We first became aware of Linden Street Quick-Dri Textured towels & washcloths when our sister gave some to us as a surprise one year for Christmas. We've asked for more since, & have never been disappointed with what we got. The towels (& cloths) come in a variety of neat colours, including chocolate, soft cream, & Arona blue. They're plush, large, & energy efficient; they save money on drying because they dry faster than most other towels & cloths. They also absorb water better, which means you get drier faster.
You may want to wash these towels before use. They have an inordinate amount of fuzz which gets all over one when drying; in the case of the chocolate towels, if you're geeky pale like us, you end up looking dirtier after the bath than you did when you went in. You also may consider washing and drying them separately for a bit, until the excess fuzz comes off completely. Otherwise, you're likely to find your other laundry items looking fuzzy.
The fuzz will last a bit through more than one wash; however, the bulk of it should be gone after one wash. Definitely worth it in spite of that, & they're so absorbent & energy efficient that they cost less, ultimately, than other towels. They're also a nice size. The towels are available at JCPenney for $3.00 to $20.00.
'A Rush of Blood to the Head' by Coldplay, 2002, EMI Records. Cover: a bit odd, but evocative of the lyrics of 'A Whisper,' in which a man feels he's being reduced to a whisper of himself. Inside are a couple of black & white pictures of the band, as well as web addresses the band find interesting. Lyrics are not included.
This is Coldplay's second CD, & it explores love, loneliness, & loss with the band's signature sound.
The CD opens with 'Politik's' driving guitar, offset by quiet bits. The plea 'open up your eyes' is aimed at the world at large, though it can be taken for something more intimate. The driving sound continues in 'God Put a Smile Upon Your Face,' where the pensive lyrics are superbly juxtaposed against the music.
'The Scientist,' about a man more interested in love than in science, was critically acclaimed for its use of falsetto & piano; according to lyrics007.com, the song was written around a piano ballad, by all the band members. Another song with a dominant piano sound (it, too, was written around a piano riff, says lyrics007.com) is 'Clocks,' which makes use of contrasts, a theme found more than once in this CD.
The unusual-sounding 'Green Eyes' is a typical love song about a man whose girlfriend helps him through the rough spots, but in Coldplay's hands, the idea seems new. So, too, does the story of 'Warning Sign,' about a man who regrets missing out on love.
From the urgent 'A Whisper' & 'Clocks' to the desperate 'Amsterdam' & the hopeful 'Daylight,' this album really comes through.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, 2008, Scholastic Press, $17.99, hardbound, 374 pages. Category/Genre: science fiction. Cover: evocative and intriguing. Where we got it: Books-A-Million. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, & probably anywhere else you can think of.
This fast-paced book begins a trilogy which by now is quite familiar to both readers and movie-goers alike. But for those few unfamiliar with the series, it begins in a place called District 12, which was once Appalachia. Aside from the Capitol, all of the 12 districts exist in poverty and suffering. The people of District 12 are starving, and must resort to desperate measures in order to feed themselves.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who has her mother and younger sister to feed, spends every spare minute she has hunting in the woods, which is forbidden by law; she could be shot and killed for this trespass. With her is her friend Gale Hawthorne, who also has a family to keep alive. The two have been best friends for years and know how to work the Hob, their district's black market, where hunted goods can be sold.
The book opens on the day of the reaping. This is the day on which a boy and a girl from the ages of 12 to 18 will be selected from each district to compete in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are the Capitol's sadistic way of reminding the poor districts who's in power. The 24 tributes chosen by lot will fight to the death in order to try and win food for their starving communities. To add humiliation to their pain, the Capitol forces the tributes to preen for the camera and act as if being selected is an honour.
And for some tributes, it is: certain districts train their youth from day one so that when they get to the arena, they have a distinct advantage over other tributes.
Of course, Katniss ends up in the arena, but that isn't the most exciting part of the book; the most exciting parts are the many twists and turns Collins skillfully interjects throughout the story. Action drives the book, though it is not just physical action – there is plenty of that, and some of it is quite gruesome, so be prepared – there is also a plethora of emotional action. Collins creates such depth of character that you feel as if you know everyone in the book, even those players with a minor role. She doesn't hold back, and she has a gift for making every tiny detail important.
If you like this one, try: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
We first became aware of Linden Street Quick-Dri Textured towels & washcloths when our sister gave some to us as a surprise one year for Christmas. We've asked for more since, & have never been disappointed with what we got. The towels (& cloths) come in a variety of neat colours, including chocolate, soft cream, & Arona blue. They're plush, large, & energy efficient; they save money on drying because they dry faster than most other towels & cloths. They also absorb water better, which means you get drier faster.
