tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12124441879700800612024-03-17T20:03:01.662-07:00The Traveling MandolinThe patchwork adventures of life with LisaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-61926658588178079582024-03-15T05:53:00.000-07:002024-03-15T05:53:59.109-07:00What I've Been Reading: February/March 2024<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheipWOzf9ny7kDUzl1wLFWclEb4Ek09jtlVrbiFfvONPpe4swgEaz4XOWDNPfk9t7LE6y6ymexXyofajBFxKYVxyupXD4PzlvjJPUbNQHdGAO5uh-xdYU1IwDr6YEXRo_Nrln0ZmWnzmtAI6y6CCuFonmp5Cj54av2mJDqo9uGy7SOdT1UKOdRGO4bsf14/s4032/20240308_091422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheipWOzf9ny7kDUzl1wLFWclEb4Ek09jtlVrbiFfvONPpe4swgEaz4XOWDNPfk9t7LE6y6ymexXyofajBFxKYVxyupXD4PzlvjJPUbNQHdGAO5uh-xdYU1IwDr6YEXRo_Nrln0ZmWnzmtAI6y6CCuFonmp5Cj54av2mJDqo9uGy7SOdT1UKOdRGO4bsf14/w480-h640/20240308_091422.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about faith, teenagers, and animals<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith</i></b> by Sarah Bessey</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm a subscriber to Sarah Bessey's Field Notes newsletter, so I was very excited to read this book. Each chapter is formatted as a letter, written to a different identity involved with questioning faith. It's warm, down-to-earth, and full of good practical advice, an invitation to take a deep breath and not rush to fill in all the old rigid habits with new beliefs, to rest in mystery and questioning, to slow down and give yourself grace. People who have left religion entirely might not connect with the emphasis she still places on the Bible, but for those of us who have stuck around Christianity, it still resonates.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLapqcfectNtJS5TPQPzP7JFpkkaZxi2C7YnEmwQpC-t8yTciEXpvFM41pa_aya9u7IOJ61uRb4WuiQj8Ld2DHcg_8vnRXEsOEtGWN87sD7dYBwT44cbPNj-lF202unIa7zJ-f9pU5LLssB7FufcSynHmxuTdUaqrWYhQ8-zBEXCQ2Bi-HBCl6CnoEomd7/s4032/20240308_091450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLapqcfectNtJS5TPQPzP7JFpkkaZxi2C7YnEmwQpC-t8yTciEXpvFM41pa_aya9u7IOJ61uRb4WuiQj8Ld2DHcg_8vnRXEsOEtGWN87sD7dYBwT44cbPNj-lF202unIa7zJ-f9pU5LLssB7FufcSynHmxuTdUaqrWYhQ8-zBEXCQ2Bi-HBCl6CnoEomd7/w480-h640/20240308_091450.jpg" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />Phoebe's Diary: An Almost True Teenage Journal</i> </b>by Phoebe Wahl</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I love Wahl's art and storytelling (her picture book The Blue House was one of my <a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2020/11/what-ive-been-reading-five-favorite.html"><span class="s1">Top Five Books of 2020</span></a>), and I was surprised to learn that she'd published a young adult book/graphic novel! This is a somewhat fictitious account of her sophomore year of high school, as a hybrid homeschooler/public schooler in theater and art classes in her hometown of Bellingham, Washington (the site of my first-ever solo trip, so of course I was excited about the setting!). It has <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i> vibes, taking us through her first experiences with public school and theater, boyfriends and sex, drugs and alcohol, art teachers who pushed her and friends who helped her find belonging. It's beautifully written and illustrated, and even though my teenaged self identified a lot more with the side character who couldn't figure out why everyone else was so obsessed with sex and drugs, the intensity of the emotions and the rollercoaster of thoughts and feelings came across in a gorgeous, bittersweet way. The story doesn't really have a resolution at the end, creating an interesting feel of just being able to glimpse a single slice of someone's life. I really enjoyed it.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdXezONC29WrGYEE3EpZHqJJkKFpSqDlTKURIwVcti4cb6K-o9RFYeKAcAanJZJY4EgyBfBXM5m211vDJ6oqfUBlZAgEqBhW3KbLkCYQvhDN0os0LBiEkCCIiXrjVYGpdMFgfDNLdQHWKPrcKQxkQFLZEYxhbq5YAdIz7cPO8JVntbQ07HLe40H0WQWtF/s362/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-15%20at%207.49.34%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="359" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdXezONC29WrGYEE3EpZHqJJkKFpSqDlTKURIwVcti4cb6K-o9RFYeKAcAanJZJY4EgyBfBXM5m211vDJ6oqfUBlZAgEqBhW3KbLkCYQvhDN0os0LBiEkCCIiXrjVYGpdMFgfDNLdQHWKPrcKQxkQFLZEYxhbq5YAdIz7cPO8JVntbQ07HLe40H0WQWtF/w634-h640/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-15%20at%207.49.34%20AM.png" width="634" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals</i></b> by Joel Sartore</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Joel Sartore is a photographer who decided to try to photograph every species of animal in captivity, studio-portrait style. This book is an absolutely gorgeous curation of some of his favorite shots, documenting everything from naked mole rats (photographed at the St. Louis Zoo!) to Asian elephants, various kinds of beetles to Arctic foxes. The photos are stunning, creating a connection to the animals that we don't often get, and the way the portraits are juxtaposed against each other is very artistic, showing associations that are very moving. (One that sticks out in my mind is a spider monkey reaching their arm down on the right page, almost touching the picture of the snake-necked turtle on the other page, evoking the pose of God Creating Adam by Michelangelo.) Highly, highly recommended!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January/February 2024<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1212444187970080061/5762268354334212270#"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">December 2023/January 2024<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-16708867034668379662024-03-03T13:45:00.000-08:002024-03-03T13:45:25.852-08:00Why I Still Wear a Head Covering to Church<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzvWqvDBENO0JklISw8t1HtbKlX7VUH1iUXi6B9DfuG9w5qWgJdQn9z31zrlTqvnJ5GJllod83sbDUGg_KeIzHTPcR1-KLMBwAXU-g7dOXDTXGaeueom5AUL7lWuWeHl6BBNElJrHSlF1BrA8HWZTUKs4z0zsSYATEPhagmqE7OJJwY2eymITQvGGjVuO/s2272/MoreOfBellinghamBay.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="2272" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzvWqvDBENO0JklISw8t1HtbKlX7VUH1iUXi6B9DfuG9w5qWgJdQn9z31zrlTqvnJ5GJllod83sbDUGg_KeIzHTPcR1-KLMBwAXU-g7dOXDTXGaeueom5AUL7lWuWeHl6BBNElJrHSlF1BrA8HWZTUKs4z0zsSYATEPhagmqE7OJJwY2eymITQvGGjVuO/w640-h480/MoreOfBellinghamBay.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at 20</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <i>Adventures in complementarianism</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">(TW for homophobia)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>3 </i></b><i>But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. </i><b><i>4 </i></b><i>Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. </i><b><i>5 </i></b><i>But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. </i><b><i>6 </i></b><i>For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>7 </i></b><i>A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. </i><b><i>8 </i></b><i>For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; </i><b><i>9 </i></b><i>neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. </i><b><i>10 </i></b><i>It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. </i><b><i>…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~1 Corinthians 11: 3-10 (This is just part of the section. He goes on for several verses more.)</span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I started wearing a head covering to church when I was a teenager, mostly because I was trying to make my faith my own. I had reached a point where I realized that my faith had to be separate from my parents', that it was time for me to take all I had learned growing up and sift it for myself, deciding what I believed and what I didn't.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This was the first of many steps that led me deeper and deeper into extremely conservative theology.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Really, I was just following the principles I had grown up with: We should take the Bible literally. The Bible is holistic and consistent, presenting a never-changing God, and giving instructions that are both clear and important to follow. There were some things held in mystery, such as the relationship between free will and predestination, but other things, like "being gay is bad," were obviously crystal-clear.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So when I read an author suggesting that women should wear head coverings because the section in the Bible about it was stated pretty clearly, it seemed reasonable to me. After all, it wasn't a big deal to wear a head covering. So I grabbed one of my bandanas and began wearing it to church.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Over the next few years, I began to dive into theology more. I read my ESV Study Bible from cover to cover, absorbing the commentators' views of how the scripture should be interpreted. The more I read, the more I was convinced I was right about this particular issue. After all, seemingly-foundational taboos of the evangelical world, such as women being pastors or people being lesbians, were based on one or two isolated verses, which Paul's admonishment for women to cover their heads was a whole three-paragraph extended theological argument based on concepts of honor and dishonor, creation order, natural reason, authority structures, and even the confusing phrase "because of the angels".</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I, for one, felt a mixture of smugness and concern. Smug, because I was being literally holier than thou, and concern, because if this was so important as to take up almost as much space as all the verses about homosexuality in the Bible combined, shouldn't we be obeying it rather than questioning it? Shouldn't this be one of those things that we just accepted as Biblical truth?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">When Zach and I got married, we were both really fascinated by complementarianism (or "soft patriarchy"): the idea of authority and submission, overlaid on everything from marriage to theological exegesis. I wore my head covering with pride, the way I wore my wedding ring, feeling a happy sense of belonging to someone (my "spiritual head," as I called Zach at the time). I felt that all was right in the world. I knew my place in the hierarchy, and like most happy complementarian couples, we were happy because Zach is the chillest guy on the planet. Everything seemed right.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A couple years after that, I got my hands on a copy of a book I was very excited to read, <i>Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood</i>, edited by Wayne Grudem and John Piper, and even though I felt a twinge of unease that only two articles in the 23-chapter book were written by a woman (despite the male scholars insisting that women could be Bible scholars too), I eagerly flipped over the article about head coverings.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The article, as I recall, was very thoroughly written. Wearing head coverings wasn't meant to be literal, the scholar insisted. There were Greek word studies. There were long treatises about the cultural climate of the time, what head coverings meant in that context, reasons that Paul might've brought up the creation story, ways to read the passage to interpret hair as being the covering, rather than requiring a covering… to me it seemed that the scholar was tying himself in knots trying to justify ignoring a command that, in the "plain reading" of Scripture, seemed incredibly straightforward.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I wasn't really able to articulate this at the time, but something inside me began to form cracks.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Why were scholars bending over backward to dismiss this part of the Bible, but insisted on a "plain reading" of passages that seemed to forbid, say, women from teaching?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What if all of this theology was not as unbiased as it claimed?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What if… and this was a big what if… we applied the same cultural context and deep wrestling— and, let's face it, a desire for a certain outcome— to all the ways that we wrestled with Scripture?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For a while, I doubled down. I grew more and more conservative. After all, if we interpreted some parts of scripture in a certain way, such as pulling disparate verses together to make theological arguments, why shouldn't we do that elsewhere? If Paul admonished women to cover their heads while praying, and elsewhere told all Christians to "pray without ceasing," didn't it logically follow that women should wear head coverings all the time? And while I was at it, why was I cool with Zach having long hair when it was very clear in this passage that long hair on men was an abomination? Was I conformed to the desires of the world, caring more about the approval of men rather than the approval of God? How was I supposed to take the scriptures literally when it seemed I could make them say <i>literally anything?</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The beliefs and conflicts and worries piled up on each other, holding tenuously together— until they didn't.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's been quite a journey from there.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ten years later, I find myself attending a church that I would've considered heretical for most of my life. It affirms and blesses LGBTQ+ people, in the congregation and in ministry; it has several women on staff and as of July, our main pastor will be a woman; it allows questions I never would've even thought to ask to be discussed openly; it allows for interpretations of Scripture to include even my own doubts and concerns.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And still I wear my head covering.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I have two hats I cycle through: a gray sort of beret thing, and a tan cap with patches and buttons on it. The people at choir tease me about it, and when I don't wear it, they jokingly ask, "Where's your hat?!"</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The practical answer is that I prefer to wear a hat because it hides my helmet-hair from biking.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But there's a spiritual reason, too. Multiple reasons, depending on the day. Sometimes I wear it in honor of the interpretation of those verses that I favor now: head coverings as a symbol of authority for women to preach and prophesy. But most days, I wear it to remind myself of where I've come from. I remind myself of the earnest teenager donning a Walmart bandana in hopes of drawing a little closer to God. I remind myself that I'm on a journey, and that none of my beliefs should be grasped too tightly, lest I find myself confining God to a box.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe someday I'll give up covering my head when I worship. Who knows— I've given up much more than this. But in the meantime, my head covering stays.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Y'know, because of the angels.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6HjPslBY1AHes-T1fmWADuBDKOV8UAcZepw297kwp1DHWaOn55Qb9-8KxBKT2_orf8aY5xhqAzmcMfvhtrNhxBs5K-s-2rjhtwL8x1Fb7m2wc0uDkyFNdr3juqNu1i08Hziw-l3Wx7ri-IAnwoM5VCXiyTH1ZeqN7v3GNfXy_niTL6jtOFueKNC_WngN/s2576/IMG_4475.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1932" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6HjPslBY1AHes-T1fmWADuBDKOV8UAcZepw297kwp1DHWaOn55Qb9-8KxBKT2_orf8aY5xhqAzmcMfvhtrNhxBs5K-s-2rjhtwL8x1Fb7m2wc0uDkyFNdr3juqNu1i08Hziw-l3Wx7ri-IAnwoM5VCXiyTH1ZeqN7v3GNfXy_niTL6jtOFueKNC_WngN/w480-h640/IMG_4475.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at 34</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-57622683543342122702024-02-25T18:16:00.000-08:002024-02-25T18:16:00.134-08:00What I've Been Reading: January-February 2024<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGN0lrSQ01NWAkypxouOC8vdhrXIlV1GWp8XJSuqypWcS1-jlvdY8VKAEDLgb0xdy0kCUEK7Kp6UmaxEuEfhXFmC55ru4pW6sQHX6V_Ero4G5od0sIU5Hp-T_o7d-sffElTOtny4sJhgizLAfPUET2oftu9cN1mOmCMsA8LBJ6Ue2J3rEywOUGn1eDZOPd/s4032/IMG_5257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGN0lrSQ01NWAkypxouOC8vdhrXIlV1GWp8XJSuqypWcS1-jlvdY8VKAEDLgb0xdy0kCUEK7Kp6UmaxEuEfhXFmC55ru4pW6sQHX6V_Ero4G5od0sIU5Hp-T_o7d-sffElTOtny4sJhgizLAfPUET2oftu9cN1mOmCMsA8LBJ6Ue2J3rEywOUGn1eDZOPd/w480-h640/IMG_5257.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about science, the climate crisis, and struggle<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions </i></b>by Randall Munroe</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is a delightful sequel to the original <i>What If?</i> book, which works out scientific answers to questions such as, "What would happen if it started raining gumdrops?", "How much mass would I have to remove from the earth to get my weight to drop 20 pounds?", or "If I held onto a helicopter blade while it was taking off, what would happen?" It's a really fun way to learn different scientific concepts, illustrated with stick figures and a dry sense of humor. Highly recommended.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6a3XSdx8qR91c5yOqt745u_GMJqbdnI3vvRofiye-FUHbLnuKH2R2c43xcR54E7S3oRmkrNJysLhclr_dhc-mnw9wRqAkZTXOMzGr9rYW2QdemrDmkH5CH9zANU58HZroQ-oPoNqCfylqqHccPFGohoC4kDOMqQORWNMrd9mnMpoOeOFr7RfQQkjhrKi0/s4032/IMG_5302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6a3XSdx8qR91c5yOqt745u_GMJqbdnI3vvRofiye-FUHbLnuKH2R2c43xcR54E7S3oRmkrNJysLhclr_dhc-mnw9wRqAkZTXOMzGr9rYW2QdemrDmkH5CH9zANU58HZroQ-oPoNqCfylqqHccPFGohoC4kDOMqQORWNMrd9mnMpoOeOFr7RfQQkjhrKi0/w480-h640/IMG_5302.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis</i></b> edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This was one of my <a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2020/11/what-ive-been-reading-five-favorite.html"><span class="s1">Top Five Books of 2020</span></a>, so I revisited it recently. This anthology of climate-change-related essays, poetry, and quotes is really interesting to revisit four years after its publication, seeing how far we've come in some ways (the Inflation Reduction Act had more meaningful climate action than many, many years put together) and how far we have to go in others. Even if you don't agree with all the perspectives (and even when the perspectives contradict each other), if you read the book you will come out with a richer and broader understanding of how the climate crisis intersects with every aspect of our lives. My favorite essay is Mary Anaïse Heglar's, "Home Is Always Worth It" (<a href="https://medium.com/@maryheglar/home-is-always-worth-it-d2821634dcd9"><span class="s1">you can read an excerpt here</span></a>), which reminds us that despair is a privilege we can't afford. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvmHteA7nftAmlSTWMTUrCAGB8rf9L9_qtZENyUN9dqmYAGpgyQgH43wmTf-USnYtcjeU2JpJQyND1mQlKb0jx3XlbeFxcpapnVOPl7Yo4H2YlKKPNQbgI_eRaZ6uhAhnvwuMfpIwh7xAM9f0yPjvrE-avMtkkidrGczqyCCZIkhmSX5jZIb8lwaGnttn/s4032/IMG_5303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvmHteA7nftAmlSTWMTUrCAGB8rf9L9_qtZENyUN9dqmYAGpgyQgH43wmTf-USnYtcjeU2JpJQyND1mQlKb0jx3XlbeFxcpapnVOPl7Yo4H2YlKKPNQbgI_eRaZ6uhAhnvwuMfpIwh7xAM9f0yPjvrE-avMtkkidrGczqyCCZIkhmSX5jZIb8lwaGnttn/w480-h640/IMG_5303.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />The Struggle Is Real: Getting Better at Life, Stronger in Faith, and Free from the Stuff Keeping You Stuck</i></b> by Nicole Unice</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I read through this book with my Sunday school class, and it was pretty mediocre. The author had some good concepts (and kind of hit her stride in the last two chapters), but the writing overall was so vague at the end of each chapter, I couldn't remember what point she was trying to make. There are so many other books that tackle similar concepts in better ways, so I'd suggest giving this one a pass.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-ive-been-reading-december-2023.html">December 2023/December 2024</a></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s3" style="color: #0000e9;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-54473290463001709872024-02-19T07:36:00.000-08:002024-02-19T07:36:00.146-08:00What I've Been Reading: December 2023-January 2024<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbibJfzEX0is09_SNeKDl-1T3Bi46iZedX-LDRxR3TMha-8F24OEV7Rco6eg76-c4hpVmapf2ZU6ICR0nLsWTxtLkmmwyET3DiYBvgrewQTm73pazQf8dMRXtjRRgmYAyi4mp-NDxwa0YWwoPV1KOnRfRC3X8R2skpRFXV-INCHNCnZck2uutlrLJM2X5J/s4032/IMG_4980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbibJfzEX0is09_SNeKDl-1T3Bi46iZedX-LDRxR3TMha-8F24OEV7Rco6eg76-c4hpVmapf2ZU6ICR0nLsWTxtLkmmwyET3DiYBvgrewQTm73pazQf8dMRXtjRRgmYAyi4mp-NDxwa0YWwoPV1KOnRfRC3X8R2skpRFXV-INCHNCnZck2uutlrLJM2X5J/w480-h640/IMG_4980.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about time, bittersweetness, and Jesus<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock</i></b> by Jenny Odell<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I love Odell's writing more than I can say (her book <i>How to Do Nothing</i> was one of my top six books I read in 2021): she writes with earnestness and creativity, making me think about each subject in a new and often startling way. In this wonderful book, she offers her insights into a variety of topics related to time— busyness, concepts of productivity, "slow living" as something to be consumed instead of experienced, the inherent classism of most conversations about leisure, the way that modern capitalism has shaped our sense of what time even is, and so on. The book is mostly analysis, but is threaded through with a narrative of her taking the reader ("you") on a trip from her home in Oakland to a series of locations, described in exquisite detail, emphasizing the themes of each particular chapter. Highly, highly recommended.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5-MLPNRaOLDQrllEt9a7K1uSNeFYehAWfuuO4kmv7w2R28cyXma_inee7FyklGxJ_WQhNZfKqZBOGd5nirCV_7L1broR7bt-Z6IDSJsq-1N-st3qyPWPf17mKYTIGMVvACwy6s2m4es061Dto6Aci8sorhngc9pOhhAj2suuehfhOgYmT8P5Rk5ejTnn/s4032/IMG_4906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5-MLPNRaOLDQrllEt9a7K1uSNeFYehAWfuuO4kmv7w2R28cyXma_inee7FyklGxJ_WQhNZfKqZBOGd5nirCV_7L1broR7bt-Z6IDSJsq-1N-st3qyPWPf17mKYTIGMVvACwy6s2m4es061Dto6Aci8sorhngc9pOhhAj2suuehfhOgYmT8P5Rk5ejTnn/w480-h640/IMG_4906.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole</i></b> by Susan Cain</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This book was recommended by my cousin (thanks, Alison!), and it came at a good time, as I faced the end of 2023 and grappled with my self-conception and the lasting trauma of some personal things that happened this year. Cain's writing is clear and straightforward, drawing upon science and philosophy, religion and memoir, to explore the idea of the particular combination of sadness and longing for a better world that can help us seek connection, find meaning, heal intergenerational trauma, and generally make sense of our experience here on earth. I especially appreciated her encouragement to turn our pain into art, and to not shy away from the inevitable bittersweetness of life. It inspired me to try to open my heart a bit more to my childhood self who listened to sad music just so I could cry— to be bittersweet in a harsh world is a skill that must be cultivated. Lots of great food for thought here.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcEKOs7ddy5IBON5l0kBayDyAggExRxRJqWfbSHzbMcRnx2KYUHV99XkhlnSFoxExFKRkt10UwjaRdJFLlHECl6bU-yTRUw7M_A7uWh5u9EhSqIPnOGLmDtzeqCk2Ue0jBssUqN_KAYtvbpF0UEfCIf5Omn4d84mYkqyNf-x_QGJdBj-2HTqFrfd3ZUbJ/s4032/IMG_4907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcEKOs7ddy5IBON5l0kBayDyAggExRxRJqWfbSHzbMcRnx2KYUHV99XkhlnSFoxExFKRkt10UwjaRdJFLlHECl6bU-yTRUw7M_A7uWh5u9EhSqIPnOGLmDtzeqCk2Ue0jBssUqN_KAYtvbpF0UEfCIf5Omn4d84mYkqyNf-x_QGJdBj-2HTqFrfd3ZUbJ/w480-h640/IMG_4907.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven</i> </b>by Amy-Jill Levine</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My Sunday school went through this book, and it was really good! Levine is a Jewish scholar and brings a distinctly Jewish sensibility to Jesus' most famous sermon. In between calling out anti-Semitic interpretations of the text, Levine gives a scholar's perspective on how Jesus' teaching, in contrast to the common Christian narrative that he was "breaking all the rules," follows the normal interpretive rabbinic practices of the time, as well as discussing how we might grapple with these concepts in our modern lives and communities. Whether you agree with her interpretations or not, this book is well worth the read for any Christian wanting to go over some of Jesus' most famous words with fresh eyes.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-ive-been-reading-novemberdecember.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">November/December</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-ive-been-reading-october-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">October</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-ive-been-reading-augustseptember.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">August/September</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1212444187970080061/2555647050878115729#"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">July</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-late-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late June</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023</span></a></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-43632329734202015942024-02-18T07:16:00.000-08:002024-02-18T07:16:00.128-08:00A Year of Moss: Weeks 5-7<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC5_Bl-WTmy6ZVVseQMe9Vnoe2JjXo2tjqATpWZ7-slT4GBFJO5UBu2TqaRMEr75HSQhc0w-k47T9XIQX3wyI8kDgi_15-pK321ug1-qEHzNyNSQZj4cSPL97aocmQGMXqJGFefxOLrv14aVYTj16Gln1fihwp0Rt0GHh0i35P54XxaRup73Xmyef-Bp1/s4032/IMG_5083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC5_Bl-WTmy6ZVVseQMe9Vnoe2JjXo2tjqATpWZ7-slT4GBFJO5UBu2TqaRMEr75HSQhc0w-k47T9XIQX3wyI8kDgi_15-pK321ug1-qEHzNyNSQZj4cSPL97aocmQGMXqJGFefxOLrv14aVYTj16Gln1fihwp0Rt0GHh0i35P54XxaRup73Xmyef-Bp1/w480-h640/IMG_5083.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> A Year of Moss, Week 5:</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I spent the past two weeks in the Pacific Northwest, where there is ALL THE MOSS. Look at how pretty it is! It often grows up to an inch thick, covering entire trees, sprouting ferns. This is due to a milder climate and nine months of fairly steady rain/mist.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijx-S8skcyqotkl7_2l3qt5M4WcDAwOkrGGoh5ApvBtzsBttG8TgT1npQAWqzCMFYVXq3_8jXx8gNCxuBrqKMMaZeMoTURDGe_rs9fyR4aux47FmsE3VxSEwa02LNnLeonebQEuMuPihUrb8O07Tn-hf5CIi1SVPd1PS3DV1LRkzMoHPegSXBj-PtqJccx/s4032/IMG_5029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijx-S8skcyqotkl7_2l3qt5M4WcDAwOkrGGoh5ApvBtzsBttG8TgT1npQAWqzCMFYVXq3_8jXx8gNCxuBrqKMMaZeMoTURDGe_rs9fyR4aux47FmsE3VxSEwa02LNnLeonebQEuMuPihUrb8O07Tn-hf5CIi1SVPd1PS3DV1LRkzMoHPegSXBj-PtqJccx/w480-h640/IMG_5029.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DRHQ7kKtIxYqtCsRo6x8toKfQnS79Z7XghiX17GAhyd3ynrEiM-vui2J70YTnVm2wq6dpjm5xTMfScExzADHXOTuhtFjFA3s-ILCXa0AUJgN9CgaE66qR9y6hjkXL5EY2Vvkc-0uZTWWl-L_r_ALpJmlFlLp6m1fjzbuHuAHBJbF3i5TNEIz64koj2ln/s4032/IMG_5046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DRHQ7kKtIxYqtCsRo6x8toKfQnS79Z7XghiX17GAhyd3ynrEiM-vui2J70YTnVm2wq6dpjm5xTMfScExzADHXOTuhtFjFA3s-ILCXa0AUJgN9CgaE66qR9y6hjkXL5EY2Vvkc-0uZTWWl-L_r_ALpJmlFlLp6m1fjzbuHuAHBJbF3i5TNEIz64koj2ln/w480-h640/IMG_5046.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>A Year of Moss, Week 6:</p></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here are your Moss Facts for the week:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">-Mosses get their water and nutrients directly from the air, from moisture, rain, and dust (as opposed to most other plants, that draw up most of their water and nutrients from the roots).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">-They have "rhizoids" instead of roots, which are filaments that attach them to surfaces, but do not convey any nutrients.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">-Moss leaves are usually only one cell thick, which makes it easier for them to absorb water and nutrients.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-ASY7ld-2UPHjZGXPqPCrBbkA4JkxTnVhFZ_V-cNmL1pjfvQSVRgC-TfckLd6CwjMj7F9t06ICgmJXLEOZIWb_iUixrfQqkUfyL4GwkuqpNKAqiU9EzLQaRQq2LXbQtFLDkymgYcNb81y9F-BXxFKZBWnGQzUvYkBTjEp7WLL3PSStHMRn1we1fkGdBy/s4032/IMG_5072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-ASY7ld-2UPHjZGXPqPCrBbkA4JkxTnVhFZ_V-cNmL1pjfvQSVRgC-TfckLd6CwjMj7F9t06ICgmJXLEOZIWb_iUixrfQqkUfyL4GwkuqpNKAqiU9EzLQaRQq2LXbQtFLDkymgYcNb81y9F-BXxFKZBWnGQzUvYkBTjEp7WLL3PSStHMRn1we1fkGdBy/w480-h640/IMG_5072.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho__PZn0bZnrczBF46xHjnRmtiC0OIBHZGwsd2Ia7wHbGDDufOdtjnFUdfxVTKTkK-WWyR0x27zc1y4pOOo8D-mD8fEz4QLFbOkpmYVMQ4CWXB-OWILe7hP9Yzy4y1deb2ca5e1cthSoz7b0cCzr3eSIJq8yZVKPdeBAsHdbw1wC8eYFcN99rk6O6gq-Lj/s4032/IMG_5075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho__PZn0bZnrczBF46xHjnRmtiC0OIBHZGwsd2Ia7wHbGDDufOdtjnFUdfxVTKTkK-WWyR0x27zc1y4pOOo8D-mD8fEz4QLFbOkpmYVMQ4CWXB-OWILe7hP9Yzy4y1deb2ca5e1cthSoz7b0cCzr3eSIJq8yZVKPdeBAsHdbw1wC8eYFcN99rk6O6gq-Lj/w480-h640/IMG_5075.JPG" width="480" /></a></div></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Year of Moss, Week 7:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Some moss behaves similarly to sea anemones, retracting their leaves when they dry out and "blooming" out green when it rains. I've been tracking a little piece of moss on a stone wall near my house, and the different between dry and wet is pretty stunning!</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mve0dPZiQBAYXRvXP-anJDy3LOj_FA2YfkysAEUa4I-ygSh6FPeqebJWudXSMPdFXJuci_9TRloLJDT1JnsDZ5_AB7Ji5bUvrCDpUcZ6pcS8tH6FqPtlO-BNtYN3CdP1r2d1hf135VpLOo9Q68w9r1Fecc9_-SalrSAoFJfEuVZBoc3ut33lmKA0Bwog/s4032/IMG_4952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Mve0dPZiQBAYXRvXP-anJDy3LOj_FA2YfkysAEUa4I-ygSh6FPeqebJWudXSMPdFXJuci_9TRloLJDT1JnsDZ5_AB7Ji5bUvrCDpUcZ6pcS8tH6FqPtlO-BNtYN3CdP1r2d1hf135VpLOo9Q68w9r1Fecc9_-SalrSAoFJfEuVZBoc3ut33lmKA0Bwog/w480-h640/IMG_4952.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjp6aN7SCcn6GnIjvcP54qfFdRVKwkEfbGJCOI50aOkvYlETp_FLcK6K1XUkYZdRZOJ4QgwkNG2tlgsI0ng14odtQ-9CAbOWvm5NcxZ8chn64OuRqHC9Au7yVVHBspdRGvMxl9eW2JMjaQyEl8WyOclCewHJfXa5KtvrRLdBi0haKD9XtKMh_4Naj3l6Y0/s4032/IMG_4966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjp6aN7SCcn6GnIjvcP54qfFdRVKwkEfbGJCOI50aOkvYlETp_FLcK6K1XUkYZdRZOJ4QgwkNG2tlgsI0ng14odtQ-9CAbOWvm5NcxZ8chn64OuRqHC9Au7yVVHBspdRGvMxl9eW2JMjaQyEl8WyOclCewHJfXa5KtvrRLdBi0haKD9XtKMh_4Naj3l6Y0/w480-h640/IMG_4966.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg747AC5TZEKfsSAq1IBeUoirMEbWrkkAUuKpsFRMHbrfjH-HaGBXGI9Bt0Btdm63cro2azhF8yUvd_jJLwDMXzg35PIL-z6qX3fFfl83JSAQx47SfjdPka0DMv_2yiSrNhyphenhyphenxOsECCu9zG3epiBw9WL8qitqNLUHzwkMfl9LGg8QL8okf7zPvDpVJUWvWxF/s4032/IMG_4996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg747AC5TZEKfsSAq1IBeUoirMEbWrkkAUuKpsFRMHbrfjH-HaGBXGI9Bt0Btdm63cro2azhF8yUvd_jJLwDMXzg35PIL-z6qX3fFfl83JSAQx47SfjdPka0DMv_2yiSrNhyphenhyphenxOsECCu9zG3epiBw9WL8qitqNLUHzwkMfl9LGg8QL8okf7zPvDpVJUWvWxF/w480-h640/IMG_4996.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-53055454157834705242024-02-17T07:24:00.000-08:002024-02-17T07:24:14.538-08:00What I've Been Reading: November/December 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUTBdInTs18T_qyNZsgiLruIJs_FnrnkKyGlFStSgaynJ9hlUO0whhgUKjWNiwTlo4J7zIfCiHKiA4Zm7RCCBaPfI3xg9BrBPglTxdjcvxThXwFjxUi5e3eASw0LbPOJD5_9P8xvE0QGqBO86EpugdcaLF5_8hTQuJX350IXiMxP18tZkwl7k9t9Pct7S/s3961/IMG_4812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3961" data-original-width="2848" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUTBdInTs18T_qyNZsgiLruIJs_FnrnkKyGlFStSgaynJ9hlUO0whhgUKjWNiwTlo4J7zIfCiHKiA4Zm7RCCBaPfI3xg9BrBPglTxdjcvxThXwFjxUi5e3eASw0LbPOJD5_9P8xvE0QGqBO86EpugdcaLF5_8hTQuJX350IXiMxP18tZkwl7k9t9Pct7S/w460-h640/IMG_4812.JPG" width="460" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about disability, Christian nationalism, and speaking out<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wow, I didn't realize that I never finished and published these reviews! A few months late, here's what I read at the end of last year:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole</i></b> by Julia Watts Belser</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I grabbed this off the shelf at the library because it had an interesting cover, and I'm so glad I did. Belser is a rabbi and disability advocate, and in this book she addresses disability through the lens of Judaism and Christianity, wrestling with how the Hebrew and Christian Bibles have thoroughly shaped our culture's ideas about disability— and the tension of how the scriptures have both caused immeasurable damage, <i>and</i> can give us tools for celebrating disability and moving forward. The chapter "God on Wheels" (drawing on imagery from the book of Ezekiel and from the author's own experience as a wheelchair user) was particularly moving. Highly recommended, especially for anyone from a Jewish or Christian background.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg962fNXMj9DeY-_siJjJE06wyS-C8SDtIQ5J2a7vcmJCuinTDNWjhUKcXTHXm-EeRn6_oLX1GBSnazO8CkbqMWxWvk67ai6FLC62aUGcqUHMG_GfyUCXoIQ1d0eg-AqISc9uv_lLtAU2tc-cF1D-M0_biGQa-bBXXfY0XepCexWzKGlKvv0_HLi5vE1hai/s3857/IMG_4813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3857" data-original-width="2722" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg962fNXMj9DeY-_siJjJE06wyS-C8SDtIQ5J2a7vcmJCuinTDNWjhUKcXTHXm-EeRn6_oLX1GBSnazO8CkbqMWxWvk67ai6FLC62aUGcqUHMG_GfyUCXoIQ1d0eg-AqISc9uv_lLtAU2tc-cF1D-M0_biGQa-bBXXfY0XepCexWzKGlKvv0_HLi5vE1hai/w452-h640/IMG_4813.JPG" width="452" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church</i></b><i> </i>by Andrew L. Whitehead</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I had previously read the book that Whitehead co-authored discussing, in a rather dry academic way, the impacts of Christian nationalism on people's political views. This book still maintains Whitehead's love of high-quality data (he sounds positively giddy when he talks about it) but comes at the topic from a much more personal angle: he is a Christian, urging others of his religion to reject white Christian nationalism. It's a quick read, and provides a great overview of what he means by the phrase "white Christian nationalism" and why he argues that Christ-followers should denounce it in both word and deed (as well as some practical suggestions for doing so). It's well worth the read.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One content warning: in Chapter Five there is a description of an incredibly violent lynching; sensitive readers (like me) don't need the gory details to understand the point he makes with the story.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUU0Mx5UGosXN3F2v6NvsWvWLqbUGS1Y3vc9cei567JNfKPmzrogqCdn30QApKvYnx_dxgo70i7_q-_doUNZjmwtZ5NaPTR7YxooOK-2Kse_bevxMJjTYZYTmeE7s2FensGdOINtoJk2fF0dTbKzzEia8DNXUY_ZzekpYBrIjUxOgXeSMOJXUzdIRmd4s/s4032/IMG_4775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUU0Mx5UGosXN3F2v6NvsWvWLqbUGS1Y3vc9cei567JNfKPmzrogqCdn30QApKvYnx_dxgo70i7_q-_doUNZjmwtZ5NaPTR7YxooOK-2Kse_bevxMJjTYZYTmeE7s2FensGdOINtoJk2fF0dTbKzzEia8DNXUY_ZzekpYBrIjUxOgXeSMOJXUzdIRmd4s/w480-h640/IMG_4775.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You</i></b> by Ally Henny</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've followed Henny for a while on Facebook and appreciated her insights about race and theology (as well as her lighthearted posts), and so I was happy to request that the library buy her book. I am not the target audience for this book, which is lovingly addressed to Black people, particularly Black women, and so I read it feeling that I was given permission to listen in on a conversation full of wisdom and insight. It was one of those books that furthered the gentle reconfiguring of my brain, one that kept on making me flinch by realizing that she was pushing against my assumptions of what is "normal," "appropriate," "feminine," or "best." I was also interested to read the tidbits about her own life that she shared, growing up in rural Missouri. All in all, it was a quick and thought-provoking read.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-ive-been-reading-october-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">October</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-ive-been-reading-augustseptember.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">August/September</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1212444187970080061/2555647050878115729#"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">July</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-late-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late June</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023</span></a></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-22833278734566973562024-01-23T14:39:00.000-08:002024-01-23T14:39:18.859-08:00A Year of Moss: Week 4<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu9g-lLc04vLecEyHT4z5hvRMr9qieCW6YQuH_7Y0uO2vZ5cvS-KYd6Tt3J_YTH-_I2hE4yBkEppdo7mHapPQ5NXcQEzbPo33gh3xqXPagsAg8W7QmCLPazYn1Ez12jDQRM8NT6vQ6VR2uNwj76OnwoAgX8oNx_YtceBso1rVI_ujuZ2f0ywWj3EvwePE/s4032/IMG_5041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu9g-lLc04vLecEyHT4z5hvRMr9qieCW6YQuH_7Y0uO2vZ5cvS-KYd6Tt3J_YTH-_I2hE4yBkEppdo7mHapPQ5NXcQEzbPo33gh3xqXPagsAg8W7QmCLPazYn1Ez12jDQRM8NT6vQ6VR2uNwj76OnwoAgX8oNx_YtceBso1rVI_ujuZ2f0ywWj3EvwePE/w480-h640/IMG_5041.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss frozen solid after a freezing rain in the Portland metro area</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> You'll notice that even after cold temperatures, a lot of moss stays green and healthy-looking. How does moss survive the cold?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I found a great summary on <a href="https://www.montananaturalist.org/blog-post/wintertime-moss/"><span class="s1">MontanaNaturalist.org</span></a>. Some excerpts from the post: "Mosses, like liverworts and hornworts, are bryophytes. In contrast with vascular plants that contain xylem, a tissue used to transport water internally, bryophytes instead absorb water and nutrients through their leaves… research suggests that moss also has antifreeze properties! Ice crystals can rupture cell walls, causing the cell—and eventually the animal or plant—to die. Some scientists believe mosses contain a combination of sugars and sugar alcohols that become more concentrated in the fall and winter and stop the ice crystals from developing, much like how antifreeze regulates temperature in a car. There’s some speculation about whether the moss itself has the antifreeze property or whether it’s secreted by bacteria living on the surface of the moss; either way, the result is that the sugar alcohols melt the snow around it."</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuulCxMMxwihnNIVpfnfs6_z7mptITQWzLuE6GhEMjwMOfyzdTytaBeQPKamNTHeNvKZu_pv0AC096wWbnYYNvz2ADZJK2o1txhOZRChyjEu6I5Ev22TzX8jMNExTJ7tMXcCY-L-qHO58s78X1_OB2nTaBAwXezYd4P3aq8ucGgYqk0OttyK5yk6IDl3G6/s4032/IMG_5026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuulCxMMxwihnNIVpfnfs6_z7mptITQWzLuE6GhEMjwMOfyzdTytaBeQPKamNTHeNvKZu_pv0AC096wWbnYYNvz2ADZJK2o1txhOZRChyjEu6I5Ev22TzX8jMNExTJ7tMXcCY-L-qHO58s78X1_OB2nTaBAwXezYd4P3aq8ucGgYqk0OttyK5yk6IDl3G6/w480-h640/IMG_5026.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-13108866249435343942024-01-16T14:33:00.000-08:002024-01-23T14:36:57.053-08:00A Year of Moss: Week 3<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1GwPM6z0Via4wekvOXjyly4TCNSwGus19l792obTsUO6j4BrnqhyHYsXuQtHMwZ5DC2gnOflEEv6Y4s2LiBc1JntRvBs7SRU7MHV_ZKi5PRfiyjy3ZTyR1kI2QHh5OYcdiqUuIwYx1rNj76cK6QGXUrKGgHj7NpCIWMVFJONsiTxCDHm4_IFVD444bWz/s4032/IMG_5010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1GwPM6z0Via4wekvOXjyly4TCNSwGus19l792obTsUO6j4BrnqhyHYsXuQtHMwZ5DC2gnOflEEv6Y4s2LiBc1JntRvBs7SRU7MHV_ZKi5PRfiyjy3ZTyR1kI2QHh5OYcdiqUuIwYx1rNj76cK6QGXUrKGgHj7NpCIWMVFJONsiTxCDHm4_IFVD444bWz/w640-h480/IMG_5010.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Moss likes to grow between bricks, as I discovered when moss-hunting in historic St. Charles this past week. Moisture pools there and keeps the moss damp, even when it hasn't rained in a while. Have you been able to get out moss-hunting this week?</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouiMmZvy6W6uJABfAJ9wgtiCmiViRfHbsc1ql03n1JC_vVa233U0TMh9moufEpKLbrpAMIMtfjb0pmoY0RrzEewplnoA5I-7KB0MqMeOlJVXhm8snY4ZsaeEeiF54UincEyX3sd1wVux_RA9H8ZgIZK-aXRkiyww_pwHy_N3LbGecgBmQ2odVLS4Zrk49/s4032/IMG_5008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouiMmZvy6W6uJABfAJ9wgtiCmiViRfHbsc1ql03n1JC_vVa233U0TMh9moufEpKLbrpAMIMtfjb0pmoY0RrzEewplnoA5I-7KB0MqMeOlJVXhm8snY4ZsaeEeiF54UincEyX3sd1wVux_RA9H8ZgIZK-aXRkiyww_pwHy_N3LbGecgBmQ2odVLS4Zrk49/w480-h640/IMG_5008.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9_fAhSt3CkhLjFsqZRNLTnwN-cQY-iH3YbHUpkdxi-FRna3dsnB-nqFzXQxU-V87qSRYLbUF30zVYTWlVSlwT8dwZKjyvb_u8px8_UH6Av4GLdJg4WGy7ayugoZGKq2P8w0PW1hO0IEm5qOqdTcXQ9-tLP-Rt867ZrXbHawSsfDoNpQwtIGoOavgmADo/s4032/IMG_5012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9_fAhSt3CkhLjFsqZRNLTnwN-cQY-iH3YbHUpkdxi-FRna3dsnB-nqFzXQxU-V87qSRYLbUF30zVYTWlVSlwT8dwZKjyvb_u8px8_UH6Av4GLdJg4WGy7ayugoZGKq2P8w0PW1hO0IEm5qOqdTcXQ9-tLP-Rt867ZrXbHawSsfDoNpQwtIGoOavgmADo/w480-h640/IMG_5012.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrExUWv105N_KrGjqacZsFo8lnbwp_9TXJTRfXUtpV0hbq3fdAnp63wBAnW7dFWcr4kwVQ0yeHG0VHJS0KX28DP2IZ9ecsi6jxDWltTd5C6OzVGwCj_pvnsAw-COnbtUH1yffq6gSS8cwwqQzMiEMO-CPajOmgoPmvQmcvNxEi8NOaPwE0IbbjoqIjiqRY/s4032/IMG_5014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrExUWv105N_KrGjqacZsFo8lnbwp_9TXJTRfXUtpV0hbq3fdAnp63wBAnW7dFWcr4kwVQ0yeHG0VHJS0KX28DP2IZ9ecsi6jxDWltTd5C6OzVGwCj_pvnsAw-COnbtUH1yffq6gSS8cwwqQzMiEMO-CPajOmgoPmvQmcvNxEi8NOaPwE0IbbjoqIjiqRY/w640-h480/IMG_5014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-43545527395924553342024-01-11T14:50:00.000-08:002024-01-11T14:50:52.929-08:00A Year of Moss: Week 2<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSZQR0vOhFwFUhtxhFIqT9_T84ZQRUYKpRj1Kch17W22hFda9QZZcxuhT0TFJixjAOQHJv8Zmyzs1G0o1gKs3D3O_NiwN4T-K0Ku8gcA1qS26a5BdO0wBX8WIkzOAiGk86j2AxgSC2Gu96vdPNEPT4-ETAnLuTQyUebwFDi-4_tTJyX4BW_habkiMAJ5a/s4032/IMG_4990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSZQR0vOhFwFUhtxhFIqT9_T84ZQRUYKpRj1Kch17W22hFda9QZZcxuhT0TFJixjAOQHJv8Zmyzs1G0o1gKs3D3O_NiwN4T-K0Ku8gcA1qS26a5BdO0wBX8WIkzOAiGk86j2AxgSC2Gu96vdPNEPT4-ETAnLuTQyUebwFDi-4_tTJyX4BW_habkiMAJ5a/w480-h640/IMG_4990.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> What is moss? This was the question I had to sheepishly Google when I was starting this project. It is a plant— and most of what we call "moss" is actually a collection of hundreds or thousands of tiny moss plants, working together to conserve moisture and stay fixed to whatever surface they're growing on.</span><p></p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Most plants were see around are angiosperms, or flowering plants (this includes everything from duckweed to flowers to oak trees), with a few exceptions such as conifers and ferns. Mosses are only distantly related to all of these, and form their own "clade" (group of organisms with a common ancestor) called Bryophyta. (For comparison, "mammals" are a clade in the animal kingdom.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Instead of flowers, moss produce sporophytes, which are little capsules on a stalk full of spores that release (they reproduce in a few different ways, but this is one of them). I was surprised to find some sporophytes in the nearby woods growing on a cottonwood tree, even in the middle of winter! </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv6MT6SYWknwz_z7TYMlLasM6zGtah16o2XO0BpSsd4XG-0AwL62hdyj9k18_mlVbueudi8TpAJMIdV4miGvkafheKMJmpJdovBi283m7_Z92d3YWLXmTIdBkW4oMiwVcFnMpoqAmoKMjPKlTAHfzEVLxgwLTXEw7W43-IgKoj7NQgcYhO3ufgwfejk9F/s4032/IMG_4989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv6MT6SYWknwz_z7TYMlLasM6zGtah16o2XO0BpSsd4XG-0AwL62hdyj9k18_mlVbueudi8TpAJMIdV4miGvkafheKMJmpJdovBi283m7_Z92d3YWLXmTIdBkW4oMiwVcFnMpoqAmoKMjPKlTAHfzEVLxgwLTXEw7W43-IgKoj7NQgcYhO3ufgwfejk9F/w480-h640/IMG_4989.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGkIhdVhAZayG-rd0HOrwJ079MKdbI5dsvJqS7sTlLyLsM2iLTeJdWt9Ooa8PvV6LGZ9lb6KMJNrnFNB041IbRJq3Q3ewyPenM3BgaLOb2JuASC4GXCS1IyvySev4HbrYQezm9yh0rv1lTf3HkD9n2G4rBdp4tRo5A_BAjAlTUwxSvNfQjbrr3PQd7GTm/s4032/IMG_4988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGkIhdVhAZayG-rd0HOrwJ079MKdbI5dsvJqS7sTlLyLsM2iLTeJdWt9Ooa8PvV6LGZ9lb6KMJNrnFNB041IbRJq3Q3ewyPenM3BgaLOb2JuASC4GXCS1IyvySev4HbrYQezm9yh0rv1lTf3HkD9n2G4rBdp4tRo5A_BAjAlTUwxSvNfQjbrr3PQd7GTm/w480-h640/IMG_4988.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Have you seen any moss this week?</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-85180258881382636852024-01-04T04:21:00.000-08:002024-01-04T04:21:59.404-08:00A Year of Moss: Welcome!<p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rO7tpCvMwGmT7bDVQpOsI4OmfTDbao-rZXY5r2Q9dpD4LYK2z65PkyXNJzTLPkyNMqqCc3c0ptR-vM9MzgHwn1Dm3FC_pJOuR-x7hfOrJ2QxfOaE8jyn9DKil2GubOGKzaO_co9IkpfKxX-4tdwD5fpYPqAI5LTL60z9meB7-PUR1doMTTW33fewWHhe/s4032/IMG_4961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rO7tpCvMwGmT7bDVQpOsI4OmfTDbao-rZXY5r2Q9dpD4LYK2z65PkyXNJzTLPkyNMqqCc3c0ptR-vM9MzgHwn1Dm3FC_pJOuR-x7hfOrJ2QxfOaE8jyn9DKil2GubOGKzaO_co9IkpfKxX-4tdwD5fpYPqAI5LTL60z9meB7-PUR1doMTTW33fewWHhe/w480-h640/IMG_4961.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />My 2024 project<a name='more'></a></span></i><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Welcome to A Year of Moss! This is my 2024 project, a New Year's resolution, if you will: photographing the mosses I find while out and about, and sharing a roundup of photos, moss facts, and thoughts every week.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4muKP87gBVuQGwCeB4PBDClDOaS7dGHThyreS3TSmqXC6EqZC6U4PgNX-1cWcgXAhWOjGp_SluAIgKfBUfNL27FOEDhIQ6-fGBE9YEgTwPdbYzkti0t8cieH0lXQzGdkpc_Xe-sIhzr22cbKmfLGH7OIsSVEsCoxE0wyKCqQeb70-AqJjadqs4P2Pl5O/s4032/IMG_4921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4muKP87gBVuQGwCeB4PBDClDOaS7dGHThyreS3TSmqXC6EqZC6U4PgNX-1cWcgXAhWOjGp_SluAIgKfBUfNL27FOEDhIQ6-fGBE9YEgTwPdbYzkti0t8cieH0lXQzGdkpc_Xe-sIhzr22cbKmfLGH7OIsSVEsCoxE0wyKCqQeb70-AqJjadqs4P2Pl5O/w480-h640/IMG_4921.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Why did I start the project? Two reasons:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1) I was inspired by the opening story in Jenny Odell's book "Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock," where she talked about how some moss that appeared in the soil of her houseplant captured her attention during the Covid-19 lockdown. Watching the moss reminded her that nature was following a time cycle of its own, and gave her a constant reminder to get out of her own head and be mindful, inspiring her to see moss everywhere.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">2) Despite being a plant enthusiast, I know almost nothing about mosses. Heck, when I was considering this project, I had to Google "are mosses plants?" (Yes, and I will ramble about their taxonomy later.) Moss is everywhere there's moisture, and yet I can't even begin to tell the differences between the species. Considering that moss is a taxonomical category in the same level as mammals, that would be like looking at a mammal and not being able to even guess whether it was a mouse, a cow, or a blue whale. I want to change that.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfLfbjOh83RApLHS3d6bVtmE2YkGwPl5hGcyiNLQePjN3BGR7HznKn_aXg9W7UHpjTq49zQBqCCFk1mfHbo7A-iWur49fda39CqfN5_ltg4i6ocYNgAIMU6Px-y3QHViLqEem4UZQorlnjWZb34wOy0xexIChUvRzuLNvH96HuQkmlvHzoUhyphenhyphen4p7mZXP0/s2450/IMG_4928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2240" data-original-width="2450" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfLfbjOh83RApLHS3d6bVtmE2YkGwPl5hGcyiNLQePjN3BGR7HznKn_aXg9W7UHpjTq49zQBqCCFk1mfHbo7A-iWur49fda39CqfN5_ltg4i6ocYNgAIMU6Px-y3QHViLqEem4UZQorlnjWZb34wOy0xexIChUvRzuLNvH96HuQkmlvHzoUhyphenhyphen4p7mZXP0/w640-h586/IMG_4928.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The practical goals of the project are obvious: learn to tell mosses apart, understand their life cycle and defining features, watch how local mosses respond to local conditions, perhaps try some experiments with moss or intentionally seek out places with cool moss.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The overall goal, though, is more philosophical. I want to pay attention. Searching for mosses puts a new filter over the world: on my first moss walk, I was shocked by how colors, textures, and details I'd never taken a second glance at before suddenly jumped out at me. I discovered not just moss but tons of other details: snail shells, mushrooms, lichen in every color of the rainbow, a deer dropping sprouting some sort of fungus that looked like dandelion fluff. My gaze crawled over the bark of trees and compacted soil of the hiking trail, wandered into sidewalk cracks and scoured the gravel on the northern side of our garage. To look at the world with such focus is to see anew.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I encourage you to join me in looking for moss whenever you're out and about— it often crops up in unlikely places. May we have a wonderful year of paying attention together!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BKi04K5fTEjXWcifXq_Ked9j8U7zYmnuuqqoqlh2hBJG6QVuvWq08R-tnGovzIjOoFmo4ogAxOcFKZJO2SwcctqaPyK0GR_dzSQ9rUENKpXo03PrlEjqYV77cO-0k6SX6Tq_gwSShMWA4CVmLEEE-Y7HEea9YxnErPZt0I8uLm1Ecwcy1UiuT0DhC1zS/s4032/IMG_4913%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BKi04K5fTEjXWcifXq_Ked9j8U7zYmnuuqqoqlh2hBJG6QVuvWq08R-tnGovzIjOoFmo4ogAxOcFKZJO2SwcctqaPyK0GR_dzSQ9rUENKpXo03PrlEjqYV77cO-0k6SX6Tq_gwSShMWA4CVmLEEE-Y7HEea9YxnErPZt0I8uLm1Ecwcy1UiuT0DhC1zS/w480-h640/IMG_4913%202.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ8a_0uoQ_FBcXTgftgdk9SeH6cTLf4lPvxMbEczfKvMVa-bHFo1_uFhItkTc_QMc4oKzJF9eSvAy9QpsaBOmjvtAsx-DNlpcYu0UCrfjX8_50qaprPf_ypMMI-lXklKQG63HjVM87F-uOYutykw-avfdh_fOzcc-co_K_dA5pH4du8GLTLxjJghp5ltK/s4032/IMG_4938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ8a_0uoQ_FBcXTgftgdk9SeH6cTLf4lPvxMbEczfKvMVa-bHFo1_uFhItkTc_QMc4oKzJF9eSvAy9QpsaBOmjvtAsx-DNlpcYu0UCrfjX8_50qaprPf_ypMMI-lXklKQG63HjVM87F-uOYutykw-avfdh_fOzcc-co_K_dA5pH4du8GLTLxjJghp5ltK/w480-h640/IMG_4938.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMsgKjwVfpQE00nZ_XAjwPDxf587LcdChvqOOiraISoYoXg9yieNFcZEtcglLEUwqPqFkIWZn0r-lE1bVzqOnMx67P2DLRurPb_-ZawqiVWe7sdcnD4ByvOpLpdfA4wWRDxqmaUmEizKJ58R8hJkJXzofPidJ4CD7xUmRnFXOFvmkGjpOdIKJ6tA0VUXD/s4032/IMG_4955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMsgKjwVfpQE00nZ_XAjwPDxf587LcdChvqOOiraISoYoXg9yieNFcZEtcglLEUwqPqFkIWZn0r-lE1bVzqOnMx67P2DLRurPb_-ZawqiVWe7sdcnD4ByvOpLpdfA4wWRDxqmaUmEizKJ58R8hJkJXzofPidJ4CD7xUmRnFXOFvmkGjpOdIKJ6tA0VUXD/w480-h640/IMG_4955.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-33886969035118470182023-12-12T17:51:00.000-08:002023-12-15T13:20:46.250-08:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XXII<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg064LrdZt7zUOD-eFjhv-lZ7ylSisHvRmsan6fdElgeBq6-n5KQ6ENywHegWIrdXNE93pOg_x7CXylfS0OC9Qw0nR-VcJoHfyXT0FStTjN-Wc_VUQG2r5j1YP-8Gws9fhOkyaCIr19ojHZQEs8fhBikZVDkAVtc4voYgi444MkkzVfAHQJiO12TRIn0AMS/s3802/IMG_4829.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2767" data-original-width="3802" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg064LrdZt7zUOD-eFjhv-lZ7ylSisHvRmsan6fdElgeBq6-n5KQ6ENywHegWIrdXNE93pOg_x7CXylfS0OC9Qw0nR-VcJoHfyXT0FStTjN-Wc_VUQG2r5j1YP-8Gws9fhOkyaCIr19ojHZQEs8fhBikZVDkAVtc4voYgi444MkkzVfAHQJiO12TRIn0AMS/w640-h466/IMG_4829.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Henry Jekyll (with a background of Utterson's nightmare of Hyde and Jekyll)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> Here's an ongoing series I have of watercolors based on <i>The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's been fun to mess around with this medium!<br /></span><p></p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R5lJLdZsgxBsfvuvTcij3oQLbEb_XoPQSLg62D7CEB2oThVQw42hWlOv844bt3IouAQ1npckRR28bklaPRSn29jao9nhGgbEAEx_JgNiyyCL4AGdA4nkyBcSw_XuMuCqNkzNr2h9CBiHsMHCPewIG-3xNkdoOA9lG9kHy6kHZ3ZA52abwkUiIrX97Iwc/s3886/IMG_4783.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="3886" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R5lJLdZsgxBsfvuvTcij3oQLbEb_XoPQSLg62D7CEB2oThVQw42hWlOv844bt3IouAQ1npckRR28bklaPRSn29jao9nhGgbEAEx_JgNiyyCL4AGdA4nkyBcSw_XuMuCqNkzNr2h9CBiHsMHCPewIG-3xNkdoOA9lG9kHy6kHZ3ZA52abwkUiIrX97Iwc/w640-h470/IMG_4783.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Edward Hyde, out on the town to cause problems on purpose<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9hbFb_wm0e6QV6Ih3ITIprOLH0Zc58W1PG1z3Q4EBhrjATvhEW83lTUQsTz8T-986h7FjnivMiQLfXdGf4gKYi89oD3z_gqbkZv_qBnSJ7yr7UudNWv5cOb2rrpwHx8z2b4HI1O4nAxwWUYAi23RG2AwXwXgW7g2cTiwbEwF4gG-7NL3dwCbZQ9DkwwT/s3979/IMG_4781.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3979" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9hbFb_wm0e6QV6Ih3ITIprOLH0Zc58W1PG1z3Q4EBhrjATvhEW83lTUQsTz8T-986h7FjnivMiQLfXdGf4gKYi89oD3z_gqbkZv_qBnSJ7yr7UudNWv5cOb2rrpwHx8z2b4HI1O4nAxwWUYAi23RG2AwXwXgW7g2cTiwbEwF4gG-7NL3dwCbZQ9DkwwT/w640-h486/IMG_4781.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Gabriel Utterson, whose life is going to become a lot worse after learning more about this guy in the background.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2655" data-original-width="3625" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NwR4tzOTm8q0lrxTVbHMQv4JnEVklJWVodHz21FpfT_rejZv93jiTv5XhehW4oq9qYnXPrts5z3kjfrm39sovWMtGIcti79JWlAd-ZOXL4qhhQxcdRjVsxzLaQS5g7qx6KUrt_bhSfDgbgKG0euy0ZGXrTAgE-hZvnF6MO6lbRPOVzJWlEVwx-GeiYOX/w640-h468/IMG_4802.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Utterson's cousin Richard Enfield, telling the story of how Hyde trampled a little girl in the streets (and then got extorted for 100 pounds and also had a sleepover at Enfield's house. It's a wild opening chapter).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fDfTcO41alN65BLCIsAfaYiy8cY3gE3chv3w4DQa4ZEccA68rRCuRtz1me0TgmIFlwFjyAfW8lOAFzKb5qR1hO5i3bLZLdg5bn9Rnk0nnlN8kemOkby6pRK2kpphk8WsBNrk_uoHIvqfhaFAsj0pDw78nbSr9g6YUHZrwKP2OSPP5R9XZPAlNSWlZntq/s3615/IMG_4843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2637" data-original-width="3615" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fDfTcO41alN65BLCIsAfaYiy8cY3gE3chv3w4DQa4ZEccA68rRCuRtz1me0TgmIFlwFjyAfW8lOAFzKb5qR1hO5i3bLZLdg5bn9Rnk0nnlN8kemOkby6pRK2kpphk8WsBNrk_uoHIvqfhaFAsj0pDw78nbSr9g6YUHZrwKP2OSPP5R9XZPAlNSWlZntq/w640-h466/IMG_4843.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Utterson's clerk, Mr. Guest, figuring out that Jekyll and Hyde have suspiciously similar handwriting...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-75142456763695646892023-11-28T11:07:00.000-08:002023-11-28T11:07:27.164-08:00What I've Been Reading: October 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6lW9ot4QJillDI_VOnpIoxztc-SFsnTQVHiIhkozL9WWsQY3Nk4PmnPO7WZZbGW-RSic1xiDnO1-uyGh_-qJB8ajfWiPK1q365_BP8MIuqVElsVQYvXezqNiJyYXzC6tP1elZajH_748gjLjSqxkvA8I7Nob-32WTfPS2Rx1oJWiD1-CPFtw83AdAWY1/s4032/IMG_4626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6lW9ot4QJillDI_VOnpIoxztc-SFsnTQVHiIhkozL9WWsQY3Nk4PmnPO7WZZbGW-RSic1xiDnO1-uyGh_-qJB8ajfWiPK1q365_BP8MIuqVElsVQYvXezqNiJyYXzC6tP1elZajH_748gjLjSqxkvA8I7Nob-32WTfPS2Rx1oJWiD1-CPFtw83AdAWY1/w480-h640/IMG_4626.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about gender, asylum, and dead things<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9781549304002"><b><i>Gender Queer: A Memoir</i></b></a></span> by Maia Kobabe</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Our library had a "freedom to read" (aka banned books) display last month, so I grabbed this graphic novel because I'd heard really good things about it (as well as hearing about the struggle to keep the book available in public libraries, since it's one of the most-often challenged books). The author's art and writing work together to tell the story of eir childhood up through the present and how e came to terms with eir gender identity and sexuality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To be honest, I related to Kobabe's life way more than I thought I would: e was schooled unconventionally, raised by hippie-adjacent parents who defied a lot of gender stereotypes, is a total <i>Lord of the Rings</i> nerd, writes fanfiction for fun and for emotional processing, and spent a good chunk of eir life trying to make sense of why the traditional roles of both gender and sexuality never matched eir experience. I found myself nodding or chuckling in sympathy at nearly every part of the story, which is told with candor, humor, and often heart-rending honesty.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The book has some sex and non-sexual nudity in it, but neither is the focus of the book. In telling eir story, Kobabe has given readers a gift: either to understand someone different from us, or, in cases like mine, to see myself reflected in a book and to let out a breath of recognition.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9780744083705"><b><i></i></b></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7wmMRQ8Dl3MDjmcltEoXWfFfHmkd6jgcJrJwGDyQgHgwj8p1TkHljgCD27RscXfeIE95tIoaUEbTdDRVyHe9Lww14ziux5at-S0J2lYC9TGa4g3HGO5ATMIgrGO_407JzEBKDCpJIK5Je2_Tsv78MAf208sezpKyuvlnb6hR2mhMWlYT0tND-hz1U_Zd/s4032/IMG_4633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7wmMRQ8Dl3MDjmcltEoXWfFfHmkd6jgcJrJwGDyQgHgwj8p1TkHljgCD27RscXfeIE95tIoaUEbTdDRVyHe9Lww14ziux5at-S0J2lYC9TGa4g3HGO5ATMIgrGO_407JzEBKDCpJIK5Je2_Tsv78MAf208sezpKyuvlnb6hR2mhMWlYT0tND-hz1U_Zd/w480-h640/IMG_4633.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />Asylum Speakers: Stories of Migration from Humans Behind the Headlines</i></b> by Jaz O'Hara</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I picked this up at the library based on the cover, and found it fascinating: it chronicles the stories of a few dozen refugees that the author has encountered in her charity work (mostly in Europe but also in the U.S.). Reading these stories of hardship is emotionally taxing, but serves as a good reminder of why both empathy and better immigration policy are crucial for creating a better world.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/search/site/bright%20dead%20things"><b><i></i></b></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuIbbhEumDY20YKpPEycIg76f6yxldMrUQ_uIqWuZJwRpJDH-TQW7vrPuZyWElAfBMke4xdF-p7vGGMcBa8lo2I_wMH21hMnYwkY-oKZ8o8qi5PzRuWHEg33VEjauBFM1w7Zl3Ni0Ud9cPblwj90p1uRFnM-kAhn3xFqq5o7bAnvfsXL3qPQjYYm1HArO/s4032/IMG_4776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuIbbhEumDY20YKpPEycIg76f6yxldMrUQ_uIqWuZJwRpJDH-TQW7vrPuZyWElAfBMke4xdF-p7vGGMcBa8lo2I_wMH21hMnYwkY-oKZ8o8qi5PzRuWHEg33VEjauBFM1w7Zl3Ni0Ud9cPblwj90p1uRFnM-kAhn3xFqq5o7bAnvfsXL3qPQjYYm1HArO/w480-h640/IMG_4776.JPG" width="480" /></a></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br />Bright Dead Things: Poems</i></b> by Ada Limón</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I hadn't read any of Ada Limón's poetry, and that was a travesty because it's gorgeous. She has a way of describing something ordinary (riding a motorcycle with her dad when she was a kid, pulling up carrots before they're ready to harvest) and then turning it into a gut-twisting observation about life. Every poem is like a punch in the face— but in a good way.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-ive-been-reading-augustseptember.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">August/September<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1212444187970080061/2555647050878115729#"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">July<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-late-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late June<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023<span class="s2" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s3" style="color: #0000e9;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="color: #0000e9; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-25556470508781157292023-11-16T12:30:00.000-08:002023-11-16T12:30:57.610-08:00What I've Been Reading: August/September 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oghyYE_nNBS4hN5fMryl9eTXonJXemeWwJnRTUp-ul7naUFGXJVFHwAkCT7XZfOLRLRJhCL3CQTCI75AcZ76m9G1biDAdpglDNwI3a4s6K-0eWFGSiCBZTgfbfbG4_kLNYbJWcc5K0YUk4aTTo-GZ9VVL6UEqYVgmq1O_4kS2VL9rasHtJajOPsPhORs/s4032/IMG_4592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oghyYE_nNBS4hN5fMryl9eTXonJXemeWwJnRTUp-ul7naUFGXJVFHwAkCT7XZfOLRLRJhCL3CQTCI75AcZ76m9G1biDAdpglDNwI3a4s6K-0eWFGSiCBZTgfbfbG4_kLNYbJWcc5K0YUk4aTTo-GZ9VVL6UEqYVgmq1O_4kS2VL9rasHtJajOPsPhORs/w480-h640/IMG_4592.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about the oil sands, farming, and poetry<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9781770462892"><b><i>Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands</i></b></a></span> by Kate Beaton (TW: sexual assault)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This graphic novel was deeply moving, sparsely but gorgeously illustrated, and very, very emotionally taxing to read. It traces the narrator's two-year journey to pay off her college debt by working in the Alberta tar sands to extract oil. The first part of the book, where she was working in an isolated camp, is particularly harrowing, recounting the sexism that endangered her at every turn, from her coworkers ogling her to her experiences of date rape. Through her spare but gorgeous storytelling, she explores the questions: how do terrible environments push people to the point where they do things they would never do at home? How do you survive and find community anyway? How do you deal with the cognitive dissonance of believing that the work you're doing is hurting the world? How do you even begin to process the trauma you're going through if no one will talk about it? And how do you deal with all of that while feeling that all the outside forces are watching and waiting for you to fail?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's quite an emotional journey, one that has no easy answers, and does not end tied up prettily with a bow. Highly recommended.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XXyqOecrfRB0ECAl3lKD3u-PgEPtkg5DPU8a-R-4oUawimDXaUiPnXp64_dqihmQYvt82K0idUkJ_F9PUmeE4SHqJs6SGvT7yTyWBNopwSaUIB1tYEpVcoznlgW3EYdZc6iGHhNYkPxwa17JDeFex2ypcjXYGqzzceAHIRKU9u2W5rfuyXpVI42Qhvz-/s4032/IMG_4549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XXyqOecrfRB0ECAl3lKD3u-PgEPtkg5DPU8a-R-4oUawimDXaUiPnXp64_dqihmQYvt82K0idUkJ_F9PUmeE4SHqJs6SGvT7yTyWBNopwSaUIB1tYEpVcoznlgW3EYdZc6iGHhNYkPxwa17JDeFex2ypcjXYGqzzceAHIRKU9u2W5rfuyXpVI42Qhvz-/w480-h640/IMG_4549.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9781644450512"><b><i>American Harvest: God, Country, and Farming in the Heartland</i></b></a></span> by Marie Mutsuki Mockett<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is the story of the author, a journalist trying to reconcile what she understands of rural America with her perceptions as a liberal city-dweller. She accompanies a wheat-harvesting team as they start the season in Texas and move with the spring up to Idaho, harvesting fields and meeting interesting locals along the way. She travels with the group, helps with the harvest, and focuses on immersing herself in the culture along the way, her questions drawing her more and more to churches and to Christianity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The book was engaging and the writing itself evocative and lovely, but I found myself getting restless the longer the story went on, hoping that she would start to pull together some of the threads of what she'd observed rather than simply laying them out in pieces for the readers to assemble on their own. There's nothing wrong with this kind of writing, but I often found myself wishing for more of her thoughts, rather than just her narration of what happened. In the end, she quit the crew because she felt her presence there was causing tension between the workers, but she leaves the story open-ended, making readers wonder how the trip affected her in the end. I think that the open-endedness is the point, but I still felt a bit disappointed by it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApBkhKngmNhDYhyphenhyphen5XQ3I_NcsGC1Ii2jLgosXzsBTUws2fl_xPmhU1Z-On2180dbEgPbRCMjmuQ65KaF401xTAiH1FszeQfIkHvWb6CJRbSqvG1VYbsGa4bAr1m5-5P4I7e62FHnni15ih54LV1vsAXa8NmNWrknW-0JSSB6p9wkC90iRdKE0Rj1lzFF8t/s4032/IMG_4591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApBkhKngmNhDYhyphenhyphen5XQ3I_NcsGC1Ii2jLgosXzsBTUws2fl_xPmhU1Z-On2180dbEgPbRCMjmuQ65KaF401xTAiH1FszeQfIkHvWb6CJRbSqvG1VYbsGa4bAr1m5-5P4I7e62FHnni15ih54LV1vsAXa8NmNWrknW-0JSSB6p9wkC90iRdKE0Rj1lzFF8t/w480-h640/IMG_4591.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Poems of Robert Frost</span></i></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I got this book for Christmas last year, and finally finished reading it in August! I had no idea the breadth of poems that Frost wrote, especially the theological plays he wrote near the end of his career. He's a classic for a reason!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/08/what-ive-been-reading-early-july-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">July</span></a></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-late-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late June</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023</span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-66572730316316037762023-11-11T17:46:00.000-08:002023-11-17T12:00:53.120-08:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XXI<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mmNn7ymh7Q9GfUkhC2fh9JJO96r8E1IplIiOPIz_DRZQqTNi-5Rn9s0d4IGkl7KEcM2vvNjhybk3ODKjRMLMBqzTNcpUvVCJ-Rw7-m1nMg1G85d2wHdo9pxFXjOUC0qVn8FT3aDTuq0FKtfcUsvfmIKk9NZX9m3VrdSpALCoBbGmh_cnqnsWLOgOk5x9/s4032/IMG_4709.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mmNn7ymh7Q9GfUkhC2fh9JJO96r8E1IplIiOPIz_DRZQqTNi-5Rn9s0d4IGkl7KEcM2vvNjhybk3ODKjRMLMBqzTNcpUvVCJ-Rw7-m1nMg1G85d2wHdo9pxFXjOUC0qVn8FT3aDTuq0FKtfcUsvfmIKk9NZX9m3VrdSpALCoBbGmh_cnqnsWLOgOk5x9/w480-h640/IMG_4709.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Jonathan Harker: white-haired homicidal anime boy before it was cool</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /> Trying to keep up the drawing chops!<span> (</span><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart">All fanart here</a><span>.)<span></span></span></span><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbzKI82YERvBJ5gV6srDG62MgCx4nDwu2o-HrlA9_6Yc_xRBOETyb8DNCm3lFbzdXhHtCeAzZeJCFQFOdScVTWHCN3z16qvC5HwqF10_wBjTEjv-kPVbmRQONKYptHV6iK5Z7VgDyRLkwnq-UH1Jhe4eabbYllMRF790NWKc1q1XgYZypA9LnVuZkbG9L/s3228/IMG_4761.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3228" data-original-width="2379" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbzKI82YERvBJ5gV6srDG62MgCx4nDwu2o-HrlA9_6Yc_xRBOETyb8DNCm3lFbzdXhHtCeAzZeJCFQFOdScVTWHCN3z16qvC5HwqF10_wBjTEjv-kPVbmRQONKYptHV6iK5Z7VgDyRLkwnq-UH1Jhe4eabbYllMRF790NWKc1q1XgYZypA9LnVuZkbG9L/w472-h640/IMG_4761.JPG" width="472" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Quincey and Jack riding together near the end of the novel (with Jack's diary entry quoted above them)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-grO6D1vmze006UhPdQgzs4jvv0zlB4YlNaoblxVdzbf-quSQ9mTdJqXshyphenhyphenePULn5yZEJOMbbh0WSuaFQiQRtyufsawCz1zj9Q3OuDKk2oNFk0ENtHmP8ba9m4bKPpColncpAKlIY6jCRzW6SNxNFPgBUyJB91KFp70Sv7Ay8kU-yiip7RM58Vqyaxewo/s4032/IMG_4758.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-grO6D1vmze006UhPdQgzs4jvv0zlB4YlNaoblxVdzbf-quSQ9mTdJqXshyphenhyphenePULn5yZEJOMbbh0WSuaFQiQRtyufsawCz1zj9Q3OuDKk2oNFk0ENtHmP8ba9m4bKPpColncpAKlIY6jCRzW6SNxNFPgBUyJB91KFp70Sv7Ay8kU-yiip7RM58Vqyaxewo/w640-h480/IMG_4758.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Post-novel Arthur and Jack snuggling</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aJ7wI54yxpn7r8nTMa2S4VhvSdYSUc9Xf3tqOBqvssX1BMpTB6FHHqDtu3iDOnOaWBtmyHpgsz1u1vPmw4Jojj3Opu4qyue6IG-ilHVA0P8Mm9pK38kNnaZ0lm_qU9vDNP7Dyh-g18qhUKb3T-5NOiDh92-5MlK5tJr8QLk1YoeFHR4BI3qW6cNChX3Z/s3123/IMG_4770.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2562" data-original-width="3123" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aJ7wI54yxpn7r8nTMa2S4VhvSdYSUc9Xf3tqOBqvssX1BMpTB6FHHqDtu3iDOnOaWBtmyHpgsz1u1vPmw4Jojj3Opu4qyue6IG-ilHVA0P8Mm9pK38kNnaZ0lm_qU9vDNP7Dyh-g18qhUKb3T-5NOiDh92-5MlK5tJr8QLk1YoeFHR4BI3qW6cNChX3Z/w640-h526/IMG_4770.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mina and Van Helsing, after Michelangelo's "La Madonna della Pieta."</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX6pfYxjHVHaK-5L4MJUdx22b6QwEMunL-GDhqLDUgXZaZgR2BZaIL17DARLOhaIQ6SC2BRRbHsHkpVpOm-AsgwGaA_zAaQsAQWSHlJIHP-Y2jfn7hYnJa0HLBI-JA3Liw1FLoIrTibKdfhIKGUtFUrp_y-_pGpzF_rQBLJgD8LAjyxvYMhrFDj9rybN6/s3072/IMG_4789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2505" data-original-width="3072" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX6pfYxjHVHaK-5L4MJUdx22b6QwEMunL-GDhqLDUgXZaZgR2BZaIL17DARLOhaIQ6SC2BRRbHsHkpVpOm-AsgwGaA_zAaQsAQWSHlJIHP-Y2jfn7hYnJa0HLBI-JA3Liw1FLoIrTibKdfhIKGUtFUrp_y-_pGpzF_rQBLJgD8LAjyxvYMhrFDj9rybN6/w640-h522/IMG_4789.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mina showing off the features of the traveler's typewriter that Quincey bought her</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-79448455810102543412023-10-31T09:47:00.001-07:002023-10-31T09:48:37.807-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XX<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5poZgwg1GSG2rSoXTKrwIf_WQc15qdKfE0RMEWgvb_TYk0WCc_lQVK5QSYOJz54vmKXVeThk62-HVmHIFx5v32t5iGYDHzrva7DJ7d0k-PWikBFFcwNCn87a50QEDRSorr4VTHG5txxrYMt_3pa-u7tpoExxzW7Yn-evGEc15zbgrbSLgyr-EWhU2gCD/s3164/IMG_4664.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3164" data-original-width="2657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5poZgwg1GSG2rSoXTKrwIf_WQc15qdKfE0RMEWgvb_TYk0WCc_lQVK5QSYOJz54vmKXVeThk62-HVmHIFx5v32t5iGYDHzrva7DJ7d0k-PWikBFFcwNCn87a50QEDRSorr4VTHG5txxrYMt_3pa-u7tpoExxzW7Yn-evGEc15zbgrbSLgyr-EWhU2gCD/w538-h640/IMG_4664.JPG" width="538" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jonathan and Mina making out (in front of their friends), because they're the most romantic couple in literature, ever.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">More <i>Dracula</i> fanart, because of course. (<a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart">All fanart here</a>.)</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1xeKzsP2bpY35Co2vxvIyARaj3zKASAsz3WM_0O1WVoA0BETnwuRXDlGtUWrqswDoMjVwvbXyEB9FdWI8ccXlDq6HZTpn1BMDDxp8T_RicILcjtpyZc7N4aHQOItViCPzSELy47YLSwYZj4Z5uFZwlf80bKWiQGpQoQrVJd2sIjoT0Yb8CEDExIQLNz8/s4032/IMG_4659.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1xeKzsP2bpY35Co2vxvIyARaj3zKASAsz3WM_0O1WVoA0BETnwuRXDlGtUWrqswDoMjVwvbXyEB9FdWI8ccXlDq6HZTpn1BMDDxp8T_RicILcjtpyZc7N4aHQOItViCPzSELy47YLSwYZj4Z5uFZwlf80bKWiQGpQoQrVJd2sIjoT0Yb8CEDExIQLNz8/w480-h640/IMG_4659.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mina asks Jonathan to read the burial service from the Book of Common Prayer, holding a funeral for her after she starts turning into a vampire. They are the most Goth couple of all time.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp6Qbybdn-dhxmUMicZYR-_Lv_lALLghcauebeEsPn6cg9p1PHsSpxNnFiAANVBlTJM9KajXDrIahN1wOhfGZiUksphFUtB_6ZANbrQtvUabZliLvhtRd54b3Fi4ZI2Dw7lAF1-4wWi6Wd-8HZxXMKmAzyktkUDFRdbIVgc9GPqhCJ1VXfwDUYdHjDFfv/s4030/IMG_4647.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="4030" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp6Qbybdn-dhxmUMicZYR-_Lv_lALLghcauebeEsPn6cg9p1PHsSpxNnFiAANVBlTJM9KajXDrIahN1wOhfGZiUksphFUtB_6ZANbrQtvUabZliLvhtRd54b3Fi4ZI2Dw7lAF1-4wWi6Wd-8HZxXMKmAzyktkUDFRdbIVgc9GPqhCJ1VXfwDUYdHjDFfv/w640-h468/IMG_4647.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jack Seward keeps commenting a lot about how much Jonathan is sharpening his kukri knife...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-39615169015186194962023-10-30T09:43:00.000-07:002023-10-31T09:47:16.858-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XIX<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQri1UDQR3Xdch97pa3CjBtSajZ-ywBpcX8dvYth10TcDOpLyIdksJ6mKlvJmAWL_kczVAlsolh7GLYp8M-Tw4gOHLbmYXxSGASAOC48aYpW-1GPaSCGetsLbu-d_B9NsZxSah4bYKR165WyXnDc8xssfpz-7RJtPgw0zX_sxDOmRySRWg0vbuRov0ah7U/s4032/IMG_4636.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQri1UDQR3Xdch97pa3CjBtSajZ-ywBpcX8dvYth10TcDOpLyIdksJ6mKlvJmAWL_kczVAlsolh7GLYp8M-Tw4gOHLbmYXxSGASAOC48aYpW-1GPaSCGetsLbu-d_B9NsZxSah4bYKR165WyXnDc8xssfpz-7RJtPgw0zX_sxDOmRySRWg0vbuRov0ah7U/w640-h480/IMG_4636.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Drac Attack Pack are not very happy about how this novel is going... (Based on the photo below, a promo shot for the 1931 movie.) From left to right in my drawing: Dracula, Arthur Holmwood, Mina Harker, Jonathan Harker, Abraham Van Helsing.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOLzxPYE_0Ng15BvfWgTNdsgcC3VWxbXFDYEH1coi3o384x163OodtVzI_0Uh1MINnlynhnyMe3OTmTNVzJqyGZsbtwtxFwUoaftelb1Zt4C-OIGjvQukrpkmF8IMmen3TnQlxSV3m9QD-zZ-Xo5fsHZx1H5xeJi-x7DiWnBUVI4OYeQm86NA1R1ikr49/s834/GlaringatDracReference.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="834" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOLzxPYE_0Ng15BvfWgTNdsgcC3VWxbXFDYEH1coi3o384x163OodtVzI_0Uh1MINnlynhnyMe3OTmTNVzJqyGZsbtwtxFwUoaftelb1Zt4C-OIGjvQukrpkmF8IMmen3TnQlxSV3m9QD-zZ-Xo5fsHZx1H5xeJi-x7DiWnBUVI4OYeQm86NA1R1ikr49/w640-h484/GlaringatDracReference.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><u><br /></u></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've been drawing a bit lately! (<a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart">All fanart here</a>.)<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJxu0RbtD3-B9t6Eo2anTPc-YZnHNB3OvlLa-suxJfSJLMQI2L44ytiFVzUJQWdexn-mDOsiHdFJPmzZuJ-bYVrIfRd27clCOGttL2E732Tu4LkDOQPZhGMbEyIivOMFVk7jaPAltqAx1OA0KTqcM9C53zrSeZUA3L-rNdxVA29BNcWnAhbLFnUqhBWSj/s3504/IMG_4640.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3504" data-original-width="2937" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJxu0RbtD3-B9t6Eo2anTPc-YZnHNB3OvlLa-suxJfSJLMQI2L44ytiFVzUJQWdexn-mDOsiHdFJPmzZuJ-bYVrIfRd27clCOGttL2E732Tu4LkDOQPZhGMbEyIivOMFVk7jaPAltqAx1OA0KTqcM9C53zrSeZUA3L-rNdxVA29BNcWnAhbLFnUqhBWSj/w536-h640/IMG_4640.JPG" width="536" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I finally made a design for Edward Hyde (from <i>The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> by Robert Louis Stevenson)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMfF4HLU_cBrQD2BITFKpjYK9OwyIBZ4m7hyMK_30R8OB7l9M5n_9jlIpXNpxRqtY6hfL_KaJo8DU47s6iY4hfCQiyKlxW67LNWvDvPWrBv_1TKn8z7vxiddESeQYQhhcwtHBt3pKTSq-N2vOy2PzmVL6LQSyJyAE2T4TJbuLYj1nbKQfCDqaopBwYxAo/s4032/ArthurCrying.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMfF4HLU_cBrQD2BITFKpjYK9OwyIBZ4m7hyMK_30R8OB7l9M5n_9jlIpXNpxRqtY6hfL_KaJo8DU47s6iY4hfCQiyKlxW67LNWvDvPWrBv_1TKn8z7vxiddESeQYQhhcwtHBt3pKTSq-N2vOy2PzmVL6LQSyJyAE2T4TJbuLYj1nbKQfCDqaopBwYxAo/w640-h480/ArthurCrying.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Arthur crying on Mina's shoulder</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDiIJtyXVKJXurZCSVCGfkr8zOi2vr19S6mc-hXFHxHuQdYQAU2C7-PKH9665B9dw04zAyS5e55t8sSx7MmJQmkeNRbtCio5Sn9_bMkRN5Yt5tdDcFGHRLUNI5ypNgxu-PlOwmF5Wq9lFhai_DRCR3lp2-tYhyphenhyphenM44pPdHqSwp5Ds1z_3swunfwlM7k-gC/s3896/IMG_4595.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2922" data-original-width="3896" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDiIJtyXVKJXurZCSVCGfkr8zOi2vr19S6mc-hXFHxHuQdYQAU2C7-PKH9665B9dw04zAyS5e55t8sSx7MmJQmkeNRbtCio5Sn9_bMkRN5Yt5tdDcFGHRLUNI5ypNgxu-PlOwmF5Wq9lFhai_DRCR3lp2-tYhyphenhyphenM44pPdHqSwp5Ds1z_3swunfwlM7k-gC/w640-h480/IMG_4595.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Whenever Arthur is in a scene he does a lot of jumping up, sitting down, falling into chairs, and so on, so I made it into a comic.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-64958920753511078712023-09-25T08:20:00.003-07:002023-09-25T08:22:07.485-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XVIII<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD7y1L3VRWvJtCcNCaEhOzscQOmVD-O_c3L6TZ5lccwu2zWHKqtdfv2TBl6ptsXCXbhU7Qjt4BAYNTu_MUQNTGNZl1640MSNwVowxo7hU7TBiGoAxK94iaBGCQqyWUJM-daUAFeBJKSHTOUa2SHM8RjBhPYUyonz8XFn0ZyAxTMHRTT7qq5xKUko8QENv/s4032/IMG_4554.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD7y1L3VRWvJtCcNCaEhOzscQOmVD-O_c3L6TZ5lccwu2zWHKqtdfv2TBl6ptsXCXbhU7Qjt4BAYNTu_MUQNTGNZl1640MSNwVowxo7hU7TBiGoAxK94iaBGCQqyWUJM-daUAFeBJKSHTOUa2SHM8RjBhPYUyonz8XFn0ZyAxTMHRTT7qq5xKUko8QENv/w480-h640/IMG_4554.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jack Seward, Quincey Morris, and Arthur Holmwood, based on the photo below</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> More drawings!<span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3o6C-_mlb6-nbz1zf5yIMoqEgIGNqYwBxYtZ-_P2sHatHZqP0sCvveiuoYamaCFQr3AjZN9SdrduNLQa8JXuqvotRDxlr7kIj234KkdFDTI0GmI7n8MMvrkblQw6JbxPZamuKR8yj098NF9FkTasDYVMCYbrnBZg9xuEYLdO9vC8qxQmLHly-2ijz1Zd/s527/SuitorSquad.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="327" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3o6C-_mlb6-nbz1zf5yIMoqEgIGNqYwBxYtZ-_P2sHatHZqP0sCvveiuoYamaCFQr3AjZN9SdrduNLQa8JXuqvotRDxlr7kIj234KkdFDTI0GmI7n8MMvrkblQw6JbxPZamuKR8yj098NF9FkTasDYVMCYbrnBZg9xuEYLdO9vC8qxQmLHly-2ijz1Zd/w398-h640/SuitorSquad.png" width="398" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxZ74P1I0JncCfj1-0u1GYVBGzD3pou8IMmSGbfKycWjE5S3hyY3163Ys-esDuVyNlBpbxe7ZeOfMdeblsoP1wMXhAkuubERzGbZm4vuWf5QsxCgEp6VLNUp1xTGa1YiRgC-_eASROWGqROQXpyYpHtsH0FOD3u4pTiKeN4JAjTqCWpnChfzhHOEpN3kf/s4032/IMG_4551.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxZ74P1I0JncCfj1-0u1GYVBGzD3pou8IMmSGbfKycWjE5S3hyY3163Ys-esDuVyNlBpbxe7ZeOfMdeblsoP1wMXhAkuubERzGbZm4vuWf5QsxCgEp6VLNUp1xTGa1YiRgC-_eASROWGqROQXpyYpHtsH0FOD3u4pTiKeN4JAjTqCWpnChfzhHOEpN3kf/w640-h480/IMG_4551.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Tumblr request: Mina and Jonathan Harker relaxing at the Lukács thermal baths in Budapest.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1CYT08vAxwkWWvg8Qvya1dJI5TTIauuYgqZvJHIVFeCG5OwoevuUjL17tjMgW9pqm_RZmYGj2rpaqLtcDb17SasTUYWJ73fc7bCfazEepxTgfy73HO_8E8iovYseAOhVTwkdVKV0iQcLX3SAomV2D64UP9V2bKwbZ7ZIdWyUUyUobL-qxMcPo7AGnJb0/s4032/IMG_4546.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1CYT08vAxwkWWvg8Qvya1dJI5TTIauuYgqZvJHIVFeCG5OwoevuUjL17tjMgW9pqm_RZmYGj2rpaqLtcDb17SasTUYWJ73fc7bCfazEepxTgfy73HO_8E8iovYseAOhVTwkdVKV0iQcLX3SAomV2D64UP9V2bKwbZ7ZIdWyUUyUobL-qxMcPo7AGnJb0/w480-h640/IMG_4546.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Arthur's dad, Lord Godalming (he never shows up in the novel but I drew him anyway)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t7BynAgmkgw-EBe0j5dYzPMHBpcmkKGqtqItjJgZmSSXSo-FP5l98AgqJ3rJiJjADuQLrHJBm9apEOFyjSeFX7TVv95sa00Drvw4gzaCWgASKFORlYP8gOEgT7CeLiRZSAZFu-O94YOvPTAyJuAhpa0JMfqg2f_yQc9Dbg4WLQsiIAr9A6VIVr4n9aFP/s3582/IMG_4577.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2933" data-original-width="3582" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t7BynAgmkgw-EBe0j5dYzPMHBpcmkKGqtqItjJgZmSSXSo-FP5l98AgqJ3rJiJjADuQLrHJBm9apEOFyjSeFX7TVv95sa00Drvw4gzaCWgASKFORlYP8gOEgT7CeLiRZSAZFu-O94YOvPTAyJuAhpa0JMfqg2f_yQc9Dbg4WLQsiIAr9A6VIVr4n9aFP/w640-h524/IMG_4577.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">At one point Jack compares something to "chasing an errant swarm of bees," so here he is doing just that.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHz_MH4iqtUIF4xQVoGBzb9PD7AvP7anMZL4mGqXBWk54VJmXwWSbSWWShPn0W0-DUhwrmFz1dvroEC-OWuGSWqLs00FtQ_wz1Tyatla-QjFwhaKcYgUKM5IUB-D-n7OqobartG_hzj8heJYpxoROmFKPOFfj1WRP5hboKvC2Z7IXw5-O1S5PehtPJbtZV/s4032/IMG_4573.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHz_MH4iqtUIF4xQVoGBzb9PD7AvP7anMZL4mGqXBWk54VJmXwWSbSWWShPn0W0-DUhwrmFz1dvroEC-OWuGSWqLs00FtQ_wz1Tyatla-QjFwhaKcYgUKM5IUB-D-n7OqobartG_hzj8heJYpxoROmFKPOFfj1WRP5hboKvC2Z7IXw5-O1S5PehtPJbtZV/w640-h480/IMG_4573.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A quick comic of a canon scene: Jack's in the middle of undressing when Van Helsing bursts in on him and says they need to cut off the head of Lucy's dead body and perform an autopsy.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-37611849638839391012023-09-22T16:21:00.006-07:002023-09-22T16:22:33.194-07:00The World in a Hazelnut<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTTHC8f_YVk3nbZXkTZfwsJHdvWFGaLWD8LA_9hLgX-PoqvLyhGPmqkzvbmZeWvjeobEtPIFksuMrjWWGcGGXceGVdo1R0NwoFQKeGOBjbRF7qPfFlcTk0jTY55-6lMkLBl_une-G9aQchvxLb-8Lhjqv5-HOee8ym_uOSBgLId1fovZiM0ODHbhrmsC5/s339/JulianofNorwich.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="279" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTTHC8f_YVk3nbZXkTZfwsJHdvWFGaLWD8LA_9hLgX-PoqvLyhGPmqkzvbmZeWvjeobEtPIFksuMrjWWGcGGXceGVdo1R0NwoFQKeGOBjbRF7qPfFlcTk0jTY55-6lMkLBl_une-G9aQchvxLb-8Lhjqv5-HOee8ym_uOSBgLId1fovZiM0ODHbhrmsC5/w526-h640/JulianofNorwich.jpeg" width="526" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>Meditations with Julian of Norwich<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> The past two weeks at my Sunday school (that we've now officially named "YASS!", for "Young Adult Sunday School"), one of our members has been teaching us about Julian of Norwich, and guiding us through some meditations based on this 14th-century anchoress's theological teachings. Last week, our leader passed around a little tub of hazelnuts and asked us each to pick one, and then we were given five minutes to sit (or walk or stand) with the hazelnut in hand and contemplate what it could teach us about God and the universe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This was based on a vision Julian of Norwich had: "…[God] showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazel nut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, 'What may this be?' And it was answered generally thus, 'It is all that is made.' I marveled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so have all things their beginning by the love of God. In this little thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it. The second that God loves it. And the third, that God keeps it."</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I wandered away from the group and sat cross-legged on the floor, linoleum tile with shuffleboard goals painted on it. Under the dusty florescent lighting, I stared at the small nut in my hand. It was so light that I couldn't even feel it if I closed my eyes and kept my hand still. I had to move my palm to feel its insubstantial presence. I had to touch it to my lips to feel the tiny contours of its surface. I imagined the universe as this hazelnut.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Huge open spaces sometimes freak me out. I distinctly remember camping with our rainfly off for the first time in the desert— the night sky was so vast, and I felt fragile and alone. To see the hazelnut and imagine all the universe fitting into it, I was struck by how fragile it was too, how easily crushed.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It also came to mind that this hazelnut was the size of a human embryo at about eight weeks.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Like all embryos, a seed like this hazel wants to grow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Like all embryos, it doesn't always.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In an instant, there on the tile beneath the harsh lights, I cupped the hazelnut between both palms and wished I could hold it always, protect it from anything that would hurt it, and before I knew it, I was silently crying, the tears running down my cheeks.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A bell chimed to let us know the meditation was over, and we gathered around and talked about our thoughts. The words "fragile" and "vulnerable" came up a lot. Hazelnuts, and the universe, are so small.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I put the hazelnut in my pocket, and when I got home from church, I fully intended to set it on my desk so I could look at it every day. But as I held it in my hand and told Zach about the meditation, I got a strong desire to eat it instead. To take it into myself, so that what I had meditated would filter into the very cells of my body.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To destroy it on purpose, with the realization that nothing can ever truly be destroyed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A germinating seed looks like destruction, too.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It felt like a kind of sacrament, eating the hazelnut, and the whole experience has been haunting me ever since. It's very vulnerable to go good-faith into a meditation like that, to allow yourself to be sincere enough to get anything out of it. But the rewards are great. Like all seeds, I want to grow.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-37610529783447320792023-09-01T11:33:00.002-07:002023-09-01T11:33:28.058-07:00Real Simple Magazine, the Middle Class, and Me<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1A2rzCsqm6F5jlf1wYtP2ROEMcX0puxycXpBMPNPXOmwdLTIsN-3cBeiJ2YTDe9dkjWDod4dCwXOJ1-1wc5romZGr-TATESFnb7RT1KfhYvFE4tcp1kNqYy_TXpiVRVCaCTB7Wra-PWWCMe7Zx6zJ7LHJci529Mvoi2nuXLyXOnwufJP0at-3PZAUIrt/s4032/IMG_4494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1A2rzCsqm6F5jlf1wYtP2ROEMcX0puxycXpBMPNPXOmwdLTIsN-3cBeiJ2YTDe9dkjWDod4dCwXOJ1-1wc5romZGr-TATESFnb7RT1KfhYvFE4tcp1kNqYy_TXpiVRVCaCTB7Wra-PWWCMe7Zx6zJ7LHJci529Mvoi2nuXLyXOnwufJP0at-3PZAUIrt/w640-h480/IMG_4494.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> I don't like the phrase "guilty pleasure," but I do have one, and it's <i>Real Simple</i> magazine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's sleek! It's glossy! It's full of helpful household hints and beautifully-styled recipes and thoughtful articles!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's also a microcosm of one of the longest and most complicated relationships I have in my life: the relationship with me and the entire concept of the "middle class."</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Zach and I are definitely middle class. Together, we make a salary that Millennials on the internet loudly proclaim is literally impossible to live comfortably on… but is nearly double the Missouri poverty line for a two-person household. We consider a walk to the library and a $5 frozen custard concrete to be a hot date, but we are also are one of the minority households (of any income level) who can easily weather a $400 emergency. We don't eat out because we can't justify the expense, but we do take vacations and have a mortgage and a paid-off car, which are out of reach for so many people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Once, I thought I was too good to be middle-class. Too cool, too alternative. I was above all that materialism and consumerism. Yet why was I drawn back to <i>Real Simple </i>again and again, smoothing my hand over those glossy pages and feeling both a morbid fascination and an anger that I refused to dig underneath?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I sit down with my copies of the magazine (borrowed from the library, of course) and read about lipsticks that cost more than I spend on clothing in a month. I page through the six-page ads and marvel that people will pay for a magazine that is just there to sell them things, both in the ads and in the articles themselves. An article about making time to volunteer is followed by a feature about cute cocktail dresses that cost more than I made last month. I gaze at these signs of wealth with fascination: is this how people really live, or is the magazine just aspirational, that others like me, with leaky 90-year-old windows and a front porch that is so rotted that I literally fell through it, are also flipping through and aspiring to be able to buy $200 gifts for everyone on their Christmas list?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Since Zach has been delivery driving for Walmart, he's been inside many sprawling mansions, in gated neighborhoods with pretentious names and vast lawns tended by groundskeepers. And yet, these people are still ordering groceries from Walmart. Last week while he was unloading groceries in a woman's gigantic shiny granite-topped kitchen, she quietly asked if he could put the groceries in plastic bags next time, because "I like to save them to use for other things."</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm not so different from the people in the McMansions, really.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've often felt guilty for our middle-class life. Felt guilty that we have been able to save money when other friends were living paycheck to paycheck, that we were able to pay off our car and afford plane tickets to visit family. Occasionally I would panic that we were too wealthy and try to convince Zach that we needed to give more of our money away, that we were living too extravagantly, that how could we continue living in comfort while people near and far were going hungry?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the same breath, I often feel incredibly out of my depth with other middle-class people. Someone asks me if I've seen the latest show at the Fox Theater, and I blink at them in confusion. I congratulate myself for not making a comment when someone talks about how "we all" can relate to accidentally spending a couple hundred bucks on a Target run. Someone asks me if I've ever been to an event hosted by the local yacht club, as if that is a normal thing that everyone goes to.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I feel anger. Sometimes I am Aesop's fox in the vineyard saying the grapes are sour, but actually having a crisis in the middle of someone's funeral because the eulogy is talking about how this guy spent his life working a good job and volunteering in the community and taking his kids to Six Flags and traveling to Europe on vacation. <i>You've </i>been<i> to Europe!</i> I chide myself. <i>You've done so many cool things that most people never get the chance to! </i>So why do I suddenly feel like crying?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Despite the common wisdom (usually spouted by people who have always had enough money), money does buy happiness. Every time we solve a problem with money, every time a problem that can't be solved with money is made easier by the presence of money, I give thanks. I don't take it for granted. I know how privileged we are— and I know that underneath all of this is not anger or sadness but fear. Fear that I will not have enough. Fear that we erroneously chose this life path and that we will be lacking.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe it's time for me to admit that I'm allowed to have complicated feelings about things. If I simultaneously feel guilty about being "too rich" and sad about being "too poor," maybe the truth is that I don't fit comfortably into either category.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe it's time to put away the magazines. Maybe it's time to take a walk in the dappled sunshine of the hiking trail near my house, to look for cardinals and listen for woodpeckers, to wave at the barges chugging down the river, to pick flowers from my yard until the house is bursting with bouquets. Maybe it's time to acknowledge that fear of<i> not enough</i> simmering below all my anger, to peel back the layers of defenses that cover up the envy and let the envy breathe a little. To read my latest book from the library and listen to a podcast, to repeat the mantra, <i>Everything you need, you already have. </i>To trust the abundance of life and community, to cherish the gifts I already have.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe it's time to accept whatever this present reality is, in all its complexity— accept that it's real, but it sure isn't simple.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-88486122436778307192023-08-31T11:05:00.000-07:002023-09-01T11:33:40.036-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XVII<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHoUOmDToWFKHYAGV7vkioxeo15lrB6KFAVefN60ecT0L0_BvnLvnZqQRGj5SsKqYAB_czNHBCerPZHh-N6qVCmL4QxazsX-d7FqD1fgLOBNqQUGL3kDPoQ7m4ykn4nUDW7QJzKEFd6KGaRwDc0rzCTAmIlFPgYBlmdPR8shmFHPsZTzHAVnd0DgJ5dlP/s3130/IMG_4489.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="3130" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHoUOmDToWFKHYAGV7vkioxeo15lrB6KFAVefN60ecT0L0_BvnLvnZqQRGj5SsKqYAB_czNHBCerPZHh-N6qVCmL4QxazsX-d7FqD1fgLOBNqQUGL3kDPoQ7m4ykn4nUDW7QJzKEFd6KGaRwDc0rzCTAmIlFPgYBlmdPR8shmFHPsZTzHAVnd0DgJ5dlP/w640-h506/IMG_4489.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jonathan as Sleeping Beauty (and Mina as his prince come to waken him with true love's kiss), part 2</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Some more art I've made for Dracula Daily! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">(</span><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">See others in the series here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.)<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3xEE8Wb-rt-8CcuKMSXCNzrVP1MwUAAJwAs15kMboHhCFgvcKHB33-Oz5gQg1BzezZZ27-7AY_nzvvpIyh1d3AGV-j5rGQMyXj06vedy3o1W_kaws2oBN0UoYnbIk4SlIkmeLyvkYtm6Al3ispUN3fKADyGUc5evxdvu1H0Naa0vFY3ewAR1PybbaWM3/s3731/IMG_4492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1455" data-original-width="3731" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3xEE8Wb-rt-8CcuKMSXCNzrVP1MwUAAJwAs15kMboHhCFgvcKHB33-Oz5gQg1BzezZZ27-7AY_nzvvpIyh1d3AGV-j5rGQMyXj06vedy3o1W_kaws2oBN0UoYnbIk4SlIkmeLyvkYtm6Al3ispUN3fKADyGUc5evxdvu1H0Naa0vFY3ewAR1PybbaWM3/w640-h250/IMG_4492.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Things you wouldn't expect to happen in a Victorian English vampire novel: someone needs a blood transfusion and a guy from Texas shows up just at the right moment to provide it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTr6_zp10kVfJB8nZo8M1sxaDDFMxA7FGpbj_5mC2fhBgN78K_ruBxJUiV-vYJ_CiaQgrhCUa7HBhC9MTYafrRZRO0ftikishqXAwE7SpkwbS6F0I-P59vxAKrDRG3S_X89I2f7xpXFeAj-J3xAcmBYxqRcfafGt4D643wthN7f_ne52Cw8500rAoGQECI/s4025/IMG_4497.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4025" data-original-width="2606" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTr6_zp10kVfJB8nZo8M1sxaDDFMxA7FGpbj_5mC2fhBgN78K_ruBxJUiV-vYJ_CiaQgrhCUa7HBhC9MTYafrRZRO0ftikishqXAwE7SpkwbS6F0I-P59vxAKrDRG3S_X89I2f7xpXFeAj-J3xAcmBYxqRcfafGt4D643wthN7f_ne52Cw8500rAoGQECI/w414-h640/IMG_4497.JPG" width="414" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Another sketch based on a daguerreotype, featuring Arthur, Jack, and Quincey<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu8MnyyMSABQdxp3QpE9_8JJTKJCksPIZmZ8MKmqcabJUiKD6JCWIKgODzIKaDnSUXjhLV-HfrZwQj0pBZdYBlbRsYklVRsZ28L69ZAxD0SUb8gK5wXtg6s-vgl3h1cL3mhn0rh08rUDuPbtZBA88u0nPk1LL74Ohld-ifLRqtUTsVcQi8C9CMGFX5H1F/s639/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-16%20at%204.00.53%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="486" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu8MnyyMSABQdxp3QpE9_8JJTKJCksPIZmZ8MKmqcabJUiKD6JCWIKgODzIKaDnSUXjhLV-HfrZwQj0pBZdYBlbRsYklVRsZ28L69ZAxD0SUb8gK5wXtg6s-vgl3h1cL3mhn0rh08rUDuPbtZBA88u0nPk1LL74Ohld-ifLRqtUTsVcQi8C9CMGFX5H1F/w486-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-16%20at%204.00.53%20PM.png" width="486" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lIsfXwd7qpPUQgNNSPQ-4PwWRrkfpx4IR9Cvov_FhDqtEeaA2f4fEhCuqnXPBYNAvTsxT2UAur5qvn9QWUZWuRHuCx4QQefwql6Gd_GEqqXBSozIOpyC_oj26QsxdfMUSM-CDwfLeY99ADHHR_nfByt4KF0cUq0U2lQgOIJqNa3EZoFagh1aY0y_9rC1/s3894/IMG_4500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3894" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lIsfXwd7qpPUQgNNSPQ-4PwWRrkfpx4IR9Cvov_FhDqtEeaA2f4fEhCuqnXPBYNAvTsxT2UAur5qvn9QWUZWuRHuCx4QQefwql6Gd_GEqqXBSozIOpyC_oj26QsxdfMUSM-CDwfLeY99ADHHR_nfByt4KF0cUq0U2lQgOIJqNa3EZoFagh1aY0y_9rC1/w640-h498/IMG_4500.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If I were directing an adaptation of <i>Dracula</i>, this is how I would introduce the character of Abraham Van Helsing. First, Dr. Seward writes about how wonderful Van Helsing is. Then we smash-cut to:</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigXzyqJALOoLSicav1MStGQXEcA-jOCV-6nbzy3nnJ0rXk-o5B0goSoQOWHTcLtEchZnFXF5icx2XnhTqYVnnPdcnTEC_MzkD9KZ-jWpM8M98SdoQ5X7ltX-q5FaCdbiyHrMKKG1Ih3WW2dHg6PD8t5LOYtANUDW8ap-gqcBQpe10GUGKLtZ61sXnvxOU/s4026/IMG_4498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="4026" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigXzyqJALOoLSicav1MStGQXEcA-jOCV-6nbzy3nnJ0rXk-o5B0goSoQOWHTcLtEchZnFXF5icx2XnhTqYVnnPdcnTEC_MzkD9KZ-jWpM8M98SdoQ5X7ltX-q5FaCdbiyHrMKKG1Ih3WW2dHg6PD8t5LOYtANUDW8ap-gqcBQpe10GUGKLtZ61sXnvxOU/w640-h448/IMG_4498.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">...Van Helsing stealing communion wafers for vampire-hunting purposes! (Later he smashes them into putty and uses them like caulk to seal up a crypt, and he says that it's okay because he has an "indulgence." I don't think Bram Stoker knows how Catholicism works...)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-63403241592659723612023-08-22T14:20:00.002-07:002023-08-22T14:20:22.188-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XVI<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij79naupTYXqwcLcUuV5ICIafsObzEXZmDXcHsDh3UFszECWtInaRy635jheuNvGGj8VWHZH1FOQI97-teDraRYWcMhrjYhYJocWf_cJErJj6KqSR3NWNXmF-9seRxdAIeWXMFkNBQxDYO2i-oB8M9agcbRXjV0G2Uf77LjF8k9chatHYoMu43VUTXG8l1/s4032/IMG_4482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij79naupTYXqwcLcUuV5ICIafsObzEXZmDXcHsDh3UFszECWtInaRy635jheuNvGGj8VWHZH1FOQI97-teDraRYWcMhrjYhYJocWf_cJErJj6KqSR3NWNXmF-9seRxdAIeWXMFkNBQxDYO2i-oB8M9agcbRXjV0G2Uf77LjF8k9chatHYoMu43VUTXG8l1/w640-h480/IMG_4482.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jonathan Harker, waiting for true love's kiss. (He's holding a wild rose, which is placed over a coffin to keep a vampire from rising from the grave.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The <i>Dracula</i> fanart keeps on coming! I think I might actually be getting better at this... <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">(</span><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">See others in the series here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.)</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6bwTafPahmg67sgnPwMz-ou_GfHzSfVK4Yb9Bc7ZLUwvhEFrzQg2brtbqZS5fT0-_s93SOsOOpFQbXhR32rSCQSBPiA35-3BephDgAVrPKzQnS9Uy00Ut1ULqzgRIUAZ91jfvWbMzWtpXF0_zCFRvnWaZIpNKKhBok1ckdjuiCK8WzJ9rSflIpD4-ZRY/s4032/IMG_4469.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6bwTafPahmg67sgnPwMz-ou_GfHzSfVK4Yb9Bc7ZLUwvhEFrzQg2brtbqZS5fT0-_s93SOsOOpFQbXhR32rSCQSBPiA35-3BephDgAVrPKzQnS9Uy00Ut1ULqzgRIUAZ91jfvWbMzWtpXF0_zCFRvnWaZIpNKKhBok1ckdjuiCK8WzJ9rSflIpD4-ZRY/w480-h640/IMG_4469.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris (from <i>Dracula</i>), based on an old daguerreotype. Why don't men get pictures posed like this anymore?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gFuX_yA0TQA9WqrPqOzj4iS7qliJVz7TDyPdP8j7-58BpWH7KFIfovaLbJDtxZW0W4kqe7U3qdez1QBuJEjhXqOmgAuuspx1l2NxF1dEW8wYhShgicAI3qnc_OD1tEOnKFuSW6ugBSP8r2HTShhusraQOvdgWjAR72T4lhnf6IXfUtnI8bmh-WHtyrAM/s564/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-16%20at%203.47.09%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gFuX_yA0TQA9WqrPqOzj4iS7qliJVz7TDyPdP8j7-58BpWH7KFIfovaLbJDtxZW0W4kqe7U3qdez1QBuJEjhXqOmgAuuspx1l2NxF1dEW8wYhShgicAI3qnc_OD1tEOnKFuSW6ugBSP8r2HTShhusraQOvdgWjAR72T4lhnf6IXfUtnI8bmh-WHtyrAM/w508-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-16%20at%203.47.09%20PM.png" width="508" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ILuWpOjZ2S6_Pgh4zb0b3lmjxfF5g5jO7zUe7tT_1FhsH0s1TsfqniklkOBKC9Lh-lxqrzbG9lCwBHNs_ywTdOG2CBUsoJiYAqt_zF1BdWAAlmu6r3wS-BV5zsZ9j2axOD82vQftctj8RSvmRyHGV-h8EArzzaK3RVvaD-hXNYPVOjN1mbbjh4UItZmV/s3384/IMG_4462.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="3384" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ILuWpOjZ2S6_Pgh4zb0b3lmjxfF5g5jO7zUe7tT_1FhsH0s1TsfqniklkOBKC9Lh-lxqrzbG9lCwBHNs_ywTdOG2CBUsoJiYAqt_zF1BdWAAlmu6r3wS-BV5zsZ9j2axOD82vQftctj8RSvmRyHGV-h8EArzzaK3RVvaD-hXNYPVOjN1mbbjh4UItZmV/w640-h476/IMG_4462.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mina wonders if Jonathan is alive, while Jonathan lies with brain fever in a hospital over a thousand miles away...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxqgRY1qD61ljT8vQnOLivhA4nWPrgSgII1DBh_HCK7wO9BV98aUocTL7zw78FzwpDpxnWuMBvNufcdODCMXXtdNuSgduXb4v4HB0VIlwnTP3vOH9wfqPtYRhW9I7XiKoh_sD5Hlz2Pn6jaLTSWA3tqamrvq6p-MFe4Hh80WW24_WqOW9JM-OYOwrKZ1H/s3142/IMG_4480.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2674" data-original-width="3142" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxqgRY1qD61ljT8vQnOLivhA4nWPrgSgII1DBh_HCK7wO9BV98aUocTL7zw78FzwpDpxnWuMBvNufcdODCMXXtdNuSgduXb4v4HB0VIlwnTP3vOH9wfqPtYRhW9I7XiKoh_sD5Hlz2Pn6jaLTSWA3tqamrvq6p-MFe4Hh80WW24_WqOW9JM-OYOwrKZ1H/w640-h544/IMG_4480.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Dr. Jack Seward (right) with his favorite patient, Renfield, who's been locked up for a week in a straitjacket but still finds time to creep him out. (Jack deserves it, he's been a monster lately.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-17016977868908864362023-08-11T13:24:00.000-07:002023-08-11T13:24:25.780-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XV<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HoCAVC3FE36tjuo-q_yjjP2cQZVNHzOPN8K3z_oWIm7vPCdO8LHgWV5I6lQeGDfmeWgLEhTvvEvLr7jA5AEhUvaK66gd8WC3EANfGGgN-2UK2KRhCEg9XJ2FsqLmZh1sewHOAz3xpihRjq8BW5nyL3wp0YCTpLMUGOX5Hj1h3Yru13Y_KtYb1BJ08WAP/s4032/IMG_4411.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HoCAVC3FE36tjuo-q_yjjP2cQZVNHzOPN8K3z_oWIm7vPCdO8LHgWV5I6lQeGDfmeWgLEhTvvEvLr7jA5AEhUvaK66gd8WC3EANfGGgN-2UK2KRhCEg9XJ2FsqLmZh1sewHOAz3xpihRjq8BW5nyL3wp0YCTpLMUGOX5Hj1h3Yru13Y_KtYb1BJ08WAP/w480-h640/IMG_4411.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Lucy Westenra (from <i>Dracula</i>). For those of you who know my sister, why yes I did use a photo of her as a reference! :)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><span>More <i>Dracula</i> fanart. In which I think I might finally be getting the hang of drawing clothes! Also a crab. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">(</span><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">See others in the series here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.)</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><a name='more'></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KiJktxr2rPo40Sdkk3D1uGtAZ0doz4UqMFS-i3KXfZ1TYB0SaUgP0oyVzCXPu7UU8TpwueXBNd8MbY69mNCGgfuZUdN51AI06ivF6h_BnTkX1ik1L0bpF73VQuezlffB6q2oT6v4Fc2P1VkZWGAc6HalX3FpBJTsPDvYC-O02pTZ6UCxR5d9N48TgQAb/s4030/CrabJonnoFinallyAwake.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2804" data-original-width="4030" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KiJktxr2rPo40Sdkk3D1uGtAZ0doz4UqMFS-i3KXfZ1TYB0SaUgP0oyVzCXPu7UU8TpwueXBNd8MbY69mNCGgfuZUdN51AI06ivF6h_BnTkX1ik1L0bpF73VQuezlffB6q2oT6v4Fc2P1VkZWGAc6HalX3FpBJTsPDvYC-O02pTZ6UCxR5d9N48TgQAb/w640-h446/CrabJonnoFinallyAwake.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is an inside joke (about <i>Dracula</i>) that's far too complicated to explain, but I'm still quite pleased with how adorable this crab is, so I included it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpzXjK6tuC-qZSv0jEm2xOeYyv9XNcJMEe30RDV6qxli2Lgt9PbEbNfWxMaaLzcp0QNvyzKTIWwFs_F39or2IKNrLwOyeyFHQIwmAAIvz3_iI5C13bCMuyde4vvETjxLW4jEGij345gqgt5la5v7KnckYEk-8WgbiAvBwpSzLKh99HznBJYY9hvyHRxc/s4032/IMG_4424.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpzXjK6tuC-qZSv0jEm2xOeYyv9XNcJMEe30RDV6qxli2Lgt9PbEbNfWxMaaLzcp0QNvyzKTIWwFs_F39or2IKNrLwOyeyFHQIwmAAIvz3_iI5C13bCMuyde4vvETjxLW4jEGij345gqgt5la5v7KnckYEk-8WgbiAvBwpSzLKh99HznBJYY9hvyHRxc/w640-h480/IMG_4424.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mina and Lucy snuggling</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMGuFeu0VV9BRMIWYNNiXhpsGl6O9u8RKXd8V8rmzSgPVUuMjAVMdkjUCf4C92hS52tBZSBqLlCeZI8jSfUHThRPb8xKmVF1XhJQ8A4iKI4A-vsYWrwS8kTNawwBeuQn1xHRKNfqro_FNIX5-KTGPorJKuor1A14aoESPtDP83g8DltWyYcffpHB8vE1E/s3939/IMG_4431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2805" data-original-width="3939" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMGuFeu0VV9BRMIWYNNiXhpsGl6O9u8RKXd8V8rmzSgPVUuMjAVMdkjUCf4C92hS52tBZSBqLlCeZI8jSfUHThRPb8xKmVF1XhJQ8A4iKI4A-vsYWrwS8kTNawwBeuQn1xHRKNfqro_FNIX5-KTGPorJKuor1A14aoESPtDP83g8DltWyYcffpHB8vE1E/w640-h456/IMG_4431.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jonathan Harker on the train to Klausenburg (May 3rd) vs. Jonathan Harker on the train from Klausenburg (July 3rd). My boy went through a lot in those two months!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-54321245014124436982023-08-03T11:28:00.004-07:002023-08-03T11:28:46.549-07:00What I've Been Reading: Early July 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3qtRuehpyr_sedNT8wAiyl1cYOgKqPVeqWKw9bbotjDz714O9vyimSAdBUmU0y25KfwRiYvtjRfp1FEaJxfE1QhZAxgnuUBudYjJW5cbOd3iUC6VspLKx2larRuruKNi8Uj_5dxfyrjwQ7aYAMWUytEeiMIjZRyImLM1Uje9WhgV2_tXMSw84n1XJvHj/s4032/IMG_4302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3qtRuehpyr_sedNT8wAiyl1cYOgKqPVeqWKw9bbotjDz714O9vyimSAdBUmU0y25KfwRiYvtjRfp1FEaJxfE1QhZAxgnuUBudYjJW5cbOd3iUC6VspLKx2larRuruKNi8Uj_5dxfyrjwQ7aYAMWUytEeiMIjZRyImLM1Uje9WhgV2_tXMSw84n1XJvHj/w480-h640/IMG_4302.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>It's memoir time, baby!<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9781496472670">All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir</a></span> by Beth Moore (TW: sexual abuse)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Moore is a very well known Christian speaker and author who landed in hot water a few years ago for criticizing Donald Trump, which started a chain reaction that led to her leaving her home denomination of the Southern Baptist Church. Despite her popularity, I didn't know much about her, but this memoir was gorgeously-told, full of warmth and humor and candor. She is a Southerner and has the knack for storytelling that's part of that culture, weaving word images that are delightful one moment, hard-hitting the next. (It's honestly one of the best-written books, in terms of writing style, that I've read in ages.)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">She talks about growing up with a sexually-abusive father and a mentally ill mother— and the complexity of loving both of them not only when she was a child but also as an adult, through their long marriage and to their deaths. In the second half of the book she focuses on her career— her call to ministry and how she tried to carry that out in the face of immense misogyny, both internal and external. Her story resists the neat endings and clean breaks that we want to have, and near the end of it we begin to see that she has thematically linked the Southern Baptist Church to her father, and all the heartbreaking complexity of loving someone who has abused you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was a powerful, engaging read, and I highly recommend it.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9780593443729"></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbg7t5ZiHEUAc4B2zUYCyh-bSpRboaY8rbx7w5D6KZ8ZLKnOVGNPhTUGcyLHpDC309OrMWMsCtMW9qQS4n3B06YAjbMyLzKy2IvSsdIepC_56UepZgMW6jecmK0z-1jm0CjALubzeFtVpb8DKmgHaKrJiHH4K2R0eG_R3z0IwBkhIfDZvdH5MJdDWRTpO/s4032/IMG_4303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbg7t5ZiHEUAc4B2zUYCyh-bSpRboaY8rbx7w5D6KZ8ZLKnOVGNPhTUGcyLHpDC309OrMWMsCtMW9qQS4n3B06YAjbMyLzKy2IvSsdIepC_56UepZgMW6jecmK0z-1jm0CjALubzeFtVpb8DKmgHaKrJiHH4K2R0eG_R3z0IwBkhIfDZvdH5MJdDWRTpO/w480-h640/IMG_4303.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in Essay by Marcie Alvis-Walker</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm subscribed to Alvis-Walker's newsletter <a href="https://blackeyedstories.substack.com/"><span class="s1">Black Eyed Stories</span></a>, but had somehow missed that she'd written a book until I saw this at my local library! This is a memoir told in cycles and circles, punctuated by interludes of poetry, monologues, character profiles, and other creative ways of helping us patch together the story of not just her life but the life of her mother and her child and all her family.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Alvis-Walker grew up strung between two worlds: the intense, joyful, and unapologetically Black world of her mother, and the tense atmosphere of her grandparents whom she lived with in an all-white neighborhood as she attended an all-white school. Her observations about race, class, and gender are woven together through both her experiences as a child and as a mother, facing the same problems in different ways, striving to harmonize her two worlds into something that made sense. The story is beautifully-written, rich and detailed, heartbreaking and hopeful in turn. Definitely recommended.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9780307731876"></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs671sl03WDYZ8kDwYNqUjS54cRg8XrBrTaQOurskirkWL8QccJ0k-24U5fqc3CIhxdjlamjisxwKcDTGwSVY521jfMlVlHzgO42ov06UrwjGZDOaf9Ep41RpoNcmG7yMDcnGhQHQ1of-x2cWtxyuwYiWV26XZONEbV3jq7zOTWfstRlo_oidfRPf_UPlv/s400/Girlatheendoftheworld.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs671sl03WDYZ8kDwYNqUjS54cRg8XrBrTaQOurskirkWL8QccJ0k-24U5fqc3CIhxdjlamjisxwKcDTGwSVY521jfMlVlHzgO42ov06UrwjGZDOaf9Ep41RpoNcmG7yMDcnGhQHQ1of-x2cWtxyuwYiWV26XZONEbV3jq7zOTWfstRlo_oidfRPf_UPlv/w414-h640/Girlatheendoftheworld.jpeg" width="414" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />The Girl at the End of the World: My Escape from Fundamentalism in Search of Faith with a Future by Elizabeth Esther<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My friend Lena, learning that I have a thing for escaping-from-a-cult memoirs, gave me this book, and I read most of it in a single day— it tells the story of a woman who grew up in a fundamentalist cult who were waiting for the Rapture to happen. Some of the events were extreme as she talks about living in a commune, being trained to obey her grandfather and father implicitly, and suffering physical abuse cloaked under the guise of "discipline", but others would be familiar to anyone who grew up in fundamentalist Christian culture, such as purity culture, patriarchal ideas of romance, and the various challenges that come from a "literal" reading of the Bible. Her writing is simple and honest, often reflecting from the present on the struggles of the past as she slowly started to piece together the life and the faith that she wanted. It was a gripping read.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-late-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late June<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts</span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-25373352204332474562023-08-02T11:30:00.000-07:002023-08-03T11:30:29.973-07:00A Victorian Lit Fanart Round-Up, Part XIV<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-ECvhhm3v1V9K_RZAcIb_Vc3CgJSsnyOvskFW2VRopDxdiwXYO7cdQL2f1PaEhdX_57aW9n0qgtDS-IFAjM9uV_Z2zt0yCJbhYXuPms2WOH1WANfkE6lerutT387GO7orfrOMJBRlM3DoIIyuhPv4xSBx60DNe-SBlbQIMVwHwpmc_oB-aYMGJc7HpqK/s3320/IMG_4365.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3019" data-original-width="3320" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-ECvhhm3v1V9K_RZAcIb_Vc3CgJSsnyOvskFW2VRopDxdiwXYO7cdQL2f1PaEhdX_57aW9n0qgtDS-IFAjM9uV_Z2zt0yCJbhYXuPms2WOH1WANfkE6lerutT387GO7orfrOMJBRlM3DoIIyuhPv4xSBx60DNe-SBlbQIMVwHwpmc_oB-aYMGJc7HpqK/w640-h582/IMG_4365.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Lucy Westenra is one of the main characters, and everybody in the story loves her, which inspired this drawing. (Still working on getting my character designs consistent from drawing to drawing.) From left to right: Jack Seward, Arthur Holmwood, Lucy Westenra, Mina Murray, Quincey Morris, and Abraham Van Helsing.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>A few Dracula pics to keep my drawing chops up... </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">(</span><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/victorian%20lit%20fanart" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; text-decoration-line: none;">See others in the series here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.)</span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vWr9ftP8Wdy-tZvt1dVENOlkrxaMaIgCgSDiw_nFi0xIbsX-Hslt41mAplyBDzqZWDMHqKo-4jwVF9odzYjXSq6eZ5FKuP2jYO-JD_bUOD1lRaqjjnGJVvtSTjt9ZdA-UY-CWBFvSnlVlxv4urQoHMTnfbw8hqyQykYxMHS3rtuOSIeTld56j1y5kvDg/s3491/IMG_4343.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="3491" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vWr9ftP8Wdy-tZvt1dVENOlkrxaMaIgCgSDiw_nFi0xIbsX-Hslt41mAplyBDzqZWDMHqKo-4jwVF9odzYjXSq6eZ5FKuP2jYO-JD_bUOD1lRaqjjnGJVvtSTjt9ZdA-UY-CWBFvSnlVlxv4urQoHMTnfbw8hqyQykYxMHS3rtuOSIeTld56j1y5kvDg/w640-h496/IMG_4343.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jonathan Harker on a shopping spree in Milan, based on an inside joke on Tumblr. I want those boots!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpaCKBx_mYn4VwgOeSvurn03DhM1gckziL7cVXYHYxNgNqLUZASIKR5rvuzTNsJ9HrSI4gwjVxXdffAwCwiIDgkcZ-6i8P0gZOdhPZQaxjDXpIPc7jfcnXW-acjf07R65NpvMNvXwZDRPs9eGaXbO_UWQTFZtv60QSOyealD_rjT1aPT1MQwOLkImZRkz/s3785/IMG_4355.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="3785" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpaCKBx_mYn4VwgOeSvurn03DhM1gckziL7cVXYHYxNgNqLUZASIKR5rvuzTNsJ9HrSI4gwjVxXdffAwCwiIDgkcZ-6i8P0gZOdhPZQaxjDXpIPc7jfcnXW-acjf07R65NpvMNvXwZDRPs9eGaXbO_UWQTFZtv60QSOyealD_rjT1aPT1MQwOLkImZRkz/w640-h490/IMG_4355.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">R.M. Renfield and Jonathan Harker having a stand-off. These two never actually interact in canon, which is a CRIME against the story because they narratively parallel each other so well. Some adaptations (such as the iconic Bela Lugosi version, on which the recent movie <i>Renfield</i> is based) combine their two characters into one.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212444187970080061.post-34465755726780950302023-07-21T14:11:00.003-07:002023-07-21T14:11:40.751-07:00What I've Been Reading: Late June 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9Km-6rml9VEcrTbqmyE47EqbHUMdAaHKkwtKIBTGKLVAR1zGXoJkzIkEz9vAebOFlsT5-0kldmluh7lccbqhRPvvM5Np8K0jMeKfADiqEk0u3oU9KrJabcSNGKbrGGaBwZmDsDgPmg-jTkQNtg1yh4dAbImInKpq2_pENL6jhfhWIYYdOIa8KMn4a9PA/s4032/IMG_4291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9Km-6rml9VEcrTbqmyE47EqbHUMdAaHKkwtKIBTGKLVAR1zGXoJkzIkEz9vAebOFlsT5-0kldmluh7lccbqhRPvvM5Np8K0jMeKfADiqEk0u3oU9KrJabcSNGKbrGGaBwZmDsDgPmg-jTkQNtg1yh4dAbImInKpq2_pENL6jhfhWIYYdOIa8KMn4a9PA/w480-h640/IMG_4291.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /> <i>Books about mushrooms, the Harlem Renaissance, art, and war<span><a name='more'></a></span></i></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9781615199587"><b>Mushrooming: An Illustrated Guide to the Fantastic, Delicious, Deadly, and Strange World of Fungi</b></a></span><b> </b>by Diane Borsato</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I picked up this book because of the cover art, and it was both fun and informative to read, giving an illustrated introduction to some of the most interesting mushrooms of North America. While there is some emphasis on identification and usage, it's not a field guide: the book mostly encourages the readers to use it as a jumping-off point for getting to know the mushrooms in their area. Interspersed with the mushroom profiles are stories of people using mushrooms in creative ways (as performance art, as inspiration, as medicine), as well as profiles of non-mushroom entities you might come across in your foraging (such as slime molds). I really enjoyed reading it!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9780809015498"><b></b></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvPAChAq_gmz8BtGFIjkSibzfh6S60BWU-1BEgTSi_J2KYVRPqYLgZPJeqHhyG0JD1bZtKE-Hf8TdxYVrdKueMdfaKmaU1eqmwmVeidVJhaVkscVkbpQTty38ycDrMkLdksLwbYG6t36YEbCeNArT2biMNo1t6oLxRt6Bz_e4jBSSsGh4LsDvrL1_gwTl/s615/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-21%20at%204.09.59%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="419" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvPAChAq_gmz8BtGFIjkSibzfh6S60BWU-1BEgTSi_J2KYVRPqYLgZPJeqHhyG0JD1bZtKE-Hf8TdxYVrdKueMdfaKmaU1eqmwmVeidVJhaVkscVkbpQTty38ycDrMkLdksLwbYG6t36YEbCeNArT2biMNo1t6oLxRt6Bz_e4jBSSsGh4LsDvrL1_gwTl/w436-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-21%20at%204.09.59%20PM.png" width="436" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br />The Big Sea: An Autobiography</b><b> </b>by Langston Hughes (TW: sexual assault)</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I knew pretty much nothing about Langston Hughes other than that he was a famous poet born in Missouri, and so reading this autobiography was fascinating. (Thank you Rachel for loaning it to me!) He talks about growing up in Kansas, spending a summer in Mexico with his father, taking to the sea and going to Africa as a sailor when he was in his early twenties, living penniless in Paris, being swept up in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, and struggling to navigate his identity as a mixed-race Black man at the intersection of race, class, and gender.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The book was an utterly gripping read, but also very emotionally draining. His writing style has very little commentary, meaning that extremely intense moments— such as the scene early on when the crew of the ship he was on gang-raped a prostitute— pass by with stark description and no comment (or clarification as to whether or not he participated). He strings together the story with little judgement and lets the readers make sense of it, which often makes for difficult emotions. When he does pause for commentary, it hits hard, and throughout the course of the story, you begin to see how various events of his life connect to each other, creating complex themes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Definitely worth the read if you can handle the emotional intensity. (I need to remind myself to check out a book of his poetry, too— the poems he included were gritty and gorgeous.)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Look-Again-How-Experience-Masters/dp/0500239673"><b></b></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wmqF_55VYyiwlMfPS7J4mTuZ6ITUXpIgizMaWGBXlGGOZVz_SIErlFWG3mI0_2DlAOmeBo9W0LLSK3KNOHE1bG9IsgiVbkd7CGu1K2FRAUHhwABmDrkzqT1Eb78WGVJ7M3q-89YbL5ThFgq1hym-VLC5xe115pzLKWvIwgMRWeiSkTsRaCPX5HpeN6EW/s3843/IMG_4292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3843" data-original-width="2882" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wmqF_55VYyiwlMfPS7J4mTuZ6ITUXpIgizMaWGBXlGGOZVz_SIErlFWG3mI0_2DlAOmeBo9W0LLSK3KNOHE1bG9IsgiVbkd7CGu1K2FRAUHhwABmDrkzqT1Eb78WGVJ7M3q-89YbL5ThFgq1hym-VLC5xe115pzLKWvIwgMRWeiSkTsRaCPX5HpeN6EW/w480-h640/IMG_4292.JPG" width="480" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br />Look Again: How to Experience the Old Masters</b> by Ossian Ward</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Found this at random at the library and enjoyed reading it: it discusses various ways of approaching classical art, encouraging the readers to look more deeply and through different lenses in order to appreciate the art more. The writing was a bit pretentious, but it had good ideas, and made me want to visit the Art Museum.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://mainstreetbooks.indielite.org/book/9780547577319"><b></b></a></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6N4WxLfMc75WNkEtMiqAEuVtxj79As4FfC57j1JFyhQH458TvSnKVP-0jm4BVFvvNBzD8f3y6h-O-WJnY7Rqv_IIUx59rrcYS97vKo6HWuIvqdO_vEd23axYTFT3txtSq6BXPbFiTr-vsHOnAaOWmXpf45AYzeuzEjeGr4vYACWPEuNQMfkd5A-cuiA3H/s4032/IMG_4276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6N4WxLfMc75WNkEtMiqAEuVtxj79As4FfC57j1JFyhQH458TvSnKVP-0jm4BVFvvNBzD8f3y6h-O-WJnY7Rqv_IIUx59rrcYS97vKo6HWuIvqdO_vEd23axYTFT3txtSq6BXPbFiTr-vsHOnAaOWmXpf45AYzeuzEjeGr4vYACWPEuNQMfkd5A-cuiA3H/w480-h640/IMG_4276.JPG" width="480" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br />A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story</b><b> </b>by Linda Sue Park</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My sister lent me this young adult book, and it was a gripping read! It's a dramatization of a true story (the real-life protagonist of the story wrote the post-script, giving his stamp of approval on the adaptation), following the parallel stories of a girl getting a well drilled at her village in Sudan and another boy in South Sudan fleeing violence and walking thousands of miles to various refugee camps in an attempt to survive. Since it's a young-adult novel it's a very quick read, and the writing is stark but moving, describing the horrendous events with simple emotion. I definitely cried while reading it. Would recommend!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Previously on <i>What I've Been Reading</i>:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-ive-been-reading-early-june-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early June<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-ive-been-reading-late-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late May<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/05/what-ive-been-reading-early-may-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Early May<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late April<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-ive-been-reading-late-marchearly.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late March/Early April<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-march-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">March<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-ive-been-reading-late-february-2023.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Late February<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-ive-been-reading-january-february.html"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">January-February 2023<span class="s2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://thetravelingmandolin.blogspot.com/search/label/what%20I've%20been%20reading"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">All What I've Been Reading posts</span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~~~</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0