Reading List: October “Flirting with the Supernatural”

October, a month of changing leaves and goblins and ghouls. So, what better way to spend my month than reading tales of the supernatural? And who just happens to be the queen of the supernatural? Anne Rice.

Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice

Earlier this year, I started a reread of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles. I thought it was high time I revisited the series and picked up Blackwood Farm and Blood Canticle. I regret it. I really do regret it.

Blackwood Farm is a train wreck. I kept reading with the hope that maybe, maybe Anne Rice would somehow transform the disgusting mess of a narrative into something lovely. This never happened. Let me put it this way, I do not like Lestat. In face, Lestat is one of my least favorite literary characters ever. The highlight of my Blackwood Farm experience was the few moments in the beginning when Lestat was charming everyone and made some off-hand comment about goths.

I don’t even want to talk about this book. I can’t believe I read it. I can’t believe Anne Rice wrote it. What is the world coming to?

The Time Traveller’s Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveller’s Wife was one of those books I told myself I would never read. It was popular, people loved it, and I refused to have any part in that. I finally broke down and checked it out at the local library.

I think what I liked most about this book was the clever way in which Niffenegger structures the novel. The reader is presented with two alternating perspectives through the eyes of Henry and Clare. So, for example, a certain scene might be seen through the eyes of Clare only later to be retold and reexperienced through the eyes of Henry. The narrative itself is anchored on Clare’s linear life, while Henry weaves his way through this timeline appearing at different times at different ages. That was a rather disorienting sentence, but the book has a tendency to be disorienting.

My only complain is that, overall, the book is rather overdramatic. It is, at its core, a sappy and depressing love story. It’s much better than orgiastic episodes with ghosts and hermaphroditic vampires, however. The perfect book for a fall afternoon curled up in bed with hot chocolate and slippers.

That’s all for this month. I’m going to take my sub-par writing skills and skip off.

Review: Stitches: A Memoir by David Small

If ever there was a graphic novel that set out to redefine and reimagine what this fast-growing genre can produce, it is David Small’s memoir Stitches. The already tragic, poignant story of Small’s troubling childhood is only enhanced by the dreamy, simple images of each panel. The knowledge that what appears before the reader is not a fictional story, but instead the retelling of one artist’s life is… haunting. What better way for an artist to retell his path, than through art?

The withdrawn nature of David’s family, his struggle with cancer and the consequent loss of his voice, his decision to leave home at an early age to pursue a career as an artist, all illustrate beautifully the way in which David was able to overcome the struggles of his youth. Like life, David’s story does not end tidily. Despite the fact that Small’s narrative ends on the path to redemption, the reader does not leave with a sense of completeness.  Not all problems are addressed and not all questions are answered. This, I think, was most powerful of all. Life is not clean, nor does it always happily tie up loose ends, so it was fitting that Small’s retelling of his own road as an artists mirrored these aspects of life.

Much like Savage’s Firmin, Small looks at the ways in which a voiceless individual overcomes these obstacles to make something of himself. I came away with a renewed determination to take what I have in my life and continue to work with it, to improve it, and to take action.

Interestingly enough, David Small is a Detroit native and much of the story takes place in or around the city. If you like memoirs, if you like poignant prose, and if you live graphic novels this is certainly one to pick up.

Reading List Authors Edition I: Sam Savage

I first stumbled upon the work of Sam Savage while browsing at the local Barnes & Noble on my lunch break. They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but it was the bold, black typewriter and orange background of The Cry of Sloth that grabbed my attention. Amidst stacks and shelves full of hundreds, nay thousands, of books my hand reached out to grasp this curiously colored and titled tome. A few days later I bounded off to the local library.

The Cry of the Sloth

Editor of the not-well-known literary magazine SOAP and unfortunate landlord to numerous crumbling properties, Andrew Whittaker’s tragic undoing is chronicled through a collection of letters, diary entries, shopping lists, notes to tenants and Whitman-esque letters to editors. Readers become privy to the darkest thoughts and deeds that orchestrate the undoing of a struggling writer. In an attempt to save himself (and his beloved magazine), Whittaker begins plans for a grand literary festival. At the same time, he is tormented by a demanding ex-wife, threatened by a rejected SOAP writer, searched for by the banks, and ridiculed by rival art magazine, The Art News.

This comic tale feels and reads much like John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces. The pages are filled with off-the-wall and ridiculous situations that work to illustrate the truly tragic nature of the main characters. Savage weaves a beautifully dark, tragically funny narrative that completes itself in a mere 224 pages. Admittedly, I was a little skeptical as to how successful the book’s format would pan out.  The epistelary nature of the book makes for an interesting conflict: the reader is left craving for more from the characters that appear in Andy’s letters and notes, yet the author gives enough that the reader is able to paint elaborate pictures of these characters. Questions like “How did Jolie respond to the last letter?” are hinted at in later replies from the narrator. Yet, these letters and snippets of Andy’s writings add a certain intimacy that might have lacked in other formats.

Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife

Of all the books I have read this year, this volume stands at the top of the list. Firmin: aspiring author, lover of literature, and rat. The runt of among is 12 siblings, Firmin realizes early on that he is different than other rats. More intelligent than some of the most well-read humans, Firmin is condemned to a life of silence and literature within the walls of Boston bookseller, Pembroke Books. Here readers are exposed to the life of a rat who isn’t really a rat and the tragedy that comes from living such an isolated, lonely life. Full of eloquent words and beautiful passages, Firmin has not the voice to share these with the handful of humans he falls in love with.

Beautifully crafted, dark, and sometimes humerous, Savage captures the lonely isolation of the genius – a feeling that we all have no doubt felt at one time or another. Firmin’s tale is endearing, unique, and moving. His habit of wandering into the nearby Rialto theater to watch x-rated movies with the girls he dubs “Lovelies” only serves to emphasize the fact that Firmin, however human he might appear to be, is still a rat by nature.

What strikes me most about Savage’s prose is the sheer amount of eloquence that he conveys while still writing in an easy, conversational manner. His language is not the haughty, hyper-elegant prose that often bogs down the works of Anne Rice, nor is it the crude, every-day language that sometimes makes me cringe while reading Stephen King.  Instead, Savage captures the essence of literature in flowing, easy-to-read prose that sends shivers up this sentence-lover’s spine. Both of these books are short, with The Cry of the Sloth at 224 pages and Firmin at 162. Yet, despite the brevity of these works, Savage creates powerfully moving narratives devoid of fluff and terribly charming.

Reading List: September “Of Pictures and Kings”

September, oh, September! It has been a dry month in the literature department. I have been negligent. My days spent mindlessly answering phones and staring at mundane projects has all but devoured my will to do anything else.

Okay, I lie. Most of the reading I did this month happened in the world of manga. There’s nothing like the uplifting tale of a strong heroine to add a little spring to a girl’s step. Yet, can such things as comics and graphic novels and the like be labeled “literature”? Mmhmm!

Revolutionary Girl Utena (Vol. 1) by Chiho Saito

I love Revolutionary Girl Utena and it is one of the very few animes that I regret not owning. Utena, our pink-haired heroine, strives to life a noble life after being rescued by a rose-scented prince. She fights duels, rescues damsels, chases princes, and so on. This is an inspiring fairy-tale filled story with a great many twists and turns.

Also, there is sword fighting. There’s nothing like a good sword fight.

Paradise Kiss (Vol. 1-3) by Ai Yazawa

I just wrote about Paradise Kiss in a recent post, so it would be redundant to write about it again. This is a short series, consisting of five fun-filled volumes. There’s something about the sleek, stylish characters and the blend of fashion and storytelling that keeps this series as compelling as ever.

The Once & Future King by T.H. White

This, as Shawn always points out, is a book of ideas. Unfortunately, my tired and battered mind latched onto those golden instances of storytelling peppered throughout the narrative. I loved reading about Wart’s adventures with Robin Wood, his experiences being turned into various animals by Merlyn, and the later tales concerning the collapse of Arthur’s dreams and kingdom.

Admittedly, I felt that the middle third of the book was sadly lacking in some respects– I dragged through these pages only to find myself entirely engrossed in the last third of this epic tale. Yet, it is a powerful author who is able to illicit a true dislike for a character and T.H. White does this beautifully.

Someday, I will read this again and get a little more out of it.

I read one final book this month, The Cry of the Sloth by Sam Savage, but I am working on a larger post concerning this work. I need to learn how to write through the exhaustion, this is rubbish. In fact, if this were a sheet of paper it would be in the trash– probably.

Of all the strange…

This is what I look like after work...

Me? Work on more than one project at once? Apparently, I don’t have the attention span or motivation. I sometimes wonder how I am able to function at all. Recently, I have been piecing together a list of strange little quirks I have. Here is that list:

Things That Annoy

• Wet Hair. I despise the feeling of wet hair– touching it, feeling it on the back of my neck and shoulders. I hate to shower because I know I will have to deal with the feeling of wet hair afterwards. Yuck.
• Cell Phone Ringtones. Listen, when I am sitting at my desk at work or in line at the grocery store I don’t want to hear your phone chanting your favorite song, weird cat noises, or whatever else. Not only is it rude but it is unprofessional. Phones have a vibrate setting for a reason– buzzing is not nearly as annoying as the latest Kanye West single.
• Staples. I don’t like staples– not the store, but the little metal things used to keep things together. Nine times out of ten I am just going to have to go back and remove a staple, which quickly becomes a vary large ordeal. Paperclips are so much more convenient.
• People who honk their horns. Since I moved, I have not been able to come to an intersection, corner, or parking lot where there is not someone honking at someone else. In fact, one afternoon at the Supermarket, Shawn and I witnessed an old woman honking at a shopping cart for several very long minutes. No, she could not be bothered to get out of her car to move the cart. She must have though that eventually the cart would grow legs and walk away.

Things I Like

• Warm Clothes. Who doesn’t like the feeling of warm clothes fresh out of the dryer? I love it. I was astonished to find a “Towel Warmer” in a recent Bed, Bath & Beyond catalogue. Really? It warms your towels for you so they are dryer fresh when you get out of the shower.
• Coke. I always forget how much I enjoy a good Coke. One at lunch really helps me get through the rest of the work day. It also gets me out of the office– soda always tastes so much better out of the machine rather than the can.
• The Smell of Coffee. I love, love, love the smell of coffee. Sometimes, I make it just so I can smell it. It is sort of comforting. In fact, as I write this I am very tempted to wander over and make myself a lovely pot of coffee.
• Well-Written Sentences. While reading the BBC at work on Friday, it occured to me that well-written sentences are absolutely thrilling. The crafting of a sentence is something that has always been a challenge to me. So, when I see a great sentence it sends little baby-shivers down my spine.
• John Barrowman. Yes, I still love you even if Jack Harkness was a complete and total ass in Children of Earth. I still let out a heartbroken sob every now and again when I think of that train wreck and the demise of a certain… Well, with a voice like this how can I complain:

A Quick “Hello”

No, I’m not dead (not yet, anyway). I started a new job this week and it has left me feeling very exhausted and rather uncreative. Here’s hoping I get used to the routine before I turn into a mindless zombie again.

My designing in SecondLife has been going exceptionally well. I’ve finished two outfits along with a few little side projects. Here’s a sneak peak as to what I’ve been up to recently…

So, my neck is killing me after spending several days bent over a desk staring at numbers and invoices and audits. Stay tuned this weekend for some semi-coherent, viable posts.

The Workspace

Click for bigger!

Yesterday, I caved in and bought a chair to go with my desk. No more sitting in my happy green armchair with a TV dinner table as a work surface. I was a little sad to see the set-up go, but after a day in my ‘new home’ I’m glad I made the purchase.

Shawn and I have converted the large walk-in closet to an office for me. It made it hard to take a picture, since the space is a little cramped. It isn’t, however, so cramped as to be uncomfortable. My chair, which you cannot see in the picture is a folding wooden number with a small faux-leather cushioned seat.

Things still aren’t quite where I would like them to be. I’ve moved the ottoman from my armchair into the office. I would like to get a small ottoman which opens up on top with storage space inside (I’ve seen them at both Target and Office Depot). I like to have my feet up when I’m working.

I’ve always been fascinated by pictures of people’s workspaces and desks. Share yours!

…and I want it painted black.

Another color-coded wish list of epic proportions. I started the song lyric, so I had to at least finish it. Allow me to present several lusted after black items:

1. Rocking Horse Shoes ($98)

These are high up on my “to get” list. They don’t necessarily have to be this brand (I would love an authentic pair by Vivienne Westwood), but I have always been intrigued by the design of these very unique pieces of footwear. Just imagine all the outfits I could add life to with a pair of these beauties.

As long as I remember not to tip myself backwards, I’ll be fine.

2. Full Length Cloak and Mantle ($199.99)

I have been searching for a jaw-dropping, elegant long coat for years. Part of my problem, of course, being that I always think about buying one when I no longer can afford it. What do I do when I do have the money? I wish I knew the answer to that question.

As it is, I stumbled across this coat a few days ago online and instantly fell in love. It fulfills all my specifications for the perfect coat. First, it must be elegant and well-fitted. Second, it must be unique but still subdued. Finally, it must be versatile. If I owned this coat, I would live in it. Ninety degree weather? Pfft, me and my new best friend , Coat, are ready.

3.  OPI Dark Room Nail Color ($9)

Normally, I stay away from nail polish. Nail Polish and I have a long history together. A history filled with stained carpet and chipped color. That hasn’t stopped me from wanting the perfect shade of black and this looks like it might be the one. There’s something about black fingernails that adds a sense of foreboding and interesting to a girl’s hands. The perfect complement to a coffin-shaped ring.

4. Vespa LX 150 ($4,399)

Now that I can (mostly) drive a manual car I have it in my head that I can drive just about anything if I put my mind to it. Thea in a fighter jet? You bet’cha! A happy, black, little scooter like this would be infinitely easier to park than the car and get me around town when the highest speed limit is 45 mph. Driving is so slow here it takes me at least twenty minutes to travel five miles, yikes!

Indeed, with my little Vespa and my new friend, Coat, I would become a real life Robin from Witch Hunter Robin.  Granted, I would be hunting for jobs and fabric rather than working for a secret society hunting down evil witches, but it’s more or less the same. The fact that I could own a new one of these for just slightly more than I pay for my phone bill every month is definitely a huge plus.

Fabric Hunter Thea doesn't quite have the same ring as Witch Hunter Robin.

Would I name my scooter? Certainly. I would probably call her something like the Black Pearl and pretend I was a pirate.

5. Coffin Paper Products ($10 and up)

Is it wrong that I want dozens of these adorable little notebooks to keep me company? Can you imagine the look on peoples’ faces when I flick out my coffin shaped business card? If I had a business, I would so get me some of these. In black, of course!

It’s a huge plus that they can be customized to say what you want them to say on the covers.

There are probably many more things in this lovely, dark shade that I want to own, but I fear I’ve run out of the patience it takes to hunt them down. Hopefully, I will be back later today to continue with my even week of FAIL.

Idols III: Music

When it comes to music, it’s hard for me to find something that I can realistically say “this has changed my life in some way.” That isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy music, but I’ve always been more of a literature kind of person.

1. Before These Crowded Streets (Dave Matthews Band)

I used to listen to this album every New Year’s Eve, as that was the day I purchased it on CD. It was one of the first CDs I ever owned and though it has long been lost, I still have the MP3s to keep me company. (I try not to buy physical CDs anymore because I invariably lose them).

This album changed my life. It has been the inspiration behind many works of fiction, poetry, and art. Like with Paradise Kiss, I listen to this when I need that bit of creative boost to finish (or start) the latest project. There’s just something about the dark and emotional undertones throughout the album that is haunting and captivating. Before These Crowded Streets creates that dark fairytale atmosphere I still love, while still filled with rich, colorful storytelling.

Another selling point for this album is that every track is fantastic. From start to finish, I find myself entirely captivated and drawn into the various stories and emotions expressed within the tracks. My favorites, however, are “The Dreaming Tree,” “The Last Stop,” and “Rapunzel.”

2. The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Llyod Webber)

The first music I ever really loved was the original London recording of Phantom of the Opera. My Mom used to play it in the car on our many shopping trips. I think, if you’ve been ready my other Idols posts, that why I fell in love with this is readily apparent. I love the haunting emotions, the tragic figure of the Opera Ghost, and the artistic setting that the story takes place in.

Idols II: Movies

So, the official conclusion is that I fail at blogging when I say  I will blog. I make no promises. Well, I did. I suppose I will have to make up for it with two posts today– seeing as I missed yesterday completely.

Today, I want to write about movies. I adore movies. I love to curl up with a stuffed animal and put in a movie to stimulate my imagination and pass the time. The movies I will write about today aren’t necessarily my favorites, but they have impacted me in one way or another throughout my youth.

1. The Last Unicorn

This has been and probably always will be my favorite movie. The voice acting is superb. The artwork has a certain, dream-like stylized quality that has more or less stood up to time. But, what I like most about this movie is the melancholy atmosphere that surrounds both characters and stories. The heroes of this story are not really traditional heroes in any sense of the word. Even Lir, through his exploits of killing dragons and trolls, finds that his actions do nothing to stir the heart of his would-be love.

It is a rather tragic story as the last unicorn travels to seek out her lost companions. On this journey, she is transformed into a human woman and learns of human emotions — such as love and regret. In the end, though she saves the other unicorns, she is so different from them that she can no longer be with them. The movie is very loyal to the book written by Peter S. Beagle, so if you have not read or watch I think you should give it a try.

2. Army of Darkness

This isn’t really top on my list of movies I must own and watch constantly, but when I re-watched this recently it reminded me of a debt I owe to this movie. Despite being campy and a little silly, this movie planted the seed of undead armies, dark magic, and powerful books in my impressionable young mind. Besides, it starred Bruce Campbell and was written and directed by Sam Raimi (Xena and Hercules, anyone?), so I can’t fault it too much.

Hell, I just like this movie. It makes me giggle. In fact, writing this has made me want to watch it– right now.

3. The Cell

This is the first movie that I ever saw and realized that film could be a form of art instead of mere entertainment. Happily, I’m much more well-versed in movies and have found many lovelies to add to my collection now. Yes, the story was rather banal– how many other movies have we seen trying to get into the minds of psycho-killers? — yet the imaginative cinematography and the dream-like qualities of the film make it more than worth watching.

I love strange imagery and this movie is full of it.

4. Labyrinth

More magic. More dreams. More fantasy adventure. Are you surprised? I’m not. I remember that, for a long time, we would come home from school every day and watch this movie. This is another move filled with strange images and creatures, interesting uses of magic, a protagonist who grows and face challenges, and a very interesting villain. I love interesting villains.

5. Interview with the Vampire

I love vampires. I don’t love this movie as nearly as much as I used to (just like my love of the Vampire Chronicles has dwindled over the years), but it still needs mentioning here. When I was younger, I used to think I would grow up to become some sort of vampire scholar and all I wanted to do was study vampire lore and literature.

As you can see, that didn’t really work out, did it?

I think this is enough for one post, as you can see I have a certain love of the fantastic, the imaginative, and the somewhat weird. Some more movies that I absolutely adore right now are Pan’s Labyrinth, Amelie, The Fall, Bullets over Broadway, Dirty Pretty Things, and a bunch more that I can’t think if right now since my DVD collection is “over there.”