You're Doing It Wrong

When I was at the bus stop I saw this little sign. I did not take it because I felt certain there are those who need more hope than I do.

I am kinda frazzled at the moment and really phoning in these posts.

I have a huge note in my phone with ideas and partially written posts but it seems like when I finally am seated here, ready to write something, I’m tired and in a big hurry and figure I’ll get to it later.

I will eventually. But not today.

If anyone is keeping track, next month will be 30 years since I started my blog.

I’m not sure if that is the actual original first date that I posted or maybe when I got my domain.

My blog had 3 phases. I did the HTML by hand — I was a very early adopter. But later when Blogger started, I used that for better archiving and RSS — I had reasons. But then something happened with Blogger — I know it still exists because that’s where my list of books read lives. (And now that I look at that, I haven’t updated since the beginning of the year.)

Maybe they no longer hosted domains. I don’t know. Then I started with TURDPRESS which I still don’t like — it’s constantly bugging me to update things. Sometimes I type into the search bar, leave me alone, just so I feel like I’m expressing my thoughts.

But here we are and I am not promising anything but I will try to re-post some old stuff and maybe reflect or something, if I’m feeling frisky.

I don’t remember why I took this picture and then took the time to upload it into the photos for my website.

We’re always looking for new places to try and we kept walking by an intersection that had different food trucks. My colleague found a website that tells us what schedule is so now we can plan.

This was a Filipino BBQ cart – I’m not much of a food stylist because I think the food was yummier than this looks. I had noodles and vegetables and lumpia and brought what I couldn’t finish home for Bob.

I will return.

There is no good way to show my digital TBR so here is a screen grab that shows part of it. I purchased or downloaded for free a total of 97 books on Kobo last year. If you are keeping track, I read 38 so you can see the evolving problem.

But wait, there’s more.

Do you know about Humble bundle?

Do you know about Story bundle?

I purchased from them, too, not part of the 97 book total.

I know! I have a problem.

Screen grab of a portion of the Humble Bundle — I think it was 65 books but some are novellas. (To clarify, the 67 Humble Bumble is part of my 2026 purchases. Not part of the 97 I mentioned above.)

Then there is Bookbub.

Bookbub is a daily newsletter. You pick the categories you want, for example: romance, non-fiction, mystery.

Every day they send you a list of book in those categories that are on sale or free.

You can also follow authors and when they have a book on sale or give a book recommendation that’s on sale — you get a newsletter for that, too. Most of the books are $2! Why wouldn’t you buy a book for $2?!?!?!

That is the bulk of my book buying. And the sad part is that I often resist buying a book. I open the tab so I can buy the book but I wait and if I still want it at the end of the day, then I buy it. You can’t dillydally too long because the books go off sale. And I end up wanting most of them.

I almost forgot. Do you know about Standard Ebooks?. These are classic public domain books that you can download for free although donations are appreciated because they make the books really nice. I also downloaded a few from here.

I also read a very small quantity of library books. I am currently reading a YA for my book club with some writer friends. I am not loving the book so I won’t name it. Next I’m going to read a Colter Shaw Tracker novel so I can finish my fan fic. The books on the top of my to read next pile are: Fan Services by Rosie Danan (also for book club), These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean, and I am paging through Korean American, a cookbook by Eric Kim.

That’s today’s book report. Hope you are having a reading kind of day.

First a quick update on the ocean rolls to tell you that this is still a project. I actually made them last weekend but I messed up and used the wrong kind of yeast. When I took them out of the refrigerator after the first step I was thinking: this is just cold dough. But I went ahead and did all the steps. They didn’t rise. When I baked them, it was basically boiling them in butter.

Did they taste good?

Yes, amazing. But visually and texturally they left a lot to be desired. I will try again but not for awhile.

Now: the book case.

I have probably posted a photo of this book case at least a half dozen time in the last 15-20 years and I bet some of the same books are still on it. I try to stay on top of them but I don’t do a very good job.

I’m not sure the last time I took a photo of this bookshelf. The two on this post are my main shelves with the “to read” or “I intend to read” or “Sure, someday I’ll get to it.” I don’t often take paper books on the bus just because I already carry so much stuff. I’m always in awe of the people who carry hardcovers on the bus. I want that to be me.

When I look at the books I already own, I always want to read them. It’s always a thrilling moment when I finish a book and it’s time to pick the next book. What am I in the mood for?

Besides the books I already own, I have a huge list of book that have been recommended that I want to read. I foolishly listen to the Fated Mates podcast where I could add a half dozen more books every week. I have friends with great taste in books. What about the Reactormag website recs? Defector also has good book recs. I also recently went back into my Goodreads (and penname’s) and found a whole bunch more books I wanted to read that I forgot about.

What an amazing problem to have.

I had coyote visitors how up on two different nights at the beginning of the year. I haven’t caught them on camera for awhile.

I wish I had better shots but I have to do with what I have.

Look how fluffy they are.

Also the opossum climbed on the deck. Look at it’s feet!