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Fall into Reading 2011 – The Landing
This fall I joined a challenge called Fall into Reading 2011 at the blog Callapidder Days.
The challenge was to put up a list of books you intended to read from Sept.23rd. to Dec.21st. put a wrap up post in your blog before midnight on Christmas Eve and post the link to it on the Mr.Linky widget on the wrap up post on Callapidder Days. My list isat the bottom of this post.
Here’s how it went for me:
- Did you finish reading all the books on your fall reading list? If not, why not?
I finished all but one. I was half-way through it on Dec. 21st, but didn’t manage to finish it before today. Simply a matter of time. - Did you stick to your original goals or did you change your list as you went along?
I stuck to my original goals. - What was your favorite book that you read this fall? Least favorite? Why?
My favorite was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern with Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta following close on its heels. My least favorite was The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier. It was ok, but no more than that. - Did you discover a new author or genre this fall? Did you love them? Not love them?
The books were from several different genres, but none of the new to me. The only author that I was familiar with was Charles de Lint, so there were a lot of new authors. I quite liked most of them. - Did you learn something new because of Fall Into Reading 2011 – something about reading, about yourself, or about a topic you read about?
I learned that I like, and need a challenge or two to get through the books I intend to read. So I’ve already decided to join a few challenges next year too. - What was your favorite thing about the challenge?
That it kept me disciplined.
This was fun.
My Fall into Reading 2011 List:
- Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta – read, 24.sep.
- The Sense of and Ending / Julian Barnes – read, 28.oct.
- Trapped / Michael Northrop – read, 5.oct.
- Pastworld / Ian Beck – read, 19.nov.
- The Painted Boy / Charles de Lint – half read on 21.dec. Finished on 23.dec.
- The Floating Islands / Rachel Neumeier – read, 5.nov.
- The Night Circus / Erin Morgenstern – read, 23.oct.
- The Kensei / Jon F. Merz – read, 16.dec.
- Brain Jack / Brian Falkner – read, 29.sep.
- Blink & Caution / Tim Wynne Jones – read, 12.oct.
- Ikke rart det kommer kråker / Karine Nyborg (short story collection) – read, 9.dec.
- Whichever book that wins the Man Booker Prize 2011 – The Sense of an Ending – read, 28.oct.
- Hopefully a book or two more, we’ll see.
From “The mores…”
- Stuck Rubber Baby / Howard Cruse (Graphic novel) – read, 8.oct.
- Frosset Øyeblikk (Frozen Moment) / Camilla Ceder – read, 19.nov.
Meet me on Monday : Christmas Edition
Meet me on Monday!! is a meme sponsored by Never Growing Old.
She says: “Blogging is a funny thing…we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, “who is this person!?” I know them…but yet I don’t know them! I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to “meet” each other!
Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!”
Today’s questions and answers:
Winter solstice tree by Dimland. Shared under CC BY-NC-ND 2.5
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Both, depending on the gift and what I have available.
2. Real or artificial tree?
Real. I want an artificial one, but Kristin says NO.
3. When do you put your tree up?
On December 23rd. I don’t like starting christmas too early and would have preferred the morning of christmas eve, but I got voted down again. I don’t think many Norwegians put them up much before christmas, so we find it odd that some people have them up for a month or so before.
4. When do you take your tree down?
Around the 21st day of christmas (around January 14th). As mentioned, I don’t like starting too early, but I do want to keep all the lights and decorations around for a while.
5. Do you like eggnog?
In VERY small amounts. For a traditional christmas drink I prefer Gløgg.
6. Do you have a nativity scene?
I think Kristin has a small one. We try to keep our home and decorations secular, but she has the odd lapses into old habits.
7. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Love Actually.
Some of my baking from last christmas.
8 .Favorite Christmas cookie?
Not really. There are several I like, but no favorites.
9. Where will you eat Christmas dinner?
We will eat at home. Kristin’s mother and sister w/family are coming to our place on christmas eve.
10. Angel, bow or star on top of your tree?
Star.
11. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
That it’s so dark, cold and slippery outside.
12. Do you like Fruitcake?
Yes. Well, most of them.
Solan is going to love having a tree inside.
13. What are you most excited about the holidays?
Celebrating christmas with Kristin in our own home for the first time. Since we got together we’ve been spending christmas eve apart, I’m looking forward to the end of that. I’m also looking forward to (or dreading, can’t decide…) Solan’s reaction to getting a tree inside.
14. Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Christmas eve. That’s the traditional Norwegian way, and then we can sleep in on christmas morning.
15. Will you still be wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?
Nope. I’m delivering the last one today. This year I’ve been good.
Saturday Snapshot – scenes from the last two weeks
Last week we travelled to Kiel and Lübeck and went to the christmas markets.
Heiligen Geist Hospital Christmas Market, Lübeck
Fairy tales displays in Lübeck
Christmas lights in Lübeck
On Color Magic, the ferry between Kiel and Oslo
Laboe Naval Memorial outside Kiel
Freestyle skiers on the plaza outside the railway station, Oslo
When we got home it started snowing. It looks good, but is mainly a bother.
But we also came home to this passing tail 🙂
This meme is hosted by Alyce from At Home With Books
To participate in Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken. Photos can be old or new, and can be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. All Alyce asks is that you don’t post random photos that you find online.
Gift wrapping a cat
In the event that we wanted to give Solan away (not likely), I’m trying to find out what would be the best way to wrap him. Somehow I don’t think the following method is going to work on our cat 🙂
Booking through Thursday – Mystery or Love Story
Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme in which we answer a question about books or reading.
All things being equal, which would you prefer– a mystery? Or a love story?
Mystery!
Mysteries with a love story in there somewhere is ok too. Chick-lit is definitely not ok.
Meet me on Monday : December 5th. 2011
Meet me on Monday!! is a meme sponsored by Never Growing Old.
She says: “Blogging is a funny thing…we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, “who is this person!?” I know them…but yet I don’t know them! I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to “meet” each other!
Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!”
Today’s questions and answers:
Chocolate milkshake with malt by Su-Lin, available under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
1. Monday’s are _________?
Variable.
2. What is your favorite kind of milkshake?
Chocolate malts.
3. What monthly bill do you most dislike paying?
I don’t know really. Our monthly bills are for things like mortgage, electricity, utilities, broadband, cabel tv, cell phones, insurance (not much as we have public health insurance around here) and such, and I appreciate having all those things. I guess my student loan is the most annoying one.
4. How many email addresses do you use on a regular basis?
Two. One for work and one for private stuff.
5. What color lights are on your Christmas Tree?
I think they are white. Can’t be bothered to look in the christmas stuff boxes to check.
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