Fangs

 I read. It seems like forever since I wrote about anything I have read. Most of  what I have read lately is stuck in the obscurity of fan fiction.  With that being said, I have just finished the most charming graphic novel.  Fangs by Sarah Andersen might be my favorite love story between a vampire and a werewolf.  

I adore this book. It made me smile and chuckle all through reading it. There characters are likable. The art is clean and uncomplicated. It is pokes humor in unexpected ways.   If you were ever in need of a gift for a friend this would be a go to gift. 

Book of Teeth

Pisces Framed. 

Welcome to another episode of "Teresa is terrible at writing Etsy Reviews in a Timely Fashion".  I discovered this shop  through my other addiction, Kickstarter and it grew.  The shop/ artist I am talking about is Cody Vrosh. 

I first discovered him on Kickstarter when he was working on a Zodiac calendar and was offering prints of his work for backers. That might be the first selfish thing I ever supported on Kickstarter.  I debated for two days on getting the Pisces or the Aquarius for my best friend.  The voice in my head that is my husband prevailed and I ended up with Pisces for myself and promptly framed it when it arrived. 

Then came the Book of Teeth. I started stalking the artist through Twitter and then realized I could view the creations being created for the Book of Teeth on Instagram and follow the artist. I of course Kickstarted it and danced around like a lunatic when the book finally arrived.  I received to prints (not pictured) with the Book of Teeth of the smiling creatures of my choosing and it has been struggle on if I frame them and gift them or frame them and keep them.  It was been a joy to follow the artist, but it also made me aware of the Etsys page that Cody Vrosh has.  My wallet is beginning to feel some pain, but the happiness it brings is worth it. 

Reviewing the Etsy page brought additional surprises, in the form of jewelry.  I love unique jewelry. It make me happy and it is great way to self express. When I saw several pendants with Cody's art on it in his shop, I was in a quandary. Which one?  After much debating and perhaps I coin toss I was able to choose a pendant. It was exactly as I expected.  The pendant does come with a chain, but not a great chain. I swapped the change out (not pictured) to something else I previously had, so that it would hang  where I preferred on my neck. The pendant is detailed, light weight and perfect for the rest of my octopus life.  I have seriously been debating on getting a second piece just because it is a unique statement piece and easy to slip on and go. 

Around Christmas, I annually hold a White Elephant Party, and the fun part is seeing the diverse gifts that everyone brings. I had purchased a print for the White Elephant party that I thought would spark the interest of several of my friends.  It involved cats and reading. A perfect combination. I decided to frame the print and paint a mat to match.  That was a terrible idea. Once I had it all put together, I no longer wanted to give it away. Instead I ended up re arranging the art on my wall and giving it a home.  The moral of the story is that you should check out this artist on which ever social media is your preferred platform, or peruse his Etsy page. I think that the art is imaginative, energetic with a touch a bio mechanical with being dreary.

The House Where Evil Lurks: A Review

I have to admit that I am a sucker for ghost stories.  I like the historical factor that is associated with them.  The idea that the energy of an event or a person can consciously or unconsciously linger over time is intriguing. 

I just finished reading The House Where Evil Lurks: A Paranormal Investigators Most Frightening Encounter by Brandon Callahan. My mind is muddled over what to think of it.  The book is written in first person, and in some ways feels a little bit like a movie script. I don’t know if that is because of the way the story unfolds, or if I have watched too many episodes of Ghost Hunters /Most Haunted and can visualize what each scene would look like.  The events that unfold are interesting and can keep the readers interested.  By the end of the book, I tended to wonder about the cats, but that probably has more to do with me being a cat person, than any intent on the authors part. 

Overall the book is about as frightening as an episode of Most Haunted or Ghost Hunters.  It gives you enough history for your mind to make certain leaps and jumps, but not enough to leave the average reader shaking in their boots.  If anything, the picture of the cover is a bit more sinister than the recollections of the paranormal investigation.  

I am sure that some people would want to take every word seriously, but seeing that I was reading for pleasure and not to expand upon paranormal investigation skills, I found it was easy to skim some parts with out losing the gist of what was happening.  It was an easy beach read, that kept me amused as I was slowly roasted by the unrelenting solar rays.  I enjoyed the book, and would lend it out if someone was interested in that sort of genre.  If I were to give it a rating it would be 3 stars out of 5 stars.  A good beach read, with low investment of mental energy to enjoy. 

Yon & Mu

I wanted to write a back story about how I received a book in the mail from some friends.  It was going to be epic, but then I realized I would take too long and I really wanted to write about the book I just read. So, I am going to do that in stead and save the story of Dave and Crista for another time, when I can put it into a proper iambic pentameter it deserves. 

I just finished reading Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu and now I need to go hug my cats.  It is an incredibly sweet story from a well known horror manga artist.  The art style is exactly what you would think a horror artist should look like, and it completely adds to the charm of story in a weird way.

After my husband finished the book, vet appointments were required for both of our cats and mandatory cuddling. (The vet appointments were to verify that both of the boys are in good health and will live a good long time, and not because there is anything wrong with them.  This is a prime example on how books influence life.) 

IF you love cats, I would highly recommend this manga.  It is balm to a cat lovers soul and in some ways it  really illustrates what it is like to share living space with furry divas. The art is creepy but that is part of its charm, and it immortalizes the relationship between cat and human and how ownership works.  In some ways I felt like I was reading out the adventures of my own two fur beasts.  

I don’t think a blog post about a manga about the adventures of becoming a cat owner would be complete with out me sharing a couple of pictures of Dib and Iggins.  

Consumed: A Review

Hello,

Welcome to a book review. It has been a long time since I actually sat down and wrote about something I read. Let us take an adventure and see I can remember how to talk about books!

Recently I finished the book, Consumed by Aaron Mahnke.  I received this book as part of a gift exchange at my job.  The coworker that gifted the book to me is a big fan of the the podcast, Lore that the author hosts.  I am one of those few people that have not listened to the podcast, which means I have no idea what this authors usual style is, or if this book is comparative to it.

Consumed is a novel that is little over 300 pages, but feels like a much shorter novel.  The main character is researching information based for a novel they want to write and stumble upon more than one body that has been partially consumed.  (See how I worked the title of the story into what actually happens in the story?  High five to me!)  The rest of the story is solving what is eating people.

The story is enjoyable, and moves along pretty well. The ending isn't wrapped up in brown paper and tied with a string.  The conclusion is a little open ended, but not in a way that would allow for a sequel. I would recommend the book based off the fact that it is an easy read that doesn't require you to be attached to multiple characters, and that the folklore that is being utilized is not something that is typically done.   It seems like most folklore gets turned into fantasy of werewolves or vampires and sometime the occasional mermaid, but this is none of those. 

If you have read the book, what did you think?

Dad- Read Something New!

My dad has this habit of reading the same book series over and over again.  I have no idea what is so facinating about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series.  I got through about a third of the first book and felt no inclination to finish reading it. However my father has read the series 8 times and when he can’t find anything else to read, he starts it over again.

Dad, There are other books out there.  In fact you should check some of these books out the next time you think about starting the series one more time.  It is okay to read other books. It won’t hurt their feelings.

1. The Bat  by Jo Nesbo
2. The Hynotist  by Lars Kepler
3. Fatherland by Robert Harris
4. The Big Bounce by Elmore Leonard
5. Forever and Death by Donald Westlake

Dad, I can give you more recommendations.  Just let me know.  It is okay to read something new.

Popular Home Remedies & Superstitions

I know it is not hard to believe that I might have impulse bought a book.  To be more precise, it is really a booklet and not really a book, so I don't feel too bad when I add it to the already overflowing bookshelf.  It is hard to call 32 pages a book. However, I am pretty sure that most members of my circle of friends would have done the same thing and snatched this booklet up and brought it home for future reference.  After all, how could you pass up Popular Home Remedies & Superstitions of the Pennsylvania Germans?  Only a crazy person would pass up the $2.95 bounty of wisdom from days gone by.  I certainly am not crazy.

The plethora of wisdom and advice found within the pages, certainly speaks to a time gone by, but in some ways, it is still be applicable today.  When common etiquette has gone out the window, I feel that the hodgepodge of advice from several centuries prior could come in handy.  After all  my survival might end up being dependent upon knowing what is considered a death omen. (Counting the conveyances at a funeral is not only an omen of death, but tacky. Don't do it.)

It is my recommend that if you ever happen upon any of the limit printings by The Aurand Press that you snatch them up a quickly as you can.  The charm and rarity of this folklore is sure to bring at least a small smile to a dour face.  Below are a couple of my favorite words of advice that I have gained from this publication. 

" If you can arrange to kiss a girl while you secrete a heart of a turtle-dove in your mouth, it will act as a love charm- no one can be sure of what may happen as a result." 

"Scratch a dog where he can't scratch himself and he won't run away"

"Take a hold of the big toe of a person talking in his sleep and he will tell you anything he knows- like being hypnotized."

Cast Role Call

Turning books into movies is a thing that happens all the time.  Books are used as original source material and it has spawned cinematic classics, family favorite and a ton of bad adaptations.  One of my favorite books, American Gods by Neil Gaiman was just adapted into a mini series.  I think the casting is spot on.  The actor that plays Mr. Wednesday makes me want to go reread the book.

Austin the cat is all cats. 

When a book you love is turned into a mini series, it can spark conversation of what other books would be fun movie adaptations or at the very least a mini series. One of favorite just for fun, need a good laugh books I like to reread in the bathtub is Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff. This has been a book that I have bought for friends to share the love and the chuckles and is one of my frequently gifted books.   I think Summon the Keeper would be a fun 8 part mini series that would be one of those fun summer specials.  

My friend, Faye and I were having a discussion on who we would think would be awesome casting if we could cast whom ever we wanted in Summon the Keeper.  I challenged her for her cast list, since we were having a difference of opinion.  Here is my cast for Summon the Keeper.   

Cast List:

Claire -  Anna Hathaway

Dean - Steven Amell

Augustus Smythe - Martin Short

Austin (voice) -  Benedict Cumberbatch (If he can play a dragon, then a cat is a piece of cake.)

Jacques - Nathan Fillion

Voices of Hell - Bret McKenzie & Jermaine Clement

Mrs. Abrams - Carol Kane

Sara- Annie Potts

Diana - Ellen Page

Martha- Kate Winslet

Sasha- Helena Bonham Carter

Ron & Reg (twins)- Chris Pine & Chris Pratt*

Hermes- Simon Pegg

Zeus- Chevy Chase

Hera- Andrea Martin

Hades-  Ian McKellan

Persephone-  Una Stubbs

Amphitrite-  Wanda Ventham

Poseidon- Michael Gambon

Dytie - Lainie Kazan

Hephaestus - Brian Doyle Murray

Professor Jackson- Rhys Darby

Now that I have completed my cast list, I have to chuckle.  I feel like this is one of those trivia lists and Faye is going to pull her hair out trying to remember where she has seen some of these names before.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with as a cast list.   If you have a favorite book, or even a book that you would loved to see made into a movie or mini series, what would it be?  

*Yes, I know that Chris Pine and Chris Pratt are not twins and not interchanageable.  

My Best Friend's Exorcism

My Best Friends Exorcism

If there was ever a bathtub book, My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix would be it. This is a book that was bought for my mother in law and then later borrowed by me, because it sounds really good.  One of my favorite modes of relaxation is to sit in a hot bath, with the music playing in the back ground, and read.   If the book is good enough, and the water is hot enough, you can sit there and feel all the tension slowly melt away in the salty scented swirling water.  I was a prune when I got to the halfway point of the book.

My Best Friend's Exorcism  is a cross between nostalgic sweetness and a train wreck that you can't look away from.  It is a young adult novel that takes you on a journey of unexpected proportions and you can feel yourself growing with the characters. It is oddly fascinating how well the 80's are portrayed and how spot on the feelings are with the time period and makes me wonder if my niece, Hannah would really get all the nuances of detail that made up being a child of the 80's if she were to read it.

It is one of those times that I would have to agree with the very brief description on the back of the book.  This is certainly a "a heartwarming story of friendship and demonic possession" and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoy reading Young Adult novels.

2016 Top 10 Gift Books

I love giving books as gifts, because they are easy to wrap and there is a book out there for everyone. They just don’t know it yet.  Here is a list of top 10 books that I have given as gifts. I am not going to repeat anything that I may have mentioned in my Sci Fi book Series list.    

My Top 10 Gift Books

1.        Furiously Happy- Jenny Lawson

2.       American Gods- Neil Gaimen 

3.       Anna Dressed in Blood- Kendel Blake

4.       Harold & the Purple Crayon- Crockett Johnson

5.       Animalia- Graham  Base

6.       Beauty: A Retelling- Robin McKinley

7.        Quizol-Alan Dean Foster

8.       Cooking for Geeks- Jeff Potter

9.       Pride, Prejudice & Zombies - Jane Austin and Seth Grahame  Smith

10.  Gil's All Fright Diner- A. Lee Martinez

I make no apologies for my list.  I like what I like and I like to share good reading material with others. Hopefully this helped supply some quick inspiration. 

Gift That Keeps On Giving

I have discovered that if I don’t force myself to write, then I won’t write. It is easier to talk myself out of writing than it is to string together a coherent thought.  I am going to go back to a blog post a day for a little bit to try and jump starts some good habits.  

I know I had mentioned in a previous blog a book gift idea list.  That is an incredibly hard thing to do. I have a love affair with books, and it is hard to pick a favorite one or two.  Instead I have broken it down into two lists.   One list is going to be a list of series to check out and which book to start with in that series and the other is going to be a list of ten books that I have most often gifted. I think between the two lists, that there is something for everyone. 

While composing this list, I realized that when I think of series, I mostly think of Science Fiction Fantasy. If you are not into Science Fiction or Fantasy this will hold no appeal to you and I recommend you to try back tomorrow on my most gifted books list. 

Book Series

1.        Dune- Frank Herbert- There is a total of 8 books in this classic Sci-Fi series.  I have probably watched every movie adaptation of this book, but I still have a love for the first book that set the entire stage. If you have someone just getting into Sci-Fi this is a great book to start with. 

2.       Small Gods- Terry Pratchett- There is a huge debate on where a person should start in the wonderful fantasy world of Discworld, and it could be a little daunting since there are 41 books within this series.  . Small Gods is the one that I started with and it opens the door to other characters without making you wish you had a back story. I look at it as the gateway book that ultimately lets you get a feel for the writers’ style and is massively entertaining. (In case you were wondering, a general search on the internet shows that Color of Magic is the book to start with, and I disagree.)

3.       Howl’s Moving Castle- Diane Wynne Jones- A fair number of people have seen the animated movie that was based off of the first book in this series. I have a great love for the movie (and almost anything Studio Ghibli) and a deep love for the book by the same name. Very rarely do I love a book and movie equally, but this is one of those rare times. There are a total of 3 books in this young adult series and each novel is a breath fresh air. 

4.       Summon the Keeper- Tanya Huff- I debated between two different series by Tanya Huff. I was debating between the Keeper Chronicles (3 books) and the Blood Books (6 books in total). I love both series and they are both radically different from each other. The Blood Books is a gritty vampire detective series and the Keeper Chronicles is a tongue in cheek sci-fi fairy tale romantic comedy. When it came down to it, I decided to go with the Keeper Chronicles, because I love the way that series makes me smile at the mental images it presents. 

5.        Darwin’s Radio- Greg Bear- There is only two books in this science fiction series, and it almost didn’t make this list. I put it on the lis///t because it isn’t light and fluffy. I read a lot of light and fluffy and find it relaxing, but this book is a far cry from my usual and if you like something a bit more serious and steeped in science then you will most likely love this book.  I like how this book made me think and is a good palate cleanse on some of the overly fluffy options out there. 

12 Gifts of a Questionable Genius

It is that time of the year when people are thinking of giving gifts. I love giving gifts. It is fun to share some of my favorite things with people that I like and hope that they will like them too.  I have a coworker that often picks my brain for ideas on what to get people, because I am “in tune” with the “nerd crowd”.  I am mostly positive that she means it as a compliment.  (Mostly)  I think it is just that I have a weird sense of humor, and I only buy stuff that amuses me.  

My go to for gifts is almost always books, because I love books. I love the weight of them. I love the smell of them. I love their stack-ability and their easy wrap-ability. Not to mention, I love getting engrossed in a story and being able to share that with other people. I am pretty sure there is some type of book for everyone.  They just don’t know it yet. 

I am not going to turn this into a list of books to buy people, because despite the wonderful wrap-ability and stack-ability of books, I do like to mix it up and think outside of the box for gifts. Instead I am going to list 12 non-book idea’s to consider. (Spoiler- 12 book idea’s will be posted in a future post.)

1.        Geodes-

Crack them yourself variety. (Fun hands on project that is okay to beat with a hammer.  I would include the hammer, but only if the other person really likes you. ) 

2.       Tie-Dye Kit

 (There can never be enough tie- dye! What else can you look like your murdered a clown, without actually murdering a clown.) 

3.       Funky Socks

 (Everyone needs socks even, if they don’t’ want to admit it.)

4.       Grave Robbers from Outer Space 

(This might be one of my favorite games & it is a great stocking stuffer! I  might have to do a top 12 games list.  There are lots of awesome games out there!)

5.       Mushroom Growing Kit 

(Even people that can’t grow things can do this. I did it and it was awesome!)

6.       Road Trip First Aid Kit 

(I know this sounds boring, but there is always that one person that prefers utilitarian gifts and you don’t ever realize you need a first aid kit until it is too late.)

7.      Throwing Stars

(Embrace your inner ninja. Do it! I feel like this sells itself and doesn't really need talked up on how awesome and unexpected it is to receive a throwing star.)

8.       Head Lamp 

(Another one of the practical gifts, but come on, everyone can use a hands free flash light. Think about how the horror movie industry would crumble and fail if people didn't have flashlights to drop in the dark.  If it is attached to your head, you can't drop it unless you lose your head!  Total win.)

9.       Thumb Drives

(Easy, useful and can be found in a wide variety of styles to meet every ones needs.  I probably lose as many thumb drives as I actually use.)

10.      Cat Bus Plush 

(I have been educated by my nieces that everyone loves stuffed animals. I think this one is awesome, but if you aren't into anime at all, then perhaps the Three Toed Sloth plush is a good second choice.)

11.      French Press 

(Probably one of the most adult recommends I have, but it is useful.  It doesn't matter if you are a coffee or a tea drinker or if you are just looking to infuse something. French presses are pretty awesome.)

12.      Chia Pet 

(Nobody ever expects to get a chia pet. That is what makes them fun.)

 It was hard not to put my genius ideas that I am implementing this year down in the list, but I am sure some people will recognize some of these awesome gifts from past years.  I think that the trick to gift giving is to get them something that you would also like to receive, because it shows that you care.

Read or Die

Manga R.O.D.

There is a fine line between a manga and anime. You may like one and not the other.  I have watched a good bit of anime in my life, but the number of manga novels I have consumed I can count on one hand. In the depths of my to be read pile was volume one of R.O.D. Also known as Read Or Die. 

Years ago, I had watched the anime by the same name and had enjoyed it. This manga is the inspiration for the anime, which is what made me want to read it. There is something fun about having a protagonist called The Paper  or Agent Paper that loves books. I think it speaks to me.  It is like if I had a super power, it would be something that I would pick. 

Anime R.O.D

R.O.D. is a fun read. The beginning of the story is a little weak, but I think it only seems that way to me since I am comparing the book to the show I know you aren't supposed to do that, but it is hard to separate the two, when the show is why you wanted to read the book in the first place. Anything can seem slow when you are trying to build anticipation.  I didn't dislike the manga and it was only volume one, but it didn't really inspire me to see what happens next.  

The insanity of it! 

There were some things that I had really enjoyed that gave me pause to chuckle, such as having a book as a literary weapon, and that reading it will drive a person insane.  A little Lovecraft nod, but something that amused me. There are a few other literary nods in between that pages that kept me entertained.  This is certainly not a serious read. 

I will have to check my book stack to see if I picked up more than just volume one and see if it gets better.  The story (so far) made me want to go an reread all my favorite books and immerse myself in a good story with a hot cup of tea and forget about the world for a little bit. I don't think think that was what the manga was trying to convey, or maybe it was. There is a certain amount of love and adventure that can be gained when you are reading for pleasure, and this volume reminded me of that. 

Sewing Cats

I don't think of myself as creative. I think of myself as someone that can for the most part follow instructions.  This talent of being able to follow instructions is what is leading to a hobby in sewing.  It has first started with a book quilt for a baby shower.  Then there was a giant squid for the White Elephant Party and then swiftly there were several dinosaur tails with only one of them bring haunted and an impressive Nessie that soon followed.

I never thought that I would love sewing.  In fact it was something that I learned as kid, made a couple of disastrous skirts and refused to pick up again except for heming pant legs and fixing pockets. I am quickly finding myself in fabric stores drooling over fabric patterns and trying to talk myself out of purchasing stuff off of the clearance rack.

I think part of my joy with sewing is my sewing companions.  You would think that sewing would be a solitary hobby. I am never alone at the sewing machine.  There is always at least one cat that is vastly interested in what I am doing and may try to help me cut out a pattern or watch me from the other side of the machine.

 I think that it is healthy for my cats my cats to take an interest in my hobbies. It makes them more rounded individuals and gives thems something unique to chat about when I am not around.  That is assuming that my cats talk about me when I am not around in nice terms and not that large slow thing that feeds us the stinky wet food that is delicious.  I don't know what sewing projects are in the future, other then a few secret ones that I can't talk about because they are gifts.  (Dad, don't read this post.) I do know that my sewing buddies will be there, and getting into things, because curiosity is also one of their favorite hobbies. 

Awesome

Have you ever read a book that with a turn of the page it can take you from laughing uncontrollably to sobbing your heart out and still make you want to turn the page? I just finished reading Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and I wish I could buy everyone copy. If I had a spirit animal, I am pretty sure it would be Jenny, because she makes me want embrace the sharp jagged pieces of my self in a loving embrace and be happy with them, because they are mine.   The sheer amount of bravery it takes to open up about the depression and how it is a sickness that not only affects you as an individual but also those that are closest to you and the way the rest  of the world sees you  is heroic. 

Each chapter in the book is Shakespeare.  It is either a comedy or a tragedy and full of made up words that are now commonplace.   There are some chapters that make question whether or not taxidermy would fit in my decor  or if it is one of those arts that I can appreciate in some one else's house.  There are other chapters that make appreciate my husband and the idiotic conversations we engage each other it, because being dumb with each is half the fun of being married.  If I had to sum of Furiously Happy, I would say that it has heart and so few books touch mine the way this one did. It reminded me to embrace the adventures I go on and own them, because there are no do overs and appreciate those that give your life character.  Sometimes I need that reminder that quitting isn't going to solve anything and that it is okay to be weird.  Weird is some one else's normal. 

"Quitting might be easier, but it wouldn't be better."
 - Jenny & Victor

Quilt of Books

My dear friends decided that they wanted to combine DNA. I was and am very excited for them. They live in the harsh New England area and it is said to get a fair bit brisk there than it does in my location.  I had this brilliant idea that I would make them a book quilt.  Books are unisex and everyone of any size and shape can enjoy them and they can grow with you and help you grow.
Quilts are warm and help you survive through the winter.  It was a perfect combination in my mind.

The only hitch in that plan, is that while I have done quilts in the past, I haven't really done a quilt.  Normally my mother and I will work on a quilt together. My job normally has something to do with the acquisition of fabric and supplies and the manual labor of hand tying it when it has been assembled.  My job has never been the math in the quilt, until now.  My mother was unavailable to assist in this adventure, and with the help of some creative excel spreadsheet mapping, I had a plan and some math flushed out.

Where The Wild Things Are

The plan was simple.  I have one large block that I draw a book cover on and then I have color block around the side of it. Then it all gets sewn together on a flat sheet with batting and add a border. It would test not only my artistic skills, but my limited sewing skills. It was a simple plan and I gave myself two weeks to get it accomplished in time for their shower.

The beautiful thing about math, is that number don't lie, however if you ignore them or perhaps don't pay attention to them, then things get a little interesting. All off that math I spent a day mapping out turned out to be mostly useless, because I bought the wrong sheet size in my supplies gathering, and had to wing it from there on out.

I could go through the ins and outs of what it takes to make a quilt and how much fun it is to try and do anything with a super helpful cat that thinks that it is his job to lay on everything or chew on any of the strips of fabric, but I won't.  I had promised that I would give a guide to the book covers that was used on the blanket. This is that guide. From the top row, where Iggins is standing going left to right is the following:


1. The Hobbit
2. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
3. Brisinger
4. Pride & Prejudice
5. Dune
6. Moby Dick
7. Alice in Wonderland
8. Don Quixote
9. Disc World (I couldn't choose just one book!)
10. The Last Unicorn
11. Harry Potter (Again I couldn't pick just one!)
12. We Have Always Lived in the Castle
13. Peter Rabbit
14. Where the Side Walk Ends
15. Where the Wild Things Ate
16. Sherlock Holmes (Okay so maybe there are several book series on here, but they were needed!)
17. Game of Thrones
18. Batman (Frank Miller's Batman was one of the first graphic novels according to my husband and everyone needs Batman in their life.)
19. The Phantom Tollbooth.
20. The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe  21. Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.

I had a lot of fun working on this, and while it might not be a perfect quilt with all the straight lines and defined lines that my mother would have done, but I am still proud of it.  It was fun to think about what sort of books should be on the quilt and whether or not I could mimic any of the art. My husband was a great support in looking for images for inspiration and listening to him campaign as to which books he felt should be on the quilt.  If anything my friends have a reading list they can pass down to future generations.

Throwback Highschool

What is high school like?

My niece inquired of me recently.   My first response was an exploitive, which thankfully wasn’t heard, since she had asked via text.   I have been free of the strains of high school longer than she has been alive.  Part of me can still remember where my locker was located and that awkward way the band uniform fit, where it was a half strangle with my neck strap to my saxophone.

I needed more information, before I answered the question. Was she looking for what my entire high school career experience or just what it was like to be a freshmen? Those are two different answers, and both of them are long, and much longer than I would ever put in a text message.  Of course she wanted to know it all, as if I had all the secrets to the universe or just the secret to surviving high school unscathed.  I figured I would take my time and really answer the question instead of answering her that high school is one of the circles of hell, because while it may be partially true, it isn’t the whole truth.

What is it like to be a Freshmen?

A lot of people will attend high school with the same people that they attended intermediate and elementary school. I was not that lucky, or perhaps unlucky.  I hailed from the west coast, the land of sunshine, earthquakes and tacos. Moving to a new school and new state and not knowing a single soul was daunting as a freshman. That first year was awkward and full of me playing catch up, socially and educationally. Core curriculum is not universal and things that were assumed to be taught in previous grades for me had at best been glossed over. I felt like an idiot most of the time. Overall from what I can remember, being a freshman is like going from a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond. It is a change a perspective that as much as you mentally gird yourself for the change, you will still find yourself floundering from time to time.

What was my high school career like?

The things I learned in high school I didn’t know I learned until I got out of high school.  High school is about the experience and during high school there is the pressure to escape the prison of forced education and peer groups and live your life the way you want to live it.  The friends you have in high school very rarely follow you for the rest of your life once you leave and who you are in high school does not define who you will be the rest of your life, it just add perspective. You will have your heart broken and possibly break someone else’s heart. You will be stressed and things will seem terribly large and important that in hindsight may not be that way and you won’t be able to tell it isn’t important because it is happening right at that moment.  You will wish you died of embarrassment on multiple occasions, between your parents being lame and just not understanding or your friends being lame and immature. I think that Charles Dickens may have described high school most accurately with the first line out of Tale of Two Cities.

“IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

I wanted to be sure that I covered everything without going overboard. I texted my niece to inquire if there was something specific that I should cover about my time in high school. My gut clenched thinking that she would ask me about boys, sex, drinking or pranks that went on when I was in high school. She did have one question.

“How much homework is there?”

My head could have hit my desk with a loud thunk. I have obviously over thought all of this, but seeing as it is already composed and “Throw Back Thursday”, I’ll give her all the answers she didn’t know to ask and answer the one question she did ask.  Homework is going to be there and at times there is going to be a lot of it, but out of all the things that will give you nightmares and daydreams, homework is not one of them.  I hardly remember the home work I did and have no regrets over the home work I didn’t, but am certainly glad for the depth and perceptions that were granted to me with home work I did do. 

Wytches

My brother came out for a visit and we swapped comics, canned goods and beverages.  I wasn't sure what to expect when my brother recommended Wytches from Image to me. My brother and I are still working on find our common ground in genre.  He likes horror and dark comedy. I like some dark comedy and very little horror. I tend to go for more adventure. I had a little bit of trepidation when it came to picking up his recommend. In the end I didn't have a choice. He brought me a copy and left it in my vicinity and my natural curiosity was awoken.

I know that I have read some comic books by Scott Snyder before, but it has been a while. When it has been a while, you forget how much you enjoy a certain style. Wytches is good, which is much like saying that the sun is hot. The story has interesting dynamics that have to do with the family and human nature while maintaining a horrifying fiendish element.  Without giving away too much as to what is going on in the story is that you can pledge some one and if your pledge is accepted you are granted one wish. Now image if some one close to you has been pledged. Welcome to Wytches. The art works well with the story and gives it a gritty feel when needed.  I am not sure if it is a good thing that my brother recommended the book to me, or if he is trying to tell me I have been pledged.  I am looking forward to the next volume and if I have been pledged I hope I can figure a way out of it before it is too late.