:: more wooden wall ::

i want to go here.  sleep here.  read here.

:: breach man's mind ::

classic. favorite.  frightening.  important.  beautifully so. 

“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said.  A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there.  

It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.”

:: not what i want ::

"you get used to it," he said. "that's what this place is all about, Edward. getting used to things."

"it's not what i want," he said.

"that, too," he said. "you get used to that, too."

[from big fish by daniel wallace]

:: baby (on) board books ::

these illustrated board books are such a cute idea for baby gifts. would be neat to have a big brother or sister create a book a younger sibling. maybe even an on-the-way baby. what a fun way to get a child involved in preparing and welcoming the littlest one!

theindigobunting.blogspot.com

[click images for direct links to posts]

blank board books here.

:: studs found & put to use ::

i finally installed my umbra conceal bookshelf! (bookshelves, actually. another was placed right above this one.) i'm going to put in 3-4 more, running straight up this tall, narrow wall in my living room. i just need to get some great looking hardback books that i'll never need to actually reach for the uppermost shelves! (or maybe i'll just get one of those cool sliding library ladders.)

once they're all up, i will organize by size and/or color, but for now, i just put some of my most special books up, including:
signed copies of post secrets
first edition (cloth covered) the little prince
first edition wind, sand and stars
first edition the prince of tides [not pictured - it's on the second shelf]

plus some shel silverstein, the secret garden and more saint-exupéry

:: stud finder ::

i picked one of these neat little umbra conceal bookshelves on my last athens (ga) shopping trip in september, but i've yet to locate a stud on which to hang it in a place where i would want to hang it. so far a waste of money, so i just like to think how lovely it is all by its bookless self on a shelf in the hall closet.

umbra.com

and speaking of finding (or not) a stud: i had a meeting with a financial advisor this afternoon. one subject that came up was whether (or not) i am in a relationship. another was to determine my plans/goals for spending in the future. i jokingly said i'm looking to buy a boat. he advised against such a poor investment. i said, "i'll just have to find some friends with boats." he said, "or a boyfriend with one."