2011 30 Day Song Challenge - Day Two

Today is Least Favourite Song.

I'm fairly tolerant of a lot of styles but it was a close call between these two songs. I'm only going to inflict one here - to spare brain cells and earworms.

Chain Reaction by Diana Ross & She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals are the unfortunate winners of this category. Both of them still to this day have me mute or change the channel on tv or radio.

The fact that both of these songs come from my teen years and I still to this day I switch them off says possibly as much about radio/tv overkill on playing them as much as the songs themselves.

Enjoy isn't the word to use. Tomorrow should be something better......

30 Day Song Challenge

So. I've finally succumbed to a music meme. It was bound to happen. I've played music since primary school & I suspect if I'd been able to talk myself into the idea of a touring and itinerant lifestyle I would've pursued music as a career choice.

Music was one of those crossroad major decisions one makes in life. Thanks to the school system at 15 I had to choose between music and ancient history. Ancient history won as I was able to continue instrumental music until I finished school.

Given I ended up with a double major in ancient civilisations for my first degree it was the right way to go. Not least as I never did convince myself of a wanting musician lifestyle - and to this day I see a live production of something I always want to be down in the pit with the musos (not on stage with the performers).

So, without further ado - here is day 1 of the  meme.

Your favourite song. I went with the Elvis version of Suspicious Minds. I also enjoy the Pet Shop Boys version (& suspect if I heard, or more importantly, remembered others I'd like them too).

2011 Reading Challenges

After the toe-dabbling in 2010 with reading challenges, I’ve decided to once again take some up.

However, this year I want to take up some new and shiny challenges. I’m a reading omnivore, there isn’t much I won’t at least try to read. Finishing may be another question (I’m looking at you Russian authors and Jane Austen) but committing to starting. Well, that would be a good resolution to put out in the interwebs.

The first one is Stephen King. I have ‘On Writing ‘somewhere handy most of the time but other than an occasional novella, I’ve never really delved. As a result I'm taking the option to read six in a year. 

Associated with Stephen King, would be the Horror & Urban Fantasy challenge. It's an interesting one this as both terms can create wide variations of what is defined as Horror or Urban Fantasy. I'll be surprised if I don't make the twenty-four reads. 

The final challenge I’m taking is one that will force me to double-check the genre I’m reading. I already read in mystery and suspense topic, but again they tend to have the paranormal, speculative fiction bent. I’m hoping by having this number to achieve I’ll expand my author list (plus I think I can now sneak in my J.D. Robb glomming I've been undertaking too). Twelve is most definitely a manageable number too.

Of course keeping a list is also a handy way of looking back in a year’s time and see that I haven’t been faffing around the house too much.

Technology & Book Challenges

Technology. Such a double edged sword in this day and age. I thought I’d had my moment of technological difficulties back in February. Alas, no. My computer decided to end the year with some hiccups.

So, once again I’ve been forced offline or reduced to hijacking a computer from a family member. Least this time I had some peace of mind knowing backs up were regular. The problem is fixed, but for how long. Well, how long is a piece of string?

Then, I finally get my computer back – Yay! To only have our household succumb to the storm season. Brisbane is a sub-tropical climate & though summer has been very slow to start, the tropical thunderstorms we’ve had have hit way above their weight. The whole household went offline. This was only finally rectified by Christmas Eve.

So, I’m tentatively saying out loud that I appear to be back in the electronic saddle & wading through the inbox of email, blog feeds, google reader etc.

Over the coming few weeks I’m looking at how I’m going to incorporate my blog with other aspects of my online life.

As well, deciding which Book Chick City challenges I’ll undertake in 2011. The ones I’ve done this year have been great for keeping me on track to read (& take note of what I have been reading). I’ve met the speculative fiction one, well & truly. 

The library challenge run here, not so much. Though I am mostly happy how many books I’ve borrowed (as I’m aware that due to the busy-ness of the year meant not as much reading as I’d like). 

Dark Side Down Under

Time is flying. I’m certain this year someone, somewhere, wound up the clock to see how humanity copes with the speed. I’ve essentially been recovering from all the trips taken, cons attended & workshops undertaken. As well as absorbing all of those experiences.

Something else that has been stirring is the creation of the Dark Side DownUnder blog. Eleni Konstantine & Keri Arthur have been the masterminds behind this outing of the RWA Australia Paranormal group.   

We’re being let loose on the world…on Halloween no less. The group has on many occasions been a wonderful place of support and encouragement (as well as a place to discuss essential topics like who is the hotter Dean or Sam).