a delight and a disappointment

I've got two more books to review for RIP III, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson. So, anyone care to guess which was the delight and which was the disappointment? ;)


The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Okay, so I have to say I feel silly even talking about The Graveyard Book. Everyone and their dog has already read it, reviewed it, read truckloads of other reviews of it, etc. Obviously, not being very insightful or anything, I'm sure I have nothing of importance to add, so I'll just keep it short.

First though, let me just thank Jean once again. She bought me this book while at the National Book Festival meeting the genius, Mr. Gaiman, in person. Isn't she the sweetest? Thanks Jean!

In the unlikely event that there's someone out there that doesn't know what this book is about...in a nutshell, it's a coming-of-age story of a boy whose parents and sister are murdered when he's just a toddler. The boy, Nobody, or Bod, was to be killed as well, but he managed to escape the assassin's grip by inadvertently wandering into a graveyard. And it is in this graveyard that we watch Bod grow up, with the help and guidance of a myriad of dead people. Hmmm...okay, that little summary there just doesn't cut it...so I'm just going to have to strongly suggest that if you are one of the three or four people on the planet who has not yet had the pleasure of savoring this little treasure, you need to change that.

Truly, truly, I adored this book. In some ways, I can't help but want to compare it with Coraline in my mind. I guess that's simply because they are both appropriate for a younger reader. But in actuality, they are quite different experiences. As perfectly, deliciously creepy as Coraline is, it didn't have quite the depth as the The Graveyard Book. Or maybe that's not quite fair to say, maybe it would be closer to the truth to say that I just had a deeper experience with The Graveyard Book. Partly it was the characters, I suppose. Oh, what I wouldn't give to meet some of these characters in real life. Or in real death. Or, yeah, whatever. Two, in particular. Liza Hempstock, a young girl drowned and burned as a witch centuries earlier. And Silas, the man who becomes Bod's guardian. I think he's one of my favorite characters to come along in a book in quite some time. It was somewhat of an added bonus for me that I finished Dracula right before beginning this book.

But it definitely wasn't the characters alone that made this book such a wonderful experience for me. Another thing that I really enjoyed were the little nuggets of wisdom that kept popping out. We're not talking blatant, beat-one-over-the-head type messages or anything. Just little gems thrown in to smile over. Like when Silas tells Bod that he'll ask around and find him some teachers...

Bod was thrilled. He imagined a future in which he could read everything, in which all stories could be opened and discovered.

Or when Bod is asking Silas about suicide...

"Does it work? Are they happier dead?"

"Sometimes. Mostly, no. It's like people who believe they'll be happy if they go and live somewhere else, but who learn it doesn't work that way. Wherever you go, you take yourself with you. If you see what I mean."

Or when Silas is trying to warn Bod that the man who killed his family is still out there...

Bod shrugged. "So?" he said. "It's only death. I mean, all of my best friends are dead."

"Yes." Silas hesitated. "They are. And they are, for the most part, done with the world. You are not. You're alive, Bod. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you change the world, the world will change. Potential. Once you're dead, it's gone. Over. You've made what you've made, dreamed your dream, written your name. You may be buried here, you may even walk. But that potential is finished."

But there's more than that, too. So much more. Things I don't even know how to put in words. Bottom line, it's just a delightfully wonderful story. Bittersweet. Left me bawling my eyes out. And left me with a very warm smile upon my heart.

Okay, I apologize...that wasn't nearly as short as I meant it to be. Anyway, now on to the disappointment...


The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson.

The boys and I saw this book at the store several weeks back, and we all thought it looked quite fun. The Floods are a family of wizards and witches that live in an ordinary old neighborhood in somewhere U.S.A. And they happen to have the family from hell living next door to them. Not literally. No, these neighbors are all too mortal, and we should all thank our lucky stars that they don't live next to us.

The Floods are actually interesting characters, which in a way, makes it even sadder that this book was really just so lack-luster. Wasted potential, I guess. But frankly, I just felt that Thompson tried too hard to be tacky, to be gross, to be funny. And it all just fell flat. I felt like he didn't kids enough credit, like he felt they couldn't appreciate subtlety.

The last book the boys and I read was The Witches by Roald Dahl. (Aside from a plethora of Halloween picture books, that is.) And I suppose it's safe to say that very few books ever could have lived up to that one. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't still look for that sophistication in children's books.

In all fairness, I guess I should mention that the boys enjoyed the book more than I did. They didn't love it, by any means. But they didn't hate it either.

Finally, I need to just mention the one thing I absolutely loved about this book...its artwork! The illustrations are by Crab Scrambly, and let me tell you, they are absolutely fabulous! Oh, if only the story could have lived up to the art...

*****

If you've reviewed either of these books, feel free to leave a link and I'll be happy to add it here. Thanks.

Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot

Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings

Chris at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On

Kim at Bold. Blue. Adventure.

Becky at Becky's Book Reviews

Melody at Melody's Reading Corner

Somer at SomeReads

Rhinoa at Rhinoa's Ramblings

a few of this week's firsts

I should be so excited...it's list-mania day. But I'm just feeling kind of blah (nothing's wrong, just kind of dragging), and it's made it hard to come up with an idea for a list. Decided to just go with a list of firsts from the past few days...

*We watched our first son turn eight-years-old.


*We threw our first snowballs of the season this morning. Not a lot of snow, but enough for snowballs.

*I mailed my first package overseas. (Sorry it's taken me so long, Nymeth!)

*I tried my first 3 Muskateers Mint. Yuck!

*I wrapped my first Christmas presents of the season.

in our neck of the woods...

Last week was a busy one. Busy in different ways than normal busy. Which means that I'm behind in all the normal things. But such is life, right?

*Mom and Dad came up to visit! We had an early birthday celebration for Gray, complete with cake and ice cream. Gray got Papa to watch his new favorite movie, Last Days on Earth, with him. Papa and the kids "dunked cookies"...gingersnaps and milk is a tradition with them (and they even let Grammy and I have a couple gingersnaps this time). Max read to Grammy. Papa and Gray played a lot of chess. Annie and Papa played a game, too, and we're still teasing Annie about how she let Papa take her queen with a pawn. Mom and I gabbed and gabbed and gabbed. Annie performed a mini concert for Grammy. Max and Papa were involved in an awful lot of rough-and-tumble tickling battles. Annie and I took them to lunch before they left the next day. Yep, we all had a great time.




*It was another fantastic week in college football! I'm trying not to "count my chickens" but Penn State is looking so good! And while I hold no illusions for the Dolphins making the play-offs or anything, a win over the Bills sure felt good!

*Baker had a great birthday...silly dog just loves it when we sing "Happy Birthday" to him, joins right in howling. And even more, he LOVES opening presents!


*Annie and I got her blog set up for What's in a Name 2. She picked out all new categories this time around. Hope you'll join us!

And I guess that about covers the highlights of life in our little abode during the past week. This coming week will be another hectic one...first celebrating the 8th birthday of one incredible, compassionate, creative, sensitive, emotional, handsome, intelligent young fellow, and then all the hoopla of Halloween.

Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!

Dracula...random thoughts

Dracula by Bram Stoker.

At the risk of exposing the breadth of my ignorance, I have to say that I honestly knew very little about this book before I read it. Seriously, I knew it was set in Europe and that Count Dracula is a vampire. And thanks to Deslily's review (that I only skimmed because I knew I was about to read the book and didn't want to accidentally learn anything) I knew the story was told through letters and journal entries and the like. Beyond that, nothing. And though I've heard the movie is nothing like the book, I've never seen it anyway. I truly am pathetic, aren't I?

Second admission, while I was actually quite excited to read it, I have to admit I was also a bit reluctant. After my less than wonderful experience with Frankenstein last year, I feared I simply wasn't cut out for the classics of horror.

I'm delighted to say that my fears were unfounded; yes, I was extremely surprised by how much I loved this book. I will admit that it started a bit slow for me, but by the time I hit page 50 or so, I was totally hooked!

The story itself is quite suspenseful. We follow Count Dracula, an aristocratic vampire, from Transylvania to London, England, through the eyes of a Jonathan Harker, a lawyer unlucky enough to have been hired to take care of some legal matters for the Count. In Whitby and London, we meet the rest of the cast of unfortunate people who will eventually take it upon themselves to stop the Count.

But as nail-biting as this tale is, the book offers so much more. The atmospheric elements surround and transport you to the late nineteenth century. From the cliffs at Whitby to the rugged mountain pass in Transylvania, it is a haunting trip back in time. You feel the fog settle around you.

And the characters. From the beautiful, tragic Lucy to the eccentric, brilliant Dr. Van Helsing to the insane, yet very complicated Renfield. Stoker did a wonderful job in bringing these people to life...and beyond.

I realize most people have already read this book, but if you happen to be one of those people, who like me, have been avoiding this book for one reason or another, I strongly recommend you rethink your reluctance. I can definitely understand how Dracula has come to be "a classic".

*****

For more lucid thoughts on Dracula, you may want to try these reviews:

Deslily at Here, There, and Everywhere

Becky at Becky's Book Reviews

Nicki at Fyrefly's Book Blog

If you've reviewed this book, please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it here.

*****


Oh how sad I will be to see RIP III come to an end!

were the heck did fall go?

It seems I blinked and it was gone.

*nearly all the trees are now bare of their leaves (much to the boys' joy!)

*the high may reach the lower 40s today

*the 10-day forecast (which is always so accurate-HA!) is calling for four days, including Halloween, with snow showers

*the stores have Christmas stuff out

Yep, it just went by too fast...

random bookish-ness

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?:

My main port of call for the day is Liberia (The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper).

*****

Tuesday Teasers:

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
-Grab your current read.
-Let the book fall open to a random page.
-Share with us two “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
-You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from.
-Please avoid spoilers!

The undertow in the ocean was fierce, and we tended to stick closer to the lagoon, which--albeit filled with neegees who sucked you in and took you God-knew-where--at least didn't carry you off to the eaten by sharks. The Americans and French and Lebanese, unburdened by such knowledge, took one look at the miles of white sand along our gorgeous oceanfront and headed straight for the crashing waves. (The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper, p. 58)

*****

The Blame Game:

Two points to hand out this week...

One to Eva for recommending The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith. I immediately ordered a used copy, which arrived and is in beautiful shape. Thanks, Eva! Can't wait to get to it!

And one point to Chris. Couldn't help ordering The Bat-Poet by Randall Jarrell from the library after reading Chris's wonderful review. Picked it up yesterday, and am hoping to crack it open today.

*****

And finally, I love NPR! Okay, that doesn't seem to have anything to do with books, but really it does. I can't count how many books I've added to my wish list because of NPR! (And it's not just Nancy Pearl either.) Seriously, I can't imagine packing school lunches without Morning Edition or cooking supper without All Things Considered. Anyway, what brought this to mind today, was an interview this very morning on Morning Edition...an interview with Helene Cooper, author of the very book, The House at Sugar Beach, that I happen to reading at the moment. It's really a wonderful book. And if you'd like to hear the interview, it's right here. It's just the fabulous kind of surprise that NPR so often seems to deliver.

in our neck of the woods...

Well, I got "off-schedule" last week because of the read-a-thon, and as my parents are coming up later this week, I may find myself off-schedule again. But I'll give it a go. So, what went on in our lives last week?

*For Annie and I, the read-a-thon dominated the week. From preparation to participation to recovering. Not sure the recovering is quite complete yet. We both had a fabulous time, got a lot of great reading done, and earned some money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

*Rich, Gray, and Max headed off on a boys' weekend. And, according to one and all, had a wonderful time. Rich taught his Friday morning class, picked the boys up early from school, and then they headed off for coastal Maine. They arrived Friday evening, hit the beach in the morning, then headed down to New Hampshire to visit a tidal pool.





*Max has learned to ride his bike! (Unfortunately, he caught us all off guard and no one had the camera.)

*Lucky continues making himself at home. His craziness is growing by leaps and bounds, literally and figuratively. One hour he's waking you by attacking your feet, the next hour he's waking you by rubbing his face against yours in order to get some pets. Even Aldo has fully excepted him now.

*Our glorious Indian summer has come to an end, and our lows are back to the 30s (and a few times upper 20s). I know it's that time of year, but somehow it just feels too early.

*Penn State is continuing to keep us happy! Of course, this week will be their real test.

read-a-thon update 12

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 120 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 5 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 75 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 81 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: nothing


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 910 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 315 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 215 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 698 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty, Rotel dip and chips

--Drink: three large mugs of coffee, 2 glasses of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Well, I napped for 65 minutes, then got back up to finish out the last two hours. Glad I did! But I wish I'd have gotten up 15 minutes earlier, because then I would have finished my book. I've got 9 pages to go.
*Thanks again to everyone who dropped in and cheered Annie and I on. It truly meant a lot to us!
*And while I'm very happy to have put 698 pages to rest, I'm still a bit envious of Annie who knocked out a little over twice that.

read-a-thon update 11

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 20 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 30 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 0 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 14 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: nothing


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 790 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 310 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 140 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 617 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty, Rotel dip and chips

--Drink: three large mugs of coffee, 2 glasses of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Well, I managed to go just a wee bit longer.
*And Annie informed me that one only had to read for one full hour of RIP to qualify. Guess I could have gone to bed long ago, huh?
*But now I think I really am going to hit the sack. At least for a little bit.
*Good luck to everyone!!!

read-a-thon update 10

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 40 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 25 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 0 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 40 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: nothing


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 770 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 280 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 140 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 603 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty, Rotel dip and chips

--Drink: three large mugs of coffee, 2 glasses of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*I am so disappointed with myself, but I fear I'm off to nap. Just an hour left in Carl's mini-challenge, but I just can't do it. :( Annie's going strong though...maybe she'll win and I can borrow the books from her. ;)

read-a-thon update 9

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 75 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 30 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 15 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 56 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: Rotel dip and tortilla chips

--Drink: a glass of Coke



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 730 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 255 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 140 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 583 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty, Rotel dip and chips

--Drink: three large mugs of coffee, 2 glasses of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Man, I am so tired! Reading the same sentence half a dozen times and still having no clue what it says kind of tired. I hate to nap now...I so want a chance to win Carl's mini-challenge, but I'm not sure if I've got it in me. We'll see...

read-a-thon update 8

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 100 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 45 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 5 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 88 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: another one of those insanely large mugs of coffee, well most of a mug...I managed to spill some...this whole tired thing is getting to me


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 655 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 225 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 125 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 527 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty

--Drink: three large mugs of coffee, a glass of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Felt like I got in some good reading there, but now I'm getting drowsy again. Think I'll be fixing a snack to start Carl's RIP mini-challenge. I've got a problem though...I'm really sucked into the book I'm reading, but I'm not quite sure if it fits RIP standards. It's pretty much about dueling psychotic serial killers...think that counts?

read-a-thon update 7

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 55 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 25 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 55 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 44 pages

--What I read: Still reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: nothing


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 555 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 180 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 120 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 439 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Reading Double Cross by James Patterson.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee, a glass of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Confession time...I slept for about 35 minutes. I found myself reading the same paragraph over and over and over again. Figured it was better to just give in and nap for a few. Hope that will tide me over to the end, but I don't know...it's still awfully early!
*The rest of my "other" time was spent talking to my boys! They called from the hotel. Oh, they did this old mommy a world of good. "Mom! We saw this crab, and while we were looking at it a big wave came, and we didn't see it, and it got us, and we got all wet, and it was really cold there, but we didn't see any sea urchins..." Oh, the excitement was just priceless!
*I just have to say how totally incredible all you cheerleaders, official and unofficial, are!!! Hope you know how appreciated you are!

read-a-thon update 6

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 90 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 30 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 20 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 78 pages

--What I read: Started Double Cross by James Patterson. I just wasn't up for starting something else that was going to make all emotional, so I went with a book that I knew would be quick, easy, and suspenseful...but wouldn't have me crying.

Down the hatch:

--Food: three pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty

--Drink: 2 glasses of ice water


Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 500 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 155 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 65 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 395 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies, 3 pieces of frozen pizza, a mini peppermint patty

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee, a glass of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea, 2 glasses of ice water


Miscellaneous comments:
*Glad I left the Penn State game on after all!
*Am regretting the decision to post how much I'm eating.

read-a-thon update 5

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 130 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 20 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 10 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 90 pages

--What I read: Finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: an M&M cookie

--Drink: a huge mug of hot tea



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 410 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 125 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 45 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 317 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, 2 M&M cookies

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee, a glass of Coke, a huge mug of hot tea


Miscellaneous comments:
*Trying to compose myself after finishing The Graveyard Book. It was wonderful beyond words, but left me just bawling like a baby.
*Should confess that I've turned the TV on, sans sound, because I can't bear to not know how Penn State is doing. Well, if things don't turn around soon, I may just be able to turn it off. :(
*My daughter is utterly blowing me away in the amount she's getting read. Not fair! Yes, that was said in an incredibly whiny, petulant voice.

read-a-thon update 4

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 60 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 15 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 15 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 227 pages

--What I read: Still reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: two soft pretzels and an M&M cookie

--Drink: a glass of Coke



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 280 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 105 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 35 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 172 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake, 2 soft pretzels, an M&M cookie

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee, a glass of Coke


Miscellaneous comments:
This book is sooooo damn good!

read-a-thon update 3

Since last post:

Time spent (since last update):

--Reading: 60 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 25 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 5 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 50 pages

--What I read: Still reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: nothing



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 220 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 90 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 20 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 172 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee


Miscellaneous comments:

read-a-thon update 2

Since last post:

Time spent:

--Reading: 100 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 65 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 10 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 79 pages

--What I read: Still reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake

--Drink: one insanely large mug of coffee



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 160 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 65 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 15 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 122 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: piece of raspberry coffeecake

--Drink: two large mugs of coffee


Miscellaneous comments:
Trying not to get discouraged about how few pages I'm getting read.

mini challenge #1 (read-a-thon)

The get-acquainted read-a-thon meme:

*Where are you reading from today?
My wonderful husband left yesterday with the boys. As they did for the very first read-a-thon, they headed off to the ocean...New Hampshire and Maine, to be more precise. This has left Annie and I the house to ourselves to read in peace. Well, as much peace as a myriad of furry four-legged friends will allow. (Which is a great deal more peace than two young boys would allow!)

*3 facts about me...
Number 1: I'm a horrendously slow reader. My daughter will undoubtedly read twice as many pages as I do during the read-a-thon.
Number 2: I'm also horrendously slow on the computer (and our computer's slow lately as well), which means my reading time will be cut even shorter.
Number 3: I eat horrendously poorly during these read-a-thons. I try not to, but somehow junk food just pulls me into its clutches, especially during the night.
--Hmmm...these three facts have pretty just labeled me horrendous, haven't they?

*How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
If I just counted correctly, 35. Plus a couple of graphic novels. Plus a stack of short story anthologies. Plus a couple of very short, almost picture book type books. Plus a book of poetry. Look, a woman's got to have options, right?

*Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Not really. I've decided to just go with the flow. I'd love to get a lot read, but I know how much time the computer eats up during this 24 hour stretch. So my plan is to simply have fun!

*If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I am a veteran, but as far as advice goes, I can't think of anything you probably haven't heard a hundred times already.

and here we go... (read-a-thon update #1)

I combined all the computer stuff, because there's so much overlap. I added the food/beverages category in hopes that having to post it would keep me from over-indulging!

Since last post:

Time spent:

--Reading: 60 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 0

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 5 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 43 pages

--What I read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Read the first chapter of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: one insanely large mug of coffee



Cumulatively:

Time spent:

--Reading: 60 minutes

--On computer (blogging, commenting/cheering, mini-challenges): 0 minutes

--Other (pet care, cooking, etc.): 5 minutes

Between the covers:

--Number of pages: 43 pages.

--What I've read: Finished last 10 pages of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Started The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Down the hatch:

--Food: nothing

--Drink: one large mug of coffee


Miscellaneous comments:
So far, so good.

almost there...

Just minutes to go...

I had hoped to sleep in until 7:00am, but not surprisingly, I just couldn't. But getting up at 5:30 had its advantages. I managed to shower and put on my most comfy-cozy pair of pajamas (something so wonderfully decadent about dressing in pjs for the day, isn't there?), get all the animals (including Annie and I) fed, and even almost finished Dracula. Since I still have in the neighborhood of 10 pages left, that's where I'll be starting this morning. After that, who knows...

Wishing all the read-a-thon-ers much luck and even more fun today!

And a huge, huge THANK YOU to Dewey!

a ghoulish giveaway

Want a chance to win a big batch of wonderfully eerie books? Then head over to Dewey's post. Oh man, I really want to win this one...and I'm sure a lot of you will feel the same!

And hey, if you haven't already done it, why don't you sign up for the read-a-thon while you're over there?

You've helped me narrow my choices...

...but not my much! Thank you all for playing along...I had so much fun with this! I was so amazed by the variety of sentences that appealed to people. Very interesting, but I'm afraid my pile didn't get a lot smaller. ;)

I could also tell by some of the comments that many of you knew just what books many of these first lines came from. Yes, I mention that because I'm mighty impressed.

Also, a few asked that I reveal all the books after we finished. So here we go. The bold titles are the ones you chose for me to leave in my "potential reads" pile.

1. Angus, our one-year-old, was busy smearing a mixture of scrambled eggs and peach yogurt in his hair and under his shirt when the phone rang. (Flushed: How the Plumber Saved Civilization by W. Hodding Carter)

2. When Dante Cazabon used his shoulder to open the double doors of the kitchen, he was concentrating on the mountain of soup bowls he carried on a tray in front of him. (The Hollow People by Brian Keaney)

3. Dinnie, an overweight enemy of humanity, was the worst violinist in New York, but was practicing gamely when two cute little fairies stumbled through his fourth-floor window and vomited on the carpet. (The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar)

4. This is my favorite book in the world, though I have never read it. (The Princess Bride by William Goldman)

5. Diagramming sentences is one of those lost skills, like darning socks or playing the sackbut, that no one seems to miss. (Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences by Kitty Burns Florey)

6. There had been no warning. (First Evidence by Ken Goddard)

7. For decades, Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, and Federal Way depended on the Pac HiWay for their commercial sustenance, entertainment, and transportation to either Seattle or Tacoma. (Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule)

8. It was in the year 1046, on a cold winter's night, when a fog, thick as wool and dank as a dead man's hand, crept up from the River Scrogg into the ancient town of Fulworth. (The Book without Words by Avi)

9. Charles Monet was a loner. (The Hot Zone by Richard Preston)

10. Imo set out one day to catch some fish, but there was no sea. (Nation by Terry Pratchett)

11. Today is the first day of winter, I believe. (ZenZele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire)

12. There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife. (The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman)

13. A midwestern town. (Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge)

14. No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. (The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson)

15. The hooded figure stood motionless on Pennsylvania Avenue facing the White House. (The Strand Prophecy by J.B.B. Winner)

16. Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a rabbit who was made almost entirely of china. (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo)

17. It is my first morning of high school. (Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson)

18. Rain lashed through the hellishly hot Saharan sky, hurling itself groundward with chaotic fury only to evaporate before it made contact with the drying earth. (Category 7 by Bill Evans and Marianna Jameson)

19. The ambulance came bobbing out of the Mercy Medical Center parking lot and swung south on Pine Street, its blue and red lights just winking dots in the bright noon sunshine and the siren echoing away into the cloudless blue vault of the sky. (Three Days to Never by Tim Powers)

20. It was the autumn of 1981 and I'd been asked by my paper the Leinster News to do an article on folklore and changing ways in Ireland, a chance I jumped at, availing myself of the opportunity to return home to Slievenageeha, which I hadn't been to visit in years. (Winterwood by Patrick McCabe)

21. My sweater was new, stinging red and ugly. (Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn)

22. They say winter in the Northlands can chill the skin right off your bones. (Northlander by Meg Burden)

23. When I was little, my uncle Pete had a necktie with a porcupine painted on it. (Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli)

24. "Come on David." (Rules by Cynthia Lord)

25. At the time of his formal sentencing in Alexandria, Virgina, for eleven known murders, the former FBI agent and pattern killer Kyle Craig, known as the Mastermind, was lectured and condescended to by U.S. District Judge Nina Wolff. (Double Cross by James Patterson)

26. "Let's get this party started, already!" Sabrina complained under her breath as she rubbed the charley horse in her leg. (The Unusual Suspects by Michael Buckley)

27. In Generica, Kansas, Christmas wasn't something you felt in the chill of the winter air or the warmth of a generous smile. (Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go by Dale E. Basye)

28. The main difference between school and prison is that prisons release you early for good behavior. (Iris, Messenger by Sarah Deming)

29. Later, while I was facing the Potter Moth, or fleeing for my life from the First Ones, or helping man a cannon aboard Jack Havock's brig Sophronia, I would often think back to the way my life used to be, and to the last afternoon at Larklight, before all our misfortunes began. (Larklight by Philip Reeve)

30. I once believed that life was a gift. (Green Angel by Alice Hoffman)

31. It was 7 minutes after midnight. (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon)

32. I was born in this house, and grew up here. (The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa)

33. Ten years ago, when I was living in a small flat above an off-licence in SW1, I learned that the big house next door had been bought by the wife of the dictator of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza Debayle. (The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey by Salman Rushdie)

34. It is August 1854, and London is a city of scavengers. (The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson)

35. I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped. (The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks)

36. "Where to?" (Wolves of the Crescent Moon by Yousef Al-Mohaimeed)

37. When the blind man arrived in the city, he claimed that he had traveled across a desert of living sand. (The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier)

38. They promised me nine years of safety but only gave me three. (Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess)

39. An owl called, its shuddering hoots repeating mournfully in the distance. (Gossamer by Lois Lowry)

40. The sun sets in the west (just about everyone knows that), but Sunset Towers faces east. (The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin)

41. The week before I left my family and Florida and the rest of my minor life to go to boarding school in Alabama, my mother insisted on throwing me a going-away party. (Looking for Alaska by John Green)

42. Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance? (The Reluctant Fandamentalist by Mohsin Hamid)

43. Rats! (The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett)

Oh man, any idea how hard it was to NOT just keep reading beyond the sentence in many of those books?!! Anyway, I thank you all so much for playing along! The sad thing for me is that I'm such a slow reader, I'll only manage to finish two or three books during the whole 24 hours. But then, on the bright side, I probably wouldn't be finishing any of them without the read-a-thon.

Anyone who hasn't yet signed up...it's not to late! Saturday's the big day, so don't miss out! Hop over here and add your name to the fun!

my day to indulge

I can already tell Wednesday is going to be one of my favorite days with this new blogging schedule of mine...list-mania day! What is it about making a list that's so gratifying anyway?!! If I had nothing else to "list" I swear I'd probably end up doing things like itemizing my clothes by dresser drawer or making alphabetized lists of my favorites soups. Luckily, it hasn't come to that yet.

Well, my planned list for today was my "potential reads" pile for the read-a-thon. By the way, you have signed up for the read-a-thon, haven't you? I'm serious...you DO NOT want to miss it!

Well, as has happened in the past, I've just got myself so dang excited about the whole idea of spending 24 hours reading, that I made myself a pile of massive proportions. Now a big pile of choices is good...want to be prepared for any mood, after all. But I think I surpassed the point of "reasonableness" by a mile. I've just been going through my current stacks and grabbing everything that appeals to me. Books go in and books come out. But far more go in.

So, I'm asking for your help in weeding it down a bit. Inspired by Dewey's latest Weekly Geeks theme, I've decided to post the first sentence from each book I've got in the pile. No, you don't have to know what book they're from. In fact, even if you do, try to ignore that fact. Instead, I just want to know which sentences intrigue you. Which ones sounds like they might be worthy of read-a-thon status? In the comments, just leave me the numbers of the ones you think I should leave in the pile. Thanks! (I should probably mention, or maybe I shouldn't, that in addition to these I have a few graphic novels and books of short stories in my pile.) Anyway, here we go...

1. Angus, our one-year-old, was busy smearing a mixture of scrambled eggs and peach yogurt in his hair and under his shirt when the phone rang.

2. When Dante Cazabon used his shoulder to open the double doors of the kitchen, he was concentrating on the mountain of soup bowls he carried on a tray in front of him.

3. Dinnie, an overweight enemy of humanity, was the worst violinist in New York, but was practicing gamely when two cute little fairies stumbled through his fourth-floor window and vomited on the carpet.

4. This is my favorite book in the world, though I have never read it.

5. Diagramming sentences is one of those lost skills, like darning socks or playing the sackbut, that no one seems to miss.

6. There had been no warning.

7. For decades, Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, and Federal Way depended on the Pac HiWay for their commercial sustenance, entertainment, and transportation to either Seattle or Tacoma.

8. It was in the year 1046, on a cold winter's night, when a fog, thick as wool and dank as a dead man's hand, crept up from the River Scrogg into the ancient town of Fulworth.

9. Charles Monet was a loner.

10. Imo set out one day to catch some fish, but there was no sea.

11. Today is the first day of winter, I believe.

12. There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.

13. A midwestern town.

14. No live organism can ontinue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.

15. The hooded figure stood motionless on Pennsylvania Avenue facing the White House.

16. Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a rabbit who was made almost entirely of china.

17. It is my first morning of high school.

18. Rain lashed through the hellishly hot Saharan sky, hurling itself groundward with chaotic fury only to evaporate before it made contact with the drying earth.

19. The ambulance came bobbing out of the Mercy Medical Center parking lot and swung south on Pine Street, its blue and red lights just winking dots in the bright noon sunshine and the siren echoing away into the cloudless blue vault of the sky.

20. It was the autumn of 1981 and I'd been asked by my paper the Leinster News to do an article on folklore and changing ways in Ireland, a chance I jumped at, availing myself of the opportunity to return home to Slievenageeha, which I hadn't been to visit in years.

21. My sweater was new, stinging red and ugly.

22. They say winter in the Northlands can chill the skin right off your bones.

23. When I was little, my uncle Pete had a necktie with a porcupine painted on it.

24. "Come on David."

25. At the time of his formal sentencing in Alexandria, Virgina, for eleven known murders, the former FBI agent and pattern killer Kyle Craig, known as the Mastermind, was lectured and condescended to by U.S. District Judge Nina Wolff.

26. "Let's get this party started, already!" Sabrina complained under her breath as she rubbed the charley horse in her leg.

27. In Generica, Kansas, Christmas wasn't something you felt in the chill of the winter air or the warmth of a generous smile.

28. The main difference between school and prison is that prisons release you early for good behavior.

29. Later, while I was facing the Potter Moth, or fleeing for my life from the First Ones, or helping man a cannon aboard Jack Havock's brig Sophronia, I would often think back to the way my life used to be, and to the last afternoon at Larklight, before all our misfortunes began.

30. I once believed that life was a gift.

31. It was 7 minutes after midnight.

32. I was born in this house, and grew up here.

33. Ten years ago, when I was living in a small flat above an off-licence in SW1, I learned that the big house next door had been bought by the wife of the dictator of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza Debayle.

34. It is August 1854, and London is a city of scavengers.

35. I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped.

36. "Where to?"

37. When the blind man arrived in the city, he claimed that he had traveled across a desert of living sand.

38. They promised me nine years of safety but only gave me three.

39. An owl called, its shuddering hoots repeating mournfully in the distance.

40. The sun sets in the west (just about everyone knows that), but Sunset Towers faces east.

41. The week before I left my family and Florida and the rest of my minor life to go to boarding school in Alabama, my mother insisted on throwing me a going-away party.

42. Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance?

43. Rats!

So, which ones would keep you reading?

Edited to add:

Annie liked this idea, so she did the same thing on her blog. She'd love it if some of you would help her weed down her pile as well.

Tuesday's book hodge-podge

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?:

Afraid to say, I haven't moved around much over the last week. I'm still in London, trying to figure out what to do about that evil Count. (Dracula) Though Galileo just died, I still haven't left Italy. (The Scientists) I'm outside Petersburg, VA, feeling pretty miserable in this labyrinth of trenches. (The Civil War) And I just arrived in Liberia at a gorgeous home outside of Monrovia. (The House at Sugar Beach)

Tuesday Teasers:

I always enjoy reading Melody's passages when she plays this, so I thought I'd join in today. After all, it fits in so perfectly on Tuesday's schedule. The "rules" set forth by our hostess at Should Be Reading, are as follows:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

From Dracula by Bram Stoker:

"There are such being as vampires; some of us have evidence that they exist. Even had we not the proof of our own unhappy experience, the teachings and the records of the past give proof enough for sane peoples...."

The Blame Game:

Only one point to award this week. I finally picked up a copy of Nation by Terry Pratchett last week. How could one not feel compelled to read it after Nymeth's incredible review?!! So yep, point to Nymeth.

in our neck of the woods...

*We're enjoying an absolutely glorious Indian summer.

*College football is treating us mighty fine this season. I know it only leads to heartache to get one's hopes too high, but oh my, how my alma mater Penn State is giving us a lot to cheer about so far.

*Rich took Annie and Gray to the Corn Maze on Saturday. Behavioral issues precluded Max and I from going. :(

























*I can't seem to finish a book to save my life these days. Maybe if I'd stop starting new ones...
On another sad book-related note, I'm afraid there's no way our "reading room" will be ready in time for the read-a-thon. But you know what, who cares where we'll be reading, right?

*Forgot to do a short story post yesterday, but hey, there's always next week...

that damn six random things meme

Oh okay, I shouldn't be so negative here. I actually love that meme...when anyone else does it, that is! I really do think it's so fun to read these bits and pieces about everyone. As for me, well, I've been tagged to do it before...and conveniently "forgot" to do it. Honestly, it's just that I am so truly boring that I can't think of anything to say. And please, please, please, don't tell me I'm not boring...I'm really not looking for that. Believe me, I'm living it...I know I'm boring! Anyway, this time it was Annie that tagged me...and she won't let me conveniently forget.

I thought maybe I would try to spice it up by using pictures, each of which was taken in my bedroom today. And you can tell me what you think any or all of them say about me. At the bottom, I'll tell you what they're really about. (Yeah, I know, this was absolutely a pathetic attempt at "spicing up," wasn't it?)






*********

So, what do I think they say about me?

1. Picture of my favorite pair of shoes. First, it shows that I have really big feet! They didn't use to be quite so large, but grew a half a size with each kiddo. I hear that's not uncommon. Secondly, they say that I totally dress for comfort. I am definitely not much for fashion. Hmmm...so why do I love Project Runway so much?

2. Picture of about half of my current TBR pile. Well, it definitely says that I need to learn a little self-discipline when it comes to buying books!

3. Picture of a totally goofy little plastic jack-a-lope. Evidence that I'm totally sentimental. I know it's tacky plastic figurine. But I absolutely love it! It sat in my grandparents' basement for as long as I can remember. They loved traveling in their camper, and this was a silly souvenir from one of their trips. I miss them soooo much.

4. Picture of a really old ladder that hangs on our wall as shelves. The fact that I love it points to the fact that I would fail horribly if I ever decided to enter the interior design field. Also shows how much I love handmade things, like the little scoop that Rich made for me the first Christmas we were married.

We Have Always Live in the Castle...random thoughts

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.

In this experimental schedule thing, I've set Thursday aside for book reviews. So it's a really good thing I never got around to reviewing this book before my little blogging break. Otherwise, I'd have nothing to review, because I can't seem to finish any books lately. :(

On the other hand, I wish I didn't have to review this book...because frankly, I just don't know how. I truly adored this little book, but I cannot figure out how to talk about it. (You have no idea how tempting it is to just link up Eva's and Nymeth's reviews and call it good. After all, they are responsible for putting me in this position!)

While very short, at just over two hundred pages, this book packs a punch. I found it to be quite a unique little read, and maybe that's why I'm having trouble putting my thoughts into words.

Merricat Blackwood, her sister Constance, and their Uncle Julian have been living a life of near total isolation for the past six years. Though one discovers why fairly early in the story, I still don't want to give that away here. As reader, you know all is not right with this family...you can just feel it. In fact, the whole feeling of this book is so delightfully, yet subtly, eerie.

Merricat's perspective, from which this story is told, is so utterly unique. There is something "off" with Merricat, yet I found myself very drawn to her. She exudes a childlike innocence, and yet you know there is more going on with her. And the powerful love between these sisters is undeniable. In so many ways, they view their life as nearly idyllic. But of course, it can't last...

I find myself full of little bits and pieces of things I'd like to say about this book, but can't seem to find a way to organize them coherently without giving too much away. Let me just share the first paragraph of the book...if it doesn't totally grab you, then maybe this book just isn't for you.

My name is Mary Katherine Blackwood. I am eighteen years old, and I live with my sister Constance. I have often thought that with any luck at all I could have been born a werewolf, because the two middle fingers on both my hands are the same length, but I have had to be content with what I had. I dislike washing myself, and dogs, and noise. I like my sister Constance, and Richard Plantagenet, and Amanita phalloides, the death-cup mushroom. Everyone else in my family is dead.

*****

If for some reason that passage didn't sell you, you really should go check out both Eva's and Nymeth's reviews. (In fact, I'm going to have to go back and read them again to remind myself of just how beautifully they managed it!)

Eva at A Striped Armchair
(By the way, Eva was very kind, and let's one know where to stop reading her review if planning to read the book. I'm very glad I took her advice at the time!)
Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot
(I am so glad I just reread her review, because it turns out she was wonderfully able to put into words one of the things I really wanted to talk about, but couldn't figure out how. It's the part about it being so incredibly sad. Yep, definitely go read her review!)

And if there's anyone else out there with a review of this book, feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll be sure to add it here. Thanks.

*****


Hard to believe, but I actually officially finished a challenge! But I most definitely haven't finished reading for RIP!

*****

And totally unrelated:
--I hate it, but I finally decided I just couldn't catch up and clicked the old "mark all as read" button again. That's such a painful thing to do, isn't it?

--As far as "the schedule" goes, Thursdays are also the day we announce the week's point-winners for Annie's vocabulary game over on our homeschooling blog. There's still plenty of time to join in this quarter's game. :)

--Also, as far as "the schedule" goes, Fridays are to be another book review day (so this week, I'll be silent) and they are to be my day to update our goings-on on the homeschool blog.

--Yeah, I know all this "scheduling" talk makes for riveting reading...HA! Don't worry, I'll be done announcing my plans by Monday. :)

and on the schedule for today...

If all goes according to plan (yeah, like how often does that ever happen...), Wednesdays are for list-mania. (It's also my day to update my 50x50 blog, but unless you're in need of an effective cure for insomnia, I'm thinking that doesn't hold a lot of interest for anyone but myself.) But, back to the list thing, most weeks this will probably mean "good stuff" posts. But not today. Instead, I'm "borrowing" from the lovely Nymeth. A few days back, she did a meme-ish thingie for Banned Books Week. And despite the fact that Banned Book Week is now officially over for this year, I decided to do it anyway. (Gee, I'm such a rebel...HA!) I always love reading these kinds of lists on blogs and seeing what everyone has read. I'm usually too embarrassed to do them myself because of how few I've read. But I decided that embarrassment is highly overrated, and I'm just going to play along anyway. (Besides, this may be the first list of books where I've actually read more than 10% of them.) Anyway, the idea is simply to go through the ALA’s list of the 100 most frequently challenged books from 1990-2000 and mark the ones you've read.

#1 Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
#2 Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
#3 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
#4 The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
#5 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
#6 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
#7 Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling (not sure if I should count this one or not as I haven't read the entire series yet)
#8 Forever by Judy Blume
#9 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
#10 Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
#11 Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
#12 My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
#13 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
#14 The Giver by Lois Lowry
#15 It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
#16 Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
#17 A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
#18 The Color Purple by Alice Walker
#19 Sex by Madonna
#20 Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel (again, not sure if I should really count this, as I only read the first one)
#21 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
#22 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
#23 Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
#24 Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
#25 In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
#26 The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
#27 The Witches by Roald Dahl
#28 The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
#29 Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
#30 The Goats by Brock Cole
#31 Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
#32 Blubber by Judy Blume
#33 Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
#34 Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
#35 We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
#36 Final Exit by Derek Humphry
#37 The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
#38 Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
#39 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
#40 What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
#41 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
#42 Beloved by Toni Morrison
#43 The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
#44 The Pigman by Paul Zindel
#45 Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
#46 Deenie by Judy Blume
#47 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
#48 Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
#49 The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
#50 Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
#51 A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
#52 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
#53 Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
#54 Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
#55 Cujo by Stephen King
#56 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
#57 The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
#58 Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
#59 Ordinary People by Judith Guest
#60 American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
#61 What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
#62 Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
#63 Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
#64 Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
#65 Fade by Robert Cormier
#66 Guess What? by Mem Fox
#67 The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
#68 The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
#69 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
#70 Lord of the Flies by William Golding
#71 Native Son by Richard Wright
#72 Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
#73 Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
#74 Jack by A.M. Homes
#75 Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
#76 Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
#77 Carrie by Stephen King
#78 Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
#79 On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
#80 Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
#81 Family Secrets by Norma Klein
#82 Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
#83 The Dead Zone by Stephen King
#84 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
#85 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
#86 Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
#87 Private Parts by Howard Stern
#88 Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
#89 Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
#90 Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
#91 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
#92 Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
#93 Sex Education by Jenny Davis
#94 The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
#95 Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
#96 How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
#97 View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
#98 The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
#99 The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
#100 Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier