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Trying to get lost in a good book
Feb. 11th, 2009 02:30 pmIn the past 24 hours, I have offered comfort to friends in the form of an LOL cat and a picture of a cow. This possibly says something about my flist, and possibly says something about me. Possibly both.
While I think of it, and before I get to the point of this post (yes, I have one :P), Morocco postcards are starting to arrive in various locations around the world. The observant among you will have noticed that many of them have British stamps on them. Sadly, although I could afford to buy 30 postcards in Marrakech, I couldn't afford the high postage costs to get them where they needed to go, so many of them came from the UK. Every single one was written in Morocco though, so it's only the stamps you've been cheated of. Sorry about that, but needs must.
Anyway, the point of this post was to pick your brains, since I seem to have used all mine up. My evidence for this is that while I remembered to plug my MP3 player in to charge overnight, because the battery is on its last legs and needs daily charging, I forgot to put said battery into the player. I swear, if I had a brain, I'd be dangerous.
Anyanyway, I currently have a £25 Blackwell's voucher burning a hole in my wallet, and don't have a clue what to buy with it. Most books I want, I can get from my local library for a maximum of 80p reservation fee, plus the fines when I don't finish them and forget to take them back. I'm much less well read in classic literature than I am in classical literature, mostly because Jane Austen and I don't get on, and I don't have the stamina for Dickens. So tell me, dear friendslist, what should I buy with my shiny shiny gift card? I'm looking for books that I'll read over and over again, that I won't mind still having on my bookshelf in ten years time. My tastes tend to the adventure end of the spectrum, with comic leanings nice but not compulsory. Having tried various 'high fantasy' classics, I don't think they're for me, and I quite enjoy sci-fi and fantasy that's more of a sideways look at life than Epic Quest.
Any thoughts? Anything that you cannot believe I haven't read? Because I probably haven't. Anything that's going to set me off on the kind of love affair I had with Amelia Peabody until the cast of the books got too big and the stories got sacrificed to it? I'm a completist, so long series are definitely my kind of thing, as well as fat novels that I can get lost in completely.
Thank you!
ETA Suggestions so far (because apparently my flist doesn't think I need food, sleep or work):
ETA2: OH GOOD GRIEF, PEOPLE, I GET IT! Enough with the Dresden Files already ;) Who am I to argue? *adds to shopping cart*
( There's now enough of these that I'm having to put them under a cut... )
While I think of it, and before I get to the point of this post (yes, I have one :P), Morocco postcards are starting to arrive in various locations around the world. The observant among you will have noticed that many of them have British stamps on them. Sadly, although I could afford to buy 30 postcards in Marrakech, I couldn't afford the high postage costs to get them where they needed to go, so many of them came from the UK. Every single one was written in Morocco though, so it's only the stamps you've been cheated of. Sorry about that, but needs must.
Anyway, the point of this post was to pick your brains, since I seem to have used all mine up. My evidence for this is that while I remembered to plug my MP3 player in to charge overnight, because the battery is on its last legs and needs daily charging, I forgot to put said battery into the player. I swear, if I had a brain, I'd be dangerous.
Anyanyway, I currently have a £25 Blackwell's voucher burning a hole in my wallet, and don't have a clue what to buy with it. Most books I want, I can get from my local library for a maximum of 80p reservation fee, plus the fines when I don't finish them and forget to take them back. I'm much less well read in classic literature than I am in classical literature, mostly because Jane Austen and I don't get on, and I don't have the stamina for Dickens. So tell me, dear friendslist, what should I buy with my shiny shiny gift card? I'm looking for books that I'll read over and over again, that I won't mind still having on my bookshelf in ten years time. My tastes tend to the adventure end of the spectrum, with comic leanings nice but not compulsory. Having tried various 'high fantasy' classics, I don't think they're for me, and I quite enjoy sci-fi and fantasy that's more of a sideways look at life than Epic Quest.
Any thoughts? Anything that you cannot believe I haven't read? Because I probably haven't. Anything that's going to set me off on the kind of love affair I had with Amelia Peabody until the cast of the books got too big and the stories got sacrificed to it? I'm a completist, so long series are definitely my kind of thing, as well as fat novels that I can get lost in completely.
Thank you!
ETA Suggestions so far (because apparently my flist doesn't think I need food, sleep or work):
ETA2: OH GOOD GRIEF, PEOPLE, I GET IT! Enough with the Dresden Files already ;) Who am I to argue? *adds to shopping cart*
( There's now enough of these that I'm having to put them under a cut... )
Swamped with work, but just waving my hand to say if anyone wants a postcard, this is your last chance to fill out the poll here and let me know. I'll check last thing tonight, but won't be around before that.
Right. Back to the gazillion-book order list. Catch y'all on the flipside and be good without me.
Right. Back to the gazillion-book order list. Catch y'all on the flipside and be good without me.
Building a better idiot
Jan. 7th, 2009 10:11 amI understand the principle, and I am not an idiot, but I honestly cannot get the wretched thing to run. I can get to the website, I can click the 'download' button. I then get a list of about 5 things that I *could* download. If someone could then explain to me in words of one syallable how I "install and launch" after that I would be eternally grateful. Literally assume that I need step-by-step instructions. At this point, I am beyond being patronised - I just need someone to help me!
ETA: Huge thanks to everyone who chipped in to help my brain out. I need to install stuff, so it's going on my home computer, but I shall report back soon! Much appreciated, folks. I knew you'd know.
I do have an Insanejournal under this name now and have already found most of you MWAHAHAHAHAH*cough* but I'll be clinging to LJ until the bitter end. Assuming I can back the damn thing up.
Moving swiftly on, please to be filling out the poll below if you would like a postcard from Morocco. Please also note that comments to this post are not screened - use the textbox (which IS screened) or email me on jadesfire2808[at]gmail.com if I don't have your address. I've put a 'no, thanks!' option in there, since I'm liable to send them to everyone whose address I have in a fit of enthusiasm, and thought I should give you the option to back out.
[Poll #1326862]
ETA:
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bironic! I see what you did there :P Alternatively, it might be "Auriga, Cetus, Centaurus, Cancer, Scutum, Eridanus" + point of origin. Guess what I'm researching at the moment...How's everyone's Wednesday? Going okay so far?
The last day before you go on holiday is always insane, so I'm going to post this now while I remember.
If you'd like a postcard from Menorca, just drop me your address, either below or on jadesfire2808[at]gmail.com. I promise to send these ones, unlike the pile of Oxford ones that are still sitting in my desk drawer - beware, all ye who asked for them. I shall send them when you're least expecting...
Comments are screened, and please drop me your address even if you think I already have it. I'm going to be a rushed bunny over the next 36 hours, so having them all in one place will make my life soooo much easier. I'll send to anywhere in the world, so don't be shy!
ETA: Woah, you guys are quick. That makes 5 countries, and 5 different US states, and 11 cards in all. Not a problem, and keep 'em coming - I'll go to 20 and call a halt, else all my spending money will be going on stamps! But it's not like I'll be doing anything else on holiday, so I'm sure I'll think of something to write :)
If you'd like a postcard from Menorca, just drop me your address, either below or on jadesfire2808[at]gmail.com. I promise to send these ones, unlike the pile of Oxford ones that are still sitting in my desk drawer - beware, all ye who asked for them. I shall send them when you're least expecting...
Comments are screened, and please drop me your address even if you think I already have it. I'm going to be a rushed bunny over the next 36 hours, so having them all in one place will make my life soooo much easier. I'll send to anywhere in the world, so don't be shy!
ETA: Woah, you guys are quick. That makes 5 countries, and 5 different US states, and 11 cards in all. Not a problem, and keep 'em coming - I'll go to 20 and call a halt, else all my spending money will be going on stamps! But it's not like I'll be doing anything else on holiday, so I'm sure I'll think of something to write :)
