Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

paris breakfasts: Kindle Your Friendships

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Photo by Flora Rocco



My friend Sardi gave me this photo because she thinks I'm consumed with pastry...

I really should put it in a frame...hmmm

Instead of sticking it on top of my stacks and stacks of book...


I have more books than you could shake a stick at. That's what I'm consumed with is BOOKS!




Books support me in so many ways. They even support my laptop...

But if books are my best friends and they are, I'm not very nice to them. I chopp them up like coleslaw. I blow them up at the copy shop. I write in them like crazy with yellow markers. I have to do it. As an artist/illustrator, I'm constantly on the hunt for specific pictures of whatever I'm painting at the moment and my dear friends, books, hold the answers.


I'm not alone in this treacherous act of battering books you know. The NY Public Library used to do it. You could visit The Picture Collection to search out reference shots. You would see all your other illustrator friends pouring over mounted pictures (some ripped out of the finest books I'll have you know). It was quite a social event to go look at torn-out pictures. But that's all changed. The NY Picture Collection is all online, so no more chit chat with fellow artist. Quelle dommage. And there's Google bien sur. I needed pictures of a Roasted Shallot Tart Tatin yesterday et voila! Easy as pie/tarte.


I'm working on Maison Blanc's Fall Menu and I needed tarte au citron reference too.




That was a whole lot easier to solve than the shallot tarte. I just headed down to Payard Bakery. Course if I was in Paris I'd be falling all over tarte citrons on every corner. They're common as lamposts practically...


If I was in Paris I wouldn't have to bring my own supply of lemon zest for the shot either. Just head over to M. Pierre Herme for super zesty lemon tarts.

Back to my dear friends, Books. I'm all over the place today - it must be yesterday's so-called 'earthquake'. I'm wondering if I should break down and finally get a reader..?


I've been flirting with one for quite some time.

Do you LOVE your Kindle?





Wasn't it clever of Amazon to call it the 'Kindle' like you were warming up at a friendly, homey hearth?

If I had a Kindle maybe I wouldn't have to two-time some of my books, buying them first in French and then dumping them for the English versions...


My Little Paris is FINALLY out in the US! Yahoo. I had to order mine from the UK - a fun, fun book. More to come on it.


Along with not having a Kindle, I don't have an iPhone either :(

Shhh...I don't even have a cell/portable(!!!)

Eeek. I'm probably the only one on the planet, but after seeing David Lebovitz post on iPhone Paris Apps I'm thinking. Could I get an iPhone just for the Apps? I'm in love with the Paris Metro App. It could be my new best friend, and I promise to be really, really nice. No chopping or blowing up or two-timing I swear.

Should I or shouldn't I??

Do tell all PBers. Do you have one? Do you love it?

Bonjour Post-Earthquake!














Source: http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2011/08/kindle-your-friendships.html

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Saturday, August 28, 2010

The Sunday Salon: A Misfit Toy Among Book Bloggers (and In Life)


I'm a Misfit Toy this week in the book blogging world, it seems.  You see, this will probably be one of the few Sunday Salon posts (or any posts this week) that don't mention Mockingjay.  For reasons that I don't quite understand myself, I'm not caught up in the excitement and hoopla surrounding it. 


I read (and liked) The Hunger Games just fine, but was content to stop there.  I don't have any other explanation to offer other than, like so many other things in my life, I am apparently a Misfit Toy. 


Case in point:  My 8 year old son Boo is currently borderline obsessed with all things Looney Tunes. He can't get enough of Bugs Bunny and all the other cast of characters who I can barely name. He watches them on YouTube and on DVD.  He's watching them on YouTube as I type this post, necessitating my move into another room as to not hear Bugs' annoying and migraine-inducing to me voice. He draws his own cartoon strips and his own stories starring Bugs.


It's turning me into a looney tune because ... well, because cartoons drive me batty. Even as a kid, I never understood them and had zero interest in watching them. Why? I have no idea and no theories to offer except ... I'm a Misfit Toy. Yet, I love hearing my son's laughter to the rafters and I love watching him get so much joy out of this.


All this is to say that I seem to be hard-wired to resist things (Twilight, Twinkies, Tweety Bird) that other people in my midst love.




As such, my reading lineup this week has been a bit different than most book bloggers in my world. I started, finished, and absolutely loved The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin. This is going to be among my favorite books of 2010.  To see why, check out my review here if you missed it and are interested. 


After The Queen of Palmyra, my reading stumbled a bit.  I started A Taste of Honey, a collection of interwoven stories by Jabari Asim.  Perhaps the heavy subject matter and themes were too similar as in The Queen of Palmyra, or maybe it was the writing or too many characters being introduced at one time. Regardless, this one didn't grab me. Same with Maxine Kumin's poetry collection Where I Live: New and Selected Poems 1990-2010.  For whatever reason, I wasn't connecting with the poems.


I'm starting to get the sense that it works best for me if I follow up a strong work of fiction with a non-fiction read. It allows the fiction work to settle in my mind and by reading a nonfiction book, it provides for an easier transition (and avoidance of comparison, even subconsciously) with another novel or short story collection.


Currently, I'm in the middle of Seth Godin's Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?  As a reader of Godin's blog, Linchpin has been on my radar for awhile. (It is also the book referenced by Ron Hogan during his presentation at the Book Blogger Convention in May.)  In his newest book, Godin writes about the qualities and characteristics of linchpins - those people in every organization who are the go-to people, who are the ones who seem essential and indispensable, who don't know the meaning of the phrase "not my job."


"There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art." (from the book jacket)



Godin's view is that as managers, we have the ability (and some might say the responsibility) to develop linchpins among our employees. As employees, we have the ability to develop linchpin characteristics within ourselves.


To be a Misfit Toy in the workplace, if you dare.


What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them, and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....


That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book.


copyright 2010, Melissa (Betty and Boo's Mommy, The Betty and Boo Chronicles) If you are reading this on a blog or website other than The Betty and Boo Chronicles or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Source: http://bettyboochronicles.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-salon-misfit-toy-among-book.html

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Educational Youtube

The conventional way to learn new materials is either enroll into a course or read a book. However these are no more the only options that we have nowadays.


Actually the previous two methods have certainly their advantages such as getting some sort of certification after the completion of the course and this gives you credibility that you really know what you claim to know. As for reading a book it is still a handy and convenient way since you can take it with you while travelling in the train, plane or even on the beach. Note that even with these features books are being challenged by technology with the advent of IPad.


However, there are disadvantages related to those methods. Course involves displacement to a certain location on a certain date at a certain hour. For working people this is not always easy to do and even when done they might not be in shape to fully assimilate the explanation especially after having a bad day. On the other hand, books also require some energy to read and assimilate. In addition, if the content needs to be practiced there will be switching from reading to practicing and vice-versa.


Luckily, this seems to be changed by Youtube! Until recently I used Youtube to watch some funny movies. But the other day I had the idea to search for a technology related subject and I was surprised to see tens of videos to that topic.
When running few of them I realized how efficient this method is. The explanations are directly backed by a demonstration, so the viewer won’t lose focus switching from book to computer. When, in doubt or you miss something you can repeat the clip as much as you need. You can pause to have some rest and resume later. In short you have all the advantages that you don’t have when you take a real life course. Plus it is totally FREE.


This reminds me of the open-source model, where people spend considerable amount of time and efforts to build software only to give it away for free. Same thing seems to happen in here; people are doing a series of learning videos and put them on YouTube for free. Surely they expect to get something in return by becoming well known in the domain they are talking about, but nevertheless the public is profiting from this model to get free learning and educational stuff.


Could we see in the future students logging to their Youtube class?! Nobody knows for sure, but one thing is certain; technology is reaching every aspect of the human life.


Source: http://ziadsalloum.blogspot.com/2010/08/educational-youtube.html

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George W. Bush Set For Dramatic Return

President George W. Bush will make a dramatic return to the public spotlight this fall to promote his new book, Decision Points which is due out in November, just after the midterm elections.
His memoir will examine 14 key decisions and their ramifications in Bush's life and work.
President Bush, who once termed himself "the decider" will look at some of the forks in the road that he faced and some of the turns that he took.
Among the decision points addressed in the book will be: the financial bailout; the military surge in Iraq; limiting embryonic stem cell research and the Bush tax cuts. The book also touches upon the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, the situation in Afghanistan and the immigration debate.
The big buildup to Decision Points begins November 8 with a one-hour prime time TV special on NBC.
The plan also calls for a book signing tour and numerous other media interviews.
President Bush has remained largely out of the public spotlight since he left office nearly two years ago.
Though he's been a near-constant target of attack from and ever-present object of blame by President Obama and the Democrat Party leadership, Bush has remained silent.
He has let others (most notably Vice President Cheney and Karl Rove) defend his administration and his time in office.
But soon George W. Bush will re-emerge and he will speak his own mind,


Sphere: Related Content

Source: http://dancirucci.blogspot.com/2010/08/george-w-bush-set-for-dramatic-return.html

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Check Out Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Penny Books)

Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Penny Books) Review




I'm a huge H.G Wells fan. On this one he steps outside the science fiction genre and gives us a compelling look into the mind of a man as he and his nation are pulled into war. It's actually very similar to the process I've seen the American psyche going through since 9-11, previously opposed to war, then whole-heartedly engaged, then questioning it.


I think this book would be a good choice for history buffs, since it does such an excellent job of showing us how things were during World War I and what the mood was like during that time.


Wells himself followed a similar course to his character. His leaned philosophically in the direction of pacifism, but when the First World War began he supported it at first, then after a while he gravitated back to his more pacifistic views.


This is an excellent book and I really enjoyed reading. Wells was a wonderful writer and very talented at telling a great story. I highly recommend this book.



Mr. Britling Sees It Through (Penny Books) Overview


It was the sixth day of Mr. Direck's first visit to England, and he was at his acutest perception of differences. He found England in every way gratifying and satisfactory, and more of a contrast with things American than he had ever dared to hope.


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Customer Reviews


Brilliant and sometimes hilarious! - Always with an open mind -
I got this book as a gift from my brother. I have always loved H.G. Wells' books, and though this one is not in the same genre that I'm used to, I really loved it. It's sad and brilliant and sometimes hilarious. The message is deep and timely. Even though it's about a different war, the sentiment is still the same. What war does to the psyches of individuals and nations does not change. It unites us for a time only to eventually leave us feeling dirty. H.G. Wells shows us this process works in this excellent book. I really enjoyed reading it, and I would recommend it to anyone.


The First Book of Wells' Decline - A Reader - Zembla
"Mr. Britling Sees It Through" was written while World War I was still raging. For the first 200 pages of this 450-page work, I was won over by some of the most muscular prose I had ever read. It was beautifully-written, lucid, poetic. After that 200-page mark, though, it sinks into vicious anti-German WWI-era propaganda. "Kill the Kaiser," "the Dirty Huns," etc.
History courses around the world study what we now know to be Allied lies about Germany to get America into the war. For instance, we NOW know that the Germans weren't "crucifying Belgians," nor bayonetting babies for practice, nor "making soap out of human corpses". So successful was this line of propaganda that many of its best gems were recycled for the second World War a generation later [and still survive as urban legends today, among the uneducated]. But the truth is: We now know exactly what British authors and operatives came up with the propaganda, what authorities authorized it and who aided in its dissemination.
Furthermore, we now know [what they didn't at the time] that H.G. Wells was hired to be on the staff of the very first official board of the British Ministry of Propaganda. He was a hireling of the government to spread what he knew were lies in order to persuade peace-loving men to murder in the name of their leaders' agendas.
For that Wells can never be forgiven.
If he was an artist before 1916 [and "Mr. Britling Sees It Through"], he was the worst sort of political hack and moral reprobate afterward--filling his novels with intentional lies and phony atrocities in order to stir murderous, irrational blood-lust to advance British Imperialist goals.


Not at all a bad book - -
The title says it all. "Mr. Britling Sees It Through" ... gosh, it's almost a parody of a H.G. Wells title. It's the story of how Mr. Britling makes it through World War One; although I should point out that he never once leaves England nor even, so far as I can remember, his study.

Look, I really liked this book, and I wish I could give it a higher rating; and Wells is a good enough writer to ensure that the book has some good things in it (Mr. Britling's "affair" with a theatrically emotional woman is hilarious); but in all fairness I must say that (a) Not all that much happens - I know Mr. Britling has a son at the front, but the resulting tension isn't enough to build a novel out of, and (b) There's something a touch self-indulgent about Mr. Britling's armchair angst, and so as a result (c) Wells sometimes misses the point of his own fable. But if anyone has any desire at all to read this book, I say, give in to it.


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 27, 2010 03:13:04


Source: http://numaybooks.blogspot.com/2010/08/check-out-mr-britling-sees-it-through.html

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Legacy of Death by Barbara Levy

I failed to mention another book arrived in the post this week (and yes, it was crammed in again, but the book emerged from the cardboard container unscathed).
I've been a bit absent minded, what with the house and everything.
Legacy of Death by Barbara Levy is the extra addition to my library.
It's a collection of anecdotes from the Sanson family. For seven generations they were France's executioners.
It's going to be a juicy read by all means. This book was recommended to me by Professor Bob, among other interests, he is a French history buff. I enjoyed Passionate Exiles (about the relationship between Madame De Staël and Madame Récammier by Maurice Levaillant) and this is something up the same alley.

Source: http://blogmrsb.blogspot.com/2010/08/legacy-of-death-by-barbara-levy.html

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Monday, August 23, 2010

"Quit Ye Like Men"

"Milly Burt had come to see me in the afternoon... She was really, I thought, very pretty and also very nice. You couldn't dislike Milly Burt even if you wanted to, and I for one, didn't want to...


'Oh, Captain Norreys... I blame myself dreadfully.'


'Here we go,' I thought.


'I should stop thinking about it,' I advised.


'But how can I?' Her large pathetic brown eyes opened wide.


'By the excercise of self-control and will power,' I said.


Milly looked highly skeptical and slightly disapproving.


'I don't feel I ought to take it lightly. Not when it's been all my fault.'


'My dear girl, your brooding over it won't help...'


'No-o-o-o, of course not... But I shall never forgive myself...'


We argued on familiar lines... I liked Milly Burt, but I found her quite infuriating.


'For God's sake,' I exclaimed, 'don't make such a song and dance about it! For Gabriel's sake if nobody else's.'


'But it's for HIS sake that I mind.'


She looked bewildered and obstinate.
'...I want to make up for what I've done.'


'Probably you can't...'


Milly Burt looked scared.


I didn't think she could, either. Teresa, if she had happened to care for Gabriel, could have done it quite well.


Teresa's method with life is, I think, ceaseless attack.


Milly Burt's was, undoubtedly, ceaseless picturesque defeat."


I read this little "romance/suspense" book by Agatha Christie last week, which was published under a pseudonym. It was wonderful! She's so witty and observant. This little interaction between 2 characters made me pause and think. It's entirely a work of imaginative fiction, and yet Dame Christie was nothing if not an astute observer of human nature. She nails people again and again. One of her best mystery detectives, Miss Marple, lives in a small English village and always says that no matter who she meets in the big wide world, they always remind her of some character or other in her own little sleepy village. This gives her special insight into motives and capabilities and tendencies, and this is why we all love her so. She always gets her man. :)


I think Dame Agatha wasn't far from the mark. Human nature plays itself out in countless ways, but down underneath I think there is more or less certain patterns we find repeated over and over. The devil doesn't need new tricks when the old ones still work perfectly fine!


Here's one such trick: strangling self-pity appears to us as piety. The arrogance of sewing our own "fig leaves" comes to us in the guise of humility as we do our penance instead of running to God immediately with our sin, as we are told.


Here we see little Milly Burt, who exposes the silliness of this particular strain of human nature so well. I see myself in Milly. What a silly girl I am, trying to somehow make up for my sin, thinking that somehow I'm doing God a favor. In reality, all I'm doing is making it worse. Wasting energy and time. Refusing to listen. It's all with the best of intentions, but I imagine an exasperated Heavenly Father in the place of Captain Norreys, thinking, "here we go..." and responding to my hand-wringing with a firm, "Stop thinking about it." He is kind. He likes me. But yes, "the Kingdom of God comes with violence, and the violent bear it away..." "Ceaseless attack" is what is required, not my own brand of "picturesque defeat." There is nothing admirable about a soldier who lays down his weapons while his King marches ahead of him.


Like Milly, I live in a fuzzy state of "bewildered obstinance." I'm bewildered by grace, and obstinant in my determination to pay. But nothing could be clearer:


"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1


So then --


"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Let all that you do be done in love."
I Cor. 16:13



Source: http://gatheringgrace.blogspot.com/2010/08/quit-ye-like-men.html

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Sunday, August 22, 2010

Winnie Come!


A few weeks ago I posted a heads-up about the Patricia McConnell DVD sale.  I didn't really know what I was getting into but I knew I loved her book The Other End of the Leash so I took a chance on a DVD.  I ordered "Lassie Come!  How to get your dog to come every time you call" because although Winnie comes most of the time she dosen't come all of the time and let's be honest... chasing a dog around the back yard because they won't come inside when you're late is only fun for the dog.   


In a nut shell... I loved it.  McConnell was thoughtful and encouraging and easily understood.  It was also great to see her model what she was talking about. 


Here's a clip of Winnie and I in a short "come" training session.  Today we're in the house but we've been doing it in the back yard and on walks and I think we'll soon move to the dog park for a bigger challange but for now we're having lots of fun! 




One of the points I took from the video was this: The more control you have over your dog, the more freedom your dog has. It sounds silly but makes a lot of sence. If you know your dog will come, you don't stress about letting it run outside to greet people... and so on. I found a YouTube video of McConnell doing an interview and talking about a different DVD.  They don't talk about training "come" but I thought it would be nice for you to see some of what I'm talking about from the horses mouth.  Enjoy!



Source: http://herdingthecorgi.blogspot.com/2010/08/winnie-come.html

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Friday, August 20, 2010

Looking for Information on a Publisher?

In doing some research for a speech I am giving on Tuesday, I stumbled across two informative sites: Predators & Editors and Absolute Write, check out the forum water cooler there.


Between these two sites you can probably get the skinny on just about every agent, editor, and publisher you have ever heard of. Before you sign that contract, do your research.


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Source: http://maryrussel.blogspot.com/2010/08/looking-for-information-on-publisher.html

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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Review - The Mentor Leader

It's been a month filled with thinking, reading, and discussing the topic of mentoring (and I hope to share more on that soon). This, along with the fact that I'm now a Hoosier living in the state of Indiana, when coach Tony Dungy recently came out with a book called "The Mentor Leader", I had to order that and read it immediately! The full name of the book is "The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams that Win Consistently." Tony Dungy is, among other things, the football head coach who led the Indianapolis Colts to win the Super Bowl in 2007. What impressed me more about the fact of the win was the character of man behind the team. Dungy is a very devoted Christian whose faith is lived out in all aspects of his life, on and off the field. His book "Quiet Strength" was a NY Times best-seller.


The Mentor Leader is an excellent book that is both inspiring, challenging, and practical. Coach Dungy offers a truly unique perspective as a Super Bowl winning football coach, a devoted Christian, and a man who has benefited much mentoring and who has intentionally sought for years to have a positive influence on the lives of those he touches. The book is certainly not shy of principles and thoughtful teaching on the topics of mentoring in leadership, but it really shines as a practical and wise approach that has been borne in the laboratory of life rather than taught in a business school. He has seen firsthand "that the way to bring the best out of an individual or a team is to teach-by example and through one-on-one, step-by-step mentoring." The book is packed full of stories and anecdotes, but it is not just a random assortment of anecdotes. Dungy actually covers a lot of material, and arranges it thoughtfully.


Table of contents
Chapter 1. The Mandate of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 2. The Mind-Set of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 3. The Maturity of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 4. The Marks of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 5. The Moments of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 6. The Model of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 7. The Means of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 8. The Methods of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 9. The Measure of a Mentor Leader


If you're a fan of leadership books, you'll recognize ideas and quotes by leadership experts such as Ken Blanchard, Steven Covey, John Maxwell and others. If not, that's ok too, as he weaves these in naturally along with stories and real-life illustrations. Dungy also does a great job at pointing out where ideas like mentoring and servant leadership are taught and modeled in the Bible, especially in the life of Jesus Christ.


Some of the topics or concepts that I thought were particularly interesting: focusing on strengths, the preeminence of character and integrity in the live of a leader, building a team whose strengths complement yours and each others, the importance of just hanging out and being present in the lives of those you hope to influence, the need to create a culture to effect change, and the idea of treating those you lead as volunteers (and for some of us... they are!)  Now, there's nothing ground-breaking in any of this, but Dungy does a great job of modeling all of this, and of explaining it in a down-to-earth way.


Towards the end he finishes by acknowledging that a lot has been covered, and the idea of being a mentor leader might be a daunting one, a lot to remember. So he encourages us with the following...


"Don't worry about remembering it. Think instead about beginning to live what we've talked about - each and every day, in every setting of your life. And let me encourage you to start right where you are, with the people right around you, doing something as simple as engaging with them and talking. Sometimes the smallest things we do have the biggest impact. Just start."


Being a mentor leader is being about the journey, adding value in the lives of other people in every moment. It's recommended reading, for fans of leadership and football alike. You can find The Mentor Leader at Amazon or other retailers.



Source: http://stepuptothecall.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-mentor-leader.html

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Fun with Paper Folding and Origami (Dover Game and Puzzle Activity Books)

Fun with Paper Folding and Origami (Dover Game and Puzzle Activity Books)

Fun with Paper Folding and Origami (Dover Game and Puzzle Activity Books)


- Easy-to-follow instructions for over 40 different pieces: sailboat, rooster, battleship, pagoda, bird, frog, airplane, cradle, Japanese lantern and many more. Crystal-clear text and more than 275 diagrams showing each stage in the paper folding process. Specially written to anticipate beginners’ difficulties. 279 diagrams.


Check Price Here



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Source: http://origamibeginners.blogspot.com/2010/08/fun-with-paper-folding-and-origami.html

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Sunday, August 15, 2010

a quick thought on cruising rallies...

I've never been a big fan of the cruising rally thing for a variety of reasons but I'll be the first to admit they seem to fulfill a need for some folks. A while back, a friend asked me that if I didn't like the idea of any of the plethora of cruising rallies, then what sort of rally would appeal to me.


It's funny how some ideas or questions will gnaw about the edge of your thoughts and the whole what sort of rally would appeal to someone-who-is-not-really-very-social has been one of them. Over the course of the last year or so I have come up with something of a shortlist of rally scenarios that seem to appeal or at least seem somewhat less odious (to me) than what is out there at the moment...


For instance, something historical comes to mind... I've always enjoyed books like Thor Heyerdahl's "Kon Tiki", as well as Tim Severin's "The Sinbad Voyage", and "Brendan Voyage" (as well as his others) but, then again, maybe recreating some famous voyage is better left to a single boat as getting into the head of some ancient navigator just does not seem like a group gig.


Of course, there is the cheap seats element which might interest me as sort of a classic-plastic-your-boat-has-to-cost-less-than-$10,000 sort of rally might have a certain appeal... Especially if it could run along side the sort of rally that looks down its nose at anyone with less than a Swan. Beating the consumer yachting kids at their own game would be a serious inducement for me to get into the rally spirit! But, after a second thought, while the daydream of a rally based on revenge is fun, actually doing such a thing, is just way too much karmic damage as well as hard work for me to seriously consider it.


Lately, a new sort of rally, the pirate alley boondoggle sort, has come into the picture which in my mind is highly suspect... if I were a pirate, the idea of a bunch of slow-moving wealthy (by third world standards) yachts in a group spells P-R-E-Y with a bow on it, and not Danger-Danger-Will-Robinson to my somewhat pyratical mind. On the other hand, said slow moving convoy with a couple of gunboats would be a whole different kettle of fish and actually make some sense...


Which leaves what? To be truthful, I think the sort of rally that would appeal to me would be a round the world geo-caching treasure hunt of some sort with a lot of really difficult mysteries/riddles to solve in the process...


Yeah, I'd like that!


Source: http://boatbits.blogspot.com/2010/08/quick-thought-on-cruising-rallies.html

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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Fabrications and Imposters

Last night I dreamed I was looking for someone. Twice I thought I had found them; but I soon realized they were imposters. Then the third time, I finally found the real thing...but unfortunately I woke up.


One of the imposters was Zelda from Pet Sematary....or at least something that looked like her. That was kind of creepy.


This morning, Jack and I watched iCarly. The episode was about a real life YouTube star named Lucas Cruikshank, who has found fame by portraying a character named Fred.


Sam and Carly showcase Fred's video on their iCarly webcast. They're about to show another video, and then their producer Freddie suggests otherwise. He admits he doesn't find the videos to be that funny. He isn't rude and nasty about it. He just states his opinion.


After stating his opinion, all hell breaks lose. Lucas declares his feelings have been hurt, and he's quitting his little show. Soon everyone is treating Freddie (the non Fred-fan) as a pariah. His simple statement of criticism is blown out of proportion. Reporters interview Carly, Sam, and Freddie, then edit the news report to make things look worse than they are.


In the end (SPOILER ALERT)......


Lucas admits that he was never offended, and it was all a scam. He points out that having this big drama increased both his and iCarly's web visitors.


The show made me feel uncomfortable because it brought back memories of my past internet experience. I gave an opinion, and suddenly I felt like I was the victim of a witch hunt. I don't think any outright lying happened, but there was manipulation of opinion via editing, deleting, withholding information, exaggerating, etc.


For me, the incident didn't increase visitor stats on my blog....mostly because I kept the drama off of my blog. I wonder if it increased stats for the others in the story. Maybe...probably.


So anyway, I have a lot of this dishonesty synchronocity going on. Why? I have no idea.


Today (several hours after watching iCarly) I watched some clips from a documentary on the Australian Screen website. I've been watching them in order, and the first one I came to today was from the film Forbidden Lies. It's about a Jordanian-American woman living in Australia who wrote a book about honor killings in the Middle East. She presented it as fact; said it was a tragedy that happened to her friend. But some clever Australians uncovered the truth. Author Norma Khouri is a con artist. Her story is a lie.


I did some reading with Lord Wiki regarding other literary frauds. He mentioned The Education of Little Tree. We read that in my children's Literature class in college. I was going to say how stupid for the professor to assign that, and not realize it was a fraud. BUT now I'm thinking maybe we read it, and then talked about it being a fraud. I can't remember. So there you go. Sometimes we can't tell the truth because we don't REMEMBER the truth. But we can be honest in saying we don't remember clearly. I think that helps.


There's an infamous Australia-related example; Mutant Message Down Under. This is the one in which an American woman claims she spent spiritual bonding time with Aboriginal Australians.


There are other examples.


People find fame and fortune by telling lies.


You know....you can do that ETHICALLY by calling your work fiction. Simple as that. Fiction does sell pretty well, actually. At least I think it does.


Although I wrote a novel, put it online, LABELED it as a novel, and people thought it was true. I got all these emails from people telling me they understood what I was going through. I had to explain that it was a novel...fiction. Maybe a lot of people don't know that novel means fiction. If I was putting my true life story up, I would have called it memoirs....or a blog. Whatever.


Why do people create these elaborate lies?


I'd say it's for....


a) attention (definitely!)
b) money (if they're getting their work published)
c) sympathy
d) the thrill of tricking people.


What are the consequences of lying?


Well, I think the biggest one is that it creates distrust, and often towards people who don't deserve this distrust.


I'm now reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This is the one in which the media and Ministry of Magic paints Potter to be a dishonest brat who's starved for attention. Now we the readers know the truth (well the fictional truth, at least). Harry Potter is completely honest and has REALLY been in horrible dangerous situations. He's not making stuff up. But the characters in the novel aren't privy to the knowledge we're getting. Why SHOULD they believe Potter? It's hard to do so when you've witnessed so many lies before.


A year or so ago, a young teenager pulled at the heartstrings of many bloggers. She was suffering from cancer. In her blog, she wrote about her troubles and sorrows. Other bloggers reached out to her, not just in the blogging world. They reached out beyond that. They called her on the phone. They sent her gifts. They sent out much love.


Then the cancer victim admitted it was all a lie. She didn't have cancer. She made it all up.


What a slap in the face to compassion. How are these bloggers going to react, in the future, when they encounter other people claiming to have cancer?


There's a brilliant scene in Swords and Crowns and Rings where a man won't allow some homeless people to seek shelter on his property. He cruelly sends them away. They stay anyway, sleeping with the pigs. One man dies from the cold. The others get angry at the farmer.


One of the characters (I forget who) defends the man.


Ah, here we go. I got the book, and found the passage. It's Jerry who does the defending. Although now I can't even remember who Jerry was.


Anyway, he says...But if the farmer's wife had the bad luck he told us about, tools pinched, vandalism, maybe worse, his daughter done over, or his wife terrorised-eh? Can you blame him for locking things up?


When it comes to just compassion, I feel it's usually better to play the fool than the cold-hearted bitch.


But if you go beyond sympathy....it's difficult. What if it's money....lots of money? Should we help someone, or ignore them because we believe they're a con artist?


Let's say a wealthy teen from the suburbs wants some extra cash. She doesn't want to work, so she goes around telling people that she's homeless and needs a few dollars so she can eat...or buy a train ticket...or call her parents.


I'm sure there are many stories like this.


But there probably are also stories of people who REALLY are stranded and in need of some food and money. How many of those truly in need have been ignored and turned down because liars have taught us to be distrustful?


Then there's the whole safety thing.


Now I don't know how much is real, and how much is urban legend. But I've heard of the serial killer/kidnapper horror stories. Men trick women into thinking someone is in need. They use this as a lure, and then they trap them. You know....like that scene in Silence of the Lambs. Scary!


It's really hard to be trustful in this world.


What are we to do?


I guess the best solution is to be open-minded and open-hearted...but also skeptical.


While we're on the subject of honesty....


I just want to remind people that I don't usually post things the day I write them. So although my blog is very honest about what I'm thinking, and what goes on in my life....the timing of stuff is usually dishonest.


So when I say Last night I dreamed I was looking for someone....it's a LIE. Well, it is true as I'm writing this. But when I post it, it won't be true anymore. AH....unless I end up having the same dream the night before I post this.


And by the time any of you read this, I shall probably be finished with reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.


I just wanted to make sure we're straight and clear.


I'm weirdly paranoid about misleading people....well, unless I'm joking. But if I'm joking, I reveal the truth pretty quickly.





Source: http://notreallyaustralian.blogspot.com/2010/08/fabrications-and-imposters.html

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Friday, July 30, 2010

Althouse's needs are met!

We're happy to find a place that might be okay, open for lunch in New Richmond, Wisconsin. Bellarietta. I misread it as Bellateria and joke that it's deleterious.


P1010530


I'm cheered by the colored pencils and paper-topped table. (You know how I feel about drawing on table-paper. ("1 part Homer + 1 part Moai + a dash of Redon + sprinkle with love = Meade.") Ha. Those links go to last summer, in the early days of the Meadhouse marriage.) And there's a book too, in case we run out of amusing things to say: "The Little Book of After Dinner Speeches."


P1010507


(Enlarge to read the text of the open book... and the messages we've penciled on the table.)


After extensive consultation with our excellent server Tanya, I trusted them with a Philly steak sandwich and Meade, oddly enough, went for a black bean burger. It looked like this and tasted as good as you'd hope upon seeing it, and it's hard for bread to meet my high standard:


P1010523


Computer on the table? Damned right: There was WiFi! Yay! The wifie got her WiFi, and her hubby is happy with that. So marriage can work. It was possible to find a husband who suited my eccentric needs.


P1010513


And it was possible to find a great place to eat in this little town in the middle of Wisconsin.


Life is good!

Source: http://althouse.blogspot.com/2010/07/althouses-needs-are-met.html

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

75 Signs You’re a Bibliophile



 I discovered this meme through one of my saved blog searches. I started giggling straight away, because it is so true! Some points are aimed at those who read more serious fiction and some at those who just read everything they can get their hands on. I am somewhere along that scale. There are some names I am not familiar with, but I have always concentrated on my genres and favourite classic literature, so it makes sense that I am not always familiar with obscure or unknown authors (who the hell is Zadie Smith?). Others items on this list, however, make me want to go back to the classics. I read 33 and had a craving to read A Modest Proposal again! I haven't been using that, but it works with not only how I think, my own obscure references only half my friends understand, but also with my politics. And yes, as I have mentioned previously, The Jungle is one of the best books ever written, and it is hard to eat processed meat because of it LOL  So please, read on and enjoy! I hope it gives you the giggles too! I am off to fondle some books now... and maybe get high on their scent. I'm not weird at all...


Source: Online University Reviews


We consider ourselves perched on the precipice of culture. Worshippers of the written word. Titans of tomes. Lovers of literature. We swarm the world with a voracious hunger cured only by sufficient mental and creative stimulation. We are in your office. We are in your schools. We may even be in your homes. You may even be one of us…


1. You actually completed an English degree.
Only a true bibliophile can survive 4-7 years of being told exactly how to interpret Finnegan’s Wake by a bearded, bespectacled man in a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches.


2. You actually started said English degree for reasons other than “Heathcliff is OMG HOT!”
And if you graduated with an English degree still thinking that Heathcliff is OMG HOT, then probably you should not go straight into a career. Probably you need to spend a brief stint in a mental institution.


3. Harold Bloom actually makes sense.
You will be a bibliophile for the ages if you actually develop a viable drinking game based on any of his works. English majors around the world will erect a statue in your honor. Assuming they actually have the money for it, which they don’t.


4. You’ve actually used the term “hack writer” unironically…
…and probably in reference to Stephanie Meyer as well. “Hack writer” is the literary connoisseur’s equivalent of “sellout” in the music industry. Not in terms of concept, of course, but rather when it comes to expressing status through terminology that’s both highly pretentious and embarrassingly true.


5. You fight to diversify the literary canon.
Great writing can come from anyone, anywhere. And a true bibliophile knows that the real literary canon is made up of far more than just a bunch of dead, high strung white guys. Oh, they contributed alright! But they are not the entirety.


6. You often find yourself wondering about whatever happened to Zadie Smith.
She’s still around, just not as prolific as the literati would like. Being a parent does that sometimes.


7. You have a little vein in your forehead that throbs whenever you hear about sparkly vampires.
If Sheridan Le Fanu and Bram Stoker came back to life and found out what became of their genuinely horrifying creations, they would probably crawl back into their graves and beg for the swift, cold mercy of death once more.


8. You laughed at the Thomas Pynchon episode of The Simpsons.
Because you got the jokes, of course. Not because you were pretending to get the jokes just to seem all intellectual.


9. Your loved ones tire of you spouting clichéd “The book was better” diatribes.
But you know better. Yes, yes you do. It’s not your fault the philistines haven’t picked up a work of fine literature since the Carter administration!


10. When other people incorrectly use the term “postmodernism,” a little portion of your soul disappears forever in a puff of suicidal depression.
Just because a work of art existed in the postmodern period does not inherently make it an adherent to the movement’s tenets!!


11. You have a crush on David Sedaris or Sarah Vowell.
It is a well-documented phenomenon that all modern-day bibliophiles find their hearts set aflutter at the mere mention of either David Sedaris or Sarah Vowell. You can’t argue with this statement. It’s science.


12. You have ardently argued that comic books deserve to be considered literature on par with more “acceptable” formats like short stories and novels.
And anyone who disagrees will likely be converted to your mindset after reading Maus, Watchmen, Persepolis or a volume of American Splendor.


13. Seeing “Based on the bestselling novel by…” in a movie trailer makes you dizzy.
Step outside, take a deep breath and sink $12 on a small Sprite to settle your stomach. It’ll all be over soon.


14. You’d read in the car if you could.
Some of the more daring bibliophiles amongst us are probably guilty of sneaking in a page or 2 at red lights…


15. Better yet, you take public transportation for reasons other than cost and the environment.
Because trains, buses and subways afford oh-so-much reading time that would otherwise be spent behind the wheel of a boring ol’ car.


16. Used, local and specialty bookstores are your kryptonite.
After a certain point, taking up crystal meth as a hobby may actually be kinder to one’s wallet than bibliophilia. But books don’t turn your teeth into pumice, which generally tips one’s favor towards the more expensive pursuit.


17. The New York Times Review of Books is among your browser bookmarks.
Even if their opinions boil your blood with the white-hot fury of a thousand supernovas, you still pop onto the site regularly to stay on top of the latest news and trends in the literary world.


18. You start a book blog just for the ARCs.
Setting up shop as an online literary critic opens the doors to receiving free books in the mail from eager publicists and authors who want to hear your opinions on what you did and did not like about them!


19. You ? your local library.
Whether you volunteer your time, money or old books, you do whatever you can to spread your love of the library and its myriad opportunities faster than Barry Allen on a caffeine bender.


20. You find Belle the least offensive of the Disney princesses.
Sure, she teaches young women about the joys of miring yourself in Stockholm syndrome! But she does enjoy reading and intellectual pursuits, which makes her slightly less misogynistic than the other aggressively marketed Disney ladies.


21. You know what the thunderclap that heralded the fall of Adam and Eve sounds like.
Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk!!!


22. You own a cat, a grand selection of tea and/or coffee, an all-purpose tote bag for shopping (that may or may not be constructed of post-consumer recycled products), a knitting habit or some combination thereof.
For some reason, every passionate literary connoisseur inevitably possesses one or more of those 4 items. Nobody knows why. Not even science.


23. You know very well that used book stores are not where stimulating reads go to die.
It’s a cliché to compare used bookstores to finding diamonds in the rough and treasures in the sands and princes among frogs…but it’s actually the most apt way to describe a visit. Great books certainly do crop up while slogging through bubbleheaded swill by Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella.


24. Oprah’s Book Club makes you want to destroy something beautiful.
Sure she encourages her flock to pick up undeniable classics like The Color Purple, Song of Solomon and East of Eden, but these were already well-respected works. As much as she poses, Oprah never actually had a hand in discovering the writers OR their novels. When she’s left to her own devices, A Million Little Pieces happens.


25. Substance abuse seems glamorous and edgy.
William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway both won the Nobel Prize in spite of possessing livers that looked like the Toxic Avenger. Hunter S. Thompson must have managed to score the Teddy Roosevelt of immune systems, because that’s just about the only reasonable explanation regarding his ability to stay out of the hospital and get work done. All brilliant literary figures…all suffering from very serious psychological issues that needed addressing. Substance abuse should be considered a wrenching tragedy, not a writing strategy.


26. You actually know the difference between you’re/your, they’re/their/there and it’s/its.
And you deserve a pat on the back for it! Just don’t get cocky and start correcting everyone else in a condescending tone, OK?


27. You feel an overwhelmingly compelling need to refer to every cockroach you encounter as “Gregor.”
Bibliophiles living in Houston especially struggle with this problem.


28. The social events you look forward to most either involve the library, readings or lectures.
And why not? They’re excellent networking opportunities that provide great insight into an author’s beliefs and creative processes – not to mention exposure to exciting new literature! Plus, it’s a great way to meet cute boys and girls in sweater-vests.


29. You really, really relate to that one Twilight Zone episode with Burgess Meredith.
The ending probably wrenched your heart out, grilled it up on a George Foreman, slapped it in a blender and forced it all down your panicking throat, didn’t it?


30. You think Kindles, Nooks, iPads and other electronic books take a little something away from the reading experience.
Just kidding! That actually makes you a Luddite.


31. You long to attend the Bloomsday Festival.
It really is a great event, and any bibliophile with the resources to hit up Dublin on June 16th would do well to attend. Even if Joyce isn’t your thing, it’s still very worthwhile, largely gratis and highly literate fun.


32. You know that irony is not rain on your wedding day or a free ride, but you’ve already paid.
Irony is selling an heirloom pocket watch to purchase beautiful combs for your wife’s luscious hair, only to find out she cut it and bought you a chain for the timepiece with the money. But who would have thought it figured?


33. Your solutions to any sociopolitical problem inevitably involve references to eating babies.
If a peer gets the reference and laughs, you are in good company. If a peer does not get the reference and laughs, you probably should examine his or her motives first before judging them a sociopath. They could just be harmless internet denizens in their downtime.


34. You prefer the term “erotica.”
Anaïs Nin certainly possessed enviable writing talent worthy of study and inclusion on numerous “Best of…” lists. But even if you slap a more elegant, euphamistic label on it, porn is still porn.


35. You worship Mignon Fogarty.
She is the one woman preventing the English language from devolving entirely into YouTube comments.


36. You’ve read the Bible, even though you’re not Christian.
Much of the “Western” literary canon built itself upon Christianity’s teachings, and a familiarity with them definitely renders the entirety of the Medieval period almost comprehensible.


37. You participate in LibriVox (or similar organization).
LibriVox and its ilk bring bibliophiles together to record public domain or licensed works of literature so that the visually impaired can enjoy them! All of them make for ideal volunteering opportunities for book junkies.


38. You know that Iceberg Slim is not a frozen cigarette that sank the Titanic.
Granted, most people probably wouldn’t think that anyways. But you get the idea.


39. You appreciate the Coen Brothers more than most people.
The Coen Brothers are the Talking Heads of the film industry – whip smart, undeniably legendary and highly, highly literate.


40. You actually read the included supplementary material.
To you, the forwards, afterwards and essays included in a volume deserve careful perusal just as much as the actual novels themselves.


41. The word “abridged” gives you a migraine.
Or, alternately, it sends you into an unstoppable rant about how abridging a story compromises the author’s original intent – even if the author him- or herself approved of the changes in the first place!


42. You love incorporating books into your home décor.
Some of the more intense cases among you may pick out tomes you love with covers that convey the specific aesthetic you desire. The bibliophiliac community is split over interior designers who construct furniture and other decorative items out of old books.


43. NPR holds a special place in your heart.
Not everyone agrees with NPR’s politics, but bibliophiles of all types flock to NPR’s reviews, interviews and news regarding the latest and greatest works of literary art.


44. You have one specific genre or subgenre that you absolutely hate and avoid at all costs.
And you know you hate it because you have actually read several books from the genre at hand. Right?


45. Broken spines seem almost like injuries.
More serious bibliophiles tend to anthropomorphize their collections on occasion, and breaking the spines of books almost makes them weep in empathy for its pain.


46. You sell your clothes and other possessions before you sell your books.
When bibliophiles need a little extra money quickly, they’d much rather dump their clothes and other necessities onto resale shops instead of hauling a load to a local shop specializing in used volumes.


47. You hate moving.
Not because you’re antisocial or agoraphobic, but because packing and unpacking hundreds – if not thousands – of books is a real pain in the patootie.


48. You’re reluctant to lend out your books.
Sure, you want to nurture a love and appreciation of the written word in your friends and loved ones. But what if they bend the spine? What if they dogear the pages? WHAT IF THEY SPILL COFFEE ON IT?!?! OH GOD THE THOUGHT OF IT JUST KILLS ME!!!


49. You consider dogearing a sacrilege.
Though a venial sin compared to the mortal offense of breaking a book’s spine, dogearing still compromises its delicate structure.


50. You never walk out of a bookstore empty-handed.
Even if you walk into a bookstore with no particular purchase in mind, you always seem to throw down the debit card for something that popped out. Always. Invariably.


51. You usually carry around 2 books at a time.
Because you never know when you’ll find yourself with some welcome free time. Unfortunately, said welcome free time may mean you finish your current read and need to start up on its follow-up.


52. Most of your volunteer work involves literacy.
When they want to give back to the community, most passionate bibliophiles look for charitable organizations that involve teaching people how to read, distributing books at shelters, reading to the elderly or blind and other literary causes.


53. When library hours get slashed, you faint like a Victorian lady listening to a bawdy story about ankle exposure.
Sadly, many libraries across the world have been forced to scale back their hours due to budget cuts. Bibliophiles responded to the news by contracting the vapors, and many sustained unfortunate head injuries as they crumpled to the floor in grief.


54. You spend hours upon hours browsing TVTropes.org.
Don’t let the name fool you – TVTropes.org dissects storytelling, plot and character devices from ALL media. Prepare to lose significant expanses of time once you discover what people have written about your favorite books.


55. You got grounded often as a kid.
Not because you were an ill-behaved demon child, but rather because your parents always caught you huddled beneath your blankets with a flashlight in one hand and a book in the other. Also it was 2 AM. Also you had a math test the next morning.


56. You know that the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42.
You also know how to properly mix a pan-galactic gargle blaster and the importance of bringing a towel with you wherever you go.


57. You can tell the difference between British and American English…
It’s a lot more than just “colour” vs. “color,” and you know it! Bonus points for any readers able to pick out Canadian English without any external hints.


58. …yet you frequently write in a blend of both.
Hey, it happens. Bibliophiles who pull double-duty as writers oftentimes find themselves merging grammatical and spelling conventions from British and American English without even realizing it. Kind of like Madonna’s accent, only not faked for attention.


59. You don’t take an iPod to the gym.
No amount of Lady Gaga’s warbling can get you up and moving quite like a favored book. There’s a reason why treadmills often come with a mechanism to support a chosen read…


60. You didn’t join a book club…you started one.
And you actually set up said book club so participants actually read rather than guzzle down wine, gossip about how Betty’s wife left her for a nubile young flight attendant and discuss why Mr. Darcy is OMG HOT and why every man ever should just drop everything and be him.


61. When walking through heavily-wooded areas, you are often disappointed to find no sign of the Ents.
A talking tree?! Are you mad?!


62. Every kid in your English class hated you.
It wasn’t out of pretentiousness that you always had the right answer or a viable alternate character interpretation! Honest! Relax. You’re among good company here, though. We believe you.


63. You enjoy reading the more obscure works in a popular writer’s oeuvre.
Even in the (frequent) incidents when a renowned literary figure’s best works remain the most popular, bibliophiles still love delving into their lesser-known writings with the burning desire to discover overlooked treasures.


64. You eagerly hope that future generations of humans grow beaks and seal-like flippers after evolving from shipwreck victims stranded on an isolated island.
(See what I did there?)


65. Someone always gives you a fancy bookmark as a gift every year…
Bibliophiles are actually quite easy to shop for, provided you don’t actually buy them books (they’re particular, you know). Just buy them a lovely, fancy bookmark for their birthdays and watch the gratitude unfold.


66. …and you usually use 2-4 at a time.
Many bibliophiles suffer from a particular form of ADD unique to their kind. Rather than reading 1 book at a time, they often have a multitude of different books going simultaneously. Usually this has to do with a read corresponding to a particular mood, though not infrequently do literature junkies simply grow too excited to wait.


67. You have a hard time eating sausage.
Thanks, Upton Sinclair!


68. Friends and family think you’re crazy for re-reading certain books.
At least once in his or her life, someone close to a bibliophile has honestly inquired as to why he or she feels the need to read literary works more than once. This is usually accompanied by a concerned, though rarely condescending, tone of voice. The same tone of voice parents usually use when asking teenagers if they’re on drugs.
If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will.


69. You used to spend recess reading.
Leave dodgeball to the troglodytes! There are worlds to explore! People to meet! Establishments to fight!


70. You are conflicted over the thought of writing on the pages.
Taking notes inside a book itself saves both paper and time. But it also starts cluttering up the pages and making re-reads much more difficult. This is a very serious issue that divides families and friends, if not individuals themselves.


71. You own multiple editions of the same book.
This also includes multiple translations of the same book as well. You know you’ve done it at least once. Don’t lie to me!


72. You go out of your way to place writers and their works into the proper context in order to best understand the book at hand.
Had Ignatius Rising not come out, nobody would have been able to figure out that John Kennedy Toole struggled with his sexuality and possessed mommy issues rivaled only by Buster Bluth.


73. You critically refer to the British as “imperialists.”
After exposure to enough postcolonialism, everyone does. Even some of the British. This mindset also applies to the Dutch, European-Americans and Spanish as well, depending on the literature consumed.


74. You know how to get away with (axe) murder.
Be a gravely poor former law student, possess altruistic intentions and spend 532 pages wallowing in existential torment regarding a spiritual status extremely similar to – yea, frequently misunderstood for – Nietzsche’s theory of the Übermensch.


75. You really, really, really, really, really, really, really like books.
At the end of the day, isn’t that more or less the literal definition of “bibliophile” when translated from the original Greek?


There’s no need to be afraid. You’re certainly not flying solo on this frequently bleak chunk of metal rocketing through an expansive, lonely cosmos. Just relax and embrace who you are, what you are. We certainly love you for it.














Source: http://bookbitesoz.blogspot.com/2010/07/75-signs-youre-bibliophile.html

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Monday, July 12, 2010

Harry Potter review

OK so i just finished the Harry Potter series earlier this week- Sunday I believe or Saturday.
Anyways, I have been forming a review in my brain on the series and so here is my review/notes/random thoughts on the books along with links and whatever i deem necessary and pertinent to this post.


I will try and not jump around from book to book but i can't promise anything


**WARNING** read at your own caution because i discuss plot and all that jazz that might ruin the books if you haven't read them or finished the series. so i am giving you time to leave now and finish the books


You're reading this because you have finished reading the series. So don't get mad that I ruined the series for you if you haven't finished them.


Book 7 notes::::( and some of 6 i guess)


-->7 Horcruxes and 7 books- I thought that was sorta interesting as i like to look for patterns with numbers and letters.

-->7 Horcruxes( Horcruxes are items that a witch/wizard can put part of their soul in so that they can't die if they are in that situation. it is suggested that they only do this once, but as you can see V did it 7 times) are as follows: Locket, ring( that belonged to Riddle II aka Voldemorts grandfather, Marvelo), Diadiem(which i'm guessing is a crown/tiara kind of thing with jewels on it- belonged to Ravenclaw founder), Sword(which can be found in Dumbledore's office behind his desk- belonged to Gryffindor founder-Godric(the same Godric that Godric's Hallow is named after which is where Lily and James Potter lived until they where murdered by V- which is also where Dumbledore, it think, grew up), Goblet/Cup(which belonged to Hufflepuff founder), Diary( aka Tom Riddles diary which is featured in Chamber of the Secrets( B2) that was destroyed in the end- this i think is the Slytherin item) and then last but not least, Harry Potter, himself. The 7th book explains this toward the end where Harry is talking the Dumbledore(not gonna tell you how tho bc he's kind dead and i don't want to give anymore away than i already have.


and yes i did take notes. i have the papers in front of me so i know what im going to say.


-->Deathly Hallows- at first i thought that it had to do something about a forest( it kinda does) but they're just 3 items, that, when they're all in the possession of the same person, can be make that person very powerful. They are as follows: Resurrection Stone, Invisibility Cloak, and the Elder Wand. The Stone, is if i remember featured, in the first book. The Cloak, is, yes, the Cloak that Harry owns. The book mentions that it can't be any cloak. Some wear out and sometimes the invisibility part wear off in some- they have a shelf life of 3-5 years or something like that, but the Cloak that Harry has has not worn out, as the books mention the Cloak was passed down to Harry from his Dad through Dumbledore and Dumbledore had the Cloak the night that Lily and James were murdered.


-->Severus Snape and Lily Evens. This part totally took me by surprise and it's nice to know that JK Rowling has a soft side. I had to reread this part to make sure i understood what was going on. It all now makes sense even though i had to read through 7 books to find this out. Pretty much Snape had a huge crush on Lily as they were childhood friends(Petunia hated the look of him- that's not anything new tho). Also i got to thinking, Snape's Patronus was a Doe- Harry's/James was a Stag. What was Lily's? Do the Patronus's have something to do with Lily's and Snapes friendship/relationship and Snapes duty to protect Lily's son?



-->Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore's Deal- Dumbledore, thoughout all 6 books, told everyone that he fully trusted Snape. It was hard to believe at some times, but when Snape killed Dumbledore I had a hard time actually believing that. Like i didn't think that Snape actually had it in him, but of course, knowing the character of Dumbledore, it was all part of a plan. Snape is actually a good character, mistaken and misunderstood, yes, but good nonetheless. The deal that Snape made with V was very risky and even though Snape hated James Potter for everything he was, it was Lily that pretty much made everything worth it for him.


-->Pevrell Brothers- Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus- aka the original owners of the Deathly Hallows. there's a story in the 7th book that explains them and how the Hallows came into being.


-->Characters that die in the Books( those I can remember anyways)- Lily and James Potter, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Hedwig( i cried- what was the purpose of killing her. she never did anything to you!), Dobby( I sort of cried), Crabbe( ehh no comment), Fred( I saw a spoiler on MLIA and that kind of ruined the moment in the book- that's when i got rid of the app on my phone- it's still on back on there), Remus, Tonks, and Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange (Death Eater who used the cruciato curse on Neville's Parents, who also killed Sirius) and of course, Voldemort( but we all saw that one coming so that was a no brainer)


-->Random Note: Lucious Malfoy(Draco's father(both Deather Eaters)) is 5 years older than Snape. Correct me if I'm wrong but that's how i understood it from the book(7).


**All of the above is from one sheet of notes and my hands are starting to cramp**


Take a break of reading




Half Bood Prince trailer- which i just now earlier today put on hold at the Library to watch. let it play for 3 continuous trailers




Fun JK Rowling Site. Click the Accessibility Button



Ok now that you've had a break and have come back to continue this post, ok maybe i just needed a break from typing, ill continue





so back on track, and not getting distracted by Potter Puppet Pals, which i am going to have go and watch all the videos nows...


Family Trees:


Weasleys:

Molly and Arthur: First of all who is Bill and Charlie, like i do NOT ever remember reading about them. are they children of M and A or are they A's Brothers or something? anyways Percey, Fred & George, Ron and Ginny. Molly kills Bellatrix(who killed Sirius and injured/killed Neville's parents). Bill married Fleur Decalure(or whatever, who was a contestant in the Tri Wizard Tournament- the all girls school( Goblet of Fire( B4)).


Dumbledores:

Kendra and her husband( who was sent to Azbaban and i don't remember seeing his name anywhere) had Albus, Aberforth( owner/bartender of some bar that's popular with the Hoqwarts students) and Arianna. Arianna died from some sickness at a young age and wasn't able to control her magic so she was hidden most of the time. Kendra dies before Arianna. Both deaths were very hard on Albus.


Gaunt/Riddles:

Marvelo(V's grandfathers) is father to Morfin( who is sent to Azkaban for killing 3 non-magical people( it feels weird using the term Muggle, even tho it's not really derogitory but actually a correct term)) and Merope. Merope uses a Love Potion on Tom Riddle( who is actually in love with another woman), marries(?) him but he leaves Merope during her pregnancy with Tom aka V. Merope ends up going to a shelter for battered women deal and dies in childbirth or shortly after but in time for the midwife girls to hear the name she has picked out for her son which is Tom Marvelo Riddle (which is the name you see on the cover of the diary in the Chamber of Secrets(B2)). Later on in life, V ends up going back and killing Marvelo and I believe Morfin and taking the ring( which i explained is/was a Horcrux earlier).

I'm on my last sheet of notes


Potters(Harry): Harry and Ginny, i'm assuming get married, and have 3 kids( i thought 4): Alubs, James and Lily.


Weasleys(Ron): Ron and Hermione, i'm assuming get married, and have 2 kids: Rose and Hugo.


Malfoys(Draco): Draco, i'm assuming gets married and has one kid named Scorpio.



Dumbledore's Army:

I really liked this part in the books. It gave confidence to so many people especially Neville who actually i would consider a main/important character. In the last book, he's so into fighting and everything for the cause. His rallying and leadership really shows and improves. His self-esteem and confidence has risen drastically that I was actually proud of this character.


And that my friends are my notes on the Harry Potter series.


(it took me 1 hour and 40 min to type this- that includes watching those trailers and PPP


Source: http://mylifeasacomputergeek.blogspot.com/2010/07/harry-potter-review.html

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