semi-book-review

I finished Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs last week, and while I definitely didn't agree with all Klosterman had to say, and I do think he dragged on much too long at certain points, I did like the book, overall. I really enjoyed certain essays, such as the one about Saved By the Bell, and another about serial killers (to name the first two that came to mind). And I wholeheartedly agreed (to the extent, at some points, of exclaiming out loud) with Klosterman's view on mix tapes vs. mix CDs, a sentiment I myself have long held -- namely, that a lot more thought, time, and effort went into making mix tapes back in the day; nowadays, mix CDs (which most people eschew anyway, because of things like iPods that give playlist order no weight whatsoever*), while still a thoughtful idea, simply require a bit of dragging & dropping on one's desktop. There's definitely not the sentimental hold that mix tapes have on me, largely because I can imagine the creator hunched over his or her tape player, listening for the last few notes of a song to peter off so that the recorder could be stopped & queued for the next song. Sigh. Not to say I don't appreciate mix CDs that people have made for me! I certainly enjoy being introduced to new music, for one thing. But it's a vastly different thing, to me, that's all.

Maybe part of it is just pure nostalgia, but I do think it's a bit more than that. I still cherish the ska tapes that Lucid Mike made for me, even though we're no longer even in touch, because they introduced to some of the best music out there. Luckily we've still got an audio cassette player in the house, because I do still occasionally like pull them out and relish old memories.

Another Klosterman point that I thought was very interesting was one he made in passing, about how interesting it would be if all of one's past (I'll paraphrase a bit here) boyfriends were all sat down together in one room. I found it fascinating to imagine who might get along with who, and why -- and even more intriguing, how many different personalities one tends to date throughout their lives. I always thought I had something of a "type", but it's amazing to me when I think about how not a single one of my past relationships has really been anything like another, and how very different each new person turns out to be. It's so interesting to look at the "learning process" of who you date & what you'll tolerate (or not) as you grow.

In any case, just some things to ponder, nothing all that important. I continue to keep busy with reading & movies & knitting; you all know my way exciting life! :) Tonight: Dan, Bethany, & I head to our friend Lisa's to see if Dan & I want to take her up on her offer of her old couches. I hope they are what we had in mind, because I'm getting desperate to get rid of our dreadful futon! If not those couches, though, definitely I'd like to figure out something feasible. I want to feel like I live in a real apartment, not just a temporary place! xoxo

* don't even get me started on how I feel about the ways albums have been forced to evolve (records to tapes to CDs to mp3 players) from what originally was planned to be one, long, continuous listening experience into a compilation of songs much more geared towards "singles" playability!

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale AUTHOR: Sean Astin
	TITLE: Everything Bad Is Good For You AUTHOR: Steven Johnson