Ray's House of Love Vol III

What are you reading, if you don't mind saying?

I'm in between books right now--I tend to either be reading or be writing--but I recently finished Robopocalypse, which I enjoyed more than I expected. My library's supply of ebooks available is pretty limited, so I considered myself lucky to find one that wasn't like fifth in a series.

Maryn, wishing they had more thrillers

When we had to move the bookcase to paint, I was in the right mood for a major cull. I filled two boxes. They're still sitting in the family room, but they'll get donated eventually.

Maryn, eating sweet cherries

The horror!

I'm starting to fret about "what if we do move next year?" because there are lots of books (and a ton of other items) that I probably ought not to take, but I want them all.

Maryn, in a lifelong love affair with cool things

The curse of living in the first world, huh?

Maryn, who does the same thing

I should know this, but are you a librarian?

And if you are, is this practice good or bad? When I'm browsing, I see many books I presume are mis-shelved. In among the authors whose surnames start with GO, for instance, there's an HA author. (Well, that one I'd move myself. It's right there.) Okay, make that ZA. I often pull the item out and lay it sideways across the top of the other books, to alert whatever staffer checks that this book doesn't go here. Is that a total pain or helpful? Yeah, I could put it where it goes, but I fear messing up something, like a deliberate gathering of all an author's books under one name even though she writes under her real name and two pen names.

Maryn, who dreads today's worst task and is doing laundry instead

Lately I'm promising myself that when I am bedridden in some skilled nursing facility, I shall hire a bevy of college students to come read to me from my TBR pile. I will pay them well, too.

Maryn, who'd be smart to do that now

I see people color in public now and again.

Later this week I will need to kill some time at a Panera Bread. (One car in the shop, me to a short meeting, Mr. Maryn to buy clothes at the mall, which he hates and makes so unpleasant I refuse to join him.) I'd thought I'd bring a laptop and pretend to write, which I can't usually do in such a busy environment. Maybe I should color instead!

Funny story. My writing group gives small gifts at Christmas. This past year one woman gave us adult coloring books and packs of colorful mechanical pencils--all of them plain black graphite.

One of my daughters is somewhat artistic. She colored one page using pencil, in various textures, shadings, grids and such. It's pretty cool, but not something I'm capable of.

Maryn, whose artistic talent is as yet undiscovered

I've heard there's a big difference in quality when it comes to colored pencils. What kind did you get, and do you like them?

Anyone else go a little crazy with home office-slash-writing supplies this time of year? Pencils, notebooks, basic art supplies, etc. never get cheaper all at the same time. I've been having a little paroxysm of scissor buying. Fiskars--an excellent brand I use for sewing--keeps having its shortest scissors, usually about $4, on sale for 99 cents in back to school promos. They have both blunt tip for little kids and pointed for older ones. I must have six or eight pairs by now, but it's such a good deal! And you can never have too many pairs of scissors, right?

Maryn, thinking maybe you can

Thanks for the tip on Prisma colored pencils. My city has a dedicated art store--but might I find them in "regular" stores, do you think? (Parking near the art store is difficult.)

Or I've heard of this thing, "online shopping"--wacky, huh?

Maryn, wondering how many colors she needs

Is anyone else like me, in that either I'm reading a lot or writing a lot? I've been reading recently, hardly getting any words down at all, but I've certainly enjoyed the last several books. Kid Two has my tastes as a reader totally nailed and every time she gives me a book for my birthday or Christmas, it's one I really like.

Fast heads-up for those keeping score. I'll be traveling the second half of August, online far less than usual. Please don't let this thread die completely.