Classics Challenges

Today being February 28, it is the end of the four month Really Old Classics Challenge, the object of which was to read at least one work written before 1600 AD. It was close, what with January being a complete wash and February not much better, but I did manage to complete the challenge. However, I did not read the work originally intended, The Odyssey. The year starting out as bad as it has, I had to switch to a shorter work found online, Poetics by Aristotle (about 25 pages).

Poetics, it can be argued, is the first book for writers, particularly screenwriters and playwrights. Poetics endeavors to outline the differences between Comedic, Epic and Tragic "poetry," or as we now know it, drama, especially concentrating on the differences and similarities between Epic and tragic, and the basic (good) components of each.

Tragedy endeavors, as far as possible, to confine itself to a single revolution of the sun, or but slightly to exceed this limit, whereas Epic action has no limits of time.

Aristotle goes on to argue that there are six integral parts of a tragedy -- Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Song -- and explains in great detail what he believes are the essential qualities of each, elements that are dictated to writers even today. I don't know that I would recommend this particular book to the average reader, but writers may find it of interest, if for no other reason than to see how little the "rules" of writing have changed over the centuries.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As if I am not masochistic enough, I found another classics challenge today, which actually coincides with my own 2010 reading goal of reading at least four classics before the end of the year. The Classics Challenge 2010 runs from April 1 through October 31. There are three levels of participation. For rules and sign up click on the link or image above. My only complaint is that I wish it started March 1, as one of the March group reads for TNBBC is Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I do plan to read seeing as it in my TBR pile.

Now, according to the rules of this challenge, you are supposed to list the books you intend to read. Chyeah, right. I am not going to put anything in stone, except to say I do intend to aim for four books. At least one will be by Jane Austen, either P&P or S&S, as they are both in my TBR and I have read four others by her. At least one will probably be by Virginia Woolf, as I have three of hers in the TBR. One may be a children's classic I somehow missed, A Wind in the Willows. That's as close as I will come to making a commitment. *g*

Saving My Pennies...

...and nickels and dimes.




I honestly don't understand people who throw money away. You know, the ones who casually jettison a penny or a nickel or a dime because they're "worthless." I'm not one of those people. With the convenience of debit cards, I don't carry much cash, but when I do--I empty out all the coins as soon as I get home. Quarters go in the laundry bowl, everything else go in a bank I've had since school. About twice a year I deposit whatever is there. All those pennies and nickels and dimes really do add up. In this case, they added up to $25.22.

"Thank you, Mom" Commercial

Have you seen this new Proctor & Gamble commercial? Gets me all teary-eyed every time.

Noah's Ark

One of the most popular projects in yesterday's post was the elephant ornament. I mentioned that it was part of a Noah's Ark series. In uploading that picture, I realized that I had never shared pieces from that set made in 2006 and 2007 (I somehow missed 2008...oops!). So, here are the first four ornaments made in that set. There are five more to go. You'll have to come back at end of the year to see more. (wicked evil grin)

These were the first two of this set, made in 2006...

...And these were the two made in 2007.

Thursday Thirteen 143: Crafty Me

Way back in November or December -- maybe even both -- I mentioned needing to finish a number of craft projects for Christmas. Someone (ahem, Alice) made me promise I would share pics after Christmas, when there was no chance of spoiling a surprise for anyone. January being a complete wash, I never got around to uploading and processing images until this month. So, while there is still snow on the ground (grumble, grumble), I thought I would share thirteen pics of crafty gifts I made for Christmas 2009. Click on any image for a larger view!



The stitching of these two was done early in the year, but backing and hangers still needed to be added, as well as trimming to shape.


I found this festive little guy in my craft bag, with only the white part of his legs done. It took me a while to figure out which pattern I was using, and only one evening of television programming to actually finish stitching him. He measures about two inches square and was stitched on plastic canvas.

My friend Manda loves and collects Noah's Ark memorabilia. This ornament is part of a series I have been stitching for her, actually the second set of Noah's Ark ornaments (the first was quite different from the second).

A special ornament done for my youngest niece, AKA The Bug, who attended her first performance of the Nutcracker ballet in December 2009.

Ornaments made for Kat, one of my many snowman fiend friends.

Another I found in my craft bag from last year that had been started and not finished off. He looks a lot larger in this picture than he actually is, which is not quite two inches tall.

This banner stitched for Kathy is cute, but shaping the bottom of it was a major pain in the neck. At least the tassel was a lot easier than it looked!

These are part of a series by Calico Crossroads that I have been doing for Kim, who is owned by two black cats (brothers). I had to stitch these patterns together and decided to fore go the usual 8x10 framed picture (click label 'Cross-stitch' for more) for a couple of cute throw pillows. The first says "One...Two...Three..." and the second says "Made it!" Click on image for a better view.

I have to share another pic of these, just to show off the back. Isn't this Debbie Mumm Calico cat pattern adorable?

There was enough material leftover after making Kim's pillows, I decided to use it to make a pillow for a friend's daughter. I found some sturdy brown material in my meager fabric supplies to back it et voila!

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Get Up and MOVE!

Found this great 3-minute mini-walk video a few weeks ago and yes, I have actually used it a couple times at work (when no one else is around, of course). I have Leslie Sansone's "5-Day Slim Down" walking DVD and love it. Of course, it would probably be more beneficial if I used it more often than I do. Walking DVDs are especially nice for those of us in northern climes who can't always get outside for a walk.

What are you waiting for? Get up and MOVE!

Teaser Tuesday 23: Bed of Roses

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read.
* Open to a random page.
* Share (at least) two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

Annoyance in every movement, she climbed down the ladder, set her hands on her hips. "Why is it men think beating on each other fixes anything?"

"Why is it women think eating chocolate does? It's the nature of the beast."

Monday Movie Meme: Popular Movies You Hated

This week's movie topic is all about Popular Movies You Hated...

Ever get excited to see some movie the whole world has been gushing about, only to discover that you thought it was a dud? Not only are you completely annoyed that the movie didn't meet your expectations, but you don't have anyone else to complain to because you're the only one who didn't like it. Lonely days. Share on your blog movies you didn't see what all the fuss was about and link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

I'm keeping it short this week. I'm sure there are many more movies I didn't like, but these are the four that came to mind without intense thought.

* Fargo (1996) : I absolutely HATED this movie. I found much of it slow and boring, and generally wanted my 98 minutes back.

* Shrek (2001) : Sorry, but though I love the song "Accidentally in Love," I am NOT a fan of the big green ogre.

* Annie Hall (1997) : You know, it must be a Woody Allen thing, because I didn't much care for Hannah and Her Sisters, either (though my dislike for that wasn't as intense as for AH). NOT that I've seen many of his movies in general. Actually, the only Allen film I did seem to like was one in which he acted, but did not direct -- The Front.

* Sideways (2004) : Yet another I was anxious to see after hearing all the hype, then didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

Fruit Pizza

Since I posted a pic of veggie pizza last weekend, I thought it only fair to share a yummy fruit pizza this weekend. Enjoy!





The base of this dish is sugar cookie dough. The rolled Pillsbury kind. Spread it on a cookie sheet, bake, and top with a cream cheese spread. Then add whatever fruits you like. You can also drizzle chocolate over the top.




Wanna close-up?




How many fruits can YOU identify?

Thursday Thirteen 142: Olympic Movies

In honor of the XXI Winter Olympics going on right now in Vancouver, here is a short list of movies with Olympic tie-ins. Some I've seen, some I had never heard of; some debuted in movie theaters, some were made for TV. Feel free to give a shout out to your favorite!

Blades of Glory (2007) — I have not seen this one. I have no desire to see this one. I cannot stand Will Ferrell and this type of low-brow “comedy” simply does not appeal.

Munich (2005) — One I have not seen yet, but would like to. The world was watching in 1972 as 11 Israeli athletes were murdered at the Munich Olympics. Based on the true story of the Black September aftermath, this is the story of the five men chosen to eliminate the ones responsible for that fateful day.

Miracle (2004) — The true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad.

Without Limits (1998) — The film follows the life of famous 1970s runner Steve Prefontaine from his youth days in Oregon to the University of Oregon where he worked with the legendary coach Bill Bowerman, later to Olympics in Munich.

Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) — Recounts the difficulties encountered on his way to becoming one of the world’s top Olympic divers. I cringe just thinking of that year he hit his head on the diving board.

Cool Runnings (1993) — Look Alice — I worked it into TWO blog posts this week! Based on the true story of the First Jamacian bobsled team trying to make it to the winter Olympics.

The Cutting Edge (1992) — Toe pick! A pairs figure skater teams up with a former hockey player to go for gold at the Albertville Olympics.

Nadia (1984) — The story of Romanian gymnast, Nadia Comaneci. Coached by Belya Karolyi, Nadia received 7 perfect 10's in the Montreal Olympics.

Chariots of Fire (1981) — Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew, and the other a devout Christian who compete in the 1924 Olympics. This is the story of two men who run...not to run...but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals...Except their honor. And who could forget the theme song by Vangelis?

The Jericho Mile (1979) — Rain Murphy is a man sentenced to life in prison, choosing to do his time in near-isolation, and engages in distance running when given the opportunity for free-time. While his form and speed capture the attention of prison officials who believe he could be competitive for the Olympics, Murphy is originally disinterested.

The Games (1970) — Four marathon runners (one from England, one from the U.S., a Czech and an Australian Aborigine) prepare to run in the Olympic games. The film follows each one and shows what their motivations are for running in the games.

Downhill Racer (1969) — David Chappellet (Robert Redford) is a mean-spirited skier, who profits from another skier's injury to gain a spot on the American Olympic team.

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937) — I couldn't help throwing this one in when I stumbled upon it! When a strategically important new aerial guidance system is stolen, Charlie traces it to the Berlin Olympics, where he has to battle spies and enemy agents to retrieve it.


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Jehara * Irishcoda * Nicholas * Stacy * Desi * Small Reflections

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Teaser Tuesday 22: All I Need Is You

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read.
* Open to a random page.
* Share (at least) two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


Okay, I know this is another longer passage, but this is from my favorite scene in this book. I only wish I could post the entire thing, as it honestly had me laughing out loud. This snippet is from the historical romance, All I Need Is You by Johanna Lindsey. Casey is a young woman raised on a Texas ranch and taught how to track by her father. Damian is a "city slicker" from Boston who has tracked his father's murderer to Fort Worth, where the trail ran cold and he hired Casey to pick it up again. During one of their stops they have a little run in with a cantankerous judge...

"It's pretty obvious you two have been cavorting in sin, traveling alone together, and I really can't tolerate that. No, sir. Never could, never will. But I'm glad to say that's easily rectified. So by the powers invested in me, I pronounce you man and wife, and may God have mercy on your souls. ." He banged a gavel before adding, "That'll be an extra five dollars for the marriage. Pay the bailiff." (pg 167)

Monday Movie Meme: Winter

This week's movie theme is all about winter. Share on your blog selections that feature snow, freezing cold and other winter related movies and link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!


* New in Town (2009): A Miami businesswoman adjusts to her new life in a tiny Minnesota town (during winter).

* While You Were Sleeping (1995): Ticket collecting romantic pretends to be engaged to an unconscious man but can't fool his brother. Takes place over Christmas and New Year's. Two of the best scenes have to do with ice.

* Cool Runnings (1993): Based on the true story of the First Jamacian bobsled team trying to make it to the winter olympics. Who could forget that first scene when they stepped outside the airport in Calgary?

* The Snow Queen (2005): Gerda sets out on a magical journey to find her best friend, Kay who has been taken by the Snow Queen. I confess, I have not actually scene the movie version, but this was one of my favorite fairy tales growing up.

* The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005): Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion.

* Eight Below (2006): Brutal cold forces two Antarctic explorers to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for their survival.

* Grumpy Old Men (1993): A lifelong feud between two neighbors since childhood, only gets worse when a new female neighbor moves across the street.

Valentines

I don't know how, but I somehow managed to whip out a few Valentine cards this week. Now to start thinking about Easter...

There is no stamping on any of these. I used the scalloped square to punch out squares in four shades of red and pink patterned paper, then decorated using stickers, chipboard hearts and flowers, and brads. A strip of ribbon across the bottom finished them off.

Close-up of one of the cards

Shared laughter

(Kat, yukking it up on NYE)

There can never be enough said if the virtues,
the dangers, the power of a shared laugh.

Thursday Thirteen 141: Libraries

Move over Cupid -- February is Library Lover's Month, with February Fourteenth designated as Library Lover's Day, a time for bibliophiles everywhere to revel in all things literary. Here are a few quotes about books and libraries to get us started!


Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.
~ Ray Bradbury

The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history.
~ Carl T. Rowan

A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.
~ Henry Ward Beecher

The only true equalisers in the world are books; the only treasure-house open to all comers is a library; the only wealth which will not decay is knowledge; the only jewel which you can carry beyond the grave is wisdom.
~ J. A. Langford

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
~ Jorge Luis Borges

To those with ears to hear, libraries are really very noisy places. On their shelves we hear the captured voices of the centuries-old conversation that makes up our civilization.
~ Timothy Healy

My library was dukedom large enough.
~ William Shakespeare (The Tempest)

What is more important in a library than anything else - than everything else - is the fact that it exists.
~ Archibald MacLeish

Make thy books thy companions. Let thy cases and shelves be thy pleasure grounds and gardens.
~ Judah ibn-Tibbon (12th century)

To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul.
~ Cicero

Give thy mind to books and libraries, and the literature and lore of the ages will give thee the wisdom of sage and seer.
~ Newell D. Hillis

Good as it is to inherit a library, it is better to collect one.
~ Augustine Birrell

They are the books, the arts, the academes,
That show, contain and nourish all the world.
~ William Shakespeare (Love's Labour's Lost)




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Desi * Alice Audrey * Shelley Munro * Hootin' Anni
Adelle Laudan * Bec * Ella Drake * Jennifer McKenzie
Sasha Devlin * Inez Kelley * Mary Quast * Jamie Babette
Jeanne St. James * Paige Tyler * Ms Menozzi Harriet *IrishCoda * A. Catherine Noon * Elise Logan Happily Retired Gal

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Reading Reduces Stress

I'm sure we've all heard the news reports or read articles on how reading and working crossword puzzles keeps the mind sharp and reduces chances of memory loss and altzheimers, but did you know that reading can also reduce stress by nearly 70%?

From an article by MarieClaire online...

"Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation. This is particularly poignant in uncertain economic times when we are all craving a certain amount of escapism.

"This is more than merely a distraction but an active engaging of the imagination as the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness."

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/314426/reading-cuts-stress-levels-by-68.html

Teaser Tuesday 21: The Games

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read.
* Open to a random page.
* Share (at least) two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


I don't know about you, but I love the Olympics, especially the winter games and particularly the ice sports -- figure skating, hockey (mens and womens), speed skating...I love them all. In honor of Friday's Opening Ceremonies, I offer up a little teaser from Patricia McLinn's The Games.

Fate could be as cruel as people. She learned that anew in the instant she caught sight of the man staring at her. A man from another world, another time, sitting close enough now that she could see the winter night's breeze ruffling his blond hair, his too-long-remembered blue eyes piercing into her. Andrei Chersakov.

Let the Games begin.

The NCIS Headslap

One of my favorite commercials during last night's Superbowl -- the thing that really makes it funny is I threatened to headslap a coworker last Friday. Trust me, he deserved it. LOL

Monday Movie Meme: Bugged Out!

Share on your blog movies or scenes that feature insects and link back here at The Bumbles.

Yay, a topic I can do my first week playing in over a month! My picks for creepy crawly movies/scenes would include:

* The Princess and the Frog (2009) ~ One of the minor characters is a lightning bug named Ray.

* Pinocchio (1940) ~ Who doesn't love Jiminy Cricket (besides Beaver from Greek)?

* Mulan (1998) ~ Another cricket!

* Practical Magic (1998) ~ Begins with a cricket said to foretell death of a witch's spouse.

* Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) ~ Giant mutant spiders -- need I say more?

* Killer Bees (1974) ~ I only remember seeing one scene of this movie, which was more than enough for me. *shudder*

Thursday Thirteen 140: Books on the TBB

After more than a month's hiatus (read here if you missed it), I am trying to ease my way back into Thursday Thirteen. My brain still feeling like mush and having no better ideas -- and because I really don't talk books enough around here (no sarcasm there, huh?) -- here are thirteen books being released over the next few months on the TBB (to be bought) list. Now to land that bookstore job so I can actually afford to buy them, or hope that a few of these turn up for my birthday (grin)...

* If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle (A Bibliophile Mystery #2; Feb 2, 2010)

* Out of Body by Stella Cameron (Court of Angels #1; Mar 1, 2010)

* Plaster & Poison by Jennie Bentley (a DIY Mystery #3; Mar 2, 2010)

* Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolly (An Orchard Mystery #3; Mar 2, 2010)

* Mad, Bad and Blonde by Cathie Linz (Mar 2, 2010)

* In Serena's Web by Kay Hooper (Reprint; Mar 23, 2010)

* Out of Mind by Stella Cameron (Court of Angels #2; Mar 30, 2010)

* Curt to the Corpse by Lucy Lawrence (Decoupage Mystery #2; Apr 6, 2010)

* Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson (MMP; April 27, 2010)

* Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (Bride Quartet #3; Apr 27, 2010)
(Actually, a friend is buying and sharing this series, but I still look forward to reading it!)

* Out of Sight by Stella Cameron (Court of Angels #3; Apr 27, 2010)

* Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #10; May 4, 2010)

* Raven on the Wing by Kay Hooper (Reprint; May 25, 2010)


Your turn: What new releases are you looking forward to?

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Inez Kelley * Ember Case * Paige Tyler * Jeanne St James
Jennifer McKenzie * Angeleque Ford * Sherilee
A. Catherine Noon * Sasha Devlin

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And the Groundhog Said...

Though we had some light snow yesterday (about three inches), our local Weather Prognosticator, Jimmy the Groundhog, has predicted an early spring. Fingers crossed that he's right!

Teaser Tuesday 20: Ghost Sudoku

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read.
* Open to a random page.
* Share at least two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

Ghost Sudoku is the fifth book in the Sudoku Mystery series by Kaye Morgan. I'm not into sudoku, but have enjoyed this series. A bit more than two lines, but I promise it's a good one!

She stepped into the mouth of the artfully rough stone structure, peering into the dimness inside. Yes, it was still nice, dark, and private, perfect make-out territory. And it hadn't been abandoned. The cushions on the rustic wooden bench in the back looked new.

Will I have to poke around under there to root him out? Liza thought in exasperation.

She rolled her eyes . . . and that's when she noticed the feet dangling just above her head.

(p. 39)

Cover blurb: After spending two weeks hiding out from the media for some R&R, Liza returns home to find her PR still going strong. She knows she has some fans in the sudoku world, but who would plaster her face all over town with the slogan Kelly for Mayor?

Liza's neighboring town is run by a dirty political machine. When she turns to an old classmate to see if the machine is behind these political shenanigans, Liza discovers that he's been murdered and that his terrifying problems have now become hers. Still, he's left his share of clues behind. Liza needs to unravel them fast, before someone uses her run for mayor to run her to the ground...