Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “reflections”

04 Oct 2018
12 Comments

Reading Round Up:September


September began with a long weekend, the last hammock read-in before returning to school.

Book reading is a difficult habit to break, not that I’m looking to do so. Yet, I get paid to teach books, not read books–then again I get to read books in order to teach them. I got this covered.

Reading a book is my go-to as a means of getting my brain to stop jittering after a day of teaching students about how to read, and why they read, and what they read. There are also those essays I need to read about what they have read. After a walk around the block, a snackish dinner, I find myself easing into my nightly routine of my backside cushied into the easy chair, and finding the calm that is derived from turning paper pages of plot. No screen time.

Even with all that goes with my day job, including catching a virus, because I essentially work in a Petri dish, I still managed to read around ten books in September, and what a book bag of goodies! Lots of new-to-me authors as I tackled my TBR.

Recommended:

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Epic hero journeys. Once a checklist theme of classic novels, they are rarely found in today’s novels. Journeys yes. Perhaps a hero is involved. But an impromptu journey of a recently retiree walking over 600 miles to say good bye to a friend in boat shoes? That’s epic and Harold Fry is a new kind of hero.

Such a wonderful story of raw, revealing emotions that it’s hoped a film is not made. Some stories are best read and not viewed.

Recommended for those who enjoy A Man Called Ove and other stories of older citizens who must face their past to order to cope with their present.

I so enjoyed Harold Fry I had to see if Rachel Joyce had more to offer. I then read the companion of Harold’s journey, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, which had its moments, rating of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️, and that got me wondering about Joyce’s other books, leading me to The Music Shop, a four star only because I am not fond of the f-bomb being tossed around indiscriminately around in a story, which after three novels I found Ms. Joyce seems to prone to do. However, The Music Shop as a story did rate ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Rachel Joyce combines the eighties, vinyl records, and a most amazing love story all intertwined with the joy of music. The assortment of astonishing characters is part of the story’s charm. I discovered many, many songs including the haunting “Beata Viscera.”

Another new author is Trenton Lee Stewart, author of the Mysterious Benedict Society. A delightful find and a solid ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

An orchestral genius of a story. Four children, a mysterious benefactor, a secret plot to overrule the world, nefarious henchmen—wonderful! A debut of creative charm sure to please fans of Narnia, The Phantom Tollbooth, and other books where clever children overcome perplexities and villainous plans.

Julia Stuarts’ quirky The Tower, the Tortoise, and the Zoo rated a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️–a fun weekend read.

After the tourists leave their gawking of the 900 year old history of the Tower of London, the Beefeaters, those impressive hirsute men of red, and their families, carry on. They cope with round tower living, smoldering rivalries, and the usual oddities that come with a place that has the distinction for being a keeper of the royal jewels, a prison, as well as a zoo from time to time.

Several unusual characters, along with subplots involving relationships and miscommunications, makes for an enjoyable read. Stuart has a way with descriptive phrases that are memorable, such as describing an older gentlemen as having middle age having run through his hair. And the ancient tortoise—a quiet, yet essential character of note.

Other books started out strong, only to fizzle, including the fourth installment of Madeline L’Engles’ A Wrinkle in Time. Many Waters did not live up to the quality of plot and characters of Wrinkle.

Saying farewell to my summer hammock creates a sniffle of sadness, then again reading next to the crackle of a fire with a mug of cocoa laced with shots of peppermint brings out of spark of anticipated happy time.

Posted in Book Boosters, Literature, Reading, reflections and tagged , ,
30 Sep 2018
6 Comments

Update, Upweight


Like most iPhoners I pushed through the latest update. For my thanks of being dutiful to serving the needs of technology my smart(ypants) phone informed me this morning I had averaged 13 minutes of screen time last week.

Excuse me?

Hostility bristled with embarrassment at this information, reminding me of the time our garbage can got knocked over and the neighborhood became privy to all we consumed in our household. The garbage can is now housed in the garage and we take our refuse to the dump ourselves, thank you very much. And the screen time feature is now deleted off my phone, thank you very much.

I realize my privacy is not as sacred as it once was, especially since I caved in and switched over from my flip phone to an iPhone. I would probably still have a flip phone if one of the progeny hadn’t convinced me to sign up to a family plan that included free phones and has a rate so low that nobody, but absolutely nobody can touch. One salesperson thinking he could convince to switch plans, that he improve our rate, paled when he saw how low our plan was and gave me the free earbuds incentive anyway.

I fear we are forever tied to our carrier. On the bright side it gives my kids a reason to talk to me now and then when something comes up about our plan–like can they have the free upgrade. After all, I don’t really use the device. At least not like they do.

‘Tis true.

When I do look over my phone bill I see I hardly use my minutes. I text occasionally. My phone calls involve quick reconnecting: “A couple of errands and then home.” My binge is maybe once a month being on the listening side of a conversation with one of the kids as we catch up on life in one info load, rather than chit chat spread over the days of that month.

My phone is primarily an extension of my laptop. I create lesson plans and school-related documents, grade assignments, correspond, and sometimes write non-school stuff. Like my blog posts.

I am coming to terms with my phone. I resent how it knows so much about me, yet I really like the instantness it provides. Weather, coupons, restaurant locations, definitions, an entertaining YouTube are all a click and thumb swipe away.

There is a constant remiss argument that rumbles within: I do miss flip phones. I do like instant access. However, I do not like how smart alecky my phone has become. Flip phones may not have been that smart but they sure knew how to keep dumb about my business.

I am resigned–I will remain tied to my iPhone, *sigh*–yet, I keep my old flip phone and reminisce. It was so pretty and it had an actually keyboard and didn’t try to autocorrect when I didn’t need it to. It was lighter in so many ways. The weight of the new update is indeed pondersome.

Posted in humor, reflections, technology and tagged , ,
28 Sep 2018
11 Comments

Debatables Recap


As the timer sounded, the family of bears hailing from suburbia stood quivering in anticipation–or was that fear-upon their stand.

Meanwhile, the two contending bears (not to be confused with contentious) transformed from cuddled–not coddled–ursines, into their primal heritage and took off running into the forests, not only surviving their ordeal, but thriving.

Well, that could have been the scenario…

If you are wondering how the last round of Debatables went down, the Hunger Games question of who would survive–Team Paddington and Pooh or Team Berenstain? Let’s just say that host Mike Allegra found himself so disheartened by the results that he couldn’t bear to post the results.

Yes, of course Team P&P won!

Blogsters soundly recognized the superiority of Paddington and Winnie-the-Pooh over the Berenstains. Nice family, but it’s been way too long living the easy life in their house. Foraging for honey and living in the forests with tigers let alone Heffalumps and Woozels–I totally forgot how Pooh had to deal with those monstrosities–makes for a tough bear. And Paddington, being so plucky and managing to shake off any of the dilemmas he finds himself in, made for the perfect partner.

Well done, bears. This just goes to show how these bears are not in competition with each other, no matter what some are trying to project on the Internet.

Debatable score stands at Mike: 1 Cricket: 2

Stay tuned for the upcoming October Debatable: Scariest Villain found in a Kid’s Book.

Posted in bloggers, Debatables, humor, popular books, reflections and tagged , , , ,
25 Sep 2018
9 Comments

Word Nerd Confessions: September


I am smitten with a new-to-me word.

Let me first preface the unveiling of this word with a personal disclosure: if I were suddenly transformed into a flower it would be a sunflower. Their unique talent of keeping tuned in to the sun, turning their faces towards light, and following it throughout the day is something I understand.*

*sunflowers apparently follow the sun only when in the bud stage–once open they tend to face east, and this is attributed to protecting the seeds from the stronger rays of the south exposure (that is a smart flower!)

Here is a confession: I crave light. I revel in basking in sunlight. I have been accused of being a sun goddess (did not sound complimentary at the time), and I panic at the thought of being in a room without windows for a great length of time (my first year of teaching involved such a room). As long as I have daylight in some form I am content. Oh yay for my Happy Light.

I’m not keen on laying out in the sun for the sake of bronzing, yet I will do so, just to absorb the warmth, that therapeutic solar embrace. The tan is a by-product. I’m basically striving to store up remembrance of the sunlight for when winter hits my region. One student recently defined our winter as “except July and August”–slight exaggeration, but winters tend to be a solid six months around here.

Around October I wake up in darkness and finish the school day with the last rays setting. One teacher went to part-time because teaching in an interior room meant she never saw any light and it created havoc in her health. I have two windows in my present classroom and I am blessed and thankful.

Sunlight in winter. That’s a wonderful day. The snow can be up to the windows. The temperature can be dipping to stingy in warmth, yet if I can have the sun shine down and kiss my face before the cold requires covering, spring seems a reasonable distance I can bear.

So–

Apricity: the warmth of the sun in winter.

According to Merriam-Webster.com:

n. Apricity appears to have entered our language in 1623, when Henry Cockeram recorded (or possibly invented) it for his dictionary The English Dictionary; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words. Despite the fact that it is a delightful word for a delightful thing it never quite caught on, and will not be found in any modern dictionary aside from the Oxford English Dictionary.

Another source defines it as:

“the feeling of the sun on one’s skin in winter.”

Katie Williams,Tell the Machine Goodnight (2018)

And that is why this word from yesteryear needs a campaign to retrieve it out of the archaic word vaults and pin it up on the contemporary lines of expression.

Ah–Winter Sun

To feel the sun on my skin to offset the challenge of winter

Apricity: the bestowing of the sun’s restorative kisses, to bring warmth and sustenance to the gates of that bleak city called winter

An offering. A reprieve. A promise.

Posted in creativity, Nature, Poetry, reflections, Seasons and tagged , ,
20 Sep 2018

Author Spotlight: Brian Selznick


I confess: I’m a binger (interestingly spellcheck kept turning that into “bungee”–flexible strength in reading? hmm, maybe…).

Once interested in something I latch on and absorb as much as possible. Sample binges include: Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, the educational geography game, the reboot of Dr Who, and of latest interest, Brian Selznick’s works.

I can’t remember which I read or watched first concerning The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Both the film and the book and the audio book are stand alones, yet complement each other emphatically.

The bonus DVD disc in the audio book is an engaging interview of Selznick explaining his creative process. He is quite personable and his enthusiasm for his craft is inspiring.

The next book I read is his first published title: Houdini’s Box. His understated humor in both his drawings and story are evident and it’s hoped he writes more of these shorter humorous stories.

Selznick’s trademark seems to be a unique approach to storytelling in which it’s a bit of graphic novel, somewhat of a fable in text, that leans toward a wordless flip book. His talent for story and illustration is equally balanced–quite the gift.

Speaking of illustration, Selznick has illustrated for numerous authors besides his own writing, including Ann Martin Pam Muniz Ryan.

Having recently finished Wonderstruck, I, of course, needed to watch the film adaptation. Turns out he wrote the screenplay. This man’s talent and energy is astounding.

I rounded out my reading-fest with The Marvels, which I had mixed feelings about due to the graphic story being far more interesting than the accompanying text. I look forward to his next title.

I came across an enlightening New York Times interview with Selznick that revealed some interesting facts:

  • Yes, that Selznick. He is related to the legendary David O. Selznick of Hollywood fame.
  • Ray Bradbury sent him a fan letter.
  • He researches extensively.
  • Splitting his time between three homes in three different parts of the country is a norm.

If you are not familiar with his works, I suggest starting out with Houdini’s Box, moving onto Hugo (do listen to it while you read it–such a double treat), then watch the Scorsese film of Hugo (the book is the book, the movie is the movie). From there? Explore, enjoy, maybe even binge a little.

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, Films, Reading, reflections, reviews and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
17 Sep 2018
5 Comments

Sunshine Rays


Chelsea created a bit of sunshine on this rainy morning with her announcement of receiving the Sunshine Blogger Award. These blogger awards are fun, not only for the recognition (because we all appreciate a bit of hurrah now and then, right?), but for the batch of questions that need answering.

I do enjoy a patch of sunflowers.

So, thanks, Chelsea! And here are the questions and some answers as requested:

1. Why did the chicken cross the road?

She followed the sunburned cow.

2. What’s black and white and red all over?

A cow who ran out of sunscreen.

3. Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

The chicken and the cow.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years?

At Barnes and Nobles making sure they have sold out of my cow joke book.

5. What would you say is your greatest weakness, and how have you learned to overcome it?

Cow jokes. I can’t stop. Sorry.

6. Why is 6 afraid of 7?

I had no idea. How long has 7 been intimidating 6?

7. Why am I here?

You are here because here is a better place to be than there.

8. Why is the sky blue?

Technically it’s black, or so I have gathered from reading sciencey type answers. Blue is much nicer.

9. Why do bad things happen to good people?

No flippancy here. Bad things happen to everybody. It hurts no matter who you are.

10. What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?

Broken or a Frisbee. Your choice.

11. What is the meaning of life?

I thought it was 42. Being terrible at math, perhaps I got it wrong by not carrying over my remainder or messing up my eights once again.

Now I am supposed to nominate some people and create new batch of questions. Well, having nominated numerous bloggers for other awards in the past, plus Chelsea has nominated a few of my recent discoveries, along with being a bit of an outlier, here is where I diverge from the expected. There is also the idea of not wanting to leave anyone out. Bad memories of that ubiquitous choosing up teams in school disappointment.

Here are eleven questions. If you have stopped by to read this blog, you are appreciated and I offer this Ray of Sunshine ☀️ for your efforts.

Pick a question to answer, or all of them or some of them. I look forward to your comments. And consider this your commission to spread your own Sunshine Award today to others.

1. Why did the farmer install beehives in his dairy pasture?

2. How many cows does it take to change a lightbulb?

3. Why did the cow jump over the moon?

4. What did the farmer say when the cow stepped on his foot?

5. Why are cows terrible dancers?

6. Why did the farmer move his dairy to Alaska?

7. How do you turn a cow into a cape?

8. What happened when the cow jumped on the pogo stick?

9. Where do most cows go to college?

10. What do you call a pregnant cow?

11. What do you call a cow after she’s given birth?

All right. Sunshine, awards, cow jokes–yeah, another lovely day.

Posted in Awards, bloggers, humor, reflections and tagged , ,
13 Sep 2018
3 Comments

Debatables: September


It’s time for Debatables. My partner, whose wit and writing has attracted over 12,000 followers, is Mike Allegra. An amazingly talented doodler, Mike also pens children’s books, and has a new series out: Prince Not So Charming.

This month our topic is almost unbearable in scope: which team would survive the Hunger Games?

I’m backing Paddington and Pooh. Mike believes in the Berenstain Bears.

Check out Mike’s blog and our debate logic here. Don’t forget to weigh in your vote and add in your comments. Our debates get pretty lively–an understatement.

So far our debates stand at one round each. I won the first round on who was the better Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder, of course). Mike took the second round with his choice of Love You Forever being the worst picture book ever.

Who will emerge triumphant in this third round?

img_0310

Katniss fondly supports the P&P team

Cast your own vote of belief in the two indomitably tough bears whose cuteness is on the cutting edge of survival skills–I’m talking Paddington Bear and Winnie-the-Pooh. Send those sponsor parachutes and votes to Mike’s site.

Go P&P!

Posted in bloggers, humor, Literature, reflections and tagged , , , , ,
07 Sep 2018
5 Comments

Reading Round Up: August


Well, I am going to breeze by my Goodreads goal of 101 books this year. As of August 31 I have read 98 books. I read 21 books in August. I’m almost embarrassed by that statistic. It sounds as if I am holing up surrounded by books and don’t have much of a life.

In my defense, it’s summer and I am on break from school and this is what I do on vacation: read, read, read. It’s difficult to find time once back into the routine of teaching. August also proved difficult for outdoor activities. I did manage to work in the yard on mediocre air quality days and accomplished some projects. I also did some puzzling, and organized my files. What I didn’t do much of was finish up a couple of manuscripts. A big disappointment in that area. The fuzzy grey skies of summer this year definitely affected my creativity’s forward motion.

On the other hand, reading so many books did inspire at least three new story ideas which I framed. Plus, I did manage to send out three projects to assorted editors and agents–planting seeds with a hope of securing interest and contracts.

As for titles read in August…

A mixed shelf of classic and contemporary and genres jumping all over the place.

I began with H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man and ended with Posted by John David Anderson. From “meh” to “wow”–a nice way to end up my summer reading.

I will detail the highs and lows of my summer reading in an upcoming post. If interested in detailed book reviews you can pop over to Goodreads (search: Cricket Muse)or check them out on my full blog site side boxes.

I will miss the lengthy leisure days of reading, yet I am looking forward to passing on my love of books to my students. Hi Ho Hi Ho it’s back to work I go…

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho it's off to work we go

Posted in authors, Blogging, Book Boosters, Reading, reflections and tagged , , , ,
03 Sep 2018

Doodle Contest: currying votes, once again


Mike Allegra, yes,  that Mike Allegra my plucky partner of Debatable fame, is currently running one of his wonderful Doodle Contests. I do like his doodles. Knowing I like cows he drew this doodle to illustrate one of my cow jokes. The doodle is definitely better than the joke.

What do you call a cow who steals? A hamburger. *Cows-hamburger (right, if it needs explaining it isn’t that funny)

One way to get a ballot is to link back to his contest.

Another way is to talk up his contest on social media. Problem. I only blog. No pins, tweets, faceplants, instantly graming done. 

I could post a review about his new books about Prince Not So Charming, but I have only read the Amazon preview, but they do look as fun as Mike says they are.

The other way to get a ballot in the box is to leave an interesting fact about myself in the comment box, which I did, and then thought “perhaps I shall elaborate upon this morsel” and so, out of the catacombs of the past adventures of Cricket Muse:

Once upon a time a young woman seeking to expand her educational horizons and desiring to stretch her wings and fly out of the home state nest for a bit, decided to enroll in an out of state university where she knew not anyone and had to establish residency for a year or pay horrendous out-of-state tuition fees. Slinging burgers did not appeal nor did answering phones, cashiering or any of other usual job posties. Swinging a deal to remodel a storefront (her dad had instilled some skills) for six months free rent, our heroine opened a helium balloon bouquet delivery service, dubbed Alligator Balloons. It was such a surprise to the fair hamlet that it became a hit, soon emulated by others, but we all know the original is indeed best. 

A year goes by, college begins, and a dilemma ensues. Go to school, run the business, do both? Yes, do both. At least for a time. Alas, school and trying to raise a family proves a bit much (the Alligator met a prince of a handyman while remodeling the store, proposed, and married him, getting a much unexpected bonus to her diploma). Selling the started-the-biz-with-$300-in-the-back-pocket at a significant profit, she retired from ballooning to work in the library and eventually teach high school English, penning stories as the Muse and time became amendable. 

Of course I couldn’t write all that in the comment box, but I am hoping I left enough to garner a win. Now let’s think up a possible doodle for Mike to do…

If you would like to win an original Allegra doodle I suggest clicking to his website before the contest ends. 

Posted in bloggers, reflections and tagged , , | Leave a comment
30 Aug 2018
3 Comments

Hazy Daze: August Fire Season


August is proving to be a difficult month in our area. For the last three years forest fires have created smoky days so bad that air alerts are issued. Often the wildfires are started with a July lightning strike, although it is estimated 85% of the fires are started by people either through accident or by arson. No matter how the fires start, everyone suffers. At one point the rating was 160–unhealthy is between 101-200, and then moves into extreme.

Red sunrises and sunsets are reminiscent of being in a Ray Bradbury short story as blue skies disappear and the days are shrouded in paleness that is somewhat disorienting. The world as we knew has morphed into one continuous mono sky of creamy grey. The tree topped mountains bear streamers of thickened mist that almost looks like the early morning fall fogs. These mists hover ominously all day with a suppressing heaviness.

With numerous fires burning throughout our area and no relieving rain in sight, changes are apparent in the community’s usual routine: athletic events are cancelled, as are church picnics, tourist traffic is decreased, people are wearing masks. Few people are in their yards. Fewer people are walking and cycling. The beach is nearly deserted. The most activity is at the fairground.

The local fairground is providing campground space for the fire fighters. Colorful pop up dome tents are scattered all over the scruffy yellowed grass. Four wheel drives and diesel trucks line the makeshift fence keeping the row of porta-potties company. A few people wander about, especially in the early morning when I pass by them on my daily walk, when I detect a breeze and go for a quick stretch. I say silent prayers of keeping them safe, and tears of gratitude unexpectedly escape as I reflect on their efforts. I wonder how their mothers are dealing with their sons and daughters risking their lives daily with the flames. Many of the firefighters are volunteers. There is a banner at the front of the parking lot where people are signing their thanks, prayers, good wishes, and leaving uplifting messages.

As our community deals with the smoke and haze, my reading has become an escape since going outside is now a health issue that can’t be ignored. Curtailing my usual walk is a consideration as I am developing a tight chest, sore throat, and find myself clearing my throat and coughing. Running the air conditioner is not advised on some days. Even vacuuming is not advised since it stirs up particles. Barbecue is not on the menu. The lawn is becoming shaggy as mowing it in this soup bowl of haze is not wise. I quickly spritz flowers and my strawberries with water. And this is where it is interesting. Since the haze veils the sun the usual heat of August, the intense 90-100 degree days are nil. Pleasant temps of 75 degrees are the norm. The lack of direct sun means flowers aren’t withering in the heat. The ground is actually staying moist. This has become the best year for strawberries. The plants are still flowering and bearing tasty berries–tartly sweet, small but quite tongue pleasing in flavor. I carefully rinse and rinse again as a guard against particle matters.

So, with outdoor activities curtailed I am reading. A lot. It’s almost embarrassing how many books I have read in August. I could have used this time to work on my own writing projects, yet I need blue sky for inspiration. These days of opaque horizons are suppressing my energy for creativity. Books are my balm and retreat.

Are you living with wildfire threat and hazy days? How is your community coping?

Update: Prior to posting it rained in the night! What a difference!

I can see clearly now (and the air is soooo fresh).

Posted in Reading, reflections, summer and tagged , ,

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