Embroidery's Final Frontier

So . . . I was poking around on Lexie's blog and found a link to this one, where I saw:


Which made me quite happy, because, if you read this post, you remember that I just bought a slew of embroidery supplies. I also love space.

Consequently, inspiration to combine the two was most welcome.

(In case you noticed, I wanted to see how many links I could fit into this post.)

Eleven Minutes

So, have you ever read something and known that it had an effect on you, just been unable to pinpoint the exact place or nature of the change?

That's how this book by Paulo Coelho made me feel:


I can't say that I loved it, but it wasn't bad, by any means. I just know that it made me feel . . . weird.

So descriptive, I know.

I promise to make an update about not-a-book soon. I actually have a food post on the way, the picture is just on Marvin's camera and I need to get it from him. Also, I finished my scarf. Maybe a picture of that will appear soon.

School? Blah. I need to decide what course I want to contract. Like, by tomorrow. After the experience last semester, I haven't been in a huge hurry to deal with the Honors office again.

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good week.

Ciao!

The Lovely Bones

I've apparently developed the habit of reading books shortly before they are made into movies.

Yeah, I need to nip that in the bud or I'll probably never be able to enjoy another movie for as long as I live.

Anyway, this was my latest literary victim:


The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold about to be released as a movie directed by Peter Jackson.

The entire story is told from the perspective of a 13-year-old victim of a vicious murder as she watches events unfold in the lives of those to whom she was close on Earth from heaven. It can be disturbing at times (consider the subject matter), so if you have an over-active imagination like me, I really don't advise reading a lot right before bed.

It is a really good read, however. I was able to tear through it in the spare time of 3 or so days. (Coulda finished sooner if I had tried.)

Now, though, I'm leery of seeing the movie because it probably can't live up to my expectations.

Has anyone else read this? I want to discuss the ending, but don't want to put any spoilers out here on the open 'net.

Up next? Probably a Paulo Coelho novel, but then the queue is empty.

Suggestions?

Because I needed more productive ways to waste time.

So Michael's--the ubiquitous arts and crafts store--is a very dangerous place.

Not dangerous in the typical Memphis sense, but dangerous in the go-in-there-on-a-whim-and-buy-half-their-merchandise kinda sense.

I went there yesterday and walked out with a big ball of yarn, a crochet hook, embroidery thread in a rainbow of colors, embroidery needles, one of those embroidery round things, and a box of 36 oil pastels.

(In case you were wondering, I saw this embroidery thing on TV and it looked neat--it's not your grandmother's pastime anymore.)

I am now 7-8 inches into a chocolate brown scarf. It ain't exceptionally pretty, but for my first piece, I don't think it's that bad.

I'll post pictures of projects as I get them done. :)

Banana-Granola Pancakes

So, I may not really have anything interesting to talk about, but I can sure discuss food!


These beauties are my banana-granola pancakes! Take your favorite pancake recipe and substitute particularly ripe bananas for eggs, one-for-one. I also use soy milk instead of regular, which technically makes these vegan. (Shh, don't tell!)

I make my own granola, but you can probably find some at a store that would work just as well, as long as the chunks aren't too big. Nobody wants to break a tooth on a pancake.

Though less healthy, I'm sure you could also replace the granola with chocolate chips and come up with some delicious pancakes. :)

Potassium and fiber from the bananas, protein from the soy milk and nuts (granola), and omega-3's from flaxseed (granola).

And so tasty, too!

The Time Traveler's Wife

(Second post in two days . . . whoo!)

So, I read this:


Then went to see this:


And, to repeat the worn cliché, the book was infinitely better than the movie.

The book--which excellently wove together the genres of romance and science fiction/fantasy--had been completely dumbed down for the movie. I understand that you need to make abridgments to fit 536 pages worth of information and character development into a two-hour time slot. But you don't really have to remove any element of surprise through heavy foreshadowing or completely change the personalities and appearances of all but the main characters.

Main characters . . . that brings me to my next point.

Which is my utter confusion at how this movie received a PG-13 rating.

There were no fewer than 5 shots of Eric Bana's butt. And I don't mean they flashed it up there for a second . . . I mean shots of his behind. They even showed Rachel McAdam's behind once or twice, along with a brief upper-body side shot.

PG-13? Really? Yay, American culture.

I guess I'm just a prude. Who likes movies with substantial plots.

Anyway . . . if you want a good read that will make you think and ultimately cry like a little girl, read The Time Traveler's Wife. If you prefer to have everything laid out for you--including the Bana-butt--watch the film.

Ramblings

I . . . am a bad blogger.

I really let this thing slide into disrepair . . . and the more I let it slide, the more I felt that I would need something really interesting to say when I started back up.

Stuff has been happening . . . I guess I just have blogger's block?

I did eventually get the scholarship stuff all worked out . . . after the process took about two weeks for each respective office it went through at the university. If I hated that school before, they've really compounded it. I feel sorry for the person that will call me someday asking me to donate to my alma mater . . . they are going to get an earful.

I moved into a townhouse! I promise to get pictures up once it is a little more moved in to. I really like the place and the location is amazing . . . but the best part is not getting woken up by those fire alarms every other night! :) (I heard there have already been two this semester.)

Hmm . . . also, school started. Most of my classes are crammed into Monday and Wednesday, which kinda makes me wanna die. I don't think it will be that bad, though. Class run-down:

The Roman World: A history course on, duh, Roman civilization. The material is interesting, but the prof has a really annoying voice. We'll just have to see how that goes.

Oral Communication: Blaaah. GenEd, whoopee! The teacher is nice, but I don't enjoy talking in front of crowds. I suppose that is something I need to get over before I conquer the world. That might involve a speech or two.

College Algebra: I probably should have tested out of this. Oh well, easy A. We hope. (Also, my professor sounds like Dolly Parton. No joke. Tweety little Tennessee voice.)

Peoples and Cultures of the World: ANTH class with a prof I've had before, should be fun.

Anthropology of Religion: In the running for my favorite class. Of course, it's on Monday nights, so I've only been once so far. But still . . . a lot of fun.

Ancient India: History class that is competing against ANTH of Religion for my favorite. Really interesting and knowledgeable prof . . . he just thinks very highly of himself and it comes across.

So . . . yeah. That's what's been up here.

I'll do better updating this thing. Promise.