Rating: 
In my never-ending quest to find the right ergonomic devices to go with my less than optimal workstation setup at work, I recently purchased Logitech’s new Wave Keyboard.
I’d gone through two Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboards, which were comfortable and nice to use, but both of which spontaneously had keys stop working for no reason not long into their lives. After that, I started using one of our spare Logitech straight keyboards. I liked it, but eventually wanted something more.
I can’t use split keyboards. They make me crazy; in part because I’ve developed my own method of typing, in which the wrong hand is on the wrong side of the keyboard, perhaps a carry-over from my piano playing, and this doesn’t work so well on a split keyboard. But generally speaking, I just don’t like them. Rather than ergonomic, I find them awkward. So when I read about the wave, which is nice and curvy, and not split, I decided to give it a try.
The wrist wrest is nice and padded, and actually works. More often than not when I used a wrist wrest it seemed to get in the way as much as help. But this one curves along with with the board, and is really comfortable, and will indeed save you a lot of strain if you actually remember to wrest your wrists on it. As for the keyboard itself….it rocks!
The wave design is really nice, and I’m sure totally perfect for those who can touch type, as it aims to make keys your pinky reaches for easier to reach. For me it’s a little awkward, though I’ve been adjusting fast, and do hope to learn to type correctly with it.
The coolest part is the extras. The document flip button that can cycle through open programs, for those of us who aren’t Alt+Tab freaks. The programmable F-keys and accessory buttons. You can run default programs (messenger, e-mail, web browser) or set your own actions for each key. You have three keys of your choice (a, b, c) aside from the pre-programmed (and changeable) f keys. There’s even a key that can invoke a restart, shutdown, etc. Warning: you might find yourself reaching for the calculator only to turn off your machine. But I bet you won’t do it more than once!
All in all, I really love this keyboard, and look forward to using it for a long time to come. It’s comfortable, and all the features make it a fun toy to add to the arsenal.
Rating: 
Ben Wolf headed into his senior year Cross-Country physical expecting the same old, same old. He was set on a course to win State. But then he gets the news, and everything changes. He can’t say he’s surprised, in the end. He always had a feeling he’d be leaving this world earlier than most. Never saw himself growing old. But still. That doesn’t solve the problem of what to tell people. And for now, he just won’t. Even if it takes black-mailing his doctor. (Which it does.)
It also takes twice-weekly therapy sessions which he thought he wouldn’t actually have to attend. But it turns out the old doc is smarter than Ben took him for, and sure enough, he does have to present and attempt to explain himself twice a week, to a young, new therapist, who doesn’t know how to deal.
In the world of school, he’s certainly been a surprise. With nothing to lose, Ben’s decided to forgo the Cross-Country title and turn out for football instead. He always wanted a shot at being a hero. So he’s about half the size he should be. One play, one day at a time, he knows he can do it. He’s actually quite the surprise weapon, to tell the truth. Until the other teams start to catch on. And he does get his day. His perfect, game-winning, once-in-a-lifetime moment, with his brother. Yes, the Wolf boys will go down in Trout history for that Horseshoe Bend game win. For Ben, this is important for more reasons than one. For Cody, it’s his sign to start planning for next year at college. Ben doesn’t know how to tell him he won’t be there to be his brains anymore. That he’ll have to learn to read the plays and players on his own.
And then there’s Dallas Suzuki. The girl of his dreams, who he finally had the courage to approach, having nothing to lose. But he never thought she’d go for him. Even when she did, it just seemed so surreal. And then sex happened. And secrets were told. And Ben was still carrying his.
In town, during late-night wanderings, he befriended Trout’s resident drunk, cleaned him up, only to discover the horrifying truth that had caused Rudy to become as he was. And reliving it, the resurfacing, proved too much, teaching Ben yet another lesson in life, death, and secret-keeping. He has to tell.
He starts with Coach. Moves on to Cody. Telling Dallas is about as hard as he’d expected. But worse, somehow. All the pretending, it was a mistake. And they tried to tell him. The Doctor. Hey-Soos. Himself. But he didn’t listen. By trying to make the abnormal normal, he made it that much harder. Not just for himself, but for those he’d leave behind. But at least he realized with time to give them fair warning. Not as fair as he got, but time, nonetheless.
Rating:
Merle has spent most of her life in and out of an orphanage, where they were never too pleased to have her, so when she sets off for her new apprenticeship at Arcimboldo’s mirror workshop, she has high hopes. The idea that she and Junipa will be the only girls in the shop doesn’t occur to her until they arrive, and while it’s not the most appealing prospect, at least she’s not alone.
From the get-go, all is not quite right at Arcimboldo’s. He’s replaced Junipa’s eyes with pieces of mirror, to give her sight. The effect is more than a little disturbing. Then there are the late-night excursions of the housekeeper, Eft, down into the well in the courtyard. The attack on the workshop by the Weaver’s boys. The having no idea just what it is that Arcimboldo does.
Some questions she gets answers too. Like why the Weaver’s apprentices attacked (ongoing fued), and why Eft climbs down the well. She and Junipa get to spend a day working with mirrors, even. And then comes the festival, which changes it all.
Venice is besieged. So it’s been for quite some time, and so it may be forever. The Egyptians took over the world, but were kept out of Venice by the Flowing Queen. No one is sure just what the Flowing Queen is, but they know she kept them safe. And so every year, they celebrate her protection. And so the Mirror Maker’s apprentices are treated to a night out on the town.
Merle, who was quite taken with Serafin, one of the Weaver boys, from the moment his mask slipped off his face, spends most of her time at the Festival searching for him. It’s Junipa who finally spots him, and insists that Merle go see him.
From the way he pops up in front of her, it seems he was seeking her out too.
Their leisurely stroll around the canals takes a turn towards the dangerous when they run across a winged lion. Winged stone lions being the most rare form of lion in the city’s employ. They protect the city counselors. Which begs the question, what are the City Councilors doing in that area, at that time of night?
Adventure turned spy mission turns to disaster when Merle’s mirror falls from her pocket and lands on the head of one of the men they were spying on. With the help of Serafin, she manages to recollect it, and also the vial the councilors were about to hand off to an Egyptian emissary. Swimming with all her might, she manages to escape, though Serafin is caught by one of the much feared winged lions.
And if Merle thought her night was rough up til that point…the adventure’s just begun!
Rating:
Tessa Scott is living on borrowed time. Actually, when we first meet her she’s not living at all, but hiding in bed as if that will accomplish something other than driving her family mad. All around her in her room are scribbled words; things she wants to do before she dies. With a little prodding from best friend Zoey, she actually gathers together a list, and sets her mind to getting on with it. Because really, what are her options? Lie in bed and wait to die, or get herself up and out and live what life she can.
Her father isn’t entirely keen on this idea. Especially as her first night out she’s off to a club. And as far as that goes, Tess would quite like to change her mind as well. But Zoey will have none of it, and drags her off, ignoring dad’s protests, to scratch number one off the list. Sex.
Given the dreams and grand schemes so many of us have for our first time, just heading off to find some random person seems…utterly foreign. But time is short, and really what is there to lose? It’s not like the experience can kill her. Not any more than she’s already being killed anyway. Still. While the guys Zoey finds are cute, being in their apartment feels odd, and Tess isn’t really into the experience. She’s left feeling alone and wondering what it was all for, in the end. Worse yet, Zoey ends up falling for her half of the duo, and tells them Tess’ truth: she’s dying. So the next time she sees Mr. Random it’s even more awkward than it would have been.
It doesn’t get any better, either. While she’s dead set on her list, on days she’s also dead set against it, and everything. Without Zoey she’s not sure how to proceed.
There’s the day she decides to say yes to everything, winding up in a river. You can guess at how healthy that is for someone with Leukemia. The desire to be famous, which leads to a radio interview arranged by her father, who might be sorry at the end, but who stood by her nonetheless.
The hardest thing is Adam. The boy next door who for so long was just someone outside the window, across the fence. And then he’s not. Love is hard enough when you have a future to be afraid for. The roller coaster he and Tess end up is nearly enough to drive you mad. But he perseveres, and does his part to help with the list.
When it comes to light Zoey is expecting, Tessa has a renewed interest in living, and plans to stick around until the baby arrives. Her family even plans a grand vacation to Italy. Things are going better than anyone would have hoped.
Until they’re not.
This is by nature not an easy story to read, and yet it’s not as hard as you’d think it might be, and is most decidedly worth it.
Rating: 
We’ve probably all imagined, at least once, what it might be like in Hell. But for Kiriel it’s not a matter of imagination. He lives there. He’s lived there for eternity. Ever since the uprising went south, really. Frankly, he’s tired of it. Same thing, day in, day out. And does everyone even notice? He doesn’t think so. So he decides to take a little vacation.
Now, stealing a human body is pretty much against every rule. Even if this one was about to die. So Kiriel’s not really sure how much time he’s going to have with this. His trip could be cut short at any moment. Still, first and foremost, he needs to figure out how to manage being corporeal. Eternity as a spirit does nothing to prepare one for arms, legs, emotions. So straight off he changes his plans and heads off home to get the hang of his new body. Where the younger brother of said human catches him, for all intents and purposes, making out with a shirt. A rather unfortunate beginning, to say the least.
But Kiriel likes Jason. He also doesn’t like to look like a slob. By dinner time he’s done a complete makeover on his new body, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. But Mom decides it’s a girl, so actually he puts it over quite easily. He doesn’t need to make up some story. Some things are a little odder than others, of course. Like his fascination with ketchup, which he would tell you is just about the most ingenious invention ever. Though he’s also quite fond of wind. And colors.
And there are some very definite things he wants to try out, while he’s human. A human teen-aged boy. So you can probably guess what’s on top of his list. Sadly, the body he chose is not the best with girls. In fact, he pretty much never interacts with them. But Kiriel, as a spirit, was all-knowing, and so knows the perfect girl to choose, as she happens to have fantasized about this very boy. As it turns out, that’s not necessarily enough. But he’ll keep on trying, until the jig is up.
Actually, he’s been off much longer than he was expecting. First he was sure they would notice straight off, and then when they didn’t, he wondered if they ever would.
They did, of course.
January 7th, 2008
12:49:36
Books
behavior modification, book review, coming-of-age, fathers and daughters, friendship, rock music, self-confidence, self-perception, shock incarceration, ya fiction
Rating:
Brit Hemphill’s life takes a turn from somewhat manageable to hellish under the guise of a family trip to the Grand Canyon, which in actuality turns out to be a one-way trip for Brit to Red Rock, a Behavioral Modifcation Boot Camp masquerading as a Residential Treatment Facility. Clueless as to why she’s been sent away, and to this place of all places, Brit is not eager to comply to the rules or be easy for the people now holding her captive. Only after some friendly, if biting advice from a Level Six she doesn’t know, does she relent, and earn the beginning of her freedom by achieving Level Two.
Therapy with Dr. Clayton is a sham, at best, and Brit has nothing to say. She doesn’t know why she’s there, doesn’t consider being a teen to be a disorder, and doesn’t want to talk about her mother, who went Schizophrenic a few years ago, at which point her and her father’s lives fell apart. She’s had three years to deal with that, and doesn’t see the relevance. And she certainly doesn’t see what Dr. Clayton could have to say about it, especially since she isn’t even a Doctor.
And so it goes. Group Therapy consists of hurling insults until the victim breaks down, exercise is manual labor, the food is horrible, and a catch-22 for those with eating disorders. The overweight will never achieve any sort of progress while eating the food provided, and will be reprimanded if they don’t. The one highlight, the hikes, aren’t, as they’re really more like death marches. If not for her friendship with some of the other inmates, Brit would have been lost long ago. Even with the Divinely Fabulous Ultra-Exclusive Club of the Cuckoos behind her, Red Rock is still sometimes too much to take. And when their group gets disbanded, assigned new roommates, put under surveillance, Brit isn’t sure she’s going to make it. Not until Martha goes missing, and a girl named Pam gives Brit the true story, which the counselors will cover up, is she galvanized into action.
Brit, together with her sisters, and on the outside, Jed, and two ex-Red Rock employees, begins to build her case. At first she thought it was as easy as finding someone to tell their story. But he wouldn’t listen. So they get all the proof they can. And even then, when she shows up in person to deliver it to him, he writes her off as a spoiled kid. It seems like all is lost. Red Rock will continue on, breaking girls and calling them healed, sending home those without money, and milking those with it for all that they’ve got.
Or maybe not.
Dedicated to misunderstood girls everywhere, this is a harsh but beautiful look at how wrong we can go with the best of intentions, and how even the most backward situations can bring us to the realizations we’ve been needing to make.
January 7th, 2008
12:29:18
Books
book review, death, family problems, friendship, guitar, humor, interpersonal relationships, loss, musicians, nursing homes, self-perception, teens, ya ficiton
Rating:
Having brilliant ideas while intoxicated is not the world’s best idea, but the nature of the beast is, of course, that they always seem like the best idea at the time. So when Alex Gregory is left home alone with booze and his mother’s car keys, driving across town to see his father and tell him just what he thinks of his relationship with his Third Grade teacher seems like the best idea ever. The policeman whose shoes he throws up, the neighbor whose lawn he drives up on, and the lawn gnome he runs over would all disagree. But Alex sees nothing wrong with the situation, minus his intended goal not being met.
Even after his court date, and his enrollment in a new pre-trial program, which gets him off with only 100 hours community service, Alex is still in denial. In fact, after his first two visits with Sol, the home resident his mother has chosen for him, Alex writes to Judge Trent imploring her for any other sentence. He still feels in need of no punishment, and finds Sol’s abuses unforgivable and over the top given the situation. But the Judge doesn’t relent, and Alex is stuck attempting to make the best of the worst.
Eventually he and Sol develop their own sort of rapport, but it isn’t until Alex arrives late one day, finds Sol ought, and so occupies himself practicing his guitar, that they truly begin to grow an understanding. Sol enjoys the music, though Alex nows he’s no virtuoso, and really not even all that good. But it’s a beginning. And it’s given him a great idea. A benefit concert. Him and the Cha-KINGS, Steven and Annette, who happen to adore benefits and be insanely good at what they do (percussion and piano, respectively).
In no time at all Alex is spending half of his time after school at practice, and the rest at the home. After bringing his best friend Laurie by for a visit one night, things have gotten better and worse, as Sol insists on calling her his wife. But as the concert draws near, Alex grows excited. Though the Judge declined his invitation, he’s sure Sol and the other residents will really enjoy it. And they do. Alex on the other hand is just a wee bit miffed at being showed up at his own gig.
Still. It’s given him another opening with Sol, and from here on out their relationship blossoms. In fact, Alex is looking forward to staying on after his time is up to continue to spend time with Sol, who he thinks would miss him if he were gone. Unfortunately, Sol has emphysema, and of late, it’s been taking a turn for the worse.
The night of the school’s Valentines dance, Alex goes first to the hospital to see Sol, who has pneumonia, and may or may not make it through the night. His date, who endures an entire visit of being called Laurie, is none to pleased when they arrive at the dance only to have Laurie insist Alex take her to the hospital. Alex, knowing there’s no arguing, sets his date up with Laurie’s date, in a move that proves to be quite cupid-esque.
Sol recovers and makes it back to the home, where he continues his lessons with Alex, in preparation for an April concert he and the Cha-KINGS planned behind Alex’s back. Alex isn’t sure about this, but agrees to go along, and once again invites Judge Trent, who accepts. This concert will be a surprise, in more ways than one.
And Alex? Suffice it to say he learned his lesson, and brought home some to share too.
This was an exceptionally fast and extraordinarily fun read.
Rating:
Aislinn has had the Sight all her life, and it’s always been something she’s feared. But when the fey start treading ground on her safe places, following her, showing up at school, at the train yard, leaving her no safe haven, she knows she can’t take it any more. Her Grams, always protective, is going to lock her in the house at the rate things are progressing, but she knows she can’t hide the truth forever. Still, she’s going to try it her own way first.
While originally repulsed by the one called Keenan when he first approached her, it’s become clear he isn’t going to go away. Inside school or out, he’s a constant presence, and the effort to ignore him, not to touch him, is becoming too much. Maybe it’s time to change the rules a little. Try it a new way. Try playing friendly and find out what they want. So long as her Sight stays hidden, she can even spy for herself, eavesdropping on invisible faeries who assume they can’t be seen or heard.
Newly aware of this other world, courtesy of Ash, Seth, her best friend (and more if she were to be honest with herself) is not entirely keen on this plan, but agrees to go along. So long as part of the plan is attempting to get him the Sight as well, so he can better assist.
Unfortunately, as well as Ash’s plan works, or seems to, it also changes everything. While pretending to give Keenan what he wants, she is giving him what he wants. From the moment she was chosen, her mortality began to slip away, and after a night of fey revelry and good, she can no longer pretend she doesn’t see it. How she’s becoming like him. Desperate to find a way to undo it, Ash turns to Donia, the Winter Girl, hoping for an answer she knows doesn’t exist. And Donia can only confirm her worst fears. She has only two choices. Summer Girl, or Summer Queen. And she’s begun to feel it. She knows she’s her. So how to coexist? How to be what Keenan needs, and not lose everything she loves?
The stakes grow even more dire when the Winter Queen takes Seth captive. When Ash learns that her mother had also been chosen by Keenan, and rather than face the choice, made an even more drastic decision. A decision she knows won’t save her. All she can do is accept who she is, and make the best of it. Do what no girl before has. Meet Keenan half way. Bring her own demands to the table. As a job, Summer Queen seems feasible. Overwhelming, but potentially even fun.
This is a really interesting new twist on the Faery Tale, and I really enjoyed reading it, even with all the heart-wrenching, not knowing what would become of Aislinn and Seth when all was said and done. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Lily Samson is sure her family is the craziest. Her brother lolls around, dropping in and out of school, unable to find a path in life. Her Pop, though she loves him, is a bona fide racist (as far as she’s concerned), her Nan has an invisible friend, her mother is fond of bringing home clients from work to stay with them, and Lily, in all her Year Ten glory, is the responsible one in the house. Her friends giggle about boys, she makes shopping lists. Her friends makes up new words, she makes dinner plans. Really, there’s most definitely something wrong here.
Lonnie, errant brother, has moved out after a blow-out with Pop, involving an axe. Living in a Boarding House for Gentleman, and once again enrolled in school, he’s still trying to find his way. His mother, with no real way to know how he’s doing, worries. Endlessly and pointlessly, if you ask Lily. Indeed, Lonnie nearly does repeat his cycle yet again, but a little intervention stays his hand. In fact, meeting Clara has changed the world for Lonnie, and all for the better.
Back at home, Lily has concluded she needs to fall in love. It seemed just the answer to her premature aging. And yet, once decided, she quickly changes her mind and finds the whole process of having a crush to be quite horrid. Unfortunately, she can’t go back.
She’s sure as anything that Daniel Steadman doesn’t even know she exists; across town Daniel is plagued with dreams of a mystery girl with a beautiful voice.
Waking in a frenzy one night, unable to recall the color of his mother’s eyes, Pop takes a trip to his old neighborhood at Nan’s urging. Most of it is gone, replaced with stores and shops and food all foreign to him. Worse yet, while sitting on a bench recollecting, he calls aloud a most unfortunate phrase and insults the Chinese woman who just happened to be across the way at the time. He runs for it, but determined not to take abuses anymore, she chases him down. They find in one another an unexpected friend.
Nan, feeling certain that the family needs a celebration, decides to hold a party for Pop’s eightieth birthday. A grand event, it will be! She’s just sure it will help Pop and Lonnie to reconcile. She’s been pestering Lily to try to make it happen, and to make sure Lon comes to the event. Though Lily is certain this can only end badly, what with Clara being Chinese, she does as asked.
In fact, Lily decides this party is important. Maybe the most important thing in their lives. She needs it to be a success. And because he hears this quiet desperation in his sister’s voice, Lonnie agrees. To make up, and to attend. Lily can only hope it will be the one, perfect day she feels she, and they all, deserve.
Rating:
After returning from their successful mission to the Underworld, Charlotte and Zee have returned to life as usual. Minus the nightmares/generally strange dreams, and the fact that Charlotte is grounded forever, because it turns out, once you learn that the gods are real, lying to your parents just doesn’t work anymore. Life is just too real for that. Still, it’s not all bad. When a cute new boy moves to town, and seems to have an interest in Charlotte, it’s hard not to feel at least a little uplifted.
Unfortunately, things don’t stay smooth for long.
There’s the strange old man Charlotte, Zee, and even Mr. Mielswetzski have seen around town. And Jason gone missing. And Zee taking an interest in Maddy, Charlotte’s best friend, only to dump her and pick up with an Ashley. And let’s not forget the total personality make-over he could have done without. And to ice Charlotte’s cake, her father has won an award, and the family is going on a cruise. A History cruise. Every day to disembark and visit local sites. Every teenager’s dream.
Or not.
Still, at least she can get out of the house.
Things go amiss on the cruise almost from the get-go. Her parents arrive late to breakfast on their second day raving about Thalia the lounge singer. It starts pouring just as she’s about to lay out by the pool. Her parents make a date to meet her for breakfast the next morning (after locking her in her room due to a misunderstanding), and miss the appointment. Upon exploration Charlotte discovers the ship to be empty, and in the Mediterranean. Just a wee bit off course from the East Coast.
Eventually, Charlotte finds the passengers and all the crew locked in the Lounge with Thalia, who happens to be a Siren, and her powers don’t work on Children. It’s up to Charlotte. Who, by some stroke of fate, isn’t alone. Jason, whom she thought she’d seen the day before, is indeed on board. There to help her. Turns out, he knows about her escapades in the Underworld. His dad’s a god, kin to Poseidon. Poseidon doesn’t take well to people messing with his family, and it turns out Philonecron is his grandson. Which puts Charlotte on the hit list. For which an entire ship full of people are about to pay the price. So of course they do the only sensible thing. They head for Poseidon’s yacht, with the plan of stealing his Trident to control Thalia and free the passengers and crew.
After a near miss with a couple sea monsters, Charlotte and Jason make it to the yacht. They hatch a plan. Charlotte, never big on patience, sets off on her own. Suffice it to say her plan takes a turn for the disastrous, but fate seems to be on her side, handing her an unlikely ally, and one more shot to save the day.
Again.
