Sunday, November 1, 2020

Sundays with Sam - The Sunday Post



Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

My Week in Review

It's always flattering to be picked from a group for a new position, but I hate starting something new. I trained Monday and Tuesday over the phone, and then my trainer went o maternity leave. I knew one other person doing my function, but I hate to bother her all the time. Needless to say, there is quite a learning curve with this job, and I was tired and stressed all week. I do know it will get easier, because this is the 5th new job function I have trained in this year. Sorry if I was MIA. Just remember - I love you all. 

I am very excited to use my new steamer this weekend. Yes, you heard me right. I have a *thing* about kitchens and bathrooms. They have to be pristine. I scrub my tiles like mad. To save myself a bit of elbow grease, I finally broke down and bought a Bissell Steam Shot. Now I can blast my tiles with steam. It's good for me too, because the cleaners never did me and my asthma any favors. 

Kids, I am done wrestling with the comment system. I went back to the default, though I hate it since they changed the interface. It was bizarre. When Disqus was installed, I have quite a few comments slipping into the default system. I have no clue how that happened, but it was happing quite a bit. I couldn't fix it, so I gave up. 

Other than that, not a ton to report. The cold has come though. There was frost on the cars Saturday morning. EEEK! I should have worked harder to get my new coat, but I had ordered and returned two. I really need to try it on. I have always hated going to stores, and now I like it even less. Going to have to suck it up. 

I have one question - when will we do away with daylight savings time? I understand why it used to be a good thing, but now we hope lots of electricity. Can't we just spare my sleep schedule? The change, either way, puts me off balance for several days, and I mean, look at Arizona. No DST, and they're fine. I am sort of jealous that Ohio will be joining them. I hope NJ will follow soon. 

I know I am a day late, but I am doing all Halloween inspired shares here. I loved this post from Noor. 


Josh Sundquist always goes BIG for Halloween.


It wouldn't be Sunday without a cute animal share. 


Let's Discuss!
  • Anna breaks down the Goodreads Awards with respect to LGBT nominations
  • Laura wants to know if book blogging is dead
  • Marie shares some underrated contemporary books


On the Blog:
  • Monday: One Old, One New - The Christmas Edition
  • Tuesday: TTT - Getting the Ghost
  • Wednesday: CWW - The Mistletoe Trap, Dax
  • Thursday: Isn't It Romantic? - The Grumpy Hockey Hero Edition
  • Friday: Happy Halloween - Animal Crossing Edition


STACKING THE SHELVES

I am still trying to decide if I should click the widgets for books the publicists sent, but I am very tempted by the Hammerle. I believe it is based on a Hallmark movie, which is sure to be a hit for me. 

Publicists 
Edelweiss/NetGalley
What I Read Last Week

I had two DNFs this week, but I also had two 5-star books. That's the give and take of the universe working right there. 

I was worried going into the Beartown books, because Backman's second novel didn't WOW me the way Ove did, but it was an absolutely fantastic duology. 

Books
Audiobooks

What I Am Currently Reading



What I Plan to Read


How was your week?
Let us know in the comments!

38 comments:

  1. I'm the same way with the time change. It throws me for a loop every time. I wish they'd just do away with it. And the chillier temps have come here too- it was sunny today but yesterday was cold, and after the sun down tonight it got COLD.

    It Only Happens at Movies makes me crave popcorn :)

    Good luck with your new position!

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    1. It Only Happens in the Movies is set in one of the boutique theaters. Fancy foods were served, and the popcorn was covered in cinnamon sugar dust.

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  2. Ooh, it was so chilly yesterday! I think it's going to warm up at least a little bit though this week. I can totally relate to doing remote training. It's definitely hard when you have questions because you can't just pop your head into someone's office and get a quick answer.

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    1. I saw we will be back to the 60s later this week and it's pretty mild today, but it was cold on Saturday.

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  3. "this is the 5th new job function I have trained in this year"
    Oh, yikes. I hope they'll ultimately let you stuck with one (preferably the one you set your sight on).

    That Sundquist is always a treat! So inspirational.

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    1. When all this gets better(?), I will return to my actual job, which is with a different team. We are just on loan, helping out, so we can work from home. I love Sundquist's costumes. He has been having these made for about 10 years. They are all amazing.

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  4. Yeah I wish we could leave the time where it's at. Honestly, I love gaining that hour and I adjust so well to it. This morning I woke up at my usual time and it just works. Now when we lose an hour I usually have to force myself to get out of bed so that I can force myself to get back on the new time schedule. It's a nightmare. But not this time of the year! Lol. Congrats on the new position. I hope you're able to adjust to it since your trainer is now MIA.

    Nice new reads too! All new to me ones but I hope you enjoy them all!


    Here's my StS

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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    1. I stayed up later last night, so I would stay asleep until at least 3 (which is my norm), but I was up at 2 am. I just don't tired on Monday for work. It's not a new permanent position, but something different while I am work from home.

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  5. I don't think it is officially ended here in Ohio. I know the senate voted on it, but then it sort of fizzled. I'm a huge fan of ending it as it only serves to mess up everyones sleep for days at a time!
    5 new jobs to train for in a year!? Wow!! That is a lot of new stuff to learn.
    Have a great week!

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    1. I thought 2020 was the last year Ohio had to set the clocks back. This work from home thing has me gaining an understanding of what it's like to be a temp.

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  6. thanks for the chuckles. i needed them this week
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. You are having a week. I hope this upcoming week brings only good news

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  7. You plan to read A List of Cages!!!!! Stack up on tissues Sam!
    Now good for you to have steamer that should be way easier!
    And what? You trained for five new positions in one year??? That's madness. I hope you'll have a great week.

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    1. I think I am mentally prepared for it (finally). Jury is out on the steamer. The grout was still hard to clean. Mostly because it's so hard to get in there in both directions. But it worked well on other things where you could just blast steam, like the faucets and shower door frame.

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  8. We are getting the cold here finally too! I'm ready for it. Or I thought I was. I really just wanted fall, and the summer to go bye bye. But once again we've seemed to skip between the two. I'm very intrigued with Write Before Christmas, added to my TBR! Hmm. If you lived closer I'd invite you over to see my kitchen and bathroom because I am not good at cleaning, but wish they were cleaner! lol. Hope you have a good week!

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    1. We were lucky. We had some really great weather, and it's supposed to go back into the low 60s this week. I am crazy about bathrooms and kitchens. I sit on the floor with a skinny bush just going at that grout.

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  9. Training for a new position is tough without a pandemic going on! I hope that you start to ease into it quickly! You have read quite a few amazing books and I am super jealous. I really need to get some more reading time in. Have a great week! :)

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    1. This is the fifth job function so far, but probably the trickiest one. Hopefully I will feel more knowledgable in a few weeks

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  10. I hate the time change! Hate it! I get off work at 4 and it will start getting dark so early that I will be having a hard time getting them around the block before long. I love the Groot video! So many great books! I see that you enjoyed Dax. I think I have that one hiding on my ereader and should maybe give it a try.

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    1. BUT there is more light in the morning now. You haven't read Dax yet? I am surprised. It was very good. I loved seeing Dax change right before my eyes. I am total trash for that.

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  11. Sorry about the comment system woes and about the need to train for (yet another) new job. Hope the job thing gets easier (and the comments too, for that matter!).

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I am baffled by the comments. It's not worth the struggle. Every job I started during this time felt like this at the beginning. So, I know it will get better.

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  12. A steamer is very exciting, I got excited when I got a spray mop and then some microfibre cloths!

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    1. I almost bought the steam mop, but I resisted because it took up too much space.

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  13. The animals just do not understand daylights saving time. It always takes a few days to get them adjusted.

    How did the steamer work?

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. The tile grout still needed a scrub and it's so awkward because it runs in both directions, but it was fabulous for those hard to get to spots, like around the faucet and the toilet seat. I have not tried it outside of the bathroom yet, but it has a fabric attachment I might use on my reading chair

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  14. I'm not a fan of Daylight Savings either. It throws my body all out of whack for days afterwards. It was kind of nice to not have to walk the dog in the dark this morning, but still it's just not my favorite thing. Glad to hear the Backman book was a winner for you. I loved Beartown but still need to read the second in the duology.

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    1. Dark in the morning or early evening. It's all the same to me. The second Beartown book was so good! The audio is fantastic too, if you can get it.

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  15. I'm sending you all the love for the training <3 and ugh, yes, I hate time change, it always messes me up and my mental health, too.
    I'm so happy you got Cool for the Summer, I'm so excited to read that one, it sounds lovely. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Admission as well, that one is on my TBR :)
    Happy reading and have a good week, Sam, take care <3

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    1. I have put down Admission twice. I cannot handle any books with political mentions right now. I am too overloaded.

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  16. Happy late Sunday (It's Tuesday as I'm writing this). I have been a bit overwhelmed lately with all the stuff going on and have been in a bit of a reading rut. I hope everything with work turns out okay for you. So sorry your mentor is now on leave when you started.

    I wish they would just keep the daylight savings one way or the other and be done with it. Apparently, if you watch VOX videos I think it was them anyway, they did a whole video about daylight savings and why we can't change it. I hate the constant changes, it comes at the worst time every year.

    Hope you get all the books you want and that this is a good week for you. I loved the Groot video, really brightened up my day.

    Reese's @Reese's Reviews

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    1. I am aware of the pros and cons of DST, but I don't buy into it, because it messes with me too much. Sundquist has been going hard on Halloween for a decade. All his costumes are incredible.

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  17. I still need to read A List of Cages. Yay for 5 star reads, but sorry about the DNFs. I hope you adjust to your new job position soon. That has to be really stressful!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I feel like DNFs are the price one must pay for those 5-star books. It's the balance of the universe. I hope I mentally survive A List of Cages. I keep hearing how heart wrenching it is. That's why I have put it off.

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  18. I hope you settle into the new position soon. That's such an unsettling feeling. I'm with you on DST. It serves no purpose anymore. Why keep doing this? I hope the new steamer is a winner! I need to get some kind of coat/jacket so see me through the winter. But I don't want to spend much money because it's likely I won't use it beyond this winter (I'm still losing weight and trying to spend as little as possible on clothes these days). But I'm going to have to break down and get something... it does get cold here at times.

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    1. I always feel like I am doing worse than my managers think, so that's a good thing. My problem with ordering coats online is that I don't like them tight on my arms. I wear layers, and I have no idea when the arms are so slim on all these coats

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  19. I had to scrape ice off my car during the week... Autumn is here/Winter is coming.
    I hope this week went well and you settle into the new role.

    I like this version of the clock change. In the UK, we're back on GMT. Good old fashioned "normal" time. I hate it in the summer when we flip to BST and "lose" an hour. But, regardless of the direction, I wish they'd just pick a time and stick to it instead of the bi-annual flip-flop that we currently have. :(

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    1. Gaining an hour is definitely better than losing an hour, but any change puts off my internal clock.

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