Reading List: Part I

Summer is finally upon us, which means I get to spend every blissful free second reading. You know, that time when I'm not playing mommy, wife, maid, dog trainer, interior designer, or cook. Thankfully I've decided to start the whole she-bang with quick reads, i.e. The Dresden Files. If you're one of the millions of people who never got to catch the short-lived ScyFy channel series about the uber-studly Harry Dresden, here's a short summary:

Harry Dresden is Chicago's only wizard to be listed in a phone book. He's a private investigator who carries around a big stick (which, in the TV show is a hockey stick) and kicks some major evil behind. He's also incredibly hilarious. And sexy- I can't seem emphasize that enough. For a better summary, go here.

Nick got me hooked on the series (which really shouldn't have gotten canceled, but then again, most series on ScyFy don't last long since nobody watches that channel, even though they should) and sometime last year we started reading the books. I, of course, had to put them off beacuse of school so as soon as Nick finished them, he let me steal his Kindle (TDF is one of the books that Amazon won't let you share w/ other Kindle users). There are 12 books so far and I'm just finishing up number 9. It's been two weeks and I've been unpacking, cleaning, organizing, and painting. They're just that good.

What I like the most about this book is that its fantasy set in the modern world. Don't get me wrong, I love the medieval fantasy as much as the next geek, but I also love Chicago. This book is also geared for an adult audience. I love me some YA, but there is only so much teenage angst I can handle before I tear out my hair and light up 20 cigarettes (at once). These books are laugh-out-loud-even-in-a-crowded-place funny. Example: "'My mouth is partially paralyzed," [Harry] said. "It makes it hard for me to read. He's* here to help me with the big words. Tell me if I'm supposed to push or pull on doors, that kind of thing." *Harry's dog. (Harry was just being an ass when he said this, yet another reason why I love him.)

So after I finish the remaining three books and the collection of short stories that follow, I will kill time waiting for the new one to come out by reading the following:

- Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris (book 11 of the Sookie Stackhouse series- that's True Blood in case you didn't already know that)

- A Dance with Dragons, George R.R. Martin (book 5 of the Song of Ice and Fire series, which doesn't come out until July)

- The Luxe series

- The Scarlet Pimpernell (finally, I've had it on my Kindle for almost a year now)

- As many Alexander Dumas books I can squeeze in. I'm a die-hard Dumas fan and now that I have most of them on my Kindle, maybe my copy of The Count of Monte Cristo will keep its remaining pages.

So far, that's all I've got, but I am open for suggestions. It's going to be a long summer.

Songs That Remind Me of Someone

...someones? I'm not sure which is appropriate here, but then again, I didn't get my degree in English for a reason. Sorry I've been a slacker with my challenges lately, but moving and wrecking cars have taken over my life. And for the record, it was only one car...and the bumper of another.

So for songs that remind me of peoples, this is what I've come up with:

"Poison"- Alice Cooper

"I Will Always Love You"- Whitney Houston

"Short People"- Randy Newman

"Light Up My Room"- Barenaked Ladies

"Yellow"- Coldplay

You can all take guesses as to who I think about when I hear these songs. The answers might surprise you.

Favorite Songs in Another Language

This is such an exciting challenge since there are a lot of songs in other languages that I like and would like to share. It's actually been rather difficult to narrow them down and not repeat songs I've already used.

So here's what I came up:

"Oceano"- Josh Groban

"Kaja Kaja Goo"- Polysics (warning: this is a strange video)

"Shangri-La"- angela

"Lucia di Lammermoor"- written by Gaetano Donizetti (the link is to its feature in The Fifth Element since I love this version.)

"Rewrite"- Asian Kung Fu Generation (this is my favorite foreign band)

O.M.G.

Remember that post about how I'm superstitious? Of course you don't.

Well, I just broke a mirror.

It was nice knowing you all.

Songs I Can Dance To

I think this was last week's challenge, but the mighty Alex hasn't posted one since, so I'm not sure. Either way, I'm late. Here is a list of songs that I can shake my groove thing to:

"Dancing Queen"- ABBA (you're surprised aren't you?)

"Electric Boogie"- Marcia Griffith (I love these cheesy line dances)

"Toxic"- Britney Spears

"My Maria"- Brooks and Dunn

"Asterisk"- Orange Range (the Monster and I dance to this song every time we watch Bleach)

We'll see what this challenge ends up being. I hoping its as easy as this one was.

Lets Get Our Facts Straight

Events in this morning's history 162 class (US History post Civil War- I don't remember the actual dates, thats how good of a historian I am) have made me decide to write this little post: a little list of certain historical facts* that are often misquoted or twisted so that they no longer made sense, and that really rub the wrong way. I'm sure my friend Sarah is rolling her eyes right now (though I'm sure she agrees with me on most of it,) but I can no longer resist the urge to blog about them.

1. "Let them eat cake"- Marie Antoinette (cake being the crusty charred stuff at the bottom of a stove, not the yummy sugary delight. I'm sure the fishmonger wives would have been overjoyed if Marie had offered them cake since butter and sugar were luxuries they could only dream of). For the record: she never said this. I think it was a newspaper that claimed that she did but it wasn't true. So for a history professor to say that she did is just downright sad. And annoying. And worthy of being kicked multiple times in the shin.

Cake sure sounds yummy now!

2. The vikings didn't just raid, rape and plunder. They also settled, farmed, assimilated, were amazing navigators and seamen, and are responsible for some keep aspects to our modern-day government. The word "law," for example.

The Oseberg Ship- only picture I could think of on the fly.

3. The Middle Ages should never be called the "Dark Ages" unless you want to be put on a spike by yours truly. No, it wasn't the beautiful classical period nor the neoclassical period of the Renaissance (funny how classicism is always the standard, but no one mentions the orgies) but it wasn't just a time of waste and nothingness. Schools and universities were developed, architecture was brought to new heights, and the illuminated manuscripts are breath taking. You could say it was dark due to the lack of electricity or the multiple appearances of the black plague, but to say that there wasn't any sort of intellectual development is just plan ignorant. And it pisses me off.

Lindisfarne Gospels, ca. 8th century. Carpet page, but I don't remember which gospel this goes to off the top of my head

4. The Vikings did not wear horns! It would be an understatement to say that I am obsessed with the Vikings, so things related to them tend to fluff my feathers (is that even a saying, or did I just make that up?) rather quickly. Think about it, though. If you were going to design a helmet for yourself, what is the last thing you would want on it? Handle bars. The idea is to protect yourself, not let the enemy grab you by the head and swing you around. Maybe one viking had a helmet with horns and I can bet you anything that he didn't live past his first raid.

"Look mommy, no horns!"

5. Henry VIII didn't decapitate all his wives. Thanks to the current phenomenon surrounding the Tudors (thanks Showtimes!) this isn't as big of an issue anymore. I would like to point out, though, that Henry didn't just sleep with everyone and kill his wives. He made England one of the riches countries of that time (though his method for doing so is not to be praised. Poor monks, but picturing him as Jonathan Rhys Myers makes it seem so forgivable.)

Can I just say "yummy?" Now I need to find a way to blog about Henry Cavill.

Ok that's all I have, for now. I know there are a lot more I could rant about, but I'm supposed to be writing a paper (make that 3 papers).

* the word "fact" is almost impossible to use when talking about history, so I only use it in the lightest possible sense. Also, if anyone wants me to add citations here, I will, I'm just being lazy.

I confess

I am a very superstitious person.

(But I don't tell anyone about it because that might actually make it true.)

I tend to not tell very many people, if I tell anyone, exciting news because I don't want to jinx it.

I didn't even tell Nick that I was taking a pregnancy test a day early, just in case (it came out positive, hence the presence of a monster in our home.) I seriously prayed every single night (and many times throughout the day, everyday,) trying to reason with God for announcing it before the 12 weeks mark- how could I not announce something so exciting? He couldn't possibly punish me for being happy, right?- and beg him to let me keep the baby. Sad, but true.

Thankfully, I didn't jinx myself that time, and I have the monster to prove it.

However, I still can't get over my superstitions. I cringe when black cats cross my path, I will walk well out of my way to avoid walking under ladders, and I think I will have a heart attack if I ever break a mirror. And I won't share the exciting parts of my life.

Example 2:

Right now something very exciting is going on, but it's not complete and therefore, I'm not 100% sure it will happen. Though I am sooooo excited about the prospects, everything seems to be going so well right now. Too well in fact. I keep telling myself to break the cycle and just let the world know what's going on- fill them in on all the little details- but I can't. And I won't.

So just know that something exciting is happening and in two and in two weeks I will be able to post all about it on multiple sites. Maybe one day I'll get over this superstitious nature of mine, but not today.

And incase you're wondering, we're not expecting another baby.