10 Book To Read Before You Die

One of the blogs I follow, Bookalicious, posted about listing out the 10 books you must read before you die. Oh, my! I'm imagining that since I own over 400 books that I haven't read yet, that some of those books are there. Probably, but I'm sure that there are a few that aren't. And how in the world can you just pick 10? The majority of the ones that come straight to my mind are many of the classics. All the Jane Austen books that I haven't read. Democracy in America by Alexis DeTocqueville's and the biography of John Adams by David McCullough speak to the political junkie that I am. Those books help paint an important portrait of what our country was founded on. An important thing for me.

There is no way that I can limit the list to just 10.

Tell me your ten. Help fill my list.

Pick the next book I read

I have so many to choose from. So I'm asking you to pick one for me. I'm wrapping up The Girl Who Played With Fire. I'm enjoying it, but it has me annoyed right now. I did that with the 1st book in this series as well. Am I supposed to believe that this chick has been abused sexually and mentally by every man in her life except Blomkvist?? Really?? I can't imagine that the majority of Swedish men are such complete pricks. Maybe it's just the one's that Lisbeth comes across that are douche's. Anyway, I'll reserve final judgement to when I finally finish it. Which should be sometime this weekend. Definitely by Saturday.

My next book is between the following:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon

I usually read more than one at a time, but these are library books that are due soon. I just can't decide which one to read first.

Thanks for your help.

Budget Cuts

Hmmm, they can fun drug rehab for prisoners but library programs get cut. As do arts endowments. That just pisses me off.

Football

I tried to stay up to watch my Dolphins last night as the game was tied going into the 4th quarter. I fell asleep of course, and found out this morning that I didn't miss anything. Well, yes, the game was great as it apparently came right down to the wire. But, since my team came out on the losing end I was glad I fell asleep. I had no desire to experience the "heartbreaking loss." Yea, I get enough heart break on my own, no need to add to the pile.

Today's is Tuesday. The day I dread the most. But, I'm leaving work early to take care of something so, it won't be too bad. Unless it is.

I realized the other day that I have over 400 unread books. WTF?? Really? I didn't realize I had that many. And as a friend pointed out, that's a book a day for over a year. Since I know I won't be reading a book a day, I realize I've probably have enough books to last me two years. And I know that there will be some books that I don't own that I want to read coming up. Like the stack of library books that I am looking at. That's it. No more books coming into the house. Unless they are classics that I will want to own. Otherwise, no more.

I've managed to abide by this rule with cookbooks, so I'm sure it won't be a problem with actual books.

I think I've hit a bad patch with this podcast that I listen to again. I've had this happen before, but usually in the past, I managed to glean some kind of truth from it and manage to find it useful. This is the first time that I've listened to more than two in a row and have been quite 'meh' about it. I'll listen to the rest, just because I'm anal that way, but I may fast forward through some of it it if continues this boring.

I'm more than half way through The Girl Who Played With Fire and I really like it. It isn't one of those books that I have to read and that keeps me up, but it's good. It's such a phenomenon that I almost feel guilty saying that. I'll read it and I'm enjoying it. I doubt it'll be a keeper though. Maybe I'll hold onto it until the third comes out next year so that when I give them away I'll give away the set. Oooh, or maybe I'll have some kind of freebee giveaway on here like I see other bloggers do. Let me know what you think about that?

Weight loss?? Proper eating and nutrition?? Am I supposed to discuss these things on here?? Suffice to say, I'm working on it.

***tap, tap, tap****

Is this thing on??????

History repeats itself

Doesn't it??

I'm watching a tribute to Peter, Paul, and Mary since the Mary of that trio passed away this week. For some reason, other than this, I've been bombarded with images of the 70's. I was just a little kid then, being born in '69. And my memories of course, are clouded, but I seem to remember the anti-war movement and the economy being in the shitter (I don't care Bernanke says, we are still there) I look at the people in these 70's clips and wonder if they felt the way we do. They must have, I remember the newscasts. I remember way the world was. I guess the biggest difference is back then it was just the Soviets that we had to be afraid of and now, well, it's not a nation state so much as the ever present "terrorism." The face of which is Osama. How about the asian nations ? Was it like this back then? Are my memories clouded by childhood? Or is it that I'm now an adult and of course it seems worse to me now.

My parents say it's worse now, but that at the time it felt just as bad? I suppose that these are rhetorical questions. Because if any of us had the answers we would be in D.C. and have a chance at the nomination of a Nobel Prize.

And I always go back to, I wonder how different this world would be if the person who won in 2000 was able to actually be the President.

The birthday party yesterday was awesome!! I see that Shy will definitely have to switch gyms when she gets older if she continues the path of gymnastics. One of that gyms girls made the Nationals in Texas this year. The only one in the entire South Florida area. I feel like Kim in Ms Saigon, "I'll give my life for you." Which I would, for this kid. For her to reach her dreams. Happily.

In food and weight loss, I lost 2.2 pounds his week. Yea me. I really didn't do anything except curb the nighttime eating. This is really quite motivating. To quote Rocky, "it's what you do when life smacks you done that matters. Not when or whether you get smacked. Keep moving forward." Ok, maybe that wasn't the exact quote but I think you get the idea.

I'm off to enjoy my Sunday.

Saturday, sleepy Saturday

I fell asleep watching tv last night. Before 11p. Which is odd for me, but I guess I just needed the extra sleep. Unfortunately, my neck wasn't in the best position and now it is a little sore. I'm working it out though.

Today, we have chore morning and then a birthday party from 2p-4p. It's for Shy, but J has a birthday party to go to as well, so I'll drop him off and pick him up later. I'll go to the grocery store after the party and figure out my weekly meals.

I know it sounds boring, but I love being home and doing domestic things. By the end of the day, my house will have the fresh clean smell, the laundry will be done and food will have been prepared. It's slightly rainy so that will be a good time to watch a dvd or read. I think I'll watch Rocky Balboa for my Saturday movie night.

I went to the library yesterday and a lot of my books came in at once. I hate when that happens. But at least, hopefully, I can renew them. I've got The Book Thief, The Graveyard, a couple of books on writing, a book of poems by Elizabeth and Robert Browning, a book of poems by Langston Hughes, and John Adams by David McCullough. I know I'll want to own this book, but I wanted to start reading it. I also really, really, really want the HBO miniseries on DVD. Can someone please mention this to my mother?