Book Reviews

Wow July is almost over and August will be here soon. I'll get to start Christmas shopping soon!!!! I like to get that out of the way early so I can just kick back and just enjoy the holiday and not worry about fighting the traffic. Anyway...I said that I would do a book review and I was going to do one about I book I finished a few weeks ago but I have to go on an rant about an one I just bought so...

Diana Palmer used to be one of my favorite romance writers ever since I was 14. I lived in Paper Rose, Lord of the Desert, Once in Paris, and Desperado not to mention her Soldier of Fortune series.. They were all good and unique however, many of her recent books have been repetious. I was so excited when Meciless came out because I was hoping that this one would be better, would be unique but I'm 150pages into it and its the same old same old. If this was the first book you'd ever have read from her, you might like it because the action parts are good but the romance part is the same as several other books. I feel like I am reading Outsider, another one of her's, but with different characters. Also, and maybe it is just me, but her characters here lately have been rather droll and too passive. In early stories, her characters had so much more spunk. Oh, well, she is starting a new series set in Wyoming but if its just about cowboys I don't think I'll bother but I will at least read the first book to see if its any good.

Back to the book I was orginally going to blog about. I finally finished War Dogs. I believe I mentioned the book back in January when I first about it but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I finished it. Al Venter is a great writer. His books are vivid, humorous, at times, and serious at other times. It was nice having all the pictures so you could a face with the name. The book is about mercenaries and their role in today's world. He did have to go back to some history about different things but it was interesting none the less. I liked his argument that mercs and PMC are essential to countries now a days and that they can be a very valuable asset. It was a very long book, with around 500 pages however, definetly worth the read. I started another book where he tells about his exploits as a journalist. In November, his book about Neal Ellis comes out and I'm very excited about it because, I found him to be quite a fascinating character.

Well, there's two book reviews. I'm so behind and I just realized I haven't posted any music for a while and I haven't had much time look for new forgien artist so I'll put one up by one of my favorite American ones.

Quick Chat

{Kitten comes stomping into blog and muttering to herself about the weather...} More snow  and now they are saying that there is going to be ice to : ( This just isn't fair {stamps furry little paw in fury}. No more snow! It seems as if we just get everything cleared off the roads when and the grass is starting to peek and then we get dumped on. The thing that I don't like about it is that it is supposed to get icy which means that Kitten won't be able to go home tomorrow.
My Lil Sis is a sneaky little thing. I just sound out, via Facebook, that she is in a relation. You have some explaining to do when I get a hold of you Lil Kitten. I'm always the last to know lol.
So much homework and three test to study for. I personally think it is rather cruel for my professor to give all their test on the same day. I do believe that they got together and colloaborted their test just so I would have to send my entire week with my nose in a book and anxiety levels on high. Mean professors.

A Quick Chat

{Kitten looks drowsily up after taking a nice long nap on velvet cushion} It's been a rough first week but its about it over. As a bonus, we even get a three day weekend! I didn't realize they took Martin Luther King day off but I guess they do. Getting used to a new schedule has been challenging but it's been all right. I am getting sick of staying up at the dorm. I am almost 90% certain that I will just commute next year. The thrill has past and I have my own life so it is really more of a hindrance to stay up there.

My books that I was talking about came in yesterday, which is good because I really needed the physiology book. Our last day on talking about hormones is next Tuesday. The two day a week classes really speed by. The other book is tempting me badly right now but I'm trying to have self control. I'll have three days to read it and I cannot get behind with my studies.

Oh and I found a new singer that I shall talk about this weekend. She is American but she, for some odd reason, has gotten hardly in coverage but I'll save the rest for later.

Cowgirl is having a her baby shower next weekend. It's is hard to believe that she is going to have her baby in only a couple of weeks! It seems like yesterday when we were 12 and horseback riding on the trails, getting lost occasionally. I miss those times.   

Stress, headaches, and Sleepless Night Here I Come: First Day of Classes

{Kitten trots into blog bringing a sleigh load on book in tow} Today was the first day of classes. Yes, the headaches, stress, and an end to any social life started today! Isn't that wonderful? Overall, the day went fairly except for the fact that I forgot my coffee in my room so poor lil Kitten did not have to time get a new one till around 10ish. My nursing class was at 9 and for a class that is only once a day, I have a feeling that is going to be a lot of work. She says that for every hour we are in class we should spend three hours outside of class studying. Oh dear, if I did that with every class I think I might as well cut out sleep and possibly eating. Cognitive Psychology was interesting and the teacher seems really nice. I think it should be a fun course. Early Modern European History surprised me a little. I figured the professor would would be boring and strict but he is really funny and nothing like I thought he was.

I am a little sad because no one from any of my other classes from last semester are in my classes this semester. I did see an old friend from chem lab when I was heading back to my dorm. I have meat a few interesting people today, though. After I bought my books I went to Stalker Hall where I was to have both my Psychology and History class. Well, the name of the building seem to fit what happened to me. When I walked into the building, I seen that they had a cafe but I wanted to find my classroom first then come down and get coffee since I had an hour to kill. Well, I go up to the third floor find the classroom and then head back down. Well a very good looking gentleman seemed to have joined me. We he commented on a work of art as we were going down and jokingly said that he was following me since he didn't know where to go. Well, never having been in this particular building either, I told him that we were in the same boat. Once on the first floor, I went straight for the cafe to get some caffeine that I so needed and then proceeded back upstairs. Not too long after I got up there there the gentleman again. {I do not say gentleman because he was older. He was younger than moi but, as I will tell in a minute, he was very nice}. I sat away from me for about 5 minutes then came over and sat beside me. When he sat down, he put his arm on the back of the seat and almost around me. Normally, that would have not been something I would be receptive too but there was something about him... He started up a conversation that lasted about forty minutes. We didn't talk about anything in particular just things. He was going to a history class which is too bad, it would have been nice if he had been in my pysch class.

On a completely different topic, Kitten ordered a new book last night! Was it a romance? Nope. Erotic? Nope ; ) Medical? Political? Nope and Nope. Actually, it is about mercenaries which probably falls under military maybe. That might seem rather from left field for a little kitten like me but there is a reason. You see my first romance novels centered around mercenaries and then later on, I started to do actual research. Unlike when I was 15, I no longer see the profession as romantic but I keep reading about it because it is fascinating but also mysterious. There is so much out there on our military and even the militaries of other country but I have had the hardest time finding information on these guys. It is understandable but the fact that it is a more enigmatic has always made me interested. So my book is on its way :)

Well, time to hit the books.  

Another Short Book and talk Show Review

Between homework, group projects, and the like Kitten has been feeling very tired of late. However, all work and no play is not the best idea and I have recently just finished a fascinating book by Portia deRossi called Unbearable Lightness. It is a book about her battle with anorexia, which has gotten my attention of late since I had to do a research paper on it just a few months ago. It is a sad and shocking but an eye opener for me. Portia is something like 5'5 and at her lowest weighed 82 pounds! I think I understand anorexia a little better now that I have read it. Personally, I would recommend the book to anyone whether you like Portia as an actress or find the subject of eating disorders of interest. It is a quick read, well organized, and very direct and uncensored. I like books that tell it how it was or is and not try to cover things up. It's refreshing to find honesty.

If you do not know how Portia is, she's an actress who starred on Ally McBeal, Arrested Developement, and another show that I can't remember at the moment. She is actually Australian and moved to the US to pursue an acting carrear. She was married early in life to a man ( can't remember his name) but it didn't work out. Other an battling with anorexia she also fight her own sexual identity for a long time. She is now married to Ellen DeGeneres.

Speaking of Portia, I have never said how much I love watching her wife, Ellen's show. It is probably my favorite talk show and Ellen is the right balance of funny and serious. I never could get into Oprah but I could watch Ellen all day. She does so much to help so many people.

Kitten's Easter Break

Kitten walks into blog rather slwoly today a little sad. I broke up with Mark yesterday. It was the right thing to do but still... I feel bad. I don't know what I was think. It never would have worked and I should feel bad. This is my fault. I just cannot be in a typical relationship right now. It would have to be open but most guys I know are wanting something more serious. People say that it is usually the guys who do not want anything long term. Well, that's not quite right. I know plenty of guys who want exactly that, which lives Kitten with her studies, yet again.

It is Easter Break. Other than my break-up, all has gone well. I was restless Wednesday however but Thursday my Lil Sis and I went on a walk and that helped. The weather here has been so nice. I love it! Yesterday the high was 80 and I was sitting outside a good part of the day.

Five weeks until school is out and Kitten is so excited. Next year is going to be very busy, though. I will have

1)Finacial Analysis, MWF 1-1:50

2)Managerial Accounting, MWF 10-10:50

3)Business Finance, T&R 10:40-12

4)General Fitness, T 9-9:50

5)Fundamental of Math, MWF 9-9:50

6)Images and Muslim Women, T&TR 1-1:50

7)and Computer Programming. MWF 2-2:50

I was just going to take College Algebra but I thought a refresher course would be nice and I wanted to take it with my Lil Sis. The General Fitness is rather annoying because it is only worth one credit but it's required, so I don't have a choice. The good thing about it is that my Lil Sis will also be there. Images and Muslim Women is an ID course that we have here at my college and I think it will be interesting. Financial Analysis is just another title for Intermediate Accounting III. Also, I annoyed that the Computer programming course is so late in the day. I'm used to getting done by 2. It's been that way ever since by Freshman year. There ruining my record! How rude.

I finished the book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldiers. It was great but in a sad inspiring way. It is so sad what happens to these kids and the hell they go through both during and after the war. While going through the war sounded horrible, the rehibilatation sounded pretty bad also. It would be so hard to help these kids get on track again. I'm currently on the look out for my books about child soldiers and have found two that I plan to order Monday, when I go the bookstore that sells the.

Oh {Kitten says, holding her tail to her head } my head is killing. I have had a headache all day. Why?

Kitten and a Book Review

Kitten wonders into blog lazily and not the most enthusiatically. I should be happy but I can't really say that I am. I just do not want to be here at the moment. I'm sick and tired of people, all people, everyone in particular. The sun is shining and it is about 50ish F. Maybe I'm PMSing?Well, enough about me, I'm sick of hearing about everyone else problems and so I will not subject anyone to my own.

I'm reading a very fascinating but heartbreaking book called "A Long Gone"(You can't underline how annoying) by Ishmael Beah. It is a biography about this man's life. He lived he Sierra Leone, during his childhood, in the time the war broke out in 1993. At first the war was just something he heard about but eventually the rebels can to his village. He and his older brother escaped from the village but were seperated from their parents. Junior and Ismael, along with some friends from the village travaled from town to town for months, trying to find their parents and stay one step ahead of the rebels. Because many of rebel soldiers were boys around Ismael's age(12), the boys were not even safe when they were traveling because the villagers would mistake them for rebels! After awhile Junior and Ismael are seperated and Ismael wonders alone for quite awhile. Eventually he comes across several boys from a Mattru Jong, which is a city close to his village. They team up and continue traveling.

This is as far as I have gotten. I'm half way through so when I finish the last half I will finish the story. I could not image seeing and doing the things that Ismael had done. It is so sad but I cannot put the book down. Unfortuantely, my accouting forces me to and so I must go.

Kitten's Reeview

Kitten jogs into bog and jumps up on the window sill looking out the the sunny afternoon. I can't believe that this week is almost over, its gone by so quickly!

Kitten is rather flustrated at herself. I failed my accounting test{sighs}. I know I need to try harder but sometimes I just get so tired at staring at books. You know, it would be so much easier if I just changed my major to English, but alas, I have come to far to up and change now. So I guess I'll just have to work more.

I have started to read several interesting books, of late. One is the Art of Deception, by Kevin Mitnick. This is about security and social engineer. I'm only to the fifth chapter but it has made me stop and think about the information that I give and take. Is the person I'm talking to really who they are claiming to be? I have heard the term social engineering before but never really knew what it was. Basically, it is getting information from another by pretending your some one that you aren't. I work in an office and I talk to all sorts of people wanting to know this and that. I don't think we have the best security measure in place. The second book is called I Explain a Few Things, Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda. I have read some of this poets work off and on throughout high school but, this new book I bought has a lot more poems that are... well interesting. The book I bought when I was a freshman in High School was one of his first books called Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. Many of the poems were very explict but there were several like Puedo Escribir and Me Gustas Cuando Callas, that I really liked. I was also interesting to have a more indepth bio on him. I haven't gotten very far and thankfully, it's already transalted. My Spanish is worse then my French. The third book is A Year in High Heels by Camilla Morton. While the other two books are interesting, this one is the most enjoyable read I have had this year. Because of all my silly homework, I have been unable to read not much more then 30 pages but I really just want to catch up to February. The book is section into months and has more then just fashion(found in the fashion and beauty section). It seems there is a little bit of everything for women in here. I will hopefully get to read more over the weekend.

I have a group meeting tonight and I'm not looking forward to it. There is one international student who is from China and I don't think she really understands what we are supposed to be doing. Our Accounting Problem Solving professor split us up into two groups and all we have to do is to present something that we have learned involving Excel. The other group is doing complex formulas. We, on the other hand, are creating two companies and doing a bunch of things to the format of the spreadsheet and adding a command button. For one its too time consuming and for another, how are we supposed to present something this broad and time consuning in 5-10 minutes. I think Maira agrees but we can't tell her no. She obviously put alot of thought into it.

Normally, I like groups but I haven't had the best luck this year. My management group turned out to be a disaster, even though I did get an A. I also have a Business Law group project that is due in two weeks. No one in my group( just three of us again) has contacted me so I guess I'll contact them tomorrow. I would talk to them after class but I have French and need to get straight over to Guerin.

While I do have more to write, I'll have to save it for another day because I need to tidy up my room and get ready for the meeting. I have a four day weekend, so hopefully I'll get caught up with everything.

Welcom Kitten's Little Sister!

{Kitten is jumping all about blog in excitment} Bri-chan posted her first post:) Yeahhhh! I'm happy that my best friend is on blogger but that is the only thing that has gone right today.
My New Cell
I had to get a new cell phone today. My Verizon Venus just would not work with me. {Kitten sighs and curses that she is technicologically challenged} Well, I ended up with an IPhone, which wasn't what I wanted and I didn't think I'd like it but, surprising, I think I will. I can do so much more with this thing than I could my other one. It took me an hour or so to get the hang of it but it was faster than getting it. Because of various problems, I was in the store for almost two hours{cries :( }
It's Kittens Time
I started today:( I was not happy and I felt not so good for the rest of the afternoon. Why are periods so inconvient? It comes with so many problems: bloating, fatigue, aching, cramps, ect.
It's not so fun.
The Purse Disappointment
{Kitten falls back on velvet cushion with disgust after her morning shopping trip with mother} I just do not like the purse styles they have out. I went to Macy's, ElderBeerman, JCPenny's, and Kohls and could not find anything. It's so flustrating to go out shopping and not find what your looking for. I did, however find two very pretty necklaces at Macy's that I got, which easied the pain some.
Book, Books, Books
Over the past few days I have not been able to concentrate on anything. My mind is like a bouncy ball; it jumps from one idea to the next in seconds. I have been able to focus on a book. Actually I read Sin of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordon Saturday. The plot wasn't overly complex and the characters are not developed as fully as they could be but it was still an excellent read. The story was interesting and it had some really amusing parts. Plus, the more intimate scenes were deliciously steamy;) Really, I don't think could have stayed focuses on anything too complex. I'm also reading another interesting book called Pardon My French by Charles Timoney. It's not a novel. It tells the readers about important words that the readers might want to know if they wish to learn the language fluently and talk like everyone else. Very amusing, informative, and helpful.