Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

I'm not big on the word "Challenge" at the moment so I'm avoiding applying it to myself. :D

Also see my "Something for everyone" challenge thread at /topic/show/...

I'm a bit late, but I just started reading my first book of the year a day or two ago, so it's not like I have to catch up on anything. :)

Books I'm already excited to read this year:

Mondo Exotica: Sounds, Visions, Obsessions of the Cocktail Generation - rather dense non-fiction tome, so will be an ongoing read.
Cult Vegas: The Weirdest! The Wildest! The Swingin’est Town on Earth!
LIFE The Rat Pack: The Original Bad Boys
The Way You Die Tonight
You Make Me Feel So Dead
When Somebody Kills You

Read

- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -

Alphabet
Not as a challenge, just curiosity.

A - Anatomy of a Misfit
Alone with the Dead
American Nocturne
Afraid
Ask the Right Question
B - Beauty and the Bounty
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Big Jack Is Dead
C - Clean Sweep
D - Devil Said Bang
Devil in the Dollhouse
Double the Bounty
E - Endurance
Eye in the Ring
F -
G -
H - The Hobbyist's Guide to the Rtl-Sdr: Really Cheap Software Defined Radio
Her Alien Savior
Haunted House
The Housemates
The Honky Tonk Big Hoss Boogie
I - The Instrument Pilot's Survival Guide
J -
K -
L - The Lawman
Las Vegas Noir
M -
N -
O -
P - Plum Island
Pines
Q -
R - Revival
Rock Hard Love
S - So you want to be a Private Investigator
Sexy Summer Stories
A Song Begins
Sweep in Peace
T - Terms of Use
Trapped
U -
V -
W - Wetlands
The Way You Die Tonight
When Somebody Kills You
The Ways We Touch: Poems
X -
Y - You Make Me Feel So Dead
Z -

FIRST!

LOL! :)

Second!

Cheap hollow victories are not nearly satisfying enough.

Homeinmyshoes wrote: "Second!

Cheap hollow victories are not nearly satisfying enough."

lol

Ah, but this year I've decided to only give 2nd Place trophies, so you win!!! Woooo!

I've got some books that I'm already antsy to read so I'm thinking I'll add those in the first post... Progress in the 2nd / 3rd... I dunno.

Christa wrote: "Ah, but this year I've decided to only give 2nd Place trophies, so you win!!! Woooo!"

pfffffffffft!

I'm not feeling anything right now. I want to finish up Grim Dawn.

^I had a couple of doozies to get over. Hopefully things start getting a little better. The one I'm reading from Iraq is messed up. Seriously messed up.

Homeinmyshoes wrote: "^I had a couple of doozies to get over. Hopefully things start getting a little better. The one I'm reading from Iraq is messed up. Seriously messed up."

:(

bad writing?

I'd wager that it's because it's disturbing. Looks like a hard-hitting work.

Crap. Lost the link - look on his Currently Reading shelf. I'm on a touch screen at the moment and I suck at tab management via touch. I'm getting better, though!

OMG. That looks messed up~

I wasn't sure what to expect when I found it. It's probably 4 stars, but it is not a recommendation for anyone I know. Orlok maybe. or kenny.

Homeinmyshoes wrote: "I wasn't sure what to expect when I found it. It's probably 4 stars, but it is not a recommendation for anyone I know. Orlok maybe. or kenny."

I'm a bit lost here. What recommendation are we talking about? You have to talk slowly, in words of two syllables or less - I'm English.

Orlok wrote: "I''m a bit lost here. What recommendation are we talking about? You have to talk slowly, in words of two syllables or less - I'm English. "

I see. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ puts up a screen when you rate a book 4 stars or 5 stars to suggest it to a friend. I gave this book 4 stars, but the book is so ugly with respect to topic that I would not do this. This is a book you can read at your own choice and peril. Based on some of your past reads that I know of you may find death an interesting subject with respect to war, Go look in my 2016 books for one with a black cover. You can decide for yourself.

I may have failed with the slowly bit. :)

Homeinmyshoes wrote: " may have failed with the slowly bit. :)
..."

And in the syllables. Interesting! What's that? Four, that's what!

:P

It does look interesting. You know me too well :)

I tried. There is only so much one can do with two...ummm...things. :P

The book I'm reading (Terms of Use, already entered in post #2 because I'm getting ahead of myself) seems good but I'm really slogging through it. :/ I kind of just want it to be over so I can get one of the books I really want to read.

I suggest anthologies? Or put it to the side and read what you like.

I call that my "cranky book fussies"

It's Kindle First decision day again. Someone didn't read aloud the synopsis for North of Here before deciding it would do...

" Dix is kind, dependable, and good with an ax—the right man to help the sheltered Miranda heal—but ultimately, her sadness creates a void even Dix can’t fill."

I can't stop giggling.

Christa wrote: "It's Kindle First decision day again. Someone didn't read aloud the synopsis for North of Here before deciding it would do...

" Dix is kind, dependable, and good with an ax—the right man to help t..."

LoL. I chose Ghost Gifts, instead.

I ended up going with whatever the first one was. The dystopian one that's part of a trilogy. At the last minute, I decided I didn't want to read about Dix, I guess. :D

lol!

I've never read a Kindle First. And doesn't seem that I've missed much.

Christa wrote: "I ended up going with whatever the first one was. The dystopian one that's part of a trilogy. At the last minute, I decided I didn't want to read about Dix, I guess. :D"

That's the one I chose - The Last Girl. Looks worth a try.

Shannon wrote: "The Last Girl is the only one that really peaked my interest. Not sure I want to commit to a series though."

That was my only hesitation, but since it specified "trilogy" I can at least be hopeful that it'll be done before I'm dead. :D And with all the other stuff I want to read soon-ish, the other two books might be out before I get to it.

Christa wrote: "That was my only hesitation, but since it specified "trilogy" I can at ..."

My thoughts exactly :)

Just finished my second book of the year and I already have indecision paralysis. I want to read the next Rat Pack Mystery but there are only two left (I an so hoping he keeps writing these) and I want to savor them.

*sigh* Guess I'll go back to my Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. binge while I'm trying to decide.

Christa wrote: "Just finished my second book of the year and I already have indecision paralysis. I want to read the next Rat Pack Mystery but there are only two left (I an so hoping he keeps writing these) and I ..."

:-)

I know that feeling. A book I've wanted to read for MONTHS dropped last week. I'm only 30% in because...after this there's no more for years! O_O

I ended up settling on Wetlands. Looks like it will be a quick read, which is good because I can't imagine this mess stretched out much further. It's compelling, I'll give it that.

So, I had a moment a few minutes ago. I was watching Agents of Shield as I mentioned earlier, and there's a rescue scene and then, out loud, I yelled, "Omigod it's Fury!!!"

I think I've officially become a superhero nerd.

I'm good with that.

Finished Wetlands. That was... something.

Trying to decide whether to go with the next Rat Pack Mystery or dive into something UF.

I found an awesome Chrome Extension called Available Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ that puts ebook library availability right on the book page, my shelf listings, and Listopia.

In other news, I decided to dive back into the Sandman Slim series. It was a good choice. I've missed Stark's snark. He could be Harry Dresden's asshole cousin or something.

Christa wrote: "I found an awesome Chrome Extension called Available Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ that puts ebook library availability right on the book page, my shelf listings, and Listopia. ..."

Thank you so much for this link! Saddly, its only confirmed just how craptastic the library system is here.

Christa wrote: "In other news, I decided to dive back into the Sandman Slim series. It was a good choice. I've missed Stark's snark. He could be Harry Dresden's asshole cousin or something..."

I've got "Killing Pretty" loaded and nearing the top of my TBR. Been missing the Sandman too...

Nyssa wrote: "Thank you so much for this link! Saddly, its only confirmed just how craptastic the library system is here. "

Ours isn't too bad. I am, however, considering a Brooklyn Public Library non-resident card to widen my options. I think I'm going to add it to the extension before deciding, though, so I can get an idea of how often a book is there but not at my library.

Orlok wrote: "I've got "Killing Pretty" loaded and nearing the top of my TBR. Been missing the Sandman too... "

I'm a few books behind you, on "Devil Said Bang" right now. Does the series maintain momentum pretty well? I always worry about that with series.

Christa wrote: "I'm a few books behind you, on "Devil Said Bang" right now. Does the series maintain momentum pretty well? I always worry about that with series..."

IMHO it stands up well. Unlike some series that change the world in which they are set, and "develop" the character to such an extent that they are unrecognisable from the person we first knew and loved, Sandman stays pretty true to form throughout.

Christa wrote: "Nyssa wrote: "Ours isn't too bad. I am, however, considering a Brooklyn Public Library non-resident card to widen my options. I think I'm going to add it to the extension before deciding, though, so I can get an idea of how often a book is there but not at my library."

Thats an excellent idea!

Orlok wrote: "IMHO it stands up well. Unlike some series that change the world in which they are set, and "develop" the character to such an extent that they are unrecognisable from the person we first knew and loved, Sandman stays pretty true to form throughout. "

That's good to hear. Good anti-heroes are hard to find and I'd hate to lose him to a poor plot choice.

Nyssa wrote: "Thats an excellent idea! "

I have those occasionally. :D (Not as often as I'd like, but...)

So... For anyone bored enough to stop by, I need some advice. I'm designing a custom journal. From the ground up - doing the layout in inDesign and having it printed. I have it set up in sections.

1 - Monthly calendar pages - "Month by Month"
2 - Weekly pages - "Week by Week"
3 - Um...

Yeah, the third section is where I'm having issues. Basically, they are pages with areas to write random thoughts, experiences and observations about books, movies, tv, games, etc. There will be shapes / areas to write in, to represent types of "posts". It's meant to be sort of unorganized / unstructured - just find a blank TV shape, for example, and write something about a tv show while I'm thinking about it, or find the next empty book shape to make a note about a book I just finished.

But I don't know what to call it. I thought about continuing the theme and going with "Moment by Moment" but I'm not sure if that makes sense in context. I mean, it's just for me, so that doesn't really matter, but I'd like to hear some more ideas if anyone has any.

Life?

Life Happenings?

Well, I only use happening / happenings (as a noun) ironically, but that's my own personal failing to work past. :D

That could work.

The theme is sort of a 50s/60s atomic era aesthetic, if that helps at all or brings anything else to mind.

I should have a sample image of the pages sometime... soonish? I have 10 free stock vectors to redeem from Adobe so I'm picking out stuff to use for the shapes right now.

Rocketship? As in

Rocketship
Rocketship

I'm going on a trip
Far away I am leaving today
I am leaving today

Rocketship

My bags are packed I'm ready to go
My bags are packed I'm ready to go

(T minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 we have liftoff)

The stars are blurring were going fast

There is a boy there
His name is x
He says you don't know me but
But I don't know you either

Rocketship

Our bags are packed were ready to go
Our bags are packed were ready to go

(T minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 we have liftoff)

The stars are blurring were going fast

Were going on a trip
Far away we are leaving today
Our home is our rocketship

Rocketship
Rocketship

Neat! I somehow have never heard that song, though I am familiar with Daniel Johnston. For anyone else who swings by:


I actually was remiss in my description. I tend to use "atomic era" for anything Mid-Century America, but in this case I meant more Tiki, martinis, bowling and the Rat Pack. Which is sort of my obsession. Guilty pleasure. Fetish. You get the idea. :D

But that's okay because I might not have ever heard that song otherwise, and now it's stuck in my head. :D

:-D

Happy Hour?

Ha! We're on the same wavelength - I was just looking at vectors of retro martini glasses and thinking, "Hmmm... this is the right direction." :D

Great minds... :-D

Here's a pdf of the cover page. :D (Onedrive link)