Wish List

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

The Bookseller of Kabul -

Synopsis

With The Bookseller of Kabul, award-winning journalist Asne Seierstad has given readers a first-hand look at Afghani life as few outsiders have seen it. Invited to live with Sultan Khan, a bookseller in Kabul, and his family for months, this account of her experience allows the Khans to speak for themselves, giving us a genuinely gripping and moving portrait of a family, and of a country of great cultural riches and extreme contradictions.

For more than 20 years, Sultan Khan has defied the authorities—whether Communist or Taliban—to supply books to the people of Kabul. He has been arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned, and has watched illiterate Taliban soldiers burn piles of his books in the street. Yet he had persisted in his passion for books, shedding light in one of the world's darkest places. This is the intimate portrait of a man of principle and of his family—two wives, five children, and many relatives sharing a small four-room house in this war ravaged city. But more than that, it is a rare look at contemporary life under Islam, where even after the Taliban's collapse, the women must submit to arranged marriages, polygamous husbands, and crippling limitations on their ability to travel, learn and communicate with others.


Jennifer Rardin series Jaz Parks -

Synopsis

Jaz Parks here. I. Am. Pissed. Just as Vayl and I arrive in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact, he wakes up calling me by another woman's name. And it's not even a good one. But since any form of argument transforms him into an unholy terror, I'm forced to play along until the gang and I can figure out what kind of power has so vastly altered his perceptions.

So it's time for me to do what any well-trained assassin in my position might do. I attack. What follows is a hair-raising, breath-taking bullet train ride to the finish as the crew battles on multiple fronts. I now know what I have to do - I must return to hell one last time.

What's on your wishlist?

I'm so lonely, oh so lonely

I never realized just how much I used my family to fill the voids in my life. Moving away has been such an eye opening experience to all the ways I fill my life because when I am alone and have no one to turn to, the voids are so bright I can't focus.

Yesterday, I was expecting Saint, but he had a change of plans. I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to his visit til he told me he might not come. I was devastated. I thought at first it was just because I miss him so much, but in reality I am lonely.

I have had the past two days off - in a row. In retail, this is hard to come by and a very wonderful thing. My weeks are so much shorter. My days at work are so much more pleasant to get through when I know I have a weekend to look forward to - even if it is in the middle of the week. Doesn't matter. Two days off is spectacular.

The first day I usually spend puttering around the house, being quiet, catching up on Hulu shows, renting movies that I didn't get out to see, reading my current book, cuddling with the kitties and hopefully doing miscellaneous chores that went undone during the past week. I usually end the day with a fabulous yoga class. An entire hour at the new gym breathing, stretching and pushing my muscles surrounded by strangers that are friendly and lift my spirits.

The second day my mind is dying to get out. I usually run any errands on this day. I make sure to find time to visit my favorite coffee shop to splurge on a huge mug of coffee mixed with hot cocoa (their specialty) and read my book for hours. It allows me to be surrounded by people and not have to talk to anyone (as I talk to people all day long at work). This is the day I like to meet up with friends and have dinner or meet for lunch. It gives me a reprieve from myself and allows me to talk to people who I don't have to, but want to talk to.

The hard part is being in a city where I don't know anyone, well, I don't know anyone. My friends are those I work with and realistically I shouldn't be mixing with them outside of work because I am a manager. Thankfully I have a really great co-manager that we do things with. Yes, she drives me nuts sometimes, but seriously all people are annoying at times (even me). She has been sick this week - Strep throat. Ew, so I don't have that outlet of humor, girl talk and random passing of useless information that I so enjoy with her.

I don't mind being by myself. I enjoy going out and having dinner at a nice place (or a shack) and reading my book or just listening to all the sounds around me. I like going to the movies with only myself as company. I like my company. It's not that I can't be alone. It's the loneliness.

I called my parent's at least three this week to hear their voice. I let them talk for as long as they want when usually I am short and wanting to only get the basics out and then get off the phone. (I AM SO NOT A PHONE PERSON) I call my niece and listen to her breath because she is 14 years old and too busy for me on facebook and texting. I call Saint and listen to him yawn - because he is always tired from working too hard.

I know my bf feels guilty for not coming up because he keeps texting me I love you, but the fact is, I get it. It is so hard to work really hard all week and then spend your free time driving to and from another city and not at home. It makes the free time so much shorter.

I went out and bought a fresh loaf of bread from the local bakery here, which I have been dying to visit and was waiting for Saint to go, but decided I would go by myself. I walked in and it smelled heavenly. I spent some time reading their detailed board of what was available. I talked to the local baker, though not a talking fellow, but nice. I bought a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread thinking it would be a nice addition for a snack or breakfast. As I was leaving I realized I had bought a WHOLE loaf of bread that probably wouldn't survive the week. I was sure I wouldn't be able to eat it all myself. And as I climbed into my car I felt my shoulders drop and my breath sag because I wouldn't have anyone to share it with.

Sigh.

Yet, my life is good. I am loved.

I may be lonely, but I am not alone. And I know the difference.

It's just there are days I feel so isolated. I feel like not having friends to lean on, to talk to, to go to coffee with, to spend time with - is the hardest part of this. I can't rely solely on Saint for my companionship either. Even if he lived here, I would want to get out and meet people, but after not being in school for so long, I find this difficult.

Do you?

A Discover of Witches book review

I was looking for a book to read and I wanted one that I wouldn't finish in a day. I have been doing that lately; finishing a book almost too quickly for my own good. I get so involved and then realize it's over. Sad. My criteria for this next book was that it required more time.

I looked all over and just wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to read. I am becoming a fan of sci fi. I love Biographies. I am a huge fan of fiction and I do love an occasional romance. I recently got into Nature with a focus on agriculture. I am a fan of real life stories. Mostly I love it when someone writes a book that allows me to live their life for a short time. One of my favorite aspects of a book is when the author is struggling with something, takes a huge risk and survives to tell the story. It is inspiring and usually a real good in-depth look at someone's life. And I am nosy.

After much struggle, I picked up the book A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I hesitated to read this because I was struggling with sleeping after reading all the science fiction books that were making my imagination just fly. I have so much negativity already in my head, I don't need to add anymore, so I was taking a break from the abnormal and psychological.

I have to say, I was so pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully positive and almost childlike this story felt. It had all the surprise and wonder of a children's story, but was thick with structure. It was such a brilliantly different look on the vampire/witches aspect that is all over. It was a bit of a paranormal romance mixed with scifi and fantasy adventure. It was so great how it was all wrapped together. Harkness did a fantastic job developing the characters and intertwining them together. I usually love the main character the best, but in fact, she did such a great job allowing these characters to develop that I loved the not so lovable characters too.

I won't spoil the ending, but I do hope this is a first of many to come. I would love to know what happens next.

Synopsis of the book -

When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.

For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.

Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.

Link to the author's website

coffee klutz

I found this really cute yellow tee a few weeks ago and was really excited because I just knew it would love fabulous under the collared button shirt I bought about a month ago. The button shirt is plaid with navy, yellow and white and the tee is yellow with navy and green words on them. Together they look oh so fun. And since I have been trying a new look - one that is a little more casual like my fellow associates, but still professional - I was very stoked.

I got to work and when I used the bathroom, I looked down and realized I had a small stain that ran directly down the middle of the tee where the button shirt happened to gap. It was perfectly placed. I couldn't have done a better job if I did it on purpose.

It was coffee. Which I seem to rarely have time for anymore, but coincidentally had time for that morning.

I spilled on my new shirt and didn't even know it --- til I got to work and couldn't do anything about it.

I decided right then and there I would fain disbelief if anyone noticed and act like I did it at work, rather than before because I can't stand those people who don't look in the mirror before they leave for work. You know, the ones who spend hours on their hair only the back looks like a rats nest because they never, ever glance back there to see. Or the people who throw their clothes on and run out the door.

Ahem, I never do that. (grimace)

Snowy dreams

I haven't been blogging bc I have actually been busy. Busy doing what, you ask?

Shoveling

Digging my car out

Enjoying the wonderful sound of the snow shovel on the concrete. Swoosh swoosh swoosh

Letting the cold breath deep within me and give my cheeks color

Watching the incredibly beautiful way that the lights reflect off the recently fallen snow

Listening to the sound of the cracking and breaking of tree branches as the snow is too heavy

I am so in love with snow, I can't stand it. It took me years to get up the courage to go and find a new place to live. One where there are actual seasons and though my love and my family are not here, I am still okay because I know they are still in my heart. I wouldn't want to give up this beauty.

I am a serious snow fan. And I had no idea.

There is just something incredibly beautiful and serene about snow. It is white and winter land like giving the way to so many possibilities. Absolutely anything can happen.