Update and Recently Read

So!  I survived the weekend.  I dosed myself up royally so that I wouldn't be coughing or sneezing on anybody and soldiered on.   I'll finally have a day off ... let's see ... next Sunday.  *sigh*  Oh!  And there is all kinds of drama going on with the volunteers at the adoption center, and where once I would have eaten that stuff UP, now I'm just, like, "keep me out of it!"  Man, that stuff gets tiring. 

Now!  On to Recently Read.  As usual, skip it if you wanna.

1.  The Living by Annie Dillard.  Novel about settlers in Oregon in the 1800s.  The basic storyline was good, but I never did get involved with any of the characters.  Meh.

2.  The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy.  Yep, it's Maeve Binchy book.  I enjoyed it - it's Maeve Binchy! 

3.  Movie review time!  The Queen of Versailles is a doc about a family who goes from insanely wealthy to just crazy-wealthy in the most-recent real estate bust.  Interesting.  And guess what!  The Queen of Versailles is from my home town!  No, seriously - the woman in this doc grew up in the town next to mine.

4.  I'm Sorry You Feel That Way by Diana Joseph - Humorous essays - meh.  She's quite frank about what a f*ck-up she can be, which is refreshing.

5.  Fields and Rivers New by John McCormack - Memoir of a veterinarian who began practicing in Alabama in the sixties.  I'm a sucker for a good vet memoir, and this was a fine example of the genre.

6.  Room by Emily Donoghue - Novel about a woman and child held captive for years - The premise was certainly interesting, and parts of the book were really compelling, but overall it was a bit simplistic.  Still, it was a fast and interesting read.

7.  Another movie review!  Jiro Dreams of Sushi.  I think I've talked about this one before - A man, some fish, whatever.

8.  The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson.   Essays from a guy driving cross-country.  He portrayed the people he met with disdain.  It was supposed to be funny, but I just found it mean-spirited, and I didn't finish it.

9.  Tinsel by Hank Stever - An examination of a modern-day Christmas season in Texas.  Eh.

10.  Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion - Memoir about an RV trip across the US - Interesting and funny.

11.  Movie review!  Beasts of the Southern Wild is about a little girl with a sick dad and a big imagination.  The little girl was incredible, and the movie was full of striking images.  Good.

So!   That's what I've been reading (and watching) lately.  How about you?