Marie's 2015 Challenge (1)

Welcome! My name is Marie and this is my sixth year with the 75ers. I'm in my late twenties and a librarian living in South Carolina with my Air Force husband.

Pull up a chair and get comfy!

Previous Threads:

75 Books Challenge in 2010
75 Books Challenge in 2011
75 Books Challenge in 2012
75 Books Challenge in 2013
75 Books Challenge in 2014

Books Read In 2015

January
1. Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
2. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
3. The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon
4. Library Mascot Cage Match: An Unshelved Collection by Bill Barnes
5. I'll Have What She's Having by Rebecca Harrington
6. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman
7. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean
8. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav
9. Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
10. When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning
11. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
12. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
13. The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander
14. Marriage Illustrated With Crappy Pictures by Amber Dusick
15. Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

February
16. Chicken Every Sunday, My Life With Mother's Boarders by Rosemary Taylor
17. The High King by Lloyd Alexander
18. I Was Here by Gayle Forman
19. Blankets by Craig Thompson
20. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
21. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean

2015 Challenges

Poetry Books:
1. Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
2. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav
3. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda

Welcome back!

Welcome back, Marie.

Everything is ready to go! Though I read all over the place, this year I am going to try to infuse a book of poetry in to every month, as well as read from my own library. It has grown beyond the bookshelves I own and I've run out of places to put bookshelves, so some weeding is in order.

That being said, I am no poetry expert. I've only read it sporadically. Does anyone have any favorites they suggest I look into?
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>4 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>5 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Hi Marie!

Starred and looking forward to following your reading this year!

I too plan to read more poetry in 2015. I know jnwelch and Paul are poetry enthusiasts and have good recommendations.

>7 kgodey: Hi, Kriti!

>8 DorsVenabili: Hi, welcome! I'm glad to see I'm not alone in my quest for more poetry. Maybe the next time Paul stops by he will leave a recommendation or two and I will have to seek out jnwelch. :)

Top Five Books of 2014:

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Home to Woefield by Susan Juby
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Honorable Mentions:

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Rapture Practice: A True Story About Growing Up Gay in an Evangelical Family by Aaron Hartzler
Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas
Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

I may finish just one more book in 2014, but I suspect my lineup will not change.

Hi, sis! Thanks again for getting my psyched up to do the book challenge with you!

>11 BookMarc: Hey! Welcome to the 75ers!

(And everyone, go check out my brother's (BookMarc) thread over here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185325)

Happy New Thread!

Hi Marie. I'm looking forward to seeing what you read in 2015!

Yay, Marie is back for 2015.! I will, of course, be a regular around these parts. :)

Marie



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

>13 foggidawn: Thank you, thank you, welcome!

>14 Kassilem: *waves* Hi, Melissa!

>15 MickyFine: Happy New Years, Micky! Thanks for always hanging around my thread. :)

>16 PaulCranswick: Happy New Years Paul, from Charleston, SC!

>17 ronincats: I am excited for 2015. I feel like it is a nice number. :)

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I'm moving kind of slow today after a fun night, but the plan is to take a visiting friend to a tea plantation right outside of Charleston. That might sound boring, but I've been once before and it was really interesting. Plus, they make amazing tea. Have a happy New Years everyone!

And Happy New thread, Marie! I hope you have a great reading year. I am glad to see Nothing to Envy making your top 5. Terrific book.

Happy New Year, Marie!

Happy New Year, Marie!

Tea plantation sounds totally awesome. Did you acquire any tasty teas?

>19 lovelyluck: >20 msf59: >21 scaifea: >22 DorsVenabili: Hope you all had a wonderful New Years. I spent most of yesterday recovering, heh...

>23 MickyFine: Turns out it was closed yesterday, but I am hoping to go later today. I've been once before and their Governor's Grey tea is my favorite. Mmmm.

Hi and Happy New Year! I think a tour of a tea plantation sounds amazing. I would love a cup of Earl Grey right now.

I've been seeing The Rosie Project on quite a few LTers best of 2014 lists. I read and enjoyed it as well last year.

A belated Happy New Years, sis! Even though I wished you a Happy New Years on time elsewhere. We both know this is where it counts, right?

>25 Cobscook: Hi, welcome and Happy New Year! If you liked The Rosie Project you will enjoy The Rosie Effect too. I don't think it was as good as the first book, but you still love all the characters.

>26 BookMarc: Happy New Years! It's true. LT > everything else. :)

Happy New Year, Marie!:)

>28 Apolline: Happy New Years, Bente! Where is your 2015 thread?

Only one book in your best reads and honorable mentions that I've read. The Rosie Project which was funny. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea sounds very good. I will take a note of that one. Also of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender - sounds very original.

>30 ctpress: Nothing to Envy was a tough, yet fascinating read. I find North Korea very interesting and Demick did a good job interviewing some of the people in the book. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender was mesmerizing. It was unlike anything I had read before, so I highly recommend it. I believe it was the author's debut novel too.

1. Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson

This is my first poetry book of the year, which is my personal challenge this year. I am not a poetry expert, but I am hoping to get a better sense of what good poetry means to me. (Recommendations needed!)

I had run across Gregson's poems online before. They pop up on Tumblr and Pinterest quite a lot so I thought I would check out his book. In Chasers of the Light Gregson writes most of his poems using a typewriter on scraps of whatever he can find. It makes for a visually appealing book. I also like the brevity of his poems because he succinctly conveys an image without getting bogged down in a lot of flowery language. Some of his poems are a little cliche (especially those regarding love), but he will be a poet I continue to watch.

To my dear sister, I wish you a very happy birthday full of adventures and books that don't take your mind to weird places like the one I got you for Christmas.

>33 BookMarc: said it's your birthday! Happy B-day :)

>33 BookMarc: Thanks! I just finished the book you gave me, so review forthcoming!

>34 lovelyluck: Ha ha ha ha, love the meme! Look at those cheeks! I said no to birthday cake this year because we usually have a slice and then the rest just sits there for days before we throw it away. I am however planning to order desert at dinner tonight. :)

Happy birthday Marie!!

I never got to go to the tea plantation when I was in South Carolina, but I am very fond of their tea.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Marie! I hope you had a great day!

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Marie, I hope you had a relaxing day!

Happy birthday!

>132 MickyFine: I may check this one out. I'm going to try to read a mixture of contemporary and early 20th century poets this year. That's the plan anyway.

>36 norabelle414: Thanks! If you are ever down again we should def make a trip there.

>37 aktakukac: Thank you!

>38 msf59: I had a wonderful day, thank you!

>39 swynn: Thank you!

>40 takenby05: Thank you, it was a good mix of relaxing and going out kind of day.

>41 DorsVenabili: Thank you! That is sort of my plan too, but I haven't mapped out any particular authors yet. I probably should...

2. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

I bought my husband this graphic novel for Christmas because he is a big Patrick Rothfuss fan and this is what Patrick Rothfuss said of this book: "This freaked my shit out." What higher praise can a book get than freaking Patrick Rothfuss out? I myself don't usually go for anything scary, but this graphic novel is amazing. The stories are subtle and creepy and the artwork is over the moon good. I was thoroughly impressed by Emily Carroll as both an artist and a storyteller.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy birthday, Marie! I hope you had a great day.

>44 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>45 kgodey: Thanks, Kriti! It really was a great birthday. I took off work and spent the day with my husband. We spent the afternoon wandering around one of the local gardens and he surprised me with some beautiful earrings. That night we had a beautiful dinner at a cute little Italian joint - perfect! :)

Happy birthday:) i hope the day and the dessert was good! My thread is coming, too much work lately.:)

Happy belated birthday! I might have to check out Through the Woods :)

Sounds like you had a great birthday :) I ordered Through the Woods for work, and thought it would have been more popular. Glad you enjoyed it!

>47 Apolline: Thank you! It sounds like work is going well? I hope to see your thread up soon.

>48 Kassilem: Thanks! It's pretty awesome and creepy. Seriously creepy.

>49 aktakukac: From what I could tell it was her debut graphic novel, so maybe she will catch on in the future? I really liked it.

Oooh, it sounds like you had a fantastic birthday!

>51 scaifea: I did, I really got spoiled. I also have a tough job interview coming up, so it was nice not to think about it for a day.

>52 rosylibrarian: Ooh, good luck on your job interview! When is it?

3. The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon

When Brent Runyon was 14 years old he set himself on fire. He had gotten into trouble at school again and decided that he was going to kill himself once and for all after attempting it a few times previously. He went up to his bathroom, soaked himself in gasoline and lit the match. Runyon survived and spent most of the following year undergoing painful surgery, skin-grafting procedures and working with psychologists to answer the question: why? Why would someone light themselves on fire?

This is a true story, and a hard one to stomach in parts. Like the people surrounding Runyon - his family, his classmates, his doctors and nurses - you want to know how someone could do what he did. To be honest, Runyon grated on my nerves through a lot of the book. He's rude, selfish, defiant and isn't grateful to his hard working parents at all. But his portrayal rings true. He's a 14 year old kid who doesn't understand that there is life after middle school. He's obsessed with sex and getting his own way. It isn't meant to be pretty and the result is this gritty book which I found both sad and hard to put down.

>53 swynn: Next Friday. I have to do a presentation and those always make me nervous.

Oh, best of luck on the interview! I'll be thinking about you.

Also, I think I'll pass on the Runyon book. Yeesh.

>55 rosylibrarian: Sending you good wishes, and hoping that the anticipation is manageable.

Good luck, Marie! You go kick some butts;) I've never had a presentation on an interview, but I can relate to your nervousness. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

>56 scaifea: Thank you! And yes, the Runyon book is kind of intense. It probably isn't something I would have chosen for myself, but I was given it for Christmas.

>57 swynn: Thank you! The anticipation is manageable until I try to go to sleep and then I panic for an hour or two. Ugh...

>58 Apolline: Thanks, Bente! This is only my second presentation, but surely this one has to go better. We shall see...

Marie, so glad you had such a lovely birthday. Sorry I missed it, but a belated Happy Birthday to you!

A happy belated birthday to you, Marie. Glad it was such a lovely day.

As for the job interview, I'm positive you will knock their socks off.

I just requested Through the Woods the other day. It did sound very promising. Glad you enjoyed it.

So your husband is a big comic fan?

>60 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! :)

>61 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky! Well, the best I can hope for is to do my best and not pass out mid presentation.

>62 msf59: I really liked Through the Woods. The artwork alone is admirable.

I wouldn't say my husband is a giant comic fan, but he does frequent our local comic book shop probably every other month and ends up with one or two items. He's never been a big reader, but I think graphic novels have done a good job reeling him into reading more. He's currently into the Locke and Key series, which I'm hoping to get to myself this year.

4. Library Mascot Cage Match: An Unshelved Collection by Bill Barnes

Last year Unshelved launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to digitize their comic books and sell them on very cute USB drives shaped like a card catalog drawer. This is the third book in the series and there are eleven in all. I'm hoping to get through them all this year. (Talk about padding my numbers - woo hoo!) Anyways, this comic series follows a group of librarians and they are quite hilarious, especially if you happen to be a librarian. For a taste of the hilarity you can view the comic strip for free over at their website.

5. I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting by Rebecca Harrington

'Tis the season of dieting, and this book caught my eye because I love all things pop culture. I know that movie stars and other prominent figures eat crazy things to stay slim, but I had no idea what those crazy things are. It sounded like a shallow, but entertaining read. Shallow? Yes. Entertaining? Uh, not so much. There was very little meat on the bone to make a pun. I actually felt like this book shouldn't have been in book format. It was too disjointed and short. It felt like something better consumed (ha!) via a newspaper column or some type of blog which is what I think Harrington does in her day job. I'm not even sure it warrants a blog though. There were no recipes to try and she didn't really follow any strict guidelines. Half the time I wondered where she was getting her information. Still, I learned that Marilyn Monroe drank raw eggs in her milk every morning and that Gweneyth Paltrow's style of living is way too expensive for me to even fathom. Win?

>64 rosylibrarian: *Eleven* books in the Unshelved series?! I have the first three, then sort of lost track .. the comic has always been hit-and-miss for me (but when it hits it is quite hilarious.) Must check back to see what I've missed ...

>65 rosylibrarian: Thanks for taking the hit on that one.

Isn't raw eggs in your milk the same as egg nog? I could totally drink egg nog for breakfast every morning.

>64 rosylibrarian: One of the Unshelved guys was a keynote at a conference I went to a few years ago. It was a lot of fun. And of course, I've been reading the comic off and on since library school. I'm also pretty sure it's required to have at least one of their comics in any presentation you do to library staff. ;)

>64 rosylibrarian: I have to say, book 3 in the series was probably the weakest so far. I guess I just don't get the library mascot character, Buddy the Book Beaver. I haven't read any of the latest comics so I wonder if he sticks around? Or gets unmasked?

>67 norabelle414: I think you are right. I can't imagine drinking egg nog for breakfast everyday. The thought literally makes me nauseous... which may be why you lose weight!

>68 MickyFine: That is awesome! I would love to see either of them at a conference. Maybe I should incorporate one of their strips into my super serious job interview presentation. ;)

Buddy the Book Beaver is super creepy.

>69 rosylibrarian: They're great for including on your final questions slide (if you have one).

>70 norabelle414: I thought it was just me, but yes, he is super creepy! I don't understand the point of his character. Who wears a mascot suit all the time? I mean, I know some strange people frequent public libraries, but you don't usually hire them. I know, I know...it's just a cartoon. :)

>71 MickyFine: That is a good idea. Mine currently just says: Questions?

6. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman

After reading Yes, Please! by Amy Poehler last year I was reminded that Nick Offerman also had a book and since he is pretty damn funny on Parks and Rec I thought I would give it a go. Coincidentally, Offerman is a master woodworker and my husband has recently decided that he would like to become one so I thought maybe this would help me understand the attraction. (Spoiler: I still don't get it.)

This book is described as both a memoir and a rant, which is absolutely true. Yes, you learn about Offerman's life in a somewhat chronological order, but he interjects several sort of rant chapters in which he talks about how cell phones are making us all dumb, we should eat more unprocessed food and people who use religion against homosexuality are morons. I really enjoyed it. I love his deadpan humor and his straightforward way of describing things. I enjoyed it even more because I listened to the audio book and Offerman is his own narrator. I mean, who else could narrate it? Highly recommended for a light, funny read that packs some heart and some sage wisdom.

>72 rosylibrarian: My other favourite way to use them is on the slide for an activity break during staff training. :)

>73 rosylibrarian: Oooh, I loved this one, too! I'm a big fan of Offerman. Do you know that you can follow his woodworking shop on instagram? I can't remember if I learned that from the book or elsewhere...

Also, there's a wonderful indy bookshop in Spring Green, WI (a short drive from me) that has a lovely wood-worked piece of Offerman's: the owner of the shop used to teach drama of some kind in Chicago and one of his former students is great friends with Offerman, who, at this friend's request, made the piece for the shop owner. He has it proudly displayed behind the counter. Very cool.

>54 rosylibrarian: Oh, what a tragic story. One of my favorite sad-sack songwriters - Will Johnson - has a song about the exact same thing. I've always wondered if it's based on a true story, so maybe it is. It's called "Philo Manitoba" and it's very disturbing.

>74 MickyFine: Humor = people pay attention!

>75 scaifea: I love that story! I shared it with my husband who is also currently reading the book and just built his first project - a cutting board. Offerman just seems like such a straight forward guy who isn't afraid to thank people for helping him along the way. It doesn't surprise me that he made something for the shop owner. I'll have to go check out his instagram.

>76 DorsVenabili: I love sad sack songwriters. I have whole playlists dedicated to the saddest, most acoustic songs I can find. I'll have to check out Will Johnson when I get home. I'm not sure if the two things are connected, but Runyon's story was featured on NPR quite a bit, which is how his book came to be published.

I avoided life this weekend. This meant playing a lot of Civilization and only starting one book last night called The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean. It's really interesting, but my mind is so preoccupied by this week's presentation that I am finding it hard to focus. Ah, is it Friday yet?

I also have those weekends where I avoid life and play Civilization! What version of the game do you play? I only recently got a computer capable of running Civ V, and it seems pretty fun so far, although I haven't had the time to play an entire game yet.

Good luck on the interview! The waiting is the worst...

>79 kgodey: I play Civilization V via Steam on my laptop. I broke down and got a touch screen laptop last year and it works really well with the game. It is really fun, but addictive. The virtual years just fly by... and now it's Monday.

I have also lost (and continue to lose) untold hours to Civilization, though I still bang away at the old Civilization 2.

>77 rosylibrarian: And someday you should come for a visit and we'll go to the bookshop to see the plaque (the bookshop is amazing, too)!

>78 rosylibrarian: Oh man, I love being a mom, but I do so miss those Do Nothing But Play Civilization weekends...

>80 rosylibrarian: Yeah, I have a lot of experience playing Civilization IV, but I'll be playing V from now on since my new computer doesn't heat up and freeze from all the stress of it :)

Maybe we should set up a LibraryThing online Civ game at some point!

>81 swynn: I can't remember which versions I've played, but I may have to go back and try some of the older ones. I also used to like Ages of Empire, but I kind of lost track of which number they are on.

>82 scaifea: Yes! I really want to go to an LT meet up! When I lived on the west coast they seemed impossible, but I feel like SC is a much better place in which to attend them from. (Also, I guess I should relish these weekends instead of feeling guilty over them since we do want children sometime in the future.)

>83 kgodey: I like that idea. I've never actually tried multiplayer, but I bet it makes things a little more interesting.

>84 rosylibrarian: Usually Joseph (my husband) and I play together as allies against the AI players, and we've also played with some of our friends in "teams". It's pretty fun.

>85 kgodey: I like the idea to play with your husband against AI players. Unfortunately we bought our copy via Steam. I wonder if they let two people play on the same account? There is a lot to be said for buying a hard copy of computer games.

>86 rosylibrarian: Yeah, we both have separate Steam accounts. I think Steam had a "Civ bundle" on sale sometime last year (or maybe it was Humble Bundle?), and we both bought it separately really cheaply.

>64 rosylibrarian: Oooh - a whole collection of "Unshelved." I've been reading that for years.

>87 kgodey: I'll have to keep my eye out for another sale and maybe then I will make my own Steam account.

>88 thornton37814: I've kept up with it here and there for awhile, but I love reading things in full so it's been nice starting from the beginning.

Look what my husband built me! This is the power of reading a book by Nick Offerman!

Ha, ha, looks great - nothing like getting inspired reading a book.

Bookshelves! An absolute good.

>90 rosylibrarian: Whoa. Lucky gal, you.

>90 rosylibrarian: Nice! Did he surprise you with it, or did you know he was making it for you?

>91 ctpress: I wish a book would inspire me to build something, but alas, I have no carpentry skills.

>92 swynn: Maybe the most good, next to books of course.

>93 scaifea: Right? He's a keeper for sure.

>94 aktakukac: Well, I bought him some woodworking tools for Christmas not expecting much to come of it. He tends to pick up and drop hobbies fairly quick. I always said I wanted him to build me a book case, but I was not expecting one this week!

Hi Marie! Love the bookcase! Go Ron Swanson! I still have to listen to the Offerman memoir!

If you don't mind, ask your husband what a few of his favorite GNs were, from last year. Thanks!

It is a beautiful book case. I assume it's full now? Do we get an after picture?

Aaaw, that is such a thoughtful and lovely gift. Even more valuable since it is made with love! I guess it is full already?

Have a wonderful weekend:)

Civilization V is on sale on Steam today and I think you guys have inspired me......

That's a really nice gift, Marie!

>96 msf59: Let's see, I know he has read most of the Locke and Key series. If you like superheroes he enjoyed Infinite Crisis, Blackest Night and Brightest Day. Oh, and he just said American Vampire. He said he's heard good things about the Sandman series by Gaiman, which is going to be his next pick up.

>97 MickyFine: Well, it's currently being stained and sanded and then I am going to paint little red cherries on top to match my dishes. I'm actually going to keep it in the kitchen and put some of my cook books on it since they are currently in a box upstairs. After picture will happen as soon as that is all done. :)

>98 Apolline: Hope you are having a great weekend, Bente! Did you create a thread yet?

>99 norabelle414: I bought myself a copy too and played last night on multiplayer. Ah, I love Civilization.

>100 kgodey: While my husband isn't a huge reader, he really does support my habit, which is all I can ask for. :)

Well, my interview/presentation is in the can. Now I can finally catch up on all the threads and post a review of the only book I managed to read last week. I really could not concentrate, but I'm starting to feel like a normal person again. Now I wait for either the good or bad news...

Morning Marie! Thanks for supplying the comic recs. I did enjoy the Locke & Key books. I am not really into superhero comics but I did recently enjoy Ms. Marvel and the Hawkeye books. Have you heard about these?

>103 msf59: I had not heard of either of those. Ms. Marvel sounds really interesting. I'm not really into the superhero thing myself. I sort of stick to the story based ones like Persepolis and Maus. Oh, and I really enjoyed the graphic novel retelling of The Last Unicorn. I think my next graphic novel read is going to be Blankets by Craig Thompson. I've heard good things.

Congratulations on surviving your presentation!

I'm really not getting the hang of Civilization. This whole turn-based thing is throwing me for a loop! I'm really good at Age of Empires so I think it has to be the turn-based thing. Any tips?

>105 norabelle414: I think part of getting used to the turn-based thing is to start thinking ahead in a chess like manner. For example, when you first start out and you have a certain type of resource next to your capital you probably want to build towards that tech tree first. Or if you know you have barbarians right above one of your cities you want to make sure you have some way to attack them. I guess the only tip I have is to think a few steps ahead and then work towards it each turn. It really is fun, and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time.

>101 rosylibrarian: Indeed I have, and it is right here :) Not much action going on over there yet, but you are welcome to stop by!

>102 rosylibrarian: Yay! Having the interview over with is a huge relief. I hope you're able to relax a bit while you wait for final word.

>101 rosylibrarian: Well, I can vouch for Locke & Key and American Vampire, both good GN series. I also like Chew, but it's a little more out there in the gross-out factor. Oh, and The Sixth Gun.

Fantastic bookcase! That's an excellent result of reading the Nick Offerman book.

Congratulations on getting through your presentation/interview.

Beautiful bookcase, Marie, but introduce him to the idea of adjustable shelving, or the idea of measuring your books. I swear you could easily get a fourth shelf of books in there.

>107 Apolline: I have you starred! :)

>108 MickyFine: It was a relaxing weekend. We went to Columbia, SC and viewed a Norman Rockwell traveling exhibit. Now it is back to the grind, with me teaching a class today.

>109 drneutron: Thanks for the recs! I will be sure to pass them along.

>110 Cobscook: Thank you, phew, I'm so glad it is over.

>111 ronincats: You are probably right, but he was so pleased with himself for even making a bookcase that I don't dare criticize a thing, ha ha. I think I am going to move a few of my really heavy art history textbooks to the bottom shelf. Right now they are bowing the cheap shelving I have them on.

7. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean

The human brain fascinates me and this book was right up my alley. I love books that explain science via simple explanations and great storytelling. Sam Kean does a wonderful job of combining all these elements.

In order to demonstrate the different parts of the brain and how they work (or don't), Kean would draw from different case studies where trauma was usually a factor. Because of these poor people with strange stories, science has advanced to where we know a considerable amount about how the brain works. There were parts that made my own head hurt - such as a giant iron rod going through the brain of Phineas Gage - but the gore isn't too bad. (Gage lived by the way and stayed conscious through the whole ordeal...insane!)

I can't wait to pick up his other two books.

8. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav

As part of my poetry challenge, I picked this one up. While there was one or two poems I quite liked, I didn't feel anything substantial was going on with Leav's poetry. I was even less impressed by her illustrations. Since this is her first book of poetry, I did pick up and browse her second to see if her style changed at all and it did - for the worse. Not my cup of tea.



(I kind of liked this one, since it pertains so much to being a reader, but yeah...nothing too gripping.)

>113 rosylibrarian: Phineas Gage is seriously one of the coolest dudes.

>115 MickyFine:



BAMF!

>116 rosylibrarian: I swear there's a Vlogbrothers video about him and that's why I know about it. But it may have been My Daguerreotype Boyfriend that put him on my radar. I can't remember now.

>113 rosylibrarian: Ooh, I really liked his book on genetics, The Violinist's Thumb, when I read it a couple of years ago - I've been meaning to read his other two books, and I really should bump them up the List.

>113 rosylibrarian:, >118 bell7: I've only ever read The Disappearing Spoon, so between the three of us we've got him covered :-)

>113 rosylibrarian: Adding that one to the wishlist...

>117 MickyFine: My Daguerreotype Boyfriend is my new favorite blog to follow.

>118 bell7: >119 norabelle414: I am looking forward to reading both of his other books. Science is fun. Why wasn't it fun in school?

>120 scaifea: It's a good one. An excellent blend of history, science and the fact that truth is stranger than fiction.

9. Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast

I'm very sure that I picked up this book because I saw someone's excellent review of it on LT. I can't remember who, but thank you. This is a graphic novel that deals with a subject we Americans like very much to avoid - death. It is specifically about our role as children of the very old.

Roz Chast's parents both lived well into their 90s and she documents their slow decline in health. I can't tell you how true this story rang. My own grandmother lived to be 93 and watching her slowly lose the use of her body and mind was extremely hard to watch. Chast captures the sadness, the guilt, the annoyances, the grief and all of the other emotions one feels while watching a loved one pass away.

>121 rosylibrarian: Glad you like it. :)

>123 MickyFine: Was it you that read it, Micky? If so, I should shake your hand. It really was a compelling read.

How do you think you did on the presentation? What was it about? When should you hear something?

Inquiring minds want to know!

>125 Morphidae: I was a little shaky, but I think it went well. One of my colleagues told me in sort of a hush, hush way that she liked mine the best, which made me feel pretty good. Ultimately though, it is up to the director and I'm not sure when I'll know. I presented on starting an online - or embedded - service for instructing students. I work for a college that is only now starting to move towards online programs and our library doesn't really have anything in place to reach them as far as instruction goes.

>126 rosylibrarian: Presentations are always the tough part of an academic interview. I know the last one I did, they invited all the available library staff to attend, not just the interview panel. I'm pretty comfortable with public speaking but that was still nerve-wracking.

Hope you have an awesome and relaxing weekend!

>127 MickyFine: Our library staff was invited too, but it was on a Friday afternoon before a three day weekend, so... yeah, everyone was already gone, ha ha. I hope you have a wonderful weekend too. :)

---

Happy National Readathon Day!#timetoread

10. When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning

During WWII there were several programs aimed at getting books into the hands of soldiers. Publishing companies, librarians and other patriotic souls organized national book drives and sent over millions of donated books. Eventually the US War Department started publishing their own series of books called the Armed Services Editions, which took a vast range of books and printed them in a format that could be easily carried on the battlefield.

This book is scattered with the letters of soldiers thanking authors, thanking publishing companies, thanking librarians and thanking anyone who could get a book to them. At a time when smart phones didn't exist, only books could boost the moral of soldiers. It could divert their minds from the task at hand and remind them what it was they were fighting for. It's a heartening tale with elements of my two favorite things - history and books.

  

11. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
12. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
13. The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

My brother gave me these books years ago and for some reason I never got around to reading them. I don't know why - they are so much fun! I love tales of adventure and this one is set against the backdrop of a Welsh inspired land. Our hero is an Assistant Pig Keeper who lives a quiet life wishing for more action. He gets his wish and is soon swept along in the battle for good versus evil.

The characters make this book. I loved Taran and all his wonderful traveling companions. Along the way he meets a noble prince, a plucky princess, a wandering bard and a creature that defies description, but reminded me of a funnier Gollum from LOTR. I can think of no other word but delightful!

Next up is the third book, which promises a Taran more grown up with feelings for the plucky princess.

ETA: I added the third book to this entry. While I missed having the princess in most of the book, the ending was quite sweet. What will Taran do next?

>129 rosylibrarian: What a terrific idea for a book about books. I was only vaguely aware of this program as I've heard of Armed Services Editions. Now I'm curious about details. Into the Someday Swamp!

>130 rosylibrarian: That series is an old favorite of mine. I'm delighted you're enjoying them.

>130 rosylibrarian: Look at you, blitzing through the books!

Yaaaaay Taran!

All three books I'd like to read. Thanks for the recommendations.

Yes, what Nora said - Yaaaay!! Love The Black Cauldron books!

>130 rosylibrarian: Munchies and crunchies...

>131 swynn: I had never heard of the Armed Services Editions before picking up that book. It was really interesting to me as someone who used to work for the Air Force as a library technician. I can't imagine our government would ever do a similar program now and to my knowledge they didn't do anything during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

>132 MickyFine: Well, to be fair, Alexander's books are pretty slim and the two books of poetry I read were finished in an evening, but hey, I'll take it! :)

>133 norabelle414: I am loving Taran!

>134 Kassilem: I've had a lucky streak so far. :)

>135 scaifea: I think I may be the last person to read them. I can't believe I didn't read them as a kid. I loved books like LOTR and the Dealing with Dragons series.

>136 Morphidae: I bet Alexander had so much fun writing that character and thinking up all the words he could rhyme.

I need to finish reading the Chronicles of Prydain! I think I've only read The Book of Three but I don't remember much, except that I enjoyed it, so I'll have to reread it.

>138 kgodey: It looks like there are 5 books in all, and they are very enjoyable!

I think I'm coming down with something? I slept for twelve hours last night and I still feel very tired. I also feel very achy... ugh!

Oh ughhh I hope you feel better soon! Even just feeling that tired and achiness of coming down with something is frustrating & tiring :(

>141 bell7: Thanks, I think I'm on the upward swing even though I slept terribly last night. In any case, I need to rally to celebrate my husband's birthday tonight. :)

Happy birthday to Mr. Marie! Hope you guys have a good time whatever you're doing. :)

>143 MickyFine: I woke up at 6 this morning to make him breakfast and after work I am taking him to a french restaurant. While waking up early wasn't fun, he seemed very delighted and tonight should be a good time.

>144 rosylibrarian: Awesome wife points to you!

>145 MickyFine: I try. :)

Also, anyone coming to visit Charleston MUST go to 39 Rue de Jean. Amazing.

14. Marriage Illustrated With Crappy Pictures by Amber Dusick

This is one of those books born out of a blog, and while it has been my experience that most of these types of books should remain only as blog, this one worked for me.

The concept is simple: Dusick writes about the every day workings of a modern, American family of four and illustrates them with "crappy" pictures. And, believe me, the pictures are pretty bad. She must honestly use Microsoft paint, but they make everything hilarious.

This book centers around her marriage and I found myself nodding along and laughing at their antics. In one story she talks about putting a tent out in their yard for their kids to play in, but their kids show no interest so Dusick and her husband use it to get away and have some "fun" together. The next day the tent blows into their neighbor's yard and everything falls out of it - including sensual oils. The neighbor gives her a knowing smile.

Hi, there! Got a severe cold over here, and I am on the nightshift, so not the best time. I guess winter is the nr 1 old season, but still I will be happy when it is over. Did you have a good celebration? Ever been to France? I remember you said your grandmother is Spanish. Where in Spain is she from? Btw, I LOVE Spain and I have been there many times:)

>148 Apolline: I hope you feel better soon. Maybe a quiet weekend will help? I have been to France. And yes, my grandmother was from Spain. She was Basque and was from the Basque country. Unfortunately I've only been to Spain once when I was 16.

The Prydain Chronicles are one of my top series, along with The Dark is Rising series, for youngsters. I love how each book grows with the character.

>147 rosylibrarian: Marriage Illustrated with Crappy Pictures looks fun... before I read the review I thought... "bet that is my relationship" - having a fun marriage is the only way to go... the tent and the knowing smile... doesn't that stuff happen in every relationship?.... lol... added to Mt. TBR :)

>150 ronincats: I'm finishing the last book of the Prydain Chronicles right now and I will be sad when it ends. I have really come to love Taran and his companions. I have never read the other series you mentioned. I will have to look into it.

>151 lovelyluck: It's a quick and funny read. I made my husband read it too and it only took him maybe 30 minutes.

January Summary

Books Read: 15
Poetry Books Read: 2
Books I Own Read: 6

Favorite Book: Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

Thoughts: Jeez. I really went for it this month. It was hard to pick a favorite book because there were so many good ones. Listening to Nick Offerman read Paddle Your Own Canoe really calmed my nerves about presenting. Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? made me cry. I also read some great non-fiction. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons and When Books Went to War were both very compelling. I finished the month off with The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander and I am going to be very sad to finish them this month. An excellent start to 2015!

Spoilers for The High King: Is everyone going to die in this book? I am so sad... Coll just died. Rhun died. Ugh, please tell me Taran doesn't die.

 

15. Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
17. The High King by Lloyd Alexander

What a beautiful series. I absolutely loved these books. They had everything - adventure, beautiful characters and a lot of wisdom. Taran Wanderer was a very introspective novel that was wonderfully paced as Taran grew to manhood. The High King had more battles than the other books in the series, but held together very well. The ending... oh the ending. I thought I was going to be incredibly sad, but I thought it wrapped up well. I will truly miss these characters, especially the bard, Fflewddur. A Fflam doesn't mind re-reading though!

Got those on the list. Looking forward to them

I'm so, so glad that you enjoyed the Cauldron books! I love them, too, and they're on Charlie's shelves just waiting for him...

>156 Kassilem: I'm glad I'm not the only adult who hadn't read them. They were pretty wonderful.

>157 scaifea: Charlie is so lucky to be able to read them as a kid!

16. Chicken Every Sunday, My Life With Mother's Boarders by Rosemary Taylor

After reading When Books Went to War, which is about the Armed Services Editions (ASE) during WWII, I decided to look into a few of the books mentioned. Chicken Every Sunday was one such book. Published in 1943, this book is all about turn of the century Tucson, AZ. I was so surprised because I lived in Tucson for about 3 years.

More than just Tucson, this book is also about a family who take in boarders to help with their finances. It is autobiographical, and Rosemary is the oldest daughter of the family. I have to admit, I didn't realize it was non-fiction until I was about 25% in because the stories are so crazy! At the heart of the family is Mother, who is the hardest working member of the family and provides such a lovely home for her children and the boarders they take in. The Father is always tossing their money away on one scheme or another, so it is Mother who makes sure she has her own money. She's very enterprising and way ahead of her time. I can see why soldiers gravitated towards this book as an ASE because it's very funny.

A word of caution should you pick up this book. While very delightful, it is a book of its times. There is a lot of racism towards...well, everyone not white.

>159 rosylibrarian: That sounds like a very interesting read! I have added it to my TBR list

Now let the thread stalking continue :)

It's finally official, so now I can tell you all... I accepted the job I presented for! It's a full time, tenure track librarian position at a military college. I am so thrilled!

>159 rosylibrarian: I'm going to add that one to my reading list. Nice review!

ETA: Congratulations! How exciting!!

>161 rosylibrarian: congrats!

WOW!! That's fantastic news, Marie - I'm so happy for you!!!

Hooray, Marie!

>161 rosylibrarian: Congratulations!

>161 rosylibrarian: YAY!

Congrats!

Marie, that is WONDERFUL! Congratulations!

And I'm so happy you loved Taran.

Thank you, thank you!

*does a happy dance*

Congratulations, Marie! That's so cool! Which college is it?

>161 rosylibrarian: Awesome! Congrats!

Congrats for the job!!!

>171 kgodey: I PMed you.

>172 foggidawn: Yay, thanks!

>173 Kassilem: Thank you!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but this job requires wearing a military uniform. I never realized how many different "parts" to a uniform there were before I started ordering. This is def going to take some getting used to.

>174 rosylibrarian: Wait, really? Will you be some sort of officer? Or maybe Private Dewey, First Class? (Sorry, that was terrible.) But that is pretty neat that you get a uniform.

>175 scaifea: It's honorary, but yes, I will be a Captain, which technically means my husband would have to salute me, ha ha ha ha! (Maybe I am taking too much joy in that fact...)

>176 rosylibrarian: Yeeeeeeees!

Congratulations!!!:) I am so happy for you!

Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah! Yay for Captain Marie, Librarian (you should totally have a TV show with a title like that :)).

>176 rosylibrarian: Ha! That's awesome! I still have a piece of mail that came to the house after Tomm and I were first married (and before he finished his PhD) that is addressed to Dr. and Mr. Scaife...

Ooooh congratulations, Marie! And that's pretty funny that your husband technically has to salute you hehe :)

>177 norabelle414: That's what I said! Kyle (husband) said noooo!

>178 Apolline: Thank you!

>179 MickyFine: Yes, my TV show would be part JAG and part Black Books. It would be awesome!

 

>180 scaifea: Ha ha ha, that is excellent! I would also keep that mail. Do they now address you as Drs. Scaife?

>181 bell7: Thank you! I think it is pretty funny too.

>182 rosylibrarian: Sometimes, yes, but mostly we get the normal Mr & Mrs these days (since neither of us are working in academia anymore).

I'd watch that TV show.

>182 rosylibrarian: I'd watch that too!

>183 scaifea: I guess ours would read Ssgt. and Capt. Rose, ha ha. That is way too complicated.

>184 kgodey: Mmm, I wouldn't mind a young Harmon Rabb as a co-star...

18. I Was Here by Gayle Forman

I am a big fan of Gayle Forman. I loved If I Stay and Where She Went. Just One Day was pretty good too. That is why I am a little disappointed in her latest YA novel. I didn't hate it, but neither did it do anything for me.

In the book, Cody has just lost her best friend named Meg to suicide. Meg had previously moved to Seattle for college and Meg's parents want Cody to go there and pack up her belongings. This forces Cody to leave the tiny town she feels stuck in. What she finds in Seattle makes her rethink everything she thought she knew about Meg and what led to Meg's death. Now, this may sound sort of murder mystery-ish, but that isn't what this book about. It really is about depression, death, suicide and the people left behind. There is also a romance that I never got on board with, which is crazy because Forman usually makes me fall in love all throughout her books. This one didn't do it for me. I'm tired of the slutty guy meets virgin girl storyline. Yawn.

To sum up, I think there are other YA books out there that tackle this subject matter in a more successful way. I really enjoyed Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

(I know there are some other Forman fans who stop by my thread, so I am really looking forward to your thoughts!)

>187 rosylibrarian: I wasn't thrilled by the book's summary when I looked at it, and now after reading your thoughts I think I might just take it off the list. Why read it when I can already guess I'm not going to enjoy it. :) Thanks for clearing it up for me! I'll just wait to see what else Forman writes in future years.

>90 rosylibrarian: Nice! I need more of those too! My brother-in-law is a carpenter and drew up plans for a book case that takes up an entire wall in our living room. Right now the wood cost would be astronomical, but it's something I'm looking forward to in the future!

Nice comments on Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?. I'm looking forward to this one.

>188 Kassilem: Well, I would never deter anyone from reading, but yeah. Not my favorite Gayle Forman book. She tends to write books in pairs, so I wonder if she will be writing another book from the perspective of the love interest. If so, ugh! I will probably read it... and who knows, maybe it will change my mind about him.

>189 DorsVenabili: I would love to have an entire wall of book cases, but we tend to move and I'm afraid they wouldn't fit the next house we move to. One day!

I don't know if "enjoyed" is the right word, but I found Chast's book very compelling. It was a very honest portrayal of getting older.

19. Blankets by Craig Thompson

Without really meaning to, I've been reading a lot of graphic novels this year. Blankets is a coming of age memoir about a kid living in rural Wisconsin with his younger brother and religious parents. Craig is an outcast with little money and strict parents. During church camp he meets a girl named Raina and they begin a long distance relationship in letters and drawings. Craig convinces his parents to let him visit her for two weeks and together he and Raina learn what it means to have a first true love.

I knew this was a coming of age story, but I wasn't prepared for how religious this book would be. It's interesting to watch Craig sway between his parent's beliefs and coming to terms with his own. It reminded me of Aaron Hartzler's memoir. There are also some darker elements in this book, including a sexual abuse scene that really caught me off guard because it is never fully explained. The novel concludes with Craig coming back to his parent's house after moving out and I would love to read a follow up book that tells Craig's story after he "grows up". I found this to be a very thoughtful memoir, with great artistic style.

>187 rosylibrarian: I've been meaning to read Gayle Forman forever because I know I'll like her stuff but I just haven't managed it.

Interestingly, I ran across a post on tumblr yesterday talk about how there are at least eight highly-anticipated YA titles coming out in the next couple months that focus on suicide and wondering about the trigger issues.

>192 MickyFine: Was it this article over on Stacked? It is really interesting that this topic has been explored so much recently and I think very heartening. They are tough books to get through sometimes, but I really hope they are finding their way into the hands of teens - or anyone really - who need them.

Give Forman a go! I would start with If I Stay.

Mostly lurking, but adding Blankets to the request list and laughing at the illustrated marriage blog. Thanks!

>193 rosylibrarian: I think it was referring to that one. I will give Forman a try at some point, I promise.

>194 charl08: Thanks for delurking to say hello. Blankets was well crafted. The Marriage book and blog... well, not as well drawn, but still pretty funny. ;)

>195 MickyFine: Okay, well, I believe you if you promise. :)

Anyone have any fun Valentine plans this weekend?

I found out I'm going to the Book of Mormon Broadway show. Woo hoo! Has anyone seen it before?

>197 rosylibrarian: No Valentine's Day plans, but it's a long weekend here and my parents are coming to visit so I'm excited for that.

>198 MickyFine: That sounds really nice. How far away of a drive is it?

I don't see my dad all that often, but 3,000 miles separates us. I am hoping to visit in July.

Wow. We just got orders. To Alaska.

I am devastated. I just got my dream job...

Oh, man. I don't have words. *hugs*

And, Alaska? Talk about extreme change.

What??? I'm with Morphi, no words.... *lots of hugs*

>200 rosylibrarian: Oh no!

>200 rosylibrarian: Oh Marie! *biggest of hugs*

>200 rosylibrarian: :( I'm so sorry Marie...

Oh, man, Marie. I'm so sorry about the job you have to leave. But I'm also going to be hoping that once you get to Alaska, you'll find an even dreamier one... It could happen, you know... At any rate, I'm thinking of you.

Sorry that the posting to Alaska wasn't what you were wanting, Marie. Sometimes these things have a habit of becoming eventual blessings in disguise - I certainly hope so.

Valentines? A movie; bought her a necklace from Pandora and we are driving South to see her parents.

>200 rosylibrarian: I'm sorry, Marie! :(

>200 rosylibrarian: I'm sorry, Marie! I agree with Amber and Paul, and hope that great things will happen for you (and your husband) in Alaska!

Thank you everyone. I really, truly appreciate your thoughts. I'm still trying to make sense of everything. It's an assignment that came up out of rotation and it basically forces us to choose whether or not my husband re-enlists. It is definitely not an easy choice to make in such a short time.

Yikes! Yeah, these things are tough when there's a short fuse. I have to confess, though, that I'd move to Alaska in a heartbeat if I could. :)

>212 drneutron: I think we would too if not for the job I just got. It's in Fairbanks though, and there isn't a lot of opportunity for me there.

We'll see... we have people going to bat for us to drop the orders, and we should know more tomorrow.

Fingers crossed, Marie!

>214 Apolline: Thanks, Bente! We can use all the finger crossing we can take.

20. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda

This was a slim volume of Neruda's early love poems. It very much intertwines nature and love together in beautiful verse. It reminded me that I have a biography about him that I need to get to. Even just his short biography at the beginning of this book was very interesting.

Oh wow. What a gorgeous cover.
If you don't mind me asking: did they reset the typeface as well, or does it look a bit dated / cramped? (my pet peeve with these editions: gorgeous on the outside, but no evidence of work on the text appearance)

21. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean

This book is all about the Periodic Table of Elements. It covers the properties of the elements themselves, but really shines when it talks about the history and people who structured the table and discovered the elements.

Sam Kean is my new favorite author and I'm sad that I only have one more book of his to read until he writes something new. This book, like Dueling Neurosurgeons, was well laid out and researched. Though written for non-scientists I will admit to feeling lost at certain points. I'm afraid I don't have much of a background in physics and chemistry and it really hindered me at some points in the book. Maybe I should read one of those Dummies books to brush up...

>217 charl08: I didn't find it to be cramped or dated at all, especially because most of the poems included in this volume are quite short. It's a bilingual edition, so one side featured the poem in Spanish and the other side was in English. Even though I don't speak much Spanish I found this to be a really interesting way to experience his poems. I totally agree about the cover!

Not too much new on the Alaska front. We've submitted paperwork to drop the orders and we should know more maybe next week? Sometimes I daydream about the northern lights and snow and fishing, but then I remember how much unemployment sucks.

To stay busy we've been watching old movies. We've watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suspicion, Dial M for Murder and A Streetcar Named Desire. Anyone else have any suggestions? What is your favorite "classic movie"?

Still keeping my fingers crossed for you! Though the northern light is very beautiful, long cold winters are not that fun! I should know;) And unemployment is even worse than long cold winters, so...

>219 rosylibrarian: Sounds like you got a good one. I'll have to look out for it. Those covers are dangerous!

>220 rosylibrarian: Fingers crossed for good news. I've lost track of how many times I've watched The Shop Around the Corner. Roman Holiday also lovely.

>218 rosylibrarian: I really enjoed The Disappearing Spoon, too!

>220 rosylibrarian: >222 charl08: The Shop Around the Corner is one of my all-time favorites! It's kind of Christmassy, though. Also, Rebecca is amazing (the Hitchcock film based on the Du Maurier book).

>221 Apolline: Is it the same where you are? Does it stay dark for 22 hours straight? I think beyond the cold that is what worries me most. I need sunlight!

>222 charl08: I love Roman Holiday. I will have to try out The Shop Around the Corner.

>223 scaifea: Yes, def adding The Shop Around the Corner. And thanks for reminding me that Hitchcock did Rebecca. I loved the book and Hitchcock is always intriguing.

>218 rosylibrarian: Drat, you got me with the Disappearing Spoon - it's been added to my wishlist!

>225 archerygirl: It's really good! They divide it into chapters about each different row of elements so it never really drags unless you get lost in the scientific jargon, which did happen for me once or twice. (Atoms, electrons, atomic weight, ah!)

>220 rosylibrarian: Classic movie recommendations: The Thin Man (and all of its sequels are pretty decent as well), The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, The Major and the Minor, Pillow Talk, and Casablanca (obviously).

Just catching up, and boy was I behind. Congratulations on the new position, Marie!

>227 MickyFine: Oh, yesyesyes to all of those!

>227 MickyFine: >229 scaifea: Nice, they are going on the list! I've only seen Casablanca and His Girl Friday out of those movies. Old movies are just so... I don't know. Comforting. Well acted, but a little more dramatic. They seem more like plays than the movies being produced now where the focus is on CGI and yadda yadda.

>228 swynn: Thank you! I can only hope I get to keep it, heh.

I'm also keeping my finger crossed for you, Marie!

>231 kgodey: Thank you, I'm hoping to know more next week. The waiting is killing me.

>230 rosylibrarian: I think for me it's the different rhythm of the dialogue in old films. And the fact that they're not afraid of stretches of no dialogue without requiring explosions. Also, the clothes and the hair are just so glam. :)

I forget to include It Happened One Night on that list. Gotta have some Clark Gable.

A miracle has happened... our orders got cancelled! I get to keep my new job! We don't have to move! The Air Force really does like us!

Woohoo!

Yay!

Excellent!

Hurrah! Congrats!

Excellent! I can uncross my fingers and toes now--they did the trick. I'm so happy for you, Marie. Enjoy your dream job!

Wonderful!

I am soooooo happy for you! This requires champagne, right???:) luckily, i don't live in the darkest corner of Norway, where the sun is gone most part of the winter. Late November and December is the darkest time when we have daylight between 9.30 am to 3.30 pm:) on cloudy days it sort of never get light! But, in midsummer it doesn't get dark during the night:)

YAY!

To celebrate, I made a new thread! I am very happy to be putting this behind me. :)

WOOHOO!!!!