Green Room - Week 28 - Day 6

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I spent most of yesterday finishing Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart. The last part of the book really got to me and really had me in a melancholy mood most of the day.

It's really good. But stirred up some stuff that needed to be processed.

Oddly enough, the main character is obsessed with books, in a world where they are relics. The fact that I checked this out of the library, due to the resurgence of it in my life, didn't escape me. Maybe I'm longing for that time as well.

After all, I practically grew up in a library! I was fortunate enough to be able to go to work with my Mom during my pre-school years, and even more fortunate that she was a librarian. So, I got to wander around the children's department all day, finding new friends on every shelf.

It's one those periods in your life that sticks with you forever.

I kept that love into adulthood, but - for whatever reason, it faded. I no longer felt a connection to that place.

Maybe it was falling in love with a woman who loves the library as much as I used to - or maybe it was just getting to spend some time there that was enough to rekindle it. Maybe it just the right time to come back into the fold of people who come in for something other than to ask how to turn on the computer! ;)

Whatever it was, I'm glad that it happened, and I hope that it will continue.

The next two books in my stack: I Am an Executioner: Love Stories from Rajesh Parameswaran and Long Way Back:A Novel by Brendan Halpin

(for those following the "books that Gary might be recommending, but check back with him later, after he has read them")

Thank you to all the numerous librarians out there in Idol-land. I know you are many. Thank you for continuing to fight the good fight.

***

For those who want to "fight the good fight" in Idol - the contestant only poll is still open, and still very much anyone's game: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/570851.html so, if you are a current contestant, you should get over there and select your favorites, and send that list to me!

Comments

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

You're *DEAD* to me!

cookies!

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

For those who might want a poll to refresh:
http://n3m3sis42.livejournal.com/1097352.html

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I am reading more on my kindle because I can adjust the text size so when my eyes are tiered I can make it bigger being nearsighted.
I posted another part to Dragon Prime today for them that are interested.

[unmowngrass.livejournal.com]

I just have my ereader on the largest setting all the time. Annoying because of turning pages more often, but I find it makes reading effortless and therefore more enjoyable

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look into those books. Though it's been so long since I've had lots of time to read....

I'm at the emergency vet tonight. He offered to give a second opinion for free since my vet was a little unsure of why Annabelle's flesh is rotting on her foot. He seems to think that as long as I'm aggressive in care (tapping every last dime I have in the process), that she will likely survive this. There's a chance she won't though and I'm a terrified pet mama. He seems to think she might lose a toe or part of her foot at most, but that overall she should be fine.

It's sad when hearing she could lose a toe and I'm relieved that's all. After today, I really thought my puppy was dying. She still might lose a leg... But let's hope not.

So there's where I'm at with things. Java is here with me so I'm not totally alone. I think we should be released to go home soon. I'll try to read and vote tomorrow guys. My world needs to stand still for 10 minutes.

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

Prayers go out to you both.
I know how you feel.
having spent a night with a kitten after a head ingury. I know all about that worry (particularly as my mother almost buried the kitten thinking it dead)

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

I've actually read Long Way Back. I'd love to spend more time at the library, but it's tough squeezing in the trip when I always have a bunch of hooligan.. Children with me. Perhaps we will make better use of it during the summer.

Im going to bed soon, but
Was keeping myself awake for one final dose of Tylenol so that
I don't wake up unable to move without pain. At least that's the plan!

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since I had time to read, for fun or otherwise.

I can't stay long -- I've got an early day tomorrow, and I'm scheduled to see a retina specialist about my vision issue late in the afternoon. I'm more than a little nervous...

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Breathe deeply :)

[millysdaughter.livejournal.com]

**I** love the library.

[sweeny-todd.livejournal.com]

I love books. LOVE them. having the hard copy in my hand. this has been an interesting arena to naviagate, as a lot of the manga I read is available only in digital form. *sad* that just isn't what I am into.

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

I am never eating pizza again.

The sister-in-law wanted to go to Fuel tonight. I took a hardcore antacid before we left, as my GI doctor recommended. We got white pizza, hopefully the most inoffensive kind. I only ate three slices.

And then around 11:15 or so the discomfort came. Yep. But I immediately took more antacids, Tylenol PMs, my PPI pill, and I ate cereal 30 minutes after the PPI pill.

It seems to have worked. I feel all right. Am now going to bed - it's late and I did take Tylenol PM. ;)

Oh, and I'm also putting my foot down. No more pizza. It may have been my staple food for over a decade, but I can't take the effects of it now. Also I told the spousal person that he really needs to help me control both my eating speed and my portion sizes, that I can't do it alone. I don't know why I eat so fast.

Anyway. All tired. Sent in my votes. Going to bed. I hope I can read things that aren't Idol entries and reply to various non-Idol posts and PMs tomorrow. I hate feeling like I'm neglecting my friends.

*hugs* to everyone.

And if I go out this week, ain't no thing. I have plans! Not a new Sims story, but instead editing my stories and writing some new ones and perhaps self-publishing a collection of stories, and then - then I may try to write 10, the story of Seth when he was 15, as a novel and self-publish it too, especially if the story collection does halfway decently. :)

Edited to add - the spousal person works at the library. The branch he's at now isn't as hardcore, but he used to work at the one downtown. He's seen people handcuffed and dragged from the library by multiple cops. So yeah. Ya'll better stay quiet in the library, or the police will come make sure you're quiet! ;)

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

I voted too!

And I really really don't want to go out this week, but if I do I'll probably write some more of the story I've been working on for my last 2 LJI posts. I'm going to revisit it eventually either way, but probably not as more LJI posts.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

I'll jump on the book recommendation bandwagon - my all-time favorite is The Secret History by Donna Tartt. A college student at a Bennington-like school gets in with an elite and eccentric group of students studying ancient Greek. It's dark :)

And I'm asking for feedback on some proposed writers' retreats in the fall - feel free to weigh in on what you'd want to do at a retreat and how much you think it should cost, over here - http://whipchick.livejournal.com/15055.html

[kickthehobbit.livejournal.com]

oh God, I just read that book about a month ago, it is like crack in that you can't put it down, like, even to pee.

[kickthehobbit.livejournal.com]

Hallo Green Room!

I fought the good fight and now I am fighting the better fight and having fun sending flirty messages to someone whom I'm hoping is going to end up being my girlfriend.

:D

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! I hope that goes well. :)

[porn-this-way.livejournal.com]

RAWR. BRAINZ. I R ZOMBIE.

This stupid school year just needs to GTFO and be over. I've been, like, spinning in little stressball circles for the past two weeks, and there is SO MUCH I HAVE TO GET DONE AND OMG, and if I have to work late one more day this week I'mma go on a Godzilla style rampage and there will be no survivors and RAAAWWWR!

Clearly, the best solution to this problem is not to go to bed at a reasonable hour and attempt to organize my time, but rather to stay up until ass-thirty at night whining about it in the green room. NATURALLY.

[/practical genius]

Okay, sleepytiemz now >_>

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I only look like I walked out of a George A. Romarro film. Honist I have no intention of eating anyone. Promise.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

I started reading the new Sookie Stackhouse book tonight. This after spending a hunk of today reworking part of my novel, because whipchick is a goddess and has inspired me.

so. I have the book mojo today, and I grew up in libraries too. I miss me some card catalogs.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Yay writing!!

[basric.livejournal.com]

If you are in a rush I think these especially deserve a read and vote. Have a look and read for yourself.

alycewilson
armyandleg
beldarzfixon
copyright1983
halfshellvenus
jacq22
javafiend
karmasoup
m_malcontent
medleymisty
myrnabird
mstrobel
rattsu
whipchick
yachiru

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the shout-out :) Haven't finished my reading yet, but definitely second the motion on frecklestars!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I've been known to practically live in the library. I try to get books out of the one in the next town, though, because they let you keep said book(s) for 4 weeks unless it's on the "New" list. My town library has 2 weeks maximum on everything. You really don't want to know how much I've owed them in fines :D

The last book I read was an expose on Sybil, the woman who had multiple personalities. Sally Field played her in the TV movie ages ago. "Sybil" was real, but, if the expose is to be believed, she was exploited beyond belief both by the psychiatrist and the woman who wrote the book.

I've just barely started reading entries. My last day off was maybe last Wednesday? I come home and it's all I can do to eat without falling asleep.

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I'm not very far along reading, either.

We do four weeks, and it can be renewed online. The "renew" feature is the single biggest reason that I don't owe my library money right now, lol. Also they always have a canned goods drive where certain fines can be paid in nonperishable foods, one item for every dollar of the fine, so I pay them off that way when I get them -- much cheaper! :)

[rattsu.livejournal.com]

SO STRESSED!

Why? Because I am flying to London tomorrow for the MCM expo where I will meet up with tons of online friends and one awesome writing collaborator and won't be back until monday evening. Yeeees... if I survive this, next turn's gonna be crazy. But as long as it is not an intersection I might make it work.

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

Have a great time!

[jacq22.livejournal.com]

I love my little library, we live in a small town, but we have a great service, kind helpful people, and they encourage 'literary occaisions' often have authors along for a night or lunch.
We borrow art magazine, local history, talking books on discs for the car journeys, and I think there is nothing better than a day spent browsing..... we also have a Kindle but that's for quick buying of recent publications at a small cost, and reading in bed. Love books. Reading erotica at the moment, "50 shades of Grey." and a real life thing on Obama.

[myrna-bird.livejournal.com]

I am also reading Fifty Shades of Grey. I already plan to get the sequels. I blush at some of it but am learning a lot! Ha ha ha. Oh, if I was only 50 years younger!!!

[p-m-cryan.livejournal.com]

My dad took us kids to the library every Saturday. In my early days, that would mean five of us... that number would expand to seven by the time I was twelve.

One of my earliest pieces in LJ Idol was about going to the library.

Now I own a bookstore.

Some days I feel like a relic. Other days, I'm King of the World.

I'm in the midst of reading three books concurrently, as is my wont. They are: THE BOY WHO COULD MAKE HIMSELF DISAPPEAR by Kin Platt [my bedside book]; THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE by Paul Gallico [my bathtub book, and yes, I'm enjoying the irony]; and DISCOUNT ARMAGGEDON by Seanan McGuire [my living room book].

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

I actually LOL at the thought of reading The Poseidon Adventure in the bathtub :)

[mstrobel.livejournal.com]

I've actually read another book by Brendan Halpin, called 'Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom'. It was pretty good :D

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

Not having a poll to refresh is really getting to me right now! Ay yi yi.

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

I know, right? Especially when I've been home in bed for most of this week!

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

Does anybody else here (who's still listening in on the Green Room after it's been up for a while) find books screw with their sleep schedule? When I like a book enough, I will NOT put it down even if obtaining a full night's sleep is a more sensible option. Reading > sense, right?

Also, I think this icon is rather appropriate for today's post. ^_^

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

Yup, that definitely happens to me. :D

[yachiru]

I work at a library! We're not allowed to read when we work though. >_> I love the YA genre, I think some of the best books have come out of the recent boom in publishing/movie making of those series.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Agreed!

[drjeff.livejournal.com]

Hey, babies. I'm continuing to try and emerge from my cave of the last month. The tooth-hole is feeling a bit better today, which is lovely, and I've got one more client to see and then I'm off until next week. Summer schedule is lovely.

Hey, I have a legitimate, or semi-legitimate, question to ask. You are, of course, free to ignore it, given that it is ALL ABOUT ME.

Here's the query: I know that I often do pretty well in the polls, but I never see myself on anyone's rec lists. I'm starting to wonder if I'm in some sort of weird groove where I write something that appeals to the masses on some levels, but isn't thought of as all that notable. Like I'm Tom Clancy-ing LJ Idol or something.

Ideas? I'm open to the good and the bad... I'm asking because I'm truly curious, and I promise I'm not asking for some instrumental reason.

In other news, much love to all. Thanks for keeping me around. Sometimes I feel like that uncle who only shows up to Thanksgiving every 3-4 years. :)

[drjeff.livejournal.com]

Frist on Page Two! LOL

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

I need some ideas for a Memorial Day article for Yahoo! Movies. I am NOT interested in war movies, since I've written two such articles already. The suggestions from my editor include: Real-life veterans who turned to acting; Best barbecues on film for Memorial Day weekend; Start off summer with great outdoors movies; or Movies marking the last day of school. Of these, "Great Outdoors Movies" sounds most promising, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please mention which idea your suggestion would relate to.

My deadline is tomorrow at noon, so I'll have to write it late tonight.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Great Outdoors - or summer camp movies! Or movies that celebrate summer?

The Parent Trap (the remake)
500 Days of Summer

Great Outdoors I'm thinking of Deliverance and that one about the guy who lived with bears and then the bears ate him... maybe not what you're looking for.