Two Articles That Fit Together Nicely

Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming

and

How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses

The thought that seems to run between the two: Without freedom explore, how else can we expect to get anywhere?

A Small Haul

"I don't need more library books," I said. "I already have two checked out, plus I'm almost 300 pages into A Clash of Kings," I said.

I'm telling all y'all...

Click on the link below. The title of the post explains it best:

"A bunch of middle-aged librarians recreated the "Sabotage" video, and the result is adorable"

One minor qualm: the original headline uses the word "adorable," whereas I think words like "amusing" and "wonderful" would have been better.

Librarians=superheroes. Only a small few in the world know what powers lie hidden beneath their mild-mannered disguise.

My New Favorite Tumblr Writer

Thank you, TumblrFiction, for introducing me to this person's blog!

leporidae on Tumblr

Another Tamale Hut Reading, Tomorrow, August 3 @ 7 p.m.

Two weekends in the row I'm leaving the house! Tamale Hut Cafe is located at 8300 W. Cermak Road in North Riverside, Illinois. Please join us for a reading by local poet Regina Buccola, followed by an open mic. Want more information? Click on the link below!

Tamale Hut Cafe Presents Regina Buccola

Tamale Hut Cafe Reading Series, Tonight, July 27

Hey, it's time for my once-a-month social excursion!

The subject line pretty well sums up what I'll be doing this fine evening, but if you're curious about the readers (plural!) that the reading series I help coordinate will be featuring tonight, you can find out more information by clicking here.

The Dead Robots' Society, or, What to Do When Stuck at the Computer

With the exception of the times I've been in class or, you know, at some place like the grocery store, it's been rare for me to be away from the computer this year. (You wouldn't know that by looking at how infrequently I update this blog, but anyway...) I have to confess that the times when I don't have a computer-based project hanging directly over my head, like last night/this morning, are kinda glorious. I basically just sit with my notebook and whatever books I'm reading and binge.

However, during the most recent stretch of computer work, I did make a discovery for myself that made the work go by much more pleasantly. I have to emphasize that it's a discovery only within the confines of my little world, because The Dead Robots' Society podcast is up to 280 episodes as of this writing, which makes it safe to say that other people already have found and enjoyed it. But I enjoyed it, too, enough that I wanted to write about it. The show's regular contributors are all writers who are working diligently at getting their work out there, and they speak candidly (yet warmly) about how the process is going. It's heartening to hear people talk honestly about their experiences with the writing life yet also remain encouraging.

So if you're looking for an engaging podcast that discusses writing, I recommend The Dead Robots' Society. It's good enough to make me turn on my computer when I don't have to.