Happy December! Do you all have a good start on the holiday preparations? My goal is to try to get the house decorated today and start making cookie doughs. Shopping has already begun and the Christmas cards are started.
I decided this week to continue hosting the Gilmore Girls Reading Challenge for another year. I have to admit that I've sort of failed at my own challenge: I had a specific list of books that I wanted to read for it, but I've had to resort to reading entirely different books in hopes of reaching my goal of 20 books off the list. I still want to read all of those books that I didn't get to so this is the best way to encourage myself to do so. I've made some changes to the challenge this year--instead of 5, 10 and 20 books to read for the different levels, next year the three levels will be 4, 6 and 10 books. Next year you'll also be able to substitute in some movie adaptations to try to reach that goal as well.
I had a couple of squeal moments Friday thanks to my first Fairy Tale Fridays in which I referenced the Omaha Lit Fest, Tim Schaffert and Kate Bernheimer. I opened my email Friday evening to discover emails from both Schaffert and Bernheimer! Schaffert left a comment saying that "The Little Mermaid" is not only his favorite fairy tale but also his favorite short story. I remember him mentioning that at the Lit Fest; it was also his starting off point for the fairy tale he contributed to "My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me." You'll be hearing more about that story later.
Bernheimer wrote to say that she does have a definition of fairy tales: "they are works of art with a fairy-tale feel, the "affect" of fairy tales." She also directed me to some essays that she's written about fairy tales which are fascinating. I'll be talking about them this week on Friday.
My decision not to join any challenges next year is wavering. If I do sign up for any, they'll be fairly low key, I think. There are so many that are tempting!
ReplyDeleteI still have yet to see the Gilmore Girls. I've seen maybe three episodes here and there over the years. Perhaps one of these days . . .
How neat that the two authors wrote to you! I look forward to hearing more about them and what they had to share.
Ack, holiday preparations...I haven't even thought about those! I guess I should get those cards started...
ReplyDeleteIf I was a challenge joiner, I'd totally join the Gilmore Girls challenge. I loved the show and love the challenge idea!
Very cool that the authors took time to drop you a note!!! I'm so glad you're hosting the Gilmore Challenge again...I hope to do better this time around!!
ReplyDeleteYou're way ahead of me. I haven't even bought my Christmas cards yet. I have to get cracking.
ReplyDeleteHow cool that they took the time to email you! I would have been so very excited as well! I hope that you have an amazing week in reading and that you find a really good fairy tale to share with us this week!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can say I've got a good start on all the Christmas preparations. I'm still at loss for some ideas for certain people regarding presents, but that's normal.
ReplyDeleteI'm still pondering challenges for next year too. I did join a Gilmore Girls one... don't know if it was yours or not, but perhaps I'll switch so it will be officially yours! Anyway, I failed miserably too... at that one and many others. So I'm not sure how much I'll sign up for next year.
I LOVE squeal moments! So glad you had one. You know I had an awesome one last week too! :)
Yay Christmas-time! Got the apartment pretty much decorated (I keep wanting to add more stuff...), and have probably 80% of my shopping done. Still need to buy Christmas cards though.
ReplyDeleteI was going to skip challenges next year and focus on re-reads, but I'm tempted to sign up for some again... we'll see if I cave.
oops.. the cards are all addressed and ready to mail except for the four that my husband is responsible for!
ReplyDeleteI try to press that life lesson on to my sister too. You keep quiet about my age and I will keep quiet about yours. LOL!
She hasn't received the message yet. She thinks it is funny b/c I am older than she is! (but not by much!)
Sometimes, I watch the Gilmore Girls and think I really dislike these two people, and other times, I wish they were my neighbors. Emily is my favorite...so misunderstood.
Is your house smelling great now? I never get things done in terms of decorating & baking quite when I hope too...did you? But it's fun to spread it out.
ReplyDeleteMy challenges didn't happen for me once the beginning of the year took a different turn for several months. I'm going to try once more to participate in the Gilmore Girls challenge this coming year & see how it goes!
Great news about the Fairy tails!