Thursday, May 30, 2013

Bonanza

On a morning like this, I'm not sure there is enough coffee.  Anywhere.

For any other kid who who has stood on the stage and tried to make their well through the spelling hierarchy (definition please), I found this little NPR piece a fun listen.  (Of course, it gave me flash backs, but it's a still a good piece.)

You don't ever forget your last word, and you won't ever misspell it again.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Skaal!

I'm grateful that exercise left me exhausted this weekend so that I could curl up on the sofa to finish The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.  It was a fun summer read and the cameos by well-known political figures were great.  The story moved well and the characters were likeable with their quirky, dotted pasts.  Several parts made me laugh aloud.

There were a very highlight-able quotes including this one (p 136):
"Never try to outdrink a Swede, unless you happen to be a Finn or at least a Russian"

If you've ever been drinking in Finland or Russia with Finns, Swedes, Norwegians, Russians, and Germans, you know this to be true (especially if you're in a revolving restaurant or anywhere near a sauna).  But we'll save these stories for another day.  Hope a great week ahead!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Change for a 100?

I'm quite hooked on the 100 year old man who abandoned his birthday party.  I like the panache of a man who takes on the world armed with slippers and enough money for a bus fare to an unknown destination.

That this centenarian would also steal luggage?  He's inspiration to the blue-hair/no hairs across retirement communities everywhere.

I want him to succeed because I wouldn't want to die in a stale home either.  I want him to have a set of adventures that makes 100 worth every breath.  As I approach a milestone birthday, I want to continually have the courage to take the path less traveled because what's life without a little adventure and friends who respond to your crazy ideas with "Why not"?


Friday, May 24, 2013

Here Comes the Bride

I love (other people's) weddings. I love the excitement, anticipation, and joy that's on everyone's face on those moments leading up to the "I do."  I love observing the mild rush, the swishing dresses, and the final check of lipstick before someone walks down an aisle.

Over the weekend, there were two wedding parties and one bachelorette party near the hotel.  One bride told her me her bridesmaids were wearing "blush".  I said, "Bashful?"  She said, "No".  She was at least a decade younger so I'm not sure she got the joke.

This photo below is my view as a "wedding guest" for yet another wedding from the second story restaurant above.

A Stranger's Wedding
Puerto Rico, May 2013
[Author's note from "Lessons Learned the Expensive Way":  if you, as the bride, do not share these same emotions of pure bliss and/or your invitations are accidentally sent to Tanzania, probably better not to wear the dress.]

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

In the Summertime

Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore was the perfect plane ride, pool side, just before a nap in the afternoon, finish at 10,000 feet book for a holiday.  The characters were engaging and after reading, I can now see the appeal of owning at least one and up to seven "Bam!" t-shirts.  Simplicity.

I liked the tie-in with "the Google"  and the overall appeal of the quest.  I could imagine a few chapters ending like an old Batman series:

    What happens when he opens one of "those" books?
    Is Google really a good idea?
    Will they really find the needle in the haystack?  (Loved this answer.)

And the fact there was mention of a knitter's museum?  Bonus.

Hope you too are finding your way into a little vacation reading.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Lucky by 3

My poolside reading list:

Cheers!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Door Number 2

I always seem to have dozens of books floating around in my brain until the moment I need to select my next read...then my mind goes blank.  Depending on the "where" of reading (airplane, deck, sofa, bed), I either stand in front of my bookcase searching for something yet untouched or peruse books for Kindle wondering "why would Amazon ever suggest that?"  (Then I remember I downloaded a dozen books for my Mom and a few for sis and realize that the algorithm that suggests my next read may be off by a decade or at least a  history book or two.)

So, time for another search and hoping that a bit of inspiration lands on me like a butterfly.

Note:  If the author happens to be a bit more sporadic on the posting this weekend, it may due to her long weekend of the three R's:  reading, resting, and reading water.    

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Walk the Plank or Make a Lunge?

All the book news today highlights Dan Brown's latest work Inferno.  (You're on your own here.)

I'm going to buck the trend and go with fitness.  Related:  Did I mention later this week I will be donning a swimsuit outdoors for the first time this season?

Perusing recent stories in NYT, I discovered The Scientific 7-Minute Workout.  With a fairly nerdy background, I'm drawn to anything that includes the work "Scientific" in the title (as if this gives an article more weight.).  The NYT Scientific study takes about 2 minutes to read so it's a fine pairing for your morning coffee.  I incorporate many of the exercises into my weekly training but now I'm curious as to what could happen if performed sequentially.  Data set pending.

(Note:  read the Journal article if you want the science; NYT was just the hook.)

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Rock the Casbah

My sister and I always swap book titles of our recent reads during our visits.  In the historical fiction category it was Carter Beats the Devil for Riven Rock by T.C. Boyle.  From a scan of the GoodReads reviews, it is a very polarizing book (love or hate it).  She loves it.  My tastes tend to mirror hers and after reading the first twenty or so pages, I'll add it to my list.  I should have ample time later this week to knock out a book or two.  I can't wait.

Hope you have had a lovely weekend.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Saturday Walk-Around

"Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations."

Walden

NYC Public Library
April 2013

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Quantum Leaps

Two of my most engaging conversations yesterday included references to quantum physics.  Dark matter, alternate universes, and the concept of time can be a little more interesting than a series of spreadsheets...even if we don't know the formula.  These talks remind me it's okay to dream big (and to not know all the answers).

Anything is possible.

Hope your Wednesday is a good one.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Lego my Hand

It was one of the drives yesterday where you don't realize you've been white-knuckling the steering wheel until you need to adjust your seat belt and realize you can't really move your hand very well.  Lost in thought plus rainy weather...where was a book on tape* when you needed one?

This morning, the rain still falls, but I've got a brighter outlook for Monday due to the combination of one very strong cup of coffee and this book:  Brick City:  Lego for Grownups by Mitchell Beazley.  Thanks to this series of photos in The Guardian, building the Chicago Tribune tower is now on my goal list.

*I no longer have a tape deck but book on Ipod just doesn't have the same ring.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Physics is Pfun

I'm excited today that I'm guaranteed to spend time with another GBC member catching up on life and books (with a side of reading water).  I hope you have something lovely planned for today.

If you're left with a bit of time on your hands, I'd recommend Alan Lightman's review of "Time Reborn" from last week's NYT book review.  I loved this snippet from his opening paragraph:
There is no order to the moments, no sequence, no cause-and-effect relationship. We exist only from moment to moment. If we experience time passing, it’s because this particular moment has memories of another moment woven into it.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Shopping Around

Store notes:

Hilary Davidson just published her list of "Brick and mortar:  Best indie bookstores" via CNN.  (I'm certain you've been to at least one them.)

A dear friend has me thinking of Brooklyn this morning so I've found this piece from last month highlighting three of the neighborhood's stores.  (Photo contains no flannel.)

Have a great end of week - check out a local bookstore.