senoritafish: (6yrsold)
(posted @ Tumblr, copied here)

So, somewhere on one of these silly sites, probably FB, I commented as a part of contest entry a month or two ago. I think I signed up for a book reviews newsletter. And then I promptly forgot about it.

Last week I got an email saying I'd won and asking for my address; a shiny new copy of Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane. Which was a bright spot in an otherwise sucky day; something I'd been sort expecting to happen, happened, although expecting it hadn't made it any more pleasant.

I'd wanted to go to one of his signings but alas, couldn't afford tickets at the time, so this was a very happy alternative. When I got home from work last night, oldest fry burst out the front door calling, "You've got a package!" and handed me a bubble-wrap envelope. After taking it inside and setting my things down, I peeled it open and pulled out the contents.

It was The Book. And not only the book, it was Signed!

Wow. I wasn't expecting that. In green ink on the frontspiece. Actually touched by neilhimself.

I'm not usually given to overt fangirling, but I may have rubbed my hands together a little and performed a little Sheldon Cooper-like "eheheh, there are probably some skin cells still on the paper, I could make a clone!" to the chagrin of my offspring, who immediately chatised me. Ah well, I may be a biologist, but not with anywhere near that kind of expertise. ;p

The graveyard-working spouse requsted an extra few minutes of sleep after his wakeup call, so I read a bit while waiting. Dammit, Neil, you made me mist up in the second chapter. Something very similar happened to me at about the same age. Though a lot of things that happened then are foggy, that memory is very sharp and It still aches badly.

Then I had to rewake spouse, cobble together some dinner and try to watch promised Dr. Who on Netflix with middle fry, but couldn't get the Nook to work. Dug through my change to provide oldest fry with enough lunch money for a field trip to the Science Center to see Endeavor today. Forget to give him the little camera. Dammit.

I keep coming across his "make good art" speech, and I keep thinking I should try to do more of that. More doodle than art and not so much good, but I do enjoy it when I do it. My kids are always working on something, and I seem to be forgetting how to do that. I always carry around a notebook and pencils - I need to start pulling them out more often. Things are going to be tougher soon, and it's probably a better way of responding than I have been.

Thanks, for writers, whether of books or of fanfics or screenplays, makers of funny, and artists serious and fannish, and composers of music and all the creative people here and elsewhere for sharing yourselves. It makes it a little bit easier for all of us to get through some tough times.
senoritafish: (fisheries observer by ray troll)
Looking for depictions of Native Americans swordfishing for a presentation for work and came upon this story, which is based on the Chumash legend, namely that the swordfish speared whales and threw them on the beach, thus providing people with food.

Swordfish Story

Swordfish seem to be a bit cruel, but then so do a lot of large predators.

Speaking of predators, I see there's a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming out - the mouse people just sent me an email alerting me to the fact, but a day or too ago while looking for something else, I stumbled across a year-old blog entry saying that it may or may not be based on one of my favorite Tim Powers books, On Stranger Tides - which is also the subtitle of the movie. Apparently he sold the movie rights to the book to Disney back in the 80's. While this is one of their franchises I've been pretty pleased with, I hope they've adapted the story adequately. While it has none of the same characters, I can see a lot of parallels between them.

Also, I know getting up and walking away too fast can give you a head rush. I just wish it would occur a little closer to my office chair rather than when I'm halfway down the hall to the bathroom...
senoritafish: (fisheries observer by ray troll)
Looking for depictions of Native Americans swordfishing for a presentation for work and came upon this story, which is based on the Chumash legend, namely that the swordfish speared whales and threw them on the beach, thus providing people with food.

Swordfish Story

Swordfish seem to be a bit cruel, but then so do a lot of large predators.

Speaking of predators, I see there's a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming out - the mouse people just sent me an email alerting me to the fact, but a day or too ago while looking for something else, I stumbled across a year-old blog entry saying that it may or may not be based on one of my favorite Tim Powers books, On Stranger Tides - which is also the subtitle of the movie. Apparently he sold the movie rights to the book to Disney back in the 80's. While this is one of their franchises I've been pretty pleased with, I hope they've adapted the story adequately. While it has none of the same characters, I can see a lot of parallels between them.

Also, I know getting up and walking away too fast can give you a head rush. I just wish it would occur a little closer to my office chair rather than when I'm halfway down the hall to the bathroom...
senoritafish: (Currently reading)
Happy Groundhog Day! If we had groundhogs here, they'd fershure be seeing their shadows, as it's sunny but blowing gusty Santa Ana winds (do gophers work instead?). And by the way, Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies.

Dad update... )

He's also finally expressed a bit more interest in reading - so far, he hasn't wanted to, but did like it when Doug and I read short stories to him. My brothers and I had talked about going in together on a Kindle for him since he's been complaining that books, especially hardbacks, just start getting too heavy to hold up and start hurting his hands. I decided to go with a Kindle rather than a Nook because of its text-to-speech feature. If he gets tired of holding it, it can read to him. We got our tax refund recently, so I went to Staples at lunch yesterday and grabbed one for him. This is actually a really nifty gadget! Does all kinds of things besides e books! If he decides he doesn't like it, I'll keep it myself. Man, the accessories are where they get ya, though. It doesn't have a backlight, so if you want to read where it's dim, you need a light for it and also a cover to keep it from getting wrecked. It was about the same price for all of them separately or a nice leather cover with an integrated light that actually runs off the Kindle battery ($60). And I suckered for the extended warranty, too. John always tells me they're not worth it, but we're hard on batteries and we're hard on gadgets.

I played around last night, looking for some free James Fenimore Cooper to put on it for him, and also found I could forward Word and PDF documents to it, so I tested that out with the thresher sampling plan proposal I need to make comments on. Pretty cool!

Apropos maybe: Seven Ways Electronic Books Can Make Us Better Readers. by the CEO of Levenger (I like to drool over their pens). I seem to be what he calls a preservationist - but I don't write in my books so much because I can't bear them being marked up, but more because when I'm reading, I'm in an absorbent mode. I might think of questions or notes later, but not usually during.
senoritafish: (Currently reading)
Happy Groundhog Day! If we had groundhogs here, they'd fershure be seeing their shadows, as it's sunny but blowing gusty Santa Ana winds (do gophers work instead?). And by the way, Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies.

Dad update... )

He's also finally expressed a bit more interest in reading - so far, he hasn't wanted to, but did like it when Doug and I read short stories to him. My brothers and I had talked about going in together on a Kindle for him since he's been complaining that books, especially hardbacks, just start getting too heavy to hold up and start hurting his hands. I decided to go with a Kindle rather than a Nook because of its text-to-speech feature. If he gets tired of holding it, it can read to him. We got our tax refund recently, so I went to Staples at lunch yesterday and grabbed one for him. This is actually a really nifty gadget! Does all kinds of things besides e books! If he decides he doesn't like it, I'll keep it myself. Man, the accessories are where they get ya, though. It doesn't have a backlight, so if you want to read where it's dim, you need a light for it and also a cover to keep it from getting wrecked. It was about the same price for all of them separately or a nice leather cover with an integrated light that actually runs off the Kindle battery ($60). And I suckered for the extended warranty, too. John always tells me they're not worth it, but we're hard on batteries and we're hard on gadgets.

I played around last night, looking for some free James Fenimore Cooper to put on it for him, and also found I could forward Word and PDF documents to it, so I tested that out with the thresher sampling plan proposal I need to make comments on. Pretty cool!

Apropos maybe: Seven Ways Electronic Books Can Make Us Better Readers. by the CEO of Levenger (I like to drool over their pens). I seem to be what he calls a preservationist - but I don't write in my books so much because I can't bear them being marked up, but more because when I'm reading, I'm in an absorbent mode. I might think of questions or notes later, but not usually during.
senoritafish: (vendetta's slug)
No pics for this one but a couple of other things I almost forgot...

  • I was surprised to come across Peter S. Beagle in a booth in the (absolutely huge, so big we only it made it down two aisles) Vendor's room, selling books; I guess a new edition of The Last Unicorn is coming out soon and they were taking pre-orders for it. He looked dead tired and kind of out of it. I did tell his assistant (who was doing most of the talking) that I'd loved his writing since my high-school English teacher gave me a copy of the aforementioned book. A Fine and Private Place was a joy too, although I haven't read either in a long time. Both men seemed a little surprised when I chose The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Neitchze, a book of short stories, instead of TLU, which everyone else was signing up for. He signed it for me, and I thanked him for all the happy reads. I hope he's doing better now; I remember reading awhile ago he had a lot of financial difficulties because he got ripped off as far as any movie profits (bad contract). Looks like he sells most of his books through his website now.


  • I didn't discover that the Artist's Alley was at the opposite end of the Vendor's room until 15 minutes before it closed. Damn - because the art is another favorite part.


  • We missed seeing the new Trigun movie, because I thought they were just showing episodes. Duh, why would so many people have been lined up to get in? There's a trailer here, if anyone's interested.


  • Not long after we got there, we thought maybe lunch was in order - I'd brought lots of snacks in my backpack, but something more substantial was in order. The food court at the convention Center wanted $9 for a burger; oh, no way. So we walked out and west on on Olympic Blvd, looking for something less pricy. After about a half a mile, we finally happened upon Pollo Camparo, which seems to be a Latin American KFC. I wasn't familiar with them (there are a bunch in L.A. but not so much Orange County), but we were getting hot and tired of walking. The place was jammed with families, and suddenly I wished I'd taken Spanish in high school instead of German. One does pick up a smidgen just living here in CA, and I was hoping I'd recognize when they called my number- one lady was calling a single digit at time, which I could have handled, but the other lady must have called "trescientos cuarenta y cinco" and I didn't recognize it. Then she looked at me and said, "Is this yours?" John would've grabbed it, but he'd stayed home. Anyhow, it was really good. And while we were sitting there, I saw a couple of people walk down the other side of the street in costumes, so I didn't feel quite so out of place. ;p

    When we got back to the convention center, we were walking down one of hallways, and I looked out the window in the opposite direction we'd gone. And there was an entire vacant lot full of mobile eateries - I'd call them taco trucks, but LA has gotten a reputation lately for all kinds of really good ethnic food vendors. Have to keep those in mind for next time we're up there - although Angus was probably happiest with chicken fingers anyway.


  • We did watch a few episodes of Casshern Sins (looks very dark and futuristic, animation a bit retro-looking, but pretty) and an entire sub-titled live action movie, Happily Ever After, which I'm shocked and proud all three kids sat through in its entirety. Not only that they sat still and weren't bored for that long, but were able to follow the subtitles enough to know what was going on.

    The movie itself, based on a manga and apparently a big hit in Japan, was a bit strange; it seemed to start out as a comedy of a long-suffering woman whose guy overturns the dinner table every time she does the slightest thing that upsets or offends him. He doesn't work, takes all of her money and spends the day in bars and panchinko parlors, where he swipes his friend's winnings too. She goes off to her job in a noodle restaurant where the owner is in love with her and keeps giving her extra money and offers her a place to stay should she ever get kicked out (he's so desperate it's a bit creepy, too), and her father is just recently got out of jail for bank robbery and wants to leech off her as well. Then it turns into almost soap opera drama, when an accident triggers a flashback of her school days where she was one of the the poorest girls in her class, and her best friend nearly kills her for wanting to hang out with the more popular kids (although they finally make up). She leaves school and spends a stint as prostitute,where she meets the boyfriend, who after some rather stalkerish following her around, rescues her from a suicide attempt and quits the yakuza in order to be with her. He treats her quite nicely in the beginning, making me wonder what happened. The whole thing really made me shake my head, not only about why the main character put up with so much crap from the men in her life, but also about how women are viewed in Japanese society.

senoritafish: (vendetta's slug)
No pics for this one but a couple of other things I almost forgot...

  • I was surprised to come across Peter S. Beagle in a booth in the (absolutely huge, so big we only it made it down two aisles) Vendor's room, selling books; I guess a new edition of The Last Unicorn is coming out soon and they were taking pre-orders for it. He looked dead tired and kind of out of it. I did tell his assistant (who was doing most of the talking) that I'd loved his writing since my high-school English teacher gave me a copy of the aforementioned book. A Fine and Private Place was a joy too, although I haven't read either in a long time. Both men seemed a little surprised when I chose The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Neitchze, a book of short stories, instead of TLU, which everyone else was signing up for. He signed it for me, and I thanked him for all the happy reads. I hope he's doing better now; I remember reading awhile ago he had a lot of financial difficulties because he got ripped off as far as any movie profits (bad contract). Looks like he sells most of his books through his website now.


  • I didn't discover that the Artist's Alley was at the opposite end of the Vendor's room until 15 minutes before it closed. Damn - because the art is another favorite part.


  • We missed seeing the new Trigun movie, because I thought they were just showing episodes. Duh, why would so many people have been lined up to get in? There's a trailer here, if anyone's interested.


  • Not long after we got there, we thought maybe lunch was in order - I'd brought lots of snacks in my backpack, but something more substantial was in order. The food court at the convention Center wanted $9 for a burger; oh, no way. So we walked out and west on on Olympic Blvd, looking for something less pricy. After about a half a mile, we finally happened upon Pollo Camparo, which seems to be a Latin American KFC. I wasn't familiar with them (there are a bunch in L.A. but not so much Orange County), but we were getting hot and tired of walking. The place was jammed with families, and suddenly I wished I'd taken Spanish in high school instead of German. One does pick up a smidgen just living here in CA, and I was hoping I'd recognize when they called my number- one lady was calling a single digit at time, which I could have handled, but the other lady must have called "trescientos cuarenta y cinco" and I didn't recognize it. Then she looked at me and said, "Is this yours?" John would've grabbed it, but he'd stayed home. Anyhow, it was really good. And while we were sitting there, I saw a couple of people walk down the other side of the street in costumes, so I didn't feel quite so out of place. ;p

    When we got back to the convention center, we were walking down one of hallways, and I looked out the window in the opposite direction we'd gone. And there was an entire vacant lot full of mobile eateries - I'd call them taco trucks, but LA has gotten a reputation lately for all kinds of really good ethnic food vendors. Have to keep those in mind for next time we're up there - although Angus was probably happiest with chicken fingers anyway.


  • We did watch a few episodes of Casshern Sins (looks very dark and futuristic, animation a bit retro-looking, but pretty) and an entire sub-titled live action movie, Happily Ever After, which I'm shocked and proud all three kids sat through in its entirety. Not only that they sat still and weren't bored for that long, but were able to follow the subtitles enough to know what was going on.

    The movie itself, based on a manga and apparently a big hit in Japan, was a bit strange; it seemed to start out as a comedy of a long-suffering woman whose guy overturns the dinner table every time she does the slightest thing that upsets or offends him. He doesn't work, takes all of her money and spends the day in bars and panchinko parlors, where he swipes his friend's winnings too. She goes off to her job in a noodle restaurant where the owner is in love with her and keeps giving her extra money and offers her a place to stay should she ever get kicked out (he's so desperate it's a bit creepy, too), and her father is just recently got out of jail for bank robbery and wants to leech off her as well. Then it turns into almost soap opera drama, when an accident triggers a flashback of her school days where she was one of the the poorest girls in her class, and her best friend nearly kills her for wanting to hang out with the more popular kids (although they finally make up). She leaves school and spends a stint as prostitute,where she meets the boyfriend, who after some rather stalkerish following her around, rescues her from a suicide attempt and quits the yakuza in order to be with her. He treats her quite nicely in the beginning, making me wonder what happened. The whole thing really made me shake my head, not only about why the main character put up with so much crap from the men in her life, but also about how women are viewed in Japanese society.

senoritafish: (One true pairing...)
The kids don't have summer school this year because of budget cuts, so we're trying to make an effort to go over to John's mom's place; it's a senior mobile home park, but kids are allowed to use the pool between 9am and 1pm. Given that the city pool here costs $5 for free swim, which is pretty much prohibitive for 3 kids, not to mention adults, it's just about worth it to go over to Long Beach. Getting myself a new swimsuit though, that was traumatic. Yeesh. I've got to start eating better - and less. I really wanted some women's board shorts like I remembered seeing a couple of years ago but I guess they only make them for skinny people. So back to Target, and since I wanted something a little bit longer, I'm stuck with the ones with skirts for now. Maybe I'll look for something online later.

It's been a while since I've really been swimming. We were only in the pool for maybe an hour and half, not really doing anything more strenuous than towing the kids around on those floaty, noodley things, yet afterward my limbs felt pretty noodley themselves. Home to dry and rest a bit and then thought we'd check out the final book sale at Acres of Books in Long Beach (thank you Mike).

Truth is, I thought it had already closed long ago. Unfortunately I didn't have $25 for a crate, so couldn't go inside, but I took some pictures around the outside to remember the place by. I hadn't been in there for ages since before it closed, but I remember being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of books up to the ceiling, faint smells of dust and cat pee in some places, as well. I wasn't in there much, but it's sad to think it'll be completely gone soon.
senoritafish: (One true pairing...)
The kids don't have summer school this year because of budget cuts, so we're trying to make an effort to go over to John's mom's place; it's a senior mobile home park, but kids are allowed to use the pool between 9am and 1pm. Given that the city pool here costs $5 for free swim, which is pretty much prohibitive for 3 kids, not to mention adults, it's just about worth it to go over to Long Beach. Getting myself a new swimsuit though, that was traumatic. Yeesh. I've got to start eating better - and less. I really wanted some women's board shorts like I remembered seeing a couple of years ago but I guess they only make them for skinny people. So back to Target, and since I wanted something a little bit longer, I'm stuck with the ones with skirts for now. Maybe I'll look for something online later.

It's been a while since I've really been swimming. We were only in the pool for maybe an hour and half, not really doing anything more strenuous than towing the kids around on those floaty, noodley things, yet afterward my limbs felt pretty noodley themselves. Home to dry and rest a bit and then thought we'd check out the final book sale at Acres of Books in Long Beach (thank you Mike).

Truth is, I thought it had already closed long ago. Unfortunately I didn't have $25 for a crate, so couldn't go inside, but I took some pictures around the outside to remember the place by. I hadn't been in there for ages since before it closed, but I remember being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of books up to the ceiling, faint smells of dust and cat pee in some places, as well. I wasn't in there much, but it's sad to think it'll be completely gone soon.
senoritafish: (Do the Aquaman Butt-Dance!)
14 items-1 photo!

March scavenger hunt (item list here) - I decided to just look around my desk at work and see how many items I had at hand. Turns out, quite a few!

14 things! )

Yay, that's almost half the list! If you click through to Flickr, there are notes on the pic - move cursor over pic to see more detail.

I did have a small bottle too, but somehow it didn't wind up in the picture. Actually, it wound up in another picture of the same arrangement, but meh, I'll just save it for later.
senoritafish: (Do the Aquaman Butt-Dance!)
14 items-1 photo!

March scavenger hunt (item list here) - I decided to just look around my desk at work and see how many items I had at hand. Turns out, quite a few!

14 things! )

Yay, that's almost half the list! If you click through to Flickr, there are notes on the pic - move cursor over pic to see more detail.

I did have a small bottle too, but somehow it didn't wind up in the picture. Actually, it wound up in another picture of the same arrangement, but meh, I'll just save it for later.
senoritafish: (jet midol)
I'm sorry but the subtitle for the Monitor's review of New Moon, just made me laugh.

"The latest in the 'Twilight' series, 'New Moon' follows a moping Bella who continues to have poor choice in men."

As much as I used to be a big fan of vampires (is Fred Saberhagen's The Dracula Tapes still in print?), the more I hear of the Twilight series, the less I think I would like it. I know I'm totally NOT the demographic this is aimed at, and I've never been a huge fan of the romance genre anyway, but teenage romance stories have been grating on me lately. For cripes sake, how many people are with the same person they dated in high school - and I qualify that with the fact that, yes, I do know of a few personally, but as a whole it's pretty rare. My own high school love life was, if not a disaster, fairly bleak. That continued until I was in college - mostly due to my own social ineptness, I'm now seeing.

And I'm probably missing a major plot point here because I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but - whatinhell's a more than a century old vampire doing cruising the local high school for underage chicks anyway? Makes the typical Hollywood age difference pairing thing (i.e. Catherine Zeta-Jones/Sean Connery) seem positively appropriate.

WHERE ARE THE KICK ASS MIDDLE-AGED FAT HEROINES WITH GRAYING HAIR DAMMIT?!

Oh, that's right. They all became moms, or priestesses, or nuns or something. Not that those aren't worthy worthwhile things, but not the stuff that sells a lot of books or summerblockbuster movies, unless they've become the aging revenge-driven head of an evil corporation/religion/empire that has to be destroyed before the epilogue.

*Grumps *

getoffamylawnyadamnkids...
senoritafish: (jet midol)
I'm sorry but the subtitle for the Monitor's review of New Moon, just made me laugh.

"The latest in the 'Twilight' series, 'New Moon' follows a moping Bella who continues to have poor choice in men."

As much as I used to be a big fan of vampires (is Fred Saberhagen's The Dracula Tapes still in print?), the more I hear of the Twilight series, the less I think I would like it. I know I'm totally NOT the demographic this is aimed at, and I've never been a huge fan of the romance genre anyway, but teenage romance stories have been grating on me lately. For cripes sake, how many people are with the same person they dated in high school - and I qualify that with the fact that, yes, I do know of a few personally, but as a whole it's pretty rare. My own high school love life was, if not a disaster, fairly bleak. That continued until I was in college - mostly due to my own social ineptness, I'm now seeing.

And I'm probably missing a major plot point here because I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but - whatinhell's a more than a century old vampire doing cruising the local high school for underage chicks anyway? Makes the typical Hollywood age difference pairing thing (i.e. Catherine Zeta-Jones/Sean Connery) seem positively appropriate.

WHERE ARE THE KICK ASS MIDDLE-AGED FAT HEROINES WITH GRAYING HAIR DAMMIT?!

Oh, that's right. They all became moms, or priestesses, or nuns or something. Not that those aren't worthy worthwhile things, but not the stuff that sells a lot of books or summerblockbuster movies, unless they've become the aging revenge-driven head of an evil corporation/religion/empire that has to be destroyed before the epilogue.

*Grumps *

getoffamylawnyadamnkids...
senoritafish: (perfect TV mom)
On the way home from my book group at Barnes & Marmoset, Avalon announced:

"Mom, when I get big, I'm gonna make a book. And it's going to be called:

Get Out of the Tub! You're Pruning!

...and it's going to have chapters."
senoritafish: (perfect TV mom)
On the way home from my book group at Barnes & Marmoset, Avalon announced:

"Mom, when I get big, I'm gonna make a book. And it's going to be called:

Get Out of the Tub! You're Pruning!

...and it's going to have chapters."
senoritafish: (vendetta's slug)
Well, I don't know why I allowed myself to get sucked into Code Geass: Lalouche of the Rebellion,as I try to avoid series based on political intrigue and masked antiheroes. Not to mention mecha, although I don't mind them. It finally finished last night. I think you could tell how it had to end, as it was leading inevitably in that direction. God, how depressing. Spoiler )

I also finished Watchmen earlier this week; someone in my book group had warned me it was not a fast read despite being a graphic novel, and he was certainly right. Most of the chapters have several pages of regular text in the form of news articles, describing character backgrounds. It's a pretty intense story, and it didn't really have a happy ending either.

And the first disk of Six Feet Under. I had caught a few episodes of this when cable let us have the channel for free a while ago and had been intrigued. Not quite happy either, plenty dark, but a lot of black humor too. And I'm slightly amused that I'm familiar with a lot of the outdoor locations - the intersection where Dad gets hit by the bus is on the street where we often went out to lunch at our old office in downtown Long Beach. I'm having difficulty finding the time to watch it, as it's definitely not for the kids, but John doesn't want to watch it either. I have to wait until he's out in the garage for a few hours. Anyway...

Something cheery, now, please?
senoritafish: (vendetta's slug)
Well, I don't know why I allowed myself to get sucked into Code Geass: Lalouche of the Rebellion,as I try to avoid series based on political intrigue and masked antiheroes. Not to mention mecha, although I don't mind them. It finally finished last night. I think you could tell how it had to end, as it was leading inevitably in that direction. God, how depressing. Spoiler )

I also finished Watchmen earlier this week; someone in my book group had warned me it was not a fast read despite being a graphic novel, and he was certainly right. Most of the chapters have several pages of regular text in the form of news articles, describing character backgrounds. It's a pretty intense story, and it didn't really have a happy ending either.

And the first disk of Six Feet Under. I had caught a few episodes of this when cable let us have the channel for free a while ago and had been intrigued. Not quite happy either, plenty dark, but a lot of black humor too. And I'm slightly amused that I'm familiar with a lot of the outdoor locations - the intersection where Dad gets hit by the bus is on the street where we often went out to lunch at our old office in downtown Long Beach. I'm having difficulty finding the time to watch it, as it's definitely not for the kids, but John doesn't want to watch it either. I have to wait until he's out in the garage for a few hours. Anyway...

Something cheery, now, please?
senoritafish: (perfect TV mom)
CIMG0304

Angus's school had a "Dr. Seuss" night - kids and teachers wore pajamas. It began in the cafetorium with a couple of skits (teachers doing atrocious hip-hop Cat in the Hat), and then the kids went from room to room listening to teachers read stories. Above, a prop from a familiar story (yes, it was edible). The event was to call attention to the book fair and raise a few bucks for the school library. I'm not sure what the Popeye look is for; he's been doing that whe I ask to take his picture lately.

Green Eggs and Ham
Huntington Beach CA
Casio EX-Z80A
4 March 2009

getting comfortable... )
senoritafish: (perfect TV mom)
CIMG0304

Angus's school had a "Dr. Seuss" night - kids and teachers wore pajamas. It began in the cafetorium with a couple of skits (teachers doing atrocious hip-hop Cat in the Hat), and then the kids went from room to room listening to teachers read stories. Above, a prop from a familiar story (yes, it was edible). The event was to call attention to the book fair and raise a few bucks for the school library. I'm not sure what the Popeye look is for; he's been doing that whe I ask to take his picture lately.

Green Eggs and Ham
Huntington Beach CA
Casio EX-Z80A
4 March 2009

getting comfortable... )
senoritafish: (Currently reading)
At my SF/Fantasy book group last night:

Angus: (Coming back from the kid's section during a pause in the conversation, walking halfway around the circle of folding chairs till he was opposite me and announcing rather loudly) "They didn't have ANYTHING I liked; but I have these. Mom, where are you?"

This caused everyone to crack up - he had observed where I sat before going, but apparently walked around the group most of the way before he bothered to look up. He forgets sometimes that he needs to listen to see if other people are talking before he just announces whatever's on his mind, and he needs to lower the volume a bit. However, I am glad he's venturing off to do things on his own, although if he wants to do it himself it's much easier. He still gets a little freaked when I need to leave him for a minute, as in a half an hour later, when I needed to use the restroom and asked him to stay and read for a few minutes where he was (even though Gareth was there too).

Anyway, his latest book to peruse everytime we visit the bookstore is the D&D Monster Manual, and since one of the other members was an old school D&D player, he kept bringing it over to him to ask questions about various monsters. I don't think Aaron minded, but I always worry he's bugging people. At the same time, I've never liked the adage about children being seen and not heard, and I don't like just squelching him.

Meanwhile, Gareth was paging through a copy of Weird California (a book I'd like to pick up sometime, but it's an expensive coffee table book - and I don't have a coffee table I'd like to put it on at this point). Instead of just blurting things out, every so often I would feel an soft but insistent poke in the back because he wanted to show me something. And of course, he wanted to show the group the pictures of the Fry's Electronics store in Burbank, since we had been talking about cephalopods and the store has a theme of 50's/60's SciFi movies. He asked me later when he could actually join the group, and I told him as soon as he was up to reading the sort of book we pick out every month. He reads juvenile chapter books now; at present he's reading a book about the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII.

The book for January was Making Money by Terry Pratchett (a Discworld book), which I am only starting, having only been able to pick it up on Saturday. February's will be The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon, and for March, Nova Swing by M. John Harrison (although I may have to read Light first), all of which look interesting.

Before deciding on the March book, Deb turned aside to me and said, "You know, I'm finding I like my science fiction to be more homey; all these galaxy expansive stories make me tired."

March 2016

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