Category: Ruminations

Saturday Snapshot: Phantom Fashion

On By cherylmahoneyIn Saturday Snapshot17 Comments

I had a fun package arrive this week.  I realized that I was missing a vital resource for my upcoming trip–a shirt to wear when I attend Phantom of the Opera.  I had one that I wore to the last, er, six performances I saw, but it got a stain on it.  So I went on CafePress to solve this problem…

I wanted something a little more unique than just the logo, and this looked fun.  Tip if you ever buy from CafePress though–they cut large!

And now I need your opinion on something.  So I definitely wear the shirt to the play–do I also wear it to the Paris Opera House?  Is it a fun conversation-starter, or does it brand me as the crazy fangirl who’ll be the 1,000th person to ask about Box Five?

Decisions, decisions.  Let me know what you think 🙂 and of course, check out more Saturday Snapshots on At Home with Books.

Saturday Snapshot: Bumper Stickers

On By cherylmahoneyIn Saturday Snapshot20 Comments

My current car is the first one I haven’t shared (well, borrowed from parents, really), so when it became mine I decided to personalize!  Then I spent a few months not able to commit to any bumper stickers I saw in shops.  Is any random joke really that clever to stick on my car for years?  Finally I went online, and here’s what I ended up with…

When I bought “I’d rather be sailing the high seas with Captain Jack,” I of course meant Captain Jack Sparrow–and mostly I do still mean him, because he’s one of my favorite characters ever.  But if Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who invited me on a voyage, I’d go with him too!

As to being haunted by the Phantom of the Opera…that seems to say it so well.  He’s lived in my head for years.

The “Perform Random Acts of Shakespeare” one has prompted people to ask me if I’m in theatre.  I’m not–but I like Shakespeare.  And I quote him frequently.

The Starfleet emblem should be pretty self-explanatory.  And as to “Coexist” I do believe in coexisting, on a lot of levels; I wanted something different than the blue sticker everyone else has.  And space–it’s pretty amazing.

I felt like I could commit to all of these, because the most recent interest represented here is the Phantom–and that’s going on eight years.  So I’m pretty sure I’m not going to wind up turning away from any of these and regretting the sticker!

Anyone else have a cool bumper sticker?  Or do you remember seeing a fun one?

Check out At Home with Books for more Saturday Snapshots!

Books to Travel with

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations18 Comments

When I travel somewhere, I try to bring books set in the place I’m going, or at least reflective of the place.  I’m heading to London and Paris in September, so I’m looking for some good British and French novels!  I have a few ideas, but I thought I’d put the question out there for ideas.

A Tale of Two Cities occurred to me as an obviously appropriate choice, except that reading Dickens requires a bit too much effort for a vacation read.

I know I want to read some Sherlock Holmes.  I have a volume of the Complete Stories, but I haven’t actually read all of them.  I won’t be bringing that particular volume (much too heavy for travel!) but I plan to pick up a book of stories from the library.

I want to read something by Agatha Christie, but I’m not sure what yet.  I’ve never read her and I’ve been meaning to for ages.  She’s one of those authors you hear about, and L. M. Montgomery enjoyed reading her, and she shows up in an episode of Doctor Who!

I plan to re-read The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie, because it’s set in Kensington Gardens and I’m staying two blocks from the Gardens–deliberately, because I’ve read The Little White Bird before.  It’s all rather circular, really.

But that still leaves me woefully short of books for a two-week trip!  Any suggestions?

Saturday Snapshot: Iconic London

On By cherylmahoneyIn Saturday Snapshot21 Comments

I didn’t plan to post London photos two weeks in a row…but with the Olympics starting this weekend, it just seems to be a natural focus!

Tower Bridge, not to be confused with London Bridge
Guards marching at Buckingham Palace
The famous Big Ben
Bobbies on Horses

Check out At Home with Books for more Saturday Snapshots!

Guest Post Invitation

On By cherylmahoneyIn RuminationsLeave a comment

As regular readers know, I’m planning a trip to London and Paris (!) this September.  Between preparing, traveling, and catching up when I return, not to mention managing the usual busyness of life, I expect to have some challenges finding enough blogging time!  But I hate to lose my flow of regular posts, so…I have an invitation for writers out there.

Would anyone be interested in writing a guest post?  You can review a book (YA and/or fantasy preferred but not at all required), or write about an aspect of writing or reading.  And of course you can link back to your own blog if you have one.  I read the blogs of a lot of people who read mine, and I’d love to help more of you find each other.  🙂

If you’d like to do a guest post, send me an email at cherylmahoney42@gmail.com letting me know what you’d like to write about.  And if you’re ever having a busy time and would like someone to write a guest post for your blog, I’d be happy to help…only, not in the next couple of months!