A Macy's Thanksgiving Day blast from the past. Have a great holiday!
A Macy's Thanksgiving Day blast from the past. Have a great holiday!
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 10:47 AM in Musings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Frigidaire Refrigerator Ad
Originally uploaded by saltycotton
I love old ads. They're quirky and nostalgic and awesome. And a lot of them can be found on Flickr. Some are so kitschy they just have to be shared. So I present you with this Flickr gem!
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 09:29 AM in Fun with Vintage | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
It's an ad, but all of the cartoon characters almost make you forget that! Very fun little bit of Halloween nostalgia. My pick would be Lil' Orphan Annie.
It looks like this poor boy is getting his dating advice from the redheaded gal's little sis. Or maybe it's his little sis. Either way, she convinced him that dressing up like a ghost and scaring away Jean's other boyfriends is the way to go. Silly little sister! All Jean wants is a guy with a nice head of hair - slathered in Vaseline Hair Tonic.
Love the graphics in this one!
Both found on Flickr.
Posted on October 31, 2010 at 08:27 AM in Fun with Vintage | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
"Where there is no imagination there is no horror."
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Posted on October 30, 2010 at 05:34 AM in Quote of the Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Well, folks, another Halloween is upon us. For children everywhere, it means a night of sugar fueled fun. For a classic film connoisseur like me, it means good old scary movies on TCM. Specifically Val Lewton’s movies. More specifically, Cat People. But I digress, because this isn’t a post about Val Lewton’s screenwriting and producing genius or the mesmerizing images he conveyed in brooding black and white. No, this post is about someone else, whose name caught my eye recently as I watched The Leopard Man again. That name was Cornell Woolrich.
I think his name originally caught my eye because Woolrich made my brain go to Woolworth’s, the now long gone five-and-dime store from my childhood, which took me back momentarily to a bin filled with discounted issues of Dynamite magazine (because for some reason that’s all I ever remember getting at Woolworth’s back then). Returning from my brief jog down memory lane, I noticed that Cornell Woolrich had actually written the novel The Leopard Man was based on (Black Alibi). And suddenly I wondered what else he had written.
Turns out, a lot. He was, in fact one, of the best crime writers around in the early part of the 20th century, in a league with Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. He also wrote several stories and novels that were turned in to really great movies, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (based on Woolrich’s It Had to be Murder). So of course I immediately wanted to read some of his work. Like, at that moment.
Thank you Kindle store!
Pickings were slim. Only a few choices. But one of those was Four Novellas of Fear. I immediately purchased it and got lost in the first story, Eyes that Watch You. An old woman, rendered paralyzed and mute by an accident, overhears her daughter-in- law plotting with a lover to murder her son. Without being able to speak or move, can she possibly save him before it’s too late, and how? Sooo suspenseful. I was hooked.
I can’t believe I had never read any of Woolrich’s work before now. If you like hard-boiled detective novels, or film noir, or a good double cross or two in your fiction, I highly recommend you give Cornell Woolrich’s work a try. Good, good stuff.
Posted on October 28, 2010 at 05:49 PM in Musings, The Would-Be Writer's Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

1936 Mother-Daughter Crisco Creamed Ad
Originally uploaded by captainpandapants
Posted on October 10, 2010 at 08:12 AM in Fun with Vintage | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on October 04, 2010 at 07:48 AM in Musings, The Would-Be Writer's Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 07:45 AM in Musings, The Would-Be Writer's Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 03:50 AM in Short Breaks | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on September 10, 2010 at 07:42 AM in Musings, The Would-Be Writer's Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on September 07, 2010 at 04:22 AM in Quote of the Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Title: Room: A Novel
Author: Emma Donoghue
From the back cover:
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world....
It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. There are endless wonders that let loose Jack's imagination-the snake under Bed that he constructs out of eggshells, the imaginary world projected through the TV, the coziness of Wardrobe beneath Ma's clothes, where she tucks him in safely at night, in case Old Nick comes.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it's the prison where she's been held since she was nineteen-for seven long years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in that eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But Jack's curiosity is building alongside her own desperation-and she knows that Room cannot contain either indefinitely....
Told in the inventive, funny, and poignant voice of Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience-and a powerful story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible.
Review:
Before I even begin this review, let me say one thing – ROOM is going to break your heart, over and over again. I was hesitant to begin this novel, afraid that the darkness of the subject matter was too much to handle. And at certain points, it almost was.Posted on September 06, 2010 at 03:26 PM in Bookshelf Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted on September 04, 2010 at 07:38 AM in Short Breaks | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Ok, I think that’s all I wanted to say for now. Um, so, if you’re still out there...
Thanks.
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 07:35 PM in Musings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
"My characters surprise me constantly. My characters are like my friends - I can give them advice, but they don't have to take it. If your characters are real, then they surprise you, just like real people."
Laurell K. Hamilton
Posted on May 29, 2010 at 07:54 AM in Quote of the Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Which got me thinking about which side I (as a reader) would choose in a battle between e-books and printed books. Now, I’m one of those people that loves holding a book, letting the scent of crisp copy and type invade my nostrils as I turn each page. I love being able to walk over to my bookcase and gently tap my fingertip over the tops of my books as I search the titles for the one I need. I love the memories a printed book can provide, such as when I pick up my well-worn copy of Rebecca and remember the day my Gran gave it to me.
E-books don’t allow you to do any of these things. So what is so great about them?
I used to ask that too. I had downloaded Kindle books to my iPod Touch and quickly learned that the Touch’s 3.5” screen is really tiny when it comes to reading a novel. It’s do-able, definitely, but after a chapter or two I sometimes had a headache. I had a few books on my Adobe Digital Editions account that I tried to enjoy but let’s face it, it’s not easy to nestle in and get comfy for a good read with a 13” laptop balancing on your knees. E-readers were so much money and seemed like one more gadget to add to my life. And, honestly, e-books aren’t that much cheaper (if at all) than printed books, so if I bought one it was because I a) was too lazy to go to my bookstore and b) was catering to my need for instant gratification and couldn’t wait for the book to be shipped to me from an online store.And then came the iPad.
I know, I know, there are a lot of people not impressed with Apple’s latest toy. But, so far, I only have one complaint - the wi-fi kicking out sporadically. It sucks when I’m on Ebay or checking my Gmail and I have to log out and reconnect to the Internet. Although I have gotten rather quick with the whole jumping into settings and clicking the wi-fi on then off then on again trick. But unless you are actually in the process of downloading an e-book, that doesn’t matter because you don’t need the Internet to just read. So here’s the kicker – I’m actually reading more now that I have my iPad.
Huh?I was a little confused when I realized this. I didn’t particularly love e-books, so why was I reading so dang many of them? After contemplating this, I’ve come up with several different reasons. First, I usually have my iPad with me at all times, so taking a fifteen minute break to read is much easier. I don’t have to go find the book on my shelf or carry it with me in the car, it’s already right there in my hands. Second, the 9.7” screen makes reading easy and screen brightness is adjustable. No squinting to see the words. Third, there are several ways to download books (Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, etc) so I can start reading immediately.
But this isn’t anything new, really. Other e-readers do all of this already, right? Hey, I’m not trying to say the iPad is the best thing out there. Unlike the Kindle or Sony Reader, it is not a dedicated device just for reading. And, folks, that brings me to the fourth reason why I’ve grown to enjoy the convenience of e-books: multitasking. Being able to check email, surf the Internet, play a game or two, and then squeeze in a few chapters of whatever book I am reading all on the same device, whether I am in my car or walking around my house, has actually freed up a lot of my time. Which means more reading time. You can see where I am going here.
I know I sound like I’m trying to plug the iPad. I’m not. I’ve never owned a Kindle or any other e-reader, so implying that the iPad is the best thing out there wouldn’t be based on a fair comparison. The iPad is just the tool that has enabled my recent reading resurgence. The point here is that it (or any other e-reader) combined with e-books has made reading more accessible for me.
E-books have their own perks, their own little nuances, that make them a valid format for reading as well. They shouldn’t be discounted because they can’t be touched or put on a bookshelf. In fact, that could be an argument for why e-books are good. They take up less living space than printed books and allow you to have your entire library in the palm of your hand.
But my heart still belongs to printed books. They’re easier to share with friends. They bring back forgotten memories. They provide something to physically hold and dog-ear and pass on to others. They look really nice sitting on a shelf or a coffee table. They will, I hope, be here for a very very very long time.
Final Verdict (for now): E-books are a great way to squeeze some reading time into a busy lifestyle. However, they can’t replace printed books, anymore than the taste of real sugary sweet tea can be replaced by tea made with Splenda. They might be a close substitute, but they can’t truly replace the enjoyment of the real thing.Posted on May 26, 2010 at 09:15 PM in Musings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
"A book is a gift you can open again and again."
Garrison Keillor
Posted on May 22, 2010 at 04:49 AM in Quote of the Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Big J does not read books. No interest at all.
But me, I couldn’t imagine life without them. This is something I have passed on to The Princess and Mr. Smartypants. The other day I listened as they engaged in a heavy discussion on London Calling, the Percy Jackson novels, Twilight, and various other stories they had found interesting, didn’t like, or could care less about (Harry Potter, I’m sorry, they just aren’t that into you). And it made me smile, because, really, what book lover doesn’t want to raise little bookworms of her own?
Knowing that they are able to fully lose themselves in tiny lines of neatly strung words and ideas, that they can be transported to different worlds and become anyone or anything they want any time they want to, that makes me happy.
There is a thrill that comes just after finishing a really, really good book. A rush of emotion that flushes your cheeks and leaves you wired for a few minutes, hours, maybe even days. The natural high of having just returned from such an amazing and emotional journey, that is one of the greatest gifts I could ever give to my children.
And the fact that they have held on to this gift and carried it with them through their lives, nurtured it and let it flourish in the garden of their minds? Well,that is the greatest gift anyone could ever give to me.
Posted on May 19, 2010 at 04:35 PM in Musings, The Would-Be Writer's Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
"I get an urge, like a pregnant elephant, to go away and give birth to a book."
Stephen Fry, musicOMH Interview
Posted on April 25, 2010 at 04:25 AM in Quote of the Week | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Title: When Good Wishes Go Bad
Author: Mindy Klasky
From the back cover:
Rebecca Morris is suffering from an excess of magic!
Things that have disappeared: her boyfriend; her life savings; three-and-a-half million dollars from the theater company that pays both their salaries. (Coincidence? Um, no.) Also, the groundbreaking play she's been slaving over has vanished in a puff of copyright-colored smoke.
Other, weirder things that have appeared: a magic lamp complete with genie wishes. A fully furnished (and paid-for) Manhattan condo and fabulous designer wardrobe. (The last two courtesy of the first one, obvs.)
So Becca's putting that last wish on hold. What with discovering a mesmerizing new play, getting it onstage and falling hard for the adorably awkward guy who wrote it, Becca is swamped. And that's without factoring in the guerrilla gardener, popcorn magnate and the gender-bending genie with an agenda of his/her own.
Now Becca's hoping that her good wishes don't go oh, so wrong….
Review:
When Good Wishes Go Bad is a delightful story that will please readers looking for a different way to satisfy their supernatural reading needs without vampires or werewolves. In it, author Mindy Klasky deftly swirls a mix of magic, humor, and romance to create a lighthearted but engaging tale of genies, wishes, and that age old adage: be careful what you wish for – you just might get it.
Klasky always has a good story to tell, and When Good Wishes Go Bad does not disappoint. The great thing about her books is that her characters are always lively and unique. Statistic quoting genie Teel has the potential to border on annoying but is instead quite entertaining. Becca, the down on her luck Dramaturg*, and Ryan, the shy playwright that just might be able to save Becca’s job and heart, are richly layered and very likable, both separately and together. Supporting characters are amusing and add unexpected oomph to the story, particularly Ryan’s rebellious mother and the egocentric Ronald.
The plot moves along swiftly, fueled by Teel’s unpredictable antics and some unusual subplots involving guerrilla gardening and increasingly horrid popcorn flavors. The romance between Becca and Ryan is sweetly sexy, and a few surprising twists keep things interesting. One of the best parts of the story, however, is the way Klasky fully immerses her readers in the main setting – the theater – with descriptions of casting calls, set problems, blocking issues, and other everyday nuances of theater life.
This is the second book in Mindy Klasky’s As You Wish series which, admittedly, I am not enjoying quite as much as her Jane Madison series. Maybe I just relate more to a librarian that discovers she’s a witch than to a shape/gender shifting genie with a wicked streak of sarcasm. However, I did have a lot of fun reading this book and am looking forward to finding out where Klasky takes her genie in the next one.
Posted on April 23, 2010 at 03:45 AM in Bookshelf Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0)




