Suddenly Sunday - finally feels like Fall edition

Hello!  How the heck are you?  I am fine and no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  Sorry, but activities in real life take precedence over the blog, especially when it's your job.  Got to pay those bills.  It's  struggle to juggle everything including crazy coworkers, but that's a topic for another day.  Anyways, here's me catching up:

It along: Ah no, this book was so not for me.  I got to page 300 and threw the book in the trash.  Literally.  This book reminded me why I stopped reading King.  Too long and drawn out, and sorry not frightened in the least.  There's one more King book I'll try but not until at least next year.  Maybe it was the back-to-back of The Stand and IT, not sure, but certainly didn't help.

Demise of Feedburner: Wth?  I really have been busy.  Not sure what to do about this, but I guess make sure everyone can resubscribe some way?  I assume Blogger has a gadget for that?

TV: Bit too busy for new TV shows, so going with the old standards of Homeland, Sons of Anarchy, Fringe (last season sniff-sniff), Once Upon a Time.  Tried Revolution, and couldn't do it.  In the middle of episode 2, I realized I liked no one, and wanted them to all die.  That's when you know the show is not working for you.  I will say Giancarlo Esposito...I love you baby, but even you can't save this show.

What I'm reading now: Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony, and enjoying it quite a bit.  I've read quite a few good books lately, and yes reviews are coming, even if they are short and sweet.

Future reading: I have two big classic chunksters I want to read: Bleak House and The Three Musketeers.  I was going to start Bleak House in November, and do a read-along, but I think this may be too sad for holiday time???  Whereas sword fighting and camaraderie is good anytime of the year, especially the holidays.  Plus, I know Trish has both of these on her list of classics to read.  So, let me know in the comments your choice is.  Whatever has the most votes will be read starting  November 1st.  since both are quite big and it's the holidays, the read-along will go until January 31st.  Check-in posts maybe every two weeks, or is that too much?

Well I think that's all for now, at least all that's important.  No one wants to hear about work.  Soon, I'll update you on the knitting front.  Speaking of, for any of you knitters out there, I'm going to Stitches East next weekend with my knitting posse, so if you're going to be there, drop me a line.

What's new with you this Sunday?  Hope all is well for you and thanks for hanging in there with me and my sporadic blogging and commenting.  You are da best!  Have a wonderful week and happy reading :)

(Trish, thanks for poking me.  Sorry I didn't make that Wednesday deadline.)

 © Jenny Girl - 2012 "All Rights Reserved"

Suddenly Sunday....Suddenly Fall Edition

Hello dear readers!  How are you? Hope the weather has cooled down and dried out wherever you may be.  Here in Philly, there is a bit of crispness in the air and I love it.  Now if my allergies would just calm down all would be right in my world.

September brings many things to me this year. Teaching classes this semester, which requires preparation, but I enjoy it.  And my students seem like good eggs, so that's always a plus.  This month at work is always crazy due to annual education there, that needs to be created and presented.  I always poop my pants thinking I won't be ready, but I pull it out every year, and it's always well received.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is this coming week (9/10 to 9/15) and although there are no awards (which I'm glad because it was driving the organizers crazy) there are daily topics to post about.  Think of BBAW as a time to reflect on why you really blog, what you like, and why you continue to do it.  That's my plan anyway.  That and try to get some reviews done.  Been trying for three weeks and have not been successful.  However, on Thursday the 13th, I am a tour stop on the Written in the Ashes book tour, so will definitely be finished in time :)  So if you have a minute, do stop back on Thursday and see what's up with this ancient Egyptian novel.

On the TV watching front, summer TV on the whole has been disappointing.  Warehouse 13 has turned everyone into idiots.  Alphas has some promise but I'm not as sold on this season as I was last year.  There were two highlights of the season though.  Boss with Kelsey Grammer on Starz.  He is one mean SOB.  The mayor of Chicago and the crazy world that is Chicago city hall politics.  Everyone on that show is amazing and I look forward to it every week.  The other highlight was Longmire on A&E. This is about a sheriff in Wyoming dealing with murders, personal loss, and relations with the reservation.  This show is as much about the man as it is about solving crimes.  Supporting cast is great (Lou Diamond Phillips, Katee Sackoff) scenery is gorgeous, and writing is smart and witty.  I highly recommend jumping on this bandwagon, and at only 13 episodes, it's easy to catch up.


Labor Day weekend saw me finally finish Battlestar Galactica (the new version), and I am sad it has ended.  I know you're thinking Sci-Fi, really, but this show which came out after 9/11 explores what it means to be human, and what is faith or god, really?  Black is white and white is black, and the characters are all lovable and interesting.  I remember people were disappointed with the show finale, because not all questions were answered, but in this post LOST era, I am much more forgiving if the show wraps up most big elements.  (This doesn't mean I have forgiven LOST, because I haven't.)   I think watching all of the episodes back to back, instead of at the time, week to week, influenced my perception as well.  I didn't have time to dwell on minutiae. That being said, BSG is one of my all time favorite shows, and I will always rewatch it, given the chance.

I think that is enough scoop for now.  So go enjoy the beautiful weather, with or without a good book, and have a fantastic day!  See you all later :)


 © Jenny Girl - 2012 "All Rights Reserved"

Damn you, Sons of Anarchy!!!!

For making me stay up past my bed time to watch the fantastic season 3 opener of the show, and thereby setting the precedent of staying up late every Tuesday night to watch the episode as it airs. I was already peeing my pants in anticipation for the new season, but now I wait hungrily for next week's show and I can see this will happen each week.

Now some of you out there may be saying to yourself, "A show about a bunch of dirty bikers? What the hell is so good about that? And aren't bikers just nothing but trouble anyway, you know with the drugs, hookers, and other assorted illegal stuff? And tattoos...did I mention there are a lot of those too?" Well, yes and no. Looks can be deceiving and the biker image throws a lot of people at first, but when you see past that, and realize this is a show about family, loyalty...taking care of those who mean something to you, and standing up for what you believe in, then you start to discover what Sons of Anarchy are all about.


Yes, the club is an organization which is involved in some illegal activity, however these activities are going to occur whether SAMCRO is involved or not. So they try to make sure it doesn't happen in their part of the world, basically trying to preserve a nice, small town way of life. Unfortunately things don't always turn out that way, but the club makes a good effort.

This show explores many facets of human nature and behavior: family dynamics, and the relationships within that family; the power and strength of women both within this group and as women relate to one another; group dynamics and pecking order; rules in the club, both spoken and unspoken. The writing is powerful and the acting just takes it to another level. Emotions are played out before the viewer with such brutal honesty....the actors bare their souls. Kurt Sutter the creator and writer for this show, also did The Shield, so that should tell you right there, that this show does not hold back.

I hesitate to say this show is like the Sopranos, early Sopranos, but in some ways it is. The big differences being that mobsters dress well, drive Lincolns or Cadillacs, and eat very well. Both are organized crime families, plain and simple. However, mobsters have been glamorized over the years and motorcycle clubs have not. You could argue that one is more ruthless than the other, but I disagree. Both do what needs to be done, and lets face it, these illegal activities are not going away any time soon.

Basically, what I'm saying is that Sons of Anarchy is freaking fantastic show, with brilliant writing and acting, that you probably don't know about. Check it out sometime, because I don't think you will be disappointed. It's better than the Sopranos. There, I said it.



 

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