Reading Challenge 2023

Merry Christmas, everyone!

While I have a few moments of unexpected solitude, I thought it might be fun to share my plans for the coming year.  As longtime readers know, I love to read, and every year I try some sort of reading challenge.  I usually do well, but I never finish, so this time, I'm trying something a little bit different.

Past attempts have seen me using a book for as many prompts as I could.  Other years, each book can only complete one prompt.  I've tried starting in December.  I've tried keeping track on paper.  I've tried keeping track online.  And this time, I think I found the magic solution.

I desperately want to whittle down my TBR list, so I'm going to try and take books from that list exclusively.  And in order to do that, and to make sure that I don't get stuck throughout the year, I've started putting together a list of books (from my TBR) that fit each prompt.  I've done something similar in the past, where I had one or two books selected.  But, this year, I've got lists upwards of 10 titles to choose from for each prompt.  There should be no way that I'll be at a loss for titles to fit my mood!

I'm combining PopSugar's Reading Challenge with three others I found online, plus one I made up (a book title for each color of the rainbow).  It's going to be a real challenge, but I'm very excited.

To keep me on track, each month, at the end of the month, I'll post a list of all the books I read and the prompts they fulfilled (with a small description of the book and my thoughts).  So, keep your eyes peeled throughout the year, for 12 book prompt reading lists!

I'll start the festivities off on January 1st.  We're looking at 173 prompts.

I hope you'll join me in sharing your reading selections (and reading challenge prompts) in the comments throughout the year!

Thank you for being a part of my ramblings!

♥Emmy

The Skunch

Okay, so this has been making me laugh way more than it should.  And today, I'm going to explain why.

So, on the surface, funny picture, right?  But, what got me was the caption.  And I know what you're thinking.  Ha ha, sorta funny, right?  But, it gets better.

First, it's this derpy Grinch.  And I love it so much.  I would totally put that up in my yard.  It looks great!  But, it clearly is not a perfect Grinch.   But, then you read the caption and it's referred to as the Skunch.  Which means that this is not a mistake--this is its own thing!  (Oh, wow!)

And then, the first part of the line: "Oh shit".  Not only is this the Skunch, which is now a known quantity, but the Skunch elicits a reaction that is less than positive.  This is not "hooray" or "oh boy!" or even "hey, look".  No, this reaction implies that the speaker is not happy to see the Skunch.  And judging by the look on its face, it knows this.  The Skunch is a thing to be feared.  And it knows where you are.

The first time I showed this to someone, I laughed until I cried.

Anime!

Perhaps one of the best parts of the Brother's return home is that we spend inordinate amounts of time each night watching anime.  My love of anime is quickly becoming a make-or-break relationship point.  I can see turning down a very nice guy because he's not interested in discussing the finer points of Dragon Ball Z, or cosplaying with me at the next anime convention.  I know it sounds silly, but it's a big part of my interests.  Plus, I feel like watching anime and playing video games are social activities that should be shared.  I also love reading (which I'm sure you all know), but that's solitary.  I don't mind reading alone.  But, I want someone to go to all the anime movies with me, and to cry with me during every ridiculously sad character backstory in One Piece.

 

So, while we're on the topic, the Brother got me the most awesome Christmas gift: a copy of the latest Dragon Ball Z movie: Resurrection "F" on DVD.  We watched it Christmas night, and I'm still feeling the high. While he prefers the 2013 Battle of Gods, there is just something about the devious and highly dangerous Frieza (the "F" in Resurrection "F") that always fascinated me.

 

Frieza in his "golden form" from Resurrection F

 In addition to this amazing film, the Brother and I have stocked up a list of anime we wanted to watch while he's home for the holidays.  I'm hoping to post about these a bit more as we watch them.  I know last year, I talked about completing a few series which I had been focusing on for months, and how it felt like I had a huge hole in my life after these characters, who had been my constant companions, were gone from my day-to-day.

 

Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss

Last year was Death Note and Space Dandy.  This year, we have several titles lined up, including Tiger and Bunny; Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple; Mushi-Shi; Samurai Champloo; and possibly some One Piece or Dragon Ball if time allows.  Also, the Brother isn't interested, but I have a shoujo lined up for me: Kamisama Kiss!

 

I was going to use this space to write all about Tiger and Bunny, but I think I have a better idea.  Instead, I'm going to put together an anime Year and Review, and go over all the anime that I have seen this year.  I hope you guys stop in to check things out :)

Christmas Face

So, I might have already mentioned it, but Christmas is coming, y'all!  I still have a crap-ton of shopping to do....like almost all of it....but I'm watching YouTube videos instead, and posting them here so you can join me in blissful procrastination.  You're welcome :)

Rhett and Link are the best.  Seriously, go watch all of their stuff.  They do sketches, songs, commercials, and even have their own YouTube morning talkshow!  Simply the best.

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas is coming!  I had intended to do a 25 Days of Christmas series this year, but after I totally couldn't finish my 31 Days of Halloween series, I thought it would be best to just wait until school was over.  Why can't I post all the time?  Grad school.  Yup.  Gotta love it.

On the flipside, I'll be graduating in August.  So, stay tuned for that :)

Click to enlarge

You can find the comic and more by this author on her website for Junior Scientist Power Hour here.

Christmas Money and Castle

My Monday night companions

One of the biggest disappointments of this semester was not being able to watch Castle.  The campus is getting cable service through a new provider, and for some reason, I can't get ABC.  And because I've been too busy, I haven't had the time to load the episodes online and catch up.  (I might need to do that over this break).  I've greatly missed Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic's antics over the past couple of months.

One of the fun bonuses of Christmas is getting Christmas cash from relatives who want to get me something, but don't exactly know what I would want. Heck, sometimes, I don't even know what I want, haha.  So, I was messing around in a bookstore, and happened to come across a little beauty of a book: the newest Castle adventure.  I already have Heat Wave, Naked Heat, and Heat Rises.  This is the first graphic novel in the Castle canon: Deadly Storm.  I've only just started, and I'm very excited about it.  Once I finish, I'll be sure to post a little bit more about it.  Right now, I'm just enjoying a bit of Castle after a too-long hiatus.

Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday; I know I did :)

The Panic of Christmas Shopping

Thanksgiving has come and gone....and you know what that means now.  Yep, the horrifying panic that is Christmas shopping starts to sink in.  Don't get me wrong; I LOVE Christmas shopping.  And now that I have a job, it's much easier than in the past (ie. I actually have $$$, and I don't have to just used saved up birthday cash from October).  But, still.  It's always a panic trying to find the perfect item for each person, and of course, during my shopping extravaganzas, I always find something that I want, and I have to convince myself to wait just a little bit longer before I buy it.  It's not even December, and I've already found two things that I want.  I'm really tempted just to buy them....What do you think?

Christmas Aftermath

Christmas was very nice this year, with wonderful quality time spent with family, and lots of nice gifts. The most memorable, though, I'd have to say is the Lon Chaney biography my parents bought for me. I'm a huge Chaney fan, and getting to read all about the "Man of a Thousand Faces" will be an extra special treat :) (Steven, don't worry; I didn't forget about your story; that was the other memorable gift of the year. Thank you again!!!)

The other wonderful surprise was being able to have a nice one-on-one conversation with two of my cousins who are also in college. They're always so busy or so quiet I never have time to talk to them. So, that was very, very nice.

So, did all of you do fun things for Christmas? Did you get any nice gifts? Do you have any fun stories to tell? Please share :)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, guys :) I hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful holiday! (I'm sure that I won't be able to post anything tomorrow; I'll be too busy) :P

Its been almost a year since I started this blog (February 22, 2010), and I want to thank you all for putting up with me and sticking around this long, especially Javmango, who was my first follower (besides a couple of friends I ASKED to follow me). And now, nearly 250 blog posts and 21 followers later, I'm still going :)

So, for all of you who have been so devoted to this rambling bookworm, Merry Christmas!!! And thank you :)

A Hundred Dollars

We celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family today (since my aunt and uncle were in town). On Christmas itself, we'll see the other half of the family. But, anyways, my grandma was passing out envelopes with money inside, and my little cousin, opening hers could not contain her shock at seeing a $100 bill. Her reaction was priceless:

"Mommy! Mommy, I got a hundred dollars! I'm going to go to the Dollar Store and buy a hundred things!"

Alice Cooper: Is Santa Real?

Is Santa real? The science behind Santa according to rock sensation Alice Cooper:

Practical Gifts

Today, the Wonderful Roomie and I learned an important lesson. When guys don't know what to get you for Christmas, unlike girls, they won't ask seventy million people what to get you. Instead, they go for something more practical. The Roomie and I stressed out about what we were going to get for Professor Thomas and Matt for Christmas. In the end, we got them fun stuff that we knew they would like: a Jeff Dunham DVD & Pepsi for the Professor, and a Mario t-shirt for Matt.

The guys got the Roomie two boxes of Lucky Charms cereal (since it's her favorite and they don't have it in the dining hall anymore), and got me a no-slip mat to go under the rug in our room, since they know I risk my life on that rug every single day. It may not be the craziest or most fun thing ever, but its still practical and thoughtful. Thanks guys :)

Christmas is Coming....

And today, I get to wrap presents with the Wonderful Roomie! ^_^

Next weekend we celebrate with the group ;)