I Remember There Being a Weekend

Today I thought back over my weekend and I was hard pressed to say what I'd done. I didn't knit. Not one stitch. I didn't read. I did some housework but not much more than dusting and sweeping. I cooked meals but nothing fancy. I talked to my sister on the phone for an hour and a half. I watched Pulp Fiction on Saturday night. I played Sacred on Sunday night. Walked the dog eight times. That's it. Somehow that just doesn't seem to account for all the hours in a weekend. I can't even say most of it was lost in sleep.

I feel a bit like Ray Milland in Lost Weekend which wouldn't worry me if I'd only had a drink sometime on Saturday or Sunday. I didn't even so much as take a swig from the bottle of Absolut Citron in my refrigerator.

Maybe the mundane and ordinary has piled up to the point where I no longer recognize things I do. They just fall into the pile of blur and are forgotten.

Well...since I did nothing significant then we'll just move on to something equally as insignificant but at least somewhat amusing. You can never underestimate the power and allure of amusing.

A meme. Oh shut up. You know you can't resist reading even the lamest meme. And this one is about books! Somehow it doesn't seem as pointless if it's about books. That's what I tell myself anyway.

Swiped from Hilda. I adore her. Smart, witty, savvy. But she's never driven a car. I always find it fascinating that she's gotten through life without ever having driven a car. It's probably what keeps her smart, witty and savvy.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
What exactly is trade paperback vs mass market paperback? I prefer paperbacks because I'm cheap but if one is fancier than the other I don't care. If I can read the print and the pages aren't falling out, I'll buy it. I very seldom buy books in hardback.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
I said not too long ago that one of the things I miss about living in the US is being able to browse in bookstores. I never read in German so I don't browse German bookstores. Now I loves me some Amazon and we order something from Amazon dang near every month but it doesn't replace being in a lovely bookstore. But then there's something to be said about having someone bring me a book to my door.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
I don't turn my nose up at any bookstore. Big chain, funky used book place, small, family owned business - they're all wonderful to me. I'd go to either Barnes & Noble or Borders just to be surrounded by books.

Bookmark or dogear?
Bookmark. Dogeared books irk me.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Oh hell, I'm lucky to get them on a shelf at all! I do try to keep books by the same author together but there's no way I'd keep up with having things all anal retentively arranged alphabetized.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
There are some books that I love that I keep. The rest of my books I give away to others - I've even had friends in the US send me books they've read and then I've sent them back to another person in the US for them to read. And some books I donate to the English language section of my local library.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep it. I've gotten used books from my sister sans dust jacket and thought "Now why in the hell did you remove the dust jacket?"

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
I can't think of a time when I removed a dust jacket while reading a book. Me removing it would be as good as throwing it away because I'd probably mix it in with the old newspapers.

Short story or novel?
I mostly read novels but I don't necessarily like them more than short stories. I'm just interested in writing that keeps me engaged.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Collections are what I mostly read but can't say I prefer them.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter. Most people had read the first four books before I did and I couldn't believe that anything could live up to such hype but when I read them, I was in love. I am completely captivated by those books.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
I hate to stop reading before a chapter break but I also hate falling asleep and dropping the book so if I notice I'm reading the same sentence eight times in a row and I'm not near a break, I give in to the fatigue.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Dark and stormy nights usually translate into a real page turner.

Buy or Borrow?
Buy. And of course folks give me their old books. I don't like borrowing books because I like to take my time with them if I choose but I will say that if I borrow your book, I'll return it in pristine condition. Even books I own look like I've never cracked them open after I'm finished with them.

New or used?
If I'm buying it, I want new. If you're giving me your used book all I ask is that I don't find crumbs or hair between the pages.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
Since I can't browse bookstores I read reviews and get recommendations but I do browse online if I'm looking for something within a particular genre.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
There's something to be said for both. Remember when Stephen King originally came out with the Green Mile series and there was a new one every month? Those cliffhanger endings are what made me head to the bookstore the day a new one would be released. I hate it though when I read a stand alone novel and the ending is so vague that you can't get if the story is finished or not. I don't like feeling as though the last chapter is missing.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
Usually afternoon. I don't often have time in the mornings and in the evenings I'm usually using my computer.

Stand-alone or series?
I love both. A great stand alone novel is very satisfying but there's something about recurring characters that I love. It's like visiting with old friends.

Favorite series? For fun reading I love mystery series - my favorites are the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton and the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Other series I like are the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (which sort of surprises me because that's not normally a story like that I'd like), the Mitford series by Jan Karon (another series that on the surface isn't something I'd like), the Chronicals of Narnia by C.S.Lewis and, as if I haven't already said it enough, Harry Potter.

Favorite children's book?
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder would be my most often read followed by Charlottes Web and Stuart Little by E.B. White.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Another series! Run with the Horsemen, The Whisper of the River and When All the World Was Young by Ferrol Sams. I love the main character, Porter Osborne.

Favorite books read last year?
Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

Favorite books of all time?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore, She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, Stone from the River by Ursula Hegi, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. And many others.

Least favorite book you finished last year?
There was one in a murder mystery series I wasn't too cranked over but I don't remember which one.

What are you reading right now?
Unhinged by Sarah Graves and Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore.

What are you reading next?
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.

I won't tag anyone - if you're a reader, feel free to steal this. And of course if anyone has any book recommendations for me, leave me a comment. I've got a couple Amazon gift certificates burning a hole in my pocket.