welcome to September

[meitachi]

I guess I just took the whole month of August off updating here. To be fair, it felt like there was just too much going on -- perhaps only in my head? Nonetheless. I successfully wrapped up YLI, had a quieter week at work, then started diving right back into the busyness of planning for the fall programming. We have ended up with more than I know what to do with! And have already successfully pulled off the first one, with a post-program dinner, that all took place in the evening, which I am out of practice with. By 5:30pm I wanted to go home, as per my usual day, but the program had yet another hour before beginning! I'm getting back into the swing of things.

Kevin is back at work now with his new semester as well, so we're adjusting on the cooking and eating out schedule. We're in the lucky place where we can afford to eat out a decent amount, and god knows Houston always has a lot of delicious options, but I want us to explore cooking more things as well! Also saving money where we can is always a good thing, especially as we are looking into prospective home-buying in the next year or two.

August included some good social times. Flew to Virginia for S & M's wedding mid-August, at a charming little Virginia resort. It was a lot of fun to see them and enjoy the break from work and the real world news. Following week, we had a farewell party for T who is moving to Tokyo for a new job, while also celebrating a different friend's engagement. Then Michelle visited me for my birthday! We ate in Chinatown, had Texas barbecue, then an upscale dinner at Uchi, as per tradition. Brunch at home on Sunday before she flew out. It was a lot of fun. Recovering this weekend with essentially no people time and three books instead: The Lies of Locke Lamora, Hither, Page, and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

One more month until hockey! Wake me up when September is over.

Comments

[merit]

Doing a full day of work... and then expected to work until the night? Ugh, hopefully not too many of those type of events though I imagine they must be exciting when everything goes successfully.

The eternal struggle between eating out deliciously and eating responsibly. I try to plan for 'easy' meals during the week but sometimes I'm weak. Money is a nice incentive though. I don't keep a set budget, but I try to plan for specific savings targets each other.

I quite liked Hither, Page. Cosy murder mystery... but gay! Still haven't read The Lies of Locke Lamora. How'd you like it?

[meitachi]

I enjoyed Hither, Page as well! But I think the mystery framework could have been a little more deft, or perhaps I am just used to Agatha Christie. It is a new genre for Cat Sebastian, but definitely promising.

The Lies of Locke Lamora was more fun than I expected. Fun worldbuilding, fun heist/cons, and I liked the interludes between the main story and somewhat non-linear storytelling. I was always very aware that it was a male author though? I don't know if I can explain better, but perhaps it was the way certain relationships were written. But overall enjoyable, though I'm not rushing to read the sequels (which are supposedly declining in quality anyway).

[merit]

It did make me want to read a Christie novel by the end! ^^;; which will be added to the list, eventually! It does appear to be a first a series, so it'll be interesting to see what future adventures there are. Even if it is a prequel to the glory days of Cora and Edith! I've read only a scattering of Regency romances (compared to what is available) but there are other eras I'd like to read about too.

I understand; there are times reading Rivers of London where it is very obvious the author is a male. Some of the ideas and how women are perceived just reek male. I always find the male to female ratio interesting in books, especially ones lauded as 'progressive.'

[meitachi]

Yeah, not just ratio of women to men but also the roles women have in the story. Sometimes they think one (1) "kickass" woman will make up for women otherwise having no or very shitty roles.