49 of 52 (originally a non-challenge book) and more squeeing from the crazy cat lady
I mentioned on Saturday that I was reading Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus. I was able to get a print copy from the library, and I finished reading it that night. I juggled categories a little, shifting Felicia Day's You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) to the book published this year, because I was first drawn to this one because of its cover. So it's my book based entirely on its cover.
What a book! It doesn't have a lot of depth, and the characters don't go through a lot of changes, but it is beautifully written. It's sensual, light and fluffy, and a pleasure to read. I was enthralled by the book and by Jim Dale's performance reading it, but reading a print copy is a pleasure, too. Fantasy set in Victorian-era Europe and America is right up my alley. I'm rereading the print copy now, since I had to return the CDs to the library.
Three to go!
Sometimes a book or a film hits me in just the right way, and I carry some part of it with me into the real world, at least for a while. For example, I have learned not to watch Julie and Julia or Ratatouille except when I'm cooking, because I end up pausing the movie halfway through so I can find something to nosh on. After being sorted, I occasionally wore a Hufflepuff tie to work at the bank. In The Night Circus, the book talks about fans of the circus who call themselves rêveurs: they wear black, white, and/or grey to feel like they blend in with the circus, but they always add a red accessory to remind themselves that they are observers. A part and apart at the same time. So I've decided to try it. Not every day, but probably once a week, just to see how many variations I can come up with. I'm pretty basic today: black skirt suit, black tank top, black shoes and snood (bad hair day), and a red pashmina under the jacket, laid flat so it looks like a wrap blouse. Minimal silver jewelry. My efforts in this area will be mostly black, since I have very little grey or white in my wardrobe, but I'll see what I can do anyway. Explore how a contemporary rêveur might choose to dress. (Of course, my camera is charging at home today.)
It's a distraction, anyway. Something fun.
I've been to four used bookshops so far in search of a print copy. If the other three that I haven't been to yet don't have the book, I shall resort to Amazon to find it in hardback. I could go to Barnes & Noble for a paperback, but I'd rather have a good, durable copy and contribute a few dollars to a small business.
I'm still dragging my feet on the book challenge. Sort of. I've started reading Welcome to Night Vale, which could be my book published this year instead of Kareem's Mycroft Holmes, since I never started it. Whichever book I choose, I have about six weeks left in the year and four categories to go. I have the weeks of Christmas and New Year's off work, so I'll have plenty of time after Christmas to loaf about and read books, try a recipe or three, see Star Wars at least once. Though Mom will undoubtedly ask me to clean out the garage or something.
I've added a tag for the kittens: "squatters," since that's how they showed up. The "beastie boys" tag will continue to refer to Bubba the Hutt.
The last few mornings have been lovely. The kittens have let me sleep through the night, and shortly after the sun rises, someone pats my nose with a paw or chirps gently in my ear. Then I spend ten minutes petting purring babies who sit on my chest or writhe around my hands or curl over the top of my head and lick my hair. Half an hour after I got out of bed today, I was sitting at the computer with Morse curled up against my shoulder. I held her with one hand and used the mouse to check my e-mail with the other. When Morse had had enough cuddles, she walked away. Cow, who had been sitting on the desk, immediately came over, stepped onto the shoulder Morse had occupied, and curled up where she had been. He tucked his face under my chin and started to purr. What a joy these babies are!
(Now that I've said that, I'll go home tonight and find the contents of the recycling bin strewn all over the living room, or something equally heinous.)
What a book! It doesn't have a lot of depth, and the characters don't go through a lot of changes, but it is beautifully written. It's sensual, light and fluffy, and a pleasure to read. I was enthralled by the book and by Jim Dale's performance reading it, but reading a print copy is a pleasure, too. Fantasy set in Victorian-era Europe and America is right up my alley. I'm rereading the print copy now, since I had to return the CDs to the library.
Three to go!
Sometimes a book or a film hits me in just the right way, and I carry some part of it with me into the real world, at least for a while. For example, I have learned not to watch Julie and Julia or Ratatouille except when I'm cooking, because I end up pausing the movie halfway through so I can find something to nosh on. After being sorted, I occasionally wore a Hufflepuff tie to work at the bank. In The Night Circus, the book talks about fans of the circus who call themselves rêveurs: they wear black, white, and/or grey to feel like they blend in with the circus, but they always add a red accessory to remind themselves that they are observers. A part and apart at the same time. So I've decided to try it. Not every day, but probably once a week, just to see how many variations I can come up with. I'm pretty basic today: black skirt suit, black tank top, black shoes and snood (bad hair day), and a red pashmina under the jacket, laid flat so it looks like a wrap blouse. Minimal silver jewelry. My efforts in this area will be mostly black, since I have very little grey or white in my wardrobe, but I'll see what I can do anyway. Explore how a contemporary rêveur might choose to dress. (Of course, my camera is charging at home today.)
It's a distraction, anyway. Something fun.
I've been to four used bookshops so far in search of a print copy. If the other three that I haven't been to yet don't have the book, I shall resort to Amazon to find it in hardback. I could go to Barnes & Noble for a paperback, but I'd rather have a good, durable copy and contribute a few dollars to a small business.
I'm still dragging my feet on the book challenge. Sort of. I've started reading Welcome to Night Vale, which could be my book published this year instead of Kareem's Mycroft Holmes, since I never started it. Whichever book I choose, I have about six weeks left in the year and four categories to go. I have the weeks of Christmas and New Year's off work, so I'll have plenty of time after Christmas to loaf about and read books, try a recipe or three, see Star Wars at least once. Though Mom will undoubtedly ask me to clean out the garage or something.
I've added a tag for the kittens: "squatters," since that's how they showed up. The "beastie boys" tag will continue to refer to Bubba the Hutt.
The last few mornings have been lovely. The kittens have let me sleep through the night, and shortly after the sun rises, someone pats my nose with a paw or chirps gently in my ear. Then I spend ten minutes petting purring babies who sit on my chest or writhe around my hands or curl over the top of my head and lick my hair. Half an hour after I got out of bed today, I was sitting at the computer with Morse curled up against my shoulder. I held her with one hand and used the mouse to check my e-mail with the other. When Morse had had enough cuddles, she walked away. Cow, who had been sitting on the desk, immediately came over, stepped onto the shoulder Morse had occupied, and curled up where she had been. He tucked his face under my chin and started to purr. What a joy these babies are!
(Now that I've said that, I'll go home tonight and find the contents of the recycling bin strewn all over the living room, or something equally heinous.)