![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Dec. 6th, 2015 07:54 pm1. Decided that it's impossible to write creatively, or think creatively when my mental energy is scattered or I'm focused/overwhelmed on work and other things. (My office is moving, I'm attempting to complete three projects before my Xmas vacation, which is becoming impossible due to office moving. Plus have a packed social schedule the weekend before I depart for Hilton Head Take 2, because for some reason -- everyone in my social life wants to schedule stuff at the same time. So, in regards to work and social life, it is either a drought, or a flood. Both are consistent in this respect. And have this in common. I'll either have nothing scheduled or five things with little time between.)
2. Quantico -- is not as good as it should be. I want to fix it. They should do the back story as more of a flashback, and focus on individual characters each week...a la Lost, instead of trying to do How to Get Away with Murder's jarring approach. Which is the back story is young pretty twenty-somethings struggling to get through FBI bootcamp, and the front story is a terrorist thriller mystery plot - with the protagonist being framed and trying to clear her name. I feel like I'm watching Grey's Anatomy and some spy thriller at the same time.
3. Heroes Reborn --- I gave up on after 30 minutes in the first episode. It was basically a dark version of the X-men, which is saying something considering how dark that comic has become.
And with really boring characters. I'd rather read the X-men or watch them.
4. Marvel Agents of Shield -- hanging in there, because of Fitz-Simmons, who have grown on me and are at the moment the most interesting and compelling of the characters, next to possibly Bobbi and Hunt. Everyone else...sigh. And please kill off Grant Ward, he's gotten old.
5. I finally finished Cloud Atlas - no idea how to review it though or how many stars to give it. Four seems too much somehow, and three too little. Maybe 3.5? I didn't necessarily enjoy it, but I didn't dislike it either. I do think it's overrated, I've read and written better. And it felt a tad on the preachy side, with the author jumping on his soapbox way too often. But there are moments of brilliance in there, and the idea/concept was rather cool -- even if I'm not sure whether he pulled it off to my satisfaction, felt clunky in places.
Received email from the organizer of the book club - who disclosed that she didn't read the book due to starting a new job and not having the time to focus on it (it is a book that requires a great deal of time, focus and concentration), and that she probably recommended it. (Yep, I'd figured that much out. She likes books with structural/narrative gimmicks. Not realizing how hard those types of books are for most people, particularly busy people, to read let alone digest.)
This is the sort of book that I'd love to discuss and/or rip apart in an undergrad or graduate English Lit course, or writing course - where we could just tear it apart, figure out all the themes, and analyze the thing to death. But I'm not sure a book club is the place to do that. In grad and undergrad - let's face it you have more time to do this sort of thing - because your focus is on what you are reading and analyzing, not on your mentally exhausting day job etc. Unless of course you are working two jobs to get through grad or undergrad...in which case, my sympathies and admiration, you are super-person. I bow to your insane energy and concentration levels.
2. Quantico -- is not as good as it should be. I want to fix it. They should do the back story as more of a flashback, and focus on individual characters each week...a la Lost, instead of trying to do How to Get Away with Murder's jarring approach. Which is the back story is young pretty twenty-somethings struggling to get through FBI bootcamp, and the front story is a terrorist thriller mystery plot - with the protagonist being framed and trying to clear her name. I feel like I'm watching Grey's Anatomy and some spy thriller at the same time.
3. Heroes Reborn --- I gave up on after 30 minutes in the first episode. It was basically a dark version of the X-men, which is saying something considering how dark that comic has become.
And with really boring characters. I'd rather read the X-men or watch them.
4. Marvel Agents of Shield -- hanging in there, because of Fitz-Simmons, who have grown on me and are at the moment the most interesting and compelling of the characters, next to possibly Bobbi and Hunt. Everyone else...sigh. And please kill off Grant Ward, he's gotten old.
5. I finally finished Cloud Atlas - no idea how to review it though or how many stars to give it. Four seems too much somehow, and three too little. Maybe 3.5? I didn't necessarily enjoy it, but I didn't dislike it either. I do think it's overrated, I've read and written better. And it felt a tad on the preachy side, with the author jumping on his soapbox way too often. But there are moments of brilliance in there, and the idea/concept was rather cool -- even if I'm not sure whether he pulled it off to my satisfaction, felt clunky in places.
Received email from the organizer of the book club - who disclosed that she didn't read the book due to starting a new job and not having the time to focus on it (it is a book that requires a great deal of time, focus and concentration), and that she probably recommended it. (Yep, I'd figured that much out. She likes books with structural/narrative gimmicks. Not realizing how hard those types of books are for most people, particularly busy people, to read let alone digest.)
This is the sort of book that I'd love to discuss and/or rip apart in an undergrad or graduate English Lit course, or writing course - where we could just tear it apart, figure out all the themes, and analyze the thing to death. But I'm not sure a book club is the place to do that. In grad and undergrad - let's face it you have more time to do this sort of thing - because your focus is on what you are reading and analyzing, not on your mentally exhausting day job etc. Unless of course you are working two jobs to get through grad or undergrad...in which case, my sympathies and admiration, you are super-person. I bow to your insane energy and concentration levels.