Hitting All Kinds of Blogging Repeats Year Two; Bookworm Makes No Effort to Keep Content Fresh

Last year’s recipe for Memorial Day weekend success was repeated this year:  friends gather at Rappahannock River; Bookworm reads depressing book. 

Doesn't get much better than a sunset on the Rappahannock.
But you could make a decent agreement the cupcakes succeeded.

While my friends were off expending energy kayaking (they literally did this for fun), I was wrapped up in Incendiary by Chris Cleave.  I was so excited to find this book on a Barnes & Noble run with Bookworm & Blog Mocker Erin, since I was a huge fan of Cleave’s Little Bee.  Expectations were high for the book and the weekend.

Both delivered.  Ok, that was a line written for blogging convenience.  The time with friends at the river was perfect, and the book was good but it was no Little Bee.  Though it was just as disturbing, and I have to give the author credit – he definitely doesn’t tell stories I feel like I have heard 100 times before.  The bombing of a London soccer stadium was a new one for me.  As was sailing on the vessel of Captain Cabell.  I am happy to report the entire crew survived, and went on to read quietly on the pier for hours.  What a perfect weekend.

Insane friends entertain themselves by making arms tired.

Instagram App turns every idiot into a decent photographer.
A&A head to river; continue slugging through longest audiobook ever.

Captain Cabell & First Mate Brian.
Most notably, no one lost at sea.

Terrible Books Lambasted By Largely Unread Blog

Here is a picture of terrible literature that I traded in at the local used bookstore today.  I always feel a bit bad trading in books I don’t want people to read, but my inner cheapness won out since I got three new books for $4.  Apparently my concern for other bookworms can be forgotten for a few measley singles.  I am the worst.

Husband Out of Town; Bookworm Goes Wild

Last night I finished Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult while simultaneously crushing Words With Friends.  My life is so wild it’s amazing I make it in to work.

Bookworm Mom said this is her favorite Picoult book ever, to which I say, “I am getting bored of this chick.”  Her books are getting a bit formulaic for me and if you could roll your eyes and read at the same time, then I may have done that last night.  Sure, it was an interesting story and an easy read but I am getting bored even writing this post (so I can’t imagine how both of my readers are feeling). 

I need a good book for Memorial Day weekend pronto.

Tap Dancing So You Don’t Notice Lack of Reading Product

This is what it looks like to make excuses for not reading.

I know what you are thinking.  “I have like 10 seconds to kill – where is that Bookworm?”  I’m here but been busy celebrating the nuptials of my sister-in-law, which involves lots of time on the road, and lots of audiobook time.  Unfortunately it would ruin my “big reveal” (eye roll) if I fill you in on this little (but long) gem before we finish it. 

So instead, I will delight you with a list of the Most Well Read Cities in America, courtesy of Amazon.  I’d like to think that I have done my part to secure Richmond, Va. as #20 on the list despite our small size.  Also, where the hell is NYC?  Has no one alerted New York to the wonder of Amazon?

1.  Alexandria, Va.

2.  Cambridge, Mass.

3.  Berkeley, Calif.

4.  Ann Arbor, Mich.

5.  Boulder, Colo.

6.  Miami

7.  Arlington, Va.

8.  Gainesville, Fla.

9.  Washington, D.C.

10.  Salt Lake City

11.  Pittsburgh

12.  Knoxville, Tenn.

13.  Seattle

14.  Orlando, Fla.

15.  Columbia, S.C.

16.  Bellevue, Wash.

17.  Cincinnati

18.  St. Louis

19.  Atlanta

20.  Richmond, Va.

Sobriety Is Key In Book Selection

Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan is not my type of book, so I bailed on it after about 100 pages.  I bought this book after one too many cocktails with Bookworm Senior last summer and have no idea what I was thinking since I don’t really like short stories in the first place, and these I could barely follow.  Who gets a buzz on and goes shopping for used books?  My mom and me.

On a barely related note, I celebrated Mothers Day with 3 generations of bookworms, and managed to cook for them all without killing anyone.  So, book was a fail but meal was a success.  Happy (belated) Mothers Day, readers!

Sibling chefs pair up to not-kill dining family members.

I Have Something Nice to Say About St. Louis

I’m serious!  Check out this cool feature, a courtesy for guests at the Hotel Ignacio:

Bookworm spies Kindles On Loan at the front desk;
co-worker mocks picture taking
(but deep down is probably jealous of  underground local book blog).

The Kindles are pre-loaded with reading material to save on paper from newspapers and magazines.  I would buy into this except for the fact there was a handwritten welcome note in my room.  And yes, it was on paper.  Still, the Kindle thing is cool, especially if you are stuck spending a week in St. Louis and can actually make it through an entire book on your trip. Unfortunately this Bookworm is in demand and was only in the Gateway to the West for one night.  Next time, Kindle & St. Louis! 

This was a pretty sweet room to answer emails in
for an hour before going to sleep.

Cool fixture I am going to refer to as a reading lamp
to make it tie in to this blog theme.

Breaking News: Sarcasm Found in Magazine Form (Yes, I'm Serious)

Loyal readers know that I rarely read magazines.  But this week Friend and Blog Reader But Not Follower Even Though She Could Be Lucky Number 40 Valerie gave me an issue of Mental Floss because she knew I would like it.  And she was right.

Mental Floss is a little sarcastic gem of a magazine that must be really hard to sell advertising for.  It is funny and clever, and anyone who enjoys The Onion, McSweeney’s or having a good time would probably like it.   

Article combines two of my favorite things - history & parties.

Husband pretends to take photo of wife & dog,

but really this is a photo of successful roses and snap dragons.

New Appreciation Born For Blog Writing Tool, Which Is An Apple Computer

For the last few weeks, I have been constantly peppering friends, family and co-workers with self-proclaimed “fun facts” about Steve Jobs.  Andrew’s eyes take on a special glazed over expression when I explain why Apple icons have a certain shape.  Guess I better add “Steve Jobs” to the list of things we don’t talk about.  A list that leads with What I Am Going To Pack In My Suitcase.

That’s right, my latest read was Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.  I thought this book was fascinating – who knew I was so interested in the history of computers?  Jobs is a mean genius who I am glad to have never met.  But I was inspired by his life story and stunning list of accomplishments, which was thoroughly told by Isaacson.  At times, maybe a bit too thoroughly.  There were a few themes that Isaacson repeated over and over – as if because the book was over 500 pages long, maybe I forgot something from 50 pages ago.  I didn’t, Walter.

I feel 5% smarter for reading this book, and think I basically have my MBA now.  This book should be required reading for business people and maybe even young adults.  Just keep in mind that this guy was a jerk, or as Isaacson put it “the technical term is asshole.”