Trying To Get It Together

I have a book problem..and I'm trying to get some of that situated.

I've always had a hard time parting with books, but my house is tiny and they are taking over the world.

Its time for a purge.

I hate purging, but I know it will be for the best. Maybe not for me, but for my house

I had planned on going through my books last night. I was trying to find the books I read (and will likely not read again) and get them ready for the library book sale or goodwill or somewhere other than my bedroom floor.

I couldn't find the first book I knew I had read..and my motivation was gone. I couldn't do it.

I sat on the floor and played with my cat.

The worst part, is I am having a horrible time reading lately. I've been trying to avoid new book tours because my attention span is similar to that of a fruit fly.

I feel like since my dad got sick, my reading went downhill...and then with the move to the new house..and that was in 2015...it got even worse. Its like I don't have a comfort spot to read. I always thought my room would be my fabulous book nook in this house..and I told my mom that, and I think that its the universe's way of punishing me for wanting a spot to myself that I can't read now that I have it.

It also needs said, that I would rather have my mama then my reading spot, but that's obvious to most who know me.

How the heck do you get out of a slump this big?

Why Am I Reading Slower

When I was in high school and even junior high, I would blow through Harlequins in a few hours. For that matter when I was reading my bodice ripper historical romances, as I tried to get my summer tan.

These weren't long books. The longest Harlequins usually topped 300 pages. The shorter ones, the Romance, Desire, Regency line were only about 180.

Why does it take me so long to read these now?

Its driving me nuts, because I have books piling up all over the place. They seem to multiply like rabbits in my house.

I blame it on ereaders.

I don't know what it is about them, but they have slowed down my reading.

OK, and maybe because I don't get to sit out in the sun and read as much as I did all those years ago too.

I seriously need some beach or porch or some kind of not in my house reading time ASAP

Reading Slump

I'm in a reading slump right now. I just can't focus on any real books right now. I managed to read a ebook mini on my computer. Woo hoo. I read a whopping 40 pages. I feel so proud.

I've been off work for a full week and I haven't been able to do a damn thing except watch TV and shovel snow.

Mostly all I've been trying to keep warm and trying not to kill people because a week of togetherness is too much. I love my family, but I need to a get away from them. NOW! Actually I needed to get away from them about a week ago!

On a happier note, I've done laundry, baked cookies and made dinner. So I've been semi-productive.

That is better than nothing, right?

Maybe later if I'm feeling frisky I may actually start tossing stuff out of the closet. I'm not sure what the chances are that I'll be frisky though. I think the Snowmageddon stole all my frisky and left me with a buttload of LAZY!

Randomosity

~ The Bird and The Bee covered Herman's Hermit's I'm Into Something Good. It appears on the Valentine's Day soundtrack. Very cool.

~ Still don't know when the power will be back at work. No work = no money. I have bills to pay. Losing a week's pay is not a good thing. Its relaxing, but not a good thing.

~ I'm totally loving the Harlequin website. I've won several free books from the authors and I even won a short story download. I love the word FREE! Free is very nice indeed. I'm really enjoying the Historical Undones. I can't wait to try a Nocturne Bite!

~ Whatever happened to free ecards? I wanted to send some cute V-day cards to my email buddies but all the good ones are now 99 cents. That's bogus!

~ I've totally become addicted to Facebook games this week. Facebook is the hugest time waster, but it keeps me from killing myself or the people around me, so woo hoo for time wasters.

~ The prospect of seeing Xanadu in 2 weeks is gone thanks to the snow. Damn it to hell. I should never have thought I'd get to see a show in the winter. Thankfully I wasn't foolish enough to buy tickets.

~ Had City Chicken for dinner tonight. Just an FYI, City Chicken doesn't contain chicken. Still, its very nommy!

1 Down 99 to Go

I've got one book read for the Harlequin book challenge. I'm almost finished with my second.

Woo hoo.

I know I'll make the 100 books. I hope I can make a lot more. I have so many fantastic books to make it through and I'm very excited.

I've also got scads of Ebooks to read on my computer when this room warms up enough for me to sit here for long periods of time.

Right now, I don't even like sitting in this room for more than 20 minutes.

Brrr. I don't know what it is about this room. Its one of the coldest rooms in the winter and in the summer its one of the hottest.

Yuck.

But it doesn't matter what the weather, I will at least be entertained with some good smutty novels! Woo hoo!

Book Challenge Update

I know its been a few weeks but I just thought I'd shoot out an update on how many books I've read for the Harlequin reading challenge. I'm up to 6! Woo hoo! I'm about halfway through book 7 too! Only 94 more to go! I'm really quite proud of myself for getting this many done in about 2 weeks, since I've read a few that were more than just typical cheesy romances.

This week I'm taking a break from brain books though and I'm going to be reading some fluff.

Why?

Because I feel like it.

Over the weekend I'll catch up on some of my deeper reading. Well probably not deeper, just longer novels. I've got a Jennifer Weiner (yeah poor lady that's her name) sitting on the shelf waiting to be picked up.

I really want to make it to 100 books. Its just a shame that there aren't that many days left in the year!! ARGH! I must read faster!

Book Challenge!

I've actually started to participate in the Harlequin reading challenge.

For every book I read, they'll donate one to the National Center For Family Literacy. The goal is 100,000 books this year, with personal goals around 100. Now I know it's late in the year, but I figure every bit counts, plus I read a lot, Harlequins and others.

So if you know any ladies that are online and like their romances and like to read, send them here. Taking part doesn't take up much more time than what it does to read a book and its for a really good cause!

Wonderful Tonight?

After 2 days of intense reading I finished the 300 odd page autobiography written by the ex-wife of George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

My initial thoughts now that I've put the book down run on the lines of, "Someone paid this woman to write this?"

It's not bad, in the sense that it was poorly written, but it was poorly organized. In so many parts of the book, especially after she became involved with The Beatles her narrative seemed to jump across the years, which left me rather bewildered at times.

The other thing that bothered me was how little she elaborated on her life with the Beatles. Everything is mentioned briefly with very little detail. There were no little tidbits about any of the other members of the band or their wives and children.

How can you spent that much of your life involved with these people and not mention them except almost in passing?

It seems like its almost random things that get slightly more detail, buying Friar Park and George's infidelity with Ringo's wife, though that seemed to be such a catalyst to her leaving him, that one would think it would get more than a page or so, are among a few of the highlights in the book.

If you are looking to learn anything new about the Beatles...don't bother. I'm not even sure if you want to gain insight on the life of one of the most well-known rock wives that this is a book that will impress.

In so many parts it read like..George was ignoring me...Whine...Whine...George was having affairs...Whine...Whine...Whine. And with Eric it was. Drink...drugs...other women....And Pattie? What did she do about all of this? NOTHING!

I groaned through most of the book thinking, "Lady you are worse than any Harlequin romance novel."

Yet, in the end she's a strong woman. She survived 2 marriages that were destructive emotionally. She lived through the drugs and alcohol and is still here to tell her story, even if its a rather bland one.

My advice to anyone out there that want to read this, check it out from the library. It's not worth purchasing, at least not in hardback.

I did learn a few interesting things about her sister though.

Jenny Boyd was married to Mick Fleetwood twice. She was also the inspiration for Donovan's song, Jennifer Juniper. (Blergh) I won't listen to that song in the same light now.

I think I may have to acquire George's I Me Mine now for clarity.

If You Need Me I'll Be Reading

Pattie Boyd's autobiography arrived at my house in yesterday's mail. I immediately dropped anything else that I had been reading and picked it up.

I had originally intended to take this book with me to the hospital when my mom has her pacemaker replaced next Monday, but there is no way I can wait that long, especially as everyone seems to be posting parts of it online in the various Beatles communities.

I've devoured the first few chapters yesterday, but today I'm going to really get into in, because I have very little to do other than a little grocery shopping and exercise, so for all my online stalkers/friends I may show up online, but I'm probably nowhere near the computer. I'm probably curled up somewhere outside with the book waiting to have my perceptions of my favorite Beatles (George Harrison) shattered, and giggling maniacally when Eric Clapton is hopefully trashed.

Now if you don't mind I have a date with a book and I don't want to leave it waiting.