CJ and I have lofty savings goals for this year. We have just (barely) made it to halfway (and it’s October. Late October). We can still make it – but that means anything other than rent, bills, petrol, and food (in that order) is a no-no.
However, we recently discovered a $50 Kmart gift voucher in one of CJ’s drawers-o-stuff. We were also recently given a voucher to the Asian Bookshop in Macquarie.
So today, we grabbed our pretend money and hit the town.
Gift vouchers: Money that you’re not allowed to spend on rent, bills, petrol, or food. What’s not to love?
Several hours later. . .
We bought jeans (CJ) a blue top (me), two books, and M&Ms.
The books were both on our list of “subtly hint to relatives that these might be nice for Christmas” (and by “subtly hint” I mean we’re going to assign them to specific people). CJ especially especially wanted “Time of Trial”, the latest in Michael’s Pryor’s YA funny adventure series (which features at least one zeppelin, as I recall), and I especially especially wanted Sandy Fussell’s exciting, funny, and uplifting “Samurai Kids” series (I bought Book One: White Crane, so I can lend it to my students at once – all the rest are also on that list, because they’re all excellent).
Some of you are probably reading along here thinking, “Who cares about money? Where can I see more baby pictures?”
Here’s a new (and final, I swear) video for you guys.
The rest of you are wondering, “Who cares about babies and/or money? Where’s all the steampunk goods you promised us this month?”
These are for you.
Charles Babbage is a real guy who really invented the first steam-powered computer (and his lady love, Ada Lovelace, was the first to write a computer program). It’s now possible, for the first time in history, to build it. So that’s what the human race is gonna do. Yay us.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11530905
And, Tor.com is having a steampunk month this month.
Yay, I’ve been hoping they would decide to build the analytical engine. I’ve been reading a lot about Babbage recently because he’s a pivotal character in the Thorn prequel. Happy Steff 🙂
Steff: I hope Ada’s in there too. Count me in for editing once you’ve finished and polished it.
Huzzah for new books! Westerfeld’s sequel to Leviathan (Behemoth) is due out any time soon. Gah! Too much other stuff to do! I want to read it now! Paradox! *explosion* (I’m not sure if the explosion was from the paradox or from too many exclamation marks).
Dear pieces of W: Don’t forget, Richard Harland’s sequel to “Worldshaker” is out soon too. And I order you to read Sandy Fussell’s “Samurai Kids: White Crane” – you’ll see why within two pages.
But, if you can hold out until Christmas on Behemoth, I can guarantee we’ll have it – it’s in our top three (that, the latest Derek Landy, and the latest Naomi Novik).
Louise
Naomi Novik’s another one that I want to read more of. Post-thesis, of course.
W: I’ll try not to excessively book-taunt you until then.