So what are you reading?

So there I was, minding my own business, sitting in my hotel room at a corporate training event (5 days away from home, thank you very much!) when suddenly the one and only, highly esteemed The Tutor tagged me with a meme. . .

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people.

Hmm. So I'm on a business trip, spending the week at our corporate training facility (a whole other post in itself) when I get this post. Wow!!! I've been tagged! I feel so cool! (Yes, it's a first).

Well, to the task at hand. I have two books (one atop the other) that I brought with me. I'd almost finished The President, The Pope and The Prime Minister when I left home, so in addition to it I brought The Great Republic by Sir Winston Churchill.

Book One (from O'Sullivan's P, P and PM)

"Five years later, largely owing to the follies of the Carter administration when it sought the overthrow of the corrupt Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somaza - with no idea of who ight replace him - the investment paid off. The Sandinist guerrilla forces found a vacuum in Managua and seized power on July 17, 1979. Given its partial responsibility for this upset, the Carter administration was anxious to deceive itselv about the new rulers;Warren Christopher, then deputy secretary of state, told Congress that the Sandinistas were 'generally moderate and pluralistic.'"

Hmm.

Book Two (Sir WC's TGR, which I haven't even started yet!)

"The Declaration wasw in the main a restatement of the principles which had animated the Whig struggle against the later Stuarts and the English Revolution of 1688, and it now became the symbol and rallying centre of the Patriot cause. Its immediate result was to increase the nubmer of Loyalists, frightened by this spendid defiance. But the purpose of the colonies was proclaimed. "

Well OK then! Don't I appear well read? Catch me next week and I may well be reading the latest from Vince Flynn or a rerun from Tom Clancy. Just please don't think less of me!

Meanwhile, I'm tagging:

Timothy
Arby
Fletch
Tim and Kathy
and
Sebastian

Go ahead, gents and ladies. Fill us in on the latest from your library! (and PLEASE, let someone be reading some brain candy to make us feel better!)

Good Heavens!

OK. I'm a miserable blogger. By that I mean "very poor at blogging", not "a blogger who leads a miserable life". In fact, my life is quite spiffy, thank you very much. Everytime I think I have something to complain about, I just look around a bit. And then shut up.

No, instead I'm talking about the quality / quantity / consistency of my blogging. I've just not been keeping to it. I wonder why?

Yes, we're just past the holidays, and I've been trying to get back in the "work" swing of things first. (Trust me: five consecutive days of work, including two on the road, was NOT easy. I can't remember the last time I did that!) But, I could at least drop in and say hello now and again.

It's quite late and I don't have the stamina to think/ write / edit / post at length on any number of the subjects I have percolating right now, but a short index of coming posts (I promise!) would include:

1. an analysis of The Chronicles of Narnia, as I've just finished the entire set (again) and have many thoughts,
2. a belated post on "how do you do Santa" with a review of how we've handled the concept, historical figure, and consumeristic legend for the past few years. (Granted, we've probably all had about as much about Santa as we can handle until next Advent / Thanksgiving / Halloween / Labor Day / how soon will they start the "holiday's" next year),
3. a review of life in a "work at home / school at home" family after almost 2 years and what we've learned and what we'd like to change,
4. etc etc etc.

OK, that's at least three major posts (some perhaps with multiple chapters). I should be good through the first quarter - you think?

Signing off,

Chris

ps: I've been roaming about the blogosphere and found one of the "best homeschool dad" nominated blogs (www.themangotimes.com). He cleverly closes his posts with

"quietly making noise,

Fletch"

Here's my question: is there some clever "close" that I can use that is relevant to my world?

Hmmmm?

In the meantime. . . .

Chris

FPOY*

* "first post of the year"

Happy New Year! My blogging has been absurdly light (and pathetically uninspired) throughout the holiday season. I'll just claim "I was spending time with my family!" as an acceptable excuse.

For the 3 or 4 regular readers out there, know that you won't have much new to read this week either. After almost a month at home, I'm off tomorrow morning for the first trip of the year. Look out, Las Vegas, here I come! And, yes, it's business. After 8 years of annual kick-off meetings at our corporate training facility in northeastern snowy climes, we're actually being treated to a trip somewhere interesting.

I've never been to Vegas and I'm not a gambler. (OK, except for our down-and-dirty card games played at family reunions where we play "the nickel game"). Regardless, this should be an interesting trip. I won't have much free time to sight-see, but I'll try to find something culturally redeeming to experience and blog about later. (feel free to not hold your breath)

In the meantime, Happy New Year to all.