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[Joy]

I just wanted you guys to know that as of tomorrow, our cable services are being suspended (we're two months late), and I'm not sure when we'll be able to get them re-established. Since we're in danger of being evicted (we're in pretty dire straits financially; but hopefully God will be on our side as he has many, many times before), it's possible my absence from the internet will be even longer.

I'm going to try getting to the library at least once a week, but can't guarantee it.

I've got a job I'm applying for in the next day or two, so cross your fingers; this one looks like something that might actually be the right kind of job for me.

Well, until next time...

~ "Becky" Joy ~

[Coaster]

Oh my Joy! I hope the best with your family and you. We'll miss you here but this site isn't as important as your finances and all that. I hope you get the job and you can visit here as often as you can.

Good luck!

[Joy]

Don't worry, I'm gonna try to get to the library when I can. I know my mom wants to stay connected as often as possible, too.

And this isn't going to keep me from posting pics once I can get down to SDC. My sister, friend, and I were planning for this next Wednesday for our daytrip, but looks like we'd be rained out. So we're gonna aim for the 30th. I have JUST enough money (ie $40) in my account to put in for my part of the gas and food.

So, pictures WILL be coming, no matter what. I shall not be swayed! LOL

Joy

[sdcforever]

^Best of luck, Joy.  You're in my prayers, and I hope everything works out.  Can't wait to see the pics from your trip! 

[Coaster]

Does anyone here like to read? I LOVE to read. If I think a book is good enough I can read it in a few hours. I had a goal to re-read all my books on my bookshelf over the summer but that is impossible due to football, plus that would be over 100 books, so I have changed that to just like re-reading my top 34 books. (They are only from two authors)

What are some of your favorite books?
Mine are anything by Gordon Korman and the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.

[sdcforever]

^I love to read as well!  Growing up, I loved R.L. Stine's books (the Goosebumps series and Fear Street series).  I also started reading Stephen King when I was in 6th(!) grade (perhaps a little too young since he is pretty intense, but oh well).  I still love his books, and I love reading J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis.  I also recently read Jon Krakauer's books "Into the Wild" (about Chris McCandless's adventures in Alaska) and "Into Thin Air:  A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster", both of which I highly recommend.  I also highly recommend Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", probably the best mystery novel ever written; and William Peter Blatty's novel "The Exorcist" (if possible, better than the movie!).  (Side Note:  If you like "The Exorcist" check out Thomas Allen's book "Possessed: The True Story of An Exorcism".  It is the only diary that exists of an actual exorcism that was performed in America (from 1949); it was kept by a priest who assisted with the exorcism.  Be warned: It is a harrowing read and will keep you up at night).  My most recent read is Dennis Lehane's book "Shutter Island", which is a very good mystery/thriller.  I am currently reading Agatha Christie's novel "Crooked House", which will be closely followed by Shirley Jackson's classic haunted house novel "The Haunting of Hill House".

Can you tell I'm a life-long reader?     

[Joy]

Mark Twain was the greatest novelist to ever live.

'Nuff said.



Joy

[Coaster]

I still love his books, and I love reading J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis. 

I just recently finished reading The Chronicles of Narnia a couple months ago actually. I read the series so I would understand the movies better plus, I like to compare the books to the movies. I find it interesting to see which parts the movie left out on. Just so you all know, the book is always better than the movie they come out with. I'm not much of a mystery fan and that is most of the books you seem to read sdcforever, lol.

Right now for my English class I'm required to read To Kill a Mockingbird. I just can't get into it at all! It is a really boring book to me. My best friend is telling me it is a classic and all that (she is kind of a nerd  ) but it is pretty boring to me.

Mark Twain was the greatest novelist to ever live.

'Nuff said.



Joy

I tried reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer a while ago but I couldn't get into it. My junior year I'll be required to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so I can give you a good book review then Joy. 

If you guys haven't read the Maximum Ride series I highly suggest it!! They are AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!

[Joy]

I will admit that I have not read the full version of Tom Sawyer, just an adapted Illustrated Classics. I read Huck Finn in my junior year and really enjoyed it. We even did a mock trial concerning keeping the book in a school library; thankfully, I was on the side wanting to keep the book.

Back in '06, I went on a Twain binge. I like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, but my favorites ended up being The Diaries of Adam and Eve and No. 44 The Mysterious Stranger (the University of California Press '80s publication). Tom Sawyer Abroad was fun (and is also the book that the Skychase Balloons tie in with), and Lee Nelson's finishing of Twain's Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn Among the Indians was a good read, too. A nice ending for Huck.

I highly recommend No. 44 The Mysterious Stranger, but make sure it's the Univ. of CA Press edition. Any other rendition of Mysterious Stranger is actually a compilation of three different unfinished stories that Twain's biographer hacked together.

In other news... I'm also a HUGE JK Rowling fan. I own all the Harry Potter books and look forward to any other books she writes.

Two of my most favorite novels are Shepherd of the Hills and Christy. Both are wonderful tales of life in the mountains at the turn of the century and both really make you want to go to the mountains and never come back.

Joy

[Coaster]

^I never got into Harry Potter. I read the first book and didn't like it. I do love the Potter Puppet Pals though:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

[Joy]

If you can get past the first two books, then you're home free. Starting with the third, the series really takes giant leaps. I rank the first book as my least favorite of the seven.

In fact, you could even just watch the first two movies, then jump into reading on the third.

Joy

[sdcforever]

If you can get past the first two books, then you're home free. Starting with the third, the series really takes giant leaps. I rank the first book as my least favorite of the seven.

In fact, you could even just watch the first two movies, then jump into reading on the third.

Joy

I have to agree with that, Joy.  Interestingly, my favorite HP movie is the second one because it's so true to the book.  The only thing I regret about books 4-7 is that Rowling's editors get really lazy; the editing is wonderful on books 1-3 though.  (I'm serious about the editing in the later books.  Read them and you'll see that Hermione is always "crying" and Harry is always "angry", etc.  Some other descriptive words would be nice to convey the characters' emotions).

Right now for my English class I'm required to read To Kill a Mockingbird. I just can't get into it at all! It is a really boring book to me. My best friend is telling me it is a classic and all that (she is kind of a nerd  ) but it is pretty boring to me.

Don't feel bad, Coaster.  I was also required to read To Kill a Mockingbird and couldn't get into it either.  It is a classic, though.  But that doesn't mean that everyone will love it (or has to).  Check out the movie, though.  The movie with Gregory Peck is really good.  (It's also very true to the book, so if you don't want to finish the book...   Just don't tell anyone I gave you that idea, okay?  )

Two of my most favorite novels are Shepherd of the Hills and Christy. Both are wonderful tales of life in the mountains at the turn of the century and both really make you want to go to the mountains and never come back.

Joy

I forgot about Harold Bell Wright's Sheperd of the Hills!  I LOVE that book, too.  I've read it many times.  I also forgot about another of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe.  Pretty easy to read, and very gripping.  He really knows how to convey atmosphere and mood with his writing.  Christy is one of my wife's favorite books.  It's a small world, huh? 

[Coaster]

Don't feel bad, Coaster.  I was also required to read To Kill a Mockingbird and couldn't get into it either.  It is a classic, though.  But that doesn't mean that everyone will love it (or has to).  Check out the movie, though.  The movie with Gregory Peck is really good.  (It's also very true to the book, so if you don't want to finish the book...   Just don't tell anyone I gave you that idea, okay?  )

We are going to watch the movie after we finish our book while my teacher grades our tests. I'm sure I'll like it much better than the book (it may be a first for me)

If you can get past the first two books, then you're home free. Starting with the third, the series really takes giant leaps. I rank the first book as my least favorite of the seven.

In fact, you could even just watch the first two movies, then jump into reading on the third.

Joy

Everyone is telling me that! I couldn't just watch the first two movies and then read the rest of the books though. I would feel like I'd be missing out on something.

[sdcforever]

How do you guys feel about the current state of the movie business?  IMO, it's creatively-challenged.  How many sequels/franchises (Shrek 18, Spiderman 22, anyone?) and remakes (The Birds remake-2009, Starfighter-2010 remake of The Last Starfighter, anyone?) do we need?  Remakes and sequels abound!  The list goes on and on for each genre, but I'm a big horror fan.  I was apalled when they remade Halloween.  Upcoming horror remakes are due for My Bloody Valentine, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, to only name a few.  I wish Hollywood would develop more unique and creative wide-release material!

[Coaster]

^I hate horror movies. I get really scared and I become a real baby when it comes to that stuff.

As for sequels and things, if done right they can be a great thing. Like, Back to the Future trilogy, Star Wars (the earlier movies were better but the 3rd movie was really good), Indiana Jones (I can't wait for the fourth one), Shrek trilogy, etc.

But some movies are ruined once the sequel comes out. Disney has ruined a lot of movies like Lilo and Stitch, Little Mermaid, Lion King, etc. The Sandlot is a great movie but the sequel just ruined it for me.

I think if you can bring back the same characters with the same personality and as good of a plot for the first, you can make a successful sequel. If you have to put in a lot of new characters (or have all new characters) it won't do as good.