Whoo!!

Talking Heads for Rock Band DLC next week!

Link here.

But no "Burning Down the House"?

As the Beastie Boys famously said in "Sabotage"...

WHHHYYYYYYYYYYY?!

Either way, yea!

First days of school

So far, looks like all the classes are going to be interesting. The teachers are familiar faces (well, all but one), the texts aren't too daunting nor are the expected tasks, and my classmates are for the most part, a crazy fun bunch of people.

I had to cancel my platelet donation appointment due to impending illness. When my ear is draining, it's the tell-tale sign of a cold coming to town. I hate to do that, especially since earlier this year, I kept getting sick and had to turn down opportunities to donate blood.

I haven't been working on writing in a few days. I dunno why I stopped, but I'm gonna jump back into it before class this afternoon.

Since I don't have classes on Tuesdays, I foresee (other than going to work probably) that day being used for writing and for catching up on schoolwork.

I finished Austen's Northanger Abbey (finally) and am trying to finish up the Ballard book.

Uhm... that's pretty much it. I apologize for the brevity.

It's picture time!

So far, readings are going very well. I'm almost done with three books and there are only five days until school starts for me, so I have to hop to it!

No writing, but been keeping a journal (an off-line, paper one that is).

Nothing much else in the life, so... onto the pics!

~~

My sis and I went to a flea market out of town last weekend. My sis hunted for bottles for her apothecary box project, while I browsed for records and books.

After a while, I found a guy selling records. I found Talking Heads' live album, the soundtrack to Stop Making Sense, and a Brian Eno album.

But, the fourth was a special find. It's the limited edition of the Speaking in Tongues LP. While not extremely rare, it was sheer fortune to find it. I snagged it for a palsy ten bucks. Here's the history:

"For the artwork of the sleeve, the band invited artist Robert Rauschenberg to create a record cover. He designed a plastic envelope package with clear discs that could spin around. After the record company Warner Bros. deceided [sic] that the special sleeve would raise the price of the album too much, it was released as a limited (but large) edition. The record itself was pressed on clear vinyl. Byrne himself painted a cover for the standard edition." - Franny, The Name of This Site is Talking Heads

Pics:



~~

A new hobby I just got into is soap-making. Today, I made two acne soaps (basic recipe from here). The smell of tea tree oil is overpowering and I can barely smell the eucalyptus mint scent I had also added, so for future reference, to take it easy on the tea tree oil. Otherwise, here are the results:



(that's my hand, JSYK)

Those are pretty awesome, y/y?

~~

So, that's what I've been up to these days. How 'bout you? Find any new hobbies to keep your life interesting? Any cool finds? Post all about them!

Commence to fangirling...

Check this out:

Kotaku article.

It's a nice goal and all, but this is what got me losing my ever-loving mind (bold for awesome):

"[...] Rigopulos also revealed that tracks from Queen, Nirvana, Tom Petty, Elton John, Iggy Pop, The White Stripes, Pantera, Talking Heads, Korn, The Raconteurs, and more would soon be bringing said library into the quadruple digits."

If anything could get me to play Rock Band 2 again, it would be this.

...

Oh yeah, the fangirling part. *flails arms and cheers*

I only hope for at least "Burning Down the House". A track pack even. Album would be even better. Like Remain in Light.

But still, I want "House". And "Houses in Motion".

~~

Been reading on and off, preparing for school. I'm missing only one book for class. Not bad at all. I also cleaned my backpack, both inside and out. It's now ready. I'm ready.

Let's do this thing!

Just an advance warning...

Because I have a rising stack of books to read and school to prepare for, my online presence won't be as frequent. In fact, ya may want to start expecting this kinda trend.

Look at me, talking like people actually read this blog on a daily basis. XD

I've been using the 'Net as an easy escape too often. The symptoms of boredom.

I also haven't been writing. I'm not sure what to do next. Maybe the story about the woman who falls for the Piscean guys...

Well, signing off, for now...

Let's resurrect the ol' bullet list again, shall we?

It's been a while since I posted. I apologize for the length of recent posts, I guess there are things that had to be said. "Had to", of course, is subject to debate.

I also should address the recent increase of the leetspeak usage. In a post from a year ago (I think...), I said that it wouldn't be prevalent in this blog. But, it has begun to spread. So, it stops today. My intentions aren't for me to become a snob, but it is getting annoying to read. Of course, like most writing workshops teach you: if you read something and think it's bad, your audience would likely notice too and agree.

Oh, yeah, the bullet list... thought something was missing.

• Went to the library recently and borrowed a few books: Ring, Rubyfruit Jungle (which wasn't that good), and The Other Side of the Sun.
• Finished the short story I talked about a while ago, the one about the teenager in the mall. I have stopped writing since then, working on plots for now.
• Haven't read all that much, despite going to the library.
• Gearing up for school. Three of the books on the list for "Women & Literature" I have already read. Yea for re-reading!
• Listening to the songs I haven't racked up play counts on. Right now... George Strait. Yeah. *changes subject with nervous cough*
  
• Going to work in a few hours.

I'll update when something worth it (i.e. exciting) happens. Until then, good day/night...

Allow me to contradict myself...

After recalling this entry, and of course future entries like this one and also this, and this one... and the post below this one, I must proclaim the actual truth:

I am an Anti-Twilighter. I am not ashamed of this anymore. I was before, hence the entry back in November '08.

~

Lemme refer back to the initial entry:

"I hate the Twilight series. I had read the first book and thought of it as boring, unimpressive, peopled with unrelatable and flat characters, and fraught with lost opportunities. I have zero interest in reading the other books for the same reasons. I think the series' success is unjustified. The vampires sparkle. I watched the film online... and it wasn't even funny, it was just awful."

I also made attempts to read the second one and well...

"I tried, but honestly, I have better things to do. I can't finish New Moon. If I wanted to hear someone bitch, I would record myself and loop it."

I also tried listening to the third and fourth on YouTube (audiobooks, JSYK) I got to the honeymoon part in the last book. My sister and I, our faces were like this O_O the whole way through.

(Cont.)

"I mentioned to my manager the other day that I saw the movie. She asked me an interesting question: "if you didn't like the book, why did you see the movie?" I told her because I wanted to laugh at it. Now, it makes me realize that I should've left well alone. Moved on after reading the first book, instead of jumping onto the hatred bandwagon."

Well, I have nothing to gain by jumping on the Anti-Twilight bandwagon. I'm not gonna get new friends or anything like that. Nor will I lose anything either.

I tried the hands-off approach, but let's face it. I work at a bookstore. I see the books all time. I can't stay silent forever. I even have recommended other books when people asked me if Twilight was good for their teens.

"Look, there are better things to read and see. But, it's not my place to be so damn judgmental on people's choice of entertainment. If Twilight and the rest of the series tickles them pink, let them have it. I have my things and I'm pretty damn happy."

This is where I'm going to be contradictory. I really cannot understand how people can read them even for fun. Even with fun reads, I like my work to look like some damn effort was put into them. Note that I'm not saying those who read the books are not intelligent. All I'm saying is that I honestly don't understand why some people read books like this.

Maybe I'm a snob. Well, there you go. I am a snob.

Overall, like I said before, I'm never going to recommend the series. If I did, it would go against my personal ethics. Speaking of ethics...

"If you read the post I linked, you'll read that there are whispers of Edward and Bella's relationship being... well, unhealthy. I don't know what to really say about that. I just hope when girls read the books, they don't take what's been said and done as dating advice."

As a fledgling feminist, I have huge issues with the series for that reason. There seems to be evidence that Edward is controlling and a stalker. The sad thing is, some think he is romantic and everything he does is for the good of Bella. *spazes out* Last I checked, taking someone's engine out so they can't go see friends wasn't for anyone's good.

I'm gonna confess something. I have wrote about a guy who was abusive and made it into something romantic. That was before I knew better. So, yeah, remembering I made the same mistake and seeing it again in a published novel hits home.

Of course, the last sentence of that quote I still stand behind wholeheartedly.

"If reading this book has taught me anything, it was to make my characters stronger. Aren't books (even bad ones) supposed to teach writers how to write?"

In fact, I credit Twilight for helping me make some big changes to some characters I was working on.

~

Of course, I could go to list how the writing is just plain horrible and that an editor needed a red pen and a pitbull to attack the manuscript... how Meyer actually thinks her romance story is better than other famous ones... how some (not all) fans need to STFD (STFD = sit the fuck down) and realize that yes, people won't like the books and need to stop convincing them otherwise... and how some fans have actually committed physical harm against those who don't agree with their opinions.

Wait, I just did.

Long post is long. Seriously, I've been meaning to write this for a long time. I just didn't think about it until today. Nothing other than previous thoughts motivated me to do so.

I am 110% aware that not all Twilight fans are rabid and/or crazy. I know three very awesome, intelligent, well-read Twilight fans. You know who y'all are. And I just wanted to say that this is the best way I can explain my feelings about the series. If I were to speak it, it wouldn't be as articulate.

My intention is NOT to hurt other people's feelings. I just wanted to speak my mind, both honestly and fairly.

~

That's about it for me here. So, good night...

*leaves room*