This is not the best picture of ice on a drainpipe, but you can see how layered it is. The snow/ice thing needs to go away. Bring back the rain. (That is not of the freezing variety.)
We’ve got a lot of ice going on.
Notice how the snow still hasn’t gone away? It’s trying, though. And in melting, the snow is making the most incredible icicles.
Antares sleeps on.
Finished! Reading for the Mock Printz
I am ready to discuss all 17 books for the Mock Printzes I will attend. I’ve already been to the Hollywood Mock Printz. What will the YALSA (Library) Mock Printz have in store for me? (Also: notice there isn’t much overlap between the two lists)
Reading for the Mock Printz was more difficult before I was a part of the Librarian Book Group. Thanks to them, I had already read eight of the books.
Three sentence movie reviews: Moonlight
This suffered the unfortunate fate of overselling, which meant I watched a movie I would have found to be amazing and wonderful expecting it to be a transformative movie, and thus left feeling shortchanged. This is unfortunate, as this was an amazing and wonderful movie grounded firmly in the performances, story and setting. You should see it, but you might want to ratchet down your expectations to avoid suffering my fate.
Cost: $6.00
Where watched: Hollywood Theater with S. North
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/moonlight_ver2.html
(I didn’t really look at this poster until I downloaded it for this review, but WOW! This is an amazing poster!)
Learning snow etiquette
I think what I love most about this sign is it’s use of “cherished” when the staff probably felt not-at-all-charitable to the patrons who tracked snow all over the theater.
Portlanders. We’re not that good at snow.
Hollywood Mock Printz
Getting to the Mock Printz at the Hollywood library turned out to be difficult. That huge amount of snow we had mid-week is still hanging around. I took the Max downtown so I could swim, and then had planned on jumping on a bus to the library. But I was met with a new development in transit alerts. Usually these signs say, “15 minutes” or “7 minutes” or “due”. I’ve never encountered them giving bus updates in miles. I translated that as being “forever” and planned a different route.
The better route was the Blue Max line, which was also delayed, but it was delayed while I was sitting on it, and thus, warm.
We had a great list of books to discuss and a large turnout of teenagers to discuss them. Danielle, steller Youth Librarian, has nicely primed the pump by having a Mock Printz discussion group that meets monthly. 
After much discussion, here was my vote. I was pleased that so many people enjoyed The Sun is Also A Star, which I loved, but figured was too swoony-romantic for the general population.
It turned out they loved it so much that The Sun is Also a Star won the Hollywood Mock Printz. We also picked two honor books, Salt to the Sea and Exit, Pursued by a Bear.
Thanks for the fun workshop!
Postcard from Minnesota
Here’s another one from Sara K. I always enjoy getting a promotional postcard for a book I’ve read. It was an enjoyable book, too.
Almost like we don’t live in Portland
This winter thing is no joke this year. We got a lot of snow. So much snow, that had it not happened overnight, we would have broken records.
So much snow that the people on the corner could make this larger-than-people-size snowman.
And then, after they make this massive snowman, it snows another six inches.
Here’s what it looked like when I shoveled at 6am. And it kept snowing.
The trees in the neighboring backyard were heavy with snow.
The backyard was covered.
Antares watched the snow fall.
And then that snow? It stayed.
Three sentence movie reviews: Spotlight
Snow Day Cancellations Day II meant there was time to catch Matt up with this film, which is all of the things listed on the poster. I have trouble getting people to watch this, because everyone thinks they don’t want to watch a movie about the investigation of pedophile priests, but I’m telling those people that they do. Because this is a movie about people working hard to do what’s right and it’s hopeful and moving in a way that no one would think a movie about the investigation of pedophile priests would be.
Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home with Matt
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2015/spotlight_ver3.html
Three sentence movie reviews: Keanu
Both Matt and I had disappointing days, plus my tap dance class was cancelled due to the start of the snowstorm. Luckily, I had grabbed this from the library, knowing that Matt would enjoy it. We laughed a lot–even me, my second viewing–and Matt’s favorite part was “your actions have consequences”
Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home, with Matt
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/keanu_ver3.html
(There were so many to choose from! I went with this Revenant-inspired one.)