shop talk - faves of 2009: Alice in Dystopia

Isn't my entry title clever? I'm quite proud of it.

6. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
*read in July 2009*

I've previously posted about this one as I had the privilege of reading it several months before it came out. Now, if you go to the front tables at B&N or Borders you'll see it. Especially with the new Alice in Wonderland movie coming out. (Guess who scored free tickets to it! Moi!) If you love historical fiction, children's books, and all things Alice, you'll love this one. It is a novel based on the life of Alice Liddell, the young girl who was the inspiration for this literary mini-heroine. The book is haunting, intriguing and will have you Wikipedia-ing its characters late into the night after you've finished.


5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
*read in June 2009*

Wow. I don't usually like science fiction and dystopian type reads. The only fantasy I embrace is the iconic Mr. Potter only because, well, because he's Harry. But this book blew me away. It is the story of a 16-year-old girl named Katniss who is living in District 12 of Panem (what used to be the U.S.). The Capitol looms over them and as punishment for a war waged and lost against this Big Brother, one person from each district is chosen annually for the Hunger Games. When Katniss is called up she knows that it will likely mean death as she is pitted against others for this televised event that is anyone's game. And if she wants to survive, it must be hers.

This is part of a series and the second book, Catching Fire, is wonderful as well. Inventive, subtle yet forceful and incredibly addictive, everyone must read this. Even if you aren't into these kinds of books.

stream of consciousness in the form of a blog post

It's been a while since I've posted.

No particular reason why. Just livin'.

I went to a really fun dance class today. There is a ton of snow on the ground. My mood is up a bit but we all still have our issues, right?

I've been feeling stuck lately while I feel most people I know are charging light years ahead of me. Someone close to me just got a new job with an amazing salary. My eyes are green, of course. I'm looking to the next thing and wondering what that will be. A new job? (I like my job.) I don't want to leave New York. Dance is fun. New friends maybe?

Who knows.

Until then, I'm still around. Waitin' on spring.

perfect match series: an open ending

Just a short post here... and my last one (for a while, maybe?) on my bone marrow donor experience.

Two days ago I got a letter in the mail stating that while I was determined a match for the patient, he or she is not able to receive a transplant at this point. I hope this is because he or she is doing well, but I fear the opposite is true.

This experience has taught me to be selfless; to ponder and to take lessons from helping others in a way I never thought possible. At this point my name (and updated information) will be added back in the pile. Now that they know more about me there is more of a likelihood I will be matched to someone. They also might contact me if the patient is ready to receive a transplant in the future.

Until then that is the end of that.

v-day isn't just for lovers...

Happy Belated Valentine's Day to one and all.

Or, as I like to call it, Single's Awareness Day...

I spent the weekend away and may I say...Thank goodness for that. Two of my roommates have guys so I'm sure it was twelve kinds of romantic and mushy here. I don't mean to be a Valentine's Scrooge here. The day is about love and I believe it celebrating love for everyone in our lives (not just significant others) but since there has been a bit of a cloud over my head lately I can't say I was crushed that a business trip just so happened to correspond with this particular holiday. So while my roommate and her boyfriend were lovin' it up, I started my day early at 7 am and by 2 pm I was in my hotel room with Oreos and Maid in Manhattan on TV, gabbed with my BFF on the phone and then ventured to the lobby downstairs to read and watch the Olympics on their flatscreen. Unlike the dozens of couples I couldn't help spying at the restaurants we ate at all weekend, I spend my Valentine's night with several wonderful authors and my great colleagues. I must say, it was one of the best Valentine's Days I had.

I returned home to snow, e-mails, and my day planner. My next move will be a working vacation next month, a trip to see the best friend I haven't seen in a year and a half, and the international vacay I previously hinted about.

Valentine... Who needs one?

miscellaneous monday

1. Lately every time I have gotten on the subway I've seen someone with an instrument. Most of the time they are cellos. Huh.
2. Am watching the Bachelor. He's cute. I'm afraid I'm getting sucked in...
3. My resolution for February is to watch the news more. I am hopelessly addicted to mindless television and I need to make more of an effort to switch on important things at the end of the day so I raise my awareness about world events.
4. Another thing I'm addicted to these days is dance. I have been feeling a bit of the winter blues the past couple of weeks and my classes have been my saving grace. This spring I'd like to pour as much as I can into this and really relive all the things I love about it. I think it is the best thing I can do for myself
5. I will be doing a lot of traveling this spring. Some of it will be the International kind!
6. Have I mentioned I'm ready for spring?

shop talk - faves of 2009: from Smith College to Galveston

8. Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan
read in May 2009

*Taken from a previous post.
This one is like Sex and the City meets Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It chronicles four young women who become friends at the all-girls' Smith College and in alternating voices follows them through the before and after; the good, bad and ugly. But more than just your average chick lit read, this book tackles more than men, dating, family and friendship drama. It also addresses feminism and even sex-trafficking. Lest you be swayed by that last one, this is definitely an addictive read that will make you want to call all your girl friends and will have you wishing you went to Smith and lived down the hall from these girls.


7. The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone
read in August 2009

Becca Burke was seven years old when she was struck by lightning. Now her Mickey Mouse watch won't keep time. Buckley R. Pitank knows what that's like. He's also witnessed it first hand. Moving from Arkansas to New York, Galveston, Texas to Carolina, this book links an intricate and vivid cast of characters by chance and and expertly coincidental plot highlights the unique nature of lightning strikes and what happens to those who are affected. This book pretty much goes everywhere and you will get swept up in it just as I did. Oh, and the author is a lightning strike survivor herself!

Dear Match.com: a farewell letter

Dear Match.com,

First, congrats on successfully hooking me in for another month. I realize that forgetting to cancel my membership before my month was over is entirely my fault but I know it is all part of your master plan. So here I sit with one more month to go and I honestly don't know what to do with it because you see... I'm kind of done.

It isn't your fault. I'm a very understanding person. You created a database for single people to meet other single people. You can't control their hygeine, tight t-shirt choices, or how many photos there are of them doing shots with girls hanging all over them. Equality. I get it. You also can't control that maybe I'm just not their type. That a 200 word profile does not fully describe the depths of my personality. That they don't know what they're missing. Perhaps it is just a coincidence that I did not have a single date as a result of my past month on your website while at the same time had two as a result of other websites: one of which was more of the same and the latter a pretty good time.

It is also not your fault that I'm burnt out. I'm tired and I'm getting grumpy. This just isn't fun for me right now, as it began to dawn on me as I walked away from said perfectly good date with a perfectly good guy expecting nothing at all anymore. Expecting him to be like the others who have come before him. Expecting the worst. I very much fear becoming a jaded and cynical manhater. So I'm taking a break. I'm going to focus on a new project, my dance classes, working to save money for international travel...

Maybe I'll be back. I don't know. Perhaps if you could just tell your members that yes, I make lists of lists, am stubborn and sensitive, and often don't know where the hell I put my keys. I'm horrible at math, not much of a cook, wish I was more girly but don't have the patience for it. That I read too much and am pretty serious. That I can be a bit of a perfectionist but am very kind and count empathy as one of my best traits. For the right one I'm a catch. And if he is in currently in your ranks please send him my way.

Sincerely,

M