Richardderus thread 14 in 2011

Migrations II, by Easthampton artist Cynthia Knott. She's the friend of my friend Laurie who lives in The Springs, and I just love her work. Sooo sooooooothing.

THIS thread is for NEW books read, those published from 2009 to the present.




The Books off the Shelf thread for 2011 is up, though sort of nekkid. My goal there is now 30 books from my shelves read and donated, shared, or generally gotten out of the house.




This thread is for any book I review that was published in 2008 or before, whether I own the book or not, and for whatever reason isn't a book I will get off the shelves.




Review #1: ...thread 3
Review #2: thread 4
Review #3: thread 5
Reviews 4 & 5: thread 6
Reviews 6-8: thread 7
Reviews 9 & 10: thread 8
Reviews 11-13: thread 9
Reviews 14-17: thread 10
Reviews 18-20: thread 11
Reviews 21-24: thread 12
Review 25: thread 13

Books are reviewed in post:

27. The Lantern...#239.

26. Heart-Shaped Box...#70.

First? YES! Could stare at that dreamy pic all day long.

Yea, that is a nice image.

Wow, I found your thread early this time, Richard!

Very soothing image.

Hello there, sir!

If that painting was my ceiling, I would be happy :)

oooooh, love that painting. I have one that has a similar effect on me, all dark blues, blues and greys, with a few highlights -- allegedly Lake Balaton in Hungary, but who'd know it? Fab.

#1: Can I fall into that picture? I want to!

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

Hi Richard! :)

Another soul-soothing image. Thanks!

Good morrow to one and all, and a happy day to each and every!

I feel like a pile of parrot poop so I am going to be cheery and upbeat all day, and end all my sentences in exclams until my throat stops hurting from allergic drips! Be warned!

Awesome!

Want to get credit for making it on time to the party!

Oh, I want that painting. Would like to see more of her paintings.

((¡¡Upbeat-Hyper-Run-By-Hug!!))

lovely painting..simply lovely

#18: Already did!

((Hugs) and xx smooches xx

Hot day spent doing crazy lifting ... helped a friend move and sweated buckets. But... I did manage to buy a hambone on my way home. So now all I need is to go buy some collard greens from the farm tomorrow and I should be all set to try out your collard greens recipe, rdear.

Why were you hiding from me? How rude!

Hi RD! Hope you are able to upgrade from the parrot poop soon! :{

It was much nicer weather today. We have Gale Force Girl here, and the three of them are going to the beach tomorrow. I begged off because I don't want to spend $10 on a single beach pass. *snort* Outrageous.

The *real* reason I don't want to go is, I want to read quietly. No doin' that in the house with all the whoopin' and hootin' and hollerin' a-goin' on. And a certain adorable youth expressed an interest in paying a visit. Don't tell anybody! They'll stay here to spite me!

Beach pass? And I thought California was bad due to the use fees for using the lakes. But at least the beaches are free.

O.O
They charge you to go to beaches/lakes?!?! I mean, we have some private community beaches, but there are public ones everywhere. Guess that's one perk to living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

That painting would potentially go perfectly in my living room. I must print this thread and hang it on my wall.

Pleased to discover a I'm a Literate Good Citizen. Having to choose the Carrie, The Stand, etc answer concerned me for where my results might go (but dammit, The Stand is and will remain one of my favorite books)

)(*&^%$#^&*()_(*&^% !! this laptop is getting on my nerves today..
it is fighting back.. HARD.

Enjoy your quiet, or your company or all of it!

Waiting patiently...

Loathsome. Hot, humid, more problems arose, the hits just keep on comin' so I won't be here much until late today.

*sending problem solving mojo*

spend $10 on a single beach pass
What??!!@#$
You have to pay to go to the beach?

Yeup!

Marking and moving on...

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx and hopes that you got some reading time in today!

*Sending some cooling breeze over to Hempstead* ... get any good reading done, rdear?

I hope you had a relaxing, quiet day.

Hallo, Rdearest - hugs and smooches from your gaffed friend Horrible

Must. post. to. keep. R. on. my. radar.

All of us here in NY have reduced to little puddles by the heat... which is extreme, and extreme humidity as well.

Hi Richard - hope the hot weather goes soon! It's going to be 94 here today. Ick.

*dusts thread*
*wanders off*

As a former Long Islander, I must ask, which beaches charge $10? Are we talking parking fees? Jones Beach?

Heat advisories today! Oh boy, oh joy! It gives la nausee, it does.

I am holed up with the dog in the bedroom, praying it won't cause a power outage.

Wish I could siphon off some of your excess heat to warm up our cold, damp July here in Newcastle!

#45: I will send some Texas heat your way, Genny!

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx, RD.

oh gawd, don't even suggest that horrible possibility, Richard! It's still in the 80s in my office...

more manageable upstairs, but I can't work up there.

It was 100F today in central NC, breaking the record of 99F set in 1986. It is 8:42 p.m. and still 92F. Misery. I so appreciate air conditioning! The only good thing about the heat is that it is good for my tomatoes and cucumbers.

Why, hello. How are you?

Ya want hot? 111 in my driveway today. Erg.

It's been 88-90 every day so far in Tokyo, and I'm in suit pants and a long-sleeve button-down dress shirt on trains packed full of people. I must stink by the time I get to the office :/

111?????!!!!!

Apocalypse.

In Alabama, too, which means even more humidity than where I am in central NC. Blech.

Now, 111 in Southern California (which is where I'm from) is a blast furnace, but a DRY blast furnace. I'd much rather have 111 dry than the 100 humid we're having right now.

Our weather has decided to be completely schizophrenic. Monday - beautiful, hot (but not too hot), sunny with a warm breeze. Tuesday, torrential and continual rain and a horrid cold wind. Today - balmy again. What the f**k! Mental weather...

Before school let out I was talking with a student about the weather. We had some rain which was quite unusual. Hot one day and cool the next... She described it as bipolar which cracked me up (no offense meant to sufferers of the mental disorder).

#53, 54 - You have the advantage of being much further south than me - no balminess here in the North East at presetn. The sun has been shining here yesterday and today, but the air is so cool, even cold, that I was shivering in the shade when I cycled into town. I would like just a little bit of warmth. This has certainly been a bi-polar summer with swinging between extremes - we did have some much hotter weather for a while.

I am beginning to think our rdear has been having some internet issues...
it has been longer than usual. What next? computers our for repair, illnesses and
internet issues for 75 ers.. Hope I am wrong and he is just happy busy...

An extended silence during the middle of the week does seem a bit unusual for RD.

I hope it's tons of reading and fun, not power outtages and Demon Heat.

He said he wouldn't be on yesterday. Is it still so hot in his area? It's been fairly non-humid here, and I generally don't concern myself with the temperatures of places I don't inhabit often. (That's one of the reasons I don't use rectal thermometers.)

I guess I'll do the cold weather dance and hope it helps. *Dumps ice into pants*

Well, there's been a definite improvement in the temperature and air quality up here in NE PA. Hope it extends to Richard's realm.

Weather is lovely in DC today. We are at a pleasant 79F at the moment.

Today in New York is gorgeous - clear, dry, supposed to top off in the low 80s. One of those days you just know the gods meant you to be outside.

Beautiful day today! After 30hrs without Internet service, I seem to be back on. Hi!

good news rdear

Power Outage??

there are still folks around here without power

Glad you're back, you

Power is good. I usually like it better when it is on. No really.

Did you get a lot of good reading done, RichardDear?

I think Richard is playing "The Silent Type"

although he is present on Facebook

*snort*

#58 - well that made me laugh aloud!

#62: Hi, RD! ((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

Review: 26 of seventy-five

Title: HEART-SHAPED BOX

Author: JOE HILL

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Book Report: Jude "Judas" Coyne, born Justin Cowzynski to a iggerunt, abusive pig-farmin' Louisiana daddy and a pale non-entity of a mama, flees the scene of the crime called childhood and becomes an angry, hate-spewin', groupie-usin' death metal star. Now he's 54 and feeling his years, his losses, and his energy waning. He's such a charmer that he doesn't remember the names of the girls he uses, calls 'em instead by the states they came from. Georgia, his current squeeze, is half his age (duh) a Goth chick (duh), and possessed of the most innocent and incongruous real name in horror fiction: Marybeth. Danny, the token gayboy who functions as Jude's annoying, chirpy business-runner, runs across an item for Jude's burgeoning collection of the weird and esoteric: A ghost. An actual ghost, for sale on some specifically-not-eBay auction site (wonder what happened there?); Jude, when Danny shows him the listing, clicks the "Buy NOW $1,000" button, ends the auction, and a few days later a big, black heart-shaped box arrives with a natty old suit in it.

Hijinks ensue.

No really, the only word is hijinks. Scary-lookin' old men with too few teeth. Big brush-runnin' V8 Chevy trucks that aren't really there and no one's drivin' 'em. Suicides that are, and suicides that really aren't. Child molestation across the generations. Grandmothers and aunts and mamas galore, a visit to the nightroad (aka "Highway to Hell" oh heck like I could resist the heavy metal pun), an encounter with the golden door that solves many problems, and proof positive that dogs are superior to cats in every conceivable measure and circumstance.

Mandatory legal disclaimer: Absolutely no cliches were harmed in the making of this book.

My Review: It passed a pleasant five hours. I liked it fine. Not one single major structural flaw that I saw. Fewer typos than most modern books, no unintentional bad grammar that I can recall (and I recall grammar boo-boos real well), so all in all not bad. Nothing I'll ever read again, but not bad at all.

thumbed.

gotta get that off the shelf someday

Thank you, dearie! Don't sprain anything. It's just fine, but not all that and a bag of chips.

Thumb from me, too. But even though I like 5 hours of pleasantness, and longer, this one ain't for me.

mmmmm chips

Eeks! I thought something was wrong/missing - somehow this thread got ignored ... I swear I didn't hit that button!

*oops I wasn't going to say anything until Richard stopped ignoring me, not a message since my first thread:(*

He gets distracted at times... his age you know..

No worries, busy man and all that. I'll still keep reading his thread:)

Good review, sir! You gotta Thumb!

Calm- I think it's the heat!

ALERT! When you posted the review to the book's page you missed the beginning when you copy/pasted. People who don't read this thread but are reading the review from the Hot Review list are probably very confused... :P

>79 Ape: *whew* So glad you noticed, Stephen! It's been hectic. I was stupid not to check carefully what I was pasting. *blush* Oh well, fixed now.

xoxo to each and all, except calm who I intend to ignore. No reason, just 'cause. :-P~~~

I'll still give your review a

But :-P~~~~ to you too

I knew I was good for something! I'll just follow you around all day with duct tape and a hammer to fix all the mistakes you make all the time.

Not that you make mistakes all the time.

*Rights various tables, chairs, and pictures Richard has knocked over recently*

No worries. We are all careless at times. Most of us, anyway :P

posted via macbook

Thumbs up from me too, although I dodge this particular BB as I read the book a couple of years ago. It did not do all that much for me.

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

Great review Richard! I've heard good things from friends about King JR (both Heart-Shaped Box and Horns). May have to venture in that direction. (And it's downright eerie how much he looks like papa)

Heart Shaped Box definitely sounds interesting, but I don't know if I'd be able to read it without Nirvana constantly running through my head. . .

Jeez, Richard, Heart-Shaped Box - damned with faint praise?

Review of Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite that's very much worth reading.

#89: Read and duly thumbed. Now I am on the hunt for the book.

Great review!!! You manage to create a humourous and descriptive book review! Bravo!

I have a different book by the same guy, Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, that I'm slowly working through. I laugh much more than I should.

Okay. Party here this afternoon. So what happens? I have a bad night, and now feel the way the sewage treatment plant smells after the power's been out a week in hot weather.

Poor you - but you do paint a vivid, if rather stenchy picture...

have a G&T or 2 and you will feel better.

So... weekend, day 2. Good luck.

Party went fine! The Baroness is a charmer. She's The Divine Miss's future sister-in-law (I guess). The Baroness and I discussed German politics, art, and how fast time goes. The Irish Mob Retiree (one doesn't inquire too closely about the income source needed for his native-of-Brooklyn's-lower-classes self driving a BIIIIIG BMW and having a six-story building in the heart of the cool part of town to himself) and I discussed television delivery systems, why content ISN'T king, and New Zealand wines. TDM's future daughter-in-law (I guess) reminds me of my mother: Teentsy-weentsy and ferociously elegant.

I went to bed at 9:45p and slept until 9:45a. The main party is at the beach, and I am huddled in front of my a/c, which is set on "South Pole winter" setting. All in all, a good evening.

glad it went well and that a splicing of families is in the future ( I guess)

Well, Richard, there's something to be said for intelligent (more or less) conversation versus listening for the millionth time about "It's all my grandmother's fault that I like ice cream" ... and myriad attendant stories of childhood. That... plus S Pole Winter setting! I am jealous. But happy for you :) With a good night's sleep, hope you are feeling much better.

Those conversations sound ridiculously intimidating. Hope you don't take offense to the fact that I'm SUPREMELY happy I wasn't in attendance. :)

>99 mckait: ~meh~

>100 -Cee-: Very smart people, indeed, Mme C, and the tenor of the evening was quite posh. I got a little bored after a while.

>101 Ape: You, m'dear, would've imploded in about 15sec. I amused myself mentally assessing your response to a comversational gambit about early settlement patterns along the Elbe, and their later impact on the cultural geography of Germany. I got quite a giggle out of it.

Religions tend to disappear with man's good fortune.
Raymond Queneau

In a similar vein, my father, who was totally disgusted with my Democratic politics, always told me that the more money I made the more conservative I'd become.

He was wrong. I used to vote the person, now I vote the party. Not always happily, mind you, but still. Yellow-dog Democrat.

I am huddled in front of my a/c, which is set on "South Pole winter" setting.

:)

102: As you know, I'm not capable of mentally assessing anything whilst confronted with conversational gambits, even the most casual ones. So, yes, quite interesting...

This one is easy though. As an American, I believe it is my duty to be totally ignorant of what has happened, is happening, and will happen in any other country. Therefore, ummm...errr...what was I saying agian? *Eats a cheeseburger*

I am huddled in front of my a/c, which is set on "South Pole winter" setting.

Mine too, but then it has to be given where I live!

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

>104 karenmarie: I am lost to the Democrats. Obama reauthorized the USA-PATRIOT Act. There is no recovering from that blow.

>105 Ape: Ew.

>106 alcottacre: It's the only way to keep from having the water in your body turn to steam where you live, Stasia. xoxo

I don't even think sweat can turn into steam in a lot of places with the humidity levels around the country right now. . . check the map. And that's only right now, it'll probably get worse throughout the day. I know our 74% is supposed to get to 90-something% again at some point today. Boooo-urns :(

ETA: sad html non-skillz

Nice map. Better than weather.com.

>108 katelisim: Sure is! Cool map, Katie, thanks. Our humidididiy is supposeta be 70%-ish, but I suspect that's a little low.

Woo hoo! It's back to the mid 90s by tomorrow here in Atlanta. :-{

I don't ever expect national maps to be accurate, just a ball-park kind of number to see general trends.

Humidity here is through the roof.....more accurately, like having a large wet blanket wrapped 'round oneself, with no way out...breathing is a luxury!

Thanks for stopping by my thread, R.....i was already out & about...am back home now....and heading for the fainting couch!!!

hot

Obama's up for re-election. He's trying to avoid making that an election issue. He's a politician. Sigh, sad but true.

I gave up expecting anything from any politico a while ago. The upside is that at least I'm not disillusioned when they don't live up to my expectations.

Not sure I could have had a rational discussion about early settlement patterns on the Elbe. Although I admit to being curious about what kind of discussion might flow from that apparently unpromising debut.

Must go work. And must go read Thomas Mann.

raining ... blissful relief from all that oppressive heat....but I shudder to think of the resulting humidity. Is it me or did we just have a really really short Spring?

no rain here yet... that weeping you hear is me.

Not sure about short Springs. It rained so much here I was prepared to build an ark.

Today was a scorcher. Looks like it might rain now. I think I feel a hint of coolness, er, I mean slightly cooler-ness . . . :)

It rained! It rained some.
Then my power went out.
For three hours. Hot ensued.

Spring? There is no such season here.

It's 77F at 1:30a. This is NOT TEXAS, Weather Goddess! My hands are horribly painful today.

I feel your pain. . . . 80F, 91% humidity, 1:20am in Minnesota. Apparently it still feels like it's 94F outside. I almost want winter back. . . . .

>123 katelisim:

OIC

you are just liking everything in protest for not having the Like button.
We will never have it. she doesn't want it.

grrr

agree, but such is life.

Smooches and big hugs from Horrible.

Sorry you're in such pain, RD. Air conditioning and alcohol called for, I think.

>127 mckait: No. Refuse to settle. Want it, will get it.

>128 karenmarie: *smooch* no hug, too hot even in the a/c

>129 ffortsa: a/c blasting expensively away. no booze in the house, sigh. drinking tomorrow, though!

No booze! oh my ... I hope you manage to keep cool ... somehow.

I generally consider pain a bad thing, sorry you are experiencing it. :(

Bet ya don't get it.
I want it too, but it just ain't gonna happen.
The power of.. you know who.

>131 calm: Yeah, we're down to the cherry kijafa. *shudder*

>132 Ape: Thank you, puppchen.

>133 mckait: No! Will not settle. That One be damned.

http://beta.booklamp.org/

BookLamp.org matches readers to books through an analysis of writing styles, similar to the way that Pandora.com matches music lovers to new music. Do you like Stephen King’s It, but thought it was too long? BookLamp allows you to find books with a similar level of tone, tense, perspective, action, description, and dialog - while at the same time allowing you to specify details like... half the length. It’s impervious to outside influences - like advertising - that impact socially driven recommendation systems, and isn’t reliant on a large user base to work. Take a look at the above video to see how we do it in detail.

This is a WAY cool idea. Try it out.

So I registered and got very strange results. Whatever author I entered, the resulting list had either first or last name of the author shown equal to the entered one. For instance, entering Thomas Mann, I got other authors named 'Thomas' or 'Mann'. Huh?

>136 ffortsa: I am getting the same thing. I think that means they don't have the author you're looking for in their system yet.

>136 ffortsa:, 137 For me the bigger part of the fun is watching it move from beta forward. I love the idea, the execution now needs to catch up.

I registered for the Booklamp database and tried it out. I entered some of my favorite books from the past few years, including Wolf Hall, Cutting for Stone, The Glass Room, Room, The Lacuna, The Memory of Love, The Emperor of All Maladies, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Blindness, The Plague, The Remains of the Day and A House for Mr Biswas; none were in the database! I did find four books that I've read that were in the database, but the matches for three of these books were absolutely bizarre and disturbing. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon matched to The Klone and I by Danielle Steel. Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami matched to Shopaholic Sister by Sophie Kinsella. And, most worrisome, Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin matched to A Good Woman by Danielle Steel (that whirring sound you hear is Mr Baldwin spinning madly in his grave).

At least one book matched to other works of serious literary fiction; The Stranger matched to To Live by Yu Hua, and The Journey Home by Olaf Olaffson.

I think I'll stick with recommendations from other trusted LTers.

Danielle Steel???

Richard- Sorry to hear about the pain! I'm fortunate the heat, just wears my butt out! Hope you get some relief, my friend.

It is 1am and 99 degrees here. I know how miserable you are, RD, and am sorry for it.

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx

I'm not sure which one I hate more... boiling heat or the torrential rain we have. Come on weather - it's July! I'm fed up of being soggy.

#139 Danielle Steel - *shudder*

>139 kidzdoc: I agree the database is too small, and that Danielle Steel rec makes me quiver, but the idea is a good one.

>140 msf59: Thanks, Mark!

>141 alcottacre: *smooch*

>142 BekkaJo: Nothing sounds good between those options, does it?

Sorry to hear you're melting, rdear.

I tried Booklamp and it gave me some very odd results too. Oh well, it's beta, so maybe they'll work out the kinks soon and I'll receive some decent recommendations later. It's been an interesting experience though, so I'm definitely going to check in with them again periodically.

Hi Richard, sorry to read you are not feeling well. I hope the temperatures will go down and the pain will subside quickly.

Stupid weather here as well. Last week I couldn't leave the house because of the heat, this week we are drowning in rain (with snowfalls on the mountains - in July!).
City is crowded with bored tourist families. They can't go hiking and go shopping instead, forgetting that in Bella Italia most shops close for three hours during lunchtime (if they don't shut down completely for several weeks in the middle of the season).

Should I try this booklamp thing just for the fun of it?

>144 cameling: Thanks, Caro...it's very, very beta, and I think some MAJOR tweaks are called for...but I found it intriguing enough to want it to succeed.

>145 Deern: Nathalie, the Italian 'tude towards life has a lot of appeal to me. Frustrations, annoyances, irks and all, the "yeah well, what're ya gonna do?" shrug makes perfect sense to me.

Plus I *love* Alfa Romeos.

:-)

BookLamp is fun, but not reliable just yet...see if you like the idea by going over there and messing about with it.

I will take the rain... please?

My book circle is reading Death in Venice for tonight's discussion. I've reviewed it in my thread...post #238.

First read it in 1976. Didn't like the anti-gayness of it then. Re-read it this week. Still don't like the anti-gayness of it.

sorry. Have fun at book night..

It's always interesting to see what others think in circs like this. I suspect most of the straight people won't see it my way.

You may be right..

Belated "howdy do" here...pardon my sweaty condition but I'm living in a steam bath here (no hunky attendants, either....what's with that?)

Thomas Mann??? Read Death in Venice post-college...read Buddenbrooks the summer i was 12...my mom bought me a copy to keep me quiet and stop pestering her...it worked!

haven't done the BookLamp thing.....i have too many books as is...don't need any more recommendations...

**smooch*** lite!

#146: When I moved here the first thing people told me was "you have to get used to taking lunch breaks, offices usually close for at least two hours". Then I said, in all my German naiveté, "oh - that's okay, then I'll do my grocery shopping during the break". Do I have to mention that they laughed at me?
Next thing I learned that in the evening most shops close again at 6pm (just like the offices, so everyone is at home at the same time). Asking when people here do buy their stuff, the answer was "On Saturdays" (between 8am and noon, because then the weekend starts).

It needed some getting used to and after two years I still don't take real lunch breaks, but I use that time for the gym or for LT and enjoy the fact that the phone won't ring for 2 hours.

Alfa Romeos are nice...

That is the smartest thing I have ever heard.
American life has become insane.

Big *smooch* to you, my dear! Stay inside where it is cool!

Add my smooches to the smooch brigade!

Per my post in #150 above, the straight people didn't see it my way. It was just flat hellish, since it took over 4 hours in the car to get to and from a place where no one agreed with me, and road closures made my usual route impossible to follow, and so on and so on. I hated everything about this evening because Wet-mouthed Slime Girl was there, because the drive was awful, and because some idiots thought speaking French was a secret code...I understood what they were saying, and did not appreciate it, and let the one I like know that I *do* speak French after he said something caustic about me personally.

He left quickly thereafter, and I will not be sorry if he does not come back, along with his friend the Wet-mouthed Slime Girl.

#157: I have not read the book yet, but I suspect I am one of those people who will not get the anti-gayness of it when I do, primarily due to my own naivete. I am sorry to hear that your evening was such a terrible one.

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx and hopes for a better tomorrow

And you spend time with these people because.......?

#159 You took the post right off my fingers, Karenmarie. Avoid the bastids, Richard. What do they contribute to your life?

Stasia, I think you will understand what Richard was reacting to - I didn't think it material to the story, but I understood his outrage.

Richard, sorry the French got to you - I heard a little of it, but not the remark that irritated.

It was good to see you there, in spite of disagreements. After all, life would be boring if we all agreed!

Sorry you had to deal with such rude and mean-sounding people :(

While in Disney World several years ago, we had people try to play the 'we don't speak English and therefore don't understand this is wrong' card--when in fact that was bull. They were speaking loudly in Spanish walking by people in line. This is back when I was learning Spanish (pretty much all forgotten now), so I understood that they were making fun of the people letting them cut in line. My 14 year old self was not having that after standing in line for 40 mins and only being half way to the ride. I stepped in front of them and told them to wait their turn at the back. They stopped with a shocked look on their faces and turned right around, bahahaha.

I don't do group reads in person with all people my own age, either, for something similar to the disagreement thing. The last few times I discussed in that setting, I would bring something up and pretty much be ignored while the others would change the topic to something almost contradictory to what I said. I was digging deeper into things and didn't really expect them to fully have those thoughts, but a simple acknowledgement of "I didn't think of it that way, this is what I got" would've been nice.

Book group wouldn't work for me. I am so much more like Stephen than I am like you, dearie..
sorry about the detours and the failed and disappointing evening ..

Honestly, I wouldn't have minded no one agreeing with me in my opinion about the book. What annoyed me mightily was the chorus of "you're wrong". No, I'm not. You simply don't agree with my assessment. But the subtext is there, and I'm not wrong about it. I was already annoyed because of the traffic hell I'd been through. Getting home was another ~2hrs for a 45min trip due to road work. The dog wasn't at all her usual polite self, begging aggressively for food; A Certain Someone feeds her from the table and always gives in to her, so she's got a bad habit established. Breaking her of it will fall to guess who? Me!

The whole French thing came about because Moist-Mouthed Slime Girl needed to say nasty things about me, thinking I wouldn't understand and therefore call her on it. Almost worked. That broad ruins my day whenever her whiny, slime-lipped carcass hoves into my view. Cannot abide anything about her. I tell her so to her face, too, not just whine about her here.

Katie, I know exactly how that feels, though it was my fate at jobs more than socially. I hate working for other people. I have to go along to get along, and it always makes me feel slimy to do that.

ACH! A pet peeve of mine.. that "you're wrong". No, I'm not. You simply don't agree with my assessment. That is exactly it. You are not wrong, nor are they. People see things differently and that is okay. It depends on ones life experiences and ones feeling and ones wiring. imo.

For instance, That picture at the top of your thread? To me it is like falling into an inferno each time I come here. But it is your thread, and you must like it and there is a reason. Nothing wrong with you liking something and me not.. paintings, books, people.. etc. Such is life. And I had a similar issue in a reacent thread elsewhere ... gak!

Puppy daddy bad guy! But she'll still love you madly, you know.

I find it terribly rude of people to lapse into a language they think is private. I work for an Italian Company (Fiat) here in Good Old Sanford NC. We also used to report to a Brazilian division, so there are Brazilians and Italians running all over the place speaking Portuguese and Italian. Rude, rude, rude. Yes, they bought us, but they're in MY country and English is the language spoken in our facility. Hmmph.

>165 mckait: I know about that issue, and it's typical of a strain of rudeness that irks me mightily: If I say someone is wrong about something, I have facts to back me up or I belt up. I try not to say something unpleasant to most people when we're in public, or on a public forum, either. (That is CLEARLY a situational statement!) Opinions can't really be wrong...beliefs can't be wrong...the factual basis of either CAN be (eg, conservatism, religiosity).

>166 karenmarie: I understand that a lot better than two native English speakers breaking into their shared second language to have a private conversation in front of a group...peppered, as it happens, with people who also speak that language. Just shockingly rude.

Well, Richard, I'm sorry if I was one of the ones to use the word 'wrong'. Obviously, I simply disagreed with you. I can see your viewpoint. And certainly, there's always been a lot of that going around - just think of all the Hollywood endings for 'fallen' women. I only meant that in this PARTICULAR case, I didn't think it had that much to do with the story. Obviously, only my own opinion.

I wasn't taking names, Judy! I noted the absence of defense fro the usual loud quarters when I venture to express my ideas that contradict others'...our host disagreed with me, so let the "wrong" comments pass unchallenged. I don't get that same "courtesy" ever. I chose not to make an issue of it...but it will come up the next time I'm challenged, rest assured.

Libertarianism runs on these same lines...community standards must be upheld!...which is why I oppose it with all my might. The tyranny of the majority is a lousy thing.

See, this is a time when, whilst I miss doing a 'proper' book group, I realise how much I enjoy mine at the moment. It's just five of us who are great friends who read some books and go to the pub to chat about them. Generally very little agreement, but I do get to avoid people I can't abide. We just don't generally stay on topic as much as I would like...

Hope it's better next time. Oh and add some germ ridden smoochies to the pile. Actually you might want to bin those - this is a horrid horrid bug we've got going in our house.

What if I don't express it as a fact but say that it is my opinion that you're wrong?

:)

That is different.. although I might say I disagree, instead.
I have no idea about the book, I have never read it.. but..
I have been told flat to my face "you are wrong" just because
someone does not agree. That is not nice. Nice is better.

Nope, I don't disagree. You're just wrong. (That's my opinion.) *ahem*

:P

Sorry, I was just trying to lessen the depth of the conversation you all were having. I was agreeing with everything and I couldn't possible just make a post saying that I agreed. It's only natural of me to contradict everyone one or another.

Anyway, you may continue with your mature conversation now.

I think I said I didn't see it that way, but then, I'm not reading it from the same perspective that you would be. I suspect that the sobriquet you are using is being applied to someone with the first initial of "B"? In which case I heartily endorse/share your views (and suspect many others do also.) Sadly, I also suspect the individual in question has the hide of a rhinoceros.

Sorry the drive home was so hellish. Hope Ms. Stella was good company...

>170 BekkaJo: I've visited your thread with spiritual Lysol and smudged your whole family's auras with vile-smelling herbs. Y'all will be better in a matter of hours.

>171 Ape:, 172, 173 "I disagree" is superior to "I think you're wrong" in politeness terms. "In my opinion you're wrong" is even mildly okay. But can't one simply say "oh, well, we don't agree on this" and direct the conversation back to acceptable channels? I am all sorts of down with that.

>173 Ape: Among others, La B said that, only she wins the hateful sow sweepstakes for saying it four times and only giving over when I said "I heard you, {Evil Slime}, and don't care what you say" in a calm, quiet voice.

#170 great friends who read some books and go to the pub to chat about them
Sounds great to me!

{{{{hugs}}}} and blocks of ice set up all around you with fans wafting.

I am not subjected to the brutal heat in the US (it's hot at home, but I'm not there) but I still can NOT agree with anyone wishing for the return of winter. I'll take 100 with 100% humidity any day over January north of the Mason Dixon line.

Not to say that I *like* 100 with 100% humidity. I's dreadful really. But not nearly as dreadful as overcast and 10 degrees with a 20 mph wind

178: I am opposite. I would much prefer the cold with a pile of cozy blankets then this sweltering heat. Remembering this will get me through the bad part of Minnesota cold--which, with windchill, has gotten to -50F (not that I particularly like that either, but I much prefer adding a few sweatshirts/blankets over cooking in my own skin).

179: The thing for me is that I can go out and do things in the heat. I don't mind standing at the bus stop for 10 minutes in heat if need be to go about my life. I don't mind walking a few blocks. It can be a bit uncomfortable, but it's bearable.

In winter, I don't want to leave my condo. I can snuggle under blankets inside to warm up, but I don't want to go outside because the cold hurts. Regardless of how many layers I put on, the cold wind is actually painful, ripping through the layers.

And it's grey. And I probably have SAD (think I've had it since those winters growing up in NY, but didn't notice until I moved to not-so-wintery Texas years later)

But I like that are people who love the heat and people who love the cold. If we were all the same, that would be boring.

And we'd all be piled up on the same acre of land, too.

I don't think I'd mind the heat so much if it could come without the sun. I burn after about 10 minutes. Anything longer than an hour and I won't be able to touch anything without pain, including my bed. . . so no sleep. The brightness also makes my eyes water quite a bit for the first 10-15 minutes. I just take it as more proof to my nocturnal being. My fave is autumn, though. If it could be a crisp 45-65F all year, I would be super happy.

I can't imagine wanting to be in a place where it's that flippin' cold...single digits, minus signs....on a regular basis. No no no. I want no colder than 30, no hotter than 70 ***EVER***. Nowhere on Earth has this, that I know of at least; proof that the Christian god is real, and his hatred of humanity governs the way the world is set up. Sorta like the existence of cats and conservatives, evidence of a divine dyspeptic.

Was shouted at by a missionary today, so am feeling less forgiving even than usual. All I did was have the temerity to say "No, and go away" when having his diseased hideous twisted vile religion and its explicit homophobia shoved at me on my own doorstep. Damn good thing I don't own a gun.

LOL - some mormons came to my door a while back. Will was only a few weeks old and having a screaming patch and I had to stop feeding him and put him down to go to the door - which when I opened it contained two perfectly respectable looking men in black. I was that stressed I didn't even let them get a word in - I just said 'No' and closed the door in their faces. Felt a bit mean about that!

I mean normally they at least get a 'No, thanks'...

Tiptoeing in. . . as I do not want to get shot

((Hugs)) and xx smooches xx for today

Ireland has perfect weather. Hot makes me sick. Literally. I have a dreadful headache..
which is at least different from yesterdays ailment.

I have to admire the tenacity of a missionary who still goes out in this weather voluntarily.
srsly

Katie > I too have the burning problem, being only one shade more pigmented than an albino. I don't mind the sun...as long as there is a tree or some other shaded area for me to hide.

Richard - San Francisco is probably the closest to what you are hoping for climate-wise.

Or Portland, Oregon, which was lovely when I was there recently. Cheaper than SF, too.

Portland and the surrounding Columbia river area are absolutely gorgeous. I was there Memorial Day weekend several years back and loved it.

Yeah, SFO...problem with that place is that it's full of Californians. I don't get on well with Californians. I noticed this when spending my early childhood there.

Portland? I have some friends there, but I can't feature living there. Likewise Seattle. Volcanoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, oh no! I'm generally not that happy in the West. I don't like its conservativsm. And libertarianism is just conservatism that's been to therapy to iron out the most horrifyingly selfish and sociopathic behaviors.

Missionaries are spiritual imperialists. They should be forced to wear huge yellow crosses on their clothing, like the Nazis made the Jews wear the Star of David.

Hey RD dear - I'm the Californian exception that proves the rule, right?

You're in great form today by the way. I hope you stay cool, feel good, and read a good book. :)

XO Horrible

I was born there too, Horrible...we escaped as fast as we could, so we don't count.

Portland seems to be the exception to the conservative/libertarian crowd. For instance, they are public-transportation mad, which is delightful. My cousins have lived there for many years, and are pretty progressive politically.

Maybe it's just your friends?

No, most of them are liberals. They just live in a place that's a snake-pit of "traditional values"...how I hate that locution, like their spiritual bankruptcy and shortsighted nastiness are some long, noble tradition!...oh wait, that IS the human tradition, my bad....

Listening to rain sounds on YouTube in hopes of becoming less of a fire-breathing, screaming male virago. So far, not too effective.

Deep breaths, a nice chilled glass of white, or a cold, cold beer....

Or, sometimes when I'm ramped up I love listening to loud, thumping, scream-along-with music.

XOXO

Not sure drinking's a good idea...that missionary is lurking, and I *do* have a claw hammer.

Ah, the lurking missionary scenario. Well, we don't want you up for Murder 1, do we?

You could put on some r or x rated something that would have interesting sounds that might shock said missionary into departing the locale.

*blink* Attack porn. Inspired.

I've frequently considered playing extremely loud, violent music whenever such a person knocks on the door. Fortunately, living out in the middle of nowhere, I don't really have to worry about them in the first place, so... *shrug*

From Better Book Titles:



Seriously, Bachmann and Palin seem to be taking The Handmaid's Tale as an election grimoire!

I'm with Stephen...the Jehovah's Witnesses made their yearly visit in the early Spring....I just tell them to leave, if they value their hide!!!

I hope nobody is foolish enough to drive up to the house today...I'm not feeling clever...just mean!

I agree with the Porn Video idea, though...might put them missionaries right off their feed for a while

..............and a claw hammer has a certain menace to it, as well!!

OY!

>201 richardderus:

***Smooch*** for that one!!!!

.........except it wouldn't apply to her own dear daughter, would it?

You don't have any porn with claw hammers, do you? That would even send me running and screaming.

#204 He could just answer the door in the altogether. Holding the claw hammer.

Perfect, lol.

I thought about not commenting, but in my opinion, the remark about the yellow cross just like the Nazis treated the Jews was rather blindlingly offensive and certainly not expressive of the values you seem to hold.

It was blindingly offensive, and shame on Richard for fighting fire with fire.

Behaving like the enemy, Stephen, undermines one's argument, I would think.

>190 richardderus: I thought you'd catch Hell for that one, Sweetie...

...not from me....but.....cover your ass here....it might get loud

Gail: Yep, so we are agreed that Richard is wrong. Or at the very least horrible at arguing his point. It must be the heat getting to his head. Just wait until he suffers eternal damnation in a fiery pit of unpleasantness for enjoying the company of people with the wrong genitalia.* I do hope it cools off soon so that he may return to his old lovable self.

*Other people's beliefs, not mine.

I'm sorry, Stephen, I didn't say or imply that Richard was wrong in what he believes. Nor did I imply that I think there is something wrong with his sexuality. Please don't put words in my post that aren't there.

Hehe, sorry, I was joking what with the recent discussion about not saying someone is 'wrong.' I frequently forget sarcasm doesn't translate well in text. =/

Oh, right, I forgot too. It's just that I have an extremely high opinion of Richard and hate to see him employ the tactics of those he despises, you know?

No hard feelings, I hope.

Oh no, of course not. I'm very accepting of other people's opinions. Hmmm, I'm sure I've been angry at a person or 2 over the years but, ummm, I can't seem to think of any at the moment. I certainly don't consider my opinions any better or 'more right' than other people's and I can't possibly see a reason for getting upset just because someone else's differs from my own. As a result, I rarely dislike people, or get into fights beyond anything more than a casual and hopefully light-hearted debate with people.

So, no, no hard feelings at all. :)

(*Kicks Richard in the shin when no one is looking* See? You got me in trouble)

Richard- Wow, you picked another good one, with the Atwood cover. Perfection. Glad you are having fun with it.
Sorry, nothing to add to the heat discussion...pants!

>216 msf59: "pants"...i should hope you're wearing pants when you venture unto this thread!!!!

OY!

This whole cover thing has me baffled..
I clearly missed something somewhere ...

Gail:
A wise man is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.
Moliere

I aspire to this wisdom, but haven't attained it yet. I'm sorry I offended you.

Thanks, Rdear; I know it's been tough for you. Would that I could follow Moliere's advice consistently! I know I can well up into a towering rage myself and then think, "Damn! Shouldn't have said that quite that way." Hoping that you are soon not beset by these...these...people impinging on what is your own life and space. And that the infernal heat leaves you soon, as well.

{{{hugs}}}

ETA: You are a gentleman.

*smooch*

Hotttttttttt again today, already 98, but I'm keeping too busy to care that much. (It says here.)

my car said it was 89F
I think it was lying to protect me.. and that it was at least 99

95 degrees outside, 6:30 p.m. in central North Carolina. Nasty, vicious heat today with no end in sight. And, big tease, there was thunder all around us and I had about 10 raindrops on my windshield on the way home from the grocery store. Blech.

Phew!! Doesn't the heat make you all a tetchy lot! :-) Huddling together for warmth ensures an ongoing politeness here at the moment...Just saying *hello* quietly and backing away with caution....will come back when better moods prevail..heheh

I sometimes wonder if the most offensive thing I might do to proselytizing twerps is to invite them in and make them listen to my beliefs for a long time -- and not let them leave. Hmm, must ponder that. Maybe have some porn playing in the background... At the very least, the visit would probably get my home put on the "don't go there" list, wouldn't it??

>201 richardderus: - My favorite cover, so far.

Hope the temps are bearable soon!

>219 richardderus: A wise man is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.
Moliere

A most commendable aim and something truly worth aspiring to -- in my way of thinking, at least. Moliere -- despite his many reasons for being or even acting like anything but -- seemed to have this great instinctual balance going for him, an instinct for knowing just where the lines were to be rightly drawn (the really important ones anyway), a great gift, and something which could in other quarters pass for (watch out for this:) a kind of modesty or even morality! ;- } Fascinating! This made him a master of farce and satire, of course, in ways that were always fresh, exposing the foibles of royalty, religion, and the righteous renegades of every sort. I've often wondered what he thought of Montaigne's "No one is exempt from speaking nonsense. The great misfortune is to speak it solemnly." ;- ) He must have agreed. But then, I know you don't take a fancy to plays, Richard. Though I bet you wouldn't have let yourself miss a single one of his had you been there when they were first playing.

Please do forgive my eaves dropping on this interesting exchange about book discussion groups -- something I'm totally unsuited for -- (would you believe I read the whole chain?!), but I wanted to look in on you Richard to let you know I'm finally starting to work on that too long in-the-making four-book review on Amelia Earhart and Antoine de Saint-Exupery. (In its protracted incubation yet another fairly recent book on St-Exp. has been added, but since it is the one written by his wife, I didn't see how it could at all be left out.)

Sincere best wishes to you all, my LT colleagues, until our paths cross again -- and soon, I hope. -G.R.

Happy Sunday, Richard. There are now married same-sex couples in your state.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/first_same_sex_weddings_take_place_Cnzs5B8JcW...

>225 Chatterbox:: Perfect, unbeatable response. Just give 'em a good serving up of their own medicine. My daughter invited some in one time and proceeded to present a most convincing argument for Wicca, complete with symbols and spells. Needless to say, they ran.

Hi There Buddy.

I'm sorry to be so far behind on your thread. Hopefully August will be a better month..for you..for me. This heat is terrible!

Hugs!

I'm curious to see what wondrous work of art Richard will present us with on the new thread... So I'm dropping in to wave hi and add to the post count, in hopes that my curiosity will be satisfied sooner! *grin*

rdear... do you remember me mentioning a book I wanted to give to Old Sarge?

I can't find him. To be honest, he probably heard me talking about his book and is in hiding..
but, just in case.. can you or any one here help me find him?

I tried search and got nowhere.. I wonder if he deleted his account?

Here's OldSarge's profile, Kath. Probably that unnecessary space is what did your search in.

Oh thank you!!

>222 mckait:, 223, 224 Heat is revolting. I am certainly revolting against it!

>225 Chatterbox: I like that idea!!

>226 Copperskye: Made me giggle. And wince. And flush with fury.

>227 GeneRuyle: Hi Gene! Glad to see you back around these parts. There is no eavesdopping in a public forum. Feel free to join in.

Moliere's plays...well, no, I don't like plays a lot, but reading some classics is absolutely necessary. Moliere, Racine, Aristophanes, Shakespeare, O'Neill...have to do it, even though it's like eating corn on the cob (unpleasant, distasteful, and just plain wrong).

>228 ty1997: Oh yay! Now gay couples can spend boatloads of money and time on fruitless (!) couples counseling to repair horrible entrapping mistakenly contracted legal straitjackets, followed by giving away most of their accumulated wealth to divorce lawyers, thereafter enduring grim, poverty-ridden retirements spent recriminating upon their former spouses, and where possible, making their children absolutely wretchedly sorry they were ever born to these ghastly people! Just like straight folks! A bonny day indeed.

>229 Matke: You tell 'em, Gail.

>230 Whisper1: *smooch* to dearest Linda

>231 Chatterbox: I think I'll put up a pornographic image on the next thread.

>232 mckait:, 233, 234 I don't know who OldSarge is, so I wouldn't have been able to help, but Linda3rd has prevented my humiliation for which I thank her highly.

Review: 27 of seventy-five

Title: THE LANTERN

Author: DEBORAH LAWRENSON

Rating: 3.875* of five

The Book Report: Nameless Narratrix tells us the tale of woe of loving a man who did Something Awful. She tells us this while living in his Provencal hameau, which is haunted by some dead French people as well as a few living ones. The hameau is crumbling, with plaster and masonry all falling at random times and in random places. The house gives the new couple a gift or two, including an old iron lantern that figures into the sad life story of the last French proprietrix of the hameau. (Have you gone and looked up hameau yet, so I can stop typing the itals?)

There's an absent, though not known to be dead, wife; there's a tale of Love Gone Wrong; there's a lot of carryins-on about people disappearin' right left and through the middle for at least 40 years; there's misunderstanding piled onto miscommunication via idiotic refusals to ask or answer simple, direct, interrogative English-language sentences.

My Review: It's Rebecca meets The Horseman on the Roof set in modern times. I found it unspooky in the extreme. I also found it lushly beautifully crafted, line by line. It's gloriously good at evoking Provence, its people, and its tourist-based economy that replaced actual work producing actual, tangible objects. And it should be read with a glass of young and hearty red wine, a plate of orange-butter-herbes-de-Provence Christmas cookies, and a lover of one's preferred configuration at the ready to sate the appetites the book will awake.

hmmm The oracle thinks I will love it.. !
no review rdear?

Not yet, no, dinner to make then "Zen" to watch then maybe a review. I suspect you'll like The Lantern, too.

Greetings from your Sister-in-Swelter!!

Vote YAY! for some porn, next go-round...separate the men from the boys...as it were..

;-P

Go look at my NEW homeless reviews thread, Jude. Mild, but purty.

will do, Sweetie!

noted and added to wishlist on ammy

I made a chopped salad for dinner. Too effin' hot to cook. Leftover chicken, leftover pork chops, radishes, celery, tomato, a couple pre-baked potatoes all tossed with my extra-tart vinaigrette and left for an hour; baby field greens dressed lightly and topped with chopped salad; glass of sauvignon blanc extra cold; watermelon for dessert. E finita la commedia.

I had a Chef's Salad...with cooked kidney beans..some boiled red potato chunks....leftover cooked glazed carrots....cucumber....sliced zucchini.....tomato.......homemade vinaigrette...other leftovers from the fridge that were too miniscule to mention...Desperation Dinner...

i really should cook...feeling the need for protein

Hot weather sucks

;-}

Good morning, Richard!!!

Both salads sound good.

I've got a watermelon chilling in the refrigerator - tonight I'll whack the whole thing up, put the good tasting red part in tupperware and use the rinds to start watermelon pickles. If I have the energy.

We had a power failure for 6 hours yesterday. Fortunately it happened 1/2 hour after we left the house to see the last installment of the Harry Potter franchise and as soon as we got back to the house we put on the generator - it doesn't provide air conditioning but we had fans, TV, and the computers. Plus, being on a well, we were able to have running water.

That is what I do with melon.. I whack it up and put it into containers as soon as I get it home.
Much easier to eat it later...

it is too hot.

eta

good review...!

mulling it.

Bring on the art!

(Happy Monday, Richard!)

*brrr*

It's only 78F here! I must seek out my long-sleeved shirts and some earmuffs!

>248 karenmarie: Oh YUCK Horrible! Power outage, bleaaargh...but you were lucky to be able to Potter so much of it away.

>249 mckait: It's why we call you a mullah, dearest.

>250 ty1997: Happy Monday, Tom! ...art?