Oh, Canada

I'm so excited to say I'm writing this from Vancouver, BC! I have already been here a few days so I have some catching up to do on this blog when I have more time. Kristen is traveling with me so of course we are going, going, going, all day. :)

What a beautiful city! I have been to Canada before on the east coast, but I was much younger then. However I did remember having a wonderful time and meeting very kind-hearted individuals. It looks like not much has changed. Aside from a homeless man telling me to F**k myself because I kept walking by him without addressing his questions... lol... everyone has been super duper nice.

So let me get some sushi for dinner and then I'll start posting about the first few days here.

Cheers, eh!

Meg

Hunger Games Trilogy... WTF Review

SPOILER ALERT: I will be discussing events from all three books in the trilogy. If you have not read them and don't want the ending revealed in a jarring manner (much like the books are written) then exit now!!!!!!!

DISCLAIMER: Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and most of them stink. This review/rant is merely my opinion that I am writing on 4 hours of sleep because this book kept me awake. I had to start reading some cheesy girl book to get the taste out of my mouth. And even then, I was depressed watching the sun rise. So yeah, this is me bitching my opinion. I want you to know I LIKED the books overall and that I was very pleased with the movie. However, this needs to get off my chest...

Okay you've been warned. So let me preface this by saying that I never really write book reviews, and Lord knows that is not the purpose of this blog. However, being that I was up until 5:30 this morning, I am compelled to spill my guts over the events of the past few days that I read the three books in question. To clarify, this week I read:

The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay

All are authored by Suzanne Collins. And before my "critique" I must give credit to the author. She knows how to write, and she knows how to engage the reader to want to continue reading. I think I finished each book in little over a day.

The first book is superior to the rest in my estimation. The character development is solid and steady. The action gets going fast enough to stay engaged and the reader begins to mull over the two male leads. I will say that the end of the book was a bit jarring but nearly as much as the sequels. There are certainly times when I want to reach through the page and shake Katniss into having some human emotions. Her lack of decision making outside the arena reminds me of Zoey, the main female character in the House of Night series. But that's where the connection stops for me. It's just a frustration.

Sooo let me get down to the point. I was horrified by the ending of the last book. And not in the way I expected. Thank God my friends are not soulless and forewarned me that the end of the series would make me displeased. I got a little taste of the abruptness in Collins' writing by the end of the second book, where its like... Action. Action. Gasp. Action. Confusion. Katniss Rescued. 12 Gone. Close Book. What? WHAT just occurred? I had to re-read a good chunk of the end... slowly... so I felt more development of events could occur. No such luck. However it did get me intrigued to immediately start the third book.


Oh Mockingjay. My dear, sweet Mockingjay. There were a few ways I approached this book. All of which involved great trepidation to not read the end. My roommate, Kris, warned me that the end was sudden and somewhat frustrating. However, three chapters in I was already agitated. Now please don't get me wrong, there are points when I fully connect with Katniss and her slipping control over her own mind. However, her complete lack of emotions except for little snippets of time are confusing. Trying to put myself in her shoes I could see being emotionally stunted by the events of the games and even life in 12 before. However, she has this weird habit of dismissing people that care for her, to the point that I'm reading out loud going "What the hell Kat!?" Yes, I call her Kat. Judge away.

So, okay, overall the book is good. HOWEVER... Mockingjay should be two separate books. Wayyy too much stuff happens and none of it is really developed until they get to the Capitol. And even then, after that gets rolling, time jumps again. But let me not get ahead of myself. I knew they would kill Prim. They had to didn't they? Because that was the only person Katniss seemed truly happy with and one of the characters I truly loved. And then there is Finnick and Annie. I figured well I know I'll be pissy about how the author treats Katniss' love choices, so at least I can be happy that Finnick and Annie are together. Especially when I guessed that Annie would die. NOPE! Finnick is eaten by mutts and then blown up... wtf. Okay, okay, I get some of the deaths in the book. Actually, I understand a lot of them. However, Cinna, Prim and Finnick are unforgivable. WTF Collins! Stop that!

So then there is the treatment of time after Katniss kills Coin (which I lol'd about). I wasn't super happy that there was no definite explanation of how Snow died (choking on his blood from laughing...really?) and if I were Katniss I'd be pissed to not take the bastard out myself. So then lets time jump. A lot. To me, the end of the book is like when my Jeep hits 1/2 a tank of fuel left. From F to 1/2 it's a solid few days. From 1/2 to Empty it takes like ... an hour. Okay that's false, but still. It's fast. Too fast. Startlingly fast.

So Katniss just chills in the Capitol suite forever planning the never-ending suicide? Okay. So wait, Katniss just sits in her house for months? All nasty and shit? And Greasy Sae doesn't even try to hose her down? Okay. Oh wait. She starts talking to Peeta again (and he's not choking her). Okay. And her Mom doesn't give a crap enough to come back to her. Okay. And Gale and her are like "okay, it might have been your bomb so you can't be forgiven, even though you couldn't have known. Peace bro." Okay. Soooo Katniss has no one but Haymitch. They even kill off the sweet mayor's daughter? Okay. Um, I'll commit suicide FOR Katniss. By the end of the book I'm pissed and crying. But wait, is this a silver lining? Nope. If it is it sped by at the speed of a Ferrari on the Autobon.

It's like three pages long. Three. Peeta and I talk. Then we like each other. Then we're a thing again, but it's not the same. Then a million years later I'm like "okay impregnate me." And then I'm a sad Mom. No more Hunger Games. Sweet. Then I'll tell my cute kids about my horrible existence and how Mommy killed lots of people. But it's gonna be cool. I wrote it all down. Because that's cathartic. THE END. Okay.

What. The. (pardon me) Fuck. Just. Happened.
I swear to you, this should have been TWO books. Develop the attacks on 13 and the subsequent plan to go to 2 and the Capitol. Fin. Book 2 (or 4 technically). Attack the Capitol. Kill all the nice characters except for the boys. Then DEVELOP THE ENDING. Give the reader something to cling on to. It's almost like Collins was so exhausted from writing the series that she slapped on a three page denouement and a 2 page Epilogue and called it a day. Okay.

So in sum, yes, I liked the books and most of the content. However, as a reader and a narrative writer I felt really disconnected by the end. And mad. I hate ending books feeling mad. That's not to say I approve of happy endings all the time... perhaps that couldn't happen in a dystopian society. But still... develop it. For God's sake man, develop it!

So now I'm tired and grumpy and I need a coffee. The odds seem to not be in my favor. LoL.

Fin.

Meg

Making Lists

To Dos... Groceries... Don't Forget... Gift Ideas... Class schedules... Student Needs

I make lists. Lots of them. To the point what when I started cleaning today I found about 20 of them. All different kinds. However, there was something universal throughout. None of them were completely crossed off. Some were almost finished and some appeared as new and untouched as the day I thought them up.

I don't finish my lists. And I guess that is alright. I do accomplish what I feel I need to each day, and I always meet the deadline (however close it may get). But these lists got me thinking about other lists I've made. In diaries and journals. In my mind. The greater "to do" list of what I want to accomplish. What I want others to remember. And I wonder now as a woman in her upper twenties... how am I doing? I'm still holding steady to so many ideas and aspirations that I made when I was younger and saw the world with different eyes. So still now, I stand poised with pen in hand, just waiting to cross another thing off or to check the box that it is complete. That it is successful.

Trust me that this is not a post of regrets or even of pessimism. It is however, a curiosity of self. How do I decide what to start on, what to finish, and what to leave on these lists for another day. How do I decide what gets to sit untouched until a colder January day where I feel the urge to de-clutter.

What are your lists? Do you always complete them?
I feel like I'm not the only one.

Meg

Home for the Holidays

Wow, I'm so slack. I've not written a post here in a month! It's been a whirlwind semester and I am just now finishing everything up. Classes went well... but I'm still waiting on final grades, so fingers crossed for A's.

I've been having a lot of fun making videos and blogs for YouTube with all the makeup/beauty stuff. If you haven't seen them, the blog is:

http://www.megtuckermakeup.blogspot.com

It's just for fun. :)

Right now I'm finishing up cleaning the apartment and packing up for a trip to the Shore and Florida for the holidays. I'm excited to take a break and see family! :)

I'll try to blog from home, so keep an eye out.

All my love,

Meg

Miss Dora of New Orleans

Hey all. So I am currently on an evening flight from New Orleans to BWI and I wanted to share a story I heard on the way here. I will make a travel post as soon as I'm home and have loaded my photos to the internet. But for now, I want to tell you about a beautiful lady who made my day.

Miss Dora was my driver today. I had called ahead for a limo service to pick me up from my hotel to take me over to the airport. So when I got my luggage outside I look up to see a sleek, black stretch limousine out front of the Best Western St. Christopher. A lovely black lady in her sixties poked her head out the window and smiled up at me "Are you Megan?" I grinned and nodded as she stepped out of the car. "Wow, an actual limo all to myself?!" I was fairly shocked. When I reserved a car with the company I assumed a dark sedan would pick me up. "Yes, ma'am, this limo has your name on it! You are welcome to any of the drinks inside and you can adjust the fan and music as you see fit" she said while pulling away from the hotel. She glanced in the rear view at me and I smiled. "So how are you today?" I asked. I then learned the following about Miss Dora:

Dora hails from a small town in Louisiana about 110 miles north of New Orleans. Though she was not born in the Big Easy she has lived and worked there for over 40 years. She and her husband bought a home in the city limits and found jobs downtown.

As we drove, Dora told me about some of the city's history and changes throughout the years. She asked about my trip and we chatted about the steamboats and parades. Once on Interstate 10, Dora asked if I knew about the cemeteries and why the graves were above ground. I told her I understood because much like N'awlins, the place I grew up in is well below sea level. I told her a story about a massive flood that affected Chincoteague Island (near where I grew up) and how it eroded the graves and left coffins floating down Main Street. She understood and related it to Katrina.

She hesitated and glanced over the dividing wall of the interstate and into an extensive graveyard. "There are a lot more souls out there now after the storm. Lord blessed my family that no one was taken from me that day." I asked Dora if she was still in the city when Katrina hit. Thankfully her and her husband had the good notion to evacuate in advance and trek up to the northern part of the state where her family still resided. "We got out, thank God, but it wasn't without cost. We packed up an SUV and headed out of the city. But a few days later we went back to see the damage. They wouldn't let us into the city."

"Finally, we were able to walk to our home... or what was left of it" she said. "Did you lose everything?" I asked quietly. "Yep, we sure did. The levies broke and soaked the city. Everything in our home was ripped or broken or waterlogged. The walls in the house buckled and every door was sealed shut from the wood expanding" she said. "It was a hard thing to see. A hard pill to swallow. Everything from 40 years of a live here and it was just washed away in an instant." Her voice softened. "But I'll tell you hunny that it's not so hard anymore. We all got out alive. I still have my health and my family." "Everything else can be replaced" I chimed in. "Amen. That's the truth. You can't worry about all that material stuff when you can fix it" she said.

She smiled in the rear view and turned off an exit. "I'll tell ya something funny. When we got back to the house I went up to our bedroom to try and salvage what I could. I opened the closet that had my wedding gown and my husband's tuxedo in it. They were still there, hanging right where I left them. Not a rip or tear. The only thing was that the middle of my dress was covered in beautiful little pearls. They had turned grey from the water so I took them to a friend. She removed all of the grey pearls and hand stitched new ones on for me. My husband's tux was a light green color and it didn't even get wet! I told him it was a sign for our marriage and that we'd never fall apart" she laughed. "So far so good!"

Thankfully when her and her husband fled the city to outpace the hurricane, she grabbed a few essentials. "I had a clear enough mind to grab photo albums of my wedding and all of my children growing up. I got some of my jewelry, a whole heaping pile of clothes and the important papers we needed... like the deed to our house. I just filled the SUV with anything I could grab that would fit." "Wow, I'm so glad you thought of that. I'm sure so many people just left or thought it wouldn't be so bad. I couldn't imagine losing every photo or important piece of jewelry I have" I said. "Exactly. That's why I grabbed it. Just in case."

I complimented the city on how great it looks and how optimistic those who are in the city limits seem. "Oh yes, hunny. It seems like nothin' can really hold the New Orleans folk down. Of course it takes lots of time and lots of money but things are heading back to the way they were. It's just one of those things where you know the danger is there but you never think it will actually happen to you. Not like that anyway."

As we pulled into the airport the topics changed to jobs and taking vacations. She wanted me to enjoy life and take a cruise! Her and her husband take one for their anniversary almost every year. As we pulled to the terminal she thanked me for chatting with her. "Lots of folks don't make conversation when they're leaving or they have such a big group that they just talk to their friends" she said. As I climbed out of the car and handed her a tip I asked "What is your name?" "Dora" she said. "Like the explorer!" I laughed and told her I had a pet of the same name which she was tickled pink by. "Oh yes, I like my name! Your friend made a good choice for her kitty" she laughed. I turned to wish her a happy day and said "thank you for talking to me today Dora. It was really great to meet you." She walked up to me and opened her arms for a hug which I happily accepted. I gave her a squeeze and she said "Please come back to my city someday, sugar."

I promised I would.


~Meg

New Blogs my Goodness!

I've been so scattered lately! Work is keeping me on my tootsies much more than desired, but all is well. I'm looking forward to things calming down and getting back into my old routine.

I started ANOTHER blog... yes I know. This makes... five. LoL. BUT I wanted to make some videos on YouTube for a while and I've finally got the motivation to do it!

This all came about because I got a paper of mine accepted to the AERA conference in VANCOUVER, Canada this coming Spring! YAY!!!!!!!!!!! The issue is that it's a pricy trip and I'll also be going to Boston for a conference in the Spring. So I need to make and safe money like woah. So I made a makeup blog and vlog to promote my Avon business and to start playing with makeup. So feel free to check it out and follow it! I only have one follower!!!

megtuckermakeup.blogspot.com

Thanks all!

I hope you had a great Halloween!
<3 Meg

Playing Catch Up

Since the wheels touched down on that 757 in August, I have barely had time to catch my breath, which is opposite of what I expected. As you all saw, the trip was AMAZING. Thank you to everyone who followed the blog and posted. My face lit up every time I saw a new comment!

As soon as I got back I found out that my super brilliant and beautiful roommate has passed her comps!!!!!!! She is now ABD and ready to work on the dissertation this year. I can't even tell you how proud I am (though not surprised). I think everyone knew she had it in her, except for HER! I hope this gives her the confidence boost that she deserves to keep doing great. :)

I had great intentions of relaxing, cleaning, prepping for the new semester and celebrating my 26th birthday with friends. The Gods had other plans for me... and more specifically for my Dad.

Not three days after Dad and Joan arrived home did Dad have some serious pains. Serious to the point of being driven to the hospital. I promised him not to blog about what was going on during the "event" but I'll just give everyone an overarching idea. Dad spent over a week in the hospital at home on the Shore... a few days of that in ICU. His gallbladder was gangrenous and life-threatening. Thank GOD he had the gallbladder attack when he did. If we were still in the islands, I don't know what would have happened. Anyway, instead of the standard laproscopic surgery they use now, they had to do an open gallbladder surgery that is a pretty big deal. He was in surgery for almost 5 hours and left with a nine inch scar across his torso. He is still on the mend... it takes up to six weeks to be back to normal after the surgery. I really feel for him. I could see how much pain he was in, but above that, see the discontentment in not being able to do ANYTHING. My father is a very active man. He is always working or fixing things, reading, cooking etc. So to not be able to do anything for yourself is just the ultimate power loss. I am happy to say that he is well on the road to recovery now though.

Because of the gallbladder episode, I repacked my things and went straight back home, with Arie (my cat) in tow. I'm not really sure what I expected to do aside from offer social support and pick up around the house (cook and clean etc) while Joan helped Dad. It was good for me to just be around him so I wasn't out here in NoVa worrying. The experience was terrifying from an outside perspective though. I never want to feel powerless to help, and I never want to think about the possibility of something bad happening to my Dad or Mom or anyone! It's very sobering. While I was home, I had Arie get surgery on her kitty mouth to remove cavities. Since she has a lot of digestive and allergy issues, her teeth/gums are really bad. They had to remove 13 teeth in total. Poor gummy bear. <3 She's doing well though. I'll take her back to the Shore this coming weekend for her checkup and to spend Sept 11th with Dad.

By the time I returned from the Shore, my birthday had passed. I was lucky enough to see my grandparents that day, along with spend time with Dad and Joan. But to me it still felt like a normal day. My birthday celebration was in the islands. :) All the same, it will be nice to get together with friends in a few weeks to have a very belated birthday dinner. The upside of my birthday here in NoVa was due to Kris. She got me an AWESOME Kindle for my birthday so I've been busy catching up on summer reading.

Classes started this past week, so to me "summer" in its traditional sense is over. I'm sad because aside from a few hiccups, this has been an amazing summer. It just flew by. I am excited for the semester though. My students seem great already and my classes look promising. Not to mention the Fall weather will be here soon enough and I can pull out the pumpkin decor. :) I regret not being able to spend Labor Day weekend with Joe as originally intended, but with the surgery and school it just wasn't in the cards. I'm hoping for Columbus Day weekend.

The last thing to catch you all up on are my photography jaunts! I just did a photo shoot for my friend Stephanie and her charming hubby, John. They were so great! They were natural and didn't need to be posed. I think the shots came out really well too! It was a rush to have a paid photo shoot. I would love to make this a regular hobby. I think I want to/need to review some good photography books for portraits as well, to kind of hone the skills I have. I am good at landscapes, but I do still worry that I'm not taking the best shots I can. With a newborn shoot coming up in the next month or so, I have some research to jump into. :) Regardless, I'm excited. I need to get my camera fixed (after it's fall in St. John) and I'll be set. I killed my point and shoot via Coke spilling on it in the hospital when I was helping Dad up out of bed, so I used the money from the photo shoot yesterday to buy a new Kodak. :)

Whew! I think that's all for now!

Cheers and Happy Labor Day!
~Meg