Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 39

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 08-06-20

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.
~Lao Tzu

Don't let someone dim your light simply because it's shining in their eyes.
~Unknown

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
~Edith Wharton

The soul becomes dyed by the color of its thoughts.
~Marcus Aurelius

The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.
~Albus Dumbledore

Everyone is breakable, but not everyone is aware that it’s a choice to stay broken.
~Stanley Behrman

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot & hang on.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, its important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have on every level.
~Shakti Gawain

If your happiness depends on what somebody else does, I guess you do have a problem.
~Richard Bach

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time.
~Betty Smith

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.
~Thomas Dewar

We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
~Max De Pree

Mollie The #Chinchilla Reminds You To Keep Your #Pets Safe And Cool This Summer

Hi everyone.  This is Mollie the chinchilla.
Where we live it's started getting hot (not every day has been hot, but many have) and the human caretakers have had to put my fan on lots.  Noticing - and appreciating - this, I thought it was time for the reminder we give you every year about keeping your pets safe and cool in the hot weather. 
It doesn't matter what the situation with that Avirus thing is where you are, or whether you've been locked down - whatever that means.  Hot weather is still something that's going to happen, and keeping your pets safe and cool during it is still something you need to do.  It's especially important for animals like me, since chinchillas struggle to deal with heat because of our thick fur coats.  But even animals who need and appreciate heat, like Artemis the tortoise, have limits as to the amount of heat they can comfortably and safely deal with.
So, no matter the kind of animal who shares your home, you need to make sure they don't suffer in the heat.  For all animals, you need to make sure they have plenty of cool water to keep hydrated, a shady place to rest out of the heat, and plenty of ventalation so they don't suffocate.  There will be other considerations too, depending on the species and their needs, especially if it gets extremely hot where you are.  For example:
Chinchillas can't deal with hot weather at all, so make sure they're either in an air conditioned room, or have some other kind of cooling system, like a fan.  Something cool to rest on in a shady spot in their cage - such as a cooling slab - would help them too.  You can also offer something to nibble on to help keep them cool, such as a couple of frozen peas, a frozen carrot stick, etc.Dogs need shady and cool places to rest, whether they're indoor dogs or outdoor dogs, and you should be careful not to play with them for long stretches of time in the heat, since it could cause them to overheat - something that's very dangerous, and potentially life threatening.  Filling a Kong ball - or similar treat ball - with something and freezing it (peanut butter works well for this) is a good way to give them a cooling treat, as well as occupy them in a way where they won't be getting too hot from the exercise.Tortoises can deal with much hotter temperatures than some animals, but are at risk of becoming dehydrated if they get too hot, so consider bathing your tortoise more often than usual in the hot weather.
Those are just some examples of things you might do for your pets to keep them safe and cool during the hot weather, using the kinds of animals living in my home.  There are other things you can do though, of course.  In fact, if you want to share some things you do for your own animal family members in the comments section of this post, that would be great, since it might help give someone else ideas.
Remember though: Mummy and I aren't vets, so this is just advice based on our own experiences, and what Mummy's been told, or learned to do over the years, for us.  If you're unsure what to do for your own pet, or have any reason to be concerned about them - during this hot weather, or at any other time - call your vet.  If your vet can't help you for any reason, find one who can.
Squeak soon,Mollie

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 04-06-20

Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.
~Francis Bacon

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

Reading:This week I read - well, technically finished reading, since I started it last week - one book: the seventh "Outlander" book. So, here's my book review.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book follows more than just the stories of the two couples I've grown to care about, and I have to admit to wishing it would just move on to the parts with my favourite characters in them at first, because I just wanted to know what was happening with them. By the time I was about a third of the way through the book though, I was a lot more interested in the fates of the other characters, and really starting to enjoy their chapters and scenes too. I feel like a lot was left unresolved at the end of this book as well though, so wasn't overly happy about that. Those things combined are the only reason I don't give this book the full five stars, since the slower pace while we learn about all the medical stuff, etc - which seems to be an issue for a lot of people - didn't bother me, because I find those kinds of details interesting enough not to get bored. Spending so little time with either Jamie and Claire or Roger and Briana, however, did bother me at first, and having so much unresolved at the end certainly did - and still does.

Watching:This week I watched the old animated "Beauty And The Beast" movie - just because it happened to be on Sky Cinema Disney when I needed to do something in the living room, and it's a good movie - and also watched some more episodes of "Game Of Thrones" (I'm currently on season 6, if you're interested).

Listening:This week I've been listening to a variety of music again, including some videos recently uploaded by artists I subscribe to on YouTube.  One of those was the song I'm sharing today, which is "When Life Is Good Again" by Dolly Parton.
        

13 #Writing #Quotes

There are “secrets” to making a story work — but they apply only to that particular writer and that particular story. You find out how to make the thing work by working at it — coming back to it, testing it, seeing where it sticks or wobbles or cheats, and figuring out how to make it go where it has to go.
~Ursula K. Le Guin

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.
~James Michener

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.
    ~Barbara Kingsolver

The first person you should think of pleasing, in writing a book, is yourself.
~Patricia Highsmith

Very few writers know what they are doing until they've done it.
~Anne Lamott

The only writer to whom you should compare yourself is the writer you were yesterday
~T Pynchon

Write for yourself and yourself alone. Don’t try to please anyone else, and don’t be afraid of anyone.
~Sallie TISDALE

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
~Cyril Connolly

We write by the light of every story we have ever read.
~Richard Peck

The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.
~Stephen King

There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.'
~Beatrix Potter

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.
~Louis L'Amour

Writing a book is like having an empty pool in the yard and every day going out and throwing in a cup of water to fill it.
~Bethany Ball

20 #SelfCare And Self #Love #Quotes

The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.
~C. JoyBell

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.
~Edward Stanley

Everybody is different, and every body is different.
~Beverly Diehl

Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.
~Christopher Germer

Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk—essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.
~Vironika Tugaleva

When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny better than you do.
~John O’Donohue

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.
~Jack Kornfield

People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous, and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness, and inclusiveness.
~Sanaya Roman

You owe yourself the love you so freely give to others
~Unknown

Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.
~Anna Taylor

Accept yourself. Love yourself as you are. Your finest work, your best movements, your joy, peace, and healing come when you love yourself. You give a great gift to the world when you do that. You give others permission to do the same: to love themselves. Revel in self-love. Roll in it. Bask in it as you would sunshine.
~Melodie Beattie

There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life.
~Tara Brach

Acknowledge, accept, and honor that you deserve your own deepest compassion and love.
~Nanette Mathews

Learning to treat ourselves lovingly may at first feel like a dangerous experiment.
~Sharon Salzberg

When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.
~Kristin Neff

You are a VIP, a very important person so take care with self-care. If not you, who? If not now, when?
~Toni Hawkins

How we care for ourselves gives our brain messages that shape our self-worth so we must care for ourselves in every way, every day.
~Sam Owen

Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It's about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.
~Kristi Ling

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.
~Pema Chödrön

There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.
~Brian Andreas

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 01-06-20

The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.
~Elizabeth Gilbert

We could never learn to be brave & patient, if there were only joys in the world.
~Helen Keller

Do not listen with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand.
~Unknown

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
~Carl Sagan

Being yourself is all it takes. If you want to impress someone don’t be someone else just be yourself.
~Selena Gomez

You can't base your life on other people's expectations.
~Stevie Wonder

Great spirits have always faced violent opposition from mediocre minds.
~Einstein

If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
~Thomas Edison

Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.
~Marianne Williamson

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
~Henry Ford

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
~Walt Disney

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
~William Shakespeare

#Covid19 Experiences; My #Coronavirus Diaries: May 2020 Check-In

We spent most of a day and night without water a few weeks ago, because there was an "incident" near the local reservoir.  I don't know for sure what happened, but it resulted in the entire town either being without water or having such low water pressure they might as well have been.  It took them most of the day to fix it, and half the night to get the system up and running properly again.  I only know as much as I do about it from social media.

There was no warning, so we had no time to fill things with water before it happened. The first I knew there was a problem was when we tried to do something with water and couldn't.  Then, when I called the water company to find out why my water wasn't running, I was told there was an incident in my area (though not what kind of incident it was) and that bottled water was being sent out.  I was not, however, told you had to request said bottles of water, and only learned later you had to call a special number and ask for some.  Luckily, as it happened, we had a couple of big bottles of water on hand, "Just in case," so we managed OK.  I really think, "If you need the water, please call this number," should have been part of the information given to those who called the company, since I happen to know many of my neighbours also assumed water was automatically being sent out, and not all of them were lucky enough to have bottles of water on hand as we did.

Anyway, we're doing OK.  No health issues but the usual ones.  Although I cut my hand a couple of weeks ago, and was worried for a bit it was infected.  I managed to clear it up though, and it's healing nicely now.
As for mentally/emotionally... Well, I'm doing a bit better, though still having sleeping issues because of anxiety and stress causing nightmares and making it difficult to switch off properly at bed time.  I'm functioning better in general though, and actually have the desire to do more than hide away in a corner with the petkids, so that's a step in the right direction.

In local virus related news:
Despite the fact the death toll is more than 35,000 in the UK, though with thankfully only a very small number of those cases in my area (I haven't checked the exact numbers in the past several days, so can't give you them, but I do know my area is one of the ones with the least number of cases in the country) lockdown has been eased in England, with plans for it to ease further in stages over the next couple of months.
I specify "England" because it hasn't in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, which are officially part of the UK, but have their own people in charge of them, and whether or not those people do what the Prime Minister (currently Borris Johnson, if you don't know) tells them to do, generally depends how they feel about it.
So, if you're a UK resident, depending on where you live in the UK, you can either go out as much as you like as long as you social distance, wash your hands while singing, "Happy birthday," etc.  Or can still only go out for essential trips and a short bit of exercise each day.  Because, despite being known as the "United" Kingdom, we currently aren't united, even if we only look at the government.
Other sites and blogs cover everything better than I could, whether you want to check in on official news sites, or on blogs - these pandemic updates are usually good ways to keep reasonably up to date in a way that allows you to keep some of your sanity, for example - so I'll leave it there.  Especially since I've been attempting to keep what remains of my own sanity by not checking the news every day.  It helps with the anxiety somewhat.

Regardless of what's going on that I either know about and wish I didn't, or missed hearing about, I live in a place where the lockdown has been eased.  Although, other than this past Tuesday, when a certain situation that couldn't wait for the pandemic to be over before it was dealt with - which I'll talk about another day, when I understand it all myself - caused me to need to spend over an hour on the seafront by myself with Lilie and Logan, since it was the only way we could deal with it and still observe social distancing, I still haven't been going out much.  Mind you, I never went out an awful lot even before the virus showed up, so... *shrugs*

Lockdown or no, we also would have had to have someone come in last Friday, because our toilet broke.  The flusher button thingy broke.  Yeah, I know, real technical sounding, I don't think.  Hey, I'm not a plumber.  Though with our luck with bathrooms maybe I should consider becoming one.  Anyway, when it was being fixed a crack in the toilet itself was noticed, so we ended up with a completely new toilet being installed.  Lucky the flusher part went first, since a cracked toilet wouldn't have been pleasant.  At least the guy doing that only needed access to the bathroom, so I could stay home and still observe social distancing for that one.
In other news:
We still have to line up to go in the shops where we are, since social distancing means only a certain number of people can go in at once.  Most people in our area are being good about it, lining up nicely, waiting patiently for their turn, only grabbing what they need, etc.  But there are still those who get annoyed at not being able to just walk right in regardless of how many others have been waiting, or how many people are already in there, make return trips to buy up as much as possible of certain things (or shop in groups, while pretending to be individual shoppers, so they can get more than they should that way) and so on.  We just keep out of it, line up patiently, only buy what we need, and so on.  Well, I say, "We," but it's still just Kelly fetching things from the shops.
By the way, I was still getting my fruit and vegetables box, but as of this week we've decided to just have Kelly go fetch what I need from the local fruit and veg shop every few days, because I was having some bits left at the end of each box, and it's now reached the point where I didn't have one come this week, but still have enough stuff to feed me for most of this week, plus some extra bits of fruit and such I put in the freezer to stop it going bad.  If I was on my own, I'd still continue the box, but maybe change the frequency or amount, but Kelly wants to go fetch the stuff for me, and the fresh air and vitamin D will do him good, so I agreed he could.

Anyway, in other food news: after several experiments with coconut flour, I decided I'll go without flour rather than buy that again, since we were never happy with the results, regardless of what we did with it.  So I was relieved when Kelly was able to find me some proper flour during one of his trips to the local shops.  I celebrated by having my first attempt at making cinnamon buns.  My veganization of the recipe needs a bit of work, and they were a bit flat due to a lack of yeast, but here's a photo of my first attempt at making them anyhow:

Despite needing some work, they were still better than most of what I tried to do with the coconut flour, and they did taste pretty good.  But, when I can get some yeast, I'll try again, making the adjustments Kelly and I discussed I need to make to my veganized version of the recipe, which I'm sure will be an improvement.

Our anniversary meal was perfect though.

It was our 17th wedding anniversary last Friday (May 22nd) and Kelly went and picked up food for us from Oscars, which he brought home for us to eat here, since we still aren't allowed to eat at cafes yet, and anyway think it's too soon to start doing so, whatever the government says.  I always love food from Oscars, and this time was no exception.  We were both happy to have that be our anniversary meal of choice.
That's all we really did for our anniversary, to be honest: had a meal neither of us had to cook or wash the dishes after.  Oh, and we also gave each other money to spend on whatever we wanted.  But that was good enough for us.

I mean, that's all we've done most years anyhow, so we probably wouldn't have done much more than that even if it wasn't for the current circumstances.  We do things for and with each other all the time, so - though we do like to acknowledge our anniversary - we don't feel the need to make a big fuss over it.  We missed having the option to go out for the meal, but beyond that were happy with how we acknowledged and celebrated having been married for 17 years.  Even if I'm still baffled as to why he's not sick of me yet.
Mind you, I have to admit, not spending a large chunk of our wedding anniversary dealing with the replacement of our toilet would have been nice, regardless of what else we may or may not have done instead.  Just saying.

Anyway, there's not really much else to say, so I'm going to let this do.  Before I end this post though, here are a couple of recent puppy photos, just to make sure I'm ending on a positive note.  Enjoy!


So, how are things were you are? And how are you doing yourself? Happy and healthy, I hope?

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 28-05-20

Picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose
~Neil Gaiman

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

Reading:This week I've been reading "An Echo In The Bone" - the 7th book in the "Outlander" series.  I haven't finished it yet though, and I didn't read anything else this week, so I don't have any book reviews to share with you today.
Watching:

This week I watched "Dumbo" (the 2019 version).  This was the first time I'd seen this one, though I've seen the old one several times.  There's more of the touching message in the new one, so I loved the ending of it better.  On the other hand, most of the movie wasn't as good as the old one, and was only, "Good... Not great," meaning I enjoyed it, but didn't love it - apart from the ending.  With that in mind, I give it four out of five stars.

 

Listening:This week I've been listening to 90s pop music again.  So, here's a song by my favourite band from that time, and another I've seen live in concert: Boyzone.  Since I couldn't decide on a song to share, I'm sharing the first Boyzone song that comes up when I search for them on the thing for adding a video via YouTube, which is "No Matter What" (at least, it is today, though they don't always show up search results in the same order).  Anyway, enjoy!

#WriterWednesday: #WritersLife + Writerly #Quotes And Links + Last Chance For The #AuthorsGiveBack #Sale - #AmWriting 27-05-20

Along with writing a few new poems - including the one Lilie and I posted last week -I managed to finish the formatting for the versions of "Snowlilie's Brother" - the story inspired by Lilie and Logan - over the past couple of weeks.
To be honest, I officially could have done a release for today, or even this coming weekend, so as to make it in time for my original deadline of the end of May.  It wouldn't have been too difficult, since the Smashwords version was already uploaded by this time last week, and the Kindle edition and distributed versions weren't far behind.  But I decided not to.  For one thing, holding off until early June gave me time to guarantee I'd have more than just the Smashwords and Amazon links for the eBook versions ready for the announcement post, and for another it allowed me to release the book on the anniversary of when Logan joined our family.  Considering Logan joining the family is what the story is all about, I thought the first anniversary of when Logan came home was an appropriate date, and might have even aimed for that date in the first place if I'd thought about it before.  So, "Snowlilie's Brother" is to be officially released on June 9th 2020.  The eBook version anyhow, since the audio and paperback versions will take a bit longer to organize.  In fact, the eBook version is already available to pre-order from some of the places; feel free to check out the Smashwords and Kindle versions I've linked to in this paragraph if you'd like to pre-order a copy, or even just have a sneak peek at the cover and book blurb.
    

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. ~Robin Williams

OK. Let’s see what I have to share with you this week.
Blogging:10 reasons you should start a blog today.  Yes, right now.
How to stop feeling guilty or stressed out about blogging
The writing process, and writing life in general:When did we become too scared to dream?
10 reminders for writers having a hard time handling the pressure right now
You'll always remember your first (draft)
We start with the stories we know by heartThere will be parts of being a writer you don't like12 reasons writers don't always act like they love their jobs (but we do!)
Don't take yourself too seriously11 strategies I use when my motivation to write disappearsThis is the turning point in your beginning
How to use time blocking for productivity
"When stories nestle in the body, the soul comes forth."
~Deena Metzger

Poetry writing:Using allusion in poetryThoughts on poetry and the evolution of language
"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very quiet if only those birds sing there that sang best."
~Henry Van Dyke
Characters:Does your novel confuse readers with "too many" characters? 8 ways to unconfuse themExotic pets in fantasy: raise your hand if you just imagined a dragon7 tips to giving your heroes and villains exotic petsEffective body language in writing
Random writing tips:What's the difference between an inciting incident and a first plot point?The building blocks of story: scenesWhy authors should read reviewsIs your story a bit lazy? 5 ways to improve the action in your story
"A writer’s duty is to register what it is like for him or her to be in the world."
~Zadie Smith

Editing:Questions to ask yourself while editing a chapter/sceneTo Oxford or not to OxfordThe dreaded 'E' word = Editing

"Every little detail you can smuggle with you into your fiction makes your world more real to your reader." ~Neil Gaiman
Publishing:12 tips for overcoming 'publishing anxiety'Room for both: eBooks and print booksHow to publish with KDP: part 9, an overview of your KDP dashboard
The business side of writing:Schrödinger’s FutureNot everyone will be interested in your novel
"Trust your reader. Not everything needs to be explained. If you really know something, and breathe life into it, they'll know it too."~Esther Freud

Don't forget: my books are still on sale, though only for a few more days.  So, grab my poetry and children's stories for $2.00 or less - in some cases completely free - via Smashwords by going to my Smashwords author profile.  But hurry, because you only have a few more days, since the sale ends this coming Sunday (May 31st 2020).

12 #AmReading #Book Themed #Quotes

People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.
~Logan Pearsall Smith

People can lose their lives in libraries. They ought to be warned.
~Saul Bellow

Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.
~Louis L’Amour

No. I can survive well enough on my own—if given the proper reading material.
~Sarah J. Maas

It’s not that I don’t like people. It’s just that when I’m in the company of others – even my nearest and dearest – there always comes a moment when I’d rather be reading a book.
~Maureen Corrigan

Books to the ceiling, Books to the sky, My pile of books is a mile high. How I love them! How I need them! I’ll have a long beard by the time I read them.
~Arnold Lobel

Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.
~Jane Smiley

Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.
~Henry David Thoreau

Make it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself.
~George Bernard Shaw

Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words!
~Betty Smith

It is a great thing to start life with a small number of really good books which are your very own.
~Arthur Conan Doyle

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.
~C.S. Lewis