I feel as if I would be a different person without books. Both as a reader and as a writer, fiction has shaped my life in many ways. So my inquiry question for the blog party is: "How does reading affect a person's personal life?" This question, for me, started with looking at how a person reads. I compared two people, one who reads constantly, and one who has never, according to him, finished a single book in his whole life.
Person A, the big reader, is full of curiosity about the world. She reads to enrich her life and disappear into a fantasy world. She reads fiction and nonfiction, depending on her mood and if she finds something she wants to learn more about. She is in her early 30s and still single.
Person B, who has never read a single book all the way through, graduated from high school playing football. He then went directly to work, got married young and started a family right away. He watches TV and hangs out with his circle of close friends and thinks books are a waste of time. If he wants to know about something, say how to fix a motorcycle, he learns from a mechanic. He might watch an educational program on the history channel, but more for entertainment than to learn.
So are these two different, apart from their reading habits? Person B has a family, whereas Person A does not. Has she spent too much time reading to find someone to marry? Or is that a factor here? Which one is happier?
I come from a family that does not put much store on reading. Most of us do, occasionally, but to read and to be a Reader (capital R) are two very different things. A person who reads might read on occasion, or even very frequently. A Reader puts reading first, above most everything. For those people who say that they don't have time to read, they are not Readers. Readers find time between the cracks in the walls. Readers always have a book with them. Readers read while walking down the street, or at red lights or while stopped for a train. Readers lose sleep and miss meals because of books. Readers have jobs to pay for their book habit and have houses so they have somewhere to store their books.
Reading has had a very large impact on my own personal life. I would rather read than be out with humans. I prefer fictional characters to most people. But that does not mean than I am better of than anyone else. Nor does it mean that someone who doesn't spend all their time reading is better off than I am.
I believe reading is just like any other past time. It doesn't fit everyone. I do not enjoy putting together model airplanes, but that doesn't mean it would enrich the life of my neighbor. However, I think that reading can enrich a person's life like very few other things can. Without books, I wouldn't get thousands of people's opinions on every subject possible. Such as Stephen King's opinion that a person can get used to anything, given the right circumstances. Or Dave Barry's opinion that a man is like a fly sitting on top of a truck tire and when that tire starts to roll and the fly is squished into a small, dark blot, the only thing going through the fly's mind will be - and I quote - "Huh?" Or Mercedes Lackey's opinion that Unicorns are distracted by passing butterflies. Or a thousand other things that are sometimes useless but more often than not, things that I have used to shape myself.
After reading the book Sphere by Michael Crichton (who does not kill children in his stories), I found something he wrote very useful. "If what you're doing doesn't work, try something else." That is a form of the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
So my question to everyone else is: How has reading shaped your personal life? Do you find that it helps you in the read world? Does reading affect your life in a negative way? Or is reading just something like any other hobby?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Week 8 Freestyle
Ah, the final post before the blog party. I have enjoyed the class, much more than I thought I would. Literature is still not my favorite thing in the world and I still feel sort of icky thinking about it, but I may take another lit class in the future, in order to force myself to learn more about it.
I would never have read the Lord of the Flies if not forced to in a class many years ago. And, without it, I wouldn't understand all the Lord of the Flies jokes in movies or on TV. And that would be tragic. So I wonder how many classic Literature jokes are going over my head because I have not read the books. Hundreds? Thousands? I must do something to fix this. I must read literature.
I would never have read the Lord of the Flies if not forced to in a class many years ago. And, without it, I wouldn't understand all the Lord of the Flies jokes in movies or on TV. And that would be tragic. So I wonder how many classic Literature jokes are going over my head because I have not read the books. Hundreds? Thousands? I must do something to fix this. I must read literature.
Week 8 Scene-Response
The clip I picked was from Act 3 where Emilia finds the handkerchief. Iago is played by Sir Ian McKellan, which was sort of surprising because I never would have pictured him in a play like this. And then I was surprised that I was surprised by it. Of course Ian McKellan has done Shakespeare! What hasn't he done? Okay, he is not in any of the Twilight movies (as far as I know, anyway), but pretty much everything else, yes.
What I took from this scene I got from reading along with the actors, which helped a lot. I could see their faces and get some of their feelings from that. A play is hard to get emotion from for me, because the word "Ha!" could mean a bunch of different things on the page, but when watching it, I could see what she meant by saying it.
What I took from this scene I got from reading along with the actors, which helped a lot. I could see their faces and get some of their feelings from that. A play is hard to get emotion from for me, because the word "Ha!" could mean a bunch of different things on the page, but when watching it, I could see what she meant by saying it.
Quote-Response Week 8
"And when I love thee not, chaos is come again." (957)
I love this line. I'm not sure why, except I think it speaks about how much he loves her, in his way. That even though loving her is his road to perdition, he would be in complete chaos without her. Of course, it's Shakespeare so I could have it all wrong but that was my take on it.
Othello, by the way, is now one of my favorites of his.
I love this line. I'm not sure why, except I think it speaks about how much he loves her, in his way. That even though loving her is his road to perdition, he would be in complete chaos without her. Of course, it's Shakespeare so I could have it all wrong but that was my take on it.
Othello, by the way, is now one of my favorites of his.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Freestyle Week 7
I am glad we are focusing on film this week. I love everything about movies. And like books, I believe that there is no such thing as a useless movie. Even the lamest romantic comedy or alien-invasion-end-of-the-world-tragedy is worth something to someone. My friends and I watch horrible movies and make fun of them, very MST3K. Not only do we make fun of the horrible acting and dialogue, but we also say very mean things about the directing (sorry M. Night, but really? Too much emotion? Mark Wahlberg is not a robot), set (did those people actually get their set pieces from a yard sale?), lighting (it's 2 o'clock in the morning and yet sunny...there's something wrong here), sound (did someone behind the camera just cough? Was that in the script? And what's with the whooshing noise in the scene changes?), and our favorite thing of all - special effects.
My friend Jed is an aspiring computer graphics dude and he gets seriously offended if the special effects are horrible. Of course some movies have very large effects budgets and can afford Weta and ILM to come in a do a fantastic job making the movie look neato. But some movies have to stack the same explosion 4-high, with the flat grounding in each one. Not cool.
Movies, just like books, can take us places outside our normal lives, even if it's only temporary. There are some things movies can not do that books can and the reverse is also true. That is why I enjoy both.
My friend Jed is an aspiring computer graphics dude and he gets seriously offended if the special effects are horrible. Of course some movies have very large effects budgets and can afford Weta and ILM to come in a do a fantastic job making the movie look neato. But some movies have to stack the same explosion 4-high, with the flat grounding in each one. Not cool.
Movies, just like books, can take us places outside our normal lives, even if it's only temporary. There are some things movies can not do that books can and the reverse is also true. That is why I enjoy both.
2nd Quote-Response Week 7
"Let him do his spite." (Kennedy 919)
Ah, Shakespeare. I am not a fan, really. I have such a hard time reading - or watching - his plays because I get tripped up in the language, as most lazy people such as myself do. If I wanted to sit down with someone who understood this stuff and go through it line by line, maybe I could understand it, and therefore, appreciate it better.
This quote sounds not unlike something I might say to a friend who just told me someone is talking smack about me. Let him talk. I know I'm a good person. That is just what Othello is saying here: My services speak for themselves and no one can blacken my name. Or, at least I hope that's what he was saying...
Ah, Shakespeare. I am not a fan, really. I have such a hard time reading - or watching - his plays because I get tripped up in the language, as most lazy people such as myself do. If I wanted to sit down with someone who understood this stuff and go through it line by line, maybe I could understand it, and therefore, appreciate it better.
This quote sounds not unlike something I might say to a friend who just told me someone is talking smack about me. Let him talk. I know I'm a good person. That is just what Othello is saying here: My services speak for themselves and no one can blacken my name. Or, at least I hope that's what he was saying...
Quote-Response Week 7
"Oh, her fruit; it did freeze. She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fire'd go out and her jars would break." (Kennedy 811)
I love this line and the one before it ("Here's a nice mess") Here we are, talking about who murdered this man, clearly thinking his wife could not have slept through something like that, and we're talking about her jars of fruit freezing and breaking. I believe it, though. When confronted with something horrible or sad, the mundane things can keep a person grounded. This woman's husband is dead, whether she did it or not. So her mind goes to something completely safe and normal. Worrying that if it got to cold with the fire out, her fruit jars would break. A trifle, indeed.
I love this line and the one before it ("Here's a nice mess") Here we are, talking about who murdered this man, clearly thinking his wife could not have slept through something like that, and we're talking about her jars of fruit freezing and breaking. I believe it, though. When confronted with something horrible or sad, the mundane things can keep a person grounded. This woman's husband is dead, whether she did it or not. So her mind goes to something completely safe and normal. Worrying that if it got to cold with the fire out, her fruit jars would break. A trifle, indeed.
Week 7 Scene-Response
The scene I chose is when O confronts Julia's character about whether or not she's cheating on him and she gives him that speech. This is a typical fight for a couple. Are you being faithful, I've heard rumors about you, a lot of jealousy flying around. I particularly liked how she tells him that she wants to be with him and if he really wants to be with her then he'd better not speak to her that way again. Very eloquent, wouldn't you say?
Because I watched this directly after reading the lecture on film techniques, I was paying close attention to the way the scenes were shot. I noticed the close-up on Julia's face, with Mekhi in the foreground, his back to the camera and slightly blurry. The way the camera flips back and forth between the two actors makes the scene flow smoothly and it's hard to forget that this scene probably took hours to film, if not more.
This scene is important because this fight is what is called a "relationship adjustment" (I learned this from an author called Jennifer Crusie). In every relationship there are 4 stages to mature love and during these stages, a fight where the couple involved hash out their feelings, but in the end bring them closer together, is termed as an adjustment to the relationship. Of course, some relationships can't survive a fight like this and then they break up. Not so much an adjustment as a relationship ender. Pop psychology at its best, but that doesn't mean it's wrong.
Because I watched this directly after reading the lecture on film techniques, I was paying close attention to the way the scenes were shot. I noticed the close-up on Julia's face, with Mekhi in the foreground, his back to the camera and slightly blurry. The way the camera flips back and forth between the two actors makes the scene flow smoothly and it's hard to forget that this scene probably took hours to film, if not more.
This scene is important because this fight is what is called a "relationship adjustment" (I learned this from an author called Jennifer Crusie). In every relationship there are 4 stages to mature love and during these stages, a fight where the couple involved hash out their feelings, but in the end bring them closer together, is termed as an adjustment to the relationship. Of course, some relationships can't survive a fight like this and then they break up. Not so much an adjustment as a relationship ender. Pop psychology at its best, but that doesn't mean it's wrong.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Freestyle Week 6
I am going through a phase where all of the books I pick up aren't any good. So, I am taking a break from reading anything new and instead, I am going back through some of my old books that were really good. Sometimes I only read a certain chapter or two. Others I will get into and read the entire book.
Maybe it's the long, hot days of summer that is making me just not very interested in general, or maybe I've just been having a rotten streak of luck when it comes to choosing my books. Hopefully it will pass because, while my book collection is vastly extensive (I have a few thousand books on 11 bookcases), they can't last forever...
Maybe it's the long, hot days of summer that is making me just not very interested in general, or maybe I've just been having a rotten streak of luck when it comes to choosing my books. Hopefully it will pass because, while my book collection is vastly extensive (I have a few thousand books on 11 bookcases), they can't last forever...
Quote-Response Week 6
"He did so! It's written on the first page of our schoolbook!" (Satrapi, 19)
I love the childlike innocence of believing whatever you are told. Growing up, I learned about Christopher Columbus. I was not the best student but I remember thinking how brave and amazing he was, sailing to a new world, discovering a new world, taking his discovery back to his people. And then, in college sociology, I learned that Columbus was a drunk, abusing his own people and dogs in horrific ways and treating the natives like dirt. That last part is not really surprising, but still.
I felt as if my eyes were open for the first time. As if I had been lied to my whole childhood and now I was old enough to be taught the truth. I still have a little of that childlike innocence, but I don't always believe things just because I learn about it in a textbook, regardless of the age of student it is intended for.
I love the childlike innocence of believing whatever you are told. Growing up, I learned about Christopher Columbus. I was not the best student but I remember thinking how brave and amazing he was, sailing to a new world, discovering a new world, taking his discovery back to his people. And then, in college sociology, I learned that Columbus was a drunk, abusing his own people and dogs in horrific ways and treating the natives like dirt. That last part is not really surprising, but still.
I felt as if my eyes were open for the first time. As if I had been lied to my whole childhood and now I was old enough to be taught the truth. I still have a little of that childlike innocence, but I don't always believe things just because I learn about it in a textbook, regardless of the age of student it is intended for.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
2nd Quote-Response Week 5
"To raze the building to the very floore," (Herbert, 609)
I have a certain (probably certifiable) fascination with certain words. "Raze" is one of them. There is an episode of Supernatural (GHOSTFACERS!!!!!!) when the two brothers are stuck in a time-loop and only one knows it. He has to watch his brother die every day, over and over and over. Very Groundhog Day. So, one of the days, he takes an axe to a building he thinks may play a part in the curse (or whatever it is...) and "takes the building down to the studs." Same thing with my above quote. I think the word "raze" strikes a certain passion, be it hatred or love or whatever emotion it is that drive it. To get revenge on someone is all well and good. But to have vengeance - that is taking it up a notch. Same as "razing a building to the very floore."
It may be a little violent, but that just makes a person understand the meaning behind it better.
I have a certain (probably certifiable) fascination with certain words. "Raze" is one of them. There is an episode of Supernatural (GHOSTFACERS!!!!!!) when the two brothers are stuck in a time-loop and only one knows it. He has to watch his brother die every day, over and over and over. Very Groundhog Day. So, one of the days, he takes an axe to a building he thinks may play a part in the curse (or whatever it is...) and "takes the building down to the studs." Same thing with my above quote. I think the word "raze" strikes a certain passion, be it hatred or love or whatever emotion it is that drive it. To get revenge on someone is all well and good. But to have vengeance - that is taking it up a notch. Same as "razing a building to the very floore."
It may be a little violent, but that just makes a person understand the meaning behind it better.
Poem Paraphrase 2
When Maidens are Young (Behn, 539)
This poem is about when a woman is still a young woman, having suffered no trauma, no heartache, no real life, and paradoxically, still full of life. She sings and dances and plays, before her life becomes hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum, after her youth fades. Sad.
This poem is about when a woman is still a young woman, having suffered no trauma, no heartache, no real life, and paradoxically, still full of life. She sings and dances and plays, before her life becomes hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum, after her youth fades. Sad.
Quote-Response Week 5
"True ease in writing comes from Art, not Chance." (Pope, 537)
This quote, also the title of the poem, made me laugh. (I'm always laughing) I, having been a writer most of my life, know there is no such thing as 'true ease in writing.' That is a myth. Where is there 'true ease' in anything? Heck, sometimes blinking is hard. For writing, I have been in the zone, where everything is flowing and I'm writing 2000 words a day, day after day after day and it all seems great. But then, when I'm editing, I end up erasing over half of those words anyway. So much for being in the zone.
As for it being Art (capital A), I agree with that. Writers are artists. Not to be confused with artistes. But my form of art is a fickle bitch that is never truly easy. That doesn't mean I don't love it. Even when I'm struggling with something, there's nothing I'd rather do.
This quote, also the title of the poem, made me laugh. (I'm always laughing) I, having been a writer most of my life, know there is no such thing as 'true ease in writing.' That is a myth. Where is there 'true ease' in anything? Heck, sometimes blinking is hard. For writing, I have been in the zone, where everything is flowing and I'm writing 2000 words a day, day after day after day and it all seems great. But then, when I'm editing, I end up erasing over half of those words anyway. So much for being in the zone.
As for it being Art (capital A), I agree with that. Writers are artists. Not to be confused with artistes. But my form of art is a fickle bitch that is never truly easy. That doesn't mean I don't love it. Even when I'm struggling with something, there's nothing I'd rather do.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Song quote-response
Love is...
by Bo Burnham
"...Because love is taking that dive then getting really comfortable and peeing in the pool and
love is a real life porn, minus all the stuff that makes porn cool and
love is a homeless guy searching for treasure in the middle of the rain and finding a bag of gold coins and slowly finding out they're all filled with chocolate and even though he's heartbroken he can't complain 'cause he was hungry in the first place." (Burnham)
This song makes me laugh. I love it because no two people describe love in the same way. Some say it's a sickness in your blood. Some say it's the best thing ever, some say the worst. Some say it's a cage, others say it sets you free. Bo Burnham says that "love is all about whistles." Who am I to complain?
I also love it because it's one of the few songs about love that make it fun. Yeah, love is like having your favorite meal for breakfast, lunch...and dinner...of every day of the rest of your life!!!!! Is that a good thing? Or should we all just laugh about it and live the best way we can, loving someone the best way we know how?
by Bo Burnham
"...Because love is taking that dive then getting really comfortable and peeing in the pool and
love is a real life porn, minus all the stuff that makes porn cool and
love is a homeless guy searching for treasure in the middle of the rain and finding a bag of gold coins and slowly finding out they're all filled with chocolate and even though he's heartbroken he can't complain 'cause he was hungry in the first place." (Burnham)
This song makes me laugh. I love it because no two people describe love in the same way. Some say it's a sickness in your blood. Some say it's the best thing ever, some say the worst. Some say it's a cage, others say it sets you free. Bo Burnham says that "love is all about whistles." Who am I to complain?
I also love it because it's one of the few songs about love that make it fun. Yeah, love is like having your favorite meal for breakfast, lunch...and dinner...of every day of the rest of your life!!!!! Is that a good thing? Or should we all just laugh about it and live the best way we can, loving someone the best way we know how?
Haiku
Smile
by Jennifer Seydel
Why do I find it hard
to express myself with words
when a smile will do.
by Jennifer Seydel
Why do I find it hard
to express myself with words
when a smile will do.
Poem Paraphrase
Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
This poem is about a father that got up early and warmed up the house for his child. Even though he was tired from working hard the rest of the week, he would rise before his child and drive away the cold. This child seemed to be unaware of the efforts his father put forth for him, at least then. But the house, which seemed to be temperamental at best, was warm. And his shoes were shined for him. He also spoke "indifferently" to his father but later realized how much his father loved him.
This poem is about a father that got up early and warmed up the house for his child. Even though he was tired from working hard the rest of the week, he would rise before his child and drive away the cold. This child seemed to be unaware of the efforts his father put forth for him, at least then. But the house, which seemed to be temperamental at best, was warm. And his shoes were shined for him. He also spoke "indifferently" to his father but later realized how much his father loved him.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Freestyle Week 3
I had an extraordinary book-buying experience the other day. I was up late re-reading something I love by Mary Jo Putney. At the end of it, there was an excerpt from another of her stories that I had't read and didn't own. It was very intriguing and so I decided that I would go look for it the next day.
I went to two different book stores before I found it (almost missed it and was about to turn away when I saw it - Book Magic!!!!). It was the greatest feeling to have found a book I wanted to read that I skipped through the rest of the day on a cloud.
The book was pretty good, nothing to write home about, but still enjoyable. I find that is the case a lot of the time. Where finding and purchasing the book are sometimes the best part. I'm still waiting for another book to come along and smack me in the face with its goodness. That hasn't happened in awhile.
I hope the saying, "Good things happen to those who wait," is true. I'm waiting.
I went to two different book stores before I found it (almost missed it and was about to turn away when I saw it - Book Magic!!!!). It was the greatest feeling to have found a book I wanted to read that I skipped through the rest of the day on a cloud.
The book was pretty good, nothing to write home about, but still enjoyable. I find that is the case a lot of the time. Where finding and purchasing the book are sometimes the best part. I'm still waiting for another book to come along and smack me in the face with its goodness. That hasn't happened in awhile.
I hope the saying, "Good things happen to those who wait," is true. I'm waiting.
Quote-Response Week 3
"How do you know it was nothing?" "He has plenty of money."
I love this argument. That money can not buy happiness. That may be true but the lack of money can surely buy you misery. Having been dirt poor for most of my adult life and then not so dirt poor and then finally financially secure, I know how money has affected my sense of well-being. I know that having piles of money can't make me more happy than I already am, but having enough for rent and food goes a long way toward setting me free to pursue happiness.
I saw a comedian once who brought up this argument. He said, "Money can't buy happiness but it can make all the people around you miserable." He talked about going to a hated relative's birthday and bringing them a ten-dollar gift card and a hundred-thousand-dollar...cake. "You'll never taste something so rich again."
That is a little mean and I would never do such a thing. Maybe a fifty-thousand dollar cake.
I love this argument. That money can not buy happiness. That may be true but the lack of money can surely buy you misery. Having been dirt poor for most of my adult life and then not so dirt poor and then finally financially secure, I know how money has affected my sense of well-being. I know that having piles of money can't make me more happy than I already am, but having enough for rent and food goes a long way toward setting me free to pursue happiness.
I saw a comedian once who brought up this argument. He said, "Money can't buy happiness but it can make all the people around you miserable." He talked about going to a hated relative's birthday and bringing them a ten-dollar gift card and a hundred-thousand-dollar...cake. "You'll never taste something so rich again."
That is a little mean and I would never do such a thing. Maybe a fifty-thousand dollar cake.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Freestyle Week 2
I have read a few books this week, none of which were life-shattering, even if I did enjoy them all. I am not very good about continuing to read something that doesn't interest me. I must have the attention span of a gnat. I did learn, from one of the books I read this week, that an author I read (Hannah Howell) is taking a short break from her latest series to write a book from an older series. Argh! I had to wait for a whole year for that book, only to discover that I would have to wait at least two more years for the next.
I guess that only makes them better, though, right? Anticipation and all that? I'm not a big fan of waiting, although I will say that I get a little sad when I am in the middle of an especially good book because I know it will have to end. That doesn't happen very often, sadly enough. One of the last times was with Mercedes Lackey's The Fairy Godmother. Anyone who reads fantasy would love that, I think, and the other Five Hundred Kingdoms stories by the same author. I love a good Unicorn. And Dragons aren't bad, either. Even if it is a little sad once it's over.
I guess that only makes them better, though, right? Anticipation and all that? I'm not a big fan of waiting, although I will say that I get a little sad when I am in the middle of an especially good book because I know it will have to end. That doesn't happen very often, sadly enough. One of the last times was with Mercedes Lackey's The Fairy Godmother. Anyone who reads fantasy would love that, I think, and the other Five Hundred Kingdoms stories by the same author. I love a good Unicorn. And Dragons aren't bad, either. Even if it is a little sad once it's over.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Quote-Response Week 2
"She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled." (Mansfield, 85)
The second sentence is why I chose this quote. I love simple. There's almost nothing more simple than, simply, "It was," if you leave of the second part. I chose it, also, because I absolutely love it when semicolons are used properly! I have a slight fear of semicolons; I'm afraid to misuse them. (Nicely done, right?) Also, I feel - perhaps I stand alone in this - that a semicolon is almost never needed. Not like a period or a comma is needed. Semicolon overuse is another concern, one I think can be likened to a sickness, something that either needs a strict regimen of pills or a very hard beating to overcome.
One of my favorite authors, Linda Howard (Burn comes out in paperback in August! Yea!) has this very annoying habit of overusing semicolons to the point of ridiculousness. About 10 pages in, I'll start to notice a light sprinkling of them, just a drop here or there. And then, more of them, quicker and quicker, and a few pages later, it is pouring semicolons and I try to run for cover before getting drenched. I almost never make it. And then, suddenly, it's over and the semicolons end, just like that. Weird, right?
This particular sentence is not all that important to the story, but I thought it caught Katherine Mansfield's voice quite nicely, setting the tone for the rest of the rather proper prose. Of course, she does use more semicolons as the piece goes on, but not in that down-pouring way that some people do. And, maybe it was more acceptable back then. Or maybe it's just me.
The second sentence is why I chose this quote. I love simple. There's almost nothing more simple than, simply, "It was," if you leave of the second part. I chose it, also, because I absolutely love it when semicolons are used properly! I have a slight fear of semicolons; I'm afraid to misuse them. (Nicely done, right?) Also, I feel - perhaps I stand alone in this - that a semicolon is almost never needed. Not like a period or a comma is needed. Semicolon overuse is another concern, one I think can be likened to a sickness, something that either needs a strict regimen of pills or a very hard beating to overcome.
One of my favorite authors, Linda Howard (Burn comes out in paperback in August! Yea!) has this very annoying habit of overusing semicolons to the point of ridiculousness. About 10 pages in, I'll start to notice a light sprinkling of them, just a drop here or there. And then, more of them, quicker and quicker, and a few pages later, it is pouring semicolons and I try to run for cover before getting drenched. I almost never make it. And then, suddenly, it's over and the semicolons end, just like that. Weird, right?
This particular sentence is not all that important to the story, but I thought it caught Katherine Mansfield's voice quite nicely, setting the tone for the rest of the rather proper prose. Of course, she does use more semicolons as the piece goes on, but not in that down-pouring way that some people do. And, maybe it was more acceptable back then. Or maybe it's just me.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Freestyle Week 1
I am currently reading a few things. One is a historical romance that is almost too silly for words, and yet (sigh) I love it. Don't worry, I won't talk about that.
What I will discuss is Craig Ferguson's autobiography, American on Purpose. I have been a fan of his for awhile, first noticing him on The Drew Carey Show and then later watching the Late Late Show more for his stand-up than the celebrity guests. He's an interesting guy with an interesting past, dealing with a rough childhood, growing up in Scotland and then dealing with more than a decade of drug and alcohol abuse, getting sober and then immigrating to the U.S., finally becoming a citizen in his 40s. That's more than I will ever do.
His book details all of this, some of which I've heard through his various stand-up specials and on his show, some of which is new and interesting. I'm only a few chapters in, however, because of my little handicap.
I can only read a little at a time before becoming hopelessly depressed. I learned this weird thing about me about 5 years ago: I get depressed when reading certain things. I was reading the Nanny Diaries, which took me about a week or so to slog my way through and, near the end of it, I found myself increasingly down in the dumps. I couldn't figure out what the problem was until I finished the book. Suddenly the world became a better place! Birds were singing again, food tasted better, flowers smelled sweeter. All because I was done reading a book that brought me down.
Inspirational romance, true crime, and chick-lit all do this. I can read Stephen King until my eyes bleed (which happens to his characters a lot!) but Bridget Jones' Diary makes me sad. Weird, right? Also, I am a very happy, bright person, joking around all the time, but when I try to write something funny, it never works out. For example, I needed to write a very simple scene in my book. It was a high school baseball game, very light and carefree and I ended up having to re-write it because my first attempt went dark so fast it made my head spin. I took a sunny day at a baseball diamond and threw in rape, suicide and attempted murder! What's wrong with me?
Just one of those things my mother doesn't understand. I don't, either, really, but I accept it and now know to read things that depress me in small doses. So, I will finish my historical romance later today, but Craig Ferguson might take a few . . . uh, months, probably.
Now, that's depressing!
What I will discuss is Craig Ferguson's autobiography, American on Purpose. I have been a fan of his for awhile, first noticing him on The Drew Carey Show and then later watching the Late Late Show more for his stand-up than the celebrity guests. He's an interesting guy with an interesting past, dealing with a rough childhood, growing up in Scotland and then dealing with more than a decade of drug and alcohol abuse, getting sober and then immigrating to the U.S., finally becoming a citizen in his 40s. That's more than I will ever do.
His book details all of this, some of which I've heard through his various stand-up specials and on his show, some of which is new and interesting. I'm only a few chapters in, however, because of my little handicap.
I can only read a little at a time before becoming hopelessly depressed. I learned this weird thing about me about 5 years ago: I get depressed when reading certain things. I was reading the Nanny Diaries, which took me about a week or so to slog my way through and, near the end of it, I found myself increasingly down in the dumps. I couldn't figure out what the problem was until I finished the book. Suddenly the world became a better place! Birds were singing again, food tasted better, flowers smelled sweeter. All because I was done reading a book that brought me down.
Inspirational romance, true crime, and chick-lit all do this. I can read Stephen King until my eyes bleed (which happens to his characters a lot!) but Bridget Jones' Diary makes me sad. Weird, right? Also, I am a very happy, bright person, joking around all the time, but when I try to write something funny, it never works out. For example, I needed to write a very simple scene in my book. It was a high school baseball game, very light and carefree and I ended up having to re-write it because my first attempt went dark so fast it made my head spin. I took a sunny day at a baseball diamond and threw in rape, suicide and attempted murder! What's wrong with me?
Just one of those things my mother doesn't understand. I don't, either, really, but I accept it and now know to read things that depress me in small doses. So, I will finish my historical romance later today, but Craig Ferguson might take a few . . . uh, months, probably.
Now, that's depressing!
Quote-Response Week 1
"She didn't look around, not this queen, she just walked straight on slowly, on these long white prima-donna legs." (Updike, 17)
This jumped out at me for a number of reasons. One is that I have been a victim of bullying so many times it is hard to count. I was bullied by girls that seemed like the girl in the story. She was walking like a queen, with her faithful subjects by her side and no one could tell her what to do. The girls that plagued my childhood always walked like that - like they ruled everything they oversaw and found it and the people in it lacking in some way.
Another reason why this struck me is that I've tried to walk like that. As if I were a queen, intimidated by nothing, and felt like a fraud while doing it - most of the time. Sometimes I do feel like a queen, when I'm going somewhere I feel as if I fit in, or am at least comfortable, such as home, where only my feline overlords bully me.
I can be at least a princess there.
This jumped out at me for a number of reasons. One is that I have been a victim of bullying so many times it is hard to count. I was bullied by girls that seemed like the girl in the story. She was walking like a queen, with her faithful subjects by her side and no one could tell her what to do. The girls that plagued my childhood always walked like that - like they ruled everything they oversaw and found it and the people in it lacking in some way.
Another reason why this struck me is that I've tried to walk like that. As if I were a queen, intimidated by nothing, and felt like a fraud while doing it - most of the time. Sometimes I do feel like a queen, when I'm going somewhere I feel as if I fit in, or am at least comfortable, such as home, where only my feline overlords bully me.
I can be at least a princess there.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Blog Post 1
Hello! I am Jennifer and I am a Freshman here at EOU, preparing to study Biology. My hobbies include reading, reading, playing Amateur Surgeon at AdultSwim.com, and reading. The only problem with that is, I do not like "literature." That may not be a wise thing to admit in a Lit class, but I have always found literature boring. "The classics" never interested me. Instead I like to read contemporary fiction including (but not limited to) romance, sci-fi, fantasy and a lot of paranormal junk.
I do not agree with people who speak about "worthless" books. There is, to me, no such thing. Even the most trashy historical romance has a use. Books take me to another place. I would basically go crazy without them.
Speaking of crazy, that leads me to my "hobby" other than reading. I am a writer. I have written 2 full-length novels and countless short stories. I currently write for an online magazine called Suite101.
Reading has played a major part of my writing life, and writing for my reading life as well. I feel that is would be difficult, if not impossible, to be a good writer without being a good reader first. That is just my opinion.
My best friend, Mandie, feels almost exactly the same about reading as I do. When the voices in our heads get too loud, we sit down with a book until they all go away. We both suffer from a phenomenon I call "Book Coma." This occurs when you open a book at a certain time and then look up a few minutes later to find four hours have gone by. Oops. It is not generally life threatening but it has been known to start fights. Other side effects may include sleep loss, missed meals and a general lack of focus.
Another good friend, Jed, has a slightly weirder view about reading. He can only read one book at a time and if he doesn't feel like reading that specific book he has already begun, he won't read! He has been known to go for a year or more without reading! I do not know how he is still alive; I would not be.
One of my good friends from high school, Jennifer (a different one, not me) has a way of reading that is so unusual that I am tempted to call it borderline insane. She gets a book and flips through it first, finding out what happens before she reads it! How is this sane? How is she still walking around free? Shouldn't she be locked up for her own good? Why would anyone want to find out what happens before you find out what happens????? To each their own, I guess.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go read for awhile.
I do not agree with people who speak about "worthless" books. There is, to me, no such thing. Even the most trashy historical romance has a use. Books take me to another place. I would basically go crazy without them.
Speaking of crazy, that leads me to my "hobby" other than reading. I am a writer. I have written 2 full-length novels and countless short stories. I currently write for an online magazine called Suite101.
Reading has played a major part of my writing life, and writing for my reading life as well. I feel that is would be difficult, if not impossible, to be a good writer without being a good reader first. That is just my opinion.
My best friend, Mandie, feels almost exactly the same about reading as I do. When the voices in our heads get too loud, we sit down with a book until they all go away. We both suffer from a phenomenon I call "Book Coma." This occurs when you open a book at a certain time and then look up a few minutes later to find four hours have gone by. Oops. It is not generally life threatening but it has been known to start fights. Other side effects may include sleep loss, missed meals and a general lack of focus.
Another good friend, Jed, has a slightly weirder view about reading. He can only read one book at a time and if he doesn't feel like reading that specific book he has already begun, he won't read! He has been known to go for a year or more without reading! I do not know how he is still alive; I would not be.
One of my good friends from high school, Jennifer (a different one, not me) has a way of reading that is so unusual that I am tempted to call it borderline insane. She gets a book and flips through it first, finding out what happens before she reads it! How is this sane? How is she still walking around free? Shouldn't she be locked up for her own good? Why would anyone want to find out what happens before you find out what happens????? To each their own, I guess.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go read for awhile.
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