I am currently reading the Septimus Heap series. And I love Love LOVE it.
It's is masterly written and it has an absolutely wonderful use of Capital letters, marking the Important things. It also uses old fashion ways of writing some of the more important words to the story. Like Darknesse, and Magyk.
This is children's fantasy at it's best. I would say it's suitable for children all down the age of 7, and if you are a parent you should definitely read it out loud for your child, because if you liked the Harry Potter books, you will love this one.
It's for children, young adults and proper adults alike.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wicked and Undead
Soooooo, I don't usually review books before I have finished them, but in the case of Wicked I will do and exception.
/shameless advertising for amazing bookXD
So I got this for Christmas from my little Girlies. I have been oogling it in my local fantasy bookstore for, years I guess, and they got it for me, and it has poison green edges on the pages and purdy pictures and it's awesome and I love it.
It's the story of Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West, originally dreamt up by Frank L. Baum for for his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Books of Wonder)
. Which is hands down one of the best, if most surrealistic, children's books ever to be made.
This book (Wicked that is) deals with how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be so wicked. And so far (I'm about half way) she is actually very nice, and very, very idealistic.
The book itself is beautiful. It has the aforementioned green edgings on the pages, and beautiful illustrations before each part of the book.
Gregory Maguire has a very great narrating skill, making all the people seem alive, and managing to make the witch that has probably given generations of kids nightmares a human face, and human emotions=D
A truly magnificent tale, and I recommend it to all people.
The next book, or rather series, I want to tell you about is the Undead series by Mary Janice Davidson.
'
This wonderful series is about Betsy Taylor who one day wakes up. And is dead. And apparently the long foretold Queen of the Vampires.
And all the hilarious complications that ensue. It's a chickflick Vampire book. It has all the makings of a chickflick, cute men, family issues, a gigantic she collection.=D It's great, and it just keeps getting better. I have read the first 3 or 4 I think thus far, and I laugh myself silly.'
It's feel good litterature at it's best, only with hot Vampire lovin'=D
I wholeheartedly recommend this series=D
/shameless advertising for amazing bookXD
So I got this for Christmas from my little Girlies. I have been oogling it in my local fantasy bookstore for, years I guess, and they got it for me, and it has poison green edges on the pages and purdy pictures and it's awesome and I love it.
It's the story of Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West, originally dreamt up by Frank L. Baum for for his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Books of Wonder)
. Which is hands down one of the best, if most surrealistic, children's books ever to be made.This book (Wicked that is) deals with how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be so wicked. And so far (I'm about half way) she is actually very nice, and very, very idealistic.
The book itself is beautiful. It has the aforementioned green edgings on the pages, and beautiful illustrations before each part of the book.
Gregory Maguire has a very great narrating skill, making all the people seem alive, and managing to make the witch that has probably given generations of kids nightmares a human face, and human emotions=D
A truly magnificent tale, and I recommend it to all people.
The next book, or rather series, I want to tell you about is the Undead series by Mary Janice Davidson.
'
This wonderful series is about Betsy Taylor who one day wakes up. And is dead. And apparently the long foretold Queen of the Vampires.
And all the hilarious complications that ensue. It's a chickflick Vampire book. It has all the makings of a chickflick, cute men, family issues, a gigantic she collection.=D It's great, and it just keeps getting better. I have read the first 3 or 4 I think thus far, and I laugh myself silly.'
It's feel good litterature at it's best, only with hot Vampire lovin'=D
I wholeheartedly recommend this series=D
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Twilight, Wrong Customers and WereGeeks^^,
So... I finished Twilight. And before I go on talking about it you need to read these two stripes:
Sarah loves Twilight
and the reason why Sarah loves Twilight.
So there you have it peeps. Bad fanfic is an acquired taste. I love bad fanfic, it's hilarious. And how can you not adore the sparkly vampires? I mean: they sparkle. As if their skin was (and I quote) embedded with millions of tiny diamonds! *squeal*
Okey, so it's the biggest piece of Mary Sue literature in the entire world. But it's fun, and stupid, and... fun. So yah, I think I like it. So there.
There's lots and lots of things wrong with it: Like the fact that he spends his nights watching her while she sleeps, and the fact that she doesn't see how utterly creeptastic that is.
But I like it. So there!XD
In other news: I found the coolest website: The Customer is not Always Right.
It's a site with stupid customer Quotes basically. Real time muncher. Love it^^,
About the stripes I have linked to earlier in the post. They are from a great webcomic called WereGeek.
Normal people by day, geeky gamers by night. It too is really much fun.^^, Start at the beginning.XD
Word of the day:
クレーム - kurēmu - customer complaint
Sarah loves Twilight
and the reason why Sarah loves Twilight.
So there you have it peeps. Bad fanfic is an acquired taste. I love bad fanfic, it's hilarious. And how can you not adore the sparkly vampires? I mean: they sparkle. As if their skin was (and I quote) embedded with millions of tiny diamonds! *squeal*
Okey, so it's the biggest piece of Mary Sue literature in the entire world. But it's fun, and stupid, and... fun. So yah, I think I like it. So there.
There's lots and lots of things wrong with it: Like the fact that he spends his nights watching her while she sleeps, and the fact that she doesn't see how utterly creeptastic that is.
But I like it. So there!XD
In other news: I found the coolest website: The Customer is not Always Right.
It's a site with stupid customer Quotes basically. Real time muncher. Love it^^,
About the stripes I have linked to earlier in the post. They are from a great webcomic called WereGeek.
Normal people by day, geeky gamers by night. It too is really much fun.^^, Start at the beginning.XD
Word of the day:
クレーム - kurēmu - customer complaint
Saturday, January 17, 2009
TwiCon
^Clickable title everyone.
Twilight con. I'm not even going to start on how pretentious that seems to me. An entire con dedicated to a single series of craptastic books?
But I am going to rant about the price they are going to charge, just for the heck of it, before moving on to the first of many (probably) rants about Stephenie Meyer craptastic writing abilities.
So for the price on this oh-so-wonderful fan con, 255. American Dollars. Per person. O.o
That does not include living in Dallas for the duration of the con, but this you can get at the marvelously affordable price of 139 per night. O.o But at the very least it's per room and you can fit 4 people in each room. So now we're up to $359,25 for the entire con. Assuming you found three more slobbering fans to share the room with. This does not include eating thou. Or spending money. Or getting yourself there and back again.
Did these people not get the "financial crisis" memo? People are loosing their jobs by the hundreds, many have to sell their homes, and these people find it acceptable to charge 255 for a con O.o
But the really scary thing is that it's probably going to be packed with little blackclad, spoiled, fan-girls and boys, many which of quite certainly are going to sport fangs, and/or cat-ears, tails and paws. And they are going to spend like there's no tomorrow. And if these tweens are under the age of 18, they have to bring a chaperon over the age of 21, who also have to pay the outrageous 255 for admission...
Assuming any artists are actually going to bother to show that is. Because if you want to sell anything at all you need buy a spot in the vendors hall. Which costs 750. But this is for two days (the con lasts 4), so it has to be affordable, right?
But then again, maybe you are only a struggling artist who wants to show of your awesome fanart. Well, to do that you need to rent a space in artist alley, and that costs $100, but seeing as I found no info on how long you hold the spot (which is 6'x6' floor space) I assume it's for the whole con, so I guess that price isn't all that outrageous. Even thou it is nothing more than an overpriced advertising spot, 'cos you aren't allowed to sell anything in artist alley. And all the art has to be preapproved. And they have a no refund policy, so you risk paying 100 dollars for displaying you fanart and not being allowed to actually displaying it.
As for the musicians, actors and other "famous" people who are booked, they may not even show, seeing as they have a clause in their "ToA" saying that they are allowed not, and do not expect to get your money back if they decide to be no-shows.
And oh, do not get me started on the musicians. 2 of the 3 bands booked for the event does not only play exclusively Twilight inspired music, but they are even named after the books. They called them selves "the Twilight Music girls" (O.o) and "the Bella Cullen" project. Does anyone but me find it a teeny bit creepy that talented young girls dedicate their careers to making music for these books?
Which brings me to the book itself. I finally found a copy today of Twilight without the fugly plastic fantastic movie cover (I will copy paste a rant I have written about plastic fantastic movie posters at a later date), so I bought it. I'm at page 32, and Oh My Gosh! why can't any of the tweenies feel their brains bleed?
I mean, the book start with your normal misfit semidepressed 16 year old (as far as I could gather) teenage girl who is moving. So far so good. Just that she is moving to her father, which she is less than thrilled about, to a town she has avoided since she was 14, and which she hates, to go to a school where she expects to be even more of a misfit and even more miserable than at her old school. For no apparent reason. Her mother tells her "You don't have to do this", and apparently her father had been bewildered, but pleased, when she have told him.
So of her own free will, she condemns herself to a miserable, wet (because apparently in this horrible town it always rains, cliche anyone?) existence. I can only assume she was drawn there by the knowledge that her one true love existed in this town, or some other mindnumbingly creepy, stupid reason, she hasn't told us yet.
Edit: I have gotten a tad further and I just thought I'd add this before I got lynched by a Twilightfanchild; she has a reason, she moves so that her poor mother can travel around with her new husband, who plays minor league something with a ball...
But she becomes instantly insanely popular, even with her very own personal stalker boy, who she mentions is acting like a golden retriever.
And then she sees Edward Cullen from across the cafeteria. And he instantly hates her, his coal-black eyes (I kid you not) burning with intense hatred and rage. We all know they are going to end up together, you can tell from the way she describes him when she first sees him, but from what I have gathered on the interwebs he acts like he hates her because she loves her and is afraid to hurt her or some other equally creepy crap. I have not gotten that far yet.
Oh! And how on earth can the Cullen kids be "devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful" when they are chalky pale and have dark purple, bruise-like rings under their eyes? That does not constitute beauty to me, no matter how good their bone structure, or how well trained their physique. No, that sounds more like sickly, and ugly so me.
I expect to tire you all immensely with my constant Twilight ranting, but I will read them all to confirm their creepyness, and to tell every roundeyed, lovesick Twilightfanchild why exactly why Edwards behavior is in no way normal or acceptable, but rather downright creepy and scary, and that no guy should ever be allowed to act like him. EVER!!! No girl either for that matter. EVER!!! (I'm told there is serious stalking later in the series.)
Word of the day:
いけ好かない - ikesukanai - nasty, disgusting, disagreeable, creepy
Twilight con. I'm not even going to start on how pretentious that seems to me. An entire con dedicated to a single series of craptastic books?
But I am going to rant about the price they are going to charge, just for the heck of it, before moving on to the first of many (probably) rants about Stephenie Meyer craptastic writing abilities.
So for the price on this oh-so-wonderful fan con, 255. American Dollars. Per person. O.o
That does not include living in Dallas for the duration of the con, but this you can get at the marvelously affordable price of 139 per night. O.o But at the very least it's per room and you can fit 4 people in each room. So now we're up to $359,25 for the entire con. Assuming you found three more slobbering fans to share the room with. This does not include eating thou. Or spending money. Or getting yourself there and back again.
Did these people not get the "financial crisis" memo? People are loosing their jobs by the hundreds, many have to sell their homes, and these people find it acceptable to charge 255 for a con O.o
But the really scary thing is that it's probably going to be packed with little blackclad, spoiled, fan-girls and boys, many which of quite certainly are going to sport fangs, and/or cat-ears, tails and paws. And they are going to spend like there's no tomorrow. And if these tweens are under the age of 18, they have to bring a chaperon over the age of 21, who also have to pay the outrageous 255 for admission...
Assuming any artists are actually going to bother to show that is. Because if you want to sell anything at all you need buy a spot in the vendors hall. Which costs 750. But this is for two days (the con lasts 4), so it has to be affordable, right?
But then again, maybe you are only a struggling artist who wants to show of your awesome fanart. Well, to do that you need to rent a space in artist alley, and that costs $100, but seeing as I found no info on how long you hold the spot (which is 6'x6' floor space) I assume it's for the whole con, so I guess that price isn't all that outrageous. Even thou it is nothing more than an overpriced advertising spot, 'cos you aren't allowed to sell anything in artist alley. And all the art has to be preapproved. And they have a no refund policy, so you risk paying 100 dollars for displaying you fanart and not being allowed to actually displaying it.
As for the musicians, actors and other "famous" people who are booked, they may not even show, seeing as they have a clause in their "ToA" saying that they are allowed not, and do not expect to get your money back if they decide to be no-shows.
And oh, do not get me started on the musicians. 2 of the 3 bands booked for the event does not only play exclusively Twilight inspired music, but they are even named after the books. They called them selves "the Twilight Music girls" (O.o) and "the Bella Cullen" project. Does anyone but me find it a teeny bit creepy that talented young girls dedicate their careers to making music for these books?
Which brings me to the book itself. I finally found a copy today of Twilight without the fugly plastic fantastic movie cover (I will copy paste a rant I have written about plastic fantastic movie posters at a later date), so I bought it. I'm at page 32, and Oh My Gosh! why can't any of the tweenies feel their brains bleed?
I mean, the book start with your normal misfit semidepressed 16 year old (as far as I could gather) teenage girl who is moving. So far so good. Just that she is moving to her father, which she is less than thrilled about, to a town she has avoided since she was 14, and which she hates, to go to a school where she expects to be even more of a misfit and even more miserable than at her old school. For no apparent reason. Her mother tells her "You don't have to do this", and apparently her father had been bewildered, but pleased, when she have told him.
So of her own free will, she condemns herself to a miserable, wet (because apparently in this horrible town it always rains, cliche anyone?) existence. I can only assume she was drawn there by the knowledge that her one true love existed in this town, or some other mindnumbingly creepy, stupid reason, she hasn't told us yet.
Edit: I have gotten a tad further and I just thought I'd add this before I got lynched by a Twilightfanchild; she has a reason, she moves so that her poor mother can travel around with her new husband, who plays minor league something with a ball...
But she becomes instantly insanely popular, even with her very own personal stalker boy, who she mentions is acting like a golden retriever.
And then she sees Edward Cullen from across the cafeteria. And he instantly hates her, his coal-black eyes (I kid you not) burning with intense hatred and rage. We all know they are going to end up together, you can tell from the way she describes him when she first sees him, but from what I have gathered on the interwebs he acts like he hates her because she loves her and is afraid to hurt her or some other equally creepy crap. I have not gotten that far yet.
Oh! And how on earth can the Cullen kids be "devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful" when they are chalky pale and have dark purple, bruise-like rings under their eyes? That does not constitute beauty to me, no matter how good their bone structure, or how well trained their physique. No, that sounds more like sickly, and ugly so me.
I expect to tire you all immensely with my constant Twilight ranting, but I will read them all to confirm their creepyness, and to tell every roundeyed, lovesick Twilightfanchild why exactly why Edwards behavior is in no way normal or acceptable, but rather downright creepy and scary, and that no guy should ever be allowed to act like him. EVER!!! No girl either for that matter. EVER!!! (I'm told there is serious stalking later in the series.)
Word of the day:
いけ好かない - ikesukanai - nasty, disgusting, disagreeable, creepy
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Christmas, New Year and books
So then Christmas was over. I have had internet trouble, so I haven't been able to write yet. I got a lot of cool things. V made a scrapbook, full of memories, which of course I love^^, Fiancé gave me Deluxe Edition soundtracks from the NANA anime. One with Olivia Lufkin and one with Anna Tsuchiya. I have gotten addicted to Cut me free by Olivia's own CD that was also included. I chose to link to the Harry Potter version since I thought the song kind of fits^^,
My sister drew me a wonderful t-shirt with her on it under the name "Minsin", which is my nickname for her and means "mine"^^, We love each other, and now I have a t-shirt to always remind me of our love^^, L got me Tinkerbell gloves, really cute and warm^^,
My parents got me and fiancé a prechristmas trip to Copenhagen, were we spent a lovey-dovey weekend, eating good food, and shopping. (Spending way to much money, but having a great time^^,)
Of course in Copenhagen exists a store called Fantask, that sells just about the same stuff as Outland here in Oslo. I bought two books, "I'm the Vampire, that's why" by Michele Bradsley, and "The Trouble with Magic" by Madelyn Alt.
The first of which I have finished, and it was a royal disappointment. The point with this book (I thought) is that you have a single mom who gets turned vampire. First of all there was nothing about how to be vampire mom. Most of the book the heroine spends being sexually frustrated because if she has sex with the vampire she wants they will be bound for a hundred years. This happens because some ancient vampire council thought it was a good idea (go figureXP). The sex scene (yes, there is one) was long, boring and does not justify all the buildup at all. Things did not make sense most of the time, and all the characters had to be told everything a dozen times, and even after they had been told in ways even infants would have gotten it, they still can't remember it when they need to. I felt like the author thought her readers were daft, and that annoyed me. I figured pretty much everything out in the first one and a half chapters. It started out very good, and then a quarter out it dropped like a stone, and did not stop dropping. I wouldn't say I hated it, but I would say it's under mediocre. I am contemplating selling my copy.
I think I can recommend this book for people who like to read books where they don't need to think all that much. Maybe for reading right after big exams, when your brain is so spent that you don't have the energy to read deeper stuff. It was sort of cute at times, and since it's not all that thick, it's a good post exam book.
And then when I was finished with that one I went out and bought the last book in the Rachel Morgan series. I have had mixed feelings about this series for a while, it builds and builds, but never really gets anywhere. It got a little further in this last one. Which is named "Outlaw Demon Wails" and is written by Kim Harrison. To tell everyone a bit about the series to start off with it plays out in a world where the supernatural creatures (or Inderlanders as they are called) came out of their cover in the sixties (I think) due to a virus in a tomato that only killed humans. They main characters are Rachel Morgan (the heroine) who is a witch, Ivy Tamwood (living vampire), and Jenks (pixie who takes Tinkerbell's name in vain on a regular basisXD). And the chemistry between the characters is amazing, even if the books don't get to anywhere I will probably keep reading them just to get more of the Rachel/Ivy/Jenks dialogues^^, Kim Harrison is undeniably a very good writer, and the books are not in any way badly written, the story just seems to go nowhere it seems sometimes. The next book thou, "White Witch, Black Curse" seems very exiting. Only it isn't released in paperback until next December =(
I can't really tell all that much about the specific things about this book I liked, because then I would probably spoil something from the previous books, and I don't want to do that. But I think it's worth the time bigtime to read this book, but do start with "Dead Witch Walking" if you are a Hollows virgin. It's always best to start at the beginning^^,
As for the new year, I don't do resolutions. The last year has been hard thou, and I hope the new one will be better.
Belated Happy New Year everyone^^,
Word of the day:
明けましておめでとうございます - akemashiteomedetougozaimasu - Happy New Year
My sister drew me a wonderful t-shirt with her on it under the name "Minsin", which is my nickname for her and means "mine"^^, We love each other, and now I have a t-shirt to always remind me of our love^^, L got me Tinkerbell gloves, really cute and warm^^,
My parents got me and fiancé a prechristmas trip to Copenhagen, were we spent a lovey-dovey weekend, eating good food, and shopping. (Spending way to much money, but having a great time^^,)
Of course in Copenhagen exists a store called Fantask, that sells just about the same stuff as Outland here in Oslo. I bought two books, "I'm the Vampire, that's why" by Michele Bradsley, and "The Trouble with Magic" by Madelyn Alt.
The first of which I have finished, and it was a royal disappointment. The point with this book (I thought) is that you have a single mom who gets turned vampire. First of all there was nothing about how to be vampire mom. Most of the book the heroine spends being sexually frustrated because if she has sex with the vampire she wants they will be bound for a hundred years. This happens because some ancient vampire council thought it was a good idea (go figureXP). The sex scene (yes, there is one) was long, boring and does not justify all the buildup at all. Things did not make sense most of the time, and all the characters had to be told everything a dozen times, and even after they had been told in ways even infants would have gotten it, they still can't remember it when they need to. I felt like the author thought her readers were daft, and that annoyed me. I figured pretty much everything out in the first one and a half chapters. It started out very good, and then a quarter out it dropped like a stone, and did not stop dropping. I wouldn't say I hated it, but I would say it's under mediocre. I am contemplating selling my copy.
I think I can recommend this book for people who like to read books where they don't need to think all that much. Maybe for reading right after big exams, when your brain is so spent that you don't have the energy to read deeper stuff. It was sort of cute at times, and since it's not all that thick, it's a good post exam book.
And then when I was finished with that one I went out and bought the last book in the Rachel Morgan series. I have had mixed feelings about this series for a while, it builds and builds, but never really gets anywhere. It got a little further in this last one. Which is named "Outlaw Demon Wails" and is written by Kim Harrison. To tell everyone a bit about the series to start off with it plays out in a world where the supernatural creatures (or Inderlanders as they are called) came out of their cover in the sixties (I think) due to a virus in a tomato that only killed humans. They main characters are Rachel Morgan (the heroine) who is a witch, Ivy Tamwood (living vampire), and Jenks (pixie who takes Tinkerbell's name in vain on a regular basisXD). And the chemistry between the characters is amazing, even if the books don't get to anywhere I will probably keep reading them just to get more of the Rachel/Ivy/Jenks dialogues^^, Kim Harrison is undeniably a very good writer, and the books are not in any way badly written, the story just seems to go nowhere it seems sometimes. The next book thou, "White Witch, Black Curse" seems very exiting. Only it isn't released in paperback until next December =(
I can't really tell all that much about the specific things about this book I liked, because then I would probably spoil something from the previous books, and I don't want to do that. But I think it's worth the time bigtime to read this book, but do start with "Dead Witch Walking" if you are a Hollows virgin. It's always best to start at the beginning^^,
As for the new year, I don't do resolutions. The last year has been hard thou, and I hope the new one will be better.
Belated Happy New Year everyone^^,
Word of the day:
明けましておめでとうございます - akemashiteomedetougozaimasu - Happy New Year
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tendencies in present day vampire literature
You know, I am reading the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. The one Trueblood is based on for anyone who's heard of that, and it occurred to me, in all the present day vampire series the underworld has gone public.
Take the Hollows series, which were the first one I read who did this particular thing, there the underworld (witches, vampires, werewolfs, pixies etc.) have been known since the 60's I think... I always found the idea captivating. What if there really are supernatural beings? I really think that if they exists they should be out in the open.
Anyway this is really a trend, in the Kitty Norville series we get to experience the whole coming out process. The beginning of laws for the supernatural, and legislation regarding them, and supernatural celebrities coming out as celebrities. In the Anita Blake series they are also out in the open (at least as far as I could tell, I haven't really gotten all that far yetXP).
I think I should write a tad about Dead Until Dark, the first book in the Sookie Stockhouse series. At first I did not like it one bit, the hillbilly language drove me mad, and I thought it was told really amateurish, but the story itself was really captivating. I decided it must be her first book, which it turned it wasn't, she has been a published author since 1981, and I guess it's just her style of writing. But I must say, the story is really good, and the hillbilly language really grew on me. And, oh my, she can really write the indecent scenesXD The trick is not to have too many and not to tell too much^^, It really is all in what you don't spell outXP
And now for the Japanese. I am currently struggling with te-form. It's actually the first time I have encountered anything (except kanji, but that just takes cramming) I have found hard. You use te-from when asking someone to do something, or asking if you can do something. It's not that I don't understand it, it's just that it's a bit hard...=j
Word of the day:
ヴァンパイアの本 - vanpaia no hon - Vampire novel
Take the Hollows series, which were the first one I read who did this particular thing, there the underworld (witches, vampires, werewolfs, pixies etc.) have been known since the 60's I think... I always found the idea captivating. What if there really are supernatural beings? I really think that if they exists they should be out in the open.
Anyway this is really a trend, in the Kitty Norville series we get to experience the whole coming out process. The beginning of laws for the supernatural, and legislation regarding them, and supernatural celebrities coming out as celebrities. In the Anita Blake series they are also out in the open (at least as far as I could tell, I haven't really gotten all that far yetXP).
I think I should write a tad about Dead Until Dark, the first book in the Sookie Stockhouse series. At first I did not like it one bit, the hillbilly language drove me mad, and I thought it was told really amateurish, but the story itself was really captivating. I decided it must be her first book, which it turned it wasn't, she has been a published author since 1981, and I guess it's just her style of writing. But I must say, the story is really good, and the hillbilly language really grew on me. And, oh my, she can really write the indecent scenesXD The trick is not to have too many and not to tell too much^^, It really is all in what you don't spell outXP
And now for the Japanese. I am currently struggling with te-form. It's actually the first time I have encountered anything (except kanji, but that just takes cramming) I have found hard. You use te-from when asking someone to do something, or asking if you can do something. It's not that I don't understand it, it's just that it's a bit hard...=j
Word of the day:
ヴァンパイアの本 - vanpaia no hon - Vampire novel
Monday, December 15, 2008
Almost Christmas^^,
9 days left for Christmas Eve. I open my Advent Calendar everyday, and I get lots of cute things. on the 10th I got Grease on DVD, and I have gotten socks and lots of candy. Me and fiancé send almost as much money on Advent Calendars for each other as we spend on the Christmas gifts^^,
I am almost done with all my gifts, I have only Dad's and V's gifts left. Everyone else I am done with, I have even gotten a gift for my cousin's new born daughter. I need to get them all wrapped thou, since I haven't gotten around to that yet^^,
Only this week left of school. Three more days, plus Friday when all the music students give a little concert. I and fiancé got a weekend trip for Copenhagen from my parents for Christmas, so we are leaving on Friday and returning on Monday. We are spending on night in a hotel, I have never been in a hotel with fiancé before, and I am really looking forward to it^^,
In other news i have read some books that I haven't told you all about yet. First off I have read "Kitty takes a holiday" and "Kitty and the Silver Bullet" both by Carrie Vaughn.
I loved them, they are the two latest novels in the Kitty Norville series, about the werewolf Kitty Norville and her radio show dealing with the supernatural. The story progresses great, many authors who write long running fantastical series is that the stories doesn't really progress in a believable manner, but the Kitty books, things move on in a really believable way.
And then I read Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, which is about Meggie and her father who can read characters out of books, and all the trouble that follows. I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the triology. Cornelia is a really great storyteller, and I could really relate to desire to be able to read things out of books, but after reading this one I don't really want it all that bad anymoreXP
This is mainly a book for a little younger people than me, but I really recommend it for book lovers of all ages anyway. One should never be too old to enjoy good stories^^, Especially not too old to enjoy one who is so well told as this one^^,
At the moment I am reading Dead until dark by Charlaine Harris, the series Trueblood is based on. I will write about it as soon as I am finished^^,
Word of the day:
メリークリスマス - merīkurisumasu - Merry Christmas
I am almost done with all my gifts, I have only Dad's and V's gifts left. Everyone else I am done with, I have even gotten a gift for my cousin's new born daughter. I need to get them all wrapped thou, since I haven't gotten around to that yet^^,
Only this week left of school. Three more days, plus Friday when all the music students give a little concert. I and fiancé got a weekend trip for Copenhagen from my parents for Christmas, so we are leaving on Friday and returning on Monday. We are spending on night in a hotel, I have never been in a hotel with fiancé before, and I am really looking forward to it^^,
In other news i have read some books that I haven't told you all about yet. First off I have read "Kitty takes a holiday" and "Kitty and the Silver Bullet" both by Carrie Vaughn.
I loved them, they are the two latest novels in the Kitty Norville series, about the werewolf Kitty Norville and her radio show dealing with the supernatural. The story progresses great, many authors who write long running fantastical series is that the stories doesn't really progress in a believable manner, but the Kitty books, things move on in a really believable way.
And then I read Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, which is about Meggie and her father who can read characters out of books, and all the trouble that follows. I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait to read the rest of the triology. Cornelia is a really great storyteller, and I could really relate to desire to be able to read things out of books, but after reading this one I don't really want it all that bad anymoreXP
This is mainly a book for a little younger people than me, but I really recommend it for book lovers of all ages anyway. One should never be too old to enjoy good stories^^, Especially not too old to enjoy one who is so well told as this one^^,
At the moment I am reading Dead until dark by Charlaine Harris, the series Trueblood is based on. I will write about it as soon as I am finished^^,
Word of the day:
メリークリスマス - merīkurisumasu - Merry Christmas
Monday, October 13, 2008
I bought a book I won't read
Sometimes there's books I just have to have, but that I know that I won't read. Like the book I bought yesterday, a three in one with Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I hate being scared. I have spent a great part of my life being scared of things that aren't real, and quite frankly I do not like it at all. But it looked nice, and even thou I hate being scared, I do want to read these books at some point. They are classics after all, and I have a thing for classics, mostly children's classics, but I have read and enjoyed Kafka's the Process, Death of a Salesman, and Catcher in the Rye. I have plans to read all that Shakespeare (or maybe Kevin Bacon depending on who you are talking with) have ever written. I have a big monster of a book containing all that Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote, but there comes the fear of being frightened again, but I have read the Raven multiple times, I used to know large parts of it by heart.
And all of the OZ books, I really want to read them all, and from what I have been told the later ones really wasn't children's books at all.
I think I will save my newly bought three in one scary classics for lazy summer days. I will not read it before I go to bed. At least I will try not to=j
Word of the day:
古典 - koten - old book, classics, classic
And all of the OZ books, I really want to read them all, and from what I have been told the later ones really wasn't children's books at all.
I think I will save my newly bought three in one scary classics for lazy summer days. I will not read it before I go to bed. At least I will try not to=j
Word of the day:
古典 - koten - old book, classics, classic
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell
I finally finished it. It is a wonderful book but it is not a small one.
I love this book, but I rather doubt I will ever read it again, it is much too large an undertaking for that, being 1006 pages and all. I have spent at least a year at it, on and off. The problem with long books such as this is that because it is the length that it is I find it very easy to get distracted and start reading something else. But I have always returned to it. It is a very complex book, so these returns to it have sometimes been confusing. But since it is a book without a much extensive character gallery, and with scores of wonderful footnotes I always found myself back in the flow of things within a few pages time.
It is highly captivating, and the language in which Susanna Clarke describes the events makes all the highly unlikely events taking place on every page seem almost plausible.
I am not a very good judge of characters, but to me all the characters seems totally believable. Even the gentleman with the thistledown hair seemed real to me.
For anyone with a longer attentionspan than the one I possess I highly recommend this book, and should you be so unfortunate that your attentionspan can rival mine in shortness I would still recommend this book, even if it means you will need a larger amount of will power.
It is a wonderful book in any case. Even if the ending seemed a tad... unfinished... to meXP
Word of the day:
魔法使い - mahoutsukai - magician, wizard, sorcerer, witch
I love this book, but I rather doubt I will ever read it again, it is much too large an undertaking for that, being 1006 pages and all. I have spent at least a year at it, on and off. The problem with long books such as this is that because it is the length that it is I find it very easy to get distracted and start reading something else. But I have always returned to it. It is a very complex book, so these returns to it have sometimes been confusing. But since it is a book without a much extensive character gallery, and with scores of wonderful footnotes I always found myself back in the flow of things within a few pages time.
It is highly captivating, and the language in which Susanna Clarke describes the events makes all the highly unlikely events taking place on every page seem almost plausible.
I am not a very good judge of characters, but to me all the characters seems totally believable. Even the gentleman with the thistledown hair seemed real to me.
For anyone with a longer attentionspan than the one I possess I highly recommend this book, and should you be so unfortunate that your attentionspan can rival mine in shortness I would still recommend this book, even if it means you will need a larger amount of will power.
It is a wonderful book in any case. Even if the ending seemed a tad... unfinished... to meXP
Word of the day:
魔法使い - mahoutsukai - magician, wizard, sorcerer, witch
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The curious incident with the dog in the nigth-time
An important book. A really important book.
The story of Christopher who has autism, and who takes it upon himself to investigate the murder of his neighbor's dog, and the places it takes him, and the truth behind it all.
It was a bit scary, because I recognized myself in the things Christopher tells about himself and in the way he reacts to things. My therapist tells me that autism amplifies characteristics that are very common among many people, like responding to things we don't understand with frustration or anger, so that made it less scary.
I think that everyone should read this book, at the very least everyone that is in a position where they are likely to meet people with autism, like people who work in shops, and policemen, and hospital workers, and people who work with public transportation. I could go on and on, it was an eyeopener for me. I knew a girl with autism many years ago, and I just after reading this book understood the way she reacted to things, reactions that confused and frightened me at the time I now understand how I could have avoided.
Read it. Please. It will be good for you.
The story of Christopher who has autism, and who takes it upon himself to investigate the murder of his neighbor's dog, and the places it takes him, and the truth behind it all.
It was a bit scary, because I recognized myself in the things Christopher tells about himself and in the way he reacts to things. My therapist tells me that autism amplifies characteristics that are very common among many people, like responding to things we don't understand with frustration or anger, so that made it less scary.
I think that everyone should read this book, at the very least everyone that is in a position where they are likely to meet people with autism, like people who work in shops, and policemen, and hospital workers, and people who work with public transportation. I could go on and on, it was an eyeopener for me. I knew a girl with autism many years ago, and I just after reading this book understood the way she reacted to things, reactions that confused and frightened me at the time I now understand how I could have avoided.
Read it. Please. It will be good for you.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Endless possibilities
So I was at this Tupperware-demonstration today. And I have decided to become a Tupperware-demonstrator. *pausing for shocked exclamations* ^^,
Jupp, I am getting a job^^, And I think maybe I will be good at it too^^, So I will be inviting all of my friends who live nearby (and their moms XP) for a demonstration in the near future^^,
The thing is that with school and everything I have never thought I would be up for a job, but with this demonstrator thing I can regulate it completely myself. I choose when and how much I want to work, meaning I can take time off during exam season, and can I work more when I have more time on my hands^^,
And I can always quit if it doesn't work out.
So if anyone want a demonstration let me know^^,
I am hoping I can earn enough to be able to get my drivers licence and eventually a car. Hopefully^^,
Book report forthcoming:
I have just finished "Er heiss Jan". I must admit that since I am horrible at German I understood about half of it^^, But what I did understand I loved. It is a sad and beautiful story of forbidden love in difficult times. I loved it, and I intend to read it again when I get better at German, so that I will understand it all^^, I rarely like books I have to read for school, because of the simple fact that I have no choice in whether I have to read them or not, and so I develop a dislike towards them during the first couple of pages. I did that for this book as well, but I got over about half way through. I loved it^^,
Jupp, I am getting a job^^, And I think maybe I will be good at it too^^, So I will be inviting all of my friends who live nearby (and their moms XP) for a demonstration in the near future^^,
The thing is that with school and everything I have never thought I would be up for a job, but with this demonstrator thing I can regulate it completely myself. I choose when and how much I want to work, meaning I can take time off during exam season, and can I work more when I have more time on my hands^^,
And I can always quit if it doesn't work out.
So if anyone want a demonstration let me know^^,
I am hoping I can earn enough to be able to get my drivers licence and eventually a car. Hopefully^^,
Book report forthcoming:
I have just finished "Er heiss Jan". I must admit that since I am horrible at German I understood about half of it^^, But what I did understand I loved. It is a sad and beautiful story of forbidden love in difficult times. I loved it, and I intend to read it again when I get better at German, so that I will understand it all^^, I rarely like books I have to read for school, because of the simple fact that I have no choice in whether I have to read them or not, and so I develop a dislike towards them during the first couple of pages. I did that for this book as well, but I got over about half way through. I loved it^^,
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Time Travelers Wife
Finishing a book is always kind of bittersweet. It feels good to have read a book, to be done, to be able to read something else, but you have to leave this world and these people behind. People that you have come to love, and that always makes me feel sad. But I seldom feel as sad as I did last night when I finished the Time Travelers Wife. It was a wonderful book. I don't really have the words for it. I almost never laugh out loud when reading, but this book made me laugh, and I never ever cry, but with this book I came extremely close. I loved this book, and I will read it many times in years to come, and I will make all my friends read it.
I have this kind of personal genre that I call neon sugar prose. I read the expression the first time on the back of a Francesca Lia Block book many years ago, and it stuck. For me it has come to mean literature and movies and music that leaves me with a special feeling, which I can't really describe. Happy and sad and melancholy all at once. The new additions to this personal genre are very few and very far between. But if I ever found a book that fitted, this is it, and if I never find a book again, this one book was worth it. And I don't have any more words for it, so I am going to stop here with a wish that you all go read it and love it as much as I did.
I have this kind of personal genre that I call neon sugar prose. I read the expression the first time on the back of a Francesca Lia Block book many years ago, and it stuck. For me it has come to mean literature and movies and music that leaves me with a special feeling, which I can't really describe. Happy and sad and melancholy all at once. The new additions to this personal genre are very few and very far between. But if I ever found a book that fitted, this is it, and if I never find a book again, this one book was worth it. And I don't have any more words for it, so I am going to stop here with a wish that you all go read it and love it as much as I did.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Sniffles...
I am home today with a cold TT.TT I hate colds. It's not too bad thou, it was worse yesterday. I was supposed to go have coffee with M but I just had to skip that. And I was supposed to go see Wall-E, which I think I will do, since it appears R already bought the tickets. I hope I will get well tomorrow *wipes runny nose*
I finally finished the Mao biography, and on time too. It is a well written biography, a bit dry at times, but what can one expect. I think it's a very important story, seeing as it's important to know the history of all the major countries. And lets face it, China is growing into just as important a country for the world economy as the US.
I think that this book should be read in combination with Jung Chang's other book "Wild Swans", because then you get both sides of the story: how it was to live in China under Mao, and why Mao made the decisions that threw his country into wave after wave of terror and hunger.
I bought a new collar for Rusket yesterday when I dragged my sick sorry self to the library to deliver the books I had borrowed. The last one I bought her had a felt lining that didn't agree with her at all, so I bought her a reflector collar with a nifty lock that will release on it's own if she gets caught in something. She never have, but better safe than sorry, right? I have absolutely no illusions that a car would be able to reflect anything on the collar when it's hid deep inside all that fur, but worth a try right?XD
I think I am going to try to get some work done. It's my body that's sick after all, not my brain. I have thus far finished a project for my economics class, and I think I will do some math now^^,
Oh! My lovely dad bought me a new mp3 player, isn't he just the nicest. It's got this cutest little animation with little dogs jumping all over the screen when I listen to music^^, I love my dad *hugles dad*
Word of the day:
吐き気 - hakike - nausea, sickness in the stomach
I finally finished the Mao biography, and on time too. It is a well written biography, a bit dry at times, but what can one expect. I think it's a very important story, seeing as it's important to know the history of all the major countries. And lets face it, China is growing into just as important a country for the world economy as the US.
I think that this book should be read in combination with Jung Chang's other book "Wild Swans", because then you get both sides of the story: how it was to live in China under Mao, and why Mao made the decisions that threw his country into wave after wave of terror and hunger.
I bought a new collar for Rusket yesterday when I dragged my sick sorry self to the library to deliver the books I had borrowed. The last one I bought her had a felt lining that didn't agree with her at all, so I bought her a reflector collar with a nifty lock that will release on it's own if she gets caught in something. She never have, but better safe than sorry, right? I have absolutely no illusions that a car would be able to reflect anything on the collar when it's hid deep inside all that fur, but worth a try right?XD
I think I am going to try to get some work done. It's my body that's sick after all, not my brain. I have thus far finished a project for my economics class, and I think I will do some math now^^,
Oh! My lovely dad bought me a new mp3 player, isn't he just the nicest. It's got this cutest little animation with little dogs jumping all over the screen when I listen to music^^, I love my dad *hugles dad*
Word of the day:
吐き気 - hakike - nausea, sickness in the stomach
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I like the nice storeman^^,
I cleaned out all my old wallets a few days ago (yah, I collect them, so I have a few>.<) and found several half filled manga bonus cards, enough to get one free manga. Me and the fiancé walked around Oslo yesterday, and we took a trip to Outland to see if they had any of the mangas I read, which of course they didn't, but I found Princess AI ultimate eddition, with all the books in one, and they aren't supposed to give those on the bonues cards, but the nice man gave it too me anyway^^, I have been drooling on that book for a while, it's so purdy, and L said it's really good. I like the nice storeman^^, I also bought the Ladies of Grace Adieu with my store credit slip^^, I will have to wait until I finish Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell to read it, since two characters from that book appears in this one, but it was on sale. So there>.<
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Expensive schoolbooks
I have been shopping for schoolbooks today, and I am once again appalled by the prizes they charge for them. My math book cost 598kr. That is almost 600 for a book! They exploit the fact that we don't have a choice,we have to have these books, we don't have a choice, and the prizes totally undermine that senior high is supposed to be free and for everyone. I can get that if we were to borrow books from the school, like we do in elementary school and junior high, they can't update all that often, but I think they should charge no more than 300-400kr for a new book. Tops! I know I can buy used books, but my local bookstore, from which I usually buy my schoolbooks (used if I can find them) don't have books for my grade this year, because we can borrow from the school. Which I can get, but we were supposed to borrow them yesterday, and I didn't know which subjects I was taking yesterday.
I signed up for classes today. They had messed up and signed me up for the third year classes, but I took all of them last year, so I had to fix it. So this year I am taking German, English literature and culture, math, and social studies. I am looking forward to starting my classes^^,
Word of the day:
高い - takai - high, tall, expensive
I signed up for classes today. They had messed up and signed me up for the third year classes, but I took all of them last year, so I had to fix it. So this year I am taking German, English literature and culture, math, and social studies. I am looking forward to starting my classes^^,
Word of the day:
高い - takai - high, tall, expensive
First dag of school
Yesterday was first day of school, and of course they have set me up for all the wrong classes. I have to go to the study director later to get it sorted out. They have set me up for classes I have already finished...
Me and the fiancé went to a stationary store and bought a new ring binder, because the one my mom gave me 4 years ago with nice Winnie-the-Pooh drawings on it is almost falling apart...
I am over halfway through MAO. The untold story, and its was better than Becoming Madam Mao. Way better. Even if it is a tad dry, but it's a biography, so it's not really surprising...
I better get to school now. I was actually up at 6:30 today... O.o
Word of the day:
伝記 - denki - biography, life story
Me and the fiancé went to a stationary store and bought a new ring binder, because the one my mom gave me 4 years ago with nice Winnie-the-Pooh drawings on it is almost falling apart...
I am over halfway through MAO. The untold story, and its was better than Becoming Madam Mao. Way better. Even if it is a tad dry, but it's a biography, so it's not really surprising...
I better get to school now. I was actually up at 6:30 today... O.o
Word of the day:
伝記 - denki - biography, life story
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
I said I wouldn't, but I did
So I bought books today. On sale mind you. Super cheap. So there. My money, I decide. XD
I bought ten books, nine on a 3 for 2 sale, and one on a 10kr sale. So I got 10 books for 310 kr. Okey, so that is a lot of money. I'll have to skimp a little the rest of the month, but it's totally worth.=D
One of the books I bought was a make book from the eighties. Some of the things in it is outdated, like the hairdos and such, but much of it is still true. What colours go well with other colours is still true, and there is some great tips for face sculpting make up, and I have wondered about that for some time, so that was great=D
Now, I am not afraid of thunderstorms at all. I would not like to be on a boat during one, but this summer there has been some nasty one. Lets all blame global warming. XP
Anyway, this morning at about 10-11 there was a thunderclap that was so powerful a car outside my window had it's alarm go off. Twice. Now, that was a bit scary. It actually sounded like the house was falling down. I actually went outside to check that there wasn't any fires from lightning strikes. Luckily there wasn't any.
I took some pictures of Frank today. I decided to run his tank in the dishwasher to get it properly clean and I put him in a measuring bowl in the meanwhile, and the curve of the bowl magnified him very nicely so I snapped some shots. Isn't he gorgeous?
I bought ten books, nine on a 3 for 2 sale, and one on a 10kr sale. So I got 10 books for 310 kr. Okey, so that is a lot of money. I'll have to skimp a little the rest of the month, but it's totally worth.=D
One of the books I bought was a make book from the eighties. Some of the things in it is outdated, like the hairdos and such, but much of it is still true. What colours go well with other colours is still true, and there is some great tips for face sculpting make up, and I have wondered about that for some time, so that was great=D
Now, I am not afraid of thunderstorms at all. I would not like to be on a boat during one, but this summer there has been some nasty one. Lets all blame global warming. XP
Anyway, this morning at about 10-11 there was a thunderclap that was so powerful a car outside my window had it's alarm go off. Twice. Now, that was a bit scary. It actually sounded like the house was falling down. I actually went outside to check that there wasn't any fires from lightning strikes. Luckily there wasn't any.
I took some pictures of Frank today. I decided to run his tank in the dishwasher to get it properly clean and I put him in a measuring bowl in the meanwhile, and the curve of the bowl magnified him very nicely so I snapped some shots. Isn't he gorgeous?
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Wild Swans
I have just finished rereading Wild Swans. I started it a long time ago, and then something new and interesting came along. I do that a lotXD
Anywho, I picked it up again a few days ago, and decided I would finish it before reading, and about ten minutes ago I did.^^,
I love this book, I really do. It's an extremely well written and engaging personal version of a horrible period in Chinese history. And a convincing testimony to why communism does not work in practice. I remember the first time I read the book, several years ago, and thought that communism was a wonderful idea, everybody sharing had to mean no poverty or famine. Everybody would be the same and there would be no discrimination or corruption. Alas, as I discovered when I read on, it didn't work out that way in Mao's China. As far as I know no communist regime has made it, I know that there are communist regimes, but as far as I know most or all of them are turning capitalistic. I might be wrong thou, I know very little about communism outside of China. In any case Mao was a tyrant with a need for conflict and destruction, but he was highly intelligent or he would never have gotten as much power as he did.
I find this period in Chinese history intensely fascinating, the way one man could destroy the lives of 900 million people, and how people survived through this horrible period. And to some extent how things are now, how the country is rebuilding itself.
Actually I am starting to contemplate studying Chinese history at the university when I'm done with high school, it's just so fascinating. I think I might go snoop around a bit to see if there are any schools that offer that kind of studies^^, Don't know what I'll do about the Japanese thou, maybe I can do both, if I succeed at becoming an interpreter that would two very useful languages to know...
Word of the day:
中国 - Chuugoku - China
Anywho, I picked it up again a few days ago, and decided I would finish it before reading, and about ten minutes ago I did.^^,
I love this book, I really do. It's an extremely well written and engaging personal version of a horrible period in Chinese history. And a convincing testimony to why communism does not work in practice. I remember the first time I read the book, several years ago, and thought that communism was a wonderful idea, everybody sharing had to mean no poverty or famine. Everybody would be the same and there would be no discrimination or corruption. Alas, as I discovered when I read on, it didn't work out that way in Mao's China. As far as I know no communist regime has made it, I know that there are communist regimes, but as far as I know most or all of them are turning capitalistic. I might be wrong thou, I know very little about communism outside of China. In any case Mao was a tyrant with a need for conflict and destruction, but he was highly intelligent or he would never have gotten as much power as he did.
I find this period in Chinese history intensely fascinating, the way one man could destroy the lives of 900 million people, and how people survived through this horrible period. And to some extent how things are now, how the country is rebuilding itself.
Actually I am starting to contemplate studying Chinese history at the university when I'm done with high school, it's just so fascinating. I think I might go snoop around a bit to see if there are any schools that offer that kind of studies^^, Don't know what I'll do about the Japanese thou, maybe I can do both, if I succeed at becoming an interpreter that would two very useful languages to know...
Word of the day:
中国 - Chuugoku - China
Monday, August 4, 2008
Library bliss
I love libraries. All the books I want, for free. There's a time limit, but that can be extended, and I can always borrow whatever I didn't have time to read later.
I went a short trip to Outland today, and seeing all the wonderful books I could not afford to buy made me a little down. I had to return Becoming Madame Mao today, so I borrowed some new books. I borrowed I book I have wanted to read for a long time: Mao - the unknown story. A brick of a book, but I just know I will enjoy it. Partly because I am very fascinated with the story of China and the Chinese communism, but also because I discovered it is co-written by Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans, which is one of my favorite books, and the book that got me interested in this particular part of Chinese history in the first place.
I also borrowed Tvillingene by Tessa de Loo. Mostly because the cover is cool, I am kinda visual in choosing what to readXP It has even happened I have borrowed a book just because of an amazing cover. I never (read rarely XP) buy book this way thou...XP
I have decided to get Wild Swans of the list (it's far down at the bottom) withing the week. I have to read 22 pages a day, which will be no problem.
I have downloaded a learning software called Anki. It is flashcard based and uses intelligent spacing of repetition for optimal learning. I am not sure how well it will work for me yet, so that stand to be seen^^, Just thought I'd tip all you learners out there^^,
Word of the day:
図書館 - toshokan - library
I went a short trip to Outland today, and seeing all the wonderful books I could not afford to buy made me a little down. I had to return Becoming Madame Mao today, so I borrowed some new books. I borrowed I book I have wanted to read for a long time: Mao - the unknown story. A brick of a book, but I just know I will enjoy it. Partly because I am very fascinated with the story of China and the Chinese communism, but also because I discovered it is co-written by Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans, which is one of my favorite books, and the book that got me interested in this particular part of Chinese history in the first place.
I also borrowed Tvillingene by Tessa de Loo. Mostly because the cover is cool, I am kinda visual in choosing what to readXP It has even happened I have borrowed a book just because of an amazing cover. I never (read rarely XP) buy book this way thou...XP
I have decided to get Wild Swans of the list (it's far down at the bottom) withing the week. I have to read 22 pages a day, which will be no problem.
I have downloaded a learning software called Anki. It is flashcard based and uses intelligent spacing of repetition for optimal learning. I am not sure how well it will work for me yet, so that stand to be seen^^, Just thought I'd tip all you learners out there^^,
Word of the day:
図書館 - toshokan - library
Sunday, August 3, 2008
SoraCon and other things
So I went to SoraCon in Oslo today. Not terribly exiting, I think we got there around two maybe, and by then they were well into most of the contests. There were some nice cosplaying there and the fiancé took some nice pictures that hopefully he'll let me put up later. They had screenings of the first four Naruto episodes, and we went to the second one, but there were all these tall people in front of me who were blocking the subtitles so I entertained myself (and annoyed D) with telling D what all the kanji meant XP
I think I liked last year's DesuCon better, even if SoraCon had more activities. There were more stands and more things to see at DesuCon, but this was SoraCon's first year so hopefully they will get better next year.
Anyway we tired of it all pretty quickly and went out for thai food, then we proceeded to walk aimlessly around Oslo for a couple of hours. All in all I had a pretty nice day^^,
I am house sitting for my parents for the next week while they visit family further north. Rusket loves all the outside time she is getting and is actually fleeing the scene whenever she notices I am home. Well actually it was okey yesterday, but we are fairly certain she knows her days, because today she just ran. (I usually come pick her up on Sundays.)
I started reading my battered Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell agian. Wonderful book really, can't remember why I stopped halfway through, but maybe I just found something more interesting... That sort of happens...XP Anyway, I'm halfway through, but it's going fast, and if I get nice weather and can sit outside I will probably be done by the end of the week. The forecast is full of black clouds thou, so I might just sit inside playing on the 'puter.
Word of the day:
年会 - nenkai - conference, annual convention
I think I liked last year's DesuCon better, even if SoraCon had more activities. There were more stands and more things to see at DesuCon, but this was SoraCon's first year so hopefully they will get better next year.
Anyway we tired of it all pretty quickly and went out for thai food, then we proceeded to walk aimlessly around Oslo for a couple of hours. All in all I had a pretty nice day^^,
I am house sitting for my parents for the next week while they visit family further north. Rusket loves all the outside time she is getting and is actually fleeing the scene whenever she notices I am home. Well actually it was okey yesterday, but we are fairly certain she knows her days, because today she just ran. (I usually come pick her up on Sundays.)
I started reading my battered Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell agian. Wonderful book really, can't remember why I stopped halfway through, but maybe I just found something more interesting... That sort of happens...XP Anyway, I'm halfway through, but it's going fast, and if I get nice weather and can sit outside I will probably be done by the end of the week. The forecast is full of black clouds thou, so I might just sit inside playing on the 'puter.
Word of the day:
年会 - nenkai - conference, annual convention
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