Favorite Books
I was out at a graduation party last night, talking with someone about books, and he asked me what my favorite book was. Of course, this prompted great speculation, and - since there is no possible way I could pick one, single favorite, I decided to compile a top ten list of my all-time favorites (with great difficulty). Their numbers do not indicate ranking, only the order in which I read them, but the top three are rated higher than the other seven.
1.The Alienist by Caleb Carr
2. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
3. The Book of Merlyn by T.H. White

4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
5. Dune by Frank Herbert
6. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
7. The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
8. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
9. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
10. A Room With a View by E.M. Forster

And there are 5 honorable mentions that I couldn't completely leave out: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by AVI, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Night by Elie Wiesel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and Passage to India by E.M. Forster. Feel free to comment and let me know your favorite book(s)!
- posted by Nicole @ 11:41 PM

 
Graduation Party
Yesterday was my absolutely fabulous graduation party - what a great time! I enjoyed seeing all my family and friends together, and I also got to see some teachers I haven't seen in a while. I was really overwhelmed by the love and generosity of all the people around me, and I had a wonderful time! There were about 130+ people there, and I kept telling my mom if this is what my grad party is like, can you even begin to imagine my wedding! And even though we put the "fun" in "dysfunctional", I love my family!
- posted by Nicole @ 3:41 PM

 
Awards Night, Mr. Camhi, and Graduation
Last night was Dollars for Scholars Awards Night, and I just want to say how much I absolutely adore my English teacher; Mr. Camhi was there presenting some awards, and his wisdom and subtle eloquence, as always, was so meaningful. He's a sage; there is no other way to describe him. But he is not without a sense of humor, as well. His class this year is the only reason why I'm glad I didn't graduate early - what a fabulous teacher; I learned so much from him this year. Ex: I was flipping through my course catalog for next year and I took a look at the introductory English classes offered - and I realized that we had already covered the exact same type of material with Camhi this year in AP English! The man is absolutely brilliant, but quietly so: he's humble and unassuming, yet commands respect.

Tonight is my Graduation. I have been to the previous four, but I viewed the ceremony from below in the orchestra pit (playing "Pomp and Circumstance 500 million times!), and I've watched my friends have their turn. Now it's mine. One of my friends who graduated last year pointed out to me that - while you're in high school - graduation seems to be something that happens to other people, but never to yourself; and so naturally, it's a bit alarming when it actually becomes your turn. And then you enter this awkward phase where your social identity is uncertain: you've left high school and everything you've ever know (as Mr. S would say, your "comfort zone"), but you're not quite yet a part of your college. It's a "Middle of Nowhere" type of feeling. The whole process is also complicated for me by the fact that there have been so many changes in the last year or so that Sweet Home doesn't even feel like the school I grew up in. All the teachers and friends that had such a huge impact on my life in my first couple years there are gone; so I'm really not all that sad to be leaving, as my connection with the school has already essentially been severed for at least a year now. Like I said before, Mr. Camhi was one of the only things that kept me going.
- posted by Nicole @ 1:05 PM

 
New Link!
I just wanted to point out a new link I've recently added to my sidebar (cuz I figured out how to do it! Hooray! Thanks Kara . . .still working on the ping-thing) It's a link to Ain't It Cool News.Com, which is one of my favorite movie sites! They post a lot of reviews for movies and write about films currently in production; there's also message boards, etc. This site predominantly deals with sci-fi/fantasy movies, but it talks about other genres as well. It's a great site for movie buffs.
- posted by Nicole @ 4:52 PM

 
I am Neo
For the past two weeks, I have been working two jobs that are so completely disparate I almost feel as though I'm leading a double life. I work in the mornings at a restaurant owned by a Greek family (and it feels like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, except it's a restaurant - everyone is related and it's really funny). But in the evenings I work for a telemarketing company; the office reminds me very much of that scene in the original Matrix when Neo - Mr. Anderson - goes into work and he has his first threatening encounter with Agent Smith. The office is really cold and smells completely sterile, but looks dirty. There are cubilcles with computers and phones, and the whole place is illuminated by a blatently artificial, almost other-worldly light source. I feel like Neo. I keep waiting to get a Fed-Ex package with a cell-phone inside it. . .
- posted by Nicole @ 4:20 PM

 
Belly Dancing
I've been taking a belly dancing class at the women's BAC, and it is one of the coolest, most fun things I've ever done! I can hear you all laughing at me - but it's really a great class, and a terrific workout for the abs, etc. The woman who teaches the class really knows what she's doing; she's studied it in great depth and has traveled to the Middle East to perform in competitions. Contrary to preconceptions, it is actually a dance used for the purpose of storytelling - not meant to be provacative, though the passage of time has somewhat warped perception of belly dancing. It's really a lot of fun!
- posted by Nicole @ 3:51 PM

 
Shakespeare in Delaware Park
Last night I had the privilege of attending Shakespeare in the Park's performance of Midsummer Night's Dream - what a fantastic show! It was hysterical, and - more than once - I actually fell over because I was laughing so hard. I'm always a little wary of their modern/different interpretations of Shakespeare's plays, as they oftn try to put a different spin on them (ie: in my opinion, setting Macbeth in 20th century Latin America last summer did NOT work.) But this year's twist was minor and effective, and it served to enhance the comedy of the play itself; I will admit that it took a little while to grow on me, and I remained skeptical through the first scene or two. Without a doubt, though, the best parts of the play were the scenes that featured the character Puck. John Warren gives an incredible performance as this character (and I LOVE the purple hair!) He has incredible comedic timing, and I spotted some "Jim Carrey" mannerisms that totally worked in the part. He was also in Comedy of Errors last summer (he played one of the twin "Dromio"s, though I can't remember which - and he stood out as the better of the two). He's fantastic; he has such commanding stage presence - one'e eye is immediately drawn to him, and it's not just because he looks really cool with purple hair. I have so many good things to say about the show that I can't possibly put them all down here. GO AND SEE IT IF YOU CAN! It runs until July 13, @ 7:30 every night except Mondays. AND IT'S FREE!!! I know I'll be around again for a second viewing.

PS: I'm also greatly looking forward to their rendition of Much Ado About Nothing, which runs from July 24 -August 17.

PPS: Here's their official site for more information: www.shakespeareindelawarepark.org
- posted by Nicole @ 5:51 PM

 
On eloquence . . .
I love a good quote, whether it be from a book, a movie, whatever. And I really like this one from Conrad's Heart of Darkness (the book I just finished). With eloquence being, I guess, somewhat of a theme for this blog, I thought it was appropriate:

"It gave me the notion of an exotic Immensity ruled by an august Benevolence. It made me tingle with enthusiasm. This was the unbounded power of eloquence - of words - of burning noble words."
- posted by Nicole @ 4:16 PM

 
The Muse Calliope
I thought I might spend a little time further explaining the name of this sight. Calliope (pronounced ca LIE a pee) is the eldest of the nine Muses. In Greek Mythology, the Muses are goddesses who preside over the literature and the arts and sciences. If you've ever seen the Disney version of Hercules, the Muses are the stories primary (gospel-singing!) narrators - though, possibly due to an ink shortage, there are only 5 of them in the movie. A Muse may be invoked by a poet or artist for inspiration; the invokation of the Muse is a standard element in epic poetry - usually called upon within the first few lines. Calliope is my favorite, she is the muse of epic poetry and is often seen holding a writing tablet in hand, sometimes seen with a roll of paper or a book, and crowned in gold. You can check out this site for more on her (including a really cool poem!): http://www.eliki.com/portals/fantasy/circle/calliope.html
- posted by Nicole @ 4:36 PM

 
Hooray for Harry!
I'm writing this in a moment of pure elation - I haven't actually started reading the book yet (I had to work this morning) but I get excited just looking at it (and smelling it - am I the only one who thinks that books smell absolutely divine? I could get high just by walking into a bookstore - I'm serious). Any negligence in posting will completely be the fault of JK Rowling for writing a book so fascinating that I can't put it down and therefore abandon all my responsibilities. I have only one disapointment thus far - though I trust that none shall follow: the inside jacket of the book tells readers that Ron is the new keeper for the Gryffindor quidditch team, which means NO MORE OLIVER WOOD! This upsets me, because it means that I will not be able to enjoy the beauty of Sean Biggerstaff (who plays Wood in the films) after the fourth film. That's like saying Orlando Bloom won't be appearing in Return of the King. But enough of my gushing. The opening sentence is marvelous; the second is even better. Things can only go up from here . . .
- posted by Nicole @ 4:17 PM

 
my mom
My mother - who is a very special person, as many of you who may read this already know - and I were talking about foreign languages the other day, comparing similarities, discussing differences, etc. She is fairly proficient in Italian, and I took 5 years of Latin, so we were comparing, and she actually asked me how we say the word "car" in Latin. If I were a comedian, my principal act would be "things my mother says without thinking" . . .
- posted by Nicole @ 12:40 AM

 
Harry Potter V
Even though I have to work today, I'm reading like mad to finish the book I'm currently reading (Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad) so that I will be done by tomorrow. If I don't finish it by then, I'm likely to never do so, as the fifth Harry Potter book will occupy most of my attention. I will be at the Barnes and Noble mid-night magic release party tomorrow night (along with the entire population of prepubescents in the area). I may be the only person there above the age of 13 (parents excluded), but I will have my copy at the stroke of midnight!!! I'm greatly looking forward to seeing what Rowling has done with the three year interlude since the publication of the fourth (which, in my opinion, was the best yet of the series). Number 5 is supposed to be the pivotal book in the series, and I think the hype is bigger than ever, what with the success of the films and all. Count down is at 37 hours . . .
- posted by Nicole @ 11:03 AM

 
First Official Post
Thanks for your help, guys! I really appreciate it!
- posted by Nicole @ 10:55 AM

 
Hooray!
Comments are enabled :)
(KMK)
- posted by Nicole @ 7:52 PM

 
Thank you!
Barb,
I just wanted to say thanks for all your help with getting me started.
- posted by Nicole @ 1:17 PM

 
First post
This will get better, right now I'm trying to solve technical difficulties!
- posted by Nicole @ 9:13 PM