Current Read: 1Q84

I'm currently reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, the author of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I had picked up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle at Cal's Books and after reading it eagerly awaited the release of 1Q84.

The premise of this book is that a woman is somehow transported to another version of 1984 after climbing down an emergency escape.  Parallel to this, an aspiring author is rewriting a teen's fantasy novel that seems to mirror some of the perplexing events in the other 1984.

After reading it. . .

I was actually really disappointed by this book.  The pace was slow and the more interesting elements of the plot were never focused upon.  All in all, the book ended up being about two boring people who were in love and destined to be together.  Surprise!  They ended up together.

The Pleasures of Living

Couch Jumpers 01, originally uploaded by Tanner Almon.

In Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl writes that:

"...The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down in these notes, on all the life he has already lived to the fullest."

Inspired by this, I've challenged myself to write one short positive reflection about each day. I don't really use my Twitter account, so I thought I would post them there. We'll see how long this lasts. Check it out or try it yourself.

Skeletons at the Feast

, originally uploaded by oxford comma.

Summer school is out and strangely enough I am starting to get bored already.  My new hobby is reading while floating in the pool.  Right now I'm reading Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.  The book takes place during World War II and graphically depicts the horrors of concentration camps.  Bohjalian's prose is beautiful and the plot and characters are interesting.  The only problem with this is that I feel guilty lounging in the sun while reading it.  This book is not your typical light summer reading, but I definitely recommend that you check it out.

Werewolf Riots in Redding

It hurts so good., originally uploaded by ღMaybeSomedayLoveღ.

To my delight, on May 4th, "Dead in the Family," the tenth novel of the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series was released. The book mentions, "there had been demonstrations and riots in Redding, California..." regarding the rights of werewolves.

What a random reference! Has there ever even been a riot in Redding? I can't think of any. I suppose that if we lived in a world with werewolves and vampires, some of the religious nuts in Redding would probably riot.

Angela's Ashes

Left For Dead, originally uploaded by neversummer62.

I got the book Angela's Ashes from a thrift store yesterday. Where I used to work, there was a copy in the break room. It's pretty much the most depressing book ever. I was close to finishing the book when it went missing. I think its disappearance may have been related to an incident in which I took apart someone's jigsaw puzzle and hid it in the freezer. Who knows?

Vampires

, originally uploaded by The Darling Child.

I pre-ordered the newest Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead in the Family, and still haven't gotten it! I need my vampire fix. :(

Twilight vs True Blood?

snow white- asleep, originally uploaded by savvymercury.

I just started reading "Dead Until Dark," part of the True Blood series, and it looks like Twilight ripped off some of the major elements. I could be wrong though. Maybe reading minds is an essential element of any vampire-human romance novel.

According to some information on the internet, Stephenie Meyer never read any of the books in the True Blood series. Somehow, I find this hard to believe. I haven't watched the show yet, but the books seem quite similar. There are only a couple elements of the book I don't like. One is that it takes place in the South. Southern drawls just aren't my thing. The second is the strange sex scenes. Okay, I get that there is some biting going on, but using vampire blood to "heal" her after she loses her virginity?! That crosses the line for me!

Target & F My Life

Target, originally uploaded by epmd.

I've been reading the book F My Life, which is a compilation of anonymously submitted emails detailing the shitty things that have ruined the writer's day. I know that when I worked at Target, shitty days happened frequently. Apparently, I'm not the only one having horrible experiences at Target. Here are a few excerpts from F My Life:

Today I heard back from my store manager interview at Target. I was offered an overnight stock clerk position. When I called the human resources department to find out if my application was in the wrong file, I was told that I lack the leadership qualities necessary for Target. I graduated with honors from a military school. FML

Today I went to Target to buy some soap, and a seventy-year-old woman next to me was asking a sales associate if they had any bubble bath mix. I suddenly pictured her naked, bathing herself, and my dick just couldn't stay still. I haven't had sex in almost two years. FML

Today I was excited because I was going to get my college decisions back. I put all of the letters in order of my preference. Didn't get into my first choice. Denied by my second choice. Rejected by my third choice. Wait-listed on my backup choice. Accepted for a job at Target. FML

Today I was working at Target when an elderly woman asked me if I could help her find her favorite bra. I proceeded to ask what brand it was. She replied, "I'll check the tag." She lifted up the front of her shirt and flipped one cup of her bra inside out. I saw everything. FML

The book is hilarious! You should definitely check it out or visit the website!

Reading/Laziness

We've got fifty good years to spend out in the garden (explored), originally uploaded by tangled up in daydreams.

I should be reading for school but I'm so lazy. We are reading Second Chances by Wallerstein and Blakeslee. Its actually a really interesting book about divorce. It's a good idea to check out for anyone dating, or considering marriage, or living in our culture of divorce!

An interesting concept to think about is that the divorced family is not just a broken family-- its actually a new type of family in our society. It's a family system that has evolved to suit the needs of modern Americans. Totally weird!  Anyway, read it!

Hot Shots: Update

london cycling, originally uploaded by lomokev.

Kevin Meredith, a.k.a. Lomokev, the author of Hot Shots, has informed me that he will be doing some speaking and a book signing in San Francisco next month. Go check it out if you happen to be in the city!

Monday 12th of October 7:30pm
The Booksmith
1644 Haight St
San Francisco
California 94117

Hot Shots

hot shots book singing in san fran, originally uploaded by lomokev.

I just got the book Hot Shots and I am so excited about it! It is a simple book with great ideas on how to take more interesting photos. It has full page pictures with a paragraph on the opposite page describing how to get similar results. It's great because unlike a lot of photography books, it's not long and overly technical, it focuses mostly on composition.

I would definitely recommend it if you are interested in photography, but sometimes suffer from "writer's block" when looking though a lens.

Cherry Bomb: Follow Up

My dad purposely bought me the book Cherry Bomb. I actually read it too. I covers everything from bikini waxes to rolling joints. Kind of an odd thing for your dad to buy you. I definitely wouldn't buy it. It's about as insightful as Seventeen Magazine. I thought this chart about determining if a guy is gay kind of funny. (Click to enlarge)

School Books?

Currently, I'm a total deadbeat. My parents are having to buy all my books for college next semester. I made a list on Amazon and sent it to my dad. The books arrived today and among my texts on the psychology of women, marriage, and children, I found Cherry Bomb. According to the cover it is "The ultimate guide to becoming a better flirt, a tougher chick, and a hotter girlfriend, and to living life like a rock star." So, I'm wondering if this was accidentally ordered or if my dad thinks I need to improve my flirting skills. My dad sometimes buys self-help books/DVDs for people who have no interest in them. Is this misguided present an attempt at feminist self-help? It's hard to tell. I'm kind of hoping that Amazon just made a mistake.

No Logo

I highly recommend you check out the book No Logo. I've been slowly enjoying it for a while now and have learned many things from it.

On a recent trip to Wal-Mart in Anderson, California, I noticed a strange Native American statue in the parking lot. Later, I asked some people about it. No one really knew anything but it was rumored that the store was built on Indian burial ground. Kind of ridiculous, huh? No! According, to No Logo this is a common occurrence. I researched it, and it's true. According to Wal-Mart Watch:

"After discovering the burial ground during the construction of a supercenter, Wal-Mart kept building the store and made concessions to the local Native American tribe --- in the form of a $60,000 bronze statue dedicated to a traditional Wintu feather dancer. While a nice gesture, local tribal leaders agreed the land should never have been used for commercial purposes.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Wal-Mart disrespected a Native American burial site; or for that matter, an area of historical significance."