Buy the Book, in Fact Buy Lots of Them

    Last year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of my store, Booknotes. We would have celebrated the anniversary, but there was a small chance that we would have had to either move the store or close it after a hospital bought out the shopping center where we are located. A few years after we opened, our closest competitor, Read More at Coal Run, closed. Last year, the Prestonsburg location of Read More also closed, leaving Booknotes as the only book store in the near area. Even without major competition, sales didn't change that much in the past year.

    Recently, not one, not even two, but three new book stores have announced their openings. In fact, two of them are opening up this week--one in downtown Pikeville and another in Coal Run (albeit in a different spot than where Read More once was). The third is planned to open in Prestonsburg shortly. All of this feels off somehow. After so long without any interest in the area, how is it three new book stores are opening up so soon of each other.

    There weren't any real rumors until their posts started popping up unannounced on my Facebook feed. Why the algorithm thinks I need to know about my competition so quickly is just crazy. What gets me is that other people started sharing these posts, and their posts have sometimes popped up on my feed as well. Some of these posts complained about not having a book store in the area, even though Booknotes has had a media presence from the beginning. I must admit that I would slip the occasional comment about the store, both as myself and Booknotes, whenever someone complained too much about such a false lack. Sneaky and a little underhanded, but I felt it was necessary. 

    Of course, I had to do a little research about the new operations.  Each store posted pictures of a new book shipment. For one of them, I couldn't recognize the company that the books came from. Turns out, it was a remainders reseller. Such businesses would buy the unsold products from other stores, and they would then resell them to somewhere else. While most of these books would have been kept in warehouses, some may have been actual stores, meaning that some products could be shopworn. Also, an order from such a place might not be of the greatest variety. Most of the books could be older, or of a limited variety of genres and types. Still, they are cheaper than many other places. Another picture showed just how few books that store was offering, as various objects filled up the otherwise empty space on their shelves.

    The other store has shown a slightly greater variety of books, many current or recent bestsellers among them. However, their picture of a book shipment was totally different. While the books shown weren't too old, the two romantasy novels shown aren't from this year. The children's book packed with them might have been, but there was no way to tell. Furthermore, the distributor I go through doesn't use that style of cardboard box anymore, and it is pretty much the only one used by independent book stores. My distributor also wouldn't pack such an eclectic selection of books in the same opening delivery for a new store. Back when I opened, they tried to keep each genre in its own box to make it easier to inventory and shelve. I don't know if that is still an option. Regardless, I find it suspicious. A later picture showed that most of their books are on one long bookcase, with other products filling out the rest of the space in their main showroom. There is also a special section for kids that also features toys.

    I've hear almost nothing about the third new store.

    At least my commenting has led to a mention of the local news when a feature on the new stores was shown. Considering that they had sent remotes to feature my store in the past, it was the least they could do. They didn't come back this time around, but they could have if they wanted.

    They really should.

My Comic Book Journey: 2026 Update Part 2

    As I was writing this year's series on video games, I realized I had forgotten about a source for comic books in the original creation of "My Comic Book Journey."  Namely, guides and magazines. Occasionally, they would have previews of comics within their pages or as an ins ert bagged with the magazine. While not a big source for comics, I did exclude them from my initial listing. 

    I think I got my first comic book price guide in the late 80s. While the cover was in color, the rest of it was in black and white. They had a few one-page articles, and the rest of the issue was dedicated to listing the prices of collectable comics. The focus was on older titles, with only the rare item on newer ones. This first guide was on a bimonthly or quarterly schedule, but I did get it whenever I saw it on the newsstand. 

    Things would change in 1992 when I saw Wizard #7, possibly 8, at a store. (I somehow missed the first few issues. I never did figure out how that happened.) This magazine was unlike any comic book dedicated one I had. It was full-color. While it had the usual price guide, it also had multiple articles on a number of topics, focusing on current titles as opposed to older ones. It was also the first magazine I found that included previews. It blew my mind how much I liked it. I immediately started collecting it, although I missed two issues those first few years and ordered them from the publisher. (The only time I ever did that.) Wizard became so popular that it had spinoffs focused on on toys (Toyfare, which I never got), trading card games and RPGs (InQuest), and Japanese cartoons and comics (Anime Invasion, later Insider). 

    These mags were a staple for me throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, the publishing market began to change. One after another, the magazines were cancelled, and I was temporarily bereft of information. Sure, there were others magazines and online sources, but not everything was the same.

    Following is a list of places where I got these magazines. As always, closed businesses are in black; open businesses are in red if they no longer sell mags and blue if they do. I'm probably missing a few places, mostly if I only went there once or if the mag was more pop culture rather than exclusively about comics.

• Readmore Bookstore, Prestonsburg: I picked up a few issues here, as well as a couple of trading card mags in the mid-90s. They are also the reason why I missed out on two issues.
• Rite-Aid, Highlands Plaza, Prestonsburg: This is a weird one. One morning, my mom picked up a prescription or some meds here, and I got a comic or trading card mag here. We then went on to somewhere else, either a dentist appointment in Paintsville or the Huntington Mall. The latter is slightly more likely, but atypical. Only time I remember stopping like this
• Economy Drug, Pikeville:  This is where I first found Wizard, and the only time I think I bought it here. They haven't had mags in many, many years.
• Page 3 GameZone, Pikeville: I got the majority of mags here over the decades, with most as a part of my regular pull. However, after their re-opening after the 2025 flood, they haven't been getting as many comic books related items. I am not sure if their current distributor even carries any comic-related mags at this time.
• Readmore Bookstore, Coal Run: This is where I not only got my first price guide, but where I got many of them before Page 3 opened. It was mostly that first one I mentioned previously, although they stopped carrying it a few years before they closed the store. I think the guide continued though. . .
• Waldenbooks, Huntington Mall: And I would find its updated version here. At least I think it was the same mag. If it was, it got a serious upgrade. Full color articles on multiple topics, new and old. A black and white price guide that ran a running feature about the subject matter in a number of titles that continued in each issue. I mean, this mag was terrific, and I only found it here. I almost added to my pull at Page 3, but I didn't realize that I could until the about the time the title was cancelled. I can't remember if that happened before or after the store closed.
• Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Mall at Lexington Green, Lexington:  Back when I first started going back to Lexington on a semi-regular basis in the early 90s, I saw this small newspaper about comic books called, simply enough, Comic Book News. I had heard about it from somewhere, but I can't remember exactly how. However, I loved the thing. Sure, some of the info was a little old, but it was still a solid source of information. The store only carried it for a short time before stopping. Strangely enough, not a single comic book that I've been to since has carried it. The paper still is being published, but they don't have an online version. I still kind of miss it.
• Comic Book World, Florence, online only: A new magazine, Comics! The Magazine, came out earlier this year. I have gotten the first few issues of it through here. I'm still debating over if I want to continue getting it not, even after five issues. It's okay, but there isn't enough variety in it yet to thrill me. I even found a mistake or two.

    As I said, I only hit the highlights I'm fairly certain about. You may have noticed a few mentions about trading cards.Well, they will be the focus on this year's capsule series this October, so be on the lookout for it this fall.

My Culinary Odyssey: 2026 Update

    I've finally found the time to update last year's series about everywhere I've eaten out. I wish I could say I've gone to somewhere new in the past year, but I haven't. This update is more about clarification and correction than anything new.  Still, there are a few places I need to add some details to. All are in blue, as they are all still open. I didn't eat at any of them, but I someone did.

    Hardee's, Louisa, TO:  While I wasn't sure if I really did stop here before when I first gave it an entry last year, I have since had to stop here a few times on my way back from the Huntington Mall. The parking lot was a large, but a little uneven is places. I stayed in the car, but it looked to be fairly large.

    Wendy's, Norton, VA, TO:  I gave this place a partial entry last year, but I'm giving it a full one now. I stopped here during my quest for missing comic books after my regular store closed temporarily after last the February 2025 floods. Again, I stayed out in the car, while they went in. They really liked it. Soon after this trip, we stopped going to Wendy's for mornings. (I've eaten lunch at Wendy's a few times since then. Most recently, I had the banana swirl vanilla Frosty. I liked it much better than the strawberry one, although if you could mix the two....)  Ever since they discontinued their oat and fruit bars, they haven't wanted to stop there for breakfast anymore. I offered to try recreate them, but I was turned down after they  looked at some clone recipes online. None of the recipes looked particularly good to them.

    Popeye's, Fayette Mall, Lexington:  As I mentioned in another post, I almost stopped here for lunch during my fall trip to Lexington last year. I was really intrigued with their special garlic parmesan chicken strips promotion, that also came with a small cake. I decided against it just before ordering. The meal also came with a soft drink, which I wouldn't have. See, I don't like large, public restrooms, so I try to limit my fluid intake on longer trips. While basic water would have been okay, a carbonated and sweetened beverage would not be, especially so early into the trip. I wasn't sure if it could be substituted, so I chickened out. Still might want to try eating there one day.

    One of the things I pointed out last year were promotion items, many of which you had to pay for. The one item I frequently got were the holiday mugs from LJS. However, I would occasionally get glassware from other places.  Most of those have long since broken over the decades, but I have a few left. One of these is a glass from Burger Queen/Druthers, or somewhere else in Prestonsburg. At the start of the Smurf craze, she got me a glass featuring Baker Smurf, who I never heard of. I would later find out that in the original European comics, the village had a Smurf who did most of the cooking, Baker Smurf. He wore a chef's hat and apron. They also had a Smurf who would take all of the food and try to eat it, Greedy Smurf. In the US cartoon, Hanna Barbara combined the two into a Greedy Smurf who wore the hat and apron. Not only would he make the food, he would try to eat the desserts as well. I guess it makes some sense.

    Finally, after decades of not taking any promotional items from anywhere, I got my second Burger King crown last fall. I know, stupid of me, but after getting my first one just a few months earlier, I decided I needed a second one.  This was in the Halloween design, where the various food products were in costume. I figured out of them, except for the vampire. He didn't look like any item on the menu that I could tell. 

    Yes, I still have it.

    Both of them actually.

    Stupid, but whatever.

I Have a Confessions II Review

    It took almost a week, but I finally got Madonna's Confessions II last week. I almost didn't get, but since Walmart only had two copies left, and I didn't expect to go anywhere else that might have it any sooner, I decided to buy it. I waited a few days to listen to it.  No real reason why, but I did. Anyway, here is my review from the first listen.  

    Before I review the album, I will have to talk a little about the packaging.  Walmart had the price label right on top of the explicit lyric sticker. How interesting. (By the way, there isn't that much that could be called explicit, in my opinion.) The back cover was just another photo with the standard copyright notices. No track list. The package was a cardboard sleeve with a plastic inlaid tray for the mostly blank CD. I prefer the old plastic cases, as they provided more protection. I know that cardboard sleeves are better for the environment. However, this mix is the worst of both worlds, as the tray barely provides extra coverage and makes the sleeve more difficult to recycle. Instead of a booklet, the CD comes with a mini-poster, the same images found on the ubiquitous full-size posters promoting the album. No track list or credits, no real liner notes of any kind. Now, there hasn't been any lyric sheets on a Madonna album since Ray of Light or so, but I would have wanted a little bit more than what was included.

    Without a track list, I was forced to search online for one, just so I could tell which songs were which and the order they came in.  Since the tracks blend into each other, such information is vital. "Bring Your Love" was the obvious first single, as it has the most traditional song structure of the sixteen tracks, and not just that it is a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter. "Danceteria" is probably my favorite track. Yes, many critics and fans agree, but only because it is that good of a song. If I have to pick a least favorite track, it has to be "My Sins Are My Savior" if only because it is mostly in French. (I'm better at reading French to listening to it.) Still, this opinion might change on further listenings.

    I feel that the songs reference many of the same themes, ideas, melodies, and even lyrics of Madonna's previous works. Even if I hadn't read various views over the past few weeks, I would come to these very same conclusions. Some might call this repetitive, but it really isn't. Instead, Madonna approaches these subjects from a somewhat different view, one of recollection and introspection. Such views usually are seen in her ballads, not her dance tracks, and that brings a freshness to the music. This really is her 'ultimate' dance album. Not just that it collects all of her previous takes into one singular album, but it suggests that she doesn't need to ever make another dance album ever again, even if she has a chance to. Sometimes, the connection to previous material gets a little too much, even within tracks on the album referencing each other. It is not a bad thing, but the sense of nostalgia grows.  The last six or so tracks start to slow down, dragging the entire down slightly. Such topics might have been better handled in ballads instead, but the dance-takes do add a certain directness that ballads usually don't have.

    I do feel that this will be Madonna's last dance only album.  Maybe there will be an ultimate ballad album in the near future to complete the overall career arc. Even if that never happens, this would still stand as her ultimate work.  4.75 out of five stars, based solely on a first listen. Rating could change upon further listenings. 

You Wanna Even More Madonna?

    This week, I will continue my history with Madonna with a few more albums. 

    In 2003, a flood took many of my things. However, my music collection was mostly spared, at least the cassettes were. A lot of my CDs were taken out. It was just bad enough that I haven't gone back to listen to the majority of my old tunes ever since. (My mom threw out her entire collection of vinyls, even though most of them could've been saved, in my opinion, but when she gets in a mood there is no stopping her or changing her mind.)

    I think I had already gotten a copy of American Life by then, but I'm not sure. I got a second copy regardless. Somehow, the jewel case cover got cracked, so the store may have had a bad copy or whatnot. The album only had one hit, "Die Another Die" from the 'James Bond' movie of the same name. Very underperforming. Maybe that's why the EP Remixed and Revisited was released soon after. My favorite songs, "Hollywood" and "Love Profusion," were featured prominently, as well as the live twentieth anniversary performance of "Like a Virgin" featuring Brittany Spears and Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards. 

    After some time off from a horse riding accident, Madonna came out with her second big critical success, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Each song bleeds into the next, as if it were an actual dance club loop, with the last song transitioning into the first. I have played this one a lot. My favorite track is "Get Together." It wasn't a big hit, but I just love everything about it. The song was the last CD single, or any single, I ever bought. (The physical market for singles just dried up.) At almost forty-five minutes, the single is more of an EP, but that is a small quibble. (It has five remixes of the song, plus one for a second track.)

    After that, Madonna had one last album to complete her Warner Music contract, Hard Candy. There were too many collaborations for my taste.  Compared to Confessions, anything else would feel incomplete. If I have to choose a favorite, I guess I would be "Give It to Me," but I barely played it. This would be followed by the two CD best greatest hits collection Celebration. It features thirty-four of her biggest hits, plus two new songs. I didn't like either that much, although I would give "Celebration" the nod if I had to. Now, Madonna had more than enough hits for a third CD. Most of those songs were for other labels though, so they weren't included, although a number of her other hits for Warner could have been included. Many of those were top ten smashes as well.

    Madonna had three independent albums, none of which I listened to all that much. MDNA was first, but the vibes just felt off for me. Maybe it was all the hype from performing the Super Bowl halftime show. I guess "Girl Gone Wild" would be my favorite here. Next comes Rebel Heart. Somehow, I bought the deluxe version of the album with extra tracks, after I thought I only got the basic version. I thought it was better than her previous album, but not by much. I would say "Ghosttown" would be my pick here. Then came Madame X. This was more of a concept album, founded on her exploration of Portuguese music, but I found it too experimental. Not bad, just not for me. "I Don't Search I Find" might be my favorite here, but I didn't play this one enough to really favor one song more than others.

    As a tease when she rejoined Warner, Madonna had a sixth collection of songs come out celebrating her fifty number one songs on Billboard's dance charts. Finally Enough Love had sixteen of her dance number ones, in specifically the versions which made it. The full three CD version had all fifty tracks, but it apparently was only available digitally, so I never got the version.

    Her newest album, Confessions II, was released last Friday, after months of promotion. I wasn't able to go out a buy a copy yet, if it was even available out here in the boondocks on time. There have been delays, up to a day or more on occasion. Sure, I could have tried to get a digital version on time, but after having two floods take almost everything I own, I need to have the physical copy if there is a choice. I'm limited to where I could buy it, and I just hope the CD is available. I don't have a phonograph for vinyl, I that's mostly the only new releases the local Walmart seems to get in. Barely anything else. 

    If I am fortunate, I will pick up my copy tomorrow and review it for week's post. Otherwise, I will still wanna a Madonna album, but with no idea where to find one.

Do You Wanna Madonna?

    I wasn't a big fan of Madonna when she first became popular when I was in grade school. I only got to hear the radio about once a week or so until I was in high school. I didn't get a boom box until Christmas of 88. I got my first CD player as a graduation present in 90. The cable service didn't start including MTV in its main package until I was in college. (All I had was this weird video show on TBS Friday and Saturday nights that wouldn't always show the biggest hits.) When I finally got into her music, I didn't look back. I'm still a fan of sorts to this day. In honor of her newest album coming out this Friday, I am going over my history with her music, starting from the beginning.

    My first cassette single [remember those] of hers was probably "Keep It Together," the last major single from her Like a Prayer album. I probably got it at Walmart. I was getting singles practically every time I went on a shopping trip. Didn't really like it, but was better than "Oh Father," the single that preceded it, which may have been my actual first Madonna single. 

    "Vogue" was the first major song that I got. This was memorable because I got it after a school trip to Morehead State University. Finding out it would have been cheaper if I had gotten it at the Walmart in the same shopping center was slightly disappointing. It was the lead single from what would be my first Madonna album, I'm Breathless: Music from and Inspired by the Film Dick Tracy. I got the cassette instead of the CD. It would have been my second ever disc, but I was put off by the music store, so I chose the easier option. I only went to that store one or two more times. It was hard to get to. (It soon turned into a medical supply store, and I think it is now part of Pikeville Medical Center in some fashion.) My favorite song from the album was not "Vogue," but the ballad "Something to Remember." For some reason, it just hit me based on the feelings I had after graduation. It is actually a very popular opinion, which I'll come back to.

    My actual first Madonna CD would be The Immaculate Collection, her first greatest hits album and her second compilation. (Her first compilation was of her biggest dance hits up to the late 80s. I'll come back to this idea at a later time.) The album would have two new songs, with my favorite being "Rescue Me." 

    After the movie song "This Used to Be My Playground," from A League of Their Own which she had a role in, I got my first actual studio album from her. Erotica. Still feels strange typing that, even though I was twenty by the time it came out. I can't remember if I got the album immediately or if I waited. I seem to recall getting two at the same time, after waiting on another. Anyway, my favorite song from that album is "Deeper and Deeper." It's a hard-hitting dance track with an unusual flamenco bridge in the middle.

    After yet another song from a movie, "I'll Remember," Madonna released Bedtime Stories. I remember the unusual program that she had before releasing the video for the title track on MTV. She actually tried to read a children's book, but kept getting interrupted. While the album features her biggest number one hit, "Take a Bow," I didn't care too much for the songs. Overall, either "Secret Garden" or "Human Nature" would be my favorite. 

    Next came another compilation Something to Remember, this time featuring her biggest ballads and the new song "You'll See," which was the spiritual sequel to "Take a Bow." At least the video was. (Yes, my favorite song from earlier was technically the title track.) The videos were a precursor to her title role in Evita. I did not get the soundtrack album. I am not that big of a musical theatre nerd. I did get the singles "You Must Love Me" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." I think the second was a CD single with remixes.

    All of this was just the build up to what would be her biggest critical album to date, Ray of Light. For once, I feel that the title track was my favorite, although "Nothing Really Matters" was also pretty good. No number ones, though. That didn't bode well with me. This would be followed up by two more songs from movies, "Beautiful Stranger" and a cover of Don McLean's "American Pie." Neither were released as singles. Wisely for the latter. It was widely panned.

    For some reason, I missed on the information that Music, her album from 200, was coming out. I guess I was busy with opening my store. The album featured a lot of inspiration from country music, especially my favorite track, "Don't Tell Me." I didn't get to play this CD that much, as I was too busy with my new business. I barely even acknowledged her next compilation album GHV2 was coming out. This was her second biggest hits album, but it had no new material. I mostly remember it because of the liner notes were written by Sacha Baron Cohen in his "Ali G" persona. (The cab driver was a part of the video for "Music.")

    That's when the music took a break, but I'll continue this thought next week. See you then.

Extreme Makeover: Blogcast Edition 2026

    So, I've been thinking about a design upgrade to my blog. When I first started this many, many years ago, I was just fooling around. I didn't give too much thought about what I could be doing with this thing. As such, I skipped a few details involving the design. Really. Since I didn't have a computer, I was forced to fix up my blog in short increments whenever I could steal some extra time at a local library while using their computers. Recently, I've been noticing the look of my blog whenever I have to go and post it when it shows up in my Memories on Facebook. The blog looks so dull, especially when compared to other things I see online. It just makes me want to change the entire setup however I can. Yes, I have a computer and almost unlimited time just to make everything just right, but I just don't have that much impetus to actually make the changes. I just want to update things for a better look, you know?

    Okay, full disclosure.  I have a confession. I didn't have a good idea for the subject of today's post. None. See, I have a slight problem. Today's post was supposed to be the 2026 update to My Culinary Journey series from last year. However, I wanted to go on my annual summer shopping trip first, in case I ate at a new place. The trip got delayed for many issues that includes fixing my broken glasses and avoiding some bad weather. As such, I still haven't gone yet, but I am scheduled to go very soon still. Starting next week, I have at least two, probably three, posts planned that I couldn't change the dates for, as they are tied to an event in early July. After that, then I can go back to the many ideas I've got planned, including that update. 

    For today, I'm just goofing around, writing whatever I can so that I can keep to my weekly schedule. The teaser for the link I'll be posting on Facebook will include my taste test of Mug Vanilla Howler. Spoiler, I'm not sure I liked it.

    Random thought. I've been seeing a lot of vehicles with a matte grey finish lately. I really hate it, as something about them is unsettling. The flat dull sameness of these vehicles just feels off somehow. The fact that so many just seemed to pop up suddenly all but scares me. It is almost like the things aren't real or maybe not of this world. If the vehicles were all the same make and model, I think it would make more sense. However, these are coming from different companies and brands. Maybe I would feel different if they were shiny, reflecting the sun proving their reality. These are just a dull dark gray, otherworldly in a negative sense. They do not belong to this world, but another.

    As to next week's post, I hid a big clue in these ramblings. Do you wanna find it?