Frankie reads 2014

[frankie]

I was just going to say, I'm glad you've been reading more! 

 

 

I agree with Anna, it's really nice you've been enjoying your reading more .

 

Thanks girls, I'm really enjoying my mojo!  

 

Yesterday I was at the library (again) and by chance I picked up this Finnish novel by a Finnish author whose one previous novel I've read before. The book's called Mustikkasoppa. I've been going after books on my wishlist for so long that it felt a bit funny to go for a random book, let alone a Finnish novel. 

 

Anyhow. I finished my current read that night and then started the Finnish novel. The blurb said that it's about a 28yo woman who's looking for a man and who's hearing her biological clock tick and tock. Sounded something I might perhaps relate to... (In the past year I've started to notice kids more, and sometimes when I see couples my age who have kids and are walking by or playing at a park, I feel a tiny stab in my mushy place, i.e. heart. It's not helping that one of my closest friends has this most adorable little man who's 8,5 months old and I'm able to see her and the little man more often nowadays, and now that I'm living in Espoo I'm seeing my other friends' kids a lot more, too (one of them is my Godson), and I'm also 'having' to deal with kids at the 4H club    )

 

Then when I'd read a few pages I got to know that the protagonist has studied literature (I almost took it as a minor, and did two courses, before I realized it was too much for me to handle at the time. I've also had English lit courses as part of my English language and culture studies), and that she's wanting to become a librarian... Just like me! She's also been a student for many, many years and only had to write her thesis to get her master's degree... It was getting a bit too close for comfort

 

The book was only 178 or so pages and I read it all. It was so enjoyable! And I realized how I should read more Finnish novels. I've been seriously neglecting Finnish authors! As I was browsing the fiction section, I found a Norwegian title that sounded interesting, and I thought it's close enough... And then I went to the Swedish section, thinking I should really read something in Swedish again, to get re-acquainted with the language and maintain my Swedish skills. I thought maybe I should go for a novel that I've already read, so it'll be easier. They had a copy of The Rosie Project, but in the end I chose The Woman Who Went To Bed for a Year (I've been thinking about re-reading it for a while now). 

 

Oh and that reminds me, I learned that they've ordered copies of the sequel to TRP and I've placed a reservation for it! I can't wait to get my hands on the copy!

 

Re: going for a Swedish book: This reminds me, I don't remember if I've told you guys, but this one time, a few weeks back, I was at the local bar and met some Swedes by chance! I went to talk to two men at a table and turns out they were Swedes, they were at a business conference in Espoo. So I joined them and we talked in Swedish for the rest of the night. It was difficult to remember some of the words... Bloody hell! But they understood English, so I could say the word I was after in English and we got on very well. Nice people! 

 

Where was I... I don't remember if this post had a point. I'm just enjoying my mojo. Enjoying my reading

[frankie]

Yay!! Your mojo is back with a vengeance. I feel mine is too .. must be something in the water. You've had a stellar year too as far as reading good books is concerned. Your mojo has been rewarded for it's patience. That reminds me, we must, must, must, get around to reading those Moomin books soon. I need to know what they're about. I know they're more intriguing than I've ever given them credit for .. I've just been viewing them as shapeless lumps  .. something to do with the cartoon series which I could never make head nor tail of. Octavia loves them .. she always has them in her shop window displays .. it's an addiction with her I think. 

 

However, I do hope that any Moomin reading won't have an adverse effect on our mojos   

 

 

Are we drinking the same water then? If we are... it means you've traveled to Finland and have not told me!! Naughty Kay (I actually had a dream just a week ago where I read on the forum that Kylie was planning a trip to Finland and she went over the itinerary on the general board and she hadn't mentioned any of it to me! I was so gutted, I thought she didn't want to see me at all!   )

 

 

About the Moomin books: yeah, we need to get a grip! I don't remember if it was before or after reading your post, but I happened to go and check the Moomin books just some time ago, and I particularly went for the first book in the series. I read the blurb and couldn't finish It made me yawn Crap... It doesn't bode well, does it. Innit! 

 

It's probably just the names of the 'weird' creatures. Do you know, someone recently asked me if I knew why the Moomins are so plump. I said I didn't have the faintest idea. Well, apparently it's because they don't have any of the natural ... ahem... watering holes... And so they can't let out... anything. Everything stays in.  

 

 

 

Anyhow, I'm sure the cartoon series is the source of all evil. I'm sure the books are perfectly readable in their own right (even if they turn out to be not the most enjoyable, adorable books. Which they might be, I don't know!)

[frankie]

He has a really recognisable style  Yes .. his books are for very small people .. as in toddlers etc. That is, I don't think he has written any for older children .. he probably just writes a few words to accompany his gorgeous drawings. I only know him from the animated version of his book Lost and Found which was lovely.

 

Pic of book: 

Pic of animation:

Ooh .. pic of Oliver:

That was a bonus .. whilst looking for the book cover  

 

 

Oooooh! Thanks for posting the picture of the book. Because it hit me: I've totally seen his picture books at the library! You know, when I was working at the children's section. I remember them They were popular, there were always copies on the trolley of returned books and I was forever shelving them in the mornings  

 

And um... yes... Oliver Jeffers is totally my type, looks wise That's putting it mildly! 

[frankie]

I'm going to go off on a tangent now before I forget. It's really nothing book related, so bear with  me. 

 

I'm still enjoying the heck out of Espoo, but I'm experiencing some annoyance, to say the least, regarding my flatmate. Long story short, she's moving out next month. It's nothing to do with me, she just wants to move back to Helsinki and apparently it was always her plan and this was a temporary solution for her. The thing that stresses me is that I've only lived here for two months and I'm already having to think about finding a new flatmate Too many changes in such a short period of time. Thankfully my landlord/friend is really nice and understanding about it and she's said I don't have to find a new flatmate straight up. She knows what I've been through with the flatmate and she said this time we'll be more careful in selecting the flatmate and we'll try and find a really nice, reliable one. An old friend of mine is interested in moving in, her work contract ends at the end of the year but she can't commit until she knows if they are going to renew the contract for spring. We'll see. 

 

Not only am I stressing about that, but flatmate is having some problems of her own, and even though I feel sorry for her and am really feeling sympathy for her, I struggle to keep out of it. It's her life, not mine. I have my own worries (trying to finish my studies and finding work) which have been stressing me for a long time and I feel like I have no extra energy to listen to her stories and lend an ear. Luckily she's made a good friend in the neighboring building so she can go and talk to that person, but whenever she's home, I feel so drained. I don't want to seem like an inconsiderate person and ignore her problems, but I'm finding it hard to listen to her whenever she goes off on one of her rambles. I've also noticed a long time ago that it's pretty much a one-way street: she shares and huffs and puffs and demands attention, but doesn't really listen to what I have to say. And I'm the sort of person who shuts down and puts all those barriers up when I realize the other person is all about themselves. 

 

I'm just really really tired sometimes, these days. The library's proven to be a real safe haven for me. It's only a few minutes' way as I've said before and I can just go in and stay there if I feel like it. And they are open till 8 PM and they are open every day of the week (excluding holidays). I'm so lucky. 

 

At the moment I'm just pretty much counting days til 17.11. when I think she has to have moved out finally. 

 

Edit: I wrote about this on here because I was exhausted last night and had to vent, and I also wanted to say that all the stuff above ^ contribute to the fact that I've not been so active on here in the past few months. 

Edited October 30, 2014 by frankie

[frankie]

Oh and also: our dishwasher broke down   I don't know how it happened. It was fine when I came home Saturday night, but when I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, I heard some really odd noises in the kitchen. The dishwasher was making them, and it wasn't on. So I called my landlord and they came in to check it out the next day (they were in town). They saw that the thingy that needs to be wet/moist was very, very dry, so they poured in some water and we decided I was going to give it two days and then try and get a load washed. I forgot about that And today when I came home, I saw that my flatmate had tossed a rag in front of the dishwasher and I asked her if it had been leaking. 'Yes'. Well did you call the landlord? 'No'. 

 

 I said I would call them and flatmate said why bother, they couldn't do anything, they were in another town by now. And that she'll text the neighbor to come and check it out. I thought rubbish to that, I'm calling the landlord. Flatmate said why bother, really, the insurance will cover it if it leaks more and we'll have some sort of water damage.     WTF? Sure, the insurance will cover it, but why don't we get proactive and not wait for the damage to be done! I mean c'mon... 

 

I called them and did what they asked, and the neighbor came in to check it out, but nothing could be done. They'll get an expert to sort it out at some point. I'm not bothered for our sake, we haven't used the machine much and I'm fine with washing dishes myself, but I'm just appalled by my flatmate's reaction. 

 

 

And we've had some bad news, too. Well not me personally, but my hometown. On Sunday, I read about a big car crash which had happened close to where I live. But the town was not my hometown, so I thought good, no one I know is hurt. Then on Monday I read on the news that the person who'd driven the car was from my hometown, born and bred. And she was my age. 

 

Apparently her fiancee had taken the bus to get to Kuopio, where he works during the week. She was not happy with that, and she packed their kids in the car with her (ages 1, 3 and 6). She'd driven behind the bus for miles and then she'd passed the bus, signaling the bus driver to pull over, which the driver did. Then the woman had gotten into the bus and had started arguing with the man, about childcare and what not. Then the bus driver had asked her to leave the bus, which she did. The bus took off, and she took over the bus and drove on. And at some point, she'd done a U-turn, and had taken the wrong lane deliberately and driven straight into the bus. Intentionally. 

 

The woman and the kids died. Why did she have to take the kids with her? 

 

From what I've read on the news, she was probably exhausted by having to take care of the kids herself, the man working away during the weeks. And he'd talked about moving out and ending the relationship. But it all came down to this. 

 

It's been a big blow, to say the least. My hometown is a small one, with 8,000 people. Like I said, the woman was my age, and so she must've gone to one of the two high schools we had back in the day. Either mine or the other. Chances are that I knew this woman. I can't have known her closely, because I would've gotten word of it by now, but still. It's been a really shocking thing  

[frankie]

I just remembered another thing I wanted to post about. 

 

How many of you have watched the HBO TV series called Girls? I've seen at least season 1 which I loved. I've also seen some of the eps from season 2 but because I didn't catch the first ones I stopped watching because I'd missed some very pivotal stuff!

 

I don't really know what it is about the TV series that is so fascinating. I mean most of the characters are pretty annoying, and I don't exactly relate to any of them. But I just couldn't stop watching. And I love it that Lena Dunham who plays the main role has actually created the show. I think she's really talented. 

 

I've seen her persona and choice of clothes and make-up and hair style criticized and made fun of so many times, it's incredible. How can people get so obsessed about someone's looks? I like it that she has her own style and isn't trying to please anyone. 

 

Anyhow, the reason why I'm talking about this is that some months ago our very own Kylie messaged me about Dunham's upcoming book on FB. I forgot to check it out and forgot about the whole thing. Yesterday, though, I saw the book at the library and snatched it It was a Finnish copy, so not my first choice, but at the same time I was so pleased and thrilled that people had thought the book would interest the Finnish audience and they'd translated it into Finnish. 

 

So today I PMd Kylie about the book and said I'd borrowed it from the library. And she says she'd just ordered the book online yesterday. What a coincidence! We started going through the time differences and I actually had the receipt of the library loan, which I'd torn into pieces, but I now put it together to see just when exactly I'd borrowed it, to see how close it was to the time when Kylie had placed the order. I was only about 5 hours behind her! What a funny coincidence.

 

Here's the book: 

 

Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"

Edited October 29, 2014 by frankie

[Athena]

Mustikkasoppa sounds really nice, the main character was quite similar to you! I'm glad you enjoyed it .

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your flatmate . It's not nice when people drain all your energy and only want to talk about themselves and their problems. I hope you'll find a nicer flatmate in a while and that you feel better soon. It makes sense you have a lot of worries on your plate and things to be stressed about, and you don't need the 'old' flatmate to add to that.

 

I hope the dishwasher issue can be sorted.

 

I'm so sorry to hear of the big car crash, that's so sad .

[frankie]

Thanks Athena! I was so fed up with it all yesterday, that I had to vent in this thread. I also wanted to write about it on here because those things have been one reason for why I've not been so active on here lately. Starting to reply to thread and respond to things feels just so exhausting sometimes, especially if it's a 'deeper' conversation and needs more time to mull over and write about. 

 

I just forgot to say in the post above that that was why I was posting about it. I shouldn't really talk about my personal stuff in this thread, it is after all a reading log

[Kylie]

(I actually had a dream just a week ago where I read on the forum that Kylie was planning a trip to Finland and she went over the itinerary on the general board and she hadn't mentioned any of it to me! I was so gutted, I thought she didn't want to see me at all!   )

 

 

About the Moomin books: yeah, we need to get a grip! I don't remember if it was before or after reading your post, but I happened to go and check the Moomin books just some time ago, and I particularly went for the first book in the series. I read the blurb and couldn't finish It made me yawn Crap... It doesn't bode well, does it. Innit! 

 

It's probably just the names of the 'weird' creatures. Do you know, someone recently asked me if I knew why the Moomins are so plump. I said I didn't have the faintest idea. Well, apparently it's because they don't have any of the natural ... ahem... watering holes... And so they can't let out... anything. Everything stays in.

 

What a mean person I am! Maybe I didn't tell you because I was hoping to surprise you? But that would mean I had a bizarre memory lapse and forgot that you were on the forum and would see what I wrote about Finland! Heh.

 

Oh, poor Moomins! They really are enjoyable to read about. And how could you not want to read about creatures that are plump because they can't poop?!

 

 

And um... yes... Oliver Jeffers is totally my type, looks wise That's putting it mildly! 

 

As soon as I saw the pic that Kay posted, I thought 'ooh, he looks like Frankie's type!' Yay, I know your 'type'!

 

So today I PMd Kylie about the book and said I'd borrowed it from the library. And she says she'd just ordered the book online yesterday. What a coincidence! We started going through the time differences and I actually had the receipt of the library loan, which I'd torn into pieces, but I now put it together to see just when exactly I'd borrowed it, to see how close it was to the time when Kylie had placed the order. I was only about 5 hours behind her! What a funny coincidence.

 

Here's the book: 

 

Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"

 

I was so disappointed when I got home today and the book wasn't waiting for me. I'm sure it'll be here tomorrow though.

 

And don't forget to mention that it was you who introduced me to Girls and Lena Dunham! You turned me into a huge fan. Thanks! 

[Kylie]

The story about the woman in your home town is just awful. Why do people always feel the need to involve their children? There was a story in Australia recently about a man who killed his wife and children and then himself. And they had been known to everyone around them as a strong and loving family. It happens way too often.

 

It's a shame your flatmate is leaving you in the lurch, but maybe it would be better to have someone else who is not so self-involved. I hate people like that! Any type of relationship should be about both giving and receiving.

 

Thanks Athena! I was so fed up with it all yesterday, that I had to vent in this thread. I also wanted to write about it on here because those things have been one reason for why I've not been so active on here lately. Starting to reply to thread and respond to things feels just so exhausting sometimes, especially if it's a 'deeper' conversation and needs more time to mull over and write about.

 

I completely understand the first part! I wish I had more time to devote to the forum and have proper conversations.

[Athena]

Thanks Athena! I was so fed up with it all yesterday, that I had to vent in this thread. I also wanted to write about it on here because those things have been one reason for why I've not been so active on here lately. Starting to reply to thread and respond to things feels just so exhausting sometimes, especially if it's a 'deeper' conversation and needs more time to mull over and write about. 

 

I just forgot to say in the post above that that was why I was posting about it. I shouldn't really talk about my personal stuff in this thread, it is after all a reading log

I understand you wanted to vent. It's true that it's a reading log but personally I don't mind if it you sometimes talk about some of your non-reading related personal stuff in your log . There are Member Threads for those who want them and who want to talk about certain other things more often, but the way you type a non-reading related post in your thread now and then, I don't think anyone takes offense at that . I think it's nice to read something from you that's not reading related, it means we get to know more of what's going on in your life.

[frankie]

Oh man I'm so annoyed! We got trick or treaters ringing the doorbell. Out of the blue! First time ever. I've never had trick or treaters before. This is what I get when I move to south?     I seriously hope they were the only ones and nobody else will show up. I'm going to let flatmate take care of them, she's a badass and can deal with that sort of thing  

 

This is just so not right. This is Finland. This is not our tradition. 

[frankie]

Marvellous .. it sounds like they really care about catering for the local community 

They really do. This particular library has a separate section for children and their books, and another section for YA. The YA section is very lively! They have a lot of board games there, they also have Playstations or them things which kids can play (and the screens are big and really good ones! This one time I thought the kids were watching football from TV but no, they were actually playing it ), and there's a pool table and computers. 

 

This one Friday when I walked past the windows of that section, I saw two guys doing break dance in one nook of the YA section and there were 20-30 kids cheering them on! And I think it was something that the librarians had suggested, or at least they tolerated it because I didn't see anyone trying to stop it. The looks on the kids' faces was a sight! It was heart warming and brought a huge smile to my face. When I was a teenager, I would spend time at my local library but it was 'nerdy time', you couldn't do anything 'cool' at the library, you'd get shushed if you were making too much noise. But this Sello library is encouraging teenagers to come to the library and be teenagers. I've seen the YA section librarians talk to the kids and joke around like they were their friends. I've seen a lot of friend groups gather there to have a good time, and I think it's just amazing! And it seems like they are really behaving themselves and they respect the place. 

 

 

That biography is said to be marvellous .. I'd love to read it too. I particularly loved The Blue Flower .. if you ever get hold of it then we must do a group read or something. I've got her letters collection too .. an acquisition from Hay-on-Wye .. must get around to them. Lord .. I haven't made a start on that lovely collection of Virginia's letters that Alan bought me last Christmas. They're on display downstairs and as such I forget that I'm supposed to be reading them and not just admiring them. if I take one down it will ruin my display  

 

Maybe you could look into the book and see if you could acquire a copy! I did a search for The Blue Flower but they don't have any copies at the libraries =(

 

And maybe you need to buy another copy of the VW letters =D One to actually read, without having to take your current copy off the display I bumped into a selection of her letters at the library, by chance, and thought of you, and almost borrowed it. But I had like 5 books under my arm already and thought I probably wouldn't get to it any time soon ... 

 

 

It is ... innit! 

Very lyrical!

 

 

A lot of towns etc are struggling to keep hold of their libraries. It's so sad but the fault probably lies with the humans who don't visit them enough. I used to live in a little town where the librarian used to practically beg you to take out more books than you wanted/needed as the library was under threat of closure and the powers that be were looking at the number of books borrowed etc. All very well and good but it was quite a walk home with ten books under my arm

 

 

Yes, it's sad but I think it's down to people not visiting the libraries enough, and not borrowing enough books. But the worse the libraries get, the more people avoid going to them. It's a vicious circle. I don't know if many people understand that they need to keep borrowing books to keep the libraries going! 

 

I remember reading an article in the paper some years ago about which patron had loaned the most books from the library during that year. They did an interview on that person. I think some cities/towns reward the people who've been their 'best' patrons and have borrowed the most books. That kind of thing encourages people even more. 

 

There is only one in Cirencester .. I will take a pic when I'm next there. It's pretty uninspiring and I've sort of exhausted it but still go there for a mooch fairly regularly. You can order books but the staff are not that helpful. I love the one at North Swindon which is about a 20 min or so car journey away. I would LOVE it to be on my doorstep .. it' s just packed full of books and they want you to read. The Cirencester one try to let you off reading. It's like .. here are the DVD's and the computers .. and the Quick Reads. Their classic selection is tiny .. and they're just not up to date with books .. very few recent titles if any and they just don't have that many books full stop. It's one of the few disappointing things about Cirencester .. that and the fact that Colin Firth doesn't live here 

 

What a huge difference between two different libraries that are only a 20 minute car ride apart! What are the Cirencester librarians thinking of? They should be encouraging people to read more books!! Have they let go of all hope? I mean sometimes you try and try but if you feel your efforts are wasted and unappreciated, you just sometimes give up hope. Somebody needs to do something... I wonder if they'd hire me! I'd give the library all the books I've read and do not want to keep, for them to put in their collection. I'd make a really funky and visible, impossible-to-miss display for new titles and shove books into people's bags when they weren't looking

 

And I'd demand that Colin Firth relocate and come and live in Cirencester I'd put him on display at the library and I'm sure people would be lining in  

[frankie]

This happened about an hour away from me, an annual acoustic concert Pearl Jam plays almost every year.

Anyway, just thought of you when I watched it/ saw it.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/temple-of-the-dog-reunite-for-hunger-strike-at-bridge-school-benefit-20141026

Amazing how their voices have changed.

 

 

Oh my, that's so great! Have you ever gone to see the concert? Sooooo jealous!  

[frankie]

What a mean person I am! Maybe I didn't tell you because I was hoping to surprise you? But that would mean I had a bizarre memory lapse and forgot that you were on the forum and would see what I wrote about Finland! Heh.

 

You're not mean, it's just my own silly insecurities  =D Or maybe you did want to surprise me and just relied on the fact that I wouldn't be on here that much anyways and would just totally miss the posts! 

 

Oh, poor Moomins! They really are enjoyable to read about. And how could you not want to read about creatures that are plump because they can't poop?!

 

 Hey, that's a very good point, I haven't thought of it like that!   Of course I want to read about those kinds of creatures! There's probably so much one could learn from them... Haaa!

 

As soon as I saw the pic that Kay posted, I thought 'ooh, he looks like Frankie's type!' Yay, I know your 'type'!

 Yeah you do =D    

 

I was so disappointed when I got home today and the book wasn't waiting for me. I'm sure it'll be here tomorrow though.

Did it arrive yesterday? I really hope it did. I haven't started the book yet, I've been reading something else. 

 

And don't forget to mention that it was you who introduced me to Girls and Lena Dunham! You turned me into a huge fan. :)Thanks!  

 

You know, I thought it was you who introduced me to the show! But now that I think about it, it was probably my friend Sakari. And I have a faint recollection that after watching the first season I recommended it to you, among with other shows (like Veronica Mars and ... hm, some others. Can't remember now.), and then you went and watched quite a few of those!

 

But you should always remember that you introduced me to Modern Family which is a great show and which I would never have discovered otherwise! And Parenthood as well!   So thanks very much to yourself!  

 

The story about the woman in your home town is just awful. Why do people always feel the need to involve their children? There was a story in Australia recently about a man who killed his wife and children and then himself. And they had been known to everyone around them as a strong and loving family. It happens way too often.

 

It's really awful when people do that to their children. They are innocent I'm sorry to hear about that case in Australia. We've coincidentally had a few of those over here as well, in the last few years. They always come as a huge shock. Why don't people seek help? One woman drugged her family and then killed them when they'd passed out, and then killed herself. And it was just because they were getting into trouble financially and she was the one in the family who was responsible for taking care of the money and she kept it all a secret and obviously felt like she couldn't talk about it and ask for help.

 

 

 

It's a shame your flatmate is leaving you in the lurch, but maybe it would be better to have someone else who is not so self-involved. I hate people like that! Any type of relationship should be about both giving and receiving.

 

Yeah, this might be a blessing in disguise, and I sometimes try to think of it that way, but it's a bit difficult at the moment because I worry about what kind of flatmate I'm going to have to go with next (unless my friend can move in, that is). 

 

Flatmate told me yesterday that if all goes according to her plans, she'll be out by Sunday next week. I'm really looking forward to that. But the apartment will probably feel huge when I'm here on my own. Too big. 

 

I completely understand the first part! I wish I had more time to devote to the forum and have proper conversations.

 

I've been missing you a lot on here. We used to be here so much and talk and talk, and talk and talk! 

[frankie]

I understand you wanted to vent. It's true that it's a reading log but personally I don't mind if it you sometimes talk about some of your non-reading related personal stuff in your log . There are Member Threads for those who want them and who want to talk about certain other things more often, but the way you type a non-reading related post in your thread now and then, I don't think anyone takes offense at that . I think it's nice to read something from you that's not reading related, it means we get to know more of what's going on in your life.

 

Thanks  And if anyone's annoyed, just click 'report'  

 

I'm going to try and get back on track with my reading log though, I need to get busy with the reviews. I probably have at least 10 to write. I'm going to do very mini ones  

[frankie]

I've been so busy reading and trying to perhaps, perhaps, perhaps chase the dream that is reading 100 books this year (GR says I'm now 11 books behind on schedule). I'm not stressing over it, and the only reason I'm chasing the dream is that my mojo's been so brilliant as of late that I now stand a chance again  

 

In the meantime, I've forgotten to keep track of how many books I've read in total, according to GR. The last I checked I was at 989. 

 

I remembered to check again just now and I'm currently at 997.      

[Kylie]

Ooh, 3 more to go!

 

I hope your mojo behaves itself and helps you get to 100. 

[frankie]

Ooh, 3 more to go!

 

I hope your mojo behaves itself and helps you get to 100. 

 

Thanks! I have a lot of great books lined up, so unless something drastic happens, my mojo's going to be great I won't be bothered if I won't quite make it to 100, it's quite enough if I beat my last year's total (78) or the one before that (83) or the one before that (91).  

 

And I'm also going to beat last year's book acquiring total! I acquired 66 books, and so far this year I've acquired only 33 books. Which reminds me, I went to take a look at the first page of your reading log, and girl, you've been really good this year, too!! Well done!!     I'm so proud of you!!  

[Athena]

Thanks! I have a lot of great books lined up, so unless something drastic happens, my mojo's going to be great I won't be bothered if I won't quite make it to 100, it's quite enough if I beat my last year's total (78) or the one before that (83) or the one before that (91).  

 

And I'm also going to beat last year's book acquiring total! I acquired 66 books, and so far this year I've acquired only 33 books. Which reminds me, I went to take a look at the first page of your reading log, and girl, you've been really good this year, too!! Well done!!     I'm so proud of you!!

I'm glad your mojo came back to you and you've been having more fun reading . Well done on the acquiring too!

[Kylie]

And I'm also going to beat last year's book acquiring total! I acquired 66 books, and so far this year I've acquired only 33 books. Which reminds me, I went to take a look at the first page of your reading log, and girl, you've been really good this year, too!! Well done!!     I'm so proud of you!!  

 

Yay! Good for you. Can't wait to see what books you'll be reading over the next couple of months.

 

Yep, I've been much, much better than in previous years, but I haven't updated the list with my books from the book fair yet, so don't be too proud of me. 

[frankie]

I'm glad your mojo came back to you and you've been having more fun reading. Well done on the acquiring too!

 

Thanks Athena! I honestly can't shut up about my good mojo at the moment, I'm just so happy with it  

 

 

Yay! Good for you. Can't wait to see what books you'll be reading over the next couple of months. 

I dare say it'll be library loans and books off my wishlist. I've seriously neglected my TBR since moving to Espoo!

 

 

Yep, I've been much, much better than in previous years, but I haven't updated the list with my books from the book fair yet, so don't be too proud of me.  

You know, when I was going through those book acquiring posts, I was shocked to see how few books you've acquired so far, but then I did realize that you haven't been updating the list since August (if I now remember correctly), and did think that you still have to list the Book Fair purchases... But still, you've done amazingly! I can't stress how proud of you I am!       Has it been difficult for you, all these months, or have you found that after a few months it's been easier not to buy so many books? I think your great mojo's also working for you.

 

On another note, I've now read 999 books according to Goodreads, and I'm reading my 1,000th novel It's Mr. Monk Gets On Board. I had planned to choose something very special to mark the occasion, but it was the read-a-thon, I had three Monk books and when I finished one I immediately wanted to read the next one, and so it went

 

 

And on another, off-topic note: flatmate is moving out today, if everything goes according to plan! 

 

Edit: This also means I can spread out my stuff a bit! I'll be putting all my DVDs in the livingroom, there's a bookcase sort of thing I can use for that. Oh wait... Flatmate also had a bookcase in her room, where the heck did that go? Is that in the storage unit?? Ooooh I can have another bookcase all to myself! Maybe I could put my library loans in that one  

 

It'll be nice to remove all the DVDs from my bookcase, because they are blocking the view to some of my books! Oh I can't wait to get to organize things. Too bad I have that 4H club this evening, I wouldn't mind spending the evening at home, making the apartment my own. 

 

(I'll be hearing from my friend K this week if she can move in in January or not. Fingers crossed!)

Edited November 10, 2014 by frankie

[Athena]

And on another, off-topic note: flatmate is moving out today, if everything goes according to plan! 

 

Edit: This also means I can spread out my stuff a bit! I'll be putting all my DVDs in the livingroom, there's a bookcase sort of thing I can use for that. Oh wait... Flatmate also had a bookcase in her room, where the heck did that go? Is that in the storage unit?? Ooooh I can have another bookcase all to myself! Maybe I could put my library loans in that one  

 

It'll be nice to remove all the DVDs from my bookcase, because they are blocking the view to some of my books! Oh I can't wait to get to organize things. Too bad I have that 4H club this evening, I wouldn't mind spending the evening at home, making the apartment my own. 

 

(I'll be hearing from my friend K this week if she can move in in January or not. Fingers crossed!)

I hope it'll all go well for you! It'll be great for you to have more space for books and DVDs so I hope it all goes well . Happy organising too! I hope your friend will be able to move in with you .

[frankie]

I hope it'll all go well for you! It'll be great for you to have more space for books and DVDs so I hope it all goes well . Happy organising too! I hope your friend will be able to move in with you .

 

Thanks! I had my 4H club this evening and the kids were running wild this time, they've never been this hyper and restless I was exhausted when I got home and I decided the best thing was to just relax and not start any kind of rearranging this evening I have time for that later. 

 

I think I will take a closer look at my books again, to see if I could give some away. For example, I've had the Karen Blixen biography on my TBR for ages and I don't feel keen at all to read it. And I might give away my Kathy Reichs books. I'm not keen on them anymore, either. 

 

I wasn't actually 100% sure my flatmate would move out today, because she'd already postponed the move once before, but when her daughter came in today to help with the move and I was helping them with Elle's stuff, it became real. 

 

I can't believe I now live all alone in this big apartment, here in Espoo. 

[Athena]

I wasn't actually 100% sure my flatmate would move out today, because she'd already postponed the move once before, but when her daughter came in today to help with the move and I was helping them with Elle's stuff, it became real. 

 

I can't believe I now live all alone in this big apartment, here in Espoo.

That's great !

 

It's a shame you no longer feel like reading certain books, then it might be best to give them away . I think you should only read books you feel like reading!