Page 123

Okay, so here's how the game works:

1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the 5th sentence.

4. Post the next 3 sentences.

5. Tag people.

So here goes:

The book is Through Waters Roar: A Novel by Lynn Austin. The 5th sentence reads, "And after he'd refilled his glass a third time, and drank it down, there weren't any."

Next 3 sentences:

"In fact, Horatio slept like a dead man. Bebe had to shake him awake in the morning so they wouldn't miss their train to Niagara Falls. They spent their honeymoon in a lavish hotel near the falls, and for the first time Bebe saw the thundering cascade, she clung to Horatio's arm unable to speak."

This is the book I'm reading to give you guys a review but I'm currently on page 50 and in between this, the other books for contemporary literature, and schoolwork, it'll be a while before you get the review. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Tags:

Cassandra Cappello

A Good Man Is Hard To FInd

Recently we were assigned a few readings for my contemporary literature class. The book is by Flannery O'Conner, titled, A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories.

In the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, O'Conner writes about a family trip that ends up going terribly wrong and that there is mainly one character to blame, the unnamed grandmother. This selfish, manipulative, and perhaps religious woman wishes to change the family plans to go to the original destination, she causes an accident by bringing along a forbidden pet, and eventually gets the entire family killed because she can't seem to stop talking. Hints to the death of the family mount as the grandmother brings along the cat, instigates the children to commit tantrums in order to see a house that she mistakenly believes is there, and is the first to introduce the Misfit character. The grandmother is obsessed with outward appearances and dresses in her best for a long car ride. Although some sources, such as wikipedia, state that the grandmother might have been committing an act of charity and realized her foolish ways in the end, I doubt it. The only reason she touched the killer in the end was because he was wearing her son's shirt and in facing certain death she got confused as to who was her son. The entire conversation between her and the killer was so he would let her live, not for the safety of her family. This story basically warns me to keep my mouth shut unless I have something important to say so that I don't end up getting killed along with innocent people.

In the story, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, a wandering man named Mr. Shiftlet, receives a chance at a permanent home but rejects it and ends the same way he started although with material possessions. These possessions have brought very little happiness to him. The characters in this story need to be pushed further. Unlike the story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, these characters seem uncomfortable and half realized. Shiftlet, the wandering man states that he doesn't care for money but shows that in the end, he chose money over the daughter, which could represent that he rejects innocence. The story started out slowly and was harder to care for because of the apparent lack of progress.

Although Shiflet has skills at repairing things around the farm, he is physically broken. He is a one-armed man who, early in the plot, stretches out both arms toward the sun, looking like a “crooked cross”. When Shiflet speaks, it is of odd things, like a surgeon who took out a heart and examined it like “a day-old chicken”. She eventually states that the heart is beyond science and, when asked to sleep in the broken down car, references European monks who sleep in coffins. Although it's legal, the marriage to the woman's daughter doesn't satisfy him and states that it's the law that doesn't satisify him. Immediately afterwards, Shiftlet abandons his new wife and picks up a hitchhiker to make up for this guilt. The hitchhiker apparently sees how much of a liar Shiftlet is and jumps out of the car, leaving Shiftlet praying to God to wipe the scum off the earth.

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, is pretty much about two people using each other. Shiftlet wants the car and the old woman wants to get rid of her daughter while the girl, mute and unable to communicate, is left far from home.

Not a bad read. Because of my horrible sense of humor, I did somewhat enjoy the first story, mainly because the idiot grandmother finally got shot.

Ernest Hemingway, Why Do You Hurt Me So? (Part 2)

The book wasn't horrible. Cutting off my pinky would definitely have been worse. It was a struggle to read the book each day for class and not because I can't read, because I certainly can. No, the book was just bad.

The characters are completely crazy. I was finally able to see what happens when Brett can't immediately get what she wants, which is Romero, a young bullfighter. She actually needed an introduction to meet this new man. She's in awe at Romero's strength and jealous of Jake for being able to talk with such ease.

Jake is instigating the whole situation by pushing the two together. I believe, and sparknotes agrees, that Romero is a sexual replacement for Jake, who, because of the war, can't have a physical relationship. After Jake introduces Brett to this young man, the scenery changes and the whole setting is wet, muddy, and dirty.

Cohn, having had sex with Brett, follows her like a puppy dog but is instead shooed away and verbally harassed by Mike, Brett's fiance. Although Mike doesn't care if Brett runs around with men, Cohn is the only idiot to still follow her around.

When Cohn realizes that Jake has actually helped Romero and Brett get together, he accuses Jake of being a pimp. Jake then, probably from the stress of having given Brett away, swings at Cohn. He misses. Cohn knocks Jake out and then strikes Mike. Jake has officially become as silly as Cohn by giving in to his sentimentalism. Cohn vanishes after fighting, and failing to bring down Romero.

Romero continues with the scheduled bullfighting even though he is injured from the fight. He excels. Jake has ruined the insider reputation he had in Pompolona and destroyed his friendship with Montoya, a bullfighting aficionado and native. Jake leaves. In France, Jake overtips in order to buy friendships and places where he is welcome.

Afterwards, Jake meets with Brett who tells him, to make herself feel better, that she has sent Romero away. Brett is getting old and probably doesn't want to look foolish by following some youngster around. She then, like the crazy lady she is, tells Jake that if they could have sex, it would have been good between them but Jake knows this is all a game.

The book ends. The climax wasn't great (my summary was probably better) and all the good stuff happened at once that Hemingway could have condensed the rest of the book easily. I was not impressed and still wonder why Hemingway is so popular. Good thing I purchased the old, yellowed, and cheap version of the book for class.

A Little Side Project for my Little Side Project

Facebook Relationships

Awesome video about falling for a girl on Facebook. Watch it, because after I did, my whole life seemed so much better.

Chloe's Summer 2010 Collection

Check out Chloe's Summer 2010 collection. Totally cute and wearable. My fave? Look 34.

Helping Out a Friend

Cassandra of Cassandra Cappello Design needed some help testing out her design. It's a game for children with autism that promotes learning and social interaction. She had me quickly put the game together and test it. Here's a link to the video. Check it out.

The Fear of Getting Old

With my 22nd birthday coming up, I have started thinking about how old I don't feel. Immature, impatient, and a procrastinator, I am hardly a grown up, and yet, my foot and back aches. My right knee pops. I'm forgetful. Slightly deaf. And one pesky gray hair keeps coming back among all my black tresses.

I started searching for information on aging and found this documentary. It was really interesting and has opened my eyes to the possibility that, if my genes play a major role, I will to be at least 90 years old.

Te Amo.

Not having much money for a gift, I decided to give Daniel a framed photograph of myself (yes, I'm conceited). I printed out the message and simply held it up while a friend took the photos. He was surprised at the gift but since I have photos of him, I thought it was right he should have one of me.

Interview: Shannon Vassey

With a slight southern accent and the need to jump up and give you a hug, Shannon Vassey passes along her exuberant energy to all those she meets. A graduating senior in Fine Arts, she's currently putting the finishing touches on her thesis work.

Born in Columbus, Ohio but raised in South Carolina, Vassey remembers her first year as being hard to adjust to, stating that her previous art classes had been “too much of a free for all with no structure.” The CCAD campus, though, exposes all the freshman to an immense amount of art and structure.

Freshman year is wrought with stress as to what major should be picked and Vassey was not immune. “I thought about Interior Design but decided I couldn't handle math and angles,” she says as she laughs, “and Fine Arts seemed to offer the freedom to explore all avenues of art.” Three and a half years later, including a productive semester in Italy, Vassey is about to have her first show.

“I'm working with the psychological aspects of memory and how it starts to fade.” She uses printmaking techniques, fabric, found and used objects while incorporating patterns and shapes. “It's influenced by the Fifties and my grandmother.” Her grandmother, died when Vassey was two. “I have an ideal image of her but it's not the whole truth. My memory [of her] is there but I can't get a hold of it.”

Another connection to memory in Vassey's pieces is the use of silhouettes. These types of images have to be given a second look in order to really see the picture. It all goes back to faded memory. Vassey believes that “when you try to get a hold of a faded memory, you start adding your own parts so that it's not the truth.”

Like many student's, especially seniors, Vassey has thought about what to do after graduation. “I'm thinking of taking a year off and then get a business degree at Columbus State,” she says. Her ultimate dream? Asking her made her face light up. It's to own her own store. “I want to keep using printmaking, while making invitations, cards, handmade books, and little collectible prints.”

Columbus offers one of she most favorite things (she loves snow) but Vassey might end up moving back to the south. “Charleston [South Carolina] is a good place because it has a lot of history and I am drawn to places like that.”

As the days to her show start to dwindle into single digits, Shannon Vassey can be found at her favorite coffee spots, visiting the Short North, and wishing for snow.

Shannon Vassey's show will be held from February 22^nd until the 26^th. Closing reception will be held at the CCAD Design Studios on Broad on February 26^th. A photo of her work will be posted when the closing reception time is decided.

The Early Valentine's Day Dinner

Hello all,

Recently, I celebrated Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. My nice (attempt at) dinner and a movie. The Salmon (recipe here) was interesting. Because I made more than the recipe required, I wasn't sure how much of everything I should add of everything else. Overall, I believe I added too much wine and not enough oranges/lemons. Some more dill and sundried tomatoes would also have helped. It was mostly wine and fish.

The potatoes (recipe here) turned out better. Maybe more seasoning but definitely better than the fish.

For desert, actually we ate this for lunch because we couldn't wait, we had a caramel custard, or flan. I didn't make it from scratch because last time it came out too sweet. Next time I hope not to make it out of the box since I found a different recipe.

The movie we saw was Universal Soldier: Regeneration. A film that makes you think about future wars but it really wasn't too interesting and at one point was just funny. Not the typical Valentine's Day movie for some, I understand, but not horribly bad.

Overall, with a side of veggies and tortillas, everything was good, at least edible. Nobody died or required some Pepto Bismol. And the film, couple with wine, helped me sleep.

Damn Wine...

When you buy wine, make sure you bring a corkscrew along. I could just go get a corkscrew, but there's a snowstorm, which is making driving conditions dangerous, at least for my style of driving. So, pretty much, I'm stuck at Daniel's place.

Good thing I had the forethought to bring EVERYTHING needed for Saturday, except for a corkscrew. I brought the baby red potatoes, the sundried tomatoes, and so on. But no corkscrew.

Damn.

Here's hoping a wire hanger is lying around somewhere.

Shopping at Tuttle Mall

I just got back from a three hour shopping break at Tuttle with a friend of mine. If you recall the dresses from my post: Still in Pain, But... I really wanted to go spend my money like a crazy person, but it didn't happen. My rational side too over.

Forever 21 didn't actually have the dresses that I had posted, or I just couldn't find them. Charlotte Russe did have a nice dress that I can wear for Valentine's Day, but that doesn't scream OMG IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY, or, my favorite, I'M GONNA GET LAID!

So I got the dress, on sale for about 15 bucks. Then off we went to Aerie. They have cute undies for $1.98! Got three. Got a rewards card for their stores...

And then I got free chocolate! From Godiva. I am now a member and get a free piece every month. I believe the Cafe Vienna chocolate was the best part! Good day, but must get back to reading E. Hemingway for class tomorrow. Kind of a let down after all that awesome shopping.

Maybe I should put on my "I want to get laid" dress and...

Coming Soon: Interview with a Fine Artist

I will be uploading an interview with Shannon Vassey, a fine artist at Columbus College of Art & Design. She is currently a senior and will have her thesis show soon, so stay tuned.

What's in a Name?

Search your name on Urban Dictionary! I've been searching a lot of people that know and have found descriptions ranging from "hot biatch" (mine) to "an alien being". Do it!

Valentine's Day

I utterly adore my boyfriend, Daniel. In my absolutely biased opinion, he's smart, funny, cute, and amazing in bed. He has also been caring for me while I've been recuperating from my surgery these past few days and I wanted to do something nice for him.

Valentine's Day, has usually just come and gone every year prior to this relationship without even an acknowledgement from me. I wasn't some bitter woman, hating everybody that wasn't single. Having no reason to share in this holiday, like the Chinese New Year, I just did my homework, read books, watched movies, and went about with my life.

This year, I'm in a relationship and want to do something really special for Daniel. Now, don't start thinking that I'll go all out, that I expect something in return, or am one of those crazy ass girls that will cry if their significant others forgets. I understand forgetfulness. I tend to do it all the time. Now what was I talking about... Haha.

So I started gathering recipes. I love Salmon, so that absolutely had to be the main dish. Daniel loves potatoes, so maybe some roasted ones with Rosemary? (Worry not, I will post the recipes and pictures when I make the dinner.)

I have also decided to push the celebration up to this weekend because for the first time he has off the entire Saturday, not just the morning and not just the afternoon. No work the entire day! Will keep you updated on how it goes.

Before I turn 25

I found this book (The Expert's Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do, created by Samantha Ettus) at the library the other day, actually renewed it once before I finally got to it, but it has proven really interesting.

It's a book with short articles on how to do essential things such as caring for your skin and making a bed. These how to sections are written by experts in the field such as Bobbi Brown and Donald Trump.

Other than the "I want to lose weight this year" type of New Years resolutions, I don't usually make plans like that but this book has made me compile a list of things I would like to learn by age 25.

1. Be able to complete an 8 minute mile.

2. Drive a stick shift.

3. Learn to negotiate.

4. Learn to tell a story.

5. Arrange Flowers

6. Be competent in French.

7. Go on a trip to anywhere. Overseas, to the next state, road trip or on a plane, just do it!

I want nails so strong that...

I can lift a small child using only my long ass, bright pink nails. Joking about the small child because that would probably get me arrested but I do want stronger longer nails. After deciding this, I went to Walmart and purchased the Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle Salon Strength Treatment for about six bucks. The instructions, as I understood them, are to apply a coat every other day, removing the previous coats beforehand. I have applied the first coat and will update you to see if it works.

Ernest Hemingway, Why Do You Hurt Me So?

The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, is a required reading for my Contemporary Literature class. Why this book is so extraordinary is beyond my comprehension.

Now keep in mind: My major is product design, not english, or literature, and I have never read anything written by Ernest Hemingway.

The book, as far as I've read, is about a group of young to middle aged people partying their lives away. It's about the characters masking the way they feel about the war that just ended, their insecurities, and the way that booze and dance really just makes them feel worse. And yet they continue on the same path.

The main character, Jake Barnes, is introduced through his introduction of Robert Cohn. Everything that Barnes feels about Cohn reveals his own personality. This is an interesting way of introducing a character but this is where my interest in the book ends. Barnes is still hung up on a girl, Brett Ashley. Her character seems to use all the men in the book in order to make herself feel important and, I believe, if nobody paid attention to her, she would undoubtably feel lost and without a purpose. I believe what Hemingway is describing is the "Lost Generation". A group of youths leftover from the war.

The book and all the dialogue seems too passive. It seems like there is no climactic point in the horizon and that everyone will go on pretending to be happy until the end of time. Another thing that really bothers me is the way Hemingway feels he must describe each and every turn that the characters make when traveling in Paris. Paragraphs upon paragraphs are spent in naming streets. Why? I've never lived in Paris and these names conjure up no images to go along with the plot.

I will keep you up to date as I continue reading and hopefully will change my mind about the book.