on reading, Alias, icons (yes, still)

[sarea]

lissinthecity and I must be sharing similar brain waves, because for the past two days I've been wanting to post something about books/reading, but got sucked into the whole icon thing instead. However, what I have in mind is a bit different from the book club she's proposing, so I'm going to put it out there anyway. (It's actually more of a reflection on me than it is a call to action or something.) Anyway, the book club Liss is proposing sounds v. cool, much like how a normal book club would work, with recommendations and such, only it's on LJ. I'm sure there's gotta be existing book clubs around LJ, but there's something to be said for having one with people you know, so you know which recommendations, opinions to trust, etc.

But here's what I've been thinking. One of the things I miss most about school is reading a work of literature and having a big, get-into-the-guts discussion about it. (Er, since I was an English major.) Those of you still in school likely don't feel this way. <g> I miss it, though, and I also have found that I don't have as much time as I used to, to devote to reading (or I read quick brain-candy-type books). I want something to kickstart that again, but at a slower pace so that I don't feel like I have to read a book in a week, or a month, or whatever. And I want to have the discussions. So I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool if we (whoever "we" might be) read one chapter from a selected book once a week, and discussed chapter by chapter? I could definitely do a chapter a week, and it would encourage me to read more, and I'd get the interaction w/ other people reading the same book. Jade and I had planned to do something like this with OotP, but we were playing in an RPG at the time and sadly had to give up those plans. I'm thinking the books, particularly in the beginning, wouldn't have to be heavy War and Peace-type novels, but novels (like chick lit) that we'd have fun with.

There are little technical details to work out with something like this (like, which books?), but I so want to get back into the reading groove that I'm willing to start like, tomorrow. :)) Not sure if this would really warrant a community, though I'd hate to spam my friends list with it, so hmmm. Guess I will see if anyone has any advice, first.

In other news, my Alias S1 DVDs arrived the other day, and I've been watching them (though perhaps not as closely as I should). This is the first time I've ever seen the show, so NOBODY SPOIL ME ABOUT UPCOMING SEASONS. :D I figure this will be like Sex & the City and 24 for me, wherein I just follow the show through DVDs. Now that I know the characters a bit better, I have to run screaming from spoilery icons (which are everywhere) -- it was okay before since I had no clue what they were talking about, and my brain didn't take any of it in.

I like it, though I'm not sure it would have sucked me in on a weekly basis if I'd caught it originally. What I enjoy most about it is that it feels like it was written by one person. After suffering the clunkiness of many other shows (Smallville), it's really refreshing to feel like I'm just watching one long movie. I like that everything seems well-thought-out and planned in advance, rather than someone throwing something in for convenience. It feels like 24 in that way -- that level of planning, which is just awesome. It means that everything is meaningful, and carefully laid out. I love that.

I'm also in like with Vaughn, and with Sydney/Vaughn. Though I'm not going to hang my hat on that just yet, since I'm only 6 episodes in.

Hee, and it's always lovely to see UCLA on film. I'm like ... hey, that's Powell Library. Awww, he's proposing in front of Royce Hall, how nice.

What I don't like: Why does she have to be a grad student? That is so retarded. Is it just to get the younger audience feeling like we can relate to her? As if being a grad student with her job would be remotely possible. Both are completely full time careers. It's completely unrealistic, especially considering she travels so much. Major eye roll.

This whole thing with SD-6 and whatever is so very far fetched. As if something that large/professional could develop under the CIA's nose, with them recruiting people while claiming they're CIA. Please.

Sydney's character is sometimes a bit contradictory. She's like superwoman one minute, emotionless and professional, and then she breaks down in the middle of a mission or calls up Vaughn (as much as I like the S/V, I find these encounters somewhat contrived), and I'm like, oh fucking pull yourself together. Sure, in reality, this kind of back and forth might make sense, but this is fictional. This girl is a grad student/double-agent CIA operative. Please.

I'm also not too impressed with the inconsistent way she deals with her father (again, in reality, this would not be such a glaring thing). Personally, I think she has zero room to stand on w/ her constant angst about the way her mother died, and then all the blame she levels at Dear Old Dad -- because hello! What is she doing? Is she not living the very life that she condemns him for? Hypocrite.

I'm undecided about Will. I dislike him when he's with Sydney; I like him when he's with Jenny. Plus I'm v. curious about wtf Sydney's fiancee was up to. Knew that guy wasn't totally kosher! :D

Okay, that's it for now. I'm sure when I'm all caught up, I will look back on these initial thoughts and have a good laugh.

And how's this for irony? I was talking about icon nazis in my last post, because they're so anal about where their icons -- which they make for public use -- go, and then Connie, who was so nice as to send me some uncredited H/D icons ... sent one of mine back to me! *snicker* I had no idea anyone liked it. So now it's back in my icon repertoire, and I'll use it in this post since I know you'll ask which it was.

Comments

[acciopotter.livejournal.com]

YAY to reading. Will answer more intelligently later, as am swamped with work, but as I said on Liss' journal, I was JUST thinking about this as well, and just today asked a friend to read Return of the Native with me, which I started to read in high school and never finished. Rock on!

Sandra

[jade-okelani.livejournal.com]

Dude, I'm down. I so want to get back into the swing of reading, too, and this seems like the perfect "excuse." (Sad that I need an excuse? Yes, yes it is.) And I loooooove discussion.

I have no helpful suggestions as to how to make it happen. Aren't you glad I'm here? :D

*runs off to locate and upload 40 icons*

[mynuet.livejournal.com]

If I can afford to go buy the books, I'm in. Library's not an option, unfortunately. :P I'm going back to school soon, might as well get in the swing of it now, eh?

We should read a Pratchett book sometime. I can *cough cough* help members acquire them in a handy computerized format.

[significantowl.livejournal.com]

Pratchett? Sign me up! *g*

I like the idea, Sarea. Depending on the book, of course. :) How are you thinking of choosing it?

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

I think that we're a small enough group right now that we can get everyone who's interested to come up with the title of a book they've always want to read, and we'll put them all in a queue, order to be determined randomly. That should get us through a few months at least, since this will be rather slow-paced. There'll be a calendar of some kind, detailing which books/chapters for which week, so people can jump in and out as they please (along with other rules for spoilers and reading ahead and such). *still thinking*

And beyond that, if we really get into the groove of things, I think we could take a consensus about upcoming book selections. What's going to be great about this, for me, is that there are certain genres that I don't read very often, and I'm thinking this'll help round me out as a reader. : ) I'm v. weak on the sci-fi/fantasy front.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Why isn't the library an option, esp. if you're going back to school? You're confusing me, man.

[mynuet.livejournal.com]

Because when Jeffery died, there were library books checked out. In the chaos that surrounded the funeral, and then moving, the library books were lost. Unless and until I pay the $150 or so that they want for replacement costs, I can't get a library card.

ooh...

[sevenfourteen.livejournal.com]

this does sound cool, and a bit easier. one chapter a week. and i LOVE discussions, i really find them enjoyable and intellectually stimulating.

v. cool idea, hun.

*mwah*
~Sid

Book club type thingy

[annibug.livejournal.com]

I would definitely be up for a book discussion group. I think it's a great idea. I don't know what the details are in starting a community so I can't say whether it would be worth it or not. I'd wait and see what kind of feedback you get. If most of your friends are interested you may not even need to bother.

-Ann

[varniyetille.livejournal.com]

you don't know me, but . . . i'd love to join your book group, if you don't mind. i'm still in school (freshman at princeton university), but i'm not taking any english courses right now, so i definitely understand missing the whole process of reading as a group and really delving into the material with other people. if you wouldn't mind, i'd love to join. perhaps starting a community would be the best way to set it up, or perhaps one person could be in charge of posting the name and author of the book and chapter to be read each week, and the conversation about the book could take place as replies to that post? (as long as that one person wouldn't mind) please e-mail me at browneyedgirlnyc@aol.com to let me know if i can join it if it gets off the ground.

-Alice

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

I don't mind at all; I would love to have you join. : ) The more the merrier! And that's why I think a community is the way to go; it shouldn't really be about me or my friends, though initally, everyone knowing each other will be what makes it fun, I think. Anyway, am still sorting out details, but will post again when there's something definite.

[(Anonymous)]

hey! This book club idea sounds awesome! Count me in! I love discussions. Just let me know when and where, and I'll try my best to be there if RL permits. *g*

Also, just got my set of Alias S1 DVDs a few weeks ago as well! Am a bit farther than you are as far as episodes go so I'll just keep mum for now, lest I reveal any spoilers. :) I actually started watching this show near the end of Season 2, hence the Alias S1 DVDs. Am kind of going back to get all the info I can get from what I've already missed, but let's put aside any further ramblings about that for now.


Connie ^^


P.S. Am totally swooning over your Dan/Tom avatar! ;)
Lurve it!

[sydney-lynne.livejournal.com]

*is tempted, if nothing b/c I've hardly read any books since, um, high school.*

I'm all for brain candy books myself. :)

[akscully.livejournal.com]

You know how much I love to discuss things with you.

I don't want to read A Separate Peace though. One, I'm already reading it in the book club I'm in and two, I'm having flashbacks to high school. It's not cool, man. But boy howdy, is that book GAY. So very gay.

[kirixchi.livejournal.com]

I think that would be lots of fun. Maybe we could take turns picking the book? (In fairness, ONE book is going to last a long damn time)

[thena.livejournal.com]

Haha. I think you'll immensely like Alias later on, if not as a whole, for some other specific reasons. *cough*icon*cough*. I'm trying to message you YIM but it doesn't seem to work. Well, in any case, if the Alias bug does get you, i will be there for any questions. Such as this grad student thing, J. J. Abrams (the all-powerful creator) made the idea from when he was making Felicity, the whole what-if she was a student but at the same time, a spy. There's a lot of suspension of belief on the show, but when it's good, it's great TV fun.