Book Poll (2006)

I got this poll from Dianne who wrote it. Read her answers.

• Where do you most often buy your books? Online? Secondhand stores? Big name bookstores?
I have one second hand store that I like & I will sometimes go to antique bookstores as a little treat. I sometimes work trips to tiny bookstores into my vacation. I like museum bookstores. I occasionally buy books at Walmart & I have a member card at Barnes and Noble.

• If you buy online, which do you prefer - B&N or Amazon.com? Ebay? Christianbook.com? or elsewhere? Amazon. I have never been to Christianbook.com

• Do you put your name in your books? If so, are you a bookplate or stamp person? I usually only put my name in books if I am going somewhere that I don’t trust people or I am lending it to someone that might not give it back but that I feel needs to borrow the book. When I lend this way, I will write my name in/on the book in several places as it is often a book that I need back. Other than this I don’t usually write my name in books as I might give them to someone at some point.

• How do you feel about loaning books to others? See the last answer.

• Do you highlight or mark your books as you read?
I am a heavy annotater….my professors & classmates have always noticed this right away. I not only annotate about what I am reading but anything that comes into my head. I find reading my own annotations interesting. My annotations are private to me so I usually don’t lend out anything that I annotate. My descendants will have a fun time with the amount of writing that I end up leaving behind.
I don’t write in good books….anything that I might need/want to lend out or anything, most hardbacks, or anything of value.
I treat most books like workbooks for me to learn from.
I have even been known to annotate magazines.

• How often do you visit your local library?
I don’t. I often don’t like the way library books smell or the snobbiness of the staff.

• Do you collect any certain kind of book?
Chaucer, Recipe books, Self-help books, anything on literature, books on religion (not necessarily my own),art books

• What do you do when you're done with a book and no longer want it?
I am pretty picky with my books. Usually a book is something that I never get finished reading….something I read over & over learning something new each time. If I feel a book is a detriment to society I have been known to destroy it….for instance books that advocate political violence or books that teach women to hate men (yes, there are plenty of both). Otherwise, I give books I can no longer use to friends or co-workers. I also give books to friends or co-workers if I feel they need them more than me.

• Do you keep a list of or catalog the books you own?
No, but I really should. I need to look at librarything.com.

• Any other weird book habits you'd like to share?
I sometimes like to make altered books as I am annotating. I usually do not like to alter the original content of the book at all. I like the idea of hiding a lot of gifts in a book that is a present to someone. When I need a book back by a certain date, I have been known to write reminders about the return date needed on the front of the book. I keep a journal that will be a present to my husband….when I get it done that is….it has been quiet a few years that I have been writing in it. I am going to write a lot of books in my lifetime….I hope.

Patton for the Modern Mind(tenative title)

My father was a TEC 5 in World War II, under Patton.

So, I would like to start a project on Patton's leadership skills, psychology and decision-making framed for our modern life.

* blog posts
* short vlogs of field trips (I do things like have lunch on top of tanks)
* maybe Instagram
* And hey I should get back on X/Twitter again ... Fail Whale for the win (if you know, you know)

Planned articles:
"Patton for Beginners"
"Patton's 5-Minute Decision Rule"
"How to Teach Patton to Teens" "Why the General Still Matters in 2026"
"What Modern Leaders Misunderstand About Patton"
"Patton vs. Procrastination: A Guide for Remote Workers" (get used to it, so many of us will be remote in the coming years)

I have to have a master list. :-)
-Master list of all the ways people made mistakes about Patton in movies.

Eventually vlog:
Trip to Patton Museum at Fort Knox

Historians of interest:
Nathan C. Jones
Kevin Hymel
Jon Mikdashek
Greg Fontenot
Jörg Muth
Carlos D'Este
Dennis Showalter
John C. McManus

BLOGROLL

What to Cook Today

Friday's Dinner Will Be Yummy! -2026

I have been craving comfort food and (my)cooking nostalgia. So, I am planning to make "Swai 2 Ways" again ... and eventually try it multiple ways. This is my brainstorm.
Swai is a Vietnamese fish that is light like tilapia. It is also called irredescent shark, striped catfish or basa.

(Made 11/12/2014. When my swai fish love started.)
On the left is Roasted Swai Fish with Tomatoes and Basil.
-----Next time I have access to a broiler ... a fast sheet-pan broil. Tomatoes broiled first, to blister them. Then sliding the swai under the broiler for the last few minutes. (Another dish idea: Swai Fillets with Tomato Caper Sauce)
-----Tomato Water Drizzle. Salted, chopped tomatoes. Let sit in strainer. Catch the clear "tomato water" underneath.
-----Shallots. Crispy. Maybe even air-fried.(All the details on air-frying the fillets themselves)
-----I’m also thinking about trying a little basil‑lemon gremolata on top. A classic gremolata is just parsley, lemon zest, and a touch of raw garlic — a bright, uncooked finishing sprinkle. Mine wouldn’t be traditional, since I’d use basil instead of parsley, but it follows the same idea: chopped basil, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and maybe the tiniest bit of micro‑grated garlic.
-----Shaved radish on top? Or microgreens grown in an Aerogarden? Thinly slice scattered green onion ....that's a standard with me. Thin cucumber matchsticks. Chopped snap peas.
-----Seasoning .... smoked paprika or tumeric(colorful it will be). Hmm...I haven't tried Aleppo pepper.
-----A spoon of something cold on top. Lemon yogurt?? Basil-mint yogurt. Tzatziki! Whipped ricotta .... how would I get that? Homemade salsa verde (or from a mercado).
-----An idea I don't know if will be good .... but people say crushed rice crackers. They are gluten-free.

On the right is Sweet Dijon Basa Swai Fish.
-----Green Drizzle: Basil, parsley, fresh lemon juice,splash of water, tiny bit of olive oil.
-----Crisping: Basil leaves in a pan for like 10 seconds. Sage (that would be cool in Autumn). Parsley stems (crunch).
-----Trying: 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves, a couple of tablespoons of slice almonds. Tossed in a dry pan until just golden. Sprinkle over before serving. Delicate crunch, light, not greasy.
-----Toss shaved fennel ribbons on top after baking? I could brainstorm making the whole thing Nordic-leaning!
-----Unexpected citrus. Grapefruit zest(that would be bright, but I don't know taste-wise). Orange slices under the fish? Lime juice .... Vietnamese stuff has lime juice.
-----Pickled toppings: Quick-pickled red onion, slivers of ginger, jalapeno slices, radish
-----Micro‑Marinated Shallots: To make this quick garnish, marinate a tablespoon of thinly sliced shallots in lemon juice and salt for 5 minutes. Drain and place a small pinch on the top third of the cooked fish.
-----Crunch: Crispy quinoa OR toasted sesame seed OR crushed seaweed snacks OR a few air-fried chick peas (wonder if there is a snack like that).
-----Fragrant micro-drizzle: A few drops of chili oil, lemon-infused olive oil, basil-infused water and a touch of oil, very thin drizzle of ginger-scallion oil.


-----I am staying at a hotel in Davenport, Iowa right now but don't feature buying a pan for my extended stay suite. Otherwise, Target sometimes carries Swai (and I can see one out the window. Next time... next adventure. (I got a full kitchenette ... awesomeness.)
-----Swai is a tad dramatic when heated ... it falls apart if you look at it wrong. But so yummy.
-----Acknowledgement: Yes, American catfish is considered better for you.
-----And if you interested, you can care for an irredescent shark in a large freshwater home aquarium! Yes, I would learn to eat it fresh out of the aquarium.


-----White fish always reminds me of romantic dinners with someone special from long ago. We were young and he shyly attempted cooking for me .... whitefish of some sort from the fish counter at Jewel, French bread and chocolate(smores) and Andes mints...and limoncello candles borrowed from his parents. So, I dedicate this to him and a person who would be my ideal to do something like this with someday .... cause LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.

About Me

1. Brisket rules!
2. I would like to own an older dark gray or black Armani women's pant suit ... or both. It/they would be worn often!
3. I need to restart my Medusa collection.
4. I think that the Canada side of Niagara Falls is beautiful....much more beautiful than the American side.
5. I like to keep a travel log. All the discoveries (and the frustrations) go into whatever notebook I am keeping. This intensifies all enjoyment and makes me, eventually, laugh at frustrations. I do hate when it has to be done hurriedly (frustrating to look back through handwriting and not be able to see some of the painting titles I wanted to from museums). I take more photographs than anyone I know.
6. Thing I need to replace: Pinky and the Brain comic of "Brainlet." 7. I've been known to celebrate, or at least nod at, Shakespaeare's birthday(April 23rd). This year, I will be taking a college course on him.
8. My favorite color is mustard yellow. I am very particular about the shades.I don't wear anything that color unless it has a Fall-ish tone to it!
9. A moment when I admired Jeb Bush ... Antonin Scalia had passed away that day and the Republicans were debating. Bush seemed to be the only person on the stage who was truly taking the moment of silence to reflect (and even seemed to be praying).
10. I play a mean/insane game of Munchkin. Funny moment ....the GM prohibited me from giving "gifts." I don't usually win.....but I add a lot of humor/death to the game.
11. Spring is my favorite season.
12. I am pretty bad at pool. Pretty bad.
13. I don't like keeping things in pants pockets at all ... yet I complain if there aren't any pants pockets when needed. When I was a young adult, people used to think a gentle hand in my back pocket was affection ... nope, it was to help steer me from walking into stuff...I am an enigma of graceful and clutz.
,,, 14. I like bootlegged jeans and I wish slight bell bottoms were always in fashion. I've been made fun of for wearing bell bottoms when they were back in fashion.
15. I love Big Brother Hard Root Beer from Aldi.
16. I've been various degrees of Vegetarian.
17. Vincent Price's laughter is awesome.
18. We only use cast iron for skillets. I've gotten so used to this and
19. Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You?" is my favorite Dr. Seuss story.
21. I want to (safely) see a bear in Smokey Mountains National Park.
22. One of my favorite sounds is calliope music ... circus, steamboat, certain recorded ice cream truck music. I like music boxes that sound like this.
23. In 2021, I was learning to hula via tutorials. I should track down and restart those efforts.
24. I have a vintage Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii tapestry.
25. I touchtype really fast. I can type faster than Isaac Asimov could ... and more accurately, too.
26. I like to burn German Chocolate and gardenia-scented candles...at the same time. People like it, once they get used to it.
27. Pet peeve: "Family-style" restaurants that make their living off serving the cheapest, improperly thawed frozen vegetables they can find and "just add water" products.
28. I refer to anything martini-related as "The Art of Shaken, Not Stirred." I like homemade martini vinaigrette dressing!

In My Life

-----Reading "Eat, Pray, Love." It talks about religion and Italy/India/Indonesia(the island of Bali). I like anything that gives me a look at how people are.
-----Drinking hot cocoa...with mini marshmallows and whipped cream. My friends are watching an episode of "Monk" and I am following along with their speculative commentary while decompressing from my day.
-----I sat overlooking a pond all day and followed job leads. I was laid off and am hoping for a career change to one of my other interest/freelancing (writing, editing, AI, professional reading). We shall see what happens ... I have quit a bit of callback rights.
-----Today I had an online/AI interview with Mercor. It was a fun discussion for me. I love a good interview.
-----I completed a certification for Generative AI Fundamentals. Yay me! Databricks offers 4 short videos, followed by a knowledge test for FREE. You can put a badge on your LinkedIn.

Remembering Rush Limbaugh

I do not necessarily agree with the opinions... this post is a work-in-progress. My father used to listen to Rush Limbaugh back in the 80s ... but Mr. Limbaugh was different then(vs. the years before his death).

-----The host, John Butro, referenced WCB Radio. The gospel music has actually been relaxing to listen to this evening ... seems like I am listening to some sort of trio.