Utils in Bat Country

Read and Watched in July (And Tree of Not Life)

I got distracted this month with some stupid, online video game, and put a few hours in on that, rahter than reading. But it's OK, I forgive myself.

I made an attempt at watching Tree of Life. For those of you unfamiliar, it's directed by Terry Mallick who did The Thin Red Line, which I loved. It was reviewed on NPR when the film was released, and the reviewer (whose name I never remember, but whom I almost always agree with) said the film was both horrible and wonderful, both extremely worthwhile and not at all worth the time and effort.

So I went. The Guy and I headed to a local art house theater, bought our $10 tickets, grabbed seats, and rolled with it. Almost.

The film isn't chronological, which is fine with me. I have the brainpower to get through a movie that moves in strange ways. There's a 1960s family with two kids, Brad Pitt is the dad. They like to walk down the middle of their neighborhood streets together. I know, because the early part of the film showed them doing this. A lot. Mallick wants you to know they were mostly a HAPPY family, dammit. BUT! He also wants you to know Brad Pitt was sometimes a Mean Dad. Not beat the kids with a wiffle ball bat mean, but sometimes harsh, overbearing, the Manly Dad of the 1960s. Fine. Sean Penn is one of the kids when he's all grown up, and he and his parents are dealing, 30-some odd years later with the death of the other brother, presumably in Vietnam.

OK, so far so good. We are maybe 20-30 minutes into the movie.

And then it got arty.

But not Arty in the good way. Not 2001, Stanley Kubrick arty. Just random, and WHININGLY arty. Mom does a voiceover, all about how the loss of her son made her question god, his existence, etc. Which, yeah, for a believer I can understand how this is a valid way of thinking. Mallick decided to go about 9538 steps further, and for the next 15-20 minutes the viewer is treated to animation (and what seems to be amazing underwater sea footage, but I'm too lazy to check) of essentially the Big Bang through dinosaurs, all with a swelling and overwrought score.

By the time we got to the dinosaurs, I was getting pisssed. When the dinosaurs showed up, I was FURIOUS. I don't mind paying to see a director's acid trip. I do mind when it's an homage to something, especially when I'm not sure what it is. Is Mallick trying to reaffirm the existence of god, by showing what he has wrought? In that case, fuck you, Terry, I call bullshit and point you towards the science section of your local library. Is Mallick doing the opposite, calling bullshit on this poor mom's faith? In that case, fuck you, Terry, for being a heartless asshole.

I think, instead, Mallick is a self-absorbed fucktwit who really likes computer graphics and nonsense.

The dinosaurs? That's when I walked out.

Sadly, the Guy really wanted to see the movie. He thought the animated scenes were BEAUTIFUL, and he may very well be right. By the time I left, I was so angry with having wasted that 30 minutes of my life, I had shut down completely and couldn't tell you one way or the other. The Guy talked to the theater manager, after I went across the street to grab a drink, to see if he could get a ticket to sit through the movie without me (I told him to stay, but the manager-dude claimed he didn't have the authority, and the Guy never bothered to call the theater). The manager asked, with no prompting, if I had walked out when the dinosaurs showed up.

Obviously, I am not the only one.

Books read in July

Emma by Jane Austen (Finished 5 July 2011)
Cut by Patricia McCormick (Finished 5 July 2011)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Finished 6 July 2011)
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (Finished 8 July 2011)
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Gram-Green (Finished 25 July 2011)
52 Pick-Up by Elmore Leonard (Finished 31 July 2011)

Books read in 2011: 25

Read and Watched in June

I have emerged victorious from both my month long class, and a grueling week at work. I am on day two of my "weekend", and I've even managed to accomplish a couple of things around the house. Right now, I'm waiting for the dishes to finish so I can reload, and perhaps find the energy for some laundry. My exciting life, let me show you it.

I'm coming late with the read and watch update, so I thought I'd give a little more this time around.

WATCHED

I've not been big on watching much of anything lately. I've been absorbed in books in a way I haven't been since long before graduate school went crazy on me, lo these many years ago. I read just about anything, good, bad, or indifferent with a frenzy that I can't quite explain. I've always loved to read, but something has changed recently. Perhaps it's working in a relatively mindless industry (sorry, but I ask people if they want tater tots with their meals...it's the equivelent to "do you want fries with that) and my brain is rebelling at the idea of becoming One of Those People. Not that I don't know plenty of smart and/or educated folks in the restaurant field. But it's capital D Different than academia, or even these ridiculous education classes I'm forced to undergo.

Thus, I've seen a grand total of ONE movie in the last month. And that was..."Love Actually". Which I have seen roughly 5464 times before.

[REDACTED]

READ

In June, I 'only' managed to get through three books. I say it like that because I read Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, all of which have been turned into Swedish films in the last couple of years, and all of which are slated (much to my disdain) for American remakes in the near future. And the reason the 'only' is in there is that, unlike my penchant for trashy vampire books, Larsson's works aren't simple reads, aren't comfortable reads, and at roughly 700 pages each, they aren't short and sweet reads either. They are densely packed, full of violence of every nature, and get more and more out there as you read.

The first, Tattoo, is a straight-forward book about a woman who has gone through horrors in her life, made herself around them, and repeatedly gets stuck in shitty situations much outside of her own control. By the third book, I was shaking my head in disbelief thinking Larsson had gone a little too overboard with conspiracy theories and the like. I had already seen the films, so I knew some of what was coming, but per usual the books were superior and thus more involved.

Then I read the endnotes.

Since I'm not Swedish, and Sweden isn't exactly a world power of epic proportions, I was unfamiliar with many of the political figures the books mention, Prime Ministers assassinated in the 1970s and secret police officials that I suppose even Europeans might have a better understanding of than I do. Realistically, I only have so much room for information in my brain, and I apologize if I have any Swedish readers who are offended that 20th century Swedish political history hasn't been on my radar.

Come to find out, a large portion of the books that I found the most outlandish? Are based on real events. This kind of wacked out shit really happened in and to Sweden. Perhaps there was no real Girl but there were certainly a lot of bad folk who did some nasty things. Which, of course makes me think, if it could happen in Sweden, you KNOW it's happening here.

That's neither here nor there. What IS important is that I was compelled to read all three books as quickly as possible, even though I already knew what happened from the movies, because I think they're that good. Obviously I'm reading Larsson's books in translation (if I knew Swedish, I think I'd feel compelled to know more about the country, its history, etc. And then who knows if I would have enjoyed the books in the same way.) But whomever translated the works did a fine job, leaving in just enough Swedish to remind you this wasn't an American thriller while keeping you in the moment. Larsson's pacing is perfect, and he let's you anticipate just enough to keep you interested without giving anything away.

So yes, I only read three books in June. But those three books were roughly 2100 pages total. So I feel OK about it.

I've finally finished Emma, and have already read two more books in the last week, and am well on my way to finishing another today. I'll do my best to post reviews of these books next week...

Book FYI

Oh, Internet. Do I have a story for you. Am waiting until I get resolution (email me back company!) but yes, it is ridiculous and so long as I either get back in or my $200 back, will be hilarious. Till then, book recommendations!

I came across some interesting sounding freebies whilst perusing Amazon:

Fire Lord's Lover - Kathryne Kennedy
Kiss at Your Own Risk - Stephanie Rowe
Lord Demon's Delight - Gia Dawn

Ten Ruby Trick - Julia Knight (note: not free and technically not a romance but sounded interesting

I've purchased books by Kennedy and Rowe before so I'm pretty optimistic about them and hey, free's free so am hoping the Dawn is good enough to get me to purchase her other books.

Read in May

I am starting hell month. Not to be confused with what will turn out to be hell semester come this fall, but June is shaping up to be Busy. In the bad way.

Whatever, though. I've not read as much as I had been, but I argue that what I did read was ten times longer than any vampire novels I've been cranking through.

 

May Read

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (Finished 9 May 2011)
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding (Finished 10 May 2011)

Books read in 2011: 17

I also started (but didn't finish until yesterday) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I plan on reading all three of those books, in order, so we shall see how many books get read in June. I'd be happy to finish those two.

More later this week. I are tired today. Must have sleep.

Watched and Read in April

In a complete reversal of January, I didn't watch a single movie in the month of April. I saw some episodes of Buffy with The Guy, because he's never seen them. But he fails to understand the way I watch them, he'd rather talk through them and ask questions that are going to be answered about 30 seconds later. So we don't see many. I'm still plugging through BSG, but I've slowed down. If I watch one a day, that's fine. Because I've been reading vampire books, yo!

I am now caught up with the Sookie Stackhouse series. There's a new book being released in a couple of weeks, but I'll wait until some used copies are available via Amazon before buying it. Now that I'm caught up, I'm a little sad because coming late to the party gave me a glut of things to read. Now I'm like everyone else, and I have to wait. I did the same thing with Harry Potter, coming in just before book four was published. So I got to read the first three in quick succession, and then start the hurry up and wait process for the last books.

I'm reading The Swan Thieves right now. It's by Elizabeth Kostova, and I read her other novel (The Historian) last year, because it was about...Dracula. She mixes history into her stories, in a da Vinci code kinda way, but different, as her's don't deal with, you know, Christ or giant world conspiracies. I'm not sure if the swan book will be like the Dracula one yet, as I'm about 60 pages into a 561-page tome, but so far it's looking good.

I also have Steig Larson (did I spell that right?) Millenium series books waiting for me. For those who live under a rock don't know, these are the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books. There are three and they are giant. So I don't know that my reading list will be rife with nine books in May.  I'm also planning a foray back into James Clavell, as I have three more of the five books from the Shogun series to read. I've done Shogun and King Rat, but the other three are just sitting there, waiting.

Oh, and so is Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. Hells to the yes.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (Finished 5 April 2011)
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (Finished 7 April 2011)
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 11 April 2011)
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 14 April 2011)
From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (Finished 19 April 2011)
A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 19 April 2011)
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Finished 21 April 2011)
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (Finished 29 April 2011)*
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Finished 30 April 2011)

Books read in 2011: 15

*I threw Cold Mountain in there because I was out of Sookie books, and needed something. I was GLAD when the last Sookie book showed up, so I could bounce back after the Most. Depressing. Book. Evah. Really good. Really really sad.

March Watched and Read

It's a few days into April, but that's no reason not to update on what I saw and read in March.

Watched:

Finished Season 2 of Battle Star Gallactica, 2005.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, 2009.
The Girl Who Played with Fire, 2009.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, 2009.
Ocean's Eleven, 1960.
Season 2.5 of Battle Star Gallactica, 2005.
Pulp Fiction, 1994. (Rewatch).

Movies seen in 2011: Twenty-five

Books read:

One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde (Finished 16 March 2011)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Finished [and started] 17 March 2011)
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Finished [and started] 27 March 2011)
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 30 March 2011)

Books read in 2011: Six

The only other news I have right now, until I get a chance to talk about the Util Convergence that happened this weekend, is that it's opening day in Bmore today. Sadly, I wasn't thinking, and frankly had no idea that when the jets prepared to do their fly-by over the stadium they would go DIRECTLY over my house. Thus, all I got was the sound, as I sit here in my living room preparing to shower and head to work. But let me tell you what. Hearing jets go screaming across the sky, knowing that they're flying relatively slowly, is an indication that I don't ever ever ever want to live in a war zone. I knew what the sound was, and it still spooked the hell out of me.

More Sookie books to come in April. And maybe I'll finish those last few Austen works as well...

Oh, Sookie

A couple of months ago, I placed an order on Amazon for a book coming out this month. To make the order $25 and thus get free shipping, I had to add about $2.25. Luckily, Amazon has started including some used things in their $25-ship-for-free deal, so I searched around a little and found the first Sookie Stackhouse book for about that much.

For those who don't know, Sookie Stackhouse is a character in the True Blood series on HBO, which is based on books by Charlaine Harris. There are nine right now, with another coming out in May. One of the ones now is a compilation of short stories which technically take place in between other books.

How do I know all this? Because I am hooked, people. 100% in love with these books. They're written poorly, the story lines are beyond ridiculous, and I effing ADORE them. I'm eating them up with rapidity befitting an angry vampire. Beacause yeah, in case you didn't know, they are vampire books. Cheesy, stupid, violent and lusty vampire novels.

I found all of them on Amazon and ebay, used, for maybe $30 total. A friend at work said she found them for 50 cents each about a year ago, but she was just lucky. And these books are 100% worth the money.

So, right now, while I should be cleaning my house for the imminent arrival of Ms. Steph, I am instead blogging about reading these books. And in about five minutes I will be reading one of them. The dishes have been dirty for so long now that one extra day isn't going to matter, anyway.

February Watched and Read

 True Grit, 2010
Battlestar Gallactica: The Miniseries,  2003 (The four-hour start to the modern version of the show)
Battlestar Gallactica: Season One, 2003
Classic Albums: The Doors, 2008
Classic Albums: Dark Side of the Moon, 2003
Zombieland, 2009
Most of the second season of Battle Star Gallactica. I'm literally one episode from the end.

Movies seen in 2011: Nineteen (Almost)*

Am reading:

Emma by Jane Austen

Read:

Damn school and work for sapping my energy to read this month! NEVER AGAIN. I've been plugging through Emma, which I've read before, but I need to just do it and move on. Arg.

Books read in 2011: Two

 

*I'm counting entire seasons of television programs as one 'movie', even though they are technically way longer than films. Just because it's easier for me.

Watching and Reading

My epic plan to read all six of Jane Austen's books last fall was derailed by a triple whammy of not-reading-things. I got a job, a boyfriend, and started school (again). However, having made it through Mansfield Park at some point last fall, and starting Northanger Abbey not long thereafter, I remain/ed devoted to the cause. I have, as of right now, finished the three books I had not read, which leaves only the ones I have.

I must say, I think I picked the right order to go in. I was very disappointed in MP, and NA wasn't much better. Persuasion moved along much quicker, and has a quote that I'd love to work into a tattoo someday.

I've also been on quite a movie-watching tear over the last few weeks. This was, in part, due to the three or four days when I was sick. I couldn't contemplate reading things that were going to take brain power, instead opting for simple, mind-numbing films to fill my time. And naps. But I try not to count those, for fear of realizing how much of my life I've spent asleep.

Thus, if I can remember, I'll be posting one of these at the end of each month (technically the beginning of the following month). It's always fun for me to keep count of how many books I've read, but I've never tried to do it with movies before. Let's see how long I can keep it up.

Without further ado:

Watched:

Let the Right One In, 2008
Black Swan, 2010
The Importance of Being Earnest, 2002
Fort Apache, 1948
Dark Shadows: The Complete Revival Series, 1991 (Rewatch)
The Lost Boys, 1987
Impromptu, 1991
Becket, 1964 (rewatch)
Rio Bravo, 1959
Boondock Saints, 1999 (Rewatch)
That Hamilton Woman, 1941
Overnight, 2003

Movies (or complete TV series) seen in 2011: Twelve


Read:

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (Finished 13 January 2011)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Finished 31 January 2011)

Books read in 2011: Two

Up next: Emma by Jane Austen, and the Battlestar Gallactica miniseries (before I launch into watching the entire modern version of the show). I also have plans to make my way through every James Bond movie ever made this year. I think I've seen the majority of them at some point or another, but I remember very few. Since I read the books over the last couple of years, I may as well go forth and see the flicks as well.

Fangs and whatnot.

I have come to a shocking and sad discovery about myself.

I was chatting with a coworker earlier this week, as she sat with a book at a back table (we had zero customers, so get off your high-don’t-read-on-the-job-waitress horse, mkay?) She is reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and we were exchanging information about which vampire books we had read, movies we had seen, etc. Someone mentioned not being interested in the whole zombie phenomena that has taken place over the last few years, and with that I agree. I was never into zombies, zombie survival guides and the like. And yet, I’ve read a lot of vampire stuff. I watch vampire movies. And TV shows.

And Oh My God I’m one of those vampire people.

This was confirmed by two things. One is that I’ve read Dracula. Yeah, not just seen versions of the movie, but slogged through Bram Stoker’s original novel. It’s not an easy read; this ain’t Twilight. And yet, I read it and I kind of loved it. And Anne Rice. And Twilight.

And Buffy. And Angel. And what brought it all around, the number two thing was that, even prior to the discussion with my coworker, I had started rewatching the 1990s remake of the Dark Shadows television series. It’s kind of awful (and no, I haven’t seen the original from the 1960s, but it’s on my list of things to watch) and yet I’m riveted. I remember watching it when it ran originally (was I really old enough to be seeing things like that, mom and dad?) and having a HUGE crush on Ben Cross. The crush, it would seem, has not really lasted. But hell yes I’m going to sit through all twelve episodes of this overblown and overly dramatic drivel because, well, VAMPIRES.

The other part that floored me, and made me realize I’m One of Those Women (although not one of the crazy ones with full-back Twilight tattoos…although let’s not lie about the fact that I’ve been pondering something from Buffy for a couple of years now) is that, while watching Let the Right One In last week, I was explaining to The Guy the differences in vampire legends (there’s a scene where cats attack a newly-made vampire, and I’ve never encountered that particular myth before). And I was talking about it all as though there were facts and fiction. As though there are historiographical arguments with regards to vampires, and I’m some kind of strange purist who still thinks Stephanie Meyers is better than Henry James.

Not that Henry James has anything to do with vampires, mind you. But his books would be better if there was more blood and less mooning about.

I have not seen True Blood or The Vampire Diaries. But remember, I’m a girl without a television. I’ll get to them, and more than likely love them too. And the books. Oh yes, I’ll have the Sookie books sooner or later.

So, yeah, I’m just coming to terms with something that’s probably been true for years. While ghost stories/monster stuff/horror flicks scare the ever loving bejesus out of me, I love the vampire stuff. Maybe because it’s all about sex, I don’t know. And I don’t care to look that deeply into it. I just know that if it’s a story about folks with pointy teeth, I’m probably interested.

 

Now excuse me while I go sharpen Mr. Pointy.