I'm pretty sure I can get used to a life where I just stay home all the time and do whatever I want. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks this. It was just a nice thought yesterday... 

But today the reality is I'm back at work and it's really not so bad except for when you think about doing whatever you want, whenever you want. And whatever I want concerns this game I found yesterday: 

http://dynamo.dictionary.com/

Basically it's a word challenge game. It gives you a word and you have to pick the right definition. Seems like it's not very exciting but at the end it can estimate how many words you do know and what level you're at (whether elementary, middle, high school, or college).  

Take the challenge! I promise you'll be at least a little amused. Don't look at me like that, you already knew I was nerdy...

The Wakeful Dreamer

Can you continue to blame everything on being busy? I should probably just come to terms to with the fact that I won't be able to get everything done when I want but I am trying very hard. Thank-you, reader, for having patience with me.

Now, down to business because I'm really excited about these books. How could you not fall in love with an almost eleven year-old girl who not only has a great mind for detective work but also has an intense love for chemistry especially poisons? 

This was another wonderful suggestion from my grandparents and it did not disappoint. First, each book has a wonderful title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, A Red Herring Without Mustard, and I am Half-Sick of Shadows. Second, each book is also filled with a delicious mystery that has Flavia riding around on her beloved bike, Gladys, all around town. This not only shows us the town (and surrounding areas) but also introduces us to a variety of eccentric characters. Though you don't have to go very far to realize that Flavia's own family is full of mystery and good old sisterly fights. 

My hat goes off to Alan Bradley who magnificently portrays the mind of not just an eleven year old but an eleven year old girl. Mostly because I found that I think just like her, name my possessions, and refer to famous people by their first names or nicknames as if I know them. 

The only thing that I don't like about these books is that he is writing more! You're thinking that I should be more excited about this but I don't want to wait till 2013 for the next book. I just let out a very audible sigh. In the same thought, at least I know what I'll be reading in a year from now...

The Wakeful Dreamer

... Charles Dickens was born! I knew this is what you were waiting to hear all day. Though if you haven't already heard about it on the news, you probably visited Google today and saw the little doodle. 

So what do we know about this prolific author? Not very much actually. I mean I like Charles and all but I can't say I've read him a lot. I did read Oliver Twist again recently (as in the last year and a half recently). Perhaps in honor of his birthday I'll try and read something else... like A Christmas Carol! I have only ever seen movie versions and it might be time to come face to face with Mr. Scrooge.

I'm not sure if you knew this before but I love robots. Transformers, Wall-E, Number 5 - you name them, I love them. Just not the bad ones. Why am I mentioning this? Because I just watched Real Steel and loved it as well. Robots. Robots. Robots. 

Okay, the real reason I'm focusing on robots and not on a book is because I'm trying to avoid said book. To be honest I didn't even read all of The Hare with the Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund Dewaal. I didn't even read half. I only read a quarter. 

I've never done this before. Even if I don't like a book I can manage to get through it... but not this time. To its credit I love the premise of the book: A man inherits a collection of netsuke (small figurines). He then decides to discover the story behind the netsuke as well as the story of his family. 

It could have intrigue, mystery, and murder (yes, I watch too many movies). Or it could be pages and pages of dry text. Yes, it is wonderful that your great-great grandfather hung out with some very famous Impressionistism painters, but do you have to go on and on about Japanese culture in England? What about your grat-great grandfather? What about the rest of your family and the netsuke?

I'm he covers that in the rest of the book but I'm sorry Edmund, I just can't do it. Instead I'll focus on my love of robots. Especially since I watched this video:

It's crazy, I know. We for sure need robots to help us clean up our messes... 

The Wakeful Dreamer