The Sunday Salon: Catch Up Cliff notes! {21/10/2012}

Hiya! It has been a while since I actually done a TSS post. I have been quite busy with work and the internet provider has been annoying. So, let me do a cliff note on what I have been doing on my life and blog front.

Life & Career
• Book Binding. (About 4-5 weeks or so ago.) Yup, I have finally attend, learnt and done a book binding exercise, with the courtesy of Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka Brunei (National Brunei Library Organization). That was fun. We get to bind our own set of Mekar magazines. Sewing, gluing and making our own covers.
  …..Now I know why library bound books are expensive. But yeah, that actually left me with an after taste where I just want to do more and more of it. Maybe I should. =3
• GenNext 2012. Oh this left me squeeing like a little girl in a book-store. (What? I grew up having bookstores as my candy store.) This is a seminar in the regards of libraries upfront, schools, public and special libraries. We get to learn how we should integrate social medias,  new technologies, open access and then some into our libraries. Bring it out there. In fact, new tech doesn’t mean libraries are redundant, but in fact, making it more of a center of societies.  
  … Of course personally, it’s like “In your face, you social medias blockers in schools!” – since I have been using the social medias to attract patrons to the libraries in the first place. Tee hee…
  - Joe Murphy’s Keynote. (Fellow Librarian & Innovator)
• Blog wise.  I have been doing some site cleaning. Gathering links here and there. It feels like a mess in here. Updating and creating few stuff like
  ♥ About the Reader,
  ♥ Benefits of Reading,
  ♥ Book Prizes & List Challenges,
  ♥ 1001 Must Read Book Lists (Yes! I finally fix that list, it took me a while but it actually happened! *Geek dance*!!!)
  ♥ Book Reviews By Author Masterlist
  ► It’s not done yet, so bear with me.
  --- Forgive me again, for not actually getting around to do my supposed schedule October-fest. I have been busy with courses and seminars. I actually miss Dewey read-a-thon, and a few other read-a-thons as well – and I am never the one to throw away our beloved read-a-thons.
  --- I even missed doing Bloggiesta! Eeep! Of well.. Gonna just do “spring-cleaning” slowly.
• Shameless Plugs!
  ♥ My Goodreads
  ♥ When She Reads Page
  ♥ B:Read BookSwap Brunei. Our local Bookclub! Join up readers!

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The Sunday Salon: Wrapped up!

Wow. It’s Sunday, and I haven’t post much here about anything lately. Let me sum up for the past week or so on what’s happening.

Reading: I have so far been reading only The Forest of Hands and Teeth by; Carrie Ryan. Yes It has been a few weeks, but my excuse is because I’m kinda swamped by life and work, so I tend to be very much tired out when I get to be with my books. It’s moving though. I read it, pages are moving and flipping. So I say that’s kind of a good news.



Blog Wise: I do have a few book reviews I am supposed to post up sooner or later, so keep tight on that. TV reviews of TV shows are back in business as well. Hence you see a couple of those back up already. I also am working on a few article myself (Reading Related of course) so, that’s also coming.

Events: There’s a Read-a-thon hosted by Dewey’s Read-a-Thon and All Hallows Eve hosted by Book Chick City going on at the moment. So check that one out!

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The Sunday Salon: Online Shelves

I seriously need to write my reviews soon! I need to stop procrastinating in that area. I have been very distracted with work, being sick, and of course cleaning up and submitting my books into Librarything and GoodReads. I should really get my ass up and just type these things. I ended up having more to write now haha

TV Series:
» Bila Musang Berjanggut
» Supernatural Season 4
» Clashes of the Gods
» Spartacus

Books:
I haven't read much due to the busy days, but I do have read a couple. Need to write that!


In another side of blogging, I have been updating my TBR list. There's one thing I have discovered while doing this particular page is, My god! I need to catch up on reading fast!. My mountain is tumbling! In one side of it, it's fun! in the other side, I realized.. damn! listing this is way too much hard work o.o

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The Sunday Salon - E-Ink Devices.

It's that time again, and dare I said it? Yes I dare! It has been a while since I've posted for this segment, so I do apologize for the tardiness and laziness.

What can I talk about today, is that.. I have found a new toy! Well, actually bought it for myself. Most of the people who knows me practically knows what kind of a gadget freak I am, I have iPod Shuffle, Sony MP3 player, N95 8 gig, iPod Nano, PRS-500 and a bit of this and that. Now, what that have to do with reading? Well... I have trying to find a best way to bring my books along for a ride here and there. What I'm talking about here would be my E-books that needed reading while on the go, instead of being stuck in my laptop or my desktop. Let's face it, laptop is too bulky for sense to just read an ebook. PDA is quite um.. distracting for me due to it's other functions available.

Before I continue, let me show you what I mean.



This is my PRS-600. I was torn between this and the PRS-300 (the pocket version) but since, I could put extra memory on this one, I've decided to get this one instead. Thsi product is brought to you by Sony (I'm sorry to say, Brunei's Sony stores doesn't have this on sale - yet) To be honest, this is my second reader. the first one was the first generation PRS-500 which was an absolute wonderful device for me. I've upgraded because I need a spare :P ok ok I lied. I needed to get the updated version of it ASAP!

And yes, the only problem I have with it is, the laggish experience when I try to bookmark my page, which book I have stored within the memory card. But I didn't experience this with the book wintin the internal memory available, also never experience that in my last device. There's also the problem of glare. Yes! The glare is noticable, but I managed to tilt is just right into the position where it's comfortable to read and the glare disappeared.

I haven't tried using it as an, MP3 player due to having my own Sony player (I guess you know Sony happens to be my favorite manufacture by now) to go around with. so my audiobooks goes there instead, or my pendrive for the use in my car's MP3 modulator. Yes, I get around pretty much when it comes to books, don't I?

In another note, if you are not interested with this device, there are also BeBook (which I heard, have alot of good reviews about it), Amazon Kindle (I must admit,it came out ugly the first time around, but it's ok, except for limited access for some), Hanvon Series (new ebook readers from China), Iphones (Obviously), and there are quite a few others to choose from as well.

Wondering... should I get iTouch, iPhone or Google nexus next? if only they are not THAT expensive!

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The Sunday Salon - Reading and then some.

"Who reads these days?"

The famous line I heard from most these days, from most of the community. Living in Brunei, reading has pretty much become one of the least favorite hobbies around. I guess it doesn't just apply to just Brunei but, I can't help noticing living in my district, it's pretty much hard to get nice leisure books.

I'm talking about bookstores that sells bestseller people, classics too.we barely have good bookstores around in my part of the district. I myself have have to go to the capital just to get my share of the literature.

Teh other day I was sitting about while waiting for my order in some resturant, reading one of the Twilight book, I notice, people starring at me like I'm some what of a weirdo. I must admit I'm a bit weird at some point, but reading in public is the least of my problems.

As a librarian, it's regretful to see that the teenagers these days have no idea who Tom Sawyer is, or Alice in Wonderland (of course they know what I was talking about now, since Tim Burton is making a movie out of it now - comign next year people). They have no idea who Oliver Twist is either. Sad.

Speaking on that note, ever notice how we know most of the classics but, the golden question is, does any of us actually read them? Do we know about it from movies, the radio, the cliches or was it just something you know about.

Ever since I was young, Oliver Twist, the Three Musketeers, Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock Holmes have become part of my favorite literature. But of course, back then I was reading the children version of the literature. A few months ago, I found the Penguin publications and damn those are thick! I remembered reading really thin versions of it and I felt left out. Then, I caught myself thinking. Have I actually read those books properly? I guess not. cause I ended up wanting to get a copy to read wondering what I've missed.

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Sunday Salon: Reading Helps...

I had a really long week and I doubt it would lightened up for the few until May is over. I just found out how reading has become a golden opportunity and that really annoys me. I have this schedule where I have to read at least 30 minutes to an hour or more depends on the day it is, and as swamped I am currently at work, it is messing now messing up my reading scheldule to doing it (if I'm lucky) at least once per week! That is not acceptable to my standard!.

More over, I found out I am also stressed out from all of my work.

A couple of days ago, I ended up taking a reading break. Guess what! It worked! my stress just evaportaed into thin air. (well not all, half probably) Though I just want to abandon everything (which I can't) and just read.

I fixed that problem by getting myself this digital table clock. You know, the one that has it's own countdown alarm. I've setted it up to a 30 mins reading break and although it's hard to put the book down when the alarm screamed out. I just gave myself a treat by finishing the chapter instead.

Oh well.. beggars can't be choosers I supposed.

Reading for Darfur:
Ok, I just found this site called Book Wish Foundation where we can donate to the needs of the children living in crisis worldwide. One of the projects of this foundation, is to provide reading material for the people & children living in Darfur (that's Sudan if you don't know where).

I feel for the need to spread literacy to whoever I could reach it to. And that's not because I am a librarian either!




I'll leave the post off with the books I just acquired this week =D

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