Posts Tagged ‘books’

we were still fragmentary beings

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

I went on my first book buying spree since spring! <3 I’m nearly done with the books I bought then and I bought all of these used. Everything under $5 (usually around $2.50) but shipping is killer.

I bought:

  • Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
  • Time’s Arrow by Martin Amis
  • The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe
  • The Dead Fish Museum: Stories by Charles D’Ambrosio
  • Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
  • The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
  • The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
  • Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
  • The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
  • Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
  • The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

I’m particularly interested in Patricia Highsmith’s novel because I’m currently reading The Cry of the Owl for school. Since she seems to be such a miserable writer and I’ve heard good things I’m interested in the book with the character I’m somewhat familiar with to start off.

This is the highlight of what has been a busy and stressful month.

I started the editing of the semi-incestuous story during a break at school and really need to get back to it. I’ve added about 300 words and am about a page and a half in. Not quite sure if the editing is going to be enough to turn in but I want to turn it in anyway, even if I write a new story. I need to start thinking about the essay for my portfolio, I think I’m going to intersperse the editing process of the semi-incestous story in it.

I’m thinking about submitting some of the poetry I’ve written in the past two years to some literary magazines. Wish me luck if I decide to go through with it!

the fire burns the house down with us trapped, locked in it

Friday, November 21st, 2008

Changing over the server has been taking up nearly all of my free time. I think I have finally gotten it right. I’m saving nearly $135 dollars a month. The old server company offered me the same server at a discount but even now I’d be saving nearly $60. It’s only well and good to move up if it’s strictly necessary and it doesn’t seem it will be. mod_evasive and mod_security have been the banes of my life the past few days but it seems to be moving smoothly now… have I spoken too soon?

We workshopped the semi-incestuous story last week and it got a pretty good reception. I also got some help from another individual online – desperately need to reply to that! I think that will be the story I want to revise first and foremost. I think it needs more work than the other story even though the ending is leaps and bounds better.

I desperately want to buy books. I’m nearly done with the stack of books I bought last spring and I know I could get good deals on them on the Internet. Shipping killed me last time and doubled the price tag. However, I will probably hold off until after Christmas. I want to read more Jeanette Winterson, I want to read Lolita, I want to read Cloudstreet, I want to read more poetry. I’ve moved away from poetry and that makes me sad.