Month: June 2014

ə-ˈdik-shən: Confessions of a Bookaholic

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“When I read, the world gets bigger.”

That’s probably why I can’t stop. Why I must confess…

Hi, I’m Alaina and I’m a bookaholic.

Please don’t think that I’m joking, but also excuse me when I do make light of the situation because…well…I’m just not that serious.

With a bookshelf double layered with books, an eReader teeming with unread material and a library reserve list nearly to the maximum allotment, I have to finally admit I’ve got a problem. Admittance is the first step toward recovery, right? I have mentioned on numerous occasions to my husband, in a joking manner, that I’m addicted to books/reading, but it was only recently that I truly admitted that it seems to be a real matter of concern.

Unfortunately, addiction runs in my family. I could say the plus is my “drug” of choice isn’t a deadly substance, but any addiction is unhealthy. Don’t think I’m blaming my parents/family for my bookaholism. I choose to be addicted just as anyone chooses to do drugs or drink alcohol (I don’t mean to open up a can of worms — I’ve known many addicts who feel like it is less of a choice and more of a disease that they can’t control — I digress). I even say the same things any addict would say:

“I can quit/stop whenever I want.”
“I’m in control of it, not the other way around.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“I’m not nearly as bad as other people.”

Let me put my addiction into perspective. While writing this post (in the span of less than an hour) I bought two books, reserved four from the library, read a few (3-4) synopsis of potential books, and popped over to goodreads.com to update my to-read list. I also stopped writing for a bit so I could read a chapter from a book as well as an article from Time Magazine and download my new Doctor Who book (Yes…I’m a Whovian aka Doctor Who fan, but that is a whole other post).

While my addiction may be a more “acceptable” one, it can still lead to unhealthy behavior. I have to remember to not let it control me or my life. The good thing is I don’t lose sleep because of it (okay on occasion I stay up late); I haven’t robbed, murdered or maimed anyone (this is true); it also doesn’t affect my job (also true); and I’m not missing out on quality time with family or friends (I can put down the book…sometimes…other times my husband drives and I read until our final destination is reached).

We’re all addicted to something (online shopping, gaming, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, etc.) and I’m not here to be your therapist or tell you what to do. However, I will tell you that I’m not letting my habit rule me and I will keep reminding myself it’s okay to go a day without reading a book (oh how that killed me to write those words). That said, you should benefit from my bookaholism. How about I share a list of books with you that I like for one reason or another. Just think, if I wasn’t a bookaholic I probably wouldn’t have as many suggestions (I could’ve gone on forever, but I did cut it off). I hope you pick a few to read, and if you have questions or want to have a discussion about any of the books please feel free to contact me or comment.

Here are my suggestions (listed in alphabetical order by title):

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour – Morgan Matson
Ashes in the Wind – Kathleen Woodiwiss (This one is listed because my name is in the book)
Attachments – Rainbow Rowell
Between the Lines – Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer
Bloodsucking Fiends – Christopher Moore
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
Cemetery Dance – Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
City of Bones – Cassandra Clare
The Corpse Had a Familiar Face: Covering Miami, America’s Hottest Beat – Edna Buchanan
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Stories – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud – David Nicholls
Delirium (series) – Lauren Oliver
Eleanor & Park – Rainbow Rowell
The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
Green Eggs and Ham – Dr. Seuss
Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
How I live Now – Meg Rosoff
Hunger Games (series) – Suzanne Collins
I Am Legend – Richard Matheson
I Know What You Did Last Summer – Lois Duncan
If I Ran the Circus – Dr. Seuss
James and the Giant Peach – Roald Dahl
Legend (series) – Marie Lu
Looking for Alaska – John Green
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare (I know…not a book, but still one of my favs – read the complete works)
My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult
The Name of the Star (series) – Maureen Johnson
Never Eighteen – Megan Bostic
Nineteen Minutes – Jodi Picoult
On Writing – Stephen King
Panic – Lauren Oliver
The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Ralph S. Mouse – Beverly Clearly
Summer Falls and Other Stories – Varies authors (Doctor Who related)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter
True Grit – Charles Portis
Under the Never Sky (series) – Veronica Rossi
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
Warm Bodies – Isaac Marion
We Need to Talk About Kevin – Lionel Shriver
Where the Heart Is – Billie Letts
Who Moved My Cheese – Spencer Johnson
Will Grayson, Will Grayson – John Green & David Levithan
Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Frank Baum
The World I Made for Her – Thomas Moran
A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle
You Suck – Christopher Moore

 

bookaholic
I wanted to see if you were still reading. 

Visual Aid: Growing up Photographer

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Oh little me and the very bad haircut my Grandma Christine gave me…

I’ve been a photo nerd for a long time. The photo above is dorky, but I love it because I have a camera in my hand (I think I was about two years old). I’ve never thought of myself as an expert in photography, but I was recently going through old photos that I took and realized how far I’ve come…how much I’ve grown as a photographer and how I continue to learn more about the craft. I’m still surprised when people ask me photography or camera related questions that I can actually answer. You’d think by now I’d realize I’m a good “go-to” person for photography.

Ansel Adams in 1930 had been training to become a concert pianist while considering a career as a photographer. He decided, after seeing the photographs by Paul Strand, that “the camera, not the piano, would shape [his] destiny.” His mother and aunt both pleaded, “Do not give up the piano! The camera cannot express the human soul!” To which Adams replied, “The camera cannot, but the photographer can.” 

– Ansel Adams in Black & White Magazine for Collector of Fine Photography

When I decided to take photography seriously I was 13 years old. My grandma’s friend gave me a 35MM Minolta, which I still have…albeit on a shelf, it serves as a reminder of the discovery I made that summer. Photography isn’t just a passion, it is an extension of me. I cannot put into words what I feel when I hear the click of the shutter, or peer through the viewfinder at the subject at the end of the lens. I’m lost if I don’t have some form of a camera with me at all times. I am easily devastated if I miss a photo op moment.

That fantastic thing about photography is I’m constantly improving or learning new techniques (Like the year I spent exploring iPhoneography). I occasionally pick up a photog magazine to read up on the craft (what’s the latest camera, tips, equipment, etc.) and I visit Instagram to see what people are producing. Instagram can actually be really inspiring, which is important as a photographer. It’s like any creative outlet, you need a muse or inspiration to get things going.

Being a photographer is about being in the right place at the right time. For example, Ansel Adams would spend hours waiting for the light to be right before taking a photo, but sometimes he’d just drive by something and stop to capture it.

The serene subject is only about one hundred feet from the highway: I
have passed it hundreds of times, and I retain many “corner of the eye”
memories of it at all times of the year. The shapes were always beautiful,
but the lighting conditions usually were impossible. On this morning I
observed a situation I could not resist; a glance was enough to command
make me to stop, park the car,and carry my equipment to the scene.

– From The Ansel Adams Guide by Paul P. Schaefer

I’ve experienced both as well…the waiting game and the quick snapshot (accidental masterpieces are my favorite and are usually stemmed from the quick shots). The benefit of digital photography is I can take a thousand shots and decide later what lighting or angle I liked best. I sometimes wish I didn’t have that luxury, which is why I occasionally shoot with film.

Film really takes me back to the basics, which I love. For me, I pay more attention to my settings like aperture (f-stops) and shutter speed. I also take longer to choose my subject because I don’t want to waste the film. It can be more rewarding not instantly knowing if you captured your subject exactly how you envisioned.

In March, I made a trip to London see one of my best friends. I was exstatic to spend time with her, but some of the best moments of my trip were hanging out in the parks and public areas. Yes, I was probably a totally creeper but one of the joys of photography is people watching. Here’s a few of my favorites (I’m a fan of black and white):

Man at Trafalgar Square     Teen Traveler at Trafalgar Square

AMS_0421_bw1     AMS_0296_bw1

Market     AMS_8958_1

I even journeyed to Bath and found some interesting subjects. The woman with the wrap was amazing and I wish I would’ve had the chance to speak more with her. I did make sure to tell her she was amazingly awesome and beautiful (I swear she glowed and oozed pure happiness).

AMS_9591_1     AMS_9667_1

To see more photos visit my Instagram or Flickr. I also have a Facebook page: Pictures on the Wall. Don’t be a stranger…hit the follow button. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Expert I am not, but photographer I am. I often shy away from titles, but being called a photographer is one I’ve more easily accepted. I hope to share more of my work with you as well as some photog tips in future posts.

Until next time.

-AM

TFiOS and the “feels”

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“The-Fault-in-Our-Stars”

Okay. I was a fanatical nerd, who couldn’t wait, so I went to the movie premiere of The Fault in Our Stars, which if you’ve been living under a rock, is the story of two teens with terminal cancer who fall in love. The Night Before Our Stars was an opportunity for the Fault Fanatics (that would be me) who couldn’t wait for June 6 to see the movie.

I have to say that moviegoers and fans of the book will probably fall in love with TFiOS the way Hazel Grace fell in love with Augustus Waters, slowly then all at once.

I know it sounds cheesy, but it is true. Maybe it is my natural distaste of book-movies that made me hold back in instantly loving this movie. Filmmakers often don’t do justice to the books they turn into films, but there are always the exceptions. It is especially hard if the book is outstanding and extremely well written. And of course, as much as I enjoyed the film adaption, the book is better…okay? Okay. Don’t throw eggs at me just because I wasn’t instantly smitten with the film and the actors. I was committed to trying to like them, which is why in the end I love them.

Josh Boone and the filmmakers at Fox did a superb job at capturing the elements of John Green’s bestselling novel. I won’t go into details of the film, but I will say you need to read the book before you see the movie. I think reading the book makes the movie so much better (not that it can’t stand alone…because it can). You get all the unsaid jokes, all the emotions that had to go unfelt, all the words that had to be cut, if you read the book.

Ansel Elgort and his winning smile will win you over, too. He’s pretty adorable and I’m a bit disappointed that more reviews aren’t commenting on his performance. Shailene Woodley is stealing the limelight. I’m not saying she wasn’t good, but Elgort shows you that even cute boys are ugly criers. He does a great job of bring Gus to life and being as boyishly charming as John Green wrote the character to be. You can’t help but like Augustus Waters.

Woodley’s performance is also well done. Some reviews are saying her performance deserves an Oscar nomination, but I wasn’t THAT impressed. Don’t get me wrong, I thought she did an outstanding job of making Hazel Grace real for so many people including me. Her chemistry with Elgort is obvious and plays out well for the storyline. The girl can shed some tears, I’ll give her that.

One thing I didn’t like about the movie was the pop up, animated text messages. I thought it was a little too silly, but it was easy to get over because it was meant to make you laugh. In a way, it brought a lightheartedness to an extremely sad story.

Beautifully written, well acted, heartbreaking tale of first love — it will make you laugh and cry just like the book.

Take a box of tissues. It’s okay…even grown men will cry.