totally off topic -- just a lot of random stuff Showing 201-250 of 1,139

[Wendy]

Mr. Clean does look like an albino.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Wendy wrote: "Mr. Clean does look like an albino."

That was what I said! Larry said all the cleaning products he used growing up had leached into his skin.

[Marja]

LOL You continue to crack me up, and now I can't get the image of Mr. Clean out of my mind.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Marja wrote: "LOL You continue to crack me up, and now I can't get the image of Mr. Clean out of my mind."

Sorry about that, Marja. LOL. I live with this sort of thing on a daily basis, so you can just imagine.

[Jan C]

Nancy wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Mr. Clean does look like an albino."

That was what I said! Larry said all the cleaning products he used growing up had leached into his skin."

If it helps any, I agree. Although his eyes might be more pinkish if he were.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

that's another of Larry's arguments against albinism.

[Marja]

Nancy wrote: "Marja wrote: "LOL You continue to crack me up, and now I can't get the image of Mr. Clean out of my mind."

Sorry about that, Marja. LOL. I live with this sort of thing on a daily basis, so you c..."

My husband and I used to have similar "discussions". I get it.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Here's tonight's conundrum: This morning our friends invited us to dinner. I've been swamped today so only just answered (it's at a restaurant). So my friend says that she made a reservation for 7, and she'll pick us up at 7:15. Now, is it just me, or is it wrong to make a reservation for 7 when you know ahead of time you'll be late? We live 15 minutes from the place so we'll get there at 7:30.

[Arlene]

Nancy I think it is wrong to make a reservation for 7pm but know that you're not going to be there until 7:30, why would you do that? Why wouldn't you make the reservation for 8 o'clock get there at 7:30 have a drink while waiting for your table. Showing up at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 o'clock reservation couldn't you possibly lose the table because you're a half an hour late?

[Ami]

Yep I think your friend is wrong. Make the reservation for 745 or whatever really works. But I also hate when I'm in a very long line waiting for food and someone walks in and sends a family member to save a table even though tons of people ahead of them.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

We ended up driving ourselves and showed up at seven. I thought the whole thing was awful.

[Ami]

You did the right thing hope the food was good :)

[Thomas]

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015...

Any comments, thoughts? I tend to read about 60% men, Liz the reverse. Note the GR reference

[E.]

I can see the point of the initials, wanting to be believable as a female voice in the story. I've been surprised on occasion to find the author was male after reading a particular book.
However, I'm female and a high number/most of authors I read are male because they write in the genres I prefer...and they're good.

[Wendy]

It's strange, I rarely notice the sex of an author. If I enjoy a book, I then read bios. If it is an international novel, I DO check their "credentials", or research methods of the Said country.

[Arlene]

I agree with Wendy.

[Thomas]

I read authors based on friend's reviews,both online and in person. If I find an author that I like, then I read a lot of their books, male or female. Liz and I read many of the same authors.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Nancy wrote: "Here's tonight's conundrum: This morning our friends invited us to dinner. I've been swamped today so only just answered (it's at a restaurant). So my friend says that she made a reservation for ..."

Nancy, I own a bar/restaurant, and yes, that is so wrong......Often we are running on a tight schedule in the kitchen and when a table ids 1/2 hour late, it can throw everything off, and inconveniences other tables. I now (after 10 years in the business) say to peopple "I am sorry you are 1/2 an hour late for your reservation, we will now have to put you back to (whatever time we have a gap) so as not to inconvenience our other guests who have made reservations.
The other thing we hate is people making a reservation for a certain number of people and then turning up with 4/5 more or less.......

[Arlene]

Thomas wrote: "I read authors based on friend's reviews,both online and in person. If I find an author that I like, then I read a lot of their books, male or female. Liz and I read many of the same authors."

I agree with you Thomas as well I never pay attention to the sex of the author I just pay attention to whether or not I enjoy the book

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Here's tonight's conundrum: This morning our friends invited us to dinner. I've been swamped today so only just answered (it's at a restaurant). So my friend says that she made a re..."

It was so rude (to us) that we showed up at 7 without our friends, had drinks and an appetizer just so someone would be there on time. I didn't even think of the effect on the kitchen, but I know I'd be upset if I planned a dinner and they showed up half an hour late.

[Arlene]

Nancy did you talk to your friends about this?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Arlene wrote: "Nancy did you talk to your friends about this?"

No, Arlene, we didn't. We just decided that we wouldn't go to dinner with them again. And that's okay.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Thomas wrote: "http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015...

Any comments, thoughts? I tend to read about 60% men, Liz the reverse. Note the GR reference"

I don't really care about the author's gender when I read. If it's a good author, I'll read his/her work again. If not, well, into the give away pile the book goes. There's one exception to what I just said, but that's because I'm making a project of reading women crime writers that nobody's ever heard of. Otherwise, they can be male, female, black, white or purple, straight, gay, -- I just don't care. It's the work that speaks to me.

[Arlene]

I understand a lot of times it just doesn't do any good to bring up things like that but a good choice not to go to dinner with them again.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Arlene wrote: "I understand a lot of times it just doesn't do any good to bring up things like that but a good choice not to go to dinner with them again."

Definitely.

[Bill]

Wendy wrote: "It's strange, I rarely notice the sex of an author. If I enjoy a book, I then read bios. If it is an international novel, I DO check their "credentials", or research methods of the Said country."

There have been at least two occasions where I've thought books were written by the opposite sex. I thought Alexander McCall Smith of the Number 1 Detective Agency books was Alexandra for the longest time and I also thought that Laurie R. King, of the Mary Russell books was, in fact, Laurier R. King.. I think that must mean it doesn't matter to me either what the sex of the author is. or I'm just dozy.

[Marja]

Bill wrote: "Wendy wrote: "It's strange, I rarely notice the sex of an author. If I enjoy a book, I then read bios. If it is an international novel, I DO check their "credentials", or research methods of the Sa..."

I never pay attention to the author's gender, either. If it looks like a good book, I'll take a chance.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Marja wrote: "Bill wrote: "Wendy wrote: "It's strange, I rarely notice the sex of an author. If I enjoy a book, I then read bios. If it is an international novel, I DO check their "credentials", or research meth..."

Me too......8:D

What a lovely thing to do Nancy - you have a kind heart 8:D

[Barbara]

Mary wrote: "Wouldn't it be fun to give a group of people books to read and hide the author's identity? Then you ask them if the author is male or female. I wonder if they would see a difference if they read 1 ..."

Very interesting idea!

[Bill]

Mary wrote: "Wouldn't it be fun to give a group of people books to read and hide the author's identity? Then you ask them if the author is male or female. I wonder if they would see a difference if they read 1 ..."

That is an interesting idea.

[Michael]

I just did a quick count of what I read this year--24 male authors and 18 female authors (but I read multiple books by M C Beaton--so the total number of books by female authors is actually more).
I really do not worry about the gender of the author, although I will admit to stereotyping certain genres, and am sometimes surprised by who the author is.

[Thomas]

New books, not all mystery

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/bd4a767c-1b...

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I'm asking for a huge favor here. I want to add another page to my online reading journal that features only vintage women crime writers that for the most part have long been forgotten. I would like a catchy title, but I'm stuck. If anyone can help me to come up with a name, I'd be very appreciative!

[Tom]

Dames Can Be Poison

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Tom wrote: "Dames Can Be Poison"

How would I work in that the "dames" are long-forgotten writers of crime?

[Tom]

I haven't got that far. That is a title of one of those paperback pulp books my Grandfather used to read. For some reason I always remember it.

[Jan C]

Why not turn it into "Classic Dames Can Be Poison"

[Wendy]

"Golden Dames Can Be Poison"
"Golden Noire And Their Forgotten Dames"

[Wendy]

This is totally off topic.
When a recipe says "2 cups pasta" do they mean. 2 cups uncooked or cooked? I just made a pasta dish that made too much pasta not enough sauce...

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Wendy wrote: "This is totally off topic.
When a recipe says "2 cups pasta" do they mean. 2 cups uncooked or cooked? I just made a pasta dish that made too much pasta not enough sauce..."

If in the recipe it doesn't tell you to cook the pasta, then you can assume the measurement is for cooked pasta.....On the other hand if it says cook pasta until al dente, then it is uncooked.

[Gitty]

Hi, I love mystery books threaded with a central character embedded in a romantic relationship. Jd Robb I couldn't put her books down!!! They're amazing. I've read all of Tess geritsen, James Patterson and Faye kellerman. I've also read Alex kava, Lisa gardener and Harlan coben. Any other authors like this theme? A mystery with a romance with the same character running through?

[Wendy]

Can we talk Ed McBain? I just realized, his 87th Precinct series was my "first" exposure to mysteries. I am deeply ashamed I forgot him. I especially enjoyed the ones with "the deafman". He may not have been very "politically" correct, but his books were simply the best.

[Gitty]

Wendy, does Ed Mcbain have a central character running through the series :)?

[David]

Gitty wrote: "Wendy, does Ed Mcbain have a central character running through the series :)?"

Steve Carella is his main character, but all the detectives in the precinct come to the fore in one or another of the books in the series (there are 56 in all).

Wendy, I second your opinion that those books were the best.

[Wendy]

They are all police proceduals. I vaguely remember the characters did progress time-wise.

[Bill]

Don't get me interested in another series!! The missus will string me up.

[Wendy]

As well read you are, Bill, you never knew of McBain?? GASP.
For those who do not now, Ed McBain's real name was Evan Hunter. Of the The Blackboard Junglefame. Those 55 87th Precinct books spanned 50+ years, the first Cop Hater written in the 1956 to 2005.

[David]

Bill wrote: "Don't get me interested in another series!! The missus will string me up."

In addition to the 87th Precinct series, McBain also wrote a 13 book series featuring Matthew Hope, a lawyer in Calusa, FL.

Under Ed McBain and several other nom de plumes (noms de plume?) and Evan Hunter (his legal name), he wrote probably 100 books, including The Blackboard Jungle.

So clear lots and lots of space on your bookshelves, Bill.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Or just build more bookshelves Bill lol 8:D

[Wendy]

manically laughing