Just sit right down and… Name that tune! 😁
My stream didn’t start there. Earlier I thought of just how often Grammarly and the autocorrect monsters point out my constant use of this word.
I just don’t understand why. Take the above sentence without that word. I don’t understand why. It somehow it loses oomph. It sounds bland.
Is it just me?
I think it is an unjustified word flag by grammar police. It’s just unfair!
Nothing is finished. The weather has made my favorite things uncomfortable if not downright pain. But progress goes slow. One second spent on projects you feel passionate about is still progress! So here are some things still moving forward.
And prayers for the safety of my adult kids driving over the river and through the woods, or some such. Weather will be rain/snow, etc. I’m worried but can’t wait to see everyone!
I have no idea what to write about and really I’d prefer playing around with uke, vi, and toot. I’ve discovered Christmas carols for all my instruments. Piano is the most fun right now. But the others are fun and challenging. I try to keep them all fun so I don’t give up.
Poor, Sammie. His favorite spider toy got stepped on and broke. Funkle Chris has already ordered a replacement. Random Sammie pics:
That’s the toy that broke.😥
Okay, time for strings and toots!
Wanting to see and learn music from Wicked, I went on my usual deep dive as I tip-toed to Oz. When I get into a musical, I go all in. I did that with Les Miserable, Phantom, and Into the Woods. Now I find Wicked and Hamilton calling. So first, The Wizard of Oz got my attention. Even though I just finished reading a book by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel’s father, Oz wins the in-depth first.
What got me started was the movie was on television on Sunday. I’ve always felt the show was presented for me, personally, as it always aired around my birthday. Yes, I’m a Sagg. Some years, I skipped it. But I decided to watch it this year because of all the Wicked hype.
I started to read Wicked but wondered what I might be missing from the original books.
So I’ve started reading The Complete Wizard of Oz. I have it on Kindle and Audible, but I am sure you can get it on Libby.
Already, I see names, places, and situations that Wicked mentioned that we never saw in that old but beloved movie. One I found interesting is the choice of Kristin Chenoweth. She is the good witch of the north. In the books, she is small in stature. So Kristin fits.
With The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (written 1900), the first book now checked off from a sleepless night of constant listening, and the second, The Marvelous Land of Oz (written 1904), well underway, I am happy with my new reading and future musical pursuits.
Does anyone know where I can see the illustrations? I thought I’d see them in the Kindle version, but they don’t seem to be there. I read a few of these to my kids when they were little, and I remember finding the pictures charming, if not a bit disturbing.
Anyway, back to the yellow brick road!
I was always moved to the front because of talking. Can I help it they want to talk to me? Even the teacher at the desk in front. I think of it as a super-power!
Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America by Luis A. Miranda Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lin-Manuel Miranda was the one I thought of when I put this on hold on Libby. I want to get better acquainted with Hamilton and the music. I admire that composer; I’m not yet in love with the musical like everyone else. Still, the picture on the front of the book should have given me a clue. This guy has to be older than the Lin-Manuel I saw on a talk show. No. Luis A. Miranda Jr. is Lin-Manuel’s father.
There is a lot to learn from this man and his son. Their passions lead their lives. Music, acting, movies, and stage plays inspired the father. And they were transferred to the rest of the family. This is the part of the memoir I loved the most.
Learning about Puerto Rico and the differences in types of Hispanics cleared many questions I had over the years. And I learned a lot about different types of activism to help others. But here is where I started disconnecting. Was it me or the hours at night I was listening? Before long, I was lost in a sea of politics. Still, I found the enthusiasm Mr. Miranda Jr. displayed during these parts at least made me pay attention. Whether or not I agree didn’t matter. It was inspiring to feel his spirit.
How does one thank those who have given you the most? Especially when they’re gone. In this case, I’m embracing the passion and challenges. Though I’m not naturally gifted. My mother blanketed me in lessons and learning discipline to practice. Or as I convinced my inner child, playing.
Sammie the Spidercat the furry lapcat who now can blanket my legs as I knit, crochet or scroll.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
With this cast: Jot Davies (Narrator), Chloe Massey (Narrator), Olivia Dowd (Narrator), Aoife McMahon (Narrator), Sarah Ovens (Narrator), Rich Keeble (Narrator), Lucy Foley’s story plays out like an old radio mystery theater.
I finished a book before I was ready to go to sleep. Since it was a Libby audiobook, I tried to find something else to get me to sleeping time. I saw this one about a wedding guest list. The blurb made it look interesting. I don’t much like murder mysteries, but with the setting in Ireland, I thought it would at least whet my travel desires. It worked!
All the actors gave such depth to the story that probably, in a paper book, it would still be great. The accents enriched each character. And what a single narrator-type book would do, I never felt lost as to who was talking.
There were so many types of people at this wedding. And life-like relationships that we learn about that happened and caused some incidences at the wedding that one doesn’t expect. We don’t start with a body and try to figure out who did it, but the other part of the mystery is who will die and why, then asking the who. This makes it the best mystery I have ever read/listened to.
This was readily available on Libby. If you get the chance, I think you’ll like it, too.
Tsarina Scholar Woodsman Thief by Cidney Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Narrator Amanda Berry made this the most wonderful fairytale I’ve read in a long time. I already knew I’d love it as I am a big fan of Cidney Swanson. I was going to wait until the end of this review, but I love her Mars series so much that I want to read them all again. She also has a time travel/history series. She is such a great author, no matter the subject matter. (But Mars still wins in my books)
In this tale, you have a few young people trying to make it on their own. At first, they don’t know each other. We get to know them one at a time. Misfortune strikes each of them. This is not contemporary. Horses are the means of travel or sailing boats.
I listened to the Audible version and loved it after I immersed myself in the time and lands. And though this is not the end of the story, we are left in a safe place while we await the next book, coming soon. Please give it a try. I think you’ll love it, too. Oh, and while you wait, go check out Saving Mars and the whole series.
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 100 books for the 2013 Reading Challenge! 115 of 100 (115%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 225 books for the 2012 Reading Challenge! 225 of 225 (100%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 200 books for the 2011 Reading Challenge! 204 of 200 (102%)
"Words & Wonders - Where thoughts meet art
Justice, Channeling,Spiritual,Astrology,Truth- Seeker.
Education, Information, Motivation
Where Curiosity Meets Creativity
Portuguese-Canadian Writing About This Portuguese Thing of Ours
Inheritance. Narcissism. Turf. Welcome to the family.
Finding the extra in the ordinary
A Blog About Food and Travels
I upload photos & videos Golu lodhi village pairakhedi
Travel,Tourism, precious story "Now in hundreds of languages for you."
twisted yarns, unraveled
The Introvert's Roadmap to Self Discovery and Growth
story telling from history
Where ancient wisdom meets modern technology. Stories that illuminate the wonders of science, culture, and life — crafted with human creativity and a touch of AI magic.
Life is just down the road lesser traveled....
In the Quiet Space of a Benedictine Heart: Seeking God in Every Moment
Darswords 
You must be logged in to post a comment.