MEYER, Stephenie: 2005. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company, New York and Boston.
I started to read this 'saga' of four books, about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. I will prolly also see the movie. Although the plot is quite good the writing style bothered me greatly. Many argued that this is because it's geared to teenagers. But I dont buy it because lit doesn't have to be bad for teenagers to like it. There are plenty of authors that are good and are geared to younger audiences.
The reason I dont like it is because it's repetitive and gets in the way during the dialogue. For example, on page 459 the author writes "'Shhhh,' he shushed me." CAN YOU BELEIVE IT?!?!?! That was the most extreme example but the book is filled with redundant phrasing like this. In spite of that, I will be reading the second book...
December 05, 2008
November 15, 2008
Reading for Leisure #10: Lewis
Lewis, C. S.: 2001. The Screwtape Letters. HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY.
This was a quick read; I read it in a day. Very provocative. I can see why C.S. Lewis is named one of the greatest Christian writers of his time. I totally recommend it.
The book isn't really plot driven, but mostly discusses every day sinning in the form of letters from one demon to another. I really liked it a lot.
This was a quick read; I read it in a day. Very provocative. I can see why C.S. Lewis is named one of the greatest Christian writers of his time. I totally recommend it.
The book isn't really plot driven, but mostly discusses every day sinning in the form of letters from one demon to another. I really liked it a lot.
November 11, 2008
Reading for Leisure #9: Toews
TOEWS, Mariam: 2004. A Complicated Kindness. Random House, Toronto.
This book, through and through, was very very good. However, I must warn that it is also clinical and depressing. In reading that last three chapters I cried the whole way through.
In a nut shell, this book is about how their (Mennonite) society tears an otherwise pretty okay family apart. The story does end with a hint of hope but only in a dream of one day reuniting, which is only possible if the other family members did not commit suicide.
Yeah, pretty depressing. Really pretty depressing. BUT oh, so good. I think it's one of the best books I've read out of the 9 so far since my graduation.
This is a depressing story but is quite funny the whole way through. I'd read it again for the funny bits.
This is totally my kind of book, sarcastic and satirical.
I also found it particularly sad because I was also raised by my father and my mother left the family, and I had a friend that committed suicide (the character in this book does not).
I really don't know how I can elaborate further all I want to say is that it was good! My God. And I like how even though the Religion failed them, the father and the daughter still had faith. I also like that the family, even though they were gruesomely torn apart, they all still love each other, or at least that's what one wants to believe.
This book, through and through, was very very good. However, I must warn that it is also clinical and depressing. In reading that last three chapters I cried the whole way through.
In a nut shell, this book is about how their (Mennonite) society tears an otherwise pretty okay family apart. The story does end with a hint of hope but only in a dream of one day reuniting, which is only possible if the other family members did not commit suicide.
Yeah, pretty depressing. Really pretty depressing. BUT oh, so good. I think it's one of the best books I've read out of the 9 so far since my graduation.
This is a depressing story but is quite funny the whole way through. I'd read it again for the funny bits.
This is totally my kind of book, sarcastic and satirical.
I also found it particularly sad because I was also raised by my father and my mother left the family, and I had a friend that committed suicide (the character in this book does not).
I really don't know how I can elaborate further all I want to say is that it was good! My God. And I like how even though the Religion failed them, the father and the daughter still had faith. I also like that the family, even though they were gruesomely torn apart, they all still love each other, or at least that's what one wants to believe.
Everyone Hates War
Everyone Hates War
Those are the words of the Rabbi who spoke at the War Memorial in Ottawa today in 90th year of WW1 remembrance. It was a very elaborate ceremony and quite touching. I really enjoyed it. It made me think about a segment on CBC a long time ago that was talking about games. They spoke about how wars were not always faught with guns. There were some leaders that actually faught wars by playing a game of chess with their enemies. What a world I dream where soldiers are trained for combat by learning chess strategies and not physical drill designed at making them run from bombs.
When the Rabbi said those words, I thought, yes, I may not be for the war in Afghanistan but I am for the lives and the good spirit of the people who are there. I decided I wanted to send a letter to a soldier, as I don't know any one fighting there right now personally.
If you are in the USA you might tryAnySoldier.com.
In Canada, DND has a similar programme calledHelp Any Canadian Forces Member.
There is also amsg board.
Those are the words of the Rabbi who spoke at the War Memorial in Ottawa today in 90th year of WW1 remembrance. It was a very elaborate ceremony and quite touching. I really enjoyed it. It made me think about a segment on CBC a long time ago that was talking about games. They spoke about how wars were not always faught with guns. There were some leaders that actually faught wars by playing a game of chess with their enemies. What a world I dream where soldiers are trained for combat by learning chess strategies and not physical drill designed at making them run from bombs.
When the Rabbi said those words, I thought, yes, I may not be for the war in Afghanistan but I am for the lives and the good spirit of the people who are there. I decided I wanted to send a letter to a soldier, as I don't know any one fighting there right now personally.
If you are in the USA you might try
In Canada, DND has a similar programme called
There is also a
November 07, 2008
Reading for Leisure #8: Niffenegger
Niffenegger, Audrey (2005): The Time Traveler's Wife. Vintage Random House, London.
This book was pretty good, and I would recommend it. It certainly kept me reading for the 500 some pages. Although the title sounds like science fiction, it is not. It's a romance story about timeless love.
The dealyo with the story is that Henry has a genetic disease which, when he is stressed, sends him hurtling through time completely naked, mostly into the past. He meets his wife for her first time when she is six. Her love so grand she waits until she is 20 something until he meets her for the fist time.
The story keeps you reading to get explanations for all the oddities, but I didn't appreciate the authors sense of humour and I was certainly disappointed with the ending. It is a bittersweet ending, and I am able to appreciate those, but I think this one was poorly done. I was not sufficiently sorry for Clare, nor did I find Henry a character I think worthy of waiting for, for me to appreciate the ending as it was.
All in all though, it is suspense filled and intriguing, and an interesting take on love and life.
This book was pretty good, and I would recommend it. It certainly kept me reading for the 500 some pages. Although the title sounds like science fiction, it is not. It's a romance story about timeless love.
The dealyo with the story is that Henry has a genetic disease which, when he is stressed, sends him hurtling through time completely naked, mostly into the past. He meets his wife for her first time when she is six. Her love so grand she waits until she is 20 something until he meets her for the fist time.
The story keeps you reading to get explanations for all the oddities, but I didn't appreciate the authors sense of humour and I was certainly disappointed with the ending. It is a bittersweet ending, and I am able to appreciate those, but I think this one was poorly done. I was not sufficiently sorry for Clare, nor did I find Henry a character I think worthy of waiting for, for me to appreciate the ending as it was.
All in all though, it is suspense filled and intriguing, and an interesting take on love and life.
November 05, 2008
Obama
I wont say anything deep about American Politics, but I'll say I'm happy and hopeful for a future with Barak Obama leading the USA.
Spamalot
So, I won these tickets to see Spamalot by Monty Python and it was SOOOOO good. Like super entertaining.
It had just the right amount of old jokes you know and new jokes to hear, and the interaction with the Broadway medium was spectacular. As my bf put it, they had a larger budget for this than the Holy Grail movie, lol.
In the end they find the holy grail under a person in the audience and bring him on stage to present him with an award and take a pic with the whole cast.
Every audience member was smiling from ear to ear! I totally recommend it. It's at the NAC until the 9th.
http://www.nac.ca/en/whatson/results.cfm?EventID=5518
October 23, 2008
Meredith Brown-Ottawa Riverkeeper
As most of you know by now, the City of Ottawa was fined a total of $562,500 on October 10th for two infractions under the Ontario Water Resources Act: 1) illegally spilling the equivalent of 350 Olympic-pools of raw sewage into the Ottawa River in 2006, and 2) failing to report the spill to the Ministry of Environment.
As you would expect, Ottawa Riverkeeper followed events leading up to and including this sentence with keen interest. As Riverkeeper, I am personally satisfied with the end result as it marks very significant progress on several fronts in protecting and ensuring the future health of the River.
First of all, the guilty finding verifies that the system actually works. In a time when enforcement activities across Canada are generally suffering from lack of resources or political will, Ontario’s Ministry of Environment has been successful in applying legislation to protect our waterways. I applaud the Ministry for pursuing this case with such diligence. I also applaud you, the public, for speaking out strongly, demonstrating once again that public involvement can play a valuable role in motivating a regulator to aggressively apply enforcement measures at its disposal.
Secondly, I feel that the fine imposed upon the City was significant enough to act as a deterrent, without being overly punitive. It sends a clear message that municipalities cannot regard their waterways as dumping stations for unlimited amounts of raw sewage. To those who argue that the fine ultimately comes from Ottawa’s taxpayers I can only ask, What is the alternative? There is none. Just as any city is held responsible for unsafe roads and bridges, it must also be held accountable for polluting its waterways. Such accountability ultimately leads to better municipalities.
Lastly, this case has given birth to a number of very positive developments: After every rain, city staff now check sewer valves to ensure that they have not jammed open. And staff will take greater responsibility to report all infractions to the Ministry. On a broader scale, the City has accepted accountability for polluting the Ottawa River, has made a commitment to repair and improve its sewage infrastructure, and has established a fund to do so. Both the Province and the federal government have made significant contributions to this fund. Today, thanks to successful legal action, polluting the River is a far more important political issue than it was before October 10.
In conclusion, I am encouraged by all these developments and congratulate those who played positive roles.
Meredith Brown
Ottawa Riverkeeper
As you would expect, Ottawa Riverkeeper followed events leading up to and including this sentence with keen interest. As Riverkeeper, I am personally satisfied with the end result as it marks very significant progress on several fronts in protecting and ensuring the future health of the River.
First of all, the guilty finding verifies that the system actually works. In a time when enforcement activities across Canada are generally suffering from lack of resources or political will, Ontario’s Ministry of Environment has been successful in applying legislation to protect our waterways. I applaud the Ministry for pursuing this case with such diligence. I also applaud you, the public, for speaking out strongly, demonstrating once again that public involvement can play a valuable role in motivating a regulator to aggressively apply enforcement measures at its disposal.
Secondly, I feel that the fine imposed upon the City was significant enough to act as a deterrent, without being overly punitive. It sends a clear message that municipalities cannot regard their waterways as dumping stations for unlimited amounts of raw sewage. To those who argue that the fine ultimately comes from Ottawa’s taxpayers I can only ask, What is the alternative? There is none. Just as any city is held responsible for unsafe roads and bridges, it must also be held accountable for polluting its waterways. Such accountability ultimately leads to better municipalities.
Lastly, this case has given birth to a number of very positive developments: After every rain, city staff now check sewer valves to ensure that they have not jammed open. And staff will take greater responsibility to report all infractions to the Ministry. On a broader scale, the City has accepted accountability for polluting the Ottawa River, has made a commitment to repair and improve its sewage infrastructure, and has established a fund to do so. Both the Province and the federal government have made significant contributions to this fund. Today, thanks to successful legal action, polluting the River is a far more important political issue than it was before October 10.
In conclusion, I am encouraged by all these developments and congratulate those who played positive roles.
Meredith Brown
Ottawa Riverkeeper
September 09, 2008
When I Was Your Age, Pluto Was a Planet
The Facebook group "When I Was Your Age, Pluto Was a Planet" is really popular with more the 1,300,000 members and still growing since it's conception a year ago when Pluto was officially determined to not fill all the criteria of 'planet'.
I think this is such a popular group is because it really drives home a point about knowledge; especially scientific knowledge. In today's western society we justify everything with science. Stupid articles in "The Sun" quote 'scientific studies show..." and we beleive them because of science. And the whole science culture. Scientist beleive they hold the truest form of knowledge. Scientific studies are made to have as little confounding variables as possible. As if science were somehow devoid of values, politics and money. This rift in the secular age between what the public knows and what a specialist knows makes for a sort of technocratic empire on which the system depends.
But although we think the science that backs our policy is supposed to be objective, really how variables are defined and what we decide to study comes from arbitrary norms or personal preferences. Pluto was a planet because we said so.
Now it's not. We could have changed the definition of planet. But no, that would make too many planets. We could give some honorary recognition to the planet, but in a decade who will care. So now it's not a planet. This is history in the making. Now if your junk becomes antiques and is found by one of your great great grandson or granddaughter, it will be so foreign to them that your books say there are nine planets. How silly are we to believe in a 9th(!) planet? We called it Pluuuu-toh.
I think this really shakes up ppl's minds because we believe everything we learn in school. I dont recall learning what the definition of 'planet' was in school, and i never thought to look it up. Even if i did, it wouldn't give me the three required criteria of 'planet'. In fact my dictionary offers moon (a satellite) and celestial body (not very scientific) as definitions...
I have this vague recollection of CBC's "Quirks&Quarks" of talking about how it really isn't a planet when growing up. I suppose the scientific community has been thinking about this for a while and felt it really did mess up their discourse when having to refers to Pluto as planet. Thank GOD, it's now classified as dwarf planet, or else things would just be too confusing.
Learn more about Pluto.
Today's Lesson: Science doesn't mean true, just widely accepted.
I think this is such a popular group is because it really drives home a point about knowledge; especially scientific knowledge. In today's western society we justify everything with science. Stupid articles in "The Sun" quote 'scientific studies show..." and we beleive them because of science. And the whole science culture. Scientist beleive they hold the truest form of knowledge. Scientific studies are made to have as little confounding variables as possible. As if science were somehow devoid of values, politics and money. This rift in the secular age between what the public knows and what a specialist knows makes for a sort of technocratic empire on which the system depends.
But although we think the science that backs our policy is supposed to be objective, really how variables are defined and what we decide to study comes from arbitrary norms or personal preferences. Pluto was a planet because we said so.
Now it's not. We could have changed the definition of planet. But no, that would make too many planets. We could give some honorary recognition to the planet, but in a decade who will care. So now it's not a planet. This is history in the making. Now if your junk becomes antiques and is found by one of your great great grandson or granddaughter, it will be so foreign to them that your books say there are nine planets. How silly are we to believe in a 9th(!) planet? We called it Pluuuu-toh.
I think this really shakes up ppl's minds because we believe everything we learn in school. I dont recall learning what the definition of 'planet' was in school, and i never thought to look it up. Even if i did, it wouldn't give me the three required criteria of 'planet'. In fact my dictionary offers moon (a satellite) and celestial body (not very scientific) as definitions...
I have this vague recollection of CBC's "Quirks&Quarks" of talking about how it really isn't a planet when growing up. I suppose the scientific community has been thinking about this for a while and felt it really did mess up their discourse when having to refers to Pluto as planet. Thank GOD, it's now classified as dwarf planet, or else things would just be too confusing.
Today's Lesson: Science doesn't mean true, just widely accepted.
August 31, 2008
New Day, New Blog
I've decided to create a little web site for my art hobby. Check it out and let me know what you think. It's just thrown together, and will be better over time, but I just wanted to get the main pages in and put stuff on there so it wasn't so bare.
Cards by Carin'
August 29, 2008
Reading for Leisure #7: Essex and McKitrick
Essex, Christopher and Ross McKitrick (2007): Taken By Storm: The Troled Science, Policy, and Politics of Global Warming. Key Porter Books, Toronto.
This was a book that was written by two scientists which specialized in weather related science. For example, one was a climatologist. For two scientists, they sure forgot to write a thesis in the beginning, for i went the entire book not know exactly what they were against. Were they against the politics of climate change or did they not believe in it at all? At the end, they finally say both. However, the lack of road mapping made that obscure for the most part.
Also, I find they had their audience confused. They described everything from politics to math with childish examples, but assumed that pointing that out those facts automatically made them right. they never fleshed out their arguments, because they were so caught up in describing things. dont get me wrong, describing the math is important too, but they seemed to have forgotten to argue their point effectively.
They also didn't not rebut at any time augments which might be said about their point of view, which any one you had to take an essay class in first year uni (and these guys didn't) would know you must do to make an effective stance.
the excessive sarcasm was funny at first. but after 300 and some pages, it was a bit much and tasteless.
So what the book ultimately summarizes is that 1) there are good scientists who don't think there is proof of climate change and they are not on the fringes. 2) the studies that are used to show there is evidence of climate change are not really that good. 3)politicians dont know what they are talking about when they say "global warming" 4) any thing that politicians are doing to curb climate change (if it was happening) wouldn't help any ways. 5)climate change is just a scare done with bad science and bad politics.
In the end, I could agree with much of what they said, but I some how think there is still a global warming, and they could not properly convince me of that, based on what i've said above about their argumentation. Ultimately though, this book seems more for the 'converted', since it doesn't reach out to the 'believers'. I was left with many questions that they didn't even attempt to consider.
This was a book that was written by two scientists which specialized in weather related science. For example, one was a climatologist. For two scientists, they sure forgot to write a thesis in the beginning, for i went the entire book not know exactly what they were against. Were they against the politics of climate change or did they not believe in it at all? At the end, they finally say both. However, the lack of road mapping made that obscure for the most part.
Also, I find they had their audience confused. They described everything from politics to math with childish examples, but assumed that pointing that out those facts automatically made them right. they never fleshed out their arguments, because they were so caught up in describing things. dont get me wrong, describing the math is important too, but they seemed to have forgotten to argue their point effectively.
They also didn't not rebut at any time augments which might be said about their point of view, which any one you had to take an essay class in first year uni (and these guys didn't) would know you must do to make an effective stance.
the excessive sarcasm was funny at first. but after 300 and some pages, it was a bit much and tasteless.
So what the book ultimately summarizes is that 1) there are good scientists who don't think there is proof of climate change and they are not on the fringes. 2) the studies that are used to show there is evidence of climate change are not really that good. 3)politicians dont know what they are talking about when they say "global warming" 4) any thing that politicians are doing to curb climate change (if it was happening) wouldn't help any ways. 5)climate change is just a scare done with bad science and bad politics.
In the end, I could agree with much of what they said, but I some how think there is still a global warming, and they could not properly convince me of that, based on what i've said above about their argumentation. Ultimately though, this book seems more for the 'converted', since it doesn't reach out to the 'believers'. I was left with many questions that they didn't even attempt to consider.
August 20, 2008
Reading for Leisure #6: Swann
SWANN, Leonie (2008): Three Bags Full. Translated by Anthea Bell. Anchor Canada, USA.
This book I purchased based on it's cover. It was blue and yellow and had sheep on it. I was in a small mystery book shoppe store in the Glebe and when the description on the back said the sheep solve the mystery of who killed their shepherd I bought the book immediately. Then when i opend the book i found that on each right-hand page there is a little drawing of a sheep in the corner. When the pages are flipped, the form a prancing sheep across the pages!!! SO FUN!
The first hundred pages are a bit slow as the sheep do a lot of grazing. However, the author pokes fun at human nature enough that it kept me going until the sheep finally did something.
The book was really enjoyable because the author writes the story in such a way that my reading experience really paralleled their adventure. This really makes reader feel like a part of the flock. For example, the shepherd had read them stories a lot which is why they are so clever. So when they were trying to solve the mystery, one of the big questions was 'what kind of story is this? a love story? a mystery? a horror?' The real mystery of this novel wasn't who killed the Shepherd- that's just a trick. But by the end you find in fact it was a love story all along and not a murder mystery.
It's hard to explain without spoiling the ending, or with you not knowing the subtle philosophical ramblings of the sheep. But i will say that i fully recommend this novel for reading.
This book I purchased based on it's cover. It was blue and yellow and had sheep on it. I was in a small mystery book shoppe store in the Glebe and when the description on the back said the sheep solve the mystery of who killed their shepherd I bought the book immediately. Then when i opend the book i found that on each right-hand page there is a little drawing of a sheep in the corner. When the pages are flipped, the form a prancing sheep across the pages!!! SO FUN!
The first hundred pages are a bit slow as the sheep do a lot of grazing. However, the author pokes fun at human nature enough that it kept me going until the sheep finally did something.
The book was really enjoyable because the author writes the story in such a way that my reading experience really paralleled their adventure. This really makes reader feel like a part of the flock. For example, the shepherd had read them stories a lot which is why they are so clever. So when they were trying to solve the mystery, one of the big questions was 'what kind of story is this? a love story? a mystery? a horror?' The real mystery of this novel wasn't who killed the Shepherd- that's just a trick. But by the end you find in fact it was a love story all along and not a murder mystery.
It's hard to explain without spoiling the ending, or with you not knowing the subtle philosophical ramblings of the sheep. But i will say that i fully recommend this novel for reading.
Reading for Leisure #5: Gard
GARD, Jim (2002): The Small Investor: A Beginner's Guide to Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds. Ten Speed Press, Toronto.
I read this book to get a well round knowledge of investments. I already new the basics and how they work from working as a teller at the bank, but I really didn't know much about the evaluating part of stocks and bonds. So this was a good book to flesh out all those numbers and get some suggested readings for further knowledge and good places to look for information. I'm glad I read it, and the author had a fun writing style. :)
I read this book to get a well round knowledge of investments. I already new the basics and how they work from working as a teller at the bank, but I really didn't know much about the evaluating part of stocks and bonds. So this was a good book to flesh out all those numbers and get some suggested readings for further knowledge and good places to look for information. I'm glad I read it, and the author had a fun writing style. :)
August 19, 2008
Reading for Leisure #4: Leto
LETO, Julie Elizabeth (2000): Good Girls Do! Harlequin, Toronto.
It took me so long to get through this book because of the terrible writing. However, Once i got to the sex scenes in chapter five i completed the book in three blinks of an eye. By the end of the book i was okay with it, mostly because i happened to fall upon one that included safe sex in the fantasy.
Let's start from the beginning: I suddendly decided one day that I was going to write a romance novel. "but," i thought to myself "i need to know what one is like". if you read my previous posts, you'd know i read a how-to book in april or may. i found this romance in my laundry room and picked it up because it was about a sexologist. wonderbar!
okay, so the quick and dirty plot (and i say quick, because there isn't much plot, and dirty because it's about sex) is that a sexologist who advocates for abstinence from sex. She is nominated for "Most Virtuous Woman on Campus" when her blabbing sister tells the school paper the contents of her high school diary. It reveals that Miranda the sexologist had a bad experience when she was young and hasn't dated since. She thus temperarily looses her credibility since the students say if you dont date it's much easier. they want her to prove she can remain virtuous in the face of temptation. of course the hot psyc prof Dr. Noah Yeager offers to temp her on a fancy date. They both like each other, but what with Miranda all virtuous and Yeager all respecting that, neither of them so much as kiss by the end of the date.
Her virtu remains intact, and the next day while gardening in her sister's slut outfit just for fun, Noah comes by for some action. She accepts and he pleasures her to orgasm with a watering hose. he leaves with blue balls out of total gentlemanly respect, which convinces Miranda that he loves her.
His hang up is that he breaks girls hearts and doesn't want to break hers and so wont admit he loves her till the end of the novel. but in the mean time they both want to screw any ways, and arrange a one-night-stand at a fancy resort. they have sex in the rain, and in the end she wins her virtue award and noah asks for her hand in marriage.
OKAY! so the reason i liked this novel was because the author make a one night stand virtuous for a woman. Miranda's feeling in the book is that she loves noah so much, that she must respect his decision and let him be the one to come to her if he can open his heart. She loves him tho, so wants to live in the moment and enjoy one glorious night of burning hot sex which must take place in the rain so as to not set the place on fire. on top of that Miranda and Noah include condoms in the sexual play despite the fact that it's fantasy and every thing else about the novel is contrived. The author also has the characters talk about fetishes!
I am really proud of the author for incorporating good sex habbits into characters that exist inside a highly restrictive universe. She manages to plant msg in her readers or reaffirm them while pleasing the publishers with a hot blond and a tall, dark, handsom man who are always rich and marry in the end.
This renews my interest in the possibility of writing a romance novel. Perhaps i'll put a few more on my reading list to get the story rhythm down.
It took me so long to get through this book because of the terrible writing. However, Once i got to the sex scenes in chapter five i completed the book in three blinks of an eye. By the end of the book i was okay with it, mostly because i happened to fall upon one that included safe sex in the fantasy.
Let's start from the beginning: I suddendly decided one day that I was going to write a romance novel. "but," i thought to myself "i need to know what one is like". if you read my previous posts, you'd know i read a how-to book in april or may. i found this romance in my laundry room and picked it up because it was about a sexologist. wonderbar!
okay, so the quick and dirty plot (and i say quick, because there isn't much plot, and dirty because it's about sex) is that a sexologist who advocates for abstinence from sex. She is nominated for "Most Virtuous Woman on Campus" when her blabbing sister tells the school paper the contents of her high school diary. It reveals that Miranda the sexologist had a bad experience when she was young and hasn't dated since. She thus temperarily looses her credibility since the students say if you dont date it's much easier. they want her to prove she can remain virtuous in the face of temptation. of course the hot psyc prof Dr. Noah Yeager offers to temp her on a fancy date. They both like each other, but what with Miranda all virtuous and Yeager all respecting that, neither of them so much as kiss by the end of the date.
Her virtu remains intact, and the next day while gardening in her sister's slut outfit just for fun, Noah comes by for some action. She accepts and he pleasures her to orgasm with a watering hose. he leaves with blue balls out of total gentlemanly respect, which convinces Miranda that he loves her.
His hang up is that he breaks girls hearts and doesn't want to break hers and so wont admit he loves her till the end of the novel. but in the mean time they both want to screw any ways, and arrange a one-night-stand at a fancy resort. they have sex in the rain, and in the end she wins her virtue award and noah asks for her hand in marriage.
OKAY! so the reason i liked this novel was because the author make a one night stand virtuous for a woman. Miranda's feeling in the book is that she loves noah so much, that she must respect his decision and let him be the one to come to her if he can open his heart. She loves him tho, so wants to live in the moment and enjoy one glorious night of burning hot sex which must take place in the rain so as to not set the place on fire. on top of that Miranda and Noah include condoms in the sexual play despite the fact that it's fantasy and every thing else about the novel is contrived. The author also has the characters talk about fetishes!
I am really proud of the author for incorporating good sex habbits into characters that exist inside a highly restrictive universe. She manages to plant msg in her readers or reaffirm them while pleasing the publishers with a hot blond and a tall, dark, handsom man who are always rich and marry in the end.
This renews my interest in the possibility of writing a romance novel. Perhaps i'll put a few more on my reading list to get the story rhythm down.
Vegan Recipe- Must try for ALL
My Complete Book of Raw Food ed. by Lori Baird has a lot of time consuming recipes. However, the soups section caught my interest for two reasons. One, i really like soup. Two, the raw food soups are super fast to make. Most of the soups are: take ingredients and blend. That's my kind of recipe.
"Raspberry Cream Soup" is my favorite recipe in the book (granted the only one i've tried). The recipe is by Elysa Markowitz. Big thanks to Elysa, you-health-nut-you. She makes living delicious!
Raspberry Cream Soup
3 cups of orange juice (one orange is about 1/2 a cup)*
1 1/2 cups of raw cashews
1 box of raspberries
1 orange sliced
1. Squeeze orange juice.
2. Blend orange juice and cashews.
3. Add half the box of raspberries and blend.
4. Add rest of raspberries to 'broth'
5. Garnish with orange slices.
*note: I used only two cups of orange juice for a really creamy texture.
"Raspberry Cream Soup" is my favorite recipe in the book (granted the only one i've tried). The recipe is by Elysa Markowitz. Big thanks to Elysa, you-health-nut-you. She makes living delicious!
Raspberry Cream Soup
3 cups of orange juice (one orange is about 1/2 a cup)*
1 1/2 cups of raw cashews
1 box of raspberries
1 orange sliced
1. Squeeze orange juice.
2. Blend orange juice and cashews.
3. Add half the box of raspberries and blend.
4. Add rest of raspberries to 'broth'
5. Garnish with orange slices.
*note: I used only two cups of orange juice for a really creamy texture.
June 12, 2008
Quarterly Report on New Year Resolutions
2008 New Year Resolutions:
1)Read more!
2)Get Job
3)Eat according to my moral standards
4)Worm Compost
1) As per previous posts, you'd notice, I have been reading for leisure. Check.
2) I am indeed employed, full time permanent with group benefits. Check.
3) I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm to have fresh vegetables every week, buy organic if i go to chain stores and purchase orgainic foods in bulk. And buy from local small businesses when i can. Check.
4) I now have a bin, with worms in it and am currently growing the population for maximum apartment composting. Check.
Well it seems as though I've done a pretty good job of achieving my goals for 2008. We'll just have to hope that I can keep them up! :)
1)Read more!
2)Get Job
3)Eat according to my moral standards
4)Worm Compost
1) As per previous posts, you'd notice, I have been reading for leisure. Check.
2) I am indeed employed, full time permanent with group benefits. Check.
3) I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm to have fresh vegetables every week, buy organic if i go to chain stores and purchase orgainic foods in bulk. And buy from local small businesses when i can. Check.
4) I now have a bin, with worms in it and am currently growing the population for maximum apartment composting. Check.
Well it seems as though I've done a pretty good job of achieving my goals for 2008. We'll just have to hope that I can keep them up! :)
Poems from Jan to June
Haven't written poetry in a long time, but here's some from this year. There are all pretty much inside references and so may not be very interesting to you, but I post them in the event they have some worth to you any wayssss
haiku about meg (1)
*surname changed for privacy reasons but syllable count has been preserved.
debate and humor
see what surrounds meg stewart*
beauty and glamor
haiku about meg (2)
with her smarts and wits
meg gives us inspiration
to change our nation
A Penguin's Love Never Dies
Call me your penguin lover,
And I will be forever yours.
Let's whisper to one another our fantasies,
And eat only the finest Hershy's dark chocolate with almonds.
Our bodies fit together,
As the last two pieces in a puzzle
Whose image is of your arrow reaching up into my heart.
We are perfectly complete,
Filled with satisfaction,
Fulfilling a loving promise.
Time must answer to us
When we meet eye to eye,
And Lips to lips,
Our hearts beating quickly,
keeping pace with the oscillations of our intertwining souls.
butter brain storm
fill me up with butter.
like no other
my other life was funner
and more gramatically correct
dont surcomspect
i just made a bet
ive got intuition
but im a sore looser
i loose big, i live small
in Second Life i'm tall
i like to fight, but i hate conflict
convict, convict!
blurb is the word.
discontent
mixy mixy,
this world is trixy:
it gives me hives-
the chics dont jive-
i still cant drive-
what makes me alive?
sexy sexy,
i'm on this trek, see.
i'm in a daze-
but just a laze-
Buddhists say:'take a gaze'
to whom do i owe praise?
taxi taxi,
drive until i'm in ataraxy.
now, don't misthink-
i'm such a gink-
we're on the brink-
here's a jink: Hyperlink!
haiku about meg (1)
*surname changed for privacy reasons but syllable count has been preserved.
debate and humor
see what surrounds meg stewart*
beauty and glamor
haiku about meg (2)
with her smarts and wits
meg gives us inspiration
to change our nation
A Penguin's Love Never Dies
Call me your penguin lover,
And I will be forever yours.
Let's whisper to one another our fantasies,
And eat only the finest Hershy's dark chocolate with almonds.
Our bodies fit together,
As the last two pieces in a puzzle
Whose image is of your arrow reaching up into my heart.
We are perfectly complete,
Filled with satisfaction,
Fulfilling a loving promise.
Time must answer to us
When we meet eye to eye,
And Lips to lips,
Our hearts beating quickly,
keeping pace with the oscillations of our intertwining souls.
butter brain storm
fill me up with butter.
like no other
my other life was funner
and more gramatically correct
dont surcomspect
i just made a bet
ive got intuition
but im a sore looser
i loose big, i live small
in Second Life i'm tall
i like to fight, but i hate conflict
convict, convict!
blurb is the word.
discontent
mixy mixy,
this world is trixy:
it gives me hives-
the chics dont jive-
i still cant drive-
what makes me alive?
sexy sexy,
i'm on this trek, see.
i'm in a daze-
but just a laze-
Buddhists say:'take a gaze'
to whom do i owe praise?
taxi taxi,
drive until i'm in ataraxy.
now, don't misthink-
i'm such a gink-
we're on the brink-
here's a jink: Hyperlink!
June 08, 2008
Enriching the Soul: Iron
Munro, Rona: Iron. Seven Thirty Productions. Dir John P. Kelly.
Seen at Arts Court Theater on June 4 2008.
Synopsis: "Josie and her mother FAy have not met for 15 years. Josie a globetrotting 25 year old, is very successful at work but her emotional life is out of kilter. Fay has lived 15 years in prison, seing the sun only when she lies on the floor of her cell. Now mother and daughter are reunited. Josie wants her mother's memories of the years before Fay was sentenced to like in prison."
This was an enjoyable play, really touching on human experience and quite the tear jerker. They did a really great job of demonstration human needs and reactions. A great play for a psych student :) It's interesting to see the two main characters grow threw each other. Josie needs her mother to remember her childhood, and Fay needs her daughter to experience the outside world. They live through each other, and come to terms with dark emotions within themselves.
I always prefer comedies, but this is a well thought out play, and quite enjoyable and has a superb ending.
Seen at Arts Court Theater on June 4 2008.
Synopsis: "Josie and her mother FAy have not met for 15 years. Josie a globetrotting 25 year old, is very successful at work but her emotional life is out of kilter. Fay has lived 15 years in prison, seing the sun only when she lies on the floor of her cell. Now mother and daughter are reunited. Josie wants her mother's memories of the years before Fay was sentenced to like in prison."
This was an enjoyable play, really touching on human experience and quite the tear jerker. They did a really great job of demonstration human needs and reactions. A great play for a psych student :) It's interesting to see the two main characters grow threw each other. Josie needs her mother to remember her childhood, and Fay needs her daughter to experience the outside world. They live through each other, and come to terms with dark emotions within themselves.
I always prefer comedies, but this is a well thought out play, and quite enjoyable and has a superb ending.
May 21, 2008
Reading for Leisure #3: Laing
Laing, R.D. (1968): The Politics of Experience. Ballantine Book, Inc. USA
This is an existential book about how we view normality and label the psychologically 'ill'. Each chapter is a lecture or article that was put together in this book. Basically the author argues that our society and way of experiencing things is messed up. The only reason we dont really see this on a day to day basis is because the majority of us view things the same way. So statistically it is normal. Then the author argues that those that do not adequately adjust to this mad world are considered crazy. they are labeled because we cannot relate to these individuals the way we can with others. This label is political though because it is viewed as an illness. In the last chapter, Laing argues that going crazy is one way to experience greater human understanding, and that all religions aspired to achieve this level of consciousness. He does this by recording a story of a man in the navy who had a 'journey' [read psychotic breakdown] for ten days. After so much fear and vast knowingness, he 'decides' to become sane again. This man's tale ends with a plea for a return to method of caring for those in mental hospitals be less about 'cures' and more about caring for ppl. very thought provoking and touching book.
Here are some super amazing quotes i liked:
From the moment of birth, when the Stone Age baby confronts the twentieth-century mother, the baby is subjected to these forces of violence, called love, as its mother and father,and their parents and their parents before them, have been. These forces are mainly concerned with destroying most of its potentialities, and on the whole this enterprise, is successful. By the time the new human being is fifteen or so, we are left with a being like ourselves, a half-crazed creature more or less adjusted to a mad world. This is normality in our present age. (pp 58)
A child born today [1968] in the United Kingdom stands a ten times greater chance of being admitted to a mental hospital than to a university, and about one fifth of a mental hospital admissions are diagnosed schizophrenic. This can be taken as an indication that we are driving our children mad more effectively than we are genuinely educating them. Perhaps it is our way of educating them that is driving them mad. (pp 104)
I love the book so much, I'd rewrite every word in this blog if is wasn't plagiarism!
This is an existential book about how we view normality and label the psychologically 'ill'. Each chapter is a lecture or article that was put together in this book. Basically the author argues that our society and way of experiencing things is messed up. The only reason we dont really see this on a day to day basis is because the majority of us view things the same way. So statistically it is normal. Then the author argues that those that do not adequately adjust to this mad world are considered crazy. they are labeled because we cannot relate to these individuals the way we can with others. This label is political though because it is viewed as an illness. In the last chapter, Laing argues that going crazy is one way to experience greater human understanding, and that all religions aspired to achieve this level of consciousness. He does this by recording a story of a man in the navy who had a 'journey' [read psychotic breakdown] for ten days. After so much fear and vast knowingness, he 'decides' to become sane again. This man's tale ends with a plea for a return to method of caring for those in mental hospitals be less about 'cures' and more about caring for ppl. very thought provoking and touching book.
Here are some super amazing quotes i liked:
From the moment of birth, when the Stone Age baby confronts the twentieth-century mother, the baby is subjected to these forces of violence, called love, as its mother and father,and their parents and their parents before them, have been. These forces are mainly concerned with destroying most of its potentialities, and on the whole this enterprise, is successful. By the time the new human being is fifteen or so, we are left with a being like ourselves, a half-crazed creature more or less adjusted to a mad world. This is normality in our present age. (pp 58)
A child born today [1968] in the United Kingdom stands a ten times greater chance of being admitted to a mental hospital than to a university, and about one fifth of a mental hospital admissions are diagnosed schizophrenic. This can be taken as an indication that we are driving our children mad more effectively than we are genuinely educating them. Perhaps it is our way of educating them that is driving them mad. (pp 104)
I love the book so much, I'd rewrite every word in this blog if is wasn't plagiarism!
May 15, 2008
Reading for Leisure #2: Hogbin
Hogbin, Ian (1964): A Guadalcanal Society: The Kaoka Speakers. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., USA.
I got this book from a little book market by the Bytowne Theater. I was looking at some books set outside while passing. Most looked boring, but this one stood out to me -and it was $0.47 plus tax.
This book is written by an anthropologist from the University of Sydney and it's his description of the Koaka Speakers from his stay with them on the Guadalcanal island. He describes many different aspects of the culture including problem resolution, sex and marriage, and the headman which i found the most interesting.
MAGIC and RELIGION
An interesting point to note about this culture is that their moral system is not inbeded in their religion. For example, adultery, one of the greatest crimes, is not a religious taboo. In fact, they have a strong moral system which is followed quite well, and religion is reserved for explaining illnesses and giving hope for a prosperous clan. Another interesting thing included in their religion is mana. This is like the north american luck, except is a religious force rather than a mathematical probability. So as north americans will hope that probabilities positively befall them, the Kaoka speakers try to sway this energy in their direction. Any man can shoot an arrow, but it's mana that makes it a mortal shot. this is different from their magic. As mana is an outside force that is everywhere and out there, magic is possessed by man and is manifested through man. Magic is used to have influence on other people. As will be discussed further, if a person is upset by someone in a minor way, they are encouraged not to confront them, but to secretly cast voodoo on the person for illness (note that the illness should not be fatal). If a person gets sick, they take it for granted that they upset someone, but make no effort to find out who because the voodoo is done so secretly and one could never prove it was a particular person. The magic is also used to express hope such as when they want a prostitute to bring them lots of income. This i will also explain further.
PROSTITUTION
The prostitution is the most interesting part for me, and what made me check to see how much the book cost. I thought this little tit bit was worth the two quarters. I hope you feel the same. Outside forces had made the following activity illegal, but it was an integral part of their economy. Children as young as seven would play together and pretend husband and wife. this was only shunned when the boy wanted to be a 'real' husband. Females are expected to remain a virgin until marriage. Marriage usually occurs after the girl's puberty rights. the puberty rights happen after her breasts begin to swell, rather than at menarche (first rag). If a gurl is found to sleep with a guy b4 marriage her bride price goes down to about half. The man will be charged a fee (of string and dog or shark teeth) to the family of the gurl. At this time they may be forced to marry. Because there is not a lot of privacy. the clan does find out. at this point the father will give the girl to an uncle to try and reclaim the bride price. sometimes she'll marry to another clan for the full bride price. if not the uncle or someone eles will manage her as a prostitute. a magic spell is cast on her, by collecting brightly coloured leaves and also those with irritants, and rub it in her bed. then a chant is recited which is worth quoting here:
She does not sit in the house,
She is ever restless, strolling up and down.
She itches all the time for men.
Sores do not afflict her, and her skin is without blemish.
Her skin shines and glows like a crimson Cordyline leaf in a dark forest.
Men look at her and think of copulation.
She belongs to no clan, she has no kinsfolk.
She arouses desire in the trees ans in the stones.
She seeks men always, knowing not night from day.
She wants penis all the time.
She needs no sleep, she feels no shame.
She is like a bitch in heat, attracting dogs in the darkness and in the sunlight.
She does not wait or pause, she is always ready.
And the young men desire her also.
Yet her womb is closed, and she never conceives.
She is a tree without fruit.
(p.20)
This makes her hot supple and ready for sex. In the clan, she gets three dog teeth per trick, but when the men go trading they bring her along, where she can get 5 dog teeth per trick. When she becomes pregnant or looses her initial youthful features, they cast another spell on her to make her a wonderful faithful wife. A woman who was a prostitute can marry any one, even the headman, so her opportunities are not not limited by her career. Also, women who were prostitutes are equally faithful in marriage as those that kept it in their pants.
PROBLEM RESOLUTION
The last bit i wanna talk about is problem resolution. the Koaka speakers are encouraged to avoid conflict as much as possible. As mentioned earlier, if one is upset about a minor offense, they are to carry out voodoo. however, if they are more upset about a situation and make an out burst, other come to break up the fight. if in two or three days, the individual is still upset, they go with their family and tell the other why exactly they are upset. all parties leave their weapons at home just incase it gets heated. if it does get heated the headman breaks up the fight. if the problem ensues, a town meeting is called where only the elders speak, save the two involved. the headman explains how he views the situation, then each person deliberates their story. then the elders give advice on a resolution. there is no voting and no on takes sides. at any time in this whole thing if the person causing the upset apologizes, it's done, or if it was something unavoidable, they offer a gift of sting and teeth to make up for it.
Yeah, so the book is filled with interesting tidbits like this.. very enjoyable read.
I got this book from a little book market by the Bytowne Theater. I was looking at some books set outside while passing. Most looked boring, but this one stood out to me -and it was $0.47 plus tax.
This book is written by an anthropologist from the University of Sydney and it's his description of the Koaka Speakers from his stay with them on the Guadalcanal island. He describes many different aspects of the culture including problem resolution, sex and marriage, and the headman which i found the most interesting.
MAGIC and RELIGION
An interesting point to note about this culture is that their moral system is not inbeded in their religion. For example, adultery, one of the greatest crimes, is not a religious taboo. In fact, they have a strong moral system which is followed quite well, and religion is reserved for explaining illnesses and giving hope for a prosperous clan. Another interesting thing included in their religion is mana. This is like the north american luck, except is a religious force rather than a mathematical probability. So as north americans will hope that probabilities positively befall them, the Kaoka speakers try to sway this energy in their direction. Any man can shoot an arrow, but it's mana that makes it a mortal shot. this is different from their magic. As mana is an outside force that is everywhere and out there, magic is possessed by man and is manifested through man. Magic is used to have influence on other people. As will be discussed further, if a person is upset by someone in a minor way, they are encouraged not to confront them, but to secretly cast voodoo on the person for illness (note that the illness should not be fatal). If a person gets sick, they take it for granted that they upset someone, but make no effort to find out who because the voodoo is done so secretly and one could never prove it was a particular person. The magic is also used to express hope such as when they want a prostitute to bring them lots of income. This i will also explain further.
PROSTITUTION
The prostitution is the most interesting part for me, and what made me check to see how much the book cost. I thought this little tit bit was worth the two quarters. I hope you feel the same. Outside forces had made the following activity illegal, but it was an integral part of their economy. Children as young as seven would play together and pretend husband and wife. this was only shunned when the boy wanted to be a 'real' husband. Females are expected to remain a virgin until marriage. Marriage usually occurs after the girl's puberty rights. the puberty rights happen after her breasts begin to swell, rather than at menarche (first rag). If a gurl is found to sleep with a guy b4 marriage her bride price goes down to about half. The man will be charged a fee (of string and dog or shark teeth) to the family of the gurl. At this time they may be forced to marry. Because there is not a lot of privacy. the clan does find out. at this point the father will give the girl to an uncle to try and reclaim the bride price. sometimes she'll marry to another clan for the full bride price. if not the uncle or someone eles will manage her as a prostitute. a magic spell is cast on her, by collecting brightly coloured leaves and also those with irritants, and rub it in her bed. then a chant is recited which is worth quoting here:
She is ever restless, strolling up and down.
She itches all the time for men.
Sores do not afflict her, and her skin is without blemish.
Her skin shines and glows like a crimson Cordyline leaf in a dark forest.
Men look at her and think of copulation.
She belongs to no clan, she has no kinsfolk.
She arouses desire in the trees ans in the stones.
She seeks men always, knowing not night from day.
She wants penis all the time.
She needs no sleep, she feels no shame.
She is like a bitch in heat, attracting dogs in the darkness and in the sunlight.
She does not wait or pause, she is always ready.
And the young men desire her also.
Yet her womb is closed, and she never conceives.
She is a tree without fruit.
(p.20)
This makes her hot supple and ready for sex. In the clan, she gets three dog teeth per trick, but when the men go trading they bring her along, where she can get 5 dog teeth per trick. When she becomes pregnant or looses her initial youthful features, they cast another spell on her to make her a wonderful faithful wife. A woman who was a prostitute can marry any one, even the headman, so her opportunities are not not limited by her career. Also, women who were prostitutes are equally faithful in marriage as those that kept it in their pants.
PROBLEM RESOLUTION
The last bit i wanna talk about is problem resolution. the Koaka speakers are encouraged to avoid conflict as much as possible. As mentioned earlier, if one is upset about a minor offense, they are to carry out voodoo. however, if they are more upset about a situation and make an out burst, other come to break up the fight. if in two or three days, the individual is still upset, they go with their family and tell the other why exactly they are upset. all parties leave their weapons at home just incase it gets heated. if it does get heated the headman breaks up the fight. if the problem ensues, a town meeting is called where only the elders speak, save the two involved. the headman explains how he views the situation, then each person deliberates their story. then the elders give advice on a resolution. there is no voting and no on takes sides. at any time in this whole thing if the person causing the upset apologizes, it's done, or if it was something unavoidable, they offer a gift of sting and teeth to make up for it.
Yeah, so the book is filled with interesting tidbits like this.. very enjoyable read.
May 14, 2008
Reading for Leisure #1: Parv
Parv, Valerie (1993): The Art of Romance Writing: How To Create, Write and Sell your Contemporary Romance Novel. Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, St. Leonards, Australia.
This is a how to book which out lines the basic steps for writing a novel with specific focus on romance novels specifically. Valerie Parv goes through the steps for character creation and how she goes about getting her ideas. She also focuses on the fact that the romance IS the story, rather than a story with a love interest in it. This distinction is grammatically subtle, but has profound implications on the structure on of the novel and your freedom of how the love story plays out. Romance novels are fantasy and therefore are always happy endings, do not explore untraditional sexual norms and definitely always 99% from the (third party) perspective of the heroine. The author also talks about sending proposals to publishers, which is the most useful (and shortest) part of the book.
A neat observation was that Parv wrote the book in the exact same format that she insists one writes a romance. This is interesting, because this is a how-to book, not a romance. But she has exactly ten chapters, despite the fact that the tenth chapter is not warranted, and she ends the book is a punchy sentence.
Reading this book gave me a good general idea of what a romance should entail, and made me realize that romance is prolly not what i want to write, since i can't be sarcastic and ironic. yep that's a deal breaker right there. but perhaps, i might get inspired and give it a shot, after all. At the end of the day, I want to write something and romance might be a good place to start as the plot is not complicated and other parts of the story don't need closure; only the heroine and hero must be together in the end. This really simplifies things because there is a set framework to work within.
Although the book was a helpful introduction into novel writing and into the dynamics of romance writing, I feel my self left unsatisfied. More knowledge is needed.
As a finishing comment, this book made me reflect about one of my favorite books Life of Pie by Yann Martel. This is a fiction novel whose message is that truth can be stranger than fiction, or that stories are more real than actual events, or that you could never really tell if a story is real or not based solely on the events in the story. At any rate, Parv points out that dialogue has to sound real in novels, but that dialogue in novels isn't how people actually talk. Specifically, in order to make fiction believable you must alter reality. I think this is prolly the most appealing aspect of fiction literature to me.
This is a how to book which out lines the basic steps for writing a novel with specific focus on romance novels specifically. Valerie Parv goes through the steps for character creation and how she goes about getting her ideas. She also focuses on the fact that the romance IS the story, rather than a story with a love interest in it. This distinction is grammatically subtle, but has profound implications on the structure on of the novel and your freedom of how the love story plays out. Romance novels are fantasy and therefore are always happy endings, do not explore untraditional sexual norms and definitely always 99% from the (third party) perspective of the heroine. The author also talks about sending proposals to publishers, which is the most useful (and shortest) part of the book.
A neat observation was that Parv wrote the book in the exact same format that she insists one writes a romance. This is interesting, because this is a how-to book, not a romance. But she has exactly ten chapters, despite the fact that the tenth chapter is not warranted, and she ends the book is a punchy sentence.
Reading this book gave me a good general idea of what a romance should entail, and made me realize that romance is prolly not what i want to write, since i can't be sarcastic and ironic. yep that's a deal breaker right there. but perhaps, i might get inspired and give it a shot, after all. At the end of the day, I want to write something and romance might be a good place to start as the plot is not complicated and other parts of the story don't need closure; only the heroine and hero must be together in the end. This really simplifies things because there is a set framework to work within.
Although the book was a helpful introduction into novel writing and into the dynamics of romance writing, I feel my self left unsatisfied. More knowledge is needed.
As a finishing comment, this book made me reflect about one of my favorite books Life of Pie by Yann Martel. This is a fiction novel whose message is that truth can be stranger than fiction, or that stories are more real than actual events, or that you could never really tell if a story is real or not based solely on the events in the story. At any rate, Parv points out that dialogue has to sound real in novels, but that dialogue in novels isn't how people actually talk. Specifically, in order to make fiction believable you must alter reality. I think this is prolly the most appealing aspect of fiction literature to me.
April 01, 2008
April Fools!
Okay, I am not surfing the net for the rest of the day! I'm being Rick Rolled on every link I click lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU&NR=1
March 26, 2008
EARTH HOUR
The following except and more information can be found at http://wwf.ca/earthhour/
"On March 29, 2008, cities across Canada, and around the world will turn off their lights for Earth Hour, a WWF event to raise awareness about climate change and symbolize that, working together the people of the world can make a difference in the fight against climate change.
Earth Hour has grown from a single event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to a global phenomenon that will occur across six continents and in as many as 20 cities in 2008.
Toronto was the flagship Canadian city to commemorate Earth Hour 2008 but dozens of others including Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal have already joined!
Our goal is to get thousands of businesses and individuals to participate in this historic event, so we can show the nation and the world that Canadians are leaders in addressing climate change, one of the most critical issues facing our world today."
March 20, 2008
green consuming
green consuming is akin to sustainable development: there must be some really strange utterly elusive balance for it to not be an oxymoron.
but we can all do our part. here's a cute chart from Greenpeace's enews.
but we can all do our part. here's a cute chart from Greenpeace's enews.
March 06, 2008
No Inspiration, but I'll copy your ideas
On Facebook there is a graffiti application where you can draw a pic using a circle brush of various sizes, and can control for opaqueness. you then have a palette to chose from. there are some really amazing pieces on the public gallery!
i have trouble drawing on the computer tho, because i'm left handed but i use my right hand for things like machinery and other devices so thoughtlessly designed for the majority. i also think it's weird to draw with mouse instead of a pen, but many seem to make just as many beautiful drawings with only a mouse as those with a pen. i guess i can only blame my skills for that one.
any how, despite my lefty handicap, i think i draw okay. i took a drawing that inspired me, and which i wanted to improve. on this one i felt the leg in the air was too far back, so i wanted to redraw it with the leg where i wanted it. i didn't really look at the other person's drawing while doing my own. it was from memory, which is why they look nothing alike, except of course the concept of a gurl lying on her belly touching a flower. note i left out the whole message about the flower changing her world form black and white to colour. oh well, i say. i think mine is warmer any ways. and if the point is to feel happy when looking at the picture, then mine wins. but maybe i'm biased because i drew it.
and as a comparison, here is one of my favorites found on the public gallery:
i have trouble drawing on the computer tho, because i'm left handed but i use my right hand for things like machinery and other devices so thoughtlessly designed for the majority. i also think it's weird to draw with mouse instead of a pen, but many seem to make just as many beautiful drawings with only a mouse as those with a pen. i guess i can only blame my skills for that one.
any how, despite my lefty handicap, i think i draw okay. i took a drawing that inspired me, and which i wanted to improve. on this one i felt the leg in the air was too far back, so i wanted to redraw it with the leg where i wanted it. i didn't really look at the other person's drawing while doing my own. it was from memory, which is why they look nothing alike, except of course the concept of a gurl lying on her belly touching a flower. note i left out the whole message about the flower changing her world form black and white to colour. oh well, i say. i think mine is warmer any ways. and if the point is to feel happy when looking at the picture, then mine wins. but maybe i'm biased because i drew it.
and as a comparison, here is one of my favorites found on the public gallery:
March 05, 2008
Quarterly Report on My New Year Resolutions
Here's a refresher on my previous post:
1)Read more!
2)Get Job
3)Eat according to my moral standards: eat more locally and organically.
4)Worm Compost
1)So the reading more bit doesn't have to start until i actually graduate. I mean i'm doing all my readings, but that doesn't count, because i would never read R v. Toronto Electric Commissioners for my own interest, even if it makes me a more interesting person.
2)This semester I have been doing some SASS career counseling and made use of their online services about cold calling as well as had a resume critique done. I've also applied to a job in hopes that it will be the only one i actually have to apply for- but we all know that's not how it works. *le sigh*
3)Well this one i've done pretty good so far. I've made a conscious effort to eat as much as i can foods that have less packaging. this involves not buying prepared foods when possible, and buying foods in bulk when possible. in addition, i've reduced the amount that i eat out. also i've increased the amount of organic food i eat dramatically. it's quite impressive. i can make entirely organic meals (excluding spices) nowa days. :) as for the local aspect, i haven't done much more on that front, i still buy when there is a choice between local and farther away, but i haven't done any thing in addition to improve the status quo.
4)Ah, the worm compost. well i talked to my roommate about it, and she seems happy about the idea, but i really haven't made any steps toward getting one. even more sad is that i haven't been doing the interim plan of bringing my compost to campus. so, in light of this, i will now being to do that, and perhaps the inconvenience of trekking my waste across campus will force me into starting my worm compost.
So because resolution 2 doesn't kick in yet, the resolutions are out of 3.
i get a 2/3 for making an effort in most of my resolutions. YAY!
1)Read more!
2)Get Job
3)Eat according to my moral standards: eat more locally and organically.
4)Worm Compost
1)So the reading more bit doesn't have to start until i actually graduate. I mean i'm doing all my readings, but that doesn't count, because i would never read R v. Toronto Electric Commissioners for my own interest, even if it makes me a more interesting person.
2)This semester I have been doing some SASS career counseling and made use of their online services about cold calling as well as had a resume critique done. I've also applied to a job in hopes that it will be the only one i actually have to apply for- but we all know that's not how it works. *le sigh*
3)Well this one i've done pretty good so far. I've made a conscious effort to eat as much as i can foods that have less packaging. this involves not buying prepared foods when possible, and buying foods in bulk when possible. in addition, i've reduced the amount that i eat out. also i've increased the amount of organic food i eat dramatically. it's quite impressive. i can make entirely organic meals (excluding spices) nowa days. :) as for the local aspect, i haven't done much more on that front, i still buy when there is a choice between local and farther away, but i haven't done any thing in addition to improve the status quo.
4)Ah, the worm compost. well i talked to my roommate about it, and she seems happy about the idea, but i really haven't made any steps toward getting one. even more sad is that i haven't been doing the interim plan of bringing my compost to campus. so, in light of this, i will now being to do that, and perhaps the inconvenience of trekking my waste across campus will force me into starting my worm compost.
So because resolution 2 doesn't kick in yet, the resolutions are out of 3.
i get a 2/3 for making an effort in most of my resolutions. YAY!
February 28, 2008
Post from FB: Brooke Jackson
The following is a post i did on FB that i liked and i thought i would put it on here too, just so i have it in my blogger records and in case i have any readers that are not on my facebook. since i wrote this post, i also reported brooke jackson to FB and she was immidiately removed.
"CONSENSUAL SEX IS SATISFYING SEX"
Search for Brooke Jackson (Ottawa, ON network). Her pic is of a photoshopped lusty lady holding her tits into her corset (cause she's a practical modern woman like that). I dont think this is a real profile. My detective skills say if you have no friends and post the following on a network wall, you're prolly a fake.
Brooke Jackson wrote
at 12:40am.
Get the real satisfaction that comes from consensual sex. Hookup with someone right now, visit
http://www.SearchSexTonight.com for everything that you are looking for.
Any ways, the real funny part is the "
Get the real satisfaction that comes from consensual sex." lol As if they are advertising to rapists.
"No worries, now you can have legal sex: how satisfying. ahhhh"
Comments from FB:
at 5:33pm on January 23rd, 2008
her velociraptor-like jaws intimidate me
at 6:09pm on January 23rd, 2008
I never give my hand a chance to give consent... does that make me a bad man?
at 6:21pm on January 23rd, 2008
i dont know if you are a bad man or not, but it's obvious you and your hand just arn't having the satisfying sex, only consensual sex offers.
at 7:15pm on January 23rd, 2008
I think that means that if you learn sign language, your hand can consent, and then the sex will be better. I guess sock-pupeteers have really satisfying wank sessions.
at 9:12pm on January 23rd, 2008
Since the sock pupet doesn't actually talk; rather, it has words forced upon it; the sock pupeteer is just violating the puput and entering into the unsatifying realm of clothiality (come beastiality but with clothing).
I hope to live in a world free of human on clothing violence.
at 9:18pm on January 23rd, 2008
The breadth and muscular definition of "her" shoulders and lack of actual boobular tissue in that corset, combined with the heavily photoshopped skin tecture, make me uneasy. There's something up with those eyes too. That's gotta be a dude we're looking at.
at 9:30pm on January 23rd, 2008
she does have a dudesk quality about her.
at 11:42pm on January 23rd, 2008
The lips look as though they are radioactive, and currently illuminated by a blacklight or something equally unnatural. This may lead to further questions, such as whether persons having suffered through the Chernobyl incident, or robots forged by maddened and unscrupulous soviet scientists during said period, are legally able to give informed consent for satisfying legal sex. If so, this bodes well for a continuing increase in tourism to the site and its environs.
at 11:59pm on January 23rd, 2008
The question arises, Steve: Are our squirrel cozies as satisfying as they could be? And how can we improve them?
Adam: "Brooke Jackson" eh? Ahhhhh... us.
"CONSENSUAL SEX IS SATISFYING SEX"
Search for Brooke Jackson (Ottawa, ON network). Her pic is of a photoshopped lusty lady holding her tits into her corset (cause she's a practical modern woman like that). I dont think this is a real profile. My detective skills say if you have no friends and post the following on a network wall, you're prolly a fake.
Brooke Jackson wrote
at 12:40am.
Get the real satisfaction that comes from consensual sex. Hookup with someone right now, visit
http://www.SearchSexTonight.com for everything that you are looking for.
Any ways, the real funny part is the "
Get the real satisfaction that comes from consensual sex." lol As if they are advertising to rapists.
"No worries, now you can have legal sex: how satisfying. ahhhh"
Comments from FB:
at 5:33pm on January 23rd, 2008
her velociraptor-like jaws intimidate me
at 6:09pm on January 23rd, 2008
I never give my hand a chance to give consent... does that make me a bad man?
at 6:21pm on January 23rd, 2008
i dont know if you are a bad man or not, but it's obvious you and your hand just arn't having the satisfying sex, only consensual sex offers.
at 7:15pm on January 23rd, 2008
I think that means that if you learn sign language, your hand can consent, and then the sex will be better. I guess sock-pupeteers have really satisfying wank sessions.
at 9:12pm on January 23rd, 2008
Since the sock pupet doesn't actually talk; rather, it has words forced upon it; the sock pupeteer is just violating the puput and entering into the unsatifying realm of clothiality (come beastiality but with clothing).
I hope to live in a world free of human on clothing violence.
at 9:18pm on January 23rd, 2008
The breadth and muscular definition of "her" shoulders and lack of actual boobular tissue in that corset, combined with the heavily photoshopped skin tecture, make me uneasy. There's something up with those eyes too. That's gotta be a dude we're looking at.
at 9:30pm on January 23rd, 2008
she does have a dudesk quality about her.
at 11:42pm on January 23rd, 2008
The lips look as though they are radioactive, and currently illuminated by a blacklight or something equally unnatural. This may lead to further questions, such as whether persons having suffered through the Chernobyl incident, or robots forged by maddened and unscrupulous soviet scientists during said period, are legally able to give informed consent for satisfying legal sex. If so, this bodes well for a continuing increase in tourism to the site and its environs.
at 11:59pm on January 23rd, 2008
The question arises, Steve: Are our squirrel cozies as satisfying as they could be? And how can we improve them?
Adam: "Brooke Jackson" eh? Ahhhhh... us.
February 26, 2008
Diet of the Year 2008
I cringe to find I live in a society that gets excited about the diet of the year 2008 as seen on Oprah, CNN etc. or the fact that such a thing would even exist.
February 13, 2008
Pretty Perposterous Prating or Payment Protection Plan
I haven't read all the details of the PPP because one has to subscribe b4 they even let you have the details. They offer that you can cancel within 30 days (of you agreeing) without any cost to you, but the one time i took this offer from MBNA, there were only ten days left by the time i got the details in the mail.
My visa expired, so they sent me a new one, with a little pamphlet about the PPP. And when a called they offered me the PPP again saying "the only time that we will actively offer you the product, is when you call". you know what that means? every fucking single time i call them, they will do a shpeal on PPP. Moreover, stamping and mailing an envelope is not 'active offering'.
They have this marvelous script to keep you on the phone. Examples include:
"It takes a minute for your card to renew, while we wait, may i offer you..." (lies)
I let the chick, Amanda, complete her script on PPP and said "no thank you, i'm not interested" her uncanny reply "as part of our customer improvement plan, can you tell me why you don't want this great offer?" "i say because i dont need it" this prompts one of 7 rebuttals that you can think of for any reason why you wouldn't want a PPP. i find saying "i had it once and dont want it," will shut them up because there is no script on their blue screen for that.
but really, what i should have said is that ppl are only covered under that PPP if they work a minimum of 25 hours (with that particular company that lays them off). if they work that many ours, but totaled over two jobs, or if they work seasonal, or on contract, or have a status of part-time or casual worker with employment or a homemaker or a student or retired or on disability or welfare etc they are not covered under the PPP at any time.
what i should have said is that according to stat can's 2006 census, 13 206 200 ppl are working full time, while the total population is 31 612 895, meaning only 41.8% of the population could even qualify for the gracious cap of $10 000.00 payment onto their Visa if they were "unemployed involuntarily or due to labour disputes, strikes or lockouts for 30 days" or "totally disabled" or had a critical illness like a "heart attack" (these events/medical conditions are said to be defined in the detailed info they will only give you once you've already agreed to have the product).
It is clear that PPP offers are not morally offered to only those that can benefit from the 'peace of mind', but even if that so only those of the 41.8% would really benefit if they carried a balance.
To even be out of work due to strike would have to mean you are a part of a union. for them to pay your visa you must be "totally disabled" or dying. if you are dying, do you REALLY think that you will give a shit about your credit? That you will care if your credit goes down a point because you couldn't pay your min balance once or twice? Most ppl miss their payments just because they have a messy desk. That is WAY more likely to happen, but no one offers us that kind of peace of mind.
Speaking of offering products, psychologically, humans are more inclined to donate money or accept these products when death is made salient. That's why their shpeal will mention things like critical illness like "Cancer (Life-Threatening)". Notice they are in caps. When a lady is talking to you some times they through in qualifiers like, "Heaven forbid".
Really, the only peace of mind is to keep a savings of three months salary in an account at all times, be sure not to keep balances unnecessary debt products (like all the shit we like to put on our Visa) and what ever you do, don't pay a dollar for every 100 you keep on your credit card, put that in your account instead and keep it for all the peace of minds that are not included in the PPP.
EG. Credit Balance= 10 000.00
Interest for 31 days at 19.5% annum: 165.62
PPP: 100.00
if they include your interest as the balance, and why shouldn't they, PPP will be: 101.65
Total:10267.28
In my opinion, you are better off just paying down as much as you can, rather than paying $100 !!!!! every month to something that is statistically unlikely to happen to an individual (especially if you compare it with all other reasons why ppl miss they're payments and the fact that more than 50% of us aren't even eligible for the coverage.)
My visa expired, so they sent me a new one, with a little pamphlet about the PPP. And when a called they offered me the PPP again saying "the only time that we will actively offer you the product, is when you call". you know what that means? every fucking single time i call them, they will do a shpeal on PPP. Moreover, stamping and mailing an envelope is not 'active offering'.
They have this marvelous script to keep you on the phone. Examples include:
"It takes a minute for your card to renew, while we wait, may i offer you..." (lies)
I let the chick, Amanda, complete her script on PPP and said "no thank you, i'm not interested" her uncanny reply "as part of our customer improvement plan, can you tell me why you don't want this great offer?" "i say because i dont need it" this prompts one of 7 rebuttals that you can think of for any reason why you wouldn't want a PPP. i find saying "i had it once and dont want it," will shut them up because there is no script on their blue screen for that.
but really, what i should have said is that ppl are only covered under that PPP if they work a minimum of 25 hours (with that particular company that lays them off). if they work that many ours, but totaled over two jobs, or if they work seasonal, or on contract, or have a status of part-time or casual worker with employment or a homemaker or a student or retired or on disability or welfare etc they are not covered under the PPP at any time.
what i should have said is that according to stat can's 2006 census, 13 206 200 ppl are working full time, while the total population is 31 612 895, meaning only 41.8% of the population could even qualify for the gracious cap of $10 000.00 payment onto their Visa if they were "unemployed involuntarily or due to labour disputes, strikes or lockouts for 30 days" or "totally disabled" or had a critical illness like a "heart attack" (these events/medical conditions are said to be defined in the detailed info they will only give you once you've already agreed to have the product).
It is clear that PPP offers are not morally offered to only those that can benefit from the 'peace of mind', but even if that so only those of the 41.8% would really benefit if they carried a balance.
To even be out of work due to strike would have to mean you are a part of a union. for them to pay your visa you must be "totally disabled" or dying. if you are dying, do you REALLY think that you will give a shit about your credit? That you will care if your credit goes down a point because you couldn't pay your min balance once or twice? Most ppl miss their payments just because they have a messy desk. That is WAY more likely to happen, but no one offers us that kind of peace of mind.
Speaking of offering products, psychologically, humans are more inclined to donate money or accept these products when death is made salient. That's why their shpeal will mention things like critical illness like "Cancer (Life-Threatening)". Notice they are in caps. When a lady is talking to you some times they through in qualifiers like, "Heaven forbid".
Really, the only peace of mind is to keep a savings of three months salary in an account at all times, be sure not to keep balances unnecessary debt products (like all the shit we like to put on our Visa) and what ever you do, don't pay a dollar for every 100 you keep on your credit card, put that in your account instead and keep it for all the peace of minds that are not included in the PPP.
EG. Credit Balance= 10 000.00
Interest for 31 days at 19.5% annum: 165.62
PPP: 100.00
if they include your interest as the balance, and why shouldn't they, PPP will be: 101.65
Total:10267.28
In my opinion, you are better off just paying down as much as you can, rather than paying $100 !!!!! every month to something that is statistically unlikely to happen to an individual (especially if you compare it with all other reasons why ppl miss they're payments and the fact that more than 50% of us aren't even eligible for the coverage.)
January 03, 2008
New Year Shamble Brain Storm
i wanted to write a poem like the one i posted that was written some time late last year, but instead i just decided to brainstorm and post it so that the next time you find me not listening, or staring into space with a thoughtful look on my face, you will know when i answer 'nothing' to 'what are you thinking?' it is actually this:
fill me up with butter.
like no other
my other life was funner
and more grammatically correct
dont be circumspect
i just made a bet
ive got intuition
but im a sore looser
i loose big, i live small
in Second Life i'm tall
i like to fight, but i hate conflict
convict, convict!
blurb is the word.
today's lesson: not everything i think should go on my blog.
fill me up with butter.
like no other
my other life was funner
and more grammatically correct
dont be circumspect
i just made a bet
ive got intuition
but im a sore looser
i loose big, i live small
in Second Life i'm tall
i like to fight, but i hate conflict
convict, convict!
blurb is the word.
today's lesson: not everything i think should go on my blog.
Discontent
mixy mixy,
this world is trixy:
it gives me hives-
the chics dont jive-
i still cant drive-
what makes me alive?
sexy sexy,
i'm on this trek, see.
i'm in a daze-
but such a laze-
Buddhists say:'take a gaze'
to whom do i owe praise?
taxi taxi,
drive until i'm in ataraxy.
now, don't misthink-
i'm just a gink-
we're on the brink-
here's a jink: Hyperlink!
this world is trixy:
it gives me hives-
the chics dont jive-
i still cant drive-
what makes me alive?
sexy sexy,
i'm on this trek, see.
i'm in a daze-
but such a laze-
Buddhists say:'take a gaze'
to whom do i owe praise?
taxi taxi,
drive until i'm in ataraxy.
now, don't misthink-
i'm just a gink-
we're on the brink-
here's a jink: Hyperlink!
January 02, 2008
In Spite of Ourselves
i like the Geoff Burner version of John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves"
I think it's a real sweet song, and way cute:
She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go
He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin'
And keeps on tickin'
I'm never gonna let her go.
He's got more balls than a big brass monkey
He's a wacked out werido and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he's howlin' at the moon
He's my baby I don't mean maybe
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
I think it's a real sweet song, and way cute:
She don't like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin' her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She's my baby I'm her honey
I'm never gonna let her go
He ain't got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin' my undies
He ain't too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it's oxygen
He's my baby
And I'm his honey
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin'
And keeps on tickin'
I'm never gonna let her go.
He's got more balls than a big brass monkey
He's a wacked out werido and a lovebug junkie
Sly as a fox and crazy as a loon
Payday comes and he's howlin' at the moon
He's my baby I don't mean maybe
Never gonna let him go
In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a'sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts
Dancin' in our eyes.
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