A few weeks ago something fairly bizzare happened. I went to download a new app on my Kindle Fire and it told me that I didn't have a card attached to my account.. odd I thought I did. Oh well, so on to the website I go to update my account re-added my card and went back to my app downloading. Much to my annoyance it once again told me that I had no card attached to my account. So I decided to check the devices registered to my account. What did they list? My husbands old phone that was registered through his Kindle app, by the way when I say old phone I mean the phone he had ohhh 3 phones ago. Yeah a phone he neither uses or looks at anymore and isn't even connected to the internet because it's no longer connected with our plan. Anywho, in my quest to remedy my situation I try to re-register my kindle back to my account, oh wait, I can't do that without first de-registering it. Instead of doing it the smart way and attempting to save all of my content I in all my impatient glory do it without even a second thought. So what I'm left with is a Kindle wiped entirely clean, all of my apps are gone and ALL OF MY BOOKs are gone. It's like I just took the thing out of the box.
Needless to say I was less than happy. I was 80% of the way through reading the High Lord and poof, it was gone. In a strange way I guess I'm a little relieved. I was getting so tired of the book dragging on and on and on. I'm taking the strange little mishap as a sign from the universe that if a book isn't working I shouldn't force it. In the time I've since I've lost everything I've been in a reading FRENZY. I downloaded a slew of new books and I'm plowing through them like I haven't been able to in the past few years. I just finished reading A Tale of Two Cities. I had never read it before and I have a soft spot for classic lit and Charles Dickens.
Right now I'm on about chapter 4 of Eye of the Witch by Dana E. Donovan. It's Book 2 in her Detective Tony Marcella series. I should have read the The Witch's Ladder first but I'm a rebel and sometimes I like to read books out of order. Maybe if this one thrills beyond all reason I'll get the first one and try to get in order. As of right now it seems like it'll just be a simple fun read and it's free in the Kindle book market if you're interested.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
We Make Suicide Look Good
Something has been bothering me. I don't think it's any secret that poor bullied children are committing suicide at an astonishing rate. While this is obviously horrible what's been worming through my brain and making me uncomfortable is all the attention these cases have been getting due to social media.
This isn't because of my delicate sensitivities or some crusading mission I have to sensor the world and keep everyone from witnessing anything ugly. No. This terrifies me for one simple reason. What if it's making the problem worse?
Before I get to my main point I'm going to tell you a little about myself and why I feel my fears are valid. Bullying is deplorable and something I have dealt with first hand. Between 4-6 grade I was tormented by students and teachers alike. I once even had a teacher threaten to call social services on my family and have me removed from my home because I missed a few days at school. I had brought her a note from my parents before and after the time off was taken to request any homework I was going to miss and explain why I wouldn't be there, and she just ignored it. I had a teacher shove a book in my face and tell me that the stuff I read was crap (it was a book I had gotten from the school library mind you). The students were even worse towards me and the administrations only answer to this was to tell me that I wasn't trying hard enough to fit in. I remember crying and begging my mother to transfer me to a different school or at least home school me. I got told that every kid gets bullied, she did and made it through and so would I. I felt totally alone.
I considered running away, doing serious harm to the students and staff, and even considered hurting myself, but I knew I could never go through with it. So believe me when I say I have a little insight into the minds of these poor children. As more and more adults are speaking out and taking action more and more light is being shined on the bullying problem. Sadly however bullies breed more bullies and this is an issue that will never really go away. The only thing I think will be achieved is the bullies will be going a little more underground in their actions in an effort to not get caught.
Now that doesn't mean we should stop speaking out or holding these people accountable for their actions. On the contrary we should try harder to give the tormented a voice, to let the world know that it is not okay and will not be tolerated, and we should stand with these children and make sure they have the self-love necessary to carry on. Loving myself more than I hated the pain was the only thing that kept me going.
Instead of this I see a disturbing trend. These tragic suicide victims are turned into martyrs. Their pictures are plastered all over facebook asking for likes and shares to "stand against bullying" Where were these pictures and support when these children were alive? The only people they are really reaching are other children plagued by bullies who feel they have no voice. The only message their confused, hurt, and adolescent minds are getting is that if they just end it all then finally people will love them. Finally they'll be appreciated, remember, cherished and heard. They ponder with satisfaction how terrible the bullies will feel, how they'll finally be punished.
We're feeding into a culture that values death more than life and we're making suicide look like an attractive option for those who don't know anything else. The media, social and otherwise, latches on to the misfortune of others, offering no real solution but allowing people to feel important and involved simply because they're "in the know".
Once someone has ended their life it is too late, we as a society have failed them and no amount of passing out pictures will change that. Allow them to be remembered privately by the people who knew and truly loved them. Posting pictures of victims does nothing to stop or combat bullying. If you want to make a difference post pictures of the bullies, don't allow their actions to be swept under the rug. Or better yet if you see that someone is being bullied DO SOMETHING, before it's too late!! Don't shut your curtains and when it's all over mutter about the poor dear. Teach your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and students that bullying is unacceptable. Teach them to love themselves and by extension each other. Teach them that not everyone has to "fit in". Teach them that we don't have to be friends with or even like someone in order to be respectful of them.
This isn't because of my delicate sensitivities or some crusading mission I have to sensor the world and keep everyone from witnessing anything ugly. No. This terrifies me for one simple reason. What if it's making the problem worse?
Before I get to my main point I'm going to tell you a little about myself and why I feel my fears are valid. Bullying is deplorable and something I have dealt with first hand. Between 4-6 grade I was tormented by students and teachers alike. I once even had a teacher threaten to call social services on my family and have me removed from my home because I missed a few days at school. I had brought her a note from my parents before and after the time off was taken to request any homework I was going to miss and explain why I wouldn't be there, and she just ignored it. I had a teacher shove a book in my face and tell me that the stuff I read was crap (it was a book I had gotten from the school library mind you). The students were even worse towards me and the administrations only answer to this was to tell me that I wasn't trying hard enough to fit in. I remember crying and begging my mother to transfer me to a different school or at least home school me. I got told that every kid gets bullied, she did and made it through and so would I. I felt totally alone.
I considered running away, doing serious harm to the students and staff, and even considered hurting myself, but I knew I could never go through with it. So believe me when I say I have a little insight into the minds of these poor children. As more and more adults are speaking out and taking action more and more light is being shined on the bullying problem. Sadly however bullies breed more bullies and this is an issue that will never really go away. The only thing I think will be achieved is the bullies will be going a little more underground in their actions in an effort to not get caught.
Now that doesn't mean we should stop speaking out or holding these people accountable for their actions. On the contrary we should try harder to give the tormented a voice, to let the world know that it is not okay and will not be tolerated, and we should stand with these children and make sure they have the self-love necessary to carry on. Loving myself more than I hated the pain was the only thing that kept me going.
Instead of this I see a disturbing trend. These tragic suicide victims are turned into martyrs. Their pictures are plastered all over facebook asking for likes and shares to "stand against bullying" Where were these pictures and support when these children were alive? The only people they are really reaching are other children plagued by bullies who feel they have no voice. The only message their confused, hurt, and adolescent minds are getting is that if they just end it all then finally people will love them. Finally they'll be appreciated, remember, cherished and heard. They ponder with satisfaction how terrible the bullies will feel, how they'll finally be punished.
We're feeding into a culture that values death more than life and we're making suicide look like an attractive option for those who don't know anything else. The media, social and otherwise, latches on to the misfortune of others, offering no real solution but allowing people to feel important and involved simply because they're "in the know".
Once someone has ended their life it is too late, we as a society have failed them and no amount of passing out pictures will change that. Allow them to be remembered privately by the people who knew and truly loved them. Posting pictures of victims does nothing to stop or combat bullying. If you want to make a difference post pictures of the bullies, don't allow their actions to be swept under the rug. Or better yet if you see that someone is being bullied DO SOMETHING, before it's too late!! Don't shut your curtains and when it's all over mutter about the poor dear. Teach your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and students that bullying is unacceptable. Teach them to love themselves and by extension each other. Teach them that not everyone has to "fit in". Teach them that we don't have to be friends with or even like someone in order to be respectful of them.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Samhain Musings
I will not eat until I'm hungry
I will not eat until I'm hungry
I will not eat until I'm hungry
A dieters mantra to hamper overeating. This stuck in my head today nagging me, making me realize that gluttony takes up so much of our lives. We're so afraid of running out, so afraid of not getting our share we take before we need to ensure we get our due.
Isn't that part of the American dream? Aren't we supposed to get what's owed to us? No one's going to give it to us so we've got to be proactive and take care of ourselves. We call it being prepared and pat ourselves on the back if we've figured out how not to run out of something.
This is so much part of our daily lives that the average person has no patience, has no real understanding of need or want. We throw out phrases like "I have to have that" referring to some hot new techno gadget or pair of shoes forgetting entirely about the perfectly good merchandise we have at home.
How would our lives be different if every once in a while we stopped looking for the next best thing to replace what we already have. How much money would we save if we took the time to appreciate the things we've already spent money on, or better yet the pleasures that are free. So then we're left with a new mantra, I will not take until I need. Say that to yourself a few times. How does it taste, how does it feel on your tongue. Frightening or freeing? I have to admit it leaves me with a mixture of both, but in today's society it's simply seen as irresponsible.
These are the types of thoughts that cling to my brain like spiderwebs to your face, especially at this time of the year. The time of year that calls us to remember times and loved ones passed. The people before us who perhaps knew a little better about waiting, who new a little bit more about need, or want.
My meme (french for grandmother) buys toilet paper and coffee like it's going out of style harboring a secret fear of them running out. It's clear to see that this is the generation that bore our current "got to have" society. The difference being that having more than they needed was for them a matter of self preservation and for us simply the way things have always been.
Luckily my meme is still with us but her laundry room stuffed with Folgers and Scott paints a picture of great grandparents I've never even met looking over her shoulder as she shops, breathing in her ear that she never knows when she'll run out. For me that's the spirit of Samhain. Not just honoring our ancestors but really and truly honoring their lives and the things they've taught us.
I will not eat until I'm hungry
I will not eat until I'm hungry
A dieters mantra to hamper overeating. This stuck in my head today nagging me, making me realize that gluttony takes up so much of our lives. We're so afraid of running out, so afraid of not getting our share we take before we need to ensure we get our due.
Isn't that part of the American dream? Aren't we supposed to get what's owed to us? No one's going to give it to us so we've got to be proactive and take care of ourselves. We call it being prepared and pat ourselves on the back if we've figured out how not to run out of something.
This is so much part of our daily lives that the average person has no patience, has no real understanding of need or want. We throw out phrases like "I have to have that" referring to some hot new techno gadget or pair of shoes forgetting entirely about the perfectly good merchandise we have at home.
How would our lives be different if every once in a while we stopped looking for the next best thing to replace what we already have. How much money would we save if we took the time to appreciate the things we've already spent money on, or better yet the pleasures that are free. So then we're left with a new mantra, I will not take until I need. Say that to yourself a few times. How does it taste, how does it feel on your tongue. Frightening or freeing? I have to admit it leaves me with a mixture of both, but in today's society it's simply seen as irresponsible.
These are the types of thoughts that cling to my brain like spiderwebs to your face, especially at this time of the year. The time of year that calls us to remember times and loved ones passed. The people before us who perhaps knew a little better about waiting, who new a little bit more about need, or want.
My meme (french for grandmother) buys toilet paper and coffee like it's going out of style harboring a secret fear of them running out. It's clear to see that this is the generation that bore our current "got to have" society. The difference being that having more than they needed was for them a matter of self preservation and for us simply the way things have always been.
Luckily my meme is still with us but her laundry room stuffed with Folgers and Scott paints a picture of great grandparents I've never even met looking over her shoulder as she shops, breathing in her ear that she never knows when she'll run out. For me that's the spirit of Samhain. Not just honoring our ancestors but really and truly honoring their lives and the things they've taught us.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Book 7: The High Lord
I've reached the final installment of the Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, The High Lord.'Why are you showing me these books?' Akkarin's eyes bored into her own, and she looked away. 'You want to know the truth,' he said. He was right. Part of her wanted to ignore the books. But she did want to know.
In the city of Imardin, where those who wield magic wield power, a young street-girl, adopted by the Magician's Guild, finds herself at the centre of a terrible plot that may destroy the entire world...
Sonea has learned much at the magicians' guild and the other novices now treat her with a grudging respect. But she cannot forget what she witnessed in the High Lord's underground room - or his warning that the realm's ancient enemy is growing in power once more. As Sonea learns more, she begins to doubt her guildmaster's word. Could the truth really be as terrifying as Akkarin claims, or is he trying to trick her into assisting him in some unspeakably dark scheme?
All synopsis have been courtesy of TrudiCanavan.com
The Novice Review
So its official, The Novice was better than The Magician's Guild. It wasn't great and I didn't exactly love it, but it was better.
Unfortunately in this book I still don't relate to Sonea, I just can't. She endures some horrendous bullying which certainly earns my sympathy but that doesn't equate to like or respect. She never even fully protects herself unless someone else points out how it can be achieved. She never tells anyone and when someone finds out on their own she begs them not to do anything and to keep it a secret. The adults keep assuming it's out of pride but honestly no one ever gives a believable reason why she won't let anyone do anything about her tormentors. Especially since the few times they are caught she seems satisfied.
This kind of brings me to my next qualm with the book. The adults in this book are totally ineffectual. They spend more time being gossips than anything else. Whenever someone does something that is absolutely terribly wrong they brush it off with a slap on the wrist. In my opinion the main villain from the first book is never even properly punished even though they're all supposedly outraged by his actions and it's well within their power to make him pay for his crimes.
My third and final complaint is that smaller plot points were dragged out throughout the whole book, while larger turn of event type scenes are thrust upon you almost clumsily and with no build up. So there it is, overall the book was definitely better but still not a stellar book.
Will the third be better than both?
Unfortunately in this book I still don't relate to Sonea, I just can't. She endures some horrendous bullying which certainly earns my sympathy but that doesn't equate to like or respect. She never even fully protects herself unless someone else points out how it can be achieved. She never tells anyone and when someone finds out on their own she begs them not to do anything and to keep it a secret. The adults keep assuming it's out of pride but honestly no one ever gives a believable reason why she won't let anyone do anything about her tormentors. Especially since the few times they are caught she seems satisfied.
This kind of brings me to my next qualm with the book. The adults in this book are totally ineffectual. They spend more time being gossips than anything else. Whenever someone does something that is absolutely terribly wrong they brush it off with a slap on the wrist. In my opinion the main villain from the first book is never even properly punished even though they're all supposedly outraged by his actions and it's well within their power to make him pay for his crimes.
My third and final complaint is that smaller plot points were dragged out throughout the whole book, while larger turn of event type scenes are thrust upon you almost clumsily and with no build up. So there it is, overall the book was definitely better but still not a stellar book.
Will the third be better than both?
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Book 6: The Novice
Continuing with the Black Magician Trilogy we have The Novice.
'The Most important attribute of a magician is knowledge. Without it his strength is useless.' The magician's eyes flickered to Sonea, 'Even if his powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them.
Sonea knows the other novices in the Magicians' Guild all come from powerful families, but she also knows she can turn to Rothen and Dannyl for help when she needs it. That is, until someone starts spreading malicious rumors about her - and Akkarin, the High Lord, steps in.
Promoted to Guild Ambassador, Lord Dannyl leaves for the Elyne court. His first order from Administrator Lorlen is to resume, in secret, High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge. Not knowing the true reason for his journey, Dannyl is soon facing unexpected dangers.
Meanwhile, Sonea has almost forgotten the High Lord's dark secret, but keeping the truth hidden may be a grave mistake.
From the synopsis alone I'm feeling trepidation but I said I was going to finish the trilogy and I am. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be a better read.
Have any of you read any good books lately?
 |
| Courtesy of Bookworld |
'The Most important attribute of a magician is knowledge. Without it his strength is useless.' The magician's eyes flickered to Sonea, 'Even if his powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them.
Sonea knows the other novices in the Magicians' Guild all come from powerful families, but she also knows she can turn to Rothen and Dannyl for help when she needs it. That is, until someone starts spreading malicious rumors about her - and Akkarin, the High Lord, steps in.
Promoted to Guild Ambassador, Lord Dannyl leaves for the Elyne court. His first order from Administrator Lorlen is to resume, in secret, High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge. Not knowing the true reason for his journey, Dannyl is soon facing unexpected dangers.
Meanwhile, Sonea has almost forgotten the High Lord's dark secret, but keeping the truth hidden may be a grave mistake.
From the synopsis alone I'm feeling trepidation but I said I was going to finish the trilogy and I am. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be a better read.
Have any of you read any good books lately?
Monday, September 10, 2012
Magician's Guild Review
Today I finished the Magician's Guild. I only have 3 words to describe this book Too Much Talking! Normally I don't mind banter between characters, but this was just unending and uninteresting banter. In case you're interested in reading this book yourself I don't want to give a whole lot away but the most exciting thing about this book is the description on the back cover.
For the first half of the book Sonea, the main character, is in hiding. Actually most of what you read for the first half of the book revolves around her moving from one hideout to the next as her friend valiantly attempts to keep her hidden (because even though she has magical powers she needs a man to take care of her) and the hunt being carried out by the misunderstood guild.
I need to be able to relate the main character in order to really enjoy a book and there isn't a single thing I like about Sonea. She's weak, annoying, and only seems to have a backbone when it isn't going to do her any good. To make matters worse none of the magic they do in the book is particularly interesting.
My husband assures me that the books get better, so we'll see. For his sake and due to the fact that I'm a bit of a book whore and will read just about anything, good or nauseatingly bad, I'm going to try to finish the trilogy, wish me luck.
For the first half of the book Sonea, the main character, is in hiding. Actually most of what you read for the first half of the book revolves around her moving from one hideout to the next as her friend valiantly attempts to keep her hidden (because even though she has magical powers she needs a man to take care of her) and the hunt being carried out by the misunderstood guild.
I need to be able to relate the main character in order to really enjoy a book and there isn't a single thing I like about Sonea. She's weak, annoying, and only seems to have a backbone when it isn't going to do her any good. To make matters worse none of the magic they do in the book is particularly interesting.
My husband assures me that the books get better, so we'll see. For his sake and due to the fact that I'm a bit of a book whore and will read just about anything, good or nauseatingly bad, I'm going to try to finish the trilogy, wish me luck.
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