Well now that I've got my self a bit more organized ...
Currently Reading: I'm back to re-reading one of my favourite authors, Louise Penny. Thankfully I own a few of her books & Mr Man has gifted me with an order arriving soon of her entire but one of all her books. I'm now prepared for the rest of the winter to be in lock down, which is probably going to be the reality. The but one, is her last book, The Devils are All Here, which I did read, borrowed from the library. It doesn't come out in paperback until late February. The good news is she has sent her latest Inspector Gamache creation off to her publisher for publication in August. I know this because she & I are Facebook friends.
My reading mojo was off & I was actually reluctantly picking up a book each evening after dinner, when it finally dawned on me. I wasn't liking a lot of what I was told I should be reading. I am only just realizing in the last year that you do not have to finish a book you start. I've just added two from the library to that pile.
I've tried a number of online book club challenges to spice things up, move out of my comfort zone, or at least that is what they tell me I should be doing. Ummm, no, I don't want to move out of my reading comfort zone. Reading for me is comfort, so why do I want to move out of it. I'm going to stick with the authors I like, the genre that I enjoy & stick with the recommendations of those that I know share my similar tastes.
Currently Watching: I am a little late to it, but I'm just about to start watching season 1 of Bridgerton. I read that they made 7,500 gowns for this show. We watched the first episode of the remake of All Creatures Great & Small. I'm not sure where I stand on it, so I'll give it another look see. The scenery itself could be a character in the show.
Currently Frustrated: With the news. Both leading story lines of the pandemic & the civil unrest in the uS of A are constant & right now, I feel that the inflammatory language that they use is spilling over into weather reports. We no longer get winter storms, but killer storms, polar vortexes as though they were some kind of invading alien. It's winter, it's winter in southern Ontario. We get cold, we get snow, we get wind, we get frost, we get... well you get what we get. Yes we have to bundle up, when going out but it's not hunting me in particular. I am not being targeted by Mother Nature.
Currently Crafting: I set a goal for myself in an effort to catch up on some scrapping projects. This does not include Christmas, I'm still waiting for delivery of Christmas photos. I would create 4 pages a week in January & February, with 2 cards a week. The sending of those cards is another goal/issue for a later discussion. I quickly fell behind, when I became frustrated over a single page layout of 3 photos. I was about to give up scrapping for ever over this layout. Then, like a mauling orphan, no wait that's too strong a description ... then an idea came to me - make it two pages. Two photos were of 1 event, the third connected but not of the same event. Solved - I feel a genius & after that I was scrapping & making pages. As of writing this, I've made 7 pages & no cards, but it's only Monday isn't it so I've got time ...
First is the title page to my 2021 album. The insert in the top left hand pocket is actually for the other side - once the December photos are delivered there's a family photo to go in there.
Next a page for my Pandemic album, it's who our pandemic federal team is & our provincial team is. Although since I found the provincial team photo, there's been a few added or shuffled. I have not yet located a photo of our regional health officer.
Bridgerton has come across my radar, I don't remember where, but it may eventually go on my list. I am with you on believe you do not have to finish every book you start. Lately I am starting a lot, but not really feeling the comfort of reading as I once did. But I will keep at it - I have shelves and shelves of paperbacks to choose from, so that is not a concern. Glad you are enjoying the scrapbooking. Right now I have printed photos aplenty, but I can't seem to find where I stashed some specific supplies I want to use for pandemic related pages in 2020.
ReplyDeleteA lot of my PHD are for the Pandemic album. I can only work on those pages a short while, it can overwhelm me quickly. I am hoping that the Christmas photos arrive this week. It should cheer me up.
DeleteI have never thought about the escalation of weather terminology, but then I never watch weather news but just tap into weather online when I need it.
ReplyDeleteYour scrapbooks impress me.
Thanks about my scrapbooks. There are certain tv stations that have some truly over the top reporters but also some very entertaining ones. A few times we'll turn the sound down & try to guess what they are saying based on their facial & arm gestures. Ah the things we do to amuse ourselves ...
DeleteAmen to not finishing books that don't do it for you - took me a long time to understand that this was a perfectly acceptable thing to do/ Sally Rooney's Normal People is one title that should have landed on the not finished pile - couldn't stand it (and that is why I haven't watched the hugely popular BBC dramatisation).
ReplyDeleteWe haven't watched Bridgerton yet - not sure it'll be TBO's thing. :)
Always good to see scrapbook pages popping up in your posts.
I started about a year ago not finishing a book I was not enjoying, there are 2 that I put on the can't be bothered & I felt no guilt in doing so. I am working on more pages to post. I watched the first episode of Bridgerton - it's not Mr Man's taste & I'll give it another chance, I may decide this isn't my cup of tea.
DeleteI'm finding that all reporting on every subject is edging towards the extreme - almost hysteria rather than accurate factual reporting.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the reading. It's one of the reasons I gave up the book group I used to run as I increasingly struggled to read the agreed choice for the month. I'm following a challenge where it just suggests genres for each month but I still get to make my own choices for each book and so far it is working.
For the last 6 days the news has left me feeling quite anxious, so we have decided only the noon Canadian news. But biggest progressive in not finishing a book is the guiltlessness I now feel. At first I was riddled with guilt not finishing, now, I know there's no police of the not finishing a book (col).
DeleteBooks make the best gifts! I am more than willing to try new types of books, but I am also willing to leave it unfinished. It took me a long time to really embrace not finishing a book or movie.
ReplyDeleteI liked the original All Creatures Great & Small back in the day but haven't seen the re-make yet.
Weather isn't personal lol Yes, there's enough bad news without making the weather personal.
My introduction to All Creatures Great & Small was a beautiful picture book that was my Mother's so I was quite excited to see this latest Masterpiece introduction.
DeleteWe had a picture book with gorgeous photos when the kids were little -a coffee table-type book. I'll bet it was the same book :)
DeleteI need to go find that book, I'm not longing to return to a few happy moments.
DeleteLove your scrapbook pages with Smoke and Soot! Love their names, too!
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to read books we don't enjoy reading! As for the news, the less one says about it, the better, I think!
I hope you have a good week and stay warm and safe.
Thanks Bless. Their names come from their colouring & tabby patterns. They both have several nicknames & sometimes I think we should have called them "get down" & "stop that".
DeleteI share your concern about escalation of violent language in weather bulletins - I first noticed it in descriptions of sporting events, then more generally in news. I amuse myself sometimes by mentally rewriting a headline or an opening paragraph in quieter, calmer language to feel the difference. I decided a few years ago that life was too short to trudge through books - if I'm not hooked by the end of thirty pages, I let the book go. That's a great start to your album this year - sounds like your Christmas photos, when they arrive, will be a cheerful contrast. Hoping it's soon, and you really enjoy scrapbooking again.
ReplyDeleteThank you Alexa, my desire to be more adventurous with scrapping comes from admiring the greats, like yourself & Ruth. I have to let go of the desire to hang on to that perfect paper in case I find a better use in the future. Now is the best time, both for using pretty paper & reading interesting books.
DeleteSo much to comment on in your post but I will stick to books. I agree, no use continuing to read something you are not enjoying. This happens to me occasionally with my Book Club selections but usually I persevere so I can voice my disgust at the choice! There are so many good books out there that I would rather be reading.
ReplyDeleteI love reading, I like to be in the book beside the characters & there are so many books that I feel like that about, so reading books when I seem to just stand at the door & peek in, is not good use of my time. I'm curious to what else you wanted to comment on ... we will have much to discuss about Doug's latest new conference :)
DeleteI've long believed that there is nothing wrong with abandoning a book. Nonetheless, I'm struggling now to give up on one when I've already read half the book. I don't like the main character, and the writing is just so-so. Haven't quite come to a decision. Are you on Louise Penney's newsletter list? It comes once a month and is generally great fun. You can sign up for it on her website.
ReplyDeleteI do get Louise's newsletter & I agree there's always some fun to read, some great quotes. I just picked up a new & rather small book from the library by Timothy Snyder, so even if I don't like, it's only 100 pages (col). Half way in your book is a commitment not lightly given up. Maybe the main character is yet to redeem her/him self. We can only hope.
DeleteRe. the catching up on projects, I can sympathise as I have made myself quite a substantial list of things I need to get on top of. I've managed to clear my desk/personal admin and now really need to get cracking on the rest. It wouldn't matter if it were fun stuff but most of mine are chores which are only going to get more difficult given time! Look forward to seeing the results of your upcoming scrapping.
ReplyDeleteI also have a few things I've just let slip as I mentally couldn't get going on them ... now they are big tasks - grrr. I thinks it's that pandemic fatigue, yes that's it.
DeleteLovely to see some scrapbooking pages on your blog. It's five years since I did any. I love Bridgerton but Miss Austen would be having palpitations at the amount of "physical contact" between the characters :0)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I don't usually post a lot of scrap pages that have friends & family in them as I'm no permission to do so. Bridgerton was certainly sexed up, which is typical of their ex-producer ... I'll say no more.
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