rc-3: Concluded

I'm ashamed to say that more than having not completed rc-3 a.k.a. Reading Challenge III, I completely lost track of it. To be frank, I don't care that I didn't "complete" it. The most important thing is the fact that I'm reading and challenging myself to read more. And I read 17 books in 2011, which is not too shabby at all. However, I'm bummed that I can't say for sure which books I read in the last part of the year. For example, I believe it was 17 in total, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, it really doesn't matter. Here's what I think I read in 2011.

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey
10. Animal Farm by George Orwell
11. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
12. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
13. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
14. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
15. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
16. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
17. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

So, not bad at all, really. I read a few classics (Animal Farm and The Old Man and the Sea), a few silly reads (Bossypants and Bridget Jones Deux), a bit of non-fiction (Live from New York, 38 Witnesses, I Met the Walrus, The Tipping Point, and Tuesdays with Morrie), and the rest my beloved fiction (65%). I'd say it was a good year.

I'm currently reading David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames and Malcolm Gladwell's What the Dog Saw.

I thought I'd already revealed rc-4, but it appears not. Next time I will!

rc-3: 14 down, 6 to go...

It's been too long since I properly updated my die-hard fans readers on Sugar & Gravy's Reading Challenge #3, more commonly known as rc-3.  The truth is that I was on a total roll up until August and then in September I barely read at all.  I was really busy with work and going through a few personal things and just couldn't catch the reading bug again.  But I slogged through and managed to get a few books read after The Help.  I'm currently on book #15 - Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Alboum.  I've always meant to read it and picked it up for $1 at a book sale (along with 9 other books I really didn't need to buy, but $1/book?!  How could I not?!).  I'm loving it so far and it's a fast read, so that'll leave me with 5 books to go in about 6 weeks.  It's possible that I can still do it, though I might need to pick the shortest books on my shelves.  I shall do my best and see how I make out.

So, this year I have read...

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey
10. Animal Farm by George Orwell
11. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
12. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
13. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
14. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

Random note: 5/14 are non-fiction... seems as though the love for fiction is back and in good form!!!

EDIT: This is too funny.  In re-reading this post, I realized, wait a sec... 6/14 are non-fiction... or is it 5?!  SUGAR & GRAVY QUIZ -- Which of the books listed above is like a tomato in that it's unsure whether it's a vegetable or fruit?

S&G's Top 3

My favourite magazine is Toronto Life.  It's my favourite because I'm from Toronto so it seems that much more relevant than other mags, and it's my favourite because it's written in a style that I can easily digest, and it's my favourite because it's one of the only magazines that I can easily read cover to cover.  I just gobble it up.

Toronto Life has a feature that they use in every issue (I think...) where they have 3 different individuals speak about their favourite book, movie, or music; each one will discuss a different medium.  It might be an indie bookstore owner speaking of a book, or an indie record shop owner speaking about his new favourite album... you get the idea.  (They once had the owner of Videoflicks speaking about his latest fave movie... I friggin' love Videoflicks).

So - what is the point of all this?  Well, I'm going to do my own version of that feature... except I'm going to give my opinion on all 3 of those things.

Sugar & Gravy's Top 3  

1. MOVIE: I saw "50/50" this weekend.  All I can say is... "wow!"  It was one of the best movies I've seen in a while, and I've seen some good movies over the past few months ("Bridesmaids"... "Moneyball"...).  "50/50" was just totally different.  It was one of the most creative story lines I've ever seen, and the acting and writing were spot on.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt was totally charming as his character, and honest and raw, and he delivered every aspect of his character perfectly.  I laughed so many times throughout and I cried... oh how I cried!  I thought my t-shirt would be soaked in my tears at one point.  I just loved it!  Highly recommend.
   
2. BOOK: I haven't written about books in a while, have I?  Well, there's a good reason for that... I haven't been reading much.  Ugh, I'm so ashamed to say it, but it's true.  I don't know if it's being busy at work or lazy at home, or both!  Whatever it is, I want to break the habit and get back into reading, so I made some progress this weekend when I finished Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point.  This is the 3rd book I've read by Gladwell and, like the others, I loved it.  This particular book is about how an idea, once formed, gets to a point where it "tips" and then spreads like wildfire.  Why does that happen?  How can we take an idea and make it tip?  Gladwell suggests 3 factors that contribute to an idea's likeliness to tip: (1) The Law of the Few; (2) The Stickiness Factor; (3) The Power of Context.  You can say that Gladwell takes others ideas and makes them his own, but I don't see it that way.  I think he's just good at researching intensely on a topic and compiling that research and delivering it to the reader in a way that's easy to read and process and understand.  That on its own is a skill, and he does it again with this book.  I look forward to reading the last of his books that I haven't read: What the Dog Saw.  Have you read it?  What did you think?
   
3. MUSIC: For the past 2-3 weeks I have been listening to almost nothing but Beyonce's "4".  I honestly cannot stop listening to it.  I went from liking a few songs to loving a few songs and tolerating the rest of the album to loving all of it and then being OBSESSED (pun intended?) with a few songs.  My faves are "Love on Top", "I Care", and "Countdown", but "I Was Here" has grown on me a lot, and as I said, I really do love all of it at this point.  Beyonce delivered big time with a diverse album that shows her growth and creativity, showcases her talent, and reminds us again why she is one of the biggest players in the game.  Along with "21" and "The Suburbs", this is one of my fave albums of the past 2 years.

Thanks for stopping by, San Diego!

rc-3: A new book in my top 5

In case you forgot... Sugar & Gravy's Reading Challenge #3 a.k.a. rc-3 is to read 20 books in the year 2011. I am now 7.5 months into the year and as of 15 minutes ago have read 12 books. With 8 books to go and 4 months to read them, I'd say I'm doing just fine!

Book #12 was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. At least on my mini-feed, this book has been receiving a lot of attention. 4/6 of my family members have read it, a few friends have, too, or are in the process of reading it right now... it's a popular book! On top of that, the movie's coming out super soon... or did it come out yesterday? I can't remember. Anyway, it's coming out soon.

It seems a hot topic is how the movie is going to be. Is it going to do the book justice? Will it turn the novel into another "white lady saves the po' black women" movie? Will the masses, with their infinite lack of wisdom, take the wrong message from the movie when the book's message was so powerful?

I have no idea.

Here's what I do know: the novel was beyond fantastic!!! It was one of the best works of fiction I've ever read. I look back (see below) at the list of books I've read so far this year, and The Help beats them all by far (and they were all great)! I think it's right up there in my top 5 along with She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. It's not just because there's an important message. It's not just because the writing is so nuanced. It's because it's a fantastic story! It's because the characters are so wonderful, and wonderfully flawed, and real, and endearing. I just... loved it!!!

So, rc-3 -- it's going well! On to the next one!

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey
10. Animal Farm by George Orwell
11. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
12. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Anyway, I should get back to watching "Jersey Shore". Finishing The Help and then watching "the Shore" seems so wrong... oh well! Pump your fists!!!

Holiday... Celebrate!!!

Just finished watching the first ep of season 8 (the final season) of "Entourage". Seeing a new episode of the show was a total delight after nearly a year of drought, but I'm not sure I'd say that the episode was a total EXPLOSION into the new - and last - season. However, it had some great moments, and it seemed to set up the next - and last - 7 episodes for some interesting story lines. The first ep of season 7 was also not a total hit, but the rest of the season was great, and I feel optimistic about season 8 as well. I can't wait for next Sunday - ahhhh!!!

The reason I didn't watch the episode until today - beyond the fact that I don't have HBO, which is sort of stupid - is that I was in Muskoka at a cottage my parents rented for a few weeks. I was there for 3 nights with my girlfriend, sister, and my sister's BF, and it was such a great time. It was the kick-off to a 10-day holiday from work that I'm currently on, and it started things off perfectly. I spent the 4 days sleeping, eating delicious cottage-y meals (read: lots of burgers), reading (more on that in a sec), swimming, went for a kayak, a few short boat rides, lying in the sun, and playing a really fun card game (a sort of re-working of my fave - "war") that the GF taught me (I believe the end tally was 20-16 for the GF).

So reading... I don't think I've posted about the reading challenge for a while. That's because after I hit the half-way point I fell into a bit of a slump. I tried a few books, fiction and non-fiction, but couldn't get into anything. One day I was chatting with my boss and asked him if he was much of a reader. Turns out he is and we have similar taste in books (one of his favourite authors is John Irving, so I knew we were onto something). I asked him if he had any recommendations and he suggested No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod. If you didn't know already, my goal is to try not to buy any new books and instead get through the ones on my bookshelf that I haven't read (which is about 60%... more like a bookstore than a personal library). It just so happens that I already own No Great Mischief so I pulled it off the shelf and started to read it. I finished it this morning before I left the cottage and absolutely loved it!!! A great read for Canadians with a Scottish family history... especially those who are still very connected to that history. I'd say I both am and am not... the book definitely makes me want to reconnect more.

Anyway, as I said, I'm off to a great start on this holiday. Toronto for the next few days, then a secret adventure (more on that later this week), a trip to Waterloo for a wedding, and then some more chill time in TO before back to PH on the holiday Monday. It will be glorious... now for some serious chillage in front of the TV.

Pigs, Men, and Joni

"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."

I finished Animal Farm this weekend... wow, is all I can say. What a fantastic novel! The quotation above - the last line of the novel - was my favourite line of the book, and so poignant, but the whole book was just great! I'm thinking of going on a dystopian kick, but I might have to break it up a bit so as not to get in a rut. I moved from Orwell to Michelle Mercer's Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's Blue Period. I haven't read non-fiction in a while, and I don't think I've read books about any musicians other than John Lennon/The Beatles, so I'm excited to get some insight on Joni, even if it is about a particular album and time in her life. I love it so far, so I'm feeling good about the choice!

With A.F. finished, I'm half-way done rc-3 and half-way done the year 2011. Right on schedule!


In other news, I believe my computer is kaput. My Fujitsu Lifebook. My loyal friend. It's been 5 or so years now since I bought it, so it may be that it's just bitten the dust, for which I will forgive it. However, I'll wait to confirm the diagnosis with a PC doctor. I'm also hoping I can save the contents of my hard drive, but if not - I'll live. Unfortunately if it is dead, it might be a while before I get myself a new one. Between my iPhone and my work laptop, I think I'll manage, but since my latest purchase (a car!!!) set me back a bit, I think it's best that I wait a little while before investing in a new comp. When the time comes, you can be sure I'll reach out for your suggestions. It might be time to convert to a Mac, but we'll see.

Milestones - both arbitrary and totally exciting!!

Life is all about celebrating arbitrary milestones, so...
HAPPY 286th POST, SUGAR & GRAVY!!!

In other news...
I GOT A CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!! Now that I have it, all I want to do is drive. I was so excited to drive to work today that I left my apartment at 7:30am, went to Tim Horton's for a coffee (sweet drive-thru luxury!!!) and timbits for the whole office, and then got to the office before anyone else. It felt SOOOO good!!!

So - that means the Driving Challenge is officially over. Achieved much more quickly than I thought, it shall be deemed a total success, and I couldn't be prouder or happier!


In other other news...

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey

rc-3: 9 books down, 11 to go... nearly half-way done the year and nearly half-way done the challenge. Things are moving along well.

Bossypants was awesome!! I wasn't sure I loved it at first, but that was mostly due to the fact that I was transitioning from a serious fiction book (Saturday) to a scattered humour memoir. I say "scattered" because it jumped from story to story without necessarily any chronological order, or any other logic, for that matter. However, the further I got into the book, the more its scattered nature became part of its charm. Each chapter was essentially anecdotes about Tina's life, "advice" she has for others, and just neat stories about "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock". It was a great book, and I'd like to re-read it relatively soon to pick up on more subtleties.

I've moved from Bossypants to George Orwell's Animal Farm. I've never read it (or 1984 either... I'm a bad English grad), but it's a short novel, and so I thought it'd be a good transition from humour back to (most likely... though I don't know what I'm reading yet) fiction. I'm about half-way done and I absolutely love it! So satirical, so ahead of its time (in some ways, but obviously not in others... perhaps it's better to say that it's still relevant), and really enjoyable.


Life is good. No complaints.

Saturday on Saturday

I finally finished Saturday by Ian McEwan. When I say "finally", it's not because it was a drag to read, but just because I feel like I've been reading it for a while... and also, because it's the last of the 4 books that nice woman lent to me. She lent me By Nightfall, Bel Canto, and The Girls, too. I feel bad that I've had the 4 books for this long (maybe 10 months), but I thoroughly enjoyed all 4, and didn't want to let them go until I finished them all.

Saturday was a delight to read! It took place over the course of a (surprise!) Saturday in February 2003 and was very post-9/11 and extremely interesting. I loved it! I think I may have another Ian McEwan book on my bookshelves, so maybe I'll check that out soon.

So... RC-3 is now at 8/20 books. I now have 7 months to read 12 more books. Not bad at all!

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan

Next on the reading list is... Bossypants by Tina Fey!!!!! I ordered it and will be picking it up from the post office later today. I can't wait!

DRIVING + rc-3 UPDATE!

Ladies and gentlemen... esteemed blog readers... general public...

It is with the greatest pleasure that I announce to you that I PASSED MY ROAD TEST!!!!!

After all these years, the thought of being able to drive seemed like a mountain beyond my ability to climb, but I proved that mountain wrong today. Turns out it was a molehill.

SO...

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

I finished 2 a) and b) much earlier than expected, and needless to say #3 will be completed ASAP. I'd like to buy a car by June 30th... and I think it might even be earlier than that.

Anyway, I'm just so proud and happy and feel a sense of accomplishment like never before. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!

In other news, I'm still reading Saturday, but I paused to read another book, so I'm 7 books in and 13 to go in 7 months. I CAN DO IT!

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan

RC-3 + Drive Update!

I just realized that I never added my last book to the RC-3 list. 38 Witnesses by A.M. Rosenthal - a quick read that discusses The New York Times' discovery of the murder of Kitty Genovese, and A.M. Rosenthal's personal feelings of the case. For those of you who don't know, Kitty Genovese was murdered in the early 60s in Queens, NY outside two apartment buildings. It was discovered after she died that 38 people in the surrounding apartment buildings had witnessed the murder happening from their windows, but none had called the police. 1 person did end up calling the police, but much too late. This murder is discussed in a lot of sociology, psychology, and Malcolm Gladwell-like books when discussing the bystander effect. Very interesting case, and a decent read.

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal

I'm currently reading Saturday by Ian McEwan, which I absolutely love so far. It's a post-9/11 novel, set in England, taking place on one Saturday. I'm about half-way through and I haven't even gotten to the afternoon yet. It's a really well thought-out novel. I thought McEwan was Canadian, but turns out he's British. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. It's a great book, and I'm moving along decently with rc-3. Once I finish Saturday, I'll have 7 months to read 13 more books. Gotta pick up the pace.

Next on the agenda... my driving challenge!!

Remember my goals?

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

Well, I think I already told you that Goal 2 c) may be coming early because my road test is less than a week away on June 1st. It's so surreal that this has happened so quickly, but I'm feeling really positive about it. Yesterday I had my practice road test which I booked to ensure that my chances of passing were as high as is humanly possible. I drove to Peterborough where my instructor took me through the most commonly done test route... we did it nearly 10 times, I think! Over and over again, practicing the maneuvers, practicing my turns, practicing lane changes... At the end of the lesson he said that he thinks I'm going to pass! Hearing that really made me feel confident. I think I'm gonna pass, too.

Also - I definitely won't be waiting until December 31st to buy a car. In fact, I don't want to wait much longer at all. Assuming I get my G2 next Wednesday, I'm buying a car ASAP - by the end of June, for sure! Things are looking up!!! Rest assured, I'll keep you posted! :)d

Discovering TO #1 + RC3

As I wait for my coffee to finish steeping in my FP, I will write...

I just had a FANTASTIC weekend!! As you may know, I am from Toronto, but I currently reside in a small town about an hour east of Toronto. I love my job so it's completely worth living in the town, but I get a bit stir crazy sometimes, and as such, I spend most weekends in Toronto.

Despite being from Toronto, and spending most weekends here, I really haven't discovered much of the city. Even in a place with so much to do, you still tend to stick to your tried, tested, and true neighbourhoods - go to the stores there, the restaurants there, the cafes there, etc. However, I really want to take advantage of this great city, so I've decided to start to try branching out, and what's a good way to do that? Find a resto you want to go to and let that be the excuse to explore a new area. Bam!

So this weekend I discovered new areas on two ends of Queen Street. On Saturday night I rode the streetcar East to Leslieville and ate at an amazing restaurant called Queen Margherita Pizza. My girlfriend orders the Margherita Pizza at any place that serves it, as she calls it the metric for a great restaurant. If their MP is good, then the resto is good. So - when I found out there was a restaurant with the pizza in the name? I thought, we've gotta try this! Plus - it has a rave review in the Toronto Life 2011 Restaurant Guide... not a bad reason to go! It was delicious. She obv ordered the MP, I ordered a pizza called just the Vegetarian Pizza, and both were amazing!! We also started off with a re-imagined bruschetta which was amazing, and finished the night with their Tiramisu which was the best I've ever had - light and yummy! We didn't walk around Leslieville enough, but it seems like a great area with some eclectic shops and a very relaxed vibe.

On Sunday morning I rode the streetcar West on Queen to Roncesvalles, and had brunch with my bestie Rachel at Easy Restaurant. It was also highly recommended by Toronto Life and www.blogto.com, so I wanted to give it a try. My friend was a "bit late", but I was in no rush so I relaxed with a cup of coffee and a book. The serving staff were fantastic - just kept refilling my cup but never pressured me to order or asked me when my friend was coming; they just left me alone... much appreciated. When Rachel arrived, we ordered - she got the vegetarian toscada, and I got the house specialty: Huevos Divorciados. They were delicious! Mexican-inspired breakfast food... no complaints. Unfortunately I didn't walk around Ronci that much either, but I love the vibe there, too. Once again - lots of neat shops, some hipsters walking and biking around, and it didn't hurt that it was a gorgeous day... so was Saturday. Man, good weather really makes walking around a total pleasure!! Anyway, needless to say, it was a great weekend!!

And that's not all... I discovered two areas of Toronto AND finished two books. I hate getting into a reading funk, but the fun of getting out is that if you have 5 books half-finished, suddenly you feel like you're breezing through.

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford

HP7 - the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series - was awesome!! I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every minute of it... especially the last 100 pages or so - I felt as though I could not stop. It really was a fantastic story, and I'm already looking forward to re-reading it sometime in the not-so-near future. The HP series can't be double-counted in the reading challenge... that just wouldn't be fair. Anyway, so I'm done the series! I can't wait for the movie, now knowing what happens... it's going to be quite the show!

Secondly, I wrapped up reading The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford - who I know personally, but haven't seen in a while. Man oh man can that man write... wow!! I think I can safely say that aside from Margaret Atwood, that is the most inventive, imaginative writing I have ever witnessed. The stories... they were so out of this world that I couldn't believe they were conceived by the human mind... but that's why I love fiction! I also love reading a book of short stories for a change. For one thing, you don't feel as guilty setting it aside for a little while, and for another, it's so nice to have so much variety in one book. I highly recommend the book and bought a copy for a friend this weekend to support Matthew, as he deserves it!

That's all for now!

Also - 4 sleeps until NYC!!!!!

Getting things done week

This is a getting things done week. Now that I've entered the working world, every week is a getting things done week, really, but this is a work-related and personal getting things done week. For example, right now I'm updating my iPhone w/ new tunes via the Hype Machine and updating my blog, which I've been meaning to do for ages... with a substantial post.

So what have I been getting done? Well... work has been incredibly busy, which is overwhelming, but also great! What I love about my job is that there's so much variety - I never expected as a fundraiser to double as a production assistant with a film crew!! That'll be fun. Work is so busy that I brought work home with me today. It's not a necessary part of my job, and it's not unusual to be replying to/sending emails after the work day is over, but today was different - I brought home a stack of work to get through and just finished getting through it. What was great was that it wasn't overwhelming, but really satisfying! I was able to organize myself outside of the work day, so that when I start my day in the office tomorrow, I won't have to waste time figuring out what I need to do, but I'll be able to do it! I also won't have to start the day sending emails - but instead will hopefully have the replies by the time I start working. Definite efficiency... I can see why my Dad has done it for all these years. Anyway - I enjoyed the experience of taking my work home. (Speaking of being efficient with emails [or not!] - check out this post on my other blog Life After WLU).

What else have I been up to?

Well here's a big advancement: remember the driving challenge? Well I took 5 lessons with my instructor, and have gone out to practice with my Dad about 3-4 times, and I'm feeling pretty confident with my driving. I need a little more practice, but I think I'm ready.

Remember my goals?

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

Notice that a 3rd goal has been (added and then) struck out - 2b) book my road test! Yes that's right! I have booked the road test to get my G2. It is set for June 1, 2011. Just over a month away and I could will be a driver. I was a little hesitant to announce this, especially the exact date, but I find that "being accountable to others" makes a goal more likely to be achieved. So hold me to it, dear readers, and I won't fail!!! As always, I'll keep you posted.

Sidenote: my computer just randomly turned off. I'm hoping it doesn't do that again, but if it does - God bless Blogger for auto-saving my post. Saved me ultimate heartache.

Moving on...

I'm also continuing on in the reading challenge. Unfortunately it's slow and steady (emphasis on slow), but it's still in progress. I'm reading HP7 and totally loving it!!! Can't wait to finish it before the 2nd installment of the movie. Next on my reading list is finishing my friend Matthew Trafford's book The Divinity Gene. It's amazing, and the perfect book to take pause with as it's a collection of short stories. I'm about half-way through, so after HP7 I'm all over it!

Anyway, I think that's it for now. I'm paranoid that my comp will shut down again, so I bid you adieu!

rc-3: Let's get back in the groove.

rc-3:

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller

3 months into the year and have read 3/20 books. Not too impressive, to be real. I really want to step up my game, and what has helped in the past is reading Harry Potter. Something about HP really helps the RC, and conveniently I still haven't yet read the 7th book. Guess what I started reading yesterday? HP7. Let's hope Harry will get me on a roll again.

Gilda...

While reading Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, I have realized something:

I am falling in love with Gilda Radner.

RC-3: In a rut.

I'm in a bit of a reading rut. I hate to report it, but it's true. I'm about a quarter of the way into 4 books (In Defense of Food, Eat Pray Love, The Divinity Gene, and Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live) and I can't seem to push through. The thing is - every one of these books is AMAZING! but I'm just struggling to get the reading bug again.

That's part of the reason why I'm reading Live from New York. It's lighter, a little easier to get through, and it's a little less of a challenge mentally. I often need something lighter to get me back into reading mode, so maybe this will be the ticket. Sort of like the Harry Potter series... that did the same thing for me!

Part of the problem is that I've been eating meals in front of the TV/computer, and choosing to play games on my iPhone rather than reading before bed. These are habits I was combatting for a time, so I'm going to attempt to do it again. It won't be too hard, I don't think! Here goes!

RC-2: Concluded

I just realized that Reading Challenge #2 is over. RC-3 and RC-2 overlapped a bit, so I sort of forgot where I was at, but here's the report...

My challenge was to read 8 books between September 5th and December 31st of last year. The one stipulation was that 50% of the books had to be fiction. In the end I didn't finish the challenge until February 19th, 2011, but regardless the 8 books were read, and they were:

1. HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
3. HP and the Goblet of Fire
4. HP and the Order of the Phoenix
5. By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
6. HP and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
8. The Girls by Lori Lansens

I won't review each book, but I will say that I enjoyed them all. I will also note that 100% of them are fiction, which makes me pleased as punch! My love for fiction is back in spades!

Lastly, I'm desperate to read the final Harry Potter. I can't wait any longer.

Books & Movies

I watched "Amadeus" this weekend. Not my first time seeing it by any stretch, but it never gets old as far as I'm concerned. It's such a fantastic movie and the music! Ah, the music! Mozart was such a talent. As a result, I'm now downloading a variety of his music, including the entire opera The Magic Flute. Can't wait.

I saw two other movies this weekend, which makes me want to do something I haven't done since this. Without further ado, here is a long overdue:

Sugar & Gravy Movie Mania #5
I watch movies often enough, so there's no point in writing about them every time I watch them, BUT I don't go to the theatre to see movies that often, so perhaps that will be what warrants an S&G Movie Mania. Aaaanyway...

Out of character, I actually saw 2 movies this weekend. (Say what?) Here are my thoughts:

#1 "No Strings Attached"

I loved it! I knew I'd like it, but I really didn't expect to like it so much. The acting was quite good, both the leads (Ashton Kutcher & Natalie Portman) were charming, and the writing was surprisingly fabulous! Lots of funny jokes, some great repartee, and just a good story. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't particularly cutting-edge, and it certainly wasn't sophisticated or anything, but it was plain fun! Plus, I went with my GF, and she was the perfect person to see it with.
Rating = 4.2/5.0

#2 "Somewhere"
This is the latest film from Sofia Coppola. I don't think I realized I had already seen two of her films ("Lost in Translation" and "The Virgin Suicides"), but I can now confidently say that I really like her work. "Somewhere" was interesting... not so much a story as a collection of drawn-out moments, all beautiful in their own way, and certainly connected, but not exactly forming a narrative. The movie is more of a snapshot of a certain type of life, and a very beautiful and interesting snapshot. The acting was fantastic (namely Stephen Dorff) and Elle Fanning (who I now see has been in other movies) was a delight!
Rating = 4.5/5.0

Now that my totally irrelevant and arbitrary rating is over with, "Somewhere" made me think about something... as you know, I watch a lot of "Entourage". For the most part, the show looks at the celebrity life in a very positive light, aside from maybe season 7. It's all fun, cars, weed, money, indulgence, mansions, etc. The audience sees some of the negative side of being in the limelight, and the pressure of being an actor, but mostly it's fluffy and fun!

In "Somewhere" we see famous actor Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) as totally miserable. On top of that, we see L.A. To me L.A. seems like such a sad place to live. For all of the lights and celebrities and beaches, it seems dirty and scary and sad and dark. Forgive me, I'm basing this on a few television shows and movies, but that's my opinion.


Moving on... I also read a bit this weekend, trying to keep my beloved RC-3 going. I finished my 2nd (of 20) book of 2011, and it was the previously mentioned The Girls by Canadian author Lori Lansens. I don't cry much when reading, but Lansens moved me to tears on more than one occasion in this book. It was fabulous! I forgot to bring my next book home with me, so I scanned my sister's bookshelf for a read and found Eat, Pray, Love. This has been on my reading list for a while, so I thought, why not? It's surprisingly good! And by surprisingly, I mean better than I expected. I'm really enjoying Elizabeth Gilbert's writing voice, and it makes me laugh a lot. Looking forward to the rest...

And that, I believe, is it for today! Until next time...

A girl who I will never be...

I'm reading a book called The Girls by a Canadian author, Lori Lansens. I'm not sure if I've already mentioned that I'm reading this. Anyway, I've enjoyed it from the start, but about half-way through (where I am now), I've started to really get into it. It's that thing that happens when you're really enjoying a book. You forget where you are, and you forget the physical thing that the book is, and you are so consumed by it that it feels like less of an active reading, and more passive, in that the story is being told to you. Or you're right inside it. I love when this happens with books, and it's happening now with The Girls.

When I'm really into a book, certain snippets will really stand out for me, and I'll read them over and over. Sometimes it's because of the rhythm or rhyme of a phrase, or what it's saying is really powerful. In the case of the below quotation, it was both.

I hum some secret place into being, thinking of this other me, the one that only I can see, a girl called She, who is not We, a girl who I will never be.

The Girls is an amazing novel (so far... am sure it will stay that way) set in fictional Leaford, Ontario, and it is the "autobiography" of conjoined twins, Ruby & Rose Darlen. This may sound awful, but I'll confess that I have a fear of conjoined twins. I'm not sure what the fear is based on... knowing me, it's probably based on crippling empathy, but regardless, I have to turn the channel when TLC does a feature on conjoined twins. This novel, even though it's fictional, has changed my feelings about conjoined twins. It's so humanizing and beautiful, and a mix of tragedy and comedy... I love it! Definitely a great choice for book #2 of the 2011 RC-3.

1 month in... RC-3

Morning y'all! Just finished my first book of 2011, which is kinda sad because January's almost over. However, I've been busy with work this month, and I have 11 whole months left to read 19 books. NBD. So, this means that RC-3 (20 books in 2011) has begun. You may remember though that RC-2 has not yet been completed (the 2 challenges were sort of combined, so...

RC-3:

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Reading Challenge #2:

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
2. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
   
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
5. By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
   
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
   
7. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I wonder what I'll read next. I can't read the 7th Harry Potter yet because my girlfriend's mum is reading it, so I think I'll read another one of the books that the nice woman lent me. She lent me By Nightfall and Bel Canto, so I imagine the other books are going to be just as good. We'll see!

As for Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, I suppose I should say a few words on it... I loved it. It was beautifully written, and whenever I had the opportunity to read for more than just 10 minutes, I got totally lost in it. Patchett is a great writer and the plot was just so unique and multi-faceted and incredible. There was a lot about love and music, but also language and communication was a big part of it, and then there was the whole hostage situation... Also, the ending was totally unexpected, but also not jarring. I totally enjoyed it!

On to the next one!

Resolutions

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!

Whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate, I hope you've had a fantastic season! Mine has been filled with love, friends, family, food, gifts, and a lot of laughter (and some relaxation). I have no complaints at all!

I've been sort of too busy running around seeing friends to read much, but I did finish the 6th HP book, and I really enjoyed it! I remember finishing the book before, but I really didn't remember much of the content. I'm excited to read the 7th though, because I know I haven't read that one before. Since I wasn't able to read the 7th in time for the movie, I'm not in a huge rush to get to it, as long as I read it before the 2nd part of the 7th movie. So, before I get to HP7, I'm trying another one of the books lent to me by a woman I just met, called Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. I'm 8 pages in, and loving it already!

So, Reading Challenge #2 was to read 8 books by December 31st, and 50% had to be fiction. I've achieved one of the goals as every book I've read in this challenge has been fiction, but I don't think I'll read two books before the deadline. No matter! My plan is to let Reading Challenge #2 seamlessly lead into my next challenge...

Reading Challenge #3 (RC-3): I challenge myself to read a minimum of 20 books in 2011. There are no stipulations about fiction or non-fiction, it's just about reading 20. I was going to make it 24 (2/month), but I want to give myself some wiggle room. I very well may read 30, but 20 is a nice solid number to be proud of, so that's the goal! The final two that I read for RC-2 may be included in RC-3.

Reading Challenge #2 - Update:

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
   
2. Franny and Zooey
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
5. By Nightfall
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince