Big Z thinks this looks like me and my husband. It does. Well, almost. I gave it to her for Christmas. She thinks it's hil-arious! It's two inches tall, thus the lack of detail. This blog is biggering it.
Big Z
Little Z prefers to be called Big Z now that she has reached the sagacious age of seven years. 
It's difficult to draw people who never sit still. She almost sits still when she's writing emails or playing video games.
I think I might draw or write something every day of 2015. Wonder if I can.
2014 has been the most creative year of my life. It seems to keep the despair at bay. I recommend making art. It's a good hobby. It works for me, at least. It's like meditating, only easier and with the same benefits afterward. Although I have no idea if it's the same for others. When I meditate, though, my thoughts go like,
....
....
....
"Oh, hey, I wasn't thinking there! Oh, dam, thinking about not thinking is a thought... Wonder how long I wasn't thinking for? Doh! That was a thought. Don't think. Don't think..., what time is it? @&$@ I'm the worst meditator ever!"
And when I'm drawing or painting, my thoughts go like,
....
...
....
"Red there."
....
....
.....
.....
"Perspective off."
....
.....
"Better now."
"Blue..."
........
.....
....
....
.....
....
.....
"@$&&ing pen's out of ink..."
....
....
So, in summary, drawing is more meditative than meditating, for me, and I also sometimes have something worth saving in the end. So I think I'm going to make it a goal to do it a lot.
How about you?
Is it Christmas Day today?
If it is, my children's book, A Murder of Crows and Other Woes, is free in the e-book version. Merry Christmas!
Reindeer
Milk and cookies for Santa, bucket of water for the reindeer... a nylon sock full of birdseed for the chickens (I bet you didn't even know Santa had chickens) and a homemade sword and shield for ... Defense? I just hope the reindeer don't poop on the carpet. 
Chick
Looking at pictures of this last year, I came across this little dude:
P.S. After the first comment, I thought I should clarify: I love chickens. It's just a crazy Werner Herzog quote. He said the same thing about me in 1987.
 |
“Look into the eyes of a chicken and you will see real stupidity. It is a kind of bottomless stupidity, a fiendish stupidity. They are the most horrifying, cannibalistic and nightmarish creatures in the world.”
-Werner Herzog
|
P.S. After the first comment, I thought I should clarify: I love chickens. It's just a crazy Werner Herzog quote. He said the same thing about me in 1987.
Book Round-Up for 2014
I liked every book I read this year! So the last book in the list is still a good book. But that means number one is a truly great book! I have no sorting of fiction or nonfiction or comedy or horror, so I'll include the genre after the title. They're all together because they're just the books I happened to read in 2014.
Going Green by Christina McMullen parody zombie fiction
The Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson historical fiction
There were times, reading the Cryptonomicon, when I felt like blogging about it and just quoting five pages at once to show all of you how great it was. But then I realized that would require that I pause in my reading and do something else, so that never happened. I could not stop reading this book. I read this through a strange combination of listening via audio book while I did farm chores and reading at night from a real book. That worked. Real people like Alan Turing are characters in this book, but the main characters are all made up. And what characters! Fascinating people. It's about people who crack codes and the drama around wars and such. And it's about so much more. I loved loved loved this book.
There were times, reading the Cryptonomicon, when I felt like blogging about it and just quoting five pages at once to show all of you how great it was. But then I realized that would require that I pause in my reading and do something else, so that never happened. I could not stop reading this book. I read this through a strange combination of listening via audio book while I did farm chores and reading at night from a real book. That worked. Real people like Alan Turing are characters in this book, but the main characters are all made up. And what characters! Fascinating people. It's about people who crack codes and the drama around wars and such. And it's about so much more. I loved loved loved this book.
 |
| The Cryptonomicon is the the best book I read this year. |
Going Green by Christina McMullen parody zombie fiction
I feel a little bit funny putting this one at number two, because Christina McMullen reads this blog and it feels almost like an inside deal, but seriously, this book is at least number two for me. I read it three times in 2014. It's a quick read. The thing I love about it is that it's the only feasible zombie apocalypse story I've ever read (or seen in film). There's an actual legitimate explanation. And the characters are funny and real. The style in which it is written is actually a lot like Where'd You Go, Bernadette? but where Semple fails to make outlandish situations seem completely plausible, McMullen delivers (which feels really funny to write, because Semple is a Hollywood writer and McMullen is an indie author, but there you go). The text alone would put this towards the top of my list, but then McMullen went and had a special illustrated version with bonus material printed, and the artist for the illustrated version? Ben Boyce. So that just nailed it for me. The bonus material includes things to do in the event of the zombie apocalypse. Color your own zombie, for instance. This is the kind of thing I've never really seen done well before. But there you have it.
 |
| Ben Boyce illustrated Going Green by Christina McMullen, my second favorite book of 2014. |
Futility Closet: An Idler's Miscellany of Compendious Amusements
by Greg Ross nonfiction trivia and thought puzzles
Another independently published book, this time a book of facts, oddities, puzzles, and really interesting things that you never knew. Each tidbit takes about five minutes of your time. This is a book you can put down and pick up again many times, and always feel entertained. I had to resist the urge to go around reading stories from it out loud to everyone I knew. I mean this in the best possible way: a good bathroom book.
Another independently published book, this time a book of facts, oddities, puzzles, and really interesting things that you never knew. Each tidbit takes about five minutes of your time. This is a book you can put down and pick up again many times, and always feel entertained. I had to resist the urge to go around reading stories from it out loud to everyone I knew. I mean this in the best possible way: a good bathroom book.
 |
| Animals doing the jobs of humans is but one category of interesting stories in the Futility Closet: An Idler's Miscellany of Compendious Amusements, my third favorite book of 2014. |
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro psychological horror fiction
This comes off as a boring story for the first half, maybe, until you realize what is really going on. And then the second half is... disturbing. It's one of those books where you are left with more questions than you got answered, but at the same time, Ishiguro is a master at making you grab for that extra... something. I liked how he messed with my head. He knew what he was doing.
Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living by Doug Fine nonfiction comedy
This Doug Fine guy was someone I could really relate to. Enjoyable read all-round. I believe I wrote a review already of this one.
The Alienist by Caleb Carr historical fiction mystery
This is something that really took me by surprise. It's a Sherlock Holmes-esque story that takes place in early twentieth century New York City, and the case involves a serial killer who kills young male prostitutes. Very strange! And interesting. Teddy Roosevelt is a character in it. It's a highly entertaining read. The only thing I didn't buy was the female detective in it.
Bossypants by Tina Fey nonfiction autobiography
I guess I'm not that with it, but before I read this, I didn't know who Tina Fey was. It was still a good read. My friends who read it said it was "hilarious," but I honestly didn't laugh as much. I just thought she had a great story to tell.
Hyperion 1, 2, 3... 4(?) by Dan Simmons science fiction fantasy
This was a huge time investment. It was one of those things where I got so invested in this alternate reality that I had to know what was going to happen next! Did I enjoy the time spent reading all of these books? Yes. And they put me right to sleep at night for two months straight.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple fiction comedy
I believe Maria Semple has, among other things, written for television. It shows. She has a good ear for dialogue. Her characters are hilarious. The only reason she is this far down the list is that I just couldn't wrap my head around the ending. I didn't buy it. But the book is laugh out loud funny at times. I would still recommend reading it. For example, Bernadette and her daughter like to observe the "smiling angry people" which is people who, the angrier they get, the more they smile? Or something like that. I could totally relate. She had me at "smiling angry people," but she lost me at... um... the ending. (no spoilers)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Science Fiction Fantasy
This is great for people who enjoy eighties memorabilia, movies, and I don't know... video games, of course. Light-hearted fun. It takes place in a future where life is so awful that everyone lives in a virtual reality and just plays video games. What I couldn't understand was how, in this dystopian future where people don't have fuel or anything to eat, how could you power all of this elaborate infrastructure for the interactive video games? It's still a good read, though.
The Terror by Dan Simmons horror fiction
I came to this book with overly high hopes because I love Dan Simmons in general, I love real-life arctic adventure stories, and because I thought I heard my cousin Corey say once that this was his favorite book of all time. It was, indeed, a great book, but by great, I mean the archaic definition, "big". This book is too long for a horror book. Or... something. I did the audio book and the real book at night, but it turned out that I got the abridged audio book, so some things didn't make sense. Even the abridged version was excessively long, though. I don't know. It was too long to hang out in hell, basically. I enjoyed the conclusion, though, and I loved the characters. I feel like one of my old middle school students, saying a book was too long, but it is! To love this book, you just need lots of time and a love for macabre fantasy in the arctic. (I do recommend reading Drude first, if you have never read Dan Simmons. Thanks to Zgjenyue for turning me on to him.)
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt fiction
This book was entertaining. It's about these psychopathic brothers who go around killing people and make their way down to San Francisco during the gold rush and get into some trouble. Someone they're mixed up with invented a chemical to make gold magically come out of the ground. What could possibly go wrong? They have a weird relationship with each other and with their mother, who tells them to masturbate when their tempers get out of hand. It's a page turner, but I think some of the historical facts aren't real and that bugged me. I like my historical fiction to be really based on history and not just fictional historical fiction, which is just some weird alternate reality fantasy pretending to be historical fiction or... well, anyway, it was still a compelling tale, and still a good book, just a few little issues bothered me. Also, it was difficult to relate to psychopathic hit men in the 1850s. Still, a lovely read. Luke warm recommendation.This comes off as a boring story for the first half, maybe, until you realize what is really going on. And then the second half is... disturbing. It's one of those books where you are left with more questions than you got answered, but at the same time, Ishiguro is a master at making you grab for that extra... something. I liked how he messed with my head. He knew what he was doing.
Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living by Doug Fine nonfiction comedy
This Doug Fine guy was someone I could really relate to. Enjoyable read all-round. I believe I wrote a review already of this one.
The Alienist by Caleb Carr historical fiction mystery
This is something that really took me by surprise. It's a Sherlock Holmes-esque story that takes place in early twentieth century New York City, and the case involves a serial killer who kills young male prostitutes. Very strange! And interesting. Teddy Roosevelt is a character in it. It's a highly entertaining read. The only thing I didn't buy was the female detective in it.
Bossypants by Tina Fey nonfiction autobiography
I guess I'm not that with it, but before I read this, I didn't know who Tina Fey was. It was still a good read. My friends who read it said it was "hilarious," but I honestly didn't laugh as much. I just thought she had a great story to tell.
Hyperion 1, 2, 3... 4(?) by Dan Simmons science fiction fantasy
This was a huge time investment. It was one of those things where I got so invested in this alternate reality that I had to know what was going to happen next! Did I enjoy the time spent reading all of these books? Yes. And they put me right to sleep at night for two months straight.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple fiction comedy
I believe Maria Semple has, among other things, written for television. It shows. She has a good ear for dialogue. Her characters are hilarious. The only reason she is this far down the list is that I just couldn't wrap my head around the ending. I didn't buy it. But the book is laugh out loud funny at times. I would still recommend reading it. For example, Bernadette and her daughter like to observe the "smiling angry people" which is people who, the angrier they get, the more they smile? Or something like that. I could totally relate. She had me at "smiling angry people," but she lost me at... um... the ending. (no spoilers)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Science Fiction Fantasy
This is great for people who enjoy eighties memorabilia, movies, and I don't know... video games, of course. Light-hearted fun. It takes place in a future where life is so awful that everyone lives in a virtual reality and just plays video games. What I couldn't understand was how, in this dystopian future where people don't have fuel or anything to eat, how could you power all of this elaborate infrastructure for the interactive video games? It's still a good read, though.
The Terror by Dan Simmons horror fiction
I came to this book with overly high hopes because I love Dan Simmons in general, I love real-life arctic adventure stories, and because I thought I heard my cousin Corey say once that this was his favorite book of all time. It was, indeed, a great book, but by great, I mean the archaic definition, "big". This book is too long for a horror book. Or... something. I did the audio book and the real book at night, but it turned out that I got the abridged audio book, so some things didn't make sense. Even the abridged version was excessively long, though. I don't know. It was too long to hang out in hell, basically. I enjoyed the conclusion, though, and I loved the characters. I feel like one of my old middle school students, saying a book was too long, but it is! To love this book, you just need lots of time and a love for macabre fantasy in the arctic. (I do recommend reading Drude first, if you have never read Dan Simmons. Thanks to Zgjenyue for turning me on to him.)
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt fiction
I'm Sitting at the Post Office
My Aunt, Lou Buckingham, lives in a gothic mansion in South Carolina with her husband, Buck Dollars. Behind the house is a building that is rumored to be the original town post office. Buck has sort of made it his workshop, I believe. At least, the last time I went there, he showed me around, and there were walls torn out and he was building, building, building, demolishing, adding, because he's this creative mechanical genius who always is doing something. In the added on parts were things like pump organs and this two ton antique piece of equipment that... did... something? Whatever it did, it was impressive.
When people try to be "steampunk," I think they are really just trying to be what Aunt Lou and Buck Dollars are naturally.
I think that's what the song is about, his doings in the post office out back. Oh, did I mention? Buck Dollars and Lou Buckingham are in this great gothic rock band, Wasted Wine. So that's why the song is about them. Do I have the greatest family, or what?
Sheep on the Run!
 |
| Out, but not sure what she should do now. |
 |
| Please do not pick up hitchhikers in this area. Thank you. |
 |
| Looking at her friends, in the pasture (not shown). |
It was a little bit if a problem: she seemed to want to be with her friends, but if I opened the gate for her to go in, they would all come out, and that would be an even bigger problem. I tried to lure her with corn, but she didn't trust me. After walking around the barn several times, I finally opened the gate to another pasture. Then I left her alone for awhile, hoping she didn't just run away. (I was following the thought that she needed to be alone to make a decision. I know she's a sheep, but she seems to have emotions and make decisions on her own, Sevilla does. She doesn't just follow the crowd, like a sheep. Also, she's probably pregnant, so she's dealing with a lot of emotions right now.)
Well, I left her alone, and I came back, and she had gone into the pasture. Yay! This was after an hour of chasing her. I gave her a big pile of corn, I was so relieved.
 |
| Silly sheep. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)