mumto2 Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I'm this far with the Hygge cal :) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Loesje22000 Very pretty! I like your colours! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Okay, here's an easy one for some of you: "We may call this your hygge journal." 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 loesje - oh wow. That is so pretty. How long have you spent on it already? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 loesje - oh wow. That is so pretty. How long have you spent on it already?The cal started mid february.But as I had never chrochet before, it took me three weeks to chrochet week one, Only to discover I used the wrong stitch :blush: So 2 weeks ago I started all over again and I am almost done with week 4 now. Something I am a little bit proud of :) The chrochet is pretty basic after week 1, And as I am familiar with embroiderie, the embroderie part of this cal, is not that difficult to me. I just have to do it little by little as my neck hurts soon. (Got a whiplash several years ago) 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 (edited) I have a Kindle fatality to report - Last night I plugged my Kindle in to charge it and set it on my bedside table. I then remembered there was something I needed to do. When I got out of bed my foot got caught in the charger cord. The Kindle flew off the table (it was in a case) and the charger was yanked out. I picked it up, plugged it back, in and thought no more about it. I didn't even pick up my Kindle until several hours after I got up this morning. When I did open it, my heart sank. There was a battery icon showing that it needed charging and a charger icon indicating I should connect a charger. The problem was that a charger was connected. I had a feeling the port was damaged, but tried two more charger cords just in case it was the charger that got damaged. No success. I then called Amazon Kindle support and they agreed it's probably dead. They don't fix broken Kindles so the trade-in program wouldn't do much for me, but they did offer $5 for it. In addition to that I'd get a $20 promotional credit towards a new device. I've also been hoarding some Amazon gift cards that add up to $45. I can get a new Paperwhite for a pretty decent price. I'm not left without a way to read my ebooks. I have my tablet and phone, but I prefer an e-ink reader. Ds hasn't used his in a long time, so I took it. Theoretically I could just make it mine, but I guess I keep hoping he'll go back to reading for pleasure. I'm probably going to go ahead and get a new one since I can get $70 off between my gift cards and their offer. Edited March 21, 2017 by Lady Florida. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Okay, here's an easy one for some of you: "We may call this your hygge journal." That is the book that was second closest to me :D 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I'm this far with the Hygge cal :)http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Loesje22000 It's beautiful! I also love the colors. I have a Kindle fatality to report What a tragedy! I hope you get your new Kindle soon! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 "But this was, for Newton, a "feigned" hypothesis, one that science did not yet have the tools to prove." I have a Kindle fatality to report - I am so, so, so sorry :( (If you can swing it, I so incredibly highly recommend the Oasis. It is seriously amazing.) My daughter saw the neurosurgeon today. And now she'll see another partner in the practice in 3 1/2 weeks. The one she'll be seeing specializes in cervical spine issues. She almost definitely needs surgery so seeing the expert in the part that's messed up makes sense. Waiting doesn't seem quite so daunting this time since she's on Lyrica now for the fibromyalgia and it's helping quite a bit. Between that and the Aleve (for joint issues from the Ehlers-Danlos and neck pain from the herniations - though it really doesn't help the neck pain) she's able to be up a lot more and do more and is having more good days now (about half are good). 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Le niveau serait plus bas que lors de sa derniere visite. I have inhabited my son's bunk since surgery and my head is against a bookcase of teen books. That one was closest. If you want English - "Er, no, sarge -- captain." Hmmm... I thought from the title that one would be recognizable to some here, but perhaps not... Nan Sounds like Nobby Nobbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Sounds like Nobby Nobbs. Yes has to be some Terry Pratchett there surely. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 I am so, so, so sorry :( (If you can swing it, I so incredibly highly recommend the Oasis. It is seriously amazing.) Thanks, but actually I prefer the Paperwhite. There are several reasons but the biggest is the case and the physical buttons. The buttons would be in the way imo. I have this vertical case and prefer it over a book style case. Also, I'm left handed so in order to flip it over I'd have to use it without the case. The physical buttons would be annoying (I'm sure I'd hit them by accident because I used to do that with my old Kindle Keyboard). But really most of my reasons for not wanting the Oasis are because of the cover. I'm guessing the case is a good chunk of the price so that would be a shame to not use it. I love the Paperwhite and wasn't sad when my Kindle Keyboard died and I had to replace it (before that I had no real reason to upgrade because it worked fine). But this time I want to stick with the model I have and love. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 My daughter saw the neurosurgeon today. And now she'll see another partner in the practice in 3 1/2 weeks. The one she'll be seeing specializes in cervical spine issues. She almost definitely needs surgery so seeing the expert in the part that's messed up makes sense. Waiting doesn't seem quite so daunting this time since she's on Lyrica now for the fibromyalgia and it's helping quite a bit. Between that and the Aleve (for joint issues from the Ehlers-Danlos and neck pain from the herniations - though it really doesn't help the neck pain) she's able to be up a lot more and do more and is having more good days now (about half are good). I'm glad she's getting some pain relief while still having to see doctors. Having to go from doctor to doctor, wait between appointments, and wait forall surgery is bad enough. Doing all that while in pain is awful. I hope the meds keep working while you and the docs try to get it all figured out, and hope the surgery will successfully bring her relief. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Well, six weeks after surgery I was allowed out of the sling and was super excited but then at pt the physical therapist had a hissy fit over the idea of my trying to play guitar or paint or draw and forbad me to use the arm for anything but feeding or dressing myself for another six weeks. I am really disappointed. I can feed myself perfectly well left handed. I just have to get the toddler chopsticks if we go out to eat any place asian. And although it isn't his favourite occupation, my husband is doing a fine job of dressing me. I wish I could spend my right-hand time on painting instead. Apparently, it is a different sort of motion, though, so back to colouring leftie to stay occupied, I guess. So... since typing is labourious, I guess I'm not really here for another six weeks. Sigh. I haven't driven since Thanksgiving. This is not good for my mum or my fur family. I can't believe how supportive and wonderful our kids have been. I didn't realize you're still recovering from the surgery, but when I think of people I know who had surgery in that area six weeks isn't really a long time. It feels like a long time I'm sure, but it's a slow recovery process. That's wonderful that the kids are so supportive. It's not his favorite because he has to fight a husband's natural inclination which is to undress his wife. ;) :lol: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 The 2nd sentence in the closest book to me (I was literally resting my elbow on it as I read the post about finding the 2nd sentence!): "We do not seek that which God could have made, but that which he made. But I ask you: if God could have made the world infinite or not: if he could and did not, making it finite, as it is de facto, he did not exercise his his power more in making it so, than if he had made it as large as a pea." But maybe it is infinite and most of us don't perceive it as so or weren't made to perceive it as so? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Sounds like Nobby Nobbs. Book is at home and I am not but you are definitely in the vicinity. I thought you might guess it. I have missed you. : ) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 Thanks, but actually I prefer the Paperwhite. There are several reasons but the biggest is the case and the physical buttons. The buttons would be in the way imo. I have this vertical case and prefer it over a book style case. Also, I'm left handed so in order to flip it over I'd have to use it without the case. The physical buttons would be annoying (I'm sure I'd hit them by accident because I used to do that with my old Kindle Keyboard). But really most of my reasons for not wanting the Oasis are because of the cover. I'm guessing the case is a good chunk of the price so that would be a shame to not use it. I love the Paperwhite and wasn't sad when my Kindle Keyboard died and I had to replace it (before that I had no real reason to upgrade because it worked fine). But this time I want to stick with the model I have and love. I require physical buttons. I despise touchscreen lol You can use the Oasis with either hand in or out of the case. It only has buttons on one side and is meant to be flipped (the screen flips when you switch hands). I regularly change hands. It flips in the amount of time it takes to change hands. I usually read on the Oasis "naked." I am surprised, actually, how much I like it naked. It's kind of made to use naked because of the angled part where you hold it (either hand since you flip it when you change hands). The cover charges it up and even with as much reading as I do I don't have to plug it in to charge it all that often. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 Absolutely hilarious article for anyone that loves children's literature. I will never hire children living in a box car to solve a mystery for me again. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-will-never-hire-children-living-in-a-boxcar-to-solve-a-mystery-again 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 But maybe it is infinite and most of us don't perceive it as so or weren't made to perceive it as so? You are arguing with Galileo! It's a quote that starts a chapter on p. 109 of Faith, Science and Reason by Christopher Baglow. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 This was on the penguin Facebook page but I thought it could be fun here. Grab the book closest to you. Turn to page 109 and type out the second sentence. Then we can all get to gues which book it is? "This is all the Swahili that he knows" From a random book I picked up at the thrift store called The Tree Where Man Was Born by Peter Matthiessen 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 The cal started mid february. But as I had never chrochet before, it took me three weeks to chrochet week one, Only to discover I used the wrong stitch :blush: So 2 weeks ago I started all over again and I am almost done with week 4 now. Something I am a little bit proud of :) The chrochet is pretty basic after week 1, And as I am familiar with embroiderie, the embroderie part of this cal, is not that difficult to me. I just have to do it little by little as my neck hurts soon. (Got a whiplash several years ago) It certainly looks perfect now! I would never have guessed it is your first crochet project. I have a Kindle fatality to report - Last night I plugged my Kindle in to charge it and set it on my bedside table. I then remembered there was something I needed to do. When I got out of bed my foot got caught in the charger cord. The Kindle flew off the table (it was in a case) and the charger was yanked out. I picked it up, plugged it back, in and thought no more about it. I didn't even pick up my Kindle until several hours after I got up this morning. When I did open it, my heart sank. There was a battery icon showing that it needed charging and a charger icon indicating I should connect a charger. The problem was that a charger was connected. I had a feeling the port was damaged, but tried two more charger cords just in case it was the charger that got damaged. No success. I then called Amazon Kindle support and they agreed it's probably dead. They don't fix broken Kindles so the trade-in program wouldn't do much for me, but they did offer $5 for it. In addition to that I'd get a $20 promotional credit towards a new device. I've also been hoarding some Amazon gift cards that add up to $45. I can get a new Paperwhite for a pretty decent price. I'm not left without a way to read my ebooks. I have my tablet and phone, but I prefer an e-ink reader. Ds hasn't used his in a long time, so I took it. Theoretically I could just make it mine, but I guess I keep hoping he'll go back to reading for pleasure. I'm probably going to go ahead and get a new one since I can get $70 off between my gift cards and their offer. Oh no!!!! I am so glad you were able to "borrow" one from your ds. Btw, I like your case. I have the horizontal version and love it. Absolutely hilarious article for anyone that loves children's literature. I will never hire children living in a box car to solve a mystery for me again. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-will-never-hire-children-living-in-a-boxcar-to-solve-a-mystery-again And now I feel the urge to reread the Boxcar Children. The first book in the series was my favourite as a child. For about a year I checked it out every other time I went to the library and reread it. They didn't have any others. I loved reading the original ones to the dc's because of that..... I read a children's biography of Helen Keller many times during the same year. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I finished Jane Eyre and I'm happy I reread it. I love that book. Makes me wonder if she ever told her sister, "That's how you write a romance. You wrote about a stalker." My classic for March is The Great Gatsby which I started today and I'm half way already. Another book I love. I ache for Gatsby. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Absolutely hilarious article for anyone that loves children's literature. I will never hire children living in a box car to solve a mystery for me again. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-will-never-hire-children-living-in-a-boxcar-to-solve-a-mystery-again Not my favorite books, but not poke your eyes out either. Jack and Annie are poke-eyes-out worthy. So very many. Loaded with fragments. Want to scream. Also, I've said this here before, The Mysterious Benedict Society makes me want to jump out my car window while I'm driving. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Absolutely hilarious article for anyone that loves children's literature. I will never hire children living in a box car to solve a mystery for me again. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-will-never-hire-children-living-in-a-boxcar-to-solve-a-mystery-again Very cute! Thanks for the link, Amy. Should I be chagrined that I recognized all of the references? ** Heather, sending good thoughts for your daughter. Nan, I hope that your recuperation time will pass quickly. Sending good thoughts to all others in need. Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 I have a Kindle fatality to report - Last night I plugged my Kindle in to charge it and set it on my bedside table. I then remembered there was something I needed to do. When I got out of bed my foot got caught in the charger cord. The Kindle flew off the table (it was in a case) and the charger was yanked out. I picked it up, plugged it back, in and thought no more about it. I didn't even pick up my Kindle until several hours after I got up this morning. When I did open it, my heart sank. There was a battery icon showing that it needed charging and a charger icon indicating I should connect a charger. The problem was that a charger was connected. I had a feeling the port was damaged, but tried two more charger cords just in case it was the charger that got damaged. No success. I then called Amazon Kindle support and they agreed it's probably dead. They don't fix broken Kindles so the trade-in program wouldn't do much for me, but they did offer $5 for it. In addition to that I'd get a $20 promotional credit towards a new device. I've also been hoarding some Amazon gift cards that add up to $45. I can get a new Paperwhite for a pretty decent price. I'm not left without a way to read my ebooks. I have my tablet and phone, but I prefer an e-ink reader. Ds hasn't used his in a long time, so I took it. Theoretically I could just make it mine, but I guess I keep hoping he'll go back to reading for pleasure. I'm probably going to go ahead and get a new one since I can get $70 off between my gift cards and their offer. Bummer. I think I'll go and hug my beloved Kindle now ... And now I feel the urge to reread the Boxcar Children. The first book in the series was my favourite as a child. For about a year I checked it out every other time I went to the library and reread it. They didn't have any others. I loved reading the original ones to the dc's because of that..... I read a children's biography of Helen Keller many times during the same year. It's such a classic book for touching children's imagination. Who wouldn't want to have great adventures and then find out their grandfather is a millionaire who intends to spoil them?!?! That's the stuff of kid dreams. I loved series books as a kid, particularly the ones from my grandmother's generation. Boxcar Children, 1930's Nancy Drews, 1930's Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, Three Investigators. During the summer I could read two a day easily. I finished Jane Eyre and I'm happy I reread it. I love that book. Makes me wonder if she ever told her sister, "That's how you write a romance. You wrote about a stalker." My classic for March is The Great Gatsby which I started today and I'm half way already. Another book I love. I ache for Gatsby. I'm always happy to find another Gatsby lover. I've never understood the hate for it but I won't start a gang war today about it. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Heather - I'm so happy to hear your daughter is getting some answers. Erin - How was your vacation? Nan - Hope you get back to painting soon. ((gentle hug)) Who was at the ER with their kid? I can't find that mention or an update. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I just finished a re-read of Lisa Kleypas' contemporary romance Brown-Eyed Girl. This book was published in 2015 quite a few years after the first three books were published. The books feature siblings, and this book is the story of the youngest son in the family. It was a much anticipated book by fans of the author, and I suspect that my expectations might have been too high initially. I enjoyed the book more this time though I still prefer other books in the same series. (Some adult content) "Wedding planner Avery Crosslin may be a rising star in Houston society, but she doesn't believe in love-at least not for herself. When she meets wealthy bachelor Joe Travis and mistakes him for a wedding photographer, she has no intention of letting him sweep her off her feet. But Joe is a man who goes after what he wants, and Avery can't resist the temptation of a sexy southern charmer and a hot summer evening. After a one night stand, however, Avery is determined to keep it from happening again. A man like Joe can only mean trouble for a woman like her, and she can't afford distractions. She's been hired to plan the wedding of the year-a make-or-break event. But complications start piling up fast, putting the wedding in jeopardy, especially when shocking secrets of the bride come to light. And as Joe makes it clear that he's not going to give up easily, Avery is forced to confront the insecurities and beliefs that stem from a past she would do anything to forget. The situation reaches a breaking point, and Avery faces the toughest choice of her life. Only by putting her career on the line and risking everything-including her well-guarded heart-will she find out what matters most... in Lisa Kleypas's Brown-Eyed Girl." Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Book is at home and I am not but you are definitely in the vicinity. I thought you might guess it. I have missed you. : ) I'm mostly around. Haven't much nice to say, so am not saying much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 I'm mostly around. Haven't much nice to say, so am not saying much. I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I don't know if I should ask or not because I'm afraid of what the answer will be. How's your daughter doing? I'm sorry if you've posted elsewhere. I don't venture out of BaW much on WTM anymore. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I don't know if I should ask or not because I'm afraid of what the answer will be. How's your daughter doing? She is behaving as expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 A bookish post that I enjoyed ~ Necessary Whimsy: Fun, Funny Comfort Reads for the SFF Soul by Lish McBride "Books have been my go-to comfort objects for a long time. My brother, Jeremy, likes to tell a funny story about a childhood sailing trip—we were on a boat with my father, our cousin, and my brother’s friend when my dad decided to try and “beat a storm.†Which went about as well as you’d expect. We lost both anchors and started taking on water from the large swells that were breaking over the ship. Everyone who knew how to sail was wretchedly seasick and my brother’s friend had to use the radio to call in a mayday. As the storm was starting to wind down, Jeremy found me nose-deep in a copy of David Edding’s Queen of Sorcery. When he asked me what on earth I was doing, I replied that I wanted to finish the book before I died...." ** Currently free for Kindle readers ~ The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter Code of Conduct (The Jani Kilian Chronicles, Book 1) by Kristine Smith Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 It certainly looks perfect now! I would never have guessed it is your first crochet project. r. Thank you! I did learn how to crochet as child, but quit it soon as I got never the required shape... But You Tube is very patient teacher... :) But first of all it helps that Tress is be so kind to support me and cheer me up when I think I will never get through the project (she is doing the same cal too) 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadenceSophia Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Hi Ladies! I haven't had time to keep up on the thread but I am still here in spirit :) I am feeling a little burned out on reading right now.. or maybe that is just life? I have roughly 3 weeks until baby #5 shows up so my emotions have been a little rocky. One minute I need to accomplish everything, the next I am crumbling from the (self-induced) pressure. I am taking comfort in the fact that there is a natural relief to this insanity and I am not far from attaining it. After my introduction to Murikami from this group in January, I read 1Q84 and then jumped right into ... oh I forgot the English title. The Windup Bird something.. I'm 550 pages into that right now. I haven't been able to form any particular opinion about his writing, but I am intrigued, confused, and a little bit depressed at having spent so much time sitting at the bottom of a well recently :) I can't remember how many books I am at for the year. I think around 9-10 already but I'd have to go look at my list... which is too far away. I doubt I'll read 52 books this year unless I start reading things under 800 pages. The discussion upthread about the Oasis has gotten me very excited! I really miss the physical buttons from my kindle-before-the-paperwhite, which I had lost on a plane. I like the backlight option for the paperwhite but it has a lot of other faults. I've been telling DH that I need a reward for growing him another baby (and he keeps trying to claim the baby IS the reward! psshh!), the oasis might just be the thing! Despite my incredible use of Amazon, somehow I had missed the Oasis entirely. I appreciate being pointed in that direction. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I'm mostly around. Haven't much nice to say, so am not saying much. :grouphug: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Our vacation was a blast. We went on a ski trip with other families. Skiing is relatively new for me so this was the first trip where I felt comfortable going on the slopes without someone more experienced to guide me. I was actually able to keep up with DH, an experienced skier, on a few runs. The older two kids did really well, but DS4 liked the idea of skiing more than the reality. I'm hoping his attitude will change. DD is still feeling terrible, with a fever, though the abdominal pain isn't as severe. Usually, I've been able to determine a child's illness (flu, cold, random viral infection, strep, etc.) pretty quickly, but this one has me stumped. I'm hoping to hear from the hospital today about the culture tests. Her sleep was relatively calm last night so I'm hoping she's turned a corner. I'm slowly reading through my stack of library books. The spring break stopped me from adding to the pile so I'm determined to finish as many as I can before the next batch of holds come through. I'm reading All The Birds in the Sky, my fourth Nebula nominee read, and still working on Heart of Darkness. I've put in a request for Nabokov's Favorite Word is Mauve by Ben Blatt. I'm intrigued by the premise, a statistical analysis of great writing. I read about the book in an article I can't find now. I should have just posted it to the BAW thread when I first read it! Here's a podcast interview with the author on diymfa. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I finished the second Agenda 21 book, Into the Shadows, this morning. It's really by Harriet Parke, but Glenn Beck puts his name on it really big so his groupies will buy it. I liked the first book a whole lot. It was an excellent dystopian novel. This one... there were so many ridiculous plot holes. At the end of the first book, a couple, a baby, and a young boy escaped from the compound where they were forced to live (the compounds were created 17 years prior). They spend several days walking downstream only to be *right by* the fenced in area where the leaders live AND the farm commune where their food is grown. And somehow, right there, there is also an elderly couple who live, grow food, etc. and have lived there since the resettlements happened and somehow, while everyone else has been captured, they managed to elude capture completely all that time. And yet they were so close to the compound. Just somehow they were never noticed, apparently because they put mud on their faces. The whole time the little family is staying with the elderly couple, the wife/mother is freaking out how staying with the couple will bring the authorities (who are hunting the escapees) right to the couple. You know. The ones who have eluded capture nearly two decades so far. Then there was the in your face preachy stuff (both religious and political). There was a weird scene where the elderly man decided to trust a man at the farm commune just because he knew a quote from Micah. Somehow, if you know history life would be perfect because only knowing history tells people they should be free (personally, I think it's a human condition to desire freedom). The preachy bits seemed very contrived in order to pound the message that the author wanted the reader to get (and agree with). I'm not a fan of that style of writing. I much prefer showing and letting the reader interpret it themselves. The afterword was by Glenn Beck and all about how Agenda 21 (a UN thing) is a horrible, horrible, scary thing and we must (on a local level) fight it as hard as we can because otherwise we will end up without any freedom. The problem is, as with many things, there are good points and there are bad points. There are things I am vehemently against in Agenda 21 and there are things I am very much for. I have been in a place where anti-Agenda 21 people fought hard against a walking/biking path in a city area because they believed it was totally the beginning of a slippery slope down the path to resettlement all because Agenda 21 includes reducing traffic congestion and slashing fuel use by eliminating cars and creating "walkable" cities (the path was built and is used and loved by the citizens including those who were convinced it was all part of a UN takeover - it wasn't). So, anyway, I wanted to like the book, but the plot holes, the preachiness, the flat characters, the many very slow-moving sections... it all added up to me not liking it very much at all. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Hi Ladies! I haven't had time to keep up on the thread but I am still here in spirit :) I am feeling a little burned out on reading right now.. or maybe that is just life? I have roughly 3 weeks until baby #5 shows up so my emotions have been a little rocky. One minute I need to accomplish everything, the next I am crumbling from the (self-induced) pressure. I am taking comfort in the fact that there is a natural relief to this insanity and I am not far from attaining it. After my introduction to Murikami from this group in January, I read 1Q84 and then jumped right into ... oh I forgot the English title. The Windup Bird something.. I'm 550 pages into that right now. I haven't been able to form any particular opinion about his writing, but I am intrigued, confused, and a little bit depressed at having spent so much time sitting at the bottom of a well recently :) I can't remember how many books I am at for the year. I think around 9-10 already but I'd have to go look at my list... which is too far away. I doubt I'll read 52 books this year unless I start reading things under 800 pages. The discussion upthread about the Oasis has gotten me very excited! I really miss the physical buttons from my kindle-before-the-paperwhite, which I had lost on a plane. I like the backlight option for the paperwhite but it has a lot of other faults. I've been telling DH that I need a reward for growing him another baby (and he keeps trying to claim the baby IS the reward! psshh!), the oasis might just be the thing! Despite my incredible use of Amazon, somehow I had missed the Oasis entirely. I appreciate being pointed in that direction. If it's any help Wind Up Bird is my least favourite Murikami. It was the second one I read also after loving 1Q84 (which remains my favourite) and I remember getting bogged down in the middle quite badly also. I think it picks up and is quite good about 200 pages from the end. Please remember this is a distant memory....... You guys made me research the Oasis. Don't think I am interested. When my ereader dies I will probably buy a paperwhite but super thin and weightless scares me. I would definitely lose it and fear of breaking it would keep me from enjoying it. Erin, I hope you get the cultures back today. I'm glad she is doing a bit better. Butter, hugs to your dd. Glad things are heading toward a firm diagnosis and that she is finding ways to manage her pain. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raifta Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Still reading but haven't had much time to keep up with the thread or post. It seems that working, even part-time, uses that portion of my time that I used to devote to online pursuits. Hugs to those who have lost a friend, whose children are not well, who are recovering from surgery, who are depressed, who are cranky, who are in pain whether visible or not. I've finished these 6 books since the last time I posted a few weeks back. Here's the quick summary: 1. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson – YA novel that was told from alternating perspectives and time frames by teenage twins. I loved the boy’s perspective – his thoughts encapsulated exactly what it is to be a teenager/young person and how you feel everything and think of all events in such artistic/dramatic ways. I didn’t connect with the girl as much. Overall I would recommend it just because of the way the boy thought and his ideas – I think the girl’s story was a bit too pat and typical of teenagers, but perhaps that’s because I didn’t have any of her kinds of experiences. Library book. 2. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster – next book from The Shelf. Here’s the thing about Forster. I loved reading the book because I enjoyed his writing style so much. However, I didn’t enjoy the story. So despite the fact that it is a copy with a nice cover (albeit old and likely to fall apart in the next 50 years), I’m going to give it away. I don’t think I’d ever want to reread it and I don’t feel the need for the kids to read it, but I might try to watch the movie as I’m curious how it corresponds to the book. 3. Nearly Normal by Cea Sunrise Person – sequel (kinda) to her first book that I read earlier this year. Again, easy and quick to read, this filled in some bits that she left out of the first book thinking they were too painful to include and also expanded more on the latter half of her life to date – her marriages and divorces and children. Library book. 4. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – another library book, this one featured alternating tales of the descendants of two half sisters born in Africa in the 1800s. One half sister married a white man who was in charge of the fort that the British were using for the slave trade, the other half sister was captured and sent to the US as a slave. Each chapter featured an individual person, typically at a specific time in their life, although some covered a broader sweep. I liked that this was not the typical narrative of slavery but took a much broader perspective and introduced you to people with all their warts, rather than being a the typical narrative about slavery and its consequences that I often find. 5. Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery – read to the kids, was my book as a child. This was a pleasant read, we all enjoyed it. It was nice and cozy. 6. The Maximum Security Book Club by Mikita Brottman – picked up ‘by accident’ at the library from the new non-fiction section, which is my weakness. Interesting to see what books she chose to read with the prisoners, how the prisoners reacted to the books (Heart of Darkness, the Metamorphosis, Lolita, Macbeth etc) and how her perspectives and feelings about her role, the prisoners, prison in general changed over time. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Rosie - I really wish I was a fairy godmother because your house is one of the first I would visit. Instead I can only send warm thoughts through the internet. I'm sorry. I know that lots of us have hurting hearts for your situation. If there's anything that could be done please let us BaW ladies know. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) I have been in a place where anti-Agenda 21 people fought hard against a walking/biking path in a city area because they believed it was totally the beginning of a slippery slope down the path to resettlement all because Agenda 21 includes reducing traffic congestion and slashing fuel use by eliminating cars and creating "walkable" cities (the path was built and is used and loved by the citizens including those who were convinced it was all part of a UN takeover - it wasn't). Wait a second. Who is against walking/biking paths?!?! That is literally a big part of what I do along with reducing traffic congestion. (I'm a traffic engineer - I also design traffic signals. Glamorous!) There is no secret hidden agenda behind walking paths besides increasing quality of life. I could go on and on. My mind is kinda blown by the thought that anybody would be against that. I would put it in the same category as being against putting a playground in a neighborhood. I guess this is also a good time to point out that the camera's on the signal mast arms are not recording you, they are only detecting if cars are present to trigger the signal and most of the can only detect shapes not read license plates. Just in case anyone needs to pass that information along to any foil hat wearing uncles at the next family get together. Well now in the sense of full disclosure I should admit that sometimes there are cameras that can read your license plate and record you. C TV cameras. Those are rare on the signals I work on though. At least in the US. Elsewhere I don't know. :-) Edited March 22, 2017 by aggieamy 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Absolutely hilarious article for anyone that loves children's literature. I will never hire children living in a box car to solve a mystery for me again. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-will-never-hire-children-living-in-a-boxcar-to-solve-a-mystery-again I loved this - thanks for the laugh!! I finished Jane Eyre and I'm happy I reread it. I love that book. Makes me wonder if she ever told her sister, "That's how you write a romance. You wrote about a stalker." My classic for March is The Great Gatsby which I started today and I'm half way already. Another book I love. I ache for Gatsby. :lol: :lol: I never thought about that before - I wonder what they each thought about the others' work? (and did I place the apostrophe correctly?) The cal started mid february. But as I had never chrochet before, it took me three weeks to chrochet week one, Only to discover I used the wrong stitch :blush: So 2 weeks ago I started all over again and I am almost done with week 4 now. Something I am a little bit proud of :) The chrochet is pretty basic after week 1, And as I am familiar with embroiderie, the embroderie part of this cal, is not that difficult to me. I just have to do it little by little as my neck hurts soon. (Got a whiplash several years ago) You're crocheting is beautiful! I'd never guess that this was your first project! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Wait a second. Who is against walking/biking paths?!?! That is literally a big part of what I do along with reducing traffic congestion. (I'm a traffic engineer - I also design traffic signals. Glamorous!) There is no secret hidden agenda behind walking paths besides increasing quality of life. I could go on and on. My mind is kinda blown by the thought that anybody would be against that. I would put it in the same category as being against putting a playground in a neighborhood. I know! Also, that's what my SIL is. I know she's done a lot with pedestrian to vehicular traffic, particularly in parking lots. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 How do you handle bad prose? I'm halfway through a book and I've counted five uses of the word "hipsters", descriptions are "some kind of"/"close to"/"about a" thing, so many forward slashes, people "almost" feel emotions, and words-are-strung-together-with-hyphens. I read genre fiction so I'm not expecting poetry, but I find myself pulled away from the story, distracted by the poor writing. Argh! I will finish this book! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 A one day only currently free collection of mysteries and adventures for Kindle readers ~ The Four Corners of the World by A. E. W. Mason About the AuthorA. E. W. Mason (1865–1948) was a bestselling author of mystery and adventure fiction. He is best remembered for the novel The Four Feathers and for his series of mysteries featuring Inspector Hanaud of the Paris Sûreté. "When Archie Cranfield’s father asked Mr. Twiss to look after his son as well as advise him financially, the solicitor had no idea what he was agreeing to. A furtive smile permanently etched on his face, Archie lives alone in the countryside. His neighbors do not like him, and Captain Brayton, a former schoolmate, had a falling-out with him years ago and has not seen him since. Then the oddest surprise of all—Archie invites Brayton for a weekend visit and the captain winds up dead. Is it suicide, or is the young Mr. Cranfield as guilty as he looks?“The Clock†is the first of thirteen enthralling tales of suspense in The Four Corners of the World. A. E. W. Mason’s masterful collection moves from Gibralter to South America, from a brutal wartime drama to a terrible murder solved by the inimitable Inspector Hanaud." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 She is behaving as expected. :grouphug: :grouphug: Rosie :grouphug: :grouphug: 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Would someone tell my kids to teach themselves today so I can just read? I'm coming up on the sad sad ending of Gatsby. I will cry. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Rosie, all I can do is say I'm sorry. You deserve so much better. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Wait a second. Who is against walking/biking paths?!?! That is literally a big part of what I do along with reducing traffic congestion. (I'm a traffic engineer - I also design traffic signals. Glamorous!) There is no secret hidden agenda behind walking paths besides increasing quality of life. I could go on and on. My mind is kinda blown by the thought that anybody would be against that. I would put it in the same category as being against putting a playground in a neighborhood. I had no idea. I'm always learning new things about BaWers. :D Bike/pedestrian paths in my city took a long time to get approved and created. As far as I know no one thought there was a hidden agenda but people didn't want to pay for the roads to be redone to include bike paths. We finally have a few on major roads now. Unfortunately on the one that leads into my neighborhood I see drivers using it as a turn lane all the time. We did get a Rails to Trails section put through our city and I think that's beginning to change people's viewpoint regarding pedestrian and bike paths. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I'm mostly around. Haven't much nice to say, so am not saying much. Anything I could say in response would be so totally inadequate that I will just offer a hug and say I think of you often, both for your sake and on my own behalf. ((((())))) Nan 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 You are arguing with Galileo! It's a quote that starts a chapter on p. 109 of Faith, Science and Reason by Christopher Baglow. Hahaha. Typical UU grin. Nan 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 ErinE I hope your daughter continues to improve. What is cal? AggieAmy, you guys must have come through our area a few years back. They dug up a bunch of intersections and moved things around and we all grumbled and wondered what on earth they were doing, but then they went away again and low and behold - much, much better visibility! Or no waiting! Niiiicccceeee! Thank you, everyone, for the well wishes! Nan 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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