January Reading List: “Zombies vs. Flappers”

Collected Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I have probably mentioned this somewhere before, but the short story happens to be my favorite form of literature. There’s something to be said about an author able to leave a life-long impression in a few thousand words. Of all the stories in this collection, two have caught my fancy: “The Offshore Pirate” and “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”

Both of these stories are fantasies, which, if you have been reading these lists from the beginning, should not come as a surprise. “The Offshore Pirate” tells the story of Ardita Farnan and her love affair with a pirate that raids her uncle’s ship off the Florida shores. “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz” chronicles John T. Unger’s trip to visit a classmate at his home in the west. John soon discovers that his friend’s family lives on a mountain-sized diamond and will go to any lengths to keep this secret to themselves.

“The Offshore Pirate” is quickly climbing to the top of my favorite short stories list. I adore the strength of the characters that drive this narrative and the truths that are revealed within the last few pages. Fitzgerald’s writing was conversational, his descriptions simple but captivating, and his dialogue masterful.

Bay of the Dead by Mark Morris

I bought this because Ianto was on the cover. stfu.

This short novel is an offshoot of the BBC series Torchwood. It was far from a masterful piece of fiction and instead rather like reading a badly written episode. This is where I peer to and for before muttering, “I’ve ready better fanfiction.”

Bay of the Dead takes place some time after the end of the second series. Jack, Gwen, and Ianto find themselves in the midst of a zombie apocolypse. Now, I don’t like zombies simply because they terrify me. Yes, I have an irrational fear of zombies. I watch zombie movies and I immediately have nightmares of my face being eaten by a stinky, rotten corpse.

The plot is very action-oriented and leaves little room for character development. I had hoped that reading the companion books to the series would give me a broader and more intimate look into the thoughts and personalities of my favorite characters. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed. That isn’t to say that this book wasn’t a fun way to spend the afternoon. The book still features Jack Harkness being Jack Harkness and the occassional quip from a suit-clad Ianto.

Anyway, if you want to see the Torchwood team take on the Zombie apocalypse George A. Romero-style this book is for you. If you’re like me and looking for character development, don’t look here.

Essentials: The Goth Rosary Candles

I’ve written about The Goth Rosary’s Fragrance Mists in the past and am happy to announce that AntiSally is now offering soy candles in all of her darkly delicious scents. Over the years, The Goth Rosary has provided a variety of high-quality and reasonably priced products– body washes, perfume oils, soaps, and shampoos.

I love candles. So, imagine my glee when my favorite purveyor of scents decided to branch into the candle business. According to the website, the candles have a burn time of around 3.5 hours but I’ve been getting between 5-6 hours with mine. These burn clean without any of the black smoke or residue that is common with many commercial brands.

These candles pack a powerful punch. It doesn’t take long for the scent to permeate a small room and leave a lasting impression. My favorite scent, so far, is Shadows. This scent is subtle enough not to overwhelm but still strong enouh to add a pleasantly dark atmosphere.

Not only are these candles a great product, but the adorable packaging just adds to the appeal. The 100% soy candles are housed in lovely tin coffins. The tins make these candles great as gifts or party favors and can easily be reused after burning.

If you like candles or are just looking for something unique, these candles are perfect. The Goth Rosary offers more than twenty unique scents and will be releasing a new one next month.

Theodore, Coolest Cat on the Block

Portrait of Cat in Window.

This Christmas brings a new member to my extended family of dolls, toys, and animals. Theodore is a beautiful Siamese Cat Webkin. Why Webkinz? Well, there’s just something about a world of addictive flash games and using points to buy items for my virtual pets that keeps me coming back. I think what I love most about Webkinz is that I have a very lovely physical toy that I can then carry over into a virtual world.

Theodore is a freelance artist. He loves painting, poetry, and potato chips. Of an evening, he can be found in his room listening to the local public radio and licking irish cream. When he isn’t working on his latest novel or painting, he can be found downloading videos from YouTube to his iPhone or visiting his buddies over at http://icanhascheezburger.com/.

Theodore’s favorite poet is T.S. Eliot. His favorite book is Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. If you ask him what his favorite movie is, he’ll tell you Immortal Beloved but what he really means is Aristocats.

Theodore's Bedroom.

Hello Kitty Online

I love Hello Kitty and all her friends over at Sanrio. So, what better way to live out my dream of a world filled with fluffy clouds and super-deformed animals than becoming a resident of Hello Kitty Online. This new MMO allows players to interact with their favorite Sanrio characters while completing quests, honing trade skills, collecting a variety of costumes, and falling in love with the ever addicting flash minigames.

The big question: Why does the happy world of Sanrioland need adventurers? It turns out that Kitty is missing and all of her friends have been forced into a deep sleep. Players are summoned to the land in order to find keys to wake up Kitty’s friends. The opening sequence features storybook illustrations and a cute rhyme reminiscent of “‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house/ Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” After the opening,  players find themselves listening to the soothing cadences of a very male voice as he explains what to do with your interface.

“This is a chatbox,” he says. “You can choose different channels for map, trade, and even send IMs.”

“Really?” I say. “I never would have guessed.”

Malvina: Just Another Agent Smith

The initial character customization screen was lackluster at best. Players are able to choose from a handful of hairstyles, skin colors, and eyes. I logged in to find that just about every player looked just like me. It was a bit like that scene in The Matrix Reloaded where Neo kicks the shit out of millions of Agent Smiths. According to the website, players are able to complete many different quests and visit shopping malls in order to further customize their avatars’ appearances. I only got as far as exchanging  my skimpy white undershirt and shorts for a set of the same outfit in green and a pair of funky sunglasses.

Overall, the game comes across as a combination of Webkinz, GaiaOnline, and various stylus controlled DS games. Quests, at least at the beginning stages of the game, are painfully repetitive. Malvina, once bloodthirsty World of Warcraft rogue, was reduced to point at various resources to gather them for quest givers. That isn’t to say the game is completely without its share of fighting. Players use unconventional weapons–in my case, a wand– to bludgeon adorable, starry-eyed monsters into a state of dizziness. Did I go after the same helpless starfish a dozen times until he gave me the slime I needed? Maybe. Unfortunately, abusing these super cute monsters does not give any sort of experience.

What does it come down to? Well, if you like to kill things Hello Kitty Online is not that game. On the other hand, HKO is perfect if you are looking for a free to play game that allows you to build houses, hone skills like cooking and farming, and collect costumes. I have yet to uninstall the game, so that must say something about it.

So, if you have an hour or two to spend some leisurely time playing games get off Facebook and send me a message. =^-^=

Warning: Playing this game causes insatiable urges to head to the local Sanrio store and drop loads of money of various articles of Sanrio loot.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Emma and I had lots of fun making Christmas cookies.

Unicorns! Totally a Christmas shape.

Emma, Master Decorator.

Reading List: November

Yesterday it was October. Today it is December. What happened to November?  I thought I saw a large, lumbering leaf-pile skulking just outside my field of vision– that must have been it.

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

I read this novel early in the month and, sadly, it was the only work I managed to complete. I found the book unremarkable. Or, rather, the characters and general plot failed to produce any sort of reaction from me as a reader. I breathed a sigh of relief when Griffin, the invisible man, was beaten to death by a rabid and angry crowd.

Yet, I came away from reading this with more than a smile on my face. There is something about the mix of blooming scientific fact and paranormal fantasy in 19th century literature that tickles me pink. It was worth the few hours it took to read this novella if only for the fact that it had the same atmosphere as some of my favorite works.

That’s all, really.

\-_-/

I only ever memorized one poem. I thought it was fitting.

Sonnet: Lift not the painted veil…

Percy Shelley

Lift not the painted veil which those who live
Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there,
And it but mimic all we would believe
With colours idly spread,–behind, lurk Fear
And Hope, twin Destinies; who ever weave
Their shadows, o’er the chasm, sightless and drear.
I knew one who had lifted it–he sought,
For his lost heart was tender, things to love,
But found them not, alas! nor was there aught
The world contains, the which he could approve.
Through the unheeding many he did move,
A splendour among shadows, a bright blot
Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that strove
For truth, and like the Preacher found it not.

Hi-Fructose Magazine

Recently, I find myself drawn to the world of magazines. These pint-sized purveyors of words are ideal for sliding under paperwork and perusing between phone calls. As it is, a beautifully crafted, thousand word article can often be more powerful than a 50,000 word novel. My search for bite-friendly literature lead me to the magazine section at my local Barnes & Noble.

Dazzled by the selection– should I read about dolls, games, anime, fashion?– my eyes settled on the haunting portrait that decorated the latest issue of Hi-Fructose. I picked it up, thumbed through to find myself assaulted by stunningly crafted layouts and mind-numbingly gorgeous artwork. My penny-counting shoulder fairy carefully replaced the volume and opted for a less expensive underground and alternative art magazine. Still, this volume beckoned to me from the shelf throughout my daily visits to the cafe.

When I finally did break down and purchase the magazine, I was not disappointed. In fact, I was absolutely shell-shocked. Not only does this magazine showcase phenomenal artists, but the articles themselves feature high-calibre writing. . The crisp, clean layouts and top-quality professional writing make this magazine stand above the others sitting next to it on the shelf. So, if you like art or if you’re just looking for some beautifully written, inspiring articles pick this up.

Hi-Fructose is published quarterly and can be found in many major bookstores as well as online at their website http://www.hifructose.com/.

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.