| Prince Caspian -- SPOILERS |
[May. 20th, 2008|02:01 pm] |
All right. I'm assuming everybody's read the books, but because some people are sensitive to these things:
There are spoilers behind the cut. Great big huge spoilery spoilerific spoilers.
Okay? Okay.
( CUT TO HIDE SPOILERS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ) |
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| A Grand Day Out |
[May. 19th, 2008|09:34 am] |
So, we decided to celebrate Tim's job offer with a family day.
Saturday we woke up, took care of some business (books back to the library, etc.), and then packed up the back packs and headed out for Seven Lakes state park.
The park was about an hour away, but it was to the north, which means we were getting out of the area that used to be the Great Black Swamp (no, I'm not kidding), so we actually get some topography. The park really does have seven lakes, and while not the deep wilderness, is quite lovely. There was a little playground on the lakeshore. Alexander played there for a bit while we eyed the clouds (there was a 40% chance of thunderstorms). Then, we shouldered our packs and hit the trail.
It was a very nice hike, a mix of meadowland and woods, just enough hills to give it some challenge, but not too much with a six year old along. The wildflowers were blooming everywhere. There was a swan on the lake (never saw swans in the wild when I was growing up. I think it's the DDT finally working it's way out). We walked through the peaceful spring woods something over 3 hours, with a break at a senic overlook near a stream for snacks. Because of the uncertain weather report, we pretty much had the trail to ourselves, which is always nice. We had to deal with a couple of fallen trees, one footbridge that was going to need repeair soon, one unbridged stream, and several significant mud holes, but all these obsticles were handily surmounted and Alexander thoroughly enjoyed the process. And yes, he did walk all but about the last half mile or so, carrying his own pack with waterbottle. Our little trooper!
We wound up back at the playground. Alexander played, Tim and I sat on the bench as parents will, until the rain started.
Drove home, went down to The Sidetrack for burgers for dinner, and Cafe Luwak for ice cream, and then home to bed and all was right with the world.
Inspired by my own performance on the trail, I did a more challenging walk than usual this morning, heading down the long hill, through Riverside Park, and back up the hill. Nicer than my usual walk, a better work out and, to my surprise, took about the same amount of time. |
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| Good News |
[May. 19th, 2008|09:31 am] |
I can't believe I forgot to post this here.
Tim's gotten an official job offer from the University. Should he accept he will be a lecturer for the areospace department. Starting in the fall he will be teaching students good lab technique, and helping teach them how to design blimps.
I gotta say. If there is one person who has a cooler job than I do, it's my husband.
So, in short, WHOOOP! |
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| Pushback on Censorship |
[May. 16th, 2008|08:57 am] |
Good.
Media Coalition to Fight Indiana Registration Law
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the Media Coalition have joined to challenge the Indiana law that requires booksellers in the state to register if they sell "sexually explicit material." According to Publishers Weekly, the Media Coalition "is asking the court to declare the law unconstitutional on the grounds that it threatens First Amendment rights." David Horowitz, Media Coalition executive director, says, "This new law would force business owners to decide either to limit their inventory or be on a state list of 'adult stores' and pay a fee."
Read more at www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6558901.html or www.mediacoalition.org |
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| UNWIND |
[May. 14th, 2008|03:58 pm] |
I've finished UNWIND.
And I can report it is a well-written, well-plotted, thoughtful and in spots utterly harrowing piece of SF.
Yes, I'm biased. I liked the message. But I also liked the writing, the thoughtfulness, and the conclusion, the basic and complex humanity presented.
If nothing else it proves there is some astonishing SF in the YA section these days. I intend to check out more. |
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| A Reply |
[May. 13th, 2008|09:04 am] |
So, it turns out that a bunch of Objectivists have been trying to get universities to discuss the work of Ayn Rand more, and they've been offering to pay to make this happen. It further turns out that the universities have been saying "no thanks."
Which got me mulling over one of Ms. Rand's more famous works. Which in turn, Heaven help me, inspired the following, behind the cut.
( An Open Letter to Howard Roark ) |
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| Vote with Your Dollars |
[May. 13th, 2008|08:15 am] |
I've been seeing signs for awhile that much of the really good SF these days is coming out of the YA section. And I'm talking SF, not fantasy.
So, I went trolling the other day, and I found a bunch of stuff that looks interesting, and something I absolutely did not expect.
UNWIND by Neal Shusterman. It's a very fine SF novel, and it's openly, clearly, intelligently, pro-choice. It's entirely about the consequences of a world where choice is gone, in more ways than one, and the cheapening of life that occurs as a result.
It's available online or at your favorite bookstore. Let's see if we can make this a bestseller. |
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| Reasons Why I Love My New Editor |
[May. 12th, 2008|01:39 pm] |
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Because it is impossible not to love an editor who starts off her informational e-mails with "Dearest Beacon of Literary Brilliance." |
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| Mother's Day |
[May. 12th, 2008|09:39 am] |
I don't like Mother's Day much. I don't like days where Hallmark attempts to force the other people in my family to display affection under the threat of much displeasure. Son loves me, check (I was of course thrilled to receive the decorated flowerpot and the book "What is Special About Mom," but that's different.) Husband loves me, check.
But the day is a big deal to my mother, so we try to do something with her. Unfortunately between her mobility issues and her weight issues taking her out is...challenging. She's got a wheelchair now, but it's an electric and it won't fold down far enough to fit into either of our cars. Fortunately, we've found a home medical supply place, where we can rent a sturdy chair that's comfortable enough for her to use. Unfortunately, it was raining cats and dogs and walrus buckets which made getting her in and out of the car even more fun than it really needed to be.
However, despite all this, everything went relatively well. We went out to Zingerman's Road House for their mother's day brunch. The food was good, the service was good, even the tea was good. The chocolate pudding was INSANELY rich and amazingly good. Alexander patiently sat through the extended meal, his eyes glued to his latest Magic Tree House book, except for trips to look at the display case of kitchy salt and pepper shakers. Mom enjoyed her outing and her present, and especially the card her grandson made. |
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| Dust Bunnies Beware! |
[May. 6th, 2008|01:33 pm] |
I don't dust. I've never dusted. It's never been a priority.
Then again, it seems I've never lived in any one place long enough for it to get really, truly dusty.
We've been here a little over seven years now, and I've been looking around, especially in the bedroom, and thinking there are some real drawbacks to the no dusting policy. And some of them are looking like they're about to cut loose their moorings and go rolling about like sagebrush on the Texas plains.
So, I've got me an old flat diaper no longer needed for cleaning up various baby fluids, and am tackling the problem one piece of furniture at a time. Today, it was my night stand. Some of the bunnies back of the books looked up pleadingly at me, but I was ruthless. Some tried to explode themselves at me, but I was fearless.
Today, I have a dusted nightstand. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? |
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| New Keyboard |
[May. 5th, 2008|01:52 pm] |
So, I was going to do an amusing post about how some of the keys on my keyboard suddenly stopped working, but the keys that had stopped working were necessary for signing in here, so I couldn't even do that to assuage my extreme frustration.
However, I have a new board now. It's a little apple thing. I'm trying to decide if I like it or not. |
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| Happy Birthday Edward R. Murrow |
[Apr. 25th, 2008|12:51 pm] |
Today would have been the 100th birthday of Edward R. Murrow, journalist. The man who helped take down "Tailgunner" Joe McCarthy and end the Red Scare.
The man who said, "We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home." |
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| New Aliens |
[Apr. 24th, 2008|11:16 am] |
Alexander wants me to help him write a story about his sweet potato aliens. He has drawn sweet potato aliens and even made me a stuffed one.
It seems when sweet potato aliens get together they eat sweet potato pie. Which concerned me a little, until he explained that these sweet potato aliens were not actually MADE of sweet potatoes, they just like sweet potato pie.
Silly mommy.
It also seems that sweet potato aliens grow new planets.
I do not believe in exploiting children for profit. I will resist ALL temptation to write a kid's book about this. I WILL resist. I WILL RESIST. |
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| Chanelling Girl Genius |
[Apr. 20th, 2008|12:01 pm] |
So, this morning, I'm fixing a buttered bagel for my son. Tim is in the living room working on his lap top.
Alexander grabs up half the bagel and runs into the living room to present it to his father.
"Daddy, it's important that you eat breakfast before working on SCIENCE!" |
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| SPRING! |
[Apr. 17th, 2008|10:21 am] |
It's spring! It's spring! It's sprung! And we've got bluebells and daffodils, and these little yellow things I put in a couple of years ago that I cannot now remember the name of.
And my car's in the garage because it stopped starting. Of course, for them, it started right away. Sheesh.
And I'm thick in the planning stages of Nifty New Project. Details to follow as soon as they become available.
How're YOU? |
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| In Need of Computer Geek |
[Apr. 13th, 2008|06:02 pm] |
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I am seriously thinking about putting some downloadable .pdf files on my website. I've got an iMac with the latest OS. Anybody know anything about doing this sort of thing, and is there special and/or complex set-up required. Is there a website I can go to to get directions? |
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| My fault |
[Apr. 13th, 2008|04:45 pm] |
I'm sorry.
Every single time I've recorded and/or watched a Tigers game this year, they've lost.
It is clearly my fault. I really am sorry. |
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| Inquiry |
[Apr. 13th, 2008|04:38 pm] |
Apropos of nothing in particular, and in a genuine spirit of friendly inquiry, and because you never know, maybe yours needs some updating:
What is your zombie plan? |
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| Things I Learned From American Folk Songs |
[Apr. 10th, 2008|09:35 pm] |
Somebody STOP ME:
Let the whale win.
Do not attempt to sink the commerce of the North.
Captains LIE.
Mining sucks.
Lumberjacking sucks.
Farming sucks.
Working on the railway sucks.
Sailing sucks.
Fishing sucks.
Whaling REALLY sucks.
If you can ride on it or in it, it sucks.
No one sings about outlaws who are alive and at large. Consider this carefully when making your future career plans.
Outlawry sucks.
No one sings about CPAs. Consider this carefully when making your future career plans. |
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