Books I've read in January 2007

Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
Versailles by Kathryn Davis
Wild Rock by Kazusa Takashima
The Judged by Akira Honma
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
House of Plenty: The Rise, Fall and Revival of Luby's Cafeterias by Carol Dawson and Carol Johnston
Vampire Hunter D: Demon Death Chase
Vampire Hunter D: Dead Town
Vampire Hunter D: The Stuff of Dreams
Vampire Hunter D: Pilgrimage of the Sacred & the Profane all by Hidekyuki Kikuchi


I decided I would try to keep track of my reading this year. In between the half a dozen magazines I read this month, it was a month heavy on the fantastic. I especially recommend Old Man's War to everyone. It is both a grand tribute to Heinlein and the style of Starship Troopers, and a very compelling comment on the soul and body's bond. Excellent stuff.

shifts

An email went out this morning with internal vacancies for my department. Some of them have been sitting empty since September. I read through the short list, checked the units and supervisors and hours over. I talked with my supervisor, because my sense of guilt kicked in hard. I ended up applying for a new shift that would be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 7:30pm. Ten hour days are long, but I wouldn't ever work more than two days in a row. I'd still have a week day to do things like doctor appointments and oil changes. Getting off work at 7:30 seems so late, but a four day week would be worth it. The best part would be having normal weekends again like everyone else. It's a shame I can't get different hours but stay in the same unit.

Cross your fingers that I get it. I have two years tenure, and my stats are stellar, so I hope they give me what I want.

beware the blinking middle finger

Cartoon Network sends Boston into panic

Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke praised Boston authorities for sharing their knowledge quickly with Washington officials and the public.

"Hoaxes are a tremendous burden on local law enforcement and counter-terrorism resources and there's absolutely no place for them in a post-9/11 world," Knocke said.

Good lord. I notice the article points out nine other cities including my very own where these boxes are out on display. No one else freaked the hell out. I'm grimly amused that a bunch of blinking boxes with cartoons giving the finger are worthy of the attention of Homeland Security.