Ol’ Snappy II

Category: Uncategorized

We saw a female snapping turtle laying her eggs by a creek at the park this morning. She was slightly smaller than the one I saw 2 days ago. I did not get a close-up of her bum in the mud laying eggs because it’s a private moment. Also it was on a slope and the angle was impossible, or you know I’d been all up in there like, “You got this, girl! Keep going!”
Girl power!
Turtle power!
Just like, power in general!

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Tags: alabama, nature, rainbow city, snapping turtle, turtles

Ol’ Snappy

Category: dribblings

Big ol’ snapper at the park this morning. With leeches!
So gross.
I wanted to get a better picture but all I had was my iPhone, and it turns out giant snapping turtles are not afraid of me and my dog.
Lesson: turtles are not as slow as the turtle you grew up watching on Looney Tunes. Your childhood was a lie.

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Tags: Looney Tunes, nature, snapping turtle, turtles

Nature Girl out gettin’ Nature

Category: dribblings

I got all up in this snakes face and was all, “Say “Cheese!” snake!”

And it stuck its tongue out at me.

Rude.

It’s a southern black racer. Harmless but rude.

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Tags: reptiles, snakes

Back Story by David Mitchell

Category: 50 Books

backstory What an entertaining read. But then, you’d expect that from a comedy writer. The best part is that it’s written in exactly the David Mitchell voice you’d expect it to be written in, so there’s none of that comedy-writer-trying-to-be-too-serious thing going on.

It’s such a happy book! I was actually surprised because I’m used to seeing Mr. Mitchell on television playing the part of the uptight British guy, right? And while he IS that guy, he’s also really normal as well. I really enjoyed the walkabout way he tells the story, which gives it a bit of stream of consciousness.

My favorite part was the second to the last chapter where he talks about falling in love. It was absolutely touching. Possibly the sweetest thing I’ve read all year.

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Tags: David Mitchell, memoir, TV

Salamander?

Category: dribblings

I’m not sure what this baby, wriggly, slimy creature is, but it’s very tiny and very gooey-looking and possibly it’s snot with eyes and legs. Even my dog was all, “That’s gross and I wouldn’t eat it.”
Which means a lot cos I have to keep her from eating goose poop.

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Tags: nature

You can’t buy memories

Category: Uncategorized

A li’l ol’ lady wandered into the library and came up to the desk to purchase a Jimmy Carter audiobook out of our book sale. And she says to me, she says, “You can’t buy memories, but I’m going to.”

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Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World’s Most Famous Heroine by Tim Hanley

Category: 50 Books

wonderwoman What a great look at comic book history. Hanley writes an in-depth (but not dry or boring) book about a comic book heroine that everyone recognizes but barely knows anything about, including myself. I had no idea that Wonder Woman was created by a male psychologist who thought women were superior, but who also had a bondage fetish. Golden lasso, anyone?

Hanley goes through the history of comics discussing Wonder Woman during the Golden Age of comics, the Silver Age, and the whatever-this-is-now age, and how during the Golden Age, Wonder Woman comics were ahead of their time. The Silver Age was a vomit-fest of bad writing and no one knowing what to do with a female super hero. Which is pretty much what’s going on today. Sure, everyone thinks there should be a Wonder Woman movie, something, anything, but no one knows exactly what to do with her.

I grew up watching Lynda Carter Wonder Woman reruns on TV and when I think back on it I remember it fondly even though the opening credits song was kind of bonkers, and the sound she made when she… jumped far… was bizarre and not unlike the sound Super Mario makes when he jumps. But the author crushed my childhood a little bit by pointing out that even that iteration of Wonder Woman was basically T and A a la Charlie’s Angels-style (although Charlie’s Angels came later.)

This was a really interesting look into a character that’s supposed to be a feminist icon, (that’s how a lot of us think of her) and yet, the book points out that the comic never really made it that far, there was no equality of the sexes.
It was an eye-opener. Cos I went in thinking, “Yay! Wonder Woman! Strong female! Girl Power!” (It should be noted that I did not grow up reading superhero comics.) And after reading this book I’m now, “Yay. Wonder Woman. My God, how could so many people screw this up?” But that’s hindsight for you. I hope someone does something great with Wonder Woman, and soon.

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Tags: comic books, nonfiction, Wonder Woman