12.30.2010

I'm not going to meet my goal

Tomorrow is the 31st of December and I am realizing that I'm not going to make my goal of 100 books in 2010. I actually realized it a couple of weeks ago. That's a lot of books.

Minus the TBR books on my list I made it to 75 books, assuming I finish the historical I'm listening to now. I don't think 75 books is anything to sniff at. It's a good number, but I'm not going to give up. I'm going to try again in 2011.

Anyone have any great resolutions?

12.17.2010

Controversy?

Controversy, it's everywhere. If they're not blaring it on the news then they're discussing it on daytime talk shows, they're posting about it on Yahoo! and other media sites. I originally wanted to post a blog per day pertaining to each "controversial" issue and see what all of the blog hoppers thought, but unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time right now. Who does right? The holiday season is just a crazy time of year.

I want to discuss is the Glee photo spread in GQ. Anyone see this? I didn't even know that it existed until the ladies on The Talk went a little nuts over it. And not in a good way. (Please click the link to view these photos) I will say that these photos are racy, but that's as far as I'm willing to push it. One photo in particular I think is even in bad taste, but I wouldn't call any of them pornography. These actors are all over the age of 18. Cory Monteith is 29 years old, Dianna Agron and Lea Michele are both 24 years old and while they do play high school students on television, they're not in real life. They're adults. They're grown-ups, capable of making grown up decisions.

The other side of the coin? They appeared in character.

Sort of. People have a problem with the fact that they appeared "in character" for the shoot. Does anyone else watch this show? Rachael does not dress like this. She does not wear this much make up and she does not wear those totally awesome shoes. She dresses like "a preschooler and a grandmother all at the same time". Same goes for Quinn. She wears a cheerleader uniform. Every day. Her hair is always pulled back in a pony tail and she doesn't wear that much make-up either. Cory Monteith is the only one who appears even slightly in character for this shoot.

My biggest problem with this shoot? Where was Mark Salling? Why are he and Cory not half naked for this shoot? I guess it could have something to do with the magazine itself, Gentleman's Quarterly, but come on, a little consideration!

I guess the point I'm trying to make is this: if the ladies on The Talk hadn't told me about this, I would have never known. Sometimes I think the "news media" makes something a bigger deal than it would have been originally if they just left it alone.

What's your opinion? Inquiring minds and all that. :)




12.08.2010

I'm trying, I really am

The beauty of listening to a book, as opposed to reading a book, is that listening to it is like listening to/watching a play. If the reader is good, you have different voices for different characters. The actions actually make sounds instead of just reading the words "he sneezed". You get the idea. The problem with listening to books, as opposed to reading books, is that if the reader sucks, forget it.

There are many books that I haven't been able to read because something about the story pulls me out too often. For example, when I tried to read THE DAVINCI CODE I couldn't. Too many words were in French and when I tried to sound them out, it pulled me out of the story. It's the same reason that I can't read the Kay Scarpetta books. I L O V E the Scarpetta series, but I can't read them. Without sounding like a complete idiot, the medical terminology pulls me out. They are not words I know so I have to stop and sound them out. (I swear, I'm not an idiot.) When I was reading LOVER MINE by J.R. Ward, I was pulled out every couple of chapters when she changed eras. These are some of things that pull me out of books. The other reason I listen to a book instead of reading it is if I have problems getting through it.

My daughter and a handful of friends have been telling me how completely wonderful the TWILIGHT series is. DD has read the series so many times I'm sure she can repeat it back to me from memory. I read all the Harry Potter books and I enjoy Meg Cabot and Gena Showalter's YA books, so it's not a YA thing. We all know I love paranormal so that's not it, I've just never had the inclination to read them.

I decided to give them a shot, I liked the movie, why not the book, so I picked up my daughter's copy of TWILIGHT. I read about a chapter and put it down. I never picked it back up. Why? I dunno. It didn't hold my interest. The first line is a grabber, "I'd never given much thought to how I would die..." it grabs you doesn't it? That was it though. The first chapter and I gave up.

I have decided to give TWILIGHT another chance. I've really enjoyed the movies, although Robert Pattinson is the worst Edward ever. I love him as an actor, but not as Edward. I watch the movies and wonder why Bella is such an idiot and doesn't just take up with that smokin' hot, barely legal werewolf. I mean seriously? My friends all assure me that Edward is awesome in the books. I want to see that for myself, so I've picked up the book on CD.

Back to the beginning of this blog. The reader of a book on CD is everything. This girl, who reads this book, is not. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't stutter, she doesn't whistle her S's or anything obnoxious like that. She reads the book. I could do that. I picture this girl sitting in a chair reading to me, like I used to do for my kids when they were younger. She does put emotion into the reading, but that's just not enough.

I am determined to get through this book. I want to get through this book. Wish me luck!