I mean summer reading.
I should be researching and writing my David Copperfield paper, but that's not due till Friday, so what the hell. Instead of wondering how everything is going to get done--my paper, cleaning before my roommate, friend, and family arrive, and packing up the apartment--I'm watching television. I think it's a much worse time of my holiday, but much more enjoyable.
Anyway, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer, especially if you're already done with school. So I thought I'd post my summer reading list. Last year I went in for the 16 Books in 16 Weeks Challenge and came up short. So I decided to only choose ten books this summer. I was going to add cover art, but it exceeded 1 megagigabyte and Blogger yelled at me.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
For my (un)genrefied book club with Nancy Pearl, we're reading fantasy quest fiction, and I thought I'd take on this 700 page monster. Sadly, I will be back in Utah when the group meets, but I do love me some quest fantasy. Also, I don't have HBO, so I have to read the damn thing.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
This very well might by the leviathan of my summer reading, but I've always wanted to read this great American novel.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Reading all about David Copperfield has made me want to reread my favorite Dickens novel.
Wise Children by Angela Carter
I love Ms Carter's feminist retelling of fairy tales in The Bloody Chamber, and I've wanted to read one her novels. This was suggested by Slarue and Nancy Pearl.
Old School by Tobias Wolff
This is a slim novel about a boy a prep school and a beastly literary competition.
The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
I love the Robber Bridegroom/Mr. Fox/Bluebeard fairy tale, and here Ms Atwood riffs on the familiar tale to explore a femme fatale in the lives of three women.
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
This is a memoir about a young girl growing up in a small town in America's heartland.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I've long wanted to read this futuristic, dystopian novel, and I recently acquired a free copy.
Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
I love food writing, and this is apparently the best new thing in the genre.
Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Best known as Kelly Kapoor on The Office, I can't wait to read her new book of essays which is apparently like Bossypants only for the younger, single, and childless set.
I hope you're all enjoying Memorial Day like Chloe Sevigny remembering your memories:
Happy Holiday!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Song of the Summer
zOMG! Second post in a week! I am starting to think about my summer playlist (a future post to look forward to!), but first we need to decide what the new 2011 summer songs are going to be. The ones blasting out of car stereos and barbecue mixes everywhere. There are the big summer mega-hits like Rihanna's "Umbrella," Beyonce's "Crazy in Love," Gnarls Barkely's "Crazy," Katy Perry's "California Gurls," etc. Then there are the slightly more alternative and indie songs that have great summer energy: Jack's Mannequin's Everything in Transit comes to mind. So what are people going to listen to this summer?
Since I don't listen to the radio or read Picthfork, I have to rely on TBTL which every year tries to answer that question with their TBT ella ella Song of Summer contest. The constant tension lies between predicting the true song of the summer which might end up being Katy Perry or Black Eyed Peas OR choosing the indie/alt song they actually want to listen to all summer. In 2008 listeners chose Little Jackie's "The Stoop" which wasn't actually released as a single, but small details right? In 2009 they chose "1901" by Phoenix, an excellent pick. In 2010 the listeners actually voted in "California Gurls" which was a tragedy for everyone. Currently, they are sifting through the nominees. Some of which are as follows:
Rolling in the Deep by ADELE
First of all, even though I came to the Adele party late, it's amazing! Second of all, it's already huge and probably will continue to be huge throughout the summer. Who can resist that sweet, sweet soul sound? You can't help but dance.
Money Grabber by Fitz and the Tantrums
Another indie-soul song. I like this one a lot too, but I'm not sure how memorable it is.
Price Tag by Jessie J.
This song, released as a single back in January, may still become one of the huge hits this summer.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People
This is an indie synthpop band, and this track is pretty chill, maybe too chill to be a summer jam, and slightly repetitive but still good. (Also, the drummer is kind of cute in a classic, all-American way.)
Turn Off This Song and Go Outside by The Lonely Forest
The Lonely Forest is a Washington band that sounds a lot like Death Cab, but this is still a pretty great jam for summer, as evidence by the 4th of July setting.
You Are Not a Robot by Hoodie Allen
I almost always enjoy some white rap (does that make me racist? probably). Anyway, it's a pretty fun song.
Nova by The Sound of Arrows
This is a Swedish pop duo working out of the UK bringing us some sugary 80s-style pop songs with a dose of gayness thrown in for good measure. Who could not love that?
Those seven songs will probably be on my playlist. Some other songs for consideration (that I myself don't quite love) include Lights by Ellie Goulding, Super Bass by Nicki Minaj, Where Not to Look for Freedom by The Belle Brigade, Well OK Honey by Jenny O., and Slippin' by Quadron.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What music are you going to be listening to this summer?
Since I don't listen to the radio or read Picthfork, I have to rely on TBTL which every year tries to answer that question with their TBT ella ella Song of Summer contest. The constant tension lies between predicting the true song of the summer which might end up being Katy Perry or Black Eyed Peas OR choosing the indie/alt song they actually want to listen to all summer. In 2008 listeners chose Little Jackie's "The Stoop" which wasn't actually released as a single, but small details right? In 2009 they chose "1901" by Phoenix, an excellent pick. In 2010 the listeners actually voted in "California Gurls" which was a tragedy for everyone. Currently, they are sifting through the nominees. Some of which are as follows:
Rolling in the Deep by ADELE
First of all, even though I came to the Adele party late, it's amazing! Second of all, it's already huge and probably will continue to be huge throughout the summer. Who can resist that sweet, sweet soul sound? You can't help but dance.
Money Grabber by Fitz and the Tantrums
Another indie-soul song. I like this one a lot too, but I'm not sure how memorable it is.
Price Tag by Jessie J.
This song, released as a single back in January, may still become one of the huge hits this summer.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People
This is an indie synthpop band, and this track is pretty chill, maybe too chill to be a summer jam, and slightly repetitive but still good. (Also, the drummer is kind of cute in a classic, all-American way.)
Turn Off This Song and Go Outside by The Lonely Forest
The Lonely Forest is a Washington band that sounds a lot like Death Cab, but this is still a pretty great jam for summer, as evidence by the 4th of July setting.
You Are Not a Robot by Hoodie Allen
I almost always enjoy some white rap (does that make me racist? probably). Anyway, it's a pretty fun song.
Nova by The Sound of Arrows
This is a Swedish pop duo working out of the UK bringing us some sugary 80s-style pop songs with a dose of gayness thrown in for good measure. Who could not love that?
Those seven songs will probably be on my playlist. Some other songs for consideration (that I myself don't quite love) include Lights by Ellie Goulding, Super Bass by Nicki Minaj, Where Not to Look for Freedom by The Belle Brigade, Well OK Honey by Jenny O., and Slippin' by Quadron.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What music are you going to be listening to this summer?
Sunday, May 22, 2011
O Blog, Thou Art Sick
I have neglected my poor blog, and the less I write the less it is read. (I have also been reading others' blogs less.) I am unsure if I will keep blogging in the future. I suppose I will see what happens this summer.*
I am nearly done with graduate school. On Friday I had my last lecture in 508--The History of Recorded Information. There are still two more weeks of classes, but those will be taken up by student presentations. And yesterday, I had my last class with Nancy Pearl in Readers Advisory. I am nearing the end--and I do mean The End. All I see is a great abyss in front of me. (The world may have survived yesterday, but we still have 2012 to get through.) Anyway, aside from my presentation, I also have a 20 page paper to write for 508. My topic is on Charles Dickens as the professional author and serial publication in the Victorian Age as manifested primarily by David Copperfield (and The Pickwick Papers). I have been able to handle the original monthly issues of David Copperfield which are held by UW's Special Collections. I need to finish my research this week, and then pound out a 20 page paper the week after. I hope I can still do it; I haven't had to write a paper that long since 2007 during my final undergraduate semesters at SUU.
I have been very disheartened by my experience with the iSchool and the UW and academia at large, but I really haven't been able to express my dissatisfaction. On Friday's class though, I had an epiphany as represented by Walt Whitman and Melvil Dewey. My personal experience with my high school and undergraduate education was Whitmanesque: expansive, embracing, affirming.** However, my experience with the Information School has been Deweyan, which is to say monomaniacal. It is a trend I fear is taking place in education at all levels--learning is a business with a focus on test scores and analytical intelligence. Where is the critical thinking? Where are the arts? Where is the humanism? In the end I have been buried in debt, and I wonder "Have I grown intellectually? Have I been prepared [for the MLIS is a professional degree] to be a librarian?" I really don't know.
*Speaking of the summer, I will be moving back in with my parents in June (education and the economy are in fantastic shape!). I am, however, excited to be back in Utah, for a while anyway. (And, also, I might just miss Seattle, but just barely.) I keep forgetting that it will not be summer vacation--a stasis in my personal and academic-now-professional life spent drinking iced coffees and reading books by the pool--it will be consumed by job hunting (my least favorite thing in the world), and hopefully before the summer's over I will have a real-life, professional, adult job--somewhere--and be moving again (my second least favorite thing in the world).
**I just wanted to quote the first and last stanzas of Leaves of Grass (the 1855 edition):
I celebrate myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease . . . observing a spear of summer grass.
. . .
You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop some where waiting for you.
I am nearly done with graduate school. On Friday I had my last lecture in 508--The History of Recorded Information. There are still two more weeks of classes, but those will be taken up by student presentations. And yesterday, I had my last class with Nancy Pearl in Readers Advisory. I am nearing the end--and I do mean The End. All I see is a great abyss in front of me. (The world may have survived yesterday, but we still have 2012 to get through.) Anyway, aside from my presentation, I also have a 20 page paper to write for 508. My topic is on Charles Dickens as the professional author and serial publication in the Victorian Age as manifested primarily by David Copperfield (and The Pickwick Papers). I have been able to handle the original monthly issues of David Copperfield which are held by UW's Special Collections. I need to finish my research this week, and then pound out a 20 page paper the week after. I hope I can still do it; I haven't had to write a paper that long since 2007 during my final undergraduate semesters at SUU.
I have been very disheartened by my experience with the iSchool and the UW and academia at large, but I really haven't been able to express my dissatisfaction. On Friday's class though, I had an epiphany as represented by Walt Whitman and Melvil Dewey. My personal experience with my high school and undergraduate education was Whitmanesque: expansive, embracing, affirming.** However, my experience with the Information School has been Deweyan, which is to say monomaniacal. It is a trend I fear is taking place in education at all levels--learning is a business with a focus on test scores and analytical intelligence. Where is the critical thinking? Where are the arts? Where is the humanism? In the end I have been buried in debt, and I wonder "Have I grown intellectually? Have I been prepared [for the MLIS is a professional degree] to be a librarian?" I really don't know.
*Speaking of the summer, I will be moving back in with my parents in June (education and the economy are in fantastic shape!). I am, however, excited to be back in Utah, for a while anyway. (And, also, I might just miss Seattle, but just barely.) I keep forgetting that it will not be summer vacation--a stasis in my personal and academic-now-professional life spent drinking iced coffees and reading books by the pool--it will be consumed by job hunting (my least favorite thing in the world), and hopefully before the summer's over I will have a real-life, professional, adult job--somewhere--and be moving again (my second least favorite thing in the world).
**I just wanted to quote the first and last stanzas of Leaves of Grass (the 1855 edition):
I celebrate myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease . . . observing a spear of summer grass.
. . .
You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.
Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop some where waiting for you.
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