Boldly Smell Like No One Has Smelled Before...

This has even ME freaked out. I'm thinking it's a joke, but having attended as many ST conventions as I have in my life...maybe not. With the new movie opening May 8 (yes, I will be at the midnight showing the night before) here's a way to smell like your favorite Star Trek character. If you can't read the text, the description on "Tiberious" (if you don't know what this refers to, stop reading now) says, "...a casual yet commanding cologne spiked with freshness and sensuality. Citron, black pepper and cedar create refreshingly clear top notes...Tiberious Cologne for men is difficult to define and impossible to refuse. In any universe." SNORT. This is hilarious! "Red Shirt" is a real tongue-in-cheek reference since everyone knows the "red shirts" (security detail on ST classic) are the first to die in any episode. "For the man who..revels in being alive today." This is pure cake. These "fragrances" actually debuted on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno a few months ago as a joke but Genki fragrances actually are distributing the colognes (about $25 each) with plans to also include "Pon Farr" in the future. True fans need no explanation. Personally, that's the one I want. Live long....and smolder, baby. (Insert Barry White music here)

New Fave Quote

"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody

agrees that it is old enough to know better."

Anonymous

Sam Playing Footsie

Ever ecologically-minded, here is Sam, trying to convince me to

reduce my carbon footprint. Seriously, only wear white socks at my house if you

want them pulled off by a very playful Sheltie.

Would You Like That Re-nood?

Finally finished the epic Drood by Dan Simmons, a fictional account of Charles Dickens' impetus for writing his unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. If you haven't already seen or tripped over it, it's a whopping 784 pages, about 400 of which are completely unnecessary. In fact, if you read only every other chapter, you'd probably be ok. Parts of it were fascinating

(and I liked the twist at the end) but overall, I'd say I was disappointed.

Perhaps I shouldn't have had such... (wait for it) Great Expectations. he he

Whoopsies...

Books, Readers and Beyond: #54: Social Networking N' Books

I'm pretty sure that being a member of a Book Club would be a bad idea for me. For one thing, I sort of have an eclectic array of reading interests. Who else would be as interested in reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin as Drood by Dan Simmons AND The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd? Most book clubs I know are more interested in marshmallow girly books that make me nauseous. I can only imagine the discussions. My eyeballs would ache from rolling so much. I'm probably exaggerating but me blurting out, "Well, I hated it!" does not make for pleasant noshing over artichoke dip. Oh well. Having said that, I am an online member of Shelfari , Goodreads and LibraryThing. I like that you can see what other people are reading, compare commonalities with friends and read honest reviews from people with similar literary tastes. I think it would be difficult to find a real life group of people like me who like the same kinds of books, are interested in truly spirited discussions and could overcome the logistics of finding a way to get together in person. Online book clubs overcome these obstacles. I've responded several times to "Should I read this?" and have gotten positive feedback. Regarding starting a book club in the library, unless there's a need for "Cautiously Optimistic, Non-Conformist, Overly Critical, Historical Mystery Readers" I think I'll continue to read quietly at my desk. One book that I'm planning to read and I think would be a good choice is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, whose debut novel is about many Japanese Americans' lives following Pearl Harbor. It's something most Americans don't want to be reminded of, but whose ramifications affected my personal life deeply. Certainly not a feel-good, fluffy topic, but I believe the discussion regarding it could be quite interesting. Coincidentally, Hotel is featured on the "May We Recommend" section of the live book discussion website Reading Group Choices. I compared reviews and ratings for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer on Shelfari and also on Library Thing. I was not surprised to see that both had similar reviews/ratings. Most ratings were by women and pretty much concurred with my opinion of the novel. I think it's wonderful to see what other people are reading and whether you're "on track" with how you perceived certain novels but really, reading is a personal experience for me. I don't really care if anyone else liked it or didn't. That's why I'll never understand some people's insistence on sticking to a list like Oprah's Book Club. What appeals to her may not appeal to anyone else. Still, I think that whatever gets people reading and talking about it is a good idea....yes, book clubs too. Even if no one would ever want me as a member.

Books, Readers and Beyond: #53: Re-Kindling Kindle Envy

Darn that Amazon.com! Every time I go to their website there's that annoyingly sleek and now-even-cooler Kindle reader. The Kindle 2 has arrived and I am lusting after it in my heart. Unfortunately, at $359 (with a waiting list), the lust does not extend to my wallet. Still, it calls to me. A friend at work and I discuss the appeal often and have determined that, for those of us who work at libraries, a Kindle might not be so cost-effective. We get books for FREE so new titles even at $9.99 is not a bargain. We decided that what appeals to us is that we want to be THAT woman in the picture reading from her Kindle. Just look at how cool and sophisticated she is! Chalk it up to great marketing. In my case, at least, even with a Kindle I would probably not be in full makeup with the pillows arranged so neatly under me. I'd probably be schlepping on the couch in flannel pj pants and holey socks with a bag of cheetos in the other hand. *sigh* Maybe the Kindle price is NOT the real problem...hmmm... Okay, on to the exercise. There were some great sources listed for on-line searching. I admit, if I must OWN it today, I'll check out the local Barnes and Noble first and just pick up the book on the way home. If I can wait, of course I'll order it from the library. I searched for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society at several nearby locations via their online links. Barnesandnoble.com gives the list price ($22.00) as well as the online price ($14.37) and the membership price ($12.87). I am not a member of B/N since I can't justify $25 fee when I can get the books free from the library so that leaves me at paying the online price, not including shipping. Another bookseller in close proximity is Katy Budget Books which does have an online option and just so happens to currently feature the book I had in mind on their homepage. They only offer the list price so forget that. I do like KBB's quaint small-town-i-ness and the fact that they take/sell used books as well. They also have very fun n' freaky Halloween displays. And the staff seems to know their stuff, unlike at Half Price Books, which has a website but no way to search for anything since they don't catalog their collection and whose staff is filled with tattooed, black garbed, multi-pierced teenagers who didn't know who W. Somerset Maugham was. ("What? WHOSE mom??" jeez...) I did find Guernsey online at hcpl.net in audiobook format but there's a waiting list. Speaking of downloading e-books.... This was my first time attempting to download an audio or e-book from our website and it was a little frustrating. Audiobooks were fine but I have to admit, regarding books on tape, I am a paper snob. I guess I read far faster than I can listen because FIVE hours to hear The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles, a 243-pg juvenile fiction book is redonkulous (it's a word...). Every time I see people check out 32 disc audiobooks I just want to say, "Oh for God's sake...just read the damn book!" but I don't. Regarding the e-book download I guess I didn't realize that you have to have a *certain* version of Adobe Reader and I have the updated one which doesn't work. My fault entirely since it clearly states this on the fact page. Still, downloading Adobe's Digital reader was one more thing to wrestle with. Finally figured it out, located the e-book in my download folder and read for a half hour. But when you're pulling your hair out in frustration, there's no way you can look like the lady in the picture. Well, maybe if that Kindle of hers short-circuits in her hand..... (Uh oh, envy heads it's ugly rear).

That's My Bus...Whaaaa?

Brother, Can You Spare A Home?

Another symptom of economic hard times is the sudden overflow of surrendered pets in animal shelters. Sadly, when it comes time to choose between paying bills and feeding Fido, necessity forces the family pet out. And the pets in the shelters are the lucky ones...many more end up abandoned when the family leaves their foreclosed home or just to fend for themselves, wandering the streets. Believe it or not, there are some "misguided" (I'm being kind here, I'm really thinking, "stupid") pet owners who believe that dogs are wild animals who, if dumped "in the country," will be able to catch their own food and survive on their own. In truth, humane euthenasia is a better option if there's absolutely no other choice. Domesticated animals are no closer to their wild ancestors than we are to apes (restrained comment). Most dogs/cats die horribly from dehydration, starvation, infestation and exposure when left in the "country." Unfortunately, animal shelters are overwhelmed, and people are giving less donations as well. Please consider donating to your local shelter or visit the Humane Society or ASPCA website to give what you can. Better yet, consider adoption -- even Oprah adopted a puppy recently from a shelter. And even though the Obamas have already chosen a Portuguese Water Hound, you can still sign a petition urging President Obama to consider a shelter puppy for his family...yes, you can! Sam and I thank you for helping!

Going Back To Work After 30 Years

You have to be of a "certain age" to fully appreciate this one.

You know who you are.

Alpha Mail

When I first read the description on the jacket of Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn I wasn't sure what "epistolary" meant. The full line is, "a progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable." Turns out, it's a book written entirely in letter form, much like my other fave, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Ella, who is also a character in the book, is a wonderfully clever metaphor about totalitarianism, societal pressure and ignorance that makes me wonder why it isn't on every high school reading list. Like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (which, thankfully, IS on the local HS reading list), this is the story of fictional townspeople who take mythology so literally that they've lost sight of reality. The island of Nollop, named for Nevin Nollop, who supposedly invented the 35-letter panagram, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog," worships the phrase so much that it is inscribed in tiles in the town square. When the tiles begin to become unglued (either from old age or divine purpose), so do the town leaders who take it as a heavenly sign that the god-like deceased Nollop does not want the people to use those particular letters anymore. The people can neither speak the letters nor write them upon punishment first by warning, then public humiliation, and finally by banishment from the island...or death. Ah...Big Brother slash 451 slash Orwellian dilemmas! I LOVE 'em! At first, it's fairly easy to give up "q" or "z" but how do you communicate without vowels? As the people become progressively (and literally) tongue-tied, the reader is forced to try to figure out what their haltingly stunted - and censored - mail to each other is trying to say. Eventually, they are all banished including, predictably, even the banishers themselves, and what remains of the town is left to try to rebuild after seeing the error of their misguided ways. This is a quick read with deep implications which reminds me of so many of the great round table discussion stories like "The Lottery," by Shirley Jackson, which I read and loved in high school. When I discussed Ella Minnow Pea with my 19-year old son, surprisingly, he had a lot to say about it. Huh? This coming from a boy who NEVER has anything to say about books. So again, I'm wondering, why is this story not required reading for high schoolers? Nothing against classic faves such as Moby Dick or The Scarlet Letter but (I've said it a hundred times) if you want to hook kids, you have to give them something they can relate to, and kids today have zip in common with whale hunting. If the reader doesn't care about the story there can be no critical thinking. Perhaps it's time to redefine the term "classics" and let's get the kids reading again.

Darwinism

Evolution humor....get it?! Well, eventually some of you will.
We're not in Kansas anymore!!

Existential Grafitti

Tim Tam Temptation

Okay, anybody seen these around? A couple of foodie feeds I subscribe to have been touting the chocolate-y deliciousness of these popular Australian cookies so of course, I must have them. Apparently, they're to-die-for and only available recently here in the U.S. at Target stores through March 2009. They're described as, "Chocolate wafer cookies filled with velvety chocolate cream and drenched in milk chocolate." They come in chocolate creme

and caramel. Go forth and find. You know where to send 'em. (drool....)

Books, Readers and Beyond: #52 "Should I Read This?"

Usually, when people at the library ask me, "Should I read this?" I hesitate to answer. How should *I* know? Don't YOU know? But since part of my job is to at least point them in the right direction, my first question to them is, "Well, what was the last book you read?" If the last book was similar in style and difficulty to the title in question, then probably their new choice is a good one. However, if the only reason they want to read the book is because Oprah recommended it...well, I'll try to steer them another direction. For example, a customer asked me if she should read O's latest pick (at that time), Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. And the customer's last book? That would be (drumroll) Apocolipstick by Sue Margolis. (silence...sound of crickets chirping) Not exaaactly similar genres. Needless to say I pointed her towards some nice, safe chick lit titles. For this exercise, I picked one of my current favorites, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and used Novelist Plus to find a read-alike. This database searched by keywords and tags and found mostly World War II books or books written in the form of letters. I then used What Should I Read Next and found titles recommended by readers, which I found to be more helpful. Coincidentally, one title, A Month of Summer, by Lisa Wingate caught my eye just last week. Library Thing made some great suggestions also, including The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, which has been on my TBR list for awhile. Exercise 2 asked us to find two books for a 4th grade girl who likes animals and two books for a 13 year old boy who likes ghost stories. Librarybooklists.org was very helpful in finding not only obvious choices like Charlotte's Web by E.B. White but also Wackiest Whitehouse Pets by Kathryn Gibbs Davis. As for the teen ghost fan, I found great YA books like Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins and Daemon Hall by Andrew Nance. Exercise 3 had us searching for books similar to Dean Koontz's. WhatshouldIreadnext.com made it easy to find Castle Waiting: The Lucky Road by Linda Medley, Empire of Lies by Andrew Klavan and The Suicide Collectors by David Oppegaard. Novelist Plus turned up similar mixtures of sci-fi and horror with Greg Bear's Darwin's Radio and Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. Finally, in Exercise 4, the task was to find the next in a series of books starting with Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. This was simple using Mid-Continent Public Library 's series database. The next titles in the YA Song of the Lioness series are: In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman Who Rides Like a Man and Lioness Rampant. Whew! I found this an interesting, if exhaustive, exercise regarding research. Perhaps two out of four of these lessons would have been sufficient. No time to read now....