Wiling away the hours

Actually, I've been crazy busy with work and some exciting new projects (which I tell more about soon). But in between all that, I finished a book and watched two movies.

Brideshead Revisited is a pretty gripping tale about a family in England during World War II. Cordelia may be my new favorite fictional character. She's hysterical.

Superbad was cute and sweet in between all the silly humor. I liked the friendship between the two main characters and I have to admit that McLovin cracked me up. And the dick drawings at the end are pretty awesome.

Juno is so good! So funny and cool and with a soundtrack chock full of the Moldy Peaches. Loved it!

Another Kathleen (cause this is my fave)

Felt puppetry

I've been feverishly working on felt finger puppets for scads of nieces and nephews. First I made this elephant, cat and queen:


Then dogs (one for each of three families)

Kings - who look a bit Amish to me:
Ninjas - who the husband pointed out really look like women wearing burkas:

And mermaids:

And here's a grouping of the last four. To me they kind of look like the begining line of some obscure joke. "A mermaid, a ninja, a king, and a dog walk into a bar..."

There mermaid is my fave so far.

Looks so funny

Bookishness

I've resisted participating in one of these reading challenges, but a fresh new year has me prepared to throw myself headfirst into two of them. I always have to overdo everything.



The first I'm doing is the Mythopoeic Challege to read 7 award winners this year. Mostly chosen cause I love mythic lit. My list is:

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (which I've been meaning to read forever.)

2. Something Rich and Strange by Patricia McKillip

3. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt

4. The Porelain Dove by Delia Sherman

5. The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle

6. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (Adore everything she ever wrote)

7. Mortal Love by Elizabeth Hand



And two just-in-case-I-hate-something substitutes are:

1. Summerland by Michale Chabon

2. Giant Bones by Peter S. Beagle




The second challenge I cannot resist is the Chunkster Challenge.

I have to read 4 books of 450 pages or more regular type. Sounds like fun!

Here's my picks:

1. Zelda: A Biography by Nancy Milford (just edging in at 467 pages)

2. The Mitford Girls by Mary Lovell (624 pages)

3. Misfortune by Wesley Stace (544 pages)

4. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (at a whopping 900+ pages)

Alternates:
1. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (640 pages)

2. Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose

Oh my! Better keep my library card handy!

Heart wrenching, fluffy, and disappointing

That title might be all the review you need really.


Finished On Chesil Beach yesterday. What a brief and absorbingly detailed look into a couple's relationship! Utterly heart wrenching! I liked it very much.

I watched Three Coins in a Fountain tonight. Super fluffy romance classic about three secretaries looking for romance in Rome. Watchable if only for the stylish dresses and the incredibly cheesy theme song.

Round Ireland with a Fridge was a bit of a letdown. All about a man who bets a buddy that he can hitchhike his way all around Ireland with a fridge. Seems like a fun story, right? I was disappointed that he had the help of a big radio station to accomplish his feat. The betting part was funny, but all the rest was only mildly amusing.

I'm on to reading Zelda: A Biography about Zelda Fitzgerald and listening to Brideshead Revisited. Both are thoroughly fascinating.

New Years Resolutions

I'm a firm believer in resolutions. I make them throughout the year (break them too, but it's the thought that counts!).

Here's the goals I have right now for 2008:

1. Be kinder to my body. More moving around, better eating, less vodka, and all that stuff. I'd really like to keep myself in better health all around.
2. Start my very own Ladies Activity Club. More news on this soon.
3. Do more on my 101 list.
4. Frequent the farmers markets more...uh...frequently.
5. Go on some of the local parks department's hikes.