"Time spent with cats is never wasted." ~Sigmund Freud
He was named Sam in a fit of geekish glee for the character in the TV show Quantum Leap. We always said that if we got another cat, we could name him Al, for Sam’s best friend on the show. (There was a flaw in this plan, which became clear when our second cat came to us, and Al became Allie. But that’s another blog.)
Thanks to nearby Northgate Middle School of the North Kansas City School District, a large barren wall in the children’s area has turned into a beautiful art gallery. There are varied styles and mediums represented, including fingerprints using ink pad, half-face portraits in pencil, and frottage in oil pastels. Among the most striking pieces, however, are the Van Gogh inspired flowers in chalk and glue. The colors are vibrant and intense, drawing the viewer in to appreciate this world of color on a gray winter’s day.
When looking for ideas to use for my blog post, I often turn to the reliable source, Chase's Calendar of Events. This reference book has entries for each day of the year. Birthdays of famous people are included every day, and various events, anniversaries, and holiday are listed for every day. Some of the "special" days listed are quite obscure; they make you wonder about how much free time some people have on their hands.
After celebrating the New Year, most of us are trying to recover from the holidays. Here at the Library, I was trying to figure out what to write about for the blog today. I decided that instead of writing about one event, I would see what significant events happened today.
Today in history:
1788 – By unanimous vote, Georgia becomes the 4th state to ratify the Constitution.
Goodreads describes itself as a web site for book lovers. This is a very accurate description. Members can use Goodreads as an interactive source for new books, favorite authors, reading lists, book reviews, and more. Almost anything is possible, from joining a discussion group to starting an online book club. Joining in is as easy as entering your name, email, and a password.
Forget Black Friday, Hello, After Christmas Sales!
The after Christmas sales to me are like the Black Friday sales to others. I have bought more junk in those sales. Oh, excuse me, that’s "treasures" (My husband calls it junk). And of course, I really need it all!
I have bought Christmas cards for the next year. We only need to store them for eleven months. I have bought ornaments, and I've even use some of them. And the clothes! You can get such a bargain on clothes after Christmas. But make sure it fits because you may not be able to return them from a sale.
I thought it might be fun to update last year’s blog on cozy mysteries for the holiday season. I confessed last year to my addiction to the cozy mystery genre. Nothing has changed, and I particularly look forward to the holiday cozy.
Since right after Thanksgiving, and as Christmas draws nearer, I’ve noticed a considerable number of books being checked out and checked in on designing Christmas ornaments. Some of the ornaments are elaborate, some have a simple elegance, and still some are just very traditional with a nostalgic feel. Somehow, as I began decorating my Christmas tree, I thought of those books and began taking a closer look at my own ornaments.
For all of you obsessive (and non-obsessive) Christmas music fans, I have found some new favorites this year. I rarely find new Christmas music that I enjoy; I mean nothing tops "White Christmas," right? But, seriously, some of these are REALLY good. Here is my new favorites list:
