Sunday, January 20, 2013

Vulcans and emotions

I was watching the 2009 reboot of Star Trek today, and I noticed something very early on when watching young Spock.

In this scene three other young Vulcans are attempting to get an emotional response from Spock. (I think to prove that he's not a real Vulcan.) They succeed, and Spock makes a very good attempt at beating one of them up. Interesting thing though, as young Spock is taking out his anger on one of the bullies, we can see the emotional responses from the other two. Fear, I think.

So, in attempting to show that Spock isn't a "real Vulcan" or whatever, they wind up showing the same qualities in themselves that they were trying to bring out in him.

Very interesting. Maybe humans and Vulcans aren't as different as we seem at first glance?

I can think of more that could be said on the matter, but I'll leave it at that for now.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Harry Dresden

Book cover
Last night I finished reading Dresden Files: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I'll leave my discussion of the book(s) themselves to another time. Right now, I want to address something I read in a couple of reviews about the book. Actually, the only two reviews I read before I got tired and stopped reading them. Just my luck, the two reviews I read were bad.

Both of the reviews accuse Harry Dresden of being a chauvinist pig, and claim that he doesn't trust women to be table to take care of themselves.

Before explaining why this is absolutely completely and totally wrong, I would first like to acknowledge that I get where they're coming from. When I read Butcher's graphic novel Welcome to the Jungle (basically an intro to the series) I got ticked off about a weak female character at first, until I realized that she wasn't so weak after all. I don't want to go into that now though, since I already wrote about that here.

So I do get where these two reviewers are coming from. But they aren't looking past their initial indignation to see the whole picture. Because while it is true that Harry doesn't treat women like they can handle what they're going up against, he doesn't treat any regular mortal like they can handle it, in the first two books.

I'm sure that if Harry met a woman who is his equal in magical skill and knowledge that he would stop trying to shield her. But so far there don't seem to be many characters (and none of them are main characters) who are anywhere near his equal in those areas.

This being the case, those who are screaming about Butcher's treatment of women can just hush up until they've read more of the series. I'm not sure what the other books contain, but I doubt there will be anything for me to complain about.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

I'm Not Edward Collen

File this under music inspired by bad romance novels.

It's awesome. I think haters and Twihards alike can love it.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

A Modern Witch

Book cover
I haven't really done this before, but I just want to write a post where I share some interesting (and insightful) quotes from an interesting book. The book? A Modern Witch by Debora Geary. Well, ok, and I also want to mention an interesting possibility for witchery that we see in this novel. But first the quotes.

"The power of coffee and bagels shouldn't be underestimated."

"Lesson one: no hot substances in the hands of trainee witches."

"You've always been a witch, sweetheart. You just didn't know it."

"Being Irish, Moira accepted that his fate had been set before he'd been born. She also knew it was his fate to choose, and being Irish, she understood that sometimes people made poor choices."

...try wrapping your head around that last one. It makes sense, but I've no clue why.

I finished this book last night, and very much enjoyed it. It's the second novel I've found where witches cast spells via programming codes (such as HTML), and I'm wondering if that will be more common in future witchy novels. For that matter, I wonder if it reflects what modern witches really do.

(By the way, Magaly, thank you for pointing me towards this book. :D)

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2012 Reading Challenges

Here are the reading challenges I participated in for 2012.

Goodreads challenge

For the Goodreads.com 2012 challenge I decided to read 66 books. Instead, I read 82.


I signed up to listen to 12 audio books. Instead, I listened to 36.

1) Abhorsen: Sabriel by Garth Nix, read by Tim Curry
2) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce, read by Trini Alvarado
3) Rocannon's World by Ursula K. le Guin, read by Stefan Rudnicki
4) Midnight Magic: Murder At Midnight by Avi, read by Jeff Woodman
5) Avalon High by Meg Cabot, read by Debra Wiseman
6) Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, read by Anthony Heald
7) The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein, read by Lloyd James
8) The Princess Bride by William Goldman, read by Rob Reiner
9) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, performed by various readers
10) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, read by Nadia May
11) Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, read by Lloyd James
12) Beka Cooper: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce, read by Susan Denaker

EXTRA!!!

13) Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein, read by Paul Michael Garcia
14) Inheritance: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, read by Gerard Doyle
15) Angelic by Kelly Armstrong, read by Laural Merlington
16) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
17) Cyprss Hollow Yarn: How to Knit a Love Song by Rachael Herron
18) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
19) Hexed by Ilona Andrews
20) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
21) Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
22) Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein
23) Looking for Alaska by John Green
24) Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
25) Armor by John Steakley
36) Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce



For this challenge I decided to read 13 witchy books. Instead I read 42...I should have known myself better than to pick such a low number. :)

1) Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess
2) Bone: Quest for the Spark by Thomas E. Sniegoski
3) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
4) Beka Cooper: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
5) Inheritance: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini 
6) The New Death and others by James Hutchings
7) Angelic by Kelly Armstrong
8) Discworld: Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
9) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
10) Discworld: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
11) Hexed by Ilona Andrews
12) Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
13) Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith

EXTRA!!!

14) Bone: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
15) Bone: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith
16) Bone: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith
17) Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith
18) Bone: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith
19) Bone: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith
20) Bone: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith
21) Bone: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith
22) AlmaMia Cienfuegos: a Story of Blood, Scars, and Nightmares by Magaly Guerrero
23) Twixt Firelight and Water: A Tale of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
24) Sevenwaters: Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
25) Songmaster by Orson Scott Card
26) Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
27) Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The first Adventure by Tamora Pierce
28) Song of the Lioness: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
29) Song of the Lioness: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
30) Song of the Lioness: Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
31) Immortals: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
32) The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle by Jim Butcher
33) Immortals: Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce
34) Immortals: Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce
35) Immortals: The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce
36) Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce
37) Protector of the Small: First Test by Tamora Pierce
38) Protector of the Small: Page by Tamora Pierce
39) Protector of the Small: Squire by Tamora Pierce
40) Protector of the Small: Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce
41) Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales by Tamora Pierce
42) Discworld: Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett



For this one I signed up to read 50 fantasy books. I wound up reading 55.

1) Bone: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith
2) Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith
3) Bone: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith
4) Abhorsen: Sabriel by Garth Nix
5) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce
6) Girls' Night In by Jim Smiley
7) Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess
8) Avalon High by Meg Cabot
9) Bone: Quest for the Spark by Thomas E. Sniegoski
10) The Princess Bride by William Goldman
11) A Questionable Hero by Kiki Howell
12) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
13) Beka Cooper: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
14) Inheritance: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
15) The New Death and others by James Hutchings
16) Angelic by Kelly Armstrong
17) Discworld: Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
18) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
19) Discworld: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
20) Hexed by Ilona Andrews
21) Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
22) Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
23) Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith
24) Bone: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
25) Bone: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith
26) Bone: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith
27) Bone: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith
28) Bone: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith
29) AlmaMia Cienfuegos: a Story of Blood, Scars, and Nightmares by Magaly Guerrero
30) Twixt Firelight and Water: A Tale of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
31) Sevenwaters: Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
32) Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
33) Crimson City by Liz Maverick
34) Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The first Adventure by Tamora Pierce
35) Song of the Lioness: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
36) Song of the Lioness: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
37) Song of the Lioness: Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
38) Immortals: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
39) The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle by Jim Butcher
40) Immortals: Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce
41) Immortals: Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce
42) Immortals: The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce
43) Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce
44) Protector of the Small: First Test by Tamora Pierce
45) Protector of the Small: Page by Tamora Pierce
46) Protector of the Small: Squire by Tamora Pierce
47) Both Alike in Dignity by Jim Smiley
48) Protector of the Small: Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce
49) Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales by Tamora Pierce
50) Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Extra...

51) Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer
52) Discworld: Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett
53) Discworld: Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
54) Sevenwaters: Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
55) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien


 
This is the only challenge that I didn't exceed the goal I set for myself. I aimed for 15 scifi books, and I read 15 scifi books.

1) Rocannon's World by Ursula K. le Guin
2) The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
3) Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
4) Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein
5) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6) Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein
7) Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
8) Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
9) Armor by John Steakley
10) Songmaster by Orson Scott Card
11) Animorphs: The Visitor by K.A. Applegate
12) Fahrenheit 451: Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton
13) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
14) Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer
15) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. le Guin

Books read in 2012

Just because I am a nut, here is a list of all the books I have read in 2012. According to Goodreads.com, it's 82 books. Or actually it's 82 1/2, since I'm partway through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig right now.

Abdel-Fattah, Randa -- Does My Head Look Big In This?
Andrews, Ilona -- Hexed
Applegate, Katherine -- Animorphs: The Visitor*
Armstrong, Kelley -- Angelic
Austen, Jane -- Persuasion
Austen, Jane -- Pride and Prejudice*
Austen, Jane -- Sense and Sensibility
Avi -- Midnight Magic: Murder at Midnight
Bradbury, Ray -- Fahrenheit 541*
Butcher, Jim -- The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
Cabot, Meg -- Avalon High*
Card, Orson Scott -- Songmaster
Colfer, Eoin -- Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception*
Colfer, Eoin -- Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony*
Collins, Suzanne -- The Hunger Games
De Winter, Arius -- Kama Sutra
Goldman, William -- The Princess Bride
Green, John -- The Fault in our Stars
Green, John -- Looking for Alaska
Griffenhagen, Beth -- Haiku for the Single Girl
Guerrero, Magaly -- AlmaMia Cienfuegos: A Story of Blood, Scars and Nighmares
Hale, Shannon -- Princess Academy: Princess Academy
Hamilton, Tim -- Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation 
Harris, Dena -- Who Moved My Mouse?: A Self-Help Book for Cats
Heinlein, Robert A. -- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Heinlein, Robert A. -- Podkayne of Mars*
Heinlein, Robert A. -- Starman Jones*
Heinlein, Robert A. -- Starship Troopers*
Herron, Rachael -- Cypress Hollow Yarn: How to Knit a Love Song
Howell, Kiki -- A Questionable Hero
Hutchings, James -- The New Death and others
Ingerman, Sandra -- Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide*
Le Guin, Ursula K. -- The Left Hand of Darkness*
Le Guin, Ursula K. -- Rocannon's World*
Marillier, Juliette -- Sevenwaters: Son of the Shadows*
Marillier, Juliette -- Sevenwaters: Flame of Sevenwaters
Marillier, Juliette -- Twixt Firelight and Water: A Tale of Sevenwaters
Maverick, Liz -- Crimson City
Melville, Herman -- Moby-Dick
Nix, Garth -- Abhorsen: Sabriel*
Paolini, Christopher -- Inheritance: Inheritance*
Pierce, Tamora -- Beka Cooper: Terrier*
Pierce, Tamora -- Beka Cooper: Mastiff*
Pierce, Tamora -- Beka Cooper: Bloodhound**
Pierce, Tamora -- Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Choice*
Pierce, Tamora -- Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen*
Pierce, Tamora -- Immortals: Wild Magic*
Pierce, Tamora -- Immortals: Wolf Speaker*
Pierce, Tamora -- Immortals: Emperor Mage*
Pierce, Tamora -- Immortals: The Realms of the Gods*
Pierce, Tamora -- Protector of the Small: First Test*
Pierce, Tamora -- Protector of the Small: Page*
Pierce, Tamora -- Protector of the Small: Squire*
Pierce, Tamora -- Protector of the Small: Lady Knight*
Pierce, Tamora -- Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The First Adventure*
Pierce, Tamora -- Song of the Lioness: In the Hand of the Goddess*
Pierce, Tamora -- Song of the Lioness: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man*
Pierce, Tamora -- Song of the Lioness: Lioness Rampant*
Pierce, Tamora -- Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales
Pockell, Leslie -- The 100 Best Love Poems of All Time
Pollack, Rachel -- The Journey Out: A Guide for and About Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Teens
Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld: Men at Arms
Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld: The Wyrd Sisters
Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld: Tiffany Aching: The Wee Free Men
Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld: Tiffany Aching: I Shall Wear Midnight
Reeve, Jo -- Ashford Craft Series: The Ashford Book of Carding
Riordan, Rick -- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief*
Smiley, Jim -- Girls' Night In*
Smiley, Jim -- Both Alike in Dignity
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Out From Boneville*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: The Great Cowrace*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Eyes of the Storm*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: The Dragonslayer*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Rock Jaw, Master of the Eastern Border*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Old Man's Cave*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Ghost Circles*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Treasure Hunters*
Smith, Jeff -- Bone: Crown of Horns*
Sniegoski, Thomas E. -- Bone: A Quest for the Spark, Vol. 1
Sniegoski, Thomas E. -- Rose*
Steakley, John -- Armor
Tolkien, J.R.R. -- The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Tolkien, J.R.R. -- The Hobbit*

*books that I was rereading
**I read this when it came out in late 2011, and 2 1/2 times in 2012

Book, Textbook by George Hodan
 

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