nomadreader

I confess: I am really hoping (and was really believing) the nomadbaby would make his appearance today. 27 is a special number in this family. Mr. Nomadreader and I were both born on the 27th (of September and August respectively.) We started dating on February (2/7). How perfect would it be for the nomadbaby to join us on the 27th? If the first half of my day is any indication: it would be too perfect to be true, despite my vigorous rubbing of key acupuncture points used to jump start labor. I strategically started around 4 p.m. yesterday, and all I have to show for it are some very sore pressure points. Alas, I am resigning myself to still being pregnant when this day is done (and yes, the nomadbaby isn't actually  due until next week, but a very pregnant lady sure can dream.) In the absence of having a baby today, I'm spending it reading, and I seemed to have once again found my reading groove. I started digging into the Booker longlist last week. This year I'm mak...

I'm in that uncomfortable state of pregnancy where I'm uncomfortable more than I'm not. I'm 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow, which is so very close to the end, but even with a daily nap and a good, long, overnight sleep (almost) every day, the days are long and tiring. Although there are still two weeks until the nomadbaby is due, and he could easily come as much as a week late, he could also legitimately come at any time. I've taken to calling these last few days and weeks as pregnancy limbo--because who knows how much longer I'll be pregnant? With pregnancy limbo comes reading limbo. I'm well aware life as I know it is about to change dramatically, and as reading is one of the most important things to me, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to prioritize my reading while pregnant and after the nomadbaby arrives. Pregnancy has been grueling for me, and I've found a way to relax and simply spend as much time reading as I can, while reading whate...

One of the questions I get most frequently from people lately "what are you craving?" I am an eater (and a drinker), and I was curious how those habits would change when I got pregnant. I miss the ability to have more than one drink less than I thought I would (most nights). I really miss rare steak, blue cheese and goat cheese. I love the ability to eat gluten again (although still, not too much of it!) And I've developed an affinity for spicy food and chocolate much to the delight of Mr. Nomadreader, as those are two of his favorite good groups.) And, no, I haven't had the dreaded pregnancy heartburn (at least not yet), so I'm really enjoying my exploration of spicy foods and not-so-secretly hoping I won't lose the ability to enjoy spicy foods after the nomadbaby arrives. But what I've been most surprised about is a craving of a very different sort: classic literature. I anticipated spending my pregnancy days lounging on the couch or in the hammock (we...

2014 is half over? This year has passed more slowly for me than most, thanks to the nomadbaby, who is due five weeks and five days from today (yes, I'm totally counting.) Pregnancy hasn't been my favorite life experience, but as I get closer to its end point, I am finding myself having an easier time enjoying the moments I know will be hard to come by in the coming years. I thought I'd take this opportunity to check in on my 2014 goals and see how I'm doing. I knew when I made these goals that I wanted to keep it simple. 2014 is a year unlike any other for me. I knew August would bring dramatic changes, and I didn't want goals that would be overly ambitious. 1. Read 104 books in 2014. I set out to read an average of two books a week this year. I imagine August and September will be pretty thin reading months for me, and I knew if I accomplished this goal, I would likely read more than half in the first half of the year. As of today, I've read 70 books in...

Happy Sunday! The nomadbaby and I are having a very Iowa weekend. Unfortunately, I did not get to participate in the readathon yesterday (tear!), but I hope those who did had a great time (and are doing something not related to reading today--I always needed a break the day after a readathon.) Mr. Nomadreader and I are still sometimes getting used to the idea that we have a baby. We  know  we have a baby, of course, as we're with him every day, and he's in our thoughts constantly, but sometimes it doesn't quite seem real, as if I'm not old enough or something  enough to be a parent yet. I feel similarly about raising an Iowan. I know I live in Iowa, and I even love living in Iowa, but somehow it seems odd to me that the nomadbaby was born in Iowa and will grow up here. And yet, it's a great place to grow up. I just hope he finds his way to a different part of the country for college or some adventure. Yesterday I had a meeting in Greene, Iowa for my very part-ti...

Good morning! We're expecting a day of storms, so I've traded in hammock-lounging for porch couch lounging today. Plus, I have a ton of things I'd like to do around the house before celebrating Mother's Day with my mom, grandmother, and aunt tonight. Pregnancy It was a week of milestones: Friday marked three months until the nomadbaby's due date, and I hit 27 weeks yesterday, which means I've officially entered the third trimester. I feel like I'm in the home stretch now. Unlike most people, I keep feeling better the longer I'm pregnant. I struggled with pre-partum depression the first two trimesters, but I've been feeling more and more like myself in the past few weeks. I think I've finally reached an equilibrium, where August 9th seems close enough that my impatience is waning (I accept that there will be a baby...and relatively soon), which allows me to be both excited for the nomadbaby to arrive and excited to enjoy these last weeks as a f...

Bestill my pregnant heart--I think spring has finally arrived in Des Moines! Yesterday (while I was working all day, of course), it got up to the mid-fifties and was sunny and beautiful. Today is set to be even better: 68 and sunny. I'm preparing myself for back deck-sitting reading weather for most of the day. Chores? Probably not happening. Grilling out for dinner with Mr. Nomadreader? Definitely happening. In other news... It's a boy! ...the nomadbaby is happy to tell you he's a boy! I was not one of those moms-to-be who knew  what I was having. Everyone else seemed convinced we were having a girl, however, and I was a bit surprised to see he's a boy. I'm also ecstatic. I didn't care whether the nomadbaby would be a boy or girl, but it's so nice to know . And to use the right pronoun. And picture what he will look like. And to have an answer to at least one question (no, he doesn't have a name yet, but there are several strong contenders. I ...

I listen to a lot more audiobooks than I used to. In January, audiobooks comprised half of my reading. A lot of this change is due to the nomadbaby. I don't have as much time to read as I used to, so I've consciously transitioned most of the time I used to spend listening to music or NPR and now listen to audiobooks. I listen while I'm feeding him. I listen while I'm cleaning. I listen while I'm driving (and sometimes driving is an activity we'll spend an hour doing just for fun--and the opportunity to listen to an audiobook.) Perhaps because the nomadbaby has only known a life in which his mom is often listening to audiobooks, he enjoys them. He is a very verbal child, which is no surprise given who his parents are. And while I feel like I talk to him all the time, I noticed early on that I had very little to narrate while feeding him, washing dishes, etc. When we're walking around the house, I talk to him. But the rest of the time, I like to think it...

When I shared my goals for 2014 with you, I could have shared one more: read as many books as possible for the nomadbaby arrives (on or around) August 9th. Followed quickly by: read as many books as possible while on maternity leave. Mr. Nomadreader and I are excited and terrified (but mostly excited.) I've said many times lately "pregnancy isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be." Which is true, but I think I was unreasonably terrified of it. Mostly, I'm tired (really tired.) And I have little to no appetite. What I want to eat is very specific--it's that or nothing. And it is impossible to drink enough water. But I am well, and the nomadbaby is well, so we are making do. In terms of reading, I've slowed down somewhat because I go to bed so early (and sleep so much over all.) My attention span is perfect for a 90-120 minute film, so I've been watching more of those. And my attention span also loves The New Yorker , so I'm following through...

I'm pregnant enough that a steady stream of colleagues stop by my office each day to see if I'm still at work. I imagine people are visiting this blog, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see if posts are appearing. Yes: I'm still pregnant. Any day now the nomadbaby will be here. My due date is later this week, and my OB practice doesn't let patients go more than week past their due date. So, one way or another, sometime this week or next, the nomadbaby will be here. I'm definitely at "the sooner the better" stage. I am so excited to see his face, hold him in my arms, and see Mr. Nomadreader hold him. It's getting harder to enjoy the last few moments without him here. I've been having cramping and mild contractions since Thursday night, which adds to my general physical discomfort at being 39+ weeks pregnant. If labor weren't on the horizon, I'd be more inclined to call them painful, but imagining what's coming, I'm trying to kee...

The basics:  Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born  is a historical and anthropological look at childbirth. My thoughts:  Since I got pregnant (the nomadbaby is due August 9th), I've become more interested in books about pregnancy and birthing. As with many things in life, part of me is drawn to the natural way of doing things, while part of me is drawn to modern convenience. For example, I eat as much local and organic produce, meat, eggs and cheese as possible. But I have no desire to actually have my own garden, grow my own food, or kill the animals I eat. So I rely on local farmers and belong to a two CSAs, one for meat.With pregnancy and birth, these choices between natural and modern seem to have impossibly high stakes. For the first time in my life, my biology dictates many of my choices. As the one carrying this baby, I have responsibilities Mr. Nomadreader doesn't. How far those extend after birth is something I think about often, particularly as we...

He's finally here! Mr. Nomadreader and I are thrilled to welcome Hawthorne Blake D-L to the world! He was born on August 13, 2014 at 1:18 p.m., weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces, and was 19 3/4 inches tall. More soon, but for now, thanks:-)

I'm already up and enjoying this leisurely, holiday Sunday! Memorial Day weekend is my favorite three-day weekend all year, mostly because I work in academia and welcome the first post-academic year reprieve with open arms. It's also the only three-day weekend--with the sometimes exception of July 4th when it falls on a weekend--not during the academic year, which means I can just relax and read, read, read. As I wait for the cinnamon coffee cake in the oven to finish baking, I'm gearing up for two exciting bookish events coming up: Armchair BEA and the World Cup of Literature. I haven't been to a BEA in person for years, but I always enjoy the opportunity to participate in Armchair BEA , which starts tomorrow. There are daily prompts, giveaways, an Instagram challenge, Twitter parties, and so many fun ways to connect. I'll be participating in some of the prompts, but I'll also be posting reviews this week because I've been reading like a woman who soon wo...

Last year at Thanksgiving, I had a lot to be thankful for . But I was also somewhat frustrated and bitter. Mr. Nomadreader and I had been trying to get pregnant since April. I couldn't believe it still hadn't happened, and the holidays were imposing that sadness. We spent the year before we started trying to get pregnant enjoying "one last" everything. It was a wonderful year, and I loved every minute of it. I did not imagine I would face another Thanksgiving without a baby on the way, but there I was. "Fuck it," I said. "I wish I were pregnant, but I'm not, so let's get drunk." And I did. It was not the Thanksgiving I wanted, but it sure was fun. And little did I know then that less than two weeks later, I would take a pregnancy test, certain I wasn't pregnant, and discover I was. And this year I got to celebrate the first Thanksgiving with the nomadbaby. What a difference a year makes. Happy Thanksgiving!

The backstory: Robert Ellis is one of my favorite mystery writers. His Lena Gamble series ( City of Fire , The Lost Witness ,  and Murder Season ) is extraordinarily good and criminally underappreciated. I've also enjoyed his earlier stand-alone novels Access to Power  and The Murder Room  (read before this blog, which means a long  time ago.) The basics: City of Echoes  is the first in a new series featuring Los Angeles police detective Matt Jones, who catches a big case on his first night as a homicide detective. My thoughts: Sometimes I have a hard time reviewing mysteries because so many things are not as they seem that by the end, I struggle to remember where I entered the story as a reader.  City of Echoes  is one of those mysteries. I read it while my in-laws were visiting (for the nomadbaby's first birthday), and I promptly asked my mother-in-law to read it. I'd given her copies of Ellis's earlier novels for holidays over the years, and s...

I adore Instagram. I follow a mix of my Facebook friends (people I know or once knew) and those I follow on Twitter (mostly bookish folks from around the world and locals.) My feed is filled with babies, books, and travel, which are three of my favorite things. I post more photos of Hawthorne on Instagram than anywhere else. He has two of his own hashtags: #nomadbaby (sometimes others try to post with it) and #HairByHawthorne , which is dedicated to the times he styles his own hair comically: But my favorite hashtag not related to Hawthorne is a brilliant Book Riot invention: #BooksandBooze . I am a reader and a drinker, and this hashtag makes me so happy because I am clearly not the only one. Mr. Nomadreader and I work opposite schedules, and the nights he's at work until after I'm asleep are my #BooksandBooze nights. Here are some recent favorites: You can catch all of my posts related to books, booze, Hawthorne, and other things by following me on Instagr...

The backstory: City of Fire , the 900+ page debut novel from Garth Risk Hallberg is the most buzzest about release of 2015. The buzz began over a year ago because Hallberg managed to sell the book for almost $2 million , a rare feat in publishing. While I impatiently wait for a galley (please, please, please!) or for October 20, 2015 (its publication date), I managed to get a copy of his debut novella through interlibrary loan to satiate my appetite. The basics: Set up alphabetically like a guidebook, A Field Guide to the North American Family is the story of two (fictional) families. Hallberg invites the reader to read in any order, and each entry includes a list of other entries to "see also." My thoughts: Confession: I may or may not have actually squaled when this book arrived for me from interlibrary loan. I took it home, as soon as the nomadbaby went to sleep, I read it from cover to cover. Part of me wanted to try to read it in out of order, but the pull to read ...

Is it really November? Time is flying by. I am not kidding when I say the not-even-a-year I was pregnant was the longest, slowest year of my life. At first time felt normal  again after Hawthorne was born. Suddenly, he's growing and changing so much, and time is moving faster than ever. But November? It has sneaked up on me (am I the only one who always feel as though I use the past tense of sneak incorrectly? It just sounds wrong.) I think my November disbelief is partly due to the weather. I wore my winter coat for the first time Friday. That is unreasonably late in the year. Thursday night Hawthorne and I sat outside in our chairs (okay, so he does not so much sit as recline gracefully in his baby chair) while I enjoyed a glass of wine. It's been a beautiful, mild fall, and I've been enjoying it, but I am also getting ready for winter, which I adore (until around March, when I am once again ready for spring.) Part of my love for winter is my I love for the holidays (Th...

Last weekend the nomadbaby and I ran errands in t-shirts. Today, we woke up to this: Now that's more like it. February, it's lovely to see you. Winter, it's about time you made another appearance after your strong start in November (yes, it was a White Thanksgiving and Very Brown Christmas this year.) Given the eight inches or so that have already fallen and the projected three or four more today, Hawthorne and I are staying in today. I hope he'll nap enough (collectively over his three naps--I'm not being greedy) that I can finish the last one hundred pages of A Dangerous Place . I have so many thoughts already, and I'm dying to discuss it, so I must finish today. It doesn't publish until mid-March, so watch for my review then. But I'm writing this during his first nap, so it may be an after his bedtime finish. If you've read it and want to discuss, please let me know! Bucket List I completely failed my January Bucket List . I ...

In celebration of the first day of this year's Armchair BEA , participants are asked to answer five questions (from a provided list of ten.) Here are mine: Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from? I'm Carrie. I live in Des Moines, Iowa, where I work as an academic librarian. As the name of my blog indicates, I'm a nomad and a reader. By my count, I've moved twenty-times in my thirty-three years, but Mr. Nomadreader and I bought a house last spring, and we both hope we're living in it until it's time to move to the retirement home. I started blogging in March 2007, and I've moved many times in those seven years. I started blogging when I started working temping as a receptionist when I was applying to graduate schools. I had a lot of time to browse the Internet, and I initially started the blog as a place to write about everything I ...