Month: September 2012

One Decent Antidote for a Case of the Mondays is Cuteness Overload

On By angeliquejamailIn animals, Becoming Cliché blog, children, cuteness, humor, puppies15 Comments

So this morning I read a post on the delightful blog Becoming Cliché that just about sent my blood sugar into diabetic levels, it was so adorable.  I was seriously ready to go out and adopt an infant animal of nearly any variety, if I hadn’t had to stay at my desk and prepare to teach a class.  *sigh*

But I was inspired to post this little test for you all, which I’d been thinking about doing for a while but hadn’t gotten around to yet.  Perhaps I was just waiting for the right opportunity.  And this morning, it seems, my triggering moment (as we like to say in the poetry biz) arrived.

Here’s the post on Becoming Cliché that was just too precious for coherent words.  You really need to see the whole post and all the photos to get the full effect.  It’s not long.

And now here’s my response:  a test in which you must avoid squeeing.  Click here to get to it.

I should warn you that I showed the test to my kids (Orange-Belt Fairy Princess Badass and Tiny Beowulf) and their friend last weekend, and all three of them exploded from sheer delight.

Enjoy!

P.S. — No one and nothing was harmed in the events leading up to and the creation of this blog post, to the best of my knowledge.

The Dark Knight Trilogy: How I Learned To Quit Worrying And Love The Bat (Again)

On By angeliquejamailIn A Tale of Two Cities, American Maid, Batman, Christopher Nolan, comics, Dark Knight Trilogy, Die Fledermaus, Lynda Carter, movies, Sydney Carton, television, The Tick, Wonder Woman15 Comments

My relationship with Batman is complicated. But then, that’s the only kind of relationship Batman ever has.

First, some backstory: I was fortunate enough as a child to be raised on comics and science fiction and fairy tales just as much as the literary classics. The first book I ever read on my own, at the age of four, was Continue reading “The Dark Knight Trilogy: How I Learned To Quit Worrying And Love The Bat (Again)” →

Une Rêveuse

On By angeliquejamailIn books, Circus of Dreams, dreamers, Erin Morgenstern, Le Cirque des Reves, reveur, The Night Circus, you do doodle too blog4 Comments

Happy 13th of the month!  Here are my rêveurs photos for September, taken today at school.  In the second one, I’m posing for a Book Fair promotional photo; I’ve recommended The Night Circus this year as my Faculty Favorite.

You can’t see my awesome red jewelry, but I MADE MOST OF IT. 🙂

Normally it’s difficult to choose which book I’ve read over the last ten months is the best to recommend, and I often end up recommending several.  But this year, although I read many excellent novels, the one which affected me most deeply was an easy choice.

Book Fair photo for NC
We’re supposed to somehow enact some portion of the books we recommend to help increase enthusiasm for Book Fair. Not that our school needs it THAT much. People here love Book Fair! We’re so lucky. 🙂

Be sure also to check out my friend Laine’s blog, in which she also today posted “Je rêve” and a delightful picture.

If you’d like to post links in the comments section to your own pictures, fantastic, and if you’d like instead to email me your pictures and let me post them, I’m totally open to that.

Cheers!  🙂

A Reminder and A Poem…

On By angeliquejamailIn 9/11, anxiety, poetry, reveur, The Night Circus5 Comments

…and the poem is a reminder.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time memorializing 9/11 today, even though it is a Tuesday and the sky is that gorgeous shade of blue that heralds the impending drift of autumn. But I do want to highlight a poem that is particularly meaningful, in case you want to read it, entitled “How My Life Has Changed” by Hilary North. Here’s the link to a prose-poem version of it.

And here’s a piece I wrote about anxiety last year at this time.

In a short moment, I will get on with the rest of my day, not forgetting or diminishing what happened, but also realizing that to dwell upon it could lead to a waste of all the other wonderful things I could be doing to make my life and the lives of people around me better and more fulfilling.

For another reminder, this Thursday is the 13th of the month. I call upon all rêveurs to celebrate with me!

What is she talking about? you may be wondering.

If so, you’re not alone. Here are two previous posts — the first to jog your memory or the second to clue you in, if you’re new to Sappho’s Torque (and if you are, welcome!).

Be well.

Another New Haiku Venture

On By angeliquejamailIn challenge, creative writing, Democratic National Convention, Democrats, elections, GOP, haiku, humor, poetry, politics, Republican National Convention20 Comments

So here in the United States, it’s election season. In case you’re not familiar with how it works here, election season begins about fifteen minutes after the old election results are in, and it goes on for bloody ever. But now, two months ish from actual Election Day, things are moving from Rather Intense to Freakin’ Ridiculous. You know I don’t get all that much into politics Continue reading “Another New Haiku Venture” →

What I Can Learn from the Beauty of Tiny Beowulf

On By angeliquejamailIn acceptance, advertising, beauty, children, Dove, hair, imperfection11 Comments

My son just started kindergarten last month. He’s a likable kid, on the tall side for his age, slightly moody — because, you know, he’s five — and he has lots of friends. He also has a litany of vision problems and wears the tiniest bifocals you’ve ever seen, but he likes them because he thinks they make him look like Harry Potter. He has silky-straight blonde hair, Continue reading “What I Can Learn from the Beauty of Tiny Beowulf” →