The Texas Tech Museum

I was surprised to learn that the Texas Tech Museum was going to be open today, because their schedule usually is consistent with the University's class schedule.  But, they were open, and will reopen on January 2, 2019.

I went to see the exhibit The Pre Modern Bibles.  I had actually gone to the museum once before to see this exhibit, but was distracted by a couple of exhibits:Red That Colored the World and Ladies in Red.   Those were great exhibits. Today, in addition to the exhibit on the Pre Modern Bibles, I went through the Red, Hot and Quilted  exhibit.

I really enjoyed both exhibits.  Amazingly, later today, I was reading a book, The Grantchester Mysteries, Sydney Chambers and the Persistence of Love.   There was a segment of the book  "Ex Libris"  that talked about ancient religious books, and used terms like "glossed" the meaning of which I learned today at the museum. This added to my enjoyment of the book, whereas without that knowledge, I would have just "glossed over" the term, and not worried about what it meant.

It is enlightening that our academic life can enhance our daily life in what is a small but important way!

Sick Day

I did not feel well when I woke up this morning, and went into work late, and came home early. I spent most of the afternoon on the reclining sofa, reading.  That kept my feet up, and is the most relaxing place I can be during the day.  I had a couple of throws covering me and the space heater on. It was comfy and cozy and I enjoyed the book I was reading. 

Reading like that is very relaxing and helps me to recuperate mentally and physically. Even if I read late into the night.  

The downfall is that by 8 PM tonight, I thought it was much later.  I did not feel tired, it was just the length of time that I had been home It has been a long night, but not in a negative sort of way.

Reading

I am an avid reader.  I like murder mysteries, and I like the series books, although I will read a stand alone if it is good.  I am trying to read more non-fiction, also.

This fall, there has been a lot of sports on TV that has interfered with my reading:  Yankee and Red Sox baseball.  The Red Sox in the World Series.  Patrick Mahomes quarterbacking the Kansas City Chiefs.  The New England Patriots.  Texas Tech football.  The Boston Celtics.  

I have season tickets for the Lady Raider basketball games, and some of the out of town games will be televised. It also looks like most of the men's basketball games will be televised.  I try to listen on the radio, if the games are not televised, for both the men and the women. I cannot read during basketball. 

I used to knit when I watched sporting events, but Taki cannot be deterred from trying to play with the yarn, and it is too difficult to try to knit.  I hate to lock her out of the room, or put her in time out, so I do not knit much any more. 

Instead, sometimes I play Words with Friends, or other word games on the computer when I watch TV. But I am re-learning how to watch TV without also doing something else.

Sometimes, during a sporting event that is kind of boring, I will read during the commercials, and continue reading until I get to a good place to stop reading. 

I love to read. I love books. 

Hidden Figures

I am reading the book Hidden Figures, the book about the women who worked for NACA and later NASA ,  computing equations about aircraft, and later spacecraft and flight trajectories and what have you. In fact the women who were doing the work were called computers, before that referred to electronic computers. 

Who would think that a story about women doing math could be interesting, but Margot Lee Shetterly was able to accomplish that.  

You may not have heard of the book, but this may sound familiar, because it was made into a movie of the same name:  Hidden Figures.  I really enjoyed the movie, so of course, I wanted to read the book!

Little did I know, but one of the main characters to this story, Katherine Johnson, turned 100 years old yesterday, August 26, 2018!  Hers is quite a story, and she deserves the recognition and accolades afforded to her by this book, and by this country!

Sleep versus Reading

Like everyone else, I need my sleep.  But throughout my life, something interesting has occurred when I have a really good book.  I can stay up late enthralled with a good book, and very often be rested and relaxed the next day. Especially if this is a well written book, with good plot and just good clean storytelling.  This is not always true, because if I am reading a book with a lot of energy like Ruthless Tide or emotional action A Dangerous Talent, I have too much emotional energy to sleep even after I have finished the book.

But I love the ability to stay up late, reading a good book, and being awake, alert and functional the next day.

Summer Reading Program

I am an avid reader.  I go in spurts, but recently, well since my vacation in March when I read 5 books, I have stepped up my reading.  I sometimes buy books, especially for the Barnes and Noble Mystery Book Club, as the monthly selection may not be available, but I try to use the library as much as possible.

This summer, as they have in the past, the Lubbock City Library has an adult summer reading program.  Each book you read, whether it is a library book or not, provides an entry into the drawing.  I have only finished 5 books so far.  

One of the book club members, who is a very prolific reader, won 3 prizes that last time the library did this!  Maybe I will win a prize.  We shall see. 

Reading

I have been on vacation since the 15th of March, and in that time I have read 5 books: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley (I did not realize that title was a quote from Shakespeare, but it is; 4 stars); Glass Houses by Louise Penny (love her Inspector Gamache series and would recommend it to all who love a good mystery; 5 stars); A Sudden And Fearful Death by Anne Perry (4 stars); The Strangler Vine by M. J. Carter (2 stars); and The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (4 stars.)  

It seems I have read a lot during the month of March, because other books I have read this month include:   Song of the Lion by Anne Hillerman (5 stars);  Oolong Dead by Laura Childs (4 stars); 212 by Alifair Burke (4 stars); and The House of the Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith (5 stars).

I used to read this much, but got out of the habit when I became addicted to playing "Words with Friends," which is a perfectly acceptable pastime, because it does challenge the brain, and I can play while watching some TV shows or certain sporting events.  (Not basketball, basketball is too fast and requires undivided attention if I am really interested in the game, and not just the outcome.) 

But we are in between sports seasons, except for basketball.  The Texas Tech team made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, and lost today, so I am not really interested in the rest of the tournament.   The Boston Celtics are doing well, and will be in some part of the NBA tournament that lasts for ever, so I will be able to watch them sometimes.  I have already watched the Yankees play a spring training ball game, and baseball season will start soon. But, I can read and listen to baseball, as well as play "Words with Friends" and listen to baseball. 

Well, I digress.  I have enjoyed all of the reading that I have done recently.

Baseball Mystery Series

One of the many mystery series that I have been reading is the baseball mystery series by Troy Soos. These are a series of books about Mickey Rawlings, baseball utility player in the early 20th century. Soos is a baseball historian, and I have learned a lot of baseball history. 

These are adult books, and someday, when my baseball loving oldest nephew is old enough, I will send the books to him, because I think he will enjoy this look at baseball. I have not read the entire series, but need to purchase, a couple of more books in the series.  

Reading

I love to read. I have written that my library card is my most important card. Sometimes, I read a book a week, or more. And I usually do not buy books, because, I was afraid that once I started to buy books, I would become over run with books.  Then, I joined a book club, and many of the selections are not available at the library.  Sometimes, I used inter-library loan, when it was free.  It now has a nominal fee, but often equivalent to what I would pay online at Abebooks or Albie's.  So I buy the book, and then recycle it.  

So, I am overrun with books.  I have books on my computer desk, on the dining table, in the book shelves, and on the floor.  Most of the books on the floor are awaiting a trip to the Resale Center .

Some are library books, some are used books I have read and will probably not keep, and some are books that I purchased with the intent to keep.  The most recent of these, although I have not had time to read it, is PAPI.  

Well, it gives me something to look forward to.

My Bad

Well, it turns out the Motor City Books did not screw up my order as badly as I thought. I have received one book from them I ordered, and the 2 I did not order. The records indicate they have shipped another book I ordered.  I know that media mail can take up to 6 weeks. So we shall see what occurs.  I still do not have 2 other books that were supposed to have been shipped. It may take some time.  We shall see.

I think in the future, I will do smaller orders so I can keep better track of what I order and when it comes in. 

Books

I recently purchased a number of books on line through Alibris Books http://www.alibris.com/books.  I received remarkable service from many of the book sellers, but unfortunately Motor City Books screwed up my order. They sent me two books from Connecticut that I did not order. When I contacted them to tell them that, they told me I could keep the books, give them away, or donate them. They also told me that they could not find my order. I have sent them my order number, so I am in hopes that they can resolve this issue.

This is the first time I have had trouble with a book order from Alibris. I have contacted Alibirs to inform them of the problem.

Buying Books

I think I have written before that my most important card is my library card.  I love to read, and checking out books and DVDs is a great asset for me.

But sometimes, the library does not have the books I want.  Especially some of the mysteries, that I like to read in order they were written.  So, sometimes, I do inter-library loan.  Which used to be free, but now has a fee of $3.00 attached.  Sometimes, it is cheaper to buy a used book on a web site like AbeBooks http://www.abebooks.com/, or Alibris http://www.alibris.com/books.  Sometimes, I buy from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/ or Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/_/N-29Z8q8.  So, tonight, I went on a shopping spree, and purchased several books to read in the various series that I read regularly.  That will be nice, because the library does have several more books in each of the series.

It Was an Ice Storm Weekend

The weather on Thanksgiving Day was not bad.  But Friday, it started off rainy and changed to icy.  Saturday continued icy.  I ran errands early Friday morning, before the cold front moved in, but sheltered in place after that.  This afternoon, I did all the errands I would have spread out over two days of a typical weekend.

I enjoyed having a stay at home, quiet weekend.  I had thought to rake leaves but not in this weather.

I am thankful for a day above freezing, so I could run errands.  Most importantly, I went to the library. The other stuff was incidental. 

"A Walk in the Woods" A Movie

Some years ago, I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson http://www.billbryson.co.uk/index.php/books/. The reason I read it was because I read an article in the newspaper about Robert Redford making it into a movie. The book sounded good. I did not know about it before then.  The movie came out this month, and I went to see it http://www.walkinthewoodsmovie.com/. It was an okay movie, it was very funny, and only partly accurate with the book.  But it got several messages across.

I have read several of Bill Bryson's books, and plan to read more. If any of them are made into movies, I will go to see them.

Reading

For reasons I choose not to share on the blog, I have had the opportunity to do a lot of reading lately.  I have really enjoyed that, for the most part. Sometimes, I got restless because I was ready to do other things.

But, I really like to read.  I have been reading the baseball mystery series by Terry Soos. I have continued to read the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson.  I read the Cain trilogies by Miriam Grace Monfredo. I started the Longmire series by Craig Johnson, I continued reading Sarah Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski series, I read some Dick Francis, and Amy Tan.

I just really like to read.  I like to curl up on a sofa, or rocking chair, or chaise lounge, or overstuffed chair, and read.

I can get so involved in reading that I am oblivious to what is occurring around me.  My mother used to get really upset with me when that happened, because she thought I was ignoring her, when I really was not even hearing her.

I can get so immersed in a book that as I read The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson, set in the Wyoming mountains in the early fall (cold and grey weather) I was so transported to that weather that I really did not relate that Lubbock was experiencing almost 100° full sunny weather.

I like that. I like reading a book that takes me out of my current experience and into the world of the characters in the book. Not all authors can do that for me.  But for me, that is  the point of reading:  Whether it is fact or fiction, an author that can transfix me to a different time and place is a gem, and what I am looking for when I read.

The truth is, if I am reading a book like that, I can stay up all night reading, and not be tired the next day.  Because the transfixation is so relaxing and invigorating to me, I am not tired. I cannot do that several days in a row, but one or two, I can.

I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to do a lot of reading recently, and I am so grateful that reading is a pastime that is so pleasing to me. 

If you do not read, try it.  You might like it.

Review of Unbroken

Review of Unbroken, A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption http://laurahillenbrandbooks.com/. 

I almost never do reviews.

Wow, this is an amazing book. I saw the movie, so I knew the basic story, but there are so many details in the book that could not be included in the movie, understandably.  This is an amazing story.  And it reads like a "page turner" every page leading the reader to the next page. The author's talent in telling this story enhanced it to beyond imagination.

I read "Seabiscuit" by Ms. Hillenbrand, and it was a marvelous book. This was better. I am looking forward to Ms. Hillenbrand's next book.

Unbroken

I saw the movie, Unbroken http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1809398/ so I knew some of what to expect from the book Unbroken, A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption http://laurahillenbrandbooks.com/.  Or so I thought. And, I was right about the basic story. But this book was so much more, I am reeling, I am amazed.  I do not generally find biographies and non-fiction to be "page turners" but even though I knew the bottom line outcomes, I found myself wanting to continue on to the next piece, the next segment, the next story.

Louie Zamperini was an amazing man.  And, it takes an amazing author to tell his story.  Thank you to Mr. Zamperini, now deceased, for participating in the telling of this story.  And thank you to Ms. Hillenbrand for her marvelous writing!

Return to Work

I returned to work today, after a week off.  My coworkers took good care of me while I was out.  But immediately upon checking my mail box, the birthday card I had set out before I went on vacation was sitting there, mostly unsigned.  Coincidentally, the birthday celebrant will be off work until Wednesday, so that gave us some time to get more signatures, and a coworker volunteered to help.

I had little waiting for me, considering.  A pile of requests to discuss therapy materials.  And many treatment team plans to finalize.  I knocked back the biggest number of those today, and will, hopefully, finalize the rest tomorrow. These have a "soft deadline" so while I want to finalize them as soon as possible, I have some lee way. I also need to set up the June list of treatment team plans needed.

There were some other things I needed to tend to. But nothing overwhelming. But by 1600, I was pretty well wiped out.  It was a long day. It was not a stressful day.

The hardest parts of my returning to work was leaving the house in the morning, and feeling that I had not done everything I needed to do to leave the house secure, the windows closed, with cat food put out, and  the air conditioner set.  Hmmm.  I got it right the first time, although I was unsettled. 

I was too tired to do too much tonight.  Sake and I spent some time in the yard. I read, Had dinner. Read the mail, but was too tired to reconcile my credit card bill or print up envelopes for the NASW mailing. Partly the reason I was too tired was that I was content to read, and eager to finish Invisible City by Julia Dahl.  Tomorrow, I can do some of these other tasks.

Renewing Library Materials

So, today is the day that my library books are due. I have tried to renew the materials online  several times tonight, but the service is not available online.  I will try again before I give up for the night. If I cannot renew tonight on line, I will need to call in and renew tomorrow night, either by phone or online.

Team of Rivals

I just finished reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln..  It was a slow read for me, especially the beginning about the backgrounds of all the characters.  But it was a good read. And everyone I know who read the book told me it was a  good book.

I have to say, that the author was very good.  And, even though I knew the ending, I cried.  To me, that is the sign of a well told story.

The books is what the movie Lincoln  http://www.thelincolnmovie.com/? was based on. Hmmm.  I saw the movie.  I believe that now that I have read the book, I need to see the movie again.

I am trying to read more non-fiction.  This one took me a while.