Theater Masks

Theater Masks

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Reading Day -- apparently

Today is a "read-a-thon" day for Caitie - she's spending ALL DAY reading. I don't know how she does it - my eyes would start to hurt after an hour, and by two I'd never want to see another book again.

That doesn't mean I don't love reading. I absolutely do. I read all the time. I just find that I tend to read in chunks. A half hour here, forty minutes there. Marathon readings for me - more than an hour or so is a marathon to me - are extremely rare. If any time, they happen when we're in Ohio - I call that my "reading space."

So I don't know how Caitie is planning on reading all day. She has a stack of ten books (TEN!) to get through. I know she's going to do it - it just astounds me. Maybe I'll give a little reading a try. I have a book I've been trying to get through that I have 100 pages or so left in - I could bang that out, right?

Eh - most likely the day will be spent watching bad movies and playing poker.

Good luck, Caitie - hope you get what you want from today!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

American Reunion Review

I've said that I intend to review more media on here - books, tv, movies - I've been pretty spotty about it, and I hope to try to rectify that some.

I saw American Reunion on Friday - the third sequel to 1999's American Pie. Now, I'm PRETTY sure I saw American Pie 2 and American Wedding, but I'll be honest, I don't remember them at all. To be honest, it hardly mattered. Aside from the fact that Jim and Michelle were now married, they almost might as well have not even had the subsequent movies as they had no real impact on the plot.

I hate to say this, but I sort of regret that this was the movie I decided to "re-up" my blog with. The movie, simply, wasn't that memorable. Sure, it was enjoyable and entertaining, I don't think I was bored at all during it, but now, two days later, I can't actually REMEMBER much of it. There didn't seem to be much of a purpose to it other than a chance to see where these characters were at the completely arbitrary thirteen year mark after their high school graduation. The movie was pleasant enough, but hardly memorable or laugh out loud funny.

The one true bright spot in the movie for me was Jim's father, played by Eugene Levy. Levy is a comedy veteran, and it shows here. Every scene with him hit, and they were amongst the few scenes I found genuinely funny enough to laugh at.

All said, the thing that made me miss 1999 the most wasn't the movie at all: it was the six dollar ticket I got because I went to see the movie before noon.

My rating: B-

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Report

It's with a heavy heart that I make this announcement: I've decided to give up writing novels for the foreseeable future. I have spent more than five years now laboring at my computer, striving to create a novel to entertain and engage the minds of young readers the world over. I have completed slightly less than six books at this point, and just don't know that I have the drive to continue on. I've tried several genres - fantasy, realistic fiction, science fiction, mystery - I don't know that any of them have truly been right for me. I'm not sure I can sustain the level of intensity needed to continue trying to produce book after book.

There are other reasons, as well. I've come to realize that the publishing industry is slow as molasses (see, even my similes have grown weak and cliche!). Everything takes so long to get done, that I don't know that I have the time nor the patience to wait for responses from editors any longer.

Perhaps most importantly, I learned recently that I have developed carpal tunnel syndrome as from all the time I spend at my computer typing away at drafts. Similarly, I have a propensity for migraines. I've found that less time spent in front of the computer decreases my odds for developing one of those crippling attacks.

As it happens, I have become enamored of another hobby, one which I intend to pursue with vigor. I've decided that I want to become a professional bowler. Caitie and I have gone bowling the last three weekends in the row, and we fall asleep at night dreaming of how sweet a victory it must be to bowl a perfect 300, to win a league championship, or even, on the outskirts of our fantasies, a world title. The sound of crashing pins fills my dreams, and makes me shiver with excitement at the fantasy. I have decided to dedicate all my free time to pursuing this goal of being a professional bowler, and with my current average now hovering around a meager 100, I have a lot of work to do.

So, as I said at the opening of this post, it is with a heavy heart that I resign myself to a "writer-less life."

As they say in France......

April Fools.