Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
TGI... E???
I had not a clue that Ender's Game was being made into a movie. (I just had a nerd-gasm of earth-shattering proportion...)
Rubber-Necking
Jim Carrey and Nicholas Cage in the same movie? Yep. It's either going to be truly "Kick-Ass"...
... or a complete train wreck.
Whaddaya think?
... or a complete train wreck.
Whaddaya think?
What A Trip!
I'm not big on seeing a movie after I've already seen the book, BUT...
I'm SO seeing Life of Pi. If the trailer is any indication, it will be as magical as the book itself. I don't know if anyone other than Ang Lee could have really done this story justice.
I'm SO seeing Life of Pi. If the trailer is any indication, it will be as magical as the book itself. I don't know if anyone other than Ang Lee could have really done this story justice.
Busman's Holiday
My pal from the north woods is coming to visit again this weekend. Here's the list of possibilities I sent him:
Here are some things we haven't tried before:Never let it be said I'm not as flexible as a rhythm gymnast when it comes to entertaining a guest!
http://www.medievaltimes.com/chicago.aspx (Discount tix available here: http://www.goldstar.com/ events/schaumburg-il/medieval- times-dinner-and-tournament) I'd still like to see "Brave" and/or "Moonrise Kingdom" http://www.fandango.com/chicago_il_movietimes/ Also, I'd see "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" again - http://www.pickwicktheatre.com/nowplaying.asp Additionally, in random order:And we haven't been to Buddy Guy's in quite some time!Also, there is this at Millennium Park: http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_ landing/special_events/dca_ tourism/Grant_Park_Music_ Festival.html And if you still don't find anything that trips your trigger, go here: http://chicago.metromix.com/events
Screeching Halt
This is wrong on so many levels I can't even begin to count. It's even worse casting than this...
... and I didn't think that was humanly possible.
Drive-Bys
I'm all jazzed up because my favorite book of all time...
...has been made into a movie by Ang Lee, and will be released in November!
No trailer available yet, but the official website is gorgeous and this teaser looks awesome:
(Not sure I'm crazy about the casting of Tobey McGuire, though -- but that's just me.)
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Apparently there's an app for everything:
For those that despair of kids these days, here's some more good news:
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Ear Worm of the Day:
(This has been firmly embedded in my noggin since about 8:00 last night, and there is no sign of shaking it any time soon!)
...has been made into a movie by Ang Lee, and will be released in November!
No trailer available yet, but the official website is gorgeous and this teaser looks awesome:
(Not sure I'm crazy about the casting of Tobey McGuire, though -- but that's just me.)
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Apparently there's an app for everything:
The cell phone came in handy again when they used an app that produces a strobe light to help rescue workers locate them._____
For those that despair of kids these days, here's some more good news:
If there's a Disney writer looking for a movie idea that'll make kids pump their fists with joy and leave parents teary-eyed, look no further than the real story of a San Clemente Little League team coached this year by kids.
The team that couldn't find a coach, finally getting permission from the league to bring in two San Clemente High School freshmen to lead it, concluded an improbable season Saturday by winning the District 68 Tournament of Champions in improbable fashion.
Coaches Chris Puckett, 15, and Cameron Shelley, 14, guided their crew of 12- to 14-year-olds to three straight victories in the tournament at Beebe Park in Mission Viejo, finishing with a 10-9 victory.
This was a team that at the outset of the season drew smirks from some opponents because of its youthful coaches who look like they could be playing on the field. The team started with skeptical parents and an 0-2 record. But the players took the two teens' baseball tutelage to heart, improving to 6-4 by midseason before going on a 10-2 tear in the second half.Well done, gentlemen!
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Ear Worm of the Day:
(This has been firmly embedded in my noggin since about 8:00 last night, and there is no sign of shaking it any time soon!)
In the Rear-View Mirror
On Father's Day, some things that remind me of my own Darling Daddy:
I miss him on Father's Day and every day.
- The scent of classic original Chapstick, which he always carried in his right front pocket;
- Cross Pen's Classic Century pen and pencil set tucked in a smart sport coat breast pocket;
- Capper & Capper suits;
- A bowl of nuts in the shell and a nutcracker set on a hearth, next to a recliner;
- The drive from Chicago to Boston and back in a Ford Country Squire station wagon;
- Slide rules;
- Elaborate menus for home dinner parties;
- A snore that rattles the walls;
- Fried bologna or fried salami on white bread with yellow mustard;
- Church ushers;
- Grace Kelly, Veronica Lake or Julie Andrews considered a hottie;
- Cotton handkerchiefs, freshly washed and ironed and smelling of spray sizing, in his left front pocket;
- Blenders full of frozen daiquiris at patio parties in the summer;
- Precise printing and cursive handwriting;
- PGA and LPGA golf on television;
- Church league softball games;
- The scent of Right Guard anti-perspirant;
- A deep, steady heartbeat;
- His favorite song, from his favorite movie:
- The phrase, "I'm just resting my eyes."
I miss him on Father's Day and every day.
Drive-Bys
Got a Kindle and want to remove books from the archive permanently? Here's how. Good to know!
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I'm currently reading...
... so I found this column by Eric Zorn of great interest:
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Giggle of the Day:
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Ear Worm of the Day:
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I'm currently reading...
... so I found this column by Eric Zorn of great interest:
The schools are public. The funds to be spent are public. On one side of the table is a public body. Why shouldn't the public have a seat at that table, if only to listen in through the media to the offers and counter-offers?I don't always see eye-to-eye with Zorn, but on this topic he's bang on the money. Go read the whole thing. And then go buy this book. It's guaranteed to set your hair on fire!
Negotiating a contract of this dimension is a major governmental act — far more significant than many of the twists of the statutory knob that must, by law, be performed by legislative bodies at open meetings.
Closed doors are antithetical to democracy. Our traditions tell us that public oversight and input not only help keep officials honest, but also aid them in their quest to represent the will of the people (assuming that is their quest).
In the case of teachers union negotiations, parents are major stakeholders — even more so than most taxpayers — yet are totally shut out of the process until the parties emerge from marathon bargaining sessions brandishing a settlement.
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Giggle of the Day:
Ear Worm of the Day:
Hello??? Is This Thing On???
Sorry I've been so silent of late. I've been off in search of my blogging mojo, which seems to have done a runner.
I'm blaming the whole radio silence thing on my lack of permanent choppers. I was de-fanged both literally and metaphorically, it seems. It's very weird, but being very self-conscious about speaking really has made me self-conscious about blogging as well.
Fortunately, I should have the white, shiny, pretty new teeth within the next week or so. Then look out, world!
In the meantime, here are a few more things they don't tell you at the beginning of this whole adventure in replacing every tooth in your mouth at once:
More pix to follow when I finally sport the permanent pearlies, and I hope my blogging mojo is reinstalled at the same time!
I'm blaming the whole radio silence thing on my lack of permanent choppers. I was de-fanged both literally and metaphorically, it seems. It's very weird, but being very self-conscious about speaking really has made me self-conscious about blogging as well.
Fortunately, I should have the white, shiny, pretty new teeth within the next week or so. Then look out, world!
In the meantime, here are a few more things they don't tell you at the beginning of this whole adventure in replacing every tooth in your mouth at once:
- They can put your temporary teeth in the same day that they take your real ones out.
- You'll have your temporaries put in and taken out at least four times, on the other hand, before you get your permanents:
- Your oral surgeon will take them out to make sure your implants have bonded properly. He'll take another set of x-rays at that time. You'll feel like just like this guy:
Actually, you do look just like him.
- Your regular dentist (or the good folks at the implant clinic if you go that route) will take your teeth out to take a preliminary set of impressions to start in on making your permanent bridges. Once again, you'll feel lovely:
- Your dentist will have you back in to take the temporaries out and put in the bases for the permanent bridges. He/she will build a Mini Cooper in your mouth, plaster it in Bondo and yank it out again. You will look like Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me and probably could chew through cables for a couple of hours, anyway.
- Your dentist will ask you to come back in again, wherein one thing will happen if your last Bondo job (set of impressions) went well or two things will happen if it didn't (and you can guess, with my luck, which was my fate). First, teeth come out and they build a moped in your mouth. No, it's not as big as the Mini Cooper, but it comes with some seriously scary spikes and you're not allowed to shut your mouth for fear of impaling your gums on the damned things. More Bondo is involved. Second (or first if your prior Bondo job was successfull), they yank the motor works and insert a concept car so they can adjust the carburetor and kick the tires a few times. The concept car is comprised of your pretty, permanent porcelain teeth set in a wax mold. ( You'd better hope like hell that they work faster than a pit crew or the wax will start melting.) More tinkering ensues, then the concept car is sent back to the laboratory for more work.
- Here's the good part -- you finally get your shiny new teeth. I, of course, am not there yet... but SOON.
- Remind your dentist to take the bottom bridge out before taking the top bridge out. It gives 'em more room to work and and doesn't make you feel like your jaw should be hinged so that they could just flip your head wide open.
- Remind your dentist to use the longer screwdriver. Just trust me on this. It's the longer screwdriver that will make the job go faster.
- None of this, of course, happens in a day -- it takes months. Months after you've healed.
- If having unwieldy temporary teeth makes eating difficult, even more so it shoots the hell right out of your love life. Yes, I look pretty, but I'm not comfortable with the concept of making out with a mouth full of acrylic.
More pix to follow when I finally sport the permanent pearlies, and I hope my blogging mojo is reinstalled at the same time!
Drive-Bys
My friend with the farookin' fabulous heada hair gets freaked out by alligators and crocodiles. Me?
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When I heard they'd signed Katherine Heigl to play Stephanie Plum, I knew One for the Money was going to be bad... but I had no idea it was going to be this bad:
Seriously, that's some of the worst casting since The Bridges of Madison County, which I also predicted would be awful, given the horrible miscasting of Eastwood and Streep.
Don't bother with the movie, but do get the book, which is hilarious.
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Get your hankies out for the winners of the American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards.
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Looks like TOTUS has been dragged out of mothballs and plugged back in. Huzzah!
Authorities in a state in Brazil's northeast are scrambling to take the fright and the bite off the beach after piranhas sunk their teeth into about 100 beachgoers, UOL Noticias reported.Ay caramba!The problem -- rather fearsome given piranhas' horror-movie teeth and ability to sink them into human flesh -- has been the biggest at the main beach area in Piaui state; authorities said they need to act fast to reduce a piranha overpopulation situation.
Last weekend, at least 100 bathers were treated at the hospital in Jose de Freitas not far from Terezina, Piaui's capital, after being bitten on the heels or toes at the local beach.
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When I heard they'd signed Katherine Heigl to play Stephanie Plum, I knew One for the Money was going to be bad... but I had no idea it was going to be this bad:
Seriously, that's some of the worst casting since The Bridges of Madison County, which I also predicted would be awful, given the horrible miscasting of Eastwood and Streep.
Don't bother with the movie, but do get the book, which is hilarious.
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Get your hankies out for the winners of the American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards.
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Looks like TOTUS has been dragged out of mothballs and plugged back in. Huzzah!
Quick Stops
Via Instapundit, I see some poor mope compares Obama to Truman and actually believes it's possible The One can win the same way Give 'Em Hell Harry did.
Perhaps.
But not until The One mans up and changes the nameplate on his desk from "I Never Met A Buck I Couldn't Pass!" to:
Between you and me, I don't think that's at all possible.
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Oh, man! I love the whole Jack Reacher series, and this news is so wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to begin:
Count me among the many who will be boycotting this one.
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Perhaps.
But not until The One mans up and changes the nameplate on his desk from "I Never Met A Buck I Couldn't Pass!" to:
Between you and me, I don't think that's at all possible.
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Oh, man! I love the whole Jack Reacher series, and this news is so wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to begin:
He is certainly a huge celebrity, but as far as size goes, Tom Cruise is not exactly big.Check out Reacher's stats, per the novelist himself, here. If you can, with a straight face, 'splain me how they can turn the Poison Dwarf into that towering giant of a man, I'll buy your cocktails for a month.
However the 49-year-old movie star's next leading role is playing giant Jack Reacher in the film adaptation of Lee Child's thriller book One Shot.
Count me among the many who will be boycotting this one.
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Saturday Ramblings
Which GOP presidential candidate has Obama worried? It's not Mitt or Michelle or Tim or Ron:
Presidential bearing? Check.
Executive experience? Check.
Military service? Check.
Self-made man? Check.
I like Perry's announcement speech because he ignored all the other GOP candidates and acted as though he's only running against one opponent -- the one that's currently in the White House. If he keeps that up, he'll really have my respect.
Update: Yep. Perry's entry into the race is alarming the Obama Dems. Any guy who has the far lefties up in arms is the right guy for me.
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What's at the root of the UK riots? Maybe parental attitudes like this:
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I haven't seen a really good heist job comedy in a long time. I have hope, because this looks promising:
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What is just about the silliest question ever posed?
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For Denny and Jimbo, who I could see doing this song:
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!
(A tip of the cap to GruntDoc for that little giggle.)
US President Barack Obama's top reelection strategist charged Friday that Republican White House hopeful and Texas Governor Rick Perry had "very little to do" with his state's economic success.And well he should be worried about Perry.
Presidential bearing? Check.
Executive experience? Check.
Military service? Check.
Self-made man? Check.
I like Perry's announcement speech because he ignored all the other GOP candidates and acted as though he's only running against one opponent -- the one that's currently in the White House. If he keeps that up, he'll really have my respect.
Update: Yep. Perry's entry into the race is alarming the Obama Dems. Any guy who has the far lefties up in arms is the right guy for me.
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What's at the root of the UK riots? Maybe parental attitudes like this:
‘But, I believe our human rights have been completely taken for granted. Daniel was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.Marvelous job, Mum.
‘As a mother, I’m not responsible for my son’s actions and they are penalising me for his actions.’
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I haven't seen a really good heist job comedy in a long time. I have hope, because this looks promising:
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What is just about the silliest question ever posed?
"Can brownies be too rich?"Really?
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For Denny and Jimbo, who I could see doing this song:
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!
(A tip of the cap to GruntDoc for that little giggle.)
Drive-Bys
Giggle of the Day:
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Facebook once again is rolling out something you should know about... and probably don't.
Check your settings, m'kay?
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You mean the glaciers aren't shrinking after all??? (Global warming. It's a beautiful thing.)
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Chocolate-Peanut Spread that not only looks delicious, but is incredibly easy to make.
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What complete idiocy is this?
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The most sensible (and conservative) article ever to grace the pages of the Chicago Tribune can be found here.
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When even a regular union guy doesn't back the Chicago Teachers Union, you know the public school system is broken:
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The Rahm Emanuel Hokey Pokey is finally over: The Illinois Supreme Court says he can put is left foot in.
Ear Worm of the Day?
That's what it's all about!
_____Facebook once again is rolling out something you should know about... and probably don't.
Check your settings, m'kay?
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You mean the glaciers aren't shrinking after all??? (Global warming. It's a beautiful thing.)
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Chocolate-Peanut Spread that not only looks delicious, but is incredibly easy to make.
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What complete idiocy is this?
Moviegoers planning to see “The King’s Speech” after the Oscars might see a different version than what has already been released.Puh-leeze! Go to the "R" rated version or you'll miss half the fun. (Just ask the Mad Minnesotan.)
Executive producer Harvey Weinstein is mulling an idea to re-edit the R-rated movie — which received 12 Oscar nominations Tuesday, more than any other film — to get a different rating, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Weinstein, who said he is discussing the idea with director Tom Hooper, is aiming for a PG-13 or even a PG. The move would be part of a marketing strategy intended to up the film’s appeal to a broader swath of moviegoers.
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The most sensible (and conservative) article ever to grace the pages of the Chicago Tribune can be found here.
6. We can’t be dependent on the government.Who knew?
Remember the immortal words of President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you ... ” Plan for independence, because there is no way our country can take care of all of us as we age. Of course, America has always taken care of the neediest among us, and will always try to do so. But will we have the resources and the growth to provide for everyone? Or will we resort to debt and money printing? And how long will that work?
These past few years should have taught us that government, under both political parties, can’t solve all our problems or fix all our economic suffering. It can only provide the framework for growth that comes from people at every level of our society.
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When even a regular union guy doesn't back the Chicago Teachers Union, you know the public school system is broken:
Bryant Coulter is a firefighter who considers himself a pro-union guy, but prefers non-union charters schools. “I saw five fights while waiting to talk to an assistant principal at the CPS high school my son went to,” said Coulter. The difference was “night and day” after switching to charter schools, he said.The current head of the teachers union is an asshat, BTW:
Charter schools are just a marketing scheme trying to sell a product that doesn’t work — just like a weight loss gimmick she once fell for. “Guess what?” said Lewis. “I’m still a fat girl.”Guess what, Karen? Apparently you're half wrong -- you're still fat, I agree.
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The Rahm Emanuel Hokey Pokey is finally over: The Illinois Supreme Court says he can put is left foot in.
Ear Worm of the Day?
That's what it's all about!
Weekend Rambles
Friday:
- The Hubble IMAX show (interesting) and Jim Henson/Muppets exhibit (absolutely charming!) at the Museum of Science and Industry
- A stroll through the Chicago Cultural Center, with lots of time spent on the Vivian Maier street photography exhibit (fantastic -- don't miss it!) and the Portrait Project and Project Onward (loved!)
- A force-march (I'm famous for these) over to Klay Oven for a delightful dinner
- Another death-march back across town with stops at the original Billy Goat, the Wrigley building and Tribune Tower
- Back to DP for cocktails at the Miner Street Tavern
- Home
Saturday:
- Brunch at the Sugar Bowl (huge! "Crepes? I can't get through a day with you on crepes!")
- Gold, Sue and Africa exhibits at the Field Museum of Natural History
- A leisurely drive up Lake Shore Drive and the Lake Michigan Circle Tour as far north as Glenview
- Zip back down to Golf Mill Mall for a quick dinner of pulled pork sandwiches (who knew food court food could be that good?) and then off to see True Grit (how many Oscars will this movie be nominated for?) at the AMC theater
- Back to Jimmy's in DP for the end of the Packers/Ravens game and cocktails
Sunday:
- Lunch and Bears game in the bar at Jimmy's
- A swing through Shop 'n Save to pick up exotic groceries that the mad Minnesotan can't get up in the frozen north
- Home and collapse
See you later!
Update: Add a massage at the mall for the Minnesotan, another visit to the food court and The King's Speech (stupendous) to the day's activities. I didn't get a heck of a lot accomplished this weekend, but we covered a hell of a lot of ground in the process!
P.S. -- Whoohoo! Go Bears! Go Hawks!
Saturday Ramblings
Ear Worm of the Day:
Blame it on the Son of Eli.
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Ooooo, lookie here! Macy's is having a huge sale on Frangos, and the shipping is really reasonable. Get 'em while you can!
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Thinking about getting your dear one(s) an e-reader or perhaps and iPad for Christmas? Read this article first. That's about as clear and unbiased review as you can get.
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Sunday Schedule
Once again, some entities are more equal than others in the eyes of the White House when it comes to Obama Care:
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Quote of the Day:
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If you live in NYC, you'd better make sure that either your pet stays indoors or it has a collar and tag or is microchipped... or your lost pet may be toast.
Hoffman said, by law, an unclaimed animal can be adopted out or euthanized after as little as 48 hours, although it usually takes longer than that.Spread the word.
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Oooooo! Bacon-wrapped pork belly. Sounds fabulous.
_____Movie Review of the Day:
The movie is imaginative, gripping and completely undone by an epilogue that is nothing short of bonkers.Based on that quote alone, I might just have to see that movie.
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Quote of the Day:
“People don’t understand their purchases make a difference, and that by buying something that wasn’t exactly what you want, it gets you closer to what you want. It’s an investment.”No, that wasn't President Tin-Ear... but I bet she voted for him!
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Giggle of the Day:
If you've ever been owned by a cat, you've witnessed this in real time.
Book Your Ticket
I'm still processing my way through my maiden voyage to the Hysterics at Eric's and will post on that soon. In the meantime, I found this via Tommy, who may be big, but is not stupid...
1. Favorite childhood book?
It was a set called "The Children's Classics," bound in deep, rich, shiny cordovan leather and embossed with the profiles of a young boy and girl, that came with our Encylopaedia Britannica. The set contained Black Beauty, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and many more. I read and re-read those books.
2. What are you reading right now?
Liar, Liar by K.J. Larsen.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None. Although I have a library card, I almost never have time to stop there.
4. Bad book habit?
Yes.
5. What do you currently havechecked out at the library teed up on your Kindle?
Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, Edited by Harriet Elinor Smith; Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know, Hamilton Wright Mabie; Worth Dying For: A Reacher Novel, Lee Child; The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause, L. Frank Baum; The Reluctant Mage, Karen Miller; Hour of the Hunter, J.A. Jance; Diary of Samuel Pepys; The Mountain of Marvels, Aaron Shepard; and Decision Points, George W. Bush.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
My bosses gave me a Kindle for Christmas last year. I carry it with me everywhere. In fact, I love it so much that I bought one for my sister-in-law!
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One book at a time. I'm a really fast reader, so it doesn't make sense for me to jump around too much.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not since starting a blog. My reading habits really slowed down, however, when I got a computer at home!
9. Least favorite book you read this year?
The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It ranks right up there with The Bonfire of the Vanities, which I loathe and have never been able to force myself to finish. The Fitzgerald book has equally miserable characters.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Beatrice and Virgil by Yan Martel. It's a beautiful, terrible, immensely moving book.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
All the time!
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Cozies, mysteries, fiction and the occasional panty-dropper.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I can and do all the time.
14. Favorite place to read?
Everywhere and anywhere I have five or more minutes.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I don't lend books any more. I'll give you a book if I'm done with it. If it's one of my all-time favorites that I read over and over again, I'll buy you one, but you can't have mine.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! That's sacrilegious!
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Again, no. But I do like the highlighter and notes features on my Kindle.
18. Not even with text books?
Ask me in January.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. I can do a little Spanish and a little French, but not enough to do a whole book.
20. What makes you love a book?
Finely drawn characters. A great story line. The delicious details of time, place, and the five senses. Something that makes me stretch a bit. Being able to close my eyes and effortlessly envision the characters and the scenery.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I have to love the book myself, and know the reading tastes of the person I'm recommending the book to.
22. Favorite genre?
Who can pick?
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Business books. I really enjoyed Rembrandts in the Attic, Freakonomics and Digital Phoenix. I should raid my own company's library more often.
24. Favorite biography?
The Lyndon Johnson series by Robert Caro. Fascinating stuff.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I'm Okay - You're Okay, and that was back in my hippy-dippy camp counselor days.
26. Favorite cookbook?
The Princess Mom's old Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or nonfiction)?
Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiorty, by Tom Burrell (whom I also got to meet at the Chicago Book Fair).
28. Favorite reading snack?
Honey roasted cashews. Pistachios. Smokehouse almonds.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I won't say "hype" so much as say I had an author believe her own hype so much her books became expensive and overrated retreads -- and that would be Janet Evanovich, who I no longer bother with.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't read a lot of critics. I read a book because it interests me, not because of what someone whom I've never met recommends for or against.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews??
If the book is bad and I save someone else from wasting their time and money, I don't feel bad at all. If the book is a so-so book and is written by a blogger, I have a harder time with that because I want to love the book and do love the person. Still, I think you've got to be honest. I've read blogger-written books that I've loved, and I've read blogger-written books that just didn't do it for me.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Latin or Greek.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character). Math and science are not my strengths. Still, Feynman makes it all approachable.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
My next textbook.
35. Favorite poet?
John Donne. I love the way he uses secular language to describe religious themes and religious language to describe secular themes.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I don't. I do, however, usually have at least three or four books teed up on my Kindle besides the current read.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Never.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Piscine Molitor Patel.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Tyrion Lannister, who is sometimes villain, sometimes not.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
More light-hearted reading. I save the heavy stuff for home.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Two days... and it nearly killed me.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
See 9 above. I've tried three times and never could get through more than six chapters of Bonfires. I won't even bother to try again with Beautiful.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Nothing. I once let a chicken burn so badly it welded itself to the pot and the house was filled with smoke. Because I was reading, I didn't notice a thing. (Yes, The Princess Mom was pissed.)
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Not a single one. I'm always so disappointed with the film because it doesn't match my own imagined version. I read the book or see the movie, but never both. The only exception I'm going to make with this policy is the HBO miniseries of Game of Thrones.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides. Babs really stank that one up.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Around $100.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
What skim? I open and inhale.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Bad writing. Not one character or idea I identify with.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
The Kindle does it for me. I've got a couple of series I like, and I keep them in order. Other than that, I keep organized by giving books away.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Give them away. There's not a chance in the world that I could afford to build the shelves to hold all of the books I've read. Besides, there's great pleasure in the giving and sharing!
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
No. (Other than textbooks. Which is about to change.)
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War, by James Bradley.
Also, The Mystery of Lewis Carroll: Discovering the Whimsical, Thoughtful and Sometimes Lonely Man Who Created "Alice in Wonderland" (the writer is delusional and makes arguments in favor of a pedophile) and The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Life of Pi, because the cover art just didn't appeal and I felt it was over-hyped (and which turned out to be my favorite book ever) and The Poisonwood Bible, again because the cover art didn't grab me.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Moby Dick, or, the whale by Herman Melville. Gadzooks, what a miserable slog that was.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
The Vicki Lewis Thompson Nerd series. The Aunt Dimity series. Anything by Hester Browne. The Billy Boyle World War II series. Brad Thor. Lee Child. Karen Miller. Jaqueline Carey. My nemesis -- George R.R. Martin. Jonathan Kellerman (but not his wife Faye). Is that enough to start with?
1. Favorite childhood book?
It was a set called "The Children's Classics," bound in deep, rich, shiny cordovan leather and embossed with the profiles of a young boy and girl, that came with our Encylopaedia Britannica. The set contained Black Beauty, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and many more. I read and re-read those books.
2. What are you reading right now?
Liar, Liar by K.J. Larsen.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None. Although I have a library card, I almost never have time to stop there.
4. Bad book habit?
Yes.
5. What do you currently have
Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, Edited by Harriet Elinor Smith; Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know, Hamilton Wright Mabie; Worth Dying For: A Reacher Novel, Lee Child; The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause, L. Frank Baum; The Reluctant Mage, Karen Miller; Hour of the Hunter, J.A. Jance; Diary of Samuel Pepys; The Mountain of Marvels, Aaron Shepard; and Decision Points, George W. Bush.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
My bosses gave me a Kindle for Christmas last year. I carry it with me everywhere. In fact, I love it so much that I bought one for my sister-in-law!
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One book at a time. I'm a really fast reader, so it doesn't make sense for me to jump around too much.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not since starting a blog. My reading habits really slowed down, however, when I got a computer at home!
9. Least favorite book you read this year?
The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
It ranks right up there with The Bonfire of the Vanities, which I loathe and have never been able to force myself to finish. The Fitzgerald book has equally miserable characters.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Beatrice and Virgil by Yan Martel. It's a beautiful, terrible, immensely moving book.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
All the time!
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Cozies, mysteries, fiction and the occasional panty-dropper.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I can and do all the time.
14. Favorite place to read?
Everywhere and anywhere I have five or more minutes.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I don't lend books any more. I'll give you a book if I'm done with it. If it's one of my all-time favorites that I read over and over again, I'll buy you one, but you can't have mine.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! That's sacrilegious!
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Again, no. But I do like the highlighter and notes features on my Kindle.
18. Not even with text books?
Ask me in January.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. I can do a little Spanish and a little French, but not enough to do a whole book.
20. What makes you love a book?
Finely drawn characters. A great story line. The delicious details of time, place, and the five senses. Something that makes me stretch a bit. Being able to close my eyes and effortlessly envision the characters and the scenery.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I have to love the book myself, and know the reading tastes of the person I'm recommending the book to.
22. Favorite genre?
Who can pick?
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Business books. I really enjoyed Rembrandts in the Attic, Freakonomics and Digital Phoenix. I should raid my own company's library more often.
24. Favorite biography?
The Lyndon Johnson series by Robert Caro. Fascinating stuff.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I'm Okay - You're Okay, and that was back in my hippy-dippy camp counselor days.
26. Favorite cookbook?
The Princess Mom's old Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or nonfiction)?
Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiorty, by Tom Burrell (whom I also got to meet at the Chicago Book Fair).
28. Favorite reading snack?
Honey roasted cashews. Pistachios. Smokehouse almonds.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I won't say "hype" so much as say I had an author believe her own hype so much her books became expensive and overrated retreads -- and that would be Janet Evanovich, who I no longer bother with.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't read a lot of critics. I read a book because it interests me, not because of what someone whom I've never met recommends for or against.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews??
If the book is bad and I save someone else from wasting their time and money, I don't feel bad at all. If the book is a so-so book and is written by a blogger, I have a harder time with that because I want to love the book and do love the person. Still, I think you've got to be honest. I've read blogger-written books that I've loved, and I've read blogger-written books that just didn't do it for me.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Latin or Greek.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character). Math and science are not my strengths. Still, Feynman makes it all approachable.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
My next textbook.
35. Favorite poet?
John Donne. I love the way he uses secular language to describe religious themes and religious language to describe secular themes.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I don't. I do, however, usually have at least three or four books teed up on my Kindle besides the current read.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Never.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Piscine Molitor Patel.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Tyrion Lannister, who is sometimes villain, sometimes not.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
More light-hearted reading. I save the heavy stuff for home.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Two days... and it nearly killed me.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
See 9 above. I've tried three times and never could get through more than six chapters of Bonfires. I won't even bother to try again with Beautiful.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Nothing. I once let a chicken burn so badly it welded itself to the pot and the house was filled with smoke. Because I was reading, I didn't notice a thing. (Yes, The Princess Mom was pissed.)
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Not a single one. I'm always so disappointed with the film because it doesn't match my own imagined version. I read the book or see the movie, but never both. The only exception I'm going to make with this policy is the HBO miniseries of Game of Thrones.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides. Babs really stank that one up.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Around $100.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
What skim? I open and inhale.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Bad writing. Not one character or idea I identify with.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
The Kindle does it for me. I've got a couple of series I like, and I keep them in order. Other than that, I keep organized by giving books away.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Give them away. There's not a chance in the world that I could afford to build the shelves to hold all of the books I've read. Besides, there's great pleasure in the giving and sharing!
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
No. (Other than textbooks. Which is about to change.)
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War, by James Bradley.
Also, The Mystery of Lewis Carroll: Discovering the Whimsical, Thoughtful and Sometimes Lonely Man Who Created "Alice in Wonderland" (the writer is delusional and makes arguments in favor of a pedophile) and The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Life of Pi, because the cover art just didn't appeal and I felt it was over-hyped (and which turned out to be my favorite book ever) and The Poisonwood Bible, again because the cover art didn't grab me.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Moby Dick, or, the whale by Herman Melville. Gadzooks, what a miserable slog that was.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
The Vicki Lewis Thompson Nerd series. The Aunt Dimity series. Anything by Hester Browne. The Billy Boyle World War II series. Brad Thor. Lee Child. Karen Miller. Jaqueline Carey. My nemesis -- George R.R. Martin. Jonathan Kellerman (but not his wife Faye). Is that enough to start with?
Spooked!
Scarlett Johansson...
...bears a striking and eerie resemblance to Marion Lambert, murdered in Lake Forest, IL, in 1916,
And the story gets weirder from there:
...bears a striking and eerie resemblance to Marion Lambert, murdered in Lake Forest, IL, in 1916,
And the story gets weirder from there: The girl in the road didn't move as the headlights swept over her.Stay tuned for the rest of the story... which sounds like it would make a wonderful movie.
She wore a long blue dress that was soaked from the rain, and her feet were bare. The approaching driver slowed and reached for her cell phone, thinking the girl might have been in an accident. But before she dialed, she took a closer look — and could scarcely believe what she saw.
Light seemed to pass through the girl, as though she were a figment from a disturbing dream. When the car pulled alongside her, she smiled, displaying blackened teeth in a deteriorating mouth.
Unnerved, the driver sped away.
I can't explain it," she recently told the Tribune, years after the incident. "It just wasn't real."
A chill runs through local historians when they hear this story. The driver had been traveling on Sheridan Road in Lake Forest, near the now-closed Barat College. That was close to the spot where, on a winter morning in 1916, a young woman's frozen body was discovered — the prologue of a drama that would consume the town and the nation.
Bus Fumes
"Don't give in to fear," Obama said Monday in his latest ominous vision of a country led by the opposition party. "Let's reach for hope."
English Translation?
"Let's reach for the wallets of the middle class again. They're still ripe for plunder."
Aw, geeze! Another childhood classic smashed to smithereens:
Why, oh, WHY do good actors agree to crap like this???
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