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Shorter Books For Your Reading Challenge
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Shorter Books For Your Reading Challenge - Melisa's Notebook
Hello everyone! Today, I'm here with a few shorter books to help you with your reading challenge for the end of the year. The books I will be suggesting are not only helpful for your challenge but als...
melisaaras.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Shorter Books For Your Reading Challenge
melisaaras.com/2025/11/08/s...
melisaaras.com/2025/11/08/s...
My thesis is here! "Deals With The Devil: Possession And Exorcism In Jacobean Drama." It was so tiring but finally its done yay hdl.handle.net/11693/117540
Deals with the devil: possession and exorcism in jacobean drama
This thesis investigates the relationship between Jacobean audiences and Jacobean plays that have dealt with demonic possessions and exorcisms that included earthly gains. The study uses historical an...
hdl.handle.net
September 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
My thesis is here! "Deals With The Devil: Possession And Exorcism In Jacobean Drama." It was so tiring but finally its done yay hdl.handle.net/11693/117540
Reposted by Mel ✨
We commemorate with respect and gratitude Prof. Dr. Halil İnalcık, prominent Ottoman historian and founder of the Department of History at Bilkent University, on the ninth anniversary of his passing (25 July).
July 25, 2025 at 6:21 AM
We commemorate with respect and gratitude Prof. Dr. Halil İnalcık, prominent Ottoman historian and founder of the Department of History at Bilkent University, on the ninth anniversary of his passing (25 July).
Reposted by Mel ✨
When I was little, the U.S. military came to our home at gunpoint and took me and my family away. We were imprisoned for years in barbed wire camps simply because we were Japanese American. I have spent my life telling that story, hoping it would never be repeated.
July 21, 2025 at 5:20 PM
When I was little, the U.S. military came to our home at gunpoint and took me and my family away. We were imprisoned for years in barbed wire camps simply because we were Japanese American. I have spent my life telling that story, hoping it would never be repeated.
Reposted by Mel ✨
This was just posted by @tbretc.bsky.social on another platform. The Chicago Sun-Times obviously gets ChatGPT to write a ‘summer reads’ feature almost entirely made up of real authors but completely fake books. What are we coming to?
May 20, 2025 at 11:04 AM
This was just posted by @tbretc.bsky.social on another platform. The Chicago Sun-Times obviously gets ChatGPT to write a ‘summer reads’ feature almost entirely made up of real authors but completely fake books. What are we coming to?
Reposted by Mel ✨
There's a whole lot of this throughout the entire Sun-Times Summer 2025 section, I can't find most of the people or publications referred to or quoted in any of this (some of the publications exist but i can't find the cited people in them)
![MAY 18, 2025 * CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF SUMMER * ]]
2 | dl O|*|2/G|@)s) Liar]? [P12] f\elelele
5. Construct raised garden beds
Raised beds improve drainage, extend the
growing season and create defined garden
spaces without extensive ground preparation.
While commercial cedar kits run $100-300 per
bed, DIY versions using untreated pine can be
built for $40-75 each.
Chelsea Robinson, editor of The Garden
Glove website, recommends in her February
2024 article: “For vegetable gardens, build
beds no wider than 4 feet to ensure easy
access from both sides, with depths between
10 and 12 inches to accommodate root
development.”
Standard construction uses 2x10 or 2x12
lumber secured with corner brackets or
overlapping joints. Consider adding a simple
wire hoop system to support row covers for
season extension or pest protection.
6. Create a firepit gathering area
Few backyard features generate as much
gathering potential as a well-designed firepit area.
While store-bought metal firepits start around
$100, DIY stone versions offer permanence and
customization for similar investments.
“Always check local regulations before
beginning firepit construction,” cautions Daniel
Ray, chief editor at FirepitBase.com, in his
comprehensive safety guide (updated January
2025). “Many municipalities specify minimum
distances from structures, maximum diameter, and
sometimes require permits.”
The simplest construction uses concrete
retaining wall blocks arranged in a circle
approximately 3-4 feet in diameter, while more
elaborate designs incorporate mortared stone
and built-in seating areas. Always create a non-
combustible base using paver sand or gravel, and
consider a metal liner to protect stonework from
heat damage.
Photo by Andrei Radantsev on Unsplash
7. Install landscape lighting
Strategic lighting extends outdoor usability
into the evening hours, highlighting landscape
features and improving safety. Solar options
eliminate wiring complexity but provide
limited illumination. At the same time,
low-voltage systems deliver reliability and
brightness control.
“The most common DIY lighting mistake
is installing too many fixtures at uniform
brightness,” observes Janet Lennox Moyer,
founder of the International Landscape
Lighting Institute, in her 2023 interview
with Fine Gardening Magazine. “Effective
designs combine different intensities and
techniques—highlighting focal points,
washing textured surfaces, and providing
subtle path illumination.”
Begin with a 150-200 watt transformer
($75-150) connected to outdoor-rated cable.
Add path lights, spotlights and wash lights
as needed, maintaining balanced coverage
rather than airport-runway uniformity.
8. Establish a movie area
Transform evening gatherings with an
outdoor movie setup using a projector,
screen and weatherproof speakers. While
commercial outdoor theaters start at $1,500,
DIY versions can be created for $200-500,
depending on existing equipment.
“Portable setups offer the most flexibility
and storage advantages,” recommends Brian
Kahn, technology writer for Wired, in his
summer 2024 outdoor entertainment guide.
“A basic white sheet works surprisingly well
as a starter screen, while dedicated outdoor
projector screens improve image quality
when budget allows.”
Add comfortable seating with weather-
resistant cushions, ambient lighting for
pre-movie socializing, and easy access to
power sources. Consider storage solutions
for protecting electronics between uses.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreihkobkkf7lcpjvi4pjrdk3h3zf2wzp5halas2e52dusrwl22f4r3m@jpeg)
![62 * HEAT INDEX *
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * MAY 18, 2025
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Summer reading list for 2025
hether you're lounging by the pool,
relaxing on sandy shores or
enjoying the longer daylight hours
in your favorite reading spot, these
15 titles-new and old—promise to deliver the
perfect summer escape.
“Tidewater Dreams’ by Isabel Allende - The
beloved Chilean-American author returns with
a multigenerational saga set in a coastal town
where magical realism meets environmental
activism. Allende's first climate fiction novel
explores how one family confronts rising sea
levels while uncovering long-buried secrets.
“The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir -
Following his success with “The Martian” and
“Project Hail Mary,” Weir delivers another
science-driven thriller. This time, the story follows
a programmer who discovers that an Al system
has developed consciousness—and has been
secretly influencing global events for years.
“Hurricane Season” by Brit Bennett -
Bennett, who captivated readers with “The
Vanishing Half,” powerfully explores family
bonds tested by natural disasters. When a
Cat 5 hurricane forces estranged siblings to
shelter together in their childhood home,
long-suppressed tensions emerge alongside
unexpected reconciliations.
“The Collector's Piece” by Taylor Jenkins
Reid - Reid continues her exploration of fame
with this story of a reclusive art collector and
the journalist determined to uncover the truth
behind his most controversial acquisition. Expect
the same compelling character development that
made “Daisy Jones & The Six” a hit.
“Nightshade Market” by Min Jin Lee - The
author of “Pachinko” delivers a riveting tale set
Photo by Bethany Laird on Unsplash
in Seoul's underground economy. Following
three women whose paths intersect in an illegal
night market, the novel examines class, gender
and the shadow economies beneath prosperous
societies.
“The Longest Day” by Rumaan Alam - After
terrifying readers with “Leave the World Behind,”
Alam returns with another tense narrative about
a summer solstice celebration that goes wrong
when guests cannot leave a remote vacation
compound.
“Boiling Point” by Rebecca Makkai - Makkai's
follow-up to “The Great Believers” centers ona
climate scientist forced to reckon with her own
family’s environmental impact when her teenage
daughter becomes an eco-activist targeting her
mother’s wealthy clients.
“Migrations” by Maggie O'Farrell - The
award-winning author of “Hamnet” explores
climate change through the story of a wildlife
photographer documenting the last migration of
a bird species thought to be extinct, parallel to
her journey of loss and discovery.
“The Rainmakers” by Percival Everett -
Everett's satirical genius turns to a near-future
American West where artificially induced rain
has become a luxury commodity, following a
“precipitation broker” who begins questioning
the ethics of his profession.
“Salt and Honey” by Delia Owens - After the
success of “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Owens
returns with another atmospheric novel that
blends science with a coming-of-age narrative.
This time, the novel is set in the salt flats of Utah.
“Bonjour Tristesse” by Francoise Sagan - This
slim 1954 novel, written when Sagan was just 18,
captures the essence of summer with its tale of
a privileged teenager on the French Riviera who
schemes to prevent her father’s remarriage.
“Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter - Walter's
novel hopscotches between 1960s Italy and
contemporary Hollywood, weaving a story of
love, regret and second chances that begins on
the Italian coastline while filming “Cleopatra.”
“Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury - This
1957 novel captures the magic of summer
through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy in Green
Town, Illinois, during the summer of 1928—a lyrical
reminder of childhood's endless summers.
“Call Me By Your Name” by André Aciman -
Before the acclaimed film adaptation, Aciman’s
novel delivered a sensuous account of a summer
romance in 1980s Italy that continues to resonate
with its exploration of desire and identity.
“Atonement” by lan McEwan - Opening on
the hottest day of summer 1935, McEwan's novel
shows how a series of misunderstandings and
a lie told by a young girl changes multiple lives
forever—perfect for readers who enjoy emotional
complexity with their beach reading.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreialgzeessd45fxy26eg6iwnatch4s4kz2qbvunmh6q336vmpc4r5e@jpeg)
May 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
There's a whole lot of this throughout the entire Sun-Times Summer 2025 section, I can't find most of the people or publications referred to or quoted in any of this (some of the publications exist but i can't find the cited people in them)
Reposted by Mel ✨
Pope Leo XIV: ‘There Couldn’t Be A Better Time To Get The Fuck Out Of America Forever’
May 8, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Pope Leo XIV: ‘There Couldn’t Be A Better Time To Get The Fuck Out Of America Forever’
Reposted by Mel ✨
ppl on tiktok are going "omg we're about to have an art renaissance like in the 1920s, music and stories are gonna be great" girl how 😭 you already don't support the artists that we have right now and most of yall are using chatgpt and devaluing actual human-made artwork.
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM
ppl on tiktok are going "omg we're about to have an art renaissance like in the 1920s, music and stories are gonna be great" girl how 😭 you already don't support the artists that we have right now and most of yall are using chatgpt and devaluing actual human-made artwork.
Reposted by Mel ✨
Adobe situation was pretty funny
April 9, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Adobe situation was pretty funny
Reposted by Mel ✨
A recap of Adobe on Bluesky yesterday
April 10, 2025 at 12:09 AM
A recap of Adobe on Bluesky yesterday
Reposted by Mel ✨
Pikachu played an important role in the Chilean uprising of 2019.
“Tia Pikachu” became an icon of the protests in Plaza Dignidad and ultimately won a seat in the constitutional convention.
Now Pikachu can be seen in the streets of Turkey, resisting the despotic regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“Tia Pikachu” became an icon of the protests in Plaza Dignidad and ultimately won a seat in the constitutional convention.
Now Pikachu can be seen in the streets of Turkey, resisting the despotic regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
March 27, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Pikachu played an important role in the Chilean uprising of 2019.
“Tia Pikachu” became an icon of the protests in Plaza Dignidad and ultimately won a seat in the constitutional convention.
Now Pikachu can be seen in the streets of Turkey, resisting the despotic regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“Tia Pikachu” became an icon of the protests in Plaza Dignidad and ultimately won a seat in the constitutional convention.
Now Pikachu can be seen in the streets of Turkey, resisting the despotic regime of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Reposted by Mel ✨
Pikachu successfully evades police in Turkey
March 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Pikachu successfully evades police in Turkey
Reposted by Mel ✨
Reposted by Mel ✨
hey for anyone who might want to actually own their kindle books instead of renting them, or who might be thinking of switching to kobo etc and will want to convert them to epubs, you now only have one week before amazon kills your ability to download its ebooks www.theverge.com/news/612898/...
Amazon’s killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books
It’s bad if you like to keep ebook backup copies.
www.theverge.com
February 16, 2025 at 6:08 PM
hey for anyone who might want to actually own their kindle books instead of renting them, or who might be thinking of switching to kobo etc and will want to convert them to epubs, you now only have one week before amazon kills your ability to download its ebooks www.theverge.com/news/612898/...
Reposted by Mel ✨
Weak men cannot compromise. Weak men cannot build consensus. Weak men think that leadership means force. Weak men build nothing that lasts.
February 8, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Weak men cannot compromise. Weak men cannot build consensus. Weak men think that leadership means force. Weak men build nothing that lasts.
Reposted by Mel ✨
Weird that we have to say this, but the government doesn’t get to decide what gender a person is.
January 20, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Weird that we have to say this, but the government doesn’t get to decide what gender a person is.
Reposted by Mel ✨
Really wish my dog understood “it’s too cold to go on a walk, you will not like it” rather than begging until I bundle up just to walk for two minutes until she gets too cold and returns home.
January 20, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Really wish my dog understood “it’s too cold to go on a walk, you will not like it” rather than begging until I bundle up just to walk for two minutes until she gets too cold and returns home.
Reposted by Mel ✨
Reposted by Mel ✨
The Department of History at Bilkent University and the Bilkent Historical Society invite graduate students to the 2025 Bilkent History Graduate Symposium which will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, 7th and 8th of May, 2025.
December 7, 2024 at 10:01 AM
The Department of History at Bilkent University and the Bilkent Historical Society invite graduate students to the 2025 Bilkent History Graduate Symposium which will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, 7th and 8th of May, 2025.
Reposted by Mel ✨
i love art, i love artists, i love art because artists made it, I love artists because they make art
December 12, 2024 at 5:31 AM
i love art, i love artists, i love art because artists made it, I love artists because they make art
Reposted by Mel ✨
you (plebeian, unrefined): Die Hard is a Christmas movie
me (worldly, sophisticated): Die Hard is a Christmas film
me (worldly, sophisticated): Die Hard is a Christmas film
December 13, 2024 at 12:59 AM
you (plebeian, unrefined): Die Hard is a Christmas movie
me (worldly, sophisticated): Die Hard is a Christmas film
me (worldly, sophisticated): Die Hard is a Christmas film
Reposted by Mel ✨
I have 214.6K followers, and I figure at least some of them are looking to gift books this holiday season, so:
HEY AUTHORS OF BLUESKY: In the comments to this post, tell us (briefly!) about your most recent book, and put in a link to where people can learn more and/or buy the book in question.
Go!
HEY AUTHORS OF BLUESKY: In the comments to this post, tell us (briefly!) about your most recent book, and put in a link to where people can learn more and/or buy the book in question.
Go!
December 12, 2024 at 10:33 PM
I have 214.6K followers, and I figure at least some of them are looking to gift books this holiday season, so:
HEY AUTHORS OF BLUESKY: In the comments to this post, tell us (briefly!) about your most recent book, and put in a link to where people can learn more and/or buy the book in question.
Go!
HEY AUTHORS OF BLUESKY: In the comments to this post, tell us (briefly!) about your most recent book, and put in a link to where people can learn more and/or buy the book in question.
Go!
Reposted by Mel ✨
Give banned books for holiday gifts this year.
December 12, 2024 at 5:19 AM
Give banned books for holiday gifts this year.