knit read cats hockey: Snark, Squick, Crafts, and Reading

Friday morning on the T, I heard that Snarky Voice in my head again. I really wanted to turn to the woman next to me, who apparently Could Not Keep Still, and say:

"You know, the way you keep rubbing your arm against my arm revolts me so much that if you keep doing it, I may very well throw up all over you. Just FYI."

Seriously, she just keep moving, get a tissue, put it away, get out her phone, put it away, get out a tissue. And every single move involved arm contact, though I was as tucked into myself as I could be. Urgh. Boundaries, please!

The drawback to knitting through the commute is that if you get annoyed enough, you start to contemplate the knitting needle as weapon.

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I check weather.com frequently, whether it's at work to see how hot or likely to rain it is (can I eat lunch outside? do I need my umbrella to get home?), or at home to check on rain (mostly for the sake of windows). I hate how flashy-flashy their ads are, but otherwise the site is a useful one so I put up with them.

Except. Lately they've had a pop-over ad that drives me away shuddering. You know pop-overs, where suddenly some advertising is between you and the page you're trying to read? They're sort of like a migraine aura in that way (hint for weather.com decision-makers: this is not a good analogy to be associated with).

And this one is a bug. Sort of roachy, maybe? I'm not exactly sure--since it's about 4 inches long, when it walks onto the screen I squeal, avert my gaze, and scramble for the keyboard to close the window before I can study it too closely. Well, not that I would study it anyway; I can't even look at it. Eeewwwww! Whoever thought that was a good idea has serious problems.

Again, weather.com decision-makers? An ad that drives people away from your site is not really a good idea. And since I have no idea what it advertises (because I can't stand to look at it), it's failing the first rule of advertising as well.

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Four years ago, I went on a day trip to the annual fair of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, which is held in August. I no longer remember where I heard about it, but somehow I did, and when I learned that there was a glass-blowing workshop, I was hooked.

The workshop was neat, and I still have the three pieces I made there:

Me! I made these!

Now, this one is, ah, the least impressive. The colors didn't mix, but sort of blobbed, making it hard to see the imprint (it's a moose).

But these two I love and treasure. And I made them!

It's a kind of inkwell shape, so I like to put the dangling ornament in it like a pen. I am easily amused.

I also enjoyed shopping the vendors, thinking of Christmas and upcoming birthdays, admiring the craftsmanship of the work. I got this bowl-thing there, or at least I think this was the one I got there.

I kind of have a thing for wooden bowls, so it's hard to be positive.

A quick look around found these, and I'm sure I have more.

Anyway, this one has a neat turned base, too. I really like it.

It sits on my bedside table to be admired regularly (and hold my Chapstick).

I remembered the fair recently (again, not sure what brought it to mind), and I think I'll go again this year, probably next Saturday (the 14th). (It runs from the 7th to the 15th, though of course my choices are limited to weekends.) It's a bit of a hike from here, or rather a drive (it's at Sunapee, if you know New Hampshire), but lots of treasure at the end.

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Have you heard that California overturned Prop 8? The on-again, off-again legality of same-sex marriages on the left coast is on again, whew.

The Globe's Big Picture took same-sex marriages in various countries as its subject this week, and looking at the pictures, I was struck with the joy in so many faces. Worth a look.

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Thinking About Reading
Or more specifically, about blogging about reading.

Because I read a lot. Sometimes it seems funny to me that I don't write about books more here, given that I read a ton, and reading is 25% of the blog name and all. I feel like I have a problem wholeheartedly recommending a book, even one I liked, without a lot of back-pedaling and assurances that just because I liked it doesn't mean anything! Which is weird, but that's what starts going through my head when I think about reviewing books. (Even funnier to think that for a couple of years, I had book reviews published in a newspaper. How did I do that again?)

I'm going to try emulating the book review format used by Unshelved, an online comic set in the world of libraries and books (it's pretty fun, if you like that sort of thing; try this one). In addition to drawing the comic, the cartoonists and various and assorted others (including a couple of their kids) will regularly post book reviews, and I like the way they lay out the information. I think that the concise, fact-based structure has a better chance of getting by my self-doubting inner critic.

Each review contains the following categories:

Info
summary
Why I picked it up
Why I finished it
I'd give it to

I may not always be able to say "why I picked it up", since the lag time between requesting a book from the library and when it comes in means that often I can't remember where I heard about it. I'll try to keep track, but I'm not promising.

So here's an example:

Info: The Making of a Marchioness, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Summary (from Amazon UK): Frances Hodgson Burnett published The Making of a Marchioness in 1901. She had written Little Lord Fauntleroy fifteen years before and would write The Secret Garden in ten years time; it is these two books for which she is best known. Yet Marchioness was one of Nancy Mitford's favourite books, was considered 'the best novel Mrs Hodgson Burnett wrote' by Marghanita Laski and is taught on a university course in America together with novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and Daisy Miller.
Why I picked it up: Initially found on a random wander through the shelves of my local library. I picked it up because the cover showed the author as "Mrs. Hodgson Burnett", which caught my eye, plus I had vague associations of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. I opened it and was drawn in to the character at once. (I recently bought my own copy via eBay, though the library copy was actually the original book and the sequel, while what I bought is the original only, so I have to get the sequel separately at some point. Which is fine, because I simply love the copy I got. It feels perfect in my hand. And there's actually quite a difference in the tone of the two books, so having them in separate volumes works for me.)
Why I finished it: I love the character of Emily Fox-Seton. Reading about her inherent cheerfulness and essential goodness in difficult situations was almost inspiring. She's sensible and capable but not a goody-goody or a prig. She's so interested in life and other people, and so unaware of how much she helps others. She's not clever, but she's endearing.
I'd give it to: Anyone looking for a soothing, refreshing novel, the book equivalent of comfort food. Not bland, but restful.

Want a second opinion? While researching the title, I ran across a blog review from a few years ago that I thought did a very nice job.

Also, if by chance you want to read it, it's available at Project Gutenberg.

In other book news, I recently read about a website called Paperback Swap, and had to check it out. Turns out, it pretty much is just what it says: you list some books you want to get rid of (not just paperbacks), and use the credit to request books that other people have listed. All you pay is the postage to mail your books out.

I thought it sounded worth trying, so I rounded up some books that have been lurking in the corners, waiting for me to get things together to bring to the Salvation Army.

A few specifics I appreciate:

When you are sending out a book, you print out the label and just wrap it around the book. You can wrap the book in a plastic bag first, but it's pretty simple. Take it to the PO and off you go.
If a book you want isn't available, you can put it on your wish list, and the site lets you know when one is listed.
You can add specific instructions, such as that you don't want books from a smoking household.

Two of the ones I listed were requested almost at once, and others have been since. I've received the first one I "ordered", and have another on the way. Pretty neat, I think.

More book stuff to come.

Miri wants to know why I have to be around so much, scaring her.