In Minneapolis finally!

Eh! Today was a long day. Alarm clock at 4:15 AM, airport at 5:15, with a 6:50 flight, and tried to check in with those "express" checks. Argh, no record of your reservation. Stand in line to see why the express check doesn't know me. Get through the line, there is a reservation for me. Yay! Off to my gate, long line at security but it moves fast. Get on the plane, we finally start to back up, are we going to take off? nope the plane stops. Pilot says there's something wrong with the landing gear, we're going to be towed back to your gate. Should only take a half hour, please remain on the plane. . . An hour and a half later we finally get the okay to go. Thank goodness I was sitting next to a nice lady. She says, when we sit down, mind if I move the arm. I don't mind, my butt was getting pinched. As soon as we're in the air, I put my headphones in my ears and nod off. After finding my luggage, and getting a shuttle to my hotel, I get checked in. I finally drag all the crap I brought up to the room only to walk into my room, my non-smoking room, and it smells like a bar, cigarette smoke and liquor. It would seem that somebody had had a party in the room. So I haul everything back to the lobby and got another room, just in time to get a call from my roomie for the week, Laurie. She's waiting for the shuttle and will be here soon. Good, I'm starving (It's about 3:30 by now, I had a cinnabun at 6) We walked down the street to a place called the Local. It was very good, I had a pulled pork sandwich and fries. It had quite a bite to it. I took some whiskey cheesecake back to the hotel for a snack later. It was pretty darn good. Got an early morning. I'll talk to you later!

Rachel

feeling like a computer guru

I'm the first to admit that while I'm comfortable with computers, I'm really not a high tech type. Asking me to do any html or programming is like trying to herd cats. And while I can use and run most programs, I get a bit skittish if I have to do anything outside the "normal" parameters of my daily computer life. But as I am going to PLA and am going to be doing some blogging for them on their web site, I decided that my poor Inspiron 2650 needed a little bitty upgrade. Namely wireless. I'm not ready to upgrade my laptop yet. What I really want is a tablet, which is a whole 'nother topic. So I decided that I needed a wireless card. I ventured to the internet to see if there was something that was compatible with my old baby. Luckily there was Linksys adapter that worked. Yay. So I installed it and adventured out to Starbucks to see if I could connect. 45 minutes later, nearly ready to start saying bad words, and pulling out my phone to call my friend Ryan (on Easter no less) to help me out I finally figured which button to push! By MYSELF!! I'm so proud. Usually I'm calling Ryan at odd hours (especially as he's in the Midwest) saying HELP ME, I cain't figure it out. But I managed. XP caused me some problems but I think the real problem is that my computer is old and slow. Hopefully next year I'll get that tablet, but until then, I'll coddle the one I've got. Next blog from PLA in Minneapolis. Later. Hope y'all have a great Easter!

Rachel

Party Like a Rock Star?

I know for a fact that I'm not really gonna party like a rock star, but for me this Saturday was about as "wild" as I get, the only thing needed was a hot man (or better yet a couple of hot men ;) A friend was in town who liked to go clubbing and it was her birthday, so we went where she wanted! We started the evening a little early at 9:30 at Diablo's Catina. This is a fairly new club attached to the front of the Monte Carlo. Downstairs is a restaurant and upstairs is an open air bar/dance area. As it was fairly chilly Sat night, we were glad to see heat lamps, otherwise I think it would have been too cold. We were having fun until the MC had a real or fake "game", which was really just an excuse for him to fondle the beer girls. We took Mary back to her car then went to the Venetian so we could go to Tao. I can honestly say I've never been to a place like Tao. It is where the rock stars go to party. It was a mass of seething humanity surrounded by bubbling fountains, bamboo, and buddahs. We weren't there long, but it was fun! Last but not least we went to Drai's. This club was my favorite one. It really has an interesting ambiance and it wasn't too busy when we got there, around 2 am but when we left at 4 the place was really hoppin. So overall I had a really nice time with my friends and stayed out way too late. Rock on! :)

Irish joke

I stole this from Todd @ Todd's Unique Dinning. (awesome food by the way) I have no idea where he got it =)

What's Irish, green, and stays outside all winter?



Patty O'Furniture


hehehehehe

It's a four day St. Patricks Day Extravaganza!

I believe the entire Las Vegas Valley has come down with Irish fever! There is so much going on this weekend! The St Patrick's Day festival on Water street started last night with a carnival, music and beer garden, the parade was this morning, and the carnival continues on until Monday evening. I know lots of the casinos and bars are having parties all weekend. A friend's in town this weekend so, off to the strip for some clubbing and hopefully it won't be so insane we spend more time standing in line than in the clubs.

Speaking of Irish things and bars, when oh when will Fado's re-open. I'm in the mood for TRIVIA. I'd of thought they would try to open this weekend, but it sure doesn't look like the building's ready. Maybe I'll do another drive by after work tonight. Soon though (see crossed fingers). The website has pics of the construction. Once finished it should be really cool!

Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens

I think Laurens creates believable and likable characters that make reading her books a sheer joy. Laurens Regency England is well rounded and saturated with her characters. Once she's created a character that character lingers within her world, so you never know when one of your favorites re-appear with a cameo. Her various series (Bastion Club & the Cynsters) occasionally cross paths and that's something I truly enjoy.

Where the Heart Leads is the first book in the Casebook of Barnaby Adair series. Adair has been in several other books as a minor character helping to solve a crime. Penelope Ashford is the sister of Luc Ashford who married Amelia Cynster. I am looking forward to spending more time with Penelope and Barnaby in their future books. The book was really great right up until the end. The bad guy (known as Mr. Alert through most of the book) is never introduced as himself until right before the case is solved, and that only in passing. He's not a suspect until they already know he's done it. The confrontation and "dangerous" battle is felt kind of like an after thought or we need to have the heroine in life threatening danger so let's toss it in quick before the end. But if you've read other books by Lauren's I'm sure you'll enjoy this.

Amazon rocks!

Ahhh part of my Amazon order has arrived. It was sitting on my desk when I got to work this morning. I got some good stuff: Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens - this is a new series following Barnaby Adair as he solves crime (and finds love =), Dead over Heals by MaryJanice Davidson - three new short novellas, a couple of Lora Leigh's (good porn), Kim Harrison's The Outlaw Demon Wails - number 6 in the Rachel Morgan Hollow's series (she's a kick butt demon hunter and witch) and Julie Kenner's Good Ghoul's Do - a YA novel about a girl who was turned into a vampire against her will. There'll be some good reading tonight. Good thing I don't work 'til 4 tomorrow. I also ordered a tripod for my camera which should arrive tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that as I love to take pictures also. Reviews of the above to follow!

St Patricks Day books for kids. . .

What is it with St. Patrick's Day books?! I've got a St. Pat's storytime at a Headstart on Friday. I've put all the books we own on hold and 99.5 % of those books are WAY too long. Keeping the attention of 40 3-5 yr olds with these books is nearly impossible. Heck I think some of these books are way too long to keep Elementary kids attention. Looks like I'll be making up a felt story and singing. I'm such a bad singer. . .

Janell Cannon books

I read Janell Cannon books at my Elementary story time last night. I read Stellaluna, Verdi, and Pinduli. I got a few giggles at the end of Verdi. But I think overall they're a bit too long and a bit too moralistic to read all together at once. Don't get me wrong they have good points but for a group setting, unless you are actively discussing the moral of the story, it gets to be a bit much. I saw a few eyes glazing over. I guess it could be the storyteller =) I think the pictures in the stories are really great, it might be fun to do some kind art activity with them. . .that's a thought for another time though.

Nearly a year has passed. . .we're all not surprised are we? This inconsistent blogger has once again resurfaced. I had an idea that made me think maybe if I blogged for someone other than myself I would get more consistent. HA you may say but I think I'll try it out. The Public Library Association has advertised for bloggers about it's conference in Minneapolis. (March 25-29) I am going thus, I might as well blog for them and myself yes? They may say once I get started, thanks but no thanks, but I'm not afraid of rejection! I'm going to start warming up as I approach the marathon that PLA should be. I've actually started writing again book-wise so we'll see if I'm inspired all around or what!

Later gator's
Rach