January 13, 2015

Book Club

Thanks everyone for suggestions, I have made more edits to the original list.

I was hoping to have finished What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami before today, so I could do a review and claim my tickboxes. It was written originally in Japanese, so ticks box 8; is a memoir (25) and also a non-fiction book (13). I’m not happy that item 25 also inevitably fulfills item 13, though. Also, it was recommended by my dad, so I can’t quite tick 16 (recommended by a friend) or 20 (loved by my mum).

It’s about running.

Karen
  • Comments: 10
  • OOps-- #35 is set in a high school #23 is required reading in school As you wer... - asta
  • No the only classic category on our list is romance and Slaughterhouse certainly isn't tha... - asta
  • "A classic" isn't on the list though? Or is it - I confess I keep seeing categories I have... - Lisa
  • Karen's right; Slaughterhouse Five is absolutely a classic and is still being taught in hi... - asta
  • Slaughterhouse 5 definitely ticks the school reading list box, yes. And surely it's a clas... - Karen
January 9, 2015

Uborka 2015 Reading Challenge

Inspired by POPSUGAR, Uborka is randomly choosing January as an excuse to set a challenge. For those too lazy to click, here’s the list:

  1. A book with more than 500 pages.
  2. A classic romance.
  3. A book that became a movie.
  4. A book published in the last 12 months.
  5. A book with a number in the title.
  6. A book written by someone under 30.
  7. A book with non-human characters.
  8. A book that was originally written in a different language.
  9. A mystery or thriller
  10. A book with a one-word title.
  11. A book of short stories.
  12. A book set in a different country.
  13. A non-fiction book.
  14. A popular author’s first book.
  15. A book from an author you love, that you haven’t read yet.
  16. A book a friend recommended.
  17. A Pulitzer-prize winning book.
  18. A book based on a true story.
  19. A book from the bottom of your to-read list/pile.
  20. A book your mum loves.
  21. A book that scares you.
  22. A book more than 100 years old.
  23. A book you chose based entirely on its cover.
  24. A book that is usually required reading in school.
  25. A memoir.
  26. A book you can finish in a day.
  27. A book with antonyms in the title.
  28. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit.
  29. A book that came out the year you were born.
  30. A book with bad reviews.
  31. A trilogy.
  32. A book from your childhood.
  33. A book with a love triangle.
  34. A book set in the future.
  35. A book set in high school.
  36. A book with a colour in the title.
  37. A book that is reputed to make people cry.
  38. A book with magic.
  39. A graphic novel.
  40. A book by an author you’ve never read before.
  41. A book you have owned for more than a year but have never read.
  42. A book that takes place in your hometown.
  43. A book set during Christmas.
  44. A book written by an author with the same initials as you.
  45. A book you saw recommended on twitter.
  46. A play.
  47. A banned book.
  48. A book based on or turned into a TV show.
  49. A book you started but never finished.
  50. A children’s book.

[This list is not identical to the original one. The Editorial Team didn’t approve of “A book written by a female author,” so inserted something else instead].

We’re going to have Book Club updates on Tuesdays. Perhaps not every Tuesday, but as often as the lazy Uborkans can manage. The idea is to get people to update with what they have been reading, and recommend books to others. Lisa and I are attempting to do as much as possible on the list, without buying any new books, because our to-read piles are ridiculous.

There will be a prize [a book] for the Uborkist who can tick the most boxes by the end of the year.

One point of order remains: Can one book tick multiple boxes? Discuss.

Karen
  • Comments: 11
  • I'm also taking "this year" in category 4 to mean "in the last 12 months". - graybo
  • I'm reading a book at the moment that ticks 5 categories, although I'm including category ... - graybo
  • Edits: At Lisa's suggestion, I have numbered the categories; and I have amended the wordin... - Karen
  • That sounds plausible. Agree that the wording on that category is poor. I also vote f... - asta
  • Well, I think that means you choose the book because you like the cover, doesn't it? Badly... - Karen
  • Comments: 8
  • It's still Christmas. Baileys please. Large. - Lisa
  • Christmas has been a really very nice of a whirlwind of food, drink, family and much, much... - Ms Gammidgy
  • I'm really into the idea of detox. I find a large gin, with full fat tonic, encourages my ... - Gert
  • BEER! please and thank you - graybo
  • I made it through all of December's pre-Christmas parties without picking up any of the ga... - asta
December 22, 2014

My Christmas Gift To The World (Part Two)

Ten years ago, during the previous incarnation of Uborka, I gave a Christmas gift to you all in the form of a song. Here’s the post, and though I had taken down the link, I’ve resurrected it temporarily.

In the light of the fact that I haven’t given you a present in the nine years since then, I felt that something was slightly overdue. So, for you: Let It Snow

I’ve also used it as the introduction music in my special holiday episode of my Fallout New Vegas series, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

Pete
December 21, 2014

Let Pentival Commence

2014-12-21 14.50.00 Today started early for a Sunday. We got up and had pancakes with bacon and maple syrup at 8am, and we had two presents each. Don’t worry, there are plenty left.

I had a work shift until 11, and after lunch we went out geocaching in a nearby village, achieving a very low 50% find rate. Usually we are a lot better than that. The location was chosen to take us home via a christmas tree farm, where we purchased a tree-in-a-pot. Pete and I apparently disagreed about what makes a good tree, but obviously not so much that I didn’t get the tree I liked.

There is a ham in the oven, red cabbage braising slowly beside it, and the tree has been decorated. The sun is setting so I’m about to light candles around the house, and we might even break open the 9 year old box of crackers that has been back to the attic every year on the 6th January.

Merry Solstice everyone!

p.s. The baby was born on Thursday, so there is no more “provided I am not at the birth. Though there is a slight issue with New Year’s Eve that I need to mention to the Gammidgys.

Karen
  • Comments: 1
  • Sounds like an excellent start. Don't keep us in suspense.... - Ms Gammidgy
  • Comments: 4
  • I do have a Christmas jumper and I'm not even ashamed (well maybe a little bit ashamed). T... - Ms Gammidgy
  • I have no Christmas jumpers (I know, you're surprised) but have recently been given some s... - Lyle
  • When *did* Christmas jumpers become a thing? I don't have one. Am wearing a frock. Wint... - Lisa
  • I do not own one. I didn't own one even in the 80s when all around me wore them unironica... - asta
December 12, 2014

Bar’s Open

Last night I turned up to run an antenatal class, opened the boot of my car, and realised that I had forgotten to pack my teaching kit. Luckily I had my refreshments bag, a pencil case with pens and scraps of paper, and a flip chart. Even more luckily, I was teaching in a school venue, and it was parents’ evening so there were still some teachers around, from whom I begged to borrow a doll. They gave me baby jesus out of the nativity scene, and I taught positions for breastfeeding using him.

Today’s cocktails will be given to those deserving souls who can tell a tale of similar work-related disaster.

Karen
  • Comments: 3
  • I once turned up really, really late and ... oh, right... - graybo
  • I can't think of any: too busy getting ready for a party and hoping to avoid disasters on ... - asta
  • Phew, close call. Once I turned up to work without my tie and had to weave one from paperc... - Gammidgy