The Awards Just Keep Piling Up, This Makes One!

Recently this blog was, and it's humble proprietor were nominated for an Award, the Book Fangirling Award. I am going to assume this is a compliment, and that the delightful, talented +Adele Archer  is not the type to toss trans Atlantic insults at an innocent, unassuming blogger.

The rules seem simple, which is good, because we be nothing but humble bloggers,

First. Thank the nominator, Thank you, Adele Archer, I am grateful you thought of me.

Second. Answer their book related questions. (see below)

Third. Nominate five bloggers, attempt to coerce them into answering the five book related questions you have created in the Fourth Rule. Further, try to convince them to nominate 5 bloggers (step 5) and asking each five book related questions they have developed in Step 6.

1: My least favourite book is ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’. If my bed was a little wonky, I would probably prop it up with that. Which book would you prop your bed up with?

'Plague Dogs" or "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. They were fantastic books, and I loved them completely. But, they were so depressing, so dark and terrible, they tore me to pieces, one wonderfully descriptive, beautifully written chapter at a time. And I probably wouldn't use them to prop up my bed, because of all the anguish they contain. I know this is not the type of least favorite book, but I am too flaky to finish a book I am not enjoying.

2: You’re only allowed eBooks OR real books for the rest of your life (now, don’t be pretentious), which would you choose?

I would take real books. I have never developed the ability to read on a screen. I haven't given up, but there is probably not much hope. I can't watch television shows on a smart phone or computer screen.

3: ‘Hunger Games’ or ‘Quiddich’, which is the suckiest sport?

I didn't read either book, but I don't think there is much wholesale death in Quiddich, so I would pick "Hunger Games."

4: If your life story was made into a biography, what chapter would you ask them to leave out?

The eighties, and the later parts of the seventies, which is ok, because I don't remember all that much about them.  But, if they would allow a little fiction it might be acceptable.

5: Bloggers are renowned for being a peaceful peoples, but which character from which book (other than Bella Swan from Twilight) would you most like to slap?

Fiction, I would choose Scheisskopf from "Catch 22" what a putz!  Non fiction it would be the Khwarazm Shah from any book about the conquests of Genghis Khan. Depending on the writer he may have almost single-handedly brought about the destruction of the Persian Empire. Though slapping him would have been suicide. So I choose fiction.

My choices are +Mike Raven  from the Blog of Thog, a blogger without equal, +Joy Fanning from Aspiring Joy,I know she loves books, and has a fantastic blog, and is one of my first blogging friends, and +Rachel Rennie  from Rachel's Blog, another book lover, and a blogger who can really write. While that is not the full contingent of nominees, it ain't bad. And, it is one more than +Adele Archer .

I wish you all luck, and offer my apologies.

My book related questions.

1. I have reread several books, just because I love them. Do you do that, if so which book have your read the most?

2. Is there a time you think Fiction, no Non-Fiction? Sometimes I have to read something real.

3. I love certain authors for the way they write, they way they can craft a sentence, a good sentence is wonderful. Do you have any books that you feel are just beautifully written, works of art?

4.  When I was young I bought a used book at a second hand store called "The Beast Regiment." it was great, and I haven't been able to find a copy since then. Do you have any ideas for me?

5. Writing is personal, reading is solitary. But sharing a great book is such a joy. Do you think books are the beauty that can save the world?

Things will get better.

Today I upgraded the operating system on my iPhone.  Actually, it did all the work, after pressing yes, and agreeing to the terms and conditions (which I didn't even read, I hope there was nothing too bad, and binding in there) my part was over.  According to the little message this update contained "improvement, bug fixes and security improvements."  All of that sounds like a good idea, and it was free, and except for minimal effort I was off the hook.  But, the question screams through the empty spaces in my mind, echoing and bouncing, yelling, and begging for attention.  What bugs needed fixed?

According to several sites on the internet, it fixes a bug that impacts keyboard responsiveness and a bug involving bluetooth keyboards with VoiceOver enabled.  Both of which are probably long past due, though I hadn't noticed either, and I do use a bluetooth keyboard on my iPad, but not VoiceOver, in fact I have never heard of it.   Also, there were some enhancements to Safari, the web browser.  So, it was probably a good idea.

Recently, Clash of Clans updated their game.  It was a big update, and added a new combat feature called Clan Wars.  A method for one clan to have a war with another clan, instead of just going out and randomly attacking some stranger, who was just hanging around, probably trying to save up enough elixir to upgrade his spell factory, when out of the blue somebody comes along and steals about 100,000 units, wipes out his defenses and smashes up all of his stuff.  Kind of a rude thing, but it is a brutal game, in a way.  Now, though, you can attack a member of the other clan and smash and grab and steal and destroy, and it is just a mirror village, and he doesn't really lose anything, I don't think.  So there are a lot of benefits.   But, our first clan war, when I tried to scout my first opponent it wouldn't let me, plus it wouldn't let me attack, or anything else to help the clan's war effort.  A little research (again, on the internet) told me that it was just a bug, and restarting the game would allow attacks, though, it was a blind attack against an enemy of unknown strength.  Which kind of sucked.  It was a bug, and the next upgrade (which came very quickly) fixed it.

Countless times during the day we encounter things that don't seem quite right.  Things that might give pause, consternation, or anger.  These occurrences often come unexpectedly, during the commute, at work,  anywhere, they will pop up, and you will think, "huh, that is odd."

They happen all of the time, they are only software glitches.  We are working to straighten them out as quickly as possible, and apologize for any inconvenience.  We appreciate your patience.