FiberTribe: Didna Mean to Worry Ya...

Feed My Head 2010

Andrea Camilleri: The Wings of the Sphinx (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries)
The wonderful, irascible Inspector Montalbano of Vigata, Sicily is at it again. Did I mention he's wonderful? And there are 10 earlier ones in the series.
Ariana Franklin: The Serpent's Tale
The very wonderful Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar (prepare to die!) continues her work. Who knew that the wretched pit that is present day Salerno once housed an amazing and Europe-reknowned medical school? Where even women were allowed to become doctors...
Ariana Franklin: Mistress of the Art of Death
Wonderful. And amazing as a first novel. There are some inevitably cringe-worthy scenes (if you're going to be true to the middle ages) but Franklin's ability to bring those times to life is spot-on. And she is amazing with the first of the Plantagenets. Makes me want to jump his unsavory little bones.
Nicholas Blake: The Worm of Death
Vintage 1960 British murder mystery. Good if you'd like to learn quayside shipping vocabulary for the docks at Greenwich...
Kent Haruf: Where You Once Belonged
Well written but depressing. Very depressing. His others are better.
Kent Haruf: Eventide
the sequel, sort of, to the wonderful Plainsong. I know that he's the father someone related to a knitblogger I read regularly. She mentioned him one time and the prior book Plainsong. Who? dunno. I'm not sure I would have appreciated Haruf as much had I not moved to a small, rural town. Go find him. He's quietly wonderful.
Ray Kurzweil Ph.D.: Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever
Another state-of-the-research book from Kurzweil and the longevity physician, Terry Grossman. I liked Fantastic Voyage better, but for sheer quality of information relevant to our health today, it's hard to beat. You can get a free (but for the shipping cost) copy at Ray and Terry's, their website that sells the supplements key to the program. As they say, they don't care if you get the supplements from them or not, just get them, take them and make the lifestyle changes. Then we'll be around to benefit from the next geometric progression of the health research paradigm.
Mehmet Oz M.D.: Healing from the Heart: A Leading Heart Surgeon Explores the Power of Complementary Medicine
so far so good. the ego required to succeed in the star-system world of cardio-thoracic surgery is only minimally present at the half way point in this book. In his world this is no doubt radical, radical stuff. Interesting to see the highest towers of traditional western medicine allow alternative therapies in.
Diane Ackerman: The Zookeeper's Wife
Love Diane Ackerman. Just started this, I'll get back to you...
Dana Stabenow: Whisper to the Blood: A Kate Shugak Novel (Kate Shugak Novels)
Another keeper. All is not well in The Park. The Aunties have taken matters into their own hands. Be afraid. another bit of wonderfulness from Dana Stabenow. Once again I'll be tapping my fingers for another year till the next Kate Shugak mystery shows up. Sigh.
Byron Katie: A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are
Loving What Is continued on...tough Work but is there really a choice about it? heh.
Greg Mortenson: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Alrighty, I'm late to this game but if you haven't read this, go forth and read it NOW. It's a wonderful tale and it's not over yet. As we ramp up the war in Afghanistan why not join the Dept. of Defense and do your required reading? As Rep. Mary Bono (yes, that one) says, you'll learn more about the region from this book than you will from months of Pentagon briefings. Go Dr. Greg!
Andrea Camilleri: August Heat
Camilleri's latest Inspector Montalbano mystery set in Sicilia. Just wonderful. Now I have to wait a year for the next one. Crap.
Janwillem van de Wetering: The Japanese Corpse (Soho crime)
Two Dutch cops sent to Kyoto to solve a murder in Amsterdam involving the Yakusa. Van de Wetering is a 'voice' like no other. He spent several years in a Zen monastery in Kyoto himself. The entire series has been re-issued by Soho Crime and is totally wonderful. And the cover design by Cheryl Cipriani is awesome. Yes, I'm a cover art ho.
Anthony Bourdain: Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
Alice Hoffman: Practical Magic
The hardback has an illustration taken from Dante Gabriel Rossetti's Proserpine. Much nicer. Hoffman's a great storyteller. And I always want her characters to go forward to the next book. But they never do. Go read this one anyway. You're welcome.
Tony Hillerman: The Mysterious West
This is a REALLY wonderful short story collection edited by Hillerman. Lord, I'm going to miss that man. All of the stories are set in the west or midwest, small towns and large. They're quirky and somewhat unexpected, especially relative to the usual work of the authors like J.A. Jance, Dana Stabenow (a bit darker), Lia Matera (chilling), etc. The true find for me is Wendy Hornsby. One of the best written stories, independent of genre, I've ever read. I've never read a more skillfully built exposition of the backstory built into the actual story. wow. I'm off to see what else of hers I can find.
Charles de Lint: The Wild Wood
Re-reading this bit of loveliness from de Lint. Among other things, it's about an artist who's lost her mojo. It's apropos given that I've re-started The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.
Elizabeth A. Lynn: Chronicles of Tornor 3: The Northern Girl (Chronicles of Tornor)
Found this as I was repacking ancient boxes of books. It was written in the late 70s and is flat out wonderful. It's the third book of a trilogy (the 2nd one is Dancers of Arun) I highly recommend all of them. It's Fantasy with an incredibly drawn world worth of an Ursula LeGuin, deep and quirky characters, and stay-up-all-night story telling. go. find them.
Julia Cameron: The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity [10th Anniversary Edition]
A birthday gift from the Gomez. Starting this once again after years of hiatus. Wonderful.

January 23, 2005

Didna Mean to Worry Ya...

Truly. My last post was after a dust up with da Boy. Stony silences were held, keys were demanded and returned and I was left bleakly contemplating not ever speaking to or seeing my honey and friend again. We did sort of patch it up today. So we shall see. Thanks, my wonderful chicas, for the concern and support. It has truly been a tough January chez moi. And for so many of my friends. Not disasters but things that just shake the underpinnings of your world. Livelihood, love, health, you get my drift. Am holding the light for much better days.

In happier news, Saturday's SnB at Cafe Demetrio was great fun. Jessica and Laurel were there so it was a cozy, small SnB in a cozy, small cafe with great food and huge cups of latte. We talked and knitted for a few hours and then Laurel took us over to a nearby yarn story/gift shop run by an elderly lady who likes to follow you around as you fondle the yarn. And you have to be buzzed in (this is NOT the ghetto but a very upscale 'hood, Coral Gables). And the windows haven't been cleaned for a while, nor the display and anyway, it's full of old furniture and tchatchke gifts. You'd never in a million years guess there is yarn within. And the kind lady said they'd been there for 38 years! Since it's about 15 minutes from my house if I drive REALLY slowly...ahem.

And there's more. Jessica lives, literally right around the corner from me and Laurel is a few blocks from Cafe Demetrio. AND Jessica works parttime at the newish yarn store up in North Miami. Woot! All the way around a fun afternoon.

We got carried away fondling the yarn and neglected to set our next meeting. I found the coral-colored King Tut cotton for my mom's halter (started and stopped last May in a vastly inferior cotton candy pink) and Laurel found a couple balls of Noro Kureyon in a great colorway. And last but not least, I got together after a coon's age with my friend Leni and much belatedly collected my B-day and Christmas gifts. And one gift was two balls of blue-grey merino/nylon tape yarn from Italy. Perfect for a scarf and very much like Zen, but of course in wool. And get this. She bought them in a Filatura di Crosa store in Firenze!! Of all the yarn stores in the world to just randomly walk in to... Like Robert Palmer (may he rest in peace) said, "Some girls have all the luck..." (ok, he said 'guys' but whatever).

And I leave you to cry alligator tears for us here in Miami. I just poked my nose out and it's about 40 degrees here. With windchill it's about at freezing. Stay warm you all...

Posted at 11:38 PM | Permalink

Comments

You sound a little perkier. Glad to hear it.

Posted by: Laurie | January 24, 2005 at 02:57 AM

sorry about the bummer times. my hideous january was last year, so grateful that 2005 is different. i had to go to the yarn store in prepartation for this weekend's blizzard, and spied some beauty yarn 'pour toi'. you'll have to stay in suspense until i can get myself over to the post office during operating hours...

Posted by: corine | January 24, 2005 at 08:41 AM

I was worried! I hope the peace lasts for you! Take care...

Posted by: Michelle | January 24, 2005 at 08:55 AM

Life loves to throw curve balls. We just need to learn what mitt to wear to catch them or bat to hit them away. Hugs.

Posted by: margene | January 24, 2005 at 09:30 AM

Hope things work out.
Glad you had a good get together - gives the heart a lift to spend time with soul sisters.

Posted by: Emma. | January 24, 2005 at 09:43 AM

There's a term in the Tour de France (3-week long bicycle race around France) where a rider is given the label, "Lanterne rouge." Basically, its leftover from early days in this classic race, where the rider in last place would have to hold a red lantern to light his way as he rode. It's such a poignant, beautiful image, no?
So the lantern rouge has been passed to you, broken heart, but you won't be the one to carry it through the whole race. We've all had to ride up the mountain suffering, holding the damned thing, tempted to stop and throw the bike off the side of the mountain.

Posted by: mari | January 24, 2005 at 08:32 PM

It almost feels that warm in Portland. (We've been going through a very strange warm patch of weather.) Sorry to hear you're going through a rough time. I hope the spring will bring you better days.

Posted by: Steph | January 24, 2005 at 08:53 PM