A Bookish Weekend

Last week, this quote showed up on my Facebook Newsfeed, attributed to Rob Pattinson. Being Team Jacob, I was quite sure he never said this. And if he did, it was because a movie script told him to. I did eventually find the source, which was not Rob. Regardless, I really liked it.

"If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours, but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are. Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads."

Most of you know by now that I went to Orlando, FL last weekend for Book Bash. It was quite an interesting event. Basically, a whole lot of really cool people who write books all came to one central place, and fans could meet them, get autographs, and have their picture taken with the cool people. I think maybe the coolest part was meeting other fans...some of which you met through Facebook groups or Goodreads groups or from Amazon reviews.



I'll admit that there were some things about the event I didn't like, but overall, I would attend another of these events. In fact, in 2014, there will be two almost in my backyard: Minneapolis and Chicago. If anyone wants to join me, let me know!

Here are a few more pictures of the room, layout, and crowd.

If anyone wants to learn more about the event, the website is still up. Or, you can follow them on Facebook. There were professional photographers there, and we've been told the photos and videos will appear on the Facebook page when they are ready.

The gift of music

Music and books...books and music. These are the things keeping me sane right now. Things at work are beyond ridiculous, but I guess that's nothing new. For the most part, I've been plugged in from the minute I punch in until the minute I punch out. I've been trying to keep up to date on all the new albums coming out this summer (Skillet, 5FDP), as well as trying to listen to bands I get to hear at RockFest next month.

However, I bought a new album yesterday that I am in fucking love with! It's the latest from Black Veil Brides. It's not like it came out yesterday new, but new this year, and new to me. Where the hell have they been all my life? Vocally, they don't really sound like anyone I can compare them to. They sound like another typical rock band. Not that that's bad... Musically, I think they sound like Dream Theater, which is an awesome compliment if you ask me. This album I picked up tells a story, and there aren't really breaks between songs...which reminds of Coheed and Cambria. Did I also mention there are some amazing orchestral pieces (piano, violin, cello)? Apocolyptica anyone?

Anyway...awesome. See if YouTube has their song "In The End" and check it out.

Every now and then I get so annoyed that the only thing that will make me feel better is Metallica's "One" live or anything involving David Draimen. I'll just be sitting at work, stewing in my rage about whatever happened that particular hour, and I hear David singing this to me:

I've spent a lifetime planning out your destruction...

Wow. It always makes me smile. Why? Because I plot destruction multiple times a day. Could mean anything.

I haven't done much of a book blog lately, and I apologize. I am marathoning through my TBR list before I hit Orlando in 2 weeks. (Holy shit...2 weeks? I don't think I'm halfway through my list yet!) I will say that after a few weeks of constant book "duds," I think I turned the corner last week. I read the first two books in the Love Me With Lies series (Tarryn Fisher), and last night I finished the first book in the Existence series (Abbi Glines). I believe only the first two books are out now for that first series, but the Existence series has 2-3 more books released. Once Orlando has come and gone, I'm definitely going to pick those up. I miss me some good teenage paranormal angst. This morning I started The Ivy Lessons by J. Lerman. I am only 4% through it, so no review as of yet.

Well, I have powered down all electronics in preparation for the storm, and all items have been checked off the to-do list. So, I'm going to curl up with my puppy and my Kindle and call it a night.

Post Memorial Day update

What's the worst thing about a long vacation? Coming back to work, of course!
Ugh...I did not want to put on real pants and drag my sorry ass to work today. As I said to my neighbor yesterday, "I sorta like this not working thing." Guess I need a sugar daddy, huh? Actually, I had one of those. They're not all they're cracked up to be. Never mind.

Well, the long weekend was productive but probably not as much as I would have liked. I had a migraine on and off (yes, somehow that is possible) Friday and Saturday. Conveniently, those were the two nicest weather days of the long weekend. So, I would spend like an hour or two on a project and need a nap. It pretty much sucked and zapped a lot of my energy, but that's what a vacation is for, right? I just went with it. It's hard to fight your body.

I managed to get some errands run, patio blocks laid so that I stop driving over my grass when pulling into the driveway, and I did manage to get that darn exhaust fan replaced in the bathroom. (Oh, and I fell out of the attic and did huge damage to my body. This is the only time it will be discussed.) However, as expected, the best part of my weekend was Fast and the Furious 6. Holy amazeballs! I know it's not much of a plot or complex story, but I do like fast cars, hot men, and chick fights. Who doesn't, right? And the spoiler to #7 - which apparently was leaked all over the Google machine for months and I missed it - blew my friggin' mind! I'm so excited there is already a release date for it, and it's not when I'm 50. Hell, these two movies will be out, done, and over before even half of the Hunger Games movies are released!

Otherwise, I laid low and just tried to get some stuff off my never-ending to-do list. I didn't get to everything; who actually gets to everything, though, right? The one thing I really need to get done is my author signing cards for Book Bash in Orlando. It's one month from Saturday, so I must stop procrastinating. Good thing it looks to be another slow week at work as a good portion can be done with a computer, internet access, and time.

I read two books over the weekend, and they were books 1 and 2 in a series. Another bunch of book duds! I am, like, 0-10 lately. I'll post those titles in a separate blog later. My book goals have slightly changed for the next 30 days. As I compile my spreadsheet and start doing my signing cards, I am going to try to get through any unread book on my Kindle from an author I'm going to meet in at Book Bash. I can tell you for sure that next up will be Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino. It got amazing reviews, and it was on sale over the weekend for $.99. Renee will be in Orlando, so this makes my choice much easier.

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend, and have a great rest of your week. If anyone wants to see Fast and the Furious 6, let me know. I might just be willing to go again! ;-)

Thanks for the memories

We all knew months ago that Brian Urlacher would not be returning to the Chicago Bears this year. Today, however, he announced his retirement from football.

Sigh

It was a fun ride, Brian, and we are glad you could be a part of it.
I believe you when you say there is no amount of money that could lure you back.
You are not Brett Favre.
Thank heavens for small favors.

Pre-Memorial Day week

So, it's the week before Memorial Day, and I'm pretty excited. See, since I bought my house, I've been taking the Friday before and Tuesday after Memorial Day and Labor Day off work. Usually I have some intense, multi-day project lined up ready to start and finish over those five days. Luckily (or unluckily?), most of my big house/yard projects have been completed over the years. So the idea of actually having five days with very little to work on is very exciting.

The only real project scheduled that I want to complete is to replace my bathroom exhaust fan and revent it out the soffit. Right now, when it's not making a horrible noise, it blows air down into the bathroom (WRONG), and it's vented into the attic (WRONG). I've tried to rig up plastic ducting to lead it out the roof vents, but that's also WRONG. I have downloaded how-to instructions and purchased my parts and pieces, so we'll see how that goes.

My big fun for the weekend will be Fast and the Furious 6! VERY EXCITED. No idea how or where this came from, but I'm obsessed with Vin Diesel and The Rock. Nummy. Now the question is if I can take a nap after work on Thursday and go to the opening 10pm show. Only time will tell...

As a side note, I finished two books since I last updated my blog, and they were both duds:

• Jaden Baker by Courtney Kirchoff - This one wasn't bad, but it was super long and not near as dark as it was made out to be. The ending was just a huge let-down. 
• Dead But Not For Long by Matthew Kinney and Lesa Anders - Here's my summary of this book...a 12-year old watches the first season of The Walking Dead and then writes a book. Some ideas are completely stolen from the show, and some are the original thoughts of a 12-year old. The End.

So, that's about it for me this week. Have a wonderful week and a wonderful holiday if I don't check back in before then. :-)

Latest book review...LONG overdue!

Here is what I've read since I last posted a book review blog update (about a month ago).

• The Wishes Series by G.J. Walker-Smith: There are 2 books out, and I think the 3rd should be out in a month or two. (There's a rumor of a book 4, but my guess is that this will center around one of the sub-characters.) This is pretty romancey and sweet. The endings aren't really cliffhangers, but you know the tale isn't done yet. It's pretty well written for an indie author, too. It's probably in the YA/New Adult category. Female lead is about 17, and the male lead is in college.
• Damaged by H.M. Ward: Meh. I actually couldn't even remember this and had to look up the summary on Amazon. It's highly rated for the NA genre, but my life has obviously not been changed as a result of reading it.
• Strings by Kendall Grey: OK. I HIGHLY recommend this one. HOWEVER...here is the warning. Heed the warning...for reallzzzzz. (So good I copied/pasted it for you below.) If you aren't entirely sure based on the book warning, read Chapter 1 as part of the Look Inside feature and see what you think (for free). The whole book is similar to that first chapter. This is book 1 of a trilogy, but each book is going to center on a different character, so no cliffhanger. It's also on sale for $.99 thru the end of the week.

 WARNING: STRINGS is not suitable for slut shamers, uptight stone throwers, Holier-Than-Thou prudes, humorless virgins, persons with chronic neck or back pain, pearl-clutching bitties, those who disparage crude humor or vulgarity in their many forms, closed-minded people with sticks up their asses, or anyone under the age of 18. The vile, base language and shocking, unholy sexual acts contained herein are not condoned by anyone with a lick of sense and should certainly not be reproduced without proper training and protection. The potty-mouthed and perpetually horny "heroine" (the term is used loosely) of this book does not resemble a normal, well-adjusted, or remotely believable person in any way, shape, or form. The author acknowledges that the characters in this book are shallow and two-dimensional; the plot is both ridiculous and insipid. She makes no apologies for any of it.

* Readers are strongly advised to wear latex gloves whilst reading to minimize contamination risks.

• The Dark Light Series by S.L. Jennings: I read the first 2 books in this series. There is at least one more book because Book 2 left a cliffhanger. This is paranormal. I liked these. I don't know they'll make my Top 10 of the year, but they were pretty good.

Currently reading...
Jaden Baker by Courtney Kirchoff.
I am at 73%. I have absolutely no idea where this book is going. The reviews I read said this was really, really dark...not an erotic kinda of way, but more in a non-sexual way. I can tell you that what I thought this was going to be about, it's not. There is a supernatural undertone to this one, but it sorta plays in the background for much of the book. TBD...

According to the countdown app on my phone, Book Bash is just 45 days away. Yay! (http://www.bookbash.net/)
For anyone who might be interested, there are two author/reader events scheduled for 2014 that I'm already planning on attending. There is one in Chicago (http://chicagoauthorevent.com/) the first weekend of May 2014 and one in Minneapolis (Pure Textuality Convention) the first weekend of October 2014. If anyone is interested, you can follow both events on Facebook for updates.

Sure signs of Spring

Blizzards in May? Ice tsunamis? Yep, it's been one of those years.
I, however, am determined to believe that we have turned the corner here in my neck of the Wisconsin woods. Here is how I know:

Again this year, my only tulip that bloomed. At least it's pretty!

Such a handsome boy posing for pictures at daycare

A race track and a beautiful sunset. (I'll not mention there were 30 mph winds and a frost warning for later that evening.)