Almost every morning now, I walk my dad's Sheltie, Sara. I've always been a morning person, and these walks help me get outside and enjoy the world when it's quiet. When I take the time to notice things around me--foggy roads, morning dew, squirrels, sun on rare occasions--it feels like they exist just for me. I've been enjoying seeing leaves on the trees turn red and fall to the ground over the course of a few weeks.
Since Sara is getting older, and doesn't get to spend a lot of time outside, whenever she stops to smell something I don't rush her (unless she's being ridiculous). It's been reminding me to enjoy the moment, whatever I'm doing. Especially these days when I'm looking for a job, when there's no telling how busy my day will or won't be, to keep from worrying I do things I enjoy, and live in the moment.
In the words of Sara, take a walk once in a while, and stop to smell the roses. And the grass, and the leaves, and the trees, and the garbage, and the fire hydrants...
10.26.2012
10.17.2012
Book Review #16: The Fault in Our Stars
Book 16: The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
I finally got around to reading something of John Green's. I'd heard so many good things about his work, and this book in particular. I knew that even though it was about someone with cancer, it was going to be a meaningful, enjoyable read, not something simply depressing. I wasn't disappointed, and I'd say it exceeded my expectations.
Hazel is a 16-year-old with thyroid cancer. Her cancer is being kept at bay by a new miracle drug, but she doesn't know how long she has left. At her cancer support group one of the members decides to bring along a friend of his, Augustus Waters, who is in remission (the cancer is "gone" but it could always come back). They are instantly drawn to one another, and thus begins a spontaneous, beautiful relationship between the two of them, as he gives her someone to cherish other than her parents, and something to keep her from constantly thinking about her cancer.
John Green's writing is both witty and beautiful. He makes a fair number of philosophical remarks as well, which I really enjoy in a book. I couldn't help making highlight after highlight in my Kindle as I read. Here are a few of my favorites.
I finally got around to reading something of John Green's. I'd heard so many good things about his work, and this book in particular. I knew that even though it was about someone with cancer, it was going to be a meaningful, enjoyable read, not something simply depressing. I wasn't disappointed, and I'd say it exceeded my expectations.Hazel is a 16-year-old with thyroid cancer. Her cancer is being kept at bay by a new miracle drug, but she doesn't know how long she has left. At her cancer support group one of the members decides to bring along a friend of his, Augustus Waters, who is in remission (the cancer is "gone" but it could always come back). They are instantly drawn to one another, and thus begins a spontaneous, beautiful relationship between the two of them, as he gives her someone to cherish other than her parents, and something to keep her from constantly thinking about her cancer.
John Green's writing is both witty and beautiful. He makes a fair number of philosophical remarks as well, which I really enjoy in a book. I couldn't help making highlight after highlight in my Kindle as I read. Here are a few of my favorites.
"The BiPAP essentially took control of my breathing away from me, which was intensely annoying, but the great thing about it was that it made all this noise, rumbling with each inhalation and whirring as I exhaled. I kept thinking that it sounded like a dragon breathing in time with me, like I had this pet dragon who was cuddled up next to me and cared enough about me to time his breaths to mine."
"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."
"I want to have scrambled eggs for dinner without this ridiculous construction that a scrambled egg-inclusive meal is breakfast even when it occurs at dinnertime."
"Sometimes it seems the universe wants to be noticed."Hazel felt very real to me, and that made it easy to relate to her. Her disease doesn't define her. And the message in the book is definitely for anyone, not just for someone with a terminal disease. Given all this, and the fact that I essentially read the whole thing in a day, I'm definitely going to be reading his other books.
10.05.2012
Book Review #15: "...and then what happened?"
Book 15: Stories: All-New Tales, edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio
It took me a long time to finish this book. I've read it bit by bit between other books, when I had nothing else I was reading. By no means was it bad--it was excellent, masterpiece after masterpiece. Some stories were creepy, some were heartwarming, some were strange, and some were all of the above. Even the introduction was amazing, which I quoted in my recent blog post about why I like to read.
I find it difficult to read short stories. Every one of them took me on that same emotional roller-coaster that a novel does. The initial tenativeness with which you'd approach a story you know nothing about. Then the ramping up of action, and the climax. Finally the end, that leaves you wanting to linger in the world of the story, you're not quite ready to leave. There's another story waiting to be read on the next page, but you can't bring yourself to start it. There's no way it could be as intriguing as the story you just finished, the one that left you thinking. And then, when you're ready, maybe minutes, hours, or days later, you start the next one, and the cycle repeats.
I have a feeling one day I'll come back and reread these stories. Short stories seem to be the type that you read over and over. You don't need as much patience to read them a second, third, fourth time like you do a novel. And I've left so much time between reading the stories in this book that I can't remember a lot of them. Just the feelings they left me with.
Of course, anything related to Neil Gaiman I'm more likely to reread. His story in this book, The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains, is fantastic, in which the narrator--a small dangerous man--and a man named Calum MacInnes go in search of treasure in the Black Mountains. Other stories touch on themes as diverse as murder, the death of a loved one, a mysterious lake that's home to a race of humanoids, and a twist on the typical vampire story. There are well-known authors like Jodi Picoult, Diana Wynne Jones, Joyce Carol Oates, and Chuck Palahniuk, and many others I haven't heard of. They're not all fantasy, and some of them leave you wondering whether they could be real or not.
Short stories always leave me feeling slightly unsatisfied, as if I couldn't stay long enough in their different worlds, which is the main reason I couldn't give the book five stars. Some of the stories set my nerves on edge as well, and I'm not the type to enjoy that sort of thing. The fact that they did, however, that they affected my emotions, is a sign of a great story.
It took me a long time to finish this book. I've read it bit by bit between other books, when I had nothing else I was reading. By no means was it bad--it was excellent, masterpiece after masterpiece. Some stories were creepy, some were heartwarming, some were strange, and some were all of the above. Even the introduction was amazing, which I quoted in my recent blog post about why I like to read.I find it difficult to read short stories. Every one of them took me on that same emotional roller-coaster that a novel does. The initial tenativeness with which you'd approach a story you know nothing about. Then the ramping up of action, and the climax. Finally the end, that leaves you wanting to linger in the world of the story, you're not quite ready to leave. There's another story waiting to be read on the next page, but you can't bring yourself to start it. There's no way it could be as intriguing as the story you just finished, the one that left you thinking. And then, when you're ready, maybe minutes, hours, or days later, you start the next one, and the cycle repeats.
I have a feeling one day I'll come back and reread these stories. Short stories seem to be the type that you read over and over. You don't need as much patience to read them a second, third, fourth time like you do a novel. And I've left so much time between reading the stories in this book that I can't remember a lot of them. Just the feelings they left me with.
Of course, anything related to Neil Gaiman I'm more likely to reread. His story in this book, The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains, is fantastic, in which the narrator--a small dangerous man--and a man named Calum MacInnes go in search of treasure in the Black Mountains. Other stories touch on themes as diverse as murder, the death of a loved one, a mysterious lake that's home to a race of humanoids, and a twist on the typical vampire story. There are well-known authors like Jodi Picoult, Diana Wynne Jones, Joyce Carol Oates, and Chuck Palahniuk, and many others I haven't heard of. They're not all fantasy, and some of them leave you wondering whether they could be real or not.
Short stories always leave me feeling slightly unsatisfied, as if I couldn't stay long enough in their different worlds, which is the main reason I couldn't give the book five stars. Some of the stories set my nerves on edge as well, and I'm not the type to enjoy that sort of thing. The fact that they did, however, that they affected my emotions, is a sign of a great story.
10.03.2012
Book Review #14: The Doors to Elsewhere
I picked this book up recently at Waterstone's along with The Hundred-Year-Old Man on a whim. I was not disappointed by either choice. The cover of this book grabbed my interest immediately, and I remembered seeing a review of it on a blog that I follow, which made it look promising. Not to mention a favorite author of mine, Patrick Rothfuss, gave the review, "Wow. I wish I had written this book."
Karou has two lives. In one, she is an art student in Prague. In the other, she runs errands for a creature named Brimstone, who is the closest thing she has to a father. He is from a world he calls Elsewhere, and he will not divulge its secrets to Karou. All she has seen of this world is the shop beyond the doorways, which seems to exist everywhere and nowhere, where Brimstone and his helpers live and work. Hunters and murderers sell him teeth in exchange for wishes, and occasionally when he needs help with a delivery, he asks for help from Karou. All she has ever received in return are the smallest of wishes, which she's used--wrongly, perhaps--for superficial things like turning her hair blue and giving herself tattoos.
When the doors to Elsewhere start closing and Karou tries to find out why, with the help of a mysterious stranger she discovers truths about Elsewhere and Brimstone's work that she never would have dreamed of. She must decide where she belongs before the doors close forever.
I didn't know much more about the plot of this book than the above before I read it, which I'm grateful for. Part of the fun experience of this book was discovering things about Elsewhere along with Karou. She's very easy to relate to, and a very three-dimensional character. The fantastical world is as well, clearly well-thought-out and very well-written. Easy to read, and easy to get sucked in. It's an incredibly original story, something hard to find these days in the fantasy genre. As with all good books, I was hooked right away, and once I got past the halfway point I couldn't put it down. I've given it five stars on Goodreads.
I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel, which is set to be released in about a month.
9.26.2012
Homeward Bound
Earlier today I got a response from the last job in the UK I've been waiting to hear from, which was a "no." I didn't have enough specific knowledge/experience for the position. My student visa expires on the 1st of October, so this means that I have to leave Scotland. I've already started to make plans to, since they've taken so long to get back to me. I would have barely had time to apply for a work visa if they'd offered me a job.
Truthfully, I'm glad I don't have to make the choice between Aberdeen and the US. Lately I've been realizing how much I miss Seattle, and how the choice between staying near my friends in Scotland and going back home would be difficult. I probably would have chosen to go home, and then felt like I was giving up a good opportunity to stay. Now, I don't have a choice, and I can be content getting excited about going back to Seattle.
I will miss Scotland dearly. It's been an amazing experience. I've changed a lot (for the better), and met so many great people, including friends I know I'll have for life. I'm sure I'll be putting aside money to come back as soon as I can.
But it seems it's time for me to leave the people and the land behind. For now.
Truthfully, I'm glad I don't have to make the choice between Aberdeen and the US. Lately I've been realizing how much I miss Seattle, and how the choice between staying near my friends in Scotland and going back home would be difficult. I probably would have chosen to go home, and then felt like I was giving up a good opportunity to stay. Now, I don't have a choice, and I can be content getting excited about going back to Seattle.
I will miss Scotland dearly. It's been an amazing experience. I've changed a lot (for the better), and met so many great people, including friends I know I'll have for life. I'm sure I'll be putting aside money to come back as soon as I can.
But it seems it's time for me to leave the people and the land behind. For now.
9.19.2012
Book Review #13: A Swedish Forrest Gump
Book 13: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson
Allan Karlsson is about to turn one-hundred. His birthday party at the old folks home is all planned out for him, and the mayor and the press will be there. But he has had enough, and instead escapes through his window. This begins a crazy, Forrest Gump-esque adventure filled with both lighthearted and dark humor. The story switches between the present day and Allan's past, which is equally as unbelievable.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up at a local bookstore. It seemed fun, and there were quite a few raving reviews from all over Europe; when I bought it, it hadn't been released in the US yet (and now it has). I don't often read comedy, but the fact that it was a Swedish author made me think I might like it, since I enjoyed the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series so much (perhaps not a fair comparison since it's crime and not comedy, but in a way this book is crime as well...).
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the humor and the lighthearted quality of the whole story, despite the few horrible things that happen. It had me laughing out loud at least every few pages. The plot is also cleverly put together. Allan is a very unique, clever character himself, but if I tell you too much I'll ruin the story. This book certainly deserves all the praise it's received.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up at a local bookstore. It seemed fun, and there were quite a few raving reviews from all over Europe; when I bought it, it hadn't been released in the US yet (and now it has). I don't often read comedy, but the fact that it was a Swedish author made me think I might like it, since I enjoyed the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series so much (perhaps not a fair comparison since it's crime and not comedy, but in a way this book is crime as well...).
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the humor and the lighthearted quality of the whole story, despite the few horrible things that happen. It had me laughing out loud at least every few pages. The plot is also cleverly put together. Allan is a very unique, clever character himself, but if I tell you too much I'll ruin the story. This book certainly deserves all the praise it's received.
9.15.2012
Book Review #12: Libriomancer
Book 12: Libriomancer, by Jim Hines
If there is one place I take book recommendations seriously from, it is my favorite authors. When I saw this was recommended by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle, which I've written a review for), and then discovered it was considered "urban fantasy", a genre I haven't explored but have wanted to try, I figured it was worth a read.
Isaac Vainio is a libriomancer working in a bookshop. One day a group of vampires attacks the shop, and with the help of his friend Lena--a dryad--they barely escape alive. Until now, the vampires have been peaceful enough, so the two of them set out to discover why the Porters, the organization of libriomancers, are being targeted. On top of it all, Isaac has been in trouble for using his magic too recklessly, and is not allowed to use it anymore. That doesn't last very long...
The magic in this story is very original. A libriomancer is someone who can literally pull things out of books--but the things must fit through the pages. For example, you couldn't pull a full-sized person out of a book unless the book itself was wide enough (and this large book was widely distributed and read; there are many rules). You could say it's a bit like Inkheart, where things from books will appear in this world if the person reading it has the required magical ability, but it's not quite the same, and it leads to some unique, interesting problems.
It's also refreshing to have a book that contains vampires where that is not the central part of the story. It is not a "vampire book" in any way, there are plenty of other interesting creatures. And there is literary reference after literary reference, most of which I understood, since Isaac's favorite genres of books to use are Fantasy and Sci-Fi! The stories of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes even make an appearance.
This book was fun, different, and engaging. I'll likely be reading the sequel.
Isaac Vainio is a libriomancer working in a bookshop. One day a group of vampires attacks the shop, and with the help of his friend Lena--a dryad--they barely escape alive. Until now, the vampires have been peaceful enough, so the two of them set out to discover why the Porters, the organization of libriomancers, are being targeted. On top of it all, Isaac has been in trouble for using his magic too recklessly, and is not allowed to use it anymore. That doesn't last very long...
The magic in this story is very original. A libriomancer is someone who can literally pull things out of books--but the things must fit through the pages. For example, you couldn't pull a full-sized person out of a book unless the book itself was wide enough (and this large book was widely distributed and read; there are many rules). You could say it's a bit like Inkheart, where things from books will appear in this world if the person reading it has the required magical ability, but it's not quite the same, and it leads to some unique, interesting problems.
It's also refreshing to have a book that contains vampires where that is not the central part of the story. It is not a "vampire book" in any way, there are plenty of other interesting creatures. And there is literary reference after literary reference, most of which I understood, since Isaac's favorite genres of books to use are Fantasy and Sci-Fi! The stories of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes even make an appearance.
This book was fun, different, and engaging. I'll likely be reading the sequel.
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