, and I had a good time! I hope everyone else did too! I got some great gifts too! A whole bunch of new plates, a blender, and, a Hello Kitty sewing machine! It is very awesome. I have my second dress fitting tomorrow, and the batchelorette party not too far away! It's all going so quickly! I guess that's all for now. Laters!

Elephants on Acid

Okay, so I haven't even read it yet, but I've read all about it. There's this new book out called "Elephants on Acid". It's a review of some of the strangest experiments ever carried out in the name of science. I already think this stuff is fascinating, like the stanford prison experiment, or the one where people thought they were killing others, but did it because they were told to (both of which are in the book) but this book tells of so many that were even new to me! Here's a link to a preview :
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Top/experiments/P0

and just because it says museum of hoaxes, don't write it off. The guy who runs the website wrote the book. It was even on "Wait, Wait, don't tell me" the other day. So... It's really interesting and I can't wait to read it.

I'm also trying to think of ways to get more people to read this blog! I don't really know why, maybe I'm an exhibitionist (I don't think so much) but I'd like it to be read! SO! Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! Tell strangers on the street!

In my life right now, I'm still wedding planning, stressing about you know what, and trying in between all of that to have fun! I've got everything done except for the invitations. It's sure coming up quick. I can't wait. OH! And there is a honeymoon change! We are going in March! We are going to Miami! We are going on a cruise!!!!!! It's going to be very awesome. More soon...

Monday and More!

It's Monday. Sure is. My fingers are FREEZING! I don't know why I'm so cold this morning. It's supposed to really start heating up around now. I'm here at work after a fun (and busy) weekend.

On Friday night, we went to see The Nanny Diaries. I loved the book, but I didn't like the movie. None of it had any depth, and I was kinda bored. We should have seen Balls of Fury instead. The acting was fine, and I liked the nature guide kind of asides, but the movie in general was just, eh. I'd give it 2 out of four stars. I didn't actively dislike it, but I didn't enjoy it either.

The last book I read (okay, listened to) was Mister Monday by Garth Nix. I really really enjoyed Lirael, Sabriel, and Abhorsen, but this wasn't as good. It was good, I listened and I liked it, but not his very best work. I felt the same about the one before that, The Prophet of Yonwood. I liked the two previous, City of Ember and People of Sparks, but this one wasn't as good! I'm looking for the next one, someone recommend me something!

So, back on track, Saturday, we got up early and went to get my new wheel. We got it, they took the old one but didn't give me anything for it. Then we took it to the tire place. While we were waiting for it to be done, we went to one cake shop, and freaked the woman out with our pictures. She said she would have to "think a lot about this one". Yeah, we're not going back. For those of you that don't know, we want our wedding cake to look like the original pagoda at the speedway. (look up) I think it might be a little hard to find someone to make it for us. We are going to a bridal show this weekend. Maybe there will be someone there to do it.

After the cake shop, we went back to the tire place and picked up my car! It's all better. Yay!!!!! Then we went to the grocery. Bought stuff for us, and stuff for a barbecue! We got home, and then went right back out to go to goodwill and walmart looking for a table. Goodwill had NOTHING that was appropriate and cheap enough, but we found one at walmart. Then we got oil for the cars and went home!

Larson came over and he and Jason changed the oil in all of the cars. Steve, Rachel and the boys came over. Then, we fired up the grill and had:

corn
grill fries
bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos
giant shrimp
beer brats
chicken
all kinds of random stuff
smores

I'm still stuffed. It was really good.

Sunday we went over to my Mom's and cleaned out gutters. Gross. I hate those gutters.

Helooooo

Still here, I'm still a little sick. I think it's getting better though. I spent all day yesterday at a training session. Not the most riveting stuff, but not a waste of time either. No update on the bad stuff, still waiting for my appointment.

I'm still trying to read the newest Laurell K Hamilton. I usually love her, but Harlequin has just failed to grab my attention. I think it's on the cusp though, I didn't want to stop reading this morning.

We went to see Stardust this past weekend. I loved it. I'd like to see it again. Jason thinks Claire Danes has huge mutant eyes. I just liked it and thought it was under-loved by the critics/public.

I guess that's it, until I get inspiration.