from another person's blog (thanks Chad!), so despite the lack of originality in the topic, the content will be highly original. So here they are, ten weird or secretive things about me.
1. When I'm bored (which is often) I decide what my friends would be if they were a dessert, a cereal, a color...well, you get the idea.
2. I hate celery with a passion and intensity normally reserved for those who have wronged me or the people I care about.
3. I was a cheerleader in high school, which isn't weird or very secretive, but since so many people say "you were a cheerleader?" upon hearing this I included it. Plus it goes with number four.
4. I can be painfully shy and/or awkward in certain social situations. Doesn't jive with having been a cheerleader now does it? But it's true.
5.I seem to have an inexplicable attraction to men with dimples in their chins. Ask me about it and I'll elaborate. It's rather frightening if you ask me.
6.I still read children's literature for fun. Don't laugh, it's really good.
7. Michael Jackson's Thriller video scared me so much as a kid that I would hid in the linen closet when it came on. And I did this because my sister ALWAYS wanted to watch it. Always!
8.I eat my cheeseburgers plain, just bread, meat and cheese.
9. I can't sleep if my feet are hot.
10. The only restaurant I wanted to eat at when I was really little was Denny's because you could get breakfast all the time. Now, the idea of eating there makes me queasy.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Be very, very quiet......
We are going on a book hunt! Well, not exactly a hunt, but a Shelfari! And what, pray tell, is a Shelfari? Shelfari is this wonderful new website that my friend Blake shared with me. (Thanks Blake!) Essentially, it is a social networking site, but this one revolves around books, so it is not nearly as creepy as some of the other ones out there. What you do is create a free account (the whole thing is free which means everyone can use all of the features) and then you create your shelf. You can put whatever books you want on your shelf, although since they also have a "reading list" feature it helps if the books on your shelf are ones you've read. You can write reviews for all of your books, give it a star ranking, create tags for them, see other people who have that book on their shelf, see if there are any discussions going on about the book etc. Or you can just put them on your shelf and leave others to speculate about what you thought of them. A lot of people do that. I personally find that annoying.
The social networking part comes in with the discussions. You can join groups that share your interests, and if you don't see one you like you can start one of your own. You can also make groups private which means the moderator controls who can join (if you want to be all elitist about it, or if your group becomes mega popular and you need crowd control). You can leave messages on people's pages, you can send requests for friend status (although as far as I can tell the only thing that friend status does is place them on your profile page). Speaking of your profile page you can make it as descriptive or non-descriptive as you like. There is only space for one picture by the way and most of the members I have come across don't use a real photograph, or at least not one of themselves. The site also will show you the people who have the most overlap with your bookshelf.
The site is still in beta mode, which means a lot of the functionality that you would hope for isn't there, yet. For instance, the search feature does keyword only which means when you search for Kurt Vonnegut you get all of his books, but also any other books with Kurt or Vonnegut on them. However, the company responds quickly to emails that you send and even have a feedback survey where you can submit ideas for improvement. You also do that via email if you want. Since it is still in beta testing it means they are looking for ideas on how to improve their product. So suggest away!
If you enjoy books I highly recommend this site. Not only does it give you an opportunity to shout to the world how much you loved or hated a book, but you can find great recommendations for new things to read. So put on your pith helmet, bookmark the page, and go on a Shelfari. But be warned! It's addictive. If you are interested my user name is Librarianwho.
The social networking part comes in with the discussions. You can join groups that share your interests, and if you don't see one you like you can start one of your own. You can also make groups private which means the moderator controls who can join (if you want to be all elitist about it, or if your group becomes mega popular and you need crowd control). You can leave messages on people's pages, you can send requests for friend status (although as far as I can tell the only thing that friend status does is place them on your profile page). Speaking of your profile page you can make it as descriptive or non-descriptive as you like. There is only space for one picture by the way and most of the members I have come across don't use a real photograph, or at least not one of themselves. The site also will show you the people who have the most overlap with your bookshelf.
The site is still in beta mode, which means a lot of the functionality that you would hope for isn't there, yet. For instance, the search feature does keyword only which means when you search for Kurt Vonnegut you get all of his books, but also any other books with Kurt or Vonnegut on them. However, the company responds quickly to emails that you send and even have a feedback survey where you can submit ideas for improvement. You also do that via email if you want. Since it is still in beta testing it means they are looking for ideas on how to improve their product. So suggest away!
If you enjoy books I highly recommend this site. Not only does it give you an opportunity to shout to the world how much you loved or hated a book, but you can find great recommendations for new things to read. So put on your pith helmet, bookmark the page, and go on a Shelfari. But be warned! It's addictive. If you are interested my user name is Librarianwho.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
From the Shelves 2
This post comes later than I had intended, primarily because I was trying to decide if I was going to comment on this book, as it violates the original idea of these book recommendations. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is not a happy book. It isn't completely depressing either, but if you read it and don't cry the police should come for you as you are clearly a sociopath with no feelings.
The story is set in Munich during World War II. Oh god! It's one of those books? Yes and no. Yes, because it is about the horrors of war. And no, because, you see, this book is narrated by Death. The title character is a young girl named Liesel who falls in love with books and decides, as her form of protest, to steal books (and a few other things) from the oppressors in her city. Liesel, it should be noted, is not Jewish. Max, who is hidden in her basement, is though, and this is as much his story as it is Liesel's. Ostensibly, this book is for middle school students, but at 550 pages, and with phrases like "he tasted like regret in the shadows of trees" and the liberal use of the word asshole, frequently as a term of affection, it is only pretending. Not that they wouldn't enjoy it, but there is so much in this book, it is unfair to stamp it with the stigma of being young adult literature. (And I think there is much more to young adult literature than most people are aware of and I still don't want it labeled as such.)
Despite the darkness there is humor to be found in this book, as well as much sadness. Death is a very busy man throughout this novel, coming to collect those you would least expect him to, and those you do not want him to. The ending is both sad and happy, much like life itself. I highly recommend this book, but have tissues at the ready. For you too, will be "haunted by humans" just as Death is after you read The Book Thief.
The story is set in Munich during World War II. Oh god! It's one of those books? Yes and no. Yes, because it is about the horrors of war. And no, because, you see, this book is narrated by Death. The title character is a young girl named Liesel who falls in love with books and decides, as her form of protest, to steal books (and a few other things) from the oppressors in her city. Liesel, it should be noted, is not Jewish. Max, who is hidden in her basement, is though, and this is as much his story as it is Liesel's. Ostensibly, this book is for middle school students, but at 550 pages, and with phrases like "he tasted like regret in the shadows of trees" and the liberal use of the word asshole, frequently as a term of affection, it is only pretending. Not that they wouldn't enjoy it, but there is so much in this book, it is unfair to stamp it with the stigma of being young adult literature. (And I think there is much more to young adult literature than most people are aware of and I still don't want it labeled as such.)
Despite the darkness there is humor to be found in this book, as well as much sadness. Death is a very busy man throughout this novel, coming to collect those you would least expect him to, and those you do not want him to. The ending is both sad and happy, much like life itself. I highly recommend this book, but have tissues at the ready. For you too, will be "haunted by humans" just as Death is after you read The Book Thief.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Riding Through the Glen
Lately, people have accused me of being a little obsessed with the BBC's new show Robin Hood (the first season is airing on BBC America on Sunday's at 7:00), specifically with the actor in the leading role (Jonas Armstrong). I am however, not as obsessed as the person (or people) responsible for this blog. New Robin You see? Makes me look positively disinterested doesn't it? And they aren't just obsessed with the show, but Robin Hood in general. Interesting stuff there though. Of course, I did find this site, so there you go. But in my defense I was using stumble upon and it led me to it. If you haven't watched the show I highly recommend it, and not just because I find the lead actor to be impossibly attractive. Watch it! And suffer along with me until season 2 airs in the UK. They are filming it now, in Budapest of all places. Oh to be in Budapest this summer.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Return to the shelves
Okay, so here it is, the place to post any comments on The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie, if by any chance any of you took my advice and read this book. Or if you want to post any of your own book suggestions feel free.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A rose by any other name
This is not about roses. It is about scents, or rather, my sense of smell and the scents I enjoy. (I figured a Shakespearean reference was better than calling this blog Odor-rama).
There is no other way to say this: I have a strong sense of smell. (This also results in my being more sensitive in the taste department as well but that's another blog entirely). What do I mean by strong? Imagine being able to smell someone's bubblegum, from four to five feet away. Or their lip gloss, or lotion, or hairspray, or the flavoring in their coffee. Or in one spectacular case being able to smell someone's cologne from about twenty feet away while others couldn't smell it from two. You get the idea. This of course creates some problems for me since the world is a smelly place, and frequently not in a good way.
But it does make pleasant scents that more enjoyable. What do I think is pleasant? Glad you asked. (Ok, so you didn't really, but I'm going to tell you anyway!)
Freshly laundered clothes and sheets.
Baby powder.
Suntan lotion.
Bread baking.
Bacon frying-but only while it is frying, afterwards it smells stale.
A distant charcoal grill.
Apple cider heating.
Butter melting on corn on the cob.
Popcorn.
A clean dog, or rather, my dog after his bath.
An ocean breeze.
Freshly cut grass, but only if there are no onions in the yard.
Old Spice (my father's cologne/aftershave).
Chloe (my mother's perfume when I was little. I believe it has been discontinued).
Whole bean coffee. I love to stand on that aisle in the store and inhale. If the beverage tasted as good as it smells I would be perpetually wired.
Coconut.
Honey.
A turkey or whole chicken roasting in the oven.
Freshly fallen snow.
The air right before it rains.
A live Christmas tree, there is nothing to compare to the real thing.
There are others I'm forgetting, it's hard to concentrate when your spoiled little dog keeps whining to be petted. (And there is one thing I deliberately left off). Please feel free to share the scents you enjoy.
There is no other way to say this: I have a strong sense of smell. (This also results in my being more sensitive in the taste department as well but that's another blog entirely). What do I mean by strong? Imagine being able to smell someone's bubblegum, from four to five feet away. Or their lip gloss, or lotion, or hairspray, or the flavoring in their coffee. Or in one spectacular case being able to smell someone's cologne from about twenty feet away while others couldn't smell it from two. You get the idea. This of course creates some problems for me since the world is a smelly place, and frequently not in a good way.
But it does make pleasant scents that more enjoyable. What do I think is pleasant? Glad you asked. (Ok, so you didn't really, but I'm going to tell you anyway!)
Freshly laundered clothes and sheets.
Baby powder.
Suntan lotion.
Bread baking.
Bacon frying-but only while it is frying, afterwards it smells stale.
A distant charcoal grill.
Apple cider heating.
Butter melting on corn on the cob.
Popcorn.
A clean dog, or rather, my dog after his bath.
An ocean breeze.
Freshly cut grass, but only if there are no onions in the yard.
Old Spice (my father's cologne/aftershave).
Chloe (my mother's perfume when I was little. I believe it has been discontinued).
Whole bean coffee. I love to stand on that aisle in the store and inhale. If the beverage tasted as good as it smells I would be perpetually wired.
Coconut.
Honey.
A turkey or whole chicken roasting in the oven.
Freshly fallen snow.
The air right before it rains.
A live Christmas tree, there is nothing to compare to the real thing.
There are others I'm forgetting, it's hard to concentrate when your spoiled little dog keeps whining to be petted. (And there is one thing I deliberately left off). Please feel free to share the scents you enjoy.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Rule Britannia
Anyone who knows me more than superficially knows that I have deep abiding love for the UK. This started at a fairly young age. I enjoyed the Beatrix Potter stories, and gobbled up other classics of children's literature that hail from that fair isle. One of my first crushes was on Peter Pan albeit the animated Disney representation of him. And everything just snowballed from there. My favorite music, movies, books, television shows, and plays are filled with British works and/or actors. I even took a survey of British history from 1603 to present in college. It had a cumulative final by the way, all essay. I love the language, and all of the various dialects therein. I find myself wanting to use British English spellings. I love their slang, and turn of phrase. I love the concept of tea in the afternoon, and I love fried toast. I love their dry wit, and their ability to find the humor in sadness and dark situations. There is just something about the British Isles that captivates my imagination. The Celts! Boudica! Stonehenge! The Tower of London! White Cliffs of Dover!
I don't think you can chalk this passion up to DNA, because while England is heavily represented so are Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. (If heritage held that much sway over me I would be constantly at war with myself). But really, the amount of quality creative output that comes from the UK is amazing. Think about it: Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl, Agatha Christie, the Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Cult, Noel Coward, Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Michael Caine, Tim Curry, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, James Bond, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Rabbit. All from the UK! Do you enjoy The Office? Based on a BBC show. Trading Spaces? Ditto. Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Big Brother? Ditto. Whose Line is it Anyway? Yep, British. Antiques Roadshow? Yep. Say what you will about his style but Andrew Lloyd Weber changed the face of musical theater. Monty Python is the benchmark of sketch comedy whatever anyone else says.
And ok, I realize that I've been using British and UK interchangeably, and I know that those of Scottish descent/birth take exception to this and my apologies. If it makes you feel better I did my reference pathfinder on Scotland during grad school. And an entire semester's work devoted to that fair country of the British Isles. I told you I have a passion! And I'm not even factoring in Australia, New Zealand or Canada at the moment.
Perhaps it's a size thing; it is much easier to produce crap for the public consumption in a big country like ours. Perhaps it's an age thing; the US is really just a spoiled teenager compared to the rest of the world. Perhaps it is just me. And what has prompted this outpouring of love you may wonder? BBC America. I switched to Directv last week and I am in hog heaven. I'm hooked on Robin Hood. I end up watching at least one show a night on that station. It's dangerous for me I tell you. I already slip into a British accent when feeling silly or sarcastic which is like every other sentence lately. Everyday it moves a bit closer to an obsession as opposed to merely a passion. I give my friends permission to smack me if I start writing colour or theatre or if I ever refer to diapers as nappies.
I don't think you can chalk this passion up to DNA, because while England is heavily represented so are Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. (If heritage held that much sway over me I would be constantly at war with myself). But really, the amount of quality creative output that comes from the UK is amazing. Think about it: Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl, Agatha Christie, the Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Cult, Noel Coward, Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Michael Caine, Tim Curry, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, James Bond, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Rabbit. All from the UK! Do you enjoy The Office? Based on a BBC show. Trading Spaces? Ditto. Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Big Brother? Ditto. Whose Line is it Anyway? Yep, British. Antiques Roadshow? Yep. Say what you will about his style but Andrew Lloyd Weber changed the face of musical theater. Monty Python is the benchmark of sketch comedy whatever anyone else says.
And ok, I realize that I've been using British and UK interchangeably, and I know that those of Scottish descent/birth take exception to this and my apologies. If it makes you feel better I did my reference pathfinder on Scotland during grad school. And an entire semester's work devoted to that fair country of the British Isles. I told you I have a passion! And I'm not even factoring in Australia, New Zealand or Canada at the moment.
Perhaps it's a size thing; it is much easier to produce crap for the public consumption in a big country like ours. Perhaps it's an age thing; the US is really just a spoiled teenager compared to the rest of the world. Perhaps it is just me. And what has prompted this outpouring of love you may wonder? BBC America. I switched to Directv last week and I am in hog heaven. I'm hooked on Robin Hood. I end up watching at least one show a night on that station. It's dangerous for me I tell you. I already slip into a British accent when feeling silly or sarcastic which is like every other sentence lately. Everyday it moves a bit closer to an obsession as opposed to merely a passion. I give my friends permission to smack me if I start writing colour or theatre or if I ever refer to diapers as nappies.
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