The Power of a Well Stocked Dress-Up Bag

This morning I unearthed my blue pinstriped vest. One of the buttons is loose (it is a hand-me-down) but I have never bothered to fix it. It is one of my favorite articles of clothing, I can wear it with pants or with one of my school girl skirts and it will always look dashing. (At least in my mind.) This vest is my Tobias vest. I wear it and the silly musician I write about is just that much easier to access.

The vest is not the first article of clothing to "be" a character for me. For years I kept a pair of worn through shoes because they were Daphne's. I always have a green polo shirt somewhere for Blair. One shapeless, gigantic green sweater I wear around the house (it is really too beat up for anything else) when it is cold out inspired Sammy MacJay. Every pair of ballet shoes that wander into my life are Ryan. My closet is, in many ways, my character database. I do not NEED these clothes to write, but when I want that extra nearness and understanding I take them out.

Some things are characters that are not born yet. I have kept a blue and white stage-Victorian dress in my closet for years. I have written many things I like while wearing it, but never enough to know exactly who is wearing the dress. Similarly, I have a "Von Trap" sailor dress that keeps calling to me, then changing its mind.

I do not turn into my characters, mystically, by putting these items on. It just helps to know I am wearing something they would chose to wear. What sort of person wears a vest with a loose button and doesn't give a damn? Tobias. He probably could mend it, if he really wanted to, but he has much better things to do. Besides, it adds to his rag-shag appearance and therefor helps bring in some coin.

Anyways, I was just thinking about this as I get ready for work and thought I would post about it here.

Childrens Books

This week is all about childrens literature in the Chateau Chez Bombshellcat. Picture books, chapter books, series books… I just have them on the brain and, frankly, it really is not that uncommon around here. Two of my seven bookcases are devoted exclusively to childrens books: Juliet for chapter books and BoPeep for picture books. Most of Dorothy, my series case, is devoted to American Girl, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Narnia, Prydain and other books I grew up loving (and a few teen series and the Master and Commander books, the only “grownup” series I read.) Clara, the special collections case, has a shelf just for the Oz books and related literature as well as a shelf for “The Secret Garden” (which I collect illustrated versions of) and more versions of Cinderella than it is probably healthy for one girl to own.

This obsession is part nostalgia and part parenthood/aunthood planning. My children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews will have only the best books at their disposal- I insist! Growing up the only I loved more than reading was being read TO and I want to make sure both opportunities are amply supplied for any young ones that wander into my life.

This week has seen a few additions to my collection:

The Marvelous Land of Oz

Ozma of Oz

Madeline et le Chenapan (Madeline and the Bad Hat en francais)

The Madeline is significant in that I am only just beginning to find my favorite books in French. I love the language and want to encourage the browsers of my library to fall in love with it too. I have a few French novels as well as Le Petit Prince and the French edition of the first Harry Potter book. My younger sister is a devoted Spanish student so I have always kept an eye out for good Spanish books for her- I am twice as likely to buy a book for my sister as I am for myself!

The Oz books have been a long time coming. I was hesitant to start collecting them outright for awhile, unsure if I would like the series enough. Last summer I read the first five through the library and fell madly in love… and asked for the big Books of Wonder hardcover set for Christmas. Needless to say, I never got the set. It is expensive and impractical. Maybe someday I will save up and get it for myself but, for now, getting the first fifteen (the L. Frank Baum ones) in used paperback will be more than enough to keep me happy. I am still being picky about which editions I get- if the illustrations are not included I do not want it! I have had a horrible non-illustrated copy of “The Road to Oz” for years now and I really cannot stand it. Half the point of an Oz book is the humorous, lovely illustrations that match the humor and loveliness of the writing.

Any other childrens book enthusiasts out there? Any favorites? I would love to hear about them! 

Typewriters

I am an old fashioned girl... she tells her blog.... on the internet... using a netbook.

Rather, I am a very NOSTALGIC girl- just ask anyone who knows me! It's one of my more annoying/endearing traits (depending on who you ask.) I even get nostalgic for things before my lifetime. This is part of why I want to work in museums for the rest of my life...

... it is also why I love typewriters.

I picked up a Smith Corona Skywriter a few years ago at a tag sale- amazing condition, came with its original travelling case too! (Oh, "portable" typewriters!) It's grey, it's small and it hails from the 1950s. The original warranty card still resides in the pocket of the travelling case, though the previous owner apparently never made good of it. (The postcard is still in there. Would have been nice if they had at least filled in the date so I could know the exact make of this little beauty.) I had a slight problem with it shortly after purchasing, but managed to fix it with scotch tape. (Can I do that with my netbook? No.) Now all it needs is dusting and a new ribbon and... voila! I can type away to my heart's content.

Today I ordered the new ribbon. This is where NEW technology is wonderful. I know of only one typewriter store "near" me and it is very out of the way. I will still try and get out there, maybe for maintenance. In the meantime I have found mytypewriter.com , which helped me find the ribbon for my exact model fairly painlessly. They also have some beautiful restored machines for sale, including some early electronic typewriters. Best of all... they have a list of famous authors and their typewriters, which is probably how I would shop if I did not have my dear little Skywriter.

(Isn't Skywriter an awesome name for a typewriter?)

Anyway, I am pretty excited about this today. Just thought I would share.

Cheers,
C.