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I need to get my mind in order. I have much less than one week before school starts and steals my soul away Panic, panic, panic...
First off, other matters!
New Night Vale today? If so, yay. I haven't been listening to the show for long (I started sometime in July), so i'm not so familiar with the update schedule. If memory serves, the new episodes are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month... beware the ides of March, anyone? *checks* Yes, there is a new episode! I will listen to it later.
In other news, I failed my singing audition yesterday. :( I guess you really can't fail an audition, but that's how I feel about it. *sighs* It's probably just fine. I have enough on my plate right now. Plus, I may have anxiety issues that are interfering with my progress. Anyway, the experience kind of threw me into a dark world of questions... I need to figure out what I can do with my voice.
On Monday (I'm jumping around in time~), I listened to the last PotterCast ever. It was originally posted on July 31st (meaningful dates!), but I didn't discover it until later. Admittedly, I haven't listened to PotterCast much at all for the last few years. Even before they slowed down with the updates after the books and films were finished, I kind of drifted away from it. It's not that i stopped liking the show, but you know... it wasn't really a good time in my life for awhile. >_> I listened to it a lot right after HBP came out and for some of the time when we were waiting for DH. I heard the interview with JKR, but I never found out what happened to Sue the Hufflepuf. For nostalgia's sake, I may go back and listen to the old episodes. I really hope they start a new show. Maybe not about Harry Potter, but I would like one about general geeky/nerdy things. They also mentioned coming back together if any big Harry Potter stuff happens.... Until then, I am following Melissa Anelli and John Noe on Twitter. ^^;
In other nerdy news, I started reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I like it so far, and I want to finish before the movie comes out. Right now, I don't see how it's supposed to be super cliched. I mean, it has similarities with some elements of other stories, but I don't think it's a Harry Potter rip-off. I don't really see Clary as a Hermione character, and although Jace is a Draco in Leather Pants character, I don't see him as very similar to the canon Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter. I like Jace, but Draco was always kind of pathetic in my eyes... except maybe in HBP. I also don't think Jace is TOO much of a jerk. He's snarky for sure, but I kind of see his interactions with Clary as more playful teasing than anything. Plus, he has issues with the vulnerability that love entails. It's probably a defensive mechanism. To me, the story of his falcon was pretty sad... I guess Jace's dad reminds me of fanon!Lucius and his relationship with Draco. I will also admit that Valentine is the clear Voldemort character, but I don't think he's a clone, either. More on this as I read more...
Um... what else? I listened to Lady Gaga's new song Applause. I like it well enough. I'd give it a 4/5 or maybe a 3/5... I dunno, I need to listen to it more.
Now, on to the main event!
I've known about John Green for awhile now. I first discovered him on the Crash Course videos on YouTube. Eventually, I discovered that he was an English major and published author. That was back in early 2012. However, I wasn't dying to read any of his published works at the time. Then, I heard talk about The Fault in Our Stars through the Risembool Rangers. Then, I read the book. I don't know if it was the most amazing book, but it appealed to me on a personal level. If I had read it during my adolescence, I know it would have helped me a lot. As a result, I decided that this author must be a pretty cool person. So, I started watching Vlog Brothers. And... that's really the whole story.
But wait, there's more!
The Fault in Our Stars was a good book. Maybe it's not a great book, but it's a really good book for the young adult demographic. I don't think I fall into the category anymore, but I think the book can appeal to readers of any age. I don't know how it compares to so-called "cancer books," but obviously, John Green was trying to go for something different. Even though I've never read a typical "cancer book," I felt that it didn't fit into that category. There was more to it than that. It reminds me of an agnostic version of A Walk to Remember.
I liked how the author they met was a jerk who didn't have any of the answers. After all, "life is not a wish-granting factory." I feel that Hazel's obsession with the end of An Imperial Affliction was really a manifestation of the fear and curiosity that she had about what life would be like for the survivors when she was gone. The author was no more knowledgeable than she was. Maybe it was just that his daughter died, and he didn't know what to do with his life after that.
Augustus Water was my favorite character, and one of those special characters who I can relate to. I don't have a crush on him, but I can understand why someone would like him. Admittedly, the cigarette thing was kind of outlandish, but I was touched when Hazel slipped the pack into his coffin at the funeral. I also loved the grenade imagery with his character. Hazel was worried that she was the grenade, but Augustus was willing to stay with her. In the end, Augustus was the grenade. The roles were reversed. Hazel could understand first-hand what it was to be a survivor and why it was wrong to push people away (especially Augustus) because she was worried about hurting them. She would never want Augustus to push her away in his dying hours. It reminds me of a part of Twilight except infinitely better. In New Moon, Edward is concerned about hurting Bella and destroying her soul if he turns her into a vampire. When Bella is told of this and asked if she could put Edward at risk, she is able to understand his position. Then, Bella is forced to "endure" a life without Edward. When Edward thinks Bella has committed suicide, he is forced to imagine a world without Bella and rushes to join her in death. Augustus and Hazel remind me of a less crazy version of this.
What else? I loved the dinner in Amsterdam. I will admit, it was quite romantic. :) The kiss and applause were both fitting. After all, life can be scary and dark... why not allow love to shine? No one should have complained after Hazel nearly passed out trying to climb all the way to the top of the museum. She saw Anne Frank's bravery and wanted to match it. The references to poetry and other literature weren't annoying. I've never heard a more stirring use of William Carlos Williams' poetry.
Anyway, why did I relate to Augustus? Well, it was that mad desire to live a significant life. He wanted to be a great hero in his death instead of dying a nameless victim. That explains why he loved those video games so much. Although I have never had a terminal disease, I was preoccupied by that kind of thing when I was in adolescence.
The egging of the car was one of my favorite scenes. That girl was a real jerk for dumping Isaac. She definitely shouldn't have stayed with him out of pity or something, but it was his loss... not hers. She couldn't handle the idea of being with someone who was different, and she deserved getting her car egged by a blind guy. I loved how her mother was so bemused. XD Maybe it was childish, but they were all children in difficult situations. I could say more about the portrayal of disability, but I'd need to think about it more. I will say that it was pretty interesting to have the hot male protagonist have a prosthetic leg. Also... I don't think there are any voice activated video/audio games in the real world. I could be wrong, though.
Overall, I will grant the book a 4/5. I'm not sure if it was as awesome and philosophical as it wanted to be, but it was definitely able to transcend its genre and become something meaningful to people. I will read more of John Green's writing in the future.
That is all.
First off, other matters!
New Night Vale today? If so, yay. I haven't been listening to the show for long (I started sometime in July), so i'm not so familiar with the update schedule. If memory serves, the new episodes are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month... beware the ides of March, anyone? *checks* Yes, there is a new episode! I will listen to it later.
In other news, I failed my singing audition yesterday. :( I guess you really can't fail an audition, but that's how I feel about it. *sighs* It's probably just fine. I have enough on my plate right now. Plus, I may have anxiety issues that are interfering with my progress. Anyway, the experience kind of threw me into a dark world of questions... I need to figure out what I can do with my voice.
On Monday (I'm jumping around in time~), I listened to the last PotterCast ever. It was originally posted on July 31st (meaningful dates!), but I didn't discover it until later. Admittedly, I haven't listened to PotterCast much at all for the last few years. Even before they slowed down with the updates after the books and films were finished, I kind of drifted away from it. It's not that i stopped liking the show, but you know... it wasn't really a good time in my life for awhile. >_> I listened to it a lot right after HBP came out and for some of the time when we were waiting for DH. I heard the interview with JKR, but I never found out what happened to Sue the Hufflepuf. For nostalgia's sake, I may go back and listen to the old episodes. I really hope they start a new show. Maybe not about Harry Potter, but I would like one about general geeky/nerdy things. They also mentioned coming back together if any big Harry Potter stuff happens.... Until then, I am following Melissa Anelli and John Noe on Twitter. ^^;
In other nerdy news, I started reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I like it so far, and I want to finish before the movie comes out. Right now, I don't see how it's supposed to be super cliched. I mean, it has similarities with some elements of other stories, but I don't think it's a Harry Potter rip-off. I don't really see Clary as a Hermione character, and although Jace is a Draco in Leather Pants character, I don't see him as very similar to the canon Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter. I like Jace, but Draco was always kind of pathetic in my eyes... except maybe in HBP. I also don't think Jace is TOO much of a jerk. He's snarky for sure, but I kind of see his interactions with Clary as more playful teasing than anything. Plus, he has issues with the vulnerability that love entails. It's probably a defensive mechanism. To me, the story of his falcon was pretty sad... I guess Jace's dad reminds me of fanon!Lucius and his relationship with Draco. I will also admit that Valentine is the clear Voldemort character, but I don't think he's a clone, either. More on this as I read more...
Um... what else? I listened to Lady Gaga's new song Applause. I like it well enough. I'd give it a 4/5 or maybe a 3/5... I dunno, I need to listen to it more.
Now, on to the main event!
I've known about John Green for awhile now. I first discovered him on the Crash Course videos on YouTube. Eventually, I discovered that he was an English major and published author. That was back in early 2012. However, I wasn't dying to read any of his published works at the time. Then, I heard talk about The Fault in Our Stars through the Risembool Rangers. Then, I read the book. I don't know if it was the most amazing book, but it appealed to me on a personal level. If I had read it during my adolescence, I know it would have helped me a lot. As a result, I decided that this author must be a pretty cool person. So, I started watching Vlog Brothers. And... that's really the whole story.
But wait, there's more!
The Fault in Our Stars was a good book. Maybe it's not a great book, but it's a really good book for the young adult demographic. I don't think I fall into the category anymore, but I think the book can appeal to readers of any age. I don't know how it compares to so-called "cancer books," but obviously, John Green was trying to go for something different. Even though I've never read a typical "cancer book," I felt that it didn't fit into that category. There was more to it than that. It reminds me of an agnostic version of A Walk to Remember.
I liked how the author they met was a jerk who didn't have any of the answers. After all, "life is not a wish-granting factory." I feel that Hazel's obsession with the end of An Imperial Affliction was really a manifestation of the fear and curiosity that she had about what life would be like for the survivors when she was gone. The author was no more knowledgeable than she was. Maybe it was just that his daughter died, and he didn't know what to do with his life after that.
Augustus Water was my favorite character, and one of those special characters who I can relate to. I don't have a crush on him, but I can understand why someone would like him. Admittedly, the cigarette thing was kind of outlandish, but I was touched when Hazel slipped the pack into his coffin at the funeral. I also loved the grenade imagery with his character. Hazel was worried that she was the grenade, but Augustus was willing to stay with her. In the end, Augustus was the grenade. The roles were reversed. Hazel could understand first-hand what it was to be a survivor and why it was wrong to push people away (especially Augustus) because she was worried about hurting them. She would never want Augustus to push her away in his dying hours. It reminds me of a part of Twilight except infinitely better. In New Moon, Edward is concerned about hurting Bella and destroying her soul if he turns her into a vampire. When Bella is told of this and asked if she could put Edward at risk, she is able to understand his position. Then, Bella is forced to "endure" a life without Edward. When Edward thinks Bella has committed suicide, he is forced to imagine a world without Bella and rushes to join her in death. Augustus and Hazel remind me of a less crazy version of this.
What else? I loved the dinner in Amsterdam. I will admit, it was quite romantic. :) The kiss and applause were both fitting. After all, life can be scary and dark... why not allow love to shine? No one should have complained after Hazel nearly passed out trying to climb all the way to the top of the museum. She saw Anne Frank's bravery and wanted to match it. The references to poetry and other literature weren't annoying. I've never heard a more stirring use of William Carlos Williams' poetry.
Anyway, why did I relate to Augustus? Well, it was that mad desire to live a significant life. He wanted to be a great hero in his death instead of dying a nameless victim. That explains why he loved those video games so much. Although I have never had a terminal disease, I was preoccupied by that kind of thing when I was in adolescence.
The egging of the car was one of my favorite scenes. That girl was a real jerk for dumping Isaac. She definitely shouldn't have stayed with him out of pity or something, but it was his loss... not hers. She couldn't handle the idea of being with someone who was different, and she deserved getting her car egged by a blind guy. I loved how her mother was so bemused. XD Maybe it was childish, but they were all children in difficult situations. I could say more about the portrayal of disability, but I'd need to think about it more. I will say that it was pretty interesting to have the hot male protagonist have a prosthetic leg. Also... I don't think there are any voice activated video/audio games in the real world. I could be wrong, though.
Overall, I will grant the book a 4/5. I'm not sure if it was as awesome and philosophical as it wanted to be, but it was definitely able to transcend its genre and become something meaningful to people. I will read more of John Green's writing in the future.
That is all.
