Round Up

His 90th birthday was last Friday (7/18/08), but there are celebrations all month for Nelson Mandela. If any someone is looking for a hero, this man is the real deal. Happy Birthday Madiba.

I love when someone can open your eyes to something that you never knew about, and then all you want to do is find out more information about it. A co-worker asked me if I had ever heard of the book The Young Visiters. The author is Daisy Ashford and she wrote this book when she was 9 years old. The story about the book is delightful and then my co-worker told me that they also made a movie of the book starring Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie. I have been reading the book online through Project Gutenberg. I thought I would do this before I purchased my own copy. I'm not finished with it, but it is charming and very funny. Here is some information on the author, Daisy Ashford and the IMDB (Internet Movie Database) entry for the film.

As of late I have been working on a project for work about Web 2.0. I ended up learning "everything there is to know about the 23 Things project, but was afraid to ask." It turns out the School Library Journal is doing a 23 Things project. They are opening it up so that anyone can take part and learn about Web 2.0

It's sad that I never learned about Jackie Ormes. It's sad that I never learned about a lot of the achivements of women, and women of color. Both groups were woefully absent in most of my formal education. Jackie Ormes was one of the few American of African descent, female cartoonists. And what is also a shame is that she is from my area in Southwestern, PA-Pittsburgh (well I'm from 40 miles south of PGH, but you know what I mean). Learn more about Jackie Ormes here. Here is her Wikipedia entry.

As I have noted numerous times-Summer-hate it. I loathe it more than anyone can possibly imagine. However, there is something about Lewis Carroll's poem, A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky that somehow lessens my hatred.

Along with all of the numerous islands and cold-weather places I would like to visit, Gander, Newfoundland has appeared on my radar. Some of you may have heard of Gander when so many flights were re-routed there on 9/11/01. I did a bit of research and found out some interesting factoids about Gander. This place is chock full of aviation history. Here is the Wikipedia entry and some cool facts. I just looked at some of the demographics for Gander and there appears to me only 50 black folks there. I guess I could move there and make it 51.

The National Book Critics Council has a blog named Critical Mass.

Don't forget to get your campaign chocolates.

I must have this pan so I can bake my favorite mode of transportation, and then you know, eat it.


Ronel Jordaan is a textile designer with some very unique designs. Look at her wonderful pebbles/rocks. They are felted.

Have fun with the collage machine.

Have a good day.

"As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."-Nelson Mandela

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."-Nelson Mandela