Thursday, February 28, 2013

A Meet Cute Two

I live vicariously now through the description of the GBC meet.  I enjoyed this one ever so much and I'm quite sure it was a most lovely evening.

via GBC P@1ge
Back on her feet, looking lovely and serving up the most delicious cioppino (and cheese, green salad and sourdough, oh my!)...thank you Susan for an incredible February meeting. And to top it all off, yummy lemon treats and Preseco from April and birthday cake for our youngest GBC member. I love celebrating with all of you.
Endless Love...well, even though everyone who read it seemed to agree that the prose was beautiful (and we were transported in time), not everyone was totally enamoured with our February selection. However, as usual, that did not prevent a great discussion of the book and the characters and love and obsession (always interesting topics of conversation)! 
The calendar will find us near the start of a new season when we next meet...I hope the weather does as well. Until then, snuggle up with a cup of tea and these selections for our upcoming meetings:
  • March 19: The Nashville Way: Racial Etiquette and the Struggle for Social Justice in a Southern City--Politics and Culture in the Twentieth-Century South by Benjamin Houston
  • April 16: The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
  • May 21: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
  • June 18: The Roundhouse by Louise Erdrich

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Side A Side B

[I will spare you an Oscars' monologue rant this morning (though it's still on my mind).]

Did you know that Fats Domino (born Antoine Dominique Domino) is 85 today?  In his honor, pull out a few 45s or listen to "Blueberry Hill" or "Ain't that a Shame".  I have memories of both songs playing through our old stereo at home.  I'm grateful my parents loved music and that my dad liked to barter records.

Hope your rainy Tuesday has its own melody.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

One of Two Things Which Cannot be Avoided

I hope you didn't spend your Saturday reading tax code or wondering why your last year's tax return was 93 pages in total.  I am not yet to the point where I know the length of the most recent year's submission but it will be shorter than a Faulkner (though perhaps longer than a Wordsworth).

Hope a great weekend!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Be a Part of It


"I look out the window and I see the lights and the skyline and the people in the street rushing around looking for action, love, and the world's greatest chocolate chip cookie."

- Nora Ephron on New York from Esquire

New York Through a Gate
February 2013

It's one of my favorite cities.  Hope your Friday is a great one!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Woah-Oh It's Magic

Endless Love by Scott Spencer is on deck for the February meeting with The Nashville Way: Racial Etiquette and the Struggle for Social Justice in a Southern City by Benjamin Houston next in the line up.   I'm not sure I'll manage Endless Love but some of you have known that for years.

Of course, I'm on last year's roster finally managing Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold.  It's been a metaphorical page turner thus far.  (Quick right hand button clicker won't ever have the same ring for the electronic versions.)  

I'm ready for spring, outdoor surf reading, and perhaps a bit of baseball.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Planter on Fire

Either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning* a complete stranger stops me in my path to ask me if I blogged about New York.  She was convinced I was someone else and I didn't completely dissuade her with my answer, "I blog and I love New York, but it's mostly about books."  [Eloquent right?]

It was fun to be in the City.  It was fun to read on the plane.  It was fun to sleep at random hours and participate in a DJ dance party.  I hope you had a great weekend and a great holiday Monday.

*The author is leaving it up to the reader to determine said timing of the event.  She does admit that the meal and events of the day leading up to this random conversation were a small distraction from writing that day.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

4/4, 3/4, 4/4....14

I find myself randomly humming songs.  I think sometimes, my brain catches a rhythm  and my mind finds a song to keep time.

Today's ear worm as a 14th day mantra from Lennon and McCartney
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Eat Drink and be Merry for Tomorrow...

The Pope is resigning.

It's Fat Tuesday.

My 30 days of Reading-Water-Free-January has been deferred a couple times now with a trip to Germany and girls' weekend adventures.  I need to find a time to do this but I'm looking for convenience (which I think misses the point).

This inner quandary called for "A Lenten quiz on hunger in Literature" courtesy of The Guardian's Alison Flood. I was "fair to middling" as they say.  I'm sure you could "fare" better.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Falling Down

Rain, rain, rain, rain,
Beautiful rain.
Oh, come, never come,
Oh, come, never come,
Oh, come to me beautiful rain
I've had this song lyric stuck in my head all morning.  The version I've been humming is from the ND Glee club, but the Ladysmith Black Mambazo version is also fantastic.  Hope your rainy day doesn't get you down.

Friday, February 8, 2013

The Heat Is On

Guesses as to what this may be?

30,000 ft Over Somewhere
January 2013

This one is subtitled "Sunset from the Exit Row viewed as a Heat Map".  I think I was still over Canada.

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Tip of the Cat in the Hat

The Lorax
Green Eggs and Ham
A Cat in a Hat

Did you know that Theodore Geisel was a fan of hats?

The traveling exhibition of Dr. Seuss' private collection has kicked off in New York and has 15 more stops along the way.  I can't help but be reminded of our very own GBC B1ll with the photo on this site.  Sadly, we'd have to travel to see the exhibition, but who wouldn't enjoy NY, Chicago, San Diego or Austin?
"Look at me!
 Look at me!
 Look at me NOW!
 It is fun to have fun
 But you have to know how.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat

Monday, February 4, 2013

To Be there in Velvet..to Give 'em a Smile

With the news that King Richard III has been found, I pulled my volume of Four Great Historical Plays by Shakespeare for a few words.

This monologue was taken from Act I, Scene II (pg 327) with Richard was still known as "Duke of Gloucester":
...
Upon my life, she finds, although I cannot,
Myself to be a marvellous [sic] proper man.
I'll be at charges for a looking-glass,
And entertain some score or two of tailors,
To study fashions to adorn my body:
Since I am crept in favour with myself,
I will maintain it with some cost.
But first I'll turn yon fellow in his grave;
And then return lamenting to my love.
Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass,
That I may see my shadow as I pass.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Missed the Groundhog

I ran.  I napped.  I ate (twice).  I had my swim evaluated by someone who consulted for the Austrian Olympic team.  I rewarded my ability not to drown under pressure with a movie.  Did I mention they serve reading water at this theatre?  

Hansel and Gretel was an entertaining film though you'd be quite safe to wait for DVD, and it's not for the wee ones.  One reviewer mentions, "It's historically inaccurate" which has amused me greatly.  (I suppose he was trying to reference the book but perhaps a reality check might be in order.)

I hope your weekend has been filled with fun things, entertaining things, and cold weather which made you do something new.