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Gosh, i didn't realize i hadn't posted yet this month! Over the weekend there wasn't much to say as i didn't do much anyway. This week at work has been busy as we had an implementation over the weekend and have been putting out little fires that inevitably blaze up as a result. We have another implementation this weekend as well for a database upgrade. I am hoping to take Friday off but may not be able to. If i can, i might get my hair done, depending on the weather. We're supposed to get quite a lot of snow between Friday and Saturday but that can change so quickly.
Been taking some training on Mondays. Had two already and it will run until Easter. We're learning html5, css3, php programming and a few other related things. Lots of hands on so far and a bonus, we got to install Photoshop and Fireworks for free!
Speaking of which, i need to get something like that on my laptop. I have a bought copy of Paintshop Pro but i can't even download another copy of that from the website anymore as they've gone up three versions since the one i have. I think i did try awhile back and it wouldn't take my registration key, i thought i'd have to call them to verify that i just want to reinstall it on a new machine. I think i should buy an external dvd writer and maybe i can install it from my cd using that, providing the code will work. If it won't i will call or contact them. If it's hopeless, i have a cousin that can get things. ;) I don't want to have to buy a brand new copy until i exhaust all the options. It will be Paintshop though, not photoshop as it's much cheaper and i'm used to it and it does just as good a job.
4. Matters of Choice - Noah Gordon
The third of the trilogy about the Cole doctors. This one is current day, a female doctor grappling with being a country GP and the issue of abortion as well. Not bad, i still liked the first book of the trilogy the best, Physician.
5. The Witch's Daughter - Paula Brackston
Starts off during a witch trial in the 17th century. The mother is convicted as a witch and the daughter becomes one. Then we follow the daughter as she lives through several other historical periods including Victorian London, WWI and modern day where the "devil" continues to persue her. It was quite good actually, something a little different. It jumps back and forth from "today" to "then" but not difficult to follow.
6. The Line of Beauty - Allan Hollinghurst
Covers about 5 years in the mid 80s London and is about a young gay man who comes to live with the family of his university friend. The father of the family is an MP, the daughter struggles with mental illness. The young man isn't all the likeable, i found, he is the ultimate yes-man, seems to voice the opinion that the spoken to person wants to hear rather than what he actually thinks, overly agreeble, trying just that little too hard to fit in. We see him as he has his first love and later, a relationship with a rich Lebanese man. The book is very well written and is a character study rather than plot-driven. I believe it won a booker prize a few years ago. I did like it in spite of not liking the main character over much.
7. The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling
Her first book for "grownups". It's about a village where one of the councillors has died suddenly. The seat is open for new candidates and the small town politics, gossip and manipulations are fast and furious. None of the characters are likeable. There are characters from three generations, teens, their parents, and a few others. Very much a character-driven book. I did enjoy the book again, in spite of not liking the characters because it was interesting to see how each of them manipulates, survives, interacts, etc. I could see this as a movie with an ensemble cast which may be what she had in mind when she wrote it. It does take awhile to get all the characters in place so if you do find it slow starting, be warned.
8. villa Triste - Lucretia Grindle
Takes place in WWII Florence and present day. In present day two men are murdered, two men who were partisans during the war. In the past, we hear the story of two sisters, Cati and Issa and their family. Cati is a nurse and is timid, Issa is a student, and bold and fearless. Issa joins the Partisans to fight back after the Germans occupy Italy while Cati is reluctantly drawn in to the fight. The inspector in the current day has got his hands on a diary, Cati's diary, that gives him some back story behind the two men that he slowly discovers are two of the partisans in her diary and discovers what they did. There is betrayal, guilt, bravery in the past and we can follow the Inspector's search for the murderer. I pretty much had this one figured out well before the end but the book was good just the same.
Been taking some training on Mondays. Had two already and it will run until Easter. We're learning html5, css3, php programming and a few other related things. Lots of hands on so far and a bonus, we got to install Photoshop and Fireworks for free!
Speaking of which, i need to get something like that on my laptop. I have a bought copy of Paintshop Pro but i can't even download another copy of that from the website anymore as they've gone up three versions since the one i have. I think i did try awhile back and it wouldn't take my registration key, i thought i'd have to call them to verify that i just want to reinstall it on a new machine. I think i should buy an external dvd writer and maybe i can install it from my cd using that, providing the code will work. If it won't i will call or contact them. If it's hopeless, i have a cousin that can get things. ;) I don't want to have to buy a brand new copy until i exhaust all the options. It will be Paintshop though, not photoshop as it's much cheaper and i'm used to it and it does just as good a job.
4. Matters of Choice - Noah Gordon
The third of the trilogy about the Cole doctors. This one is current day, a female doctor grappling with being a country GP and the issue of abortion as well. Not bad, i still liked the first book of the trilogy the best, Physician.
5. The Witch's Daughter - Paula Brackston
Starts off during a witch trial in the 17th century. The mother is convicted as a witch and the daughter becomes one. Then we follow the daughter as she lives through several other historical periods including Victorian London, WWI and modern day where the "devil" continues to persue her. It was quite good actually, something a little different. It jumps back and forth from "today" to "then" but not difficult to follow.
6. The Line of Beauty - Allan Hollinghurst
Covers about 5 years in the mid 80s London and is about a young gay man who comes to live with the family of his university friend. The father of the family is an MP, the daughter struggles with mental illness. The young man isn't all the likeable, i found, he is the ultimate yes-man, seems to voice the opinion that the spoken to person wants to hear rather than what he actually thinks, overly agreeble, trying just that little too hard to fit in. We see him as he has his first love and later, a relationship with a rich Lebanese man. The book is very well written and is a character study rather than plot-driven. I believe it won a booker prize a few years ago. I did like it in spite of not liking the main character over much.
7. The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling
Her first book for "grownups". It's about a village where one of the councillors has died suddenly. The seat is open for new candidates and the small town politics, gossip and manipulations are fast and furious. None of the characters are likeable. There are characters from three generations, teens, their parents, and a few others. Very much a character-driven book. I did enjoy the book again, in spite of not liking the characters because it was interesting to see how each of them manipulates, survives, interacts, etc. I could see this as a movie with an ensemble cast which may be what she had in mind when she wrote it. It does take awhile to get all the characters in place so if you do find it slow starting, be warned.
8. villa Triste - Lucretia Grindle
Takes place in WWII Florence and present day. In present day two men are murdered, two men who were partisans during the war. In the past, we hear the story of two sisters, Cati and Issa and their family. Cati is a nurse and is timid, Issa is a student, and bold and fearless. Issa joins the Partisans to fight back after the Germans occupy Italy while Cati is reluctantly drawn in to the fight. The inspector in the current day has got his hands on a diary, Cati's diary, that gives him some back story behind the two men that he slowly discovers are two of the partisans in her diary and discovers what they did. There is betrayal, guilt, bravery in the past and we can follow the Inspector's search for the murderer. I pretty much had this one figured out well before the end but the book was good just the same.
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