Dumbest.Book.Ever

I have been very disappointed in books lately. I read Mockingjay and I enjoyed it but thought the first book in the series was better. I wasn't seriously disappointed but mildly let down in my desire for a fantastic ending to an interesting and entertaining trilogy.

I then moved on to this book. Again, the premise sounds so interesting, especially considering society's preoccupation with beauty and the thriving beauty product industry - surgical and otherwise. I think I made it about a third of the way before giving up. I just didn't care about the story the author was trying to tell. I was interested in characters that didn't play a major role and I wanted to know more about some of the secondary characters rather than the primary characters. Needless to say, I stopped reading. It has been placed back on the shelf...possibly for another day, but probably not.

And then there's this book. Why in heaven's name, why?! I'm sure you've all seen this book and others like it..like this book. No? What about this one or perhaps this one. I've passed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies enough times in the bookstore to have gotten over the initial urge to cringe each time I saw it. As I saw more and more of these types of books pop up lately, I'm sorry to say my curiosity got the better of me. I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I want my $10 back. Oh and those several hours I spent reading it...yeah, want those back to.

Now, I know I'm a bit of a purist (ok...a lot of a purist) when it comes to the traditional English Literature Cannon but I can appreciate creativity and ingenuity when I see it. But I had to draw the line when after killing three of Lady Catherine De Bourg's ninjas, Elizabeth Bennet killed the third by pinning it to the wall with her Katana sword (huh?) and then finishing him off by punching her hand through his chest and ripping his heart out of his body and then eating it. I'm sorry...what?

Where is all the humor and satire? It seems the "author" (i use that term very loosely here) took out all the wonderful aspects of Austen's story and inserted Zombies, muskets, ninjas and dojos. Obviously he's catering to a very different audience but then why use Austen at all then? Or Tolstoy? or Shakespeare? The more I think about it, the more it irritates me. I suppose I should just be happy people are reading the "classics" but are they really?

I'm not saying that one has to read Austen or Tolstoy or any other of the "classics" to be an intelligent, well read person but if you're going to read them, at least read the original. And if Mr. Grahame-Smith had been in the least bit clever in his approach I probably would have enjoyed it. However, the only similarities between the two were character names and places. He would also occasionally insert some of the original dialogue...sometimes and very small portions.

I know Zombies, Vampires and werewolves are hot right now but really....? Enough already!

Late Night Internet Window Shopping

So cute...

Do you ever...

Do you ever have one of those days/weeks/months/years when it seems everything is conspiring against you? Yeah...me neither.

Twice in one week...

I went to campus yesterday to pick up my books for the semester and it was teeming with undergrads there for freshman orientation. I had to chuckle a little at how terrified most of them looked. They moved in packs and timidly moved among the shelves of books at the bookstore. Most of them were still wearing name tags and clutching campus maps and class schedules. I was probably just as terrified but it's slightly humorous to see it from the other side.

I went to evening Institute Choir tonight and holy hannah! They're so young. I would estimate that a good 80-85% of the choir hadn't even started their first year of college yet. Yeesh...it makes me feel old!

This and that....

-I am leaving for St. George in hopefully two or three hours...waiting for laundry to be done.
-Went wake boarding for the first time in nearly a decade on Tuesday and totally rocked it.
-Face planted twice on Tuesday due to not wake boarding in nearly a decade.
-Found several bruises and scrapes from Tuesday but I figure if you don't go home with some bruises then you're not playing hard enough. Go big or go home, right?
-Spending the weekend with Ash, Sarah and Jon....big laughs are sure to be forthcoming!
-Half Naked man swinging around on synthetic vines and singing with men/women dressed as gorillas...somewhat skeptical about this one but we'll see how it turns our.
-Start school next week along with new work schedule.
-Considering auditioning for the Institute Singers. Pro- get to sing regularly with talented singers and sing at CES broadcasts and such. Con- would have to wear a not so attractive choir dress. thoughts?
-Made a new friend via Facebook chat...wouldn't you know it, a social networking site actually did some social networking.
-Get to see Lion King next weekend with my niece...very excited!

Check it...

You all really need to check out this blog. I've also linked it over in my sidebar thingy. I have a feeling this is going to a be brilliant thing. It's started by a friend and all posting is completely anonymous. If any would like to contribute let me know and I can send you the details. I've got a couple gems myself!

Here's my beef...

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again...I am the medical anomaly in my family. Remember 2007? No...well read here and here oh and here. Go ahead, I'll wait....

Yeah...it's fun being me, isn't it. Since my surgery I have been fairly healthy. No random trips to the ER or unexpected hospitalizations. No more monthly trips to the labs to get my blood drawn. Then almost two years ago I moved in with Lisa and suddenly I start getting sick like every couple of months. I got strep. I hadn't had strep since I got my tonsils out when I was 8. And yes, strep is every bit as horrible as you remember it. I also got the flu. Again, haven't had the flu since I was a kid.

More recently, I almost didn't go to the Shakespeare Festival because I had a strep-like sore throat but two days later it was gone. This morning I woke up feeling a little bleh but got up and went about my business and was at work on time - 6am, to be precise. As I got started with my day I became increasingly nauseous. All of which culminated in my loosing my proverbial cookies around 8. Obviously, I went home and promptly went back to bed.

I woke up several hours later to discover the reason why I had lost my breakfast. The.worst.cramps.ever. Yes, they were so bad I actually upchucked. On the bright side, I know exactly how long it takes for Midol to kick in...25 minutes. I know because that's how long I laid in bed in the fetal position curled around my heating pad.

TMI...?