Category: Uncategorized

Sunday’s Sundries: Fifth Dimension Books

Published on by Rachelle
Sundries - Dominic Hartnett
Image: Dominic Hartnett

Last night was the Boyfriend’s and my weekly date night.  On our way to a cafe that has the best fries I’ve ever tasted in my life, we came across a bookmobile called Fifth Dimension Books.  They specialize in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Weird Tales, which are exactly the kind of books the Boyfriend and I both love to read.  I can’t buy any books, but most bookstores carry more than just books, and so we got on the bus to check it out.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best local bookseller I’ve come across in Austin, TX.  The boyfriend bought a “Big Damn Heroes” pin (for those who don’t know, it’s a “Firefly” reference), a book for him, and two books for me.  One of the books he got me was a surprise (he didn’t tell me he was buying me a book). It’s a hardcover edition of The Immortal Prince by Jennifer Fallon.  The other was one he let me pick out because it was a “Blind Date with a Book”.

2015-07-12 13.49.16

I’ve seen the “Blind Date with a Book” idea in libraries, but I’ve never seen it in a bookstore of any kind.  I’m very pleased with this idea, especially when I know I’m getting a book in a genre I enjoy, but it’s likely to be a book I wouldn’t normally take off the shelf.  It allows me to stretch just a little out of my comfort zone, but not so much that I risk abandoning the book.  The book I got is Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro.  Not only is this book written by a woman, but also a physicist!  While female authors aren’t in any way outside my comfort zone, I read much more Fantasy than Sci-Fi.  This book is one I would have never thought of looking at to see if I’d be interested.  The blurb and praise on the back of the book make me think this will definitely be something I’ll like, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

I will be going back to Fifth Dimension Books.  I want to get one of their t-shirts, but I’m also going to be a regular customer after this year’s No Book Buying Challenge.  They’ll be my first stop whenever I have book money.

#FitReaders Check-In #27

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for June 29th – July 5th.  I was still dealing with the stomach bug until Sunday.  Though I feel much better, and I’m walking more because of where my class is in relation to where I park, I’m not going to push myself to reach my goal.  As long as I do better than I did this past week, I’ll be happy.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 19,668/56,000
  • Miles: 8.08/21
  • Flights of stairs: 33/70
  • Active Minutes: 14/210
  • Total Money Donated: $10.79

#ShelfLove: Update and My Fave Book So Far

Published on by Rachelle

showyourshelves_zps8f6e8b06-png320x480

I finally got around to scanning all of my physical TBR books into Goodreads late Friday night, and I spent most of Saturday putting together a master list of all of my unread books in every format.  I discovered that I have a whole lot more ebooks than I thought.  It turns out I have over 300 of them.  Combined with my physical books, I have over 400 books I’ve never read!  It’s going to take me a long time to read all those books.  I’m now in the process of making a couple TBR jars so that I have a constant reminder of just how many books I already have to choose from when I’m looking for something “new”.

“Somewhere in this process you will come face-to-face with the sudden and shocking realization that you are completely crazy.  Your mind is a shrieking gibbering madhouse on wheels barreling pell-mell down the hill utterly out of control and hopeless.  No problem.  You are not crazier than you were yesterday.  It has always been this way and you just never noticed.  You are also no crazier than everybody else around you.  The only real difference is that you have confronted the situation they have not.” ― Henepola Gunaratana

Now that I know my TBR pile is more of a small library than anything else, I’m even more likely to stick to my goal of not buying any books this year.  The exception to that is The Outlandish Companion, Vol. 2 by Diana Gabaldon.  I haven’t taken any more books to the used bookstore, so I’ve still only got $21.67 saved up towards buying it.  However, my box of books is nearly full, so I’m sure I’ll have enough money to order it by next month.

Speaking of “Outlander,” is it any surprise that my favorite qualifying #ShelfLove book so far this year is The Fiery Cross?  Click on the title to read my mini-review.  Also, let me know your favorite book (or books) of the year so far in the comments.  If you have a review of it, leave the link, and if I already own that book, I’ll move it up on my list of books to read sooner rather than later.

#FitReaders Check-In #26

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for June 22nd – 28th.  I don’t have much to say about this past week that I haven’t said for the past several, except I came down with a stomach bug over the weekend.  It’s still affecting me, so I’m probably not going to make my goal this week either.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 31,108/56,000
  • Miles: 12.78/21
  • Flights of stairs: 52/70
  • Active Minutes: 66/210
  • Total Money Donated: $9.98

#FitReaders Check-In #25

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for June 15th – 21st.  I got out and walked every day, but I didn’t come anywhere close to getting 8K steps any day of the week.  The weather, studying for my midterm exam, and being busy with other things all added up to me not making it to the gym or Hot Yoga, but I deliberately walked as much as I could.  I suppose that’s the important thing, right?
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 30,588/56,000
  • Miles: 12.57/21
  • Flights of stairs: 55/70
  • Active Minutes: 63/210
  • Total Money Donated: $8.92

#FitReaders Check-In#24

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for June 8th – 14th.  After a couple mini-crises kept me from getting my steps at the beginning of the week, I said the hell with it and stopped actively trying to meet my goal.  I also wanted to read The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon during my free time more than I wanted to do anything else.  While I would usually take my book with me to read on the treadmill, The Fiery Cross is a brick of a mass market paperback that would have been uncomfortable to hold while walking.  It also would have gotten destroyed from sweat.
  • I’ve decided to put my goals next to what I accomplished in the hopes that it will help motivate me a bit more.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 36,077/56,000
  • Miles: 14.82/21
  • Flights of stairs: 62/70
  • Active Minutes: 148/210
  • Total Money Donated: $7.79

#FitReaders Check-In #23

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for June 1st – 7th.  I was doing really well until the weekend and a paper I had to write.  To avoid this happening again, I’m going to walk to my school’s gym after class at least two days a week and spend an hour accumulating as many steps as I can before I go home.
  • I didn’t make it to any Hot Yoga classes this week either.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 43,813
  • Distance: 18 miles
  • Flights of stairs: 70
  • Active Minutes: 192
  • Total Money Donated: $6.51

#ShelfLove: Mid-Year Check-In

Published on by Rachelle

showyourshelves_zps8f6e8b06-png320x480

Six months down, six more to go for the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge, and I swear I haven’t gone insane….yet.  Actually, these first six months have been easy for me; at least until the Spring semester ended, and I was no longer getting a paperback of my choice from the Boyfriend every week.

As many of you know, the Boyfriend made a deal with me that I would get a new book every week I completed all of my assigned writing.  It was a way to both motivate me and keep me from having a nervous breakdown, and it worked.  I didn’t realize just how much those weekly trips to the bookstore had helped me until they were gone.  A trip to the library resulted in me lugging home seven books, which helped.  However, the problem is that I tend to pick books that I then want to buy, so my wishlist is only growing.

I also realized that I truly do have a book buying habit.  I’d call it an addiction, but so far I haven’t spent any money on books to get that “fix”.  However, I’ve used all my gift cards, I choose the slowest shipping option when I buy anything on Amazon to get the $1 credits, and I frequently “1-click” free ebooks.  I also compiled a huge list of sites for free books.  Because of this, my digital library has expanded exponentially, and I’ve listened to quite a few audiobooks, all for the low, low price of free.  I’m ok with that though since those books aren’t taking up space on my shelves or in my storage unit.

Speaking of my physical books, I removed an entire box worth of books from my life and sent them to the used bookstore.  I’m trying to earn the money to buy The Outlandish Companion, Vol. 2 by Diana Gabaldon.  I got $21.67, and I’m putting together another box from books that have been sitting in storage for years, thanks to moving at least once a year and living in increasingly smaller apartments or overseas.  My apartment is bigger now, but I’m sharing it with the Boyfriend and both of us have the problem of not having enough shelving or the wall space to add more.  If it were just me, I’d get rid of the couch and replace it with two shelves, but that’s not the case, and it’s not my couch.  So, instead, I’m participating in this challenge.

So far, I plan on participating again next year, but I already know I’ll do things a bit differently.  I’ll have graduated from college and should have a decent paying adult job by then.  So, I’ll set some goals for myself to “earn” money, including activities such as finishing physical books and exercising.  Until then, I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing and hopefully won’t end up in a straight jacket.

#FitReaders Check-In #22

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for May 25th – 31st.  I’m beginning to get frustrated with all the various events that have been interfering with getting my steps.  First, Monday was shot due to the torrential downpour that caused the parking lot at the apartment complex where I live to turn into a river.  While I did get a half-hour workout on both Tuesday and Thursday, as well as a Hot Yoga class on Wednesday, the rest of my week was ruined by several things.
  • Now that I’m back in class, I’ll be able to get much closer to my goal just by walking to and from campus every day.  My schedule is about to get insanely busy though, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue going to Hot Yoga, but I’m going to try.  I’m also going to attempt to find the time to make use of my university’s gym since it’s not likely to be too busy this time of year.
  • I’ve added my total active minutes as a part of my goal.  I’ll be working towards a minimum average of 30 active minutes a day.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 30,533
  • Distance: 12.53 miles
  • Flights of stairs: 13
  • Active Minutes: 130
  • Total Money Donated: $4.26

#FitReaders Check-In #21

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for May 18th – 24th.  I know I said last week that I was making fitness a priority.  As I said yesterday in my Monday’s Minutes post, I had a large case of “I don’t want to do anything”, and that included making time for exercise. While the Boyfriend was off walking, I was gaming.  I did make it to a Hot Yoga class though.
  • Now that I spent some time being thoroughly lazy, I’m feeling considerably more productive, and I’m recommitting myself to reaching my goal of an average of 8K steps a day.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 21,471
  • Distance: 8.83 miles
  • Flights of stairs: 9
  • Total Money Donated: $3.06