Some things I want to share

I'm fully moved out of my Toronto apartment.
The apartment my girlfriend K and I (plus Spoon the cat) called home from September 2012 is now empty... at least of our stuff.  I haven't been living in the apartment since late January, but this past Friday we took out the last of it.  It feels bittersweet, as it has when I've moved out of every place I've lived in, but perhaps this one especially.  It was K's and my home; our first space together, and it really was special to get a cat together, too.  The kitchen was almost unbearably small, and now that I'm living in a relatively huge place, it's sort of a wonder how we lived in that small apartment.  But it was home, and it was ours, and I loved it.

The sweet part is twofold: a new, big apartment to call home, but also, there was something mentally difficult about straddling two places for a month.  It was unsettling.  Clearing it out of the last of the stuff felt really therapeutic.

K has not yet joined me in our new place in Waterloo.  She will, but she has to wrap up some things of her own in Toronto for the next few months, so she'll likely join me in the summer.  It's hard, of course, but our relationship is so strong, so we're getting by just fine.  Plus, when she joins me, she'll be ready for a fresh start, too, and that's a better time to move anyway... when you don't have too much left behind.

The 158-Pound Marriage
I read my second book of 2014: John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage.  I believe this is one of Irving's first novels.  I've owned it for quite a while and have taken at least two stabs at it before, never finishing it.  This time I did.  After I read my first novel of 2014, The Devil Wears Prada, Irving felt appropriate because he's always so substantial and TDWP was anything but.  And it was substantial, but I was left unsatisfied... probably to a larger degree than usual because I expect so much of Irving's books... but maybe it being one of his earlier ones was the reason why.  Maybe I just didn't "get" it like I usually do.  Maybe I couldn't relate to it.  I'm not sure.  It wasn't bad, but it just didn't meet my expectations.

"Homeland"
Then there's something that exceeded my expectations.  "Homeland", the television show starring Claire Danes, among others.  Oh. My. God.  SO GOOD!!!  I started it last Monday when I took a day off and was in search of something new and wonderful to watch, and I finished first season yesterday when I was home sick.  The season was incredible.  I spent part of it wondering how there could be a second season, but the season finale made it clear that there is a lot more material to tap into.  The other crazy thing (pun intended?) was how Claire Danes really started showing her stuff in the last two episodes of the season.  She's such an amazing actress, and was throughout all of the episodes, but the stuff people really raved about was most apparent in the last episodes.  It was the kind of high-quality acting that I saw so much of in her movie "Temple Grandin".  She has a well of emotion, from one extreme to another, that makes her perfect for the character of Carrie Mathieson.  I wish season 2 was on Netflix.  I'll have to watch it by other means...

The Time Traveller's Wife
I've said it before: finding a new book to read is always a struggle.  I woke up extra early this morning as I was off sick yesterday and went to bed really early, and also wanted to have lots of time this morning to ease my way back into good health and readiness for work.  Before having coffee and breakfast, I scanned my bookshelf and settled on The Time Traveller's Wife.  I saw this movie ages ago when it was in theatres, and my friend who I saw it with had read and loved the book.  I really enjoyed the movie, but was a bit uncertain about how good the book could be.  I sped through 20 pages this morning.  It's fantastic!  Much better written than I anticipated (I'm a snob) and the story is so interesting.  I can't wait for more!

I spent part of my sick day organizing my office/guest room.
My first visitor - W! - is coming for the weekend and I'm so excited.  I finally live in a place that has a dedicated guest room.  A guest room is great for so many reasons, one of which is the fact that you have a place to hide stuff you don't feel like dealing with.  It was the only place in my apartment with boxes that I hadn't emptied, partly because they weren't urgent, and partly because I knew they were full of miscellany that I didn't want to deal with.  However, yesterday was pretty much my only chance to tackle the craziness, and I did with vigour!  I dumped the boxes on the bed and slowly but surely - and with lots of breaks - put stuff where it belonged.  It's not fully dealt with, but the bed and floor is clear, the desk isn't too cluttered with stuff, and it generally looks welcoming.  I have to deal with the closet and figure out a long-term organizing strategy, but that can happen later.  For now, it's clean and ready for W, and that's all I can ask for.

I'd like to thank the Academy...

I can't believe I haven't updated this blog in over a month.  I hate looking at my favourite blogs and not seeing an update, and I try not to let that happen with S&G, but oh well...

Life is good... but busy!!!, which explains the lack of blogging.  Although I am not a teacher, I do work at a school and so the energy inevitably comes back to campus and my workload the moment the academic year starts again.  I love it though!  During the summer I am so bored, and although it's nice to have a break and have things quiet down a bit, I much prefer overwhelmingly busy to overwhelmingly bored.  Always.

Right now my plate is full of work associated with an event that takes place this Tuesday, so the end is in sight!  Things are in good shape so it's just a matter of working my butt off until Tuesday at around 10:00 pm, spending the rest of the week doing the follow-up on the event, and then... well, starting work on the next event, which takes place on November 6th.  And then when that's over, I'll work on the next event, which takes place on January 18th... and then I have a bit of a break.  Event-planning is hard... and I'm not even an event planner.  Oh well!

In other news, I have not been reading.  I really need to make time to read, but I always want to do something mindless when I'm not working.  I will try to get reading back into my life.

And the award for the most boring blog update goes to...


Currently reading: Nothing.
Posts to come: My thoughts on "Orange is the New Black"... eventually...

Books & Driving

Classic... what is it about blogging about stuff that leads to action for me?  I blogged about my shameful secret (not being able to drive) and within that year I had my license and a car.

Now, I blog about the fact that the reading challenges mattered, and within one month (to the day), I've more than doubled the number of books I've read this year.

A month ago when I wrote that post, I'd read two books:
Grace by Grace Coddington
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

Since then, I've read:
Onward by Howard Schultz
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
Quiet by Susan Cain

Granted, I was already halfway through Onward and Quiet, but no matter!  It's progress!

So I'm going to keep on reading, and maybe I'll even hit my "secret goal" of reading 20 books this year.  We shall see!


Speaking of all this, I have my driving test to get my full "G" license tomorrow.  Wish me luck!  Apparently all I need to do to achieve my goals is blog about them.

Happy New Year | rc-4: Concluded

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Bring it on, 2013!


I am back to work today, in ways both professional and personal, so it felt timely to update good ol' Sugar & Gravy.

How was your holiday?  Mine was great!  It was the perfect balance of seeing family and friends, eating food, sleeping, resting, socializing, and more.  I had a great New Year's Eve, too; very low-key with some loved ones.  The holiday felt long, too, which is a surprise... not to say that it was easy getting back to work today, but still, it feels nice to be back to routine.

I owe everyone a salute to John Lennon, but it just doesn't feel right anymore, being nearly a month since the anniversary of his death.  Moreover, there's not necessarily a significance to the 32nd anniversary of his death, so perhaps I'll save it for 2015... here's hoping I keep S&G up until then.

I also owe y'all an overview of all contestants (seasons 1-4) on "RuPaul's Drag Race".  This post I will absolutely do, as it's partially written and I think will be a lot of fun to write and get feedback on.  I hope to get this written in January, but I won't make any promises yet.


rc-4 Year-End Update
What I will do right now is give my rc-4 update.  Another year has ended, and so therefore has another one of my reading challenges.  Reading Challenge #4, more commonly referred to as rc-4, was to read 20 books in 2012.  Once again (17/20 in 2011), I have not completed my challenge.  In fact, I only completed 60% of it, but.....

WHO CARES?!  The challenge is arbitrary to some degree.  It's a great regular segment to blog about, a chance to discuss the books I'm reading and what I plan on reading next.  And, the whole point was always to keep me reading after I was done my English degree, and I have been.  12 books in 2012 is fine.  A book a month is likely above average, and plus - I'm not competing with anyone.  rc-4 was for me, but hopefully any regular readers got some enjoyment out of it, too.  I know I did!!!

All that said, here's what I did read:

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom **re-read
10. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb *favourite author **re-read
11. In One Person by John Irving *favourite author
12. Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane **re-read

In Sum: 12 books read, 9 new books and 3 books re-read, 10 different authors, 1 series, 6 non-fiction, 6 fiction

As for what I'm going to do in 2013 or rc-5... I'm not sure yet.  I think I'm just going to re-commit myself to reading lots, blog about it here, but not make it a challenge.  I may change my mind, but I'm a bit over the challenge: not the intent of it, but the whole being a challenge part.  I'll read, I'll write about it, but that'll be all.

All my best for a great 2013, all!  Until next time.....

Currently reading... Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington, Quiet by Susan Cain
Posts to come... An overview of all contestants to date on "RuPaul's Drag Race"

rc-4 update

Reading Challenge #4 continues...

Just this morning I finished re-reading Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane. It's a biography of John Lennon, written by long-time friend Larry Kane, a journalist who was assigned to travel with The Beatles on their two North American tours in 1964 and 1965. It's a great, honest biography of John Lennon, which all the good ones seem to be. That's how John would've wanted it.

Stay tuned for a dedication piece to John in December, on the 32nd anniversary of his death.

I'm struggling with what to read next. I think I'm going to try to dive into Susan Cain's book, Quiet, but we shall see!


What I've read so far...

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom **re-read
10. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb **re-read
11. In One Person by John Irving
12. Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane **re-read

Giving Thanks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The first thing that I am thankful for today is my girlfriend.  She brings light to my day - every day - from the moment I get up, and that is something to be thankful for.

The second thing that I am thankful for is John Irving, his book In One Person, and good books everywhere.  After dropping my GF off this morning where she needed to be, I came back home and spent a quiet thirty minutes or so with my coffee and the last 25 pages of In One Person.  There was a lot of warmth in those thirty minutes, and like I always do with a good book, when it came to the end I got shivers, gently closed it, and spent 60 seconds or so digesting it.  I never expected my favourite author to write such an LGBTQ community-focused novel, but he did, and with an angle I've never seen, and I loved it.

I'm also thankful that once I'm done this quiet morning time and get myself showered and ready, that I'll be walking over to my parents' place - a twenty minute walk away - to enjoy a day of more warmth, loved ones around, delicious food, and a lot of blessings.

I feel lucky and I feel blessed and I feel thankful.

I hope you feel these things today, too!

~~~

rc-4 update: 

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
10. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
11. In One Person by John Irving

5 non-fiction, 6 fiction, 9 authors represented, a variety of subject matter.  Perhaps hitting the goal of 20 books read in 2012 is unlikely to happen, but who cares?!  I'm reading!

She's Come Undone

My friend and I had a great conversation recently about books.  Together we turned our noses up at Fifty Shades of Grey and went on to discuss what we were reading and what our favourite books are.  I mentioned I was reading John Irving's latest novel, In One Person.  She said, "I love John Irving!!!"  I said, "Me too!", and told her which ones I've read (A Widow for One Year, The Cider House Rules, and The World According to Garp).  She shared her Irving reads, and then said, "But as much as I love John Irving, he's competing against one other favourite author ...[dramatic pause]... Wally Lamb."

The friend that I was chatting with is one of my best friends, but I still reeled at her other favourite author.  Could she be serious?!  How was it that we shared the same two favourite authors?!?!  I love Wally Lamb, but even more than that, I LOVE his book She's Come Undone.  This conversation excited me so much that I soon put aside In One Person and began to re-read (my fourth time) She's Come Undone.  I'm reading it right now and it's as good if not better than the other three times I've read it.

Unlike other books I've read recently - the Hunger Games trilogy, or even Tuesdays with Morrie which I love, but still... - She's Come Undone is like nourishment.  The writing is so strong and powerful it's like actual food... like oatmeal, the kind of food that sticks to your ribs, prepares you for the day, warms you up, and stays with you for more than just a few minutes of satisfaction.  The story is deeply upsetting, sometimes depressing, but it's always done in a way that fills you up rather than leaving you simply empty and depressed.  I love this book, and it hasn't lost its effect on me.

This is good timing for a rc-4 update:

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
9. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Currently reading... She's Come Undone (duh!), In One Person
On deck... A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

RC-4: Updated

I have been promising a full update on rc-4 a.k.a. Reading Challenge #4 in which I challenge myself to read 20 books in 2012.  Like it or not, the year is almost 2/3 over.  That makes me want to scream!  I mean, I'm fine with time passing just as quickly as it wants to, but it still comes as a surprise to know that... my France trip was nearly eight months ago... I've been in Toronto again for nearly two months... and that the time aspect of the reading challenge is 2/3 done while the reading aspect is not even 1/2 done.

BUT, that said, the reading challenge series was never meant to make me feel bad or guilty; it was always intended to encourage me to read more, and so even if I only make it to 10 books this year (50% of my goal), it's fine... as long as I'm reading.

So here's what I've read so far this year...

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Currently reading: In One Person by John Irving (FANTASTIC so far!!!)

Posts to come: nothing on deck for y'all at this point, but surely I'll be posting soon!

Love,

Sugar & Gravy 

rc-4: Kelly Cutrone enlightens

Guess what?!?  10 more days until I move to Toronto.


In other news, it's been a while since I updated you on Reading Challenge #4 a.k.a. rc-4.  Almost 6 months in and 7 books down.  Not bad, but I'm going to have to kick it up a notch to reach my goal of 20 books in 2012.


My latest read (which I finished this morning) was If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone -- Fashion PR Queen of New York: known for dressing in black, speaking her mind, and appearing on a variety of reality television shows, from "The Hills" to her own, "Kell On Earth".


The book wasn't what I expected.  I had been unsuccessfully reading Mockingjay, the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy.  I had really hoped to read the trilogy without stopping, but I regret to say that Mockingjay simply did not hook me.  The first book, The Hunger Games was fascinating throughout, hard to put down.  Catching Fire was so far from what I expected that it kept me engaged the whole time.  Mockingjay, on the other hand, was such a change of pace (read: slow) and just a whole other kind of story that I couldn't push through the first third.  It's now gathering dust on my kitchen table.  I'll try to get back to it next, but I won't force it.  I will finish it soon enough (everyone says it's worth pushing through for the sake of the ending), but if I'm not engaged, I'm not engaged.


Anyway, back to KC's "memoir".  First of all, I'd been reading The Hunger Games, so moving from that to a PR powerhouse's memoir, if you want to call it that, was a tough transition.  Secondly, feeling somewhat well-versed in spiritual language and ideals, it felt a bit rich to have spiritual advice coming from someone who I've seen straight-up call someone on their eating disorder in the middle of a bar on "The City".  However, when I got past my skepticism, I started to realize that Ms. Cutrone genuinely had a lot to offer.  She tells her own story - which is tumultuous and comes with all sorts of twists and turns - interspersed with both business-related advice as well as spiritual suggestions.  It's got a good flow, a fresh tone, and I actually got a lot out of it.  Definitely worth a read if you're looking for something different and light.  We'll see what I get to reading next.

rc-4 so far...

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7. If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone

Say no to procrastination

It happened to me again.  I had a task on my to do list that I kept putting off and putting off and putting it off made me anxious but I still wasn't getting it done which made me more anxious and then finally... I got it done.  Today.  And, as always, it was much easier - and as it turned out, cheaper - than I thought it would be.  Once again the lesson is that procrastinating does nobody any good.

What was the task, you ask?  Well, as you might remember, my laptop died last summer.  It fully kicked the bucket, though thankfully the hard drive was saved.  My friend W told me that I could go and get the hard drive cased and it could act as an external hard drive.  I kept meaning to go and get it cased but, as I said, kept putting it off.  FINALLY today I dragged myself to Canada Computers in an ungodly area (north of Finch) and told the employee who greeted me at the door what I needed done.  I thought I'd have to hand over my hard drive and leave it with them for a few weeks and then pay $100 to get it back.  As it turned out, it cost $14 and involved nothing more than opening the box, casing it, screwing in some screws, and handing it back to me.  AMAZING.  Short, sweet, and now I have the luxury of enjoying all the music, movies, and TV shows I thought I lost forever last summer.

I love when that happens.....


Currently reading: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Next post: Discovering T.O. #5 - 416 Snack Bar, Lola's Kitchen, and Ha Long Bay

rc-4: Commercial Fiction

Time for a quick & dirty Reading Challenge IV update.


rc-4 so far...

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
4. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Quite the mix so far, I would say.  Non-fiction, memoir-ish in the form of short stories, full-blown memoir, psychological thriller, and... commercial fiction, for lack of a better genre.

Speaking of The Hunger Games, I'd like to make a few brief comments about it.  I'm about 20 pages away from finishing the second book, Catching Fire, and plan on starting Mockingjay right after.  What do I think of it?  I love it.  Completely engaging and a real page-turner... almost to the point of being a bit manipulative.  As my friend said to me, it feels like a book meant to be made into a movie, which would be a bit off-putting if it wasn't so engaging.  I can only compare it to The Da Vinci Code in that regard.  I'm loving it though.  Will it be one to re-read?  Maybe, maybe not, but this is one series I'm willing to read to find out what all the buzz is about... unlike Twilight which I've never read, seen, and will never read or see.

Another update to come soon!

What's the deal with rc-4???

So, I said a while ago that I thought I had already revealed rc-4 a.k.a. Reading Challenge #4.  As it turns out, I had written the post, but never posted it.  However, based on what I've read so far in 2012, I don't think my original plan for rc-4 is really going to work... Therefore I've got a better - but less exciting - idea.

So what?!  Who cares?!

Reading Challenge #4 is to read 20 books in the year 2012.
Yes, I know this was the challenge for rc-3 and 2011, but I didn't complete it and I want another go at it.

Why does my original plan no longer work?  Well, the original plan was to read up to 50% of my book collection, as I've realized that I've only read about 26% of my collection (sad, but true).  This is a great plan, BUT it means I'd need to read about 26 books this year (ambitious) AND so far the two books I've read are a new book I bought and another that I borrowed.  So... that's not gonna work.  I'm just going to go with 20 books this year, and - as always - I'll keep you posted along the way.

rc-4 so far...

1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

Currently reading -- Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Posts to come -- Discovering Toronto #3 (though I write about the city all the time, this is the 3rd official Discovering TO post): The Power Plant & Bar Volo

~~~

Reading Challenge Summary:

1. Reading Challenge #1 was to read 8 books in a 4-month period.
2. Reading Challenge #2 was to read 8 books in a 4-month period... BUT 50% had to be fiction.
3. RC-3 was to read 20 books in the year 2011 (17/20 ain't so bad).
4. RC-4 is to read 20 books in the year 2012.

Manicures & High Heels

In advance of my upcoming review of "Sex and the City", the entire series, I wanted to write (as promised) of how manicures and high heels make me feel.

I was a tomboy for all of my early years.  You could maybe still consider me one, I don't know.  I was the only girl at the boys' birthday parties.  I played hockey.  I frowned when my first pair of underpants had flowers on them (true story).  I put up an enormous fuss when told to put on a dress.  You get the picture...

As a result, despite growing up with 4 sisters, I missed some so-called crucial steps to "being a girl".  I could barely put my hair up in a ponytail at 14, I got dresses only for occasions that required them, and I think I applied mascara for the first time at 18.  Once again, you get the picture...

When I was in Turkey in the summer of '09 (can't believe it's already been that long), I told my mom and sister, who I was travelling with, that I wanted to quit biting my nails.  I'd been biting them (as you might remember) for at least 14 years, I would guess, and so it was a big undertaking.  The goal was to not bite them on the trip and reward myself with a manicure on the second leg of the trip in Abu Dhabi.  After all, where else would I get my first manicure???

The experience was in a word - and I'm not really exaggerating here - profound.  I never really got it.  Why paint your nails?!  What's the point?!  Do people think of you differently?  Does it make any difference at all?

Well, I can only speak from my own perspective, but yes, yes, yes.  It does make a difference.

Somehow, it makes me feel prettier.  I look at my hands and rather than just various shades of pink, I see these colourful nails that stand out and transform my fingers.  I feel elegant.  I feel more grown-up and professional.  I feel like people might think differently of me; that I take care of myself and take pride in my appearance.  Superficial?  Maybe... but also not, because the prettiness I feel goes deep.  I don't mean pretty in the shallow sense; I mean a full-body feeling of confidence and power.

[And as a side benefit, getting manicures really helps maintain the health of my nails and keeps me from wanting to bite them... 'cuz they're so pretty.]

I experienced the same thing recently when I bought my first pair of real high heels.  By real, I mean an actual heel (not the hilarious kitten heel), and not just plain, but with a bow and other ornaments.  I put my feet in them, stood up from the bench at the shoe store, and pulled my pant leg up.  My leg was completely transformed.  It looked more muscular, more feminine, and more defined.  My posture was different.  I felt different.  When I walk around in heels I feel tall and powerful, elegant and poised.  Once again, I know it may sound superficial, but it doesn't feel superficial.  It feels real, the feeling has depth, but at the end of the day I don't need to qualify it, I just need to enjoy the transformation.

On the reading list -- Still finishing up When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (loving it!  15 pages to go), and then I think I'll follow that up with The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (which has nothing to do with the film).

Post to come -- My thoughts on the series "Sex and the City" in its entirety & What's the deal with rc-4?

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?

e-Gravy

I'm home from work today as I am sick... bummer...

That said, it's always kinda nice to have a day at home to tidy the apartment and putter around and read and marathon season 2 of "Entourage"... ya know...

Anyway, a good friend of mine just posted an interesting interview of Margaret Atwood from the Globe. The interview is on the topic of e-books/e-reading, and it's a great, quick read. Atwood doesn't necessarily disagree with the use of them, but she has some really interesting points to make about them.

It made me think about something, but first let me quote the interviewer, Rosalind Porter:

Yet publishers and booksellers are allowing themselves to imagine a nightmarish world in which they are irrelevant – where technology companies which distribute e-books, such as Amazon, Sony, Google and Apple, also take over the choosing and the selling of books. Gail Rebuck, the chief executive of Random House in the U.K., recently described her “idea of hell” as a website ‘with 80,000 self-published works on it’ – a world where publishers and bookshops are replaced by a sort of online, super slush pile. Despite these fears, many smaller, independent publishers have had a few very profitable years, perhaps as a result of concentrating their focus on the books themselves and allowing the hyperbole of the yet-to-come iPod moment for books to simply see itself out.

This is a really interesting idea: publishing companies being taken over by the technology companies that distribute e-books. As I said, it made me think of something, which Atwood sort of alludes to... the music industry. Justin Bieber (tired example) and many others are now being discovered on the Internet. Even if you just have a crappy webcam you can record a song and post it on a platform that makes it possible to reach an audience of millions. Another thought: I can't think of the last time I bought a CD! On top of that, the process of recording, even in a studio, is increasingly (although I'm sure not exclusively) digital. Basically I'm saying, anyone with a computer can record a song.

But what about a book? Can just anyone write a book? Perhaps not yet... it's still a process that requires a lot of jumping through hoops and other obstacles, but maybe it's heading in that direction. My blog, for example. I know at least a few people read it, so I've got my work published out there... on a website, sure, but my writing is being read. It wasn't that long ago that an opportunity like this was unheard of. My blog's not making me famous or anything, but my writing is being read... it's that simple, but sort of amazing at the same time.

So if it's this easy for me to get my writing read, then could I just get a whole book online, too?

The thing is, publishers, record companies, etc. are out there to get stuff published or produced, but also to decide what could sell. What sells is (ideally, but definitely not always) what's good. I go on the Hype Machine a lot for music; a lot of it's good, but a lot of it is decidedly not good. What if all books were aggregated on a site like that? Wouldn't I have to hunt through a lot of amateur crap for a good read, whereas going to Indigo and looking at the top sellers can partially guarantee that I'm going to like what I buy... see what I mean? That said, I know that a lot of what sells isn't good, or at least not to a lot of people's tastes, so my points can be argued, but, it's definitely interesting to think about.

Santana vs. Harrison

When I was in grade 8, I would've scoffed at any cover of a Beatles song. I was into Beatles purity back then. Now though, I am impressed rather than threatened by a cover of a Beatles song that rivals the original.

This one here is a total beauty. This isn't the best recording of it, but I love watching India.Arie dancing and moving her hands. In the album version though, you've got Yo-Yo Ma on cello, so make sure you check that one out!



This makes me want to listen to India's "Acoustic Soul" album. That was such a high school jam of mine.

In other news, still working my way through HP-4, but I've come up with an official 2nd reading challenge. The last one concluded on September 5th, so from Sept. 5th-Dec. 31st my challenge is to read another 8 books with a stipulation: 50% have to be fiction. Loves it.

RC Continues

I know I said the Reading Challenge was concluded, but the truth is that I hope it's ongoing for the rest of my life. Regardless, I will continue to discuss the books that I'm reading (as I have been), how I like them, and what I'm doing to encourage/allow myself to read more.

Currently Reading:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - I've got about 150 pages to go and I am just eating it up! How does J.K.R. do it? Her stories are so intricate and well thought out, and I love how much more substantial they get once Harry hits 4th year. Incredible! After this, 3 more to go!

Next:

• Superfreakonomics - I got so into HP that I've neglected this book, but I've got 3 more weeks before it's due back at the library, so I have to read it soon!
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - I'm obsessed with HP right now, so it's more likely that I crack this open before Superfreakonomics but I'll try to practice self control if I can. The books aren't going anywhere, but it might be hard to finish books 5, 6, and 7 before November 19th (when part 1 of the 7th movie comes out [5 weeks to go]). I'll try my best!!!
• The Old Man and the Sea - This was on sale at Indigo and I felt the urge to buy it. It looks like a quick read and it's a classic, so I was sold! Plus, I feel embarrassed as an English major that I haven't read Hemingway, so this will be my start! I'm redeeming myself post-grad.
  

Incidentally, I loved the book.

I finished Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger last night. I can’t remember if I mentioned that I was reading it, but I started it last weekend when I’d forgotten to bring the 4th Harry Potter home with me. I’m reading that right now as well, but since Franny and Zooey was shorter (and I’d likely never read it if I got too into HP), I made it my priority to finish.

I love the way Salinger writes. Certainly you could call it pretentious, but his use of language, the seemingly irrelevant yet deeply beautiful stories he tells, the characters he introduces the reader to… he can fill you up in a way that only the best authors can. Franny and Zooey was no exception – I loved every page of it. The story he tells within it is so strange and fascinating.

One of my favourite things in the book, and I wonder if this stood out to others who’ve read it, was how many times he used the word “incidentally”. It was in the book at least 10 times, and it was never really necessary. He could’ve used a different word or removed it entirely, but it was there many times, and in a 200 page book, it stood out to me. While reading it, I often thought about why he used the word so many times, and my favourite conclusion is that he likes the sound of it, had been using it often himself at the time the story was written, and so he used it often in the writing. The reason I like this conclusion is because, incidentally, I do the exact same thing. I get attached to a word and use it as often as makes sense, and often more. Lately I’ve been using the word “convoluted” whenever possible. I’d try to use it right now, but it would likely be a convoluted process to get to that point.

HP

I just finished the 3rd Harry Potter a.k.a. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I can't believe I didn't bring the 4th one with me to Toronto because I'm desperate to start it right now. Oh well... I'll be back home in 36 hours so I can start it then.

If I didn't mention it already, I'm currently re-reading the Harry Potter series in preparation for the first installment of the 7th movie (opening in theatres in mid-November, I believe). In fact, I haven't even read the 7th book yet, which is why I started re-reading in the first place. I don't know why I never got to reading it. I guess it's because I always felt I needed to re-read the other books and was always overwhelmed by the notion. I'm committed this time though. Plus, it's a nice and easy way to get back into the world of fiction. Never mind the fact that the books are just so darn good.

They really are. J.K. Rowling doesn't get nearly enough credit for the incredible world she has created. When you're reading the books, everything seems normal about the world within them, which is a testament to Rowling's imagination and writing. I mean, what even is a dementor? Yet, it makes perfect sense in the world of Harry and Hogwarts.

Anyway... I'm enjoying every word of them and I can't wait to get on to the next. I'm now heading into the more beefy of the Harry Potter series books, too, which is nice. A little more substantial, if you will.

In the meantime, I'm going to get to reading more of Superfreakonomics. I borrowed it from the library and it's due in 2 weeks, so I've gotta focus on that, too! In fact, I think I'm going to get to that now!