Marquise > Status Update

Not really besides the fact that I’m mortally afraid of cracking the spines and staining the pages😂 I guess covering all your paperbacks with plastic is not precisely normal.

I like to chew gum and drink coffee at the same time. I don't like to annotate, because I'm anal about keeping my books in a collectable state (although I've lowered my standards, since it can bring about nervous breakdowns), so I use a boat load of transparent post-its to mark passages; and during the winter I have to sit by the woodstove, which turns my skin into sandpaper.

C wrote: "Not really besides the fact that I’m mortally afraid of cracking the spines and staining the pages😂 I guess covering all your paperbacks with plastic is not precisely normal."

Hehehe, I had one friend in my teens who had a side hustle of making plastic, leather, and imitation leather covers for books, which he sold like hot cakes everywhere. They were pretty and much in demand, though.

I tried to make my own leather cover for my favourite book, the one I was always rereading, and it was . . . ugh. Ugly. 😂 Eventually, my friend gifted me one of his covers that hadn't sold, he must've taken pity of my lack of leathercraft skills. 😂

Mr. James wrote: "I like to chew gum and drink coffee at the same time..."

Hahaha! Oh, my, I would be afraid I'd swallow the chewing gum. 😂
How do you avoid that mishap?

I envy you your fireplace, I want one for my house.

I have a chair that I always like to sit in when I'm reading a book. When I read outside, I always like to have one of my cats sitting beside me on the my reading bench. That works well unless the cat decides it wants to read, too, and then it's not so easy! Cats love to bat at Braille pages or to lie spread atop the current page, and I naturally can't read when that's happening! LOL! Usually, they get to stay where they are. I'm don't have the heart to make a cat move.

Drink and snack.

Honestly? Not really. The only thing I can think of is that for some reason, I can’t read in my couch in front of the TV. I’ve tried it, but I always quickly end up turning on the TV.

LOL at the kitty anecdote. They do say pets start to act like their owners after a while.

I can read just about anywhere, but my favorite spots are the couch or in bed, all cozy under a blanket.

Nope. I can read anywhere, anytime.

Betsie wrote: "Nope. I can read anywhere, anytime."

You're too normal for the likes of us, m'dear. 😂

Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) wrote: "I can read just about anywhere, but my favorite spots are the couch or in bed, all cozy under a blanket."

Lovely! <3 It's a common habit, from what I see online. In cold climates and during the colder months, more so.

XOX wrote: "Drink and snack."

How many hands do you have that you can drink and snack AND read at the same time? 😂

Meredith wrote: "I have a chair that I always like to sit in when I'm reading a book..."

Does it hold a special significance to you or is it just comfy?

Thibault wrote: "Honestly? Not really. The only thing I can think of is that for some reason, I can’t read in my couch in front of the TV. I’ve tried it, but I always quickly end up turning on the TV."

I'm the exact opposite in this regard, the TV sends me to read. 😂 But I can multitask, so I sometimes watch and read at once.

Yeah, that kitty is quirky by nature but became quirkier by nurture. And everyone knows it's because I raised him like that and explain so to strangers who raise an eyebrow at seeing the cat. 😂

Marquise wrote: "XOX wrote: "Drink and snack."

How many hands do you have that you can drink and snack AND read at the same time? 😂"

Sip a little. Read a little. Eat a little. Repeat. Mix it up.. I got the special talent eating chocolate and reading at the same time.

XOX wrote: "I got the special talent eating chocolate and reading at the same time.."

Oh, yeah! That's easier. 😂

Not really.. Not unless you count not liking or wanting to read more than one book at a time. I guess my ritual is this.. I don't like to have my attention divided between 2 or more different books at a time. I don't see how one can remain completely objective on what they read and when it comes time to review the book, if their attention and focus is basically on different books, and different author's prose, all at the same time. Something at some point has to get lost in translation for the reader when this occurs.. Especially if you read very fast and you're always reading at least 3-6 books at a time.. So I prefer to read one book at a time rather than hopping back and forth between them.. But that's just me.

Wait, I just realized I do have a certain specific ritual, but this is only when I'm about to read a fave author's book that I've been anticipating.
I tell folks to not ask me for anything while I read.. I also get a nice glass of wine and some kind of sweet or salty treat to consume as I read.

~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "Not really.. Not unless you count not liking or wanting to read more than one book at a time. I guess my ritual is this.. I don't like to have my attention divided between 2 or more different books..."

My personal record is reading four books at the same time. Actual reading, not selecting bits and pieces. I think in college I never read only one book at once, but that was non-fic and it was Uni, so that doesn't count. 😂

I am a multi-tasker, unplanned most times. So if you wonder how come I can review a book whilst still posting updates on another, this is why. 😂 I don't do it every time, though.

~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "I also get a nice glass of wine and some kind of sweet or salty treat to consume as I read."

Do you and Craig sit together to read whilst having a treat?

My #lifegoal is to have that kind of domestic bliss, I'm not married yet but the Cub (my fiancé) has promised me to bring me treats and sit by me as I read so I can rant to him (I'm not a silent reader. 😂)

The few couples here who are both readers and know each other well to bring little food or book gifts for no reason are my favourite! I think besides you two, there's one other such couple amongst my GR friends. <3

Marquise wrote: "My personal record is reading four books at the same time. Actual reading, not selecting bits and pieces. I think in college I never read only one book at once, but that was non-fic and it was Uni, so that doesn't count. 😂"

Same here. I read multiple books at the time, based on moods and needs.

After being laughed at and being told the same old story by friends, that I had brought a standardised hardcover book over 600 pages to an outing years ago. I have to change my habit and only bring a paperback with me and leave the hardback for later. So that's at least two. Then I have to switch between non-fiction and fiction books, as the non-fiction can become too dry sometimes. That's three at least. Then I have to switch between thriller and humour books, adding a sci-fi or fantasy in the mix.

So between 3-7 books at the time is quite normal for me.

Great responses! I'm enjoying reading them. My ritual is that I must read first thing in the morning. Something, anything.

More habit than ritual. I usually sit on the right side of the sofa, near the lamp. Often as not with something to drink (tea or bourbon). Always with my pen, pocket notebook, and page points for reading notes. I rarely writr in books (I use a pencil to correct egregious typos and inaccuracies, very occasionally cross-references). Usually I have four to six books going at once (novel, history, poetry, Latin, Greek, sometimes French).

Fred wrote: "More habit than ritual. I usually sit on the right side of the sofa, near the lamp."

Now that you mention it, I'm a sofá leftist. 😂 I'm always sitting to the left, but mostly it's because people seem to go naturally to the right to sit and that only leaves the spaces to the left for me. With a buncha siblings and being "the little," I always lost the couch wars. 😂

Vanessa wrote: "Great responses! I'm enjoying reading them. My ritual is that I must read first thing in the morning. Something, anything."

So reading is like your morning coffee? I like that!

XOX wrote: "Then I have to switch between non-fiction and fiction books, as the non-fiction can become too dry sometimes."

Same! I no longer read as much non-fic as before, but I need it to reset. My longest-lasting slump was pure non-fic, and it was utter misery...

I have to read before I go to sleep. I generally read for 1 hour then roll over and go to sleep.

Not that I can think of. I slouch when I read or sprawl all over but I do that in general too, so...
Do you close the window blinds when it's dark or leave them open?

Marquise wrote: " ~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "I also get a nice glass of wine and some kind of sweet or salty treat to consume as I read."

Do you and Craig sit together to read whilst having a treat?

My #lifegoal is to have that kind of domestic bliss, I'm not married yet but the Cub (my fiancé) has promised me to bring me treats and sit by me as I read so I can rant to him (I'm not a silent reader. 😂)"

Yes! We do this all the time... Sometimes he'll make us a chocolate(white chocolate for me)/fruit/cheese plate, and he'll read the book to me out loud, (I've been told I have the best audible known to man 😂) if we're reading the same book.. Other times we just read our books cuddled together..

I too, am not a silent reader😂😂😂 Way too emotional.

Marquise wrote: "Betsie wrote: "Nope. I can read anywhere, anytime."

You're too normal for the likes of us, m'dear. 😂"

I'll take that as a compliment, especially in this day and age!

Charlton wrote: "I have to read before I go to sleep. I generally read for 1 hour then roll over and go to sleep."

Ha! Now we have the other end of the street. You read before you sleep and Vanessa reads as soon as she wakes up. 😂

I wonder if there's someone here who has to do both?

Betsie wrote: "Marquise wrote: "I'll take that as a compliment, especially in this day and age!"

It is a compliment, yeah. <3

Morphing_kashi wrote: "Do you close the window blinds when it's dark or leave them open?"

I have old-fashioned fabric curtains.

When it's downstairs, I leave them open. The neighbour across the street has no blinds or curtains on their living room, so I can always see them through their window. 😂 When it's upstairs, I close them.

~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "Yes! We do this all the time... Sometimes he'll make us a chocolate(white chocolate for me)/fruit/cheese plate, and he'll read the book to me out loud, (I've been told I have the best audible known to man 😂) if we're reading the same book.. Other times we just read our books cuddled together."

You two are my role models! 😂 Nothing better than have your man reading the sexy parts of books. 😂

😂😂😂
Yeah.. it can be a treat to listen to him read.. Plus, Craig does have this really beautiful, very deep sexy voice.. He so should be doing audible books for a living 🤣.. It doesn't matter what he reads.. I could listen to that man read from a vintage telephone book and still swoon.🤭🤭

~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "😂😂😂
Yeah.. it can be a treat to listen to him read.. Plus, Craig does have this really beautiful, very deep sexy voice.. He so should be doing audible books for a living 🤣..."

REALLY?! 🤩 Does he have an accent too? 😏


You're the luckiest gal on the planet, Nya. *takes notes for when I grow up* 🥰

@ Marquise

"REALLY?! 🤩 Does he have an accent too? 😏

You're the luckiest gal on the planet, Nya. *takes notes for when I grow up* 🥰"

🤣Aww.. Thank you😍 I know I'm blessed. Thankful.

Yes and no. When he speaks English, you can't really tell that he has an accent. So his voice is extremely deep yes, but you don't hear an accent unless he's speaking in Russian..

Does Mr. Craig have a brother or cousin that needs companionship?

I thought that I felt my cheeks and ears burning. Thank you, Ptichka, and Marquise. I am very appreciative of the praise.

Kalinka, I am sorry. I do not have a brother and all of my cousins are taken ;')

Craig Vasiliev wrote: "I thought that I felt my cheeks and ears burning. Thank you, Ptichka, and Marquise. I am very appreciative of the praise."

You have a lovely wifey right here who values you greatly, my friend! 😏 You, too, lucked out in life.

~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ wrote: "Yes and no. When he speaks English, you can't really tell that he has an accent. So his voice is extremely deep yes, but you don't hear an accent unless he's speaking in Russian.."

Excellent, excellent! I'm a voice appreciator over an accent gusher. I even develop voice crushes. 🤣

@ Marquise..

"Excellent, excellent! I'm a voice appreciator over an accent gusher. I even develop voice crushes. 🤣"


🤣🤣🤣 Me too!
Either way, I'm stupid when he speaks. Whether that be in English or Russian.. The lethal weapon is his deep voice, yes.. But the deep voice accompanied by the accent when he speaks in Russian? TOTALLY. NOT. PLAYING. FAIR.

Craig Vasiliev wrote: "I thought that I felt my cheeks and ears burning. Thank you, Ptichka, and Marquise. I am very appreciative of the praise.

Kalinka, I am sorry. I do not have a brother and all of my cousins are taken ;')..."

Bummer.

Marquise wrote: "Craig Vasiliev wrote: "I thought that I felt my cheeks and ears burning. Thank you, Ptichka, and Marquise. I am very appreciative of the praise."

You have a lovely wifey right here who values you ..."

This is true, Marquise. I am aware of how fortunate I am to have my Nya's love, respect and praise.

You two are making me want to hug both of you! 🥰 It's not that common to find loving and well-matched couples anymore. Thank you for keeping romance alive. 🥰

Marquise wrote: "You two are making me want to hug both of you! 🥰 It's not that common to find loving and well-matched couples anymore. Thank you for keeping romance alive. 🥰"

🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰
Thank you, Marquise!

Anytime! 🥰 🥰 🥰