Well, I am well on my way to finishing 50 books. You know, when I first settled on the number, I thought it would be a lot of books, but it only comes out to about 20/year. That's not very many at all.

This book, as you can see, is called "Victory of Eagles" by Naomi Novik. It is the fifth book in the Temeraire series, a series I stumbled upon quite by accident.

The book is set during the Napoleonic Wars, but with a twist. The twist being that dragons are a regular part of the British and French armies. A sea captain, Will Laurence, captures a French transport in the first book, and part of the prize is an egg. A dragon's egg. He tries to return the egg to England prior to its hatching, but the dragon inside has other ideas and the egg hatches at sea.

Capt. Laurence, much to his chagrin, becomes the dragon's captain and joins Britain's aerial corps with the dragon, whom he has named Temeraire.

The series follows Laurence and Temeraire through their adventures together in a series which combines some historical accuracy regarding the Napoleonic Wars, some complete fantasy, and fairly good storytelling.

I do not think that Novik is one of the better storytellers I have read, but she does weave an engaging yarn. Yes, I just said that. Anyway, it was a pretty decent book, and seeing as how I only checked it out from the library yesterday afternoon, a quick read.

If you enjoy fantasy novels, and especially if you enjoy historical urban fantasy (a genre I just created this very moment), then the Temeraire series is not a bad next stop.

As for me, I only have 48 more new books to read. Yay!

Goin' to the Library!!!

So I went to the library today and got a library card. I decided that would be the most efficient (and cost-effective) way to read 50 books in the next 1,001 (minus ten or so?) days. Well, in all truth, we're down to 49 books because I just finished "Inkspell."

Inkspell is the second book in the Inkheart series (soon to be a major motion picture). I would describe it, but I am so done with book reports. It's very good, though, and I can't wait to hit the last in the series, Inkdeath.

Yes, how pleasant.

Off To A Good Start

Ya know, this could be a very fun next 1,001 days.

I kicked off knocking things off my list in grand style this weekend. Some successes, some failures, some interesting judgment calls, and one very good weekend.

I drove to Washington, DC, which takes care of number 46 on the list. That would be the Pentagon on the left.

While I was there, I attended the Red Hot & Blues BBQ and had the opportunity to cross number 59 off the list, as well. There were events in Glen Echo and Bethesda, MD, Arlington, VA, and something in DC itself. That would more than cover four cities in two states in one weekend.

I decided, however, that I was going to remain true to the spirit of the list and not cross items off on technicalities. I mean, the point of number 59 is really to dance in four completely separate and distinct scenes in two different states over the course of a weekend. While that would technically apply here, I couldn't cross it off in good conscience.


My Fail Moment for the weekend was going all the way to the Washington Monument and not climbing to the top because the line was too long and I wanted to get back to my car to avoid having to pay more then one hour's parking. In the "compounding your fail" category, I wound up losing my parking ticket somewhere along the way and having to pay the full day rate after all.

Of course, the weekend was not entirely full of list-crossing fails. I did go to the Chateau O'Brien Vineyard in Virginia Wine Country. I enjoyed a wine tasting, a glass of Buddy's Bistro Red with cheese, a baguette, fantastic company, and an amazing view!





After the wine, we returned to DC and did some more dancing. I had a late-night snack on a place called Buzz, where I had a great opportunity to cross number 56 off (Louis Prima and Keely Smith were playing, among others), but I let that opportunity slip by. Fortunately, number 56 is one that presents itself countless times.

So, after all that, I have managed to cross two items off the list, failed with one, and opted not to cross off another. If I keep this up, I might actually accomplish everything on my list, after all. I'm on my way home and pulled off at a Dunkin' Donuts in Urbana to blog. After all, as someone very wise recently told me, sometimes you just have to pull off the road...

And So It Begins...

Okay, I just want to begin by saying that I am not cheating.

Yes, I knew that I would be going to Washington, DC in a few days when I wrote my list, but it still counts. It is, after all, something I am going to do in the next 1,001 days. Right? So I will be leaving tonight at about 8:30 and driving straight through the night to arrive in the wee hours of the morn, at which point I will probably collapse on the softest surface I can find and enter the sleep of living death.

Or else I'll just go to Starbucks and everything will be all better.

Mmmmmm. Espresso Truffle.

So I will be bringing my camera along with me to document any items I cross of the list this weekend (there should be a couple, at least). I'll keep you posted...

Yay! My triumphant return to blogging!

Of course, The Metro Perspective wasn't really a blog, per se, but I published it utilizing blogging software, so what can ya do?

The reason I started this blog, though, is that my friend Jeanne made a list of 101 things she wants to do in the next 1001 days (approximately 2.75 years) and I thought it sounded like such a good idea, I would do one myself.

So I will begin work on the list and the 1001 days will begin when I finish it and publish it on here.

Of course, I will try to use this site for other things, as well. Like anything I feel like writing about. Think of it as your look into my online diary. There might even be a little dirt hidden in here...

Happy reading, and welcome to my blog.