I have been so tired of late and I can't figure out why. I get a good amount of sleep most nights and eat a fairly balanced diet (with too much sugar and not enough veggies here and there), and yet I wake up tired. I walk to and from class and work every day, so I am getting some exercise as well. I don't know. It's all very frustrating - I'd rather not get up and be dreaming about taking a nap as I go to class.

Sad state of affairs.

University has kept me busy in a sad, sad way. School, work, sleep, etc. I haven't really done anything of interest this semester. However, a lot of stuff, both good and horrible, has happened in the last two months...but I won't go into that now.

I'm taking French, History of the World since 1500, Comparative Politics, and Art History this semester. All my classes have good and bad weeks, so I can't really complain.

We've been getting unbelievable amounts of snow here - more so than the last ten years or more. Ideally I will post pictures, though considering my habits of late...

I'm desausted and am trying not to collapse. Reading may just have to wait until tomorrow.

Allora, I'm still here.

Snatched from indigo_jones

These are the top 106 books most often marked as "unread" by LibraryThing's users (as of recently). As usual, bold what you have read, italicize those you started but didn't finish, and strike through what you couldn't stand. Add an asterisk to those you've read more than once. [Bracket those on your to-read list].

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Wuthering Heights
The Silmarillion
Life of Pi : a novel
The Name of the Rose
[Don Quixote]
Moby Dick
[Ulysses]
The Odyssey
Pride and Prejudice***
Jane Eyre
A Tale of Two Cities
The Brothers Karamazov
[Guns, Germs, and Steel: the fates of human societies]
War and Peace
[Vanity Fair]
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Iliad
Emma*
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
[Great Expectations]
American Gods
Atlas Shrugged
Reading Lolita in Tehran: a memoir in books
Memoirs of a Geisha
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked: the life and times of the wicked witch of the West
The Canterbury Tales
The Historian: a novel
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
The Fountainhead
Foucault’s Pendulum
Middlemarch
Frankenstein
The Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula
[A Clockwork Orange]
Anansi Boys
The Once and Future King
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible: a novel
1984
Angels & Demons
[The Inferno]
The Satanic Verses
Sense and Sensibility*
The Picture of Dorian Gray*
Mansfield Park*
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
To the Lighthouse
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Oliver Twist
[Gulliver's Travels]
Les Misérables
The Corrections
[The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay]
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Dune
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury
Angela's Ashes : A Memoir
The God of Small Things
A People's History of the United States: 1492-present
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere
[A Confederacy of Dunces]
A Short History of Nearly Everything
[Dubliners]
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Beloved
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Scarlet Letter
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and Crake: a novel
[Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed]
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
[Lolita]
Persuasion*
Northanger Abbey*
The Catcher in the Rye
On the Road
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Freakonomics: a Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: an Inquiry into Values
The Aeneid
Watership Down
Gravity's Rainbow
The Hobbit
White Teeth
Treasure Island
David Copperfield
The Three Musketeers

Wow, that's quite a number of books that I started and haven't gotten around to finishing...sad.

Edited: Oops, I forgot to cut the last bit of the directions from indigo_jones. Apologies!

    Perhaps only one update a month is the best I can hope for this semester. Eh, we'll see. School and work have kept me very busy. There have been quizzes, exercises, and some singing (wha-a?).
    I had an English paper due yesterday. Dear lord, the horror. No, it wasn't that bad, but it did take way longer than I had hoped. After one page I threw out my original idea. Argh. But, after I found a new idea, had it edited twice, did a second and third draft, it was finally done. I worked hard on that paper and I hope my professor takes that into account. I felt better after going to see her for my second draft and getting a re-focus. For 15% of my grade, I certainly hope all that work was worth it!
    I have an exam for Music and Geography next week and one for Poli Sci the week after. I think that professors throw them all at you simultaneously on purpose. They get together and align their exams/papers/etc to torture the students.
    That might be just about it. Works goes along, I have no social life to speak of, and school dominates my life. Yep, that about sums it up.

I don't like school.


Okay, sometimes I like school.


Like yesterday.


And the day before.


But definitely not today.


*grumble*

After a horrifying first day of school, today has thus far been a welcome relief. Tuesdays (especially) and Thursdays will be my "ahhhhhhh!!" days. Mondays and Wednesdays I have  Poli Sci, Tuesdays and Thursdays Music and English, and Tuesdays is Geography.

Music in Film was first on the docket. After traversing the Fine Arts building with little difficulty, I hovered in the hall with the rest of the sponges, waiting for the previous class to let out. As we filed in we were instructed to take a white index card. I was glad for the verbal command. The screen at the front of the room instructed us all to "take a care from the back of the room", which I thought would have been nice of the instructor to warn us about beforehand. I'm was just glad I sat in the middle of the room; though I did check behind me periodically to make sure no one was pulling any funny business.

The class room is medium in size with a wooden stage in the front. It is set up like a small film screening/concert room. As I sighed with happiness in my comfy movie theater seat (there may have been a little bottom wiggle accompanying the sigh), Dr. L. played a small clip from a film score, which we later analyzed briefly. After Dr. L introduced himself and went over the course outline, we looked through the D2L (Desire to Learn) online website. The word 'hybrid' was thrown out there a number of times, which though confusing, is just their fancy way of saying part of the class load will be done online. Bah. Just as I was thinking it was something futuristic.

I am happy to say that I left class in a happier state than when I went in. The students seem more enthusiastic than usual and there is a wide variety of university years represented. Dr. L seems easy going enough, which I am thankful for. I think that I will enjoy this course more than I had anticipated.

Reading Fiction, my next class, was a whole 'nother story.

I hadn't been studying for half an hour before my back pain flared up again. I definitely think it's tension/stress related. I've had this thing since May and it shows no signs of going away. I will not be looking forward to the semester if this annoying ache doesn't go away. Sigh.

The chiropractor couldn't rid me of the knot and neither could trying to work through it on my own. Any doubts about spending the money on a yoga class are gone. This is completely ridiculous. 

On an utterly random note: I am very appreciative of Firefox's new auto spell check feature.

The week prior to when classes commence is always a mad rush. Classes you want to take all of a sudden open up and you try and juggle fitting that into your already full class and work schedule. I had a mixture of joy and annoyance that that class is open now? Merda! Thankfully my boss is forgiving and flexible. My current class list is as follows:

American Politics (...yay?)
Reading Fiction (yuss!)
Music in Film (could be fun...)
Geography 100 - I don't remember the definition (easy peasy?)

Yay, classes are starting! Arrgh, classes are starting! I'm so conflicted.

Thanks be to the internet gods! I'm home! Home!

How can someone not have internet access? I've been deprived. How dare the neighbors actually lock their wireless? Not sharing with me...letting me snitch when in need. *sniff*

I'm debating on how best to utilize my remaining few weeks of freedom. The one activity that I really miss during the school year is recreational reading, thus the indecision on which books to read this month.

I just finished the book Reading Lolita in Tehran and I wasn't impressed. It started out with such potential, but then the author spiraled into mediocrity ( I was tempted to say insanity, but that is a bit too harsh). The book beings in Iran where the author has arranged a private literature class for select students in her home. I was intrigued by the discussions of various books and each student's viewpoint. Unfortunately, come the second section, the author jumps back thirty years to talk about the revolution in Iran. She describes certain events to the extent that, frankly, I just wanted to yell get to the the point! She became too flighty and random, but I was determined to finish the book. The last section did get better, but all in all I wouldn't recommend the book.

Coming off reading the above book, I would like to read a classic of some sort, but nothing too heavy (Gravity's Rainbow is right out.) Which do I read? However, I would also like to finish a few other books I'm reading (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle & The Amber Spyglass). Never enough time! If only people would just stop writing so I could catch up!

I apologize. That was quite the blasphemous outburst. I wouldn't ever wish such an occurrence.

On a side note - my family is so silly sometimes. The other three members of the household have been afflicted by narcolepsy. All are asleep in various rooms of the house, none of which being a bedroom. *shakes head* Just go to bed!

When I was younger I would go play at a friend's house in the country. In addition to their awesome farm house, they had a small tree/stilt playhouse set in a little garden with a beautiful iron gate. The garden was full of wild flowers and surrounded by a short rock wall. Behind the house there was a bird bath set in another little garden and in between there was a firepit with logs and stools to sit on. The house had a long tree trunk running from the roof across to a support about fifteen-twenty feet away made of two other tree trunks. The long trunk was used to hang a swing, swinging handlebars, and a climbing rope. In order to get up into the house you either had to climb the rope or go up the climbing netting/ladder on the opposite side. The house itself just had one small room, but it was a nice size for two or three people to play in. We had chairs and other small pieces of furniture to play make-believe with.

Every time I went out there I wanted to play dolls (American Girl...all of which I still have. :) ) and go out into the playhouse.

As a child I didn't really appreciate the outdoors as much as I now wish I could have. There was dirt, bugs and the potential to get injured, you know. I was not a bold child, unfortunately.

This evening M and I took B out to that same farm for a birthday party. B is friends with my friend's younger brother. We were just going to drop B off and then go do other things, but we got to talking with the other families there, most of which we are friends with from way back. M and I got to wandering around the farm and it is just lovely, still. The old garden is still there, with an archway added and vines are indeed growing all around it. The family has another separate flower garden and three other vegetable gardens. Some of the largest sunflower plants I have ever seen are spaced throughout.

It's a shame that I couldn't appreciate the beauty of the farm when I was younger, for I do remember there being other gardens.

Anyway, moving on from my nostalgia. On to the action. ;) I had to go and take a look at the playhouse. I climbed part way up the netting and peaked inside the house - lots of furniture piled up. Since I was last there, they've added climbing wall pieces to the side of the house and a friend had painted the outside of the house blue with large leaves and flowers. It looks so cool! The swing is gone, but the rope is still there and the hanging bars...or I should say they were still there. Ha. Can you guess? Yes, I grabbed hold of the bars, crouched so I would be able to hang from them and started to swing. There was a loud crack! and next thing I knew I was lying on the ground with the tree trunk on top of my hips.

Hee! I find it hilarious! I broke the tree trunk. Of course M ran over, told me not to move (which I ignored) and moved the trunk. It was rotten through so it wasn't that heavy at all. Everyone came over to see what happened and check if I was alright. I was perfectly fine, thankfully, just very sorry that I broke the tree! The owners of said tree knew it was rotten and had tried to take it down a few weeks previously but hadn't managed it. They should have just called me! They were just concerned about my health, etc.

My Saturday had been very uneventful up until that point. I am greatly amused by it all. I really ought to go an visit them more often. Well, I suppose I should wait and see how the hip feels tomorrow. Currently it's just a wee bit sore, which it was earlier after my run anyway.

Or have too much time on their hands. ;) Not the most thought inducing lyrics, but those Conchord fans out there should find it amusing.

Oh yes, that's right. I would really like to see this one. Even though I know how it has to end (*sob*), I am such a sucker for Jane Austen.

I have noticed that they are using the theme music for Sense & Sensibility in one of these trailers. Tsk.

After four years, I finally went down to the scary tattoo/piercing parlor district and got my nose needled. Wah ha.

Okay, so it is just a nose piercing, but it sounds more courageous that way. And it's just three little places in the downtown, almost right next to where I work. But, they were a little scary. Really.

After my usual 'do I?' and 'don't I?' discussion with myself, I decided to take a belly dancing class. This took place a few weeks ago and I was excited to start. After my first class, I felt uncoordinated. The flash back to my younger years with ballet  and jazz classes commenced and was not pleasant. If you have ever attended a dance recital of 8-12 year olds you have most certainly noticed me. Of course not me specifically (don't think so literally, come on man), but my sister dancers. I was that awkward girl in the back, usually a bit chubbier than the rest, and looking a bit out of place. You know her? Yes, hello me.

Belly Dance Session One: when you were supposed to move on the up beat, I moved on the down beat. And vice versa. Sigh...and yet, it was still fun. I wasn't the only one messing up. In a way, this class is the class of my sister misfits. We were all body types, all ages, and all fitness levels. Misfits unite? :-)

Belly Dance Session Two: Right Foot decided that what Left Foot wanted to do was cool. They both agreed to move when all the other feet moved. Hopefully this isn't turning them into herd-like feet...just more friendly, community oriented feet.

After class, I went out with a couple of classmates and we socialized for about an hour. Group socialization! There is hope for me yet.

Note to all guys who are 15-20+ years my senior: No. I'm not interested. Do you think that perhaps there is a reason why you aren't attached by now? Randomly hitting on women quite a bit younger than you and who have only spoken a few words to you in helping you for their job might have something to do with it. Unless you are quite charming, witty, handsome, etc. usually it is wise to stay within 5 years of your own age. Just a thought. Thank you.

~

Also...why is it always the weirdos! Why? Do I have a sign that says "Man Wanted: preferably older, odd in the head, and socially inept"?
Someone is laughing at me right now.

~

It's been a good day.

Sure, okay. So, aspirantekiwi, your LiveJournal reveals...



You are... 6% unique (blame, for example, your interest in what the folk!) and 15% herdlike (partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy reading). When it comes to friends you are lonely. In terms of the way you relate to people, you believe in give and take. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is conventional.

Your overall weirdness is: 48

(The average level of weirdness is: 27.
You are weirder than 89% of other LJers.)

Find out what your weirdness level is!

I just finished watching the film The Painted Veil and, while I did enjoy it, it was changed to make it more mainstream 'friendly'. I read the book by W. Somerset Maugham at the end of last year/beginning of this year and I enjoyed it...despite the fact that it isn't the 'typical' kind of book I like.

The story revolves around a young woman in London in the '20s who marries merely to be married. Her husband works as a bacteriologist in Shanghai and though he is a, you could say, devoted husband, they are not well suited. She has an affair which prompts her husband to take a position in a region that has a cholera outbreak, dragging her (in a way) along with him.
That is the bare bones of the plot commencement, lacking in eloquence though it is. The film version changes the focus of the story from the young woman, Kitty, to the relationship between Kitty and her husband, Walter. It also considerably changes the character of Walter. In the book, Walter is cold, almost to the point of being alien in his unwillingness or inability to act in any humane way toward Kitty (once he finds out she was having an affair.) Before that he tried, to some extent, but he was still a very stoic character. The film makes Walter out to be awkward and quiet, though still a bit stoic and cold, and as the story progresses he warms up and becomes more 'human'.

My impression from the book was that Kitty and Walter could not be happy together, however much I wished the characters could evolve and grow to see each other in a better light. I understood and it was fitting how the story progressed. The film changes that relationship and their feelings toward each other, though the outcome of the story remained the same.

Now, the issue I have with these changes is that they completely shift the point of the story. I feel that Maugham's concept was lost. The film falls into a 'plot box' and doesn't attempt individuality. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the film (as I mentioned), but I feel it could have been more. I think Edward Norton did a very fine job of creating a character in Walter, but it is a different one from Maugham's Walter. I did not like Walter at all in the book (whereas Norton I found quite likeable in the end), which I think was the point. I didn't particularly find Kitty an admirable person in either the book or the film, but she was involving. Both Walter and Kitty are quite flawed, but that is what makes them interesting. That and their somewhat volatile and (heh) suicidal relationship.

I'd say enjoy the movie for what it is, but do read the book.

(Oh, oh! But, the film's landscape is truly lovely. Look! It's Karst Topography! (See background of photo) Thank you Professor L. - learning is awesome. I'd really like to see that area of China someday.)

Okay, not really a smackdown in any way shape or form. I'm not very adept at subject headers.

Madre and I worked on the garden this afternoon for a good three plus hours. The weather was perfect for gardening and we did take advantage, for shame. Sunny with a smattering of cumulus clouds, in the high 60s with a nice breeze (just in case you'd like to know the perfect gardening weather.)  We weeded, churned, planted, and watered the border of the south garden. I'm afraid to say that the ants were not pleased with the disruption. Due to the angle of the ground before the garden, it did feel like I was gardening on the side of a mountain (or something equally impressive sounding.) Other (less interesting) yard work followed the gardening.

The garden...it looks quite nice...if I do say so myself. :)

There are quite a few really amusing blogs out there. I was scrolling through blogger and stumbled upon a few that I found so amusing I now have them bookmarked. The subjects of said blogs aren't particularly life altering, just day to day topics with a bit of humor thrown in. You know, that good sarcastic/facetious kind.