January Book Tally

I'm going to do a book tally month instead of every six months.

Geektastic edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci 
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
On The Prowl by Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance, Sunny
Good Neighbors Vol 1 by Holly Black
Good Neighbors Vol 2 by Holly Black
Simple Country Wisdom by Susan Waggoner

I read 8 books this month. Not bad. I finished 2 books off my Fill In The Gaps list. I've started Thank You for Smoking but I won't finish it by the end of the weekend.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Again I went browsing on the shelves. But I was very glad to find the latest David Sedaris novel, When You Are Engulfed In Flames. I love his other books so I can't wait to dive into this one.
Last night I finished The Triumph of Deborah and my review can be found on the Fill In The Gaps blog. 
I'm participating in a book swap (chain letter style). Email me if you want more information.
What did you get this week?

Movie Meme

Cause I feel the need to post but can't think of something to post, here's my movie meme.

Movie That Always Makes Me Cry-The Last Unicorn

When I hear the song, I get teary eyed.

Movie That Reminds Me Of My Childhood-The Fox And The Hound

I adored this movie when I was a kid. I watched it everytime it was on tv. Then when it was released on VHS I asked my parents to buy it for me and I watched it some more.

Movie That Makes Me Laugh Out Loud Every time-European Vacation
 
I love Chevy Chase. I choose this scene because of Eric Idle. "It's just a flesh wound!"

Movie I Can Recite All The Worlds To-Robin Hood:Prince of Thieves

I've probably seen this movie over 1000 times. I was in love with Kevin Costner (despite his terrible accent) back then. Plus Christian Slater, so dreamy back then.

Favorite Disney Movie- Beauty & The Beast

I heard this is going to be re-released this year to the theaters.

Movie I Want To See-Valentine's Day

Would you look at that cast? Who isn't in this movie? I'll be getting the girls together for this one.

Paper Storage

When I went to Ikea last weekend I was planning on buying these:

These were going to fix my paper (both important documents and scrapbook/craft paper) problems. But they didn't have them and I cannot buy them online. Damn you, Ikea. Now I have to go back. Damn :)

Fancy Clothes

Recently I been invited to some events where I should have been dressed up. My dress up, going out clothes part of my wardrobe has shrunk. Partly cause I wasn't going out anymore and partly cause I gained some weight. I've been looking for more pretty clothes like these:

Pretty Going Out Clothes by honeylin on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Love Story Dress in Astral Blue - New Arrivals, $158
Icon Plus Size Black Lace Wrap Party Dress designed by Kiyonna, $138
Blue Velvet Loop Silk Blouse (Plus) - Nordstrom, $78
Avenue.com and JessicaLondon.com, $150
Avenue.com and JessicaLondon.com, $110

Happy Friday! If you'd like to ask me a question, go here.

We're Gleeks!

In the fall when the new shows come out I heard people talking about Glee. OMG, you've got to watch it, they told me. I asked what it was about but no one told me. Just watch it. But I didn't watch it. Months later in December, I decided to see what the fuss was about. I went to hulu.com and watched episode 6. Completely confused, I decided that I needed to see episode one. It wasn't on hulu anymore so I did a little digging and found the first episode. When they sang Don't Stop Believing, I was tearing up, begging Tai to buy the DVD for Christmas for me.

Tai reluctantly bought it for me and sat down to watch it with me. Tai didn't want to like this show. He was very opposed to me watching. But you guessed it. He loves Glee. Everyone one he meets, he tells them about Glee. He posts about Glee on Facebook. He's studied up on all the cast members. He's trying to be top Gleek. He's seen the first 13 episodes at least 4 times now. If you come to our house he will make you watch the first episode at least. And if we can't watch Glee, he'll want to listen to his current favorite song:

He really likes Kurt's version. He got Jeff into Glee to and Jeff got the 2 CDs of Glee music. See we're gleeks. And yes, Tai's a little OCD. Next month he'll move off Glee to something else though.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

 

I had no holds come in this week so I did something I usually don't do-I browsed the shelves! So dangerous. I came home with 3 books that I had on my tbr list when I have 5 other library books to read at home! This is why I don't browse. My hold list usually keeps me pretty busy.

Juliet, Naked is Hornby's latest. I've never read his books (seen the movies based on the books though), so I'll give this one a try. I read about  A Guide to the Birds of East Africa on Marg's blog and was pleased to find it at the library. I picked up Home Safe since I enjoyed The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted also by Berg. Plus I love the cover!

I finished On The Prowl this morning. It was good but I think I need to stop reading anthologies. Just introduces me to new writers and new characters I want to read more about! A sure way to increase my tbr list!

What did you get this week?

Chicken Fried Rice

I've been craving chicken fried rice. I had some leftover rice and I made extra chicken the other day. I used this recipe to start but kind of played with it.

I tossed in some frozen peas and carrots, chicken, and green onion. Very satisfying and quick meal.

Sucess At Ikea

So I've been at a standstill with the unpacking and organizing of our place. We have so much more space but I didn't have enough storage space-shelves and such. I met a friend over the weekend at Ikea to see what I found. And I found something for the dining room to get some more storage.
I can't believe it but I'm going to show you the before picture!

I had fun in Picnik.

 

I bought this lovely wire rack in the as is section of Ikea (my favorite part of Ikea). I've freed up so much space in the kitchen by getting all that stuff out. All those pantry items were taking up valuable counter space.
There's still crap in the dining room but it feels a little more organized. I also bought this lamp but haven't put it together. I'm thinking I'll put it in the living room.

How Old Are Your Socks?

Yesterday morning, I pulled on a pair of black socks. I noticed that they were a little faded. Then I realized that I've probably own that pair of socks since scrunchies were popular. I rarely buy socks. When I was younger I did but now socks seem so expensive. You know why? Cause I love ones like these:

$21 a pair! And no they aren't cashmere, just nylon. Or these:

Slightly more affordable at $6 on sale.  But still $6 for one pair of socks. I need more than one pair and I wear black ones the most. I can't be washing socks everyday.

I tend to buy socks on sale and sometimes they aren't the colors I need. Do you have a go to place for socks? I like knee highs the best.

Fettuccine Noodles with Chicken, Artichokes and Kalamata Olives

In December I won Peanut Butter Fingers giveaway for Carb Nada Pasta. I was super excited since I love pasta and Tai would like us to limit our carbs. I try but I love carbs. I was looking for to trying the Carb Nada pasta since it might be a good compromise for us.
For my first use, I tried the lemon pepper fettuccine noodles. I top it with chicken, artichokes and kalamata olives. Tai was suspicious that the noodles weren't going to be any good so I used his favorites to help him along :)

Yum. If you didn't know you would think this was regular pasta. The lemon pepper flavor was subtle. I have tried the regular pasta but not the roasted garlic yet. I'm keeping my eye for this in the store. I would definitely make this my go to pasta.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

 

First we have Thank You For Smoking for The Fill In The Gaps challenge. I've wanted to read it since I saw the movie. I read about Eve: A Novel of The First Woman on Wandeca Reads.  I love books about women of the Bible. It looks good. I can't wait to read it.

I had a little readathon of my own over the weekend and I finish a few books. I finished The Good Neighbors Vols 1&2. I enjoyed both of them very much and I can't wait til the 3rd comes out. I also finished Simple Country Wisdom. At the beginning I felt really guilty. I rather watch tv than vacuum and I don't line dry my clothes. But then there were chapters on cooking and baking which were full of good tips. I wish I could write out all the great tips but there are tips on Country Living website like kitchen tips, home storage tips, and tips for cleaning. I  would give this book to a new homeowner or to newlyweds.

What did you get this week?

Review-Geektastic edited by Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci

Description

Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside)and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.
With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!

I discovered Geektastic while searching the library database for The Good Neighbors, also by Holly Black.  Since I consider myself a geek, I had to read it. As with all anthologies there are hits and misses. The book starts off with a great one-Once You Are A Jedi, You're A Jedi All The Way-the story of what happens when a Klingon and a Jedi hook up. Very cute story with some great characters and references. One Of Us is another great story with lots of Buffy and Star Trck references. For me it's all about the references. If I don't know what they are referring to I get lost easily. And since I tend to be a movie, tv, and book geek, a lot of game references go over my head. I had to ask Tai to help me out a few times since he falls into the game geek category.
But the best part of the stories were the little comics at the end of each short story. Those were always a hit for me. I learned important Klingon phrases, how to identify the living dead, and how to tell if your dice are lucky or not.

I enjoyed getting my geek on. For the most part the stories were fun and enjoyable. Recommended. Other reviews can be found at Our Reality Is Purely Coincidental..., Reversing The Monotony, and The Ninja Librarian. 

Waterfall Garden

If I told you there is a waterfall in the middle of downtown Seattle, you might not believe me right? Well I pictures to prove it :)
Last week I took a couple of days off work. I think it's criminal to work on your birthday if you don't have to. I headed to Pioneer Square to meet Ashley for lunch at Salumi but I had sometime to kill. The Waterfall Garden is around the corner so I froze my butt off for a bit. But I think it was worth it to get some fabulous pictures of the best places in Seattle.

 

 

I love finding the unexpected in the ordinary. Pioneer Square isn't a place I regularly go to much but when I do I make it a point to see my favorite waterfall. 

Laptop Bags

My work recently issued us all laptops. They gave us bags as well. But my bag only fits the laptop and its accessories, nothing else. I don't want to schlep my laptop in one bag and my purse, lunch and a book in another bag. I'm looking for an all in one sort of bag.

A few of my coworkers have opted for the backpack model like this one. Probably the most back friendly but the least attractive option to me. I hated carrying a backpack in college and used shoulder bags and such instead.

I definitely prefer messenger bags. I feel safer with them. My current one looks similar to this one but is all black and not as cute.

I like this one although it looks like I should be headed to the Outback not to work. But it seems to have multiple pockets which might eliminate my other problems-where to store my book, my wallet and iPhone.
For those of you who take your laptop to and fro what do you use/recommend?

Asian Pork Roast

Has pork and beef roasts been incredibly cheap for everyone else? I've been able to get them for about $1 per pound.  To me that's an excellent deal so I've been stocking up. I love pulled pork, stews, and pot roasts. I'll be happy eating those everyday. Tai not so much. So I've been looking for ways to use it (in my crockpot) that might be more appealing to Tai. Enter Asian Pork Roast.

Very easy to make and I had all the ingredients on hand. The sauce was yummy and I enjoyed it over rice. Tai like it too and even eat all the leftovers. I would make it again and perhaps use the pork in a ramen without the sauce.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

 

Quite a bit of reloot today. First up is Skinwalker. I think I first got this late last year. We are in the midst of many a series and I have trouble starting a new one right now. If Tai doesn't read it this time around I'll hold off on getting it again. I knew we were both intrigued by Jane Yellowrock's character in Strange Brew, so we'll read it at some point. Stolen is the second in Women of The Otherworld series. I am excited to read this one. I wanted to read it when we had it before but time slipped by. Sometimes a month is not enough time to read a book! Next we have Simple Country Wisdom which I heard about from Staci. And The Gathering Storm is for Tai as he is trying to read the Wheel of Time series. It's one huge book so he didn't get around to finishing it.

What did you get this week?

Winner!

So using random.org, I arrived at our winner.

Linda!

And I'm so happy for Linda and her hubby expecting their first little one! And they now have some lovely wall art.
Send me an email Linda and I'll get you in touch with the fine folks at CSN.

Review-Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichés, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters. The godlike inhabitants of Elantris, once the capital of the land of Arelon, have degenerated into powerless, tortured souls, unable to die, after the city's magic inexplicably broke 10 years earlier. When the same curse strikes Prince Raoden of Arelon and he's imprisoned in Elantris, he refuses to surrender to his grim fate and instead strives to create a society out of the fallen and to unlock the secret that will restore the city's glory. Meanwhile, Princess Sarene of Kae (Arelon's new capital), who was betrothed to Raoden sight unseen, believes her intended has died. Officially declared his widow, she must use her political savvy and wit to protect Kae from malevolent forces without and within the city, chiefly Hrathen, a leader of the creepy Shu-Dereth faith, who aims to either convert Kae or destroy it within three months. The intrigue and excitement grow steadily in this smoothly written, perfectly balanced narrative; by the end readers won't want to put it down. As the blurb from Orson Scott Card suggests, Sanderson is a writer to watch.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I decided to read this book after seeing it on Vanilla Joy's blog.  She said it was a must read! And I agree.
The story starts out with a princess arriving in her new country to marry the prince. The princess, Sarene, asked the prince, Raoden, to marry her to strengthen the alliance between their 2 countries. It is a political marriage but Sarene believes she might love Raoden since he seems to be ok with her strong personality. But when Sarene arrives she finds out that Raoden has died. Sarene decides to stay in her new country to help protect it from a religious movement set on destroying all other religions.
This is a huge book. Just over 600 pages it was definitely a departure for me. I usually read shorter easier reads. This book sucks you and requires diligent reading. No half assing it here. Sanderson creates a marvelous world full of intriguing characters. I really had to sit down and read. It took me longer to read it since I couldn't fly through pages. It's dense. But in a good way.
Recommended for fans of fantasy and magic. Also reviewed by Heartless Gamer,  A Fantasy Reader, and The Adventures of the Book Minstrel.