Blogless (or is it Bloggless?)

How Joyce at the bullpen does it I can't fathom. I just don't have much to say, I guess. Maybe that's a good thing... One thing I DO want to say is to tell you about the cool link at the Infocult blog-- about the Invisible Library.

Invisible books! What a space saver! They'd be light, no building foundation problems. Clean, wouldn't collect dust and book mold. But what would we do with all that bare wall space? And we'd have to have furniture to fill the rooms instead of books. Ah well. Living around book mold and dust is a good thing. The current thinking is exposure to dirt, cats, dogs, aka as allergens, makes for healthier children and adults (to an extent). I'm living proof of this having been raised surrounded by books (and their accompanying microscopic critters) and cats and dogs. The only thing that occasionally bothers me (allergen-wise) is all the pollen in the air (it's Spring!). But, I take quercetin for that. Works great. Take it whenever I feel the sniffles approaching.

(photo of grounds at Norton Art Gallery)

Mystery Scene Magazine

Gee, where have I been? Discovered the site for Mystery Scene Magazine and note that it's in it's 20th year of being published! I'm a great fan of mystery novels (especially those set in the southwest) and this 'zine looks like it is well worth reading. Maybe you will agree with me.

Bonnie's Bookstore Game

For those who enjoy playing a game now and then, here's one with a bookish bent. Unfortunately, it cannot yet be played online; one must download it and, gasp, ultimately purchase it. But, sometimes that's warranted if a game is enough fun. We'll see. I've yet to play it.

Update: tried it last night at the easiest level. It was easy and fun. I enjoyed the premise of the game. If the advanced levels are more difficult I think it will be a keeper.

Literary Quote for the Day

"If I could live as a tree, as a river, as the moon, as the sun, as a star, as the earth, as a rock, I would...Writing permits me to experience life as any number of strange creations." ~ Alice Walker

Literary Quote for the Day

"The answers you get from literature depend upon the questions you pose."~ Margaret Atwood

Uninsured pay the most at U.S. hospitals

Can you believe it? I ran across this article and it confirmed what I've discovered fairly recently. That YOU PAY MORE FOR DOCTOR'S VISITS IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE! Excuse me for shouting but, silly me, I thought that if a doctor's office didn't have to bill your insurance company or if, heaven forbid, you paid up front, on the day of your visit, you would actually pay LESS (there I go again) for your visit. Not so. It's mind boggling. This is just one more argument for socialized medicine. There are too many damn middlemen involved in the patient/doctor/hospital triad. Mr. Bush just can't understand it; no wealthy person can if they've never experienced being on the bottom of the socioeconomic heap. Do I feel better for having vented? Not really...sniff, sniff

If you're interested in stories in French (and German) from old, never before published sources, then Centenary College of Louisiana, Tintamarre Editions, has just the books for you. There is even something for you English speakers, a bilingual French/English book (which I don't think is yet shown on the website). Stay tuned.

OOPS!

Who does this remind you of?

Yesterday, while browsing The Penguin Thelwell I ran across this illustration. Perhaps Mr. Thelwell had in mind that the hunter's dog was going to help the duck that had been shot. My immediate thought, however, was the dog was getting the first aid kit to help the hunter's friend who had been shot. Just goes to show how jaded one becomes when dealing with things political.