2008 July archive at Katie Robinson

Archive for July, 2008

I musthava book by Mustazza

Published at July 31, 2008 in Literature and Blabber. 0 Comments

Chris and I had the bright idea to order some used books that we had found to be especially helpful for our theses. This was sparked when I noticed a copy of The Vonnegut Statement for sale on Amazon.com for about a dollar–the catch is that shipping is a few dollars, but $4.00 for a book isn’t so bad. This also seemed like a good idea because the Barnes and Noble here never seems to re-stock and so many of the books are badly damaged. Folded covers and such.

I found myself extremely disappointed as I looked up the books that I really, really could use. They’re like $100! This is probably due to the fact that some are out of print and did not have many copies printed to begin with, so I’m searching for kind of rare books.

I guess that it has gotten cool enough to like Vonnegut (since he is dead) that Forever Pursuing Genesis was reprinted. I must have this book. I must. It is $30, though, so I guess I’ll just keep interlibrary loaning it over and over and maybe I’ll accidentally forget to return it at the end of the year. Oops?

Also, take a look at this commencement speech made by Vonnegut.
He is awesome. Yes.
I know I am rambling far too much about him already. Sorry.

I haven’t been to sleep for over a year. That’s why I go to bed early. One needs more rest if one doesn’t sleep.

Published at July 28, 2008 in Movies, Literature and Blabber. 1 Comment

I went to Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks ago looking for something fresh, something amazing, something for fun instead of for my thesis. I noticed Evelyn Waugh at the front of the store, you know, on one of the tables that they think will appeal to the masses. I wondered, “What is he doing up here?”

I wandered around some more and considered picking up a novel by Virginia Woolf. While in the “W” section, I noticed that Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited had a new edition. Then I had a common sense revelation. “Ah! They’re making a MOVIE out of it!” I was happy for Waugh. This would be the second time that the novel received attention as it also was turned into a television series. Not bad for a Modernist who tried to avoid becoming a writer. If only I had the curse of constantly being pressured into making a living as a writer…. Anyway, I had considered buying Brideshead Revisited about a year and a half ago, but chose Vile Bodies instead. Vile Bodies was made into a movie called Bright Young Things or something like that.

Then I saw the trailer for Brideshead Revisited. What. the. heck. Now, I admit that I have not read the novel and I am a far from a Waugh expert,–though I’d love to study him indepth–but I know Mr. Waugh well enough to say that what I saw on that trailer was NOT Waugh. It seems like a deep drama. Waugh is a dark, hilarious, comedic writer. He is amazingly funny and ironic.

Slate’s Troy Patterson has something to say about the novel and film. I’m glad that I didn’t pick up the novel and instead chose Vile Bodies. I must admit that my decision was based on embarassment of being seen reading a book with “bride” in the title; that would have been very girlish of me, something I try to avoid.

Waugh’s smirk kind of looks like T.S. Eliot’s, no?

P.S. And what’s up with Batman having a smoker’s voice? Really. I laughed. I don’t think that I was supposed to.

Chris: [while watching Anthony Bourdain] One of my favorite things about you is that you like calamari. Well, actually, that is kind of lame to say as one of my favorite things about you, but it is pretty cool.

Billy Pilgrim

Published at July 27, 2008 in Literature and Blabber. 0 Comments

Chris: [regarding Slaughterhouse-Five] I like it…. It’s a good book.

Katie: Let’s e-mail the publisher and have that put on the back as a blurb. “I like it…. It’s a good book.” –Christopher Robinson.

SAMe as what?

Published at July 27, 2008 in Blabber. 0 Comments

I saw a commercial today that confused me. I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to be taking it seriously or not. The commercial showed three middle-aged sisters having lunch. They get along, but “it wasn’t always this way” since they apparently did not have a good relationship until they started taking SAMe Moodcaps. These magnificent “caps” help to mend relationships, such as the one sister and her Amy Winehouse-inspired fashionista daughter. SAMe Moodcaps help her to remain stable even when her daughter dresses dumb so that she can stay in charge as the parent! Also, the second sister controls her moods more effectively when the dog shakes mud all over her work clothes!

Unfortunately, I could not find the commercial on Youtube. It was really a treat.

This reminded me of two references to culture.

Number one: Alduos Huxley’s Brave New World.
In Brave New World, humans find themselves addicted to medications that are meant to keep them level-headed. Huxley wrote this in a time before Prozac and the like. Of course, everyone seems a bit concerned about the over-medication of America. Your kids have trouble in school? Must be ADHD! It seems like such a cop-out. While not all doctors are reliable, at least a doctor used to be needed to write a prescription for these medications. I guess not anymore. What happened to self-control and patience?

Number two: Arrested Development’s Teamocil
The canceled television show Arrested Development has a running joke concerning a medication called Teamocil, which helps to provide a feeling of, well, teammanship. The show also points out that such medications (despite seeming “natural”) come with such a long list of side effects that they could/should be banned.

Recently

Published at July 26, 2008 in Blabber. 0 Comments

Recently…. I have

started teaching English 101 at Miller-Motte Technical College. Regrettably, only part-time.
had my life consumed with J. Crew.
discovered that they sell Virginia free-range, antibiotic-free eggs as the market on Saturdays.
read through a quarter of Player Piano again. I’m reading slow these days….. No time.
turned 22.
was told by a student that I look like the girl from Little House on the Prairie.

Nothing interesting going on. I feel like I have no time to do anything.

Spaaaaam

Published at July 14, 2008 in Blabber. 0 Comments

I have gotten over 35 spam comments on this blog today alone….. I don’t want your darn “free” ringtones and I’m not going to approve these bogus comments because I KNOW none of my few readers want them either. Or do you? Grrrr.