Monday, December 31, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Seven
12:42 a.m. / 00:42
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
seven awesome DVDs,
six rockin' CDs,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
seven awesome DVDs,
six rockin' CDs,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Sunday, December 30, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Six
12:23 p.m. / 12:23
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
six rockin' CDs,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
six rockin' CDs,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Saturday, December 29, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Five
7:15 a.m. / 07:15
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
FIVE PAIRS OF EARRINGS!
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Friday, December 28, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Four
12:27 a.m. / 00:27
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
four skeins of yarn,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Millions Of Books
12:20 a.m. / 00:20
I have read far too many books since I last posted about books to have any hope of actually talking much about them, so for now I've just marked the better ones with !'s and the Christmas ones with *'s.
If They Only Listened To Us: What Women Voters Want Politicians To Hear by Melinda Henneberger (non-fiction) (!!)
Lottery by Patricia Wood (!!)
Ask a Mexican by Gustavo Arellano (non-fiction) (!!)
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg (!)
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (!)
Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
Austenland by Shannon Hale
Alexander and the Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Days : An Almost Completely Honest Account of What Happened to Our Family When Our Youngest Son, His Wife, their Baby, their Toddler, and their Five-Year-Old Came to Live With Us for Three Months by Judith Viorst (non-fiction)
Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty (Jessica Darling series)
I have read far too many books since I last posted about books to have any hope of actually talking much about them, so for now I've just marked the better ones with !'s and the Christmas ones with *'s.
If They Only Listened To Us: What Women Voters Want Politicians To Hear by Melinda Henneberger (non-fiction) (!!)
Lottery by Patricia Wood (!!)
Ask a Mexican by Gustavo Arellano (non-fiction) (!!)
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg (!)
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (!)
Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
Austenland by Shannon Hale
Alexander and the Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Days : An Almost Completely Honest Account of What Happened to Our Family When Our Youngest Son, His Wife, their Baby, their Toddler, and their Five-Year-Old Came to Live With Us for Three Months by Judith Viorst (non-fiction)
Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty (Jessica Darling series)
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street Helene Hanff (non-fiction) (!!)
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan (!)
The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg *
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci * (!)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens * (!)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (!!)
Every Crooked Pot by Renee Rosen
Labels: books
Thursday, December 27, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Three
12:48 a.m. / 00:48
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
three nice pens,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day Two
12:25 p.m. / 12:25
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
two bars of organic chocolate,
and
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Problems
12:23 p.m. / 12:23
I had some technical difficulties for a few days, which caused things here at A Work In Progress to be duller than usual. Sorry about that. Anyway, things seem to be working for the moment and I'm proceeding with a series of totally made-up posts I plan on everyone ignoring. Happy Holidays!
I had some technical difficulties for a few days, which caused things here at A Work In Progress to be duller than usual. Sorry about that. Anyway, things seem to be working for the moment and I'm proceeding with a series of totally made-up posts I plan on everyone ignoring. Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
My Twelve Days Of Christmas / Day One
11:59 p.m. / 23:59
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me,
one bouquet of flowers in stylish vase!
Labels: 12daysO'Xmas
Friday, December 14, 2007
Home Buying, Continued
12:25 p.m. / 12:25
I just finished my Home Buyer Education-- in pajamas. I didn't quite make it into the shower as early as I'd hoped to, but it was a telephone meeting, so the very patient guy who spent a half hour asking me questions about budgeting, house hunting, and protecting your investment (house) and stuff had no idea was sitting in the kitchen wearing flannel pajamas and drinking a mug of tea. Anyway, now that that is over with, I think I have two main hurdles to clear before I actually move. One is homeowners' insurance, which is oh-so-important, but I keep putting it off for some reason, and the other is closing day... whenever that may be. Well, it'll be before January; I know that much. I was talking to my grandma last night and I told her "I just keep thinking, 'When does the fun part start?' ". She said "It's never fun". Thanks, Grandma.
I just finished my Home Buyer Education-- in pajamas. I didn't quite make it into the shower as early as I'd hoped to, but it was a telephone meeting, so the very patient guy who spent a half hour asking me questions about budgeting, house hunting, and protecting your investment (house) and stuff had no idea was sitting in the kitchen wearing flannel pajamas and drinking a mug of tea. Anyway, now that that is over with, I think I have two main hurdles to clear before I actually move. One is homeowners' insurance, which is oh-so-important, but I keep putting it off for some reason, and the other is closing day... whenever that may be. Well, it'll be before January; I know that much. I was talking to my grandma last night and I told her "I just keep thinking, 'When does the fun part start?' ". She said "It's never fun". Thanks, Grandma.
Labels: home hunt
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Many Things
10:26 a.m. / 10:26
So many distractions!
Still in the process of buying the house. Today I feel like I will never actually live in the house, I will just always and forever be in the process of buying the house. I have to sign yet another paper today. I have to make an appointment for loan counseling or some such. I still need homeowners' insurance.
I had to get up and get dressed for a meeting this morning, but I'm back home now. I'm closing at my branch tonight, so I'm not due in for a few more hours. This is kind of annoying. They gave me free books as the meeting, though. I got some advance copies of books that were published in the summer. Advance copies are weird; they already have advance praise quotes on them. Are these some sort of 2nd advance copies or did the quoted peoples read unbound manuscripts?Also... how "uncorrected" are they? One of the ones that I took, I've already read and loved very much. I was planning to buy a copy eventually. Should I still buy a copy so I'll have the uncorrected advance copy and the actual copy?
I'm in a pissy mood for no good reason today. Library patrons: approach me with caution!
They tell me Christmas is less than two weeks away. Can we put this off until next month?
So many distractions!
Still in the process of buying the house. Today I feel like I will never actually live in the house, I will just always and forever be in the process of buying the house. I have to sign yet another paper today. I have to make an appointment for loan counseling or some such. I still need homeowners' insurance.
I had to get up and get dressed for a meeting this morning, but I'm back home now. I'm closing at my branch tonight, so I'm not due in for a few more hours. This is kind of annoying. They gave me free books as the meeting, though. I got some advance copies of books that were published in the summer. Advance copies are weird; they already have advance praise quotes on them. Are these some sort of 2nd advance copies or did the quoted peoples read unbound manuscripts?Also... how "uncorrected" are they? One of the ones that I took, I've already read and loved very much. I was planning to buy a copy eventually. Should I still buy a copy so I'll have the uncorrected advance copy and the actual copy?
I'm in a pissy mood for no good reason today. Library patrons: approach me with caution!
They tell me Christmas is less than two weeks away. Can we put this off until next month?
Labels: home hunt, on the job
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Where Shall I Start?: Another Random Post
10:05 p.m. / 22:05
Random Thing One
I'm having a run of those days where I just don't want to be a grown-up. This is a bad place to be when you're in the middle of buying a house.
Random Thing Two
So this thing happened half an hour ago or so and I cannot decide who was being more ridiculous. I went to the dinning room to grab some hot chocolate and a mint chocolate Lindor truffle from my shoe. (Dear non-Catholics / non-Germans, today is Saint Nicholas Day!). The mint chocolate Lindor truffle was GONE. It was my only mint chocolate Lindor truffle. I reacted badly (double meaning) by stomping my foot and saying "Dammit"! My father appeared at the top of the stairs moments later to ask what had happened. "Oh, that was me discovering you stole my mint chocolate Lindor truffle!" I said. He came downstairs and tried to place the blame on my mother who isn't home and so did not take my candy anyway. He thought he knew where she'd stashed some extras, and returned with a regular chocolate Lindor truffle. I explained I didn't need another one of those; he'd taken the mint chocolate one. He found one somewhere; probably stole it from my brother, but my brother doesn't like candy (not kidding), so that's not so bad really. He gave it to me, but tried to take one of the others, like I wouldn't notice. I finally got my mint chocolate Lindor truffle, but I realized after I ate it that somehow I was still short one. He had his own in his shoe; why'd he have to take mine?! I'm 26; I probably shouldn't get so worked up over candy, but he's... 57, I think, so what's his excuse?
Random Thing Three
A little bit after the candy fiasco, I bundled our mean little calico cat, Gizmo, up in my arms and carried her around for a few minutes. I was wishing her a happy holiday, kind of singing to her, and then I told her about how she's been part of the family for three years now. I reminded her that it was right about three years ago that my dad found her outside his office building and got suckered in by her kitten-cuteness. He brought her home and ever since then, I explained, she has been fed and loved and kept warm and had (mostly) clean litter box to use and she's just so lucky, and it was right around then that she emitted one of the meanest, most guttural growls I've ever heard out of that cat to let me know that holdy-time was so over and I was so dead.
Random Thing One
I'm having a run of those days where I just don't want to be a grown-up. This is a bad place to be when you're in the middle of buying a house.
Random Thing Two
So this thing happened half an hour ago or so and I cannot decide who was being more ridiculous. I went to the dinning room to grab some hot chocolate and a mint chocolate Lindor truffle from my shoe. (Dear non-Catholics / non-Germans, today is Saint Nicholas Day!). The mint chocolate Lindor truffle was GONE. It was my only mint chocolate Lindor truffle. I reacted badly (double meaning) by stomping my foot and saying "Dammit"! My father appeared at the top of the stairs moments later to ask what had happened. "Oh, that was me discovering you stole my mint chocolate Lindor truffle!" I said. He came downstairs and tried to place the blame on my mother who isn't home and so did not take my candy anyway. He thought he knew where she'd stashed some extras, and returned with a regular chocolate Lindor truffle. I explained I didn't need another one of those; he'd taken the mint chocolate one. He found one somewhere; probably stole it from my brother, but my brother doesn't like candy (not kidding), so that's not so bad really. He gave it to me, but tried to take one of the others, like I wouldn't notice. I finally got my mint chocolate Lindor truffle, but I realized after I ate it that somehow I was still short one. He had his own in his shoe; why'd he have to take mine?! I'm 26; I probably shouldn't get so worked up over candy, but he's... 57, I think, so what's his excuse?
Random Thing Three
A little bit after the candy fiasco, I bundled our mean little calico cat, Gizmo, up in my arms and carried her around for a few minutes. I was wishing her a happy holiday, kind of singing to her, and then I told her about how she's been part of the family for three years now. I reminded her that it was right about three years ago that my dad found her outside his office building and got suckered in by her kitten-cuteness. He brought her home and ever since then, I explained, she has been fed and loved and kept warm and had (mostly) clean litter box to use and she's just so lucky, and it was right around then that she emitted one of the meanest, most guttural growls I've ever heard out of that cat to let me know that holdy-time was so over and I was so dead.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The Christmas Season Is Upon Us Once Again!
11:30 a.m. / 11:30
As a professional book whore... wait... I don't actually sell books, so maybe I'm not actually a professional book whore, but anyway, you know the deal, I work in a library and I read a lot. So, I decided to give you a list of every Christmas novel I've read and didn't hate. It's kind of short, really, but I'm working on adding to it this Christmas season. Here's what I've read in years past:
This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
The Shepherd, The Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
I'd love suggestions for what I should read this year and in years to come, if you have any!
As a professional book whore... wait... I don't actually sell books, so maybe I'm not actually a professional book whore, but anyway, you know the deal, I work in a library and I read a lot. So, I decided to give you a list of every Christmas novel I've read and didn't hate. It's kind of short, really, but I'm working on adding to it this Christmas season. Here's what I've read in years past:
This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
The Shepherd, The Angel and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
I'd love suggestions for what I should read this year and in years to come, if you have any!
Labels: books
Monday, December 03, 2007
Moving Right Along
8:45 p.m. / 20:45
So the whole house deal is moving right along. I had my inspection this morning, and that went pretty well. There are things that need to be fixed (mostly electrical), but nothing horrendous. After the inspection, I went to see my loan lady and signed a lot of papers. I still need to do something about homeowner's insurance and I have some worksheets to get back to the loan lady ASAP, and some other stuff that needs to be done soon. Anyway, you've been updated.
So the whole house deal is moving right along. I had my inspection this morning, and that went pretty well. There are things that need to be fixed (mostly electrical), but nothing horrendous. After the inspection, I went to see my loan lady and signed a lot of papers. I still need to do something about homeowner's insurance and I have some worksheets to get back to the loan lady ASAP, and some other stuff that needs to be done soon. Anyway, you've been updated.
Labels: home hunt
Sunday, December 02, 2007
I'd So Totally Make Out With...
11:05 p.m. / 23:05
This interesting lil' meme that velocibadgergirl* tagged me for awhile back is supposed to be called Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I’m Not, Single I Mean, I Am Real, But I’m Also Happily Married and Want to Stay That Way So Maybe We Should Forget This, but since I am not happily (or unhappily) married it didn't seem fitting. The real thing still applies I guess. I'm real; they're not. This makes me think of the whole Kermit the Frog issue... but I digress. Anyway, I haven't listed the characters in any special order. My apologies to their equally unreal loves.
Marcus Flutie from the Jessica Darling series, which begins with Sloppy Firsts, by Megan McCafferty
Bill Weasly from the Harry Potter series, which begins with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series, which begins with One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich
Charlie Lawton from the Sammy books, which begin with Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore
Rad Cooper from Accent On April by Betty Cavanna
Simon Stein from In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
Izaya Feingold-Upchurch from Daughter's Keeper by Ayelet Waldman
Joshua from Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Forney Hull from Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
I like to think there's some variety here. Some of them, like Simon, Charlie and Forney are exactly the type of characters people expect me to pick. Others, like Joe and Izaya might not be my type normally. For those who haven't realized it, I included a fictional Jesus. Joshua is Jesus in Lamb. I didn't think about it really while I read the book, but when I started working on this list, he seemed to fit. Mr. Darcy probably seems very cliche... oh well. Rad Cooper is from an old (like 1960's) high school romance I read ever so many years ago. It was my mom's when she was young. It seems to be out of print now. So... there you have it.
*Incidentally, she also tagged me for that alphabet one, I just forgot to say so!
This interesting lil' meme that velocibadgergirl* tagged me for awhile back is supposed to be called Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I’m Not, Single I Mean, I Am Real, But I’m Also Happily Married and Want to Stay That Way So Maybe We Should Forget This, but since I am not happily (or unhappily) married it didn't seem fitting. The real thing still applies I guess. I'm real; they're not. This makes me think of the whole Kermit the Frog issue... but I digress. Anyway, I haven't listed the characters in any special order. My apologies to their equally unreal loves.
Marcus Flutie from the Jessica Darling series, which begins with Sloppy Firsts, by Megan McCafferty
Bill Weasly from the Harry Potter series, which begins with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series, which begins with One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich
Charlie Lawton from the Sammy books, which begin with Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore
Rad Cooper from Accent On April by Betty Cavanna
Simon Stein from In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
Izaya Feingold-Upchurch from Daughter's Keeper by Ayelet Waldman
Joshua from Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Forney Hull from Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
I like to think there's some variety here. Some of them, like Simon, Charlie and Forney are exactly the type of characters people expect me to pick. Others, like Joe and Izaya might not be my type normally. For those who haven't realized it, I included a fictional Jesus. Joshua is Jesus in Lamb. I didn't think about it really while I read the book, but when I started working on this list, he seemed to fit. Mr. Darcy probably seems very cliche... oh well. Rad Cooper is from an old (like 1960's) high school romance I read ever so many years ago. It was my mom's when she was young. It seems to be out of print now. So... there you have it.
*Incidentally, she also tagged me for that alphabet one, I just forgot to say so!
300
11:00 p.m. / 23:00
This is my 300th post. Maybe by post 400 I will have outgrown this need to mark such milestones. Anyway, it's nice to know that somehow I've managed to average more than 100 posts per year (this blog won't be three years old until February). However, since there are 365 - 366 days per year, wouldn't it be nice if I averaged more like 300 posts per year?
This is my 300th post. Maybe by post 400 I will have outgrown this need to mark such milestones. Anyway, it's nice to know that somehow I've managed to average more than 100 posts per year (this blog won't be three years old until February). However, since there are 365 - 366 days per year, wouldn't it be nice if I averaged more like 300 posts per year?
