Every time I take a walk....

I make wonderful discoveries.

On writers and writing...

I just finished reading (and looking at) a fun and inspiring book about writers, their libraries and reading history: Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their Books, edited by Leah Price. The book has photographs of their libraries and bookshelves, interviews (with great questions!) and their top ten list of books. There were some excellent quotes (see example below) and many of the books on their top ten lists, I had to add to my “must-read” list. “…the more sophisticated you are, the more annotated your mental life.”- Rebecca Goldstein, from her book Thirty-six Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction Some of the writers included are: Alison Bechdel, Junot Díaz, Claire Messud and Philip Pullman. My only criticism is the length. I would have loved to see more writers featured. I realized while reading it, that writers are really fascinating people. I already felt that way, but hadn’t articulated it for myself. I also enjoy reading the weekend column, Word Craft, in the Wall Street Journal. Written by different writers, it covers different aspects of writing. This week, Anna Quindlen writes about inspiration and her dislike of writing: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304432704577348020550966282.html The Financial Times features a short interview with an author each weekend.This week, it’s David Park: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/cdbfcfa8-83bb-11e1-82ca-00144feab49a.html#axzz1smauqRTX If you’re an avid reader, an aspiring writer, and/or someone who just appreciates intelligent conversation and references, you’ll enjoy the book and the two columns I’ve provided links for.

Dreadlocks on a beautiful young woman...

I’ve always had a penchant for them. They’re really quite architectural in nature. I have seen some incredibly interesting women (and men) sporting them over the years. Though not the right style for me, it is a style I like.

18th c. advice on reading in the toilet...

From a letter of the Earl of Chesterfield to his son, in 1747: I knew a gentleman, who was so good a manager of his time, that he would not even lose that small portion of it, which the calls of nature obliged him to pass in the necessary-house; but gradually went through all the Latin poets, in those moments. He bought, for example, a common edition of Horace, of which he tore off gradually a couple of pages, carried them to that necessary place, read them first, and then sent them down as a sacrifice to Cloacina: this was so much time fairly gained; and I recommend you follow his example. It is better than only doing what you cannot help doing at those moments; and it will make any book, which you shall read in that manner, very present in your mind. Really excellent advice, don’t you think?! :) (From Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their Books)

From the Dalai Lama...

"Every morning when I wake up, I dedicate myself to helping others to find peace of mind. Then, when I meet people, I think of them as long term friends; I don’t regard others as strangers."

On being a twitterer...

“Because there’s someone there who twitters-twitters like a little bird…’A little bird told me’-was a saying of my youth. It’s very true, Kemp-these twitterers can tell one a lot if one just lets them-twitter!” From Agatha Christie’s, Sparkling Cyanide

Surfing in Cape Town, South Africa, 1924

"The people had short curved boards and came floating in on the waves...I made for the bathing pavilion, and when they said would I have a surf board, I said 'Yes, please.' Surfing looks perfectly easy. It isn't. I say no more. I got very angry and fairly hurled my plank from me. Nevertheless, I determined to return on the first possible opportunity and have another go. I would not be beaten. Quite by mistake I then got a good run on my board, and came out delirious with happiness. Surfing is like that. You are either vigorously cursing or else you are idiotically pleased with yourself." From Agatha Christie's The Man in the Brown Suit