Several of these are entirely achievable and I’ll probably know by the end of the month if I’m in with a chance. Fingers crossed and good luck everyone for 2023.
PS: Supplemental wish – to actually use this blog and post more than once.
]]>Visibility from the house is low, which means the blizzard is pretty gung-ho since in town we’re relatively well protected. The wind is full on so it’s quite noisy out and roary. Ye olde Tracfone has been going off all day with dire warnings from various and sundry. I know when to do what I’m told and have holed up here at home where it is a lot warmer inside than outside.
To amuse I’ve been catching up with my shopping list which has been nicely distracting. Mostly mundane ordinary stuff, the last item on the list is a skeleton stand which I need for an art piece I’m embarking on. A little odd I know but, fingers crossed, it will solve both my ‘how do I create this thing’ and ‘how do I display this thing’ conundrums. Yay me!!!!
Current temperature: here (actual not wind chill) -6F/-21C, there 6C/43F
]]>Yet to keep making a profit they need customers who have money to spend. But those are the people they are making huge efforts to not pay and get rid off. If there is no middle class who can they sell to?
It seems rather self destructive.
Current temperature: here 17F/-8C, there 4C/39F
]]>
See the universe.
Immense.
Tiny blinks of light fracture darkness.
We are not alone.
Consequently, hope.
]]>I knew I would love this movie when the opening scene featured a glorious dance number in a Los Angeles traffic jam. So much joie de vivre. I definitely recommend seeing this on the big screen for the full impact.
Now off to rewatch, Singing in the Rain again(and again).
Current temperature: here 40F/4C, there 5C/41F
]]>Black Widow definitely needs her own movie. She rocks like woah!!!
Current temperature: here 75F/24C, there 17C/63F
]]>Here’s the first entry. More will be added as, or when, I actually finish another book. *fingers crossed*
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman.
Bought myself. A great, fast read and would definitely be worth rereading if I had the time to invest in that sort of thing.
The Smartest Kids in the World and how they got that way by Amanda Ripley. (+ 16/4/14)
Christmas gift from Mutti and Mac. A quick, easy read, definitely intended for a general audience. A reasonable introduction to the subject but I would have liked something a little more substantive. Fortunately, there’s a substantial bibliography to explore.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. (+ 20/5/14)
Bought myself. Brilliant novel that I would recommend be added to anyone’s must read list. Disturbing as heck but reverberates with reality, especially every time a piece of legislation regulating the use women’s bodies hits the law books. My only quibble is with the Historical Notes, the last chapter seemed incongruous with the rest of the book. There was something about the tone of that section that felt off.
Call the Midwife. A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Originally published as The Midwife.) by Jennifer Worth. (+ 3/6/14)
Bought myself. A wonderful read. It really opens your eyes to the conditions people were living under back then and makes obvious just how important the founding of the NHS was to the improvement in people’s well being. (Plus it makes clear home births are entirely feasible with properly trained midwives, even in this day and age.) I would also recommend the tv show, Call The Midwife, on PBS and Netflix in the US, it really captures the emotional tone and detail of the book very well.
The Diet Myth. America’s Obsession With Weight Is Hazardous To Your Health by Paul Campos. (+ 10/6/14)
Bought myself. A depressing read. Time and again it becomes clear that facts are not necessarily a significant factor when it comes to human behaviour. Even when ‘experts’ know the truth about the lack of efficacy of dieting, they continue to push them as a solution to who knows what problem. I’d definitely recommend this book as a starting point to informing yourself on the issues related to the current obesity hysteria as seen in the media. The issues are complex and can’t be answered with simple platitudes. We need a well-informed health policy, perhaps those responsible should read more books like this.
Orange is the New Black. My Year in a Woman’s Prison. by Piper Kerman. (+ 19/7/14)
Bought myself. A glimpse inside the US federal penal system. Once again here is evidence that imprisoning women for mostly non-violent crimes is a waste of human potential and damaging to the prisoners and their families. The complete lack of educational opportunities and vocational training that might facilitate a successful reentry into society seems senseless.
The book was a good read though I got the impression that the author went a little easy on herself to make a better impression. I think this undercuts her story which would have benefitted from a little more honesty. I would also have liked to have heard more from some of the other inmates as to what they thought about their experiences.
The only people who seem to benefit from the ‘justice system’ appear to be the shareholders of the businesses who operate it. The rest of us lose.
From here on I’ll be posting reviews on Goodreads and linking to them here.
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
]]>“A Red Flag Warning for Critical Fire Weather Conditions, remains in effect until 8:00 PM this evening. Strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Listen to your local weather station for updates to this alert.”
Gulp.
Snow last fell not that long ago and we’re now fearing for flames?
And Global Climate Change is a commie plot to destroy capitalism!!!!!!
Yeah, right. Sheesh.
Current temperature: here 91F/33C, there 13C/55F
]]>Brilliant except for the last couple of minutes which were trite and weak. Well worth the price of admission for sure.
Current temperature: here 19F/-7C, there 1C/34F
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