The last time I was in a B&N I found little post-its shaped like arrows - now I have post-its sticking out of all my books to mark ideas or turns of phrase I like. When I'll ever sit down and look through/make notes of all these bookmarked thoughts, hell knows. Probably never. Or maybe the next time I move I'll look through all these books in an attempt to procrastinate from packing them up.
More money spent with good intentions and poor realization. Oh well. Maybe one day I'll motivate my ass & make something of it.
Another reason I got the sticky arrows was to mark quotes. I LOVE quotes! I have a notebook (somewhere) that I write down all the quotes I like in...I just have to remember where that book went after I unpacked it a few months ago...I think it's under the stack of books on my night stand.
On the topic, here's a quote for the day:
Not ten yoke of oxen have the power to draw us like a woman's hair. - H.W. Longfellow
Anyone have any favorite quote(s)?
Monday, April 17, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Blackout
I was up until 4am this morning finishing Blackout by Annie Solomon. I've been exhausted all day, but damn if it wasn't worth it!
Blackout is the story of Margo Scott, a book seller who lives in Washington D.C. in a house left to her by her Aunt Francis.
Or so she thinks.
Until she realizes she's lost a month of her life. Then everything falls under question. She can't find a sister she swears she has - let alone any pictures of her family, her life. Everything before the night she woke up with a headache is a blur - including whether or not she killed Frank Vinay.
Jake Wise is an undercover agent unofficially assigned to keep an eye on Margo. Now Frank is dead and it seems everyone is after Margo, good guys and bad. Jake wants to believe Margo is innocent, but a bad memory makes a lousy alabi, and all the leads point to her being a murderer.
They team up together to try to find the truth of who killed Frank, but there's a lot to work out in their partnership since Jake doesn't entirely trust Margo. And Margo doesn't trust herself at all.
The first chapter of this book will pull you in like a tow line. The second chapter is a little confusing, but then a lot of things are confusing when your main character has no concrete memory and thinks she's going insane.
The plot is multifaceted and kept me guessing until the end. There are multiple assassains after Margo, and it takes a while to find out who and why. There are fast paced fights mingled with off-beat humor - everything I like in a book. My favorite part of this book was the end. I thought the book was basically over, just waiting for the happily-ever-after, but there's one more surprise I didn't see coming until it hit. A lot of times, I manage to figure out what's going on to a degree before the book ends, in this case, there was no possible way to do that because you're getting new information every page and the main character's prospectives are changing all the time to allow you to change your own perception as well.
One thing that shocked me in this book is the way the hero pushes the heroine. They're both though, and usually armed. Margo gets the best of Jake and ties him up, but Jake later gets the best of Margo and knocks her unconscious. It shocked me and took me a minute to adjust, but Annie pulls it off wonderfully.
Anyone in the mood for an action/suspense romance that will keep them questioning, I highly recommend this book!
Blackout is the story of Margo Scott, a book seller who lives in Washington D.C. in a house left to her by her Aunt Francis.
Or so she thinks.
Until she realizes she's lost a month of her life. Then everything falls under question. She can't find a sister she swears she has - let alone any pictures of her family, her life. Everything before the night she woke up with a headache is a blur - including whether or not she killed Frank Vinay.
Jake Wise is an undercover agent unofficially assigned to keep an eye on Margo. Now Frank is dead and it seems everyone is after Margo, good guys and bad. Jake wants to believe Margo is innocent, but a bad memory makes a lousy alabi, and all the leads point to her being a murderer.
They team up together to try to find the truth of who killed Frank, but there's a lot to work out in their partnership since Jake doesn't entirely trust Margo. And Margo doesn't trust herself at all.
The first chapter of this book will pull you in like a tow line. The second chapter is a little confusing, but then a lot of things are confusing when your main character has no concrete memory and thinks she's going insane.
The plot is multifaceted and kept me guessing until the end. There are multiple assassains after Margo, and it takes a while to find out who and why. There are fast paced fights mingled with off-beat humor - everything I like in a book. My favorite part of this book was the end. I thought the book was basically over, just waiting for the happily-ever-after, but there's one more surprise I didn't see coming until it hit. A lot of times, I manage to figure out what's going on to a degree before the book ends, in this case, there was no possible way to do that because you're getting new information every page and the main character's prospectives are changing all the time to allow you to change your own perception as well.
One thing that shocked me in this book is the way the hero pushes the heroine. They're both though, and usually armed. Margo gets the best of Jake and ties him up, but Jake later gets the best of Margo and knocks her unconscious. It shocked me and took me a minute to adjust, but Annie pulls it off wonderfully.
Anyone in the mood for an action/suspense romance that will keep them questioning, I highly recommend this book!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Kill and Tell
Last night I finished Kill and Tell by Linda Howard.
Karen Witlaw's Mother has just passed away. In an effort to ease the grief, she moves, packing up all of her mother's belongings - including a mysterious package from Karen's transient father that had arrived after her mother's death.
She's jsut begining to settle back into a rythm when detective Marc Chastain from New Orleans calls. Karen's father has been killed and she needs to come to NOLA and identify the body.
Marc doesn't like Karen. Her father had been living on the streets, and she seemed like just the sort of uncaring woman who would leave her Vietnam Vet father out on the streets instead of having to deal with his problems. But he's wrong. In an instant, Marc realizes how affected Karen is by all that has happened, and how much he wants to be the one to comfort her.
Marc begins courting Karen, who's not warm and trusting towards most men, but Karen turns to him as her only option when the man who had her father killed goes after her to finish the job.
Now it's a race to find the package her father had sent before his death and figure out who's trying to have Karen killed before they succeed.
Very good book, as are all of Mrs. Howard's. The suspense was good and although I had an inkling what was going on, the end was still wonderful. There are some good action scenes and the heroine is very well developed. I related well with the heroine and her background and some of her views, which made me enjoy this book all the more.
The hero, Marc, is totally drool worthy! Between his looks, his souther hospitality, and his Noawlans drawl, he's someone you want to read about.
My only problem with this book, there are a LOT of subcharacters. I'm all for supporting characters for enhancing the plot, and I love when we get some scenes from their point of view, but if I set this book down for too long I had to look back to remember who was who while I was reading.
Overall, I definately recomend this book, although I definately also recommend reading it when you're fully alert. My groggy mind needed a little caffiene to keep up with all the characters.
I actually became very interested in one of the subchatacters, John Medina. He appears again in Howard's All the Queen's Men as the hero. I've yet to read this book, but will definately be adding it to my TBB (to be bought) list! All of Linda's books are keepers!
Karen Witlaw's Mother has just passed away. In an effort to ease the grief, she moves, packing up all of her mother's belongings - including a mysterious package from Karen's transient father that had arrived after her mother's death.
She's jsut begining to settle back into a rythm when detective Marc Chastain from New Orleans calls. Karen's father has been killed and she needs to come to NOLA and identify the body.
Marc doesn't like Karen. Her father had been living on the streets, and she seemed like just the sort of uncaring woman who would leave her Vietnam Vet father out on the streets instead of having to deal with his problems. But he's wrong. In an instant, Marc realizes how affected Karen is by all that has happened, and how much he wants to be the one to comfort her.
Marc begins courting Karen, who's not warm and trusting towards most men, but Karen turns to him as her only option when the man who had her father killed goes after her to finish the job.
Now it's a race to find the package her father had sent before his death and figure out who's trying to have Karen killed before they succeed.
Very good book, as are all of Mrs. Howard's. The suspense was good and although I had an inkling what was going on, the end was still wonderful. There are some good action scenes and the heroine is very well developed. I related well with the heroine and her background and some of her views, which made me enjoy this book all the more.
The hero, Marc, is totally drool worthy! Between his looks, his souther hospitality, and his Noawlans drawl, he's someone you want to read about.
My only problem with this book, there are a LOT of subcharacters. I'm all for supporting characters for enhancing the plot, and I love when we get some scenes from their point of view, but if I set this book down for too long I had to look back to remember who was who while I was reading.
Overall, I definately recomend this book, although I definately also recommend reading it when you're fully alert. My groggy mind needed a little caffiene to keep up with all the characters.
I actually became very interested in one of the subchatacters, John Medina. He appears again in Howard's All the Queen's Men as the hero. I've yet to read this book, but will definately be adding it to my TBB (to be bought) list! All of Linda's books are keepers!
Reasons why I'm going to Hell
#1. I went to church today. I'm not a big religous person, I believe more in spirits and the power of positive thoughts to influence, although I suppose that's a religion as well, but back when I was aminstream, I was Presbyterian. Gram (who is still Presbyterian & somehow manages to be accepting of her hethan granddaughter) asked me if I'd like to come to the Maundy Thursday service with her. The offered comunion, a big loaf of bread you ripped a piece off of, then a chalice of grape juice you dip your nugget of bread into. They tell you, "This is the body of Christ, broken for you." & "This is the blood of Christ, sacrificed for you." Walking back to my seat, chewing on my grapey-bread hunk, I think - "Mmmm...Christ is yummy."
Not that I'll go to hell solely for this infraction, but it's just another accomplishment to add to my long list of credentials.
I'm going to start listing them as I add to the list.
What are YOU going to hell for?
Not that I'll go to hell solely for this infraction, but it's just another accomplishment to add to my long list of credentials.
I'm going to start listing them as I add to the list.
What are YOU going to hell for?
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Feeding the 3rd World
I was called in to work today to fold about 1,000 Tshirts which have already been unfolded and refolded four different times, four different ways. Everyone at work just wants to grab a case of peeps from the dollar store next door, go outside, and have a mallow roast over a bonfire of Tees.
Me, I was under my sleep requirement and pissed off at the shirts and trying to keep myself occupied when a thought pops into my head (and flows directly out my lips).
"Ya know, there's really only one way we could get away with selling everything for so cheap in this store, and if the customers stopped to think about it, they'd realize they're buying sweat shop clothes."
I was chastized by my manager for making this comment on a busy Sunday morning in a department store where I was surrounded by shoppers.
"Well, the woman bought the shirt anyway, so obviously she has no problem supporting Pedro and his family's dinner tonight."
"Still, it's just not a comment you should be making in front of customers."
"And yet I do not hear you denying my allegations."
"Our clothes are made....overseas."
"That's all the confirmation I need!"
This also spawned a conversation over how we could box all these damn shirts up, send them back to Pedro to fold, and the cost of shipping and his two-cents-an-hour wages would still be less than the cost of calling in 4 employees just to fold shirts.
Me, I was under my sleep requirement and pissed off at the shirts and trying to keep myself occupied when a thought pops into my head (and flows directly out my lips).
"Ya know, there's really only one way we could get away with selling everything for so cheap in this store, and if the customers stopped to think about it, they'd realize they're buying sweat shop clothes."
I was chastized by my manager for making this comment on a busy Sunday morning in a department store where I was surrounded by shoppers.
"Well, the woman bought the shirt anyway, so obviously she has no problem supporting Pedro and his family's dinner tonight."
"Still, it's just not a comment you should be making in front of customers."
"And yet I do not hear you denying my allegations."
"Our clothes are made....overseas."
"That's all the confirmation I need!"
This also spawned a conversation over how we could box all these damn shirts up, send them back to Pedro to fold, and the cost of shipping and his two-cents-an-hour wages would still be less than the cost of calling in 4 employees just to fold shirts.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Fight Club
Just Finished reading Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. Very easy read, less than a day.
I've been a long time fan of the movie and have been meaning to pick up the book. I usually don't read books after a see a movie I love, because the movie seldom measures up to the book, also - it's distracting to hear the actors voices when you read certain lines.
All in all, however, I highly recommend this book to any fans of the movie. The book compliments the movie very well, bringing more clairity to several scenes and pointing out subtleties for what they really are.
The movie does a good job of converying the theme of the book, but loses some of the meaning in the ending. A lot of scenes in the movie are actual scenes in the book, some are twisted scenes, some are out of order. There are a few crucial points in the book that are not emphasized in the movie, but then, you can only cram so much into 2 hours without losing focus. Ironic, since the book has little focus and I wonder if I'd have been able to follow it so easily if I hadn't seen the movie.
The copy I have is the post-movie eddition with a special introduction from the author. Makes me wonder what kind of a guy Chuch is. It's interesting to hear his thoughts on a book that started out as a joke essay and has turned into a cultural event.
Fave quote, found on the second-to-last page:
We are not special.
We are not crap or trash, either.
We just are.
We just are, and what happens just happens.
And God says, "No, that's not right."
Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can't teach God anything.
Fave haiku, page 80:
Watching white moon face
The stars never feel anger
Blah, blah, blah, the end.
Now, everyone's homework is to go read this book. Also, feel free to leave a haiku in the echo thoughts.
My haiku:
Turn just one more page
The plot encases my soul
I'll sleep tomorrow
I've been a long time fan of the movie and have been meaning to pick up the book. I usually don't read books after a see a movie I love, because the movie seldom measures up to the book, also - it's distracting to hear the actors voices when you read certain lines.
All in all, however, I highly recommend this book to any fans of the movie. The book compliments the movie very well, bringing more clairity to several scenes and pointing out subtleties for what they really are.
The movie does a good job of converying the theme of the book, but loses some of the meaning in the ending. A lot of scenes in the movie are actual scenes in the book, some are twisted scenes, some are out of order. There are a few crucial points in the book that are not emphasized in the movie, but then, you can only cram so much into 2 hours without losing focus. Ironic, since the book has little focus and I wonder if I'd have been able to follow it so easily if I hadn't seen the movie.
The copy I have is the post-movie eddition with a special introduction from the author. Makes me wonder what kind of a guy Chuch is. It's interesting to hear his thoughts on a book that started out as a joke essay and has turned into a cultural event.
Fave quote, found on the second-to-last page:
We are not special.
We are not crap or trash, either.
We just are.
We just are, and what happens just happens.
And God says, "No, that's not right."
Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can't teach God anything.
Fave haiku, page 80:
Watching white moon face
The stars never feel anger
Blah, blah, blah, the end.
Now, everyone's homework is to go read this book. Also, feel free to leave a haiku in the echo thoughts.
My haiku:
Turn just one more page
The plot encases my soul
I'll sleep tomorrow
Friday, April 07, 2006
Vote for a Smart Bitch!
There's a new award this year, the BWAHAs! (Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors, sponserod by Smart Bitches)
Go vote! NOW!
I'm rooting for CJ Barry, JR Ward, and Angela Knight.
Here's a list of the nominees:
Best Contemporary
Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Hot Tamara by Mary Castillo
Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann
Black Ice by Anne Stuart
Wedding Survivor by Julia London
Ex and the Single Girl by Lani Diane Rich
Mouth to Mouth by Erin McCarthy
Best Historical
Smuggler’s Bride by Darlene Marshall
Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase
Siren by Cheryl Sawyer
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation Lauren Willig
The Veil of the Night by Lydia Joyce
Best Series/Contemporary
Ultra Violet by Ellen Henderson
Her Body of Work by Marie Donovan
The Orchid Hunter by Sandra K. Moore
Best Series/Historical
Lady Silence by Blair Bancroft
Dedication by Janet Mullany
Best Romantica/Erotic Romance
“Skin Deep” by Jasmine Haynes, from Twin Peaks
Take Me by Bella Andre
Dragon’s Fire by Tielle St. Clare
Promises Prevail by Sarah McCarty
Off the Record by Matthew Haldeman-Time
Bound to Trust by Jaci Burton
Best Erotica
Mercenaries by Angela Knight
24/7 by Susan DiPlacido
Crossing the Line by Stephanie Vaughan
Best Paranormal: Vampires, Werewolves and the Supernatural
Haunted by Kelley Armstrong
Dark Lover by JR Ward
Undead and Unappreciated by MaryJanice Davidson
Erotique by Alessia Brio
Waxing by Megan Powell
Best Paranormal: Fantasy/SF/Other Worlds Romance
The Compass Rose Gail Dayton
Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens
Poison Study Maria V. Snyder
Brighid’s Quest by PC Cast
Unmasked by CJ Barry
Go vote! NOW!
I'm rooting for CJ Barry, JR Ward, and Angela Knight.
Here's a list of the nominees:
Best Contemporary
Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Hot Tamara by Mary Castillo
Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann
Black Ice by Anne Stuart
Wedding Survivor by Julia London
Ex and the Single Girl by Lani Diane Rich
Mouth to Mouth by Erin McCarthy
Best Historical
Smuggler’s Bride by Darlene Marshall
Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase
Siren by Cheryl Sawyer
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation Lauren Willig
The Veil of the Night by Lydia Joyce
Best Series/Contemporary
Ultra Violet by Ellen Henderson
Her Body of Work by Marie Donovan
The Orchid Hunter by Sandra K. Moore
Best Series/Historical
Lady Silence by Blair Bancroft
Dedication by Janet Mullany
Best Romantica/Erotic Romance
“Skin Deep” by Jasmine Haynes, from Twin Peaks
Take Me by Bella Andre
Dragon’s Fire by Tielle St. Clare
Promises Prevail by Sarah McCarty
Off the Record by Matthew Haldeman-Time
Bound to Trust by Jaci Burton
Best Erotica
Mercenaries by Angela Knight
24/7 by Susan DiPlacido
Crossing the Line by Stephanie Vaughan
Best Paranormal: Vampires, Werewolves and the Supernatural
Haunted by Kelley Armstrong
Dark Lover by JR Ward
Undead and Unappreciated by MaryJanice Davidson
Erotique by Alessia Brio
Waxing by Megan Powell
Best Paranormal: Fantasy/SF/Other Worlds Romance
The Compass Rose Gail Dayton
Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens
Poison Study Maria V. Snyder
Brighid’s Quest by PC Cast
Unmasked by CJ Barry
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Happy my ASS!
I was watching TV with Gram tonight and saw a commercial for Always 'feminine napkins' (something about that term just sounds odd to me). Apparently, their new slogan is, "Have happy period." I turn to my Gram and say, "Happy period? Yeah, like that'll ever happen. Gram, you just turned 70, have you ever had a happy period? (no) You know a man made that up!"To which Gram replied, "Yeah, no doubt some single Ad Executive living in Manhattan. You find out who he is, and I'll run him over in a taxi!"
"And then you can lean your head out the window and tell him to have a happy stay in the hospital?"
"No, then I can tell him what a fucking moron he is and that he should go to hell!"
My Gram rarely cusses. I've NEVER heard her say fuck. Just yesterday, she admonished me for saying hell. Apparently no curse is out of line when being wished a happy period. I'm going to e-mail Always and tell them what morons they are.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
B&N Pilgrimage
I haven't been to B&N since last year, and I've never made the hour & a half trip alone.
A friend of mine has been home on medical leave for about two months now and is going insane all couped up with nothing to do. I decided to make her a care basket filled with books and chocolate. I went up to B&N to find the books I wanted to give her that I couldn't find at my local Waldenbooks.
Luckilly, I managed to make it up with no major incident other then road construction. The bridge from Notch Holmstead to the Waterfront is under construction - frankly, it looks like they're re-building the entire thing! So the 4 lanes were down to 2 & the on ramp was gone, so the off ramp was serving as both.
I got to B&N around 12:45. I glanced at the movies and music, but decided I needed to use the bathroom more than I needed to see the new anime releases. Then it was straight to romance. I picked 8 or so books and headed to the counter to ask where the other 4 I was looking for were. The woman gave me a basket, told me 3 of the books were sold out. Luckilly, they had The Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley, AND The Return of the Bunny Suicides. I also found Andy Riley's new book, Great Lies to Tell Small Kids. The latter includes such brilliant insights as, "milk feels pain" and "it's bad luck to not name every ant you see - your entire life." I'm seriously considering screwing up my little brother.
I passed on the Great Lies, but got the Bunny Suicides for Momma-B's basket. With each books I gave her, I slipped in a little note to tell her why I loved that book. Aside from the bunny suicides ( I REALLY don't like rabbits) and 4 bags of chocolate candies, here's what was in the basket & what the note said (roughly).
Linda Howard - Kiss Me While I Sleep - This book made me cry! It's so wonderful. Linda is such a talented writer. This book has a lot of information about the avian flu, and since I read it last Summer, it's interesting to me that bird flu is such a threat this year.
Linda Howard - Heart of Fire - When I was little, I wanted to be an archaeologist, and I've always loved the Amazon, for those reasons, I LOVED this book! My favorite scene is the "slap-slap" comment.
Christine Feehan - Fever - Christine is a total sweetheart and a very creative and skilled author. Of her 4 series, this is my favorite! I love leopards and, again, this takes place in the amazon. This book has a wonderful ending and I can't wait for more leopard books next year!
J.R. Ward - Dark Lover - JR is a darling and I love this series! It's very creative and involved, and the story only gets better with the new book, Lover Eternal. Zsadist is my favorite and I can't wait for his book later this year.
I actually wasn't sure if Momma-B would like Dark Lover. I had a good sized pile of books (half for her, half for me) and had to put a few back to stay within my budget. I thought I'd put back Dark Lover, but when I got to the counter and realized it was still in my basket, I figured it was a sign I had to get it for her.
For myself, I decided on Angel Creek and Kill and Tell by Linda Howard, The Burning - Susan Squires, Blackout - Annie Soloman (I've yet to read her, but I've heard a lot of good things about this book), Tell Me No Lies - Elizabeth Lowell. I also purchased the Fallout Boy CD & Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits. Oh, and The Werewolf Book - The Encyclopedia of Shape-shifting Beings, which is research for my were book. Basically, it's the history of werewolves & werewolf lore.
In the stationary department I picked up a little purple fabric bound notebook to make notes of books and authors I like, since the list is getting long. Also, little arrow post-it notes to put in books, they're the best idea! They're different pastel colors & can be used to leave notes on things you want to return to without marking up your book!
After I'd been in the store for over an hour-and-a-half, and kept running into the same two women in books and music, they asked me if there was anything they could help me find, I said, "The exit! Get me out of this store!" After I passed the two hour mark, they started asking me if I was ready to check out whenever I came within ten feet of a register. I left after two-and-a-half hours! (which was 4pm - just starting rush hour traffic)
The way home was interesting. I was driving down the highway (which I was proud of myself for finding the way back to) along the river & saw a sign for a bridge. I passed that exit, but the next exit sign I passed didn't look familiar, so I thought I'd passed the exit I needed and took the next exit. I then backtracked to the bridge, Liberty Bridge. In a twist of irony, as I was driving across the bridge, I looked to my right (the direction I had been traveling before I thought I'd missed my exit) and thought, "No....THAT's the bridge I'm supposed to be on!." I then realized the Liberty Bridge doesn't lead to the Fort Pitt Tunnel, it leads to the Liberty Tunnel!!! In a stroke of genius, the people naming things decided the Fort Pitt Bridge should lead to the Fort Pitt Tunnel, and the Liberty Bridge should lead to the Liberty Tunnel.
Now, I thought I could go through the Liberty Tunnel and still get onto the right highway on the otherside of the mountain, but I wasn't sure & decided it would be safer to turn around. Turning around involved turning right & traveling up Washington Hill. Something I noticed about this neighborhood as I was looking for a suitable parking lot to turn around in - for every 50 cars, there'd be a short bus. Seriously, I don't know if it's where the baby busses run around until they grow into full-sized school busses, or what, but the damn things were everywhere!
The biggest irony was, I didn't take that wrong exit until I thought I'd taken the wrong exit. My awesome sense of direction isn't worth crap in the city! (This is Pittsburgh, by the way)
Long story short, I got back across Liberty Bridge, crossed Fort Pitt like I was supposed to, and got hom in one piece - A Great Feat, considering the considered domonic possession of my car. YAY. Books, new CDs, I got an iced chai from Starbucks for the ride home. Best thing was the look on Momma-B's face when she say the book basket. Loved it. Such a great day!
- Mitch
A friend of mine has been home on medical leave for about two months now and is going insane all couped up with nothing to do. I decided to make her a care basket filled with books and chocolate. I went up to B&N to find the books I wanted to give her that I couldn't find at my local Waldenbooks.
Luckilly, I managed to make it up with no major incident other then road construction. The bridge from Notch Holmstead to the Waterfront is under construction - frankly, it looks like they're re-building the entire thing! So the 4 lanes were down to 2 & the on ramp was gone, so the off ramp was serving as both.
I got to B&N around 12:45. I glanced at the movies and music, but decided I needed to use the bathroom more than I needed to see the new anime releases. Then it was straight to romance. I picked 8 or so books and headed to the counter to ask where the other 4 I was looking for were. The woman gave me a basket, told me 3 of the books were sold out. Luckilly, they had The Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley, AND The Return of the Bunny Suicides. I also found Andy Riley's new book, Great Lies to Tell Small Kids. The latter includes such brilliant insights as, "milk feels pain" and "it's bad luck to not name every ant you see - your entire life." I'm seriously considering screwing up my little brother.
I passed on the Great Lies, but got the Bunny Suicides for Momma-B's basket. With each books I gave her, I slipped in a little note to tell her why I loved that book. Aside from the bunny suicides ( I REALLY don't like rabbits) and 4 bags of chocolate candies, here's what was in the basket & what the note said (roughly).
Linda Howard - Kiss Me While I Sleep - This book made me cry! It's so wonderful. Linda is such a talented writer. This book has a lot of information about the avian flu, and since I read it last Summer, it's interesting to me that bird flu is such a threat this year.
Linda Howard - Heart of Fire - When I was little, I wanted to be an archaeologist, and I've always loved the Amazon, for those reasons, I LOVED this book! My favorite scene is the "slap-slap" comment.
Christine Feehan - Fever - Christine is a total sweetheart and a very creative and skilled author. Of her 4 series, this is my favorite! I love leopards and, again, this takes place in the amazon. This book has a wonderful ending and I can't wait for more leopard books next year!
J.R. Ward - Dark Lover - JR is a darling and I love this series! It's very creative and involved, and the story only gets better with the new book, Lover Eternal. Zsadist is my favorite and I can't wait for his book later this year.
I actually wasn't sure if Momma-B would like Dark Lover. I had a good sized pile of books (half for her, half for me) and had to put a few back to stay within my budget. I thought I'd put back Dark Lover, but when I got to the counter and realized it was still in my basket, I figured it was a sign I had to get it for her.
For myself, I decided on Angel Creek and Kill and Tell by Linda Howard, The Burning - Susan Squires, Blackout - Annie Soloman (I've yet to read her, but I've heard a lot of good things about this book), Tell Me No Lies - Elizabeth Lowell. I also purchased the Fallout Boy CD & Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits. Oh, and The Werewolf Book - The Encyclopedia of Shape-shifting Beings, which is research for my were book. Basically, it's the history of werewolves & werewolf lore.
In the stationary department I picked up a little purple fabric bound notebook to make notes of books and authors I like, since the list is getting long. Also, little arrow post-it notes to put in books, they're the best idea! They're different pastel colors & can be used to leave notes on things you want to return to without marking up your book!
After I'd been in the store for over an hour-and-a-half, and kept running into the same two women in books and music, they asked me if there was anything they could help me find, I said, "The exit! Get me out of this store!" After I passed the two hour mark, they started asking me if I was ready to check out whenever I came within ten feet of a register. I left after two-and-a-half hours! (which was 4pm - just starting rush hour traffic)
The way home was interesting. I was driving down the highway (which I was proud of myself for finding the way back to) along the river & saw a sign for a bridge. I passed that exit, but the next exit sign I passed didn't look familiar, so I thought I'd passed the exit I needed and took the next exit. I then backtracked to the bridge, Liberty Bridge. In a twist of irony, as I was driving across the bridge, I looked to my right (the direction I had been traveling before I thought I'd missed my exit) and thought, "No....THAT's the bridge I'm supposed to be on!." I then realized the Liberty Bridge doesn't lead to the Fort Pitt Tunnel, it leads to the Liberty Tunnel!!! In a stroke of genius, the people naming things decided the Fort Pitt Bridge should lead to the Fort Pitt Tunnel, and the Liberty Bridge should lead to the Liberty Tunnel.
Now, I thought I could go through the Liberty Tunnel and still get onto the right highway on the otherside of the mountain, but I wasn't sure & decided it would be safer to turn around. Turning around involved turning right & traveling up Washington Hill. Something I noticed about this neighborhood as I was looking for a suitable parking lot to turn around in - for every 50 cars, there'd be a short bus. Seriously, I don't know if it's where the baby busses run around until they grow into full-sized school busses, or what, but the damn things were everywhere!
The biggest irony was, I didn't take that wrong exit until I thought I'd taken the wrong exit. My awesome sense of direction isn't worth crap in the city! (This is Pittsburgh, by the way)
Long story short, I got back across Liberty Bridge, crossed Fort Pitt like I was supposed to, and got hom in one piece - A Great Feat, considering the considered domonic possession of my car. YAY. Books, new CDs, I got an iced chai from Starbucks for the ride home. Best thing was the look on Momma-B's face when she say the book basket. Loved it. Such a great day!
- Mitch
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Ablog Me
| Your Aura is Purple |
 You in Love: You're very passionate but often too busy for love. You need a man who sees your vision and adopts it as his own. Your Career: You need a job that helps you make a difference. You have a bright future as a guru, politician, teacher, or musician. |
| You Are a Flashy Red Bra! |
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| You Are A Lily |
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| Your Element is Wood |
 Your energy: generative Your season: spring Like a tree, you are always growing and changing.And while your life is dynamic, you are firmly grounded.You have high morals and great confidence in yourself and others.You have a wide set of interests, and you make for intersting company. |
| You Are 94% Evil |
 You're the most evil person you know. The devil is even a little scared of you! |
| In a Past Life... |
 You Were: An Evil Priest. Where You Lived: Itally. How You Died: The Plague causes. |
| You Should Be a Science Fiction Writer |
 Your ideas are very strange, and people often wonder what planet you're from. And while you may have some problems being "normal," you'll have no problems writing sci-fi. Whether it's epic films, important novels, or vivid comics... Your own little universe could leave an important mark on the world! |
| You Are 60% Weird |
 You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right? But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks! |
60%? Is that all? wtf?
| Your Inner Child Is Surprised |
 You see many things through the eyes of a child. Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded. You cherish all of the details in life. Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things. |
| You Are 52% Abnormal |
 You are at high risk for having a borderline personality. It is very likely that you are a chaotic mess. You are at medium risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is somewhat likely that you are in love with your own reflection. You are at low risk for having a social phobia. It is unlikely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement. You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer. |
Again, only 52%? wtf - although the soulless part does coincide with previous quizzes.
| You Are Dasher |
 You're an independent minded reindeer who never plays by the rules. Why You're Naughty: That little coup you tried to stage against Santa last year Why You're Nice: You secretly give naughty children presents. |
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