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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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The Hero & the Crown, by Robin McKinley

Recent Reads: The Hero & the Crown

The first several times I read THE HERO AND THE CROWN, I really had barely any idea what happened in the whole post-Luthe tower fight (I said deliberately vaguely, on the off chance somebody hasn’t read the book and doesn’t want to be spoiled). The truth is, I find that a dozen re-reads later, and with full adulthood under my belt, I *still* think that whole section is like a bad acid trip. And I think it’s supposed to be, but honestly I’m *still* not *absolutely* sure what (or perhaps…

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