Oct 16, 2014
Fall break is so long and so short at the same time
I miss my dorms lounge and all the people I see there every day :(
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Singapore
seen from Singapore
seen from Yemen
seen from Netherlands
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Malaysia
seen from Australia
seen from Sweden
seen from Singapore
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Singapore
Fall break is so long and so short at the same time
I miss my dorms lounge and all the people I see there every day :(
I got tagged by the adorbs caapaldi!
Rules: In a text post, list ten books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard — they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just ones that have touched you. Then tag ten other folks etc. etc. you all know how this goes (I don't know enough people to tag 10 people so I'll tag friends that read a lot)
Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell: Hands down the most emotional book I've ever read. I don't just mean that it's sad (it's sad too), I mean that there's so much feeling in it it's unbelievable. This was the only book I read in a day and the only book that made me cry for half an hour straight. I have a conspiracy theory that she wrote this about the love story of her and her husband.
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green: I know, I know, it's the super popular one and I think people put it on a pedestal too much. What I really like about this book is that you really get some perspective about what love is in the grand scheme of things; oblivion, to quote the book. Sometimes a one, true love is all that someone needs in this huge, scary life. Like you don't necessarily have to date a lot of people to find the one, and you don't always get to spend a lot of time with the one. But you'll have that person sometime, somewhere.
The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien. Here's one you probably weren't expecting. Tim O'Brien served in Vietnam and writes about it a lot, which was what this is. The main character's name is actually Tim O'Brien, so it gets us wondering how much of it is true. This company of soldiers in see and do terrible things in the war, so along the way they tell each other stories to distract themselves. Some of these stories are completely made up, though. What I really took away from this book is how O'Brien explained truth in storytelling: there's happening-truth and feeling-truth. Happening-truth is the actual truth, what actually happened. Feeling-truth is what you felt like happened. I like this because this is exactly how I write my stories. I write about things that actually happened, but I tell them as if they are feeling-truth.
Bossypants, Tina Fey. These didn't have to be fiction, right? I've read this 1.5 times already and I need to read it again. It's one of my favorites because Tina is my role model, and I want her job. It's perfect. This memoir describes how she got to where she is today, so I take mental notes every time I read it.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), Mindy Kaling. Another great read for the aspiring screenwriter/TV producer. Did you know Mindy got her foot into the entertainment industry by writing a fan fiction-like play with her roommate about some actor whose name is falling me at this moment? Yep. This girl is amazing okay. And she went to Notre Dame or something.
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Why not? An American classic. I love the jazz age. I also learned a lot from this about how to build up momentum for a character.
I'm out of books. Whoops. Well I hope you kind of enjoyed reading that.
Green Grass and Sunshine Makes Me Happy.
So, one of my best friends just helped me get the guts to deal with a situation with my suitemates that has been ongoing since the beginning of the semester. They've been rude, obnoxious, loud, and inconsiderate since the start of this school year, and tonight, they went too far by insulting a part of me that I've had trouble dealing with for at least 10 years. This girl is in my room within 3 minutes of me texting her. She stands up for me, and when the suitemates are EVEN RUDER to her, she forces me to talk to my RA, something I've been too chicken to do for a really long time. She's also been a huge support system for me this past month, which has, quite frankly, been hell.
And while I'm acknowledging amazing friends, I don't know that I would be where I am emotionally (which is a really good place right now) without afore mentioned friend and my two other best friends. These girls have shown me what true friendship looks like, and it's the first time I've actually seen it. You guys are the greatest.
And with that, I bid the Internet, good night.
Also, best Mahler pieces to listen to for someone who's never heard Mahler before?
Oh my gosh. Mahler 2. The finale will get you.
Do you know Orlando Cela?
I do not, but now I’m definitely going to check him out!! I love learning about and listening to new flutists :D