Shuffled by JC

Remember Plagiarism...Cont. Part B

2011-09-06T12:25:00.000-04:00

When we last left our mild mannered amatuer blogger he was still prattling on about plagiarism after serving up a brief interlude to his readers.

Well, it's not over yet, but today I'm coming fresh wit it.

So far I haven't given you much in the way of a solution, to which I beg your understanding since according to this new article I found (and am extremely exicited about) tells us, "The law still struggles with this distinction," as well.

Let's start with the new article today and move to the other two.

It's called, " Lessons in Plagiarism From Przekrój, Poland's Oldest Weekly," an article for The Atlantic that also appears in Brain Pickings, written by Maria Popova.

It's about and artist, Noma Bar, being plagiarized by a magazine, Przekroj.
The magazine copied the artist's rendering of Hitler.

Now this article was really helpful, though it didn't completely solve the balance problem I ended "Remember P.... Part A" with, but it does fall somewhere in the middle. Popova tells us, "it's important to understand the line between remix and ripoff."

The "litmus test" in the article? If the potiential offender, "changes the original in a creatively meaningful way, or offers cultural commentary or critique on it."

Now that we've established this tally and found a middle with the article above let's see what we have so far.

Kevin Drum: A combination of internet and laziness increase plagiarism from college kids.**
My View: I kind of agree, but don't completely buy it. Too easy. (Even thought this article on a Pew study agrees)

Anna Leach: The system used to determine plagiarism should change. What's that one, I don't know, saying? Reduce Reuse Recycle...something like that.

My View: Again I agree, but only if an uninspired free-for-all on creative material isn't the case. I didn't see any structure in this view.

Maria Popova: She's obviously against plagiarism, but only when plagiarism is done. She even talked about a litmus test for it.

My View: The bells almost right of this view. The reason why they don't, I kept help, but want to refine the system. Can the litmus test be made clearer? Is there away to write an academic paper without citing sources? (I may not hate MLA, but we are definately strangers and I'm completely afraid of it.)

***I was suppose to go over a third article which was actually really good. I got super convolute writing this, or at least I felt that way and needed to stop. So, for the sake of fairness, a quote from Jonathan H. Adlers article for The Volokh Conspiracy, "Plagiarism 2.0," that to me aids in the fight against plagiarism and for creativity, "The creativity and originality comes from finding the right source material and putting it to good use, not from denying the original source."--He agrees with the new article I found.

Remember Plagiarism...Cont. Part A

2011-09-04T08:23:00.049-04:00

Back to our regularly scheduled program...

We'll start with the ShinyShiny article, "Our Copy-Paste Culture and why plagiarism isn't such a problem anymore... " by Anna Leach and we'll see where that will take us. Okay?

This article doesn't take as hard a stance against plagiarism as the Kevin Drum article, as you can see by the title that my be a little more than an understatement.

Anna Leach argues the times are changing and "Mayber the academic world should catch up with this one..." and she asks if it is, "so wrong to re-use, re-mix, re-write, or repost?"

To which we know Mr. Drum answers emphatically yes, and the internet is an accomplice to the crime.

To me, Anna Leach may have a point, but again it feels to black and white for me. It leaves out the harshness the Mr. Drum gets when it comes to plagiarism when describing "this brave new world of collaboration."

If academic writing become as informal as writing on a blog can be or collaborating on Youtube video, how bad will it get? Will someone be able to get more than an arbitary thumbs up from work that was mostly mine? And macrocosmically, where would society be at the break down of the strict or not strict enought depending on the side, rules of academia on plagiarism?

I don't know the answers. But there's got to be some sort of middle ground that keeps us away from being needlessly ornery or having a free for all on other people's work.

I'll continue this next time. Bring a little more clarity. Because I like the idea of reform when it comes to plagiarism, but can't understand how that can be done without creative and academic anarchy.

Huh?
Until next time.

R. O. R!!!!

A Brief Interlude

2011-09-03T16:58:00.000-04:00

I sorry about cutting in on the plagiarism "series" I started, I will get back to that soon.

And I''m stalling the "series" for a semi-personal note, no less, but I really, really have to do this because the subject called out to me. Well, it's not a subject per se, rather a musing and affirmation. I won't be long though.

Do you know the blog Wicked & Tricksy?

It's an awesome and helpful blog about writing in general and speculative fiction specifically. They have guest bloggers on Fridays.

I wanted to follow the blog at its genesis, but do to ill-defined reasons I could not, so I recently started reading back posts and plan on catching up when I get the chance to read from post one.

Anyway the point of this post is as a show of solidarity with this recent post by Claudia A. on Thursday, "The Power of Short Stories."

A while ago I was so in the mindset the W&T post represents when it came to the daunting task of novel v a simple short (though short stories are no walk in the park to complete either). To see it put forth by someone with ideas you didn't even think of is a great comfort.

This is also coming on the heels of reading a review on the Amazon site about a book from Amazon Singles. (I not sure how A-Singles holding up, but I actually like the idea of theses shorts offered by Amazon. I have to expound upon this more later. )

The reviewer lamented, " 15 pages? Come on--get serious."

I'm down with the complaint to a certain degree, .99c for 15 pages certainly is steep

(I gave up my .99c for the short. That's why bad reviews aren't helpful to me, they make me want to check it out for myself, especially since the majority of reviews are weak in the content area.)

But for me content is key to price, not that I believe readers and retailers should start haggling for a fair price for a book, rather, I believe that when we read books, at least this is how it is with me, we can either come away with as sense of fulfillment as if we've gotten what we paid for, maybe more; or we can leave the author's world feeling as though they've stolen something from us.

It happens regardless of length of the work. Jeez, there's probably shorts out there that I'd pay "hard back" money for if I could... maybe.

Amazon Singles is probably trying to give the short story a chance the way it's currently giving author's under unfavorable conditions a chance. Or they're trying to make money.

N-E-Way, I've strayed, only slightly, from my original topic, so...

I'm going to leave you with a Stephen King quote that summarizes my tangent quite nicely, from the 2007 New Yorks Times article, "What Ails The Short Story," , "They do still matter, and here they are, liberated from the bottom shelf. "

And P.S. Wicked & Tricksy -- Writing -- Short Stories are awesome!

R.O.R!!!

*King, Stephen. "What Ails the Short Story - Stephen King - Books - Review - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 03 Sept. 2011. Web. 03 Sept. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/books/review/King2-t.html.

*Reviewer. "Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: No Time Left (Kindle Single)." Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & More. Amazon, 10 May 2011. Web. 03 Sept. 2011. <http://www.amazon.com/Time-Left-Kindle-Single-ebook/product-reviews/B004LB4FBE/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8>.

Remember Plagiarism...

2011-09-01T21:12:00.000-04:00

I talked about PLAGIARISM!!! a few posts back. DA DA DUM!

Remember?

Well, I was intrigued to do a follow up post when I came across a top story on the Google news...Would it be called a ticker? No, let's go with with feed.

So, I go on the Google news feed to see what's going on around the world a couple of days ago and I see another plagiarism article. I can't remember "where" it was written, Reuters I think, otherwise I'd link it for you. But it had a couple of mini graphs, I didn't get to read it, but it did spark my curisosity. Since I have gone back to deliberately search the news for plagiarism articles.

I found a few good ones, my favorite is, "Why College Students Don't Understand Plagiarism," that asks, "Is our digital free-for-all culture triggering an ethical breakdown?"

(I have no idea how to cite this-- MLA, APA, Chicago Style--has been Greek to me since I was first thrust into those over charted waters in high school)

They question is similar to one Nathan Bransford, a blog I enjoy frequenting and that I've linked a few times before asked yesterday--Is the Internet Making Us Better or Worse?

You noticed the three different views they linked up in answer to the question?

I love multiple views on things because I'm a firm believer that most concrete things in this world are made in shades of gray.

The three different author's bring up great points and I'm inclined to believe many of them, but I want to play in the shades of gray with this post.

In Kevin Drum's article for Mother Jones, "The Economic of Plagiarism," he pointed out that the blame should be on the internet which makes plagiarism, "about a hundred times easier than it use to be," and lays blame where it rightly should be, the plagiarizers that, "do it because they're lazy."
I'm inclined to agree with his sentiments, but I believe the conclusions are a bit extreme. I mean, the internet does provide more information and an ease of access, but I don't believe it would give someone who normally cites their material when researching a topic through physical books at a library an incentive to take the easy way out and copy work without citing their source.

It's my belief that the original New York Times article have is closer to the truth. I think, "dag-nabit this internet contraption. Get off my lawn!! Lazy kids," is a little to black and white for my taste.

I'm think I'm going to have to continue this another day--it's gone on longer than I expected, but I'm really enjoying myself.

I wonder if Anna Leach of Shiny Shiny can give us more incite into solutions for this plagiarism epidemic (or is that pandemic? Maybe neither since I'm not talking about disease.) with her view. Anyway...

R.O.R!

*These are older articles (like last year old), but plagiarism persists to be thorn in creativitiy's side.

I don't know what to post today...

2011-08-31T22:45:00.000-04:00

I come back with something better tomorrow or Friday. I don't think it will disappoint.

I've been keeping up with my "pledge" to write 250 words a day this week. Today, I haven't planted my seat to the chair, but after I finish posting this I will. So... um...um...

I guess, keep reading.

R.O.R!

Plan for the Week

2011-08-29T08:38:00.003-04:00

I'm constantly talking about organization, but I never know where to begin, how to get started. So I'm going to try to get started here.

No link, I mean right here in this post.

This week we're moving into the month of September. Seems to me like a good time to impliment change.

Right now, I want to be a writer and I do not have a writing shed-ule.

Not good. Not good at all.

So... My first amendment to my life will be to try--no, no, no-- to actually write 250 words a day.

Simple maybe, but you have to take these things one day at a time. And that's what I plan to do.

R.O.R.

Great Blog Post by Joe Hill

2011-08-28T08:30:00.001-04:00

Keeping Journals...

I'm not going to reiterate the question Mr. Hill already asked; I just thought his post was good and wanted to point some people in that direction.

Nathan Bransford did a post on journaling, so you can see his answer to Joe Hill's question above and visa versa, if it interests you.

My answer? I don't keep official diaries like Joe Hill--I'm not organized enough for that. But, I am addiction to buying notebooks. I keep notes in them. All random, sporadic.

Church and school started my habit of buying notebooks. Now I keep thoughts and all manner of things.

I love to read, but I also like to write. I think I can optimize both pastimes with a little organization.

R.O.R.

My Worst Fear... Da Da Dum!

2011-08-27T03:32:00.002-04:00

Plagiarism!!! Da! Da! DUM!

Yeah it's weird; I'm not afraid of being plagiarized, but I'm afraid of plagiarizing someone else. Like someone's going to come to me one day and say, "Hey guy! All that stuff you wrote down, yeah well, that's mine." Then, I just scream Edvard Munch style.

The above article didn't help much in that fear, but it did help me to learn how easy it is to plagiarize and how little we might be taught to keep from doing so. This is something we should probably be taught thoroghly in grade school and that should be emphasized on through our learning experience.

I like this response from the article linked above, by Marissa from Ames, IA:

" I wonder if the problem may be that professors assume a level of research abilities in more advanced students, or students in upper-level and graduate-level classes. If the thinking is that they should have received research instruction at a lower level, then perhaps they skip it, and shortchange the students."

And I wonder if I just plagiarized the heck out of Marissa...? Hopefully I didn't, but either way I totally agree with her.

*Cohen, Patricia."Thinking Cap: The Seemingly Persistent Rise of Plagiarism."Art Beat. NYTimes.com. Web. Aug. 23, 2011. <http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/thinking-cap-the-seemingly-persistent-rise-of-plagiarism/?ref=review>

2011-08-26T08:48:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to do another post on this reality TV phenomenon for awhile now. So here it is...

I agree with . NO, no, no, no, no way.

It's an anomaly about us humans I just can't seem to grasp. I mean, I may sound a little obsessive about it, but it's such a strange fad, if it can still be called that.

It's a strange move from talk shows and game shows, where the only people who gain some fame from the show are the hosts. And generally, that fame is confined to a snug positoin in popular culture.

I've never heard of any obsessed that went on the show The Love Connection over outside of the, what, thirty minutes the show was on. So, what's the deal with these Bachelor/Bachelorette people? Are they really that interesting or did something happen to us?

And don't get me started on these "house rules" and Desparate Housewives shows...

The are too many kinds "wives" on TV, fights break out left and right, and how are we not all plagued by vertigo with the unending spinoffs?

It's like after we went through withdrawal after the Jerry Springer craze and found that we couldn't live without the cheap thrill that provided, so we fell off the wagon...hard.

Don't get me wrong, I indulged in these guilty pleasures, as well, way more than I ever should've. I've kept up with the Kardashians and still can't figure out where we're going. I've tasted the flavor of love and, oh God, is it horrible.

But I still can't figure out why--why did I do that to myself? I'm laughing at these people's antics, but who really gets the last laugh?

When the story about Snookie versus Toni Morrison at Rutgers College came out, I was afraid we'd hit rock bottom. Of course, "a student-run committee" booked Snookie, so that was a small sigh of relief.

But, I got my real glimpse of a silver lining when I read whether reality TV stars are star enough to get on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Thank goodness the answer was no. Hopefully it stays that way because I can't take a world where accolades are based on non-meritous, or even worse demeritous, acts.

* McGlone, Peggy, and Kelly Heyboer. “Snooki of 'jersey Shore' Gets $2k More Than Author Toni Morrison to Appear at Rutgers.” nj.com. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/snooki_of_jersey_shore_gets_2k.html (accessed August 25, 2011).

*Finn, Natalie . "Will reality TV stars ever get on Walk of Fame?TODAY.com. Web. 25 Aug. 2011. <http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44264957/ns/today-entertainment/t/will-reality-tv-stars-ever-get-hollywood-walk-fame/>.

I've Finally Read Alice in Wonderland.

2011-08-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

The other day I read Alice in Wonderland for the first time and if I do say so myself it is all it's cracked up to be. I see why it shows on any "top" list for children's books.

I don't know what to say about it; it's a children's book...

It's funny at times and nonsensical throughout the whole story.

I watched the movie when I was younger and even the TV show, but never read the book--probably says something about the day I live in, or just me personally. But I'm reading now, if this blog is any indication, and as they say better late than never. So...

If your a parent get it to read to your kids if you haven't. Just because its a head trip doesn't mean it isn't any fun.

Have you seen the Google logo today?

2011-08-24T11:00:00.061-04:00

Of course you have, it's Google, everyone on the internet has seen the logo today.

Well, the logo, as it sometimes does, peaked my interest. One: because the drawing is pretty beastly and two: because I had heard of this Jorge Luis Borges before, one of the numerous internet searches I've done before and the "The Book of Sand" is in Imaginative Writing by Janet Burroway ( a book on my 100 books list).

Anyway at this time I can't say too much about Borges, because the logo was kind of my official introduction to his work.

What I do know is after reading "The Library of Babel" I can't wait to read more of him. I see he's an author you really have to dig your heels in to grasp. The story pretty much went right over my head (though I'm not operating at full capacity now), but I enjoy a challenge. Right now, trying to fully understand these stories is like trying to gain a full understanding of the vastness of the universe--an infinite library, an infinite book-- egads!! What does it all mean?

Borges, Jorge Luis. "The Book of Sand." Collected Fictions--Imaginative Writing. Maria Kodama Translation and notes--Penguin Putnam Inc.1998.

(Sorry about the citing--it's mul (messed up language) format or something, kinda dead on feet here. I'll fix it A.S.A.I.C)

Anyway, Happy Birthday Jorge

R.O.R!

Okay, here's that review I promised.

2011-08-23T12:25:00.003-04:00

I'm trying out this schedule feature (I feel old like my pops), so I hope it works.

I'm not particular good at reviewing things, but that's what pratice is for. "If at first you don't suceed try, try again" and like the pops from above says, "Nothin' beats a try." So, let's try this...

I haven't reviewed much outside side of talking about movies and what not with family and friends. I did a treatment on Mira Grant's novel, Feed, on another site (link). I think I did okay for my first book review, but I felt it was missing a fullness that other reviews in the NYTimes, Magazines, other newspapers and websites seem to have. I'll try to produce that in this review, if I'm not actually being too hard on myself (cause I tend to do that) and there really is something extra I to produce.

I wasn't sure what I should review--there's a lot to choose from. Stephen King is my favorite author and I think I'd have fun reviewing something I've read from him. Kathryn Stockett's book is a hot commodity right now and I really enjoyed reading that book... I don't know.

I guess I'll go with Bentley Little's, Dispatch.

Okay, digging in now:

This book is a very interesting read.

It's my introduction to Little's work and I think I'd recommend it to other people, even though it's possible he has better work. I'll let you know.

The story follows a kid, Jason Hanford, into adulthood. Dysfunctional doesn't even discribe is family-- abusive and acholic dad, abusive mother, and brother who isn't much better than either parent.

One day in class, his teacher starts a pen pal project, in which Jason is the only boy that participates. It's through this project that Jason first gets a taste of the power in his letter writing.

Throughout the years and into adulthood readers get a glimpse at pinnacle moments into Jason's discovery how being Letter Writer affects his life, rarely without a negative effect.

It leads him down a twisting path and the ultimate discovery of something dark, old, and dangerous.

The ending is a little closer to the not side of Ripley's show, but if the saying, "it's the journey, not the distination," is true, then Little's pulls this book off without a hitch.

Blogging...

2011-08-22T23:40:00.000-04:00

I would enjoy it, but at least for myself, it's just as hard as conversing with others.

I'm an introvert to the nth degree, so I thought that boucing ideas off a sounding board without immediate feedback would lack the pressure of normal conversation... Nope, not at all.

I feel just as clumsy typing up a random soliloquy on a subject as I do speaking to another person. Funny, innit?

But there's still enjoyment mixed in with the anxiety...

The challenge so far-

I'm still reading Richard Laymon's, In the Dark, and I added James Patterson and Neil McMahon's, Toys to that.

I've finished reading, Dispatch by Bentley Little and The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber, both awesome books.

So I'm steady creeping my way to that 100-book goal.

R.O.R.

P.S? I still haven't reviewed any of the books--blaugh-- I'm a little afraid of how my treatment of the material will turn out... not because I haven't read (a-he, a-he), but because I don't have confidence in my ability to present the material.

But I'm going to get that to you though. Promise.

I really want to have a sure direction for this blog, but the path is foggy. I hope that clears soon...

Anyway, once again...R.O.R!

Back to the Reading Challenge . . .

2011-08-01T00:32:00.000-04:00

And blogging.

I'm not promising regularity. I really wish I could, but I don't want to put my word out there just so I can stomp all over it. Because if a man can't stand on his word, he's got nothing left to stand on. . .

I guess that shows how much faith I have in my reliability. . .

Well, I guess we'll start with the reading challenge update, then we can probably move on to a review or something.

I've read nine more books since I last updated the page list. I haven't been too busy, besides trying to decipher the age old "meaning of life", but there has been some crucial changes in my life that cause only slight bumps in my reading schedule. (Like school starts in the next couple of weeks and I won't be going. Whoops! Looooong, sad story.)

But on a lighter note, I have cultivated a new passion over the past couple of years, writing, and I'm enjoying learning more and more about it. I think briefly mentioned it somewhere on this blog or it could have been somewhere else.

So, I've been trying to hone my writing skills for the past year. That too is part of the reason why the reading is slow going.

Moving on . . .

My twentieth book will probably be Richard Laymon's, In the Dark; I'm currently reading it. If you haven't notice I'm on a Richard Laymon kick. I discovered him a few months ago, I forget how, and I really enjoy? (not sure if that's okay to say when you're a fan of horror) reading his stories.

I guess that's about it.

R. O. R!!!! (This is going to catch on, no?)

Oh, Right! I Was Suppose to Be Blogging.

2011-07-29T01:54:00.000-04:00

Wow, I haven't posted in a while. I hope you guys are doing all right out there in the real world.

I'm reading like mad. I'm actually still doing the challenge, though I've somewhat neglected blogging. I going get the updated list of books to you guys a.s.a.p. and probably some reviews to go along with it. I mean if I'm going to read it would courteous of me to share the wealth, know what I mean?

Hopefully, I'll get back in the saddle soon and regularly, but for right now, I'm on a very important, deep and personal mission. If things go okay, maybe I can blog about it.

Besides that, I don't have much else to give you guys. So, until next time R.O.R! (Read on Readers, corny, but cool. Right?)

It's Kind of Late. . . Good Morning?

2011-05-10T05:05:00.000-04:00

My mind is reeling right now, as it always does this early-late in the am.

First of all, looong time, no see, huh? Sorry about that. I haven't been posting and that's, by in large, due to my being a victim of procrastination . . .

Honest, I am a victim.

If there's something I need done, especially when it's solely for my benifit, you can be sure I will find something to distract me from it, even if that means I have to stare at a wall for an hour. (Disclaimer: I don't think I've ever actually stared at a wall for an hour, but you get the picture--I hope.)

Anyway while checking out one of my favorite blogs, that of Nathan Brandsford, author of Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow, it got me to connect some recent question marks I had regarding the a change I noticed in marketing the Kindle.

First, here Mr. Brandsford explains a little about changes in pricing caused by the introduction of Amazon e-book publishing.

I don't want to talk about pricing, I'd rather focus on the marketing.

It may be me, but it feels like with in the last year the Kindle commercials that I've seen ( Only about two come to mind right now ) have gotten slightly more aggressive.

I remember seeing Kindle ads more like this at first (there's also one here):

The ads are more like the Mac v. PC/ T-Mobile v. AT&T commercials here or

the pool side indication of a glaring (Shameless pun too much?) disadvantage of the IPad in this commercial:

See?

I guess my over all point is spelled out in the power shifts explained in Nathan's blog: First, physical/hard/paper book publishers held the power; then Amazon was about to produce ebooks at a lower price disrupting the comfortable pricing seat held by physical book publishing; then, and I'm sure this is where the slights in the latter commerials above come in, the Ipad comes with the "agency model" for selling books, thus we get a new marketing strategy, among other things.

On the record, I don't have a problem with the more aggressive ads, I just thought it was an interestng change, especially after reading Mr. Bransford's post and the grinding of the conspiracy theorist wheels in my head.

Of course, these are all my own thoughts and opinions based on the things that I've told you, not hard fact (In life, what truly is?).

That's it for my post, anyway. I hope I was able to convey my thoughts coherently. Sometimes I feel feeble-minded at the tender age of 22--that truly is a frighting thought. I also think I linked a little much in this post, if so I apologize, I felt I needed the links to convey my thoughts more wholly.

Well, "see" you guys. You'll hear from me real soon.

Still on the Challenge but . . .

2011-04-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

It's challenging.

I'm sure that's the point, but it's one thing to know academically that you are entering into something that is challenging; it's another thing all together to be in the midst of that challenge. Right?

Well, I guess my last post must have been an April Fool's joke because I went above and beyond not accomplishing my March goals.

It really is slow going for me -- I compared myself to molasses before but I'm moving slower than that; it's more like a video of molasses in slow motion.

I'm still reading Erasure. . . I know, Wow, the book I started reading! (I'm on chapter 6 in the book.)

To my credit though I haven't been only reading the one book all March. I've read and finished three others ( Stephen King's, Full Dark, No Stars; Joe Hill's, Heart-Shaped Box; and Brian Keene's, The Conqueror Worms), they are all great books, I may get more in depth in later posts.

And to the books credit it is Really good so far.

I don't know what's the deal -- ADD ( I don't know if I have this, never been tested ) plus procrastination ( I'm pretty sure I'm fighting a daily battle against this ) leads to a rocky road toward accomplishing goals?

I'm still not discouraged though: I started out late and speed reading isn't my forte. . . yet. Plus there's always "tomorrow", after a battle wounds can be licked and lessons learned, as long as you live to fight another day.

***

I don't think I'm going to a in post list of books for April; not accomplishing the list makes me feel like I broke some kind of oath. I'm just going to post the books I read on a list in the page section.

I do have a goal for April . . . Read more than three books.

100 Hundred Books in a Year ... The List

2011-03-11T18:02:00.000-05:00

I'm already feeling a little shaky about this challenge. I know, right? I just found out about it- just started it- and I already feel small trying to conquer this leviathan . . . but, I haven't been discouraged.

I'm sure I have to make some changes to my reading habits to have a chance at accomplishing this task. I read somewhat haphazardly. I read leisurely and sometimes several books at a time. I don't think that's a good combination to meet this challenge. Maybe once the ball gets rolling the challenge will be a breeze to accomplish.

Well here's my list of books to read (maybe subject to change):

1. Erasure by Percival Everett (I'm only just finishing the first chapter, I'm starting like molasses)
2. Nixon ad Mao by Margaret MacMillan
3. Choosing Civility by P.M. Forni
4. Their Eyes Are Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston
5. White Fang by Jack London
6. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
7. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
8. The Hounds of Baskervilles By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
9. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
10. Slouching Toward Bethelehem by Joan Didion
11. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

I just pick some random books, for the most part. I hope to finish a huge chunk, if not all, of these books before the end of March. Fingers crossed.

**Also, I would like to send my prayers out to those devastated by the earthquake in Japan**

100 Books in a Year

2011-03-09T17:26:00.000-05:00

Challenge accepted . . .

Now, where should I start?

I just finished reading Dark Dreams , a horror and suppense anthology edited by Brandon Massey. I don't really want to dive back into the horror genre just yet. . . Not because I'm scared or anything, I just want to switch gears for awhile. I'm no chicken!

Well, back to the challenge then?

I think I'll read Erasure by Percival Everett, a book that's been sitting on my bookself for months (I bought it for class and never used it). It seems like it's going to be an intersesting read.

I'm also currently reading a book of poetry titled Word Of Mouth, poems featured on NPR's All Things Considered, edited by Catherine Bowman. And it is an interesting read. I'm really in joying this book.

So. . . That's my plan, so far. My next post will be a list of 12 books (give or take) I'll consume throughout the rest of March and I'll do that every month until the challenge is over. (12 books a month, EeGads!!!!)

Anyway, happy reading?

2011-03-08T02:02:00.000-05:00

I just stumble on to a challenge reading this review: 100 Books in a Year. After searching around a little for a more recent challenge, it seemed that this is where it's currently going down in 2011. I'm a little late for the party, but I'm going to challenge my self to read one hundred books in the remaining chunk of 2011.

Come on, DWTS! I Blame Reality TV

2011-03-02T02:51:00.001-05:00

I was reading this Yahoo TV Blog article and the topic left me dumbfounded.

Really?

I'm not really a fan of Dancing With The Stars, I've seen what they considered stars before and what the audience accepted as stars . . . this season is doing much better in the way of stars than the last couple of seasons.

Fame isn't what it use to be it seems because Bristal Palin, Paul Mccartney's ex, and Jon and Kate Plus Eight most definitly are famous for nothing. The diffence between the three mention and this season's cast is they all did something that drove them toward what ever amount of stardom they have.

I blame reality TV.