working today

Hello!

I have figured out a backwards way of getting around the system so I can blog at work!  WOO-HOO!

Since I’m not so sure when I stopped, I will update you on my 100 book challenge!!  I veered off the list and have been picking up whatever sounds good at the time; and y’all, I have fallen in love with the author  Laurie Notaro!  She is a hilarious non-fiction writer out of Arizona who writes about her day-to-day life dealing with marriage, pets, and her mother.  I laugh at every story until there are tears rolling down my cheeks!  My favorite one of hers is “The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death”.  Go get it!!

As for the quantity… that’s another story.  Though I have lost count, I know that I am not anywhere close to 100 sadly.  I knew going into it that it was a farfetched goal — just didn’t realize how much I also love to sleep.  But by pushing towards this goal, I have grown to love reading again which is something that through college, not that I feel out of love with reading, I think I just forgot about it.  I’m like Carrie – I forgot how much I love the smell of a library book or how long I can get lost in a book store.  This boost was the best thing I did for myself this year and I am so happy that I tried — and hey, I know I got over halfway there and there are still 2 months to go!

books, books, and more books

Yes, I am still working on my 100 books in one year challenge… and man alive. I mean, I realize that it was an ambitious goal, but I had no idea! As of now, I am behind average having only finished 14 books — yes, that’s way behind average. But I figure that some will pick up come beach season so fingers crossed! Until then, I will keep on pushing on. It is getting to the point though where I am having to write not only when (and if) I finish the book but also a little synopsis about the book to refresh my memory.

In retrospect, I wish I would have just made the goal of 100 books and not picked them all out beforehand.  I have come across some great reads that didn’t make my list that I have been sneaking onto my bookshelf — or into my Kindle — as well.  One of those books that I read a book which happened to not be on my list was Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. I HIGHLY recommend it!

It’s the story of an international art dealer, used to living a lavish lifestyle, being thrown into volunteer work by his grounded wife.  It is there where the couple meet Denver, a modern day slave, who is homeless and removed from society as a whole. Deborah, the wife, has overwhelming feelings of faith and love that lead her to realize that Denver and Ron, her husband, should become friends. It is there that their stories intertwine; they realize the necessity for each other and what love and friendship truly feels like.

It is a griping book through the end that brought tears to my eyes. It’s refreshing to read about others beliefs and how, in turn, that allows them to have such huge propensities for love. YOU MUST READ IT!

phew!

I just read Meg’s blog from her weekend and I just thought MY weekend was full. Geez. Lemme see…

To start, I moved! I now live in the ‘burbs, super close to work. It’s very three’s company with me being the odd one out but I am so excited! It is so nice to not only be close to work but also in a house with a backyard for Sadie to frolic in. It took me nearly all week to get everything out of the old apartment — plus Thomas, Huynh (new roomie!), and two movers — which brings me to this past weekend.

No apparently I do no take stress well. I think Thomas and I fought the most this weekend than we ever have in the past 3 years. But, come on! Definitely a test of my patience. I just don’t understand why I have to be the one that makes decisions. Just pick up a box, pack, tape, and move. I don’t care how or what… it all has to come with me anyways. So just get it done! Ahhhhh.

So, I packed and packed just in time for Saturday morning when the movers got there! I mainly had them do all of my furniture — except my bed — and take it to storage. 2 guys, 3 hours, and $275 later, I came to the conclusion it was COMPLETELY worth it! We packed more that afternoon and then Sunday, took a rather large load of boxes to Huynh’s and my bed, got it all set up, then I got to go clean. Fun.

Today, I had to go into work this morning but took off at lunch to go finish up the apartment, pay rent (yup, for 2 days), and got the heck out of there! I am so glad to be saving some serious cash :).

Also this weekend, I got my KINDLE! I refused to let myself get too wrapped up in reading since I had to move but I did get to sneak some in Sunday morning. I LOVE IT. What’s also fun is that a group of four of us got together and decided to share books! So we now only have to buy one copy and all four of us get to read it. Pretty ingenious. It is really awesome and I completely recommend it to any reader — that is any reader that reads at least a couple+++ books a year. So now I am kindlicious!!

Okay, I promised myself that I would unpack a minimum 2 boxes per day so I better get on it. I must say, I got some new bedding and I could just melt. Must. Find. Will-power. To. Get. Out. Of. Bed. And. Unpack.

beautiful singing

To keep myself accountable to my 100 books in 365 days resolution, I have decided to post about some of my favorite (and maybe some of my not so favorite) selections. I’ll start with my fave… :)

 Bel Canto

 by Ann Patchett

 #15 / 100

I give it 5 out of 5 stars with 2 exclamation marks!! It really should not come as a shock though; my sister is the one who recommended it to me (years ago) and I finally read it.

To avoid spoilers, summary after the jump.

100 books

So one of my New Year’s resolutions was to read more… thus, I made a list of 100 books to read over the course of the year… yes, I know, that’s over 8 books a month, but hey, a girl’s gotta dream  :). Besides, some of them I have read before so they should go quick…

1. 2666 by Roberto Bolano
2. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
4. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
5. A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
6. A Widow for One Year by John Irving
7. A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson
8. Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull
9. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
10. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Loma Lanvik