Wide Awake Wednesday: A Review of The Phantom Tollbooth

"'In this box are all the words I know,' he said. 

'Most of them you will never need, some you will use constantly, 

but with them you may ask all the questions which have never been answered 

and answer all the questions which have never been asked.'"

- Azaz the Unabridged, from Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth

Not realizing I was in many ways jumping to the Island of Conclusions, I judged this book by its cover for many years. I never gave much thought to reading it. But now that I have I'm quite glad I did. 

You know a book is good when every page is something you want to quote but the quotes are too long. The whole book needs to be read. You can't find the best parts in a few lines and be satisfied, because the best part is the whole book itself. 

Critics on the opening pages described this book as being similar to Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of OZ. The art and writing style also reminded me of Roald Dahl whom I loved growing up. I have memories of laying in bed with my sister Kerry and my Dad, trying to read one of his books out loud while learning to read. They were shocked when I properly said the word "Tabasco". 

The sort of style Dahl and Norton Juster use is one I want to explore as a writer. The style is adorable and thought provoking even for a young kid. But I love that it still speaks to you even if you aren't a young kid anymore.

My 11 year old brother is getting a copy of the book for his 12th birthday this summer. He better love it even though he isn't exactly a little kid or an adult that needs life lessons refreshed. To me that's one of the best things about this book: It has lessons for any age. It reminded me of the lessons I needed to hear in my current place of life. So even if you've read The Phantom Tollbooth before, I suggest you reread it. You may need those lessons refreshed. But this isn't to say the book was like a self-help book. That's not the case at all! 

My overall review would be a 4.5. Only losing points for a lack of women.

Why I Sometimes Think My Life is a Poorly Written Comedy Show

Today I'm taking a break from my usual posting schedule to bring you:

My Trip to the Emergency Room!

Tuesday, 5PM: I started work, which for me consists of having a radio and cellphone in order to be one of the overnight on-call people for the apartments that are on my campus. Basically when someone is too loud, I go yell at them. Or when someone can't flush their toilet properly, I call the on-call maintenance. I'm the next step up from a Resident Advisor. 

6PM-10PM: I had a normal "duty" night (this what we call it in my Housing Department). I just hang around my apartment and read or watch TV. That night I was watching Pretty Little Liars.Yes, I pretty much watched for 4 hours.

10PM:  I vomited. My brain just went, "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK." Because I'm not supposed to leave campus while I'm duty. AND, I also had a job interview in the morning at 9AM. So yeah, seeing vomit on my bathroom floor made me say, "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK." And truthfully, at first I tried to ignore it. I cleaned it up and didn't say anything to my boyfriend. But, I then vomited and cried out in pain for 3 hours. 

11PM-Wednesday, 2AM: Truth be told, I'm a little bit of a hypochondriac. So I thought I had an appendicitis. My boyfriend laid next to me in bed saying, "You just have the flu, or food poisoning." While I read the symptoms of appendicitis out to him from my iPhone, and I sent a text to my best friends about whether or not I should go to the hospital. 

2AM: I finally called my parents, who told me they were glad it was me and not my aunt calling to say my grandma was dead. They also told me to go to sleep. Which I tried to do. 

3AM- 5AM: I had enough of the pain and decided to go to the ER. But my boyfriend refused to take me (don't worry, he paid for this later). I called my best friend and she was fine with taking me. But before we left my friend, Kate first called the person on duty who is the next step up from my job, and pretty much just said, "I'm taking Emily to the ER, she's been vomiting all night." He was probably confused, because I had called earlier that night to say I was leaving work early in the morning for a job interview... Kate then had to drive my car while I vomited my stomach acid into a bag. When we got there she checked me in and filled out all my paperwork while I cried into the hospital chair. 

Eventually they put me in a hospital bed and the nurse started to give me an IV since I was dehydrated from vomiting up everything in my body but blood and organs. But I started to pass out so I needed to lie down. The movement made the nurse nick my vein or something, because suddenly I had blood all over my arm and dripping onto my shirt. Truthfully, I didn't realize how much blood it was was until the morning. But I didn't see that nurse for the rest of the night... 

Kate and I then laid there (well, I laid in the bed; she sat in a chair) unable to change the channel from "The Newborn Channel." We learned how to both properly breast feed and bathe a newborn baby. All while listening to crazy man in the hallway telling a nurse or doctor, "My brain is moving too fast" so he could get some medication. Kate was too tired, and I was too delirious to realize how strange this all was until later. We saw a lot of nipples...

5AM: I was sent home with a diagnosis of having a simple stomach virus and prescription for anti-nausea medication they give to cancer patients going through chemo. 

9AM: Needless to say, I missed my job interview.  

But hey, at least I now have my first entry about my memories of being a soulless ginger. 

Trash Talk Tuesday: Why Is Everyone Blaming JJ Abrams?

Don't cry Trekkies. It wasn't that bad.

 Spoilers Ahead! 

This post should be prefaced with the fact that I am not a Trekkie. I've seen a couple episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but not enough to truly say I'm a fan. But when I saw the first JJ Abrams film, and I loved it. But when rumors started about this film I had no idea who Khan was, or what to think. My boyfriend showed me Wrath of Khan just so I would understand the references and rumours that were all over the internet. I needed to understand because I had to see Star Trek Into Darkness. Reason? Benedict Cumberbatch. Enough said.

I enjoyed the change up of Kirk dying rather than Spock. But I guess I fell into the trap of liking something just because it was slightly altered. Which is stupid of me. I realized mistakes and silliness when I read this article: Star Trek Into Darkness: The Spoiler FAQ. It was a hilarious read. I suggest it.

But what I don't enjoy is the blaming of JJ Abrams. He's the director. He didn't write the script. This is something that fans do a lot. Its like blaming Benedict Cumberbatch for playing Khan. "How dare he play that character, he's white." It's silly to blame the director, just like its silly to blame the actor. You should blame the person who had the final say in the script and the decision making power of who cast the actors.

Also, I'm all for different races playing characters but I don't like actors being cast simply because they are a certain color. If Benedict Cumberbatch was the best actor for the role, he should play the role. I only have a problem that he was cast if they purposely said, "We are only hiring white actors." That makes it different story. (Example: The way The Hunger Games was cast.)

I guess my trash to talk is about fans. Stop being such a fan that you can't see problems, and stop being such a fan that you only see problems. You should appreciate the people who make the movies possible, and not criticize them for the limitations they have in filming. Otherwise, there won't be new movies. Your choice.

Writing Wednesday: Darkly Dreaming Dexter, a TV show better than the original book? MADNESS.

"Another beautiful Miami day.

 Mutilated corpses with a chance of afternoon showers."

- Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Jeff Lindsay

As any aspiring writer should, I try to always read the original book of a movie/TV adaption. The only book I refuse to do this for is Big Fish because I'm too scared of the possibly of not liking it. But everything else, I want to read the original, I want to support the author. 

So naturally, as a fan of the Dexter television series I needed to read the book. I finished it Tuesday afternoon, and it took me far too long to read a book that short. I had a hard time feeling compelled to read it since I knew the outcome, at least until the book took a weird turn that didn't occur in the first season of the show. Now that I'm done, I feel weird writing a review of this book because I've never truly and completely liked a TV/movie more than the original book. Live-action and even cartoon adaptions never do the author's words justice. But that's not the case with this book. 

I could tell he was a newbie writer. Things were repetitive. For example, Dexter had to keep telling us he was an unfeeling monster. And we got it after the first chapter. It didn't need to be spelled out for us, after he murders someone. The book also felt rushed, and not thought out until the end. It was as though, Jeff Lindsay knew the beginning and ending but didn't know how to connect the two. 

The best difference is Deb. Even LaGuerta. I'm glad they get more screen time in the series, but they are better characters in the book. Rita too! Oh my gosh, she's in the book so little I almost forgot about her. There's stuff about each of the women that I love in the show, but things I love just as much (if not more) in the book that they changed. One thing I realized during the last season of the show is that it's pseudo-feminist. They try to tell us the women are strong and independent but the women all rely on the men for just about everything. The men rely on no one, not even each other. Deb is like that in the book, but LaGuerta isn't. She's more sexualized in the book, but a slight bit more badass. 

Overall, I would give the book a 2.5. Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments!

Also, I'm excited for the new season even though some think it should have ended early. What do you think?

No Trash to Talk Tuesday: Jay Gatsby says 'old sport' at least 40 times. I counted.

I saw The Great Gatsby on Monday, and the music was the best part. The music made that movie. I don't even like Lana Del Rey but I love "Young and Beautiful" and I loved all the music. I've always loved Jay-Z but now I love him even more. I understand people finding the music random, but the music really did capture the craziness of the party, and it showed the timelessness of the story.

Jay Gatsby in the movie, is more likeable to me than he ever was in the book. In the book, he seemed emotionless and more obsessed with the idea of winning Daisy than actually in love with her. I never trusted his love of her in the book. But Leo's face in the movie proved his love of her. I'm a little smitten with Leonardo DiCaprio though... I might be biased.

Apparently, some think whether you like Daisy in the movie makes or breaks whether you like the movie at all. I don't agree. I didn't love or hate Daisy. Carey Mulligan did a very faithful job to who Daisy is in the books. A beautiful, little fool.

Overall, I would give The Great Gatsby a 4. Judge me all you want for that score, but Jay-Z deserves an Oscar.

Mad Men Monday: What the hell are you doing, Don?!

"It's easy to give up something when you're ashamed." 

- Sylvia Rosen, Mad Men

 

 

Um. What are you doing, Don Draper? I hope all of your fans judged you tonight. I'm not sure what this means for you but I was glad when Sylvia finally realized how creepy you were being and ended it. 

Part of me thinks Don knew it was over when he heard Sylvia and her husband arguing, and then just played out the fantasy for as long as he could. Problem is, the fantasy was a creep show. I always thought Don liked powerful women, but maybe he wants the power now? I'm not sure. 

On a lighter note, Joan and I have the same health issues! I was entertained when she said it was just a cyst on her ovary because I have had that happen to me twice. It sucks. Seeing Bob Benson as real human was also fun in this episode.

Overall, this episode of Mad Men confused me. The best thing that came out of it was this GIF: 

Feminist Friday: Emotionless Elena Gilbert

You used to not be weak!

Am I the only person who liked soulless, emotionless Elena Gilbert?

Normally, I kind of hate Elena. I think she's gorgeous and I sort of get why the characters all love her but I find her annoying. She's always crying and causing herself more problems. The girl has a lot of problems, and her life is a little shitty. I think that's why I had a lot of respect for the intense Elena that finally gave into her emotions.

I never fully saw her as emotionless, I just saw her as finally stopping caring about all the people and things in her life that made her life worse. It doesn't make sense to me that everyone judged her for behaving that way. Her brother died. Her entire family died. She's a vampire. She never wanted to be a vampire.

Emotionless Elena was finally standing up for herself, and wasn't allowing her heart to tossed around by two asshole brothers. She was making decisions for herself and taking control of her life. That meant she was being a bitch, but after all the shit her friends put her through I think she deserved to be free of them.

I hated everyone saying, "We need to fix, Elena." She wasn't broken. She was depressed and empty from losing everyone in  her life that she could count on 100% of the time. Only Jeremy, her aunt, and I'm assuming her parents were ever consistent with her. The rest of her love interests, and her best friends have hurt her and betrayed her multiple times.

I love the Vampire Diaries as a guilty pleasure show, but Elena reverting back to her old self might make me stop watching. What do other people think? Evil emotionless Elena too much for you?

Trash Talk Tuesday: Season one of Pretty Little Liars

"Got a secret. Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then they know it
Won't tell what I said
Cause two can keep a secret
If one of them is dead…"

- "Secret" by The Pierces

Spoiler alert if you haven't seen the show.

 

Some of have judged me for even bothering to watch Pretty Little Liars but since I have nothing to do (besides study for the GRE), I have been rewatching the show. After finishing the first season, I was left wondering: Why did I ever start this show in the first place? 

But I did. And I love it. But I think it is incredibly stupid. Especially when rewatching it, and having the knowledge from the later seasons. I'll keep my judgements short, since I do love the show. I've picked two things that made the first season hard to re-see. 

#1 Ali's brother Jason. I understand that the writers have no way of preventing actors from leaving the show, but Jason has a totally different personality, tone, demeanor, and everything in the first season. He comes off like an Ivy league rich boy creep. In the second season he suddenly looks like a Hanson brother. 

#2 How the hell did "A" who is supposed to be Mona, (and from my knowledge, only Mona) in the first season push Ian off that ledge? He looks at her, sees who it is, is scared, and then she able to push him off a ledge? He is a big dude, and she is tiny girl. Not believable. The hooded figure didn't even look as short as Mona. I'm hoping when they find out its Mona the liars question this and give me an answer. 

So, I'm looking forward to the new season and I've already started rewatching the second but I'm majorly judging. Feel free to judge me right back in the comments, I would love some explanation.

Manic Monday: Disappointment in Pepper Potts

"Baby, you're in a relationship with me. 

Nothing is ever going to be alright."

-Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

 

On Thursday I spent the day in an AMC theater rewatching the first two Iron Man films, The Avengers, and then Iron Man 3 for the first time. 

One of the things I was looking forward to in seeing this movie was Pepper Potts becoming a BA. She was in a way in the previous films, but I was looking forward to her kicking some ass. But she didn't. She was a victim, and a damsel in distress. Honestly, she was kind of mean to Tony who was clearly having trouble dealing with ALMOST DYING. AGAIN. 

But Pepper has only ever gotten her "powers" from men. Even just being CEO of the company was something that Tony almost nonchalantly gave her. The extremis virus and the Iron Man suit were the same. She was given something (by men) that could make her powerful and she struggled with it. She doesn't know how to use to her new powers and then feels guilty about using them. She's no Black Widow. And the Marvel films need more women like Black Widow. 

Overall, I loved the movie. I really enjoyed it despite mixed reviews I've heard. I never read the comics so I didn't have much to go off of in comparison. I would give the film a 3. The Avengers was the best, and I have no idea how anyone will beat it. 

Last question to the writers of Iron Man 3, WHY DESTROY ALL THE SUITS?

Throwback Thursday: Concerts

“This is what she says gets her through it: 

‘If I don’t let myself be happy now, then when?’ 

If not now, when?” 

- Jimmy Eat World, "For Me This is Heaven"

If anyone noticed, I didn't post anything yesterday (Wednesday) and that is because I have been feeling a little down due to having a stomach bug and simply, from life sucking. But I just bought tickets to see The Postal Service, a band I have loved for years. So I realized I need to realize my privilege and be happy already.
Here are other concerts I have been to:

The National: March 2012

Jack's Mannequin: November 2011

The Rural Alberta Advantage: December 2009

The Rocket Summer: December 2009

Reel Big Fish: May 2009 (Yes, I did get my boob signed by the lead singer)

Death Cab for Cutie: August 2008

These are just the headliners I'm mentioning above; at those concerts I've also seen the openers. There are other bands I have seen as well without photo proof: Blink-182, Weezer, Ratatat, Bright Eyes, Jenny & Johnny, and probably more I'm too full of myself to remember.
But I've had a good life, and a lot of luck to be able to do the things I love. Silly me saw too many concerts in high school and saved NO money. I am glad I did though.

Random fact about me: first concert I ever went to was in the 4th grade to see Christina Aguilera.