2012 Christmas Advent Calendar - Day 3

I mentioned yesterday that we haven't gotten our Christmas Tree yet or even started decorating the inside of the house at all.  This is a photo of our tree from last year, and is a pretty good representation of what our tree generally look like.

We usually use multicolored lights of various sizes, and we have tons to different types of ornaments that have been collected over the years - so many that we usually have a difficult time finding homes for all of them on the tree!  Later this week when we start dragging out the decorations I think I might like to share some ornament stories with y'all, so stick around for that!

This year we won't be getting our tree until this coming weekend (we always get a live tree - one of the perks of living in the Northwest!), and this year I'm toying with the idea of decorating the tree in only one or two colors, like maybe blue and white.  Or perhaps purple and gold?  Maybe an all red tree? 

I can't decide...What do you think?  What do you like to do with your Christmas tree?  Multicolor Hodge-podge, or color themes?

2012 Christmas Advent Calendar - Day 2

Have you started decorating your home for the holidays yet?  We haven't done any decorating at all yet, except for the lights outside.  But this desktop wallpaper from freechristmaswallpapers.net has given me some ideas... If only we had a massive fireplace like this!

2012 Christmas Advent Calendar - Day 1

So here we are again, and somehow we've already reached December 1st!  How did that happen so fast?  Where did the time go??

Last year I did a Christmas Advent Calendar by posting something every day about Christmas, because it is my favorite time of the year!  I really enjoyed doing it, and so decided to try it again this year, and I thought that I would start by posting a couple of links to other online Christmas Advent Calendars.

So the first link I'd like to share is to an Advent Calendar that I've enjoyed every year for the past two or three years.
The Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar!
This is a fabulous site which, each day, features a new photo of space taken by the Hubble Telescope.

The second link is a fun little calendar at santagames.net.
A Countdown to Christmas Day!

The third link is a new one to me:
The Museum of Liverpool Online Advent Calendar!
It looks like each day will feature a painting or piece of artwork relating to Christmas, and I can't wait to see what comes next!!

So, I apologize for the late start, but I hope you check back each day and countdown to Christmas with me!
Do you know of any other online Advent Calendars?  Feel free to share a link to your favorite in the comments below!

EDIT - Wait!!  Two more links that I almost forgot to list!!
~Ang at EasternSunset-Reads is sharing Christmas traditions involving stories and music, so be sure to check that out.

Also, Gilion at Rose City Reader does a Vintage Christmas Card Advent Calendar that is fantastic, so check out her blog as well!

Teaser Tuesday - The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

----------

So I've just finished reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling, and I must say that even though I'm not yet completely sure how to verbalize what I think and feel about the novel, I certainly believe that Rowling has proven herself to be as talented at writing adult fiction as she was at writing children's fiction.  So even though I finished reading this yesterday, let's have one more Tease from The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling.

The Tease:

 "The police had picked up Krystal Weedon at last as she ran hopelessly along the riverbank on the very edge of Pagford, still calling her brother in a cracked voice.  The policewoman who approached her addressed her by name, and tried to break the news to her gently, but she still tried to beat the woman away from her and in the end the policewoman had almost to wrestle her into the car.
Krystal had not noticed Fats melting away into the trees; he did not exist to her anymore."

 -The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

What's your Tease?

Teaser Tuesday - The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

----------

I'm currently reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling.  I'm enjoying the novel so far, though I have some reservations - but I'm holding judgment until I finish.  I do love her writing style, the ebb and flow of her words smoothly carry you away and immerse you in the story.  The reader quickly learns that nearly everyone has something to hide, and while the village seems peaceful and quaint, simmering just below the surface are secrets, passions, hatred and anger, ready to explode into full-scale war at any moment.

The Tease:

 "Not knowing how many times he had offended, and unable to trust himself, he burdened himself with so many papers and files that he had no hands free to attack as he moved through the corridors.  He shouted at the swarming children to get out of the way, to stand clear, as he passed.  None of it helped.."

 -The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

What's your Tease?

Movie News - Life of Pi Posters

Last week I shared three recently released posters for a movie that I'm super excited to see, OZ The Great and Powerful.  This week I thought we could take a look at another set of recently released posters for ANOTHER movie that I'm highly anticipating - Life of Pi.

I haven't read the book by Yann Martel that the movie is based on, so I know very little about the story other than what I've seen in the trailers.  However, the visuals I've seen, both trailers and these stunning movie posters, have made me desperate to see this movie. 

Adventure, Hope, Triumph.  Which do you like best? I think my favorite of the three is Hope, but Triumph is pretty stunning also.  I think each of these is closer to art than advertising.

 

What do you think?  Are you looking forward to seeing Life of Pi?

Teaser Tuesday - The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

----------

I'm currently reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling.  I'm enjoying the novel so far, but do have some reservations about it - but I'm holding judgment until I finish.  I do love her writing style, the ebb and flow of her words smoothly carry you away and immerse you in the story.  The village where the story takes place seems normal at first, but the reader quickly learns that nearly everyone has something to hide.

The Tease:

 "Colin Wall saw Gavin and Mary pass under his study window.  He recognized Mary's silhouette at once, but had to squint to identify the stringy man at her side, before they moved out of the aureole cast by the streetlight.  Crouching, half-raised out of his computer chair, Colin gaped after the figures as they disappeared into the darkness."

 -The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

What's your Tease?

Welcome to Skyfall Day!!

Skyfall Day has FINALLY arrived!!

 

I'm going to go see this tomorrow - and I can barely WAIT!

What are your plans for this weekend?

Movie News - OZ The Great and Powerful Posters

So, while the Elections and Hurricane Sandy were taking up all my attention, THIS HAPPENED:

I think all three of these posters are stunning - although the third is a bit busy for my taste, and both of the monkeys in the foreground are terrifying - but I think the second is the best of the lot.  The contrast between the gorgeous background and the frightening image of the witch and the growling tree in the foreground is absolutely amazing.  I also love the subtle reference to the red poppies and the yellow brick road.

I've been looking forward to seeing this movie for a while, but it has fallen off my radar with all the highly anticipated movies coming out in the next few months, so I'm glad that Disney is starting to ramp up the publicity on this one.

Are you looking forward to OZ The Great and Powerful?  What do you think of the three posters above and which one do you like best or least?

Teaser Tuesday - The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

----------

I'm currently reading The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling.  I'm enjoying the novel so far, but do have some reservations about it - but I'm holding judgment until I finish.  I do love her writing style, the ebb and flow of her words smoothly carry you away and immerse you in the story, and it's feels very comfortable and familiar, until something like this weeks' Tease happens and sharply reminds you that this ain't no Harry Potter.  Nonetheless, it's fascinating reading so far.

The Tease:

 "Sharp, hot pain and the blood came at once; when she had cut herself right up to her elbow she pressed the wad of tissues onto the long wound, making sure nothing leaked onto her nightshirt or the carpet.  After a minute or two, she cut again, horizontally, across the first incision, making a ladder, pausing to press and to mop as she went.  The blade drew the pain away from her screaming thoughts and transmuted it into animal burning of nerves and skin: relief and release in every cut."

 -The Casual Vacancy, by J K Rowling

What's your Tease?