|
ends_of_the_earth
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Moriah
Country: United States
State: Wisconsin
Metro: Eau Claire
Birthday: 4/5/1985
Gender: Female
Interests: Latest faves: Aqueduct, Still Remains, Decemberists, Iron & Wine, The Faint,The Mars Volta, TMBG. Always faves: Children of Bodom, any Matt Biedermann mix, Sigur Rós, Hot Hot Heat (Elevator was disappointing so far, but maybe I just need to warm up), Coheed & Cambria, Mates of State. Tea. Cooking. Coffee. Ice Cream. Arts 'n' crafts. Matt. Puppies and babies. Graphic Design. Linguistics. German. Sweet Jesus. Soaking my feet and being girly.
Expertise: Resumes. Knitting. Discontent.
Occupation: Student
Message: message meEmail: email me
AIM:  sunrise astern
Member Since:
4/22/2003
|
|
| Tonight Beka and I could finally get together! A friend of ours was doing standup at House of Rock. Had a drink, had some laughs, ran into some people I met at Friday's party.
It's a little sad that so much of comedy now is centered around sex. Too bad some people don't have more stuff to think about than just that.
__________________________
Seems like life is starting to catch up with me again these past few weeks. Physically I'm so tired. I could sleep all day if it wasn't for work. But when I'm awake there are so many things on my mind that I wish weren't. I couldn't get in for counseling right away since they're understaffed in summer and scheduling a week and a half out. And it's not with my regular person so I don't feel as comfortable about it. There isn't really anyone around here that I feel close enough to share a lot of it with because of our mostly surface relationships. It's not the end of the world, but it is NOT fun.
The future, my plans, prospects for work and connections are all agonizing me. I'd leave my research project undone if I could. I don't have any enthusiasm about my major right now. What if all my hopes are just excuses to get me to the end of my four years? I still feel severely isolated from the world. This book I just read, Steppenwolf, although mostly disappointing, kind of appealed to me and my social endeavors. The whole premise is that the main character has a hard time fitting into bourgeois society because his soul is composed of part human and part wolf. The fault of bourgeois society, according to Hesse, is that they are too contented with mediocrity and seek the most static balance in life; The polarized "profligate sinner" and "righteous saint" tendencies are exactly opposite those of the majority bourgeoisie. Thus the steppenwolf personality is isolated. The word 'steppenwolf' means lone wolf from the steppes, a solitary creature in a barren land. In his journeys the main character meets people who force him to reanalyze this explanation of his own self. (The first lesson is teaching him to dance... I hate dancing...) There are really many selves residing in one soul, so only recognizing two of them (most likely our strengths) and ignoring things outside our realm of comfort causes the inner anguish for the steppenwolf.
Whereby I have concluded I am a steppenwolf and I must first learn how to dance. I won't continue on in the footsteps of the book's character by taking lots of drugs, having lots of sex, and killing someone I love. But loosening up and shedding some of my rigidity, allowing myself to nurture my other "selves" doesn't sound like a bad idea.
ANYWAY, my heart is sad because a solution that simple is just far too simple. Sometimes I fear it is just too late for me.
___________________________
In other news, the weather is horrid.
| | |
| I slept okay last night except for some really sad dreams that I really don't want to share. Since we're on extremely light work duty now that tours are over, there is so much free time. Too much. It's so smothering to be cooped up here; walking and biking only get you so far. Hopefully my car will be done sometime soon, but I'm only working a few more weeks. When Matt comes, he'll have a vehicle so at least we can go places. It doesn't help that 1) I'm socially awkward and have limited companions here, and 2) they all have plenty to do. If I was more confident, they'd probably let me join in, but I'd just feel like a tag-along. I hate tagging along.
______________________________
So Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is Extremely Awesome and Incredibly Sad. Wow. Great from beginning to end. This is on my top 5 books. The others being The Catcher in the Rye, The Turtle Warrior, another one I just read The Grapes of Wrath, and Life of Pi. Those are just my spontaneous Top 5. If I talk about different ones in the future, sue me! 
______________________________
The boys' basketball camp that's here right now is more smelly and obnoxious than the previous one. I almost want to slug some of the kids, and give others shock treatment to get them to liven up. Gah.
_______________________________
Watched The Dudesons on Spike TV tonight since it's a precursor to Jackass and Viva la Bam, and also in Finland. It's definitely more intense than the American counterparts. Human Dart Board?! They threw actual darts with 2-inch sharp tips at a guy's belly. This is the same guy that lost a thumb on one of the adventures. Seems like those Finns go to the emergency room much more often as well, and I'd be willing to bet that none of them will be able to have children after all the ball-smacking. I'd watch it again, preferably with Matt since we love that kind of stuff.
| | |
| Perks of living in the basement:
- no carrying groceries/heavy things up flights of stairs when arriving
- right by the kitchen and laundry
- it's slightly cooler, usually
- nice neigbors
- bigger rooms
Downside of living in the basement:
- late night murder spree to silence cricket creaking outside literally 12" from my head
I ask you, my friends: is it worth it?! Anyway, I think it's dead. I waited twenty minutes for its infernal chirruping to resume and it has not. (EDIT: After a second round of slaughtering everything in sight, I think it REALLY is dead now.) Ah, sweet sleep.
____________________________
I read this book today. I liked it okay. Quirky and satisfying.
Next is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by the wonderful Jonathan Safran Foer.
____________________________
Seven days until Matt is back. Hoo-ha!
| | |
| I believe I just went to my first official "party". It was wonderful.
If only the occasion wasn't the departure of dear Ilze from our country. 
But I got to meet a lot of (international) people, some of whom are not going to be leaving on Tuesday. So. Go me. Just about to start my final year of college and finally got around to a party.
Also, ditch the gin. Tonic water alone is quite tasty.
Well, maybe don't ditch the gin.
| | |
| Overall, I found it entertaining and quite novel; I doubt anyone could disagree. The familiarity of the Wizard of Oz story drives reader curiosity onward (which is necessary, because it's LONG... or does it just feel long?). I enjoyed speculating on how each event would tie into the final resolution.
I wonder if it was almost overzealous in its scope. Now just finishing it a few moments ago, although more will sink in to understanding later, I feel dissatisfied with the halty and jarring conclusions of certain plot points-- the castration issue, Fiyero's death, Liir's identity, even Elphaba's parentage... It seems too perfectly crafted to the point of wishfulness, like a packages on display in store windows that look fabulous but spectators know are empty. It makes the story work, but I feel dissatisfied with it in a broader sense.
A few of the characters feel wobbly to me, as if they're not solidly made. Galinda and Nessarose, in particular. What made Galinda change her name? She was at first a snob, then became more gracious only to become a snob again? Nessarose's relationship with Elphaba is of course central to the traditional telling of the story, but as for E's desperate wish to repossess the shoes, it feels unconvincing to me. The driving reason she sought them was to 1) undo any role she had played in being a pawn, 2) try to regain her father's affections, 3) avenge her sister's death? I don't like any of them. Elphaba seemed to kind of lose her head towards the end as well. I found many of the actions leading up to the final segment to be unusual compared to her earlier actions and disposition.
I think I really lost interest and maybe some esteem for the book once I hit the last segment where the events of the Wizard of Oz proper picks up. It boils down to the wishfulness. Too many plot points are already there because they have to be to maintain the integrity of the original (e.g. sending out the familiars to attack, the water, etc.) and it makes me kind of roll my eyes. The snags I hit in the plot before that I really couldn't rectify came up again (intentionally, obviously) to create the resolution, but it seems artificial to me.
I guess all in all I enjoyed it, if at least because I know people who are thrilled with it, both in print and musical form, so now I at least can speak intelligently about it. Plus I think it's worth reading if you want a story that will amuse.
| | |
|
