Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Endorsements,Inventions & Weekend Of Literary Basking

Today's blogs...

30 Day Blogging Challenge

Do celebrity endorsements of particular products influence your decision to purchase and/or use them? Would you be more likely to lean toward a different brand than your usual if the company were to use a spokesperson more to your liking?

I would say yes and no to this. I might be willing to consider something with a celebrity endorsement, but I would not buy it without some extra research of my own. If I did not like a particular celebrity, I would be inclined to not consider the product - it would be tainted by a negative connection.

Dove is not celebrity endorsed, but I love their ad campaign. I still don't buy their products because I had an allergic reaction to their soap many eons ago and that keeps me away from anything in their line.

Blog City – Day 196 {Day 13 of the LIST}

Prompt: If you could invent anything new, what would it be?

I prefer to keep my inventions within the realm of paper and pen, or computer. Safely crafted within my words so that no harm can be done... or only harm in the fictional sense.

But if I stretched myself to consider something... what would I invent?

I know there are already treadmill desks - to keep fit while working. That is cool.

Ah.... I know the perfect thing....
My husband might like an invisible force field to surround his vehicle to ward off any potential nicks, bumps, scratches and so forth. He may even like a shocking sensation to jolt the person who even thinks about touching his car. I love him, but he is very anal about this. I often find myself saying 'I don't drive around in a bubble'. Life happens. He would just prefer it not to happen near his car.

Inventions of Merit
#1. Light bulb - Thomas Edison
#2. Phonograph - Thomas Edison
#3. Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell
#4. Automobile - Henry Ford
#5. Stove
#6. Refrigerator
#7. Washing Machine
#8. Dryer
#9. Backpack
#10. Shoes
#11. Tracksuit - I am so cold right now and I want comfortable and cozy
#12. Television
#13. Furnaces
#14. Air Conditioners

Welcome To My Reality - Week Thirty - Nine

1. Tell us about somewhere you went this week.

3. Tell us about the best concert (or theatre performance, etc, whatever you're in to) that you've been to, OR your dream concert that you wish you could go to.

I am going to combine these responses (if I can) and say that I went to the Eden Mills Writer’s Festival yesterday. It has been running in the area for 26 years and I have wanted to go for probably most of those years, but usually forget. This year, because my cousin is getting married this weekend, I am unable to go to Word On The Street in Kitchener so I made more effort to get out to Eden Mills. I was not disappointed. It definitely ranks up there as one of my best performances.... public readings in outdoor venues.

The festival was started in 1989 when author, Leon Rooke had a book coming out. He and his publisher, I believe thought it would be good to do a reading at the Chapel around the corner from his house. His wife is also a writer, Constance Rooke and together they decided to invite some writer friends and make an event out of it. It took off from there. Leon Rooke celebrated his 80th birthday this year. His wife has since pasted away, about six years ago.

Eden Mills is a wee village of 300 people. It is north of Guelph, Ontario. Quaint would describe it. Many people live it the buildings that were once shops. In fact, some of them are still shops.

I heard authors read from their work in outdoor venues (the day held sunny, but it was cooler than seasonal) I found I didn't get chilly until near the end of the festival (after 5 pm). I also got to browse thorough local booksellers - Guelph's Bookshelf (my favourite bookstore) and the Publisher Biblioasis. I bought a few books - five actually - and got them signed by their author.

At the Non-Fiction venue I heard readings from Dan Falk (The Science of Shakespeare), Gillian Deacon (Naked Imperfection) and Patricia Pearson (Opening Heaven's Door). I bought Deacon's book and a different one from Pearson called A Brief The History of Anxiety.

At the Chapel venue I heard fiction readings from C.P. Boyko (Novelists), K.D. Miller (All Saints), Diane Shoemperlen (By The Book) and Ray Robertson (I Was There The Night He Died). Loving fiction I bought these books, except Robertson's, and got them all signed.

At the Mill venue I heard University of Guelph / Humber Master of Fine Art students read and share their work. Two had won contests within their programs. The others have been honoured with other awards... the writers were Nicole Chin, Brett Alan Dewing, Allison Lasorda, Andy McGuire and Marcia Walker.

My last outdoor reading was at the Sculpture Garden where authors read from their award winning books and then Gillian Deacon interviewed them. Eleanor Catton read from The Luminaries (It won the 2013 Man Booker Prize and the Governor General's award. Lynn Coady read from Hellgoing. It won the 2013 Gillar Prize. Last to read was Kate Pullinger and she read from Landing Gear. Her book The Mistress of Nothing won the Governor Generals award for fiction in 2009.

All in all it was a fabulous day; worth the trek over to the village of Eden Mills. Before I left to come home, I warmed up in front of a fireplace in one of the shops. It is a shop / home that was built in the 1800's. They sell sculpture pieces from local artists. When the shop is not open they live there. The kitchen sink and stove are behind the counter that serves as both prep area and sales desk; definitely an interesting way to live.