Scout: “West Side Story? That sounds good. Let’s watch that!”
The words Stacey Lucas has been waiting 7 years to hear.
It’s a Simple Request
Scout: Hey, dad, you know the treehouse in the backyard?
Me: Yep.
Scout: Could you build an exact duplicate of that in the front yard except with walls and a roof and a movie studio inside?
The Game of Life
Tonight we played a game of Life where I consciously made the exact opposite decisions of those I would make in my real life. I came in second, with $3.5 million. I don’t know what lesson to take from that.
And I Thought the Dinosaurs Were the Scariest Part
I’m chaperoning a birthday party trip tonight to see “Jurassic Park” in 3D, which brought back fond memories of going to see it graduation week at NU back in 1993 and OHMIDOG I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE 20 YEARS AGO.
Book Log Review – 2012
Huh. I never did a 2012 roundup. What’s WRONG with me?
Books read in 2004: 21
Books read in 2005: 28
Books read in 2006: 40
Books read in 2007: 30
Books read in 2008: 41
Books read in 2009: 22
Books read in 2010: 44
Books read in 2011: 28
Books read in 2012: 31
1. Installing Linux on a Dead Badger by Lucy A. Snyder
2. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling
5. The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
6. A Hat Full of Sky: A Tiffany Aching Adventure by Terry Pratchett
7. Snuff by Terry Pratchett
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
9. Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins
10. Mockingjay (The Final Book of the Hunger Games Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins
11. Restaurant Success by the Numbers: A Money-Guy’s Guide to Opening the Next Hot Spot by Roger Fields
12. A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One by R.R. Martin
13. God, No! by Pen Jillette
14. Rhubarb by M.H. Van Keuren
15. You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney
16. Mercury Falls by Robert Kroese
17. Mercury Swings by Robert Kroese
18. Mercury Rises by Robert Kroese
19. A Clash of Kings: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Two by George R.R. Martin
20. A Storm of Swords: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Three by George R.R. Martin
21. A Feast for Crows: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Four by George R.R. Martin
22. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 5) by George R.R. Martin
23. Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue (The Bern Saga Book 1) by Hugh C. Howey
24. Some Remarks: Essays and Other Writing by Neal Stephenson
25. Sick Puppy by Carl Hiassen
26. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
27(x). The Force is Middlling in this One (and Other Ruminations from the Outskirts of the Empire) by Robert A. Kroese – ABANDONED
27. Forbidden Gospels and Epistles by Archbishop Wake
28. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
29. Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett
30. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
31. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
Book Log – The Beggar King
The Beggar King: A Hangman’s Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch
It’s depressing to me that it is February 1st, and all I’ve read this year is a Young Adult fantasy by Terry Pratchett and… this.
The author lives in Munich, and comes from a line of executioners, so obviously he’s done some family research to come up with this tale.
Let’s be clear: I’ve never written a book. I don’t know that I could write a book of any worth.
But I would not have been happy with this book had I written it.
I guess there’s a lot of historical research of the time period, and I’m sure it’s accurate. The novel was originally translated in German, so perhaps it just didn’t translate very well.
But I was annoyed with the bizarre reactions of the characters. The heroine and her beau were always getting in fights at these really critical times. I mean, they are in real, physical danger, surrounded by enemies, and one of them stomps off in a huff. Repeatedly. They are under suspicion by the entire town for arson, and the heroine is not bothered by the fact that her boyfriend has wandered out of the inn unannounced and not returned, so she goes off to a fancy dress ball.
Other than that, not a very interesting story, dull characters, little humor.
I only read it because it was available through Amazon’s lending library. I need to be more particular.
Book Log – Wintersmith (Discworld)
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Another Tiffany Aching YA novel.
Enjoyable mind candy like the others.
As We Know It
Guys, guys! I just checked my office calendar and it ENDS ON DECEMBER 31ST!
End. Of. The. World, according to the Mead-ians.
I Am Popular
In honor of the first night of Chanukah, I will admit that this one time, at camp, I claimed to be “a little bit Jewish” in order to gain popularity. Surprisingly, no one bought it.
Book Log – Casino Royale
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
I’ve never read a James Bond novel before, so I took a chance on one when it came available on Paperbackswap.com.
It was what I’ll call historically interesting, rather than a “good book”. In a recent movie that introduced Judi Dench as M, M referred to him as a “misogynistic dinosaur”, and that pretty much sums up the novel.
There isn’t a whole lot of action, but when there is some, Bond escapes danger mostly by luck or allies, though once or twice by quick thinking. But this is his genesis; he is a young agent simultaneously doubtful and confident.
But boy, those women annoy him. They were ALWAYS messin’ stuff up back then. You know?