Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Book Discussion: Finding New Releases

 


When it comes to reading new releases, it can be difficult to find some such books without having to buy them. I'm just too hesitant to buy something so new. Every time I see new releases mentioned, I immediately guess it won't be at my library, and most often that is the case. When it is there, I often can't believe it, but am glad. I also look at the digital library. If the book is on the service, it most often be on a wait for up to 6 months. Sadly the Zip Books program at my library is currently on hold, or I would use that to order a new release not already at the library. 

Every year, this summer challenge has what is called "Ultimate Beach Reads" for each year. All of these are new releases and I'm already having trouble locating any of these without having to buy a copy. I'm trying to reduce the number of books bought and get rid of some I have already read and don't intend to read again.  I haven't yet looked for some of them, whether at the library or on the digital reading sites, but I'm already getting the feeling the search is gong to be hard. I don't want to be negative, but that's' just how it usually is when out comes to new releases. 

How soon do you read new releases? Do you wait to read them digitally or to see if your library has them, or rush out to buy them?


Monday, June 22, 2026

First Week of Summer

 


How was the Summer Solstice in your area yesterday? In mine, it wasn't very hot and I mostly stayed home. I still got tired from the weather. Now it's expected to be in the 70s and 80s for the rest of this week. I can't imagine how tired I'm going to get from that. Just glad it isn't expected to be in the 100s. 

I only wish it had been this warm when we went to beach at work a week ago. But then the location of the beach tends to be a little foggy. 

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Beach Day

It's become an annual trip at work. It was this Monday, at Lovers Point, the same beach we attended last year.  It was a bit foggy at first, but some sun, though not a lot, came out for a while. Here are few phots from several I took.









Sunday, June 14, 2026

Stuff For Today

I won't speak too much on the Orange Menace's birthday, but here are some photos I just want to get out. One of these came up on my Facebook memories today, along with photos from the first No Kings Protest in my hometown.





 

Now this is the kind of king we'd want to see...


 And let's remember today is:


 And this:



Saturday, June 6, 2026

Graduations

All the major graduations at the various levels of schools have taken place this past week, ending with the high school.

How many graduations did you have during your school years? And were the pre-high-school ceremonies called "graduations" or promotions"? I was of a time when there were no pre-school or kindergarten graduations. Not to mention that Pre-K or TK did not exist then. For me, graduations were just for junior high school (now called middle school), high school, community college and university. Our eight-grade graduation (which  people now insist be called a promotion) did not have caps. Yet, now it seems pre-schoolers and kindergarteners sport caps at their graduations. 

 


I also graduated in the years before social media, and do not recall any of my ceremonies getting out of hand as described in this video.


Not having children, I have not seen any ceremonies like this in person. However, on Facebook groups focused on my neighborhood happenings, people have been asking for someone to make graduation leis out of paper money or candy. And the high school has forbidden wearing high-heels, carrying balls or other decorations  during the procession. I don't recall any of this happening at my graduation. One thing I enjoyed about growing up in the 1980s. Nothing had to be that elaborate then. But in the age of social media, people think events like this should be filled with action and decorations just to go viral online. All we had in my day were still photographs that are now lying in a box somewhere in the garage.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

13 Holidays in June

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂  


Most of you already know about Fathers' Day, Flag Day and Juneteenth (a federal holiday since 2021). Here are some bizarre celebrations this month, found here.


  1. Dinosaur Day - June 1st
  2. International Children's Day - June 1st
  3. National Donut Day - June 3rd
  4. Hot Air Balloon Day - June 5th
  5. Yo-Yo Day - June 6th
  6. National Best Friends Day - June 8th
  7. National Iced Tea Day - June 10th
  8. National Corn on the Cob Day - June 11th
  9. Peanut Butter Cookie Day - June 12th
  10. Sushi Day - June 18th
  11. World Giraffe Day - June 21st
  12. National Pink Day - June 23rd
  13. National Bingo Day - June 27th


Wednesday, June 3, 2026

June Bookish Bingo

The new card is here

My Books:

  1. Maybe in Another Life--Taylor Jenkins Reid (9 squares): DNF Last Month, Not in a Series, Father, Found Family, Physical Book, Shelf Love, Book Club Read, Fated/Mated/Bonded, Free Space
  2. Brown Neon--Raquel Gutierrez (3 squares): E-Book, LGBTQIA/Pride Month, Book or Reading Challenge
  3. Peace is Every Step--Thich Nhat Hahn (3 squares): Audiobook, Special Powers, Epic World-Building
  4. The Cracker Factory--Joyce Rebeta-Burditt (2 squares): Debut Novel, Been Thinking About Reading for a While 
  5. The Endless Beach--Jenny Colgan (1 square): In a Series
  6. Master Harold...and the Boys--Athol Fugard (1 square): Free Book
  7. Palazzo--Danielle Steel (3 squares): Library Book, Multi POV, Bride
  8. Lumberjanes Vol 5--N.D. Stevenson (1 square): Piercing