The orthopedic surgeon's office called back. Apparently if I'm still feeling pain, they need to see me. Guess something didn't turn out so well. I'm waiting for two more months until I get home to go see a doctor for my knee. My poor mother is on the verge of tears. She didn't know I was hurting so bad, and, in her own words, "I hate to make you suffer for two more months." I don't mind it, I've done it for years, but it's really nice to know that she worries about me, and not just if I have enough food. She worries about me being in pain, or not being happy. I know that she does, and I hate to worry her, but it's nice sometimes to know someone worries about you like that.
I really, really love my mother.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
You'd Think I'd Given You Some Recomendations By Now
No, really.
I've been reading so many books, and I haven't given you any recommendations! What kind of friend am I? A terrible one, apparently, if we're basing friendship on the amount of recommendations I give you regularly on my blog. I'm very glad that our friendship is not based on that.
Here are my Top Ten books (in no particular order. Meaning #1 is not my most favorite book. It's just the first one that popped into my head):
1. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE -- Laini Taylor
I started listening to this one on audiobook (which I am just about to finish, and I would recommend it to everyone). It's a new idea, an interesting concept, and it's so beautifully written! The book is amazing, the audiobook is fantastic. It definitely helps with the pronunciation of the spattering of Czech/Chimera/Seraphim names and words included in the story.
2. THE BOOK THIEF -- Markus Zusack
Seriously, if you haven't read this book yet, then you haven't lived yet. Beautifully tragic in a very Amanda Palmer's THE BED SONG way, it's a vast roller coaster of emotions. Very real, very personal, and very entertaining. Especially since it's told through the perspective of Death, who is very deep and very wise in the ways of mortal beings. Primarily, us.
3. THE GIVER QUARTET -- Lois Lowry
Most people have heard of THE GIVER, but most of them don't know that it's actually the first book in a quartet, and that the last book of the quartet just came out. They go as follows: THE GIVER, GATHERING BLUE, MESSENGER, and SON. That's the order. My favorite is probably GATHERING BLUE. The beautiful thing about this quartet is that you don't see why they're lumped together until the very end. It's a very beautiful end.
4. DIVERGENT -- Veronica Roth
I don't know what it is about me and books about people in different groups (part of the appeal of Harry Potter), but this one filled that need in my literary heart. It's about a girl named Tris who is special, and she meets this boy named Four and it's a realistic relationship for once, and there isn't a love triangle, and it's a book that makes me feel dangerously brave. I love it. There are flaws in the characters, there is tragedy, there is strength and secrets and war. It will suck you in and keep you there.
5. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS -- John Green
You may have been noticing that many of the books I've selected for this list include a hint of tragedy. This book surpasses that hint (much like THE BOOK THIEF), but don't you let that drive you away, reader! Take it, love it, just take precautions and bring a couple six-pack boxes of Kleenex with you. Or you could just say that you dropped it in the bathtub and that's how it got crinkly-stiff formerly-drenched pages.
6. GOOD OMENS: THE NICE AND ACCURATE PROPHECIES OF AGNES NUTTER, WITCH -- Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Sometimes I put books on this list that I would recommend that I haven't actually finished, mostly because of me being too busy to read it when I got it from the library and I can't get my grubby little hands on it again because it's so dang popular. This is one of those books. Full of snarky, dry British humor and clever premises and execution, this is easily one of the most interesting books I've read, and easily one of the most intellectual.
7. WINTERGIRLS -- Laurie Halse Anderson
Written by the author of SPEAK, another one of my absolute favorite books, WINTERGIRLS is intensely dark. It's about a girl who suffers from anorexia, written in a poetic and haunting way that, to quote one of the reviews "is hard to read, but even harder to put down." That sums up this book perfectly. You get disturbingly close in her head, but it is worth every moment, and the ending makes it okay. You get done, you breath a sigh of relief, and you realize that you're going to be okay.
8. A TALE OF TWO CASTLES -- Gail Carson Levine
This is one of those younger books that I read because I absolutely love anything by Gail Carson Levine -- and she does not disappoint in this book. A mystery of fantastical proportions (get it, because it's a fantasy book?), it's full of twists and turns and ends nothing like how you thought it would. A breath of fresh air, to be honest. Very fresh air.
9. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES -- Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is another one of those I-haven't-finished-reading-it-but-I-like-what-I've-read books. Sure, it's probably the most cliched out of all of the books on my list, but it's set in the South, and it's written well enough for me to enjoy it. I'm a sucker for stories set in the South. And I can't read a book, no matter how interesting its premise is, unless it is written well. The fact that I like this book despite its cliches is a compliment to the authors, indeed.
10. THE NIGHT CIRCUS -- Erin Morgenstern
I actually did finish this one, before you ask. And I loved it. I didn't really care for the two main characters -- to be honest, they were the most boring characters of the book, and that's saying something, because they were really cool. But they weren't meant to be the most interesting characters in the book. The circus was, and it is. And the clockmaker. I have a very special love for the clockmaker and the contortionist.
I've been reading so many books, and I haven't given you any recommendations! What kind of friend am I? A terrible one, apparently, if we're basing friendship on the amount of recommendations I give you regularly on my blog. I'm very glad that our friendship is not based on that.
Here are my Top Ten books (in no particular order. Meaning #1 is not my most favorite book. It's just the first one that popped into my head):
1. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE -- Laini Taylor
I started listening to this one on audiobook (which I am just about to finish, and I would recommend it to everyone). It's a new idea, an interesting concept, and it's so beautifully written! The book is amazing, the audiobook is fantastic. It definitely helps with the pronunciation of the spattering of Czech/Chimera/Seraphim names and words included in the story.
2. THE BOOK THIEF -- Markus Zusack
Seriously, if you haven't read this book yet, then you haven't lived yet. Beautifully tragic in a very Amanda Palmer's THE BED SONG way, it's a vast roller coaster of emotions. Very real, very personal, and very entertaining. Especially since it's told through the perspective of Death, who is very deep and very wise in the ways of mortal beings. Primarily, us.
3. THE GIVER QUARTET -- Lois Lowry
Most people have heard of THE GIVER, but most of them don't know that it's actually the first book in a quartet, and that the last book of the quartet just came out. They go as follows: THE GIVER, GATHERING BLUE, MESSENGER, and SON. That's the order. My favorite is probably GATHERING BLUE. The beautiful thing about this quartet is that you don't see why they're lumped together until the very end. It's a very beautiful end.
4. DIVERGENT -- Veronica Roth
I don't know what it is about me and books about people in different groups (part of the appeal of Harry Potter), but this one filled that need in my literary heart. It's about a girl named Tris who is special, and she meets this boy named Four and it's a realistic relationship for once, and there isn't a love triangle, and it's a book that makes me feel dangerously brave. I love it. There are flaws in the characters, there is tragedy, there is strength and secrets and war. It will suck you in and keep you there.
5. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS -- John Green
You may have been noticing that many of the books I've selected for this list include a hint of tragedy. This book surpasses that hint (much like THE BOOK THIEF), but don't you let that drive you away, reader! Take it, love it, just take precautions and bring a couple six-pack boxes of Kleenex with you. Or you could just say that you dropped it in the bathtub and that's how it got crinkly-stiff formerly-drenched pages.
6. GOOD OMENS: THE NICE AND ACCURATE PROPHECIES OF AGNES NUTTER, WITCH -- Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Sometimes I put books on this list that I would recommend that I haven't actually finished, mostly because of me being too busy to read it when I got it from the library and I can't get my grubby little hands on it again because it's so dang popular. This is one of those books. Full of snarky, dry British humor and clever premises and execution, this is easily one of the most interesting books I've read, and easily one of the most intellectual.
7. WINTERGIRLS -- Laurie Halse Anderson
Written by the author of SPEAK, another one of my absolute favorite books, WINTERGIRLS is intensely dark. It's about a girl who suffers from anorexia, written in a poetic and haunting way that, to quote one of the reviews "is hard to read, but even harder to put down." That sums up this book perfectly. You get disturbingly close in her head, but it is worth every moment, and the ending makes it okay. You get done, you breath a sigh of relief, and you realize that you're going to be okay.
8. A TALE OF TWO CASTLES -- Gail Carson Levine
This is one of those younger books that I read because I absolutely love anything by Gail Carson Levine -- and she does not disappoint in this book. A mystery of fantastical proportions (get it, because it's a fantasy book?), it's full of twists and turns and ends nothing like how you thought it would. A breath of fresh air, to be honest. Very fresh air.
9. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES -- Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is another one of those I-haven't-finished-reading-it-but-I-like-what-I've-read books. Sure, it's probably the most cliched out of all of the books on my list, but it's set in the South, and it's written well enough for me to enjoy it. I'm a sucker for stories set in the South. And I can't read a book, no matter how interesting its premise is, unless it is written well. The fact that I like this book despite its cliches is a compliment to the authors, indeed.
10. THE NIGHT CIRCUS -- Erin Morgenstern
I actually did finish this one, before you ask. And I loved it. I didn't really care for the two main characters -- to be honest, they were the most boring characters of the book, and that's saying something, because they were really cool. But they weren't meant to be the most interesting characters in the book. The circus was, and it is. And the clockmaker. I have a very special love for the clockmaker and the contortionist.
We Interrupt This Program For A Very Important Message
1. It's Valentine's Day. Despite my consistent single-ness on this day, I've always loved it. I think it's because of the fun boxes of valentines we gave each other in elementary school. Can we make this a thing in college? Please?
2. A boy I've never seen before (very good-looking, I might add) just came up to me and handed me a valentine with his name and number on it. He honestly just made my day. And I think I'm going to give him a text tonight. He put his number on it for a reason, right? Right. Pardon me while I smile excessively at a very good day.
2. A boy I've never seen before (very good-looking, I might add) just came up to me and handed me a valentine with his name and number on it. He honestly just made my day. And I think I'm going to give him a text tonight. He put his number on it for a reason, right? Right. Pardon me while I smile excessively at a very good day.
An Update On Calling
I called my mother yesterday before I called the office of the orthopedic surgeon. My mother always gives me courage to call people, and she also helps me develop a script, although I don't know if she realizes that she's doing it.
I was telling my mother that I wasn't excited about calling the office, and she said that I should just wait until I got back home for the summer and then go to a orthopedist there. Then she made the mistake of asking how much my knee hurt.
(Answer: Every day, pretty much all day, usually staying around a 2-5 on the 1-10 pain scale, but able to get to 7-8 and give out on me. I can tell the weather with the pain in my knee. I'm not kidding. And I'm usually right.)
To which she said: Call them. Call them now.
And so I did. I talked to a receptionist, who said that there probably wasn't a lot that they could do without doing a bunch of different tests and x-rays and all that jazz, but she said that she would pass the message on and that they would call me with an answer to see if we could try to figure this out.
I'm still waiting for a call. I'm going to start going to a morning water aerobics class to see if that will help in the meantime.
I was telling my mother that I wasn't excited about calling the office, and she said that I should just wait until I got back home for the summer and then go to a orthopedist there. Then she made the mistake of asking how much my knee hurt.
(Answer: Every day, pretty much all day, usually staying around a 2-5 on the 1-10 pain scale, but able to get to 7-8 and give out on me. I can tell the weather with the pain in my knee. I'm not kidding. And I'm usually right.)
To which she said: Call them. Call them now.
And so I did. I talked to a receptionist, who said that there probably wasn't a lot that they could do without doing a bunch of different tests and x-rays and all that jazz, but she said that she would pass the message on and that they would call me with an answer to see if we could try to figure this out.
I'm still waiting for a call. I'm going to start going to a morning water aerobics class to see if that will help in the meantime.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Yes, Yes, Yes!
Look at me! Look at me! I'm blogging again, I'm being productive again! It's amazing what rearranging your room can do. And actually taking your medicine. Yeah, that could help. Maybe my productivity will even go so far as to give me motivation to do my laundry.
In other news, I'm going to be calling my orthopedic surgeon today because (nearly) three years after my surgery to fix me, I'm still feeling pain nearly every day, especially in winter. I'm really hoping that he'll be able to help me. The other option in my head is for him to go "Oops, sorry, you're screwed for life. Good luck!"
The scariest thing about this isn't him telling me that I'm screwed, actually. The scariest thing is calling -- that's right, I'm terrified of using the phone. I even have issues calling my mother or my friends sometimes. I'd much rather text or Skype. Mostly text. See, in text I can be witty and clever because I have time to think about it (I'm not a very quick thinker). When I call someone, if I don't have a script, then I freak out and my brain goes blank. So me calling the orthopedic surgeon goes a little like this in my head:
SECRETARY: Hello?
ME: Hi, Dr. [Insert Name Here] performed a surgery on me [Insert Date Here], and I'm having some trouble. I have some questions, and was wondering if Dr. [Insert Name Here] would be available for me to ask him those questions.
SECRETARY: Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make an appointment.
ME: Ah, yes, you see, I'm in Idaho right now, and so coming down for an appointment isn't convenient. That's why I was wondering if I could ask him on the phone.
SECRETARY: I'm sorry, but you really have to have an appointment.
ME: [Sigh] Okay, fine. Do you have an appointment for this Monday, or are you closed?
SECRETARY: We don't have an opening until next Wednesday.
ME: No, no, no, I can't do that. I have school up here, I can't just drop everything and come down. Are you sure that there isn't anyone I can talk to?
SECRETARY: [Irritated] I told you, you have to have an appointment.
ME: Oh, okay, I'll just go, then. Have a nice day. [Hang up]
So that's how I feel it's going to go. Or I'll be talking to the doctor and he'll be asking me questions and either I don't know the answer or I won't know how to explain it to him. I guess that it's just what I'm going to have to get over, because I'm not really looking forward to the prospect of perpetual pain if I can help it.
Wish me luck!
In other news, I'm going to be calling my orthopedic surgeon today because (nearly) three years after my surgery to fix me, I'm still feeling pain nearly every day, especially in winter. I'm really hoping that he'll be able to help me. The other option in my head is for him to go "Oops, sorry, you're screwed for life. Good luck!"
The scariest thing about this isn't him telling me that I'm screwed, actually. The scariest thing is calling -- that's right, I'm terrified of using the phone. I even have issues calling my mother or my friends sometimes. I'd much rather text or Skype. Mostly text. See, in text I can be witty and clever because I have time to think about it (I'm not a very quick thinker). When I call someone, if I don't have a script, then I freak out and my brain goes blank. So me calling the orthopedic surgeon goes a little like this in my head:
SECRETARY: Hello?
ME: Hi, Dr. [Insert Name Here] performed a surgery on me [Insert Date Here], and I'm having some trouble. I have some questions, and was wondering if Dr. [Insert Name Here] would be available for me to ask him those questions.
SECRETARY: Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make an appointment.
ME: Ah, yes, you see, I'm in Idaho right now, and so coming down for an appointment isn't convenient. That's why I was wondering if I could ask him on the phone.
SECRETARY: I'm sorry, but you really have to have an appointment.
ME: [Sigh] Okay, fine. Do you have an appointment for this Monday, or are you closed?
SECRETARY: We don't have an opening until next Wednesday.
ME: No, no, no, I can't do that. I have school up here, I can't just drop everything and come down. Are you sure that there isn't anyone I can talk to?
SECRETARY: [Irritated] I told you, you have to have an appointment.
ME: Oh, okay, I'll just go, then. Have a nice day. [Hang up]
So that's how I feel it's going to go. Or I'll be talking to the doctor and he'll be asking me questions and either I don't know the answer or I won't know how to explain it to him. I guess that it's just what I'm going to have to get over, because I'm not really looking forward to the prospect of perpetual pain if I can help it.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Occasionally I Get Addicted To Twitter
And Netflix, and YouTube, and Tumblr, and Gmail, and...well, no, not Facebook. Facebook is kind of meh. I have much more fascinating places to go.
And things to write.
Because, let's face it, I've got a lot of co-writing to catch up on -- but I'm caught up in homework, which is almost good enough to be a consolation prize. No? Oh, okay. I'll go write now.
And things to write.
Because, let's face it, I've got a lot of co-writing to catch up on -- but I'm caught up in homework, which is almost good enough to be a consolation prize. No? Oh, okay. I'll go write now.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
A Great Relief
Guys, I did it! I needed 6,667 words to be caught up in NaNo tonight, and I got 6,673 words! That's six more words than I actually needed!
(I did the math on the calculator. I see your mathy-judgy eyes mocking my math skills.)
It's a great relief to be caught up. Naptime!
(I did the math on the calculator. I see your mathy-judgy eyes mocking my math skills.)
It's a great relief to be caught up. Naptime!
Cheerleader
I'm three days behind on my novel, and I'm starting to get downtrodden about it. I'm also behind on about two weeks worth of music theory homework (which, at this point, I'm almost ready to just give it up, fail the class, and drop out of college. That's how much I hate this class).
Now taking applications for a NaNo cheerleader.
Now taking applications for a NaNo cheerleader.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
The Killing Type
Two days behind, and what am I doing? Blogging. And getting ready to go to the store to get some milk so that I can make cornbread tomorrow. It's been weeks since I've had Sunday dinner, and I'm missing it BIG time.
I've been in hard core writer's block all morning. I'm hoping getting out and walking will help my brain decide what to write. After I finish writing/work/music homework, I might treat myself to watching THE BLIND SIDE. Or maybe I'll go see BIELZY AND GOTTFRIED (the fantastically amazing play that my college is putting on) again, dragging fellow NaNo-er and best write-in neighbor Brick.
(Is that her real name? No. But since when have I actually used real names here?)
Last night Brick came over and we had ourselves a nice little write-in, and she showed me a song by Amanda Palmer (wife of Neil Gaiman, one of my heroes) called THE KILLING TYPE. I hadn't realized until that moment just what the main character was like until I heard this song, because this song was someone talking to my main character, and it was revelatory. This is going to be a very interesting story, because it's going to be my main character's story about the other character. Kind of a mix between THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY.
Maybe before I make this comparison, I should actually finish reading THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.
I've been in hard core writer's block all morning. I'm hoping getting out and walking will help my brain decide what to write. After I finish writing/work/music homework, I might treat myself to watching THE BLIND SIDE. Or maybe I'll go see BIELZY AND GOTTFRIED (the fantastically amazing play that my college is putting on) again, dragging fellow NaNo-er and best write-in neighbor Brick.
(Is that her real name? No. But since when have I actually used real names here?)
Last night Brick came over and we had ourselves a nice little write-in, and she showed me a song by Amanda Palmer (wife of Neil Gaiman, one of my heroes) called THE KILLING TYPE. I hadn't realized until that moment just what the main character was like until I heard this song, because this song was someone talking to my main character, and it was revelatory. This is going to be a very interesting story, because it's going to be my main character's story about the other character. Kind of a mix between THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY.
Maybe before I make this comparison, I should actually finish reading THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
I've Gone Crazy
Nope, really, I have.
On top of a full load of classes (which I can't even keep up with now), two jobs (in which I am VERY behind), and the buddings of an active social life, I have decided to do Nano. No, not the iPod. The National Novel Writing Month.
Heaven help me.
On top of a full load of classes (which I can't even keep up with now), two jobs (in which I am VERY behind), and the buddings of an active social life, I have decided to do Nano. No, not the iPod. The National Novel Writing Month.
Heaven help me.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Clan
Guys, I have a social life!
No, no, really, this is a real-life social life, not me hanging with my roommates on Sunday nights watching GILMORE GIRLS. This is a I-spend-every-weekend-over-at-their-apartment-and-most-weekdays-too social life. It's a group of five of us, loathing at least one of our roommates, and living in Wintry Collegetown together, bemoaning our fate of snow and lack of romantic relationships. And we call ourselves the Clan (a title of my own making, might I add).
Here's my Clan:
Me
Peaches
J
Jossy
Guada
We're very much shipped with each other. Life is good.
No, no, really, this is a real-life social life, not me hanging with my roommates on Sunday nights watching GILMORE GIRLS. This is a I-spend-every-weekend-over-at-their-apartment-and-most-weekdays-too social life. It's a group of five of us, loathing at least one of our roommates, and living in Wintry Collegetown together, bemoaning our fate of snow and lack of romantic relationships. And we call ourselves the Clan (a title of my own making, might I add).
Here's my Clan:
Me
Peaches
J
Jossy
Guada
We're very much shipped with each other. Life is good.
If You Had The Chance To Change Your [insert fate here], Would Ya?
Here's a quick lineup of my roommates:
Me (Sassy)
Peaches (my favorite)
Skittles (you met her two posts ago)
Sunshine
About a week and two days ago I took my roommates (plus two members of my Clan) and we went to go see BRAVE for Sunshine's birthday. Now, I had already seen BRAVE over the summer with my mother and most of my younger siblings.
I hadn't liked it.
I don't know why; it was so bland to me. But watching it this second time, I fell in love with it. I'm not going to compare it to TANGLED, because everyone does and I really don't think they're in the same ball park, but it was very good. Extremely good. So good that there is a possibility that I might buy it when it comes out (which I still haven't done for TANGLED. Oops).
Sunshine had a good time, Peaches and I learned to love the movie (she had seen it before and hadn't cared for it, either), and I got popcorn. The dollar theater here in Collegetown is rather amazing.
Me (Sassy)
Peaches (my favorite)
Skittles (you met her two posts ago)
Sunshine
About a week and two days ago I took my roommates (plus two members of my Clan) and we went to go see BRAVE for Sunshine's birthday. Now, I had already seen BRAVE over the summer with my mother and most of my younger siblings.
I hadn't liked it.
I don't know why; it was so bland to me. But watching it this second time, I fell in love with it. I'm not going to compare it to TANGLED, because everyone does and I really don't think they're in the same ball park, but it was very good. Extremely good. So good that there is a possibility that I might buy it when it comes out (which I still haven't done for TANGLED. Oops).
Sunshine had a good time, Peaches and I learned to love the movie (she had seen it before and hadn't cared for it, either), and I got popcorn. The dollar theater here in Collegetown is rather amazing.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Snow White And The Huntsman, Pt. 2
This movie made absolutely no sense. WHY DO I LIKE IT.
It must be because it's pretty.
It must be because it's pretty.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Snow White And The Huntsman, Pt. 1
Roommate (Skittles) and I went to Walmart to get SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and to eat Subway. It turned out that it was Customer Appreciation Day, and so we got two subs for the price of one. They were amazing, to say the least. We carried them home, and when we got home, I handed Skittles the wrong sub and so she took a gaping bite of mine. She gave me a gaping bite of hers in return.
I've heard that SNOW WHITE is not the best of movies, but I want to watch it anyway. Almost a kind of morbid fascination with terrible movies, I guess. And I want to see the creepy evil queen. Of creep. And evil.
I'll post my verdict here post-movie.
I've heard that SNOW WHITE is not the best of movies, but I want to watch it anyway. Almost a kind of morbid fascination with terrible movies, I guess. And I want to see the creepy evil queen. Of creep. And evil.
I'll post my verdict here post-movie.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
I Love Movies
Guys, I have a lot of movies. And when I say 'a lot', it's more like...
200.
200 movies, guys. And with this next paycheck, I'm going to be getting more (JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, I'm looking at you).
This means wonderful weekends with roommates. I love this.
200.
200 movies, guys. And with this next paycheck, I'm going to be getting more (JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, I'm looking at you).
This means wonderful weekends with roommates. I love this.
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