2) I'm going to get a new office chair! I was actually given a new office chair (see below), but it turns out they sent the wrong chairs and I'm actually going to get one that's fancier than this one, so now you know just as much about the chairs as I do. I had the use of this one for one entire working day (Wednesday).
3) Library books! As of Saturday, I only had four library books and I was freaking out because that's the number I had when the library closed because of the pandemic and I'm NEVER going to be unprepared for a library shutdown ever again. I immediately ordered more books from the library than I could ever read.
Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie R. Rendon - currently reading
We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler - I have started this one twice, but it doesn't hold much interest. It gets one more shot and then I'm returning it.
We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda - IRL book club pick.
The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch: How the Canceled Sitcom Became the Beloved Pop Culture Icon We Are Still Talking About Today by Kimberly Potts - I borrowed this to fulfill a Pop Sugar Reading Challenge Prompt, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to really read it.
Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History by Lea Ypi - This sounds depressing as hell. It might not be a great fit for this time of year.
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler - Mindless YA? I don't mind if I do.
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum and translated by Shanna Tanj - Cozy Japanese Korean literature? YES! (Thanks to the Anonymous commenter who pointed out this error. I'm sorry. It's not a great mistake to make.)
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene M. Pepperberg - It will not surprise anyone that Pepperberg was on an episode of the You're the Expert podcast, would it?
Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us by Alison Mariella Désir - For a Pop Sugar Reading Challenge prompt. I usually despise running/athlete memoirs, but this has a 4.55 Goodreads rating. Surely it's good? (I suspect I will not read this one, either.)
On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes by Alexandra Horowitz - This book was cited in Humor Me, so I ordered it immediately.
By the Sword (Valdemar saga) by Mercedes Lackey - I enjoyed the last installment of Valdemar so much I ordered the next one.
The next couple of photos are brought to you by me trying to document things that make me laugh.
4) Ted and the Giant Carrot - In this sequel to James and the Giant Peach, we try to figure out why the carrots at our grocery store are the size of melons.
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| Look at those carrots! |
5) This dog. If you are ever driving around my town and you see this dog in the terrace rolling around, just know that she is loved and cared for. I mean, look how clean those teeth are. I laughed so hard at her.
Have you read any of those books? What's on your to-read list next? If you had to pick one of my books to read next, what would you read?
I've not read any of these books, but I finally got through Spoon River Anthology. Some of them were so pointed and shocking, others had glorious language, and a lot were sad. Not sorry I read it. I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain ( sort of about a dog- upbeat!) and the Traveling Cat Chronicles ( sort of about a cat! sweet and sad).
ReplyDeleteI might try Mercedes Lackey- I have a serious book to read and need something to balance it.
Spoon River Anthology! SO GOOD! I'm happy to hear I'm not alone in my enjoyment.
DeleteMercedes Lackey is so hit and miss, but I can't stop until I've made it through!
Never alone. I love SRA and used to teach it. It's absolutely wonderful every time I read it, no matter how many times.
DeleteRex loves rolling like that too, the result is that he's constantly filling the house with dry grass. A small price to pay for such joy, if you ask me. OMG the library shutdown. I ended up rereading a lot of my old books, so that was something, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI think that carrot has something to prove! Or maybe it IS proving something.
Yep. Hannah is going to have to get a B-A-T-H this weekend because it's terrible for her skin to roll around in grass, but who is to stop her when she's having so much fun?
DeleteThe library shutdown was traumatic. The ebook collection at our library is NOT robust and I don't actually have a lot of books that I own. There's no way I was going to dive into my husband's books! I know it's a privilege because that was such a hard time for people for harder reasons, but it was really hard for me. Never again will I be caught off guard.
Go Zelda go!!!
ReplyDeleteThe giant carrot is remarkable, but I want to know if Devonte was on break.
I haven't read anything in your stash, but I'm glad that you're prepared in case of another apocalypse. I'm kind of adrift in my reading right now, so I think I'm going to head to my bookshelves and do some rereading.
I haven't seen Devonte in a couple of weeks. I hope he is either on a different shift or has moved on to bigger and better things. I miss Devonte.
DeleteHi! I just want to say that I really enjoy reading your blog and don’t want to come across as a jerk, but Welcome to the Hyunam Dong Bookshop is Korean not Japanese. Anyways I definitely want enjoy your book posts and have put some on my TBR list
ReplyDeleteI mean “I definitely enjoy your book posts”
DeleteOh, no! You're right. That's a terrible mistake to make. (I just read that book about the Korean divers and how terrible the Japanese treated them and I can imagine all the Korean folks reading this post and getting annoyed. I'll fix it!)
DeleteI really should make a trip to the library.
ReplyDeleteIf you aren't as obsessive about books as I am, maybe it's not needed.
DeleteWell this is kind of embarrassing, but I would probably read the Brady Bunch book! I grew up watching that show (and the reruns over and over again for years) and I would probably enjoy it. I'm also intrigued by We'll Prescribe You a Cat, obviously. On that note- of course Zelda is queen of the house!!! Muffin is queen of our house.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by that carrot- I mean what does it taste like? For some reason I imagine it tasting bland and un-carrot-like. You might have to buy it and report back.
I don't think it's embarrassing! I'd probably read a book about Full House or Perfect Strangers! It's just that I don't know if I've actually seen an entire episode of the Brady Bunch! It might not be a great fit for me.
DeleteI suspect the carrot tastes like nothing, too. The larger the vegetable, the less likely they are to be good, I think.
I just finished "Welcome to the Hyunam Dong Bookshop" and it is very cozy! Having so many backup books is very smart. I read more books on Kindle than physical books, so I don't have the same COVID baggage, but whenever I'm getting on a plane I always download all the books so I can prepare for whatever mood strikes.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to read entirely on my Kindle, but the ebook collection at our library is not very robust, so I rely on physical books to get me through. I never want to be without books again!
DeleteThe carrot photo made me laugh, too; thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I'm here to provide vegetable humor!
DeleteI read “We’ll Prescribe you A Cat”. It was cute until it went a little bonkers for me. Let me know if you figure out what happened at the end.
ReplyDeleteI just picked up some holds from the library- My Work by Olga Ravn and The Hand the First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell. I have no memory of putting these books on hold. Sometimes I do some late night hold-putting and don’t remember what I did in the morning. I guess it’s my middle age lady version of getting trashed and ending up in a strangers’ bed.
I frequently put books on hold if someone I'm talking to mentions them, if I read a blog post about it, or I hear about it on a podcast. Then it comes in and I'm left to wonder what sort of idiot requested it from the library. (It's me. I'm the idiot.)
DeleteI’ve been to the Brady Bunch house, so likely I would read that one next. Then maybe Running while Black, though I’m not black and not a runner, it sounds like it could be good. Heck, maybe I will get them from the library and read them. Maybe not though, I’m not really good on Nonfiction. But these two piqued my interest.
ReplyDeleteI love the huge carrot and had to show the pictures of Hannah and Zelda to my daughter immediately.
I'm not usually a nonfiction lady, but lately the nonfiction has been speaking to me. I'm going to ride that wave until it ends.
DeleteI’m cracking up over your ‘but I probably won’t read this’ admissions. I grew up on Brady Bunch and I’m trying to wrap my brain around you not seeing a full episode- so funny how we watch what we watch based on our age. Ya know?
ReplyDeleteI’d probably read Brady bunch and then the running memoir. What I do would loosely be described as running, but I do enjoy a memoir.
On our drive to Florida I’ve listened to a memoir called We Were Rich and We Didn’t Know It. I have laughed out loud multiple times while wearing headphones, so Yes- my family is making fun of me Big Time. It is read by a man with an Irish brogue and IMO that has improved the listening experience immensely. Might by my Irish heritage, but I do think most anyone would enjoy it.
All hail Queen Zelda.
Yes, even a few years in age can really influence pop culture. There are some people who will claim 80s country music is superior to 90s country and I just...don't get it.
DeleteAll hail Queen Zelda is how she would prefer it!
Add me to the list of people who would read the Brady Bunch book! The carrot photo made me laugh - I'm definitely here for the things that make you laugh!
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it, if there are giant carrots when we go tomorrow, I might get a couple and make some carrot soup. I mean, think how easy it would be to clean and peel those things!
DeleteThese photos are fantastic. THAT CARROT IS HUGE. I love your pets so much, and it is making me giggle to think of Zelda commandeering Hannah's kennel. (Sorry, Hannah.)
ReplyDeleteHannah is not fussed about Zelda in her kennel, to be honest. But I want Hannah to have a safe space, so I guess her safe space is now behind my legs?
DeleteNOTHING conveys pure joy like a happy dog. Whenever I see one, I am immediately uplifted. Hannah would buoy me for days if I saw her IRL like that.
ReplyDeleteWTF with that carrot? Please tell me that you bought one! I definitely would have, just to see if it were any good or not. It's probably tough and fibrous, but what a hoot to take it home.
At first I was snotty about the giant carrots. But now I think it would be so easy to make some carrot soup with it! Maybe next time I get groceries if they're still giant.
DeleteI so felt your library item. My local library recently changed their hours because of a staffing issue and it's almost impossible for me to get there now (they have no weekend hours and are closing by 4pm most other days). I've been doing bulk pickups of my holds as often as I can because I'm so afraid of running out of reads. PS: Zelda looks oh so happy in that kennel, while Hannah looks oh so happy in a completely different way rolling around! I love it!
ReplyDeleteClosed by 4? I would never be able to go!!! Oh no!! I hate that for you. Who do I need to write to get at least one day a week open until 7?
DeleteI am often guilty of getting out books from the library and then realizing that it was all very aspirational. But, I tell myself that the more books are checked out the better for the library’s metrics so it’s really just public service. I’ve been in such a reading rut for nearly a year. Sigh. Anyone got any advice for breaking out of a long term reading rut?!?!
ReplyDeleteYES!! Even if I don't read them, it's good to check out books. It's good to just GO to the library.
DeleteMy reading rut trick is to reread a book or series you love. If you know you love it, you'll sink right in and then, maybe you'll be ready for something new.
I read and really liked We Lived on the Horizon, but I can see not being in the mood for it, it really takes its time.
ReplyDeleteI have a stupid number of library books out and a stupid sub-set of those are so overdue that I am not just suspended but probably Public Enemy Number One at the library (I know you will be horrified by this, I promise to resolve it soon).
That carrot is NOT right. I would be afraid. I hope your husband washed his hands after touching it, and maybe did a prayer circle or burned some sage.
Yes, I think I grabbed We Lived on the Horizon on your recommendation. I've really only read 2-3 pages and I just don't care for it, so I don't know. It's probably a me problem.
DeleteMy husband used a tremendous amount of hand sanitizer when we got into the car. But I should mention the burning of sage to him.
I have read We'll Prescribe You a Cat and it was strange! I'll be interested to hear what you and your book club think about it. Otherwise, I've read none of those other books! Wowza.
ReplyDeleteI love the big carrot. I think carrot soup would be a cinch as you'd basically only need one!
Oh, these comments about We'll Prescribe You a Cat are so tantalizing. I should start reading it!
DeleteDoes Hannah have feelings about Zelda in her kennel?
ReplyDeleteYou have PTSD Library issues----as the avid reader that you are, I totally understand this.
WTH with the carrots? I need to see the farm where these are created!
Hannah does not seem to care about Zelda in her kennel. If Zelda goes near her food bowl, Hannah gets excited, but she seems to accept that Zelda is now the primary resident of her kennel.
DeleteI have never thought of it as library PTSD, but you're totally correct. I honestly start to panic and sweat a little when I think about not having access to the library!
It's weird reading about the pandemic and how it affected life in this area without having actually lived through it. How long was the library closed? That would make me sad too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would probably choose the Brady Bunch book, just because I love all things pop culture.
I don't remember exactly how long the library was closed and my blog is not helping. Maybe 3-4 weeks? And then they were doing a thing where you had to request books and couldn't browse for a while and they would bring your books out to your car? As someone who doesn't drive to the library, that was a thing. It took quite a while for my library game to get back to normal.
DeleteI realllllly hope you love Welcome to the Hyunum-dong Bookshop! It put me in such a happy, cozy place. I haven't read any of the other books in your library haul, but I did BUY a copy of We'll Prescribe You a Cat at a bookstore while on vacation. Still haven't read it, though!
ReplyDeleteThat carrot is something else!
Interesting that cozy Asian literature is our intersection of book reading!
Delete