Carol's Notebook – Page 554

What was I doing?

January 8, 2011 by Carol9 Comments

I'm not very good at staying focused, if I'm honest with myself. For example, about half an hour ago I was putting away Christmas things from my bookshelf and putting my books back out, but in the middle of doing that, I came down to post a few books on Paperbackswap, so that meant I was at the compute. Of course, I had to scan today's headlines and now I'm working on this post. I still have empty boxes and half-full ones sitting on the floor upstairs, waiting. When I'm grocery shopping with David and Amber, I'm the one who wanders off, with some random thing catching my eye. At work, I'll be doing something, get distracted and then end up going back to the file a couple of hours later. Or the next day. I'm not necessarily a focused person in general, but I can get absorbed in what I'm reading. It's not intentional, but sometimes a book will just...

Game Night – Forbidden Island

January 8, 2011January 7, 2011 by Carol5 Comments

Forbidden Island Designer: Matt Leacock Manufacturer:Gamewright Year: 2010 Players: 2 - 4 Time: 30 minutes Ages: 10 and up We've only played the game once, so this is just more or less my first impression. Players are a group of adventurers attempting to capture four sacred treasures before the island sinks. You have to work together to collect four treasure cards, grab the treasure and escape by helicopter. The island is formed by cardboard tiles that are randomly place. As the spot on the island floods it is turned over and then eventually sinks away and is removed. Thankfully, each player has a special power that helps in the mission. We lost. We had all the treasures and just had to get the helicopter, but then the tile where the helicopter lands sunk into the abyss. It's a fun game, though and I love that it's co-operative. The pieces are all really well done and Amber (10) had to be charge of the treasure pieces. They're really nice-...

The Ice Maiden by Hans Christian Andersen

January 7, 2011 by Carol9 Comments

"The Ice Maiden" by Hans Christian Andersen This is one of the longer works of Andersen and one of the longest fairy tales we've looked at. It tells the story of Rudy, who we first meet as a little boy selling toy houses his grandfather makes. We learn that both his parents are dead, his mother killed when she fell into a glacial crevice. She had been holding the infant Rudy at the time but he was saved. This was the first "kiss" by the ice maiden who is determined to possess him. It is she whose mighty power can crush the traveller to death, and arrest the flowing river in its course. She is also a child of the air, and with the swiftness of the chamois she can reach the snow-covered mountain tops, where the boldest mountaineer has to cut footsteps in the ice to ascend. She will sail on a frail pine-twig over the raging torrents beneath, and spring...

Stressed?

January 6, 2011 by Carol16 Comments

I'm not one who gets stressed out very often. My job is pretty relaxed; my family is healthy and happy; my husband's employed and we are better off then we ever have been; we make time to play games every week, and hang out with friends and family; no catastrophes have occurred lately, or ever for that matter. The Booking through Thursday question today is about resolutions and I noticed as I was reading people's responses, that several mentioned the stress they feel in connection with their blogs or keeping up with reviews. My blog and reading in general is not something I stress out about. If anything, books are an escape from daily life and my blog is just fun. I get to write about whatever I want, whether it be what I'm reading, what movies I've seen, whatever. Sometimes people read my posts, sometimes they don't, but that's not why I do it really. I enjoy it. Yes, I...

Love Alone

January 6, 2011January 6, 2011 by Carol6 Comments

Today is we celebrate Epiphany, the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ, particularly the visitation of the Wise Men showing God's revelation of Himself to the Gentiles. I wanted to share a poem from a book I just finished reading, Watch for the Light. Love Alone The child we seek doesn't need our gold. On love, on love alone he will build his kingdom. His piercéd hand will hold no scepter, his haloed head will wear no crown; his might will not be built on your toil. Swifter than lightning he will soon walk among us. He will bring us new life and receive our death, and the keys to his city belong to the poor. -Gian Carlo Menotti...

Old-fashioned, Electronic, Audible – What do you prefer?

January 5, 2011 by Carol14 Comments

I got my very own Kindle for Christmas this year, which I'm very excited about. the problem currently is that I didn't plan very well. I've got a couple of good old-fashioned books that I'm in the middle of and I need to finish them before I read something on my new toy. The question today, inspired by Wordpress's Daily Post, is "How do you prefer to read your books?" Are you one of those people who need to hold a book in their hands, feel the pages? Do you prefer e-books and if so what's your reader of choice? Or do you prefer listening to books, hearing a good story while you're driving or doing chores? [polldaddy poll=4341221] For me, I'm looking forward to reading e-books. I'm not a big fan of audio books. I usually only listen to light romances or mysteries while I'm walking the dog or working around the house. It's not my preference, because I tend to get...