Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH...random thoughts

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O'Brien, was my January selection for Becky's Celebrate the Author Reading Challenge. And since today is the last day of January, I guess I'd better get my "review" written...

The rats living under the rosebush at the Fitzgibbon farm are anything but ordinary. They are extremely intelligent escapees from a research lab. Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must turn to these rats to help save the life of her sick son, Timothy.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what to write about this book. I enjoyed it. I didn't fall madly in love with it. However, I think there's a very good chance that I would have fallen madly in love with it as a child...it really seems like the kind of book that would have captured me then.

All of my book choices for this particular challenge were made with "the boys" in mind. That is, I'm reading them aloud to my 5- and 7-year-old little monkeys. So, I thought maybe I should pass along their opinions of the book as well...

"It was good." Initial response from Gray. He is a man of few words. But upon further questioning, I did gather a couple more tidbits. He loved the adventurous nature of the book. He was very fond of one of the characters, a rat named Justin. But it bothered him that we didn't really know what happened to Justin at the end of the book ...was he one of the rats who died? (I admit that I really wanted to know as well, but would have to say that the way it was written was probably more effective and had a more realistic ring to it.)

Max enjoyed the book as well, though he did take issue with the fact that Dragon, the cat, was portrayed as a bad guy. In actuality, Dragon wasn't really the bad guy, but Max seems to think that every cat deserves to the hero.

The only other comment I could elicit: "How come every book we read has rats in it?" Of course, not every book we read has rats, but we have been on a roll lately, with Charlotte's Web, The Tale of Despereaux, and now Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.

Hmmm...so there you go. Really living up to the title "random thoughts" today, aren't I?

challenges, memes, and contests...oh my

Will I ever learn?!! Ever?!! Why is it that I cannot stop myself from signing up for all these reading challenges?!! Like I wasn't in totally over my head already, I've gone and signed up for 4 more in the past couple of weeks. On the bright side, I know I'm in good company with this little obsession!

Chris, who happens to exhibit slightly more control than I when it comes to signing up for reading challenges, tagged me with one of those fun little book memes. I don't know why, but I always enjoy reading these.

Book Meme Rules

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

Okay--closest book happens to be Blaze by Stephen King.

The baby stirred only slightly.
Now the window. Blaze lifted it, and was confronted with a storm window beyond that.

Not the most interesting of passages this time. Oh well. And as for tagging, I guess I won't pick five people this time, but I do hope everyone decides to do it...like I said, I just find these fun to read.

And finally, anyone signed up for Annie's What's in a Name Challenge, today is the last day to enter her first contest. Annie and I have been having fun reading everyone's responses to her first question!

no wiping this smile off my face

If you happened to read my last post, you know how truly honored I felt that Eva chose me as one of the recipients of the You Make My Day Award. Well, now the smile on my face has quadrupled in size, because Nymeth, Dewey, and Melody have all given me the award as well. If you had any idea how much I adore each of these ladies, you just might be able to image the big old goofy grin I'm now sporting!

But, now comes the hard part. Passing along the award to 10 more people. Sheesh...the inventor of this one sure knew how to torture a person, huh? How on earth do you limit it to 10 people?!! I assure you, I am not a masochist, so I only read blogs that make me happy. In other words, if you're on my little list over there, you deserve this award!

So, how does one limit it to 10? Well, I narrowed it down a little by concentrating on book-ish blogs, since that's how I met all the lovely ladies who tagged me. In fact, I'm going to start with them...and I can say in all honesty that I would have chosen each and every one of them even if they hadn't tagged me.

*Eva. I haven't "known" Eva very long, but was immediately hooked on her blog once I did run across it. As I've said before, she's one intelligent woman! And well-read! And she writes fantastic reviews, often talking about interesting aspects of a book I never otherwise would have thought of. I think I may have mentioned before, too, that I would probably feel intimidated by her except for the fact that she's just such a sweet, kind person! Plus, don't you just love the name of her blog? A Striped Armchair...just screams, "Come curl up with a good book!", doesn't it?

*Nymeth. Nymeth is without a doubt one of the sweetest people out here in the blogging world! That would be more than enough to make my day, but add to that the fact that she writes the most incredible reviews I've ever read. She has incredible insight and is able to express things in the most beautiful way imaginable. Her reviews quite simply are works of art themselves. Nine times out of ten, a book she reviews gets immediately added to my wish list or to the hold list at the library. On top of all that, she's been so generous in helping me whenever I have questions. (Annie and I have been doing a year-long unit on folk/fairy tales for school, and believe me, Nymeth has been an immense help!)

*Dewey. Dewey is one amazing woman! Seriously, it boggles my mind how much she fits into her life! She's a wife. She's a mom (and quite a good one, judging from the glimpses one gets from her blog). She has a job. She's recently taught herself to knit...I did that too about a year ago, but never became as accomplished as she has in just a very short time. And she reads as much as anyone I know! I've told her before that's she's my reading idol...and I stand by that! And she doesn't just read vast quantities of books, she reads such an incredible variety of books. I always look forward to popping over and seeing her latest reviews. In addition, Dewey will always hold a special place in my heart for giving me one blissful 24-hour period of reading.

*Melody. Melody is pure sweetness! It's always such a pleasure to visit Melody, because she's always so positive and happy. And I love the beautiful photos she posts when she travels! She's been personally responsible for adding quite a few thrillers, among other books, to my wish list.

*Chris. Chris is one seriously special guy! He couldn't possibly be any friendlier. He always has something nice to say to everyone. But that doesn't mean he's just a big pile of mush. He's fun, and he's funny, and he's interesting. I love hearing about life in New Orleans. (And I'm sure I'll hearing about life in Austin, too!) But beyond just being a great guy in the blogging world, he chose to spend his career counseling and helping teens...just thinking about that makes my day, because that's not something just anyone could do. And of course, he's also partially responsible for the size of my TBR pile...yep, he knows how to write one hell of a review, too!

*Stephanie. Okay, I admit it...I have a total crush on Stephanie. No, not "that kind" of crush...minds out of gutter, people! I just think she's so damn cool...I want to be just like her when I grow up (ignore the fact that I'm probably much older than she is already). She is an awesome mom, she has a great career that she loves, and she gives a shit about this world we live in. And I just love the enthusiasm she shows when she writes about books. (And of course, it doesn't hurt that we seem to have pretty similar tastes in books.)

*Carl. I could gush about Carl for hours. This guy is just one of the nicest, most generous people on the planet! He has done so much for Annie, and I don't just mean materially. He has made this kid of mine feel so good about herself...and I will never, ever forget that! And you know what, I don't think he can help but spread that kind of good in the world...it's just the kind of guy he is. As if that wasn't enough, I think Carl has done more to expand my horizons in the last year than anyone. His blog is an absolute treasure! It's not just that he writes so beautifully, but he writes with such joy. Be it about books, about movies, about art...you can't help but be captivated.

*Jean. New to the blogging world, but already I know hers is going to be a favorite! And that's not just because she's my cousin-in-law, I swear. After reading her last review, I immediately put a hold on it at the library. I can't wait to see her blog grow...I hope she'll eventually post about other things as well, because she lives one incredibly interesting life! And I'm dying to see some photos of her latest works of fiber art! We've never met in person, and have only been in touch for the past year or so, but she is definitely one of my favorite people. (And by the way, she's another one of those people who is so damn intelligent, that I would be totally intimidated by her if she weren't just so nice!)

*Annie. Well, of course she makes my day...she is my kid, after all! And since she is my daughter, I have no way of separating how much my enjoyment of her blog is biased by that simple fact. But you know what...so many times after she finishes a book, she'll say to me, "This was a really good one, Mom. You should definitely read it." And I'll say, "I'm sure it is, sweetie, but look at all my piles of books. I'm afraid I'll just have to wait on that one." And then I'll go and read her review, and have to eat my words and tell her to put said book on my table.

*Rich. Well, I got in this nepotism mode here, and figured I'd better just play it out. I'm lucky to be married to a person who makes my day each and every day! But, he's a bad blogger. Yes, a very bad blogger! Though Annie and I have been working on him, and he's promised to both respond to Annie's tagging him with Eva's reading meme and to get up a review of his last book. (He manages to get a lot more read than I do, but we've only just now convinced him that he should post reviews.) So maybe there's hope for him yet :)

Well, I think that was ten...and I have to say that makes me very, very sad, because there's a lot of other people I'd like to mention. A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING MY DAY!

good, bad, ugly...in reverse

What is with this winter? I feel like we've been unknowingly transported to a parallel universe or something. Everything about it has just been "off". We had way more snow than is typical for us in December. And here in January, when we normally have tons of snow, we've had next to none. We just had our second major warm snap, and are now paying the price as it comes to an end. So far in the last hour, the temps have dropped from 52 to 28, and they are supposed to continue to drop throughout the morning. So you can imagine what has happened to the roads since it rained much of the night. And just like three weeks ago, the winds are back. 70+ mph gusts. I guess the good news is that we're going to see some snow today as well. Just so abnormal. Has everyone's winter been so totally uncharacteristic?

****

Sweet little Maxidoodle never ceases to amaze me with his toughness. The poor fellow is really down and out. He first got sick early last week. Had a fever and some general malaise. But he was better and went back to school on Thursday. But then on Sunday, he started coughing a bit, nothing major. Monday I got a call from the school nurse. He had fever again. After I picked him up, he just lounged around on the couch. That night his cough went to scary new heights. My chest hurts just listening to him. The doctor isn't sure exactly what ailment(s) he's suffering with. Put him on an anti-biotic because he heard something in his one lung. Also took some nasal swabs (which got a scream out of the normally stoic little guy!), because he thinks he may also have this one particular virus due to the look of his eyes. Saying Max's eyes are bloodshot is an understatement! It breaks one's heart to just look at his sweet little face! And yet, does he complain? No. Not one little bit! As nice as it is in some ways (at least compared to his drama-queen sister who acts as if she's on her death bed with every case of sniffles), I really wish he would complain sometimes (well, about things other than his siblings and what I'm serving for supper, that is). Back at the beginning of the month, Maxidoodle had strep throat, and we never would have known to take him to the doctor if it hadn't been for the fever and the rash. Anyway, the doctor said that the Maxidoodle will probably be sporting this fever through the weekend. We're to be in touch tomorrow.

****

Eva gave me the You Make My Day Award. Some things just have a way of leaving a smile on your heart, and the things she said about me definitely did that! Especially coming from her...I've only recently "met" Eva, but she's one of those people who would leave me feeling intimidated (she's so intelligent and well-read) if she wasn't just so darn nice. So anyway, thank you, Eva! And I will be passing this along...hope to get to that post later today.

good intentions

Well, last week was the first week of "Quarter 3" of Annie's school year...though a much abbreviated week, as we took Monday and Friday off along with the boys. And I had honestly planned to get back to my "homeschool happenings and highlights" posting. But the weekend went by and I didn't get to it.

I love doing my "good stuff" posts, and figured that since Melissa is now hosting Good News Sunday, Sunday would be the perfect time to post a new one. Again, it didn't happen.

Rich got home a little early from work on Friday, and I decided to just blow off all responsibilities and head to the basement and scrapbook for a bit. (Surprised I remembered how as it's been so long.) Meant to post my layout. Obviously, that didn't happen either.

Yep, sometimes life just gets in the way of blogging, huh? And don't worry, I do realize that is a good thing.

Anyway, here are the condensed versions:

"Homeschool Happenings and Highlights"
--Annie's favorites from the week:
*starting The Giver
*swimming lessons
*watching Nature: Alligators and Crocodiles (reptiles unit)
*watching Save Our History: Star-Spangled Banner (War of 1812 unit)

"Good Stuff"
*having Rich home...of course!
*conversation hearts "in season"
*having two extra days off from school
*starting The Fellowship of the Ring and finding that I was an idiot for ever having felt intimidated by it
*making time to scrapbook
*cuddling up with a warm beagle
*cuddling up with a warm husband to watch 2 episodes of Jericho
*paperbackswap.com, from which I got Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
*gift cards, which allowed me to pick up Blaze by Stephen King, The 6th Target by James Patterson, and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (I know, I know, I was trying to save the rest of my gift cards, but with the discount from Educators Week, I just couldn't resist. But now the cards are spent, and I'd better start reading!)

"Creating Update"
*one scrapbook layout

*working on another project that I can't really talk about yet

Okay, and now I best get back to my previously scheduled life. (And catching up with everyone else's lives.)

not your average reading meme

Stephanie, who just happens to one the sweetest, most adorable bloggers out there, tagged me for this interesting reading meme. The meme was actually started by Eva (A Striped Armchair), whom many of you already know and love.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

The books that immediately come to mind are Colleen Gleason's books. Remember, the question did say "irrationally"?!! So, what's holding me back? The fact that they're shelved in the romance section. Why can't I get past this? I honestly don't know. I've read so many wonderful reviews of her books, by people whose opinions I trust implicitly. Heck, I even have her first two books (autographed copies even!) sitting on my shelves. And one of these days, I will overcome idiocy on this matter...I promise.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Hmmm...this is really tough, mostly because social events just make me extremely uncomfortable. So I think I'll just have a laid-back barbecue in our back yard, and invite a few laid-back characters. Shadow (American Gods) and Larry (The Stand), both laid-back fellows with good hearts, each of whom has enough of an edge to make them really interesting. And to round things out, August (The Secret Life of Bees), because, well, I just loved this woman. Another down-to-earth character who could really spice up a get-together.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Babbitt. Maybe I would feel different if I read this book today, but back in high school I truly believed that being made to read this book was a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I honestly can't think of any. I'm the first to admit that I'm not a well-rounded reader. There were, however, a few required reads back in high school, that I probably didn't give my full attention to...Ethan Frome, for example, comes to mind.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).

Crap. This one's just too hard. Maybe And The Band Played On. Yes, it's the story of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, especially in the U.S. But it has lessons to teach us about so many things...humility, bigotry, misguided intentions, selfishness, greed, etc.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Another tough one. I think I could be happy with whatever ability the good fairy gave me. Maybe Chinese?

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

My immediate thought was The Stand. But I'm afraid once a year might take away some of its magic for me. So I'm going to say The Lorax. Hope it's not cheating to choose a Dr. Seuss book. I truly love this book and its message.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

Okay, and this one's tough for an entirely different reason...how to limit it to one thing! Book blogging has opened so many doors for me. I've grown to love fantasy; I've read more non-fiction than I have in many years; I've entered into the world of graphic novels; I've read more classics than I have since high school; I've discovered new-to-me authors, like Neil Gaiman and Ray Bradbury, that I adore. I simply can't believe how much my horizons have expanded in the past year!

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

I think my vision is pretty stereotypical. A huge stone fireplace. Big comfy chairs and loveseats. Floor to ceiling bookshelves lining all the walls. And, of course, the rolling ladders. An area with a huge table to spread out books and papers. Favorite framed photos and travel finds interspersed amongst the thousands of books. Ahhh...if only.

Tag 4 people for this meme...

Jean of Runs with Scissors...and a Sword (Haha...I can do this now that you have a blog!)
Kara of Calm and Chaos
Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made On
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot

The Giver...random thoughts

(This is also my first book down in the Decades '08 Challenge.)

The Giver by Lois Lowry...what a great little book. Given Lois Lowry's reputation and all the raves I've heard about this book, I admit I had pretty high expectations. And I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed this little book immensely.

One of the main reasons I picked this one up was to use it for homeschooling. And I have to admit that I think knowing that Annie and I will be using a book for a literature selection somehow distorts my experience. Maybe "distort" isn't quite the right word, I don't know. When I'm reading entirely for pleasure though, I'm free to just get lost in the story. I admit it...I'm not a big analyzer of the written word. (Which is probably why I can't write a decent review to save my life.) Maybe I'm just shallow, but usually I just enjoy letting a book capture my emotions. Sure, there are definitely times when a book forces me to think...and I love that. I just don't go looking for it.

But I have to dig a little deeper when I know that Annie and will be discussing it. For instance, The Giver will give us great opportunities for delving into subjects like genetic engineering and euthanasia. If I'd been reading purely for pleasure, I would have allowed myself to experience the topics viscerally without the pressure of needing to put all my feelings into words.

I have no idea if any of what I just wrote will make a lick of sense to anyone but me. If not, I apologize.

So, The Giver...it's the story of Jonas, a boy ultimately chosen for an unimaginable job. He lives in a community free of crime and violence and unemployment. Yet this community is also free of love and other true emotion. The people are entirely without choice; everything from their career to their spouse is chosen for them. They do not even get to bear their own children. Yet they know no other way and seem quite content in their existence. When Jonas is chosen as the new Receiver, he must take on the burden of all knowledge of the way life could be and once was...both the painful and the joyful. But is this a burden he can bear?

As I said at the beginning, I enjoyed this book immensely. It is a book I can definitely see myself reading again. If by slight chance there is someone out there who has not yet read this one, my recommendation would be to change that.

*****

If you have reviewed this book, please feel free to leave a link in the comments, and I will add it here. Thanks.

Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot

The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes...random thoughts

Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman is only my second venture into the world of graphic novels. And this book couldn't have been more different from my first, Alice in Sunderland, which was essentially a non-fiction journey into the northeast of England. How to describe Preludes and Nocturnes though...whew, now that's not an easy task. So, as usual, I'll just be throwing out my thoughts all willy-nilly and hoping some of what I say makes sense.

First of all, I have to say that I enjoyed this first volume of The Sandman. I've read more than once that this is definitely not the finest of the series. Even Karen Berger, the editor, alluded to this in the introduction. And Gaiman himself, seemed to agree, though he did say that there was at least something in each story that he was proud of. Anyway, what does this all tell me? Well, that I've got a fine adventure ahead of me, if it only continues to get better.

In general, this is the story of The Sandman, Lord of Dreams. At the beginning he is captured and held prisoner for a hundred years. The story continues with his escape and his journey to reclaim power. It's a wonderful mix of dark fantasy and myth and horror.

I admit that there were times I became a bit confused (but yeah, that happens easily to me), and I always figured things out within a page or two. And I found one of the stories, 24 Hours, especially disturbing, but still I felt it added to, not detracted from, the overall tale being told.

I do have to say, that being new to the world of graphic novels, I'm still learning how to read them. What I mean is that I'm so used to words, and words alone, telling the story. Obviously, this is not the case with a graphic novel, and I have to slow myself down and remember to "read the art" as well.

So, all in all, I would have to say that I'm very happy with my first choice here in Dewey's Graphic Novels Challenge. It was definitely a unique experience, but one I can honestly say I enjoyed!

one cute little face

My sweet bloggy friend Melissa entered her adorable little girl in a photo contest. (She actually has two adorable little girls and an adorable little boy...but Bridget's the only one who qualified for the contest, as it is a photo contest featuring mischievous toddlers.)

Anyway, if you get a chance, maybe you'd like to go vote. Just head over here, and then click on the photo of your choice. Bridget is the sweet little one sitting in the sink with lipstick all over her cheeks...not that I'm trying to influence your vote or anything ;)

the week in blurbs

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. Too busy and too boring...that about sums up why. I could live with a little less busy, but have been grateful for the boring.

*First and foremost on my mind is my wonderful husband's return...just one more day to survive! His plane lands shortly after 10:00pm, so if all goes well, he should be walking through the front door by 11:30.

*I have been immensely thankful for the incredibly abnormal January weather we've been having. Only having one 3" snowfall during a two-week stretch on January is simply unheard of. What I did to deserve it I'll never know. The lake effect snow machine is supposed to kick in this afternoon and last for at least several days, but that's just fine with me. As long as I'm not the designated shoveler, I adore snow!

*I had a totally "ick" moment this week. I don't often get those mmmmmmm-type feelings about celebrities. I've been crushing on Joe Sakic (of the Colorado Avalanche) for many years, but recently it's all about Skeet Ulrich. So, where does the "ick" come in? Well, a few days ago the latest TV Guide showed up in the mail. (Now, why we get TV Guide is beyond me...we never ordered it, we never paid for it, heck, we don't even watch much TV...but it just started showing up a couple months ago.) Anyway, Annie starts flipping through it and comes to a picture of the hot Mr. Ulrich. She says, "Mom, isn't this the guy from Jericho? He's cute." I simply said, "Yep, I think so, too." And she says, "No Mom, I think he's really cute!" Hence, the "ick" moment...realizing that I have a celebrity-crush on the same person as my 10-year-old daughter. Something just not quite right about that!

*I got the coolest surprise in the mail this week...a great new book-bag from Jean, my incredibly sweet cousin-in-law whom I've never even met. (Is cousin-in-law really a word?) She made it with a technique called discharging. (Jean, please correct me if I got that wrong...for whatever reason, I keep trying to call it dispatching, but I know that's not right.) She also sent Annie a bag, but I'm too lazy at the moment to go get a picture of it.


*I'm a big, fat liar. I know I said that I wouldn't be buying any new books until at least my birthday. Well... See, B&N just had to send an e-mail flaunting their big clearance sale. So I just popped over for a quick minute. That turned into two minutes, then three... Come on, I know you can relate! Anyway, I came away with this pile of seven books for a mere $25! Hey, I needed something to put in that cool bag, right?

But now I mean it, really...NO MORE book buying until my birthday!

*Annie and I finished up the second quarter of the school year...woohoo! Halfway through 5th grade! I even managed to get her progress report written, which is always a big relief. Now I guess I'd better figure out what we're going to do for the third quarter, huh?

So, as you can see, certainly not an earth-shatteringly exciting week. But in my mind, survival is always a good thing!

just babbling...

Over the hump. I've passed the half-way point now. And while it seems a million and three little things have gone wrong, nothing major has. Max did not break his fingers when he slammed them in the door (at first I was seriously worried that he might have)...we did not have to live without power for four days like many people just a few miles away did...heck, I haven't even had to shovel snow thanks to this freakish January weather we've had to this point. So, all in all, I'm extremely grateful!

And yet still I must say...I sure do miss my darling husband! I love getting his e-mails each day. It is so funny...I can tell how guilty he feels for leaving me with everything for two weeks while he's off in the sun and sand. It would be one thing if he was teaching a field class up in the Great North Woods or something, but to be in the Bahamas... He wrote that he will be putty in my hands for the next 4 to 8 years. Hmmm, I like the sounds of that.

I had to give Baker a bath this morning. Being within olfactory range was nausea-inducing. It honestly smelled as if he'd rolled in something dead. But frankly, I'm not up to going to check the back yard to see if this is true. I also think I'll skip dragging out the ladder to climb up on the roof to get down the goldfinch feeder that Gray just tossed up there. Yep, I'll just be saving those jobs for my guilt-hidden husband.

But I suppose it would be a good idea if I go finish the laundry and then rustle up some supper for the monkeys...

The Stainless Steel Rat...random thoughts

Any of you who know Carl would easily guess that he was the impetus behind me trying out this series by Harry Harrison. I also need to give Chris my thanks, for it was his review that actually made me pop over to Amazon and pick it up a few months back.

Science fiction is pretty foreign land to me, and I won't pretend to know anything about it. I'm sure there's probably a proper term for the type of science fiction that The Stainless Steel Rat represents, but I couldn't tell you what it is. To me, this book is pure action-adventure. It contains all those things that my uneducated mind associates with science fiction...things like travel around the universe that is as easy as hopping a plane is to us today and robots of all levels of sophistication.

But if I had to pick one single word to describe this book, it would have to fun! Had it been possible, I would have undoubtedly read this in one sitting...I was annoyed every time I had to set it down. It's told in the first person, by our hero/anti-hero, Jim diGriz. He's a crook, though an utterly likeable one, in a universe where crime is nearly non-existent. Nearly. For he is finally caught by the Special Corps, an elite crime-fighting organization, whose head is a brilliant ex-criminal himself. Instead of being imprisoned, however, diGriz is recruited to be an agent for the Special Corps. And why wouldn't they want diGriz...he's intelligent, he's industrious, and he's quite moral in areas where it really counts. And from here, the story only gets better...

What can I say? I just loved this book! As I said, it was just plain fun. Adventure, humor, ingenious schemes...yep, this book has all that and more.

more books for the pile

It's a good thing I'm not one of those people who said they weren't going to get any new books this year until they'd worked through their TBR pile a bit...



And thank heavens for gift cards, Christmas money, and Paperback Swap! But now I'm done! Really! No more buying!

At least until my birthday, that is...

Annie's challenge

I know lots of you are participating in the What's in a Name? Challenge. For which I would like to say a huge thank you, by the way! She is so incredibly excited about all the people who have signed up, and she's particularly happy about all people she "knows" who have joined. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that she posted her first little mini-contest thingie today, so be sure to stop over.

I knew it couldn't last...

the peaceful, easy days, that is. Day 2 didn't go quite as smoothly as Day 1. Minor annoyances, like half a dozen eggs dropped and smashed on the floor and a cactus needle stuck in the thumb. (Is it any wonder that my mom affectionately calls me Grace?) Major patience-trying episodes, like Max's full-blown over-the-top tantrum. Sadness, like the death of one of our sweet, little mice. (Not at all unexpected, as she'd already lived far longer than normal life-expectancy for a mouse, but very sad nonetheless. She was such an incredibly sweet girl.) And worst of all, a hanging-one's-head-in-shame lapse in parental judgment. As much as I hate even admitting that I now sport a large Scarlet B (Bad Mother) on my chest, I do have a reason for it. Because, after I explain, I'm going to ask for your help.

So, what happened? I let Annie read a book that I shouldn't have. I figured it was bound to happen sooner or later. She reads so darn many books, and many of the books she reads are teen/YA books. And in general, I don't have a problem with that...there are so many good books out there in those sections of the library/bookstores. But all of these books are obviously not appropriate for a 10-year-old. I can't possibly read everything before her...she literally reads twice as fast as I do, and has far more time to do it. But I do try to read jacket covers and reviews, etc. to get an idea. But a review doesn't necessarily tell me what I need to know.

But I have to admit that what happened was even worse than one slipping through the cracks. Tithe, by Holly Black, was actually a book I'd read! I remembered the story in general, remembered liking a lot of the faerie aspects while not being overly impressed with the book overall, and even remembered that there was a fair bit of swearing in the book. But there was something I didn't remember. And I should have. She asked me about it, and we had an honest discussion. But she never should have read it to start with. And I let her.

Last night at supper, Annie and I came up with an idea. We thought we'd just ask you. Like I said, the last thing I want to do is stop her from reading YA books altogether. She reads at a very high level (she tested at a high school level all the way back in 2nd grade), so difficultly is not the issue. Maturity is. And since so many of you are such avid readers and have undoubtedly read some of the books we're unsure of in her TBR pile, we were hoping that maybe you could give us some advice.

So, here's the list at this point:
*The Blue Girl and
*Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles de Lint
*The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (though I'm pretty sure I already talked about this one with Nymeth...I know it was her review that sold me on it!)
*The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (though I'm pretty sure it was Jean who recommended this one for Annie...am I right, Jean?)
*Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
*The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Any thoughts on any of these books would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. And thank you, Carl, for the heads up on Blood and Chocolate. (We've set that one aside for a few years.)

Wonder how long it will be before I can remove this big ugly B?


***And by the way, Rich, sorry to inform you this way, but Max wet your side of the bed last night.***

one down, thirteen to go

Survived day one of Rich's absence unscathed. Actually, I think the boys must have been feeling sorry for me or something...they couldn't possibly have been more delightful than they were for most of the day. By supper, the rowdiness level had surpassed comfortable levels. But that may have been my fault...we made monkey bread during the afternoon. And of course, it's a well known fact that massive doses of sugar lead to elevated rowdiness levels, right? The rowdiness continued through bathtime, but I have to admit it could have been worse...I didn't even have to change my clothes afterward. Finally, during our chapter of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, they mellowed a bit.

Gray always feels the need to fight bedtime, partly out of habit and partly out of a true feeling of injustice, I think. But the battle wasn't too bad, especially after my sweet helper, Annie, agreed to go into my room to read. (Gray sleeps on a mattress in our room, because he is petrified of being alone, and of the dark, and of...) Of course, that's when Max reminded me that I said that "maybe" he could sleep in bed with me while Daddy was gone. "Maybe" turned to "yes"...surprise, surprise. So here's who's keeping Rich's side of the bed warm for him in his absence...




On a totally unrelated note:

I have decided to drop out of Becky's Jane Austen Challenge. I know, I know...what a quitter, huh? But I tried. Really I did. I got Sense and Sensibility out of the library last week, and started reading. But I just couldn't get into it. I feel like I really gave it a chance, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I was not enjoying it at all, and figured that there are way too many books I do want to read to make myself suffer through something I didn't like. Not like Jane Austen...I suppose that makes me a heathen, huh?

The Cobra Event...a few random thoughts

I actually started reading this book way back in October during Dewey's 24-hour readathon. But I didn't make that big of dent in it at the time, and though I was enjoying it, I somehow managed to set it aside and move on to other things. But I decided that I really needed to pick it back up and finish it. And I'm very glad I did.

I originally picked up The Cobra Event, by Richard Preston, at a thrift store, because it sounded like a good medical thriller. And it was a good medical thriller...one of the best I've read. You might also call it a crime thriller or a political thriller, as there were definitely elements of all these things.

At times the book was definitely a fast-paced read, but then it would slow you down with what could nearly be called scientific lessons in bioterrorism and genetic engineering. I found these sections fascinating, however. And while on the surface, this may sound a bit disjointed, Preston really made it work overall.

I will say that there are some rather gruesome descriptions in this book. What this bio-engineered virus does to a person is not a pretty sight, so if you read this one, be prepared. And also be prepared to live with a feeling of dread still residing in your gut long after the final pages have been read.



Yeah, another slot filled in on Joy's A-Z Challenge! 2 down, only 50 to go...

and it begins...

My two weeks without my sweetie, that is. Yep, Rich left a little while ago for the airport.

But you know how I've been bemoaning the fact that I'll be stuck with extra duties, especially snow shoveling, while Rich is gone. Well, I must be living right or something. Here in our little piece of the Great Lakes snowbelt, January and February typically bring one to four inches of snow nearly every day. Not many big snows, just small snows that need to be dealt with on a daily basis. But this winter, things seems out of whack. We had far more snow than we normally get in the month of December, but January has been off to a very slow start. And how's this for fortuitous...it's forecast to not only be above freezing for the next few days, but possibly with record-breaking highs near 60 by Tuesday. So scratch all those complaints, at least for the time being.

I suppose I should warn you, for the next two weeks, this blog will probably be filled with photos of my little hooligans. There are no phones at the research center, and no cell phone reception. (There is an emergency number that one can call and leave a message between certain hours of the day...how comforting.) Anyway, at the small library at the compound, there is a computer that supposedly has internet access. So I promised to keep Rich up-to-date with our goings-on right here on my little snippet of the blogosphere.

So, here you go, Rich. A photo of the time you will miss most...when they're all sleeping, deceiving you into believing they're angels!

Alice in Sunderland...random thoughts

My first ever graphic novel. And wow...talk about an eye-opening experience! Not reading a graphic novel before this was not a judgmental choice. I wouldn't even call it a choice, as it was never a conscious decision to not read one. They just never really entered my field of view, if you know what I mean.

But that said, I will admit that I had some seriously off-base preconceived notions about the world of graphic novels. Manga and superheroes...that was as far as it went in my mind. And I have nothing against either manga or superheroes, by the way, but I never felt the need to delve into them. (Though Annie, of course, loves manga. I'm fairly certain Annie has never met a genre she didn't like.)

Anyway, it was Nymeth's wonderful review of Alice in Sunderland
that got me intrigued. So intrigued that I immediately got on our library's website and requested it through inter-library loan. And I must say I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. And frankly, that was a lot of minutes!

Alice in Sunderland is a piece of non-fiction. Bryan Talbot must have spent an unbelievable amount of time researching this work. It is just jam-packed with so much information! In general, it is about Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell and their links to Sunderland in the northeast of the country. But it is so much more...

The history of Sunderland and the surrounding area is explored in wonderful detail. From prehistory to modern day. So much information that I can't claim to have retained more than a fraction of it. Talbot did an incredible job of weaving the stories of a large number of people and events all together into one fascinating book. The familiar names that popped up in this book were numerous, from musicians like The Beatles, Grace Slick, and Marilyn Manson to authors like Neil Gaiman and James Herriot and from artists like Dave McKean and Ralph Steadman to serial murderers like Jack the Ripper and Mary Ann Cotton. Talbot expounded on many of the area's myths (my personal favorite being the Lambton Worm). He even included a brief history of comics.

Talbot explored some of the sights one can see in the area today, both from older times and modern. In fact, if Rich and I ever get to take the England/Scotland trip we dream of taking someday, I will do everything in my power to make sure we can visit the St. Peter's Riverside Sculpture Trail.

And as if my TBR list wasn't long enough already, I wrote down three more titles from the pages of this book that sounded quite interesting.

This truly was a great introduction to the world of graphic novels for me. Thank you Nymeth...I never would have read this if it hadn't been for your review. And I must say, I'm more excited than ever to dive into Dewey's Graphic Novels Challenge.


And hooray...I get to fill in my first slot of Joy's A-Z Challenge now!

a new year begins...

I love the start of a new year. For what it seems to do with my attitude. I tried explaining it in a post last New Year's Day. And I feel the same again this year. I feel this way every new year. Carl's post today sums up my feelings almost to a tee.

Anyway, I've spent the past few days, writing up lists of goals for the new year. ("Resolutions" just sounds too harsh, almost punitive, whereas "goals" sounds much more positive.) Now, being the obsessive list-maker that I am, these lists are quite extensive. I have 12 separate categories, ranging from health to homeschooling and crafts to Christmas. And of course, there's reading goals. Now, I wouldn't dream of boring you with my lists for all of these categories, but I will bore you with my reading goals...

As I was filling up page after page after page with these goals, big and small, it dawned on me that maybe one reason that I'm so addicted to reading challenges is that it gives me a chance to make yet more lists. And look, now I can even make a list of this year's challenges:

*finishing up the Four-Legged Friends Challenge
*finishing up the Unread Authors Challenge
*finishing up the Book Awards Challenge
*the What's in a Name? Challenge
*the Sci-Fi Experience
*the Graphic Novels Challenge
*the Decades Challenge 2008
*the Young Adult Challenge
*the Reading Full Circle Challenge
*the Tolkien/Lewis Challenge
*the Austen/Masterpiece Theater Challenge
*the Celebrate the Author Challenge
*the 1st in a Series Challenge
*the Hometown Challenge
*the Numbers Challenge
*the Mythopoeic Challenge
*the A-Z Challenge
*the Short Story Challenge

You know what...I almost wish I hadn't made that particular list! That is beyond daunting.

Anyway, using all my challenge lists as a guide, I made up a list of what I'd like to read during the month of January:

*finish up Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot
*finish up The Cobra Event by Robert Preston
*Whittington by Alan Armstrong (Four-Legged Friends)
*The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Unread Authors, Full Circle)
*Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (Unread Authors)
*The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Book Awards)
*The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (1st in a Series, Sci-Fi)
*Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM by Robert C. O'Brien (Celebrate the Author)
*a Jane Austen book (Jane Austen/Masterpiece Theater)
*The Giver by Lois Lowry (Decades, homeschool)
*Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Decades)
*Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Numbers)
*Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (YA)
*The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (Graphic Novels)
*War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells(Sci-Fi)
*start The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein (Tolkien/Lewis)
*Grimms Fairy Tales (homeschool)
*The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier (just because)
*Horns & Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson (just because)
*The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman (just because)
*Double Cross by James Patterson (just because)

I know, I know, absolutely ludicrous! I'll be lucky to get a quarter of that list read. So, I'll just call that my pool of books to choose from for January's reading. Yeah, that sounds better, huh?

Hmmm...just think how much I could have gotten read in the time I just spent rambling on here...