Day 79 - 19 March 2012 - books

Hello!

For Day 79 I have another book to share.

Before I show you, I'll talk about another book. I skipped one of my books by accident. I read it so fast that it was back in the library before I took a photo of it, LOL! That one was one of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning, that's book number 11 in the series, and unfortunately I now have to wait for the next one to be published. Argh! I am very impatient when I'm in the middle of a series and the author hasn't brought out their superpowers to finish the entire series as fast as I can read it, LOL! In case you don't know, the Sookie Stackhouse series is the basis for the True Blood tv series (which I have only watched the first series of, and can't watch it easily because it is totally R-rated and my kids need to be deeply asleep or out of the house for me to turn it on). The books are a great fun, easy read (if you don't mind vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and faeries, among other things). Since I've caught up with Charlaine on her Sookie Stackhouse books, I'm going to start on her Harper Connelly series while I wait for the next one. :-)

Before I talk more about books (I really could go on forever when books are the subject), I'll show you my photo.

This is the third book in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson. The main character is a female homicide detective (now lieutenant). I really enjoy James Patterson (I loved his Alex Cross novels), but I have a bit of a bugbear about the fact that once he's written one or two of a series, he then brings in other writers. It changes the feel of the books slightly and detracts a bit from my enjoyment. I'm still reading them, because they are good entertainment, but I don't get "hooked" on the series' as a result.

Now onto my current top reading wishlist item. The Hunger Games trilogy. I want to read the books before I see the movie (if I even see the movie). I went to the library and put the first book on hold. I'm number 348 on the hold list. At this rate, it might be available to me in 2016, LOL! I heard on the radio this morning that Big W is putting the books on sale today for about $10 each. It might be worth buying them to avoid the waiting... and if I'm buying them I might just pop off to Book Depository and save myself the trip to the shops... decisions, decisions...

Thanks for popping by to visit.

:-)
Michelle

Day 74 - 14 March 2012 - Everyday

Hello!

Day 74 saw me capture my photo for the Photo Friday Challenge, which has a theme this week of Everyday. I left work early and because I was early, the train was almost empty. Usually it is jam-packed full and there is no chance of a photo. This is the train, I take it to and from work.

I'll tell you a story about the behaviour of people who are catching this train. They updated the timetables a few months ago and now there is an all-stations train followed by an express train a few minutes later leaving from Central Station.  I can take either, because they both stop at my station. The strange behaviour I have noticed is that when the all-stations train comes, everyone crowds around the door to get in (normal), but if you are at the back of the pack (which I often am because I'm usually just catching it with a second to spare), you'll suddenly find yourself stuck behind immobile people who are gathered around the doors. You can't get in because these people are blocking the doorway. It took me a while to figure out what was happening. And this is CRAZY. People are crowding around the door of the first train so that when the express train arrives they'll be the first on the train, so the people who NEED to get the all-stations train have to PUSH people out of the way to get on. The funny thing is, when I have missed that all stations train and had to wait for the express, I don't encounter problems getting on the train or getting a seat usually (and I don't crowd the door), so I don't know why people do this. Strange.

You really did get an EVERYDAY photo and story with this one, LOL!

:-)
Michelle

Day 59 - 28 February 2012 - a bit of social commentary

Hello!

Day 59 dawned with the announcement that the trains were not running due to an electrical fault in the City. Because I usually take the train to work, this affected me. After dropping my daughter at daycare, instead of driving to the train station, I drove home and walked to the bus stop.  So far, so good. The problem was that, because no trains were running, half the city had decided to DRIVE to work instead of taking alternate public transport. The usual 50 minute bus trip turned into a 1 hour 40 minute trip, sitting stuck in heavy traffic all the way to the City. Compared to my usual 10 - 15 minute train journey, this was a nightmare. I can't read on the bus, I get motion sickness when I try that. So instead, I entertained myself making social commentary on Facebook. I have some of it to share with you. Lucky you!

The first thing I noticed was this sign at the front of the bus:

My reaction? You have GOT to be kidding!! Who in their right mind would SPIT at a bus driver? Or at anyone for that matter. What is this world coming to?? Seriously! The fact that they made a sign means that this problem is way more prevalent than I would ever have imagined. Disgusting.

The second thing I noticed was that I had a very good view of the traffic around me from my vantage point up in the bus. One example of what I saw is this:

Yes, this moron is driving (the car was moving) AND working on his laptop at the same time. I'm not sure he could reach the steering wheel behind his monitor there. I'm not sure if he is using the street directory to keep the laptop heat off his lap, or if he was lost... probably lost, since he's obviously missing some essential brain cells. That is a pen in his right hand, just to make sure he really couldn't react in an emergency, like if he needed to actually DRIVE the car he was sitting in as it moved him along.

I saw many more examples of stupidity - the usual texting/talking on the phone (not hands free), doing the makeup in the rear vision mirror while driving along, one guy was talking on the phone and taking notes in his  A4 sized notebook that he had propped up on the steering wheel. I'm not sure what they thought they might do if a person (or child) walked out unexpectedly onto the road, or if the traffic didn't do exactly what they anticipated. When driving a car, and the car is moving, the sensible and safe option is to drive the car and refrain from any other activities. There is nothing so urgent that needs to be done while driving that you would risk your own or others' lives to do it. If it is that urgent, it is possible to pull over and do it while the car is stationary. And now I'll jump down off my soapbox.

Suffice to say, I am back on the train for my trip to and from work.

:-)
Michelle