Perhaps you could help me to demonstrate how your centre can keep up its sickening spin.
1) As if we needed further proof that I am a super-klutz, or at least that my medications are working since there’s active evidence of side effects.... *sigh*
Walking out of my room last night, I managed to actually trip over air and end up face-first on the hardwood floor.
This brought my mother running, as the sound of crashing and falling from my room usually indicates the worst - a seizure. Not that the ensuing headache was exactly FUN either, but at least that’s something that can be treated with some Advil and the liberal application of ice.
I’m okay now, thankfully. It doesn’t appear to be a concussion and all I’m left with at this point is a bruised ego and some injured pride. I may even be dealing with a mild case of amusement at the fact that the symptoms of a concussion read exactly like a list of the side effects of my medications. That sound you hear is me facepalming.
2) On a lighter, though potentially more concerned note, where in the nine circles did this Justin Bieber kid come from?
I’m not going to link to any youtube videos - and please don’t go looking for any, I beg you - they don’ t deserve the views.
Canadians, any theories? Surely we have more and better to offer the world musically. Surely.
(Okay. “Summer Girls” by Stereos just came on Much Music. Never mind. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go gag myself, turn off the TV, and go try to find some Canadian music that doesn’t make my ears bleed.)
Those not of the maple leaf persuasion, let me explain it this way: this kid is fourteen if he’s a day, and all of a sudden he’s some sort of heartthrob and every-freaking-where and I just. Don't. Know. Why.
This is nothing against the kid personally though his music is terrible. He’s probably really sweet, and if he were one of my students I might even like him. I’m just confused and frustrated by how hard the record companies are trying to shove him down people’s throats, and how successful they appear to have been at it. Kid is EVERYWHERE and it’s kind of scary.
Somewhere, there are young Canadian girls screaming for my head. I should probably quit now before they show up at my front door with torches and pitchforks.
3) In other news, Derek Landy is my new hero.
M’kay. The man loves kids and youth in general -- he teaches karate! - has a wicked sense of humour, and is responsible for my latest obsession.
If you’re interested in children’s lit, witty banter, references to Lovecraftian mythos, witty banter, SMART MOUTHED TALKING SKELETON DETECTIVES IN SHARP LOOKING SUITS AND SNAPPY FEDORAS, witty banter, off-kilter humour, witty banter, fantastically rendered characters and witty flipping banter, you need to get yourself down to your local bookstore and check out the ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ series. Yesterday. I will, however, settle for you going right now.
(The first book is titled either ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’, ‘Skulduggery Pleasant and the Sceptre of the Ancients”, or just ‘Sceptre of the Ancients’ depending on where you are, if it’s softcover or hardcover, and many other such factors. Publishing companies are weird like that.)
The books are most certainly written for the 9-12 crowd that they’re filed under -- at least in my store -- but I’m a twenty-something and absolutely adore them. Landy manages to cross horror, comedy, mystery, sci-fi, and AWESOME in his writing, and I cannot wait to tear in to the next book in this series.
Landy has apparently written two screenplays as well - “Dead Bodies” and “Boy Eats Girl” - which are now at the top of my ‘to rent’ list simply by virtue of their titles and the fact that they’re associated with Derek Landy.
4) A little over a week ago, I ended up ordering a copy of “Perfume: The Story of a Murder” online. It was a book that I’d been interested in reading for some time, and had been actively searching for. Unfortunately, my store never carries it and any other bookstore I go to can’t find it for me or is charging ridiculous amounts for it.
I found a used copy online for a dollar. ONE. FLIPPING. DOLLAR. At that point, I was pretty much sure I had no more excuses. You bet your sweet behind I picked that up.
The package arrived yesterday. The book was a little beat up, but I expected that when I bought it used, and it was ONE BUCK shipped all the way from the UK.
First, my five dollar Cillian Murphy fix. Now, a copy of “Perfume” for ONE BUCK.
Next on the list is Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian”. Twenty one dollars locally, or eight bucks online? This is not a particularly hard call. I love amazon.ca’s used section. I really, really do.