Another
confession. I read an article on Slate and I bought Data, A Love Story: How I
Gamed On-Line Dating to Meet My Match by Amy Webb for my Kindle. It sounded
like a really interesting story. I’ve never heard anyone go about on-line
dating quite like this. She uses a comprehensive list and data to find the man
who is now her husband.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Confession
Monday, January 28, 2013
Theme Parks You Won't Be Seeing Any Time Soon or Home Sweet Own Challenge Book 4
For the past, I used a book to visit a place that is no more but should never be forgotten. Stasiland by Anna Funder is part memoir and part history. It details Funder’s search for stories of life in the German Democratic Republic as lived by every day people. As an American I’ve never known a life without near total freedom. I was at the Newseum and I wanted to read about what life in East Germany was like. I’d seen films but I wanted to read real stories.
Funder tells us the tale of the man who designed the wall, the woman who was separated from her child by it, and the woman who almost made it across. She talks to former Stasi officers, sees where they used to work, and sees where they tortured prisoners. Despite German unification, many people never lost their mentality and still believe East Germany will rise again.
Toward the end of the book we see the trend of false nostalgia for life in the GDR. Mostly it’s youths who “long for something to yearn for” and older people who seem to have forgotten that near homelessness came at the price total surveillance. Some people who were wronged by the state are still being intimidated and followed when they try to preserve what history did to them.
I wanted a little more of the culture shock when the wall came down but that wasn’t the point of the book I suppose. I think this book is very important to our history and remembrance of that world. It’s a past we can never go back to in a place that no longer exists but it’s a past we may yet see again.
1) Fiction
2) Nonfiction
3) Sci-Fi
4) Fantasy
5) Mystery
6) Horror
7) Memoir/Biography
8) Chick Lit
9) Feminist
10) Teen
11) Holiday
12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman
13) Short Stories
14) Library
15) Animal
16) Book about Books
17) New
18) Old
19) Pop Science
20) Near
21) Far
22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler
23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
24) Wild Card
25) Otherworldly Creature
26) Free
27) Noteworthy
28) Bestseller
29) Themed Anthology
30) Steampunk
31) Movie-Book
32) Media
33) Travel
34) Food
35) Classic
36) Humor
37) Poetry
38) Past – Stasiland by Anna Funder
39) Future
40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic
41) Zombie
42) Sports
Current Music: Memories by Within Temptation
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Underwear Under There
For some inexplicable reason, a fancy men’s underwear catalogue was delivered to my house. Apparently Under Gear thinks there a man at my house who is in need of some fancy thongs. I brought it to a gathering where several ladies (and more than a few men) were present for laughs.
We debated the greater than average odds of certain models being Jewish, whether it was stuffed or real, and just openly ogled. There was some debate on what occasion calls for assless briefs. I’m guessing the last ones would have been needed for some of the guys on Queer as Folk.
It’s a safe bet the main shoppers are gay since all the straight men I know buy their boxer briefs three in a pack at the same place they get their deodorant and chips.
Giggling To: The War Is Over by Kelly Clarkson
Potato Thief
Anyone who has ever had a pet has had them get into stuff. Dogshame is an entire internet subculture based around it. (If you don’t know what this is, Google it now.)
My mother left some groceries on the floor. My nosy chubby-butt dog went through and found some potatoes. These were not little side dish potatoes. These were soup potatoes about the size of my 25 pound dog’s head.
He ate half of one potato and split half of the second one with his sister. The third, which he left intact, was delivered while my mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table and she was telling me this story. He dropped it on the floor in front of us like he was saying, “Guys look what I found! It’s awesome. You want some?” Bless his heart.
Listening To: It's Time by Imagine Dragons
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Home Sweet Own Challenge Book 3
The current nonfiction book I'm reading for a challenge category is taking longer than I thought but I found something lighter to enjoy in the meantime. My graphic novel is the first trade paperback of Love and Capes.
I discovered this one at the last Baltimore Comic Con. I loved the concept of a superhero who finally tells his girlfriend about his secret identity and the relationship moves on from there. This was an impulse purchase I was very happy with.
It was light and fun. A lot of comics now thrive on drama and darkness. This was a breath of fresh air. I grew up on Archie but love Fables so I can appreciate both. I like that his is somewhere in between.
It’s oft describe as a superhero parody because of spoofs of iconic heroes but it’s less about the heroes and more about the people. The heroics are all off camera so he focus is on the relationships between the characters: Abby and her sister, Crusader and Darkblade, Abby and Amazonia. Abby and Mark are so couple-y that you want to hate them but you like them too much. I can’t wait to read the next trade.
1) Fiction
2) Nonfiction
3) Sci-Fi
4) Fantasy
5) Mystery
6) Horror
7) Memoir/Biography
8) Chick Lit
9) Feminist
10) Teen
11) Holiday
12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman
13) Short Stories
14) Library
15) Animal
16) Book about Books
17) New
18) Old
19) Pop Science
20) Near
21) Far
22) Graphic Novel – Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Thomas F. Zahler
23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
24) Wild Card
25) Otherworldly Creature
26) Free
27) Noteworthy
28) Bestseller
29) Themed Anthology
30) Steampunk
31) Movie-Book
32) Media
33) Travel
34) Food
35) Classic
36) Humor
37) Poetry
38) Past
39) Future
40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic
41) Zombie
42) Sports
Current Music: Good Girl by Carrie Underwood
Sunday, January 20, 2013
I Know Exactly What I Was Thinking or Home Sweet Own Challenge Book 2
Another one down! Essays has been done in this nonfiction anthology about bad boyfriends.
Everyone has those moments when you know a relationship is over. Each woman tells her story about one of those moments. Some are funny, some are heartbreaking, some are more than just a little pathetic, most are enjoyable.
If you’re one of those people who swap bad date stories (I swapped most awkward date stories just last night), give this one a whirl. I wish I had more to say but it’s an easy read and I found it very fun and enjoyable. Sometimes there’s not much more to it than that.
1) Fiction
2) Nonfiction
3) Sci-Fi
4) Fantasy
5) Mystery
6) Horror
7) Memoir/Biography
8) Chick Lit
9) Feminist
10) Teen
11) Holiday
12) Essays – What Was I Thinking? ed. by Barbara Davilman & Liz Dubelman
13) Short Stories
14) Library
15) Animal
16) Book about Books
17) New
18) Old
19) Pop Science
20) Near
21) Far
22) Graphic Novel
23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
24) Wild Card
25) Otherworldly Creature
26) Free
27) Noteworthy
28) Bestseller
29) Themed Anthology
30) Steampunk
31) Movie-Book
32) Media
33) Travel
34) Food
35) Classic
36) Humor
37) Poetry
38) Past
39) Future
40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic
41) Zombie
42) Sports
Current Music: It’s Time by Imagine Dragons
Monday, January 14, 2013
Home Sweet Own Challenge Book 1
One book down, 41 to go. I reread a new favorite I discovered last year, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I’d been waiting to reread it until 2013 and devoured it over vacation. If you consider yourself remotely nerdy and like games any sort of game (RPG, MMORPG, video, arcade), you’ll love this book.
It a not-too-distant future, the world is an ugly place. Poverty is rampant, the planet is damaged, companies can legally indentured debtors, and people hide away in a vivid virtual world that has changed the way they live life. The creator of this world was eccentric and had no heirs. He left control of his company and fortune to whoever can find the Easter eggs he’s hidden throughout his virtual world. Wade is one of those people who hides away and hopes to find the egg. As he gains some success in his quest, life changes in ways he could not have ever imagined.
Cline did his homework. The pop culture in this book is detailed and constantly moving. The characters are also great. The story is light but very compelling (and would make a fantastic mini-series). A little bit coming of age and a lot of bit heroic underdog. I’ve recommended this book to three friends all of whom binge read it in a few days. Binge reading is optional but you should do the same.
1) Fiction
2) Nonfiction
3) Sci-Fi
4) Fantasy
5) Mystery
6) Horror
7) Memoir/Biography
8) Chick Lit
9) Feminist
10) Teen
11) Holiday
12) Essays
13) Short Stories
14) Library
15) Animal
16) Book about Books
17) New
18) Old
19) Pop Science
20) Near
21) Far
22) Graphic Novel
23) Reread – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
24) Wild Card
25) Otherworldly Creature
26) Free
27) Noteworthy
28) Bestseller
29) Themed Anthology
30) Steampunk
31) Movie-Book
32) Media
33) Travel
34) Food
35) Classic
36) Humor
37) Poetry
38) Past
39) Future
40) Dystopia/Post-Apocalyptic
41) Zombie
42) Sports
Current Jams: Help by The Beatles
Thursday, January 3, 2013
That Didn't Take Long
My first slip-up. I was searching fairy tales on Amazon when I gave into Once Upon a Curse for Kindle. It had several writers I knew and liked merged with fairy tales. I adore seeing what people will do with an existing story or character like fairy tales.
I didn't even think about buying it and I've discovered that if I waffle, it says something about my feelings about what I'm waffling over. While that’s good, I'm still out $6.95. I haven't been in January long enough to make progress on the challenge. I need to stay off Amazon.
Anyone know if you can make Safari or Firefox have a pop-up that says, “Are you sure?” before logging on to certain sites. If that was patented, people would make millions by installing that on all their man-person’s favorite porn sites. (Yeah, I’m the only one thinking that.)
At least when I'm on vacation I'll be aware from the internet temptations and distractions of home so I can get some real reading done. I’ve already started on the reread. This anthology should be freaking awesome.
Current Music: I Didn't Mean It by The Belle Brigade
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The Good Book
She fingered its delicate pages. It had a great deal of weight for such a delicate thing.
The pages were lighter than most. So easily torn. It survived many years but could it survive fire? Could it withstand water?
So many interpretations. So many translations. So many voices cast out. How much was lost in the translations? How much had been lost over time? Can any text maintain its integrity over thousands of years at the hands of so many?
What of the voices cast aside? Not every tale that was written for it has been told. The great men who created it also omitted pieces of it. If you don’t tell the whole tale, is it still worth fighting over? Would you risk your life on half of the truth? Would you risk someone else’s?
So much righteous blood has been shed. So much land stolen, so much currency controlled, by the men who wield the word. The pen is mightier than the sword. The book is mightier than its truth. Its authority has been enough to destroy as many lives as it’s saved.
Man is not perfect. Neither is his book. All it takes is a spark. She saw the light.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New Day, New Year
Since a great many wasn’t expecting 2013 so I decree it must be awesome. I did that for my champagne toast last night and I’m hoping if I say it enough it will eventually stick.
The New Year snuck up on me. Because I was having a party, I was so busy preparing for the party, I didn’t realize until 12/30, “Oh, no more book buying.” One of my favorite writers, Jasper Fforde, released two books in 2012 I’m dying to read. Since all of my other books by him are in paperback, I’m waiting so they can all match. I got a Barnes & Noble card so these should go hand-in-hand. As perviously stated, when I do buy them, I’ll fess up to it here.
I don’t believe in making resolutions because whenever I do, they tend to backfire. You also feel like you failed if you don’t succeed. I do have goals I would like to accomplish this year. If I don’t accomplish them, too bad, so sad. Please play again next year.
-Succeed at the Home Sweet Own 42 Book Challenge. I own waaaay too many books for the amount I’ve read. I’ve literally run out of room.
-Selling my wares on Etsy. I’ve started making chainmail as a hobby. It’s lovely and I genuinely enjoy making it. To break even on this hobby, I want to start selling some of my creations. I may post a few pictures here.
-Find a different job. I’ve hated my job since 2010. I majored in English. ‘Nuff said.
-Resume healthy eating and exercising. I’ve revamped my eating and physical activity to the benefit of my weight and overall health. I’ve been really bad in the last month. I’m going to do better again.
Current Jams: The New Year by Death Cab for Cutie
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