Books and October Resolutions

Books read:

• Well, I just finished Hawaii. Funny, I'd totally forgotten both how much I love Michener's storytelling and how unimpressive I find his actual writing. Can't even pinpoint why that is. I just find it terribly uninspired. His characters are well done, his plots are interesting, his stories are thought-provoking and educational... but I think if it weren't for the history aspect of them, I wouldn't read his books. The words themselves are just a bit... I dunno, flat or something.
  
  It's the difference between "Friends, Romans, countrymen: lend my your ears!" and "Friends, Romans, countrymen: I got something I gotta tell ya."^*
  
  I'm still working through Explorer, no farther along than I was last month. Also still plodding through Aztec. The Spaniards just arrived in Mexico. Not that the narrarator is aware of it yet; he thinks they're whales.
  
  I almost abandoned the book last week, actually. It's a study in gore, for a lot of it, as the author very skilfully immerses the reader into the mentality of a culture where bloody death was a wonderful part of life, and bodies were dismembered with stunning regularity. It's very skilfully done, but icky. And I think I got the whole "the Aztecs viewed death differently than we do and here's why" theme about 300 pages ago, so I kinda wish he'd lay off that particular motif.
  
  Likewise, the whole "unusual sex practices sell books were the norm" thing has been done, thanks. So far we've covered group sex, prostitution, incest, rape, voyeurism, copulation with statues, and pedophilia. What utter joy, I'm starting to think whenever things start to heat up, in what exciting new way will I be revolted this time? And how long will my own libido spend retching in the corner this time?
  
  I can see why my mom never finished the book, despite its historical draw. I don't know if I'll bother to finish it either. The writing and plot are good, and the insight into the time and place and culture of Mexico in the 1400-1500s is brilliant, but the gore and depravity kinda really kills it.
  
  
• The boys and Chris: are still reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets at bedtime.
  
  
• Daniel is still reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and a Bionicle book that his friend Oliver loaned him. Very happy with both.

***
October Goals:

• get taxes done and filed and $ transferred
  
• house
  
  • personal items out of BR1, BR2, entertainment room, guest room
    
  • personal items out of kitchen, brown room, dining room/living room
    
  • personal items out of basement
    
  • furniture moved out
    
  • insurance
    
  • fridge & stove
    
  • rental agreement
  
  
• health insurance sent in

Daniel's goals for October:

• English: finish reading & doing activities for Goblet of Fire
  
• Spanish: -AR verbs and -IR verbs, common irregular verbs, one translation.
  
• French: not decided yet
  
• Math: brackets, fractions, decimals, averages
  
• Science: Chris' area, not mine
  
• Social Studies: finish Hawai'i work, start Antartica/Oceania
  
• Art: illustrate lapbooks
  
• Music: finish level 2 books, start level 3

*: Not my line; it's from a Bob Newhart schtick about Abraham Lincoln's speechwriter.