Hello! Anyone home?

I'm a transplant from Seattle, now living in SW Washington...not exactly OR but I can see you across the Columbian. Is anyone still using this group? Do you mind if someone across the border drops in on you?

Carol

I don't, but I am not sure who else is here or what there is to drop in on, unfortunately.

First I've found the Oregon group. I am in the Eugene area and a member for several years. Any other Oregonians out there?

I'm in Ashland. I've been a member for years, but just moved to Oregon last May.

I'm in the Portland metro area. I don't see a lot of activity on this group (and haven't been active myself on LibraryThing for more than a year), but welcome, all.

Hello, public library staffer south of Portland

Greetings to one and all.

Library staff, bookstore employees: Do you think about our checkouts/purchases? We imagine you approving or disapproving or wondering.

Thanks for the welcome and I'm glad to see that all of you are watching the group. I'm hoping to hear more from all of you - local events, authors, favorite bookstores, book club info - so thank you in advance for getting me up to speed and keeping me posted on what's what.

Another member from the Portland area saying Hi.

I'm in Central Oregon. I've been on LT for about a year and a half. I'm pretty active in another group but just popped into this one to see what was happening. Glad to see some activity.

I'm so glad to see we are getting more involvement!

So how is everyone handling the arrival of winter? I'm still having trouble getting out of bed on these gray rainy mornings. I know it was bad for farming and a fire hazard...but I was enjoying our sunny drought.

Brr, I go straight from bed to the shower, and I get so cold right before bed. We didn't use our heat this week, though...

Wow Anna, you must come from hearty pioneer stock! Not only am I using my heaters - I bought new ones for the winter! Yup, despite living in the Pacific NW pretty much all my life, I am a weather wimp.

I live in Portland and work at a little library. This thread has been very quiet for a long time, it's nice to see some life.

^7: I really TRY not to judge but I'm not going to lie, every time someone tells me, 'Twilight is the BEST BOOK EVAR!' I die a little inside.

I really haven't used the Groups on LT much but it is about time I do. I'm out in Canby. Hello all!

CarolO, if you moved down from the Seattle area, you should be thrilled with the "long" winter days in the Portland area! I lived up there for many years, and the winter days are noticeably shorter there. Of course, Seattle also has those gorgeous long summer days. Four more weeks now before we start to regain a little bit of light.

Just wait though - January is sure to bring at least one episode of freezing rain, with resulting traffic chaos, trees through roofs/cars, and power outages.

yeah, being just outside the gorge seems to make the weather just a bit more extreme here then in Seattle - warmer in summer and colder in winter.

Is everyone ready for the holidays? We're looking for a low stress new tradition - I think we will be going to a Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner.

We have done dim sum Chrsitmas Day for the last few years and I love it!

Deck the Halls with boughs of horry...

Did anyone wake up to snow this morning? There is fresh sniow on all the hills around us but none at my house.

kids ran around in it for a few minutes. very few!

I have just begun to use it. I live in Central Oregon and work for a Library so you can just imagine how many books I read. Very fond of Non Fiction and well as Mystery's. How about you?

*has a sad because no snow here*

However, I just came back from my sister's place in Cleveland Ohio and there was snow aplenty there so at least I got to throw some around a little bit.

22: We seem to be all over the map here. I personally read mostly fiction and do also love mysteries though I try to read a few nonfiction works a year so I can maybe learn something. :)

There was another dusting this a.m. Anna, you may be chagrined to hear that, according to my 6 y.o., his school won't let kids play with the snow using their hands, only walking and running in it are allowed. I was a bit surprised to hear that.

Been very cold in central O, hasn't it? Perfect for reading! I like a mystery when I read one, but as a genre its never grabbed me for some reason. I do try to read one or two non-fics a year, they tend to be history or biography.

sigh, I just don't get to read as much as I used to these days. I like to read all sorts of genres but my favorite books always have a sense of humor. I particularly like travel memoirs, fantasy, mysteries - but nothing too graphic please - and pop science/psych/sociology.

How about some local OR authors? Anyone have a favorite?

Ken Kesey. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is his probably his best known, but Sometimes a Great Notion is his best work. He doesn't really fit in any of the categories you listed in #25 though.

> 25 Portland resident and sci-fi/fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin is one of my favorites. I've also enjoyed some of the comics/movies/etc. from the Oregon-based Dark Horse Comics. As a young child, I liked books by Beverly Cleary (although I did not learn till much later that she was from Oregon). I've also read and enjoyed one short science-fiction story by Molly Gloss, although the title of it escapes me now (it was part of an anthology that I got at the library).

Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest, do seem to be flourishing grounds for writers of all kinds. And in Portland there's Wordstock, in the fall (although I have never yet been able to attend).

(Edited for punctuation.)

I just discovered this thread. I moved from Eugene to Tigard last summer and have become a regular at Powell's (mainly at Cedar Hills-I hate parking downtown) and at Annie Bloom's in Multnomah Village in SW Portland. Any other fans out there?

Love Annie Bloom's but it is so far away from where I live (NoPo)

I hear you about the parking downtown, but urge you to take public transit to Powell's early and often anyhow. :)

Anna, Good suggestion. I do love Portland's public transit system but I don't use it often because unfortunately I retired to a house that is a long hike to the nearest bus.

I would love to hear about other independent bookstores. I read about one in NE called Mystery by the Book but it sounded like it was closing.

There is an independent in St. Johns that is very funky and fun.
There is a feminist book store that I have heard spoken highly of, on Killingsworth in North Portland.
There are several other great bookstores that I will dig up from another thread later and get back to you.

Essa, I LOVE Beverly Cleary's books too! Have you read her auto-biography or memoir or whatever? There are two books A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet.

There is a group called Favorite Bookstores that folks recommend their favorite bookstores but the formatting of the threads is inconsistent so it makes it a little challenging but I see that there are several OR threads.

> 32 I have never read those, but I bet they are very good. I've taken a liking to biographies and memoirs in recent years, so will have to give those a try. Thanks very much for the tip-off! :)

Cameron's Books and Magazines (336 SW 3rd Ave, downtown Portland) has a big stock of old/used stuff.

I also found Armchair Books (Milwaukie Ave & Kelly, SE Portland) an unexpected delight -- aisles so narrow and stuffed with books I practically had to turn sideways to navigate. I found there, quite by accident, an old out-of-print medieval history book I'd wanted. I don't get out to that area much anymore so am not sure if that shop is still open or not.

Countermedia is fun, too - one-stop shopping for comics, vintage smut, Anarchist's Cookbook, etc. As with Armchair, I've not been there in some years.

Like Oregonreader, I'm a big fan of Powells -- went to the downtown one on Christmas Day (work schedule prevented me from traveling out of town this year), but I go more often to the Beaverton branch, as that's where I live. Love Annie Bloom's book shop, too.

Thanks for all the bookstore tips. I can see I have some exploring to do.

Hey! This thread is active! Imagine that. : ) I thought it might be fun to meet some local people, so I wanted to throw out the idea of meeting at Annie Bloom's in Multnomah Village, and then we could go next door to O'Connors for some drinks or food. I am proposing Thursday, the 28th of February. Why Thursday? Because that is the best night for SugarCreekRanch and the only restriction I know so far. And why not earlier? Because the 14th is Valentine's and the 21st is my Bday, so my family has dibs. Thinking 7:00ish? Sound good to anyone?

Kim, see you on the 28th!

Awesome! Now I won't be all alone and lonesome. : ) Can't wait to meet you. And for those of you who don't know me, I'm Berly, as in Kim(berly). Get it?!

What a great idea for a meet up--I will plan to meet y'all there.

Whohoo! It's a threesome. Gaining momentum here...

Hey, I just found this group and I'm already mentioned in it! :) I will put Annie Bloom's on my calendar for the 28th. Looking forward to meeting all of you!

I knew it was you!! Yay! Four of us. : )

Sounds like a great idea! I'm a maybe since I've got another commitment earlier in the day. Should we add this to the meet-up thread?

I will attend if I am able to do so (work schedule permitting, etc.). :)

Yes, I will do that. Hope you can both come!!

Now listed on the meet-up thread.

CarolO--Where do you hang out on LT? And Essa same question to you? I am mostly on the 75ers thread.

I have been MIA for most of the past 3 years taking care of my dad with dementia but I am slowly getting back to LT. I used to hang around the Green Dragon but it seems a little quieter these days. Several of us got to know each other in real life after a Seattle meet-up and started a book club...you never know what will come of these meet-ups!

45 Like CarolO, I've been away from LT for awhile (the past year or two), other than maybe to catalog a book here or there. These days I tend to read more than post. I'm on a variety of groups (and have a number of others on my Watch list). When I do post these days it tends to be on Let's Talk Religion, Skeptics and Rationalists, Reading Globally, and Girlybooks, with occasional posts in things like Welcome to LibraryThing, Book Talk, A Quieter Librarything, and the like.

My partner goes to his friends house every thurs to play games and i think it wd be really fun to trek out to mult village and meet you good people... is it ok for an east sider to crash the party?

Hi CarolO--Sorry that you have had a tough time with your Dad. Best of luck to you and him. I am glad you are drifting back our way though!

Essa--Oh, I may post more than you but you have explored more regions of LT than I have. I can't wait to compare notes!

Anna--If you are willing to go over to the "other" side than we would be delighted to have you! Welcome!

That makes 5 yes: Berly, SugarCreekRanch, Oregonreader, Banjo123 and Anna_in_PDX

and 2 maybe: Essa and CarolO

: )

Sounds like fun, but I work an odd schedule, so this probably does not work out for me.

That's too bad. I am sure we will have another one. In fact, Ponder can't make this one either, but we are thinking about attending Cheryl Strayed at the Oregon City Librray on March 14. The link is here:
http://www.orcity.org/library/event/community-wide-read-event-author-cheryl-stra...

also posted on the meetups thread...

I'm pretty sure that I will be there now. How do I find you? I've got below the shoulder red hair and glasses. Should we wear funny hats or stand around holding LT signs like the limo drivers at the airport?

I am a pretty nondescript person but will probably be carrying a teal umbrella with a cat shaped handle. This is the most "out there" thing I own.

Hi all - Milwaukie here. The meet up sounds like fun but I don't like driving that far in the dark. Hope you all have a good time!

Carol and Anna, now that I know how to identify you, I should be able to just walk right up and introduce myself!

:) just keep in mind that this will be my first time to Multnomah Village so I may be rushing in at the last minute if I get lost!

How long were people thinkinkg we'd stay at Annies before hitting O'Connor's? (Shoot, I cannot type straight today)

I was just planning on following the crowd. Do you have a time that you need to work around? I'm guessing on a weeknight that we won't be out too late but I really don't know.

I assumed Annie's was the meeting place and then we'd go to Conner's to visit. Does that sound right?

Hi everyone! Let's meet at Annies's at 7 this Thursday and wander over to O'Connors a little later. Totally flexible on how long we spend at each. They are right next door to each other. Maybe half hour at Annie's? I am 5'4" and have short, wavy dark brown hair and my picture is somewhere in my profile photos. Can't wait to meet everyone!

Hi! Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. I can't imagine we will have any trouble meeting up, but I am short and round and plan to wear a lime green jacket.

I won't be able to make it tonight, after all. :( Have fun, everyone!

I bet I can't make it after all. :( Last day of month is crunch-time at work and overtime (even more than usual). I'll attend if possible; otherwise, have a great time! Maybe those of us who can't attend tonight can go next time. :)

I think there are still 4 of us going...see you there! I will sport a green purse to match Banjo's green jacket. : )

Carol and Essa--just means we have to have a second outing. : 0

Argh, last minute flake out here. Got home late and tired... I really hope you all have a good time... Sorry.

THANK YOU Berly for getting our meet-up organized! I can't wait to explore Multnomah Village when everything is open. Already looking forward to the next meet-up and learning about more great bookstores and cool neighborhoods.

5 years on LT for me, started in March 2008.

Carol, do you still live in Woodland? We are not all that far from each other although I am North of you. I live in a little town off the I-5 corridor on Hwy 12 heading East to White Pass. I am 2 hours South of Seattle and 2 hours North of Portland. I have long hoped to meet Berly and lurking on this thread has been just fun!
Berly, I am glad it all pulled together for you gals. I hope you had a blast tonight.
(Our boys and girls basketball teams both made it to the State Tourney in Spokane so my family is over there. I have been ill and so was unable to make the trip. Our girls won by 4 today and the boys lost by 1 in O.T. They played St. George; number 1 ranked team in State)
I am hoping to horn in on your next meet up. If you are still in Woodland, Carol, perhaps we could meet there and carpool down.
Anyway, hope you all had a good time and a nice visit.
hugs,
belva

Berly, hope you all had fun? Let's do the next one downtown?

Belva, you live relatively near us, how great! I do not think I knew that. We must get together one day. Hope you are feeling better now.

I wish you all could have made it to the meeting last night. It was wonderful to meet such amazing people and to discover all our "degrees of separation". I think we are all looking forward to doing this again and I hope to meet the rest of you. Kim, thanks for getting this started.

Kim (is this Berly's actual name) I am so sorry for the last minute flake. Oregon reader, so glad you went and had a good time!

>68 rainpebble: Rainpebble, yes I'm in Woodland and I'm willing to carpool, whew, that would be quite a round trip drive for you!

Maybe we need to start a North of Portland, South of Seattle group? NoPoSoSea - has quite a ring to it, sounds like it belongs on a pupu platter!

Sounds like NaNoWriMo!

Yes--it was very fun and Kim deserves major props for getting us together! Definitely we need another get together. Do people want downtown, or maybe somewhere with good parking would be better?

Hi guys! Yes, it was so much fun to meet my fellow LTers in this neck of the woods. Sorry a couple of you couldn't make it. Obviously, we will just have to do it again! Though if we do NoPoSoSea (LOL) I think it had better be on the weekend. : ) I am posting pictures on my thread....

Thread here...

http://www.librarything.com/topic/149273#3943102

Thanks, Berly! I'm sad to have missed it but delighted that everyone had so much fun. Thanks for the pics! Sounds like there were some good book finds, too. (I'd like to read the one about introverts.) I'll watch out for news about next time. :)

I'm in Eugene too. I miss Borders. Yes, it was a "big box" store, but it was friendly to local authors, was always busy (always a line at checkout). The indie bookstores are primarily used books, though I do order new books through them.

Hi Anne, I'm in the Portland area now but lived in Eugene until last summer. I was a loyal customer at the Borders at Oakway Mall until it closed. There really aren't any independent bookstores in Eugene except the Smith Family stores and they are used books only and so poorly organized that it is hard to shop there. One of the nice surprises about being up in this area is the number of independent stores. Next time we meet, maybe you'll be able to make the trek up here.

Hi Ann. I am so surprised that a college town like Eugene has no independent bookstores! Bummer. I miss Borders too. : (

Well, at least there are still ebooks no matter where we move. I'm wrapped up in Time's Disease, Laurent In Chains by R.S. Ebert. This one has been my fav this year, if anyone is still interested in whatever the Kirkus Reviews have to say: "Grief, madness and treachery send King Leon on a murderous campaign against former allies and the mystic nomads of Laurent, culminating in rebellion and war. Fans of exotic high fantasy can lose themselves in the many intricacies of author Ebert’s impressively sprawling saga... Genre fans seeking a fix of especially ornate, challenging and imaginative high fantasy could find this one quite catchy."

See why I love it. Feel free to Look Inside~
http://www.amazon.com/Times-Disease-Laurent-Chains-ebook/dp/B008RZR32I

Hello. Eugene has Black Sun books, which has a nice mix of new and used; J. Michael's (the same); Tsunami (mostly used); and two locations of Smith Family (mix). There's also the University of Oregon bookstore and the lackluster Valley River Center Barnes & Noble. A little way up the road there's the Oregon State bookstore and The Book Bin (mix) in Corvallis, plus several others whose names I'm not remembering at the moment.

I should have remembered the UO bookstore since I actually worked there but I guess I used to think of it for texts mostly. I agree that the Barnes and Noble at VRC is lackluster and also one of the most depressing bookstores around. It must be the lighting. Anyway, thanks for correcting the list.

Sure thing. The UO bookstore has a large non-textbook area and the textbook room. I worked textbook returns there one summer, long ago.

Hi Oregonians! And SW Washington people, too. Hope you are enjoying the fabulous weather.

I was wondering about another meet-up. I thought maybe a Saturday in September. Would anyone be interested?

I would be interested. I am here in sept except for the final weekend.

i'd be interested, too, but my schedule is pretty tight. if it's a time i can make it i'll definitely be there! (i work saturdays and sundays so don't schedule around me...)

I'm definitely in!

That's great that folks are interested. I could be flexible in terms of weekend vs. weekday evening, but just thought we might get better turnout on a Saturday. So maybe closer to the date, we can vote on a time and place that is most convenient.

I had to miss the last one and would love to attend if I can.

(Got a nice little book haul today at the downtown-Portland Powells and just got done cataloging them. Wahoo!)

I missed the last one, and will probably miss the next one (my September weekends are already 100% booked). But I will keep watching this space, and attend a get-together if/when I can!

Hoping I can be there too! Looking forward to another meetup and maybe a new to me bookstore and neighborhood!

I moved to Vancouver from Spokane ~16 months ago & just found this group. I would love a meet-up! My schedule is very flexible, if that helps. I also don't mind driving in the Portland metro area.

Essa, I hope that you can come! And I am looking forward to seeing you again CarolO. SunandaDevi, I see you are also a Krakeur fan. I look forward to meeting you. Carol, one of these days we WILL get you to a meet up.

What do you all think of September 21st for a tentative date? We could maybe do a late morning bookstore trip and then have lunch.

Darn, I will be out of town on September 21st. If that date works for everyone else then go ahead without me and I will catch up next time.

I think it will work for me.

i'm around that day but have to be at work around 10:30, so it depends on what time we meet in the morning if i can come or not, and i can't join for lunch. i do work at a bookshop, though, so depending on where we meet, if it's in the running, then maybe i'll get to talk more with you all! (not a plug for my shop.)

That's an open day for me so any time will work.

Greetings Oregonians and friends.

Just joined LT today, am a North Portlander,
open to the next September 21st meet-up.
Have a meeting that day downtown
in the morning til 1pm....would be free after that.

I am wanting to give many of my books away.
Any suggestions/ideas?

I was either going to use Freecycle, or simply
leave them out with a Free/Gratis sign.

Best reading wishes,
Jill

Hello fellow N Portlander!

There is a paperback "library" in N Portland that someone has put up, it's basically a glass fronted bookshelf on the corner of their lot, that I just found while out taking a walk. I was going to put some of my many paperbacks there.

I have also given lots of books to the Goodwill, there is one on Lombard very near me. You can give away books on LT using the 'member giveaway' program as well.

Will be neat to meet you on the 21st. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Well, it looks like 9/21 will work for most of us. And maybe we can plan another meet-up later in the fall. Elisa, what bookstore do you work at?

Jill, there are lots of free places for books in my neighborhood, as well. I tend to sell back to Powell's and let them keep the books they don't buy. Those end up at Schoolhouse Supplies or books for prisoners, I think. And I've also given to Goodwill.

title wave is a great place for donations, too, as all their profit goes to the library system in multnomah county.

and like you all were talking about, these free libraries have popped up all over (at least in north portland) that seem pretty cool.

banjo, i opened a used shop a year ago (anniversary celebration this sunday the 4th with music and wine tasting from hip chicks do wine!) in north portland. it's called another read through, but most people haven't heard of it yet so it might not sound familiar to you. one day. =)

Your book shop sounds like fun. I would be happy to meet-up there- are there any good restaurants near-by?

Elisa, your bookshop does sound nice, and very nice website too! I think the infamous Alibi Tiki Lounge is not too far from there which I can heartily recommend for a fun place to meet. Not too far but maybe longer than walking distance?

i hadn't heard of the alibi tiki lounge; just checked it out. it sounds like a cool place. it's a pretty good walk from my shop, which doesn't have much in walking distance, unfortunately. it is close to the lucky lab pub, though.

while i always want to bring more readers into my shop, i wasn't trying to push my shop on you all. i'm happy to meet elsewhere, as long as i'm not working. or maybe by then i'll have an employee and more freedom.

THe Lucky Lab would probably work well, if we want a short walk, and my google search actually showed a half dozen interesting places.

Elisa, you didn't push your bookstore on us at all. I'd like to see it though, and I have to admit that my pocket book will be happier at a used book store.

What do people think about meeting time? If we met at noon, then maybe Jill could meet us after for lunch. Or is that too late for folks?

The book shop is not far from the Tardis Room either!

yes, sorry, if you do fish the bookshop is down the street from the tardis room. also eddie's flatiron pizza has recently opened for lunch and that's more or less across the street from the tardis room.

i think there are a few more places in pretty close proximity. i need to learn what they are. i come to the shop from home and go straight back there when i leave and don't know my area well enough...

Elisa, I am looking forward to seeing your shop. I always try to buy used when I can so I like to find new places to browse. Noon will work for me, Rhonda. As a Dr. Who fan, my ears shot up when I heard "Tardis"!

It sounds like we have a plan! Now I am only sorry that it's a month and a half away. I will make a thread on the meet-up group as well.

ETA: here it is.

Hey Oregonians-- I hope everyone is still up for this gathering on 9/21.

I was wondering, also, if anyone was doing the Arts and Lecture series? I am thinking about springing for tickets, because I want to see Salman Rushdie.

So I guess we are meeting at noon at elisa's bookstore? I will put this on my calendar and hope to be there!

Arts and lecture series of the World Affairs Council? I have done them in the past. Not planning to this year, but when I have gone the speakers have been very good. I saw Krugman a few years ago (depressing but good), and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, she was really good.

Hey, I hope you all have fun but I have prior commitments keeping me from this one. I do have the bookstore on my radar now and hope to have my own outing there one of these days. Hope to be at the next meet up.

looking forward to meeting folks!

arts and lecture series: ann patchett is also supposed to be a great speaker. i've heard her do a really short talk for booksellers (she opened a bookstore last summer, i think it was) and it was very good.

Elisa, I've had my eye on the Patchett lecture as well. I'm sure it will be great. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 21st.

Yes, it will be fun to see y'all on the 21st, and I am looking forward to seeing Elisa's bookstore.

Joining in late here...I will try to make the 21st work. Noon you say? Elisa's bookshop. Address?? : )

It is Another Read Through at 1435 N Killingsworth St. I really hope you can join us Kim!

If you want to check out Elisa's shop ahead of time, the website is here

thanks, banjo, for beating me to it!

Awesome! I will take a peek.

On the calendar! Yay!! And I have season tix to Literary Arts Series. Have for years--love them!!

Hey all. My name is Emma, and so far I'm having a great time checking this site out. I'm Banjo123s daughter and I just joined today. I am seventeen and banjo is the name of my cat, not Rhonda's (cat name stealer). I like reading fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi. I hope I get to meet some of you on Saturday!

Hi, Emma. I have a granddaughter with the same name so it's a favorite of mine. Looking forward to meeting you. For shame, Rhonda cat name stealer!

thank you all for stopping by my shop earlier today! it was so great to meet you in real life and i look forward to the next time. sorry i couldn't come eat - i hope it was fun!

Thanks Elisa! It was great to meet you and your shop is fun! I will definitely stop by to check it out again.

Here are a couple of photos

Here's a display at Elisa's shop

And here is Elisa!

Elisa, Kim and Jan, chatting.

Kim is going to check out Wordstock, for a possible meet-up later this fall.

That's not just any display of books you know...those are banned books!! So, of course, I bought one. ; ) The Chocolate War

yay for reading banned books! =)

thanks, rhonda, for the nice words about the shop. i appreciate it.

wordstock is in just a couple of weeks! how'd that happen???

Yes--it's very soon. Anyone else considering the talk with Cheryl Strayed on October 3rd?

Great pictures! It was so good to meet up with you all and see Elisa's store. Kim, I love the blue picture in front of the Tardis on your thread. I'm very interested in Wordstock so I hope it works out that we can meet up again.

Hope everyone is staying dry and warm. A good weekend for curling up with a good book. However, I have been running around all week and have not read a thing!

I bought tickets with a friend to hear the Wordstock event with Cheryl Strayed at the Mission this Thursday. If any other LT-ers are there, maybe we can meet up. I also have tix with another friend for the Arts and Lecture series, so I will be completely cultured by the end of the year.

Definitely a wet game for the Ducks and a good weekend to stay home cooking and reading. Chanterelles, yay.

I'm happy it's cool enough to have a fire going. Makes my reading more enjoyable. But definitely too wet out there! The Ducks are appropriately named. Even a monsoon doesn't faze them.

Rhonda, I wish I could go to the Cheryl Strayed event. Let us know what you think of her presentation.

wettest september on record, ever. might portend some good reading days this fall/winter!

Eating split pea soup and reading Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth while warmed by cats.

with this cold that's slamming me soup sounds perfect. as does reading with cats. sounds like a nice evening!

Tonight will be a repeat, I think.

During this monsoons my poor hubby has been outside every day: coaching soccer and then for work, exploratory drilling for a new job site. He keeps coming home dripping wet!

yay for a few more clear sunny days.

i've got a giant tupperware of "chicken" noodle soup for lunch and dinner tonight. i'll kick this cold in no time! still jealous, osho, because i won't have the reading and the cats, but 1 out of 3 is a good start.

I'm out of soup myself. The strange glowing orb in the sky makes me think of poor Margot in Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day."

Yes, I was about ready to build an ark!

Give it time. The Ducks play again Saturday, so there may well be a monsoon.

I'm prepared for that. A pot of homemade minestrone, a good book for after the game (probably an escapist mystery), and Bobby, my little terrier mix, sitting with me.

Sweet! We also have a terrier mix so I am partial. I saw Cheryl strayed and Ayana Mathis last night and it was great fun. Two charming articulate and funny writers. And good beer to boot! I am tempted to check out word stock tomorrow but have a plumbing issue and also yoga. So it's probably not to be

Totally jealous! Banjo!! I am enjoying the beautiful weather, but I want to whine. I broke my arm Grrrr!

Oh sorry about your arm, Kimberly! Last year I broke my ankle and was laid up for months and it was just awful! However, I did get a lot of reading done.

>144 Berly:

oh, no, kim! does this mean that you have to cut back on some of your crazy schedule or does it mean that now everything is just a little more time consuming to do? i hope it means you get a little break at least. (no pun intended.)

Sorry to hear about your accident, Kim. Hope you mend quickly.

THanks guys. It does mean a little break (funny Elisa!). I am excused from TKD for a few weeks. The only problem is I have a test in three weeks and now I will be way out of shape for it! I am practicing all my forms in my mind. I do get excused from pushups though! Yay!!

isn't visualization half the battle? or something like that?

I don't know the percentage, but that's what I did--visualize--and it worked! Passed the test. : )

Congratulations!

Thanks!

Hi peeps! Hope everyone is surviving the crazy weather. It was great to see a bunch of you for the meet up earlier this month with some of the other 75-ers. It looks like there is interest in another meet-up in June, probably a Saturday at Powell's. Would that work for folks?

I started a meet-up thread here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/170100

Headed over to star the thread...!

Hey Oregon peeps! I was wondering about arranging another meet-up. Are people interested? Two ideas: One was to meet next Saturday, at one of the indie bookstores that's celebrating indie's first. Another idea would be to wait until the first of the year. What do people think?

Also, FYI, here are the Oregon events for IndiesFirst

Another Read Through
3932 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Local authors: Kate Gray, Baer Charlton, Lisa Alber
Broadway Books
1714 NE Broadway St, Portland, OR 97232
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Chelsea Cain, David Shafer, Brian Doyle, Karen Karbo, Brian Benson,Whitney Otto, Ben Parzybok, Natalie Serber, Liz Crain
Green Bean Books
1600 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Authors included will be: Chris Bolton, Maggie Rudy, Kari Luna, Jennifer Coughlin, and Rosanne Parry,
Jan's Paperbacks
18095 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy, Aloha, OR 97006
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Dakota Cassidy, Lars D.H. Hedbor, Gord McFadden, Skye Genaro, Tiffany Reisz, Andrew Shaffer, Minnette Meador
Klindt's Booksellers
315 E 2nd St, The Dalles, OR 97058
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Open house and author visit. David Shapiro, author of the Terra Tempo series, will visit Klindt's from 3-5PM. Refreshments provided. Free and open to the public.
Lucy's Books
348 12th St, Astoria, OR 97103
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Melissa Eskue Ousley will visit from 10am to noon, Matt Love will visit from 1-4pm
Rainy Day Books
2015 2nd St, Tillamook, OR 97141
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): Saturday, November 29, 11 AM to 1 PM. Al Michaels, the play-by-play voice of NBC's Sunday Night Football, will Autograph his New Memoir "You Can't Make This Up" ADMISSION PACKAGE: $28.99 plus Kansas Sales Tax, includes One Hardcover, One Stamped Autographing Admission Ticket and One Guest Ticket.
Reading Frenzy
3628 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): 12pm-2pm: Kate Bingaman-Burt and Zachary Schomburg, 12:30pm: Justin Hocking, 2pm: Kevin Sampsell & Kerry Cohen, 4pm: Nicole Georges
Third Street Books
320 NE 3rd St, McMinnville, OR 97128
Nov. 29 Activities and Author(s): JB Fisher, Jeanette Chaffee, Kurt Cyrus, Stephanie Shaw, Barbara Drake, Anna Keesey, Joe Wilkins, Terri Phillips
Third Street Books
320 NE 3rd St, McMinnville, OR 97128

I have OT Thanksgiving guests in town next weekend. I vote for the new year.... Thanks for spearheading a meetup!!

that is an incredible amount of local authors here in town (or almost in town). i'm very impressed. thanks for putting it all in one place!

Thanks for putting together the impressive list. Unfortunately, I'll be busy with post-Thanksgiving activities. But I give a big thumbs up to meeting after the first of the year.

Not available next Saturday - Civil War Football takes precedence over any other activities that day (GO DUCKS!)

Only a few weekends are truly out for me so lets keep the talking going about organizing something after the New Year

Also - Just an FYI for mystery lovers - the Left Coast Crime Mystery Convention is scheduled for March 12-15 in Portland.

I'm hoping to work out finances and vacation days to be able to attend that.

Oh yes! A new year's meet-up would be great! Something to look forward to after the holidays!

Sounds like a plan! Do people have a preference for daytime/evening, weekend or weeknight? Part of town?

I can be pretty flexible on the day or time of day...anytime after the 5th but not available on the 17th. Go with what works for the most people and I will most likely be able to work around it. Thanks for getting the ball rolling!

Hope everyone had great holidays! Check out the meet up thread here