Of reading and wallpaper

Update: I’m  upgrading WordPress today – please ignore any format oddities! Thanks. -Chris, 1/29/07 13:55

Christine of Pointy Sticks is having a podcast anniversary (podiversary?!) contest. She’s interested in comments or blog posts about socks (before midnight, February 6) – additional details are available in her most recent podcast. Prizes include a Lyra mp3 player!

Lisa is having a contest – you can submit guesses on an assortment of things, such as how many miles of yarn in her stash, and win an assortment of prizes! Contest ends midnight, February 9.

Reading Update
The Chemistry of Joy: A three-step program for overcoming depression through Western science and Eastern wisdom by Henry Emmons, MD, and Rachel Kranz. This was my final book for the From the Stacks Winter Reading Challenge. Whew! I initally picked up this book because I know Henry and appreciate his belief that, while medication is important for treating depression, it should often only be one aspect of treatment. Changes to diet, exercise, and meditative practices can help as much or even more than traditional medicine. If you struggle with depression, I highly recommend this insightful and thoughtful book.
Cheaper than Therapy: Joy, healing, and life lessons in fiber edited by Annie Modesitt. This was my first book for the 2007 To Be Read Challenge. I think that the short essays and poems in this book went perfectly with The Chemistry of Joy!

Here’s my list of books for the 2007 To Be Read Challenge – all of them have been in my “to be read” piles for at least six months; some for much longer. (While I was sorting through my books to make these lists, I realized that there were numerous books in my “to be read” piles that I wasn’t interested in anymore, so they will be heading to the thrift store.)

2007 To Be Read Challenge Booklist

  • Cheaper than Therapy: Joy, healing, and life lessons in fiber edited by Annie Modesitt; completed 1/28/07
  • Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
  • Thinks… by David Lodge
  • If the Buddha Got Stuck: A handbook for change on a spiritual path by Charlotte Kasl, PhD
  • The House of Sleep by Jonathan Cole
  • Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
  • A Conspiracy of Tall Men by Noah Hawley
  • Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World by Sarah Vowell
  • Digital Photography for Dummies by Julie Adair King
  • The Opinionated Knitter: Elizabeth Zimmermann newsletters 1958-1968
  • Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
  • Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Alternates/Additional

  • Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott
  • Three Junes by Julia Glass
  • The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson
  • Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde
  • Heartlight by Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • My Dream of You by Nuala O’Faolain
  • Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice
  • Bone Dance by Emma Bull
  • Freedom and Necessity by Steven Brust and Emma Bull

Kmkat is curious about what we have as our desktop wallpaper. I have an image of Rurouni Kenshin, the anime character that I named my laptop after.

“I don’t know why she doesn’t have a picture of me for her wallpaper!” -C

“Hmph.” -C

32 thoughts on “Of reading and wallpaper”

  1. I imagine the reason why you don’t have Chaos as your wallpaper is that he would think the screen was a mirror and never get off the keyboard to let you type. hee hee.

  2. Unlike Scout, I hate Jodi Picoult 🙂 so we’ll see which camp you fall into!

    I loved Middlesex and My Dream of You. Have fun with those!

  3. I don’t even want to look at my TBR pile. Or make a list of what i’ll read in 2007. It’s the same list as last year, and will be the same next year, give or take a book or two. But I can’t wait to read Middlesex!

  4. I am shocked that you don’t have a picture of Chaos and/or Mayhem as your computer wallpaper!

    I got a Picoult book for Christmas…My Sister’s Keeper or something like that? It sounded good. I’ve heard of “Three Junes” — I read that it was quite good, and actually asked for it for Christmas but didn’t get it. “Middlesex” is fantastic — it was one of the best books I’ve ever read. I really think you’ll enjoy that one.

    “The House of Sleep”…god, I wish.

  5. ooh I recognised that dude on your wallpaper from somewhere! My daughter is very into manga and draws alsorts of things – I have a feeling he is on her bedroom wall:-)

  6. Dear Chaos,

    Mom can’t do that or baby May might get jealous. Perhaps when she has a great picture of both you and May, she’ll change it! I do agree that a pic of you will make a nicer wallpaper 😉

  7. Chaos, you’re absolutely right, WE are the Center of their Universe and should appear on their wallpaper – especially when they’re at the office and can’t be with US, right?
    I think a good shot of both you and Ms. Mayhem would be appropriate. My Mommie has a photo of me and the Blonde Bombshell curled up asleep together on her office computer…the Calico Curmudgeon was too anti-social to join us…

  8. Wallpaper social anxiety is a crippling disease in the office and at home. If I have wallpaper with only one of my children up for too long, my wife will make a mention of it. If I have something that is not related to work or my kids, like a serene photo from one of my photographer buddies coworkers will tell me that is against corporate policy. I want a wallpaper of everything at all times and that way no one’s feelings get hurt. Or maybe I’ll just put a picture of me there, with a sign saying “screw everyone at all times”. There that should make…me happy.

  9. I never finished Bone Dance, but ymmv. I preferred War for the Oaks — it took me back to younger years when, between the hours of midnight and 4am, the city was mine.

    Tell Chaos he’s not cute enough to be your wallpaper — that’ll really get him!

  10. My sister and I had a hot potato game going last Fall with four or five of Jodi Picoult’s latest books. Then she picked up vanishing Act right before Christmas and we both looked at it and said “Eh, kind of tired of her.” She did read it later and handed it to me with highest recommendations, I am nearing it’s end right now and it is one of my favorites by Ms. Picoult.

  11. Thanks for letting the blog world know about my stashbusting contest! I have your number! Oh, you can guess in all the categories if you want. And I would think your cats might think that!

  12. I used to have a Sailor Moon pic on mine. Now it’s just a bunch of twinkling stars. Maybe we could create a japanimation-Chaos for your desktop.

    P.S. I still want to work on a header with Chaos the caped crusader in it! Hopefully I’ll have more time for play soon. 🙂

  13. Great reading list(and alternates too.) I have Blackwood Farm somewhere; I haven’t read it yet though. Tell Chaos not to feel bad–my babies and my furbabies wonder why they aren’t on my wallpaper too.

  14. Your reading lists are always so ambitious. You make me feel like a dullard :o) Of course right now, my brain is all mushy from pregancy hormones and I can barely comprehend the comics.

  15. I’ve got Kafka on the Shore and Jodi Picoult on my waiting to be reads too 🙂

    I think Chaos might content himself with being the most famous cat on the internet 🙂

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