Bryce Moore's Blog, page 329

Annual Newsletter

Yes, I realize that I've been a total slacker when it comes to posting for the past bit. I'm on vacation--cut me some slack. To make it up to you all, here's a link to the family newsletter I write each year. See? That makes up for like four weeks of low posting, right? :-)

Dentists and Children

It appears my wife's super strong teeth have been passed down to the next generation. TRC went to the dentist two days ago. The verdict? Eight cavities. Count 'em: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. They're supposedly small, but eight? EIGHT? And guess who the genius was who thought he could wait another year before putting the tikes on the dental insurance.

Guilty as charged.

So, my fine readers, here's my question to you: do you think waiting a year on these is a terrible idea? M...

Rquest for a Full Manuscript

I had other things to blog about today, but they just got superseded by another request for the full manuscript of Pawn of the Dead. Don't really want to share more than that with you all at this point, and I realize it's not a book deal or anything, but when you're a WWA (Writer With Aspirations), any news of that sort is good news. A bit of positive reinforcement never hurt anyone.

Oh--and GO BYU!!!

The Real Meaning of Christmas

I had a thought the other day, and it's still nattering away at the back of my head, so . . . why not share it? Basically, I was just wondering why people insist on making such a big deal about what Christmas is "really" about. Yes, I realize that by saying this, I might come across as an anti-religious Grinch, but hopefully you regular readers realize that's not the case. What I mean is that there seems to be a big conflict between the secular part of the holiday and the religious part. It's...

Temperatures

Busy day today, but can I just mention it's 3 degrees outside right now, with a windchill of -14? Yeah. Of course, the record low here in December is -31, so I suppose I should just be enjoying the balmy weather. (December, January and February are the coldest months here--the record is -39 in January.)

So all that talk about my wood stove over the summer and fall? Definitely enjoying it these days. It was worth the hassle.

Christmas Memories: My First Video Game System

I forget which Christmas it was exactly, but I certainly remember opening that Package of Awesome: the Atari 2600. So sleek. So shiny. So new. Joystick controllers--two of them! And you could swap out games to play different ones. And it was in color! Sure, it was no NES, but it was still great. I spent many happy hours on that machine, playing Pitfall, Joust, Ms. Pac Man, Kung Fu, Yars Revenge, Asteroid--many hours. Before my Atari, I'd played some handheld game & watch games, as well as a f...

Had to Share

So I just got back from the local department store, where I was buying a hat. For a long time, I've been wanting to get a Mad Bomber hat, but I've never been able to find one big enough to fit my head. (Go ahead--make fun of me. Get it out of your system. All better? Can I continue? Thanks.) Today I found an XXL one, and it fits perfectly. (Really? You're still making jokes about my big head? I thought we were over this.) Anyway, I was standing there in the store, considering which style to c...

Christmas Shopping Complete

I managed to successfully buy everything I needed this year online. For me, that's the very definition of a good holiday season. No stepping in to stores. No talking with pushy salespeople. A wealth of customer reviews at my fingertips. Free shipping. Bryce bliss.

Of course, part of me realizes that by doing all of this, I isolate myself from other people, and I contribute to the death of small, independent stores--especially local ones. I feel bad about this. I like going to these small store...

Book Review: Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a book that came in under the radar with me. I picked it up mainly because it's in my library's Discoveries collection. It didn't disappoint--especially for a first time author. The book takes place in a standard medieval fantasy world, with the exception of a select number of people called Gracelings. Basically, they each have been born with an enhanced talent, whether it's swimming or climbing or--in Katsa's case--killing. She's a ...

Book Review: The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book--it was a good end to a series I've liked since discovering it when it first appeared five years ago or so. (Less? I can't remember now . . .) The Lightning Thief (book one) is actually about to be released as a film, and I'm anxious to see how it's treated. I feel like the start to this series was just as good as the start to Harry Potter--if not better. However, the later books felt a bit off to me, if that makes s...