Auntie Clio - Preposterous Reading Lists - Page 4

Hi! I'm Stephanie and I'm a writer, photographer and blogger. My work can be seen at www.lunisea.com.

My reading is wide and varied. I have no goals other to read off my own stacks and purge as I go.

And I love lists!

Follow along as I blog about Reading Ovid

Skip the Preliminaries

Never Mind Those Links:
Counters
Running Total
Monthly Links
Authors New to Me
ROOTS/Pearl Ruled
Favorites
MB 20
YTD Book Haul

Challenges/Themes:

Monthly - TIOLI (Take it or Leave It)
My rule is not to get a book simply to match a TIOLI challenge. I also refuse to dig into my stacks for a book to match.

2015 - Group read of Navajo – Mystery (Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee)/Walt Longmire Project.
I’ll only be reading the Tony Hillerman books.

May - Thingadingy
I will be reading at least 7 books by non-North American authors. Recommendations are welcome.

July – Birthday month.
I live in California, so July's reading is California themed.

The Roll-Over Rule means that whatever planned reading didn’t get read for a given month goes to the top of the stack for the next month.

My 244 square foot apartment is furnished with 42+ boxes and several large stacks of books. I’ll be reading from Mysterious Box 20 this year, which also happens to be the box which contains my Hillerman collection.

Counters:

ROOTS



75 in 2015

Running Total
(updated at the end of each month)




2015 Books Read: 94
2015 TIOLI Books Read: 93
2015 ROOTs: 60
2015 Pearl Ruled: 6
2015 Borrowed: 2

2015 Fiction: 69
2015 Non-Fiction: 23
2015 Poetry: 2

2015 Acquired: 83
2015 Rousted Unread: 44

2015 Unique Authors: 51
   (3 x Charlton, Baer, 2 x Harrison, Kim, 6 x Hearne, Kevin, 2 x Hill, Joe, 17 x Hillerman, Tony, 2 x Johnson, Joyce, 4 x Kadrey, Richard, 2 x Anne Lamott, 6 x Rowland, Diana, 3 x Scalzi, John, 2 x Shawn, Allen, 2x Jodi Taylor, 3 x Tourney, Leonard)

2015 Pages Read: 27203

2015 Unique Publication Dates: 36
1811
1959
1961
1967
1972
1973 x 2
1975
1978
1980 x 2
1981
1982
1984 x 2
1985
1988 x 2
1989
1990 x 3
1991
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
2 x 1998
2 x 1999
2 x 2002
2003
2 x 2004
2005
2006
2007 x 5
2009 x 4
2010
2011 x 10
2012 x 7
2013 x 4
2014 x 12
2015 x 6

2015 Gender Ratio:
27 male : 24 female*

2015 Read vs. Acquired:
94/83

2015 Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
94/131

*Adjusted count to go by unique author count instead of book count.

Monthly Reading Links
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Authors New to Me
Bellet, Annie
Charlton, Baer
Cooney, Kara
Cowlishaw, Bridget Roussell
Dhume, Sadanand
Fadiman, Anne
Ford, Linda G.
Freeman, Ru
Ghaemi, Nassir
Johnson, Joyce
Johnson, Steven
Lepore, Jill
McFarlane, Brian
Miller, Jr., Walter M.
Mohsin, Hamid
Nordberg, Jenny
Ostergren, Klas
Ovid
Patenaude, Bertrand M.
Rowell, Rainbow
Schulze, Ingo
Shawn, Allen
Soocher, Stan
Strecher, Matthew Carl
Swendson, Shanna
Wilson, G. Willow

ROOTS



01. The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel
02. Trotsky by Bertrand M. Patenaude
03. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
04. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi
05. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
06. Hounded by Kevin Hearne
07. Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
08. Hexed by Kevin Hearne
09. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
10. Hammered by Kevin Hearne
11. Tricked by Kevin Hearne
12. Into the Woods by Kim Harrison
13. Trapped by Kevin Hearne
14. Hunted by Kevin Hearne
15. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
16. The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart
17. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher
18. Heat by William Goldman
19. Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
20. The Beatles are Here! edited by Penelope Rowlands
21. Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
22. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
23. Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
24. Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland
25. Wish I Could Be There by Allen Shawn
26. Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
27. Vengeance of the Demon by Diana Rowland
28. Iron-Jawed Angels by Linda G. Ford
29. A First-Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi
30. Twin by Allen Shawn
31. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
32. The Black Tower by P. D. James
33. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
34. The Hurricane Party by Klas Ostergren
35. Adam + Evelyn by Ingo Schulze
36. My Friend the Fanatic by Sadanand Dhume
37. The Players' Boy is Dead by Leonard Tourney
38. Low Treason by Leonard Tourney
39. Familiar Spirits by Leonard Tourney
40. Masculinity in Breaking Bad edited by Bridget Roussell Cowlishaw
41. Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright
42. Lock In by John Scalzi
43. Baby You're a Rich Man by Stan Soocher

Pearl Ruled
01. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
02. Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen
03. Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
04. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
05. Visions of Cody by Jack Kerouac
06. There Was A Country by Chinua Achebe

Favorites

January
Blessing Way, The by Tony Hillerman
How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

February
Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Hexed by Kevin Hearne
Hammered by Kevin Hearne
Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

March
Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman
Wave Without a Shore by C. J. Cherryh
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor
The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg
The Voice is All by Joyce Johnson
Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
bird by bird by Anne Lamott
Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland

April
Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Vengeance of the Demon by Diana Rowland
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

May
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

June
The Players' Boy is Dead by Leonard Tourney

July

August
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey
Dead Set by Richard Kadrey

September
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? by Jodi Taylor
Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
minor characters by Joyce Johnson
Talking God by Tony Hillerman

October
Coyote Waits by Tony Hillerman
Sacred Clowns by Tony Hillerman

November
Lock In by John Scalzi
Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey

December
Angel Flights by Baer Charlton

Mysterious Box 20
I am done. I haven't finished reading everything in Mysterious Box 20, but I am done. Tony Hillerman just started to bore me, and I was dreading writing reviews for them. I was down to two Leaphorn/Chee books and I just couldn't anymore.

Leonard Tourney's books were charming for the first book, and then got repetitive. Aside from Princess Bride, I found William Goldman to be shoddy. So I'm done.

The good news about this is it's a box I can completely empty and fill with books I like.

Year to Date Book Haul - January to June

January: - 13
01. Who I Am: A Memoir by Pete Townshend
02. God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
03. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
04. The Black Tower by P. D. James
05. The BFG by Roald Dahl
06. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
07. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
08. Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James
09. Approaching The Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Anthony Sells
10. Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine by Brian McFarlane
11. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney
12. The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
13. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami by Matthew Carl Strecher

February - 13
14. Willow Wilson, G. - Alif the Unseen
15. Harrison, Kim - Into the Woods: Tales From The Hollows And Beyond
16. Erickson, Carolly - The Last Wife of Henry VIII
17. Pyykkonen, Carrie; Washington, Linda - Secrets of the Wee Free Men and Discworld: The Myths and Legends Of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse
18. Joyce Johnson - The Voice Is All
19. Meyer, Marissa - Cinder
20. Shawn, Allen - Twin: A Memoir
21. Shawn, Allen - Wish I Could Be There: Notes From A Phobic Life
22. Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland
23. Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland
24. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland
25. Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland
26. Fury of the Demon by Diana Rowland

March - 10
27. bird by bird by Anne Lamott
28. Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
29. Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
30. The Players' Boy is Dead by Leonard Tourney
31. Low Treason by Leonard Tourney
32. Ghosh, Amitav - River of Smoke (May Thingy)
33. Freeman, Ru - Disobedient Girl, A (May Thingy)
34. Johnson, Joyce - minor characters
35. Sijie, D'ai - Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (May Thingy)
36. Kadrey, Richard - Dead Set

April - 8
37. Hurricane Party, The by Ostergren, Klas (May thingy)
38. Angel's Game, The by Zafon, Carlos Ruiz (May thingy)
39. Familiar Spirits by Tourney, Leonard
40. Alchemist, The by Coelho, Paulo (May thingy) - Pearl Ruled
41. Adam & Evelyn by Schulze, Ingo (May thingy)
42. Vengeance of the Demon by Diana Rowland
43. Metamophoses by Ovid
44. Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines

May - 4
45. Oryx and Crake by Atwood, Margaret
46. Prisoner of Tehran by Nemat, Marina
47. Story of the Bible by Foster Charles
48. Methods of Breaking Bad, The edited by Blevins, Jacob & Wood, Dafydd

June - 2
49. The Witch of Lime Street by David Jaher
50. Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today by Adam Hamilton

Year to Date Book Haul
July - December

July - 6
51. A Year of Reading by Elisabeth Ellington & Jane Freimiller
52. The Collected Works of Emile Zola by Emile Zola
53. When you Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair by Geneen Roth
54. Covert Culture Sourcebook by Richard Kadrey
55. Witness of Bones by Leonard Tourney
56. The Bartholomew Fair Murders by Leonard Tourney

August - 0

September - 5
57. Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright
58. Metatropolis edited by John Scalzi
59. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (I didn't remember it being so long)
60. Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
61. Masculinity in Breaking Bad edited by Bridget Roussell Cowlishaw

October - 5
62. Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey
63. Her Majesty's Spymaster by Stephen Budiansky
64. There Was a Country by Chinua Achebe - Pearl Ruled
65. Lock In by John Scalzi
66. How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson (signed)

November
67. Death on a Dime by Baer Charlton (signed)
68. Angel Flights by Baer Charlton (signed)
69. Baby You're a Rich Man by Stan Soocher

December
70. The Getaway God by Richard Kadrey
71. Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton
72. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
73. A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong
74. The Watchers by Stephen Alford
75. Subterranean Kerouac by Ellis Amburn
76. Return to Earth by Edwin Aldrin
77. Men from Earth by Edwin Aldrin
78. Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
79. Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
80. Longitude by Dava Sobel
81. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
82. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
83. The Very Littlest Dragon by Baer Charlton
84. Stoneheart by Baer Charlton

TIOLI

*Roll-over Rule in effect

Theme: July is California month

Actually read in July:
60. (S)(F) People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #12. Read A Book That Was Originally Published Before the Year 2000 (1980)
61. (G)(F)Low Treason by Leonard Tourney - TIOLI #15. Read a Book with a W in the title
62. *(S)(P)Metamorphoses by Ovid

---

New to the Stacks:
51. A Year of Reading by Elisabeth Ellington & Jane Freimiller
52. The Collected Works of Emile Zola by Emile Zola
53. When you Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair by Geneen Roth
54. Covert Culture Sourcebook by Richard Kadrey
55. Witness of Bones by Leonard Tourney
56. The Bartholomew Fair Murders by Leonard Tourney

---

July Books Read: 3
July TIOLI Books Read: 2
July ROOTs:

July Fiction: 2
July Non-Fiction:
July Poetry: 1

July Books Acquired: 6
July Books Rousted Unread:
July Books Pearl Ruled:

Come on in and cool off!

Whew! I need something tall and cool and fruity, to be sure! I'll share! Got a preference?

>15 ronincats: Roni, I will start with the pink one but I think if it's as hot down there as it is up here, we are going to need more!

Congrats on the new thread!! Loving the fruit and drinks here. Read on!!

Happy New Thread, Stephanie. Great reading so far.

I didn't read as many books as I would have liked in June. Both May and June were really slow reading months. There are several reasons for this, mostly attributed to reading books that didn't quite capture my imagination but kept reading anyway, working my way through nearly half of Metamorphoses in late June, and some personal melodrama the back of which is hoped to be seen forever.

I'm only slightly dissatisfied with 8 books over 2 months, but remind myself that the challenges I set myself (international writers, Ovid) make me an even more well-rounded reader. Ovid has certainly opened my eyes!

Aside from completing Ovid this month, my stack assures me there's nothing too strenuous for the nonce.

Happy New Thread, lady!

How did I miss that you're reading Ovid?! Love, love, love him.

Congratulations on the new thread, Stephanie!

Nice group of favorites. I'm a fan in particular of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

Happy new thread, Stephanie. My you have been busy!

June Wrap-up:

June Books Read: 4
June TIOLI Books Read: 4
June ROOTs: 4

June Fiction: 3
June Non-Fiction: 1

June Books Acquired: 2
June Books Rousted Unread:
June Books Pearl Ruled:

Unique Authors: 4
Unique Countries: 4 (1x Sweden, 1x Germany, 1x India, 1x US)
Pages Read: 1059

Publication Dates:
1980
2007
2009
2011

Gender Ratio:
4 male : 0 female

Read vs. Acquired:
4 read : 2 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
4 read: 4 (4x ROOT)

Reading Metamorphoses by Ovid, Translated by David Raeburn

Metamorphoses
Ovid
Translated by David Raeburn

Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Book Four
Book Five
Book Six:
Book Seven
Book Eight
Book Nine
Book Ten
Book Eleven
Book Twelve
Book Thirteen
Book Fourteen
Book Fifteen

59. The Players' Boy is Dead byLeonard Tourney - TIOLI #2. Read a book that has a word in the title that means a male

... in the last few days she had found herself nearly overwhelmed with a sense of futility. There was, she now accepted, no evidence for what she knew intuitively, and no safe way to bring the evildoer to justice even were there evidence to substantiate her intuition.
(pp 160-161)

Blog

This is a sweet, light murder mystery set in Elizabethan times. Murders keep happening and it is up to Chelmsford town constable to solve them, while being stymied by the Magistrate of the town, Sir Henry.

This was a great interlude from the heavier works I've been reading in the past couple of months. If you like cozy mysteries, you'll probably like this one.

Hi Stephanie, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Hi Steph! Finally found this thread.

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

July book haul:
A Year of Reading by Elisabeth Ellington & Jane Freimiller
The Collected Works of Emile Zola by Emile Zola
When you Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair by Geneen Roth
Covert Culture Sourcebook by Richard Kadrey

What a completely random stack of books. I'm not sure why I picked this lot, except the Richard Kadrey. I'm a big fan. The others? I dunno.

People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman (replacement)
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Witness of Bones by Leonard Tourney
The Bartholomew Fair Murders by Leonard Tourney

Still slugging it out with Metamorphoses.

Enjoying it and the work it's taking to get through it. Of course, my reading speed has necessarily slowed down because I'm also blogging about this adventure.

June had some very foul moments, as did the first week in July. The lowlight was actually getting an interview, having a great interview, and being told by my recruiter that this miscommunication about my willingness to be available lost me the job. I didn't know what to do with her telling me, "I'm sorry we lost this opportunity for you."

Success Team has not been providing me with much support or success. I'd just had it when one of my team members, who is extremely negative anyway, kept banging on about how I shouldn't get my hopes up. Even after I told her I wasn't expecting anything but was happy they were calling and that I'd had an interview.

Major holiday in the US, Fourth of July, found me cranky from the heat, the noise of the fireworks which started early in the day, the anger over the circumstances of my life.

I threw a temper tantrum on Facebook, the result of which was a reconnection with an old friend from Australia who runs her own framing business and offered to be my mentor. We've had two Skype sessions and talked about the baby steps I need to be taking to make my dream of selling my photography a reality. I've been praying for this for two years!

My birthday is this week and friends have all chipped in to make sure it was a great one. I've gotten to have many of the food items long considered a luxury.

My efforts have been concentrated on developing the discipline of butt in chair every day and working on something creative. This, and the encouragement of my mentor, have combined to make me feel so much better about my dreams. I spent all day Monday creating a graphic for a project on my blog 7 Stillwell, and it was so much fun!

The reality of needing money and a way to pay the bills and put food on my table still sucks. It sucks a lot. But this week has reminded me of what I'm striving for and how good it feels to work hard towards that goal.

Love to you all.

Happy Birthday This Week, Steph!

I'm so sorry things suck right now, especially the incompetence of others that lost you a job. You are still working towards your goals and reaching out, which are admirable, I'm glad you have an Aussie Mentor too.

Take care of yourself and remember that there are people here who care about you.

Happy Birthday, Steph! Glad you've had a reconnection and are letting your creative side out. Hang in there, sister.

Good gods, I'm still slugging it out with Ovid. And writing, a lot.

7 Stillwell

The most recent piece I'm particularly proud of is about the Minions movie.

Also, a couple of interviews which didn't convert to jobs. Not disheartened, I have a job/work/career now, I just need income.

60. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #12. Read A Book That Was Originally Published Before the Year 2000 (1980)

I enjoyed the way Jim Chee was introduced and the continued thoughtful exposure to the Navajo Way.

7 Stillwell Review

7 Stillwell 100 Pages a Day Part One

7 Stillwell 100 Pages a Day Part Two

I missed your birthday, but I can still hope it is a great year for you! I am way behind on my Hillerman's. Where does the day go?! : )

I am happier than I've been in a extremely long time. No less broke but more content. There may be paid writing jobs in the very near future. Honestly, I had no idea was what I really wanted to do. I thought it was photography.

Great talk with the facilitator of our Success Team group, in which we decided I don't have to attend anymore. Both because I'm not getting anything out of it because my journey is non-traditional and because there's just no dealing with some people.

I will be spending more time in one-on-ones with my career advisor talking about my writing discipline and things that are happening there.

:-)

Glad to see you in such a positive frame of mind, Steph! Cheers!

Oooh, writing! I'll be interested to see what you do. You have so much creativity.

HI Stephanie. I admire your patience and diligence. It must have taken a lot of time to prepare all those lists.

>38 streamsong: Yes, I certainly agree with you!

Good to hear Steph! Writing sounds great. You go girl!

ditto what Connie said in message 40.

Actually read in August:
63. (G)(F) Familiar Spirits by Leonard Tourney - TIOLI #20: Read a book whose title contains at least one word which is a synonym for ghost (spirits)
64. (S)(NF) Grace Eventually by Anne Lamott - TIOLI #6. Read a book which fits a category of the Seattle Public Library's Summer Book Bingo (by a local author) (Mill Valley, CA)
65. (S)(F) The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #3. Read a work featuring a character from folklore (Hopi kachinas)
66. (S)(F) Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey - TIOLI #6. Read a book which fits a category of the Seattle Public Library's Summer Book Bingo (you own but had never read)
67. (E)(F)Death on a Dime by Baer Charlton - TIOLI #14. Read a book with Murder or Death in the title
68. (S)(F) The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #20. Read a book whose title contains at least one word which is a synonym for ghost
69. (S)(F) Dead Set by Richard Kadrey - TIOLI #14. Read a book with Murder or Death in the title

---

August Books Read: 7
August TIOLI Books Read: 7
August ROOTs: 1

August Fiction: 6
August Non-Fiction: 1
August Poetry:

August Books Acquired: 1 (ebook)
August Books Rousted Unread:
August Books Pearl Ruled:

Just a quick hello, Steph, to tell you I've been thinking about you.

As soon as I am allowed, I will post a link to the first blog post I was paid to write. Yes, PAID! Not enough to do everything, but enough to do something, and enough to make me feel like I'm a grown-up writer. It's even more than I ever earned on my photography, by at least twice.

:-D

>44 AuntieClio: Looking forward to reading that blog post, Steph.

>44 AuntieClio: Congrats, Stephanie! That's great news!

Yay! I'm looking forward to reading it, too.

Here it is! My client is a long time friend who owns a framing shop in Brisbane. A Grandmother's Legacy

ETA: I also did the graphics (not the logo)

July Wrap-up:

July Books Read: 3
July TIOLI Books Read: 2
July ROOTs: 1

July Fiction: 3
July Non-Fiction:

July Books Acquired:
July Books Rousted Unread:
July Books Pearl Ruled:

Unique Authors: 3
Unique Countries: 2 (2 x US, 1 x Greece)
Pages Read: 1059

Publication Dates:
1980
1984
2004 (translation)

Gender Ratio:
3 male : 0 female

Read vs. Acquired:
3 read : 0 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
4 read: 1 (1 x ROOT)

Your blog post is very impressive. It made me want to have all my framing done by them!

>50 Dianekeenoy: Thank you! Erin would love to hear this.

I do encourage anyone in Brisbane or Queensland for that matter to consider ARTIS PURA Custom Framing. Her face lights up every time she talks about her work.

Love the blog post and the framers!

Congrats, Stephanie. Well done.

Just saying hi!

Hi everyone! I'm still around and am grateful when you stop in. I guess that's all I have to say, "I'm here and I'm still reading."

Sounds good! We're always here for you!

>55 AuntieClio: Angst makes for interesting posts but doing well and reading makes for a better life!

What Meg said, Stephanie. Glad to hear you're in a relatively smooth stretch.

I'm not sure I'm grounded quite enough to give you all an update. I went from being convinced the world was about to fall from under my feet on Monday to near ecstatic yesterday. I took yesterday off just to try to find my feet again. Today has been more steady, some.

I now have help to buy groceries. That was one of the hardest things for me to do, ask for help. It was a really emotional, nerve-wracking experience.

The temp agency called and asked if I would be interested in doing data entry part-time for the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. I met the request with my usual skepticism, the last two years have taught me I "never" get picked. But I did and I didn't even have to interview for it. So Wednesday 19 August will find me working two days a week for about two months. Which will bring in just about enough to cover the rent.

My Aussie client has an interesting project we're working on together. She's really invested in helping her customers understand how things like UV rays and humidity affect their artwork and how her framing can help.

My refrigerator is filled to the brim with healthy food and protein that isn't .99/lb chicken I keep running over and looking inside to make sure it's really there.

A friend has offered to buy a new, larger rice cooker for me since I've been eating so much rice and my three-cup cooker isn't keeping up anymore.

Two, count 'em TWO, free sandwiches from Togo's. Joining their mailing list was a great move on my part.

My client introduced me to a friend of hers via Facebook who is a published author. His name is Baer Charlton and one of his books was free this weekend (Death on a Dime). I started reading it and discovered it was set in the neighborhood I'm now living in. Down to street names and everything!

Baer and I have been chatting about this and that and today we talked about our neighborhood in common. It was pretty cool. :-)

Oh, also I wrote this http://www.lunisea.com/2015/08/pushing-stick-figures-around/ based on something he'd said on Facebook. Enjoy!

I feel like Pinocchio, "I'm a real live human now!"

Wow, that all sounds great! About time, Steph, for the fates to smile on you.

Happy Weekend, Stephanie.

I'm glad things are looking up, Stephanie.

As the doc said, 'We're always here for you."

A good friend reminded me a few days ago that change is always exhausting, even when it's for the good.

Of course, I had anxiety dreams about work for almost an entire week before my first day at Computer History Museum. That night I slept the best I had in weeks.

William is leaving for a new adventure with his wife, and is one of the kindest people I've ever met. While his job doesn't sound like much, it's one of those which can get knotty sometimes. Basically, it's making sure memberships have been added in the databases correctly, updating some information, and then sending out an acknowledgement letter. Or, it's sending reminder letters to people whose memberships are about to expire.

Very detail oriented, one for which I was born. By the end of Thursday, William had been praising me to everyone he introduced me to. "She'll be fine."

This is what work is supposed to feel like. An environment in which you feel comfortable, doing work you love and do well, working with people you get along with. I'm now back in cubicle land with walls 72" tall, and I'm encouraged to plug in my headphones and listen to music while I'm working.

I'm still trying to figure out how my writing schedule changes course, but my commitment stays strong.

A friend sent a new, larger rice maker along and now I have rice for days which makes me happy. I eat a lot of rice and my three-cup maker just wasn't cutting it anymore. So I asked and D came along and said "yes!" Now I have 16 cups on the counter waiting to be put to use.

This all reminds me what I want my life to feel like, to look like. I don't even mind the one-hour commute so much. In some ways I feel like I'm home now.

The money still needs to be sorted but two days of paid work beats the hell out of none.

Yup, I'm still reading. Reviews go on the blog every Tuesday. I'm still blogging Metamorphoses, once I get done with that, reviews of other books will appear both here and there.

Love to you all.

Yay, Steph, on the work front!

What a relief. I'm so happy for you that you found this two days job which is fitting with you so well. Big hugs xx

>63 AuntieClio: Small steps but steady promising ones my dear. Life has been a tad tough on me this year and has left me incapcitated in terms of helping all those I care about and in need of such help. Doesn't mean I have forgotten them or my promise of help and with bluer skies on my horizons I should soon be able to make good those promises a little anyway. xxx

Congratulations on the job with the museum, Steph! I'm so pleased that you are in a work environment that is positive and nurturing. Even better that you like what you are doing.

And how wonderful that your client has a new project to work on together with you. Will you be adding new entries to their blog soon?

It sounds like things have definitely taken a better turn for you, Steph. Good for you for seizing the opportunity.

Quick hello, Steph! Glad things are looking up.

I feel like I have run a marathon. I guess my Fridays will now be spent in restful repose recovering from work. At least I have that luxury.

It continues to be delightful at the Computer History Museum, although parking when there's an event is the complete opposite of delightful.

There's been plenty to do and my manager has been in meetings so we've not had time to talk about the tasks at hand and what the future may look like. When we have had time together, I've asked pointed questions about how they're using their data. She said she could tell just from the questions I was asking that I understood the job well.

It's exciting for me to be taken seriously when I pose these questions, and I can tell it's exciting for her that someone is asking them. Only people who have worked in the trenches with data understand what needs to be done to make it useful.

Dinner with a friend last night, but then I always enjoy Scott's company. We sat outside, eating Indian food, and he asked how I came to know so much about marketing and using data. I'll admit to being brought up short. It's not formal training, but more paying attention to how companies have attempted to market to me over the years, intuition about people, and experience with the data. I would run from formal classes in marketing, but some of what I'm asking just seems like common sense to me.

If a museum's main income comes from fund raising and membership, doesn't it make sense to follow up with those who haven't renewed? Doesn't it make sense to give extra incentives to those who have been members for years? Doesn't it make sense to reach out and make people feel like they're important to the success of the museum? Doesn't it make sense to try to leverage some of the organizations which come to us for donations for more members, to the benefit of both of us? These are the sorts of questions I'm asking. I dunno, it just seems common sense to figure out how to do those things if they're not already being done.

I love that I don't hate the commute, even though it's an hour each way. I love that I'm not micro-managed and that I'm not even close to the periphery of office politics. I love that I now have a badge key and can just go to my cubicle and settle in for the day, doing whatever needs to be done. It's still mostly mailings and making sure the data I touch each day is clean. It's working with Darren in another group to make sure the information he gives me comes in a way which makes sense and is most useful. And it's letting people know I'm interested in how their membership works and how we can make processes better.

There was a 92 member renewal reminder which I sent out on Wednesday. I touched each packet six times. SIX times. That is at least four too many. The puzzle I'm working on is how can I make that process easier. On my body, on the time spent doing that every month. How can I make it different for next month?

What I wanted was a handful of jobs which would allow me to just walk away at the end of the day and continue to focus on writing. What I've encountered is a job which fully engages me in a way which plays to my strengths and offers potential for growth, if supported and allowed.

I remain committed to writing, and I still have to figure out how to balance it all. Even if it's just two days a week, I give a lot of energy to it, and when I get home I have no energy to give to anything except my bed.

What a much better set of problems to have now. :-)

>70 AuntieClio: Sounds like a great fit! I'm so glad you're enjoying the job. Have you thought of trying audiobooks on the commute? I know it doesn't work for everyone, but I find if I have the right book it made those long commutes (to school; to work is about 3 songs, too short to get into a story) fly by. :)

Stephanie, so happy for you that you've found a job that "fits". It doesn't always happen for everyone, but it's fantastic when it works. I too recommend audio books for that commute. Enjoy.

Proposed reading for September:
TIOLI

Actually read in September:
70. (E)(F) What Could Possibly Go Wrong? by Jodi Taylor - TIOLI #10. Read a book with at least 3 consecutive vowels in alphabetical order in the title (A, O, U)
71. (S)(F) Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #20. Read a book in a series
72. (S)(F) Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey - TIOLI #15: Read a book that blurbs the author on the cover
73. (S)(F) A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #20. Read a book in a series
74. (S)(NF) minor characters by Joyce Johnson - TIOLI #21: Read a book which title contains a word relating to music (minor)
75. (S)(F) Talking God by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #10. Read a book with at least 3 consecutive vowels in alphabetical order in the title (A, I, O)

---

New to the Stacks:
57. Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright
58. Metatropolis edited by John Scalzi
59. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (I didn't remember it being so long)
60. Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
61. Masculinity in Breaking Bad edited by Bridget Roussell Cowlishaw

---

September Books Read: 6
September TIOLI Books Read: 6
September ROOTs:

September Fiction: 5
September Non-Fiction: 1
September Poetry:

September Books Acquired: 5
Septembert Books Rousted Unread:
September Books Pearl Ruled: 1

August Wrap-up:

August Books Read: 7
August TIOLI Books Read: 7
August ROOTs: 1

August Fiction: 6
August Non-Fiction: 1

August Books Acquired: 1 ebook
August Books Rousted Unread:
August Books Pearl Ruled:

Unique Authors: 5
Unique Countries: 1 (US)
Pages Read: 2432

Publication Dates:
1982
1984 x 2
2007
2012
2014 x 2

Gender Ratio:
6 male : 1 female

Read vs. Acquired:
7 read : 1 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
7 read: 1 (1x ROOT)

The contentment you are feeling with your new job just oozes from your post, Steph. I'm so very very happy for you. It's also great that since it's only 2 days a week, you still have time to devote to your writing interests and any other projects you may wish to take up. *pleased hug*

My work week will now be three days a week. I have a phone now, mostly because my manager who sits two rows away from me is tired of walking "all that way" to talk to me.

It occurred to me on the way out one day how excited and pleased Don would be that I'm working at such a cool place. I still say it out loud, "Dude, I work at the Computer History Museum! How cool is that?"

Writing is still taking a hit, which I refuse to let get me down. The changes haven't completely settled in yet, and there may be more on the way. Mostly I'm worn out a little and don't have energy to do much more than look around the apartment and mutter, "oh yeah, chores."

For those suggesting audio books, thank you. I've tried them before and they don't work for me. I do appreciate that you are thinking of ways to help. I'm mostly happy listening to NPR and catching up on the news.

And, so it goes. :-D

It is so great when the job you have is one you like! I've been fortunate for 32 years in academia. I very much like my job. All good wishes!

Three days, yeeh, so good for you Stephanie. Hugs xx

Well look who I just found- and it's good to hear how well things are going for you! Excellent!

Jumping back into LT after a wee bit of Real Life Interference. : ) So glad to hear that life is looking good at your end...'bout time!!! I will be back for more news on a more regularler basis. Big hugs and congrats again. : )

Book haul:
Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright
Metatropolis edited by John Scalzi
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (I didn't remember it being so long)
Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
Masculinity in Breaking Bad edited by Bridget Roussell Cowlishaw

It's a month later and I am still loving working at the Computer History Museum. So much to learn and absorb. Every day someone tells me what a great job I'm doing. I just ... wow

I work at a museum! Doing something I love! With people I like and who like me!

Still at three days a week, it's becoming obvious to me that's not enough but I am not about to say a word.

A somewhat related topic, I bought new shoes! This is a huge deal because I have been wearing the same pair for over two years. Easy Spirit had a sale and I stretched the budget a little to get two new pair. So exciting.

:-D

>82 AuntieClio: De-lurking to say that I love this post! So glad that things are turning around for you.

Happy weekend, Stephanie.

Work you enjoy and new shoes. Life is good, eh?

Yay for the job!! Yay for the new shoes!! Life is looking up. : )

>82 AuntieClio: ;- D
*waves cast*

Blergh .... on the weather and on Visions of Cody by Jack Kerouac.

104 today in my neighborhood. I'll say it again, "Blergh."

I'm beginning to wonder if Jack Kerouac wasn't just a one-hit wonder with On the Road, which I adore.

Visions of Cody is "experimental." No, what Visions of Cody is, is reading a writer's notebooks with no context. Yes, some gorgeous prose but after sixteen pages I decided it wasn't worth sifting through the dross.

Blergh happens....

Congratulations on finding a job that works for you...and on buying new shoes! It's good to find that things are looking brighter for you, Stephanie!

*waves cast*

All of you make me smile when you visit. I am, indeed, a sluggard when it comes to visiting you. I make no apologies. There's only so much energy to spread around, and I have to take care of myself and my job first. Even writing has taken up residence in the back seat.

We had a 400+-piece mailing to get out this week. We got a temp to help with stuffing envelopes. Being fully aware of the drudgery of being called in to stuff envelopes, sitting amongst people you don't know, in an uncomfortable work space, I was determined to be kind and express my gratitude for the help.

I needn't have worried. Sheila is the go-to temp for just about anything in the museum and she is industrious!

I went in this morning (Friday) for a few hours just to make sure we got it all wrapped up and ready to hit the mail. Huge sigh of relief.

After leaving work, I did errands. Thankfully, it was cooler today than last week. It was quite a shock to learn that all my weird physical symptoms of not feeling quite right were because of heat exhaustion (I have no A/C at home or in Car).

I still come home beat, some days are more beat than others. We rent space for events a lot and the combination of the long commute, not being able to find parking (my real pet peeve with work), and having to walk through this crowd of people to just get to the elevator, or the offices, makes me grumpy. Being an introvert can be really wearing sometimes.

I'm much happier once I get to my cubicle and start working. I might have mentioned I actually like what I do, at least once or twice.

The stars may have aligned properly for me to actually get chores done, rest and write this weekend. Woo hoo!

Happy weekend, Stephanie.

Actually read in October:
76. (G)(NF) Masculinity in Breaking Bad edited by Bridget Roussell Cowlishaw - TIOLI #6. Read a book where a word in the title starts with any of the six central letters of the English alphabet K,L,M,N,O, or P (M)
77. (S)(F) Coyote Waits by Tony Hillerman TIOLI #1. Read a book whose author's last name contains a three-letter combination which is an English word if spelled backward (ell)
78. (S)(F) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - TIOLI #1. Read a book whose author's last name contains a three-letter combination which is an English word if spelled backward (net)
79. (S)(F) Sacred Clowns by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #13: Read a book which title either contains the word "Sacred" or refers to something sacred

---

New to the Stacks:
62. Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey
63. Her Majesty's Spymaster by Stephen Budiansky
64. There Was a Country by Chinua Achebe
65. Lock In by John Scalzi
66. How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson (signed)

---

October Books Read: 4
October TIOLI Books Read: 4
October ROOTs: 1

October Fiction: 3
October Non-Fiction: 1
October Poetry:

October Books Acquired: 4
October Books Rousted Unread:
October Books Pearl Ruled:

*waves cast--one more week!*

September Wrap-up:

September Books Read: 6
September TIOLI Books Read: 6
September ROOTs:

September Fiction: 5
September Non-Fiction: 1

September Books Acquired: 5
September Books Rousted Unread:
September Books Pearl Ruled: 1

Unique Authors: 4
Unique Countries: 2 (US, UK)
Pages Read: 1733

Publication Dates: 5
2 x 1988
1990
1989
2007
2015

Gender Ratio:
4 male : 2 female

Read vs. Acquired:
6 read : 5 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
6 read: 1 (1 Pearl Ruled)

Hi Steph. Just waving and reading about your books!

*waves cast--ONE more day!*

Hi Steph!

I discovered today that I am listed in the staff section of the Computer History Museum's website.

Flabbergasted. Just not used to being treated like a valuable asset, especially as a temp.

Congrats, Stephanie and happy weekend.

>100 AuntieClio: Congrats on that, Steph!

My contract has officially been extended through the end of the year. There are so many people who want me to be hired full-time, it almost makes my head spin. However, my manager still has to convince people above her that the job should be data driven, instead of including outreach. We are both of the opinion that there are several groups whose main job it is to fundraise, etc. that adding the Membership Manager to the mix doesn't make sense. What's needed is someone who can dig through the data and help those groups decide who to approach.

But this is what happens when people who've never spent time in the trenches with data make decisions. There's an ill-conceived notion that one the database is "clean," there's no longer a need to have someone work on it full time. Anyone who has worked in the trenches with data scoffs at that notion.

So I have two more months to give others the ammunition they need to convince others that hiring me into a data-driven job is just what's best. Seriously, I can't imagine my life without the museum and trying to picture a future in which I don't work there makes me incredibly sad.

I am just what they need. In so many ways. And they are certainly good for me.

And yes, I still make time to read. :-)

Good for you Stephanie. Fingers crossed that they have you on the website permanently.

Stephanie, I join Paul in sending crossed fingers...and prayers that they keep you in a job you so love and are very fitted for.

Happy Weekend to you my dear!

Hi Stephanie, I keep my fingers crossed too and sending lots of positive thoughts.

Hi Stephanie - congrats!

Steph, I am so happy you are being appreciated and devoutly hope that the funding can be found to make your position permanent (and full-time!).

Happy weekend, Stephanie.

Actually read in November:
80. Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright - TIOLI #16. Read a book with a subtitle at least twice as long as the title (A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948)
81. The Fallen Man by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #3. Read a book that is the 11th (or later) book in a series (#12)
82. Lock In by John Scalzi - TIOLI #8. Read a book with red on the cover
83. The First Eagle by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #10. Read a book by an author whose name contains no repeating vowels
84. Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey - TIOLI #18. Read a book with a word in the title that is not something to be thankful for (Kill)
85. Hunting Badger by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #3. Read a book that is the 11th (or later) book in a series (#14)
86. The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #18. Read a book with a word in the title that is not something to be thankful for

---

New to the Stacks:
67. Angel Flights by Baer Charlton (signed)
68. Death on a Dime by Baer Charlton (signed)
69. Baby You're a Rich Man by Stan Soocher (ARC)

---

November Books Read: 7
November TIOLI Books Read: 7
November ROOTs: 1

November Fiction: 6
November Non-Fiction: 1
November Poetry:

November Books Acquired: 3
November Books Rousted Unread:
November Books Pearl Ruled: 1

Update:
Not as much reading as I feel like I should be doing. Should ...

I'm slowly taking on more responsibility at work, which is probably going to turn into more hours. At least I hope so because I can barely keep up with what I have now.

My manager, along with at least two others, are actively advocating to get me hired full-time as an employee. In fact, my manager, told her VP they couldn't afford to lose me. That, in point of fact, they NEED me. At the very least, my contract may be extended for a few months past the end of the year.

We had a talk about retention rates and how I've been working on it without needing to be told to. So we are going (well, I am supposed to) come up with a plan for more structured contact with current, and former, members.

As I talk to co-workers about how they worked with Membership in the past, I hear about things that are imminently doable. Statements were like, "well, we USED to ... but that hasn't happened in a long time." Things like providing renewal cards for the events team when members visit for an event, or having membership actually STAY for events to speak with members.

So when I talk to my manager, she says, "Oh! Are you willing to do that?" She is also surprised that I want to get at least a surface overview of things which happen within the museum. Like going to the demonstrations of computers, we have a Babbage Engine constructed from his instructions. I feel I really need to be able to talk about what happens with the members. I don't need to know everything in depth, but at least enough to say, "Oh, that Babbage Engine is a treat to see working." Or something.

"Compensate me, and I will."

I know I don't have to tell her I expect to be compensated for these activities, but it feels good to be able to stand up for myself and say the words out loud.

It feels like home every time I walk in the door. When I get to my cubicle, I heave a big "I'm home" sigh and get down to work. I so love where I work. (Who can't love a place where the docents are scheduled to dress in steampunk for the opening of the Ada Lovelace exhibit?) And I love wrangling the data so we can put it to use in ways that serve both our constituents and the museum.

WHEE

Whee, indeed!

October Wrap-up:

October Books Read: 4
October TIOLI Books Read: 4
October ROOTs: 0

October Fiction: 3
October Non-Fiction: 1

October Books Acquired: 5
October Books Rousted Unread:
October Books Pearl Ruled:

Unique Authors: 3
Unique Countries: 2 (3 x US, 1 x UK)
Pages Read: 1224

Publication Dates:
1811
1990
1993
2015

Gender Ratio:
3 male : 1 female

Read vs. Acquired:
4 read : 5 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
4 read: 0

Next Thursday will be 3 months since I started at Computer History Museum. It seems so much longer, in that I'm so comfortable and keep gathering responsibilities. In some ways, it feels like I've worked there much longer.

I have edited several letters to make them read better before we sent them to our members. Am extremely comfortable with the databases and wanting to learn even more. I've come up with a detailed retention plan which my manager told me was awesome! I've been called brilliant a couple of times.

My first event as staff will be Monday night when I'll sit at the front desk and learn how to process payments if anyone wants to join or renew during registration. Then I'll join my friend for a documentary and lecture about George Boole.

In the continuing to amuse my co-worker easily category, I discovered we had a Cray on display. Some of these things are just huge deals for me. This one because, back in the day, Crays were the supercomputer to crunch data and a friend had access to one for her work. She showed off the fob and explained how she only had a certain amount of time to enter the password on the fob or she wouldn't be able to log in. At the time, having access to a Cray was almost tantamount to getting telescope time in Hawai'i.

I went back upstairs in such a state. To me this is like turning the corner and running into Queen Elizabeth I, or something. The awesomeness of where I work came crashing over me. I had really gone to get a closer look at the Babbage Machine, which is cool on its own, but it was the Cray that got me into such a dither.

I popped into my co-worker's cubicle and said, excitedly, "DUDE! We have a CRAY!" She looked up and nodded her head like I had just told her the sky was blue. "No, you don't understand," I said. "We have a CRAY!" As if by repeating myself she would realize the importance of my statement and get excited too.

"Well ....," she said. "I guess it's a good thing you're easily amused ...?" Bursting into laughter, I said, "Well yeah, there is that." I hope I never get over the feeling of awe when I make these discoveries. Because, dude, it'a a frickin' Cray.

The next evening I took her for a sandwich and a movie at the theatre across the street with the fancy lounge chairs. It was her birthday, and I was extremely grateful there was money in the budget this week to do that. We saw The Martian, and then she told me that one of our curators knows Andy Weir.

Seriously, the place I work is so frickin' cool!

>114 AuntieClio: I gather from your story that you are very happy with your job, Steph! (And that is an understatement).

I'm so glad for you!

Hi Stephanie, I finally find time to do some weekend greetings. Wishing you a most lovely weekend.

Proposed reading for December:
TIOLI

Angel Flights by Baer Charlton - TIOLI #3. Read a book that that has no red or green whatsoever on the front cover - COMPLETED
The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #2. Read a book that was on your list at the beginning the year as "to read in 2015" - COMPLETED
Baby You're a Rich Man by Stan Soocher - TIOLI #16: Read a book of nonfiction - COMPLETED
Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #9. Read a book with the color blue on the cover or the word blue somewhere in the title - COMPLETED
How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson - TIOLI #16: Read a book of nonfiction COMPLETED

---

Actually read in December:
87. Angel Flights by Baer Charlton - TIOLI #3. Read a book that that has no red or green whatsoever on the front cover
88. The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #2. Read a book that was on your list at the beginning the year as "to read in 2015
89. Baby You're a Rich Man by Stan Soocher - TIOLI #16: Read a book of nonfiction
90. Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman - TIOLI #9. Read a book with the color blue on the cover or the word blue somewhere in the title
91. How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson - TIOLI #16. Read a book of nonfiction
92. The Very Littlest Dragon by Baer Charlton - TIOLI #15. Read a book that completes the phrase "All is want for Christmas is ..."
93. Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez - TIOLI #21. Read a book published by an author who writes under a diminutive or short form name
94. Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez - TIOLI #21. Read a book published by an author who writes under a diminutive or short form name

---

New to the Stacks:
70. The Getaway God by Richard Kadrey
71. Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton
72. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
73. A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong
74. The Watchers by Stephen Alford
75. Subterranean Kerouac by Ellis Amburn
76. Return to Earth by Edwin Aldrin
77. Men from Earth by Edwin Aldrin
78. Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
79. Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
80. Longitude by Dava Sobel
81. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
82. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
83. The Very Littlest Dragon by Baer Charlton
84. Stoneheart by Baer Charlton

---

December Books Read: 8
December TIOLI Books Read: 8
December ROOTs:

December Fiction: 6
December Non-Fiction: 2
December Poetry:

December Books Acquired: 15
December Books Rousted Unread:
December Books Pearl Ruled:

I'm glad that you are loving your job! What a great fit!

I'm also happy to see what you are reading, especially as our reading tastes often overlap.

Steph--How awesome to see your happiness. It is so well deserved!!! A Cray!! : )

>117 AuntieClio: Wait? You've already read books for December?

November Wrap-up:

November Books Read: 7
November TIOLI Books Read: 7
November ROOTs: 1

November Fiction: 6
November Non-Fiction: 1

November Books Acquired: 3
November Books Rousted Unread: 0
November Books Pearl Ruled: 1

Unique Authors: 4
Unique Countries: 1 (7 x US)
Pages Read: 2212

Publication Dates:
1996
1998
1999
2002
2012
2013

Gender Ratio:
6 male : 1 female

Read vs. Acquired:
7 read : 3 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
7 read: 2 (1 ROOT, 1 Pearl Ruled)

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Stephanie.

I have become such a cynic about the holidays, especially when it comes to company holiday parties. I have seen far too many things happen which I think people should know better. Of course, a lot of this depends on the corporate culture.

I thought the museum's party was yesterday and, not being scheduled to work on Mondays, I would miss it. Yeah ... not so much.

Food was the impetus. I didn't cook over the weekend, so no lunches packed. There's a 7-11 across the street, which serves as my backstop lunch provider.

Today was different. It was catered and there was plenty of good quality food including three different kinds of paella and a carving station where one of the choices was filet mignon. Plus a milk chocolate fondue fountain.

Today's event was lowkey with a white elephant gift swap which didn't get out of control and cutthroat, as I have seen before. Raffle prizes that were actually cool and useful. Five of them were air travel vouchers.

We laughed and chatted. Well, they laughed and chatted; I listened and observed, allowing myself to be the introvert I am.

Aside from taking two hours away from my extremely heavy work-load, I don't regret going.

Oh, yum! It does us introverts good to watch other people socialize occasionally.

Glad you enjoyed the low-key event. It's good to get out even when you don't want to. :)

For my Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holiday image this year (we are so diverse!), I've chosen this photograph by local photographer Mark Lenoce of the pier at Pacific Beach to express my holiday wishes to you: Peace on Earth and Good Will toward All!

Have a lovely holiday, Stephanie.

I'm so happy about your wonderful job and the way 2015 has had some good surprises for you, Steph. May you have a lovely New Year filled with wonderful books and all your favorite things!

Happy New Year, Stephanie, and I wish all good things for you in 2016!

Happy Holidays, Stephanie!

December Wrap-up:

December Books Read: 8
December r TIOLI Books Read: 8
December r ROOTs: 4

December Fiction: 4
December Non-Fiction: 2
December Graphic Novels: 2

December Books Acquired: 14
December Books Rousted Unread: 0
December Books Pearl Ruled: 0

Unique Authors: 5
Unique Countries: 1 (8 x US)
Pages Read: 2009

Publication Dates:
2003
2004
2011
2014
2015

Gender Ratio:
5 male : 0 female

Read vs. Acquired:
8 read : 14 Acquired

Read vs. Borrowed/ROOT/Pearl Ruled/Rousted:
8 read: 4 (ROOT)