2011: Sunday (Friday) Salon – Merry Christmas Edition

Merry (almost) Christmas everyone! I’m posting this on Friday because if all has gone well, we are on (or nearly on) the road heading for Baltimore right now.

December has felt somewhat harried to me. I had several work projects that absolutely had to be done this week, and add to that Christmas parties, shopping, mailing, and other obligations, and it makes for one busy girl. I had the day off yesterday, and though I did have packing and things that needed to be done before we left, I took the time out to go to the movies and see The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Two thumbs up, by the way. I don’t think they messed it up at all, despite changing the ending a bit. I’d even say it was as good as the Swedish version.

We didn’t put up a tree or any decorations at all this year, partly because of the Gilly Monster (aka the 9 month old kitten) and partly because we’re not going to be home. Normally, "not going to be home" is not a reason to not put up the tree, but I’m also usually home from wherever we’ve gone at least by mid-week the week after Christmas. Meaning, I have a few days to take the tree down and clean everything up before I have to go back to work.

However, this year Scott’s parents are taking us to Las Vegas for the week for our Christmas gift. We’re flying out on Christmas morning, and back on New Year’s Eve. The first couple of days we’re spending in Death Valley National Park, and then the rest of the week back in Vegas, where I hope I have a little more luck with the slots than I did this summer! I’m excited to be in Las Vegas when it’s not 110 degrees outside, and looking forward to being able to walk outside without sweating to death. It’s actually supposed to be a very nice mid-50s the whole week. I thought it might be a little warmer, but I’m definitely not complaining. I can’t wait to see what sort of display they have in the atrium in the Bellagio for Christmas.

As far as reading goes, my weird reading pace has continued. I do have 6 reviews that still need to be written, plus anything I happen to finish while I’m gone. I’m a bit anal about posting reviews in the year the books were read, so I’m going to have to back-date those reviews. They’ll make it into my feed somehow!

It looks like my book total this year is going to be my second lowest since I started keeping track in 2005. I have no real explanation, except for the fact that I read several books that I got bogged down in for way too long. I’ve gotten away from the genres that are my favorite, so I think that this coming year I will be trying to read more crime/suspense books, especially those in series.

I’ll be taking my Kindle with me (of course), and right now I’m reading Chris Hardwick’s The Nerdist Way. I don’t normally read self-help books, but I like Chris Hardwick (his Nerdist podcast is hugely entertaining) and he definitely turned around his life in an impressive way. Plus, you know I’m totally a Nerd. After that I need to start on Moloka’i by Alan Brennert, my book club read for January. This was my suggestion, so I hope it’s good!

My back-up hard copy book (I have to have something to read when the flight attendants make me put my Kindle away!) is my ARC of Kim Harrison’s A Perfect Blood. It’s not published until the end of February, but there’s no way I’m waiting that long to read it. I haven’t been this excited by an ARC in a while.

I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and a happy New Year! I shall return in January with gusto.