tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86133258225290073792024-02-20T19:44:08.410-07:00Idle PrattleThis is my microcosm from which I observe the world around me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-39699597808091264322017-12-31T23:59:00.000-07:002018-01-01T00:15:55.022-07:00LAST POST OF 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last workout of 2017!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Tonight is New Year's Eve. It's the end of 2017, a year that has had many ups and downs. It's a time for reflection, for apple cider, and for avoiding human contact.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I have no plans for the evening, so I've decided that I will update my blog. You know, the blog I forget about for months on end. Yeah. So I'm going to watch Netflix-flavored <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://78.media.tumblr.com/a21a90dc1bbbefb502e32e06e8aca62f/tumblr_p1uatab6HZ1uiaay2o1_540.jpg" target="_blank">Voltron</a> </i>and update my blog. And you, my imaginary readers, shall reap the benefits of my lack of social life.</span></span></div>
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Aren't you lucky?</span></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>READING CHALLENGE (27/52)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok, so the first thing I wanted to do tonight was make a list of all the books I read this year. Yeah, I'm <i>that </i>exciting! I didn't reach 52 this year, and I actually read fewer books than last year, but that's ok. I'm reading, I'm enjoying it, and that's the point of the #52booksin52weeks challenge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">01. <i>Rebirth </i>by Tyler Golec</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">02. <i>Six of Crows </i>by Leigh Bardugo</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">03. <i>Adulthood is a Myth </i>by Sarah Andersen</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">04. <i>Crooked Kingdom </i>by Leigh Bardugo</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">05. <i>Soon I Will Be Invincible </i>by Austin Grossman</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">06. <i>In The Beginning </i>by Virginia Hamilton</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">07. <i>Tarkin </i>by James Luceno</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">08-11. <i>The Song of the Lioness Quartet </i>by Tamora Pierce</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> 08. <i>Alanna: The First Adventure</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> </i>09. <i>In The Hand of the Goddess</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> </i>10. <i>The Woman Who Rides Like A Man</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> </i>11. <i>Lioness Rampant</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">12. <i>Two Boys Kissing </i>by David Levithan</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">13. <i>The Name of the Star </i>by Maureen Johnson</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">14. <i>The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures </i>by Dave Stevens</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">15. <i>Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency </i>by Douglas Adams</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">16. <i>The Outsiders </i>by S.E. Hinton</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">17. <i>I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced </i>by Nujood Ali</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">18. <i>Power Girl: Power Trip </i>by </span></span><span style="text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Jimmy Palmiotti</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">19. <i>Monster Musume vol. 1 </i>by OKAYADO</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">20. <i>Redwall </i>by Brian Jacques</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">21. <i>The Handmaid's Tale </i>by Margaret Atwood</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">22. <i>Ready Player One </i>by Ernest Cline</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">23. <i>Proof of Heaven </i>by Eben Alexander</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">24. <i>The Girl With The Silver Eyes </i>by Willo Davis Roberts</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">25. <i>The White Boy Shuffle </i>by Paul Beatty</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">26. <i>Red Planet </i>by Robert Heinlein</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">27. <i>The Lost Years (Merlin #1) </i>by T.A. Barron</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As you can see, it was a good year for reading. I read a variety of books, and only a few of these were re-reads from my younger years. A couple of them really didn't resonate with me, but overall, I'm happy with my list. Next year I'll have to turn up my reading volume again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I wrapped up two glorious years at Hess in Yilan, Taiwan, transitioning to Rawlins High School in Rawlins, Wyoming, USA. What a big change! It was a very difficult decision for me to leave Taiwan and return to the States, but I felt that it was time for a change.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a wonderful experience in Taiwan. Hess was an interesting company to work for, but for me, it was all about the kiddos. They made my time there truly special. My coworkers were pretty wonderful, and I forged some lasting friendships there. I'm also glad that several of my former students have connected with me on social media so we can keep in touch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I've almost finished the first semester here in Rawlins (it ends on January 19th), and it has been pretty awesome so far. I really enjoy teaching juniors, and I feel like I'm in a good place right now. I'm looking forward to continuing my work here as time goes on. I'm still getting to know my students, and I have a few who routinely stalk me on Instagram. So far, so good!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>FORNEVER RPG</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh man, 2017 has seen a lot of changes in my RPG system! I've done a lot to try and streamline the rules system even more, and I've made some small changes with wide-reaching impacts on the system as a whole. I don't have anything specific to announce regarding my timetable for release, other than "soonish."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>WRITING</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This year I won NaNoWriMo again, which is totally awesome. I wrote the second book in my fantasy trilogy, and I ended the month of November with a completed manuscript. Of course, it's rough as rough can be, and it definitely needs a tender beating with the Revision Stick, but it's done. The first book took a decade to write, and the second a month...I think that's progress?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I've basically given up on writing for Radish. I do need to finish that story at some point, and I'll continue to upload it to Radish (and eventually to Wattpad, as well), but I don't think the platform works for what I write.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of Wattpad...I've been keeping my fans waiting on M.A.I.D.S. [season 2] for entirely too long! I feel really awful about that, but my brain does weird things when I think about working on it. I know, I know, I need to finish it. I want to, it's just...complicated.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Life is definitely improving, but that doesn't mean I'm not wracked by doubt and depression from time to time. I've accomplished so much, and yet, it feels wrong. At this point in my life I was supposed to have someone to share it with. Well, we can see how that turned out. I'm still bitter about that. I think about where I'm at and what I've become, and I feel like something's missing. Hopefully this year I will be able to work on that, as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It's not all doom and gloom, though! Things are improving, and like I wrote earlier, I'm in a good place. I have exciting things in the works, and the rest will come. I'm cautiously optimistic about 2018. Goodbye, 2017, you weren't <i>all </i>that bad. Thank you for the good, and thank you for the lessons.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b></span><br /><i style="font-family: tinos; font-size: medium;"><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-90655128288888033532017-12-01T21:19:00.002-07:002017-12-01T21:19:47.655-07:00December 2017 Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well now, I haven't updated in...way too long. I really need to get better at this (he says, not for the first time). Ah well, I'm here, and hopefully that counts for something. If not, well, deal with it. There's hardly anyone who even reads my blog (maybe it's because I never update?). It's time for an update!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[cue theme music]</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[nevermind, there's no budget for theme music]</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[pretend there is theme music]</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The XMAS season is upon us. It's December 1st here, and it's time to update y'all. Lemme grab my <i>Cards for Mindfulness </i>and get this going.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82tUtyRIXHFeCfMSJVMgZBXzjKtt0YzrENB323tzA_hSDGqhI02YOCDMFYQUjYt7OkDKTrgnw2H4W8eIYw8W6fB_HJsRX8ojh43AAWilr8szK2fN65kOXNCi0udlOEVzZH3eXCh5aqVM/s1600/Dec+1%252C+2017+8%253A01%253A25+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82tUtyRIXHFeCfMSJVMgZBXzjKtt0YzrENB323tzA_hSDGqhI02YOCDMFYQUjYt7OkDKTrgnw2H4W8eIYw8W6fB_HJsRX8ojh43AAWilr8szK2fN65kOXNCi0udlOEVzZH3eXCh5aqVM/s320/Dec+1%252C+2017+8%253A01%253A25+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Touch Screen [Balance]</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This card tells me to focus on the feeling of typing/swiping/doing whatever I'm doing with hands when I'm working with electronics. It's an interesting card to pull, especially coming off of NaNoWriMo, which forced me to spend the month of November working longer hours on my Chromebook than I usually do.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, immediately I can tell you my current setup isn't ideal. I'm sitting on my couch, leaning over my coffee table, which is putting a strain on my wrists and lower back. So yeah, maybe I <i>should </i>pay more attention and get into a better position. In fact, I'mma do that right now! Leaning back and putting the Chromebook in my lap is definitely way more comfortable. Thanks, <i>Cards for Mindfulness!</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>yes yes yes [Balance]</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Is this card sponsored by <a href="https://media1.tenor.com/images/0f096dfb18dc0600b084da4eeb44867a/tenor.gif?itemid=4478367" target="_blank">Daniel Bryan</a>? (If you don't understand the reference, you need to remember that I'm a wrestling fan.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, this card recommends that I say "yes" to to things when it feels safe to do so. This card actually feels relevant, as I am definitely a bit of a homebody. Home is my comfort zone, home is where my fun stuff is, and staying home doesn't cost money.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I've actually been making an effort to be more social. Tonight I'm staying in due to my financial distress, but I've been making an effort to say "yes" when other teachers here invite me out. So yeah, I'll keep this card in the back of my mind as time moves forward.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSE8auyfLt2vaFhdHiNhQmmrWH0TAnv_rr7R9O_KT5pJIdyQaujr9AweX0nAx0BIw8MKqSoiLmbNOJkpJWOuhqbQ77cYV5jnQCpLDJDzancZRuDYWLRiJdmD1sZ39SqBt8bWYSVO-tTg/s1600/Dec+1%252C+2017+8%253A21%253A13+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSE8auyfLt2vaFhdHiNhQmmrWH0TAnv_rr7R9O_KT5pJIdyQaujr9AweX0nAx0BIw8MKqSoiLmbNOJkpJWOuhqbQ77cYV5jnQCpLDJDzancZRuDYWLRiJdmD1sZ39SqBt8bWYSVO-tTg/s320/Dec+1%252C+2017+8%253A21%253A13+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Know thy senses [Awareness]</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Being aware of one's senses can lead to attunement with the self and others. At least, that's what the card says (more or less). This card recommends that I spend some time each day focusing on one sense or another in order to deepen my awareness. Good advice, yeah?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I definitely do this while I'm exercising. Since I hit the gym solo (and there's usually no one else in there when I am), I have to be mindful of how much weight I'm working with, how hard I'm pushing myself, and when my body tells me to back off and take a rest. I've really been pushing myself to get into better shape over the past few weeks, and I've developed some good fitness habits that I'm excited to maintain and build upon. If I don't remain mindful of my senses during my workouts, I could hurt myself. I can't get stronger if I put myself on the shelf!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ok, now that I'm past my [ir]regularly-scheduled <i>Cards for Mindfulness </i>update, it's time to move on to some other business. I figured I owe it to my 2.5 readers to write a little more than usual. Hold on to your butts.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I've been in Rawlins since August, and I really like it here so far. It's a small city, but that's my style. I don't need a lot of entertainment options because I know how to entertain myself, but it would be nice to see more options for my students. It would also be great to not have to drive to Laramie to reach the nearest GameStop, and it sucks there isn't a Starbucks here. I know, I know, #FirstWorldProblems for sure.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I really like my job. It was really hard for me to leave Taiwan because I really liked the country and I loved my students (especially all of my little monsters in kindergarten!). I'm teaching five classes of juniors and one class of seniors, and it has been pretty great so far. I have some really great students that give even the toughest days some bright spots. I feel that I have a good mix of coworkers, though the "old guard" that was here before I arrived are, for the most part, faces only at this point.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The little house I'm renting is totes adorbs, and just enough space for the MAC Daddy. It would be a little more cozy if I had a romantic partner, but I'm not really rushing that. I check dating sites on occasion to see what's out there, but yeah...the biggest issue of living in Rawlins is that the dating pool is small and everybody knows everybody. Also, y'all know I'm really not anybody's type, and that's doubly true in small-town Wyoming. What will be will be.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's see, what else? I'm still getting a hold on my budget, and I really screwed the pooch this month. Adulting is hard! It would be awesome if I could get a loan and use that to get ahead instead of playing catch-up all the time, but my credit is poopsauce, so that's not an option (unless someone wants to loan me some dough? No? Damn.).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">My #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge has ground nearly to a halt this year, but I'm still going. December isn't over yet. I might have to sneak in a few easy reads to get my book-count up. I've read 24 books this year and I'm about halfway through number 25, which I could finish off if I put in some solid reading time this weekend. I'm also nearly done with a professional development book, which I could also wrap up in a couple of hours if I just focused.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I won NaNoWriMo again this year, which was awesome. My story this year had a definite beginning, middle, and end (last year I didn't quite finish the story by day 30 even though I had hit the 50,000-word mark). Is my book good? Hell no. It's a rough, rough draft. But considering the first book in this series took me about a decade to finish the rough draft, I'm happy with my progress!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Gaming-wise, I got a Nintendo Switch with my first paycheck and I absolutely love the system. The only thing I don't understand is why Nintendo didn't just copy/paste the eShop setup from either the Wii U or the 3DS. I mean, shit, the Wii Shop Channel is better-organized and easier to navigate. It's not like this is Nintendo's first rodeo with online shopping, so what gives? Anyway, a bad eShop interface does not ruin the otherwise outstanding gaming experience from the hybrid system.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I think that's just about it. To wrap things up, since this is December 1st, I'm going to post my XMAS list. Of course, I don't expect to get any of this stuff, but it doesn't hurt to daydream, right?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">THE MAC DADDY'S 2017 XMAS LIST OF DOOM!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">good weightlifting gloves</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a decent frying pan</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a second baking sheet</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a sweet travel mug (not too tall, though!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a new pair of slacks (black or gray) for work</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">new polo shirts, button-downs, and sweaters for work (NO sweater vests)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">cool belt buckles (I wear them to work)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">new contacts (my monthlies are on month 2 now)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tickets to the new STAR WARS movie</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a mani/pedi</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">laser hair removal surgery</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">vasectomy</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Nintendo Switch)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovel Knight amiibo</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Super Mario Odyssey amiibo (wedding Mario, Peach, and Bowser)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Gift cards for Steam or Nintendo (so I can download games)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">a love interest ;)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0; font-family: "tinos"; font-size: small; text-align: left; white-space: normal;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: tinos; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://gamercards.exophase.com/steam/user/MACThree/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><img height="241" src="https://card.exophase.com/1/1065433.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-8651928864533419492017-07-13T07:38:00.002-06:002017-07-13T08:18:11.430-06:00Rankled<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span data-offset-key="a1ha0-0-0"><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What a freaking day! Today was my last Fun Day with Kids World 4 (aka my favorite class), and I had promised them a movie. My plan was made in advance. Today I was told we don't have a laptop use 30 minutes before my class, and that I should change my plan. Could I? Yeah, I'm awesome like that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But that's not how I roll. I promised KW4 a movie, and gee dangit, they were getting a movie. My CT (Chinese Teacher) asked around but nobody was willing/able to let us borrow a laptop. My Chromebook doesn't have the necessary ports to hook up to the projector, so I was told again I would </span><i style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">have</i><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to change my plan.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apparently, the school laptop being <a href="https://definedterm.com/a/definition/94169" target="_blank">not mission-capable</a> was known to the CTs and the branch manager, but no steps were taken to repair it, nor was it common knowledge among the NSTs (native speaking teachers). We're at the end of the semester for most of our classes, so we will need the laptop for various Fun Days that are happening. For it to be down now is unacceptable. (In addition, we will need it for our annual summer camp classes that we teach in two weeks.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My solution? I said I would unplug one of the office PCs and bring it upstairs so I could show my kids a movie today. One of the CTs said a desktop computer was "too heavy" to bring to the second floor, and I told her "not for me." Then I asked her which computer she thought I should unplug and bring upstairs, and if the one I was nearest to had a password, etc. At this point she finally deigned to let me use a laptop, and the kids had a great Fun Day in class.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allow me to point out that on Fun Days we either do little DIY projects or watch movies (in English, typically with a worksheet and/or an English-language discussion about the film). For every Fun Day I've had with these kids over the past two years I've gone the DIY route, but this time they specifically requested that we watch a </span><a href="http://www.dreamworks.com/thebossbaby/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">particular movie</a><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Naturally I agreed and had it ready for them today.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other issue is KW4's graduation, which is on Monday. We have known about this for a while, and I've been discussing it with my CT for a few weeks at least. I even swapped classes with another CT so I could be there for graduation. Somehow none of the kids' parents were notified that we'd be doing a graduation day (which is the class CT's responsibility). My CT is still pretty new, but surely someone more experienced is showing her the ropes, and at least one other [experienced] CT has been aware of the upcoming graduation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So come Monday I'll either have some parents and we'll do a 1-hour class graduation, or I'll have only students and we'll do another Fun Day to end the class. This is supposed to be my farewell to this group of kids that I adore. I've taught them since Kids World 1, lesson 1, and taken them all the way through the KW program. That's just over two years of weekly classes with these great kids. They're my favorite class (not counting my Kindergartners).</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone dropped the ball, and I'm more than a little rankled because of it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0; text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<div style="font-family: tinos; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br />
<b>MAC III</b><br />
<i><br />
</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #c27ba0; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: tinos; font-size: medium; text-align: center; white-space: normal;">
<a href="https://gamercards.exophase.com/steam/user/MACThree/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><img height="241" src="https://card.exophase.com/1/1065433.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-68069711770388092342017-05-30T10:48:00.003-06:002017-05-30T10:49:35.593-06:00May Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Optimism is the madness of insisting that<br />all is well when we are miserable." --Voltaire</i></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span></div>
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Monthly updates continue, though my intent was for them to increase in frequency and, thus, meaning. Perhaps they gain importance by being so spaced out, but I fear that they instead lack relevance, that they fade from the minds of those who might deign to even peruse my troubled blog.<br />
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Tonight I must remain awake far past the time a reasonable person would seek refuge in her bed, and thus am afforded the perfect opportunity to post an update. Without further ado...</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Know thy senses</span></b></div>
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<b>(Awareness)</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daisy, Princess of <strike>Sass</strike> Sarasaland.</i></td></tr>
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This simple card recommends: "[a]t any time of the day, try prioritizing a particular sense--be that seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting--to see what you can notice." It is such a simple suggestion, so let's give it a whirl. I will go with <i>feeling.</i><br />
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I can feel the desk beneath my elbows and the keyboard beneath my fingertips as I hunch with poor form in my room. I feel a tension in my neck, my shoulders, and my back that I cannot blame on my poor posture. I have a slight headache, though that has been a common enough experience for years on end now. I am thirsty, though water is close at hand tonight.<br />
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The tension comes from the weight of my decisions and the uncertainty they bring. I have decided to return to the States this year, though I have not yet secured employment. I am waiting to hear back from a few schools I have interviewed with, and I am continuing my search (I have an interview in two hours' time). Though I am loathe to leave Taiwan, I feel it is time for me to move on.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What will happen next?</b></span></div>
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<b>(Curiosity)</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mr. Game & Watch wants to know!</i></td></tr>
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I have been asking myself this question for months now. Returning to the US presents a host of challenges. First and foremost is the steep cost of a plane ticket, followed by lodging, transportation, and employment. These are all huge issues that I need to deal with, and with limited funds I will no doubt have to compromise my goals in order to serve my immediate needs. It is not my desire to return to New Jersey and yet it will be the first stop I make in America, perhaps a lengthier one that I wish to make. My lovely sisters are there, and they have offered to help me transition back to a life in my home country.<br />
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The overwhelming majority of the jobs I have applied to are beyond New Jersey's borders, and it is those jobs I am both most attracted to and least prepared for. I have no vehicle of my own at present and precious few resources. A return to the States is riddled with stressors and difficulties.<br />
<br />
And yet, I feel it is the <i>right </i>move for me to make at this time. I am a strange little man, indeed!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What just happened?</span></b></div>
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<b>(Curiosity)</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mewtwo demands answers!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Odd, is it not, that I draw this card last tonight? My memory is awful, just freaking awful, as any who deal with me can attest. I forget important details within minutes of them occurring, yet I can recall how to calculate a 5th-level cleric's THAC0 with ease. I have worried for years about this issue, yet what can be done?</span></div>
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The mindfulness<i> </i>card directs me to use memory to determine the <i>why </i>of a "strong experience." This is easier said than done, I assure you. This is supposed to help me see the connections between things happening in my life. Let's see, what was the last momentous event that happened to me? Well, I successfully scheduled another job interview. It's a job in NJ, which I've already mentioned would be the logical starting point for my return to the US and (importantly) the US education system. I found the job by chance while updating my LinkedIn profile and decided to give it a shot.<br />
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Ok, my update is at its end. I should do another for my reading challenge, but that is pretty well covered <a href="http://g-fp.blogspot.tw/2017/05/i-am-nujood.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://gamercards.exophase.com/steam/user/MACThree/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="241" src="https://card.exophase.com/1/1065433.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-40995658011555470482017-04-26T09:45:00.001-06:002017-04-26T09:45:33.173-06:00April Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span></div>
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Check it out, I'm posting almost one month later! Hoo boy, monthly updates...well, it's something, right? Seriously, and I know I say this every time, but I really ought to update this blog more regularly.</div>
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Until further notice, I will continue to utilize<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="http://www.mindfulnesseverywhere.io/cards/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Cards for Mindfulness</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> structure my update. Also, so as not to frighten away potential readers, the random shirtless pictures of me holding the cards are going to be replaced by pictures of my amiibo figures with the cards instead. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Just. This.</span></b></div>
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<b>(Rest)</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Link and Mario decided to help me out.</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>This card encourages meditation and mindfulness. It discusses the practice of <i>just this, </i>a "simple phrase to turn our attention towards whatever is happening..."<br />
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Fun fact: I suck at meditation. Sometimes, I suck at focusing on the task at hand. My mind is always going, always doing its thing, and I can't always rein it in. It doesn't help that I always seem to have more on my plate than I really need. Right now, for instance, I'm living/working abroad, job-hunting, taking online courses, learning a new language, and I'm supposed to be writing books, working on my RPG system, and doing other projects. There's so much I am doing, and so many things I want to do, that often I can't find time for everything. There are days where my free time is squandered while I try to decide what thing I want to spend it on, and then I waste it on social media while trying to make a decision. It's obvious why I can't focus when I attempt to meditate when it's such a mess in my head. I definitely need a new approach. Perhaps if I can find a way to better organize my life and manage my time properly, I can get into a regular rhythm of meditation.<br />
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Perhaps if I can do those things, I won't need to.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Name the DEMONS</b></span></div>
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<b>(Kindness In)</b></div>
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Everyone has demons, though some have more than others. Some people are crippled by their demons, while others find ways to function. Knowing what your demons are, what holds you back, can give you power over them.<br />
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Me? I suffer from depression. I suffer from procrastination. I suffer from indecisiveness. I'm poor. I have issues. I have baggage. I would like to think that I do a pretty good job in my day-to-day in spite of these things, but I know that sometimes they're heavier than I can support.<br />
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Ugh, that's two in a row that make me want to keep my grumpypants on. let's hope my third card is a little more cheerful!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Internet of People</span></b></div>
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<b>(Kindness Out)</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_pIy3KKafaO7EwH_Y-LlxlsAT8bMr3yulqi61NHJSIv6KeWGMcWjTQU_1bdtMgyjt50_ykW_DaWqsSF_gBHFsnFLl7PpcoTExQP07OtxLAh3jQ2nqWc_Wi7P11DhdP206u50_EMw_u0/s1600/IMG_20170426_232435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_pIy3KKafaO7EwH_Y-LlxlsAT8bMr3yulqi61NHJSIv6KeWGMcWjTQU_1bdtMgyjt50_ykW_DaWqsSF_gBHFsnFLl7PpcoTExQP07OtxLAh3jQ2nqWc_Wi7P11DhdP206u50_EMw_u0/s640/IMG_20170426_232435.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy!</td></tr>
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The card reflects on how every product and service in our lives, from food to video games, comes to us through a network of people, sometimes hundreds. I am reminded of the Issues In Envrionmental Science course that I took at RVCC, one of the first college experiences I had that really opened my eyes to the wider world.<br />
<br />
This isn't something that I often consider. I know my stuff comes from somewhere. I didn't raise the chickens that provided the carton of eggs I purchased at the store today. I didn't process the meat in the SPAM I ate for dinner last night. I didn't engineer, design, and manufacture my Chromebook. My amiibo came from a store, from a factory, from Nintendo (and that's over-simplified, I know). The point is that all things that come from a web of people that I will probably never meet. I guess my card is saying that I should feel grateful toward these anonymous providers. I'd like to think that I am.<br />
<br />
When my books are finally published and available for purchase on Amazon.com, when my RPG is completed, and when these things end up in the hands of others, I can only hope that they are in some way appreciative. I'll know they are if they enjoy the works themselves, just as I am enjoying my Chromebook, my SPAM, and my eggs.<br />
<br />
(Can you tell how freaking tired I am as I type this?)</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0Yilan City, Yilan County, Taiwan 26024.7591148 121.7537403999999724.643752799999998 121.59237889999997 24.8744768 121.91510189999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-74737583261428241632017-03-26T10:47:00.000-06:002017-03-26T10:47:52.410-06:00March Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTJn784PPbTA14aGrySaCqorM51nj3W783LNICD2fnI9-9GAQl_yj_pNpkF8j6Ex9oDq7vtT1uO14M6gZhgC2Gvgi1biLiCczGGsTT3pjYhm05MIp6ygu1aKAKUzn-lDMqUXmfiZRPeo/s1600/Mar+26%252C+2017+4%253A34%253A48+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTJn784PPbTA14aGrySaCqorM51nj3W783LNICD2fnI9-9GAQl_yj_pNpkF8j6Ex9oDq7vtT1uO14M6gZhgC2Gvgi1biLiCczGGsTT3pjYhm05MIp6ygu1aKAKUzn-lDMqUXmfiZRPeo/s320/Mar+26%252C+2017+4%253A34%253A48+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#PimpHatGameIsStrong</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span></div>
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Ok, here's a big update from nobody's favorite procrastinator! Monthly is good and all, but maybe with a little practice I can get it up to weekly. Crazypants, right?</div>
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This month I will again be using the nifty<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="http://www.mindfulnesseverywhere.io/cards/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Cards for Mindfulness</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> deck to guide my update. It worked well enough last time. If any of y'all have one of these decks, feel free to leave a comment and let me know how you use them in your lives. I'm curious!</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Listen deeply to yourself</span></b></div>
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<b>(Kindness In)</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7_Cdevmuurv4ggob4_gIQyx_P742CG-CAUPDEDkKNrs3napDFtpUOqEdk5_4Awq6RH8JRj3I9oiDmrrPWjOoS9jJtprCkJSVqy-GG8j4ORDOPlJdROJqiYPYFRbHr9Hy_rMkm18snc8/s1600/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A03%253A54+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7_Cdevmuurv4ggob4_gIQyx_P742CG-CAUPDEDkKNrs3napDFtpUOqEdk5_4Awq6RH8JRj3I9oiDmrrPWjOoS9jJtprCkJSVqy-GG8j4ORDOPlJdROJqiYPYFRbHr9Hy_rMkm18snc8/s640/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A03%253A54+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait, what did I say? Sorry, I was distracted by this pretty card.</td></tr>
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Check it out! I put the name of the card up above the pic, and I added which of the 8 categories the card belongs to. This card is about making decisions, whether small or life-changing. It recommends that I sit quietly and check in with how my body feels to get more insight. Well, my body feels pretty good right now, to be honest. I just got back from running, and even though it's an activity I loathe, I can't deny that I feel like a beast after a good run. Anyway, side-tracked.<br />
<br />
I do have some major decisions looming. As much as I love Taiwan, I am looking for a teaching job in the States. I have had several interviews already, and I even had one job offer (more on that in a moment). In short, this year I'm serious about relocating, and it's stressing me the heck out. In the US I lack both home and vehicle, and unless I find a cheap place to rent within bicycle distance of the school I'm teaching at, I'm boned. I also have zero moneys [sic] saved up right now with which to fly back to America and find a place to live.<br />
<br />
So yeah, perhaps turning down that job on the reservation wasn't the best plan. They had a place for me to live set aside, they would reimburse me for some of my relocation expenses, etc. After some thought, though, I decided that it would be too similar a situation to Selawik, which isn't something I'm in a rush to experience again. Of course, one look at my bank account and I worry that I've made a mistake.<br />
<br />
Anyway, kindness in. Ok. The one school I'm really really REALLY hoping will get back to me with an offer would be great. It's a relatively new school that seems like exactly the kind of work environment I'd like to be in. I'm still an early-career teacher, so I'll need some supports as I continue to evolve as an educator. A newly-established school with an emphasis on professional development, with a rigorous and student-centered approach to education, in a community where I could do some good...yeah, I like the sound of that. I'll keep y'all posted.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>waLk the waLk</b></span></div>
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<b>(Rest)</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP23pp2L-m5G14uGI3xvR_qzLQVZpSQklJDonwI6teIR63TQ3O6BcvQvbx-w4wHaGxfdZZc4umfC4isieMPkABpYGyZlgS0VFmYMmvcIkuLOhTX1n19fKveYeTb6VXATlwIv_MCjynDU/s1600/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A18%253A06+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP23pp2L-m5G14uGI3xvR_qzLQVZpSQklJDonwI6teIR63TQ3O6BcvQvbx-w4wHaGxfdZZc4umfC4isieMPkABpYGyZlgS0VFmYMmvcIkuLOhTX1n19fKveYeTb6VXATlwIv_MCjynDU/s640/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A18%253A06+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooh, this one's purple!</td></tr>
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Flipping the card over it...recommends I go for a walk. Or run. Or dance. The MAC Daddy don't dance! I already went for a run tonight, and the only walk I'm planning is down the hall to the bathroom to brush my teeth and whatnot before I go to sleep.<br />
<br />
Still, the <i>point </i>of the card (interrupts Other-Me) is that active movement helps to bring us into the moment by leaving little room for distraction. I can't say I was distracted by much when I was running tonight. Sure, the Nike running app kept forgetting how to play my music (#firstworldproblems), but for the most part I was focused on the run. I had my goal in mind, I rocked out to my tunes (when they played properly), and didn't worry about my potential move, my lonely life, my non-existent debt, and other troubles. Um...mission accomplished? Next card!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Look for the lovely</span></b></div>
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<b>(Joy)</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCAqMvoq5Nnd-PGeLHtYetOoE_ShDwmdzdSuZ8YtHom3b2wthfGBtMnTz2cV2UNDDY7IVKiYs6JHFuJMrbotWTw30IhOY0BhPpM_4i22mvjQGMYZ-puCd0xEdy_4si-khU9oymwpMH_M/s1600/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A28%253A21+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCAqMvoq5Nnd-PGeLHtYetOoE_ShDwmdzdSuZ8YtHom3b2wthfGBtMnTz2cV2UNDDY7IVKiYs6JHFuJMrbotWTw30IhOY0BhPpM_4i22mvjQGMYZ-puCd0xEdy_4si-khU9oymwpMH_M/s640/Mar+27%252C+2017+12%253A28%253A21+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I taped the card to my forehead. I DID IT FOR YOU!</td></tr>
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I'm lovely, that's why I'm writing this blog entry topless. Anyway, an excerpt from the card:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>By intentionally looking for and tuning into moments of loveliness, generosity and kindness throughout our day, we can nudge our mood and overall tone into the positive.</i></blockquote>
Anyway, I've got a face made for radio, a voice made for paper, and my penmanship is atrocious. That's not what this card is about. It's about looking for positive things in our lives and feeling those vibes, allowing them to elevate our own aura. Positivity in, positivity out and all that jazz. I can get behind that (he says while listening to <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvKRbi2ovDY" target="_blank">The Massacre of the Saxons</a> </i>by Christopher Lee).<br />
<br />
I do try to project an aura of positivity. I am, at my core, a man of great anger and great sadness. Every damn day I put on my mask and do the best I can to spread fun, joy, and my own brand of refreshing zaniness. You know, because I really do want other people to be happy. I believe that joy is massively important in our lives. (It's just, you know, not an emotion that really likes to hang out with me anymore.) Whoa, that's not the point of this card, either. I like to think that I brighten the days of others: my students, their parents, my colleagues, whoever. The world is dark and scary enough as it is, so why not try to be a force for positive existence? </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist?</span><b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Click </span><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></b></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0Yilan County, Taiwan24.7021073 121.7377501999999422.860870300000002 119.15596319999993 26.5433443 124.31953719999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-56136801934350120412017-03-26T02:58:00.001-06:002017-03-26T10:49:12.692-06:002017 Reading Challenge #08 - 13<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Y'all:</div>
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Let me get everyone caught up on my books I've been reading lately. Maybe, moving forward, I'll do a monthly entry for what I've read, making more room on my blog for updates (updates that, well, I am all too forgetful to keep up with regularly). Anyway, one day at a time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSMklr34GNhKtFJLZIEHylv768pGoNNRNp5OdE-xY6ohDnz2v70U4BTuMPcwYw3P6IwotWeXlwjswgC4S-j2HVRvCnsPXLudcZ7IUq_QOp197fIBCsuMA_3fAe62DgIHQpAvmlWCb8ac/s400/lioness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSMklr34GNhKtFJLZIEHylv768pGoNNRNp5OdE-xY6ohDnz2v70U4BTuMPcwYw3P6IwotWeXlwjswgC4S-j2HVRvCnsPXLudcZ7IUq_QOp197fIBCsuMA_3fAe62DgIHQpAvmlWCb8ac/s400/lioness.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Song-Lioness-4-Book/dp/B00W83E4SG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490517872&sr=8-1&keywords=song+of+the+lioness" target="_blank">Song of the Lioness quartet</a></b><br />
<b>Tamora Pierce</b><br />
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Well, we certainly got sidetracked...but in a good way. Cat introduced me to The Song of the Lioness Quartet, and I'm sad I never read this series when I was a little girl (spoiler alert: I was never a little girl). Anyway, these were fantastic books!<br />
<br />
Tamora Pierce created an interesting world that feels very real, even though magic is a thing in her books. I grew up reading various fantasy novels (mostly Dungeons & Dragons novels), and it's always interesting to me to see how each world works. Magic in this world is a Gift, and while training isn't necessary to use it, you need to be gifted in the first place. Alanna is a noble, so we get to experience her life at the palace--BUT she's a knight-in-training, so we see the world of the nobles through that lens.<br />
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I enjoyed the four-novel story thoroughly. I have a few quibbles with decisions Pierce made in the telling, but overall, I would recommend The Song of the Lioness Quartet. I'm already planning to give the set as a gift.<br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51U540wkYlL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51U540wkYlL._SY346_.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Two-Boys-Kissing-David-Levithan-ebook/dp/B00BO4GQZO/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490517941&sr=8-1&keywords=two+boys+kissing" target="_blank">Two Boys Kissing</a></b><br />
<b>David Levithan</b><br />
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I'm just gonna dive right into this book. The title comes from two friends (and former boyfriends) who decide to break the world record for the longest kiss. There are other characters, other plots, but the two boys kissing forms the framework for the rest of the story. Oh, and there are no chapter breaks--if Harry and Craig don't get a break, neither do you!<br />
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I found the narrator to be the most striking aspect of this story. The narrator is the collective souls (?) of LGBTQ people who came before the characters in this book. The last generation watches on as the new generation tries to maneuver through life. They watch Harry and Craig's kiss and understand its greater significance. They watch Ryan and Avery, a relationship just forming. They watch the troubled Cooper reach the end of his rope. And though the narrator(s) see so much ugliness, pain, and hatred, their message is a positive one. They don't lose hope, they don't give up, even though they can't affect the living world any longer.<br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/516TnfhzltL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/516TnfhzltL._SY346_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Name-Star-Shades-London-Book-ebook/dp/B004XFZ8WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490518102&sr=8-1&keywords=name+of+the+star" target="_blank"><b>The Name of the Star</b></a><br />
<b>Maureen Johnson</b><br />
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I must say that I'm glad I'm reading this one AFTER completing NaNoWriMo 2K16, because around about that time I also started working on <a href="https://www.radishfiction.com/stories/Sy73Da11g" target="_blank"><b>Danielle Was Dead</b></a>, my ongoing novel about a ghost (which you can read on the free Radish app). It was interesting to me to draw some parallels between the two stories as I read The Name of the Star.<br />
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This was one of the books Cat put on the list, and I knew hardly anything about it when I sat down to read it. I wasn't expecting what happened to Rory at all, so that was a pleasant surprise. The book wraps everything up nicely at the end, and though I know there are more in the series, they aren't absolutely necessary in the way that other series are written. Anyway, go read this book, then come back here and leave us a few comments.<br />
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Ok, that's got us all caught up nicely now, hmm?<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist? Click <b><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-5700062738212390012017-02-21T23:15:00.003-07:002017-03-26T10:02:29.525-06:00February Update (Cards for Mindfulness)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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I really do need to update my blog more regularly. I decided to do a quick update this morning since I'm up way too early for the day ahead of me. Today I'm going to use my<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><a href="http://www.mindfulnesseverywhere.io/cards/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Cards for Mindfulness</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> deck (which I backed on Kickstarter) to guide my update, because why the heck not? I haven't really messed with this deck yet, and I thought it would be an interesting exercise</span></div>
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Oh boy, I got <i>Reflect Joy. </i>The back of the card talks about how "the happiness and joy of others can support happiness and joy in ourselves." For those of you playing along at home, Mikie and Happiness are not bosom buddies. Hell, we're hardly even pals these days. Is this news to you, reader? Perhaps it is, and in fairness, I haven't been updating lately. But this isn't about me, right? I'm supposed to find happiness in the joy of others, so...here goes.<br />
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I look at my sisters and their husbands, see the beautiful families all four of them have made for themselves, and that shows me there is joy in the world and gives me faith in love (faith I have sadly lost). I am blessed to be even a small part of their lives. On that note, I'd also like to add my Jeffrey and Ginny, my closest friends who are happily married. Ok, next card.<br />
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Ok, I'm continuing this blog post after work because I didn't wrap it up first. Now I'm sitting on the couch in my living room, and I have a different shirt on. Um...yay? This card claims that smiling will help to relieve stress and "also tells the mind that we're doing OK--even if we're not feeling super-happy when we do it." The takeaway is I should hide behind a smile. I've got news for you, Card...I already do that!<br />
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Seriously, though, I struggle with depression. I'm not entirely happy with my life, and I'm not entirely sure why that is. I like my job, I live in a beautiful country, my roommate is pretty cool, I'm full of awesomesauce...something is missing. I feel like it's time for me to move on to something else (a teaching job in the States perhaps). Maybe I need a girlfriend or a boyfriend or something to that effect...nah, that's nothing but trouble and I know it. I need to do some more soul-searching, then, which means I need more alcohol.<br />
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Hey, I resemble that remark! "The straight back encourages alertness and brightness, and the soft belly relaxation and openness." Well, I think I have pretty decent posture, thank you very much. I definitely have the soft belly going on. The card goes on to say that we "should check our posture whenever we remember and nudge our body when it needs to be nudged, noticing if it changes how we meet what comes our way." I can see that, I think. Standing tall (as tall as I can) and facing the world with a mixture of alertness and relaxation is very Mikie.<br />
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Ok, that's enough of that for today. I hope you enjoyed this little update. <i>Cards for Mindfulness</i> is pretty neat, and there are many ways I can use this deck. I might use them again for a future update, or perhaps next time I'll use a different gimmick.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-59804898912848517632017-02-21T13:29:00.001-07:002017-02-21T13:37:08.582-07:002017 Reading Challenge #04 - 07<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I realize I've neglected my blog and I'm trying to get caught up. I'm also working on a second blog with my friend, with whom I am reading this year's list, so I'm taking these four entries from that blog and pasting them here. Sadly the act of copying/pasting them from that blog to this makes formatting all wonky, which doesn't make sense as they're both <i>blogger </i>blogs, but whatever. Here they are, and I'm more or less caught up.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://amazon/" style="background-color: black;" target="_blank">Crooked Kingdom</a></span></b><br />
<i><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Leigh Bardugo</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span> <span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">OH. YOUR. GOD.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="text-align: left;">I think the highest praise I can give Bardugo is the solemn vow that I will champion </span><i style="text-align: left;">Six of Crows </i><span style="text-align: left;">and </span><i style="text-align: left;">Crooked Kingdom</i><span style="text-align: left;"> to every lover of books I come across. I've already begun. I know I'll come back to these books in the future, and I shall explore her other works in this same world (The Grisha Trilogy and an upcoming book of short stories) as well.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></i> <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i style="text-align: left;">Six of Crows </i><span style="text-align: left;">and </span><i style="text-align: left;">Crooked Kingdom </i><span style="text-align: left;">introduced me to </span>a world<span style="text-align: left;"> and a group of characters that quickly became new favorites. These two books have burned literary memories into my mind that I shall hold dear and recall fondly in the years to come.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></span> <span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Do yourself a favor: read these two books.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Soon-Will-Be-Invincible-Novel-ebook/dp/B000RH0CCW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1487708446&sr=1-1&keywords=soon+i+will+be+invincible" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Soon I Will Be Invincible</span></a></div>
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<i><i style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Austin Grossman</span></i></i></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> </i><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51A1b58oDdL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51A1b58oDdL._SY346_.jpg" width="209" /></a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This book was a big change from <i>Six of Crows </i>and <i>Crooked Kingdom, </i>but not an unwelcome one. The story is told in first-person from the perspectives of Doctor Impossible, villain extraordinaire, and Fatale, a newcomer to the hero scene. It's really interesting to get an inside look at being a supervillain, as well as a new member of an established and storied superhero team.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Of course, I was drawn to Doctor Impossible from the get-go. He is an interesting character, a supervillain who is trying (again) to take over the world. There is something uplifting in his never-say-die attitude, his constant plotting and scheming. Usually, a villain is the reason we have hope, not the cause. It's an important difference. I found myself thinking fondly of Dr. Horrible (if you don't know who that is we can't be friends anymore), and the comparison is a valid one.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have had my eye on this book since 2009, and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. <i>Soon I Will Be Invincible </i>was worth the wait.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Beginning-Creation-Stories-Around-World/dp/0152387420/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487708526&sr=1-2&keywords=in+the+beginning" style="background-color: black;" target="_blank">In The Beginning</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Virgina Hamilton</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This wonderful collection of creation myths is a book I've had my eye on for a few years now. I rapidly devoured this book, as most of the creation myths are only a page or two, and there are beautiful full-page illustrations throughout. There were a handful of myths I was familiar with, and I think there were only two myths in the entire collection I did not enjoy. Toward the end of the collection, Hamilton presents myths I found very familiar--Greek myths and Judeo-Christian myths. I feel that most readers would be familiar with these tales, so it makes sense to save them for the end of the book, but as I read them I found myself longing for more "original" tales from Africa, from North America, from Russia. Perhaps a second volume of creation myths is necessary; it's one I'd gladly read!</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Tarkin-Star-Wars-James-Luceno-ebook/dp/B00KAFX85Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487708728&sr=1-1&keywords=tarkin" style="background-color: black;" target="_blank">Tarkin</a></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">by James Luceno</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When I went and saw <i>Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens </i>in theaters, two characters I was excited for were Captain Phasma and General Hux. I left theaters hoping that <i>Episode VIII </i>would give us more of the "Imperial" side of the First Order. It's something I really felt was lacking in the original trilogy. The Empire isn't just Vader and Palpatine, and I feel like the Empire really gets overlooked.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So, <i>Tarkin, </i>a novel delving into the first Grand Moff in the Star Wars canon. Tarkin was an excellent villain in <i>Episode IV, </i>and I was excited to see him in <i>Rogue One.</i> When I learned about this novel I knew it was a must-read. The plot stays safely in its lane within the established canon, developing an anti-Empire scheme that is resolved by the book's conclusion. That's all fine and dandy, but where <i>Tarkin </i>shines is when it goes into Wilhuff's backstory. The reader learns why he is who he is. There is also some excellent backstory/character development for Vader and the Emperor, as well. I really enjoyed this book, if only for the character development of this unholy triumvirate.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-50718739395260978972017-01-21T05:50:00.000-07:002017-01-21T05:51:01.558-07:002017 Reading Challenge #03<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Who doesn't love a quickie?<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Adulthood-Myth-Sarahs-Scribbles-Collection-ebook/dp/B0170ZKBCY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1485002827&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Adulthood Is A Myth</a></span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarah Andersen</span></i><br />
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This is technically book #3 in this year's #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge, although it stretches the so-called "rules" of the challenge ever so slightly (there is no narrative arc to this collection of whimsy).</div>
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I have seen many "Sarah's Scribbles" comics on the Internet in the past, but this is the first time I've read an entire collection of them. I enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered the next set on Comixology.</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-55515419628129756592017-01-21T05:44:00.001-07:002017-01-21T05:44:58.410-07:002017 Reading Challenge #02<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm back with another quick update on my deviant reading habits. </span><br />
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<b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Six-Crows-Leigh-Bardugo-ebook/dp/B00UG9LC4I/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1485001305&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Six of Crows</span></a></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Leigh Bardugo</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i>Though my second #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge got off to a rocky start, it is back on track with this FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC book!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">I've already written a little bit about this book on the blog I'm keeping with my roommate, which can be found <a href="http://g-fp.blogspot.tw/2017/01/six-of-crows.html" target="_blank">here</a>. So here I just go off on a tangent and ramble on a bit more about the book.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">The cast of characters in this story is fantastic. Bardugo gives the reader reason enough to like each of the main characters, yet each is flawed. Hell, some of them are very <i>un-</i>likable, which makes the story that much more interesting. Even though I liked--Hell, at times, even admired--Kaz, there were scenes I definitely wanted to cocksmack some sense into him. Jesper is addicted to gambling (and not very good at it), yet there are times when I identified with him. [The unfortunately-named] Nina is both powerful and limited, filled with intense love and hatred.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">The way the story unfolds is masterful. Throughout the meaty book we are given bits of each protagonist's backstory. You get just enough to understand his/her motives, and the novel continues, and then later you get <i>more </i>on that character. This grants each character great depth and makes the reader more fully invested.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">If you have room on your reading list this year, you should definitely give it to this book. You won't be sorry. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist? Click <b><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-57917441753384373102017-01-07T06:25:00.000-07:002017-01-07T06:25:05.998-07:002017 Reading Challenge #01<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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New year, new reading challenge, new format! Yayness? YAYNESS! </div>
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<b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Rebirth-Tyler-Golec-ebook/dp/B003STD9O4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483793203&sr=8-1&keywords=rebirth+tyler+golec" target="_blank">Rebirth</a></b><br />
<i>Tyler Golec</i><br />
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This year I'm tackling the #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge with my roommate. She actually knows the author as he used to work for our company before I got here. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious injury in a scooter accident and left Taiwan for treatment and recuperation. I was the next person to arrive at my branch, so I'm technically his replacement.<br />
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As someone who is planning to self-publish novels in the [near] future, I can appreciate the existence of this book. He self-published through <a href="http://www.iuniverse.com/" target="_blank">iUnverse</a>. Publishing a novel is an ambitious undertaking, and Golec can take pride in that accomplishment.<br />
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That being said, this book seriously needs a gentle once-over from the <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Moby-Worlds-Largest-Retail-Dildo/dp/B00MOTE1Y6/ref=pd_sbs_121_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00MOTE1Y6&pd_rd_r=HCZZQF5FSDJZNCJ0RPYZ&pd_rd_w=vvb5i&pd_rd_wg=h5NlQ&refRID=HCZZQF5FSDJZNCJ0RPYZ&th=1" target="_blank">Dildo of Revision</a>. That's not a thing? It is now! Many important scenes of the novel are bogged down by mechanical errors that grind reading to a halt. A lot of information gets repeated, sometimes within pages of each instance.<br />
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It's a shame, too, because the story that Golec tells in <i>Rebirth </i>is fresh and interesting. The mages, the warlocks (and witches), and the shadow casters are all interesting, Golec does a fine job of making each type of magic distinct from the others. New America and the Republic of the United States of America are also both quite interesting, and it's a shame more time wasn't spent fleshing out this setting.<br />
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There were other parts of the book that I felt were rushed, or just poorly paced. The love triangle between Alex, Molly, and Hannah suffered from this pacing issue. Some parts of it felt rushed, others plodding, and overall it lacked the emotional payoff that Golec spent so much of the book building toward.<br />
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There is a lot to like about this book. The magic system and setting are intriguing, and I'd love for them to be fleshed-out. I really hope Golec will take some time to go back over it and make the necessary updates.</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist? Click <b><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-50675565220149829122017-01-01T04:08:00.000-07:002017-01-01T04:08:17.471-07:00Happy New Year!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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Right now I'm sitting in my apartment in Taiwan watching <i>Krull.</i> It's quarter past six and I'm trying to decide what I want to eat for dinner. My roommate is out of the country, so it's just lil' old me here. I decided I should come to my blog and post an update about me, not just the wonderful books I've been reading. So hold on to your butts, here comes my year in review!</div>
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2016 was an interesting year for me. I'm going to hit some of the highlights here. If you're my friend on Facebook, or if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, then you've already got a pretty good idea about how my year went.</div>
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I spent the entire year living and working in Taiwan, and only returned briefly to America to visit with family in the summer. I still haven't learned any Chinese worth speaking of, but I've survived another year as an expat. It's remarkable to me that I'm doing this, that I'm living and working in another country.</div>
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I love my job. I'm making shit money there--in fact, it's likely to ruin me financially--but my job is rewarding in other ways. It's a rare thing to find work a man doesn't dread doing. Instead of working for the weekend I find myself enjoying most of my days. I mean, certainly, I want my weekends and my time off, but I don't hate this job like I loathed the last one. It's quite refreshing.</div>
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I've been on a total of one date this year, and she turned out to be different from the way she acted when we chatted online. She was pretty dull, and she had expensive tastes. So, that's that then.</div>
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I participated in (and won) NaNoWriMo this year. I'm really quite proud of the story I worked on, <i>Fleet, </i>and I'm planning to share this one with some peeps before I get it ready to publish. It's a fun sci-fi story that I hope my MAColytes will all enjoy when it releases.</div>
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I still haven't finished <i>M.A.I.D.S. [season 2]. </i>I really need to get off my ass and do that, but I hit a creative wall while working on it.</div>
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I started writing for Radish (username: JCMAC3). My story, <i>Danielle was Dead, </i>hasn't really caught on yet. I took time off from working on it while I participated in NaNoWriMo, but it's back on the menu for me. I'm hoping that maybe this year will yield more readers.</div>
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My tabletop RPG, <i>Fornever Role-Playing Game, </i>is coming along nicely. I ended 2016 working on the first adventure module, rounding out my bestiary, and even playtesting some of my more recent changes (grappling is still problematic). It's funny, this time last year I was thinking about putting it on Kickstarter. The build of the rules I had ready then wasn't bad, but oh, what a difference a year makes! I've got high hopes for my game, so the extra work has been good.<br />
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My #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge didn't pan out quite how I'd hoped. I started off strong, but it dwindled at the end. No matter. I read 31 books in 2016. This year I'm getting my roommate in on the fun, so we can keep each other motivated and reading. It's a little sad that I have to gamify reading in order to keep at it, but in this busy world, where I have many divergent interests, it's a necessary part of things.<br />
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That's all I've got for now. I'll try to mix in more updates on this blog so that it's not all book-related. I hope everyone has a great 2017. The human race isn't a competition; there's room for us all in the winner's circle.</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Feeling generous? Want to help support a starving artist? Click <b><a href="http://paypal.me/JCMAC3" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0Yilan County, Taiwan24.7021073 121.7377501999999422.860870300000002 119.15596319999993 26.5433443 124.31953719999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-35840425608453187342016-12-29T02:59:00.000-07:002017-01-01T03:15:10.341-07:00Reading Challenge Book 31: Dragons of Autumn Twilight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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I end the year 21 books behind schedule, but not to fret. This is the first year I'm doing this, and also, I've read 31 books this year. 31! That's a fantastic accomplishment in today's busy world, and personally, I'm quite proud of my achievement.</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 31</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Autumn-Twilight-Chronicles-Dragonlance-ebook/dp/B004G606K8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1483264898&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Dragons of Autumn Twilight</a></b></div>
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<b><i>Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman</i></b><br />
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My older brother got me into tabletop RPGs. I made my first character before I was a teenager a basic D&D dwarf named Goldtoe. I remember taking his 2nd Edition <i>Player's Handbook</i> and reading it cover-to-cover, and by the ripe age of 13 I was running games for my friends. Some of my fondest memories involve gaming.<br />
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My brother gave me a special edition of the <i>Dragonlance Chronicles </i>just before high school, the trilogy of which <i>Dragons of Autumn Twilight </i>is the first book. The creatures and character types from the rulebooks came to life in my hands as I read from that volume. I drew many odd looks from people as I walked the halls of school with the massive white book under my arm. Every time I cracked the book open I was taken to the world of Krynn and followed the companions on their quest to defeat the Queen of Darkness.<br />
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I've reread the trilogy many times over the years, and I convince others to read it whenever I can. Rereading it now, at the end of the year, was wonderful. I joined my companions on the first part of their grand journey, and it was wonderful.<br />
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I am sad that I no longer get to participate in tabletop role-playing games. They are quite responsible for my creative abilities, and D&D guided my reading for many years. I'm currently designing my own RPG that, I hope, will find its place in the market, find other young gamers and unlock their creativity as D&D and the <i>Dragonlance Chronicles </i>have done for me.<br />
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And yes, I'm writing novels to accompany my game. Coming soon!</div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-33966748270703133882016-10-18T11:23:00.000-06:002016-10-18T11:25:34.646-06:00Reading Challenge Book 30: The Great Gatsby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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I am 11 books behind schedule. UGH! At my roommate's request I picked up <i>The Great Gatsby,</i> which is not a long read at all. It is, however, a book that I don't really enjoy, so I wasn't diligent in my reading. What could have been an excellent "catch-up" novel became, instead, a hindrance to my cause.</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 30</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Great-Gatsby-F-Scott-Fitzgerald/dp/0743273567/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476810801&sr=8-1&keywords=the+great+gatsby" target="_blank">The Great Gatsby</a></b></div>
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<b><i>F. Scott Fitzgerald</i></b><br />
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This is a book I have read two or three times previously, the exact number of which I cannot say, nor do I particularly care to. It doesn't matter anyway, it's just a number, and not one I find holds any deep significance. I didn't like the book when I first read it, and years later I still don't like it.<br />
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Fitzgerald's writing is not the problem. On the contrary, this book is beautifully written, and the tale is told with excellence of style and in stellar detail. There are quite a few passages I highlighted in my Kindle app because of Fitzgerald's beautiful use of language; there are others I did not, simply because I was too caught up in the reading to pause.<br />
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<i>Aha! </i>you might say. "'Caught up in the reading'? You <i>like </i>this book!" To which I will have to respond, "sadly no, old sport<i>." </i>It is a tale of trifles, of a world far removed that I cannot identify with, populated with characters I do not care for. Carraway is a decent chap, for the most part, but even he tires me. A younger me might have identified with Gatsby and his single-minded pursuit of love, but that me did not, and now it's far too late. The women in the story are little more than set-pieces and plot devices, and even when they're given interesting characteristics nothing comes of it.<br />
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To me, <i>The Great Gatsby </i>remains a beautifully-rendered tale about things that don't matter. Perhaps I will read it again someday, but perhaps not. It doesn't really matter.</div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-67307141273258049212016-09-27T02:43:00.000-06:002016-09-27T02:43:00.223-06:00Reading Challenge Books 26-29: The Raven Cycle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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This will be my last update for today (so many updates!). This one is a group update for a series of four books I finished this morning. I learned about this series when I was teaching in Alaska because <i>The Raven Boys </i>was selected for Battle of the Books. I think only one of my girls read it for the competition, but it was one I definitely wanted to read. My roommate told me she had started reading the <i>The Raven Boys </i>and I immediately downloaded all four onto my Kindle app. I'm ever so glad that I did.</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 26-29</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Raven-Cycle-4-Book/dp/B0159QSD3U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1474964310&sr=8-5&keywords=raven+boys" target="_blank">The Raven Cycle (4-book series)</a></b></div>
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<b><i>Maggie Steifvater</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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Bucking the deeply-entrenched trilogy trend, <i>The Raven Cycle </i>is a four-book series of fantastic young adult literature. The so-called Raven Boys are four boys who attend a prestigious and wealthy prep school, and they are befriended by Blue, a non-psychic in a family of psychics. The boys are searching for Glendower, a Welsh king who was moved from the UK to the US hundreds of years ago. There's much more to the series than that, but I don't want to give you too much more. There is so much I like about this series but I don't want to put too much down on here because I really want you to go and read it. No, seriously. I want you to read these books because they're wonderful.<br />
<br />
Friendship and love are two underlying themes, but this isn't necessarily a love story. Pagan beliefs and magic permeate the four-book series, but it's never pushy or obtrusive. Rather, the psychics and their abilities are presented as-is, just facts of life and people of the world. They are some of the most realistic characters I have ever read about, and their fantastic abilities don't make this book feel like a fantasy novel. Rather, it tugs at the strings that exist within us all, the lost hope that maybe, just maybe, there <i>is </i>still magic in the world.<br />
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<li><b>Gansey</b> is a wealthy Aglionby student and the leader of the Raven Boys. He was killed seven years ago by multiple hornet stings (he's seriously allergic), but he died on a ley line and was given a second chance by Glendower. The experience gave his young life purpose, and he spent the rest of his time learning everything he could about Glendower and ley lines. He discovered that if he could wake Glendower he would earn a favor. It became his life's obsession.</li>
<li><b>Ronan</b> is another rich Aglionby student, but he is edgy and rough where Gansey is polite and refined. Ronan has a special power THAT I CAN'T GET OUT OF MY HEAD BECAUSE IT IS SERIOUSLY ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS I'VE EVER HEARD OF, never lies, and is fiercely loyal to Gansey.</li>
<li><b>Adam</b>, though an Aglionby student, is a poor kid from a trailer park. His mother is emotionally abusive, his father is physically abusive, and he works three jobs and uses financial aid in order to attend Aglionby. He wants to rise above his stars and make a better life for himself.</li>
<li><b>Noah</b>, the fourth "raven boy," is a quiet, sullen student at Aglionby. He lives with Gansey and Ronan, doesn't eat much, and is typically relegated to the background. He is, however, incredibly important to the story.</li>
<li><b>Blue</b> is a Henrietta native who doesn't like raven boys, yet gets mixed up with them all the same. She grows up in a house full of magic, as her mother and the other women at 300 Fox Way are all psychics. Blue, however, is not...but she has the special ability to amplify the psychic powers of others (sort of like <a href="https://heroeswiki.com/Ando_Masahashi" target="_blank">Ando</a> from <i>Heroes</i>). She has also been told by psychics from a very young age that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die.</li>
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I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Henrietta and its environs. The world and characters that Stiefvater created here are brought to life with wonderful writing. I know she has another four-book series, as well as some other works, and I know that I will be putting them on my reading list soon. Now that you've finished reading my blog post you need to go download <i>The Raven Boys </i>and get started on this series. <i>Excelsior!</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-1562159128999365272016-09-27T02:15:00.001-06:002016-09-27T02:21:22.173-06:00Reading Challenge Book 25: I Am Jazz<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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Now, the rules for the <a href="http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/" target="_blank">#52BooksIn52Weeks</a> challenge do state that qualifying books shouldn't be children's books, and should be a minimum of 100 pages in length. Regarding children's literature, a story must have significant complexity in order to count for this challenge.</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 25</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/I-Am-Jazz-Jessica-Herthel/dp/0803741073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474962769&sr=8-1&keywords=i+am+jazz" target="_blank">I Am Jazz</a></b></div>
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<b><i>Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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This book is about Jazz, a transgender child who has a supportive and loving family that helps her transition and become on the outside who she is on the inside. It is a story with very little in the way of conflict, as the adults and other characters in Jazz's life don't put her through what a lot of trans people have to go through.<br />
<br />
That does not, in any way, diminish the importance of this story.<br />
<br />
Human society has been evolving, and especially in my lifetime, that pace has been quickening. Sometimes this leads to pain, warfare, and strife; other times, it leads to love. Are there more LGBTQ people in 2016 than there were in 1994? I don't think so. But I'm not afraid today to admit to the things that I kept locked up inside of me when I was fourteen. If I had had a book like this as a child, maybe life would have gone differently. Maybe not. But I think that this story is important enough that I sent a copy to my son and I also bought a copy as a gift for my roommate.<br />
<br />
I know Jazz has a reality show (gag me with a spoon) and an autobiography (it's on my wishlist), so there is more than just this one book. But if this book was all there was of Jazz, it would be enough. This is just my belief, but I think it is important that children be exposed to a variety of stories. Black, white, gay, straight, transgender, fantastical, realistic, Christian, Pagan, Muslim....diversity should start at an early age.<br />
<br />
When my ex and I were still together, our son's favorite movie was <i>Tangled. </i>So I bought him a poster for his wall that prominently featured Rapunzel (with supporting characters arrayed behind her). One of my friends came over and asked why I had a girl's poster up in my son's room. The question really irked me. Who cares if Disney aimed <i>Tangled </i>at girls? At its core, it is a movie for children. My child loved the movie, so why should it matter what sex the child is? Like what you like. Be who you are.<br />
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I've examined my gender expression and sexuality over the years, and in especially more detail over the past five or so. I'm biologically male, but inside my head...that doesn't always jive. I'm not going to run out and get surgery or anything, because I'm definitely not a woman trapped in a man's body (although I really think I'd look smashing with breasts). I'm something else...I'm not sure what that is yet, but books like <i>I Am Jazz </i>gives me hope that society will open up enough for me to figure it out.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-62820337489271120762016-09-27T01:51:00.000-06:002016-09-27T02:16:43.596-06:00Reading Challenge Book 24: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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I realize now that I don't have the exact dates written down for when I finished this batch of books. Sad, that. It's ok, though, because what's most important about the #52BooksIn52Weeks Challenge is to, well, read. My blog posts and perfectly-remembered details matter somewhat less than the journey itself.</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 24</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Cursed-Child-Production-ebook/dp/B01BMJWU4Q/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1474949135&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Harry Potter and the Cursed Child</a></b></div>
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<b><i>J.K. Rowling with John Tiffany & Jack Thorne</i></b><br />
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I read this book along with one of my roommates, and we both agreed that it felt less like Harry Potter 8 and more like fanfiction. The overall premise is good, and there are some moments where the story shines, but...well, yeah. I will grant allowances based on the fact that this wasn't written by J.K. Rowling, that it's the script to a play (one I likely won't get to see, being I'm in Taiwan and all that), and that it's trying to follow up on the splendor of her seven-book saga.<br />
<br />
For diehard Harry Potter fans, I think <i>Cursed Child </i>is a must-read. It isn't, in and of itself, a bad story. As a continuation of the beloved Harry Potter saga, though, it falls short. It fails to uphold the saga's legacy. I'm waiting for a few other people I know to be true-blue Potterheads to read it so I can have some discussions with them, but until then, well...I'll just have to accept it as it is.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-75721060476014258622016-09-26T22:04:00.000-06:002016-09-26T22:04:04.880-06:00Reading Challenge Book 23: Outlaw<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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Lots of updates coming today now that I have a shiny new Chromebook. I have had access to my PC, but it has been limited. For now I have to keep it in a shared space with my roommates, and I don't like to use it for anything other than watching movies when I'm with them.<br />
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Ok, so here's the first update!</div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOOK 23</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Outlaw-Bones-Gods-K-Eason/dp/1503935906/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474947971&sr=8-1&keywords=outlaw+k+eason" target="_blank">Outlaw (On the Bones of the Gods, book 2)</a></b></div>
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<b><i>K. Eason</i></b></div>
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When I opened up this file on my Kindle app I was pleasantly surprised by my level of excitement. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, the world she had created and the interesting characters featured therein, I wasn't high on Eason's writing style. I still have my issues with it, but I didn't let that get in the way of my enjoyment of this title.<br />
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I really like the direction this series is going in. There must be a third book, but beyond that I'm not sure. Trilogies are the thing, are always the thing. Time will tell. I was stoked that the second book came out so quickly after I got the first, but now I have to play the waiting game.<br />
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If you want some fantasy but you don't want the same old fantasy, go check these out. They are value-priced on Kindle at the time of my writing this and definitely worth a look.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-25435977528936272492016-07-15T23:14:00.001-06:002016-09-27T02:17:24.147-06:00Reading Challenge Book 22: Herland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I wrapped up this little beauty before lunch. I would have finished it sooner but the meds I'm on at the moment (a temporary measure) knock me right out, so I haven't been up to my usual late-night activities of late. Sad, that. Anyway, I'm on the mend and this book was wonderful.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I'm also typing this up on my iPad using my dying Zagg Bluetooth keyboard. I will go back and reformat this entry later with the usual links, picture sizes, read more break, and whatnot.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); text-align: justify;">BOOK 22</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); text-align: justify;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01BQ1A3AI/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Herland</a></b></div>
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<b></b><br />
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<b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><i>Charlotte Perkins Gilman</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">This wonderful novel is another one I was supposed to read during my time at university, but only skimmed. University was a tumultuous time for me, much more than for most people. This reading challenge is definitely an opportunity for me to remedy the poor job I have done reading some important works.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Gilman's utopia is, in a word, beautiful. The world that she has created and set this novel in is ideal, functional, and leaves plenty of room for merriment and wonder. It is a world I could live in and find the peace that is ever so absent from my status quo.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Without giving away too much of the plot, Herland is a utopian society of women--only women--that has been around for 2,000 years. Three American men find it while on an unrelated expedition and become the first men in Herland in two millennia. What happens after that is a learning experience for both the men and the Herlandians. The ending leaves me with many questions, but it does not feel like an incomplete experience. Rather, I would very much like to know if Gilman has written a sequel.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The writing in this book is simply marvelous. I found myself highlighting a lot of the text while I read it. The pacing is different than I'm used to, both because the book is more than a century old and because it is written by a woman of that time period. Still, it is beautifully-written and engaging from beginning to end. I don't think I ever came across a dull moment, even though an action-packed story this is not.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Gilman's world makes so much sense that it casts into painful light the shortcomings and brutality of our own. The three men in the story are loathe to discuss the negative aspects of their world with the women of Herland, and I keenly understood their embarrassment. When compared with the loving and logical world of Herland, the outer world seems dark, heartless, and dirty.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I would very much like to use this story in my classroom someday. For now, however, I </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">highly recommend this novel.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b><br /><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-53515537141032018252016-06-28T09:02:00.000-06:002016-07-15T23:15:06.987-06:00Reading Challenge Book 21: Pierced by the Sun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I finished this one with a quickness! If I can get a few more in like this then I can get back on track. My calendar tells me I am in week 26. I'm only five books behind, that's not SO bad, right? Anyway, enough stalling. More info after the bump.</span></div>
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<b style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">BOOK 21</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Pierced-Sun-Laura-Esquivel-ebook/dp/B014WBAUDO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1467125338&sr=8-1#navbar" target="_blank">Pierced by the Sun</a><br><i style="color: #a64d79;">Laura Esquivel</i></b><br>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br></span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">This is my second free book that I got via Amazon's <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/digital/kindle/first/ref=amb_link_432271282_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=hero-quick-promo&pf_rd_r=1CJHC71SMD0SXAYAQ0T2&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=2155045182&pf_rd_i=B014WBAUDO" target="_blank">Kindle First</a> program. It seemed interesting, and it was something that would broaden my reading horizons, so I downloaded it. I just finished it tonight, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.</span><br>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">This book's protagonist is Lupita, a very real woman with serious problems. Though she works in law enforcement, she is in a corrupt part of Mexico. Lupita has a troubled and violent past, and she has vices that cause her to fail time and again. Still, I couldn't help but root for her as the story progressed. </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This is a story of healing, a journey of finding oneself. I found myself struggling alongside Lupita and asking myself some deep questions as the book moved on.</span><br>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This book was written by a Mexican woman. Though many elements are familiar, it has its own flavor that sets it apart from American or European literature. It references Spanish and Mexican history, Aztec and Mayan folklore, and other things exotic to me as a white male who grew up in New Jersey and consumed fantasy that was firmly grounded in European tropes and trappings. I think this "otherness" of the book made it more enjoyable. </span><br>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Esquivel's protagonist, Lupita, was someone I felt drawn to. Like I wrote above, she is a flawed hero who "falls off the wagon" a few times during the story, yet is still likable and relatable enough that I never once found myself wanting to throw my hands up and walk away, giving up hope on her. I </span><i style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">wanted </i><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Lupita to make better choices, to learn from her mistakes, to heal and become the Lupita she desperately longed to be. If she could do it, there is hope for me, too.</span><br>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #ead1dc;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br><b>MAC III</b></span></span><br>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #ead1dc;"><br><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png"></a></span><br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-20917369010217262092016-06-26T11:39:00.002-06:002016-06-26T12:03:23.129-06:00June 2016 Check-In<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This blog didn't start off to be exclusively about the books I'm reading, but those posts have dominated 2016. While the #52BooksIn52Weeks challenge is great, there is more to me than just reading. So for my imaginary long-time readers I figured I'd take a moment or three tonight to check in. I should make an effort to check in more regularly and, you know, keep my blog active. If you're just here for the books, though, go ahead and move along.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're sticking around, I'm using the <i>Something New, Something Notable, Something Nifty </i>format again. Warning: I'm gonna talk about depression a little bit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>SOMETHING NEW</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm still in Taiwan, which means that I'm on a new contract. Ok, so my job isn't exactly new, but I am living and breathing in a foreign country. It's pretty crazy. No, I haven't learned even survival-level Chinese yet, but part of that is my fault, and part of that is the fact that Mandarin is <i>not </i>an easy language to learn. Now that I'm officially in my second year here, I am making an effort to learn more. Next month I'll be moving into a shared apartment with other teachers here, which will result in me socializing with humans and going out more often.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>SOMETHING NOTABLE</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Depression has reared its ugly head again in my life. Yeah, well, these things happen. I'm not a terribly happy person. Outwardly I appear to be, but that's just because I put on a good act. I'm getting older, my life hasn't turned out the way I want it to, I'm much more concerned with (and critical of) my appearance, etc. Let's unpack those just a little bit:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll be 36 next month and life is certainly not quite where I want it to be. I wanted to be married, enjoying my family, getting established in my teaching career, writing more, etc. I am enjoying Taiwan and I really like my job, but this is not where I planned to live, and this isn't the sort of teaching I <strike>lost my marriage over</strike> went to school for. I have some wonderful students and a few of my classes are genuinely fun and rewarding (my Thursday afternoon class is THE BEST CLASS EVER), but this is not what I got my degree in. However, after this experience I have decided that I need to get ESL certified when I return to the States. It would open up new doors in the educational field, and it's something I'm kicking myself for not doing while I was still getting my degree.</span><br />
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<a href="https://66.media.tumblr.com/20c16cefede476176b9a07c3420c720d/tumblr_mrl4kntcXp1r5zq6ao1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/20c16cefede476176b9a07c3420c720d/tumblr_mrl4kntcXp1r5zq6ao1_500.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My appearance. I'm short, I'm fat, I'm not particularly attractive, I'm bald, and there are other things I dislike about my body. There's this wonderful body-positive movement out there, but it's focused solely on women. Certainly, as a man I am subjected to less criticism about my body, there is less body shaming. Or is there? If I put my height on a dating site I'm ignored. If I put my body type down as "a few extra pounds," I'm undesirable. Women don't want to date a short, chubby guy. Of course, I've had many girlfriends, I was even married, so I'm exaggerating slightly, but the fact remains that a guy who is 5'3" and 160 lbs. is not most women's "type." That's frustrating and it certainly impacts my feelings of self-worth. Add to that the fact that I'm the "fat teacher" here, and it makes me scrutinize and detest every minor flaw of my body. I am, however, actively trying to lose weight, so I guess that's good.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have a strange relationship with, well, relationships at present. I miss being in one and I would very much like to date. The previous paragraph shows a few reasons that I'm finding little success. Being in a foreign country where I don't speak the language is a huge hurdle. I was on a few dating apps that are popular here, but very few of the users were from my area. Most of them were in Taipei, and even though it's only about an hour by bus to get there, they have plenty of local options. I, on the other hand, do not.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"But Mikie, if you focus on learning the language and get out there, maybe things will change." </i>Of course, but I'm not really one for "getting out there." Let's face it, I'm a homebody. Most of the things I do for fun are done at home. I could go read somewhere, I could bring my 3DS and play video games somewhere, but why pay for drinks to sit in a café when I could drink for free at home and not be required to wear a shirt? And even if I decide to become a regular at a local tea shop or the one bar in my town, the fact remains that I'm balt, short, chubby, and unable to communicate in the native language. Also, I'm not one for dancing, so I'm not about to go clubbing. I am, in short, failing at this.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"But Mikie, you are in Taiwan! You have the opportunity here to reinvent yourself." </i>I see your point. But I'm Mikie. Shouldn't I want someone who wants the genuine Mikie experience?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Mikie, you're hopeless!" </i>I know.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On top of that, communication with my baby-mama and (most importantly) my son has mostly stopped. Below is a screenshot of the last time we Skyped. That particular call was dropped due to tech issues, but it has now been <i>six months </i>since we had a video chat. We have chatted on Facebook, I have tried to get her to commit to a time to Skype, but after continually being denied, I stopped asking. Her excuse is, "I figured you would tell me when you're free." I've told her repeatedly that I'm willing to set an alarm and wake up in the middle of the night to chat with my son if she'd just set a time. I don't go out much, so when I'm not at work I'm home. If we're chatting on Facebook messenger, I probably have time to Skype.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I get pretty frequent updates from my ex via Facebook. Occasionally she'll message me a picture. I have purchased my son both a Nintendo 3DS and a Nintendo Wii U with the intention of playing games with him. He has since lost his 3DS. I've suggested more than a few times that it would be fun to play Mario Kart 8 with him on the weekends, and asked his mother if that would be possible, but she's always busy. If she's working or dating or whatever, he's at his grandmother's house. He's not available to game. So that plan backfired.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The saddest part of all this is the son I once knew and loved is growing into a little boy I know very little about. I could ask his mother a bunch of questions, but interviewing her to know my child is just awfully depressing. Things happened. The marriage ended. She took my son to Germany, knowing full well that travel is cost-prohibitive. What is done is done, but there are plenty of things I think about in regards to my son that result in soul-crushing despair. I find solace in alcohol, in sleep, in <i>Skyrim. </i>I'm certainly not finding it in life.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>SOMETHING NIFTY</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Things are not all doom and gloom, and I don't want anyone reading this to get the wrong impression. When I'm not feeling down about myself I'm enjoying my me-time. I'm reading more, I'm doing a lot of work developing and refining my role-playing game, and I'm exercising more. I'm becoming better acquainted with who I am, what I want, and where I'm going. Yay for character development!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Living and working in a foreign country is an amazing experience. I'm exposed to new foods, a new language, a new culture. It's truly a different world. Every morning I bike past <a href="http://www.niu.edu.tw/newniu/english/" target="_blank">National Ilan University</a> on my way to work, and there is a part of me that longs to be enrolled there. I like learning, and I always wanted to study abroad. The cost of college being what it is it's unlikely I'll be able to afford much more of it, let alone a semester abroad. That makes me sad. Whoops! I want to end on a happy note.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amazing experience. Right. I work with some great people. While my contact with the locals is limited, I have had opportunities to chat with members in my community. I've been to a few tea shops where I can sit down and drink tea with the owner, chatting and sipping tea and not buying anything. It's a really interesting experience. The guy my coworker goes to speaks very little English, so my participation in conversations are filtered through a translator, but I'm still present in the moment, and it's wonderful. Sometimes I'll see a student outside of class, like one of my kindy kids at the convenience store, and that's fun.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm living in Taiwan in the Year of the Monkey, which is <i>my </i>year. So that's pretty awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can do "normal" things here with minimal stress and/or culture shock, like going to the theater, the grocery store, or just biking around town. Restaurants are tricky since the only words I can read are <i>door, people, exit, </i>and <i>mountain. </i>Some restaurants see my pale Irish skin and can provide me with a menu in English, but many of the smaller venues and street vendors cannot. Those are, of course, the best places to eat! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I continue to improve my Chinese, my experience here will become more enjoyable and meaningful. On the days when I can cast off my depression I find myself productive in working on my own projects, reading, gaming, etc. Those are good days. I value my "me-time."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, I've prattled on long enough. It's well after 1 a.m. and I have to teach in the morning. Goodnight, MAColytes. I'll try to keep this blog updated with more posts like this (though less depressing) in addition to my posts about books.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #ead1dc;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #ead1dc;"><br /><a href="http://gamercards.exophase.com/psn/user/JCMAC3/"><img src="https://gamercards.exophase.com/475487.png" /></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-70140064762119921712016-06-26T09:46:00.002-06:002016-06-26T11:52:51.410-06:00Reading Challenge Book 20: Why Read?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looking at the title, I probably should have started this whole endeavor with this book!</span></div>
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<b style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">BOOK 20</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Why-Read-Mark-Edmundson-ebook/dp/B002TTICEG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466954626&sr=1-1&keywords=why+read+mark+edmundson" target="_blank">Why Read?</a><br /><i style="color: #a64d79;">Mark Edmundson</i></b><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I decided to brush off the e-dust that had been collecting on this and read it, as I'm stalling for time before I dive into rereading a series I'm very much looking forward to (more on that next month).</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mark Edmundson defends a liberal arts education, his position on how literature teachers should approach their classrooms, the literary canon, and the inherent value of reading works of literature. This is not a casual read, but it is a thought-provoking one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I, as an early-career teacher of English, will face in my classrooms students who do not see the value in reading anything beyond text messages and <i>Call of Duty </i>stats. I know this because it has already happened. I know this because I myself struggle to fit reading into my daily routine (this book took me almost two weeks!).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The value <i>is </i>there, of course, and anyone who reads for pleasure understands this. Edmundson points out that in today's world people increasingly turn to electronics (he names TV and video games), and this shift in focus is to the detriment of students. He specifically refers to college students, people at a stage in their life where they're not only forging themselves into career-ready young adults, but also dealing with serious relationships and life issues (marriage, home life, job-hunting, finances, independence, etc.).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, this was a solid, academic read. Yay for variety! On to the next one.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #ead1dc;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-51484617755894137652016-06-12T12:22:00.002-06:002016-06-26T11:52:17.421-06:00Reading Challenge Book 19: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">According to my calendar, today starts week #24 of the year, and I just wrapped up book #19. While I have certainly lost some of the steam I had when I began this endeavor, I still count 19 books (so far) as a worthy feat.</span></div>
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<b style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">BOOK 19</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Gawain-Green-Knight-Verse-Translation/dp/0393334155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465755189&sr=8-1&keywords=9780393334159" target="_blank">Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation</a></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Simon Armitage</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think the first time I read this wonderful story I was in middle school. I quickly fell in love with the tale of Sir Gawain, his wager with the Green Knight, and this amazing adventure. Truly, it is a wonderful tale.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I happened upon Armitage's translation quite by accident while ordering something unrelated from Amazon.com. The book was recommended to me, and I jumped on it. This translation is different from the one I have previously read, but it is quite good. Armitage focuses on the importance of alliteration in the time of the <i>Gawain </i>Poet. His focus on language makes this version readable and enjoyable.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Arthurian story holds a special place in my heart, and Armitage's version will be a treasured addition to my library.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #ead1dc;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613325822529007379.post-81354589467145862672016-05-31T06:11:00.000-06:002016-09-26T22:00:16.702-06:00Reading Challenge Book 18: Enemy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I found out that, as an Amazon Prime member, I can get a free book every month. How cool is that? Also, how much a fool am I for not knowing that? Anyway, the free book I selected was <i>Enemy </i>by K. Eason.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know I'm still behind on my reading, but I got this bad Larry done and I have the next one planned. It is sitting my shelf, eager to be read. I might even start tonight!</span></div>
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<b style="color: #a64d79; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">BOOK 18</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Enemy-Bones-Gods-K-Eason/dp/1503934497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465755840&sr=8-1&keywords=k+eason+enemy" target="_blank">Enemy (On the Bones of Gods, book 1)</a></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>K. Eason</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I was younger my view of fantasy was shaped, quite strongly, by <i>Dungeons & Dragons.</i> I loved the RPG and I wanted my fantasy to fall in line with what I found in the rules. If I encountered certain creatures in a novel, for example, I would call to mind what I read about them in the <i>Monster Manual </i>and apply that to the text (and one book was really mixed up with regards to this, which detracted greatly from my enjoyment!). I actually avoided reading works outside not tied to D&D because of this.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fast forward to present-day Mikie, and I'm excited to read fantasy that isn't set on Krynn, Oerth, Toril, or one of D&D's other worlds. <i>Enemy </i>does a wonderful job at world-building, drawing upon fantasy tropes and historical terms and applying them just so. Eason crafts a world that feels real, with its prejudices and politics, but still retains fantasy. The overall plot of the book, too, tells a story that is at once both familiar and fresh.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I don't like, I'm sad to say, is the author's writing style. It is filled with a lot of half-sentences, tag questions, and train-of-thought, even in the narrative text. Eason's style is distinct and remains consistent throughout the book, but I found it to be a struggle to read at times. I felt that this writing style might better suit science fiction than fantasy, but perhaps I'm missing the mark. I feel that her writing will appeal to today's audience of readers, especially those younger than I am, those who are less concerned with proper English than I am. I don't know if that is the author's intent or not. While the book was an easy read, I did find the style jarring at times.</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now that I've finished book 1 of 2, I definitely want to see how it all ends. <i>Enemy </i>is Eason's debut novel, and the follow-up releases in July. I won't have to wait long (I've already pre-ordered it on Amazon).</span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: #ead1dc;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ONE AND ONLY,<br /><b>MAC III</b></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081994661458300126noreply@blogger.com0