[  Mood: Happy ]
[ Currently: Enjoying Naptime ]
The Wall is a picture book that documents what is what like to grow up in communist Czechoslovakia. No you might think that this is not the topic for a picture book, but let me tell you it works. Author/illustrator’s drawings of communist Czechoslovakia are in black and white, with the communist symbols of a red scarf and red flag were red. Contrasted to this are Peter’s childhood drawings that are in colour. Interspersed in the narrative are entries from Peter’s diaries and journals.

This is a very good book. It is easy to see why it was nominated for a Caldecott by the ALA.

[  Mood: Amused ]
This mystery sees Kinsey investigating an acident. Bobby Callahan’s Porsche was pushed off the road by a hit and run driver. Bobby was lucky to survive, but has been perminantly disabled by the tragedy. Having met Bobby at the gym, Kinsey sees him as more than a client. She gets emotionally involved, so much so much so that when he is killed, she continues to investigate to find out who is behind his murder.

Woven through this mystery is the beginnings of author Sue Grafton’s development of Kinsey’s world. Landlord Henry has a mysterious (and not very nice) new girlfriend. Kinsey, along with resterant owner Rosie set about to find out what is going on.

A well done story full of twists and turns, as well as real character development. This is where the series begins to come into its own. Worth the read.

[  Mood: Happy ]
[ Currently: Enjoying Naptime ]
Temeraire, Laurence and his crew have returned from China to find that the British dragons have come down with a cough. Unfortunately chicken soup doesn’t fix this cough. Rather, it is quickly causing the mass extinction of Britain’s arial corps.

Temeraire and Laurence are dispatched to Africa in search of a cure. While there, they learn about African society and how Dragons fit into it. In addition, Laurence and Temeraire are faced with a horrible decision between loyalty and the good of dragonkind.

This was a much better read tean the previous Temeraire book. Laurence’s devotion to the Celestial is heartwarming. Temeraire’s naivete in the face of cruelty and politics is still refreshing. This series had kept it fresh and is worth the read.

My review of the latest Coen Bros film, Burn After Reading, appears at Moving Pictures.

Burn After Reading review was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Neutral ]
[  Currently: Working a job I like a lot… ]

This week has seen my wife and I moved into a house we’ll be renting for six months before we buy it and live there a long time. That’s the good in a nutshell.

In the past three days, we’ve seen our black and white cat (my wife’s for six years before I met her, and mine since then–what can I say? The cat chose me) grow lethargic, lose her appetite, more details I will withhold, but if you’ve had a pet get sick, you have an idea what I may be going through without me providing details.

This silky-coated cat stole my heart from the day we met. She stalked me in her one bedroom apartment, sneaking up on me and glaring, then freezing in place with her eyes glued to me when I happened to notice her. She froze, looking daggers at me, saying with her huge, yellow-rimmed black eyes, "You can’t see me. I’m standing still. Go about your business. I’ll continue stalking you momentarily." It never failed to bring me to teary laughter.

She liked to get onto whatever furniture might have a book, remote control, or magazine left on it–especially on an arm–so she could poke it with a paw until it dropped off to crash onto the floor. At this point, as if she had no clue what would happen, she’d look wide-eyed at the nearest human, "Did you drop that? Did you know it was going to hit the floor so hard? You really shouldn’t leave things on the arms of chairs, you know." My wife has never been enamored of this behavior, as it saw a signed Ray Bradbury novel dropped into a bathtub once…

My kitty has five favorite things.

First, hiding under covers. She’s a spelunker. The darker the hole leading under the blankets, the better. Finding a lump under the conforter when I entered the bedroom? Hilarious.

Second, the sun. Preferably the hottest afternoon sun available, through the thinnest glass window, so more heat could be absorbed by the black in her coat.

Third, her toy. One of those "gone fishin’" contraptions made by Hartz. Hers has no bell–a popular feature on the newer models. Hers need only the rod and a long string, with a ribbon tied to the end. That ribbon has been through hell, mainly at her paws and teeth. She’ll attack it with the ferocity of a starved panther. She’ll drag it around in her mouth if she feels ignored.

Fourth, sleeping above my head in the bed, preferably on my pajamas.

Last, she loves licking the salty sweat off my forehead. Evidence here.

Now she’s facing a bug that her veterinarian can’t seem to pin down, at a time when my wife and I have no fiscal space to play with in our budget, and my dear, sweet kitty is in pain and I am depressed and sad and confused.

UPDATE: Word from home is, kitty seems to be acting herself again. Perhaps the bug is turning from the antibiotics we’ve administered in the past few days.

[  Mood: Shocked ]
Was on the Facebook checking up on the world. I am friends with an ex-boyfriend. (Against my schorched earth policy, I know, but I am trying to be a better person.) He has changed his profile picture. Now he is wearing a loincloth.

Did I really need to see that?

I think my answer is no.

“I’m crazy about movies. It’s why I became an actor. I could cry watching C.H.U.D. (Cannibal Humanoid Underground Dwellers). I buy into movies. I love it.“ — Robert Downey, Jr., "I Am Iron Man”, a behind-the-scenes documentary from the Iron Man DVD.

Robert Downey Jr Quote was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Happy ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son – Situation Normal ]
The second volume of this series brings back the group that we all remember from the first volume. This time the League is up against martians, the ones from War of the Worlds. For extra flavour there are glances of John Carpenter, Gulliver and Dr. Moreau.

Once again the story moves along at a quick pace, but this one sees the devolution of the League. The downfall of the Invisible Man is particularly gruesome. While not as good as the first volume, it is still worth it to see Hyde take on a tripod.

Fun!

Good thing that Brandy and I arrived at Barton Creek Mall around 1 on Sunday.

Just one more reason to not go to the mall!

Yet another reason to NOT go to the mall was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Happy ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son – Situation Normal ]
The ninth entry in the Dresden Files series finds Harry training his apprentice Molly in the intricacies of magic when his first love, Elaine, appears.

Following Harry’s example, Elaine has become a private investigator. She has been hired to protect a small group of low level female magic practitioners. Apparently a serial killer has been targetting women like them. Over thirty are dead, but the authorities think they are all suicides.

As if that isn’t enough, Harry is drawn into White Court politics. This means that we get a better look at the three different groups that feed off psychic energy and the politics that surround them.

This is a great story, with character development that has become typical for Butcher’s work. Well done!!