Failing = Win?

Les: we sort of win at failing

Linds: we sort of do

woo?

Les: at least we win at something?

glass half full?

(blog half written?)

Linds: something like that

Les: i fully intended to work something up last week

then i just didn’t

i probably shouldn’t admit this, but i used to write the lion’s share of my posts at work

but not anymore

stupid cubicle

Linds: booooooo cubicle

it’s cramping our style

Les: it really really is

but maybe not for much longer!

Linds: i blame it for all our blog trouble

yay!

no more cublicle yay!

i vote yes

Les: me too!

cross your fingers, k?

Linds: they’re all extra crossed

Les: though you should probably wait til after we’re finished chatting

will make the typing difficult

Linds: indeed

ps. you’re a dork

Les: well, look who’s name-calling this week!

Linds: i started it in self-defense

didn’t want you to get to it first

Les: ah

smart girl

Linds: woo me

so anyway

isn’t this blog about books or something?

Les: yep. books. and ridiculousness.

Linds: the extra bonus prize for our intrepid readers

Les: woo!

i’m really glad they find us amusing

Linds: because otherwise…

Les: exactly

Linds: i don’t think we can control the ridiculousness

Les: even if we wanted to

Linds: it seems that way

Les: which, thankfully, we do not

but should we try to maybe talk about books a little?

Linds: i think that’s a good plan

Les: k woo

so i finished another book friday at lunch

which means i’m right on schedule

yay me!

Linds: good job!

Les: though i haven’t read a single word all weekend

for shame, for shame

Linds: i don’t think i have either

i watched a lot of random movies, though

Les: me too, actually. while doing sudoku puzzles.

i’m kinda obsessed

i = nerd

Linds: um, yes

Les: i much prefer logic puzzles, but i can’t do those and watch tv at the same time

Linds: yeah, that wouldn’t work

Les: um, no. need quiet for those.

sukoku, though… i can recite ocean’s eleven and do speed sudoku simultaneously

because i’m a NERD

Linds: i’m not sure you should be bragging about that

Les: :P

we have a small readership. it’s ok.

Linds: true

the word won’t get out too far

Les: right

Linds: so i need to get back to reading this week

Les: and i need to decide what to read next

Linds: what are you thinking about?

Les: nothing in particular

Linds: um, awesome?

Les: or not. too many options.

Linds: ah

well i like the book i’m listening to right now

Between, Georgia

it’s pretty quirky

Les: yeah?

Linds: yep

i have to say that the author doing the voices adds a lot to it

Les: sounds fun

Linds: yep

Les: i wonder if it’s tough to narrate your own book?

i’d probably want to edit as i went

Linds: because you’re a perfectionist

Les: duh

Linds: right

so we’ll cross that off the list of things for you to do

Les: yep

Linds: how’s your post coming for tuesday?

Les: um

post? tuesday?

Linds: dude

“um” is never a good answer, coming from you

Les: um

Linds: i’m shaking my head at you

try to steal a few non-cube minutes to work on it?

Les: i will

we may need to talk about switching days

tuesday keeps sneaking up on me

it needs a bell around its neck or something

Linds: obviously

we can start doing that next week if you’d like

i hear tuesday’s bell

Les: k woo

Linds: but for this week, you’re on deck

Les: k

i’ll see what i can come up with

Linds: make it happen!

Les: bossy!

Linds: duh!

Les: right

Linds: so on that note…

read you tomorrow?

Les: fingers crossed!

Blog Failing, Name Calling, and Cheater “Reading”

Les: dude, we fail at blogging

Linds: i know

it’s terrible

Les: we should stop

failing, i mean. not blogging.

Linds: oh, ok. i was about to say…

Les: not ready to give up altogether

Linds: ok good

me neither

Les: things are just a little insane around here

Linds: i know

are you failing a little less at the reading, at least?

Les: um

well

the last two weeks haven’t been good

i’m still working on committed – elizabeth gilbert’s latest

it’s really good

it’s just…slow going

Linds: probably because it’s more research-based than the last one

Les: exactly

i was about to say it’s part memoir, part thesis

it’s interesting, though

makes me realize how little i actually thought about marriage

i mean, after the i dos and the big party

Linds: yeah. a wedding definitely doesn’t equal a marriage

but i think the wedding industry in our culture tends to obscure that fact

Les: no kidding

why the divorce rate is so ridiculously high

Linds: it’s funny, because at first glance, you’d think romanticizing marriage would be an ok thing to do

but marriage isn’t all romance

Les: um, no. it’s life. and life is ordinary. and mundane. and sometimes really ugly.

like first thing in the morning, bedhead ugly.

Linds: only if you have your hair

;-)

Les: :P i have spectacular hair

Linds: that’s one word for it first thing in the morning, i’m thinking. ;-)

Les: brat

Linds: duh

Les: hey look, the obligatory calling of names

Linds: and we’re back!

Les: woo!

or something

Linds: it’s part of our charm

Les: right

anyway

the book’s really good

and it’s making me think

Linds: which is also good

Les: and change my expectations

of myself and my husband

whoever he is

Linds: right

Les: and that’s a very good thing

i think i can wrap it up today

now that i’m home and don’t have to drive anywhere

Linds: sounds good to me. especially since i get it next!

Les: i totes should’ve gotten a cheater book for my trip

or six

how long are cheater books?

Linds: i’m not telling you if you’re going to persist in calling them that.

Les: fine then. don’t tell me. (cheater cheater cheater)

Linds: dude. not nice.

Les: but funny!

Linds: mmhm

books on cd (ahem) can be anywhere from 6 to 10 hours or more

seeing as they’re, you know, books that are spoken

Les: i may have to give them a whirl next time i drive nine hours in one day

Linds: and i promise not to say i told you so

(at least very loudly)

Les: mmhm. thx.

Linds: welcome

i just started a new book on cd

Les: yeah?

Linds: it’s called Between, Georgia

the author is reading it

Les: how is it so far?

Linds: it’s interesting

one of the characters sounds just like the mom of a friend of mine

gotta love those southern accents

Les: i know i do

Linds: it’s fun to listen to a southern story while driving around in new england

it makes spring seem closer

Les: sounds very charming

Linds: i’m not sure yet, but we’ll see

i’ll let you know after a few more days in the car

Les: k good

i’ve been thinking about doing book reviews of everything i’ve read so far this year

Linds: ooooh.

Les: you should too

Linds: i’m kind of crap at book reviews

but i could try my own version of them, i suppose

Les: you could

Linds: k

it’s a deal

Les: woo!

i’m trying to think of a ratings system

Linds: good idea

we should have a linds-and-les-specific one

Les: that’s what i’m thinking

would be fun

and probably ridiculous

Linds: of course

we should get right on that

and wrap this up for today

Les: good plan

have a great week, everyone! happy reading!

Linds: talk to you soon!

Birthday Multitasking

Linds: Our favorite little baby, the is turning OLD today! (OLD is like SAD, just fyi.) But even though she’s OLD now, she’s still our baby, the!

Les: that’s right – still our baby. happy birthday, little baby han!

Linds: we hope that your special day involves lots of book and cake. but not at the same time, because that would be messy. and we don’t do that to books.

Les: you get messy when you eat cake?

Linds: well, no. but the potential for mess goes up exponentially if you’re trying to read and eat cake at the same time.

Les: ok, then. i’m suddenly glad you’re a thousand miles away and i never have to see you eat.

Linds: are you saying you’ve never gotten food on a book while trying to multitask?

Les: not that i recall

i’m clearly a much better multitasker than you

Linds: and you have weird rules about where and when you can read

Les: i do?

Linds: and what people can do with your books

i’ve spent so much of my life reading at the table, it’s inevitable that the books don’t always come out unscathed

Les: well, you just have to be careful

and not drip

Linds: i suppose

but sometimes it just happens

Les: i’m making a new rule that you’re not allowed to eat birthday cake anywhere near my books

Linds: boooooo

but fine

i promise

Les: kthx

Linds: maybe i’ll call it something other than birthday cake. ;-)

Les: the baby, however, can eat birthday cake wherever she likes

because it’s her birthday

and she’s technically a grown up

even though she’s still our baby

Linds: that she is

hear that, baby?

you’re still the baby

even though you’re OLD

Les: um, lid? if the baby is OLD, what does that make us?

Linds: shhhhhhh

Les: oh

right

Linds: it’s better not to go there

happy birthday, baby!

it’s your day, so don’t think about us and our relative oldness!

Les: right

happy birthday from your adoring (YOUNG) aunties!

Linds: we love you!

Les: oodles!

Friday Favorites – Favorite Lines – June Jordan

I discovered this poem in A Human Eye, Adrienne Rich’s book of essays.  It is small and beautiful. 

“Poem Number Two on Bell’s Theorem” by June Jordan

There is no chance that we will fall apart.

There is no chance.

There are no parts.

Is It Borrowing or Stealing? It Depends…

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about questions of derivation and plagiarism. There was an article in the New York Times recently about a 17-year-old author who’s been receiving great acclaim, but who also “borrowed” ideas and even whole pages from another author’s work. She referred to what she’d done as “mixing” rather than plagiarizing, which immediately brought up a comparison to musical sampling. For some reason, sampling in music doesn’t bother me as much as plagiarism in writing. I’m not totally sure why, but when I brought the question up to Ali, she agreed with me. For some reason, borrowing in music can work, while borrowing in literature is just not ok.

To be fair, I think there’s a difference between plagiarizing – the usage of whole phrases and passages from the work of another – and the borrowing of readily available ideas. There are, after all, only so many ideas that encapsulate the human experience, and we’re bound to reuse some of them as the years roll on. Hence another friend recently told me that she’d avoided reading the Harry Potter books for years because she’d heard that J.K. Rowling used concepts and inspiration from other science fiction and fantasy books. My friend figured that she’d read all those books, so Harry Potter wouldn’t offer her anything new, but when she finally did read them, she realized that the books might have pulled from other sources, but they ultimately created something brand new and amazing.

So, is the distinction that borrowing is ok if it makes something bigger and better and sufficiently different so as to be compelling? And where do we draw the line? It seems like the hardest thing about these questions is that the line between acceptable and unacceptable usage is always shifting. It depends on factors such as the amount of text used, the nature of the use, and whether or not the origin of the original words is made clear. It also depends, at least for me, on whether or not the final product is good and is creative enough to be considered original work and on how the culture where the borrowing is being done reacts to that kind of usage.

I’m reminded that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., arguably one of the greatest preachers we’ve ever known, borrowed liberally from the ideas and texts of other ministers in order to create his famous sermons. In the culture of Southern Christian ministers at the time, though, that sort of thing was more acceptable. I guess the theory was that it didn’t matter whose words you used to bring people to the Lord, so long as you got them there.

But still, for heaven’s sake, pay tribute to your sources! Respect the creativity that came up with the idea in the first place, by being creative enough to make an idea your own. And for those on the other side, who are being borrowed from, have enough pride in your own work to know when you’re being honored by someone’s borrowing and when you’re being ripped off. If it’s the former, say thank you and give your blessing. Don’t drag the poor sucker into court. And if it’s the latter? Well, court’s not a terrible idea, but public ridicule may be more effective!

Ultimately, I think it comes down to two things: attribution and success. If the references are named and their usage makes the new work something better, even what might technically amount to plagiarism isn’t so bad. Wow me with your words, and let me know where they first came from – as a reader, that’s all that I could want.

Pacification

I’m too busy reading to post.

My bratty blog partner thinks this is an unacceptable excuse.

“Just write a paragraph about how you’re too busy to post,” she says.

“But I’m reading!” I say.

“Dude,” she says.

Sigh, I say.

“Post!” she says.

Clearly, she wears the pants in this bloggership.

I’m too busy reading to post!

There.  Now excuse me while I get back to my book.

P.S.  The Hours, by Michael Cunningham.  Thank you for asking.

Cozy Books and World-Sharing

Les: can we stop pretending it’s still tuesday now?

Linds: wait. it’s not still tuesday?

Les: um, no. not so much.

Linds: hm. highly suspicious.

Les: we may be a little too good at pretending

Linds: yeah, it’s seeming that way.

Les: though i could be ok with pretending it’s saturday again

then my week would be over

and i could stay home and read

that would make me happy

Linds: and i could make you watch the olympics with me!

and that would make me happy.

Les: i totes just rolled my eyes

Linds: hee. ;-)

Les: i watched a little without you

then i was like why am i doing this without lid?

and turned on ace of cakes instead

Linds: obviously

Les: duff trumps skiing

Linds: but don’t worry. i’ll make you watch more later.

Les: oh goodie

Linds: your fave

Les: at least you don’t make me watch car racing

i might have to unfriend you should you try that nonsense

Linds: i would never “try that nonsense”

Les: kthx

Linds: i like sports where people do things that don’t involve sitting

Les: and i like sports that involve a band

yay band!

Linds: and now i’m rolling my eyes at you

we’d better talk about books before our eyes get stuck that way

Les: you’re probably right

so, reading anything good?

Linds: well, i’m working on a book in the same universe as mists of avalon

Les: dork

Linds: dude

you realize that’s my favorite book, right?

Les: yes. that’s why you’re a dork.

Linds: dude.

not cool

mists of avalon is amazing

Les: ok

Linds: anyway

this one is called sword of avalon

and it’s written by the author who collaborated with marion zimmer bradley

she sort of took over writing about that world following mzb’s death

Les: is it weird to have two different people write about the same world?

Linds: only a little. it’s like michael and jeff shaara

Les: um, who?

Linds: michael’s the dad. he wrote the killer angels

another one of my favorite books of all time

about the battle of gettysburg

i need to reread it, come to think of it

after his death, his son jeff took over

and wrote gods & generals and the last full measure

the killer angels is the standard, but the other books are pretty solid too.

Les: interesting

it must be intimidating to take over someone else’s literary world

Linds: i wonder if it’s easier or harder when it’s someone you’re close to?

Les: hm

both, i’d imagine

simultaneously, probably

Linds: that would be my guess too

Les: because you’d care far more about the legacy

though you’d have a comfort level no one else would be privy to

Linds: right

i also wonder when you decide enough is enough and you’ve written all you can or should about that world

Les: when your heart tells you so

Linds: ;-)

yes. probably then.

Les: or when your publisher fires you

though then you would just write for yourself

Linds: which is always a good way to start, anyway

Les: i was just thinking that that’s why one should write in the first place

Linds: write because you have to, for you

Les: exactly

Linds: i just finished listening to a really charming book the other day

Les: oh yeah?

Linds: called the school of essential ingredients

it was about a cooking class

and the lives of the people in the class

Les: sounds interesting

Linds: it was

it was a small, cozy book

and it made me hungry every time i listened to it

Les: aw. i <3 cozy books.

though i don’t know that i’ve ever described one that way

Linds: but you knew what i meant

Les: of course i did, lid

Linds: oh. right. ;-)

so can we be back to blog normal this week?

Les: um. maybe? if i get my act together for tuesday.

Linds: ok. let’s try our best.

Les: will do

Linds: sounds good to me!

Les: woo! here’s to a productive week. for all of us.

Linds: amen. and happy reading. ;-)

Pretend It’s Still Tuesday…

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from work today!

A great big ole box of books!  Hooray!  Could there be anything better to come home to?  Don’t answer that…

So, after hugging the box hello and telling it all about my day, I ripped it open and squealed in delight.  Look at all my new books!

Wee!  So exciting!  And free!  Well, for me, anyway, thanks to B&N gift certificates from Ali and my parents.  (Thanks for the books, guys!)

It’s an interesting assortment, I admit.  Christian fic, memiors, young adult.  And all but one off the bargain book list.  Good night, how I love the bargain book list.

I can’t wait to get started on this stack.  Any suggestions on which I should read first?

Gits, Shiggles, and General Ridiculousness with The Baby

auntie les: happy february, everyone! well, everyone minus lid. she’s missing. so i have a special guest chatter today!

baby, the: ME! ….or yes, hi! i’m baby, the, you might have heard of me?

auntie les: we’ve mentioned you a time or two on here, i believe

baby, the: i’ve read. but yes, i’m hannah to most other people. call me what you want. but i’m very excited to be guest chatting.

auntie les: me too. thank you for agreeing to play along, baby.

you’re a good sport

baby, the: psh, doing this for gits and shiggles and my own amusement, no thanking necessary.

but you’re welcome.

auntie les: gits and shiggles? that’s a new one.

have i ever mentioned that you’re silly? because you are.

baby, the: you have, ’bout a million times.

s’ok, i know i am.

auntie les: ;-) it’s part of your charm.

baby, the: very true

auntie les: so should we maybe try to talk about books a little?

baby, the: probably.

so… reading anything good, auntie?

auntie les: actually no

not yet, anyway

baby, the: le gasp!

auntie les: i finished one yesterday, and haven’t decided what’s next

baby, the: oh.

better.

auntie les: it was my fourth book. in four weeks. which means i’m all caught up on the 52 book challenge!

yay!

baby, the: oh woo! good job. i am not doing the 52 book challenge, but i read quite a few so far

auntie les: are you keeping a list? lid would encourage that. if she were here, i mean.

baby, the: yeeeah, i was thinking i should, but i would be diligent about it for eeeh, two months, then start forgetting to update the list

besides, i’ve already forgotten which ones i’ve started/finish this year and which ones i did before new year’s

auntie les: aw. that’s ok, i guess. it’s just good that you’re reading.

baby, the: i think so

auntie les: are you a many-books-at-a-time reader like auntie lid?

baby, the: yes. or right now i am.

got four – i think – books going on right now.

auntie les: holy cow. how do you do it?

baby, the: eeh, i have a good memory? lol idk.

i just can. always have.

auntie les: i guess it’s one of those things that you either like to do or not. i did it in college, when i had do, but i didn’t like it.

baby, the: i like it, because then once one book gets to be too much – or too boring – you can just switch and come back when you want.

auntie les: but how do you decide which one to read when? i’d feel disloyal or neglectful or something.

baby, the: nah, i know i’ll finish ‘em sometime so why rush it?

it’s the same way i follow like five-six tv shows at once.

auntie les: hm. i’ve never thought of it like that before.

baby, the: glad i could offer a new perspective.

auntie les: :)

oh, i have a question for you

baby, the: yes?

auntie les: how do you decide what language version of a book to read?

baby, the: it depends on what kind of genre and how interested i am, i guess.

auntie les: should we clarify that you’re swedish? and english isn’t your first language?

baby, the: either way, i feel like english is my first language. it’s second nature to me, i translate swedish books into english in my head the same way i translate english books into swedish.

i think in english and swedish so it doesn’t really matter to me which language i read in.

sometimes i don’t know if i’ve read a book in english or swedish because in my head it’s the same.

auntie les: that’s very impressive to me, baby

baby, the: heeh. thank you, i guess?

auntie les: you’re welcome. ;-)

baby, the: but to answer your original question: mostly i prefer to read books in their written language, but i don’t mind translations.

it mostly depends on the translation, i think, if it’s a good translation.

auntie les: that makes sense

baby, the: like the harry potter and lord of the rings series – i pretty much loathe the swedish translations so those i have to read in english, but most mystery novels i almost exclusively read in swedish.

although that’s probably because it’s harder to get english paperbacks here and my parents read exclusively in swedish.

auntie les: i was going to ask how readily available english translations are there

baby, the: it’s okay. usually they’re a little more expensive and you have to look a little more for english books, but it’s not hard once you set out to find them.

online shopping ftw!

auntie les: ;-) does amazon deliver over there?

baby, the: yep. most big online shopping places do. it’s all a matter of how much you’re willing to pay.  swedish stores do usually have an online service, though, so you can order english books that you can’t find in the stores themselves.

auntie les: that’s handy

baby, the: it is

auntie les: are you working on any english books right now?

or are there any that you’re dying to read?

baby, the: yes. two.

yes!

good lord there’re so many books i want to read.

auntie les: :) see? this is why we love you!

baby, the: heeh.

:D

auntie les: in case you’ve ever wondered

baby, the: i didn’t, but thank you for telling me anyway.

auntie les: hee. welcome.

baby, the: and for your information, any jane austen novels you can find – preferably in its original english, no new adaptations – that isn’t pride & prejudice or emma, you’re free to ship over here.

or paulo coelho books that isn’t the alchemist – LOVE – or brida

just sayin’.

auntie les: i’ll keep those in mind, sugar

baby, the: thank you

auntie les: you have a birthday coming up soonish

baby, the: i do. a month and some days.

thirty-four days to be exact

auntie les: you’re going to be twenty?

baby, the: i am. i’m a big girl – no matter what you and lid say!

auntie les: our baby’s growing up…

baby, the: cue sobs

auntie les: but you’re still our baby!

baby, the: and you want to pinch my cheeks

i know

auntie les: i do. it’s true.

baby, the: yes, i know.

auntie les: lucky for you, you’re a safe distance away.

but one of these days!

baby, the: not for long, i hope.

lid’s helping me – you are, right, lid?! – look for colleges so i can come play with my aunties.

and exchange books with you.

auntie les: yay! yay yay yay!

baby, the: you didn’t know?

auntie les: i’d forgotten

baby, the: lol aw, les! cough*you’regettingoldandforgetful*cough

auntie les: :P

you = brat

baby, the: i knew that would come up

auntie les: why do these chats always include me calling someone a brat?

baby, the: because being bratty around you is fun? i rarely get to sass people, so…

auntie les: mmhm. thanks a lot, baby.

baby, the: it’s a compliment, take it as such!

auntie les: oh. ok, then.

thanks a lot, baby!

;-)

baby, the: you’re welcome!

:)

…well we got to talk a LITTLE about books. :P

yay us!

auntie les: yay!

this was fun, baby!

baby, the: it was! :) one of you should be gone so i can guest chat more often.

and i mean that in the nicest way possible.

auntie les: we’ll take that under advisement

and of course you do

baby, the: yay! success.

auntie les: hee

baby, the: anyway, it’s time for baby to sleep. it’s late in sweden-land.

auntie les: yes. it’s way past your bedtime, little one.

thank you for playing along with your auntie!

baby, the: thank you for letting me play! :)

auntie les: you’re welcome!

baby, the: i hope someone other than us enjoyed this.

auntie les: aw. i’m sure they did.

baby, the: here’s to hoping.

auntie les: have a great week, everyone! happy reading!

baby, the: happy reading!

History for the People

Howard Zinn died yesterday.  He was 87.

I first met his words fourteen years ago, when I was assigned A People’s History as summer reading for my AP US History class.  Though I ended up rushing through the chapters and bemoaning the fact that I had to write a page about each one, I knew even then that he was doing something important with all those words of his.  He was telling the stories of people who had never had a voice, and it turned out that a lot of people were listening.

His book, first published in 1980, had sold more than a million copies by 2003, which was around the time I herded the members of my youth group into a lecture hall in Boston to hear him speak.  I’m sure several, if not most, of them rolled their eyes at me behind my back, but just that once, I knew what was good for them.

He was a fascinating man – passionate and funny, intense and light-hearted.  He spoke and wrote in a way that compelled me and many others to learn and understand.  I admire the way he lived his ideals and convinced many others to follow his lead.  He always remembered that history was made up of the actions of humans and was therefore a living thing.

I’m always sad when a writer I love passes, but I think the loss is more profound when that writer is also a very admirable human.  Howard Zinn, above all, was someone I looked up to.  He wrote and said and did what he believed to be right.  He lived with integrity and a sense of humor that kept his approach from becoming dogmatic.  He knew what he thought, and he shared those thoughts readily.  But he wasn’t one to force his thoughts on others.  I respect that way of being, and I try to emulate it as best I can.

I know that his words will live on, now a part of the living history he described so well.  New generations of high school students will read him, and though I’m sure many will roll their eyes at the thought of another history text, some will find what I found.  They will discover a mentor, a guru, a friend – someone who can make history real and relevant with a few choice phrases.  This may be his most enduring and important legacy; Howard Zinn brought history to life.