I Read Therefore I Am discussion

I do use my Kindle and it is really convenient but I enjoy actually holding a book to read better. That's a lie, sometimes it's difficult! Have you ever read A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel -it's massive! But it's the smell, the look and the physical presence I love. Just an old traditionalist.

Ellie- the Cheltenham festival sounds great, wish it was closer to me!

Lee - that's quite funny - bet your work people thought you'd lost the plot! Bless ya ;)

Oops, somehow managed to double-post my last comment, will delete the repeat when I'm on t'Internet.

It is wonderful having a massive Literature Festival so close. There's a huge variety of events, on fiction, politics, history, you name it - if there's a book out about it, there'll be an event! I think there are 6 or seven venues, 6 events per venue per day, 11 days. I could easily have spent £250 on tickets, but had to restrict myself!! Got to have some funds to spend in the Waterstone's tent!!

I also applied to be a volunteer so may get into one or two more events as a helper :)

Kindles - swore blind I would never use one, had to have a real book. Then I got the iPad, and the Kindle app... Then I bought a Kindle Paperwhite. It's very convenient when I'm out and about, or travelling, on in bed. I still love the feel and smell of a real book, but can see advantages of the Kindle too.

Wow - very jealous! Let us know what it was like!

Re: kindles - I prefer books but I wouldn't be without my kindle. Sometimes just comes down to space (anyone else have the problem of nowhere to put all your books? - I KNOW it isn't just me) and at least ebooks save a few trees as well.

My books overtook my spare bedroom a long time ago. I actually have a raised spare bed so that I could put bookshelves beneath it. But still they have also crept into the lounge. And there's some in a box in the garage. I'm a lost cause!

Like Ellie I once swore that I would never get a Kindle- but they are the perfect solution for people whose house is smaller than their desire for books ( my situation is particularly bad as I have a husband with a taste for minimalism!).
Proper books will always be nicer but I've got to the stage now that for every 10 proper books I buy I have to get rid of at least 5 (very traumatic)

@ Hilary - I have a copy of A Place of Greater Safety - it's in my to be read pile!

Isn't it hard to get rid of books - even ones you don't particularly like. I always say they feel like members of the family, a bit of an exaggeration but only a bit! A Place of Greater Safety you'll enjoy. A unusual structure but its engrossing. I thought I knew a lot about the French Revolution until I read it. I'll be very interested in what you make of it and which is the character you have most empathy with (if any!). Another really good non fiction book that is pre and post revolution is called Dancing to the Precipice, based on the diaries of a female aristocrat who survived the whole thing and ended up being on first name terms with the French, American and British leaders of the time including both Napoleon and, if I remember correctly, the Duke of Wellington. Reads like a novel and is unputdownable.

Sounds intriguing - I think I'm going to have to investigate.

Book culls are long and wearysome procedures - it takes at least half an hour to find an armful that I think I can just about bear to part with - and even then at least 2 are bound to get a last minute reprieve before I reach the charity shop!

Heres a cheering song for a Sunday

Ok Toots by Harry Roy and his Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...

Anyone up to anything exciting today? - I think it's going to have to be a housework and yoga day as I've been neglecting both for book groups of late!!

I was going to cut the grass, I have a HUGE garden but it is very overcast so I may get rained off.

Hi folks - just got back from Blackpool! Went with a friend to see the illuminations switch on and there was music on as well - pretty cool! Bit hungover now though....
Everyone else having a good weekend?

One of my friends always recommends, what she likes to call, full fat coke for hangovers.

It's bathroom cleaning for me next - though as the sun has just come out, that may need to be postponed.

Just realised that my last e-mail to the group was about "news news" headlines oops

I went for a 12-mile walk yesterday, then after doing a Samaritans shift from 2.30-6.00am, and a bit of a snooze, I set about replacing the weed-proof membrane in the front garden. Which of course means roving the slate chips, lifting the membrane, turning the soil, laying the new membrane and replacing the slate. And I thought it would take just the one day.....

Wow - you've had a much more productive weekend than me - very impressed with your volunteering for the Samaritans - that must be very fulfilling - but also rather draining.

Wow Ellie! That's a weekend and a half - do you need to go back to work for a bit of a rest now? ;)
I'm also very impressed with you working for Samaritans - do you do a shift every week?

I doubt work will be a rest - starting the new job tomorrow, and being an accountant, I'm going straight in at the busiest time of the month!!

Yes, I do a duty for the Samaritans once a week, usually at the weekend; we're asked to do at least one night shift in every 6-week period, hence why I did such an ungodly hour this week. It can be very rewarding; the best moments are when someone says thank you at the end of a call

I work in accounts too, Ellie - good luck with day one (in both respects!)

Good luck with your first day!

On hols again - yesterday we took our inflatable kayak down to one of the lakes near the Cotswold Water Park and spent a lovely morning floating round with the moorhens, ducks and herons. Then we tandemed off to The Plough for a couple of pints of Rev James.
Today the plan was to get up bright and early and go to the beach - but due to too many anchovies we didn't get up early at all and so have just had a late breakfast at our local Greasy Spoon and are off on a Tamden ride (no pubs this time) instead.

Inflatable kayak? I could do with one of those to get to work - my office is 6 miles down the canal from home!

That would be a groovy way to get to work (if slightly damp):0)

How were your first few days , by the way?

Too many anchovies eh? I think somebody has been spending too much time with Mr Pepys!
Sounds like you had a great time though :)

We certainly did (didn't manage to avoid the pub today though!!)

How can you possibly avoid the pub when you're on holiday? Just go for it but watch out for the anchovies when you're on that tandem - I've never seen a tandem being ridden. On the cinema and TV the one on the back is relaxing while the one at the front is doing all the work - where do you sit Lee?

At the back of course!

First few days have gone well, thanks, Lee, my colleagues are lovely :)

Yay!

That's good Ellie, glad you're enjoying it!

Thanks, Lee, Laurel :)

Laurel, weren't you switching jobs too?

Supposedly but it was with an agency and haven't had any work so far. Have been off the past week but if I don't hear anything next week will have to go looking elsewhere before my last wages runs out!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you:0)

Thanks :)

Hope something comes up soon, Laurel

Just come across a really good idea for a reading challenge - "Reading the 20th Century" read a book published in every year of the 20th century. I've not got enough time to tackle this at the moment - but it's definitely an idea for the future.

Yes, that does sound like an interesting idea, Lee

Laurel wrote: "Supposedly but it was with an agency and haven't had any work so far. Have been off the past week but if I don't hear anything next week will have to go looking elsewhere before my last wages runs ..."

I hope the agency find you work next week. I do supply teaching and the first week back is always quiet. But once term really gets under-way I've been offered plenty of work. I also tried a few different agencies and strangely the one that finds me most work isn't the one that the county say are their preferred provider. It might be worth ringing a few schools and asking them which agency they use.

Monday, Monday, Monday :0(

And a very drizzly, damp Monday at that :(

Thanks guys, I've got an interview with another agency to get registered with as well, have done supply work before a few years ago but the agency I used to be with has gone out of business which is a shame cos they used to get me loads of work. I also have a couple of other jobs I'm applying for as the thing that I remember from the last time I did this type of work - no pay during the school holidays :(

Good luck - I'm sure you'll get something soon -schools never have enough people.

eeeuck - enormous, brown, horrible slugs everywhere!!!!

Where? In your garden? yuck!

And the pavements !

Ewwww! Get the salt out!!!

I've just been on a tour round Gloucester prison. Really interesting, particularly as the tour guides were prison officers who used to work at HMP Gloucester. It's part of the Heritage Open Day weekend.

That sounds fascinating- I'm assuming it snow closed?

Yeah, it was one of 7 closed at the end of March this year

A friend of mine is on honeymoon at the moment and is visiting Alcatraz - seems an odd thing to do on honeymoon. Though ,even stranger, my boss told me that he was on a stag weekend once and visited a Hooters (yuck)- and there was a wedding party there??!!