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Everything posted by Talisman
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Finished my first new country in a while yesterday - What is the What? by Dave Eggers for South Sudan. This is a remarkable tale where Dave narrates the story of a young South Sudanese man who during his country's civil war waked all the way to Ethiopia and ultimately Kenya, where he basically grew up in a refugee camp before finally being allowed entry to the US as one of the so-called "Lost Boys". Eggers has written a whole series of this type of book, and I get the feeling I shall be reading a few of them. Along with the book from Sao Tome, this is easily the best I have read this year.
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I couldn't say categorically, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if this had something to do with it. Of course it might also be because Amazon uses a format for their e-books which is exclusive to them only so that if you buy from them you effectively have to have a Kindle as well as the books are not compatible with other e-readers.
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No, I am not against libraries (and I have said this many times too), because when you borrow a book from a library the author is paid, even if it just a few pence. And for the record, Coran and I often buy separate copies of the same book, and don't baulk at it. Coran is soon to be author too, and so shares my views. Chesil is right about the subscription service that authors do indeed get paid, but they have to sign an agreement with Amazon that states they will not sell their books anywhere else - not even their own website. That is the reason why choice is so limited, as what author in their right mind would agree to this? I know I wouldn't.
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And I for one hope that it doesn't become that way. I know that I am probably saying something that maybe people do not want to hear, and I have said it many times before, and I also know that many do not have a high income and cannot afford every book that they want - it's a tough old world, but if you really love reading then you should support authors by paying for their work. I know that I would not work for free, and so I would not expect an author to do this either, by effectively giving not only their time for free but also the fruits of their labour. If this service is free, then that probably means that unlike with Prime, authors will not be paid - not one single cent, which I think is plain wrong - but of course I might also be wrong, and maybe they have come to some sort of arrangement. I know though that as an author myself this is not something I would sign up for.
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Never Ending Song Titles - Part 8
Talisman replied to Kylie's topic in Quiz Room / Thread Games Jokes etc
Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Simon and Garfunkel -
walking
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It's full steam ahead at the moment. We booked the caterer over the weekend and were very pleased that they were able to do everything gluten free vegetarian for only a few extra pounds - this was important as both of us, as this way everybody can eat everything. We are having a selection of different sandwiches, with 2 Quiches, baby jacket potatoes and various salads, plus crisps, some fresh fruit and of course the cake, which will be iced with a blue and green butterfly. The drinks we will have to supply ourselves - all alcohol free - Schloer, fruit juice and lemonade and maybe a few beers for the men. We have also decided on our vows, which we wanted to write ourselves, which I don't think Coran will mind me writing on here. I was sitting on the toilet last night (as you do), when the words just came to me (as they do): "I give you this ring as a symbol of my commitment to you, my partner in this life. As in to me you see (intimacy), I see you". The one receiving the ring will then reply: "I enter willingly into this partnership without need or agenda, not that you can become the missing half of my soul or that you will somehow make me complete, for I already am. Rather, that you compliment that which is already there, so that I will know when I look into the mirror that is your eyes and indeed your soul, the wisdom and perfection of my own being. I accept you fully in all of your guises, both light and dark, and honour your masculine and feminine within". To me this says it all.
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They probably refused to give Amazon the ridiculous discount they asked for - they wouldn't be the first publisher to be involved in a dispute like this !
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I am sure you can get it here in the UK on Kindle - maybe it's something to do with copyright and different territories? That annoys me too though when I find a great book that I really want to read and it's not on Kindle - I guess it's still relatively new technology though and everything in publishing works at a snails pace ...
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We had a nice roast with veggie burgers, the potatoes (which were gorgeous - really soft and buttery) and cauliflower from work and from organic carrots from the supermarket, not forgetting the roasted red onion. I will have the leftover roast potatoes cold in a salad for lunch at work tomorrow. From the look of their greenhouses, they may have tomatoes for sale again next week. The onions and parsnips are coming along nicely too.
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I am not of course Icelandic, but have visited the country 8 times now over a 30 year period. As a pistacarian who eats fish but not meat I would never touch the traditional foods like blood sausage and sheep's head, and would not go anywhere near the putrefied shark, but I had the most delicious fresh fish I have ever tasted this time around in a lovely little restaurant in a town called Isafjordur which is right up in the northwest fjords - not too many visitors venture this far north. Oh my god though, that fish was so good I can still taste it a month later and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Each variety is cooked differently in a variety of herbs and spices with butter and served piping hot in a skillet with potatoes and vegetables. I don't have pictures as I prefer to eat my food rather than take pictures of it, but there are some reviews here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g189967-d1099110-Reviews-Tjoruhusid-Isafjordur_Westfjords_Region.html one of which is mine. Iceland is beginning to get a bit of a culinary reputation though. The veggie burger I had in Reykjavik was quite nice too.
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It's not free - I have to pay for it. They let me have the spinach for free as otherwise it would have just wilted. It's still cheaper than the supermarkets though and tastes a million miles better, plus I know I am supporting our clients who grow most of it.
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Our wedding plans are also going well - the invitations for both wedding and blessing have arrived, and we will be sending them no doubt over the weekend. We are also meeting with the caterer this afternoon having finally decided on the buffet menu. Now that this month's credit card has been processed, we can start spending again, safe in the knowledge that we have another month in which to pay for it all.
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We do try and limit the amount of dairy we eat, as although I am okay with it, it does affect Coran. I find that stroganoff tastes nicer with soya cream though anyway. I bought another nice lot of veggies at work today - a huge cauliflower, a big bag of potatoes, some spinach (they let me have that free), a big bunch of spring onions, some beans and 2 lovely courgettes - and all for a fiver. Sainsbury's loss is their gain ! Tonight though we are having egg and chips ...
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I hope everyone is managing to cope with the heat - we had temperatures of around 30 degrees today with 33 expected tomorrow. I am the only housekeeper tomorrow as well as the other one has the day off. I told my colleagues that if they can't find me I will be floating in the pond with the fish trying to keep cool !
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I have decided to put them in a nice vegetable stroganoff instead - with lots of soya cream and white wine.
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It's a very short book that you can read in a couple of hours, although given the subject matter, it is better to take it more slowly perhaps and dip in and out.
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I didn't get much reading done during my summer holiday to Iceland, being far too busy walking, but did manage to finish another Japanese book on the subject of autism - The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida. I work with adults experiencing autism and this book certainly helped me to understand their behaviour. It was written by a young Japanese boy who is quite high on the spectrum about his own experiences of this, and comes highly recommended.
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I am feeling a lot less tired now 24 hours on after a nice lie in this morning - I think a lot of the tiredness came from the fact that this type of work is very cerebral and took huge amounts of concentration. Today though Coran and I went food shopping and then went to collect our wedding rings, as the jeweller had phoned earlier in the week to say that they were ready (mine had to be resized, as along with the rest of me my hands are not a standard size). We also had a rather nice picnic lunch sitting in the park courtesy of Marks and Spencer, who do some very nice veggie sushi. Our CEO at work is also getting married tomorrow, and like me she has not been there that long (10 months to my 4). The staff and residents all got together to do a collection for her which they surprised her with on Thursday lunchtime. I will have to drop a few hints then about the fact that we both love reading in case they decide to do the same for me - Amazon vouchers do come in very handy after all and my Kindle did get a bit wet in Iceland and so might need replacing soon ...
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It is - I am very lucky to be working here. I bought some yellow beans, broad beans and carrots today, so I have to try and work out now what I can cook with them.
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I am glad that week is over - for the past 2 days I have been on a mental health first aid training course at work, which aims to educate about mental health issues and give you the resources to help others who you suspect may be having difficulties. It was of particular interest to me given the myriad of mental health issues in my family (father who had quite severe depression, as has at various times soon to be husband, sister with schizophrenia who has also self harmed and at various times attempted suicide). It was pretty heavy going at times, but I am really glad I did it, and it is one of the best courses I have done that might just change my life.
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One of the perks of my wonderful job is being able to buy fresh fruit and vegetables grown in the gardens, as one of the life skills they reach our clients is horticulture. I had some delicious strawberries the other day, and the tomatoes are to die for. They come round the grounds with a big trolley each Monday and Friday morning, but you have to be quick, as the fruit and veg is very popular. It's all seasonal stuff with none of these artificial fertilisers or other rubbish that the supermarkets use and you also know that it's locally produced and helping a very good cause. Tonight though we are having veggie burgers with chips and a big salad.
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All-time best selling authors: how many have you bought?
Talisman replied to emelee's topic in General Book Discussions
I am almost ashamed to admit that I have only bought and read 3 of them - mind you, think of all those lesser known authors and truly wonderful books that I have read instead. -
We had a nice vegetable stir fry with lots of brown rice - made with veggies fresh the garden at work. Sometimes I love my job.
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Coran and I are going ring shopping later on today - I also need to go to Lush, as I am scraping the bottom of my moisturiser. Coran had a bit of scare on the tube (London Underground) on Thursday and is still a bit shaky - she was travelling up to an appointment at the gender clinic and the heat got the better of her. She went to the medical room at Earls Court and they ended up calling an ambulance. After all that the clinic cancelled the appointment anyway and didn't even bother to tell her ! Thankfully the heat wave now seems to have broken, and it a lot cooler today. The weather in Iceland has been terrible since I left - rain and gale force winds with temperatures as low as 5 degrees in the northwest and a mud slide not far from where I stayed. I am glad I went home when I did !