I Just Can't Walk Away

*yawn* I'm not sure what today will bring as we're supposed to start getting our rain/wind bands from Dorian today and the storm is supposed to 'hit' (I say it like that because it's supposed to skirt the coast but not make landfall here) sometime overnight between Wed/Thursday. Since Dominion took over, our power flickers more frequently during regular storms so who knows what this will bring.


I do know it's fucking hot outside and not even the slight breeze helps with that. I prefer my hurricanes to bring cooler weather behind them but Dorian looks like today and tomorrow are supposed to be the coolest days of the week (due to the wind) and then we go right back to baking in the sun. Yay.


I've read most of my abridged AG books at this point. Read both of Maryellen's and Melody's, and Nanea's first book. I don't get people who complain about Nanea's artwork as the bigger illustrations (not the small ones that illustrate little things like hiding under a desk for a bomb scare in Maryellen's book, but I'll be damned if I remember what they're actually called) are just like Melody's and Maryellen's: they look like someone applied a painting filter over a photograph. But people complain hers look too cartoony? I guess they're judging based on the art from her World section on the site, but each of the new girls have similar artwork for their "Peek into ___'s World/___'s Friends and Family" sections. It's just they chose to spotlight that art for Nanea for whatever reason. I stand corrected, the very first illustration in Nanea's second, and probably her first, isn't the photorealistic style. But we're talking the very first picture before the book properly starts, and uh, have these people seen the art for Kirsten or Rebecca or basically anyone?

Anyway, I don't think I mentioned this elsewhere, but the books stink. Like they literally have a smell I dislike and I am a person who enjoys the smell of books. I don't know if it's the paper used or what, but it's just...ick.

As for the abridging: Maryellen's second book feels choppy and based on how much was whittled out of Melody's first book, I believe it was chopped. Melody's first book is definitely whittled away, though the series still works because her story has a solid through line. However, you realize how much they had to cut when the second book ends with her mentioning Lila's studies and the abridged books don't mention that much prior to that moment. Nanea's first book also feels choppy and while it's been awhile, I'm pretty sure they cut a good chunk of Nanea's acting before thinking stuff as there's a very unearned, "you're so grown up now, I see you thinking before you act" comment that I believe works in the original context of the story but not the story we're given in this form.

So the stories aren't bad, but they fall flat in a lot of ways and suffer that way from being abridged. Secondary characters suffer the most with the cuts (Lila and Sharon should SUE) but Nanea's first book also lacks the sparkle that Melody's mostly retain. The artwork is lovely, though I think I prefer a slightly less photorealistic style, but I wish AG had just divided the books into three, charged their 7.99 or so for them, and not gone with abridged content to accommodate the artwork. I don't think they've done a bad job in condensing the stories, I just don't think they should have done it to begin with. Also, the next person who acts like their kids/they are superior for never liking/reading/enjoying the AG books is getting decked.


eta: It's now 4 in the afternoon and it's nap time again. Mums and I braved Bi-Lo where they were clearly prepping for being closed and I chuckled to myself that the lobsters had evacuated. I do think it's kinda insane that they're scheduled to close tonight at 5pm but open again tomorrow at 4pm. Which, according to the weather report, is smack-dab in the midst of rain/heavy wind. Woo?

Work called and if all goes well *knocks on wood* we open back up Friday.

I'm gonna need Dorian to calm the fuck down, pronto. I went to bed with the track being mostly the same as it's been for the last day or so and wake up to it deciding fuck it, I wanna go see Jacksonville and maybe ride on up the coast.

No.