The Book of Ballads (2004) Charles Vess

To create The Book of Ballads Charles Vess worked with some of the biggest names in fantasy, to recreate a graphic rendition of some of the best known songs of folklore. Charles de Lint, Neil Gaiman, Emma Bull, Jane Yolen… It’s like a who’s who of fantasy authors. So I really wanted to love this book.

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Personality Quiz.

Amusing.
(more…)

Taking a cue from Erin, who went off of the list I found earlier, I put together my list of top science fiction and fantasy heroines.

However, I only like to watch science fiction, not read it, so all the science fiction heroines are from TV and movies.

I’m sure there are lots I forgot, so I am intending to keep working on it. But feel free to mention someone you think I forgot–or more importantly a book or movie you think I should check out, so I can add to my list!

ADDENDUM the First: Link corrected.

The latest flower pr0n (broom, irises, and pansies).

And even better, some of the pictures Michael took at the Newport Aquarium.

The Devil in Music (1997) Kate Ross

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Whom the Gods Love (1995) Kate Ross

Alexander Falkland has been killed. His head smashed in with a poker while one of his famous parties rages upstairs. But Alex is the darling of the ton (it took me awhile to figure this one out; the ton is the bon ton, or high society in London) and no one has the faintest idea who would have wanted to kill him. So Malcolm Falkland, Alexander’s father, hires Julian Kestrel to assist Bow Street in this investigation, believing that the darlings of society will talk to Alexander when they wouldn’t talk to Bow Street.

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As I was out of town yesterday, I apologize for posting this a day late.

Memorial Day is the day we are to remember those who fought for our country. This is the day we remember those who fought for our freedom and for justice. This is the day we remember those who gave their lives to so that we might now have:

freedom of speech….
freedom of religion….
freedom of association….
freedom of the press….
the right to keep and bear arms….
the right to keep the military out of our homes….
the right to be secure from illegal search and seizure….
the right to a trial by jury….

Main Entry: freedom
Pronunciation: ‘frE-d&m
Function: noun
1 : the quality or state of being free: as
a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : INDEPENDENCE
c: the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous (freedom from care)

Memorial Day
The history of Memorial Day

US Census site for memorial day

http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/multimedia/Memorial2004.html
Remember
The Constitution and other historical US documents

But most of all, please remember the 2,466 soldiers who have died in Iraq and the almost 300 soldiers who have died in Afghanistan.

RIP
Harry Houdini, Canine Escape Artist
My parents large, primary, outside dog
1993(?)- 29 May 2006

Harry was most likely a college puppy. Some college student got him, then when he got to be too much trouble, took him outside the city and dumped him.

My parents didn’t want a new dog, but he kept hanging around the house, so eventually my mom bought a bag of generic dog kibble. Harry wouldn’t touch the stuff. So after investing in real dog food, he was then taken to the vet for shots (and other things) and became part of the family.

Years later, when mom was complaining about how finicky Harry had been about his food, Brian said, “Of course he wouldn’t eat generic dog food, I was working at Burger King and bringing him home leftover hamburgers at night.”

…Michael took a LOT of pictures at the Newport Aquarium. Hopefully they turned out well.

Green Rider (1998) Kristen Britain

Karigan G’ladheon is on her way home after getting suspended from school when a Green Rider, arrows in his back, comes across her, and begs her to carry his message satchel to the King. Meanwhile, in various spots throughout the kingdom, bad things are happening.

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We’ll teach those Romulans! We’ll build our OWN cloaking device, and make it before we’re capable of interstellar travel!

Almost moving as quickly as the invisibility cloak.

The Writer Beware list of the 20 Worst Literary Agents

• The Abacus Group Literary Agency
• Allred and Allred Literary Agents (refers clients to “book doctor” Victor West of Pacific Literary Services)
• Capital Literary Agency (formerly American Literary Agents of Washington, Inc.)
• Barbara Bauer Literary Agency
• Benedict Associates (also d/b/a B.A. Literary Agency)
• Sherwood Broome, Inc.
• Desert Rose Literary Agency
• Arthur Fleming Associates
• Finesse Literary Agency (Karen Carr)
• Brock Gannon Literary Agency
• Harris Literary Agency
• The Literary Agency Group, which includes the following:
  • Children’s Literary Agency
  • Christian Literary Agency
  • New York Literary Agency
  • Poets Literary Agency
  • The Screenplay Agency
  • Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency, formerly Sydra-Techniques)
  • Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
• Martin-McLean Literary Associates
• Mocknick Productions Literary Agency, Inc.
• B.K. Nelson, Inc.
• The Robins Agency (Cris Robins)
• Michele Rooney Literary Agency (also d/b/a Creative Literary Agency, Simply Nonfiction, and Michele Glance Rooney Literary Agency)
• Southeast Literary Agency
• Mrk Sullivan Associates
• West Coast Literary Associates (also d/b/a California Literary Services)

If you’re curious as to why I have posted this, please read this post on Making Light.

Top 75 Heroines of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Horror

Initially I was disappointed, becuase they mostlylooked at women in film, TV, and comics. So it’s somewhat limited in that aspect, but in retrospect, it’s a resonable limitation [Exceptions: Granny Weatherwax (Discworld) & Morgaine (Mists of Avalon)].

Plus, Jadzia Dax [Deep Space Nine] was on the list (#42).

Glaring omission: Zoe [Firefly]. Though she show was on for such a short time, I suppose I can accept that. (since the list was begun in 2004)

(via A Sweet Familiar Dissonance)

I got some terribly distressing news today at the doctor. They took not just my weight by also my HEIGHT and apparently in my stocking feet I’m only 5’6 1/2″.

THIS IS TERRIBLE!

I’m even shorter than I thought I was. BAH!

(grumble)

(kicking things)

(sulking)