Books to Devour: Sense and Sensibility

November 7, 2009 at 11:02 pm (Books to Devour)
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Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen…was…not so great.  Pride and Prejudice I read in three or four days.  Pride and Prejudice took me at least two months.  And it was shorter!  I just could not get through it.  I did, obviously, because I had to (for the list), but man oh man was it tough.  The characters weren’t nearly as interesting, the writing was even drier than one would expect, and the story wasn’t quite as interesting.

Sense and Sensibility is about two sisters, Elinor and Marianne.  One is very sensible.  The other is more emotionally driven.  They both fall in love.  Complications ensue because they are both somewhat extremes (in terms of “keeping a level  head” and “wearing your heart on your sleeve”).  Miscommunications, etc.

In this case, the movie was much better.  First of all, Alan Rickman is in it.  Second of all, it’s just better.  It’s funnier than the book, by a lot, and that helps to keep things interesting.

Sorry this review is so short, but that’s how boring the book was.  I have nothing to say about it.  Haha.

Let’s give it…5 out of 10.  (It gets bonus points for being recognized as a classic.)

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Books to Devour: Pride and Prejudice

November 7, 2009 at 3:01 pm (Books to Devour)
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As you may know, I’ve been working on this list.  On that list is to read all of Jane Austen’s novels.  I didn’t put too much thought into the order until it was too late, but I think I should have gone in chronological order.  I’ll explain why after this review.

I started with Pride and Prejudice.  P&P was Austen’s second novel.  And it is amazing.  I love the movie (I think that may be the first time I’ve confessed this to the world) but this book is so much better.  Yes, it’s less of a romance and more of a social commentary, but it’s much more interesting.

For those who don’t know, Pride and Prejudice is about Miss Elizabeth Bennet, second in a family of five daughters.  She meets a certain Mr. Darcy, who is super rich, by the way, and takes an instant disliking to him.  So, of course, conflict ensues and, also of course, they fall in love.  As it should be.  It’s much more complicated than that, really, as there are other characters who come around and end up shedding a foul light on Mr. Darcy, and Elizabeth as well.  For those who are familiar with the movie, Mr. Wickham is much worse in the novel.  So that’s fun.

As soon as I picked up this book I couldn’t put it down.  I really wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did.  It was a fairly easy read, although the style took some getting used to.  English literature and all that.  Like I said earlier, it’s not nearly as romantic as the movie.  There’s no “Mrs. Darcy.  Mrs. Darcy.  Mrs. Darcy…” nonsense.  It kinda just ends.  But it’s well worth reading, and if you know the movie ending you can just kinda assumed that happened and Austen never mentioned it.

I give Pride and Prejudice a 9 out of 10.  Fo reals.

The reason I think it would have been better to read the novels in chronological order is because Sense and Sensibility, her first novel, was not as good.  (My post about Sense and Sensibility will be up tonight, it’s already typed up but it’s a scheduled post.)  I personally think that the reason there is such a difference in quality and readability is because her writing was refined after her first novel.  From what I’ve read of Austen’s history, it seems to me that while the novels weren’t published too far from each other, but that they were written with years between them.

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turn signals are your friend

November 6, 2009 at 7:55 pm (Life in General)
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I have a problem with road rage.  I don’t mean that I dislike people with road rage.  I mean I tend to get really mad while I’m driving.  Most often it’s worse when I’m coming home from work, but in general I get really annoyed with people really easily.  And 9 times out of 10 it starts with some jerk not using a turn signal.

I love my turn signal.  I use it obsessively.  I use it in parking lots.  I use it when absolutely no one else is around and it doesn’t even really matter.  I use it a lot.  I don’t know if it’s my Disney brainwashing training, but I find myself becoming more and more concerned with treating other people with courtesy every day.  I also feel the need to be, yanno, safe.  Hence, turn signals.  Not only that, but most of the time, unless I really have to pee and I’m driving to a bathroom, I’ll let you into my lane.  Assuming, of course, you let me know of your intent to merge by using a TURN SIGNAL (or hand signal, I guess).  I almost always slow down to make room for people.  I’m really nice, I swear!  But if you don’t let me know that you’re trying to get over, I’m just going to continue at my current speed.  Makes sense, right?  So when you just whip in front of me, on a whim, causing me to slam on my brakes (okay, maybe not slam but definitely  not a gradual slow down) it really pisses me off.  You’re taking advantage of me without even giving me a chance to let you into the lane!  I don’t appreciate that.  And then half of the time you almost kill me in the process!  Is getting around the slowpoke in front of you really worth my life?  I certainly hope not.  And, while I rarely do this, if I honk at you to remind you that I’m exist, please don’t make rude gestures to me in your rear view mirror.  Again, you almost killed me.  I should be flipping YOU off.  I’m merely peering up and saying in a small voice “Please don’t kill me giant truck!”.  Honestly, my car’s horn is so wimpy it should make you laugh, not anger you.

Man, you should see me getting pissed at these people sometimes.  I turn into SUCH a potty mouth.  I say things I never thought I was creative enough to say.  I really shock myself sometimes.  And sometimes, if it’s not too crowded on the freeway, I end up whipping around them and speeding ahead of them, just to prove a point…or whatever.  I don’t know why I do it.  I’m just so MAD!  And it makes ME unsafe.  So stop cutting me off!

I think I’m going to attach a PA system to my car, like cops have, so I can say “turn signal please!”  That’s more to the point than honking.  The only problem is that I’d probably end up using it to verbally throw down.

Do you always stay calm, cool, and collected while driving?  Or do you have specific triggers too?

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this song ruins my makeup!

November 6, 2009 at 4:02 pm (Uncategorized)

In other words, it makes me cry.  From Next to Normal.  It’s called Light.

We need some light.
First of all, we need some light.
You can’t sit here in the dark.
And all alone, it’s a sorry sight.
It’s just you and me.
We’ll live, you’ll see.

Night after night,
We’d sit and wait for the morning light.
But we’ve waited far too long,
For all that’s wrong to be made right.

Day after day,
Wishing all our cares away.
Trying to fight the things we feel,
But some hurts never heal.
Some ghost are never gone,
But we go on,
We still go on.

And you find some way to survive
And you find out you don’t have to be happy at all,
To be happier alive.

Day after day,
Give me clouds, and rain and gray.
Give me pain, if that’s what’s real.
It’s the price we pay to feel.

The price of love is loss,
But still we pay.
We love anyway.

And when the night has finally gone.
And when we see the new day dawn.
We’ll wonder how we wandered for so long, so blind.
The wasted world we thought we knew,
The light will make it look brand new.
So

Let it
Let it
Let it
Let it
Let it
Shine, shine, shine.

Day after day (day after day),
We’ll find the will to find our way.
Knowing that the darkest skies will someday see the sun.

When our long night is done,
There will be light.
There will be light.
When we open up our light.
Sons and daughters, husbands, wives.
Can fight that fight.
There will be light.
There will be light.
There will be light.
There will be light

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Blog swap!

October 26, 2009 at 6:54 pm (Uncategorized)

1. This is kinda late, but I worked 7am-3:30pm today and then came home and slept for two hours, so this is really the first time I’ve been on the computer all day.
2. Blog swap!  You can find my post (about my job, yet again) by clicking on this link!  Do it!  And then read more of Krameymartin’s shtuff!

Hi all of Alissa’s people! It’s such a pleasure to be here with you all as a part of the 20SB Blog Swap! I’m Krameymartin, come and visit me anytime, and I’m here to talk a little bit about creativity and how this “gift” affects my life.

I’ve always loved to draw, arrange things, pick colors, scrapbook, use computers, do “crafts and shop. I love the food network, the style channel, and any fashion or home decorating magazine I can get my hands on.

I have the “gift” or CURSE as I sometimes view it, of knowing what colors and patterns, shapes and clothes go together. While I definitely relish this fact most of the time, it OFTEN and quite literally keeps me up at night. If I come across a decorating/style/graphic design dilemma sometime throughout my day, I literally cannot fall asleep at night without figuring it out first. We’re building a new house and I lay awake almost every night designing it in my head. When we have events to go to, I spend my spare time dreaming up the perfect outfit. It’s so great to be able to put things together, but the quest for perfection often thwarts me from actually getting anything done. And because I’m so easily distracted by the creative, I sometimes have a difficult time focusing on the more concrete, especially writing. I can picture things so clearly in me head, but when it comes to describing them in words, I often fall short.

It’s so much easier to draw, design or style the things I see.

The best part of being a creative person is the fact that I can literally create an entire world inside my head. That sounds a little crazy, but it comes in real handy when you are trying to decorate a new home, help a friend get dressed over the phone or come up with the perfect gift. Also, there are so many beautiful creations out there, and I love the fact that I can store those images in my mind. I could sit for hours and look at fabric. I could spend days with my head in a fashion magazine. I could dive into a “look book” created by an interior designer and never return.

And quite honestly, my pretty little world can be a whole heck of a lot nicer than the real one sometimes.

How do y’all channel your creative natures? What sorts of things inspire you?

Thanks for having me and come visit real soon!

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an open letter

October 22, 2009 at 3:02 am (Uncategorized)

Dear you,

Where are you?  And why aren’t you here?
Save me from this part of my life.
Make me realize that I can do better.
Make me care that I can do better.

And if you’re already here…
let me know.
Stop playing the game that is just friends
and love me, already.
Just…get on with it!
If I’m not alone…
don’t just stand there, letting me feel alone.
That’s just not fair.

Where are you?
And when will you get here?
How long do I have to put up with this?
You must not realize how much waiting for you sucks.
Maybe you don’t realize that it’s me you’re looking for.

If we’ve yet to meet…start saying hello to strangers please.
Because I’m anxious to meet you.
Maybe you don’t want to meet me.
Are you putting it off?
Can we compromise?

Where are you?
I miss you.
Come back.

Love,

Alissa

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the thing is…

October 18, 2009 at 4:42 pm (Uncategorized)

I know what I want.  I know exactly what I want out of this.  And I know that I shouldn’t hesitate in asking for it.  But I never will.  I’ll be turned away.  Sure, in the nicest was possible.  In the  most caring and loving way possible, I’ll be told no.  I guess I appreciate that.  But then what do I have?  Nothing.  And what do I do?  I’m sure I don’t know.  And I’d rather be painfully close to having what I want than nothing at all.  That’s probably wrong of me.  I’ll be told I shouldn’t settle.  I don’t think I’m settling though.  I’m getting as close as I can to greatness, and to happiness, as I can.  At least for now.  At least until I find a situation where a yes is guaranteed.

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I need to turn 21

October 17, 2009 at 3:31 pm (Blog stuff, Books to Devour, Movies to Watch)
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I’m sitting here.  In front of the computer.  With the lights off. (Not that it matters, it’s daytime…but the blinds are closed too so…?)  Listening to TANcast.  Drinking…sprite.  From a bottle, so there needs to be alcohol involved somehow.  Just paints a better picture in my mind.  Like a swig of…I dunno.  Even something ‘lame’ like Mike’s Hard Lemonade would do.  I really like Mike’s, actually.  Anyway, none of this matters.

So this blog doesn’t cover the 4 book reviews I owe you.  But I guess I’ll tell you which books I’m going to be covering! First is going to be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  Hooray hoorah!  As most of you know, I read this as part of my list, and now I’m on to Sense and Sensibility.  Which I can’t manage to finish.  Second I think I’ll do this one random book I randomly read.  I don’t really know why, but I found it in my house.  And I read it.  It’s called Spiral Hunt (by Margaret Ronald).  Third will be Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.  I might combine that review with the fourth book’s review, because I read them back to back.  The fourth book is No Impact Man (The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process) by Colin Beavan.  Aaaand I might throw in a very brief review of a book that I’ve read about 20 bajillion times over the years, because Spiral Hunt referenced a lot of the same characters.

For now, we shall discuss Zombieland.

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bluff

October 14, 2009 at 2:26 am (Uncategorized)

Can you believe that the title of this post is an extremely obscure reference to The Princess Bride?  I’ll explain how it relates in a bit, but it won’t make sense.  Even to me.

Basically, I went for a good month or so without a post.  And I really feel like I should post more often.  Now that SB is going through some changes it might not matter as much, but back when I was posting there I felt like a sham for being an “editor” of  a website and community dedicating to student bloggers when I hardly qualify as a student and I was majorly slacking on the blogging here.  So I’m really gonna try to stick to a pretty regular posting schedule from now on.  I was thinking that I’d pull another BEDA, but 6 months from April is October and it’s a bit late to start BEDO at this point.  And I’m in no way attempting to post every day in November because I’m about 95% sure I’m finally participating in NaNoWriMo this year (altho this is the third year I’ve said that).  So here is a to do list for this blog, so whenever I think “but I have nothing to blog about!” I can call myself a liar.

1. 4 way overdue book reviews!  I finished Pride and Prejudice (for my 30 things) ages ago but never did the review that I tend to do when I read things.  And I’ve read 3 more books since then.  Crazy slacking there.
2. God. Dammit.  I already forgot the rest of the list.  I’m tired.

OK so the title is because I was thinking “to blog” as in “to do list for the blog” and that made me think of Billy Crystal saying “To blaaaave” which, according to him means “to bluff”.  We all know that the man in black/Wesley was really saying “true love” and nothing is more noble than true love…but Miracle Max is a punk like that.  I really hope y’all have seen The Princess Bride or you are HELLA confused right now.  Goodnite.

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20

October 12, 2009 at 9:10 pm (Life in General)
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Wow, it’s been a while.  At least it feels like it has been.  My birthday was this past Friday, and I totally turned 20.  Wowza!  I feel like I should feel good about it, and I don’t.  I mean, I don’t feel bad about it, but I feel like I should feel….I dunno.  I’m using the word “feel” too much (because acknowledging that I’m doing it allows me to continue doing so).  Anyway, in some ways I feel disappointed.  Not with being 20 so much as with myself.  I’m probably holding myself to [my father]’s impossible standards, but I feel like a bit of a failure.  I haven’t accomplished much of anything…in twenty years!  That’s a long time to have nothing to show for yourself, yanno?  OK I’ll give myself the first 10 years as a pass, and maybe even the first fifteen…but that’s still five years unaccounted for.  What have I done?  Well…nothing.  Sure, I’ve got some school under my belt, but not exactly stellar grades, and now that I’m no longer a music major a lot of that is gone to waste.  I’ve got a job, but so do a lot of people.  And it’s not a career.  It’s a part-time job that really is pretty easy.  I’ve got a blog that [no one] reads.  And I’ve got an average LSAT score.  So what’s to celebrate this year?  That I’ve managed not to die?  (God, I sound like John right now).

Here’s what I haven’t done:
1. Anything on my 365.30 list (actually, I did go to a concert, but I failed to take any pictures and so I feel like I can’t use it.)
2. Worked on the musical.  Like, at all.
3. Cured cancer.
4. Started back at school.
5. Won the lotto.

Okay, so maybe I’m being a little over dramatic.  I don’t know why I feel like I should be doing more with my life, or have more to show for my life, at my age.  But I do.  This isn’t how I want to feel.  I want to feel excited and enthused about my future.  Like “Wow!  I have my whole life ahead of me and it’s gonna be great and I’m gonna make a name for myself and the world shall be mine!”  Or something.  But I kinda don’t.  I do sometimes.  But usually it’s this.

So happy birthday to me.

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