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[28 Aug 2008|06:54pm] |
How the fuck is it that my two best friends of all-time (a.) are twenty eight and twenty six, (b.) live six and a half hours away, (c.) still call me "darlin'", (d.) still say "intoxicated", (e.) still apologize for their language, and (f.) still drive down here every other weekend?
I have some free time this weekend, I plan on going through my friends' lists. Reading, commenting, updating, and getting to know my new ones. For those that want to still read mine (and want me to read theirs, starting this weekend. [shit, again, I apologize for my slacking, I have made a resolution that I will certainly stick to]), please let me know, here. I know it's asking a whole buncha lot, but if you could also just let me know maybe where I know you from, remind me of some of the gnarly conversations we've shared, and also just tell me why you're awesome for being so patient, shit, that'd mean so very much, and I'd be forever in your debt. For those that would rather me unfriend them, or those that would rather unfriend me, or those that are on edge (or unsure), let me know that, too, and I will do my best to help you out, as well.
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| Valley of the Horses - Jean M. Auel |
[25 Aug 2008|07:25pm] |
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Synopsis
This unforgettable odyssey into the distant past carries us back to the awesome mysteries of the exotic, primeval world of The Clan of the Cave Bear, and to Ayla, now grown into a beautiful and courageous young woman.
Cruelly cast out by the new leader of the ancient Clan that adopted her as a child, Ayla leaves those she loves behind and travels alone through a stark, open land filled with dangerous animals but few people, searching for the Others, tall and fair like herself. The short summer gives her little time to look, and when she finds a sheltered valley with a herd of hardy steppe horses, she decides to stay and prepare for the long glacial winter ahead. Living with the Clan has taught Ayla many skills but not real hunting. She finally knows she can survive when she traps a horse, which gives her meat and a warm pelt for the winter, but fate has bestowed a greater gift, an orphaned foal with whom she develops a unique kinship. One winter extends to more; she discovers a way to make fire more quickly and a wounded cave lion cub joins her unusual family, but her beloved animals don’t fulfill her restless need for human companionship. Then she hears the sound of a man screaming in pain. She saves tall, handsome Jondalar, who brings her a language to speak and an awakening of love and desire, but Ayla is torn between her fear of leaving her valley and her hope of living with her own kind.
What I thought
I'm not sure I actually reviewed Clan of the Cave Bear on here, I suppose I've read it so many times that it would be just repetitive to me. The series itself is a musing on what happened in the times when Cromagnons and Neanderthals coexisted revolving, on Ayla, a Cromagnon girl raised by a Neanderthal family. While the first book is central to how the Neanderthal society runs and how the differences in brain structure and looks make getting along difficult for Ayla. The second book, the one I'm actually reviewing centers on Ayla on her own and Jondalar and his brother on their Journey to follow the great Mother River to the sea. For the most part, it is a story of singular, lonely survival - until she meets Jondalar. Though nothing can hold a candle to Clan of the Cave Bear, this story has its unique merits. Each discovery made by Ayla or Jondalar could have been made by any man in that time period and has had profound impacts on today's society, Auel just gives a name to the characters that make these discoveries. Of course there are the quite juicy parts, that are almost cold shower unnecessarily graphic. There are only a few scenes of this manner, but it really is almost pornographic. Not that parts of me don't appreciate that.
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| Shelfari |
[25 Aug 2008|02:23pm] |
I doubt highly that anyone that reads this is quite as lame as I am in this way, BUT:
If anyone has a Shelfari account, you should add me! It's a reviewing site for books, but even if you're not into reviewing, you can show off your shelf. *Sigh* I'm so lame.
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| The Sound of Madness - Shinedown |
[20 Aug 2008|07:44pm] |
I want to start by saying how much I enjoyed the first two albums that Shinedown put out. They're one of the few bands that I can listen to the first few bars of a song and give you both a title and an album name. This, for those that don't know me, is very rare - I don't have a memory for names at all.
Saying that, I think that on first listen this is my favorite album they've put out to date. It's a little bit angrier than the last two albums, almost seems like they were taking a few lessons from Disturbed and applying it to their style. It's still definitely a Shinedown album, but I hear a little more "rap metal" than we did in previous albums, first two songs (Devour and The Sound of Madness) especially showing their anger at the world. In fact after those two songs the influence seems to almost fade completely and they're just Shinedown jamming as always until Sin with a Grin. There are still the beautiful ballads, Second Chance, which jumped out at me with it's lyrics. The Crow & the Butterfly is another notable ballad from this album, and What a Shame is almost a throw back to when they covered Simple Man - very simple lyrics and pretty tame musically, but beautiful nonetheless.
My biggest complaint with this album is the last song, Call Me. Seriously, Shinedown, what the fuck is with the boy band sound? I enjoy pop music as much as the next dopey girl, but when I listen to Shinedown I don't really want to hear it. This constitutes and major loss of points. What ... the ... fuck ...
Strong guitar riffs, poetic lyrics, soft ballads. Still not one of the best albums of all time, it is Neu Metal, making it much like many other artists: Breaking Benjamin, etc; but a solid overall album.
I just saw Halley’s comet; she waved
Said “why you always running in place?
Even the man in the moon disappeared
Somewhere in the stratosphere.”
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| The Host - Stephanie Meyer |
[20 Aug 2008|01:06pm] |
Publishers Weekly
In this tantalizing SF thriller, planet-hopping parasites are inserting their silvery centipede selves into human brains, curing cancer, eliminating war and turning Earth into paradise. But some people want Earth back, warts and all, especially Melanie Stryder, who refuses to surrender, even after being captured in Chicago and becoming a host for a "soul" called Wanderer. Melanie uses her surviving brain cells to persuade Wanderer to help search for her loved ones in the Arizona desert. When the pair find Melanie's brother and her boyfriend in a hidden rebel cell led by her uncle, Wanderer is at first hated. Once the rebels accept Wanderer, whom they dub Wanda, Wanda's whole perspective on humanity changes. While the straightforward narrative is short on detail about the invasion and its stunning aftermath, it shines with romantic intrigue, especially when a love triangle (or quadrangle?!) develops for Wanda/Melanie.
What I Thought
Stand aside Bella Swan, Wanda and Mel make a much more interesting heroine than she ever could. The Host is not the most original of plots, body-snatching is a fairly common science fiction motif - but as far as I know it's one of the few that sympathizes even remotely with the aliens. The questions it raises about humanity and what makes a "human" as we think of ourselves are really interesting. Are we human because of our bodies, or are we human because of the essense or soul within us? It is no slip of the pen that Meyer called the aliens souls rather than parasites or aliens. It makes them seem far more ... human-esque.
That being said, it is definitely still a Meyer book. I am pleased with the way her writing is evolving, but at the same time there is something teenage girl juvenile about her style. Calling this an adult book is almost laughable. I'd give it young adult for mature themes at the oldest, more likely older teens though would enjoy this.
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| Tick Tick Tick BOOM |
[20 Aug 2008|01:05pm] |
I've never held much stock in the "biological clock" theory. Frankly, up until recently I wasn't even sure I even wanted to have children, period. Granted, I've always understood the reasoning behind the 'biological clock' - in prehistoric times humankind only lived X number of years and needed to reproduce in order to advance the species. We really haven't evolved a whole hell of a lot since then. I know that too.
So, following suit, our biological clock probably really hasn't evolved much beyond what is was then. However, some part of me has always said that as 'advanced' as we are, women should be able to ignore the biological clock and have children as it suits us. I'm 21, I'm not anywhere near done with college, I work at Walmart, I want to travel, and I want to have a comfortable home life before I even think about a family. In a nutshell: I'm not ready for children.
[[Though I suppose, on that kind of logic I'll never be ready; there will always be something that I want to improve on before I bring a child into my life. Though this really has nothing to do with my point.]]
So why the hell is it that every time I see a child these days below the age of, oh say, 12 I want to take him home with me. It's not just the "awww, it's a BABY!" reaction either. It's a full force, "I want to have someone to take care of and coddle and raise and be frustrated with and teach to be an adult," kind of feeling. Working at Sunshine Camp really cemented in my mind that maybe one day I could do this, and be a good parent too; which was part of my reasoning for not really wanting children - self doubt. Then being at Walmart every damned day, seeing the most adorable and most obnoxious side of most children, I'm drawn to them more than I ever have been in my life.
It drives me crazy seeing parents buying all the food for their numerous young children with food stamps because they were unready for parenthood; but for some reason I can't even condemn them anymore. In fact I'm envious; food stamps and all.
My mind is asking me why I'm being such a fucking moron, but the rest of me wants a child far sooner than I know I'm ready for. Stupid biology and stupid survival of the species.
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