Here are the main 4 characters:
Shigure, Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo
Here are my favorite characters:
Hatori
Hatsuharu
Hanajima and Arisa
Kyoko
Yay for pictures!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
I didn't really read much this week. I guess I read some more of that manga series Fruits Basket by: Naksuki Takaya. I don't really have anything new to report on that.
In the storyline, one of the classes has to perform the play Cinderella for their cultural festival, but when they decide the cast, it turns out all wrong (for example, the super nice girl has to play the evil stepsister and the girl who wears only black is cast as Cinderella), so the class rewrites the play to suit who's casted as the characters. They call it "Sorta Cinderella." It was cute.
(supposed to be evil step sister ^)
(supposed to be cinderella^)
I'm really liking the series. It's strange how well you get to know the characters and how deeply you empathize with them and their problems. It's sort of like a little mini-vacation. I also like how Takaya portrays this one guy out to be a complete jerk (He's the guy on the cover). Then, he introduces himself as God. It was kind of cynical. I liked it.
I guess that's all for this week. Sorry for not reading more.
In the storyline, one of the classes has to perform the play Cinderella for their cultural festival, but when they decide the cast, it turns out all wrong (for example, the super nice girl has to play the evil stepsister and the girl who wears only black is cast as Cinderella), so the class rewrites the play to suit who's casted as the characters. They call it "Sorta Cinderella." It was cute.
(supposed to be evil step sister ^)
(supposed to be cinderella^)
I'm really liking the series. It's strange how well you get to know the characters and how deeply you empathize with them and their problems. It's sort of like a little mini-vacation. I also like how Takaya portrays this one guy out to be a complete jerk (He's the guy on the cover). Then, he introduces himself as God. It was kind of cynical. I liked it.
Hatsuharu ^ is one of my favorite characters because he's really sweet and funny and misunderstood. He reminds me of one of my friends a lot.
I guess that's all for this week. Sorry for not reading more.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Nikki Giovanni
I'm currently reading a collection of poetry by Nikki Giovanni.
Right now I'm reading a section about black power. I really like a lot of it, and it's very powerful. Giovanni writes poetry that is the very opposite of formal. It's all over the place, which, if not done well can be really bad, but Giovanni makes it feel like a punch in the gut (the good kind). She makes you feel what she was feeling, she makes you think what she was thinking, and she makes you take a long hard look at yourself.
Like I said, I've only read the black power section so far, which is mostly very angry. I don't mind the anger, though, because I think that there should be anger. We should be angry. We should be appalled, we should be furious that racism even exists today. Yes, Obama being elected was a huge step forward, but racism hasn't been eliminated or even substantially reduced. Giovanni was writing in a period of time where black people were realizing that discrimination and being treated as an inferior person is not OK, so while her poetry may be angry and may be for a mature audience, she has every right in the world to be angry.
I would recomend Nikki Giovanni's poetry only to people who enjoy poetry and are ready to read something pretty heavy. Also, while the school found a nice quote of her's about libraries to hang in the IMC, she does cover some explicit, sometimes violent topics. That's my disclaimer.
One last thing: while we were reading Romeo and Juliet, I heard the line "Peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues," and I realized that that is the first line of a song called "Whatever (I Had a Dream)" by: The Butthole Surfers. They don't have a music video for it, but here's the link to a video I found on Youtube of the song with random footage two teenage girls shot. **note: there are swear words (among other non-school-appropriate things)**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dckuzv-NcOY
Here's a link to the lyrics:
http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/buttholesurfers/whateverihadadream.html
Right now I'm reading a section about black power. I really like a lot of it, and it's very powerful. Giovanni writes poetry that is the very opposite of formal. It's all over the place, which, if not done well can be really bad, but Giovanni makes it feel like a punch in the gut (the good kind). She makes you feel what she was feeling, she makes you think what she was thinking, and she makes you take a long hard look at yourself.
Like I said, I've only read the black power section so far, which is mostly very angry. I don't mind the anger, though, because I think that there should be anger. We should be angry. We should be appalled, we should be furious that racism even exists today. Yes, Obama being elected was a huge step forward, but racism hasn't been eliminated or even substantially reduced. Giovanni was writing in a period of time where black people were realizing that discrimination and being treated as an inferior person is not OK, so while her poetry may be angry and may be for a mature audience, she has every right in the world to be angry.
I would recomend Nikki Giovanni's poetry only to people who enjoy poetry and are ready to read something pretty heavy. Also, while the school found a nice quote of her's about libraries to hang in the IMC, she does cover some explicit, sometimes violent topics. That's my disclaimer.
One last thing: while we were reading Romeo and Juliet, I heard the line "Peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues," and I realized that that is the first line of a song called "Whatever (I Had a Dream)" by: The Butthole Surfers. They don't have a music video for it, but here's the link to a video I found on Youtube of the song with random footage two teenage girls shot. **note: there are swear words (among other non-school-appropriate things)**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dckuzv-NcOY
Here's a link to the lyrics:
http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/buttholesurfers/whateverihadadream.html
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Burn Journals By: Brent Runyon
I am currently reading The Burn Journals by: Brent Runyon.
This book is the nonfiction story of a 7th grade Runyon who tries to kill himself by dousing his bathrobe in gasoline and lighting it on fire while wearing it. Now, you may be thinking that this book is about one of those wierd emo kids who's always wearing black and being over dramatic, but that's not how this book is. Runyon writes in a very matter-of-fact and logical way that is somehow so endearing.
While you may not agree with his logic, and while you may not ever feel that same logic, you do come to understand his logic. This book is actually not dark and twisty, which some of you may expect. There is, obviously, suicide, so I would only recomend this book to people who are looking for a very serious read. I'm only about 1/4 of the way done, so I don't know the ending yet, but I will let you know as soon as I finish.
Update: I'm on number 13 of Fruits Basket now. Another thing I wanted to say about the series, but forgot to mention last time, is that Takaya weaves in these "moral of the story"s that, if not properly written could be really, really cheesy. There were a few that I had to cringe at, but most were actually really inspiring. It seems like the main theme is to be thankful for what you have, and even when things are looking down, you should try your best.
This book is the nonfiction story of a 7th grade Runyon who tries to kill himself by dousing his bathrobe in gasoline and lighting it on fire while wearing it. Now, you may be thinking that this book is about one of those wierd emo kids who's always wearing black and being over dramatic, but that's not how this book is. Runyon writes in a very matter-of-fact and logical way that is somehow so endearing.
While you may not agree with his logic, and while you may not ever feel that same logic, you do come to understand his logic. This book is actually not dark and twisty, which some of you may expect. There is, obviously, suicide, so I would only recomend this book to people who are looking for a very serious read. I'm only about 1/4 of the way done, so I don't know the ending yet, but I will let you know as soon as I finish.
Update: I'm on number 13 of Fruits Basket now. Another thing I wanted to say about the series, but forgot to mention last time, is that Takaya weaves in these "moral of the story"s that, if not properly written could be really, really cheesy. There were a few that I had to cringe at, but most were actually really inspiring. It seems like the main theme is to be thankful for what you have, and even when things are looking down, you should try your best.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Fruits Bastket By: Natsuki Takaya
I have started reading the manga series Fruits Basket. I've read 1-8 and am currently reading 9 (there are 23, by the way).
I don't know if I'd really consider it well-written or intelligent, but it sure is addicting. Maybe I'm just becoming a manga nerd. Anyway, the books were hard to read at first because it will randomly flashback and it can be hard to tell who's saying what, but once you get used to reading it, it's very easy and quick. There are about 20 characters, and they are all very unique and funny.
Right now I'm at a point where the main character has two very cute (is it bad that I think manga characters are cute?) guys that she could date and has to choose. The guys hate each other, but live together, and she lives with them, which is very strange, I guess. Other than the living sitaution, though, the Yuki vs. Kyo arangement is very similar to the Edward vs. Jacob, and the debates are as heated between Fruits Basket fans. I personally like Yuki, because he's smarter and calmer. Kyo gets into rages too easily. Either way, I think it's time for Tohru to choose already (Extra special blah blah blah (as Takaya would say): team Jacob for me).
I also think Yuki and Kyo's pasts need to be revealed already! I mean, she told us about Arisa and Saki (which I did not expect), so now It's time to hear about the boys. Anyway, I'm excited to keep reading, and would recomend this to anyone interested in manga.
I don't know if I'd really consider it well-written or intelligent, but it sure is addicting. Maybe I'm just becoming a manga nerd. Anyway, the books were hard to read at first because it will randomly flashback and it can be hard to tell who's saying what, but once you get used to reading it, it's very easy and quick. There are about 20 characters, and they are all very unique and funny.
Right now I'm at a point where the main character has two very cute (is it bad that I think manga characters are cute?) guys that she could date and has to choose. The guys hate each other, but live together, and she lives with them, which is very strange, I guess. Other than the living sitaution, though, the Yuki vs. Kyo arangement is very similar to the Edward vs. Jacob, and the debates are as heated between Fruits Basket fans. I personally like Yuki, because he's smarter and calmer. Kyo gets into rages too easily. Either way, I think it's time for Tohru to choose already (Extra special blah blah blah (as Takaya would say): team Jacob for me).
I also think Yuki and Kyo's pasts need to be revealed already! I mean, she told us about Arisa and Saki (which I did not expect), so now It's time to hear about the boys. Anyway, I'm excited to keep reading, and would recomend this to anyone interested in manga.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Poe Poetry
Last Chirstmas I got an anthology of Edgar Allan Poe.
I was reading some poems of his, just flipping through the poetry section in the thick, 842-paged book, when I came accross one entitled "Dream-Land" on page 794. I was interested immediately in this poem, because I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately. I suppose Freud would be a better source to read about that (yes, I do own his dream interpretation book. It's in my "To-Read" stack.), but I think poetry can give us a view that is, while less scientific, more accurate. Anyway, I really enjoyed the poem. It spent a lot of time talking about setting:
"Mountains toppling evermore
Into seas without a shore;
Seas that restlessly aspire,
Surging, unto skies of fire;
Lakes that endlessly outspread
Their lone waters--lone and dead,--
Their still waters--still and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily."
It created a dreadful, lonely, sometimes frightening place that was somehow almost peaceful. It captured what a dream feels like, at least to me. I mean, bad things may happen in a dream, but my reactions in that dream are so nominal, very passive, that it almost just seems calmly strange. I think the poem captures that well. Furthermore, can't you just picture this land of crumbling moutains and endless lakes and burning skies?
It also brought up the dead by saying:
"There the traveler meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past--
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by--
White-robed forms of friends long given,
In agony, to the Earth--and Heaven."
If you've ever dreamed of a dead loved one, that's how it feels: obscure, scary, but calm. It's also interesting to pick out just the capitalized words: There Sheeted Memories Past Shrouded As White In Earth Heaven. Creepy but interesting, no?
Anyway, I loved this poem and all of the Poe poems I've read and would recomend them to anyone. Many of them aren't as...insane as his short stories, though they can be somewhat dark. One last connection: the lines "Seas that restlessly aspire, Surging unto skies of fire;" reminded me of one of my favorite songs "Lake of Fire" by The Meat Puppets (also, covered by Nirvana).
I was reading some poems of his, just flipping through the poetry section in the thick, 842-paged book, when I came accross one entitled "Dream-Land" on page 794. I was interested immediately in this poem, because I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately. I suppose Freud would be a better source to read about that (yes, I do own his dream interpretation book. It's in my "To-Read" stack.), but I think poetry can give us a view that is, while less scientific, more accurate. Anyway, I really enjoyed the poem. It spent a lot of time talking about setting:
"Mountains toppling evermore
Into seas without a shore;
Seas that restlessly aspire,
Surging, unto skies of fire;
Lakes that endlessly outspread
Their lone waters--lone and dead,--
Their still waters--still and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily."
It created a dreadful, lonely, sometimes frightening place that was somehow almost peaceful. It captured what a dream feels like, at least to me. I mean, bad things may happen in a dream, but my reactions in that dream are so nominal, very passive, that it almost just seems calmly strange. I think the poem captures that well. Furthermore, can't you just picture this land of crumbling moutains and endless lakes and burning skies?
It also brought up the dead by saying:
"There the traveler meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past--
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by--
White-robed forms of friends long given,
In agony, to the Earth--and Heaven."
If you've ever dreamed of a dead loved one, that's how it feels: obscure, scary, but calm. It's also interesting to pick out just the capitalized words: There Sheeted Memories Past Shrouded As White In Earth Heaven. Creepy but interesting, no?
Anyway, I loved this poem and all of the Poe poems I've read and would recomend them to anyone. Many of them aren't as...insane as his short stories, though they can be somewhat dark. One last connection: the lines "Seas that restlessly aspire, Surging unto skies of fire;" reminded me of one of my favorite songs "Lake of Fire" by The Meat Puppets (also, covered by Nirvana).
Thursday, March 19, 2009
...Scattered
To be completely honest, I haven't done much reading this week. I've been very, very busy. I read a little from The Year of Living Biblically by: A.J. Jacobs, but I really don't want to write another blog about that book since it would be my third. I mean, how many times can you say you like a book before you've even finished it?
At my speech meet last weekend, I read an adorable speech about a dim-witted dog and a pompous cat who "plot" to get rid of their new housemate "Fluffy." It mad me laugh with lines like:
Cat: Listen to me, Roofus! Our lives have been irreversably damaged! Now, what can we do to fix it?
Dog: Um...(pause)...let me think. Well, if it's been irreversably damaged, doesn't that mean we can't do anything?
It was cute, even if its literary merit wasn't particularly high.
Speaking of low literary merit, I (by definition) read a lot of text messages this week. I don't know if the poorly punctuated, melodramatic, angst-filled stories really count toward independent reading, though.
Oh, yesterday I read the unpublished book/really long short story my friend is writing. Well, I read 5 pages of it. It was great, funny and sad all at the same time, which makes sense considering it was about a drunk half-demon (which I think means half cat) girl hitting on the brother (I think) of her dead boyfriend. The story is really hard to follow (because I've only read bits and pieces of it in the wrong order), but what I have read has been elequent and captures well the mood of the setting.
I read my math book. It was rather dry, if you ask me.
I also read two fitness articles for my make-up work for gym. I found out that a University of Washington study concluded that even if you only lift a 20 pound weight 3-6 times, your sleeping metabolic rate increases 8%. Other than that, the articles were about as much fun as gym itself.
I read the nutrition facts of my Sobe Lizard Lava. 75 grams of sugar in one bottle!! That is absolutely ridiculous but delicious.
I read my ticket to a concert that was so loud the bass reverberated (that's a vocab. word) in my chest and made my pant legs vibrate like a Brittany's Boston Terrier, Mojo.
I guess, in retrospect, I read a lot. Well, maybe not, but I tried. I'm hoping to finish The Year of Living Biblically by next week, so it should be a bit less...scattered.
At my speech meet last weekend, I read an adorable speech about a dim-witted dog and a pompous cat who "plot" to get rid of their new housemate "Fluffy." It mad me laugh with lines like:
Cat: Listen to me, Roofus! Our lives have been irreversably damaged! Now, what can we do to fix it?
Dog: Um...(pause)...let me think. Well, if it's been irreversably damaged, doesn't that mean we can't do anything?
It was cute, even if its literary merit wasn't particularly high.
Speaking of low literary merit, I (by definition) read a lot of text messages this week. I don't know if the poorly punctuated, melodramatic, angst-filled stories really count toward independent reading, though.
Oh, yesterday I read the unpublished book/really long short story my friend is writing. Well, I read 5 pages of it. It was great, funny and sad all at the same time, which makes sense considering it was about a drunk half-demon (which I think means half cat) girl hitting on the brother (I think) of her dead boyfriend. The story is really hard to follow (because I've only read bits and pieces of it in the wrong order), but what I have read has been elequent and captures well the mood of the setting.
I read my math book. It was rather dry, if you ask me.
I also read two fitness articles for my make-up work for gym. I found out that a University of Washington study concluded that even if you only lift a 20 pound weight 3-6 times, your sleeping metabolic rate increases 8%. Other than that, the articles were about as much fun as gym itself.
I read the nutrition facts of my Sobe Lizard Lava. 75 grams of sugar in one bottle!! That is absolutely ridiculous but delicious.
I read my ticket to a concert that was so loud the bass reverberated (that's a vocab. word) in my chest and made my pant legs vibrate like a Brittany's Boston Terrier, Mojo.
I guess, in retrospect, I read a lot. Well, maybe not, but I tried. I'm hoping to finish The Year of Living Biblically by next week, so it should be a bit less...scattered.
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