I will always be a fan of Mr. Leviathan, even when he writes interesting but unnecessary books like this one. While I absolutely loved Every Day, this one fell short of my expectations. Sure, we get another side of the same story, but in the end, meh. I actually found parts of this to be kind of… Tedious. And cue the firing squad as I’m shot my everyone! Ahhhh…
On the upside, I get to show off my new long johns… And a special guest!
Here’s a smirk for you.
Also this book was meh. I did quite enjoy the style though. It felt very authentic to how a teenager would speak. Big props for that. Also also, Ding made me very sad. I like goats.
I almost forgot to flip the picture but then I realized it says “evil won” which is a little creepy. So I’m keeping it like that. Creeeeeepy.
Me and my new purple shirt from American Apparel! Oh, and Divergent, which was ok.
Alright, so I read Everday by my all-time favourite author, David Levithan, last year and of course, I loved it. About a month ago, I found out that apparently there’s a companion piece titled Six Earlier Days, available as an e-book that outlines six previous days of A’s life before the events of Everyday.
So I placed a hold on it at the library, and when I started reading, it seemed an awful lot like Everyday, but I thought the six days might be at the end (I didn’t know the six days happened prior to Everyday) so I kept on reading and finished it today. There was nothing about six other days anywhere.
After a brief google search, I found Six Earlier Days available online, as a separate thing from Everyday. The library was wrong! I left a comment on the page, but I should probably alert someone who can actually fix that.
Anyway, I finished Six Earlier Days and I gotta say, the last day, with Mark and Sam, is really cute and just a little bittersweet. I wish I could actually write and finish that as a story in itself. That’s the awesomeness of Levithan’s writing, and Everyday: each day is so different, with unique characters and situations, that they would make great short films in their own rights.
As a writer, I’m jealous.
PS. Apologies for the lack of slutiness in my photos. There are two reasons for this.
1. I feel like I’ve parodied them all (if you have one I should make fun of, show me!)
2. I’m becoming self-conscious of my body… though I probably shouldn’t give a crap.
Not nearly as good and profound as People of Sparks, and disappointingly anti-climactic, but a decent read nonetheless.
I’m running out of typical mirror shots so I decided to be silly instead.
While I was busy doing my Earth Week’s worth of posts, I finished a couple books. City of Ember is a fantastic book that I’d put on the same level as The Hunger Games in terms of good YA fiction featuring dystopias and using sci-fi as commentary.
On a sidenote, I think I’m running out of poses with all the books I’ve read.
Also, excuse my drab outfit. I was grungy and didn’t care.
Here’s my pudgy body.
Also, this book is fairly enjoyable and I really like the way the gay subplot was done.
Day 2 of the festival for me, but really Day 4. Only got to watch one movie tonight because I have an exam at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Again.
Synopsis: A teenager hermaphrodite named Spork must learn how to dance for the upcoming school Dance Off and defeat her enemy– the uber bitchy Betsy Byotch and her group of cronies.
Super awesome things: the throwback to ’80s and ’90s music and culture is really cool. The film is drenched in nostalgia and faded colors that could’ve fell flat on its face but it works. It’s glitzy, glamorous (aestetically speaking), and all the characters are ones you love or you love to hate. Spork, played by Savannah Stehlin is great and understated in the title role as the extremely awkward and quiet hero of the film. Despite the fact that she is only 15 — as is the case for many of the other high schoolers in the film — and that they look noticeably younger than, say, the “kids” on Glee, what doubts I had of their talents were cast away when the actors danced, sang, and acted with such ease. This is largely due to the humorous script of writer and director J.B. Ghuman Jr., who has a good balance between comedy, believable (ie. not melodramatic) drama, and coming of age scenes that work cohesively to cement the themes of the film. Even during serious scenes, Ghuman Jr.’s wicked sense of humor reminds us to not take the film too seriously (in one scene, Spork runs home crying and along the way, kicks a dog who barks at her, or the very last scene of the film which I won’t spoil).
Not so awesome things: The film appears to be set during the ’80s sometime, what with the big hair-dos and undertones of post-Civil Rights Movement, but then Charlie, Spork’s romantic interest, mentions Justin Timberlake, which places the film much later. When is really taking place? It’s not a make-or-break question by any means, but it did leave me questioning things. Other irks that I’ve come across among other reviews for the film suggest that it’s been done before– the outcast, freakish hero/heroine vs. the popular kids, a la Juno, Mean Girls, etc. And I have to agree with that; although Spork may not have a completely original plot and the structure is largely the same as other teen movies, what makes the film stand out from those other ones are the characters. That being said, I know some people may have issues about how clearly stereotypical it makes Black people (they’re all good at dancing, they’re all sassy) that at times, it almost comes across as offensive, but because of the light tone and how everyone was laughing, I guess that makes it okay somehow? Sort of? Another review I read commented on the film’s lingering on scenes, and it was particularly evident when Spork and Tootsie Roll go to the dance club. Sure, there were some crazy lighting, color, and slow-mo experimenting in those scenes, but it did feel a little redundant. And finally, despite me cheering her on throughout the film, the climax of the film, at the Dance Off, is a little too convenient. I suspended my belief for almost 80 minutes but there’s only so high I can do it.
Good for watching: for a nostalgic trip.
Overall: A hilarious, quirky comedy that has the potential of becoming a cult classic. I’d recommend it to youth thoroughly.
Grade: B
Apparently I haven’t posted this one. I wrote this back in Grade 10 for one of my classes. It was based on a template that everyone in the class got and we all basically had to fill in the blanks. I’m assuming the teacher read it but she didn’t do or say anything to me after. I probably would have.
I Am
I am depressed, alone.
I wonder what it’s like to be normal
I hear words of hate dripping off peoples’ mouths.
I see his face
I want him to notice me.
I am depressed alone.
I pretend it’s when I’ve gone to hell and back.
I feel afraid of getting too close.
I touch the soft mist of his aura.
I worry about myself.
I cry from rejection.
I am depressed, alone.
I understand true understanding.
I say life is without meaning.
I dream of even the shortest exchange between him.
I try to be myself.
I hope to make it.
I am depressed, alone.
And while I’m on a roll about Jordan, here’s another one from Sept. 11, 2005.
There was a whole bunch of people watching this outdoor thing around Victoria Drive. When it was over, everybody started [leaving right] away, like after the fireworks in the summer. I needed to get to the Victoria Drive bus station. Since there were so many people, it was hard to get through. I saw some Grade 11’s there, like Spencer. People kept stepping on my shoes. I got to the crowded bus stop. While I [walked, I saw?] J Lo’s dead body on the way. People were crying, so I guess it was because of her. I saw Jordan in the navy blue shirt that I saw him on Friday. Immediately, I went over to him and said hey. He seemed a bit surprised but I dragged him away to a quieter place. I asked him how he was and he said he was okay. For some reason, my hands were around his waists and his were around mine. I told him we needed to talk.
We went and sat down on this picnic table. Jordan sat across from me. Karen Lee sat beside him. Jordan told me I was too late; he already had a boyfriend. I wasn’t really sad, just… disappointed. I asked what his bf was like. he said his bf was nice, kind, etc. He told me that he would not tell me the name of his bf and I said that was okay, since I was gonna find out and bring it up again. He told me that he really, really, liked me in the past. I asked why he liked me. He said that he didn’t really like me (personality-wise) but he though I was hot. He also said he did crazy stuff just to talk to me. For example, he made up an account on MSN Messenger named JD Onick that lived in Toronto. Karen used the user to talk to me cuz she said she was bored.
He said [something illegible] that I had missed my chance and that I was too late.
[My commentary: oh what a dream. Like I said, I doubt he’s actually gay but typing up these dreams on my blog is giving me ideas for another gay romance story… hmmmmm….]
aaron's random musings 