Posting this thing, fifteen minutes until midnight...

No entry from Friday because I was eager to finish The Hunger Games. It was a fantastic book. I have plans to read the second one ASAP.

In the meantime, I'm also working on a review of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. I thought I could post it soon, but I can't rush this thing. Because of upcoming events (including an unexpected one), I may have to get the one for The Red and the Black done soon and post it early on Friday morning. I'll explain the Friday business once the obligatory "rest period" has passed.

In the meantime, please enjoy this Monday post. Oh, and a clip of a song from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts:

Movie time

Writing is going well, so there's that. Also... I'm in a movie mood. Watching The Big Lebowski right now, just finished Fargo. It's a Coen Brothers kinda night.

See y'all Friday...

Reading and an idea

I've been out for a while, been nursing a mild cold for the last few days. What I hate the most is the lack of energy I have to do pretty much anything. Work is like walking through fog.

So I've been trying to rest and prepare for some big things coming up this weekend. Also, been reading a few books. I just finished Rob Sheffield's Love Is A Mixtape. It is one of the best things I've read this year and it's a shame I waited this long to pick it up.

I'm also reading Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me. It's pretty intense so far, I may skip the movie. Not sure if I want to deal with all that violence.

Because I'm having a hell of a hard time motivating myself to write something and have an effing deadline, I'm gonna do something I promised a million miles ago... write reviews for My Life in the Bush of Ghosts and The Red and the Black. I will have them typed up and ready by next week.

As for other writing, I may begin an essay and then go back to either Invisible or that short story.

Man, pass me the matches. I need to light a fire under my lazy ass.

Some writing and life gripes

I'm working on the short story right now and man, my perfectionism (which is not OCD) is kicking in like whoa. All I want to do is go back and rewrite half of it, or give up because it's not turning out like I hoped it would. And it's 1,000+ words in, go figure.

~
One quick note: y'all, stop calling perfectionism OCD. It's not funny and you're not being clever! Look up what OCD is and learn that perfectionism =/= OCD.

*this comes from someone who has suffered OCD and is tired of this nonsense*
~

As for life stuff, I recently read this article and thought about things that had been going on in my life. I do honestly feel that I'm a seventeen-year-old in a twenty-three-year-old body. While I have made some big decisions (I'm basically paying for my insurance and my meds, buying big-ticket items without assistance, etc.) and moves (I've traveled overseas on my own, took care of most college matters without parental assistance, etc.) I still feel like I'm years behind everyone else. And yet, things are really tough right now. I continue to try, and I know some that are still looking for a job. It's silly to expect the new crop of twenty-somethings to mature the same way. I'm certainly not maturing the same way as my folks did. All of us are trying out another bag of tricks, that's all.

No, I'm not posting a clip of "That's All" by Genesis, or Keane's awesome cover of it...

Y'all can go for now... the show's over.

:P

Short Entries: Episode II: Attack of the Auuughs

Two things and then I must go... do things. Yes, that. Anyway.

1. Verdict on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: it's okay. The story in itself is kind of flimsy, but then again, it is supposed to be a fable. Because of this, that may be why certain elements (e.g. "show-versus-telling") might be different from the storytelling I'm used to. However, I still have a problem with the book.

*Hark! There be spoilers!*

Maybe?

It's that damn law of attraction stuff. I'm all for the underlying message of the story ("don't give up and strive for your goal"), but when it got to the "world helps you to win" stuff... I gritted my teeth. What I hate about that is if that were the case, wouldn't everyone be in a good place right now? Sorry, I can't buy into an ideology that says only a few can win but only if you think happy thoughts. And also, if the underlying thought is: "be positive or all the bad shit that happens to you is your own damn fault", that's enough for me to discredit it.

To be fair, The Alchemist encourages action, while The Secret doesn't. I'll give Coelho that.

TL;DR version: book wasn't that bad, yet had shades of "law of attraction" nonsense.

2. Apologies in advance to my friend who likes True Blood and the Sookie Stackhouse books (you know who you are). I tried to read Dead After Dark for the second time, but got barely past the second chapter and decided to quit. It's just not picking up. Sorry, I tried. I really wanted to like it.

That's about it. See y'all Friday...

Quick Hits (or I'm Lazy, Here's A Short Entry)

Currently, I'm reading The Alchemist. I have no idea how to react to this book, so I plan on finishing it tonight and making a final decision. Before that, I finished Steve Martin's memoir, which I enjoyed very much.

~

As for music, I finished Arcade Fire's latest. I wasn't overtly impressed with it (I still prefer Funeral and Neon Bible on odd days), but there were some great songs, especially the title track and this one:



This was my favorite off the entire album.

Oh yeah, and Guster's new song is great:



~

As for movies, I saw Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Repo! The Genetic Opera. I loved the former, it was entertaining and very funny. In fact, I make plans to either borrow or buy the comics and read them. The latter was a poor man's Rocky Horror, most of the singing was horrible. It says a lot about a musical when only two of its songs are really good. But it is better than Grease. Then again, anything is better than Grease.

I'm probably gonna get attacked for not liking Repo. Ah, who cares? When Repo's purported sequel makes an unforgettable scene like this



I'll retract my opinion.

P.S.: Speaking of retracting opinions... after giving it considerable thought: Fear of Music by Talking Heads is not my all-time favorite album. It's actually Remain In Light. Whoops.

Small writing update

Okay, since I continue to cower at the presence of Invisible, I've decided to move on and tackle short stories. I had one planned for a while, taking place in Fargo, North Dakota. Based on a true event, this huge tornado (classified as an F5 about four years later, after Dr. Fujita initally created the titular scale) struck the city, tearing most of its northern area apart. This character, who ends up being the father of the male student from Invisible, watches his family become affected by the tornado.

I haven't decided on a title yet. Short story titles are usually hard for me to come up with.

Wanna see what I'm getting myself into? Check out this link. Great pictures, a documentary, and other fine details await your consumption!

Choose-Your-Own-Advent... Title

I was gonna write a review of Rebecca Stead's awesome Newbery-winning book When You Reach Me, but I doubt y'all want a week of reviews. But here is my truncated opinion: if you loved A Wrinkle in Time, you'll adore the hell out of When You Reach Me. It does the time-traveling business a bit differently, but it is endearing and very well-written. Certainly deserving of its award and any of its success. And yes, another book to recommend to kids. Awesome!

~

I have no idea why I stopped writing. Or preparing my resume and cover letter for a possible internship. I really need to get back on that. Also, start using the treadmill again.

~

I got into a movie mood. In the last twenty-four hours, I watched 1941, the original The Haunting, Alchemy: Dire Straits Live, and True Stories.

Truncated opinions ahoy!:
-I'm fully convinced 1941 was made by people high on narcotics.

-The Haunting was really good, enough to invalidate the existence of the horrid 1999 remake. And make me want to read the book again.

-Alchemy was a good concert, yet the solos went on foreeeeever.

-True Stories was weird as all get-out, but kinda funny. Especially since David Byrne looked like Haze Motes from the Wise Blood movie.

Not much else for today. Until next time... nuclear porcupines.

Some thoughts and an old review...

First off, the review. When I was more active on Gamespot, I occasionally wrote reviews of video games I had either recently played (or in the case of the second Tomb Raider), games I really liked. The last review I posted was one on Silent Hill: 0rigins on the PSP. It's funny to read it now and see that I still hold the same opinions as before. In a rare moment of awesome, it was recommended by four out of four people. Not bad. I never received any feedback, but what can you do?

Here is the link. Just promise me you'll open it in a new tab or window, then return to read the rest of my entry. Thank you! :D

I'm fond of this review because it shows that while I still had to grow more as a critic, I was on the right track. Wish I added more detail though.

Y'all are more than welcome to check out my other reviews, but this one just stood out more to me.

This makes me want to work more on becoming a critic. It's fun and of course, gives you the chance to try out new things!

~

I've been thinking over my life and found that I am stuck in a rut. Glad to have figured this out now and not, let's see, later in my life! To alleviate this, I made a list of forty-three things (based on the website of the same name) to do before the end of 2011. I'm gonna share them with y'all:

1.    Move out
  This one is obvious. I'm still living with my folks and I love 'em to death, but I need to move on. Preferably to another city.

2.    Get a better job
  This one is probably the shocking one to most of y'all. I have talked about how much I love working as a bookseller. I do, that hasn't changed. But I need a consistent amount of hours and better pay in order to... you guessed it, move out! It may be possible that getting another job may not need to happen, but I can't place all my chips on that hope.

3.    Start dating
  I've confessed at least once that I've yet to date. I'm looking forward to the "meeting new people" part, not so much of the drama-llama stuff that could happen. Eh, it's a necessary evil. Just guys will learn quickly that I have zero tolerance for the drama llama.

4.    Become socially skilled, becoming a butterfly not necessary
  Thanks to that introvert book I've been reading, this may be an already accomplished goal. Yet, I need to test myself and be consistent. But I have faith it'll work.

5.    Go to San Francisco and stay a week
  Maybe not a week, but still. 

6.    Go to a writing conference
  I'm unsure if I want to go with someone I know or go by myself.

7.    Start attending church or do a charity thing
  By church, I mean a UU one.

8.    Unless ill, donate blood often
  I think I can donate every eight weeks, but I have to check on that.

9.    Get a tattoo
  This is another one that may surprise people. Yeah, been thinking about it for the better part of the year. Right now, I have a design idea but stuck between two places to put it: on my right foot or under my upper left arm.

10.    Read all my unread books and/or sell ones I no longer want
  Kinda explains itself, really.

11.    Get a recliner
  I'm happy to say that this will happen, likely in September, when my custom-order recliner arrives!

12.    Get published seven times
  I tell myself that if I do, it'll look sexy on my resume and my graduate school application. It'll give them the illusion that I'm not just a lazy dork who keeps a blog!

13.    Enter seven contests
  Gotta start getting competitive and all, right? This also has the same desired achievement as the publishing one above.

14.    Intern at [literary organization]
  Yeah, ain't telling ya which one. There's a local one that I've been meaning to intern with. Get the experience and see what it's like to be there.

15.    Take guitar lessons (alternative: learn “Heaven” by Talking Heads)
  I mean, I could take lessons. But, by and large, I taught myself to juggle and braid. I am also a mostly self-taught writer! So why not teach myself? That is why there is an alternative.

16.    Make four new friends
  Just more people to know, that's all.

17.    Register as a bone marrow donor
  This has been something I've pondered over for the better part of a year. An issue with insurance prevented me from doing this a long time ago, but now since insurance is not really a problem, I may register at the end of the year. I already have a semi-rare blood type, so my bone marrow type may be as equally semi-rare!

18.    Travel to New York City and stay a week
  There are tentative plans for my family and I to go, but we'll have to see if plans change. Either way, I'm going. Somehow...

19.    Stay in touch with my current friends
  As an introvert who is wary of Facebook, hates MySpace, and thinks Twitter is lulzy yet cute... I have trouble keeping up with friends on social networks. I'm more of an email, phone, and in-person kinda person (yeah, contrary to my nature). So I vow, friends that read this blog, you may be hearing from me soon and more often!

20.    Get a gun license
  This is kinda random, but I would like to know. For self-defense and of course, the hopefully-it-won't-happen zombie apocalypse. Seriously, I would like to know how.

21.    Have two awesome birthdays
  Makes total sense. I should have fun turning 24 (this year) and 25 (next year). 

22.    Take the GRE and other grad school tests and do awesome at them (not perfect, but awesome)
  Since graduate school is likely, I'm hoping 2012, I should prepare to take the dreaded tests. Hopefully I could get away with just the GRE.

23.    Get an iPhone or a better smartphone
  My current phone is a giant little pain in the ass. But AT&T's plans are kinda blah, or so I heard from other iPhone users. So I may convert to something good on my current plan with Verizon.

24.    Apply for grad school (after getting scores back)
  Besides the scores, I need to start writing letters, getting letters of recommendation from people, and of course... submit writing samples.

25.    Finish the first draft of Invisible
  At this rate, I may be into next year and wrapping this up. It's a slow process.

26.    Finish the first draft of Wind
  Same goes with this one, though I foresee its completion in late '11.

27.    Get to the second draft of Blues
  That's right. Two years after it's originally written, Blues will get its second draft. Silly, I know.

28.    Have a collection of at least twenty short stories
  What I mean is have at least twenty short stories that I could shoot into the world.

29.    Have a collection of at least thirty poems
  Same as above, only replace the obvious words.

30.    Drive to a place out of town
  This may occur sooner. But it is more getting confidence that I can handle out-of-town traveling.

31.    Get a new pair of glasses (alternative: try contacts, if my prescription doesn’t make them expensive)
  I have a feeling the alternative will be too expensive, but I will ask regardless. My glasses will be two years old in November, and I make it a thing to change them at least once every two years.

32.    Join a message board (alternative: rejoin a message board)
  The alternative will happen more likely than the former due to the fact that I already have one in mind that I would love to return to. I may also join a good writing one for the lulz.

33.    Try my hand at vlogging
  Not sure how I'll go about this, but it will involve buying a camcorder, which was something I always wanted. Of course, I will let y'all know when it happens.

34.    Freelance at least twice
  This may change to something else, but you never know...

35.    Go out to eat with co-workers at a bar/pub
  I mean, why not?

36.    Make a long, hard list on things about yourself including beliefs and so forth. Don’t be afraid to list all the good and the bad. It is best to know yourself.
  This does explain itself, but to further add on it... I feel like I don't truly know where I stand on a lot of things. I also want to show that, yes, I am actually not a bland and silly person. Proof to show myself on the hard days.

37.    Establish a habit to where I write at least 2,000 words a day; also edit at least seven pages of something else.
  Well, there ya go. The editing thing is new, I need to start doing that.

38.    Establish a much better budget
  I'm slowly figuring out how to work with my money, so this could be an upcoming victory. Until then, I'm having to save up for October. Guster's new album, Rock Band 3, and Fallout: New Vegas are all being released within weeks of each other. How exciting! :D

39.    Switch to [new bank] and get their [sweet credit card]
  I dunno if switching banks would be necessary, I have to check on that. Otherwise, I would love to get this bank's really awesome card. It sounds like something I could get behind.

40.    Say goodbye forever to [my current credit card]
  I haven't had too much trouble with my current credit card. Well, other than it not being accepted everywhere and it becoming a game of "Does This Store Accept [Credit Card]?" To avoid this, I'm switching. Not sure when, but it's happening.

41.    Take a yoga class
  Preferably with someone who really knows all the things needed to know about yoga (like the spiritual aspect and so forth).

42.    Establish a better sleeping habit (maybe all I need is five hours, who knows…)
  I'm stuck between sleeping for six to nine hours, depending on health factors. I find myself best at seven hours of sleep.

43.    Learn to cook my own damn food
  Explains itself. I keep seeing cookbooks and wanting to try them all out. Should do that, buy an interesting cookbook and then make an entire meal.

~

Haven't fallen asleep yet? Awesome! Well, I will update on the progress I make on the list, among other things. Do y'all have 43 (more or less) you would love to do/accomplish? Share them! I'm curious to see what others are striving to do.

I leave you with this quote that I found today. It was one of those that I needed to read.

It's a Wednesday update!

The reason why I didn't post something on Monday was because I rediscovered Fallout 3 and got to Level 30 on my character (a blonde named Louise). Since I can run around that game and do whatever I want now, though I won't earn any experience points, I'm retiring Louise and moving on to my next character (a redhead named Zachariah).

Aside from my gaming obsessions, I've decided to proceed with Invisible and slowly get my feet back in the metaphorical waters. It still feels like I could add in more detail, but that'll have to wait until the second draft. This needs to get done, like damn.

I haven't read that much, kinda burnt myself out by accident reading this book about how to live as an introvert. Lemme clarify this by saying I read the whole thing (about 300+ pages) in a twelve-hour period. Since, y'know, I'm one of those introvert things. The book's called The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney. It's really good, I recommend it. It had some great tips on how to socialize and go on dates. I haven't tested them out yet, but I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

I looked back at some of the video game reviews I'd written on Gamespot. Some of them actually got positive reactions from other users. Not too bad. I think, for Friday, I may link or post the one review that got the most recommends: Silent Hill: 0rigins.

In smaller news, I got a recliner. Well, I'll be getting one in a month and it's replacing my old papasan chair. 

Other than that, nothing much else. See y'all on Friday...