“We should all know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” – Maya Angelou
Hey, Guys… it’s been a busy, crazy week… There have been losses and wins, in the publishing world this month, and we are diminished with the loss of an elegant lady in Maya Angelou. While the internet takes a moment to mourn, we’ll dig in the couch for a little bit of happiness from these past few weeks:
Robison Wells’ Indiegogo FULLY FUNDED, with enough left over to donate to someone else in a pinch. Because, occasionally, the universe rocks.
Betsy Bird, blogger extraordinaire for School Library Journal and mother of Wee Oiseau was joined last week by Bitty Bird, and boy, is he a cutie.
It was Leila’s birthday – which means the universe rocks at least once a year, and has for the past thirtymumble,
And Reading Rainbow’s Kickstarter SUPER-funded in eleven hours. Two million dollars and counting.
It’s kind of ridiculous how gobsmacking the whole thing is… the community just comes together, and, BOOM. It just nostalgia? Is it just that we would do anything for LeVar Burton? While this is so amazing, it’s also so sad. RIF gets cut, and PBS funding gets cut and shows get cancelled and so we all figure out Plan B. on Kickstarter. Should we have to have had a Plan B.? No. Seems like education and books and stuff should have been organized better to begin with…
But, I was talking about things that made me HAPPY, yes? Moving on:
The potential for 3-D, print makeup. Still amused by how nonplussed the Tech Crunch guys were. “Uh… yeah, but… I don’t think tweens can afford that.” Um, iPhones, people? How do tweens afford those?
The moment of joy of William H. Foster, III. He made me want to give him a hug. And write him some books to blow his mind some more.
This spindly, insectoid new cover for METAMORPHOSIS is FAB.
Also, this dung-beetle wardrobe. This one doesn’t open into Narnia… I’m thinking it jigs along and takes you on a quick visit to someplace quite dry and hot, then onward, to that one snowy spot with the faun and the light post…
Shall we roll on with the bugs? Certainly! Then, SAM RAMSEY and his moth, Shane, make me very happy. Not just because he’s gorgeous (that he is, not gonna lie), or that he’s written a paper on vampire ladybugs (not only does she need to fly home because her house is on fire, she vill suck your blud), nor simply because he named his ginormous caterpillar for a “him,” and it pupated into an egg-laying moth “her” (Shaneia? Shanera?) but because his undergrad teacher said to him, “I never met an African American entomologist,” and he didn’t let that break his stride. Perhaps he’ll be the first one she’s ever met. Walk on, Dr. Buggs. (Hat tip Squash Tea)
More happiness can be found when you TRANSPOSE! Hat tip to Leila, for sharing this site that takes novels and makes… music of their moods. Quite possibly the Coolest Thing, Ever.
Today’s final happy is this pheasant. This one right here. It is a pheasant of pure craziness. The ones we saw wandering the hills in Scotland were gorgeous, but can you imagine just seeing THIS? I can’t imagine who the first person was who thought pheasants were just something to EAT.
Bright weekend to you.
