What do Squid Read?

A very good question given that I was willing to try out a social-networking site centered around books where I have not even gotten on the waiting list for Ravelry. (By the way, there is a minor rant about that site at the bottom of this post if you wish to assist in my self-flagellation.)

Squid, as you should know, are prodigious readers. We do have to take special precautions since reading under water is tricky ... um, o.k., maybe we surface to read our books. Squidette's first sentence? "Read to you!" Accompanied by a book slamming into the lap of the chosen parent.

Personally, I am a fan of fiction. How heavy or light it is depends on the time of year and my mood. Right now I am in a light-fiction mood and am currently rereading some sci-fi already on my shelf in the absence of anything grabbing me from the new releases shelf at the library. As part of my current Tuesday and Wednesday "shuttle and feed the kids" ritual, I now stop at the library closest to the synangogue in order to collect Squidette. While there I either look for a old book from an author I am working my way through, or check out the new releases. Since I am not working my way through an author right now, I have just been checking out the new stuff. Last week I grabbed the new Debbie Macommber but this week, nothing struck me.

Print, however, is not my only book absorption medium. I am a voracious devourer of audio books. My commute home every evening (when I am the sole occupant of the car) is accompanied by the sounds of my latest Audible download playing on my Treo. Right now, my listening is also on the lighter side as I listen to some Marion Keyes but if the book is absorbing I will listen to more serious fare. Last week I downloaded "The Nazi Officer's Wife" and kept looking for traffic jams so that I could get more listening in. In the past, the David McCullough books have kept me pleasantly absorbed as I took in John Adams and Truman.

On the heavier side of things, I am working my way through "Acquiring Genomes" by Lynn Margulis and Dorion Sagan. When I was a graduate student, Lynn Margulis was one of my heroines. She was a famous female scientist when they were few and far between. "Aquiring Genomes" is actually a very readable book -- good to read while knitting. I made my way mostly through it while traveling this summer -- propped on my lap with my feet up it was a good "sit outside in the wilderness" book. Hmm ... maybe I'll make the effort to finish it this week ...

So there you have it -- eclectic tastes. Love the Elizabeth Peters' books -- especially the Ameila Peabody series. Love Jasper Fforde. Really like Richard Dawkins. Ann McCaffery is an old favorite and I still raid Squidette's shelves for the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I'm looking for a new series -- got any suggestions?

***
Minor Rant

Looking for a new author is why I decided to join this Shelfari thing when Debby invited me (you can all go blame her for the massive amounts of spam this thing has generated). It looked like a cool thing and even Mike thought so (yup, spammed my own husband). After it sent out a second email today, I dove right back under the rock of humiliation, sank into the moat of despair and basically thought about changing my name and moving to Tahiti.

Instead, I shot off an email to these folks. It read as follows:

After I accidentally spammed my entire contact list -- by the way, having everything automatically checked is a BAD idea -- I thought I was done with it. I issued an apology to the same people and took the flak that resulted.

Then I saw that an automatic NAG was sent out, further adding to my mortification. Can you please tell me what you are doing to remedy this situation? Your emails claim that people were purposely selected but your software automatically selected them and grabbed them from my contacts list and then continued to bother them.

Please, please tell me what you are going to do to fix your software to stop this harassment, both purposeful (the nag) and accidental -- the automatic selection instead of purposeful selection?

I receieved the following reply:

Good morning Devorah,

That certainly is disconcerting. On the invitation page it lists all of the friends you are inviting and states that we will invite those checked once and send one reminder a few days later. After those are sent, we send no further emails.

I do get some emails from people who invite to Shelfari and don't want that second email sent, and we cancel those reminders.

I realize this was a rocky start to Shelfari, but I do hope you stick with the community. It's an incredible group of readers.

--Dave

O.k., I know I was stupid. I acted quickly and didn't read the fine print. I still think there is some deceptive stuff going on but right now ... I'm going to have a drink and take a break from the computer for most of the weekend. I have a blanket to finish crocheting together by Sunday, cat ears and a tail to sew (why are Black cats the only kind that you can find in the Halloween sections?) and other costume adjustments to make. Plus the semi-annual Mitzvah Sunday group to run. I'll be back Sunday night or Monday and maybe I will have stopped beating myself up by then.