A Single Layer

Watched 'O Jerusalem' with Dad tonight. Preparation for his trip to Israel with Mom this Christmas? JJ Feild continues to be one of my favorite actors, though I wish he had a bigger part in this one. For unfamiliar audiences though, there was too much history to cover, too many details of time, place, and people to establish before characters could be properly explored. Because of this, of course, it was difficult to wholly relate to the characters. What should have made me cry only resulted in a furrowed brow. That was part of the point, though - that the city, not the characters, win your heart. But hasn't it already? Don't we all, even strangers, love Jerusalem? Don't we yearn for peace in that city as we long for peace in our own members? Is there not some strange accord between shalom in our hearts and shalom in Israel? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do

The Lament for Icarus, by Herbert Draper saw this in the library today. well, in a book in the library. the real thing's in the tate gallery. took my breath away. thought i'd share...

So I finished the Mortal Instruments series mentioned and pictured below. Let me tell you, once you get past the absurdity of goo-dripping demons and warlocks in drag, they are really good books. By Book Three ( City of Glass ), Ms. Clare has almost overcome her interruptive tendencies and even - almost - developed the majority of her central cast to a point where we actually care what happens to them. But that's not really why they're worth reading. You see, I am on a perpetual hunt for phenomenal heroes, and she wrote one. In fact, I am creating a new label for this blog. Because I intend to find more*. In these books, the hero in question is named Jace. I quibbled with such a contemporary, made-up name for our hero, until I discovered that it was a nickname hiding all sorts of fabulous identity crises. You see, Jace does not know who he is, where he has come from, or even what he was made of. Literally. Applying the phrase 'internal demons' to him is ironic in a numb

It is rare for me to post pictures of myself on my blog, because - you see - I like to pretend I'm not vain. But I was walking from my car to my house this evening thinking about my purple scarf (which I was wearing) and how much I love it. And I decided that I should really add it to my blogged list of 'things i like'. Because it's just the sort of thing that belongs there. My purple scarf is the sort of thing I would wear to Crystal Cove with good friends. At which time Kathryn (or Jenny?) would take the photo posted here. The scarf was purchased for me by my fashion-wise sister, Emily, who also recently found a phenomenal grey linen skirt for me at a fabulous shop in downtown Ventura for fifteen dollars!! I am wearing the skirt and the scarf, both, at this very moment. Ah, fashion!

I'm working on compiling a 'things I like' folder for this blog, to be filed under the label 'Things I Like.' Go figure. It will basically consist of random things I come across in life or online (or both?) that I want to give kudos. Let's begin with Despereaux. I finally saw the movie. I know, it's been out for months now, but I was afraid to see it. The book is so beautiful and sweet and terrible, and worth every inch of Newbery Award it was given. To see them turn it into a heartwarming adventure for the animated screen... made me nervous. I can't say it wasn't without cause. The movie was good, but... a little light. and confusing. What was with that vegetable creature? Was that supposed to be the Spirit of Soup or something? I couldn't figure it out. But what I loved about the movie was its color palette. I know, second post in a row that gets gaga over color palettes. Please understand me. This movie earned its legitimacy not by its storyl

Just finished the first in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones , by Cassandra Clare. This is, of course, all part of my Summer of Reading thing, which has no plan or purpose other than to read as much as possible of anything not on my reading list. As many 'throw-away' books as possible. In fact, the only thing on my reading list I actually intend to read in Les Miserables , and I don't honestly think I'll finish that till December. I like the idea of one massive tome defining a year. Ms. Clare is objecting to my use of the phrase 'throw-away book' in the same paragraph as her Mortal Instruments series. But really, Ms. Clare, if you compare it to the books that are on my reading list, you would understand. I hope. I started reading this series for two reasons. First, I was curious to know if it was worth suggesting to book-buying patrons. I mean, I've put it right there on the table along with Stephenie Meyer. People do ask questions. Second, and m

I finished Feed yesterday, but I thought of it last night while I was trying to fall asleep and I thought of it this morning on the way to church and I thought of it some more on the way home from Oxnard, watching the billboards shout out at me from along the 405. Feed is a classic dystopian science fiction novel. But unlike most of the ones we read in school, it was written very recently - with awareness of the internet/cellular world as a real and pervasive aspect of our culture. More than an aspect, really, because it's so much less than a cultural trait and so much more defining, essential. How do you explain to a child what the world was like before the internet? We aren't just accustomed to the immediacy of communication, globalization, universalized knowledge, etc. We simply can't function without it. In Feed , Anderson follows this to a natural conclusion. The book is set sometime in the future - however distant, I don't quite know - and computers are now plan

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Happy Birthday, Kathryn! Happy..... okay, that's it. Yesterday, returning to work several hours after my shift, I bought I boatload of books for blogreader Jenny B and a few for myself as well. I'd been staring at this book for about a year wondering how long it would take for me to buy and read it. Well, let me tell you: it took about a year. M. T. Anderson is the brilliant author of the Octavian Nothing volumes, of which I am a remarkably big fan (though I confess I wish they weren't quite so long. how do you get teens to pick up tomes that ginormous? they have to really, really trust you...). Feed seeming nothing like my dear Octavian, I have known I would need to read this since I first clapped eyes on it. That, and my store of dystopian futuristic fiction is rather thin. I have yet to read (and this is another confession) Brave New World or 1984 - despite the fact that the first was assigned to me twice in my master's program. Anywa

I trim the roses like a vampire. First I kiss their petals, then I ask permission. With their last beauty, they thank me. Then, gripping with a care for thorns I graze the blade below the head down the stem, looking for the bud of the bud. then snip. click. and toss into the pile. Today I asked a rose, and she said no. Not yet. Her petals were browning and her center was falling beneath its own weight, yet, the dignity of death is in the love of life, the last clinging, the 'I think not,' regardless of state, drinking in breath and the smell of the earth, the tiny patter of aphids. The reaper, not grim but gracious, gives her a kiss, smiles at her certainty, then walks away - the smooth of her petals still on my lips. I'll come again soon enough.

I only crawled out of bed about half an hour ago, but I've already come across a number of phenomenal finds on this here interweb. The first was thanks to my friend Tara, who has begun her entrepreneuringhood in the fabulous world of etsy. For those who don't know it, let me enlighten you: www.etsy.com Welcome to Your Place To Buy and Sell All Things Handmade! About a month ago, I went into L.A. with my mother and sister to a sort of festival of handicrafts . Most of the people there, I think, sell their stuff on etsy as well. I've known about it for a while, but every now and then I discover something fresh and new and it fills me with new delight in this strange interconnected world we live in. Not everything crumbles with age! Some things are given new life. Here's a link to Tara's page. Keep and eye on it for updated merchandise. So I was browsing etsy's handmade books, remembering how much I want to reprint MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin in

i love pretending to know where things come from and then finding out i'm right. found this here - i think i want to put it on my wall.

The dominion of Edward looks seriously shaken. Anyone who couldn't sympathize with the werewolf before will have some serious rethinking to do. Wow.