I know the best combination when reading a novel is to have good prose and a good story.  However, in many cases, novels don’t always have both.  Most often if a novel has good prose, it’s difficult to understand, takes more time to read, and is hard to get into (e.g. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen).  Whereas, a novel with a good story, is usually easy to understand, a “fast read,” very easy to get into, and in many instances has sub-standard writing.  (I don’t think I need to name names. )  Which do you prefer to read?

Personally, it all comes down to why I’m reading a particular novel.  Am I reading it to gain knowledge, increase my vocabulary, or to become well-read?  Or, am I reading it for entertainment, to escape the mundane, etc.?  For an everyday read, I would choose a good story over good prose.  Although I find eloquently written works to be refreshing from poorly written ones, I just don’t seem to enjoy them as much because it takes more effort to read them.  Let’s face it; I’m lazy and I want things to be easy. But, on the other hand, I have enjoyed reading a few “classics” in the last couple of years.  I’ve enjoyed broadening my horizons and becoming well-read.  I think the key for me is to find a good balance, so that reading is more than just entertainment all the time.

I posted this on the forum I share with my friends. But, I wanted a broader range of opinion on my musings, so I decided to blog about it too.

I know some of you aren’t as gung ho about Twilight anymore (or never were for that matter).  I understand completely because I’m not nearly as obsessed with it as I was anymore either.  I still have a soft spot for the saga, though, because it ignited my love for reading and gave me amazing opportunities–most importantly the friendships I’ve made and still have two and a half years later.

I do still enjoy the anticipation of the movies, even if/when they don’t meet my expectations. And, I would also love to spend time with Stephenie Meyer on a more personal level if that opportunity ever became available.  But, the only reason I think about Twilight now (if I even do) is because someone (or something) mentions it in passing (or when reading another book).  And, the only reason I’m thinking so much about it now is because I’m listening to Twilight on audiobook at work right now.

I don’t feel a huge drive to read the books anymore, but that’s mostly because I have so many others I want to read.  However, I’ve noticed that when I still take the time to read (or listen to) Twilight, I still get that giddy feeling I felt when I read it for the first time.  That feeling isn’t nearly as strong as it was the first time because the mystery is gone now, but for some reason this story speaks to me.

I still find myself comparing other books to Twilight when I read them and I know it must get old for some people.  I don’t compare the stories because they’re all so individual and I don’t always compare writing (sometimes it’s inevitable, though), but I do compare feelings.  I don’t mean to, but for some reason if two characters have the same chemistry, angst, tension, etc. that Bella and Edward (or even Bella and Jacob) had, then I seem to be drawn to them much more.  There’s just something about that type of chemistry that makes a good story in my opinion.  (Some of the books I’ve recently read with those same feelings are The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare, and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.)

Anyway, I have an onslaught of questions I’d like to ask you because I want to see how different or the same we are.  I know there are a lot, but I would appreciate it if you took the time to answer them.

1. Do you ever do the same thing, meaning compare books to Twilight or another series that has meant a lot to you?
2. Are there any books that seem to just speak to you?
3. Why do you enjoy reading as much as you do?  Or, what do you hope to get out of reading?

For those that are/were Twilight fans:

1. How do you feel about Twilight now that all the hype (other than the movies) has died down?
2. For those of you that had a hard time with Breaking Dawn, did it change your opinion of the entire saga so you can’t enjoy it as much as you did?  Or, do you just ignore Breaking Dawn and/or enjoy it for what it is?
3. Did the whole Midnight Sun fiasco (whether you view it as a black mark against the fans or a black mark against Stephenie Meyer) change the way you feel about the saga?
4. Do you hope Stephenie Meyer continues to write?
5. Do you just wish Twilight would die, so you never have to hear about it again?

PS – I just realized that it may sound like I won’t like a book if it’s not like Twilight.  That’s not the case at all.  I just meant that if the feelings between characters are similar, then I’m more drawn to that kind of story.  And, the only reason I compare most things to Twilight is because it was the first time I experienced those types of feelings while reading a book.

Wow! It’s already four days into February and this is my first post.  I really need to blog more, but that would require playing less Facebook games when I have free time.

Anyway, on Saturday, my friends and I threw a party for Bree Despain, the author of The Dark Divine.  I feel like Bree and I are BFFs now, she was that personable.  She was so much fun to get to know and I loved hearing about why she wanted to become and how she became an author.

Not only was meeting Bree a lot of fun, but so was the party.  My friend Debbie was the one with the idea and once conceived, she and my other friends hit the floor running to make everything a great success!

Most, if not all, the marketing for The Dark Divine has included the color purple because of the gorgeous cover.  (At some of the book events, they even had custom nail polish named after the book.)  Because of the cover, we decided to decorate with purple balloons and other purple and black decorations and most of us wore purple to the party.  (I have to say that color wise, this was definitely my favorite party. )

The Dark Divine takes place around Thanksgiving, so we had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner.  It was so yummy! (I love being able to eat Thanksgiving dinner more than once a year. I used to request it for my birthday meal when I was younger.)

We had prizes too.  I was excited for the prize given to the person who wore the most purple.  But, alas, that game/contest was canceled a few days before the party because not everyone in the group had something purple to wear. Instead, a prize was given to the person with the best manicure or pedicure.  (Debbie knew I was disappointed about not being able to win a prize for wearing the most purple, so she gave me a prize anyway–lavender bubble bath–because she knew it was inevitable that I’d win. The bubble bath is “divine” as I’ve already taken a bath with it.)  Another prize was given to the person with the best story about a time when they wished they had a cell phone, but didn’t.  (The main character, Grace, wished she had a cell phone more than once in the book.  But, her parents wouldn’t let her have one.)

My group of friends and I can get a little crazy at times.  We’ve been known to scare away people or make people nervous with our laughter and overall joviality.  Before we started to ask Bree questions, I warned her about our group.  Of course, I made it seem like I was innocent and wasn’t part of the devilishness to which most of my friends protested and corrected me. I only mention this because of the inscription Bree left in my book when she autographed it.

To Jennifer-
Thanks for the love & support. I had a great time laughing with you all. You’re right; this is a crazy bunch.
<3 Bree Despain

I laughed when I read it and I was happy we had made such a good impression on her.

It was a very fun party!  If you ever have the chance to meet Bree, I definitely recommend that you do.  She’s very down-to-earth, sweet, and funny.  And, as I stated in my review of The Dark Divine, I definitely recommend that you read it.

PS – For the record, I know I didn’t wear very much purple to the party.  But, in my defense, if the prize for wearing the most purple would’ve still been available, just trust the fact that I would’ve won.

Corey has had bad eye sight for a while now, but he wouldn’t get his eyes checked, until a couple of weeks ago, because he didn’t think his eyes were “that” bad.  Well, it turns out his prescription is nearly as strong as mine. Anyway, based on that previous statement, you can probably guess that Corey needs glasses, which he does and got today.

While I was at work, he sent me a picture showing me what he looks like in his new glasses.  Lauren and Guy, two of my co-workers, asked me why Corey was so sad in his picture.  I relayed the message to him.  About five minutes later, he sent me the second photo.

Corey’s really self-conscious about the glasses.  He’s afraid he doesn’t look good in them.  I told him that it’s just because he’s not used to seeing himself in them.  Personally, I think they look nice on him.  They make him look sophisticated, don’t you think?

He’s also having a hard time with the fish bowl effect.  If you wear glasses, you know what he means by that.  It happens to all first-time glasses wearers.  I told him that he just has to get used to having corrective lenses.  At this point, he’s not sure if it was a good idea to have had his eyes checked, even though the world is much sharper and focused now.  (After he picked me up from school, he told me he liked it better when the world seemed softer … blurrier–see pictures below. ) I think he’ll like them more once he gets used to not only how they look, but how they change/improve his vision.

PS – For the record, he said he wasn’t sad in the first picture.  He just doesn’t always smile in pictures.

I’ll be the first to admit, rather shamefully, that I’ve been slacking on my healthy lifestyle over the past couple of months.  There are a couple of reasons I started to slack.  First, it was the holiday season and there was so much temptation around me all the time.  Second, I was frustrated and disenchanted with my efforts because my weight loss has plateaued since mid-August.  As I stated in the post Sweet Success:

My weight loss has plateaued for the last few months, which I know is normal, but it has been a little frustrating.  Because of the plateau, I feel like my resolve has slipped a little bit.  I’m quicker to give into my cravings than I was before.  I still keep within my weekly calorie limit; it’s just that the food I’m choosing to fill that limit with isn’t the best.  I also used to stick to my lower limit, whereas most days, I’m pushing the higher limit as far as it’ll go.

That’s basically how I still feel and what I’m still doing, except that my resolve has slipped even more and I’m not really sticking to my weekly calorie limit anymore.  I’m still trying to eat healthier; I’m just eating more of it.  I know I’ve been in a downward spiral and if I don’t pull up soon, I’m going to crash and burn.  But, with the start of school, I’ve been so busy that I don’t want to worry about what I’m eating too. I also had to quit my sessions with my personal trainer due to financial strain.  (Luckily, walking around campus as much as I have been has kind of evened that out.  I know I could be doing more, though.)  Honestly, I feel like my entire life is a Catch-22 right now.  No matter how I look at it, something has to give.

As I sit here and type this post and think about what to say, a lot of emotions are going through me: anger, disappointment, shame, resolve, determination, and reluctance.  No matter how I look at the reasons I started slacking, I can only see excuses and I need to quit letting myself down.  I really want to get back on track and I know I can do it.  I did it for almost an entire year last year and I felt so good about myself!  I love being two sizes smaller and I know I’d love being three sizes smaller than I am now. …

Since tomorrow is the anniversary of my original plan, I’m recommitting 100%.  There are a few necessary changes, though:

1. After work and school on Mondays and Fridays, I will take the time to walk on my treadmill for at least 30 minutes.  If I don’t have too much homework and I have time to walk longer, I will.  Also, I’ll take the time to walk on my treadmill on Saturdays and Sundays.  (I know Sunday is usually my day of rest, but since Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are so busy for me, I’ll take some time on Sunday.  The nice thing is that I can listen to my iPod while I’m walking on my treadmill, so I can listen to hymns or a talk by a general authority to help make my walk on Sunday more meaningful.)
2. Unfortunately, I can’t really set a specific time to go to bed because it depends on my homework situation.  However, I’ve been trying to go to bed no later than 10:30.  Otherwise, it’s too hard for me to get up in the morning.  I’ll concentrate on being efficient with my homework, so I can get it done as soon as possible and go to bed earlier (preferably around 9:30).
3. I’m going to get up at 5:25 each workday and be to work by 6:30 when I should be there, instead of between 6:45 and 7:00.  (I’ll actually be able to take time for a lunch that way.) And, I’m going to get up at 8:00 on Sunday, so I can be to church on time.  I have a little more leeway on Saturdays and I’m going to take it, but I need to not overdo it.  So, I’ll get up no later than 10:00 on Saturdays.
4. Eating is a little trickier with my school schedule, but I’ll make it work.  No more bad foods.  (Obviously, I can’t stop completely or I’d end up binging.  But, I can stop having them every day and do better with the “moderation in all things” logic.)  If I have to eat on campus, which may very well happen, I’ll eat at Subway.  Or, I’ll make a sack dinner to take with me to school.  (That mostly depends on time and resources.)
5. I’m going to go to the temple at least once a month.  (I was going every other week, but then Corey and I both got sick and got out of the habit.  Now, life is just too busy to make that kind of commitment.  But, I can commit to once a month.)
6. I’m going to read my scriptures everyday, whether it be in the morning, some time during the day, or before I go to bed.  My Doctrine and Covenants homework doesn’t count because it’s just another class.

I will make this work and I will lose another 30 lbs. this year!

I handed in my first essay in ten years last Thursday.  I was very nervous about it because I hadn’t written one in so long and I feel like my creative writing skills have gone kaput.  But, with the help of a few friends and the BYU writing lab, I was able to write a fairly decent essay. Or, at least I thought it was fairly decent.

During the semester, my teacher wants the class to focus on ourselves, meaning, with the exception of my research paper, I’m required to write about me. Normally, I love to write about me as evidenced by my blog.  But, for some reason, an assigned topic about me seems scarier.

For my first essay, I was supposed to narrate an important personal experience.  In that narration, I needed to explain the meaning of the experience and I needed to make the experience real for the reader.  The hardest part for me was trying to pick an experience.  I feel like my life is so boring and that no one wants to read about it.  (It’s kind of ironic that I feel like that since I have a blog. )  I ended up switching my topic because I didn’t think my first topic was very compelling and I thought the second topic fit the purpose of the essay more.

Yesterday, my teacher handed our essays back.  I was surprised at the grade on mine.  It was a B-.  I know a B- isn’t bad, but I wasn’t expecting it.  I knew my essay didn’t deserve an A, but I thought it deserved at least a B or B+.  I’m not disappointed; I’m just shocked.  After reading my teacher’s comments, though, I understand why my essay received the grade it did.

I agree with most of my teacher’s feedback on my essay.  (If you want to read the essay, click the link to view the pdf or click the images to enlarge them.)  However, I think some of his feedback is more preference than an actual need for change.  For example, his first comment is “nutritious?”  Honestly, at that time in Corey’s and my life, nutritious wasn’t a determining factor for food.  That’s why I wrote what I wrote.  Also, he told me to name the item that we were charged for by mistake.  I didn’t remember what it was, so I thought I came up with a clever way to refer to it.  Obviously, he didn’t think so.

I think my second essay, which is due tomorrow, will be much better.  First, I know what to expect from my teacher now.  And second, I worked very hard to implement the feedback from this first essay and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.

PS – My teacher said there was one student in the class whose essay was riddled with comma splices.  I’m very proud that he didn’t have to correct my grammar or change my word usage (other than when I called the extra item a stowaway).

Wow!  Two posts in three days!  It’s almost like my life is back to normal.  I assure you, though, it’s far from it.

Financial aid is the worst!  Trying to jump through government hoops to get help couldn’t be more complicated.  I’ve been dealing with this forever-long process since last September and I still don’t have financial aid!

When I realized I was going back to school this year, I started the financial aid process.  I handed in my FAFSA application, tax forms, etc.  During this process, Corey and I noticed a large discrepancy on his 2008 tax form.  Corey does our taxes by hand, or I should say by tax software. He was advised to file our taxes separately for 2008, which was the first time since we were married.  He figured it would be a similar process, though, and decided to still do it himself.  (I would’ve done the same thing if I were in his shoes.)  Somehow, my income was not only entered as my income on my taxes, but it was entered as Corey’s income on his taxes too.  Needless to say, that error makes it seem as though Corey and I made double what we actually did.  As you can imagine, that’s not good when you’re trying to apply for financial aid.

When Froyo closed, Corey and I didn’t think I’d make it back to school so I decided to stop pursuing financial aid.  Then, in December, everything worked out for me to go back and I started to process my financial aid again.  At that time, I let the financial aid office know that Corey’s taxes were wrong.  They told me to submit a copy of my W-2 and a letter explaining the situation and everything should be hunky dory.

On December 28, I heard back from the Financial Aid office stating that they couldn’t do anything about Corey’s taxes because legally that’s how they were filed.  That made sense, but I wish the adviser had told me that in the beginning, so I didn’t waste two weeks finding it out from someone else. I sent them a message asking what my next course of action was and I asked them if I would still qualify for loans, even unsubsidized ones.  I just heard back from them this week and I still don’t know anything! The person who answered my message didn’t even read it.  They just told me to come in and talk with an adviser to get an overview in the process.  I’ve already talked to an adviser (I mentioned this in my message) and I know the process.  Look where doing those things the first time got me! Absolutely nowhere! Ugh!

At this point, I need to talk to an adviser again and try to get this resolved before March 1, so my financial aid can pay my short-term loan back.  If this doesn’t get resolved, then I may not be continuing passed this semester.

I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs, “Can something just please work out with out a lot of falderal?”  I know these experiences are supposed to help us grow and become stronger, better people, but they’re still frustrating, overwhelming, and very discouraging.