Blog Crawl: My Life is an Open Book

Beth From Hello, Splendor set up this really fun "Blog Crawl" and I was lucky enough to be included in it!  Heres My Life as an Open Book:

The Author: Myself, of course!  Who's going to be in charge of your life if you aren't?

The Setting: I have lived in Southern California my whole life...it is all I know... but also close to different fun cities to explore. One day I hope to be able to move somewhere more exciting, you never know what life can bring!
The Characters
The Main Character: Myself, obviously!

I like what that man says in The Holiday,

Arthur: "Iris, In the movies we have the leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, 

are the leading lady. But for some reason, are behaving like the best friend." 

Iris: "You are so right.  You are supposed to be the leading lady of your own life for god sake!"

I love reading books, discussing books, finding new books...book things in general.  A writer myself at times, wine lover, travel lover, music lover, photographer in hobby, and list maker.

The Best Friends: These girls, these girls, these girls, this girl, and this girl.  The girls that keep me grounded, and provide perspective that I wouldn't be able to find within myself.  The ones that encourage me to pursue interests and who listen with an open ear to anything (no matter how ridiculous) I need to talk about.


The Love Interest: To be found...

The Villain: My own worst enemy...My harshest critic...myself.  Yes, I am the villain!  I sabotage myself, I second guess myself, I hold myself back... 

The Plot: I'm on the brink of graduating from college.... the thought of entering the "real world" is scary!  Maybe it is only for a short while, the possibility of pursuing a Masters degree looks better and better everyday....or maybe a job that will take me somewhere new and exciting...who knows?

The Twist:  Perhaps the twist is that there is no twist at all....or maybe it will come later like it does in a lot of my favorite stories/ movies....I guess we will have to wait and see!


The Soundtrack: (I know this wasn't part of the prompt, but I love music too much to not have it included!)  

1.) There Goes the Fear by The Doves

2.) Little Bit by Lykke Li

3.) Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear

4.) Mistaken For Strangers by The National

5.) For Emma by Bon Iver

6.) Your New Twin Sized Bed by Death Cab for Cutie

7.) Electric Twist by A Fine Frenzy

8.) Lovely 2 C U by Goldfrap

9.) Boy With a Coin by Iron & Wine

10.) Ragged Wood by Fleet Foxes

11.) Closer by Kings of Leon

12.) Sleepyhead by Passion Pit

13.) Lex by Ratatat

14.) Starstruck by Santigold

15.) Crystalised by The XX

Thanks for reading!  Make sure to check out Lauren at The Little Things We Do who posted yesterday, and Jules at The Diversion Project who is posting tomorrow! 

Reviewing and Hiking.

Hello Friends!  I saw over on The Blue Bookcase blog that they are looking for another writer...so I thought that I would toss my hat into the "ring."  It is a review of The Giver.  I know that I have already posted a review of it a earlier last week, but the one that I sent into the Blue Bookcase is a little different...mostly because I wrote them at separate times and I couldn't remember what I had written!

It is weird to have something that I have written posted up on another blog, but I think that it is putting me one step closer to becoming comfortable with people reading what I am writing... So, you can find my review Here...and Let them know what you think of it and the other guest reviewers, Thanks friends!

My friend Cheryl and I have been trying to go on a hike for the past few weeks now...but things like work, and making headbands, seemed to get in our way...until yesterday.  We took a trip over to the Chino Hills State Park (I have never been there) and went on a hiking excursion.  It was really kind of confusing.  Have you ever been there?  There was nobody around, the road wasn't paved, and the trails weren't well marked.  So we parked randomly, and went on our hike.  We walked until the path ended.  Yep.  It just ended.  It didn't even go in a circle!  What a let down.  (We think we weren't even on a "real" trail because we saw a sign that said utility, so maybe we were on the utility road? And we were walking under the power lines...Oops?)

Sorry the pictures and kind of blurry....They were taken with my phone.

Once we turned around and got back to the car, we decided to explore a little more and go deeper into the park.  We drove a ways and the street finally turned into pavement...we found a real parking lot (instead of just parking on the side of the road) and more trails!  What we didn't find was more people...well we found a couple but not many.  I would never go to this place by myself...but I think we will go again.

A Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

"'It is as if...' The man paused, seeming to search his mind for the right words of description. 'It's like going downhill through deep snow on a sled,' he said, finally.  'At first it's exhilarating: the speed; the sharp, clear air; but then the snow accumulates, builds up on the runners, and you slow, you have to push hard to keep going...'"

-The Giver by Lois Lowry

A young boy, named Jonas, lives in what is called a "Community."  Everything is pre-planned and the people living within are conditioned to believe their way of life is normal.  As Jonas grows as a character, we grow with him and start to understand why the "Community" is the way that it is.  

Throughout the whole book I was sure that I knew how it was going to end.  Spoiler Alert...kinda!  I thought for sure that it was going to end with another "Giver" telling the memory of Jonas (since the story is not narrated by Jonas).  I suppose I am not as astute as I thought.  I can see why it ended with Jonas leaving the "Community" but I didn't expect it.

This book was an extremely easy read (I think it is meant for middle-schoolers?  Or so I am told...I didn't have to read it in middle school).  Only 180-ish pages, with short chapters.  It was perfect to pick up here and there throughout the day where I had a few extra minutes (I hate stopping in the middle of chapters, but with this book I didn't have to!).  

I am going to head off to the library and see if my next book has come in (it has been more than a week- when they said it would only take 3 to 5 days!- and I haven't received an e-mail with the news that it has arrived.  I hope it is only a small mistake and that it is there....here's hoping!

52 books in a year.

I was browsing around the Good Reads website (can you tell I am obsessed with it now?) and I was looking for some groups to join.  I saw one that was about reading 50 books in a year, another one for reading 72 in a year, and another one for 100 books in a year!  This got me thinking.  I am going to try and tackle reading one book per week (I think it will give me enough time to enjoy the book and get everything out of it as well as if I am having a busy week it will allow for more time to finish and I won't feel like this is a burden rather than the fun that it is supposed to bring. (Then I told my friend Cheryl and she thinks a week isn't long enough!  I guess we will find out now won't we!  Sorry for the long explanation!), and if I can get more in I think that will only be a bonus! These are the books I am planning on reading (Note: This is not an iron clad list...if I decide that I am not liking the book, I will change to another one!  This is what I am going to do with Crime and Punishment...I can't get through it for the life of me!  Maybe one day in the future I will be able to get through it...I hope!) in no specific order:

1.) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2.) Masquerade by Nancy Moser
3.) The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
4.) 1984 by George Orwell
5.) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6.) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
7.) The Crying of Lot 49 by Thoms Pynchon
8.) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
9.) Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
10.) Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
11-17) The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
18.) Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks
19.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
20.) Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
21.) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
22.) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
23.) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
24.) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
25.) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
26.) The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
27.) The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
28.) The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
29.) The Cider House Rules by John Irving
30.) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
31.) The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson
32.) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
33.) The Giver by Lois Lowry
34.) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
35.) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
36.) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
37.)  Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
38.) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
39.) The Collector by John Fowles
40.) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
41.) We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
42.) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
43.) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
44.) The Awakening by Kate Chopin
45.) The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
46.) Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
47.) I am the Cheese by Robert Cormier
48.) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
49.) Blindness by Jose Saramago, Giovanni Pontierro
50.) The Trial by Franz Kafka
51.) By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho
52.) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard

I am completely open to suggestions and omissions.  I just picked these out either through recommendations from friends or through the summaries I had read about them.  So please, let me know what you think!

Now to decide which one to start with...

Random Finds #13

Damaged Goods.

Maybe if I read this book I will want to try meat again too?

Dead White Guys

I just discovered Good Reads. 

Thanks Claire, from hearthandmade!

This song makes me want to dance.

Should I read this book next?

A Book Review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

"As I say, I have never in all these years thought of the matter in quite this way; but then it is perhaps in the nature of coming away on a trip such as this one that one is prompted towards such surprising new perspectives on topics one imagined one had long ago thought thoroughly."

-Kazuo Ishiguro: Never Let Me Go

I was completely confused throughout the majority of the first half of the book.  The style that Ishiguro uses is conversational, narrated by Kathy the main character.  This conversational tone is effective in engaging the reader to believe that we are friends with Kathy, as though she is letting us in on her secret world.  When I was confused about the "exchanges" and the "gallery" Kathy eventually explained what it was.  She was letting us in on her life as if we were her real life friends.  I think that Ishiguro was using Kathy as the one to let us in on the lingo to help us connect to his character and become attached to her.  I found Ishiguro's writing style to be how I would write a book.  I liked having that similarity.  

What I didn't like about it though is that the story line would go back and forth a lot through time, and I found it a little hard to follow.  I also didn't read this book as fast I have other books, and I think that hindered my understanding and involvement in the book.  Throughout the book I thought that I would cry at the end (especially since the cover advertises the book to be a "heartbreaker".  Partly because of my lack of involvement and partly for how the ending was written, I didn't.  (Maybe when the movie comes out?  Doubtful.  I am like Cameron Diaz in The Holiday -start at 5:20)  Some things that I didn't think would be important to remember too carefully in the beginning turned out to be important for the understanding of the ending, so I definitely should have paid closer attention. One more thing that I didn't like was how there was all this talk about "donations."  I don't want to give too much away if you do decide to read it, but I don't understand how they could happen.  So please read it, and maybe we can discuss it together one day?  

Over all, I enjoyed the book...and I think that I would have to read it one more time to get everything out of it that is in it.  I hope to be able to do that one day, but for now I am going to move on to my next book: Crime and Punishment.  Any thoughts on what I should tackle after I finish this one?

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Change of Plans.

I wasn't planning on reading Never Let Me Go (I am trying to not to spoil the book with reading summaries of it, so I haven't read anything on the link I added!) before Crime and Punishment but it has come in the mail first.  And to tell you the truth, I am more excited about reading the first than the latter.  I am a few chapters in already and utterly confused.  But I am going to stick with it because I am thinking (and hoping) that it will all pull together in the end.  I might even have to read it twice!  We will see if it is good enough to warrant a second read.  We all know that these don't...in my opinion.  I am tempted to tell you my thoughts on the book so far, but I will save it for when I am completely finished.  It will be a more well rounded review, and I will be more satisfied that way.  So if you can't wait for my review maybe pick up a copy! ha!

Random Finds #12

Decatur

Because of her I have an urge to grow out my hair... and maybe purchase a polka dot dress like hers?

End of publishing?

Some people are weird.

I still refuse to use an eReader...but recycled pages is a good way to cut environmental impact!

Beautiful Cover.

Fast Food Fury.

Gardens.

I love how my Dad planted tomato and bell pepper plants in the backyard.  Unfortunately, an animal is enjoying the food juuuust before it is ripe enough.  So, we have yet to enjoy it ourselves. 

I was really excited today when I checked the mail.  I ordered 2 books online (half.com is my new favorite book buying website).  There was a large bag, and I thought it was my books.  I was so sad to find out that it was not for me.  But, the good news is is that my Dad ordered this device that supposedly scares away the animal that keeps eating our tomatoes!  So I hope that one day soon we will get some delicious tomatoes and bell peppers!

A Book Review: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

"To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream."

-Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar

I literally just finished The Bell Jar, and I really enjoyed this book.  Yes, it is rather depressing, but I thought that it was well written.  The imagery that was used throughout set the tone and helped connect the story that was going to happen throughout and at the end.  I don't want to give the ending away, but it didn't end like the way I thought that it would have, but at the same time after reading it I can see why it did end the way that it had. 

Now I am going to complain about the publisher of the book.  They wrote a very small biography of Sylvia Plath, and I think that what they wrote is misleading.  All they said was that she died in 1963.  Through readings in come classes that I have taken of Sylvia Plath's work I knew beforehand that she committed suicide after her own battle with depression.  For me, knowing this changed the way that I read the book.  I could not help but read the main character as Sylvia Plath (I know you shouldn't do that but I couldn't help myself!), and maybe that is the publishers reasoning for not including this information.  However, I think that this background is key in understanding the way the book is written. Then I thought I might do a little research, and I found this. (Now I don't feel so bad reading Plath into the main character!) I must give the publisher a little credit because they did mention that Plath had sprinkled some of the relationships she had with people into her characters, and she was uneasy about publishing the book because of it, so I can't be too hard on them.  Here is a little more information on the novel.

After all the background knowledge and reading of the book: I would recommend it.

Summer Reading.

Images found by google

I have not read many books this Summer.  That's an exaggeration.  I have not read ANY books this summer.  It actually makes me really sad and disappointed.  So if you can't tell I am going to tackle Crime and Punishment and The Bell jar.  Apparently I like depressing books...not that that comes to any surprise to me since one of my favorite books is The Jungle.  But I am most excited to read The Bell Jar.  Sylvia Plath is one of my favorite poets, and I can't wait to read the novel that she has written.  I need to go pick up these books ASAP since I have today off.  How's the new job you may ask?  It's going pretty good.  I am just trying to get used to the rhythm of everything and the drive thru.  But I'll get the hang of it soon...I hope!

Day 30: 5 of my pet peeves are...

1.) People who drive 55mph in the fast lane.  C'mon people!  If you can't even go the speed limit...please don't drive in the lanes where those who do are!

2.) When people leave their visors down in the car when they aren't in it.  I'm not sure why this drives me crazy...but it does!

3.) People who use the word "epic" Not only is this word super annoying to me, but usually when people use it, they are referring to things that are not epic at all!

4.) Nicholas Cage.  Yes, a person is my pet peeve.  I just don't appreciate any of the movies that he is doing lately.  You might say...what about Gone In 60 Seconds (Like my Best Friend would or my sister-in-law)?  I have not brought myself to watch it...But National Treasure, and the new movie of his coming out...not appealing (wow...long rant on Nicholas Cage!)

5.) Mistakes in published works...I found this one when re-reading The Count of Monte Cristo.

Day 22: Life Changing Books That I've Read.

Don't judge this book by the cover...

Image found by google

I got this book from my old cheer advisor when I graduated from high school, and I never wanted to read it because of the way the cover looked.  I finally decided to read it years later...and I loved what it had to say.  It is about being the Proverbs 31 woman.  There are some things in there that are common sense, but it puts it in a way of becoming the woman God wants you to be out of your own love for Christ; not for the purpose of your own selfish intentions.  I am not one for cheesy books (or maybe I am...I am ashamed to admit that I have read Twilight), but this one was actually enjoyable; I recommend adding it to your reading list.

Day 18: If I could choose a different time period to live in, it would be...

Ok...so...this post is a little late.  It should have been up yesterday...but I was so tired.  So missing one day half way through...not too bad...right?  Right.

If I could live in any time period it would be...Well...I have some stipulations...Like:  Can I bring my flatiron with me?  Hmm..I guess that's the only condition I have.  I would choose something like the Victorian Era (You know...Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen style)...but I just can't imagine having to worry about who to marry all the time (if I lived back then and am not married like I am right now at this age...I would be swiftly on my way to spinsterhood!). Then again, I think it would be a lot of fun to live in the 20's too (You know...The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald style).  But I am not really one for crime, and I do like to have a drink here and there...so I'm not sure if that would work out either.  Hmm...For now I like the time period I live in...but who knows what the future will hold (You know...1984: Georgy Orwell style?)!

Anyways...

Lily and Emma came over for a little bit today...and Emma discovered her reflection!  So adorable.  She crawled right up to the mirror and bonked her head a few times on the glass trying to go through it.  Too Cute!

Day 11: 3 reasons to get out of bed tomorrow...

There are tons of reasons to get out of bed tomorrow...But I am going to list the ones that make me the most excited!

1.) There is a give away over at heart handmade...I have my eye on the journal!

2.) My Sisters Birthday is on Saturday and I have just the gift for her.  (Since she doesn't read my blog I feel safe letting you in on my surprise!)  She has had her eyes on this cookbook.  I am going to head out tomorrow and get it for her.

3.) I am also going to go out and grab a book to read for the summer. (As luck would have it, I got into the math class that I needed... so my Summer break is all of one week!)  I am undecided on what to delve into.  Any suggestions?

I would say those are some pretty good reasons to get out of bed tomorrow!

Day 8: Playing Favorites.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

Favorite Things Song

(All their songs could quite possibly be my favorite)

Holding my nieces

(I like to give them big hugs!)

These Books

(I can't get over how awesome these books look!)

Finishing a book

(Even though I've read a lot of books, I still love the accomplishment I feel when I finish them!)

Real Simple

(Everything about this website is my favorite)

A clean car with a full tank of gas.

(Who wouldn't have this as a favorite?)

Charade

(A very uplifting blog!)

Finding new blogs

HeartHandmade

(This blog inspires me to be more creative, and being creative is another favorite thing!)

I simply remember my favorite things...and then I don't feel so bad.

Day 7: Self Portrait...

Ok so... taking a picture of yourself is a lot harder than one might think!  My camera has outsmarted me because I couldn't figure out how to work the self- timer.  I could have looked it up but I am on my way out the door...so this will be a quick post.

I couldn't resist taking a picture with my favorite book! I am so happy the weekend is here, and I am going to kick it off with getting my car smog checked...Being a responsible adult is so fun.

For lack of a better title: Books that do not strike my fancy.

I have read many, many books.  Some of them I really didn't like, and I have decided to make a list of them.

1.) The House of Mirth: Edith Wharton- This book was so slow I could not get into it.  But I had to read it for a class, or else I would not have finished it on my own.

2.) The Time Machine: H.G. Wells- I am just not one for science fiction, and this book absolutely killed me.  And again, I had to read it for a class, so I suppose that speaks for itself.

3.) Breaking Dawn: Stephanie Meyer- This might be my all time hated book. (I only really read the series to find out what all the hype was about).  I could go into a long rant of all the reasons why I don't like it but for now I will just say that:  this book made me wish that I had never learned to read...seriously.

4.) The Portrait of a Lady: Henry James-  Another book that I had to read for class, and another book that was slow and would not have finished if I were reading it on my own.

Maybe one day I will grow into liking these books; that is if I build the courage to give them a second chance.  I might one day think, "Were those books really that bad? I will try this again."  Perhaps I will find them to be quite good, and I might even regret the time that I spent hating them.  (Although I don't think that this will apply to Stephanie Meyer's book...but one should never say never).

I am a sucker for book covers.  This is a new set from Penguin Classic (They always have the cutest covers...If only I lived in the U.K I could enter to win them!).  Except for the fact that one of them is The House of Mirth, but I won't hold that against them.

Happy Sunday.

Random Finds #3

Ratatat and Michael Jackson Mash-Up

I don't understand why people think that these unnatural babies are cute.

I'm not sure why but this makes me smile.

I'm going to add this book to my reading list for Summer.

(I'd really like the collectible version of the book, but $100 seems a little steep for a book.  Apparently I like depressing books...considering The Jungle is one of my favorites I suppose that it speaks for itself...)

If you haven't yet, read this book.  It is one of my new favorites. 

One day I will buy the collectible editions :-)

So True

Creepy! It kind of reminds me of this SNL sketch.

Yes, I may have that.

Only two posts ago I was telling you how I wanted these for my bookshelves.  Well, my crafty mom decided to surprise me, and make me some!  They are so cute, and perfect for keeping up my books!  Thanks, Mom!