The yellows this season really stand out against the Rockies.
We went for a drive out west of Rocky on Sunday to have a look around. I thought the contrast of yellow and green was quite striking.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Heading to Fall
We went for a drive out west of Rocky on Sunday to have a look around. I thought the contrast of yellow and green was quite striking.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Two Sentence Tuesday -- Celebrating Banned Books Week
It's still Banned Books Week so I thought I'd rail (shameless previous blog plug ahead) a bit more.
Here's the list of Banned and Challenged Classics and I'm pleased to say I've read several of them.
Here's why these fine books got picked on. Some were sexually explicit, others satanic, and some like Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird were for uses of a word common to the day they were written or era in which they were set.
Sigh.
Writers deal in real life, even when we're making things up. In fact, especially when we're making things up. If we all set our books in Happy Fuzzy Bunny Universe where everyone loved everyone else, but at a respectable distance, then there would be no point to writing or any other kind of artistic expression. And if Happy Fuzzy Bunny Universe reflected real life, then we wouldn't have much to express anyway.
I live in a free country and can write what I want and read what I want and say what I want and so can everyone else here.
Freedom of expression is black and white: it's there and it's for everyone on all sides, or it ain't there at all.
This includes the right to complain and to try to get books banned. Fortunately, it also means we have the right to fight back. Repugnant as it is I'd rather hold my nose and let the right to attempt to ban a book stand because if we start dictating what we can't do, then we will soon start dictating what we can do.
In honor of the banned classics:
" 'Ah's sceered of cows, Miss Scarlett. Ah ain't nebber had nuthin' ter do wid cows. Ah ain' no yard nigger. Ah's a house nigger.' '
-Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind (Avon, 1973)
#
I've managed a bit of writing though nothing that will get my WIP, The Legend of Shallal, banned. Dammit.
Here's a taste:
"She bent down and met the wide eyes of a six-legged rodent. One of its tiny claws clutched the bottom of her robe."
#
Thanks for being here. For more or to get in on the fun please see the Women of Mystery.
Here's the list of Banned and Challenged Classics and I'm pleased to say I've read several of them.
Here's why these fine books got picked on. Some were sexually explicit, others satanic, and some like Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird were for uses of a word common to the day they were written or era in which they were set.
Sigh.
Writers deal in real life, even when we're making things up. In fact, especially when we're making things up. If we all set our books in Happy Fuzzy Bunny Universe where everyone loved everyone else, but at a respectable distance, then there would be no point to writing or any other kind of artistic expression. And if Happy Fuzzy Bunny Universe reflected real life, then we wouldn't have much to express anyway.
I live in a free country and can write what I want and read what I want and say what I want and so can everyone else here.
This includes the right to complain and to try to get books banned. Fortunately, it also means we have the right to fight back. Repugnant as it is I'd rather hold my nose and let the right to attempt to ban a book stand because if we start dictating what we can't do, then we will soon start dictating what we can do.
In honor of the banned classics:
" 'Ah's sceered of cows, Miss Scarlett. Ah ain't nebber had nuthin' ter do wid cows. Ah ain' no yard nigger. Ah's a house nigger.' '
-Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind (Avon, 1973)
#
I've managed a bit of writing though nothing that will get my WIP, The Legend of Shallal, banned. Dammit.
Here's a taste:
"She bent down and met the wide eyes of a six-legged rodent. One of its tiny claws clutched the bottom of her robe."
#
Thanks for being here. For more or to get in on the fun please see the Women of Mystery.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Gratitude Monday -Ban My Books!
It's Banned Books Week.
This Gratitude Monday I am grateful for the books that have been challenged and /or banned. Some, such as To Kill a Mockingbird are favourites.
Others, like Catcher in the Rye I despise, but I had the freedom, the choice to read it. Well, to read it again. The first time was in school and I had to read it then. But the book has remained out for public consumption and that meant I had the choice to read it again to see if I still despised it.
I do, but the point is I was free to find that out. No one told me I couldn't, and neither should anyone ever be able to tell me or anyone else what he or she can't read.
The list is here.
I note with a delicious sense of irony that it includes Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
So, why am I grateful?
Because every time someone challenges a book many others rightfully get their backs up and challenge the challenger.
Generally, we win and the book remains available. It gets some press, it piques the interest of someone who might not notice it any other way and a new reader finds it.
That a challenger might someday win, that a book could be removed from circulation due to the misguided whim of a self-appointed protector horrifies me, but for right now, I say books need our help and if that comes in the guise of a challenge, then bring it.
As long as I live and breathe and can string a sentence together I will fight for everyone's right to read any book and love it or hate it or not care about it either way based on his or her own opinion and not what someone else has decided.
Perhaps the day will come when one of my books is challenged. I'd be grateful for the publicity.
This Gratitude Monday I am grateful for the books that have been challenged and /or banned. Some, such as To Kill a Mockingbird are favourites.
Others, like Catcher in the Rye I despise, but I had the freedom, the choice to read it. Well, to read it again. The first time was in school and I had to read it then. But the book has remained out for public consumption and that meant I had the choice to read it again to see if I still despised it.
I do, but the point is I was free to find that out. No one told me I couldn't, and neither should anyone ever be able to tell me or anyone else what he or she can't read.
The list is here.
I note with a delicious sense of irony that it includes Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
So, why am I grateful?
Because every time someone challenges a book many others rightfully get their backs up and challenge the challenger.
Generally, we win and the book remains available. It gets some press, it piques the interest of someone who might not notice it any other way and a new reader finds it.
That a challenger might someday win, that a book could be removed from circulation due to the misguided whim of a self-appointed protector horrifies me, but for right now, I say books need our help and if that comes in the guise of a challenge, then bring it.
As long as I live and breathe and can string a sentence together I will fight for everyone's right to read any book and love it or hate it or not care about it either way based on his or her own opinion and not what someone else has decided.
Perhaps the day will come when one of my books is challenged. I'd be grateful for the publicity.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Near Autumn at the Lake
Jackfish Lake, near Nordegg, Alberta
The leaves start to turn before the calendar does out here. This photo was taken a few days before autumn officially started.
I used the colour extraction filter on my camera to enhance the yellow of the leaves. I thought it underscored the changing season.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Photo-Finish Friday - Honest Labour Edition
Cuba Labour
Hard work under the sun outside a sugar cane plantation historical site in Cuba.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Firing Up The Foursome
Now that I've got your attention I must apologize. The following post will not live up to your expectations.
Fall is a magic time of year. The leaves turn, the world cools, and Nature snuggles down for a long winter of sleep.
My mind does the same thing as it is also the time of year when the new television season starts. Favourites return and shiny new shows are trotted out for all to enjoy. Or not.
Last night The Tudors returned for its final season, The Defenders premiered as did Undercovers, all at 9 p.m. A new comedy Better With You also started, but at 9:30 p.m.
I never know my husband's schedule so the safe thing to do is record all of them. This meant firing up both DVRs and both VCRs. The old VCR is 20 years old and has served me well. Usually it is dedicated to taping newmagazine programs for my FIL. Last night it got reassigned. I hope I remember to switch back the tape so he isn't stuck watching a show I know he will not care about.
Why do we have four recording devices?
Because we wanted to have two DVRs that we could use at the same time. Each DVR requires its own host VCR. I believe the VCRs have a patch cord between them in order to feed the cable to them. Two other boxes let us switch between the two systems.
We've had the set up for two years. I think last night was the first time all four were recording together.
Tonight The Mentalist is back and so is Fringe. We can watch the first one live, but Fringe will be taped. And recorded. I've messed up a few times with it and on one occasion only got half an episode. Another time I missed the memo that some channels had been re-ordered. That hurt.
So tonight it's being collected on a DVR and a VCR, one set to Fox, the other set to CITY-TV.
Eventually I'll weed out some of these new shows and the old VCR can go back to its sedate life of taping news shows.
Meanwhile, my mind is spoken for until further notice.
Fall is a magic time of year. The leaves turn, the world cools, and Nature snuggles down for a long winter of sleep.
My mind does the same thing as it is also the time of year when the new television season starts. Favourites return and shiny new shows are trotted out for all to enjoy. Or not.
Last night The Tudors returned for its final season, The Defenders premiered as did Undercovers, all at 9 p.m. A new comedy Better With You also started, but at 9:30 p.m.
I never know my husband's schedule so the safe thing to do is record all of them. This meant firing up both DVRs and both VCRs. The old VCR is 20 years old and has served me well. Usually it is dedicated to taping newmagazine programs for my FIL. Last night it got reassigned. I hope I remember to switch back the tape so he isn't stuck watching a show I know he will not care about.
Why do we have four recording devices?
Because we wanted to have two DVRs that we could use at the same time. Each DVR requires its own host VCR. I believe the VCRs have a patch cord between them in order to feed the cable to them. Two other boxes let us switch between the two systems.
We've had the set up for two years. I think last night was the first time all four were recording together.
Tonight The Mentalist is back and so is Fringe. We can watch the first one live, but Fringe will be taped. And recorded. I've messed up a few times with it and on one occasion only got half an episode. Another time I missed the memo that some channels had been re-ordered. That hurt.
So tonight it's being collected on a DVR and a VCR, one set to Fox, the other set to CITY-TV.
Eventually I'll weed out some of these new shows and the old VCR can go back to its sedate life of taping news shows.
Meanwhile, my mind is spoken for until further notice.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
A Time To Every Purpose
We wave good-bye to summer.
As autumn comes around the corner.
Happy change of seasons everyone.
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