Books to read and re-read over winter break

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
I've read this book probably three times, but still find it a quite enjoyable 4th or 5th read.

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
I read Franny last semester and hope to finish the short novella by reading Zooey. I heard Zooey Deschanel was named after this Salinger book; I don't know if it's true.

Waltzing Again: New Interviews with Margaret Atwood

You Are Happy (poetry) by Margaret Atwood

The Collected Gwendolyn Brooks (poetry)

A Widow for One Year by John Irving
Been working on this one for awhile. I love his frank style.

Let's see if I can finish all these half-read books by next Monday!

Obama-rama

I went to the Obama rally at MSU yesterday. Saw a lot of cool things (except Obama). I got some interesting pictures of the crowd and the McCain protestors who were screaming in my ear the whole time. Classy.

I'll post pictures soon!

A poem

wrote using spartan-themed magnetic poetry words.

Hug.
starving,
sleeping --
having dream
like a bad kiss.

Unedited pictures of Butterflies

From the Mackinac Island Butterfly House. It's quite pricey, but if you're a photographer, it's a dream to work on your moving-insect skills.

Travel blogging

I've recently come to the conclusion that I now suck at being a travel blogger because I never go anywhere. But I guess I was on the decline in France when all I would do was post pictures and maybe write a brief summary of how fun/unfun it was. At this time, I've come to the conclusion that I need to change the way I write this blog or abandon it altogether. I'll make my decisions in the next month.

I think one of the main things is I'm just so lazy when it comes to blogging. I didn't used to be. In Ireland I'd write 4 page long descriptions of exactly what I did and where I went when I would travel. Now? It's all about the pictures. I love visual blogs, but my pictures are not appealing enough to stand on their own. And I have to remember that above all I want to write.

The summer has been wonderful. I forgot how beautiful Michigan can be in the summer (before the droughts set in). I've been thankful not to be in Dublin weather again -- a constant stream of rain clouds, puddles, and hair that will never just stay straight.

The coming months I'll be in for a lot of life changes while everything seemingly stays the same. I'll try to keep up with senior year as best I can.

Hopefully I won't lose sight of this blog. I thought about talking about books more, as I have in the past. Right now I'm reading A Widow for one Year by John Irving. I love his frank and perverted style.

An Outrageous Attempt by the Bush Administration to Undermine Women's Rights

Hillary Clinton speaks out for women's and men's right to healthcare and birth control Here.

I'm not dead

For those few of you that still keep up with this blog despite the lack of frequent entries and writing of substance, I'd like to announce that I am not dead. I expect to post some more entries next week after I get back from the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

Fun stuff.