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I think she just called me stupid
Jun. 2nd, 2009 07:58 amWe've had this discussion before, but it keeps happening, so it keeps annoying me, and I need a place to vent, and that's where LJ comes in, ja? Because I cannot call someone at 5am [when I remembered what had bothered me for most of yesterday afternoon, even as I watched Maneater] and shriek, "why can't people understand that simply reading is actually more than enough at this point?!"
So. Why can't people understand that, in this day and age of people being thoroughly unable to read anything that's longer than a twitter post, you get points for reading anything in book form? Really. Even the crappiest book that I wish would disappear from the shelves completely, that history would disown, and that people would riot when they read the words... you read it. Good job. You want a gold star? I've got gold stars. You want to discuss it? I'll try the first chapter if it's in any of my possible likes [and hell, if I like you enough, I'll read the first chapter anyway. Unless this is a trick and it's a book that's 900 pages long and it's ALL the first chapter] and we'll discuss the hell out of that first chapter.*
But there's always some jackass out there rating you on what you've read. Guys, dudes, I'm not sure you've caught on to this fact, but I'll share a little secret with you. People. Don't. Read. I know, shocking, right? You're all, "the internet!" and I'm all, "Porn and pictures!" They don't read. I bring a new book to work at least once a week [usually every other day, but sometimes I get bogged down] and people act like this is the biggest accomplishment in the world. Dude, I read YA. This isn't exactly the hardest stuff in the known universe to get through, you know? But it blows people's minds. I'm not even talking about coworkers. Now, obviously, people in other parts of the world or the US or hell, possibly the state will get different mileage. But mostly I want to hand out gold stars and book certificates to people I see reading actual books.
Back to the jackass. Occasionally, for research purposes for my side project, I must use my limited Google-fu and I come across sites that discuss the resurgence of SVH love, and the mockery that goes with it. And some people get it. They're all, "Eeeeeeeee! I remember 1bruce1 and the lime green Triumph and the spiked vodka and why, oh why, didn't Margo kill Liz?!" and it's cool. Or they get it but then go on and on about how SVH gave them anorexia or something and I think to myself, "Crap, why didn't I read that book right after her and catch it?" or something because, yeah, no. But as these things come in waves, there's also the backlash of, "why would you admit to this?" or "why can you look back and laugh and still love?" So someone proposed the idea that maybe the SVH fans who can look back with love just weren't big readers and this was the only way they got into the written word.
I read that and for a moment time stood still.
Was I just...?
Did she just...?
Really? That is your theory? My mind, she blew up right then and the only way to fix it was to walk away.
Luckily, as I returned to my research this morning, I uncovered someone else who feels the same way I do, at least in regards to kids and their reading choice. Leave them alone and let them read what they like, when they like, and you can kindly STFU about their taste because they're reading.
*Ironically -I think? Fuck you, Alanis, I'll never fully grasp irony now- I don't do book clubs. It's not that I think I'm better than they are, or that they're better than I am, but even the books I wanted to read in school, the ones you picked from a three page list [all in an itty bitty font the teacher probably couldn't read] so that you might actually LIKE the book you chose? Yeah. I didn't like any of them. Well. One. But if someone gushes over The Diary of Anne Frank? I have to confess that I was the only person in the history of EVER who got up in front of the class and say, "yeah. I had to fake being sick all last week so I could finish this book that we've had months to read, and Lord knows I tried, but I hated it. I mean, yeah. It's a great story. In theory. But reading it, I really wanted to spork my own eyes out, and then I felt bad because you're not allowed to not like this book and why?" Do you know how incredibly horrible that experience was? Yeah. I was 11 and no one liked me to BEGIN with. And I was stuck with those people for rest of middle and high school, so I want you to think about that for awhile.
Go on. I've got time. Anyway. My point? If you make me read it, I will not like it. If you give me the book and say, "whenever, chickadee," the odds increase dramatically. So book clubs, my love, are out. Sadly. Because I'm such a good little dork at times.
Oh, and Maneater would have been better without the commercial interruption. It killed the flow and that's even with my whole FF through the commercials. Also, I might remember until I'm 95 the awkward product placement/sales pitch in both parts of the movie. Really? You had to have your product placed on the posters, the start of every commercial break, occasionally at the bottom of the screen, practically part of the title, AND worked into the script? Ick. Otherwise, it moved... strangely. The first two hours moved too fast and the second two were a bit, "oh, okay, time to make her a better person while keeping True Love at bay." However, overall I liked and it made me cry and giggle and it's another of those where I kind of wish it was a series, preferably a series with a set number of seasons/episodes. So, like a movie, but given way more time.
So. Why can't people understand that, in this day and age of people being thoroughly unable to read anything that's longer than a twitter post, you get points for reading anything in book form? Really. Even the crappiest book that I wish would disappear from the shelves completely, that history would disown, and that people would riot when they read the words... you read it. Good job. You want a gold star? I've got gold stars. You want to discuss it? I'll try the first chapter if it's in any of my possible likes [and hell, if I like you enough, I'll read the first chapter anyway. Unless this is a trick and it's a book that's 900 pages long and it's ALL the first chapter] and we'll discuss the hell out of that first chapter.*
But there's always some jackass out there rating you on what you've read. Guys, dudes, I'm not sure you've caught on to this fact, but I'll share a little secret with you. People. Don't. Read. I know, shocking, right? You're all, "the internet!" and I'm all, "Porn and pictures!" They don't read. I bring a new book to work at least once a week [usually every other day, but sometimes I get bogged down] and people act like this is the biggest accomplishment in the world. Dude, I read YA. This isn't exactly the hardest stuff in the known universe to get through, you know? But it blows people's minds. I'm not even talking about coworkers. Now, obviously, people in other parts of the world or the US or hell, possibly the state will get different mileage. But mostly I want to hand out gold stars and book certificates to people I see reading actual books.
Back to the jackass. Occasionally, for research purposes for my side project, I must use my limited Google-fu and I come across sites that discuss the resurgence of SVH love, and the mockery that goes with it. And some people get it. They're all, "Eeeeeeeee! I remember 1bruce1 and the lime green Triumph and the spiked vodka and why, oh why, didn't Margo kill Liz?!" and it's cool. Or they get it but then go on and on about how SVH gave them anorexia or something and I think to myself, "Crap, why didn't I read that book right after her and catch it?" or something because, yeah, no. But as these things come in waves, there's also the backlash of, "why would you admit to this?" or "why can you look back and laugh and still love?" So someone proposed the idea that maybe the SVH fans who can look back with love just weren't big readers and this was the only way they got into the written word.
I read that and for a moment time stood still.
Was I just...?
Did she just...?
Really? That is your theory? My mind, she blew up right then and the only way to fix it was to walk away.
Luckily, as I returned to my research this morning, I uncovered someone else who feels the same way I do, at least in regards to kids and their reading choice. Leave them alone and let them read what they like, when they like, and you can kindly STFU about their taste because they're reading.
*Ironically -I think? Fuck you, Alanis, I'll never fully grasp irony now- I don't do book clubs. It's not that I think I'm better than they are, or that they're better than I am, but even the books I wanted to read in school, the ones you picked from a three page list [all in an itty bitty font the teacher probably couldn't read] so that you might actually LIKE the book you chose? Yeah. I didn't like any of them. Well. One. But if someone gushes over The Diary of Anne Frank? I have to confess that I was the only person in the history of EVER who got up in front of the class and say, "yeah. I had to fake being sick all last week so I could finish this book that we've had months to read, and Lord knows I tried, but I hated it. I mean, yeah. It's a great story. In theory. But reading it, I really wanted to spork my own eyes out, and then I felt bad because you're not allowed to not like this book and why?" Do you know how incredibly horrible that experience was? Yeah. I was 11 and no one liked me to BEGIN with. And I was stuck with those people for rest of middle and high school, so I want you to think about that for awhile.
Go on. I've got time. Anyway. My point? If you make me read it, I will not like it. If you give me the book and say, "whenever, chickadee," the odds increase dramatically. So book clubs, my love, are out. Sadly. Because I'm such a good little dork at times.
Oh, and Maneater would have been better without the commercial interruption. It killed the flow and that's even with my whole FF through the commercials. Also, I might remember until I'm 95 the awkward product placement/sales pitch in both parts of the movie. Really? You had to have your product placed on the posters, the start of every commercial break, occasionally at the bottom of the screen, practically part of the title, AND worked into the script? Ick. Otherwise, it moved... strangely. The first two hours moved too fast and the second two were a bit, "oh, okay, time to make her a better person while keeping True Love at bay." However, overall I liked and it made me cry and giggle and it's another of those where I kind of wish it was a series, preferably a series with a set number of seasons/episodes. So, like a movie, but given way more time.