Hello, hello! Just checking in. Plans had to change because along with Auntie M came Bookman’s mom. Auntie is off to Duluth this morning, mom is staying through Sunday afternoon. We visited Mill City Museum yesterday afternoon. Bookman and I had never been but had heard good things about it. We were both pleased with what a wonderful place this is. Worth every penny of the price of admission. Plus we learned some new things about our adopted city. Much of Minneapolis grew up around the flour mill which was at one time the largest mill in the world. It was really fascinating stuff. If you ever come to visit Minneapolis, you must put this museum on your agenda!
We made a trip to the Mall of America in the evening. People from out of town are always eager to go to this monstrosity. People who live here tend to be rather indifferent to it. I suppose it isn’t such a bad place though since it provides lots of jobs and someplace to take people from out of town.
Today will be a low-key day. Bookman and his mom are on their own and I have to work. I do have a couple of bookish links you might find interesting:
- Because I read Ann K recently Is Anna Karenina a Love Story? was an especially interesting article. It talks about the movie, the book, and whether Tolstoy meant for Anna’s to be viewed as a tragic love story.
- With Philip Hensher’s book, The Missing Ink, getting buzz lately, Some States Buck the trend and preserve penmanship caught my eye. California, the state in which I grew up, is one of the few states that still require students to learn cursive in school. It’s still taught in 3rd grade, just like when I was a kid. Ah memories.
- Not really news to us, but a recent study shows that reading, writing and playing games helps aging brains stay healthy. “Reading the newspaper, writing letters, visiting a library, attending a play or playing games, such as chess or checkers, are all simple activities that can contribute to a healthier brain.” I am so glad they didn’t say crossword puzzles or sudoku. I am not a fan. More power and puzzles to you if you are.
Off to work now. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Couldn’t agree more that reading and writing keep the brain healthy. The characters alone from whatever I’m reading or writing at the moment, are enough to keep my brain working overtime, at that critical time at night when I’m supposed to be falling asleep!
Mary Celeste, LOL, characters have a way of worming their way in, don’t they?
Sounds like you’re having a nice time with Auntie M & Bookman’s mom. A nice start to the holiday season. Also, I enjoyed the article about reading writing to keep the brain healthy. Thanks for sharing Stefanie!
Helen, it was a nice time, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the article!
Glad you’re having some free time in the midst of visitation. But I’m sure you’ve enjoyed your company too. As for Anna K., it came, I went, and I’ve reviewed. You’re absolutely right raising the question about whether it’s a love story or not. I’ll stop by that link you’ve provided to see what they say there. But for me, it’s not. Well, it is, but in other characters. I’ve mentioned that in my review. So, I do hope you have the chance to see it with Bookman. Love to hear what his and your response is.
Arti, I laughed at “visitation” it made me think of ghosts or something out of literature
I haven’t had time to get to your Anna K review yet, but I will be getting there today I hope!
I especially love the last link — the links between reading & health is something I’m very keen on. And love how “visiting the library” is included!
Melwyk, I know, I liked they they included visiting the library too. One more thing libraries are important for!
I’d like to read Anna K next year: it’s on the Kindle. I’m currently reading Woman In White on it… but honestly am not doing much reading at all right now, which feels odd, but oh well. Cycles, right? It’ll come back around. I love local city museums! Enjoy your visitors…
wherethereisjoy, I read Anna K on my Kindle. It was great and went by really fast. I know you will love it. Woman in White is fab! Hope you are enjoying that.
Stating the blooming obvious about the benefits of all of those splendid activities. For many in the UK they are of course under threat with library closures. I’ve been reading a little book called The Library Book which is a collection of essays by well known writers celebrating public libraries.Particularly liked the piece by journalist Caitlin Moran describing “the only alma mater I have ever had”, her public library in Wolverhampton. She makes the important point that there is no exit plan for After The Cuts and just how hard it will be to reopen closed libraries. Her last sentence: A trillion small doors closing.
Ian, there have been library closures here too though not on the scale as in the UK. Once a library closes it is darn near impossible to get it reopened. It sounds like a good collection you are reading. Moran’s observation that a trillion small doors are closing is chilling and apt.
A certain amount of writing and reading does help the brain, I’m sure. However, today I’ve been working my way through the 250+ posts in my feed reader (I was only gone a few days!) and now I can’t think of anything intelligent to say about your posts on the Greek plays (though I loved the joke!). So I guess that exercise for the brain is much like exercise for the body – there’s only so much a person can take!
Litlove, poor you, amazing how things pile up after only a few days, isn’t it? Glad you liked the Euripides joke.
I guess I need to write more letters, don’t I?! As with everything else I so enjoy I am once again falling behind (but the question is–am I ever really caught up?). Hope you had a good time with your guests. Mall of America is sort of fun–I also went when I visited a friend who lives in St Paul, but I bet if it was in Omaha I would never go (I never go to any of the malls we have here as it is). And my niece learned some cursive in third grade, but nothing since and they don’t use it otherwise…pity that!
Danielle, heh, I was thought the same about writing more letters! I don’t think we can ever be caught up and if we were, whatever would we do? We did have a nice time with out guests but are glad to have the house back to ourselves now. Guests, even when they are easy ones, are still tiring.
That’s an interesting factoid about cursive. I remember learning it and struggling to do so. I am a lefty and couldn’t quite figure out what the teacher was doing up at the board.
boarding, oh poor you! It must have been really hard to learn cursive. It’s good you weren’t made to be right handed though. I knew a few people when I was a kid who should have been lefties but were forced to be right handed.