So. Many. Books.

Well. Blogger doesn't love me, since that took ten minutes of opening and closing tabs to try to get this text box to load.
WARNING: This post is almost completely consisted of me talking about various books. I tried to not include any spoilers, or at least nothing of the plots that wouldn't be on the back of the book. 




Anyways, I have books! Over three years I amassed all of my Chapters/Indigo/Coles/World's Biggest Bookstore cards (large bookstores, all part of the same chain) and when I added them up it came to a grand total of a lot of books. I ordered them online, because books in Canada are way more expensive than in the US (even though our dollar is at par, which is stupid.) I get a good discount online, and I bought six books with some money to spare.


Book #1:

An Abundance of Katherines

I must admit that the cover of my copy isn't that awesome, because I cheaped out and bought the trade paperback for $3.99. My potential best friend that I've mentioned a couple of times before (Shall we call her PBF?) recommended this to me, and said that I'm the female counterpart of the main character, Colin. I don't know how happy I am about that because Colin is kind of annoying. I guess (I hope) she meant how I like math, or was just referring to the time that we graphed goodness (I told you that she's awesome).When I opened the book, I knew I'd like it, because it had footnotes. Books with footnotes are wonderful, like the Bartimaeus Trilogy. It was a pretty cool book. Colin tries to find a formula to predict relationships, and there is even an appendix explaining the math behind it. I laughed at the footnotes.

Book #2

The Princess Bride

Again, my cover isn't as awesome because I cheaped out and bought the trade paperback with the movie cover. I am OMRSUPEREXCITEDSQUEEEEYAY to read this book. I have watched the movie many, many, many times from when I was really little, because it is my dad's favourite, and also mine. I'm assuming that the book will be even better, because I still stand by the whole "the book is always better" thing. Unless the book is based on a movie or (shudder) a TV series. Those Glee novels make me cry a little bit inside. I'm also thinking about writing a Sparklife article comparing the book and the movie, but that all depends on how much effort I want to actually put into that.


Book #3

Eating Animals

I've been thinking about vegetarianism a lot lately, and this is a book about it by an author whose other stuff I like. I'm kind of afraid to open it, because I am so close to being pushed over the edge that I think if this book gave a nudge that I would do it. I mean, I already avoid mammals most of the time. My main concern about going vegetarian is that it is hard enough for me to get nutrients already, and I don't need to make that tougher. I'd still eat fish, though, because I have gone fishing and gutted a fish, and I know that I could handle killing one, while I could never, ever, kill a mammal directly, and probably not a bird either. I'd love to talk to someone who's a vegetarian by the way.

Book #4

A Dose of Awkward

This is the Left Handed Toons book, and I've been reading it bit by bit, instead of splurging on the comics all at once. *congratulates self on self-control* For those of you who don't know what Left Handed Toons are, I suggest that you go to lefthandedtoons.com  right now. That may be a threat, actually. Or else. You see, now it's a threat!

Book #5

Outwitting Squirrels

I got this one because it was recommended on boingboing.net, and it sounded funny. It reminded me of my grandfather a lot, too, because he is on this never ending quest to vanquish the squirrels from his bird feeder.

Book #6

Behemoth

This is a sequel to Leviathan, a book by Scott Westerfeld. If I remember correctly, it is set in a world that has two opposing societies, Creationists, and Darwinists. The Creationists use mechanical and steam powered stuff, while the Darwinists genetically engineer animals to do stuff. The protagonist dressed up as a guy (in a classic story) so she could work on this huge ship, the Leviathan, for the Darwinists. The Leviathan is this whole floating ecosystem, complete with glowing worms that light up at night. I loved Westerfeld's steampunk/science fiction world, and I'm excited to read his sequel. 

Hope you didn't mind my book talks too much.

<3 Gabi

Socks Today: I'm not wearing any socks, because I am on vacation and can do that. I am also wearing mismatched pajamas and a bathrobe, and it is 2pm. *stagnates*

School's out, and I'm not particularly excited

Winter break just started. School's out for two weeks. I've kind of been staring into space, in shock.


Must. Do. Homework. 
Wait, where's the homework? 
Oh, my ISP.
I don't want to do my ISP, there must be some other homework.
Must. Do. Homework.
(Return to the beginning)

I guess I do have homework, my ISP for computers, but it is so huge and scary and intimidating that I don't even want to look at it right now. The thing is, if I had to create a game, like some of the people, I'd be excited, but I was assigned to code a lesson on shapes and a quiz. SHAPES?! Shapes. Are. Boring.
I'm sort of happy about how easy my assignment will be, though, because I won't have much animation to do and only a few buttons.

Enough about school. WINTER BREAK!
This break I'm going to go skiing for three days with my family at a semi-posh resort we've never really been able to afford, which is exciting. Then later on, I'm going to get to see my three guy friends from my old school who I miss very much. I've heard rumours that one has begun to wear a ponytail because his hair is so long, so I will come wielding scissors. Well, not really. I'll just threaten him. I think I'll try to get together with some more old friends as well. Oh , I printed off some sheet music for Seasons of Love, so I'll try to learn a new song too, since my piano lessons seem to have fallen through.

I know nobody actually reads up to this point, and that my diary-entries are boring. I'm sure that when I put up more pictures of W.O. my pageviews will skyrocket, at least. Speaking of that, I had better track down my camera. Bye!

--Gabi <3

Socks: Sports socks that are warm and soft.

Further Proof that Nerds will Rule the World

     Last evening, I was sitting at my laptop typing frantically. Why, you may ask? I had a speech due in English class the next day, and I had to finish writing it. Finally, it was done, so I practiced for an hour. I'd only be allowed ONE FREAKING CUE CARD for a four minute speech, so being the overachiever that I am, I was freaking out. I made everyone listen to me practice, and people actually laughed, and found it funny! The topic I chose? Nerds. 

     My school public speaking assignments generally end up as boring research speeches, while people fall asleep. Contrary to popular belief, sandwiches are really not that interesting. I decided to go for a less serious topic, so nerds it was. 

     I have to say, I learned a lot more from this assignment than I do for most assignments, even though I barely did any research. I learned about Wizard Rock, (Gred and Forge are my favourites, for now.) and I also managed to find some support for nerds taking over. 

     Ever heard of word drift? That's basically when a word changes in meaning over time. Way back when, I could have called someone hot, and that would result in pulled out fans, and some absolutely spiffing iced lemonade. Now, the result would be much different. (I thought about making an MS paint picture to illustrate this, but maybe later.) The same thing has just begun to happen with the word nerd, with more and more people calling themselves nerds, but there are still tons of people who think of nerds as a bad thing. So, WORD DRIFT IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES!! I figured that if the increasing number of nerds keeps going up, pretty soon we will be EVERYWHERE!!!

     It's also really neat that my classmates seemed interested in my talk about Wrock, NaNoWriMo, and pi. It seems to me that only a nerd would be interested in that sort of stuff, hence my class must be full of nerds. You see, the nerds are totally taking over. Soon World Suck will be vanquished! (look up John and Hank Green or Nerd Fighters if you don't understand that.

Okay, lecture over, goodbye!

DFTBA (don't forget to be awesome,)

Gabi

Socks today: Both black, one with blue-green heels, one with pink heels. I think my friend and I may have scared the new girl by complimenting her socks. They were leopard print, we couldn't help ourselves!

P.S. Today is my former best friend's birthday. We haven't been close for a long time, and this is the first year we haven't been at the same school, so I haven't wished her happy birthday. It feels weird, but liberating as well. Mostly weird, unfortunately. 

New York!!!

Hello! I have recently returned from a trip to New York City. It wasn't actually my first time, but it was the first time that I spent a day shopping. When I went with my friend over the summer we went to museums, like the nerds that we are; with my family it looks something like this (I hope I used that semicolon correctly...) :
Mom: So, family, what would you like to do today?
Brother: LET'S GO LOOK AT GUNS!!!
Dad: Oh, I'll take Ben to do that!
(they walk out before asking me if I want to come)
Me: So, what should we do?
Mom: I was thinking a walk around Times Square.
Me: Okay!


Mom: Oh, let's go into the kitchenwares store!!
Me: Ummm...
Mom: Gabi, do you think that this set of dishes would look nice with these napkins?
Me: Can we go, please?




So as you see, these aren't really the best outings, so I was excited to go shopping. It was fun, and I got a shrug to go with a dress that I needed one for.


I also saw some weird stores...

It's a RUBBER STORE!!! I really don't get the point, though. 

I didn't realise that there were lightbulb stores. 

Those are my funny signs for today. Kind of stupid, too.


<3 Gabi


Socks today: I got some really pretty socks for 95 cents a pair at Forever 21, which we don't have here in Canadia. One is blue and gray with a pretty snow-flakey pattern, and the other is white and black with the same pattern. Due to them, I had a conversation with the girl at the checkout about mismatched socks.


P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACH!!

Book Stores are Amazing

I feel so accomplished, posting so often like this. I feel like Howie jump-started me and a lot of other sparklers to keep blogging, and I've seen a lot more posts lately. THANK YOU SQUIRREL!


Anywhoodle, after Hebrew class last night, my dad offered to take me to the bookstore to meet up with my mom and brother, since my brother's school is having a book sale. Of course, he was met with a loud YESSSSSSSS!!! When I got there, I inhaled the scent of books, then went upstairs to the teen section. (By the way, what is with all of the vampire fiction? I mean, teenagers have some taste.) I started to flip through the Hunger Games, which I still need to read, when my mum sneaked up behind me and freaked me out, then offered to buy me a book. I chose something random, then decided to go look at the kids section, when I saw a book I've wanted for a really long time. Well, I didn't know that it existed, but if I did I would have wanted it. Oh, btw, it is the prequel to the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and seems interesting so far.


I just wish that books weren't so expensive in Canada, it cost $20. Is that a lot for a hardcover, or am I just forgetting after my long streak of buying books secondhand? 


Oh, New York trip is tonight, and I haven't started to pack. I'd better go and do that. 


-Gabi-


Socks today: I think one is my cousin's sock, but they are pale pink and my cousin's sock looks like it has shoelaces on it and mine has brown heels and toes.

If you do not want to see a picture of W.O., you are probably heartless.

My birthday is coming up in two weeks. As an early birthday present, my parents got me a new camera to replace my poor dead Samsung. Though I'm not entirely sure that I like the feel of the camera, I managed to get a decent picture of W.O., who doesn't generally like to stay still for photos. A combination of the amazingness of my purple fuzzy chair (that may have some laundry on it in the picture) and of my new camera, perhaps? Feely seemed very interested in the camera, and her nose was wiggling insanely as I took the picture.
Drum roll please


















BUNNY RABBIT CUTENESS!

The saturation is a bit funny because I needed to edit it so that she wasn't just a blob of black. And isn't her mohawk amazing?
Westley Ophelia is quite possibly the coolest furry rodent ever.


<3 Gabi


Socks Today: I forgot about this part for a while. Today I am wearing boring ankle socks, just grey and white. Kind of lame.

NaNoWriMo, Nerdfighters, and I Don't Really Want to Keep Alliterating

Hello. I am a neglectful, horrible, mean, lazy, not-even-remotely-funny, blogger. In October I tried to write a few posts, but as a busy student that has ADD ("OH MY GOSH A PRETTY BIRD!!!") I tend to abandon these posts halfway through. This time I am RESOLVED to finish this post without getting distracted halfway through. ("Those bagels smell realllyyyy good.") 


In October, before Sparklife changed its layout and I could actually follow the posts, I was reminded about the awesome program called NaNoWriMo. You write a fifty thousand word novel in a month, which equals approximately 1667 words a day. I decided that I would attempt this, and I told absolutely everyone that I was doing it. That was in the hopes that I'd be embarrassed into writing daily. So how am I doing? I'm a failure, actually. I kept on schedule for the first week, then fell behind. So right now, with only 9 days left, I am at 19000, which is really far behind. I've given up hope, which is why I dragged myself over to this blog without the excuse of having to finish writing a book. To be honest, not doing well at nano wasn't all that bad. I've gained a huge amount of respect for writers in general, because I have realised how hard it is to develop a character, to choose a point of view and general feel of a book, and to actually get a plot. 


Speaking of books (well, movies,) the first installment of the last Harry Potter movie just came out. I probably will not watch it, because I stopped following the movies after the Goblet of Fire for no particular reason. Two of my new friends, who both actually have best friend potential, wants me to come see it with them. Well, with the school Harry Potter club which the two of them started. If I end up going, it will probably be really fun, but that is only if I force myself to be social. 


I haven't been very social lately, unless you count the semi-formal dance on Thursday. Oh, and taking public transit with my friends. ("Oh look, a message on gtalk!") I just realised how lame that sounds, but I am still excited about how many people in public school take the TTC. When I was in private school, people sometimes sounded shocked that I take the subway and bus, so it is nice that my friends take it. 


That brings me to Nerdfighters.While walking to the bus stop together, my friend decided to introduce me to Nerdfighters. Namely the Fitness for Nerds video. I'd link to it, but my internet blocker thing is being all annoying. In part of the video, the guy jumps back and forth to dodge the bully. Dodge, and deflect, dodge and deflect. I got really excited about these nerd fighters, and decided to try it out. And that is how I ended up looking like an idiot at the corner of a major intersection.


I think I am going to go write my essay now. And eat a bagel. And maybe spend a little bit longer on gtalk.


Bye!