Dang it, Christopher Paolini!

Dang it, Christopher Paolini!
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Ok, Christopher Paolini.

I get it.

I get the hype.

I wasn't ready to give you a ringing endorsement. You definitely were on my "eh" list of authors. When people asked about you, I said, "He's good for 15," or "He's still pretty young." Eragon and Eldest were just ok. Eldest was actually pretty dreadful, with the exception of Roran's story and character development, as another blogger (whose name and blog name I didn't pay attention to) pointed out. I stuck with you, though, because I enjoyed the story enough. Not completely, but just enough.

Brisingr, though, Mr. Paolini, has me cheering out loud. I'm gasping, crying, and pumping my fist. I'm captivated. What in the heck did you do between Eldest and Brisingr?

I'll tell you what you did: you got better. You saw what wasn't working, you ditched it, and found what did work, and you got better. I don't know who you talked to, what books you read, what people you observed, or how many hours you spent practicing, but you took a giant leap forward in your skill as a writer and storyteller, and I'm inspired by you. Good work, and thank you.

Wishes

Wishes
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

So...I took a day off yesterday. Didn't mean to, just didn't feel like doing anything other than reading in bed. And eating. Lots of eating.

Currently reading Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley. I read another novel of hers, Moo, on the cruise. The ships have libraries, and I took full advantage of that this time around. Read some good ones and some real stinkers. Moo was not a stinker. I was giggling out loud two pages in. Horse Heaven is even better.

Jane Smiley's writing is like no one else's I've ever read. It's almost conversational, but her wit and poetical turns-of-phrase elevate it above ordinary. She also seems to have mined my thoughts for her characters. She knows how to write women. It's sad that that's a surprise, but all too many authors write women who don't exist, at least not in my world. Jane Smiley knows women, and she writes her female characters with all the complexities and contradictions real women possess.

I am a fan for life. That's high praise, coming from me: I'm always hesitant to name names when someone asks me "who's your favorite author?" or "what's your favorite book?" Jane Smiley has made the list.

I [heart] the Brooklyn Public Library

I [heart] the Brooklyn Public Library
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I woke early yesterday morning. Six am to be exact. My upstairs neighbor was dragging furniture around. At six am. Who does that?

I wasn't sleepy anymore, so I hopped out of bed and got moving. I accomplished quite a bit yesterday morning. I finished unpacking, showered, and got my butt to the Central Library to check out some more books. As you can see, I got, um, a few. I went a little nuts. But they're free! Freeeeeee! After having to buy an unexpected plane ticket, I'm a little strapped for cash. Free books make me go crazy!

I left the library and wandered through Park Slope to catch the train. It is beautiful over there, with or without the Stroller Mafia. I passed a mansion and the thought occurred to me, "I could have that. If I really, truly wanted it and made it a goal, I could have that." It was an empowering thought. Right on its heels came the thought, "Do I really want it?" I'm not so sure I do.

What do I want? I want to get out of debt and stay out. I want a cozy, comfortable home without the worry of how I'm going to pay for it. I want a career in which I get to be as creative and variegated as I am when I'm not working. I want to do it all: write, act, direct, make films, create performance art, dance, photograph, produce, organize, design clothing, paint, daydream, learn, relax. I want adventure, whimsy, romance, good food, movement and color. And I want to get paid for it. I believe I can.

Waiting

Waiting
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I declined taking a shower today. Know why? Because the gas is still off and I didn't want to take a freezing cold shower. Yeah, I'm a little grody. But I doused myself with Honeysuckle body splash and kept moving.

Book recommendation for this month: by George by Wesley Stace. Charming. Reminds me of a movie whose title I can't remember right now (a coming-of-age film about a Scottish boy). It was a slow starter: wasn't sure I liked it in the first 50 pages. I'm hooked now.

Weather: cloudy and humid.

We Don't Die, We Multiply

We Don't Die, We Multiply
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I don't know what these things are supposed to do. They keep glomming onto my keychain and the cashier swipes them and I think I earn some "points" or something but they really don't do much more than that. And yet I keep getting them.

I'm trying to get myself back onto a regular sleep schedule. My bedtime kept skewing later and later, which made my waking time later and later. So, in spite of the fact that I probably went to sleep around 1:30, I forced myself out of bed at 9 when my body wanted to sleep until 11. Needless to say, sleepy me.

And can I just add that it's a bit rude to blast that screamy angry reggae crap from your car at 8:30 in the morning? I'm prepared for it at night. I'm used to hearing loud music on the street at night. But at 8:30am, I'm 'bout to get up out of my bed and take a cast iron skillet to your head. Who blasts music before noon? Who does that? Ugh.


Oh, and I finished Snow Crash. A caveat to my earlier post: it's a great book, but if it were a movie, it would be rated R. You have been fairly warned.

Green Means Go

Green Means Go
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

What's up with Tuesdays? I didn't take a photo yesterday. *gasp* I KNOW. My weeklong quest to take and blog one photo every day was interrupted. By laziness.

I think it might have something to do with starting to read Snow Crash. Wow. Wowowowowowow. Amazing book, and I'm only 153 pages into it (total of 468). If you like The Fifth Element, the Matrix trilogy, or even Second Life, you'll like this book. It's gooooooood. Aisha, read this book.

Drooling Boxes

Drooling Boxes
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

It's cloudy and cold. For the last three weeks, my days off have been cold and dark. What's up with that?

I intend to visit the Central branch on the Brooklyn Public Library and get myself a library card. The thought of having a functioning library card again makes me very happy. I haven't read much in the last few months because I've told myself I can't spend money on books. I intend to OD on books starting today.