Gainful Employment

Today was my first day at a new job. I'm a part-paralegal/part-administrative assistant at a small law firm. Everyone seems very nice and I think the job and place have a lot of potential. It was overwhelming, as all first days are. I am very happy to be at home in my soft fuzzy pj pants getting ready for a night in with Craig. I knew I would be tired but I keep forgetting how extra-tired being preggo makes me. I'm EXHAUSTED! My feet look like sausages and my ankles are like grapefruits. Yikes! :p Here's to some water, some tv, and some pillows to prop up my feetsies before another day tomorrow.

Books

Last year I attempted a record of books read in 2009 in my planner. I wasn't perfect but I have a decent record of my reading. I'm going to attempt to do that again - only on this blog instead of in my planner. I've downsized my planner so I need all available space for notes to assist the sieve that is my brain.

Obviously, I'm already a month behind so I'll briefly recap what I've read in 2010 to date.

January
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
I adore all that Jasper Fforde has done and this newest book is no exception. It's very different from his last two series, less manic is how my brother described it, but just as able to suck you into the story. It's killing me that the next in this series isn't immediately available!

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (a re-read from my childhood)
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (another re-read from childhood)
My brother and I were reminiscing about books from our childhood and I pulled these two off the shelves to read. I loved them as a kid and they hold together pretty well over the years. Both deal with trust issues, coming of age, and a bit of the supernatural.

February
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
My brother recommended this book and it's sequel VERY highly. Another friend also mentioned to me how much she loved it as well so I decided to pick it up. It's set somewhat in the high-powered world of finance and I wasn't so sure I'd be interested in that or get it enough to keep going. It's fantastic. The author is terrific at weaving several story lines together and getting the reader to not only remember but to care about all of the characters. I also really enjoyed the Swedish-ness of the novel. Too often when things are published in America after another country, words and references are changed within the plot to help us "get" it better. This didn't seem to do that and I really enjoyed getting the feeling of what the country and the people were like. A good, gripping read all-around!

Virtual Hugs Aren't Always Enough

There are times that I think growing up really sucks. Bills, insurance worries, job stress, family changes, and so on. Today I found out a dear friend of mine lost her father. It was unexpected and he was too young. My heart goes out to her and to her family, struggling to cope with sudden tragedy. It's times like these that one feels both adult and powerless. Wishing won't change things - won't give anyone one last talk, hug, moment. Complete suck.

Lots of love and prayers are being sent out from our family to hers tonight and for a long time coming.