Friday, March 16, 2018

A Sending the Black Dog Packing Weekly Link Round-Up




I am no stranger to depression, and I think it's safe to say that many of you are acquainted with it, too. Hopefully not to my degree, since I spent years being on the brink of suicide because I refused to get help. (I'm not always the sharpest knife in the drawer.)

I never will forget reading a British mystery and seeing the phrase "black dog" being used for depression. It's quite fitting. When that black dog has fangs, all you want to do is end the pain, but a lot of the time this canine is just an annoying persistent shadow that never leaves you alone.

That's what I've had lately: an occasional cold nose on the back of my leg that pops up at the strangest times. The best thing for me to do has always been keeping my little grey cells busy. Do I have all the ingredients for this recipe? Have I cleaned everything on my to-do list? Did I make a note of that place on Daisy's List?

One of the best ways for me to send my black dog packing has always been BOOKS. No surprise there, eh? And that's what's brightened my doorstep now. I've curled myself up with two books. One, Jenn McKinlay's Death in the Stacks. Familiar characters have had me laughing and cheering them on while another character has had me grinding my teeth. The second of my cures is brand-new, and there's nothing quite like something new and shiny to distract you, is there? I've been laughing my way through Wendall Thomas's Lost Luggage featuring Cyd Redondo, a Brooklyn-based travel agent who puts me in mind of Stephanie Plum's (much) smarter sister. (Hey, Cyd knows how to kickbox in four-inch stilettos!)

Yep. Once again books have sent Fido packing, so it's time for me to head on out to the corral. Head 'em up! Mooooooove 'em out!



►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄


►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄


►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
  • Rex, a two-year-old German Shepherd is a hero after protecting a sixteen-year-old during a home invasion.
  • This prehistoric puppy may be the earliest evidence of pet-human bonding. 
  • This rare yellow cardinal was spotted at an Alabama bird feeder.
  • When it comes to counting wildlife, drones are more accurate than people.


►Fascinating Folk◄
  • For forty-seven years, Stanley Cushing curated a 200-year-old library.
  • Dolly Parton donates her 100 millionth children's book to the Library of Congress. You may not like country music, but she is one fantastic human being who loves it when children call her "The Book Lady." 
  • Terese Marie Mailhot and Tommy Orange are helping to launch a new wave of Native American literature.
  • How early female travel writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu became an immunization pioneer.


►The Happy Wanderer◄
  • How churches are improving Wi-Fi access in rural England.
  • Penguin is opening a pop-up shop in east London that will be stocked solely by women writers.
  • Here's a selection of gorgeous WPA National Park posters to get us in the mood for traveling.

►I ♥ Lists & Quizzes◄
  • Fifteen major award-winning novels you've probably never heard of. 
  • Quiz: Which part of Scotland should you be living in? My answer? Highlands and Islands, and if I hadn't gotten that answer, I would've laughed hysterically.
  • The last meals of famous literary characters.
  • Which book perfectly matches your personality? (You should've heard my bark of laughter when my answer popped up: Gone Girl. I read less than fifty pages of that thing! But then the description mollified me a bit: "With that sharp wit and quick-thinking mind, it’s no wonder you’ve been matched with Gone Girl. Your keen eye for detail makes it easy to gather clues, swap theories, and solve the mystery before everyone else does. That can also mean you’re a bit nosy sometimes, but hey, it’s all in good faith.")



That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!



10 comments:

  1. Yes, agree books are a great diversion and distraction. I pour myself into fiction, often criminal, when I need to be in another world.

    Glad you sent the black dog packing! You've got Daisy coming to have a good time.

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    1. Exactly why I didn't waste any time getting it done!

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  2. Books are such a wonderful antidote to that nasty black dog, aren't they, Cathy? I'm very glad you're feeling better, and ready to take on the world again, so to speak. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's an ancient Native American burial site I want to see...

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    1. I thought you might like to take a look at that. ;-)

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  3. Ah, the black dog...well, I will say that he has stopped by to see me off and on through the years. And, for me, burying myself in a story is my antidote - always has been. The problem comes when I have difficulty reading. Happily, that hasn't happened all that often. And then, for me, it's usually time to 'change it up'. Reading-wise. So, I got Gone Girl too. Ha! The only book our mystery group universally hated. We still talk about it. I got Dumfries and Galloway for Scotland. Love the 'reading crime novels helps with depression' article. I don't think I knew that about Dolly. Good for her!

    Plus, I agree with Kathy - Daisy is going to be so much fun! And congrats on your 'star' status at Jungle Reds today! You didn't share that little tidbit! Glad Jenn picked you three to highlight. As for that pooch - well, you have my number. Cell, I mean. Pick up the phone and we'll talk books. Or just talk bad about Gone Girl. LOL LOL

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    1. Dumfries and Galloway? If I'm not mistaken, that's where Wigtown-- Scotland's Book Town-- is. You sure you didn't cheat on the quiz? LOL

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  4. These tests are never right. I got Harry Potter. I have never read a Harry Pottery book nor is it up my alley. No interest in it.

    These tests always get it wrong. I took one on Facebook which say my eyes are gray (wrong) and another that said I'm like the historical figure, Anne Frank. Really? It was because I write. I would never compare myself or anyone to poor Anne Frank. It's kind of disrespectful to her memory.

    I have read that all of these quizzes are for advertisers so they can post ads relevant to your taste or life where you'll see them.

    I thought some questions on the eye color quiz were way too person and violated privacy, like one's finances. So I'm keeping away.

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    1. Good idea. I have extremely good selective sight when it comes to advertising, and if the questions are what I consider to be personal, I just stop and move on.

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  5. More information on the news in the last two days about these quizzes on Facebook, that they are used to gather information on the users. And I think I've said too much already, and was suspicious about many of the questions which could be used for all sorts of nefarious reasons, like identity theft.

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    1. I haven't been posting links to Facebook quizzes because I don't assume everyone uses that social media platform. However, you are correct: we do need to be careful.

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