A new year, a better start? Doubtful. I'm starting this on the 7th, but will I actually publish around the 1st of February? (UPDATE: No.) Also, I realized that there are at least two books I read last year but never bothered to upload (I took photos for this purpose. And then deleted them.) One was R.L. Stine's Red Rain (yes, the kiddie horror author who did a good job with a creepy adult book), and the other was a Carl Hiaasen, Nature Girl, I believe. But onto this year, and who knows what I've already missed.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
1. Driving Heat, by "Richard Castle"
2. Deaf Sentence, by David Lodge (for reading group)
3. Foxglove Summer, by Ben Aaronovitch (Peter Grant #5)
4. Pump Six and Other Stories, by Paolo Bacigalupi
5. Mogworld, by Yahtzee Croshaw
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Thursday, January 7, 2016
The Problem
I've worked out why I never blog anymore. Mostly it's because I'm lazy and because I'm insanely busy between work, Girl Museum, and our newest family member. But mostly because I'm lazy. That said, I spend enough time in Girl Museum's blog that, if it were still here at blogger and not on it's own site anymore, I might in fact still blog. It was a lot easier when I logged into one page and had access to two different things. Now I don't.
Still, I'm mostly lazy.
Work is bad at the moment. It's been bad for months; far busier than we can handle, even with new staff being added (also, losing old staff hurts, and it's really hard to train new staff when it's REALLY busy). But the reason work is bad now is because we're not. Working, that is. Long story short–or short story long, I'm not really sure–is that our floor was really bad and we arranged to have it replaced over the normal closure that we do between Christmas and New Year's.
We should have reopened on Monday. We're trying to figure out how to reopen this coming Monday. No idea if it'll happen yet. We need concrete to dry before we can lay vinyl, and that could take (according to some) weeks. Who knows; I don't, that's for sure.
So I'm getting random but useful and important admin done for work, and a bit of cleaning/redecorating done, which should be easy when everything is moved, but it's not, really. I'll be taking a bunch of annual leave as well (which sucks, but it'll reset April 1 anyway, so I think I can cope until then). It's better than getting paid for nothing–well, it's not, but as a director of the business that's a level of irresponsibility WAY too far–but at least I've had time off to spend with my newest family member.
Still, I'm mostly lazy.
Work is bad at the moment. It's been bad for months; far busier than we can handle, even with new staff being added (also, losing old staff hurts, and it's really hard to train new staff when it's REALLY busy). But the reason work is bad now is because we're not. Working, that is. Long story short–or short story long, I'm not really sure–is that our floor was really bad and we arranged to have it replaced over the normal closure that we do between Christmas and New Year's.
We should have reopened on Monday. We're trying to figure out how to reopen this coming Monday. No idea if it'll happen yet. We need concrete to dry before we can lay vinyl, and that could take (according to some) weeks. Who knows; I don't, that's for sure.
So I'm getting random but useful and important admin done for work, and a bit of cleaning/redecorating done, which should be easy when everything is moved, but it's not, really. I'll be taking a bunch of annual leave as well (which sucks, but it'll reset April 1 anyway, so I think I can cope until then). It's better than getting paid for nothing–well, it's not, but as a director of the business that's a level of irresponsibility WAY too far–but at least I've had time off to spend with my newest family member.
Her name is Conker, and she's insane. Her nickname is Bashy (because she bashes through and/or into everything). But we love her very much.
And yes, for those who know her, I fully recognize that she looks nearly indentical to Faith. She's smaller, has a tail, and no spots on her tongue or belly, but otherwise is very similar. Most importantly, though, she is sweet and loving. And snoring right now (in the same camping chair as above. Don't ask why she likes the camping chair, because I don't know. I doubt it's that comfortable for her).
And now I must get back to work, so I have some annual leave left.
Reading List: June 2015
Wow. I thought I did this back in say August or September, not June.... Needless to say, it's not complete, as I'm probably missing books from the reading group. It's also not really in order. I might try for better in 2016, but we'll see....
JUNE to END OF 2015 (??)
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, by Maggie O'Farrell
Elizabeth is Missing, by Emma Headley (for reading group)
The Quick, by Lauren Owen (for reading group)
Allegiant, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #3)
Insurgent, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #2)
Divergent, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #1)
Exclusively Yours, by Shannon Stacey (The Kowalskis)
Old Man's War, by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #1) Awesome book/author/concept
Waking Up Married, by Mira Lyn Kelly
Helmut Saves the World, by Matt Sheehan
Stealing Second, by Alison Packard (Feeling the Heat #5)
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #8)
Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #7)
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #6)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #5)
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #4)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, by Eoin Colfer(Artemis Fowl #3) (ditto)
Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #2) (might have read this before, can't remember)
*Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #1)
The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder, by John Bellairs and completed by Brad Strickland
The White Princess, by Philippa Gregory (Book #5 of The Cousins' War)
The Girl from the Chartreuse, by Pierre Péju (for reading group)
Never Deal with Dragons, by Lorenda Christensen (actually read sometime prior to June)
UNTIL THIS POST
15. Kissing Under the Mistletoe, by Marina Adair (St. Helena Vineyard Series #1)
14. Signal Boost, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #2)
13. Radio Silence, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1)
12. Isa and May, by Margaret Forster (for reading group. I thought it dull, they loved it)
11. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (for reading group)
10. The Kingmaker's Daughter, by Philippa Gregory (Book #4 of The Cousins' War)
9. Raven Black, by Ann Cleeves (Book #1 in the Shetland Quartet) (for reading group, and we've gotten these out of order)
FEBRUARY
8. Raging Heat, by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6. Still making assumptions about who ghostwrites.)
7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
JANUARY
6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)
JUNE to END OF 2015 (??)
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, by Maggie O'Farrell
Elizabeth is Missing, by Emma Headley (for reading group)
The Quick, by Lauren Owen (for reading group)
Allegiant, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #3)
Insurgent, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #2)
Divergent, by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #1)
Exclusively Yours, by Shannon Stacey (The Kowalskis)
Old Man's War, by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #1) Awesome book/author/concept
Waking Up Married, by Mira Lyn Kelly
Helmut Saves the World, by Matt Sheehan
Stealing Second, by Alison Packard (Feeling the Heat #5)
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #8)
Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #7)
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #6)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #5)
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #4)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, by Eoin Colfer(Artemis Fowl #3) (ditto)
Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #2) (might have read this before, can't remember)
*Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl #1)
The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder, by John Bellairs and completed by Brad Strickland
The White Princess, by Philippa Gregory (Book #5 of The Cousins' War)
The Girl from the Chartreuse, by Pierre Péju (for reading group)
Never Deal with Dragons, by Lorenda Christensen (actually read sometime prior to June)
UNTIL THIS POST
15. Kissing Under the Mistletoe, by Marina Adair (St. Helena Vineyard Series #1)
14. Signal Boost, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #2)
13. Radio Silence, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1)
12. Isa and May, by Margaret Forster (for reading group. I thought it dull, they loved it)
11. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (for reading group)
10. The Kingmaker's Daughter, by Philippa Gregory (Book #4 of The Cousins' War)
9. Raven Black, by Ann Cleeves (Book #1 in the Shetland Quartet) (for reading group, and we've gotten these out of order)
FEBRUARY
8. Raging Heat, by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6. Still making assumptions about who ghostwrites.)
7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
JANUARY
6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Pet Peeves
1. I can't talk about work on my blog. Or I won't. There's so much I could say, but I won't jeopardize my job, or my work, because I love both. Hence a lot of the silence around these parts.
2. People who capitalize random words (in English). German? Fine. Nouns are capitalized in German (or so says my friend who is fluent in all aspects of German). Everything I work with is in English, and the people I work with are largely native English speakers (in theory. I doubt the Brits actually know the English language).
3. People who use apostrophes to pluralize words. The plural of word is words. Not word's. I get that "1950s" feels weird and you want to write "1950's." Wrong, but at least I can understand that. I can also understand if you don't get the difference between girl's rights (a singular girl and the rights accorded to her) and girls' rights (the rights accorded to all girls), but the plural of a word NEVER requires an apostrophe unless it's also in possession of something.
4. People who don't use the Oxford comma. It's not necessary, but it is nice. Related, people who stack lists within lists and don't use semicolons for the primary list. I swear I posted this before, but I can't find it (and I really should stop procrastinating).
2. People who capitalize random words (in English). German? Fine. Nouns are capitalized in German (or so says my friend who is fluent in all aspects of German). Everything I work with is in English, and the people I work with are largely native English speakers (in theory. I doubt the Brits actually know the English language).
3. People who use apostrophes to pluralize words. The plural of word is words. Not word's. I get that "1950s" feels weird and you want to write "1950's." Wrong, but at least I can understand that. I can also understand if you don't get the difference between girl's rights (a singular girl and the rights accorded to her) and girls' rights (the rights accorded to all girls), but the plural of a word NEVER requires an apostrophe unless it's also in possession of something.
4. People who don't use the Oxford comma. It's not necessary, but it is nice. Related, people who stack lists within lists and don't use semicolons for the primary list. I swear I posted this before, but I can't find it (and I really should stop procrastinating).
Can you tell I've been editing a lot lately?
I should get back to work. I'm meeting a friend for cake and coffee around 2pm so I can escape the (not relentless but still irritating) drilling and banging that's coming from our cellar. We're having it tanked, so there are workmen there, not ghosts. At least I'm not aware of any ghosts.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
2015 Reading List: February-May
Yup, definitely a new year but the same problems, namely that working full-time+ cuts into my reading time. I'm pretty sure I've missed some, but maybe not. I skipped two of the books for the reading group over the last couple of months. The first one I just couldn't get into; some of the women seemed to enjoy it (despite the mocking we gave it when it came up), but I just had no interest. The other one was Magaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which I skipped because I've read it at least half a dozen times in my life and I love it so much, but I was trying to finish Quiet (which is good, but slow, and dense reading) so I could return it to my co-worker.
UNTIL THIS POST
15. Kissing Under the Mistletoe, by Marina Adair (St. Helena Vineyard Series #1)
14. Signal Boost, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #2)
13. Radio Silence, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1)
12. Isa and May, by Margaret Forster (for reading group. I thought it dull, they loved it)
11. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (for reading group)
10. The Kingmaker's Daughter, by Philippa Gregory (Book #4 of The Cousins' War)
9. Raven Black, by Ann Cleeves (Book #1 in the Shetland Quartet) (for reading group, and we've gotten these out of order)
FEBRUARY
8. Raging Heat, by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6. Still making assumptions about who ghostwrites.)
7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
JANUARY
6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)
UNTIL THIS POST
15. Kissing Under the Mistletoe, by Marina Adair (St. Helena Vineyard Series #1)
14. Signal Boost, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #2)
13. Radio Silence, by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1)
12. Isa and May, by Margaret Forster (for reading group. I thought it dull, they loved it)
11. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (for reading group)
10. The Kingmaker's Daughter, by Philippa Gregory (Book #4 of The Cousins' War)
9. Raven Black, by Ann Cleeves (Book #1 in the Shetland Quartet) (for reading group, and we've gotten these out of order)
FEBRUARY
8. Raging Heat, by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #6. Still making assumptions about who ghostwrites.)
7. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
JANUARY
6. Jericho Season 4, by Kalinda Vazquez (graphic novel continuation of the TV show)
5. What Zoey Doesn't Know, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #3.5)
4. Hidden Holidays, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short #2.5)
3. Ill-Conceived Magic, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven Short, #1.5)
2. Demons in My Driveway, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #5)
1. Golem in my Glovebox, by R. L. Naquin (Monster Haven #4)
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