Stupid community manager!

When my packages don't fit in my tiny little mailbox, the postal person leaves them in my apartment office complex. Most of the time, my packages are books--either through Paperbackswap or Bookmooch, Manga Takeout, or now Bookswim. I can't tell you how irritated I get when they leave my packages in the office!! Know why? B/c I work two jobs and the community manager works bizarro hours now. The community manager USED to work on Saturdays, which was ideal, b/c no matter what happened during the week, I'd always be able to stop in on Saturdays. Not anymore. He doesn't work at all on the weekends, unless you make an appointment. And he works supposedly 12-8 two days a week. And he supposedly comes in at 9 am most other days.

Here's the deal. I got "package in the office" slip LAST Thursday. I immediately started cursing b/c I knew I had to be in to work early on Friday (recruiting, had to be in by 8 am) and I wouldn't be back until 9:30 pm since I work at the library on Fridays. Saturday, Sunday, out. So I stopped in on Monday morning, 9:15 am. He's not there. So I went on Tuesday, 11:30 am. He's not there. Both times, he was SUPPOSED to be there, according to his little door thingy. Tuesday--his car was there, but he wasn't. Wednesday was out because I had to go in early and I worked at the library. That left today. I was gonna be SO pissed if he wasn't there today. B/c I knew I couldn't get my packages tomorrow for the same reason as last Friday and then it's the weekend. I didn't do the shopping I needed to in order to make it back to my apartment complex in time to get my packages. Isn't that ridiculous?

I pay for Manga Takeout and Bookswim. So if my books sit there for a week, that's a week that I'm paying for and not getting any new books, hence not getting my money's worth. Thankfully, they were just Paperbackswap and Bookmooch books, but still! I waited a fucking week! Ridiculous. I HATE IT WHEN THEY LEAVE MY PACKAGES IN THE OFFICE!!!

I'm thinking of getting a PO Box. But first, I'm going to try to see if they'll leave my packages at the post office instead of the office. Believe it or not, I'll have more luck getting them in a timely manner there.

So...now that I'm done ranting...

Paperbackswapped & bookmooched:

• The Fuchsia Is Now by J. Otto Seibold
• Hands On! 33 More Things Every Girl Should Know edited by Suzanne Harper

Sweet Paperbackswap...

Paperbackswapped:

• Necessary Targets: A Story of Women and War by Eve Ensler
• Close the Last Door! #1 by Yugi Yamada

Because I am lame...

...I went to Borders and bought a book so that I wouldn't look so childish in front of my crush by reading the YA book I had actually brought with me... But it was still a book I wanted!

• Greywalker by Kat Richardson

Paperbackswapped:

• A Caress of Twilight by Laurell K. Hamilton

Bookmooched:

• A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

Ahhhhh...it's so cute!!

I could resist buying this (plus I had a Borders coupon). I borrowed it from the library, but when I got it, I couldn't stand it. I had to own it.

• The Cute Book by Aranzi Aronzo

It's full of instructions on how to make adorable little felt dolls. My favorites are the squirrel and the terrier. *squee* So cute!

If you ask nicely, I might make one for you...

For Randall

Dear Randall,

I know you'll never read this (or it's very very unlikely), but... I just read a book that I wanted to recommend to you.

You should read Freak Show by James St. James. Here's why:

1. It's by James St. James.
2. The main character, Billy, is a budding drag queen.
3. Billy combats homophobia in his high school.
4. To discover why Billy uses this slogan (my favorite!): "Tease hair, not homos!"
5. B/c it's good and I said you should read it!

Hope you enjoy it!

Dawn

Paperbackswap!

• Girls Who Rocked the World by Amelie Welden

Girl power! :P

Bookmooch!

I "traded" my Laurell K. Hamilton Merry Gentry hardcovers for paperbacks. B/c it's not my favorite series, but I still like it. And I got my first from bookmooch today!

• Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton

Oh, Borders, why do you torment me so?

B/c Borders sent me a 40% off coupon plus I had $5 in Borders Bucks and this just came out:

• Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

Holiday books and a FREE book!

Yay, my books from B&N came! I'll post them again, even though I already did once...

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Serenity Found: More Unauthorized Essays on Joss Whedon's Firefly Universe edited by Jane Espenson
• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
• Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt

And I went to an interesting workshop on Monday hosted by the Interfaith Youth Core and got a free book (the author founded the IYC). It looks really cool and I'm excited about reading it:

• Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation by Eboo Patel

SWEET!

Searching the after Christmas sales...

From B&N (50% off and too funny to resist):

• The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket & Lisa Brown
• Manga Claus: The Blade of Kringle by Nathaniel Marunas & Erik Craddock

Reading 2007 in Review

Damn I read a lot of books this year. Check it out. :)

2007 total: 1118

433 Manga
269 Picture books
158 Graphic novels
79 Young adult fiction
68 Adult non fiction
60 Youth fiction
38 Adult fiction
10 Youth non fiction
2 Young adult non fiction
1 Zine

Compare that to 2006...

2006 total: 263

85 Graphic novels
84 Manga
34 Adult fiction
20 Young adult fiction
18 Youth fiction
11 Picture books
10 Adult non fiction

Damn, I read a lot this year. What else did I do except read? Not much. :) This is how boring my life is.

Book I've Read December 2007

12/1/07

• Dreads by Francesco Mastalia & Alfonse Pagano (A-NF)
• The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer (YA)

12/2/07

• Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller (YA)
• Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls by Bennett Madison (YA)
• FOUND by Davy Rothbart (A-NF)

12/4/07

• Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins (Y)
• Dangerous Games by Keri Arthur (A)

12/5/07

• Zen Cat by Judith Adler & Paul Coughlin (A-NF)
• Dogtionary: Meaningful Portraits of Dogs by Sharon Montrose (A-NF)
• Alice 19th #5: Jealousy by Yuu Watase (M)
• The Wallflower #10 by Tomoko Hayakawa (M)

12/6/07

• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt (PB)
• The Road to Mumbai by Ruthe Jeyaveeran (PB)
• How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head by Harish Johari, Vatsala Sperling, & Pieter Weltevrede (PB)

12/7/07

• Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl #1 by Satoru Akahori & Yukimaru Katsura (M)
• Nosatsu Junkie #1 by Ryoko Fukuyama (M)
• The Adventures of Sock Monkey by Tony Millionaire (GN)

12/8/07

• The Phallus Palace edited by Dean Kotula (A-NF)
• Lulu Dark and the Summer of the Fox by Bennett Madison (YA)

12/9/07

• Comic Adventures of Boots by Satoshi Kitamura (GN)
• Jenny's Birthday Book by Esther Averill (PB)
• Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Nixie's Song by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (Y)
• I Like It Like That by Cecily von Ziegesar (YA)

12/10/07

• Dramacon #3 by Svetlana Chmakova (M)

12/11/07

• The Way of the Orisa: Empowering Your Life Through the Ancient African Religion of Ifa by Philip John Neimark (A-NF)

12/12/07

• Mugen Spiral #1 by Mizuho Kusanagi (M)

12/13/07

• Warriors #6: The Darkest Hour by Erin Hunter (Y)

12/14/07

• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt (PB)
• Augustine by Melanie Watt (PB)
• The Trouble With Wishes by Diane Stanley (PB)
• Brewster the Rooster by Devin Scillian & Lee White (PB)
• Grumpy Gloria by Anna Dewdney (PB)
• The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing by Helen Lester & Lynn Munsinger (PB)
• K Is for Kitten by Niki Clark Leopold & Susan Jeffers (PB)
• Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl #2 by Satoru Akahori & Yukimaru Katsura (M)
• Same Cell Organism by Sumomo Yumeka (M)
• Little Krishna by Harish Johari, Sapna Johari, Pieter Weltevrede, & Suresh Johari (PB)

12/15/07

• Mim, Gym, and June by Denis Roche (PB)
• Cat Skidoo by Bethany Roberts & R.W. Alley (PB)
• The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems (PB)
• Art by Patrick McDonnell (PB)
• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems (PB)
• If I Had a Robot by Dan Yaccarino (PB)
• Won't You Be My Hugaroo? by Joanne Ryder & Melissa Sweet (PB)
• Anne Freaks #1 by Yua Kotegawa (M)
• Please Save My Earth #1 by Saki Hiwatari (M)

12/16/07

• Fasting and Dates: A Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr Story by Jonny Zucker & Jan Barger (PB)
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (PB)
• The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss (PB)
• The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss (PB)
• Big Bad Wolves at School by Stephen Krensky & Brad Sneed (PB)
• Talking in the Dark by Billy Merrell (YA)

12/17/07

• A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman (YA)
• Gaia Girls: Way of Water by Lee Welles (Y)
• grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters (YA)

12/18/07

• 52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity by Jeffrey Yamaguchi (A-NF)

12/19/07

• Me and My Cat? by Satoshi Kitamura (PB)
• Oscar and the Mooncats by Lynda Gene Rymond & Nicoletta Ceccoli (PB)
• From Acorn to Zoo and Everything in Between in Alphabetical Order by Satoshi Kitamura (PB)
• Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt (PB)
• Chester by Melanie Watt (PB)

12/20/07

• Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems (PB)
• Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee, Megan Halsey, & Sean Addy (Y-NF)
• Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku & Tanka by Myra Cohn Livingston (Y)
• Squirrel Is Hungry by Satoshi Kitamura (PB)
• Cat Is Sleepy by Satoshi Kitamura (PB)

12/21/07

• Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (YA)
• Michigan 24/7 edited by Rick Smolan & David Elliot Cohen (A-NF)
• Yubisaki Milk Tea #2 by Tomochika Miyano (M)
• Skip Beat #1 by Yoshiki Nakamura (M)

12/22/07

• Backstage Prince #1 by Kanoko Skurakoji (M)
• Platinum Garden #1 by Maki Fujita (M)
• The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross #1 by Arina Tanemura (M)
• The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service #1 by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki (M)
• Alice 19th #6: Blindness by Yuu Watase (M)

12/23/07

• X-Treme X-Men: Mekanix by Claremont, Bobillo, Sosa, Larroca (GN)
• Pornology by Ayn Carrillo-Gailey (A-NF)
• The Wainscott Weasel by Tor Seidler (Y)

12/24/07

• You're the One That I Want by Cecily von Ziegesar (YA)
• Boogiepop and Others by Kouhei Kadono (YA)

12/25/07

• Nobody Does It Better by Cecily von Ziegesar (YA)
• Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? by Mark Todd & Esther Pearl Watson (A-NF)

12/26/07

• Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl #3 by Satoru Akahori & Yukimaru Katsura (M)
• Spell by Hyouta Fujiyama (M)

12/28/07

• Nothing Can Keep Us Together by Cecily von Ziegesar (YA)
• Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller (PB)
• How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva by Harish Johari, Vatsala Sperling, & Pieter Weltevrede (PB)
• Hug Time by Patrick McDonnell (PB)
• Sentinel: Salvage by Sean McKeever & UDON (GN)
• The Wallflower #11 by Tomoko Hayakawa (M)

12/29/07

• Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley (PB)
• Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (PB)
• The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster: A Tale of Picky Eaters by A.W. Flaherty & Scott Magoon (PB)
• Digby Takes Charge by Caroline Jayne Church (PB)
• Civil War: Wolverine by Marc Guggenheim, Humberto Ramos, & Carlos Cuevas (GN)
• Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways by Zeb Wells & Stefano Caselli (GN)
• The Road to Civil War by Bendis, Maleev, Straczynski, McKone, Garney, & Kirkham (GN)
• Please Save My Earth #2 by Saki Hiwatari (M)

12/30/07

• Akira to Zoltan: Twenty-Six Men Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee, Megan Halsey, & Sean Addy (Y-NF)
• Civil War: X-Men by David Hine, Yanick Paquette, Aaron Lopresti, Serge Lapointe, & Jay Leisten (GN)

12/31/07

• Anne Freaks #2 by Yua Kotegawa (M)
• Rin! #2 by Satoru Kannagi & Yukine Honami (M)
• Daisy Kutter: The Last Train by Kazu Kibuishi (GN)
• 32 Stories: The Complete Optic Nerve Mini-Comics by Adrian Tomine (GN)
• Peach Girl: Sae's Story #1 by Miwa Ueda (M)
• Peach Girl: Sae's Story #2 by Miwa Ueda (M)
• Peach Girl: Sae's Story #3 by Miwa Ueda (M)
• Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski & Ron Garney (GN)
• SOS by Hinako Ashihara (M)

12/07 Total: 109

10 Adult NF; 13 YA; 6 Youth; 1 Adult; 27 Manga; 39 Picture Books; 11 Graphic Novels; 2 Youth NF