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She just sings whatever she's seen

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Analysis of 2007 reading

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year.   Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented

emzebel

emzebel

 

Shameless Self Promotion

There is no reason why anyone would even read this thing (since it essentially consists of a bunch of lists for my own record keeping), but I've started a real, honest to goodness, ranting about politics/social issues/isisms blog: I'm Just Not Impressed.   Visit?

emzebel

emzebel

 

Analysis of 2008 Reading

First off, hot damn, did I ever meet my goal of 100 books for 2008.   I did a couple of things differently this year - first, because my son is now super into having me read him chapter books - which have ranged from classics like The Wizard of Oz to insipid Transformers tie-ins, I started tracking those separately, instead of counting substantive classics that I might actually choose to read on my own as part of my own count (as I did with things like Roald Dahl last year. The second is that I gave myself permission to not read things that I wasn't enjoying. Which means that rather than having my "couldn't finish" list consist of one book that actively revolted me, if a book didn't engage me and I didn't care about picking it up again, I just didn't. It was kind of a lovely feeling, and I actually wonder if it contributed to my longer reading list, since I wasn't forcing myself back to things that didn't capture my attention. The third change was how I listed - going in order of reading, as opposed to alphabetically by author. I like all of these changes and plan to keep them for 2009.   Anyway, my totals: 117 books read entirely in 2008 2 started in 2007, finished on 2008 62 books read with the boy 6 books in progress (one of which I finished just this morning) 2 books in progress with R 9 books kicked to the curb   An interesting thing about those last 9, too - 5 of them were by authors that I've read before and liked and of those, I read and enjoyed books by 4 of them just this year. Three were books in series were I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, but just couldn't get into the second. Three of the 9 were books in well regarded YA series. Another was a television tie in for a show I enjoy.   Of the books in progress, one I've already finished, two are books of short stories or essays that I fully expect to finish in 2009. I suppose I should make finishing the other three part of my reading resolutions for this year, in addition to reading another 100 books in their entirety.   The reading with my son doesn't really take too long to look at - most were series books, most were at least mildly educational, either by design or by virtue of being classics.   Now, the meat. Breaking down the 117 that I read entirely in 2008: * 108 were new to me, 9 were re-reads (if you count the fact that I had already read the text of Stardust) * 20 were children's/ya books (I didn't count some things are are sometimes shelved as YA in the library, such as some of the manga/graphic novels which were not specifically aimed at these age groups, S. Myers "The Host" or the Juliet Marillier books, which while certainly appropriate to a YA audience don't struck me as being marketed as YA - so, this could potentially be about 10 higher) * 22 were graphic novels, 1 of which was a GN version of a book I've read several times, another of which was related to a book series) * 2 were non-fiction (1 book of essays, 1 true crime) * 10 were books of short fiction * 83 were installments of various series, of which 13 were YA, 17 were graphic novels, * I read 13 new authors, accounting for 37 of books read * there are 47 unique authors represented   I am rediculously pleased that I read way more than my 100 book goal - I want to read more of substance next year, though.

emzebel

emzebel

 

2018 Samhain Seven Qs

Updated 9/19/18

Shortbread? Heck yes. I am up for just about any baked good.

Is there something you’d like from the UK? Pimms is probably out, but I love UK chocos and other edibles.

Do you like Lord of the Rings? Yes, but I"m not a huge fangirl. It is one of those things where I like the movies and such and have read the books, but have no desire to do so again.

Any ceramics you could use? I can always use trays and cups for jewelry.

If you like tea and I have opened tea as well as sealed tea to send would you mind some cleanly decanted and clearly labeled tea I think you would really enjoy based on your preferences? Absolutely!

Would you like anything from my etsy shop? (http://twinklentwilight.etsy.com)
I love a lot of the fabric choices - the dragon/bat (all of the bat options, really), ravens, galaxy, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and Dr. Who. I want something the blinded me with science for my science loving daughter and the plush monsters are adorable. I don't really knit, so I wouldn't have use for bags as project bags, but I still wants them my precious.

Are you interested in a crocheted monster or unicorn or whatever? Colors?
I am all about the fun plushies.
Lavender Vanilla Bean or Rose Petal liqueur?
Both of these sound AMAZING.

Nail stamping plates
I have no idea what these are and google isn't giving me a good sense of whether I would actually use them. I'm guessing not, since I am fumble fingers with polish and usually go to a nail salon.

knitted things:
Yes please! I would be most interested in arm warmers or socks, or maybe a shawl or cowl.

cylindrical tins:
No thank you. I have a ton of these lying about myself.

What about white witchy items (oils, sage, stones, etc).
No thank you.

What about reusable shopping bags?
If they are fun, from local places and such, sure! I don't need plain store ones and such as I have a ton, but I love getting ones from different locales.

Korean beauty items like sheet masks?
Sure!

Do you like Bath and Body Works and if so, what are your fave products/scents?
BBW is one of my guilty pleasures. I love getting shower gel/lotion combos and I love their foaming hand soap (although I have rather a lot of that at the moment, but I don't have any of their fall scents). I also like the C Bigelow nail and hand care products.

Would you like something from Walt Disney World?
I would love NMBC stuff, but other than that, I'm fine. I was just at Disneyland last December and am pretty stocked up.

So Shihaya & Co has a bunch of fantastic candles, bath & body stuff (from Paintbox Soapworks!), Arcana perfume, etc. Is there anything there you are interested in? Please list products as well as scents. (as an FYI, the Smiles by Wedelstaedt soap is make by Brooke who used to own Villainess.)
In terms of candles, Amber and Velvet, Autumnvale Cafe, Ember and Mallow, Full Moon, Gemini all sound delightful. In terms of other stuff, the Hocus Pocus soap and scrub, Bermuda Triangle soap.

What are your favorite products and scents from Paintbox Soapworks (that are in stock?)
Generally, I love her scrubs and soaps (not as fond of the lotions) I would love to try Abnoba, Indian Summer, Putney Road, Princess Pony Sparklebutt in sample sizes of either scrub or soap. I also adore the Rice Pudding hot process soap.

Fatherhood update desires? I've ordered a bunch, but have added a few that I'd still love to try to my wishlist.

Do you have any interest in fun tees or other goodies either related to your fandoms or otherwise from TeeTurtle or similar sites (https://www.teeturtle.com/)? If the answer is yes, what's your t-shirt size?
Absolutely! I prefer women's cut, 2XL for tees. Generally, darker is better in terms of color.

Do you have a favorite musical, opera, playwright or other theatrical or performing arts interest for which you might like interesting goodies? I am pretty set on this score in that I have easy access to merch along these lines.

Do you have any desire/need for a new umbrella? I always need more small collapsible ones as my children seem to have discovered some sort of portal that devours all umbrellas in the immediate vicinity.

Any desire for mugs - travel or otherwise? How about water bottles?
I am pretty set for ceramic mugs. I can always use more travel mugs if they are both cool and diswasher safe. Same for water bottles.

How do you feel about things like Halloween-themed blankets and throw pillows?
I feel great about them! We have a pumpkin pillow and spider blankie that are used year round. I'd be particularly interested in flying things - bats, owls, ravens, gargoyles in blacks and purples.

Are there any companies you've been wanting to try or would like to try more of?
I would definitely be interested in trying more soap and lotion products from Haus of Gloi and Arcana and Brooke's new stuff. I only wear BPAL perfumes, but am much more flexible with other products.

How do you feel about this: thevampstamp.com
This is pretty much the only way I could possibly attempt that sort of eyeliner, but honestly, I'd probably never use it.

Would you, or your swapee be interested in fall themed Yankee candle small candles?
Sure.

How do you feel about loose eyeshadow? (new of course)
Not really my thing. I have a bunch and while I love the colors, it's just to fussy for me to use much.

How does a scent of rose, mahagony, coffee and tobacco sound to you?
Probably not my thing (sorry!). I only wear BPAL perfumes and that's not a combo that really grabs me for bath stuff.

Is this something you, or your swapee might need or be interested in?
https://www.rekonect...ducts/rekonlife
(its a notebook with a magnetic spine and pages that can be removed and reattached) I have two that are totally unused.
No thanks.

Also, I am brewing my own kombucha now. Would you like a bottle or two?
Sure!


How do you feel about literal pumpkin *spice* - i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger - as a flavoring (the inclusion of pumpkin is not essential in my plotting)? How about those flavors combined with chocolate in some mystery form?
I am all over this concept (literally).

If you like/want books, do you have a goodreads or other place where you discuss your favorite books? Would you be interested in a spooky Halloween compilation or a classic halloweenie/autumnal book like Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes?
I would love a new weenie compilation (now that I think about it, that's not the word I want, but wev).

emzebel

emzebel

 

2018 13 Nights of Halloween Questions~

Here is where I shall keep my questions. I shall keep my questions here.

Updated 9/19/18

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?
I answered this pretty thoroughly in my survey, I think, but kind of everything. I love celebrating with my kids and being able to buy animal skeletons at Target and the flavors and just really kind of all of it, other than not being terribly into orange and brown. I'm more of a black and purple halloweenie.

Would you like a Halloween-themed cross-stitch piece of art done by your partner? If so, do you prefer something practical, like a cross-stitch dishtowel or table runner, or something to be hung on the wall?
I would love this - something useful like a dishtowel (or bathroom towels) would be most beloved, as I have a wonderful house with very little usable wall space.

Are you coveting something from the Lilith release? I've ordered everything I super duper wanted, but there are a few that I was on the fence about in my wishlist, but hey, I'll list them here too: Absurd Origin Story; Blue Blankie; Don't Tell Me Heaven is Under the Earth; Let Your Indulgence Set Me Free; Meditation Buddy; Scorched Marshmallows; Senator Barrial; Spontaneous Argumentation; Suffragium; The Queen of Hel; The She-Goat; The Storm; Theaomai;

Have you seen the Haus of Gloi Fall update? Does anything from that tickle your fancy? I am BPAL only for oils, but I would definitely be interested in trying bubbling scrub, pumpkin butter, hair oil (would probably use for either Mo and/or cuticle oil) or soaps in Apple Milk, Blood Orange Marshmallow, and Cozy Pumpkin! The Maple Vanilla soap sounds lovely too.

Enamel pins - yay or nay? Sure, but they will likely be stolen by my little hooligan.

Would you appreciate handknits? Any preference (socks, hats, cowls, mitts, etc)
Always. Socks and arm warmers would probably get the most use, although a cowl could be cool as that's something I don't have at all.

What kind of local goods do you like to pick up/try when you visit somewhere new?
I usually look for magnets, local honey or jams or other limited reach local foodstuffs. I also love trying regional alcohol specialties, particularly whisk(e)y.

Do you like to cook or bake, and if so, would you like any cooking accessories, mixes, or ingredients?
Absolutely! I particularly love silly holiday themed spatulas and sprinkles and such. There's a bit about this in my questionnaire as well.

Pumpkin Spice:
ALL THE THINGS!

Do you like Day of the Dead goodies? I love skulls and such, but I feel weird about the cultural appropriation aspects of a lot of Day of the Dead stuff as I have no cultural or spiritual connection. That said, I have received lovely items from folks who *do* have that connection in the past. Sorry for being complicated.

How do you feel about homemade edibles? Not just baked goods, but fruit butters, jams and such-like? Do you prefer savory or sweet or yes?
All of them nommy in my mouthy. I am a total sucker for apple and pumpkin and other butters this time of year. If you have a specialty, savory or sweet, I would LOVE to try it.

Quirky Socks: Goodness yes! I especially love silly Halloween themed socks, either ankle or knee length.

Stuff from Japan: Sure! My daughter and I both love Hello Kitty and Tokidoki and are suckers for any sort of mystery plushy sorts of things. I also adore the different flavors of kitkats you can get there and similar snacky goodies.

Yankee Candle: Sure, subject to the limits in my questionnaire. I do have a fondness for Yankee - my husband used to live close to their factory store in Western MA and we would go there all the time when he was in grad school.

Bath and Body Works: Another weakness of mine - I have a bad tendency to get matching shower gel and lotions there in foodie / fruity scents. I'd also love fall scents in their foaming hand soap.

Of the latest updates, Empress, Liliths, Jester, Emperor what are your wants and desires? Recent LES from this year, what are your wants and desires? My wishlist is up to date in this respect.

What about Disney? If you like Disney, what are your favorite characters?
I love Nightmare Before Christmas and the Muppets, but am not that into traditional Disney characters. I do like some of the Villians line, especially Maleficent and Ursula.

Star wars?
YES! Leia, Rey, Yoda, droids generally other than C3P0 who I find annoying. Also porgs were the most brilliant decision ever and I adore those little space puffins with all my heart.

And what about Harry Potter? Whats your favorite house and/or favorite character? I am all about all the HP. I am a Ravenclaw through and through (Slitherclaw if we're talking hybrid houses). Fave characters are Luna Lovegood, Hermione and I am a total puppy shipper (Sirius/Remus). (FWIW, my family already owns a lot of HP stuff - scarves for every house but Slytherin, a Ravenclaw mug and water bottle, robes for me and my wee Hooligan Hufflepuff, a stuffed Hedwig and Pidwigen...which is not to say we wouldn't welcome more. )

Do you like honey/honey products?
​Would you like flavored oils or vinegars?
Answering these together because my answer is absolutely yes to all of these.

Do you have any interest in fun tees or other goodies either related to your fandoms or otherwise from TeeTurtle or similar sites (https://www.teeturtle.com/)?
Absolutely! I prefer women's cut, 2XL for tees. Generally, darker is better in terms of color.

Do you have a favorite musical, opera, playwright or other theatrical or performing arts interest for which you might like interesting goodies? I am pretty set on this score in that I have easy access to merch along these lines.

Do you have any desire/need for a new umbrella? I always need more small collapsible ones as my children seem to have discovered some sort of portal that devours all umbrellas in the immediate vicinity.

Any desire for mugs - travel or otherwise? How about water bottles?
I am pretty set for ceramic mugs. I can always use more travel mugs if they are both cool and diswasher safe. Same for water bottles.

Could you use any BPAL storage? Bottles or imps? I am set personally, but I did realize the other day that my little hooligan is developing a bit of a collection herself that is currently scattered across her dresser, so if you are feeling crafty and felt like making a bottle box in an Owl/MLP/HP-Hufflepuff theme, I would happily regift to her (otherwise I have to do it myself )

Do you like incense, palo santo, sage, etc?
Please no. Even smelling incense in the package these days can trigger my migraines, which teenager me would find tragic, but there it is.

I will be going to Son of Monsterpalooza this weekend. Anything look interesting?
I can't think of anything offhand, but if there are cool creepy jewelry vendors, that could be cool.

Wax tarts? No thank you.

How do you feel about literal pumpkin *spice* - i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger - as a flavoring (the inclusion of pumpkin is not essential in my plotting)? How about those flavors combined with chocolate in some mystery form?
I am all over this concept (literally).

If you like/want books, do you have a goodreads or other place where you discuss your favorite books? Would you be interested in a spooky Halloween compilation or a classic halloweenie/autumnal book like Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes?
I would love a new weenie compilation (now that I think about it, that's not the word I want, but wev).

Hat with pompom or no: I don't have a strong preference, although without is probably slightly more likely to be worn on the regular. I definitely embrace the silly, so if the hat is just screaming for some sort of embellishment, go for it.

Top 3 Weenie Wants: In terms of things I did not already order for myself:
The Hag (I wishlisted this last year and it almost jumped in my cart this year, so this is def. a top wish)
The Goat and the Vine
Pomegranate Grove: Morocco

emzebel

emzebel

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