Goodbye and Hello

So I think I've got the hang of this blogging thing now. Enough that I want to expand what I write about. And I didn't really think I could do that here. So my new blog is called On An Even Keel.

While this blog was mostly about books and reading, I'm going to be writing about a lot more now. And it just seemed a good occasion to start a new blog.

I hope you'll visit me on my new blog. It's a little spare right now, but I'll be adding stuff soon. (Don't forget to update your RSS feeds if you use a feed reader).

Taking a Little Break...

...from The Woman in White. It's not that I don't like it -- I do. But it did seem to take awhile to really get going. It's interesting that Collins is generally hailed as the creator of the modern detective story. It's much more leisurely paced than I'm used to -- and probably most modern-day readers are used to. That's not a bad thing necessarily. I guess I'm just spoiled by modern mysteries that move along quickly. The fact that works like Collins' were released serially probably added to their allure. When you knew you had to wait for the next section, there was undoubtedly a sense of anticipation.

I was flipping channels yesterday and caught the tail end of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold on TCM. So I decided to pull that our for a re-read. It's pretty short so I should be able to finish it over the long weekend and pick up Collins again soon.

Cute or Not?

I'm trying to decide if this sweater from J. Crew is cute or not. I love the shape, but I'm not so sure about the print. I know the price ($115) is really outside my usual range for sweaters.

What do you think?

Think, Think, Think

I've been nominated for a Thinking Blogger award by PJ over at The Urban Recluse (thanks, PJ!). It came at a great time, as I've been wondering whether to keep this blog going. I humbly accept my award and will now follow the rules.

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

So here are five great blogs that always make me think:

Seth's Blog -- I've been following Seth Godin since he was writing for Fast Company magazine many years ago. He has an ability to really cut to the chase and drill down to the essential business questions to ask.

So Many Yarns -- My goddess of knitting. I always think I can knit better after reading about what she's doing (it's not true at all, but it's nice to think so!).

Consumerist -- Great consumer protection information, as well as ways to spend (and save) money effectively.

Design*Sponge -- Probably the best spot on the Web for anything related to design. I'm always discovering new ideas and new things to think about on that site.

The Bluestalking Reader -- Lisa has such a great writing style that I love her posts, no matter what the topic.

Women In Art

Another treat for the eyes and ears.

Women In Film

I don't think I've ever posted a YouTube video before. I really don't spend much time there at all. But you've got to see this video. It's just beautiful and a lot of fun to watch.

Stephen King on J.K. Rowling

Check out this wonderful essay by Stephen King about J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter phenomenon.

It was children whom Ms. Rowling — like her Fear Street precursor, but with considerably more skill — captivated first, demonstrating with the irrefutable logic of something like 10 bazillion books sold that kids are still perfectly willing to put aside their iPods and Game Boys and pick up a book...if the magic is there. That reading itself is magical is a thing I never doubted. I'd give a lot to know how many teenagers (and preteens) texted this message in the days following the last book's release: DON'T CALL ME TODAY I'M READING.

How cool would it be to sit down and have lunch with King and Rowling? That could be a book in itself.

P.S. There are spoilers in the article, so if you're still not done, don't click through.