I don't know how much anyone has been following the current debate among the literary world regarding the NYT and NPR's unequal coverage of male vs. female authors, but I have been seeing quite a lot of it on Twitter, and so I went through and tallied a couple things. All fractions are female authors/total
Books read for Book Club (2011-12 school year): 0/5
Books read for Book Club (2010-11 school year): 0/7
Books read for CIS: 2/9
Books read for English (2009-fall of 2011): 1/14
Books read 2009, 2010, 2011, respectively: 55/99, 60/92, 29/75
So despite the fact that I read about equal amounts of female/male authors, I have only picked books written by men for the last five months. And in English over the past three and a half years, I have read a total of 3 books by women.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Netflix: I has nao
Have had for a while, actually. IT'S AMAZING.
I have, over the past month, watched:
And, I just happened to be browsing, and do you know what I found?
HOUSE OF ANUBIS.
Y'all, that shit's about to be watched.
I have, over the past month, watched:
- Muriel's Wedding
- Waiting for Superman
- Drive Me Crazy
- The Men Who Stare at Goats
- Glorious 39
- Daniel Deronda
- Strictly Ballroom
- Kick-Ass
- Billy Elliot
And, I just happened to be browsing, and do you know what I found?
HOUSE OF ANUBIS.
Y'all, that shit's about to be watched.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Never Let Me Go
I'm trying to do a creative journal for English and this book, so I was looking up the movie in an attempt to figure out what the field described in the last paragraph of the book might look like, and I found a clip of the end of the movie. And I cried.
It's funny how the movie could do that for me when the book couldn't. I think that while Ishiguro's writing style lends itself well to a sort of detachment and distance that works with some of the central ideas of the book, those same qualities make it harder to truly connect with characters on an emotional level. Books, generally, make me cry because of the reactions of characters to trauma; I connect, generally, very strongly with the denial stage of grief in writing. On the flip side, this means it's fully possible for me to think a book is very sad, but not cry; without that reaction, it just doesn't hit home in the same way. For example, when Sirius died, I bawled like a baby, because of how Harry reacts, his realization that he won't hear or see Sirius ever again. Dumbledore's death, on the other hand, just wasn't all that sad , because that extreme reaction wasn't there.
Movies work in a slightly different way than books, so I think that while I require the same thing in order to cry for a movie, it can be expressed very differently. In a movie, I still need to see that reaction, but since movies have to show character reactions visually instead of descriptively, I need to see it in their face, and hear it in the music. Because of this, I think the scene at the end of the film, when Tommy is about to Complete, ends up being more effective than the book ending as a tearjerker. Even if that scene were included in the book (in the book, Kathy leaves before Tommy Completes), I don't think it'd be as sad for me. I can't fully connect with Kathy and Tommy in the book; their relationship isn't real for me, because of the detachment in the writing style. In the book, it just doesn't seem like Kathy cares for Tommy as much as she must, because the way she describes everything just don't fully convey the depth of the feeling. In the movie, it's possible to see how she's acting, instead of being told of it second-hand, and that makes all the difference. Even though all I saw was that one last scene, the relationship is there. The sadness of dying is there.
(Wow, I may have to use parts of this for my journal...)
It's funny how the movie could do that for me when the book couldn't. I think that while Ishiguro's writing style lends itself well to a sort of detachment and distance that works with some of the central ideas of the book, those same qualities make it harder to truly connect with characters on an emotional level. Books, generally, make me cry because of the reactions of characters to trauma; I connect, generally, very strongly with the denial stage of grief in writing. On the flip side, this means it's fully possible for me to think a book is very sad, but not cry; without that reaction, it just doesn't hit home in the same way. For example, when Sirius died, I bawled like a baby, because of how Harry reacts, his realization that he won't hear or see Sirius ever again. Dumbledore's death, on the other hand, just wasn't all that sad , because that extreme reaction wasn't there.
Movies work in a slightly different way than books, so I think that while I require the same thing in order to cry for a movie, it can be expressed very differently. In a movie, I still need to see that reaction, but since movies have to show character reactions visually instead of descriptively, I need to see it in their face, and hear it in the music. Because of this, I think the scene at the end of the film, when Tommy is about to Complete, ends up being more effective than the book ending as a tearjerker. Even if that scene were included in the book (in the book, Kathy leaves before Tommy Completes), I don't think it'd be as sad for me. I can't fully connect with Kathy and Tommy in the book; their relationship isn't real for me, because of the detachment in the writing style. In the book, it just doesn't seem like Kathy cares for Tommy as much as she must, because the way she describes everything just don't fully convey the depth of the feeling. In the movie, it's possible to see how she's acting, instead of being told of it second-hand, and that makes all the difference. Even though all I saw was that one last scene, the relationship is there. The sadness of dying is there.
(Wow, I may have to use parts of this for my journal...)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Applications = finished
Yes. I have done it. And, I am proud to say, two days before most of them were due. How's that for proactive? (sadly, that's not really a joke for me...)
It's sad; I just finished all of my applications, and some people have already learned where they will be attending college next year. Stupid early decision-ers - not really though. I respect their ability to care enough to apply early, and I'm very excited for the few who did get accepted. To be honest, I thought I was going to die from stress if I applied early anywhere, and I had no definite favorites, so it's probably good that I didn't - though it would be wondrous to know (then again, most people just got deferred, so there ya go).
My mom keeps asking me if I checked everything - over and over, so that now I'm starting to get nervous. Do you think they immediately chuck you into the "Reject" bin if you're ungrammatical? I had a momentary heart attack the other day because I went and checked what I've been calling my "diversity" essay, which went on to two or three college apps, and I thought that the horrific ending (which actually didn't make any sense) had been a part of the version I sent colleges. Luckily the Common App lets you view the apps you've sent, though you can't edit them, so I checked and it seems to be something I added later while trying to edit the essay...but still. It was a terrifying thought.
In other news, life chugs on. Between CIS, math and Econ, I'm swamped - though not over break, thank god. Everything that was due was due the week before break, which led to some major stress then, and some major relief now. So it all works out in the end.
Hopefully once the semester ends, and CIS/applications are over I'll have more time to do stuff like blog. I'm considering taking the CIS Writing class, so we'll see...it's possible the craziness will continue.
It's sad; I just finished all of my applications, and some people have already learned where they will be attending college next year. Stupid early decision-ers - not really though. I respect their ability to care enough to apply early, and I'm very excited for the few who did get accepted. To be honest, I thought I was going to die from stress if I applied early anywhere, and I had no definite favorites, so it's probably good that I didn't - though it would be wondrous to know (then again, most people just got deferred, so there ya go).
My mom keeps asking me if I checked everything - over and over, so that now I'm starting to get nervous. Do you think they immediately chuck you into the "Reject" bin if you're ungrammatical? I had a momentary heart attack the other day because I went and checked what I've been calling my "diversity" essay, which went on to two or three college apps, and I thought that the horrific ending (which actually didn't make any sense) had been a part of the version I sent colleges. Luckily the Common App lets you view the apps you've sent, though you can't edit them, so I checked and it seems to be something I added later while trying to edit the essay...but still. It was a terrifying thought.
In other news, life chugs on. Between CIS, math and Econ, I'm swamped - though not over break, thank god. Everything that was due was due the week before break, which led to some major stress then, and some major relief now. So it all works out in the end.
Hopefully once the semester ends, and CIS/applications are over I'll have more time to do stuff like blog. I'm considering taking the CIS Writing class, so we'll see...it's possible the craziness will continue.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Hunger Games and Life
So I shouldn't be writing this right now, I should be studying for my math test, BUT:
HUNGER GAMES TRAILER.
So: go look it up. I'll wait.
.
.
.
Back? Okay. Thoughts:
It looks awesome. I'm happy with pretty much everything in that trailer, from Jennifer Lawrence to Lenny Kravitz. Whoever is writing this score is bomb. The only thing I can come up with as a complaint is Donald Sutherland as President Snow isn't as creepy as I thought it would be; I was, for some unfathomable reason, essentially expecting Voldemort.
Now that that's over: general other stuff
I have some Ideas for blogs I kind of want to write, but I have no time, so those will have to wait. Hopefully I don't just lose interest, like I always do, but...well, it's me. Let's be real here.
Swimming is over, which would be sad, except it's not really. I kind of miss the team, but for the most part, I'm thrilled we're done. I'm also super duper excited for the end-of-the-season banquet, which should be fun - senior gifts! Yes, I am that selfish.
I never mentioned on here, but I got into the pit orchestra for the musical, which would be exciting, except they let in three flutes when they only needed one, maybe two. So I don't get to play that much. On the other hand, that means I get to sit out and not play at all for the first act during tech week, meaning I can actually get stuff done, which is fantastic.
I got a new phone; it's the iPhone 4s. My parents love me.
We're going to Chicago (ish; Hinsdale, which is nearby) for Thanksgiving, and I am massively excited. Have I mentioned I want to go away for college now? No? Well, I do. I want to leave so badly. Oh lord.
When I no longer have homework and college and fifteen billion books to read, I will post again. Don't hold your breath.
HUNGER GAMES TRAILER.
So: go look it up. I'll wait.
.
.
.
Back? Okay. Thoughts:
It looks awesome. I'm happy with pretty much everything in that trailer, from Jennifer Lawrence to Lenny Kravitz. Whoever is writing this score is bomb. The only thing I can come up with as a complaint is Donald Sutherland as President Snow isn't as creepy as I thought it would be; I was, for some unfathomable reason, essentially expecting Voldemort.
Now that that's over: general other stuff
I have some Ideas for blogs I kind of want to write, but I have no time, so those will have to wait. Hopefully I don't just lose interest, like I always do, but...well, it's me. Let's be real here.
Swimming is over, which would be sad, except it's not really. I kind of miss the team, but for the most part, I'm thrilled we're done. I'm also super duper excited for the end-of-the-season banquet, which should be fun - senior gifts! Yes, I am that selfish.
I never mentioned on here, but I got into the pit orchestra for the musical, which would be exciting, except they let in three flutes when they only needed one, maybe two. So I don't get to play that much. On the other hand, that means I get to sit out and not play at all for the first act during tech week, meaning I can actually get stuff done, which is fantastic.
I got a new phone; it's the iPhone 4s. My parents love me.
We're going to Chicago (ish; Hinsdale, which is nearby) for Thanksgiving, and I am massively excited. Have I mentioned I want to go away for college now? No? Well, I do. I want to leave so badly. Oh lord.
When I no longer have homework and college and fifteen billion books to read, I will post again. Don't hold your breath.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Teeeeeeeeth
So I got my wisdom teeth removed yesterday. I opted for laughing gas and Novocain, instead of general anesthesia, which meant, unfortunately, I was NOT loony and out-of-it after the procedure; it also means I was awake for the whole thing. So: Thoughts1. They actually use words like "suture" and "hemostat"! It was kind of cool.
2. I am a mouth-breather, and the laughing gas thing was on my nose, so I had to concentrate on breathing through my nose the whole time, and sometimes I forgot. Then I'd get more lucid. Then I'd realize I was lucid and start breathing through my nose again. Also, laughing gas makes you feel really, really weird.
3. I will never be able to look at those things they use to suck out your spit at the dentist's the same way ever again. Guess what they used it for in this operation? Yeah, that's right. Sucking out blood.
4. They have to give you Novocain using giant needles. In your mouth. Three shots per tooth, for a total of twelve. I am so proud of myself for not flipping out more than I did; that shit hurts. And those needles are HUGE.
5. The funny thing was, there's a difference between feeling and pressure; I had no feeling in my mouth, because of the Novocain, but for each tooth, they had to do something that involved some intense pressure, and I could feel that, and it's not like it hurt, per se, but....it almost did.
6. I wrote this blog post in my head to distract myself from the fact that they were cutting holes in my mouth and I was completely awake.
7. I can cross Vicodin off my list of potentially addictive substances: it makes me nauseous.
2. I am a mouth-breather, and the laughing gas thing was on my nose, so I had to concentrate on breathing through my nose the whole time, and sometimes I forgot. Then I'd get more lucid. Then I'd realize I was lucid and start breathing through my nose again. Also, laughing gas makes you feel really, really weird.
3. I will never be able to look at those things they use to suck out your spit at the dentist's the same way ever again. Guess what they used it for in this operation? Yeah, that's right. Sucking out blood.
4. They have to give you Novocain using giant needles. In your mouth. Three shots per tooth, for a total of twelve. I am so proud of myself for not flipping out more than I did; that shit hurts. And those needles are HUGE.
5. The funny thing was, there's a difference between feeling and pressure; I had no feeling in my mouth, because of the Novocain, but for each tooth, they had to do something that involved some intense pressure, and I could feel that, and it's not like it hurt, per se, but....it almost did.
6. I wrote this blog post in my head to distract myself from the fact that they were cutting holes in my mouth and I was completely awake.
7. I can cross Vicodin off my list of potentially addictive substances: it makes me nauseous.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
So I sort of dropped off the Earth for a while
Yeah. School started, and it's senior year, and while the first week wasn't all that bad, after that...things spiraled, pretty quick. Part of it was the mystery party a friend and I planned, which meant I was spending pretty much every free moment writing characters so that they would all have motives and goals. The other parts were swimming, English, math, and college essays.
It pretty much all peaked/climaxed that week before our birthday party, plateaued (spelling?) and stayed horrifying stressful until this week. Last week was especially bad; my iPhone was stolen, and on top of that I was extremely hormonal, which magnified ever little thing, until I ended up having a minor breakdown on Thursday.
This week's been better; my outlook's improved, I feel like I'm actually getting things done for college, all that good stuff. So hooray for non-hormonalness (unfortunately, I think it may be my mom's turn as she's been rather...on edge recently)!
Meanwhile, I've been trying to watch things, but Fox is being stupid and not letting people watch their shows until over a week after they've been aired. It's especially annoying to see that there's an episode of Fringe and I just can't watch it because I don't have Dish network or whatever.
(Fringe is the best show ever by the way.)
Anyway though, this was mainly just supposed to be an "I'm back" type announcement! Hopefully I'll get better at keeping up again...
It pretty much all peaked/climaxed that week before our birthday party, plateaued (spelling?) and stayed horrifying stressful until this week. Last week was especially bad; my iPhone was stolen, and on top of that I was extremely hormonal, which magnified ever little thing, until I ended up having a minor breakdown on Thursday.
This week's been better; my outlook's improved, I feel like I'm actually getting things done for college, all that good stuff. So hooray for non-hormonalness (unfortunately, I think it may be my mom's turn as she's been rather...on edge recently)!
Meanwhile, I've been trying to watch things, but Fox is being stupid and not letting people watch their shows until over a week after they've been aired. It's especially annoying to see that there's an episode of Fringe and I just can't watch it because I don't have Dish network or whatever.
(Fringe is the best show ever by the way.)
Anyway though, this was mainly just supposed to be an "I'm back" type announcement! Hopefully I'll get better at keeping up again...
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