Minnesota Monday: Niagara Cave

Some years ago I learned that the geology in Minnesota and Wisconsin is some of the oldest rocks and sediments in the world. There's no earthquakes here that disturb or move anything since the areas sit on a fairly solid deposit of Iron bedrock. Now I bring up something that I should've addressed a while ago when someone said something negative to me about one of my cave posts in the past:  if you're one of those people who thinks earth is only 6,000 years old, I do not have time for you. It is not. It is millions and millions and millions of years old. It is so old that humans are still learning how old it is because in the short time we have been on this planet we have yet to uncover everything there is to find and there is no scientific proof that the planet is only 6,000 years old. That is "faith" based proof and I am not in the slightest bit interested in it. And if you want to deride scientists and all the hard work they do you can do it in your own time. My mother used to tell me that of course, scientists were doing God's work and why wouldn't he want credit for some of his smartest children? And I grew up in Texas, attended church multiple times a week and no one-not once -told us that creationism was literal. The story of God creating the Earth in 6 days and resting on the 7th was a simple way to explain a very complicated and divine idea. One that humanity could not grasp on their own since they were not God. It was never used to slander our teachers or our scientists. So no, I will not respond to negative comments about such things anymore. 

You do what you need to do to find peace in your heart but this probably isn't a post for you if you think that way. 

That said I move onto one of the coolest things I did in Minnesota last year and that was visit Niagara Cave.  I have long been an amateur cave explorer and rock collector. I have no illusions to being an actual spelunker or hard-core adventurer but I do like a good hike and I do like a good rock formation. It turns out that Minnesota has pretty cool caves including this one which has an underground waterfall in it. You'll see it not too long after going underground and once you do and start to move through the cave-that's when things get really interesting. The cave is lined with fossils and formations that have been cut through by water. Some of them get super narrow and go high up. It is an absolutely fascinating walk. The guide pointed out corners shaped like the Titanic and that looked like an elephant. And they do have their place to take you for absolute darkness. All of the caves I have visited thus far seem to have this spot and it's always funny if there is a kid on the tour because they always say something silly when it gets totally dark. One time a kid growled which made me laugh. It's a couple of hours for a visit if you want to do the tour, mini-golf, picnic, etc.. worth it absolutely. The gift shop I might add had a pretty great selection of treasures to bring home....

My pics are a bit dark cuz, yeah, cave. I do sometimes wonder if I might not mind living in a cave far underground -although I'd miss the rain and snow. Though not the heat. No thank you summer time. Which is a good way to tell you that it is usually pretty cool (temperature wise) in these places if you need a break from the heat. Also-this place was found by pigs. True story. Seriously you should go. Also pigs are awesome. If clumsy.

What to Eat Wednesday, Des Moines, Iowa

If you happen to find yourself in Des Moines, Iowa and you happen to find yourself vegan much like I did not all that long ago, allow me to proffer a couple of options for food. Des Moines is a college town and Iowa is an oddly progressive place with what some might consider backwards politics. They don't seem to work together well all the time but really that has no place in this particular post about soft-shell tacos and vegan pizza. You just sort of can't miss those little factors if you pay even a tiny bit of attention. My previous trip to Iowa had been to Cedar Rapids and was also quite enjoyable. But yet there were talks of politics that included being grateful for FEMA and criticizing the sitting president for saying we should all help each other. All over my locally prepared vegan breakfast. So-yes-odd. 

First place that I stopped in at was Fong's Pizza. A white person's idea of a Polynesian bar and pizza place. No problem. We have one of those here in Minneapolis and we like it too. 

Fong's doesn't have much in the way of vegan food but they do have a vegan pizza which is pretty rare vegan creature off in the lands of the wild Midwest. Used to be that vegan pizza was one of the unicorns of vegan food alongside donuts and cheese. They serve a cracker crust pie covered in salty vegan cheese and well, I liked it. The decor is silly and the server was mildly unhelpful but not rude. It was a perfectly fine place for an unhealthy, yummy, road trip meal.

The next place I ate I really liked a lot. Tacopocalypse is a smart, little place with a menu of a variety of vegan offerings. And of course, they have guacamole. Avocados are the one way in which I am absolutely a basic bitch and I eat a lot of them. I had a spicy tofu plate that I enjoyed a great deal and I would absolutely go here again. 

SO if you happen to find yourself on what seems like an unvegan friendly stretch of land:

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Remind yourself that all those fields around you are filled with corn and soybeans and it's going to be ok.

Climate Change

I would really like to have something deep and profound to say about climate change and helping the planet survive humans. 

I don't have much to say that hasn't been said already and really I am not important enough in any way for anyone to care what I think about much of anything these days.

No problem.

What I do know is that I love nature and getting to see flowers and rain and trees and animals. I've seen humpback whales and dolphins and blue morpho butterflies. I've been in the Grand Canyon and on a volcano.

I love the lake by my house and the deer that roam through it. 

All these things mean so much to me and I can't understand how it is that others do not care. And even intentionally destroy these things and living creatures. I am weary of a lot of humanity these days. The funny thing is I have no long term investment in this planet. I have no children and as such no grandchildren. Yet I care very deeply about it's future.

I am not going to pretend I am some paragon of green living but there are things I do try and do consistently to help. I wonder often if everyone would pick three things to change and commit to how it would help our planet and in the long term themselves. Keep our air clean and our water drinkable, things we all need. It seems in many ways America especially is moving backwards. Maybe that's not the case and most of us stand on the same side to go forward. Numbers suggest that most of the country believe and want action taken on climate change. Somehow (I say somehow though I know it's not much of a mystery) we've managed to put in power people who do not care about anything as long as they line their pockets and apparently many houses with gold bars. This is the legacy they want? Who is going to be around to care? The "greatest" figures in our history often protected nature and parks. And yet...I could write 'and yet' about a million times.....

Here is a nice, clipped article on a few small things you can do to help: Fight Climate Change

I also have a short fairy tale for sale that is a fundraiser for the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund: here on Amazon and here on iBooks

I doubt I am helping but who am I not to try somehow. 

Marie Curie Museum

I recently visited Paris, France for the first time. I had an amazing time of learning and exploring. One of my favorite things I went to was Marie Curie's decontaminated lab and office. She is the only woman awarded two Nobel Prizes in Science, first female professor at the Sorbonne, was given a gram of Radium from President Hoover (Radium is millions of times more radioactive than Uranium), she developed and refined radiography including creating a mobile unit she took into WWI to help soldiers, her lab staff was largely female which ultimately helped lead to Marguerite Perey discovering Francium in 1939. Also there's an actual  Museum dedicated to a WOMAN! How about that?? Oh and of course Curium is named for her which burns so hot it turns purple. 

Visit the website: here

Pictures include snaps of dubious radium products, her lab and office as well as scientific instruments.

Ellen Ochoa, Adventurer Geek Girl

Gonna write about one of my favorite things today: Space Ladies!! Born on May 10, 1958 in Los Angeles, California, Ellen Ochoa received her master of science and doctorate degrees at Stanford University. She was selected by NASA in 1990 and in 1991 became the world's first Hispanic female astronaut. A mission specialist and flight engineer, Ochoa is a veteran of four space flights, logging more than 950 hours in space. She is the first Hispanic Director of the Johnson Space Center (an awesome place) and the 2nd female Director. 
She has been awarded the highest NASA honor, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award. There are five schools named after her around the country! This year she will be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. 

Read More about her here: https://www.nasa.gov/…/jo…/about/people/orgs/bios/ochoa.html

More Here: Johnson Space Center

Ida Laura Pfeiffer, Adventurer Geek Girl

Ida Laura Pfeiffer  (October 1797, Vienna – October 1858), was an Austrian traveler and travel book author. She was one of the first female explorers, whose popular books were translated into seven languages. She was a member of geographical societies of both Berlin and Paris, but not of Royal Geographical Society in London due to her sex.

Making record-setting, ground-breaking voyages and treks between 1842 and 1858, she collected and carefully documented thousands of plant, insect, marine, and mineral specimens, which currently reside in the Natural History Museums of Berlin and Vienna. Her 1856 collection of Malagasy (Madagascar) plants and insects was one of the first substantial looks at how unique the island was on a floral and entomological level, and many of her specimens were brand new species, even though she didn’t know it at the time.

On top of her biological specimens, Mrs. Pfieffer also collected an invaluable account of many of the world’s cultures, from the unique perspective of a female travelling solo, in a time when that was nearly unheard of for proper women. Despite her modesty, the fact that she was a mother of grown sons and a widower, her travels and travelogues were initially questioned and looked down upon as “lesser.” By the end of her life, though, she was highly respected and sought after by many notable exploration and geographical societies. Because of her gender, she had gained access to many places and cultures that shunned and attacked men, and gave a new perspective to many cultures that had been previously documented only by male explorers.
Download some of her work here for free: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3807

Other Sources:

Mental Floss

Britannica

Bachendri Pal, Women's History Month

Bachendri Pal, (born May 24, 1954, Nakuri, India), Indian mountaineer who in 1984 became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. She led an all-woman rafting expedition down the Ganges River in 1994, covering over 1,500 miles (2,500 km). In 1997 she led an all-woman team on a successful 2,500-mile (4,000-km) transit of the Himalayas, beginning in Arunachal Pradesh and concluding at the Siachen Glacier. She was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 1984.

She had been expected to become a schoolteacher(a traditional woman's job in India) but decided Nope, I'm gonna be a mountaineer. 

On a mixed-gender expedition up the mountain her camp was buried in an avalanche and half the team had to return home. But she continued with a small group. She was the only woman in the group to make it to the summit. 

During the 2013 North India floods, Bachendri Pal quietly arrived with a group of climbers and carried out relief and rescue operations

Read more about this amazing mountaineer here: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/…/…/bachendri-pal/1/674965.html

Other Sources:

Britannica.com

notableindianwomen

Red Rock Canyon

The new year is in full swing and I am trying to keep my head above water in many ways right now as I have a lot going on. I want to finally get on a regular posting schedule here for one thing. But it hasn't worked out. I just never know what is going to happen in a day lately. 

Since it is a new year and that means new travel plans that I've finally really begun making (actual tickets and stuff), I tend to start going through my previous years travel photos. Which means I am going to be telling you stuff I did. More of it I suppose I should say as I have shared some already. I am a big and small travel person. I pretty much love all trips and no matter how tiny a place is I research every thing I can find about it. I find what makes it unique and go for it. Every place has something if you're willing to look. 

One of those things was visiting Red Rock Canyon. I go to Las Vegas a fair amount.(Look here for some food ideas. There's more too. Just search my food tag or Adventure tag!) I am always looking for new things to do there not just be on the strip. As a non-gambling Las Vegas patron the not casino related parts of being there are what I am interested in: food, shows, shopping, the weird, random attractions that make up the hotels. 

This time I adventured away from the strip by visiting the Hoover Dam (coming soon) and Red Rock Canyon. You can do both in one day if you like or you can make Red Rock Canyon and the surrounding area a full outdoor adventure. You'll find more information on the visitor site. 

If you can't go the whole day there is an approx. hour long drive around the main part of the canyon just to see to it. I did this combined with stopping for shorter adventures and photos. When I was there (July) it was beyond hot (115 degrees) and as a fair skinned person I tend to melt. I met out my time in the extreme heat so as not to pass out or get sick. Weather is weather and if you're gonna base your life around going to places only where the weather is perfect, well you're not going to be visiting many places or leaving the house much. 

The desert is beautiful in it's own way. Given the choice I go for the forest. But there is the allure of going somewhere that seems to be fairly lifeless on the surface but is filled with critters great and small if you look close enough. One thing Nevada is especially good for as you move away from the cities is raptors. You can see some of the amazing flying birds our world has to offer. California condors, vultures, hawks. And of course, the mountains are beautiful and formidable. Here is some snap shots from my trip. See you soon!

Ella Cerulean's Instagram Account

Come follow Ella Cerulean's Instagram account and see how she views the world.

GeekCraft Expo

I've been working on pieces for my next show in Madison, Wisconsin at the end of March GeekCraft Expo. I had such a great time last year so I'm pretty excited to be going back. Plus, I'll have my third book for sale! 

Take a look at what I've been working on so far....

A Few Favorites Memories from 2016

Looking back on 2016 I picked a few things from the year I really enjoyed. I haven't written about all these things yet nor does this cover everything I thought was good about the year but here are a few cool things:

I started the year off in Costa Rica for a couple of weeks. I wrote about it a lot since it was such an amazing place. Here's one post: Costa Rica and a picture of me zip lining over the jungle.

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Not too long after that I went to Houston for a wedding and was thrilled to go somewhere I had always wanted to visit as a kid: Johnson Space Center

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Then there was my favorite art show from the year at Rogue Buddha Gallery: Rachel Girard's Dolls.

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I had my first craft show in March in Madison, Wisconsin. It was wonderful. Geek Craft Expo.

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I published my first e-book which spent a day at #1 on Amazon. You can buy it here.

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I attended a few events hosted by the MN Historical Society and really got a kick out of them. You can read about some of them here.

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I attended my first World Con. Which included a visit to some beautiful places in KC, MO. I will be writing more about them soon but here's a snap from the art museum.

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I visited Las Vegas again. Seems to be a main stay in my travel. Wrote about the incredible food. Also took a day trip to the Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon as I've wanted to go there for sometime as I am working on crossing off all these iconic American places on my travel list.

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That's just a few good things.

There are more things actually. It was all-in-all not a bad year for me personally even if it seemed so very overwhelming for so many other people. 

I'm not sure what 2017 will bring but I am trying very hard to look for the good in the seeming rising dark.

Ella's World

Follow here: Ella Cerulean

The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures

Tis the season for toys and fun! 

One of my favorite things I did this year was visit the Toy and Miniature Museum  in Kansas City, MO. 

The collection of dollhouse pieces is especially impressive. Spend at least an hour here unless you're like me and want to read everything than make it about 3 hours.

Favorite Local Places for Shopping: Minneapolis

The holidays are fast upon us and as such many of us are scrambling to find meaningful, useful gifts that in some way give back to our communities.

Let's be honest: donations are wonderful and I love to do them but I also love giving gifts. Our artisan, small business economy is important. It supports makers, jobs and families. 

I put together a list of places I like to buy gifts and treats for all holidays not just Christmas. But, of course, these are great Christmas places too. 

First up: Ethique Nouveau. A shop full of handmade gifts and treats that also is not-for-profit as it's sales support animal charities. I love going here and have bought tons of things from here. In addition, they host bake sale fundraisers for members of the community in need of help.

Next on the list is near my house and I have a hard time going in here and not buying things for myself. I love their air plant collection and they also carry gifts for Jewish holidays. 

Indulge and Bloom never disappoints.

On the high-end of artisan gift giving and filled with tangible dreams is Larue's. Jewels, clothes, small gifts, art, hats...

Even when I can't afford to get something I do love to walk around and look at everything. So many works of art in one space.

If those kinds of gems don't peak your interest, head over to ZRS Fossils for truly unique gifts. Rocks, minerals, crystals, jewelry. It's like shopping in a museum.

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On the eco-conscious end of gift giving locally is Moss Envy. I can't find my pictures for here but click the link to see what they have to offer. 

They have lots of home goods and I've frequently used this spot for eco-friendly party needs. 

Now onto edible and drinkable gifts:

Glam Doll Donuts would have to be on the list. Vegan donuts, cute items all related to pin-ups and donuts.

My list would not  be complete without The Herbivorous Butcher. They do have many vegan cheeses and meats for great gift giving but they also carry artisan chips, nuts, chocolates, dog treats, etc..

Bonus: Millner Heritage Winery. Not in Minneapolis though you can find their products in stores here. They make wonderful wines for dinner and parties. If you can make it out to the winery the tour is amazing. And when it's cold there's warm, mulled wine.

If all else fails you can never go wrong with memberships to museums. Two of my favorites are the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. (Also a good way to avoid crowds!)  

Much luck and Happy Holidays!

Craft Show Set-Up Siren, Wisconsin

My booth set-up at one of my shows this last month. This was in Siren, Wisconsin.

Cloud Bridge Nature Reserve

It's my birthday in a few days and I've been looking back on the last year thinking about what has been my favorite things about it. It's been a year much better than last year for starters so, that's good. I lost both my pets last year and that took a lot out of me. There were other things but I think that was the hardest. This year has had a fair number of annoyingly expensive issues but whatever. Money is money, sometimes there's enough of it and sometimes there is not and that's unlikely to change. 

One thing that has been stellar is that I have traveled more this year than any previous year. I usually spend about 2 1/2 weeks to three weeks traveling per year. This last year I've already traveled over a month's worth of time and that is amazing to me. I hope it continues to grow. 

One of the most remarkable places I've ever been, I went to in Jan. It was the Cloud Bridge Nature Reserve in Costa Rica. Located high in the mountains it is a place of astonishing beauty. Cloud forests have become one of my favorite places to explore. They are usually amazing and honestly, the temperatures are often the kind I like. 
 Cloud Bridge is no exception. Plus, I am a total butterfly obsessed nut and this a great place to be for that interest. Including getting to see the glass-winged butterfly in the wild. We took more pictures than I can count so, I picked a few favorites and they don't even begin to do this place justice. I might add, this is not an easy hike and as such I get to have pride in how hard I worked to get around the reserve.

What to Eat Wednesday: Houston

Good grief, I've been meaning to write this post for some time now. I went to Houston at the end of January and start of February. My sister was getting married and it was a wonderful time. I didn't go out to eat too much as we made food together as a family a couple of times and of course, the wedding. 

I did write about one place I went when I was there and I had wanted to go for a long time: The Johnson Space Center

So here are a few food places in Houston and around Houston (my sister got married on Galveston Bay) where you can get some good vegan food, donuts and coffee. 

I always have a tough time finding good vegan mochas. Especially in the south. Somehow I got lucky this time and there was an adorable place a few blocks from the hotel called The Art of Coffee. It was filled with local art on the Kemah Boardwalk. An adorable neighborhood filled with candy colored homes.

We found a veg place that had really great reviews by the name of Field of Greens. I thought my tofu sandwich was simple, grilled, flavorful and of course, seasoned fries as I was on vacation. I also had a smoothie that I thought was not too bad. Not the best but still good.

My favorite, FAVORITE thing about visiting Texas is the Mexican and Tex-Mex food. This amazing place where they made fresh guacamole was one of the best I've been to in the last few years. Mamacita's was excellent. The margaritas were on the rocks and tangy. The food was fresh and they had no issue accommodating dietary requests. I loved my food here.

My new favorite naughty food adventure to take when on a trip is to find vegan donuts. This is a new tradition and Houston didn't disappoint. The place that was open when I had time to go (there are other options) was Hugs and Donuts. They had several vegan cake donuts for the taking and the blueberry one was divine. We got there near closing time in the early afternoon and they gave what was left to the kids outside so as not to waste them which I thought was even better.

Happy Eating!

What to Eat Wednesday: Vegan Las Vegas 2016

I went to Las Vegas again this year. It happens when tickets are cheap, the room is free and you need a break from reality. I am not a gambler so it's sort of funny that I've been here so many times. However, I love shows especially Cirque Du Soleil. I've seen 14 of their shows. I saw "O" this year and wow, it blew me away. There is also great vegan food in Las Vegas these days. I wrote about it here last year and now I'll share some old favorites and new ones. 

I went back to Slice of Vegas because the food is so good and of course they have an entire vegan menu. I am quite glad however that I walk tons and tons in Vegas.

This year our server at Slice of Vegas suggested we visit their other restaurant Hussong's

The food was pretty good. I enjoyed my tacos quite a bit. They have an entire vegan menu as well.

We try to go to one nice place each time we're there in between the causal dining. We love the Wynn for this. 

Last year we ate at Wing Lei which is the amazing Chinese restaurant there. This year we ate at Costa di Mare. An Italian, Mediterranean place. The food is out of this world. Rich, aromatic, with excellent cocktails to match. The service at the Wynn is always above and beyond. We get absolutely no attitude about our dietary restrictions. We also eat at the buffet at the Wynn when we are in town as it's one of the best. 

The atmosphere is gorgeous and romantic.

Off the strip we visited the not so fancy but magically delicious Ronald's Donuts. They have nearly 2 cases of vegan donuts. And the prices are so good. Most of the time you pay up to $6 for a single donut. Not here. $1.5-2.50. Lovely owners as well. I read the most stellar reviews of the donuts and they did not disappoint.

Breakfast was had at Violette's Vegan. I've had dinner here before and breakfast was quite good. 

Simple, hearty vegan fare.

I randomly was looking for lunch one day and wandered by a bar in the hotel I was staying at and found Holstein's.

It's not super vegan friendly, but they had a really great veggie burger with fries but what was truly the most YUMMY drink I had all week there was the Vegan Raspberry Coconut Milkshake. I actually went back and had one again at night the next day. It does have alcohol in it but I am sure they will make it without if you prefer. My pics are not great but wow, the food was a delightful surprise.

I tend to have a hard time finding a decent mocha in the mornings in Vegas. I always end up at Starbucks because they at least have soy milk. Hopefully, next time around I'll have better luck.

Happy Travels!

My First WorldCon

I have been reading science fiction and fantasy books for as long as I can remember. I am sure there are a lot of us who can say that because it turns out there are a lot of us geeks. You know who we are: not popular, not good at sports, not very social. Books were our life and that never stopped being the case.

 

As I have gotten older I have branched out to many types of books, but science fiction and fantasy in all its forms has always been my mainstay. In fact, I grew so enamored of it that I started attending conventions, working at conventions, have a room dedicated to geek fandom as well as my office being filled with geek toys. You know how it is, you love it, you love it all the way.

 

My new step this year was to become a voting member for the Hugo Awards. I am thrilled to have finally been a part of it. And what’s more, the convention itself was not far from my own home, so attending was also in the cards this year. WorldCon74 was held in KC, MO.

 

(BTW KC is great but that’s a separate post.)

 

Attending the world’s oldest science fiction convention has its pluses and minuses like anything does. I didn’t know anyone there and geeky people are not known for being easy to friend. Despite my efforts I didn’t do so well making new friends. But that’s okay. The panels were amazing and filled with great advice and world class writers. The Dealer’s Room took a lot of my money for books and gifts for friends. I checked out parties, the art show, a Paul and Storm performance (and I got to meet them!), a John Scalzi reading (which was remarkably fun), and of course I attended the Hugo Awards ceremony.

 

I knew going into it that there had been drama around the awards for the last couple of years. It was more than a little unnerving that  there was strife in the community. That it was aimed particularly at women and people of color, different religions and countries is frustrating since to me Science Fiction is the place where all walks of life, no matter how different, are accepted by each and every one of us (HELLO STAR TREK).

 

A lot of the female writers especially have been enduring an endless amount of harassment. As someone who is seeking to become a full time writer and has dealt with plenty of sexism and harassment at other jobs, I was more than a bit wary. 

 

However, women won big this year and that was truly inspiring. The community on the whole stood behind them and their amazing talent, myself included. The night of the Awards I was quite proud, plus Pat Cadigan was a funny, funny host. There is plenty of fallout from certain overly privileged people whom I refuse to acknowledge, but the winners are holding their own against them and it doesn’t change that they did amazing work and got the recognition they deserve.

 

The decriers rather baffle me as it’s not like there haven’t always been women writers or gay people or people of other races (besides white). They’ve ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF OUR WORLD. And them being here and also writing and getting recognition doesn’t detract from other good writers. The idea that it does is quite puzzling. Truly it does not even serve their best interest because people get bored reading the same old stuff all the time and if you turn people off to books, you turn them off to ALL books. Which means NO ONE IS BUYING ANYBODY’S BOOKS, which totally sucks.

 

Anyway, they don’t matter. The complainers are a group of hate-spreading opportunists growing ever smaller, most of whom just rile up who they can to get money out of them. There will likely always be a few of them, but hopefully they will join the rest of us here in the real world full of good books and many engaging voices. 

 

A few snaps from my trip: