Yeah...I watch cartoons and don't knit much.

It would probably be easy for onlookers to assume that I am not the most well-read of individuals. I do seem to spend a great deal of time watching cartoons or taking naps. But, I really do read. Honest. At least a book a week. Usually more. During a school vacation week, I can knock back five. I'll admit that I've never settled in with a tome like "War And Peace" in order that I might join a highbrow book club and discuss it intensely for days on end or anything. But, I'm a reader from waaaaay back.

So I was happy to be tagged with a little book meme that came to me courtesy of Cathy. It's rather fun to think a bit about my literary choices and even more fun to not have to come up with something knitterly to talk about today. For a fiber blog, that topic is certainly a bit underdeveloped these days. Best not to think about it...

Here's some bookish stuff that should serve nicely while I work on these never-ending projects of mine:



1. Hardcover or paperback, and why? Well, both have advantages and disadvantages. There is something so wonderfully solid about a hardcover. But they aren't as convenient for travel and when you fall asleep with them in the tub they get very wet. And bruise your spleen. Paperbacks are reasonably priced and super portable. But they are also more easily damaged. When you fall asleep with them in the tub, they also get very wet. But your spleen remains springy and unsullied.

2. If I were to own a book shop, I would call it... "Go Away! You Can't Have My Books! Seriously. I Will Not Hesitate To Call The Police If You Touch My Books, Miscreants!!!"

3. My favorite quote from a book (mention the title) My "favorite" varies along with my moods or what I'm reading at the time. The one that's tickling me right now is from Dean Koontz's "Odd Thomas:"

"If you don't keep it light," Ozzie said, "I'll sit my four-hundred-pound ass on you, and that's not the way you want to die."

4. The author (alive or deceased) I would love to have lunch with would be... Stephen King? Terry Pratchett? Dean Koontz? Peter Straub? Dostoyevsky? There are so many!!! Choosing would make my head hurt...

5. If I was going to a deserted island and could only bring one book, except for the SAS survival guide, it would be… Too horrible to consider! But, if I must then I suppose any of Clive Barker's books would work nicely. That boy isn't content with accepting the "natural" ending point. He tells "the rest of the story." He tells it until it is well and truly done. And there is more to find each time you read one of them. Sometimes he will find that he has to do a sequel to a 600 page paperback because the story isn't quite done. That should keep me busy while I wait for the rescue planes.

6. I would love someone to invent a bookish gadget that… Automatically marks your page. Especially for those times when you've dropped the book. Maybe in the tub...

7. The smell of an old book reminds me of... The library. Not the newer, better equipped ones, but those wonderful small-town libraries. The places where the librarians know you by name and will remember to set aside a title that they know you'd like. Where they sometimes waive your overdue fees because they know you and your generally responsible ways. If you're really lucky, they have book sales to raise funds for the library and you can buy ten of these wonderfully aromatic books for a dollar.

8. If I could be the lead character in a book (mention the title), it would be…Allie Sorensen from Katherine Eliska Kimbriel's "Night Calls" and "Kindred Rites." She is brave and talented, yet also knows her limits. She is eager to learn and willing to accept her responsibilities in life. And she can do cool things like light fires with her mind and see spirits. That could come in handy at times, I would think. If not Allie, then I suppose Stephanie Plum from the Evanovitch books would be a good choice. Because, well, you know...Ranger. If you've read the books, then you know what I mean.

9. The most overestimated book of all times is…. The value of a book is determined by the hands that are holding it. What makes for a great read in my mind is not so for another. Just read. Don't worry about whether or not what you are reading is estimable.

10. I hate it when a book… Tries too hard Books that use fashionable or awkward means for engaging the reader tend to bore me a bit. The best books are written in the author's voice with no pretensions. There are some writers whose work I can identify even if it is in a film or television script. When they try to hide it or use someone else's voice, it just doesn't work as well.


So there you go! My thoughts on the bookish stuff! As far as tagging goes, you know the drill: take it if you want it. It's a fun one and gives some surprising insights into your thoughts on literature in all forms.

In case you were worried about the knitting content, I am still stitching away on my two current projects. The Invisibility Shawl has given me a couple of bad moments but, as I am considering this a "getting to know the laceweight yarn" sort of project, I am not so daunted by it. I just keep adjusting the stitch count through any number of horrific and dishonest strategies and knit merrily on. I like a happy ending...

The Homespun Scarf has also grown a bit this weekend and is looking good for Christmas. I continue to be prideful of my spinning skills with this yarn to the point where I could use an intervention of sorts. No one should be this enamoured with their own abilities. It is just not healthy.

But, with the workweek upon me, things will slow down a bit. This is going to be a busy one with Parent/Teacher Conferences Part I on Wednesday, several meetings and a few changes in my caseload that promise to make for some interesting weeks ahead. I suspect I'll be more than ready when the next weekend rolls around. But, that's what pays for the yarn and the books so I suppose I should go forth and educate the masses with vigor and enthusiasm.

Have a good start to the week, everybody!

SA