Now for the latest news

My internet connection at home dropped again last night.  *sigh*  I'm so sick of the stupid thing I didn't even call it in, just turned everything off and read a book instead.  Hopefully it will be up tonight because I want to download some new tunes to my iPod.  And yes, if it goes down I'll call it in.  Again.  This will be like the sixth time in a month.  Lets hope they actually do something about it this time. 

Barak Obama was in town today for a rally.  The news says something like 30,000 people showed up.  Sarah Palin was here a week or so ago and she had 24,000.  But I don't think its a real comparison because Palin was at a venue where they limited the number of people and Obama was downtown with no limit on attendance.  I'm still not sure if this state is going to go red or blue - right now the two sides are neck in neck.  Will anything change if Indiana votes Democrat for the first time in 40+ years?  Probably not.  Politics is politics and while I'm all for change I'll believe it when I see it. 

Finally finished the biography on Queen Isabella.  Woot!  I'm sure some people will consider Alison Weir's version to be a bit of revisionist history but I found it to be fairly unbiased overall.  There was the occasional assumption based on modern norms and mores, plus some sources read from a modern or "feminist" viewpoint.  But she readily admits this in her introduction and is quick to point out throughout the book. where she disagrees with contemporary biographers and why.  I'm not sure I buy the "proof" that Edward II wasn't murdered although the circumstantial evidence did make me think.  I have to wonder how things would have turned out had Isabella not hooked up with Mortimer.  Or if she'd been the more dominant partner in that relationship.  Overall I found it a good read.  I enjoyed it more than Eleanor of Aquitaine, in part because I've gotten used to the author's style.  If you are expecting a serious, academic approach then I don't think Weir's work is for you.  Her style is more conversational.  I felt she was willing to explore all sides and was more interested in presenting what we know than drawing any conclusions from that (which I found rather refreshing). 

I couldn't decide what to read next fiction-wise last night after I finished Isabella so I picked up Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette: The Journey.  I'm at the unconsummated wedding night.  I've read historical fiction on Marie Antoinette but no biographies.  So far the novels I've read haven't been too far off the mark.  I'm wondering if I'm going to learn anything new reading the non-fiction or if I'm going to get bored.  We'll have to wait and see!  

I need to watch Shoot 'Em Up and get it returned to NetFlix so I can start The Tudors.  Now that I don't have to cut my grass every weekend maybe I'll get some quality slack time in. 
/grins