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reading

The Bookshelf

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bookshelf

In an effort to keep my reading list in check to obtain my goal of reading 30 books this year, I present to you my dear readers what I am paging through currently.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling – I have adored Mindy for quite some time and I honestly can’t figure out why it took so long for me to pick up this book. So far I am a few chapters in and it is quite hilarious. Her struggles with weight are the same struggles I have faced through out my life, and I love the tone of her writing, as I feel like she is talking instead of trying too hard to write a book. It doesn’t hurt that in my head, I hear her voice while reading.

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland’s Haunted Kingdom by Aubry Graves – This was a quick read for me, as I read it waiting for my plane to board from LAX to Sacramento when leaving Disneyland two weeks ago. It is similar to another book I read, The Park After Dark: An Unauthorized Guide to the Happiest (Haunted) Place on Earth by Richard Carradine. It delves into the paranormal at the park as well as some of the deaths that have occurred at the park. Both of these books are a must read for the Disney diehard.

Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love and Karaoke by Rob Sheffield – I have read Rob’s other books all of which I have immediately fallen in love with. I don’t know if it’s his writing style or musical references that pull on my heart strings, but I am so glad I took a chance on Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut in the clearance section at Urban Outfitters.

What are you reading?

27 January, 2014
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The Bookshelf

Posted in Uncategorized by

bookshelf

 

Hello Friends,

It’s been a while since we last spoke hasn’t it? I’m still here though. Lately I have been getting back in to reading so I figured for my first post back in a while that I would talk a little bit about what has been occupying my time lately.

The first book that I have been reading is Tell All by Chuck Palahniuk. I am a huge fan of his and I would even venture to say that he is my favorite author. I recently finished Damned and I am looking forward to the other two books in the series to come out next year and the following year. I thought I had read everything by him but turns out that I have not read Tell All. I must admit that I was not into this book when I first started reading it. Chuck has a pretty distinct writing style, so sometimes its hard to get into the flow, but when you do, it is so so good. The book is from the view point of the… assistant? I guess that would be the best word to describe her, Hazie who tends to her movie star train wreck Kathrine Kenton and her dabbles with love, pets, drugs, and men. My favorite part of Chuck Palahniuk books is that he is very descriptive without being overly wordy. So far I am about 70 pages in and addicted, I will most likely finish the rest today.

The second book I was gifted for Christmas on my Kindle called A Bad Idea I’m About to Do: True Tales of Seriously Poor Judgement and Stunningly Awkward Adventure by Chris Gethard. The book delves into personal stories about Chris growing up and is extremely relatable as an awkward weird arty person drifting through life trying to find oneself. The stories are hilariously sad, and I can’t put my Kindle down. This is the first book that I have read by him but threw it on my wish list because it was suggested by Amazon due to my love of Rob Sheffield and Chuck Klosterman – not bad Amazon, not bad at all.

And finally, I just finished reading Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh. If you are not familiar with her web comic, Hyperbole and a Half, please exit my blog and go read all of them. Most of the book is a collection of her best comics, but there are some amazing stories in there. Not only do I find that Allie has a way of saying ALL the things that a depressed person can sometimes not, its comforting to know that even in the darkest times we need to be reminded that we cannot take ourselves so seriously. The book is a fast read due to it being mostly pictures, but it is definitely on my re-read list after my mother returns it.

We also have the normal mixture of comic books thrown in there, though what I have been reading has a few missing issues here and there making all of the stories a tad bit choppy.

 

29 December, 2013
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Turn the page

Posted in NaBloPoMO by

There are a few types of people that I am envious of in this world. People who find enjoyment in reading are one of them. I never really found the joy of losing myself in a book, and I am envious of those who can read for hours on end. BUT – I have been trying to change that. I think my enjoyment of reading never came to fruition because I was forced to read a lot of books that I had no interest in when I was in school. I have been focusing on trying to find authors that I really enjoy as well as delving into the realm of comic books & graphic novels (thanks to Richard). Here is a glimpse of what I have been reading lately:

  • Damned by Chuck Palahniuk – The novel opens with Madison “Maddy” Spencer waking in Hell, unsure of the details surrounding her death (she believes she has died of a marijuana overdose). Maddy quickly gets to know her nearby cellmates. The group (loosely modeled on the character traits in “The Breakfast Club,” i.e., a rocker, a nerd, a beauty and a jock) take Maddy on a tour of Hell.In Hell, Madison works as a telemarketer, calling the living during mealtimes and asking them to answer inane survey questions. Throughout the novel, we see Madison’s interactions with the living as well as the dead as she tries to piece together the events surrounding her death, and figure out how best to cope with the idea of spending the rest of eternity in Hell.
  • Gloomcookie, The Final Curtain by Serena Valentino – Wrapping up the long-running Gloom Cookie series, The Final Curtain brings us to a brief resting point for all of the characters as the goth soap opera brings everything to a boil, with plots, twists and turns in the relationships and the storylines.
  • Various Comics – This includes (but is not limited to): Adventure Time, Marceline & The Scream Queens, Robyn Hood, Damsels, Ghost, and Alice In Wonderland.

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Today was also my first day unemployed. Talk about a really weird experience. I had an interview this morning, so fingers crossed on that. I felt like I did a decent job, but possibly bombed the assessment. I am exceptionally rusty when it comes to math. I really hope something pans out, but I don’t want to get my hopes up in case it turns out that I am not the right fit. I also applied for unemployment before I left, so hears hoping that either A) I don’t end up needing it or B) that it is processed quickly, because you know, Christmas and all.

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December NaBloPoMo Topic:

Do you enjoy your current job (or your last job)?

I definitely enjoyed my previous job. Working for a friend is a double edged sword. On one hand, you are working for a friend! You feel like your work has a direct impact on the business vs. working for a large company where you often feel like just a number or warm body. On the other hand, it is hard not to take conversations that are not always the best, in a professional manner, and not in a personal way. I had the opportunity to learn a lot of new skills, especially Quickbooks. I am sad that things have come to an end – but look forward to new opportunities.

10 December, 2012
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