Books
I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson
Ah, the teenage idol! He's Bieber for the current generation, Justin Timberlake for mine, and if you're Petra Williams in 70s Wales, that object of desire was David Cassidy. I Think I Love You neatly splits Petra's life into two halves. The first half covers her 13-year-old burgeoning obsession with Mr. Cassidy and a strained relationship with her mother. The second half is her pushing-forties crisis, a trip to Vegas to see David Cassidy, and a failed relationship with her husband. (See also: A strained relationship with her own daughter.) Petra herself is slightly grating, but the best character by far is Bill, who starts his career as a writer/fabricator for a Cassidy fan mag. Petra's BFF, Sharon, shares her teen idol love and is also kind of a hoot. I was happily surprised with the wry tone of the book and the memorable backdrop of the U.K. I was at work when I read it, but I Think I Love You fits my billing for the perfect airplane book--a light, charming page-turner.
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
I stopped in my tracks when I saw a new (to me) Jennifer Donnelly book on the shelves at my bookstore. I loved A Northern Light. Loved it. Revolution is staggering and heartbreaking and just oh-so-lovely. It's the sort of book where you know the author poured everything she possessed into the story. The plot, in short, concerns Andi from our day who finds the diary of Alexandrine, a girl from Revolutionary France. As a main character, Andi is riveting. She's caustic, talented, and broken due to her majorly messed-up parents and the death of her little brother. Without going into too many details, just know that you should probably read this, although you do have to suspend your belief in a few key places. Trust me--it works. (Not recommended for younger readers, however.) Revolution is drenched with history and resonates with the music that Andi holds so dear.
Don't You Forget About Me by Jancee Dunn
I wish I could forgot about this book. It was...not good.
Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
I loved Life of Pi, but I don't think I picked up on all of the nuances of that story. With Beatrice and Virgil, I caught the nuances yet I did not love it. The execution itself is beautiful, layered, and deeply symbolic of the Holocaust--ultimately, it just didn't do it for me. (Which is odd, because I love Holocaust stories like the Academy loves Holocaust stories.) My favorite parts were the snippets of the play featuring Beatrice and Virgil.
Room by Emma Donoghue
Fairly compelling and horrifying. Once you start to read it, you really have no choice but to finish. (Even if I did sort of despise the second half, but I can't get into that without spoilers.) The narration is endearing and the trials of Jack and his ma are so haunting.
Music
Dye It Blonde by Smith Westerns
I get to see these guys open for Wilco in May, so I figured I should check them out ahead of time. It makes so much sense that they're opening for Jeff Tweedy & Co. because their sound is very reminiscent of a young Wilco. (And we all know that's the best Wilco.) They're a bit Sonic Youth-y and a tad Flaming Lips-y and a whole lot awesome-y. Recommended listening: Weekend
Angles by The Strokes
In all of the SXSW madness here in Austin, a group of us went to see The Strokes for free on St. Patrick's Day and braved the raging flood of hipsters. We felt like salmon swimming upstream, except instead of water, we were inundated with TOMS and tote bags. Anyhow, the concert was rocking--mostly their hits since they were playing to a crowd of 30,000 casual fans. For us that are more than casual, they also snuck in 3 or 4 songs from their newest album, Angles. (Also meant so the said casual fans would go forth and buy.) The record itself escapes from being totally predictable--it keeps you hanging on but sounds enough like the classic Strokes to keep you satisfied. Recommend listening: Under Cover of Darkness and You're So Right
Movies
Up
One of the last remnants of my mission list, I felt good about finally watching Up. Pixar proved in this movie that they can take an absolutely surreal concept and still make it heartwarming. It'd feel manipulative if it weren't so darn adorable. New goal for the summer: Make my own adventure book.
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Say this next bit in your best Stefon-from-SNL voice.
This movie has everything--teenage crazies, Egyptian recluses, Zach Galifianakis, and a Hasidic Jew with super sensitive hearing. (Yay, Stefon!)
Keir Gilchrist sells the heck out of his role as Craig, a depressed New York teen. The end result is sensitive and smart with a killer soundtrack. "Kind of" may be underselling it just a little.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Steampunk'd
A couple weeks ago some friends and I went to go see a locally-produced steampunk play here in Austin. (The play itself was...not that great...but the experience was lots of fun.) For those of you not in the know, I'll let Luann explain exactly what steampunk entails.
I just love Luann. Who'll support me in making a live-action Luann movie?
So my friend and I both dressed up because a) you got $7 off your ticket and b) it was an excuse to dress up! (Let's be honest, it was really all about B.) We were talking in the car on the way down and this is what happened...
Her: "Our characters need names."
Me: "Mine's Gemma. I don't have a last name yet, but I've been working on a backstory."
"Oh yeah? Also, I think...Fairweather."
"Gemma Fairweather. Yes. So I left my family when I was 14--too many mouths to feed. I joined a rogue navy airship by pretending to be a boy and apprenticed as the ship's mechanic. By the time I turned 18, I took over as lead mechanic and everyone knew I was a girl at that point. It's a few years after that, but I'm still 100% rough and tumble."
"Niiiice. I want my last name to be Lovelace. Any ideas for a first name?"
"Ada?"
"Hmm. Maybe. What about Lucy?"
"Lucy Lovelace. I like it."
"I'm a lady of the night who has a heart of gold--"
"Why does having a heart of gold always seem to make that acceptable?"
"Good question. I'm also a can-can dancer. What people don't realize is that I was raised in the country, so I can do all kinds of tough stuff like skin a deer."
"So then the two of us are randomly thrown together and we're forced to overcome our differences."
"Because we totally hate each other at first."
"Then we slowly become friends and realize how much we have in common."
"And we end up becoming this super awesome team and go around kicking butt."
"Yeah! We'll be like the Starsky and Hutch of steampunk!"
End scene
My costume consisted of brown boots, gray skinny trousers, belt with a large brass buckle, light blue ruffle button-up, brown scarf draped Chewbacca-style, brown gloves, vintage bag, old-fashioned clock stickers, and a water gun and goggles both spray-painted bronze. The only things that I actually needed to get were the water gun and goggles. Easy peasy! (Also possibly one of the nerdier things I've done in a while. And I loved every moment of it.)
I just love Luann. Who'll support me in making a live-action Luann movie?
Lovelace and Fairweather in action
So my friend and I both dressed up because a) you got $7 off your ticket and b) it was an excuse to dress up! (Let's be honest, it was really all about B.) We were talking in the car on the way down and this is what happened...
Her: "Our characters need names."
Me: "Mine's Gemma. I don't have a last name yet, but I've been working on a backstory."
"Oh yeah? Also, I think...Fairweather."
"Gemma Fairweather. Yes. So I left my family when I was 14--too many mouths to feed. I joined a rogue navy airship by pretending to be a boy and apprenticed as the ship's mechanic. By the time I turned 18, I took over as lead mechanic and everyone knew I was a girl at that point. It's a few years after that, but I'm still 100% rough and tumble."
"Niiiice. I want my last name to be Lovelace. Any ideas for a first name?"
"Ada?"
"Hmm. Maybe. What about Lucy?"
"Lucy Lovelace. I like it."
"I'm a lady of the night who has a heart of gold--"
"Why does having a heart of gold always seem to make that acceptable?"
"Good question. I'm also a can-can dancer. What people don't realize is that I was raised in the country, so I can do all kinds of tough stuff like skin a deer."
"So then the two of us are randomly thrown together and we're forced to overcome our differences."
"Because we totally hate each other at first."
"Then we slowly become friends and realize how much we have in common."
"And we end up becoming this super awesome team and go around kicking butt."
"Yeah! We'll be like the Starsky and Hutch of steampunk!"
End scene
My costume consisted of brown boots, gray skinny trousers, belt with a large brass buckle, light blue ruffle button-up, brown scarf draped Chewbacca-style, brown gloves, vintage bag, old-fashioned clock stickers, and a water gun and goggles both spray-painted bronze. The only things that I actually needed to get were the water gun and goggles. Easy peasy! (Also possibly one of the nerdier things I've done in a while. And I loved every moment of it.)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
PoP, Edition 22
Books
Across The Universe by Beth Revis
You read enough of these dystopian YA novels and you begin to pick up on the pieces of plot that serve simply as cogs in the machine. Across The Universe (yes, like the Beatles song) proves that those cogs can still exist AND be entirely refreshing at the same time. Chapters trade off between Amy's and Elder's perspective--Amy being the feisty redhead from Earth and Elder being the authority-questioning future leader of the ship Godspeed. I freaking loved this decision. It kept the plot pounding forward and held suspense between viewpoints. Beth Revis also included a sense of relevancy by referencing major events in world history. There are shades of Ender's Game, Battlestar Galactica, and Star Wars and I mean that in a good way. (There's even a thinly veiled Firefly reference!) Although it was a tad predictable, I can't wait to see how the rest of the story plays out.
Music
The Cricket's Orchestra by Meaghan Smith
I know Meaghan from twitter and I think she's fab. I've listened to this before, but got around to buying it last week. Sweet without being treacle-y, her voice makes me want to host an old-fashioned mocktail party just so I can play this cd in the background. Give a listen to Heartbroken and her cover of Here Comes Your Man.
Together by The New Pornographers
Ken Jennings once made a comment about how he loved The New Pornographers, but he would probably never wear one of their t-shirts because of the sketchy band name. Yeah, same, and I also listen to The Doobie Brothers and the Barenaked Ladies. Together is sharp and polished due to the band's years of experience. Plus, I can never complain about having more Neko Case in my life. Listen to Moves, the first track from the album.
Movies
Marmaduke
So Elisabeth and I decided that we would watch this solely because Lee Pace plays Marmaduke's owner, Phil. Turns out that no matter how many times you yell at Lee Pace through the tv to take his shirt off, it just doesn't work. I mean, what else can you say about Marmaduke other than that it's a poorly conceptualized kid's movie? It was made watchable only because it humorously/blatantly ripped off The O.C. and Judy Greer plays Lee Pace's wife. (Current status: Writing those two a romantic comedy!) And, let's face it, you do get some pretty nice shots of Lee's forearms. Bonus!
TV
30 Rock, Season 4
30 Rock? More like 30 Rocky, am I right? (High-fiving a million angels!) It's no secret that Liz Lemon and crew had a rough fourth season. Things weren't quite as clever, quite as observant, and even Alec Baldwin couldn't sell the plot where his character was in love with a woman who had the worst Boston accent EVER. (But I do love you, Julianne Moore!) Kenneth Ellen Parcell succumbed to what I like to call Klinger Syndrome--that's where a character with a defined set of quirks becomes tiring and obnoxious after a few seasons. (Dwight Schrute, I'm looking at you.) Still, they pulled it off by the end of the season, due largely to Elizabeth Banks as hardcore Avery Jessup and Liz's search for love with anybody other than her British Wesley Snipes. Settling soulmates, anyone?
Big Announcement: Hi everyone! I recently joined Ashley, Abigail, and Heather Anne as a contributor to Big Damn Heroes, the greatest pop culture blog in the world, suckas! I'm sure I'll end up linking to my posts on here, but you should really just go over there and subscribe to the whole thing.
Across The Universe by Beth Revis
You read enough of these dystopian YA novels and you begin to pick up on the pieces of plot that serve simply as cogs in the machine. Across The Universe (yes, like the Beatles song) proves that those cogs can still exist AND be entirely refreshing at the same time. Chapters trade off between Amy's and Elder's perspective--Amy being the feisty redhead from Earth and Elder being the authority-questioning future leader of the ship Godspeed. I freaking loved this decision. It kept the plot pounding forward and held suspense between viewpoints. Beth Revis also included a sense of relevancy by referencing major events in world history. There are shades of Ender's Game, Battlestar Galactica, and Star Wars and I mean that in a good way. (There's even a thinly veiled Firefly reference!) Although it was a tad predictable, I can't wait to see how the rest of the story plays out.
Music
The Cricket's Orchestra by Meaghan Smith
I know Meaghan from twitter and I think she's fab. I've listened to this before, but got around to buying it last week. Sweet without being treacle-y, her voice makes me want to host an old-fashioned mocktail party just so I can play this cd in the background. Give a listen to Heartbroken and her cover of Here Comes Your Man.
Together by The New Pornographers
Ken Jennings once made a comment about how he loved The New Pornographers, but he would probably never wear one of their t-shirts because of the sketchy band name. Yeah, same, and I also listen to The Doobie Brothers and the Barenaked Ladies. Together is sharp and polished due to the band's years of experience. Plus, I can never complain about having more Neko Case in my life. Listen to Moves, the first track from the album.
Movies
Marmaduke
So Elisabeth and I decided that we would watch this solely because Lee Pace plays Marmaduke's owner, Phil. Turns out that no matter how many times you yell at Lee Pace through the tv to take his shirt off, it just doesn't work. I mean, what else can you say about Marmaduke other than that it's a poorly conceptualized kid's movie? It was made watchable only because it humorously/blatantly ripped off The O.C. and Judy Greer plays Lee Pace's wife. (Current status: Writing those two a romantic comedy!) And, let's face it, you do get some pretty nice shots of Lee's forearms. Bonus!
TV
30 Rock, Season 4
30 Rock? More like 30 Rocky, am I right? (High-fiving a million angels!) It's no secret that Liz Lemon and crew had a rough fourth season. Things weren't quite as clever, quite as observant, and even Alec Baldwin couldn't sell the plot where his character was in love with a woman who had the worst Boston accent EVER. (But I do love you, Julianne Moore!) Kenneth Ellen Parcell succumbed to what I like to call Klinger Syndrome--that's where a character with a defined set of quirks becomes tiring and obnoxious after a few seasons. (Dwight Schrute, I'm looking at you.) Still, they pulled it off by the end of the season, due largely to Elizabeth Banks as hardcore Avery Jessup and Liz's search for love with anybody other than her British Wesley Snipes. Settling soulmates, anyone?
Big Announcement: Hi everyone! I recently joined Ashley, Abigail, and Heather Anne as a contributor to Big Damn Heroes, the greatest pop culture blog in the world, suckas! I'm sure I'll end up linking to my posts on here, but you should really just go over there and subscribe to the whole thing.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Austin Thus Far
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
PoP, Editon 21
(Technically it's still Wednesday here. And I think I like this every-other-week format. It gives me time to actually finish stuff. So, yeah, that's the plan from here on out.)
Books
Fire by Kristin Cashore
You guys, I think I liked Fire more than Graceling, which is really saying something because Graceling was probably my favorite book of 2008. Fire is impeccably written, with every word feeling both deliberate and natural. As opposed, say, to some long-winded fantasy writers that get swept up in describing part of their world just for the sake of showing, "Look at how cool this place is!" The world-building in Fire is terrifically unique. The political tension is taut, the romance is palpable, and the emotion is very, very real. Kristin Cashore, well-played. Can Bitterblue just be out tomorrow? Please?
Inventory by The A.V. Club
I did not get anywhere near finishing this book, but it's not really the sort that's meant to be finished. It gets points simply for accomplishing what it sets out to do, which is to compile obsessively specific pop culture lists. Written with all the verve and snark you'd expect from the A.V. Club (and its parent, The Onion), Inventory relies on the OCD-like mindset of us pop culture junkies. Did I really need a list of 16 Film and TV Characters Who Know Exactly What They'd Like To Eat? No, but I sure as heck enjoyed reading about it.
Music
The King of Limbs by Radiohead
Listen, I have to confess that I'm not a very good Radiohead fan. I genuinely like, even love them but I haven't put much effort into into quantifying my favorites or studying the differences between albums. So when I say that I think their latest addition is a really good Radiohead album, you have to take that with a grain of salt. I can, however, say with all certainty that I have thoroughly enjoyed the spade of Dancing Thom Yorke videos that have come as a result.
My Maudlin Career by Camera Obscura
Tracyanne Campbell's twee, occasionally pitchy voice isn't for everyone--but I might just be her biggest fangirl. The songs are sentimental and sincere, often sounding like they come from a 50s Pleasantville record store instead of modern-day Glasgow. Recommended if you like drives through the countryside, lomo photographs, etc. Bonus points for having the most gorgeous album artwork I've seen in a long time.
Movies
The King's Speech
You've heard so many things about this movie already, so I'm just going to sum up with what I said when I came out of the theater. "Best. Bromance. EVER."
Also, it inspired what has become my favorite joke I've written for twitter.
TV
How I Met Your Mother, Season Five
All in all, this was a bit of a lackluster season for the HIMYM crew. I liked watching the Barney/Robin storyline play out and come to its inevitable conclusion, but everything else felt off. (Not to mention the fact that it's challenging to build an entire show around finding a mate for your usually irksome main character.) On the other hand, it's still loads funnier than Charlie Sheen's contribution to society on Two-And-A-Half Men and from what I can tell, the actors from HIMYM are all totally sane. Winning!
Books
Fire by Kristin Cashore
You guys, I think I liked Fire more than Graceling, which is really saying something because Graceling was probably my favorite book of 2008. Fire is impeccably written, with every word feeling both deliberate and natural. As opposed, say, to some long-winded fantasy writers that get swept up in describing part of their world just for the sake of showing, "Look at how cool this place is!" The world-building in Fire is terrifically unique. The political tension is taut, the romance is palpable, and the emotion is very, very real. Kristin Cashore, well-played. Can Bitterblue just be out tomorrow? Please?
Inventory by The A.V. Club
I did not get anywhere near finishing this book, but it's not really the sort that's meant to be finished. It gets points simply for accomplishing what it sets out to do, which is to compile obsessively specific pop culture lists. Written with all the verve and snark you'd expect from the A.V. Club (and its parent, The Onion), Inventory relies on the OCD-like mindset of us pop culture junkies. Did I really need a list of 16 Film and TV Characters Who Know Exactly What They'd Like To Eat? No, but I sure as heck enjoyed reading about it.
Music
The King of Limbs by Radiohead
Listen, I have to confess that I'm not a very good Radiohead fan. I genuinely like, even love them but I haven't put much effort into into quantifying my favorites or studying the differences between albums. So when I say that I think their latest addition is a really good Radiohead album, you have to take that with a grain of salt. I can, however, say with all certainty that I have thoroughly enjoyed the spade of Dancing Thom Yorke videos that have come as a result.
My Maudlin Career by Camera Obscura
Tracyanne Campbell's twee, occasionally pitchy voice isn't for everyone--but I might just be her biggest fangirl. The songs are sentimental and sincere, often sounding like they come from a 50s Pleasantville record store instead of modern-day Glasgow. Recommended if you like drives through the countryside, lomo photographs, etc. Bonus points for having the most gorgeous album artwork I've seen in a long time.
Movies
The King's Speech
You've heard so many things about this movie already, so I'm just going to sum up with what I said when I came out of the theater. "Best. Bromance. EVER."
Also, it inspired what has become my favorite joke I've written for twitter.
TV
How I Met Your Mother, Season Five
All in all, this was a bit of a lackluster season for the HIMYM crew. I liked watching the Barney/Robin storyline play out and come to its inevitable conclusion, but everything else felt off. (Not to mention the fact that it's challenging to build an entire show around finding a mate for your usually irksome main character.) On the other hand, it's still loads funnier than Charlie Sheen's contribution to society on Two-And-A-Half Men and from what I can tell, the actors from HIMYM are all totally sane. Winning!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
8th Grade Poems From Yours Truly
The year was 2000. The place was Ms. T's 8th grade Gifted English Class. The assignment was to compile a book of 14 original poems. The participants? I'd say there were probably 12 of us, each one pretentious and precocious enough to be a part of New Mexico's "gifted program." Lucky for you all, my parents delivered my 8th grade poetry book to me this weekend, unceremoniously stuffed in a book box. Even luckier, I'm going to copy some of those poems for you today. (The only thing more embarrassing is my original artwork that graces the pages--you will not be seeing that today.)
The Road Not Taken
At the crossroads of my life I stand.
Ready
To venture to an unknown land.
Preparing
For a journey that will never cease.
Hoping
That it will be in peace.
Creating
A legacy that time will go through.
Going
To be different.
Determined
To be known.
Knowing
That I can because it's my choice.
W
A
I
T
I
N
G...!
(My apologies to Mr. Frost for completely stealing his title. Some interesting themes here. I especially like the ellipses and exclamation point at the end.)
Who wants to be a?
Music builds,
The audience hushes,
"Is that your final answer?"
The contestant flushes.
Yes, he says,
I'm fairly sure.
I'll go with it.
Okay, Regis murmurs.
After a wait,
Of one second or two,
Regis smiles and says,
$100, good for you!
(Yeah. Bet you weren't expecting that turn of events at the end, now were you?)
Poetry in Ocean
"Swish" sing the whispering waves aloft,
To the golden sand.
Dolphins beckon to the colorful array,
Of fish surrounding them.
Coral moves with every beat,
Of the ocean's heart.
Seafoam sits quietly atop
The turquoise waters.
It bobs up and down,
Like the cream atop eggnog.
Starfish flail their arms in a hurry.
Orcas chirp their songs of praise.
The ocean's life down under,
Fills us with wonder.
(I think this was for our unit on the sonnet, maybe? Also, Poetry in Ocean? I thought I was so clever. Truth be told, I kind of like this one. The eggnog line gets me every time.)
Maybe someday I'll publish some other gems from my collection. Here's a sneak peek at some of the other titles: "Ever Changing," "A Constant War," "Sonnet to Books," and my personal favorite, "Box."
The Road Not Taken
At the crossroads of my life I stand.
Ready
To venture to an unknown land.
Preparing
For a journey that will never cease.
Hoping
That it will be in peace.
Creating
A legacy that time will go through.
Going
To be different.
Determined
To be known.
Knowing
That I can because it's my choice.
W
A
I
T
I
N
G...!
(My apologies to Mr. Frost for completely stealing his title. Some interesting themes here. I especially like the ellipses and exclamation point at the end.)
Who wants to be a?
Music builds,
The audience hushes,
"Is that your final answer?"
The contestant flushes.
Yes, he says,
I'm fairly sure.
I'll go with it.
Okay, Regis murmurs.
After a wait,
Of one second or two,
Regis smiles and says,
$100, good for you!
(Yeah. Bet you weren't expecting that turn of events at the end, now were you?)
Poetry in Ocean
"Swish" sing the whispering waves aloft,
To the golden sand.
Dolphins beckon to the colorful array,
Of fish surrounding them.
Coral moves with every beat,
Of the ocean's heart.
Seafoam sits quietly atop
The turquoise waters.
It bobs up and down,
Like the cream atop eggnog.
Starfish flail their arms in a hurry.
Orcas chirp their songs of praise.
The ocean's life down under,
Fills us with wonder.
(I think this was for our unit on the sonnet, maybe? Also, Poetry in Ocean? I thought I was so clever. Truth be told, I kind of like this one. The eggnog line gets me every time.)
Maybe someday I'll publish some other gems from my collection. Here's a sneak peek at some of the other titles: "Ever Changing," "A Constant War," "Sonnet to Books," and my personal favorite, "Box."
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