But I want ALL the figs

I just finished reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath after ordering it off of Amazon earlier this week! I loved it. One of my new faves. Tracing the psychological journey of young girl coming of age in the mid-twentieth century, The Bell Jar is rich in colorful descriptions and capturing prose. Esther, the protagonist, struggles to make life decisions that ultimately cripple her and send her into a downward spiral of psychosis.

Ahhh, the beauty of a well-crafted metaphor:

"...I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."

Plath's insights into life are disturbingly real.

You have no idea how many times I have considered the same concept in choosing a life-path. If choose to be professor, how can I be an artist? If I choose to be a writer, how can I be a international peace worker? If I choose to be a designer, how can I be a translator? Sigh. We have to choose. We have to be specialists. We can't let the figs plop off the tree.

Fortunately, most are able to grapple with this reality a little better than Plath and her fictional counterpart. Ultimately, I think we find that the figs we do select tend to be quite appealing in their own right. Thank goodness for that.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

I have finally made my Mac vs. PC decision that I was ruminating about earlier (thanks to all of you who contributed your advice). Drum roll please...

A Mac. I listened to the majority, and ultimately, my brother-in-law's enthusiasm for all things Mac convinced me in the end. I am hopeful that I will make the adjustment smoothly and painlessly. The MacBooks just seem so modern, reliable, and design-friendly. I am ready for the change.

However, as I added things to my shopping cart, it seemed like more and more unexpected costs kept popping up. For example: I was advised to purchase extra GBs of memory for $100. And if I am buying more memory, I might as well just get the faster processor for another $100. And if I don't want my laptop to get scratched, I should buy a cover which runs at 50 bucks. And if I spend that on just the cover, I ought to buy AppleCare to protect the machine itself which amounts to no small sum of $350. Sigh. It's the classic lesson that I learned in elementary school: If you give a mouse a cookie, he will ask for a glass of milk.

And then he'll ask for a straw. And then a napkin. Followed by a mirror, scissors, a broom, and well, you get the point. (You've got to the read the book by Laura Joffe Numeroff. It is a childhood classic). The point is that soon the mouse will be living with you and asking for cookies all the time. There is no end to the chain of requests, events, or costs resulting from a seemingly isolated incident. All things in the known world are attached to strings.

For all I know, my new MacBook could be a marionette. I'll own one of everything the Apple Store sells by next week.

Can Freshmen Really Smell a Newbie a Mile Away? Let's Hope Not.

Whoo. I got my textbook in the mail for the class I will be teaching in the fall. *Furiously ripping off plastic wrap and flipping through pages.* Yes. Quite lovely.

As a first time TA, I will be teaching Oral Communication: Principles and Practices which will probably be filled with freshmen. I am so excited, not exactly about the freshman part, but definitely about the teaching part. I have heard that first year students are a lot like wild beasts; don't let them smell the fear and all will be well. Ha, ha.

I already have ideas for what to include in my syllabus. I want to turn my little prodigies into the best speech-givers ever.

Brave New World

Ehhhh. Just read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It was kind of boring. And kind of pretentious if I say so myself. I was expecting a lovely engaging dystopian read, but I found the concepts trite, overused, and frankly condescending. I think for the day and age in which it was written it would much more appalling and much more shocking. Today it seems like it has all been done before. Movies like the Matrix have spoiled us modern day readers.

I do find it interesting what Huxley was insinuating about consumerism. Are we being programed to consume? To not be able to live without using the products we are told we need? Maybe he has a something here, even in 2008.

Another point I found most interesting is that people were being conditioned to enjoy their social position in life. If you can't change it, you might as well be happy with it, right? Well...yeah. Luckily, America (and many other nations for that matter) has a relatively high level of social mobility (perceived or not). Let say for minute though, that birth did determine every aspect of our lives---then being happy with our life-situations would probably the best (if only) method to enjoy a productive and satisfying life. Any moron can see that. It just sounds so horrible to say, and almost to think. We Americans are in love with self-determination and nothing is ever good enough for us. Is that good or bad? Hard to tell.

Global Exchange

I've been checking out this site, Global Exchange, per the recommendation of a reliable source:). I love the message it promotes. I love it's purpose and it's vision.

Global Exchange is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world.

We envision a people centered globalization that values the rights of workers and the health of the planet; that prioritizes international collaboration as central to ensuring peace; and that aims to create a local, green economy designed to embrace the diversity of our communities.

However (of course there is always a however), I'm not 100% convinced this community of people has all the answers. While I am passionate about obtaining "social, economic and environmental justice," I feel like the site is somewhat one-sided and slides into conspiracy theory group think. Don't get me wrong, they ought to be commended for their efforts and noble convictions, but I get the feeling that sometimes people get so caught up in their mission they never stop asses the situation correctly or to find the right cure.

I am reminded of Confessions of an Economic Man by John Perkins which was an engaging and disturbing read, but more than likely exaggerated account of evil corporate America and government.

That said, there's a lot to read over at Global Exchange, so go visit. There's a lot of pondering to do. What is truth and myth when it comes to globalization?

Things Fall Apart

I just finished reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. It was certainly one of the more interesting reads I've had of late. The story is based in tribal Nigeria, centered upon a male character who strives for manliness above all else. He praises bravery, masculinity, strength, titles, self-determinism, and all things machismo. The whole story I was waiting for when he was "going to get it." When he was going to realize how ridiculous patriarchal society is. How destructive blood-thirst is. How treating women as inferiors is disgusting.

As a woman reading this tale, I'm not going to lie, many things made me angry twinged with sadness, and that is why I think Achebe told his tale quite well. Any author who can rouse such emotions (even negative ones) has a gift. There are many issues that popped up within his writing such as sexism, culturalism, imperialism, religion, story-telling, respect, war, justice, status, and so on. While I had trouble getting into the book because I thought the tale would be overly simple, I am quite pleased with array of questions and slice of African culture that this novel has to offer.

Doerr's The Shell Collector

I am reading The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr right now, and can I just say, it is amazing. I love this book. It is literary fiction at its finest. The short stories are well-crafted, intense, smooth, thoughtful, and delightfully written. I love the use of language. Doerr has a beautiful style that I highly appreciate. His sentences and ideas flow into one another to create acute descriptions and poetic phrases. He writes with authority and narrates with ease. I know. I know. This description is gushing. But it's true, I'm gushing over this book, especially fresh after my fiction writing courses. These are the caliber of stories that I aspire to. You have to read this book, especially if you have a thing for lit fiction like I do. Ahhhh. Beauty in words.

Ian McEwan's Amsterdam

My latest read was Amsterdam by Ian McEwan. It has won considerable recognition in the literary world, most notably as the 1998 Booker Prize winner. Don't let the title fool you though. Most of Ian McEwan's book, Amsterdam, takes place in London.

It is a story about two men in upper-class London. Clive Linley is an accomplished musician who embarks on a journey to compose a masterpiece that defines the millennium. Vernon Halliday is the editor of a prominent newspaper with waning readership. The conflict is nestled in decisions of morality. Is it better to accelerate one's career or to protect those in need? Should Clive delve into his composition at the risk of others? Should Vernon publish sensitive information that would destroy a popular public figure? The moral dilemmas are believable, raw, and engaging. Clive and Vernon do not struggle with the morality of their own decisions, but find it quite acceptable to reprimand one another for their life choices. They see the flaws of their friend, but never their own. This is the realism that McEwan tugs at.

However, the random unity of realism that colored the pages throughout the book converges into a realism that could never exist. The ending was too obvious, too easy, and an author that can sustain a beautiful narrative for 183 pages ought to be able to carry it on for only ten more. In an attempt to show authorial cleverness, the end lacks the subtlety and finesse that defines the greatness of the rest of the piece.

Robotics

Lee Gutkind came to campus last night to give a talk. He is a well-known creative non-fiction author. He read a bit from his book, "Almost Human: Making Robots Think." He said quote, "The book is about one triumph and 55,000 disappointments." Well, if that doesn't make you want to read it...

But really, his stories were pretty interesting. I think robots are taking over the world. Or at least Lee thinks so. Nerds are now making robots to be autonomous thinkers. They can play soccer. They can take care of you in old age. They can give you hugs.

No really. You can buy yourself a hug robot with velour arms. It will take care of your "spirit."

Excerpt from Lee Gutkind's book:

Dozens of cavorting mechanical creatures, along with tangles of wire, tools, and computer innards are scattered haphazardly. All of these zipping and zooming gizmos are controlled by disheveled young men sitting on the floor, folding chairs, or tool cases, or huddled over laptops squinting into displays with manic intensity.

I can definitely picture that.

Dream Lives of Butterflies

I just finished reading Dream Lives of Butterflies by Jaimee Wriston Colbertson. I love the melodic sentences and eloquent language of her writing. I felt very engaged by her novel. Most of it is set Saint Louis and some in Hawaii.

I enjoy the compilation of short-stories-turned-novel method of literary fiction. That is something I wish to do someday--write a novel of 'excerpts' that weave together to create a beautiful unified piece of disparate characters, settings, themes, and images. I believe the idea is similar to the six degrees of separation theory, and can function as a great organizing principle for modern literature.

The only criticism I have of this book is that the connections between stories were not strong enough. Some of the characters fell off never to reappear again. I can't handle that. If I am given partial understanding, I must have full disclosure (or at least really big hints). You can't tell me Lucy had a troubled childhood graffitiing rocks and then dismiss her. You can't tell me a story about a woman getting groped on a plane by a stranger and drop her to be never mentioned again. Argh. Don't get me wrong, the interweaving that did take place was intricate and extremely meaningful, but unaddressed concerns can become a little too frustrating.

Don't ever make your reader feel unsatisfied when all is said and done.

Spheres

Into Perfect Spheres Such Holes are Pierced by Catherine Barnett was the last book of poetry that I read. It is largely dealing with grief and accepting (or even refusing) loss. Some of the poems were highly meaningful and well-crafted. Others were lackluster to me. But that is just me. I'm a staunch critic. It has recieved a glowing reception in other areas of the writing world. The best way I can describe my level of interest in the collection is this: The poetry did not leap off the page and wrestle me to the floor, neither did it cause me to grab an ice-pick and gouge my eyes out.

Here's the best one from the collection (which not surprisily shares its title with the whole work):


Into Perfect Spheres Such Holes are Pierced

We unstrung necklaces into two glass bowls
and passed them round to the mourners.
The beads were onyx, agate, quartz, all manner

of stone. Everyone was to take two
and at the end of the service
put one back in my sister's hands.

What could she do but collect
the round weights all night?
She has not restrung them,

not wanting to be finished yet with death.

My Inner Economist Says...

My latest read was Tyler Cowen's Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist. Although I am a self-professed skeptic of self-help books, this book is great. I learned endless 'useless' information from how to write an attractive personal ad to how to resist torture if suspected of being a CIA agent while really vacationing in Lebanon. I also learned more practical information like how to find tasty ethnic food and how to give to charities with maximized benefit. I really liked being exposed to the world of markets in everything (such as in services to find misspelled eBay listings or animal penis restaurants). Cowen's insights and data collection are impressive. The book was largely amusing and, at the very least, helpful.

I am willing to admit that I may (or may not) have an infatuation with the works of Tyler Cowen. I'd probably recommend anything he publishes, because he's just so darn interesting. But that is not to discredit his latest book; I flew through it in about two days because I couldn't put it down.

Here's my favorite quote:

I am a strong believer in an ethic of individual responsibility, so I do not think we can or that we should look primarily to the law to prevent our moral mistakes. In many area of life, people need to be free to fail if their lives are to have meaning, or if virtue is to be possible. Often paternalistic laws cannot be adequately enforced, or those laws create harmful and counterproductive black markets. No matter what options market offer, social regulation has to start at the level of the rationally prudent self.

Also check out Dr. Cowen's blog. His co-authorship of Marginal Revolution is by far my favorite daily read and strong personal impetus for hunting down new and exciting blogging inspiration. I really am a big fan of Tyler Cowen.

Snow

When I peeked outside this morning and saw several inches of snow and an unplowed road, I was sure classes would be canceled. To my dismay, they weren't. I wrapped myself up in a hundred layers of clothing, scarves, hoodies, hats, gloves, coats, and boots and armed myself with an ice scraper in a effort to rediscover my car somewhere in the white abyss. After driving at about 10 miles per hour with a death grip on the steering wheel the whole way into campus, I cursed whoever decided that it would be safe for us to be out on those icy roads.


My day was painfully boring. I met with a professor, sat at work with no tutoring appointments, watched white flakes fall from the sky out the window, and checked my email every five minutes waiting for a cancellation. Just when I thought the university was cold and heartless, the announcement came that evening classes were canceled. Thank goodness. I rejoiced that my American Lit test will be pushed back as I shoveled my car out for the second time today.

On a brighter note, I just discovered EZ Borrow in the library. Yes, I know--I'm a senior English major, and I've never used the service before, shame, shame on me. It turns out all Pennsylvania schools have a system of sharing books between university libraries. I am not confined by the choices good 'ole Shippensburg and other state schools offer to me. I have been eyeing Snow, by Orhan Pamuk, a modern Turkish classic in Borders for the past few months, and now I can read it for FREE! If I love it, I can buy it, if not, there's no loss. Why didn't I discover this system years earlier?

The Beetle

I just finished reading The Beetle by Richard Marsh, which actually outsold Dracula in its day. I must admit I liked it even better than Bram Stoker's classic. I think the action is a little faster paced, and the mystery is more intriguing.

I guess the real reason I like it better is that I found the ancient Egyptian allusions fascinating, although I wish I could rewrite the ending to better suite my fancies. I am surprised that I have never even heard of it before. See, reading piles of books for classes isn't all bad.

Amelia Bedelia

I had a strange blast from the past when I was thinking about the concept of 'dusting'. Why does 'to dust' mean to wipe away the dust? And why are those little particles called dust, when dust originally referred to what we now know as 'dirt.'

Anyway, this got me thinking about Amelia Bedelia. She is the star of one of my favorite book series that I read when I was a kid. Amelia Bedelia is a maid who always take directions literally. I remember her dusting the house by putting powder over all the furniture, drawing the drapes by doodling in a sketchbook, rearranging the towels by cutting holes in them, and putting the lights out by hanging light bulbs on the clothes line. The only way Amelia continued to keep her job was by making fresh pies and stuffing fork-fulls in her bosses' mouths as they spot each new disaster that she created. Who couldn't love Amelia Bedelia?

128-10-93-85-10-128-98-112-6-6-25-126-39-1-68-78

128-10-93-85-10-128-98-112-6-6-25-126-39-1-68-78 you ask?

On the last page of Digital Fortress by Dan Brown there are those numbers listed. I recognized it as a code right away so I went to the Internet to help me out, but much to my appall, the answer was spoiled. I clicked on a link that said clues, but no, they told me the answer. I'm mad. I wanted a clue to what the numbers meant, not the answer!

Here is what you do, if you are like me and don't want the whole answer all at once: Each number corresponds to a chapter. Take the first letter from each chapter and write it down. Then make a Caesars Box by writing the 16 letters into a 4 by 4 square. Voila! Now all you have to do is read it. (I put the answer at the bottom of this post. Don't read all the way if you don't want to know.)

What fun are puzzles if you already know the answer? It's like knowing an ending of a movie before you watch it- especially when it's something like the Village (which was an awesome movie by the way). It can completely ruin it. Sigh. Yuck.

PS. M. Night Shyamalan is coming out with a new movie, and yes I had to look up how to spell his name.

Answer to code. Read at own risk!!!
---We are watching you---

Oh geez. Now I feel like I just cheated, but you were warned, right? You aren't mad at me for telling you are you? The book was still awesome.