Thursday, March 31, 2016

Holes by Louis Sachar: Book Review


Holes by Louis Sachar is the story of a young man who goes to a juvenile detention camp for a crime he didn't commit. On the way he get fit and finds friends. Yeah, yeah, yeah it sounds may too sappy, I know.

























Still, 'Holes' is a story about greed, racism, and violence. These are all things I didn't expect to find in a young adults book but still the story was easy to follow and had a clear narrative.

Who should read this book? People who like young reader books, 14 year olds, and fat kids like I was.

Total Books Read 18 of 5,000

Pages: 233

Pages Read for 'The 5,000 Project's':3,656

















Wednesday, March 30, 2016

After the Doctor

First of the new year 2014
Dear Cassi,

So where was I? A client had come it drunk, gone nuts, and left me bleeding with my office a mess. It was only then that the supervisor came in and told me that I was bleeding.

I told her that the police were on their way, and then I documented things as best I could. The supervisor called my boss and he said that I should leave at once for the hospital, but I insisted on waiting for the police.

I’m glad I waited because the violent client came back and stood at the door watching me expecting to be let in. I can’t say as to why she didn’t force the door the way she did before, but maybe it just failed to close right.

The supervisor on duty asked me to pull up a picture of the client for the police then looked at my broken computer and said ‘I guess you can’t’. It sounds funny now but it wasn’t at the time.

The police came and asked me questions. They asked about what happened and the nature of the program. I was surprised because those officers had been to the shelter before. I mentioned this to them and they said that normally staff had not be so ‘polite’ as I. I guess they always wanted to know about the program but had never asked due to the rudeness of staff.

You have to ask what goes through people’s heads when the police arrive. Me, I was happy to see them, but then I called them. They finished up with me, and I drove off to the hospital. I spent an hour in the emergency room waiting and an hour after the doctor  saw me for some test results then I came back to work with the paperwork from the hospital.  

My boss was sitting at the front desk and was hoping that I’d finish my shift, but the night had been enough for me, and I was on my way home.

Stay safe, little sister,


Richard Leland Neal

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Color of Magic: Book Review


'The Color of Magic' is the first book in Terry Pratchett's Disckworld books and features the story of Rinswind a fail wizard and Twoflower the world's first tourist. This is a story set on a world shaped something like a Hershey's Kiss set on the back of four giant elephants who themselves are standing on the shell of a titanic turtle.

Much as this makes you ask if the author was into hallucinogens the story is rich and reaching without being overburdened with lore.  I've read this book a good number of times and the fact that it spanned a very long list of sequels should tell you just how good the story turned out.

Who should read this book? Fantasy lovers

Total Books Read: 17 of 5000

Pages: 183

Total Pages for 'The 5,000 Project':3,423

Monday, March 28, 2016

After I got Blooded

31st December 2013
 Dear Cassi,

Two letters in one day, well, that’s something new. In any case I guess I could have just kept writing the last one, but I’m in a funny mood, and I have to go into work. I got my face blooded this morning and I’m still going into work.

I have to finish telling you the story of the person who bloodied it to keep my head clear.

In any case, that angry client left this morning after I tried to call the police, but she came back. I saw a figure at the door and went to press the button to open it, but I didn’t need to. The door came open on its own.

So there was that angry drunk, and she wanted her belongings at maybe an hour past midnight with her roommates sleeping. I can say this much she wasn’t drunk, not anymore, she was crazy angry, but not drunk.

This girl was the kind of angry that meant she couldn’t be permitted back to her room because she could hurt someone, and it was my job to keep people safe. So I told her to leave and she wouldn’t.

I called the police and she reached over the counter and ripped the phone off its cord. I pulled out my cell phone, and she tore the time clock off the wall and hurled it at my hands knocking my phone to the floor.

I had to put my phone back together and let it turn back on as she grabbed everything she could had hurled it at me as hard as she could. The papers and the mouse pad hit me. By the time she threw the computer monitor I was on the phone with the police. Next went the computer body and the police were on their way.

She tried to rip the security monitor off the wall, and I didn’t want that hitting me so I put my hands on top of hers to stop her, and she spit in my face. She tried to jump over the counter to get at me, but I knocked her back. Twice more she tried this before knocking over the Christmas tree and storming out.

I was safe, but I was bleeding. I was bleeding, and I didn’t even know it yet. I’ve got to go to work now so the rest I’ll have to tell you tomorrow. Funny, isn’t it, I got my face blooded at work this morning and they won’t even give me the night off.

Stay safe, little sister,


Richard Leland Neal

Friday, March 25, 2016

Star Wars, Young Jedi Knights, Jedi Under Siege: Book Review


'Star Wars, Young Jedi Knights, Jedi Under Siege' is a mouthful of a title letting us know that this book is in the old Star Wars universe or the 'Young Jedi Knights' line and called 'Jedi Under Siege'.

I'm not sure the writer knew what a siege is, but then maybe it's me that doesn't know. In any case, there wasn't much of a siege.
The truth is that I haven't read the other books of this line, and so I couldn't really get the continuation of the story. This book kept making references to both the Star Wars films and other books of the Young Jedi Knights. I understood what was going on but couldn't get much into the story.

I have to recommend reading these books in order. 

Who should read this book: Jedi Junkies 

Total Books Read: 16 of 5000

Pages: 230

Total Pages for 'The 5,000 Project':3,240

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Blood has been Spilt

31st December 2013
Dear Cassi,
       
New Year’s Eve and my blood has been spilt. I have had one of the most trying days at work in my long years of working in security and yet I only worked a half shift. This was not by any choice of mine as, you see, I was sent to the hospital before shift end.
       
It started simply enough with a client, a young woman, coming in drunk. She admitted to having been drinking and was stumbling and slurring her words so there was no question. As is the custom at my work she was asked to wait in the front until addressed by a manager.
       
This was all going well until another client came into the front and had a late dinner. When the other client was admitted back the drunk became agitated. She said it wasn’t fair that she had to wait and someone else didn’t, but I explained that she was waiting because she was under the influence.
       
I did my best to keep calm but she kept getting angrier and angrier. She started to scream that she wanted her belongings and that she would never come back one she got them. This meant nothing to me as she was clearly unsafe to be permitted back to get her belongings and would need to keep waiting until she calmed down.
       
Then she started kicking the door to get into the shelter. She kicked that door so hard that the manager called and asked what the sound was. When I told her it was the client the manager said she would have to keep waiting.
       
The client got in my face rather literally bending over me and yelling so that spit hit my nose. She said that ‘they’ were in her room right now steeling her stuff. I told her that the other clients in her room were just likely sleeping, and that she would be fine.
       
After an hour of this I told her she needed to leave and that if she did not I’d call the police. I picked up the phone and she knocked it out of my hand.  She left but she would be back.

For that matter, the sun is rising and I need to get some sleep so I’ll tell you what happened next at some other time.

Stay safe, little sister,



Richard Leland Neal

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Book Review: Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede


'Dealing with Dragons' by  Patricia C. Wrede is the story of a princes who rebels against societal norms and goes to live with a dragon. This idea is presented in a comical manner denoting that this is a story and the characters are well aware of the common happenings of fantasy stories of this nature.
This is one of those books you just have to be into if you're into them. I didn't dislike anything about the story and in truth found it easy to follow. Still, I rarely found that it made me laugh.

If your a fan of dragons and girl power than this book will be right down your ally but if those things don't spark you interest give this book a pass.

Who should read this book: feminists and dragon lovers.

Total Books Read: 15 of 5000

Pages:240

Total Pages Read for 'The 5,000 Project': 3,010