we way socialized last weekend! well mostly....
squeezed in two dinners w/ the friends
and a housewarming @ the old neighbors new house - waaay out there in Wylie...it wasn't bad...there just wasn't really a chance to socialize with strangers without barging in on their conversations (and I was certainly not tipsy enough to do that). Even Jamie was kinda wandering aimlessly...we basically just talked to each other.
Kids evvvverrrywhere. oy.
Packed Tgiving, pulled most of my Christmas stuff down, finished watching Sense8 - and look in no way am I a homophobe, I just want the story and it felt pushed upon...it detracted almost, just get on with it. I hope it ends well.
Started watching Alias Grace - murder mystery period story (with a twinge of paranormal?) and I'm hooked - great acting.
Re-read som LIone. Feel like I've read something new but can't recall what - i'm in a new author reading slump.
Work is totally gone quiet...we leave soon!
My Sheldonita played me Ryan Bingham this morning on the way....i think i need to dl more of his stuff
I had 5 days off - it feels like I've been gone a year... and since it's slow...
- fireworks and thunderstorms made my dog (and therefore me) a basketcase last night....i swear I heard a firework at 5am this morning.....grrr
We went over to Wylie to check out some bluegrass music - didn't stay long - much better in Farmer's Branch in October.
had the M's over for BBQ and Ranger game - a full belly, a couple of beers and the guys passed out - I woke them up in time to catch the last inning. *smh*
whereas before it might've been a drink and drown all day and pass out at 4am.
Now it's a play golf, eat lunch, have a few beers and then nappy time.
Volunteered to help register people to vote in Addison - it was miserably hot - still I think they got a few people in? Better than nothing! There's not really any organized thing...you just go up to people and ask if they've registered. I don't think a lot of people know that when they move counties (and don't update their DL/voter registration) they can't vote in their new county.
I should probably get deputized so I could've helped more....
I stood and chatted with the Planned Parenthood folk for a bit - nice, I asked if anyone had ever been mean to them and they said "sometimes, but you choose your cause and stand with it".
I'm still looking to see what I want to volunteer for - I want to help but it's like joining a sorority - i don't want to be "locked in", I just kinda want to help when I can.....I really wish these people/overlapping groups would just band together and submit one newsletter together - so when a person can tear away for an hour or two they can reference it easily and go.
- I saw Wonder Woman - yep as good as everyone is saying it is. I never got into her growing up - I always thought She-Ra was cooler.
- Day of the Dutchess - Sarah MacLean - so i'd kinda forgotten the back story but oy yeah good on her on tackling the subject and actually redeeming him. Not everything is cut and dry but woo yeah in this case for me it is. Still, good story...even though I kinda wanted a little more of their "back then" story.
- The Friend Zone - Kristen Callihan - hmm............. ack! i've already forgotten!...lemme go see (again this is why I needed to write things down...) - oh ok yes - this one was just ok. Not believable and the girl lead was just kinda "i'm the cool girl, here whenever you want" kinda thing that was a turnoff.
- Playing it Cool - Amy Andrews - rugby (yes!) and the unconventional "curvy" girl with an unconventional how they meet, get together story. Not bad.
- Confessions of a Dangerous Lord - Elisa Braden - she thinks he only wants to be her friend, he almost loses her in trying to keep her safe, an evil villain - I put this one down a couple times. I think I'm more and more veering from the conventional "evil villain" drama plot line
- re-read Desire Unchained - just 'cause -
was watching the Roald Dahl "Faceoff" episode the other day,
Jamie walks in and says "who's Roald Dahl?"
I looked at him like this
*sigh* only the one who hooked me into the wonderful world of books Jamie....
we were invited and stopped over to some friends of friends house....very nice OU folk we've met a little through years. Parents of a special needs boy - he's old enough now where they can start to come out of their shell. A lot of Jamie's friends are getting to where they have kids old enough and can start to come out to play.
It's pretty interesting to witness how it's almost like they're kind of coming out of a cave - unsteady on how to be still young, but not who they used to be.
Re-read - Larissa Ione's Passion Unleashed.
Finished Suddenly You - Lisa Kleypas - (I joined a FB group dedicated to old school romances from Jude D's page... and lord I can't keep up with all the reco's! It's so exciting but I can't hang. It's like the politically active info....can only take in small doses. heh.) So anyway...this one was one of my favorites (if not the favorite?) of hers. She's an author, he's not who she thinks he is, sparks, nothing immature... I liked them both a lot.
About to finish the second in Victoria Aveyard's YA Red Queen series (glass sword) - slow going but it's keeping me hanging on. It's just hard to transition from well paced/written/edited to a YA that has a lot of potential but a lot of unnecessary-ness (pretty sure that's not a word...oh well)
Bought the new Sarah MacLean - probably can't get to it till Friday. we'll see.
Every major Texas city (except Fort Worth) has joined the lawsuit against the state of Texas regarding SB4....I just have to think....does this not even a little sway reps? How do they continue to ignore things? (i dunno - I've asked mine and the silence continues....)
so yes Saturday was a day of gals - Michaels, arts/crafts, lunch...and lots and lots of talking as - girls are wont to do
Then I was home by 4 and did my first ever Netflix binge-watch.
A British show called Chewing Gum....
some of the British vernacular went over my head,
I ultimately had to put closed captions on cause I couldn't understand what the f they were saying
but lord....I laughed and laughed.
Not gonna lie - a couple times so hard I about peed my pants.
I'm twitter stalking the gal now....:0)
Attempted to go to the DMV and was (naturally) let down on expectations and the "online reservation" process - ugh...
March for Science Saturday - trying to think of a sign - I'll never be as clever as nerdy science-y people. grr.
Did post to "the group" that Rick Perry will be speaking as "Head of Energy" at the Earth Day Fair park downtown on Friday though - people are vacillating between the vomit emoji and high amusement/sarcasm.
Also (of course) read:
Larissa Ione - Z (just have to kinda think that she'll always think she comes in second...right?) and Razr (he didn't do all that much for me....this was one of those times I loved the gal and her world much more. Hope she continues there)
Victoria Aveyard - Red Queen - good potential YA but not gonna lie, I skimmed through some parts. It's a mish mash of a lot of dystopian others. And not always the best parts. I'll continue if it comes around. No die hard here.
Finished #3 and #4 of the EJamesEssex sisters - Not my favorite series of hers. I was entertained. thank you.
Annnd I read an article today that said live music is dying - case it point Wormy Dog OKC is closing this month - I hope it's just a lull - I love live music. It's a huge stress relief.
To that end (poor choice of words) gonna go with a little old school Crystal Gayle
Meant to go to the Mega March but stayed and talked with my oldest best gal pal instead.
Every 6 months or so we try to catch up on everything in a few hours.
I swear our attention span and staying on topic is that of a squirrel.
or chipmunk?
Yes we vented husbands and politics, jobs etc. it was cathartic. I highly recommend.
We also saw "Get Out" - she dragged me - i'm not a fan of paying for things that scare me. I had a Stephen King/Dean Koontz phase a long time ago. I'm good.
mostly suspenseful/macabre - eye opening in a way but generalizing in others. Again, I'm disheartened, 'cause all I could think is "there goes another one a girl ruined" I'll stick to my romance and HEA. thank you.
Back to the march, most everyone I know look at me funny and/or think that marching is pointless or isn't important -
I think it has a point and it is important - plus it's quintessential American. Someone said this: They seem very similar to pep rallies the day of a football game. The pep rallies don't actually play the game and they certainly don't win the game. But they do: a) generate "team spirit", and b) show the team all the people who support them, which will in turn c) increase likely game attendance later that day, which then d) buoys the spirits of the players who are actually playing the game, making it more likely that they will win.
I don't see why I wouldn't attend more through my lifetime.
we saw Charley Crockett in Bedford. it's like a whole other land Bedford? kinda fun.
As far as he went, I liked him - a little odd and awesome blend of old country and new orleans sound. Official fan. Plus you have to wonder how life-shaping it is to know you've come from a revered historical figure...
We went to see Jason Boland @ L&W and it was freaking packed - I've lost my interest for seeing more well-known bands at that venue. He still sounded good.
Finished #2 (good - as always - until the "you don't really love me" part. Ugh. he said it, he meant it. move on!) and half through #3 of Essex EJames.
Also side re-reading LIone's Hades.
Tried reading "The Nest" - lost interest.
hyped as similar to Gone Girl i had to force myself to finish reading The Girl on the Train - weak characters, predictable plot. Just didn't do it for me.... ugh.
I heard Emily Blunt is cast as the lead in the movie they're making though. This may be one of the few times the movie is better than the book. I like her.
I also read L. Ione's Hades - again i like her play on good/evil. In this case, the book itself was not great but not bad. She's losing me though...such a bummer...i love her demonica series.
Then re-read Ward's Lover Avenged thinking that maybe I'd like it better - but no I still think she could've done so much better with his story. His was one I was looking forward to and it was just eh.
And so I guess that's the theme here - i was book underwhelmed this weekend. boooo.
We did manage to do a whole lotta nothing otherwise though. It was nice.
The blood moon - looking at it...it's just amazing, and yeah a little creepy cause it really did look bloody. You just have to think and wonder how that would've freaked people out in history. I mean just imagine! So awesome.
I made a "my favorite authors / fangirl" tshirt on zazzle.
I'm well aware that this is probably the nerdiest thing I've ever done (Jamie told me so too)
Don't care - I'm totally wearing it at the RT convention here next month!
Everyone will be jealous...(or not) ;o)
I also bought my Derby hat...it's pretty - just not as fun.
Jamie and I are bickering about the decoration/spending for this party. He bought a rose wreath specifically for this event because "it's 'Run for the Roses' Brenda!"
Seriously?! he's never really cared about any decorations EVER but all of the sudden we're having a Kentucky Derby party and he's turned into "Mr. Interior Designer". ugh!
I'm in a Weary Boys mood - man I miss this band.... we saw them at Adairs and it was seriously one of the best musical talent abilities I've ever seen. More fiddle, more stand up bass - yes please.
Really though...I think I'm all finished and then I find I forgot something/someone ugh. This is exhausting.
Finished the awaited L. Ione's Revenant though - while not my least favorite of the Demonica series, Blaspheme didn't do much for me. She was, then she wasn't. She is, then she isn't. It's kinda "eh".
Guess it's the theme this week...
Victoria Dahl's lead in Good Girls Don't is similar. It's looking like I'm not a fan of her style.I'm skimming through this one - I don't skim through Larissa Ione books.
I think I'll just go back and re-read Runa and Shade's story. I wonder what she'll do with Tracker? He seems like a stretch.
I'm a re-reader - in fact often times (if the book is that good) when I go back I actually like the book better after I've read it the second, third time etc. So I re-read a favorite, Lothaire over the weekend (cause Kresley Cole's my favorite author of all time - and I felt like it).
Also re-read Larissa Ione's first Moonbound book to re-fresh my memory before starting the second book in this series Chained by Night . I'm about half way through. Native American legends, tests, sacrifice, a virgin heroine etc. eh.
The second book is better than the first - still this series hasn't drawn me in like the first of the Demonica books did. I loved those books so much i fashioned my halloween costume (below) last year after Gem in that series. I love halloween! Back to work - Monday ugh.
Finished If I Stay, ok yes I cried. It was a quick read, thought-provoking and characters (even tertiary ones) were fleshed out well. What I really liked is that Mia (the lead) wasn't your typical conformist teenager -she didn't get on my nerves as some YA character leads tend to. I'm in queue at the library to get the next one - Where She Went (I think it's called). J. Crusie's Charlie All Night - funny characters, good dialogue - fast and easy (pun intended ;0). I skipped over the one before in this JCrusie book bundle though...couldn't finish it, don't remember what it's called but about hiring a PI and a diary, and winning a bet and mafia family?...whatever...couldn't finish it. Another book I couldn't finish - Outlander you'd think I'd love it (like seemingly everyone else). It's right up my alley! I just couldn't do it. Maybe I'll try once again to join the bandwagon? ...for the 3rd time... one day. Not today though, cause it's release day for Larissa Ione's MoonBound Vampire book and Kristan Higgins new one! I love both authors (they're both "pay for release day" worthy for me) but oy... I almost couldn't finish the first of Larissa Ione Moonbound series book - I'm holding off on buying/reading the second. We'll see how Kristan Higgins goes...she's not disappointed me yet!
