Category Archives: Reading

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity thinks the hints of green are teasing us

May 5, 2023 Chris 3 Comments

Reviewettes
Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores, edited by Greg Ketter. Pretty good collection of short stories about bookstores. Seemed a little heavy on the horror (do not like), but I enjoyed the stories anyway.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Vera Wong grows on you until you’re suddenly, unexpectedly fully invested. Recommended.

Mayhem would like me to STOP pestering her.

Harry napping on the kitty hammock.

Polly sees BIRDS!

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity needs a nap

September 16, 2022 Chris 4 Comments

Reading Update
March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell. Excellent graphic novel autobiography of Representative John Lewis, told in flashbacks on the day of President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland. What the title says, but much more engaging than you’d expect from the title.
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price. Very good examination of autistic masking, that is, of hiding one’s neurodiversity and mimicking neurotypicality as best one can in order to fit in.

Serious Harry.

Polly having a think.

Siblings hanging out in a kitty hammock.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

It’s linkity time again!

July 29, 2022 Chris 3 Comments

Reading
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown. A very good and very timely read – if everyone seems more and more polarized on issues and you’re trying to bridge the widening gap, this book might help.
Art Supplies: Making, Manufacturing, and Creating by Jane Audas. Very good overview of people and companies involved in the creation of art supplies, from Beam Paints to Liquitex.

Polly upside-down cake!

Harry sleeping off some ‘nip.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity’s gotta whole lotta “WHA…?” going on

April 1, 2022 Chris 5 Comments

Linkity from Smart Bitches.
I might need to reread this one. I read it more than once as a kid.
Look what happened when the NYC Public Library ended late fees.
“You are the Chosen One” and the Dark Overlord has some good points to make.
A fish that looks like a sweet potato.
The sequel to the Ever Given in the Suez Canal!
Some cursed facts about Lake Superior.
A computer ad from 1980.
Some trivia about the movie When Harry Met Sally.
“Real or April Fools’: Dyson air purifying noise cancelling headphones“.
Doppelgangers but not twins.
This is a quilt?!
If you’re looking for some unusual prints to hang, her etsy is janethillstudio. I may have two Miss Mink prints coming for my bedroom…
Some cool theaters.
Maple syrup Pepsi?! (April Fools?!)
“‘Air jeans’“.
EWWW. Glad this never took off.
This can’t be a real ad.
Neither can this. Can it?!
NOOOOOO.
Um.
Absolutely not.
Huh.
Why?!
*blink blink*
This just reads SOOOOO differently 70+ years later.
And this.
AND THIS.
So does this, plus it looks like the start of a horror movie.
The beginning of the end.
“What if great scientists had special moves?“
“Rating the poodle emojis“.

Reading Update
Every War Has Two Losers: William Stafford on Peace and War by William Stafford. This is probably best for fans of Stafford’s poetry. Until I read this, I had no idea the US had camps for conscientious objectors during World War II. Strangely, that was never mentioned in history class…

Polly sitting like a people.

*blep* -Harry

Sometimes Mayhem and Harry can just quietly co-exist, no squishing involved!

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity lost in time

March 11, 2022 Chris 5 Comments

Linkity from Smart Bitches.
Linkity from BookWyrm Knits.
“Rereading Fahrenheit 451 in an era of mass censorship“.
“When the pedestal breaks: Joss Whedon, JK Rowling, and letting the idea of heroes go“… which pairs nicely with the song “Heroes” by Jill Sobule.
Make your own Snickers bars.
No-bake chocolate lasagna.
Mocha-caramel flavored Oreos are going to be a thing.
FLASHBACK.
OH MY.
NO.
The modern web browsing experience.

Reading Update
Creativity Takes Courage: Dare to Think Differently by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst. Very good book/workbook filled with ideas to help unleash creativity.
Knitorious Murder Mystery series (1-12, starting with Knit One Murder Two) by Reagan Davis. Enjoyable cozy mystery series set in a small tourist town in Ontario.

Silly Polly is silly and adorable!

Harry keeping an ear on things.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity will take snow over December tornadoes, thanks

December 17, 2021 Chris 3 Comments

New releases: Smart Bitches (romance)
Linkity from Smart Bitches.
Rest in power, bell hooks.
“100 speculative fiction titles to add to your reading list“. There are some great ones in this list!
An update on the Walnut the crane wife and the keeper she selected for her mate. (Scroll to the bottom.)
On map projections.
On box jellyfish.
“The trees that miss the mammoths“.
Photos from the 1920s of women with cats.
I didn’t know chocolate fruit looked like that, or that humans are the only species to which its seeds aren’t poisonous.
“Study says investing in LEGO will earn you more money” than investing in gold.
What if Christianity wasn’t the dominant religion in the US?
“The Lord of the Rings cast reunites for a clever anniversary rap“.
Fiesta peach SPAM loaf.
Quick coconut chicken curry.
Red velvet marble cake with cream cheese glaze. (via The Kitchn)
Hot chocolate macarons. (via The Kitchn)
…I can’t imagine how much harder it is to do that with cards than with dominoes. 😮
Do you know how fragile wet paper is?!?!?!??
GENIUS. More about the Bayeux Tapestry app (including where to find it).
WHOA.
And YIKES.
The saga of Jean and Jorts. Some additional commentary.
“America’s worst fireplace“.
Gen-Xer insight.
A kitty roomba.
Tubbitha.
“Studies in ethical realism: The runaway lobster telephone problem“.
The best name for anti-sub machinery ever.

Reading Update
Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis. Lovely holiday short! I read this in a collection, but it was years ago.
The Hungry Dreaming by Craig Schaefer. Very suspenseful and intense paranormal thriller about saving the past and future of New York City. (Don’t be alarmed that it seems to be the third book in a series – it’s not, really.)
Wabi-Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren. Ok, but there’s not much to it. And I’m not sure it lives up to its ambitious subtitle.

Drowsing Harry.

Polly by the window, with snow in the background. Most of that snow melted when it was 58F/14C on Wednesday. NOT normal for Minneapolis in December.

Polly asleep, Mayhem mildly annoyed/inconvenienced by Polly’s presence/existence.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity’s looking forward to the end of 2021

December 3, 2021 Chris 3 Comments

My surgery went well, everything was benign, I’m healing fine, and so far I’m coming up negative for covid. Hey. Living the dream! (Some family members who stopped by to visit and drop off Thanksgiving leftovers for me on Black Friday [masked, as was I] have tested positive for covid. So!)

New releases: Smart Bitches (romance), Tor.com (YA SFF, scifi, fantasy), AAR (romance)
Linkity from Smart Bitches. And more!
A brief conversation on writing speed between George RR Martin and Stephen King.
“Things I learned from Sir Terry Pratchett and his marvelous works“.
On art/writer’s blocks.
“Vermont children got to name 163 snow plows“.
“‘Vaccine’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year“.
I did not know that.
A cursed fact about belugas.
“Will it leave a scar?“
The silliest molt.
BOOM.
Mashed potato doughnuts.
Easy no-bake haystack cookies.
Pizza macaroni and cheese.
Creamy chocolate martini.
Painting with clay.
“Dragons in suits, what will they sell next?“
A dragon who wants some bread.
Tetris waffle maker.
Cool but also alarming.
Very creepy moose art.
Horrifying Star Trek mugs, ranked.
The sweater might be cute, but that is too many bobbins. Put some back.
NO.
AND NO.
Clippy’s back… as an emoji.
WHOOPS.
Oh no, who upset the lava frog?!
Harmonious tornado sirens.
This is definitely a repeat, but the Miette addition!!!
Tiny cats.
Just a cute little comic about a cat.
“Magic item hack #17“.

Reading Update
The Book of Raven: Corvids in Art and Legend by Angus Hyland & Caroline Roberts. Lovely book, exactly what it says on the tin.

All three cats on me! You can see marks from my fingers on Mayhem’s head.

Harry under the “EEEEEEK” blanket from Target.

Sleeping Polly.

Harry smug, Mayhem annoyed.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Brief linkity of brevity

October 15, 2021 Chris 3 Comments

New releases: Tor.com (horror/genre-benders)
Linkity from Smart Bitches.
“The most influential sci-fi books of all time“. ( I was delighted to see that Babel-17 made the list! If you’ve known me for longer than 10 minutes, it’s possible I’ve recommended that book to you…)
In our next episode of Humans Are Weird, an alien babysitting.
Weird facts about the human body.
That had to be intentional, right?!
“I like the poster’s implication that…“
Some people get a little crazy with the Halloween decorations, ’tis true.
:blink blink:
:blink blink blink:
Rice Krispies treat-flavored coffee creamer?!
An amusing review of Brach’s turkey dinner-flavored candy corn.
Corn Maze Gothic.

Reading
When Sorrows Come (October Daye #15) by Seanan McGuire. Was this the end of the series?! Including the novella, it sure felt like it could be the end.
The Last Oracle series, starting with The Book of Secrets, by Melissa McShane. Very good series about a woman who’s hired to work for an unusual bookstore and learns she’s now part of a magical world she had no idea existed.

Polly blep, with Harry looking out the window in the background.

Blurry Harry licking my ear (ewww), but it IS a very cute picture of his Halloween bow tie!

Polly’s pretty happy lap blanket season has returned.

Harry’s pretty happy about lap blanket season, too.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity is very tired of throwing sparkle balls

September 10, 2021 Chris 3 Comments

Harry LOVES playing fetch with sparkle balls and basically follows me around, waiting for the chance to play fetch.

New releases: Tor.com (YA SFF, scifi, fantasy), AAR (romance)
Linkity from Smart Bitches.
Linkity from BookWyrm Knits.
Literary tea infusers.
On Aragorn at Weathertop.
“Absolutely NO Refunds.“
“The Farthest Fueling Station“.
“Have you heard the tale of the queen of thieves?“
On getting bitten by a zombie, but…
What would a centaur or merfolk think of humans?
Me, too!
Well, it’s creepy, but is it ACTUALLY eldritch?
Ursula K Le Guin’s take on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
I didn’t know that Lucy was a force behind getting the original Star Trek made.
Learn more about potoos.
“You aren’t lazy or undisciplined. You have internal resistance.“
“Foods humanity figures out everywhere“.
If I already linked to “Humans have STRIPES?!” before, it’s worth reading again for all the additions.
Omenous mints. (I absolutely meant to spell it like that.)
…I have questions.
Aww, what a helpful baby raccoon.
An homage of sorts to the Nokia 6310i.
It frequently ends up with Miette.
“‘Add more dragons’ is always the best course of action.”
Best cosplay of Dragon Con 2021.
“…a new barnyard fad.“
Seriously.

Reading Update
Spilling Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself by Sabrina Ward Harrison. Let’s just say I wasn’t this eloquent at 21, although maybe after pruning and editing for publication…

Mayhem and Harry on the couch.