Autumn Sky

1. Feed by M.T. Anderson

Feed (2002) is a dystopian novel of the postcyberpunk genre by M. T. (Matthew Tobin) Anderson. The story revolves around a teenage boy and his relationship with a girl with a vastly different world perspective. They live within a futuristic world where technology has merged electronics and telecommunications with the human mind, something which plays a major role in the novel. The book is a dark satire about corporate power, consumerism, information technology, and data mining in society. Their life revolves around advertising and the Feed does everything for them

This book is right next to 1984 by George Orwell on my bookshelf. What was so upsetting about this story was how surreal it was. Anderson sets up a very likely future where teenagers have the internet hardwired into their brain. Sure, a brain-wiki may SOUND nice, but it’s definitely frightening.

2. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

In The Golden Compass, readers meet for the first time 11-year-old Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Jordan College in Oxford, England. It quickly becomes clear that Lyra’s Oxford is not precisely like our own - nor is her world. In Lyra’s world, everyone has a personal dæmon, a lifelong animal familiar. This is a world in which science, theology and magic are closely intertwined.

I don’t know how old I was when this book first came out. I was doing what I typically did, loitering in front of the Young Adult book shelf at Barnes and Noble. A girl grabbed me. “You should read these.” She shoved The Golden Compass in my hand, while she tucked The Amber Spyglass under her arm. I was a little frightened to read His Dark Materials on the cover. She then began telling me of the adventures that awaited behind the cover. And me, the young and naive little girl with Harry Potter withdrawals, quickly marched to the counter and slammed a twenty down. I was hooked after that. This series is definitely a page turning adventure.

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Film at the end of this post.

The manifestation of overwhelming obsessions, whether thoughts or actions, and compulsions is called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD); classically defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted and repetitive thoughts and/or actions. OCD is classified as an anxiety disorder, psychological disorders characterized by distressing persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety. A simple crooked painting on the wall can be the equivalent to a giant elephant in the corner. Where a normal individual may be obsessed with why the elephant is there and how they can get rid of it, an OC sufferer can not rest until the frame is straight. 1 in 50 adults in the United States suffer from OCD, while many more hide their disorder because they believe they will be labeled as socially unacceptable, or they are uneducated on what they’re experiencing. It’s hard to understand what someone with OCD is experiencing; they are troubled with obsessive thoughts that are uncontrollable.

OCD usually becomes visible in males at the ages of 6 to 15 and females in their late teens and early twenties. OCD usually does not appear after the age of 25 unless the patient is predisposed and goes through a traumatic event. There are many different types of OCD, which does not always come in pairs of obsessions and compulsions. OCD can be diagnosed if only one obsession or compulsion is expressed. Typical OCD types are sufferers who obsessive over washing, cleaning, hoarding, checking, scrupulosity, and aggression. Examples of manifesting OCD symptoms are irrational checking of door locks, washing hands, or obsession with symmetry. Though these are typical symptoms, OCD can also manifest as thoughts of offending a higher power resulting in repetitive praying and confessing. Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of environmentalist, what do you think of? Me, I think of a granola eating, tennis shoes wearing, dreadlocks sporting feminist. The combination of stereotype tree hugger with “it’s just too out of the way” hinders many people from environmentalism. The truth is, there are so many easy ways to help the environment that aren’t out of the way.

So, can you wear high heels and lips gloss and still care about the planet? Yes.

Sprig

What it has: Food Fashion Beauty Home and Lifestyle
What it is: Sprig is an eco-friendly online store, whose goal is to provide the public with easily change lives to be more environmentally friendly! Read the rest of this entry »

In the past 42 hours I’ve watched three movies about people with “schizophrenia” (in actuality it would be defined as multi-personality or split personality disorder). I thought I should put together a quick guide so you can rest assured that your friends are not made up in your head. (This is simply based on Hollywood’s gross interpretation and glamorization of schizophrenia, not on any actual evidence.)

1. Does your close friend show up when you think about him or her?
2. Have you introduced your friend to your other friends and family? (Did they respond to your friend?)
3. Does your friend urge you to do things that you wouldn’t typically do? (Steal, lie, start a group of people who beat each other up for thrills, murder for fun)
4. Do you often space out or stand very still when in public and talking to your friend?
5. Does your friend ever age?
6. Does your friend wear the same clothes?
7. Can your friend physically pick up any object?
8. Is your friend chasing you or making you do “secret government work”?
9. Does your friend appear out of thin air?
10. Are you mentally, spiritually, or sexually repressed and wish that you were someone else because you thirst for blood?
11. Does your friend always seem to know extremely personal things about you?
12. Does your friend always seem to “know the truth” about other people?
13. Does your friend have qualities that you lack? (Outgoing, fun, likes to murder [cannot stress this enough])
14. Does your friend hate your other friends so much that he or she finds and excuse not to ever be around them?
15. Does your friend happen to strongly resemble a famous celebrity?

Answer yes to three or more of these? Please post your name, address, and a picture in my comments. You will receive a restraining order in 2-3 weeks. Thanks.

Whilst flipping through Jane Eyre I realized that even good books can be killed. I’ve always lived by the “don’t judge the book by the cover” motto. However, there are some simple things that can insure that I won’t buy the book.

1. Add a ten page introduction plus preface.

Sometimes publishers decide to find an obscure writer to write a ten page (or longer) introduction. This is generally with classic books that don’t need introductions. Biographical and historical information belongs after the story. A reader isn’t interested enough in the author to read x amount of pages about them until they’re familiar with the author’s work. Also, introductions and prefaces that give away anything about the story are demon spawn! Dude, it’s not cool to give spoilers without warning! Read the rest of this entry »