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Volume 2, Issue 5
Greetings all!
I just want to wish everyone a:
That’s right, let’s all celebrate the shortest day of the year! It’ll most likely be dark when you leave for work, and dark when you drive home. Yes!
From Wikipedia:
In astronomy, the winter solstice is the moment when the earth is at a point in its orbit where one hemisphere is most inclined away from the Sun. This causes the Sun to appear at its farthest below the celestial equator when viewed from the northern hemisphere. Solstice is a Latin borrowing and means "sun stand", referring to the appearance that the Sun's noontime elevation change stops its progress, either northerly or southerly. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.
In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice usually falls on December 21/December 22, which is the southern hemisphere's summer solstice. At this time, the Sun appears over the Tropic of Capricorn, roughly 23.5 degrees South of the earth's equator. In the southern hemisphere, winter solstice falls on June 21/June 22, which is the northern hemisphere's summer solstice. At this time, the Sun appears over the Tropic of Cancer.
Since the winter solstice, summer solstice, vernal equinox, and autumnal equinox were probably observed for the first time by people in the northern hemisphere, these naming conventions originally corresponded to the northern hemisphere's seasons. In most reckonings, the winter solstice is midwinter. In Ireland's calendar, the solstices and equinoxes all occur at about midpoint in each season. For example, winter begins on November 1, and ends on January 31. The passage and chamber of Newgrange, a tomb in Ireland, are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December.
The winter solstice is the time when the Germanic festival of Yule was celebrated; it is celebrated today as a Neopagan Sabbat. Many cultures celebrate or celebrated a holiday near (within a few days) the winter solstice; examples of these include Yalda, Saturnalia, Christmas, Karachun, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. (See also List of winter festivals). The first civilization to celebrate the winter solstice were the Ancient Persians, deriving from their Zorastorian religion. Refer to Yalda
Through an interesting coincidence in the Earth's orbit, the northern hemisphere's winter occurs when the sun is actually closest to the earth. Conversely, the northern summer is when the sun is farthest from the earth. But the distance from the sun doesn't affect the seasons on Earth to a measurable amount, since Earth's eliptical orbit is almost circular. In general it's the angle of the sun's rays and the number of hours of light per day that actually affects the seasons in most regions on the planet.
For those of you celebrating other December holidays, I’ve found some books that correspond to these holidays (except December 30 th is Bicarbonate of Soda day, and no one has yet written about that).
Hogfather (Discworld Series) by Terry Pratchett –
It's that most wonderful time of the year, Hogswatchnight, when the Hogfather himself dons his red suit and climbs in his sleigh pulled by—of course!—eight hogs, bringing gifts to all the boys and girls of Discworld. But this year someone else is riding the sleigh. Death. He's had to stand in for the missing fat man—otherwise the sun won't shine tomorrow...
It's up to Discworld's intellectual elite—with the help of a motley collection of unusual cohorts—to come up with a plan to save the universe. And they'd better hurry... Yes, there's a "new" Hogfather in town. HO. HO. HO.
A Highland Christmas by M. C. Beaton -
In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in Lochdubh has always resisted what they view as the secular trimmings of the holiday, so for most of the townspeople, there's no pudding, carols, banquets, gifts, or even whisky for Christmas.
Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Hamish soon finds himself looking for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Confrontational and curt, the unfriendly woman insists her pet was stolen. Looking into her eyes behind her heavily bolted door, Hamish can see her true problem-she lives in great fear...but what is she afraid of? Then some thieves make off with a Christmas tree and lights in nearby Cnothan and Hamish must investigate.
As if that isn't enough on his holiday plate, Hamish's romance of the new schoolteacher is going fine, until she mentions a perfect little girl whose family abhors Christmas...and whose behavior has recently become very imperfect. Now it's up to Hamish to make things right. He has to protect an unhappy girl, unlock the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieve some stolen holiday goods. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll, and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the warm embrace of A Highland Christmas.
Raphael and the Noble Task by Catherine Salton
Raphael is a griffin, one of the ferocious stone creatures sworn to guard the Cathedral from harm. Yet Raphael feels a mysterious longing for something more -- a Noble Task, one that will bring meaning to his life. When a baby is abandoned at the Cathedral door, Raphael believes he's found his Noble Task at last. But Raphael soon learns that caring for the child brings danger and sacrifice as well as love. And when the baby's mother returns, only to find that her child is missing, Raphael must set things right by performing an act of enormous courage: an act that depends not only on a legend kept secret for generations but that will demand of him all of his heart and soul to prevail. More than twenty illustrations bring the characters of the Cathedral to life in this unforgettable adventure, destined to be cherished as an enduring Christmas classic.
Holly by Jude Deveraux
Hollander "Holly" Latham can't believe her good fortune. After endless calls, letters, emails, and promises, she's finally persuaded her parents to buy Spring Hill Plantation just outside beautiful, historic Edenton in eastern North Carolina -- and strategically located near Belle Chere, the purest, most untouched plantation site in America.
At the tender age of thirteen, Holly fell in love with Lorrie Beaumont, who inherited the Revolutionary-period estate when his heiress mother died during childbirth. Though more than a decade has passed since Holly last locked eyes with her childhood love, the passion she felt in her young heart has never come close to extinguishing -- that is, until charming, ruggedly handsome Nick Taggert unexpectedly waltzes into her life and treats her to an unforgettable weekend of laughter and intense passion.
Despite Holly's undeniable attraction to this dazzling stranger, she knows he's not marriage material. What Holly doesn't know is that Nick Taggert is actually Dr. Nicholas Taggert. Having been with more than his share of women only interested in money and pedigree, Nick decides to test Holly and conceal his more refined qualities. Will Holly be seduced by Lorrie's wealth and privilege, or will she choose the simple gift of love that Nick has offered her? The answer is unveiled on a starry Christmas night, when passion, hate, and greed collide to reveal bitter truths that will forever change the course of Holly's charmed life.
The Present by Johanna Lindsey
A new novel from Johanna Lindsey is a gift in any season, but her new holiday-themed tale of the incorrigible Malory clan, The Present, is a particularly irresistible stocking stuffer. Anyone who is familiar with Lindsey's Malory bunch knows that where there's a Malory, there's trouble, and The Present proves no exception. Malory black sheep but major hunk James is having difficulties with his wife, Georgina. Family head Jason can't convince Molly, the mother of his son, to marry him. And a very mysterious package has arrived that is about to forever change the life of every Malory. This package -- suspiciously shaped like a book, perhaps a journal -- contains a shocking secret about the history of the Malory clan that will have every romance reader gasping. The Present has dark secrets, family tensions, unrequited love -- all the ingredients of an unforgettable historical romance novel. It's the Johanna Lindsey novel her fans have been begging for. And if you haven't yet met the Malory family, The Present is a delightful, heartstring-tugging introduction.
My Least Favorite Things...
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Sniffles and coughing and running of noses Wheezing and aching and medicine doses Crumpled white Kleenex and eyes that do sting These are a few of my least favorite things |
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Nausea and puking and stomach so queasy Gastrointestinal tract that’s uneasy Cranky and crabby with abrupt mood swings These are a few of my least favorite things |
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It’s the Most Fattening Time of the Year
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It’s the most fattening time of the year With your waistline expanding and everyone handing you just one more beer... It’s the most fattening time of the year |
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There’ll be chicken for roasting and fresh baked bread toasting with margarine coating it all They’ll be old weight loss stories and tales of the glories of how we all looked in the fall |
It’s the most fattening time of the year The guests are all moaning and everyone’s groaning “but eggnog is here!” It’s the most fattening time of the year |
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Is it really true?
The science behind internet “gems of wisdom ”
* The average chocolate bar has 8 insects' legs in it
Well, no. Not really. The FDA publishes a document called The Food Defect Action Levels, which describes "levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods that present no health hazards for humans." It does mention chocolate specifically, but the guidelines given for bug bits in chocolate are:
Average is 60 or more insect fragments per 100 grams when 6 100-gram sub-samples are examined OR Any 1 sub-sample contains 90 or more insect fragments
“Insect fragments” is a long, long way from an entire insect leg. An average sized Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar is 43 g, so you’re getting less that 26 tiny insect bits per bar! On the bright side, at least insects are actually good for you, these guidelines are enforced for “aesthetic” reasons. I’d be more worried about the mold on a lot of the foodstuffs, which is actually toxic.
For more fun reading, check out what other filth is allowed in other foodstuffs: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dalbook.html
* In comic strips, the person on the left always speaks first.
Be wary of any “fact” that claims something “always” or “never” happens. “Always” and “never” are absolute terms, and leave no room for any deviation.
Yes, the majority of comic strips have action moving from left to right, to facilitate easy reading, but there are plenty of cases where the person on the right speaks first. If this is the case, the cartoonist will usually place the right-hand person’s dialogue above that of the person on the left, so you read from top down. While flipping through the Sherman’s Lagoon Archives ( www.slagoon.com) I found plenty of strips that employed this layout. I would put one here, but, well, copyright laws and all. But feel free to head over to the web site yourself if you doubt me. The comics on 12/12/05, 12/13/05, and 12/14/05 all start with the character on the right speaking first.
* Pearls melt in vinegar
Technically, they dissolve. Numerous Web sites of pearl resellers warn you not expose pearls to vinegar.
“Besides being soft, pearls are easily damaged by chemicals like perfume, vinegar, and lemon juice. Heat can turn pearls brown, dry them out and make them crack. Dry air can also damage pearls.”
An abstract published on the Web site of the American Philological Association says “the observable disintegration... occurs when calcium carbonate, which is the primary component of pearls, neutralizes the acetic acid in vinegar.”
The term “melt” suggests a physical process in which a solid becomes a liquid, rather than a chemical process. But, that’s a minor nitpick. The message of this “factoid” is clear and true – keep your pearls away from all acids, and this may include your own skin...
“Some women's skin is more acidic than others. If a pearl necklace is regularly worn, as it should be, some of the pearls will constantly be in close contact with the woman's skin on her neck at the shoulder line. Pearl pendants do not always have such constant contact with a woman's skin. The pearls in the necklace will gradually absorb acid from the skin and the acid will slowly eat into the spherical pearl. Over time, the pearl will not only lose its luster but will become barrel-shaped. You can slow this process by wiping the pearls with a soft cloth after wearing them.”
Reviews
Lemon Meringue Murder by Joanne Fluke
A nice little Cozy mystery (number 4 in the series). Nothing amazing or wonderful, just... a nice read. The characters are good, the story line moves along nicely, and the author really gives you a lot of clues to solve it yourself.
Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
The is book 5 in the series, and the love triangle is starting to get pretty unbelievable. But other than that, I still enjoy the characters and the mystery was good. She definitely gives you the clues to solve it yourself this time, and you’ll find yourself yelling at the main character, “Gah! Can’t you see? It’s so obvious!”
Girls by Frederick Busch
This was a book for my mystery book club, and I got all of 50 pages into it – and I only really read the first 20. It was written in that overly formal (dare I say pretentious) style that may win you accolades from the literary community but leaves me completely disinterested. Two thumbs way down.
Playing with Boys by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
This was really three mini-stories in one. Yes, the three characters had some interaction with one another, but I found the jumping from character to character a little annoying. One story would just be getting interesting, and - bam – she switches narrators. It probably didn’t help that I really only liked on of the characters, tolerated one of the others, and downright disliked the third. I think if I had really liked all three, it wouldn’t have been so bad. It was okay, but it wouldn’t top my recommended reading list.
The Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Warning: it looks like a regular sized paperback, but it’s not, because the entire second half of the book is recipes. The story itself is only about 200 pages, and that really weakens it. It’s too short, too pat, and - like an 80s sitcom - wraps up far too nicely. Even though it falls into the series, you could probably give it a miss quite easily. Of all of her books, I was very disappointed with this one! I’ll still read the next in the series (heck, I’m hooked, I’ll admit it) but this one isn’t one I’d put on the recommended list.
Killer Smile by Lisa Scottoline
Usually books with underlying ideas like this one (how no one realizes the Italian-Americans were sent off to camps like the Japanese-Americans during WWII) come across as preachy and annoying. But this book did not. It dealt very well with a very prickly subject. And while there are a few plot points that gave me pause, overall the characters were likeable and the storyline was compelling. This is a book I would recommend to pure mystery enthusiasts.
Twelve Across by Barbara Delinski
I picked this audio book up on a whim at the library, listened to half of the first tape and gave up. The writing was cliché and angsty, to the point it set my teeth on edge. I couldn’t even stand to listen to it. This is one for the “avoid at all costs” pile.
A Quiche Before Dying by Jill Churchill
This book is almost decent... but it has one giant flaw. It’s one of the earlier Jane Jeffries mysteries, and while I liked the main character more in this one, the mystery itself was kind of annoying. There was a great set-up, a limited number of suspects, and a decent storyline, but then the end seemed hurried, rushed, and incomplete. It was one of those books where you felt you should know more than you did – enough to really solve the mystery, but you didn’t. It was short, though, so I didn’t feel like it was a waste of time. It wouldn’t be high on my list of recommended books, but it’s not awful.
Death of an Addict by M.C. Beaton.
Call me a Hammish-aholic, if you will, but I really like these books. The characters are good, the plots compelling, and I really find myself getting into them. I would, as usual, recommend this one to any mystery buff!
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
A biting commentary on today’s fast paced society, this is still an enjoyable book. The characters are good (if a bit unbelievable) the plot moves along, and it’s infused with Kinsella’s usual wit, humor, and ‘oh my god this is so embarrassing I can’t read’ this bits. Definitely worth the read if you enjoy this genre.
Amanda's Wedding by Jenny Colgan
I thought the storyline was very compelling, though not as humorous as some of the other books of this type I've recently read. And I can't say I really identified with any of the characters - they were very over the top, a bit over done, really. The little bit about the psychic at the end seemed overly contrived, and cheesy, but the ending was comfortably predictable. It's a nice, fluffy read, but I would put it fairly far down the list of recommended books.
Hula Done It by Maddy Hunter
The 'cliffhanger' was terribly disappointing, I admit. But the storyline was still good, with interesting characters and a good mystery. I'm concerned that the romantic quality of the series is showing strain, but the individual mysteries and good characters make up for it. Still worth reading, but nothing truly amazing (I still highly recommend the first three books, however). I hope the next book is more in line with the first three, and is less like the slightly disappointing fourth.
Maggie Without a Clue by Kasey Michaels
This is another series where the characters are strong, but the romance that has been alluded to is so muddled and understated that it might as well not exist. And this particular mystery failed to grab me in a way that the previous books in the series had. I'm afraid this series needs and injection of... something, or it needs to be allowed to die.
No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty
Having undertaken NaNo, I thought perusing the unofficial handbook would be a good thing. Plus, I really didn't have a plot. The book is full of little stories, tips, etc, but like most "self-help" books, it doesn't really tell you anything you don't already know. It's pretty well-written and humorous, though, so if you just want a book you can pick up and read a little for some cheerleading and fell-good "I can do this" vibes, it's worth it. But don't expect it to really help you overcome any serious writing issues.
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