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Damiri's LiveJournal:
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| Thursday, January 24th, 2013 | | 12:14 pm |
Books of 2012
My goal for 2012 was to read 2 books per month. I read 54, so more than 200% of goal was achieved. Only 9 were non-fiction (It felt like more). Here's the complete list (in reverse chronological order): The Hobbit Tolkien, J.R.R. read Dec 12, 2012 Charon's Claw (Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #22) Salvatore, R.A. read Dec 05, 2012 The Silent Blade (Forgotten Realms: Paths of Darkness, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #11) Salvatore, R.A. read Nov 15, 2012 Passage to Dawn (Forgotten Realms: Legacy of the Drow, #4; Legend of Drizzt, #10) Salvatore, R.A. read Nov 11, 2012 Siege of Darkness (Forgotten Realms: Legacy of the Drow, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #9) Salvatore, R.A. read Nov 05, 2012 Starless Night (Forgotten Realms: Legacy of the Drow, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #8) Salvatore, R.A. read Oct 29, 2012 Neverwinter (Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #21) Salvatore, R.A. read Oct 18, 2012 Gauntlgrym (Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #20) Salvatore, R.A. read Oct 14, 2012 Ashes of Honor (October Daye, #6) McGuire, Seanan read Oct 05, 2012 Princeps (Imager Portfolio, #5) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Oct 02, 2012 Scholar (Imager Portfolio, #4) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Sep 17, 2012 Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Allen, David read Sep 05, 2012 Odd Interlude #3Koontz, Dean read Sep 04, 2012 Odd Interlude #2Koontz, Dean read Sep 04, 2012 Odd Interlude #1Koontz, Dean read Sep 04, 2012 The Stainless Steel Rat (Stainless Steel Rat, #1) Harrison, Harry read Aug 27, 2012 Imager's Intrigue (Imager Portfolio, #3) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Aug 15, 2012 The Color of Magic (Discworld, #1) Pratchett, Terry read Aug 04, 2012 Imager's Challenge (Imager Portfolio, #2) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Jul 30, 2012 Imager (Imager Portfolio, #1) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Jul 17, 2012 Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) Collins, Suzanne read Jul 08, 2012 Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) Collins, Suzanne read Jul 06, 2012 Interface Stephenson, Neal read Jul 05, 2012 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) Collins, Suzanne read Jun 28, 2012 Redeeming The Lost (The Tale of Lanen Kaelar, #3) Kerner, Elizabeth read Jun 25, 2012 The Lesser Kindred (The Tale of Lanen Kaelar, #2) Kerner, Elizabeth read Jun 17, 2012 The Help Stockett, Kathryn read Jun 2012 The Alloy of Law (Mistborn, #4) Sanderson, Brandon read May 31, 2012 Blackout (Newsflesh Trilogy, #3) Grant, Mira read May 26, 2012 Remnant Population Moon, Elizabeth read May 21, 2012 To the Hilt Francis, Dick read May 04, 2012 Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life Becker, Joshua read May 03, 2012 Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't Collins, Jim read Apr 30, 2012 Airframe Crichton, Michael read Apr 26, 2012 Field of Thirteen Francis, Dick read Apr 21, 2012 Flying Finish Francis, Dick read Apr 15, 2012 Discount Armageddon (InCryptid, #1) McGuire, Seanan read Apr 14, 2012 The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2) Rothfuss, Patrick read Apr 11, 2012 Intruder Cherryh, C.J. read Mar 19, 2012 Posing a Threat: Flappers, Chorus Girls, and Other Brazen Performers of the American 1920s Latham, Angela J. read Mar 14, 2012 The Girl Who Played With Fire (Millennium #2) Larsson, Stieg read Mar 13, 2012 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) Larsson, Stieg read Mar 09, 2012 Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else Colvin, Geoff read Mar 01, 2012 Betrayer (Foreigner, #12) Cherryh, C.J. read Feb 26, 2012 Song in the Silence (The Tale of Lanen Kaelar, #1) Kerner, Elizabeth read Feb 23, 2012 Positive Discipline A-Z: 1001 Solutions to Everyday Parenting Problems Nelsen, Jane read Feb 20, 2012 A Clockwork Orange Burgess, Anthony read Feb 02, 2012 The Seasonal Cocktail Companion: 100 Recipes and Projects for Four Seasons of Drinking Savarino, Maggie read Jan 30, 2012 I, Robot Asimov, Isaac read Jan 27, 2012 Princess Recovery: A Parent's Guide To Raising A Daughter Who Can Create Her Own Happily Ever After Hartstein, Jennifer L. read Jan 26, 2012 Queen of Dragons (Drakon, #3) Abé, Shana read Jan 22, 2012 Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Okrent, Daniel read Jan 15, 2012 The Lord-Protector's Daughter (Corean Chronicles, #7) Jr., L.E. Modesitt read Jan 08, 2012 Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12) Pratchett, Terry read Jan 04, 2012 | | Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 | | 1:16 pm |
Horse show #2 of 2012
Since we survived a day showing at Woodside, now I'm off to spend 3 days showing at Pebble Beach. We've bumped my level up 1 notch since the last show (2 weeks ago). It's still a notch below where I probably should be, and 2 notches below where my trainer would like me to be, but at least it's progress. | | Saturday, June 30th, 2012 | | 9:59 am |
Woodside Summer Festival Horse Show
Today I will be competing in my first horse show since 2005, and the first show ever on my fabulous mare, Bella. I haven't been feeling well the past week, so I'm going to do the super wimpy class instead of showing at level, but at least I'm going! I'm tired of waiting for things to be perfect. I'm just going to do it. Carpe Diem. Current Mood: excited | | Thursday, June 14th, 2012 | | 7:45 pm |
| | Monday, June 4th, 2012 | | 12:45 pm |
| | Monday, May 21st, 2012 | | 9:25 am |
Smart, Healthy, and Efficient
I have been contemplating making some life changes recently to improve my quality of life. I've also been contemplating starting a blog and/or a business. Some inspiration blogs/web sites that I have been reading include: All of these sites include information about decluttering your possessions and your thoughts to reduce stress and become healthier and happier. Amusingly, this morning I realized that my goals to become smarter, healthier and more efficient, could be reduced to the acronym SHE. SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MY READERS: - Should I make a blog for this, or has it already been done to death by others?
- If I do make a blog out of it, which blogging program/ hosting site do you recommend?
- If I do make a blog out of it, what topics would you be interested in hearing about?
- Do you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share for making yourself (or other people) smarter, healthier, or more efficient?
I look forward to reading your responses. | | Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 | | 6:24 pm |
Rachel Saavedra dressage clinic
I just got back after attending the dressage clinic with Rachel Saavedra. I've been wanting to ride with her for about a year, I finally got a chance. She was complimentary of my seat and legs and said that the mechanics of my rising trot were excellent. Mostly we worked on what my arms and hands were doing and how they were affecting Miss Bella. While none of these points were entirely news to me, she got me thinking about them in new ways. My trainer watched the whole session and was very impressed. Next time she wants to bring her horse, too! Here are my take-aways: 1. the walk - if the head isn't bobbing, you are doing it wrong. Go for the "sassy walk," don't let her slack off. Allow with the arms. 2. gaze - don't look so far ahead on the circle, look where the horse is looking. Watch her ears. At least one, generally the inside, should be focused on you. If you can't see the ears, you are looking too far ahead. 3. arms and hands - different parts of the arms control different parts of the horse's head and neck. Hands for the mouth/nose. Wrist for pole flexion. Arm, swinging from shoulder, controls the neck. To get the flex on a curve, just use the wrist. Do not use "wiper blade arms" where arms swings out or across the body. Keep forearms parallel. Hands should be no closer together than the width of the bit, and no farther apart than the width of my torso. Smaller motions. 4. Canter depart - if the horse fusses, that's her way of telling you that you are overdoing the aids. Lighten up a bit. Timing: action leg (inside) moves as inside foreleg hits ground/outside shoulder starts to move. Set-up leg (outside leg) needs to move slightly before that. I need to practice this some. I suspect that my action leg is a fraction of a second too late. Flex to the inside to prevent falling in. 5. "keep the change" - once you have been working on something like going on the bit, and you take a break, if the horse is still kinda doing it, maintain contact and don't go passive. 6. don't be passive - when you ask for something and she gives it to you, don't go all passive or you will lose it, slacken a little (the reward) but remain active with the aids. Don't throw it away just because you got what you wanted. Maintain. Current Mood: thoughtful | | Monday, January 2nd, 2012 | | 6:46 pm |
The Books of 2011
In 2011, I read: - The Dragon Keeper (Rain Wild Chronicles, #1) by Hobb, Robin
- Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Levitt, Steven D.
- Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Bourdain, Anthony
- Her Fearful Symmetry by Niffenegger, Audrey *
- Sourcery (Discworld, #5) by Pratchett, Terry
- Time and Again, Vol. 1 by Yun, JiUn
- Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Bourdain, Anthony
- The Law of Nines by Goodkind, Terry
- Late Eclipses (October Daye #4) by McGuire, Seanan *
- Heresy (Giordano Bruno, #1) by Parris, S.J.
- Towers of Midnight (Wheel of Time, #13; Memory of Light, #2) by Jordan, Robert
- Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Sanderson, Brandon *
- The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2) by Sanderson, Brandon *
- The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3) by Sanderson, Brandon *
- The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse by Scanlan, Lawrence
- Deadline (Newsflesh Trilogy, #2) by Grant, Mira
- Off Armageddon Reef (Safehold, #1) by Weber, David
- By Schism Rent Asunder by Weber, David
- The Hammer of God by Clarke, Arthur C.
- CryoBurn (Vorkosigan Saga, #14) by Bujold, Lois McMaster
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (Millennium, #3) by Larsson, Stieg
- Good Omens by Pratchett, Terry
- One Salt Sea (October Daye #5) by McGuire, Seanan *
- Candice Olson on Design by Olson, Candice
- The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive, #1) by Sanderson, Brandon *
- By Heresies Distressed (Safehold, #3) by Weber, David
- Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects (World of WarCraft, #9) by Golden, Christie
- The Sleeping Beauty (Five Hundred Kingdoms, #5) by Lackey, Mercedes
- The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1) by Patrick Rothfuss
- Timeline by Crichton, Michael
- Eric (Discworld, #9) by Pratchett, Terry
- Equal Rites (Discworld, #3) by Pratchett, Terry
- Reaper Man (Discworld, #11) by Pratchett, Terry
| | 6:05 pm |
New Years Theme
Rather than setting new years resolutions per se, I have been setting new years themes. Each year I choose a theme toward which I should direct my efforts over the course of the year. Last year was "Change". 2011 certainly held a lot of changes for me. 2012 will be "Mind Opening". By that I mean knowledge and experiences that educate and stimulate thought processes. Each month I plan to choose a topic to study, visit, and/or experience over the course of that month. January's topic will be physics. Yep, starting right in with the heavy stuff! | | Sunday, September 18th, 2011 | | 1:07 pm |
quote of the day
"If you stopped tellin' people it's all sorted out after the're dead, they might try sorting it all out while they're alive." -From the book Good Omens | | Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 | | 6:14 pm |
allergies suck
Despite all kinds of fancy prescription-only allergy and asthma medicines, something nasty is blooming right now that is trying to kill me. Riding horses might not, technically, be an aerobic sport, but I need some modicum of oxygen to keep me functioning enough to remain in the saddle. A little cooperation on the part of my immune system right now would be great. | | Saturday, January 1st, 2011 | | 6:56 pm |
The Books of 2010 - what I read this past year title The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time, #12; A Memory of Light, #1) | author Jordan, Robert | date read Dec 23, 2010 | title The House on Durrow Street | author Beckett, Galen M. | date read Nov 30, 2010 | title The Magicians and Mrs. Quent | author Beckett, Galen M. | date read Nov 14, 2010 | title Feed (Newsflesh, #1) | author Grant, Mira | date read Nov 06, 2010 | title An Artificial Night (October Daye, #3) | author McGuire, Seanan * | date read Oct 23, 2010 | title A Local Habitation (October Daye, #2) | author McGuire, Seanan * | date read Oct 04, 2010 | title The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation | author Kamp, David | date read Sep 29, 2010 | title The Deed of Paksenarrion | author Moon, Elizabeth | date read Sep 12, 2010 | title Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection | author Ramsay, Gordon | date read Jul 04, 2010 | title Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1) | author McGuire, Seanan * | date read Jun 20, 2010 | title Deceiver (Foreigner, #11) | author Cherryh, C.J. * | date read Jun 04, 2010 | title In Fury Born | author Weber, David | date read May 10, 2010 | title On the Edge (The Edge, #1) | author Andrews, Ilona | date read Mar 11, 2010 | title Food Rules: An Eater's Manual | author Pollan, Michael | date read Jan 28, 2010 | title Amber and Blood (Dragonlance: The Dark Disciple, #3) | author Weis, Margaret | date read Jan 24, 2010 | title Hunter's Run | author Abraham, Daniel | date read Jan 10, 2010 | title Amber and Iron (Dragonlance: The Dark Disciple, #2) | author Weis, Margaret | date read Jan 06, 2010 | | | Thursday, July 1st, 2010 | | 12:09 pm |
| | Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 | | 9:15 am |
| | Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | | 10:22 am |
recipe French Toast Serves: 1 Total Time: 15 minutes
Serve this dish with a side of breakfast sausage and a nice hot cup of coffee. Here's how:Materials: 2 breakfast sausages 1 large egg 1/4 cup milk 1 Tablespoon butter 2 slices of bread, any kind Maple syrup Method - Place sausages in a large non-stick skillet over Medium-high heat.
- Crack egg into a bowl large enough to fil a slice of bread. Beat the egg with a fork or whisk until yolk and white are blended. Mix in the Milk.
- Stir the sausages and place 1/2 of the butter in the skillet.
- Place a slice of bread into the egg and milk mixture and press down gently with your fingers. Turn the bread over and repeat on the other side. Place the battered bread into the skillet. Repeat with second slice of bread.
- Cook until the bread is lightly browned on the bottom. While the bread is cooking, start a pot of coffee and put away your supplies.
- Stir the sausage, flip the bread over adding in remaining buttter. While it cooks, set the table and feed your cat (or check your email or whatever you need to do).
- Serve with Maple Syrup.
 There you have it, french toast with sausage and coffee in just 15 minutes! Enjoy! | | Monday, February 15th, 2010 | | 3:55 pm |
Happy Lunar New Year! Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Year of the Tiger 4708! We hope everyone has a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year! | | Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 | | 12:10 am |
The Books of 2009 - a year in review |
| Title | author | my rating | | | year pub | | | date read |
|---|
| Archform: Beauty | Jr., L.E. Modesitt |      | | | 2002 | | | Dec 29, 2009 | | Adiamante | Jr., L.E. Modesitt |      | | | 1996 | | | Dec 24, 2009 | | The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) | Brown, Dan |      | | | 2009 | | | Dec 20, 2009 | | Regenesis (Cyteen Series) | Cherryh, C. |      | | | 2010 | | | Nov 29, 2009 | | The Eternity Artifact | Jr., L.E. Modesitt |      | | | 2005 | | | Sep 11, 2009 | | War of Honor (Honor Harrington, #10) | Weber, David |      | | | 2002 | | | Jul 30, 2009 | | Making Money (Discworld, #36) | Pratchett, Terry |      | | | 2007 | | | Jul 15, 2009 | | Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham (Agatha Raisin Mystery, Book 8) | Beaton, M.C. |      | | | 1999 | | | Jun 28, 2009 | | Next | Crichton, Michael |      | | | 2006 | | | Jun 25, 2009 | | Conspirator (Foreigner, #10) | Cherryh, C.J. |      | | | 2009 | | | Jun 2009 | | Going Postal (Discworld, #33) | Pratchett, Terry |      | | | 2004 | | | Apr 21, 2009 | | Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19) | Pratchett, Terry |      | | | 1996 | | | Apr 15, 2009 | | Pyramids (Discworld, #7) | Pratchett, Terry |      | | | 1987 | | | Apr 10, 2009 | | The Omnivore's Dilemma | Pollan, Michael |      | | | 2006 | | | Mar 30, 2009 | | A Year in the World: Journeys of A Passionate Traveller | Mayes, Frances |      | | | 2006 | | | Mar 2009 | | Life Expectancy | Koontz, Dean |      | | | 2004 | | | Feb 11, 2009 | | The Host | Meyer, Stephenie |      | | | 2008 | | | Feb 10, 2009 | | When the Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age | Kaplan, Justin |      | | | 2006 | | | Jan 19, 2009 | | Innocents Aboard: New Fantasy Stories | Wolfe, Gene |      | | | 2004 | | | Jan 07, 2009 | | | Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 | | 9:25 am |
Pimping a friend's website
A friend of mine has made it his mission in life to get us computer nerds back in the kitchen. He just launched a new website designed to do just that. There are a couple of options such as Twitter feed for it. http://foodbuffs.net/ | | Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 | | 8:46 am |
| | Sunday, November 8th, 2009 | | 11:25 am |
Tranquility
The Autumn sun lights the pages of my book. A puddle of warmth in my lap, Purring. Current Mood: peaceful |
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