20 posts tagged “books”
I wish that someone of the proper age would come in, so that I can sell it already and not even have to bother about where it goes, but, unfortunately they haven't. I have been spoiled, working holiday weekends, so now the normal slow days feel even slower than usual. ::sigh::
Today I had a cup of coffee and a cup of tea in quick succession and am now feeling all jittery from the caffeine (which is weird, I guess I am not used to it? Because I've had far more without problem). It's a bit better now, but the fact that I'm drinking a Diet Coke can't help. I also have a tuna sandwich for lunch but I'm not hungry, which is weird and inconvenient because my dad went to a lot of trouble to get said sandwich for me, and I really ought to eat it.
Five hours until I see Juno again!
Molto Liebe,
Charlie
I was going to post this yesterday, but by the time I got on the internet all motivation had drained away. Sorry! Anyway....
If you are curious about the book (which you should be!), then head over to Siobhan's totally awesome, newly revamped website and check it out! I highly recommend it! Or just head over to your local independent bookstore and as them about A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian. If they don't have it? Have them order you a copy, and tell them to get a couple for the store, too. If you must get it online, then I humbly ask you do buy it from Powell's. Powell's is probably the most amazing bookstore in the US and is in Portland, Oregon. It's totally independent, and has the best (and most huge) selection of used and new books. I love going there, because they buy your books from you and give you yummy store credit. And, even online, though you don't get the experience, it's still miles better than soul-sucking Amazon.
What was I talking about, again? Oh yeah, ALFA. Another reason to read it? On Siobh's site there are Polaroids of some of the places in the book. How awesome is that? Do eeeet!
OK...moving on! Let's see...ah, yes...
I may have mentioned this before, but the boys were on the front page of Wednesday's New York Times! Both the New York and National editions (no idea if there's usually a difference). There was a little picture of Bill, and then, on the Arts section? Totally monopolized the front page, with a continuation (and Tom picture) inside.
I'm going to have to send StrongBad in to Apple to get my ethernet port and disc drive fixed. It will be days without my laptop, I'm not at all sure how I'm going to survive! Seriously, the idea of being without my laptop for a week + is really freaking me out. At least the band doesn't have anything scheduled until the Europatour starts on 3 March. Which is not that far off. ::chews nails:: I am going to have to back the whole HD up on my external tomorrow (which means clearing more space off, dang), just in case the Apple guys completely murder my baby. ::glares menacingly at Apple::
Ha! Speaking of Apple, on this week's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! they mentioned a study that found that Apple computer users are more egotistical, arrogant, etc, than their Windows using fellow humans. (I can't find a link to the actual study). And even more so? Apple users who vote for Barack Obama. My response? "Well, we are better." Heh heh heh.
Also on Public Radio, I was listening to Studio 360 and, not only did they have on the ever-lovely Ellen Page (I need to see Juno, like, yesterday), but they also had a rather talented young lady by the name of Thao Nyguen, who plays pretty brilliant indie rock. You should head over to her website and check her out, it is definitely worth listening to! You can pick up her band's CD, We Brave Bee Stings And All here for a mere $12. There is a helicopter on it!
Ooh, I saw 27 Dresses today! (With my mum, both Hanna and Natalie were supposed to go with, but couldn't manage it.) It was really good, very fun, funny and sweet. But then I am a sucker for fancy dresses and Katherine Heigl so I would have loved it regardless. If you are looking for a good movie to see, and that is playing, it would be a good choice, I reckon!
Sorry I am being spazzy and skipping around a lot, but I told you I have a lot of random stuff to say!
Tomorrow I am going to an Italian conversation group/class thing. I'm worried that it will be all awkward and weird and that I'll be bored out of my flipping mind, but it probably won't be too bad. And then, after, it's Oscar time! Are you going to an Oscar party? (or the real thing?) I'm going to the one at the theater, got my dress, shoes, bag, and sunglasses all picked out already. I will definitely post a picture, if one turns out. Though, crap, it just occurred to me that it might be raining. Damn. Oh well!
Are you still reading? Wow, you got courage. A few last things before I wrap this up—
I've been working on my passages this week! I've got about three pages of really rough first draft done on my script (which I might post up here, looking for input), and I've got a few pages done (or kinda maybe done. ish) on my zine! In fact, on the hearth in front of our fireplace are spread out about a zillion words cut out from magazines. It looks kind of rad, but the slightest breath of wind will send the whole thing into a tizzy. Which no one wants.
Speaking of zine, though! Our neighbour across the street let me some zines to look at, and one of them has a card on front that was shot (literally, with a gun) by Hunter S. Thompson, which is pretty much very cool. That reminds me, at my old high school we had one of Hunter's Sheriff posters, signed by the good doctor himself. That high school had its high points.
I'm kind of obsessed with my tattoo...though I'm getting tired of having to put on the lotion crap, and having to take showers in stages. My hair doesn't dry right if I wash it upside down, it looks silly. Oh well, soon it will be all better and awesome! Yay!
Gosh, I've probably put you to sleep. Heck, I've nearly put myself to sleep!
Good night,
Lotte
P.S. You know what is a really good movie? The Departed. Holy crap I love that movie!
OK, I'm really going now. Bye bye!
What's the best book you read this year?
A Little Friendly Advice, by Siobhan Vivian!!
::starts dancing around the house to the Dropkick Murphy's:: FTW!!
More books when I am not on my way to bed.
I have begun this post half a dozen times, but never seem to be able to finish it...however, both Anne's roarsome post on the FF Blog and the rather late date have convinced me to just get my scheiße together and post!
In case you couldn't tell, that is me reading this month's Fred Flare Book Club pick, Promise Not To Tell, to my jack o' lantern (who, due to the delayed nature of this post, is already a mushy, moldy heap in the compost).
Yes, I am getting rather into it. And yes, I do have french braids in, like the girl on the cover. Yes, I did just realize that now.
Promise Not To Tell is really a rather thrilling read, all spooky and mysterious — quite different from last month's, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. As soon as I got it (yes, over a month ago...sorry, peeps, I know I've been as flaky as a cherry pie) I sat down and started reading, and I did not stop until I finished! I just had to know what was coming next. I am not the only one who felt this way, Keith and Jen (watch out on loading Jen's post...it is terrifying) were also drawn in to the story...though I don't think they quite made it through in one fell swoop.
The way the book is structured is that it has pretty much two storylines: the present day, and some years (can't recall exactly, and I haven't my book in front of me) in the past. The past storyline tells of Del Griswald, a.k.a. The Potato Girl, whose brutal, mysterious murder left its mark on the small town and those who knew her. The present day storyline begins with another murder of a young girl, so like that of Del, that leads the town to whispering. The Potato Girl's presence looms large in the collective conscious, and connections begin being made, whether they are valid or not.
The narrator is someone who knew Del as a child and left the town when she grew up, returning just in time for the for the second girl's murder. We see things through her eyes as she struggles to figure out what is going on now, what truly happened all those years ago, and what it all means for her and those she loves.
It is quite an excellent book, and will definitely keep you guessing and surprised, not to mention creeped the heck out! Pick up a copy at your local library, independent bookstore, or at Fred Flare.com
Literaturally yours,
Charlotte
Yep, I told you I'd write it!
My Wednesay was your typical, not too exciting Wednesday, up until 2pm, when I, armed with a max pack (large popcorn w/ butter and brewer's yeast, large diet coke, m&ms and milk duds) and accompanied by Spencer, Aubrey and Hanna, finally saw SUPERBAD! I have been dying to see this movie for ages, but haven't gotten the chance, a torture that was made all the more difficult to handle as anyone who is anyone saw it in August.
Sometimes, when you look forward to something for a long time, it disappoints you. SuperBad did not do that. Holy cannoli! It lived up to and surpassed the hype in a big way! But, then, when you have Michael Cera and Seth Rogan (my two favourite Canadians...and on the Top 5 Hottest Guys list - guess the other 3) in it (and writing, in Seth's case), how could you not? If you are often offended by teenagers this movie might not be your cuppa, but if you are a normal person who has not seen it yet, do so immediately. It will change your life. (And check out Knocked Up on DVD as well, if you haven't already. Seth R. + Katherine Heigl = Genius!)
When I got home, I finished Blankets, which I had been reading all day, through as many classes and breaks as possible. Oh Em Golly. That is so hardcore an amazing book! If you haven't already, read it. It is definitely being added to my list of the Best Books of my Lifetime (that is, books after 1989 that I adore. There are a lot of books that I love but sometimes it's deeper and more connection than that). Thank you so much, Siobhan, for bringing two amazing books into my life. Speaking of ALFA, I'm getting tired of lending it out because I want to read it again.
Something else was waiting for me at home, besides the end of Blankets. A genius box from Keith @ Fred Flare! Um, Hello, I love you! Inside was the crazy awesome Good Life Mix that K sent out to peeps that shot him a B-day Mix (like me!). I put it on the stereo immediately, and it totes started rocking the house. Thanks for the tunes, Keith! I should post the playlist of the mix I sent him...it is a pretty neat selection, I have to say!
The other thing that was in the box ('twas a very large box) was a pair of roller skates! (I wish I could find the BFF post about it, Jen looks TOTES cute in them!). Now, I knew that they were there, but still, opening the box and actually seeing them was definitely a thrill! It was even better when they fit (buying shoe-type things online is sketchy). I immediately put them on, of course, and went rollerskating about my house all day. I mean that literally, I didn't take them off until I went to bed, after midnight. It's somewhat surprising that I even took them off then, as my mom pointed out, I'm just the type to sleep in my skates. Just because I'm awesome... Anyway, I haven't tried them out anywhere that is not my house yet, but I did pretty well on them there. It helps that my house is mostly carpeted, though going up/down stairs was somewhat harrowing. Heh heh heh. I'll try to get a pic of me 'n' my skates today, and get that posted up. Because they made my life.
The last thing (yes, this is a long list) that was in there was another CD: Thinking of You, by The Kung Fu Girls. Now, the KFGs had been on the Fred Flare Blog recently, but I was so buried in homework and whatnot that I didn't really have a chance to check them out. Boy am I glad that K sent me the CD! I listened to it at least 3 times all the way through that night. They are super-cute and super talented sisters NYC who play poppy rock, kind of like a better, more B.A., chick version of the Plain White T's. ((I found out, on further investigation, that they share a producer with the T's, and are going to go on tour with them!)) I'm going to try to get one of the songs up here - my favourite is "Dance With Me" - but you can check the tunes out at their MySpace page for now, and friend them if you have the 'Space.
It's safe to say that they are my new favourite (non-TH) band!
On Friday I baked chocolate chip cookies and then
I suppose it is good that I slept, because I had to arise fairly early (6-ish) on Saturday morning to shower, dress, put my cookies in my lunchbox, gather my number 2 pencils, and vamoose from mi casa to go to Hanna's, and then...the SAT. Which was at school.
I shan't go into great deal when describing the testing experience, suffice to say that I ran out of time two words ("ground up," as in "from the ground up," not "the man was chopped into pieces and then ground up") before I finished my essay, and that I did, I reckon, OK on the math and English sections, stumped only by a few algebra/geometry problems and a couple of words for which I could not conjure meanings. Scores come in a few weeks hence, and we shall see the truth then.
Once done with the test I was not much in the mood to do much else, so, after picking up Kiss Me Like a Stranger, Gene Wilder's memoir, I headed home to sit on the window seat, eat veggie dogs, and read it. Not the best book ever written, and I had heard a lot of the stories before (from listening to G.W. interviews on NPR) but it was still enjoyable! I recommend it for Gene Wilder fans (how can you not be one?), and maybe even fans of Mel Brooks, because there are some fun Mel B (sounds like the Spice Girl, don't it?) stories in there as well.
The lovely power went out while I was reading, so instead of taking a shower (I needed to shampoo without conditioner for the hair dyeage and no power = no hairdryer) I read Canadian Living, which, incidentally, is one of the best magazines I've ever encountered. There is a recipe for Halloween cupcakes in there that I am just dying to try, but first I must procure marzipan!
The power eventually returned, I hopped in the shower and scrubbed as much of the accursed color out, then we went to the local "brews and blues" roadhouse for dinner. I had a kid's hamburger, because after my v-dogs, wheaties, and 8 cookie breakfast I could not even dream of handling anything bigger! Then it was back home (at this point it was almost 7pm) and the dye-a-thon began!!
Seriously, my mom has become super-talented at dyeing my hair after all these times! It's neat, and makes my life easier, and my arms less tired. I was a tad worried that we would run out of dye, but luckily we did not, though I reckon I'm going to have to purch 2 cans of dye (nooooo!!!) next time.
Whilst allowing it to ruminate on my head I watched Everything is Illuminated (finally!), and it was excellent, very B.A. Elijah Wood was excellent, as always, and the ever-dashing Eugene Hutz brought it in a big way! Now I have a hankering for a Ukrainian accent. If you are at all a fan of Elijah, Mr. Hutz, Ukraine, or good movies (or heck, even just Gogol Bordello) you should definitely see it!
I also read up on the Tokio Hotel concert in Tel Aviv, which, apparently, was super-awesome! Bill and Tom both wore red, TK wore his birthday shirt which was nifty. BK already rocks the re-wear all the time and always has, but this is a new thing for TK, which I could definitely get used to! It also looks like Bill got a bunch of the white cut out of his hair, which thrills me because I'm no so much a fan of it when there's too much of it. Boys' appearances aside, they played really well, songs in both English and German (I'm very proud of Bill, that he did not confuse the words), and the fans were very enthusiastic! The one shadow over it is that 8 teenage girls were injured when a glass barrier shattered, and I guess they weren't really prepared to deal with that. One girl with a broken hand ran back into the concert without getting treatment! Other than that, there were just the normal injuries that result from TH crazy fandom. Rad!
It was 11pm-ish by the time I got around to rinsing out my hair, so that meant it was VERY cold when I had to stand outside in the driveway and spray my head with the hose, and then pour vinegar and water over my head, because apparently that makes the colour stay longer. The truth in that is yet to be determined, but it did mean that I smelled like an Easter egg. When it was all rinsed out it looked pretty good! So my hair is now, officially Pillarbox Red. I hope to golly that it lasts more than a week.
You can see it in those pictures above...and don't even try to pretend that you aren't impressed by my gangsta face. Don't even try.
Red again,
Charlotte
Grrrr...putrid Firefox. I had my post all half-typed and had to force quit. ::sigh:: I am really too tired to re-type it at the moment, though I'd love to. Instead, I'll just give you the basic outline of things that made my day amazing:
*Seeing SuperBad (finally!)
*Finishing Blankets (Newest Addition to the Best Books Ever list)
*Getting a Big Box From Fred Flare (and the things that were in that box:
*Roller Skates! (Yes, I am still wearing them, thankyouverymuch)
*Super Duper Mix CD! (Keith is a genius DJ!)
*The Kung Fu Girls CD (I seriously love this and have listened to it all the way through three times this evening!)
Tomorrow I shall do my darndest to get this post back together with all the fun deets and links and whatnot, because I know you are just dying to be able to see that.
First things first, though:
Sleep,
Civics quiz, and
Trig Test (woohoo!).
See you tomorrow!!
Love always,
Charlie
Julia got her permit last week, which was completely amazing and I am super-proud (and jealous) of her. I waited outside in the frigid morning to snap this pic of her driving to school for the first time ever (I'm taking the bus on days she drives until she has a tad more experience) and it was totally worth it. They're all laughing because I was totally darting around all paparazzi-like, which was fun, but as I mentioned, rather chilly.
When I got my EPs I obviously had to give one to my dearest Hanna, and she took a break from her AP Calc homework (no great sacrifice) to open it with the appropriate ceremony and excitement. I had yet to open my own so it was a rather thrilling experience for the both of us. Julia, needless to say, was less-than impressed, but what can you expect from newly-driving younger sisters?
I am continuously extolling the virtues of Fred Flare's marvy sunglasses, and this is no different. My most commonly sported pair at this time is their Risky Business shades, which I purchased this summer and have loved ever since. For the past few days they have become entertainment fodder on the bus rides home, and Christina, Spencer and Aubrey look quite neat in them, don'tcha think?
On Wednesday Hanna and I went up to our old Elementary school on Back To School Night to assist with the Book Fair, which was actually really fun! Though it was rather strange to see all these kids who we had gone to school with all grown up; some of them with kids of their own in school. Of course, I entered Kindergarten a good...13 (?) years ago, so kids who were in 8th grade then are now in their mid-twenties. Holy cannoli that is strange to think about.
Whilst browsing the shelves (of both the library and the sale) I encountered many a book that figured prominently in my childhood, including these: (click'em for details)
There were also a few books that I found that I would have liked to purchase, but did not have the necessary funds avaliable. In retrospect this was a good thing, as my budget could not stand to be stretched this far.
Hanna and I were both given $5 gift certificates as a reward for our hard work and considered pooling them to purchase Song of the Sparrow but reconsidered when we discovered that it was completely written in poetry. Poetry's good and all, but not when it's a novel.
We ended up with the Beatles poster (H) and the Spider-Man comic (me) in the picture. I was tempted to purchase the poster as well, but I already have too many posters for my wall space. And dude, I cannot even begin to resist Spider-Man.
Hope you enjoyed my week in pictures!
Love always,
Charlie
In a horribly paraphrased quote from Teen Girl Squad, "I wish the book could be my ringtone!" Yep.
Love always,
Charlie
To-day has been just one of those days. I woke up late after not much sleep, and, of course, because I was late I hadn't washed Charlie (the coffee pot) the night before so I had to do that. When I finally did make espresso Charlie was foaming in the way that makes me think I didn't rinse all the detergent out, which is disgusting to think about but I always drink the coffee anyway.I have to drink a huge cup of espresso every morning (probably 3-4 shots worth) otherwise I'm a zombie. This is bad, according to the book that I bought yesterday, and I know they're right because when I get off caffeine after a long stretch of addiction it feels so good. However, I don't dare try switching to green tea on days that I have to be at least semi-alert.
As my coffee brewed I shoved all my school stuff into my computer bag, then ran upstairs to pull my hair into a ponytail (it is completely horrendously fading and all kinds of not straight), back downstairs to shove a pack of Ramen in my lunchpail, chugged my coffee, brushed my teeth, and dashed out the door. Forgetting, in the process, my pencil case and calculator. I can tell you exactly where both are (the shelf where I keep my binder when at home; and the bookshelf at the end of my bed) but that doesn't really help while they are there I am at school, now does it!
My day continued on at a rather unremarkable pace for the rest of the morning, high points were eating a left-over cupcake for breakfast (though my stomach, already nauseous from the hurried coffee, protested), using the term lesbianism in Civics class, and realising in Spanish that I will never truly understand the difference between the preterit and imperfect tense.
In AP English we discussed our Romeo and Juliet theme papers and the deadline was extended by a day (thank goodness!), and then in Trig we were doing sin graphs which I understood and just took a while.
I was rather disappointed at lunch when I remembered that I had purchased an Amy's Cheese Pizza pocket with the expressed purpose of eating it for Monday lunch but had forgotten this fact during my hurried packing. I couldn't stave off my hunger long enough to allow my noodles to properly cook, and so my disappointment was only compounded by the fact that my non-pizza lunch was somewhat chewy, which ramen should not be.
Physics was rather unexciting, leading to PE during which Hanna demonstrated her fantastic ability to make any kind of torture bearable, or, at the very least, survivable. Drills went off more easily and with less misery than usual, and then I actually did rather grandly during the game itself. I think this was one of the few days that volleyball was actually fun. Though Hanna had a somewhat less fun time, as her wrists developed disurbing swellings (growths!) afterward.
On the way home we purchased Stitch 'n' Bitch, my second book in a row with the b-word in it. I'd worry that this was a trend except that Stitch was for H. We looked through it on the way home and it was fair to bursting with rad projects, including a skully sweater and some wristbands that H promised to make me. Golly I love having a best friend!
After doing homework at H's house, I returned to my own to realise that, by returning home, I had denied myself an earlier encounter with the best. thing. ever.
Love always,
Charlie (not the coffee pot)
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