tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10396156271058724702024-02-21T01:32:09.975-08:00Tea Time with TazoLiterary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-74302267916853644622014-01-28T09:10:00.000-08:002014-01-28T09:10:41.877-08:00January Wrap-Up<center>
I have a problem here, blog. <br />
I'll have a fit of creative spirit and write, write,write and then...I'll get over it. I'll work and I'll read other blogs and I'll read books and obessively watch Frasier (the whole thing is on Netflix which makes Ben so unhappy) and not feel like writing anything at all.<br />
Then, I feel bad because I'll be silent for weeks at a time but at the same time I haven't put in effort into planning anything either. Sigh, so you'll have to settle for this ramshakle of a post to assuage my guilt.<br />
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This <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10114.Helen_of_Troy?from_search=true">book</a> is the main reason why I've not been able to do anything. It's six hundred pages long and I really thought that it would be a slow start since it started with Helen's childhood but the writing has honestly swept me away. I haven't been captivated by a writing style in a while so it's nice just getting to enjoy the process.</div>
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I also, after much thought, picked up this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17570843-jesus-feminist?ac=1">book</a> which deserves it's own blog post once I'm done. It's eye-opening and encouraging and a feel like I'm no longer alone in my questioning of traditional patriarchal actions that have been explain away as Biblical.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago I was on my way to work in the morning and I turned down this residential road that leads to the highway and found this poor little girl wandering toward my car. I see dogs on this road all the time for some reason but they all look healthy and not lost. This one, however was clearly scared and she was running at my car. When I got out to call to her she ran away from me, and started heading toward another car coming in the opposite direction. I must of looked like a crazy person also running at the car but it was an SUV that sat high and I was afraid it wouldn't see her. The guy stopped and asked if everything was okay and the dog tried to get in his car. That's when I got a look at her up close and as you can see from the picture she did not look remotely okay. He told me he was going to pull off and call animal control and I told him I was going to get a towel to wrap her in. I jogged back to my car and found one of those big black garage blankets in my trunk. I got it out and started to look for the SUV...and the guy was gone. There were two driveways right behind my car and I had assumed he would pull in one of those. I don't know if he just pulled into one further down, but that wouldn't have made sense to me. When I turned to look for the dog she was also gone. <br />
Well, as it turns out I had left my driver's side door open and my car was low enough that she could get in. She was sitting in my passenger's seat eating the crumbs out of the folds of the seat. Clearly freezing (earlier that week was when we had our -2 temperatures) I wrapped her up in the blanket and turned on the heat. Now, I had to open the store that day but I couldn't very well kick her out after all I didn't know whether or not that fellow had called animal control and she was clearly in bad shape. So, I called the other manager who was supposed to work that night and told her she just had to go open the store for me while I dropped this poor dog by the humane society. Thank God, she answered her phone and I was able to take this dog (now asleep in my passenger's seat) to the Humane Society.<br />
That weren't going to take her at first since they were full, but once the lady saw her she changed her mind. They were so sweet there and that poor dog was just so happy to not be freezing. I felt so much better knowing she was going to be okay because I know animal control would have taken one look at her and put her down. She had clearly been around people before and I knew if she had any chance it would be there. <br />
Ben called the next day and they told him she had been fostered and was eating fine, had mange of course and unfortunately a leg that had been broken and healed wrong so they might have to amputate. <br />
Ben and I have been on the look out for a dog recently and I told him if she checked out okay I would like to adopt her. I just called the shelter to ask about her, but I guess I got the wrong person or didn't say the right phrase because I was told since I didn't pay $75 they didn't release information about animals even though I was told I could call and ask about her. I'm going to call back tomorrow and try again and hopefully a different person will be answering the phone!<br />
I've also been baking up a storm lately with all this cold weather I've craved nothing but gallons of hot coffee and homemade sweets. I've been thinking of doing a recipe post since I do cook so much I just need to actually plan ahead... the bane of my life, planning, haha!<br />
I'm also really excited for Valentine's Day this year since Ben is taking me to the Philharmonic! Normally we don't do anything but I heard the Maestro talking on the radio about the new upcoming season in August and told Ben that this is what I wanted to do this year. So excited! I haven't had an occasion to really dress up in a long time and it's nice to pick out an outfit and plan ahead it sort of reminds me of prom except I only planned ahead for that like 2 weeks in advance. <br />
That pretty much sums up my January except I'm been listening to a lot of Ella Fitzgerald Pandora Radio. With it still being so cold and the music being reminiscent of Christmas music it's the perfect comfort music.<center>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-20505213254327380292014-01-12T08:35:00.001-08:002014-01-12T08:35:48.851-08:00Poetry for your Sunday vol. 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2MCKr6eX5zd3xmzsbYaoG5BKvl6reaCxsZHJ6wcUfjkvkhJPVI4p79r4Fod0wziXFitUZnMLSrRcLQYQQwoFnID72n__khW0yLB-Wv4jiZDY6fsRLyFiRQyahybuzSgBjrab1-V1y9E/s1600/Poetry+for+your+sunday+header.png" id="blogsy-1389544145485.3926" class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" alt="" width="288" height="144"></span></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women willing to lay down our sword words, our sharp looks, our ignorant silence and towering stance and fill the earth now with extravagant Love.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who make room.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who open our arms and invite others into an honest, spacious, glorious embrace.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who carry each other.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who give from what we have.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who leap to do the difficult things, the unexpected things and the necessary things.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who live for Peace.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who breathe Hope.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who create beauty.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us be women who Love</em>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be a sanctuary where God may dwell.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be a garden for tender souls.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be a table where others may feast on the goodness of God.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be a womb for Life to grow.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us be women who Love</em>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us rise to the questions of our time.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us speak to the injustices in our world.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us move the mountains of fear and intimidation.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us shout down the walls that separate and divide.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us fill the earth with the fragrance of Love.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us listen for those who have been silenced.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us honour those who have been devalued.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us say, Enough! with abuse, abandonment, diminishing and hiding.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us not rest until every person is free and equal.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who are savvy, smart and wise.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who shine with the light of God in us.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who take courage and sing the song in our hearts.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who say, Yes to the beautiful, unique purpose seeded in our souls.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who call out the song in another’s heart.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who teach our children to do the same.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: 700; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love, in spite of fear.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love, in spite of our stories.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us be women who Love loudly, beautifully, Divinely.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us be women who Love</em>.</span></p>
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<p> <em>I started reading <a href="http://" target="_self" title="">Jesus Feminist</a> last night. This poem opens the book and I thought it was really poignant and stayed with me. </em><span style="text-align: center; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.3em;">Let us be women who live for Peace. <em>Every line just had me nodding my head and saying "yes, I want to be this woman." I haven't made it very far in this book yet, but it's definitely off to a good start.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: start;"> </p>Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-40667546286335848132014-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-09T08:00:06.840-08:00What's been going on, literally.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(<a href="http://data2.whicdn.com/images/94302570/large.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a>)</div>
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With all the stress that came with a job promotion/the holidays I started looking for an audiobook that was "easy listening." I saw a preview for Veronica Roth's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?from_search=true" target="_blank">Divergent</a> at the theater and remembered one of my friends reading it when I was in high school. I decided to listen to it to see what I thought. </div>
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I was immediately immersed in the story and decided listening to it was too slow so I picked up an e-copy and finished it in less than a day. </div>
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Then, I saw Catching Fire in theaters and remembered how much I loved Suzanne Collins' trilogy, so just for fun I read all three in four days time. </div>
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Then I switched to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent" target="_blank">Insurgent</a> and finished it in record time. A part of me was wincing at the fact that I was reveling in the overly-emoting, quick-paced drama, but the other part of me told the first to shut up because she was reading. </div>
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Then it all came to a grinding halt with <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18710190-allegiant?ac=1" target="_blank">Allegiant</a>. I think my problem is with the switch in perspective. The narrator, Tris is a diverse character that is so unlike other heroines in teen fiction. She actually has talent and intelligence, isn't so shy it's paralyzing and isn't so humble it's obnoxious. I liked her problem-solving and coming into her own in the first two books, but in this third one she's sharing the narrative spotlight with her boyfriend. It's just gone a little two far away from the original concept/ structure and it's lost some appeal for me.</div>
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It makes me think of Scott Westerfeld's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/493456.Extras?ac=1" target="_blank">Extras</a> which was so far away from the first in the series it felt like a half-formed after thought. (I will pretty much say that for anything that throws aliens in last minute) or Melissa de la Cruz's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10814946-gates-of-paradise" target="_blank">Gates of Paradise</a> which I just managed to skim and hardly remember over the loud yelling of "Wtf???" in my head.</div>
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Now, I'm sort of stuck. A part of me really wants to know what happens in this story, and the other part of me is now really bored and ready for some kind of a challenge.</div>
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For some reason I've been curious about modern French literature, but I need a better way to find lists or descriptions. I've not been specific enough in my searches and it takes me to French websites and since I don't read French remotely I have no idea what's happening.</div>
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Maybe, I'll just ease out of my teen fiction mode with something from Terry Prachet it'll be easy but not overly emotional and I'm four days into another seven day work week, so humor would be welcome.</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-43963449780947409612014-01-08T09:54:00.000-08:002014-01-08T09:54:00.480-08:00Finding some new tunes<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Xjdkc14-zwQ" width="480"></iframe><br />
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I love listening to music in the car on the way to work. It's a good way to get pumped up about a shift or on the way home it's a good way to unwind.<br />
I've always liked listening to music, but I never considered myself super into music. I have friends who budget concerts into their lives and know the bio of every band member in a least a dozen bands. I don't do that. The last concert I went to was to see Jonsi in St. Louis at The Pageant (which was magic). A friend took me and to be honest I really didn't know who Jonsi was before that night. I loved it anyway. Before I met Ben I was constantly looking for new music and I went through a phase where I was a litttlee snobby about it. I despised the radio seeing as we have two top 40 stations, one hard rock station and the rest are oldies or country in this area.<br />
But after I got married my tastes in music relaxed a little (Ben listens to one of the Top 40 stations so I had to stuff that opinion away) and I branched out a little into the pop world.<br />
Working at the clothing store however killed my desire for pop music because that's <i>all we play</i>. (If I hear "Wrecking Ball" or "Blurred Lines" or that weird song with the line "tigers on diamonds chains" anymore I might scream.) And I've found myself in a rut as far as music goes. For the last six months I more or less have only listened to this playlist for the past seven months.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1039615627105872470">ohhh folk yeahh</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"> from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1039615627105872470">mhiggins33</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"> on </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><a href="http://8tracks.com/">8tracks Radio</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">.</span><br />
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I love love love this playlist. It was a perfect blend of familiar and new for me at first. Now, I almost </div>
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know all 43 songs by heart.</div>
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So, I finally took it upon myself to look up a couple of my favorite artist </div>
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from this playlist and invest in them. I found Daughter's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_Youth" target="_blank">EP, The Wild Youth</a> last night and it was </div>
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perfect and dreamy. Then I found on iTunes Palomino by <a href="http://trampledbyturtles.com/" target="_blank">Trampled by Turtles</a> which I absolutely love. I definitely got my fiddle fix.</div>
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It feels good to hear new music again. As comfortable as listening to the same 43 songs was I'm excited to hear new music again as well. Maybe branch out to a little bit of Country? </div>
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....Nah :)</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-50590144089699832822014-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-06T08:00:06.806-08:00Comic Review: From Hell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/Eddie2BCampbell2BAlan2BMoore2BFrom2BHell2Bpsychogeography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/Eddie2BCampbell2BAlan2BMoore2BFrom2BHell2Bpsychogeography.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Well, this was a horrible story. I honestly don't know what I thought it would be. I guess I had hoped it would have a happier ending than it did, but it's a story about Jack the Ripper, so I made the wrong assumption. The story woven by Alan Moore was a brilliant one that I would believe. A little Wikipedia research showed that there were many Ripper suspects, but me being partial to Free Mason conspiracy theories sees truth in this one if nothing else.<br />
That being said this book was not an enjoyable read and not just because of the subject matter either. Anytime Sir William Gull was on the page the text was going to be mind numbing. He was insane and he had insane out of body experiences that lasted 10 pages at least. The last victim he killed in her home and having the time and privacy to do more to her he would have flashes of teaching in a surgical theater or of strange men calling him a different name. His ramblings were very existential and so so boring. I tried so hard to appreciate what Moore was telling through this character, but it was a little too much to hold my interest. That certainly doesn't make it bad writing it just doesn't make it entertaining writing.<br />
I was surprised though that I found a character that I liked. Inspector Abberline was a very human character to juxtapose with William Gull's transcendent ambitions. He hated Whitechaple, felt out of place with his middle-class wife and wanted to catch this killer. His psuedo-romance with one of the victims was sad and touching at the same time. The parts of the story that focus around him were the parts that actually entertained me because they happened in real time, unlike Gull's out of body experiences.<br />
Though Abberline wasn't the hero of the story-because no one was- you understood and accepted the decisions he made and sympathized with him all the same.<br />
I'm happy to be able to check this book off my list it's made me feel accomplished if nothing else.Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-11829923523065082012014-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-05T08:00:08.179-08:00Poetry for your Sunday vol. 9<br />
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<u>Beginning</u></h2>
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The moon drops one or two feathers into the field. </div>
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The dark wheat listens.</div>
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Be still.</div>
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Now.</div>
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There they are, the moon's young, trying</div>
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Their wings.</div>
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Between trees, a slender woman lifts up the lovely shadow</div>
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Of her face, and now she steps into the air, now she is gone</div>
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Wholly, into the air.</div>
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I stand alone by an elder tree, I do not dare breathe</div>
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Or move.</div>
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I listen.</div>
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The wheat leans back toward its own darkness,</div>
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And I lean toward mine.</div>
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-James Wright</div>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-36141256161642641262014-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-03T08:00:05.385-08:00Another Resolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the 29th Ben and I went out drinking with my brother and some friends of ours to say goodbye because it was his last day in town. The bar we wanted to go to had a $7 cover charge for a local band that none of us knew and we didn't feel like paying it just to stand and and yell at each other, so we ended up at a pizza and microbrewery which was much quieter and cheaper. They only served their own beer so we had a couple of pitchers. I don't drink a whole lot of beer and that night I had four pints over the course of the evenings and didn't even get tipsy. However, I laid awake that night until 2a.m. unable the sleep for the beer and stressing about working all day at the store the next day. It was then my mind wandered to New Year's Resolutions.</div>
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The first that came to mind was "No more drinking!" which is something I always tell myself whenever I can't sleep because of drinking or have a wicked hangover. </div>
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However, alcohol is part of my culture and I know if I tell myself to cut it out entirely I will fail, so I decided to amend that to a two drink limit. However, that makes a pretty lame New Year's resolution compared to last year's so after more sleepless thought I decided on cleansing.</div>
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This year I'm going to turn 25 and it's time that I start making a conscious effort to monitor how I spend my time, relationships and what I put into my body.</div>
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In 2014 I want to focus on cleansing my lifestyle. Body, mind, spirit.</div>
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The first and I think the easiest one to start with is my body. Being aware of what goes in it and cutting back on the processed things and the junk food and alcohol. I know December would have gone smoother over all if I had respected my body more by not eating out so much or loading up on sugar (aka all of the fudge). I also want to focus on my skin routine. I've been lucky in my life and have had good skin that requires little care, but I know that if I don't take steps now I won't age well and I'd rather be smart about it than look 50 when I'm 40.</div>
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After getting the body part under control I'm not quite sure how I'll go about cleansing my mind and spirit, but I'll be sure to post about it when I figure it out.</div>
<br />Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-3699128547567341382014-01-02T17:01:00.001-08:002014-01-02T17:01:43.935-08:00A Reflection<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHnDfkCOXnMS66zisJjhKuMF_0BgquFmEfyFPt0glS7GAOD-nLo4v5JrR-ga2qOsm6FVOgA1w65e3Rtj3oLCB6Q6pG9UKPeA1oWQwgimHGDUqhcCbXwZ_qUxQJhLfJmjRH7zbhkyLy9A/s1600/BdAvrB-CAAA_DFJ.jpg-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHnDfkCOXnMS66zisJjhKuMF_0BgquFmEfyFPt0glS7GAOD-nLo4v5JrR-ga2qOsm6FVOgA1w65e3Rtj3oLCB6Q6pG9UKPeA1oWQwgimHGDUqhcCbXwZ_qUxQJhLfJmjRH7zbhkyLy9A/s1600/BdAvrB-CAAA_DFJ.jpg-large.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben and I being dorks next to Mom's Christmas tree, yesterday.</td></tr>
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I just re read my <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-resolution.html" target="_blank">first blog post of 2013</a> and am feeling pretty pleased. The past couple of days I've spent, like almost everyone else, thinking about this past year and weather or not I kept my resolution to be happy.</div>
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I'm rather surprised and happy to say that I have. The first part of last year was hard, probably the hardest year I've had yet. I was laid-off, then unemployed and miserable. Then when I did get a job at a clothing store circumstances there were not exactly ideal and it was a whole new stressful unhappy that I had to deal with. But after awhile and some few major changes I adjusted to my circumstances. Then Ben got a new job which finally suited him perfectly and for what felt like the first time since we had been married we were both happy.</div>
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This is not the path I would have chosen to take, nor is it the path I want to take, but it's the path I'm on and I am happy with that for now.</div>
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Yesterday was perfect. It was first of three days off in a row (YES!) and it was Ben's day off too which never happens. We slept in, ate a late breakfast and took off to see the Hobbit which was extremely well done. We then made our was back home for a mid afternoon nap (something else that never happens) and spent the evening at my parents catching up.</div>
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The fact that yesterday was good was important too me. I haven't had a good January first since I stopped living at my parent's house. Normally, I would have worked or been hung over. 2011 I remember waking up freezing and feeling miserable because I couldn't keep my heater on at night. </div>
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This is the first time that I believe this year will be a considerably better one. I don't know what I'm doing with massage. I don't know what I'm doing with writing. I don't know what I'm doing with this blog, but I do plan on <i>doing </i>all three things regardless of circumstances which is the only way to succeed or fail at anything which is better than just standing still and waiting for life to happen to me.</div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
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<br />Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-82339862759260743732013-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:002013-11-12T08:00:00.970-08:00Book Review: The Handmaid's Tale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...</i></span></div>
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I've been hammering my way through NPR's top 100 Sci-Fi and Fantasy list for a long while now. I started with books that I recognized like <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-interview-with-vampire.html" target="_blank">Interview with a Vampire</a> and <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-mists-of-avalon.html" target="_blank">Mists of Avalon</a> but I've reached the point in the list where I either don't recognize the title or it's part of a series. I'm still unsure weather or not I'll attempt to read whole series or just the first book of each one. I guess it'll depend on the series. </div>
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While I was scanning the list to find something that caught my fancy I came across <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38447.The_Handmaid_s_Tale?from_search=true" target="_blank">The Handmaid's Tale</a>. I had heard of Margaret Atwood before, but hadn't really thought to read anything by her. Since there aren't too many women authors on that list I decided I might as well give it a try. If you asked me at the beginning of this book how I liked it I would have told you I didn't. That Offred was a little whiny and that I was lost as far as where the plot was going. </div>
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If you asked me in the middle of this book how I liked it I would have told I was tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop. If you would have asked me how I liked this book by the end I would have told you that I just don't effing even know. </div>
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If you would have asked me 3 days after I finished this book how I liked it I would have told you I loved it. This book was one I had to dwell on before it clicked with me. I've finally decided that Offred was whiny or a coward like I initally thought. She was a very realistic character whose thoughts and actions were completely human. If I had found myself in that situation I probably would have acted and thought similarly to her. This book is very similar to <i>1984 </i>with one major exception: hope. Both books had love in them, but this story ended with hope for Offred in <i>1984</i> the only thing I hoped for was that poor Winston Smith died. That's not actual hope.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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Offred might have made it out of the terror that was the Republic of Gilead. She might even have been instrumental to its downfall, but we'll never know.</div>
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What I loved most about this story is that it pointed out that the balance of power will never be fair and the people who have that power will always make exceptions for themselves and justify it anyway possible.</div>
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I plan on looking into other things Margaret Atwood has written, and because I was told that this was a feminist novel I've also decided to look into Feminism and flesh out my feelings on it. I've always sort of avoided that crowd finding most internet Feminist voices harsh, angry and judgmental, but I think it's time for me to figure out where I stand on the whole business. </div>
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This has definitely been the first novel to provoke thoughts strong enough that I felt the need to pursue them, and that says a lot about the quality of the story.</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-66455852684720339172013-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:002013-11-11T08:00:04.236-08:00What I'm currently readingI was browsing back through old posts and I remembered that I used to do that thing where I read a million things at once. Then I got distracted by all these TV shows that I had to watch to feel accepted like The Walking Dead, Dexter and Breaking Bad then I went down to reading one book at a time how it's 'properly' done. I'm bored of all these really intense television shows (I feel like my brain can have only so many WTF moments) so I'm back to reading several things at once to fill the time.<br />
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I picked up <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23529.From_Hell?from_search=true" target="_blank">From Hell</a> </i>through a Comixology sale the first week of October thinking I would do a "spooky literature" theme for Halloween that's also why I made a point to get <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/10/comic-review-walking-dead-days-gone-by.html" target="_blank">The Walking Dead</a> review up even though I wanted to do that one some where in the middle of the month and not at the end. Well, the best laid plans... right? I'm only 200 odd pages into this tome of a graphic novel and I AM going to finish it because this is the first Alan Moore graphic novel I've read and in my mind if I read this one then I can put off <i>Watchmen </i>for another year or so...<br />
I'm not sure if I got the lesser of two evils here though. The art is driving me crazy and the 50 page long architectural history lessen drove me to fantasize about beating my head into a wall. I mean <i>my word </i>this thing is a hard pill to swallow...only 300 plus pages to go. Maybe I can finish it by Christmas.<br />
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My dad loaned me <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4703581-the-city-and-the-city?ac=1" target="_blank">The City & The City</a> a couple of weeks ago and for some reason I've been itching to read it, but it's been a slow start. I would start it in bed and then decide I was too tired and have to start the first couple of pages again. I've finally broken through that (mainly because my smart phone is broken and I need something to read on my breaks at work) and am only a couple of chapters in but the writing is really captivating. I've never really paid attention to China Mieville until now, and I have a feeling I will be reading more of him (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4703581-the-city-and-the-city?ac=1" target="_blank">Have you seen him?</a> He's hella buff. I'm used to skinny pale looking writers)</div>
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To be honest I was only mildly interested in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130549-doctor-sleep?from_search=true" target="_blank">Doctor Sleep</a> when I heard about it coming out. I read The Shining last year around this time I think and I enjoyed it, but it was a little bit of a let down as far as a horror novel goes. That's a funny statement coming from me considering I've never read a horror novel, but the book overall wasn't scary. Neither was the movie really. I enjoyed the writing but it did ramble on a bit. I found Doctor Sleep when I was browsing audio books to listen to and decided to give it a go. I'm a little over a fourth of the was in and am ...enjoying it sort of. Dan Torrence is a pathetic asshole, but he's already growing as a character so I have hope for him. Stephen King's ability to describe things in the most miserable light possible is strong in this book so sometimes it feels a bit like a slog just because everything is so bleak.</div>
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I've also picked up a Margaret Atwood book, but I haven't even thought about it yet so I can't count it as currently reading since I'm more like currently looking at the cover of it.</div>
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<br />Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0Evansville, IN, USA37.9715592 -87.57108979999998237.7713482 -87.893813299999977 38.171770200000005 -87.248366299999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-56337587322549816322013-11-10T07:11:00.001-08:002013-11-10T07:11:50.155-08:00Poetry for you Sunday vol 8<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/0f16342e6566cb5dee56223151d5-post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/0f16342e6566cb5dee56223151d5-post.jpg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artisticmoods.com/julia-geiser/" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Poster Girl's Defence</span></h4>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: x-small;" valign="top"><pre style="font-family: verdana, arial, 'lucida sans', helvetica, geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">It was an Artless Poster Girl pinned up against my wall,
She was tremendous ugly, she was exceeding tall;
I was gazing at her idly, and I think I must have slept,
For that poster maiden lifted up her poster voice, and wept.
She said between her poster sobs, ‘I think it’s rather rough
To be jeered and fleered and flouted, and I’ve stood it long enough;
I’m tired of being quoted as a Fright and Fad and Freak,
And I take this opportunity my poster mind to speak.
‘Although my hair is carmine and my nose is edged with blue,
Although my style is splashy and my shade effects are few,
Although I’m out of drawing and my back hair is a show,
Yet I have n’t half the whimseys of the maidens that you know.
‘I never keep you waiting while I prink before the glass,
I never talk such twaddle as that little Dawson lass,
I never paint on china, nor erotic novels write,
And I never have recited “Curfew must not ring tonight”.
‘I don’t rave over Ibsen, I never, never flirt,
I never wear a shirt waist with a disconnected skirt;
I never speak in public on “The Suffrage”, or “The Race”,
I never talk while playing whist, or trump my partner’s ace.’
I said: ‘O artless Poster Girl, you’re in the right of it,
You are a joy forever, though a thing of beauty, nit!’
And from her madder eyebrows to her utmost purple swirl,
Against all captious critics I’ll defend the Poster Girl.</span></pre>
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<tr><td colspan="3" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Carolyn Wells<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-7676804814850072252013-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:002013-11-03T08:00:03.090-08:00Poetry for your Sunday vol 7<pre style="background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/61290441/Shel+Silverstein+PNG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/61290441/Shel+Silverstein+PNG.png" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If The World Went Crazy</span></h4>
<pre style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the world was crazy, you know what I'd eat?
A big slice of soup and a whole quart of meat,
A lemonade sandwich, and then I might try
Some roasted ice cream or a bicycle pie,
A nice notebook salad, an underwear roast,
An omelet of hats and some crisp cardboard toast,
A thick malted milk made from pencils and daisies,
And that's what I'd eat if the world was crazy.
If the world was crazy, you know what I'd wear?
A chocolate suit and a tie of eclair,
Some marshmallow earmuffs, some licorice shoes,
And I'd read a paper of peppermint news.
I'd call the boys "Suzy" and I'd call the girls "Harry,"
I'd talk through my ears, and I always would carry
A paper umbrella for when it grew hazy
To keep in the rain, if the world was crazy.
If the world was crazy, you know what I'd do?
I'd walk on the ocean and swim in my shoe,
I'd fly through the ground and I'd skip through the air,
I'd run down the bathtub and bathe on the stair.
When I met somebody I'd say "G'bye, Joe,"
And when I was leaving--then I'd say "Hello."
And the greatest of men would be silly and lazy
So I would be king...if the world was crazy. </span></pre>
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<pre style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Shel Silverstein</span></pre>
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<i>A silly poem for this week. I've been reading so many heavy goings on on the news I thought it would be nice to have a goofy take on the end of the world. Leave it up to Shel Silverstein.</i></div>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-2358242297499612072013-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:002013-11-02T08:00:01.097-07:00Instagram Lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I figured I'd share some fall related shots from life lately. </div>
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This year I decided to go minimalist with the fall decor, opting for pumpkin decorations that would get us through till Thanksgiving (except my flower pumpkin in freaking molding from all this wet warm weather) and not Halloween specified decorations.</div>
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I normally love decorating, but I hate accumulating all this stuff that I'll use for a month out of the year. And it's stupid expensive. It'll be interesting to see if my philosophy holds up for Christmas. I love Christmas decor but I would like to try to go the simple and sweet route this year.</div>
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The bottom picture is my current favorite. Numi, Ben's cat, may be the biggest cat jerk I've ever met but he's darn photogenic and as of today he's been missing for four days. We let him out Monday morning as per usual and he just hasn't been back. I'm starting to get worried because it's rained so much the past 3 days and Ben and I both have had to work all day. Today is nice and I have food set out for him so hopefully he'll be asleep on the couch in the breezeway when I get home.</div>
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He may be a jerk cat, but I'd rather know he was safe at home being a jerk than lost or hurt somewhere...</div>
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Also, I tried my hand at making popcorn cookies which turned out way better than I thought, I'll probably alter it a bit and get some white chocolate involved and maybe even post the recipe here!</div>
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Ben and I have gotten into the habit of hanging out together before church in the afternoon on Sundays. I really enjoy getting out of the house together. It's so easy to just fall into routines especially with our work schedules and never actually do anything together. We never do anything too crazy, run some errands then go have coffee downtown but it's special just to spend that time together and away from everything.</div>
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Hope your weekend goes well!</div>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-88686714255908654432013-11-01T07:39:00.000-07:002013-11-01T07:39:49.594-07:00NaNoWriMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://breathingfiction.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/neilgaiman8rules1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="1127" id="blogsy-1383316636461.4048" src="http://breathingfiction.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/neilgaiman8rules1.png" width="500" /></a></div>
I first came across the phrase NaNoWriMo 3 years ago. It was in Neil Gaiman's blog so of course I was curious about it. When I found out it was novel writing I got intimidated and put it out of my mind. I don't know what it is about the idea of writing a novel that seems so daunting, but every time I consider it I always dismiss it as something I'm not ready for. <br />
But, why? I'm 24 years old and writing is something I love to do so why the hell not join National Novel Writing Month and just see what happens. I'm smart. I have ideas. <br />
Also, I suck at writing on a daily basis. Just look at this blog. No structure, broken promises, irratic posting. I'm terrible at it and I have no idea why. Every time I sit down to write I always find a reason not too. "Oh, I need to make sure my whole house is clean first." That's seriously what happens everytime. Why does my house have to be spotless before I do anything creative? Why am I such a weirdo? <br />
So, to ease my self into this process of daily writing for this work week and make myself sit down for 30 minutes a day to just write <em>and then </em>I can clean the whole house or play Plants vs. Zombies or whatever. <br />
The other thing I'll start doing differently is typing my rough draft instead of hand writing it. As much as I love the catharsis of putting pen to paper I have so many ideas are bits of paper somewhere in the house that will never go beyond just being ideas. <br />
How about you? Do you want to write a novel in a month? NaNoWriMo is Nov 1 through the 30th! Why not try it and see what happens?<br />
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-24364283468889622872013-10-28T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-28T08:00:10.453-07:00Comic Review: The Walking Dead: Days Gone By<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/DaysGoneBy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/DaysGoneBy.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Author: Robert Kirkman</div>
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Artist: Tony Moore</div>
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Published: September 26, 2006</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living.</i></span></div>
<br />
I have this thing I do on Goodreads where I have to look at bad reviews of books. If I'm iffy about a book before I pick it up I'll look at the bad reviews then. If I really liked the book (or didn't like it at all) I'll look at the reviews after to see what other people felt about them and why.<br />
<br />
I had bought <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138398.The_Walking_Dead_Vol_1?from_search=true" target="_blank">Days Gone By</a> sometime after the first season of The Walking Dead came on television. I had never been drawn to anything that was zombie related before then, but after the show got a huge follow I was curious about it and watched along. I thought the show was really well done and was curious about the original story. However, since the very beginning of the book and the first episode were mirrors of one another I put it down for the time. I finally came back to it at the beginning to this month thinking enough time had past that I wouldn't be bored with it or find it repetitive. After I finished this volume I consulted Goodreads for a sort of guideline on how I should write this review. I found an odd amount of 'one star' reviews so of course I had to read them, and now I feel like I have to defend this book.I haven't read past the first six issues of this series, and it seems like a lot of the one star reviewers didn't either so I feel like we're on equal ground.<br />
*Reviewer's complaint #1- The plot was too simplistic.<br />
Duh. It's an intro to an ongoing series Kirkman can't throw all the "drama of the show" at you at once. It would be schizophrenic and you feel lost and frustrated. The show had a similar build up in the first few episodes it just threw in more controversial characters at first to draw you in. That's what shows do.<br />
*Reviewer's complaint #2- The art was messy.<br />
I'm a stickler for art especially in a graphic novel and though Tony Moore's style isn't my favorite I think its simple lines and black and white coloring was a good choice. That way it didn't focus on the gore of the actual zombies but on the people around them. I also believe that he purpose left details out of a lot of the faces in the camp because you weren't supposed to be attached to them or even recall their faces much as I'm sure the characters themselves won't remember those faces after a while.<br />
Reviewer's complaint #3- There was no character development.<br />
First, and again this was introducing the main characters in this series. We as readers should probably get to know their thought processes first before they develop so we can see it as it happens.<br />
Second. Did you just forget about Carl? I know he's a child but I would totally consider him as a more developed character by the end of the book. Same goes for Shane. Sure, I will agree that there wasn't much development as far as Rick and Laurie go but again this is part of a series and not a stand alone book so I'm not worried. Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-70571190278606467722013-10-20T07:25:00.001-07:002013-10-20T07:26:10.766-07:00Poetry for your Sunday vol 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/Blogger%20page/Poetryforyoursundayheader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/Blogger%20page/Poetryforyoursundayheader.png" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://piccsy.com/2013/02/panda-amp-fairy" target="_blank">{Source}</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><u>Fairyland</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Dim vales- and shadowy floods-</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">And cloudy-looking woods,</span></div>
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</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Whose forms we can't discover</div>
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For the tears that drip all over!</div>
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Huge moons there wax and wane-</div>
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Again- again- again-</div>
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Every moment of the night-</div>
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Forever changing places-</div>
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And they put out the star-light</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
With the breath from their pale faces.</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
About twelve by the moon-dial,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
One more filmy than the rest</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
(A kind which, upon trial,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
They have found to be the best)</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Comes down- still down- and down,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
With its centre on the crown</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Of a mountain's eminence,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
While its wide circumference</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
In easy drapery falls</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Over hamlets, over halls,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Wherever they may be-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
O'er the strange woods- o'er the sea-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Over spirits on the wing-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Over every drowsy thing-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And buries them up quite</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
In a labyrinth of light-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And then, how deep!- O, deep!</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Is the passion of their sleep.</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
In the morning they arise,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And their moony covering</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Is soaring in the skies,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
With the tempests as they toss,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Like- almost anything-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Or a yellow Albatross.</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
They use that moon no more</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
For the same end as before-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Videlicet, a tent-</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Which I think extravagant:</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Its atomies, however,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Into a shower dissever,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Of which those butterflies</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Of Earth, who seek the skies,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And so come down again,</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
(Never-contented things!)</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Have brought a specimen</div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Upon their quivering wings. </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
-Edgar Allen Poe</div>
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</span>Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-45719118299461668332013-10-14T09:50:00.000-07:002013-10-14T09:50:30.994-07:00A little look a Williamsburg<div style="text-align: center;">
I'd thought I'd share some pictures that I took while I spent a few afternoons in Williamsburg, Virginia.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My brother lives close to there, so when my mom and I went out to visit him we couldn't not visit Williamsburg. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="505" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0301.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure why this photo turned out this way but it's a picture of one of the gardens and I think it looks like an impressionist painting.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a pretty and kind of random bamboo forest in the middle of Williamsburg that I couldn't resist tromping through. It lead to a parking lot though, so that ruined the magic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomegranates grow on trees! Duh, but I've never seen them outside of the grocery store.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0308.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/20130927_0306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are fountains outside of our hotel in Newport News. It was a gorgeous park area.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We used to go to Williamsburg when I was little and I loved going back and appreciating the history as an adult. We didn't see any of the reenactments this time but hopefully I'll take Ben (whose never been) out there in April for the full experience.</span></td></tr>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-61958002426384495622013-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-13T08:00:00.244-07:00Poetry for your Sunday vol. 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>The Road Not Taken</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><span>WO</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">roads diverged in a yellow wood,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="1"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">And </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">sorry I could not travel both</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="2"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">And be one traveler, long I stood</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="3"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">And looked down one as far as I could</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="4"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">To where it bent in the undergrowth;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><span><a href="" name="5"><i> 5</i></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> Then took the other, as just as fair,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="6"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">And having perhaps the better claim,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="7"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Because it was grassy and wanted wear;</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="8"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Though as for that the passing there</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="9"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Had worn them really about the same,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><span><a href="" name="10"><i> 10</i></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> And both that morning equally lay</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="11"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">In leaves no step had trodden black.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="12"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Oh, I kept the first for another day!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="13"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Yet knowing how way leads on to way,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="14"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">I doubted if I should ever come back.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><span><a href="" name="15"><i> 15</i></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> I shall be telling this with a sigh</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="16"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Somewhere ages and ages hence:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="17"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">Two roads diverged in a wood,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> and I—</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="18"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">I took the one less traveled by,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><a href="" name="19"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">And that has made all the difference.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><span><a href="" name="20"><i> 20</i></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;">-Robert Frost</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000020;"><i>This is a total cliche I know, but I think it's because I hear this poem so much in the fall that I've been thinking about it so much this past week.</i></span></div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-5795529671184506452013-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-10T08:00:07.791-07:00Book Review (of sorts): The Neverending Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/the-neverending-story-michael-ende.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz263/lrfindley/the-neverending-story-michael-ende.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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I can't technically consider this a book review since that would imply that I finished the book. This is more of an explanation of why I didn't finish the book.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I loved <i>The Neverending Story</i> as a kid. The movie, I mean. My kid brain didn't wonder where such a freaking cool idea came from I was just happy that there was a furry dog faced dragon involved. </div>
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When I saw the bright cover of <i>The Neverending Story</i> on a shelf at Barnes & Nobel I became that little kid again and HAD TO HAVE IT. Didn't even care that it was $11.99 for a paperback I bought that sucker then and there. Later that day, I settled in to read it. It started as I remembered in the movie except that Bastion wasn't and adorable polite-spoken little boy. He was cowardly, awkward, chubby and his dad didn't really like him. Okay I got that; it honestly made more sense for a boy like this to be drawn to a book and a world like Fantastica. The story ran similar to the movie, but it was a little scarier and more serious which made it better. Atreyu and Artax were admirable and I totally cried when they were in the Swamp of Saddness. Whenever it would switch back to Bastion's perspective I would be mildly annoyed that I had to read about this stupid kid who locked himself in the school attic, but I'm pretty sure I was supposed to feel that way because throughout the story Bastion will grow as a character into someone more admirable and likable like Atreyu.</div>
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Well then it gets to the turning point in the story where Bastion can make a choice and save everything and he...goes in to a corner of the attic and hides from it. Then the Childlike Empress does some crazy paradox stuff and forces Bastion to save Fantastica.</div>
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Oh, well then okkkaaay. Then two chapters of Bastion running around being a megalomanic.</div>
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Then, I put the book up. At that point I realized that this book had been translated from German and since it's a german story Bastion could very well never grow as a character then die some horrible death involving crows eating out his eyes, and the moral of the story would be, don't steal books you little asshole.</div>
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I almost never put books up smack dab in the middle of the story. (I made it through <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-constant-princess.html" target="_blank">The Constant Princess</a> after all.) This time however, I really didn't like Bastion as a character and didn't care what happened to him. </div>
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The writing was well done. It was poetic in the right parts with plenty of symbolism.</div>
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Michele Ende did a wonderful job describing scenes that were almost too impossible to imagine. I'm sure that the book has a brilliant second half and ending, not many books make me cry ever.</div>
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I just hate Bastion.</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-12961203254808040932013-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:002013-10-09T08:00:03.003-07:00What's been happening in Hyrule, lately.<div style="text-align: center;">
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In August after my used DS, that I bought as a high school graduation present to myself, kept freezing mid-game Ben and I went into serious talks deliberating selling both of our DS's and getting a brand new 3DS to share. </div>
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The next day we preceded to the mall and the GameStop located there. We found a purple 3DS brand-new and it was a done deal. I couldn't wait to get home and continue playing <i>Bowser's Inside Story </i>on this sleek, new, purple system. Little did we know that the Ace Card that I had stored almost all my DS games on was blocked through the 3DS. Ben quickly turned to the internet and tried every trick they suggested, but much research revealed just how much the Ace cards had hurt Nintendo's revenue for DS systems so they were well armed against it. Stripped of <i>Bowser's Inside Story</i> and with a new and expensive toy literally just sitting on the shelf I went in search of a game that I would be interested in. </div>
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I looked for the <i>Harvest Moon</i> that had come out for it but not with a lot of luck (I was also in Target so I didn't expect much) but I did find <i>Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.</i> </div>
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My brother had played <i>LoZ: OoT</i> when it came out for Nintendo 64 and I spent much of my time watching him. I also tried to play it then, but I really sucked and lost my patience even before I could free the Great Deku Tree of the evil that was possessing it. </div>
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This time I had the internet.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A side-by-side comparsion of the orginal game and the 3DS version.<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/70509550388736232/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Ben makes fun of my need for a guide by saying I don't have any intuitive gaming skills, and he's absolutely right. <i>Legend of Zelda</i> games are full of puzzles and that's not a problem for me, it's finding the puzzles that leaves me aimlessly running around Hyrule field with Navi yelling stupid things at me for hours that really trips me up during game play. </div>
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This time, armed with my guide, was different. I was actually able to accomplish tasks and make progress in the game half an hour at a time,</div>
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and since I had a guide I could see how far I had left to go. Pretty soon my evenings were spent with Ben in silence, him playing <i>Skyrim </i>and me on the 3DS our respective games chirping away and occasionally one of us swearing or hooting in triumph. (that was actually all just from me, Ben's very stoic when he's gaming)<br />
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Through all of this I understand the act of Gaming a little better. Before, playing a game for several hours a night seemed boring to me, but now I get it. In the game you're accomplishing things and a lot of time those things are hard things to accomplish, so by the time you're done you feel like you've really accomplished a goal you had in real life, so that day was successful- when the truth of it is you just sat in the midst of all the unfolded laundry in your pajamas for six hours.</div>
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This is what happened to me, I never beaten a game before ever, so when I saw that it was a possibility it became my new goal in life. For the next few weeks I worked hard on this goal, letting laundry stay unfolded, neglecting this blog and generally not wasting time with silly things like putting on make-up before going to work. </div>
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However, I've decided to take pause at the entrance of the Shadow Temple and recall my life before Zelda had petitioned me to save all of Hyrule. </div>
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I understand why this game is considered one of the best and why the memorabilia and tattoos have last for the past 17 years, its an engaging game that doesn't get too repetitive or expects too much from you the first dungeon in. </div>
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After I beat it though (and I <i>will</i>) I think it'll be time to surrender the 3DS to Ben so he can play Pokemon XY or whatever, and find myself as person again. My foray into the gaming world has been fun, but someone has to fold laundry, and there are always books to be read.</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-4013442804937847772013-10-08T13:01:00.002-07:002013-10-08T13:01:55.479-07:00Some reflection.<div style="text-align: center;">
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The cold rolled in with a storm; loud like a library cart across tile. Today the house is frosted on the inside. Everything is cold, hard and creaking. I found my bag-lady uniform of last years's unemployed winter- sweatpants, sports bra, tank top topped off with the thickest sweater ever. </div>
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Today is still, even the cats are moving in slow-motion. The sun is a bright distant coin. The wind is lazy and the birds are cheerful and serene. I wanted to do things with my day that I haven't gotten to but when I opened my eyes at 10:17 this morning I thanked God. I've wandered through the house without a purpose thanking God for most of the day. Thank God for this day of stillness.</div>
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The past 3 weeks haven't stopped and my brain has been buzzing in time with it all. I have managed to force sleep on myself at night with the exception of Sunday and Monday. There I laid both nights, my thoughts hopping around sorting through my too-bright memories at all hours of the night. I didn't get upset as I usually would have, but accepted that I would have to manage the next day sleep-deprived. </div>
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At work there has been a change in management which really was a good thing overall. Nonetheless, it was stressful and this past week we've been getting ready for a big deal visit from the regional manager. Before being part of management meant showing up and that was it. I was good at that and since I have a work ethic I also did my job which was unexpected so I was fantastic at my job, but with this new manager doing my job is expected and I've been finding out that I wasn't trained even remotely right, so I've had to adjust to a lot. Which isn't too hard, but to go from being awesome at my job to not actually knowing how to do my job was jarring and disorienting to say the least.</div>
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So today I am treasuring. I don't have to be anywhere, see anyone, clean anything or wear a real bra. I realize that my idea of down time has changed. I used to focus on distractions but now I'm using it more constructively. Sure, I'm not waking up early to totally clean out/ rearrange the bedroom but I'm making plans. Not just things I wish I could do, but things I can do with this house, with massage therapy, with myself.</div>
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In the past three weeks I've had to live entirely in the moment, going straight from one thing to the next not being able to reflect or to plan just doing. Today all the activity has subsided and I can look back and look forward and be happy. Today is the first time I've peered through all the busy to look at myself. I am happy, my life isn't perfect, but I can make plans.</div>
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Today is a good day.</div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-1640864734454128332013-08-27T10:00:00.000-07:002013-08-27T10:00:04.005-07:00Pinterest Lately.Ah, Pinterest. That total time vacuum of ideas. I'll spend hours on it, pinning and saying to myself, "I'll do that, and that, and that, oo! I'll totally reupholster the couch!" Then these pins will sit in my boards awaiting me to fulfill my promise slowly losing hope as more time passes. So to help these pins solider on- I thought I'd share some with you and maybe you'll use them and be happy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/9f/84/8f/9f848f2c4b4fa80b66865bc1a7d3c72f.jpg" target="_blank">This will be helpful when Catching Fire comes out.</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.megannielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/how-to-make-a-jersey-maxi-skirt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://blog.megannielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/how-to-make-a-jersey-maxi-skirt.png" width="410" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.megannielsen.com/2011/07/diy-jersey-maxi-skirt/" target="_blank">One day I'll actually sew something and that day will be glorious!</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/wmax-520/ecl/everyday_food-hires/2012/06_july_aug/on_the_side/tomato-beet-salad-med108588_vert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/wmax-520/ecl/everyday_food-hires/2012/06_july_aug/on_the_side/tomato-beet-salad-med108588_vert.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/907476/tomato-beet-salad" target="_blank">I actually did make this the other day and it was wonderful. Win for you Ms. Martha.</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/103663494/cat-temporary-tattoo-one-single-fake-cat?utm_campaign=merch&utm_medium=Internal&utm_source=Pinterest" target="_blank">Temporary cat tattoos?? These were made for me!</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1M-LwTbgMkRKlRYy_RSGVekrur61wkRrrcMLheD4jwxkNlNWAIZHMImvEi54PclnOEhVUoynhMRr0Q3BYePt3Chzj_2VBmTfaAts8vBl-jPXn-5wul8WkEBvXQ0nJo-KEtHjEbV0qEBO/s1600/DIY-Japanese-Paper-Book-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1M-LwTbgMkRKlRYy_RSGVekrur61wkRrrcMLheD4jwxkNlNWAIZHMImvEi54PclnOEhVUoynhMRr0Q3BYePt3Chzj_2VBmTfaAts8vBl-jPXn-5wul8WkEBvXQ0nJo-KEtHjEbV0qEBO/s400/DIY-Japanese-Paper-Book-Cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kittyandbuck.com/2013/08/diy-japanese-paper-book-cover.html" target="_blank">I have a wild hair to do this to all my books</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8358081ff69e201901ec658fe970b-800wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8358081ff69e201901ec658fe970b-800wi" width="328" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2013/08/make-your-own-photo-wall-clock.html" target="_blank">You mean I can make a clock with Tazo's face on it?? Duh!</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backattheranchtx.com/hide-your-crazy-tank/" target="_blank">Sure, I need another shirt</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://quitokeeto.tumblr.com/post/52683048933/white-peach-maple-soda-quitokeeto" target="_blank">Let's make pretentious sounding delicious looking soda!</a><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s480x480/580228_10151511169160629_1618239418_n.jpg" target="_blank">Me too, Flannery </a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wrapunzel.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/img_7618.jpg?w=385&h=466" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://wrapunzel.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/img_7618.jpg?w=385&h=466" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wrapunzel.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/the-simplest-long-scarf-wrap/" target="_blank">Perfect for those days where you, uh, don't feel like washing your hair.</a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Take these pins, love them, learn from them and be happy!<br /><br />Are you a crazy pinner? We should follow each other!<br /><br /><a href="http://pinterest.com/longlostlillian/boards/" target="_blank">Longlostlillian</a></span></td></tr>
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Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-16214980000183462902013-08-26T09:23:00.001-07:002013-08-26T09:23:56.745-07:00Book Review: The Constant Princess<div style="text-align: center;">
I have spent the morning drinking so much coffee with so much stevia and too much cream. It's my comfort food for the a.m. I am choosing to take it easy today as long as I can because I know the minute I walk into work I'll need to be in high gear and I won't be able to switch off until Tuesday afternoon. So, I'm taking my time with the morning, hoping that it'll stretch a little longer than normal.</div>
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I am slowly excepting that summer is ending and so is my summer break from blogging. </div>
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I'm diving back into this with an easy review for me anyway. The rest of my summer reading will (hopefully) be up within this week.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><em>"I am Catalina, Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has ever known...and I will be Queen of England."</em><br /><br />Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Known to history as the Queen who was pushed off her throne by Anne Boleyn, here is a Katherine the world has forgotten: the enchanting princess that all England loved. First married to Henry VIII's older brother, Arthur, Katherine's passion turns their arranged marriage into a love match; but when Arthur dies, the merciless English court and her ambitious parents -- the crusading King and Queen of Spain -- have to find a new role for the widow. Ultimately, it is Katherine herself who takes control of her own life by telling the most audacious lie in English history, leading her to the very pinnacle of power in England.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The first Philippa Gregory novel I read was The Other Boleyn Girl and it was totally romancey and a little trashy and maybe or maybe not accurate. But whatever, I'll I wanted from it was Mary to marry William Stafford and oh my gosh.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It was good, then I read <a href="http://teatimewithtazo.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-boleyn-inheritance.html" target="_blank">The Boleyn Inheritance</a> which I didn't like at first but I changed my mind by the end of it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">So, naturally I was curious about how she started the whole series. A friend of mine mentioned this book a long time ago and told me how boring it was and that she couldn't finish it. I thought that maybe she meant it got slow it parts and she didn't have the patience for it. That's fair, that's happened to me plenty of times, so with that mindset I was determined to power through.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Man, it was hard. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Catalina was not a likable person, in fact she was pretty crazy herself. Her narrative was a drag. Seriously, there would be a three-paragraph long scene in third person which would trigger a two page long narrative from her analyzing it and being sad about her dead husband. And this is the first time I truly don't buy Gregory's explanation of Katherine's marriage to Arthur. If they were truly happy together and couldn't stay away from each then why did they choose to play at being unhappy with each other in public? Didn't they want to whole country to know they were happy and in love? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Then there was her portrayal of Henry VIII. I mean, I can tell Gregory has never been a fan of the man but give credit where credit was due. Through Catalina's eyes she portrayed him as a bright, pushover of a man-child who only wanted to go to war and had no problem deferring to her.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Henry VIII was extremely intelligent and yes I do believe that he did want to go to war and prove himself and that she capably ran the country and defeated the Scottish while he was gone, BUT I don't believe he let her run the country while he was in it. I don't believe that all the counselors and accountants and what not went to her because he didn't care it just doesn't seem true to character. Granted, I haven't appropriately researched that time yet and I may come back to this next week with an edit until then though...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">This book was not the Gregory that I fell in love with. This book was a ramble with unlikeable characters and a meandering plot that for a time didn't seem to have a conclusion. I'm am less sympathetic to this Katherine of Aragon if, during The King's Great Matter, she was defending a lie and being a crazy entitled princess who just wanted to take power from her husband. (Sounds a lot like another wife of his,hmm?)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It's not enough for me to write of Gregory especially since I've been watching her show The White Queen and it's wonderful, but it may be a time before I approach one of her books again.</span></div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-46781031837189767142013-08-25T08:50:00.001-07:002013-10-08T14:38:03.753-07:00Poetry of your Sunday vol. 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The Murderer</b></div>
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"I push my boat among the reeds;</div>
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I sit and stare about;</div>
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Queer slimy things crawl through the weeds</div>
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Put to a sullen rout.</div>
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I paddle under cypress trees;</div>
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All fearfully I peer</div>
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Through oozy channels when the breeze</div>
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Comes rustling at my ear.</div>
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"The long moss hangs perpetually;</div>
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Gray scalps of buried years;</div>
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Blue crabs steal out and stare at me,</div>
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And seem to gauge my fears;</div>
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I start to hear the eel swim by;</div>
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I shudder when the crane</div>
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Strikes at his prey; I turn to fly,</div>
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At drops of sudden rain.</div>
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"In every little cry of bird</div>
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I hear a tracking shout;</div>
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From every sodden leaf that's stirred</div>
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I see a face frown out;</div>
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My soul shakes when the water rat</div>
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Cowed by the blue snake flies;</div>
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Black knots from tree holes glimmer at</div>
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Me with accusive eyes.</div>
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"Through all the murky silence rings</div>
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A cry not born of earth;</div>
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An endless, deep, unechoing thing</div>
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That owns not human birth.</div>
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I see no colors in the sky</div>
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Save red, as blood is red;</div>
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I pray to God to still that cry</div>
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From pallid lips and dead.</div>
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"One spot in all that stagnant waste</div>
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I shun as moles shun light,</div>
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And turn my prow to make all haste</div>
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To fly before the night.</div>
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A poisonous mound hid from the sun,</div>
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Where crabs hold revelry;</div>
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Where eels and fishes feed upon</div>
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The Thing that once was He.</div>
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"At night I steal along the shore;</div>
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Within my hut I creep;</div>
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But awful stars blink through the door,</div>
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To hold me from my sleep.</div>
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The river gurgles like his throat,</div>
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In little choking coves,</div>
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And loudly dins that phantom note</div>
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From out the awful groves.</div>
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"I shout with laughter through the night:</div>
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I rage in greatest glee;</div>
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My fears all vanish with the light</div>
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Oh! splendid nights they be!</div>
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I see her weep; she calls his name;</div>
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He answers not, nor will;</div>
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My soul with joy is all aflame;</div>
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I laugh, and laugh, and thrill.</div>
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"I count her teardrops as they fall;</div>
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I flout my daytime fears;</div>
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I mumble thanks to God for all</div>
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These gibes and happy jeers.</div>
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But, when the warning dawn awakes,</div>
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Begins my wandering;</div>
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With stealthy strokes through tangled brakes,</div>
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A wasted, frightened thing."</div>
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-O. Henry</div>
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<i>This is the first O. Henry poem I've read ever. It's creepy and it makes my skin crawl. I can picture the river where he dumps the body. I love the imagery in this poem and the feeling of furtiveness that it conveys. </i></div>
<br />Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039615627105872470.post-2157996222132519702013-08-14T20:08:00.000-07:002013-08-14T20:08:38.479-07:00Ideals and disappointment<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I always make fun of those idealistic people who have insane expectations about big events in life. Like, "I'm going to do this full-time internship, take 19 hours of classes, bring up my GPA and train for a tri-athalon!" then they get disappointed when it's mid semester and they're struggling to get enough energy to walk to class and make it to work on time.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Oh you silly people, you set such unrealistic expectations for yourself of course you're disappointed.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em>I'll never be like that.</em></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Never say never, it always makes a point to whisper in you ear and let you know that you're doing what you said you'd never do.</span></div>
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When I first started part time at the clothing store I now I work at I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let it consume my life like Starbucks did. That I would keep up with yoga, eating healthy and meditation so the stress wouldn't get to me.</div>
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You know what that list is- ideals. Ideally, that's how I wanted this to go. Every day after I got home from work I'd tell myself how I would do my yoga and how much better I would feel...then I would sit on the couch and think about how bad my feet hurt. Then we lost 3 people at work and I got promoted within 3 weeks of being hired. Not only did I not do yoga or meditation I neither did the laundry or dishes and finally I exhausted myself physically and emotionally with disappointment. After a random crying fit over the cleaning of the cutting board last night I finally realized that I was one of those silly idealistic people who had been sorely disappointed. </div>
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So, I went to bed and got a solid 10 hours of sleep and woke up this morning with no expectations of myself. It made for a restful morning and when I went to work I seemed to have a greater peace of mind at all the changes that had rapidly happened. </div>
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I got off work and don't feel like death and even though I <em>still </em>haven't done my yoga I'm not viewing it as the end of the world.</div>
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It's interesting how we people think life should go. I know for me I hear of those people who have done and excelled at so many things in their lives and are constantly busy but also have brilliant social lives and beautiful homes and I become so jealous! I want to be them; perfect and endlessly interesting. But that's truly not my personality. I'm a slow adjuster but I'll get there and there will be a balance and I will have activities outside of work again but not this week and probably not this month and I'm okay with that now it, like most things, just took some realization. </div>
Literary Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534985607781291387noreply@blogger.com0