Yay, Contest!

Wow! I can't believe my blog has hit 20 followers. I've definitely loved learning about each of you through the interwebs. And I hope you've enjoyed my ramblings. I promise to post some more science-related items soon... I know you guys are chomping at the bit for it! I've got a pretty awesome questionnaire in the works that will reveal your inner self with the help of a common flying insect. Wait for it!

   

One of the fabulous prizes



In honor of my fantastic fourth-of-a-fourscore followers (I know, I could have just said score, right? But I love alliteration.. maybe too much.), I have decided to hold my very first contest (I love contests almost as much as alliteration).

  

Because I'm excited for Spring, the prize package includes: 

▪ A fantastic nature-inspired journal, for jotting down your great ideas

▪ Some Spring-inspired soaps, because they're fruity and fun

▪ And a new book (I have a couple of ARCs and new releases- Winner's Choice)

 

Side view



To win:

All you have to do is be a follower of this blog (new followers are welcome to enter too!) and leave a comment below before midnight on March 3 (March, already?!). On March 4, I'll randomly select one winner with the help of random.org. 

Good luck everyone! Thanks so much for being so encouraging. I can't wait to tell you when I actually finish writing something! You'll be the first to know. 



I Read a Book: The Big Crunch

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

This was another one of those books that my boyfriend read it first. He proceeded to rave about it and wave it in front of my face repeatedly. I resisted for a bit but picked it up a few days ago. And I loved it. I suppose I need to give him some credit.

The Big Crunch (awesome science reference, btw) follows June and Wes and their dramatic high school relationship. The story is told in four parts (fall, winter, spring, and summer). June is a nomad, whose family moves from city to city. Wes has lived in the same town his whole life and has dated the same girl for years. When June first meets Wes, nothing happens. Not your typical love story, but as these things tend to happen, they are repeatedly drawn to each other and eventual start dating, but then things get complicated.

I loved that the book depicts goofy, realistic love. We follow Wes and June's adventure, from butterflies to realities. I also really like June as a character. She's not the girliest and she's not a helpless romantic, but she wants to find love. I relate to her a bit, having moved so many times while I was growing up; I think it's a very accurate portrayal of what can happen.

The Big Crunch features super short chapters and a narrative rapidly switches focus from June to Wes (even as quickly as every few paragraphs). The style kept me on my toes, and kept my fingers flipping those pages.

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published January 2011

Books are not TV Shows

As I sit here, watching the latest episode of Bones, I can't help but think about the differences between books and television shows.

I love Bones. And not just like-love. This is the real deal. This is love-love. After six seasons, I wait eagerly for each new episode. I don't have cable, so I watch on Hulu the day after. The wait is agonizing!

The thing about Bones is, every episode is essentially them same. I'm not blaming Bones; this phenomena (phenomenon?) is not unique to Bones. There are a bazillion crime shows on TV that have been playing the same episode for the last 15 years. I know Booth and Bones are going to catch the bad guy at the end. The scenarios are different, and they've been getting more and more outlandish (Dead girl in a chocolate bar? Really?). But, the killer is always one of the three or four characters introduced early on, but not the one you first think did it.

There is a crazy ensemble cast always going in a million directions. And I happily get sucked into the drama. The tension between Booth and Bones, even after six years, is still interesting (Although, come on! Give us what we want!).

Maybe it's not fair, but if Bones was a book, I think I'd hate it. (Also, I do recognize that Bones is based on a series of books that I have never read. Maybe I should read them before I decide that I hate them...)

When I read a book, I want to see change. I want characters to grow and learn. And If I were to read a book series over the course of six years, I would expect the romantic tension between two characters to be resolved. In one way or another, something would change. How is it I can watch a show for six years with the same "will they, won't they" drama?

I think gist is that I expect more from books. There something about the printed word that elevates... I can process trash on my TV, but when it comes from a book, my brain shuts down.

And those concludes my random thoughts for the evening. Good night all! Thanks for listening.

Celebrating Successes

Presentation of Doom: No longer impending, and not as doom-filled as I had expected. I was a little nervous. I got a bit teased about my blushing, but I got laughs where I tried and a lot of people seemed to enjoy. I even had some requests for copies (ultimate nerd compliment!).

Forgetting Yesterday: I hit 25,000 words today (super yay!), and I love the story and my MC just as much as the day we met. Maybe even more. I feel good about this one. I'm in it for the long haul, even when the times get tough. We've been taking it slow, but I think I'm going to start to add a little pressure and speed it up! P.S. The title is so tentative, words cannot describe. I actually kind of hate it but I felt like it needed a name.

Computer: Battery dying. Going to watch Greek in bed. Good night.

I Read a Book: Matched

Remember that time I was going to read a YA book and post a review every week or so? Good, neither do I.

But I am super thrilled to finally post another review. This time I read Matched by Ally Condie.

Cassia is a happy peon, living under the watchful eye of The Society. She works hard at her job as a "sorter," enjoys the same three free-rec activities when she gets a chance to hang with her friends, and anxiously awaits the big day when she’ll meet the one. Except, Cassia doesn’t get to choose who to love. The Society takes care of everything from what its members eat to who they marry.

Confession time: I am "streets behind" when it comes to dystopian YA lit (any other Community fans out there?). I may be the only person on the face of the planet who has not read The Hunger Games yet. So, I can’t comment on any similarities/differences, but what I can comment on is how much I enjoyed Matched.

The book has two plots running in parallel: one, a teen romance, and the other, a story of a girl learning to question the world she lives in. The romance is a typical boy next door-girl-boy from the wrong side of the tracks love triangle. It's not earth-shattering, but it's entertaining. In my opinion, the stronger arc focuses on Cassia's growing curiosity about why things are they way they are. There were times I wanted to grab her and smack her and other times when I pitied her. The writing is beautiful, and I am dying to find out what happens next (second in the series due in Nov 2011). The ending is a cliffhanger, and those usually annoy me, but it works for Matched. It reminded me a lot of the end of the Golden Compass (book, not the movie).



Hardcover, 366 pages 

Published November 30, 2010

Impending Presentation of Doom

T minus 10 days. 

I have to give an hour-long presentation at work on February 7, and I am so not looking forward to it. I love my work, and I am completely comfortable with the material. Actually, if you and I were at a party and you mistakenly backed into a corner, I would instantly pin you there and talk about surveillance and infectious diseases in the United States for two hours, easy. But the thought of getting up in front of an audience makes me want to throw up, and then get up at the podium and throw up again.

I've done presentations before, but nothing as long as this one or to this kind of audience (it's a big group of way smart scientists). Imagining them in their underwear is not an options.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

I think I would feel better if I could get my slideset finalized, but I keep tinkering. I need to stop toying with the words and start practicing them. It's like writing a story- you can edit forever, but at some point you have to decide it's done. I've got tomorrow and next week to get the words set and to practice in front of any willing volunteers.

At least the hour includes time for Q&A, so really it's only 45 minutes. But, let's be honest, if I wanted to be a public speaker I would have become a politician or... some other career that requires a lot of talking. Salesman! MBA Business-y worker.

What about you, my fantastic bloggees? Anything you're dreading in the next few weeks? If you have to do something you hate (like, say public speaking), how do you get through it?

And can any of you explain to me why, when I have an impending deadline, this song gets stuck in my head? I hear the song in deepest part of my brain, and then I think of Gob from Arrested Development and I laugh hysterically. (Fun fact about me: This was my ringtone for the better part of two years. Everyone always thought it was the song from Rocky.)

Mini Vent Session

What I am currently thinking.

Today is one of those days when I have to remind myself to take a couple of deep breaths and to let things go (aka not be such an annoying control freak). Long story short- I've been working solo on a project for the last year. When I took this particular project over, it was a mess. Awash with bad grammar, confusing wording, misspellings, key information was missing... I spent the better part of a year trying to get it up to snuff. I worked really hard, but I'll confess, I got burnt out. About two months ago, I lost all my vigor. My fervor fizzled. I needed help. What I got was someone has started sprinting off in a completely bizarre direction (one that includes terrible grammar, missing information, and nonsensical ramblings, I might add).

What I am trying to think.

I shouldn't care so much. I know I shouldn't care so much. It's not a big deal, and I have other things I enjoy more and would rather be doing. But it's really hard to watch something I spent forever improving head for the toilet (and, again, I realize this is an exaggeration but I can't help it). Bleh bleh blarg.



Oh well, if I can finally say good-bye, then I'll have more time to finally finish something I've started writing.

Anyway, thanks for listening. I feel better. I also feel a little like Doogie Howser, MD writing into my secret diary. I love you, NPH!



I'm off to do the one thing that will officially erase my bad mood. That's right! I'm going to pour a glass of yummy shiraz and watch Scott Pilgrim! Hope you've all had a rainbow-y, unicorn-y day.