don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.....

Alright, four more for ya:

Book #5 "Shipbreaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
Nailer and the rest of his crew are shipbreakers - they scrap old ships and sell what they can. A hurricane hits and stalls all work. Nailer and his friend Puma are out searching for food when they discover a huge ship overturned. They go inside and start grabbing everything of value, but what happens when they find a girl barely alive on the ship. Do they kill her and make a profit or save her and risk losing everything.
Scale of Awesome says: 7/10 I don't think I explained it very well but I was actually impressed by the story even though I don't know much about ships.


Book #6 "Payback Time" by Carl Deuker
Mitch is the high school newspaper's star reporter. He's all about the news. But his senior year he's reassigned to the sports section. He used to play football so he's not completely clueless but he hates the assignment because all the coach wants him to talk about is their star quarterback (who just happens to be Mitch's ex-best-friend). This becomes difficult when Mitch and his photographer Kimi Yon become intrigued by the backup quarterback. He throws and plays better than anyone on the team but when it's pointed out to the coach the player starts playing worse to avoid being detected. Why doesn't he want the coach's attention? Why is his past so mysterious? Mitch is intrigued.
Scale of Awesome says 6/10. Quick read, a lot of sports stuff, but I kind of figured out the ending really early in the book and I just wanted to get to that point.

Book #7 "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson has gone missing. Completely vanished. Meet Jason, wakes up on a bonus, no idea who he is, apparently has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. Oh, and they happen to be demi-gods. One of the gods has stolen Jason's memory and is holding it hostage because she's been kidnapped and Jason has to be the one to save her. Zeus has closed off all contact from Olympus so who else is there to assist him on this quest other than Piper and Leo.
Scale of Awesome says 9/10. I listened to it on audio and while the narrator was annoying at times I was so deep into the mythology aspect that I rarely even noticed him. An excellent story, seriously.

Book #8 "Zombies vs. Unicorns" edited by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black
Okay, I've rambled enough about this book already but apparently I was supposed to post my final version of the booktalk. So here. Read it or skim it whatever.

There have been many great debates over the years. Obama vs. McCain, Pepsi vs. Coke, Edward vs. Jacob, but the one debate I want you to focus on today is the debate of all debates, the quandary of all quandaries: Zombies vs. Unicorns.

This novel is a collection of stories about, you guessed it, zombies and unicorns. Team Zombie is led by Justine Larbalestier and the team leader for the unicorn squad is Holly Black. The book goes back and forth with a story about a zombie followed by a story about a unicorn, lather rinse repeat.

Many aspects of Zombies are covered, their love of brains, their strong devotion or hatred for their loved ones, their ability to travel in packs and stare at you, their cold hands, and their undead-ness. There's even stories about zombie children!
"But there was another voice in my head, a quieter one way in the back telling me to leave. To get out of the house and away from there. To go back to into the rain. To hitchhike to London or starve or even just call home. And while I can still assign blame I want to make sure you know. This was all Franklin's fault."

They've got Unicorns covered as well. Their ability to heal, their draw to virgins, their desire to help baby unicorns, their love of chocolate milk and you know that big spikey thing on their foreheads. There are even stories about the depression that can go along with eternal life and the violence of becoming a killer unicorn. Surprisingly, some of the unicorn stories are even more violent than the zombie ones! Some stories are serious and some are parodies. This is more of a parody.
"'What does being a virgin with opposable thumbs?' she said.
'Nothing!' the unicorn said. 'But will anyone else in the herd listen to me? Of course not! They go off and grab the first thirteen year old who coos at them and then it's all *insert girly voice* their purity will lead the way...blah blah blah... Lead the way to a whole bunch of dead baby unicorns maybe. I want a little more competence in my heroine.'
'Um, I'm drunk and sleeping on a bench in central park,' Alison said. 'That meets your criteria?'
'Hello!' the unicorn dipped his horn and hoisted the tangling sleeve from her wadded up jacket. The one she had been using as a pillow. 'U.S. Marines?'"

So, do you like brains? Would you like healing powers? What's it gonna be? Team Zombie or Team Unicorn? Read Zombies vs. Unicorns by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black and choose your side in the debate of the century.

Scale of Awesome 8/10. Okay so this book was seriously gruesome. And I'm not even talking about the zombie part of it. That was graphic but the unicorns were gruesome. The part I gave you was parody but duuuude. Like seriously. For more rants and ramblings on ZvsU go here: My Life in Closed Captions: sickness, bee stings, greek mythology, zombies, un... or here My Life in Closed Captions: Impromptu speech-writing



"FINALLY! signs of intelligent life from inside the Dear Jane Gang!"
-name that quote.

I love that Provensa brings Flynn a balloon when he's in the hospital that says "It's a girl". Pure awesomeness.

"SALSA!"

love captain raydor at 2:35, she says it that way in the final cut as well and now that's the only way i can say it. love it.
"it was a hilarious robbery."



Two versions of an awesome song.

"Big Yellow Taxi" - Joni Mitchell original

original awesomeness. dad was shocked i knew the lyrics.


"Big Yellow Taxi" - Counting Crows feat Vanessa Carlton

awesome.


here's a link to Joni when she's younger and more goofy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMEPk6fvpg
think i like that one better. more like the recording i have of hers.

Impromptu speech-writing

I am brilliant. Genius. So genius that I wrote an entire booktalk today - planned everything out, drafted it, finalized it and completely forgot that I lent my copy of the book to a friend. And now, as I need a physical copy of the book for the booktalk, I'm screwed.
So, I'm going to write a new booktalk on the spot.
Right now.
Three minute speech.
Not a big deal, right?

Okay, to start pick a book...hmmm... well I was going to use Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, and as much as I freaking love that book and could probably talk about it for more than three minutes, I really hated that booktalk. Like hated it with a passion. I spent all day on it reading it over now I still hate it. But I hate all my writings. Ask Sketch, it drives her bananas. But I can't help that they're crap. I try, but it's all crap. This blog is mostly crap. Yet you still read it, hmmm...

That's another thing with me, I get sidetracked and go off on tangents. So, no more tangents, only booktalks.

So, picking a book...hmm... which book has affected me the most during the semester other than the earth-shattering Revolution? easy answer. Zombies vs. Unicorns. Yes! I should totally do my booktalk on Zombies vs. Unicorns. I've probably talked more about that book with people than I have with Revolution anyway. And I know that I've rambled about it more on here! But that can easily be blamed on cough medicine. Go here: My Life in Closed Captions: sickness, bee stings, greek mythology, zombies, un...

Okay, so book is picked. Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. Crap, should learn how to pronounce that for the talk tomorrow. Will look up pronunciation on google later. Focus now.

Okay...soo...introduction...hmm.... OH!

There have been many great debates over the years. Obama vs. McCain, Chuck Norris vs. Chuck Norris, Edward vs. Jacob, but the one debate I want you to focus on today is the debate of all debates, the quandary of all quandaries...is it quandarys or quandaries? doesn't matter this'll be verbal Zombies vs. Unicorns.

Okay, that was crap but I'm going with it anyway sooo...exposition!

This novel is a collection of stories about zombies and unicorns. Each has chosen a side - except for one who tried to do a crossover and failed epically probably shouldn't say that okay scratch that going back
Each has chosen a side, Team Zombie or Team Unicorn. Team Zombie is led by Justine Larbalestier, she says that Zombies are a walking entropy. They are the dissolute wreck of consumerism. They are the eventual death that faces us all. They are a metaphor for slavery, conformity, and oblivion. What are unicorns? Fluffy, monochrome, sticky tedium. There's no way I'm going to remember all that.
Okay cut it short,
Team Zombie is led by Justine Larbalestier, she says Zombies are a metaphor for slavery, conformity and oblivion. And what are unicorns? Fluffy, monochrome, sticky tedium.
Team Unicorn is led by Holly Black who says Seriously? You don't like unicorns? What kind of person doesn't like unicorns? Zombies shamble. I disapprove of shambling. And they have bits that fall off. You never see a unicorn behaving that way.
There's no way I'm going to remember that either. We'll come back to that part later.

The book goes back and forth with a story about a zombie followed by a story about a unicorn, lather rinse repeat. Yeah, shouldn't use that either. especially in the context of unicorns and zombies, that's creepy. moving on.

Many aspects of Zombies are covered, their love of brains, their strong devotion or hatred for their loved ones, their ability to travel in packs and stare at you, their cold hands, and their undead-ness. There's even stories about zombie children!

EDIT - insert Zombie quote from book

And the same with Unicorns, their ability to heal, their draw to virgins, their desire to help baby unicorns, their devotion to their owners, and you know that big spike thing on their foreheads. There are even stories about the depression that can go along with eternal life and the violence of becoming a killer unicorn. Surprisingly, some of the unicorn stories are even more violent than the zombie ones! Some stories are serious and some are parodies. This is more of a parody.

EDIT - insert unicorn quote


You're getting sleepy, very sleeeeeeeepy....10:56, keep going!
okay, find quotes.


....
...
......
...
....

got them! but i'm totally not typing them on here as they are super long. okay, added EDIT's where quotes go.

Now what? Oh, should probably do some sort of conclusion since after including quotes it'll be at least 3 minutes. woops. i'm gonna have to read and record it.

okay outro...is that a word? it's late, i'm tired. i'm going with it. outro:

So, now it's up to you. Which team will you join? Team Zombie or Team Unicorn? Read Zombies vs. Unicorns and maybe it will help you decide.
okay, that's a dumb last line.
Read Zombies vs. Unicorns and make your choice....??? that's dumb too.

Maybe....

So, now it's up to you. Do you like brains? Would you like healing powers? Read Zombies vs. Unicorns by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black and pick your side, Team Zombie or Team Unicorn.

that was dumb too. okay, gotta find recording device. is around here somewhere.

done! am out. can fix more tomorrow on ride to class.

Okay, so you're a rocket scientist.

Only 11 and all homework is done and posted. Pictures are printed, bag is packed, clothes are laid out, shower is taken, now all that's left is the sleeping part. Did I mention I wasn't a morning person?

Oh! and I figured out what the camera was taking pictures of in the beginning of Covert Affairs (scroll down to previous post) she's taking a polygram test and they're filming it.

Work went pretty fast, I felt kind of special today since I got to train one of the workers coming back for the summer. Big potatoes.

Dinner with the cool aunt was wicked awesome. She let me keep the leftovers. I've been practicing self-control and finished my homework instead of devouring them while watching Covert Affairs. That's next on my list. But she never lets me pay for anything. It's like a knock-down drag-out fight when you get all the women in our family together and they want to figure out the bill. Seriously.

So, Zombies vs. Unicorns is officially finished and I'm still in this weird altered mind state right now, even without the cough medicine! It just got weirder and weirder. But it was good. Not something I'm going to read over and over but it'll go on my shelf instead of being boxed in my closet or donated to the library. Which is an honor actually. I meant the shelf part, but yes, donating to the library is an honor as well.

Quotes of the night:
-"The scared in my eyes" what my dad said when he gave me driving lessons and held on for dear life.
-"Layers of candy wrappers" cause you should see the equipment when my brother's done with it for the year
-"All candy lunch" apparently, on the last day of school each year my parents would pack us an all candy lunch. i have no recollection of this.
-"Oh, go write a book!" other awesome aunt's comeback to something snarky said to her

pretty sure there were more but the cough medicine is taking effect. affect? effect? yep, definitely working. i'm gonna crash now.

Music Recs in my aunts honor:

Mary Chapin Carpenter "Shut up and Kiss Me"

I remember listening to a lot of her music on our family vacations. gotta love it.

Shania Twain "Don't Impress Me Much"

pretty sure we listened to this song about 50 times within a couple hours. smart cousin and me were totally jamming the whole time...especially to the "just in case" line.

tomorrow is class then go watch friend's band play... once i figure out where the place they're playing is located.

out like trout in a drout filled with clout. .... i'll explain that when i try to interpret it tomorrow. it was funny, i read through yesterday's post and there were multiple times when i said, "umm where was i going with this again?" and then i remembered more stuff. which now of course i've forgotten. so i'm gone like the song about donkey kong in a tho-whoa! done.

sickness, bee stings, greek mythology, zombies, unicorns, evil woman, sheryl crow.....cough medicine.

I'm sick. I have a cold. And it sucks. I've spent the day in bed - yes my actual bed Sketch - drowning myself in cough medicine and surrounding myself with kleenex's. Which made me laugh...but that's more of a long story.

Work today was a bit of a blur. I only had to get into the bookdrop for less than a minute this time. Which was exciting...until I saw the bees. Because apparently spiders and ants weren't enough. I have to admit I had kind of a sister-in-law reaction, grabbed the cart and ran back to the building once it was full. She's deathly afraid of bees. I've only been stung once. Of course it was while I was moving pipe with my brother. I screamed and dropped the pipe. Then while I was bent over in pain he stared and said, "ready yet?" But I love him. Especially when he serenades me with "Rooooooxaaaaaannnnne." Because in the morning that's super funny...My full-grown brother singing...on the particular morning I'm remembering it followed his rendition of some Whitney Houston song, can't remember which one, and we were sitting in the truck waiting for dad because the wheel had fallen off the pipe trailer a whole 3 times already. So yeah, we were done for the day. I almost cheered as he swore up a storm. Cause that meant I got to go back home, take a shower, and go back to bed. Early mornings really aren't my thing. In case you haven't noticed already.

But I guess it was a good day to be sick as I get to spend it in bed, reading/listening to my books for class and finishing the homework. I'm motivated to be done because then I get to konk out and turn on "Covert Affairs" season one, then go out to dinner tomorrow night with the cool aunt for sushi.

And, maybe it's the cough medicine, but I seriously feel like I should ramble about these books. Cause oh my god. Seriously.

Okay so book #7 was "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan and we had to listen to the audio format. It was actually pretty good, I'm thinking about reading the sequel after class is over and I have time. I love the Greek Mythology aspect as I'm kind of a nerd about that stuff and ancient Egypt.
But the thing about audio books is that they're good and bad.
Audio book Pro #1 - You can take and listen to them anywhere.
Audio book Con #1 - You feel like you must take and listen to them anywhere. Then you forget you left disc whatever in the car so instead of running out to get it you feel like jumping to the next one but you can't because you're already so lost in all of the backstory you're hoping that the end of the disc in the car will explain something!

Pro #2 - You can multitask while listening, like clean and unpack your apartment, make food, take a shower, clean your apartment, play with your cat, attempt to take a nap, clean your apartment...
Con #2 - The dude reads at a slower pace then what I'm used to so it takes forever to get through a disc! 16+ hours...man.

...there were more pros and cons in my head when I started typing but now I can't remember them. Cough medicine. I'll add them in later.

And okay, here-in comes the oh my god. "Zombies vs. Unicorns". Fun fact #1, actually shelved in the nonfiction section...but that's cause it's a collection of short stories by different authors. Still funny.
Anyway, the stories alternate between being about zombies and unicorns. Except for this one dude who tried to do a cross-over and failed epically. But it's by several authors and two editors who kind of have this running commentary and it's hilarious!
Question though, is it weird that I'm totally more freaked out by the stories about unicorns than the ones about zombies? I'm serious. There's some messed up stuff in there. Like you're thinking rainbows and stickers and flowers and stuff, and while there is a bit of that, duuuude. There's a lot more gore and killing and just disgusting stuff in these ones than in the zombie ones! And zombies eat brains! I'm gonna have nightmares about some killer unicorn coming to eat me and then having some weird zombie guy with half his face avenge me. Freaking cough medicine.
I've totally taken the zombie side in this whole debate. And if you haven't you should read the book. Then you will as well. Just, oh my god. But if you do read it, be warned. It's graphic. Like seriously graphic.

And now I'm going to go read the last few pages of ZvsU, then turn on Covert Affairs and crash. I can finish the rest of the homework tomorrow night after sushi with the cool aunt.


oh right, music recs. cough medicine. ummm... turning ipod on shuffle. which reminds me about my summer songs thing.
Remember how I'm a nerd? and I have all this music on my ipod? Well, every summer after school got out for like the past 4 years I have this thing called a "summer song" which is basically the first song that plays on my ipod (i put it on shuffle) when i'm released from school that year. and I have to listen to it every time it comes up on my ipod without skipping it for the entire summer. Cause I'm a nerd. and have a lot of music. so I skip a lot. But yeah, have been holding off on that since I'm still technically in school til mid June.


oh yay, more family stuff.
"Evil Woman" Electric Light Orchestra

my sisters and i sing this song quite often. delayed...reaction has also murdered this song during a karaoke party a long time ago. fun times.

"First Cut is the Deepest" Sheryl Crow

okay, is it me, or do both of these titles seem to fit in with the whole ZvsU theme? or maybe it's the cough medicine.

I'm gonna sleep now. or turn on Covert Affairs. I hit "play all" last night and don't remember anything past the camera taking pictures of something in the first frame of the series....don't even remember what it's taking pictures of.

...mmmm sleep.