The Iceberg Illusion: Reflections Upon The Occasion Of My Return To The Blogosphere

September 13, 2016August 28, 2018 / Ally Bean / 38 Comments

~ ~ • ~ ~

WELL… I’m back.

August turned out to be every bit as hot and humid and hateful as I anticipated it would be. Just a miserable excuse of a month during which I did not do much of anything except think about what I will be doing in the future.

Planning? Or procrastinating? You decide.

Whatevs.

Bottom line? I’m here now with a renewed sense of purpose.

To wit, I’ve decided that blogging gives my weeks a bit of much-needed structure, provides me with a way to process the details of my life, and overall it’s fun.

Plus I’ve concluded that I’m doing something right and helpful here, considering how many people follow me and make the effort to comment. Thank you.

So I’m going to keep on keeping a blog.

~ • ~

BUT… I’ve also realized that writing a quirky personal blog, such as The Spectacled Bean, has morphed from a hobby into an unpaid part-time job that has a certain work-y-ness to it that you, my gentle readers, don’t see.

Rather like an iceberg. Much going on below the water line to make this blog engrossing and twaddle-y, so to speak.

I’m not complaining, mind you. Just explaining that if I disappear from the blogosphere from time-to-time, it’s not that I don’t love you all to pieces. I do.

It’s just that I’m an introvert who occasionally doesn’t know what to say. About anything. Here.

Or in real life.

~ ~ • ~ ~

Anything Could Happen August: Taking A Break From Blogging

July 28, 2016August 28, 2018 / Ally Bean / 24 Comments

{ From 25 Proven Ways To Relax }

I don’t like August.

It’s too hot outside. Too humid outside. Too pollen-y. And there’s not one holiday to celebrate during all 31 days of it.

It is boring.

So instead of straining my brain to have something to say here during a dull time of year, I’ve decided to take a break from blogging until September.

Why not do something different?

In other words, my gentle readers, I’ll be around the blogosphere from time-to-time, but I plan on spending most of my free time lollygagging and frittering my days away like a non-blogger.

Just to see how the other half lives.

Later, kids. Catch you on the flip side.

A Study In Arrogance: When Coleus Becomes Political

July 22, 2016May 6, 2021 / Ally Bean / 52 Comments

Trying to rid myself of the RNC’s frenetic vibes this week, I turned my attention to doing something productive.

I researched COLEUS.

I wanted to find out the names of the three varieties that are growing profusely in pots on our deck.

At the beginning of the summer I planted six different types of coleus in pots, but three died within weeks of planting. So I thought that next year I’d plant more of the ones that grew, if I could figure out/remember the name of each type.

But, of course, in the process of my research I found more information about coleus than I’d anticipated. Coleus has a long history.

# # #

For instance, did you know:

that in the scientific community coleus is called PLECTRANTHUS SCUTELLARIOIDES?
that at one point coleus was referred to as PAINTED NETTLES?
that some sources say coleus has A CONNECTION TO ARTHURIAN LEGEND?
that coleus was cultivated by the Mazatecs of Mexico as A HALLUCINOGENIC PLANT?
that during England’s Victorian period coleus was planted to create what was known as A CARPET GARDEN?

# # #

But my research, inspired by a desire to rise above politics, ended when I discovered the most ridiculously depressing fact about coleus. You see, in the language of flowers coleus means: “How dare you address me that way?!”

That is, the plant means ARROGANCE.

And it was upon learning this that I found myself circling back to my thoughts about the Tangerine Tornado + the Nattering Nabobs of Negativity. I couldn’t believe that I was researching a plant whose meaning embodied all that The Donald represents, when my goal was to avoid thinking or hearing on the news about his nonsense.

Yet here I was doing something good, trying to make the world a better place through learning, only to find myself tripped up by arrogance.

Now how defeating, and oddly metaphorical, is that?

What Ally Forgot: A Different Kind Of Book Review

July 19, 2016August 28, 2018 / Ally Bean / 49 Comments

• Introduction •

A few weeks ago Akilah at The Englishist wrote a post titled, “Top Ten Books I Have No Recollection of Reading.” Her point, which is excellent, is that we all read lots of books, but not all the books stick with us.

We forget about some books entirely– and only remember odd tidbits in other ones.

Inspired by Akilah I decided to figure out what books I’ve read, enjoyed enough to keep a copy around here, but now can’t tell you much of anything about the characters, the plot, the setting.

• My Top Five Books That I Have [Almost] No Recollection Of Reading •

1. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander

I know that I read this book when it was cold outside because I remember looking at the cover and thinking how much warmer I’d be if I had on that red dress. As for the story, couldn’t tell you a thing about it, but that dress…

2. Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman

Someone on Twitter suggested this book so I got a copy of it and read it. My impression is that I thought the story was cute. The only specific I remember is that there was something about grilling steaks [?] in it. Must have been hungry when I read it.

3. Then Again by Diane Keaton

I’ve enjoyed Diane Keaton’s work as an actress, so I bought this book hoping to learn about what makes her tick. Apparently that didn’t happen because all I can tell you is that Diane’s mother was seriously ill. There might have been more insight, but I’ll be darned if I know what it was.

4. The Buddha Walks Into A Bar: A Guide To Life by Lodro Rinzler

I bought this book at Anthropologie thinking that I could use some self-improvement, and with a title like this one, I’d find the meaning of life within the pages of this book. No idea what this book was about, but the cover is cute. So there’s that.

5. Four Souls by Louise Erdich

A few friends recommended this book to me. There was a character with a French first name, and I remember thinking that there was a lot of history going on in this story. Guess I forgot all the facts, just like I used to do immediately after taking any history test.

• Some Fun Bookish Things To Do •

Want to laugh about books you don’t want to read? Go to Awful Library Books.

Want to learn about books you will want to read? Go to What Should I Read Next with Anne Bogel.

Want to read like an incoming freshman at Harvard? Go to Malia Obama’s Essential College Reading List.

Want to get a book reading list customized for you? Go to whichbook.

Want to keep up with books that aren’t popular? Go to The Neglected Books Page.

• Question of the Day •

What are you reading now?

Is it something that you think you’ll always remember reading? Or is it a filler book, good in the moment, but destined to be on your very own Books I Have No Recollection of Reading List?