Random Bits of Stuff

I'm probably the last person on the planet to finally read JUST THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE by Julie James, but I finally did. Not only a very nice ending to my February reading, but I think I can just about finish her second book, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT before her new release SOMETHING ABOUT YOU makes an appearance on Tuesday.

I'm still working on my January reading list. Hopefully I'll get it posted this week and February directly after it. Reading has been interesting lately. I've purchased a few books, but have found myself turning to re-reads and my tbr tubs.

This past week I was in training. The class I attended had about 30 cops and me. I'm definitely not a cop. Whatever I thought I knew about peace officers did not come close to some of the things I learned this week. I was most struck by this thought, we don't appreciate them enough. Sure I met a couple of jerks too, but for the most part I was blown away by their dedication to serving the public. Now I'm not saying they love the public, but they are dedicated to serving and protecting us from the bad guys. I met some really good men and women this week and it was a balm to my cynical heart.

I also put up with quite a bit of good natured ribbing about working in a fire department. It appears there's a teeny tiny bit of a raw nerve about all the love people have for "America's Heroes" ...the fire fighters. It was a hoot to hear the sarcastic remarks and teasing. I may have mentioned how much I love sarcasm a time or two, haven't I?

After being away for a week I'm expecting to be really slammed this week at work. I am, however, also determined to have a life. I just get so caught up sometimes with work. It's a good thing I have sons to heap on the guilt and a patient spouse who smacks me upside of the head to remind me of a few salient facts.

You probably don't care, but I only got to swim once last week (stupid rain) and was ever so relieved to find that I didn't gain any weight while at class. All that sitting around!

GG just informed me that Canada got the win in hockey in overtime. Congratulations Canada, you hosted one hell of an Olympics and a memorable one. What an ending!

My place or yours?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have someone read your thoughts? What if that someone was your significant other? What then?

I'm talking about it today over at Access Romance's Reader's Gab. C'mon on over.

What have you done for me lately? Or the year that was 2009.

I'm doing some blogging housekeeping. This means I'm catching up on the stuff that I just can't leave undone while I get on with my blogging life.

For those of you without a feed reader, if you are interested, I finally posted my dismal December 2009 reading list and am currently working on my January 2010 list. Hey who knows maybe it will be posted before Easter.

I'm also posting some 2009 stats in this post. These are just for me. This is stuff I found interesting when I looked over my list. In all honesty, I have no format for my yearly stats, I just randomly post what jumps out at me each year.

Books read = 164

A Grades = 9 (yikes not even 10%!)

D Grades = 4

DNFs = 4

With the two opposing ends of my reading accounting for 17 of the total books I read, you can see that the vast majority of what I read falls into the wide range of B+ to C-.

I'm glad to see fewer low, low grades, because that means I'm not wasting my time reading stuff I really don't like. Better yet, I think I'm doing better about risking my hard earned dollars on books I won't like or read. In all honesty I also think this is due to having blogger buddies to help me chose well. Being able to read or contact someone you trust about a book you are interested in and getting the scoop about just plain rocks.

I bought most of my books new and had very few ARCs this year. That's probably due to my not reviewing and being as active a blogger as I used to be. I noticed that I bought quite a few trade sized books in 2009. It's always because I like the author, because frankly with my arthritis it's a huge pain holding them to read. Hmmm...let's pause for maybe-I-should-buy-an-e-reader moment...

Anyway, between trade sized paperbacks (23) and hardcovers (15) there's a whopping 38 books that I bought in a size that I don't really like to hold or read. Plus the cost. I'm mulling this over for 2010, something has to change. I've also been wondering if this is because publishers can get more $$ for trade and therefore put the books out in trade first as a compromise between hardcover and paperback? What do you think?

I think... that I'm amazed that I've actually posted twice in a single week.

From the Peanut Gallery

Sometimes you get the light bulb moment in the unlikeliest of situations when you least expect it.

Me: *sighs pathetically* I'm so out of the loop with my blog and I miss those people so much and I haven't done a book list since November... I'm so behind, I don't know where to start...

GG: Just sit down in front of your laptop and do it. Start.

Break over. I thought I'd jumped this hurdle a month ago but apparently I'm a sloooooow learner.