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  • el Seco: Next up, Mansfield Park
  • Giullieta: Two questions: What ever happened to AZboy, and will he be coming to the reunion?
  • Dubya: So what's after Mansfield Park?
  • el Seco: Next up: Emma. In September.
  • Dubya: Well I just finished Mansfield Park. My favorite by far.
  • Dubya: I'm hoping I get done with Dostoevsky's "The Idiot" by September.
  • Green: I started reading The Idiot about a year ago, but I quit because the translation was so bad.
  • Dubya: Yeah I sort of quit already too. Not sure who the translator is on this one but I wasn't enjoying it one bit.
  • Green: Best Russian translators: Pevear and Volokhonsky. According to me, anyway.
  • janeheiress: Emma is so hard to read! But I'm going to do it. And Pevear and Volokhonsky are fabulous, but I've only read Crime & Punishment.
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The Best Day of My Life

Several weeks ago a friend of mine, one of those people who just radiates awesome, started saying that it was the best day of her life--every day. Every time someone would ask her how her day was, she responded that it was the best day of her life. That got me thinking.

Recently I've had a total change of attitude about my life. It's not that I know anything I didn't know before, but things just came together. Sources of emotional turmoil removed themselves one by one, and all of a sudden there were lily fields in West Texas instead of the endless desert I had been trodding on for the past few years--flat lily fields, but lily fields nonetheless. To see the place I live in that light is essential for my happiness, since I am very much a frolicker, and you just can't do that in the desert. West Texas is finally my home, and the work I am doing is a privilege and not a duty. Even if there isn't one person here who completely understands me, there are plenty who appreciate me, and I love them dearly.

It's easier to smile (not that I didn't before, it just took effort), it's easier to sleep, I can be loud or dorky without worrying too much that I'm making a bad impression. And I finally understand what it's like to be tried by faith, and after a time see the rewards of persevering. I can't say I've gone through anything extreme, just a collection of "one thing after another" trials that continually threw me off balance, but it is a marvelous feeling to see that principle at work in my life. Life still has it's share of challenges, but for the first time since I moved out here I can say that I am unequivocally happy.

And I've been thinking about this "best day of my life" business. I understand there will always be those days when terrible things happen, or we make terrible mistakes. I understand that some of us must face uniquely difficult challenges in life. But aside from those (or perhaps even in spite of those), shouldn't every day be the best day of our lives? For the past couple of weeks I've been telling myself every day that it is the best day of my life. And it's true. I am a day wiser than I was every 24 hours previously. Even if something super awesome happened a week ago, I still have it in my memories. Even if I wasn't in the best mood, or had a stressful day at work, I can sigh with relief in the evening, acknowledge that I did at least one worthwhile thing, and think about how I am still moving in the right direction, how much better tomorrow will be.

So folks, I was tired all day, had bad hair, and felt fat, but today was the best day of my life!

posted by: | comments: 1
30 Aug 2010 10:49 pmcategories: Life observations

This Idiot

I've said before that Europeans are laid back, they let people be people, that you can be a neurotic mess or make a complete idiot of yourself, and that they are very forgiving and just gloss over it.  During my 28 years in America, I never felt that before, and truthfully my own insecurities made it so.  Perhaps the positive changes that have happened in me over these past two years were indeed brought about by my experience in Europe, but I know it doesn't mean that it couldn't have happened elsewhere. I guess it sometimes takes a drastic change to jolt yourself into constructive self-awareness.   

Sitting here, trying not to think about how sad I am because I'm leaving a place I love, I had an important realization. Even though I'm going home, back to a place where I'm afraid of insecurity washing over me like a tidal wave, there is indeed one place where there are people forgiving of me and my tendency to write before I think.  That's right here. I've said things I wish I hadn't, I haven't said things I wish I had, and more than half of what I say I wish I put differently. 

So thanks guys, for letting me be an idiot without ever feeling like one.  At times like this, when every tiny thing makes my heart ache, it helps to know that there are places where I'm allowed to be an emotional wreck, without having to worry about what people think. And yes, I am completely drunk with sentimentality right now, but y'all are the best.

 Much love,

 ~Giullieta 

posted by: | comments: 1
29 Aug 2010 6:55 pmcategories: Life observations

Overheard

Overheard in Starbucks:

{a young couple approach the counter}

GUY: How much is a small?

BARISTA: A small what?

GUY: {looks at girlfriend}

GIRL: How about a large?

BARISTA: A large what?

GIRL: Well we have a gift card with ten dollars, so we need to know how much it is for two larges.

BARISTA: Two. Large. What?

posted by: | comments: 2
22 Aug 2010 0:04 amcategories: Life observations

If Only

I’ve got a problem. Well, an addiction really.  Here I am, ready to start my life of emotional independence . . . and I can’t stop falling in love. I’m beginning to wonder if the two things are connected.  If they are, it is indeed a strange and frustrating connection. But I can’t help it, it just keeps happening, and after my most recent episode, I am kicking myself harder than I ever have before.

I will ask you to indulge me as I go on in detail.

Disclaimer: If you’re not up to reading a rant that is very long (and I do mean loooooong), very exhaustive, very, very sappy, and girly to the extreme, do not expand this rant. Consider yourself warned.

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posted by: | comments: 12
2 Aug 2010 1:38 pmcategories: Dating

Good Points

A few things:

1. Everyone should read Mansfield Park by Jane Austen right now. (That includes you, Green!)

2.  Inception was a good movie, and even though Janeheiress didn't like it, you should see it immediately. (That's right, I said it.)

3.  The only way to travel is with a good friend. (Like Atrayu.)

posted by: | comments: 20
26 Jul 2010 1:18 amcategories: Life observations

How to publish a book for teens:

It's actually really simple and doesn't take much thought. And I'm sure you don't even need much of a grasp of the mechanics of written English--that's what copyeditors are for, right?

Step 1: Pretend you're really sassy. Getting a sassy haircut and some edgy pictures of yourself always helps. Then put them up on your blog (and your facebook page) and be sure to mention them every hour or so on your twitter account.

Step 2: Immerse yourself in pop culture. The best way to do this is watch a lot of t.v. But make sure you dream about it. Dreams make the best premises for books, because they always seem really brilliant while we're sleeping or groggy.

Step 3: Now it's time to plan your hero. The hero has to have breath-taking good looks and mysterious manners. It's also prerequisite that he has to be or be involved with something supernatural. Don't worry--you can take whatever cliche you want for the supernatural part. Vampires, Werewolves, Fallen Angels, Incubus', Fairies, Alchemists ... they're all up for grabs, and you don't even have to be original. If you want to push the edge just a little bit, reverse the role a little bit and make the hero the "boy next door" while the girl has supernatural powers. But if you do this, make sure that all the characters somehow recognize something special about him that never gets explained. See, if it's apparent to your readers that your lead characters actually are special or different or courageous or strong, they'll find them too intimidating to read about.

Step 4: On to the heroine. First of all, it is absolutely imperative that the heroine has to act really stupid while claiming to be smart. The dumber the better. If you're struggling to find dumb things for her to do, just put her in a bunch of dangerous situations and have her act helpless and/or co-dependent. She might say she's read a bunch of classic literature and has always been ahead in school, but if she actually acts like she has a brain, it proves that she doesn't. Those are the only qualifying characteristics. And you must be absolutely certain you don't give her any personality. It ruins the story. Oh yeah, give her lots of stupid questions to ask, that way the hero can be as evasive as he wants. This will increase her fascination with him, especially if he acts like a jerk about it.

Step 4: Okay, let's talk about conflict. It can't be a real problem; it has to be trumped up, because in the end you're just going to resolve it by pretending it didn't exist in the first place.

Step 5: The plot's not too important either, because as long as you give intimate descriptions of the main characters having multiple DTRs, nothing really needs to happen. People only like to read about sexual tension, so if you've done your hero right and he's the mysterious bad boy he should be, the heroine is going to have enough internal dialogue just drooling over him and his expressions and the way he moves his body and the way he tries so hard to protect her from her own stupidity. There's no room for a plot if you set it up properly. If you don't trust me and are really worried about this, just add in some random make-out scenes; setting them in the rain or by the ocean after a swim is a nice touch.

Step 6: Minor characters aren't all that hard. There has to be a girl who is insanely jealous of the heroine, for whatever reason. Plus, there has to be another guy who has the hots for the lead girl, because no-one would believe, given how stupid she's behaving, that the guy isn't stupid for liking her unless there was another guy who felt the same way. Two guys falling for one stupid girl proves that everyone in this situation is really smart. Plus, with another guy on the scene, it makes it easier and more plausible to have all those DTRs that replace the plot. Make sure that if you mention any parents, well, it might be a good idea to conveniently do away with the parents by having them go out of town or by killing them off in the very beginning. If you can't do that in good conscience, just make them as stupid and clueless as the heroine--that makes sense, because the apple never falls far from the tree. If the hero has parents, which I would advise against, they have to be either mentally ill or sycophants. Siblings? Blood siblings will kill the story completely, so if you want siblings in the story, they have to be adopted. Friends must be the stupidest characters. They have to be unbelievably naive, and they have to get mad at the lead all the time, but they can't ever stay mad, because otherwise they wouldn't want to be involved in all the drama.

Step 7: Finally, it is extremely important to get the right cover art. Flowers, silky fabric, or fruit always works well, but don't go with any background color other than black, and make sure there's lots of red.

There you go. Publishers will love you. Bookstores will love you. And teenage girls will love you ... well, until someone makes a big-budget film of your book. Then they'll move on to something else. Don't take it personally. The new fad won't be any better than yours.

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posted by: | comments: 5
6 Jul 2010 4:27 pmcategories: Entertainment | Books

Foot in the Mouth

I recently visited a friend in another state and had a blast hiking, enjoying nature, and just hanging out. There is one incident however, that has risen to the forefront of my memory, to my mortification. My friend's mom likes to have friends over for dinner, and on Sunday evening their neighbors came over to eat with us. They were a nice family, and we had a nice dinner. I noticed that something about the way one of their sons (probably in his mid-twenties) talked was a little off, but I didn't pay much attention to it.

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posted by: | comments: 2
1 Jul 2010 10:50 pmcategories: Life observations

Post-Parisian Observations

I know in the past, certain ranters have expressed their opinions regarding France, and the French. After spending an amazing week among the French, I'm happy to put to rest a few common generalizations that many Americans may have regarding France, and Paris especially.

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posted by: | comments: 4
28 Jun 2010 9:08 pmcategories: Raving | Life observations

On the Origin of Fallacy

I recently began reading Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" in conjunction with a book titled "What Darwin Got Wrong" by Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini, as well as "The Lie: Evolution," by Ken Ham. It is important to note that the book "What Darwin Got Wrong" is a book in support of evolution, just not exactly the evolution by natural selection that Darwin proposed.

 

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posted by: | comments: 1
21 Jun 2010 1:13 amcategories: I believe in science

Miscellany

I'm officially labelling Band of Horses as awesome, based on their latest album, "Infinite Arms." I'm also labelling Zac Brown Band as awesome as well.

I had a friend over for dinner and MST3k last night. MST3k, if you don't already know, stands for Mystery Science Theater 3000. It's a show where people watch old sci-fi movies and crack jokes and it is quite hilarious.

Of course, the best part was the friend that came over.

Training people at work is actually quite fun. I have a great time teaching processes and routines, and trying to convey concepts. I never thought I'd enjoy assessing people and their progress, or adapting what I do to their learning style, but I really do. The one thing I can't stand, though, is trying to teach or tell someone why they should care enough to learn in the first place. I don't like trying to "teach" basic work ethic.

 

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posted by: | comments: 2
19 Jun 2010 1:36 amcategories: Dating | Life observations

 

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