heh... Books. Yum.

Labels: books

keep your head! keep your head!

Last night I read the entire Go Ask Alice which has been presented as the diary of a real teenager in the early 70's who got into drugs and spiraled out of control to the point that she died two weeks after the last entry in the diary. I found some of it a little hard to believe, but I'm not sure if it's because of the generation gap, or because of my skepticism in regards to its authorship. (There are those who think it was penned by a woman who has written several other 'cautionary tales' of the same nature.) However, I couldn't put it down: I had it propped behind my keyboard while I was watching anime. I spent a good hour before I passed out deconstructing the thing in my head. For one, it was too focused to have been a real diary and the emphasis was misplaced on her drug experiences. Any other fifteen year old would have spent a good few pages bitching about being stood up for a date rather than a single paragraph entry. At least if my own diary from that age is any indication!

Anyway, I stayed up way too late last night with that book and my apples and milk and sugar, but I wanted to finish it before I started another book. Throat feels a bit better after having otherwise babied myself yesterday.

[edit] And now for something completely different!

I must admit, I have avoided the quagmire of politics for two reasons: 1) I honestly don't know enough about the whole thing to have a solid opinion about it, or to defend said opinion if it came down to a debate. 2) because when people talk about politics (and religion) they often end up trying to convince me their way of thinking is right. Or if not right, then at least the only way to think.

Reason 2 is the kind of conversation I enjoy when it comes to religion because I have spent countless hours reading and learning about any kind of religion, cult, faith and/or belief that comes my way. I am informed, and very, very curious.

So, when someone called me a leftist a while ago, I was momentarily speechless and mumbled something about really not knowing one way or the other to agree or not. And because I did not really know even what the term meant beyond the vaguest idea, I decided I'd better start reading. (The surest way to get me going is to point out to me that I don't know something.) I voted in the last election based purely on the platform the premiers-to-be were putting forth, the one that seemed to best fit with my wishes for the future, even though I knew that none of them would be able to deliver 100% of what they promised. So I cast my vote without really knowing where each party stood on this political spectrum thing. Having read more now, I can honestly say he was probably right, I'm more left than not, but I haven't read enough to root myself firmly in either place merely because idealism and reality don't often go hand in hand.

listening to: White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane cover)- Blue Man Group (feat. Esthero)
eating: tortilla chips and seven layer dip
drinking: iced tea
reading: Dreams Underfoot - Charles de Lint
feeling: still ill
headspace: The French Revolution

Labels: books, reading, think

Someone suggested that I just write whatever came to mind, you know, a stream of consciousness thing, in order to get all the crap out of my head. Maybe loosen up the writing muscles. So I did. I really didn't expect 4 pages of crap in 11pt font, but there you go. I seem to have a lot in my brain... surprise, surprise.

After that I went for a walk to the beach. Lovely, lovely beach with the sun on the water, the smell of salt in my nose - gods it felt good. I lay down on one of the beached logs, closed my eyes and just listened for a while. The rush and hiss of the waves sucking at rocks, shaping the ridges of sand and tossing seaweed and flotsam up across the tide line. Endless. Relentless. Persistent. What stone can withstand water?

I'm slightly sunburned now, but I feel better. On my way back I happened on a garage sale where they were selling books for 25 cents. A dollar seventy-five later and I have the collected works of Allen Ginsberg 1947-1980, a medical dictionary of sorts, a selection of writings of Lucretius in hardcover, a copy of The Life of Pi by Yan Martel and three James Bond novels by the infamous Ian Fleming. They are 2-4 in the series but I could not resist, having seen all the movies repeatedly. Not bad for less than 2 dollars, I don't think. I'm most excited about the Ginsberg since I've wanted a copy of the entirety of 'Howl' for some time that wasn't e-text. And here it is - among all sorts of other gems the man produced, as crass as some of them are. Crass, I say that like it's a bad thing. The man was breaking the rules of poetry and I can't help admiring him for that.

Now I just have to find a decent copy of e.e. cummings and William Blake, among others.

Going to attempt some more writing perhaps... unless the phone rings again. *argh* I just wish I could remember where on earth I put the scribbles and notes for Dragonbreed. I suppose I had better ask St. Anthony for a hand, eh? He's a sight better than Murphy all right.

listening to: Wasteland - Synaesthesia
eating: tortilla chips
word count: 2958 (and some of it is fiction!)
word of the day: catharsis
reading: Flesh and Spirit - Carol Berg (almost done!)
feeling: sluggish
headspace: the eagle nebula

Labels: books, scribbling madly, somewhere in the ether

I read lots today. Didn't really have all that much energy even though the sun was out in full force. Sat outside long enough to give myself the tiniest sunburn.

I finished off Kage Baker's 'Mendoza in Hollywood', which, true to form was very good. I also reread 'Taming the Tiger Within' by Thich Nhat Hanh, which always gives me something to think about. Also I poked through the 17th 'The Years Best Fantasy and Horror' Anthology of Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling fame, which I got for 6 bucks a couple of weeks ago. (bad! and here I said I wasn't going to buy any books. But it was such a deal, 6 where the thing is usually 30? How could and self-respecting book addict pass that up? hrm?) I had to put that down though after one of the stories made me cry. (It's called 'At the Mouth of the River of Bees' by Kij Johnson.)

Then I tried to go back to 'Across the Face of the World' by Russel Kirkpatrick, but I couldn't get past my disappointment in the preachiness of the last two chapters. If I wanted preachiness I'd go and read the Narnia series again. I can't quite yet suspend my annoyance to read the rest of the book. But I will read it. I can't not, I want to know what happens to Leith. Right now he's a detestable character, for the simple fact that he's quite self-absorbed. I'm curious to see how Mr. Kirkpatrick redeems him for his audience. Also, by chapter ten there are already 9 characters travelling together, and they're starting to blur together. If it were me I'd hack at least 3 of them out because they seem to be parts of other characters. I want to see if they have important roles to play or not. Having that many critters is hard - even Tolkien had a tough time now and then - and he certainly didn't dump them all on us in the first ten chapters. Anyway. I reserve final judgement until after I've finished the thing.

Instead I picked up 'Flesh and Spirit' by Carol Berg. I read her 'Song of the Beast' in a single sitting, and so far I have high hopes for this one since it seems to have the same kind of readability as her last. Besides, it's one of those large paperbacks, like books that should have been hardcover, but aren't that I've been wanting to read for a bit. Is it odd to crave a certain kind of book in your hands? The weight of the paper, the way it falls open over your hands? If it is, I guess I'm odd. =P

Now, I don't suppose anyone can recommend a book that's a standalone novel, could they? Everything I seem to pick up these days is part of a series.

listening to: the Chauffer - Kirsty Hawkshaw
feeling: more tired than I should be
eating: sushi
word count: just this

Labels: books