Friday, January 31, 2020

A Month of Letters

Feb. 1 is the start of Letter Month (A Month of Letters challenge: http://lettermo.com). The challenge is simple. For the month of February mail at least one item (a letter, a postcard, an envelope full of stickers, whatever!) every day the post office is open. Write back to everyone who has written you; your reply counts as one of your mailed items.

I look forward to this every February!! A month of marvelous mail! There are a lot of lovely letters from 2019 that I've yet to answer so ...that's my focus for this month. That said I enjoy exchanging letters and plan on corresponding with many of my usual LetterMo pals and saying "hello" to others as well. Those whose addresses I already have are fair game.

Who else is participating in Letter Month! At the very least your mailbox will be happier!

Friday, January 17, 2020

Favorite Films of the Past Decade

Back in 2009 I listed what I considered the best movies of the decade. I decided to do the same this time around, but this time instead of the "best," this list is my favorites of the ones that I saw during the 2000s. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are my

Favorite Films of the Past Decade

  1. King's Speech
  2. Tangled
  3. Frozen
  4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  5. The Artist
  6. Hugo
  7. The Avengers (1, 3, and 4)
  8. Guardians of the Galaxy
  9. Captain America
  10. Dr. Strange
  11. too many other Marvel movies to mention
  12. Skyfall
  13. The Hobbit
  14. Brave
  15. Kingsman: The Secret Service
  16. The Hunger Games
  17. Jurassic World
  18. Passengers of 7D
  19. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
  20. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Mayflower Essay Contest

As part of the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage to Plymouth, the New England Historic Genealogical Society at American Ancestors is sponsoring a Mayflower inspired essay contest for Massachusetts children in grades 5-12.

Children choose one of three topics for their essay. Deadline is June 10, 2020. More details are on the American Ancestors Essay Contest page.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Books I Read in 2019

I'd previously mentioned in my 2019 Year in Review that I would post the books I read in 2019 so here they are:

  1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
  2. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
  3. The Knowing by Sharon Cameron
  4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
  5. Painless Geometry by Lynette Long, PhD
  6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
  7. Geometry for Dummies by Mark Ryan
  8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
  9. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman
  10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
  11. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
  12. Circe by Madeleine Miller
  13. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
  14. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
  15. Matilda by Roald Dahl
  16. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  17. The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero
  18. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

January Goals 2020


1. Cake
2. Tea Party
3. Game Day
4. Free Taste of Chocolate Festival in Harvard Square
6. Submit something somewhere
7. Read two books
My “goals” for January. If I complete two, I’ll be happy. Three or more will leave me ecstatic. Notice how Cake is the #1 priority. (hee hee!)