Twenty Four Things I Didn't Know I Liked Until I Turned Twenty Four

[garnetice]

GUYS. I shall be a quarter century old tomorrow. Or actually, tonight, at 1:49 am. Does that not explain why I am such a night person? I like to think so. I'm not sure I ever really thought I'd make it so far, subconsciously. I think in the back of my mind there was that whole, you know, die young, stay pretty motto. Then again, my mom is sixty three years old and gorgeous, so I suppose there is still time. Plus, I like my life much too much to die.

Although if I have to continue reading psychological reports for a couple of years as my form of employment, I may reconsider my options. Psychologists are assholes. Seriously, can we discuss how wrong it is to break a human being down into disorders and syndromes and maladaptive personality traits? HATE MY JOB. Although as I just told Dora, I continue to find joy in small things by naming my reports. The last one was figuratively called, "His Uncle Ran Away To The Circus. WHO STILL DOES THAT?" My current one shall be named, "Oh No, These Gypsies Probably Got Knives."

That was a super long strikeout. -blank look- ANYWAY, to celebrate my new age, I'mma make a list of everything cool I learned/liked this year. Like recs, but not, because I am too lazy to make it look pretty.

Seven Young Adult Authors:

• The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins --- Originally, when I heard about this series, I was like seriously? Reality TV where a bunch of kids murder each other? Lame. And then I picked up the first book for three dollars at a liquidation sale, devoured it, and promptly went back to see if they had the next in the series. Honest to god, it is straight up what it sounds like- a bunch of kids murdering each other on TV for entertainment, but there's so much more; political intrigue and a kind of hopeless love and motherfucking PTSD and the knowledge that you don't have to be noble or even strong to be a hero. And did I mention rebels who are borderline terrorists? I love me a good rebel. I've heard a lot of people call Katniss, the main character, selfish and horrible and a great many names, but I actually think she's one of the most normal characters I've ever encountered in a love triangle. She's not preoccupied by boys (most of the time), which seems to irk quite a few readers, and she doesn't even care that much about the ongoing war, which seems to piss of all the morally righteous ones. She didn't cower in a corner, or anything, but she sure as hell wasn't jumping to be a martyr. She basically only cares about her family and surviving, which I thought was- well, really fucking honest.

• The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan --- I bought the first of these at the same liquidation sale in January. I thought it looked like a cool apocalypse book. No one mentioned ZOMBIES. I hate zombies. The premise is essentially about what it's like to live a quiet, understated life in a world full of the undead. But there's something I l like about these books. The main characters of each are actually borderline obnoxious (and I'm still a little annoyed that the character Cassandra was kind of crazycakes), but the prose has it's moments. 

• Matched by Allie Condie --- I'm still borderline on this one, to be honest. I got it because the main character's name is Cassia, and y'all know I love a good dystopian future. Basically, it's about a Society based on statistics. The government chooses your job, your future, and even who you marry. But I thought Cassia's conversion from meek little follower to defiant rebel was way more abrupt than it could have been, and I think I really would have appreciated- god, maybe a little more interaction with the side characters? Not even dimension, because I think they got it, in a subtle way, but you're basically stuck with only Cassia and her feelings for the entire book. And Cassia was- much like Mary and Gabry- not very likeble. That being said, the prose improved drastically about halfway through the novel, and I suddenly became hypnotized.

• Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore --- Alright, I'm actually not done with this one yet, so I can't tell you if the plot's going to be good or not, but I will say that I think the main character, Nimira, is a drastic improvement on um, most young adult main characters. It's a fantasy novel, and the story, as far as I can tell, is about a Nepali-esque dancing girl who works in what seems to be some kind of pub, gets offered a job by a magician. She gets to sing alongside a piano playing automaton that is actually a fairy prince. Nimira has her Victorian airs, at times, but I like her spunk, man. I also like that she's less concerned with propriety than what is right, although the love bit seems to be getting heavy.

• Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta --- I love this book. Seriously. The first half of it is confusing as fuck, and I don't want to ruin the plot, but it's basically about an orphaned girl at this boarding school type place. Her school and another military type academy have these prank wars, but that really has nothing to do with the story. It's more about...god, about meeting people who aren't anything special, who are perfectly ordinary, but still manage to change who you are. It's about the way a person can touch you in a day that makes you feel it for a lifetime. There's this really intricate story woven in, and the whole thing is just gorgeous. I can't even remember the main character's name right now, but I can recall about FIFTY quotes.

• You Are So Undead To Me and Undead Much? by Stacey Jay --- Yeah, I just wanted to throw something cute on here. Megan's a necromancer from a family of necromancers in a town that knows nothing about necromancers. She's predictibly super-powerful. What is not predictable is the ending of the first book. It is typical YA fluff, but this list needed a little. (If you like YA fluff, may I also suggest the Wuthering High series by Cara Lockwood? I didn't read it this year, so it hasn't made the list, but it is a pretty cute concept. And much better than the MTV label suggests. Quick Summary: A delinquent girl goes to boarding school. Her teachers turn out to be ghosts. Specifically, the ghosts of dead authors. And every once in a while, some of the characters from their books get out. Like HEATHCLIFF).

• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan --- I will admit it. I love the Percy Jackson series. It's like the American Harry Potter. The movie, literally made me cry tears of shame for what they'd done to it. The first book is so cute and clever and totally appropriate for a older kids and young teens, with it's snarky interpretations of Greek Mythology. The last book is dark and dramatic and has a totally satisfying ending. And then you have this, the new series. There were two things I didn't like: one, switching POV's is annoying. It's okay if you like all of the characters, but not so much when one of them irks you. One being Piper, because her character was so ridiculously obvious it got to me. Two being how Rick was so goddamned preachy with his big secret. I don't know if it was/will be vague to anyone else, but I figured it out like five seconds in, and I did not appreciate the lack of revelation being waved in my face like I wasn't the brightest crayon in the box for the entirety of the book. That being said, I loved Leo. I loved Leo and his relationship with Hera and Happy the Dragon so darned much that I just can't bring myself to care about Piper or the big vague secret.

Seven Artists:

• Ellie Goulding --- this woman is weirdly addictive. I was listening to her cover of Black and Gold, and then Starry Eyed, and then Every Time You Go, and then Salt Skin, and then Little Dreams, and next thing you know I realized I had most of her album.

• Lights --- oh my god, this lady's like...the most bubblegummy bubblegum pop I've ever listened to in my life, but I love her. Her sound is like- a Japanese Anime pop idol in English, but when you see her she's like this dark haired tattooed wonder. I feel like her lyrics are very straight forward and rhyme-y, but there's more there? That might just be me. My favorites are Lions! and Quiet.

• Mumford & Sons --- Very mellow. Great lyrics. White Blank Page is to die for. 

• The Bravery --- Okay, I realize they are in no way new, but until this past year, I'd never listened to anything other than Believe. Now I'm in love with half of everything they've ever done. Split Me Wide Open and The Ocean are my favorites.

• Margot And The Nuclear So and So's --- There's something about this band that turns me on and off like that. They'll have a song that's nothing special, and then they'll blow me out of the water. I particularly love Talking In Code and Dress Me Like A Clown.

• The National --- AMAZINGLY unique voice on the lead singer. Fake Empire and England are two of the best.

• The Hush Sound --- Just like Margot, I always end up getting switched off by one song, and then totally loving another. Try out Echo, You Are The Moon, or The Boys Are Too Refined.

Ten Songs-- and mostly just my new favorites in the last three weeks, because if we did the year it would take AGES:

• Young Blood by The Naked And The Famous

• No One Will Know by Bella

• Carry Me Home by The Yeah You's

• Kick Ass by Mika

• Ready To Start by Arcade Fire

• Your Battlefield by Susie Suh

• Mordred's Lullaby by Heather Dale

• Farewell To The Fairground by White Lies

• 11 Wires by Athlete

• Keep The Streets Empty For Me by Fever Ray

One Fandom For Luck:

• Big Time Rush --- Well. I don't even know what to say here. These boys ate my life. I'm not sure if it's a reflection of my inner child or the fact that I have the biggest fucking crush of the century on Kendall Schmidt...And Bradley James...And Luke Pasqualino. My boy list is pending,really.

And Now, To Commemorate 2010, Here Are Some Of My Favorite Memories:

• Made beer. With my uncle and a family friend. It was inadvisably hilarious. We were drunk off our goddamned asses.

• Began to play 'who would you rather fuck' with great frequency, at the beach with Dora. Learned we are both terrible people. She went for Abraham Lincoln because she thinks his hat was obviously the first condom. Also, Helen Keller, because she can't say no. I chose Anne Frank because she obviously had to have some pent up sexual tension. And apparently I would sleep with anyone who is not Gandhi. It becomes considerably more distubring when you learn we played this game loudly, surrounded by hordes of kids in the Atlantic Ocean. SEVERAL TIMES.

• Got hit on by a thirteen year old. Who tried to convince me I was sixteen. WHEN I WORK FOR CHILD SERVICES. It was flattering, at least.

• Got hit on my my boyfriend's bffle. Who I always thought was gay. Also flattering to know I can turn a man hetero for one night.

• Finished Here Be Dragons SHUT UP THAT WAS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

• Finally got rid of some of my ex boyfriend's crap. It was a large step for me.

• GOT A BIG GIRL'S JOB.

• Took a roadtrip up the MA and actually managed not to hit on the Romanian boy I've loved for most of my college career. It surprised the hell of him, and me.

• Got ridiculously addicted to fandom and music, in the best way.

• Saw BOTH of my estranged bffles, Fish and Kit Kat. One's lived in Georgia for about six years now, and the other has been in DC for school, and recently moved to San Diego. I've missed them like whoa, and it was fantastic to see them.

• PARTIED LIKE A MOTHERFUCKING ROCKSTAR WHENEVER I COULD.

• Met some of you awesome folks online. I know I'm not the chattiest individual standoffish could even be used, but I do love all my new friends. -hugs you-

I had to leave like three times between this to make dinner and dance around my kitchen like a crazy person and watch TV. DOES MY MOTHER NOT REALIZE IT IS MY BIRTHDAY POSSIBLY ALMOST? SHE SHOULD BE IN THE KITCHEN, WORKING HER MAGIC. I have to work tomorrow, which is the worst assrapage ever, man, but I'm still in my probationary period, and I hurt my back and then we got snowed in, which were two unexpected days off last month. HOWEVER, I have Monday off (dead dudes are awesome, and I plan on emulating them by SLEEPING FOREVER), which will be amazing, since I plan on getting krunked out of my mind on Saturday.

...Also I am NOT a Sagittarius. God fucking damnit, news. Oh, and my mom just said I always was a better Aquarius than a Capricorn. And now I'm reading about Sagittarius's and this is all very upsetting. You cannot just CHANGE the Zodiac signs. The Babylonians were smart people, okay? Don't fuck with what they created, stupid scientists!