Auntie Clio - Parties/Reads On - Page 2

  
Gail (Bohemima) and me in Japantown, San Jose, CA (taken by Sean)

Hi! I'm Stephanie and I live in Silicon Valley. 2014 was not at all kind, so I'm hopeful 2015 is nicer.

If you’re in the mood for 75er swag, you can find it here. Use the search tag: 75ers:

My reading is wide and varied. I have no goals other to read off my own stacks and purge as I go.

Skip the Preliminaries

Never Mind Those Links:
Counters
Running Total/Monthly Links
Authors New to Me
ROOTS/Pearl Ruled
Categories
Favorites
MB 20
YTD Book Haul

Challenges/Themes:

Monthly - TIOLI (Take it or Leave It)
My rule is not to get a book simply to match a TIOLI challenge. I also refuse to dig into my stacks for a book to match.

2015 - Group read of Navajo – Mystery (Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project.
I’ll only be reading the Tony Hillerman books.

May - Thingadingy
I will be reading at least 7 books by non-North American authors. Recommendations are welcome.

July – Birthday month.
I live in California, so July's reading is California themed.

The Roll-Over Rule means that whatever planned reading didn’t get read for a given month goes to the top of the stack for the next month.

My 244 square foot apartment is furnished with 42+ boxes and several large stacks of books. I’ll be reading from Mysterious Box 20 this year, which also happens to be the box which contains my Hillerman collection.

Counters:

ROOTS - Since I barely made 2014's goal of 50, I'm setting 2015 to a more modest 45.

Running Total
2015 Books Read: 23
2015 TIOLI Books Read: 23
2015 ROOTs: 13
2015 Pearl Ruled: 2
2015 Borrowed: 2

2015 Fiction: 9
2015 Non-Fiction: 2
2015 Poetry: 1

2015 Acquired: 26
2015 Rousted Unread: 16

2015 Unique Authors: 17 (Kim Harrison x 2, Kevin Hearne x 5, John Scalzi x 2)
2015 Pages Read: 6788

2015 Publication Dates:
1959
1972
1990
1995
1997
1999
2005
2006
2007
2009
2011 x 4
2012 x 3
2013
2014 x 6

2015 Gender Ratio:
14 male : 9 female

2015 Categories:
California Dreamin' - 2
Encore! Encore! - 4
Familiarity - 16
Hear Me Roar - 9
Inner Workings - 1
Or is it Memorex? - 1
Serially Yours - 10
That Old Time Religion - 1
The Clio-ness of it All - 2
The Final Frontier - 3
The Junk Drawer - 4
There's a Word for That - 2
Things That Go Bump in the Night - 9

2015 Read vs. Acquired:
23 / 26

2015 Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
23 / 36

Monthly Reading
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Authors New to Me
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Annie Bellet
Bertrand M. Patenaude
Brian McFarlane
Rainbow Rowell
Shanna Swendson
Kara Cooney
Mohsin Hamid
Jenny Nordberg
Matthew Carl Strecher

ROOTS
01. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel
02. Trotsky by Bertrand M. Patenaude
03. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
04. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
05. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
06. Hounded by Kevin Hearne
07. Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
08. Hexed by Kevin Hearne
09. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
10. Hammered by Kevin Hearne
11. Tricked by Kevin Hearne
12. Into the Woods by Kim Harrison
13. Trapped by Kevin Hearne
14. Hunted by Kevin Hearne
15. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
16. The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart
17. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher
18. Heat by William Goldman

Pearl Ruled
01. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
02. Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

My unofficial categories (which definitely overlap) for 2015 are:

California Dreamin' - Books With A Connection to California
Encore! Encore! - Re-Reads
Familiarity - Familiar Authors or Topics
Hear Me Roar - Women Writers or Protagonists
Inner Workings - "Self-Help", How the Mind Works
Or Is It Memorex? - Magical Realism
Serially Yours - Part of a Series
That Old Time Religion - Religion/Spirituality
The Clio-ness of It All - History
The Final Frontier - SFF, Space
The Junk Drawer - Difficult To Categorize
There's a Word for That - Dystopia
Things That Go Bump In the Night – Supernatural

Favorites

January
Blessing Way, The by Tony Hillerman
How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

February
Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Hexed by Kevin Hearne
Hammered by Kevin Hearne
Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

March
Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman
Wave Without a Shore by C. J. Cherryh
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor
The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg

April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Mysterious Box 20

Coel, Margaret:
The Dream Stalker
The Eagle Catcher
The Ghost Walker
The Lost Bird
The Spirit Woman
The Story Teller
The Thunder Keeper

Daheim, Mary:
Alpine Christmas
Alpine Icon
Fowl Prey
Just Desserts

Goldman, William:
Heat
Magic

Greenberg, Martin - The Tony Hillerman Companion: A Comprehensive Guide to His Life and Work

Hillerman, Tony:
Coyote Waits
Dance Hall of the Dead
Finding Moon
Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian Country Affairs
Hunting Badger
Listening Woman
People of Darkness
Sacred Clowns
Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir
Skinwalkers
Talking God
The Blessing Way
The Dark Wind
The Fallen Man
The First Eagle
The Fly on the Wall
The Ghostway
The Sinister Pig
The Wailing Wind
Thief of Time

Tourney, Leonard D. - Knaves Templar

Year to Date Book Haul

January: - 13
01. Who I Am: A Memoir by Pete Townshend
02. God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
03. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
04. The Black Tower by P. D. James
05. The BFG by Roald Dahl
06. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
07. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
08. Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James
09. Approaching The Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Anthony Sells
10. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
11. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney
12. The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
13. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher

February - 13
14. Willow Wilson, G. - Alif the Unseen
15. Harrison, Kim - Into the Woods: Tales From The Hollows And Beyond
16. Erickson, Carolly - The Last Wife of Henry VIII
17. Pyykkonen, Carrie; Washington, Linda - Secrets of the Wee Free Men and Discworld: The Myths and Legends Of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse
18. Joyce, Johnson - The Voice Is All
19. Meyer, Marissa - Cinder
20. Shawn, Allen - Twin: A Memoir
21. Shawn, Allen - Wish I Could Be There: Notes From A Phobic Life
22. Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
23. Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
24. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
25. Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
26. Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland

January Wrap-up:

Books Read: 12
TIOLI Books Read: 12
ROOTs: 5
Pearl Ruled: 2
Borrowed: 2

Fiction: 9
Non-Fiction: 2
Poetry: 1

Acquired: 13
Rousted Unread: 6

Unique Authors: 11 (2 by John Scalzi)
Pages Read: 3349

Publication Dates:
1959
1990
1995
1997
1999
2009
2011
2013
2014 x 3

Gender Ratio:
8 male : 4 female

Categories:
California Dreamin' - 1
Encore! Encore! - 2
Familiarity - 7
Hear Me Roar - 4
Serially Yours - 4
That Old Time Religion - 1
The Clio-ness of it All - 1
The Final Frontier - 3
The Junk Drawer - 2
There's a Word for That - 2
Things That Go Bump in the Night - 2

Read vs. Acquired:
12 / 13

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
12 / 15

Read in February:
13. (S)(NF) I Thought it Was Just Me by Brene Brown TIOLI #8. Read a book with something you could love in the title (me)
14. (G)(F) Hounded by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #5. Read a book with a number in the first sentence (twenty-one)
15, (G)(F) Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 32)
16. (G)(F) Hexed by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge: Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T
17. (G)(F) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 20)
18. (G)(F) Hammered by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T
19. (S)(NF) The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney - TIOLI #2. Read a book that you wanted to get as soon as it was released
20. (G)(F) Tricked by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T
21. (G)(F) Into the Woods by Kim Harrison - TIOLI #12. Read A Book With a Three Word Title but the first word cannot be "The"
22. (G)(F) Trapped by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #22 : Read a book whose opening line is a question
23. (S)(F) Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya - TIOLI #12. Read A Book With a Three Word Title but the first word cannot be "The"

---

New to the Stacks:
14. Willow Wilson, G. - Alif the Unseen
15. Harrison, Kim - Into the Woods: Tales From The Hollows And Beyond
16. Erickson, Carolly - The Last Wife of Henry VIII
17. Pyykkonen, Carrie; Washington, Linda - Secrets of the Wee Free Men and Discworld: The Myths and Legends Of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse
18. Joyce, Johnson - The Voice Is All
19. Meyer, Marissa - Cinder
20. Shawn, Allen - Twin: A Memoir
21. Shawn, Allen - Wish I Could Be There: Notes From A Phobic Life
22. Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
23. Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
24. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
25. Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
26. Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland

---

February Books Read: 11
February TIOLI Books Read: 11
February ROOTs: 8

February Fiction: 9
February Non-Fiction: 2
February Poetry:

February Books Acquired: 13
February Books Rousted Unread: 10
February Books Pearl Ruled:

Happy new thread, Stephanie. I love the photos.

Barb, here is your prize for being first!

What a beautiful rose, Stephanie. Thanks so much.

Happy new thread, Stephanie!

Oh, nice photos, Stephanie! Especially the one where I'm sticking my tongue out. Very nice indeed.
:-P

Happy new thread!

ETA: Sorry no Flavia love for you. I'm finding them a tiny bit less appealing with each book--I think #3 was my favorite, but like so many series, either the author or I get tired of the whole idea and say a (one hopes) pleasant good-bye.

Happy New Thread, Stephanie!

Stephanie, I love the thread toppers. You and Gail look like you're having too much fun -- if there is such a thing as too much! Thanks for sharing. I love how organized your threads are. I see you are planning to read Sharp Objects this month. The Missouri Readers group on LT have read all of Flynn's books. She is a Missouri girl at heart even though she abandoned us to go live in Chicago. All of her books are dark but I like them.

Happy new thread! Love the pictures at the top.

Happy New Thread, Steph! You look like a fun couple!
Great pictures!

Book Haul:

14. Willow Wilson, G. - Alif the Unseen
15. Harrison, Kim - Into the Woods: Tales From The Hollows And Beyond
16. Erickson, Carolly - The Last Wife of Henry VIII
17. Pyykkonen, Carrie; Washington, Linda - Secrets of the Wee Free Men and Discworld: The Myths and Legends Of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse
18. Joyce, Johnson - The Voice Is All

A very remiss short Englishman making make-up call on good friend from over the Oceans. xx

Wrist update

Still PT 3 times a week during which the routine is:
Paraffin
Exercises (now using putty and a one pound weight)
Ultrasound
Massage/traction/resistance - once a week
Electric Stim

I am seeing and feeling progress. It's still really easy to get worn out, especially after the massage/traction/resistance stuff. The bones are starting to pop as they get movement and start to resettle after all that time in a splint.

My one concern about six weeks and then done was alleviated today. My PT agrees there's no way I'm ready to be done with PT and believes that after my follow-up with the doctor tomorrow, more weeks will be prescribed.

Tomorrow is my appointment with the second opinion ortho and then follow-up with the ortho who prescribed PT.

What fun photos, Stephanie.

Hang in there with the PT .. it sucks to have to go through it, but from experience, it's far better to sign up for more PT and really get your muscle strength back, then to be done with less and suffer later.

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow.

I love the thread-topper photos of you and Gail. You two look like a lot of fun to hang out with!

I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling and seeing progress with your wrist. I hope your PT is right about getting more weeks of therapy.

I'm glad to hear your strength is coming back.

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. The best of luck with both of your appointments!

Love the photo up top--nice to see you having fun! We should compare notes. I had my MRI last week and see my doc tomorrow...crossing fingers for both of us!!! Hugs.

So glad the PT is working. I second all those above who subscribe to the "as much as possible" on this one. It certainly won't hurt, and can only make the long term much more fun.

Hi Steph! Good news on the PT. Keep up the good work.

Ack, PT is so exhausting. But necessary, good luck with the rehab!

There's a lot to tell, but the cortisone shot I got for my wrist made anything requiring the use of my hand almost impossible once I got back home. Another round of doctor's appointments (for non-wrist related checkups), later today.

I got a cortisone shot in my left wrist for carpal tunnel one time, felt fine, started driving back to work and almost passed out from the pain. I hope that the first effects have gone away and that the beneficial effects will kick in soon.

Happy New Thread, Stephanie! Love the Meet-Up toppers!

>33 AuntieClio: Oh dear, Ihope it's getting better soon. Yeh for the PT it's one of the most important thing that helps. Take care. Hugs xx

Good to hear you're seeing and feeling progress with PT!

Book Haul:

Meyer, Marissa - Cinder
Shawn, Allen - Twin: A Memoir
Shawn, Allen - Wish I Could Be There: Notes From A Phobic Life

Nice book haul, Stephanie. Where did you get them from?

Glad the wrist is responding to PT, boo on the cortisone reaction. Hope all your doctor visits go well, Stephanie.

13. I Thought it Was Just Me by Brene Brown TIOLI #8. Read a book with something you could love in the title (me)

Categories: Familiarity, Hear Me Roar, Inner Workings

This was a tough book to get through emotionally, but it was one of those I knew would be worth the effort. In order to become the better person I want to be, I need to be willing to confront myself in all my facets.

I Thought it Was Just Me is about shame. It's such a big, complex emotion; not easy to pin down or understand its many manifestations. Dr. Brown's research provided her with some commonalities in order to attempt to organize and develop ideas about shame and shame resilience.

The reader is presented with information about the many common shame triggers (twelve are listed) and ways to recognize the triggers and build what is called resilience. It's easy for even the healthiest of us to succumb to shame and fall into the downward spiral shame leads us into.

Since I'm at a particularly vulnerable point in my life right now, I didn't take notes or use book darts, I took what I could gather and didn't worry about what was being left out. Even then, I found information that made it easier to cope with the big emotions I've experienced from the time I got laid off in July 2013 through the darkness of 2014 'til now.

It's far too easy to believe that everything's my fault even when I know it isn't and to feel ashamed for so many things, some of which are pure nonsense. I'm grateful for Brene Brown's work on shame and vulnerability, it's helped me learn so much about who I am and what I'm experiencing.

Stephanie, your ability to look life straight in the eye and come out the other side a better person is a constant source of inspiration to me. I just know 2015 is going to be the year you are finally rewarded for your efforts.

That book looks scary and useful at the same time. You are a brave person to tackle it now in whatever way seemed useful to you.

I apologize for taking so long to answer you all.

>16 Ameise1: You're welcome, Barb. Thank you for visiting me.

>17 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie! I love it when you visit.

>18 Matke: Gail, I thought you would appreciate the effort I went through to pick just the right picture to show you in your best light. ;-)

>19 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>20 Donna828: Donna, trust me those pictures don't even begin to show how much fun we had. I'm just sorry we didn't have more time together. And thank you for complimenting my organizational skills. Maybe all I need to do is point a future employer to my thread so they can view my detail-oriented organizational savvy in real time. I'm very ambivalent about Gillian Flynn. I didn't hate Gone Girl, but it's something I wouldn't have sought out for myself. A friend gave both Gone Girl and Sharp Objects to me after she had read them.

>21 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, thanks for dropping by.

>22 connie53: Connie, so lovely to see you as always.

>24 PaulCranswick: Remiss short Englishmen such as yourself are always welcome on my thread. In fact, it's practically a requirement. ;-)

>26 cameling: Hi Caro! You're right the PT is not much fun. It helps that I have fantastic therapists who make my visits fun. They've now started asking for reading recommendations, and wholeheartedly support my healing process.

>27 rosalita: Julia, Gail is tremendous fun. That we managed to have such a good time while I was wearing the splint and feeling my most cumbersome and awkward makes me treasure our fun even more. She has a great laugh.

>28 streamsong: Hi Janet, so glad to have you visit.

>29 Berly: Berly, compare notes? I think we need to have drinks. Too bad you're all the way up there and I'm all the way down here.

>30 tututhefirst: Tina, thank you for your visit and encouragement.

>31 karenmarie: Karen, thank you for your encouragement.

>32 LovingLit: Megan, it amazes me how tired out I can get after PT. Especially the once a week traction/resistance/massage work.

>34 karenmarie: Yup, I can relate, Karen. All of a sudden I couldn't wait to get home and take the brace off and lie down. Finding any position my hand was comfortable in was a trial. All better now though. The shot helped immensely.

>35 msf59: Hi Mark, thanks for visiting.

>36 Ameise1: Barb, after a day and a half of resting it, I'm much better now.

>37 SuziQoregon: Hi Juli, thank you for your encouragement.

>38 AuntieClio: Caro, the February book haul came from bookoutlet.com. A trade paperback of Cinder was $1.99! The January book haul mostly came from Better World Books. The gifts from Scott came from Leigh's Favorite Books where we meet whenever we have weekend lunch plans.

Murphy Street has the trifecta for us: books, high end chocolate, and a multitude of great restaurants to choose from. Sometimes if I get there early enough, I can hit the Farmer's Market too.

>40 ronincats: Hi Roni! It was my fourth cortisone shot so I kind of expected it. A couple of years ago when I was having problems with stenosis (trigger finger) I had them in my fingers. The shots hurt almost as bad as breaking my wrist did, and then the fingers went numb. They were the same size, but they felt like I had sausages for fingers.

>42 rosalita: Julia, thank you for your kind words. I Thought it Was Just Me was a big, scary book for me. It's still scary, but I made it through. Whew!

>46 AuntieClio: Hahaha......have a lovely Sunday, Stephanie.

Happy Sunday, Steph! Wishing you all good things for today and the coming week.

Hi Steph! Hoping after the initial injection pain that the cortisone works!! Happy Sunday.

haha... now that's one I've not heard before.... PT book club sessions. Way to go, Steph. What a great idea for making your PT sessions more enjoyable.

>54 PaulCranswick: It is raining again, which we so desperately need, but that has made my ceiling leak even more. Other than that, it's been peaceful.

>55 karenmarie: Hi Karen, more PT this week. But also a couple of days at home during which I can get caught up with some paperwork.

>56 Berly: Berly, I consider cortisone a near miracle. My wrist is moving so much better and I am doing a lot more. I still need to be careful and not overdo it, but I have actually been cleaning. What's more I have been happy that I'm cleaning!

>57 cameling: Caro, aside from the exercises and the weekly massage/resistance/traction stuff, there's a lot of passive time during which I'm just waiting for the thing to be done (paraffin, ultrasound, electrical stim). So I just pull out my book and read.

Doctor's visits wrapups:

We shall refer to the second opinion ortho as Dr. Comb-over for the world's most awesome, world's worst comb-over. How bad? It was distracting, that's how bad.

Dr. Comb-Over didn't understand why so much PT had been prescribed and wanted me to stop immediately, only doing the exercises at home. He also wanted me to stop wearing the brace completely. You can imagine how well that went over with me.

He did give me better images of my wrist which show that when I broke my wrist, my ulna broke completely free of my wrist and is now jammed up against the hand, instead of beneath the carpals where it belongs. Which explains the visible bump on the outside of my left wrist.

The rationale for stopping PT is to let it heal by itself and then see how much movement, etc. I will have. If it doesn't continue to heal well, then he would refer me to a hand specialist at Stanford ($$$). For now, there's nothing to be done surgically.

This was completely ludicrous to me and made me feel so much better about having talked to Diana, my PT, the day before about my progress.

Aside from a giggle over the comb-over and the agreement with the original ortho about surgery, I found Dr. Comb-Over basically useless. At least I got a better understanding of what's happening with my bones.

Follow-up with original ortho basically led to more PT (an additional six weeks) and a cortisone shot.

Since the PT office is right next door, I slipped inside to update Diana. She basically insisted telling me she didn't want to wait two more days to find out what happened. She was appalled that Dr. Comb-Over wanted me to stop PT completely.

So onward with the PT, gaining more strength and mobility as we go.

The lady bits doctor was very nice. I like her a lot. Part of the paperwork I need to take care of is setting an appointment for squeezing. I'd rather have Bohemima's procedure.

The heck with Dr. Comb-over! Glad the cortisone is helping, that cleaning was enjoyed (!) and that you will continue with the PT. Happy Monday. : )

Oh dear, what a doctor. I'm glad that you will continue PT.

Sheesh! What Kim said. Hoping that Monday is kind to you, Stephanie!

Okay, mes amis. I have a big problem I need to solve and the hope is that just putting it out there, we can brainstorm a solution.

I have a leak in my ceiling. Enough that the sheet rock tape fell off last night. My landlord wants to fix it immediately. One of the bedrooms in the house is also leaking. They want me to pack all my stuff up and put it in storage (which they will pay for) and find a place to crash for at least three weeks. Oh, and they would like me to be out by next Monday.

Practicalities like boxing my belongings and finding a place to stash them aside. The biggest hitch is figuring out where to go for at least three weeks, if not more.

There's a huge part of me which is saying, "F&&& it, if I have to move my stuff out, I just as well move out too." I have a standing offer from my brother in South Dakota to visit/move in with them. Scott has already offered to buy my plane ticket if I want to visit family.

Since I'm a little overwhelmed right now and this just feels like yet another pissant move by the universe. I would like your thoughts and suggestions.

Forget about Dr Comb-Over ... it's good that you're continuing with PT.

I'm so sorry to hear about the leak. It sounds like your landlord is being quite reasonable if he's trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and paying for your stuff to be put in storage. Do you like where you're currently living? (if not for the leak, that is) If so, why not put your things in storage, and then go visit your brother for the 3 weeks that they're going to need to repair the ceiling?

>64 cameling: Caro, that's part of the dilemma. I don't particularly care for my neighborhood, or the apartment. Aside from the leak there are other issues with the landlord. But I do love the Bay Area, and while I don't have the resources to go and do lots of things here; just the option makes me happy. Not to mention the weather.

Moving into another apartment in the Bay Area is out of the question. Rents are sky rocketing and since I don't have a job, impossible to get into. It's been really hard to find work over the last year plus. I keep thinking that now I just have me to worry about, that might turn around.

But ... this is an opportunity to change a lot of the things I'm unhappy with. So I think it comes down to deciding whether I want to leave the Bay Area and all the things I love about it or continue to struggle here.

I know I don't have to decide today what the outcome will be, and I am thinking visiting South Dakota is a good interim solution. It would give me time to sort things out more and be with someone who groks me and can help sort through stuff.

I am overwhelmed at the thought of packing all my stuff and getting out of the apartment this week.

xxoo

Just take your time: make a plan, change it till it suits you. You must feel as though the ceiling is not only leaking, but has come right down on your head.

Just catching up on your thread as I've been offline for much of January and only now begining to post. Don't want to give advice but like Caro suggests, perhaps spending 3 weeks with your brother will add some clarity and resolution to your situation.

De-lurking to say that I, too, really like the sound of you visiting your brother for those three weeks and feeling out your options in a removed space. Who knows - maybe you'll find an absolutely *amazing* opportunity out there...

Okay thank you all so much. As it turns out I don't have to be out next week. My landlord was just over to apologize. He had no idea what his daughter had told me, or why. They don't have a roofer yet and it is supposed to rain next week. He is going to put something on the roof to try to keep it from leaking. He was very apologetic.

My plan is to keep going through my stuff, a good purge isn't going to hurt. And as I go, I will continue thinking over my options. This gives me some breathing room.

Do you have friends close to your place where you can stay until the roof is fixed, Stephanie?

Whew! That's a relief. I'm so glad your landlord isn't making you move out next week. You'll at least have time to sort through and pack your things without the move date looming over your head.

Good to see that you have some breathing room. Is North Dakota more than an interim solution?

Breathe in, breathe out...I like your plan to use this time to purge a little. Just be open to possibilities and see what comes. Hugs.

  

14. Hounded by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #5. Read a book with a number in the first sentence (twenty-one)

Categories: Encore! Encore!, Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

16. Hexed by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge: Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

Gods above and below, I loves me some Atticus O'Sullivan and his sidekick, Oberon. Some Long Island Satanic Book Warbler got me hooked on this series and I confess, they are good for what ails me.

What I find most satisfying about Kevin Hearne's work is the way he treats his women characters. They are full-blown people. Not just wimmens to be gawked at. Hearne does not flinch from giving the pretty ones awful traits, nor does he keep the not-so-pretty ones from being beautiful people. He does not deny the deep sexual attraction Atticus can have to some of them (magically induced or not) but he gives reason for Atticus to act (or not) on those impulses. There's a lot of talking about baseball when Atticus is trying to concentrate on staying focused. This is not to imply that Atticus is a horn-dog or that there's a lot of sexual tension going on. There's not, but when it moves the plot forward, Hearne is not shy about allowing his characters to feel what would be natural.

Although I have just started the third, Hammered, I am also satisfied with the concentration on a particular mythology in each book. Hounded dealt with Irish/Celtic mythology. Hexed dealt with Polish witches and Bacchants. Hammered deals with Norse mythology.

There are the standard werewolf, vampire, witch characters which continue through the series. It is the way they relate to Atticus and work to maintain the supernatural peace of Phoenix that makes them interesting too.

Last of all, one must mention the Widow MacDonagh who takes Atticus in stride once she realizes he's one of the good guys.

This series is so much fun!

Categories: Hear Me Roar, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

15, Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 32)

Katie Chandler's very mundanity is what makes her a valuable asset to Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. Because Katie is immune to the powers of magic, she provides insight into what shenanigans MSI's contacts may be up to.

Katie gets to leave a job with a screaming Mimi of a boss for one in which she is valued for her talent and applauded for her pro-active approach to problems which beset any corporation. Why can't we all have jobs like that? Especially the cute, shy co-worker who escorts us in every day and the awesome head of security gargoyle who takes a shine to us? Why?

Enchanted, Inc. is very light and fluffy. There's not much meat here, even the dark stuff is fluffy. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Categories: Familiarity, Hear Me Roar, The Junk Drawer

17. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - TIOLI #11. Read a book with a pitch or a catch (catch, p. 20)

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

Gillian Flynn can write, she knows how to tell a story, that's for sure. Her stuff is dark, twisted and complicated, baring the very worst in people. These are not people who are just selfish, insensitive or narcissistic. These are people who are beyond flawed. Flynn does not flinch from the horror of the situations she sets up either.

Written before Gone Girl, Sharp Objects is tighter with a more sympathetic protagonist. I could identify all too well with Camille's descent into her own personal hell when confronting the realization of who, and what, her mother is. There were moments when I teared up in sympathy.

This is disturbing, yet captivating reading. Flynn's books are not something I have sought out, and I can't say I'm sorry I read them but they are hard edged stories and not for the faint of heart.

Hi Steph! Funny, I read Sharp Objects but have no memory of it. I think it's on my Kindle, which is currently MIA.

I'm glad to hear that you're not going to have to be out of your apartment for 3 weeks. Have fun going through things and purging.

What a relief to have more time! SO glad that you didn't have to rush into anything, Stephanie. Keeping you in my thoughts as you decide what will work for you.

A nice string of reviews there - you nailed what I love about those Iron Druid books - I am currently listening to Trapped.

I'm also glad you have more time - I can't imagine packing up in a week, even without the bad wrist.

I totally understand what you said about needing to purge. Having to help clean out someone's things definitely changes your outlook on your own.

I've been meaning to read another Gillian Flynn since my book club read Gone Girl. Do you have a favorite?

For all you reading baseball fans, my friend Eric found this for me.



https://www.stickermule.com/marketplace/2111-major-league-reading

Hi Steph! That's a real dilemma you had there! But now you have more time to decide what you want to do, that's a good thing.

Do you think you can live at your brother's? That might be an option. I love my brother to pieces but I do not want to live with him. No way. Three weeks or a bit longer, perhaps. But I would like to have my own space and place, however small it might be.

I'm glad you did not take the advise of Dr. Comb-over. (Comb-overs make me shudder) It is just ridiculous!

>63 AuntieClio: this just feels like yet another pissant move by the universe

Can I call them or what? I will explain more later. Things have calmed down a great deal. Getting a head cold just seems like some time at the beach after the week I've had. There are still things to be done and sorted, literally and metaphorically, and now I have the space to do it. I call a moratorium on shenanigans by the universe and ask for a well-paying job with great benefits so I can pay my own way again.

Whose (who's?) with me?

I found Sharp Objects a bit too dark for my tastes, and haven't even tried Gone Girl. I DO think SO was really well written though, and I was impressed with the ending.

I own Hounded but haven't read it yet, I really should. I'll move it to a more prominent position in my bookcase.

>82 AuntieClio: I'm with you on a well-paying job for you!

I'm with you, for sure, Steph!

  

18. Hammered by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

And off Atticus goes into Asgard to kick some Norse god behind, against the advice of both Jesus and the Morrigan. There's blood, gore, mythical creatures, death and near death. Lots of fun to read, lots of plot points sure to be continued in the next book. The abrupt ending I could have done without.

20. Tricked by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #13. Read a book which title starts with the letters H, A, R, or T

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI.

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike tricksters? They are nothing but bullies. While I understand the need for trickster characters in folklore and mythology, that doesn't make them any more likeable. And Coyote just makes me grumble in frustration. No matter how hard Atticus works to get an iron clad deal before working with Coyote, there's always a loophole. Always. Tricked has as its main mythology, that of the Navajo.

Atticus is up against something he knows nothing about and has to figure out how to use his knowledge to conquer the skinwalkers and fulfill his part of the bargain with Coyote. Still fun, and very interesting to see the Iron Druid almost completely out of his element.

19. The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney - TIOLI #2. Read a book that you wanted to get as soon as it was released

Categories: Hear Me Roar (both female author and subject), The Clio-ness of it All, California Dreamin' (UCLA)

Certainty plays little role in this history of Hatshepsut. The nature of the information passed down to us is uneven...
(p. xi)

I collect odd characters. Often these are women whom history has tried to erase, or forget. Hatshepsut has been one of these, both character and woman, history would rather forget. After her death, tremendous efforts were made to remove her from the pharaonic record, as though she had never existed.

Archeologists are fascinated by what this destruction might mean. And while Egyptians kept great records, their journals do not include emotional insights into what happened day to day. Historians can only surmise.

Kara Cooney's work brings what can be known to light and provides a better idea of what could have caused both the rise and fall of this smart, ambitious woman.

Unfortunately, one of the conclusions Cooney comes to is that Hatshepsut's reign as pharaoh had such a negative effect on Egyptians that women were kept from positions of authority for generations (p. 223).

>70 Ameise1: They will put me up in a hotel, or they are supposed to.

>71 cameling: Caro, It definitely allows me to go through my stuff and make considered decisions.

>72 PaulCranswick: Paul, South Dakota and ... I hope not. For a lot of reasons, one of which is snow.

>73 Berly: At the time I felt like I had no space to think. With some time, I'm back on even keel (ish). It's nice to have the emotional space to open myself up to the possibilities now instead of panicking. I do not think well on my feet.

>77 karenmarie: I'm sorry your Kindle is MIA. That must sting a little.

The purging is going slowly, at times I feel overwhelmed. But I keep doing a little each day. The kitchen is still the main project now, it does feel good to make the decision to let go of things. I keep finding implements I have no memory of acquiring, like the several different beaters for the hand mixer. Now that I have the stand mixer, I don't need the mixer or the beaters. Off to Goodwill they go.

>78 Crazymamie: Mamie, I can honestly say I don't know what's coming my way but that I am in such a better place now that I'm looking forward to it. It's all about taking care of me now.

Thanks for the compliment about my reviews. I really do enjoy the Iron Druid, and will be so sad when I reach the last of the books I own. But I am happy to be setting them aside for a friend who will love them as much as we did.

>79 streamsong: Yeah, the packing in a week was ... a part of me wants to ask what they were thinking. But they were thinking they needed to get me out so they could fix the problem, and that's not a bad thing.

And you're right Janet, helping Don go through his stuff has made me more willing to go through mine. At least it will all be inventoried and in boxes. ;-)

I can't say that Gillian Flynn is a favorite author. She does have a great writing style, but her subject matter and characters are so dark and twisted, it's hard to like her books. Having said that, of the two, I liked Sharp Objects much better than Gone Girl. I don't go out of my way to get her books, they have come to me from a friend.

>81 connie53: Connie, I'm like you, I need my own space and place and living with my brother and his family would probably drive us all to heavy self-medication. At the time, I thought it was the only option open to me.

>83 The_Hibernator: Rachel, I agree with you about Gillian Flynn. Her stories are really dark and twisted and horrifying on so many levels. I know there are people like the characters she writes, it makes me wonder what her world is like to want to write about them.

I hope you love Hounded as much as the rest of us. The series is so much fun.

Not only was the "crisis" about moving out in a week a pissant move by the universe, I made it worse by making it an existential crisis of my own. I had just been praying for a sign of what I was supposed to do with my life when the call telling me to pack my stuff came. I immediately panicked, not only about how to get that done and started thinking this was the sign I asked for, but the only answer/option I had at the time was to just move to South Dakota. Which over a couple of hours turned into putting my stuff in storage and visiting my brother until the roof was fixed. But with an eye towards moving there.

By California law, my landlord is required to find housing for me while repairs are being made. They would pay for storage and a hotel room. But I was freaking out on at least seventeen levels, while trying to keep from shutting down completely and crawling back into bed, which is what I really wanted to do.

I did manage to get to PT and, eventually to the office supply store to buy boxes and bubble wrap. Oh, and a hefty dose of chocolate and a burrito. When I got home, as Eli helped carry the boxes for me, we got to talking about the roof and me moving.

By week's end, everyone had calmed down and I was finally able to piece together what the hell happened. On Sunday night, I had noticed the gap in the ceiling sheet rock was getting bigger. It was only dripping so I moved my bed out of the way and put a towel on the floor, then went next door to ask someone to come over and look at it. Since Eli was asleep, I just told my landlady it could wait until tomorrow.

But she called her daughter, who called me and asked for pictures. Soon I was getting text messages with things like, "OMG, are you serious?" Based solely on something the landlady said and the phone pictures, Claudia flipped out and called her dad (my landlord) the next morning and told him they had to get me out because the ceiling was leaking. Without even looking at the damage, she decided my apartment was flooding. Which it definitely was not. Not even freaking close.

So then there was a long talk that evening, after I brought the boxes home, during which I told her that if it was something big I always called her first. But this was something that could wait. She was upset I spent money on boxes, because she had said she'd bring some from work. Uhm, okay, but how am I going to pack my stuff if I have to wait for her to bring me boxes?

I talked to my landlord on Friday morning, while he was on the roof laying down and tying a tarp, and he said that it would be more like late April or early May before any work would be started. Then he started telling me he thought my stuff could just sit in the backyard and I could stay with Claudia, because she has an extra room. No, and no.

Add to this, the weirdnesses of my ATM card being declined at the office supply store (because it was set to expire in February), a phone call from a random chiropractic intern calling to tell me he'd been going through my file and saw I hadn't been in for a while, and asking to call if I wanted to start going back in (!!!!), a couple of physical manifestations of the stress I could have done without, and some pervert stealing most of my bras from Jessica's laundry room; I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or something else. Mostly, I laughed bitterly.

My counselor asked what was wrong with just moving out and then moving back in, and my jaw dropped. Why hadn't I even considered that? I was too busy assigning a deeper meaning, that it hadn't even occurred to me that was even an option.

Okay, so here's where I am now:
Still packing and purging. Still doing PT three times a week and doing fabulously, I have made tremendous progress since the cortisone shot. Diana and I agreed that I would continue to go three times a week until I find work and then we would work out a different schedule. The brace usually only goes on if I'm going out somewhere, and that's mostly to remind myself to be careful because it's still not completely healed. Something I forgot when I tried to swing my backpack off my shoulder like I normally would and made myself grimace in pain. I had just left PT and hadn't put my brace back on. Silly woman.

I am working through paperwork to get myself back on track. And I feel so much better now.

So grateful for all of you and your encouragement. And grateful you read my long posts. (Don't tell me if you don't.)

Stephanie, thanks so much for your update. I'm glad you're back on track with positive thoughts. Hugs xx

Hi Steph, That's a real big thing you are going through. I bet when you wrote it all down like in >93 AuntieClio: you got even more grip on the situation. I can understand the panic. That could happen to me too. Peet knows he has to let me have at least one good cry. After a good cry I usually calm down and think about a plan. And you did so too. I think you have come up with an excellent plan. Good for you!

Good to hear the turmoil of the past week or so turned out to be less traumatic than it seemed along the way.

Very glad to hear you ignored Dr. Comb-over and that PT continues to be going well.

Keep on keeping on, Steph. You sound like you're taking charge and dealing with things, which sometimes is all we can do.

Reading, of course, helps.....

Yay! Scott came over and helped take several boxes to the PO for shipping, and a bin of housewares to Goodwill.

Kitchen count:
2 large garbage bags tossed
2 bins given away
1 box of fragile stuff packed
1 box of pots and pans mostly packed
2 kitchen cabinet shelves emptied
1 industrial shelf emptied
1 rolling cart emptied and cleaned (also floor underneath)
top of refrigerator emptied and cleaned

To get all that stuff out of my house today feels like a big accomplishment.

Thumbs up, Stephanie. xx

Good job, Steph!

Way to go! Now, go prop up your feet and relax!

You have been constructively employed, I see. Great Work!

{{{Hugs}}} Steph! Good job getting stuff out of your place.

Today I took it easy-ish. Pulled the last of the pots and pans out of the cabinet and sorted them into give away and keep. The keep stuff will get washed before I pack it. Then I will clean the cabinet they were stored in (and the floor underneath).

In the kitchen that leaves two industrial shelves, one of which is kitchen appliances that can mostly be packed and the other is foodstuffs. I have been making a concerted effort to eat only what is in the refrigerator/freezer and off the shelves, which makes me sad until I remember why I'm doing it.

Scary, yet at the same time satisfying.

Plus I just did my taxes online, something I was really afraid to do, and found I will be getting a nice refund which will help get me through a few more days/weeks.

Well done, lady and hoorey for the extra money.

Proposed reading for March:
TIOLI

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #6. Read a book where the author's last name has more syllables than his or her first name COMPLETED
Hunted by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #14: Read a book in which one of the characters is a working woman (Granuaile - druid) COMPLETED
Wave Without a Shore by C. J. Cherryh - TIOLI #20. Read a book in which one of author's names begins with an "A", "J", or "E" COMPLETED
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - TIOLI #5. Read a book about change COMPLETED
The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart - TIOLI #15. Read a book of which at least three books in the "LibraryThing Recommendations" section are featured in your collections COMPLETED
The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg - TIOLI #2. Read a book whose title includes the name of a country other than the one in which you currently reside COMPLETED
The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher - TIOLI #18. Read a book with the name of a chocolatier in the title or the author's name COMPLETED
Heat by William Goldman - TIOLI #11. Read a book with something you should beware of in the title (heat) COMPLETED

---

Actually read in March:
24. (S)(F) Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #6. Read a book where the author's last name has more syllables than his or her first name
25. (G)(F) Hunted by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #14: Read a book in which one of the characters is a working woman (Granuaile - druid)
26. (S)(F) Wave Without a Shore by C. J. Cherryh - TIOLI #20. Read a book in which one of author's names begins with an "A", "J", or "E"
27. (G)(F) The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - TIOLI #5. Read a book about change
28. (G)(F) The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart - TIOLI #15. Read a book of which at least three books in the "LibraryThing Recommendations" section are featured in your collections
29. (K)(F) No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor - TIOLI #4. Read a book with a 2015 copyright
30. (S)(NF) The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg - TIOLI #2. Read a book whose title includes the name of a country other than the one in which you currently reside
31. (G)(NF) The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher - TIOLI #18. Read a book with the name of a chocolatier in the title or the author's name (World's)
32. (G)(F) Heat by William Goldman - TIOLI #11. Read a book with something you should beware of in the title (heat)

---

New to the Stacks:
27. bird by bird by Anne Lamott
28. Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
29. Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
30. The Players' Boy is Dead by Leonard Tourney
31. Low Treason by Leonard Tourney
32. Ghosh, Amitav - River of Smoke (May Thingy)
33. Freeman, Ru - Disobedient Girl, A (May Thingy)
34. Johnson, Joyce - minor characters
35. Sijie, D'ai - Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (May Thingy)
36. Kadrey, Richard - Dead Set

---

March Books Read: 9
March TIOLI Books Read: 9
March ROOTs: 5

March Fiction: 7
March Non-Fiction: 2
March Poetry:

March Books Acquired: 9
March Books Rousted Unread: 10
March Books Pearl Ruled:

I think it's great you can make a list ahead for reading - I've never ever been able to stick to one. :)

Good morning, Stephanie.

I admire your list making as well. I can't seem to stick a list of more than one book...

A gift of happiness:

Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland

No no no no NO N O! The Voice is All by Joyce Johnson has a page ripped lengthwise, missing part of the page. How can someone do that to a book? How can someone do that to ME? The book gods are weeping, and so am I.

AAAAgh! I hate that when that happens.

What is your gift in 109? Is it from a friend? A great discovery from the book gods in a used book store? A present to yourself?

I'm also reading The Underground Girls of Kabul this month. For me it's a reread, but I suggested it to the real life book club and it's on the March agenda. That means I have to lead it, so I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

ETA - Looks like GOK will fit into the challenge you just posted, since the author was there as a journalist and the opening sequences involve a woman in the legislature. I'll hold off and let you post it first, if you like.

Popping in to see how the Moving Goddess is doing. Glad the kitchen is cooperating. Yay for the tax refund! And the books! Boo on the torn page. Hugs.

Hi Steph! Sounds like there are little rays of sunshine for you - successful packing/culling, refund, books.

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday.

February Wrap-up:

Books Read: 11
TIOLI Books Read: 11
ROOTs: 8
Pearl Ruled: 0
Borrowed: 0

Fiction: 9
Non-Fiction: 2

Acquired: 13
Rousted Unread: 10

Unique Authors: 7 (5 by Kevin Hearne)
Pages Read: 3439

Publication Dates:
1972
2005
2006
2007
2011 x 3
2012 x 3
2014

Gender Ratio:
6 male : 5 female

Categories:
1 California Dreamin'
2 Encore! Encore!
9 Familiarity
5 Hear Me Roar
1 Inner Workings
1 Or is it Memorex?
6 Serially Yours
1 The Clio-ness of it All
2 The Junk Drawer
7 Things That Go Bump in the Night

Read vs. Acquired:
11 / 13

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
12 / 10

Pictures from last night's Tet Festival Dragon Dance:

>110 AuntieClio: picture

Love the pictures!

I'm glad you're back at PT and that your packing seems to be moving along nicely. Double whoohooos to you doing your taxes early and knowing you're going to get a rebate. You are making good progress!

Great festival photos. Thanks for sharing.

I like the pics too, Steph!

A little overwhelmed right now, lots of things I'm trying to juggle. And it's wearing me out.

Three more weeks of PT :-( On Thursday I get to move up to a two-pound weight for some of my exercises.

I went to a career center on Monday and am still sifting through the information. The plan is to use them for as much hand-holding as I can get while I sort out the job search. Step one was orientation and registration. Step two is waiting for my membership information to arrive so I can start using the service.

My refund arrived and, although not as much as I originally thought, it is enough to get me through March + groceries. :-D

Stopped reading enough to watch Season 3 of House of Cards and am still pondering.

Carry on.

Today was busy.

Moved up to a 2lb. weight for some of my PT exercises. A talk with Diana about whether 3 more weeks was enough. We will decide in two weeks and then ask the doctor to prescribe more, if necessary.

A phone call to the health insurance company to make sure all my PT is covered. Yes, is the answer.

Ordered fiber optic internet service from my ISP, which will allow me to get 4 times the speed I have now and drop the landline. Overall, after cancelling the landline, I'll save about $10/month.

Have a meeting at the career center tomorrow morning to get things rolling on the job search.

Discovered I could file a complaint online regarding my issues with the temp agency. I had 1,000 characters to use but just asked they have someone call since the issue goes back to June 2013. I was reminded to follow up with someone when I received email from one of the recruiters asking how I was doing, and who hasn't followed up with me after the email I sent which basically said, "I'm disappointed in how I've been treated, but am not in a position to turn work down so will allow bygones to be bygones if your office can guarantee an honest effort to find me work." Not surprised there's no response, this particular office seems to have a problem owning its mistakes.

Inventoried another box of kitchen things, labeled it and stashed it in the now empty cabinet.

Bought these socks today, at the urging of a friend who kept telling me I had to buy them because I am both a space groupie and a sff fan. If you look closely, you can see they have little astronauts on them.



Two things I forgot to mention in earlier posts:
Jessica found my missing clothes in her laundry room, so I don't have to buy replacements! We can't figure out what happened but are very happy to have them back.

After the Dragon dancing on Saturday, we went to a pho place and I got to try oxtail. The broth was rich and yummy. It was a great experience, so we're thinking we'll go again soon.

>94 Ameise1: Barb, >95 connie53: Connie, >96 SuziQoregon: Juli, >97 karenmarie: Karen, Thank you for keeping up with me and your encouragement. Things are getting better.

>101 tututhefirst: Don't need to tell me twice! :-)

>103 The_Hibernator: Rachel, thank you and *hugs* in return.

>107 drneutron: Jim, >108 Matke: Gail, I have so many piles that I just count up eight and put them in that month's reading list.

>111 streamsong: Janet, the place I bought it from is giving me a refund since they don't have any more in stock. I've ordered a replacement from somewhere else along with a replacement for Dance Hall of the Dead since its cover is coming off, a couple for my International Thingy in May and ... *cough* ... maybe something else like Minor Characters by Joyce Johnson.

The gift in >109 AuntieClio: was that list of books sent by a friend who insists we share a brain where books are concerned. She's read them and now it's my turn! :-D

>112 Berly: Hi Berly. The Moving Goddess is slowly making progress. *hugs*

>113 karenmarie: Karen, indeed things are looking up.

>117 The_Hibernator: Rachel, >118 cameling: Caro, >119 karenmarie: Karen, thanks!

>118 cameling: Caro I tried oxtail pho for the first time after the Tet festival. Really great rich broth.

21. Into the Woods by Kim Harrison - TIOLI #12. Read A Book With a Three Word Title but the first word cannot be "The"

Categories: Familiarity, Hear Me Roar, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, TIOLI, ROOT

I stuck a note on this so the friend I'm giving it to will be forewarned, "'ware the typos."

Into the Woods is a collection of short stories from several of Kim Harrison's worlds. Some were published in other collections, some were shoved in a desk drawer. I'm not saying that all of those shoved in the desk drawer should have stayed there, but I did get weary of the sameness of some of them. And good gracious, all the typos. And the short story which seemed to have lost a page of two at the end. This book needed a proof-reader.

22. Trapped by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #22 : Read a book whose opening line is a question

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, TIOLI, ROOT

What a nearly unreadable chaotic mess this one was. Starting off with "... and twelve years later ..." made me really wary. What were Atticus and Granuaile doing those twelve years besides training? What was the training like? What did they learn from each other? How did they manage to live twelve years nearly chaos and mishap free?

Not to mention which, everyone and their magical pet is after Atticus now because of his shenanigans killing gods in the previous books. But do we really need a cast of thousands to tell us just how deeply in the shite they're in? Not even a scorecard could have helped me keep up.

Kevin Hearne has one chance left to redeem Atticus for me.

You've been busy. Crossing my fingers that you get good results at the career centre.

23. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya - TIOLI #12. Read A Book With a Three Word Title but the first word cannot be "The"

Categories: Encore! Encore!, Familiarity, Or is it Memorex?

Somewhere in one of my boxes is a signed copy of Bless Me, Ultima but when I saw this paperback version for a steal, I decided to get it and read it right away. This was like homecoming in so many ways. (Note: although more properly labeled as bildungsroman, I have chosen to label it as magical reality because of the many spiritual experiences Tony has in the course of this book.)

Rudolfo Anaya is now recognized as one of the founders of Chicano Literature. Bless Me, Ultima took me right back to many of the things I miss about New Mexico.

Tony is six when La Grande Ultima, a curandera too old to live on her own anymore, comes to live with the Marez-Luna family. She recognizes something special in him and takes him with her when she goes to help others in the village, and on herb gathering trips. Tony soon realizes there is more than meets the eye in most situations and learns to observe what happens around him.

The big themes are mysticism vs. religion, machismo vs. courage, vendettas which take on a life of their own, and family. It seems too much for a little boy to take in, and in many ways, it is. But I never faltered in the belief that Tony would survive, and thrive, through the chaos which made for difficult situations over the course of a year.

I truly love this book.

24. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #6. Read a book where the author's last name has more syllables than his or her first name

Categories: Encore! Encore!, Familiarity, Serially Yours

Part of the Navajo Mystery(Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project (I'm only reading the Hillerman books)

Dance Hall of the Dead is a much stronger book than The Blessing Way, Hillerman's first novel in the Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee series.

Dance Hall features Joe Leaphorn front and center and introduces us to the ways he gathers facts and fits them together to solve the mystery. In this story, it's figuring out how a Navajo boy gets mixed up in Zuñi religious practices and ends up murdered. Through persistence and the understanding of how culture affects actions, Leaphorn solves the mystery and saves another boy from murder.

Quite enjoyable.

WooHoo, Stephanie. You are doing a great job on all fronts. I wish you a lovely weekend.

My goodness, you're busy!

Glad you enjoyed Dance Hall of the Dead; it would be heartbreaking if a book with such a title were a dud.

Have a good weekend, Stephanie.

A local politician found her way to my garage apartment door in the backyard a few years ago. When telling me about her thoughts on education and literacy, I invited her in and showed her my boxes of books. "I'm so glad you feel that way," I said as I proudly pointed to my library. She looked at me quizzically and asked, "What do you do with them all?" Guess who didn't get my vote?

And now, Teddy Roosevelt's 10 Rules for Reading from Book Riot.

Thanks for sharing the link to TR's rules for reading. I listened to the first of the Edmund Morris trilogy of TR and am on the hunt for the 2nd. He was an absolutely amazing person.

Yay for found laundry, new sox, good books, good friends, PT and the career center. You're doing great!

Loved TR's 10 rules. And I heartily endorse everything Karenmarie said. Yay for you!

On Friday I met a very nice career counselor and we had a good chat about where I am in my life and what services are available to help me. Evelyn listened well, and heard me. She said my resume looked pretty good, as did the mini-bio I use in cover letters. There are classes on how to fine tune resumes and cover letters, customizing them to each company I apply to.

"I don't want to be a secretary," I said. "But all the listings I've been looking at are for that."

"Oh, there are many administrative jobs that aren't secretarial," she said reassuringly.

For tomorrow morning the alarm is set to go off at "are you kidding me?" so I can get up and out the door in time to be in line for the first come, first served, 4-hour workshop titled, "Who am I?" The line forms at 8AM and it will take about an hour to get there. While I'm groaning, I remind myself that this is my job now and, as with any job, I must be on time.

Good luck with your job hunt and work with the Career Center. I know how frustrating a job hunt can be! I've got a phone interview coming up soonish (hasn't been officially scheduled yet, but I assume it will be next week) and I'm really excited for it. :) It's been a very long time since I've had an interview!

I hope your "Who am I?" workshop goes well. And that it is helpful for writing your bio.

I keep my fingers crossed. hugs xx

I hope today goes well, you get a space, and, of course, find out who you are.

Now that my poor mind, a sad thing at the best of times, is on morning mode, I do recall a philosophy class entitled "Who Is the Self" or something along those lines. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit it in. so I'm still wondering who I am.

xx for a great day

Of the eleven months in 2014 that I received books, I have now read all the books received in six of those eleven.

That's pretty impressive. It made me look at my books in a little bit different way - I cataloged 180 books in 2014 and have read 57 of them. Fun stuff!

Happy Wednesday, Steph!

Out of 131 books acquired in 2014, I've read 68 and Pearl Ruled 6. :-D

ETA: clarification of which 131 books I'm speaking of

Books from a friend:
bird by bird by Anne Lamott
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott

>141 AuntieClio: >143 AuntieClio: That is quite an accomplishment.

New books:
Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
The Players' Boy is Dead by Leonard Tourney
Low Treason by Leonard Tourney

25. Hunted by Kevin Hearne - TIOLI #14: Read a book in which one of the characters is a working woman (Granuaile - druid)

Categories: Familiarity, Serially Yours, Things That Go Bump in the Night

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI

This is much more like it, Mr. Hearne. Almost all is forgiven for Trapped. Much easier to keep track of who is after Atticus, et al and who has aligned themselves as the prediction of Ragnarok looms. I continue to enjoy this series as some of most fun in urban fantasy.

26. Wave Without a Shore by C. J. Cherryh - TIOLI #20. Read a book in which one of author's names begins with an "A", "J", or "E"

Categories: Familiarity, The Final Frontier, Hear Me Roar

If one's subjective reality clashes with objective reality, or someone else's subjective reality, what happens to reality? Can all realities be true?

On a planet named Freedom, in a metropolis named Kierkegaard, the Artist and the First Citizen share a subjective reality. Until, one day, the Artist begins to notice things which should not be there. These "things" are the Ahnit, natives of Freedom, who have been ignored by the colonists for generations so as to have become Invisible. What, then, becomes of the Artist's and the First Citizen's realities? What happens when war comes to Kierkegaard at the behest of the First Citizen's expansion of his subjective reality?

Simple, yet complex, this is a novella which demands more than one reading. I found it both intriguing and mind bending. And enjoyable.

27. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - TIOLI #5. Read a book about change

Categories: The Junk Drawer

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI

How does an educated person go from rising star at a valuations company to teacher and activist against the country which educated him back home? The Reluctant Fundamentalist is such a story told in conversational monologue at a table in a bazaar in Lahore, where Changez tells his story to an American. This is a subtle story about what happens to allegiances after 9/11, and how America's insistence on imposing its values on other countries often comes back to bite us. It's also the personal story of a man who thinks he lives and works in a country of equal rights for all, until those around him begin to notice he's not from "around here."

Really well written and entertaining. All the while I kept thinking, "See! This is how it happens. This is how people become alienated and search for something which gives meaning to their life. Even at the expense of what was once comfortable."

28. The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart - TIOLI #15. Read a book of which at least three books in the "LibraryThing Recommendations" section are featured in your collections.

Categories: The Final Frontier

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI

Just say no.

Lots of reading going on here!! Carry on. : ) Oh, and I love the socks.

29. No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor - TIOLI #4. Read a book with a 2015 copyright

Categories: Familiarity, Hear Me Roar, Serially Yours, The Clio-ness of it All

Wheeeee! Max and St. Mary's are back at it, botching things as they go along. Special bonuses for the death of someone truly awful and the happy occasion with which the book ends.

I'm glad you liked The Reluctant Fundamentalist, it sounds like a really good book. I've heard it's fantastic.

Here is a brief update on me:
1. Aside from odds and ends, I'm pretty much done packing the kitchen. Everything that's out is for everyday use, and will be put into a box at the last minute.

2. Juggled three boxes of books; purging, combining, and adding books I've read which needed to be boxed.

3. Emptied a bin of college stuff. It's all on my hard drive, and seriously, what makes me think I'm going to read the hard copies any time soon?

4. Am procrastinating working on getting my computer rack and desk cleaned/packed so the installers don't have issues with my stuff being in the way tomorrow.

5. The wrist is doing well, still not completely healed but much better. I am able to lift things like boxes of books, and I try not to overdo it. I have two more weeks of PT. Diana and I will discuss whether I need more.

6. Finally got to talk to a VP of Office Team about the horrible way I was treated for over a year now. He pulled up my file as I asked if there was something I needed to take responsibility and adjust for. "Most of your assignments are all As, so no, you've done nothing wrong." He is going to talk to his "team," whoever and whatever that is. He's also made a note in my file that I will be ready to go March 30th and at what rate I should receive when they send me on assignment.

I do feel that he heard me, and understood that this was not me being a petulant,whiny little bitch. This was someone with a genuine concern.

6a. As if I needed any further proof that the manager who fired me in November didn't know what he was talking about, I offer the above conversation as testimony that I am, indeed a good worker, and anyone who says otherwise can stuff it!! ;-)

Here, here! Sounds like things are going well. Do take it easy on that wrist!! And no more procrastinating. ; )

Good news for the most part, Steph!

So far what I know about The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami is that it will be work to get through. I have not yet read enough to know whether it will be worth the work or not. In any case, I'll probably not re-read it. Thank the reading goddesses I am not on a deadline, this could take a while.

I've been wondering if I should obtain a copy of The Forbidden Worlds ... maybe I should wait for some more reviews first.

>158 cameling: Caro, I'll send you mine when I'm done, if you don't mind waiting.

More books:
Ghosh, Amitav - River of Smoke (May Thingy)
Freeman, Ru - Disobedient Girl, A (May Thingy)
Johnson, Joyce - minor characters
Sijie, D'ai - Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (May Thingy)

30. The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan by Jenny Nordberg - TIOLI #2. Read a book whose title includes the name of a country other than the one in which you currently reside (Afghanistan)

LT ARC

Categories: Hear Me Roar, That Old Time Religion, The Clio-ness of it All

Wow. It's taken me a few days to wrap my head around what I want to say about The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan. It's such a powerful book about the underground movement of Afghanistani girls who pose as boys for many reasons. To learn about the strictures placed on society at large by Islamic extremists (e. g. the Taliban) gave me a new perspective on the issues faced by women in Afghanistan.

These strictures are contradictory, often causing harm to the very people they are meant to help. And since illiteracy rates are high, those preaching extremism have no true idea of what the Q'uran says. Followers are impoverished and illiterate and believe things like it's a woman's responsibility for not tempting a man into lust.

The girls and women Jenny Nordberg writes of are placed in unforgivable situations requiring a wink and a nod in order to survive. The reasons for posing as a boy are varied, from providing needed help outside the home to invoking a magical belief that the substitute boy will spur the birth of a "real" boy. Boys maintain honor and status for a family. Women who do not bear boys become less than nothing in the society around them.

Also interesting was the stories of how aid programs entering the region with an agenda of education programs regarding women's, and children's rights, fail. It's not that women don't understand things could be better for them, but how can that be achieved when poverty and illiteracy run so high. Is it better to be concealed in a burqua in order to run errands such as food shopping for the family, or to be able to dress as one pleases while being ridiculed and dishonoring the family?

There's really a lot to think about in The Underground Girls of Kabul, and makes me think that my advocacy for women's rights in the Western world makes me look like a dilettante where the rest of the world is concerned. Equality is a much more complex issue than just teaching girls and women they have the right to say, "no."

>129 avatiakh: Kerry, Thank you for your good wishes. There's more detail in a different post.

>132 Ameise1: Barb, thanks!

>135 karenmarie: Karen, dodging the BB. I'm a little overwhelmed as I go through my apartment and see just how many books I haven't read yet.

>136 streamsong: Janet, thanks!

>138 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, thanks for your encouragement.

>139 Ameise1: Barb, and hugs to you :-)

>140 Matke: Gail, I think you have a pretty good idea of who you are. :-P

>151 Berly: Kim, and the real things arrived yesterday! They are adorable.

>153 The_Hibernator: Rachel, I really did like The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and highly recommend it.

>155 Berly: Awww Berly, no procrastinating? Yer no fun. :-P

>156 connie53: Hi Connie!

Monday, I had another meeting with a career counselor who helped me put things in context. One of the problems was with the language some of the assessments were using. I had high ratings in "conventional" job skills, which made me a bit weak, because I'm not conventional. What that really means is that I can work to deadline, am accurate and detail oriented.

She pointed me to some websites to look at and find career descriptions which fit with my assessment scores. Katherine also explained that applying for jobs is so automated now, that only a few people filter to the top of the computer's choices, almost strictly based on keyword searches. The rest of us get ignored. This cheered me up because it told me there's nothing wrong with me, and that I am indeed marketable. It just means learning to look for work in a different way.

Next week I will go to another workshop.

Good talk with Diana today who told me she thought I was, "good to go." So another week of PT and then I'm done. We were remarking on how far I've come since January when I could barely use my wrist at all. It's practically back to normal usage, and the rest will just take some time.

The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami is turning out to be much better and more interesting that I originally thought.

And fiber optic internet has been installed! The landline has been turned off. And, I have been going through stuff from my desk that I just tossed into a bin on Sunday night. Most of it has been sorted, but there are little pieces of "where should I put this?" still happening.

All good news, Steph! Glad to hear that thins are coming along and that you're confident about your skills. The job market is different - my husband found that out about 6 years ago. He's the type of person who can sell himself, but getting in front of the human being to sell yourself is now the biggest challenge. Good luck!

Very good to hear you are on the road up!! Keep it up Steph!

>169 karenmarie: Karen, getting in front of a human being is the most frustrating part of the job search! After a year plus of resumes going into the "black abyss" and temp agencies not calling, I really was beginning to think there was something wrong with me, but no one was telling me how to fix it.

>170 connie53: Hi Connie, thanks for dropping by!

Grammar nerds: Could someone please tell me why Matthew Carl Strecher insists on using prophesy instead of prophecy. Is there an antiquated usage with which I'm unacquainted?

http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/prophecy_prophesy.htm

Here you are Steph!

>173 connie53: Thanks Connie! But Strecher uses prophesy as a noun, not a verb. I think it should really be prophecy, but he uses it so much it left me wondering if it was bad proofreading, or if there was an archaic usage I had missed.

I could not find anything else. Perhaps the rules are not as strict as they used to be?

I have officially been dismissed from PT!

Good news Stephanie! I'm glad things are becoming clearer because of all the work you're doing going to workshops and the career center. And congrats on being dismissed from PT!

Hi Stephanie, I've finally got time to visit your thread. I'm glad to read all the good news. I wish you a lovely weekend.

31. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher - TIOLI #18. Read a book with the name of a chocolatier in the title or the author's name (World's)

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, and TIOLI

Categories: Familiarity, Or is it Memorex?

...concepts like "truth," "fact," and even "reality," grounded as they are in the snares of individual perception, filtered through the imperfect tool of language and culture, are to be viewed with skepticism. ( The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami, p. 192)

Dr. Strecher specializes in Japanese literature and culture, and has been a fan of Haruki Murakami since he started publishing in Japan. This book of literature criticism can sometimes be slow for non-lit crit readers because of all the theoretical underpinnings which are explored in order to get to the meat of Murakami's writing.

Once the book got to "real-world" examples from Murakami's work, I found it to be interesting and thought-provoking. It surprised me to know that what I had intuitively thought while reading Murakami, is what Stretcher also thinks.

I do recommend this book to anyone who reads Haruki Murakami because it does begin to explain what is going on beneath the surface. There's an entire chapter devoted to Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.

32. Heat by William Goldman - TIOLI #11. Read a book with something you should beware of in the title (heat)

Categories: California Dreamin', Familiarity

Threefer: 75 in 2015, ROOT, TIOLI

Dated. If this thrillers are your kind of read, do yourself a favor and read Elmore Leonard or Robert Crais instead.

Next thread

So what do we find in the Twenty-first Dynasty, hundreds of years after Hatshepsut's death. We find a High Priest of Amun naming a daughter after her and using her name as King of Upper and Lower Egypt, not her personal name. Was this just accidental? Hardly--the High Priest also named a son after her nephew Thutmose III, using his throne name as well. (And then appropriating a coffin of Hatshepsut's father for his own burial.) One of the pseudo-Egyptologists (completely unqualified) who haunt the internet claims that Pinodjem I didn't really know anything about the coregents. (Yes, and I have a bridge I'll sell to you.) And then the last king of the Twenty-first Dynasty also named a daughter after Hatshepsut, again using her throne name, Ma'atkare (or Kama'atre). But the writers who are so attached to this idea that Hatshepsut was "The Lost Queen" just keep on yelling that it's all coincidence.

And Egyptologists have shown that Hatshepsut does indeed show up in the chronology of Manetho in the right place, for about the right length of time, and under her own (personal) name, although it had become garbled over more than a millennium (as had her nephew's, by the way).

I never quite finished reading Cooney's book because it is so poorly written and full of mistakes, but I did read enough to form the opinion that it is the worst alleged "non-fiction" by a specialist that I ever seen.