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22 April 2014

Happy Earth Day!

Some days I get bogged down by negativity when I think about all the crap the Earth takes. News of oil spills, protected species being hunted to extinction, rainforests being destroyed, global warming, etc. just makes me want to give up hope about the future of the planet. Even just taking a drive through the city reminds me of how much we take our natural resources for granted: trash covers the streets and clogs the storm drains. And, considering how much influence the huge oil companies have with their billions of dollars, I know there's only so much I can do to help.

But that little bit that I can, I do. On our walks, Peppy and I pick up the trash around our neighborhood and in the shopping center across from our apartment. I just carry an extra shopping bag with me and pick up the wrappers, bottles, cans, bags, and most other trash that I find (I will not touch Q-tips, dental flossers, tampons, or condoms unless I have gloves). We usually fill a regular sized shopping bag with no problem. Peppy enjoys the longer, more meandering walks, and I feel like I accomplished something. We help the environment and make the neighborhood look nicer. I know I can't get all the trash, and that there will be more tomorrow, but I can do my part by picking up what I see. That's enough for me.

Peppy loves a clean environment

07 April 2014

My Top 5 Most Read Authors

I recently started using the site Goodreads, which is a great resource for book nerds like myself. It has tons of lists of books and authors, and it lets you indicate on your profile which books you've read or would like to read. This is going to be a great tool for me, considering that I read a ton of books and sometimes forget if I read a certain book or not. It even has the cool feature of telling you your "Most Read Authors." So, without further ado, here are my top 5 most read authors, according to Goodreads:

1. Stephen King (31 books - and at least 3 more under different pen names)
I got into Stephen King when I was younger, when I asked my mom what books she would recommend to me. Since she liked Stephen King and Dean Koontz, those are the authors that she gave me. I've loved horror literature for a long time, and Stephen King remains the ruler of the horror genre. In addition to his novels, I've also read a bunch of his short stories and two of his nonfiction books. My favorites are Carrie, Firestarter, and 'Salem's Lot.

2. Anne Rice (25 books - and at least 4 more under different pen names)
I really got into vampire literature once I discovered Anne Rice. I've read all the books in her Vampire Chronicles, all of the books about the Mayfair witches, and all the erotica written under her two pen names. I've even considered reading her Christ the Lord series, simply because I know they'll be well-written. And I'm stupid excited about her next novel: Prince Lestat.

3. Patricia Briggs (20 books)
If you asked me who my favorite author is (right now), I'd probably say Patricia Briggs. I LOVE Patricia Briggs. I have not read one of her books that I didn't like. Her Mercy Thompson series is my favorite, closely followed by the Sianim series. I'm currently reading Night Broken, the 8th Mercy Thompson book. Her books are full of fast-paced action and kick-ass female characters, and I can't get enough of them.

4. J. R. Ward (18 books)
Ward, aka Jessica Bird, writes mostly about vampires, war, and sex: not necessarily in that order. Although I like her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I'm not real fond of her Angels series. She's a supernatural romance author who writes men as all of her main characters and woman only in supporting roles. After so many books, I'm tired of it, but I'm so invested in the characters at this point that I'll continue to the end of the series.

5. Kelley Armstrong (11 books)
I've already read two of Kelley Armstrong's series, and I really like her characters and her writing, so I'm planning on reading her other series. I started reading her books a long time ago, and I guess I was just unaware that she wrote so many more books.

So there you have it, my top 5 most read authors, as per Goodreads. Who's in your top 5?

All images from Goodreads.com.

01 April 2014

More Stupid Things I Say to My Dog

In case you missed part one, check it out here: Stupid Things I Say to My Dog. Here's some more stupid things I say to my dog:
  • "If you have to throw up, then go out in the kitchen! Don't throw up on the carpet!"
  • "I lied--I don't actually have a treat for you."
  • "Quit eating grass, it's going to make you throw up again."
  • "If you eat my plant again, I'm going to skin you."
  • "Go ahead and lick your butt. Get the taste of my face out of your mouth."
  • Getting dressed: "Shoes! I know clothes excite you. But not as much as they excite your friend Gambit."
  • "Slow down and chew your food. You're going to throw it up again."
  • "There's nothing scarier than a chihuahua barking under a pile of blankets. Nothing."
  • Me: "Are you trying to choke yourself? Quit pulling so hard." Partner: "I didn't know your dog was into auto-erotic asphyxiation."
  • "Who's in my butt? Get out of there."
  • Going to the pet store to get a doggie rain coat: "I know you're happy now, but you're about to hate me."

He hates his rain coat almost as much as he hates rain.