Busifer's 2021 reading room

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Busifer's 2021 reading room

1Busifer
jan 4, 2021, 7:54 am

First, thank you to those of you who commented on my last 2020 post on my struggles with assisting my entirely Luddite mum now her email's down.

I'm struggling with getting time and energy for reading, the start of 2021 will be much as 2020 ended, but I do see a change in the near future.

To a new year!

2pgmcc
jan 4, 2021, 8:08 am

Good luck with 2021. We will be here for you when you can squeeze out some time. It is great having you along. I really enjoy your train and railway infrastructure pictures & videos on Facebook.

3Narilka
jan 4, 2021, 9:52 am

Happy New Year!

4clamairy
jan 4, 2021, 10:24 am

Happy New Year, Pella! May your 2021 be a great improvement over this last year. I hope you got your mom's issues straightened out.

5NorthernStar
jan 4, 2021, 10:40 am

Happy New Year!

6majkia
jan 4, 2021, 10:51 am

Hope the year improves for you. Happy New Year!

7Busifer
Redigerat: jan 4, 2021, 11:44 am

Thank and a happy new year to you all!
And thank you >2 pgmcc: for the train mention :-)
As you know I love trains and railroads and infrastructure.

And thanks >4 clamairy:, also. (Sadly) mum's issues with tech are not that easily overcome. She has no problems with understanding computers or the internet: she's completely able.
It's her conscious and very principled effort to stay out of anything electronic that causes the problems.

Oh well. I'll find a way.

8haydninvienna
jan 4, 2021, 12:57 pm

>1 Busifer: Hapy new year, and best of luck to both you and your mum. I kind of understand her desire to stay out of the clutches of the electronic data vampires but it surely would make life difficult.

9Busifer
jan 4, 2021, 1:24 pm

>8 haydninvienna: I too can understand her. But as you say, it sure makes life a bit more difficult. Especially now, when social distancing is the norm.

10reading_fox
jan 4, 2021, 2:22 pm

Happy New Year! We're all hoping for an easing of burdens.

11YouKneeK
jan 4, 2021, 4:40 pm

>1 Busifer: Best wishes for 2021!

12Karlstar
jan 5, 2021, 10:54 pm

>1 Busifer: Happy New Year, I hope it is the best it can be.

13Sakerfalcon
jan 6, 2021, 8:51 am

Happy new year to you! I hope it brings you good things in reading and in life. I wish you patience with your mum's tech issues.

14Busifer
jan 6, 2021, 11:44 am

Thank you, and - yay! I bought mum a new laptop today, configuring it for her right now. Got her a new email address, and all. Our son is going over to her tomorrow, bringing the laptop and helping her setting up her internet connection.
A stone has lifted from my heart.

15-pilgrim-
jan 6, 2021, 12:20 pm

>14 Busifer: That must be a relief. How did you persuade her into this?

16pgmcc
jan 6, 2021, 12:51 pm

>14 Busifer: Well done!

17hfglen
jan 6, 2021, 1:37 pm

>14 Busifer: Well done on getting the hardware. I wish you and your son strength over the next few days (weeks, months?).

18haydninvienna
jan 6, 2021, 1:45 pm

>14 Busifer: Well done. It occurs to me that I know how you feel. Mrs H is positively device-belligerent at times ("It ought to just work!").

19Jim53
jan 6, 2021, 7:26 pm

>14 Busifer: sounds like good news. I hope it continues as smoothly as possible. And happy new year!

20Busifer
jan 7, 2021, 7:12 am

Thank you, all.

She need a computer to finish the mandatory estate inventory that follows on dad's passing, and that is what finally made her agree to getting one.

It is the back side of everything turning digital with the pandemic.

>18 haydninvienna: That could be my husband as well.
A recent study (as in conducted this past fall, in Sweden) indicates that 60% of everyone above the age of 56, and 37% of people in the age span of 18-27 (I think it was), feel that their lack of understanding of computers and tech is a handicap.

In my own studies I have found that people might be very good at using social media platforms and thus are marked as "digitally proficient" but then can't upload a file when prompted. They don't understand the concept of files, how to create one, what a file is, where it is stored, how they can affect how it is stored, and so on.
People who can book their own flight, hotel stay, and so on, by using an app on their phone but can't create and then send a CV to a prospective employer or matching service.
I always keep this in mind when I aid in defining and designing digital services.

Luckily for me my mum has a good mental model of how things work, which helps. She's just such a contrarian Luddite ;-)

21pgmcc
jan 7, 2021, 7:21 am

>20 Busifer: Luckily for me my mum has a good mental model of how things work, which helps. She's just such a contrarian Luddite ;-)

Hmmmmm! Any good undercover intelligence operative would be keen to keep their digital footprint to a minimum. This could make them look like a Luddite. Perhaps your mother has more secrets than she is telling you.

22Busifer
jan 7, 2021, 7:29 am

>21 pgmcc: Possibly! She's a shrewd politician and she does aim to create a more sustainable, human-scale, society. So you're not that far off. Keeping her digital footprint at a minimum is one of her goals.
In this digital age one has to make compromises, though, or life will be logarithmically harder.
I am glad that she now has a computer, at least.

23-pilgrim-
jan 7, 2021, 2:40 pm

>21 pgmcc: I see that your reading of Spycraft Rebooted is paying dividends...

24Peace2
jan 7, 2021, 6:29 pm

Belated Happy new year wishes.

25pgmcc
jan 8, 2021, 3:22 am

>23 -pilgrim-: You are obviously a few pages ahead of me.

26jillmwo
jan 19, 2021, 7:36 pm

>20 Busifer: The concept of and parameters for computer proficiency are frequently reliant on where you are and what you do. What you point out is very true -- "People who can book their own flight, hotel stay, and so on by using an app on their phone but can't create and then send a CV to a prospective employer or matching service." The skill set that users have is not uniform. I just changed cell phones after six years and feel foolish about not understanding the leaps of change that have impacted just the operating system in that single device.

27clamairy
jan 24, 2021, 5:53 pm

>26 jillmwo: Technological developments are speeding up, and unfortunately we are not.

Busifer, I do hope your mom is enjoying her laptop!

28Busifer
mar 2, 2021, 11:27 am

I am SO behind, on everything!

I had such high hopes for 2021, and look - now it's March 2nd, and I've just managed to resurface. Multiple reasons, of course, one being computer issues, but the main one being total overload on everything. Each weekend I have looked at the laptop with the plan of getting into the pub, and each weekend has ended with "dang, again".
On the positive side my new job position is now permanent (standard is a 6 month trial period), I am happy with my job, and I am starting to get on top of it, enough to catch a breath.
The down-side of providing a competence that is in high demand is everyone wants a piece of you, and when one is new it can be hard to prioritize appropriately.

A personal down has also been a huge energy drain: my back has been acting up, and recently I got my MRI results back - spinal cord herniation.
Pain is such a drag :(

Meanwhile I have been watching some TV, which I normally don't, much: we had a family promise not to watch The Mandalorian until we had completed all of Babylon 5. And seasons 4 and 5 took forever. So we started the year with Mando, and then husband wanted to watch Broadchurch (I watched it on my own, when I was unemployed), after which two separate networks, on of which is public service, offered Des and Deadwater Fell respectively. And next up the pbs network now offers Small Axe, so we'll watch that, too.

Also, I've been listening to an old favourite, which I apparently haven't revisited since 2015 - namely Chanur. And while I've had a hard time sitting down to actually read for pleasure - I have to read and learn so much for work my brain is inundated - I have bought some promising new books: Phoenix Extravagant, by Yoon Ha Lee, and Remote control, by Nnedi Okorafor. Looking forward reading both of them.
As if the stack of unread books wasn't huge enough as it is ;-)

>27 clamairy: Oh, she is! She uses it to watch live winter sports events, something she hadn't expected to be able to use it for. It has provided her with a lot of needed escape.

29pgmcc
mar 2, 2021, 12:25 pm

Delighted to hear your job is going well and they have decided to keep you. :-)

Sorry to hear about your back problems. Sounds link your special high desk will be used regularly.

Great to see a post from you appear.

30tardis
mar 2, 2021, 12:58 pm

Sorry to hear about the back problems and the overload. Hope all things settle down as the year progresses. I'm glad the job is going well, though!

Hope you like Remote Control! I just finished it and liked it very much.

31Narilka
mar 2, 2021, 1:31 pm

>28 Busifer: That back problem sounds painful. Hope doctors can get you on the path to recovery soon. Good to hear the news about your job :)

I've had my eye on Phoenix Extravagant. I'll be keeping an eye out for your thoughts once you read it.

32haydninvienna
mar 2, 2021, 1:40 pm

I was wondering where you’d gone! Welcome back. Best wishes for the back problem—I know how bloody awful that can be.

33Sakerfalcon
mar 3, 2021, 6:56 am

It's great to hear from you! I hope you can get some treatment for you back soon, it sounds very painful. Good news about your job; even though it's very busy it must give you a sense of security to know that you are needed.

34Jim53
mar 3, 2021, 2:44 pm

Good to hear from you. I hope your back issues are not long-lasting. Have you watched Deadwater Fell? I thought about it but didn't get started, however I can always reconsider.

35clamairy
mar 3, 2021, 6:22 pm

Hope you're feeling better. I did find your Facebook photo of the ironing board put into use as a standing workstation quite clever!

36Busifer
mar 4, 2021, 11:43 am

Thank you, all!
I'm getting help for the back issues, but as it is with such things it's one step at a time.

>29 pgmcc: Yes, the special high desk has been fitted with an extra box, to elevate the keyboard, and so now I spend most of my workdays standing on my feet. Which all in all has helped. Never underestimate an ironing board ;-)
>35 clamairy: I cannot take credit for that one, several colleagues do the same thing. But it works very well, at least for me!

>30 tardis: Oh, that's good to hear! I'm tempted to DNF Velocity weapon, at least for now, and to pick up Remote control instead: her books have been fast eds for me, so far, which I feel is what I need right now.

>34 Jim53: On Deadwater Fell: David Tennant's character is appropriately disturbing/creepy but the rest of the characters didn't feel as well written. Or maybe it was the performance.
I did enjoy watching it, though, even as the ending was a bit meh.

37Busifer
Redigerat: mar 6, 2021, 9:36 am

Added even more books to my TBR pile: The Ministry for the Future, and volume 6 of the complete works of Linda and Valentin (or Valerian, his English name).
(Also, a book about the history of ore trains of the Swedish north, Malmtåg.)

Also, pollen season has started. Enough, already!

38hfglen
mar 6, 2021, 10:58 am

Thought of you repeatedly over the past couple of days. I was adding a book called The Steam Kyalami (touchstone not working, again) to Railwaysoc's catalogue -- a recent donation, that looks like it cost a small fortune. The book was published recently by a company in Malmö, which suggests there must be more than a few Swedish rail nuts who like our trains.

39Karlstar
mar 6, 2021, 11:39 am

>36 Busifer: Glad to see you are back and getting treatment for your back.

40Busifer
mar 7, 2021, 6:58 am

>39 Karlstar: Thank you!

>38 hfglen: Oh yes, there certainly are. I'm in three different Swedish train and rail nut groups on Facebook (and a half, but the half one is a group dedicated to vacationing by train and some of those are more about destinations and routes than about the trains and railroads themselves). Every now and then there's something from RSA pictured.

41hfglen
mar 7, 2021, 9:21 am

And good wishes for relief for your back!

42-pilgrim-
apr 16, 2021, 10:16 am

We have not heard from you for a long time. Are you OK?

43clamairy
apr 16, 2021, 12:51 pm

She hasn't posted anything on Facebook for a couple of weeks, but that is normal for her. Hopefully she's just very busy with work.

44Busifer
Redigerat: apr 18, 2021, 11:27 am

Hi, all. I have had a very busy period at work and was looking forward to a re-energizing Easter break in which I would catch up with both reading and the pub. Instead I was hit over the head by covid. I have two excruciating weeks behind me, two weeks in which I at least never got ill enough to need hospital care, but still felt very very ill.
I know it is irrational, but I felt like telling anyone would be jinxing it, and so told as few as humanely possible.

I got the virus from my husband, who got it from work: he work as a security operator at a hospital, and a facilities management contractor brought this on us by coming in sick. The less said the better (I won't go down that rabbit hole or I'll explode in anger).

Thankfully there is delivery services, and after testing negative (and the requisite quarantine) son could run errands. And is old enough to take care of himself, and has isolated himself in his room: we've seen each other over a 6 meter distance, and luckily he rode this through unaffected. We have been washing hands, sanitizing surfaces, and so on, like mad.

On the plus side I've managed to make a dent in the stack on my bedside table, even as I've had several days when reading was just too much. So, instead of DNF-ing Megan E. O'Keefe's Velocity weapon I picked it back up and managed to finish it. In the end I did like it, though it took some 200 pages to get over the threshold.

Then I went on to read Remote control, by Nnedi Okorafor, which I ended up liking better than I liked her Binti stories.
I then went on to read Phoenix Extravagant, by Yoon Ha Lee. A very enjoyable read, I highly recommend it.
Next up is A desolation called peace, by Arkady Martine. Looking forward to it!

45Bookmarque
apr 18, 2021, 11:37 am

Oh jeez. So sorry you had to go through that. Hopefully it makes you stronger and able to withstand it in future.

46pgmcc
apr 18, 2021, 11:37 am

>44 Busifer:
Sorry to hear you have been suffering but delighted you and your husband have the worst behind you. I hope your recovery progresses at pace.

47-pilgrim-
apr 18, 2021, 11:51 am

>44 Busifer: I am really sorry to hear that you both have been going through that. I hope your recovery proceeds smoothly.

48haydninvienna
apr 18, 2021, 12:58 pm

>44 Busifer: Welcome back! Sorry you had to go through that—some people really are oblivious, aren’t they? Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

49Busifer
apr 18, 2021, 12:59 pm

Thank you, all. Sadly having lived through the virus is somewhat equal to have had the first shot, with is not protection enough. I had managed to evade it this far, though, by keeping to all precautions and rules, so should hopefully be able to not contract it a second time before it's my turn to get vaccinated.
I've managed to put myself last in line, however, which is infuriating.

I am as of today officially deemed non-contagious, so tomorrow I will venture out, to get some air in the lungs and some sun on the skin. First step to recovery.

50Busifer
apr 18, 2021, 1:07 pm

>48 haydninvienna: We are certain that this person went to work well aware that he was contagious, but by not taking a test he can pretend not to have covid.
People have been fired for showing up to work contagious with covid, it's a breach against the contagious diseases act (danger to society) (I don't know the official name of the law, but I think my approximation works, in this case).

51-pilgrim-
apr 18, 2021, 1:14 pm

>50 Busifer: Because he preferred not to lose income? Or just sheer malice and wanting to share it?

52Busifer
apr 18, 2021, 1:36 pm

>51 -pilgrim-: Idiocy. You don't lose that much income, social security/national mandatory health insurance (it is technically an insurance but all citizens are covered) covers it.

Normally the first day away is not covered, and you need a doctor's notice from day 8 and day 15. But, to make it easier for people to stay home during the pandemic we now have full cover from day 1 to 21, after which a doctor need to certify your need to stay away from work.
Unemployed are covered in the same way.

There's a roof, which means high income people do lose money, but those working at the operations centre are not in that tier.

I think rather this person didn't want to face having covid and decided not to get a (free) test. Because he wants to feel needed at work, perhaps. So, an egotistical idiot, possibly covid denier.

53-pilgrim-
apr 18, 2021, 1:46 pm

>52 Busifer: *shakes head in dismay*

Is Covid denial strong in Sweden?

54Busifer
apr 18, 2021, 1:54 pm

>53 -pilgrim-: No, not very. But husband has told me throughout the pandemic how certain people with whom he share a working space is, at least borderline.

We have had some idiots gather (illegally) in protest against the restrictions, waving the standard selection of tin foil conspiracies around, but they are scorned and ridiculed (and, when they confront the police: nicked, and prosecuted for being a danger to society).

55haydninvienna
apr 18, 2021, 3:28 pm

First time I’ve thought that there are advantages in living in an autocracy. In Qatar your idiot worker might have been sent to prison for that effort. No nonsense about rights there.

56-pilgrim-
apr 18, 2021, 4:02 pm

>55 haydninvienna: But how would they handle that? Bahrain has just had to release large numbers of prisoners in order to halt Covid spread within prisons, the most recent of many countries to do so.

57Narilka
apr 18, 2021, 8:30 pm

>44 Busifer: Glad to hear you are feeling better!

58clamairy
apr 18, 2021, 8:33 pm

I'm so pleased that you're on the mend, but what a rotten (not to mention easily preventable) thing to have happen. Glad you got some reading done, at least!

59Busifer
apr 19, 2021, 4:38 am

>58 clamairy: Thank you! I'm struggling to say something about the books that I read. I did enjoy them, but my brain wanted to read for pure pleasure rather than partitioning off a section for analysis as I read. The protagonist in Phoenix Extravagant was entirely too naive for my taste but in many ways plausible just the same. I think we have seen that a lot of people are entirely too ignorant of what's going on around them. Getting into how the author did or did not use this as a tool to show something is presently not were my brain is. I just liked the writing and the storytelling :-)

>55 haydninvienna: In this case if he had tested positive he would had been sacked.
People have been sacked for breaching the restrictions, without anyone being covid-positive, as well. These cases are not common, and highly publicised.

The issue in our specific case is that the person hasn't got tested and so the case is circumstantial at best. (Borderline political opinion to come, be warned) And despite how it has affected me I prefer a system were people can't be "disappeared" based on unsubstantiated accusations ;-)

There has been talks about mandatory screening, ie testing of everyone at a workplace at certain intervals, regardless of if people display symptoms or not. As the issue has been that people test too much rather than the opposite, enforcing restrictions of just one test every 14th day, this has not come to be. Yet.

60reading_fox
apr 19, 2021, 4:59 am

Safe virtual hugs. Glad you're better and managed some reading, and that household all rallied around.

61Sakerfalcon
apr 19, 2021, 7:54 am

>44 Busifer: Oh, that is so frustrating to have caught covid in a situation where it should have been totally avoidable. I'm glad you and your family have come through it now, and that you were able to use the downtime to read. I really enjoyed Chaos vector so I'm glad you were able to get into it and finish. The sequel gets up and running more quickly.

62Busifer
apr 19, 2021, 9:49 am

>61 Sakerfalcon: I have placed an order for Chaos vector, but it's not available at this point. I might have to turn to the second hand market for it!
I am glad that I forced myself to not drop Velocity weapon. The build-up was a real slog but ultimately it was a rewarding read.

63Sakerfalcon
apr 19, 2021, 10:05 am

>62 Busifer: Aargh, I mixed up the titles! Hope you can get a copy of Chaos Vector soon!

64Busifer
apr 19, 2021, 11:18 am

>63 Sakerfalcon: It's available from the SF bookshop in their two other locations - Malmö and Göteborg - but not in Stockholm, and not on mail order (which they manage from their Stockholm outlet). It's frustrating, now that I'm allowed to actually leave my home again.

65NorthernStar
apr 19, 2021, 11:42 am

>44 Busifer: Sorry to hear about your covid experience, but glad to hear you have come through it OK, and I hope without any lingering effects. I really liked Velocity Weapon, and hope to get a chance to read Chaos Vector before too long as well.

66Busifer
apr 19, 2021, 11:57 am

>65 NorthernStar: Let's say that whatever vaccine side effects people are complaining of - headaches, slight fever, achy arm - just sounds like spoiled kids whining that the ice cream took to long getting served after dinner.

The physical aspect was excruciating but the worst part was the psychological aspect. At one point I felt like I needed to prepare for my family to have access to my accounts et al, in case I got so sick I'd end up at the ICU. When both I and husband was really ill I worried so much over son being left without us.

Achy arm is nothing, in comparison, and I'm so happy every time I hear that someone has gotten the shot.
Every single step towards crippling this virus is worth celebrating.

67NorthernStar
apr 19, 2021, 12:11 pm

>66 Busifer: Sounds awful. I cheer every time I hear of someone vaccinated. I was really hoping that we were almost through this, but things seem to be getting worse, rather than better, right now.

68stellarexplorer
apr 19, 2021, 12:14 pm

So sorry to hear what you’ve been through, Busifer! I hope you will go forward in health!

Incidentally I saw you mentioned The Ministry for the Future above. I don’t know whether you got to that one yet. I liked it a lot, it was a comprehensive slog through global efforts to deal with the (possible? probable?) coming catastrophe. He has thought through so much, but I’d caution that it reads more like a future history text than like a novel. But I was swept into it, and I’m glad I read it.

69haydninvienna
apr 19, 2021, 12:40 pm

>59 Busifer: Sacked? Why? It seems a bit odd to be dismissed for getting sick, even if it’s regarded as a confession that you’ve breached the restrictions. As I’ve said, the restrictions in Qatar are pretty tough, but a few of my colleagues there have tested positive and none of them has been sacked.

70pgmcc
apr 19, 2021, 2:38 pm

>69 haydninvienna: I think the sacking was for going into work aware of having been tested positive and consequently endangering the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues. The charge ranges from assault to attempted murder. If someone dies the authorities might revisit the charge-sheet.

71haydninvienna
Redigerat: apr 19, 2021, 3:08 pm

>70 pgmcc: Ah, yes. Skimming back through the thread, I see that he knew he was positive. In that case sacking him is no more than fair, and a criminal charge would also be fair enough.

ETA sorry, but my brain is still a bit fried from credit risk.

72pgmcc
apr 19, 2021, 3:17 pm

>71 haydninvienna: ... sorry, but my brain is still a bit fried from credit risk.

I look forward to seeing the movie.

73Jim53
apr 19, 2021, 9:54 pm

Busifer, I'm must seeing this now, and I'm so sorry to hear that you and your husband got the bug. I hope you'll both be feeling much better soon, and that you'll be able to get vaccinated. I'm with you 100% about people complaining about sore arms and such from the vaccine... it seems they have no concept of how big a deal the virus can be. Anyway, I'm sending you virtual hugs and holding you in the light.

74Busifer
apr 20, 2021, 5:19 am

>69 haydninvienna:, >70 pgmcc:, >71 haydninvienna: Ah, yes. As Peter says. No one gets sacked for getting sick, it's against the law where I am. Going in knowing you're infected with a deadly virus, though, that is criminal.

>68 stellarexplorer: It's up next, after my present read. Looking forward to it!

>73 Jim53: Thanks. We are both on the mend, but it is slow going and possibly the pollen season is not doing wonders for my ability to breathe ;-)
We're doing well, though, all things considered.

75YouKneeK
apr 20, 2021, 6:27 pm

>44 Busifer: I’m sorry that you had to get up in the Covid madness! And glad that you're starting to feel better. My 88-year-old grandmother was very ill with it late last year. She had to be hospitalized for a few days. She seems to have recovered well from it from what she and the other family tells me, although I haven’t seen her in person yet. I've promised to visit once we're all vaccinated. She's the last one, because she had to wait 90 days after the plasma treatment she received before she could get the vaccination, but she had her first shot a few days ago.

I get my second Moderna shot a week from today. I’m not looking forward to the expected side effects, because nobody likes to feel poorly even if it there are many worse things they could be experiencing, and I hope it won't be too disruptive since I have a lot of work to do, but I’m still happy to do it and I look forward to having it done and over with.

76Busifer
apr 21, 2021, 4:39 am

>75 YouKneeK: Madness, indeed. I personally look forward to getting my immune system topped up with at least one shot (apparently studies show that having had the virus equals having the first shot).

77Busifer
Redigerat: apr 23, 2021, 6:50 am

This past Wednesday I got a notification from the SF bookshop that they had received a copy of Chaos Vector and set it aside for me. A couple of hours later next notification arrived, this time for Fugitive telemetry, the last Murderbot book.
I was still not feeling that well, and also I was trying to work part time, not to mention we had a severe case of heavy wet snow yesterday (Thursday) which didn't encourage taking a walk to the shop to pick the books up. Today, though, I felt well enough to venture there and so now both books await me in the TBR pile.

Currently I'm reading A desolation called peace, which is very good even as having to work means I'm not making fast progress, and I had planned for the next read to be Ministry for the Future. Now, however, I think I will read the new Murderbot before I tackle the KSR: the format is kind of like the first four books, ie very short, and it should be a fast read, whereas KSR is hefty as always.

78MrsLee
apr 23, 2021, 8:15 am

>77 Busifer: Hehe, I must not be awake yet. I was puzzled for a minute (second?) as to why you would be ordering books from a San Francisco bookshop!

79pgmcc
apr 23, 2021, 8:37 am

>77 Busifer: I wonder if the thought of two books waiting for you in the bookshop had any influence on your recovery to the point that you felt ready to go out for a walk. I know it would certainly affect my recovery rate.
The curing power of book buying!

80Karlstar
apr 23, 2021, 9:36 am

>66 Busifer: Sorry to hear you had to go through that! I completely agree, the minor suffering from the vaccine more than outweighs the protection it gives to others.

81Busifer
apr 23, 2021, 11:33 am

>78 MrsLee: LOL, looking back I can see how that would be confusing. In all honesty the shop caters to various kinds of geekdoms (manga, fantasy, science fiction, various kinds of gaming...) but the actual name is (the) Science Fiction Bookshop. So, the SF bookshop for short.

>79 pgmcc: One can hope ;-) In reality it was probably more a case of finally getting well enough. After all I've been formally recovered since Sunday. But today is the first day when my head feels like it is finally attached to the rest of me.

>80 Karlstar: Thank you. Now I'm awaiting feeling 100% recovered, so that I can get a vaccination on top of my temporary/uncertain immunity.
Still a way to go but soon there... together we will beat this (or at least cripple it enough for it to stop being a global threat)!

82Busifer
apr 27, 2021, 3:25 pm

This evening son asked me to help him select a book to read during English class: they have finished the curriculum for this year (he got straight A's, I'm right chuffed) and the students that don't need study help was instructed to bring a book to read.
I asked what he wanted to read, and he said "fantasy": he had enjoyed especially The Raven Tower. In the end he chose between All systems red, Phoenix Extravagant, Tigana, The Lions of Al-Rassan, Ancillary justice, and Provenance.

He really wanted to pick the Yoon Ha Lee, and was honestly intrigued by all the others as well, but decided that on "school time" he should read Ancillary justice. In his own words: he wanted to read the others "on his own time"; he really enjoyed the way Ann Leckie writes; Provenance felt a bit too "safe", and he has read very little science fiction. And so Ancillary it was.

I'm proud that he decided to challenge himself, and I hope he likes the book. (And I honestly think he'll read both Phoenix Extravagant, Murderbot, and Tigana, eventually.)

As to my personal reading being back at work (which I only manage because I work from home, and can manage my time reasonably well) has affected how much time and energy I have left for reading. Still enjoying A desolation called peace very much, though, and wish I could just sit down and read.

83clamairy
Redigerat: apr 27, 2021, 7:44 pm

>82 Busifer: Congrats to your son! Were you a little disappointed that he did not choose The Lions of Al-Rassan? I do recall that being one of your favorites. Hope you can finagle more reading time. I've got that Arkady Martine on hold as an ebook. (I will most like buy it when it goes on sale. Which won't be any time soon.)

84Busifer
apr 28, 2021, 3:29 am

>83 clamairy: Yes and no. He chose well, and I think he'll read GGK eventually. He's a big fan of Tolkien and got very interested when I described the link between Kay and JRRT. I got the feeling that he wanted to spend more time and concentration on it than he's able to in class.
And Leckie is a good choice, and a bit more, um, contemporary ;-)
I also think it's good that he wanted to branch out and try some science fiction, for a change.

85MrsLee
maj 1, 2021, 11:23 am

>82 Busifer: It is lovely to be able to share your favorites with your children. Sometimes they don't love them as you do, but sometimes they do and then you can watch that develop. Almost as nice as reading it yourself for the first time. Well done son of Busifer!

86pgmcc
maj 1, 2021, 11:27 am

>85 MrsLee:
“Son of Busifer”
Sounds like a great title for the first instalment of a superhero saga.

We will watch this space.

87Busifer
maj 1, 2021, 1:05 pm

>86 pgmcc: I don't think I would want to know. Like all (?) young boys soon to enter adulthood he has quite high thoughts about himself and his abilities ;-)

88Busifer
Redigerat: maj 1, 2021, 1:47 pm

So, I've finished A desolation called peace. I very much enjoyed it: in my eyes it is such a rare thing as the second part of the story being even better than the first one.
Martine is a scholar in Byzantine history, and to me it fits perfectly with the story that she tells of empire, intrigue, and identity, and with the images she conjures.

It was good getting back with Mahit "the barbarian", Three Seagrass, and the rest, but it was also a pleasure to meet Nine Hibiscus, Twenty Cicada, and more. But I especially liked eleven year old Eight Antidote, the imperial heir, and his journey to autonomy, of a sorts.

The main reason that I give the books 4.5 stars and not 5 is a single and short scene well into the last third of the book. I have no issues with explicit this or that, but the language and style was, well, a clear break with what both came before and what came after.
The scene wasn't even THAT explicit, but the wording made it feel gratuitous.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend the Texicalaan duology.

ETA: Now, on to Fugitive telemetry!

89-pilgrim-
maj 1, 2021, 2:46 pm

>88 Busifer: Not exactly a BB, since this duology was already on my TBR pile. But your enthusiasm increases my interest in getting to it.

90Busifer
maj 1, 2021, 3:19 pm

>89 -pilgrim-: *bows deep*
The first was maybe a bit too elaborate, yet rewarding. The second felt less elaborate without losing complexity, and with more of a flow in the telling.
I will definitely get my hands on whatever she writes next, regardless of genre, and I hope you'll enjoy them, when you get around to reading them!

91Busifer
maj 3, 2021, 3:03 pm

Finished Fugitive telemetry and absolutely loved it. I really hope Martha Wells will pick up Murderbot again some time in the future, because I love the snark, the self-deprecation, and how it off-handedly and by the way just take anything that comes up in its stride. As long as it can continue to watch Sanctuary Moon.
This time around it grudgingly becomes involved in a murder investigation that turns a bit more complex than anyone expected.
I think I'll put up Network effect for a reread during the upcoming summer vacation, just because!

Next up was The ministry for the future but in the interim I got Chaos vector and I think I'd better pick that one up when I still have Velocity weapon fresh in memory.

92Busifer
maj 8, 2021, 6:27 am

I'm having troubles with getting into Chaos vector, but persevering. It took a good long time for Velocity weapon to grip me, too, and so I've not given up.
I keep looking at other books, though.

In other news I'm going to the tea shop soon. I ran out of proper tea when I was sick, and until now I've not felt up for the walk across town to get there. I have two smaller and two large grocery shops on easy walking distance from home, each of them with an aisle dedicated to "tea". Apparently 6 different brands of vanilla infusions and 4 different kinds of English Breakfast, not to mention various other healing and "spiritual" blends, are more important than Yunnan. ("Men's tea"? Really?!)
Husband had some vanilla/black tea blend tea bags which I decided just wouldn't do, and so when we were down with fever and quarantined I ordered some standard black tea bags, to tide me over until I could get to the specialty shop.
And now the time has come for real tea. Finally!

93clamairy
maj 8, 2021, 7:53 am

>92 Busifer: Have fun tea shopping and enjoy the purchases when you get home.

I'm not sure why but vanilla added to tea doesn't work for me. I have a thing for Stash Chai, and so decided to try another brand when I spotted it on the shelf. They had added vanilla to the chai spices, and it tasted like some pipe tobacco smells. I finished the box, but never bought another.

One of my latest favorites in tea bag form is called Breakfast in Paris. Also made by Stash. It's got lavender and bergamot in it, and it's amazing.

What is 'Men's tea?' LOL

94Busifer
maj 8, 2021, 8:38 am

>93 clamairy: I have never seen Stash on a shelf here but will look out for it. Breakfast in Paris sounds like I could like it. And honestly, tea bags is so much easier to handle. Sadly Twinings stopped making their Yunnan tea bags, and Yunnan definitely is my go-to black tea.

I have no idea what Men's Tea could be. I just happened to spot the label on a box in the tea aisle the other day. Maybe next time I'll read the contents, out of curiosity. I get Sleeping tea, and Morning tea, etc. But Men's tea just sound strange.

95clamairy
maj 8, 2021, 8:47 am

Twinings used to be my go-to for Earl Grey, but they changed the formula a few years back so I switched to Stash, and they make a Double Bergamot Earl Grey that is amazing. And hard to find, of course... When I see it I grab multiple boxes.

I just looked on the Stash website and there is a hint of vanilla in the Breakfast in Paris, so they just made a liar out of me. Haha...

Maybe there's some virility enhancing properties in the Men's Tea. Best to avoid it I suspect. ;o)

96Busifer
maj 8, 2021, 11:18 am

>95 clamairy: Well, a dash of vanilla might not be so bad, then. For me the vanilla showstopper for tea is when I can smell it: then I know I will not enjoy the taste.

For men's tea that was definitely my first thought, strange as it seems to do a tea for that ;-)
But now I feel like I definitely have to check contents next time I spy a box!

(My loose leaf Yunnan was exactly as good as expected, even with a dash of honey for my somewhat sore throat.)

97tardis
maj 8, 2021, 12:11 pm

>94 Busifer: I've picked about a hundred (not even exaggerating) Red Rose orange pekoe teabags out of the garden this spring because the stupid bags just don't break down in my composter. Except for the Red Rose that we drink at dinner time, and some of the rarely-used herbal tisanes, I've completely switched to loose tea. We have a couple of excellent local tea shops, and I get my English Breakfast and Earl Grey from them, plus I always try a few new kinds when I place an order. Today, I am drinking a delicious Yunnan called "Tippy South Cloud."

98Busifer
maj 8, 2021, 12:38 pm

>97 tardis: Yunnan is by far my favourite but it is very hard to get anything except plain, even in otherwise well stocked tea shops. The specialty one that I most often shop from has tens of variants of Darjeeling, Ceylon, or Assam, Sencha, Oolong, not to mention a selection of white, or with a choice of whole or broken leaf, infusions such as rooibos, and... but Yunnan is always just the one.
I think Yunnan is a very "British Empire" tea, culturally speaking? I never understood how much of an anglophile my mum and her siblings were (are) until relatively late - I though everyone's mum made her own lemon curd, lol - and the Yunnan habit is definitely one I have inherited from her.

99tardis
maj 8, 2021, 2:29 pm

>98 Busifer: I suppose mail ordering tea is a bit expensive.

I'd have said the British Empire was Assam or Darjeeling, since they went to all the trouble to establish tea plantations there, but I suppose China tea came first and maybe still has a hold. Also, Yunnan was probably the ancestor of the tea plants that were established in India, Ceylon, etc.

Despite British ancestry, as a Canadian I grew up on ordinary Orange Pekoe teabags (generally Red Rose brand because they came with the little china animals that we kids collected), with occasional loose English Breakfast for special occasions. My parents were more coffee drinkers (to this day, if I go to visit either of them I take my own tea supplies). I didn't discover other kinds of tea until I was an adult. Earl Grey became (and still is) my favourite, but I generally like any black tea.

100Busifer
maj 8, 2021, 3:49 pm

>99 tardis: The Empire remark was more a reflection on the fact that it seems like only in the former British Empire Yunnan tea can be had in any kind of variety :-)

Sweden has seen a surge in interest in tea but I'd say that it leans towards snobbish, with a lot of talk about how superior people who have the patience and time to brew whole leaf tea are compared to the plebeians who use tea bags. I have no patience with that, I just want my tea, bags or loose. Though as your mention of digging out tea bags from the compost makes me think loose probably is a more responsible alternative.

101-pilgrim-
maj 9, 2021, 9:57 am

>100 Busifer: As a tea-loathing Briton my contributing to this conversation may seem a trifle odd. But I thought I would mention that my lodger is quite broad-minded regarding which leaf, but absolutely refuses to drink tea from teabags. He swears he can taste the bag in the brew every time.

Do either of you taste the difference?

102Busifer
maj 9, 2021, 10:25 am

>101 -pilgrim-: If we're talking Twinings Yunnan (discontinued) teabags vs the kind of loose leaf Yunnan I can get here there's no difference that I can discern. If there is (was) one it's that the leaf maybe had a more full-bodied taste. And that is a maybe.
So for me, then, the main reason to use leaf is that my preferred tea isn't available in a bag version.

103tardis
Redigerat: maj 9, 2021, 11:05 am

>101 -pilgrim-: No. I've had the same kind of tea from the same brand (e.g. Twinings Earl Grey in bags vs. loose) and I taste no difference. I wouldn't say I have the most educated palate, though. I can get more variety in loose teas, and as mentioned, the bags don't break down in compost, but otherwise I'm fine with bags. They're very convenient.

104reading_fox
maj 9, 2021, 11:23 am

>97 tardis: you can get compostible paper/cotton tea bags.

Can I taste the bag is a difficult question to answer because it's very hard to find exactly the same grade of tea in bags/loose. Any change in grade/leaf size will alter the flavour far more than residual bag notes. Mostly I just don't find the ones I want.

It's very rare int he UK to find a tea-shop that stocks a good variety of loose tea. I order all of mine, and the cost of shipping once in a while is negligable compared to the price of the tea! There's a recent thread in the Tea group with some suggested websites.

105Busifer
maj 9, 2021, 12:10 pm

>104 reading_fox: I might have to explore that: while not exactly a tea afficionado I would like to try a variety of my one favourite.

On the other hand: we have at least decent tea shops in the larger cities and I'd like those to stay in business. Which mean I have to buy from them. One of the main reasons that I stopped buying books online, except if it's the only option.

I like that there are real shops, preferably family owned or at least not chain or franchise, they're good for the neighbourhood.

106reading_fox
maj 9, 2021, 3:57 pm

>105 Busifer: - I'd support local shops if we had any! and then can always order in to fill the gaps they don't stock.

107Busifer
maj 9, 2021, 5:01 pm

>106 reading_fox: I'm with you. It's just, Manchester is about the size of Stockholm: according to the numbers on Wikipedia the city itself seems to be a bit smaller, population-wise, than Stockholm municipality but Greater Manchester is slightly larger than Stockholm county. And so in my mind there OUGHT to be enough people for local shops to survive?
Not to mention: tea! My prejudiced view of England is that there can be no England without tea ;-)

Certainly one cannot survive on Costa coffee!

108pgmcc
maj 9, 2021, 5:22 pm

>107 Busifer: I do not know the current per-capita consumption figures, but while England is regarded as the World leader in tea consumption the statistics regularly showed Ireland as consuming more cups of tea per capita than England. Certainly if you have ever watched Father Ted you will have seen the normal tea practice in an Irish household. It has likely changed now, but if you go into the house of someone of my generation or older the first thing that will happen is that the kettle will be put on and you will have to have a cup of tea. You would be insulting the person you are visiting if you do not have a cup of tea. You would be forgiven for having a cup of coffee but that would considered a bit modern. Given the frequency of tea drinking in Irish households it is not surprising that we have out performed the English regarding tea consumption on a number of occasions.

109Busifer
maj 10, 2021, 3:12 am

>108 pgmcc: I can imagine. Us Swedes have a rather skewed (and strange) view of England, mainly formed by British TV, and know very little about Ireland.

110-pilgrim-
maj 10, 2021, 8:52 am

Tea drinking is certainly normal enough that it feels obligatory to keep some in the house, even if, like me, you loathe the stuff. Guests expect it.

111Busifer
Redigerat: maj 24, 2021, 3:58 am

So, reading: I enjoy Chaos vector but the time since I started to recover from covid has been quite hectic, due to some pressure at work related to a report (mentioned in the May mayhem thread as well, so I'll not repeat myself) and the story demanding the full attention of the reader the progression is slow: it is not a fast and easy read, though not that difficult either. It just takes some time digesting.

112Busifer
jun 3, 2021, 5:42 pm

Finished Chaos vector, at last. Like Velocity weapon it was a bit slow at the start, but gained momentum towards the end: I will admit to stalling finishing it, I could easily had finished it yesterday but kept the last handful of pages for today instead.

This is the second book of a trilogy, and as such doesn't stand on its own, but it offers some revelations both around the history of this universe/version of human future in space as well as who or what some characters really are.
I rated this the same way as I rated the first book - 3.5 stars. I do think they're more like 3.7 or 3.8, but not close enough to 4 for the rating to be rounded upwards.
They are well written and well plotted, with some interesting characters. Some of them would benefit from getting a bit more fleshed out, though, and the story is at times a bit too wordy, too elaborate. I'm hooked, though!

The third installment, Catalyst gate, is expected at the end of June, and I have it pre-ordered so I guess it will go with me when I leave the city for the summer holidays.

Next up is, finally, The ministry for the future.

113Sakerfalcon
jun 4, 2021, 4:31 am

>112 Busifer: I'm glad you ended up enjoying Chaos vector. Thanks for the heads-up about the next book, I will be looking out for it now.

I want to read Ministry for the future but the paperback isn't due out in the UK until October, and I think Robinson is an author I need to read in print rather than on kindle. I will look forward to your thoughts on it.

114Busifer
jun 4, 2021, 3:13 pm

>113 Sakerfalcon: Not until October?! The paperback has been available here for a while, but in large paperback. I got mine in March, and it had been available for a while, then.

On another note I found a first UK edition hardback of one of my favourite books - Hellburner - and it arrived in the mail today. Yay!
My paperback is in less than stellar condition and my ebook edition is not as tangible: I like the physicality of the printed volume.

115Busifer
jun 10, 2021, 4:45 pm

I just put Ministry for the future on pause: I just picked up Catalyst gate at the sf bookshop, after receiving notice that it had arrived.
Apparently the touchstone for it doesn't work, even as I've entered my own copy into LT, but...

Also, the past week has been hectic - I feel like I write this A LOT, and in fact I and a colleague who has the exact same issues as I have regarding work load has had a discussion with or manager about it, so holding thumbs for things to get better come fall - so not much reading has been going on anyway.

I aim to finish Catalyst gate before I change city for cabin, but at this point I'm not certain that I'll get enough time for that to happen, though.

116reading_fox
jun 10, 2021, 4:52 pm

>115 Busifer: - that's the one thing I really dislike about physical books, having to judge whether I have enough reading material with me, or whether I will finish it before I can get home and risk carrying excess baggage around waiting to be read. The ereader I feel much less guilty about loading up with a sufficiency of just in case reading.

117Busifer
jun 10, 2021, 5:10 pm

>116 reading_fox: Ah, yes - that is a problem. I tend to bring some physical books, with ebooks on my phone as a back up.
On the other hand... the physicality of a paper tome: the heft, the volume - to me, that is an added value.
(My family though I was bonkers for opening up the unread UK first edition of Hellburner and sniffing it for that pulp paper smell... because let's face it: not even first editions got the best paper, back then, if it was genre literature.)

118clamairy
jun 10, 2021, 8:47 pm

>117 Busifer: Ha! Love that mental image. They need to add a paper smell to the Kindle.

119Busifer
jun 11, 2021, 11:51 am

>118 clamairy: Would be a bit creepy, if they managed that!

120Sakerfalcon
jun 14, 2021, 6:36 am

>118 clamairy:, >119 Busifer: Didn't LT do an April Fool's joke based around that idea some years ago? I wouldn't know where to find it on the site but I'm sure I remember it.

>115 Busifer: Just checked when Catalyst gate will be available in the UK and it's saying 24th June. I will just have to be patient.

121Busifer
jun 16, 2021, 2:13 pm

>120 Sakerfalcon: It said 26th here so I was very surprised when the bookshop emailed me to say I could pick it up. Had planned to read the KSR first but put that on hold: better to finish The Protectorate trilogy when I still have part two in fresh memory.

Catalyst gate hit the road running, but I'm a bit distracted by loads of things to do at work - in Sweden Midsummer is kind of the finish line for everything work related because after that people start disappearing on summer vacation - plus, hm, watching the Euro 2020 ;-)
Not a real football fan, that implies being fanatic about one specific team, but have a huge football interest.

122Busifer
jun 27, 2021, 9:33 am

Still reading Catalyst Gate, and I do enjoy it a great deal. A lot of loose threads from the earlier two books are coming together. The slow going is not caused by the book but by me not being able to read for days in a row, at times. I've had a report to finish, working 10-12 hour days to meet a deadline. This is OK if I am myself the cause for the bad planning but in this case it is mainly due to lack of prioritisation and countless changes in direction (as relates to the report) from the upper echelons of the organisation.
It is also very hot, of which I'm not going to complain, but it has led to my brain being quite uncooperative at times.

I had planned to finish CG before going on vacation but that will not happen. So, I'll have to bring it with me, up to the cabin, were a lot of work awaits, too, but of a more manual character: we need to fix a couple of windows, plus put a new layer of paint on the house. Also planning to fix the garden, some. Dig out the irises, fix and extend the plant bed, and plant some other things in their stead. The iris will get a root clean and get moved to another spot. So I'm holding my thumbs for great weather, but it might affect reading time.