Presents Possible: 2011

I am posting this two days before Christmas again this year precisely because I am an optimist. So there.

That's correct; 'Tatler'. $104/year

My favorite WA film. $20 via amazon

Not yet available in the US. Waiting in the gift closet.

Cath Kidston Oilcloth Cross body. $75 at cathkidstonusa.com

This one's been on the wish list for several years. It's time, Santa.

Perennial favorite. $40 at kiehls.com

Now hurry down the chimney, Santa Baby.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas.
tIO x

A Verse

Oh where, oh where has the Optimist gone?
Oh where, oh where can she be?
- With her bangs cut short and her skirt so long -
Oh where, oh where can she be?

(I found her over at Betsy's house
Trading books on Nancy Lancaster.
Then she sat back down to read "Papers and Paints"
And ponder the cracks in her plaster.)


I haven't done the three things I'd hoped to do in January: 1. paint the insides of the bookcases this color 2. unclutter the boys' clothes closets and bins, and 3. organize my fabrics (ostensibly to make room for more). I have done these three things however: 1. read seven books, including this one 2. made this (several times), and 3. watched the boys learn this. I am also thoroughly enjoying this and our new post-supper ritual of this.

January was a toasty and fun month. Here's to a hale-and-hearty February, which is also known as 'Solmonath', 'Kale-monath', 'Hornung', and, my personal favorite, 'Helmikuu'.



Today's conundrum: Who better to portray 'Dory' than Ellen Degeneres?
Future conundrum: In July, is Boston hotter than New York?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!   tIO x

Santa, Baby...

"Dear Santa,
I've been an awfully good girl this year. And any (or all) of these lovelies would be welcome under my tree:

1.2.
3.    4.5.
6.7.   
8.   9.10.

11.   12.    13.
14. 15.


1. Suzanne Kasler: Inspired Interiors 2. Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall: The Garden 3. Birdsong Farm Botanicals: French Clay & Herb Facial Scrub 4. Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour: Sexy Lips 5. Pride & Prejudice DVD (Olivier/Garson) 6. John Adams mini-series DVD 7. tsurubride's 'Orwell Silver Fox Clutch' 8. HighStreetMarket's 'Pair of Vintage Brass Candelabras' 9. fussjewelry's 'All That Glitters' earrings 10. Tissage's 'Tuesday Cloche' in grey felt 11. plumcushion's 'Schumacher Chenonceau' cushion in charcoal 12. 2swansNest's 'Scallop edge Cashmere skirt' 13. 'Vintage Volupte Bookpiecce Bangle' offered by SheriesVintageJewels 14. 'Mitsouko' 15. NEVES for DS

Not to be presumptuous but I've included the links to the shops for you, jolly old sweet Nick. Hope that helps.

As ever, looking forward to next Thursday evening. I'll leave the 'milk and cookies' in the usual spot.

Gratefully,
tIO x"


Today's conundrum: Will he read this? Will he click-through? Will any of these gifts find their way to me (or to you)? *places hands on hips, raises eyebrow*

Future conundrum: Do they know it's Christmas after all?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

"Dear Diary..."

It will soon be a 'New Year' - which means it's time for a new diary. Perhaps given (or received) as a present? Regardless, here are some of my favorites to write down all of your appointments (and disappointments, if you're not an optimist):


1. 2.  3.
4.  5.
6.  7.
8.   9. 
10.11.


1.Liberty of London Turquoise Leather Slim Memo Diary, 2.Moleskine 12months Daily Planner, 3.Bird Applique Diary by tailormade on Etsy, 4.German Page-a-Day Calendar available at amazon.com, 5.Zenbelly Planner by zenbelly on Etsy, 6.Puzzle Calendar from V&A Museum Shop, 7.Keep Calm Spoof Printable by littlebrownpen on Etsy, 8.Neverending Adhesive-Tape Calendar at V&A Museum Shop, 9.Monet Pocket Diary, available at amazon.com, 10.Filofax Diary Refills, and 11.Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot Diary


If you carry your diary electronically, as many of us do now, why not reminisce a bit and read one of these diaries this year? Perhaps on your Kindle.
a.b.
c.d.
e.


a.The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady, by Edith Holden, b.The Year of Living Biblically, by A.J.Jacobs, c.When Wanderers Cease to Roam by Vivian Swift, d.Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding, and e.Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith

Now time to get scheduling! But not too much; don't forget to be a Ferdinand every once in a while. (Better schedule that, too, right? *grins*)

Happy Christmas! And happiest of new diaries -and comfortable schedules- to you.  tIO x

Banner Day! with Bookity

As I continue to search for banners to celebrate and feature, my blog folder and Etsy favorites are filling-up dramatically! So many creative people out there; I love it!

Today's creative banner is courtesy of the wonderful  Bookity. In business since August, Bookity's mission is to recycle unwanted, unusable books, hence the clever name. Here's her engaging Etsy shop banner to start: 


The simplicity and charm of these creations, especially this banner - the "Paper Shakespearean" garland, is what I adore most:

And frankly, I like to say the shop name: "Bookity". So catchy!

More Bookity inspirations:
               

She may be based in Reading UK (which is wonderful planning on her part, really), but she ships internationally, happily upgrades shipping if you ask, and invites custom orders "in the spirit of adventure and the creation of shiny things". Best of all is Bookity's motto: "have sewing machine, will make." In fact, I think it's this 'inveterate optimism' that pervades and draws me in! "That's the spirit!" I cry. And the ticket to beautiful, repurposed, handmade items from Bookity. Check it out.

This week, in the calm before the storm, I am going to try to catch up on some reading, Wolf Hall in particular.

So... 'read on, McDuff', and make it a banner day!   tIO x

PS: Find more Bookity at the Bookity blog, on Facebook at the Bookity fan page, and on twitter at @bookityshop.

Thankful

I'm thankful for many things. And that I was introduced to this book when my older son was one:



Buy it at your local bookshop, or online at amazon.com.

Be thankful to be able to read, and support your local chapter of

Pun intended.

Gobble, gobble.

Hello, "Kindle for PC (Beta)"!

(Setting: a well-lighted breakfast table, cluttered with dishes and books. In one of the chairs, our protagonist sits down in front of her laptop. She is dressed comfortably, and is non-plussed with the excited banter about Wii Ski coming from the adjoining room. She opens a tab and begins surfing.)

"Hmm...what's this?" she asks, eyebrow raised, as her amazon homepage flashes it's new banner at her. As she clicks through to find out more about what she's just seen, her mouths goes slack. She frowns slightly, then grins.

"Where did you come from?" she whispers.

(scene)

OK. I'm not a playwright/screenwriter. But, I did just start using this. It's Kindle for PC.


And I love it.

First, let me just say: free books! Classics, required reading, and even "recommended resources" - available at the touch of a button. (sigh) A reader's dream. Second, I have an e-reader and can e-read books from my local library, too. But this technology is superior in almost all respects, both with the reader itself and the search engine. Finally, I have the added benefit of reading the amazon readers' reviews, some of which are very insightful and others of which are rather humorous.

As advertised, not all titles are available. For example, can you get The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler?

Well, no; not yet. But I "recommended to the publisher(s)" that they be formatted for the Kindle. The Narnia books, Black Beauty, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and even the Federalist Papers are available though. And again for little or no cost. While sitting at a computer to read a book is not ideal for me - and won't replace holding a battered-and-beloved copy of Pride & Prejudice in my hands, it does provide another option in my quest to be never too far from the books I adore (or have to read). And I like options. So now, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin awaits. And I have miles to go before I sleep. Which reminds me: Frost is available, too.

(Still at the breakfast table, our protagonist finishes typing her post. Again, she sighs and smiles at the computer screen.)

"The homeschool will seem a bit brighter and more organized in the morning, I think."

(And she presses the 'publish post' button.)

Today's conundrum: What kind of ROI can I expect on printed books going forward into the digital information age?

Future conundrum: Where did Snapple find "even better stuff"? Or do you prefer an "Orange Whip" as I do?

UPDATE: After re-reading my post, it occurred to me that the books mentioned might be a bit skewed toward younger readers. I will attempt to redress this imbalance, and let you know that many of the recent prize-winning authors (and nominees) are available on Kindle, as are most recent releases, e.g. Juliet, Naked, The Help, The Lost Symbol, and Wolf Hall. Again, many of the classics, e.g. Pride & Prejudice, The Old Man and The Sea, and Shakespeare's plays are available, too. And so are the Harry Potter books, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, and Cold Comfort Farm. Hope that helps! tIO

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

Chicago author strikes again...soon...in May 2010

Who is it? Jen Lancaster, that's who. Visit her blog to find out all the details and pre-order My Fair Lazy today. And, yes, I'm a fan of Ms Lancaster. Swearing and all.

And how great is the cover? It's awesome, that's how great.

(See my posts "Muffy, our book is here", "Like totally get on your boots...or clogs", and "Pretty Funny in Plaid" for my most recent musings on Jen's 2009 release, Pretty in Plaid).


Today's conundrum: When the polls close tonight, will you be rejoicing or saving up for a trip to the casino?

Future conundrum: Would you need strong drink or coercion to sing karaoke? Or do you go willingly onto that good stage? Perhaps it is a seasonal activity, e.g. during the holiday parties, etc? (You have "Brandy(You're a Fine Girl)" on the brain now, don't you?)

And now I'm thinking of DCA Karaoke master Peter McDowell. Hi, Peter.


Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

Finally!

I had a phone call last night from the lovely Mary at the Learned Owl bookshop: Wolf Hall had arrived. Finally.

If you don't hear from me for a few days... Actually, given my blog frequency, that might not alarm you. Regardless, I will be reading.

Today's conundrum: When big-box retailers go up against online giants - and collectively confound MainStreet shops, is price-fixing a question of economics or laissez-faire? Check out these articles from the Wall Street Journal and the Plain Dealer for some interesting points-of-view.

Future conundrum: How will you support the 3/50 Project?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

For the love of physics, will someone burn that book?

I am considering selling some of my textbooks from college, so I did a little research on how to go about it and what my books might fetch.

Guess what I found out?

They aren't very valuable, if they have resale potential at all.

On an extremely positive note, however, textbooks are now being reviewed. (Another "Huzzah!" for the internet - and technology in general.) And guess what? My nightmare-inducing, "we-will-use-this-textbook-no-matter-how-much-you-protest" Mathematical Methods for Physicists is lambasted in the reviews. Hah! [Yes, yes, I was a physics major as an undergraduate. I also majored in psychology, if that appeases. Probably not.]


The "Methods" book was the bane of my emotional life as a physics major. I would literally cry over my papers when I reached page 8 of a proof only to find out that a) no answers were provided in the book and 2) I had made an error "somewhere along the line" and needed to "rework the entire problem", according to the helpful-but-equally-unnerved grad assistant. To rub salt in the proverbial wound, about half-way through the semester, we found out (from a friend-of-a-friend at another university) that there was more than one way to skin Schrodinger's cat. And our book didn't mention it.

Yet we were compelled to use it: it was co-authored by the illustrious Professor Emeritus, who popped-in from time-to-time to lecture, and edited by a current professor, who was the instructor. While an honor to study with the source, I kept thinking: "Couldn't we just have him to tea once a week?" and "Isn't the lecture series dedicated to and named for him?" and "Could he possibly stop smiling at us as if this is all very amusing?" Eventually we students concluded (and had confirmed) that the book was written for the authors as a challenge to themselves and for other 'practising theoretical physicists' as a reference encyclopaedia. Indeed. At least we knew the truth. And the book served its purpose for our puerile, undergraduate minds as well; it was an impetus to drink.

One of the online reviews ends with this: "If ((this book)) is going to be your first introductory text to these topics and if you are not supported by very good lectures I can only say that may God have mercy on your soul."

He did mine: my course load the following year was in French, genetics, religion, and Shakespeare. I did finish the "Methods" class, though; and throughout the second semester, I was better prepared for the long hours of homework that would inevitably dissolve into a bedtime routine of washing the streaks of tears from my face and falling into bed exhausted. And, after (mumbles incoherently) years, discovering these reviews reminds me that we weren't alone in our frustration. In fact, the reviews just might put an end to my recurring nightmares of forgetting how to solve the Taylor expansion, showing up to class unprepared for an exam, and walking up to turn it in only to discover that I am stark naked. And not with my 'pre-babies' body.


In reality, it was torture. But I now know that the professors were putting us through our paces, hoping to leave us with an appreciation for the material and a sense of accomplishment. We were taught with enthusiasm about the subject we all loved, an infectious trait that rarely escaped me and always kept me coming back to class. Most importantly, though, they were kind: they always graded on a curve and a 24/100 was an 'A'.

PS: Obviously, I still have the book. But now I have these comforting words, too: "...this book is truly quite poor. Oh, it certainly looks very boss on one's shelf, and those tastefully formatted integral equations bursting with funny symbols and Greek letters really turn the grandchildren's heads. But this book is utterly useless for teaching mathematics. ... Relegate ((this book)) to doorstop duty: it will perform admirably."


Today's conundrum: If Schrodinger's cat climbs a tree in the woods, does anyone care? And why isn't it in its box?

Future conundrum: Who wrote the book of love?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

Pretty Funny in Plaid

(Note: this review was originally drafted on 6 May 2009. TIO regrets the delay in posting.)

Well, it's over.
The book, that is.
Pretty in Plaid.
You know.

I am actually still laughing because the last 20 pages were hilarity-inducing. The whipped cream, fudge, nuts, cherry, AND sprinkles of the book.

And I literally fell off the sofa.

Pretty in Plaid made me giggle at first, in a polite "I'm-trying-to-fit-in-at-your-house-during-this-rush-party" way. Admittedly, it took awhile for me to ease into hearing a woman's voice inside an eight-year-old's story. But as the years progressed and Jeni's wardrobe expanded, I really started to understand how her experiences and environments shaped who she is, the 'Jen' she's become.

In her first three books, Jen Lancaster covered approximately eight years and journaled her career flourishes and follies. With PiP, she started at the beginning (a very good place to start). For her to condense 25 pre-graduation years into one book, however, was ambitious. But it worked and worked well. I went back in time with her to the formative days of amibition (read: Girl Scouts), the satirical days before prom, and days full of ennui in college. But whether or not Jen went to prom is not what capitvates: her transition from satirist to sartorialist engages and is - best of all - witty. In the end, Jen's forthrightness and willingness to not take herself too seriously is what attracts. It is endearing and for that I will follow her every (c)logged step.

Cheers, Jen. The late night was worth it...again.

Like totally get on your boots...or clogs

So... did you buy it? Finish reading it? Enjoy tagging along on Jen's romp through the wardrobe? Get on your boots and get out there with her! With me!

(And if you don't want boots - as if - try these instead. I have them in orange. Fer sure.)

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

Muffy, Our Book is Here

Well, I resisted the urge to blog yesterday on 'StarWars Day' (May the 4th be with you!).

I cannot, however, resist the urge to remind you all that today is 'Pretty in Plaid' Day!



Huzzah! Jen Lancaster's fourth is available today at bookshops and online at amazon.com. Beginning in 2006 with her first book - Bitter is the New Black, Ms Lancaster has reduced me to tears through laughter more times than either my immediate family or commrades-in-squished-seats on the plane care to acknowledge. As her simply irresistible journey unfolds in books two and three - Bright Lights, Big Ass and Such a Pretty Fat, Jen's unpretentiousness and joie de vivre seem to jump off the page and throw their arms around you like a dear friend returning from a fabulous shopping spree - and yes, she brought you something! Probably with an alligator.

I invite you to join me on this joyride with Jen. Bring your denim jacket, your pearls, and - of course - your plaid!


Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!