Summer Days

I love summer!! Summer gives me a chance to try to catch up on the books I have been adding to my ToBeRead baskets during the year. Summer gives me a chance to spend time with my family. Summer gives me a chance to think and reflect on the past year. And later in the summer, gives me a chance to plan for the up-coming year.

Thus far, I'm still in the wind-down stage of summer. I've been buried in a book most of my days off so far and have read 18 books already since June 6. I have been using the LibraryThing 50 Book Challenge group to keep track of my summer reading. I have been averaging about a book a day so far this summer which should mean I'll pass 50 in mid-July if I keep reading at this pace.


I've made a couple of trips to my favorite casino. That looks like it will be a once a week thing to do. It is a fun way to spend a few hours while my brother is at work. Of course, I have to fit in my casino time around another favorite activity. I watch the Braves play baseball on my computer thanks to MLB.TV.


I've slept in late and stayed up late too. Because my brother generally works from 2 to 10, my brother's schedule is regularly staying up late and sleeping late. I find I adapt very easily to the same schedule. The thing I hate most about the school year is the alarm going off at 6 AM.

I love summer!!

Another 23 Things Group

Today I took a look at some of the stuff being done by the next 23 Things group and found a couple of YouTube things that got me thinking on a sunny summmer day. (And in a little while I'll remember how to embed a YouTube video here, I hope.)




Thank goodness for Help menus and the sense to use them.

Interesting News for Readers of SF

I was interested today to read this about adult SF and YA SF in John Scalzi's blog. Now, I'll have to put Cory Doctorow's Little Brother on my TBR list. I have been reading SF (science fiction) since I was in junior high school. The first book that I remember reading new was Robert Silverberg's Time of the Great Freeze. I waited at the Duluth Public Library after school until my dad finished work at 4:30 (one of those kids who used the library as a babysitter) and read the book there. I enjoyed Robert Heinlein's juveniles. I read Andre Norton. I read Isaac Asimov.

As I grew up I expanded my reading tastes but I still read a lot of SF. I am enjoying the influx of SF in the young adult market and glad to be gathering new young readers into the SF fold. I hope that they transition to adult SF. It would be good to see some growth in the readership of one of my favorite kinds of books. I'm heading to Minneapolis tomorrow for a book signing with a very well-regarded writer of SF for adults. I'm betting the conversation will get around to the information that John Scalzi and Cory Doctorow shared.

Reading PSA

This was fun! Although I would like to see it done with an American accent.

Marked, Betrayed and Chosen

I have spent the last few days reading the first three in a series that will be six books upon completion. P. C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast have written some real page-turners. The basic idea for the books was to write about a vampire finishing school.

Marked begins with Zoey Redbird becoming marked which indicates that, if she survives the transition, will become an adult vampire. All marked teenagers have to attend the House of Night which is essentially a boarding school for those who might be vampires some day. Zoey is eager to fit in and find her place at the school. It is filled with all sorts of adventures.

Betrayed and Chosen follow Zoey's further adventures at the House of Night. This series should appeal to older teens, especially the girls who love Lynne Ewing's books.

I know that I have my calendar marked for this fall when the fourth book in the series, Untamed, will come out.

Quiet Reading Day

I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage.
--Charles De Secondat (1689 - 1755)

This foggy, rainy Saturday seems particularly well suited to be a reading day. I have been catching up on my blogs and just stumbled on the quote above. I'm not sure that it is completely true but I have found that a quiet reading hour can often help you cope with some of the "trouble" that can come around.

Today I'm reading Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. Thus far I am finding it a fascinating retelling of some Norse myths with a likeable and sympathetic young female narrator. I'm only beginning chapter 12 but am eager to read on. I think this will appeal to some of the girls in my Media Center who are reading books by Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine. I know that George's book Dragon Slippers had found an audience. I'm sure that this one will too.

I was glad yesterday to discover a couple of new sources for inexpensive books. One of our English teachers attended a workshop on young adult literature and brought the manual back to the Media Center for us to use. The sites were listed in the manual. I put in an order at Book CloseOuts.com for a few books that sounded good. I also looked around at Book Depot but had already spent today's money at Book CloseOuts. Later last evening I got an email saying that my books had already shipped. Now we will see how long it takes them to arrive! I'm more than a little spoiled. I am an Amazon Prime customer and am used to receiving books about 3 days after I order them.

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

In an effort to avoid meaningful (but not very interesting) work, I have been reading blogs. One led me to this survey. You know, somehow, I had never wondered what punctuation mark I was. However, now I know. And somehow it seems appropriate.

You Are a Question Mark

You seek knowledge and insight in every form possible. You love learning. And while you know a lot, you don't act like a know it all. You're open to learning you're wrong. You ask a lot of questions, collect a lot of data, and always dig deep to find out more. You're naturally curious and inquisitive. You jump to ask a question when the opportunity arises. Your friends see you as interesting, insightful, and thought provoking. (But they're not always up for the intense inquisitions that you love!) You excel in: Higher education You get along best with: The Comma

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Try it out and see what kind of punctuation you are.