So Much Reading, So Little Time

Most of the day was spent with my nose buried in an excel spreadsheet.  One of my co-workers is out on maternity leave for the next couple of months and I've picked up the daily administration of one of her programs. Unfortunately, stuck right in the middle of this program is a manual review process that is done by reading and manipulating a sizeable spreadsheet.  The process is ridiculously long - a total of 17 steps with minimal payback from each step.  If I had the ability to redesign the process I would have designed it entirely different - of course, we can lay this little bit of insanity at the hands of our idiot director as well.  Another example of micromanaging run amok.

So, other than that, I had two good conversation with TR today, on a wandering array of subjects. Then, I watched an episode of Ray Donovan. I followed that up by trying to call the ranch, but no answer.  They are running up to Rapid City for a doctors appointment this week and they may already be on the road.  I will give them a try again tomorrow.  I did send an email off to my nephew asking him to check the phone if he was still at home at the ranch. With that done, I tried to call my sister and landed in her voice-mail.  I swear to God my family is the most antisocial bunch in the world. I joke that I always picture them on the porch with a shotgun and a bottle of moonshine, waiting for strangers to wander by so they can pepper them with rock salt!

Then, I finally finished my Scott Lynch book, Red Seas under Red Skies, in the Gentleman Bastards Sequence.  It was an enjoyable ride.  He has a third book in the sequence coming out in October, so I will look forward to reading that.  Meanwhile, I am getting ready to start the next book. My plan is to hit Amazon real quick tonight for the latest Orson Scott Card and the latest Dean Koontz, both of which are high on my list of favored authors.  Though, now that I think about it, I actually have a pair of Neil Gaiman books in the queue as well.  Not to mention all the other non-fiction that I love reading.  So much reading, so little time.

Simple and Outward Facing

I thought today was an interesting day and as I sit here near the end of it I am not really sure what made it more interesting than any other day.  Still, it was interesting.  I woke in the still hours before dawn and lingered in bed to watch the sunrise/  A good call with TR set the day in the right mood. 

A shower, then breakfast, then off to see the new Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington movie "2 Guns".  It was very entertaining in a bit chaotic, plot-wise. I'd recommend it as a popcorn movie on the strength of the two lead actors. 

From there I stopped and got the car washed, then came home and watch an episode of Dexter with Tony.  (Tony is in pay-cable exile right now).  I followed that up with a long and lingering nap. 

So, amid all that, what made the day interesting? The pure simplicity of it. 

I just called in an order for pizza and I'm watched the end of the Woody Harrelson, Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek movie "After the Sunset" (2004).

 I have no other plan for the evening.  There is a Sinbad marathon on SyFy, so I might watch that or I might watch something down off the DVR. I've also been promising myself an evening spent almost entirely in reading and tonight might be that evening. 

I am finishing up "Red Seas under Red Skies" by Scott Lynch, the second book in his Gentleman Bastards sequence. It has been a good read and looks to end strong.

A Shower Is To Be Savored

I've moved briskly into my vacation.  Alas, it has not been a clean movement, but it is movement so that counts.  On Friday, I ended up working about six hours, trying to wrap up a pair of reports that needed to be done.  Tomorrow (Monday), I plan on working a couple of hours to wrap up two other items and then, hopefully, I will get a clean break.  At work I find that I dislike the fact that we are not adequately staffed, it irritates me constantly.

So, let's see - on Friday I saw Pacific Rim, then on Sunday I saw The Way Way Back.  I have to say - the first was pretty bad and the second was pretty good, so I guess the universe balanced out, movie wise. If you have to make a decision between the two, I would definitely recommend The Way Way Back.  Unless you are in to giant robots, monsters and explosions.

I ran a spat of errands on Saturday and then spent most of the afternoon napping. The evening was a quick and simple Chinese dinner, then a wonderful little conversation with T.R.. Sunday was an early  morning walk in John D. Morgan park, then breakfast at the Hickory Pit with Tony.  We followed that with The Way Way Back, then lunch at Pasta Pomodora in Santana Row. A quick run up to the Sports Basement on Lawrence, then off to the laundry, then home, a long hot bath, and now an episode of Copper.

All told, it has been a nice little weekend and a good start on vacation.  Tomorrow is a free day here in San Jose, to be spent on a spot of work and then preparing for the trip.  One of the things I picked up at the Sports Basement was a heavy duty duffel bag. I have an older one, but it is cheaper and the handle tore off for the second time the other day.  I figure it is time for it to give it up and buy a good one that should last me for a decade or more.

I think my plan for the rest of the night is an early bed and reading a bit in Red Seas Under Red Skies, another novel in the Gentleman Bastards Sequence by Scott Lynch, the author of The Lies of Locke Lamorra.  Then, a good night sleep, an easy going day tomorrow and finally, on Tuesday, the start of the trip to San Diego for Comic Con.  I am excited for the trip, the Con, and the wonderful city of San Diego.