Whodunnit?

This semester I am fortunate enough to be taking a comparative literature class in which the theme is...wati for it...Detective Fiction!
I know, awesome, right? The unfortunate downside is I am now reading way to many mystery novels to keep them all straight, but it's fun.
I have a presentation on Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express due on Monday, which should be interesting as soon as I figure out exactly what I'm going to present on.

With this mania of detective novels, I have also become addicted to a new show - Castle. It's incredibly awesome, and on a channel my family actually gets. A writer of detective novels gets called in to consult on a case in which the murderer is copycatting murders from his books. They resolve that case in the first episode, but the detective he was workign with has become his new muse so he gets his buddy, the mayor, to let him follow her around. Completely wonderful, I know.

In addition to all the shows and books about murder (why are detective stories always about murder? What's wrong with theft? kidnapping?...actually, Castle had a kidnapping episode, but you get my point...) I am writing a murder mystery for a dinner party I'm hosting in April - fairytales. I stole the idea shamelessly from my cousin (I told her first, if that helps) but I get to come up with the characters, events, and conclusion. It's very fun, and I'm starting to wrap up the story line.

Anyway, that was me, posting.

The Joys of Webcomics

Well I have just finished an extremely long and challenging semester - 6 courses (5 upper division and all with large work loads) and am feeling extremely pleased with myself. Ok, maybe I haven't quite finished - I'm sitting in my last class now - but I finished handing everything in, etc. last night. So I'm pretty much done.
Anyway, I spent some of my time this semester -as those of you with access to my facebook page know - looking at webcomincs. Particularly Unshelved and PhD. They are great entertainment when sitting in dull classes, and I've been posting some of the more entertaining ones on my Facebook page. So I started thinking about those, and then about how I needed to blog, and so here I am blogging (finally) and its about random webcomics.
The problem, as I see it, however, is this blogs title. Specifically the 'and books' aspect of it. As much as my life may be consumed by books I sure don't blog about them very often. This ends now, but not perhaps in the way you'd expect.
I was thinking about how I wanted to talk more about books and then I got stuck up on the fact that many things I enjoy are not books - but they are texts - tv shows, movies, webcomics, etc. However, my, my life, and texts sounds stupid. But that's still how I think I'm going to think of it in my head.

So, with Christmas break upon us, and some free time coming my way at last (I may even have an easy semester ini the Winter) my goal is going to be to try an blog more.
So I guess I'll see you later.

Communicaton

Telling people personal things is always incredibly difficult. There needs to be a certain level of trust that the other person will understand you and what you are trying to say without mocking or belittling you, or telling the world. While this problem occurs in many such instances there is one particular area where it is most difficult.
I'm writing a book, as many people reading this blog probably already know. It is nowhere near done, but I'v put a lot of work into it and it is very near and dear to my heart. It's something I love talking about, because I think about it all the time. However, it is also something intensely personal. While I think I would eventually like to try and get it published it isn't anywhere near that stage and I feel very...vulnerable about. Therefore it isn't something I'm going to show to many people.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that. It becomes more difficult though when family members ask about it. On the one hand, they're my family and if I can't trust them who can I trust? On the other though, it's hard to know if they are asking out of a sense of duty or if they genuinely want to know. I don't feel obligated to share it with people who aren't interested. They aren't going to enjoy it and I'm not an idiot, I'll be able to tell they didn't like it. I simply don't feel like dealing with that yet.
A certain friend at school just found out I am writing and has expressed an active interest. I haven't shared the story with her yet, but she's been feeding me ideas and commenting on things I've told her. It's very encouraging very helpful. If I were to share it with anyone else at this stage, it would probably be her. But I don't think I'm going to, not for a while anyway. Enough people have seen it. She isn't upset.
I just wish people wouldn't get offended when I don't offer to let them read it, or (on some necessary occasions) ask them not to. It's not been published and it's still too personal. It doesn't mean I don't trust them, or I think less of their opinion. In some cases I value their opinion more and don't want to disappoint them. And right now it's about what I think, not about their opinions.
So leave me alone. I don't ask to examine your soul, do I?

The Manifesto of the Basement

In an attempt to ensure that this summer is a memorable one, my cousin  and I have come up with a list of things to accomplish this summer. It has affectionately been termed the Manifesto of the Basement - the reason for this is simply because aforementioned cousin is probably certifiably insane. However, the list is really quite exciting, and so I plan to share it with you all now. All of these events will be documented and added to the album on my cousin's facebook page.

Without further ado I present Kya and Lena's Crazy Summer Adventures:

• play in a big pile of dirt
• go down to that lake at the bottom of the hill
• go into a half built house
• build a sandcastle
• go to the zoo
• try buildering
• walk along the ravine
• go to the log
• go to all 3 Shakespeare in the parks
• drive around in the circle
• go to Peters
• go to Dennys in the middle of the night
• go to the Farmer's market
• make fondu
• make a random video
• 'camp'
• help Elena with her photo taking
• spend an entire afternoon in Chapters
• go to Starbucks with our laptops
• go around to different coffee shops with our laptops
• play in the fountain at Kensington
• go to Oolong
• find a good used books store(s)
• play dress-up in a consignment store
• try on fancy dresses - make up a good excuse to try on said dresses
• go to Payless and try on shoes - especially ugly/weird ones
• go to Sephora and do make-overs
• have a virgin cocktail night
• have a mad dance party in the middle of a field

While this list probably doesn't sound particularly thrilling to the random observer, we have had great fun accomplishing what we have so far, and plan on continuing with the fun throughout the summer. Because we're just weird like that.

Oodles and oodles of stuff...

K, so I'm packing, because I'm moving to Calgary on Friday, right? Part of the packing process involves me going through all the stuff that I've had stowed away in my closet, and desk, and shelves. I find myself wondering, how does all this stuff fit in my room? Seriously. I pack things up and store them in the crawl space, and then I pull out some more stuff and my room is full!
Argh!
I accept the fact that I am a pack rat, but I seriously have no idea how all my crap fits in my bedroom.
It will forever remain one of life's unsolved mysteries.