Weekend Update and a Tardy Sunday Salon

Roommate was away on vacation this weekend and, as much as I love her to pieces, it was rather nice to enjoy some quiet alone time. Friday I spent in the throes of productivity. I bought groceries and stayed under budget, re-caulked the bathroom, baked Blueberry bread, and read a ton.

Saturday was spent cleaning and washing clothes only to find out that all the dryers at my apartment complex were broken (all two of them). Then I had to get creative and drape wet towels all over the apartment to dry. Following the laundry drama, I went on a lovely drive with my dad and Hope to get some pizza.

That afternoon my fellow nerd, Erin, picked me up. We spent 6 hours at Inman Perk and after a mocha and two medium cups of coffee each we were both crazy-caffienated. What followed was a bizarre ADD-infused shopping trip to Target. When I got home I discovered a pile of furniture next to the apartment complex and nabbed a small bookcase.

What a wonderful weekend.

Now for that tardy Sunday Salon:

• I read pages 270-274 of Clarissa. (I know, not very impressive, but Innocent Traitor is begging to be finished.) These pages include a ridiculus letter from Clarissa's seducer, Lovelace, in which wild exclaimations of love are proclaimed and every sentence ends with an exclaimation point. I really should be reading Clarissa right now as I made it my lunch break read, but I have a headache and cannot muster reading Clarissa's martyrish reply to Lovelace.
• I read about 50 pages of Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison Weir. It is fabulous. In this portion of the novel, a ten-year-old Jane is sent to live with former Queen Katherine Parr and her new husband, Admiral Thomas Seymour and the Lady Elizabeth (as in future queen Elizabeth). While she is there Katherine and Thomas conive to marry Jane to King Edward and Thomas has an inappropriate dalliance with Lady Elizabeth. Then Elizabeth is sent away and Katherine discovers she is pregnant. Katherine dies in childbirth, Jane is sent back to her parent's home, and Thomas has his head lopped off for attempting to kidnap the King. Talk about exciting!

Well, I'm off to do more workish things right now since my lunch break is nearly over. Then I get to work on moving out of my cubbie and into my new OFFICE!!!

Nerd Tattoo

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Friday Fill-in and a List

1. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend reading and sleeping.
2. Egypt is a place I always wanted to visit and haven't made it there yet.
3. I've fallen in love with an Inky Darcy..... shhhhh.... don't tell!
4. Six of one, huh?
5. Addiction to brie, pear, and turkey sandwiches is likely.
6. The things Hope says cracks me up!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading, tomorrow my plans include coffee with Erin and Sunday, I want to avoid work, but alas, it isn't possible!

I've got lots to do today. On the docket is:

1. shop for groceries
2. caulk the bathroom
3. clean the house
4. bake bread
5. finish Innocent Traitor
6. finish embroidering a blouse
7. get some writing done

Onward! Expect some sort of an update later.

The Sunday Salon

Sir Francis Drake: The Queens Pirate by Harry Kelsey
I finished this biography today about my first ever historical crush. When I was ten I read a highly romanticized account of the life of Sir Francis Drake. This biography is certainly less flattering. Kelsey gives mad props to Drake’s achievements and his kick-assness as a pirate. On the flipside Kelsey illuminates Drake’s many character flaws which include beheading his BFF over a joke taken the wrong way, knocking up a black slave and then abandoning her on an island, not doing what Queen Liz says to loot, taking more credit for the defeat against the Spanish Armada than he deserved, manipulating and abusing his crew, and general thievery, deceit and being a bad-ass. Was Drake a prick? Yes. Do I still have the hots for him? Hell yes. Do I most likely need therapy because of this? Certainly.

Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
Oh geez Clarissa – you’re making me crazy. There are really good parts to this novel, but they are buried in letter after letter of the same-old-thing. Today I read letters 56 and 57 and like most of the letters previous it goes something like this:

• Clarissa to BFF Anna – oh my god, my parents totally are gonna make me marry this creep. Here I am in my room being all emo and weepy and no one cares. My sister’s being a bitch and my brother is a dickhead. My mom loves me but won’t have my back and my dad is screaming. Geez… that Lovelace dude they hate is starting to seem way better.
• Anna to Clarissa – fuck them, man. What a bunch of douchebags your family is. I would totally tell them to kiss your ass and go to Lovelace – at least he is hot and rich and popular. Not a lame, cheap-ass like Solmes.
• Clarissa to Anna – omg, Anna. You whore. How dare you talk about my family! Yeah, it is kinda messed up, but they’re my fam! And Lovelace tired to kill my brother and, dick that my brother is, that is so not cool. You’re my BFF Anna, but I can’t just take my money my grandpa left me and ditch the fam’ – I’m a goody goody!

Of course this isn’t an exact transcript. But basically that is what happens again, and again, and again.

Fables: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham
I read the first two parts of this third volume of the Fables series. The first story mirrors some American myths that involve Mountain Jack, the devil, death, and a tarty southern belle. The second issue is the first part of a two-parter and concerns the Fables community being mistaken for vampires! I just love this series to pieces and cannot recommend it enough!

"I'll take the Nerd Medley with a Geek Salad on the Side'

Art Nerd

• I am completely consumed with Art Brut at the moment. I am indeed talking about the movement and not the band; although the band is fucking fantastic as well.

Blog Nerd

• I have a huge post a-brewin, but it isn't ready yet. I few more days I suppose.
  
• I'm going to be a blog rebel and CHEAT with the Sunday Salon. I work on Sunday's and I can't get much reading time in. So instead I will read on Saturday and POST on Sunday. Do you think any salooners will kick my ass?

Book Nerd

• I have my lovely February Reading pile established. Please look at my orgy of good reads over there ========>


• Dang, I only reread The Bell Jar and read a comic book in January, what gives? Oh yes -- the beast known as Clarissa that hussy is fat and long-winded. I've decided to make it my lunch book at the 'brary a). so I don't completely ruin the book and my back by schleping it around everywhere and b). so I can read something different at night!

Coffee Nerd

• I am lusting after an Almond Latte from Borders right now.... LUSTING....

Library Nerd

• Tonight, roommate, library coworkers, and I are indulging in a night of decadent nerdiness. On the docket is Thai food, alcohol, and the Mystery Science Theater version of Gamera.

Poor Nerd

• Bloody hell, it is the first of the month which means that the rent is due. This means I have postponed my 8-hour bookstore hopping spree I had planned for tomorrow and giving up that Almond Latte. Fuck. Why am I so poor? (oh, yeah... I was an English major).

Writer Nerd

• I've sent off some poems, "operation don't slit your wrists when you receive reams of rejection notices" has begun.

Yarn Nerd

• I am crocheting a blanket for a friend's wedding present. The yarn is purple and teal. Purty.


• I am also embroidering a swallow on a shirt and am nearly done with that.


• Tomorrow I am starting on a ribbon scarf full of greens and blues for a b-day present for a friend.


• After that I am going to be brave and attempt making a hat. Yikes!

Zombie Nerd

• I watched Fido last night and thought it was a riot. Basically it picks up kinda where Shaun of the Dead left off -- after a zombie war the zombies become slaves and pets. I especially loved the retro-kitsh look of the movie.