dbsalk

dbsalk, 2 days ago to books

The Stand didn't even crack Forbes' Top 10 list of Stephen King books, and I'm curious as to how this miscarriage of justice came about.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/entertainment/article/stephen-king-books/?sh=5b67e62062b8

#Bookstodon #Books #StephenKing #Fiction @bookstodon

dbsalk, 4 days ago to books

For no particular reason, I had The Rooster Bar by John Grisham on my TBR and started reading it this week. I don't normally go for "airport books," but this one is a ton of fun. Now I remember why I read over a dozen of Grisham's books in the 90s and early 2000s. It's been a while since I picked him up... almost a couple decades, but I'm glad I did again.

FTR, The Rooster Bar has nothing to do with chickens. 😉

#Books #FridayReads #Bookstodon #Fiction #JohnGrisham @bookstodon

dbsalk, 7 days ago to books

My heart aches for the children who will no longer have access to their local library because some arrogant assholes decided to be offended by books with new ideas and different perspectives.

The cruelty is the point.

https://bookriot.com/donnelly-public-library-adults-only/

#Books #BookBans #Bookstodon #Libraries @bookstodon on@a.gup.pe

dbsalk, 19 days ago to random

"Today is Thursday. Can we skip today? I want it to be Friday."

I feel like the 11yo is way too young to be having these thoughts.

#today #DadThoughts

dbsalk, 1 month ago to NFL

Speaking of dealing with assholes, Is there a term for a person that insists on referring to the Washington #NFL franchise by their previous (and very racist) name?

I'll stipulate that "Washington Commanders" is terrible, but a significant improvement over what was in place before.

#Sports #Football

dbsalk, 1 month ago to books

Listening to the audio of This Is Your Brain On Sports by L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers.

I wish I had read it closer to its 2016 pub date. 8 years later, parts are a little outdated. Example: in a list of active QBs at the time, several had yet to reach their peak. Now they're seasoned veterans or retired.

Amusingly, when quoting PK Subban, the narrator gave him a French accent. Subban grew up in Toronto.

#FridayReads #Books #AmReading #Bookstodon #Sports #Audiobooks @bookstodon

Hockey player PK Subban, who is not French and does not speak with a French accent, posing in a gold and navy Nashville Predators jersey, hockey gloves, and holding a hockey stick.

dbsalk, 1 month ago to NFL

Prove me wrong: the hype for the #NFLDraft exists so that Mel Kiper can justify his paycheck. Without the hype, he'd be selling paint at Home Depot. #NFL #Sports #Football #Draft #ESPN

dbsalk, 1 month ago to 13thFloor

I really need to start keeping notes on how/why I put a book to my TBR pile. The East Indian by Brinda Charry was added about a year ago, and I don't remember how I found out about it. A truly unique tale about an Indian boy winding up first in England and then Virginia during the 17th century efforts at colonization, for me this book is historical fiction at its absolute best. It might be one of the best books I pick up in 2024. #FridayReads #Fiction #AmReading #Books #Bookstodon @bookstodon

dbsalk, 1 month ago to books

Not sure what attracted me to This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper. It's not what my wife would call a "David Book" - I don't read a lot of family dramedies. I liked it enough, though, to add One Last Thing Before I Go to my TBR. Finally got to it 12 years later, and am almost done. Not as great as TIWILY, but still good and very funny.

The movie adaptation of TIWILY featuring Jason Bateman and Jane Fonda is also quite good.

#Books #Bookstodon #FridayReads #AmReading @bookstodon

dbsalk, 1 month ago to pizza

It's Pizza Bingo Night at my kids' school, which is a fundraiser where we (you guessed it) play bingo and eat pizza. The #pizza is from the local Papa John's. The only way I can tolerate Papa John's is with their garlic butter sauce. I suspect that won't be provided.

If you eat #FastFood, what chain will you draw the line at? (for quality/personal taste reasons, not ideological reasons like Chik-Fil-A giving $$ to anti-LGBTQ groups) For me, it's Papa John's, Subway, and Panera. #Food

dbsalk, 1 month ago to history

Today is the 159th anniversary of Ulysses Grant's defeat of the US secessionist slavery movement's paramilitary arm. Please celebrate accordingly. #History #CivilWar #Histodons

dbsalk, 1 month ago to books

Well, damn... I had been doing a pretty solid job of paring down my TBR list, which currently has enough books on it to last me until I die (not an exaggeration). I've been more selective about what I add, going from "Gee this seems interesting" to "Let me think for a moment about if I would actually ever read this." In Q1 2024, I added 5 books to my TBR.

I've added 6 books in just the first week of April. My self-control is faltering.

I blame you, Mastodon. 😂

#Books #Bookstodon

dbsalk, 1 month ago to mentalhealth

Today, like any other day, is a good day to check in on your friends. They may be dealing with stuff that nobody knows about. #MentalHealth​

dbsalk, 1 month ago to books

Just finished Mr. g: A Novel about the Creation by Alan Lightman. It was... fine. Not bad, but not great. Ok for a quick diversion. I'm glad it wasn't longer than it was.

I thought it would be funnier, but it turned out to be more philosophical than humorous. There were funny moments, but if I needed to categorize this book, I think I would file it under "metaphysics" and not humor or fiction.

The audio narration by Ray Porter was great.

#FridayReads #Bookstodon #Books #AmReading @bookstodon

dbsalk, 2 months ago to books

Neil Gaiman ( @neilhimself when he's posting here - which isn't often) is one of my favorite authors, and I'm usually in awe of just about everything he does. It was a cinch, then, that I picked up Unnatural Creatures, an arrangement of short stories that he picked out. So far, all of the stories are good. Surprisingly, I would say that Gaiman's own contribution is the weakest of the bunch, but still entertaining. #FridayReads #AmReading #Books #ShortStories #Bookstodon @bookstodon

dbsalk, 2 months ago to email

I'm thinking it's time to move on from my Gmail account. Every day, I become more uncomfortable with the invasive tracking that is part and parcel of this "free" service.

I've had my account for about 20 years. Who else remembers when you needed an invite to sign up? Or the little counter in the corner showing how the storage space was steadily increasing? Seems so innocent now.

I'm afraid this migration is going to take some work. Feedback welcome.

#Email #Privacy #Gmail #Google #Today

dbsalk, 2 months ago to Teachers

Serious question for K-12 #teachers in #Illinois: do you incorporate any lessons about Casimir Pulaski into your curriculum? Any acknowledgement whatsoever about why there's a random Monday off from school every March? Does he get a mention? Inquiring minds want to know! #PulaskiDay #DadThoughts #History #Histodon #Histodons

dbsalk, 3 months ago to books

The blurb on the Barnes & Noble website states "Taut, propulsive, and impossible to look away from, Emma Cline’s The Guest is a spellbinding literary achievement." I'm not sure I'd go that far. It's good, but I'm almost 2/3 of the way through and still waiting to see how the protagonist got in the situation she's in. I'm sure (I hope) there's a big reveal coming, but I don't get why Cline felt the need to be coy. Seems unnecessary. #Books #FridayReads #Bookstodon #Fiction @bookstodon

dbsalk, 3 months ago to books

At the end of Song of Susannah (Dark Tower VI), Stephen King includes a series of diary entries, purportedly his own but there's discussion among fans if they're real or fictionalized. In one, he writes "Meanwhile, I have an idea for a novel about a lady who buys a picture in a pawnshop and then kind of falls into it."

Help me, fellow Constant Readers: was that story ever written? The plot is not familiar, but sounds like one I'd enjoy. #Books #StephenKing #Bookstodon #Fiction @bookstodon

dbsalk, 3 months ago to baking

Happy #ValentinesDay!

#Cookies #Food #Dessert #NomNomNom #ChocolateChipCookie

dbsalk, 3 months ago to superbowl

Remember my friends as you're putting your kids to bed after the game or worried about assholes driving home after too many: the #SuperBowl COULD start two hours earlier, which would significantly reduce DUIs and make bedtime a lot easier on a school night. The fact that it does not is a CHOICE made by #NFL and TV executives in a boardroom. Those execs probably haven't driven a car at night or put little kids to bed in decades.

#Sports #Football #Chiefs #49ers

dbsalk, 3 months ago to books

Pitchers and catchers report next week, and it's around this time of year that, if I can, I try to read something baseball-related. Yesterday I picked up a book that I read when I was a teen and remember enjoying it very much: If I Never Get Back by Darryl Brock. It's sort of like if Field of Dreams and Back To The Future had a baby, and it's great. #Books #Baseball #Bookstodon #AmReading #Fiction #Sports #MLB #FridayReads @bookstodon

dbsalk, 4 months ago to StarTrek

I don't know enough people that would appreciate this joke/meme. #StarTrek #STTNG #Aha #80s #Music #Picard #Riker #Humor

dbsalk, 4 months ago to Weather

Obligatory "Holy crap it's cold" post. -9°F, feels like -30°F (-23°C and -34°C). A good day to stay inside drinking hot chocolate and reading a #book or playing board games.

For my friends in the area, stay warm and be safe. (actually, that applies to anyone, not just my friends in the area)

#Winter #Weather #Cold #HolyCrap #OMG #ItsColdOutThereMrBiigglesworth #Chicago #Today

dbsalk, 4 months ago to random

My 10yo is about to inherit his mother's old iPhone. Does anyone have recommendations for apps or tools that can help monitor his activity? I don't know where to start with this. Honestly, it's a little early IMO, but all of his friends have phones and he's feeling left out. 😐

#DadThoughts #WeekendThoughts