All the King's Men by Robert Penn WarrenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am loving this book. Amazing writing.
View all my reviews
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
OMG - I blog like it is 1998
I just realized I am blogging as if this were the good old days when blogging really kicked off. They were diaries. Opportunities to vent and spill your beans with anonymous entries that allowed us net surfers to lose ourselves into the fantasy of living another life. They were long, short, funny, endearing and genuinely real.
What is blogging now? It is all about themes. Cooking, saving money, being the best mom, being the best investor. Some bloggers are into that. I am especially impressed by the Perez Hilton's out there. Passionate about a single subject.
Me, I am not passionate about anything lately. I am scatterbrained. I have all of these interests, but I cannot seem to focus on any single subject. I cannot focus on losing weight. I cannot focus on quitting smoking. I cannot focus on finding a new job. I am trying, but it is a struggle.
The one thing I can do is try. I am trying now. I am continuing to blog as best as I can. I actually even walked the park. I am going to try to baby-step my way through the next year in the hopes of making a monumental change in my life. I am excited about the future possibilities. Should I actually pick up my Chantix prescription?
What is blogging now? It is all about themes. Cooking, saving money, being the best mom, being the best investor. Some bloggers are into that. I am especially impressed by the Perez Hilton's out there. Passionate about a single subject.
Me, I am not passionate about anything lately. I am scatterbrained. I have all of these interests, but I cannot seem to focus on any single subject. I cannot focus on losing weight. I cannot focus on quitting smoking. I cannot focus on finding a new job. I am trying, but it is a struggle.
The one thing I can do is try. I am trying now. I am continuing to blog as best as I can. I actually even walked the park. I am going to try to baby-step my way through the next year in the hopes of making a monumental change in my life. I am excited about the future possibilities. Should I actually pick up my Chantix prescription?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Free Legal Services
Recently, a colleague who provides free legal services to the poor posted as a status update on their FB page that a woman recently told her, "After I meet with you, do I get a real attorney." She is your real attorney. She went to law school, she has been doing this job for over four years, and she is your attorney.
Of course the client thought they hadn't received a real lawyer. They probably thought it was just another waiting game. Who do I blame? Congress. Why? Because Congress slashes the free legal aid funding every year. We have shrimps on treadmills, but we can't help people save their homes from foreclosure. OH, no, wait, Congress doesn't care if people lose their homes. They WANT the homes to go back to the bank so the bank can find a nice respectable buyer and make more money.
Cutting free legal aid funding in our country is essentially cutting the legs out from under the poor. If you cannot afford to help yourself, then why should we help you? That is essentially what Congress is saying. Why should we help defend you in a legal matter when it benefits our lobbyist not to? There really is something viciously wrong with our political structure.
Just a rant...
And I understand the shrimps being on treadmills may be very important scientific research, but it is just the funniest image. Reminds me of the saying, "Jumping the Shark." You just get it...
Of course the client thought they hadn't received a real lawyer. They probably thought it was just another waiting game. Who do I blame? Congress. Why? Because Congress slashes the free legal aid funding every year. We have shrimps on treadmills, but we can't help people save their homes from foreclosure. OH, no, wait, Congress doesn't care if people lose their homes. They WANT the homes to go back to the bank so the bank can find a nice respectable buyer and make more money.
Cutting free legal aid funding in our country is essentially cutting the legs out from under the poor. If you cannot afford to help yourself, then why should we help you? That is essentially what Congress is saying. Why should we help defend you in a legal matter when it benefits our lobbyist not to? There really is something viciously wrong with our political structure.
Just a rant...
And I understand the shrimps being on treadmills may be very important scientific research, but it is just the funniest image. Reminds me of the saying, "Jumping the Shark." You just get it...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Top 100 Novels
As I wrap up my recent reading list (The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), I am drawn to return to reading the Time Magazine Top 100 Novels of All-Time. I know there are so many emerging writers who are the toast of the town, but sometimes reading a classic is so much more fulfilling. It is as if generations of readers have crowned these the best of the best. I have also been a poor reader over the course of my life-time as well considering I missed these wonders. Yes, I read 1984, but no, I did not read Atonement.
Some of the books on the list were ones I always meant to get around to but had not. Slaughterhouse Five is a good example. While my classmates were busy reading this, I was busy reading my required reading for school. Extracurricular reading was not done. No, I had to watch Saved by the Bell on my Saturdays. So, when I printed off Time's list, there it was. I read it and loved it. I could read it again.
It is a wonderful sensation to finish a book that greatly inspired today's writers. The Assistant by Malamud - Awesome book. The Big Sleep by Chandler - the original thriller novel with an awesome detective. These are the stories that authors refer to as their inspirations. Finally, I get the reference.
I am happy to return to the list. I just cracked Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I bought the book in 1996. I guess it is high-time I read it. I will keep you all posted!
Some of the books on the list were ones I always meant to get around to but had not. Slaughterhouse Five is a good example. While my classmates were busy reading this, I was busy reading my required reading for school. Extracurricular reading was not done. No, I had to watch Saved by the Bell on my Saturdays. So, when I printed off Time's list, there it was. I read it and loved it. I could read it again.
It is a wonderful sensation to finish a book that greatly inspired today's writers. The Assistant by Malamud - Awesome book. The Big Sleep by Chandler - the original thriller novel with an awesome detective. These are the stories that authors refer to as their inspirations. Finally, I get the reference.
I am happy to return to the list. I just cracked Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I bought the book in 1996. I guess it is high-time I read it. I will keep you all posted!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Debt
Debt is such a noose around our necks. It keeps us locked into jobs we cannot stand. It keeps us seeking jobs that do not exist. It keeps me dressed in clothes purchased on sale 10 years ago. It is just the worst.
One major change for me this year is focusing on getting out of debt. My strategy is the classic Suze Orman technic: Pay off the highest interest rates first. Why is it more tempting to pay off the debt with the lowest interest rates first? I do not understand this...Here is a general breakdown of my monthly debt:
Rent: $875/Month
Electricity/Gas: $45 to $140 (Weather permitting)
Internet: $25 (Internet only - Rabbit ears)/Month
Credit Card: $3300 Total
Parents: $300/Month (Yes, I am indebted to my family even)
Law School Loans: Roughly $50,000 - OMG, will it ever end.
Netflix: $17/Month (so tempted to cancel, but I just really like it.
Car: $500/Month - note, gas, insurance, etc.
I am sure you may be saying to yourself, "That is all." But it makes the lean months so terribly lean. I will not divulge my paycheck, but let's just say it only just covers it all monthly. No savings. None. I know Suze would say, "You really should save for a rainy day." I would have to reply, "NOOOOooo! If I pay off the debt and the rainy day comes, I will be able to pay off my new debt with my rainy day savings."
Anyway, my little Monday morning tirade on debt and the cost of living. It blows.
One major change for me this year is focusing on getting out of debt. My strategy is the classic Suze Orman technic: Pay off the highest interest rates first. Why is it more tempting to pay off the debt with the lowest interest rates first? I do not understand this...Here is a general breakdown of my monthly debt:
Rent: $875/Month
Electricity/Gas: $45 to $140 (Weather permitting)
Internet: $25 (Internet only - Rabbit ears)/Month
Credit Card: $3300 Total
Parents: $300/Month (Yes, I am indebted to my family even)
Law School Loans: Roughly $50,000 - OMG, will it ever end.
Netflix: $17/Month (so tempted to cancel, but I just really like it.
Car: $500/Month - note, gas, insurance, etc.
I am sure you may be saying to yourself, "That is all." But it makes the lean months so terribly lean. I will not divulge my paycheck, but let's just say it only just covers it all monthly. No savings. None. I know Suze would say, "You really should save for a rainy day." I would have to reply, "NOOOOooo! If I pay off the debt and the rainy day comes, I will be able to pay off my new debt with my rainy day savings."
Anyway, my little Monday morning tirade on debt and the cost of living. It blows.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Self Publishing
I was at a party Saturday when a friend mentioned she is starting to write more. We started disscussing http://www.nanowrimo.com/ (November writing month - if interested, try it). The conversation turned to how more and more people are e-publishing. I recently looked into it, but when my friends are discussing it at parties you know this is the wave of the future.
Many are having wild success with the new Kindle application where you simply change the format of your text to something uploadable and, boom, you are published. I researched a little more and found the following breakdown. If you sell your book for 99 cents, you receive 30% of the profits. If you sell the book for $2.99 or more, you receive 70% of the profits. That is a huge difference, but what an incentive to write and share your work!
From my little research, selling for 99 cents is a great way for unknown authors to upload to the system and get started making some extra cash/gathering an audience. You also have to do a lot of self promotion on this though. Amanda Howking, author of the tween vamp series, said she used her social network sites to promote the work and also other web related marketing resources. She is now in the hundreds of thousands of sales and brick and mortar publishers are pursuing her.
The $2.99 option is 70% to the author, why the huge percentage? Well, Amazon is now recruiting more famous authors away from the traditional publishing world into the e-publishing business. Where a starting royalty rate for publishing house hovers around 17%, authors can now receive 70% with Amazon.
Amazon in the meantime insists they are not driving business away from the traditional publishing houses, but can you hear that sound? I belive that is the sound of Random House employees knees clacking together. Random House should welcome the change though. The "slush pile" of olden days needs to end. How many works of genius are lying on someone's desk? Amazon's system seems to encourage avid readers to do that work for them. Think about the number of readers who are not net savvy. People, like myself, who are constantly online are not the norm. I know two people who are not: my parents.
One thing is for sure, your traditional publishing house will do a lot more for you. Marketing, cover art, printing costs. All of those things require a lot more money. I suppose the traditional method has its benefits.
That said, I would still love 70% of profits. Hmmm. Only time will tell...Write more!!!
Many are having wild success with the new Kindle application where you simply change the format of your text to something uploadable and, boom, you are published. I researched a little more and found the following breakdown. If you sell your book for 99 cents, you receive 30% of the profits. If you sell the book for $2.99 or more, you receive 70% of the profits. That is a huge difference, but what an incentive to write and share your work!
From my little research, selling for 99 cents is a great way for unknown authors to upload to the system and get started making some extra cash/gathering an audience. You also have to do a lot of self promotion on this though. Amanda Howking, author of the tween vamp series, said she used her social network sites to promote the work and also other web related marketing resources. She is now in the hundreds of thousands of sales and brick and mortar publishers are pursuing her.
The $2.99 option is 70% to the author, why the huge percentage? Well, Amazon is now recruiting more famous authors away from the traditional publishing world into the e-publishing business. Where a starting royalty rate for publishing house hovers around 17%, authors can now receive 70% with Amazon.
Amazon in the meantime insists they are not driving business away from the traditional publishing houses, but can you hear that sound? I belive that is the sound of Random House employees knees clacking together. Random House should welcome the change though. The "slush pile" of olden days needs to end. How many works of genius are lying on someone's desk? Amazon's system seems to encourage avid readers to do that work for them. Think about the number of readers who are not net savvy. People, like myself, who are constantly online are not the norm. I know two people who are not: my parents.
One thing is for sure, your traditional publishing house will do a lot more for you. Marketing, cover art, printing costs. All of those things require a lot more money. I suppose the traditional method has its benefits.
That said, I would still love 70% of profits. Hmmm. Only time will tell...Write more!!!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Harry Potter, boy
I am on the final pages of the final book of the Harry Potter series. It has been an interesting journey with Potter and friends. I am anxious to get to the final chapters. But, it has stirred an intense emotion for me with JK Rowling.
JK Rowling was a struggling writer who had a great idea. Obviously. But, the success of this idea is mind boggling. Why can I not have that same eureka moment? The moment where Ms. Rowling said, "Duh, wizard school + adventure = success." I don't know if she actually said that...
In my lame attempt to reproduce Ms. Rowling's success, I am writing again. If I cannot accomplish success at my lame job, then why not strive for success through a creative outlet. Sooooo, I am once again going to attempt to blog. Blogging is a great writing exercise, but this time around, I am going to attempt to keep at it. Regular posts, but I will do so with commentary.
JK Rowling, I envy you as I know millions of others do. The brilliance of your work and your success has inspired us all. This time around I think I am just going to do it.
JK Rowling was a struggling writer who had a great idea. Obviously. But, the success of this idea is mind boggling. Why can I not have that same eureka moment? The moment where Ms. Rowling said, "Duh, wizard school + adventure = success." I don't know if she actually said that...
In my lame attempt to reproduce Ms. Rowling's success, I am writing again. If I cannot accomplish success at my lame job, then why not strive for success through a creative outlet. Sooooo, I am once again going to attempt to blog. Blogging is a great writing exercise, but this time around, I am going to attempt to keep at it. Regular posts, but I will do so with commentary.
JK Rowling, I envy you as I know millions of others do. The brilliance of your work and your success has inspired us all. This time around I think I am just going to do it.
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