Monday, February 22, 2016

Puzzles, A-Z Challenge, Shelfari and Goodreads

As you know, I have often posted about outdoor activities (sailing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, skiing, etc).  Unfortunately, in the last seven weeks, my outdoor activities have been rather restricted as I wait for my quad tendon to heel.  This is one of the things I've been doing with my spare time:


This was a 1000 piece puzzle of old postcards from various national parks.  I am now working on a puzzle of a mountain scene.  When I lived in Michigan, I usually did at least one and generally 2-3 puzzles a winter.  This is the first one I've put together since moving back south.

It has been a number of years since I have used any of the web writing prompts for blogging.  Early on, I often did the 3 Word Wednesday prompt, along with Travel Tip Thursdays, and the Maggie's Summer Southern Reading Challenge.  Having seen a number of people using the A-Z challenges over the past couple of years, I thought I might join this challenge this April and make a bucket list of places I would like to see in the final third of my life...   It doesn't appear that I'll be alone in this endeavor, as I'm number 834 to sign up!
To find out more about the A-Z Challenge, click here.

A final note.  A few years ago, Shelfari, a site where I had stored the titles of the books in my library, was purchased by Amazon.  Although I have given Amazon a lot of business over the past fifteen or so years, I hate how they've become so huge.  Last month, they announced they were discounting Shelfari and forcing everyone there to move to another of their sites, Goodreads.  This I have done, although I am not very happy about it.  In the move, I have yet to get but a few of my reviews (I had 299 reviews posted on Shelfari) transferred.  All the data as to when I read the book, etc, is now lost (it appears that I read a bunch of books (like 1400) on February 21, 2016.  Needless to say, I'm not happy, but if you want to find me on Goodreads, click here.

41 comments:

  1. That looks like a very difficult puzzle. You obviously have patience.

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    1. Forced patience... I am losing patience as I am working hard to maintain it as I wait for my leg to heal

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  2. I have seen a few national park puzzles at our park's store. I'm glad to see yours!

    I'm able to keep track of my books through my county library website. I'm not a fan of Goodreads. Beware their constant emails.

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    1. Are those books that you own or just that you check out of the library?

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    2. Just check outs. I don't keep books anymore.

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  3. Since I am a physical book reader, my method is to just sign and date the inside cover of a book when I'm finished reading it. I sometimes wonder if someday somewhere, someone with similar tastes might wonder who this Ed was whose used books he keeps running across.

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    1. I do the same thing, name with month and year I finished reading the book

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  4. I used to love working puzzles. It has been ages since I've done one

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    1. It captures my attention and then it drives me crazy as I can't get away

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  5. Just looking at that puzzle makes me dizzy! I love doing those, but they frustrate the heck out of me. Hope you're soon out and about.

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    1. that puzzle was a little fuzzy--the one I am doing now--with mountains, is sharper

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    2. I'm imagining trying to fit mountain pieces together. Arrg. Good luck.

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  6. I've been getting my youngest nephew into puzzles. He's eight and loves puzzles of dinosaurs, reptiles and bugs. lol

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  7. I've been getting my youngest nephew into puzzles. He's eight and loves puzzles of dinosaurs, reptiles and bugs. lol

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  8. I was surprised when I first heard of the whole Goodreads Shelfari thing. Amazon is into everything!

    I haven't done a puzzle in ages. No time!

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    1. Yeah, they seem to have taken over--I would just as soon have a book collection site that isn't interested in just selling me more books.

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  9. Jigsaw puzzles seem a fine way to spend your healing time. When will you be able to resume normal activity?

    Best of luck with A-Z. I've done it three times, though it's been a couple years. I look forward to your bucket list posts.

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    1. The A-Z has always intrigued me, but I never got around to do it.

      As for my leg--it will be 6 months to a year before I'm back to where I was before--I still have a little over a week before I can begin to bend my knee and then it will only be a little. (that's when the Physical Therapy will begin.

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  10. That looks like one super-fun-have-to-do puzzle, if you didn't know I'm a big fan of puzzles too, and yesterday we had a family fun puzzle morning before our day began!

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    1. I seem to remember heading about your love of puzzles!

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  11. That postcard puzzle looks challenging. I like working puzzles but haven't done any for a while. When I was a child, our family worked one every year on New Year's Day.

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    1. That sounds like a good memory. We used to do them at a beach house with my grandparents for a week in the summer

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  12. I don't have the patience for puzzles and this one looks like a doozy.

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    1. Puzzles allow me a chance to slow down--normally that is a need I have, but lately my leg has assisted in forcing me to slow down.

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  13. Only a person of great patience could finish a 1000 piece puzzle. Congrats, Sage. It's a nice one too.

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    1. I don't think of myself as a person of great patience, but I do like how puzzles allow me to settle down a bit...

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  14. What a nice hobby, Sage. Hope your healing continues. Again, I kow you'll be surprised in the weeks and months ahead!

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    1. Thanks for the confidence, Michael. I'm hopeful!

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  15. I used to love doing jigsaw puzzles, but my (now ex) husband would come along and assemble them like lightning. I liked having them on the dining room table and preferred spending 15 to 30 minutes or so working on them and going on to something else. That's my personality vs. his. So I stopped doing them, but just recently acquired a good puzzle as a pass along gift. You have inspired me to get it out now.

    I did that A to Z Challenge a few years ago and enjoyed it - having three good things that started with the letter of the day. I was not the only member who thought of using "Zee end!" for Z. :)

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  16. I used to use Shelfari but stopped a long time ago. That's awful that your reviews and info were lost. I did the A to Z challenge a few times but I doubt I'll be doing it again this year.

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  17. My wife tried to get us to do puzzles once as a couples thing. For me it was an utter failure, I simply do not have the patience to sit down and sort through thousands of small puzzle pieces. It's sort of weird though, I usually get into those Zen-like activities that let my mind and body uncouple from each other.

    I'll have to look at the A to Z blogging challenge.

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  18. I've always wanted to do one of those puzzles. I've done the A to Z challenge a few times and got to meet a lot of bloggers. I stopped using Shelfari awhile ago and use Goodreads to organize my books.

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  19. The A to Z is great fun!
    Aww, I miss doing those puzzles. We used to do them as a family and sometimes one or the other of us would hide a piece, just to be the one with the satisfaction of slotting the last piece!

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  20. That looks tough to crack but a lot of fun, too.! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  21. We did puzzles as a family when I was growing up. The more challenging the better. :)
    I have a love hate relationship with Amazon. There are so many things about it that are wonderful and easy for the consumer, and their customer service is great. But the size of it is concerning.
    A travel bucket list for the writing challenge sounds like a great idea. My mind is already going through the alphabet with mine.

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  22. I've been on Goodreads for years and find it useful (just 'friended' you over there. I've never used Shelfari.

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  23. I'm really good at doing the edges, but that is about it.
    I've planned to do the A-Z Challenge several times, but when it comes down to it, I just don't have the time. I guess that is why it's a challenge!

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  24. I used to love jigsaw puzzles. Wish I had time, but not forced time. I hope you recover quickly.

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  25. First of all I hope you are healing well. I did several jigsaw puzzles on my cruise to Antarctica. These wasn't much to do for more than a week as we weren't allowed to leave the ship and it was actually pretty fun. I like the one you are working on as I want to learn more about the national parks.

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  26. Argh! I'm having trouble with Goodreads as well. I don't feel properly represented on there since they just won't import all my LibraryThing files properly. I've contacted help, and they said "our system is ucrrently underoing technical modifications, after that we'll get back to you"!

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