So I am finally using my Film Independent membership and went to a movie screening last night for "Reservation Road". I am disappointed. It has a wonderful cast and the acting was great; however I think the book would have been much better. The story was lacking. Lacking what? I'm not sure, but I feel slighted. I'm going to try and see "The Darjeeling Limited", Wes Anderson's latest next week & am hoping that one will be more to my liking. Although Anderson's films are very hit or miss for me. I've loved some and really disliked others, so we shall see.
I'll be finished with "White Oleander" today and unsure what I'll read next. I want to read my next bookclub book, but the library does not have it in yet & I just realized that my next bookclub is in a week and a half. Oh well.
My work just gave us our new Medical Benefits package and not only are they raising all the costs (including co-payments and prescriptions), but now to be enrolled you have to complete these 2 "wellness programs". Argh. Like I don't have enough on my plate already! And I have to get all this done within the next 4 weeks. Oh yeah, I have the time right now, but I can't start until after I take the webcast, which is next week. And I think some of this crap needs to be done outside of work or something. Sounds ridiculous! If I pay my dues and do all my regular check-ups, why do I have to go this extra mile too? Bastards!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The book list continues
It's been awhile and as usual a lot has been going on. I have been updating my booklist a lot and have received many recommendations. Thanks for all the great book titles!!
Jewish New Year & Yom Kippur were nice. I spent it with my Mom (as usual) and some family. It was a good time. For some great news, I received my blue belt! I finally tested and got it. I had to break a board with my side-kick again. This time though, I had to break a thicker board. My first try I barely even touched the board with my foot. Then I took a minute to breath and concentrate. And I went for it and went right through the middle of the board. I think I even closed my eyes, but heard the crack. It was amazing. And there were quite a few people there who got to see it, so that was cool too.
My brother got married at our Dad's house. It was a spur of the moment wedding. I suppose it was decided only about a week before. His wife, my new sister-in-law is pretty nice. My brother left for Guam about a week later. He's going to be there for about a year. I guess I have all that time to get to know my new sister-in-law. When he returns, they are supposedly going to move to San Diego. Right now, Marcy (the sister-in-law) is living out near my Mom. She comes to visit sometimes when I'm at my Mom's.
So as for the books I've read, I'll try to recount them...I read "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester about one of the biggest Volcano eruptions that was heard halfway around the world and had repercussions that affect us even today. It was pretty interesting. Then I read "World War Z" by Max Brooks (Mel Brooks' son) for my bookclub. it was fantastic! I adored this book. He writes it as if this major world war broke out, but it wasn't between countries or politics, but was because of a zombie outbreak. It's told all in first-person interviews and kept me extremely captivated the entire length of the book. I even wanted more. It was an awesome first book and I think there will be a movie soon. I have to admit that if zombies started to infest the earth, I am not prepared and would end up a zombie quickly. Then I read "The Professor and the Madman" by Simon Winchester. This was the true story of the first Oxford English Dictionary. It mainly focused on one of the individuals (the Madman) that contributed at least half of the words, who was an American Civil War surgeon that had schizophrenia, killed someone in England and was locked up there in an asylum. It was a fantastic tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apparently he's written another book that focuses more on the making of the OED. I want to read that one too.
I bought a few books online, including the "Griffin & Sabine" trilogy by Nick Bantock. Apparently there is a follow-up trilogy, which I just ordered yesterday. I read all three in one sitting. They are very short, but absolutely beautiful. Very hard to explain, but it's a correspondence between these two people. So the book has envelopes and postcards and beautiful artwork within it. It's the most intriguing way to enjoy a book. It's visually amazing, fun to open everything (like a pop-up almost) and a beautifully woven tale. These are the kind of books that I want to populate my bookshelves. I can't wait for the next trilogy to arrive!
Now, I'm reading "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch. My friend lent it to me & I have to admit that I have trouble putting it down. It's very well written. Can get a little sappy at times, but I'm enjoying it and should be finishing it soon. I also found out that there are 2 more Haruki Murakami books that have been translated into English. I'm so excited to get them (ordered them yesterday too) and read them. Going to be so good!!
That's all I got for now. Sorry for the crazy delay in posting. A lot more books to recommend...
Jewish New Year & Yom Kippur were nice. I spent it with my Mom (as usual) and some family. It was a good time. For some great news, I received my blue belt! I finally tested and got it. I had to break a board with my side-kick again. This time though, I had to break a thicker board. My first try I barely even touched the board with my foot. Then I took a minute to breath and concentrate. And I went for it and went right through the middle of the board. I think I even closed my eyes, but heard the crack. It was amazing. And there were quite a few people there who got to see it, so that was cool too.
My brother got married at our Dad's house. It was a spur of the moment wedding. I suppose it was decided only about a week before. His wife, my new sister-in-law is pretty nice. My brother left for Guam about a week later. He's going to be there for about a year. I guess I have all that time to get to know my new sister-in-law. When he returns, they are supposedly going to move to San Diego. Right now, Marcy (the sister-in-law) is living out near my Mom. She comes to visit sometimes when I'm at my Mom's.
So as for the books I've read, I'll try to recount them...I read "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester about one of the biggest Volcano eruptions that was heard halfway around the world and had repercussions that affect us even today. It was pretty interesting. Then I read "World War Z" by Max Brooks (Mel Brooks' son) for my bookclub. it was fantastic! I adored this book. He writes it as if this major world war broke out, but it wasn't between countries or politics, but was because of a zombie outbreak. It's told all in first-person interviews and kept me extremely captivated the entire length of the book. I even wanted more. It was an awesome first book and I think there will be a movie soon. I have to admit that if zombies started to infest the earth, I am not prepared and would end up a zombie quickly. Then I read "The Professor and the Madman" by Simon Winchester. This was the true story of the first Oxford English Dictionary. It mainly focused on one of the individuals (the Madman) that contributed at least half of the words, who was an American Civil War surgeon that had schizophrenia, killed someone in England and was locked up there in an asylum. It was a fantastic tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apparently he's written another book that focuses more on the making of the OED. I want to read that one too.
I bought a few books online, including the "Griffin & Sabine" trilogy by Nick Bantock. Apparently there is a follow-up trilogy, which I just ordered yesterday. I read all three in one sitting. They are very short, but absolutely beautiful. Very hard to explain, but it's a correspondence between these two people. So the book has envelopes and postcards and beautiful artwork within it. It's the most intriguing way to enjoy a book. It's visually amazing, fun to open everything (like a pop-up almost) and a beautifully woven tale. These are the kind of books that I want to populate my bookshelves. I can't wait for the next trilogy to arrive!
Now, I'm reading "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch. My friend lent it to me & I have to admit that I have trouble putting it down. It's very well written. Can get a little sappy at times, but I'm enjoying it and should be finishing it soon. I also found out that there are 2 more Haruki Murakami books that have been translated into English. I'm so excited to get them (ordered them yesterday too) and read them. Going to be so good!!
That's all I got for now. Sorry for the crazy delay in posting. A lot more books to recommend...
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