I can't do a post without a picture and since I'm not sure if doing this qualifies me for for the 'Proud Bookworm Award', I'll post a picture of another of the little silk bags. At least it qualifies in the 'sexy' category.I've been challenged by he who shall not be named to pick up a nearby book, open it to page 46 and type out the fifth sentence found there along with several more that follow. Well, that sounds easy enough, since I usually have several books near at hand, but which one to choose?
My literary friend, la Belette Rouge, had advised me to get a copy of 'Crow and Weasel' by Barry Lopez next time I went to Powell's. I was there today so it's sitting next to me now but it's a short book and one I haven't read yet. I'd hate to spoil the fun of a first read by opening it to page 46 without reading the first 45.
'Dakini's Warm Breath' by Jillian Simmer-Brown is close by too but somehow a paragraph about prepatriarchal Dravidian cultures and the resurgence of the spiritual influence of the Vedas doesn't seem an apt choice either.
Oh, here's an interesting one and a favorite too.. Paul Auster's 'New York Trilogy':
'Quinn did all his writing with a pen, using a typewriter only for final drafts, and he was always on the lookout for good spiral notebooks.'
It's a good book but the right spot on page 46 has no conversation and, like Alice, I do like a book with good conversation - especially if I'm going to quote from it.
Ahah! Found one right underneath the mostly empty Christmas card box that was too pretty to throw out yet and on top of the catalog that has a jacket that will be well out of season by the time I look at it again. I save a lot of money that way.
"The gun shoots heart attacks."
"Myocardial infarctions," she says, tapping a finger on the cause-of-death line on the autopsy report. "MI's. And the CI setting, that's for cerebral infarctions. Heart attack and stroke, the two leading killers of bad monkeys..." She smiles. "So what else have you got?"
He pushes forward the second pile, which consists of just two sheets, printouts from a newspaper microfilm reader. It's a story from the San Francisco Examiner, with the questioning headline ANGEL OF DEATH HANGS UP WINGS?
'Bad Monkeys'
by Matt Ruff
Now I get to choose 5 bloggers to post their choice of sentence #5 and a few more that follow on page 46 of something with covers. Books on tape are only cool if you're driving a long distance.
I'd be interested to know what's on your bookshelf zee, nunley, pagan sphinx, g-fid (if it's not packed :-) and cr.
The prize for your participation is this lovely award. Thanks randal and for the confirmation liberality.
if you love to read, and I have no doubt that you do, then you qualify :)
ReplyDeleteSee, you all are cheating, trying to find the sexiest passages.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me sound like an evil minion from Revelation. ;-)
liberality - I'll admit blogging has cut into my reading and painting time so maybe I'll just quit my job. That would give me some extra reading time :-)
ReplyDeleterandal - You mean you're not?
Thanks, susan, I'll definitely get to this early next week. Today, I've been told by Mr. Nunly, I have plans. I think it has something to do with sex...or he wants me to make dinner. I hope it's sex, I don't feel like cooking today. ;-)
ReplyDeleteme - I didn't feel like cooking today either. Can they deliver pizza direct to bedside?
ReplyDelete"Not him. He doesn't have power. And he's ugly. He has double chins and a bald head and the lines on his forehead are as deep at ditches."
ReplyDelete"If he had power--"
"Don't try to trick me."
from February Flowers by Fan Wu
i love the little silk bag. yellow and black are strong colors.
ReplyDeletei purchased a little purse in costa rica, even though it was guatemalan. i paid $6.00 for it. it has three zippers and a long shoulder cord. i found it in a type of "flea market" that sold handmade items.
I love how you did this. And that silk purse if very cool!
ReplyDeleteRandal you are an evil minion from Revelation.
ReplyDeleteSusan the wearable is gorgeous. Fancy stuff. And you are a sexy bookworm.
sera - That was an excellent choice. You may now take your award :-) while I put Fan Wu on my list.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm likely to go to Costa Rica to try and undercut the competition either.
lisa - With so much to choose from (and rather late in the evening) it seemed to be the only way.
utah - 'Actually, I'm not just a boring office worker; I'm an artist.'
'Oh yeah, so what do you paint?'
'This.'
Knocks em out.. and it's so much more convenient than wearing a framed painting.
I am happy you didn't jump ahead in Crow and Weasel. And, I am so very happy you got it. I will forever more think of you when I see that lovely book.
ReplyDeleteSee what happens when I take a Sunday afternoon off? I always miss the fun stuff.
ReplyDeletebelette - 'Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.' How true. I'll always think of you too.
ReplyDeletebtw - I love Crow's braids.
spartacus - Honestly, it's been pretty boring around here. I hope you enjoyed your weekend :-)
i saw lots of hummingbirds. when i was at the la paz waterfalls, they had a hummingbird "exhibit" which was just a grouping of plastic hummingbird feeders. i didn't have the patience to wait for a hummingbird to pose for me though.
ReplyDeleteit's funny how timing is everything. if i had waited for that photo opportunity, i might have been in the restaurant when the earthquake struck instead of being on a hiking trail. (the restaurant was crowded; i didn't have the patience to wait there either).
i went back to the open-air restaurant afterwards because it was packed with people. i was worried people were hurt.
there were 6" wide cracks in the floor where people were sitting earlier. The area was covered with broken glass, upturned chairs, plates and food on the floor. by then, everyone had evacuated to the parking lot at the top of the mountain.
the restaurant scene was described to me later as "chaotic" with people screaming and crying.
funny, but i don't remember hearing a thing.
i didn't see any more hummingbirds after that.
sera - Yikes! I love hummingbirds but I wouldn't want to go through that experience just to see some fancy ones. I'm no stranger to mild quakes after having spent 20 years on the west coast but I don't like them.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good thing you were too impatient to stay in the restaurant. I'm just very glad you weren't hurt and are back home safe.
Oh gosh, do I really have to do this?? All I read lately was the New Yorker - driving home on a train from NYC.
ReplyDelete...please where can I buy a unicorn?
ReplyDelete