Category Archives: Bookish Talk

Bookish Talk, Life

The Sunday Salon: Celebrating

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Sunday Salon

Happy Sunday! I am tired and happy, which is a good feeling after a wonderful weekend. The weekend started with me taking Friday off, which happened to be my birthday. I did absolutely nothing! I slept and read and that’s about it.

Saturday, we headed out to breakfast and then drove up to Ojai. It was a gorgeous, but hot day and Ojai was showing signs of drought (in a big way). We browsed the little shops and the outdoor bookstore and then just couldn’t take the heat anymore, so we piled back into the car and headed to Santa Barbara.

We shopped, had pizza, treated ourselves to McConnell’s ice cream and then we called the In-laws who happened to be staying in Santa Barbara for the weekend and they invited us to dinner! We didn’t get home until very late but it was a wonderful day.

Santa Barbara

I also bought myself a little gift, which I never do. I usually carry a backpack to work and since I work on a college campus it works but it’s bulky. I saw that Timbuk2 recently redesigned their messenger bag so… I picked one up. My biggest “if” right now is if I should return it for a small. I got a medium which fits my laptop but most days, I am not taking my laptop with me. Decisions.

Messenger Bag

What am I reading?

I am reading The Sparrow for a read along (#SparrowRAL). It’s gotten very good, but also a little strange. I am also reading The Little Friend (still). I am really loving it but I put it aside so I could catch-up with the read along.

I announced it last week but a group of us will be reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury in October (#EnterTheRingmaster). If you’d like to join us, click on the badge below for details.

Something Wicked

What am I cooking?

Uh, no food in the house (again). Sad huh? But, I am craving Chicken Tortilla soup so maybe I will hit the store to buy the ingredients I need. We are expecting rain today and tomorrow but it’s already hot and does not look like rain AT ALL. Oh my gosh. My yard really needs some water.

What am I watching?

Not much. I did watch Pacific Rim this week and it was really good. We have a free movie preview right now but nothing is on that I really want to see. We watched Funny Farm and of course, football is on right now so the TV is not mine to mess with.

What are you up to this weekend? I am trying to get The Girl up so we can go to church and then the rest of the day is a big question mark.

Bookish Talk, Challenges

R.I.P. IX – Are you in?

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RIP IX

I think a lot of us look forward to this “challenge” each year. I put challenge in quotes because even though I am the official loser at challenges, even I can do this one.

Carl over at Stainless Steel Droppings has all of the details for R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril, but in a nutshell, this is what it’s about:

  • The event runs from September 1 – October 31
  • Read or watch movies that fall into the following categories:
    • Mystery
    • Suspense
    • Thriller
    • Dark Fantasy
    • Gothic
    • Horror
    • Supernatural
  • Have fun reading and watching
  • Share that fun with others

There are lots of different challenge levels to select. Heck, there is even a level for one book to be read. Like I said, anyone can do it. Here is what I am signing up for:

Peril the Second

Peril the Second. Read two books of any length that you believe fit within the R.I.P. categories. Post reviews on the review site. I am signing up for two books but will mostly likely read more.

Peril the Screen

Peril the Screen. This is for those of us that like to watch suitably scary, eerie, mysterious gothic fare during this time of year. It may be something on the small screen or large. It might be a television show or your favorite film. If you are so inclined, please post links to any R.I.P.-related viewing you do on to the Review Site as well.

There is also a group read planned for The Haunting of Hill House this month so be sure to check it out if that is something you’re interested in as well.

Hill House read along

And then after that read along, join ours (see below)! Because, there is always time for a read along with friends. Especially one that includes a creepy carnival setting. And guess what? You can count it towards the R.I.P Challenge.

What I plan to read:

Something Wicked This Way Comes button

  • Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. If you want to join the read along, click the image above for details.
  • Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes (this one scared the heck out of Stephen King, hope I can get a copy)
  • The Little Friend by Donna Tartt (this may be a stretch but there is mystery, a hint of the supernatural, and I am getting creeped out while reading it)

What I plan to watch:

  • Halloween (I watch it every year. It is not Halloween without seeing it at least twice.)
  • Halloween II (Who can resist Jamie Lee Curtis limping around with that busted ankle?)
  • The Shining (Seen it, love it. Jack is the life of the party!)
  • (I need a new movie to watch, suggestions?)

If this sounds like fun (and it is), then head on over to Carl’s to sign up.