So one of my favorite things about my (now spousal) relationship is that both of us brought our own tricks and talents into the match. I know how to cook, T. can juggle, etc. One of my favorite of his talents is that he can play guitar, and really well, too. Being musically inclined, I have tried in the past to learn guitar, mostly because it seemed like it would be easier to write songs on guitar than it was on piano. Also, I don't know about you, but I don't have the upper body strength to carry a piano around and keyboards annoy me.
But with the time that I have on my hands and my love of the country twang, I have enlisted T.'s help in charting a new course of guitar study. And its's awesome! He taught me the three chords that make up Louie, Louie, and any number of other classic rock and roll songs. I've also started practicing and learning on my own a bit, and even though 90% of my strumming sounds like a garbled mess, the 10% that rings true sounds so awesome that I can already picture myself on a stage wearing cowboy boots, crooning into a microphone while a soft spotlight highlights my gleaming hair.
Ahem. I digress.
But here's the problem with learning to play guitar: it effin' HURTS.
Oh sure, I knew that guitar playing in the beginning would be slightly painful, before I developed calluses. In theory. But it is worse in reality, and it hurts to type, to scratch my head with my left hand, even to push my glasses up (and may I say, I never realized I used my left index finger to do that, but boy have I realized it now).
This is all part and parcel of becoming a rock star. I know this. I would just like to skip over the next few weeks, however, and go straight to the part where I find the perfect pair of boots to complement my artfully ripped jeans. Sigh. Keep dreaming, right?
Monday, December 06, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
I finished!
Well, not exactly. I reached 50,000 words on my NaNoWriMo Novel, which means that I am a winner! However, the book seems to be only about 2/3 finished. Annoying. Let's see if I can muster up the motivation to continue working on it, now that I don't have a deadline.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Things that have happened
It has been a while, but I return again with a dispatch on some of the not-so-interesting happenings in my not-so-interesting life.
1. I passed the bar exam! For anyone who has taken the bar exam, you understand how this feels. For anyone fortunate enough to have escaped the experience, imagine you're standing on a public stage in front of thousands of people. There is a guy with a tattoo gun and he is about to tattoo "SUCKER" on your forehead, unless you managed to achieve a certain score on a test you took three months ago. You have no idea how you did on that test. The screen is about to flash whether or not you got that score. And then...you passed, the guy with the tattoo gun goes away, the adoring crowds cheer, and you can finally stop verging on the edge of constant nausea and be about your business. Yeah. Like that.
2. We just got a Wii and it is awesome. We use it every day...mostly to watch movies through Netflix. Because of it I have now watched The Young Victoria, The Princess and the Frog, and a bunch of cheesy kung fu movies. And Tom gets to watch his "cerebral military documentaries." Win win WIN.
3. I am steadily reading my way through the library's entire paperback collection. Until work starts, this is my job.
4. I am way behind on NaNoWriMo. Like, 10,000 words behind. I need to get my rear in gear if I'm going to finish this year. So why, you ask, am I writing this blog post when I could be writing another 500 words? I don't know. Why am I? See you later.
1. I passed the bar exam! For anyone who has taken the bar exam, you understand how this feels. For anyone fortunate enough to have escaped the experience, imagine you're standing on a public stage in front of thousands of people. There is a guy with a tattoo gun and he is about to tattoo "SUCKER" on your forehead, unless you managed to achieve a certain score on a test you took three months ago. You have no idea how you did on that test. The screen is about to flash whether or not you got that score. And then...you passed, the guy with the tattoo gun goes away, the adoring crowds cheer, and you can finally stop verging on the edge of constant nausea and be about your business. Yeah. Like that.
2. We just got a Wii and it is awesome. We use it every day...mostly to watch movies through Netflix. Because of it I have now watched The Young Victoria, The Princess and the Frog, and a bunch of cheesy kung fu movies. And Tom gets to watch his "cerebral military documentaries." Win win WIN.
3. I am steadily reading my way through the library's entire paperback collection. Until work starts, this is my job.
4. I am way behind on NaNoWriMo. Like, 10,000 words behind. I need to get my rear in gear if I'm going to finish this year. So why, you ask, am I writing this blog post when I could be writing another 500 words? I don't know. Why am I? See you later.
Monday, November 01, 2010
NaNoWriMo begins again and other sundry news
Today marks the first day of another National Novel Writing Month, and I am super excited to get started. I feel so much more experienced now with one novel under my belt and totally ready for this blistering 1700 words/day pace. Well, for now at least. About ten days from now I'll start to slow down, so I better start building a word count cushion if I'm going to finish. Stay posted for updates on my progress!
Moving on, T. and I are trying to tackle the confusing morass of the first holiday season as newlyweds. Where do we go? Who do we see? Why does it cost so much money to fly to California for Thanksgiving? These mysteries may seem like nothing...but figuring them out is more than a bit of a headache. You don't want to leave anyone out, and you don't want to change your own beloved traditions, and you don't want to miss anything. Some people might say compromise; I say why the heckles can't I just have it all the way I want?
In other news, bar exam results are posted this Friday. Excuse me while I go vomit.
Moving on, T. and I are trying to tackle the confusing morass of the first holiday season as newlyweds. Where do we go? Who do we see? Why does it cost so much money to fly to California for Thanksgiving? These mysteries may seem like nothing...but figuring them out is more than a bit of a headache. You don't want to leave anyone out, and you don't want to change your own beloved traditions, and you don't want to miss anything. Some people might say compromise; I say why the heckles can't I just have it all the way I want?
In other news, bar exam results are posted this Friday. Excuse me while I go vomit.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Californiaaaaaaa
Things that have happened since last posting:
1) Our apartment turned magically from a pit of chaos into something resembling a decorated and functional dwelling
2) I visited and returned from California, the golden state!
3) I got my hair cut
4) I became addicted to make up
In order.
1) Apartment.
Since moving in with T., we have had a spare room that was basically a scene straight out of Hoarders: Buried Alive. Somehow in this room, we managed to cram a futon, two full bookshelves, six dining room chairs, a microwave, a washer, a dryer, a vacuum, pillows, comforters, blankets, and approximately twenty medium sized boxes. Yes. In one relatively small room. I used to open the door and cry because I knew we would never be able to clean it all up, and also because I suspected that the people living downstairs would sue us once the weight of all that crap crashed through the floor. However, with a little bit of chipping away, a smidge of sweating and cursing, and a whole lot of "We have guests coming over so we better get this done," we have somehow turned it into a usable room. Now there's a desk in there and I can actually access my (full to bursting) closet. Pats on the back, all around!
In addition to the guest room, we also put up the bookshelves we got for our wedding (gorgeous, leaning bookshelves) and T. surprised me by assembling them and stacking all our books on them! They look awesome, by the way, even though he had no idea in what order to put my books (mostly fiction) and one shelf is thus arranged: Robinson Crusoe, Invisible Man, The Professor, On Writing, Lucky's Lady, The Book of Margery Kempe, The Brothers Karamazov, To the Lighthouse, and Twilight. Yep.
2) California
My parents now live in an awesome state. Don't get me wrong, Kansas has its charms, but GEEZ LOUISE. I had so much fun visiting them. They live in a suburb of San Francisco and it is just the cutest, charmingest little town full of nice shops and restaurants. If T. had been with me, I would have never wanted to leave. Here are the things I did when I was there:
-ate as much Vietnamese food as I could handle. San Jose was freaking awesome and I got to satisfy every craving, to the point where I had to beg off and ask to eat a cheeseburger.
-had Shanghai dumplings, bubble tea, and dim sum from a place called Koi Palace. This dim sum restaurant was crazy, with a very complicated waiting system, but the food was totally worth the wait.
-Went to Santa Cruz and ate at the Crow's Nest, then walked on the beach. This was really fun and the weather was gorgeous.
-Went to Carmel-by-the-sea. We walked on the beach and took lots of pictures and my dad bought me a hat from the Carmel Hat Company. Any place where I get a hat is by default awesome, but we liked Carmel so much (the downtown area is so fun to walk around) that my mom spent half an hour in a realty office asking about potential properties.
-Went to San Francisco. We drove into town and stopped at the Golden Gate and then we walked! On the Golden Gate Bridge, to the first tower! It was amazing. We had a view of Alcatraz, and the city, and I even saw dolphins in the Bay.
-Went to visit R. at Google. I'll just leave it at AH-mazing.
3) Hair Cut.
Pretty self explanatory.
4) Make up
So yeah. I think I'm making up (hah) for the last ten years of my life in which I wore barely any makeup, and in which a lot of makeup consisted of both eyeliner AND mascara. Ever since the wedding, in which I realized that make up really DOES make you look a lot better, and that all the people I've been envying my whole life for having such great skin/such big eyes/such bright smiles have actually been using this thing called makeup. OR they are extraterrestrials from Planet Perfect.
Anyway, I bought some makeup stuff and have started using it. This is great, because I'm now moisturizing my skin on a daily basis and learning how to use foundation and powder and blah blah blah, but also bad because I now want to buy EVERYTHING and because I go about my errands every day with a different face and sometimes they're really weird. Last week I was experimenting with a smoky eye and I think the lady at the library was a little shocked to see me sailing in at eleven a.m. looking like I'd just left an all night disco. But I am not deterred! Practice makes perfect, and if that means setting the locals to tittering about my funny face, I'll take it and gladly.
Look out, world! Here I come (tastefully made up, of course).
More soon, love B.
1) Our apartment turned magically from a pit of chaos into something resembling a decorated and functional dwelling
2) I visited and returned from California, the golden state!
3) I got my hair cut
4) I became addicted to make up
In order.
1) Apartment.
Since moving in with T., we have had a spare room that was basically a scene straight out of Hoarders: Buried Alive. Somehow in this room, we managed to cram a futon, two full bookshelves, six dining room chairs, a microwave, a washer, a dryer, a vacuum, pillows, comforters, blankets, and approximately twenty medium sized boxes. Yes. In one relatively small room. I used to open the door and cry because I knew we would never be able to clean it all up, and also because I suspected that the people living downstairs would sue us once the weight of all that crap crashed through the floor. However, with a little bit of chipping away, a smidge of sweating and cursing, and a whole lot of "We have guests coming over so we better get this done," we have somehow turned it into a usable room. Now there's a desk in there and I can actually access my (full to bursting) closet. Pats on the back, all around!
In addition to the guest room, we also put up the bookshelves we got for our wedding (gorgeous, leaning bookshelves) and T. surprised me by assembling them and stacking all our books on them! They look awesome, by the way, even though he had no idea in what order to put my books (mostly fiction) and one shelf is thus arranged: Robinson Crusoe, Invisible Man, The Professor, On Writing, Lucky's Lady, The Book of Margery Kempe, The Brothers Karamazov, To the Lighthouse, and Twilight. Yep.
2) California
My parents now live in an awesome state. Don't get me wrong, Kansas has its charms, but GEEZ LOUISE. I had so much fun visiting them. They live in a suburb of San Francisco and it is just the cutest, charmingest little town full of nice shops and restaurants. If T. had been with me, I would have never wanted to leave. Here are the things I did when I was there:
-ate as much Vietnamese food as I could handle. San Jose was freaking awesome and I got to satisfy every craving, to the point where I had to beg off and ask to eat a cheeseburger.
-had Shanghai dumplings, bubble tea, and dim sum from a place called Koi Palace. This dim sum restaurant was crazy, with a very complicated waiting system, but the food was totally worth the wait.
-Went to Santa Cruz and ate at the Crow's Nest, then walked on the beach. This was really fun and the weather was gorgeous.
-Went to Carmel-by-the-sea. We walked on the beach and took lots of pictures and my dad bought me a hat from the Carmel Hat Company. Any place where I get a hat is by default awesome, but we liked Carmel so much (the downtown area is so fun to walk around) that my mom spent half an hour in a realty office asking about potential properties.
-Went to San Francisco. We drove into town and stopped at the Golden Gate and then we walked! On the Golden Gate Bridge, to the first tower! It was amazing. We had a view of Alcatraz, and the city, and I even saw dolphins in the Bay.
-Went to visit R. at Google. I'll just leave it at AH-mazing.
3) Hair Cut.
Pretty self explanatory.
4) Make up
So yeah. I think I'm making up (hah) for the last ten years of my life in which I wore barely any makeup, and in which a lot of makeup consisted of both eyeliner AND mascara. Ever since the wedding, in which I realized that make up really DOES make you look a lot better, and that all the people I've been envying my whole life for having such great skin/such big eyes/such bright smiles have actually been using this thing called makeup. OR they are extraterrestrials from Planet Perfect.
Anyway, I bought some makeup stuff and have started using it. This is great, because I'm now moisturizing my skin on a daily basis and learning how to use foundation and powder and blah blah blah, but also bad because I now want to buy EVERYTHING and because I go about my errands every day with a different face and sometimes they're really weird. Last week I was experimenting with a smoky eye and I think the lady at the library was a little shocked to see me sailing in at eleven a.m. looking like I'd just left an all night disco. But I am not deterred! Practice makes perfect, and if that means setting the locals to tittering about my funny face, I'll take it and gladly.
Look out, world! Here I come (tastefully made up, of course).
More soon, love B.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
My daily bread
Becoming a lady of leisure has taken a mild interest in baking and elevated it to a full in frenzy. One of my new resolutions is to never buy another loaf of sandwich bread (someday, I might even be able to stop buying any bread, but baguettes are beyond me right now). Regardless, I have a good white and a good wheat loaf under my belt, and because every bread-baking effort results in two loaves, we've essentially been well supplied with bread for the last three and a half weeks...enough for sandwiches and a near-daily toast breakfast for me. Mmmm. Maybe the best thing is that making bread makes me feel connected to every person who has ever baked a loaf to feed a family. It's wonderful to measure flour and oil a bowl knowing that for hundreds of years people have been making bread the same way and it still works and still tastes good. Like magic! Finally, a way for me to relive those Little House on the Prairie fantasies.
When I'm not up to my elbows in flour kneading some delightful loaves, I am making granola (a habit I picked up law school). Do you know how expensive granola is when you buy it? Do you know how cheap it is when you make it? And how much more delicious it is? If you don't, I urge you to try for yourself.
I have caught a serious case of the homemades. Never heard of this disease? It is a terrible affliction that makes you want to cook everything from scratch. Like...chicken stock, chicken soup, breadcrumbs, marinated red peppers, pie crust, and pizza, in addition to the aforementioned bread and granola.
Phew! The oven may be working overtime, but at least we're eating well.
When I'm not up to my elbows in flour kneading some delightful loaves, I am making granola (a habit I picked up law school). Do you know how expensive granola is when you buy it? Do you know how cheap it is when you make it? And how much more delicious it is? If you don't, I urge you to try for yourself.
I have caught a serious case of the homemades. Never heard of this disease? It is a terrible affliction that makes you want to cook everything from scratch. Like...chicken stock, chicken soup, breadcrumbs, marinated red peppers, pie crust, and pizza, in addition to the aforementioned bread and granola.
Phew! The oven may be working overtime, but at least we're eating well.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
A (semi) triumphant return, with breakfast
What you see above is my attempt to kickstart my day, and hopefully kickstart a return to (semi) regular blogging. I have sorely neglected this little journal and my very few readers, but as it's both good for me to write on a (semi) regular basis and keep my creative juices flowing, I'm going to make a real attempt this time. I (semi) promise! I also found my camera charger and port, so I can actually use it to take pictures instead of as a paperweight.
This morning's repast: one slice of homemade wheat toast, one egg, lightly fried, one handful of trail mix, and three fat strawberries. And a cup of coffee. Incidentally, when you start using a new coffee maker, it is perhaps better to follow the machine instructions on the amount of coffee to use (manufacturer suggests 3 tbsp for every 4 cups) instead of the instructions on the coffee bag (which suggests 2 tbsp for every 1 cup). This morning's coffee was undrinkable, as I used 8 tablespoons for a 4 cup brew, so I had to run it again with water in order to drink some coffee that didn't threaten to strip all the enamel off my teeth in one go. However, the newly diluted coffee is very delicious and I feel all fancy drinking coffee out of a coffee maker. Then I look over at the mound of dishes in the sink and the pile of laundry to be folded, and the fancy feeling disappears pretty quick, I can tell you.
I am currently stuck in limbo, and am determined to enjoy it instead of allowing myself to fall (again) into a rut. This is an opportunity for me to be productive! And I shall! I shall! Starting with a new resolution: start each morning by getting fully dressed and made up. There's something about staying in your pajamas all day that tends to get you muddled. I will hopefully avoid this and also teach myself some valuable lessons about how to apply foundation (in downward sweeping motions) and how to blend a smoky eye (crease, lid, browbone...I think).
In the meantime, Martha Stewart chirps in the back, there's chores and unpacking and organizing to be done, and this born-again blogger is signing off. I'll write again (semi) soon.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
McCrankypants
Yes. In case you were wondering, I am cranky. ALL the time. I exist mostly in a constant state of crankiness, punctuated by brief bursts of terrible cheerfulness, followed by anger. How dare the sun be so shiny? How dare the clouds be so fluffy? How dare that squirrel eat a nut?!?! Why does the entire world not collapse in on itself, a frightful implosion of happy and fun and funny, simply because I am stressed out? Why must the universe point out so vividly that I am NOT Its center?!?!?!?! WHY???
Ahem.
In other news, the cessation of my work schedule has limited my run ins with Shower Hook Girl, and I no longer take the train every morning. So my life has become a lot more boring and a lot more consistent, which I guess is a good thing? Monk like, that's me. Nose to the ever-loving grindstone.
But at least I can find some joy. Today, for example, I wear yellow sneakers, purple leggings, a green tshirt, a blue hoodie, and am carrying a hot pink bag. A certain L. would not approve...especially of the pigtails. But! It cheered me up. So there! I will face the world in rainbow armor, impervious and unbeatable.
At least until the next squirrel looks at me the wrong way. Rodent, I will CUT you, mmmkay?
Ahem.
In other news, the cessation of my work schedule has limited my run ins with Shower Hook Girl, and I no longer take the train every morning. So my life has become a lot more boring and a lot more consistent, which I guess is a good thing? Monk like, that's me. Nose to the ever-loving grindstone.
But at least I can find some joy. Today, for example, I wear yellow sneakers, purple leggings, a green tshirt, a blue hoodie, and am carrying a hot pink bag. A certain L. would not approve...especially of the pigtails. But! It cheered me up. So there! I will face the world in rainbow armor, impervious and unbeatable.
At least until the next squirrel looks at me the wrong way. Rodent, I will CUT you, mmmkay?
Thursday, July 08, 2010
It's alive! And annoyed.
Well, that was a long break.
As a welcome back to the world of (very casual) blogging, I have complied a list of characters in the last few days, all of whom have either annoyed or fascinated me. Pithy comments accompany, and forgive the cantankerousness (cantankerosity? Cantanker?)--me plus a needlessly hot summer plus studying for the bar exam obviously equals cranky pants. As a further note, I am now a dorm dweller...yeah I know...and also a mass transit commuter, which makes for some interesting characters.
-Girl who takes up two shower hooks.
Listen, sweetheart. There are four shower stalls. There are four sets of hooks. Do the freaking math and realize that if you take up two sets of hooks, that means someone else will be left without towel space. Said someone might be operating on a delicate balance of caffeinated beverages, carbs, and sugar, and may be on the cusp of throwing an unreasonably infantile tantrum.
-Girl who licks her chips on both sides before she eats them.
What, the chewing gets in the way of that unadulterated barbecue flavor?
-Guy on the train about to bust his eardrums.
I'd like to get that dirt off your shoulder too. Too bad I'm repelled by the wall of sound you have surrounded yourself with via earbud.
-Lady who reads "romance" in large font on her kindle on the train.
I like a good bodice ripper as much as the next person, but this just makes me uncomfortable. 8:15 is too early to be reading over your shoulder about the slow reveal of Raevynne's 'sweet, heart shaped derriere.'
-Dude who sits next to you when there are five other empty rows.
I see you went with the Old Spice today.
-Chick who needs her friend to meet her at the bus stop because she, like, so doesn't know where she's going.
Thanks to your loudspeaker cell phone voice, you also so don't know why Bobby didn't call last night.
-Guy who just has to dance.
Well, the rhythm was going to get him, I guess.
-Guy who waxes poetic about the lemony undertones of his craft beer but has never heard of canned chicken.
The Magic Hat can't save you from being judged.
-Tool sitting in the chair that I brought to the party for myself.
The eff?
-Teenagers who think they're above the no eating rule.
Stop flicking your crumbs on me.
-Lsdy who walks slowly but speeds up as I try to pass her.
Don't you need a car to be this obnoxious?
-Woman who just ate that fruit that fell on the floor.
Yeah, I saw you.
-Guy criticizing his friend for owning a car; friend too spineless to stand up for herself.
(a) you're being a jerk. (b) stop making excuses. It's okay to like having a car.
-Girl who looks gorgeous, cool, calm and composed, while my skirt wrinkles, my face melts, and my hair straggles under the withering pressure of this blasted heat.
Does she have air conditioning in her genes? Like...oh crap. I give up.
As a welcome back to the world of (very casual) blogging, I have complied a list of characters in the last few days, all of whom have either annoyed or fascinated me. Pithy comments accompany, and forgive the cantankerousness (cantankerosity? Cantanker?)--me plus a needlessly hot summer plus studying for the bar exam obviously equals cranky pants. As a further note, I am now a dorm dweller...yeah I know...and also a mass transit commuter, which makes for some interesting characters.
-Girl who takes up two shower hooks.
Listen, sweetheart. There are four shower stalls. There are four sets of hooks. Do the freaking math and realize that if you take up two sets of hooks, that means someone else will be left without towel space. Said someone might be operating on a delicate balance of caffeinated beverages, carbs, and sugar, and may be on the cusp of throwing an unreasonably infantile tantrum.
-Girl who licks her chips on both sides before she eats them.
What, the chewing gets in the way of that unadulterated barbecue flavor?
-Guy on the train about to bust his eardrums.
I'd like to get that dirt off your shoulder too. Too bad I'm repelled by the wall of sound you have surrounded yourself with via earbud.
-Lady who reads "romance" in large font on her kindle on the train.
I like a good bodice ripper as much as the next person, but this just makes me uncomfortable. 8:15 is too early to be reading over your shoulder about the slow reveal of Raevynne's 'sweet, heart shaped derriere.'
-Dude who sits next to you when there are five other empty rows.
I see you went with the Old Spice today.
-Chick who needs her friend to meet her at the bus stop because she, like, so doesn't know where she's going.
Thanks to your loudspeaker cell phone voice, you also so don't know why Bobby didn't call last night.
-Guy who just has to dance.
Well, the rhythm was going to get him, I guess.
-Guy who waxes poetic about the lemony undertones of his craft beer but has never heard of canned chicken.
The Magic Hat can't save you from being judged.
-Tool sitting in the chair that I brought to the party for myself.
The eff?
-Teenagers who think they're above the no eating rule.
Stop flicking your crumbs on me.
-Lsdy who walks slowly but speeds up as I try to pass her.
Don't you need a car to be this obnoxious?
-Woman who just ate that fruit that fell on the floor.
Yeah, I saw you.
-Guy criticizing his friend for owning a car; friend too spineless to stand up for herself.
(a) you're being a jerk. (b) stop making excuses. It's okay to like having a car.
-Girl who looks gorgeous, cool, calm and composed, while my skirt wrinkles, my face melts, and my hair straggles under the withering pressure of this blasted heat.
Does she have air conditioning in her genes? Like...oh crap. I give up.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Secret
You know that book? That book, that everyone you trust says is awesome, that won all those awards, the one you bought and started to read but stopped reading after the fifth page, the one that stays on your shelf taunting you even though you always bypass it for The Shining?
Yeah. I have finally, once and for all, discovered the secret to finishing That Book.
For me, That Book is Midnight's Children (well, there are others but this is the biggie). I bought it about five years ago, after hearing one of my friends, whose taste in literature I trust absolutely, rave about it. It's so good, I heard over and over. So good! So good! Salman Rushdie is a literary god!
Well, I bought it, full price trade paperback (and as anyone who knows me knows, I hate to pay full price for anything and if I do it better be worth it), and I read maybe the first chapter. And I would randomly pick it up sometimes when I was bored, and try to read it. But I could never get into it.
So here comes the secret. I discovered last year that if you want to force yourself to listen to the music you own, bring the CD with you on a long car trip and nothing else. It was in this way that I listened to the full Indigo Girls Retrospective and learned how much I liked it; it was also the way I learned how deep my MCC love really is. Now for books — when you know you're going to travel by plane, pack only the book that you want yourself to read. Pack nothing else, no other distractions except maybe work, because that's guaranteed to drive you back to the book. Do not allow yourself to buy another book. Then — and only then — when you have no other resources of entertainment, THEN you will finally read it.
Now. All that said, having read Midnight's Children cover to cover and more slowly than I normally would read a book, I have to say that I don't really care for it. I understand its premise and admire its ambition, and I also appreciate its scope and imagination. However, it did not stir any emotions in me. I disliked the dense, tightly packed prose, which to me seemed like a person trying to drum! it! into! my head how "literary" this book was. I felt no connection to the story, and at times outright disliked the protagonist (but not in a good way, not the way I think I was supposed to). I also felt the arrogance of the author (complete conjecture on my part, no idea if he's arrogant, he seemed nice when I saw him speak) or at least the arrogance that must inevitably accompany a book of this scope, a story that essentially covers all of India's recent history. This arrogance, if that's the right word, permeated the book to such an extent that I found it irritating to read and continue reading.
But that's the secret, folks. Even when I thought I couldn't bear to read another word, when it just didn't work for me, when I closed it and put it back in my bag, I had to take it out again. Because there was NOTHING else to read! Nothing else to do! I didn't have a choice!
And that, my friends, is how I got through Midnight's Children. Now, if you're interested, I'd say you can read a similar story better written if you pick up "One Hundred Years of Solitude," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, probably the closest thing I have to a favorite book and one that I have read about sixteen times and will continue to read until I die. The similarities between Rushdie and Garcia Marquez are instantly recognizable — both obviously are magical realists who (attempt to) evoke the entire range of human emotions. The contrast, however, is more striking, because I feel like Garcia Marquez is simpler, less haughty, and writes with more clarity. In short, I am a GGM girl. And I like it that way.
Yeah. I have finally, once and for all, discovered the secret to finishing That Book.
For me, That Book is Midnight's Children (well, there are others but this is the biggie). I bought it about five years ago, after hearing one of my friends, whose taste in literature I trust absolutely, rave about it. It's so good, I heard over and over. So good! So good! Salman Rushdie is a literary god!
Well, I bought it, full price trade paperback (and as anyone who knows me knows, I hate to pay full price for anything and if I do it better be worth it), and I read maybe the first chapter. And I would randomly pick it up sometimes when I was bored, and try to read it. But I could never get into it.
So here comes the secret. I discovered last year that if you want to force yourself to listen to the music you own, bring the CD with you on a long car trip and nothing else. It was in this way that I listened to the full Indigo Girls Retrospective and learned how much I liked it; it was also the way I learned how deep my MCC love really is. Now for books — when you know you're going to travel by plane, pack only the book that you want yourself to read. Pack nothing else, no other distractions except maybe work, because that's guaranteed to drive you back to the book. Do not allow yourself to buy another book. Then — and only then — when you have no other resources of entertainment, THEN you will finally read it.
Now. All that said, having read Midnight's Children cover to cover and more slowly than I normally would read a book, I have to say that I don't really care for it. I understand its premise and admire its ambition, and I also appreciate its scope and imagination. However, it did not stir any emotions in me. I disliked the dense, tightly packed prose, which to me seemed like a person trying to drum! it! into! my head how "literary" this book was. I felt no connection to the story, and at times outright disliked the protagonist (but not in a good way, not the way I think I was supposed to). I also felt the arrogance of the author (complete conjecture on my part, no idea if he's arrogant, he seemed nice when I saw him speak) or at least the arrogance that must inevitably accompany a book of this scope, a story that essentially covers all of India's recent history. This arrogance, if that's the right word, permeated the book to such an extent that I found it irritating to read and continue reading.
But that's the secret, folks. Even when I thought I couldn't bear to read another word, when it just didn't work for me, when I closed it and put it back in my bag, I had to take it out again. Because there was NOTHING else to read! Nothing else to do! I didn't have a choice!
And that, my friends, is how I got through Midnight's Children. Now, if you're interested, I'd say you can read a similar story better written if you pick up "One Hundred Years of Solitude," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, probably the closest thing I have to a favorite book and one that I have read about sixteen times and will continue to read until I die. The similarities between Rushdie and Garcia Marquez are instantly recognizable — both obviously are magical realists who (attempt to) evoke the entire range of human emotions. The contrast, however, is more striking, because I feel like Garcia Marquez is simpler, less haughty, and writes with more clarity. In short, I am a GGM girl. And I like it that way.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
So.
Yeah.
It's only been about, oh, a month. And a lot has happened...well, a lot of little things have happened. A few missed weekends of training and bad shin splints effectively ended my goal of running the half in April. However, I am still keeping up with the running, every other day or so, and hopefully I'll be able to run a race something in the future that will make up for missing this one.
Strangely, for the last day or so I've been in a very weird funk. Kind of just feeling...useless and fuddly, trying to stir myself up to some kind of productivity. Today, I folded about five loads of laundry, finished off some leftovers (which is always such an oddly satisfying accomplishment), and baked some banana bread. Hopefully just keeping busy will help me get out of this mood, although honestly I think it is just a combination of winter and being at school and missing T. and kind of just getting sick of all of it. Spring break cannot come soon enough.
Perhaps it's just the inevitable depression that accompanies interminable gray skies, and being stuck in that valley right before the end of something: you know it's coming, you want it to arrive, but you can't get there yet and it won't come any sooner and all you have to do is trudge onward.
But I'm starting to feel my spirits lift a little. Maybe it's the satisfaction of seeing a cleanly organized closet, or the smell of that banana bread wafting around the apartment, or the excitement of playing hostess. Tomorrow I'm throwing a dinner party for my friend L., whose birthday is today. Happy birthday, L.! I have a (hopefully successful) menu planned and can't wait to celebrate.
And then next week, I'll be home with family and dogs, and then the end of the year will be here before we know it. And then I'll look back and wonder what I did with all that time, and why didn't I savor it more?
Yep. The inevitable contradiction of human nature. Man, I'm deep.
It's only been about, oh, a month. And a lot has happened...well, a lot of little things have happened. A few missed weekends of training and bad shin splints effectively ended my goal of running the half in April. However, I am still keeping up with the running, every other day or so, and hopefully I'll be able to run a race something in the future that will make up for missing this one.
Strangely, for the last day or so I've been in a very weird funk. Kind of just feeling...useless and fuddly, trying to stir myself up to some kind of productivity. Today, I folded about five loads of laundry, finished off some leftovers (which is always such an oddly satisfying accomplishment), and baked some banana bread. Hopefully just keeping busy will help me get out of this mood, although honestly I think it is just a combination of winter and being at school and missing T. and kind of just getting sick of all of it. Spring break cannot come soon enough.
Perhaps it's just the inevitable depression that accompanies interminable gray skies, and being stuck in that valley right before the end of something: you know it's coming, you want it to arrive, but you can't get there yet and it won't come any sooner and all you have to do is trudge onward.
But I'm starting to feel my spirits lift a little. Maybe it's the satisfaction of seeing a cleanly organized closet, or the smell of that banana bread wafting around the apartment, or the excitement of playing hostess. Tomorrow I'm throwing a dinner party for my friend L., whose birthday is today. Happy birthday, L.! I have a (hopefully successful) menu planned and can't wait to celebrate.
And then next week, I'll be home with family and dogs, and then the end of the year will be here before we know it. And then I'll look back and wonder what I did with all that time, and why didn't I savor it more?
Yep. The inevitable contradiction of human nature. Man, I'm deep.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
And again
Today was 2.07 miles, but I stepped up the speed quite a lot. I'm hoping to break 3 by the end of this week so that I can start building up a mile per week until the race.
Also, it is snowing like keeeeerazy here! But it is beautiful snow. This is the kind of snow I (somewhat) enjoy, because it's not monkey-butt freezing outside and it doesn't seem to be sticking. I feel like I am living in a giant snowglobe. Also it is sooo fun to try and catch them with your tongue — however, if you are a pedestrian traveling on the same sidewalk as me I apologize in advance for running into you while I stare at the sky, mouth wide open and tongue stuck out.
Also, it is snowing like keeeeerazy here! But it is beautiful snow. This is the kind of snow I (somewhat) enjoy, because it's not monkey-butt freezing outside and it doesn't seem to be sticking. I feel like I am living in a giant snowglobe. Also it is sooo fun to try and catch them with your tongue — however, if you are a pedestrian traveling on the same sidewalk as me I apologize in advance for running into you while I stare at the sky, mouth wide open and tongue stuck out.
Monday, February 01, 2010
World's most boring blog posts
Apologies in advance. I need a place to keep track of my mileage for 1/2 marathon training so I'm going to post it here, kind of as a way to keep me motivated and also to embarrass myself into training harder when I see three days of nothing but 1.6 miles.
Today: 1.67 miles
Other news: Visited T. in NJ last weekend. Got a ton of wedding stuff done, so I felt very productive. Here was my weekend itinerary:
Friday:
-Flight at 9:03.
-Arrive in BWI at 1:30.
-Drive to Philadelphia to visit A.
-Out for a late (very late) lunch.
-Vegged to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (possible one of the trippiest movies ever)
-Got ready for a late (very late) dinner.
-Ate delicious dinner.
-Slept HARD.
Saturday:
-Drove from Philadelphia to NJ.
-Showered.
-Met with priest.
-Ate lunch at potential rehearsal dinner restaurant.
-Visited six different hotels in the vicinity of our reception hall.
-Ate pizza for dinner.
-Came home and passed out.
Sunday:
-Drove from NJ to BWI.
-Flight at 2:30.
-Arrive home at 6:30.
-Drive home from airport.
-Pass out.
Exciting, yes? I thought so. But these things must be done and who's gotta do 'em? Us, that's who.
Today: 1.67 miles
Other news: Visited T. in NJ last weekend. Got a ton of wedding stuff done, so I felt very productive. Here was my weekend itinerary:
Friday:
-Flight at 9:03.
-Arrive in BWI at 1:30.
-Drive to Philadelphia to visit A.
-Out for a late (very late) lunch.
-Vegged to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (possible one of the trippiest movies ever)
-Got ready for a late (very late) dinner.
-Ate delicious dinner.
-Slept HARD.
Saturday:
-Drove from Philadelphia to NJ.
-Showered.
-Met with priest.
-Ate lunch at potential rehearsal dinner restaurant.
-Visited six different hotels in the vicinity of our reception hall.
-Ate pizza for dinner.
-Came home and passed out.
Sunday:
-Drove from NJ to BWI.
-Flight at 2:30.
-Arrive home at 6:30.
-Drive home from airport.
-Pass out.
Exciting, yes? I thought so. But these things must be done and who's gotta do 'em? Us, that's who.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The most important meal(s) of the day
May I just start by acknowledging that I am, indeed, a little bit crazy.
However, despite my inability to run more than three miles at a time, I have decided to train for the Holy Half Marathon, held on campus, on April 11. That gives me a little more than ten weeks to whip myself into tip top running shape.
So far, so good. The only problem is that apparently my body insists on increasing its food intake accordingly. Every time I up my mileage or increase my speed, I end up eating at least one more bowl of cereal or one extra cookie. This would be fine except I don't think it's really healthy—just because you're exercising doesn't mean you should eat anything and everything in sight. Hopefully my stomach will catch on, because last night, after two servings of tuna pasta salad, an orange, and a cookie, I ate three mini-bowls of granola with milk and a big spoonful of Greek yogurt. So essentially, yesterday's consumption looked like this:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
Gym
-Snack
-Dinner
-Breakfast
Believe me, the cereal producers of America have appreciated the bump in their sales over the last few weeks. However, my skinny jeans do not thank me. A balance must be struck! The only problem is that right now I'm tending towards striking it on the side of extra bowls of cereal.
However, despite my inability to run more than three miles at a time, I have decided to train for the Holy Half Marathon, held on campus, on April 11. That gives me a little more than ten weeks to whip myself into tip top running shape.
So far, so good. The only problem is that apparently my body insists on increasing its food intake accordingly. Every time I up my mileage or increase my speed, I end up eating at least one more bowl of cereal or one extra cookie. This would be fine except I don't think it's really healthy—just because you're exercising doesn't mean you should eat anything and everything in sight. Hopefully my stomach will catch on, because last night, after two servings of tuna pasta salad, an orange, and a cookie, I ate three mini-bowls of granola with milk and a big spoonful of Greek yogurt. So essentially, yesterday's consumption looked like this:
-Breakfast
-Lunch
Gym
-Snack
-Dinner
-Breakfast
Believe me, the cereal producers of America have appreciated the bump in their sales over the last few weeks. However, my skinny jeans do not thank me. A balance must be struck! The only problem is that right now I'm tending towards striking it on the side of extra bowls of cereal.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Golly
I have printed out two copies of my novel's rough draft. One is going to L., one of my first round readers. The other is going to my mom — I'm going to get it bound and send it to her for her birthday, which is Friday.
Yes, I am a little nervous about sending this baby out where other people can see it; however, if I don't do it now I may never do it. 2010 is going to be all about putting myself out there, whether it's taking a class that requires a TON of public speaking, trying at last to become a real live author, or singing karaoke in public (I can't promise that I'll do this last one, but we'll see).
I also am here to sing the praises of solid perfume. Wowee do I love that stuff. I feel like I'm actually getting my money's worth, instead of just spraying the good-smelling stuff into a vague cloud around my head and hoping that it sticks. Other benefits are that a solid perfume stick takes up a lot less room than a perfume bottle and is more airline travel friendly.
In other news, I saw Avatar in 3-D, and it was pretty cool. I have to say that I went in with low expectations, which didn't hurt, but I am very glad that (a) Zoe Saldana's career is finally taking off, because I actually really like her a lot, and (b) the score was as great as it was. However, I think that James Cameron is probably not the nicest guy in Hollywood (I don't know him personally so I can't say for sure, I'm just going off reports) and I DO wish that female directors such as Katherine Bigelow would be getting more credit for movies made on budgets far less blockbuster-friendly. If I ever become a bazillionaire, I am going to form a media company (music, film, books) focused on nurturing and marketing female-helmed projects that actually contribute substance and quality to the massive glut of entertainment that's out there — sort of a Lilith Fair for women in the arts. This is the pipiest of pipe dreams, but there it is.
Finally, I am here to announce that L. makes some very good chicken-fried steak. Her gravy was a little...different...but in her defense, she had to improvise and what turned out wasn't nearly as bad as it might have been! Bottom line, if you want to experience an instant arterial blockage, see her for dinner. She'll set you up.
Yes, I am a little nervous about sending this baby out where other people can see it; however, if I don't do it now I may never do it. 2010 is going to be all about putting myself out there, whether it's taking a class that requires a TON of public speaking, trying at last to become a real live author, or singing karaoke in public (I can't promise that I'll do this last one, but we'll see).
I also am here to sing the praises of solid perfume. Wowee do I love that stuff. I feel like I'm actually getting my money's worth, instead of just spraying the good-smelling stuff into a vague cloud around my head and hoping that it sticks. Other benefits are that a solid perfume stick takes up a lot less room than a perfume bottle and is more airline travel friendly.
In other news, I saw Avatar in 3-D, and it was pretty cool. I have to say that I went in with low expectations, which didn't hurt, but I am very glad that (a) Zoe Saldana's career is finally taking off, because I actually really like her a lot, and (b) the score was as great as it was. However, I think that James Cameron is probably not the nicest guy in Hollywood (I don't know him personally so I can't say for sure, I'm just going off reports) and I DO wish that female directors such as Katherine Bigelow would be getting more credit for movies made on budgets far less blockbuster-friendly. If I ever become a bazillionaire, I am going to form a media company (music, film, books) focused on nurturing and marketing female-helmed projects that actually contribute substance and quality to the massive glut of entertainment that's out there — sort of a Lilith Fair for women in the arts. This is the pipiest of pipe dreams, but there it is.
Finally, I am here to announce that L. makes some very good chicken-fried steak. Her gravy was a little...different...but in her defense, she had to improvise and what turned out wasn't nearly as bad as it might have been! Bottom line, if you want to experience an instant arterial blockage, see her for dinner. She'll set you up.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Stretches of time
Long blocks of time. Giant OODLE-BUGS of time!! Glorious time!
Intensive week has ended and school has begun, which means that I now have space to breathe. Phew! Thus far it looks like class this semester will be rock 'em sock 'em, with excellent professors, great class times, and interesting topics.
A few matters to discuss:
-In a couple days the first draft of le roman will be sent out to first readers. Yikes!
-My apartment is a nightmare. Perhaps I should use some of those oodle-bugs of time to straighten it up before T. comes to visit (!!!) this weekend.
-I'm not wearing socks. And therefore my feet are cold. See post below.
-And finally, thank you to all people everywhere who believe in customer service. Lately I have had quite good experiences and it has been a real eye-opener for someone who was as cynical as I was about the prospect of being heard by the great corporate giants.
Intensive week has ended and school has begun, which means that I now have space to breathe. Phew! Thus far it looks like class this semester will be rock 'em sock 'em, with excellent professors, great class times, and interesting topics.
A few matters to discuss:
-In a couple days the first draft of le roman will be sent out to first readers. Yikes!
-My apartment is a nightmare. Perhaps I should use some of those oodle-bugs of time to straighten it up before T. comes to visit (!!!) this weekend.
-I'm not wearing socks. And therefore my feet are cold. See post below.
-And finally, thank you to all people everywhere who believe in customer service. Lately I have had quite good experiences and it has been a real eye-opener for someone who was as cynical as I was about the prospect of being heard by the great corporate giants.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Ending radio silence never sounded so good
I have returned!
Yea, though I am cold, wearing four layers, trying to get a piece of lettuce out of my teeth, and have a closing argument to write and memorize for tomorrow before I get picked to pieces by professional attorneys (constructive criticism, always), and yea, though my apartment be littereth with random blazers, pairs of shoes, and empty water glasses, and yea, though all these things be non-triumphant, I am triumphant.
A few things to note:
-T. is very devoted. In fact, he drove 13 hours on the day before New Year's Eve just to surprise me!
-It has never snowed this much ever. Anywhere in the world. In all of history. In the universe. It has never snowed this much since snow was created, which everyone knows was in 1913.
-Socks really do keep you warm. How surprising is that? All these years I've been dismissing common wisdom and tucking my cold feet under my bottom to keep them from freezing off and all I had to do was put on a pair of socks! Because I am stubborn, I always keep my heat at 68 degrees. Therefore this is a very valuable and much delayed discovery.
-Currently I have ten boxes of cereal in my apartment. What? All of the kinds I liked were on sale this week. So sue me (don't sue me).
Until trial ad is over I will have no further posts (I think). Wish me luck on the grand launching of my final semester of school (hopefully EVER!!!!!).
Yea, though I am cold, wearing four layers, trying to get a piece of lettuce out of my teeth, and have a closing argument to write and memorize for tomorrow before I get picked to pieces by professional attorneys (constructive criticism, always), and yea, though my apartment be littereth with random blazers, pairs of shoes, and empty water glasses, and yea, though all these things be non-triumphant, I am triumphant.
A few things to note:
-T. is very devoted. In fact, he drove 13 hours on the day before New Year's Eve just to surprise me!
-It has never snowed this much ever. Anywhere in the world. In all of history. In the universe. It has never snowed this much since snow was created, which everyone knows was in 1913.
-Socks really do keep you warm. How surprising is that? All these years I've been dismissing common wisdom and tucking my cold feet under my bottom to keep them from freezing off and all I had to do was put on a pair of socks! Because I am stubborn, I always keep my heat at 68 degrees. Therefore this is a very valuable and much delayed discovery.
-Currently I have ten boxes of cereal in my apartment. What? All of the kinds I liked were on sale this week. So sue me (don't sue me).
Until trial ad is over I will have no further posts (I think). Wish me luck on the grand launching of my final semester of school (hopefully EVER!!!!!).
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