Paper Towns by John Green [Review]

A few days ago I read and finished Paper Towns by John Green, in two days.
I'm a bit of a slow reader, so that's a fantastic pace for me.
And believe me, it was an absolutely fantastic book.

[I won't spoil any major plot points here, no worries!]

I'll start with a synopsis:
Quentin Jacobson is just an average high schooler. He spends his time studying, playing video games with his friends, and pining over his neighbor and long-time crush, Margo Roth Spiegelman. He's just living his life, when one night, Margo Roth Spiegelman climbs into his bedroom window and takes him on a late-night adventure he will never forget.
Quentin thinks that everything between he and Margo would change after that night, and he was right, but not in the way he imagined. Margo has disappeared, and in doing so, left behind clues for Quentin to find. Quentin Jacobson puts his life on hold in order to find her. However, the more clues he finds, the less he knows, about the girl and her location.

I've never read any books by John Green before, and I was pleasantly surprised. I had high expectations starting out, and they were all surpassed. I took this book very literally at first, but about halfway in, I realized that there is so much more to it. It isn't about about finding Margo Roth Spiegelman; not really. It's about relationships, Walt Whitman, who people really are. With her desire to go on a journey and escape the "paper people" (a metaphor for people who live their two-dimensional meaningless lives without question), I can really relate to Margo. ...At least, I think I can. I can relate to my version of her. Because that's what this all really is; we each have our own versions of people, both people in our lives and characters. And these versions are both wrong and right, and I don't think we can ever really know someone entirely. Most of the time we're just seeing reflections of ourselves.

"When did we see each other face-to-face? Not until you saw into my cracks and I saw into yours. Before that, we were just looking at ideas of each other, like looking at your window shade but never seeing inside. But once the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out."
-Paper Towns, John Green

The characters in this book feel just like kids I might run into at my own high school. Liable to be normal and boring, but they always have something interesting (and sometimes very funny) to say. John Green is one of those adults who hasn't lost his grasp of the adolescent years, something I always admire in adults. His writing is interesting, captivating, sometimes profound, and very funny. Lines such as "Talking to a drunk person was like talking to an extremely happy, severely brain-damaged three-year-old," or "Did you just use Greek mythology to talk trash?" would make me burst out laughing (and then promptly text it to my boyfriend!). However, this has to be one of the best lines in the entire book:

"Radar threw his books into his locker and shut it. Then the din of conversation around us quieted just a bit as he turned his eyes toward the heavens and shouted, "IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT MY PARENTS OWN THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF BLACK SANTAS."
-Paper Towns, John Green

I mean, seriously.

All in all, I'd give this book five stars. I try not to give out five stars often, but this book was so freaking good. Like I said, I read it in 2 days, and that's because instead of watching TV or going online, I'd hide up in my room for three to five hours each day, and read every chance I get in class (laugh). I'll recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. (I already have a list of people I'm going to loan my copy to. XD) I know there must be some cons to the book, but in all honesty, I really don't see them (I've read about some things people say they don't like, but I disagree!). This has become one of my favourite books.... It just means so much to me. I feel like I can't do this novel justice through this review, so I have three words for you, dear reader:
READ THIS BOOK!

"There was no planning. No time for planning. No time for a future. But then the life spans started getting longer, and people started having more and more future. And now life has become the future. Every moment of your life is lived for the future--you go to high school so you can go to college so you can get a good job so you can get a nice house so you can afford to send your kids to college so they can get a good job so they can get a nice house so they can afford to send their kids to college."
— John Green (Paper Towns)

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 John Green with the cover of Paper Towns

Your Deepest Desires.

 

I stole this tag from Bleah Briann. ^^; You can read her post here.
So pretty much, you share 7 likes, 8 hates, and 1 love... in that order.
Here's how I did it:

I like that feeling of excitement when I get a package in the mail, right before I open it
I like the scent of baking apples and cinnamon
I like having deep and meaningful conversations with the people I care about
I like when the Boyfriend holds me close and doesn't let go
I like diet soda
I like when people take the time to write me a letter
I like those days that just seem so unbelievably perfect
I hate when I get anxiety attacks for no reason
I hate when I leave all my good pens and pencils at home
I hate when adults are condescending toward me (and my peers)
I hate fighting
I hate when people tell me that I just HAVE to listen to a certain song or artist, but flat-out refuse to listen to anything I suggest
I hate when people try to put God into a box
I hate when winter lasts for more than its allotted 3 months
I hate coming up with so many things I hate :(
I love everyone who is reading this. :')

Now link this tag up to me, and then some other bloggers people you admire: 
findingMuse
.:kara.grace:.
Ayla
Zach
Luxe

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both photographs were found on weheartit.com

Little Shop of Horrors.

"Shing-a-ling, what a creepy thing to be happening...♪"

I have been very busy lately!
My school is putting on Little Shop of Horrors. It's so exciting! The Boyfriend is playing Mushnik (laughs). I love it because he has to wear a mustache and a fat suit!

 

And I'm on the crew~! A stage ninja, as I call it! I wear all black, move swiftly and silently across the stage, making objects disappear (and appear)! It's actually an incredibly fun job. I play an important part in the show, and I get to hang out backstage during those few songs where I have nothing to do! I've taken a ton of pictures.

 

Dan puppets Audrey II (the plant).

 

Josh (fellow stage ninja) feeling Mushnik's tummy.

 

And, of course, I get to hang out in the green room, where all the fun happens! Last night a bunch of the stage crew gathered in there and played around with the spare props (laugh). And a few days ago The Boyfriend Rick Rolled Shapley (a friend)! It was hilarious, I've never seen anyone do that in real life before.

Ian: Logan, get Shapley! Tell him there's something cool in the closet! *hides in the closet*
Logan: *comes back with Shapley*
Shapley: *opens up closet door* Wha-
Ian: "NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN--"
Shapley: "NOO!"
I have the video up on Facebook. XD

Messing around in the green room before the opening show.

 

Paula and me, waiting on set for the show to start.

I'm wearing Dan's hat here, I think it looks quite good on me. :P

We had a preview show for the school on Wednesday, opening night was last night, there's a show tonight, and two more shows tomorrow! Then we're done! :( I don't want it to be over, though.... I am definitely signing up for Les Miserables, which happens to be the next show the drama club's putting on. :D

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Running Up That Hill.

Let's see.... Soothing music, Arnold Palmer, something decent in my stomach for the first time today, tablet at hand.... I think I'm ready.

My apologies for not posting. How many times am I going to say that?

Life has been amazing lately. Ups and downs, yadda yadda yadda. The trimester is already coming to a close.... This makes me very sad, I wish time wouldn't pass by so quickly. I'm trying to keep a grasp on it, but sometimes I get distracted and forget, then I turn back around and a week, or two, has already passed by. Maybe a month, even.
One thing I am looking forward to regarding the new trimester, though: a new lunch. I'm hoping I'll get the same lunch as my good friend Rachel, I'd love to be able to actually spend some time with her. I want lunch with all of my friends, of course!

I've begun drawing more seriously once again. I took a break for a few months where I took pictures, but now I'm really going to try to do both. And if I can't, then I'm concentrating on the pencil!
The drawing above is a preview of something I've just started working on.

"What is the matter with these people, these people who won't stop fighting, won't stop hurting each other long enough to see that a body is a thing of beauty, is a miracle of rivers and oceans and islands and continents contained within itself?"

-All Rivers Flow to the Sea by Allison McGhee

I hate war.
I've begun, very slowly at first, but now faster and faster and faster, to see small changes within myself.... And I guess now those small changes are building up and changing me and making me a new person.... Not a different person, a new person. I guess I'm changing myself. I've noticed myself becoming a pacifist, accepting aspects of me that I was unable to accept before, I'm educating myself on religions.... And not just organized religions, but beliefs in general. I've found myself eating less than usual, but I'm also exercising. I've lost some weight, reading more, building new relationships.... I've become more tolerant, more open-minded.... Which also leads to more confusing, but I think I have most of it sorted out.
In other words, I'm growing up.
I never thought it would be quite so wonderful, so.... Freeing.

And if I only could,

Make a deal with God,

And get him to swap our places,

Be running up that road,

Be running up that hill...

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My Home.

When I grow up, I am going to live in a big house. This house will be white or grey or blue or hot violet; the colour doesn't matter. It'll be located miles from a town, with only a few neighbours. I'll have a big open kitchen with old wood floors. My children will run through it with muddy bare feet and grass stains on their knees. They'll try to sneak some of what's cooking for dinner, but I'll shoo them out to go play in our open hilly backyard. They will run across this yard, the freshly mowed grass sticking to their feet, and into the woods in the back. They'll explore and hunt and adventure in these woods, playing in the river that runs through it, fishing during the summer. The woods will be miles upon miles long, so they can adventure for their entire childhood without ever experiencing the terrible feeling of the other side of the woods; it's never as magical as they imagined it would be.


My daughter will have her own room; my sons will share one. My husband and I will have our own cozy room at the end of the large hall upstairs, away from the other rooms. My daughter's room will change, from when she is a baby, a young girl, a teenager. In this room she will write in her diary, draw pretty pictures, dream of escapes, pretend not to be talking on the phone to a certain boy on school nights. She'll go through messy phases and neat phases. Her corkboard will be covered with pictures of those she loves, her windows wide open, inviting the summer night in to comfort her when she is not well. She'll do homework and have sleepovers and sneak cans of soda under her bed. This will be her sanctuary.
My boys will be close, or perhaps not. They'll fight and wrestle and create forts in their bedroom. The cat will insist on sleeping with them, even though they do mean things to it. When they're young, this is the place they will throw tantrums; when they're teenagers, perhaps they'll try sneaking in the occasional girl at night when they think they won't get caught. They'll get a television for Christmas and play video games on it, at least during the time they're allotted. Perhaps they will have shelves upon shelves of books... Maybe these shelves will grow with dust. Rock music blares in the afternoons, feet stomping and fingers caressing space with their air guitars. And when they grow older, the sound of guitar strings being plucked will travel down the stairs, throughout the house.

I am not sure if this is the fantasy of my adulthood, or the wish for my childhood. Perhaps is my childhood. Maybe it's my childrens' childhood... Or their childrens'. Maybe it was my parents' or a friend's. Perhaps this dream will never come true.... Or maybe it will. I guess only time can be certain.

Whatever the case, I will keep dreaming.

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(Images from HouseBeautiful)

October.

I haven't been online much. Blogs, at least. My apologies... But I've been out living life. ^.^

Things have be changing, as things do. People come and go, school has its ups and downs, my emotions have no grasp on reality. I've been trying to practice my photography, and I managed to get a few really good shots. I've become closer to the people I love. Secrets have been shared, I've shown my true self to some very close friends. The reactions may not always be pleasant, but it's necessary. We all have to grow up sometime.

While I was in the middle of writing this, I raced upstairs, heavy on inspiration, and scribbled out a poem. It took me about ten minutes... I don't think I'll post it on here, I can be a bit conscious of my writing, unless somebody really wants to read it.

I'm surprised that September went by so quickly... I'm almost disappointed, but I'm looking forward to what this months has to offer. It'll be good, I know. Even if some of it seems horrible at the time, it'll be worth it in the end. It always is.

I don't know if this was a pointless post or if it somehow means something, but I'm glad I got it out there. I need to just write sometimes.

Cheers to Miss Kara Grace, whose sixteenth birthday is today! Luv ya soo much! <3

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Origami love.

I have discovered a new love.
And its name is origami.

I hope that it won't replace drawing in any way (been going through a major art block, and frankly, it's terrifying). But I have been folding paper almost constantly since last night.

Behold:

[[click to enlarge]]

A string of cranes

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I made a bunch of patriotic cranes in about an hour, in honour of Independence Day.

Happy Fourth of July, my fellow Americans!
(And good day to the rest of you. ;) )

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My Favourite Anime Openings

I haven't done this in a few years, so I figured it was high time to update my list. ;)
I've seen a lot of anime openings in my time (lawl), but these are by far the best ones I've seen.

1.
This one just happens to be my absolute favourite opening and anime. I can't even begin to explain how much this opening (and anime) means to me. Just goes to show that some of the best anime are incredibly unappreciated.

2.
Here's an instance where I love the opening waaay more than the anime. The opening fills me with so many emotions... Then the anime starts, and I'm like, "Oh. Yeah. This is a good show."

3..
I really have no idea why this opening is so great. It just is. I have friends who will completely agree with me, too, so it's not just me.

4.
The Lucky Star opening is just frickin' awesome. XDD I luff it.

...Yeah, I couldn't even make it to #5. XD
Enjoy! (Yeah, yeah, I see you walking away without even watching these videos! GET BACK HERE!!!)

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My Music Library

Click for full view.

The artists that have the most songs in my iTunes library are what show up bigger, but it's still cool, right?

Here's how to do this:
1. Open up your iTunes music library
2. Go to View > View Options
3. Uncheck everything but 'Artist'
4. Select all and copy (ctrl+a, ctrl+c for Windows)
5. Go to Wordle.net and paste your text
6. Erase all the songs, but keep the artists. (This could take awhile... There's probably an easier way to go about this, but this is how I did it.)
7. Voila!

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