Simple Meme: What Book Are You Reading Now?

Here's a simple Meme...answer the following questions.

1. What Book Are You Reading Now?
2. Why did you choose it?
3. What's the best thing about it?
4. What's the worst thing about it?

Here are my answers...

1. Use of Weapons by Iain Banks
2. I am reading it as part of my paranormal romance challenge from my Goodreads.com group.
3. Discovering a brilliant new-to-me author.
4. The book doesn't really fit the "paranormal romance" parameters.
   

Kaite's Book Meme

My friend, Kaite, put together this Book Meme and another friend continued it. Since I don't like to be left out of the fun, I thought I would join in:)

1. Which book has been on your shelves the longest?
A copy of the Bible my Grandparents gave me. It still smells like smoke from my house fire but it was the one book I dragged out of that mess determined to salvage.

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?
Current Read: Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward
Last Read: Little Bee by Chris Cleve
Next Book: Doghead by Morten Ramsland

3. What book did everyone like and you hated?
I love quirky characters so everyone told me I would LOVE Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Really, not-so-much...

4. Which book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?
I have a huge list of books I want to read on amazon.com and goodreads.com but I don't have anything that I will "make" myself read. Life is too short and there are way too many great books out there. I'm not going to force myself to read something I don't want to.

5. Which book are you saving for “retirement?”
I don't precisely "save" books. I just get new ones I am dying to read and so the poor lonely formerly in-demand unread ones get stored in a to-be-read list or down in my basement.

6. Last page: read it first or wait till the end?
I don't usually read the ending first unless I am reading and am ambivalent about a book and trying to decide if I should finish it. Then I might jump around and read several sections to see if picks up.

7. Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside?
Not something I usually read but they do serve a purpose so I don't think they are a waste.

8. Which book character would you switch places with?
Amelia Peabody in the Elizabeth Peters books. I can't think of anything more cool than being a Victorian explorer in Egypt with all of those discoveries left to find.

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)?
Black Beauty and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I remember reading them over and over again on a road trip to Washington D.C. with my family when I was in 5th or 6th grade.

10. Name a book you acquired in some interesting way.
Does getting large shipments of books from the publisher every week for the last three years to support my book award reading count as interesting?

11. Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person?
Every book I give to someone (not counting a few lately) has been a book that I put a lot of thought into. I try very hard to give people what they want, not what I want.

12. Which book has been with you to the most places?
No one book. I always travel with new-to-me books that I leave scattered behind me like confetti, just waiting to be found by a new reader.

13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad ten years later?
Not really.

14. What is the strangest item you’ve ever found in a book?
One of my staff found bacon in a book but I can't say that I have ever found anything that unusual.

15. Used or brand new?
I don't care. As long as they don't smell funny or look too grimy, I don't much care what kind of shape the book is in. It's all about the words, baby!

16. Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses?
I am keeping Gretchen's answer on this one. "Can't he be both?"

17. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?
Jaws

18. Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid?
There are so many, where to start? Ummm...Dune was pretty darn awful.

19. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?
The two people with the closest taste in books to me are Gretchen and my sister and I almost always like what they are reading. Kaite, on the other hand, has very different taste but she has mad librarian readers advisory skillz, so when she is wearing her RA hat I always listen.

Well...I do have a few ideas...

You Should Be a Politician

Confident, assertive, and dedicated - you know what you want in life and how to get it. Stubborn and opinionated, you can stand your ground... even if it's unpopular. And while you have strong views, you never overwhelm people with your opinions. A true charmer, you subtly influence people into seeing things your way. You do best when you: - Work according to your own rules - Can change the world with what you do You would also be a good lawyer or talk show host.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

Books & Books Meme

What was the last book you bought? Bought? I don't buy books, they just appear in the mail...day after day after day. Help! I'm drowning in books.

Name a book you have read MORE than once: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it? Every book changes the way I see life. I don't reacognize the effects but they all do.

How do you choose a book? By the pretty cover, the review, because I like the author, because a friend who has similar taste in books liked it, because it is assigned reading, because I am on a book award committee and must read or die...Take your pick.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction? Depends on the subject. I tend to gravitate toward fiction but love anything to do with Victorian woman explorers, archeology, brain research....

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot? The books that stay with me are the ones with "beautiful" writing or at least the most memorable descriptions.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book) I have always been fond of Amelia Peabody from the mystery series by Elizabeth Peters. The author has her PhD in Egyptology and has patterned her character after Amelia Edwards, Victorian Archeologist.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment? Life and Death are Wearing Me Out: A Novel by Mo Yan

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it? Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michio Kaku

Have you ever given up on a book half way in? Sure. Many. Reading is not a test or an endurance activity. Reading should be a joy.

from Bea's Weblog by Bea

All Right! Rock on!!

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Friday Meme

This explains a lot about my life.

18 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

108 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Book Meme

I was thinking of doing Bea's Meme because it is all about books but then I looked at the questions. In true INFJ fashion, I ended up writing paragraphs with all of the additions, exceptions and variables that could be included in each answer. This made it absolutely impossible to match to different pictures so you will just have to use your imagination.

1. Favourite author: In which genre? Which day? Which mood? This is like trying to figure out your favorite family member...impossible!

2. Favourite book: See question #1

3. Favourite poem: "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

4. Favourite genre: I like everything but have never been able to embrace Horror.

5. Favourite non-fiction category: Egyptian archaeology

6. Favourite book as a child: Preschool: Green Eggs and Ham Grade School: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Black Beauty Tween: Swiss Family Robinson and The Witch of Blackbird Pond Teen: No one favorite but I seem to remember reading a lot of Danielle Steel and Zane Gray during those years.

7. What book are you reading now: A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932 by John Richardson and Beautiful Children by Charles Bock

8. Favourite fictional character: I still like Ramona (of Ramona the Brave fame). I wish I was still that fearless.

9. Worst book you’ve read: Define "read". Do you mean books I have finished or books I have thrown across the room and refused to finish? Do you only mean published books? What about book manuscripts that authors asked for opinions on? Define "worst". Most poorly written? Not to my taste? Most repugnant hero/heroine? Worst editing?

10. A book that changed your life: Every book I have read has changed my life in large and small ways. I developed sympathy and empathy, respect for other cultures and religions, depth and breadth of knowledge, my ability to think critically, my questioning nature...from reading.

11. A movie that is better than the book: Every James Patterson.

12. Most disappointing adaption from a book: Every other movie from a book.

My creation2

My creation2
Originally uploaded by A Librarian.

The concept:

1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

2. Using only the first page of results, and pick one image.

3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab's Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.

The questions:

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food? right now?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. What is your favorite drink?

7. What is your dream vacation?

8. What is your favorite dessert?

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. What is one word that describes you?

12. What is your flickr name?

First seen on Average Jane's page.

Evilness incarnate

How evil are you?

Read em and weep XO baby!

Movie Meme

Thanks Average Jane for the latest way to goof off at work and yes, because I am bored I picked more than my 15 alloted movies.

Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
Post them on your blog for everyone to guess. Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed.

The Rules
Leave guesses in the comments.
No Googling or using IMDB search functions. Don’t cheat, suckas!
Don't look at the "About Me" section of blogger.
Know-it-alls, limit your guesses to three movies.

The Quotes

1. I had two heart attacks, an abortion, did crack... while I was pregnant. Other than that, I'm fine.
2. Think anybody fucking touches Johnny Depp's face?
3. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about. (Average Jane - Best of Show)
4. I'm the top banana of the shock department!
5. How extravagant you are, throwing away women like that. Some day they may be scarce.
6. It's like that book I read in the 9th grade that said "'tis a far far better thing doing stuff for other people."
7. Highly sexed young men living on farms are always called Seth or Reuben.
8. I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. (Keith Sader - Dogma)
9. Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer! (Keith Sader - Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
10. We could call a limo! One of those stretch jobs with the TV and the bar. How about that?
11. I'll be right back, take your clothes off.
12. You shouldn't hang me on a hook, Johnny. My father hung me on a hook once. Once! (Keith Sader - Johnny Dangerously)
13. Yes! Yes! I'm here! My - my chest is constricted! I can't shout! (Average Jane - The Money Pit)
14. All I got to do now is find a one-legged nun walking a goat and I win.
15. Oh, my life is like death. My children are the spawn of hell, and you're the devil. (BCK - Overboard)
16. I would like a nice, powerful, mind-altering substance. Preferably one that will make my unborn children grow gills. (Pinky - Party Girl)
17. There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours. (Keith Sader - The Princess Bride)
18. I love legal - it's all men!
19. He keeps putting his testicles all over me. (Keith Sader - Better Off Dead)
20. Are you a lesbian? Leslie says that nine out of ten prostitutes are lesbians.
21. This movie was shot in 3B - three beers - and it looks good, eh?
22. I hope she didn't hear that. The dead have a way of coming back you know.
23. I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up. (Nuke - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
24. You know, I don't think I've got it in me to shoot my flatmate, my mum, and my girlfriend all in the same night. (Average Jane and Keith Sader - Shaun of the Dead)
25. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?

Another little procrastination technique

I saw this on Bea's Weblog and felt the need to take because well, I am a sucker for personality test and because I am supposed to be working on a couple of employee evaluations right now.


My Personality

Neuroticism	14
Extraversion	38
Openness to Experience	82
Agreeableness	89
Conscientiousness	76

You rarely get angry and it takes a lot to make you angry, however you are not generally self conscious about yourself. You tend not to talk much and prefer to let others control the activities of groups. You prefer facts over fantasy and are more interested in what is happening in the real word. You find helping other people genuinely rewarding and are generally willing to assist those who are in need. You find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfillment rather than self-sacrifice, however you are willing to take credit for good things that you do but you don't often talk yourself up much. You take your time when making decisions and will deliberate on all the possible consequences and alternatives.

Take a Personality Test now or view the full Personality Report. PureAwakening Jewelry.

Huh....

I am 64% Evil Genius.

Evil courses through my blood. Lies and deceit motivate my evil deeds. Crushing the weaklings and idiots that do nothing but interfere in my doings.

Take the
Evil Genius Test
@ FualiDotCom

Since I am a librarian and we all know that librarians are all about world domination, I thought my score would be higher.

Book Meme

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pgs.)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people


As luck would have it, the nearest book to me is The Book of Dave by Will Self which has the longest sentences I have seen in a while. In the interest of keeping this readable I grabbed the book that was 2nd closest to me, Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Sentences six, seven, and eight on page 123 are as follows:

Collette Turbot went and found it was just her and Dunwoody.
He told her to pose topless in his darkroom so he could photograph her.
Collette Turbot said, I don't think so , sir.

If others want to do it, it always fun to see what people are reading.

pangram

pangram
Originally uploaded by A Librarian.

I was tagged by Bea, so I've quickly thrown together a photograph taken with my cell phone. I can't seem to find my real camera anywhere so you will all just have to suffer.

1. Choose a pangram of your liking.
2. Write it on a piece of paper and sign it with your blog name or online handle.
3. Take a picture and post it to the flickr group, your blog, myspace, facebook or all of them.
4. Link back or trackback to Logtar’s post.
5. Tag five people.
You will notice that no one is tagged. That is because I procrastinated and everyone picked their teams before I could. Anyone reading this who has not been tagged...you're it.

Meme

It's been a couple of days since Spyder tagged me but I finally have time to work on it so here is my quirk list...

The Rules:
a. list seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself
b. tag seven people to do the same
c. do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it"

My Quirks:
1. I owned and showed American Quarter Horses when I was younger. I have been bucked off, kicked, stepped on and bitten by horses and I still unconditionally love them, which I guess is proof that love is not rational.
2. I haven't watched TV in over two years although I still watch movies.
3. Every year when the Oscar nominees are announced I try to watch them all, even the documentary shorts. Some of my friends have pointed out that I am a wee bit obsessive about this.
4. I own two tiara's and I wear them at least once a year.
5. I have been to more than one shoe museum in my lifetime. What can I say, I really like shoes.
6. I keep my top friend list on myspace alphabetized and it makes me a little crazy when they change their name.
7. I like all kinds of music but I will love hard rock and metal forever.

And my tags are: Expat-Experience, Average Jane, Bea and her charming husband, Logtar, Kansas City Daily Photo, Well Hell Michelle and Keith (since Janet didn't post her's fast enough.)