Claude Monet: Impression, Soleil Levant

Monet can paint light. I love this painting. I can stare at it for hours. Perfect, timeless and beautiful.

Cylon Toast!

Out For A Swim...

Turtles: the ultimate cool.

Fashion Statement..

Sometimes it gets cold in the library.

Letting Off A Little Steam...

A Typical Librarian's Car...

Bugatti Veyron

Destination Capri, Italy...

Capri, perhaps the librarian’s next destination? For all the romantic notions associated with the isle of Capri it’s ironic that its name derives from the Latin word capreae meaning “goats.” Nonetheless it has been the haunt  of many great authors and artists. John Singer Sargent painted the fauna here (aka the local inhabitants.) And Somerset Maugham used Capri as the setting for his famous story, The Lotus Eater (1945) about a a Boston man who goes on holiday to Capri and never comes back. (Check Maugham’s writing out by the way). And of course Norman Douglas wrote his famous novel, South Wind here accurately describing both Capri’s visitors and its residents and all they were up to. So if if have a week or two take a boat on out to the island that has fascinated people since ancient times. It’s a beautiful ride across the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Precarious Situation!

Ever feel like this guy? Any whales sharks in your life?

My Kind of Cat...

This cat collects library fines!

Best iPad App...

Tom D. from Mass. emailed me to ask what iPad Apps I would recommend. Well I already did a post on this topic not to long ago, but there is one app I think deserves special mention: TED Talks. The TED app is proof positive of the old adage, “the best things in life are free.” The TED “people” so to speak describe  their app as, “riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world.” Indeed.  If you hit the “inspire me” button you are asked to pick your subject of interest. Your choices: jaw dropping. persuasive, beautiful, fascinating, funny, inspiring and informative.  The amazing thing is that the appellations are not hype. These talks actually live up to their billing. The app itself is works beautifully with never a crash. You can also search by keyword or pick one of the many recent featured talks. Recent talks I watched: Brian Cox: “Why We Need Explorers’ and Brian Greene’s “Is Our Universe the Only Universe?”  Both talks are amazing. Check them out or any of the 100 other topics that may interest you. Check TED out. Also available for iPhone or through iTunesU.

Excuse Me. Can I Use Your Pool?