A.M. Offenwanger's Blog, page 39
January 5, 2017
On Princesses and the Unreality of Realism
For this year’s New Year’s Eve movie marathon, we watched Star Wars, the original three movies (on VHS, no less. Yup, we still have a VCR). I’m not a huge Star Wars aficionado, so I haven’t got these films memorised, verbally or visually; when I watch them, they’re always quite new-ish to me. And what struck me this time through is how utterly pristine Princess Leia’s appearance is.
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I mean, the first time Luke Skywalker sees this woman, she’s just been through torture (so we’re told – not sh...
January 4, 2017
December 31, 2016
Free Books, or: Bookworm’s Pleasures on the Internet
[image error]I got a new Kobo for my birthday, as the one I’d bought myself six years ago is in the process of giving up its electronic ghost. You can read all about that one here – it’s one of those older (brand-new released at the time) non-touch-screen ones that don’t really do anything but display books. My new one doesn’t do much else either, it just does it faster and with a built-in sidelight. Actually, pardon me – one thing it does do that the old one didn’t is make it possible to borrow ebooks st...
December 28, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: A Wish Fulfilled
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Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: art of story, Christmas, Harry Potter, Illustrated Harry Potter, illustration, presents, wish list, wishes, Wordless Wednesday
December 24, 2016
Happy Christmas!
Filed under: life, this and that Tagged: bird feeder, candles, Christmas, Christmas baking, Christmas Eve, Cleo the Cat, cookies, gifts, snow, Steve
December 23, 2016
Favourite Mugs
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Here is Steve, mugging for the camera. Well, he’s guarding my new favourite Christmas mug, which I got for all of 35¢ at the thrift shop the other day.
I already had a collection of Christmas mugs (most of them hand-me-downs), so I really didn’t need another one. As a rule I avoid buying knick-knacky things – they’re fun to get as presents, but I’m not going to spend money on them; I’m trying to have less “stuff” in my house, not more. But there was something that struck my fancy about this...
December 21, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: Just Three More Days
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Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: Christmas, Christmas baking, German Christmas customs, Midwinter, Wordless Wednesday
December 14, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: Chillin’ in the Winter Sun
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Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: Canada Place, I love BC, snow, sub-zero, Vancouver, winter, winter sunshine
December 12, 2016
Dashing Through the Snow
[image error]I had some errands to do in the big city. Well, one errand really – getting my German passport renewed, which requires going to the German Consulate in Vancouver – but of course, it’s also the perfect opportunity for a Christmas visit with family & friends.
But this is winter. In Canada. Vancouver, from where I live, is on the other side of a mountain range – nothing on the order of the Rockies, but still, mountains; the highest pass is at 1728 m. And while I quite enjoy that drive in the sum...
