(no subject)

[cblj_backup]

I keep writing these entries about how I am crazy right now, and all the things that are making me crazy, but then they sound weird and I privatelock them instead of posting them. Point being I am kind of bonkers right now but I'll get over it.

I just finished reading The River King by Alice Hoffman, and while I'd like to review it because that's how I document the reading I've done in the year, I don't think I'm up to the task. On the one hand it is a pretty good example of magical realism, and I read it to the end because I did want to know What Happened Next. But on the other hand there's not a single likeable person in the book except for the town pharmacist, who I think gets about eight lines in the whole thing. Lack of exposure is probably the reason he's likeable. Everyone else is either an asshole or a self-destructive twit. Or dead. Or some combination of the three.

Also, getting expelled from high school is not just retribution for committing murder. If you're going to commit a crime to exact revenge on a murderer, it might as well be worthwhile revenge.

Anyway, thus concludes my dissertation on 1. I am crazy and 2. The River King was a very hard book.

Comments

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

I wrote a post about how I am crazy today and then I realized I totally forgot to take my meds for the crazy right in the middle of posting about it. *facepalm*

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

The cafe IS full of smart, creative, zany people who understand the crazies -- but alas it's not just the Cafe who reads this :D

[ysabet.livejournal.com]

**sigh** These days, crazy is more relative than ever... and in my workplace I see the medical records, autopsy reports and incident reports on mental health patients all day long. Trust me: if you're fairly happy as you are, not hurting anyone, not hurting yourself and expect this state to continue more or less, then it doesn't matter if you talk to the trees or the voices in your head are excellent company. It really doesn't. If there's more than one of you in your skull, who cares? There's room. If the trees answer back, what's the problem? Enjoy the conversation. Embrace the crazy.

If, on the other hand, you *are* hurting or may hurt others and you know it or are depressed or unhappy because of it... look for help. I've just recently begun dealing with grief-based depression myself, and just talking about it is doing me some good, I think. There're resources everywhere if you look, even in this age of cutbacks.

Luck to you. This is so much more common than most people believe that it's not funny.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Thank you-you said this much better than I could ever dream of.

And sending good wishes for your recovery from your depression, also, and virtual hugs, if you want them.

[beyondthesunset.livejournal.com]

Grief-based depression is tough. Hang in there. I am glad you have resources available to you!

[teaboyfan.livejournal.com]

Take care of yourself; you're important to a lot of people who will never meet you physically.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Yes! Seconded!

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Alice was my first Alice, did you know? She advised my undergrad thesis. And then the film for Practical Magic came out and she went in her house for a year and then started up writing YA books. So she's just as crazy as you, never fear. (Also a breast cancer survivor and fond of insane droopy hats.)

(I keep being mentored by people called Alice. I'm on my third one.)

[iamshadow.livejournal.com]

Have you read Green Angel (http://www.alicehoffman.com/hoffman-green-angel.htm)? That's one of hers, classified as YA, but completely accessible to adults. I have it in a little hardback, and as well as being a fantastically poetic healing-post-apocalypse story, it's probably one of the loveliest books I have in my collection in terms of physical appearance. It's a little hardbound Scholastic Press edition, with illustrations and beautiful slip jacket and green page edging and even the damn font is lovely. I totally bought it because of the looks. It was a bargain table purchase, and finding out the story was good, too, was just a fantastic bonus.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that! Wait, maybe I did. At any rate I didn't remember.

It was a very compellingly written book, for being 100% made up of people I would avoid in real life :D I've got a few of her other books on my reading list -- any recommendations on what to start with?

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

I actually really adore Practical Magic, because aside from the film it's about becoming who you're meant to be; I liked Here on Earth, did not like Local Girls, liked At Risk but it's really really dated; but probably the list you have is newer stuff, so I would do Blackbird House, The Probable Future, the Red Garden, and Story Sisters, in that order. She only has one or two stories to tell, you know, but I love most of them. :)

[fleur-de-liz.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's just you, Sam.

I felt pretty damn crazy today and the Sproutlets in my class were seven kinds of crazy. I don't know if it's the heat, the impending full moon, the ions in the atmosphere from the equally impending thunderstorm, or some combination thereof, but there was a lot of crazy going on.

I would don a tinfoil hat, but the skies have turned an ominous shade of dark and I'd rather not get hit by lightning.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

There seems to be a lot of crazy, or at least tension, circling the internet right now...

[nataliadarimini.livejournal.com]

After I finished reading The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart, I had much the same reaction. The fellow who wrote it was clearly an excellent writer to be able to bring out the, ah, strong feelings I had about the main characters. That I wanted to wall up the entire cast, Cask-of-Amontillado-style, that seems almost beside the point.

we loves you.

[metallumai.livejournal.com]

Cheer up about the crazy: the alternative would be to be NORMAL, and then where would you be? Seriously, in our present cultural/political climate, people with good manners and relatively compassionate attitudes are in danger of seeming crazy anyway. The other kind of crazy, the kind that makes you unhappy, can be adjusted for, or handled with help from a few friends. I'm here, and I know a few others are too... :)

re: Hard book. I wish people wouldn't write books with no redeeming characters. it makes me annoyed that I've wasted my time reading it and I get all snitty.

[athousanderrors.livejournal.com]

*hugs* As others have said, the crazy can be good. As long as you're not hurting yourself, or anyone else, then I think you're good.

I read the River King in my last year at school, and still have my massively scribbled on and highlighted copy. I reread it about once a year, because I love the descriptions, the world she's built in Haddan, but I can't bear to read about any of the characters more often because...well, yes, they're rather dislikeable.