New Beer's Eve

Today is the 75th anniversary of when Prohibition was lifted and beer was once again legal to drink! Check out this article on CNN 1.5 million barrels of beer were sold in the first 24 hours! Now that's alot of beer.

March GBC

I started working for a company based in Ireland on St. Patricks day... do I need a better excuse to drink a few Guiness this Thursday? I think not!

This month's book: Born Standing Up: A comics life by Steve Martin chosen by Ray
Next book to be chosen by Mike Spadea

Feb GBC

This months book: Wall Street Versus America: The Rampant Greed and Dishonesty That Imperil Your Investments (Hardcover) by Gary Weiss chosen by Sandeep.

ELH

The Evil League of Housewives ( ELH ) have requested the GBC move its meeting since it conflicts with the ELHBC (Evil League of Housewives Book Club) meeting. (please note, that I specifically asked IN ADVANCE if the 17th was ok, and was given a permission slip signed in blood AND an ELH get-out-of-jail-free card- both apparently worthless).

In attempt to avoid hours of nagging, I have agreed to send out a request that we move this month's GBC from Thursday the 17th to Friday the 18th. (Trust me, it was better than the alternative: the ELH will drop off homemade snacks, their children, and their husbands at my house where we would conduct important GBC business- I DON'T THINK SO).

P.S. Please destroy this email after reading it. I don't think I need to say what might happen should this information fall into the hands of the ELH. P.P.S the ELH is not officially affiliated with the PTO or the Junior League; however, caution is still advised when dealing with any of their minions. May the beer be with you....

Charlie Wilson's Movie

My wife and I saw the movie this past weekend. It was entertaining, thought I don't care for Julia in the roll of Jo Ann, and while Tom captured Charlie, he didn't look like him. All the key one-liners were in there, but some of the important implications of the decisions that were made were glossed over. I enjoyed it, but it left me feelling a bit sad about the US and how it manipulates the worold (so poorly). Isn't some of this stuff supposed to be secret?

Across the Nightingale Floor: Tales of the Otori Book One

Wow! just finished book one and can't wait to start book two. Great characters, great setting, and a nice pace. It's also a quick read which I like, since I don't have much time for reading these days. I wish book one went into some more details about different clan histories (maybe I will be rewarded in book 2, or 3, or 4! or 5 which just came out!!!). Here are all 5 books:
Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book 1)
Grass for His Pillow (Tales of the Otori, Book 2)
Brilliance of the Moon: Tales of the Otori, Book Three (Tales of the Otori, Book 3)
The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori (Tales of the Otori, Book 4)
and finally the prequi: Heaven's Net Is Wide (The Tales of the Otori Series)

New Year, here I come, ready or not

Wow, I think I've attended or hosted a party every day for the past 6 days! I may be responsible for a beer shortage in the North East. It took everything I could muster to get out of bed this morning. Back to the grind! And the little beasts finally go back to school. (woo hoo!). Now if I could only find a decent smartphone... Happy New Year to all.

GBC January 17th 8:00 Poor Herbies-Book: Across the Nightingale Floor by Liann Hearn.

Next GBC will be Thursday January 17th 8:00 Poor Herbies. The book (choosen by Paul) is Across the Nightingale Floor by Liann Hearn.

February book will be choosen by Sandeep.

In attendance at the last book club: Scott Scott and Sandeep

Friday Night Party

Thanks to Ray's home Belgium Brew (in a 2 litter ginger ale bottle!) and the several bottles of Chimay, it was a great party! I think I woke up drunk.... Thanks to everyone who came and made the night memorable.

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks today. It was pretty good- the chipmunks were funny, the actors just ok. Mild tolit hummor and some slap stick violence, but over all not bad. It's nice to see so many family movies in the theater. We might go see Water Horse next. They played a trailer for Speed Racer! Wow did that look cool- very stylized. Can't wait to see it.

GBC December 27th 8:00 Poor Herbies: Book: Eight Million Ways to Die by L. Block

Next book from Chris Helck: Eight Million Ways to Die by Lawrence Block.

An alcoholic ex-cop, a prostitute, a pimp, and a guy with a knife. What more can you ask for? It is out of print, but the library should have copies. It is being reprinted in hardcover Dec. 27, 2007.

Robert Jordan, how could you do this to me?

I just found out that Robert Jordan died September 16h, 2007. Many of you may know if him from his popular "Wheel of Time'" series. He died before completing the 12th and final book of that series "A Memory of Light". While I thought it was very selfish of him to die before completing a series that many of us have been reading for 17 years and patienly waiting for him to complete, I was encouraged by reports that he had already written 1,500! pages of the final voulume and reportely left extensive notes and outlines to an army of writters to complete the book after his death. While alive he was insisting that all 1,500 pages be published as one book (which would require the publisher to invent a new binding processes!). Hopefully we will see something soon and can nominate it for book of the month. See you on the 29th!