This is not the first time my wahooing has been delayed, but this time it's partly Carl's fault, as Carl has a contest going and it involves visiting a heck of a lot of blogs, but it's worth it because . . . I want an alien poppet!!!! Actually, I've been having a lot of fun visiting new blogs and reading about spooky books (some of which I've never heard of), so Wahoo! for Carl's cool list of participants in the RIP II (that's Readers Imbibing Peril, for the uninitiated). You may consider Carl a bonus wahoo.Other wahoos for Thursday, September 27 in the Year of our Lord 2007 (formerly Anno Domini, now known as the Common Era - is that weird to anyone else?):
1. Oh, no, not again. Another stinkin' butterfly? Well, yeah. Busy as I was (too busy to wahoo, obviously), yesterday was just the coolest day. I spotted and photographed three new butterflies for my photographic collection. This whole past week has been a great butterfly-spotting week. One white, lacy butterfly has so far defied identification. The butterfly below, however new to me, is known as a common sulphur. He's a very flitty type. Anyone who watches butterflies at length will quickly discover that some types are prone to opening their wings and politely posing, some seldom sit still at all, some keep their wings firmly slammed shut when they're not flying. This guy was the firmly-slammed type, so I had to capture him as he was moving between flowers. I think I did okay, considering the movement and the need to manually focus.
2. Wahoo for new books!! Always very wahooey, of course. I'm going to skip photographing my new acquisitions because:
a) I can't find the cover to the one I most recently had in my hands (see cardinal's comment about turning red, at top of post),
b) I didn't take a single photo today, not one. I hate creating small files and then having to delete them, so forget that, and
c) Fill in third reason if you can; I can't seem to come up three. Two seems somehow lacking.
Here's what I've recently acquired:
October by Richard B. Wright - gigantic, huggy thanks to Lotus, from whom I won this book
The Pursuit of Love in & Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford (PBS book - ugly and beat up, but I just want to read it so I'm not going to fret too much about the person who ignored my requested conditions . . . no, not me)
The Collection by Gioia Diliberto (ARC from Simon & Schuster)
3. Wahoo! for the fact that I've sent out more books than I've acquired, this week. That's very, very good news. My mother would be happy because she thinks I am completely insane for having such a walloping huge personal library. Speaking of whom . . .
4. I'm very pleased that my mother can't be bothered to read my blog because I'm pretty sure I'd never hear the end of what all is totally wrong with my life if she dropped by regularly. So, wahoo! for a techno-challenged mother.
5. Wahoo! for this nifty sight:
6. Wahoo! for cheap laminating machines. I'm going through one of my bookmark-making phases because I've gotten some nice, colorful, bookmark-appropriate (aka "easy to crop into bookmark shape") photographs, lately. It's just so darn fun.
When I'm not sitting at the computer, I think of all sorts of wonderful anecdotes that I want to share, but this is one of those weeks that they're just going whoop! out the brain, the moment I plunk into my little black chair, here. I stick to this chair, by the way. Either the chair really needs a cover or we seriously need to move into long-pants weather before I become peevish about that rip noise that involves my thighs and vinyl. Yeeow. Anyway, I'll try to at least scratch those anecdotes down when they come to mind. I'm also having an Attention Deficit Reading Week - one of those weeks that I can't seem to settle on one book and finish it so I wouldn't anticipate any reviews showing up right away.
Currently reading and putting down and picking up and putting down and reading a bit and flipping and sighing and checking the number of remaining pages and reading a bit more:
The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico
The Collection by Gioia Diliberto
Haunted Castles of the World by Charles Coulombe, allegedly (haven't picked this one up in about a week, but it's still next to the bed and I swear I'm going to finish it)
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (the spaghetti and phone call scene is just a hoot)
50 Million Blog Entries for the RIP by a squillion authors
Wishing you a thrilling day, wherever you are.
Bookfool
Today was a Wahoo day, even if Thursday. :-) I've been sick (still muddling through work though so not too sick--just annoying sick) and today was the first day I've felt pretty decent. I got my tires replaced too--finally. Enough about me, this is your blog!
ReplyDeleteButterflies are always wahoo worthy in my book. They are so beautiful. I'm also reading The Collection. Or will be shortly. I'll be curious to read your thoughts on it.
I know what you mean about being glad your mother doesn't visit your blog. ;-)
Have a great weekend, Nancy!
Wahoo Thursday to you too! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't started visiting all the other RIPers yet. We've still got a few weeks though...
I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about 'October'. I just love the cover on it.
And #4 made me chuckle! :P
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you've been sick; hope you feel better, soon. Good tires are always an upper. It's so nice to know you're safer on the road, isn't it? I love the feeling of a full tank of gas, also.
It appears I've become addicted to butterflies. But, you're right - it's because they're so pretty. As many as we've got fluttering around, right now, I often spend an hour just standing around the lantana. Once they become accustomed to your presence, they fly around you as if you were merely another telephone pole or car antenna. I love that.
I'm enjoying The Collection, although I think my one complaint is that it's shy on emotion. I like it, anyway, so far.
A once-a-week phone call home is good. If my mother visited my blog, I think I'd have to hide it. :)
Thanks, you have a great weekend, too!
Nat,
Thank you. :)
I'm such a slow reader that I figured I should go ahead and start early on the RIP blog-hopping. It's fun. I have a brand new, ridiculously huge, spooky book wish list on hot pink paper, here. It's frightening. I don't need to add to the TBRs!! But, some of those books sound so good.
I read the first page of October and didn't want to close the book, so I think it's going to be a great read. We'll see. I have to finish one of the 5 books I'm reading (I added another, last night) before I can move on.
You're so welcome Nancy, I was so pleased to be able to send it to you! Richard B Wright is going to be reading at Toronto's "Word On The Street" on Sunday. If I had known earlier, I would have held on to your copy and perhaps I could have had him autograph it for you!
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous weekend!
Love the cardinal picture - they always look like they are smiling to me, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd personally, I don't think you can ever have too many butterfly pictures ...
I'm glad I found your blog, I am a VORACIOUS reader and am always looking for new book recommendations.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the mother thing too. My mom would be rolling her eyes big time at me and my blog ramblings... if she ever read them!
ReplyDeleteLotus,
ReplyDeleteHow cool! I'm always envious of all the wonderful book and film events you're able to attend. "Word on the Street" - what a great name. I'm perfectly happy with an unautographed book, but I'll look forward to seeing what Wright has to say, assuming you'll post about the reading. :)
Thanks! I hope you have a fabulous weekend, too!
Bridget,
Thank you. Doesn't he look happy? Lizards always appear to have a smile on their little reptilian faces, also. I think that may be one reason I find them so addictive. I'm always watching for the little anole lizards in our garden.
I agree that one can't get too many butterfly photos (there are so many different kinds to photograph!), but if I keep taking the quantity of butterfly photos I'm currently snapping, I'll need a bigger hard drive pretty soon!
Marie,
Voracious readers are my favorite life forms. I'm glad you've found me, too! I can get you in all sorts of trouble. :)
Suey,
My mother used to love my ramblings when I wrote 4-5 page letters home, but I think she'd find plenty of reasons to shake her head at me if she read my blog, so I'm counting my blessings, here!
Geez, I've missed a lot of your life! Bitten by a neighborhood cat, books read, challenges updated - it's so daunting to realize life continues on even though I'm languishing about nursing a week long migraine. (Yes, shameless plea for pity.)
ReplyDeleteHopefully the cat doesnn't have rabies! Probably not. What is it with cats and 'love bites'?
I love that Spooky is influencing your son's musical choices.
Elsewhere looks good, Zippy sounds a bit like The Glass Castle, in a way.
Cardinals are darling. My grandmother loved them.
Hi Carrie!
ReplyDeleteI've missed you. Sorry you had a week-long migraine. I know that misery far too intimately.
Yeah, I hope the cat doesn't have rabies, too! I've been watching for him and haven't seen him around. If he doesn't show up in a couple of weeks, then I'll start to worry. Cats are funny things. :)
Kiddo is so cool. He says he still isn't fond of Sarah, but "Surfacing" isn't so bad. The Christmas Album annoys him.
I haven't read The Glass Castle, so I can't compare, but I really enjoyed Zippy.
Cardinals are so pretty. We had one hunting insects in the backyard, during lunch. No cats were around, so he stayed there for quite a while. I just enjoyed looking at him; I didn't bother to fetch the camera.
Wahoo Thursday to you! Even though I'm a day late (as usual) LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty bird :) I haven't even started visiting all the blogs yet! I know I've visited quite a few already just to see everyone's lists, but ask me if I remember which ones...Carl's a definite wahoo ;)
ReplyDeleteYou've been getting some awesome butterfly pictures! That one's incredible! I love the purple and white.
New books are always something to wahoo over and something that I haven't wahoo'd over in awhile (if you consider a week or two awhile ;)
I need to start making some bookmarks! I love bookmarks, always have. I have this big box of bookmarks...a collection I guess you would call it. I use just about anything for a bookmark. Postcards make neat bookmarks. I think we've had this conversation before and you mentioned someone using a piece of lettuce as a bookmark...am I losing it or did that happen? lol...
Nicola,
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think there's a lot of that "running late" business going on, this week. :)
Totally love the comment about the techno-challenged mother! My mom is the exact same way.
ReplyDeleteI love the cardinal picture! We have a ton of cardinals in our yard and I always think they are flying around believing that they are the best looking birds.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteAnd, I promise you that bird knows how great he looks. LOL
I think I visited about 29 blogs (before I had to stop to finish something important, which you'll hear about when it arrives in the mail), but I want to read every single post so it's going to take some time. I'm glad Carl is so freaking organized. It's fun reading all those reviews - time-consuming, but fun.
Thank you. I think the more I hang out and observe butterflies, the easier it becomes to photograph them. You really do start to pick up on certain behaviors and that makes it easier to plan a shot. I'm loving our long summers, at the moment, if only because the lantana is still blooming up a storm and the butterflies are everywhere.
Hmmm, have you not wahooed about new books, lately? I didn't notice. I lose track of all the books that go in and out of this house, sometimes, to be honest. But, this week I think I caught them all. :)
What a great memory you have! Yes, my friend Karen used a lettuce leaf as a bookmark, one time, when she was reading and cooking. She was so funny. When I had a bad week, not long ago, that was a part of it. Karen died while she was in the process of preparing to move to the U.S. (to retire, from Germany). Anyway . . . same here - love bookmarks and I actually have a bookmark drawer. I've been keeping my homemade bookmarks in a little box, though. I highly recommend making your own. Before I began using my own photographs, I took book-oriented photos out of magazines like Real Simple or printed things off the internet. You can find some wonderful images and laminating them makes them look beautiful!
Tammy,
ReplyDeleteMy mother actually took a computer class and she's *better*, but I think the internet still intimidates her a bit and she considers it a waste of time. Her computer is unplugged, most of the time. I'm fine with that. ;)
Cardinals are soooo pretty. I think you're right - they know it. They're really difficult to photograph because they're not overly bold around humans, I've found. That particular cardinal was in someone's front yard and I executed one of those whip-park maneuvers on the way to the library. Thank goodness nobody was behind me. LOL I get a little reckless when I see something exciting and have the camera at hand.
I ditto your Wahoo! on new books. I wahoo'd! loudly on Friday when I bought my books yesterday. And I'll probably wahoo! again real soon too.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend, Nancy!!
I'm sorry to hear about your friend Karen, Nancy :( I'm glad she's left you with some memories that can still put a smile on your face though!
ReplyDeleteIndigo,
ReplyDeleteNew books are always worth wahooing about! :)
Thanks, you have a great weekend, too!
Chris,
Thank you. Yes, Karen left me with a lot of great memories - and some nifty trinkets. She sent me a couple of evil eyes from Turkey, a little wooden "smoker" (you put incense inside him and it comes out through his pipe) and some gorgeous Easter eggs from Germany and a lot of great advice. She suggested the perfect ending for my one published short story. I'll miss her, forever. She was a great friend.
I love reading your Wahoo posts!! I'm with you on the RIP challenge! My TBR pile is getting so big, I've had to take it to a spreadsheet!! And I'd LOVE to have a poppet too. It doesn't even have to be an alien!
ReplyDeleteStephanie,
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy my wahoos. :)
A spreadsheet! I need to do that. But, I'm too lazy. Fortunately, I still can remember a good portion of the thousands of titles I have lying about.
Poppets are so cool. I have to get back to visiting blogs, tomorrow. Once I got started, I realized the poppet was less important to me than reading all those fun reviews. I'm spoiled, though. I have three poppets, already.
I'm a little slow to get to your Wahooing this week...but I love your "attention deficit reading week" description! Yes, I think the "common era" is weird, but I think BCE, "before the common era," is even weirder! What's with that??? Loved the cardinal photo!...and I love your butterflies!
ReplyDeleteRobin,
ReplyDeleteI haven't finished a book in nearly a week, now! Horrors!
Both "Common Era" and "Before the Common Era" are bizarre, in my opinion. The defining historical moment hasn't changed - the birth of Jesus - so what difference does a change of name make? Near as I can tell, all those "corrections" to make wording politically correct haven't altered much of anything, except perhaps to make speech and writing a little more . . . clunky. Obviously, this is one of my soap-box topics. :)
Thank you! I'm so glad I got that cardinal photo without killing anyone. I whipped to the curb just a bit too fast.
I admire your willingness to participate in Carl's challenge and read 9 thousand blogs. It surely expands one's horizens, doesn't it? I did that same visitation for his fairy tale challenge, and met a lot of interesting people. However, I haven't the time this go around. I can barely finish my RIP BOOKS! (Or clean my bathroom, do the dishes, grade the papers...:)
ReplyDeleteBellezza,
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely horizon-expanding, visiting all those blogs. Also, quite dangerous. The wish list is like a brick. But, I've enjoyed myself. The past two days I've been too busy (mostly gone, actually) and haven't visited a single one, but I hope to amend that early in the week. I was having such fun. :)
I'm feeling like I'm way behind on the challenge, but I'm not going to worry about it. What I read, I read and that's that.