Culture Corner

Culture Corner – August 2014

2014 08-08 Throwing Shade Live!I planned to start with the ridiculous movie theater I went to, but why not just go in order?

If you remember back in March I went to see a live taping of the podcast Welcome to Night Vale and how much fun I had, you’ll appreciate this. When I found out a few months ago one of my favorite podcasts, Throwing Shade, was coming to Boston I immediately bought tickets! The original plan was that Caroline, Hayley, a TBD friend and I would go. I mean it’s a comedy podcast dealing with politics and pop culture, of course it would be AMAZING.

Click here to continue reading.

ARC, Books

Book 296: Confessions from a Coffee Shop – T. B. Markinson

And she’s back! Now don’t get me wrong, Markinson (TBM)’s last novel, Marionette, wasn’t bad and was excellently written, it just wasn’t for me. However, Confessions from a Coffee Shop harkens back to A Woman Lost in humor and fun! I flew through this and couldn’t help but smile the entire time I read this novel. I received a copy from the author and received no compensation for my response. If this review sounds at ALL interesting you should request a preview copy from her here.

I said above that TBM is back and the reason I say that is because she’s return to what she knows and what I can assume is a comfort zone for her. I don’t fault her one bit for stretching her writing muscles in her second novel, but I’m so glad she returned to her strengths!

Click here to continue reading.

30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #7 – Spend a day at the beach

IMG_0958Yesterday, as part of my random three-day stay-cation I drove down to Cape Cod to spend the day at the beach. For those of you keeping track, that’s 8 of 30. I know a few friends have plans for the fourth to go, but I wanted a day by myself and to get out of Boston if only for a few hours. I couldn’t have asked for a better day!

Growing up roughly two hours inland in North Carolina we went to the beach EVERY summer growing up. Whether it was a day trip like I did yesterday or a week-long house rental with all my aunts and uncles, we went. I even worked at a summer camp on a very large saltwater pond in Rhode Island. Basically, I’m just trying to say I really like the beach. It’s been years since I last went to the beach just to go to the beach.

Continue reading “30 x 30: #7 – Spend a day at the beach”

30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #23 – Visit the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

2014 06-23 deCordova Guide and PostcardThis was the first day of my “staycation” and with this morning’s visit to the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum I’ve done six things on my list and I’ve got two or three more coming this week so get ready!

If you’ve read this blog at all over the past four years, you’re well aware that I love art. What you might not be aware of is that sculpture is one of my favorite art forms. I’m not sure How I first heard about this park, but when I did I knew I wanted to get out to see it and it was such a neat day trip, I will definitely go back out in the near future. I took advantage of my local library’s museum passes and only had to pay $5 instead of $14!

Click here to continue reading.

Culture Corner

Culture Corner – April 2014

 

2014 03-28 When is it Art?Most of this post will be about my awesome Nerd Weekend with Pax East 2014 and Captain America, but to start I’ll pretend to be much artsier than I really am.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while you know I’m obsessed with miniature street art. More recently I’ve been focusing on text and wondering whether text is art and if not where do they merge/diverge. I’m guessing this comes from starting to listen to the 99% Invisible podcasts a few weeks ago. A few weeks before I started listening I had to go to Lowell, MA for the a day long conference (which was actually a lot of fun) and one of the first things I noticed in this former industrial town was all of the text: old industrial signs, old advertisements, building/company sings and street signs. And then I just happened to look down at the cross walk (I was looking for the ridged spinning thing for blind people) and I noticed the above text. And I just thought it was kind of cool and even though it’s totally practical, it’s become a part of public space and to me is a type of art! And now for the nerdiness!

Click here to continue reading