tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39848452012-01-18T19:26:38.047-07:00Originally Bruce, Leslie and Zak's e-journal, this blog mostly houses Leslie's thoughts and musings as she struggles upstream in the spawning stream of life. Or at least that's the way I see it -BBLaZehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09831217490877039494noreply@blogger.comBlogger3581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-45457288665324444662012-01-16T10:18:00.002-07:002012-01-16T10:21:00.805-07:00

These are the final nine lines from a sestina. Who doesn't adore poetry? No matter what may comegive me this: that all this time I stood hereignored to death and loved you while you letevery chance go; say your glances at mesuggested almost anything but love;say I know you cried in bed, poor you.Believe in love. You know that I am hereto let you loose. Here is my flesh for youwho may abide with

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-86287099478594802732012-01-15T13:36:00.001-07:002012-01-15T13:38:06.335-07:00

Although I live in a culture obsessed with size, it would seem that bigness is a limited song-writing concept. Or at least it is in my iTunes library, which features only the following "big" titles:"Big Bang Baby" (Emm Gryner covering Stone Temple Pilots)"Big Big Love" (k.d. lang)"Big Bird in a Small Cage" (Patrick Watson)"Big Boned Gal" (k.d. lang)"Big Bottom" (Egg covering Spinal Tap)"The Big

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-48866741686993974232012-01-06T22:16:00.004-07:002012-01-07T07:28:41.166-07:00

Have begun 2012 with the aim of continuing to count the books I read. Week one has been fabulous: a book a day. How does she do it?!?The secret is volume.No, no, the secret is variety. I read poetry, drama, young-adult novels, and mysteries in addition to all that serious scholarly stuff.OK, but 200+ books in a year means an average of four a week.Yup.When you're an insomniac, you have a lot of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-1104188389893010802011-11-20T09:28:00.002-07:002011-11-20T09:32:08.317-07:00

It's been months since I've posted. Too much else to write, I suppose. In the absence of a real post, here's a placeholder.Top 25 Most Played Songs on my Desktop iTunes1. "Dirrrty" — Christina Aguilera2. "Map of Tasmania" – Amanda Palmer3. "Tiny Thing" — Jenson Interceptor4. "Feel It Again" — Honeymoon Suite5. "Firecracker" — Frazey Ford6. "Gold Guns Girls" — Metric7. "I Did It for Love" —

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-18084556104744717852011-09-13T08:18:00.002-06:002011-09-13T08:21:39.470-06:00

Back to school: week two. Sometimes, ironically, words are what sustains me.Raise an unexpected glass to long, cold wintersand sweet, hot summers and the beautiful confusionof the times in between.To the unexpected drenching rain that leaves you soakingwet and smiling breathless.— Taylor Mali from "Silver-Lined Heart"

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-348118422313104922011-08-24T20:29:00.001-06:002011-08-24T20:31:16.484-06:00

... quickly heading for another one of those autumns. You know, I already know how this one turns out. Couldn't we do something else instead? Sigh. L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-53293991752886120532011-07-11T20:38:00.002-06:002011-07-11T20:39:56.818-06:00

You can't hear it, but I'm listening to Heather Nova's South album over and over and over again. Great summer music!Trudging toward the conclusion,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-20072190498453877392011-07-04T13:10:00.003-06:002011-07-04T13:22:31.839-06:00

A review of Sisterhood Everlasting: A Novel by Ann Brashares, published by Random House, 2011After reading Ann Brashares' first novel for adults, the dreadful The Last Summer (of You and Me), I told myself I would not read her work again. Last week, when I saw Brashares has published a new volume in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, I relented, thinking I would enjoy a light summer

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-85998315239641366212011-06-01T08:25:00.004-06:002011-06-01T08:44:52.690-06:00

For the last few days, Premier Ed Stelmach has been blaming teachers — and the Alberta Teachers' Association in particular — for the coming layoffs in schools. According to Stelmach, it is teachers' fault that the government is unable to fund schools appropriately; he is quoted in the Edmonton Journal this morning saying that this year's contractual increase is "'unachievable' for a government

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-3780107464801985382011-05-30T21:59:00.003-06:002011-05-30T22:01:37.988-06:00

This is the best book title I've seen in ages:Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride.Apparently a YA novel; sounds like urban fantasy perhaps. Will have to check this out — all based on the title.Thus, the moral of today's story is that a good title sells books. (Or at least encourages readers to take books out of the library.)

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-45536038781137276762011-05-27T07:01:00.002-06:002011-05-27T07:05:12.176-06:00

"He was a bright man who made bad puns and verbal quips, injected trivia, big words and foreign phrases into his teaching, joked about popular culture, politics, the world around us. No one like this had entered my orbit before, and I was transfixed by both his intelligence and his obvious love for his profession." — from an assignment for EDSE 504, July 2006There are no words.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-89349025562325666572011-05-23T17:21:00.005-06:002011-05-27T07:15:36.630-06:00

Have you ever looked up one of your favourite musicians or actors on Wikipedia? Was that person ever involved in any sort of criminal activity (for instance, spousal battering)? If so, chances are the celebrity's PR people are actively monitoring the Internet to ensure that any references to that criminal activity, whether proved in court or not, are absent.Say you were a relatively important

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-89527583195315729012011-05-19T06:17:00.000-06:002011-05-19T06:18:49.784-06:00

The Best Health blog reports today that "A study done by business school professors and published in the Academy of Management Journal that looked at the behaviour [of] sleep-deprived students and nurses found that those who lacked sufficient shut-eye increased bad behaviour such as rudeness, inappropriate responses and even stealing." This explains a great deal, I think!Sleepy and surly,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-80299610687092960712011-04-16T08:45:00.002-06:002011-04-16T08:56:19.173-06:00

According to an article in this morning's Edmonton Journal, Helena Guergis' abrupt dismissal from the federal cabinet and Conservative Party of Canada last year was "an employee–employer relationship" issue.Strange, that. This is Canada, where MPs serve not at the pleasure of the prime minister but at the will of the Canadian public.Perhaps the prime minister in question forgot that

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-7458264940964489712011-04-09T12:19:00.003-06:002011-04-09T12:24:46.325-06:00

So CBC reports that Stephen Harper is pledging to eliminate the deficit a year earlier than planned: hereHow? Magic!Seriously, if he could eliminate the deficit a year earlier than planned — a deficit HIS government created and a debt-elimination timetable that HIS budget introduced — then why didn't HIS government do so this year?Makes me wonder. But then I read this.Oh. That's the magic. Huh.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-81503782662543241112011-04-04T18:25:00.000-06:002011-04-04T18:26:07.263-06:00

... is "so tired of the bullsh*t". Hrmph.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-74337323641429084112011-03-06T09:12:00.002-07:002011-03-06T09:17:32.882-07:00

Or, there is no antidote for antimetabole.Or, as scholar Jila Ghomeshi remarks, "You can't always look at a word and know how to pronounce it and you can't always hear a word and know how to spell it. Mastering English spelling is a spectacular feat of memorization."Something to think about as I write my chapter (number six!) on readers, writers, and the language arts as social processes.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-63634346419339999122011-02-12T18:51:00.002-07:002011-02-12T18:57:02.042-07:00

From "The Great Divide"And when I gathered up to leaveYou drew me to your sideTo be as Adam was to EveBefore the Great DivideAnd fastened here we cannot moveExcept to one anotherWe spread and drown as lilies doFrom nowhere to the centreAnd here I cannot lift a handTo trace the lines of beautyBut lines are traced and love is gladTo come and go so freelyAnd here no sin can be confessedNo sinner be

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-37997393380934778342011-01-16T21:56:00.000-07:002011-01-16T21:58:41.261-07:00

MCMLXXXIII.RIP. IOU. BRB.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-66454582873677763022011-01-09T19:59:00.002-07:002011-01-09T20:07:02.873-07:00

If I could teach students, writers, and copyeditors only one thing, it might be this: the past tense of lead (verb, pronounced LEED: to guide others by going in advance of) is led, not lead (noun, pronounced LED: a soft grey metal). I see this error made so commonly that I'm starting to doubt that the distinction is correct (but it is: I checked!).Professional editors should not make this mistake

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-36209554675584067372011-01-08T10:30:00.003-07:002011-01-08T10:32:08.662-07:00

From "It Won't Take Long" (as performed by Indigo Girls; original lyrics by Ferron)...oh beware you sagging diplomatsfor you will not hear one gunand though our homes be torn and ransackedwe will not be undonefor as we let ourselves be boughtwe're gonna let ourselves be freeand if you think we stand alonetake a look around and you will seewe are children in the rafterswe are babies in the parkwe

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-81087865355294208902011-01-03T20:12:00.003-07:002011-01-03T20:15:29.774-07:00

Took a quiz to find out what book I am. Here is the result:You're The Dictionary!by Merriam-WebsterYou're one of those know-it-all types, with an amazing amount of knowledge at your command. People really enjoy spending time with you in very short spurts, but hanging out with you for a long time tends to bore them. When folks really need an authority to refer to, however, you're the one they seek

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-61700294460726896942010-12-20T10:03:00.001-07:002010-12-20T10:05:06.686-07:00

Nothing adds to putting off the inevitable like a joke...Q. What's a dyslexic agnostic insomniac?A. Someone who lies awake all night wondering if there really is a dog. L,wondering whether she in fact knows a dyslexic agnostic insomniac

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-60798451451796134462010-12-08T05:49:00.002-07:002010-12-08T05:53:11.499-07:00

This comic describes exactly the state of my life right now.Love PhD Comics!L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-17120276851738481242010-11-14T16:32:00.001-07:002010-11-14T16:37:45.649-07:00

... demonstrating rhetorical schemes ... "Do you have what you need? Do you need what you have?"L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-17157242249944117662010-10-10T15:51:00.002-06:002010-10-16T06:56:20.200-06:00

Here's hoping it's wonderful for everyone.L(And is there anything as satisfying as shredding documents for an hour?!? woot!)

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-41473254733267596402010-09-17T20:03:00.002-06:002010-09-17T20:08:33.282-06:00

What to believe: what one says or what one does? After all, I have faith; I just want proof...Very very tired,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-81987203545233785022010-09-12T17:07:00.002-06:002010-09-12T17:12:57.598-06:00

As a wise man once wrote, "I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams." Or, to put it another way: "You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal..."Hmm."Landslide"I took my love and I took it down,Climbed a mountain and turned aroundAnd I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills'Til the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-25361263063446182882010-09-05T09:07:00.005-06:002010-09-06T08:41:26.242-06:00

The other night, B observed that there are many songs that instruct listeners "don't" do something. Being who I am, I wanted to know how many songs in my iTunes would demonstrate the concept. Here's the list (and there are others that I know but don't own). — LDon't Ask Me No Questions - Lynyrd SkynydDon't Ask Me Why - Billy JoelDon't Ask Me Why - EurythmicsDon't Be Cruel - Cheap TrickDon't Be

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-88487020277344485152010-08-25T08:07:00.002-06:002010-08-25T08:09:45.224-06:00

...advertisers. Sitting, watching, waiting for pages to load. Pages that can't load, won't load, until the streaming video ads load. Time to close that tab. I'm just not interested enough to wait and wait and wait...I am slowly going crazy1 2 3 4 5 6 7!Crazy going slowly am I7 6 5 4 3 2 1!L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-12534531328067892912010-08-14T23:21:00.003-06:002010-08-14T23:27:56.348-06:00

All of my friends who think that I'm blessedThey don't know my head's a messNo, they don't know who I really amAnd they don't know what I've been through...— Brandi Carlile

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-22132224224032668092010-08-11T07:35:00.002-06:002010-08-11T07:39:54.283-06:00

For your mind's ear's aural pleasure!Be My GirlBe Near MeBurn It to the GroundBust a MoveCall MeDon't Stop the MusicDream OnEvacuate the Dance FloorGive Me Some LovePour Some Sugar on MeLnr: _Schooled_ by Gordon Kormannp: "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-91347906296079847912010-08-10T20:38:00.003-06:002010-08-15T21:01:21.562-06:00

I love this passage!It's not that cats don't _like_ baths. It's not that cats have a difficult relationship with baths. It's not that cats chose not to vote for baths in the last election. It's not that cats would rather choose vanilla over baths. It's not that cats neglect to send baths a card on their birthdays. It's not that cats pick baths last when choosing sides for a kick ball game. It's

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-20868832765546258862010-08-02T17:05:00.002-06:002010-08-02T17:11:22.736-06:00

Your interesting fact of the day, from an article by Vannevar Bush, 1945, about his proposed device, the memex:... a device in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory.Apart from the mechanization (which has been supplanted by

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-77047613647606976932010-07-06T19:26:00.003-06:002010-07-06T19:33:40.551-06:00

Libraries have long been my happy places. Tonight on the Edmonton Public Library site I found these pictures. Good times.The first image shows one of the ducks from the children's section at the Centennial Library. I miss the ducks! And the iguana!The second image shows the exterior of the Dickinsfield Library, a location where I spent vast amounts of formative time and where my independence

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-86767528484790781562010-07-05T08:08:00.002-06:002010-07-05T08:10:58.644-06:00

Back to the grind after a long, long weekend. Gird yourself!Not once in our historyHas an ant gone out and capturedAn elephant single-handedly.Hafiz; Daniel Ladinsky, trans.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-53874160749422222262010-07-04T10:35:00.002-06:002010-07-04T10:37:30.943-06:00

Reading about and looking again at my beloved Klimt. Ahh.The sun will stand as your best manAnd whistleWhen you have found the courageTo marry forgiveness,When you have found the courageTo marryLove.— Hafiz; Daniel Ladinsky, trans.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-14313700986213425482010-07-03T09:15:00.003-06:002010-07-03T09:19:19.390-06:00

Dusty and Lefty may be two of most under-appreciated characters in recent film memory, and these lines could be theirs — but they're not. Still, this "cowboy wisdom" should give you a laugh. Enjoy your Saturday!*• Don't squat with your spurs on.• Don't never interfere with something that ain't botherin' you none.• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.• Timing has

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-76126728543937857182010-07-02T07:45:00.001-06:002010-07-02T07:47:11.296-06:00

Here's a knot to tie and hold on with:I’ve never understood suicide. I’m a big believer that if things are so bad you’re willing to kill yourself off, you should consider what else you’d be willing to kill first — like a shitty job or a bad relationship or the part of yourself that you’ve been too afraid to change. — Lisa Rosman (for the larger context of this excerpt, go here )Something to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-15152535461167339522010-07-01T09:07:00.003-06:002010-07-01T09:10:17.105-06:00

Whee! We're one hundred forty-three years old, and it's one of those unbelievable summer mornings that remind me why I live in a northern town. Happy to be here,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-29072871977023394052010-06-30T08:29:00.003-06:002010-06-30T08:33:06.337-06:00

Here's a great thought about the ways in which we spend our free time:It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it. — Oscar WildeI guess that explains my inner fifteen-year-old girl!Getting ready to celebrate,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-35065965242734221552010-06-23T07:31:00.002-06:002010-06-23T07:45:34.261-06:00

Clearly acknowledging that he knows nothing of the longer history of publishing and bookselling, Michael Edwards, CEO of US-based book giant Borders, recently said, "the onus is on booksellers to prove their continued relevance in the digital age. If they continue to innovate in the services and experiences they offer and the ways they engage the community, consumers will continue to make

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-65663480944314498342010-06-23T06:50:00.001-06:002010-06-23T06:52:38.338-06:00

Ah, Wednesday. The mid-way point in the treadmill of the week. So much better when Wednesday represents Friday, no?And now to the commonplace book:The absence of the Witch does notInvalidate the spell — — Emily DickinsonL

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-65463551261812665592010-06-21T06:56:00.002-06:002010-06-21T07:03:37.495-06:00

Note to copyeditors: Quotations within quotations or speech are important. Omitting the interior quotation marks can change the meaning of both expressions. For example, note the significant difference in meaning in these sentences:Reverend Warren said, "Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life." (wrong, and now Reverend Warren seems like he's boasting)Reverend Warren said, "Jesus said, 'I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-39354791070554539902010-06-19T08:10:00.001-06:002010-06-19T08:12:32.233-06:00

"Oh, with a mind that renders everything sensitiveWhat chance do I have here?"— Kate Bush

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-60729651082281623382010-05-19T08:44:00.002-06:002010-05-19T08:47:57.857-06:00

"A man is unapologetic, unless he knows you are mad at him, in which case he is busy." — Alison RosenReally, quotations like these make me wonder if feminism ever really happened.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-65337538790925204622010-05-15T06:29:00.002-06:002010-05-15T06:38:04.813-06:00

It's a beautiful spring morning (despite the smoke in the air). Whenever people ask me why I live in Edmonton, mornings like this are the answer.Last night was the Alberta Book Awards — nice to see everyone, and a great way to wrap up a very long week.And Happy Birthday to all the Tauruses: here's to the year ahead!Off to start the day,L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-63977044115785203172010-05-11T21:34:00.001-06:002010-05-11T21:36:20.022-06:00

After a long day at school, one finds something like this:"How to photograph this,the dark when one has saidtoo much. The darkof sudden feeling. Love'sdarkness."— Anne Michaels, "Fontanelles"Ahhhh.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-40436451017055970162010-05-09T09:36:00.002-06:002010-05-09T09:40:30.120-06:00

Looking up again, I saw what has always been,suspended since time began, for anyone to discover—God's eternal clue:the moon in its wet skin of light,the moon not less in its halfness.What I learned then sustains methrough every sorrow:it's the believer who keeps looking for proof.— Anne Michaels, "A Lesson from the Earth"Happy Mother's Day!L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-65584543005670344772010-05-08T11:54:00.008-06:002010-05-15T06:18:59.379-06:00

If you've ever read my blog before, you know that I have a little addiction issue with books. B has taken to referring to the near-weekly arrival of books from around the world as my "power-ups." (I like the image of myself as a video-game character!)Today I read two recently published books for children that I think deserve a little more attention than they're currently getting:• Mom, What Can

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-62546902772354993942010-04-30T08:24:00.001-06:002010-04-30T08:25:42.205-06:00

Learning again that too much is not enough. Too much is not enough. Too much is not enough. Srsly.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-44129377053822724172010-04-29T11:54:00.001-06:002010-04-29T11:55:53.038-06:00

Happy birthday, Bruce! Here's hoping today's festivities mark a year of happiness, fun, and laughter to come.love,LeslieandZak

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-49399375980486691022010-04-28T07:11:00.002-06:002010-04-28T07:12:26.762-06:00

The site visit was overall a success. And we finished homicide free: a bonus!Now back to my regularly scheduled chaos.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-68609928839917378622010-04-26T05:59:00.001-06:002010-04-26T06:01:32.358-06:00

But my blog is. From Apostrophes VI: open the grass.Whatever you have held —not roses but the air that they exhale that is a breath insideyour breath — that is the hush that rises there, the sound of it the soundof nakedness and nothing more, every moment of a lifesurrendered then, the asking that is in the light, the stance of trees,not asking but the what of what we are, birds turning at night.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-91399895350635568122010-04-24T16:52:00.001-06:002010-04-24T16:54:05.000-06:00

Because no-one can mark for twelve hours in a row!There are three kinds of teachers, you said.One who teaches by making you afraid,one who makes you angry.The third makes you love him.— Anne Michaels, "The Day of Jack Chambers"

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-84991307588739200502010-04-19T22:14:00.003-06:002010-04-19T22:25:58.764-06:00

This evening I gave my Creative Nonfiction students a very difficult exercise: to write two pages of concrete or demonstrable facts about their individual pasts. I generally try the exercises I ask my students to do, but haven't had time to do many of the exercises for this course. Tonight I thought I'd give this one a go. Here are my first eleven facts.• I was born in the Royal Alexandra

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-44081377143862020422010-04-18T08:35:00.001-06:002010-04-18T08:36:53.998-06:00

Hello hello,Such a long time since I've written. But time is beginning to resume its regular course again. In the meantime..."The hand is a much more reliable and durable instrument than anything that has yet been proposed to replace it." — Robert Bringhurst, January 2010L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-91635000213911725092010-03-21T11:27:00.002-06:002010-03-21T11:28:12.458-06:00

Suddenly the reason that I've been teaching mass communications for the last three years snapped into focus.Look out, doctorate. Here I come.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-64207453718080548562010-03-09T20:47:00.003-07:002010-03-09T20:55:24.152-07:00

Dear Amazon,I'm a Canadian book editor. I don't want you to set up shop here any more than you already have. Canada is for Canadians, not for multinational corporations. You already have access to the biggest English-language markets in the world. Leave bookselling in Canada to Canadians.For months I have been preferring to spread my book buying between online sales at Chapters (and a few through

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-89758695319167577932010-02-18T13:42:00.003-07:002010-02-18T14:01:47.532-07:00

When did you last think about bees? Bees probably aren't top of mind with most people, but they should be. According to Dr Reese Halter, in the last three years more than 50 billion bees have died. This loss affects humanity in many profound ways, perhaps most importantly in that more than one-third of the food we eat depends directly or indirectly on the pollinating work of bees.What can we do

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-32107226799152708942010-02-15T16:50:00.001-07:002010-02-15T16:52:01.494-07:00

The paper I proposed for the Book Conference in Switzerland was accepted. Looks like I'm going to give my first international paper in November 2010. w00t!L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-80859757352734718652010-02-02T18:38:00.003-07:002010-02-02T18:41:07.325-07:00

Am I the only person in the world who finds the Charmin campaign "You can't pass mom's inspection with little white pieces left behind" (involving bears and toilet paper) more than a little sick-making?Huh. Just me, then.Strange days indeed.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-9292485722951528932010-01-06T07:18:00.001-07:002010-01-06T07:20:30.395-07:00

"Suppose someone shot you with an arrow, right in the heart. Would you spend your time screaming at the archer, or even trying to locate him? Or would you try to pull the arrow out of your heart?" — Alice Walker

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-90458690389619734772009-12-19T08:02:00.002-07:002009-12-19T08:04:37.067-07:00

67 Street & 121 Avenue: Was it the first time our paths crossed?

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-33828008922168541712009-12-15T20:10:00.002-07:002009-12-15T20:13:01.962-07:00

"River" - Joni MitchellI wish I had a riverI could skate away onI wish I had a river so longI would teach my feet to flySigh.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-73605946661418160502009-11-21T09:45:00.002-07:002009-11-21T10:21:46.620-07:00

Bought a bunch of these old-fashioned thingies called CDs. Woo! Can't wait to dig in.• Brandi Carlile, Give Up the Ghost: Previewed this on her site after hearing her interview with Jian and it pulled strongly. It's on now and I'm digging it. More songs in the vein of The Story but with new inflections and sounds. I enjoy her register — she's an alto who's not afraid to use the upper range — and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-2896969195790235762009-11-18T14:05:00.001-07:002009-11-18T14:06:57.301-07:00

And the thought for today is this:"... it's hardly surprising that most citizens should increasingly withdraw from public life: why should the practice of citizenship seem worthwhile when politicians and corporations alike seek to infantilize the people, reducing them to consumers confronted with the most trivial of choices?" — Alex Callinicos (The Resources of Critique, p. 253)Wow!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-73937063070713320082009-11-06T14:44:00.002-07:002009-11-06T14:50:08.588-07:00

Such a wry and melancholy song.**The Dangling Conversation (As recorded by Simon & Garfunkel)It's a still-life water colorOf a now-late afternoonAs the sun shines through the curtained laceAnd shadows wash the roomAnd we sit and drink our coffeeCouched in our indifferenceLike shells upon the shoreYou can hear the ocean roarIn the dangling conversationAnd the superficial sighsThe borders of our

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-34159425479377822202009-09-27T09:35:00.004-06:002009-09-28T21:07:01.017-06:00

A wistful voice-and-piano recording. Despite the negative aspect, this song portrays resilience and optimism — important qualities these days.**You Can't Win (As recorded by Murray McLauchlan)When the good times come at lastIs only when the bad times restSomeday they're going to lay you downEven though you did your bestAll the heroes of the warsForgotten in the rainOld soldiers and memoriesMake

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-47318727358832745142009-09-14T08:00:00.002-06:002009-09-14T08:01:25.440-06:00

"And what if memory itself is a foreign object which the body longs to be rid of?" — Douglas Glover

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-88327586114479717702009-09-07T08:05:00.003-06:002009-09-07T08:09:14.468-06:00

This word is pronounced "ca-SHAY". It's spelled cachet. As a noun it refers to prestige.This word is pronounced "cash". It's spelled cache. As a noun it refers to a hiding place or storage place.These two words are not the same. Somewhere in the US this morning, a copy editor should be hanging her head for missing this distinction twice on a single page.Oops.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-81503087842619309312009-09-06T21:17:00.003-06:002009-09-06T21:22:38.472-06:00

An excerpt from Jen Lancaster's new book Pretty in Plaid. This passage occurs in the chapter in which she describes wearing her early `80s Jordache jeans:...When I take them off, my thighs are deeply indented where the seams hit and sometimes I need to punch my legs to regain feeling in them. I'm often forced to lie on the floor and use a rat-tail comb to properly zip them. (They're so tight

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-39514222831171654522009-09-01T21:05:00.000-06:002009-09-01T21:06:17.023-06:00

Thought for today, courtesy of Adam and the Ants (!)..."I'm the dandy highwayman so sick of easy fashionThe clumsy boots, peek-a-boo roots that people think so dashingSo what's the point of robbery when nothing is worth taking?It's kind of tough to tell a scruff the big mistake he's making..."

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-45323816889637659572009-07-19T11:29:00.003-06:002009-07-19T13:05:46.856-06:00

Just watched an excellent adaptation of Laurence's _The Stone Angel_. If you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth your time — if you can find it. (In the Edmonton area, it's available on DVD from the public library.) One of the reviewers said Ellen Burstyn deserved an Academy award for her performance, and it was indeed admirable. But maybe I'm more apt to respond to a film about mothers and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-23590012058404412402009-07-02T10:44:00.002-06:002009-07-02T10:48:33.835-06:00

"No one ever understood better the art of having grace without affectation, raillery without malice, gaiety without folly, propriety without constraint, and virtue without severity." — a description of a fictional character, Princesse Clarinte, who represents the historical salon hostess Madame de Sévigné, now memorialized by a street in le Marais, Paris

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-51393868771499720902009-06-22T14:18:00.003-06:002009-06-22T14:29:33.878-06:00

From a song rather jauntily covered by U2, "Everlasting Love":Where life's river flowsNo-one really knows'Til someone's there toShow the way toEverlasting loveLike the sun it shinesEndlessly it shinesYou always will be mineEternal loveWhenever love went wrongOurs will be strongWe have our ownEverlasting love...(In case you're interested, there are many, many versions of these lyrics on the Net.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-49166460871353253362009-06-16T06:24:00.002-06:002009-06-16T06:31:02.704-06:00

What does it say about us as citizens — what does it say about the quality of our democracy in Canada — when both our prime minister and the leader of the opposition use an election as a bogeyman? When did our right to vote become something with which to threaten the populace?This morning CBC quotes Stephen Harper saying, “I don’t want an election. I don’t think anybody wants an election.”

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-81430567457436449692009-06-12T04:26:00.002-06:002009-06-12T04:32:23.453-06:00

From his delightful and meandering book A Reading Diary: A Year of Favourite Books:"Instead of saying, 'I seek the meaning of the world,' i.e., the superlative of all superlatives (and the very minute I pronounce the word, I have it, I achieve my purpose merely by having pronounced it), human philosophy has acted like the fool who would run through the streets in tears, looking for his own head

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-78812623497343026682009-06-10T19:04:00.002-06:002009-06-10T19:08:31.099-06:00

Hmm. Here's something for ya:Tried flipping through my file of coloured days but couldn't find it. Life swallowing beauty without even chewing. Naming it does not make it go away. Linens, lindens. Roses grow sore from their beauty, and tales are the least one can steal. Breathe deep a wreath of joy, of roses of sweetpeas of gardenias of lilies of holly of rosemary of rue. Meadows of joy where one

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-59387583125362096822009-06-07T12:35:00.003-06:002009-06-07T12:37:43.689-06:00

Just got 90 percent on an ABBA trivia quiz. Sigh. To celebrate, iTunes spontaneously found "The Name of the Game" just as I finished the quiz. Apparently computers have a sense of humour after all.Back to the books!L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-86536773833041174842009-06-04T08:01:00.001-06:002009-06-04T08:03:16.156-06:00

She said, A good day ain't got no rain.She said, A bad day's when I lie in bedand think of things that might have been.— Paul Simon, "Slip Slidin' Away"

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-15287057596138535172009-06-02T21:51:00.002-06:002009-06-02T21:55:03.078-06:00

Forgot the Sarah Slean concert last night at Myer Horowitz. Oops!Am looking forward to hearing the new Tori Amos. So far, others' reviews are really mixed. Also just received the new Joan Baez (and an old JB as well); looking forward to hearing it, too.And a kind friend has just sent me a copy of his latest book. Wow! Inscribed and everything! How sweet! Looking forward to reading it ... as soon

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-89122884586100558822009-05-29T07:24:00.002-06:002009-05-29T07:26:14.716-06:00

Feeling comme un poulpe!Walking in the Super Cities Walk on Sunday. Wish me luck -- and thanks to all who pledged.LPS: Happy birthday, Dave!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-69665586738748895832009-05-27T06:31:00.001-06:002009-05-27T06:32:36.871-06:00

Smoking with the ghosts. Back soon.L

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-30144186282032126132009-05-20T06:55:00.001-06:002009-05-20T22:33:46.809-06:00

Gone to the moon ... back soon!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-35019174613401555672009-05-17T07:08:00.003-06:002009-05-17T07:16:14.617-06:00

“Robur gregi in lupo, robur lupo in grege.” (The strength of the wolf is in the pack, the strength of the pack is in the wolf.)Seems right, doesn't it?In the same batch of e-mail I also learned about preterition (synonyms paralepsis and apophasis): the rhetorical tactic of omitting a topic to emphasize it.Also very appropriate.Must read now. Be well!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-82578357956224635082009-05-05T22:11:00.003-06:002009-05-06T06:52:28.118-06:00

This was an important question that produced an important answer: pay attention.Traditional Celtic CrossSignificator = Queen of Swords1. The immediate situation: 4 of Swords: Standing guard: solitude, exile, repose2. Obstacles: 8 of Cups: Desertion, turning away3. Aspirations: Strength: The power or courage to act4. Foundations: 8 of Swords: Bad news: crisis, sickness, conflict5. The past: 3 of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-83704367247066609682009-05-04T23:12:00.001-06:002009-05-04T23:13:37.962-06:00

According to Publishers Lunch, "Carol Ann Duffy was named the UK's poet laureate, the first woman to hold the position in 341 years. Along with a small stipend, the honor comes with a "butt of sack" -- 600 bottles of sherry to stoke the muse." Avast! A pirate's life for her!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-69038243064334113962009-05-02T17:03:00.002-06:002009-05-02T17:13:50.159-06:00

Next in my ongoing rant against realtors who insist on working without editors... the home fit for a pirate!"[This home] is one of the largest at 1,242 sq.ft. has a downtown view with a 27 ft. balcony with duel access."Whom shall I invite to duel? Jack Sparrow? Zorro? Captain Farrell? Oh, the possibilities are endless. I'll certainly enjoy my 27 ft. balcony. NOT.And seriously, what's up with the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-83815196572567163822009-04-29T07:01:00.003-06:002009-04-29T07:02:41.025-06:00

Happy birthday, Bruce!Here's hoping that your day is super-fantastic and that the year ahead brings you everything you want.love,Leslie and Zak

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-17801379058364101472009-04-25T07:37:00.001-06:002009-04-25T07:39:28.804-06:00

From The Princess BrideWestley: Hear this now: I will always come for you.Buttercup: But how can you be sure?Westley: This is true love. You think this happens every day?

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-4540667038166329922009-04-23T20:19:00.004-06:002009-04-25T07:42:54.496-06:00

A song for the week that won't end..."The Fly" - U2It's no secret that a friend is someone who lets you helpIt's no secret that a liar won't believe anyone elseThey say a secret is something you tell one other personSo I'm telling you...

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-80146856215053585782009-04-19T20:55:00.002-06:002009-04-19T20:57:23.768-06:00

"Back-end fulfillment" : "Boundary-less delivery of product to buyers in any way they want it, now."Apparently it's the new way to transact.Hmmm.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-54051352500803849612009-04-18T13:06:00.000-06:002009-04-18T13:07:10.606-06:00

Because it's that time of year.**Here's the World (As recorded by The Payolas)Here's the worldI can only help you go so farTry to teach you wrong from rightHow to take each day like a brand new dayDon't worry about meBecause who could ever ask for more?Listen to these words that I writeThere will be no tears in my eyes tonightDon't let them fool youDon't let them tell you that you'll never go

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-88712450553291219202009-04-17T22:26:00.001-06:002009-04-18T12:03:40.067-06:00

Sans zzz."Methought I heard a voice cry, 'Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep!' the innocent sleep,Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care,The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath,Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,Chief nourisher in life's feast."$%@*#$!!!

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-9717846521161112332009-04-01T07:13:00.002-06:002009-04-01T07:15:30.668-06:00

(I was out for dinner and visiting until far too late last night!)"If I Am a Stranger" - Ryan Adams and the CardinalsToday is yesterday when you don't knowHow to rebuild the walls that someone has knocked down.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-770368871122381152009-03-30T21:31:00.001-06:002009-03-30T21:32:34.233-06:00

"You'll Always Be" - Oh SusannaNow I don’t need no tailor to sew this suit together;your yarn is a worn-out old tether.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-59470675883869297522009-03-29T23:19:00.001-06:002009-03-29T23:20:53.208-06:00

"Diamonds and Rust" - Joan BaezBut if you're offering me diamonds and rust,I've already paid.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831032895989556909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-86730219159632034592009-03-15T09:48:00.001-06:002009-03-15T09:48:46.545-06:00

While correcting an exercise in proper mark a new phenom is unveiled. Meta markup. Or as we designers like to refer to it... a dog's breakfast. It does beg the question of how much can one learn from that many "corrections"-- Posted a la iPhone

BLaZehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09831217490877039494noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984845.post-74680284950333915802009-03-06T07:49:00.000-07:002009-03-06T07:50:01.180-07:00

Today. Woot. And there's a Rip n Grip. Double woot!-- Posted a la iPhone

BLaZehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09831217490877039494noreply@blogger.com0