NUMBER 146
I was just about to post this blog, when while I was uploading some pictures of books to add from Facebook and saw another horrible incident: The Boston Marathon explosion. My GOD, please pray and pray hard. It just doesn't make any damn sense, but we have got to keep our faith and forgiveness (In my case, I will kick their asses first then ask for forgiveness!!)
“Rest in my radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur.” Note above, just how crazy we have become.
“Rest in my radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur.” Note above, just how crazy we have become.
That one line will be my new mantra. So much, so much devastating news over the past few weeks and I’m wondering how in the hell are we living thru it. There are days I am so glad I don’t have cable. I’m also glad the regular stations don’t come thru much either. To get up early in the morning and hear nothing but bad news, has driven me barmy, crazy and I can’t stand it. How do you stand it?
That’s why my new mantra is “Rest in my radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur.” It’s a blur out there and my saving grace is GOD, my kid, my ex, my library, real friends and my books. I don’t know what it is, but each and every time I walk into a bookstore, see stacks of books at the Goodwill, Wal Mart, Target or where ever I find books, my heart jumps, my nose tingle and I get that old feel as when I was child. I wish I could explain that feeling. To me it’s like GOD standing behind me with my grandmother and my great aunt precious standing on each side. I just wish I could explain that feeling. I just know it when I feel it. It’s almost like home, not the place, the heart.It has been a while since I wrote about “The Sanctuary.” So here’s an update. A Church book club friend of mine started her Dave Ramsey plan and was looking for part time work. I got her a job there and she is working out perfectly and it’s giving me some of my Saturdays back. The money was helping me, but I was getting tired of working 7 days a week and my body was beginning to fall out.
There will be some Saturday’s I will work if my friend needs to be off, but we got a pretty good schedule set up and I think things will work out fine. Kat, the manager, is even thinking of giving us the responsibility to close the store on Saturdays and Sundays since the other girl wants to move to days. Man, I wish we could hire that young girl at my real job. She is fast, professional, smart and sweet with the customers. Each and every time I work with her, we get big tips because of her outgoing personality and the customers just love her. The sad and stupid part, she could not pass the drug test because she does not want to stop smoking pot. To top it off, she is pregnant again. She has two sons, 1 and 2, (both bad ass kids), from two different men. One father is in Jail and the other in New York somewhere. This new boyfriend, who has no kids and lives on his own, (at least she met someone with a job), is asking her to please have the baby. He told his mother, who is happy, since this will be the first child from him. Damn Freaking Shame! We have also lost three employees. One actually told us that he would make more money on the street than minimum wage. Can I blame him? Yes and No. We live in a society that accepts that type of life and don’t care either way. I just know that he will eventually be found dead and my heart will go out to his family as so many families my heart goes out to. The status of the other two employees: One got pregnant with third child and wanted welfare than this job and the other didn’t care if she worked or not. She’s living with grandma. Same Drama, Same Story, Same bullshit!!!
Let’s get to some books.
WENDY WELCH - THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP: a memoir of friendship, community and the uncommon pleasure of a good book - $10.67 - I heard about this book from one of my many podcast, "All About Books Podcast," a weekly NPR book review hosted by Charles Stephen. The review was given by his wife and since I have always wanted to open a bookstore, you know I had to find it. I'll see if it is still worth my dream.
An inspiring true story about losing your place, finding your purpose, and building a community one book at a time. Wendy Welch and her husband had always dreamed of owning a bookstore, so when they left their high-octane jobs for a simpler life in an Appalachian coal town, they seized an unexpected opportunity to pursue their dream. The only problems? A declining U.S. economy, a small town with no industry, and the advent of the e-book. They also had no idea how to run a bookstore. Against all odds, but with optimism, the help of their Virginian mountain community, and an abiding love for books, they succeeded in establishing more than a thriving business - they built a community.
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good ...
VARIED AUTHORS - THE DRAGONS: SAUCY CHRONICLES II (Volume 2) - $2.49 - - - Everyone at my regular job, and I guess I should say throughout the world, knows how I love reading and books. My co-worker at my real job, brought this book down to my desk for me to read and after looking it over while he was at my desk, I noticed that one of the stories was written by him, F. Ted Atchley. Ted, as we all call him, is a true computer geek and one of the nicest guys around. I am so proud of him and got him to autographed my book. I also told my Internet radio friend to promote his book. I cannot wait for it to shoot up. Oh, there is a volume 1 and I just brought it. Yeah, TED!!!!! We are proud of you.
Saucy Chronicles I: The Unicorns
The Dragons: Saucy Chronicles II (Volume 2)
ROBIN SLOAN - MR. PRENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE: A NOVEL - $9.59 - - - The book started out pretty good for me and I understood it from the beginning. Clay, a computer programmer, loses his job in the recession and finds a book store clerk position at the Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore. The store is narrow with very high shelves that when you climb up the ladder, it’s like going up a mountain of darkness, filled with shelves of strange and unusual books. This store is patronized by some unusual customers, and I would not actually call them "customers." They come and "borrow" books, not buy, but borrow. Clay works the night shift and if one or two customers come in after 10pm, it's a good night. After a few weeks of trying to be friendly with these weird customers, Clay calls upon his friends to solve the mystery. Of the customers and the bookstore. That’s really as far as I got and some of the tech speak got me more confused. On top of that, I had to return it back to the library. Its own my wish list with Amazon to buy when I get enough money or maybe I will just borrow it again. I just could not keep reading it because either I was losing interest or just did not understand the mystery. Don’t want to give up on the book, so I will try it again. Maybe the next time, I will get it, I hope so.
WENDY WELCH - THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP: a memoir of friendship, community and the uncommon pleasure of a good book - $10.67 - I heard about this book from one of my many podcast, "All About Books Podcast," a weekly NPR book review hosted by Charles Stephen. The review was given by his wife and since I have always wanted to open a bookstore, you know I had to find it. I'll see if it is still worth my dream.
An inspiring true story about losing your place, finding your purpose, and building a community one book at a time. Wendy Welch and her husband had always dreamed of owning a bookstore, so when they left their high-octane jobs for a simpler life in an Appalachian coal town, they seized an unexpected opportunity to pursue their dream. The only problems? A declining U.S. economy, a small town with no industry, and the advent of the e-book. They also had no idea how to run a bookstore. Against all odds, but with optimism, the help of their Virginian mountain community, and an abiding love for books, they succeeded in establishing more than a thriving business - they built a community.
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good ...
VARIED AUTHORS - THE DRAGONS: SAUCY CHRONICLES II (Volume 2) - $2.49 - - - Everyone at my regular job, and I guess I should say throughout the world, knows how I love reading and books. My co-worker at my real job, brought this book down to my desk for me to read and after looking it over while he was at my desk, I noticed that one of the stories was written by him, F. Ted Atchley. Ted, as we all call him, is a true computer geek and one of the nicest guys around. I am so proud of him and got him to autographed my book. I also told my Internet radio friend to promote his book. I cannot wait for it to shoot up. Oh, there is a volume 1 and I just brought it. Yeah, TED!!!!! We are proud of you. Saucy Chronicles I: The Unicorns
The Dragons: Saucy Chronicles II (Volume 2)
ROBIN SLOAN - MR. PRENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE: A NOVEL - $9.59 - - - The book started out pretty good for me and I understood it from the beginning. Clay, a computer programmer, loses his job in the recession and finds a book store clerk position at the Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore. The store is narrow with very high shelves that when you climb up the ladder, it’s like going up a mountain of darkness, filled with shelves of strange and unusual books. This store is patronized by some unusual customers, and I would not actually call them "customers." They come and "borrow" books, not buy, but borrow. Clay works the night shift and if one or two customers come in after 10pm, it's a good night. After a few weeks of trying to be friendly with these weird customers, Clay calls upon his friends to solve the mystery. Of the customers and the bookstore. That’s really as far as I got and some of the tech speak got me more confused. On top of that, I had to return it back to the library. Its own my wish list with Amazon to buy when I get enough money or maybe I will just borrow it again. I just could not keep reading it because either I was losing interest or just did not understand the mystery. Don’t want to give up on the book, so I will try it again. Maybe the next time, I will get it, I hope so.
OMAR TYREE - THE LAST STREET NOVEL - $10.20 - - - I met Omar Tyree many years ago. I have a picture of him and me. The one with me trying to look like one of the "black sisters" from the seventies with a really short bush, attempting to "Angela Davis like" cool standing next to Mr. Tyree. It was when I was buying his second book, FLY GIRL - $6.83. At the time, I thought he was the biggest and best writer, next to Terry McMilian, I have ever read. I found "The Last Street Novel" while looking thru my library and could not remember what it was about, but put it in my "to read" pile and will catch up with it soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment