Happy birthday, Ma!!!
Friday, October 28
Photo of the Day October 28
This is where I club my mother in the head and stuff her into my new suitcase! The best part... she has no idea!
Thursday, October 27
Tuesday, October 25
Photo of the Day October 25
For my 20th birthday, my family, Stuart, and I went to the North Carolina Zoological Park. Aside from the Outer Banks, it's my favorite place in North Carolina. This time, the zoo had two new ocelots in their Sonora Desert house. I have always loved the ocelots!! They're the cutest cats. This male cub actually came up from where he was sleeping with his sibling to the glass when Stuart and I were watching him. I was so excited and pretended that I could pet him as he nosed against the glass where my hand was. It was the best part of the whole trip!
40. The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud
Book 40: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood (A-)
This is a beautiful, haunting book about learning to let go whenever someone you believe you can't live without dies. In a small northeastern town, Charlie St. Cloud is a popular, carefree guy whose main dream is to play professional baseball for the Red Sox and his biggest love is his little brother Sam. But when Charlie makes a terrible mistake driving home from a baseball game with Sam, they end up in a horrible car crash. Charlie, after being resuscitated back to life in the ambulance, survives; Sam does not. However, thanks to a promise, Charlie is still able to see the spirit of Sam and they play baseball together every night in the cemetery which Charlie manages for 13 years. Along comes Tess Carroll, a wild spirit of a woman whose true love is sailing. She comes into Charlie's life and makes him wonder if he hasn't wasted his second chance. How long is too long to hold onto someone who isn't even real anymore? Tess, too, wonders if she isn't running away from her own grief and her own fear of never finding true love.
Sherwood does an amazing job of creating beautiful, complex characters and exposing the true harshness of grief. The chemistry between Sam and Charlie is obvious; their bond is undeniable. Tess is a wildfire of a character that you pray and cheer for as she opens Charlie up again and exposes him to the life he's been ignoring. Sherwood's genius comes in how he tells the story, the introduction that starts with a first person narrative by the paramedic who saved Charlie's life then continues in a third-person story with insight from Tess, Sam, and Charlie in certain chapters.
The book is well-rounded and speaks to anyone whether you have lost someone close to you or not. It teaches the important lessons of cherishing the people you love because you never know when time will run out and also learning how to live and accept that you were left to continue living when the person you loved was not.
There is a bit of strangeness in the middle of the novel. To explain it would be a plot spoiler. Let me just say, that what happens is more acceptable and easier to comprehend in the film starring Zac Efron.
This is the second time I have read this book, and I will definitely read it again!
This is a beautiful, haunting book about learning to let go whenever someone you believe you can't live without dies. In a small northeastern town, Charlie St. Cloud is a popular, carefree guy whose main dream is to play professional baseball for the Red Sox and his biggest love is his little brother Sam. But when Charlie makes a terrible mistake driving home from a baseball game with Sam, they end up in a horrible car crash. Charlie, after being resuscitated back to life in the ambulance, survives; Sam does not. However, thanks to a promise, Charlie is still able to see the spirit of Sam and they play baseball together every night in the cemetery which Charlie manages for 13 years. Along comes Tess Carroll, a wild spirit of a woman whose true love is sailing. She comes into Charlie's life and makes him wonder if he hasn't wasted his second chance. How long is too long to hold onto someone who isn't even real anymore? Tess, too, wonders if she isn't running away from her own grief and her own fear of never finding true love.
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| Zac Efron as Charlie in Universal Pictures' film adaptation |
The book is well-rounded and speaks to anyone whether you have lost someone close to you or not. It teaches the important lessons of cherishing the people you love because you never know when time will run out and also learning how to live and accept that you were left to continue living when the person you loved was not.
There is a bit of strangeness in the middle of the novel. To explain it would be a plot spoiler. Let me just say, that what happens is more acceptable and easier to comprehend in the film starring Zac Efron.
This is the second time I have read this book, and I will definitely read it again!
Friday, October 21
Semester of Frustration
At the end of the spring semester at Western, I dreamed of all the wonderful things I would accomplish at UNC-Greensboro.
I would be closer to Stuart and our relationship would flourish. Instead, I'll be honest... we've been having problems. I didn't think we'd make it to our one-year anniversary on October 7th and again, I didn't think we'd see the end of this week. In fact, I knew we wouldn't see the end of this week together. Somehow, it worked out but the hurt feelings are still there.
I would continue to pursue my journalism dreams by working on The Carolinian, which is a nice paper but doesn't come close to the caliber of The Western Carolinian. I dropped down from News Editor to staff writer, which I was knew was coming but still it hurt. I miss Justin and his managerial skills. The Western Carolinian staff was close... at least I met all of them! We were small and we were together battling the Communications department. Justin was the crazy captain a journalist could only hope of having. He was open to ideas, had his writers' backs, and knew how to fight injustice. I haven't even met the Editor-in-Chief of The Carolinian!
Then, there were my studies. I was so excited about starting in the UNCG English program. Well... that was a flop! My teachers have been horrible! One woman gives us a speech on racism every single day, one woman flits about from one topic to another and never teaches us anything, and the other doesn't speak English and cannot get her point across clearly. Another class I withdrew from because I was doing horribly in it and it won't apply to my degree except for credit hours. In American Authors, I made an "F" on my midterm... I was shocked! The professor, the one that goes on about racism, gave me a 0 on my essay! My entire two-paragraph essay received a ZERO!! Today, I looked over at one of my classmates and asked him if he liked the class. He laughed before answering, "NO! I almost asked her today if she was drunk because she wouldn't shut up!" This semester, I only have ONE professor who inspires, encourages, and motivates me to stay in college, keep up my grades, and to straight up learn! "Dr. Brit" is the only teacher I wouldn't outright ask to be fired on the spot because he honestly cares for his students, makes his material interesting and informative, and doesn't shut out ideas that aren't his own like the three female professors I have. As a matter of fact, last semester I also had only one inspiring professor. "Powerful Peter" taught Intro to Acting, a course I took for credit hours and for my love of theater. He was so convincing and inspiring that I nearly switched my major to Film Studies or Theater on the spot! I wanted to continue taking his classes and I wanted to continue to explore a subject I love so passionately! Especially if Peter was the one teaching it!
I'm disappointed in myself for quitting on Western Carolina so easily. The truth was I was running from my mistakes, the mistakes that continue to haunt me even in Greensboro. I had thought they wouldn't affect me as much as they did in Cullowhee, and maybe they wouldn't have if I hadn't reconnected with The Viking. We're talking again when I never thought we'd be able to. Having him back in my life is beyond confusing but at the same time comforting. I finally get to ask the questions I've always wanted to and never thought I'd be able to ask. I was also running to something... someone. Stuart. I tried to get as close to him as I could. NC State is no place for me, but I hoped that UNCG might be. Now with the relationship holding on by a thread, I realized something very important, something I'm trying to fix.
I would be closer to Stuart and our relationship would flourish. Instead, I'll be honest... we've been having problems. I didn't think we'd make it to our one-year anniversary on October 7th and again, I didn't think we'd see the end of this week. In fact, I knew we wouldn't see the end of this week together. Somehow, it worked out but the hurt feelings are still there.
I would continue to pursue my journalism dreams by working on The Carolinian, which is a nice paper but doesn't come close to the caliber of The Western Carolinian. I dropped down from News Editor to staff writer, which I was knew was coming but still it hurt. I miss Justin and his managerial skills. The Western Carolinian staff was close... at least I met all of them! We were small and we were together battling the Communications department. Justin was the crazy captain a journalist could only hope of having. He was open to ideas, had his writers' backs, and knew how to fight injustice. I haven't even met the Editor-in-Chief of The Carolinian!
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| Home of The Western Carolinian |
I made a mistake. I'm really a Catamount at heart.
Thursday, October 20
39. Just Desserts
Book 39: Just Desserts by Carl Reiner (C-)
This book was not interesting, bizarre, boastful, obnoxious, and not worth my time. What I don't understand is where all the praise on the back cover is coming from. Apparently, Reiner is a talented, praised, and awarded author, but I didn't see it based on this short book.
Nat is a writer who comes up with an amazing plot that involves rewriting the Ten Commandments. For instance, if someone sins against an innocent child, horrendous boils will appear on their skin until they repent. Nat then writes his suggestions to God... who writes him back!! It may sound like an interesting concept, except God is referred to as "GodGod" in an effort to, I suppose, make the book religiously acceptable to everyone. Nat is an obnoxious, self-absorbed twit who I just want to smack across the face. The other characters are lacking in reader connection and are self-absorbed, two-faced, and one dimensioned. The writing is lacking in feeling and descriptiveness. Clearly, I was not impressed.
The only reason this book reaches the high point of a C- is because of its final two chapters. There, wittiness and interest actually arise in the little twist ending. Reiner himself actually becomes a character in the novel and suddenly, all the previous chapters start making some sense. Still... not worth the read! The only reason I kept with it was because it was quite short and I wanted to find out just how ridiculous it was going to get.
This book was not interesting, bizarre, boastful, obnoxious, and not worth my time. What I don't understand is where all the praise on the back cover is coming from. Apparently, Reiner is a talented, praised, and awarded author, but I didn't see it based on this short book.
Nat is a writer who comes up with an amazing plot that involves rewriting the Ten Commandments. For instance, if someone sins against an innocent child, horrendous boils will appear on their skin until they repent. Nat then writes his suggestions to God... who writes him back!! It may sound like an interesting concept, except God is referred to as "GodGod" in an effort to, I suppose, make the book religiously acceptable to everyone. Nat is an obnoxious, self-absorbed twit who I just want to smack across the face. The other characters are lacking in reader connection and are self-absorbed, two-faced, and one dimensioned. The writing is lacking in feeling and descriptiveness. Clearly, I was not impressed.
The only reason this book reaches the high point of a C- is because of its final two chapters. There, wittiness and interest actually arise in the little twist ending. Reiner himself actually becomes a character in the novel and suddenly, all the previous chapters start making some sense. Still... not worth the read! The only reason I kept with it was because it was quite short and I wanted to find out just how ridiculous it was going to get.
Wednesday, October 19
Movie Minute: EG vs SP Football Game Weather Forecast
Here it is folks... a movie clip for all of your enjoyment!! It's hilarious! It's ridiculous! It's my mom!!
Roll it!
Roll it!
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