Sooo....new plan. Let's just not talk about my last two weeks. Clearly I have learned from my first world problem complaining: don't do it because then the gods think you need something to real to complain about.
I'll show you how my recent weeks went. Interpret as you will (But I refuse to confirm or deny. You will never, never know mwahahahahah)
(Just kidding. I just think this is awesome and I can't stop watching it. I want one! It is Christmas soon you know...)
Good news: For those of you who saw I was stranded in the middle of the city: I have a working car again. Also I survived being broken down in a-let's-never-stop-there-again part of Baltimore. And we're just not going to talk about it. I am just going to pretend that those two weeks happened in an alternate reality.
Moving on!
Bookish News
Discussions
Socioeconomic Class in Contemporary YA Lit: Where Are The Poor Teens? - Man, Stacked posts are always the most thought provoking awesome things.
The YA Divide - This is totally a thing! There's definitely a younger/older audience thing that goes on here that is often impossible to tell before you start reading the book.
Classic Lit And Teen Flicks: Why It Works - I always just assumed it was because I loved retellings, but 10 Things I Hate About You and Clueless have always been favourites of mine. WANT. MOAR. NOW.
I Sacrifice, Therefore I Am Good: Young Adult Fiction Heroines and Self-Destruction - Wow. There is definitely a lot to chew in this article. I don't agree with some of what is implied (censoring "bad things" like self harm or that glorifying it makes people do it), but there is definitely a lot of content here that resonates with me.Love Triangles: [Insert That Overused Line From A Robert Frost Poem] - Probably one of the best posts I've seen on love triangles. It's not a "I don't like love triangles" rant. It's a "these are what I don't like about certain love triangles, and here are some examples of ones that are done well" and it's a good read!
The Genre That Is Called Gaslamp Fantasy - So I totally didn't know that this had a name, but I actually really, really love this genre. And it has a pretty freaking awesome name too!
Sci-Fi Month 2014: Blogger Panel #4 - Favourite Alien - YES!! "I'm just a sweet transvestite
From Transexual, Transylvania" ...I really wanted to sneak this into my gym playlist but thought it might not fly in my super bro-y gym I work at. I did at least put in Time Warp. And Rent. I WILL make you bros listen to K-Pop, Latino music, and musicals. YOU CAN'T STOP ME!!
Someone should write a book where the MC falls in love with the reader - I'd seen this idea before, but it's fleshed out here. And it's beautiful.
Specific Books and Authors
Rainbow Rowell’s Next Book Carry On is a Fangirl Spinoff Starring Simon Snow - Ummm enough said! Yes!!
What to Read Next if You Never Stopped Loving Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown - Yes! To all these books! God I love Robin McKinley's books.Peter Pan’s “Greatest Pretend” is Heroism - You know, I think this says a lot on why I don't actually like Peter Pan.
Mira Grant Talks Tapeworms in a Lively Reddit AMA! - My newest favourite author!
Blogging
You Know You're a Book Blogger When... - Umm...yeah pretty much all these things. Particularly #3 haha!
Kat Kennedy gives a clear, helpful guide on how to name your blog. - Kat being hilarious as per usual haha
Kat Kennedy gives a clear, helpful guide on how to name your blog. - Kat being hilarious as per usual haha
OH MY GOD SEND ME HERE PLEASE NOW K THX
Non-bookish News
Homelessness - Although the streetwise guy on my corner wasn't homeless, it was definitely a struggle and I know he was homeless at one point. And he's definitely one of the coolest dudes I knew in Chicago.
On Being a Black Male, Six Feet Four Inches Tall, in America in 2014 - This just sucks all around. As a woman...I can't say that I wouldn't have acted that way. Which is both parts I think understandable (If not ok? I am uncertain on my feelings here), and sad for everyone involved because it just keeps self perpetuating itself.
Full Grown Black Rage - "Because it’s not that you should fear me, it’s that you deserve to."
Questlove: Trayvon Martin and I Ain’t Shit - More on the same issues.
Composer Stereotypes As Described By Cats - Oh my god I died laughing when I saw this haha
Princess Bubblegum’s Rule by Science - On the dark side of Princess Bubblegum.
The Pomplamoose Problem: Artists Can't Survive as Saints and Martyrs - Definitely something that's important to me, but can be applied to writers and artists in general as well.
On Being a Black Male, Six Feet Four Inches Tall, in America in 2014 - This just sucks all around. As a woman...I can't say that I wouldn't have acted that way. Which is both parts I think understandable (If not ok? I am uncertain on my feelings here), and sad for everyone involved because it just keeps self perpetuating itself.
Full Grown Black Rage - "Because it’s not that you should fear me, it’s that you deserve to."
Questlove: Trayvon Martin and I Ain’t Shit - More on the same issues.
Composer Stereotypes As Described By Cats - Oh my god I died laughing when I saw this haha
Princess Bubblegum’s Rule by Science - On the dark side of Princess Bubblegum.
The Pomplamoose Problem: Artists Can't Survive as Saints and Martyrs - Definitely something that's important to me, but can be applied to writers and artists in general as well.
Evil Couture, Inc. — The Best Fashionable Villains! - Villains seriously have the best wardrobe. And seriously, no evil wardrobe list is complete without Regina. I seriously need like all of her evil queen clothes. NEED.
So..I think I've finally jumped on the Taylor Swift train. I've been more or less indifferent to her for like the last...god how old was she when she started making music?! Anyway, I heard Blank Space come on at the gym maybe a month ago now (the one where I don't control the music *scowls*) and I was like man, this song is great! (Not a normal reaction to songs I hear on the radio. Also why working at that gym is like 6 hours of torture.) And then I found out it was a Taylor Swift song and I was like...whaaaa? I hadn't thought about her new album really though until this week and now I've been watching the youtube videos on like...repeat. (I blame Kirsty. You've turned me into a convert!)
I don't understand how people can hate someone who is clearly having so much fun simultaneously being awesome (and showcasing some really fantastic performers) while really, truly making fun of herself. Also she writes her own music. That automatically demands my respect.
*whispers* I love Taylor Swift's new album. I'm actually listening to it right now. I sort of liked a couple of her previous ones but I only ever used them as background noise, this one I actually *listen* to (does that make sense?) it's also great driving music lol
ReplyDeleteI think Rainbow Rowell's Carry On will be the book of the year. Soooo looking forward to reading it!
1. YA Divide: This is SO true. People who don't read YA think it is all Twilight or Divergent. It isn't. If they read something like The Raven Boys, but didn't know it was classified as YA, I think they would be shocked.
ReplyDelete2. Love Triangles: THIS explains how I feel about books in general, not just with female characters:
If you want to place the female character at the centre, first and foremost, you need a female character. She must be written with nuance, well-rounded, with real strengths and real flaws. Got one? Good. You may now place her in any impossible situation and I, for one, am already invested.
3. Cat composers: Hahaha! The Beethoven one is perfect.
4. Questlove: Damn. That story broke me.
5. Fashionable Villains: so fun! I would add Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman.
That! Literally exactly that! ...well, except I've only heard like 3 songs off the new album. But judging by those 3, I'm seriously contemplating spending actual money on that album. Which isn't something I can really afford to do often these days, but it's been bumped to the top of my list.
ReplyDeleteI know! I'm so excited! ALSO...possibly going to be done like the fanfic? Or is actually the fanfic? As in possibly a slash lead pairing? Maaaaaybe? (Or at least that's what I'm hoping for)
1. Yeah it's hard to give non YA readers a feel for what you can find in the YA because it really can be so many different things, and all of them really are what you find in YA, so it's pretty much impossible to find something that's representative of all YA.
ReplyDelete2. Exactly! This is pretty much anything I've ever thought about YA love triangles summed up so wonderfully for me haha
3. Every time I look at this post I love a different composer (all the washing machine cat remains a favourite)
4. Yeah. It was pretty powerful and definitely made me think about some things.
5. You know, I STILL haven't watched that! But I bet her outfits are uhmaaaazing
Don't bother. It's kind of terrible. Just google image search pictures of her dresses. LOL
ReplyDelete