I've been doing some thinking lately on what my list of top ten books (all time) would be.  A patron had put me on the spot with that question a few weeks ago, and I realized that I'd have to think on it - I couldn't just answer off the top of my head.  I know the list has changed a bit since the last time I formulated it, and I'm sure it will change in the future.  However, I do feel that if you read all the books on my list that you would have a pretty good handle on why I am the way I am.  So without further ado:

Watership Down - Richard Adams
LOTR Trilogy + The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon
The Giver - Lois Lowry
The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco
D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths - Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
The Little House series - Laura Ingalls
The Sherlock Holmes canon - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Who's on your list?

I've been invited to see Scott Pilgrim tomorrow night and I haven't finished the books.  Eek!

That's what I get for trusting in inter-library loan.  Oh well.

I probably should get some Glee LJ icons...

ANYWAY!

I cannot get the Glee version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" out of my head, complete with full-on replays of the scene in Ballet Club (hee!) where I decided I'm just plain in love with Jonathan Groff (and that I want to find that Newsweek critic and smack him upside the head).  Seriously though, all day, running through my mind: "Forever's gonna start tonight!"  "Turn around, bright eyes!"  I am going to go completely mad.

You Tube link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3D655GZZ00

Woke up (late) this morning, and while I was getting ready realized that I have an author visit happening this Wednesday.  I have nothing baked, nothing set up or confirmed with the building manager, and stupidly made myself a dentist appointment tomorrow morning.  Aiee!

The book is fabulous, and the author called me this morning to confirm that everything was a go (he has been a joy to communicate with).  I think everything is going to be fine, but I am going to be stupidly busy for the next few days.  *sigh*

If anyone is interested, the book is Annie's Ghosts by Steve Luxenberg and it is a fascinating read as well as being a true story.  The author finds out late in his mother's life that despite the fact that she has always insisted she is an only child, she had a sister who was institutionalized and about whom no one ever spoke.  Being a journalist, Luxenberg decides to take a look at what happened, and finds out a lot of interesting things not just about his family but about what it was like to be an immigrant in Detroit, what mental hospitals and the treatment of the mentally ill/disabled was like, what it means to have a family secret, and so forth.  He'll be at my library May 12th at 6:30pm if anyone feels so inclined.  You should read the book regardless, though.  :)

I've decided that I would like to start updating my LJ again.  Yes, I'm wasting time before work while it's raining outside, why do you ask?

Wings game last night = awesome!  As Mickey Redmond would say, Katie bar the door! (I hope.)

Not to be too whiny, but I would like to fast forward through summer to my next vacation (Madison, then Boston, hopefully).  How can this be accomplished?

Hello all, and Happy New Year.  I hope that 2009 is healthy, safe and successful for all.  With that said, the main purpose of this post is to state that I have compiled all the books I've read in the past year, and am ready to report the results.  (Also, this may be the only New Year's resolution from last year that I've kept.  Hee!)

The grand totals are:  318 total books (75 of those books were manga/graphic novels) and 5 short stories (I didn't count these as "books", but I read them nonetheless).

Fairly impressive, if not quite a book a day (which is what I had estimated).  I am eagerly looking forward to recording what I read next year as well.  Under the cut is a list of the titles.

( Laura's Reads for 2009 )

Why in the name of all that is righteous and holy would you call my small local library to see if an item that was placed on hold with SOMEONE ELSE'S WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY library card has arrived?!?  Libraries are not magic, no matter how much they may seem to be so.  (Wow, that was a tortured sentence construction!)  I have absolutely no way of knowing whether something has arrived, PARTICULARLY if the patron record is NOT AT OUR LIBRARY.  Also, perhaps if the person ordered it with their Wayne State card, it might arrive (when it does so, in good time) AT WAYNE STATE!!! Gah! 

On the other hand, enjoy my awesome Twilight lolfan icon.  Hee!  *flounce*

Sometimes I just plain love my job.  An example:  today, I got to utter the sentence "Actually, I believe the giant snail is when he goes to the moon." and have it be both the answer to a question AND a true statement. 

Libraries rule!

Who knew that wishing could get you anything?

As I was typing my last entry, it turns out that my brother had, in fact, come home.

I am happy.  (still waiting on the coffee though)

I wish I had a damn cup of coffee because I'm cold and tired and it is BORING in the library today.

I wish someone would ask a reference question.

I wish I had more money.

I wish I had a plane ticket to California.

I wish my brother would just frickin' come home already.

I wish it were 6pm.

I wish I didn't have to work all the time.

I wish the election were over already.  (Corollary: I wish people would stop saying the phrase "Joe the Plumber". [yes, even you Diane Rehm.])

I wish I had time to sit down and read multiple books in a row.

I wish I had more time, period.