Domestic Geek

Wow, I had a busy week last week. I'm still recovering, thus my absence from posting. I think last week's events will be the subject of this week's Thursday Thirteen.

Anyhow, at the opening of the newest Denver area Apple Store last weekend at Park Meadows mall, Marcus and I saw a guy wearing an iTrek shirt. I wish I had the guts to ask strangers to pose for pictures. I just remembered to look that up. I'm so getting one of these. The dude was wearing the one I have pictured to the right there. --->

I'm torn as to weather to get a red shirt in that style, or a blue one with the Vulcan on it. Decisions, decisions. I guess I'll just have to eventually get both. LOL

Renting movies through the mail has worked so well that I think I'm ready to try renting books that way, as well. Booksfree is an online rental service that allows you to rent paperback and audio books. For plans starting at as little as $8.49 a month, you can have unlimited book rentals with no due dates or late fees. I noticed that you can also purchase gift memberships for others.

I have really missed reading, as I used to devour at least one new book a week. I have been hesitant lately, however, to waste $8 to $10 on a paperback book that I'll probably read once or twice. I have been trying to avoid adding further clutter to my house. I've already gotten rid of a ton of books and still have a bookcase full. I've thought about borrowing from the library, but ours is so crowded and the books I want always seem to be checked out.

This program makes so much sense. The books are mailed to me and I can send them back postage paid as soon as I'm done. With over 88,000 titles (fiction and non-fiction both), I'm sure they have plenty of material to keep my entertained. I think I'll start with the Stephen King books I have fallen behind on reading. They also have Orson Scott Card books. I fell in love with his writing in college, but haven't read anything in years. I love the Alvin Maker series and didn't know there were at least two that I haven't read. Looks like I've got a lot of reading in my future!

This is a Sponsored Review.

You know you're getting close to the book release when a big announcement is made revealing the cover art. For J.K. Rowling's final book seven of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that announcement came this past Wednesday on The Today Show. [via Shalla]

I found a link with a large version of the entire cover art and immediately made it into my computer's desktop image. I'd post a pic of it, but there are a ton of files on my desktop, obscuring the image. Maybe once I get those files put away or thrown out.

For the last week, I've been listening to chapters from a book called The Capo's Mistress by Richard Harris. The story by the first-time author revolves around retired L.A. police officer and recovering alcoholic Mike Driscoll. When Driscoll's old clunker car breaks down and he becomes stranded in the ghost town community of Virginia City, Mt, he is drawn into a tale of love, lies and deceit by a woman he meets there — former Las Vegas blackjack dealer, Mary Carter.

In a desperate attempt to win Mary's love, Mike travels to Vegas to retrieve a bag of loot from a robbery dumped in the Treasure Island lagoon. Mike discovers he's being used and Mary is not being sought by police as she claimed. She is in reality Theresa Defoe, mistress of mafia boss Big Tony and it's the mob who wants to find her. Mike is in deep and it will be interesting to see where the story goes from here.

Beginning on March 11th, Harris began offering the book as a free MP3 download on his site. Each day, a chapter is being released until the entire book is available. On April 27th, the release date for the book, the chapters will be pulled from his site. So, go check it out and if you like it, consider supporting the author and pre-order The Capo’s Mistress at Amazon.

I signed up for "Weird Al" Yankovic's mailing list a while back. Today I got an email announcing his Straight Outta Lynwood tour. He'll be in Denver on August 31st at the City Lights Pavilion. I've seen him in concert before and I really enjoyed it. I hope I can get Marcus to go with me this time around. Maybe they'll sell White & Nerdy hoodies there and I'll finally be able to save enough money to get one.