I Have Been... Take Two...

Writing: Just like last time I wrote this post most of my writing has been of the postcard quality. I am getting back in the groove following the mass-mailing of February and March. The stores here are even starting to carry postcards again... That could be bad! I bought a few yesterday. I get comments. They are tourist places and the clerks look at me like I have two heads... This might be why I wish I could order online! Even the clerks at the post office act strange when I bring in a bunch of postcards to mail or buy a bunch of stamps. I am starting to think postcrossing is not so popular in my neck of the woods.

Reading: Photography magazines. I am a bit obsessed! It makes me sad I am going the digital route, but it is just so expensive to go the paper route. And, I am saving trees, right? As long as I keep up with them it is all good. I am learning a lot and just wish I had the time, and the weather, to practice some of the stuff I am reading about.

Listening: Still carrying on with The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's 27 hours long so going to take a bit! I am really enjoying rereading it. It has been back when it first came out that I read it and I found I had forgotten a lot. I definitely have to keep the momentum going and read book 2 sooner rather than later so I don't forget what happens again. Then, hopefully, book 3 will be out soon! Audible is having another sale... I am thinking a 27 hour audiobook wasn't the best idea while there are so many temptations, but as long as I have fun, right? Plus, I go on the treadmill while listening and I have lost 15 pounds so far.

Watching: The new Star Trek movie!!! We went and saw it last night and it was really really worth it! I am so glad we went opening weekend. We didn't bother with the 3D, I get headaches, but it was still lots of fun! Right now I am watching reruns of Big Bang Theory because there is a marathon for the long weekend.

Looking: Through the camera lens as usual!

Learning: That just because the calendar says it is spring doesn't mean Mother Nature agrees. I am also constantly learning new things with my camera. 

Feeling: The same as last week... Overwhelmed... I never seem to accomplish nearly as much as I would like.

Anticipating: The weather catching up with the calendar. There was FROST last night... Craziness! 

Wishing: For more others in the day. That is nothing new. I still didn't get enough done this weekend. 

Loving: That it is nicer than it was supposed to be today!

I Have Been...

I was visiting Chris' blog and saw this meme of sorts. Since blogging and I have mostly parted ways I thought it was a good way to at least post something!

Writing: Well, this morning I worked on catching up with Postcrossing. I think after sending so many postcards in February and April I got a bit burned out! Not to mention postage is expensive! I need to get back into a postcard writing groove. I am falling behind on postcrossing and will never reach 100 postcards sent at this rate! Otherwise, I never blog... The only other writing I do is keeping up my day-by-day journal, which I have been doing for a year now, and sometimes answer emails.

Reading: What is reading? My reading has mostly consisted of photography magazines, photography books, and audiobooks when I am on the treadmill. I am currently listening to The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. This is a reread for me! I really want to read book two and frankly couldn't remember what happened in book 1. Audible had a sale and both books were included so I decided to get my act together and be ready for book 3. As to the photography magazines, I am obsessed with browsing them. I found 4 that I really like and now have to decide what I want to spend money on. I can get digital subscriptions to two of them for 15 dollars a year. I think I might have to go the digital route... Postage to Canada is just too insane. If you are interested the magazines are Digital Photographer, Shutterbug, Outdoor Photographer, and Photography for Beginners.  I am not allowed to look at any more. As to photography books, I am obsessed with Bryan Peterson. I have almost all of his books and I learn something new every time I reread them. After all that, I have mostly been dabbling with novels. I start one, read for a while, and then set it aside... I don't know how to shake that!

Listening: Well, audiobooks. Maybe I should have mentioned that here instead of above. I am very proud of myself. I have successfully listened to Redshirts by John Scalzi, The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and Legion by Brandon Sanderson. Instead of joining the gym I just bought a subscription to Audible. The Name of the Wind rocks in audio. I am so glad to be rereading it! I am just over halfway through it. Just in case anyone is interested I love Wil Wheaton as a narrator and bought a batch of books he narrates during the Audible sale. They are all written by John Scalzi so it is win/win. As to music, I haven't been listening to anything specific.

Watching: ha! Television and movies have never been something I am good at watching. If I am not watching with someone I tend to fall very far behind. I started watching Call the Midwife and really like it, but didn't finish the season. I haven't finished the last season of NCIS that I have on DVD. I did finally watch Les Miserables, though!

Looking: Through the lens of a camera, of course!!

Learning: That there are never enough hours in the day. That I am WAY too obsessed with projects and can never keep them all up. Obviously the big thing is teaching myself photography.

Feeling: Overwhelmed. There is so much that I want to do and I just do not have time for most of it. I am also really stressed out because of a bunch of things that have happened this year.

Anticipating: Nice weather to play with my camera more. Getting back into sending postcards so I can start receiving again. Hopefully getting to some good books! Maybe even blogging more regularly!

Wishing: For more hours in the day! Take today... I want to get caught up on postcards, catch-up on photo-a-day, play with my camera, go on the treadmill, listen to The Name of the Wind, read, start getting organized to get back to Project Life, etc, etc.

Loving: That I have a three-day weekend!!

Read-a-thon Food and Creativity

I have been working my way through The Golem and the Jinni. As part of a recent mini-challenge for the read-a-thon we are to come up with a potential menu for a book club meeting to discuss the book. Here are some of the ideas I have had so far:

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

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Photo Credit

Then for the hour four mini-challenge it is all about renaming your current (or recent) read... hm...

The Golem and the Jinni

becomes

Two Unlikely Strangers (and species) Come Together in New York

Maybe if I was further into the book I would have a better idea...

Book Spine Poetry...

This is a mini-challenge as part of the read-a-thon. You can see all the entries over here.

I have never been much of a poet, but I joined in this year:

Read-a-thon!!

So... I think I have only ever missed one read-a-thon... I feel old! The thing is, I tend to lurk. I rarely officially sign up. I just visit blogs and chat with people on Twitter. A couple times I was an official cheerleader, including the very first read-a-thon, but since things don't always entirely go to plan I prefer lurking. I used to not really read for the read-a-thon because I was a big reader and if anything I took it as a break. Nowadays with my reading so slow I am thinking maybe I should read for it... We will see...

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
- Nova Scotia, Canada. It's actually kind of dreary out... Yesterday was really nice!

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
- The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
- Not sure to be honest... 

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
- I am obsessed with photography at the moment so that means photography books and magazines... And I think that Heather and Andi rock and think they are perfect for co-hosting the read-a-thon. :)

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
- I think the last read-a-thon was the one that I missed... I can't even remember. Maybe I have missed more than one, but I don't think so... Anyway, if it was the last one that I missed I am doing something  different by being around, right?

Audiobook Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi (Read by Wil Wheaton)

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Read by Wil Wheaton

Completion Date: March 13, 2013

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory. 

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed. 

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

I constantly make a goal to listen to more audiobooks... And then I fail... In 2013 I decided I would try one more time and it has actually been successful so far! I decided to start with Redshirts because I have wanted to read it since it came out, Scalzi is a fun author, and Wil Wheaton narrated it. It was just a test. I joined Audible just to see how it went. I could cancel if it was a disaster. So far no disaster... I listen while I am on the treadmill and it seems to be working well so far. I think Redshirts was a nice, uncomplicated start to the experience. I got used to paying attention to what was being said and figured out the correct volume to hear over the treadmill. If I missed a line here or there it wasn't earth-shattering for the overall experience. Plus, I was right, Redshirts was a lot of fun!

John Scalzi is an author that I collect but then fail to read... I have only read Old Man's War so far. I enjoyed it, bought more books by him, and then never read him again. Redshirts has been on my list since it came out because I love science-fiction and enjoyed a book that essentially makes fun of the original Star Trek. While I was not a huge fan of that particular show, I am well aware of the 'formula' each episode followed and have to agree the writing was atrocious at times. Scalzi is not a bad writer, though, and created a fun addition to science-fiction. 

The novel centres around Andrew and his co-workers/friends. They are those that were recently assigned to the Intrepid. It doesn't take them long to discover that things go a bit strangely on this ship. There is that formula that I mention above... Quite simply, away missions always have crazy encounters, someone always dies, and it is always a low-ranking crew member while the main cast gets away fine. As a result people go to great extents to avoid joining away missions. It doesn't take Andrew and his friends long to follow suit. They just actually search for the truth behind their story and make startling discoveries. This leads to more adventures than they signed up for, some very bad science, and a bit of implausible over-acting. In other words, lots of fun for us the reader! If you haven't had a chance to read Scalzi this is an excellent start. He has a lot of fun with his books and I really need to read more...

Strongly recommended!

On the audio production: I had actually tried Wil Wheaton before with Ready Player One, but sadly didn't get to finish the audio and wound up switching to paper. I really enjoyed him, though, and knew I was going to have to try him again. I considered rereading Ready Player One, and likely will in the future, but in the meantime I decided to try something new. I really enjoy Wheaton's narration and actually picked up Fuzzy Nation, Agent to the Stars, and The Android's Dream which are all by Scalzi and all narrated by Wheaton. If you have a chance to listen to a book her narrates I strongly recommend it! 

Hello 2013...

I am having an off year with reading and blogging. I am not doing much of either... This happens every few years, but this has been like a year of slumps in both departments. It's so strange for me. It is not like I am not filling my time with lots of things... It just isn't reading and blogging. And I miss both. My TBR pile doesn't get any smaller with inactivity. I still get new books... And I have had a few periods where I think I am going to finally break out of this strange cycle, but a bit of time goes by and I am back to not really reading. So, what have I been doing when I am not reading??

Taking pictures! I have a Canon Rebel T3i and I LOVE it!! I have been teaching myself the manual settings and having a mixture of success and failure with it... On Friday I went on a roadtrip with 'the guy'. Anyway, he has been coming on my photo expeditions as I learn what the heck I am doing... On Friday I went looking for a waterfall... Look at some of the pictures!

There are probably more... Windows 8 is just not user friendly with anything to do with pictures... I think my dislike of my computer is part of the reason why I am becoming more and more of a stranger!

So, most of my reading has been photography books... I am a bit obsessed with Bryan Peterson...

See the engagement book and wedding book? Someone asked me to take pictures at their wedding in August! Craziness!!

Then there have been photo apps..

An attempt to get healthy...

Audiobooks...

Stopping to appreciate the little things...

Casey, of course!

So that is where I have been this year...

Entering the World of Audiobooks...

I am the worst for having a million project ideas. I always think of things I have never done before and want to accomplish at some point and time. Some of these projects are a big success like collecting postcards. Other times the project is on my list year after year before I actually accomplish anything. This is what happened with audiobooks. I managed to listen to one in my car a few years ago. Then last year I made it partway through American Gods by Neil Gaiman and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. That was it. Failed project... This year I decided to try one more time.

In March I made a big step and joined Audible.com. I had wanted to many times, but I am so sporadic that I figured it was a bad idea. I decided to give it a try this time, though, and take it from there. I could always cancel. So, in March I started off my Audible project with Redshirts by John Scalzi. Not only did I enjoy it immensely but I finished it before the month was even half over. I was worried if I waited for my next Audible credit my momentum would slow down, so I bought my first ever audiobook... Tantor.com was having a sale and I spent way too much money. It will mean that I have enough audio books to read my Audible one and then one other each month for a while, though. And the audio books I bought will be more expensive then. This is how it is that I also read The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni. I knew absolutely nothing about it, but it sounded good. And, folks, it was really good. I am so glad that I took a chance on it! I also have been listening to The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. I couldn't figure out how to get it off my computer, though; so I am a bit slower with it. I should finish it up in April. My new laptop came with a gift card of sorts for a free audio book.

With my April Audible credit I went with The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It is mythology and will count in for the Once Upon a Time challenge. Plus, I have just been curious about it. I am up to chapter 11 and it is quite good so far. It seems fitting to listen to mythology, right? When the events it is based on were happening stories were mostly told orally. Then I am not sure what I will listen to next. I have plenty of options. I mostly listen while on the treadmill. That was another project of mine for 2013 and March specifically. I figured that instead of joining a gym I would join Audible. The treadmill seems to be doing the trick and I am getting through some great books.

What are some of your favourite audio books?

Once Upon a Time VII

I can't believe I am so slow signing up for Once Upon a Time VII. It has been the slowest I have ever been in signing up... I guess I am having an off year with blogging and reading in general. I still want to join in, but who knows what I will actually manage to read!

I am going to join in for my normal quests and take it from there...

Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time categories. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.

Some possibilities:
1. The Forever Knight by John Marco
2. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
3. The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles de Lint
4. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
5. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

And many many more...

This quest involves the reading of one or more short stories that fit within at least one of the four genres during the course of any weekend, or weekends, during the challenge. Ideally you would post about your short story readings on Sundays or Mondays, but this is not strictly necessary.

This is a maybe. I am not even sure if I have a short story collection that fits this challenge this year... We will see what happens!

Stories are not just limited to the printed page. Many entertaining, moving, profound or simply fun stories are told in the realm of television and film. To participate in this quest simply let us know about the films and/or television shows that you feel fit into the definitions of fantasy, fairy tales, folklore or mythology that you are enjoying during the challenge.

I am not sure what I will watch to be honest, but I am sure something will fit the category. I will likely rewatch The Hobbit at some point.

Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear - A Look at the Maisie Dobbs Series

Once upon a time I heard about a historical mystery series that took place after WWI. I was intrigued to find it centred around a strong, female character that had been a nurse during the war and was a private investigator after the war. I knew I was going to have to check it out. So, I ordered book 1. I was not impressed. I was almost bored. It was not an amazing start to a series and that made me sad. I wanted to love Maisie and get caught up in her world. I didn't entirely forget her, though. In 2009 I rejoined the library and one of the first things I did was get book two in the series: Birds of a Feather. The series just sounded like my thing and I wasn't about to give-up so easily. I didn't feel it necessary to run out and buy the entire series, but that is why libraries are so great. Birds of a Feather was SO MUCH better than book 1. Winspear really came into her own and I started to get interested in the characters and the story-lines. I had found a historical fiction mystery series that worked for me.

In 2009 I read all of the books that were available through the library and then I received a review copy of the newest book. That started me collecting the ones that I had read for free through the library. Suddenly I did want to own all the books. Maisie has captured my reading heart and I look forward to a new book every year. I always pre-order and hug when the book actually arrives. (According to Winspear's website Maisie appeared in 2003, so this is actually her 10th year of capturing readers hearts. And, Leaving Everything Most Loved is book 10. You have to love a writer that can put out a new book in a series every year.) While I was a bit slow in joining the Maisie bandwagon I still can appreciate her longevity and hope that Winspear continues the series for a while, but also goes out with a bang.

Let's look at the characters shall we? First up is Maisie, of course. The young main heroine of our tales. Let's be frank. She bothers me at times. She can be a bit too perfect and things can work out just a bit too perfectly for her. This is not to say that bad things don't happen, but she is a bit too squeaky clean at times. This is also the probably I have with Bess Crawford from Charles Todd's historical mystery series. The women do not have to be saints. It doesn't give them enough dimensions. People are not perfect all the time. While this doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the series necessarily, it does make me annoyed at times. If it bothered me too much I wouldn't still be with the series 10 books later. In a lot of ways it is the secondary characters that make the books for me. Is that a sad fact? I really enjoy Billy Beale for example. He is Maisie's assistant and was injured during the war. Winspear makes the time to give him a compelling backstory and I just enjoy the way that he interacts with people. It makes for an enjoyable character. I feel bad for him, too. He has had some bad luck in life.

Then there is Maurice. It is because of his relationship with Maisie that she was even able to become the investigator she is today. I really enjoyed seeing his character grow in the books. He was a bit mysterious at times and it was nice to get some glimpses into the man of mystery. A series of books centred around him would be very interesting. He has lived a varied life and it would be interesting to see more of his past. He was like a second father to Maisie even though Frankie Dobbs is very much alive and beloved by his daughter. He is a quieter character and is usually involved in quieter scenes when we see him. In a way even though he is not front and centre you really get a taste of who he is without that being necessary. Other characters include Lady Rowan Compton, Maisie's former employer, who I love and would love to learn more about. There is also her son, James, who was mostly absent from the earlier books and has more of a presence in the later books. I enjoy him.

Another enjoyable character from the series is Priscilla. She is Maisie's very larger than life friend. Not to mention the exact opposite of Maisie. It makes for a most interesting contrast at times. Maybe she will one day rub off on her friend? She does try. That just leaves Detective Inspector Richard Stratton and Simon Lynch. The detective crosses paths with Maisie often because of her cases. He quite admires Maisie, but the feeling is not returned. Even the detective has time for a back story because we know he is a widower and has a young son. I enjoy secondary characters that are three-dimensional. As to Simon, he is more of a presence than anything else. He was Maisie's first love and was injured during WWI. She still goes to visit him sometimes and there are moments where there are flashbacks to the way things were, but sadly his present character doesn't have the ability to become more central to the story. He is damaged in body and mind. It's a shame.

This brings us to book 10 in the series. There has been a lot of things that needed to be addressed and this book starts a new chapter in Maisie's life. It makes her rethink some of the things that have been happening. I think it is a very important book to the series. The problem with later books in the series is it is so hard to review them without ruining so many things. That is why I decided to go about this post as an overview of the entire series instead of rambling about one specific book. I have to at least mention the latest book, though. I continue to enjoy the series and will be waiting for book 11 to be hot off the presses. Maisie is a character that definitely grows on you and I really want to see what happens for her next. And, because the secondary characters have stories, too, I want to see what happens for them.

Also, I really enjoy the covers to this series.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins for allowing me the chance to read the newest book in the series and participate in the tour.