MickyFine's 2012 Reads: First Quarto

Miranda - The Tempest by John William Waterhouse

Welcome to my first thread of 2012. I'm thrilled to be back with this fantastic group, recording and sharing all of my fantastic reads this year.

In a personal challenge, I will be attempting to read the complete works of William Shakespeare this year. I'll be chronicling my progress in my blog, Blitzing Through the Bard, and you're all more than welcome to check out my progress there. I am also hoping to read 75 books that have nothing to do with the Shakespeare challenge, but we'll see.

So come on in and fill up the space with lots of chatter book related and not. I'm always happy to have visitors.

Books of 2012

January
1. Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
2. Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green and David Levithan
3. One for the Money - Janet Evanovich
4. Q-in-Law - Peter David
5. Studying Students: The Undergraduate Research Project at the University of Rochester - Nancy Fried Foster and Susan Gibbons (ed.)
6. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Shakespeare
The Tempest
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Merry Wives of Windsor
Favourite read(s):

February
Favourite read(s):

March
Favourite read(s):

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

Wow, cool, a thread...from the FUTURE! I hope there aren't negative effects from starring such a thread...

I just found my rating. Apparently, I'm a "/". Hmm, I'm not sure how I feel about that. I think Google will help me figure that one out....

Btw, why is that chick feeling herself up ok, doing a breast exam when people are dying on that ship? Women from that era never made sense to me. Just repressed pervs, they were.

Hi Micky! Got you starred.

I love Waterhouse. Have fun with the Shakespeare personal challenge! I really need to fill in the gaps in my own Shakespeare knowledge.

Sandy K

Sara: I believe she finds the ship in the background shocking, or a loved on is on it, or it symbolizes a relationship she is in, thus she is dramatically holding her hand over her heart. The heart is the thing that beats in a person's chest when they haven't lost their soul through frequent and constant perversity, and symbolizes all things loving or exciting for those who are still capable of experiencing emotion. At least, I think so. . . .

...or perhaps the artist was just copying a trendy pose of the time, like gangster rappers on their album covers.

HI Micky, dropping in to leave my star :)

Hi Micky! I'm leaving my star as well.

#6: LMAO! Heart. Yeah, I've heard of those things. They're pretty easy to pass once they shrink to the size of pea like mine has.

But really, if she were all that distraught, she'd be pulling one of these babies--



--and not clutching her hairband from falling off her head or (I still say she's groping herself) clutching her heart, possibly from malnuritionment and/or a tight corset.

Yep. Me again. Where's Mo?

I think he was on that ship. :*(

Oh hai! This little group is already pulling together under its shared magical gravity utter perviness, marvellous. :)

Nice start there, Sara - I had to go back up to the picture to have another look!

STEPHEN! GET IN THAT WATER NOW AND RESCUE MO!!!

Rescue Mo? But I'm the one that shackled him to the anchor...he gets all the attention! *Crosses arms and adopts a 'jealous selfish child' facial expression.*

*Crosses arms and adopts a 'going to hit Stephen with an encyclopedia' facial expression*

If you don't get IN THAT WATER and un-kill Mo RIGHT NOW, you're going to have the word 'Britannica' imprinted across your forehead the hard way. *taps foot and waits*

*Sigh* Fine, fine. *Strips shirt off in slow motion while the sun glistens on his painted-on abs and then dives dramatically into the roaring water to heroically rescue Mo the moose*

There. *Grumbles*

knock knock! Incoming!

Eagerly awaiting the Shakespeare discussions. Which ones have you read already?
I'd like to read all his works too, but I'm just hoping I'll get them read in this lifetime ;-)

>15 Ape: - *wolf whistles then grabs a bath towel to start drying poor traumatised Mo*

*STARRED*

Hello Micky!

Figures, Mo gets toweled off AND whislted at. Grumble grumble grumble...

Totally unrelated: but Moe (you're not fooling anyone with the slightly different spelling) is the killer's named in the movie I'm watching (Bikini Girls On Ice). Coincidence? I think not. Micky, can you account for Mo(e)'s whereabouts for the past 24 hours? A lot of those hot girls were frozen to death...and we all know how much you Canucks love your ice. :P

Just peering in here to make sure you're all behaving yourselves.

>3 Ape: Not as far as I know, but this thread is Canadian so it may have strange germs all over it. But you like that kind of thing, so that's probably a good side effect in your case. :) Oh, and HIIIIII!

>4 saraslibrary: Oh Sara. You are so reading more into that photo than there is. She simply has her hand on her chest. There is absolutely no wrinkling of fabric around her hand so there's no way she's doing a breast exam or any other kind of clutching at all. Pervy brain.

>5 sandykaypax: Hi Sandy. Thanks for dropping by!

>7 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! Thanks for the star.

>8 DorsVenabili: Thanks for the star, Kerri. Nice to see you.

>10 richardderus: Hi Richard. Lovely to see your very sensible head peeking in to all this craziness. Mo sends his kindest regards. :)

>12 elliepotten: Hi Ellie!!! Wonderful to see you. Yes, the craziness carries on. Even when I beg it to stop. ;)

>15 Ape: My hero! *swoon*

>16 norabelle414: Oh yay! Nora's here! Hmm, off the top of my head I've read Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Henry IV Part 1, Othello, Taming the Shrew, Titus Andronicus, and A Midsummer's Night Dream before. But regardless of whether I've read them before or not, I plan on reading them all this year. Because of the aforementioned craziness. ;)

>18 katiekrug: Thanks for the star, Katie! Lovely to see you.

>19 RosyLibrarian: Hi Marie! Thanks for stopping in.

>20 Ape: Dude, I just swooned for you. Get me some smelling salts or something. *re-swoons*

>21 saraslibrary: Mo was in his crate being transferred from the 2011 thread to the 2012 thread by Canada Post. No time to appear in hideously bad horror movies. Even as an extra. ;) He's now here to keep an eye on all of you. I'd behave if I were you.

Oh, I'll behave (under breath) badly. No problem there! :)

>22 MickyFine: You haven't read King Lear or Twelfth Night?! Those are my favorite! I've also read Midsummer Night's Dream, Tempest, Henry VIII, Richard III, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, R&J, and Othello.

They're always easier the second (third, fourth) time around.

The Complete Works, hunh? Pretty ambitious. I doubt that I'll join you for all of them, but I might join you for a few of them, especially the ones I haven't read (which would be most of them). Keep us posted...

I think I've read all of Shakespeare's plays except for Titus Andronicus and Timon of Athens. I spent a miserable year in grad school studying Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance before I realized that I was probably not destined for a glamorous career in the theatre. The misery was not Shakespeare's fault, though, and I still love the plays . . . maybe I will reread some of them this year, if your thread inspires me. My favorites are The Winter's Tale, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, Richard III . . . I'll stop now.

>23 saraslibrary: I'm watching you. Great Gatsby style watching you.

>24 norabelle414: I read King Lear when I was twelve or so and I'm not sure I've tackled it since. But after this project, I will have read them all. Bwahahaha! *evil grin*

>25 scvlad: Yup. I might be a little crazy. But I will definitely make sure there are regular updates here.

>26 foggidawn: That's really impressive to have read so many of the plays. Hopefully my thread proves inspirational. :)

#27: Wah! I've even read that book, and I don't know what you mean! (cowers under covers)

Creep Sara out: Check

Explain the whole Gatsby thing: Uncheck

Micky creeped Sara out? Now I'm scared...

Well, I personally quite like the picture! And I'm glad that Mo arrived safely.

But with 31 posts already, I don't think this thread going to last until March....

I feel better, knowing Mo is okay. The oculist sign is a bit unsettling, though.

#33: You said it (re: the sign).

>30 saraslibrary: One of the symbolic elements in The Great Gatsby is the billboard for Dr. T.J. Eckleburg which is a giant pair of eyes that watch everything. All good now?

>31 Ape: As you should be. I'm a very terrifying person. *toddles over to corner to snuggle with teddy bear*

>32 _Zoe_: Thanks Zoe, I like it too. I don't know if it'll last that long either, but it'll probably slow down once the new year actually hits.

>33 jadebird: Oh Mo is just fine. He appreciates your concern. He also appreciates gifts of food. Carrots go over pretty well. :)

#35: Ok, thanks for the explanation. :) I must've really blocked that one from my memory (probably because it was mandatory high school reading).

Dropping in to firmly place my star!

Looking forward to see what great books you will find yourself reading this year, Micky! :)

>36 saraslibrary: No problem. I really enjoyed reading it in high school. I was and am a nerd, obviously. :)

>37 jolerie: Fantastic to see you, Valerie!

Glad you are back with us again for 2012, Micky!

>39 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I'm afraid if I tried to leave Stephen and Sara would hold Mo hostage in an effort to continue to expose me to their ongoing perversity. ;)

#40: You have a point - you have to watch out for Stephen & Sara!

#40: No. All I want to do is give Mo a haircut, that's all. Then cover Stephen in glue and dump the shavings on him. Perfectly harmless, see? And then you'd have TWO moose! :) I'm trying to be helpful here.

We need to put a hedge of protection around Mo! Although, I am not opposed to a haircut, nor the idea of covering Stephen with moose shavings. ;)

See? It'd be like a body double. That way nobody would know who the real Mo was. Genius, right?

I think the smell might give it away though. Gotta do something about the smell, and I'm not talking about Mo...hehe

(tries to get her bearings)

Hmm, well, on some thread, we just told Stephen not to bathe--the stench'll keep his stalkers away. So, really, the smell won't be a problem in a day or two. :)

Okay, now Micky's thread is starting to frighten ME. Sara, what's happening? This is all backwards, it's like the Twilight Zone...

Should we point out that things that are frightening you, Stephen, have nothing to do with me. It's all Sara. So once Sara starts up her own thread *nudge nudge* everything should be back to normal.

As for giving Mo a haircut, it's winter here people! Mo needs his hair right now!

Should we point out that things that are frightening you, Stephen, have nothing to do with me. It's all Sara.

Ha! That sounds familiar. Oh wait, it's because I say that all the time! It's all Sara, definitely, we are completely innocent. Definitely. Right Sara?

#48: Bah! It's not 2012 yet, people. When it is, then I'll start a new thread. But I doubt that'll make things go back to "normal."

#49: Wait. You just said it's all my fault? :/ Um, no.

Sara, you aren't saying that all that perverseness is remotely my fault? *Exaggerated gasp* Certainly not! :(

Well, unless you suddenly developed a split personality, who else is there to blame? Mo?

We already know Mo, as a product of my innocent imagination, is also innocent. Obviously.

I prefer to split the fault between Sara and Stephen evenly. :D

Um, no. We all very well know moose are not noted for their sexual restraint, so Mo is definitely NOT innocent. Very, very guilty, in fact. So I think Mo gets 50% of the blame of all the going-ons around here, while Stephen and I split the other 50% evenly (::whispers:: even though studies show men are more aberrant and immature than women ::blows raspberry::).

(::whispers:: even though studies show men are more aberrant and immature than women ::blows raspberry::).

Not disagreeing there. However I like to think myself exempt from the rule. You see, having been raised by my mother and lacking that toxic 'father figure' in my life, it is my belief that this allowed me to develop with a...OMG BOOBS! *Points at TV screen showing a weight loss supplement commercial*

LOL! I don't know if you were talking about the boobs on TV or you just looked down your shirt. Either way, boobs: funny. Always.

However, my mom totally disagrees with the no father figure thing. It's her theory that young men that don't have a male role model turn out gay. :/ Need I add that she's Christian (Mormon--and they really don't like "the gays"--they even banned crossdressing this past Halloween) and Republican? I love my mom (I think she's brainwashed me to say that), but sometimes we disagree on 99% of things.

P.S. I don't think you're gay.
P.P.S. Yet. :P

>55 Ape: Stephen, seeing as about 50% of the world's population has them, I'd try and calm down your reaction to the sight of boobs. It'll probably make life a whole lot easier for you. :)

And that 50%, of course, doesn't mean it's just women, 'cause there are some guys who're more bustier than some women, and some women who're flatter than some men. So Micky's right. Unless you like man cleavage....

OMG MOOBS!

56: I'm am without question a poor example of the common perception of 'masculinity.' However, because I find gender roles and gender stereotypes appalling and would be happy to see them abolished, I'm quite okay with that! I don't expect women to do housework and be happy boring housewives if they don't expect me to like cars and hunting. Fair deal?

57: I can't help it. :(

I have man boobs! Lots of them. And I'm bootylicious. Sara's trying to hard to peg me as a homosexual, when in reality I'd probably make a better cross-dresser. Silly girl. Too bad I loathe gaudy clothes and make-up. Grrr! Sorry, Sara, I'm just a plain ol' boring straight guy, with no weird fetishes or anything! I'll try harder in the future though, if it makes you feel better.

That sounds like a great personal challenge! I will certainly be checking with you and on your blog! Happy New Year and Good Luck!

Hi Micky! I'm looking forward to keeping up with your Shakespeare challenge and all of your other reading. Happy New Year!

Yeah, I look forward to your Shakespeare reads since I won't go near them with a ten foot pole. :) So I will happily read vicariously through you this year!

Bookmarking your thread AND your blog! Shakespeare love...

Last Shakespeare I read was a graphic novel version of Macbeth. It was really cool.
Happy New Year!

#59: I knew there was a scientific word for it. Thank you! :D

#60: LOL @ Sara's trying to hard to peg me as a homosexual, when in reality I'd probably make a better cross-dresser. -- No, no, I'm really not saying you're gay. I try to make all my straight guy friends start to doubt their own sexuality out of sheer entertainment for me. ;) I'll try to be more sensitive to your heterosexuality this year, ok? (gives Stephen a manly hard slap on the back)

#65: I think that's probably the same route I'll go, jadebird. I'm not big into Shakespeare (dodges the flying fruit from Shakespearian fans), but I love some of the movies based on his plays.

Darn, I keep missing with this flying fruit!

Don't worry. I'll probably stick my foot in my mouth again, so keep it handy.

(See, Stephen, I didn't even make a joke out of the "flying fruit" comment and your sexuality! I'm getting better, right?)

>59 Morphidae: Hi Morphy! I'm glad someone's excited by moobs. Mostly, I just hope that all men will get murses, that would make everything better. :D

>60 Ape: *tries not to let on that I took a dip in the gutter when reading I'll try harder* Yup, I'm innocent and Stephen is pervy. All is normal here.

>61 weejane: Thanks, Brit! Lovely to see you.

>62 porch_reader: Thanks, Amy!

>63 jolerie: Sounds like a very good plan, Valerie. :D

>64 London_StJ: Aww, thanks, Luxx!

>65 jadebird: Thanks, happy new year to you as well!

>66 saraslibrary: Oh Shakespeare should definitely be viewed, but it's a lot easier to appreciate some of the richness of the language when reading it as opposed to watching it. Over on ye olde blog I'll be trying to watch one adaptation of each of the plays as well. Basically, I'm getting a huge dose of Shakespeare this year.

>67 jnwelch: Yeah, about the flying fruit, Joe... ;) Glad for another Shakespeare fan.

Shakespeare #1

The Tempest

I'm very pleased to have finished my first Shakespeare play of the year. While I promise not to pimp my blog too much here on LT, I will say that if you head over to http://blitzingthruthebard.wordpress.com you'll get all of the dirty details on the play including a summary of it, my favourite character, one speech you should know, and a few other goodies. The shared content between the blog and here will be my opinion of the play. I leave the choice up to you.

The Tempest is just one island full of crazy sauce. Prospero is running around putting everyone who ever bothered him through some really nutty hoops with the help of Ariel, who is Prospero’s loyal sidekick but really just wants to be free (think the Genie in Aladdin). Meanwhile, Miranda falls for the first man, other than her father, she’s ever met and he is also immediately smitten with her (unbelievable love at first sight, party of two), but they really crack me up because when they’re finally revealed to Alonso, they’re playing chess. Nothing wins a girl’s heart like a good game of chess, apparently. While there’s quite a lot of crazy going on in this play with a liberal dose of comedy, on the page it’s unclear why Prospero forgives his brother so easily. Maybe it’s because if Antonio didn’t give up the dukedom, Prospero would just ditch him on the island with Caliban. There are a lot of sub-plots and none of them really go anywhere, but it’s enjoyable to just watch the nutty express go by and have the happy ending arrive with love and fairness for all.

66: Owwww! *Tears up* Don't HIT so hard! Just because I'm straight doesn't mean I'm some big masculine brute or something. :_(

69: Really? I wasn't even thinking that! Probably because when it comes to that I really don't have to try very hard at all. It comes with the territory, I guess. Oh crap, that italics text just sent your mind to the gutter again, didn't it? Stop that! It's not sanitary there. :)

#69: Basically, I'm getting a huge dose of Shakespeare this year.

You poor, poor thing! My condolences to your sanity. (Btw, don't ask where I normally stash that pink hanky. And don't look on Stephen's thread for awhile. There was a really, really creepy sad face I found that I almost posted here. But even I thought it was too creepy. Everyone else thinks it's an Easter egg ninja. Go figure.)

Btw (like you care), I still haven't found Candy Cane Down the Trousers Dude. But at least it's taken my mind off of-- those you-know-whats. (Shhhh. Don't mention them by name and they will shrivel up and become nonexistent. That's my theory at least. And, no, Stephen, I'm not talking about your balls.)

#71: (sighs) Ok. (wraps Stephen up in bubblewrap and slaps away) Yay! Fun for all. And you can't feel it. :)

>70 MickyFine: Definitely not one of my favorites. I agree that none of the subplots went anywhere. The whole thing is just a vehicle for tomfoolery, which would be fine except that Shakespeare is very capable of connecting tomfoolery with a SOLID plot.

Happy New Year, Mickey. I'm going to quietly draw up a chair, park myself in the corner, and enjoy the mayhem.

>71 Ape: My friends often joke that despite my genuinely innocent status, my brain ends up in the gutter far more than anyone would expect. But it really does come and go. The italics didn't set me to giggling at all. Sorry.

>72 saraslibrary: Oh condolences aren't necessary. This is joyously self-inflicted. ;) But it's too late for the warning about Stephen's thread, already been there. I'm glad you've found a new project to distract you from The Cover That Shall Not Be Named. ;)

>73 norabelle414: Very true. But I'm interested to see what the Helen Mirren film is like when I eventually get to watch it. Also, the Shakespeare in the Park festival this coming summer is doing The Tempest (one of two plays) this year which should be fun.

>74 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy. Would you like a cuppa while you cozy up in the corner? I'll do my best to distract the hooligans. ;)

The Tempest is probably one of those better watched than read.

Yay for your first read of the year and a Shakespeare at that! Very, very impressive Micky. :)
Just curious if you are going to be reading them in any kind of order?

>76 norabelle414: I think so. I always find reading and then watching a Shakespeare play works well as I catch some things in print and others when they're acted out.

>77 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie! I'm reading them in the order they are in my edition of the complete works of Shakespeare. So in general categories it'll be the comedies, the histories, the ancient histories, the tragedies, and then the poems. :)

Found, starred and making a mental note to expect almost anything here! FUN! ;-)

*waving* as I pass through the threads, Micky

#70 - What an ambitious project, Micky! Bless your heart. I'll check our your blog.

I love The Tempest... saw it performed at the Stratford Festival here in Ontario last year, with Christopher Plummer as Prospero... that man is INCREDIBLE. Talk about talent. He wasn't acting Prospero, it was like he WAS Prospero. If you ever have a chance to see him performing Shakespeare onstage, take it!!!

#82 - You made wife so jealous!

The Tempest - it’s enjoyable to just watch the nutty express go by and have the happy ending arrive with love and fairness for all. I love it! Great sum-up.

We have a theater here in Chicago dedicated to performing Shakespeare plays, called The Chicago Shakespeare Theater (what a name - go figure :-) ) We subscribe, so we've gotten to see virtually all of them from obscure to the biggies, including The Tempest twice, in very different productions. We've had a blast with it.

Oh Shakespeare should definitely be viewed

Absolutely agreed, but, like I always tell my students, each and every performance is an interpretation, no matter how closely the director/producer/actors try to stay to the original; I always recommend both reading and seeing the plays. Then again, if it's a question of one or the other, Id probably recommend seeing them.

The Folger is putting on The Taming of the Shrew in May, and I can't wait to see it!

I'm seriously considering joining you on your journey; I have eight copies of the complete works, plus a few individual plays, and it would be a great excuse to crack them all open!

>79 lkernagh: Welcome, Lori! It can be a bit nutty around here but there's definitely some books squeezed in as well. You can always hang out in the quiet corner with Judy and just enjoy the show. ;)

>80 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! *waves back*

>81 DorsVenabili: Thanks, Chelle! Hopefully it's entertaining reading at the very least.

>82 dk_phoenix: Faith, I am literally green with envy. I would adore going to the Stratford festival never mind seeing Christopher Plummer in a play. So very, very, very jealous!

>84 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! I get a decent dose of Shakespeare every year. Edmonton has the Freewill Players which put on the Shakespeare in the Park festival each summer and they do one comedy and one tragedy every year. I also have season tickets to the major theatre in Edmonton and they tend to do one Shakespeare production every other year. But I'm still jealous that you have such a company in Chicago. :)

>85 London_StJ: You're more than welcome to join me, Luxx. Craziness loves company. ;) I'm impressed at the number of editions you have. I have just the one copy of the complete works and a couple of the individual plays.

I want to go to that Stratford festival tomorrow if not immediately, please. (I suppose it would be smarter to wait until it's actually happening). I'm envying Faith, too. Ah, dreams of free time to go to book fairs and theater festivals . . .

The Tempest was also made into a quiet nice ballet using Purcell's music.

small wave, 'my it's crowded here'

*waves silently and sits in the quiet corner with Judy*

Hi Micky,

How on the planet you're going to read Shakespeare PLUS the 75 AND blog it all is beyond me. Mon chapeau est doffed.

Starred the thread and stalking the blog.

The challenge sounds fun, but don't know if I've got your stamina. If you run out of steam, there's always the graphic Shakespeares and the Marcia Williams.

The Tempest has never been a favorite of mine from Shakespeare, and it's not helped by the fact that I've seen Prospero's Books, which did much to ruin the play for me. Ugh.

Poor Stephen - why is everyone always picking on you?

Micky - I love that you listed a Shakespearean insult on your blog. I have a mug with different Shakespearean insults all over it. It's one of my favorites!

Love The Tempest! Haven't read a ton of Shakespeare and I'd like to read more; your challenge is inspiring!

Poor Stephen - why is everyone always picking on you?

I kind of deserve it, don't you think? :(

Sara/Micky - Never mind Shakespeare, what about THIS?

"I still haven't found Candy Cane Down the Trousers Dude. But at least it's taken my mind off of-- those you-know-whats."

I am very intrigued by this. A dude with a candy cane in his pants AND something that's managed to freak Sara out, which as we all know is about as likely as winning the lottery. Tell me more... :)

>88 jadebird: That sounds pretty interesting. I'll have to see if I can find a visual and/or audio recording of that. Thanks, Ren!

>89 BBGirl55: There is quite a bit of traffic, isn't there? But there should be plenty of chairs and cozy corners for all. My thread is a bit like the Room of Requirement in that way. ;)

>90 Matke: Nice to see you, Gail!

>91 JenMacPen: Well, it could be hubris but we'll see if I can pull it off. I managed to read 125 books last year so it should be relatively doable. :D Thanks for the star and the stalking.

>92 scaifea: I'll make a note to avoid that play, Amber. The Tempest won't be making my list of favourites but it was relatively enjoyable.

>93 weejane: Thanks, Brit. Yeah, I enjoy Shakespearean insults so I'm keeping my out for them while I read. :D

>94 curioussquared: Thanks, Nathalie! Hope you have the chance to pick up a little Shakespeare this year.

>95 Ape: Nah. *gives Stephen a big hug and then watches him faint in shock*

>96 elliepotten: Sara is discussing the book cover which should not be named. If you start reading here, everything should make some sense. The candy cane pants is over on one of Sara's threads though.

I think I'm growing immune to hugs, instead of fainting from shock I just feel slightly woozy. *Waits for everyone else to faint in shock*

Hi MickyFine! I love reading Shakespeare and I love learning about the time period that Shakespeare was from, so I will definitely be haunting this thread. Good luck on your voyage through Shakespeare!

#96-97: Oh god. I clicked it. I did. What is wrong with me? But luckily, Candy Cane Down the Trousers Dude* is still on my mind. I've tried to find him here on LT. No luck. Googling him. No luck. But I did find This Guy while googling. (Micky, don't click it!) I don't know whether to laugh or be scared, so I'll do both: :D ... :O. At least he's a temporary distraction from the other Candy Cane Dude.

*There's this Christmas romance novel--actually, I think there are two or more, but with the same idea--a topless guy with a candy cane shoved down his barely-on pants. I saw it at work on a daily basis last month, but-- poof! Gone. I can't find the books anywhere now.

Oh, and btw, Ellie, just a word of caution: NEVER look at yourself naked in a Christmas ornament ball! It never makes anyone look good. O_0

>100 saraslibrary: I hope they paid him very, very well for that.

*washes eyes with strong bleach solution*

Plays, blech. Shakespeare plays, oh god please let me die now please please please

Which guy--the one on the romance novel or candy cane wang guy?

Ditto on the "plays, blech." Though I did see a vampire comedy play eons ago during Halloween that was pretty good. Other than that, I avoid plays. And people. Mainly people.

>98 Ape: *faints in shock*

>99 ErisofDiscord: Thanks, Eris! Nice to see you.

>100 saraslibrary: Thanks for the warning, if Richard's washing his eyes with bleach I definitely don't want to look at it. Maybe candy cane pants book got put in holiday storage? Does your library have that?

>101 richardderus: please let me die now please please please You're more than welcome to over on Stephen's thread. I don't want to have to deal with the mess here whereas with all of his zombies it shouldn't be any extra work. ;) I'm sorry that Shakespeare and plays aren't to your taste though, Richard. Maybe you just want to play with Mo when you're here?

>102 saraslibrary: Do you avoid reading plays or seeing plays, Sara?

I'd rather watch plays then read it. The body language and facial expressions at least give me some clue as to what is going on. :)

Oh, my. Um ... Just dropped by to say Happy New Year! I'll sit quietly over here in the corner with Judy.

#103: It really wasn't that bad of a picture, considering some of the other stuff I found, like this and this, which you can't click on because they're naughty. :P

We do have holiday storage, but the book's not there. :( Maybe the book cover's so popular it keeps getting put on hold. :P I'll check again tomorrow.

And yes, I guess I do avoid reading and watching plays, because we had to read them in school (sometimes to ourselves, sometimes out loud--horror of horrors!!). But I love movies; and those are plays, of sorts, right? (really stretching now)

Btw, I love how they're so sly about covering Mo's genitalia with his own foot. He must be some moose. *ahem*

I am going to sit quietly in the corner with Judy, too. It seems much safer :)

Got ya starred.

I think I'm growing immune to hugs, instead of fainting from shock I just feel slightly woozy. *Waits for everyone else to faint in shock*

Nah, I don't believe it! Just wait until we get you to a live meetup :D

*Faints from shock*

>109 _Zoe_: Ohio meetup this summer? You plan it, I'll find some way to get there.

I just found this contest to win a free copy of the 2009 movie version of The Tempest on DVD and thought of you, Micky.

How about Toledo at the end of July?

Toledo is perfect! Within Ohio it's about the furthest away from me as you can get. >:P

Yeah, but it's the closest to Canada! You would still have the shortest trip to make.

Yeah, but it's the closest to Canada!

Shhhh you'll scare him away!

I'd be up for an Ohio meetup!

>104 jolerie: Totally understandable. I find it enjoyable to read plays and then watch them. You know, 'cause I'm cool like that. ;)

>105 humouress: I know, it's a little nutty in here, humoress. Have a cuppa and hopefully it'll calm down soon. :D

>106 saraslibrary: Well, I wish you much luck on your hunt for the elusive book cover! As for your comments about Mo, ....

>107 alcottacre: Probably is, Stasia. Much less fainting over there anyway. ;)

>108 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy!

>110 Ape: I think I need to buy some smelling salts.

>112 norabelle414: Nice! Thanks Nora!

>113 _Zoe_:-117 Holy Toledo! *chuckles to self* With that out of the way, I'd be fascinated to see if you could actually drag Stephen out of his man-cave. As for me, Toledo may be close to Canada, but definitely not my part of Canada so I won't be going. :(

Hi, Micky! Just dropped by to star.

Howdy, I'm finally here! Glad to see things are up to par around here. :)

*Caves in entrance to his man-cave so there is no escape.*

Do you mind; that's my teacup you nearly knocked over.

Oops - wrong corner.

>119 Cynara: Thanks, Cynara. Lovely to see you.

>120 LauraBrook: Yay! Laura's here! Maybe you can help keep the hooligans in check. ;)

>121 Ape: *crawls through tunnel up through trap-door to visit Stephen in man-cave* Hi! :D

>122 humouress: Yeah, there's a lot of corners around here. I'm not sure what the thread looks like from the outside, but it's probably got at least 15 corners tucked away in here. ;)

*Screeches*

There, there. I'm not going to Ohio so you're just fine. Want some Skittles?

Okay! Wait... like the cookies, I must ask. Did you leave these alone with Sara?

Nope. Perfectly sealed package. So unless she works in a candy factory we're safe. Although maybe I should check about whether Willy Wonka is out to get you?

You can stick needles through sealed packages. *Sniffs Skittles* Smells...like the rainbow?

Shhh! Don't mention Willy Wonka around here. Hard to tell what kinds of pictures Sara will post. I unfortunately clicked the 'candy cane' one up there. Ack!

That's what you get for not obeying Micky's rules of links: if Sara posted it, check for disclaimers first. :)

I'm afraid to know what the punishment is for disobeying that rule...

86 - Not intended to impress, just demonstrate the insanity. I have two or three copies that I used in school (each professor said students had to have specific editions), and Ive collected copies for awhile. I think it was last xmas that I bought the facsimile folio - now that thing is cool.

The Washington Ballet did a lovely Romeo and Juliet.

Annnndd... I totally skipped after post 109 or so.

>130 Ape: You have to look at the links Sara posted. Duh! :P

>131 London_StJ: I did have two copies of the complete works for the four months when I took my Shakespeare course as I had the specific edition stipulated but I sold it after the class ended. I'd rather have the pretty edition than the one filled with annotations that could also double as a car block. ;) Seeing the ballet of Romeo and Juliet would be fantastic, very jealous. As for the posts yo skipped you didn't miss much. Just threats to drag Stephen to a meet-up in Ohio and some hiding and sharing candy in his man-cave. ;)

Annnndd... I totally skipped after post 109 or so.

*guilty look* Me too.

As long as you took a peek at the link I posted for you in 103, Richard, I'll forgive you. ;) I shouldn't judge since I just skimmed 96 (!) posts on your thread.

>134 MickyFine: I loved Mo's little blue-and-white socks! Such a fashion-forward moose.

132: NoooOOOOoooo! Wait, but I already looked at them, that's what I'm getting in trouble for, so that's obviously not a suitable punishment.

Yes, he's definitely on the cutting edge of moose fashion. ;)

>136 Ape: Wait, you want me to punish you for looking at the links Sara posted? I think the links are punishment enough. ;)

Not always...

#139: Exactly my point! Sometimes they're very amusing...in a very vulgar way.

And no, I didn't touch your Skittles! :P Have all the Skittles you want. Or wait. Are those M&M's? (wrinkles nose) Either way, enjoy! :X



Ha! Now Micky has to see the pic. Why didn't I ever think of that before? (smacks forehead)

Helping with the hooligans? Sheesh, I don't know... I hear some of them have scary diseases and that they bite.

BTW, I'm following your Shakespeare blog too. I really prefer wordpress to blogspot, wish I would've looked into it better when I started mine up. Good luck!

I tried to post a pic for you, Micky, but it came out HUGE. So awkward weird post from me with NO picture of The Tempest by artist Shag...

Sandy K

>139 Ape: That's because you're a sadist. ;)

>140 saraslibrary: Excellent!!! Best birthday cake ever. I totally want one of those when I turn 33. ;)

>141 LauraBrook: It's true the hooligans can be a bity rowdy. It's why I have Mo, the guard moose. And thanks for the follow on the blog. I like wordpress too. I had a project in library school where we spent some time evaluating a bunch of different options for doing a presentation online for a group project and we did look at all of the blog options before just doing a prezi.

>142 sandykaypax: No worries, Sandy. Can you send me a link for the pic maybe?

*waves and stars*

Book 1


Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Jane's imaginary friend Michael was the best thing in her life when she was a child. But on her ninth birthday he left her, as the rules dictated believing that she would forget him like all the other children. But Jane promises to never forget and she doesn't. Many years later, while on a break between imaginary friend assignments, Michael encounters Jane as an adult. Their friendship springs back to life bringing love with it but the powers that control Michael's life could force him to leave Jane behind again and break her heart just as badly.

I picked this book up after watching the tv movie on the W network with Alyssa Milano. The idea of there being a network of imaginary friends who are assigned to children who need them was such a fascinating one that I was eager to see how the book dealt with it. While not disappointed with this book, I think I enjoyed the movie adaptation more. So many plot points came out of nowhere with no lead-up and seemed to exist for the sake of having something happen. The rules and structures associated with imaginary friends were barely sketched out and subplots appeared and disappeared without much resolution. Jane and Michael's relationship was only mildly interesting to watch develop but I found the movie more emotionally affecting than the book was, and the book makes several efforts to go to the sad place. Not an exciting read but an interesting premise with an ok ending.

Rating: **

>144 archerygirl: *waves back* Nice to see you!

145> It's a sad, sad day when the movie is better than the book. I've had it happen only once, with Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Hope your next book is better!

>147 Samantha_kathy: I know! It's such a rare thing for me. And I'm of the same opinion when it comes to Stardust, the movie was definitely better.

147/148: Agreed on Stardust! What ever happened to the guy that played Tristan? He was cute...

#145: I think I will be skipping that one. I hope your next read is much better for you, Micky!

I just read the first couple of pages on Amazon. The writing style was very bland, so I agree with you - definitely a book to be skipped!

#145: Ok, ok, so you proved me wrong--sometimes the movie can be better than the book. :) I've read a couple of James Patterson's books and like them because they're so quick to get through, but Sundays at Tiffany's is one I'll probably skip. It looks too much like a romance novel (I'm not a big fan of those).

>149 RosyLibrarian: He was in the first episode of the first season of Downton Abbey, Marie! I was very excited to see him. :)

>150 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

>151 ErisofDiscord: I definitely agree about your assessment of the writing style, Eris. I've read fanfiction with more panache.

>152 saraslibrary: I wouldn't classify it as a romance novel exactly, but it is definitely a love story more than anything else. Not a normal Patterson novel anyway (based on what I can tell from the covers of his other books). ;)

Yeah, he typically writes suspense/thriller-type books; but I've noticed he's branched out a bit since he started co-authoring. I guess he's just trying to grab as many readers as possible.

Oh, no! Was the film of Stardust better than the book? I love the film, and will re-watch it anytime it's showing. I've been on the lookout for an edition of the book with scenes from the film (but no luck so far). That's a shame; Gaiman has a solid reputation, though I haven't read much by him yet.

Pity about Sundays at Tiffany's! I like the premise, but I don't suppose I'll come across the TV adaptation.

>155 humouress:
I think the Stardust film was much better than the book - but then, I know lots of people who adored the book and I, well, didn't.

>149 RosyLibrarian: Charlie Cox. He was also in Casanova with Heath Ledger.

Lalala... candy cane thong... lalala... moose porn... lalala... guy who routinely puts up Christmas decorations with his pants round his ankles... lalala... unicorn defecating Skittles... lalala...

Sorry, what?

I've seen the movie and the book and liked the book better, though the movie was fine.

That's sad that the movie was better! The only time I've experience that was with the movie/book The Perfect Storm. Very much disliked the book but the movie was somewhat decent.

Gah! All these lukewarm comments about Sundays at Tiffany's and *still* I want to put it on my wishlist - the idea of the imaginary friends not being imaginary is such a neat one!

153/157: Charlie Cox! What a cutie. I haven't seen Casanova (I should), but Micky you're right, he is in Downton Abbey! Love that show.

Oh yeah, I was going to buy Downton Abbey after Christmas! I watched the first episode of the first series, missed the rest of series 1 and all of series 2, then saw the Christmas episode (and lots of rave reviews in the meantime) and wished I'd stuck with it. Thanks for the reminder, that's something else I need to chase up at some point! *pats debit card soothingly*

>154 saraslibrary: Probably.

>155 humouress: The book version of Stardust wasn't bad by any means, I just felt that the film developed the world and characters better.

>156 Cynara: The premise is very cool. The film version is available as a DVD on Amazon so maybe you could convince your library to get a copy if you really want to see it. :)

>157 dragonaria: I should watch Casanova. Thanks for the mention.

>158 elliepotten: You missed the book, Ellie! I read a book! :)

>159 Morphidae: Which one, Morphy? Stardust or Sundays at Tiffany's?

>160 ChelleBearss: I haven't read the book for that one. I think I'll stick with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg though. ;)

>161 scaifea: By all means, Amber, if it strikes your fancy add it to the list. The premise is really enjoyable. But see if you can hunt the DVD down as well to balance it out. ;)

>162 RosyLibrarian: Me too, Marie!

>163 elliepotten: I've only seen the first season (living on this side of the pond and all) but it was so good. It's just so brilliant with so many characters that I love/love to hate. You should really get on that. Right after you watch Casablanca. *glares over glasses*

Yeah, but the book you read was a bit rubbish, wasn't it? Certainly nothing to compare to a unicorn pooping candy.

And YES, I will get to Downton Abbey. Partially because Maggie Smith is cool beans. Partially because the delectable Dan Stevens (of The Line of Beauty/Sense and Sensibility/occasional guest hosting of Have I Got News For You fame) is also one of the Man Booker 2012 judges, which is fairly awesome. Yes, he is a Very Posh Literary Bloke Who Went to Cambridge AND he looks like this:



Why are there not more bookish men like this around England? Like, say, in the Bakewell area?

>165 elliepotten: Cousin Matthew!!! Aww, cousin Matthew, he is pretty adorable. Although personally I prefer the Irish chauffeur.

161 @scaifea - If you like short stories, there is an anthology called Imaginary Friends that you might be interested in.

This is shaping up to be a thread full of hot, hot dudes. Swoon!

I am swooning too - and I am a happily married woman! lol

>168 RosyLibrarian:, 169 It's true, I do like the attractive men on my thread. Although there seems to be a lot of swooning going on here too... really need to get some smelling salts.

Definitely!

You folks make me smile :D.

And those pictures don't hurt ... pass the smelling salts Micky

WOULD ALL YOU LADIES STOP LICKING MICKY'S THREAD, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL A WINDOW CLEANER AT THIS RATE! *rubs a little gap in the drool so she can look at Dan Stevens again*

You would think all the licking would keep the thread clean, Ellie ;)

Yeah, but it's making the glass all streaky - and there's only so many times I can wash my hands when I accidentally touch a fresh swipe!

lol

>169 alcottacre: I think the book Stardust was better than the movie. Stardust is my favorite Gaiman.

I got season 1 of Downton Abbey for Christmas... that's going to see a lot of use. And season 2 comes out on DVD in almost exactly a month!

>172 humouress: Smelling salts, as requested.

>173 elliepotten: Sorry about that Ellie. Probably doesn't help that my thread is peppermint flavoured. ;)

>177 Morphidae: Interesting. In my case, it's the only Gaiman I've read. I have seen the film of Coraline though so that has to count for something, right?

>178 curioussquared: Good news about season 2, Natalie. I'll have to keep an eye out to see if my library has ordered it.

Lots of exciting things going on over here!

Your Shakespeare goal is exciting, but I don't think I could read them all in one year. I will enjoy them vicariously through you! The best live performance of Shakespeare I've ever seen was at the Atlanta Shakespeare Festival. They did The Taming of the Shrew and all the costumes and sets were very 1980s. It was very different and memorable!

Also,
>165 elliepotten: & 166: I REALLY need to watch Downton Abbey! YUM!!!!

Hi Micky! I hope you are having a fantastic weekend so far. :)

Interesting that you preferred the movie over the book! The premise of the story sounds really interesting and now I'm torn if I should watch the movie first??

I still haven't read any Neil Gaiman except Good Omens, can you believe that? I've got The Graveyard Book on one of my challenge lists for this year though. And yesterday I was reading a looooooong but incredibly sweet blog post by Amanda Palmer (here) about how her and Neil met, wooed and got married, which reassured me that somewhere out there, there IS someone for everyone - even quirky kick-ass feminist musicians who like to dress up as pirates. :)

>180 Kittybee: Thanks for visiting, Rachel! Hope you enjoy all the Shakespeare. And yes, you must hunt down Downton Abbey in short order. It should be epic.

>181 jolerie: Hi Valerie! My weekend has been good. I actually went to see the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast with my mom last night at the Jubilee which was good fun. As for whether to watch or read first, I don't know if I'll be much help. I found it easier to get through the book by picturing the guy who played Michael in the movie, but the book could be enjoyable without that (I think).

>182 elliepotten: My Gaiman reading is also sadly minimal. Maybe we should both work on that. :)

Shakespeare 2

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Two Gentlemen of Verona isn’t going to be winning any prizes as my favourite Shakespearean comedy. While there’s a fair share of punny exchanges between several of the servants and a few jokes about jerkins and codpieces, the relationships between the two main couples aren’t as sparkling as in some of the other comedies. While Silvia sends a few barbs Valentine’s way, there’s not a lot of sparkage or sweet romance between them. While Proteus and Julia do have their fair share of romantic speeches, Proteus actually gets a lot of hatred from me. Ditching the girl you’ve professed to love forever after just seeing another woman is bad but he gets a massive loads of contempt for threatening to rape Silvia. That is never ok. And to have that moment come so closely to the closing moments of the play really taints it for me. Especially because shortly after that unfortunate moment Julia then takes Proteus back. Girlfriend needs a reality check. And that’s what bugs me about the happy ending. Valentine and Silvia should definitely be getting married but Proteus ending up with the very lovely Julia seems wrong.

I am sorry to hear that Two Gentlemen of Verona was so disappointing for you, Micky. I hope the next play is better for you.

I did it! Here is the pic by artist Shag entitled "Caliban". I dig Shag.

When I was a kid, my older cousin was in a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, but it was a ROCK MUSICAL. Weird. I've never seen it.
The rape angle in Two Gentlemen is disturbing. I also don't care for Hero's treatment in Much Ado About Nothing, or the ending of The Taming of the Shrew. Looking forward to hearing your views after you read those!

About Downton Abbey, I'm going to dvr the first episode of Season 2 tonight. I put in a request for the first season at the library and I'm number 11 in line. I'm just going to dvr all of season 2 and watch them when I'm caught up.

Sandy K

Thomas the footman, aka Rob James-Collier...my vote for most scenic thing about Downton Abbey.

But nice he is NOT:

Ha, Richard, I love that! Nope, Thomas ain't my type at all - but even from the episode and a bit I HAVE seen so far I agree with that second pic...

>185 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I hope so too.

>186 sandykaypax: That picture is fantastic, Sandy. Thanks! As for the rock musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona, I've actually seen it! The local summer Shakespeare festival did it a few years ago and it was... awkward. I usually love musicals but that one was just weird. And it was my only less than stellar experience at Shakespeare in the Park, so I can't complain. Hope you enjoy Downton when you watch it!

>187 richardderus: I love that second pic, Richard! Thomas is definitely one of the characters I HATE on Downton Abbey. There may be name-calling at the tv every time he does something hideous.

>188 elliepotten: Same here, Ellie.

It's so strange, the actor that plays Thomas on Downtown Abbey was a beloved character called Liam on Coronation Street (which I watch faithfully). He was killed off much to my distress, but I guess he left to work on Downtown Abbey. It was such a shock to see him as such a despicable character.

On Coronation Street:

>190 DeltaQueen50: I can imagine that would be a bit of a surprise. I think if I were to see him in something else it might take me a bit to get rid of the instinct to detest him.

Book 2



Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green and David Levithan

Living in the suburbs of Chicago is not the most exciting existence, but in an unlikely corner of the city, two teenage boys both named Will Grayson encounter each other. While their meeting is nothing outside of the regular amount of weird that comes from meeting someone with your name, the meeting will set off reactions in their lives and points of view, thanks to the fabulous Tiny Cooper and his musical, Tiny Dancer, that make them face that shutting up and not caring is never the best approach to life.

I really enjoyed this novel. The chapters alternate easily between the two different Will Graysons, the odd chapters being written by John Green (whose writing style I would recognize anywhere) and the even by David Levithan. Henceforward, the two Wills will be referred to as Odd Will and Even Will. Odd Will is the geeky character that Green writes so well with all of the flaws and foibles that we expect. Even Will's chapters are interesting stylistically as the text is entirely lower case and all dialogue is done in script style. Even Will is also a much darker character as he deals with depression and his sexuality as a gay teenager. The novel deftly explores themes of love, truth, depression, and the relationships that get us through life. But the best element of this novel is Tiny Cooper, the 300-pound football player who falls in love with a different boy on a daily basis. Tiny and the musical he writes about his life, Tiny Dancer, are the impetus that keeps the plot moving. But he is also the character that brings much of the humour and frequent dashes of sweetness to this excellent novel. You should read this book if for no other reason than to encounter the epic character that is Tiny Cooper.

Rating: ****

Great review of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I've had trouble getting into it myself (the stylistic quirks of Even Will were more than I could handle at the time) but after reading The Fault In Our Stars, I'm considering picking it up again.

Nice review! I enjoyed Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but not as much as anything else Green has written and not as much as the only other David Levithan I've read, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn).

Glad you liked Will Grayson! And I forgot to share that I'll be admiring your Shakespeare journey from afar - I liked Macbeth in high school, but I could never manage reading it all for pleasure now!

My copy of The Fault in Our Stars shipped today!!! Huzzah!!! So I should have it by early next week. :D

>193 bluesalamanders: Thanks. Definitely give it another try. If you can get past your issues with the style, the narrative is totally worth it.

>194 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie! I think An Abundance of Katherines is still my favourite John Green novel but I haven't read anything else by Levithan at all. Infinite Playlist is on the TBR list though, so I'll get to it eventually. ;)

>195 bymerechance: Thanks, Mere. I'm a very weird book nerd and I actually am really enjoying it so far. Of course, I'm only 2 plays in. ;)

#192 - Hi Micky! Good review. However, I'd like to point out that the suburbs of Chicago are very exciting........well, maybe one or two of them are.

Chicago is amazing. I had this misconceived notion that it was some run-down industrial-age city until just very recently when my mom took a vacation there. It's really a beautiful city now, probably has been for awhile...I just never cared to notice.

Micky! You need to read more Shakespeare! You haven't encouraged me to read my copy of Julius Caesar. I'm probably going to need encouragement...

#198 - Chicago is pretty awesome. I work there, but I really miss living there. We bought a house in the near west suburbs almost two years ago. My New Year's resolution is not to complain about my town, so I have to shut up now.

>197 DorsVenabili: I'm sure they are, Kerri. I live in suburbia too (although not outside Chicago). But from the point of view of the characters suburbia is just school and home, whereas a lot of the things that really set the plot in motion happen while they're in Chicago.

>198 Ape: Visiting Chicago would be fun. Although in my head, I associate it with ER, so I think I'd be disappointed not to run into George Clooney. ;) As for the Shakespeare, I'm doing one a week. You have to be patient. Julius Caesar won't be for a while yet as I'm reading the plays in order in my complete works volume which has comedies, histories, ancient histories (where Julius Caesar hangs out), and then the tragedies. But when I get to Julius Caesar, I'd be happy to be your cheerleader. *shakes pom poms*

>199 DorsVenabili: Did you ever see George Clooney, Kerri? Also, is the bean as cool IRL as it seems to be in pictures/youtube?

Going way back to The Tempest... The ballet I've seen was done by San Francisco Ballet. Just FYI.

>201 jadebird: Excellent. Thanks, Ren!

Chiming in to agree the Chicago is awesomesauce. The last time I was there, a friend of mine, who is a native, took me to the most fantastic ice cream parlor-type place. Ohmygosh. Delicious. Have no idea what it was called, of course, but it was great - in a kind of cool, old neighborhood.

#200 - No George Clooney sightings. I've never even seen Vince Vaughn and he's supposedly here all the time. I mostly see semi-famous musicians. That's about it.

The Bean is cool and I appreciate it now, but when they were building it, I remember wishing that they would just fix the roads instead and maybe install a left turn arrow or two at some intersections. I realize now that was a short-sighted attitude and public art is important.

#203 - Was the ice cream parlor Margie's? It's been there forever. That's the place the Beatles visited when they were in Chicago.

>203 scaifea: Was your Chicago ice cream place called Margie's, Amber? That's a really good, old-timey one. Oops, I see Kerri mentioned it, too.

I've lived in Chicago for more than 30 years (our place now is about a mile and a half west of Wrigley Field). I lived in a number of places before that, including New York City, Boston and Santa Barbara. I love it. I fell in love with it while standing one night on the Michigan Avenue bridge looking down the Chicago River as it threaded through all the skyscrapers. It just wowed me. We've raised two kids here, and it's hard to imagine living anywhere else.

Yesyesyes! Margie's! I had no idea that it was so famous - and the Beatles ate there?! Ohmygosh. Amazing. The ice cream, of course, was spectacular.

I have to admit my places to travel list has far more European locations as a priority but I'll put Chicago on there somewhere. If only for the ice cream. ;)

Shakespeare #3

Merry Wives of Windsor is definitely among the better class of Shakespeare’s comedies. Unusual in its focus on the lower classes rather than the ruling class that Shakespeare usually wrote about, the play is still full of sharp wit. Falstaff is his wonderful self and it’s good to know he’ll be the bright spot in some of the histories that I’ll be reading in the future. But even better are the strong female characters that are the true source of momentum in the play. Mrs. Page and Mrs. Ford are loyal women who have no issue taking their husbands down a peg and also plotting appropriate punishments for Falstaff whose pride is definitely in need of a bit of deflating. Even better, Anne takes an actual role in getting the husband that she wants rather than bowing to any of the familial or monetary pressures. Strong women and great physical comedy makes for a truly entertaining read.

Nice review, Micky! Makes me want to go read it again.

>209 jadebird: Thanks, Ren!

I agree, nice review of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Micky. Great project you've got going.

George Clooney? Ice cream? Count me in! Not forgetting Sue, too.

#208 - Good review! It makes we want to read it. I really admire your project. I don't think I've read any Shakespeare outside of school (although that counts for a lot, since I was an English major.)

>211 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe! Glad you enjoyed it.

>212 humouress: True story. :)

>213 DorsVenabili: Thanks, Kerri! It's a fun read. I majored in English too, but I didn't have to read much Shakespeare for class (except for my Shakespeare course, obviously). :)

Book 3


One for the Money - Janet Evanovich

After being laid off recently, Stephanie Plum is starting to get into pretty desperate financial straits. Intending to get a filing job from her cousin Vinnie, she ends up falling into the position of a bounty hunter searching for her ex-lover, Joe Morelli, in order to earn the $10 000 bringing him in will get her. A cop accused of murder, Morelli insists he shot the victim in self-defense. While tracking down Morelli isn't difficult has slightly more trouble bringing him in and ends up getting dragged into investigating the events surrounding the supposed murder and ends up with far more trouble than she could have ever anticipated.

I decided to read this book after seeing the trailer and got exactly what was on the package. Stephanie is an unlikely bounty hunter and less than a pro at murder investigations but she's a likable heroine and her spats with Morelli are thoroughly entertaining. The mystery was pretty decent and while I wasn't shocked at whodunnit, I didn't see it coming from page 50, which was nice. The book is starting to show its age a little (originally published in 1994) with some of the descriptions of fashion. However, the humour is crackling with Stephanie's dry sarcasm and the ridiculous antics of her grandmother. Definitely a decent read if you enjoy these types of mysteries. I'll probably pick up the later books in the series but I won't be desperately searching for them.

Rating: ***

Nice review of One for the Money. The Stephanie Plum series has been on my wishlist for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

>215 MickyFine: It's informative to see a review of the Stephanie Plum series by someone who isn't obsessed with mysteries. Thanks Micky!

I spent the weekend in Chicago! I like it very much, and if I were ever to move permanently to the midwest I'd almost certainly choose to live in Chicago.

215/217: What Nora said! :)

Love the Stephanie Plum series for the mindless entertainment factor. I especially enjoy the audio books. Wanna head over to Cluck in a Bucket? :D

>216 Samantha_kathy: Thanks, Samantha. It's definitely a fun one to try.

>217 norabelle414: Aww, thanks, Nora. I used to read mysteries a lot more in my early teens but now I just tend to pick them up when I'm in the mood for them.

>218 curioussquared: Lucky you, Natalie. I'm pretty fond of where I live so I don't think I'd rush to moving to Chicago (plus, being a Canadian, moving across the border is a MASSIVE pain). But all of this raving may convince me to visit there at some point. :)

>219 RosyLibrarian: Thanks, Marie.

>220 dragonaria: Yeah, they're definitely good for the entertainment value. I'll probably be checking out the film at some point. As a fan, are you excited?

Book 4



Q-in-Law - Peter David (re-read)

Picard is pleased when the Enterprise plays host to a Tizarin wedding between the children of two of the rival houses of the race. However, he is somewhat less pleased when Lwaxana Troi is sent as the Ambassador for Betazed. When Q decides to pop in for the festivities as well, Picard and the entire crew are suddenly on edge anticipating the potential havoc the onmipotent being could potentially wreak. Everyone gets even more alarmed when Lwaxana finds herself attracted to Q and the potential for chaos escalates.

When I was 11 I went through a phase where I read every ST:TNG novel I could get my hands on. The show itself had been off the air for several years (let's put it this way, the show started when I was just shy of 1 year old) and I knew it mostly through re-runs but I was very obsessed for a while and Peter David's novels were always my favourites and I bought copies of several of them, including this one. The novel is definitely more light-hearted with the craziness that is Lwaxana and Q and the Romeo & Juliet type romance going on in the background with the Tizarin wedding. My 11 year old self and let's face it, my present self too, also really enjoyed some of the Riker and Troi moments that will make any shippers squee a little bit. Funny and a quick read, this is definitely only for TNG fans but it hits the spot.

Rating: *****

AAAAhaha! I had that one. I read it a couple of times, back in the day. It was a hoot.

Ah, Q, one of my favorites from the Star Trek series. I especially loved him in Star Trek Voyager, what with being a Dad and making Janeway the godmother :D.

>220 dragonaria: I still love a good ST novel, although I always preferred the original series. I'd agree about the Peter Davids though.

>223 Cynara: Yeah. When I was a kid it made me laugh out loud. Now I still smirk through big chunks of it.

>224 Samantha_kathy: Oh I know, I was always excited when it was an episode with Q in any incarnation of Star Trek.

>225 JenMacPen: I never got into TOS (unless you count the films which I've watched a few times). But I'll probably be breaking out a couple more ST novels as I'm watching all of TNG since I bought them on DVD a little before Christmas. :D

I just flipped to p. 96 of Wil Wheaton's Memories of the Future discussion of the 1st season episode "Hide and Q" - the scene where Tasha has just been put into the 'penalty box; and Q is explaining the rules:

"This scene goes on long after the audience has figured out what's happening. However, I've just watched it five times in a row, and I have to admire and praise John de Lancie. The only real nuance in the scene comes from him, with sly and subtle glances, carefully measured non-obvious double entendres, and a certainty and specificity without which the Q character would be a disaster. I can not overstate how lucky we are that John brought Q to life; it was brilliant casting and masterful acting."

>227 Cynara: Ok, now I have to track down the Wil Wheaton book. Thanks for that! ;) I totally agree that John de Lancie was fantastic in that role.

Book 5



Studying Students: The Undergraduate Research Project at the University of Rochester - Nancy Fried Foster and Susann Gibbons (ed.)

Nancy Fried Foster, the lead anthropologist, and a team of librarians from Rochester University describe the two year research project they undertook in 2005 and 2006 to address the question of, What do students really do when they write their research papers? with the views of using their findings to improve services and facilities provided by the library. Chapters outline the variety of smaller projects undertaken to address this question that used a variety of research methods including interviews, surveys, mapping diaries, photo elicitation, and design charettes.

I read this slim volume (a grand total of 83 pages) for work as I'm currently engaged in doing research using some of the same methods to explore use of public library space. The chapters average out at about ten pages with those focused on specific projects splitting the majority of their content evenly between detailing the methods used and then briefly exploring some of the more interesting findings. While not highly detailed for every step undertaken for the different research methods, it does give some practical examples of how the methods work. The findings weren't particularly surprising to me in comparison with the researchers as the project was done in the same year that I was a first year undergraduate student, so many of the student behaviours, while not necessarily ones I had, were very familiar to me.

Rating: ****

Memories of the Future is utterly hilarious. I can't wait for season 2, which Wheaton is working on. I think you can only buy it directly from his site, but I'm glad I did.

>230 Cynara: Thanks for that info. It'll make it easier to hunt down. :)

Have to jump on the Margie's ice cream bandwagon--about 2 years ago, I visited a friend of mine that lives in Chicago and we went to Margie's. I also had no idea it was so famous! It was in or near her neighborhood, so I just assumed that was why we went there. Delicious.

Micky--I just read Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton--loved it. I would never have heard of it, but for you. Hit by a delightful book bullet!

Also have to jump in on the John De Lancie convo--when I was at Kent State, he came to do a 2 day workshop for the senior theatre majors and grad students. I wasn't a senior, but we were allowed to audit it. He attended Kent before he went to Juilliard. He was wonderful, and so generous. I still remember and apply some of the things that I learned from that workshop. However, I have to admit, I NEVER watch Star Trek. I can't stand sci-fi. Don't shoot me.

Sandy K

Well, I've been sitting here nice and quiet for all this time waiting for something interesting to happen but since it doesn't look like it's going to happen by itself I guess I'll have to do all the hard work.

*Starts moving furniture around so he can do naked cartwheels*

Last year, I had the delight of attending the "Star Trek Symphony" (played by our local symphony) where Robert Picardo and John DeLancie hosted the program. My whole family attended and sat in the front row... John DeLancie was incredibly attentive, singling each of us out when he delivered certain jokes so that we felt like we were the only person in the room with him. He had such charisma, connecting with the audience in a way that Picardo couldn't (I think he was more focused on having an opportunity to sing... *facepalm*.... I've seen him live a few times, and Picardo ALWAYS wants to sing...). Q was always my favorite Star Trek character, and it was great to see that the actor himself really seemed to appreciate the fans and continues to love his recognition in the role.

#234: (hides behind furniture and covers eyes)

Yeah, I've been too quiet too. Click the link, Micky. >:) (More hee-hee's @ http://www.stevenhumour.com/category/pictures/ . Awesome site! :)

>232 richardderus: Aw poor, moose. But those accents were Newfies so that's definitely not Mo. Might be one of his cousins though. ;)

>233 sandykaypax: Oh, I'm so glad you liked it, Sandy. Kate Beaton's work is really excellent so I'm glad she's found another fan. And don't worry, I won't throw rotten tomatoes at you for not liking Star Trek. It's not for everyone. However, it is very cool that you got to hear John de Lancie speak.

>234 Ape: Stephen! Put your clothes back on! Then you can go back to auditioning for the circus. ;)

>235 dk_phoenix: That would be very cool, Faith. I think he has a very healthy respect for that character. Especially seeing as he co-wrote a novel about him (which was pretty decent as I remember).

>236 saraslibrary: Hahahahahaha! That made me laugh so much. Thanks, Sara!

Woah. :o I made Micky laugh with my offensive banana picture. Right on! The perversion is spreading like my rash.

Book 6



The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Hazel was diagnosed with terminal cancer when she was 13 and been trying desperately to be more than just the girl with cancer for the past three years. When she meets Augustus Waters, who after losing his leg to osteosarcoma is now cancer-free, at Support Group, he is the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. As Hazel and Augustus form a bond, they face the challenges that come with knowing your own death is imminent and deal with the utterly unfair fate that has been given to them.

This is not a cancer book. Oh sure, all of the main characters must deal with cancer in some way, but the novel is so much more than that. It is funny, sweet, romantic, and at times, achingly sad. Green deftly weaves through themes of life and death, as would be expected with the subject matter, but he also explores the idea of authorship and the importance that books hold for each individual reader. There are also so many passages in this book where he phrases an idea that just blows me away. Funny and real, this book doesn't pull punches and leaves an impact that emphasizes how every relationship can shape us, no matter what phase of our life we're in.

Rating: *****

>236 saraslibrary: :O

Yes! I offended Richard. My work here is done. :)

>239 saraslibrary: It's adorable and funny, not offensive or perverse. Silly Sara.

Oh, it's perverse. You just know that other banana is unpeeled from the waist down!

Btw, nice read! :) I've never read anything by John Green (I know, I know, you smack me around later), but I surprised how highly-rated his books are on LT.

240: Wish listed, though I think I'll need to be in the right mood to read it. Nice review!

>244 saraslibrary: You just like to picture naked bananas. That's your imaginations fault. ;) As for John Green, you should really try his stuff. Reading them in order is good (none of his books are bad) but my personal favourites are the one I just finished (SO GOOD!!!) and An Abundance of Katherines.

>245 RosyLibrarian: It's really good, Marie. Although it should come with a do not read in public warning, partly because you are likely to laugh out loud and partly because, in my case anyway, there's some crying.

#246: You just like to picture naked bananas. -- Well, yeah! Who doesn't? :P And actually, isn't it Stephen's fault. No wait, I think it's my turn to be faulted. :(

246: Thanks for the heads up. I've been known to cue the waterworks over a good book. (Or more honestly, lots of mediocre books too.)

It's okay Sara, I'll take the blame this time. I'm sorry for making everyone think of naked bananas... ^_^

>247 saraslibrary: Well, I believe the rules dictate that you are responsible for any perviness on my thread with the option of blaming Stephen. So, take your pick.

>248 RosyLibrarian: It's actually pretty rare for me to cry over a book (or a film) so this book belongs to a pretty exclusive club that includes The Book Thief.

>249 Ape: *rolls eyes at Stephen*

Nice review of The Fault in Our Stars.

Thanks, Mere.