FAVORITE THINGS…FOR CURLING UP, ETC.

When I think of spots where I like to “curl up and read,” I often focus on the little wicker loveseat above.  That little bench has been with me for many years, and moves around from various spots in each home.

Years ago, it was like a window seat in my foothill home, and cats enjoyed it, too.

Then I added a few pillows for human comfort and moved it to my next home, where it landed near windows or bookshelves (as in the first photo above).

 

For a while, it also had pride of place in my former bedroom.  I loved its coziness.

Now it sits at the foot of my bed in my current residence.

 

My pattern is to cling to my favorite things, especially when they’ve proven to be versatile, like the bench.  I also have tables and other accessories that trail along after me in my various moves.  Below, I used my antique ice cream table as an end table in my previous residence.

Before that, I used it as a sofa table for playing games…See the photo on the left portion of this “back in the past” collage…

 

Now I use it to “hold” my TV in my new place.

 

***

I have definitely diverged from my initial focus on the bench seat…LOL.  But my point, apparently, is to show how I hang onto my various favorite things.

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Do you have furniture/accessories/or collections that remain part of your life as you move from place to place?  Or do you like to start over with a “blank canvas” wherever you are?  And what are your favorite “curl up and read” spots?

***

BOOKS PURCHASED IN 2019…AND THOSE READ

Check out the titles I added this year, so far; and then see the links to my reviews of the 2019 purchases read.  Not bad.

 

JANUARY 2019:

1.A Simple Favor (e-book), by Darcey Bell

2.Becoming Mrs. Lewis (e-book), by Patti Callahan

3.Best of Us, The (e-book), by Robyn Carr

4.Come Find Me (e-book), by Megan Miranda

5.Her One Mistake (e-book), by Heidi Perks

6.Late in the Day (e-book), by Tessa Hadley

7.Liar’s Room, The (e-book), by Simon Lelic

8.Red Address Book, The (e-book), by Sofia Lundberg

9.She Lies in Wait (e-book), by Gytha Lodge

10.Suspect, The (e-book), by Fiona Barton

11.Untouchable (e-book), by Jayne Ann Krentz

12.Wallis in Love, by Andrew Morton

13.Woman Inside, The (e-book), by E. G. ScottDNF

14.Woman Who Kept Everything, The (e-book), by Jane Gilley

***

FEBRUARY 2019:

1.Don’t Wake Up (e-book), by Liz Lawler

2. I Invited Her In (e-book), by Adele Parks

3.I Owe You One (e-book), by Sophie Kinsella

4.Never Tell (e-book), by Lisa Gardner

5.Next To Die, The (e-book), by Sophie Hannah

6.Silent Patient, The (e-book), by Alex Michaelides

***

MARCH 2019:

1.All the Wrong Places (e-book), by Joy Fielding

2.Back Stabbers (e-book), by Julie Mulhern

3,Before She Knew Him (e-book), by Peter Swanson

4.California Girls (e-book), by Susan Mallery

5.Liar’s Child, The (e-book), by Carla Buckley

6.Library of Lost and Found, The (e-book), by Phaedra Patrick

7.Maid (e-book), by Stephanie Land

8. Night Visitors, The (e-book), by Carol Goodman

9.Perfect Girlfriend, The (e-book), by Karen Hamilton

10.Things We Cannot Say, The (e-book), by Kelly Rimmer

***

APRIL 2019:

1.Editor, The (e-book), by Steven Rowley

2.Girl He Used to Know, The (e-book), by Tracey Garvis Graves

3.My Lovely Wife (e-book), by Samantha Downing

4.Someone Knows (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline

***

GIVING IN TO THE BOOK LUST…

Good morning, and welcome to my epic fail in terms of January purchases…so far.  With only a few days left in the month, what are the chances that I won’t buy more?

Maybe I should give in to my book lust and try to curtail the impulses in February.

But as you study the titles below, can you blame me?  Oh, yes, I could have waited…and spread things out a bit.  But instead of beating up on myself, I could just sink back into my couch…and enjoy.

***

JANUARY 2019:

1.A Simple Favor (e-book), by Darcey Bell

2.Becoming Mrs. Lewis (e-book), by Patti Callahan

3.Best of Us, The (e-book), by Robyn Carr

4.Her One Mistake (e-book), by Heidi Perks

5.Late in the Day (e-book), by Tessa Hadley

6.Liar’s Room, The (e-book), by Simon Lelic

7.Red Address Book, The (e-book), by Sofia Lundberg

8.She Lies in Wait (e-book), by Gytha Lodge

9.Suspect, The (e-book), by Fiona Barton

10.Untouchable (e-book), by Jayne Ann Krentz

11.Wallis in Love, by Andrew Morton

12.Woman Inside, The (e-book), by E. G. Scott

***

What has your January looked like?  So far I have read and reviewed one of my January books, and I’m reading another one, The Liar’s Room.

***

ANTICIPATING MY BOOKISH JOURNEY IN 2018…

I am still trying to accept that we are almost in December…and what happens when that month is over.

Yes, 2018, and what it means for this blog.  Here I document my bookish journey, and add pages to celebrate what I’ve purchased, read, and received for review.

Yesterday I was feeling restless, so I created pages for the New Year.  Yes, believe it or not!

Here they are:

BOOKSHELVES: 2018

      Review Books – 2018

      Books Purchased – 2018

      Books Read – 2018

***

At some point, I may have to archive the old years….does anyone have experience doing that?

In the meantime, I will chug along enjoying how I can show what I’ve done in the past, and what is coming for the New Year. 

Happy Reading!

***

AVOIDANCE & BLOG PLAYING….BOOK DISTRACTIONS?

The other day, I wrote My TBR Stacks:  A Closer Look, hoping to zero in on my reading progress…and plan accordingly.  I also wrote a little about my fickle reading choices on Friday Potpourri:  Book Hopping, Etc.

Instead of really curling up to read, though, I’ve been creating new blog headers, like the one above…and like this one (below), at Serendipity.

 

***

And then…(below) over at Potpourri:

 

 

 

 

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I think this one (above) is my favorite!

But…I also like the one at this site….I’m not quite finished with Serendipity, though.   It doesn’t really resonate with me, for some reason.  I’m sure I’ll be working on that, though.

***

So…let’s get to it.  I do have a list of books I hope to read in the next few weeks…and, yes, I am veering off course occasionally, but I’m still whittling away at the stacks.

Hillbilly Elegy is one I’m reading now…although I’m also reading Two If by Sea (halfway finished).  I want to pick up Inheriting Edith soon, as well.

All good choices, since they’re on my TBR pile.  But…shouldn’t I finish one of them?  Or two?

 

 

***

 

***

 

***

Let’s face it…I’ll do my back and forth dance with my books, I’ll watch a little Netflix…anything to avoid having to clean the house.  Yes, I’ve done the bathrooms and the kitchen…but I hate vacuuming and dusting.  lol.  I can always do it tomorrow, right?

What do you like to do instead of housework?  Does reading (or the pretense of reading) keep you away from tasks you would like to avoid?

***

THE STATE OF MY TBR: READING IN BED, ETC.

My favorite thing about evenings is coming into my cozy bedroom—some might say cluttered, but those people won’t be visiting in this space!—and gathering books around me.  And the remote control, as I also watch TV or DVDs here.  Sometimes I even bring in my laptop and watch Netflix or Amazon Prime videos.

 

***

It is tempting to stay up all night, reading or watching something, but eventually, I have to give in to sleep.  And I love it, once I’ve gone there, but falling asleep is sometimes a challenge.

Probably because I’ve been reading thrillers or watching the same on TV or Netflix.

A cup of tea helps, occasionally.

 

***

How am I doing on my various lists?  My challenges?  Here’s what I’ve read from my 2016 purchases this year, with links to the reviews.  As you can see,  some months are better than others.

 

JANUARY 2016:

1.  Brooklyn (e-book), by Colm Toibin

2.  Crossing Places, The (e-book, Book 1 Ruth Galloway), by Elly Griffiths

3.   Ex, The (e-book), by Alafair Burke

4.   Guaranteed to Bleed (e-book, Book 2), by Julie Mulhern

5.   Summer’s End, The (e-book, #3), by Mary Alice Monroe

6.   Three To Get Deadly (e-book), by Janet Evanovich

7.   What Was Mine (e-book), by Helen Klein Ross

***

FEBRUARY 2016:

1.  Find Her (e-book), by Lisa Gardner

2.  Girl in the Red Coat, The (e-book), by Kate Hamer

3.  Price of Salt, The (or Carol) (e-book), by Patricia Highsmith

4.   Ramblers, The (e-book), by Aidan Donnelley Rowley

5.   ROOM (e-book), by Emma Donoghue

6.  Under the Influence (e-book), by Joyce Maynard

***

MARCH 2016:

1.   Another City, Not My Own (e-book), by Dominick Dunne (for reread)

2.   Be Frank with Me (e-book), by Julia Claiborne Johnson

3.   Breakdown (e-book), by Jonathan Kellerman

4.   Domestic Secrets (e-book), by Rosalind Noonan

5.   Friction (e-book), by Sandra Brown

6.   Must Love Dogs:  New Leash on Life (e-book, #2), by Claire Cook

7.   My Name Is Lucy Barton (e-book), by Elizabeth Strout

8.   Nest, The (e-book), by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

9.   Orphan Choir, The (e-book), by Sophie Hannah

10.  She Can Kill (e-book), by Melinda Leigh

11.  Somewhere Out There (e-book), by Amy Hatvany

12. Terrible Virtue (e-book), by Ellen Feldman

***

APRIL 2016:

1.    Excellent Lombards, The (e-book), by Jane Hamilton

2.   First Frost (e-book, Waverley #2), by Sarah Addison Allen

3.   Lies & Other Acts of Love (e-book), by Kristy Woodson Harvey

4.   Luckiest Girl Alive (e-book), by Jessica Knoll

5.   My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry (e-book), by Fredrik Backman

6.   Obsession, The (e-book), by Nora Roberts

7.    One and Only, The, by Emily Giffin

8.    Other Typist, The (e-book), by Suzanne Rindell

9.   River Road (e-book), by Carol Goodman

10.  Scandal in Skibbereen (e-book, County Cork #2), by Sheila Connolly

11.  Shelter Mountain (e-book, Book 2), by Robyn Carr

12.  What We Find (e-book), by Robyn Carr

***

MAY 2016:

1.  A Lowcountry Wedding (e-book), by Mary Alice Monroe

2.  Blue Bath, The (e-book), by Mary Waters-Sayer

3.  Clouds in My Coffee (e-book), by Julie Mulhern

4.  Dear Carolina (e-book), by Kristy Woodson Harvey

5.   Dear Thing (e-book), by Julie Cohen

6.   Flight Patterns (e-book), by Karen White

7.   I Let You Go (e-book), by Claire Mackintosh

8.   Island House, The (e-book), by Nancy Thayer

9.   Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty:  Memoir, by Diane Keaton9

10.  My Husband’s Wives (e-book), by Faith Hogan

11.  Some Women (e-book), by Emily Liebert

12. Two-Family House, The (e-book), by Lynda Cohen Loigman

13. Two If By Sea (e-book), by Jacquelyn Mitchard

14.  Unsinkable:  Memoir, by Debbie Reynolds

15.  Wilde Lake (e-book), by Laura Lippman

***

JUNE 2016:

1.   Confess, by Colleen Hoover

2.  Death at Breakfast (e-book), by Beth Gutcheon

3.  Deep Dark (e-book), by Laura Griffin

4.  Dinner, The (e-book), by Herman Koch

5.  Drinking Closer to Home (e-book), by Jessica Anya Blau

6.   Exit, The (e-book), Helen FitzGerald

7.   Here’s To Us (e-book), by Elin Hilderbrand

8.   Mystic Summer (e-book), by Hannah McKinnon

9.   One True Loves (e-book), by Taylor Jenkins Reid

10.  Sunshine Beach (e-book), by Wendy Wax

11. Sweetbitter (e-book), by Stephanie Danler

12. Vinegar Girl (e-book), by Anne Tyler

***

JULY 2016:

1. Coincidence of Coconut Cake, The (e-book), by Amy E. Riechert

2.  Girl You Lost, The (e-book), by Kathryn Croft

3. In Twenty Years (e-book), by Allison Winn Scotch

4. I’ve Got Sand in All the Wrong Places (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline, et. al.

5.  Melody Lingers On, The (e-book), by Mary Higgins Clark

6.  They May Not Mean To, But They Do (e-book), by Cathleen Schine

7.  This Must Be the Place (e-book), by Maggie O’Farrell

8.  Truly Madly Guilty (e-book), by Liane Moriarty

9.   Truth-Teller’s Lie, The (e-book), by Sophie Hannah

10. Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann (50th Anniversary Copy – reread)

***

AUGUST 2016:

1.All the Ugly & Wonderful Things (e-book), by Bryn Greenwood

2. American Girl, The (e-book), by Kate Horsley

3.  American Heiress, by Jeffrey Toobin

4.  Behind Closed Doors (e-book), by B. A. Paris

5. Book that Matters Most, The (e-book), by Ann Hood

6.  Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, by Anne Tyler (reread)

7. Family Tree (e-book), by Susan Wiggs

8.  Firefly Summer (e-book), by Nan Rossiter

9.  I Am No One (e-book), by Patrick Flanery

10. If I Forget You (e-book), by Thomas Christopher Greene

11. I Found You, by Lisa Jewell

12. It Ends with Us (e-book), by Colleen Hoover

13.  Map of the World, A (e-book), by Jane Hamilton (reread)

14. My Life, My Body, by Marge Piercy

15. Results May Vary (e-book), by Bethany Chase

16. Rosemary:  The Hidden Kennedy Daughter, by Kate Clifford Larson

17.  Silver Linings Playbook (e-book), by Matthew Quick

18. Siracusa (e-book), by Delia Ephron

19. Sister, The (e-book), by Louise Jensen

***

SEPTEMBER 2016:

1.Come and Find Me (e-book), by Hallie Ephron

2. Finding Libbie (e-book), by Deanna Lynn Sletten

3. Kept Woman, The (e-book), by Karin Slaughter

4. Last Good Girl, The (e-book), by Allison Leotta

5.Life She Wants, The (e-book), by Robyn Carr

6. London Train, The (e-book), by Tessa Hadley

7. Some Tame Gazelle (e-book), by Barbara Pym

8. Sting (e-book), by Sandra Brown

9. Watching Edie (e-book), by Camilla Way

***

OCTOBER 2016:

1. Commonwealth (e-book), by Ann Patchett

2. Dollhouse, The (e-book), by Fiona Davis

3.  Echoes of Family (e-book), by Barbara Claypole White

4.  Hot Milk (e-book), by Deborah Levy

5.  Hungry Heart (e-book), by Jennifer Weiner

6. Love Letters, by Debbie Macomber

7.  Mean Streak, by Sandra Brown

8. Mothers, The (e-book), by Brit Bennett

9. Red Car, The (e-book), by Marcy Dermansky

10.Saturday Requiem, by Nicci French

11. Send in the Clowns (e-book), by Julie Mulhern

12. Spelling It Like It Is, by Tori Spelling

13. Stealing Jason Wilde (e-book), by Dee Ernst

***

NOVEMBER 2016:

1. Another Brooklyn, by Jacqueline Woodson

2. Home, by Harlan Coben

3. Murder Game, The (e-book), by Julie Apple

***

The good news, however, is that I have now read 78 books for the Read the Books You Buy Challenge, which includes books purchased from June 2015 on.

I know, I should BUY LESS AND READ MORE!

What does your year show you so far?  Do you like reading in bed? 

***

LET’S CURL UP WITH MY BOOK BUYING/READING

Good morning!  It’s Tuesday, and because many new books are released on Tuesdays, I have been adding to my Kindle collection as if there were no tomorrow.  And you know what else?  Most of them were not new releases.  I did get one of the new Kindle Prime books…but that was yesterday.

Above, note my little country cupboard which sits in the dining area…those print books are some of the ones left after my various purges.  I do have a few scattered throughout the condo…and some day I will count them.  I’m guessing I still have between 400-500 books.

Here is another cupboard with old favorites:

 

 

***

Let’s take a look at this year’s purchases, from May on:

 

MAY 2016:

1.  A Lowcountry Wedding (e-book), by Mary Alice Monroe

2.  Blue Bath, The (e-book), by Mary Waters-Sayer

3.  Clouds in My Coffee (e-book), by Julie Mulhern

4.  Dear Carolina (e-book), by Kristy Woodson Harvey

5.   Dear Thing (e-book), by Julie Cohen

6.   Flight Patterns (e-book), by Karen White

7.   I Let You Go (e-book), by Claire Mackintosh

8.   Island House, The (e-book), by Nancy Thayer

9.   Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty:  Memoir, by Diane Keaton9

10.  My Husband’s Wives (e-book), by Faith Hogan

11.  Some Women (e-book), by Emily Liebert

12. Two-Family House, The (e-book), by Lynda Cohen Loigman

13. Two If By Sea (e-book), by Jacquelyn Mitchard

14.  Unsinkable:  Memoir, by Debbie Reynolds

15.  Wilde Lake (e-book), by Laura Lippman

***

JUNE 2016:

1.   Confess, by Colleen Hoover

2.  Death at Breakfast (e-book), by Beth Gutcheon

3.  Deep Dark (e-book), by Laura Griffin

4.  Dinner, The (e-book), by Herman Koch

5.  Drinking Closer to Home (e-book), by Jessica Anya Blau

6.   Exit, The (e-book), Helen FitzGerald

7.   Here’s To Us (e-book), by Elin Hilderbrand

8.   Mystic Summer (e-book), by Hannah McKinnon

9.   One True Loves (e-book), by Taylor Jenkins Reid

10.  Sunshine Beach (e-book), by Wendy Wax

11. Sweetbitter (e-book), by Stephanie Danler

12. Vinegar Girl (e-book), by Anne Tyler

***

JULY 2016:

1. Coincidence of Coconut Cake, The (e-book), by Amy E. Riechert

2.  Girl You Lost, The (e-book), by Kathryn Croft

3. In Twenty Years (e-book), by Allison Winn Scotch

4.  Melody Lingers On, The (e-book), by Mary Higgins Clark

5.  They May Not Mean To, But They Do (e-book), by Cathleen Schine

***

As you can see, I haven’t read that many of them…yet.  If you’ve been following this blog, you also know I’m participating in the Read the Books You Buy Challenge, and have read 40 so far this year.  Some of them are obviously from the last half of 2015, which counts for the challenge.

On the positive side, I have read 22 books I bought from January through April. 

***

I’ve also been catching up on review books, and have no unread Vine books on my stacks at this moment.  Of my NetGalley ARCs, I have one to be released in August, and two in October.  So it’s all good.

I also have an author review requested book to complete…soon.

***

Out of boredom, I changed the theme here yesterday.  Some of you might recognize the look from my Serendipity and Snow Sparks blogs.

What are you reading, buying, or reviewing lately?

 

 

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BOOKISH MOMENTS: LET’S CURL UP!

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning, and it’s still Coffee Time in my world, so I’m eager to talk about books and reading.  You might have also noticed my new look here (see new header at the top of my post).

 

I photographed a section of my bookish corner, the shelves built by my youngest son, and the loveseat…a thing from my past.  A place to curl up.

 

 

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The wicker loveseat has found many places to belong (for a while) in my home, from a spot by the windows to a place at the foot of my bed.

But I think this is my favorite niche for it.  It is where people sit down right after coming through the front door…and before they find the couches (loveseat and bigger couch), where they settle in for conversation, food, or reading.

 

 

***

Speaking of reading, I am pondering my books and trying to decide what’s up next.  Currently, I am still reading The Ramblers, an engaging book, but I’ve been distracted.  (Netflix, movies).

Breakdown is next on my list…and I love Alex Delaware.

But Friction has been on Pippa since March, so maybe it can be next?

 

 

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And I’ve been looking at ROOM, too, since I saw the movie already.

 

 

 

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So…I have a start for some engaging books….and now I just have to finish this week’s list first!  Or not.  Sometimes, I’m whimsical with my reading.

What about you?

Enjoy!

 

 

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LET’S CURL UP AND CHAT!

 

Good morning, and welcome to my Office Nook, where I spend most of my mornings.

Today is my eldest son’s birthday…and I wish he were here!  But he and my lovely DIL Gabi spent more than a month with us in the summer, and we keep up nowadays via Facebook, etc.

 

 

 

We won’t mention his age, because then you might figure out mine!  LOL.  Here is a photo of him in 1987…Yikes!  That spiky hair.  We enjoyed sharing some of these photos with his wife Gabi…she met him long after these days….

 

 

***

 

As I searched through various blog posts, I realized that October was the last time I purged…and then there was the carpet cleaning, as well as the office reorganization.

So is it time again?  Should I do more?

Well, I don’t want to cut too deep, as today’s Intros from Diane, at Bibliophile by the Sea, reminded me of a book that I hoped was still on my shelves…and it was!  Yay!

Family Tree, by Barbara Delinsky, is one I loved.  I read it back in 2008, before I really immersed myself in blogging.  So it deserves a reread, don’t you think?  And a proper review?

 

 

 

I love this cover!  Here’s the blurb:

 

Dana Clarke has always longed for the stability of home and family—her own childhood was not an easy one. Now she has married a man she adores who is from a prominent New England family, and she is about to give birth to their first child. But what should be the happiest day of her life becomes the day her world falls apart. Her daughter is born beautiful and healthy, but no one can help noticing the African American traits in her appearance. Dana’s husband, to her great shock and dismay, begins to worry that people will think Dana has had an affair.
The only way to repair the damage done is for Dana to track down the father she never knew and to explore the possibility of African American lineage in his family history. Dana’s determination to discover the truth becomes a poignant journey back through her past and her husband’s heritage that unearths secrets rooted in prejudice and fear.
Barbara Delinsky’s Family Tree is an utterly unforgettable novel that asks penetrating questions about race, family, and the choices people make in times of crisis—choices that have profound consequences that can last for generations.

***

In my post-purging weeks, I have busied myself with new headers and themes, and here’s what I’ve done at my website –  here’s the newest header:

 

 

 

And a screenshot showing the background:

 

 

***

So…perhaps I can focus on other things for a while.  No more purging through the holidays?  I still have two bookcases full of donations to take to the library.

 

 

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Meanwhile, I’ve been curling up with The Perfect Son, by Barbara Claypole White…and I’m enjoying it!

 

 

 

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Let’s curl up and immerse ourselves in our books!  What are you reading today?

 

 

 

***

WEEKEND READING…AND A MOMENTOUS OCCASION — FEB. 10

This week has been full of momentous reading, with each book bringing something special into my days. 

But here’s the most notable aspect to my reading week:  this week, I finished reading three review books, and not only finished them, but reviewed them.

I have one more book to finish of my planned week’s reading, but I’ve completed all the review books on my week’s list.  So I feel like celebrating a bit.

But here’s the best part.  I started reviewing on Amazon in 2008, and have been a Vine reviewer for awhile.  Today’s review post of The Long Drunk, by Eric Coyote, brought my total Amazon reviews to…wait for it!  600 REVIEWS!

When I started out, I wasn’t thinking of numbers.  I had just begun connecting to other reviewers and enjoyed exchanging comments on our reviews.

A lot has changed with Amazon reviewers since I began.  Back then, we had “Amazon friends” connections and could easily track the reviews of those we “knew.”

At that time, our profiles had links to these “friends,” and we could easily connect with them.  Nowadays, we have to actively search for other reviewers.

In the subsequent years, however, I’ve also joined Facebook, where I connect with readers, bloggers, writers, etc.  I have a lot of blogs these days, which is another way to connect.

Looking back, I am amazed at the changing online landscape, with more changes coming everyday.  Like Facebook’s timeline feature.

Goodreads is another place to connect with readers and bloggers.  I do enjoy how we can, in the midst of ongoing changes, find ways to join with other readers/writers and carry on a conversation, of sorts.

Where do you connect on the web?  Do you find that the social networking terrain has changed a lot since you began?  What are your favorite places to network?