this little life of mine

TGIF, and welcome to the first Friday Five of 2016! I very nearly had an entry done for New Year's Day, but decided against the five Resolutions I'd chosen to write about. I'll be coming up with actual New Year's Resolutions later. For now, however, here are the five classic books I've decided to read for this year's Classic Book Challenge (not necessarily in order). Enjoy!

1. Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. (I watched the mini series on SyFy, and LOVED it! I'm excited to read the book!)
2. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
3. Logan's Run by George Clayton Johnson ( I may have read this before, but I can't remember now. I know I saw the movie or series or whatever they had back in the 70s and thought it was pretty cool.)
4. The Clockwork Man or Orlando by Virginia Woolfe (I don't know if I'll even be able to find either of these books, but I'm sure gonna try!)
5. The Last Man by Mary Shelley.

I'm planning to check a couple local used book stores for these titles, but if nothing else I can just get them online. I know for sure I can get the nook version of The Last Man, and I'm sure the others are available in that format as well, The only ones I'm not sure of are the two Virginia Woolf books. But, if I can't find those anywhere, I'll just find another title. You may have noticed my theme for this year is Classic Sci-Fi! There's a lot to choose from, even though I've already read a lot of classics, and might add a few other titles if I have time this year.

Are you doing any Reading Challenges during the year? I know there's lots out there to choose from out there, so if you're so inclined, I'm sure you'll find something that fits your favourite genre! Happy Reading! Cheers!

So, I have already decorated my house for Christmas, and all my Christmas cards are stamped and/or purchased and ready to mail, so I'm struggling to find things for my December Resolutions. (I started doing monthly resolutions after reading Kim's blog, and thought it was a fun idea!) The usual "don't drink so much eggnog/don't eat so many Christmas cookies or candies/etc." is off the table this year, because I've decided I'm just going to enjoy myself, dammit (and I'm exercising more, so I can afford the extra calories!). But, I think I've come up with a few things I could try to get done this month. Maybe.

1.  Get rid of more stuff. My closet and dressers are currently overstuffed due to a spending spree I embarked on last month, so I need to go through everything and get rid of more unworn/unwanted items.

2.  Decide on five classic books to read next year. I finished the last book on my list for this year back in October, and really enjoyed all my selections! I'm currently trying to decide if I want to go for a theme, like classic sci-fi, all Bronte sisters, or mid-century modern classics. Any suggestions would be helpful, welcome, and fun!

3.  Decide where to go on my March vacation next year. Weetacon is a given, but I have almost a week after that. A Facebook poll I took a while ago gave me several great ideas, so I just need to narrow it down (and hope a certain friend will be able to meet me at the destination to hang out for a while!).

That's all I can think of. I really don't want to stress myself out with lots of things to accomplish; I really want to enjoy this Christmas season - watch the corny movies, listen to the awesome music, enjoy the yummy food, beverages, and spend time with great people! So, I guess Enjoy the Season is December Resolution #4! 

Do you have any Resolutions or things you'd like to accomplish this month? Let me know in the comments! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Hello, fellow readers!! Since I took the month of September off from the internet - a wonderful and well-deserved break from the madness! - I have three teasers to share with you this week.  Enjoy!

1. Nightbird by Alice Hoffman, page 53 on my nook:

"And more importantly, we have a secret that binds us together," Julia said solemnly. I looked at her and she nodded. "I saw James."

2. When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord, page 144 on my nook:

I knew that repetitions of three had power to them. And if you could summon Bloody Mary by uttering her name three times in a mirror, then I reckoned you could summon a lost girl in a similar way. 

3.  Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, page 94 - 95

But Mr. Fogg, far from being discouraged, was continuing to search, resolved not to stop if he had to resort to Macao, when he was accosted by a sailor on one of the wharves. 

"Is your honour looking for a boat?"

I hope everyone has a terrific week! Cheers!

Another week down ... hoo, boy is this year flying by! Already we're talking about Halloween and Holiday plans at work, and kids are already going back to school! Un. Real.

Anyway, here's five random things for you:

1.  You've probably heard about our local wildfilre. As of this morning, it has burned 3,500 acres and they hope to have it fully contained by next Wednesday. And, while some residence of Santa Margarita were evacuated for a couple days, I believe everyone is home now, and school has even started! I think we got really lucky on this one, and I sincerely hope this is all the fire this county will see!

2.  Tonight is favourite A-Town activity: Hot El Camino Cruise Night. They close off part of the main drag, people line the sidewalks on either side with lawn chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and even picniks, and watch as gorgeous classic cars and hot rods cruise up and down the street. I'll get to enjoy a little bit of it because they're closing my regular bus stop at 4 today, so I'll be walking from the only bus stop in town (by the Grocery Store Formerly Known as Albertson's) back to my car. Sure, I could've probably just driven today, but I really didn't want to, and besides, it's only about a half-hour walk, and I can use the exercise!

3. Last weekend mom and I stopped by Buckets of Books in Atascadero and I was able to find the last two books for my 2015 Classic Books reading challenge: Around the World in 80 Days, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I'm excited to start them both! I'm contemplating next year's titles already, and am considering reading 1 novel by each of the Bronte sisters, and then maybe reading two biographies of historical figures. I dunno, but the thought just came to me and I liked it!

4. This weekend I have a 3-day weekend, as I'm taking Monday off. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning, and then mom and I are going mattress shopping. So here's my question: Do any of you have a mattress that you absolutely LOVE and would love to recommend? I'm considering the Tempur-Flex, but I guess I'll just have to try different mattresses to see which one I really like best.

5. And, finally, for fire fighter fans, an admittedly blurry shot taken out of the window of the bus on the way home of a couple of fire fighters along the Cuesta Grade earlier this week. This part of the Grade is done burning now, so all you see now is black soil and charred foliage. Fingers crossed we'll see no more of this! Have a great weekend, everyone, and I'll see you next week! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Hi, everyone, and happy Tuesday! This week I'm reading Fire by Kristin Cashore. It's a great fantasy novel with lots of action, intrigue, and so far just a little romance. Sorry I don't have a cover shot for you, but I'm reading it on my nook, and I didn't get the picture when I first opened the book, and now I can't get it back. That's one thing I don't like about the nook. Otherwise, it's pretty cool. Anyway, here are my teasers from page 74:

A claw caught her neck and yanked, pulled her high in her seat, and it occurred to her that she was about to die. But then an arrow struck the raptor that dragged at her, and more arrows followed it, and she looked ahead and saw the gates very near, cracked open, and Archer in the aperture, shooting faster than she'd known he could shoot.

Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Good morning and happy Tuesday! This week I'm reading a classic - not one of the books I chose for my own personal classic reading challenge, but a book I remember seeing on our family bookshelf  for decades, but never read. Of course I was way too young for this book at the time, and by the time I was old enough, I was mostly into sci-fi/fantasy books. So, I guess you could say, I'm catching up on modern classics as well! This week's selection is Looking for Mr. Goodbar by Judith Rossner. I believe they made a movie of this book as well, though I've never seen the film, either. One thing I didn't realize is that this book was inspired by a real crime. Knowing that made it a much more interesting read. Here is my teaser - it's just one long sentence this time - from page 136:

She wrapped around herself the secret of the way she was living, and if the wrap was necessary, and even comforting, it was also constricting, a barrier, because it placed such sharp limits on the areas of her life she could share with Evelyn or anyone.

So, what are you guys reading this week? Let me know in the comments! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Good morning and happy Tuesday! First I must apologize for the dreadfully out-of-focus shot of the book cover for this week's teaser, The Body Electric by Beth Revis. I was a) on the bus, and b) wearing my reading glasses, so I couldn't tell how bad it was. It's a pity because the cover art is really nice, but with the nook, you only get one shot at a shot of the cover art. After it appears once, it's gone forever! Why? I don't know. Typically you will only get to go back and get the title and author only, no pictures, but with this book, there's no title page at all. So, this is the best we're going to get!

Anyway, I am very very excited to be reading this new book by Beth Revis! I really enjoyed her Across the Universe trilogy, and I think she's a very good writer. Her stories are interesting and exciting, and her characters are also interesting and have a lot of depth. They feel like real people and you end up really cheering for them to succeed! So, without further ado, here's my teaser from page 53:

"Of course I'm afraid," I say immediately, without thinking. The words take even me by surprise, and I bite my lip, considering.

Wow! Pretty intense! I'm only on chapter four myself, so this is quite a teaser for me, too! Do you have any favourite authors who's books you look forward to coming out? Let me know in the comments; I love getting new author recommendations! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Good morning and happy Tuesday! I finished reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up last Friday, and found it has kind of inspired me to, well, tidy up! While I probably won't be going nuts and talking to my stuff, or getting rid of everything I own a la, the KonMari method, I do have a few days off from work coming up, and plan to spend the time reducing  the amount of my belongings dramatically. Starting with the book itself. Does this spark joy? Hmm. We shall see!

Anyway, this week I'm reading a YA novel called The Unintentional Time Traveller by Everett Maroon. I'm just a few chapters into it, but so far I'm really enjoying it! I've always enjoyed time travel books, and this one has a pretty good twist I'm finding interesting and entertaining! Here are my teasers from page 39 on my nook:

"I'm fine, mom."

"You are not fine. You haven't been fine since that day in the lab."

So, what are you reading this week? Let me know in the comments! Have a great Tuesday! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

So, I finally finished reading The Curiosity by Stephen P. Kiernan, and it was wonderful! (Here's my tease for it.) A great book and a fantastic way to start off a new year of reading! Quite simply, I LOVED It! 

Anyway, this week I'm jumping into my 2015 Classic Reading List with J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan. I don't recall having read this book before, though I am familiar with the Disneyfied version. I'm curious to see just how different the original is! This is a real life paperback book, not on my nook, and I believe I purchased it at Bucket of Books, a used book store in Atascadero. Here are my teasers from page 91:

It was at this tragic moment that they heard a sound which made the heart of every one of them rise to his mouth. They heard Peter crow.

What are you guys reading this week? Let me know in the comments! Cheers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read.

•Open to a random page.

 •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. (I tend to go over this limit a LOT!)

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Good morning, and welcome to my first Teaser Tuesday post for 2015! This week I'm teasing one of  my all-time favourite childhood reads: Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Felix Salten. While I'm not actually reading this book right now (I'm still reading The Curiosity which I teased a couple weeks ago), I was inspired to pick it up and just thumb through it while I was repairing my faux deer head and contemplating his name. Initially I considered naming him Bambi, but then I remembered that Bambi was a strong, feisty little thing that grew to become The Great Prince of the Forest (at least according to the Disney version). He would not end up a mounted head in someone's den (or, in this case, bedroom!), But, I remembered, there was a tragic little deer in the original book - Faline's brother Gobo - who could easily become wall decor. And, so I've named my little golden faux deer head Gobo. 

Anyway, I digress. Here are my teasers from page 138:

Everyone was silent. The old stag looked at Gobo for a long time, piercingly and sadly.

"You poor thing!" he said softly at last, and turned and was gone.