Molly Ringle's Blog, page 31
January 19, 2011
Matt Smith's Doctor
I'm only 3 episodes in to season 5 of Doctor Who (so no spoilers, please!), but wanted to log in my surprising love for Eleven and Amy.
So far, despite Matt Smith being (I think) the youngest Doctor on record, he actually comes across as more fatherly, even grandfatherly, toward the humans than Nine or Ten did. The old-man clothes might be part of it, but his mannerisms (and those brow ridges, somehow) are too. In short, he had me at his faintly shocked delivery of "Get a girlfriend, Jeff!"
And Amy--feisty! Scottish! Ginger! Yay! I'd totally want her if I were gay.
It feels like a completely clean start to me: new companion, new Doctor, new TARDIS even, with the plus of having Moffat as chief writer. That whole oddly-human angst of Ten's that I did love at the time but which was emotionally exhausting--eh, we're done with that, we're starting over with plain old fun.
But the Daleks in fresh new Kitchen-Aid colors? That was just silly. Come on.
New Who icon to come, as I get further along and find 11th-Doctor moments I want immortalized. In the meantime Ten can stand in.
So far, despite Matt Smith being (I think) the youngest Doctor on record, he actually comes across as more fatherly, even grandfatherly, toward the humans than Nine or Ten did. The old-man clothes might be part of it, but his mannerisms (and those brow ridges, somehow) are too. In short, he had me at his faintly shocked delivery of "Get a girlfriend, Jeff!"
And Amy--feisty! Scottish! Ginger! Yay! I'd totally want her if I were gay.
It feels like a completely clean start to me: new companion, new Doctor, new TARDIS even, with the plus of having Moffat as chief writer. That whole oddly-human angst of Ten's that I did love at the time but which was emotionally exhausting--eh, we're done with that, we're starting over with plain old fun.
But the Daleks in fresh new Kitchen-Aid colors? That was just silly. Come on.
New Who icon to come, as I get further along and find 11th-Doctor moments I want immortalized. In the meantime Ten can stand in.
January 7, 2011
Best books I read in 2010
It's that time again, when I page through my journal and my Goodreads dashboard to remember what I read last year and pick out my favorites. So here they are--in, refreshingly, no particular order except that in which I remembered or was reminded of them.
FICTION
Isabel's Daughter, Judith Ryan Hendricks. Avery, a young woman raised as an orphan, gets unexpectedly thrown onto the track of her mother's identity when she stumbles upon a portrait that resembles herself, in Santa Fe, NM. The questions of what she'll discover, and how her relationships will turn out with the other people she meets along the way, kept me reading; and I also loved the influences of Native American culture, herbology, and a whiff of magic. But my favorite feature was probably the setting and its mouth-watering sensory detail. The colors of scenery and artwork, the sounds of desert thunder, and best yet, the taste of New Mexican peppers and sopapillas and chilis verdes--yum! Oh, also, Hendricks gets mega-bonus points for actually emailing me back personally when I dropped her a line to say I liked her books--and for saying she'd read one of mine too! Thank you, Judi!
Bread Alone, Judith Ryan Hendricks. Hendricks also wrote a couple of books featuring my dear city of Seattle. This is the first in the series; I haven't read the second yet, but plan to soon. A Californian woman, abruptly dumped by her husband, finds solace and redemption in making bread for a small Seattle bakery. Again, luscious sensory detail. Reminded me never to write a scene without smells, tastes, textures, and colors.
Moon of Little Winter, Margaret Marr. Kudos to Marr for drawing me right in with an original and quirky premise: two strangers (a man and a woman) show up in the middle of the night to claim the same house, which apparently sits smack dab on a property line. Needless to say, sexual tension kicks in immediately, but so do the spooky complications: bones discovered on the property, objects moving by themselves, spirit wolves, witches both good and bad, and the darkest of family secrets. Marr put a fresh spin on the old "haunted house" storyline with her many innovations. I had a great time reading it and didn't want to put it down.
Voices on the Waves, Jessica Chambers. Chambers is such a skillful novelist, I would never have guessed this was her first published book. She writes with the beauty and grace of a complete pro. This story sucked me in from the start with its rich cast of diverse characters and utterly gorgeous English seaside setting (doesn't hurt that I'm an Anglophile, I suppose), and charmed me into staying up late to keep reading. The characters' interactions were complex enough that I couldn't foresee where they would all end up. Though love does blossom in one or two places, its darker cousins, jealousy and shallow lust, play important roles too, as does good old friendship. I truly cared about all these people, even the ones who behaved badly, because Chambers is so good at finding the humanity in everyone.
The Love Thing, Chris Delyani. Delyani's novel is set up with an irresistible premise: the story of Pride and Prejudice as a modern American office romance, with nearly all the characters played by gay men. Really, do I need to say more? All right, I will: the cakes! The young hero gets roped into the job of baking birthday cakes for everyone in the office, and, though lacking culinary training, dives into the task boldly and turns out a drool-worthy series of baked masterpieces that would make Julia Child approve. Made me ashamed of my Duncan Hines boxed mixes, I tell you. A tasty and charming story all around.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories, Susanna Clarke. If you liked Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, with its simultaneously dark and tongue-in-cheek mingling of Regency and Faerie, and want another taste, then this collection of short stories along the same theme ought to satisfy your cravings. It also would work for anyone who couldn't get through the weighty length of Strange and Norrell but did enjoy the premise. Fanciful, odd, ever so creative.
Swann's Way (In Search of Lost Time, vol. 1), Marcel Proust. I didn't so much read this as meander through it a few pages at a time over the course of a couple of years. And oddly, I tended to find myself liking it. Calling it a novel would not feel entirely right, though of course technically it's a novel. What's remarkable about Proust, though, isn't the plot and characters so much as the startlingly true insights about emotions, love, the senses, time, and memory--and such insights crop up on pretty much every page. As someone wise once put it, Proust was (nearly) a neuroscientist. I'll tackle volume 2 one of these days. Really.
The Gravesavers, Sheree Fitch. This one's Young Adult, loaned to me by a friend, and I'm so glad I got to discover it. A 12-year-old girl spends the summer with her sour grandmother in Nova Scotia, and discovers not only (of course) the family harmony she'd been lacking, but ghosts and spooky truths about a shipwreck that occurred off the coast long ago. At times sad, at other times invigorating and beautiful, this was a lovely and addictive read.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marisha Pessl. Is this novel overly precocious, with its young author, and even younger narrator (age 16), spouting graduate-degree-level political theories and literary references, complete with bibliographical citations in parentheses? Yes, it is. Does the author lean too heavily on ultra-unusual-and-brainy metaphors and analogies, some of which take the shape of page-long anecdotes that get in the way of the action? Sure, no question. Are a lot of the characters--the teens especially--so flawed as to be annoying to read? Yep, definitely. HOWEVER...as I passed the halfway mark, did I crave this novel more and more intensely, putting off other tasks simply so I could sit and read and learn what happened between a group of cliquish teens and their mysterious teacher (and the narrator's brilliant dad)? Yes, absolutely. And as that is the central challenge to any author, and best test of any novel, I give this one high marks.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee. Yeah, okay. You know what To Kill a Mockingbird is about. You read it in high school. So did I, but I'd forgotten nearly everything about it, so I re-read it, and was thoroughly charmed and moved, as everyone tends to be. Young Scout is a shining example of a candid, engaging narrator, and Atticus is the parent we all wish we could be. We'll try harder, Atticus, we promise.
NONFICTION
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson. When Bryson realized he had no idea why the oceans are salty, or how a nuclear bomb works, or why the periodic table looks the way it does, he set out to get a thorough, ground-level education in science. This book lets us acquire one too. Having Bryson as the author makes it a fun experience, of course--he never lets go of his sense of humor, and always gives us a look at the quirky human beings behind the stuffy, dry scientific discoveries. If you, like so many of us, find yourselves in danger of having your high school (and college) science education completely gone from your brain, and wish to remedy the situation, this is about as pleasant a method for doing so as you could find.
The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson. Chicago hosted the World's Fair in 1893, as you might have heard. I kinda-sorta knew that already. But the "White City"--the Fair's huge buildings and grounds--and the effort it took to build them were completely new to me. Oh, and there was also a serial killer operating in Chicago at that same time. An incredibly scary, prolific one, who built an actual murder mansion to make the killing easier. I would tell you about the basement but I don't want to spoil it for you. Or revisit that chillingly horrible part of history, honestly. Still, a fascinating read! The very best of humanity squished alongside the very worst.
Save the Cat!, Blake Snyder. Writers, snap this one up! The sadly departed Blake Snyder penned this little handbook to help screenwriters turn out good, marketable scripts, but the principles of scene and storytelling he lays down are applicable and hugely useful to any writer. It got me rethinking my novels, and energized me to face the revisions with new purpose. Also, he's hilarious, and so easy to read. Thanks, Blake. You'll be missed.
Postscript
To the many, many other authors I know: I probably just haven't gotten to your books yet! I apologize and hope to do so soon. Those two little kids take up a lot of my would-be reading time. Someday apparently they'll be teenagers and spend all day sleeping and texting their friends. Or so I'm told. Anyway, I'll catch up on my to-be-read list then.
FICTION
Isabel's Daughter, Judith Ryan Hendricks. Avery, a young woman raised as an orphan, gets unexpectedly thrown onto the track of her mother's identity when she stumbles upon a portrait that resembles herself, in Santa Fe, NM. The questions of what she'll discover, and how her relationships will turn out with the other people she meets along the way, kept me reading; and I also loved the influences of Native American culture, herbology, and a whiff of magic. But my favorite feature was probably the setting and its mouth-watering sensory detail. The colors of scenery and artwork, the sounds of desert thunder, and best yet, the taste of New Mexican peppers and sopapillas and chilis verdes--yum! Oh, also, Hendricks gets mega-bonus points for actually emailing me back personally when I dropped her a line to say I liked her books--and for saying she'd read one of mine too! Thank you, Judi!
Bread Alone, Judith Ryan Hendricks. Hendricks also wrote a couple of books featuring my dear city of Seattle. This is the first in the series; I haven't read the second yet, but plan to soon. A Californian woman, abruptly dumped by her husband, finds solace and redemption in making bread for a small Seattle bakery. Again, luscious sensory detail. Reminded me never to write a scene without smells, tastes, textures, and colors.
Moon of Little Winter, Margaret Marr. Kudos to Marr for drawing me right in with an original and quirky premise: two strangers (a man and a woman) show up in the middle of the night to claim the same house, which apparently sits smack dab on a property line. Needless to say, sexual tension kicks in immediately, but so do the spooky complications: bones discovered on the property, objects moving by themselves, spirit wolves, witches both good and bad, and the darkest of family secrets. Marr put a fresh spin on the old "haunted house" storyline with her many innovations. I had a great time reading it and didn't want to put it down.
Voices on the Waves, Jessica Chambers. Chambers is such a skillful novelist, I would never have guessed this was her first published book. She writes with the beauty and grace of a complete pro. This story sucked me in from the start with its rich cast of diverse characters and utterly gorgeous English seaside setting (doesn't hurt that I'm an Anglophile, I suppose), and charmed me into staying up late to keep reading. The characters' interactions were complex enough that I couldn't foresee where they would all end up. Though love does blossom in one or two places, its darker cousins, jealousy and shallow lust, play important roles too, as does good old friendship. I truly cared about all these people, even the ones who behaved badly, because Chambers is so good at finding the humanity in everyone.
The Love Thing, Chris Delyani. Delyani's novel is set up with an irresistible premise: the story of Pride and Prejudice as a modern American office romance, with nearly all the characters played by gay men. Really, do I need to say more? All right, I will: the cakes! The young hero gets roped into the job of baking birthday cakes for everyone in the office, and, though lacking culinary training, dives into the task boldly and turns out a drool-worthy series of baked masterpieces that would make Julia Child approve. Made me ashamed of my Duncan Hines boxed mixes, I tell you. A tasty and charming story all around.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories, Susanna Clarke. If you liked Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, with its simultaneously dark and tongue-in-cheek mingling of Regency and Faerie, and want another taste, then this collection of short stories along the same theme ought to satisfy your cravings. It also would work for anyone who couldn't get through the weighty length of Strange and Norrell but did enjoy the premise. Fanciful, odd, ever so creative.
Swann's Way (In Search of Lost Time, vol. 1), Marcel Proust. I didn't so much read this as meander through it a few pages at a time over the course of a couple of years. And oddly, I tended to find myself liking it. Calling it a novel would not feel entirely right, though of course technically it's a novel. What's remarkable about Proust, though, isn't the plot and characters so much as the startlingly true insights about emotions, love, the senses, time, and memory--and such insights crop up on pretty much every page. As someone wise once put it, Proust was (nearly) a neuroscientist. I'll tackle volume 2 one of these days. Really.
The Gravesavers, Sheree Fitch. This one's Young Adult, loaned to me by a friend, and I'm so glad I got to discover it. A 12-year-old girl spends the summer with her sour grandmother in Nova Scotia, and discovers not only (of course) the family harmony she'd been lacking, but ghosts and spooky truths about a shipwreck that occurred off the coast long ago. At times sad, at other times invigorating and beautiful, this was a lovely and addictive read.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marisha Pessl. Is this novel overly precocious, with its young author, and even younger narrator (age 16), spouting graduate-degree-level political theories and literary references, complete with bibliographical citations in parentheses? Yes, it is. Does the author lean too heavily on ultra-unusual-and-brainy metaphors and analogies, some of which take the shape of page-long anecdotes that get in the way of the action? Sure, no question. Are a lot of the characters--the teens especially--so flawed as to be annoying to read? Yep, definitely. HOWEVER...as I passed the halfway mark, did I crave this novel more and more intensely, putting off other tasks simply so I could sit and read and learn what happened between a group of cliquish teens and their mysterious teacher (and the narrator's brilliant dad)? Yes, absolutely. And as that is the central challenge to any author, and best test of any novel, I give this one high marks.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee. Yeah, okay. You know what To Kill a Mockingbird is about. You read it in high school. So did I, but I'd forgotten nearly everything about it, so I re-read it, and was thoroughly charmed and moved, as everyone tends to be. Young Scout is a shining example of a candid, engaging narrator, and Atticus is the parent we all wish we could be. We'll try harder, Atticus, we promise.
NONFICTION
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson. When Bryson realized he had no idea why the oceans are salty, or how a nuclear bomb works, or why the periodic table looks the way it does, he set out to get a thorough, ground-level education in science. This book lets us acquire one too. Having Bryson as the author makes it a fun experience, of course--he never lets go of his sense of humor, and always gives us a look at the quirky human beings behind the stuffy, dry scientific discoveries. If you, like so many of us, find yourselves in danger of having your high school (and college) science education completely gone from your brain, and wish to remedy the situation, this is about as pleasant a method for doing so as you could find.
The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson. Chicago hosted the World's Fair in 1893, as you might have heard. I kinda-sorta knew that already. But the "White City"--the Fair's huge buildings and grounds--and the effort it took to build them were completely new to me. Oh, and there was also a serial killer operating in Chicago at that same time. An incredibly scary, prolific one, who built an actual murder mansion to make the killing easier. I would tell you about the basement but I don't want to spoil it for you. Or revisit that chillingly horrible part of history, honestly. Still, a fascinating read! The very best of humanity squished alongside the very worst.
Save the Cat!, Blake Snyder. Writers, snap this one up! The sadly departed Blake Snyder penned this little handbook to help screenwriters turn out good, marketable scripts, but the principles of scene and storytelling he lays down are applicable and hugely useful to any writer. It got me rethinking my novels, and energized me to face the revisions with new purpose. Also, he's hilarious, and so easy to read. Thanks, Blake. You'll be missed.
Postscript
To the many, many other authors I know: I probably just haven't gotten to your books yet! I apologize and hope to do so soon. Those two little kids take up a lot of my would-be reading time. Someday apparently they'll be teenagers and spend all day sleeping and texting their friends. Or so I'm told. Anyway, I'll catch up on my to-be-read list then.
January 3, 2011
Perfume giveaway: BPAL three-piece
I accumulated a lot of perfume samples in 2010, and I'd like to begin 2011 by thinning them a bit (to make room for more). Thus, giveaway time!
This is a set of three limited edition scents by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL). Our lucky winner will receive:
5-ml bottle of Mitzvah Goreret Mitzvah. BPAL's description: Holy hyssop, red apple, massoia bark, and pomegranate with eight different types of honey that represent the sweetness of life and new beginnings.
1-ml vial ("imp") of Green Party. I can't find an official description, but it was an election-season scent, and it's, naturally, in the green family of fragrances.
1-ml vial (imp) of Leipreachan. Again, can't find an official description, but it's Irish-Springy green, basically. The folks on this forum review it if you're interested.
To enter to win, comment here. All nationalities welcome. I'll choose a winner in one week, on Monday, Jan. 10, by random number generator.
Shout-out time: I wouldn't have any of these samples, or any of my others for that matter, if it weren't for the fabulous shop knows perfume, the opening of which was one of my happiest points of last year. Hurray for perfume addicts!
This is a set of three limited edition scents by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL). Our lucky winner will receive:
5-ml bottle of Mitzvah Goreret Mitzvah. BPAL's description: Holy hyssop, red apple, massoia bark, and pomegranate with eight different types of honey that represent the sweetness of life and new beginnings.
1-ml vial ("imp") of Green Party. I can't find an official description, but it was an election-season scent, and it's, naturally, in the green family of fragrances.
1-ml vial (imp) of Leipreachan. Again, can't find an official description, but it's Irish-Springy green, basically. The folks on this forum review it if you're interested.
To enter to win, comment here. All nationalities welcome. I'll choose a winner in one week, on Monday, Jan. 10, by random number generator.
Shout-out time: I wouldn't have any of these samples, or any of my others for that matter, if it weren't for the fabulous shop knows perfume, the opening of which was one of my happiest points of last year. Hurray for perfume addicts!
December 15, 2010
My sci-fi, others' fantasy
I seldom come up with science fiction ideas, but here's one that occurred to me lately while dealing with our flooded basement (puddles and rivulets, not inches or feet, but still a nuisance):
Once science has figured out how to teleport matter, maybe involving those odd particles that act on one another at a distance or something, the world can set up a water exchange program. Via the future's version of the internet, a person or group who has too much water can hook up with someone who doesn't have enough, and, poof!, the water gets whisked away from the flood-stricken and given to the water-needy. So, for example, our basement's water could go to some parched home garden in Australia. Or, on a larger scale, the floodwaters rampaging riverfront property in the state of Washington right now could be spirited away to supply the city of Los Angeles or other desert metropolises. Handy, huh? Get on that, science.
In totally different news, I finally got around to watching the "making of" featurette for HBO and![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380442897i/1319734.gif)
grrm
(George R.R. Martin)'s "A Game of Thrones," and I am officially excited!
Yowza, talk about eye candy--on the part of actors and set dressing alike. Scenery, too, as apparently they filmed in both Northern Ireland and Malta. And the cool thing about Martin's story is that it's not merely eye candy; it's brain candy as well. Mind you, given the sex-and-violence level, I'll have to find a way to watch it when my kids aren't around, but this looks worth it.
Once science has figured out how to teleport matter, maybe involving those odd particles that act on one another at a distance or something, the world can set up a water exchange program. Via the future's version of the internet, a person or group who has too much water can hook up with someone who doesn't have enough, and, poof!, the water gets whisked away from the flood-stricken and given to the water-needy. So, for example, our basement's water could go to some parched home garden in Australia. Or, on a larger scale, the floodwaters rampaging riverfront property in the state of Washington right now could be spirited away to supply the city of Los Angeles or other desert metropolises. Handy, huh? Get on that, science.
In totally different news, I finally got around to watching the "making of" featurette for HBO and
grrm
(George R.R. Martin)'s "A Game of Thrones," and I am officially excited!Yowza, talk about eye candy--on the part of actors and set dressing alike. Scenery, too, as apparently they filmed in both Northern Ireland and Malta. And the cool thing about Martin's story is that it's not merely eye candy; it's brain candy as well. Mind you, given the sex-and-violence level, I'll have to find a way to watch it when my kids aren't around, but this looks worth it.
November 26, 2010
The free, it just keeps coming.
Want a three-volume ebook set of paranormal romance short stories, for free? Of course you do! So click here and scoop 'em up.
One of my stories is in Volume Three (the one with the pretty blue cover)--it's called "Midsummer Daisies," and, for what it's worth, I sort of pictured David Tennant as the hero. You can tell by my description of his "reddish-brown hair in a tousle of controlled chaos." That story is rated PG and purely heterosexual, as are all the Vol. 3 stories. Volume One contains male/male romance that can get very steamy (woohoo, slash!), and Volume Two contains erotic male/female stories. (No, I don't have any stories in those two volumes--this time...)
Enjoy! And remember, for online gift shopping ideas that don't involve standing in line outside department stores on Black Friday, check out the comments in this post. It's becoming quite the books-and-crafts fair. Very cool. Browse, pick something for someone you love, and support an independent artist or entrepreneur!
One of my stories is in Volume Three (the one with the pretty blue cover)--it's called "Midsummer Daisies," and, for what it's worth, I sort of pictured David Tennant as the hero. You can tell by my description of his "reddish-brown hair in a tousle of controlled chaos." That story is rated PG and purely heterosexual, as are all the Vol. 3 stories. Volume One contains male/male romance that can get very steamy (woohoo, slash!), and Volume Two contains erotic male/female stories. (No, I don't have any stories in those two volumes--this time...)
Enjoy! And remember, for online gift shopping ideas that don't involve standing in line outside department stores on Black Friday, check out the comments in this post. It's becoming quite the books-and-crafts fair. Very cool. Browse, pick something for someone you love, and support an independent artist or entrepreneur!
November 16, 2010
Free advertising for everyone, right here!
So many of you out there are the creators, owners, or performers of fabulous goods or services, any of which would make excellent holiday gifts. I want more of the world to know about you, plus I want some good ideas for my own holiday shopping, so here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to give you this space for free advertising!
If you have anything you want to advertise that could potentially be given as a gift, tell us about it in the comments below. Keep in mind that good ad copy gets more click-throughs, so I advise keeping it to a brief, clear, fun paragraph, complete with handy link.
I'll start by (of course) reminding you of my books currently for sale:
The Ghost Downstairs, for anyone who likes moody ghost stories. (Purchase from the publisher, Amazon or an indie bookstore near you. Ebook or paperback.)
Summer Term, for the steamy-beach-read fans. (Purchase from the publisher, Amazon, or an indie bookstore near you. Ebook or paperback.)
What Scotland Taught Me, for snarky teen girls who require comeuppance, anyone who remembers the perils of being 18, or anyone who adores Edinburgh. (Ebook only; purchase from the publisher or Amazon.)
Now you! What are you selling? Tell us of your wares. Offer open for as long as this LiveJournal shall live, though readers will likely diminish the older this post gets.
If you have anything you want to advertise that could potentially be given as a gift, tell us about it in the comments below. Keep in mind that good ad copy gets more click-throughs, so I advise keeping it to a brief, clear, fun paragraph, complete with handy link.
I'll start by (of course) reminding you of my books currently for sale:
The Ghost Downstairs, for anyone who likes moody ghost stories. (Purchase from the publisher, Amazon or an indie bookstore near you. Ebook or paperback.)
Summer Term, for the steamy-beach-read fans. (Purchase from the publisher, Amazon, or an indie bookstore near you. Ebook or paperback.)
What Scotland Taught Me, for snarky teen girls who require comeuppance, anyone who remembers the perils of being 18, or anyone who adores Edinburgh. (Ebook only; purchase from the publisher or Amazon.)
Now you! What are you selling? Tell us of your wares. Offer open for as long as this LiveJournal shall live, though readers will likely diminish the older this post gets.
November 11, 2010
Perfume giveaway: Prima Ballerina and Thé Pour Un Été
Perfume giveaway is back! (And the masses cheered.)
At the end of December I might well write up a "Best perfumes I tried this year" list instead of the usual "Best movies I saw this year" list. For one thing, we've mostly watched comedy TV shows on DVD lately and not seen that many films. For another, I have sampled a lot of scents, thanks almost entirely to knows perfume opening in my 'hood back in spring. And, as such, I now have a bunch of samples around that I might possibly be persuaded to part with.
Today I have selected two, and our lucky winner will get them both:
Prima Ballerina by Strange Invisible Perfumes. Bright notes of Greek sage and organic lime animate a satiny bouquet of Egyptian and Turkish roses. Poised on an enchanting stage of botanical musk, this lithe composition executes a perfect tour jeté with the exhilarating grace of a true classic. (Description from the Strange Invisible website.)
Thé Pour Un Été by L'Artisan Parfumeur. An invitation to a far-away land, a moment of tranquility in an exotic oasis, the fragrance is as refreshing as a glass of iced green tea infused with jasmine and mint. Delicate and versatile, this is a scent for all seasons, a tender reminder of the happy days of summer. Notes: lemon, bergamot, mint, jasmine, green tea. (Description from L'Artisan's site.)
Both come in little 1ml vials, about half full after my sampling them.
To enter to win, comment here. Entrants may live anywhere in the world. I'll do the drawing by random number generator in one week (Thursday, Nov. 18). Good luck!
At the end of December I might well write up a "Best perfumes I tried this year" list instead of the usual "Best movies I saw this year" list. For one thing, we've mostly watched comedy TV shows on DVD lately and not seen that many films. For another, I have sampled a lot of scents, thanks almost entirely to knows perfume opening in my 'hood back in spring. And, as such, I now have a bunch of samples around that I might possibly be persuaded to part with.
Today I have selected two, and our lucky winner will get them both:
Prima Ballerina by Strange Invisible Perfumes. Bright notes of Greek sage and organic lime animate a satiny bouquet of Egyptian and Turkish roses. Poised on an enchanting stage of botanical musk, this lithe composition executes a perfect tour jeté with the exhilarating grace of a true classic. (Description from the Strange Invisible website.)
Thé Pour Un Été by L'Artisan Parfumeur. An invitation to a far-away land, a moment of tranquility in an exotic oasis, the fragrance is as refreshing as a glass of iced green tea infused with jasmine and mint. Delicate and versatile, this is a scent for all seasons, a tender reminder of the happy days of summer. Notes: lemon, bergamot, mint, jasmine, green tea. (Description from L'Artisan's site.)
Both come in little 1ml vials, about half full after my sampling them.
To enter to win, comment here. Entrants may live anywhere in the world. I'll do the drawing by random number generator in one week (Thursday, Nov. 18). Good luck!
November 1, 2010
The great marker exchange
Fellow parents of small-ish kids: anyone have some spare green (washable) markers they want to swap for a different color?
See, our elder son's favorite color is green. Consequently, he uses up the ink in the green markers long before any other color. But no one sells the kids' washable markers individually--you have to buy a whole multicolored pack. Therefore we have about three working markers apiece in any color you like, except green. Green we keep running low on.
So it seemed to me that we parents need to orchestrate an exchange: are there any households out there in similar need of, say, purple markers? Or black ones? Or yellow, or red, or orange, or blue? Speak up and we can do some swapping via mail! (Note: I do prefer the washable type, be they Crayola or Rose Art or other brand. We're willing to take either thick or thin varieties, however.)
See, our elder son's favorite color is green. Consequently, he uses up the ink in the green markers long before any other color. But no one sells the kids' washable markers individually--you have to buy a whole multicolored pack. Therefore we have about three working markers apiece in any color you like, except green. Green we keep running low on.
So it seemed to me that we parents need to orchestrate an exchange: are there any households out there in similar need of, say, purple markers? Or black ones? Or yellow, or red, or orange, or blue? Speak up and we can do some swapping via mail! (Note: I do prefer the washable type, be they Crayola or Rose Art or other brand. We're willing to take either thick or thin varieties, however.)
October 28, 2010
Operation Dracula is here!
*cue the screams*
It is here!
Download and listen to Operation Dracula, our intrepid volunteers from around the globe reading an excerpt from the original Bram Stoker. Our selection is the (abridged) ship's log from the doomed vessel, the Demeter, which carries Dracula to England.
Music generously provided by Michael Gordon Shapiro. Thank you so much to Mike as well as all the readers, especially those jumping in bravely at the last minute!
Transcript of lines and readers:
Titles - Molly and Zach
kimuracarter
- On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin,
and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deckhouse, as there was a rain storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companionway, and go along the deck forward and disappear.
Karanja - 24 July.--There seems some doom over this ship. ... last night another man lost, disappeared.
Steve - Like the first, he came off his watch and was not seen again. Men all in a panic of fear.
Molly - ...sent a round robin, asking to have double watch, as they fear to be alone. ...crew in a panic.
Zach - Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth.
joemorf
- ...30 July.-- Awakened by
mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing.
Only self and mate and two hands left to work ship.
Tony - 1 August.--Two days of fog, and not a sail sighted.... We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom.
Rich - 2 August, midnight.--Woke up from few minutes sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog.
Ben - Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me he heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us!
Katy - 3 August.--At midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel and when I got to it found no one there. The wind was steady, and as we ran before it there was no yawing.
Amanda - I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds, he rushed up on deck in his flannels.
Sally - He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear, "It is here.
Peggy - ...I know it now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out.
Gillen - ...I crept behind It, and gave it my knife, but the knife went through It, empty as the air." And as he spoke he took the knife and drove it savagely into space.
Douglas - Then he went on, "But It is here, and I'll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I'll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm."
mikailborg
- And with a warning look and his finger on
his lip, he went below. There was springing up a choppy
wind, and I could not leave the helm.
Celia - I saw him come out on deck again with a tool chest and lantern, and go down the forward hatchway. He is mad, stark, raving mad, and it's no use my trying to stop him.
Kevin - So here I stay and mind the helm, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears. ...It is nearly all over now.
![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380443539i/1377331.gif)
avari_maethor
- Just as I was beginning to hope
that the mate would come out calmer, for I heard him
knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good
for him, there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled
scream, which made my blood run cold...
Justin - ...and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun, a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. "Save me! Save me!" he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog.
faroula
- ..."You had better come too, captain, before it is too
late. He is there! I know the secret now."
snorklewacker
- "The sea will
save me from Him, and it is all that is left!" Before I
could say a word, or move forward to seize him, he sprang
on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea.
Marcus - I suppose I know the secret too, now.
kirstenfleur
- It was this madman
who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has
followed them himself.
gavinworld
- God help me! How am I to account
for all these horrors when I get to port? When I get to
port! Will that ever be?
Ali - Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce, I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor, why else I know not. I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm, so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw it, Him! God, forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water, no man can object.
Kevon - But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail...
Kim - ...and along with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch. And then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain.
shmuel
- I am growing weaker, and the night is
coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not
have time to act.
(If you signed up via LJ, I used your LJ username. If you got volunteered by someone else, or signed up on Facebook, I used your first name. More or less. Thus concludes my organizational system for Operation Dracula.)
In related news, I highly recommend this brief and hilarious comic-strip version of 'Dracula'. Thanks for finding that, Katy!
It is here!
Download and listen to Operation Dracula, our intrepid volunteers from around the globe reading an excerpt from the original Bram Stoker. Our selection is the (abridged) ship's log from the doomed vessel, the Demeter, which carries Dracula to England.
Music generously provided by Michael Gordon Shapiro. Thank you so much to Mike as well as all the readers, especially those jumping in bravely at the last minute!
Transcript of lines and readers:
Titles - Molly and Zach
kimuracarter
- On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin,
and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deckhouse, as there was a rain storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companionway, and go along the deck forward and disappear.Karanja - 24 July.--There seems some doom over this ship. ... last night another man lost, disappeared.
Steve - Like the first, he came off his watch and was not seen again. Men all in a panic of fear.
Molly - ...sent a round robin, asking to have double watch, as they fear to be alone. ...crew in a panic.
Zach - Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth.
joemorf
- ...30 July.-- Awakened by
mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing.
Only self and mate and two hands left to work ship.Tony - 1 August.--Two days of fog, and not a sail sighted.... We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom.
Rich - 2 August, midnight.--Woke up from few minutes sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog.
Ben - Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me he heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us!
Katy - 3 August.--At midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel and when I got to it found no one there. The wind was steady, and as we ran before it there was no yawing.
Amanda - I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds, he rushed up on deck in his flannels.
Sally - He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear, "It is here.
Peggy - ...I know it now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out.
Gillen - ...I crept behind It, and gave it my knife, but the knife went through It, empty as the air." And as he spoke he took the knife and drove it savagely into space.
Douglas - Then he went on, "But It is here, and I'll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I'll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm."
mikailborg
- And with a warning look and his finger on
his lip, he went below. There was springing up a choppy
wind, and I could not leave the helm. Celia - I saw him come out on deck again with a tool chest and lantern, and go down the forward hatchway. He is mad, stark, raving mad, and it's no use my trying to stop him.
Kevin - So here I stay and mind the helm, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears. ...It is nearly all over now.
avari_maethor
- Just as I was beginning to hope
that the mate would come out calmer, for I heard him
knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good
for him, there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled
scream, which made my blood run cold...Justin - ...and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun, a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. "Save me! Save me!" he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog.
faroula
- ..."You had better come too, captain, before it is too
late. He is there! I know the secret now."
snorklewacker
- "The sea will
save me from Him, and it is all that is left!" Before I
could say a word, or move forward to seize him, he sprang
on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea.Marcus - I suppose I know the secret too, now.
kirstenfleur
- It was this madman
who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has
followed them himself.
gavinworld
- God help me! How am I to account
for all these horrors when I get to port? When I get to
port! Will that ever be?Ali - Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce, I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor, why else I know not. I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm, so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw it, Him! God, forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. It was better to die like a man. To die like a sailor in blue water, no man can object.
Kevon - But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail...
Kim - ...and along with them I shall tie that which He, It, dare not touch. And then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain.
shmuel
- I am growing weaker, and the night is
coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not
have time to act.(If you signed up via LJ, I used your LJ username. If you got volunteered by someone else, or signed up on Facebook, I used your first name. More or less. Thus concludes my organizational system for Operation Dracula.)
In related news, I highly recommend this brief and hilarious comic-strip version of 'Dracula'. Thanks for finding that, Katy!
October 27, 2010
Molly's cure for what ails you
Your mom always said, "Drink your spices!" Well, no, she probably didn't. But she should have. They've got natural healing properties and, when imbibed as a hot drink, can do you more good and certainly less harm than many over-the-counter drugs. The following is my loose and adaptable recipe for a Feel Better Spice Drink. Works to relieve nausea/indigestion, headaches, and nasal/chest congestion--and most of the world is suffering from at least one of those right now, it would seem.
To one mug of hot water add 1 generous pinch each of:
ground cloves
ground ginger
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
ground allspice
ground cardamom
ground coriander
ground fennel seed or anise seed
dash of ground black pepper or cayenne pepper (if you're feeling brave)
Stir well. Mix in some honey to sweeten if you want, but it isn't necessary. Strain the drink if the little bits of ground spice swirling around are going to bother you. If you hate or can't tolerate (or don't have) any of the above spices, omit them. Or add in your favorites--pretty much all spices are good for you. Freshly ground spices will be strongest and most flavorful, but ordinary pantry spices are fine and certainly quicker.
The ones I use in slightly larger amounts than the others are cloves and ginger. They seem to have the most potent and beneficial health effects for whatever ails you.
Thanks to this mix, I haven't taken antacids for years--this stuff works much better for an upset stomach. As for colds, well, we all know nothing really cures them except time, so this is at least a good way to get those warm fluids that temporarily relieve symptoms, while boosting your immune system a teeny bit with all those natural healthful substances.
Experiment and enjoy!
To one mug of hot water add 1 generous pinch each of:
ground cloves
ground ginger
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
ground allspice
ground cardamom
ground coriander
ground fennel seed or anise seed
dash of ground black pepper or cayenne pepper (if you're feeling brave)
Stir well. Mix in some honey to sweeten if you want, but it isn't necessary. Strain the drink if the little bits of ground spice swirling around are going to bother you. If you hate or can't tolerate (or don't have) any of the above spices, omit them. Or add in your favorites--pretty much all spices are good for you. Freshly ground spices will be strongest and most flavorful, but ordinary pantry spices are fine and certainly quicker.
The ones I use in slightly larger amounts than the others are cloves and ginger. They seem to have the most potent and beneficial health effects for whatever ails you.
Thanks to this mix, I haven't taken antacids for years--this stuff works much better for an upset stomach. As for colds, well, we all know nothing really cures them except time, so this is at least a good way to get those warm fluids that temporarily relieve symptoms, while boosting your immune system a teeny bit with all those natural healthful substances.
Experiment and enjoy!
