The Month in Review and of Things to Come

So I did some reading this month.  Seven books!  Whoa!  That's huge for me; particularly the way this year has been going.  It's easy to get through as many books when they are all really good.  I was surprised the most by Three Men in a Boat, and secondly by Gentlemen of the Road, both were good surprises.  I got through Swanwick's collection due to reading one here and there, as opposed to straight through, the fact that he's one of my favorite living authors, and because I had previously read many in this particular collection.  (That said, I didn't skip any of the ones I'd read before.  They were even better the second time around.)  The New York Trilogy was a great big 'ole bunch of 'wow!' and Zafon left me breathless and feeling late to the party.  An all around excellent reading month.  I'll surprise myself in saying I like Chabon's book best of the seven, but in truth all books here get a strong recommendation as being exceedingly awesome: pick the one you'd least think you'd enjoy and then read it and get back to me.  (Herein are the seeds of short story collection vs novel for the sake of awards planted for a future post...)

In terms of reading and quality this month is similar to last year's August; and I'm okay with that.

It was such a strong reading month that, with some faith in getting it done, I'm going to reinstate my monthly reading goals.  This September I'll be getting my introduction to Cory Doctorow, checking out China Mieville, keeping tabs on Zafon, scratching the Simon Mayer itch.  I'll let you guess which books.  All these authors are new to me, and I'm--needless to say--excited about all the books.

In addition to reading, I met a girl this month--a suspect special one--who plays a lot of video games.  As such, she tries to get me to play a lot of video games.  It's not a good look as we are both hyper competitive.  Anyway, be on the lookout for those 'red shells,' that have never made an appearance on this blog.  They have many vagaries and take many shapes...          

I saw two shows this month, both of which were wildly entertaining: Ted Nugent and Stevie Vai.  Yeah, they are both better than me... and while I'd only ever to aspire to be one of the two, I'm glad I went to both.  Truly memorable stuff.  Vai is an absolute beast and considering Nugent's excess energy we don't need nuclear power generators, just a way to syphoning off his excess steam.
 
Oh, and apropos of nothing: I've got the remedy for all your ails, aches and pains.  Trust me and try it.  One slightly over-ripe guava, three ounces pineapple juice, half an ounce lime juice (or none if you don't like the bite) all well blended.  Then stir in two ounces of rum; The Good Stuff: dark and heavy, full-flavored.  (See this very site for recommendations!)  

Drink.  Relax.  Repeat indefinitely.