Laura Roberts's Blog, page 41
April 9, 2016
Hidden talents: 365K Club, week 14
It’s that time of the week again: time for another 365K Club word count check-in! Numbers, please…
April 2, Day 93: 821 words
April 3, Day 94: 462 words
April 4, Day 95: 487 words
April 5, Day 96: 0 words
April 6, Day 97: 479 words
April 7, Day 98: 319 words (there’s really no excuse for this zero, which makes me feel even worse!)
April 8, Day 99: 541 words
Did I beat last week’s total?
Oddly enough, I’ve been writing much less this week, with my average blog post anywhere from 300 to 400 words. So my total for the week is just 3,109 words, adding up to a yearly total of 55,623 words.
Badges!
This week I won the “Character Talent Show” badge:
I revealed that my main character, Venus Delmar, may have been only a mediocre stripper, but she damn well knows how to run in stilettos, like any fashionable female in Paris. But her true talent is helping damsels in distress. She’s got a sixth sense for spotting women in trouble, and she’s got the skills to bail them out.
How does she do it? Well, you’ll just have to read The Case of the Cunning Linguist, once it’s finished, to find out!
I also received the Bullseye badge, for meeting my March word count target:
Goals for next week?
The A to Z Challenge is moving into its second week, so my goal is to stay ahead of the game by writing at least one blog post per day. I’ll be hosting a Blog-In on Friday, April 15, as well as the monthly Nonfiction Authors Association meeting here in San Diego, where I’ll be the speaker! My topic this month is “Writing Challenges: Pushing Your Limits,” and I need to write up my notes for the talk this week as well, so I’ve got my work cut out for me!
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsHalfway to 100K: 365K Club, week 13Badges and Blog-Ins: 365K Club, week 11February’s almost over already?! (365K Club, week 8)Zemanta
April 8, 2016
Genuine Goldberg: Genius or gadfly?
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
__
Who is Bertrand Goldberg? And what makes him such a Chicago original?
I first discovered Goldberg through my fascination with Marina City. You may know these twin towers as the “corncob buildings.” But what you may not know is that the architect who designed them (as well as River City and the Prentice Women’s Hospital – which was demolished in 2014), was Bertrand Goldberg.
“Marina City” image by Flickr user Bob Vonderau
“Marina City over the Chicago River” image by Flickr user Justin Brown
Goldberg was an architect who trained at the Cambridge School of Landscape Architecture and Germany’s Bauhaus, and worked for Ludwig Mies van der Rohe during his time in Germany. He returned to Chicago to work for Keck and Keck (among other modernist architects), and eventually opened his own architectural firm.
According to GreatBuildings.com:
“Goldberg believe[d] that circular buildings serve activity better and help create community. He also claim[ed] that circular buildings provide more efficient wind resistance, more direct mechanical distribution and more usable interior square footage. Complaining that many architects structurally misuse concrete, he created curvilinear experimentations in concrete shell structure.”
I’m not sure how this quite works out, in terms of interior square footage, as most of the spaces inside Marina City are wedge-shaped (click here to see a floor plan), which seems like it might make furnishing a condo rather difficult. But I like the idea of a circular building contributing to community-building.
I also wonder if maybe part of the mystique of the Marina Towers comes from the similarity between the circular high-rise and a more traditional castle turret?
Marina City
Whatever the reason for their popularity, Goldberg always intended the sixty-story, 588-foot towers to be of mixed-use, including both offices and residential space, as well as a theater, ice skating rink, bowling alley and – surprise! – a marina.
Each tower contains:
18 parking levels
40 floors of condos
1 floor for laundry and storage
1 observation deck, and
“a three-story mechanical penthouse” – I’m not entirely sure what this means; does the penthouse rotate? If so, that would be quite unique!
Though the residential floors are obviously limited to residents only, most of the building is open to the public, including seven bars (one of which is a House of Blues) and seven restaurants.
You can also stay at Marina City as a temporary resident, by booking a room at Hotel Chicago. For the truly splashy, try the Jake and Elwood Suites – named after Jim Belushi and Dan Akroyd’s characters in The Blues Brothers.
Additional Resources
Architect Magazine:
Art Institute of Chicago: Bertrand Goldberg Archive
BertrandGoldberg.org
DNAInfo: Marina City One Of “10 Homes That Changed America,” Says PBS
Fastcodesign: Remembering Bertrand Goldberg, The Pioneer Behind Chicago’s Corncob Towers
MarinaCity.org
What do you think?
Was Bertrand Goldberg a genius, or just ahead of his time?
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win! AND I’m giving away one free ebook copy every day until the end of April to a random commenter here on the blog. Leave a comment every day for another chance to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsAmazing Art & Architecture #AtoZChallengeChicago Manual of Style #AtoZChallengeDelicious! Celebrate Deep Dish Pizza Day #AtoZChallengeZemanta
April 7, 2016
Famous Fields #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
There are at least three notable “Fields” I can think of in Chicago, just off the top of my head. There are probably many more! But here are the three most influential:
Marshall Field’s
The Field Museum
Field Notes
Let’s examine them one at a time, shall we?
Marshall Field’s
Named after its founder, entrepreneur and philanthropist Marshall Field, this department store was a well-known Chicago institution for decades. Founded in 1852, its official name was “Marshall Field and Company,” but as with many Chicago institutions, it was best known locally by its apostrophied shortening.
“With All Your Heart” image via Flickr user John W. Iwanski
Now owned by the evil Macy’s empire (boo, hiss!), loyal locals continue to protest the rebranding underneath the State Street store’s historic clock every year in September.
“2 Minutes and 27 photos” image by Flickr user Mike Warot
Indeed, the site of the store itself will never truly be a Macy’s, no matter what the name on the banners outside. The store itself has designated historic (National Register of Historic Places) and landmark (Chicago Landmark) status as the Marshall Field and Company Building. So take that, New York fat cats!
A minty footnote: While I identify Frango Mints with the Marshall Field’s brand, it seems these green and brown chocolate mints were not a Chicago original after all, but were indeed only popularized by the department store.
“Frango Chocolates” image via Flickr user Strapples Dissabled Life…
A bookish footnote: Marshall Field’s even pioneered the concept of book signings at its State Street store – along with the idea of revolving credit and the installation of escalators in a department store.
The Field Museum
“Field museum” image via Flickr user Justin Kern
The Field Museum of Natural History is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. Founded in 1893 as part of the World’s Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago, the museum was originally named The Columbian Museum of Chicago.
“Dr. Jesse M. Greenman, Assistant Botany Curator” image via Flickr user The Field Museum Library
How did it come to be named The Field Museum? In honor of its first benefactor, Marshall Field (yes, the same man who the department store was named after!), the museum changed its name in 1905. So, while Marshall Field’s department store may no longer exist, his legacy lives on in the cultural history of the city through the museum he helped fund.
Field Notes
Made in the U.S.A., Field Notes are a popular brand of notebooks that are made in Chicago by the Draplin Design Company and Coudal Partners.
My favorite of their recent limited editions is definitely the :
In addition to being awesome because of the crowing rooster, the Field Notes peeps also donated $4 from every purchase to 826 National, a writing resource for young people. Sweet, right?
If you live in Chicago, you can even order Field Notes’ notebooks online and pick them up in The Loop, instead of paying for shipping.
Your turn!
What “fields” make you want to frolic – in Chicago or elsewhere?
Additional Resources
Arcadia Publishing: Remembering Marshall Field’s by Leslie Goddard
Field Museum: History
Flickr: Field Museum photostream
Field Notes: Vintage Memo Book Archive
Lifehacker: Pocket Paper Notebook Showdown: Moleskine vs. Field Notes
Noon & Wilder: The Crown Jewel of the Museum Campus: The Field Museum
WTTW: Field Museum Scientists Reveal Tully Monster’s True Nature
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win! AND I’m giving away one free ebook copy every day until the end of April to a random commenter here on the blog. Leave a comment every day for another chance to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsDelicious! Celebrate Deep Dish Pizza Day #AtoZChallengeChicago Manual of Style #AtoZChallengeBueller. Ferris Bueller. #AtoZChallengeZemanta
April 6, 2016
Take the El Train #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
Chicago’s El Train is another distinguishing feature of the city. While New York may have its (mostly) underground subway, and San Francisco has cable cars, Chicago’s rattling, brake-squealing elevated trains are unique among North American cities.
You’ve undoubtedly seen the El in countless movies.
One of my favorite examples is in the Blues Brothers:
“How often does the train go by?” Jake asks his brother, Elwood.
“So often you won’t even notice it,” he replies.
The El is, basically, running right past the apartment’s one window, nonstop.
ZING!
Elwood’s apartment is amazing for a few other reasons, but I’ll leave those for another day.
The El is color coded, with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink and brown lines, and rides are currently $2.25 ($1.10 reduced fare, or 75¢ for students). There’s an RTA Trip Planner to help you figure out how to get where you’re going, as well as a variety of unofficial apps.
I must be completely honest here and admit that I’ve never actually ridden the El, so I’m just going on the assumption that the system works like most of the subway/metro systems I’ve used in other big cities like New York, Montreal, Paris and Toronto. If you can figure out the New York subway system across five boroughs, you can probably figure out Chicago’s CTA system, right?
El or L?
Interestingly, most style guides also say that you should write “El” as “L,” even though it’s short for “Elevated,” and thus the E makes more sense. In this modern age of texting and abbreviations galore, however, I suppose typing one letter (L) as opposed to two is a lot easier. But for alphabetical correctness, I stand by my decision to stick with El.
Also, I feel like I’d confuse myself, because I used to live in New York where one of the subway lines is called the L. It runs from 8th Avenue in Chelsea to Canarsie, Brooklyn, briefly dipping into Queens at Halsey Street.
Under the El train – photo by CJ Henry (used with permission)
More Movies
In addition to the Blues Brothers, you can also see the El in these movies, set in or around Chicago:
Code of Silence – Chuck Norris kicking ass in Chicago
The Fugitive – Harrison Ford on the lam in Chicago
On the Line – Joey Fatone fumbling a come-on in Chicago
Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Steve Martin trying to get home to Chicago, with random sidekick John Candy
Risky Business – Tom Cruise getting naughty on the El
Running Scared – Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines being silly in Chicago
The Sting – Paul Newman and Robert Redford, conning folks in Chicago
While You Were Sleeping – Sandra Bullock tears tickets in Chicago
Additional Resources
Chicago “L”.org: History and Chronologies
Gothamist: From NY to Chicago: The Spider-Man Train
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win! AND I’m giving away one free ebook copy every day until the end of April to a random commenter here on the blog. Leave a comment every day for another chance to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsChicago Manual of Style #AtoZChallengeDelicious! Celebrate Deep Dish Pizza Day #AtoZChallengeBueller. Ferris Bueller. #AtoZChallengeZemanta
April 5, 2016
Delicious! Celebrate Deep Dish Pizza Day #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
Guess what? Today’s post is perfectly timed, because April 5 is National Deep Dish Pizza Day!
Deep dish pizza is considered a Chicago original. It’s so strongly identified with the city that most people simply refer to the high-rise pie as “Chicago style pizza.”
There is some dispute over the origins of the deep dish pizza, but it’s generally agreed* that Pizzeria Uno invented it, at some point, and that many others have perfected it throughout the years.
Love it or hate it, this peculiar pizza has come to represent the city. The Chicago Tribune has described the specialty as “pizza thick as a sewer lid and almost as heavy.” Anthony Bourdain has dismissed it as “an abomination,” and Jon Stewart famously ranted about the pizza, referring to it as “an above-ground marinara swimming pool for rats.”
* Note that I say “generally agreed,” because there is pretty much no agreement between Chicagoans when it comes to a topic as serious as their pizza. If you don’t believe me, go check out Noon & Wilder’s post about what happens when you ask three Chicago peeps to tell you which deep dish pizza is the city’s best!
New Yorkers despise deep dish
We might be able to chalk those last two comments up to New York’s pizza envy.
But then again, there is something to be said for a nice, cheap slice. After all, you can step into any NYC pizzeria and get a freshly made thin crust slice to go in a matter of minutes, while deep dish pizza involves planning ahead and a minimum of an hour’s wait before you can enjoy your pie.
Another drawback: deep dish requires utensils. This is definitely a sit-down pizza. Take it to go at your peril.
The joys of deep dish
That being said, I have received deep dish pizzas as Christmas presents from my Chicago aunt and uncle for the past two years, and I’ve really enjoyed literally getting a slice of the city delivered straight to my kitchen. There’s something nostalgic and comforting about firing up the oven on a cold California night, popping in a deep-dish pizza, salivating for an hour over the smell of it baking, and finally bringing the resulting pizza to your mouth for a bite of home. Yum!
“Deep dish pizza so gooood.” image via Flickr user Dennis M
Try a deep dish!
If you love pizza, you have to try deep dish at least once in your life. Here are some Chicago originals that deliver throughout the U.S. (apologies to my international readers, but these pizzas are heavy and require dry ice for shipment, which are the most likely reasons why you can’t get one delivered to your door):
Connie’s
Gino’s East
Giordano’s
Lou Malnati’s
And here’s a list of San Diego resources, for locals looking to give a fresh (not frozen & shipped from Chicago) deep dish pizza a whirl:
Berkeley Pizza
Chicago Bros Pizzeria
Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
Additional Resources
BBC: The deep rooted history of Chicago’s deep-dish pizza
Buzzfeed: 27 Reasons Deep Dish Pizza is Better Than All Other Pizzas
Chicago Tribune: Who Invented Deep Dish?
Food Network: Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizzas
Mental Floss: 10 Deep Facts You Might Not Know About Uno Pizzeria and Grill
Serious Eats Chicago: Taste Test: The Best Frozen Deep Dish Pizza
Wikipedia: Chicago-style pizza
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win! AND I’m giving away one free ebook copy every day until the end of April to a random commenter here on the blog. Leave a comment every day for another chance to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsA to Z Challenge: Theme Reveal!Chicago Manual of Style #AtoZChallengeBueller. Ferris Bueller. #AtoZChallengeZemanta
April 4, 2016
Chicago Manual of Style #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
If you’re a writer, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the Chicago Manual of Style.
This style manual is currently in its 16th edition, celebrates its 110th birthday this year, and is also available online.
The purpose of the manual is to provide a standard manner of presenting material in books, as well as academic papers, so you may have learned about Chicago Style in college, depending on what you studied. (There are other style manuals out there, including APA and MLA in the U.S. For online publications, Associated Press [AP] or Canadian Press [CP] styles are typically preferred.)
So why is Chicago the source for all things style?
Well, the Chicago Style is so named because it was invented in 1906 at the University of Chicago. It is, therefore, “one of the most widely used and respected style guides in the United States,” according to David Spencer of The Type Desk.
Indeed, the CMOS also doubles as an historical document, chronicling the changes in print styles throughout the decades!
And the manual continues to evolve as we continue to change the way we read, write and publish material. As ebooks become ever more popular, so too did the CMOS venture away from relying solely on print form, moving onto the Internet where it can offer style advice at the click of a mouse. Perhaps, eventually, we’ll even be able to access it with the swipe of a touchscreen? (As of this blog, sadly, there is no CMOS app for that!)
If you’re a total style nerd, mark your calendars for May 27th, when The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation debuts!
Finally, I’ll send you off with a song related to Chicago style: Vampire Weekend’s “Oxford Comma.”
Additional Resources
Commas, Characters and Crime Scenes: “Be Your Own Copy Editor” Post Changes Course of Publishing History
Chicago Manual of Style on Twitter @ChicagoManual
Citation Machine: Chicago/Turabian style format citation
Goodreads: You can even rate the CMOS out of 5 stars! (Seriously. What?)
Grammar Girl – Why Would Anyone Use the Chicago Manual of Style?
University of Chicago Press: Inventors of the style guide
Wikipedia: List of style guides
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsA to Z Challenge: Theme Reveal!Bueller. Ferris Bueller. #AtoZChallengeAmazing Art & Architecture #AtoZChallengeZemanta
April 2, 2016
Bueller. Ferris Bueller. #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page.
My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
B is for Bueller. Ferris Bueller.
I must have watched the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at least a thousand times as a kid. The story of a privileged teenager from the Chicago suburbs who decides to ditch school and really make it count is one of my favorite homages to the city, and colored much of the way I knew it growing up.
I was 8 years old when the movie first came out, and although I can’t recall the first time I actually watched it, I’m pretty sure most of my peers had a similar experience. While John Hughes wrote a lot of ’80s movies about teenagers in the fictional Chicago suburb of Shermer, Illinois, the suburb I lived in (Elmhurst) struck me as fairly similar to Ferris’s world of nice houses, nice families, and droning teachers who could put you to sleep talking about the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930.
There wasn’t necessarily anything to rebel against, except the whole idea of being forced to attend school on such a beautiful day. Especially when the excitement of the city of Chicago called to you, and a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California was just sitting in your BFF’s garage…
While I may never have impersonated Abe Frohman, the Sausage King of Chicago, in order to get a table at a fancy restaurant, nor stolen anyone’s fine automobile (much less posed as a parent on the phone with my high school’s principal), I did admire Ferris’s chutzpah. Not to mention his old-school phone and answering machine tricks. Kids today will never have to be so clever in order to get out of gym class!
Hell, do they still insist on mandatory gym classes anymore? Back in my day, the only way you could get out of them was by joining an after-school sport. Luckily, bowling and badminton counted, as did being involved in the school’s marching band. I actually got varsity letters for these activities, proving what a total nerd I was.
I think part of Ferris’s charm is the fact that while he’s shown breaking all kinds of laws (stealing a car, impersonating a celebrity, hacking into the school’s computers to change his number of sick days from 9 to 2…), his basic desire to skip school is a pretty harmless one. Who hasn’t wanted to cut class? Who hasn’t actually done it, when they thought they could get away with it?
Furthermore, he doesn’t indulge in playing video games and hanging out at the local pizza joint, as his school’s principal believes. Instead, he’s enjoying Chicago’s rich arts and cultural scenes, as well as attending a sporting event (Go Cubbies!), admiring the excellent view from the top of the Sears Tower, sampling some of Chicago’s fantastic food, and commandeering a parade float to pay tribute to the city’s German immigrants. In short, he’s getting a different kind of education while he’s skipping school… and isn’t that actually a much better way to learn about the world around you?
Anyway…
This is a quote I can identify with, from an AMC interview with John Hughes, who wrote and directed the movie:
“Chicago is what I am. A lot of Ferris is sort of my love letter to the city. And the more people who get upset with the fact that I film there, the more I’ll make sure that’s exactly where I film. It’s funny–nobody ever says anything to Woody Allen about always filming in New York. America has this great reverence for New York. I look at it as this decaying horror pit. So let the people in Chicago enjoy Ferris Bueller.”
And enjoy it, they do. Or, anyway, I still do. Whenever I feel a little bummed, I love watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to see all the little bits and pieces of Chicago that make the city so special, and remind myself that “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
“Life. Copenhagen central train station.” image by Flickr user Bill Smith.
P.S. In case you were wondering, Abe Frohman isn’t really the Sausage King of Chicago. But apparently a dude named Adolph Luetgert was, back in the 1890s – until he was accused of murdering his wife, anyway. I guess it’s true what they say about not asking how they make the sausage…
Additional Resources
AMC: Ferris Bueller: John Hughes and Chicago
Buzzfeed: 21 Things You Never Noticed in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and, for the true fan, take the quiz: “How Well Do you Know ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’?“
Curbed Chicago: The Ultimate Map Guide to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Mental Floss: 15 Fun Facts About “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsA to Z Challenge: Theme Reveal!Amazing Art & Architecture #AtoZChallengeBlogging from A to Z Challenge theme reveal 2015 (hint: it’s sexy!)Zemanta
Halfway to 100K: 365K Club, week 13
It’s that time of the week again: time for another 365K Club word count check-in! Numbers, please…
March 26, Day 86: 298 words
March 27, Day 87: 481 words
March 28, Day 88: 940 words
March 29, Day 89: 0 words
March 30, Day 90: 1975 words
March 31, Day 91: 868 words
April 1, Day 92: 414 words
That’s a grand total of 4,976 words for the week, and 19,869 for the month!
Did I beat last week’s total?
Last week I wrote 3,906 words. This week I wrote 1,070 more words. Because, god dammit, I am a writing machine. Also, I was gearing up for the A to Z Challenge, and I needed to get ahead of the game! (Okay, I wrote my A and B posts, and then prodded my husband and all my friends to join the challenge, too. Same thing, right?)
Milestones!
My monthly goal was to hit 18,000 words this month, and I actually surpassed that goal on March 30 with a monthly total of 19,001 words.
In addition to hitting my monthly goal, I also surpassed the halfway point to my 100,000-word yearly goal with a total of 51,212 words hit on the same day!
That’s right… I’m only three months into the year, going on four, and I’ve already made it halfway to my total. Which means I could actually DOUBLE my goal this year. How cool is that?!
I’m sure I actually got an official 365K Club badge for this, but since I can’t find it anywhere on my computer I made one of my own:
Ta-da! (And yes, that is a “Livin’ on a Prayer” gag.)
Goals for next week and next month?
The A to Z Challenge will be in full swing, so for next week I need to stay ahead of the game by writing at least one blog post per day, as well as chipping away at my Moving to Canada book. I’ll be hosting Blog-Ins every Friday this month, so that should give me a chance to catch up on my writing if I’m behind, and I want to keep on upping my monthly totals too, so my goal for next month is to hit 20,000 words! That’s about 667 words a day, and since April also coincides with Camp NaNoWriMo, I should have plenty of incentive to keep hammering away at my words.
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsBadges and Blog-Ins: 365K Club, week 11Good luck charms: 365K Club, week 12Awesome Lady Authors & BIW progress: 365K Club, week 10Zemanta
April 1, 2016
Amazing Art & Architecture #AtoZChallenge
As in years past, this month I’m participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. 2016 marks my fifth anniversary, so to celebrate, I’m hosting Friday Blog-Ins here in San Diego; you can find out more info about where we’re meeting each week on my A to Z Challenge page. My monthly theme is Chicago From A to Z, so stay tuned from Monday to Saturday for new posts on the Windy City. Or sign up for my mailing list (delivered weekly, on Fridays) so you don’t miss a thing!
A is for Art & Architecture
Chicago is well known around the world for its art and architecture.
Just look at that skyline:
“Chicago” image by Flickr user James Willamore
Some of my favorite buildings are in Chicago, like the Sears Tower (sorry, but I will never refer to this one as the “Willis Tower”!) at 233 S. Wacker Drive:
“Sears Tower – BP Balcony” image by Flickr user – EMR –
And the Marina City “corncobs” (300-350 N. State St., 315-339 N. Dearborn St.):
“Marina City” image by Flickr user vonderauvisuals
As well as the unusually shaped Crain Communications Building (150 N. Michigan Ave.), formerly known as the Smurfit-Stone Building, which you can see here on the far right. You may remember this one from the movie Adventures in Babysitting (or, more recently, Transformers: Dark of the Moon):
“Goodnight Bean” image via Flickr user Shutter Fotos
And I haven’t even mentioned some of Chicago’s most beloved architects yet, like Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Jeanne Gang and Frank Gehry!
With buildings so unusual and easily recognized by their outlines, it’s clear that Chicago is a city that cares about its architecture. So it’s probably no surprise that there have been many articles written about the Top 10 (or 50!) buildings you should visit in the city, as well as plenty of architectural tours conducted for curious visitors.
Indeed, Chicago just seems to have artistic expression built into its soul. There are murals and public art pieces by famous painters, sculptors and mixed media artists spread across the city, adding to that uniquely Chicago experience.
Here are just a few of the famous artworks you can see – for free – in the city of Chicago.
Marc Chagall’s “The Four Seasons” mosaic (10 S. Dearborn St., Chase Tower):
“Chicago – Chagall’s Four Seasons” image by Flickr user Wally Gobetz
Alexander Calder’s “Flamingo” (50 W. Adams St.):
“Flamingo Sculpture ~ Alexander Calder ~ 1974” via Flickr user Onasill ~ Bill Badzo
Picasso‘s untitled sculpture – initially despised, presently beloved (Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.):
“The Chicago Picasso” image via Flickr user Sharon Mollerus
Jean Dubuffet’s “Monument With Standing Beast” (James R. Thompson Center Plaza, 100 W. Randolph St.):
“Monument With Standing Beast” image via Flickr user Fuzzy Gerdes
Jaume Plensa’s “The Crown Fountain” (Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St.):
“Spit take” image via Flickr user Darwin Bell
Your turn!
What’s your favorite art installation or architectural style in the city of Chicago?
Additional Resources
The Art Institute of Chicago – voted #1 Museum in the World!
Chicago Architecture Foundation and their Buildings of Chicago database
Chicagoist: 12 Best Buildings and Skyscrapers in Chicago
City of Chicago: Public Art Guide (PDF)
Virginia Duran: 23 Buildings You Shouldn’t Miss in Chicago If You Are An Architect [EDIT!] and grab her free Architecture Guide to the city, too (printable PDF and map)
Time Out Chicago: 50 Most Beautiful Buildings in Chicago (and the 15 Ugliest Buildings… although there’s no accompanying text to explain what’s going on in some of these pix)
Wikipedia entry: Architecture of Chicago
Giveaway: San Diego from A to Z
Want to read the book I wrote last April, based on my A to Z posts about San Diego? I’m giving away two paperback copies of San Diego From A to Z over at Goodreads, so click here and enter to win!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
San Diego from A to Z
by Laura Roberts
Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Related PostsA to Z Challenge: Theme Reveal!U is for UnderwearBlogging from A to Z Challenge theme reveal 2015 (hint: it’s sexy!)Zemanta
March 31, 2016
1 day left ’til the #AtoZChallenge begins!
OMG, I’m so excited about this year’s A to Z Challenge! I feel like a kid awaiting Christmas Day the night before, filled with anticipation and just a teeeeeensy bit of dread.
You see, I decided to set up some Blog-Ins this year. I’ve never hosted a Blog-In before, though, so I’m nervous about how many people will actually show up.
Currently, the official Meetup tally says just four people are planning to come. Which is actually good, because I’m rather worried about what will happen if too many more show up unannounced.
The venue is a fairly decent sized restaurant, but since the weather has been unseasonably cool (and occasionally rainy), I was thinking we might want to try to snag the back room if we can, instead of grabbing all the outdoor tables. I don’t want to monopolize the space for paying customers, but I do kind of figure that restaurants experience a bit of a lull from 3 to 5 PM…
Actually, here’s something else I just thought of: I don’t think this place has wifi!!!!!
I wonder if anyone has a hotspot I can borrow?
Oh, the joys of flying by the seat of your pants on the A to Z Challenge!
If you’re in the San Diego area and would like to join us for the April A to Z Blogging Challenge Kickoff Party & Blog-In tomorrow (April 1), click here for full event details – and please RSVP so I know approximately how many bloggers to expect.
See you there!
Related PostsTop 10 reasons to join the #AtoZChallengeA to Z Challenge: Theme Reveal!A to Z Blogging Challenge begins tomorrowZemanta
