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Happy New Year.
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Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Penny-a-Ride
New Year's partiers in Chicago will be able to ride the trains and buses tonight for just one penny... but the catch is that they will have to clean up their own puke.
Maine Asks Out
The state of Maine is asking to be exempted from a key part of Obamacare... the part that doesn't give you free coverage when you freeze to death.
Ivy League Charity Push
Two Yale professors and one from Cornell are starting a movement calling on all "rich" people to donate more money to charity. In other words, they're raising tuition prices at Yale and Cornell.
Estate Tax Deadline
When the new year begins, the estate tax goes from 0% to a whopping 35% for multi-millionaires. Which means Paris Hilton's dogs have until midnight to maul her to death.
UConn Streak Ends
The UConn women's basketball team had its winning streak broken at 90 games last night after losing to Stanford. UConn falls 10 wins short of a 100-game streak and 1,000 wins shy of getting anyone to care about women's basketball.
December 31st
1225: The Ly Dynasty of Vietnam ends after 216 years after the death of Ly Chieu Hoang and a visit from Rambo.
1862: Abraham Lincoln signs an act that admits West Virginia to the Union, thus finally giving toothless Americans equal citizenship rights.
1951: The Marshall Plan expires after American taxpayers can no longer support helping people who wear Capezios.
The year 2010 on my blog - a photo-cavalcade
Twenty-eleven is getting closer and it is time to make another photo cavalcade. This year I have not picked one photo for each month, but rather chosen 15 pictures that I feel represent my experiences this year and also the state of my photography. I hope you will enjoy them - just click on the fireworks above, or here, and then start the slide show rolling.Godt Nytt År! - Happy New Year!
I tried, I really did....
To put up a garland around the interior arch in my entrance hall. We hung the exterior garland early in December and it was not easy. Next year I will hang a thicker garland on the exterior arch, even though this was the deluxe garland. Perhaps a different source will help.
If you will remember, I was inspired by this beautiful photograph of an interior front door arch hung with thick amazing garland . I bought all the piece parts of the garland and got ready to hang it - with the help of my mechanical engineer - my husband. He took one look at what we were attempting to hang and said there would be too many nail holes in the woodwork, and I had to agree - so no hanging the garland inside the front door. Sigh...
Instead I took all of the parts and reworked my mantel, which had dried up anyway. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! See you in 2011.
Some Christmas 2010 memories from my humble abode....
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
No Plowing
It turns out unionized sanitation workers deliberately didn't plow the city's streets in order to protest some layoffs. The only people in New York avoiding work more are playing for the New York Giants defense.
Medicare Explosion
Starting this Saturday, a new baby boomer will become eligible for Medicare every eight seconds... so every time a bell rings, you can be sure that a creepy guy with a combover is getting his Viagra.
Favre Fined
The NFL has fined Brett Favre $50,000 for not cooperating with its investigation of him for sexual harassment... and $100,000 for wearing crocs in public.
Jacko Defense
Defense lawyers for Dr. Conrad Murray will claim that Michael Jackson deliberately killed himself... not with drugs, but by doing the video for "Smooth Criminal."
Mass Mistake
The state of Massachusetts has announced strict new emissions limits. But state residents are sure to break those limits as millions of them get in their cars to drive the Hell out of Massachusetts.
December 30th
1066: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacres most of the Jewish population of the city. Leftist scholars are still trying to figure out how peaceful Muslims got so angry about Israel almost 900 years before it was even founded.
1916: The last coronation in Hungary is performed for King Charles IV and Queen Zita. After them, all Hungarian kings and queens got their crowns in the mail.
1993: Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations and form a pact to make everyone in the world feel guilty.
ABC--X--always problematical
I am bypassing my UK trip photos for this letter, as the perfect example showed itself the other day.
The root systems of evergreens are very shallow, and often depend on intertangling with other trees in the vicinity for stability to support their bulk. Despite the extent to which the tree on the right is uprooted, its crown still appears healthy. I wonder how long that will be, and how long the tree has leaned as it is now.
When ABC Wednesday reaches the letter X, I always think of two things. X brings out the creativity in all of the participants--it will be interesting to see what is posted. And another round wil l start soon--shall I continue? Probably so--I have been hooked since round two and have not missed a week except this summer while traveling--and I made those letters up.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Blizzard Effects
Experts say the blizzard of 2010 will end up costing the airlines $150 million. In a related story, the new fee to check a second bag on US flights will now be $150 million.
Bank Failures
It's official: more American banks failed in 2010 than any year since 1992. U.S. banks hope to do better in 2011 by finding more Asian banks to cheat off of.
Rate Increases
Major US airlines have announced they are raising their rates. This way, they can buy more blankets and pillows they'll charge $10 each to use while you're stranded and sleeping on the airport floor.
Terror Granny
An Indiana grandmother is being investigated for a possible link to terror groups. The methods she used to kill Americans include excessive cheek-pinching and asphyxiating people with mothballs.
Murder Down
Murder rates continue to drop, and are now at 25-year lows across the country... mainly because more killers are starting to outsource their murders to China.
December 29th
1170: Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II, and people who really thought his robes clashed with those shoes.
1813: British soldiers burn Buffalo, New York during the War of 1812. Since it was December, it looked better after the burning.
1998: Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia, but are granted redemption when it turns out they’re pretty good players for the Philadelphia Eagles.
11 Books that have influenced this pre-published author...
They say if you want to write, read. Read, read, read. And write, of course. So, having read Candy Gourlay’s blogpost about the Seven Books from the Last Decade that made her an Author, I started to ponder which books had particularly moved or influenced me. I’m not sure I want to particularly stick to just seven books, or confine them to the last decade because every book I read impacts in some way and there are books that I read as a child that told me that if I could do something like that, well, my life would be a good one.
So deviating slightly from the structure of Candy’s post (and Kathryn Evans, Vanessa Harbour and Dave Cousins - who've done similar posts) here’s my list of influential books, in no particular order (other than the first two):
Linnets and Valerians - Elizabeth Goudge
If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll have seen this one come up time and again. For me it is a classic case of magic and realism brought together beautifully and I suppose, no matter how “dated” the story may seem to a modern child, it is that deftness of touch and lyricism of words that always resounds for me.
The Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge
I read this story as a 10 year old, having borrowed it from a friend. Over the years I forgot its title but I never forgot the story - the magic had totally captivated me. Much to my delight, I found it had been reprinted earlier this decade – after JK Rowling had said it had been one of the books which had most inspired her journey to becoming a published author.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – JK Rowling
Of all the Harry Potter books this one stood out for me – it further developed the Potteresque world, was better written and combined, as Goudge had done, magic, myth and reality in a classic fantasy. The series per se, no matter what you think of the quality of the writing, opened up the world of reading to many non-reading children - and, in doing so it opened the market for writers and authors.
The Pure Dead series - Debi Gliori
OMG! This woman can make me laugh out loud, she gets humour so bang on and her imagination is a riot. I take my hat off to anyone who writes children’s humour with such insight and ability to tickle the funny bone. Although I don’t write humour, I am well aware of how difficult it is to do and get right, and, moreover, I think every book, irrespective of genre, benefits from having even just a couple of lines which make the reader chuckle.
How I Live Now – Meg Rosoff
I wasn’t sure how I was going to like How I Live Now and I wasn’t sure I felt about it even when I’d finished reading the book. Meg Rosoff broke all sorts of barriers when she wrote this book and I soon came to realise that was exactly the reason why the book resonated for me - and resonated more the longer I thought about it. It’s a book that’s tough, it’s real and it’s powerful, and it’s written by an author unafraid to do things differently and tell the story in a way she has to tell it. Meg has gone on to become one of my favourite authors.
Lucas – Kevin Brooks
I list Lucas as it was the first Kevin Brooks book I read. Frankly, I’d happily list the lot (Road of the Dead, Killing God, Candy, they’re all up there amongst my top books). I love this man’s writing. He’s unafraid to tackle difficult subjects (in Lucas he deals with love, hatred, prejudice and jealousy), and he writes in a way that may be defined as both art and craft. He’s good, really good, and if I get to write anywhere near as well as him, tackling tough subjects head on and yet with insight, sensitivity and power, I’ll be happy.
(You can read my interview with Kevin Brooks here.)
Wicked Lovely – Melissa Marr
This is a book that brings me back almost full circle – it’s urban fantasy, myth and lore colliding head on with reality. It’s faeries and humans and all the confusion and hopes of being a young adult in-between. There’s romance, there’s grit, there’s magic – it’s the sort of mix that I would have loved to read as a 16 year old. It’s got everything that has timeless appeal to older teen girls.
Crossing the Line – Gillian Philip
This was the first of Gillian’s books which I read and I knew immediately I was in the hands (or between the pages) of an author who was going places. Like Kevin Brooks, Gillian is unafraid to tackle tough subjects – and to do so with tremendous insight - and deft touches of humour – take it from me, it’s not an easy balance to get right. Gillian’s honesty and her fearlessness really struck and resonated with me.
(You can read my interview with Gillian Philip here.)
Tall Story – Candy Gourlay
Candy is a writer whom one cannot help but admire and respect. I have watched her journey through the slushpile over the years. Her sheer determination to work at and hone her craft and achieve publication are credit to her, and the arrival of Tall Story on the shelves earlier this year proves that working at it and persevering are worth it. Tall Story is a triumph and in so many ways. It’s a story that blends magic, humour, reality and it makes you laugh and cry. Moreover, it’s a book that is superbly crafted and deserves every award for which it is being nominated. Of course, I am biased – Candy is my pal and critique partner and I’m kind of hopeful that some process of osmosis will occur…
(You can read my interview with Candy Gourlay here.)
City of Thieves – Ellen Renner
Now here’s another author (and pal and critique partner) who has honed her craft. For me, Ellen Renner’s characterization and her ability to “show not tell”, stands out from the crowd. She is also unafraid to tackle big subjects in a way which is accessible to younger children. If you want to learn about crafting a story, and enjoy a jolly good adventure which challenges your thinking at the same time, you couldn’t do better than reading this book.
(You can read my interview with Ellen Renner here and my review of City of Thieves here.)
Forbidden – Tabitha Suzuma
I’ll be honest, I struggled with Forbidden – and yet I couldn’t put it down. For me, what stands out is Tabitha’s ability to tackle the grittiest, the most challenging of subjects - and to do it bravely, honestly and without pandering to niceties and sensitivities. Forbidden is a story which challenges not only the reader and his/her perceptions, but, I suspect, heartily challenges the publishing industry as to what is acceptable reading for young adults. Yet Forbidden is also a book which is beautifully crafted and sensitively told. All credit to Tabitha for her courage in writing Forbidden.
(You can read my interview with Tabitha Suzuma here.)
You’ll probably have noticed that most of the books that stand out for me are written for teens or young adults – and that’s because I’m blown away by the quality and variety of writing for this age group and wish that books like these had been around when I was 16. I guess it also becomes pretty apparent that similar things constantly inspire and inform me – from craft to honesty, from perseverance to genre – and frequently the blending of realism with “magic” or the supernatural. But above all, I think it is the courage of each writer to boldly and deftly tell the stories they simply have to tell. With each book I read, with each aspect that stands out for me and which I take on board, I know my own writing grows stronger as does my confidence in telling the stories I know I too have to tell.
So deviating slightly from the structure of Candy’s post (and Kathryn Evans, Vanessa Harbour and Dave Cousins - who've done similar posts) here’s my list of influential books, in no particular order (other than the first two):
Linnets and Valerians - Elizabeth GoudgeIf you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll have seen this one come up time and again. For me it is a classic case of magic and realism brought together beautifully and I suppose, no matter how “dated” the story may seem to a modern child, it is that deftness of touch and lyricism of words that always resounds for me.
The Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge I read this story as a 10 year old, having borrowed it from a friend. Over the years I forgot its title but I never forgot the story - the magic had totally captivated me. Much to my delight, I found it had been reprinted earlier this decade – after JK Rowling had said it had been one of the books which had most inspired her journey to becoming a published author.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – JK Rowling Of all the Harry Potter books this one stood out for me – it further developed the Potteresque world, was better written and combined, as Goudge had done, magic, myth and reality in a classic fantasy. The series per se, no matter what you think of the quality of the writing, opened up the world of reading to many non-reading children - and, in doing so it opened the market for writers and authors.
The Pure Dead series - Debi GlioriOMG! This woman can make me laugh out loud, she gets humour so bang on and her imagination is a riot. I take my hat off to anyone who writes children’s humour with such insight and ability to tickle the funny bone. Although I don’t write humour, I am well aware of how difficult it is to do and get right, and, moreover, I think every book, irrespective of genre, benefits from having even just a couple of lines which make the reader chuckle.
How I Live Now – Meg Rosoff I wasn’t sure how I was going to like How I Live Now and I wasn’t sure I felt about it even when I’d finished reading the book. Meg Rosoff broke all sorts of barriers when she wrote this book and I soon came to realise that was exactly the reason why the book resonated for me - and resonated more the longer I thought about it. It’s a book that’s tough, it’s real and it’s powerful, and it’s written by an author unafraid to do things differently and tell the story in a way she has to tell it. Meg has gone on to become one of my favourite authors.
Lucas – Kevin Brooks I list Lucas as it was the first Kevin Brooks book I read. Frankly, I’d happily list the lot (Road of the Dead, Killing God, Candy, they’re all up there amongst my top books). I love this man’s writing. He’s unafraid to tackle difficult subjects (in Lucas he deals with love, hatred, prejudice and jealousy), and he writes in a way that may be defined as both art and craft. He’s good, really good, and if I get to write anywhere near as well as him, tackling tough subjects head on and yet with insight, sensitivity and power, I’ll be happy.
(You can read my interview with Kevin Brooks here.)
Wicked Lovely – Melissa Marr This is a book that brings me back almost full circle – it’s urban fantasy, myth and lore colliding head on with reality. It’s faeries and humans and all the confusion and hopes of being a young adult in-between. There’s romance, there’s grit, there’s magic – it’s the sort of mix that I would have loved to read as a 16 year old. It’s got everything that has timeless appeal to older teen girls.
Crossing the Line – Gillian Philip This was the first of Gillian’s books which I read and I knew immediately I was in the hands (or between the pages) of an author who was going places. Like Kevin Brooks, Gillian is unafraid to tackle tough subjects – and to do so with tremendous insight - and deft touches of humour – take it from me, it’s not an easy balance to get right. Gillian’s honesty and her fearlessness really struck and resonated with me.
(You can read my interview with Gillian Philip here.)
Tall Story – Candy GourlayCandy is a writer whom one cannot help but admire and respect. I have watched her journey through the slushpile over the years. Her sheer determination to work at and hone her craft and achieve publication are credit to her, and the arrival of Tall Story on the shelves earlier this year proves that working at it and persevering are worth it. Tall Story is a triumph and in so many ways. It’s a story that blends magic, humour, reality and it makes you laugh and cry. Moreover, it’s a book that is superbly crafted and deserves every award for which it is being nominated. Of course, I am biased – Candy is my pal and critique partner and I’m kind of hopeful that some process of osmosis will occur…
(You can read my interview with Candy Gourlay here.)
City of Thieves – Ellen RennerNow here’s another author (and pal and critique partner) who has honed her craft. For me, Ellen Renner’s characterization and her ability to “show not tell”, stands out from the crowd. She is also unafraid to tackle big subjects in a way which is accessible to younger children. If you want to learn about crafting a story, and enjoy a jolly good adventure which challenges your thinking at the same time, you couldn’t do better than reading this book.
(You can read my interview with Ellen Renner here and my review of City of Thieves here.)
Forbidden – Tabitha Suzuma I’ll be honest, I struggled with Forbidden – and yet I couldn’t put it down. For me, what stands out is Tabitha’s ability to tackle the grittiest, the most challenging of subjects - and to do it bravely, honestly and without pandering to niceties and sensitivities. Forbidden is a story which challenges not only the reader and his/her perceptions, but, I suspect, heartily challenges the publishing industry as to what is acceptable reading for young adults. Yet Forbidden is also a book which is beautifully crafted and sensitively told. All credit to Tabitha for her courage in writing Forbidden.
(You can read my interview with Tabitha Suzuma here.)
You’ll probably have noticed that most of the books that stand out for me are written for teens or young adults – and that’s because I’m blown away by the quality and variety of writing for this age group and wish that books like these had been around when I was 16. I guess it also becomes pretty apparent that similar things constantly inspire and inform me – from craft to honesty, from perseverance to genre – and frequently the blending of realism with “magic” or the supernatural. But above all, I think it is the courage of each writer to boldly and deftly tell the stories they simply have to tell. With each book I read, with each aspect that stands out for me and which I take on board, I know my own writing grows stronger as does my confidence in telling the stories I know I too have to tell.
December 28th
1612: Galileo Galilei becomes the first astronomer to observe the planet Neptune. Neptune then has Galileo arrested for breach of privacy.
1832: John C. Calhoun becomes the first Vice President of the United States to resign… but every Vice President since Calhoun has WANTED to resign from that crappy job.
1973: The Endangered Species Act is passed by Congress… helping to protect nearly extinct useless animals, like members of Congress.
Buy this magazine before it's gone!
The December 2010 issue of World of Interiors (which has been on news stands since November) has Nancy Lancaster's yellow room on the front - or does it? I saw the issue over the weekend and thought "I don't need to buy that - I have it in several books." But then I did a double take - it looks like the original yellow room but is actually a recreation of that room. The article accompanying the photographs is very informational and if you are a Nancy Lancaster/John Fowler fan then you will want to own this issue of World of Interiors. It is still on most bookstore shelves right now. What are you waiting for - go get it!
The original Yellow Room below -
image via live like you blog
Back in Norway for New Year celebration
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