pontalba

Neither of us have received any notification. One good thing about updates is that many times security flaws are fixed. Unfortunately, a necessary evil.

I voted for what I consider the worst 5.

Finished Lexicon by Max Barry today, my review is over on my book thread. A definite 5/5.

Lexicon by Max Barry 5/5 Words can persuade. Words can manipulate and control. Words can kill. At an interestingly placed school in Arlington, Virginia these things are taught. The students learn the artistry of words. Graduates of the school become part of an elite, worldwide organization whose methods are both unorthodox and self-serving. Lexicon is the story of a student of this special school, her interactions with the graduates, and both the experimentation and implementation of the knowledge gained in the school. The story moves from San Francisco to Virginia, and eventually to a worn out,small town in the outback of Australia. The story is told in alternating voices and timelines, coming together to a very satisfying and terrifying climax. Barry has complete control of his characters, guiding them through a complex labyrinth of emotions and loyalties that entangle the reader and makes us care about their fate. Part mystery, part fantasy with a love story thrown in, the genre is flexible. Recommended.

Her writing style is not my favorite, but it fits in with the story, I think. After a certain point it becomes more interesting. We're going to see the film after the weekend, hoping to miss the weekend crowd.

Great looking sets of books up above, all of them! It's so lovely to have the matched sets. I've read The Handmaid's Tale twice, and liked it much better the second time around. I never could manage Oryx and Crake though. Just couldn't.

LOL That's pretty amazing! I'm surprised, a bit, as well. Brian, I don't know if you can get it over there, but chicory added to coffee kills the acidity. As strong as I make our coffee, if I didn't mix extra chicory into it, it'd give me agita as well. http://www.cafedumonde.com/coffee

Yes, I just read that on WaPo earlier. Awful. Great comparison!

Except for the White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks, I drink both my tea and coffee straight....no cream or sugar. I thought it was the tannic acid in the tea that affected me.....caffeine doesn't bother me at all. That said, almost 30 years ago, I gave up caffeine completely for about 6 years. Never again!

I bet it is! Unfortunately red wine, more often than not, gives me an awful headache about an hour after drinking it. I have seen chocolate only with red wine.

Many years ago, we knew a woman that developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome after she'd had a flu shot. From what we were told, that can be a slightly possible side effect of the flu shot. Of course that same woman had gone outside in short sleeves in a cold February afternoon as well. Considering the cause and effect of the immune system, that could have exacerbated the situation. Dunno.

I think just dwelling and thinking on the good things you have in life, maybe in the nighttime, is beneficial. Being thankful and acknowledging that thankfulness is a big thing. So, a bit of meditation, or prayer before sleep, whatever you want to call it is a good thing. I don't think actually writing it down is necessary.

The one time I did get a flu shot, I had a very weird reaction to it. The skin on my torso was very sore and sensitive for almost a year afterwards. So, never again for me.

I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. I love history, and that is actually in my lifetime. I was too young to know about it, but the perspective is interesting for me. As short a time ago as that was, for me anyhow. And, thinking about it, the hypocrisy hasn't changed, it's just shifted it's focus.

Yes, its is pretty amazing. Vodka comes in lots of flavors, extremely varied. But I don't bother with them, mostly. I have tried a Citron flavor and it's pretty good. But who can pass up Chocolate?! We like the brand '360 Double Chocolate'.

I was going to start Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire by Simon Baker. It's non-fiction, but quite conversational and easy to read. However husband just finished Lexicon by Max Barry, and loved it. So, I think I want to do that instead...... It was very highly recommended by a friend.

Thanks! I know, that happens, just don't exactly how! I finished the Kirk Douglas book, I Am Spartacus: Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist. 4/5 I've read one or two of Douglas's books before, and his style is just like him. Brash, forward, no fooling around. I like it. It's an interesting read about the in's and out's of Hollywood and hypocrisy of same. Breaking the Blacklist was a dangerous thing to do. His career and livelihood was at stake, big time. Douglas is someone that has been around the block many times, and knows the score and doesn't mind exposing both his own faults along with those of others. For those not familiar with McCarthyism, or the Hollywood Blacklist, here is a link to explore. It ain't pretty. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_blacklist It's a fast and interesting read. Recommended.

I suspect you'd like The Stand, Alexi.

Good review, as always, Gaia. I like the way you don't catalogue details of the plot, but give a good outline of what the story means. Amaretto here, or chocolate vodka. Hah, well, of course purses! heh

Yes, there are loads of varieties around here, poisonous and non. We are in the pine woods up here, but it's much clearer around the house. I just don't know how on earth it got in the house! Apparently they can get into teeny cracks, somewhere, at times. This is only the second time in 20 years, so I guess that isn't too bad........./groan/

Well, it makes sense, Gaia. I can drink coffee in the evening and it won't keep me awake, but tea will sometimes.

I really admire the way you've handled all of this business with the grandchildren, Virginia. I can only imagine how rough it is. Family ain't easy. Well. Late last night we walked into the darkened kitchen, looking for something to nibble on.....I turned the light on and glanced at the floor in front of the sink and there was a brown with spots, at least 2 and a half foot long, skinny snake there. I stopped dead and I'm afraid I screamed. Husband was on the other side of the kitchen, there is a high, small two seater table in the middle of the kitchen. I told him to get the sledge hammer I keep in the space between the fridge and the wall.......well, that was the end of the snake. But it was pretty scary while it lasted. We're not sure what kind it was, possibly a grey rat snake. We both looked at pictures online last night, but can't be sure.

Every other morning we make a pot of coffee and a pot of tea. I always start out with a large mug of black tea (Scottish Breakfast blend), but switch to coffee in the afternoon. Husband is exactly the opposite, starting out with a large cup of CDM coffee with chicory, then switching to tea sometimes in the afternoon. I've always been a tea drinker, the stronger the better, but when I started working when I was young, I started drinking coffee at the office. But it's always been tea at home. I do think our tastes change to some extent though. Maybe your taste buds just are tired of coffee for the moment, and will clear out after having tea for a while.

The worst part of that Dallas hospital incident with the Ebola infected man was that they sent him home 3 days prior to his being diagnosed. He'd gone to the hospital and did tell them he had recently travelled from West Africa. Serious breakdown in communication of the hospital workers, it seems. Anyhow. Here is a nice bit of local news regarding one offshoot of the film industry shooting so many movies in New Orleans, and the surrounding area. In fact, we've become affectionately known as Hollywood South. LSU is the local state university (in Baton Rouge, our state capitol), located only about 65 miles west of us, but 80 miles from N.O. http://www.nola.com/entertainment/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/10/louisiana_film_tax_credits_10.html#incart_m-rpt-2

I've never liked "horror". Don't like gory. I do like stories that have a certain psychological nervous tension to them, I haven't been able to read King's IT yet. But I do plan on doing so. I'm not sure if Justin Cronin's series would classify as horror. I don't really think so, although there is some blood and guts in it, but for me they classify more as post apocalyptic. Or am I just confused. Actually, the older I get, the less those things seem to bother me.