Teaser Tuesday: Mouse Muse

I’m on my second day of the second week of Winter Break, and although my To-Do list is just about as long as it was when break began, I’m ready to start second semester.

As books have helped keep my sanity, it seems only fitting the Wheel of Time has turned to

Teaser Tuesday

Just in case you don’t know, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is grab the book you’re currently reading, open to a random page and share a few sentences from that page. But make sure you don’t share any spoilers!*

*I wish I could take credit for this introduction, but I shamelessly stole it from Heather over at bitsnbooks. To help me make amends, you should go check out her blog.

In terms of reading, this screenshot of Goodreads updates will suffice:

Currently Reading December 28 2015

Remember how I decided to read but not finish several books during the break, only finishing them after the 2016 Goodreads challenge starts? This is my progress.

Since I’m reading several books this week, let’s go with Mouse Muse: The Mouse in Art by Lorna Owen. The book is unique, with a different artist and work per spread with no artists repeated. She highlights paintings, sculpture, photography, and even modern art installations.

I’ve abandoned the Truly Random Number Generator for this week, choosing instead to highlight one of my favorite passages. From page 7:

Painters and stained-glass makers honored Saint 
Gertrude of Nivelles - who had expunged the rodents 
from seventh-century Francia, earning herself the 
awkward moniker Patron Saint of the Fear of Mice - 
with numerous portraits that included a mischief of 
penitent mice at her feet ("mischief" being a 
collective noun for mice.)

Mouse Muse Goodreads Cover

Those poor, poor mice; hopefully they will find redemption through humanity’s great artists.

In Retrospect

Although I’d intended The Relic Master to be the first book I finished in 2016, I didn’t realize the last few pages were acknowledgments. Thus, I finished it earlier than intended. However, Relic Master was such an engrossing tale I don’t mind the slight disappointment at all. Five stars and added to my “To Purchase” list.

Coming Soon

I’m reading quite a bit [see above] so it could be any one of those – – except Er Ist Wieder Da, with which I’m taking my time [it being in German and all].

 


 

What have you been reading?

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Monday Morning Grievance: Holiday [Oxy]Morons

It’s Monday and I haven’t had my coffee.

Monday Morning Grievances Logo 1

Christmas Day behind us, New Years’ before us, crazies in full force.

One should stockpile all necessities by Dec 15 and only venture out when needed.

Drivers ignore speed limits, traffic signals, and signage.

Pedestrians refuse to look any direction.

Malls and Grocers descend into chaos.

I want to go home as soon as I reach the main road.

Home has its own problems.

Turn on the radio or TV, and a song, show, or movie will be proclaimed

an instant classic

a new tradition

That’s not how this works, people.

That’s not how any of this works.

I’d get you a dictionary for Christmas, but

(a) they’re expensive and

(b) I doubt you’d read it anyway.

And then there’s the family photographer, stealing a slice of our souls with every synthesized click of the button and telling us

ACT NATURAL!

Being natural, I make no apologies for

not smiling

not sitting up

not looking at the camera

not looking pleasant

not not blinking

If you wanted something else, you’re looking at the wrong person. But for you, I’ll do those things, knowing that the person in the photos is a pseudo-me, an impostor no better than Shopping Mall Santa.

Now I have a machine gun

ho ho ho

What’s Annoying You Today?


Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Sunday Snapshots: Wonderful Christmastime

The most wonderful time of the year is also the busiest. Between birthdays, Christmas, and the irregularities of the United States Postal Service, celebrations in our family will often last five days or more.

Here’s some of what we did between December 22 and December 26:

 

And then there was this:

 How was your Holiday Season?


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

It’s a Christmas Music Miracle!

Peanuts Christmas Carolers

Last Monday I complained about the awful songs that play on seemingly infinite repeat during the Christmas season.

Then, on Christmas Day, I woke up to discover two bands had attempted to rectify that situation.

Radiohead

Radiohead released their intended Spectre theme. Having listened to both Sam Smith’s official theme and Radiohead’s offering, I am of the opinion Radiohead nailed it.

The one person to vote in my Twitter poll agreed with me.

If you haven’t listened to Spectre yet, here it is:

Green Day

Move over, Mariah Carey; Green Day gave us a present that makes “All I Want for Christmas is You” sound like scales played on a toy piano. Feast your ears on this:

At they very least I think we can all agree it’s much better than anything Michael Bublé has done. Seriously, this should have dominated the airwaves this Christmas season. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Happy Christmas, Music Lovers!

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Weihnachtsfloskel-Bingo

Trotz der Hektik es gibt Zeiten, die Feiertage zu erhalten geradezu langweilig.

Angenommen die mit anderen Menschen, es ist Zeit für Weihnachtsfloskel-Bingo:
 
Christmas Cliche Bingo auf Deutsch
 
Nach 49 Minuten hatte ich das:
 
Christmas Cliche Bingo auf Deutsch Komplete

 
Als meine Familie nicht zu trinken, würde es nie ausfüllen.
 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Christmas Song Book Tag

Book Christmas Tree

It’s Christmas Day, and hopefully there’s a book or two under the tree with your name on it; at the very least there should be a gift card to your preferred bookseller.

Perhaps as you gather ’round and tear into those gifts so carefully wrapped you’re listening to the last Christmas carols of the season. In that spirit, here’s a little game to play in which the Christmas song inspires a bookish response.

 

Christmas Song Book Tag

 

“You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch”

Name a villainous character you couldn’t help but love.

Erik [aka the “Phantom of the Opera”]

 

“All I Want For Christmas Is You”

Which book do you most hope to find under your Christmas tree?

See Here

 

“Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Name a character that overcomes major obstacles and learns to believe in themselves.

Sam Vimes, over the course of several Discworld novels

 

“Santa Claus is Coming To Town”

A character at the top of the naughty list/ a character at the top of the nice list.

Naughty: V from V for Vendetta

Nice: Virgil from The Divine Comedy

 

“Frosty The Snowman”

A book which just melts your heart.

The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett, and not just because it’s his last . . . if you’ve read it, you know why.

 

“Feliz Navidad”

A book that takes place somewhere other than your home country.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

 

“It’s The Most Wonderful Time of Year”

Which holiday themed book do you use to spread Christmas joy?

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

 

“Sleigh Ride”

Which fictional character would you choose to spend the holidays with?

Hermione Granger, but I have the feeling we’re so much alike we’d end up hating each other by the end.

 

“Baby It’s Cold Outside”

Which book that you didn’t like would you sacrifice to a fire to keep yourself warm?

Really? I’m going to leave you with this:

IMG_4106

 

“Do You Hear What I Hear?”

Which book(s) do you think everyone should read?

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

 


 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑