It’s the last day of the month. I need to write something or go down in my archives as having not updated for three entire months. My job is still taking over most of my mind, and the rest of my mind is occupied with keeping up with social media. And yes, I will complain about that as long and loud as I can, anywhere I can.

Sadly, the one thing in my life that I can update with is tv. The boob tube is all I “think” about outside of work.

My tv premiere schedule last week consisted of:

Mon
CBS 9:00 Two and a Half Men
CBS 9:30 2 Broke Girls

Tue
FOX 8:00 Glee
FOX 9:00 New Girl
FOX 9:30 Raising Hope

Wed
ABC 10:00 Revenge

Thu
CBS 8:00 Big Bang Theory
CBS 8:30 Big Bang Theory
CBS 9:00 Person of Interest
CBS 10:00 The Mentalist

Fri
CBS 8:00 A Gifted Man

Sun
CBS 9:00 The Good Wife
ABC 10:00 Pan Am

I also watched The Lying Game on ABC Family, but it wasn’t a premiere episode.

A lot of these shows are new. I think I’ll continue watching most of them.

My thoughts of the shows:

• Two and a Half Men: I just watched the first two episodes to see how Charlie’s death and Ashton Kutcher’s introduction were handled. I’m probably done for the rest of the season.
• 2 Broke Girls: It’s a fairly standard sitcom, standard jokes, standard characters. Although it’s pretty risqué for an 8:30 show. I watch it for Kat Dennings. Don’t know if it’ll last.
• The Lying Game: I skipped the first few episodes of this show, but the commercials kept getting me interested, so I started watching since my brother DVRs it anyway. It’s a different storyline.
• Glee: Yes, I kept up watching last season for the most part. The season premiere was bland, I thought. Mostly just reintroducing the characters and their new storylines. More annoying bickering between the Glee teacher and Sue. But yay, Lindsay from the Glee Project showed up in that episode! (No, she wasn’t my favorite.) The second episode was better. And had more Kurt. So I’ll keep watching.
• New Girl: It’s silly and cute. I don’t know how long it’ll keep my interest, but so far I’m watching just for Zooey Deschanel.
• Raising Hope: I caught a few episodes of this over the summer and thought it was hilarious. (Cloris Leachman on rollerblades?) The humor reminds me of Malcolm in the Middle with its outlandish situations. With Glee and New Girl, it’s easy enough to remember to catch this show.
• Spy MyeongWol: I found this show while flipping channels during Raising Hope’s commercial breaks. This show is the reason I keep watching less and less of Raising Hope as the half hour goes by. I’m not into Asian dramas, but I like watching the main actress, and I find the show hilarious (as I do most Asian dramas… I suck, I know) so I’m catching up on the beginning of the series through Youtube.
• Revenge: Oooh, this is probably the show I find most promising. Firstly, Emily VanCamp from Everwood? I wanted to see what she’s doing now. Secondly, pretty good ad campaign during the summer. Thirdly, and most importantly, this show makes me think of Count of Monte Cristo, one of my favorite books. I have to keep watching!
• Big Bang Theory: Yay! Along with The Good Wife, this is probably my favorite show currently running. And double yay for Jim Parsons winning an Emmy this year!
• Person of Interest: I had no idea what this show was about, although I got that it’s an action show. All I knew was Count of Monte Cristo I mean, Jim Caviezel was in it. I watch it for his face. :) But I have to say, this show makes me paranoid.
• The Mentalist: Gobsmacked, man. Found not guilty??? I need to learn more about this mentalist thing.
• A Gifted Man: I didn’t think the show would be interesting, I just found myself free on a Friday night so I decided to watch it. I was hoping it would ease the pain of losing Medium, but no. There was more to Medium than just her ability to talk to dead people; I loved the characters and the family interaction too. A Gifted Man just seemed so blah. Like every episode will be Patient of the Week.
• The Good Wife: Well. Can’t say I like the storyline as much as last season. I liked seeing her relationships with Kalinda and her husband. Not that I think she should stick with her husband no matter what, I just liked seeing how she was dealing with the situation with him.
• Pan Am: The bus stop ad and mall ad campaign got me interested. A friend of mine is into planes and he watches the show. I like the history of it. But I’ve read that it’s broadcast’s answer to AMC’s Mad Men (along with The Playboy Club), so that turns me off. I don’t want to watch a show that will get me upset over how women were treated in the 60s. Also the first episode hinted there’ll be a lot of relationship storylines, which bores me because I can see that in almost any other show. I want to see more about Pan Am! Like Pan Am going to the Bay of Pigs to transport released prisoners? I didn’t know airlines did stuff like that…

All in all, this year looks to be more promising than last year.

That led me to a sudden revelation. Had I been reading wrong all this time? My style of reading is exactly opposite his. I read at the dining table while I’m eating, I read during commercial breaks while watching tv, at school I would get to class and read for a few minutes until the teacher started lecturing, snatches of precious time in between other tasks. Have I not been getting as much out of books as I could have?

So I decided to try it. I would read a book for a long stretch. Ella Enchanted was a great book, I thought. I’d wanted to reread it for a while, and it was short enough that I could read it in a couple nights, because I couldn’t guarantee enough nights with time to read several chapters in one go for a longer book.

I read Ella Enchanted last month, most of it in one night. (I cheated myself and read a few pages before I’d finished the books I was reading at the time.) (I also stayed up way too late that night, but that’s another story.)

The result—I was pretty disappointed. I didn’t feel the story was any more real, or that I was further into the story. It was the same as always, a wonderful, beautiful story, but this time it was over so quickly. I didn’t get a chance to relish it and live in the world in my daydreams. It felt a lot more like I’d just watched a movie than read a book I loved.

My test may have been flawed though. Ella Enchanted is just one of those books I hate to rush through. My favorite books I always read piecemeal, to stretch out the goodness of the story. Except for The Count of Monte Cristo, that’s a whole different animal.

But in writing this I laughably realized that I have spent times reading many chapters of a book in one sitting. I just didn’t recognize those times as such because they usually start with me telling myself, “I’ll just read a few pages before bed.” Then the story gets me hooked so I spend a number of hours saying, “Only a few pages more, then I’ll go to bed.” Those are what I termed my “midnight rendezvous.” Heck, that was how I read a few Harry Potter books!

Comparing my two experiences, reading books in short little spurts versus reading nonstop for a long stretch of time, I’d have to say that I don’t notice much of a difference. Reading in bits and pieces is probably more work because I have to block out noise around me and focus on reading, but after a a sentence or two I’m fine and lost in another world.

I have to say I feel sorry for that guy though, if it takes him that long to get into his reading, he must miss out on a lot every time he has to start up again.

But it is true. Like Count of Monte Cristo (I read it for an hour this morning and I kept thinking of the last movie), I consider them two different stories. Same plot, similar characters, but two different takes. You just can’t fit all of Alexeandre Dumas’ (paid-by-word O.x) story into a feasible movie. Maybe it’s better as a mini-series…

Also the Harry Potter stories. I was sort of meh about the first book. But I liked the first movie. (I think I read all four books before seeing the movie. I’m not sure.) I found it great fun. I don’t remember how I felt about the other books the first time, but I’ve always enjoyed the movies the first time around. Although the Potter movies are pretty close to the books. So not much of a point there.

Maybe a better example would be V for Vendetta? *hides* Ignoring the Wachowski Brothers-esque elements, I thought it was a good story. It’s not the comic. It’s a different story. I guess liberties were taken to mold the story more to current events. But who’s to say we shouldn’t have that? The original graphic novel is still there, 100% and whole for anyone who wants to get the original story. In the meantime, there’s another idea out there that was based on that story. And after a while, another movie could be made, perhaps one that’s closer to the original story.

That’s another thing, the way people rail against movie adaptations, you’d think the movie was the end-all be-all of the story. But with Count of Monte Cristo you have so many movie versions. Take your pick, which one do you think is the best? N likes the French version. So does Mum. But she still likes the Guy Pierce version. I’ve never seen the French one, so I can’t really say.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, what about movie adaptations that I didn’t like? The ones that come to mind are A Wrinkle in Time and The Face on the Milk Carton. *twitch* Poor made-for-tv excuses of book adaptations. If I forget the story they were originally based on … they’re still pretty bad. But I suppose they work, for the medium that they’re in (film).

Okay, all this post serves to prove is how bad of a writer I am. Blah.

Little tidbits: I stood in line mindlessly waiting for a chicken sandwich during lunch. I went to the library three separate times today. Half the lights in the second floor are turned off, probably for money energy conservation, but there are also quite a few lights that have just plain died. I spent some of the time after art critique talking to a classmate. Woo, go me. :D

The Shining is getting interesting. I didn’t know there was a backstory to Tony! Then again, I’ve only ever seen the parts of the movie where the scary stuff is seen. Wooow, great plot device there.

The Count of Monte Cristo is a lot more convoluted than I remember. I still like the movie with Guy Pierce. I just consider them two different stories in two different mediums (of course, one gets a bit Hollywood-ized at the end, but what do you expect?). They’re both just so much fun! hee.

Oh yeah, this morning the nail of my left index finger tore off. x.x I was closing the trunk of my car. Now, my trunk door is a bit different than you’d expect. You don’t have to slam it down to close it or anything, it’ll close just on its own weight. So I was holding it up with my index finger and I guess I was more tired than I thought because I didn’t realize that I had it resting on my nail? Or maybe it slipped or something, I don’t know. But either way, it got torn off, and I was about to say “Ow!” when I realized that it didn’t really hurt. Just the tip got torn off (of my finger). But anyway, maybe I’m being grotesque talking so much about it.

Or maybe not. I’ve never had a nail broken on this finger before. I’ve had both ring fingers, my right thumb nail, and maybe my right middle finger? I’m not really sure. My finger doesn’t hurt, it just feels really sensitive, and I’ve got it covered in Band-Aids to remind myself that it’s sensitive area don’t do anything that’ll hurt it! Writing my notes was all right. But the problem arose when I got on my laptop … the Band-Aids block the heat that makes the touchpad work! Noooo!! Okay, so I use my middle finger. I’m used to that, in fact I do it quite often. I’m just finding out now though, how much I use my index finger. ahh! I feel a compulsion to use it, and my mind screams “awkward!” when I use my middle finger instead.

Now on to the continuation (end?) of that skip-a-night’s-sleep fiasco. I partly did it hoping my sleep schedule might right itself, but that just doesn’t seem to be the case. *looks at time* (Okay it’s not my sleep schedule that’s messed up; it’s me and my lack of any self-control!) I woke up this morning at 7 fairly easily, which is funny because usually from the time my alarm goes off (6:45) to about 7:20 I’m just rolling over in bed and going back to sleep. But then it hit me about 7:45 that I’m tired. boo. I decided to buy a 20 oz. Wild Cherry Pepsi soda, mostly because I was thirsty. But now I curse that decision, because I don’t want caffeine having been in my body as I try to fall asleep. grr.

Umm, Tuesday wasn’t that interesting. Actually this whole week wasn’t really that interesting. Tuesday I took a quiz (just found out I got 106 on it! woot!) and spent an hour and fifteen minutes (of the two hours allotted) looking busy in art while I listened to classmates talk, since the project can be done on Illustrator and not everyone can bring their computers to class.

Wednesday I went to class then spent the rest of the day working on said art project. Or, well, I guess I kinda interspersed it with reading LJs and blogs and such, and also working on the new layout for the blog. *wry grin*

That dog sounds like it’s in a hamstertrail thing all over the apartment or something. I can hear its footsteps padding all over the floor/ceiling. x.x Annoying. I wish I could bang on the ceiling. But there’s some faux finish on it, and it’s already scraped off in the living room so I don’t want to chance damaging it here. Plus the ceiling’s too high, and I’m too short, even with a stepladder. XD

Umm lessee today is still Thursday. Well no technically it’s Friday. I have to remember that. I’m supposed to remind C to do something Saturday, and I keep thinking it’s Friday (night) and that tomorrow (day) is Saturday.

Anyway. Class, and critique in art on our works in progress. I should remember to work on that this weekend. Also to copy over all my uncopied notes for Sheetfed because we have a quiz Tuesday. But I always say that. And so far on 3 of the 4 quizzes I’ve gotten 100%+ XD

I finished Carrie. I don’t remember what I thought. Er, I mean about what I read today. Earlier thoughts I’ve had (don’t remember typing them up here, correct me if I’m repeating myself): It’s an interesting format. The normal third person narrative interspersed with “articles” and characters’ accounts. It’s not so one-sided, I guess. Or maybe, with third person, unbiased-toward-any-character-at-all. (Unless of course there’s really cool characters that you just gotta love. *thinking of Ender and Bean*) I don’t know, it’s past 1am and I’m just kinda woo. People shouldn’t let me stay up this late. Yeah, where are you, people?! I’m saying weird totally unbased (is that a word?) stuff here.

It’s also interesting how the movie makes it all more horror movie-ish. Shock. Snap. That person’s dead. The book is more horrifying. That’s probably because you’ve got the narration there. Carrie thinks this, other people think that.

I started reading The Shining when I finished that. (Because it’s in the same book; it has four of Stephen King’s novels unabridged.) I read on Wikipedia that King didn’t like the movie. I haven’t seen the whole movie. But I pieced together the whole thing from parts I saw. And the Simpsons. *snerk* The Wikipedia entry didn’t hurt either.

I checked the school library catalog earlier this week and it said Cat’s Cradle is not checked out, but it wasn’t there this morning. grrr. There’s this option I have of asking the main desk to look through the whole library for it (like on desks and in cubicles) but that just seems like such a pain in the neck. I guess I’ll either wait for the library at home to get that book, or I’ll buy it and then donate it to the library. Or maybe just never finish it because ya know I do want to read the important books, but this book just isn’t The Count of Monte Cristo (i.e., really juicy and fun), and I’m just that lazy.

I wonder if the dog is yapping himself hoarse.

I finished Shadow of the Giant Tuesday night. Or was it Monday? Not quite sure. I can’t believe Card ended the book with Bean that way! XO I mean, sure maybe it’s interesting or whatever, but I don’t know, I just think it’s unresolved and lame. Oh well.

Now to go through the whole series (Ender and Shadow both) and write up little bios on all the characters, because fudge if I can remember all the little things, then it comes up from behind to re-enter the story and whaaa? I get confused. So I want to unconfuse myself. I’m debating whether to make a website out of it. It would be my first fansite/informational site. (The Ikyuusan one doesn’t count because uh I didn’t do anything with it. I don’t really count my guinea pig site either because there’s not much info there, just little random articles, and really bad writing on my part for the bios.) It might also be construed as copywrite infringement. :o Somehow. I don’t know. I don’t suppose so. I guess I’m just paranoid. Wow this is a huge paragraph. *cuts in half* … It’s still big.

Um. I should update on things I mentioned earlier. In DTP lab, other students needed more time to finish the ad (probably same problem I had), just one-third but he still gave us time, despite saying the previous week he wanted them ready to print next class. ^__^ Got my other two midterms back. I guess I didn’t mention one. Huh. Well I thought it was fairly easy sailing. (Whereas the other midterm I didn’t feel too secure about.) Turns out I got pretty much the same grade on both. HAHA!

There was a bug on my car this morning. I crawled in the passenger side because it wouldn’t get off the driver side. It looked like some sort of stinging wasp/hornet thing, so I didn’t want to make it angry. (I tried kicking it off with my foot, but he was pretty high up and I couldn’t hit him right, so he just lifted up his back leg to wave back at me. XD;;) The midsection, er the part connecting the thorax and the abdomen (I’m totally assuming that’s what they’re called; I haven’t had basic biology in a long time) was reeeeally thin, as thin as his legs, and I thought he was dying, but I don’t really know. (I actually said “WTF is that?” out loud. But not “duble-yoo tee eff is that” because that’s lame.) It didn’t have stripes like a bee or a wasp. I don’t know.

Enough of thinking about bugs. I guess the people upstairs decided 2 am was late and they wanted sleep, so they shut their dog up. Good night.

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Hey! I just realized something. I’m gonna miss Dead Like Me again this week! *cries* Last week George got a friend … and I missed it. And I don’t even know what’s gonna happen this week. O_o That’s sad.

“A weakened mind always sees everything through a black veil. The soul makes its own horizons; your soul is dark, which is why you see such a cloudy sky.”

“There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.”

Both from Count of Monte Cristo. Of course. :b I dunno. I just thought they were interesting.

I think I’m at the point in Count of Monte Cristo where all the names run together and there’s confusion … O.o Umm, Danglars is the purser guy who made it rich, with a daughter, Eugénie. Villefort is the deputy public persecutor guy who married a second time to a young widow, and has a son Edouard and daughter Valentine who’s supposed to marry Franz, Albert‘s friend. His parents are Fernand and Mercedes, Count and Countess of Morcerf. Hmm … and Madame de Villefort and Edouard were the ones in Madame Danglars’ runaway carriage. Lucien Debray is the minister’s secretary and the one who has something to do with Madame Danglars. o.O Maximilien Morrel is the son of Monsieur Morrel, the shipowner, and the brother of Julie who married Emmanuel Herbault. He’s also the one who loves Valentine. @.@ And Eugénie mirrors Albert’s feelings about their marriage; she wants to become a painter like her friend. Hehehe … yeah. Anyway. O_O I wonder if I missed anyone …

Despite all the names, it’s still a goood story. ^__^ Really rather different than the latest movie adaptation. I think people have said that already…. I think the French version is supposed to be the closest to the book? I dunno. N watched it. I forget what he said. I must see that one. Don’t remember any other versions.

Last night I read Preludes & Nocturnes. Wai wai, so cooool! ^___^ And then I got to meet Death in issue #8. W00T!!! XD

“Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious. Utterly fantabulous word, huh? It means, y’know, great. Wonderful. Ginchy. Gnarly. Peachy Keen!”

That was my feeble attempt at recreating comic’s lettering technique. ^^;; Ah well.

Death: “… gets me down, too. Mostly they aren’t too keen to see me. They fear the sunless lands. But they enter your realm each night withought fear.”
Dream: “And I am far more terrible than you, my sister.”

Dream is uber cool too. :D

“I find myself wondering about humanity. Their attitude to my sister’s gift is so strange. Why do they fear the sunless lands? It is as natural to die as it is to be born. But they fear her. Dread her. Feebly they attempt to placate her. They do not love her.”

So said Dream. ^_^ Ooh, then in the recap in The Doll’s House, Neil Gaiman said, “… the Dream Lord is of the Endless, the race that are not Gods (for Gods die, when their believers are gone, but the Endless will be here when the last God has gone beyond the Realm of Death, and into non-existance)….” American Gods! :D:D

Hm, I wonder if God saves copies of other gods like he saves the ideas of fairies and leprachauns and unicorns …

Now I’ve got 12 more graphic novels to buy. >D #3–10 of The Sandman series, the two sidestories about Death, a collection of short stories about each of the Endless, and this comic about Japanese fables that Gaiman wrote and Yoshitaka Amano illustrated. *_* Must haave!