Wait, My Book Reviews Are What?

Blog Posted by kitt at 07:42 on 18 March 2018

How am I realizing only now that my book reviews aren't really book reviews, they are stories about how I came upon said book, what I thought about the book, and where the book is on my book review scale, followed by quotes from the book? I don't give plot summaries, that's what EVERY OTHER BOOK REVIEW IS FOR. I'm not a fan of spoilers, though I do skip to the end of nearly every suspenseful book I read.

How is NOW when I realize this?

The End

Blog Instead of being asleep at 15:19 on 12 March 2018, kitt created this:

Years ago, I auditioned for my school's variety show, as a one-person stand-up act. I didn't manage to secure a solo spot, but I was invited to participate as the girl-who-auditioned-and-fell-in-lust-with-the-cute-guy-also-auditioning intro girl for another act. I came onto the stage "practicing" my script, then spun around all gushing about this boy who was also at the auditions. Interestingly, I was carrying a box of chocolates in a Valentine box for him. As luck would have it, he walked across the stage towards me, saw me, then broke into song, as I wandered around the stage swooning at him. I have no idea how well I swooned.

That time on stage, however, was the end of my acting career.

You Need A Budget

Book Notes Instead of being asleep at 20:37 on 7 March 2018, kitt created this:

Okay, this is the book that goes with the YNAB budgeting website. Kristin recommended the site to me at some point in the last year or so, strongly recommended, and I have since recommended it to other people who have had some level of monetary stress (where "some level" is greater than zero). This book came out in December of last year, though I hadn't picked it up from the library until last week.

The website that describes the different approach to budgeting, and handholds you through the process is at https://www.youneedabudget.com/ with the guides at https://www.youneedabudget.com/guides

So, you know that I'm not giving anything away by saying YNAB has four rules (since they are right on the website):

1. Starting with the money you have right now (not the paycheck coming up, not the invoice you sent, what you have right now), Give Every Dollar A Job.
2. Don't be all wishful thinking and hopeful and "this month I will be good with my money," Embrace Your True Expenses
3. Accept that you are human and that life is unpredictable, Roll With The Punches
4. See how long you can hold on to your money, make it a game, and Age Your Money.

The shift in thinking is goooooooooood. Doing the exercises, setting all of this up, is haaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrd. . I believe the process is worth it. I liked the chapters on budgeting as a couple and teaching kids how to budget, which is more than a bit ironic.

Green Sand Beach

Daily Photo kitt decided around 16:26 on 3 March 2018 to publish this:

There are four of them in the world, made from olivine being ground up into smaller and smaller pieces. Really neat!

Warcross

Book Notes Yeah, kitt finished writing this at 17:26 on 1 March 2018

I have no idea how this book came to my awareness. If I had to guess, it was mentioned a number of times on Bookriot, causing me to go, "Hey, science fiction recommended by several people? Okay!" Or something like that.

I enjoyed this book. It had a number of eye-rolling technology descriptions, most notibly the "I can debug things that take mere mortals three weeks to debug, just be unfocusing my eyes and staring at the whole" idea of debugging. Good viruses take weeks if not years to decode, making the idea that someone can unfocus her vision and See The Bad Guy™ an absurd notion.

That said, I love the whole Black Swan aspect of the plot: that someone can glitch into the system with a hack, and end up being invited to the big leagues. I love the idea that merit is worth notice, that it isn't who you know or what hands you've bribed to get to the top. It appeals to the 12 year old girl in me.

I enjoyed the book. The ending, however, had me crying out, "No!" with its abruptness. I'll read the sequel, no way I'll be left hanging on this one. It's a cute Sci-Fi / Virtual Reality book.

Death has a terrible habit of cutting straight through every careful line you’ve drawn between your present and your future.
Location: 313

Everyone has a different way of escaping the dark stillness of their mind.
Location: 472

My contented mood wavers, and abruptly I have a sensation of unbelonging.
Location: 1,043

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