Hey kids! It's been forever since I've posted anything, but I'm taking time out of my fabulously busy life (lies) to recommend a book to you. It's called All Unquiet Things, and it's written by Anna Jarzab. I have long been a fan of murder mysteries, but I'll be the first to tell you that this novel is nothing like the insipid life stories of some of the adult murder mystery heroines (I'm looking at you, Jill Churchill and Joanne Fluke!) who spend half the novel correcting grammar and drooling over their current heart-throb.
The story follows the lives of Neily Monroe and Audrey Ribelli (though mostly Neily) as they investigate the murder of Carly Ribelli, Neily's ex and Audrey's cousin-cum-sister. Audrey's father was convicted of Carly's murder and locked up, but some elements of the story don't add up for Audrey who convinces Neily to help her open a dangerous investigation that flirts with the world of drug dealing. A slew of colorful characters keep the story interesting and surprising, but what makes the story a success is the inner dialogue of Neily.
Dumped in a wildly public and embarrassing fashion by Carly for resident bad boy Adam, Neily seems intent on convincing both the reader and himself that, even though she's dead, he hates Carly more than he loves her and that forgiveness for her actions is not an option. While it's clear from page one (well, maybe page two) that this is not the case for the reader, Neily's struggle with himself is raw and touching. You can feel the ache of the boy who can't understand what happened to the girl he loved. His inability to reconcile the Carly he knew with the girl who was murder at the start of their Junior year makes for an emotional read.
Audrey, on the other hand, is determined to clear her father's name. A life-long alcoholic, Enzo Ribelli estranged his family and has only begun to rebuild his relationship with his only child now that he's locked behind bars. Having lost her father once before to booze, Audrey is unable to lose him again to the legal system without fighting what she knows is a lie. Yes, her grief over losing her cousin and the closest thing she had to a sister is a motivator for her, but Enzo's incarceration is by far the most important injustice she's fighting. Nevermind that her boyfriend of two years and Adam's best friend, Cass, dumped her after her father was convicted because it would tarnish his name.
The eventual conclusion of "who done it" seemed a little unnatural to me, and I had trouble believing it when Neily and Audrey ultimately realized it, but I can't seem to fault the book for that. To me, this story was primarily about Neily's struggle to forgive Carly, and all other plots were secondary.
3 1/2 of 5 stars.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
:D
So I haven't posted in a bajillion years and this is random, but does anyone else watch those home improvement shows and wonder if they're the only woman in the world who isn't afraid to bash a wall with a sledgehammer? All these useless wives stand around tapping the walls with the hammer, making that pathetic "ehn, eeehn" noise because the hammer weighs more than them. Totally ridiculous.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Pro Tip of the Day!
Hating someone because a person or a book told you to is generally considered foolish and makes you into an asshole.
As a side note: If the Bible was written by men who are not infallible, it can be logically reasoned that the Bible is also not infallible. But Bible-thumpers aren't really into logic or reason, are they?
As a side note: If the Bible was written by men who are not infallible, it can be logically reasoned that the Bible is also not infallible. But Bible-thumpers aren't really into logic or reason, are they?
Saturday, May 28, 2011
No Angst This Time! :D
Hey kids, it's time for a post on a particulaly awesome day in my life.
Thursday night, I discovered the perfect cut jeans for myself but couldn't find my size in my price range, so Friday started out with me finally finding them (and my butt looks stellar in them, thank you), and the library had one of my favorite movies (Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie), and then boyfriend and I shared a bloomin' onion for dinner and caught a movie I've been dying to see since it was in production. It's called "FORKS OVER KNIVES," and it's a documentary on how nutirtion affects diseases of affluence (heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, etc.). It's based, largely, off the work of Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, and T. Colin Campbell, MD. I don't currently have time to write a full review of the film (will follow, no worries), but it's amazing. I can't say it changed my life because Campbell's book, The China Study, already did, but it changed boyfriend's. That alone makes driving past four theaters to get to the only one showing FOK worth it.
SO! Hometown peeps, head out to the plaza and WATCH IT. It'll make you think. This is one of the few films I've seen where movie goers clustered outside the exit to chat about what they'd seen and ask serious, thoughtful questions.
Also, boyfriend is amazing and y'all should be jealous. :D
Thursday night, I discovered the perfect cut jeans for myself but couldn't find my size in my price range, so Friday started out with me finally finding them (and my butt looks stellar in them, thank you), and the library had one of my favorite movies (Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie), and then boyfriend and I shared a bloomin' onion for dinner and caught a movie I've been dying to see since it was in production. It's called "FORKS OVER KNIVES," and it's a documentary on how nutirtion affects diseases of affluence (heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, etc.). It's based, largely, off the work of Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, and T. Colin Campbell, MD. I don't currently have time to write a full review of the film (will follow, no worries), but it's amazing. I can't say it changed my life because Campbell's book, The China Study, already did, but it changed boyfriend's. That alone makes driving past four theaters to get to the only one showing FOK worth it.
SO! Hometown peeps, head out to the plaza and WATCH IT. It'll make you think. This is one of the few films I've seen where movie goers clustered outside the exit to chat about what they'd seen and ask serious, thoughtful questions.
Also, boyfriend is amazing and y'all should be jealous. :D
Friday, May 6, 2011
Frustrations
As my junior/senior/third/whatever year draws to a close, I'm learning a few things about myself. Throughout college, I have not been a partier. I went to one frat party. It took me two years in my a cappella group to actually start going to their parties with any regularity (and I'm still an uncommon sight among them). This week, however, I apparently donned a new personality and spent both Tuesday and Thursday night partying how I never imagined I would. I went to my first bar and a boy I'm not dating bought me my first shot. I danced with strangers. I got an all-you-can-drink bracelet. I am retrospectively hating myself.
I don't get hangovers. A little dehydrated, sure. I do not sleep til noon and crawl out of bed with a headache the size of my regret and nurse coffee for the next three hours. Even so, I can feel that I'm not on my game and I hate the idea that I can't lose myself in fun unless I've had a few drinks. I also hate getting exciting news via text and being too disoriented to properly care about it.
I think there are just too many things happening at once. I start partying right before a bunch of my friends are graduating and the frustration with myself doubles the sadness and confusion of people disappearing from my life. I haven't actually hung out with my best friend in over two weeks (he doesn't drink and so did not join us for Tuesday and Thursday) and I hate ending my semester on this note. I'm going to go home for three months where my family antagonizes my veganism and everything is dirty all the time and I have to pretend that I haven't changed since high school so I can keep up with the mindless banter with the old friends who live in town. I get so accustomed to being free and totally myself here that it drives me nuts to go "home" and be someone else.
I am looking forward to being closer to Tristan, though. Long-distance, while feasible, is not something that either of us has particularly enjoyed and it'll be nice to be in the same area again. Admittedly, we'll still be 40-60 minutes apart, but that's better than 3-4 hours by a long shot. I just want to be like we were last fall when campus was warm and he was here and I got to live in my house and no one judged me for my choices and there was dancing and beach excursions and picnics and late nights watching Whose Line with the bff.
I know my life is easier than most, and I do appreciate the good in my life. I guess sometimes I just get tired of being the shoulder that's cried on and never getting to vent myself, you know?
I need to go before I whine too much more.
I need to get out.
I don't get hangovers. A little dehydrated, sure. I do not sleep til noon and crawl out of bed with a headache the size of my regret and nurse coffee for the next three hours. Even so, I can feel that I'm not on my game and I hate the idea that I can't lose myself in fun unless I've had a few drinks. I also hate getting exciting news via text and being too disoriented to properly care about it.
I think there are just too many things happening at once. I start partying right before a bunch of my friends are graduating and the frustration with myself doubles the sadness and confusion of people disappearing from my life. I haven't actually hung out with my best friend in over two weeks (he doesn't drink and so did not join us for Tuesday and Thursday) and I hate ending my semester on this note. I'm going to go home for three months where my family antagonizes my veganism and everything is dirty all the time and I have to pretend that I haven't changed since high school so I can keep up with the mindless banter with the old friends who live in town. I get so accustomed to being free and totally myself here that it drives me nuts to go "home" and be someone else.
I am looking forward to being closer to Tristan, though. Long-distance, while feasible, is not something that either of us has particularly enjoyed and it'll be nice to be in the same area again. Admittedly, we'll still be 40-60 minutes apart, but that's better than 3-4 hours by a long shot. I just want to be like we were last fall when campus was warm and he was here and I got to live in my house and no one judged me for my choices and there was dancing and beach excursions and picnics and late nights watching Whose Line with the bff.
I know my life is easier than most, and I do appreciate the good in my life. I guess sometimes I just get tired of being the shoulder that's cried on and never getting to vent myself, you know?
I need to go before I whine too much more.
I need to get out.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Regrets
Mike's Hard Lemonade and an empty house make me think stupid things. Then again, given my absurd tolerance for alcohol, I think it's just the house. Or maybe I'm just lonely. I hate tonight.
Dear everyone,
Don't give up on a relationship (and I'm talking platonic here) just because it feels a little awkward now and then. Don't give yourself a reason to regret people and friendships that you could have stuck with. I feel like such a moron some days.
To the people I've hurt: I'm sorry. I'm a mess of a person, and while it's not a good excuse for the trouble I've caused you, I hope it will help you understand. I didn't mean to cause anyone pain. I'm just really dumb sometimes. I hope someday you can forgive me.
This is for several people, but one in particular, and I strongly doubt that any of them will read this. Maybe the effort counts a little in karma.
I'm going to do better. I'm going to be better. I hope we'll be friends again some day.
Dear everyone,
Don't give up on a relationship (and I'm talking platonic here) just because it feels a little awkward now and then. Don't give yourself a reason to regret people and friendships that you could have stuck with. I feel like such a moron some days.
To the people I've hurt: I'm sorry. I'm a mess of a person, and while it's not a good excuse for the trouble I've caused you, I hope it will help you understand. I didn't mean to cause anyone pain. I'm just really dumb sometimes. I hope someday you can forgive me.
This is for several people, but one in particular, and I strongly doubt that any of them will read this. Maybe the effort counts a little in karma.
I'm going to do better. I'm going to be better. I hope we'll be friends again some day.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
It's Official
I'm going vegan.
As many of you know, I've been a vegetarian for close to three years now (March 18th). I know many people who have made the jump to veganism and rave about it, and I've been in a bit of a rut lately emotionally and physically. I'm always tired, I'm frequently depressed, I never want to exercise, blah blah blah. And I'm sick of it.
So I told myself I'd go vegan for a week. I don't mean going out and buying a week's worth of Amy's frozen vegan meals (which are delicious, by the way, and I'm in no way slamming the line), I mean real cook-for-yourself and actually-buy-vegetables kind of vegan. It's been two full days and I feel incredible.
This morning, I didn't shut my alarm off and roll over again for the first time in two months. I worked out. Even though classes were cancelled and I mostly lazed around the house, I feel like my body is happier with me. I haven't been depressed all week. I'm learning to bake vegan (which so far is equally as tasty and doens't make my stomach hurt afterwards (I'm also lactose-intolerant and used to ignore that and eat cheese anyway)).
Long story short, I can't wait to see the long-term benefits. If two days can make me feel like this, I will happily be in it for the long-haul. And no, I won't berate anyone for not being a vegan or jump on a soapbox and preach like the vegangelicals do, but I will be happy to cook for anyone and show them how tasty and healthy this lifestyle can be.
Here's to a new me. =)
As many of you know, I've been a vegetarian for close to three years now (March 18th). I know many people who have made the jump to veganism and rave about it, and I've been in a bit of a rut lately emotionally and physically. I'm always tired, I'm frequently depressed, I never want to exercise, blah blah blah. And I'm sick of it.
So I told myself I'd go vegan for a week. I don't mean going out and buying a week's worth of Amy's frozen vegan meals (which are delicious, by the way, and I'm in no way slamming the line), I mean real cook-for-yourself and actually-buy-vegetables kind of vegan. It's been two full days and I feel incredible.
This morning, I didn't shut my alarm off and roll over again for the first time in two months. I worked out. Even though classes were cancelled and I mostly lazed around the house, I feel like my body is happier with me. I haven't been depressed all week. I'm learning to bake vegan (which so far is equally as tasty and doens't make my stomach hurt afterwards (I'm also lactose-intolerant and used to ignore that and eat cheese anyway)).
Long story short, I can't wait to see the long-term benefits. If two days can make me feel like this, I will happily be in it for the long-haul. And no, I won't berate anyone for not being a vegan or jump on a soapbox and preach like the vegangelicals do, but I will be happy to cook for anyone and show them how tasty and healthy this lifestyle can be.
Here's to a new me. =)
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