#Books Are Not Your Trendy #HomeDecor #Read! + #GroundhogDay

Lately, I keep seeing decorating tips involving books in various home + garden magazines that I read. Everything from people color coordinating the spines by shelf (How do you find anything? Must you recall "Mathematica had a blue cover" in order to remember to look upon the blue book shelf for it?) to those advocating stacking books sideways in order to have them act as pedestals for flower pots. Water much? While these ideas may be attractive, they aren't exactly practical for an inveterate reader.

My books are there for reference, for entertainment, for edification. They are not meant as mere decoration though many of them are exquisitely beautiful. And yes, I understand that one may acquire discards or "junk" tomes to use as decorative pieces, but that seems a waste. I cringe at the thought. I suppose if a book were damaged beyond repair I might consign it to some purely decorative use, but I still don't like it. Far better to use a faux book (a block wrapped in a book jacket or some such), for using an actual book seems somehow like sacrilege.

We each must make our own interior design choices, but, fair warning, if I happen to visit your home and the only books in it are glued shut, stacked sideways and holding up a begonia, I will look at you askance and make up an excuse to quit the premises pronto. I read.



P.S. By the way, we're hoping for an early Spring. Today is Groundhog Day, and that meteorological rodent had better NOT see his shadow.

#Travel Back in Time: #ColonialWilliamsburg #History #AmericanRevolution #EarlyAmericana #ReEnactments

As part of a secondary school field trip years and years ago, my class traveled to the "living history" city of Colonial Williamsburg --- and I loved it! The costumes, the setting, the reenactments, the demonstrations (to this day I still want to take up glass blowing, because of a demo I witnessed there), the houses, all of it was so interesting to me. As I've mentioned previously, I absolutely love the American Revolutionary period of our country's history and visiting Colonial Williamsburg is like being there as the war broke out. I could totally get a job there as one of the docents and be happy as a clam. (Are clams really happy? But, I digress...)

Just the other day, I requested a 2017 Colonial Williamsburg Wall Calendar that is (or was) being offered for free. I do hope I get one. (Because online free offers often get slammed with requests once freebie deal sites get wind of them, any request tends to be hit or miss, of course.) The pictures shown in the sample calendar online were some great shots and instantly transported me back to Colonial Williamsburg. Memories came flooding over, vivid images bubbled to the surface of my mind. If it shows up, this calendar is definitely going on the wall. I think the library is a perfect location considering. Now I'm thinking I'll have to plan a trip and return to Colonial Williamsburg one day.

Will it #Snow? Sounds Like a Good Impetus To Stock Up on Extra #Bedding. #SYWR #WeatherGeek

There may be an accumulation of snow in the metro Atlanta area this weekend! As Winter is finally upon us (for a spell), I thought it was a good time to acquire more stock for the bedding closet. It's always good to have extra blankets, quilts and throws at hand. Besides, I had some limited-time Shop Your Way Rewards (SYWR) points that were due to expire today.

Thus yesterday, using the SYWR points I'd earned from several Sweepstakes Doorbusters Prizes and a few (small denomination) Sweepstakes Prize Points Wins --- approximately $8.00 in points, when taken together --- I ordered two free Cannon Fleece Throws (50" W x 60" L), a Blue Plaid one and a Grey Plaid one, that were $3.99/ea. on sale utilizing the free store pickup service, and which will be lovely for snuggling while reading or watching movies.

Cannon Fleece Throw, Blue Plaid

Cannon Fleece Throw, Grey Plaid

I don't like being overheated, whether it's Winter or Summer. In Winter, I generally keep the thermostat set at around 64 degrees unless somebody is ill or we have guests, in which case I will adjust it accordingly. (There's a decent amount of research regarding how long-term mild cold exposure helps with metabolism by forcing the body to activate brown fat (BAT) in order to expend white fat as energy instead of storing it, which in turn works to keep one lean.) I'd rather snuggle in a blanket, if need be, or add layers of clothing, than be in sweltering heat any day of the year.

Scoring free blankies makes me feel a bit like Linus, though Schroeder is my favorite Peanuts® character. (It's all good, however, because I like Linus, second best. Poor old Charlie Brown.) Perhaps subconsciously, I gravitate toward the blue and the grey colors because of my avid interest in Civil War history. Then, again, I tend to like cool hues in home decor. Who knows really? The mind is a terrible thing....

All the #WorldsFair Game: A #Carnival Themed Room #FunFood #Nostalgia #Novelty #Cake

As a child, I loved it when the county fair came to town bringing its Calliope music, amusement park rides, games, ponies and plethora of concession stand foods. My mom would take us and we'd wander the fairgrounds for hours, imbibing all the sights and sounds. There were so many other worldly things to behold. It was heaven. A fair was such a place of magic for me that when I handed over my admission ticket and crossed through its gates being surrounded by hoards of people no longer fazed me.

I almost always won a little goldfish, which I would bear home excitedly in its water-filled plastic bag, my hands still sticky with cotton candy, my pocket bulging from a candy apple I'd tucked there to munch later. My closest sister and I would tally our spoils and regale each other with stories of how each item had been acquired, our tales getting taller with each retelling. We'd giggle long into the night, falling asleep with bellies full of mirth. The glow from a visit to the fair could illuminate me for days.

Being an unique individual, an odd duck as it were, I enjoy variety, novelty and strangeness and the fair packed all this in a plenty. There was no place like it on earth --- a window to worlds far removed from the staid, conservative box walling in my small town life. Unbelievably, as young and impressionable little nerd, I got to attend the 1982 World's Fair (or the Knoxville International Energy Exposition) on a field trip with the school's gifted program. In my reflections, the World's Fair marked the first time that I was able to personally witness working large scale ideas, which up to that point I'd only read about in books.

Encountering "dreams made real" altered my entire concept of thinking like a "county fair x 1,000,000" the World's Fair proved an event so momentous it would inform much of my adult life philosophy, from my hard-core support of solar energy to my desire to build a video arcade in the basement of my dream home. To this day, I'm still not certain how my mother managed to pull off paying for the trip. As an adult, I can well appreciate the sacrifices it must have meant for our materially poor family to scrimp and save the funds required. (My mother would move mountains for her children's education. Thank you, mom.) Oh, what memories --- still so vivid in my mind's eye!

With such far out experiences warping my psyche, it should be no wonder that I collect World's Fair memorabilia, automatons, puppets, marionettes and novelty kitsch, or that I love stuffed animals, pet fish, target shooting and concession foods like funnel cake, nachos and popcorn. My basement blueprint (consisting of a barroom, entertainment center and home theater) is centered around a carnival theme. When complete, it will have a sizable concessions area where all manner of novelty food stuff can be made on the fly.

Mini Bundt Cake Maker

Mini Bundt Cake Maker

I keep an eye out for deals on nifty small kitchen appliances and too bright decor in order to outfit my concessions grotto. (At this point, I own a good number of zany carnival inspired food gadgets made by companies such as Nostalgia Electrics.) Over the summer, I purchased a flipping Elite Cuisine Mini Bundt Cake Maker, ostensibly because I didn't like the fact that it will overheat the entire house if the oven is turned on in order to bake a cake when it's 90+ degrees outside. In truth, I simply adore kitchen gadgets, especially ones that make food fun.

I got it for a steal. Regularly priced $39.99 at Kmart online; however, by combining a Sears Gift Card (earned via Recyclebank), SYWR Points, SYWR Surprise Points, and a coupon, I only paid $2.25 OOP using my free cash Bluebird card --- and it was shipped to me for free due to my SYWMax program trial!

Yesterday, while watching a movie, I also baked a couple mini bundt cakes, just because I could. (Well, Kroger gave me a free box of Pillsbury Cake Mix during its 12 Days of Deals Holiday promotion and that strawberry cake mix kept staring at me, so I gave in and baked it. 1 box of cake mix = 2 mini cakes) Pup, who is ever a ready sous chef, tried to eat an entire mini cake. It ended up being a great afternoon in spite of a lackluster movie rental (Florence Foster Jenkins). A good time was had by all!

#Photography Fools and Public Pictures

I hate having my picture taken. It is anathema to me. I cringe on the inside. I sometimes can't help but flinch on the outside. My mother did not like having her picture taken, her mother did not like having her picture taken either. It is apparently hereditary.

I am thankful for the few photographs I have of my mother and my maternal grandmother. I will sometimes consent to being photographed --- mostly at the behest of friends and family who complain that they "have no pictures of me.." But neither of these things change the basic truth that I hate being photographed.

I will say that I have no issue with photography as an art form and appreciate its merits. I love the history of photography, the history of the development of the camera and the magic of early photographs. (I happen to collect daguerreotypes and large format prints.) 

Being that kind of geek, I eagerly took a course at uni to learn how to develop my own photographs. Except for the fact that I'm seriously allergic to the chemicals used to develop photos --- as I unfortunately found out during the aforementioned course --- I could see having my own darkroom in my home.

Living in an Age where cameras are ubiquitous and where (most) people seem to assume everything needs to be photographed relentlessly and posted onto social media has upon occasion proved a source of consternation. It throws people when you say "please don't take my picture". They think it's some vanity or affectation. It's neither. "How could you NOT want to be photographed?" they inquire.

Sad to say, our society is such that some people ignore my request. While I well understand there is not a legal expectation of privacy when in public, there is (or should be) a certain amount of respect for your fellowman. But humans can be animals! I stand my ground and draw a line at aggressive photogs. I've unfortunately encountered a few. Though tempted, I haven't punched anyone... yet.

I'm asocial. I don't like attention. I always seem to attract it, however. Regardless, I don't think I will ever be comfortable with being photographed. However, I've tried to become more open to taking pictures (of things) from a professional standpoint. Pictures can be helpful, I know, but it's not natural to me. I didn't own a camera, until I took that photography course.

Nowadays every gadget comes with multiple cameras. (Most of which I've covered with black electrical tape.) I accept that cameras are everywhere. I do not have to like it. This has nothing to do with how I look or being "wanted by the police" which are apparently the top two reasons for a person not desiring to be photographed. Ha!

If you've wondered why most of this blog is text, know that I mentally debate if a picture is necessary with every post I make. I'm trying to be more objective, but words were my first love. I'm a shaky novice with a camera.

I hope to become more proficient, to develop an eye. I hope to strike a balance on this blog where images become a graceful and welcome addition. (I created accounts on the major social media platforms, many of which are reliant on photographs, both to encourage my fledgling skills and protect brand identity.) It's a work in progress adjusting my frame of view. Bear with me.

Thanks @Target for Helping Make My #Holidays Brighter! That $10.00 #HolidayDecorations #Coupon. #PhilipsMiniLights @EnergyStar

Out of the blue, Target sent me an email titled, "Surprise! Coupon for $10 off holiday decorations inside." The coupon was one-time use, excluded food and beverage items, and expired on the 17th, but had no minimum purchase requirements. What? $10.00 in free merchandise, you say?

Word of this promotion spread fast online and led to much begging on the part of many of those who said they did not receive a coupon. Who knows what criteria put me on the recipient list? I simply said, "Thank the Maker," when I discovered said coupon in my inbox and planned a trip to Target.

I am an online shopper of old. I avoid Brick & Mortar like the plague with few exceptions, one being an in-store only deal too good to pass up.

After browsing m.target.com, I decided I might acquire a couple holiday lights sets. There were some Philips 100 Mini Lights strings rated for indoor/outdoor use that looked promising. They listed a limited 3-Year Guarantee, an Energy Star rating, multiple color options and a $4.99 MSRP. (I would have preferred an LED light string, but at least these incandescent bulbs carried an Energy Star label.)

I also noticed a Westinghouse 2-Outlet Indoor Wireless Remote Control for $10.99, which really got me excited, but I wasn't certain it would qualify as "holiday decorations" though it was shown on a page with holiday decor items in an old Target circular from the week prior, advertised as a way to control your lights and such I suppose.

I made the Westinghouse gadget my first choice and the lights my backup plan. Then my sister happened to mention that she was about to go out shopping when we were chatting, so I asked her if she could go by Target for me. I sent my short list and $10.00 holiday decorations coupon with her. (Saved me a trip. It was bear cold and blustery as all Hell outdoors.) I always try to write down exact items on a list whenever I ask someone else to pick up anything. Cuts down on confusion. Minimizes what's required of him (or her).

Philips Mini Lights

Philips Mini Lights

At the store however, my sister couldn't find my first choice, the Westinghouse Wireless Remote, and with this being the busy holiday season, also couldn't locate any Target employee to help her look for it. Frustrated, she moved on, and was able to locate the Philips Mini Lights sets. She came back from the store with a multicolored string and a red, green, white tricolor string. (As each box was $4.99, the net cost was $0.00.) Score!

I was disappointed that I did not get an opportunity to check out the Westinghouse Wireless Remote gadget, but I was still happy to get some free holiday lights.

Thanks, Target! Happy Holidays!