I also produced, starred in, and edited it.
This was my first film in a line of what I hope is many. It’s not Tarantino quality, obviously, but we must all make small steps.
I’ve discovered that having this as a goal is as useful as having “learn to be happy” on a list. There is no definitive point you’ll pass where you can see progress and know that you’re done. Instead, it’s a series of skills that you learn along the way.
As of this post, I’ve successfully cooked a score of Chinese dishes, and I’ve even gotten to the point where I can change the recipe around to suit myself. If that isn’t learning, I don’t know what is.
When I’m not knitting, I’ve been trying to read more often. It’s been hard, because I get caught up in other things. Or everything all at once. I’m passionate about everything at their own times. Anyway, I’ve finished a few, some mind candy, and a few good ones. Cat’s Cradle: excellent book. There was some trashy romance, the name of which I can’t remember. And I read Twilight. God. Somebody slap me now.
Unfortunately I’ve been on a book-buying binge lately. I’ve bought… many in the past month. MUST STOP!
Why does it seem that any progress I make on this goal is cancelled out by something else? Try as I have been, I now have a $1000 physical therapy bill to pay for.
Invisible Man and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Both of them were wonderful. The Invisible Man was a great look into the heart of not just the black man, but the invisible person inside of all of us. Aren’t we all taught to just do what we’re told? A Thousand Splendid Suns happens to coincide with a class that I’m taking on foreign policy. It was interesting to read the history as I was studying it. A heart-wrenching book, but very, very good.
Gah! My birthday was last month, and in addition to having bought those 10 books a while back, I got about five new books as gifts. The rule I had set for myself to read 3 books for every new one bought is gone into complete chaos! But I must be strong! All (or most) of those new books have been put into their own pile. The easiest way to tackle this, I’ve decided, is to read one new one, then two older ones. That way I can placate my keen desire to read something new and shiny, but still make headway into this goal.
After replacing “Cannery Row” my eyes darted back and forth lovingly over well-worn titles, settling finally on “The Invisible Man.” I’d bought the book for a friend of mind for Christmas, and we had short talk about it last night. Not sure if I’m going to read it again at this time, but I picked it up and read the first page or so, and there’s a part of me that aches to delve back into those pages.
So, let’s see… having read “Snuff” and “Rant” already (which were new) I’m at a four book backlog. Damn! Damn! Damn! Must. Work. Harder!
/rant
Just a few minutes ago I finished reading “Cannery Row” (also new, dammit!). It was quite a thought provoking book. Steinbeck is proving to be one of my all-time favorite authors. Sometimes reading his stuff makes me feel quite stupid, because there are times that I don’t GET it. Like, I know something wonderful and powerful has happened to the protagonist, but what that something is, I don’t know. Perhaps the best indicator of Steinbeck’s talent lies in the fact that even when I don’t completely understand what just happened, his books make me FEEL. And those feelings that his writing provokes are maybe more important than the words themselves.
As one can always tell reading Chuck’s books, this one ended with a real bang. It’s like with each new novel he’s trying to make it end more disgustingly than the last. All in all a good book filled with interesting fun facts to throw around at your next party. I saw the plot twist coming about halfway through, but that didn’t diminish the end for me at all.
I cooked a big ol’ pot of Chinese chicken stock the other day, freezing it into ice cubes for easy future use. From the stock, I made a really good chicken dish. It tasted so wonderful and authentic.
Of course, the taste of this one meal doesn’t mean that my skill as a Chinese cook has been proved.
After much rehabbing of my ITBS in my left let, I think I’m going to do the Seattle half in November, before signing up for the Tokyo full in February. :)
The Winter of Our Discontent – probably one of my favorite books of all time. It made my heart ache.
Rant – interesting. Doesn’t end the way you think it will.
Currently I’m reading A Thousand Splendid Suns and Snuff.
A few weeks ago I went to the bookstore and bought, like, 10 new books. facepalm
Finished Illusions. Very good, quick read. Philosophical and deep; fair warning if that’s not what you’re in the mood for. I just started The Winter of Our Discontent. So far so good.
I just discovered a new, really great site to keep track of what one has read, as well as discover books others have read or are currently reading. It’s at www.goodreads.com, and if anybody is interested in joining, my username is quellybelly.
My first marathon, last Sunday, had a finishing time of 5:18:28. Completing this goal is a long way off, but I’ll chip away at it, hopefully.
I’ve got a few pages left, but I thought I would write an entry about it anyway.
The story is set in a prison following the sentencing of Leo Feldman, salesman and bad man. The prison is very Kafka-esque, with passages that don’t seem to go anywhere, rules that change at the warden’s whim, and with prisoners scheming against each other.
With only thirty pages or so to go, I’d say it’s a very good book. Of course the ending might ruin that, so who knows. Would read again.
My husband and I had a long talk a few weeks ago about what it would take for me to go through with law school, and I kinda made up my mind that I would prefer to have children in five years, rather than in 15. And I would prefer to pursue art, rather than a corporate lifestyle.
I may regret this decision, but right now I just feel happy that my mind is, for once, made up.
My first year of participating in NaNoWriMo was a success. I finished with a word count of 50,907 words. Of course, the novel isn’t really finished. I’d saw it’s probably 2/3 or 1/2 way finished. At some point I hit a point where I realized the story had a lot more of a journey to go.
This has been a busy month for me, with writing for this and training for and running the Seattle Marathon, and I think I’m gonna take a break from writing for December. In January I’ll pick it back up and hopefully finish it, then take a few months to edit it. We’ll see.
For me, I’m just happy that I wrote so many words in such a short time. It makes me think that writing for a living may be possible. :)
This year I decided to participate, and all month I’ve been striving for a 50,000 word novel. I’m close. So close I can smell it. I’ve got a little over 6,000 to go. Cross your fingers for me.
My first marathon was a dream. Great experience, finishing at 5:19:28. Hopefully my time will just get faster. More at http://quellybelly.livejournal.com/519020.html
