Number of books read: 7
Pages read: 4470
Average number of days to read a book: 4
Average number of pages read in a day: 154
Number of more books to read to reach goal: 82
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
One More Day
We at WNBNI would just like to remind you that this year is a leap year and so there is still one more day of February. Enjoy your day of extra time until the rent is due, African American history month, and/or freezing February weather.
Note on Numbers:
It appears that one can not always set the number of hits to the web site on computers other then our own. After testing this out on a computer not connected with our own in any way it appears the if you can not see the meter at the bottom of the page, clicking in the lower left-hand corner will bring up the website that keeps track of the number and you can then see how many others are reading this and where they are from. (Along with tons of other info, you most likely don’t care about.)
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Big 2000!!!
As we were doing our daily viewing of websites, blogs, e-mail, etc we looked down to see the numbers on our own beloved W.N.B.N.I., and what did we see. People have looked at our blog 1,999 times!!!!! That means by the time you read this there will be 2000 hits on our blog!! Go ahead, scroll down and look for yourself. You may even be number 2000. Wouldn’t that make you cool and important? Sure it would, why not? We think you’re important. Thank you to all our readers for your reading, keep up the good work!
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Book in Review – TCIGT: Writing Christian Fiction
Book Count: 18
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to: Writing Christian Fiction, By: Ron Benrey
Non-Fiction: Writing, publishing, religion 294 pages 2007
Although, this book states at the beginning that it is only meant to be a guild for the ways that writing Christian fiction is different then writing secular fiction or other forms of writing, it does have a lot of information that would be useful for people writing any novel. There are sections on outlining stories, making time for writing, and the different paths to getting your book published. All these parts provide useful information for any writer. So, even though we have no desire to write in this genre at this time, it still was full of helpful writing tips. And it made us glad that we don’t have to follow all of the sometimes odd rules that Christian publishers have. (Now we think we will write about a woman at a bar who dances across the room in order to get to the bathroom in celebration that we can write about drinking, dancing, and the fact that people use the bathroom and our readers don’t find it horribly offensive. [Not that most people reading Christian fiction would either, but those who do tend to complaint loudly.])
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to: Writing Christian Fiction, By: Ron Benrey
Non-Fiction: Writing, publishing, religion 294 pages 2007
Although, this book states at the beginning that it is only meant to be a guild for the ways that writing Christian fiction is different then writing secular fiction or other forms of writing, it does have a lot of information that would be useful for people writing any novel. There are sections on outlining stories, making time for writing, and the different paths to getting your book published. All these parts provide useful information for any writer. So, even though we have no desire to write in this genre at this time, it still was full of helpful writing tips. And it made us glad that we don’t have to follow all of the sometimes odd rules that Christian publishers have. (Now we think we will write about a woman at a bar who dances across the room in order to get to the bathroom in celebration that we can write about drinking, dancing, and the fact that people use the bathroom and our readers don’t find it horribly offensive. [Not that most people reading Christian fiction would either, but those who do tend to complaint loudly.])
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
A Note to Self:
Book Count: 17
The Fine Art of Murder, Edited by: Gormen et al
Non-Fiction: essay, writing, history etc. 381 pages 1993
If you read my last note to self then you may remember that this is the book that was taking forever to read. That is due to two reasons. First, the pages are larger then most books. Second, it is a collection of essays, interviews, and other short writings on anything and everything having to do with the writing of mystery novels. So, you need to that a short break now and then as the writing jumps from one area to another. But, I have finally finished it!!! I’ve only been working on it since the middle of January. And it was worth reading, as there was a lot of useful information in it.
The Fine Art of Murder, Edited by: Gormen et al
Non-Fiction: essay, writing, history etc. 381 pages 1993
If you read my last note to self then you may remember that this is the book that was taking forever to read. That is due to two reasons. First, the pages are larger then most books. Second, it is a collection of essays, interviews, and other short writings on anything and everything having to do with the writing of mystery novels. So, you need to that a short break now and then as the writing jumps from one area to another. But, I have finally finished it!!! I’ve only been working on it since the middle of January. And it was worth reading, as there was a lot of useful information in it.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Quotes From Lincoln
-Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.
-As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy.
-Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
-I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.
-It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.
-Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.
-Stand with anybody that stands RIGHT. Stand with him while he is right and PART with him when he goes wrong.
-When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.
-I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.
-Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.
-If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
-Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
-Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
-As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy.
-Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
-I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.
-It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.
-Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came.
-Stand with anybody that stands RIGHT. Stand with him while he is right and PART with him when he goes wrong.
-When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.
-I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.
-Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them.
-If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
-Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
-Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Today in Holidays
Today is Presidents’ Day, or George Washington’s Birthday or Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday depending on where you live or who you ask. It is some complicated thing based on states and national holidays overlapping. But in any case, don’t hold your breath waiting for the mail, it’s not coming today.
Quotes From George Washington
* Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!
* The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered... deeply, ...finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.
* Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
* There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity.
* It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
* Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
* I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.
* It is well, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.
* The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered... deeply, ...finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.
* Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
* There is no restraining men's tongues or pens when charged with a little vanity.
* It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
* Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
* I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.
* It is well, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
More Weird Things Our Cat Does
Our cat LOVES library books!!! And we don’t mean in the way most cats love books. I.E. they must sit on top of whatever you are reading until getting the proper amount of attention. No, we mean the cat is always smelling our library books. Not in the way that cats and dogs like to smell things because they use their noses more then their eyes to learn about the world around them. No, one would think that the library packs the books in catnip or some other sort of kitty crack the way he is deeply inhaling every volume, pushing the book open with his nose, sniffing up and down every page. It’s just odd. At times we are afraid that the cat will try to eat the book, or rip its pages the way that they go after it. It is something you have to see to really understand as we just can’t fully explain it as it is like nothing we have ever seen or heard about before.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Attention Men: Panic
This is just a note to remind all the men reading this who have a loved one in their lives that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. All the nice restaurants are already booked. Roses will cost $50 a dozen. The stores are out of all the good boxes of chocolates. Now is the time to think up something good and fast. That is all. Enjoy your day.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A Note To Self:
Book Count: 16
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady by: Denise Swanson
Fiction: mystery 251 pages 2001
I liked this book, but as I just reviewed a mystery I thought I would just note this for the count. I’m in a bit of a mystery kick now, as I am also reading a book on mystery writing, although it is taking forever to get threw it as the pages are huge!
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady by: Denise Swanson
Fiction: mystery 251 pages 2001
I liked this book, but as I just reviewed a mystery I thought I would just note this for the count. I’m in a bit of a mystery kick now, as I am also reading a book on mystery writing, although it is taking forever to get threw it as the pages are huge!
Monday, February 11, 2008
A Book in Review – Turkey Flambé
Book Count: 15
Turkey Flambé by: Nancy Fairbanks
Fiction: mystery, cooking 274 pages 2007
This is a mystery that centers on cooking. There are various recipes in the book that relate to what the people in the book are eating. The storyline is also food based. The mystery starts when a new cook book author has an event for her first book in which she was asked to flambé her famous turkey recipe. Instead of creating the nice effect of a small sized blue flame coming from the turkey for a minute or two the turkeys become giant flaming fire spitting turkeys that are thrown off the balcony in the hopes of stopping the flames and not burning down the building. They are then mistaken as bombs thrown by terrorist as they hit two cars; one of Middle Eastern diplomats and one of the granddaughter of a very powerful man in Chinatown. The police and feds are called in and want to charge the author with multiple crimes for making the bombs (she wasn’t the one who threw them) and so she must prove that she is innocent by finding out who messed with her turkeys. It is a fun book with lots of twists and turns but plenty of hints to make you feel that you can solve the mystery before she does.
Turkey Flambé by: Nancy Fairbanks
Fiction: mystery, cooking 274 pages 2007
This is a mystery that centers on cooking. There are various recipes in the book that relate to what the people in the book are eating. The storyline is also food based. The mystery starts when a new cook book author has an event for her first book in which she was asked to flambé her famous turkey recipe. Instead of creating the nice effect of a small sized blue flame coming from the turkey for a minute or two the turkeys become giant flaming fire spitting turkeys that are thrown off the balcony in the hopes of stopping the flames and not burning down the building. They are then mistaken as bombs thrown by terrorist as they hit two cars; one of Middle Eastern diplomats and one of the granddaughter of a very powerful man in Chinatown. The police and feds are called in and want to charge the author with multiple crimes for making the bombs (she wasn’t the one who threw them) and so she must prove that she is innocent by finding out who messed with her turkeys. It is a fun book with lots of twists and turns but plenty of hints to make you feel that you can solve the mystery before she does.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
A Book in Review – A Book of Curious Advice
Book Count: 14
A Book of Curious Advice: Most Unusual Manners, Morals, Medicine: From Days of Yore Edited by: Ruth Pepper Summers
Non-Fiction: History, advice, medicine, etiquette 201 pages 2004
It is amazing the number of ways that people in the past seam to be trying to kill themselves. If you like wondering how humans have lasted this long, then this is a book for you. It includes great advice from the past few centuries with many notes on how this is deadly bad advice that one should never take. There is advice on things like giving opium to babies, smoking to cure asthma, and the dangers of eating vegetables, drinking cold water or bathing. It also has recipes for things like crows, robins and pig’s ears. And my favorite advice in this book, which is giving to single people from “The Guide Board to Health, Peace and Competence” basically states; you’re worthless and it would be better for everyone if you would just die.
A Book of Curious Advice: Most Unusual Manners, Morals, Medicine: From Days of Yore Edited by: Ruth Pepper Summers
Non-Fiction: History, advice, medicine, etiquette 201 pages 2004
It is amazing the number of ways that people in the past seam to be trying to kill themselves. If you like wondering how humans have lasted this long, then this is a book for you. It includes great advice from the past few centuries with many notes on how this is deadly bad advice that one should never take. There is advice on things like giving opium to babies, smoking to cure asthma, and the dangers of eating vegetables, drinking cold water or bathing. It also has recipes for things like crows, robins and pig’s ears. And my favorite advice in this book, which is giving to single people from “The Guide Board to Health, Peace and Competence” basically states; you’re worthless and it would be better for everyone if you would just die.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Today in Holidays
Today is Ash Wednesday the start of Lent. Making this year's Easter the 23rd of March and a day later then the earlies day that Easter can be. Which we are sure we will get into how they set up the day for Easter later and do not feel like explaning it now.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
A Book in Review – Vampirates
Book Count: 13
Vampirates By: Justin Somper
Fiction: youth, fantasy 330 pages 2006
This book is obviously not one of the books that I read as a child; however, with a title like “Vampirates” I had to read it. It is as you may guess about vampire pirates. This book takes place in the 2500’s in a post apocalyptical world that is much like the Golden Age of Piraticy but they occasionally talk about modern things. Which is odd. Also although there are pirates doing pirate things and vampires doing vampire things there really no vampire pirates. As a whole this story was a let down, it wasn’t that scary, the ending stank and it wasn’t very exciting either.
Vampirates By: Justin Somper
Fiction: youth, fantasy 330 pages 2006
This book is obviously not one of the books that I read as a child; however, with a title like “Vampirates” I had to read it. It is as you may guess about vampire pirates. This book takes place in the 2500’s in a post apocalyptical world that is much like the Golden Age of Piraticy but they occasionally talk about modern things. Which is odd. Also although there are pirates doing pirate things and vampires doing vampire things there really no vampire pirates. As a whole this story was a let down, it wasn’t that scary, the ending stank and it wasn’t very exciting either.
Monday, February 04, 2008
A Book in Review – Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America
Book Count: 12
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History and Legends, Unearthed and Explored Edited By: Franck Joseph
Non-fiction: alternative histories, archeology 264 pages 2006
This book is all about the finds in the Americas that do not fit the popular view of American History (i.e. Native Americans can here over the Bering Strait from Asia chasing game, Columbus discovered America etc.) And about how science backs these finds, but people don’t want to believe them. Some of the things that they have written about are things that you are starting to hear about in specials on history/learning channels today as possibilities or are generally believed by people now. (Vikings landing in North America before Columbus, the Aztec calendar predicting the end of the world in Dec 2012 etc.) And some it will take much more proof before it could be taken seriously by scientist and historians (Some Native Americans were white and some came here 40,000 years ago.) Some is just odd (tablets found buried in Michigan could explain the golden scroll of the Mormon Church.) But, it was fun to read these odd bits of history and then be able to see if and how such finds might change our views of history in the future.
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History and Legends, Unearthed and Explored Edited By: Franck Joseph
Non-fiction: alternative histories, archeology 264 pages 2006
This book is all about the finds in the Americas that do not fit the popular view of American History (i.e. Native Americans can here over the Bering Strait from Asia chasing game, Columbus discovered America etc.) And about how science backs these finds, but people don’t want to believe them. Some of the things that they have written about are things that you are starting to hear about in specials on history/learning channels today as possibilities or are generally believed by people now. (Vikings landing in North America before Columbus, the Aztec calendar predicting the end of the world in Dec 2012 etc.) And some it will take much more proof before it could be taken seriously by scientist and historians (Some Native Americans were white and some came here 40,000 years ago.) Some is just odd (tablets found buried in Michigan could explain the golden scroll of the Mormon Church.) But, it was fun to read these odd bits of history and then be able to see if and how such finds might change our views of history in the future.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Happy Groundhog Day!!
So what is with this day anyway? There is an old saying that states, “For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May. . .” Hence the shadow causing snow, even though one would think that it would mean warmer weather. And the groundhog? Well it is a German holiday and they were most likely drinking up all the beer before Lent when they invented the day. (Which started with a badger.) And of course today is Candlemas or Purification Day or the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus. So what’s with that? Well, today is 40 days after Christmas and according to Jewish law a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after giving birth to a son. So on the 40th day they would go to the temple, offer sacrifices and be purified. This day was also the 1st time Jesus would have been to the temple. Over time it was also the day that the candles for the year were blessed and distributed giving it the name Candlemas.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Groundhog Day
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. As many of you know that is a day when in Punxsutawney PA. they drag a groundhog out of his house to forecast the weather. To see it live starting at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time click here.
To see our list of traditional Groundhog Day activates click here.
For more actual information on Groundhog Day, see you tomorrow.
To see our list of traditional Groundhog Day activates click here.
For more actual information on Groundhog Day, see you tomorrow.
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