Happy Samhain!

    Tis the reason for the season.

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “If you had to guess, who do you think I was before?”

    “I’m not much of a guesser.  I try to teach my people to avoid it whenever possible.”

    Selaste snorted.  “I’ve seen you do it about a hundred times in the past week alone.  All of you.”

    “That’s educated speculation,” he said.  “There’s a difference.”

    “Gods,” she scoffed.  “You’re usually a lot more subtle at deflecting questions.”

    (from The Last Goddess by C.E. Stalbaum)

    8*/10.  The complete review is here.

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Kongos

    We're going to see these guys play tonight at the Crescent Ballroom.  Doors open at 7:30, but there are no less than five warm-up bands, and the KONGOS aren't scheduled to play start until 10:30.  That's way past my bedtime.  We'll see if I can tough it out.

    It will also be our second time taking the light-rail system to a downtown event.  This time we'll act like we know what we're doing.

Library Day Tomorrow!

    Every third Saturday is Library Day for us!  Which means 10 CD's each, a DVD or two, and maybe even a newly-released book.

    Then in the evening we're off to yet another rock concert.  More on that tomorrow.

Haiku Thursday!

Obscure Literary Reference Wednesday!

    I admit it.  I had to wiki Basil Hallward.  And it turns out I've read the book.  I really like comic strips that assume the reader is an intelligent, and in this case, well-read human being.

Inspirational Quote Tuesday

    Yeah, it's a funny meme.  But there's also quite a bit of truth to this.

Art Appreciation Monday!

    We are committed to posting any cartoon that has Jackson Pollock in it.

We'll See

    The two words that every kid hates to hear his parents say.

Keith Urban

    Week 2 of our "three concerts in three weeks" binge and we're heading downtown to see this guy.  We will also be learning how to use the Phoenix light-rail system to get to events.

Book Excerpt for the Day

    “These marks were made by small triangular mammalian teeth, probably canines.”

    “Canine, but not dog?” Frock said.  “Let’s not forget the principle of Occam’s razor.  The simplest explanation is usually the correct one.”

    Brambell tilted his head in Frock’s direction.  “I know that Occam’s razor is held in great esteem in your profession, Dr. Frock.  In mine, we find the Holmesian philosophy more apt: ‘When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.’”

    “So what answer remains, Dr. Brambell?” Frock snapped.

    “As of this moment, I have no explanation.”

    (from Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child)

  8*/10.  The complete review is here.

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I'm With Nasty

    Or as we'll be calling her in a couple of weeks, Madame President Nasty.

Vinyl Wednesday!

    Posted because I converted an old LP into MP3 files over the weekend.  I used to do this a lot, but have slacked off lately.  Will post the album details in a few days, probably Sunday.

Tuesday Bluesday

    Yeah, that's about right.

Beta Readers

   In case you didn't know, there's a special bond between authors and beta readers.

Christmas Presents

    Discussing religion works equally well..

Book Excerpt for the Day

    Leary would go on to become one of the most revered and reviled symbols of the 1960’s.  Huston Smith would enthusiastically join Leary’s psychedelic crusade, only to go his own way when the party got a little wild for an ordained, and happily married, Methodist minister.  Richard Alpert, as Ram Dass, would continue to struggle with a voracious omnisexual appetite.  Andy Weil would play hard-ball in his campaign to get Alpert and Leary kicked out of Harvard, only to replace them in the 1970’s as the new ringmaster of the drug culture.

    (from The Harvard Psychedelic Club  by Don Lattin)

  10*/10.  The complete review is here.

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Bonnie Raitt

    Yeah, we're going to see her in concert tonight.  At the Celebrity Theatre, no less.

Classic Rock Thursday

    This was probably the first Jefferson Airplane song I heard.

On This Day in History

    On October 12, 1979, the above brilliant work of literature was first published.

Inspirational Tuesday!

Haters Gonna Hate, But...

Book Excerpt for the Day

    The second disappointment was personal.  As had been prearranged, he and Burden-carries-Far spun a random-numbers disc, and Looks lost.  He did his best to conceal his unhappiness, congratulating his colleague, who was appropriately apologetic for having won.  Burden offered the honor to Looks, who formally declined, whereupon a joyful Burden sorrowfully prepared to open the hatch door and be the first to set foot on the Shirazian surface.   

    (from Quozl by Alan Dean Foster)

  7*/10.  The complete review is here.

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Science Saturday!

    Usefully logical.

Library Day tomorrow!

    Every third Saturday we go to the main branch of the Phoenix Public Library, borrow 10 CD's each, get a couple DVD's, and occasionally pick up a book or two.  Tomorrow's the day!

Writing Screenplays

    Personally, I'm intrigued by "Aliens vs. Care Bears".  It reminds me of that classic movie, "Bambi vs. Godzilla".

Relativity

    Time is relative.  Relatively, at least.

Graffiti Art Tuesday

    Minimalism Edition.

Book Excerpt for the Day

    Chee presumed these radio blind spots were caused by the mountains but there were other theories.  Deputy Sheriff Cowboy Dashee insisted that it had something to do with magnetism in the old volcanic necks that stuck up here and there, like great black cathedrals.  Old Thomasina Bigthumb had told him once that she thought witches caused the problem.  True, this part of the Reservation was notorious for witches, but it was also true that Old Lady Bigthumb blamed witches for just about everything.

    (from Coyote Waits, by Tony Hillerman)

     8*/10.  The full review is here.

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Skittles Art

    Ingenious!  Although upon looking at the individual Skittles closely, I am slightly skeptical that there are that many flavors/shades. 

Turbans

    Makes perfect scientific sense to me.