Book #11 - Wicked

I've seen the hype over this book and the play, so I figured I'd finally read it (another airport purchase). And... it's good. I think I'm missing a lot as to the overall theme on the nature and questionable existence of evil, but I tend to do that when I'm just reading for fun and don't have a teacher shoving symbolism down my throat. But it's enjoyable on that not-so-academic level; it's interesting to see a familiar story from another point of view, the same thought behind The Mists of Avalon, which I also like. I think I'll pick up some or all of the other books by Maguire: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Cinderella), Mirror, Mirror (Snow White), and Lost (which looks from the summary to be somehow a combination of Ebeneezer Scrooge and Jack the Ripper...) to see how he handles them, too.

Title: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Author: Gregory Maguire
Pages: 406 (paperback)

11 / 50 books. 22% done!

Book #11 - Wicked

I've seen the hype over this book and the play, so I figured I'd finally read it (another airport purchase). And... it's good. I think I'm missing a lot as to the overall theme on the nature and questionable existence of evil, but I tend to do that when I'm just reading for fun and don't have a teacher shoving symbolism down my throat. But it's enjoyable on that not-so-academic level; it's interesting to see a familiar story from another point of view, the same thought behind The Mists of Avalon, which I also like. I think I'll pick up some or all of the other books by Maguire: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Cinderella), Mirror, Mirror (Snow White), and Lost (which looks from the summary to be somehow a combination of Ebeneezer Scrooge and Jack the Ripper...) to see how he handles them, too.

Title: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Author: Gregory Maguire
Pages: 406 (paperback)

11 / 50 books. 22% done!

Overdue photos

First and foremost, the bouquet:
This is what I saw when I walked in the door on Friday. ZOMG! Morgan doing her best Vanna White and providing a size comparison. And 'cause it's cute, Morgan + rose.

Now, in uploading those, I also found that I had lots of other photos on my camera, so here be photodump:

Edinburgh, June 2007

Holy sh!t blue sky!! So inspired, Alan and I tried to walk up Arthur's Seat. I am way too out of shape so we only made it halfway up. The city from halfway up Arthur's Seat. Cool ruins with the Firth of Forth in the background (so yes, I've regressed to grammar school, and the name makes me snicker). The Castle, which I never did manage to get a tour of (excuse to come back in nicer weather). And a random piper outside a bank off the Royal Mile.

Trip to the coast, May 2007

View from the back deck of the cottage we rented. That's the mouth of the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean. On the right-hand shore there are tons of seals (as it was baby season). Morgan wanted to touch the ocean, so we went down to the beach. Oops, guess not. So we walked over to the river side and Morgan went wading with Uncle Rew.

Morgan in Grandpa's sweatshirt, so that she can sit outside on the porch with Rew. And on the way home we passed this nursery that had really cool dinosaurs, so we had to stop and check it out.

Random springtime

At the zoo. "Big monkey" begging for food. Morgan is Cinderella at Fairytale Town. Daffodil Hill, 'cause I love daffodils and used to work in the snack shack there.

Christmas 2006

Tree shopping. And of course Grandpa gave her a motorcycle.

And two from last fall: Aspen 'cause they're beautiful, and "Well, Mommy, let me think" 'cause Morgan has fantastic expressions.

Overdue photos

First and foremost, the bouquet:
This is what I saw when I walked in the door on Friday. ZOMG! Morgan doing her best Vanna White and providing a size comparison. And 'cause it's cute, Morgan + rose.

Now, in uploading those, I also found that I had lots of other photos on my camera, so here be photodump:

Edinburgh, June 2007

Holy sh!t blue sky!! So inspired, Alan and I tried to walk up Arthur's Seat. I am way too out of shape so we only made it halfway up. The city from halfway up Arthur's Seat. Cool ruins with the Firth of Forth in the background (so yes, I've regressed to grammar school, and the name makes me snicker). The Castle, which I never did manage to get a tour of (excuse to come back in nicer weather). And a random piper outside a bank off the Royal Mile.

Trip to the coast, May 2007

View from the back deck of the cottage we rented. That's the mouth of the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean. On the right-hand shore there are tons of seals (as it was baby season). Morgan wanted to touch the ocean, so we went down to the beach. Oops, guess not. So we walked over to the river side and Morgan went wading with Uncle Rew.

Morgan in Grandpa's sweatshirt, so that she can sit outside on the porch with Rew. And on the way home we passed this nursery that had really cool dinosaurs, so we had to stop and check it out.

Random springtime

At the zoo. "Big monkey" begging for food. Morgan is Cinderella at Fairytale Town. Daffodil Hill, 'cause I love daffodils and used to work in the snack shack there.

Christmas 2006

Tree shopping. And of course Grandpa gave her a motorcycle.

And two from last fall: Aspen 'cause they're beautiful, and "Well, Mommy, let me think" 'cause Morgan has fantastic expressions.