The wonderful thing about BookSwim and/or libraries is that they let you read something you're not sure about without wasting your hard-earned money on something you might not end up liking. For instance, Twilight.
I don't really know anything about the series, except that it's a vampire love story. Obviously it's ridiculously popular, so it must be somewhat good. On the other hand, I just pulled up the Goodreads page for the book, and the numbers aren't doing it justice. For being one of the most popular books on the site, users have given it some terrible reviews. For every five-star rating, there's at least seven one-star ratings and essay-length criticisms.
When Harry Potter came out, I wasn't interested at first, for no particular reason. My mother bought the first one and started reading it. One day she got up to go to the bathroom and I just happened to glance over at the book and see what page she was on. I started reading and was still reading when she came back and told me to give it back. After that I was hooked. I haven't actually finished the series; after Book 5, I was a little aggravated with Harry and his moodiness, so I wasn't as quick to pick up the next book.
Getting back to the point: I have taken a chance on a new popular series before, and it turned out ok. I'm sort of willing to do it again, but with so many bad reviews (from readers, not critics) I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to regret that choice. It's not about wasting my money, it's about wasting my time. Once you read a book or see a movie, you can't un-read or un-see it. It's there in your head forever. =P
If anybody has an opinion to offer, feel free. Otherwise I'll just debate on my own.
~Gretchen aka The Coconutter~
P.S. -- Prior to writing this post, I read a few pages of the Midnight Sun excerpt from the author's website. I hated it, but I shouldn't let that cloud my judgement. It was an incomplete rough draft, and those don't always do a person justice.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Beginnings
So I haven't updated this blog in a really long time. Oh well, these things happen. Here we go, fresh start!
I'm still a people greeter at Wal-Mart, and though that may not seem like a big deal, I'm actually very proud of myself. This is the longest I've ever held a job. Not that I was always getting fired from my other jobs, but most of them were just summer jobs. I've officially made six months employment at this Wal-Mart, going on seven. Woohoo!
I'm in technical college now, and so far it's really working out well for me. I feel like I'm finally working toward a degree I could give a damn about. (Computer Network Support, for those who were curious.)
On the internet front: I don't do much posting on DeviantArt these days, but I'm still an avid supporter. Check out the bottom of my page for links to recently posted works. I am thoroughly addicted to Twitter and GoodReads. I won't give out my Twitter name here, mainly because if you're reading this post, you probably found it through my Twitter page anyway. My Goodreads shelves are displayed on the sidebar; you should definitely check them out.
Bookswim is also among my new faves; it's like Netflix for books. Some people might ask, "Why not just go to the library? It's free." True, and I'm definitely a supporter of the library. But the thing is, you might not live next to a library that has a wide selection. Bookswim doesn't have everything (Their manga section is definitely lacking, but I prefer to buy my manga anyway), but they do have many popular titles. If nothing else, it's worth browsing. If you want an invite, let me know and I'll send an email your way. If my understanding is correct, we both receive a discount.
At the moment I have nothing else to say. I may change my mind later, but for now I'm done.
Sincerely,
Gretchen aka The Coconutter
P.S. -- I'm a bad girlfriend. I forgot to mention that I'm still with my boyfriend whose name is Tim aka Possum who I love very much and want to be with forever and ever the end. ^_^;;
I'm still a people greeter at Wal-Mart, and though that may not seem like a big deal, I'm actually very proud of myself. This is the longest I've ever held a job. Not that I was always getting fired from my other jobs, but most of them were just summer jobs. I've officially made six months employment at this Wal-Mart, going on seven. Woohoo!
I'm in technical college now, and so far it's really working out well for me. I feel like I'm finally working toward a degree I could give a damn about. (Computer Network Support, for those who were curious.)
On the internet front: I don't do much posting on DeviantArt these days, but I'm still an avid supporter. Check out the bottom of my page for links to recently posted works. I am thoroughly addicted to Twitter and GoodReads. I won't give out my Twitter name here, mainly because if you're reading this post, you probably found it through my Twitter page anyway. My Goodreads shelves are displayed on the sidebar; you should definitely check them out.
Bookswim is also among my new faves; it's like Netflix for books. Some people might ask, "Why not just go to the library? It's free." True, and I'm definitely a supporter of the library. But the thing is, you might not live next to a library that has a wide selection. Bookswim doesn't have everything (Their manga section is definitely lacking, but I prefer to buy my manga anyway), but they do have many popular titles. If nothing else, it's worth browsing. If you want an invite, let me know and I'll send an email your way. If my understanding is correct, we both receive a discount.
At the moment I have nothing else to say. I may change my mind later, but for now I'm done.
Sincerely,
Gretchen aka The Coconutter
P.S. -- I'm a bad girlfriend. I forgot to mention that I'm still with my boyfriend whose name is Tim aka Possum who I love very much and want to be with forever and ever the end. ^_^;;
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Money blues
In about two weeks, I'll be going back to school. I'm trying to be excited about this, but after I added up all the money it's going to cost me, it's not easy.
The cost of tuition for a full-time student is $1,213.25. I can pay half by the deadline and defer the rest until whatever date they set. But since that date is usually so ridiculously soon afterward, I'll just count the whole thing together. Of course I'll need books for all my classes, and that costs an arm and a few legs. I'm going to have to speak with my advisor to get force-added into a couple of the classes I need, but here's the tentative costs for my books:
Criminal Justice 1107 -- Used $101.50
Forensic Science 2230 -- New $118.50
Computer Science 1011 -- Used $67.50
Digital Art 2050 -- New $34.99
Now, that could have been worse, because the classes I swapped out were $84, $85.50, and $112. I actually expected the book for the Digital Art class to be much more expensive.
Add $10 (I think) for a new parking permit, and you have my school expenses. But wait, I'm not done yet. I'm also trying to schedule a doctor's appointment which won't be covered by insurance. I'm not certain of the actual cost, but the quote the nurse gave me last time was something like $175. That, and I have a loan payment due by the 20th of this month. The minimum is $137. I was hoping to pay a bit more this month, to try and get it paid off faster, but that option has pretty much flown out the window.
And that's about all the expenses I can think of for the next 30 days or so. Now then, let's add up the more-or-less final totals. *gets out a calculator for accuracy*
*drumroll*
$1,857.74
.....Can I just file for bankruptcy now? Seriously? Do I even MAKE that much?? I can answer that right now: No.
I know my parents will pay for any school stuff I can't afford, but I don't like costing them all this money. At any rate, I'm still personally responsible for the loan and the doctor appointment. So that's $312, if all my estimates are correct. AND I still have to set aside money for gas, so that's another $100....I'm gonna stop now.
There goes my money, flying away in the wind. Wait, money, where are you going? Come back! I need you! Nnoooooooooooo...... *sigh*
Until my next penniless post, I remain,
~The Coconutter~
The cost of tuition for a full-time student is $1,213.25. I can pay half by the deadline and defer the rest until whatever date they set. But since that date is usually so ridiculously soon afterward, I'll just count the whole thing together. Of course I'll need books for all my classes, and that costs an arm and a few legs. I'm going to have to speak with my advisor to get force-added into a couple of the classes I need, but here's the tentative costs for my books:
Criminal Justice 1107 -- Used $101.50
Forensic Science 2230 -- New $118.50
Computer Science 1011 -- Used $67.50
Digital Art 2050 -- New $34.99
Now, that could have been worse, because the classes I swapped out were $84, $85.50, and $112. I actually expected the book for the Digital Art class to be much more expensive.
Add $10 (I think) for a new parking permit, and you have my school expenses. But wait, I'm not done yet. I'm also trying to schedule a doctor's appointment which won't be covered by insurance. I'm not certain of the actual cost, but the quote the nurse gave me last time was something like $175. That, and I have a loan payment due by the 20th of this month. The minimum is $137. I was hoping to pay a bit more this month, to try and get it paid off faster, but that option has pretty much flown out the window.
And that's about all the expenses I can think of for the next 30 days or so. Now then, let's add up the more-or-less final totals. *gets out a calculator for accuracy*
*drumroll*
$1,857.74
.....Can I just file for bankruptcy now? Seriously? Do I even MAKE that much?? I can answer that right now: No.
I know my parents will pay for any school stuff I can't afford, but I don't like costing them all this money. At any rate, I'm still personally responsible for the loan and the doctor appointment. So that's $312, if all my estimates are correct. AND I still have to set aside money for gas, so that's another $100....I'm gonna stop now.
There goes my money, flying away in the wind. Wait, money, where are you going? Come back! I need you! Nnoooooooooooo...... *sigh*
Until my next penniless post, I remain,
~The Coconutter~
Friday, August 8, 2008
I hear the rain a-comin'...
...let it wash away the stupid and the dramaaaa....
Yeah, I still haven't delivered that slap yet. It's long overdue. I had sorta hoped to be able to quickly get it done on my lunch break, but the origin of dumb is not in the city, and I had no intention of "making time" for him. I just happened to have a few extra minutes and thought perhaps I could get it overwith. Oh well. I'll figure it out.
Sadly, I have to get back to work for now. I'll post something more read-worthy when I have more time. :p
~The Coconutter~
Yeah, I still haven't delivered that slap yet. It's long overdue. I had sorta hoped to be able to quickly get it done on my lunch break, but the origin of dumb is not in the city, and I had no intention of "making time" for him. I just happened to have a few extra minutes and thought perhaps I could get it overwith. Oh well. I'll figure it out.
Sadly, I have to get back to work for now. I'll post something more read-worthy when I have more time. :p
~The Coconutter~
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Diagnosis: Stupid
Has anyone discovered a cure for stupidity yet? Anyone?....Stupidity?...A cure?...Anybody?.....No? Well shit.
Guess I'll have to deal with this one myself. -_-
Maybe it's possible to slap the stupid out of somebody. Hmm....I'd say it's worth a try.
~The Coconutter~
Guess I'll have to deal with this one myself. -_-
Maybe it's possible to slap the stupid out of somebody. Hmm....I'd say it's worth a try.
~The Coconutter~
Monday, August 4, 2008
I believe you have my stapler.
Well would you look at that, it worked. Speaking of work, I think I'll call it a day after I finish scanning this stack of papers here. Hopefully I don't finish too quickly; I am trying to make money here, you know. :p
I have Zero Wing Rhapsody stuck in my head. I'd post a link to the YouTube video, but it's blocked, so I can't locate it. Therefore, I will now sing. *ahem* "It's you, it's you, it's you it's you, it's you/ How are you, gentlemen? All your base are belong to us/ You are on the way to deeee-structi-on!/ What you say?/ All your base/ What you say?/ All your base, your base are belong to us/ What you saaaaaaaaay?" Ok, that's enough. =P
Working two jobs is a bit taxing, but somehow satisfying. Granted, the job I'm currently at is more or less a "come in when you can" thing, but still, I feel very productive. If you're wondering, I'm working at the local School Board Office, scanning documents and shredding old files. Mundane office tasks, to be sure, but I'm always busy, so it makes the time pass quickly. That, and I have my DS when I have I task I can do sort of one-handed. (What can I say, I'm a talented little sonofagun.)
My other job is at Wal-Mart, where I'm a people greeter. I used to be a cashier at another Wal-Mart, but various circumstances prevented me from keeping that job. It's a long and at some points embarassing story (embarassing as in I feel stupid for letting it happen), so I'll just leave that alone for now. At any rate, I mostly enjoy being a people greeter. It's incredibly boring when I'm by myself, but when I'm with the other greeters, we have fun. One of the greeters is Mr. Truman, and I've started calling him "Rooster" because he always wears his Vietnam Veteran hat. Don't get the reference? It's an Alice in Chains song; look up the lyrics. Just be forewarned: the video is not for the faint of heart...or the weak of stomach.
I did something pretty funny the other day at work. I don't have a userID to log into the scanners, so when people come in with things to return, I just give them a smiley face sticker. The people at the Customer Service Desk don't like having to pull off a dozen smilies, so when the customers come in, I take one smiley and write down the number of things they have to return on the smiley, then I send them on their way. Also, if it's something that's in a box or hard plastic packaging, I can't place the sticker flat on the surface. It makes it harder to pull off, so I stick it sorta halfway on along the side or corner. But anyway.
Also I'm right-handed. Without knowing this detail, my story is not funny. For the record, my handwriting is terrible either way, but for what it's worth, I'm accustomed to writing with my right hand.
Anyway, so a customer came in one night with one thing to return. I reached for a smiley with my right hand, and reached into my back pocket for my pen with my left hand. Somehow when I transfered the sticker and pen to opposite hands, I ended up holding the pen upside-down in my fist. I proceeded to try and write the number "1" on the smiley. Not surprisingly, it was difficult to write with my hand upside-down.
So what was my astoundingly intelligent solution? I switched the pen to my left hand and tried to write like that.
Yes, I am a genius, thank you.
At the time, I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I just gave up and sent the guy on his way with a very squiggly "1" on his smiley sticker. After I realized what I had done, I said, "You know what, next time I'll try writing with my FOOT and see if I get better results." =P
Well, I'm about done here. I need to finish filling out my time sheet, and then it's back home to change clothes and leave for Wal-Mart for the 4-11 shift. I get paid by Wal-Mart on the 7th, then I get paid from here on the 11th. Two paychecks, ka-ching. ;)
~The Coconutter~
I have Zero Wing Rhapsody stuck in my head. I'd post a link to the YouTube video, but it's blocked, so I can't locate it. Therefore, I will now sing. *ahem* "It's you, it's you, it's you it's you, it's you/ How are you, gentlemen? All your base are belong to us/ You are on the way to deeee-structi-on!/ What you say?/ All your base/ What you say?/ All your base, your base are belong to us/ What you saaaaaaaaay?" Ok, that's enough. =P
Working two jobs is a bit taxing, but somehow satisfying. Granted, the job I'm currently at is more or less a "come in when you can" thing, but still, I feel very productive. If you're wondering, I'm working at the local School Board Office, scanning documents and shredding old files. Mundane office tasks, to be sure, but I'm always busy, so it makes the time pass quickly. That, and I have my DS when I have I task I can do sort of one-handed. (What can I say, I'm a talented little sonofagun.)
My other job is at Wal-Mart, where I'm a people greeter. I used to be a cashier at another Wal-Mart, but various circumstances prevented me from keeping that job. It's a long and at some points embarassing story (embarassing as in I feel stupid for letting it happen), so I'll just leave that alone for now. At any rate, I mostly enjoy being a people greeter. It's incredibly boring when I'm by myself, but when I'm with the other greeters, we have fun. One of the greeters is Mr. Truman, and I've started calling him "Rooster" because he always wears his Vietnam Veteran hat. Don't get the reference? It's an Alice in Chains song; look up the lyrics. Just be forewarned: the video is not for the faint of heart...or the weak of stomach.
I did something pretty funny the other day at work. I don't have a userID to log into the scanners, so when people come in with things to return, I just give them a smiley face sticker. The people at the Customer Service Desk don't like having to pull off a dozen smilies, so when the customers come in, I take one smiley and write down the number of things they have to return on the smiley, then I send them on their way. Also, if it's something that's in a box or hard plastic packaging, I can't place the sticker flat on the surface. It makes it harder to pull off, so I stick it sorta halfway on along the side or corner. But anyway.
Also I'm right-handed. Without knowing this detail, my story is not funny. For the record, my handwriting is terrible either way, but for what it's worth, I'm accustomed to writing with my right hand.
Anyway, so a customer came in one night with one thing to return. I reached for a smiley with my right hand, and reached into my back pocket for my pen with my left hand. Somehow when I transfered the sticker and pen to opposite hands, I ended up holding the pen upside-down in my fist. I proceeded to try and write the number "1" on the smiley. Not surprisingly, it was difficult to write with my hand upside-down.
So what was my astoundingly intelligent solution? I switched the pen to my left hand and tried to write like that.
Yes, I am a genius, thank you.
At the time, I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I just gave up and sent the guy on his way with a very squiggly "1" on his smiley sticker. After I realized what I had done, I said, "You know what, next time I'll try writing with my FOOT and see if I get better results." =P
Well, I'm about done here. I need to finish filling out my time sheet, and then it's back home to change clothes and leave for Wal-Mart for the 4-11 shift. I get paid by Wal-Mart on the 7th, then I get paid from here on the 11th. Two paychecks, ka-ching. ;)
~The Coconutter~
Test Post
This is a test to see whether or not I can post from work. If this works, I may or may not have a slightly more interesting post to follow it up with.
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