Patrick Talmadge

Finished reading For a Few Demons More (The Hollows, Book 5) by Kim Harrison. For a Few Demons More is about the Cincinnati based bounty hunter and spell caster still possesses “the focus,” a 5,000 year old demon crafted Were artifact. With the help of her pixie partner Jenks and the human Detective Glenn, Rachel must deal with demons, the elf Trent Kalamack, and master vampire Piscary. Along with angry Weres, they are all in a struggle for of the artifact. A serial killer is on the loose and Rachel’s alpha werewolf pal, David, becomes the prime suspect of the FIB.

This book is another excellent story in the Hollows Series. Harrison continues to twist an entertaining tale. For some reason she continues to build more romance and sex into the series. The series must be written with a primarily female audience in mind.

I finally got the Wordpress iPhone app working. I had to disable two of my widgets (follow me and picasa). I’m not sure why the app wouldn’t work with those widgets running. Something new I need to look into.

So far the app seems cool. Not sure how much I will use it. It’s hard to type longer format text on the iPhone. It will be useful for quick posts, if I ever need to make any.

In March I did a 2009 first quarter update of the progress of my New Year’s Resolutions. In that post I said I would do a progress update every quarter. June means it’s time for a second quarter update for 2009. My second quarter progress for my 2009 New Year’s Resolutions is below.

• Read at least book a week
  I have read/listened to 42 books year to date. That is still an average of almost two books a week.
• Lose 25 pounds
  I meet my weight loss goal! I started off the year at 215 and today I weighed in at 190 pounds.  I’m going to readjust the goal and make my new goal 175 pounds.
• Eat better
  My eating has gotten better. I still have a weak spot for candy and desert. I started replacing some meals with a protein shake to help control my caloric intake. Overall, I’m doing better but still have a ways to go.
• Finish Project “A”
  The original idea for this project is finished. It hasn’t done that well. I need to change a few things. I will update more when it is finished.
• Start Project “B”
  Cancelled. 
• Start Project “C”
  I’m working with a co-working on a new idea. Once we have a prototype I will post a link. 
• Learn a new hobby
  I have taken a few good pictures but still have a lot to learn about photography and I need to use my camera more.  
• Keep dating my wife
  We don’t have a normal date night but we do go out and do stuff several times a week. This will become more difficult once the baby is born. 
• Focus on goals
  If you count this evaluation and the fact that our savings is back on track my goals are moving along.

Finished reading A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, Book 4) by Kim Harrison. A Fistful of Charms, the fourth book in the Hollows Series, plunges right into the action as Rachel Morgan finishes up her latest bounty hunting mission by taking down an alpha Were. When she returns home to find that her ex, Nick, has recruited her partner Jenks’s son in a criminal enterprise. Getting them both imprisoned by Weres in Michigan, apparently for stealing a priceless Were artifact. Rachel uses some slightly black magic in order to grown Jenks to human size so he can accompany her on a mission to rescue his son. The task quickly spirals out of control after finding Jenks’s son.

I enjoyed A Fistful of Charms it’s a good follow up to the other books in the series. The romance stuff is getting to be a little bit much but the story is fun.

Finished reading Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows, Book 3) by Kim Harrison. In this book Rachel Morgan strikes a deal with the devil. To get the demon, Algaliarept, to testify at the trial of vampire Piscary she agrees to be Algaliarept familiar and share her aura. Rachel is certain she can maintain control, because she can keeping her soul. As she changes places with the Algaliarept’s old familiar, Ceri, she takes pity on the girl and rescues her from the demon’s clutches. She learns that Algaliarept poses a greater danger than she first expected.

Every Which Way But Dead is a good book, like the first two books in the series. In this book Harrison starts to write more about Rachel’s relationships and love life which I don’t find interesting and I feel that it distracts from the plot. Overall, Every Which Way But Dead is a fun book if you enjoyed the first two books.

Finished reading The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows, Book 2) by Kim Harrison. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead picks up were Dead Witch Walking left off. Rachel Morgan, former bounty hunter, has it pretty good. She left the corrupt Inderland Runner Service and started her own independent service. She’s survived werewolves, shape-changing demons, and sharing a church with her vampire roommate, Ivy. But, Rachel’s new found demon mark leaves her open to vampires pull.

Rachel must confront the vampire master in order to save herself and the dark secrets she’s hidden even from herself. This book was a good follow up to the first book. Interested to see what Harrison does with the rest of the series.

Finished reading Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, Book 1) by Kim Harrison. Dead Witch Walking is about Rachel Morgan, a runner with the Inderland Runner Services. Rachel’s job is to apprehending law-breakers throughout Cincinnati. As a witch she is one of the many Inderlanders who revealed themselves after a genetically engineered virus wiped out 50 percent of humanity. Witches, warlocks, vampires, and werewolves have lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. Now they’ve stopped hiding, and the world will not be the same.

Rachel reluctantly teams up with Ivy, Inderland’s best runner and a living vampire, while on the run with a contract on her head. To clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful crimelord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death.

Dead Witch Walking is a fun action packed book that has a side humor. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys vampires or paranormal fantasy. Looking forward to seeing what happens in book two.

Finished reading In Nixon’s Web: A Year in the Crosshairs of Watergate by L. Patrick Gray III and Ed Gray. L. Patrick Gray III was the FBI director for one year after the death of John Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI. Gray was the target of the Watergate attempts to have the CIA stop the FBI investigation of the break-in. Months later the Senate focused its attention on Gray, while the White House threw him to the wolves.

In Nixon’s Web is the firsthand account of Gray’s crucial year at the FBI. L. Patrick Gray reveals the conspiracy and betrayal that permeated Washington and he raises questions about the methods and motives of his top deputy, Mark Felt, the man alleged to be Deep Throat. The book was completed and expanded by Gray’s son, Ed Gray, due to his father’s death in 2005.

In Nixon’s Web is a fascinating book. I knew a little bit about the Watergate scandal but not that much considering it happened more than 10 years before I was born. I learned a good deal about Watergate from this book. The book is a one sided view of what happened after Hoover’s death but Gray’s depiction of his encounters are from a very high level position within the Government. Overall, In Nixon’s Web is very good book for anyone interested in learning more about Watergate.

Finished reading Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton and Rose Friedman. Free to Choose is an international bestseller that depicts how personal freedom has been eroded by government regulations and agencies while personal prosperity has been undermined by government spending and economic controls.

I don’t really have much to say about Free to Choose. It’s a good book, a little boring. Friedman raises some good points about the economics of the country and our government. The book is not for everyone. If you are interested in economics and governmental deficiencies you will find this book very interesting.

Over the weekend we ordered the baby’s crib and a matching dresser for the room. I had no idea how expensive baby furniture can be. Some of the cribs are well over a $1,000. Ridiculous, not sure how new parents can justify spending that much on a crib. Maybe its the fear that the industry puts into the market with all the safety reports.

We didn’t get the nightstand in the picture but you get the idea. We liked the crib because it was simple but still looked good. It can be converted into a full size bed. So in theory the crib will work as a bed as our son grows up. Neat idea we will see if it works out.

I couldn’t find a good image of the dresser/changing table we ordered. The dresser a 7 drawer unit that matches the crib.