the essential kit

Recent Reads: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I haven’t read this in decades. It still works. :) I was a little surprised at the fairy tale qualities that I didn’t remember from childhood, but even so, they were less Fairy-Tale-Weird than most, er, non-invented? fairy tales. I mean, fairy tales make no sense at all in terms of “Oh hey, a glass mountain, oh look, a magic flying saddle appears to help me climb it!” Right, but, er, why did the magic flying saddle appear at all? Where did it come from? This makes slightly more sense…

Continue Reading

the essential kit

Recent Reads: How To Grow More Vegetables

I ran across this title while poking around the web for self-sufficiency zombie apocalypse sorts of things, and found it highly recommended, so I thought what the hell, and bought it. I’m not even a gardener (though I have ambitions), and even so, this book was really just completely fascinating to read. I have no idea if everybody would find it so interesting, but wow, I’d think if you have any impulse toward (food) gardening at all, you want to read this one. I mean, they’re selling a product, to…

Continue Reading

the essential kit

shopping! and stuff.

I was obliged to go buy a couple more pinup girl dresses today, due to having a gift certificate that was about to expire. Now I have something to wear to EasterCon. I’ll have to do something about my hair, I expect, but yay fun clothes! :) I am even at this very moment failing to watch new Castle. *sigh* I’ve been remembering all week that the first new episode was on tonight, and at the critical moment, I forgot. Woe. We’re recording it when it re-airs tomorrow night, but…

Continue Reading

Beautiful Creatures by Garcia & Stohl

Recent Reads: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

So this is a bit of a Book V Movie: FIGHT! post as much as a review of the book. Or whatever these things I write up are. Reviews seem much more…thoughtful, than what I do. Anyway. I went to see the movie Beautiful Creatures primarily because I like Emmy Rossum (whose part wasn’t large, but who chewed scenery when she had the chance). To my surprise and delight, I found the young man who played the lead quite charming, and unlike certain other films made from YA novels, I…

Continue Reading

The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley

Recent Reads: The Blue Sword

I had a hard time reading this for purely physical reason: my copy of THE BLUE SWORD is very probably 30 years old, and the fragile yellowed pages are losing their tenuous grip on the broken spine. I was afraid it would fall apart in my hands, and thus was weirdly careful with not only the book but the reading of it. I believe I’ll seek out Robin McKinley at the nearest possible opportunity, ask her to sign my beloved and battered book, and retire it with honors alongside my…

Continue Reading