Taryl, I guess that's what we get from the Internet: Interaction with people whom we'd probably never meet or get to know in real life because of profound philosophical differences about what constitutes a good life.

What we do have in common is that we're about the same height, close to the same weight, and we don't like it: Thus, our mutual use of this website.

Today in CT the temperature dropped about 30 degrees overnight, from lazy heat to a bit chilly with scudding rain clouds. My manager wants to go out at lunchtime with four of us. Problem is, I'm the only one of the four with a car. Everyone else takes Metro North to work. My car is a two-door. This should be amusing: Loading them all in will be like filling up a clown car. That is, after I get the GPS, the binoculars, the pushup circles, the bike shoes and the reusable shopping bags off the back seat ...

CalCounter~if you like dog books you should check out David Rosenfelt. He and his wife run a Golden Retriever rescue and he writes books, mostly mystery or cop type books, but there is always a dog in there. So they're not really all about the dog, but there always the dog. I like those sappy dog books, too, but often end up crying too much.

I'm reading the Divergent trilogy right now. I started the first book Saturday and am almost done with it.

We're scheduling bringing DS back from his first year of college. His last final is June 11th and he could come home the 12th or 13th but we discussed it yesterday and he wants to wait until the 14th. He has to be out at noon SHARP on the 14th so I hope he spends a few hours on the 13th packing everything up so all we need to do is haul it to our SUV and let him stay to turn in his keys and get his inspection.

CalCounter-- you sound like me with your summer reading! Please send any suggestions my way and I'll do the same. During the school year, I read mostly kids books. I also write reviews for School Library Journal, so I read whatever they send me (whether I like it or not!).

Come summertime, I read mostly adult books, but I also don't like anything too cerebral. Dog books are great! Romances, mysteries, etc. Nothing too trashy... just good reads.

CalCounter, my problem is that I don't have enough time to read, so I feel like I have to choose books carefully, because I may only get through six or seven each year.

Everyone has certain expectations from books. You're entitled to whatever expectations you want; depends on how you use your reading. Never apologize.

For me, I make a living from writing and have to explain to people why good writing is important all the time. I'm looking for certain things from books, mainly, that they make me ponder something, or reflect on what it's like to try to get through this world, or that they give me a moment of unexpected beauty & show some artistry in the use of the English language -- so to some, my choices would be fairly cerebral. (But I know some truly cerebral people, and to them, my choices are middlebrow or a bit sentimental.)

The other thing is, some books are going to have to be books that friends have written, and have given me, or that I've had to buy, sometimes because I am interested in what they worked on but also, so that I can talk or write convincingly about them if the occasion arises.

You know that saying, "Never apologize, never explain"? That goes for your reading, in my view. No matter what you read, it's going to be smarter than what some people read, but it won't be as smart as what some other people read. There is a huge spectrum out there. Claim your place in it proudly. Life is too short & there are too many books out there. Don't waste your time on anything you won't finish or wonder why you're bothering with.

Thanks Saef! You are right! I'm getting better about apologizing, a little anyway! I would think as a writer it would be hard to read and not be critical of people's writings.

Allison, I have read some of his books a couple years ago. I'll have to see if there are any new ones.

Michele, wow, you must be in a huge school to have that many books checked out. We have no library with books at my school. Three years ago we got a new principal and he closed the library. The librarian was let go. It was such a sad time for all of us teachers. Then this year we went to all eBooks. It's been difficult. Kids are always distracted with iPads. We are supposedly preparing them for the future. I want to say to them but my DS just graduated and my DD is in college and neither used/uses eBooks. In fact most professors in the smaller classes allow no devices at all because they are discussing the books. Sigh. But we don't dare speak up because we were told if we don't agree we should leave.

DD is on her way to Monterey! She's on a little minibus from San Fran to Monterey and then she picks up the rental car and gets to the apartment. You'd think id be worried but she was mostly alone last summer in London and other cities in Europe because the two guys that were also interns never wanted to do anything. She has emailed with one other intern she will be working with, a girl from Duke, and said she thinks they will get along so that will be nice. I leave on the 26th to visit! I do not have a return flight yet because I want to see how it goes. If she is busy with work/friends I don't want to be in the way. But I know I will stay three weeks at least.

Prayers are with the families in Santa Barbara including the family of the shooter. Can't imagine any of it and when will this stop! :(

reading
 

My reading, like my weight, varies with the seasons. I find I read more complex books in the summer, as I'm less tired and have more time. A lot of the time my book is dictated by what my client has in the house. I read two books during the long dogsit - one about middle class people living beyond their means and one about a writer's views on cooking, including recipes. One was quite difficult and one was an easy read - I enjoyed both.

In winter I rarely can read but, when i can stay awake enough to not reread the same paragraph 20 times I tend to read books intended for 11-13 year old kids. Preferably ones that are trilogies or series. I just picked up a bunch of what I think are this type of book when a lot of books were left out for "free" after an area-wide yard sale. I might read them now or save them for the dark days of winter - don't know how the time will go this summer.

Dagmar :book2:

On ebooks~while I like my Kindle a lot, there are limitations. You're in a really juicy part of the book and your battery runs low. You're reading a book with footnotes and it won't quite let you go to the footnote and then back to where you were (think Jen Lancaster). You get drowsy and drop it and it fast-forwards/backtracks and you didn't bookmark (I never do) and you don't remember where you were and you spend the next 10-15 minutes trying to find where you were.

Who else has some to add?

I don't know whether anyone here is into CrossFit, but I found this article interesting. More is not better.

http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/why-i-dont-do-crossfit/

I haven't managed to read much lately, but when I do read, I prefer a very specific subgenre of fantasy, and it's really hard for me to find books that I like that fit my particular taste. When I find them, I grab on to the authors and read every book they've ever written, multiple times. I have a bunch of series that I reread on a regular basis! DH doesn't understand rereading, he's like, you already know what happens so why are you reading that again? :lol:

I prefer reading on my kindle to actual paper books, for two reasons. One is that if I want to take multiple books with me on a plane or something, the kindle takes up a whole lot less space. The other is that I have issues with tendinitis in my wrists and holding large heavy books or holding a paperback open with one hand will make my wrist and hand hurt after a while. The kindle is much easier to hold, or to prop up on the treadmill while walking, etc.

That said, I do have an extremely large number of paper books that I purchased before getting the kindle, and I still pick up a lot of books at library booksales and such.

Jay, I have never tried CrossFit for some of the reasons mentioned in the article. As someone who is already very injury-prone, a lot of the CrossFit stuff looks like a recipe for disaster to me. I feel the same way about some of Jillian Michaels's workouts.

CalCounter-- that makes me so sad that your school eliminated your library and librarian. That is my fear-- that I will be deemed unwanted/unneeded so I'm constantly having to prove my worth-- from adding ebooks, to organizing book fairs, Read-a-thons, teaching about research, you name it....

My school is huge-- 1100 students and it's an elementary school! I long for the days when I worked in a small private school of less than 200 students. My salary is half paid for by the school district and half by the parents. So, it's important for me to continually show my worth as the parents can deem they'd rather spend money on technology or other programs. Our demographics are almost entirely Indian and Asian and they strongly emphasize technology so I have to continually prove the importance of good old reading and books.

While I think I might like a kindle, I'm still holding onto good ole books. I do see kids having such trouble focusing with all of the technology bombarded at them. Our staff has trouble keeping up with the ever changing picture of technology too-- there's always something new and exciting to learn and then you forget everything else amazing that is still out there-- it seems a lot like ADD to me.

I'll be getting my steps in today for sure. I sent an email yesterday morning pleading with teachers to return any library books that were in the classrooms as I was sending email reminders after school.... you guessed it. I had at least 30 emails from unhappy parents wondering why I'm telling them their books are out after their child returned them to the library bins (in the classroom). I will be retrieving books this morning and as you can imagine, we have a huge campus.

Oh, yes. The wonderful Stumptuous posted this on Facebook the other day.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/84120142/

Heehee! I follow Stumptuous on Facebook too and saw that.

I have a free CrossFit class through my health insurance that BF and I signed up for. I might go for the heck of it, but I won't compromise my safety to look like a hardass in class.

Someone suggested a pesticide to me last year for cutworms and/or boring insects on my pepper plants. Jessica maybe? Or Megan? Does anyone remember recommending something to me, and if so, what it was? I used the last of my sprayer and can't find the original bottle. :)

Shannon, might I suggest clay? Like this stuff: http://www.gardensalive.com/2/p/8072/ . Physical barrier is much safer for food.

Sigh. Not having a good day today. We had a guy come to give us a quote on a new AC. I'm at work but DH was home. He let Carter off his leash because Carter was acting friendly with the guy, which is fine and we've never had a problem before when Carter is acting friendly, and then somehow (I don't have all the details yet, will get them tonight when I get home) something must have set Carter off and he attacked. :( The guy was fine, no broken skin or anything, but Carter did bite his pants. Carter has been getting progressively more aggressive in his old age and I think this might be a breaking point, especially since the girls are about to start walking. Right now we keep them separated with gates unless we are closely supervising (e.g. in arm's reach), but once A&C can walk it will be much harder to stop them from going to find Carter. He's become growlier and snarlier and has bitten (snap-like biting, no breaking the skin) both me and DH. Last time I discussed this with the vet he said basically our options to make sure the girls are safe were completely separating them (which is what we are doing), rehoming the dog, or euthanizing. He didn't think it would be possible to do behavior modification to the point where it would be safe to trust Carter not to bite. I'm afraid that now that he's bitten other people -- and this isn't the first time, but it is the first unprovoked time -- rehoming is not going to be an option.

We will of course consult with the vet and a behavior specialist to see what options are available. I'm thinking it's possible that with some anti-anxiety medication we could make progress with him, but I don't think we'll ever be able to trust him. :( :( :( :( :(