No News...

Short and sweet.

Doing the polls with LinnieGayl and Lee for the Top 100 Favorite Romance books and that is some serious work. We have a spreadsheet with over 3500 titles on it and I'm still adding in new lines with every ballot. And since I'm a little crazy when it comes to working with Excel I take my time and at the moment I'm very, very behind. Not that I'm complaining - just explaining why I'm not really around right now and will continue to not be so around until late November.

I've read nothing - read above paragraph.

I want to read everything. Okay, that should say 're-read everything' because I'm wondering about my own ballot and if I will leave some titles off because it's been years since I read the book. I mean, does it hold up? I'm not sure, so I'm hoping I can get a list done up soon but again, read the first paragraph.

My anxiety is fairly under control but I haven't finished our Christmas shopping which always causes extra beats for my heart. Ugh.

The swinging sister to anxiety is depression. I'm not super depressed but I know I'm not myself. I need to get on the treadmill and start working out every day. Last year I was on it in October - it's looking like November will be the start time for me.

And damn, I hate to even talk about it but I need to diet for real. I keep saying I'm not ready. But there will be a baby here in February and I want to be fit enough to play with the cutie. And fitting into smaller clothes would be a bonus.

So yeah, lots to do with nothing getting done.

Hope you are fairing better than I am!

Top 100 Romance Books

AAR's poll for the Top 100 Romance Books is now up and running. *phew!*

I know a few people like to play in the polls so I thought I would let you all know - you can go here to enter your list. I'll post here again when the results are done.

A few years ago I compiled my list and got to number 34 and after that my head exploded. So no stress, how ever far you get is how far you get - just send your list in with 3 or 100 book titles, it's all up to you.

But seriously, I was so frustrated by book 34 I didn't know if I was coming or going. Was J.R. Ward's latest book a smidge better than Singh's latest or am I getting this all messed up. I take things too literally.

I'm thinking in the end, if I can put the book down as one of my top picks for favourites, then who cares if it's 40th or 1st. Not on my own list anyways. Once you get a bunch of people's lists together, then the numbers mean something to me.

For me, the top 20 should be read. Although I can't say I have read all of them. After that, if you have already tried an author then I'm just as happy to let a title in 54th place pass me by.

I'll give you a heart rending example: I'm not reading Jane Austen.

Sorry.

I'm just not that kind of reader. And I'm not ever sure what that means. Maybe if I get kidnapped and locked up in a room with only Jane Austen type books I'll get around to reading them. Since I've got any number of distractions running around my house including a TBR mountain, then I can pass.

And maybe one day I will get around to Diana Gabaldon.

Maybe.

Now, give me the latest Anne Stuart and it's probably on my list around number 86.

You know, if I get that far.

How about you?

Wanna make a list?

Already know which books you aren't really ever planning on reading? (except in that one scenario where you are on a desert island and the only books there are the ones you figured you'd never read but hot damn you are bored and reading is better than sitting so you'll pick up that friggin author that writes books that make your teeth hurt cause that's all there is.)

Thankfully Done

Canadian Thanksgiving was this weekend and we hosted so I was a touch busy doing my Fall cleaning. Spring cleaning rarely happens as the pool seems to call very early.

This year, I dove into the pool for the last time on the Labour Day weekend. It's been an odd fall and not getting to swim again may come back to bite me in the arse.

Last year at this time I started walking on the treadmill to keep myself active during the winter months - little did I know the summer this year was going to be the killer. Backward couch potato.

So plans for the treadmill are on high for this week - I got on last week and the sweat pouring off me was something else. But I know I have to get back into it and get healthier. Now that the house is almost back to rights, I feel like I have more time.

Luckily I seem to have survived the plague that came to the house - poor Aunt went from sounding fine Saturday afternoon to sounding way too sick by Saturday evening. I'm taking my vitamins and cleaning up my hands enough to hopefully keep everything at bay. I didn't feel great on Sunday but I think I was just wore out.

On the agenda the past week was work on the Top 100 Romance Book poll for AAR. I have been doing some HTML and I'm trying to learn about php files. So that took up some time this past week and will continue on into this week and then once the poll starts I'll be counting up ballots.

So if you visit AAR or just want to play with your books and try to sort them from the mostest favourite to the next mostest favourite then you have some extra time. We're hoping the ballot goes live on Friday and the polling will end on the 14th of November.

As to life, Gorgeous Cousin is now looking pregnant and I keep thinking how February will be here before we know it. I'm very excited and I know GC is too.

Before that though there are more than a few birthdays and of course, my Achilles heel, Christmas.

But Bob should be off on vacation next week so I'm thinking we can knock most of the gifts off the list and maybe I'll even wrap stuff up so I won't feel over exposed in December.

And books. I really want to read more books.

Wonder if I can find time for that this week?

Okay, off to watch some TV.

Checking In

I have more than a few things I need to be doing on the internet at the moment and no, gaming is not one of them. Although it'll happen.

Diabetic cold medicine is the new Holy Grail and so far I'm sucking wind. We have one brand in the house but I don't understand how a cough suppressant can also be an expectorant so we went looking again tonight. I found a sugar free expectorant so I bought that one. It wasn't until Bob went to take the medicine and he read the side of the box where it says 'if you have diabetes don't take this'.

I don't know if Bob has diabetes as he was told he was borderline. He doesn't have to take insulin shots but takes a pill every night and monitors his sugar. Meanwhile, GC is insulin diabetic and she knows she can't take over the counter cold meds.

That States have Diabetic Tussin but it's not up here as far as I can see and I can't find an official site. Bah.

All that said, Bob is feeling better. I think he just wants it out of his chest. Meanwhile I get much better when a cold finally hits my chest.

I also need to look for DVD storage that won't burn my eyes with it's hideousness. Bob wants all our DVD movies out on shelves so he can see what we have. Problem is I've learned I'm a visual person and seeing rows of DVDs makes my brain hurt. So it needs a door. And if I have to look at it beside my TV then I want it to look nice. I suggested bookshelves at the bottom of our stairs in the basement (the place I refuse to go) but that went over like a lead balloon. So Bob and I are at a stalemate.

I also need to check out a few things but that won't take long.

So enough dithering.