The Dresden

As I've mentioned recently, I'm a big fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, which tell the ongoing story of Harry Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard and protector against all things weird, like vampires and warlocks and things that do more than go bump in the night.

A while back, before my heart attacks screwed up my life royally, I was wandering around Village Discount Outlet when I ran into something I couldn't pass up--a black leather duster with a mantel, just like the one Harry wears throughout his adventures. It was pretty pricey for a coat at VDO--$50, if I recall correctly--and I didn't have that much cash in pocket at that moment.

One quick trip to the bank later, the duster was mine.

After my heart attacks, I had damn few opportunities to go back to my apartment on Cullom (a.k.a. La Casa del Terror) to grab whatever I could before I was eventually evicted for nonpayment of rent. On one of those trips, though, I made a point of bringing the black leather duster back to Mom's house.

I don't have much occasion to wear it--it's way too heavy for spring and summer, and not heavy enough for winter, so it's usually an autumn thing. However, on a recent April day when the winds turned off the lake and a not-so-gentle drizzle blew down, I broke out the Dresden and donned the new hat I'd bought to go with it.

It felt...right.

Holidaze 12/8/20

If you know the name William Dean Howells at all, it's likely from one of his novels like The Rise of Silas Lapham, which I'm pretty sure I had to read in college, though I have no recollection of its storyline or contents.

Christmas Every Day is more of an extended short story than a full-blown novel or even a novella, and its title pretty much tells the tale: It's the story of a child who wants it to be Christmas every day. Complications--if not outright hijinks--are sure to ensue.

This book won't take me long to read; it's only 48 pages long, and part of that count is taken up by an introduction by Richard Paul Evans, author of The Christmas Box, which was inspired by the slender volume I hold in my hand (metephorically speaking--I can't very well type with a book in my hand, now can I?).

It's yet another festive holiday find from Village Discount Outlet. (Why yes, I go there quite often--why do you ask?)

Holidaze 12/7/20

"The Cinnamon Bear" was a radio show that originally ran on a daily basis from Friday, November 26, 1937 to Christmas Day of that year. It told the story of Paddy O'Cinnamon, who helps youngsters Judy and Jimmy in their search for the Silver Star that's supposed to be atop their tree, but has been spirited away to the enchanted world of Maybeland. There, they encounter friends who try to help them on their quest and foes who try to stop them--so, y'know, typical quest.

I found this boxed set at (where else?) Village Discount Outlet, where it cost me the price of one CD--not a bad deal, really, for a month's worth of holiday entertainment.

Holidaze 12/4/20

I found this compilation of Dr. Seuss books Recently at Village Discount Outlet (where, obviously, I can find ANYTHING). It includes six of his most popular titles--including, of course, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

It's somewhat shocking, after having been exposed to the Chuck Jones animated special (with Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch), the live-action abomination with Jim Carrey, and the more recent animated feature with Benedict Cumberbatch providing the Grinch's vocals, how relatively brief Dr. Seuss's original book is--you can read it in about 10 minutes.

But oh, what a ten minutes those are.

Holidaze 11/30/20

Another find from Village Discount Outlet.

Shocktober 10/30/20

The small but festive (and, most importantly, high-and-away-from-kitty-reach) Halloween display at La Casa de Mama. On the Left: A Halloween plaque I found at Village Discount Outlet. On the right: A Halloween card sent by JB.

This Week's Travel Reading

A couple of weekends ago, I made my first sojourn back into Village Discount Outlet since the beginning of the pandemic. 

While I didn't find much to buy (and, in fact, had very little funding to spend), I did come out with the novel pictured above: A Star Trek: The Next Generation story written by popular comic book writer Peter David (who has worked on Hulk, Spider-Man and--surprise!--Star Trek, among many others) featuring as its main "villains" (if such a term applies to these two) not only the enigmatic Q (played with such relish on the series by John deLancie), but the equally powerful (and troublesome) Trulane, played with scenery-gnawing glee by William Campbell on the original Star Trek series. 

Q meets ProtoQ? And both facing off against the estimable Jean-Luc Picard? Color me there.

Holidaze 12/11/19

Found this old snowman at Village Discount Outlet a couple of weeks ago. He lights up, too.

Holidaze 12/10/19

A festive porcelain Santa Claus ornament--still in its original box!--that I found recently at Village Discount Outlet.

Gobble Gobble 11/28/19

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Gobble, Gobble 11/27/19

This larger turkey--a recent acquisition from Village Discount Outlet--fits in with the others in the workspace. The tag around his neck says that his name is Tobias. As good a name as any.

Gobble, Gobble 11/26/19

Another li'l turkey at work. This one? Is named Giblets. (Actually, he has no name at all, but I'd rather call him "Giblets" than "that turkey in the pilgrim hat on my desk.")

Gobble, Gobble 11/25/19

Gobbles (yes, that's really his name) guards the work computer.

Shoctober 10/31/19

Three more festive figures found at Village Discount Outlet.

Shocktober 10/30/19

Another find from Village Discount Outlet.

Shocktober 10/22/19

I found this figure at Village Discount Outlet Sunday morning. She reminds me of the Halloween drawings of Ellen Clapsaddle, an artist who worked one side or the other of the turn of the 20th Century. I've long admired her whimsical takes on my favorite holiday, but this is the first time I've seen one of her drawings rendered in three dimensions.