Plenty of good reading on Blog Street this week. A few pieces that stuck with me:
--Jane Goodall goes to Beijing and speaks about the environment with an almost "pathological optimism". Clearly something the world needs more of.
--For the legions out there planning to participate in Nanowrimo, Patricia Highsmith's words might give you some inspiration when you're hunched over the computer trying to eke out the last words of the day.
--Jane Austen knows a thing or two about getting a novel written, too. (Note to self: it doesn't involve surfing the internet all day.)
--And for those who don't want to write a novel but don't want to be excluded from November's creative frenzy, there's the blogger version: NaBloPoMo.
--The artistically inclined--or even those like me who can't draw for beans but hope to resurrect the joy they felt when they got out the crayons and drew a house with an apple tree in the front yard, can sign on for ArtEveryDayMonth.
--And speaking of disciplined activity, Anna David writes about "exercise addiction" and has me pulling out the yoga mat to do a few crunches at one a.m.
But the Blog Discovery of the Week Award goes to Meg Fowler, writing at a Website of the same name. Not exactly sure how I found her, but I'm sure glad I did.
Now what about you? What did you read this week that excited, inspired, stimulated, made you laugh or think or cry or get up and do a little twirly dance all alone in your room? Leave a link in the comment section and I'll post it over the weekend!
Friday, October 27, 2006
NEWS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
18 comments:
Meg's blog is inviting and conversational, much like your own. Thanks for the link!
My favorite read of the week may be over at On the Slow Train. (I see from the comments that you were over there, too!) I find a consistent and inexplicable quietness in Steve's writing.
I've had so little time for reading this week that I really haven't been able to dive into anything truly meaningful. However, I did (while folding tons of laundry) have the opportunity to watch two incredibly powerful movies: "Hotel Rwanda" and "Cry Freedom." After watching both, I was hit by several strong emotions: horror that events like this can still happen; sadness at looking at how millions of families have suffered such tragic losses in so many countries around the world through violence like this; outrage that one human can treat another in such a grotesque way; and embarassment that our nation -- and many, many others -- spent more time debating whether events met the "formula" for genocide rather than trying to do something to stop it.
Not having read, however, these films have gotten me to completely change my track of reading for the next several days -- and it's a daunting (but incredibly interesting) stack: "Rabble-Rouser for Peace," "Biko," and "No Future Without Forgiveness" are first up!
(Sorry for the long, rambling, and completely off-target answer:-)
- Matt
peter: Steve's blog is one of my favorite destinations, too. He doesn't post often, but when he does, I always know it will be well worth my time.
matt: Not having time to read--and why you didn't--is very much on topic. Especially here where "topic" is always broadly defined. Since I just finished HALF OF A YELLOW SUN, a novel that deals with the Biafran tragedy, you tuned into something that was very much on my mind. If you happen to see it around, I think you would like it.
Patry, I can't believe how the blog time flies. You have like 4 new entries since I was last here. I'll come back later to read through. Thanks for the link to Meg's blog. I liked that!
Those are great links. Love the Goodall one. It's a hoot. ;)
Great links, thanks! I loved this article about the Scrabble new world record-- don't that I exactly twirled about it, but it did give me a kick!
http://www.slate.com/id/2152255
~bluepoppy
Oh and wait-- this too was a cool thing to look forward to:
http://www.panslabyrinth.com
~bluepoppy
I haven't been reading. I stopped listening to the news and reading blogs for a few days. I started listening to music again, the kind that makes my heart soar or brings me to my feet to dance joyously. The world feels a bit much to me lately, so a little respite has been in order. Thanks for the links, I may be ready to explore. I am glad to be reminded of Steve's writing. I'm heading over there now.
I'll drink to pathological optimism.
colleen: Now we not only have blog world and the blogosphere, we have blog time. And yes, it sure does pass quickly!
blue poppy: Thanks for the links. I'm off to check them out right now!
robert: Me, too. It sure beats pathological pessimism--which seems to be driving people into the bars for an entirely different reason!
robin: Sometimes a little fast is in order. The news overwhelms me, too.
pearl: Glad you enjoyed the Goodall story. She is a treasure.
I checked out all the links you posted, thanks for them.
I'm making progress in Half of a Yellow Sun, I ususally read voraciously and fast, but not so lately.
Been going out to shoot pictures almost every morning,then hunching over the computer teaching myself Photoshop. Gotta keep that brain working.
i like your walks, get to enjoy some real nice finds.
thanks!
Great post. Haven't been out in the blogosphere much, but have finally been catching up on my reading - Julie Orringer's collection, How to Breathe Underwater is everything you've heard it was.
Jake writes -- or used to write -- very funny reviews of products on Amazon.com. He had to start putting them on his own site because Amazon figured out that he was a wise guy, and they removed all his reviews from its site. The review of the Care Bears book as a classic coming of age novel was what made me laugh out loud:
http://www.buycurious.blogspot.com/
gerry: I finished the novel and am thinking hard about next month's choice.
gulnaz: Walking is good exercise--even in the blogosphere!
carmen: Quite a unique concept.
Guess what I'm going to do? A HA HA HA HA -- I'm going to recommend a book! C'mon! It's meant to be helpful. It's for your art-a-day thingie.
Artist's Manual by Angela Gair
It's a wonderful thing. It vibrates in your hand the way some books -- magic books -- do. It makes you want to do stuff.
I get goosebumps just looking at its spine on my shelf. And then I get busy.
sara: You convinced me. I ordered it this afternoon!
Post a Comment