30 Days of Truth: Something You Hate About Yourself

Um, I haven't really done a challenge in awhile and I thought I start with this one...an in-depth look at me and my views for the next 30 Sundays...whew...

I found this meme here and here.

One: Something You Hate About Yourself
Hate is a strong word, so I can honestly say that I hate nothing about myself.

I mean seriously...let's look at the word "hate".

Hate 
(verb)
1. to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest
2. to be unwilling; dislike
3. to feel intense dislike, or extreme aversion or hostility
(noun)
4. intense dislike; extreme aversion or hostility
the object of extreme aversion or hostility

That's a pretty strong word. There are things about myself that I'd like to change, there are things about myself that I don't like, sometimes, and don't really want to change, there are things that people probably don't like about me that I should change/don't know about/don't want to change, but I don't hate any of them, they make me, um...me.

List of things I could mellow:
1. My inability to be patient, especially when I know that I'm right. I don't want you to figure out I'm right, I want you to trust me and do what I say...
2. Um, sometimes...um, most of the time...I'm pretty bossy I think that has a lot to do with #1
3. I'm not as brave as I should be...I can think of at least 3 powerful conversations where I hope my body language and actions said what I felt because, well, words never got to my lips

Hmm...that's all for now, thinking about those conversations has made me a wee-bit melancholy.

Sophomore English PLC does NaNoWriMo Film at 11

My former student and friend, Courtney turned me on to the deliciousness of National Novel Writing Month last year. It was after November and I didn't feel any pressure when I talked about how fun it would be to do such a thing.

Enter this year.

My English teacher friends and I were talking about stories we used to write and nerdy writer's groups we used to be in and I showed them the NaNoWriMo website. The challenge seemed too exciting to ignore. We decided to join and to challenge each other to write more...to write like we did in College and High School...to get back to the roots of ourselves (school and other commitments can can get in the way). We're doing NaNoWriMo all month. That's however many pages 1666 words is everyday for 30 days. Pretty intense, but the fact that we're on the journey is pretty exciting, and the fact that we're doing it together fills my heart with delight.

I don't really plan on finishing...is that a bad thing?

55 Books in a Year: Book #51 The Lincoln Lawyer

Ok, ok...I may have watched the movie before reading this book. It could be my old age or the fact that I've been working my butt off lately, but I may have watched the movie twice BEFORE even thinking about reading this book.

What can I say I like lawyer movies, and I like movies starring Matthew McConaughey, and I like movies starring Mr. McConaughey as a lawyer. I enjoyed the twists and turns the story took and wasn't sure they'd be as interesting in a book.

The thing is that while the book doesn't move as fast as the movie...and, the movie doesn't move fast at all...there are so many pluses to reading this book.

#1 Characterization
I like how Connelly writes Mickey Haller just as much as I like how McConaughey plays him. This guy is a truly flawed character who has his ex working for him and a tiny list of true friends to contrast his large Christmas list. I like that the book goes into detail about how guilty Haller feels about his failed marriage, failed relationships, failed relationship with his daughter and his guilt about being a lawyer who gets his money from living in the gray.

#2 Setting 
From the car to the court house Connelly sets the scene so well that I understand how a Lincoln can be an office, I felt the Los Angele heat and I was there in the courtroom and in the jail cells.

#3 Believable Story
In the end of this book not everything is tied up and Haller must struggle with the fact that doing good weighs more on his conscious than pretending good.

I liked this book and am glad that I have found another serial novelist to sink my teeth into on those nights when I should be grading or writing lesson plans.

The Lincoln Lawyer was my first Michael Connelly book, I look forward to reading more.I suppose I should start with the first one.

I like when I read a book after watching the movie and the book, while it has a different feel than the movie, is just as enjoyable. This is definitely one of those books. I'll be reading more Connelly in the near future.