tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87766288095696999502024-03-13T18:52:01.952-05:00Chantal ReviewsChantal reviews literary and historical novels, movies, and art.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-53495740210566274742022-09-11T09:30:00.002-05:002022-09-11T09:30:22.354-05:00Annie Proulx<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uM7a42BnF9nZuoMlt4rgLx6oRm_KZ-WOz-0kiwn2ejDcvjg9cd7bq7V17y7QddIks1sASSKGNur5t1MVXnIbC9uQpmwWHykaAwMIw_JDTy0k1eLD7FpshveUbSP7yUeOjHs0gAHrTnpFkO4I0GuFlUof49nCVsXP32i9SImRRybbLsy0vx47jqXLfw/s400/postcards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uM7a42BnF9nZuoMlt4rgLx6oRm_KZ-WOz-0kiwn2ejDcvjg9cd7bq7V17y7QddIks1sASSKGNur5t1MVXnIbC9uQpmwWHykaAwMIw_JDTy0k1eLD7FpshveUbSP7yUeOjHs0gAHrTnpFkO4I0GuFlUof49nCVsXP32i9SImRRybbLsy0vx47jqXLfw/s320/postcards.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Its never too late to start. Annie Proulx didn't start writing fiction until her 50s. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">She published her first novel, Postcards, when she was 56. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/05/annie-proulx-ive-had-a-life-i-see-how-slippery-things-can-be">https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/05/annie-proulx-ive-had-a-life-i-see-how-slippery-things-can-be</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-3026756654881776752022-09-06T09:16:00.000-05:002022-09-06T09:16:03.222-05:00Flash fiction<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitugbsylEFAUuqjRAEVCISMS-sb2zSqMgf-3b_wbgOGgd8xYzKg6XNyaIOoYqdgOWnjH3yQjr_hksxpIQbHM9sTok9mGCr2wQSY6qj2ZaTc9Nb3R8X6oq0Ln7lbgShAC5pyEfB03jBT79K7jM01cg4IxPwB-dCDMFLGTIwOo2MxNoskwU3osm_qMddYQ/s240/flashfiction.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitugbsylEFAUuqjRAEVCISMS-sb2zSqMgf-3b_wbgOGgd8xYzKg6XNyaIOoYqdgOWnjH3yQjr_hksxpIQbHM9sTok9mGCr2wQSY6qj2ZaTc9Nb3R8X6oq0Ln7lbgShAC5pyEfB03jBT79K7jM01cg4IxPwB-dCDMFLGTIwOo2MxNoskwU3osm_qMddYQ/s1600/flashfiction.webp" width="160" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Where to submit Flash fiction:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://flashfictionmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Flash Fiction Magazine</a>. No cost to submit. Simultaneous submissions allows. $40 if accepted into anthology.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://jellyfishreview.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jellyfish Review</a>. Responds within 7 days. Submissions closed for now.<br /></span></p><p><a href="https://pigeonpagesnyc.com/"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://pigeonpagesnyc.com/">Pigeon Page</a>s</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Their flash fiction contest is 750 words or less. $7 fee. Ends September 6th. <br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-88857340906338085912022-09-03T09:35:00.006-05:002022-09-03T09:43:13.048-05:00Electrictiy<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Electric generation varies widely by state, as this chart attests.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/electricity-generation-by-state/">https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/electricity-generation-by-state/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0yV_ULIlXbD1_BXFHXuZW33oXHl68fOpSaO6IeAhwhScD5shwjFGABNggDK-RNXRuSXxaXrzLAoHZFsjivcN2N-c138yApE9FS65iehotWXsO2zZCi-c2yjg7_aBrUF44-52TBWN02Jiu63D9KZguXSRdtAca9m9CU_mdZL6vIMpgkTVSdUv6r29XQ/s1313/Decarbonization-United-States-Electricity-Mix.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1313" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0yV_ULIlXbD1_BXFHXuZW33oXHl68fOpSaO6IeAhwhScD5shwjFGABNggDK-RNXRuSXxaXrzLAoHZFsjivcN2N-c138yApE9FS65iehotWXsO2zZCi-c2yjg7_aBrUF44-52TBWN02Jiu63D9KZguXSRdtAca9m9CU_mdZL6vIMpgkTVSdUv6r29XQ/s320/Decarbonization-United-States-Electricity-Mix.webp" width="250" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Overall, 60% of the U.S. electricity still comes from fossil fuels. The clear winners: Maine, Vermont, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For more visual charts,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/">https://www.visualcapitalist.com/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-26346200896212550542022-08-28T09:33:00.002-05:002022-08-28T09:36:18.684-05:00Hermit Crab Essays<p>What is a hermit crab essay?</p><p>I read a story in <a href="http://www.chesnutreview.com" target="_blank">Chestnut Review</a> that uses this technique.</p><p><a href="https://chestnutreview.com/cr_v4_n1/how-to-use-your-fathers-lawn-mower-yasmin-nadiyah-phillip/">https://chestnutreview.com/cr_v4_n1/how-to-use-your-fathers-lawn-mower-yasmin-nadiyah-phillip/</a></p><p>by Yasmin Nadiyah Phillip.</p><p>Here's more on the topic:</p><p><a href="http://www.thewritingaddict.org/2019/02/how-to-write-hermit-crab-essay.html">http://www.thewritingaddict.org/2019/02/how-to-write-hermit-crab-essay.html</a></p><p>The Writing Addict's advice, though, is for non-fiction.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEFriULF-DRUhV5YAAYHnVdCBgMQw10ULelB9wQRoFCo2gqUn_miEgG1wDTCsZq5lx5bNy3LwYXvEt279hdibY7paRetxnABNnPiKgoBq3as7_XjzjYxfJFKN49Lk6rzA-o_XU2BIJXJ5J7u5MkMNTXYEQkROSDrRuZL5HPBF0FCWAoSWkzxdNGboWg/s499/tellitslant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEFriULF-DRUhV5YAAYHnVdCBgMQw10ULelB9wQRoFCo2gqUn_miEgG1wDTCsZq5lx5bNy3LwYXvEt279hdibY7paRetxnABNnPiKgoBq3as7_XjzjYxfJFKN49Lk6rzA-o_XU2BIJXJ5J7u5MkMNTXYEQkROSDrRuZL5HPBF0FCWAoSWkzxdNGboWg/s320/tellitslant.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-42636508792413921742022-08-15T08:51:00.002-05:002022-08-15T08:51:37.554-05:00Writing Contests<p> </p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px;">If you like writing microfiction, this one's for you.</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KyW9CQbZ3fQfKmEJNXLjusjOzUwRr0FzI-E6Q-zhro8PgeXyhqjoKCuThVvrhq8EadGDRawu-hRvQxcVnAcjJHB0goCR9dcMwVKxgRGsmCk6Erv-nKk6pWxjuvdGitZFzSO3gCZzXuVANu1HYlz930_m8iV0mwdJZyGCms_GtJjG6jt0QNaWbKlAFg/s6720/pexels-rodnae-productions-9064783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KyW9CQbZ3fQfKmEJNXLjusjOzUwRr0FzI-E6Q-zhro8PgeXyhqjoKCuThVvrhq8EadGDRawu-hRvQxcVnAcjJHB0goCR9dcMwVKxgRGsmCk6Erv-nKk6pWxjuvdGitZFzSO3gCZzXuVANu1HYlz930_m8iV0mwdJZyGCms_GtJjG6jt0QNaWbKlAFg/s320/pexels-rodnae-productions-9064783.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><a class="external external_icon" href="https://fracturedlit.submittable.com/submit/231089/the-fractured-lit-micro-fiction-prize-3-500-judged-by-grant-faulkner" style="background: url("external.png") right center no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; color: #9b3a32; padding-right: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fractured Lit – Micro Fiction Prize – $20 fee</span></a></h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Deadline: September 19, 2022</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">“Guest judge Grant Faulkner will choose three stories from a shortlist. We’re excited to offer the winner of this prize $2500 and publication, while the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive publication and $600 and $400, respectively. … Fractured Lit is looking for flash fiction that lingers long past the first reading. We’re searching for flash that investigates the mysteries of being human, the sorrow, and the joy of connecting to the diverse population around us. We want the stories that explode vertically, the flash that leaves the conventional and the clichéd far behind. Fractured Lit is a flash fiction–centered place for all writers of any background and experience. … [Submit] 4 stories of 400 words or fewer each per entry.”</span></p><h4 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Reasons to submit:</span></h4><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Friendly to emerging writers</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Prestigious judge</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Share the wealth—multiple prizes</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Lora, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">From </span></span></div><h1 align="left" style="background-color: white; color: #584580; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 527.778px;"><a href="https://sable.madmimi.com/c/51939?id=1999638.15894.1.e2c547a96ad5b1d65e44b1e1340eab6b" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #584580; outline-color: var(--bold-outline-color); outline-style: solid; outline-width: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Fiction Writing Contests Worth Your Time in Fall 2022</a></h1>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-34876957572854102872022-07-07T13:17:00.003-05:002022-07-07T13:17:25.337-05:00Licorice Pizza<p><span style="font-size: large;"> I tried to watch <i>Licorice Pizza</i> but it just didn't seem real to me. I didn't believe the main character was 15. Plus, it just seemed like <i>Almost Famous</i> did it better. </span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-64637265158127629342022-05-10T09:41:00.003-05:002022-05-10T10:26:10.088-05:00<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zIzB-1fxU1QlSIdH6OQEHbLDiNVAqSp2EV8B8COpOZuH-jbhsMyTE5nloXFD5cmOmtdc58N0gP6wspO44TU2Xa3KWYbprLQZg_OHdSZoLhs_-hY0tw15BJQ2oR3o5s2Z1DgSyjUa13uveqzapiEpBdnJKEI1Zeywz5qMxccnVdBBc2k76AYRNfjiWg/s3888/writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zIzB-1fxU1QlSIdH6OQEHbLDiNVAqSp2EV8B8COpOZuH-jbhsMyTE5nloXFD5cmOmtdc58N0gP6wspO44TU2Xa3KWYbprLQZg_OHdSZoLhs_-hY0tw15BJQ2oR3o5s2Z1DgSyjUa13uveqzapiEpBdnJKEI1Zeywz5qMxccnVdBBc2k76AYRNfjiWg/s320/writing.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Moira Allen has a great article on "submitter's block."</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.writing-world.com/basics/writer.shtml"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.writing-world.com/basics/writer.shtml</span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Allen writes, </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span><span> </span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">"<span style="background-color: white;">You want to write, but you don't. Or perhaps you start, but can't bring yourself to finish, leaving a dozen promising articles or stories in various stages of incompletion. Or perhaps you finish, but can't quite bring yourself to stuff those pages into an envelope and pop them in the mail. Your family, <span> </span><span> </span>friends, or critique group say your work is wonderful. So what is holding you back?"</span></span></blockquote></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: white;"><span>Moira Allen is the editor of Writing-World.com (https://www.writing-world.com) and the author of more than 350 published articles. Her books on writing include </span><i>Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer</i><span>, </span><i>The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals,</i><span> and </span><i>Writing to Win: The Colossal Guide to Writing Contests</i><span>.</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-4498282066025395372022-05-02T09:47:00.004-05:002022-05-02T09:47:50.250-05:00Reptiles<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKuLIk3QPD71dZmNXUt0qphOPeq7LFOvyY23uPb-LxmWFhxWPlxbP82K3hZObUrSwTbkS4DX_42s-jeRxxmGNekoT-dZqXX9bh8kPXqHNcRxYtCkNG0m7XWUvB9BzWispLX6T3AucNtFdyTCfQhM3zRCg3hqVvouJm4i0Nxr4ZkkinjMXT36mBmWxQg/s640/lizard-g4d886ba7a_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKuLIk3QPD71dZmNXUt0qphOPeq7LFOvyY23uPb-LxmWFhxWPlxbP82K3hZObUrSwTbkS4DX_42s-jeRxxmGNekoT-dZqXX9bh8kPXqHNcRxYtCkNG0m7XWUvB9BzWispLX6T3AucNtFdyTCfQhM3zRCg3hqVvouJm4i0Nxr4ZkkinjMXT36mBmWxQg/s320/lizard-g4d886ba7a_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Credit: Pixabay / CCO Domain.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">A study published in Nature, April 2022, maintains that 1/5 of reptiles could go extinct. Wild caught reptiles sold in the pet trade could hasten extinction of certain species. </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-73643687396593044532022-01-25T12:58:00.000-06:002022-01-25T12:58:52.268-06:00When I Sing, Mountains Dance by Irene Sola<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_T5hag1ETftCgBFM-h7gNcMlAQJzo3-n28wg8_YcByULtDmhYxBGETZajTMw6qhuna-y9aMiqYIBLSH3UkMYIXDo1tFijEeFeYcReTHQznQwqAm9QOdGq9QBADpn1hMUtXYmxGG6bhmjbkM4L7GqB7pMSaJHobDBw-76qZ3nYgCLue2O0oWMaRV8xyA=s2560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_T5hag1ETftCgBFM-h7gNcMlAQJzo3-n28wg8_YcByULtDmhYxBGETZajTMw6qhuna-y9aMiqYIBLSH3UkMYIXDo1tFijEeFeYcReTHQznQwqAm9QOdGq9QBADpn1hMUtXYmxGG6bhmjbkM4L7GqB7pMSaJHobDBw-76qZ3nYgCLue2O0oWMaRV8xyA=s320" width="213" /></a></div><br />Set in the Pyrenees, this novel draws on history, myth, and ghost stories. <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-34466948060171462332022-01-17T15:11:00.002-06:002022-01-17T15:16:00.716-06:00Not Much Said the Cat by Michael Swanwick.<p> <img alt="Not Much Said the Cat by Michael Swanwick." class="wp-image-10112" height="457" src="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/notmuchsaidthecat-663x1024.jpg" width="296" /></p><!--wp:image {"id":10112,"width":296,"height":457,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"}-->
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<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Nebula-award winner and five time Hugo award winner, Michael Swanwick offers a startling collection of stories<em> in Not Much Said The Cat</em>.</span><p></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">Though the man in "The Man in Grey" says he is "nobody," its clear there's more to him than meets the eye. He tells Martha, "I am not a camera. I'm just the man who stands in grey, making things happen." </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">He stops Martha from falling in front of a train because that wasn't in the script. Yet, in a dramatic twist, Martha goes off script anyway.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">The metaphysical idea that everyone is just a character in someone else's story is explored to its fullest in "Goblin Lake."</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">Besides playing with metaphysical ideas, many of the stories explore artificial intelligence and self-determination.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">"The Dala Horse," explores artificial intelligence in bots. The girl's backpack is sentient and the small dala horse is a node who enters the girl's consciousness and battles a white witch. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">Many of these stories are involve space exploration and colonization, "For I Have Lain Me Down" and "The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin."</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">Almost each one of these stories could be expanded into full novels. Two characters in "Tawny Petticoats" appear in many more Michael Swanwick stories. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;">These stories fascinate because they present alternate histories, e.g. "Pushkin the American" and present chilling future possibilities.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.tor.com/author/michael-swanwick/">https://www.tor.com/author/michael-swanwick/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
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<!--/wp:paragraph-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-53581770696965828582021-12-30T10:09:00.003-06:002021-12-30T10:09:57.053-06:00Book Review: Yesterday's Kin by Nancy Kress<p> </p><h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 236, 232); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #192930; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 46.8px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding-bottom: 0.8em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-9859" data-attachment-id="9859" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="yesterdayskin" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?fit=301%2C475&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?fit=190%2C300&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?fit=301%2C475&ssl=1" data-orig-size="301,475" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/12/29/book-review-yesterdays-kin-by-nancy-kress/yesterdayskin/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="475" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px" src="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?resize=301%2C475&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?w=301&ssl=1 301w, https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/yesterdayskin.jpg?resize=190%2C300&ssl=1 190w" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="301" /></h1><div class="content-area" id="primary" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; float: left; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px -367.188px 0px 0px; width: 1080px;"><main class="site-main" id="main" role="main" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 367.188px 0px 0px;"><article class="post-9853 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-adults category-fiction category-science-fiction tag-dna tag-genetics tag-science-fiction no-featured-image" id="post-9853" style="border-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><div class="entry-body" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><div class="entry-content" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Yesterday’s Kin</em> members of the scientific community try to stop an airborne virus from harming earth’s population. A ship full of aliens from World have warned Earth ten months before Earth will make contact with a virus-filled cloud.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Notably, Kress wrote Yesterday’s Kin in 2014 well before the current Covid crisis. While the panic and the desperate quest for a vaccine are eerily familiar, this story focuses upon genetics and family connections.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">This story revolves around Marianne Jenner and her three children, Ryan, Elizabeth, and Noah. Noah, the youngest, has always felt like an outcast–the black sheep of the Jenner family. These feelings of alienation grow worst after he learns that his family has been hiding a secret from him.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">In Kress’ story, the country is divided by politics which make the crisis worst. Few trust the aliens and the joint scientific venture taking place in the Embassy. A terrorism situation creates additional heartbreak and tragedy.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Kress skillfully interweaves scientific facts about DNA and the genetic bottleneck, that occurred 70,000 years ago, with fiction.</p></div></div></article></main></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-22235741319424080882021-12-28T07:55:00.003-06:002021-12-28T07:55:20.529-06:00The Midnight Library by Matt Haig<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><img alt="" class="wp-image-9844" data-attachment-id="9844" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="midnightlibrary" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/midnightlibrary.jpg?fit=678%2C1024&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/midnightlibrary.jpg?fit=199%2C300&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/midnightlibrary.jpg?fit=1694%2C2560&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1694,2560" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/12/27/book-review-the-midnight-library-by-matt-haig/midnightlibrary/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="387" src="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/midnightlibrary.jpg?resize=256%2C387&ssl=1" width="256" /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Midnight Librar</em>y is the perfect book to read in January–a time for starting over and making New Year’s resolutions. </span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nora Seed, the novel’s protagonist, needs to start over; She has lost
touch with her dreams. She is also unmarried, estranged from her
brother, and friendless. She has lost contact with her best friend,
Izzy, who moved to Australia. </span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Adding insult to injury, Nora was recently fired from her retail job and her cat, Volts, has just died. </span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nora decides to end her life but, fortunately, she is given a second chance in this humorous yet metaphysical novel. </span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nora ends up at the “Midnight Library” a place people go when they
hover between life and death. While its a construct of their minds, its
also a place where individuals called “sliders” can make new choices.</span></p><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Nora becomes everything–from a scientist, to world class swimmer, to
rock star–yet still feels hopeless and lost. In an ingenious twist, Nora
gets the perfect life yet still feels unsatisfied. Nora’s despair
nearly leads to catastrophe, yet, she ultimately prevails in this
inspiring novel.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-34617456196333531282021-11-20T09:29:00.001-06:002021-11-20T09:29:44.116-06:00Book Review: Migrations by Charlotte McConghy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmK1_Uw3absCKf21c5X0-qf80V1cE86kLWZ_svqLdCEws6DJsTj7Jr-n5UvQ_WyqKqk1FilaHHIm4COffcB9boPzCguBe0iLrUUa70T0WVh1C-mHc2HvfRk8Htbq-D4zoIx0lneMZIZyG/s2048/migrations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmK1_Uw3absCKf21c5X0-qf80V1cE86kLWZ_svqLdCEws6DJsTj7Jr-n5UvQ_WyqKqk1FilaHHIm4COffcB9boPzCguBe0iLrUUa70T0WVh1C-mHc2HvfRk8Htbq-D4zoIx0lneMZIZyG/s320/migrations.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px;">A family “curse” has made Franny a perpetual wanderer; and thus, she never stays in one place for long. Even as a child, she loved birds, mostly crows, but now she decides to track the last few migrating Arctic terns. Against all odds, she convinces the captain of a fishing vessel, Ennis, to let her become part of his crew.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Fanny promises the captain that if follows the arctic tern’s flight path he will earn his largest catch of fish yet. The novel is set at a time of ecological disaster when nearly all animals, including fish, are on the brink of extinction. This “golden catch” would give Ennis a chance to redeem himself in his family’s eyes or so he says.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The maritime trip to Antarctica also gives Franny a chance at redemption. Though she tells them she is a scientist tracking the arctic terns for scientific research, Franny harbors a huge secret which is only gradually divulged. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Migrations</em> offers a startling portrait of highly complex character who is unimaginable brave and fiercely determined.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">This is a novel that does not shy away from the largest questions and the most daunting topics: animal instincts, madness, desire, survival.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">McConaghy’s latest novel also involves wildlife, <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Once There Were</em> Wolves.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-37259027246590344192021-11-16T11:13:00.001-06:002021-11-16T11:13:38.445-06:00Book Review: The Lost Apothecary<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ0M_voxTUcpb9C1gLIsYeuLUoabmV9Q0RjCkMDw1CXQhq6xK_9K0tDm8Cjo_ubK3bS1xaSn6sDkbeRw6mIgK35KBn8m7nSCjLqhTLVMMz5IVBVHcrd8SKKRVZO-ycXl89rSFvyvrXUd5/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ0M_voxTUcpb9C1gLIsYeuLUoabmV9Q0RjCkMDw1CXQhq6xK_9K0tDm8Cjo_ubK3bS1xaSn6sDkbeRw6mIgK35KBn8m7nSCjLqhTLVMMz5IVBVHcrd8SKKRVZO-ycXl89rSFvyvrXUd5/" width="158" /></a></div><br />Caroline's quest:<br /><br /><p></p><p>"As distraught as I'd been in the last few days, I felt more alive in London--enveloped in an old mystery, an old story -- than I could remember feeling in years. I resolved to continue digging. To push through the dark and look inside of it all."</p><p>After learning that her husband has been faithful, Caroline goes on a trip to London by herself. Even though the trip was supposed to be an anniversary trip with her husband, Caroline goes alone and embarks on a personal quest.</p><p>The novel is empowering because it features a character who wants to reshape her circumstances.</p><p>Much of the novel is about pushing past the surface veneer and seeing the secrets that lie below. After going mud larking, Caroline finds an artifact, a blue apothecary jar with an engraving of a bear. This object reignites her love for history and scholarship that she had long repressed. Before marrying James, she had wanted to pursue a degree at Cambridge in the U.K.</p><p>Caroline learns the dreadful truth about the apothecary jar when she does research and even uncovers the centuries old apothecary and its relics. The apothecary register told the story of women who came to the shop seeking help and redress from men who had wronged them</p><p>Both a historical mystery and a thrilling treasure hunt, <em>The Lost Apothecary</em> intrigues readers on many levels. The apothecary, Nessa, is a historian recording the stories of women whose stories would otherwise be forgotten. In uncovering Nessa and Eliza's story, Caroline breaks free from her past and reconnect with her dreams.</p><p>Most of the story is realistic but there is a hint of the supernatural in it as well. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-44205851500500379142021-10-23T12:16:00.006-05:002021-10-23T13:16:24.651-05:00Poems with a scientific bent<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_55oEbDKUpgAU3fJqWqSW8NMdrG7kGLHBP40mseNyTuOFRxTYLetStel6rbN8lupwEJCtUd9R1I9PY5JjgEQ1VFuNtAlr-z7cvTXlNhcS6c06dRj18tYJmPtMbmJYaUtvmFYO0gEh9Hbf/s2048/bones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_55oEbDKUpgAU3fJqWqSW8NMdrG7kGLHBP40mseNyTuOFRxTYLetStel6rbN8lupwEJCtUd9R1I9PY5JjgEQ1VFuNtAlr-z7cvTXlNhcS6c06dRj18tYJmPtMbmJYaUtvmFYO0gEh9Hbf/s320/bones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />This month I'm focusing on poems with a scientific bent. I found a poem by David Hathwell, "Hidden Force Observed" (2015) that employs scientific themes.<p></p><p> </p><p>Here's a poem written by a poem by a poet who is new to me, Charlotte Turner Smith, but its written much earlier(poets.org).<br /></p><p> Sonnet XLIV ("Sonnet Written in The Church Yard at Middleton in Sussex")<br /></p><p style="color: #484848; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="yiv2795865756“long">Press’d by the Moon, mute arbitress of tides, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> While the loud equinox its pow’r combines, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> The sea no more its swelling surge confines, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">But o’er the shrinking land sublimely rides. </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">The wild blasts, rising from the Western cave, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> Drives the huge billows from their heaving bed; </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> Tears from their grassy tombs the village dead, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">And breaks the silent sabbath of the grave! </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">With shells and seaweed mingled, on the shore, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> Lo! their bones whiten in the frequent wave; </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"> But vain to them the winds and waters rave; </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long"><em>They</em> hear the warring elements no more: </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">While I am doom’d—by life’s long storm opprest, </span><br />
<span class="yiv2795865756“long">To gaze with envy, on their gloomy rest.</span></p><p style="color: #484848; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="yiv2795865756“long"> </span></p><p style="color: #484848; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="yiv2795865756“long">I love the phrase "mute arbitress of tides" and "silent sabbath."</span></p><p style="color: #484848; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="yiv2795865756“long">The surprise in the end is that the speaker/narrator is envious of the dead. <br /></span></p><p style="color: #484848; font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="yiv2795865756“long">Charlotte Turner Smith was a poet and novelist of the Romantic age. </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-50932818401726744922021-09-19T08:06:00.008-05:002021-09-20T06:57:12.866-05:00Snakes survived by going underground <p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2A2QxOK0K0snvrX-D11zK255skIXIhc_MBPw6eoLCcb1U8gUrkdZncG7yE54HwXLNl4Yt-62vrOi6L7Pu-Uicofgxub38eJCE24ip2t1u_tcIjrlTjKqNjt0LODnxZV6bLNX9jtamzumU/s867/basilisk.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="867" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2A2QxOK0K0snvrX-D11zK255skIXIhc_MBPw6eoLCcb1U8gUrkdZncG7yE54HwXLNl4Yt-62vrOi6L7Pu-Uicofgxub38eJCE24ip2t1u_tcIjrlTjKqNjt0LODnxZV6bLNX9jtamzumU/s320/basilisk.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br />Snakes widely diversified after the Chicxulub crater event that ended the dinosaurs reign. An interesting study shows that the extinction event allowed snakes to diversify, innovate, and thrive. Findings are reported in Nature Communications.</span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Snakes survived even though all other reptiles perished by moving underground. Their survival which researchers call "creative destruction" was the direct result of the destruction of other life forms. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Klein, C.G., Pisani, D., Field, D.J. </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222;">et al.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Evolution and dispersal of snakes across the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222;">Nat Commun</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-weight: bolder;">12, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">5335 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25136-y</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.inverse.com/science/goodbye-dinosaurs-hello-snakes">How one animal survived the asteroid that killed dinosaurs (inverse.com)</a></span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-36211001287415044832021-09-11T20:36:00.002-05:002021-09-12T22:08:31.384-05:009/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cxkPy-blyAY_-v941nULyB_O-JiquYTUzjmVUBheK1vfKIkDaEZ_myhEVrm8URi7VjaXPOyqc9dPGPHRbwh4pVg-W0qxxL6M0133IExf4dMNOD-GChEfsYYd9rufAxvUQfwKXFoVjYRP/s2048/pexels-lars-mulder-1919317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cxkPy-blyAY_-v941nULyB_O-JiquYTUzjmVUBheK1vfKIkDaEZ_myhEVrm8URi7VjaXPOyqc9dPGPHRbwh4pVg-W0qxxL6M0133IExf4dMNOD-GChEfsYYd9rufAxvUQfwKXFoVjYRP/s320/pexels-lars-mulder-1919317.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #e8e8e8; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, cantarell, "helvetica neue", ubuntu, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Photo by </span><span style="background-color: #e8e8e8; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, cantarell, "helvetica neue", ubuntu, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/@larsmulder?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Lars Mulder</a></span><span style="background-color: #e8e8e8; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, cantarell, "helvetica neue", ubuntu, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"> from </span><span style="background-color: #e8e8e8; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "segoe ui", roboto, oxygen, cantarell, "helvetica neue", ubuntu, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-rose-on-9-11-memorial-1919317/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Pexels</a></span><br /> </div><br />Here's what I remember. The day seemed ordinary. I was working in a library--a different one than the one I work at now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Earlier that morning I heard about a plane hitting one of the towers. No one knew it was terrorism at that time. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think by the time I got to work the 2nd tower had been hit. Newscasters were already theorizing terrorism.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, at the library, someone had a TV going in the off desk area. This was before web streaming became common place and before smart phones.</div><div><br /></div><div>The TV was only turned on at the library when important or tragic events were happening. For instance it was on when the Columbine shooting happened.</div><div><br /></div><div>The towers started falling. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had to prepare the desk because we were opening soon. Suddenly, a colleague started crying. He and his fiancee had just been on a trip to see the twin towers in New York scarcely a week ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>"We were just there," he said, but I knew he wasn't talking only about the place. He was thinking of the senseless deaths, the lives cut short.</div><div> </div><div>That colleague, who was also a friend, has passed away now. His marriage didn't work from what I heard.</div><div><br /></div><div>His was the first honest reaction. Every one else was trying to maintain professional distance I think.</div><div><br /></div><div>They were in shock but the reality had not settled in. They were still pretending, not letting their guard down, even me. In a library or any job, you have to keep going, provide service, no matter what. This is the mantra of service type jobs. </div><div><br /></div><div>That is probably what the stewardesses on the plane did, the captain and the crew. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-71355412522117495512021-08-11T10:08:00.002-05:002021-08-11T10:08:10.303-05:00Daisy Jones & The Six<p> <img alt="" class="wp-image-7819" data-attachment-id="7819" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="daisyjones2" data-large-file="https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?fit=315%2C475&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?fit=199%2C300&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?fit=315%2C475&ssl=1" data-orig-size="315,475" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/08/05/daisy-jones-and-the-six-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/daisyjones2/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="475" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" src="https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?resize=315%2C475&ssl=1" srcset="https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?w=315&ssl=1 315w, https://i2.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daisyjones2.jpg?resize=199%2C300&ssl=1 199w" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="315" /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Daisy is that girl for whom everything comes easily. She has natural beauty, vibrant vocals, and a gift for song writing. Even with all this going for her, she self-destructs in the usual way–drugs and alcohol.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Billy who strives to stay on the straight and narrow calls her dangerous and an “impossible woman.” Even if that is the case, he needs her to take the Six to the next level. His song writing is too romantic. Her songs have a grittier edge that balance out his.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">While the story appears to be a typical one, Reid has a way of telling it, as a transcript of a documentary, that is remarkable.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Characters often argue with each other or remember events differently. People blame each other and use one another.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Worst of all, people write songs about the other resulting in hurt feelings. For instance, Daisy writes “Regret Me” about Billy.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">While Billy and Daisy croon about the dangers of falling in love, they face similar temptations. Reid’s characters are complex and flawed but easy to relate to.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">If you liked reading <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Daisy Jones and the Six</em>, you may also like the true account <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Girl in a Band</em> about <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Sonic</em> Youth or works of fiction about rock bands and music from the 70s.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-7952" data-attachment-id="7952" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="maryjane" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?fit=674%2C1024&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?fit=197%2C300&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?fit=1600%2C2432&ssl=1" data-orig-size="1600,2432" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/08/05/daisy-jones-and-the-six-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/maryjane/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="296" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px" src="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?resize=196%2C296&ssl=1" srcset="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?zoom=2&resize=196%2C296&ssl=1 392w, https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/maryjane.jpg?zoom=3&resize=196%2C296&ssl=1 588w" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="196" /></figure><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Blau, Jessica Anya. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Mary Jane.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Doan, Amy Mason. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Lady Sunshine.</em></p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-7863" data-attachment-id="7863" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="visitfromthegoonsquad" data-large-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?fit=662%2C1024&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?fit=194%2C300&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?fit=750%2C1160&ssl=1" data-orig-size="750,1160" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/08/05/daisy-jones-and-the-six-by-taylor-jenkins-reid/visitfromthegoonsquad/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="278" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px" src="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?resize=180%2C278&ssl=1" srcset="https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?resize=662%2C1024&ssl=1 662w, https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?resize=194%2C300&ssl=1 194w, https://i1.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visitfromthegoonsquad.jpg?w=750&ssl=1 750w" style="border-radius: inherit; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="180" /></figure><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Egan, Jennifer. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">A Visit From the Goon Squad.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Gabel, Aja. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">The Ensemble.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Mitchell, David. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Utopia Avenue.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Moore, Scotto. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You</em>.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Sloan, Elissa R. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Straub, Emma. <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Modern Lovers.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Daisy Jones and the Six</em> has been adapted as a mini-series for Amazon. If readers are wondering what the songs sound like, they will get to hear the original music in the mini-series (13 episodes).</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-33871848084479312742021-06-21T06:38:00.000-05:002021-06-21T06:38:05.719-05:00And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie<div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3xeHoFV-QVScc8UnV25ehLtpa44whK3MwZL6XPygTesKArov3higxYbMgN78IIHOwI07Z8_5pd272L439R18-pzSx4aCdoNZpqlyy5KlkOi75nT38taUTd_JhIEl6tEvFmbJhCDoAMNb/s1140/andthen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3xeHoFV-QVScc8UnV25ehLtpa44whK3MwZL6XPygTesKArov3higxYbMgN78IIHOwI07Z8_5pd272L439R18-pzSx4aCdoNZpqlyy5KlkOi75nT38taUTd_JhIEl6tEvFmbJhCDoAMNb/s320/andthen.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Even if you’ve read this classic novel of mystery and suspense before, by re-reading it you will find new facets and nuances to admire. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Ten people come to an island for different purposes but find themselves fighting for their lives. Among them is a murderer who wants his or her own type of justice. After each death, the adversary meticulously removes a porcelain figure from the dining room table.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" color="windowtext" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">A gramophone recording relates that each of these guests have committed an unpardonable sin and have been as of yet beyond the reaches of law. One of them has invited them all here, produced the recording, and eliminating them but who could it be? </span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-contrast="none" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Could it be the young reckless Marston, the well-respected doctor, or the elderly Emily Brent? Could it be General McArthur, the reptilian judge Wargrave, the prim Vera </span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2 SCXW109450706 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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"); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Claythorne</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW109450706 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, or the callous Philip Lombard?</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="EOP SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="EOP SCXW109450706 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" face="Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">This one of Christie's darkest and most intricate mystery. </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-58215436335320012682021-06-12T10:14:00.004-05:002021-06-12T10:14:52.518-05:00Nightbirde<p><span style="font-size: large;">I</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCIE5XDiHqIYgUXreVviWA8Qz3a8ll7_03Gbrxve0Q6zZlZcGYb5pIico8HQdEHlQ2VtelrQ4pOoHyHL4a58rL55VNetHL_X60m1Rfvih0DUD70syp4hicjl68h2vCz6lMcU5v1bW-fvP/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1880" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCIE5XDiHqIYgUXreVviWA8Qz3a8ll7_03Gbrxve0Q6zZlZcGYb5pIico8HQdEHlQ2VtelrQ4pOoHyHL4a58rL55VNetHL_X60m1Rfvih0DUD70syp4hicjl68h2vCz6lMcU5v1bW-fvP/" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />ts no often that I'm moved by anyone on AGT; all of the reactions seem so rehearsed. There is something genuine, however, about the singer who calls herself Nightbirde that cannot be ignored. </span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The song is called "It's okay," which is perfect for this particular time--when many people do not feel ok .This is a song that asks everyone to accept their situation, whatever it may be. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">She sings with a pleasant, echoing vibrato. For me, its not the performance or the vocals but the actual lyrics that stand out most. For example, she sings, "said I knew myself but I guess I lied."</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-87600494812890723282021-05-31T09:41:00.000-05:002021-05-31T09:41:08.976-05:00The Big Door Prize by M.O. Walsh<p> <img alt="" class="wp-image-6939" src="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bigdoorprize.jpeg" /></p><!-- wp:image {"id":6939,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} -->
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<p>In a novel that's sweetness served up with a side of realism, Walsh explores a small town's inhabitants desire to live the best version of themselves. When a simply plywood cubicle with the word DNAMIX shows up at Johnson's grocery story, it causes the good people of Deerfield to behave in outlandish ways.</p>
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<p>The machine, which does a quick DNA scan, determines if an individual has lived up to his or her potential. Ordinary townspeople suddenly decide they are meant to be puppeteers, Olympic champions, magicians, or members of royalty. </p>
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<p>The townspeople's gullibility infuriates Douglas Hubbard who feels the machine spits out random occupations. He is flabbergasted and irked to learn that his readout is spot-on. Even though Douglas wants a more exciting life, that of trombone player, the machine tells Douglas his life station is "teacher."</p>
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<p>Douglas has been a teacher for years and it leaves him depleted and exhausted. Every day that he teaches feels like eight days instead of one. Naturally, he is irked to find he is the only person in town given such a prosaic life station.</p>
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<p>Most of the characters are humorous and endearing. Pat, Deerfield High's principal, refuses to swear yet she uses nonsense words that sound suspiciously like swear words. Tipsy is the town's only cab driver. He drives constantly, taking no money for fares, because it helps him keep a promise he has made to himself. </p>
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<p>Father Pete is a good man even if he takes a drink now and then. The mayor nearly abandons his mayoral duties after getting his DNAMIX readout of "cowboy."</p>
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<p>Mixed in with the humor, however, is an unfolding mystery. What happened to the mayor's son, Toby? Did he die from a DUI accident or was it something even more sinister? Beneath the amusing stories about Deerfield eccentrics, there is a darker story of the mistreatment of a young woman and the unquenched desire for revenge.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-37095482182335303302021-05-29T15:36:00.005-05:002021-05-29T17:28:36.243-05:00PBS' The Gene Doctors a New Era of Medicine. <p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1WxrWlvHPTTk_SQbrakjdsVZfKoH6o-HIl8LcQ2us_qTKekkgMQ9IkIPZL_pYmdbl7e0vH9hyphenhyphenKutknJStM_PXisGwHYbZdypRBE_wnE77BXbty2xfSuD9sIcLtyOwy6dyjxb8M2s9nQs/s1600/genedoctors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1WxrWlvHPTTk_SQbrakjdsVZfKoH6o-HIl8LcQ2us_qTKekkgMQ9IkIPZL_pYmdbl7e0vH9hyphenhyphenKutknJStM_PXisGwHYbZdypRBE_wnE77BXbty2xfSuD9sIcLtyOwy6dyjxb8M2s9nQs/s320/genedoctors.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />This PBS film introduces viewers to a new world of therapies that may help anyone who has an incurable genetic disorder. Scientists are using viruses, messenger DNA, and CRISPR to treat disease at its root level, the genetic mutation that causes disease. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Research scientists--Dr. Jean Bennet, Dr. Edwin Stone, Dr. Jennifer Doudna, and Dr. Eric Green--make appearances in the film. Viewers also hear from the patients whose lives are directly affected by their research.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-68363044300042249342021-03-08T10:03:00.002-06:002021-03-08T10:03:36.766-06:00Book Review: How I Build This by Guy Raz<p> <img alt="" class="wp-image-5634" data-attachment-id="5634" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="howIbuiltthis" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/howIbuiltthis.jpeg?fit=183%2C276&ssl=1" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/howIbuiltthis.jpeg?fit=183%2C276&ssl=1" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/howIbuiltthis.jpeg?fit=183%2C276&ssl=1" data-orig-size="183,276" data-permalink="https://rockwallcountylibrary.org/2021/03/06/how-i-built-this-by-guy-raz/howibuiltthis-2/" data-recalc-dims="1" height="276" loading="lazy" src="https://i0.wp.com/rockwallcountylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/howIbuiltthis.jpeg?resize=183%2C276&ssl=1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="183" /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Business podcaster and journalist, Guy Raz, offers insights on how many innovative companies got started in <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">How I Built This</em>. Raz summarizes key takeaways from his podcast where he interviews founders.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Even though no two stories are alike, there are some similarities. In his estimation, entrepreneurs are open to the call. Some businesses were a direct response to an unmet need. Carol’s Daughter, FUBU, Walker & Co. met the needs of an ethnic demographic. Other companies thrived when their business model tweaks the industry: Airbnb, the Knot, Stitch, Rent the Runway, Canva, Warby Parker.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Entrepreneurs face many obstacles which Raz eloquently describes in Part 2. Some companies are noted for how well they have recovered from setbacks e.g. Jeni’s Splendid ice creams. Others are notable for how well they have pivoted into new niches: Stacy’s Pita Chips, Angie’s Boomchickapop, Slack, Twitch.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">Even after companies have succeeded, founders must decide whether to sell or to maintain creative control. Neither decision is right or wrong; it just depends on what the founder’s goals may be.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;">While there are many success stories, there are a few cautionary tales: Dippin Dots and American Apparel.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #192930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.8em;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">How I built This</em> is great for those who want to dip their feet into the entrepreneurial waters. While it offers many tips from the world’s foremost startups, its an enjoyable and engaging read.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-21909832677894866622021-02-18T11:57:00.004-06:002021-02-18T12:00:49.172-06:00Millions of jobs won't be coming back<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21eTiR75cJDtdh-SDk1CCidGIJNsm9N2_M71K5lw3hh-4lZy7lroMKzB_ueEroAgx7AEh2UyFBlB0L-HbgGvEL0nDuCr-jtFSDV8F6UbVbDw5ywXG6XXxjDiyiNf5se0CfCH9Ps1ggd0E/s1880/jobs.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21eTiR75cJDtdh-SDk1CCidGIJNsm9N2_M71K5lw3hh-4lZy7lroMKzB_ueEroAgx7AEh2UyFBlB0L-HbgGvEL0nDuCr-jtFSDV8F6UbVbDw5ywXG6XXxjDiyiNf5se0CfCH9Ps1ggd0E/s320/jobs.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />According to the <i>Washington Post,</i> millions of jobs will not be coming back after the pandemic ends. Many people will need to discover or rediscover their "why" (as Sinek calls it). they will need to repurpose, repackage their career or make career shifts and changes.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">More people will work from home and less employees will travel. According to the McKinsey Global institute, twenty percent of business travel will end. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The economy will need the same number of jobs post pandemic as pre-pandemic, but the job duties will change.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776628809569699950.post-27242180489046438752021-02-17T22:16:00.003-06:002021-02-21T11:30:58.137-06:00Start With Why by Simon Sinek<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueByGerwEbELr2l8hLKTBGSTbM6Rfutz1NBGuv7pmDtTcHFntlJZ2zlV2QU0pnAvuGl_2IXluqMwKvYFOMixmFeGofXpBvDXJINLwT17-jjrEqyZ4wlYYnv7_qQ_4GYCRLJI8PvptCrps/s2048/startwithwhy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueByGerwEbELr2l8hLKTBGSTbM6Rfutz1NBGuv7pmDtTcHFntlJZ2zlV2QU0pnAvuGl_2IXluqMwKvYFOMixmFeGofXpBvDXJINLwT17-jjrEqyZ4wlYYnv7_qQ_4GYCRLJI8PvptCrps/s320/startwithwhy.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />In six part and fourteen chapters, Sinek reveals what organizations need to do to be industry leaders. Surprisingly simple, leaders needs to remind employees why the organization was founded in the first place; they need to remember their WHY.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Those organizations that forget their WHY experience a strange bifurcation between what they do and why they do it. According to Sinek, Dell, Microsoft, Walmart, and Starbucks are some of the companies that have forgotten their original purpose. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">For Sinek, it all comes down to a golden circle. At the center of the circle is the company's purpose or passion. The leader turns this golden circle, now imagined as a cone, into a megaphone. Everything the company does, even the people it hires must be aligned with company's purpose. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Using anecdotes and historical examples, Sinek explains how a trend is different from a fad, how novelty is different from innovation. Real innovation changes the industry and can change society.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Sinek highlight those companies that inspire the most--most notably Apple, Virgin Records, Southwest Airlines but also some less well-known companies.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">To be successful, these companies need to market to early adopters and others that share their values. They need a marketing team that effuse their message; products and services that pass the celery test. They need good successors that keep the WHY alive.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0