Ireadthereforeiam: Thread III

Joe 90 and his arsenal of super futuristic gadgets! I have been enjoying these old episodes with Wilbur recently.

JANUARY BOOKS
1. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (Booker Prize 1996) 324p
2. Pincher Martin by William Golding. 230p (tally 554p)
3. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (Booker Prize 1992) 302p (tally 856p)
4. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (Pulitzer Prize 1993) 249p (tally 1,105p)
5. Daphne du Maurier: A Daughter's Memoir by Flavia Leng 234p (tally 1,339p)
6. Five go Adventuring Again by Enid Blyton (read aloud to Wilbur) 190p (tally 1,529p)
7. The Maples Stories: Everyman's Pocket Classics by John Updike 255p (1,784p)
8. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner 261p (tally 2,045p) From Bowie's top 100
9. The Circle by Dave Eggers 491p (tally 2,536p)

FEBRUARY BOOKS
10. Plato for Beginners by Robert Cavalier NF 153p (tally 2,589p)
11. The Property by Rutu Modan (GN) 222p (tally 2,811p)
12. Science on Stage by Stephen Hilgartner NF 150p (tally 2,961p)
13. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 336p (tally 3,297p)
14. So, You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson NF 282p (tally 3,579p)
15. That Eye, the Sky by Tim Winton 150p (tally 3,729p)
16. Wrinkles by Paco Roca (GN) 102p (tally 3,831p)
17. Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 111p (tally 3,942p)

MARCH BOOKS
18. Chocky by John Wyndham 151p (tally 4,093p)
19. Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding DNF (read 169/386p, tally 4,262p)
20. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphries 184p (tally 4,446p)
21. Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson 175p (tally 4,621p)
22. Science, non-science and pseudo-science: Bacon, Popper, Lakatos, Kuhn, and Feyerabend on defining science by Max Charlesworth NF 46p (tally 4,667p)
23. Climate Change Denial by Haydn Washington and John Cook NF 163p (tally 4,830p)
24. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters 548p (tally 5,378p) *first 5-star book!*

APRIL BOOKS
25. Small Steps by Louis Sacher 256p (tally 5,634p)
26. The Sailor who Fell From Grace With the Sea by Yukio Mishima (143p)
27. Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan 215p

BOOKS ACQUIRED
1. Daphne du Maurier: A Daughter's memoir by Flavia Leng $1
2. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel (second hand, first edition!) $5
3. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (new) $16
4. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (thoughtful gift from Nittnut)
5. Infidelities by Kirsty Gunn (new) $2
6. The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears by Dinaw Menfetsu
7. To Save Everything, Click Here by Evgeny Morozov CURRENTLY READING
8. Liberty in the Age of Terror by AC Grayling
9. Freedom Next Time by John Pilger (4 in a row all gifts from roundballnz)
10. Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe $4
11. Jernigan by David Gates $23 (new)
12. The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes $15 (new>

MOVIES TOO
1. The Force Awakens (date 3/1)
2. The Chipmunks III: Something about a road 'chip' (5/1)
3. The Force Awakens (again!) (8/1)
I HAVE NOT SEEN A FILM SINCE JANUARY!
A travesty. :(

DAVID BOWIE'S TOP 100 (via Luxx, from Berly and already copied by hand into my book of lists!)
Struck are the ones that I have read, bold are ones I want to read....soon. Suggestions welcome!

Interviews With Francis Bacon by David Sylvester
Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Room At The Top by John Braine
On Having No Head by Douglass Harding
Kafka Was The Rage by Anatole Broyard
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
City Of Night by John Rechy
The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Iliad by Homer
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Tadanori Yokoo by Tadanori Yokoo
Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin
Inside The Whale And Other Essays by George Orwell
Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood
Halls Dictionary Of Subjects And Symbols In Art by James A. Hall
David Bomberg by Richard Cork
Blast by Wyndham Lewis
Passing by Nella Larson
Beyond The Brillo Box by Arthur C. Danto
The Origin Of Consciousness In The Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
In Bluebeard’s Castle by George Steiner
Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd
The Divided Self by R. D. Laing
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Infants Of The Spring by Wallace Thurman
The Quest For Christa T by Christa Wolf
The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin
Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter
The Master And Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Herzog by Saul Bellow
Puckoon by Spike Milligan
Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima https://www.librarything.com/topic/220786
Darkness At Noon by Arthur Koestler
The Waste Land by T.S. Elliot
McTeague by Frank Norris
Money by Martin Amis
The Outsider by Colin Wilson
Strange People by Frank Edwards
English Journey by J.B. Priestley
A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
The Day Of The Locust by Nathanael West
1984 by George Orwell
The Life And Times Of Little Richard by Charles White
Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn
Mystery Train by Greil Marcus
Beano (comic, ’50s)
Raw (comic, ’80s)
White Noise by Don DeLillo
Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm And Blues And The Southern Dream Of Freedom by Peter Guralnick
Silence: Lectures And Writing by John Cage
Writers At Work: The Paris Review Interviews edited by Malcolm Cowley
The Sound Of The City: The Rise Of Rock And Roll by Charlie Gillete
Octobriana And The Russian Underground by Peter Sadecky
The Street by Ann Petry
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
Last Exit To Brooklyn By Hubert Selby, Jr.
A People’s History Of The United States by Howard Zinn
The Age Of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby
Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz
The Coast Of Utopia by Tom Stoppard
The Bridge by Hart Crane
All The Emperor’s Horses by David Kidd
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess
The 42nd Parallel by John Dos Passos
Tales Of Beatnik Glory by Ed Saunders
The Bird Artist by Howard Norman
Nowhere To Run The Story Of Soul Music by Gerri Hirshey
Before The Deluge by Otto Friedrich
Sexual Personae: Art And Decadence From Nefertiti To Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia
The American Way Of Death by Jessica Mitford
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Lady Chatterly’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Teenage by Jon Savage
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Viz (comic, early ’80s)
Private Eye (satirical magazine, ’60s – ’80s)
Selected Poems by Frank O’Hara
The Trial Of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens
Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes
Maldoror by Comte de Lautréamont
On The Road by Jack Kerouac
Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder by Lawrence Weschler
Zanoni by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Transcendental Magic, Its Doctrine and Ritual by Eliphas Lévi
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
The Leopard by Giusseppe Di Lampedusa
Inferno by Dante Alighieri
A Grave For A Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno
The Insult by Rupert Thomson
In Between The Sheets by Ian McEwan
A People’s Tragedy by Orlando Figes
Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg

The Booker winners were my pre-LT TBR list :)
I'm slow, but I will get there....

1969: P. H. Newby, Something to Answer For
1970: Bernice Rubens, The Elected Member
1970: J. G. Farrell, Troubles (awarded in 2010 as the Lost Man Booker Prize)
1971: V. S. Naipaul, In a Free State
1972: John Berger, G.
1973: J. G. Farrell, The Siege of Krishnapur
1974: Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist and Stanley Middleton, Holiday
1975: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Heat and Dust
1976: David Storey, Saville
1977: Paul Scott, Staying On
1978: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea (On my shelf)
1979: Penelope Fitzgerald, Offshore
1980: William Golding, Rites of Passage
1981: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children
1982: Thomas Keneally, Schindler's Ark (On my shelf)
1983: J. M. Coetzee, Life & Times of Michael K (On my shelf)
1984: Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac
1985: Keri Hulme, The Bone People
1986: Kingsley Amis, The Old Devils (On my shelf...but looking for a better copy to replace it with)
1987: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
1988: Peter Carey, Oscar and Lucinda (On my shelf)
1989: Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day (On my shelf)
1990: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance (On my shelf)
1991: Ben Okri, The Famished Road (On my shelf)
1992: Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient... and Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger
1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (On my shelf)
1994: James Kelman, How late it was, how late
1995: Pat Barker, The Ghost Road
1996: Graham Swift, Last Orders (On my shelf)
1997: Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
1998: Ian McEwan, Amsterdam
1999: J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace
2000: Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
2001: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang (On my shelf)
2002: Yann Martel, Life of Pi
2003: DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little (On my shelf)
2004: Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty (On my shelf)
2005: John Banville, The Sea
2006: Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering (On my shelf)
2008: Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger
2009: Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall (On my shelf)
2010: Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question (On my shelf)
2011: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
2012: Hilary Mantel, Bring Up the Bodies
2013: Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries
2014: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North (On my shelf)
2015: Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings

And, currently reading:

Why Social Justice Matters by Brian Barry
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism by Evgeny Morozov
Domestic Manners of the Americans (Oxford World's Classics) by Frances Trollope
Science: A History 1543 - 2001 by John Gribbin
Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand by Haydn Washington

Where is the fiction???

And, again, this spot held for responses to the last few comments on my last thread. Which is for another time :)

Eta:
charl08: yes, baby animals steal the show. Last time I went the kids were more interested in the ducklings than the gorillas!

Paul C: kids really do say the best things, their lack of filter can get us in trouble sometimes, but it's always worth it :)

ameise1: thanks for the pic. Weekend duly enjoyed.

Berly: the zoo animals list was not complete actually. I'm sure there were some African animals we neglected to list. It was a great day for a wander, and the kids loved the little caterpillar bus that takes you around the different parts of the park.

BellaJo: Mother's Day??!!. UK Mother's Day only I hope, I'm sure ours is in May...otherwise my station as matriarch is sadly under-celebrated ;)

I think it's safe.

Great new thread, Megan!

Woohoo! Ellen is first :) :) :) :)

Oh yeah, and my copy of The Frozen Thames arrived! A brand spanking new hard cover edition. It is so pretty :)

Wait--I thought Fingersmith was fiction?! You need an up and coming list. I should get my copy in two or three days. : )

>11 Berly: oh yeah, Fingersmith is fiction. It's just that I am not reading it yet, and I am reading about a hundred non-fiction....give or take ;)

I started The Frozen Thames already....ok, I'm half way through! It's only been in my possession 5 hours and it's lovely. And surprisingly (or maybe not) it ties in well with the book I'm reading for class, Science: A History? Yay

----/----/----/----/----/----/----/----

Today I fudged together a 400 word abstract and lengthy reading list to begin the formulation of my 6,000 word research assignment for this semesters class. We are using philosophical issues as a lens through which to examine a period in scientific history...my period is climate change science.
It is so scary reading about the denial movement and how effective they have been! It is like people want to have the wool pulled over their eyes. I hereby pledge to do more in my household to reduce and reuse. For what it's worth...but all I can do is...something.

>12 LovingLit: Love this book. Totally jealous of your own copy. Will have to drop better hints next Xmas to the relevant gift givers (!)

Admire your passion for recycling. Annoyingly, the council's current budget squeeze seems to mean they are going to cut back on a recycling plant. Seems counter intuitive to me, given the lack of space in remaining landfill sites.

Happy New thread, Megan! Hope you had a good weekend, my friend. It looks like you have some heavy reading, going on. Please do not sink, okay?

Happy new thread, Megan! Hope your week is spectacular!!

Happy new thread, Megan. Is this your best start reading wise since you joined LT?

Happy new thread, Megan!

Happy New Thread, Megan.

Happy New Thread!

>13 charl08: recycling is the last resort really. I still do it though, and think its a worthy act. They reckon that the biggest impact on co2 emmission reductions was the global financial crisis. People weren't buying as much, going away as much or moving about as much. (not that I think mass unemployment and dire economic situations are the solution- but it goes to show that people consuming less all around makes a big impact on reducing overall global temp increases).
I usually buy second hand clothes. And hating shopping in general helps me consume less....but I could work on supermarket shopping- buying things with less packaging will be my new thing.

>14 msf59: trying to to sink, Mark. Of course it helps that I am actually enjoying the history of science and the climate change denial books!

>15 Carmenere: Spectacular!? It pays to aim high, I suppose :) Thinking about the upcoming weekend family trip away at the mo, we fly on Saturday! Yay! (45 min flight to our nations capital city, nothing toooooo far)

>16 PaulCranswick: it could be! But page-wise surely not. I am putting away some fairly light reads this year so far. Including 2x graphic novels which are very light on wordss.

>17 scaifea: >18 Ameise1: >19 thornton37814:
Thank you new thread cheer team!

Ooh, those damned "climate change denial books"! They will sink you every time.

>21 msf59: heh, yeah. Any "state of the world" book runs the risk of sinking the Megan ship! In fact, even historic state of the world books can do that... Uh oh. Are you telling me I need to read chick lit?!
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
;)

Happy new thread Megan! >6 LovingLit: is an impressive reading list!

>23 souloftherose: yeah well, some of them are "being read" since 2014 ;)
It's a slow process.

Happy new one, Megan! I'm late, but I am here.

Am I a thread behind? Probably. Happy New Thread, Megan!

There's a group read going on of The Master and Margerita from David Bowie's list, and it's a great oddball read.

The Frozen Thames! Did I mention I love that book?

BOOK 20
The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys

This lovely little book is surprisingly solid, much like the River Thames that it describes over its long history of frozen moments. The 40 recorded times that the Thames has frozen solid, over the 12th to the 19th Centuries, are each tied to a personal story featuring the river in some social context. I was struck by the frequency of freezings in the 1600s and think this period is now known as a little ice age.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing what each little story was going to capture and how from time to time they did surprise. The loss of income from ferrymen was a frequent theme, as was birds dropping form the sky- encased in ice! I was struck by the ease of travel that the frozen river afforded the commoner who was used to having to pay for the right to cross. Descriptions of general hardship the cold brought to everyone by way of less food for themselves and animals, and the social disruption all around, felt like accurate portrayals of lives lived so long ago. I felt that the stories were sweet and delightful, and they gave a window on the changing world of London over nearly 1000 years.

>25 Crazymamie: Mamie's here! Did you bring coffee and pumpkin muffins? Or maybe I am supposed to provide....as the host and all...lucky for us Joe arrived too huh??

>26 jnwelch: Yes, you mentioned loving The Frozen Thames! I think the original nod for the book came via Ellen though. I must thank her....the BB hit the target. I read it very carefully so I can give it to my mum for her 70th birthday (which is ages away, but I think she'll like it).

>27 LovingLit: I'll pass on the muffins having eaten a rather moreish nutella and cinnamon one. Or two.

I wish Dr Who or similar would do a frozen Thames episode. Guess it's too expensive, but short of time travel, the only way to 'see' the river frozen. Love the idea of ice parties....

Boo to Chick-Lit! (Although, I may be currently reading it, for Booktopia.) Hey, these things happen, right? It is not bad, just not my usual fare.

I also enjoyed The Frozen Thames. I may have a crush on Humphreys. I have loved both of the books I have read by her.

Mmmm, pumpkin muffins... *Dools*

Oh! Um...Hi Megan! :D

Ah, Megan, I'm such a slacker. The only time I ever seem to get to your lovely thread is when it's new. I do look forward to reading more Lenny and Wilburisms though.
I also look forward to what you're reading and what you think about it. I do like Humphreys, and I do own *Thames*, but I haven't read it, alas.
From your italics on the David Bowie list, I say that you should not press ahead to read A Confederacy of Dunces (such a disappointment to me) but move Black Boy up double-fast. I think it's quite a strong book. Fingersmith is really a lot of fun. So that's my advice, and I know you have a lot of good reader friends who will tell you the exact opposite. Fun!

>29 charl08: wouldn't it be lovely to see a film or tv adaption of The Frozen Thames! But, I guess you couldnt really film it on an ice rink or anything....

>30 msf59: I love author crushes :) I have wanted to read Coventry for ages now. I will chuck it on the pile, and get to it imminently*
*which means at some point in the next decade, for sure.

>31 Ape: mmmmm *drooling back atcha*

>32 LizzieD: you know, I started Fingersmith last night, and as with the night before, found myself reading in the wee small hours on account of multiple child wake-ups stopping me sleeping. Gggrrr. But- yay! I got some reading in :)
The Frozen Thames is one you can dip in to at a second's optics, maybe you could start it and see? ;)

Tomorrow we set out on our Planes, trains, and automobiles trip!
Automobile to airport, plane to Wellington, bus to city, walk to cable car, cable car, trolley bus, bus, taxi to ferry terminal, ferry, train, automobile, HOME!

Exactly all of the money I earned doing my part time work at the end of last year is being used for the trip, and Lenny, the local transportation enthusiast, will no doubt love it.
All we want to do while in Wellington is:
-visit a craft beer pub and sample some ;)
-go on the cable car
-visit the national museum (Te Papa) to see the giant squid amongst other things
-eat out
-watch trains come and go from the train station
-visit the art gallery
-Play on the foreshore. Phew. Oh, and I will visit Unity books :)

I have decided to take Montana, 1948 as my reading as the carry on only luggage allowance won't like the weight of Fingersmith.

Aaaand I'm all caught up! Just in time to wish you bon voyage!

Please tell me there is a hotel somewhere in between cable car, trolley bus, bus and taxi to ferry terminal?

Have Fun!

>34 LovingLit: Hope it all goes well. Is the giant squid particularly important based on previous visits?

Safe travels and I hope you all have a wonderful time!

>35 katiekrug: thanks! I'm glad we are starting with the flight and saving the restful long haul till we are all dog tired.

>36 nittnut: ha! Well, if you can call the yha a hotel, then yes! There is one ;)
We are there to it and tomorrow night, are you in Wgtn city this weekend? Text me of you are and I'm sure a coffe date near Unity Books would work

>37 charl08: well, its fascinating. And I read a collection of short stories to W a while ago that was centred around the collection at Te Papa, and one was about the squid so he's keen.

>38 scaifea: thanks! Unfortunately the cat (he's been demoted from 'Terry' to 'the cat' now) once again woke up Lenny in the night and so I was awake on vigil lest he strike again.....two hours awake in the wee small hours third time in a row!!

I had a look on the website for the giant squid. I am quite tempted to build my own, but I think it must be too big a squid for my phone, as it wouldn't run. Looks like fun.

I caught a David Attenborough programme over Xmas where he was supposedly in The Natural History Museum after hours, when the animals came back to life. He was a surprisingly good actor, and it made me want to visit again (even if I wasn't the target audience.)

Happy new thread, Megan!

>20 LovingLit: - buying things with less packaging will be my new thing. I wish you the best with that. Excessive packaging of all items - not just food items - drives me batty. I am glad that the grocery store I like to shop for meat and fish has a full service department that uses butcher paper for packaging so no Styrofoam and plastic wrap. ;-)

I hope your trip is going excellently Megan. Especially looking forward to seeing what you make of the bookstore of course.

Hi, Megan! hope you are having a wonderful time, my friend. I also hope you are enjoying Montana 1948. One of my favorites.

>41 lkernagh: I, too, go batty over excessive food packaging. Bah.

>34 LovingLit: How was the transportive trip?

Whoops! Missed your message. :( Probably couldn't have made it - we had a full on weekend. Hope you had a good trip and a gentle crossing home. Can't wait to hear all about it.

I just picked up Fingersmith today and I had no idea it was so .... huge!! Good thing you didn't take it with you on your trip. I will try to catch up. Hope you like Montana 1948--I worked on that at Milkweed Editions way back when. : )

Hi!
We're back! Nearly 12 hours of continuous travel today, by bus, ferry, train and car. We survived! The kids were *well-enough behaved* that I can call it a success!
The only drama was when Lenny got his arm jammed firmly in between two train seats. Poor wee lad, he was crying and wailing that he would "never get it out again". The man from across the aisle came over to help prise the seats apart and called out "come on son! Yank it up!" (a little frightening in itself...). Anyway, it all came out alright in the end.

Big questions for the day: how did all that water get there!? (the ocean) and Wilbur's idea about what water itself IS... Mud, without the dirt. All good stuff to keep us entertained ;)

Great questions. How *does* all the water get there?

My favourite overheard small child moment at the zoo yesterday was a kid yelling to his mother that the statue was five years older than her, then adding the year and her age for full disclosure just so everyone got that maths had been successfully undertaken.

The mother looked at me and my friend, standing on a raised path with her, and gave one of those shrugs that said 'I have no secrets anymore'.

Welcome home, Megan! And "how did all that water get there!?" Waits patiently...

>40 charl08: are you sure that David Attenborough thing wasn't the movie...Night at the Museum?! ;) W loved that one, and I liked taking him to see it.

>41 lkernagh: I know! The other day I saw in fb, an orange that had been peeled and placed in a sealed plastic container for sale. Ri-di-cu-lous!!

>42 PaulCranswick: hehe, the bookstore is the best I've seen in ages. As usual. Unity Books, so may books! So many interesting and non-besteseller books! I got two...more on that later (and that is mainly as I can't remember one of the titles)

>43 msf59: when you wrote that Mark, I probably was enjoying it. I managed to read the whole (175p) book in the weekend, what a treat!

>44 London_StJ: the trip was transportative and transformative. Now we are a family that can travel, and in just a few short years, Lenny will be much better at it :)

>45 nittnut: never mind! You just would have spent money at Unity books anyway ;) (sorry)
The crossing was fabuloso! Smooth as glass.

>46 Berly: Fingersmith is huge isn't it, for my standards anyway. I have really been lazy lately and gravitating towards the short reads. It's good to push myself and commit to something more substantial!

Eta: spelling

  Treat yourself to a slice of your favorite pie, Megan. It's National Pie Day (3.14)!

>48 charl08: >49 msf59: well, yes. Big questions like that take a lot of thought. And it did stump me....I believe I answered that it was something to do with molecules and elements that interacted when the earth formed.
We both though it a very complex situation, and quite wonderous ;)

>52 weird_O: I'll take the pie(s), thank you. But we don't have pi day here seeing as the date is referred to as 14/3. So poor NZ has no pi day until we get a fourteenth month!

>54 LovingLit: LOL!

>53 LovingLit: Very smooth.

The David Attenborough is this one -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Attenboroughs-Natural-History-Museum/dp/B00HW4NUQS

>55 jnwelch: you can picture NZ being so different as to have two extra months in a year, can't you? ;)

>56 charl08: cool! But I can't view it unfortunately...stoopid slow iPad I'm on. I really need to upgrade, it's getting serious.

>54 LovingLit: You are Pi deprived!!! Like...forever!!! Good thing Bill is sharing with you. : ) Sue has just arrived at her new place of employment in Fingersmith. Liking it a lot!

>58 Berly: woah, you read fast. I better get moving. I took the weekend off Fingersmith and concentrated on Montana, 1948. Which was a lovely departure form 1800s England, but I couldn't wait to get back to it too!

BOOK 21
Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson 175p

This book was the first BB I ever got here on LT. It has been on my WL for many years, so when I spotted it at the library (I'm sure it wasn't on the catalogue last time I looked??!), I grabbed it greedily.
It has a slow start- doesn't every dramatic situation come preceded by 'normal' slow life? I liked that this story was prefaced with what the boy's experience of living his life was like. I suppose a lot of you have read it already, but I just loved the way it was described when his childhood perceptions were altered and then broken by the realities of life. We all grew up at some point, or during a period, that we can more or less pinpoint, and for David, his was the summer of 1948. Until then, he saw his family relationships as simple, loving, and un-changeable. But when a friend to the family becomes ill and then dies, it leaves questions, for those who care to ask them, of a relative. The complex situations and nuances of family relationships are tested and basic moral questions are raised, all before a child who needs them explained to him, but fails to get that explanation. This is a cracker of a little book.

Jernigan by David Gates (wood-ja just look at that cover!!? *drool*), and The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes.

Purchases from Unity Books in Wellington, this weekend just gone. Very restrained was I.

>61 LovingLit: Eerily I also bought Jernigan last week sporting that self same drool worthy cover. Serpent's Tail books have a series of "lost classics" and I have added about four or five of their number recently.

Check out the other great covers on cult classics here:

https://serpentstail.com/serpents-tail-classics.html

"This is a cracker of a little book." I could not agree more, Megan. Good review. I hope that interests you enough to try more of his stuff.

>60 LovingLit: Oh yes, I loved that one, too! Your review is spot-on to my experience of reading it as well.

>60 LovingLit: Oh good, I'm another fan of Montana, 1948. I'm glad it worked so well for you.

>60 LovingLit: Book bullet. Never heard of it, but sounds good!

>62 PaulCranswick: wow- uncanny! Although, with the amount of books that you acquire, there are bound to be times when even a measly purchaser like me manages to replicate one of your purchases! That link took me places that I have trouble staying away from.....I do love a pretty series of editions. The Penguin Modern Classics, (with the photographic covers and Ariel ? typeface for the titles) are beautiful too, but are rarely cheap. I have taken to the Faber and Faber modern classics now instead as they are generally half the price, at $16 or so.

>63 msf59: I think I will try more of his Mark. I cant recall any titles off the top of my head, but that is what LT is for, no?

>64 rosalita: hi there stranger! I was so glad to finally have that book in my hands, it was a long wait, and I love getting to finally read something that I have imagined for so long. It is never how you imagined it either, and usually much better.

>65 jnwelch: It's a book to bulk buy and give, I reckon. Only one little thing bugged me, and that was the narrator's eventual wife bringing up the "incident" all those years later at the dinner table upon first meeting her parents-in-law, I just don't think she would have done that.

>66 charl08: For a second there I thought you had never heard of a book bullet! Hehe, as if ;) If you do wishlist it, don't leave it on there for as long as I did!

Not a stranger, Megan! I've been lurking here all along, but I'm following a strict "no posting unless you have something to say" policy this year. :-)

>68 rosalita: what? No small talk? LT might crash if small talk was not allowed ;)
Glad you dropped by and said hello on your way this time.

I don't care if everyone else does it, Megan! And I've done my fair share in past years. I'm just abstaining in an attempt to regain some online sanity this year.

>70 rosalita: phew, I'm good at small talk. How about them cubs! And the weather....well, don't get me started....
;) ;) ;)

>71 LovingLit: You don't really know who the Cubs are, right??

Um. Of course I do! They are a.....team. :)

...of sports players. :)

Wow, you really do know!

;-)

*polishes halo*

Eta: or do I mean *huffs on fingernails and buffs them on jumper*?

What's a jumper?

HA! I already know the answer to that one; I was just joshin' ya. I believe you about the halo, though.

>77 rosalita: lol, good one. And I do try with my angelicism, I find it as good a religion as any.

>70 rosalita: So much for abstaining on the small talk, LOL. You guys are cracking me up. : )

Hey, no joking about my Cubbies! We are brimming over with excitement and anticipation, for our beloved team. They are currently in spring training, getting ready for a promising, new season.

>79 Berly: I think I've used up my entire small-talk quota for 2016 right here on Megan's thread! Which is bad news for Megan, but good news for the rest of you since it means I'll be keeping my yap shut on YOUR threads. :-)

Bummer, Julia. Besides, if it's funny and entertaining, it's not really small, is it?
Hi, Megan!

>79 Berly: turns out Julia is into small talk afterall! Much to my delight (It was her fault - she egged me on!)

>80 msf59: Aaah, so the Cubs are yours....that would make them baseball folk then! I also know the Seahawks, thanks to Ellen. They play the other kind of American sports. ;)

>81 rosalita: ha! Only bad news though if you don't come back and repeat it some time.

>82 LizzieD: Hi Peggy- I thought the same. Plus, the small talk gave me an alternative focus yesterday afternoon, I was meant to be doing many *other* things. tut tut.

BOOK 22
Science, non-science and pseudo-science: Bacon, Popper, Lakatos, Kuhn, and Feyerabend on defining science by Max Charlesworth

This is a small book, borne of a series of lectures, which deals with the issue of science and what exactly constitutes it. Using histories of the five scientists/philosophers in the sub-title, the book discusses the various positions these people held on the nature of science and the dictatorship it has over 'the' way of describing reality. It is a succinct introduction to the philosophy of science, and by using the writings and thoughts of a few key figures, describes a tidy history of the controversies over the scientific method.

I'm glad you enjoyed The Frozen Thames, Megan. Oh, and Montana, 1948, too. That is another good one.

Now. You know you want to join in on the group read of A Manual for Cleaning Women. You know you want to. Roberta set it up to run "from now until May-ish." So informal. I think it's calling your name.

>85 EBT1002: yes. You know I do want to read it....I shall peep at the library queue and try not to get my hopes up.
This book has just been published right? But the author has been dead for at least a decade? I'm wondering about the buzz over the collection....never mind that there is one, I really like exploring fiction from ten, twenty or thirty years ago.

>86 LovingLit: Mark read it a while back and I put it on hold at the library at the time. I just googled and it was published on my birthday last year - August 18, 2015. :-)

>87 EBT1002: I recall Mark's warbling ;)
It must be a posthumous collection then....maybe I'm just wondering as she is an author I hadn't heard of til this collection came out. Either way, it's on my WL now!

And. I have a job interview Monday! For a real (ie: non-university) job. At a real research company! Doing real research! Well, research collation and reporting. For 4 weeks, part time....
I was put forward for it by my lecturer, and he is willing to take me based on that alone, but wants to meet me Monday to talk about the role, and to rule out any random anomalies on my part....I assume ;)

So. From Easter weekend for the next month, I will be one busy lady. So, now, this is important- if you see me on LT between 25 March and 15 April: tell to get off and to get back to work! I need to be report writing and presentation preparing for my course, and NOT playing on LT.
Thanking you in advance :)

>81 rosalita: No way!! Save some of that small talk for me!! LOL.

>84 LovingLit: I might have to read that one after I finish Seven Brief Lessons On Physics!

>89 LovingLit: And whoohoo!! You do come highly recommended. : ) I will try not to grumble about your LT absence...too much. LOL Congrats.

Good luck on Monday!

And consider this my preemptive strike: get back to work! Oh wait, you have a week or so during which to play on LT to your heart's content. Enjoy. :-)

That sounds great - hope the meeting goes well.

Oh, yay for the job interview! Break a leg, lady!!

Hi Megan, your planes, trains and automobile trip sounds like it was tons of fun! Good luck on your job interview. Fingers crossed for you!

Good luck, Megan!

"I recall Mark's warbling." Sounds like the first line in a book.

Good luck on the interview, my friend. Your LT pals, are in your corner.

>90 Berly: the science one I just read (with the lengthy title) was a great quick intro into the philosophy of science, and could be a good one to get you thinking on that. I liked it, anyway.
But, more importantly, that book! Fingersmith! It's amazing!

>91 EBT1002: a week or so...yes...and some report writing to get on with. I am having to miss class last and this week (the after school time slot is inconvenient), so I have been meeting my lecturer in his office hours. This has meant he has cracked the whip and has got me handing in my latest installment of my fledgling report between meetings. I have been kept on task! It's a bit premature I feel, as I'm still in the reading stages for it. But I guess I can thank him later as I'm sure it is all 'good for me' :)

>92 charl08: thanks! It is sure to be a low key affair, but I will have to remember to be my bestest professional self ;)

>93 scaifea: why thank you :)
He was very non-committal about me sending through a cv, but I did anyway. He was at pains to say not to spend any time on it...I like the relaxed approach so far.

>94 Carmenere: I like hearing the kids talk about their fave parts of the trip. Lenny always says the cable car, and Wilbur has said the ferry ride, and the purchase of his first ever CD (Justin Beiber- he has Beiber Fever he reckons!)

>95 jnwelch: thanks Joe, I just have to remember to 'act normal' ;) That is what I say to the kids when I see a police car coming..."quick kids! Act normal"- then I laugh, which probably leaves them quite confused, but it makes me laugh.

>96 msf59: thanks! I'm glad to have teed up some childcare for Fridays for the next month, which leaves me free to work two full days a week. Go Grandad! He rules.

I seem to have missed quite a bit while being awol (my brain is fried so its beyond anything more taxing that FB) .... almost about to get back to reality & Now you are disappearing ...

Congrats on the job offer ....

Bieber really ??? the young ones today ...*** shakes head***

>99 roundballnz: Bieber, I know. It seems that our influence over him as regards to music is waning. He still watches the Smiths DVD from time to time though, so there is hope ;)

Oh oh oh, I just realised. My 6th 'aversary is coming up! Which would mean I get to buy 7 books. Mwa ha ha. I'll just have to let my lovely other know that it's a rule around here :)

Ooh. Enjoy the splurge. Any particular ones on the horizon?

>101 LovingLit: I celebrated one week since my last mini splurge with a mini splurge today but then again there is not much news there. Enjoy adding to your collection and distracting yourself from your report writing!

Have a lovely weekend, my dear.

>102 charl08: I am an opportunist, so will seek and hopefully find some gems.

>103 PaulCranswick: your mini splurge is my all-out-break-the-bank blow out! Which I would love to do, but we'll see.

Keep us posted on your opportunistic Thingaversary splurges!! March 24th, right?

>105 Berly: he he, yup. 24/3 is 6 years an LTer :)
I am up to chapter 10 of Fingersmith, how about you? Ill shoot over to the GR thread now and see. I need an hour or two alone with that book to get my next good session in!

Chapter 9. : )

Got the job!

Start Friday (Good Friday- auspicious? I hope so!)
I will be writing up qualitative research undertaken for a non-NZ city who are seeking to find out what their citizens think of their city and its future. COOL!

*happy dance*

eta:

And I love the happy dance!!! We better finish Fingersmith by Friday!! LOL

WOW!!! GOOD for you, Megan! Congrats on the job!! I hope it's fun and leads to bigger and better. Is it a bit peculiar to be starting on a Friday?

>109 Berly: yippee. Hear me say that no(w)...I'm t(hink)ing in a few weeks when I am snowed under with work I will be singing from a different song sheet. I will push on with Fingersmith regardless! (dedication huh?)
(edited for ridiculous auto correct on the ipad)

>110 LizzieD: peculiar yes. The project has an end date so the team is needing to get started ASAP. All the info coming in from the various online and workshop sources needs to be collated into topic types, then my part starts.

Yay! More Fingersmith!! See, she is creeping into your life and stealing all your free time. Sue, not me, mind you. : )

>112 Berly: yu-huh. You are right, I am loving the book. I want to read it all the time, and never mind the other pressing things like childcare, household management and university course work!!

Congrats on the job. Hope those folks meet their deadlines so you can too!

A great vote of confidence in Sarah Waters' book that you just want to read.

Congratulation on the job. Sounds exciting, Megan

WOOT!! Congrats!!

Congrats, Megan! We are very happy for you! Good luck!

WahHOO for you, Megan!! Congrats on landing the job!

>114 charl08: you can always tell when you love a book as you practically carry it about with you at all times for the chance to read it!

>115 ctpress: hi Caresten! It is exciting for me, even though it is very short term it's good to get out there and, who knows, maybe something will come of it in future as well?

>116 scaifea: thanks Amber :) It will seriously cut into my down time, but we must do these things right?

>117 msf59: thank you! Stay tuned for even more exciting mews...

>118 Crazymamie: thanks Mamie! It was a wry low key interview, I think he was sold on the recommendation from the lecturer. He has gotten staff from her before

As if landing a little job wasn't exciting enough, after I posted the happy dance post up there, I was driving to kindergarten to collect Lenny, and on the way spotted a fire. An actual fire! On the side of the rural road I was on, paddocks either side and long grass ablaze. It has been scorching hot these last three days straight, so it wasn't surprising. There was far more smoke than fire, but it all looked very dramatic.
One car had stopped and the man was on the phone (calling the fire services). I thought about the water we keep in the car for refilling the previously faulty radiator....so I pulled over, put on my hazard lights and went fire-fighting! By the time I was tipping my 2L bottle on, three other cars had stopped with their own water and between us all we put it out!
*job well done* (if I do say so myself)

>120 LovingLit: Hooray for the job and for the volunteer fire brigade!

Nice job!!!!

>121 nittnut: why thank you :) It was heart warming seeing everyone just get on with it. Problem solved!

>122 Berly: lol!
*buffs nails*

Woot for fire-fighting!! Go, Megan! Go, Megan!

Sounds good. Have a badge


Apparently they're now called "fire safety" not "firefighter", which is what I got (and sounds much more exciting).

My goodness! A new job — TWO new jobs — research writer and firefighter! For some reason that old Peggy Lee song keeps running through my head.

I can rub and scrub this old house 'til it's shinin' like a dime,
Feed the baby, grease the car, and powder my face at the same time;
Get all dressed up, go out and swing 'til 4 am,
And then lay down at 5, jump up at 6, and start all over again!
'Cause I'm a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I'll say it again!

There was a version that was used as the soundtrack to a perfume commercial back in the 1970s (I can bring home the bacon / fry it up in a pan ...) but I prefer the original, myself.

>60 LovingLit: What a great review of Montana 1948. I read this book in 2010 and gave it a five star rating!

Happy day to you.

>124 scaifea: lol, I have to say, I felt a bit special. And have been cashing in on it as well. Yet, for some reason, Wilbur hasn't written a story about me yet at school! They write one every day....I will have to ask him again if he wrote about mum the fire fighter today ;)

>125 msf59: Ha! Exactly!!! You must have been there or something...

>126 charl08: and Girl Guide badge too, I knew you guys would be supportive :)

>127 rosalita: that certainly applies to many mothers I know, but fortunately for me, I love my down time. Because it means I get to read!!! I am heavily committed to my stress-free lifestyle, I just throw in some casual firefighting from time to time to keep things interesting ;)

>128 Whisper1: It was about time that I read this one! I have coveted it for ages. I am glad it lived up to my expectations, the long-awaited ones can sometimes disappoint.

Happy Easter everyone!

2 weeks today I have a presentation (worth 25% of the final grade!!!), Friday I start work, the kids are off school/kindergarten for 5 days straight, I have my report to write.....

*deep breaths*

I can do this, I can do this....

You can little engine. You can.

^ What Jenn said.^

Yes you can!
And Happy Thingaversary!

...in reverse order...

>133 FAMeulstee: you're right! It's my 6th Thingamaversary!!! Woohoo! Wow, how my life has changed this last 6 years- a pregnancy, a baby, a toddler, a school kid, about 10,000 earthquakes, at least 400 books, university and nearly a career....
My most memorable LT moment remains the day after the Sept 4th earthquake, logging on in surreal surroundings and writing about me reading What Happened to the Corbetts, which was about a family in a civil emergency...refugees in their own land, moving about in search of food and shelter. I felt like that would soon be me if there were more quakes. (luckily our house remained completely intact though). And then LTers from all over the world posting to ask how I was. It was amazing :)

>132 katiekrug: >131 nittnut: Yes we can! (sounds familiar? I believe it was a little something your pres said a while ago...). OK, yes, I can. I am under no illusions that you guys are going to write my report for me, but you can help! From tomorrow, you see me here- you send me packing!!! I expect firm words of admonishment if spotted thread cruising ;)

Inspired by Paul C, I'm listening to Beck (Sea Change) while tidying things away in prep for the children's return to this currently quiet and calm place I call home....
Aaah.
Lovely.

>135 LovingLit: So well written, that I feel happy just absorbing the sentiment you put into words!

Just popping in. : )

>136 Whisper1: it was a short lived sentiment! Soon enough the kids were in, the Lego was spread on the rug and we were watching the film Hook. :)

>137 Berly: I'm about to hit the hay and read my book! Yes,that one. :)

Oh, and NZ had our flag referendum results in just now....17 months and $26 million spent. We are keeping the flag we already had.
I voted for it, the alternative the curreent flag went up agaisnt was ridiculous (IMO). The Prime Minister craftily had the results come in just before a 4-day holiday weekend as his choice was not supported by the country. It's a criminal waste of $$$ :(

Lots of things going on in Megan's life. Does not look like much time for pleasure reading, but priorities are priorities, right?

26 million? What a freakin' joke.

I'm impressed that you're including casual firefighting in your life now, Megan. :-)

Congrats on reaching your 6th Thingaversary!

>139 msf59: well, actually....Fingersmith is such a great reading experience that I am managing to get in at least a few pages each evening :) Good books will make you read them o matter what...it's finding them that takes work.
My other, NF, books are going a little moe slowly.

The flag thing has become political, of course. The Prime Minister instigated the whole thing, wore a pin on his lapel of the one he wanted, of the final 4 designs we voted for in the first referendum, 3 had a white/silver fern leaf dominating them. It seemed a set up from the start. People called it Key's (the PM) vanity project!

>140 jnwelch: 6 years huh! I'm an old hat around here :)
Re: part time casual volunteer firefighting....well, we do what we can ;) Lol, it may be that that was the first and last time I fight fires!

Off to work I go....tra la la la la la, off to work I go! (first day excitement, which I hope doesn't morph into second day terror!)

Good luck with the job thing.
So glad the flag debacle is over. I don't mind changing the flag, just didn't like this process and the contenders were awful. I don't want to see any black on my country's flag and I also don't want sport to be the main consideration for changing the flag.

Hi Megan! Just catching up here, and finding that I've stumbled on your Thingaversary! I know it's already over for you, but it's still the 24th here, so... Happy Thingaversary! And congrats on the new job!

Happy Thingaversary (although it's after it for you).

Have a wonderful Easter.

>142 avatiakh: he he. The job thing went well. :)
I asked, and then was praised for asking, stupid questions (I just like to know what's what, if you get my drift). I am getting the gist of it now and will read up on the project before going back Monday for my next days work.

>143 cbl_tn: I'll take congratulatory messages on thingamaversaries any day of the week, thanks! and I still have my book haul to look forward to. Yippee!

>144 thornton37814: I'm glad that I still have other countries 24th March to celebrate for me :)

>145 PaulCranswick: ew. A crucifix is bad enough, but three?! Sorry, it's just not my thing. But thanks for the sentiment. Easter will be an egg hunt for the kids Sunday morning, and then off to Ferrymead Historic Park for the family fun day. And then more work! Yay- I'm really liking it.

Sounds like a fun job. Hope it continues to be rewarding.

>146 LovingLit: Well, I'm not Christian anyways Megan so it was all about celebrating the holiday for me!

Megan, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

Have a great weekend, Megan!

>147 charl08: me too! the office is right be a few heat cafes, so I'm thinking I'll be ok for coffee :)

>148 PaulCranswick: I know that Paul! Me either ;)
Happy Easter to you too, but, you don't 'have' it in Malaysia I am guessing. Or does KL do the hallmark holiday consumerism thing?

>149 Ameise1: beautiful eggs! My dad used to tie red onion skins around ages, then boil them. It made the most lovely patterns on them.

>150 DianaNL: aaaaw, cute bunny!

>151 EBT1002: thanks Ellen, I worked yesterday, and walking to the cafe today with the kids, and this evening doing some uni work. Tomorrow is famuly fun day and then Easter Monday I work again! Fun-filled!

Stopping by to get caught up and discovering a lot has been happening since my last visit! Congrats on the research job! Way to go on the fire-fighting!

Sounds like you have a wonderful Easter weekend on the go.

Thanks Lori- it was a fun old week. And strange as well, as the kids were up at least once each in the night almost all week. So I was tired....but I got through. And managed to get reading done too....university and pleasure reading.

>152 LovingLit: Kuala Lumpur does not have a public holiday for Easter although it does for Christmas Day. The State of Melaka does celebrate though as it has a sizeable Eurasian population thanks to the Portuguese.

In fact, I have double checked and it is no longer a Public Holiday in Melaka but is in Borneo in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. In Melaka it has been replaced by Melaka Historical City day in April. The UMNO rulers here are trying to sideline other religions and cultures in an effort to islamify the place much to the majority's annoyance.

>155 PaulCranswick: I remember the huge chocolate rabbits you and Hani bought for Wilbur and Lenny when we met! I was the lucky beneficiary of some of that chocolate, I can now admit ;)
It was a very thoughtful gift.

It is a long time ago and I don't bear grudges.....but that was intended for the boys! Only kidding, I would't have expected you not to have a little nibble too.
Time flies though, doesn't it just?

Happy Weekend! :) Hope you are enjoying your extra long Easter break.

M--I know you have seen my other bunnies...maybe these are more appropriate for your household...

>156 PaulCranswick: I recall you talking about current policies that seem designed to promote Islam over other religions. Sarawak remains one of my favourite travel destinations....and not just cos it has an Easter holiday ;)

>158 PaulCranswick:....hey now. If Lenny had eaten all that (in his condition- do you remember, he became ill that day!?) I think he would have become very, very ill :) And now, it turns out he can eat any amount of chocolate, but his big brother isn't partial to it at all!! So I still get my cut every chocolate-based holiday. *mwa ha ha*

>159 nittnut: do your kids get Tuesday off school too? That 5th day can be a killer without firm planning ;)
I am lucky that the break has been broken up by me working, and the kids seem to be happy as Larry with their dad who is doing some major Autumn gardening outside.

>160 Berly: the tractor- yes. Tomorrow (at Ferrymead Historic Park- usually a dad and son event, I might add) I will be enthusiastically shown many an antique tractor and all its features....Lenny is a fanatic. Bless him.

Happy Easter, Megan

>162 Carmenere: the Easter Bunny reads?! Of course s/he does :)

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is really quite a read. I am in the tail end of it now and it has been exciting all the way through, quite a feat for a 600 pager!
I'll definitely be recommending this one at book club this week, more for its beautiful telling than the story though.

Hope you had a happy Easter, Megan!

Belated congratulations on the new job and the firefighting Megan!

>164 LovingLit: I liked Fingersmith when I read it too. SW is a good writer and definitely keeps you turning pages.

>165 The_Hibernator: thanks! I worked, I played, I read, I BBQd. It was fun.

>166 souloftherose: I so wanted to go see her speaking at the readers and writers fest here a while ago, it I hadn't read anything of hers so didn't. If she comes again, I'll be there with bells on.

Woohoo, a great day today had by all. Swimming with kids (wch pretty much just means playing in the pool), they dirt-biked around the track conveniently located near the pool, playground play (during which I read in the car whilst keeping an eye on them...I could hear them continuously so that made it easier!), library visit, a surprise visit from my dad who came over for tea, and completion of one more from the Bowie list- making me on target for me one-a-month-Bowie reads :)

Skimming through very quickly, but I caught enough to offer congratulations for the job and the fire-fighting! Go You!!

>169 humouress: yes, they re huge achievements in the life of Megan :)
Day one of the Jon was great (training....easy) and then day two was all "right! Let's get on to it!".
*gulp*
Heh. But I managed, inspite of IT issues, and my general ineptitude regarding document auto-formatting which never seems to work as well as you want it to....but I managed. Next shift- Friday!

>168 LovingLit: - Sounds like an absolutely perfect day for all!

>130 LovingLit: - I may have missed it in my skimming, but how did/does the report writing go?

What Nina said! You have been keeping very busy, Megan!

>171 London_StJ: it was a great day yesterday, the warm weather helped make it that much more pleasant. Can't you just picture it? Me sitting in the front seat of the car, door open, resting heels on the arm rest bit, reading and watching the kids play? It's what I wanted parenting to be ;)
Report writing is on target. I have been handing in weekly drafts and have formulated my report into a structure I am happy with. A 1,500 word draft (I'm past that word-count already so that is good) is due next week with the 'state of research' presentation (worth 25% of final grade!!). I am looking at the climate change denial movement; how they say they are using the scientific method in their research. My report will take their arguments (categorized into 5 groups) and argue them to be rhetorical rather than scientific.

>172 Crazymamie: yes, I am keeping busy. I prefer that now...I figure that unless I am left to read all day in the sun or by a fire, I would rather pack some stuff into my days. It makes me eat less for one ;)

BOOK 24
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters 548p (from Bowie's top 100 books list, read with Berly)

Is this book what I have been searching for in my previous attempts to read historic fiction? Yes, I think it is. My number one criteria is that it is written well- and by that I mean cleverly put together sentences, varied and interesting use of metaphors and phrases, surprises in construction that are delightful...you get the picture. If I have that and a story that is good enough, I am pleased with a book. But this had a storyline that kept me guessing and enthralled the whole way as well. So even though I have some reservations about tiny details of how the story played out, I feel like this is a perfect example of top-notch writing in this genre. I'm just sad that I will never get to read this for the first time again.

*first 5-star rating since January last year!!*

The day by the pool and such sounds delightful! And I'm glad your report-writing is on track.

You know, I consider myself a fan of Sarah Waters and I have not yet read Fingersmith. This is both weird and in need of rectification.

>173 LovingLit: Your project sounds both fascinating and depressing. A worthy topic, to be sure. I'm glad the writing is going well!

And yes, a perfect parenting day, I'd say.

>175 EBT1002: I also have The Little Stranger of hers, so will be tackling that at some point. Which I look forward to :)
I have so may authors that I cannot believe that I have not yet read! An occupational hazard, around here.

>176 London_StJ: It is a depressing topic, but I feel like in (maybe) ten years time people will see inaction on climate change as the fault of the denial movement and, just as the tobacco industry is now seen as having acted abominably, oil lobbyists etc. will be seen as the main instigators of doubt who did so to further their own ends.....well, I hope this will be the case anyhow.

Hooray for a 5 star read, Megan. I do not think I gave Fingersmith the Big 5, but it would have been close. I did not care for The Little Stranger but she rebounded with the Night Watch.

>178 msf59: maybe it was The Night Watch that I have? I certainly hope so now! :) It was gripping, in the best way. I am going to miss it :(

Yeah, I keep being amazed at all the authors and works I haven't yet read. Imagine what it's like for all those people out there who don't really read!!

A few weeks ago I was talking with an employee, an intelligent person in her early 20s, a recent college graduate in her first job, soon heading off to work on her master's degree..... she could not remember the last time she read a book. This blew my mind. From my perspective she had the best situation possible -- she was working about 32 hours a week and had no other responsibilities..... she could have been reading tons!!!!!

I was flabbergasted.

I agree that The Night Watch is better than The Little Stranger.

>180 EBT1002: >181 EBT1002: good to know. I will check my stocks :)
Meanwhile, my next Bowie read will be The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea, which I have just requested from my library. I tossed up buying it but it was $15 new from the Book Depo, and $3 to reserve it. So I went the cheaper option.

>181 EBT1002: I've only read The Little Stranger and did not love it. I should try another one of hers sometime as it seems they are much better.

>183 rosalita: that seems to be the message I am getting! Thanks, but it looks like I don't own The Night Watch after all, so may have to seek it out if I want to red it over The Little Stranger. Them's the breaks!

>174 LovingLit: I loved this one - I do like it when a writer completely surprises me the way she did with this one. Think The Night watch is still my favourite of hers (so far, anyway), though the BAC read last year that seemed to be an uncommon vp.

Wishing you a relaxed weekend, Megan.

Glad to see you had an enjoyable 'pool day' and Whoot for a 5-star rating for Fingersmith! Waters is a good writer, even if my favorite is The Little Stranger, which isn't an overall favorite here in LT-land. ;-)

L--another Waters recommendation-yes! I trust you. ; ) And I also gave Fingersmith a 5. : )

*DISCLAIMER*
No one is allowed to tell me off for LTing now when I should be presentation-writing....just because. I need a break from it to return to it fresh-brained :)
I worked last two days, did some revision the other evening, and last night Lenny was vomiting on/off. So I am sleep deprived, and time deprived seeing as he now can't go to kindergarten tomorrow (has to stay home 48 hours after vomit)! Yikes! There goes my prep time.

>185 charl08: Was it The Night Watch that was read specifically for the BAC last year? Or was it anything by Waters? I only have The Little Stranger but I think I'll go for the other first, if I find a copy somewhere at some stage.

>186 Ameise1: Thanks B

>187 lkernagh: Ah ha! I knew there'd be support for that somewhere :) I'm loving the 5-star reading experience, that is for sure.

>188 Berly: ooooh, goodie! I wasn't sure it'd make 5 from you...I'm glad you loved it too. The library tells me that the sailor one from Bowie's list has arrived at the library for me, so come Wednesday (after my presentation). I reckon I will start!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/220786

That is the thread for the Group Read page for The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima. From Bowie's top 100 books list.

January: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
February: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
March: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
April: The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea....can it get a better star-rating that March!? They are really on the improve :)

I am loving these reads so far! Ordered The Sailor from my library. I have to finish two books before I plunge in, so it won't be for about a week....Can't wait!!

Sorry Lenny is under the weather and that it messes up the prep time for you. : ( And I never say you here.

>191 Berly: Who, me??! WHERE?!

Happy Sunday, Megan! Hope you found some time to rest and I hope Lenny is on the mend.

Congrats on doing some very fine reading. May it continue...

Aw! Poor Lenny and poor you, Megan! Wishing Lenny well. Good luck, you!

>193 msf59: hi Mark! I called Lenny's kindy and explained the situation, they said to just send him along today. PHEW! That means I get my time back to prepare for my presentation! I have just done one run-through, and will now go for coffee, let that do its thing and do another run-through. I feel much more prepared now.

>194 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie! He is fine. Kids are a crack up aren't they? They seem to recover so fast. Yesterday he was riding about the house on his new second hand bike. His dad bought 2 bikes from the eco store (stuff that is retrieved from the dump and sold) for $15 (!!). He has fixed them up, and so now the kids have 2 good bikes each, different sizes too to cater for friends who come to play. Lenny was on the driveway yesterday for 2 hours apparently, doing skids :)

Me (after remembering I had forgotten something): argh! I'm such a spoon!

Lenny: no you're not mum! You're beautiful.

*heart melts and all vomit clean-ups forgotten*

>196 LovingLit: Oooh, yes heart-melty. Love it!

>196 LovingLit: That Lenny! He makes me laugh, which is one of my very favorite things.

>197 scaifea: >198 Crazymamie: he's certainly a fun guy. And all in stark contrast to what he did that evening which could have very seriously injured his brother (I feel a story coming on....)

Mr Lenny was a very angry boy and stormed off to his room. On the way he slammed both his palms into the bathroom door, which caused the mirror on the back of the door to leap off and land on Wilbur, who was in the bath at the time. I was calmly walking towards Lenny (with sorely tested patience, I might add) when W called out from the bath - "mum, there's glass and blood in the bath"!!!
Not what you want to hear as a mother.
So I diverted from Lenny and headed to W, who was standing up, a little pale and with some small cuts on him from the broken mirror. He was extracted from bath, facecloth placed over his bleeding knuckles, and cuddled and checked and brushed free from tiny invisible glass bits (that may or may not have been there). All those ominous shards of glass in the bathwater had to wait, poor W was a bit shocked at the whole thing. But- thank goodness, not injured more than what a sticking plaster would fix.

And get this- meanwhile, Lenny is causing a ruckus in his bedroom (where he was banished until the mess is cleaned up) because his 'special artwork' (pencil doodles on paper) had a rip in it!!! What about my nifty retro mirror, Mr!? Never mind your (thankfully-not-badly) hurt brother!!? He really had no concept of what might have happened.

And with all that, its presentation day today. I am prepped and ready to go. But still have 3 hours to wait.....wish me luck!

Oh my goodness, what a day, Megan! How very fortunate that W was not badly hurt. I know you'll do a fine job of your presentation, but good luck just the same! Go, you!

M--So glad you kids weren't seriously hurt in the rampage! Being a mom just takes everything sometimes. Luckily, you are an awesome one! And a stellar student as well--I am quite sure your presentation went smoothly. Tell us all about it...!

I'm with Kim - you're an awesome mom! And wow, what a situation. It's crazy how they sometimes just don't get the whole actions-->consequences-to-themselves-and-others thing, no? Sheesh.

And I can't wait to hear how much you rocked your presentation!

Hope your presentation went well.

What a dramatic accident - glad to hear all ok. Except for your lovely mirror, of course...

Poor Wilbur! That must have been scary. And poor Lenny, as it is terrible to feel that out of control. And poor you because being a Mom is hard work. Sounds like you handled things as well as you could, and like Charlotte, I am sorry about your retro mirror.

I just sit down here and wait to hear about your presentation - I'm sure it was full of fabulous!

>200 lit_chick: it was a day alright :) But, we got through, which is sometimes all that I hope for!

>201 Berly: thanks for the support! I find that sometimes the more intense it is- once things get past normal chaos- I actually calm right down and get methodical. it's those daily frustrations that tend to get me feeling impatient.

>202 scaifea: I know!I was shuddering to think what might have happened...cut to the head or wrist for example! Little Len had zero idea...it was quite a learning experience for me - absolutely no idea of consequences.

>203 charl08: boo hoo, no more mirror. It was a round convex shaped one with cool brass-looking ornate leaf work around it, lovely. But no more.

>204 Crazymamie: I am usually quite good at recognising and reacting well to bouts of outright anger. Especially if it's clear that it is so irrational it must just be tiredness! I quietly go in for a cuddle and a chat....which was where I was heading before the mirror incident.
Other times, of course, I am just flummoxed as to how such irrationality can occur! Sometimes there is absolutely no avenue for discusssion and I stand there dumbfounded for a few seconds, wondering how I got into all this :)

Presentation? WOOHOO. I think I aced it. It felt like it went well, so that is something. I offered to go first to get it over with, and as the lecturer had bought us all coffee again- I love that!- I saved that til after and sipped my coffee while watching the other presentations.
The person who went after me mentioned that he had a hard act to follow- sounds promising!! I'll keep you posted as to the results.

BOOK 25
Small Steps by Louis Sacher 256p

This YA book was a quick read with a great story. It follows on form the adventures told in Holes, picking up a few years later with the character of Armpit. The book starts with his 5 small goals for the next while, one of which is to lose the nickname. One other goal is to stay out of trouble, and he really is trying. But...an enterprising friend tracks him down and has a proposition.
Through all this, Armpit remains a young man with integrity and good intentions. And he certainly knows how to find adventure. I really enjoyed this.

(edited for spelling goofs and to add book pic)

Yah, for Wilbur & Courtney! Just made my day!

Congrats on acing the presentation. You are still my favorite student. I can't include Bree, because she is family.

>207 msf59: I was stoked too. Just like his dad was when he requested Morrissey for the school radio station :)
Now comes the long wait for the presentation results. I miss my last lecturer who was s super organised that she had results back mega-fast!

WahHOO for you on the presentation, Megan!! Good work, and very smart move to volunteer to go first.

I loved Holes, but I have not read Small Steps - I wonder if our library has that?

Way to go with the presentation, Megan! All the hard work paid off.

I'm like Mamie. We loved Holes, but neither my wife nor I have read Small Steps.

>199 LovingLit: Oh my, that's a hard afternoon. Compounded mothering - yikes. But I'm glad no one was seriously hurt!

>205 LovingLit: Huzzah for a successful presentation! Good luck on results, although I don't think you need it.

Waving hi!

>199 LovingLit: Goodness gracious! What a drama. So glad W wasn't hurt. I bet he was very shocked. You certainly don't expect to be attacked by a mirror in the bath. Glad the presentation went well - in spite of the drama. Sometimes kids make the rest of life look like a walk in the park...

Happy weekend, Megan.

>209 Crazymamie: yep, the long wait continues. And in the meantime i have worked two days, been scared out of my wits that I am out of my depth (but am not, actually out of my depth), had Indian with friends and stayed at another friends house for the night with Lenny, to keep her company as her husband is away. Busy and fun!

>210 jnwelch: I hadn't heard of the follow up to Holes, I just recognised the author from that book so picked it up. It's a lovely little book.

>211 London_StJ: compounded mothering! That's the case, alright. With these presentation results, I hope they are good and that we don't get penalised for not having properly formed philosophical ideas, seeing as we are reporting on our research so far, and have not actually learned any philosophy yet...Im thinking it would be pretty rough of him to mark down for that...

>212 Berly: Hi Kimmers, ready to start that Japanese Bowie novel yet? I am going to get started tonight, and will pop to te GR thread next :)

>213 nittnut: he did get a fright, and is already one of those types who is nervous of frights. (Lenny loves a good fright...not me!!). But, he has been in the bath since, so I dont think it as put him off altogether. Phew.

>214 Ameise1: thanks! Pretty in purple :)

Nothing better than the feeling after having made a successful presentation. You rock, girlfriend! That you accomplished it amongst all the other drama? A real superstar!

Group read thread for The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea is up and running....has been for a week or so actually, but I just remembered to talk about it.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/220786

It's a very short book, so come on over. It's from Bowie's top 100 books list that myself and Berly are chewing through at the rate of one a month (so far). I started it last night but was too tired to read more than about 12 pages! Durn it. I love what I see so far though, so it look promising.

>217 michigantrumpet: I hope I get a good mark for it, it's worth a quarter of the final grade.....duh duh duh. (that was menacing, ominous music noise, in case you didn't hear it in your head like i did).

I still have my fingers crossed, but today am back to working on the report side of it, I still have 4,000 words to go ,and the bulk of my argument is yet to be formulated. I have some work to do!

M--I had plans to start reading the Sailor today, but the day got away from me. Tomorrow....!

The best of plans, huh? My eyelids have shut on me three nights running now, but I am at page 60 in spite of that!
The writing I'm finding gorgeously descrtive, and the plot interesting.

Started!! On Chapter 4..off to make a comment on the thread.

#199 Ooof - I'm on catch up but just spotted this post. So glad it wasn't serious :/ I agree with your later posts as well, it's the completely out of the blue irrational anger splurges that are so hard to cope with! Also well done on the presentation :)

Plus oooo follow up to Holes. May have to investigate - I read Holes because it's on the BBC top 100. not sure it belongs there but it's a fun read.

>222 Berly: goodie! I'll meet you there :)

>223 BekkaJo: I think the follow up to Holes is also a fun fast read, and accessible. I'm glad you caught up on me :) I've been off LT for the last week ish...work, you see. It's a time sink!

>206 LovingLit: I loved Holes the book and Holes the Movie. If I see Armpit's story Small Steps, I'll pick it up. Might even check out the used book store in town to see if they have it.

BOOK 26
The Sailor who Fell From Grace With the Sea by Yukoo Mishima (148p)
Thirteen year old Noboru is a good boy for his widowed mother. He does his school work and behaves at home. But really he holds his mother in contempt...her and the rest of the world. He is what you could call disenfranchised. When mother gets a boyfriend, Noboru is conflicted. He is a sailor, and Noboru loves ships, but somehow Mother's boyfriend cannot live up to what expectations Noboru has of him.

Overall, I wonder if the strict and confining culture of the Japanese lends itself to these wildly fanatical dark books that seem to come from there. Maybe when your daily life feels so confined to the straight and narrow your fantasies become about the most intense rebellion possible?!
Star rating pending...I'll sleep on this one!

Happy Saturday, Megan! I have never read The Sailor who Fell From Grace With the Sea. It does sound interesting.

I hope everything is going good, my friend. And I hope you are finding some down-time.

Intriguing review of The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, Megan. I haven't read it either, but I'll look for it soon.

>225 karenmarie: I didn't know there was a movie version of Holes!
I'd be keen to see that. And maybe the kids too.

>227 msf59: well, it is nothing if not dark. I enjoyed reading it- but it is definitely warped.

>228 kidzdoc: just beware, Darryl. There are some similar themes to The Wasp Factory- which I recall you decidedly not liking.

Maybe I need to read some bright and breezy Japanese literature next! Any suggestions anyone?

We are definitely on the same page with The Sailor. Dark. Did you read about the author Mishimi at all? He was a rather warped individual himself. Blame it on his childhood.

>230 Berly: I haven't looked into the author's life, I just know that he committed suicide in 1970. That appears to be the fate of many a thinking person.

Hiya just catching up ... Hope the weekend has been fab

>231 LovingLit: That does it! I am going to stop thinking.

>232 roundballnz: even though I have had very rewarding few days at work, being challenged and then succeeding in not F'ing it up, I'm sure you have had a better one. Or did your walk finish before the weekend....

>233 Berly: clearly that is the only solution ;)
A well thought out plan stated goal!

I looked at all the books tagged Japan in my list and can't find one that isn't at the very least bleak. Not sure if that says more about the LT member than the country though...

>229 LovingLit: You're right, Megan. I did not like The Wasp Factory, but I have read, and mostly liked, the three books I've read by Mishima, namely Patriotism, Confessions of a Mask, and The Sound of Waves. I'm willing to give The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea a try, especially since it's a short work.

Happy weekend, Megan.

>205 LovingLit: Yay!! Good luck with the results.

Oh goodness, kids. About a couple of months ago while I was driving the kids to football class, there was a yell from the back seat; apparently my younger son had slam the drinks holder in the car down on his brother's wrist and numbed it. Long story short, we've been in and out of the out patients every week or two for doctors to look at it, schedule follow ups, examine it just in case, run tests for what if, only for them to diagnose every time what I guessed in the first place - it's numb, and the nerves will take a while to recover (he's pretty much back to normal by now).

But hopefully it did give my younger one the idea that his normal rough-housing can have consequences. Apparently my husband stated, on one visit, that he was annoyed enough to smack our youngest and the doctor replied (in jest, of course) "Yes, you should", which at least made our little guy pause. Not for long, though *sigh*.

>235 charl08: lucky for me I am drawn to the darker books, but out of fairness to the 'light side', I feel I should read a representative sample :)

>236 kidzdoc: oh, you have read this author before...good. I won't be leading you astray then :)
I was looking on the library catalogue for Blast by Wyndham Lewis, (from Bowie's top 100), and there were about ten titles by him other than the one I wanted. Anyway, it reminded me that authors are normally far more prolific than the book they are most widely known for...and that I ought to deepen my reading in this way.

>237 Ameise1: thank you! I worked and now is my weekend (Monday)... Except, I'm working tonight and tomorrow morning too, so actually Wednesday is my weekend! Yay...we are going away, so it relly will be a weekend ;)

>238 humouress: still no presentation results. Bah.
My kids are so all over the place at home, that when we go out anywhere (even the doctor's office) I am terrified they will go crazy....one time I had to take them with me to my orthopaedic surgeons appointment (I had waited an age for the appointment, so I really wanted the chance to talk with him). I impressed upon the kids the importance of siting nicely, sitting still...etc. I must have looked pretty serious, as they sat like statues, both jammed on the one seat, for the whole appointment! I was quite shocked at these calm, still, doe-eyed children, with their little legs hanging over the edge of the seat. And the surgeon commented on their good manners too.
I smugly chalked that one experience up to great parenting, but really, I just dodged a bullet ;)

>234 LovingLit: I got back in jafa land on Saturday afternoon, enjoyed a lazy sunday inside as it was pouring down all day ( which means my hiking gear got washed a second time while on the line :) ) Another day off then back to work & reality tomorrow .... so day of reading as funnily enough did not get much done while away

>239 LovingLit: I know! I get so frazzled by their behaviour (though most of the time I just leave them to it. They'll be squabbling or mock-fighting one minute and hugging the next) and then we go out and people make a point of commenting on their good behaviour (and not sarcastically). I think I often respond with a bemused "Uh .... thanks" and pretend I'm an excellent parent :0)

Hi Megan! So excited for your academic successes -- you're rocking this school thing! I know from experience that it is NOT easy.

Your bathtub/mirror story is scary! Glad everyone's okay.

>240 roundballnz: sounds like a great walk. I love how kiwis call tramping/hiking 'walking', it kind of belittles the whole experience....I think your 'walk' was pretty hard core

>241 humouress: "Uh ....thanks"
Lol- part bewilderment, part pride ;)

>242 AMQS: Thanks Anne!! I am loving it, increasingly more as time goes on. At the start I was very unsure about how it worked, how I'd do etc. But now I am doing things in a less 'stressy' way, its much nicer. Speaking of uni progress....

I talked to the Post-grad advisor last week and she had a really cool topic suggestion for my Masters next year. There are a few people in the dept with an interest in it, so it could get quite complicated, but I think it could work. Im not completely sure of the topic yet. Apart from that it is about children's leisure activities. A main part of it would be synthesising the literature....I imagine I'll be swamped in readings for quite a few months. Exciting!
Eta to remove spoilers ;)

>243 LovingLit: Wow that sounds a great research topic ..... go you!!!

I guess i call it walking as come from a british background & my parents always referred to it as 'walking' despite some of what they did being 'climbing' .... can't bring myself to call it tramping when you get a hot shower in the evening despite the hard day .... so maybe that Atlantic 'hiking' ??? fab time was had, now to start planning the one for next April ( Nov already booked)

>243 LovingLit: Well, yes. I admit it.

Also; very cool! Though I confess it's a bit above my head. My sister is into acadaemia and keeps informing me of her progress, at which I nod wisely.

>243 LovingLit: That does sound interesting. Megan - and of course you have two perfect examples to study at home.

Just back last night to Asia from Europe and Africa, so I thought I would try to catch up a little.

Yo Megan - trying to get in a quick catch-up around the threads. I loved The Sailor who fell from grace when I read it many tides ago. I think I read it while I was living in Japan - it is very Japanese: I remember that. Also enjoyed Fingersmith but not a Five Star read for me. Currently reading Amy and Isabelle which i think will be Four Stars, so I will have to be content with that. I loved going to Te Papa when i was lived in Wellington - such great exhibitions!

>244 roundballnz: walking in the hills with a hot shower. Superb! I say if you can, do it. Talk about improving an already near-perfect experience!

>245 humouress: that is what I mean when I respond like that, I wondered if up I did too :)
Today's doctors visit didn't go quite as well. But I figure I'll be judged on how I react to poor behaviour more than I'll be judged on their grouchy or indifferent comments. Ples, I forgot to prepare them, as didn't want to build up the terrible anticipation for Lenny who had some inoculations today.
Oh how the mighty have fallen....

>246 PaulCranswick: welcome home, Paul!
My two are a good example of why this reach is being conducted, I had no idea what route to take, and ended up refusing all structured activities for them as pre schoolers, but then turned to sport as a way of tiring W out!
It works well now. :)

>247 PrueGallagher: you have lived in lots of interesting places! Cool. I liked the Mishima book from Bowie's list, but for me I didn't get enough oomph...I wanted more from the characters.

Ah well, Megan - all below the surface in Japanese writing of that era.

M--That masters topic sounds quite good! Hang in there with the work schedule-- I know it has been more than you counted on this week. SO nice of the weather to pitch in and give your hiking gear a second wash. ; )

Ah parenting. Between threads, I am shouting at my teenager through his locked door to quit yelling at his younger brother and friend who are simply playing. Apparently they are too loud for him. Whatever. He can always leave... *she says hopefully* Somehow, he has never managed to shift from only child status.

Sounds like things are good at work. Hooray!

>249 PrueGallagher: yes, it appears so. And maybe also in Japanese RL too? That was my experience, anyway. I was rural though, so, that might have accounted for woke of that.

>250 Berly: my last day of work was Saturday just gone, until I worked Sunday, and then today....and now tomorrow will definitely be my last day as I leave the province Thursday. Plus, the deadline for the report is Wed. I hope it gets in in time!
And, it was Alex who was blessed with the washing fairies! Lucky fella :)

>251 nittnut: oh boy, I really mustn't think too far ahead about my parenting future. It is waaaay too scary?

That sounds like a Very. Cool. Thesis. Topic. I can't wait to hear more as it crystallizes for you.

OMG, I canNOT think of a more important topic for a thesis. Says the lady eyeball-deep in HOURS of test administration for young students with far too little recess and free time.

One of Callia's favorite memories of NZ was a visit to this totally cool playground. Everything in the US is very, very safe (read: boring). This playground had so many cool things to climb, explore, etc, but by US standards was a trial lawyer's dream. A sign erected said "Don't be a dope." I love it.

Teenagers can certainly be a challenge (hugs to Jenn). They can also be lovely. Or else I am very, very lucky:)

>243 LovingLit: I love the thesis idea. I know I was very put off by the drive in our Colorado community to have kids involved in competitive sports from a very young age. I am sure it isn't unique to just that town either. The thinking was that if you didn't get them trained early, they'd miss their chance. When did we start thinking this way, and why?

>254 AMQS: I LOVE the playgrounds here. Kid heaven. I remember being totally shocked at the first one. A flying Fox? A merry go round? See-Saws? Seriously fun and cool, like playgrounds from my childhood, and my kids had never seen any of those things before.
Anne, Teenagers CAN be lovely, I know several, but you are also very, very lucky. Your daughters are really lovely girls. I hold out hope that my teenager will metamorphose into a lovely adult.

Research topic sounds like a great idea and even better with lots of departmental support too. There are a couple of great playgrounds near us as part of wildlife centres - kids can make music by hitting large wooden tubes, carry out 'construction' with small stones and funnels and tubes, and in another area, mess around with water, small boats and watering cans. My favourites are wire slides (I can't think of a proper name!). Every child I've ever seen approaching these seems to made a direct line for them.

So if you don't have swings, see-saws, climbing frames in a playground, what do you have? *genuinely puzzled*

>257 humouress: Bored kids.

:0)

I have been adding steadily to the Bowie books list this week as Kino have an exhibition of the books in-store here.

Milligan, Wilson, Kohn and Hitchens added to the pile this week.

Have a great weekend dear Megan. xx

>258 charl08: LOL!!!

Hi Megan. Did you survive being overworked? Hope you are off playing with the kids or reading. : )

I'm back! (did anyone know I was going!?)

Me and the kids headed down to my brother's place in Arrowrown. I've driven the 6 hours home today, and with scrapping kids to boot. I am in need of some serious decompression.....
Thanks for the visits people! I'll be back soon ish to reply. After said decompression ;)

APRIL BOOKS
25. Small Steps by Louis Sacher 256p (tally 5,634p)
26. The Sailor who Fell From Grace With the Sea by Yukio Mishima (143p)
27. Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan 215p

Slim pickings this month! Well, slim volumes anyway....I will add to this the 300+ pages of the history of science book I have stalled on, but, April is not gearing up to be a cracker reading month for me.

300 pages on the history of science? That surely counts as at least one book if not two?

Hope you get a chance to relax after all that driving.I think I'd drop off the end of the country driving six hours from here!

6 hours with scrapping kids. I remember those days - from the child's point of view. Three of us in the back, mom leaning back to swat whichever one was closest to her hand.

Decompression is proceeding, I hope.

>253 EBT1002: well, you know me. I don't race with my thinking. I think the crystallization process will take place slowly but surely, and will at least at first be dictated by departmental forces. I am excited!

>254 AMQS: Yes! I love our playgrounds too...the new post-quake inner city playground is massive (google Margaret Mahy playground) and has flying foxes, water play, massive slides, and big rope nets for kids to climb up high. Even little trampolines that are sunk into spongy surrounds for kids to go crazy on.
We always referred to our playgounds as adventure playgrounds...I like that.

>255 nittnut: A flying Fox? A merry go round? See-Saws? Seriously fun and cool, like playgrounds from my childhood, and my kids had never seen any of those things before.
Wow, no see-saw!!?? That has long been a playground staple! I do remember many a kid (often me) flying off the merry go round, onto the grass, or grazing my knees on whatever surface was nearby. I suppose it taught me to be more careful about who I was merry go rounding with!!

Re- teenagers....I'm just hoping my 7 year old makes it that far, my only solace is in the fact that he seems to save his bad behavior solely for me.

>256 charl08: Every child I've ever seen approaching these seems to made a direct line for them.
Kids can spot fun a mile off :)
In my experience, kids (boys??) just want to be able to test themselves. I love seeing them be a little reticent but then getting to the top/finding the solution/ figuring out their issue. I reckon play areas that cater for that are the way to go.

>257 humouress: >258 charl08: >259 humouress:
Ha! I thought that strange too, as in- what do they actually play on in a U.S. play ground? Swings...they are pretty safe, I guess. It must be swings. :)

>260 PaulCranswick: Well done Paul, you are certainly good at stock piling the books ;)
I guess you will have to move more and more to kindle as your home space diminishes. Although.....some of your kids might be getting old enough soon to move out on their own.....which could mean spare rooms!?

>261 Berly: I did survive being overworked, and get this. The boss paid me over and above my hours to thank me for the long hours I put in (where was his one permanent staff member when he needed her, I ask you??!). That was a really nice gesture....and....he is keen to have me back for other projects, and in the next breath talked about getting some more permanent staff. I felt very flattered and a little bit emotional that he thought me good enough to want back.
Fancy me (!!?) report writing for a big city project!!??
*feeling very grown up*

>264 charl08: The 6 hour drive is through beautiful countryside. Some amazing craggy mountains, rivers, high country treeless landscapes.....and it way more fun unspoiled by children fighting :)

Kawarau Gorge (internet pic)

Lindis Pass (internet pic)

>265 karenmarie: I asked my mum in desperation what she did when we kids had fought in the back seat, she said we never did it like that. She was in the car for the journey too, so can attest to the intensity of the squabbling. And even though I wanted to smack them at times, (a) it is illegal here, and (b) I just don't want to be a hitter...so. I had to resort to ignoring some baiting, distraction, and divide and conquer...put one in the front. It got us there eventually, but I cant see another long trip any time soon.

Follow me over! Its new thread time :)