Books, laughs, and more (Weekend Coffee Share #26, What’s on Your Bookshelf #3)
Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s on Your Bookshelf, hosted by Deb, Sue, Donna, and Jo. No photos this week, because I haven’t been anywhere more interesting than my living room. Time to plan a trip. I hear the kitchen is nice this time of year.
Writing News
- I am still S L O G G I N G through a very messy draft of a domestic thriller tentatively titled Delta Dawn. This revision is *painful*, and I keep finding excuses to avoid working on it. *sigh*
- I read my work in public (OK, on Zoom) for the first time ever. My creative nonfiction piece about my mom’s last Christmas was accepted by Harmony Magazine, a visual arts and literary journal published by the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson. Their arts and humanities honor society invited all authors of accepted pieces to read them at a poetry slam last week. I have no problem speaking in front of an audience, but reading my work–especially such a personal piece–was… weird.
- I’ll be co-hosting the March IWSG blog hop on Wednesday, March 2. I’ve never co-hosted a blog hop before–looking forward to it!
Books
I love the monthly What’s on Your Bookshelf challenge, because I get to talk about books! On the downside, I haven’t been reading as much as usual, so my list this month will be way too short. (Links are Amazon affiliate links.)
Books finished since last month
- Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories – Mary Higgins Clark. A collection of Clark’s short stories from the 1970s. There are some gems in here, and they all have a very 1970s feel to them (fittingly enough). Writing styles have changed a bit in the last 40+ years.
- Chasing Cosby: The Downfall of America’s Dad – Nicole Weisensee Egan. Egan reported on the Cosby case way back in 2005 when Andrea Constand first reported Cosby to police and covered the case through his conviction in 2018. The book is well-researched, well-written, and riveting.
Currently reading
- Murder-Go-Round: Thirteen at Dinner, The A.B.C. Murders, Funerals are Fatal – Agatha Christie.
- The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health With Feminism and Facts – Dr. Jennifer Gunter.
- The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together – Heather McGhee
- The Colour Out of Deathlehem: An Anthology of Holiday Horrors for Charity: I have a story published in this one, and now I’m reading all the other stories. Great stuff!
TV
Long-Suffering Husband and I finished watching The Book of Boba Fett last week and all 8 episodes of Reacher this week (hmm… maybe that’s why I haven’t been reading as much as usual). Boba Fett was good, but the Mandalorian is better. Reacher is wonderful! Well-cast, well-acted, and edge-of-your-seat tension. I’m going to have to read some more of the books to hold me over till April 2023, when season 2 is scheduled to come out.
Music
I have no idea how I discovered this song, but it just makes me happy. Love the melody, the lyrics, and the nostalgic vibe.
And finally….
The Weekly Funnies
No theme this week–unless Random Nonsense that Appeared on My Screen can be considered a theme.
My kind of valentines
All of these are courtesy of my wonderfully warped friends. Download ’em now, and you’ll be all set to get your romance on next year.
Animal fun
I miss my dogs terribly, but dang, that last one’s true.
The music memery
Also true if you threw your back out dancing during the halftime show.
And now I’m picturing Snoop going in for his colonoscopy and then rapping about it.
Send help.
Speaking of music for old farts:
That one reminds me of a former co-worker whose favorite housecleaning music was AC/DC’s Back in Black album. Good choice.
I’ve been laughing about this next one all week:
I mean… it’s kinda true.
Books and movies
I. Am. Dead. (must’ve been the tea)
It also needs an editor. That’s fewer supervillains, Skippy.
And finally, Long-Suffering Husband and I both snort-laughed at this one:
Since I can’t possibly top that one, I’m going to sign off (first rule of good art: know when to stop). May your weekend be filled with good housecleaning music and cliterature.
Want more of my random nonsense? Read previous Weekend Coffee Share and What’s on Your Bookshelf posts or just poke around and see what pops up.
25 Comments
Retirement Reflections
Hi, Janet – You had me at the Covid joke and it just got better from there! Thank you for the morning chuckle and thank you for joining us at What’s On Your Bookshelf.
Janet Alcorn
Glad I could give you a chuckle! We need more laughter these days. Thanks for stopping by!
Jo
I always look forward to your funnies, but the covid one had me giggling (quietly because it’s not yet 6am and hubby is still asleep)… I haven’t yet tackled Reacher, but have heard so much about it that I’ll need to. Thanks again for linking up to talk books etc.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! And thanks for co-hosting. I love the What’s on Your Bookshelf posts.
Jo
So do we!
Debbie
That Covid joke about taste takes the cake Janet! Thanks so much for bringing your sense of humour to our #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge linkup, oh and your books too!
Janet Alcorn
My pleasure! Thanks for stopping by!
Sue from Women Living Well After 50
Hi Janet, lovely for you to join us at the What’s On Your Bookshelf? link party this month. Congratulations on having your article published and it is also fun to be a co-host on a link party. I enjoyed your sharing more than just what you’ve been reading but also watching and some humour as well. You’ve covered it all! I look forward to you joining us next month. x
Janet Alcorn
Thanks for the kind words! It’s fun to share great stuff with others, especially the humor. I suspect we can all use some laughs.
Gary A Wilson
And I want to add to your quip about … cleaning the house …
“You know you need more books when you make time to clean the house.”
Your coffee share should be required reading by everyone.
Great stuff. . .
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I shared the housecleaning one a few weeks ago – https://janetalcorn.com/2022/01/30/january-in-the-rearview-mirror-weekend-coffee-share-23/. I should probably get it printed on a sign to hang next to, “Martha Stewart Doesn’t Live Here.” In other words, my house needs warning labels 🙂
Gary A Wilson
Oh – I do like that quip too.
It also serves to limit liability.
leannelc
I loved the cats on the ouiji board and all the comments about dogs and squirrels – people have very creative minds!
Janet Alcorn
Yes, I’m amazed at the clever things people come up with. Thanks for stopping by!
Natalie
Thank you, Janet, for your list of books and a fun #weekendcoffeeshare. I like the one about just got home from the vet.
Janet Alcorn
Yep. I had 3 aging greyhounds. It would’ve been simpler to just sign my whole paycheck over to the vet–the money ended up there anyway.
Joanne
I love your random nonsense! I’m intrigued by the Cosby book and yet at the same time feel like I don’t really want to know.
Janet Alcorn
I know what you mean. It does go into some detail about the assaults, so it could be triggering, but it isn’t sensationalized. The thing I found most infuriating is that apparently his behavior was an open secret in Hollywood, but of course no one actually did anything about it, and plenty of people enabled him. Disgusting but not surprising.
Rowena
Janet, I loved that covid joke. Brilliant. Being vulnerable, I relate somewhat to not being able to get very far beyond the loungeroom being vulnerable and covid raging all around us. Lately, I’ve been doing a few trips overseas via Google Earth and they’ve been incredibly satisfying. I thought you’d be interested in my trip to Midleton Ireland where surprise ! Surprise! I found my way to a bookshop and another surprise that I was magnetically attracted to a book and discovered a new author and inspiration: Michael Harding. Have you heard of him? Here’a link to my post and I thoroughly recommend the interview and his postcasts, which also offer storywriting advice. https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2022/02/19/irish-author-michael-harding-midleton-bookshop-ireland/
Best wishes,
Rowena
Janet Alcorn
I’m lucky to be at no more than average risk, but I’m still being careful. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how hard it would have been to go through the 1918 flu pandemic–phones weren’t even ubiquitous, let alone TV, the internet, videoconferencing, social media, and Google Earth. People must have been so isolated. This pandemic sucks, but we have a lot to be thankful for–like the ability to armchair travel to an Irish bookstore and discover a new author. So cool!
Scribble and Scran
Agree Mandalorian was better, but did enjoy Boba and vastly enriched by having the cross over. Just loved the scene at the end with Grogu. ……Reacher to be added to my watch list! thanks for coffee
Janet Alcorn
Agree! The crossover was the best part. I hope you like Reacher!
kirstin
That first “funny” cracked me up. I always love the memes you share. I’m sure you’ll push through and get your edit done. I like the title.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I’m working on it.
Marsha Ingrao
Fun post, Janet. I laughed at your funnies, and enjoyed reading about all the books you’ve read. Hope you get through your sloggy Delta Dawn. Have a great week.