I'm not staying.
Because I got a call two weeks ago that the American Museum of Natural History in New York wants me in their internship program. Which means that I'll be living in New York from February to May at least. The only reason this isn't just keysmashes and exclamation points is because I've had two weeks to calm down about it. I can't apply for a transfer with B&N until having worked there for 6 months, which sucks, and I feel bad that they hired me because they needed me and now I have to leave, but I honestly didn't really expect to get the internship. I almost failed out of school and got mostly C's in my major classes, so I don't even know what the deal-maker was there.
But I talked to someone who worked at the B&N in Manhattan on 5th and apparently they're really good with new hires, so I may have a chance to work there anyway, because goodness knows I'll need money what with living there and working an unpaid but incredibly exciting internship.
IN THE MEANWHILE.
New Years Resolutions:
1. Fit properly into my jeans again by not being so lazy about the things I eat, also walking everywhere.
2. Be less of a waste of carbon and oxygen
3. Make a sincere attempt at a serious relationship
Corollary: Try not to suck as much at People Feelings
4. Read at least 20 (twenty) books you have not read before (I am an incredibly slow reader, especially when busy)
5. Complete 1 (one) relatively satisfactory piece of writing.
6. Take and do well on the GRE. Implying that grad school applications are happening
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Since I am doing the Unread Book Challenge for 2012, I want to kick off the new year by posting about what I read last year.
- The Carnivorous Lamb by Agustin Gomez-Arcos (01/01) - Definitely one of the smartest books I read all year, and a must-read for any fan of gay literature. It's steeped in Spanish politics and is about rather more than just the romance between the narrator and his brother, and I still have trouble wrapping my mind about the whole thing.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (01/20) - Oh, just read it if you haven't already. The first person present tense is a little off-putting, but the writing is simple and fits the voice of the narrator. It's interesting world-building, and definitely worth a read. Also, if I hear one more person even mention Battle Royale, they're getting a smack.
- Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale by Holly Blcack (02/01) - Probably my least favorite of the Modern Fairy trilogy, but entertaining and fun nonetheless. I didn't quite like the descent of Corny's character, but he redeems himself, and the eventual romantic entanglement with Luis was adorable (I also just love Luis). I kind of wish there had been more Val and Ravus than just an end-of-book cameo.
- The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (02/03) - This book was way too cute. It was funny and low-stress. Not nearly as "big" as the movie with Anne Hathaway, and very different, but it definitely has me wanting to read the rest of the series.
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (02/09) - I believe my first reaction was "What are my feelings even doing." I didn't expect this book to go in the direction it did, but it was an interesting direction nonetheless. I loved the other champions/tributes and getting a little deeper into the politics.
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (02/18) - I had no idea what to expect from this book, but unlike a lot of people I actually liked how it ended. Well, literarily. As a fan and reader it was heartwrenching and feelings everywhere but from a literary standpoint it was great. I could probably write essays about Katniss acting on her own decisions and why [spoiler spoiler spoiler] works so well. I remember thinking, reading the series, that the love triangle was a bit too overstated, and that Peeta's feelings should have been left a little less obvious by the end of the first book, but if it had, the drama at the second half of this book wouldn't have worked the way it did. Overall a great read that had me skipping class to finish (I'm a bad person), and certainly more intelligent than a lot of other teen adventure fiction out there.
- Tam Lin by Pamela Dean (03/08) - If you have any inclination toward literature and/or classics you need to read this. It's supposed to be a modern retelling of the Tam Lin ballad, but it doesn't really get there till the very end. I loved it, and the little mysteries, and the detail and the portrayal of college life.
- Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan (03/11) - This book has the best of John Green and the best of David Levithan. The concept is pretty cool (two narrators named Will Grayson who meet in the middle), and there is Tiny Cooper, one of the best gay characters ever. It covers a lot of the more uncomfortable and not-so-nice aspects of teenage friendships and relationships, sometimes harshly even, but it's well worth it. I did wish that the ending had gone a little further, but that's my only real complaint.
- Attack of the Theater People by Marc Acito (03/17) - Everyone needs to read the prequel to this book, How I Paid for College. It's about an aspiring Julliard student and how he manages to get into Julliard and pay for the tuition without the help of his loaded father. This is the sequel, after, spoiler alert, he gets into Julliard. These books are absolutely hilarious and I recommend them to anyone, especially musical theater fans.
- Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman (04/04) - This is the second of Neil Gaiman's short story collections, and well worth a read. I don't think it was quite as strong as Smoke and Mirrors, his first collection, but that could be because it took so long for me to read this and I was writing essays on a few of them, so I think maybe I just got sick of it after spending so much time with it. It's still very good. "A Study in Emerald" is mindblowing (Lovecraftian Sherlock Holmes. Tell me you're not interested), and "October in the Chair," "Instructions" (now a children's book), The Monarch in the Glen (an American Gods novella sequel) are definitely gems. It also contains the story "The Problem of Susan," which is either genius or extremely problematic in its own right. Either way it's a bit disturbing, as is much of his work.
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (04/21) - Another smart book with an interesting, meandering style. Sadly I saw the movie first, so nothing came as a surprise, though it was still enjoyable, and deeply sad.
- The Innocent Anthropologist: Notes from a Mud Hut by Nigel Barley (05/27) - I read this for my Peoples of the World class, and it was quite good and very funny. The style reminded me of Farley Mowat. Other students in my class didn't like it as much, saying he was unprepared and had no reason to complain of the things he was complaining about, but I disagree. No one is really fully prepared when they head into the field the first time.
- *The Princess Bride by William Goldman (05/28) - Always, always, always a good read and I recommend it to absolutely everyone. I read it whenever I'm feeling down and it always helps.
- The Child Thief by Brom (06/04) - A very interesting take on the Peter Pan story, and rather entertaining, I just felt like it wallowed too much in how dark and edgy it was supposed to be. The illustrations were gorgeous, certainly. And by the end it actually deals with a lot of the problems and suspicions I had with it, and making me feel that perhaps I underestimated it at first. I'm still not entirely sure about the message, but I know it's not entirely an optimistic one.
- *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (06/30) - My lovely friend Sara was in England over the summer and bought me the British paperback edition of this book, so I decided to kick off my anticipation-of-the-DH-movies-reread with it. I was actually surprised at how much terminology was changed. I also haven't read the series in a really long time, so it was like visiting an old friend.
- *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (07/04) - Back to the American versions.
- *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (07/07)
- *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (07/11)
- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald (07/19) - This was read for the Nerdfighter summer book club. Really really really worth it. I'm just trying to get a copy for myself that's maybe under 15 dollars. Though I may cave and buy the new pretty edition now that I get a B&N discount.
- *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (08/02)
- *A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (08/17) - I forgot how freaking dark these actually are. I listened to the audiobook, read by Tim Curry, and now I'm listening to Reptile Room. Highly recommended, btw.
- *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling (08/18) (as well as "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Quidditch Through the Ages")
- *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (09/19) (as well as "The Tales of Beadle the Bard")
- *Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block (09/25) - I love this book so fucking much, oh my god.
- King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green (10/01) - My official introduction to the Arthur myth, and while it leaves out things like Mordred's parentage and some of the more ~scandalous aspects (it was for kids and written in the 50s I think), it was still a good intro and had two really good tales (Lady Ragnell, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) that aren't in the Thomas Mallory edition (which I'm currently making my slow way through). Also, Nimue's a good guy, which I liked. Still, I think I'm going to re-name this book Stupid Bitches Who Need Sassy Gay Friends.
- *The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (10/11) - In anticipation for the new Hobbit movies with Maritn Freeman, I figured I was finally going to read through it and LotR after a really long time of not finishing it.
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien (11/24) - Though it takes me a while...
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