My tarot card

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Thanks to Rhinoa who had this on her blog first! I don't often get the High Priestess for myself, so I am happy to see it. Usually I get the Empress, or the Heirophant, so this is a change. I consider this a card of intuition, and heaven knows I need to slow down and walk with the season as it changes, instead of having things heaped on me. I'm not complaining, I'm interested to see that the feelings I've been having this month that I haven't been getting my walks in,so I haven't been in nature as much, are having a trickle-down effect of making me feel off-balance. It doesn't help that it has rained so much this summer that getting out has been a challenge. Walking puts me in the world though, and into myself, so I can hear my thoughts better, as well as see all of nature around me. The High Priestess reminds me to get quiet - yes, the Olympics are fun! But I am at my limit now, and am glad they are ending this weekend. It's hard to have the tv on so much, and even though the competitive part of me enjoys the athleticism and striving to be the best, I find I am taking breaks more often now. I am reading in the evenings while the games are on in the background!

The High Priestess reminds me to pay attention to the quiet voice within, and to find time to be still, so that I can create, I can write, so that I can know what my next movement forward in my life is. There are challenges at work that are pushing me to my limit right now, and it's hard to keep my balance when I want to punch the lights out of my co-worker, who is becoming my arch-nemesis (and me to her, I'm sure!) and even though I know I'm better than her, and much more competent at my job than she is, she makes our entire section look sloppy. The High Priestess reminds me to step back and detach myself, to look after myself and ignore this person. Be smart, the High Priestess says.

This doesn't mean the High Priestess only comes when there is trouble to avoid! Most of the time she comes when the questioner needs to listen to the other voice we all have, the one that puts things together and can look into the future and know the probable outcome of actions, so we can pick the best option forward. She is mysterious, because she knows things intuitively, and because we are open to the unanswerable at this time. It's one of my favourite cards in the tarot deck. I often thought that I would like to be a priestess, though I know now that I would get too annoyed at being bothered by questions and helping others all the time, which a priestess has to do. I much prefer to study quietly and learn and come to understand some of the patterns and mysteries of the world, which this card means! The other card I love is the Hermit, which is also a difficult path because it means I can't follow the ordinary ones laid out for people, that I am forging my own path and bringing back knowledge for others. So, I know I have written less here this month and visited my favourite blogs less than usual, but there is so much stress with work right now that reading is my refuge, as always, my safety net. There is something about reading that is so healing! So learn from this. What is the lesson for me? At the very least, I have to remember to get out of the office at lunchtime so I can escape the negative influence of this co-worker. There is something about green trees and the wind on my face that is so healing. And since this conflict is revealing the short-comings of my workplace in general, I have been left alone to deal with her, so I no longer see the office environment as always supportive.

And since we live the tarot cards in our lives every day, what card are you? which card do you instinctively like? And if you do this quiz, which card are you right now? Does it fit somewhere in your life right now?

MEDALS!!! and a random book question

Hurray, finally! Day 8, I woke up to Canada finally winning our first medals: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze. *sigh*. Considering the lack of funding our athletes receive, it is always a miracle when we finish in the top 10 in the world, but nothing is sweeter than winning a medal. Congratulations to our winners!! All of Canada is heaving a great big sigh of relief.

In my own marathon, I am halfway through Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and I am loving it. I have also bought some new books at the beginning of this month:

Changeling - Delia Sherman
In the Forest of Forgetting - Theodora Goss
Lonely Werewolf Girl - Martin Millar (when I bought this, the clerk said that one of the other clerks had just finished it and said this was amazing. Now I have to confess that I am looking at longingly and wondering, how long can I wait to read it? Should I bother keeping up with all the challenges? Why didn't I leave spaces on every challenge for new books through the year?)
Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie (for Man Booker Prize and Award Winners Challenges) - very curious about this book, and it looks interesting
Blood and Iron - Elizabeth Bear
The Dragon Quintet - ed Marvin Kaye (collection of dragon short stories, with Orson Scott Card, Michael Swanwick, Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee, and Elizabeth Moon contributing)

I also bought in July:
Tamsin - Peter S Beagle (eagle-eyed readers will have noted I snuck it onto the Awards Challenge so I can read it this year! I can't wait, after so many good reviews of it on other blogs! Nymeth,
and Chris come to mind. Please let me know if you have and I will add you here)
A Writer's Space - Eric Maisel (my writing has stalled completely. I'm desperate! New books on writing sometimes help, so I picked this one up - his book on creativity is enlightening - and I'm happy to say that I've had an idea - a scene - to add to my novel. Not that I've written it down yet, of course. It's simmering in my mind while I try to see where it fits in the plot. It's a very good start, though!)
Never End - Ake Edwardson (a long time ago in January I read my first book by this author and loved it, Sun and Shadows. So when I saw this in hardcover on sale, I grabbed it. Now it's finding a place for it on a challenge.)
Bones to Ashes - Kathy Reichs (her new one, getting reviews. Supposedly for my summertime mystery reading, but summer seems to be slipping away)

Random book question:
So, before I slip away to go see the men's 100 m final (our Donovan Bailey's record is about to fall, and he is graciously commenting on the race for our CBC news. He accepts someone is going to break the record, but, as he says, 'I'm not giving it to them, they are coming to take it from me.' I like that competitive edge!!), I have a random question: when you go into a bookstore, do you prefer to order your books if they are not on the shelf, or will you wait a while and see if they turn up? What I think I mean is, how long will you wait to buy a book you want to read? I'm asking because as I peruse our bookstores here in Ottawa, it seems to me that there is less stock available to choose from - our bookstores, even the box-store Chapters which has thousands of square feet of new books - there is little or no mid-list carried, and certainly, rarely, first books in a series. You always have to order them now, it seems. And that bothers me, because I don't always want to order it without having it to look at first. I really like being able to walk into a store, select a whole pile of books that look interesting, and then go to a quiet corner and sort through the pile, feeling their weight in my hand, the covers, the blurbs, opening page one and reading it to see if I am in the mood to buy it then, or put it back and wait because I want another book I am holding, more. That seems to me is part of the pleasure of book-buying, and by not having a wide variety of older published books and new books to choose from, we are losing out on some of pleasure of buying books. What do you think?

I am asking this because I have searched for years for a copy of Transformations by Anne Sexton, and it has not been in any new bookstores, not even Chapters, where I go to look at copies if they have it, decide which version I want, and then go order it! I want to look at the book first, and see how it feels in my hand and to my eye, before I buy it. That is part of the sensual pleasure of books. I love the texture and feel of books, and sometimes one company's publication won't feel as nice (to my eye or hand) as another's. So I want to choose which version I buy. So I am reduced to either haunting used bookstores, which I also very happily do! but haven't seen Transformations there either. This leaves me the library, which may have ancient out of print copies that I can't get, or Amazon, which of course I can only look at. What do you suggest, what do you do, when you are looking for a copy of an older book to buy and can't find any copies to look at? Of course, part of the pleasure of books is that one day, a copy will appear on a shelf, and it will be one that I love just because it is finally there.

Happy Saturday, happy Olympic Games watching, and happy reading, everyone!

The Olympics

I was doing really well with my reading, and then the Olympics came on. I love watching them, so if I am quiet here, never fear, I am cheering Canada on!

When are we going to win a medal?? Two fouth-place finishes now....the closest we have come. I enjoy the competition, and usually we are more competitive.

My own 'Olympic' reading is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which I am enjoying so very much. Why did I wait so long to read it? Ditto Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes.

Hope you are enjoying the Olympics, or if you don't care, then I hope you have a wonderful book to take you through this middle week of August, and the coming full moon eclipse on Saturday. It makes people a little crazy, don't you know, eclipses of the moon.....so Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is a perfect book to read!

The Dark Knight or, what makes a great film?

I've just come from seeing The Dark Knight for the second time. Even though I saw it two weeks ago, I was able to see it again so soon, because it is an amazing, dark, thrilling intelligent movie. It's a movie about how all figures fall, about how 'madness is only a push away', as the Joker says. HOw Batman isn't just a comic figure now, but is becoming a full-blown myth representing our culture today. How we need someone to stand outside it all to fight wrongs, to bring balance back, even if it means he has to take some of our shadow on himself. This movie satisfies. It's like going to a buffet getting well-prepared flavorful food that nourishes you. It gives something to my soul, this movie does. I can look at the light and long for fairies and sweetness, but I know there is darkness, I have looked at it, and I need movies like this that remind me what life is like, and why it's worth fighting to live in a way I am proud of. It sounds silly that a movie based on a comic book could achieve this, but then Batman has never been an ordinary hero. He has always had tragic overtones, from the murders of his parents in front of him in a hold-up. What does that do to one's mind? What would that do to a child? Certainly Bruce Wayne becomes the representative of those real-life people who can't have a normal life, whose pastel colours and every day existence are what he gives to other people because, as this movie makes clear, he can't be Batman and have a normal life. This movie is about him finishing the choice he started in Batman Begins. It's the story about how Batman becomes Batman. And it is searing. It goes right for the guts. It is violent, and frightening, and eerie, and at its core is a fight for society to hold together in the face of chaos, in the face of fear. The Joker is the mouthpiece of a lot of truths, the dancing shadow that lures society to the brink of anarchy. In the current world shadow we are always it seems on that edge now, and it would only take a push to shove us over. Batman becomes that sign within our souls to not give up, to keep fighting to keep the world we have, even if it is a fight only within our own souls.



This is not to say that chaos is bad; nothing is born except with chaos. The Joker, though, recognizes no limits, no bounds. He is that part of us that wishes we were free, and so we see what would happen if we lost our human part of our souls.



I know this sounds all hyperbole, but you know me, I'm not going to give you the plot because nothing I say will equal the experience of it. You have to see it. Especially if you know a little bit about darkness, about the edge between life and darkness and death, if you have ever lost control, or wished you could - this is for you. Us. I will say, though, the plot holds up even better on second viewing. There are no gaping holes, no missed points, no dangling storylines. Fast-paced, I found myself on the edge of my seat again, even though I knew what was coming this time. And one of the best scenes for me is the Joker coming out of the hospital, the incongruity of the clown in the nurse's uniform, and the delight in turning the world upside down, topsy-turvy. There is nothing clownish about Heath Ledger's Joker. He is funny, but not because he has happy surprises, but because he is like a creative, primitive element sprung full-blown out of nowhere, fully destructive. But I don't find him evil, though he is very, very scary. He wants anarchy, and he invites everyone to join with him, and he breaks all the rules. He is, as he says, the irresistible force to Batman's immovable object. and by the end, when the movie is over, I am so sad all over again at Heath's passing. We will never see him play the Joker again, and it feels selfish of me to miss him for this, when he had a daughter and family who loved him, and that is the real tragedy, but in this, we all share in the loss of his tremendous acting ability. He doesn't go over the top, in a role that it could happen to easily; the restraint he shows in keeping the Joker real in an intelligent, thoughtful way - there is the sense that the Joker is looking for someone to play with, and in Batman he finally finds his equal. What an amazing acting job, in a movie filled with perfect acting, from Christian Bale's Batman, to Gary Oldman's quiet family-man who fights the fight of his life to remain decent, to the secondary characters which second viewing allowed me to watch more closely, the unravelling of certain characters, the appearance over and over of the lesser psychotic (the Joker's follower?), and then Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, perfect in their roles. This is an intelligent movie, and it doesn't hide from the truth about what fighting the darkness can cost, and it says that the fight is worth fighting. The direction, the soundtrack (for once it didn't annoy me and I love the Jokers' theme), the setting. This is a movie that has gone onto my top 10, that I will be first in line to buy when it comes out on DVD, that I will watch over and over. Because when it comes to the things that stir the soul, that nourish us in ways we don't expect, they should be treasured.



So I guess that says that I have a fair bit of darkness in me and my life, that I respond so keenly to this film. It has a rich texture that in lesser hands, would have been awful, a laugh; but Batman is elevated by the men he has chosen to help him, Caine as the butler and Freeeman as the designer/company manager. These men are intelligent and the line delivery is amazing, full of sarcasm and dry wit. They know what Batman is doing, and they support it. And we find out a bit about why, in this movie.


I don't know where Batman can go next, or even if there will be another movie made. Part of me really hopes so, but I would want Christopher Nolan and Bale and all the surrounding characters to continue. A story-driven comic book movie that is the best movie to come out this year so far, in a long long time, even.

So, my gentle readers, what makes a movie magnificent for you? What are your favourite movies? Do you like The Dark Knight (if you have seen it?) What do you go to movies for - to be entertained, to learn a little something, to lose yourself in the experience, to escape? So many of us read to escape, do you approach movie-going the same way? What makes a movie good for you?

My top movie list - not in any particular order since I can't figure out quite where The Dark Knight fits yet, just that it is already among my very favourite of all movies - and this is not a list of the best movies ever made, this is my personal list of movies that I can't be without, that I love:

Susan's Favourite Movies
The Terminator
The Dark Knight
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The Gods Must Be Crazy
The Haunting (version with Claire Bloom)
Persuasion (any version)
A Room With a View
The Secret of Roan Inish
The Lives of Others
Alien

It was going to be my top 10, but then I discovered that I have a whole host of movies vying for the last spot! so it would be more like Susan's Top 30 movie list - and they begged to be listed, too, so here are my runners-up to the Top 10 Favourite Movies - 2nd tier, if you will:

Dune
Grosse Pointe Blank
Lone Star
The Changeling
Pride and Prejudice (keira Knightly version)
The Company of Wolves
Ella Enchanted
Princess Bride
The Fifth Element
The Sixth Sense
The Bourne Identity movies (trilogy)
Little Miss Sunshine
Lars and the Girlfriend
Casino Royale
A Fish Called Wanda
Say Anything
Labyrinth

Now you know a bit more about my favourite movies and what I look for. Somehow, it is easier to pick my favourite movies over my favourite books - perhaps because books are my first love, and I love so many of them for different reasons, whereas I am more selective in my movies because so few truly satisfy me. That is why I am so thrilled and delighted when a movie does come along that I fall in love with. And yes, I think Christian Bale is the best Batman of all. I liked Val Kilmer in the role as well, very much, but Christian has portrayed the trajectory of Batman into tragic hero, the dark knight, with subtlety and with power.


Other book blog reviews of Dark Knight: Carl
Bride of the Book God

Weekly Geeks 13

Well, I am behind! Or, rather, I finally have some time to do the Weekly Geeks again! The summer rush of travelling and visiting is slowing down, and we are already gearing up for school. The youngest (the one the angels are working overtime on now keeping safe) is getting ready to start Junior Kindergarten in September, so he is changing daycares - tomorrow is his last day at the only one he's known, and on Monday he starts at the one his big sister goes to, which is a smaller daycare and right down our street. All this to say, I am thrilled to be doing the Weekly Geeks this week, as it will take my mind off the changes - I'm sad to say goodbye to ABC daycare, who have taken wonderful care of both Holly-Anne and Graham for 4 years, and very excited that they are both at Vicky's daycare, together for the first time, and in a home setting. And he is starting school, which since he saw Holly-Anne get on the schoolbus a year ago Graham has been asking and counting down towards! We are getting a little gift to say goodbye to the daycare, and of course, you know me - it's a gift certificate to my favourite independent bookstore, Collected Works, which is in the same neighborhood as the daycare centre, and has a great children's selection of books.

Now, on to this week's Weekly Geeks: favourite author photos! I am picking:
- photos of my favourite authors (all represented)
- photos of any authors I have met (even briefly) - 1
- and photos of the hottest authors! -2
Guess who they are correctly - they have all been mentioned on my blog at some time, and let me know. I'm giving away a book as a prize to the one who gets the most right. Because I'm doing this so late in the week, I am going to extend the deadline to Sunday Aug 10 at midnight. I can't tell you the book title yet because it will give away the author!!

Here they are:























And, I have to admit, that just adding the photos of the two authors who I think are 'hot' has me kind of breathless (they're on my blog!!) kind of like revealing a secret crush...well,yes, that's exactly what it is!!! I was never any good at this in high school either, so I'm soooo glad no one can see my face right now!! You would think that after having been married twice and having three children I would be past this, but it seems not. I still blush as much as I did when I was much younger. And link here if you want to go back to Dewey's site to see more bloggers pick their favourite/hot authors.....

Interesting posts at other blogger's sites......

Ok, I am cheating here. But I am out of time again on a Sunday night, another day in which I don't even attempt to do the Sunday Salon - not that I've joined the group, but I want to!! all my company is gone, we had a lovely visit and I got to give tarot readings to my sister, niece, my eldest son, and niece's friend last night. So my mind is a bit frazzled, what with so much visiting and travelling, late nights talking and too much work at work. Therefore, I am cheating and sending you to various posts that I have seen on different blogs as I set up my links to them again (thanks, sis!! an unforgettable visit! "sure, I know how to do backgrounds....I'll just press this button. Oh, it's not saved? Ah, uh-oh. Ooops. Well, you wanted a new background anyway....") and letting others entertain you - the posts are worth seeing!

Raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading has this to say about the Bookers. As she says, do you pay attention to the Bookers?

Ann at Table Talk has this to say about Hilary Mantel's article in the paper in the UK this weekend, on authors reading other work while writing. Do you have any comments? do you read to learn about the human experience (and only for this, as Hilary posits) or do you read to be entertained? This was Ann's Sunday Salon, so please go and leave her comments and open up the discussion. You'll find my thoughts as a reader and a writer there.

Stefanie at So Many Books has a fun post on a study of book readers called the 'Modus Operandi of Avid Book readers'. Do you agree? As she says, it doesn't reveal us to ourselves , we already know how we read and how our experiences affect our reading, but when we are trying to encourage others to read, this is something to keep in mind.

The unforgettable Emily at Telecommuter Talk has TWO 40 answer memes. She's not the Queen of Memes for nothing!!! oops, double negative, I should say: all hail the Queen of Memes!! and they are both fun, and not ones we have seen (or I haven't anyway, but I am still baby blogger). Look for me to do them very soon!

Charlotte at Charlotte's Web has done the second of Emily's memes.

Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf has posted her Weekly Geeks #13, so for those of you who don't know what it is yet, visit the link. I will be posting my authors shortly.

Bybee at Naked without Books has already posted hers. How well do you know Bybee? Can you spot her HOTTIE??

Carl here at Stainless Steel Droppings has an amazing library shot, plus photos of his book/desk area (I feel better about my desk already! although he has a good reason....), a contest, a giveaway, and a review of the Dark Knight here. I am saving myself for a review of the movie until I can do it justice, mostly I need some time! because I loved this movie. There is so much thought put into this movie, so much creativity and genius in every part of it. It is breathtaking (literally! in some scenes!), moving, haunting, dark, and soooo satisfying. I will first in line when it comes out in dvd! and I have to go see it again, because there are so many twists and plots that I know I missed things. And I want to watch the actors this time, because they are so good and make Batman and the Joker alive (how could I feel sorry for the Joker even when he's ranting? and then feel this terrible ache again because Heath Ledger isn't here - both for his family and for the rest of us - and he is the Joker) and it is acting genius from everyone involved. It is better than Ironman, which is one of the best movies of the summer (especially in the fantasy genre). Anyway, will save the rest for a proper post, but do go see it. It is worth it. And Carl has posters too :-)

John at The Book Mine Set has a link to a blog who has excerpted 'tips on how to write a Canadian novel" from Will and Ian Ferguson's How To Be A Canadian. He wants to know if the description fits the Canadian books you have read, either for his Canadian Book Challenge or on your own. And, if you haven't joined, it's not too late to join this year's Challenge which is only a month old. I'm not even on his list yet since I haven't read a single book yet in my challenge list!

Which brings me to the sad confession that I managed to read one book from July 16 to today: one. Yes, one book in two weeks. I think I can say in answer to that question on one of the Booking Through Thursday questions a while back: do your reading habits change with the seasons? I had said no, but now I have to give an emphatic yes! Yes, I read slightly less in the summer! I had read 5 books in July before the 16th, so I am keeping pace (with myself, but I am dismayed that I didn't read more! I did have a good holiday, and lovely company. Just not plenty of reading!

I am still in the process of adding many links, to challenges, and to other book blogs, so if you don't see your name in the list (and it was before), please don't worry! It's coming! And I do not have an exciting new blog since I cannot figure out how to do a great banner like Carl, Chris (Stuff as Dreams), Rhinoa, Bride of the Book God, both Stephanies and Nymeth all have. Someday I will! but in the horror of deleting everything, my sister forgot to show me how to do the banner.

The kids are camping out in the living room since it is a civic holiday tomorrow. So I'm being called to mom duty. Happy reading, everyone! It's good to be back.

Under new construction...

My sister (Lady P's cosy corner) is visiting from New Brunswick and decided to help me add colour to my background. Lo and behold, I no longer have most of my blog. We are fixing it, please be patient! I'll be back! (Patricia sends her sincerest apologies. I think I'm still in shock.) And I hate this current background. At least we have a long weekend to fix it......