Sunday, October 3, 2010

Sunday Salon: I'd Better Write Fast



Has Blogger been on psychedelic drugs lately??? For some reason, half of my comments and various activities on my website yesterday and today have crashed and burned, so I'm going to try to make this a quick recap before it is pulled out from beneath my busy fingers.

The theme of the week was a lack of productivity. It started out with a sick kid on Monday and a few long but necessary errands on Tuesday, and nothing was getting done. I quickly made peace with my inactivity by remembering the yard work, pool maintenance and pressure washing I did last week. Right about this time, I realized that I hadn't written any reviews in awhile and freaked out a little when I saw that I only had a week of posts in the hopper. I cleared my schedule and did a little catching up.

We had book club this week (now hailed as Books, Babes and Bordeaux) and had a very LIVELY discussion on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It was universally loved by all, in fact the whole evening was basically seven women all talking fast and loud, all at the same time. It was crazy fun. Next month we will be reading the wildly-popular and Booker Shortlisted "Room" by Emma Donahue (which I just won from Frances at Nonsuch Books and received this week - yay!).

I must have been generally pop culture-deprived this week, because I found myself geeking out over multiple headlines in my Entertainment Weekly. I'm excited about the movie The Social Network (they gave it an A). I am excited about the US remake of Let the Right One In called Let Me In (and I swear I'm going to read that book soon). I'm excited about the new trio for American Idol - Kara can kiss it. I'm excited to see a stunning new documentary about the Warsaw ghetto called A Film Unfinished (my sister gave it the two thumbs up). Did anyone know they are making Wicked Lovely into a movie???? (I swear I'm going to read that book soon). I'm kicking myself for not grabbing the book "Bloody Crimes" (about Lincoln's killer) at SIBA, because it is on the Must List! Mario Batali has an iPhone app!!!! Somebody give me a Prozac quick!

Sigh. OK. Deep breath. What of reading? Well, you will all be so proud of me that after two weeks plus, I finished the ever-entertaining "Peyton Place". Now James and I have to put our clever brain cells together and decide what to do with it. I started "The Financial Lives of Poets" which I have to review in about week so I need to get hopping. I have to say it is so totally clever. Really.

On the audio book front, I finished "Homer and Langely" by E.L Doctorow. What a story. I was enchanted and at the same time emotional. It reminded me a little of Middlesex, in ways I will describe in my review later. I am about halfway through "Ravens"...who recommended this one to me? It has been on my iPod for at least four or five months. I'm not sure where it is going, and I'm not sure I love it, but it is certainly keeping my attention.

Then there is "MOCKINGJAY". We've been listening for how long now? A month? We are on Disc 8 out of 10. I really really want to get to "White Cat", so why can't we just put ourselves out of our misery? It is becoming a sick joke. Mother Mary.

I'm still trying to decide whether I will participate in the 24-hour Read-a-thon next Saturday. We have kids' sports until mid-afternoon, but I could still put in a good 8 hours of reading if I tried. My biggest issue last time was that I spent way too much time blogging and not enough time reading, so I would definitely try to stay away from the computer. I'm thinking it would feel really good to blast through a few of the shorter books I have on my bedside table...

So what is in store for your Sunday?





28 comments:

Alice said...

Hi Sandy, I've been terribly slow in catching up with my blogging and visiting friends. My reading has suffered quite a bit too. That's why you don't see me commenting much but I will go through all posts. I'm reading "Let the Right One In" but very slowly. I have to finish it for my RIP challenge. Have a good Sunday, my friend. Mine's coming to an end soon...

Anonymous said...

They are making Wicked Lovely into a movie? I didn't know that! I just read the book a few months ago and loved it :)

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Wow, I felt out of breath just reading your post! :--) Even when you get "behind" you still accomplish more than I bet 95% of the average people!

Molly said...

You put another smile on my face with one of your posts. I just love coming here, even if I do feel like a waste-oid after reading all your weekly accomplishments :)

LOVE the name of the book club - and the lively meetings sound like such fun.

I can't make up my mind about the read-athon either. I LOVE them, but I have been in a reading slump lately. Maybe that is what I need to get me out of it?

Have another great - busy week!

Stephanie said...

I hope your sick kid has made a full recovery! I think reading Henrietta Lacks for book club would elicit a great discussion, so I am not surprised to hear your book club had a lively meeting. I bet Room will be great for discussion too.

JoAnn said...

Books, Babes, and Bordeaux - I LOVE IT!!! I also loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, but couldn't get my book club to go for it.

Had tons of problems with blogger yesterday... finally just gave up. Have a great week, Sandy!

bermudaonion said...

Bloody Crimes is a must read? Did Heather and I tell you that we sat at James Swanson's table for breakfast - we totally geeked out when we were invited to sit there!

Frances said...

Glad Room found you so quickly. And also getting ready to read The Financial Lives of Poets so glad to hear you are enjoying it.

Been having a really hard time with Blogger comments recently. Makes me do it over and over, doesn't supply a word for word verification, etc. Wonder if they are doing upgrades?

Harvee said...

Better read fast if you join the read-a-thon! Have never done one of those as I thought I might not get through it. Have fun if you do!
Here's my Sunday Salon

Heidenkind said...

Homework. Probably. Actually I might just take a walk and be horribly unproductive.

Lenore Appelhans said...

Daniel is slowly making his way through Mockingjay. I take it you are enjoying it about as much as he is?

Carrie K. said...

Can't wait to see your review of Homer and Langley - looks like one I'll be adding to my to-read (to-listen) list!

Jenners said...

I love the name of your book club!! It sounds like fun. I'm excited to read Room too.

Can't wait to read your "Homer & Langley' review to see how it reminded you of Middlesex.

And you got a lot more out of EW than I did (but I haven't read it all yet.)

Whew ... you crammed so much into such a short post I'm tired!

Trisha said...

Blogger has been something of a pita for me too, not loading my response comment to like 15 people...I was angry, very angry.

I have Wicked Lovely on my TBR piles too, and I just haven't had the desire to pick it up....I have to review the Financial Lives of Poets too, but I totally haven't started it yet as I'm a giant slacker.

All people should participate in the readathon.... :P

Melody said...

Wow, you definitely sound very busy! Still, I always admire your energy and zest in tackling all the stuff you're doing.

And speaking of Room, I need to read that book soon as I keep reading rave reviews on it. I look forward to reading your thoughts on it!

Zibilee said...

I can totally pass you Bloody Crimes when I am done with it! And we are also stuck in the middle of Mockinjay as well. Every time we settle down for a listen, things just devolve into hijinks with my husband and I mocking the audio and cracking up. I don't know if we will ever finish it. I think I actually fell asleep during a few chapters. I hope things get better, and soon! I also noticed that blogger was being wonky this week, and it's been so frustrating for me! I hope that you have a great week!

ds said...

It's unanimous--Books, Babes and Bordeaux is the PERFECT name for a book club!!! Otherwise, I am as usual dizzy with all you have accomplished in your "unproductive" week. Sheesh!
Mario Batali has an app?! Molto cool ;)

Alyce said...

It completely surprised me how much I liked The Financial Lives of the Poets. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first because it was out of my comfort zone.

I spent my Sunday hanging out at home and shopping for groceries. Nothing earth-shattering, just relaxing and cleaning (and reading too of course).

Unknown said...

I received a review copy of The Financial Lives of Poets so it is good to know that it is clever - I look forward to reading your full review.

I really want to read Let the Right One In, but I'm scared! I have heard a few people say that the Scandanavian film version is perfect so they aren't looking forward to the US one, but I'd love you to read the book and then compare the two films for me. Any chance?!!

Care said...

Funny - our book club chose ROOM, too. (And/but we call our group Books-Burgers-&-Beer)
I haven't heard about the new Idol judges - what!??!

Meg @ write meg! said...

Eek -- sorry to hear Mockingjay is still a slow crawl for you! And I can totally sympathize.

Sounds like you've had an awesomely productive time of it lately -- and I love the name of your book club! :)

Sunday was WineFest time, and I got soaked (and slightly sloshed!) in the middle of a wet, rainy field here in Maryland. But it was a fabulous day. :)

Unknown said...

I'm really looking forward to your review of Homer and Langley! And I have now put The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on mt tbr list but who knows when I'll read it. I'm also anticipating your review with James of Peyton Place!

Nice job winning "Room"! That's great! I signed up for a book tour of Room knowing that I'll definitely get a chance to read it!

I just signed up for the read-a-thon. Last Fall I had the same issue you mentioned - I blogged more than I read! But this time I really want to finish Infinte Jest or get very close to the end plus I have a couple of books I need to review blah, blah...

I hope you have a good week, Sandy!
~ Amy

Melissa said...

Okay, I love the book club name, you are going to love Room, I haven't read Wicked either, and blogger been VERY difficult for the past few days. :)

Melissa said...

Oh, I forgot Mockingjay, didn't love it and haven't even bothered to write a review as it's pretty much been already said by others...

Gavin said...

Oh, everything is so exciting! I love your idea about reading Let The Right One In and then seeing both movies. Have a great week!

The Bumbles said...

Blogger was being pissy. I actually appreciated it kicking me out for a little while from the blogosphere ;0)

You would never be able to live my blogging life - I never have anything written in advance - I just write it as needed each day. I soooo wish I had a week or more in drafts to pull from when I was feeling lazy.

Iliana said...

Love the name of your book club. I'd like to join :)

Ok, and why is it taking you so long to get through Mockingjay? Is it just time constraints or that it isn't good?! I actually have managed not to read any reviews of it so I'm curious. I do want to read it!

Kathleen said...

Sounds like you have accomplished quite a lot actually and have lots of good stuff planned for the future. If you do end up participating in the read-a-thon I will look forward to reading your update posts.