Thursday, February 2, 2023

A New Day

It has been well over a year since I last posted.  I've been obsessively reading to "escape", primarily romance with the occassional fantasy, children's/MG, manga, and cozy tossed in

I'm hoping to do a better job of recording my reading.  I've been posting on Goodreads for most of it, but don't post reviews.  I figured this way I can at least record any thoughts or reflections I have on what I'm reading... if I follow through. 

This is a simple post of intention, so what reality actually looks like is to be seen.  But it is a new day, with the potential for fresh starts.



Tuesday, November 23, 2021

It's Monday! What are you reading? 11/22/2021


Hosted by: Book Date

Life: Trigger/content warning: Mental health and suicide

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I haven't posted in months, and a lot has happened, primarily as relates to my father.  I've discussed mental health and the mental health system before...  On October 2, my father took his life.  He had been sent to 2 different hospitals 3 times over the weeks preceding, and each time was sent back without being put on any sort of suicide hold.  The last time he was sent back within a couple hours, and a few days later he was gone.  I've been grieving and dealing with anger and frustration and numbness and sorrow and pain and all the other emotions that come from this sort of sudden loss.  

I am currently under quarantine as my family has been out with the big bad.  Hopefully I test negative (again) so I can participate in a 5K this Thanksgiving as well as Small Business Saturday.

Anyway, The emotional overload and severe loss of focus has deeply impacted my reading.  I am slowly getting back to reading, primarily by focusing on graphic novels or genre fiction by auto-read authors.

Recently Read (October/November):

Currently Listening:

The Paper Solution: What to Shred, What to Save, and How to Stop It from Taking Over Your Life by Lisa Woodruff (I'm listening to this now, and then I'll refer to a print copy for my actual organizing.)

Currently Reading:

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis (A book discussion title ... I didn't finish it in time for the discussion, but I will finish it.)

Next?

Everything is in flux; I'm (over a month) behind in my grad course, and I have several partially started titles.  But I do have new Jayne Castle, Jennifer Estep, and Juliet Marillier books checked out.

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

See Where We Come From! (A First Book of Family Heritage) by Scot Ritchie (British Columbia)


 See Where We Come From! (A First Book of Family Heritage) by Scot Ritchie (British Columbia)

I just happened to pick this one up on July 1st, and as I was reading it, I realized it fit the challenge.  I enjoyed this look into the different heritage people around us could have, as well as the many ways heritage can be expressed, whether that is food, sports, traditions, or stories.  

The book ends with a project (well, technically it ends with a glossary, but still...) for children to explore their own heritage.  I was especially pleased that it includes speaking with others and asking for their stories.  I feel that is so important, and we all should do it while we can (if we can).

For the technical stuff... this is a fictionalized non-fiction book - if that is a thing.  The overall book is teaching real information about various cultures etc., but through fictional characters.  I already mentioned the glossary; it includes words that are used throughout the book.  And the author speaks directly to the audience throughout the book with notes, explanations, pronunciations, and even questions ("Does anyone in your family prepare special dishes that you love to eat?").

This is apparently part of a series called "Exploring Our Community", and I'm be interested in reading more.

Friday, July 2, 2021

15th Annual Canadian Reading Challenge

I am participating in the 15th Annual Canadian Reading Challenge this year (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022).  Hosted by Canadian Bookworm, the goal is to read AND review at least 13 (for the 13 provinces) Canadian books during the year.  I typically define Canadian books as being by Canadian authors.  More can be found at: http://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/p/15th-annual-canadian-reading-challenge.html.  


I will list my books here as well as linking to any reviews in the monthly link lists.

  1. See Where We Come From! (A First Book of Family Heritage) by Scot Ritchie (British Columbia)
  2. Glass Houses (Armand Gamache Mystery, Bk 13) by Louise Penny (Québec)
  3. ...
  4. ...
  5. ...
  6. ...
  7. ...
  8. ...
  9. ...
  10. ...
  11. ...
  12. ...
  13. ...

Monday, June 28, 2021

It's Monday! What are you reading? 06/28/2021


Hosted by: Book Date
Life:

Let's see.  I had the zoo trip with my father Monday.  I've been working every day since then until this past Sunday.  I had/did my Shawnee language class, a virtual library meditation course (of which I have not practiced since), the first agility class for one of the dogs, a homework assignment that was nearly on time (maybe an hour or two shy of on time), an Elton John cover band concert, a virtual graphic novel book discussion, dealt with a family/pet emergency, tried to deal with my father going into an increased paranoid state (as I can't say that he completely got out of the last paranoid state), and a little weeding of my flower garden (hopefully soon to be fairy garden if I can find any outdoor fairy stuff off-season as it is).

TV-wise, I watched Hallmark's Movies & Mysteries To Catch a Spy, the newest episode of Hot Mess House, and a couple DVRed episodes of PBS's Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Also, my mother has been binging on This Is Us, so I've been watching some of that with her.

This week I finished:
 
I haven't gotten much reading in at all, and what I have done has pretty much been all audio.

Invincible, Vol. 1: Family Matters
(Issues #1-4) by Robert Kirkman (Writer, Letterer), Cory Walker (Penciler, Inker), and Bill Crabtree (Colorist)- Read the day of for a graphic novel book discussion over Zoom.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Currently reading:
 
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy; Read by Erin Bennett - I'm at 74% in, so I've made about 5% progress since last week.

Glass Houses (Armand Gamache, Bk 13) by Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst - I'm currently toward the end of disc 9 of 11.

Murder Keeps No Calendar
by Cathy Ace - I haven't made any progress this week.

Covid Chronicles: A Comics Anthology edited by Kendra Boileau and Rich Johnson - No progress was made this week.

Rogue Souls (Soul Charmer, Bk 2) by Chelsea Mueller - I'm only on page 70 of 301, so basically very little progress from last week.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Up next:
 
No clue.  I still have so many to finish yet I keep starting more.  However, I should be starting Watership Down by Richard Adams soon for a book discussion.

What are you reading?

Monday, June 21, 2021

It's Monday! What are you reading? 06/21/2021


Hosted by: Book Date
Life:

This past week I had a book discussion at work, participated in my language class and instrument lesson, didn't have any homework to be late (although I do for this coming week, so I had better get a move on), and started, binged, and completed Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous on Netflix (and loved it, BTW).

Today, I am taking my father to the zoo for Father's Day.  It will be his first real venture out and about from the nursing home since Covid.

This week I finished:

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware - Everyone in the book discussion group liked this.  At least one said she "found a new[-to-her] author" and had already read another Ruth Ware book after completing this one.
The Sprite and the Gardener
by Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt - Cute and light
 
Little Victories: Autism Through a Father's Eyes
by Yvon Roy - Mixed feelings on this one.  I translated (with Google's help) some of the Goodreads reviews from French, and as suspected, Autistic adults had difficulties with the way the author allegedly raised his son.  Part of the problem is that this is only semi-autobiographical, and one can't really know what is real and what isn't.  Some of the father character's thoughts sound inspirational or meaningful, but sometimes - well - he sounds like he wants to "cure" or "fix" autism (at least in his son), which is highly controversial.
 
The Leak: For the Love of Truth
by Kate Reed Petty; Illustrated by Andrea Bell - MG aspiring journalist in search of a story discovers potential water contamination -  similar to Flint, Michigan.  I first heard of this book at a professional virtual day conference, and I'm glad I gave it a try.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Currently reading:

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
by Liza Mundy; Read by Erin Bennett - I've been listening to this off and on since early 2019 ... I'm 69% in, so I've made about 5% progress.

Glass Houses
(Armand Gamache, Bk 13) by Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst - Just starting disc 4/14.

Murder Keeps No Calendar
by Cathy Ace - I've completed the stories through June, with two being Cait Morgan stories so far.

Covid Chronicles: A Comics Anthology edited by Kendra Boileau and Rich Johnson - A variety of artists perspectives on Covid-19 and related.

Rogue Souls
(Soul Charmer, Bk 2) by Chelsea Mueller - read the first book ages ago, and decided I should move on to the second.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Up next:
 
No clue.  I still have so many to finish yet I keep starting more.

What are you reading?

Monday, June 14, 2021

It's Monday! What are you reading? 06/14/2021


Hosted by: Book Date
Life:

Life hasn't changed much in the past week.  
 

I had a (virtual) game of DND this weekend, and it seems our next meeting should be in person. 
 

I watched the new Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Aurora Teegarden Mysteries: Til Death Do Us Part yesterday.  I love these mystery movies, and wish there were more of them (not just Aurora Teegarden, but in general).  I haven't read the books yet, but I own the first 3, so maybe sometime soon.

This week I finished:

Hollywood Ending
(Detective by Day Mystery, Bk 2) by Kellye Garrett
 
Women of the Revolution: The Remarkable Stories You've Never Heard (One Day University) by Carol Berkin, Baruch College (lecture)
 
Baby Moses in a Basket
by Caryn Yakowitz; Illustrated by Julie Downing

Go and Do Likewise!: The Parables and Wisdom of Jesus
by John Hendrix

30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag
by Amanda Davis; Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport

Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate
by Melissa Stewart; Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

Spy x Family, Vol. 5
by Tatsuya Endo



 
 
 
 
 
 
Currently reading:
The Death of Mrs. Westaway
by Ruth Ware - for a book discussion tomorrow

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
by Liza Mundy; Read by Erin Bennett - I've been listening to this off and on since early 2019

Glass Houses
(Armand Gamache, Bk 13) by Louise Penny; Read by Robert Bathurst - I'm working on catching up with this series

Murder Keeps No Calendar
by Cathy Ace - a VERY rare ebook purchase (I strongly dislike purchasing ebooks.  I usually borrow them from the library or wait until they are offered free)...this one is several short stories and novellas, one for each month, and some of them are prequels to a series I plan on starting back up

 
 
Up next:
 
I think I'll focus on all my "currently reading (and listening to)" options.

What are you reading?

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

It's Monday! What are you reading? 06/07/2021


Hosted by: Book Date
Life:

I'm going to try being better about the blogging thing.  I last did one of these Monday posts a year ago though, so we'll see.  Life has been chaotic.  Summer reading has started at work, and we are moving out of the pandemic era (although we aren't there yet).  It is now time for me to adjust to this new management position during "normal" times.

What else?  My father's a mess (see my post from March if you're wondering, but warning it is long one and probably full of triggers).  My mother just had a medical procedure this past week.  We recently refinanced the house; I now have my first ever mortgage - in my late 30s.  I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle and might soon be going back to the gym for the first time in 1.5 yrs.  I haven't turned in a single assignment on time yet this semester of grad school.  I'm attempting to re-learn playing an instrument after a 20ish year break; I'm three lessons in, so we have yet to see.  

I recently binged New Girl in its entirety.  I watched the first season when it was brand new, but never followed through.  After 7 seasons worth of episodes crammed together, I still have some of the character voices in my head the better part of a week later.


This week I finished:

A Day for Rememberin': The First Memorial Day
by Leah Henderson and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 5 by Housuke Oono

A Great Reckoning (Armand Gamache, Bk 12) by Louise Penny and narrated by Robert Bathurst

Hero's Journey
(Sweet Pepper Brigade Mystery, Bk 1.5) by J.J. Cook

The Librarian's Stories
by Lucy Falcone and illustrated by Anna Wilson

Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston
by Alicia D Williams and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

Dear Librarian
by Lydia M. Sigwarth and illustrated by Romina Galotta

Murder Most Sweet
(Bookish Baker Mystery, Bk 1) by Laura Jensen Walker



 
 
 
 
 
Currently reading:

Hollywood Ending
(Detective by Day Mystery, Bk 2) by Kellye Garrett

This isn't a book in the traditional sense - it's a lecture - but I'm currently listening to Women of the Revolution: The Remarkable Stories You've Never Heard (One Day University) by Carol Berkin, Baruch College


 
 
Up next:

I'm very behind on my reading overall, so I can't say with any certainty.  But I think I may shoot for The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict.  I've had it checked out from the library forever, it is out of renewals, and it sounds great.

What are you reading?

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Disgusting Critters

This was written February 29, 2020.  I think I intended to add cover images, and that is why it has been sitting in draft for over a year.  I've decided to just post it as is.

 

The Slug by Elise Gravel is part of the "Disgusting Critters" series.  It's a kids book published by tundra.  Cute with little factoids told in a lighthearted way.  It has a nice mix of fonts and font sizes, and goes back and forth between a dark brown and a faded red/pinkish text color on a pale green (with brown tones) background.

The Toad by Elisa Gravel is also part of the "Disgusting Critters" series.  Like The Slug, the pages are a pale green with brown tones.  The font is dark brown and hot pink.  Toads seem pretty fascinating, and the book is pretty quick, so this book may require further reading after.  This book focuses on the common toad in particular, but mentions a Suriname toad whose babies come out of her back? ... cray-cray.  The book also mentions the environmental impact on toads and their benefits in our environments, which is an important message these days.

Yet another entry of the “Disgusting Critters”series by Elisa Gravel, The Spider has a variety of factoids about spiders - they are NOT insects - including that some spiders can spin their silk to hold air for breathing under water. The text and illustrations has some additional colors with pink, red, and a yellow-green.

Elise Gravel is from Montreal, making these Canadian Book Challenge books.


The United States mental health care system and where books cannot do what people, hopefully, someday, can.

This blog (that I haven't posted on in much too long - my apologies) is supposed to be for discussing books and book-related subjects. I will be detouring from that theme today because I am just so frustrated. The title of the blog is Books to the Rescue. Books have always been an escape for me. Unfortunately, books cannot cure all. 

They certainly are not curing the atrocity that is the U.S. Mental Health Care System. I've mentioned before that my father is mentally ill. About 2 years ago, give or take, it was clear my dad could no longer reside at home. He was taken to a mental health facility in a major urban city. It wasn't peaceful, and he had to worry about theft, but there were worse factors. The facility had medicine shortages. So instead of giving everyone their full prescribed doses, they would cut the amount given in order to spread the medicine out among all the residents. My father fell and broke toe bones twice, and exhibited "transitory dementia". When he was taken to the hospital, it was discovered that his ammonia levels were outrageously off. They managed to get those leveled out at the hospital, but it became clear this facility was not the place for him. 

He was moved to a nursing home that the doctor from the hospital worked with. It seemed all was well. My father did not fit the nursing home's demographic, and they didn't understand why he was there; however, he was being cared for and was safe. The doctor that had brought him there retired and that was tricky but we were managing. Then Covid hit, and he couldn't leave. He decided this was a prison and began spiraling out of control mentally. He became certain the director of the nursing facility was lying to him and other facilities so he couldn't get out of there. 

He was transferred to a different facility - another mental health one. The place was riddled with bed bugs. He moved to four different rooms in less than a week and was eaten up. His caseworker said he wasn't (mentally) at the level of the other patients and did not belong there. We couldn't get him out fast enough, so he moved into a room with a sibling that lives next door. He abused his medication horribly and had lost all health insurance in the transfer. 

Within two weeks he agreed to go back to the nursing home (and they agreed to take him). Unfortunately, the damage was done. His mental state was becoming worse by the day. He began accusing the director (and other staff) of stealing his art work and auctioning it off for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He thought they were sneaking into our home and stealing (or taking pictures of to use) the artwork that remains here. He was hearing staff in the hall "talk about him", hearing the director and other staff when they weren't even there. He believed he was forming relationships with various staff and they planned to take him home to rent a room from them - or worse yet, that they might reciprocate with romantic feelings. It didn't matter that this is all illogical, because you can't reason with such irrational delusions. The nursing home staff, who had never seen this side of him (he's typically very good at keeping these mental breaks just to family), are scared to go around him and be accused of the horrible things he is saying to and about them. I don't blame them. They are used to elderly patients who might have dementia or Alzheimer's, but nothing like this. 

 But we can't find a single long-term care facility that is within a reasonable distance, is clean and will care for him, and will treat his mental health issues appropriately. The case worker at the nursing home is looking, but with a basic search it does not look like the places she is finding are truly equipped to handle him. We are searching as well but without much luck. He can't stay there, he cannot come back here, but there is no place with decent mental health care? Or they are so far and few between that you have to hit the jackpot of luck to be near one? (And that isn't even considering what the quality facilities probably COST. We are a low income family.)

In the meantime, my father has begun making accusations about my mother, swearing at me, telling me he wants a new family.  And at the same time, my family has a LOT of other things/issues/situations going on.  This is just one of them.  So I don't mean to whine.  And I do hope to begin blogging again if I can get some semblance of organization and calm in my life.  

But at least I managed to get this all out into the universe.  Here's hoping for some change or improvement in the future.  Here's hoping some enterprising soul will find the ideal solution, and be willing to fight for it.  I'll read about them in a book, and admire them for their constitution, resilience, fight, dedication, compassion, and most importantly, for doing what I cannot.