Sunday, November 23, 2008

When did Danny have such and influence?

OK, so Danny saw me reading the book -- it's totally depressing... I started reading it and had to put it down because I felt like I was watching a Zoloft commercial:

"Do you feel lonely? Tired? Sad? Depressions is real. . . "

Like I said, I heard really good things about this book... I just hope it gets a little happier.

Anyway, um.... Danny saw my book "THE SHACK, by William P. Young" ... and said, "Hey, I read The Shaq Once... it was about Shaquille O'Neil." But um, seriously Darth... change the picture. It's creeping me out.

Since we're going to MCO (airport code for Orlando) in less than a week, I'm pretty sure I'll get some quality reading time.

I also told him (Danny) if he joins book club, he can pick the book... maybe we'll get our chance to read about "the shaqtus" (his words, not mine) down the road... but until then:


THE SHACK, by William P. Young (not the NBA player)


Also Cic, I think Coraline is a cool name... and so is Cora... but I think people would ask your daughter if her name was Caroline, a lot... but who cares?

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Cora

Ok. I don't know if this is due to my crazy obsession with finding a name for my baby, but I keep coming back to Coraline or Cora. I like the name and isn't "Cora Cain" adorable? But, for some reason I am nervous that I may wake up one morning and she may come into my room with Buttons for eyes.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Have you Guys Got the Book Yet?

So just as a reminder, the book we are reading for November is: THE SHACK, by William P. Young.

Please tell your friends and servants...

And Cicely, I nominated you a long time ago to change out the photo of our new books... Maybe Spencer can teach us how to do that one thing that says "what we're reading now" and get more than one book up there?

I've never been in a book club before. And since Friday is my last day of work for while; I want to make sure my outlets are thriving. ;)

Monday, November 3, 2008

My Thoughts On Coraline

Stardate 11-03-2008

First I must apologize for my absence. I need to be more vigilant at checking out our book club blog. Next let me clear up some issues (though it appears that you've already done that). Coraline was originally written as a young adult novel. That's the one that Sabrina and I read. Because of its sheer awesomeness, it was then converted into a graphic novel. I'm sure they turned up the creepiness for the Graphic Novel. I would love to read the graphic novel. The next media medium on the list for Coraline is a stop action claymation movie. I think the same people who did Nightmare Before Christmas and such are also doing Coraline. I also read that they are making it into a musical/play. Lets hope it makes it way to Shakespeare Festival in a few years.

This was my first time reading Coraline. I can't wait until Owen and Eli are old enough for me to read it to them. I thought the story was great and I loved the drawings that accompanied each chapter. I thought the story did an excellent job of playing on very deep fears that children have. The foremost of course are having our parents stolen from us and being kidnapped. Pretty freaky stuff for children to deal with. I once had a dream when I was probably 15 years old where President Hinckly told me that I had had enough time to live my my parents and that he had to take them away from me and that it was time for me to go to different parents. I remember waking up in tears. Yeah, I'm awesome.

I loved how brave Coraline was. Though she was terrified, she still saved her parents and the other kids that the Other Mother had stolen.

I still can't figure out the symbolism with the button eyes. Maybe its not supposed to be symbolic, just freaky. Any thoughts?

The Other Mother was referred to as "the Beldam." I looked up Beldam online. Here is the definition:
1. An old woman, especially one who is considered ugly.

Yay for me for picking this awesome book. Where do we go from here? Is there any more discussion involved?

Check this out. Its a short clip from the movie.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

November's Book: THE SHACK, by William P. Young

It's all in the title of the post... until Spence responds back to start the discussion on Coraline... we'll be reading "The Shack, by William P Young" (at least that's the book for November) and here's why.

It was a recommend by two people I adore:

#1 This amazing gay guy that I work with that wanted to be a minister like 30 years ago and went to theology school.. until he realized it (being a Christian Minister) was going to be a hard-sell with his sexual preference ... he's currently exploring Buddhism. He also worked in radio and owns property in Hawaii. 

#2 One of my best friends from Indiana Wesleyan University (a private protestant school)... she's an evangelical "born again" ... but was singing it's praises. She also told me the other day that in no uncertain terms "I don't think you're going to hell for being a mormon" so she can be trusted." ;)

Also, it's a NYT Best Seller... not that that means anything, but I thought it would be worth checking out.

So read on, my friends....


PS. My Dad said Coraline was too creepy for my mom to read... I said it's a good read for October, so maybe next year Mama Suite will check it out.  Cic, Dad said it's got the same feeling as "Nightmare before Christmas," which Mom didn;t like, but apparently you love...  

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Holy Crap.

I just did a search for Coraline on the web to find a new pic per Sabrena's request and there is a book called Coraline, written by Neil G. only it is a book. Not a comic book! I'm mad. Stupid Erie County Library system. So- you guys read the book, not the "graphic novel" right? So- does that mean that all my questions were answered in the reading of the story? I'm pissed.

Creeps and a Half

Alright. First of all, why didn't I know that "graphic novel" meant comic book? I grabbed it at the library and didn't look through it until I got in car. I was shocked. Especially when I saw crazy button eyes lady.

Now, maybe it's because I have never read a comic book before, but didn't the story seem to take random turns? I wanted there to be an explanation for the crazy sisters submerged in slime on the wall or the reason that Caroline could pass through the closet that held the spirits, but they couldn't or what was up with the rats. I don't know. How did Coraline know that she could find the souls of all the captured people? How did she know that they were going to be something tangible?

Is this just due to the comic book style that I'm not used to? Or was this book lame?

Oh, and Spence- did you read it before book club blog? And did you say that my father owns it?