My new sick obsession

I cannot stop reading graphic novels. I know at one point I liked books without pictures in them, but I can't remember why now. I'm sticking to a few authors, but still.

Sandman III is at Another Dimension Comics and I just remembered that you pay the US price + exchange there. Hmm. I think I'll have to go there to check it out when I have the chance.

The week is going a little less rapidly than I'd like, but I've come to terms with that happening. It's almost Canada Day, which means champagne and Wayne's World I&II, possibly South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Wish you were here.

It is the dawn of a new week and so I prepare my mind by emptying it of the weekend.

I worked. I consumed caffeine. I watched True Blood. I enjoyed not nearly enough sleep. I bought books. Oh, the books I bought. There are a few that are trashy and insubstantial but really, according to a recent graduate, all books are insubstantial. Nothing written recently will be read in 100 years, with the exception of Saturday by Cormac McCarthy.

It led me to think about what books I own that were written more than 100 years ago. These answers will not shock you:

Jo's Boys
Little Men
Little Women
A Christmas Carol
Dante's Inferno

You could count The Preservationist, because it's really just the story of Noah's ark.

I'm sorry I don't like the old classics as much as I should?

Tomorrow morning, I embark on an adventure. Tomorrow, I'm switching shampoos. We'll see how that turns out...

IMG00062.jpg

I woke up last halloween with these in my purse.
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Books books books

One thing I love above almost everything else is a good book. For me, finding that trade, original cover of a walk to remember made my day. I didn't seek it out, I just saw it one day. And one day I'll find the notebook, but that day is not today. Today, I'm going to pick up:

- This Book Is Broken
- Secrets of the Vinyl Cafe
- How To Say It
- Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips
- Downtown Owl
- The Gum Thief
- Spanish For Dummies
- Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America

Good mix, I think.

I also need to hit Shoppers on Wednesday for essentials. It's a secret 20x the points event. Whoops, spilled the beans. This morning, I bought a travel mug, finally. No longer will I waste 200L of water per coffee.
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I just found out the Manchester Orchestra is coming to Calgary in August. I just wish I knew who was opening for The Hold Steady in September. It's not that I dislike them, per se, it's just I'd be more inclined to go if I found out someone fabulous was opening for them.

I love watching pissing contests between two guys*. It's hilarious when they try to one-up each other on things.

One thing I also love? Movie monologues that make my chest clench up just a little bit.

*So we're clear, I'm not talking about actual urine. Gross. No thank you.

I listened to Blink all day today. It's been a long time since I was able to do that and I think I appreciate Dude Ranch now more than I ever did back then. Maybe because it's finally relevant to my age.

I'm so tired and sore right now. This takes me back to January where all I wanted was sweet, sweet death. All I want right now is antihistamine and decongestant. I think I'm going to be calling in sick to Chapters tonight, just based on the amount of death I feel like right now.

Wow. Thanks to Go Fug Yourself, I just learned that Mickey Rourke didn't always look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man after 9 rounds with Snap, Crackle, and Pop. He was kind of hot, in a sleazy, eighties, doing-coke-off-a-mirror-in-my-office-before-that-big-meeting-with-potential-investors kind of way. He should look like that now. Maybe then I wouldn't mind when people try to tell me to watch his movies.

Speaking of movies, I really want to see The Hangover now. Sean told me exactly how hilarious it is right now. I kind of respect his opinion sometimes. But he did cry over Marley and Me, so...

Sleep, please?

I almost forgot.

Things I'm Enjoying:

Go Fug Yourself

White Whine

I won't be seeing you for a long while. I hope it's not as long as this country mile.

This song is for the work force, drowning.

Here's to a whole new year.

Please don't confront me with my failures, I have not forgotten them

It's weird how nostalgia will blindside you at 2 a.m.

In no particular order, I miss: 

• Spending three hours at the library, just looking around and realizing I could read all of these books if I really wanted to.
  
• Smoking at the playground at three a.m. when I'm done writing a paper.
  
• Walking Bear to Shopper's Drugmart because I'm so homesick that I'm going to cry.
  
• The Summer of (Theatre) Love.
  
• Singles from my youth
  
• Bad-ass 3 a.m. talks on Kansas highways
  
• Wanting nothing more than to publish the definitive book on Slasher films.
  
• Writing all the time.
  
• Reading all the time.
  
• Tasting molasses for the first time.
  
• Rafting down a BC river.
  
• Closing my airplane window because I have the window seat and I can.
  
• Hiding out in a tent in my backyard for a week at a time. 
  
• Breaking hearts in June.
  

Summer is in the air and it's almost time for a great summer romance.

Friday is the new Monday, so have a song.

Nico – These Days

The moral of the story? I don't like the word "ooze"

Oh look! A present for me! I wasn't expecting anything at all from him. This is a huge shock. I can't really tell what it is because he's ace at wrapping presents. Our text exchange goes something like this:

Melinda: What did you send me?
Mitchell: Why don't you open it and find out?
Melinda: Tease. My birthday isn't until Monday!
Mitchell: Oh are you going to wait then??
Melinda: I should!
Mitchell: As you wish.

During this exchange, I have opened the card. It turns out to be a Christmas card.


AN INAPPROPRIATE CHRISTMAS CARD. Like there are any other kind.


Awwwwwww.

Melinda: You really are a horrible tease. Love the card.
Mitchell: Oh you should just open it.

So. I do.


It's a book! I wonder what it could be. It's a mass-market, I can tell by the size. Was he unable to find "How To Win Friends And Influence People" in Trade? I know that's a favourite of his to bestow on his friends.


It's very telling this was all I needed to identify which book this was.


Oh. Look. A mass-market movie tie-in edition. My favourite thing in the whole wide world. That Mitchell.


My reaction.

Melinda: You are the worst kind of person. I love your sass.
Mitchell: I ooze sass. I was proud of that one.
Melinda: I'm so blogging the photo journey of that one.
Mitchell: Yes!! Dream come true!

Observations

1. I got my last ever AP in the mail yesterday. Even though I compared seeing Blink to getting closure with that ex-boyfriend who broke your heart, I somehow think it's fitting that they were on the first cover I bought of AP and now they're on the last cover of my subscription. Pop Disaster to Comeback Kings.

2. Last night, I had someone completely understand my distaste for deluxe edition hardcover comics. Soon, I'll be reading The Killing Joke in style. Out of print trade paperback, please.

3. I finally saw a picture of Alan Moore. Dude needs to get over himself. He's ugly and he writes comics.

4. Too tired for real life, but I've cut so much caffeine out of my life. I know, I'm not that bright.
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Ships passing in the night...

I can't believe how late to the party I am on some things. I'm going to blame it all on Mitchell. That seems to be a good idea.

I feel like all I do is work, work, work. Which is a pretty fair description of my time this month. Hopefully next month will calm down a bit and I can have some Melinda time.

I'm also thinking of moving my blog to Tumblr because I like their update format a little more than I like Blogger. I'm torn because I like that Blogger is run by Google. Google makes awesome products. But Tumblr. I'll keep you posted. Maybe.

I dislike that no matter how often I dust my desk, it never stays dust free. This is due to the AC vent over my head. Oh well.

Next Monday is Womb Bastille day. Whatever shall I do with myself? I'll work, of course.

Coffee number one consumed and giving me the strength I need to carry on. Sometimes I look at my friends' blogs and realize I really am friends with such talented, creative people. If I ever wonder what I bring to the table, I try to remember that I keep them grounded.

You know you guys are always on my mind and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Meghan's birthday yesterday. Guys, she's OLD. She's 21 finally and what she should realize this means is that when we hit Chicago harder than a storm, we're going to be legal at any pub we go to.

My latest score on Brickbreaker is 227480 and I have 63 lives. The game has lost the challenge for me. Also, I got Blink tickets for July and it makes me sad to think I'm saying goodbye to them. But sometimes you have to cut out the things that hurt you.

WTAF calgary?

Hailstorms that last 30 seconds aren't funny. Except when they are.

Radio silence ended. Communication from mothership continues.
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Mother ship, mother ship, do you read me?

Radio silence.

In two weeks it will be the anniversary of my escape from the womb. I should celebrate but I'll instead be at work, slaving away and offering books to other people. Worst of all is the fact that I'll be working with Sean, who is approximately three feet tall.

I'm going to see Blink in July, even thought they're assholes who broke my heart and continue to do so. But come on, AAR is opening up for them! And while that's not as great as CCR, it's a start. AAR, FOB, B182. I can just make up a shot to go with each of those names and it'll be easy to get through the concert.

I need a new bookshelf. I must remind myself of that. New bookshelf takes precedence over a new TV. Especially since I so very rarely watch TV on my TV. So. This time, I want to get the Ikea Expedit, because I like the squares. Maybe I'll even use it to divide my books into categories. While I like what Mitchell did with his, I do not have the discipline to not have all of my books displayed. I could go through and weed some out, though.

One thing I would like to do is standardize editions. I dislike that certain trade paperbacks are bigger than other trades and I ABSOLUTELY HATE mass markets. If you want to incur my wrath, you present me with a mass-market movie tie-in edition. Sorry, I'm a little under/over-caffeinated right now.