Sunday, May 20, 2012

Sunday Salon: The Calm Before the Storm

 Good morning all my friends!  I'm coming to you with a smidge better attitude than last week.  Just a smidge.  My state of mind will improve tenfold once school is done which is in one week for my daughter and two weeks for my son.  Then I can focus on regrouping myself and exorcising all the negativity that is trying to drag me down.


Next week is going to be completely insane, even for my standards.  I'll save the blow-by-blow details for next Sunday, but it is finals week and my daughter graduates 8th grade (not a big deal to some but at our school it is huge) with all the festivities that come with it, so I am drawing a deep breath and fortifying myself now. 


This week was fairly normal.  We had our workouts with Andre, horseback riding lessons, a doctor appointment, and my husband got back into town.  I missed book club on Thursday night (discussing Fifty Shades of Grey, so unfortunately I didn't get a chance to rant and rave over its horridness) because they had a sports orientation at my daughter's high school that night.  I had a couple of meetings at school, the daughter and I worked the animal shelter yesterday, and the hub and I attended a wine-themed fundraiser last night at the Orlando Science Center.


I was excited to hear that a small, independently published book that I reviewed recently, "The Photo Album", was awarded an honorable mention in the Eric Hoffer Awards (for short prose and independent books).  I've reviewed three of the author Kenneth Dixon's books now, and I love his work and am always happy when he publishes a new one.  Way to go Kenneth!


I did the best I could this week with my reading.  I've been distracted and twitchy, so I've not been at my most productive.  I started, and am still in the process of reading "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn for a TLC tour, and people, it is rocking my world so far.  Holy cow.  What a brain-twister this one is.  I love (love love love) it.  


On audio, I finished "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater, and it was nice.  I wasn't necessarily enthralled with all of it...my mind would wander...but the ending really impacted me and the narrators were excellent.  I then started "The Lifeboat" by Charlotte Rogan in the car (MP3 review copy), and started "The Informationist" by Taylor Stevens on the iPod.  "The Lifeboat" is OK so far, but is feeling a little slow.  "The Informationist" though is making my brain buzz.  I love the female protagonist, who is kind of a butt-kicking Lisbeth-ish personality, and is depicted by a smoky, velvety smooth narrator that I'm enjoying.  A lot.


I'm not sure what we have on deck for today, except for church and horse.  We had talked about seeing The Avengers, but I'm not convinced we shouldn't stay home and let the kids hit the books.  There is always next weekend.  Hope today is filled with relaxation and reading for you all!


        

18 comments:

bermudaonion said...

You sound like me - I always loved summers and breaks when Vance was in school. I hope the end of the year goes well for both of your kids and you're able to find some peace of mind. I've been thinking about you!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Holy cow you have a bunch of books going! I wonder if that dilutes the experience for any one?

Peppermint Ph.D. said...

My middle daughter graduated this past Friday, and like you, I've just felt completely bogged down with the normal end of the year stuff in addition to all the graduation hoopla. The last of the relatives left yesterday so hoping that today will actually be calm, quiet and activity-less :)

Unknown said...

I can't imagine just have one week left until school finishes - mine don't break up until mid-July. I hope their last week/weeks go well. Enjoy the festivities!

Amy said...

I can't believe you missed book club and your chance to rant about 50 Shades when you'd read it anyway!

I hope thinks calm down for your eventually. :)

JoAnn said...

All these raves for Gone Girl are killing me! Still weeks before the release...

Unknown said...

I have 18 school days left myself. Not that I'm counting. Counting involves math and I'm an English teacher.

christina said...

Ahhhh! I read Gone Girl two weeks ago and could not put it down. What the what?! That's all I've got to say at this point. It's a book I want to discuss but cannot really go into much detail on the blog because the Experience of it is huge.

Jenny said...

I've got The Lifeboat and Gone Girl on hold at the library. Looking forward to your review on both!

Kathleen said...

I hope you have a great week and I know it will be a relief when your kids are out of school for the summer and you can take a breath for a minute! My son graduates from high school next weekend and I am so excited but will also be relieved when the frenzy of activity that is leading up to it is over!

Alyce said...

I'm glad that your week was a little better this week, and with how busy it was I can't even imagine what your next week will be like. I hope that it's not too hectic for you though! I've heard The Informationist was good - I'll look forward to your review of that one.

Gavin said...

Remembering to take a deep breath once in a while should help you get through the next couple of weeks. I've got Gone Girl on hold at the library but am waiting for it to be released, can't wait!

Carrie K. said...

Phew - your week sounds exhausting! Hang in there - the end is in sight. :) And isn't the narrator for the Stevens books amazing? I love her voice!

Beth F said...

I really liked Lifeboat ... hope it comes together for you (I read, not listened). Informationist was awesome.

Literary Feline said...

At least you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, right? That's always something.

So glad you are enjoying Gillian Flynn's novel. I really need to give her a try. I say that about so many authors . . . If only there was enough time in the day.

Hang in there, Sandy. I'm thinking of you.

Ti said...

My son's end of the year social calendar is nuts. He has been invited to numerous parties which makes it a bit more complicated but at least we don't have a formal ceremony to worry about. He has his 8th grade BBQ which is students only and then the next day he and bunch of kids are going to IHop to celebrate. Easy peasy!

However, DC is looming and I am getting nervous and twitchy and weird.

Jenners said...

I read The Lifeboat in one day. It was interesting in all that the narrator doesn't say. I wonder how it will work on audio. I could have missed a bunch of stuff just listening I think.

And I AM JEALOUS that you have the new Gillian Flynn! I love her!! I didn't realize she had a new one. Must buy now!!!!!!!

Julie P. said...

I feel the same way -- the calm before the storm. For some insane reason, I planned the BEA trip knowing that it's the kids' last week of school and my daughter's dance rehearsals.

So need to get my hands on GONE GIRL!