True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

Rachel Gibson has been an auto buy for me. I loved Simply Irresistible  and adore See Jane Score. (That last one is one of my favorite books.) I couldn't wait for her next book about the Seattle Chinooks hockey team, and I went through four books and her entire backlist waiting for it. 

And I got it. There are not a lot of women's fiction based around the sport of hockey, and Deirdre Martin is the only other author I've been able to find. I'm not as big a fan of Martin's work, because I have a huge issue with a fictional New York City team that claims to be part of the Original Six teams in the NHL.  (Make it more believable, please.) So far, Rachel Gibson had managed to avoid a lot of the mistakes by not having the hockey rink the center of her plots. 

She deviated from this with True Love and Other Disasters. Faith Duffy inherits the Seattle Chinooks from her late husband, Virgil Duffy. Their marriage reminds me of Anna Nicole Smith with her billionaire. Faith had once been a stripper and then a Playmate before a marriage of convenience with Virgil. Faith wanted security, and Virgil wanted a trophy wife. His son, Landon, hates that Faith received the hockey team and will do what it takes to get it from her. 

In her dealings with the team she runs into Tyson Savage, the captain of the Chinooks, fondly known as "The Saint." His sole goal is to win the Stanley Cup and doesn't want uncertainty about the team's ownership to get in his way. He fights his attraction to Faith, but before he knows it he has to fight with her to acknowledge their relationship. 

I was going great with this book until the last few chapters, which focus on the NHL playoffs. Knowing about hockey as I do, there are a few glaring errors that grated on my nerves. For example: 

Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Seattle Chinooks was played on Seattle's ice...

Game Two was played in Mellon Arena on Pittsburgh Ice.

Excuse me? This is such an easy thing to look up! In the best of 7 series, the first two games are played at the arena of the highest seeded team of the two, then the next two games are played at the other team's arena. Game Five and Seven are played at the first team's arena. I know better, Ms. Gibson! 

The second thing I read was this: 

All four players were given three-minute penalties and sat out the last few minutes of the second period in the sin bin.

I can't recall of a single instance of a three-minute penalty. There are two-minute minors and even a four-minute if blood is involved from the penalty, but not a three minute penalty. Then she mentions that the teams went 3 on 3, which I have not heard of ever. I have witnessed many 5  on 4s, 5 on 3s, and 4 on 4s, but I can't think of a single time when both teams were depleted to that extent. 

I really wanted to give this book a higher score, but I can't go above a C. These are mistakes that are easy to look up. If Ms. Gibson is using an old edition of Hockey for Dummies, she needs to upgrade to a version written after the lockout. 

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

As I mentioned previously, I discovered Terry Pratchett while in England, and have read a few of his books since. There's no need to read them in the order in which they are written or which they occur, so I used to just pick up a book I like and that was that. Now I have decided to read the story lines in the order in which I found them here. The L-Space Web is a great resource for Pratchett, with annotations and links to other great web places at which a great amount of time can be wasted. 

The book directly follows the events of The Colo(u)r of Magic, in which the reader left the wizard Rincewind hanging off the edge of Discworld, which is carried on the back of four elephants, which in turn are carried on the back of the giant tortoise Great A'Tuin. Rincewind's great skill is not at wizardry but at staying alive. He meets back up with Twoflower the Tourist and The Luggage, which is still eating some people and staring down others. 

This time, Rincewind's goal (instead of just merely staying alive) is to save the Discworld from the end of time. Unless all eight spells (one of which resides in Rincewind's  head) are read from the great book the Octavo, the Discworld will be no more. The problem? The spell in Rincewind's head. The spell does not wish to be read, yet one wizard back at Unseen University wishes to get his hands on Rincewind. 

Rincewind encounters even more interesting characters in this book, notably Cohen the Barbarian and Bethan, the virginal sacrifice. The reader also gets a glimpse into the Realm of Death, which is surprisingly full of flowers and a quaint cottage. There is also a bit of time spent in a magical store, which can never be found in the same storefront twice. 

Another whimsical book that I couldn't put down. Pratchett's book is smart and humorous, and finding the rest of his books will be great fun! 

New Dollar Bill Coins, Yo

Okay, I've been receiving this e-mail from a bunch of upset people:

This new coin came out this month

The U.S. Mint hopes the redesigned $1 coin will win acceptance with consumers.

It does not have In God We Trust on it. Another way of leaving God out.

Send this on and let consumers decide if it will win acceptance or not.

This reminds me of the e-mail I received when I was working at the Disney Store. Apparently Walt Disney, Jr. and Microsoft were giving out free trips to Disney World. Free trips! Do you know how expensive a trip to the World is? It's crazy expensive, so who isn't going to send this on?


Me. Issue #1: There's no way to track who sent the e-mail on or who were the first 1,000 to do so. Issue #2: There's no Walt Disney, Jr.! Walt Disney had two daughters, but no sons.


See the little bits of wisdom I learned?


So, when I received the above e-mail about the new coins, I knew it had to be wrong. Mostly because I had the Martin Van Buren coin (yay! Van Buren, the successor to Andrew Jackson and that may be about it) and looked at the coin when my eyes lit on this:


Cool! It's on the side! And heck, yeah, I'm going to accept it, it's legal tender. It's backed by the government (and not much else). And they're really cool.

So, I did some research, trying to figure out the change. And I came up with this:

(10) In order to revitalize the design of United States coinage and return circulating coinage to its position as not only a necessary means of exchange in commerce, but also as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right, it is appropriate to move many of the mottos and emblems, the inscription of the year, and the so-called "mint marks" that currently appear on the 2 faces of each circulating coin to the edge of the coin, which would allow larger and more dramatic artwork on the coins reminiscent of the so-called "Golden Age of Coinage" in the United States...

So there we go. Problem solved. Though I do carry around my John Quincy Adams (who shined better after his presidency, like the Jimmy Carter of the 19th century) coin to show my students. It's still there.

Yarn Geek Love

I realized that I haven't updated my projects here recently, something that I'm going to have to fix! I have finished things, including two aprons, another beret, and the back of a crocheted baby sweater. I've also frogged a few knitting projects, like a scarf I was going to make out of fun fur. I've had the fur in my stash for years, and in my effort to get rid of some of this yarn before buying more, I was going to knit a scarf with it. I ended up tearing it apart because I did not like it or the fun fur! 

I'm sure I can find someone who is willing to take it off my hands. :) 

I've also been trying more non-acrylic yarns, like Knit Picks Shine Worsted to make Sheldon's Baby Blanket. (I'd link it, but it's not on Knit Picks free patterns for some reason.) I love this yarn! It's nice and smooth, soft, and knits up well. The price point isn't bad, either. I'd post pics, but it's a gift, so it'll wait until after it has been gifted. 

I also bought some Alpaca that I found languishing on the bottom shelf of my local Tuesday Morning. Most of their yarn is sadly in a state of yarn barf, but I was able to find three hanks of a lovely hand-dyed alpaca. Don't know what I'll do with it (probably a hat and scarf combo), bu the right pattern will come to me in time! 

I also invested recently in a ball winder because I'm tired of my skeins collapsing in on themselves. I love the ball winder from Knit Picks! Next is to find an affordable swift so I won't get twisted hanks..... :) 

ETA: I'm also working on my t-shirt quilt and my taxes. 

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

I first found out about Pratchett and his Discworld novels during my exchange trip to England in college. I was out of reading material and a friend of mine gave me one of his books to read. Eight years later and I'm still reading his books! 

The first book in the Discworld series, The Color of Magic introduces us to the very colorful creation of Pratchett's mind. Discworld is carried on the backs of four giant elephants, which in turn are carried by Great A'Tuin the turtle. The gender of Great A'Tuin is in question, and the main objective of Krull through the years was to discover if Great A'Tuin was male or female. 

Then there is Ankh-Morpork, in which we find the wizard Rincewind, though to call him a wizard is a great exaggeration. He finds himself pressed into service by acting as a tour guide for Twoflower, the tourist. Through the book, the hapless wizard is led on more adventure than he had ever wished to encounter. 

The book is great set-up for the series, as Twoflower and Rincewind find themselves traveling across the Discworld in search of adventure (or in Rincewind's case, avoiding it). The book is not a quick read, but needs to be savored, as Pratchett uses humor and satire to paint his world. He throws a lot of fairy tale and fantasy plot devices into the book, though by no means does he limit himself. The city of Ankh-Morpork, for example, is based off the city of Budapest in that it was once two cities separated by a river. The Patrician of the city is very Machiavellian in his methods.  There is also Hrun the Barbarian, who is the epitome of every hero in any story--from his long, flowing locks to his single-mindedness in finding damsels and treasure. 

The cover of the book is my biggest issue, as it is very boring. Pratchett's books are full, and the American covers fail to fulfill that. The British covers, on the other hand, are very busy. 

With the British covers, I frequently find myself trying to figure out who are what characters and what is going on! They're not known for their attractive qualities, and they don't look contemporary, but rather something I would pick up at a yard sale or flea market. With the smell of decaying paper. 

Regardless, there must still be some kind of happy medium between the two covers. The American cover fails to deliver for the goods inside, while the British cover delivers the goods too well. 

Lastly, I found out today that there is a movie for The Color of Magic. Granted, it was a television movie and only seen in the United Kingdom, but I am still curious enough to wish to see it. At first I thought it might be an animated movie, but no, it is quite live action. It stars Sean Astin as Twoflower and Jeremy Irons as the Patrician. (That last bit is enough for me to want to see it. 

Granted, they are going to take some liberties with the story. The movie includes the character "Cohen the Barbarian" (see his play on things?) while the book had "Hrun the Barbarian." It also includes characters that will show up in later books in the Discworld series. Some research shows that the movie is based on The Color of Magic as well as the next book, The Light Fantastic.

In a perfect world, the Discworld series would continue. Alas, Pratchett was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, which means the end of Discworld will come sooner than we all could wish for. 

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

It's not very often that I find myself crying because of a book. Usually if I do, it's because I either get a paper cut or the book is so horrible that it makes me miserable. 

Not so with this book. 

The story starts with a stampede and a murder at the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob Jankowski, Cornell-educated veterinarian, is witness. In the book, he tells the story of how he ran away from his life and joined the circus. What starts as a cliche turns into a touching story of a man who comes of age during the Great Depression and navigates the treacherous waters of a traveling circus. Gruen's characters are vividly painted, from the blustery ring top leader (who is not a Benzini Brother), to the star of the equestrian act, and to the "great gray hope" of the show, elephant Rosie. 

Gruen's inspiration to write about a Depression-era circus came from an article she read in the Chicago Tribune about circus photographer Edward Kelty. She writes about the circus in times before political correctness spelled the end of the "freak show" (the Lovely Lucinda was Uncle Al's underweight fat lady--she was no 850 lbs) and the pressures from PETA. Gruen also highlighted the behind-the-scenes back-stabbing as well as the competition among the various circus outfits. A bonus were the added circus photographs from the great depression, which added realism to a wonderful story. 

I would definitely recommend this novel. It's a modern historical fiction with elements of mystery and a twist on a murder.

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

I just finished reading Devil's Cub, the sequel of These Old Shades. It is the story of Justin and Leonie's son, Dominic, the Marquis Vidal. The story opens when Vidal shoots a highwayman on the way to a party. This sets the character of Vidal very well, as he is very debonair, sophisticated, and can do no wrong. Every man wishes to be him, and every woman wants him.

He, however, does not want any woman. His eyes are on the lovely Sophia Challoner, but not as his wife. Instead he wishes to whisk her off to France and give her carte-blanche. In an effort to stop her sister from ruining her reputation--for Sophia thinks the Marquis means marriage--Mary Challoner takes her place. Alas, by the time Dominic finds out the switch, he is so angered that he takes Mary in her sister's place.

On their journey through Paris, Dominic discovers that Mary is nothing at all like Sophia and he has made a huge mistake. He immediately offers marriage, but Mary declines, preferring the life of a governess to that as his wife. After a sojourn in Paris, an escape attempt, and the arrival of the Duke of Avon on the scene (which Vidal was hoping to avoid at all costs), the story is in full swing.

It's a great story and I would definitely recommend her books. Right now I am tired of more recently published romance novels, especially the ones that descend quickly into the sex scenes and the love between the characters is not quite believable. I enjoy picking up a Heyer because it's a deeper read and so enjoyable. She is one author that a glom will not ruin!

Lenten Eve

Or, as others call it, Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras. We always had pancakes at church, which was fine by me because pancakes are always good. One of the very few perks of going to CCD on Tuesday night was the Pancake dinner we always had on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. (It was always the worst homework night, though, because all of the Protestant kids went to church on Wednesday. My teachers didn't care.) 

So, I had to think about what I was going to give up for Lent this year. One year I gave up chocolate, which was impossible. I cheated. Two years I gave up Cherry Coke, which is my favorite soft drink of all time. I forgot a bunch of years.  

This year, I want to eat healthy. That means giving up things like McDonald's and other fast food items. Ice cream. I plan on keeping a food log of my healthy food. If I can do this for forty days, I think I can get back on the healthy train.  

I see good times ahead! 

Rest in Peace, Socks

News today that the Clinton's pet cat from Bill Clinton's presidency has passed away at the advanced age of 18 due to cancer. Lest we think that the Obama search for a mythical hypo-allergenic dog (they don't really exist!) is the first instance of a presidential pet, Socks reminds us that the president has a family side as well. Pets show us a facet of the highest public official in the land that is not usually seen at press conferences or in controlled interviews. 

And who couldn't love that sweet face? He reminds me of my own cat, Gemma. 

This picture is absolutely adorable. A Presidential Cat--can't do worse than their human counterparts, I'm thinking. It's a tough job. 

So, Rest In Peace, Socks. 

Yarn Galore!

Okay, I found out that Hobby Lobby was discontinuing more yarn. So I went and bought some. 

Truth: I bought a lot. 

The hardest part of the yarn I bought is that it is novelty yarn, which makes it more difficult to find projects to make out of it. It's a lot of that "tape" yarn which looks really good on the skein, but not so much in a finished project. 

Sigh. But it's so pretty. 

Dogs and Goddesses by Crusie, Stuart, and Rich

I have very few authors that I auto-buy for anymore. When I first started reading romance, there would be almost two releases a month that I would have to buy. Not so much any more. Along with Susan Elizabeth Phillips I auto-buy Jennifer Crusie's books, even her collaborations with other authors. This one includes Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rich. 

The collaboration is a tricky thing. With three authors on the cover, the tendency to think the book is an analogy is pretty high. This book is a novel, with all three parts nearly seamlessly working together. The authors have been very open about the process on their blog, Dogs and Goddesses.  The other type of collaboration, which this is not, is the one where a well-known author puts his/her name on a book with a less well-known author to help that author get a following. This is similar to the process used by the anthology, which one or two well-known authors are tied with one or two other authors that are less well-known. 

If a collaboration must be done, I prefer the novel over the anthology. Anthologies usually have stories that would be more interesting if fleshed out into a full book, or the stories are so dull that they're not worth reading. 

Dogs and Goddesses follows three women in a small Ohio town who are drawn to a dog training class. While there, they meet the enigmatic trainer, Kammani, who hands them a tonic to drink. In a short period of time, the three women not only meet the men of their dreams, but they hear voices and swear their dogs are talking to them. Before long, they're all trying to defeat an ancient Mesopotamian goddess that's trying to regain her rightful place in the world.  

I'm no expert on anything Mesopotamian, so that helped me to suspend my disbelief well enough, and the authors' note at the beginning about how it is all made up made me feel even better. I did find the myth a little confusing and kept having to go back to parts that I re-read already in order to solidify it. Of course, after having read it, I found the entire myth on the webpage. 

This is one of my pet-peeves: if there's a mythology created for the book, the reader shouldn't have to rely on outside sources to discover it. This isn't a series, and that's a completely different kettle of fish. I shouldn't have to do research to enjoy a novel. I didn't read the blog as it was being created, and I don't feel that should be necessary in order to join a book. It feels much too clique-ish. 

Based on that, I give the book a solid B. I liked the story, and it's good for a collaboration. 

What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I rarely buy hardcovers. If they're on the bargain table and cheaper than the paperback, I buy it. If it's a book on history and I can't wait to get it, I buy it. If it's by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, I buy it. I tried to wait for Match Me If You Can a few years back and almost couldn't do it. So, I've bought the last two of her books in hardcover, and almost wish I had waited. 

Former child star Georgie York has been dumped by her actor husband for a humanitarian actress. She and her detestable former co-star, Bram Shepard, end up running into each other in Vegas, and the inevitable happens--they run to an all-night chapel and end up married. Each of them have different reasons for wanting to stay in the marriage of appearances, but what will it turn into? 

Like all of Phillips books, the two main characters go through a transformation. They are not the same people they were at the beginning of the story. Georgie is fragile after her break-up, and the constant attention by the paps doesn't help matters. She's trying to figure out the next stage in her career and up against her stage-father who insists on running her career. Bram probably goes through the least transformation, as he gives the appearance of being dissolute at the beginning of the book, though the reader is quick to realize that Bram has grown a lot since his partying days on the set of their sitcom.  

There is also a secondary romance with Georgie's father, Paul. His story to me was more interesting, as he put his dreams on the back burner for the sake of his daughter. The relationship with his daughter also undergoes a radical transformation. 

The weakest part of the story was the setting. I'm not a Hollywood person--I find the E! network horrible, and I feel icky every time I find myself watching it. The inspiration for the story was also very obvious--the parallels between the Jennifer Aniston  and Jolie-Pitt affair slap the reader in the face. Are there differences? Sure, but Phillips makes the Jolie-Pitt characters in the book very flat. There's nothing at all to like about them, even though they're not really villains. 

The traditional Phillips hallmarks are present, but it's not my favorite venture by her. I'll return to her backlist. 

B-

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

I've lost count as to how many Sookie Stackhouse books I've read. I'm thinking that this may be book number 7! 

All Together Dead picks up in the aftermath of the trip Sookie took to New Orleans, where she met the vampire Queen of Louisiana and witnessed the death of the vampire King of Arkansas. She is now fully embroiled in the world of the supernatural: vampires, werewolves, fairies, and demons, to name a few. Now she has returned to Bon Temps. Hurricane Katrina has forced the vampires of New Orleans to relocate, including the Queen. Sookie is also still estranged from her ex-boyfriend Bill. 

The main action of the novel takes place in the city of Rhodes, where Sookie is going to a vampire convention. While there she meets up with Barry Bellboy, another telepath that she met in Dallas. He works for the King of Texas in the same capacity Sookie works for the Queen of Louisiana: they ferret out information from the other humans who work for the other kings and queens. The main event of the convention is the  trial of the Queen of Louisiana for the death of her husband. While the vampire convention seems to be going smooth at a vampire hotel, the Fellowship of the Sun has been protesting the entire event. 

The usual cast of characters shows up in this book, including Eric and Quinn the were-tiger. Harris is really ratcheting up the tension in this book and hinting at future problems between vampires and humans. Harris created a believable world, using reality as her backdrop for the supernatural.  Her voice is consistent throughout the series, yet she manages to show a growth in the character of Sookie, who has grown more world-weary and sarcastic. I'm not sure how much I like this new Sookie, but it's understandable. 

B+

More Knitting!

I know, it's been a while since I've posted! It's been a crazy January, but in a good way. First was getting back to work after the Winter Break, then I went to Savannah to go dress shopping with a friend getting married in May. Then this past week I was off on a "business" trip for the State Department. 

I've finally learned how to knit with DPNs, which means I can avoid sewing a seam up the back of hats. Berets seem to be really popular this year, so I started with this orange and pink confection, with the pattern (Baroness Beret) off of Ravelry. I was going to give it as a gift, but I love the colors and I love the hat. So I kept it! Now I just have to make a scarf to match it! 

Then I had to find a gift for a friend, because that beret was going to be it! So, I went with a vintage pattern in my grandmother's correction. Here I am modeling it! I used Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn! and Featherwhisp. It looks gorgeous! 

This is the picture of the pattern from my grandmother's collection. Very straight-forward pattern from "Diamond Angora". I haven't been able to find a copyright date, though judging by this pattern and the other three in the pamphlet, I'm gauging it at the 1960s. 

Now, the hat that I'm wearing doesn't wear the same way as the model, but I think I know why. 

1. I don't really have thick enough hair to pull into the hat. 

2. I didn't use Angora, but a thicker acrylic yarn and the Featherwhisp. 

3. I modified the pattern to have a tubular cast-on instead of sewing a hem. 

Regardless, I like the way it looks, and the recipient has gorgeous, thick hair! 

Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle

Never Romance a Rake is the third book in a trilogy about the siblings of Neville shipping. The first book was about Miss Xanthia Neville, the second was about their family friend Gareth Lloyd, and this book is about Kieren, Baron Rothewell. 

Rothewell is a dissolute drunkard whose past, like many romance heros, haunts him. He attempts to escape it by playing cards and drinking himself into an oblivion, but this plan backfires on him by ruining his health. One night he is playing cards when the pot is sweetened with Comte Valigny's daughter, Camille. He wishes to get his ungrateful daughter off his hands, and she wishes to be away from her father. Her pickings are slim, and in a rare burst of compassion, Kieren cheats because her other option that night is even worse than him. 

Camille's background is equally sordid to that of Kieren. Her mother had been married to an English lord, but she ran off with the comte early into her marriage. The husband divorced her mother, which was scandalous, and Valigny never married her mother thanks to some Church rule about divorced people marrying.  After her mother's death, Camille found that her maternal grandfather left her a large bequest, and she pushed Valigny to find her a husband. 

Neither Kieren nor Camille want anything more than a business-like marriage. As time passes, though, this becomes impossible. This is one of Carlyle's books that doesn't have a mystery behind it--it is more character-driven than plot-driven. The questions brought up in this book are about Camille's parentage and Kieren's health. 

Carlyle is very good at writing tortured, yet realistic, characters. They have good reasons for being the way they are from their pasts, and this goes beyond a mere "I was a spy for the English government during the Napoleonic Wars" spiel that so many books have. That or the "My mother died when I was young" or "My daddy didn't love me" chestnuts that are thrown about. No, Carlyle's characters have been through a lot. And I respect her in that not all of her nobles are earls or dukes. She uses those titles, but lesser noblemen are acceptable as well. 

A. 

End of the Year Knitting Blitz

Okay, they're all scarves! What I like about scarves is that they are quick to knit up, so there's instant gratification. And when I start to make one scarf for someone, I usually have to make at least two more! 

This one is for my friend Lisa. She asked for it to wear while she is coaching softball. The scarf is 100% acrylic (and proud of it!) and is in the blue and gold colors of LCHS. 

This scarf is for my friend Amishacoe, who loves the color purple! Everything I've ever made for her has been purple, so why ruin a good thing? 

And this one was for Justin. Very simple pattern, same as Amishacoe's. It's knit one row, then k1, p1 for row 2. Then alternate until it's done! 

Christmas Song Round-Up: Lou Monte

This year I can't say that I've been in the Christmas spirit to the extent of those around me. I bought gifts for my loved ones and dearest friends, but I didn't put my tree up and I don't do Christmas cards. Why no tree? Well, I don't spend Christmas at my house, but at my parents, so I don't even enjoy my tree on Christmas day.  

And then there are the Christmas songs on the radio. Why do they start the day after Thanksgiving? I think what tires me out and keeps me out of the Christmas spirit is the crass commercialism that every holiday has embraced. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, even MLK Jr Day and President's Day is yet another excuse to have a long weekend. So, when I hear Christmas songs for four weeks, I am driven crazy. If they were good Christmas songs, then I wouldn't mind so much. But no, I am forced to endure things like "Don't they know it's Christmas time at all?" or "Dominic the Christmas Donkey." 

Hee Haw. Hee Haw. 

So, imagine my surprise and lack of delight that Lou Monte had more than one Italian animal hit! There was "Pepino the Italian Mouse", which, according to Wikipedia,  "tells the humorous tale of a mischievous mouse who lives within the walls of a man's kitchen and who comes out at night to eat cheese, drink wine, frighten Lou's girlfriend when she comes over and befriends the cat, sent out to catch him." Then let's not fail to mention "Pasquale, the Italian Pussycat" and "Paulucci, the Italian Parrot." 

But I'm going to move away from that to touch on another aspect of Monte's illustrious animal career and digress momentarily. Recently I heard Stephen Peters talk at my school about how essential it is to know the students we teach. One part of his presentation that hit me was how, in the past fifty years, the way students receive their information has changed radically. Instead of having the home, school, and church being the top three influences on children, this has changed to having Media/TV being the top spot, followed by peers! Wow, this has changed drastically, and not for the better. 

I have witnessed this in my own job. Most of my students' history "knowledge" has come from movies, especially those starring Mel Gibson. For the love! I am so tired about hearing about Braveheart and Patriot, two very historically inaccurate movies. How many times have I heard from Honors students, "So, when Mel Gibson...." They can't differentiate between good entertainment--or even bad entertainment--and reality! 

And so this brings me back to Lou Monte and his songs. Specifically "What Did Washington Say (When He Crossed the Delaware)?".  Again, according to Wikipedia

At one point in the song, "Washington" complains that the pizzas his wife Martha baked were as "cold as ice". His solution? "Sell them to the Indians for only half the price." He then asks his boatsmen to row faster because "tonight I'm posing for my picture on the dollar bill."

What? Sheesh, at least back when Monte wrote the song kids knew better than to believe it, but now I have to climb uphill to convince students that Martha Washington did not cook pizzas. My saving grace? Luckily my students have not heard of Lou Monte. 

High School T-Shirt Quilt

This is my latest project, which I have to put back on hold. More on that in a second! 

I had a box of stuff from high school and Girl Scouts, and most of that was taken up by t-shirts that were hole-y and stained. They were just sitting there, so I decided, why not do something with them? 

So, I'm making a quilt out of them! Last year I fused interfacing onto the back so the stretchiness of the tees didn't drive me insane. They'd been sitting in my closet and sitting in my closet... so this weekend, I put the sashing on! 

I had enough of the red fabric from a previous quilt to use, but I hit a snag: none of it was long enough for the border! So, when I have some extra cash, I'm going to buy black for the border and for the backing. That'll fit my school colors of red and black, and then I'll be able have use for something from high school! 

'Bout time that high school was good for something besides a way to get to college. ;)

Life List

I found this list on Apron Strings and thought I'd give it a try! 

 I’ve marked the ones I’ve done in purple.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland but i have been to disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb 
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - One Day!!!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. successfully stopped smoking

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose is the fourth book in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation Series. A very popular genre within the last decade is the Napoleonic era (if you are in France) and the Regency era (if you are in England). Spying is the favored profession among England's noble elite, and if one is a nobleman, you are expected to serve your country. 

Indeed. 

So much so is this particular time period popular that a lot of books run together in plot. Willig's books differ in that they fit into historical fiction more than historical romance. They have a slight flavor of a regency romance over a true romance novel. 

In The Crimson Rose, Mary Alsworthy is approached by Lord Vaughn to work for the Pink Carnation. In return for being bait to lure the Black Tulip (the Carnation's archnemesis) out into the open, all Mary wants is for Vaughn to fund the next Season for her. Why? Pride. Mary's younger (and homelier) sister recently wed Mary's former suitor, and the brother-in-law has offered to fund the next Season. Mary, however, doesn't wish to be seen as an object of pity, so she'd like her Season to be funded in another way. 

Lord Vaughn has good reason for picking Mary: her black hair is one hallmark of agents that work for the Tulip. Mary is also a good screen for Vaughn, who has been suspected by many, including those in the Pink Carnation's circle, of being the Black Tulip. 

Of all the couples in the books, I like Mary and Vaughn the best. They are not perfect. Mary can be cold and manipulative, well aware of the fact that as a woman, her status depends on making a good marriage. She wants to be comfortable, and she realizes that comfort and love are not the same thing. Vaughn is also sarcastic and has a dry wit; the two often trade barbs. Vaughn also has the requisite black past, complete with dead wife, dead mistresses, and membership in various and sundry hellish clubs. His reputation is hardly pristine, and he is well aware of it. 

Many of my comments on this book are the same as the other books. The book is a light read and doesn't fit cleanly into one genre. It's a combination of chick lit and historical fiction, with a dash of mystery. It's very light on history, with not a lot of substance, mostly the outer trappings. It should not be read to get a deeper understanding of the time period. 

I'm not sure where Willig is going with the series. We know who the Pink Carnation is. Her historian, Eloise, knows who the Pink Carnation is, and she's well on the way to a Happily Ever After herself. Willig introduced an element of the Jacobite Rebellion, when Bonnie Prince Charlie attempted to take his "rightful" place on the throne of England. 

Since I liked the main characters, which is what really counts, I give the book an A.