July 2026

Over the Fourth of July weekend, I went to BayCon 42, in Santa Clara, Ca.  It was a full weekend of events.  I had a tarot card reading done and learned some simple ways to read the cards.  I went to several discussions on the difference between hard and soft sci-fi and science fantasy.  There was a discussion on the hot book series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, which I am currently reading my way through.

I have now put several weekday events in stone on my calendar.  Pilates, Bookclub, and Karaoke are some of them.  Yes, I said karaoke.  I had been tagging along with a friend and I had someone convince me that the point of karaoke is to have fun, not to be good.  Well, I am not good, but I am having fun, at least.

I have been attempting to get my in person bookclub off the ground.  I have had people RSVP for the events but there have been a lot of no shows.  At least people have been voting on the polls once in a while.  If you're interested in joining or even helping, send an email to bookwormatthegym@gmail.com.  Another option is to just sign up and join us on Bookclubs.com.

As I stated above, I have been working my way through the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series.  I have also been reading for the Endeavour awards, so I had a few books that I wouldn't have picked up on my own come through my hands.

I have also been reading along with my daughter who is taking an English class this summer.  Reading with a hard deadline and having to write something specific from the readings is difficult and I am out of practice.  It's coming back to me, but the class will be over shortly, since it was a summer session.

I have finished 78 books so far this year.  I'm just barely on track for meeting my goal of 150 by December 31.  I think I can do it, though.

Today, a group of friends and I went to the Monet exhibit in the deYoung museum.  It was very interesting, but it was very peoply.  It showed not only Monet's work, but his predesessors's work and work that was by his contemporaries.  

I loved that there was a quote from his wife saying that she was glad they went to Venice so he would be inspired to paint something other than waterlillies.  I didn't realize that there 48 waterlillies paintings.  The last two, which were painted while he was in Venice, were very different than the others that came before their trip.

The other paintings were of landscapes.  Many of them were repeated in different colors and from slightly different angles, but each of them were different from the others.  

I'm glad I went.  It was a learning experience.